Chapter 33.....

Chapter 33: Malik.....

Malik appeared out of nowhere, his eyes fixed intently on Michael. "Wait, don't destroy it!" he urged, his voice filled with a mix of desperation and hope.

Michael hesitated, his hand hovering over the detonator. "What are you talking about, Malik?"

Malik took a step forward, his eyes shining with tears. "This machine... it has the power to manipulate reality. We could use it to bring him back."

Michael's expression faltered, his grip on the detonator wavering. "You mean... our father?"

Malik nodded vigorously. "Yes! We could bring him back, Michael. We could undo what happened."

The team exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to do. Alex spoke up, his voice cautious. "Malik, we can't trust this technology. We don't know its true capabilities or the consequences of using it."

But Malik was undeterred. "We have to try," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. "We owe it to him, to ourselves. We can't just leave him gone."

Michael looked torn, his eyes darting between the machine and Malik. The team held their breath, waiting for his decision.

Michael's expression hardened, his grip on the detonator tightening. "No, Malik. We can't risk it. We don't know what this machine is capable of, and we can't trust it."

Malik's face fell, his eyes welling up with tears. "But... but what if it's our only chance to bring him back?"

Michael's voice was firm but gentle. "We can't take that risk, Malik. We have to think about the bigger picture. We can't let our personal desires cloud our judgment."

With a deep breath, Michael activated the detonator. The machine emitted a loud hum, and a blinding light filled the room. The team shielded their eyes, waiting for the destruction to be complete.

As the light faded, the machine lay in ruins, its twisted metal and wires smoldering. The team breathed a collective sigh of relief, knowing they had prevented a potential catastrophe.

But Malik's anguished cry echoed through the room, his eyes fixed on the destroyed machine. "What have you done? You've taken away our only chance..."

The team's victory was bittersweet, tainted by the knowledge of what they had just denied Malik.

Alex stepped forward, his expression empathetic. "Malik, I know this is tough, but we had to make this choice. We can't let personal feelings cloud our judgment."

Malik's eyes flashed with anger, but Alex continued, his voice gentle. "We're in this together, Malik. We're a team. And we have to make decisions that protect everyone, not just one person."

Emily nodded in agreement. "We can't bring back the dead, Malik. But we can honor their memory by making sure their sacrifice isn't in vain."

Michael placed a hand on Malik's shoulder. "We'll get through this, brother. We'll find another way to make things right."

Malik's anger slowly gave way to grief, and he nodded, tears streaming down his face. The team gathered around him.

As they stood there, a strange noise echoed through the facility, growing louder by the second. The team exchanged worried glances.

"What's that?" Emily asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alex's expression turned grim. "I don't know, but I think we're about to find out."

(Word count 537.)...