Chapter 103
Chapter 103
Ren's primal shout of rage tore through the confines of the transport vehicle, echoing off the sleek, white walls. The sudden surge of adrenaline and fury that accompanied the General's contemptuous chuckle was the final trigger.
"Argh!"
The heavy-duty military restraints binding his wrists and ankles were designed to hold the strongest humans, but not a fully enraged, Beast-bound anomaly. The metal links shrieked in protest, then snapped like dried twigs. The silver energy that flashed from his eyes in the low light of the cabin was the raw, uncontained force of his newly awakened Beast.
"General, we have a problem!" Glacier, the agent in the driver's seat, stammered through the comms.
Ren hauled himself off the floor, his breathing ragged. He stood, his shadow looming large on the screen where Conan was watching.
"You wanted to see it, Conan? Here it is," Ren hissed, his voice a low, vibrating growl.
He turned his focus entirely on the vehicle itself. The Beast wasn't just physical strength; it was an intuitive, aggressive extension of his will. He slammed his now-free hands against the interior wall of the cargo bay, not trying to break the metal, but locating the electrical conduit running beneath.
"Find out my second option yourselves," he repeated, and then he let the power flow.
A deafening POP! Exploded from the chassis. The lights inside the vehicle flickered violently and died, plunging the cargo bay into pitch blackness. A thick, acrid smell of burnt ozone immediately filled the air.
"We're losing power! The engine is going to fail, General! We have to stop!" Glacier screamed, the vehicle swerving wildly across the desert road.
Ren braced himself, waiting for the impact. He could hear the desperate, impotent commands of General Conan being cut short as the communication lines also burned out.
The tyres finally lost traction on the sand, and the sleek transport spun violently before grinding to a jolting, sickening halt.
Ren waited a beat, confirming the silence of the engine. He had overloaded the main power core. He felt the cold relief of victory mixed with the hollow pain of betrayal.
He took a deep, steadying breath. Now, for the final act.
He located the weak point near the vehicle's back door—the manual release latch for emergencies. He braced his foot against the opposite wall and drove his shoulder into the door with a fierce grunt. The latch buckled, the metal groan echoing the pain in his heart.
He hit it a second time, and the heavy door flew open, sending Ren tumbling out onto the rough sand, gasping for air.
He scrambled to his feet, not looking back at the disabled vehicle. He was out in the vast, unforgiving desert, alone, furious, and heartbroken.
——
Back at the Faction 7 compound, the atmosphere was thick with tension and the smell of fear.
Kael and Corvin had managed to drag the massive, unconscious Axton back to his private quarters. Axton, now merely an extremely heavy man after the Beast was subdued by the blow, was deposited carefully onto his bunk.
Rhys returned moments later, his face grim. "No luck. My team found the transport signal, but it went dark ten minutes ago. It's sitting disabled fifty clicks east in the Great Wastes. No sign of Renault."
Corvin, nursing his bruised ribs, looked at Kael. "His Beast broke the bonds and the vehicle's power. He's loose in the desert."
Rhys frowned, looking at Kael who was still holding the wrench. "Corvin, focus on the Captain. Kael, you and I are taking a scout vehicle. We are bringing Ren back, alive and unharmed. We do not engage unless necessary."
Kael nodded, his eyes meeting Corvin's. They all knew this mission wasn't just about retrieval; it was about damage control and saving Axton's career—and his heart.
Meanwhile, outside, the Commander, Reed, tightened his grip on Mira's shoulder.
"Head up, Mira Caspian," Reed commanded.
Mira obeyed, looking up but not meeting his gaze. She had just seen the great Captain Axton Conan lose control—transform into the very thing her father taught her to despise. Her mind was a whirlwind of fear, and a frightening new understanding.
"Your next shot is due by next week, correct?" Reed questioned, his voice soft but his eyes held secrets and evil.
Mira nodded, "Yes, Commander." She answered.
"Good," Reed smiled, touching her shoulder. "Now, if you don't want to miss it, or any subsequent ones that follow, tell me every single thing that you saw here. The Captain's meltdown. The glowing eyes. The strength. Everything." He narrowed his eyes at her, daring her to lie to him.
Mira swallowed hard, her mind working furiously.
Exposing Axton now was easy. It would ruin him and the General. But it wouldn't save Ren, and it would put her squarely under Reed's control, who was clearly the most dangerous person in the Faction at the moment.
She made her choice, not out of loyalty to Axton, but out of absolute necessity to find her brother.
"Yes, Commander," she muttered, letting the fear show in her voice. "I saw... I saw the Captain lose control, just as you said. He was enraged about the prisoner's escape. His eyes... they were so angry, Commander, and he pushed Corvin violently. He was furious that he had been betrayed by the prisoner. A prisoner he planned to use for his benefits,"
She painted a picture of a Captain losing his temper over an escape, not a man revealing his hidden, Beast-bound nature over lost love.
Reed's eyes narrowed further, searching her face. "And the strength? The growl? Did he not exhibit the signs of an Anomaly?"
"No, Commander," Mira lied smoothly. "Just brute, human strength. He was tired and angry. Kael hit him to sedate him before he could hurt anyone. He's back in his chambers now, sleeping it off."
Reed studied her for a long, heavy moment. He wasn't entirely convinced, but he had enough to use against Conan. And more importantly, the girl was now trembling and compliant.
"Very well, Mira. You have performed your duty," Reed said, patting her shoulder with chilling familiarity. "Now, go. Rest. Your brother is likely already far away, running back to the slums where he belongs."
Mira nodded, her entire body shaking, and hurried away, her mind screaming: Find Ren. Get out. Trust no one.
Ren is now free but isolated in the desert, and Mira has just struck a dangerous bargain to protect Axton's secret. What steps will Ren take to seek revenge or safety, and how will Axton react when he wakes up to the full reality of his father's betrayal?
——
Ren grunted, stumbling on his feet as his body weakened. His eyes were still glowing, and his skin was oddly and slightly scaly.
He didn't know how to turn to his normal self and his head was aching like a bitch. Staying as a Beast was draining him and he knew that Axton's betrayal was part of the reason he stayed Beast.
He heard a rough growl behind him: Beast-bound creatures.
He stopped, grinning from ear to ear as he turned to face them.
He stared at the three deathly creatures, his own claws extending, "Ah, finally, I get to face you as a superior. Bring it on, boys." He smirked, taking a slow step toward them.
However, instead of the attack he expected, the creatures stepped back, bowed their head and fell on their knees.
Ren was stunned.
He stared at the creatures in shock. He couldn't understand what was going on, but he was liking it.
He slowly walked over to them, standing right in front of the creatures.
"Well, what do we have here? Beast-bound creatures, bowing to me. Why?" He asked darkly.
The creature in the middle lifted his head and then pointed at dried blood in Ren's wrists from when he had broken out from the constraints, and then, he pointed to himself.
Ren narrowed his eyes, a realisation dawning on him, "You think my blood will save you all?" He asked slowly.
The creatures growled in response, their heads still bowed.
"What a cruel world, and they said these pitiful creatures don't have feelings. Stand," he ordered.
The creatures stood, stepping away from Ren.
"You fear me?" He questioned.
They growled.
"Okay, that's a yes," he muttered, his claws receding but his skin and eyes remained the same.
'I guess I've just git my own kingdom.'
"The Beast-bounds... they answer to me because of my blood?" He asked and got another growl.
"At my beck and call?" He narrowed his eyes as the Beast-bound creatures nodded.
He chuckled, 'I guess I've gotten my own army...'
"What the..." he murmured as he was suddenly surrounded by Beast-bound creatures as they dropped out from behind the tall dunes, staggering their way towards him.
Surrounded, he watched as the army of Beast-bound creatures lowered themselves to their knees with their heads bowed.
"Wow..." Ren muttered.
For a second, he almost got emotional but he pushed it aside, he no longer felt emotions. He should have believed Axton when he said that emotions make people weak.
He didn't need it, all he needed was power, the exhilarating rush of power he felt as he stared at his very own army of Beast-bound creatures.
He already knew the first place he needed to attack.
General Conan must he very pleased to meet his acquaintances.