COUNTDOWN

Marcus (gritting his teeth): "I’ve neutralized everything, but it’s too late…"

Evelyn (voice over the comms, panicked): "Marcus! You need to leave! The base is going to blow!"

Thomas (yelling): "Marcus, come on! You’ve done your part, we have to get out of here!"

Marcus stares at the flashing warning lights on the console. The countdown timer blinks ominously—**03:58… 03:57…**

Marcus (whispers to himself): "I don’t think I’m getting out of this one."

He turns and looks at the emergency exit. His heart races, but his legs feel heavy, worn from the strain. He hears the shouts of his team in his ear, urging him to move, but his body won’t cooperate. The thought of what comes next—a final explosion that could wipe him out—seems strangely peaceful to him.

Marcus (gritting his teeth, breathing heavily): "I can’t… leave yet…"

Evelyn (frantically): "Marcus, you don’t have time! The whole facility will go up in flames!"

Thomas (his voice breaking): "Don’t be a hero! Get out of there NOW!"

Marcus’s hands hover over the console. His vision blurs as he watches the countdown continue, but his mind is racing. He had made the decision to stay behind to finish the mission, to disarm Kane’s final trap, but now it’s clear—there’s nothing more he can do.

Marcus (under his breath): "I didn’t plan to die today… but if it’s the only way…"

He takes a deep breath, stepping away from the console.

Marcus (to the comms): "Thomas, Evelyn… you’ve got to go without me."

Evelyn (shouting): "NO! We’re not leaving you behind, Marcus! There has to be a way!"

The room shakes violently as another explosion rocks the base. Marcus stumbles, falling against the wall, but he pushes himself back up, wincing in pain.

Thomas (panicking): "Marcus, you’re out of time! The base is coming down! RUN!"

Marcus (closing his eyes, speaking softly): "There’s nothing more I can do here…"

As the seconds tick down, he hears footsteps behind him. He spins around, only to see Kane standing in the doorway, a wicked grin spread across his face.

Kane (calmly): "You thought you could stop me, Marcus? That you could save everyone and ride off into the sunset?"

Marcus stares at Kane, a mix of anger and disbelief washing over him. How had Kane managed to survive?

Marcus (gritting his teeth): "What the hell are you doing here? You should be dead."

Kane chuckles, stepping closer.

Kane (mocking): "Dead? Not quite. You see, I always have a backup plan."

Marcus (furious): "You set this up! You knew all along!"

Kane (shrugging): "I knew you’d try to be the hero. You always do. But this… this is bigger than you, Marcus. You thought you could save the world? You’re just a pawn in a much bigger game."

Marcus takes a step back, trying to control his breathing. The countdown continues to tick—**02:32… 02:31…**

Marcus (glaring): "I disarmed everything. It’s over."

Kane’s grin widens.

Kane (mocking): "You really believe that? You think you’ve won?"

Kane raises a small device, his thumb hovering over a button.

Marcus (eyes widening): "What… what is that?"

Kane (smiling coldly): "Insurance."

Marcus lunges at Kane, but Kane steps back, holding the device out of reach.

Kane (taunting): "One push of this button, and all your efforts mean nothing. Everything you’ve fought for—gone."

Marcus (breathing heavily): "You won’t do it. If you push that button, you’ll die too."

Kane shrugs, his expression cold and detached.

Kane: "Maybe. But the difference between us, Marcus… is that I’m willing to die for my cause. Are you?"

The room shakes again as debris begins to fall from the ceiling. Marcus stares at the device in Kane’s hand, his mind racing. He has seconds to act.

Marcus (shouting): "What do you want, Kane? What’s the point of all this?"

Kane lowers the device slightly, his eyes narrowing.

Kane (calmly): "I want the world to burn. I want chaos. I want them to see the truth—that the system you’ve fought so hard to protect is rotten to its core."

Marcus (furious): "You’re insane! Killing millions won’t change anything!"

Kane steps closer, his voice deadly quiet.

Kane: "Oh, it will. When the dust settles, people will realize that the old world doesn’t work. They’ll beg for a new order. And I’ll be there to give it to them."

Marcus clenches his fists, trying to control his rage.

Marcus (coldly): "You won’t live to see it."

He charges at Kane, but Kane is ready. The two clash, fists flying as the room shakes around them. Marcus fights with everything he has, but the pain in his body slows him down. Kane dodges his attacks, landing a hard punch to Marcus’s gut, sending him crashing into a console.

The countdown continues—**01:45… 01:44…**

Thomas (yelling through the comms): "Marcus! You have to get out now!"

Marcus wipes blood from his mouth, glaring at Kane as he struggles to his feet.

Marcus (breathing heavily): "This ends now, Kane."

Kane grins, raising the device again.

Kane (taunting): "Oh, it will."

Marcus lunges at Kane, grabbing his arm and twisting it, trying to wrestle the device from his hand. They struggle, the sound of their grunts and the crackling of the crumbling base filling the air. Marcus slams Kane against the wall, pinning him down.

Marcus (furious): "You’re done!"

Kane laughs through the pain, his voice dark and full of malice.

Kane (mocking): "You think you’ve won, but you have no idea what’s coming."

Marcus tightens his grip on Kane, glaring into his eyes.

Marcus (coldly): "What do you mean?"

Kane’s grin fades slightly, his eyes filled with a dangerous glint.

Kane: "Even if you kill me, there are others… others who will carry on my work. You can’t stop what’s already in motion."

Marcus’s grip loosens for a moment, doubt creeping into his mind.

Marcus (quietly): "What are you talking about?"

Kane chuckles, his voice barely a whisper now.

Kane: "The real war is just beginning."

Before Marcus can react, Kane slams his head into Marcus’s, knocking him back. He raises the device, his thumb hovering over the button.

Marcus (shouting): "No!"

With one final burst of energy, Marcus tackles Kane, slamming him to the ground. The device skitters across the floor, just out of reach.

The countdown continues—**00:58… 00:57…**

Both men scramble for the device, their hands clawing at the floor. Marcus grabs it first, but Kane is on him in an instant, trying to pry it from his grip.

Kane (laughing): "You can’t stop this, Marcus! It’s too late!"

Marcus (gritting his teeth): "I’ll stop you… if it’s the last thing I do."

Kane’s fingers close around the device, and for a moment, they both freeze. The countdown ticks down—**00:45… 00:44…**

Evelyn (frantic over the comms): "Marcus! Get out of there!"

Thomas (desperate): "We can’t lose you! Please!"

The room shakes violently as another explosion rocks the base. The ceiling begins to collapse, debris raining down around them.

Marcus and Kane struggle for control of the device, but Marcus knows he’s running out of time. He has to make a decision.

Marcus (breathing heavily): "You’re not walking away from this, Kane."

Kane grins, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Kane (whispering): "Neither are you."

With one final push, Marcus slams Kane’s hand into the floor, twisting his arm until he hears a sickening snap. Kane screams in pain, the device falling from his hand.

Marcus (coldly): "It’s over."

But just as Marcus reaches for the device, Kane grabs his leg, pulling him down.

Kane (through gritted teeth): "You’ll never win."

The countdown ticks down—**00:20… 00:19…**

Marcus struggles to break free, but Kane’s grip is like iron. He can feel the heat of the impending explosion building around them.

Evelyn (screaming through the comms): "MARCUS! YOU HAVE TO GO!"