an obvious trap (chapter 26)
Belle Reve, Louisiana, in Amanda's command center, a blond woman approached her, handing her a phone. Amanda put it close to her ears and heard Tori's voice saying, "It is done." Amanda smiled, "Alright." She intended to hang up, but Tori, almost pleading, interjected, "Look, I have what you asked. Heck, I betrayed the Wizard, and if I know that guy, he never trusts a person who betrayed him once. If they get to live the next time, please make sure he stays wherever you put him in." Amanda dismissively responded, "You did your part. You placed him where I wanted him to be. Let me worry about my part." She hung up and gestured to one of her team to press a single button.
[Scene Change]
In a rural part of an unknown city, amidst the night's embrace, Cain, robed and hooded, with a small gauntlet on his forearm, moved with agility. He navigated from small rooftops to lampposts, making barely a sound. His thoughts echoed, "There is definitely something wrong here." He arrived at a seemingly ordinary building, feeling a sense of hidden danger. Cain looked around, studying the building, and identified the entrance. Standing before the door, he paused and mused, "And they are quite well hidden. Well, not well enough." He sneered and opened the door.
"And a job is still a job, even if it's a trap," he thought as he stealthily moved through the building, part donut shop, part living room. Cain wondered if the elderly owner of the shop knew the true purpose of the building. Discovering a secret compartment, he remarked, "Well, I do have to find me a new contractor. I wonder how Web is going to compensate me since she guaranteed that he was loyal. Well, guess I will find out." A smile played on his lips as he entered the secret lab.
The lab, as expected, was rigged with sensors, hidden cameras, and lasers. "Wow, they really are going all out to make this as much of an authentic job as they can, huh?" Cain noted. Aware of the hidden cameras, he skillfully navigated through the traps, displaying his expertise. "He is a skilled thief, I'll give him that," thought Amanda as she observed him. "Guess I know now why they call him the Wizard, but why doesn't he use spells or whatever tricks he has up his sleeves?" she pondered.
Reaching the core of the lab, Cain opened the most secure fridge and took out a green vial. Amanda, watching, monologued, "It was really a good idea to get him to steal the Lazarus water, something that I will need. Now I can kill two birds with one stone." As Cain prepared to leave, Amanda gave a single order, "Get him." Countless lasers appeared on Cain's chest. A team of soldiers emerged from the shadows, yelling, "Freeze, put your hands where I can see." Cain complied, but he dropped something from his hand, creating a burst of mist that covered the area.
"Night vision goggles on," the team leader ordered as they adapted. However, Cain had vanished. A guard exclaimed, "Where is he?" Suddenly, another guard fell, knocked out cold. "Watch your six," the leader cautioned, but the numbers dwindled. Amanda changed the mission, "Change of plan, shoot on sight." The guards struggled, unable to see Cain. The leader reported, "We can't see him," and one by one, they were picked off. Amanda ordered, "Shoot on sight." Despite their efforts, Cain continued to eliminate them.
"We can't see him," the leader repeated. Suddenly, the man whose body Amanda was watching got knocked out, the camera destroyed. When the mist cleared, only Cain and the leader stood. Cain, frozen in the same position, teased, "I am still frozen," his voice now sounding different. The leader aimed to shoot, but Cain was faster, and...
Belle Reve, Louisiana, in Amanda's command center, the atmosphere buzzed with the tension of the mission unfolding. The dim glow of screens illuminated the faces of the dedicated team. The soft hum of electronics filled the room as the communication team meticulously tracked Cain's every move.
As Cain shot a disk-like device, it seamlessly adhered to the man's arm, sending a bolt of electricity coursing through his nervous system. The room was momentarily bathed in an eerie blue glow as the man's arm seized, rendering him paralyzed. The atmosphere was charged with suspense, the anticipation palpable.
The captain, undeterred, reached for his pistol, but Cain, swift and unyielding, materialized in front of him. With a graceful jump and a knee strike, Cain connected with the man's chest. Even through the protection of his vest, the impact sent the captain reeling, disarmed and momentarily incapacitated.
As the man struggled to rise, Cain taunted him, inviting another round of combat. The clinks of a combat knife being drawn filled the room, echoing in the tense silence. The environment seemed to tighten as the man lunged at Cain with the blade. Agile and calculated, Cain dodged the initial slashes, responding with a swift uppercut that removed the man's helmet.
The room echoed with the sounds of the scuffle, the metallic ring of blade meeting resistance. A tense dance unfolded as Cain deftly deflected the man's stabbing attempts, countering with a precise jab to the man's neck. The man, defeated, knelt to the ground.
Cain, victorious, approached the camera with a subtle menace. His voice, now deeper, reverberated in the room. "Pathetic," he declared with a cold finality, and with a swift motion, he crushed the camera. The screen went black, Amanda's visual connection severed. The communication team exchanged looks of surprise, while Amanda, in her office, wore a satisfied smile.
"Challenge accepted," she declared with a steely resolve. She turned and, with purpose, commanded, "Assemble the Suicide Squad and their new member. I've got another mission for them." The weight of her words hung in the air as she strode back into her office, setting the stage for the next chapter in this unfolding saga.