"Damn… this can't be happening! Go-go! Detra, get everyone, we're moving!" shouted Alpha, panic in his voice.
After ending his conversation with Arthur, Alpha rushed out, accompanied by Dante, Detra, and a full unit.
Meanwhile, Arthur, once alone, was thinking through an intervention strategy that would minimize risks as much as possible, weighing every option with precision.
Meanwhile, the patrollers, having already broken down the student's door, rushed in like ferrets and discovered a completely panicked student.
"Patrol here! Stay calm, we just want to talk!" one of them ordered.
"Screw you, you bastards!" the student yelled, throwing everything he could find around him. "Damn liars! Leave me alone!"
His voice echoed through the hallway, veins in his neck visibly straining under the effort of his rage and fear.
But the more Arthur thought, the more time passed, and every second could cost the life of this Neuroflux.
Although they feigned sympathy, the patrollers had only one order: ELIMINATE THE THREAT.
The panicked student became increasingly unstable. He began laughing, crying, screaming, displaying a chaotic mixture of joy, anger, and fear, his red eyes, disheveled hair, and body betraying signs of imminent self-destruction.
"Damn… Arthur, what are you doing?! Go, move! You're not going to back down now…" he told himself, pacing the room, clenching his fists to motivate himself. "Damn it." He charged forward.
The patrollers were already in firing position, but Arthur appeared with unpredictable speed. In a precise movement, he threw a smoke bomb, disappearing instantly into the thick, choking cloud.
The patrollers, keeping calm despite the smoke, positioned themselves at the exit to prevent any escape. When it cleared, they saw no one. Immediately, they began methodically searching every corner.
Meanwhile, Arthur had slipped into the student's room, dragging him along. Taking no chances, he quickly injected the student with a sedative and placed him in the bathtub, securing his protection.
Arthur took a deep breath, and the expression on his face shifted dramatically from normal to a chilling, killer-like stare, feeling every muscle in his body relax despite the tension, and murmured:
"The real fight can now begin."
Meanwhile, Alpha and the others couldn't keep calm in the car, especially Dante. Every minute spent waiting seemed to stretch the tension to nearly unbearable levels, no one dared say a word.
Arthur put his mask back on, covering his entire face, leaving only his eyes and hair visible. He took a deep breath, and with a swift and precise movement, launched himself outside with almost superhuman speed.
When the patrollers saw him, they opened fire. Arthur, agile, dodged the bullets with deadly precision, moving throughout the room. He positioned himself behind a patroller, using his body as a temporary shield, before continuing his advance toward the other enemies. With a quick gesture, he neutralized another patroller with his knife, then took cover behind him before grabbing their weapons and retaliating, eliminating several patrollers in a flash.
The fight continued for long minutes, each of Arthur's movements blending violence and strategy, until a bullet hit his shoulder. Despite the pain, he refused to give up. In the frenzy of battle, a bullet struck a gas bottle, which exploded instantly with a deafening crash.
It was at that moment that Alpha and the others arrived, right at the moment of the explosion. Before the cars could even park, everyone was already outside, eyes wide with smoke and fear.
"Arthur!!" shouted Dante, his heart pounding wildly, rushing forward.
"Detra, secure the perimeter!" ordered Alpha in a firm voice, fear mixed with urgency. Then, without waiting, he rushed after Dante.
They reached the burning building, greeted by thick black smoke and, at their feet, the lifeless bodies of several patrollers. The sight left Dante indifferent for a moment; the only thing that mattered was finding Arthur. Without hesitation, he entered the building, calling for Arthur with a trembling but determined voice:
"Arthur!!?" he shouted, his voice breaking with anxiety.
"You incompetent, ungrateful son, show yourself!" His words were harsh, but behind them was clear worry and love for his son. Tears began to fall despite him.
On the brink of despair, Dante suddenly heard someone cough.
"Seems like… even in my grave, you won't leave me alone, old man," murmured Arthur, emerging from under the bodies.
Indeed, during the explosion, Arthur had instinctively protected himself with the bodies of the patrollers.
When Dante and Alpha saw Arthur emerging from under the corpses, they rushed over. Once close, Dante delivered a punch to Arthur's face.
"Ouch!" exclaimed Arthur, falling. "Are you crazy? Can't you see I'm hurt?"
"That'll teach you to play hero. We told you to go back, but look at what this caused! The NEW ORDER won't let a carnage like this go unpunished," Dante said, wiping his tears.
"That's the point. I'm not a small person. I'm Arthur Duster. I need to leave marks wherever I go," he replied with irony.
"Anyway… you mentioned a Neuroflux. Where is he?" asked Alpha.
"Oh, now you care? Beg me, and maybe I'll tell you," he teased again.
"Beg? I'd rather hit you," retorted Dante, raising his fist. "And how do we know he hasn't been turned into mush because of your mistakes?"
"Keep never trusting me, then," Arthur chuckled.
"Arthur… the Neuroflux? Where is he?" Alpha insisted.
"He's in the bathroom. I injected him with a sedative to calm him," Arthur explained.
Alpha headed to the bathroom, untouched despite the explosion. When he saw the student, he communicated the news to those remaining below:
"Detra, this is Alpha. We've retrieved the Neuroflux. And… Arthur is alive. We can go back," he added, a slight smile forming on his face.
Alpha transported the Neuroflux to the cars and loaded him into one of them.
When Arthur arrived, supported by Dante, Detra immediately took him in her arms.
"Hey, I didn't get that when we reunited," joked Dante, feigning jealousy.
"You've served your time, old man," Arthur replied, teasing him further.
"Rough as he is, I'm sure he mistreated you upstairs," added Detra, laughing.
"You have no idea," Arthur replied, pretending to be sad.
"Come on, you can joke around at the base. Here, we're too exposed. Let's go back," cut in Alpha.
"Alpha, you're not seriously going to let him disrespect me like that?" Dante protested.
"Want to cry, old man?" Arthur teased.
"Hey… I'm your father!" Dante said, laughing despite himself.
With these little jokes, the Remnants returned to the base, feeling as if they had won a battle. At least, that's what they thought… unaware of what truly awaited them.