CHAPTER 17- SECRET PASSAGE

The four monsters entered the building with heavy, lumbering steps that echoed through the hallway. Their bodies filled the space, casting long shadows on the walls. Suddenly, one of the monsters hit the glass table, causing it to shatter with a loud crash. The sound reverberated through the building, alerting Spectre, Detective Jameson, and Mark to their presence.

The three of them quickly began into action, moving silently towards the windows and hiding on the wall. Mark's mouth moved without a sound as he whispered, "What should we do now?"

He received a menacing glance from Spectre, who motioned for him to keep quiet.

As one of the monsters approached their room, Detective Jameson peered through the glass and saw it moving, its enormous claws scuffing on the floor with each step.

"They're coming!" Detective Jameson whispered exigently, his eyes scanning the room for any escape routes. Spectre's heart raced as she looked up towards the roof, searching desperately for a way out. But there was no way to escape.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of the monster sniffing the air, its massive body slowly moving closer to the room. Spectre reached down and grasped the hilt of her knife, ready to defend herself. Detective Jameson raised his pistol, his finger hovering over the trigger.

Mark crouched on the ground holding the bag, hiding himself from view. The tension in the room was noticeable as the one monster approached, its heavy footsteps echoing through the silence.

As the monster came closer, Spectre's hold on her knife tightened. Detective Jameson braced himself for the attack. They could hear the monster sniffing the air, trying to detect their location.

They heard a purring sound coming from the windows. The monster was distracted, drawn to the scent of something outside. They breathed a sigh of relief as it moved away from the door.

But their relief was short-lived. The monster turned back towards the door and started pounding on it with its massive fists, ready to break it down. Spectre and Detective Jameson braced themselves for the inevitable attack.

Just as they thought they were about to be overwhelmed, they heard a sound from above. The monster immediately turned towards the noise and ran off, its heavy footsteps echoing through the building.

The room fell silent once again, the only sound being the heavy breathing of the three of them. They exchanged a look of relief and disbelief, knowing that they had narrowly escaped with their lives.

Spectre slowly released her grip on her knife, her body still tense from the close encounter. Detective Jameson lowered his pistol, his hand shaking with adrenaline. Mark crawled out from his hiding spot, his face pale with fear.

Spectre surveyed the area through the window, but there was no sign of the monster. She cautiously opened the door and motioned for the others to follow her. With her knife at the ready, they moved slowly towards Mark who was huddled in the middle of them. Detective Jameson kept watch behind them, scanning for any sign of danger.

Spectre's sharp eyes soon spotted a fire exit on the left side of the hallway. She signaled to the others and they began to make their way towards it. As they got closer, they couldn't help but notice the grisly scene around them - bloody hallways and mutilated corpses littered the area.

Approaching the metal door, they could see that it was chained shut. Spectre cursed under her breath.She quickly assessed the situation and motioned for Detective Jameson to cover her. With a swift kick, she managed to break the chain and open the door.

The sound of the metal chain snapping echoed through the hallway, causing them to freeze in fear. Spectre held her breath, listening for any sign of movement. When nothing stirred, she motioned for them to move quickly towards the exit.

After Spectre kicked open the chained door, they quickly made their way towards the exit, with Detective Jameson covering their back. As they approached the exit, Mark accidentally brushed his hand against the wall on his right side, causing a hidden door to slowly slide open, revealing a secret passage leading underground. The sound of creaking metal filled the air as the small lights along the passage flickered to life, illuminating the dark stairway leading down into the depths.All of them are surprised.

"Whoa," Mark exclaimed in surprise, "Guys, what do you think is down there?" he asked, looking towards the stairs leading underground.

"Maybe it's another secret way to get to the underground of the Midlight tower," Spectre replied.

"Hey, Spectre, you mentioned before that there are secret facilities connected to the Midlight tower," Detective Jameson asked. "What if we can find more information about these new monsters down there and figure out where they came from?" he added.

Spectre nodded in agreement, "You're right, Detective. We have to find out exactly where their lair is."

Mark's voice interrupted, "That's a suicide idea. We have to get out of this city now."

"No, Mark. Even if we leave the city, these monsters still pose a threat to the whole world," Spectre replied firmly.

"We need to find their lair and destroy it," she added, leading the way down the dark stairway, her weapon drawn. Mark followed her forcefully, while Detective Jameson covered their rear.

As they descended, the sound of closing door echoed through the narrow passage,the wall behind them closed shut, the sound of metal grinding against stone echoing loudly through the passage. Spectre whirled around, her weapon at the ready, while Mark and Detective Jameson took defensive positions.

"I thought you wanted to avenge your mother," Spectre said, her voice filled with determination and emotion.

Mark's voice shook with emotion as he spoke, his eyes burning with determination. "I do want to avenge my mother, but how are we supposed to fight these monsters when the very organisms inside us are slowly killing us? And without using this power, we could be ripped apart by those creatures."

Spectre's gaze hardened as she listened to Mark's concerns. "I know it's risky, Mark. But we have to try. We can't just sit back and let these monsters wreak havoc on innocent people. And maybe we'll find a way to control the power and use it to our advantage."

She paused for a moment before adding, "But for now, our priority is to slow down the Cephaloneuroplasm organisms inside us and let the antidote do its job. We have to Stay human for as long as we can. And fight back with all we've got."

As they continued down the stairs, the sound of their footsteps echoed off the cold, damp walls.The small lights flickered above them, casting eerie shadows on the walls. The air was thick with tension and fear as they descended deeper into the unknown.

Suddenly, the ground shook beneath their feet, causing Mark to stumble. A low growling sound filled the air, sending shivers down their spines.

"What the hell was that?" Detective Jameson shouted, his gun at the ready.

Spectre's heart raced as she gripped her knife tighter. "Stay alert, everyone. We're getting close."

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, they could see the outline of an elevator door. They quickened their pace, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the dimly lit passage.

"It's not an elevator, it's the entrance to the subway," Spectre said, examining the door for a way to open it.

Mark's eyes widened in surprise. "So, there's also a secret subway hidden beneath the city? How did the public not know about this?"

"It's not uncommon for cities to have secret tunnels and passageways," Spectre replied, still searching for a way to open the door.

Detective Jameson looked around, searching for any tools or equipment they could use to pry the door open. "Any ideas, Spectre?" he asked.

Spectre stood in front of the door, deep in thought. As she examined it closely, she noticed a small panel box on the side of the door. She quickly opened it and began tinkering with the wires inside, connecting them in a way that would open the door. After a few tense moments, the door slowly slid open, revealing the entrance to the subway.

Spectre grinned in satisfaction as she stepped aside to let the others pass. "Looks like we're in luck, guys," she said, gesturing towards the open door. "Let's move quickly"

Mark and Detective Jameson exchanged a nervous glance before following Spectre into the dark subway tunnel. But before they could start walking, Mark spoke up.

"Spectre, could you hold my hand? I can't see anything," he said, staring ahead at the faint light at the end of the tunnel.

Spectre noticed the softness of Mark's hand as they walked and couldn't help but comment. "Why is your hand so soft? Are you pampered?" she asked.

"No, actually I work after school to help pay for my tuition. My mom doesn't want me to work, but I want to be a surgeon and that requires a lot of money," he explained.

"She also applies moisturizer to my hands to keep them protected since they are so important to my future career," he added

"Guys, stop making noise. We don't know if there are any monsters lurking about," Detective Jameson interrupted.

"Can I hold your hand, Mark?" Detective Jameson added.

"Sure," Mark replied, swiftly reaching out his left hand, but accidentally hitting Detective Jameson's nose in the process.

"Ow," Detective Jameson grunted in pain.

"Oh, sorry. I can't see anything," Mark apologized.

Spectre stifled a laugh, trying to maintain their cover.

"Are you laughing, Spectre?" Detective Jameson asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"No," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Everyone, stay quiet. There's something moving up ahead," Spectre whispered urgently as they approached the end of the tunnel.

As they walked closely, the tunnel was suddenly illuminated by a burst of light, revealing a stunning sight before their eyes. The lights turned on one by one, illuminating the walkway as the sound of electricity crackled through the air.And then, as they turned the corner, they saw it - the futuristic train sat in the station, the sounds of its engines humming softly.

The train was a sight to behold. Its flat front and sleek design made it look like it was built for speed. The color was a cool, metallic gray that added to its futuristic aesthetic. The train's windows were tinted so dark that you couldn't see the interior, adding to the mystery of what was inside.

Mark and Detective marveled at the futuristic walls that were illuminated with soft, blue lighting. The walls were made of a smooth, silver material that looked almost like liquid metal. The tunnel seemed to go on forever, with no end in sight.

"Whoa, this place is incredible. It's like something out of a sci-fi movie,The train was truly a masterpiece of modern engineering." Mark exclaimed in awe.

The sound echoed through the tunnel, causing everyone to look up in search of its source. "Welcome back, Spectre. It's good to see that you're safe," the voice boomed overhead.

Spectre's eyes scanned the area and spotted a surveillance camera perched on the corner at the end of the tunnel. As she watched, a group of full-body armored soldiers emerged from the facility, approached them, quickly surrounding and restraining them.

The soldiers' sleek black armor covered their entire bodies, giving them an intimidating presence. The advanced material of their armor had a smooth metallic finish, and even their helmets were pitch black with a tinted visor that concealed their faces.

Their state-of-the-art weapons had a streamlined, almost futuristic design that looked like they came straight out of a sci-fi movie. The soldiers moved with precision, their movements swift and decisive as they swept through the area. It was clear that they were highly trained and extremely dangerous.

"I already expected and was waiting for you to come back here, Spectre, since you're my favorite intruder on my facilities," a man's voice boomed through the speakers.

"You're such an evil person! Why do you let your creatures roam free and destroy the city?" Spectre shouted back, her voice filled with anger.

"Come on, Spectre. I don't let them out. They just escaped and destroyed one of my facilities," the man replied with a hint of annoyance.

"But it seems like so much fun seeing those aggressive creatures killing poor and defenseless people out there," he added, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"F*ck you! If I catch you, I will rip you into pieces," Spectre growled.

"Oh, I'm so scared. Someone save me, please, from the divine hand of Spectre. Hahaha. Oh, come on, I'm waiting, Spectre," the man taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance.

The man's voice was cold and callous, sending chills down Mark's spine. "And you, Mark, the poor kid," he sneered. "I do apologize that I lied to your mother, I gave her the wrong surprise." He feigned tears, a crocodile shedding tears.

Mark's anger flared as he heard about his mother. "Why did you involve my mom in your foolishness?" he shouted.

"Foolishness? Haha, it's not foolishness, it's godliness," the man replied with a smirk

Mark felt his blood boil at the man's words. "You sick bastard," he growled.

"Be thankful that I didn't include your twin sisters in the experiments," the man continued, his tone menacing. "They would've been quite useful in my research."

"If you lay a hand on my sisters, I swear I will hunt you down no matter where you go!" Mark shouted in anger.

The man chuckled at Mark's threat. "You have the same fiery spirit as Spectre. Perhaps you two should be together for my next experiment."

Mark's anger boiled over at the man's callous words. "You dumb bastard! You will pay for my mother's death!" His outburst was suddenly interrupted as he was hit with a searing pain in his head, causing him to drop to his knees and cry out in agony. He held his head in his hands, feeling as if it were about to split open. The veins on his body bulged and became visible, as the pain spread from his head to his entire body.

As Mark's transformation progressed, his body grew larger and more muscular, his skin turning a deep shade of red. The soldiers, caught off guard by the sudden change, opened fire on him. The sound of gunfire echoed through the tunnel as Spectre and the detective sprang into action.

Spectre moved with lightning-fast reflexes, her combat training allowing her to dodge and weave between the soldiers' bullets. She delivered swift and precise blows, taking down several soldiers with ease.

Meanwhile, the detective wrestled a weapon away from one of the soldiers and fired back, taking out more of their attackers. The impact of the shots reverberated through the tunnel, making it difficult to hear anything else over the noise.

Despite the chaos and danger around them, Spectre and the detective worked together seamlessly, their movements coordinated and fluid as they fought for their lives.

The chaos ensued, the walls and floors shook, causing debris to rain down from above

Mark got up from kneeling, he felt a surge of power coursing through his body. With a fierce expression on his face, he launched himself at the soldiers, his movements swift and deadly. His fists connected with their armored bodies, each blow delivering a powerful impact that sent the soldiers flying backwards. The sound of metal clanging against the walls echoed through the tunnel as Mark took down the soldiers with ease.

Spectre and Detective Jameson cautiously followed Mark into the facility, taking out any soldiers who dared to cross their path. With each swift and calculated strike, the soldiers fell to the ground, their weapons clattering uselessly against the cold, hard floor.

Suddenly, the doors of the facility slammed shut, trapping the trio in a circular room. The tunnel leading back to the outside world was sealed off, leaving them with no escape.

Mark realized they were trapped, he turned his attention to the doors, his fists pounding against them with all his might. The metal buckled under the force of his blows, but it held firm against his superhuman strength. He roared in frustration as he continued to pound his fists against the heavy metal door, desperate to escape the facility.

Meanwhile, Spectre and Detective Jameson fought off waves of soldiers, taking down each one with precision and skill. But their efforts were in vain as the doors suddenly slammed shut, trapping them inside the circular facility.

The thick smoke began to fill the room, causing Spectre and Jameson to cough and gasp for air. The smoke was unlike anything they had ever seen before, its pungent odor making them dizzy and disoriented. Mark, unaffected by the smoke, continued to pound away at the door, his fists leaving deep dents and scratches in the metal.

As the smoke grew thicker, Spectre and Jameson began to feel their consciousness slipping away. They fought to stay awake, but the smoke was too much for them to bear. With a final gasp, they fell to the ground, unconscious.

Mark, still pounding away at the door, suddenly felt his own strength beginning to fade. The smoke was affecting him too, draining him of his powers and leaving him vulnerable. With one final punch, he collapsed to the ground, the sound of his impact echoing through the now-silent facility.