2025-01-07 03:35:36As the drone drew closer, the system slowed down Ray’s heartbeat and lowered his body temperature. It displayed a video of an African sand viper hiding in sand to ambush prey. In an instant, Ray, in a similar fashion, slowly dug through the sand and covered himself, completely masking his presence from the drone.
When the drone finished scanning and was unable to find him, it left.
He managed to escape and ran for several kilometres before coming to a halt by a dried-out tree in the middle of the desert.
He made a camp fire.
Ray sat by the dwindling campfire in the middle of the desert, his mind racing with a million questions. The shard embedded in his arm pulsated faintly, illuminating the dark surroundings with a soft blue glow. The system's voice echoed in his head, calm and calculated.
"You need answers regarding Harley, Ray. And you know where to start."
Stark. He was the only person Ray could trust to have struck a deal.
Stark had been his partner during his time in the Secret Service, a man who knew how to get things done and always had Ray's back. A man whose cunning and greed was the only reason why he had not outperformed Ray as a government spy.
He had chosen to stay behind a desk as an analyst despite his immense IQ. If anyone can strike a deal for his safety so he can find weakness and strike, it would be him.
Ray gave the system commands and created a virtual communication interface. A translucent window materialized before his eyes, listing various connection protocols.
"Establishing secure channel to Stark."
The interface crackled before stabilizing. A familiar face appeared on the screen—grizzled, tired, but unmistakably Stark.
"Ray? Holy hell, you're alive!" Stark's voice said, filled with disbelief and relief.
"Barely," Ray replied. "I need your help. I think Harley's been taken. I need to know where they're keeping her."
Stark frowned, rubbing his beard in thought before saying.
"Ray, things have gone sideways fast. We are dealing with more than we can handle here, these aliens are smart. They're calling you the greatest threat to their plans. A destroyer. Every mercenary, army, group in the country is after you. And Harley, they… Stark was about to say something, but Ray spoke.
Ray leaned in. "What about her?" he asked in an agitated voice.
Stark sighed. "She was taken to a black site. A classified location. But I have intel that says she's at a facility in Nevada. It's heavily guarded, Ray. Getting in there would be suicide. They have these beasts, stationed there waiting for you."
Ray clenched his fists. "I've already killed one of them, they are called Phantom prowlers . Send me the coordinates."
Stark hesitated before nodding. "Sending now. But Ray... be careful."
The transmission ended.
Ray had wanted to tell Stark of the invasion, the Morphidons and the details of his mission.
If I tell him, knowing stark, he will make a move and they will target him too. The best I can do now is leave him out of this until I get Harley back. He thought in his head.
the system chimed in.
"Ray, I must warn you. There is a high probability that Harley is no longer alive. The Morphidons are ruthless." The system
Ray shook his head. "I have to see for myself. Harley is the only person closest to family that I have. I must at least try.” He responded.
The Nevada desert stretched endlessly before him. The coordinates led him to a remote facility, hidden in the shadows of towering cliffs. Ray observed the heavily fortified perimeter through his enhanced vision.
"I need a distraction," he thought.
The system responded.
"I can amplify your kinetic output to breach the gate. It will alert them, but you will have a window of opportunity."
Ray took a deep breath. "Do it." He said.
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Ray’s muscles tensed, and he felt the shard's power coursing through him. With a burst of speed and strength, he charged at the gate, smashing through the steel barrier like it was made of paper.Alarms blared. Armed guards poured out, but Ray was a blur, dodging bullets and incapacitating his attackers with precision.He made his way inside the facility, navigating through the maze-like corridors. The system guided him, highlighting paths and marking threats.Finally, he reached a holding cell. His heart pounded as he approached the door."Harley!" he called out.No response.He unlocked the cell and stepped inside. His blood ran cold. Harley's lifeless body lay on the floor, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling."No... no, no, no," Ray whispered, dropping to his knees. He gently cradled her head, tears streaming down his face.The system's voice was solemn."I warned you, Ray. The Morphidons do not leave survivors."Ray clenched his teeth, rage boiling inside him. "Why? Why did t
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EPISODE 8: The Rift Beyond.
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EPISODE 7: Trap
Ray’s muscles tensed, and he felt the shard's power coursing through him. With a burst of speed and strength, he charged at the gate, smashing through the steel barrier like it was made of paper.Alarms blared. Armed guards poured out, but Ray was a blur, dodging bullets and incapacitating his attackers with precision.He made his way inside the facility, navigating through the maze-like corridors. The system guided him, highlighting paths and marking threats.Finally, he reached a holding cell. His heart pounded as he approached the door."Harley!" he called out.No response.He unlocked the cell and stepped inside. His blood ran cold. Harley's lifeless body lay on the floor, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling."No... no, no, no," Ray whispered, dropping to his knees. He gently cradled her head, tears streaming down his face.The system's voice was solemn."I warned you, Ray. The Morphidons do not leave survivors."Ray clenched his teeth, rage boiling inside him. "Why? Why did t
EPISODE 6: The Rescue That Wasn't.
As the drone drew closer, the system slowed down Ray’s heartbeat and lowered his body temperature. It displayed a video of an African sand viper hiding in sand to ambush prey. In an instant, Ray, in a similar fashion, slowly dug through the sand and covered himself, completely masking his presence from the drone.When the drone finished scanning and was unable to find him, it left.He managed to escape and ran for several kilometres before coming to a halt by a dried-out tree in the middle of the desert.He made a camp fire.Ray sat by the dwindling campfire in the middle of the desert, his mind racing with a million questions. The shard embedded in his arm pulsated faintly, illuminating the dark surroundings with a soft blue glow. The system's voice echoed in his head, calm and calculated."You need answers regarding Harley, Ray. And you know where to start."Stark. He was the only person Ray could trust to have struck a deal.Stark had been his partner during his time in the Secret
EPISODE 5: The Phantom Prowler 2.
The creature collapsed, its body dissolving into a dark, viscous liquid that seeped into the sand.Ray stepped back, panting. The system’s voice resonated in his mind again.“Threat neutralized. Excellent performance.”“What the hell was that thing?” Ray muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.“The Phantom Prowler is a scout for the Morphidons, an alien species specializing in tactical colonization..”Ray’s heart sank. “The Morphidons! What do they even want with us?” he asked.Morphidons operate covertly at first. They usually infiltrate planets years ahead of their invasion, assess threats, and eliminate key individuals before launching a full-scale assault. Their primary objective is to subjugate or annihilate native populations, then mine all the resources they can from the planet. It is a little odd that they will breach the convention and set foot on a protected planet. Either way, killing a prowler has now made you a confirmed target, they will definitely be sending more. The sy
EPISODE 4: The Phantom Prowler
Ray continued to walk in the desert, heading towards the next city, but suddenly, like an instinct or natural adaptation hinting he was in danger.He crouched low behind a large boulder, his breath steady but his mind racing. The desert stretched endlessly around him.He felt an unnatural presence nearby. His newly acquired Apex Predator System alerted him with a subtle vibration in his mind.Threat detected. Scanning.Entity identified.A Phantom Prowler. Is stalking you. The system said.The system’s voice was calm, almost soothing, despite the chilling information it conveyed.“What’s a Phantom Prowler?” Ray whispered, gripping the pistol he had taken from his bag. His arm still throbbed where the blue crystal shard had embedded itself, but the pain was fading, replaced by a strange sense of vitality and awareness.“The Phantom Prowler is a stealth predator employed by the species called the Morphidons. It specializes in stalking its prey, using advanced cloaking adaptation and pr
