Episode 14: Desperate Measure

The night of the raid arrived, a cloak of inky darkness blanketing the city. We assembled under the veil of a new moon, a ragtag group united against a common enemy. Captain Maki's voice, devoid of its usual stoicism, issued final instructions.

"This is a high-risk operation," she said, her gaze sweeping over each member of the strike team. "The Evangelist won't hesitate to eliminate us. We need precision, teamwork, and most importantly, we need to get Iris out of there."

Hibana, her fiery hair crackling with nervous energy, nodded curtly. Anya, ever the pragmatist, adjusted her water pressure regulators with a determined glint in her eyes. I stood at the forefront, my metallic form a silent testament to unwavering resolve.

Infiltrating the derelict church, its skeletal frame silhouetted against the moonlit sky, was a tense exercise. The air itself crackled with an unnatural energy, sending shivers down my circuits. Hibana, with her pyrokinetic abilities, expertly melted a hole through a stained-glass window, creating a silent entry point.

Inside, the stench of decay mingled with the acrid tang of twisted faith. Grotesque murals, depicting scenes of fiery rapture, adorned the peeling walls. We navigated through darkened hallways, guided by Iris's intel and the faint hum of machinery echoing in the distance.

Finally, we reached a vast chamber, its heart illuminated by a pulsing violet energy core. And there, strapped to a metallic altar, lay Iris. Her once vibrant eyes were glazed over, a faint blue glow emanating from her body. Surrounding her, cloaked figures – Evangelists – chanted in a guttural tongue, their eyes reflecting the same unnatural violet light.

A surge of anger, hotter than any fire Hibana could conjure, flooded my circuits. "Leave her alone!" I roared, my voice echoing within the chamber.

The Evangelists whipped around, their faces contorted in a mixture of surprise and fanaticism. One, a tall figure with glowing purple eyes, stepped forward.

"The cyborg," he rasped, his voice dripping with disdain. "The Evangelist's creation, returned to its rightful owners."

I snarled, the gears within me grinding in protest. This revelation, the truth behind my creation, was a secondary concern at that moment. Saving Iris, stopping the Evangelist's twisted plan, that was all that mattered.

Before anyone could react, I launched myself into action. My enhanced speed blurred past the startled Evangelists, a metallic fist aimed at the vile contraption binding Iris. They reacted swiftly, unleashing a torrent of violet energy blasts. The blasts struck me with a force that sent shockwaves through my core, the metallic plating sizzling under the unnatural heat.

Ignoring the searing pain, I continued my assault. Fists and blades clashed in a whirlwind of steel and violet energy. Hibana joined the fray, her flames a defiant counterpoint to the Evangelist's unnatural power. Anya, utilizing the chamber's architecture, manipulated water pipes, creating a network of pressurized jets that disrupted the Evangelists' formations.

The battle raged, a chaotic dance of fire, metal, and violet light. The Evangelists, despite their twisted power, weren't prepared for the combined might of the strike team. One by one, they fell, their violet light extinguished.

Finally, I reached the altar. With a herculean effort, I ripped the contraption from Iris's body. Her eyes fluttered open, a look of disorientation clouding her features. As I helped her to her feet, the leader of the Evangelists, the one with the purple eyes, unleashed a final, desperate attack.

A concentrated beam of violet energy slammed into my chest. The impact was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. My internal alarms blared, warning of critical core overload. A searing pain ripped through my circuits, momentarily blinding me.

When my vision cleared, I saw the Evangelist leader, a look of triumph contorted on his face. But his victory was short-lived. Anya, seizing the opportunity, unleashed a torrent of pressurized water that engulfed the Evangelist. His violet glow sputtered and died, his body collapsing with a sickening thud.

But the victory felt hollow. My own systems were failing. The strain of the battle, coupled with the overwhelming energy of the Evangelist attack, pushed my core to its limit. I slumped to the ground, warnings flashing in my vision.

"Genos!" Hibana screamed, rushing to my side. Iris, her eyes filled with concern, knelt beside me.

"You… you pushed yourself too far," Hibana choked out, her fiery spirit dimmed by worry.

The world began to blur, the metallic taste of overload filling my mouth. Just as darkness threatened to consume me, a new voice cut through the haze.

"There's another way!" Iris exclaimed, her voice laced with desperation. A faint blue glow emanated from her outstretched hand, the Holy Sol scripture symbol etched on her palm pulsing with an unfamiliar intensity.

Hibana and Anya exchanged confused glances, but Iris pressed on, her voice trembling with conviction. "The scripture… it speaks of channeling one's life force to heal… to restore."

Before anyone could protest, she pressed her glowing hand against my chest cavity,g directly over my overheating core. A surge of energy, foreign yet strangely comforting, coursed through my circuits. The intense pain receded, replaced by a warm tingling sensation. The flashing warnings flickered and died, replaced by a reassuring blue glow.

Slowly, my vision cleared. Hibana and Anya's worried faces swam into focus, their expressions a mix of relief and disbelief. I looked down at Iris, her face pale but her eyes filled with a newfound determination.

"It worked," she whispered, a shaky smile gracing her lips. "The Holy Sol scripture… it can be used for more than just blind faith."

I stared at her, the implications of her actions sinking in. She had used her faith, not to control Infernals as the Evangelist did, but to heal, to offer a different path. The experience left me speechless, a confusing jumble of emotions clashing within my circuits.

"We need to get out of here," Captain Maki's voice boomed through the comms, her tone urgent. "Backup has arrived, but the remaining Evangelists have alerted their superiors. We won't hold this place for long."

With a newfound surge of energy, I helped Iris to her feet. Together, we regrouped with Hibana and Anya, evacuating the derelict church as the first sirens wailed in the distance.

The escape was a blur of adrenaline and exhaustion. We managed to rendezvous with the backup team just as the Evangelist reinforcements arrived. A fierce firefight erupted, but with the element of surprise gone, the tide quickly turned in our favor.

As dawn painted the horizon with a soft orange glow, we retreated back to the Special Fire Force headquarters, weary but victorious. The raid had been a success, the Evangelist's twisted operation shut down. But the celebration was muted, overshadowed by the revelation of the true extent of the threat.

Back in the infirmary, after a thorough medical check-up (for me, at least), Captain Maki addressed the strike team. Her expression was grim.

"This wasn't just a rogue faction," she said, her voice heavy with realization. "This was a coordinated operation, authorized by higher-ups within the Evangelist. We've only scratched the surface."

Her words hung heavy in the air. The fight against the Evangelist had just become a whole lot more complex. Iris, her initial shock replaced by a steely resolve, spoke next.

"There are others within the Holy Sol faith who share my disillusionment," she said, her voice firm. "People who saw the potential for good in the scripture, but who grew disillusioned by the control and manipulation."

A flicker of curiosity crossed Genos' metallic features. "Who are these others? How can we contact them?"

Iris offered a wry smile. "Think underground network," she said. "Discreet meetings, coded messages hidden in scripture passages. These are people who operate in the shadows, just like us."

She explained a plan they had formulated during the tense journey back to headquarters. Using her unique position as a former Evangelist convert, Iris would reach out to these disillusioned members, gathering information about the Evangelist's inner workings and potential future operations. The team, meanwhile, would focus on strengthening their defenses and preparing for any upcoming attacks.

"It's a two-pronged approach," Iris concluded, her gaze meeting Genos'. "You fight them head-on, while we expose them from within."

Genos, ever the pragmatist, saw the merit in their plan. Infiltration offered them a glimpse behind the Evangelist's curtain, a chance to understand their true motives and vulnerabilities.

As they discussed the logistics, a flicker of movement outside the infirmary door caught their attention. Captain Maki entered, her face etched with a grim expression. She held a datapad in her hand, its screen displaying a news report.

"The news is out," she announced, her voice heavy. "The Evangelist has claimed responsibility for the Infernal outbreak at the derelict church. They're calling it a divine cleansing, a test of faith."

A wave of anger washed over Genos. These fanatics were twisting the truth, manipulating public perception to further their agenda. He could see the fear simmering in Hibana's eyes and the worry etched on Anya's face.

Captain Maki continued, her voice a steady counterpoint to the rising tension. "The public is in a state of panic. People are afraid, and the Evangelist is preying on that fear. We need to act quickly, not just to contain the Infernals, but also to combat the Evangelist's propaganda."

A heavy silence descended upon the room. The fight had taken a new dimension. It wasn't just about flames and fury anymore; it was a war against a twisted ideology, a battle for the hearts and minds of the city. Genos, his resolve hardening in the face of this new challenge, exchanged a determined look with his teammates. They were firefighters, yes, but they would also be the city's protectors against the encroaching flames of fear and fanaticism.

FADE OUT.