The three black SUVs drove through the dark streets. Inside the lead car, Harrison held the steering wheel tightly. His face was calm, but his knuckles were white. Beside him, Daniel checked his gun, looking at the dashboard map.

"We are two minutes away, boss," Daniel said quietly. "Marcus sent the signal. The power grid is down. We have ninety seconds before backup lights come on."

Harrison pressed the gas pedal harder. "Tell the men to move fast. No mistakes."

"Understood," Daniel said, using his radio to alert the cars behind them.

Inside the dark factory, Julius was tied to a heavy chair. His clothes were torn and his face was bruised, but his eyes were wide. Arthur Vance and Victor Sterling stood in front of him.

To the side stood Sarah. She looked down at the floor with her arms crossed.

"Sarah," Julius said, his voice rough from coughing. "Why are you doing this?"

Sarah shifted her weight, looking up with dull eyes. "It is for the best, Julius. Your family was heading for destruction.

Arthur and Victor can fix things. They promised me nobody would die. They want to save the city from people like Harrison."

Julius let out a bitter laugh. "Save the city? They locked my mother up in this place, Sarah! They brainwashed you."

"They didn’t brainwash me," Sarah said quickly, her voice rising. "Harrison is dangerous. He is an Enigma. Arthur and Victor told me that once Harrison is gone, the business will be balanced, your mother will be safe, and you will get your life back."

"You are a fool," Julius whispered.

Arthur walked forward, patting Sarah’s shoulder with a cruel smile. "She believes the truth, Julius. You think this is just about business shares, don’t you?"

Julius spat blood onto the floor. "Just leave my family alone."

Arthur laughed loudly. "Your family has been broken for twenty-five years. And the man you trust the most kept you in the dark."

Julius frowned, his chest rising fast. "What are you talking about?"

"Harrison," Victor said, leaning close to Julius’s ear. "You can’t remember the night your father died because Harrison took the pain. He used his power to rip every bad memory out of your head when you were a boy."

Julius froze. "No. That is a lie."

"He did it," Arthur said. "He carried your grief all these years to protect you. And tonight, that love will kill him. We built a trap just for him."

Victor pointed to metal boxes in the four corners of the room. Red lights blinked on top of them. "Those are frequency suppressors. The moment Harrison steps in here, his Enigma core will drain until he cannot stand."

A wave of heat rushed through Julius. His heart beat wildly. All those years of feeling fine while Harrison looked tired — it was because Harrison was carrying his weight. Tears spilled down his cheeks.

"Why would he take my pain?" Julius whispered.

"Because he is a fool," Victor said, checking his watch. "And he is right outside. Sarah, go get the car ready for our escape, after we have dealt with Harrison."

Sarah nod her head, leaving Julius in the room, while his heart was panicking for the man who is running straight to danger for him.

Outside, Harrison stopped the car by the entrance. He jumped out into the pouring rain with his gun ready. Daniel and six bodyguards followed, their boots splashing through puddles.

Gunshots echoed from the front gates. Enemy guards were firing from behind old trucks.

"Daniel, clear the yard!" Harrison shouted over the rain.

"Go, boss! I will handle this side!" Daniel yelled back, firing toward the roof. The bodyguards took cover and fought back hard.

Harrison kicked the door open with a heavy thud. The moment he stepped inside, a sickening wave of dizziness hit him. His knees buckled, and his vision blurred. A terrible pressure filled his chest.

He saw the blinking red lights on the boxes. He knew it was a suppression trap, but he did not stop. He forced his heavy legs to move down the corridor toward the main room.

While the noise of the gunshots filled the upper floors, Anna and Marcus were moving quickly through the lower basement of the factory. Marcus was holding his small tablet, tracking the heat signatures inside the walls.

"The signal is coming from behind that door, Anna," Marcus whispered, his fingers moving over the screen. "There are only two guards inside."

"Take cover," Anna said, pulling her weapon from her waist.

She kicked the door open and fired two quick shots, dropping the guards before they could even lift their rifles. Marcus rushed into the small room and found Julius’s mother tied to a small bed in the corner. She looked pissed.

"We are here to get you out, ma’am," Marcus said, cutting the ropes around her wrists. "Harrison and Julius are upstairs. We need to move."

"Is my son okay?" she asked firmly as Anna helped her stand.

"He is fighting," Anna said, guarding the door. "Follow me."

Upstairs, the doors of the main room flew open. Harrison stepped inside with his gun raised. His breathing was heavy, and sweat ran down his forehead. The suppression field made every movement feel heavy.

"Harrison, no!" Julius screamed. "Get out! It’s a trap to drain your core!"

Harrison did not look at the boxes. He looked straight at Julius, his voice deep and rough. "I don’t care."

Two guards jumped from behind pillars, firing. Harrison dodged to the side, his shoulder hitting the wall. He returned fire, hitting both guards in the chest. But as he stood up, he stumbled, gasping in pain.

"Look at him," Victor mocked, stepping behind Julius’s chair as a shield. "The great Enigma cannot even hold his gun straight. You are dying for a boy."

Harrison did not answer, taking another heavy step forward. The red lights on the boxes started to flash faster, the high frequency humming loudly in his ears. His vision was turning dark at the edges, but his grip on his gun remained steady. "He just needs to live."

With a final burst of strength, Harrison fired two shots at the ceiling, shattering the main light fixtures. The room plunged into total darkness except for the blinking red lights.

In the sudden blackness, Victor let out a sharp gasp, trying to drag Julius’s chair backward to use him as a cover. But Harrison did not need light to find his target. Moving like a shadow, Harrison crossed the distance in a fraction of a second, ignoring the intense agony ripping through his core.

Before Victor could even raise his weapon, Harrison’s massive hand shot out through the dark. His fingers tore straight into Victor’s chest with unbelievable, raw power.

There was a wet, horrific ripping sound, followed by a wet, gurgling scream that cut short instantly. Harrison pulled his hand back, completely tearing Victor’s heart out of his chest. Victor’s body twitched once and dropped heavily to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

Arthur heard the sudden wet thud and the short, terrible scream. His heart raced with panic. He quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, bright flashlight, clicking it on to see what had happened.

The light cut through the darkness, shaking violently in Arthur’s hand. When the light hit the space behind Julius’s chair, Arthur froze completely. His breath stopped in his throat, and his mouth fell open, completely short of words.

Harrison stood over Victor’s lifeless body. His eyes were dark, and his hand was covered in dripping blood, clutching Victor’s heart. The red lights cast a sickening glow over his face. He looked like a demon.

"Guards!" Arthur screamed in pure terror, stumbling backward. "Guards, get in here! Kill him!"

Arthur did not wait. He dropped the flashlight and ran as fast as he could, trying to escape the room.

Shouts and gunshots echoed as more men poured inside. Julius felt the ropes around his wrists snap as Harrison’s warm hands found him. Harrison lifted him effortlessly, though his breathing sounded rough and painful.

"Can you walk?" Harrison asked, his voice shaking.

"Yes, I can walk," Julius said, grabbing Harrison’s damp shirt. "We need to go, please."

They moved out of the room as Arthur’s men fired blindly. In the hallway, Daniel met them, his vest covered in mud and smoke.

"The yard is clear! The cars are running!" Daniel yelled, supporting Julius’s arm. "Anna and Marcus got your mother out. They are heading to the safe house."

"Get him to the car," Harrison ordered faintly.

They broke through the back doors into the pouring rain. The cold water hit them, but it did not help the burning heat in Harrison’s chest. As they reached the black SUV, Harrison suddenly stopped.

He leaned against the car, his head dropping down. Julius turned and saw Harrison cover his mouth. When he pulled his hand away, it was covered in dark, thick blood.

"Harrison!" Julius cried out. He tried to catch him, but Harrison’s body slid down against the car door, his eyes closing as his system went into deep shock.

"Get him inside now!" Daniel shouted, lifting Harrison’s shoulders while Julius grabbed his legs. They sped away into the dark night, the sound of the rain drowning out their cries.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​