106. Second Forever Knight Heist: Stage Two
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- So, since we have decided to continue, we cannot follow your plan further, as the enemy knows about your coming. - I said thoughtfully, turning to Lee.
- You're right. Apparently, they have studied me, which means they know the course of my thoughts and my abilities. They will be able to predict my next steps. I will have to discard all my plans and trust you, since you are an unpredictable element for them, and they will not be able to predict your actions. Do you have an idea how to break into the vault? - Lee looked at me and asked.
- Actually, I have one suitable alien for this. - I said, and then turned into a Mirror Master. His ability to penetrate the mirror dimension is just what we need right now.
- And what can this mirror guy do? - Lee asked as the shadows around us moved and enveloped his entire body. After the shadows faded, Lee could be seen in his professional outfit. Stylish way to dress up.
- This. - I simply said, raising my hand and creating cracks in the air, like broken mirrors.
- Let's go. - I said, taking Lee by the shoulder and leading him into the cracks.
Lee, accustomed to penetrating into other dimensions, calmly followed me and after passing through the cracks, we ended up in the Mirror Dimension. This place was an empty world, a mirror image of reality. It was an unusual and extremely beautiful sight.
Unfortunately, unlike some of the Masters of the Mystic Arts from Marvel, I can't manipulate the world as I please, but from here I can keep an eye on what's going on in the real world and no one will notice me if I'm careful.
- I feel no connection to the Shadow Dimension. - Lee said as he surveyed the mirrored world.
- This is another dimension, so it's no wonder you don't feel connected to your dimension from here. They won't be able to see us while we're here, but we'll have to try not to hit the reflections. We will be able to follow what is happening in reality, but because of this, we can be seen in reflections, so do not relax. Also, we won't be able to contact the real world while we're here. - I said.
- Understood. And now what? - Lee asked, squatting down so that he couldn't be seen in the reflection of the big bathroom mirror.
- Will wait. Sooner or later, someone will realize that something went wrong and they will come for this guy. - I said, sitting down next to Lee and pointing to our informant.
- Do you want the Knights to open the way for us? - Lee asked, understanding my idea.
- Right. We will follow those who come here and they will not even realize that they themselves will lead us inside. - With a smile on my mirrored face, I said.
- Very comfortably. - Lee said calmly.
After five minutes of waiting, a group of armed men in black suits burst into the toilet. After a quick look around the room, the leader of the group transmitted something over the communicator, and then ordered his men to lift the guy on the ground and try to wake him up so that he could answer their questions.
- I can't hear anything. - Lee said as he saw our former informant being slapped.
- Yes, that's another disadvantage of using this ability. Initially, I didn't want to use it, because there are too many restrictions. But in this case, we don't have to choose. Also, if they do notice us, one directed blow will knock us out of here, since with my very presence I make the dimension unstable, and we can be reached from the real world. - I explained, watching the Knights fail to bring their comrade back to consciousness.
- Understandably. At least we can get inside their base, and this is the most difficult stage. - Lee said.
At this moment, the Forever Knights gave up trying to bring our informant back to consciousness, and having picked him up, they went to the exit. And of course we followed them, trying not to hit the reflective surfaces.
Following the Knights, we ended up at a secret elevator, which was located not far from the toilet, in the boiler room of the museum. Carefully getting inside together with the members of the order, we noticed one unpleasant thing.
- This elevator will only take us to the -1 floor. - Lee pointed out the obvious, pointing to just two buttons on the elevator panel.
- Yes, it looks like their operations headquarters is on this floor, which is where they are heading now to interrogate our friend. They wouldn't have taken us too deep anyway, so it doesn't matter. - I said when the elevator took us to the -1 floor and the doors opened.
Outside the elevator, there was a strange white cubical room, into which all the knights entered, and we followed. As soon as the elevator doors closed behind us, the walls of the room shone blue and a scanner beam was directed at us.
- And here is the blood purity scanner you mentioned. - I said as I watched the scanner do its job and check for the presence of aliens in the room.
- Won't they find us? - Lee asked warily.
- No, everything should be fine. It can't penetrate dimensions. - I said in a confident tone, although I had no proof of what I said. Just in case, I reinforced the passage between dimensions when the scanner beam reached the place where we were.
Fortunately, everything worked out and the scanner could not find our presence. As the scanner beam swept across the room, it glowed green, confirming that everything was clear, and we moved on. Outside the scanning room, there were three long white corridors, with many rooms. Pretty creepy place.
- Stop. We will not go further with them. & I said as Lee wanted to follow the Knights who were heading to the left corridor.
- Do you think it's worth going on by yourself? This is a real labyrinth, it will take us time to find the right path. - Doubting my decision, Lee said.
- We're expected downstairs anyway, so there's no point sneaking in anymore. Besides, it's too long. The main thing is that we are already at their base and ordinary people will not suffer. - I said, opening the passage to the real world.
As soon as we got outside, the siren sounded. Say what I like, but they have a good security system, since we were noticed so quickly.
- And what do you suggest? - Lee asked over the siren.
- We will use the force method. But first… - I replied, noticing automatic turrets descending from the ceiling.
Having turned into a Virus, from the Cyrus race, I touched the wall where I felt the wiring and began to hack into the systems of this base. I decided not to take control of all the technological devices of this place, as it would take too long, but only disabled all security systems and disconnected the power source.
As soon as I finished, the lights in the room went out for a few seconds, and then the lamps shone with a red emergency light.
Now, only the emergency generator is running, which feeds the air supply system, which fills the entire underground complex with clean air so that people do not suffocate. I'm not so cruel as to kill everyone here, especially in such a terrible way.
- What's happening? - Lee asked, looking at the red lamps, as well as the iron doors that blocked the entire complex, following my command.
- I disabled the security system, and also mothballed the complex. Now the Knights do not control this place and will not be able to receive support. - I said in my electronic voice.
- Why didn't you say earlier that you could do that? It would have simplified all my plans. - Lee asked angrily.
- Because you didn't ask. - I said with a smirk, turning into a minotaur from Egyxos.
- Now let's go down. - I said, thumping my hoof on the floor. Using the earthquake ability, I destroyed the entire floor, and Lee and I flew down to the two dozen Forever Knights who didn't expect the sky to fall on them.
Right in the air, I turned into Shocksquatch and, generating a large amount of electricity, hit it right at the knights who were so well dressed in metal armor. The poor guys didn't even realize what happened, how they were fried by my electricity, and now they lay on the floor and convulsed from the strength of the current.
- You could have at least warned me. - Lee said displeasedly, smoothly landing on the floor -2 floors.
- That wouldn't be interesting. - I said in my lisping voice, turning into a Squid to read the minds of these people and find out the structure of the underground base. I can't read the minds of people who are unconscious, but Squid solves this misunderstanding.
After a couple of minutes of concentrated search for information, I again turned into the EarthLord and turned to Lee: - So, on the first floor, there is an operations center, an arsenal and private rooms of the Knights who live here. On the second and third floors are laboratories where local scientists, led by Chadwick, work on their projects and study alien technology. On the fourth floor, there are also laboratories, but on a larger scale, for larger projects, as well as a prison where they keep prisoners for experiments. The fifth floor is Chadwick's private quarters, his personal laboratory, as well as the museum that we need. And just like I thought, we're in for an ambush.
- Prisoners? - Lee asked.
- Aliens, animals, as well as criminals, who are not sorry. - I answered quickly, with a displeased face. After all, these Knights are still bastards.
- Are we able to help them? - Lee asked carefully.
- I think we can take the time to check out the prison. - Nodding my head, I said.
- Okay, go ahead. - Lee said.
Nodding at his words, I again hit the floor with my hoof, and we again flew down. This time, no one was waiting for us, and we calmly skipped this floor, immediately heading to the fourth.
Apparently, we ended up in a hangar, which contained many spaceships collected by the Forever Knights over the centuries of their existence. Unfortunately, all of them have already been dismantled, so there is no more sense from them.
- Where to now? - Lee asked, looking around the room.
- So, it looks like the prison is in the west. - I said as I activated the Infinity Tattoo and looked at the map of this floor that I received when I arrived here. It turns out that the Map can and so. Conveniently.
- What is it? - Lee asked, looking at the 3D holographic map that floated above my hand.
- Long story. Us here. - I said, and turning into UltraViolent, I broke through the hangar door with my own hands, which led us to another corridor, in which new enemies were waiting for us.
Before I could deal with them, Lee stopped me and said: - Let me. I feel useless. Let me at least deal with this knights.
- Okey. - I said, letting Lee pass.
- Well, stand! Give up and we won't hurt you! - yelled a large Forever Knight, standing at the head of fifty people, and holding a laser sword in his hands.
- As you say. - Lee said calmly, raising his hands in surrender.
Forever Knight was even surprised by this and let his guard down, which was Lee's original plan. Under the control of my partner, the shadows of the knights came to life and began to bind all of our opponents. The animated shadows wrapped around the necks of the knights, beginning to choke them, and no matter how they resisted, they soon passed out due to lack of air.
- You're just like Shikamaru. - I involuntarily said, looking at the manifestation of Lee's abilities.
- Who? & Lee looked at me strangely.
- Never mind. Us here. - I said, pointing to the right.
After several long corridors, which were no different from each other, we came to a high metal door that separated the research area from the prison.
Having broken through the door without any problems, thanks to the power of Shock Rock, we went inside and saw a round-shaped prison room, in the center of which there were several iron tables, and at the edges there were about fifty prison cells located on four floors. I expected that there would be only a few cells here, but it looks like the Knights have built a real prison here.
We were expected again, but this time it was not the usual knights, but five Knights dressed in red armor. If I'm not mistaken, these are the elite warriors of the order who really know how to fight and rely more on their skill than weapons.
- Looks like we're being challenged to a fair duel. - Lee said, looking at the five knights who stood like idols, pointing their weapons at the floor.
- And how did you understand it? - I asked curiously, turning into a man already dressed in my costume.
- Their posture indicates that they will not let us through, but they also offer a duel of skill. If we lose, we will give up, and if we win, they will not interfere with us. - Lee said as he surveyed our opponents.
- Yes? I didn't think they had honor. - I said, noticing how the knights twitched. They didn't seem to like my insult.
- They are an elite, trained from childhood according to the precepts of their order. I think only they can be called real knights. Do you think we should agree to a duel? - Lee asked looking at me.
- Why not. - Shrugging, I said. This seems interesting.
- Then, I'm first. - Lee said stepping forward. Imitating him, one knight dressed in red stepped forward, wielding two daggers, moreover, ordinary ones, not laser ones.
Pulling out his own daggers, Lee instantly rushed to the attack, trying to break through the armor of his opponent, who parried the attack with his weapons. Then a real battle dance began, showing the excellent mastery of the dagger of both opponents. Although it was soon seen that Lee was superior to his opponent in skills.
Having knocked out the dagger from the knight's hand, Lee wanted to attack him in an unprotected place in the armor, but another knight prevented him, covering his comrade with a shield. Looks like Lee wins.
- Your turn. - Lee said calmly, coming back to me.
- Amazingly, they didn't really interfere in the duel until it got too dangerous. At the same time, they did not even hit you in the back, but protected their comrade. - I said with sincere surprise in my voice.
- Maybe there really is something left of the knights in them. - Lee said calmly.
- May be. - I said softly, stepping forward and waiting for my opponent.
From the side of the Forever Knights, the only woman in their group stepped out, holding two steel European swords, one of which she tossed to me. Catching the sword, I raised the sword, standing in a stance, waiting for the opponent's move.
The girl did not hesitate and rushed towards me, attacking my head. After parrying her blow with my sword, I moved close to her to knock her out of the rhythm and attacked her unprotected side.
Dodging at the last moment, the knight girl kicked aside my sword and sent another blow in my direction, which I instantly parried.
It was the most interesting fight in a long time as we used pure skill. The girl was the best swordsman I've ever met and I enjoyed every second of our fight. I even deliberately reduced my physical strength to match the girl. But, all good things come to an end, and our fight also came to an end.
When the girl had practically used up all her strength, I knocked the sword out of her hands and put mine to her throat.
- This is the end. - I said calmly.
The girl clearly wanted to continue, since she also enjoyed this fight, but she was stopped by the approaching knight with a shield. Lowering her head, she went to her comrades, not forgetting to bow to me in the end.
- So, what is next? - I asked, dropping the sword, which I would no longer need, on the floor.
The Red Knights also threw down their weapons and stepped aside, letting us pass, thus fulfilling the contract.
- Sir George would be proud of you, I'm sure. It is a pity that everyone else in your order has forgotten their true purpose, but I'm glad to see that there are still men of honor among you. - I said sincerely.
Hearing my words, all the knights looked at me in shock, not expecting this. Although, their further act also surprised me. They raised their hands and thumped their chests, then knelt down and bowed to me. It's strange, but who understands what's going on in their head.
- It's a pity you're wasting your lives in the service of these bastards. Now sleep. «Iter ad regna Morphei». - I said and used a spell that painlessly put the noble knights to sleep.
- Why did you put them to sleep? - Lee asked as he walked up to me.
- Just in case. Plus, they won't have any problems with their superiors. I don't think their bosses will be happy that they did this. - I said calmly.
- Right. Okay, let's go check the cells. - Lee said, going upstairs, since the prison cells on the first floor were empty.
- It's empty. - Lee said as he scanned the floor.
- There is no one on the third floor either. - I said as I finished checking the third floor.
- Looks like they cleared out the entire prison before they decided to set a trap for me. Apparently, they did not want us to release the prisoners and find allies. - Lee said.
- Looks like you're right. - I said, going up to the fourth floor to make sure that there was no one here.
- Shadow, come here. - I shouted when I noticed that there was a prisoner in the very last cell.
- Who is it? - Lee asked, stepping out of the shadows next to me.
The one who was sitting in the cell was hidden by a shadow, since there was no light inside, but could see that he noticed us and looked at us with his glowing white eyes.
Illuminated the cell, using the phone, inside we saw a humanoid gray panther, with canine features. He was wearing a loincloth and looked at us a little warily.
- This is… - Seeing the prisoner, who turned out to be a cryptid, Lee said in shock.
- …Tsul 'Kalu