The Industrialist

HyperVista Condominium, HyperVista Sector

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The officer by the door was pushed inside with inhuman strength that sent the officer flying backward, then his body crashing into the furniture inside.

On what strength can a human push a well-trained military operative further back for about five meters? There was only one thing that registered in Lance's mind, they were not normal human beings behind the door.

Hurriedly, Lance quickened his steps and veered to the corner where he kept his poison bombs. The fear in him jolted his senses. The perpetrators went inside his condominium, their yellow trench coats were splattered with blood, like butchers in a slaughterhouse.

The other SHF operative, upon looking at his comrade, had a mad dash and delivered a flying kick to one of the more muscular intruders. He managed to connect on his face and sent him down among the piled scraps near the door. Then, he delivered a flying kick to the other, somehow had evaded the blow.

The knocked down operative hauled himself up and took out his laser handgun. With efficiency, he fired his weapon and hit the other one that fought with his partner. Three shots hit their marks, all in the intruder's chest. He went down eventually, probably because of the gun's firepower.

The muscular one hauled himself up. However, he was overwhelmed by the handgun's firepower. He rolled to evade and managed to find cover against the dining table. The other SHF operative also took out his handgun and squeezed his trigger too. Lasers had decimated his kitchen cupboards, and porcelain and metallic utensils flew from places.

The SHF officers were prepared. They quickly reacted to the danger in front of them without planning. They moved with instincts, even without interrogating the intruders, they knew they were killers. Or maybe they already knew that Lance was hunted by Abominated humans.

"C'mon, lad, let's get out of here!"

Lance placed his poison bombs on his backpack, jolted across the living room, and jumped over the unconscious Abominated human with the charred chest.

"We are right behind you!" The officer screamed and they continued firing their laser handguns inside. As Lance finally escaped his room, he recognized the familiar face of the knocked-down monster.

'They were like humans,' Lance thought. Damian had shared this with him: the one that decommissioned fifteen SHF operatives was a human being, but it moved like a monster.

His heart raced with the fast-paced happenstance. He could not control his breathing. The moment he reached the hallway, he quickened his steps to an exit. It was the third floor so he planned on taking the stairs.

One SHF officer followed him outside the hallway without the other.

'Is he dead?' Lance thought about the other SHF operative.

"Move!" The operative shouted at him, pushing his back forward. Lance started to sprint like hell without looking back. He went to the fire exit door and hurriedly took the flight of stairs down. He was not a runner but with his lanky figure, tall legs, he could take the steps easily.

The SHF operative followed him still and another set of footfalls hurriedly in pursuit. The intruders followed them, there were two of them. It only meant that the Abominant that had absorbed the laser beams had recovered that fast.

He knew that these were Abominants, with the face of a human being. However, it was not yet proven that the Aiveez mist from his poison bombs could affect the pursuers. Even so, he activated one and left it on the stairs platform. Five seconds would take the bomb to detonate and it was perfect timing for the pursuers to have reached that place. It was on the second floor.

"Great idea!" The officer commended him as they reached the ground floor. After five seconds, the bomb exploded and blue mist filled the spiral stairs of the fire exit.

They went out to the lobby and people watched them as they created a commotion. Lance had exhausted every wisp of air inside his lungs and knelt down against the marbled floor of the Hypervista Condominium.

"There is no time to rest, Lance. They are still active." The officer helped him up and dragged him slowly towards the exit of the lobby. He wanted just a second to recuperate but the officer had insisted with his brute strength pulling the kid up.

Lance saw the faces of the people inside, plastered with fear from the attack two days ago. Then, another commotion sparked, and rattled them, eventually running away from them.

"A car is waiting for us."

They ran outside the building and scurried inside a black sedan. The screams came inside the building. However, Lance did not have time to look back and verify the pursuers. He just assumed that they escaped the poison bombs.

Lance went inside first in the back seat and the officer followed suit. Even an assassin was plastered with utter fear in his expression.

"Drive!" The officer said and the driver floored the accelerator pedal.

Lance collected his thoughts and his breath. His heart was unceasingly hammering against his sternum and wiped the cold sweat that drenched his forehead.

"What is that?" Lance asked. He knew about them, somehow was curious if the SHF had information about them too.

"We are not sure. We suspect that they are Abominated humans. Somehow, they formed just like us, maintaining inhuman strength and speed." The officer explained.

"How do you know about them?" Lance asked.

There was silence inside the car. The officer squinted through the rear window and confirmed that they lost their pursuers.

"A report came in as the SHF attacked the rebels. They encountered a superhuman being, killing our comrades with bare hands. Then, we knew about them and suspected that they had infiltrated the city. Mister Leric knew about this and had assumptions that you might be in danger too. So, he sent us, instead." The officer responded with evident breathings.

The car swerved along the traffic and never decelerated.

"I think we lost them," Lance said to the driver.

"We can't be so sure, kid. They probably still hunting you." The officer dialed on his Opticom. "Look for two yellow trench coats. They are extremely dangerous…Abominated humans, possibly… kill on sight." He deactivated the Opticom.

"Why are they hunting me?" Lance asked.

"We suspect this is because of your weapon, kid. They wanted to get you to stop producing these poison bombs. They are afraid of it. Mister Leric told me that your poison bombs could end the war against the Abominants."

Then it hit him. He suspected the vicious circle could be cooking something more sinister without the public's knowledge. He supposed that the budget constraints the departments had been complaining about might have some connection with the CBD's head, Mister Leric.

Maybe Menks and Leric were producing a nuclear bomb that could wipe out the creatures for good. If that's the case, then it would be beneficial for mankind. What he suspected was that the Vicious circle always had a hidden agenda.

"Where are we heading?" Lance asked as their car passed along the border inspections of Hypervista and went inland.

"Somewhere safe. Mister Leric wanted you to work on this project, with benefits of course. He wanted you to oversee the mass production of these weapons and he will offer you rankings and monetary rewards."

"Can he do that?" Lance asked.

"Yes. He can do everything. He is well-connected. Now, you answer to him in this project. Even the scientists did not know about this, so Mister Leric will sponsor you directly."

"What about my things? I need my things for my scrapping."

"You still scrap kid? Even as a mech tier 3?" The officer chuckled.

"Of course. I love scrapping." Lance sneered.

"We will hunt down those monsters first. And your things will be delivered to you after the dust has settled. With Mister Leric's offerings, you don't need to scrap anymore. He will give you a salary, with work confidentiality of course. He doesn't want this to be public for now."

"Salary?"

Lance was surprised to hear about a salary. Having a salary directly to the head of CBD could be a game-changer for him. He probably doesn't need to scrap any longer and concentrate on growing his money and supporting this project.

"Yes. Salary. Mister Leric wanted to talk to you. We are going to his office right now. Don't worry about anything, kid. We will protect you from the rebels and the monsters."

They were entering Bloomforge Enclave Sector. Lance marveled at the orange-colored lights that filled the city. It was the color of the night. Orange meant it was Wednesday. The large advertisements blew up against the tall structures, reflecting their beams of holographic lights against the mirrored walls and windows of the nearing structures.

They entered a secret parking entrance at the back of the towering structure.

"Is this Skycorp?" Lance asked.

The officer nodded.