The bullet was shot straight into Ebony's torso.

If you're confused, Trin accidentally misfired 2 chapters ago but much like some anime, it took a whole entire seasonal arc and flashback sequence before the bullet could land.

Its impact alone staggered him as he fell back down in pain. He immediately clutched his chest as his breathing intensified and worsened in ragged and shallow strokes. "Fuck! Why'd I have to choose my gold suit today of all fuckin' days?!"

Meanwhile, Trin was shoved to the ground as Nova collapsed over her. The gun was dropped during the tussle, and the trained agent was more than capable of retrieving it back. But the ginger scientist wasn't going to make it easy.

Nova wasn't familiar with combat. The only fights she's ever gotten into were minor exchanges between idiots in college. For her to defeat a master and lethal assassin in a brawl was next to impossible.

All she could do was pin the agent to the ground, keeping her down for as long as she could. However, that didn't last long. Trin was far too strong, easily pushing her opponent off and scrambling for the gun.

The second her hands grasped the weapon, she stabilized herself and stood back up on her own two feet. She's not going to hesitate, she's going to pull the trigger instantly and execute the scientist before she causes anymore trouble.

Unfortunately for her, it seemed it was never that simple. Ebony had already found the strength to take a swing at her after enduring his bullet wound. But his attack never landed. Despite taking her by surprise, Trin's reaction time was inhuman, allowing her to duck and avoid the hook to the face. She counterattacked by pistol whipping her weapon towards him, chipping at his nose and pushing him back again.

Even after all that, Trin was still faced with a dilemma as she felt herself tumbling backwards. Nova had kicked her in the legs, causing the agent to temporarily lose her balance and fall against the edge of a table that struck directly against the center of her spine.

Trin would have still managed to shoot her in the face after that petty resistance if it weren't for Nova already throwing whatever she could get her hands on. She had quickly gotten up to her knees, chucking a pen, a small bag and even a glass plate at her assailant.

The last item thrown was deflected as Trin swiped her gun and bashed the glass plate aside. She never even realized that the whole point of it was to serve as a distraction. Trin barely had a second to react when she saw Ebony once again charging towards her at full speed.

Another bullet was fired, although this one was a misfire after getting heavily tackled. The round was shot into the ceiling. As for Trin, she had once again dropped her gun as she got pinned even harder against the table, almost on the verge of breaking it in half.

Ebony held her neck with one hand, while his other hand had formed a fist. Then came the pounding. Punch after punch, he didn't cease his relentless assault, not even when he could see some blood appear on both his knuckles and the agent's face.

"These hands rated E for everybody, bitch!"

Nova was already on her feet again, looking for anything she could use to assist Ebony with. That's when her eyes darted towards the gun on the floor. This fight needed to end, and if it meant putting a bullet into the agent's head, then so be it.

As for Trin, this was not how she expected the fight to turn out. Ebony wasn't giving her a break, she could barely breathe at this point. Her attempts at stopping his attacks were weakening. She needed to escape out of his grip ASAP, that was until from the corner of her eye, she could see the scientist reach for her dropped gun.

Attaining the gun was far more difficult than Nova could have imagined however. She tried bending over to grab it, believing Trin was too preoccupied to stop her. But the agent had already extended a foot over, kicking Nova directly in the head once she was low enough even while being pinned by Ebony.

Ebony on the other hand switched his method of attack to strangle the assassin. Both his hands clasped around her neck, but she didn't try to push him back. Trin knew how to counter this effectively. Using her own hands, she grabbed his head from both sides as both of her thumbs poked him in the eyes.

It was enough to loosen his grip as it gave Trin the opportunity to break free. She shoved him back hard enough to topple him over and fall to the ground. As for Trin, she was now able to reach for her gun again.

Nova had already attempted to pick it up a second time, but Trin was faster in stopping her by delivering another kick. It was then followed by a right-hook to the face. With both of her targets momentarily defenseless, Trin finally got a hold of her gun, and this time things were going to play out differently.

From the corner of her eye, she could already see Ebony try to rebalance himself. Instead of shooting him, she focused on Nova. Just as the scientist tried to defend herself, she was forcibly grabbed.

When Ebony looked back at Trin, he saw her holding Nova as a human shield with a gun pointed to her head.

"Ebony run!" Nova screamed, squirming as hard as she could in the process. "You need to leave, just go!"

"You really want him to live, don't you?" Trin commented, keeping her glance towards Ebony.

"Fuck you! We haven't done shit to you!" Despite having a gun to her head, Nova wasn't afraid to throw one final insult before her untimely demise.

All the while, Ebony slowly limped his way towards the door. He may be a boss, but even he has limits just as any other human being. The wound in his torso was getting to him now far worse than before. He didn't want to leave Nova behind, but he also couldn't stay here.

Meanwhile, Trin kept her gun fixed against the poor scientist's head as she suddenly dropped a bombshell. "Nova Cathallen, that's your formal name. Of course Gina is a comedic coverup, no doubt Tron's doing."

Upon mentioning it, Ebony had stopped moving. He glared back with puzzled remarks. This agent knew something most of the Pioneers were clueless about.

"It's not your fault Cathallen, you probably had no idea that you helped Ebony murder hundreds of innocent lives." Trin's hands slightly shook from the sheer anger she tried to contain.

"What?" Nova had no idea what to say as a result. She stared back at Ebony with shocked eyes, only to see his expressions grew darker.

Trin continued. "Does the name Rueben ring a bell by any chance? Or perhaps, Subject #110?"

"That was a volunteer. We were trying to help him." Nova responded.

"Help him?" Trin nudged the gun against her head some more. "Did they really convince you that the infant you pried from my arms was a volunteer? He was fine. He was healthy. But you fed him poison that you claimed was a vaccine that could strengthen the growth of his brain. And now he's dead, because of you.

"You don't know half the story bit-" Ebony attempted to speak up, only to be met with another bullet as Trin instantly aimed her gun towards him.

It flew directly through his lower abdomen. Trin didn't want to execute him just yet. She had his attention. He'll listen to what she has to say before she'll give him permission to die. So while he groaned in agony and clenched his guts, she proceeded.

"As I was saying, you're responsible for his death. Again, I don't fully blame you Nova. You were just doing what you were told as you were fed lies. But that won't stop me from putting a bullet to your brain in just a second to put you out of your misery. Would you like to learn more about your boss before you die? Want to know who the Infernals are and how they helped in the annihilation of defenseless families for the name of science?"

"You're crazy, you're actually fucking crazy!" Nova screamed back, now presenting far more resistance than before. She struggled hard, even managing to elbow Trin in the shoulder. All this movement caused Trin to slightly stagger back. The overall punishment she had received from the fight so far had rendered her far more fragile. It gave Nova the chance to break free from her clutches momentarily.

Meanwhile, Ebony very slowly crawled towards the door, leaving a trail of blood behind. Just as he made it out the entrance, he spotted a guard up ahead. Amidst the ensuing alarms and sirens within the base, the guard rushed to Ebony's side and helped him up.

"Sir, we need to evacuate!" The guard shouted, placing his arm underneath his boss's shoulder.

"I ain't going nowhere!" Ebony could still muster the strength to yell back as he resisted his own guard. "Pop that psycho agent bitch and save my girl! I ain't leaving her behind kus, ah fuck!"

No matter how many times he ordered him, the guard continued to drag his boss down the hall. Ebony couldn't stop him, he was far too weak for it. He was forced away as Nova was left alone to deal with the bloodthirsty assassin seeking revenge.

Both women brawled with one another, but only one of them had the upper hand at all times. Trin was unstoppable, pulling every trick in the book to counter each of Nova's attacks. With Ebony out of the room, she didn't need to worry about any other surprises.

Eventually, she managed to twist one of Nova's arms and shove her against the nearest wall until she collapsed. Just when the scientist tried to regain her strength, she was faced with a horrific situation.

Nova stared back as Trin aimed her gun directly for her head. The assassin's hands were shaking from the brute trauma she's had to endure. This time, there would be nothing left to stop her from pulling the trigger.

Agent Trin spat blood on the ground, wiping her lips with her hand before speaking up. "I admire your tenacity, though it was futile."

Nova was out of options, and out of pure desperation, she whimpered. She tried to look past the agent and instead focus her gaze on... me. Though I wasn't in the room, she tried to speak my name. "Cyber?"

Trin pulled the trigger, and one of her targets were finally dealt with. The bullet followed a clean path straight through Nova's left eye before exiting the back of her head and impacting the wall.

Trin took one last glance at Nova's lifeless body to confirm the kill before focusing her attention back onto Ebony. She bent down to pick up her satchel containing the virus, securely wearing it over her shoulder. Then she rushed past the door, spotting Ebony's blood trail leading around the corner of the hallway.

She tossed her pistol away in exchange for a new one from the other guard she had previously killed. Now armed once more, she ran down the corridor. But upon turning the corner, Ebony was nowhere to be seen.

She could hear gunshots being sprayed further ahead inside the base. The Division invasion had already begun, and it was thus far nearing its end.

Trin cursed to herself, completely losing track of Ebony. But it wouldn't matter. Even if he miraculously manages to survive and escape this onslaught, he will be found.

She will exact her revenge; one day.

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

This was a calculated infiltration.

Gunshots echoed throughout the blood-scattered corridors of the facility that once housed the fundamentals of scientific advancements. Nowhere was safe, especially not for the defenseless Pioneers.

Every guard on standby defended the base to the best of their abilities. But how do you even manage to land a direct shot on an agent that's parkouring off the walls and firing incendiary rounds along with electric zappers and whatever else they've got?

The Pioneers don't have anything aside from standard rifles to fight back with. Meanwhile, the Division has brought their arsenal of advanced weaponry only found in the movies.

It wasn't a fair fight. Not at all. There could have been a million Pioneers and only ten agents; the Division would still win without losing a single operative.

Jax knew they were doomed. This facility was done for. There's no use in fighting back, he just needs to escape. Running down the halls, he could hear the combat ensuing behind him.

When he approached a fork in the halls, he was forced to make a decision. Heading left would lead him towards potential freedom. He knows where the selected Pioneers would be evacuating, and there's a chance he can make it there.

But heading right leads to his private room. His whole life is inside that room. Family heirlooms, support letters, photo albums, childhood memories... Everything he's ever had was in that very room. If he leaves it behind, then he would have lost a major part of his life.

With tears in his eyes, he grasped his own hair with his hands as he struggled to think. If he wastes even a second, then this place would be his grave. His life is far more valuable. Even if it means sacrificing everything he's ever known, he needs to find a way to live.

So he ran right.

If he escapes now, he'll have nothing to show for it. What was the point of living if you have nothing left to live for? Perhaps in an alternate reality, he turned left only to fall over and die.

An explosion shook the walls surrounding him, almost causing him to fall over. Rapidly approaching footsteps grew louder, each step feeling like a drum pounding his ears.

A few other scientists straight ahead ran in the opposite direction, forcing Jax to scream towards them. "Hey, other way! Turn around, run!"

They didn't listen to him. Instead, panic had overwhelmed them, taking full control as they continued to run. It didn't take long before Jax could hear the gunshots behind him. He had to keep rushing forwards, desperately trying to ignore the carnage unfolding throughout the facility.

Entering an alternate corridor, he was greeted with several electronic doors lining the halls. This was the general living quarters, where most of the scientists had rooms of their own. Unfortunately for Jax, his room is near the end of the hallway.

He never stopped running, maintaining his pursuit towards his livelihood. Almost there, just a few more doors to pass before he could reach his own. But it was never that easy.

The ominous and vigorous figure of a stereotypical Matrix-like agent appearing from around the corner behind Jax was the one thing he feared the most. This particular spy was carrying a small automatic weapon, aiming his gun and beginning to spray a numerous amount of bullets.

Just when Jax had reached his door, he barely had time to open it when a bullet entered his leg. It would have been unfortunate, but it ended up saving his life. The impact caused him to fall and avoid the other bullets that would have struck his head and torso if he were still standing.

He began crawling into his room just as the door behind automatically closed on its own. His room was like any other in the compound. It was small and compact, featuring a bed in the center that took a majority of the space. A few counters on the left to act as a kitchen, and a desk on his right for his computer, video games and some scientific inventions of his. Another door lead to the tiny bathroom and closet.

Frantically, he started searching for anything he could use to defend himself with. He's a scientist, there's gotta be something here he can use. He's invented stuff and helped advance the limitless capabilities of technology. But with hundreds of homicidal movie-like maniacs chasing him down, he can't begin to think straight.

Right outside, the agent arrived at his door. He reached into one of his pockets, revealing a short metallic rod with a single button. Upon pressing the button, the rod emitted a blue glow and buzzed. Jax's door suddenly opened, as a result of technical interferences.

Jax was still on the floor, now laying on his back and noticing the horrors above. The agent didn't hesitate to step inside and lift a pistol up. He aimed right for the scientist's head.

As for Jax, he was yelling like he's never yelled before. He put a hand up to his face, trying to protect himself. "Wait, I'm comic relief! Please don't kill me!"

The agent never waited. He immediately pulled the trigger.

The bullet entered his head, killing him dead on the spot.

Everything fell quiet, except for the excessive panting of one man. Jax had his eyes closed when the agent opened fire. Now that it was done and over with, he opened his eyes.

The agent had collapsed to the floor with blood oozing out of his head. Jax was perfectly safe. His hand was still raised in front of him, slightly aching from the powerful impact. He just stared at his hand, examining it as best as he could.

Finally, he laughed.

His laughter was mixed with tears of fright. Just the idea that this stupid plan somehow worked out made him temporarily forget about the invasion.

The transparent bulletproof gloves he had invented just a few weeks ago came in handy, literally. They laughed at him when he wanted to create a suit capable of deflecting bullets like superheroes you see on Marvel and DC. Only this suit would be transparent so you could still keep your sense of fashion underneath it. As of now, only the untested glove was finished.

Looks like it works pretty well. It was the only thing he had in his room worth using to defend himself with. He was lucky to have found it in the first place, remembering he left it underneath a small black tarp.

Jax struggled to stand, clenching his wounded leg in the process. He closed his door, buying himself some extra time and privacy to figure out a new plan and grab some of his things.

Just when he thought he could catch himself a break, another explosion outside rattled him. Something different was happening to the base. This wasn't a normal blast. Instead, this one shook the ceiling above him.

He barely had a second to react when the ceiling suddenly shattered and fell atop of him.

Hi there, hello. You've found the secret text.

Did you know that Jax originally died in this chapter? He turned left rather than right, and got gunned down before he could reach the exit. I thought it'd be tragic, but then I realized that's wasted character potential. So he gets to live a little bit longer. Remember, suffering means greater development.

Anyways, that's about it... see ya.