It was go time. Nexeer shapeshifted into a One’s bracelet. They all got into the Dagger, headed towards the planet and landed near one of the gates. One, Two and Three were on the blacklist so they put a small circle under their chin, that Seven made and that scrambled markers by which the face recognition system recognizes your face, and left with Seven and Fur towards the fortress.

“Why did you paint me red?” Four asked.

“So they don’t recognize you.” Seven said.

“Couldn’t you choose another color?” For asked.

“Red was al we had.” Seven said.

“I hate red.” Four said.

When they reached the gate, the guards asked them a lot of questions about the purpose of their business in the fortress and made them strip almost all of their clothing.

“What is this?” One guard asked Two.

“A bulletproof vest. I’m his bodyguard.” Two replied.

“Why is it so heavy?” The guard asked.

“It’s not to me. I’m a Mehai.” Two said.

“Alright.” The guard said.

Threw went through their other things and let them go in.

“Good thinking about that Mehai thing Two.” Seven said.

“That always works because no one wants to be punched by a Mehai.” Two said.

When they were in, they found a safe place, Nexeer shapeshifted back and they split up. Two, Four and Seven went to look for the display system to hack it and One, Three and Nexeer went looking for a grey man with a scroll. Three found many gray men in one place, sitting and drinking.

“This must be where they hang out. Do you see any gray man with a scroll?” Three asked.

“No, but I see tubes on the wall behind them. Maybe the scrolls come from there.” Nexeer said.

“Here’s a pub, let’s sit, order drinks and watch what happens.” One said and they sat at a table where they had a clear view of the gray men. They ordered their drinks and almost finished them when a scroll came down through one of the tubes in the wall and a gray man got up and took it.

“Let’s go. There is an alley two blocks of houses away.” Nexeer said, so they followed the gray man, jumped him and dragged him into the alley behind the house. One was holding his mouth closed and when they were out of sight, Nexeer asked with a soft voice. “If my friend here removes his hand and you yell I will cut off your hand. Nod if you understand?”

The gray man nodded. “So, will you yell?” Nexeer asked with a soft voice and the gray man shook his head.

“Good. You can let go of his mouth.” Nexeer said to One and the gray man started to yell. One covered his mouth and Nexeer cut off the gray man’s hand that wasn’t holding the scroll. “Now look what you made me do. Next time I’ll cut off your foot. Will you yell?” Nexeer asked again with a soft voice.

The gray man was crying and he shook his head. “Remove your hand.” Nexeer said to One and this time the gray man didn’t yell, he just cried.

“All I want is some answers. Do you think you could do that?” Nexeer asked again with a soft voice.

The gray man nodded. “You are bringing that scroll to the tower. Am I right?” Nexeer asked still using the soft voice. “How do you bring it to the tower?” He asked.

“I… I… I go down to the building and they… they scan me and I go to the big room and… and they ask me to see the color of the scroll… and… what does the color mean? This is a blue scroll and this is a report from a general. Will you let me go now?” The gray man asked.

Nexeer put his hand on the gray man’s head and said. “Of course we will.” Then he killed him.

“So they check if you know what the scroll that you are bringing means. That’s smart.” One said.

“Yeah, if you don’t know they probably kill you on the spot.” Nexeer said and they exited the ally where Three was keeping guard.

“Did you get it?” Three asked.

“You still doubt me.” Nexeer said. “We also learned how to get past the guards to the tower.” He said with a smile and blood on his hands.

“Go wash your hands, you can’t walk around with blood on your hands.” Three said.

“There’s no need.” Nexeer said and absorbed the blood into himself like a sponge.

“That was really disgusting.” Three said.

“You think that’s disgusting. You should have seen him eat the guy.” One said.

“Why did you eat the guy?” Three asked shocked.

“So there’s only one of us.” Nexeer looked at her as if it was the normal thing to do.

“I don’t even want to know. Let’s check how others are doing. Two, Seven, Four. Can anyone hear me?” Three said.

“Seven here. We followed the signal from the screens to a room crawling with guards. That’s the main access room.” Seven said.

“Seven is being dramatic. There are only four dozen guards. Four and I can easily take them down.” Two said.

“I’m not being dramatic. You have to do it without damaging the equipment.” Seven said.

“My aim is always perfect.” Four said.

“Mine too.” Four said.

“We do have the element of surprise, but I think I can give us one more advantage. Give me your paralyzing gadgets. Four what do you mean you didn’t take yours?” Seven said.

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“I didn’t think I’ll need it.” Four said.

“Aaaarrrg...” Seven screamed silently “We’ll call you when we have control of the main access room.”

“These seem to be doing ok.” Nexeer said.

Three gripped her nose between her eyes and sighed. After a few minutes, she took her tablet and looked at the fortress plans. “So, the only way down is over there, twenty minute’s walk from here. We have to do the shapeshifting somewhere no one sees us and I’m not talking about an ally where anyone could come walking in.” Three said.

“Is there a place like that on the map?” One asked.

“I’m looking.” Three said.

Meanwhile, Two, Four and Seven had their own problems with getting access to the control room. Being cramped in a small air duct wasn’t helping either.

“Why can’t I just jump there and kill them all?” Two asked.

“Because it’s not their fault that they are soldiers for that maniac. They don’t deserve to die because of that.” Seven said. “Besides, I would have everything under control if somebody hadn’t forgotten their paralyzing gadget.” He said.

“Then you should have told us to take them before the mission.” Four said.

“It’s standard equipment you... You pile of metal.” Seven said angrily.

“I can’t stand this anymore. I can’t sit here and listen to you bicker.” Two said and started crawling through the air duct to the end of the room, away from the entrance. She slowly removed the cower on the floor of the air duct and jumped into the room.

She landed in a crouching position and slowly stood up, her head bent down.

All of the guards had their weapons pointed at her. “Identify yourself. How did you get here?” One of the guards said and Two activated all of her six hidden guns and opened all their missile launchers. She raised her head a little and with a smile from ear to ear punched the wall with her right hand. She punched it so hard that her arm went all the way through the wall to her elbow. “Hi, guys! Anybody feel like fighting a Mehai today?” Two sad in a crazy voice.

In a few seconds, the control room was empty. Four and Seven got out of the air duct and looked at Two like some killer from a horror movie.

“What? That was the quickest way and nobody died.” Two said.

“Just hope that nobody had heart problems because that just looked like a scene from a horror movie.” Seven said.

“One, Three we got into the control room. We are beginning to hack it. You guys doing ok?” Seven said over the coms.

“We are one step away from going to the lower level. I’ll call when the guys go inside the building.” Three said.

“Got it.” Seven said and he and Four started to hack the system while Two was watching and standing guard.

On the plateau, Three found a warehouse and stood guard outside the door while Nexeer shapeshifted around One. The idea was that Nexeer would shapeshift like a thin layer around One so that he passes the DNA scan from the gray man and the thermal scanners from One.

Three could hear quiet sound coming from the warehouse.

“I can’t breathe.” One said.

“Wait, let me sift a bit.” Nexeer said. “Is that better?” He asked.

“Yeah.” One said.

“Ok. When we go through the DNA scanner, you will have to hold your breath because I’ll have to close off all the holes so they don’t scan your DNA. When we enter the room and I touch my stomach you hold your breath. When I touch it again you can breathe” Nexeer said. “You ready?” He asked.

“I think so. This feels so weird, but, let’s go.” One said.

They got out of the warehouse and headed towards the elevator. Nexeer and One went down to the lower level and walked into the building.

“Two, Four, Seven they’re in. How’s the hack coming?” Three asked.

“We are almost done. When we hack it, all the screens are going to display the message from the tower.” Seven said.

“Good. One will tell you when to display the message.” Three said. Her job was done for now so she just waited for Nexeer and One to get out of the building and go to the tower.

In the building, Nexeer gave one of the guards the scroll to scan it and turned towards the scans he needed to walk through. Last time there were six, now they were seven. He touched his stomach, signaling one to hold his breath and started walking through the scans. None of the scans sounded off so he touched his stomach again, so One can breathe again, and took the scroll. A guard opened the door to a big room, Nexeer entered and walked over to the two guards.

“What scroll are you carrying?” One of the guards asked.

“A report from a general.” Nexeer said and the guard, satisfied with the answer, opened the door and let him through.

Three saw them leave the building and walk towards the tower. “Good job you guys.” She said.

“This one’s on you. You were right about the thermal scanner. Good work.” One said. “Seven, do you hear me?” He asked.

“Sure do? What’s up?” Seven said.

“Can you or Four cut all communications going out from the tower?” One asked.

“Just going out?” Seven asked.

“Yeah, I don’t want total blackout of communications, just block any signal coming out of the tower.” One said.

“Four, you heard that? Can you do it?” Seven asked.

“It’s done.” Four said.

“Thanks guys. Good work.” One said.

Nexeer and One entered the tower and went to the top floor with the elevator. The elevator doors opened directly into Zeddicus chambers. The complete top floor were Zeddicus’ chambers.

“Another one?” Zeddicus said. “Which one this time.”

“Report from a general.“ Nexeer said.

“Wait. Do I know you? Something seems familiar about your voice.” Zeddicus said.

Zeddicus had his back turned towards Nexeer and One. Nexeer shapeshifted to a random human and One moved silently towards Zeddicus.

“I think you should know me. I am the one who stole the blue Astrum from you.” Nexeer said calmly.

Zeddicus turned around with shock on his face and didn’t see One before it was too late. One jumped him and threw him on the floor, holding his hands. Nexeer took some rope out of One’s pockets and they tied up Zeddicus to a chair.

“Well well well. You don’t look so scary tied like this.” One said.

“My man will come here any second. I alerted them.” Zeddicus said.

“No, they won’t. We took care of that.” Nexeer said.

“What do you want? You want to steal something from me again?” Zeddicus asked.

“No, we just had enough of your bullshit.” One said as he was playing with the mini golf set. “I didn’t believe the commercials but this is really relaxing. I think I’ll buy one.”

“So what, you’re going to kill me now?” Zeddicus asked.

“No, that would be too easy. We have some other plans for you. Nexeer, show him.” One said and Nexeer showed the blue Astrum to Zeddicus.

“Ha! You don’t know how it works. You’ll never be able to use it on me.” Zeddicus said laughing.

“That’s where you’re wrong. I know all about it because my mother made it.” Nexeer said smiling as he saw the smile on Zeddicus face turn into shock.

“Shall we begin?” One said and Nexeer dragged a camera in front of Zeddicus face.

“What are you doing? You can’t do that. Don’t you know who I am?” Zeddicus asked with panic in his voice and dread on his face.

Nexeer put the blue Astrum in front of Zeddicus face, One grabbed Nexeer’s arm and started to say. “We know who you are. But, in a short while you won’t.”

“No, you can’t do this. Stop it!” Zeddicus yelled.

“Nexeer, activate the blue Astrum.” One said and the blue Astrum started to glow. “Zeddicus, you will never remember who you are. You will never remember what you are. You will even forget that you need food and you will never feel hungry. You will only remember and be haunted by the faces of people that died because of your actions.” One said and Zeddicus face went blank.

“Four, Seven did you hack the screens?” One asked.

“Already done.” Seven said.

“Can you get to the camera in the tower? Do you see Zeddicus?” One asked.

“Yeah, I can see him. What have you done to him?” Seven asked.

“What he did to the millions of others. Just a sec.” One said “Nexeer, get his staff and put it in his hand. Yeah, like that. Now put the blue Astrum at the top. Seven, do you have him, his staff and the Astrum in the shot?” He asked.

“Let me zoom out a bit. Got it.” Seven said.

Up in the tower, One said to Nexeer. “Grab his staff so it looks like Zeddicus is giving orders. We will tell Zeddicus to repeat my words and transmit that message through the whole fortress. Activate the Astrum Nexeer.” One said and stood in front of Zeddicus.

“You will repeat every word I say. Got it?” One said.

“Got it.” Zeddicus said.

“So, let’s try it.” One said.

“So, let’s try it.” Zeddicus said.

“I think it works.” Nexeer said.

“Ok Seven, count to ten and then we go live.” One said.

“Ok Seven, count to ten and then we go live.” Zeddicus said.

“Got it.” Seven said.

One could hear Seven counting down from ten and a few seconds after the countdown he saw Zeddicus appear on all screens in the fortress.