Zaco was hanging out with a few of his friends and their table was filled with empty bottles of expensive drinks; a proof their show-off lifestyle. One of his friends was going to another city to continue his academic career in a different university on transfer. So they had the party to say farewell to him."I like these gatherings and I will miss all these as I leave for Texas.""Why must you even go anyway?" Zaco asked. "Having you here was beautiful and we did a whole lot together, especially bullying those foolish junior students.""Oh…definitely!" Mark added and they all burst into laughter, their wickedness filling their faces."I enjoyed giving Max the maximum bully skills I have," Zaco said with confidence."Well, until he began to expand in wealth and power and suddenly became your match," Eddy replied sarcastically.His response irritated Zaco as he hated hearing that Max was matching up to him in anyway."Max isn't and can never be equal to me!" He yelled and slammed his f
"Me?" Eddy asked with a widened gaze at Max. His heart was racing and his chest rose and fell speedily with the fear he felt. "What do you want with me? I swear Max, I have nothing to do with Irrisia's accident and disappearance. I promise you I have no information."His voice shook with fear and trembling. Max could see the panic etched on his face. It was interesting to him and though he was going to do as instructed by the system, he enjoyed berating Eddy and making him feel less of himself just like they used to make him feel."Why are you running from the Police? What do they have on you?" Max asked, with a smirk on his face. Eddy moved farther away from Max in a gentle steps and placed his hand on the stair rail."I have a beep that could go off and the police will be here in no time. By the way, where you are standing, a tracker was implanted. You cannot run away." The sternness on Max's face caused Eddy to look down and move back to where he was previously standing.Max smile
"Come with me then. We have to get going before the police intensify their search for you. Did you hurt him so badly that he may die?""I am not even sure… I just remember I hit his head with a chair and then he slumped to the floor onto his pool of blood before I ran out of the bar.""Huh? You went that far?" Max asked with shock in his eyes. "Why did you fight so violently defending me? We don't even talk?"Eddy nodded, "Because I feel we have a lot in common. I really should not have been mean to you those days.""We have nothing in common," Max replied sharply. "You come from a rich background and I am from the poor. Just that I suddenly became rich. How are we alike?" Eddy took a deep breath, "Max, I am also an orphan.""What?" Max asked with shock in his eyes.The two men said nothing else to each other as Max drove through the busy streets to the address the system gave to him.****** ****** ****** ****** ******The night air filled Irrisia's lungs as she walked in gentle step
The echoes of Dino's menacing threats lingered in the air as Irrisia sat on the floor, her mind swirling with fear and despair. The room felt stifling, suffocating her with memories of a past she desperately tried to escape. She curled up and sat down on the bare floor as her mind drifted back to how she had Trembling, Irrisia reached cell phone, the image Dino had sent still burned into her mind. As her fingers dialed the emergency number, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was trapped in a nightmare with no escape. She kept looking at the picture she had seen on her phone.The dispatcher's voice on the other end offered a lifeline, a beacon of hope in the darkness. Irrisia poured out her tale of terror, recounting the history of abuse, the escape, and the relentless pursuit by the haunting figure of Dino. Within moments, the dispatcher assured her that help was on the way. The distant wail of sirens became her newfound song of hope. However, as the sound approached, panic set
The weight of Max's questions hung in the air, the tension looked visible about unresolved mysteries about Irrisia. As Max anxiously awaited an explanation, Irrisia grappled with the decision laid before her by the cryptic messages from the system. She knew she had to find a way out by lying to Max. The fear of having to lie to him was visible on her face. " Can you at least try and give me an explanation for this?" Max asked staring at Irrisia's face"I... I don't know where to begin," Irrisia stammered, her eyes darting between Max's concerned gaze and the insistent message on her screen. She took a deep breath, attempting to steady the whirlwind of emotions within her. "Max, there's something I need to tell you, but you have to promise me that you'll stay calm and listen," she said looking at Max Max nodded, a mix of curiosity and worry etched across his face. He gestured for her to continue, his hand still extended in a supportive manner. He thought Irrisia still needed help with
The wailing siren of the ambulance grew louder, cutting through the chaotic atmosphere of the bar. People were visibly seen hovering over Zaco's body and some people from in to catch a glimpse of what was going on. Zaco's friends, panic-stricken, rushed to call for emergency medical help. Jason quickly dialed 911 while Mark and Drew attempted to keep Zaco conscious. " Stay with me pal," Drew shouted at Zaco, trying not to make him sleep."Stay with us, Zaco! Help is on the way," Mark urged, his hands applying pressure to the wound.As the ambulance screeched to a halt outside the bar, paramedics rushed in with a stretcher. Zaco's unconscious body was carefully placed on it, and the paramedics efficiently began their life-saving procedures. One of Zaco's friends followed the ambulance while the rest followed behind the wailing ambulance.Meanwhile, news of the altercation had spread, and the bar had transformed into a scene of disorder. The other customers were agitated, exchanging hus
Irrisia's brows furrowed as she processed the information. "Why would the system want you to investigate Zaco? And why such a significant amount? That way too much just to investigate someone. " irrisia said aloud.Max shook his head, grappling with the complexity of the situation. "I don't know, Iris. But if we want to unravel the mysteries surrounding us, we might have to take this task seriously. Besides, It just wants me to investigate him at the hospital, nothing more, nothing less. That I can do." Max said. Irrisia nodded, a mix of determination and worry in her eyes. "We can't ignore it, Max. If Zaco is involved in all of this, we need to find out why. Or do you want me to tag along? I can just wait for you in the car while you go into the hospital." irrisia added.Max pocketed his device, a sense of urgency settling in. "I'll head to the hospital right away. You stay here, Iris. I'll keep you updated. We don't know if Dino is still out there. It might be dangerous for you."
Max silently trailed Zico through the hospital corridors, navigating the hospital structure with caution. The rhythmic hum of fluorescent lights above echoed his footsteps as he followed Zico, who seemed preoccupied with his thoughts. Max couldn't shake the feeling that Zico held crucial information relating to his business with Zaco and he wondered who the man behind the mask was. Both men walked in silence then suddenly Zico made a sharp bending and he was out of Max's sight. " Oh my God. Where the hell is he?" Max said silently, walking to a dead end.Zico came out of the dark and looked at Max," What do you want? Do I know you?" Zico asked with a cold voice.Max looked at the image before him and he looked exactly like Zaco. He took some steps and started walking towards Zico. Zico became frightened, he didn't want Max to find out that Zaco was a doppelganger. As Max came closer, Zico quickly launched an attack at him and Max landed heavily on the floor. He stood up and both men e
As they caught their breath, Max looked at his team with pride. "We've faced darkness within and without, and we've emerged stronger every time. Together, we are unstoppable."[ Ting! ]All the members looked at their phones and were surprised to see that the system was asking for a meeting with the superheroes. [ Task: Come with the containment of the darkness. Reward: meeting with the SYSTEM."]All the members looked at each other surprised. " Is this real? Are we meeting the person assigning us the task all this while?" Irrisia asked with disbelief. " There is a possibility that this is it. We might be finally meeting with the enigmatic figure behind who the system is." Max chuckled.They looked at Dr Lin who had been murdered by the darkness. " He deserves a befitting burial. He is a hero." Amy said with sadness in her eyes. Eddy moved close to her, " It will be alright." he said hugging her close to himself.The crew immediately took the containment and also decided to move Za
Darius and Rose found love and immediately decided to put a ring on it. He proposed to Rose in a picturesque setting, surrounded by their fellow crew members. The atmosphere was filled with joy as Rose said yes, sealing their commitment with a heartfelt embrace.The crew celebrated the engagement, bringing a sense of happiness and unity. Max raised a toast, "To love and overcome darkness together."The crew, now a tight-knit family, continued their journey, ready to face new adventures and uncertainties. Love, friendship, and the resilience to stand against the shadows defined their path as they moved forward, bound by the experiences that forged them into heroes. They were stronger in packs as Max continued to lead them.With the extracted darkness securely contained, the crew left the government facility, feeling a mix of relief and uncertainty. Darius and Rose, hand in hand, shared knowing glances as the rest of the crew contemplated the challenges that lay ahead.As they gathered
Zaco let out a cry of pain each time Shades tried to mind-control him. " You are hurting me. Zico, how can you let them do this to me? I am your brother, remember?" He said trying to reach out to Zico but Shades knew it was the darkness talking. " Don't listen to him, Zico. That is not your brother. Just let me do my thing." The doctor came back and immediately ordered them to release the last sleeping gases. Immediately it was released, Zico fell into a long slumber, giving Doctor Lin the chance to inject him. Shades also fell to the ground, as he had lost strength and the crew members gathered around him. " Are you alright?" they all asked showing a concerned look." I will be fine. I can't believe this darkness is still as strong as ever. I think he could do much harm because the host is damaged and weak. I wonder why it refused to come out." Shades said, cleaning his bloody nose.Doctor Lin injected Zaco with the sleeping pills, carefully monitoring his vitals. The crew gathere
The crew decided to check on Zaco after a few months. As they entered the facility where he was held. Max looked about to see a lot of villains who had been caged for one reason or the other. As they approached Zaco's holding cell. Max looked at Zico, " It is okay if you want to stay back. I will understand." " No, I need to see how he is doing. He might have even been remorseful and decided to turn a new leaf." Zico replied.They were met by Doctor Lin who welcomed them. " Hello, my heroes. How are you doing" he said with a smile." We are all good. We have come to check on Zaco. How is he? How long do you think you can extract the darkness out of him?" Max asked looking at the man before him." Hmm, Max. That is a very great question. Right now we are trying our best to make sure he is powerless and doesn't mind controlling anyone from where he is. The darkness is trying to have full control over his body but the body is weak."" What do you mean by a weak body?" Zico asked." The
Having said all that, Max knelt before Irrisia as everyone looked at him and was surprised to see what he was doing. " Max! What are you doing?" Irrisia asked with a shaky voice.He brought out a ring and looked into her eyes as the other members of the crew stood in admiration "Irrisia, from the moment we faced the darkness together, I realized that you are not just a teammate but the strength that kept me going. Will you marry me?" Max asked, his eyes filled with sincerity.Irrisia caught off guard, felt a mixture of emotions. The crew watched in anticipation, knowing that this moment was a celebration not just for Max and Irrisia but for the bonds they had all formed.Irrisia's eyes welled up with tears as she nodded, "Yes, Max. A thousand times yes." The crew erupted into cheers, celebrating the union of two souls who had faced the depths of darkness and emerged stronger together. Both of them kissed as the crew applauded the couple. It was long overdue as Irrisia had waited for
After the battles against darkness, the crew gathered in a solemn ceremony to honor the memories of those heroes who had lost their lives. A memorial was erected in the heart of the city, a tribute to the sacrifices made for the greater good. Max, Shades, Amy, Irrisia, Eddy, and the rest of the crew stood together, paying their respects. There was a moment of silence throughout the city as many people who didn't even know how the heroes were paid their respect to them. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow on the memorial, Max stepped forward. "We stand here not just as individuals but as a united front against the forces that sought to plunge our world into darkness. Today, we remember those who fought valiantly and gave their lives for the cause. They will forever be remembered and lived on in our hearts."Shades approached the memorial, placing a wreath as a symbol of remembrance. "Their courage will forever be etched in our hearts. As we move forward, let us ca
As Zaco was locked away, the country started to rebuild and the people joined in the building. Most now knowing about the superheroes were in awe and grateful at the same time. They flock around Max and his crew thanking them. " We wouldn't have done it without you guys. Thanks for staying strong." Max said, shaking some of them as they clustered around him. The president called the crew to the presidential villa to thank and award them. A red carpet was rolled out, and the crew walked down it, a mix of exhaustion and pride evident in their expressions. The president stood at the end, ready to express his gratitude."Max, Shades, Amy, Irrisia, Eddy, and the entire crew," the president began, "your bravery and sacrifice have saved countless lives. On behalf of the nation, I want to extend my deepest thanks."As the president presented medals to each member of the crew, the atmosphere was a blend of solemnity and celebration. The public, watching the event live, erupted in cheers and a
The underground lair echoed with the aftermath of the intense battle. Max and Shades stood amidst the remnants of the clash, the air heavy with the residue of energy. Zaco, now freed from the grip of the darkness, knelt on the ground, panting.Shades approached cautiously, his energy still on guard. "Is it over, Max?"Max, exhausted but victorious, nodded. "For now. The darkness has retreated, and Zaco seems to be regaining control. We need to make sure he's not a threat."Zaco looked up, his eyes reflecting a mix of confusion and realization. "What... happened? Where am I?"Max said nothing as he sat down on the bare floor looking at Shades who immediately put Zaco to sleep. " Do you think the darkness is gone?" He asked looking at Max exhausted." I am not sure Shades but I just need us to rebuild and get this person to their families. I am too exhausted to think of any possible outcome right now." Max got up and looked at Shades." What about him? What do we do with him?" Shades as
As the crew worked tirelessly to evacuate the people under Zaco's influence, Max continued his intense battle against the combined forces of Zaco and the darkness. The air crackled with energy as their powers clashed in a fierce struggle.Meanwhile, Shades utilized his unique abilities to break the illusions created by Zaco, freeing those trapped in the dark influence. Rose, Carlos, Amy, and Irrisia assisted in guiding the bewildered individuals toward the exit, ensuring their safety.Eddy, with his tech skills, reinforced the passage created by Max, ensuring a swift and secure evacuation. Darius, now reinvigorated after drinking water, joined the efforts to help people move out.As the last of the captives exited Zaco's lair, Eddy turned to Shades, "We can't leave Max alone in this. We need to find a way to support him."Shades nodded, his focus divided between the ongoing battle and coordinating the evacuation. "I'll join Max. The rest of you, get everyone to safety. We can't let Za