Chapter-82 Chasing Nightshade/Alice

Arriving at Nightshade hideout, Everly ordered other officers to surround everything in a 1-mile radius in case she escaped again. Sneakily and slowly, they entered the sewer. The moment they entered, they noticed the odor was different, As strong pungent stench of sewage hung heavy in the air also like things were missing. Further inside, there were also a lot of missing items. They instantly realized what was happening: they had been found out. Nightshade knew they already knew about her hideout and she was ready to leave, grabbing everything she could.

As Everly lead the others through the dark and dangerous sewer tunnels, a flicker of fear grips her heart with each step. She knows the risks they face and feels the weight of responsibility for their safety.

Despite her fear, she pushes aside her doubts and focuses on the mission, determined to apprehend Nightshade and protect the city.

Knowing the only way out other than this sewer was the other end, they quickly headed down. On the way, there were no signs of any human activity, which felt suspicious. But at that very moment, something fell from the ceiling, emitting smoke.

Everly gazed up at Lennox with a flash in her eyes "Lennox, you need to go ahead. This might be our only chance to apprehend her," she urged,

Lennox scanned Everly "But will you be okay?" he asked.

"I got a healing talisman prepared specifically for this moment. I will be okay," Everly reassured.

Lennox brows frowned "Please be okay" he said 'I hope everything will be okay.'

"Twinkle, Detective Everly, are you okay?" Kira sounded in a panic.

Lennox looked at the fog spotting Kira and Alexia figures "Yeah, I'm okay, but..." he said, looking at Detective Everly. "I don't know about Detective Everly."

"What's happening over there?" Kira asked.

"I think this fog is Nightshade's liquid, but don't worry... I'm okay. Lennox will be continuing the chase, while I wait for this fog to clear and heal back," Everly explained.

"Kira, what should we do? Will Lennox be okay?" Alexia asked.

"Ha, of course he will. While I don't like this idea, Twinkle, please be careful," Kira said emotionally.

"Yeah, I will," Lennox nodded solemnly.

Lennox then turned and hurried down the sewer tunnel at a reasonably fast pace, but also making sure not to run into any more of Nightshade's traps, because he didn't know how long this had been her hideout or how many traps she had set up there.

As he reached further down the tunnel, it kept getting darker, but there were little candles to keep as much area lit up as possible. The walls were slick with moisture, and the echoing drip of water, Lennox ended up using his fire to see his surroundings better. While walking, he felt something staring at him with all his senses on peak alert. He realized someone was staring at him through the darkness. Just as he had that thought, someone leaned against the wall behind him, and in that very moment, they jumped out at him, swiping with their right hand.

"Whoosh!"

While Lennox felt the attack behind him, he swiftly stepped forward faster than the assailant's strike, but it was already too late. The person's hand connected, and Lennox felt the impact of the sneak attack. Hissing in fear, he quickly spun around to face his attacker.

"Nightshade, or should I call you Alice?" Lennox questioned.

Alice stared deeply at Lennox, her anger evident, but primarily fixated on the fire in his hand. While quickly glancing behind her, Lennox had no time to examine the damage on his back from Alice's attack. However, he noticed Alice's eyes repeatedly trying to look behind her. He took advantage of this distraction; as she looked away again, he lunged at her, catching her off guard. He shoulder-bashed her, pushing her forward. As she almost lost her balance, Lennox moved forward again, aiming to punch her in the stomach to drop her. However, she managed to raise her hand to block with a claw-like glove dripping with green liquid.

Realizing the danger of her toxins, Lennox halted his step, but he also felt the effects of her attack on his back, prompting him to want to check it out.

"Alice, why don't you give up? You know you won't win," Lennox commented.

"Why would I? I won't stop until all Fire Nexarcs are killed," Alice retorted.

"What makes you think you can kill Nexarcs stronger than the ones you've already taken down?" Lennox challenged.

Hearing Lennox's question, Alice paused, questioning her own motives and contemplating her future actions. Lennox took advantage of her distracted state to move forward against her, intending to finish her off. But she swiftly dodged to the side, slipping past him. Lennox refrained from attacking from afar, knowing she lacked much fighting experience, and he couldn't simply harm a normal human.

"You don't understand how it feels to lose your only child in front of your eyes, to try everything for justice only to have it covered up. Because you Nexarcs think you're better than us humans. I will prove that humans can kill you Nexarcs," Alice declared as her son burn body flash in her mind, as she moved forward. 'They'll never understand the pain I've endured. The loss of my child, the injustice of it all... It's enough to drive anyone to madness. But I won't let them silence me. I'll make them pay for what they've done.'

Lennox loosen his guard by lowering his hand to open up to Alice "Understanding the depth of your pain doesn't justify the path of revenge you've chosen. It takes more strength to break the cycle of violence than to perpetuate it. Revenge may feel like justice in the moment, but it's a hollow victory that only leads to more suffering," he reasoned.

As Lennox's words echoed in her mind, Alice felt a tumult of emotions stirring within her. Anger, grief, and the burning desire for vengeance warred with the faint flicker of hope kindled by Lennox's words. Could it be true? Was there another path, a way to get revenge without succumbing to the darkness that threatened to consume her soul?

'Is this the right path? Am I really willing to sacrifice everything for revenge? The doubts linger, but I can't afford to second-guess myself now. I've come too far to turn back.' With a deep breath, she woke from her thoughts and continued down the tunnel faster.

"So you're saying I should just let all future Nexarcs kill innocents and ignore the consequences for it?"

"No, but..." 

Alice waited for an answer, realizing Lennox had nothing to say. She sneered, took out a vial, and threw it behind her, creating a fog that blocked the path between her and Lennox.

" Thunk!"

"Damn it, another toxin fog," Lennox said, hopping back out of the way. 'She slipped through our fingers again. I can't shake this feeling of frustration. How many more lives will Nightshade ruin before we finally catch her?'

Lennox watched through the toxic fog as Alice's figure silhouette got further and further down the tunnel. Realizing he had no possible way through the fog or of catching her again, he decided to head back toward Kira and the others. But he was also glad that he had managed to get through to Alice, if only slightly.

On the way back, he no longer saw Kira and the others where he left them, but he did hear the sound of sirens. Heading back up, he never saw them again, but he was informed that Everly was sent to the hospital. Lennox instantly got worried what would the toxin do to her, and could her healing talisman heal it as she said? But he also remembered he got attacked too, so he went over to the hospital.

Kira, spotting Lennox, anxiously walked over to him, scanning him. "Twinkle, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good," he nodded. "What's wrong with Everly? I thought she said that her talisman would heal her."

"Don't worry, she's good. It's just that her colleagues really wanted her to do a checkup, in case," Kira communicated. "Let's go inside and see her."

Lennox nodded, and they entered Everly's room. Everyone saw her on her phone. "How are you feeling?"

Everly quickly looked up at Lennox. "I'm fine, but did you catch Alice?" she asked.

Lennox shoulders slumped as he shook his head in disappointment. "No sorry, she got away."

"It's fine, we just have to track her again," Everly said, though she was saddened by Alice's escape. She was accustomed to this happening in multiple cases in the past.

"But this time she'll be more cautious with her victims," Kira said.

Lennox went to have a checkup and found out that Alice had barely managed to claw at his clothes. After he and the others confirmed their safety, they nodded and left the hospital, heading home. Everly stayed in the hospital under observation in case there were any new changes within her.