As soon as Anti teleported them to the Iris facility, he nearly fell over but Jackie grabbed him, helping him to keep standing.

"Nice job, dude" Chase patted him on the back.

"Alright" Marvin looked around, "I recognize this area. We're close where Anti's black orb was being kept. So we're in one of the basement floors. We need to get up to the tenth floor where Henrik keeps his robot suits locked up"

Jameson was hopping a little in place, tugging on Anti's shirt.

"Down there?" Anti asked him, "Are you sure?"

"Down there what?" Jackie suddenly got the creeps. He didn't like how they were able to communicate, "What is it now?"

Anti looked unsure but glanced back at Jackie, "Jameson says that the security office is that way. I can go there and talk you all through getting to the tenth floor without getting caught"

Chase looked at Marvin with his arms crossed, "Why do we have to be stealthy? Couldn't Marvin the Magnificent Magician here just plow our way through by force?"

Marvin blushed a little, "Well uh . . . not exactly"

Jackie sighed, "Let me guess. . . . Another rule of yours?"

"What? I can't harm a human being with magic! It's a very important law!"

Chase rolled his eyes, "Jesus. . . you can't kick ass when we need ya to, you can't teleport and you can't heal or do anything useful! Why the fuck are you even HERE if you can't DO shit to HELP!?"

"Hey, watch it! I said I couldn't harm humans. I didn't say anything about how I can't harm anything else. If I need to, I can kill Anti and Dark but since we're relying on Anti being the good guy here, I'm SORRY, but there's not a lot I can do except cause distractions!"

"And that'll be good enough" Anti stopped them. He didn't like the fighting, "Let's just get to the security office."

"Right" Jackie nodded, sighing a little, "There should be walkie-talkies in there for us to use and keep in contact." 

Jackie glanced back at Marvin, "But Marvin . .  Remember what I said the other night?"

"You say a lot of things"

"The law can only go so far." he crossed his arms, "If shit hits the fan, I hope we can count on you to have our backs"

Marvin looked dejected, "Well, of course, I have your backs! We're all in this mess together now like it or not"

Chase snorted, "Don't know how you plan on helping us if you can't harm anyone. There's HUMAN workers here that won't like us being here. We might just be better off if you don't try and help at all"

"That's enough." Anti stopped them, ignoring how Jameson was forcefully trying to tug on his shirt sleeve to get them moving, "Let's go. Jameson's having a coronary."

They started walking but Marvin stayed in the back of the group, feeling a little downcast. He couldn't admit it .. . but they were right. He was supposed to be neutral in all of this anyway. He wasn't allowed to get too involved. He had to follow the rules or else risk his magic being taken from him.

'It's not fair. I want to help . . . but what can I do except watch while they do everything? Chase is right. I'm not useful here'

They reached the security office on the ground floor they were on.

Chase grunted to Jackie, "So how we doing this? Going in guns blazing or a sneak attack and snap their necks?"

Jackie just stared at him, "Jesus Christ, man. . . .. I was just gonna walk in and say hi and ask them to leave? Pretend I was taking over?"

Chase already pulled his gun out, "Wait, what?"

"Dude, they KNOW me"

Marvin snorted, "I don't think that's gonna work. Henrik was very explicit with the staff not to give you any permissions anywhere"

Jackie grumbled to himself, "Fucker. Well, what about you do it, then? He liked you the best-"

Anti sighed and whipped the door open. The two security officers in the room shouted and tried to get their guns out to shoot him but Anti, even with a hole in his leg, managed to glitch towards them and knock both their heads together, knocking them unconscious.

Jackie chuckled weakly, "Or that works, too, I guess. . . Good.  .uh. . . good job, Anti"

Anti rolled his eyes at him and tossed one of the radios off the officers at them, "You guys go get the flashlight off a robot. Jameson and I will be in here keeping a look-out and watching your backs"

"Got it. Stay safe" Chase nodded to him, "Let's go jack a robot's arm off"

Jackie cringed, "Dude, please don't say it like that"

Chase just laughed at him.

Marvin sighed, unsure if he'd be better off with Jackie and Chase or with Anti and Jameson. The look Anti was giving him, however, was expectant.

He went ahead and followed Chase and Jackie.

Anti looked back at the wall of screens and commented on the radio, "I'm watching you all . . . . The elevator is down the hall on your right"

Marvin started to lead the way, "That's this way. Come on. I'll lead. I can at least find our way to them while Anti keeps lookou-"

Suddenly, Marvin was gone.

Jackie and Chase stared at where he disappeared.

"Guys?" Anti asked on the walkie talkie, "What happened to Marvin?"

Jackie was just as confused as Chase, "Wh . . ..NOW he decides to teleport!?"

And immediately just as if karma was not on their side, alarms started blaring off and the lights started to flash red just like the other day when Anti had escaped containment.

Chase looked around wildly, his PTSD flaring, "Shit. . . this isn't good"

Jackie understood then what happened, "The anomaly cameras. . . they must have sensed Marvin's disappearance as an anomaly!"

Anti cursed in the office and Jameson shut the door, locking it to prevent anyone from coming in and seeing them.

"Dammit . . ..  You guys are going to have to take the stairs instead of the elevator. We'll worry about Marvin later. Just focus on the plan"

"Right" Chase nodded, "Come on"

Jameson was holding his hat in his hands and looked worriedly at his pocket watch, getting anxious.

He tapped on Anti's shoulder.

Anti glanced at him and hummed, thinking about what he was telling him.

He shook his head, "The last time I did something like that, people got hurt and killed. I can't do it again so soon"

Jameson blinked.

"I don't trust myself, James . . . ..It's not safe. Not safe for Jackie and Chase. . . And not safe for you. Hacking in here with all their data WILL corrupt me just like the internet did" Anti spoke to them on the radio again, "You're approaching the stairs. You'll take a left and then . . . .  shit. HALT! Wait! You got officers with guns incoming!"

Chase held up his gun but Jackie stood in front of him, "Don't worry, I got this! I'm pretty sure bullets can't hurt me"

"Pretty sure?"

Jackie laughed insecurely, "Well, I never TRIED to get shot!"

Anti stared at the screens and then back at Jameson.

There were over fifteen of them closing in. None of them were sure Jackie could take a bullet and Chase was just human. If the officers decided to fire on them, they'd die.

Anti decided to make a decision.

He had to integrate himself into the building's mainframe.

Anti looked back at Jameson, "Go hide"

Jameson just nodded. He believed in Anti. After everything he had seen in his head, he knew his good side would come through. But just in case Anti lost control, Jameson didn't want to risk his LIFE.

When Jameson left the room, Anti put his hands on two of the screen in front of him. His eyes turned black and he felt himself slide into the wires and computers.

Jackie stood in front of Chase and they both stiffened as the men rounded the corner and saw them.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE! STOP WHERE YOU ARE! HANDS IN THE AIR!"

Jackie put his hands up, "Whoa, guys! Easy! Easy there! It's me, remember? Jackieboyman! You guys know me!"

The man in the front scoffed, "As long as you are not authorized to be in this sector, you are an enemy. Now keep your hands in the air! State your purpose of having Patient Brody behind you!"

Chase hid the gun behind Jackie so they couldn't see it. Once they did, they would no doubt open fire.

"Guys, seriously" Jackie sighed, "We're trying to help! Henrik was kidnapped by the Dark Entity and we're just trying to save him. Please just let us pass?"

The man kept his gun training on Jackie, "Don't. . . move.. . . a muscle. You're under arrest until further investigation"

"Under what grounds?!"

"̶S̷i̷x̴ ̸f̷e̴e̸t̵ ̷u̴n̷d̸e̴r̶"̷̸̸̴

Everyone stopped, looking around.

Where did that voice come from?

Mind you, the red lights were still flashing and the alarms were all still blaring.

But it was like the voice was in all of their heads.

Jackie suddenly gawked behind the men in front of them, terrified.

"Oh shit"

Chase paled, "Uh-oh"

One of the men looked behind them and shouted but it was too late.

The other men whipped around and started shooting but it was useless.

The entity glitched and faded in and out of existence to escape the wrath of the bullets.

His laugh echoed against the walls.

For Chase, it was like Deja Vu.

The bodies slamming against the walls, the blood spraying on the floor and pooling at the entity's feet.

That crazed look in his glowing green eyes. So cold.

So inhuman.

Jackie grabbed Chase's shoulder, "Come on! While they're all distracted! Let's run to the stairs!"

The hero dragged Chase behind him, trying to ignore the horrors that were occuring behind them.

Anti had snapped again.

No one was safe unless they could break him out of the demonic space he was trapped in again.

They could hear his laughter bounce on the walls.

"̵͎͓̟͎̩̞͓̘͍̙̠͍̰̀̀̂͐̊́̈́̌̾̀͆̆͌̉̑A̷͎̍̇̍̂̕͝H̷̤̳̼̩͔̲̪̻̝̫͙͕̝̠͇̱͋̓͐͛͋̆͊̊̀̿́̿̀̋͘͝Ạ̶̡̛̗͓͉̹͈̹̩̱̠̭̠̥̠̰̮͑͂̄́͆́̈̾̀͂̈̐̓̅Ḫ̴̓́̆͒͗̓͛̐̇̾̒͝͠Ą̶̗̰̪̳̱̬̻̘͕̖̺͓̙́ͅḦ̴̭̳̮̝͚̬̗͔̒̓̓͐̉Ä̸̡̛͎̦͖̰̦̻̲̫̯̭̣̹̮́͒́̍͒͆̈͠H̵͖̠͖̤̭͉̟̭̋̂͂̋͊̑̄̅̾̾͝͠A̸̗͙͐̈́̓͗̅̽͝ͅH̸̢̟̩̭̯͕̠̹̭͍̜͚̠̣͂̈́̑̋̆͐̍̓ͅͅĄ̸̛̱̰̺̼̥̤̝̯̫̾̎̍͌̀͒̀͗͜ͅH̵̢͍̞̩̰̞̣̻̘͍͛̎̿̋͋ͅA̷̧̡̧̢͍͙̺̻̞͕̥͈̻̿̾͆̈́́̐̽͆̚͜͜͠͠Ḩ̵̡̧̳̺̖̜͉̞̈́̓̌͑̈́͘Ä̴̬̱̳͓̟̙̦͔͇̻̞̳́̈́̐̊̉̈̑̔̉͘͜H̴̘̬͕̟̫̎̒̓̍̓̃͒̚͝Ą̵̛̺̮͚̗̘͚̹͈̜̠̩̦̞͙̲̒̐͌̐́̑ͅH̴̟̦̳̀͗̓͑̓͆̉͑̉͛̓̍̚̕͝Ả̴̢̲͉͕̠͍̬̘̠̤̞̤̳͓̖̓̓͆͋́̎̓͊̃̂͘̕H̴̢͖̠̜̹͕͕̬̼͖͎͈͆͌͐̈̆̎́̓͋̇̐̾̈́͛͒̐ͅÂ̶̡͕͖̗͈͇̼̪̗͔͇̺̟͓̽̾̆́͂̐̍̓̏͂̔͘͝ͅĤ̷̨͙̖̠̠͚͚̣̉̾̒͝͠͝A̴̹͊̊͑͂̅̂͝H̷̝̎͆͆Ã̸̡̨̛̦̺͚͓̱̰̲͕̝̭̱̹̓̈́̍͋́͜H̴̛̭̑̋͂̉̌̈̄̒͌͋͝Ȃ̴̛̩̓̎̏͑̓̽̽͘!̴̧̭̳̹̻̮̱̞̼̙͑͑́͂͋̏̅̒̀̄̑̚͜͝͝ͅ!̵̨̞̰͓̙͆͒̓!̷̧̣̮͔̫̼̼͉̜̣͙͓̤̼̆̅̇̊̽͊̄!̷̡̩̖̣͉̬͖̞͉̟̫͍͉̫̘̑̋̾̀̎̚͜͠ͅ!̶̨̧͈̭̫͇̜̼̹͕͋̆̀ͅͅ!̶̨̤̫̹͙͖͚̯̫̣̰̗̟̯̱̐̂ͅ"̵͍̼͓̟̻̳̝͈͚̠̪͕͔̘̬̖̽͑͐

Meanwhile, Marvin looked around. He was in a dark room and very confused.

"Hey, what's going on here?! What happened?!"

He was restrained on his knees with his hands behind his back.

A man appeared, towering over him with authority. He had a mask on similar to his own that of a lion.

Marvin growled, "What's going on? Sir, I didn't do anything wrong"

"But you could have" he answered him, ". . . . your little side-quest mission is over. It's time to move on. You're done in that world if you can't accept the very laws you vowed on"

"What are you talking about?!" Marvin was pissed, "I haven't done anything wrong! I've followed the rules to a T! I'd never risk my magic like that!"

"We know you haven't broken any laws. . . .yet. That's why we pulled you out of there. Because we knew you WOULD. . . to save them. The Oracle saw it happen"

"You had the Oracle watching me!? You didn't TRUST me!?"

"Considering you told NO ONE of this mission of yours?! No, we DON'T trust you anymore!" the man yelled at him, "Until you come to your senses and the Oracle deems you worthy, you are hereby stripped of your magic!"

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Marvin yelled, "THIS ISN'T RIGHT! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I NEED TO GO BACK AND HELP THEM! IF I DON'T, THE DARK ENTITY IS GOING TO DESTROY ALL THE UNIVERSES! INCLUDING THIS ONE!"

The man huffed, "We know. We've already sent more capable magicians to handle it. Now hold still"

Marvin had never felt such rage before.

"No . . . you can't do this" he started to cry, "All my life. . . has led to this. . . I've worked SO hard. . . harder than ANYONE . . . YOU CAN'T JUST RIP IT ALL AWAY FROM ME!"

The man reached out his hand to take it all away.

Jackie's words rung in Marvin's head.

'Oh come on, Marvin . . .We both know since the incident, my senses have heightened, too. I can sense you're hiding a lot of your power. I think the council is afraid of you and other really powerful wizards like you. They're keeping you all in your place by constricting you'

Marvin's body shuddered and he started to hyperventilate.

'You're a magician. You're powerful as hell and in situations like this, you should be able to do whatever the hell you want without fear'

His eyes started to glow white under his mask.

The man stopped, appalled at what was happening, "What are you doing? Stop that at once! I order you! Accept your demotion for now and maybe one day, I'll allow you back into the beginner's tier! Stand down!"

Marvin realized that maybe Jackie was right.

'Sometimes, the law can only go so far'

Marvin broke out of the enchanted bonds held on him and stood up. His mask glowed gold on the edges and his magic radiated a neon green. His eyes were a menacing white.

He growled at the wizards before him, feeling his spirit animal at his back, hair raised and hissing.

The council were ready for a fight.

But now . ..  so was Marvin.

"I'm so fucking tired. . . .. of playing by YOUR dumbass rules. This time. . . . I make my own."