Odyssey Of Survival-Chapter 183 - Superman

Nate leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Jack. "Do you have any idea where they are?" His voice was firm, demanding an answer.

Jack, however, simply smirked. "Of course, I do," he said, tapping on the keyboard. "In fact, I knew before anyone else that people were going missing. So, naturally, I prepared ahead of time."

Nate's brows furrowed as he crossed his arms. "What do you mean, you prepared ahead of time?" He stepped closer, watching as Jack brought up a map on his system. A blinking tracker was moving swiftly across the screen, cutting through the landscape at an alarming speed.

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"They're moving fast," Sera commented, arms crossed. "That's probably an aircraft."

"No doubt about it," Jack confirmed.

Nate studied the map carefully, following the trajectory of the tracker. "Who's that?"

Jack's smirk grew wider. "It's Ray."

Nate's eyes widened in shock as he turned to Jack. "You used Ray as bait?"

Jack let out a nervous chuckle. "Well… kind of? It was more like… strategic foresight?" He scratched the back of his head. "Look, I knew they were coming. I had a feeling. So I gave Ray a little something to carry—a tracker they wouldn't detect."

Nate blinked, trying to process the information. Then, much to Jack's surprise, he grinned. "Oh, you beautiful bastard."

Pushing Jack aside, Nate leaned over the computer, his eyes locked on the map. He followed the blinking dot until, suddenly, it came to a halt. The cursor hovered over the location, and the screen displayed a barren landscape.

Jack's expression turned serious. "That's… a desert. A massive one." He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Why the hell would they stop there?"

Nate wasn't sure, but right now, that wasn't the priority. The only thing that mattered was getting their people back.

Jack turned to Nate, his face still twisted in confusion. "So, what do you suggest we do?"

Nate let out a sharp laugh. "Brute strength."

Jack's jaw tightened. "Brute strength? Seriously? What if that's not enough? We don't even know what we're walking into."

Alice, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up. "Jack has a point. What if brute strength isn't enough?" Her voice was calm, but there was a flicker of worry in her expression.

Instead of answering immediately, Nate looked at her and smirked. "Alice, tell me something. Do you think there's anything in this world strong enough to stop me? Or you?"

Alice hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "No."

"Then why are you worrying?" Nate asked, stepping away from the computer, then he will point at her while saying. "We're going in, and we're breaking them out. That's it. No fancy plans, no complicated strategies. Just raw power."

Madison, however, wasn't having it. "Wait, wait, wait—what do you mean 'we'? I'm going with you."

Nate shook his head immediately. "No. You're staying."

Madison's face twisted with frustration. "Like hell I am! You can't just decide that!"

"I can and I will," Nate said firmly. "Listen to me, Maddy. These people know about us now. That means there's only one way this ends. A bloodbath. I need you here, watching over Cleo, Bella, and Jack. They need you."

Madison clenched her fists, clearly struggling with the decision. She didn't want to be left behind, but Nate wasn't giving her a choice. He needed to be ruthless about this. They weren't just fighting an enemy anymore—they were wiping out a threat that could end everything they had built.

Sera, who had been quiet for most of the conversation, finally spoke. "I'll go with you."

Nate nodded. "Good. It'll be me, Sera, and Alice. We'll get our people back."

Jack sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright, fine. But if this goes south—"

"It won't," Nate cut him off. "We end this today."

Jack could only nod, knowing that once Nate had made up his mind, there was no changing it.

Madison exhaled sharply, crossing her arms. "Fine. But don't get yourselves killed."

Nate smirked. "Not a chance."

As they began their final preparations, the weight of what they were about to do settled over them. There was no turning back now. This was war.

Jack walked up to Liam, his eyes sharp with intent as he began to speak. "I did some digging into the armed men that attacked us," he said, his voice low but firm. "None of them have families. No real records. They were mostly recruited from slums, trained for nothing but dangerous, high-risk operations. They are disposable, Nate." Jack turned his gaze to him. "If you hesitates, you good as dead."

Nate smiled at the warning, though there was no amusement in his eyes. "I wasn't planning on hesitating."

Sera cracked her fingers, her expression unreadable but the slight smirk playing at her lips revealed her anticipation. Alice, however, had an even wider grin that puzzled Nate.

"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Alice shook her head. "Nothing, just… I forgot how much I missed this." Her eyes gleamed with something dark yet thrilling. "Back on the island, life was about survival, about pushing our limits. The normal life we have here is great, but it's different. It's slow. And I think I'm realizing how much I missed the action."

Nate glanced at Sera, who simply nodded in agreement, a ghost of a smile crossing her lips. "Yeah," she murmured. "I was born for this."

Where she came from there was no normal life, just surviving and moving around.

Suddenly, Jack spun around and dashed toward his workbench. "One more thing," he announced, rummaging through one of his drawers.

Everyone watched him, confused, as he pulled out three watches. At first glance, they seemed ordinary, but the sleek, futuristic design and the small glowing interface made it clear they were anything but.

Jack turned back to the group and tossed one to each of them. Nate caught his in one hand, flipping it over to examine it. The strap was red and silver, the metal smooth yet incredibly light. Sera's was pitch black, blending seamlessly with her overall aesthetic. Alice's was pure white, pristine as freshly fallen snow.

"What is this?" Sera asked, lifting hers with slight suspicion.

Jack grinned, clearly proud of his work. "I've been working on these ever since we got here," he explained. "Ray helped me fine-tune them. They're designed specifically for the three of you."

Nate narrowed his eyes. "Designed for us how?"

Jack's smile widened. "Put them on and find out."

Nate strapped the watch onto his wrist, feeling its cold, metallic surface against his skin. The moment it clicked into place, a faint hum resonated from within, and a sudden glow emanated from the device. The red strap pulsed with energy as thin streaks of silver lightning crackled across its surface. Before he could react, the watch seemed to come alive, expanding outward in a seamless wave of fluid metal, creeping up his arm like liquid before rapidly engulfing his entire body. It was almost like watching nano-technology at work, forming and shaping itself into a perfectly contoured suit around him.

The sensation was surreal. The material felt impossibly light yet sturdy, a second skin that moved with him effortlessly. As the suit fully materialized, Nate looked down at himself, taking in the striking appearance. The deep crimson fabric shone under the lab's fluorescent lights, streaked with jagged silver lightning that pulsed subtly, almost as if it were alive. The pattern resembled the veins of a storm, branching across his arms and chest, glowing faintly with each movement. The suit fit him perfectly, flexible yet firm, designed for both speed and combat.

Cleo let out an audible gasp before whispering in awe, "Wow... you look like Superman."

Her voice broke the stunned silence in the lab, and all eyes turned to Nate. He raised an eyebrow at her comparison, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He had to admit, the resemblance was uncanny—minus the cape. Sera, however, simply stared with a blank expression. It was obvious she had no idea who Superman was. Since arriving in this world, she hadn't exactly spent her time watching movies. Cleo, on the other hand, had done little else besides indulging in Earth's media, consuming every piece of entertainment she could find. It made sense that she would make the comparison.

"Superman?" Sera finally asked, glancing at Cleo with a puzzled look.

Cleo turned to her in disbelief. "You don't know who Superman is?"

Sera shook her head, uninterested in the explanation, but Cleo wasn't about to let it go. "He's like... the strongest guy ever. He can fly, shoot lasers from his eyes, and he's basically invincible."

Sera still didn't look impressed. "Sounds annoying."

Nate chuckled, flexing his fingers in the suit. He took a step forward, then, on impulse, took off in a blur, running a quick lap around the lab at an incredible speed. The suit responded instantly, reducing friction against his movements and keeping up with his acceleration. When he finally skidded to a stop, the ground beneath his feet was left with faint burn marks from the sheer force of his sprint.

"Wow..." Nate exhaled, looking down at himself once again. "It's so comfortable."

Jack, who had been watching the entire spectacle with wide eyes, suddenly stepped forward, his face a mixture of excitement and confusion. "That's... impossible," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Nate turned to him. "What is?"

Jack shook his head, pointing at him. "That suit is designed to adapt to your natural abilities, but your powers shouldn't have returned so early. I tested this myself an hour ago, and I'm still powerless. That gas they used on us should have suppressed your abilities for much longer."

A frown formed on Nate's face. "So why am I fine?"

Jack studied him for a moment, then grinned mischievously. "I don't know yet... but one day, I am absolutely going to study you."

Nate rolled his eyes. "Yeah, not happening."

Sera, who had been quietly observing, suddenly activated her own watch. Just like with Nate, the device expanded and wrapped around her body, forming a sleek, jet-black suit. The material absorbed the light around it, making her almost blend into the shadows. Alice followed suit, her white armor forming like a crystalline exoskeleton, shimmering like ice.

"This feels... natural," Sera muttered, rolling her shoulders.

Alice nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It's like it was made just for me."

Jack smirked. "It was. I designed them specifically for your individual strengths. Nate's suit reduces air resistance and enhances his speed, Sera's is infused with a shadow blend that makes her practically invisible in the dark, and Alice... well, let's just say your suit can withstand extreme temperatures."

Alice flexed her fingers, watching as a thin layer of frost formed over her gloves before dissipating. "Impressive."

Nate clenched his fists, feeling the raw power coursing through him. For the first time since the attack on Madison's home, he felt truly ready. They had the location of their captured friends, and now they had the tools to do something about it.

"Alright," Nate said, his voice firm. "We've wasted enough time. Let's get moving."

Jack nodded, stepping back as the trio prepared themselves. "Remember," he said, "this isn't just about brute force. You have the suits, but that doesn't mean you're invincible. Stick to the plan."

Nate smirked. "Plan? I thought the plan was brute strength."

Jack groaned. "You know what I mean. Just don't get yourselves killed."

Cleo, who had been watching with wide eyes, suddenly rushed forward and grabbed Nate's arm. "Be careful, okay?"

Nate crouched down slightly, giving her a reassuring smile before ruffling her hair. "Don't worry, kid. I got this."

Sera cracked her knuckles, her black suit blending into the shadows already forming around her. "Then let's move."

With one final nod, the three of them turned towards the exit.