Desperation and Defiance

As Leo dashed through the corridors, following the scratched marks on the walls, he could feel the tension building inside him. He knew he was getting closer to his target. The sound of his footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, heightening the sense of urgency.

The tension in the air was palpable as he approached a room with a shattered glass wall window. With caution, he entered the room, ready to face the unknown assailant. As he scanned the area, his eyes fell upon a figure hanging on the ledge outside the window. Leo's heart raced as he realized it could be anyone, friend or foe. Gathering his courage, he took a step closer, prepared for whatever awaited him.

An hour earlier…

Wendell found himself in the grip of a mysterious figure draped in purple. Struggling to break free, he locked eyes with the masked assailant. Wendell's suit immediately suggested a function called "Shock Impulse," as it detected him sustaining a large amount of damage. Desperate to free himself, Wendell followed the recommendation and activated the function. Electricity surged through his body, creating a high-voltage electric field that shocked the attacker. Stunned, the figure released his grip on Wendell momentarily.

Seizing the opportunity, Wendell quickly made his escape as the attacker staggered from the electric shock. But the attacker quickly recovered from the shock and activated boosters on his boots, propelling himself forward with incredible speed. Thanks to the boosters on their boots. Despite Wendell's efforts to flee, the attacker managed to capture him once again.

Now, Wendell was now dropped to the floor by the assailant, and with his claw dangerously close to Wendell, he desperately held onto the attacker's hand, preventing the claws from reaching him.

Wendell desperately reached for the Shock Impulse function again, only to discover that it had run out of charge. Panic crept into his voice as he muttered, "Oh no… Not like this!"

The relentless attacker closed in, his claw inching closer to Wendell's heart with each passing second. Wendell knew he had to find a way to turn the tide of the struggle.

Summoning his remaining strength, Wendell threw a punch with his right hand while keeping his left hand locked onto the attacker's claw. The punch landed solidly, but the attacker seemed unfazed, casually catching Wendell's hand with his other hand when Wendell attempted once more.

Caught in a perilous situation, Wendell's eyes widened with realization. The attacker released his claw from Wendell's grasp and swiftly retracted it before launching a powerful punch of his own. The force of the blow sent Wendell hurtling through the air, crashing into a nearby floor with a thud.

Pain coursed through Wendell's body as he struggled to regain his footing. Gasping for breath, he mustered the strength to push himself up from the ground.

As Wendell struggled to regain his footing, his body battered and bruised. The attacker stood before him, a sense of disappointment in his voice as he spoke. "You should have never set foot in this facility. You're too weak, incapable of posing a threat to anyone. It's almost sad, really."

The attacker's words stung, and Wendell could sense the disdain in his voice. It was clear that the attacker saw him as unworthy, pathetic even. But despite the taunts, the attacker acknowledged that his job was to eliminate the infiltrator.

Wendell, still catching his breath, mustered the strength to ask, "Wh- who are you…?"

The attacker, a sense of superiority emanating from him, looked down at Wendell with a smug expression. He casually responded, "I'm just a hired gun sent by my client to deal with infiltrators like you, or you can just call me, the Prowler."

Wendell's eyes widened in disbelief. The weight of the situation began to sink in as he realized the severity of the challenge before him. The Prowler, a skilled and dangerous adversary, stood before him, ready to carry out his job with ruthless efficiency.

But he refused to let fear consume him. With determination in his voice, he said, "Well, Prowler, I may not be the strongest, but I won't back down. I'm here for a reason, and I won't let you stop me. No matter the odds!"

The Prowler laughed mockingly, clearly amused by Wendell's defiance. "I value your bravery, kid. But your kind doesn't belong in this kind of work. So, just give it all up already."

As the Prowler menacingly approached Wendell, his clawed hand poised to strike, Wendell steadied himself, summoning the last ounce of his courage. With a determined look in his eyes, he declared, "Not giving up is my middle name!" before launching himself at Prowler, attempting to strike him with his unrefined fighting style.

But just as expected, the Prowler easily evaded Wendell's attacks, effortlessly sidestepping his every move. In response, the Prowler delivered a devastating knee to Wendell's stomach followed by a powerful hook to his face, sending Wendell crashing to the ground.

As Wendell struggled to regain his footing, the Prowler sighed in exasperation. He placed his foot on Wendell's face, taunting him with condescending words. "You should've just give up on this job early and find something else more suited to you, kid. Maybe become an accountant or something. This line of work is clearly too much for you."

Wendell, still gasping for breath, fought against the weight of the Prowler's foot. Determination burned in his eyes as he gathered his strength for one final attempt. He muttered, "Maybe you're right. Maybe this is beyond my capabilities... but…"

The Prowler, intrigued by the sudden shift in Wendell's tone, asked, "But what?"

Wendell paused, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "But... you should've watched your back…" With those words, Wendell unleashed his secret weapon - a swarm of cockroaches that he had called upon through his unique ability.

The Prowler's eyes widened as he heard the scurrying of countless insects from his rear. Within seconds, he found himself covered in roaches, struggling to remove them, recoiling in disgust and screaming in pain from their bites.

Seizing the opportunity, Wendell sprang to his feet and sprinted away again, leaving the Prowler behind in his roach-infested predicament. He knew he had to make the most of this chance to escape.

As Wendell ran as fast as he could. But before he could get far, a shout from behind him made him freeze in his tracks. The Prowler yelled, "You can't escape, kid!"

With the swarm of cockroaches still buzzing around, Wendell turned to face his pursuer. The Prowler, undeterred by the insects, charged towards Wendell with his rocket boots, closing the distance in an instant.

In a swift motion, the Prowler caught Wendell and charged through the room, Prowler slammed Wendell's face right against the glass wall, the cracks forming like spiderwebs. The pressure against his skull intensified as Prowler leaned in close, his anger evident in his voice. "You should've never done this! You-"

Before the Prowler could finish his words, the glass shattered, and they both plummeted out of the window. Wendell managed to cling to the wall, his nanosuit's grip assisting him in holding on for dear life. He watched in awe as Prowler, covered in roaches, fell helplessly, desperately trying to free himself from their relentless assault. Just as he was about to crash onto the ground, his rocket boots ignited once more, propelling him away into the distance.

Breathing heavily, Wendell clung to the wall, grateful for his narrow escape. He took a moment to reflect on his decision to take on this dangerous mission. The weight of the risks he had faced began to sink in, and he questioned whether he had made the right choice. The dangers he had faced and the risks he had taken were overwhelming. He questioned whether it was all worth it, whether he truly belonged in this line of work.

Twenty or so minutes later…

After what seemed like an eternity, Wendell finally mustered the strength to climb back up the wall. And there, across from him, stood Leo, his worried expression transforming into relief as he saw Wendell's safe return. Wendell climbed up and gave Leo a thumbs up, a gesture of victory amidst the chaos they had just faced. Leo chuckled and nodded, understanding the significance of their survival and the resilience they had shown.

As Leo walked up to Wendell, his hand extended to help him up from the ledge. Wendell gratefully accepted, gripping Leo's hand as he was pulled back onto solid ground. As they stood there, Leo's concerned gaze met Wendell's, and he asked, "Are you alright?"

Wendell took a moment to catch his breath before responding with a nod. "Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, his voice still slightly shaky from the encounter. Leo placed a reassuring hand on Wendell's shoulder, his gaze filled with determination. "Come on," he said, his voice firm. "Let's go. We still have an escort mission to complete."

Wendell nodded, his resolve returning. He trusted Leo's judgment and knew that they couldn't afford to waste any more time. Together, they turned and quickly resumed their mission, their footsteps echoing through the halls as they moved forward.