Chapter 22: The Gala and the Gas

The team sat around a small, dimly lit room, the sound of war drums faintly echoing in the distance. Steve had just come in from gathering intelligence, his face grim but focused. Diana, Alex, Sameer, Charlie, and Chief Napi were all seated around him, their expressions equally serious.

"We've got news," Steve said, his voice heavy with the weight of the revelation. "There's going to be a gala tomorrow night at the German High Command. Ludendorff will be there."

Diana's eyes immediately lit up with resolve. "That's where we'll find Ares," she said, her tone firm. "If we can kill Ludendorff, we'll stop him from unleashing more destruction."

Alex, however, exchanged a glance with Diana. He had suspected something different, something she couldn't see yet. Sir Patrick, the man working behind the scenes in the shadows, felt wrong to him. The energy around him was off, dark and twisted, but Alex couldn't reveal his full suspicions. He didn't want to change too much of the future.

"Diana," Alex said carefully, his voice low but urging. "Ludendorff may not be Ares. He's a general, yes, but there's something else at play here. Someone more… insidious."

Diana frowned, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean, Alex? Ludendorff is orchestrating all of this. We've seen the destruction he's caused."

Steve cut in before Alex could say more. "We don't have time for speculation. We need to focus on destroying the gas. If Ludendorff is Ares or not, he's still responsible for this weapon, and that's enough reason to stop him."

"But Steve," Diana said, her voice rising in frustration, "killing Ludendorff will stop this war. Ares must be defeated."

Steve shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "We can't just rush in there and kill him. We don't even know if he's truly Ares, and if we do something reckless, we risk losing our chance to stop the gas."

"I can't explain it fully," Alex admitted, knowing he couldn't reveal too much. "But there's more than what we see."

Steve, sensing the tension in the room, took a deep breath. "Look, we all want to stop this. But we need to be smart. We'll split up tomorrow. I'll infiltrate the party, find out where the gas is, and figure out a way to destroy it. Diana, Alex… I know you're eager to stop Ludendorff, but we need to be careful."

Diana crossed her arms, her frustration clear. "You're asking us to do nothing while Ludendorff plans to destroy more innocent lives?"

"No," Steve said firmly. "I'm asking you to trust me. We can't jeopardize the mission by rushing in."

---

The Gala

The next evening, the team prepared for their respective missions. Steve had managed to secure an invitation to the gala, using his cunning and charm to blend in with the German officers. He would go in separately, leaving Diana and Alex to follow discreetly, watching for their moment.

The gala was lavish, with officers in decorated uniforms, chandeliers gleaming above them, and a sense of opulence that sharply contrasted the suffering outside. Diana, dressed in a stunning blue gown, walked gracefully alongside Alex, who was dressed in dark black, Handsome clothing. They moved with purpose, watching from the edges of the grand hall.

Diana's eyes were locked on Ludendorff, who stood at the far end of the room, laughing with other officers. She could feel the fury bubbling up inside her, the need to strike him down, but Alex remained by her side, his presence steady and calming.

"Look at him," Diana whispered, her voice trembling with anger. "He's celebrating while innocent people die because of his actions."

Alex glanced at Ludendorff, but his mind was elsewhere. He couldn't shake the feeling that Sir Patrick was behind all of this. Every instinct he had told him that the true enemy was still in the shadows. "Diana," he whispered back, "I know you want to kill him, but trust me. There's something else here."

Diana turned to him, her blue eyes blazing. "He is Ares, Alex. I know it. Once we kill him, this war will end."

Alex shook his head. "Ludendorff may be powerful, but he's not the god of war. You have to trust me."

Before Diana could respond, Steve appeared nearby, subtly signaling to them. He had found the location of the gas.

---

The Unleashing of the Gas

As they moved out of the gala, Steve quietly led them to the outskirts of the facility where Ludendorff's men had stored the deadly gas. Just as they were about to take action, Diana caught sight of Ludendorff boarding a plane.

She gasped, her hand instinctively going for her sword. "He's escaping! I have to stop him."

"Diana, no!" Steve urged, grabbing her arm. "If you go after him now, we'll lose our chance to destroy the gas."

"But—" Diana began, her voice filled with desperation.

"We have to destroy the weapon first," Steve said firmly. "We can deal with Ludendorff afterward."

Diana hesitated, her eyes flickering between Alex and Steve. She wanted to stop Ludendorff so badly, but Steve's words rang in her ears. If they failed to destroy the gas, more lives would be lost. Reluctantly, she nodded.

Together, the team began setting charges around the gas storage. But as they worked, a sudden explosion rocked the facility. Ludendorff's men had noticed their presence.

Amid the chaos, Ludendorff took advantage of the distraction. His soldiers unleashed the deadly gas on the village of Veld, where the team had celebrated their victory just days ago.

---

The Tragedy of Veld

The gas spread quickly, filling the air with its sickening, green haze. By the time the team reached Veld, it was too late. The entire village, the same village they had liberated with such joy, was gone. The bodies of men, women, and children lay scattered, lifeless, their faces twisted in agony.

Diana fell to her knees, her heart shattering at the sight. "No… no…" she whispered, her voice filled with disbelief. "How could this happen? We saved them…"

Alex knelt beside her, his own heart heavy with guilt. He had tried to warn her, to tell her that Ludendorff wasn't the true enemy, but it didn't matter now. The damage had been done.

Steve stood nearby, his face pale with shock and anger. "This is on me," he muttered, shaking his head. "I should've acted faster…"

"No," Alex said, standing up. "This isn't over yet. Ludendorff is still out there, but I'm telling you, Steve… Ares is someone else. We have to figure this out before more people die."

Diana rose to her feet, her eyes filled with fiery determination. "We will stop Ludendorff. We will stop Ares. I swear it."

As the night fell over the ruined village of Veld, the team stood together, united in their grief and their resolve. The battle was far from over, and the stakes had never been higher.