I watched as the radiation struck the shocked Ana, burning the compound V from her blood and leaving a perfectly spherical hole in her stomach.

The ray continued even after passing through her and was scarily becoming uncontrollable.

Panic set in as I struggled to turn off my power. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop the flow.

'Shit!! Turn off!! Ending the world is not on my fucking to-do list!!'

I began to worry that I could not stop the seemingly endless radiation beam. However, after a few minutes, I was finally able to mentally wrestle the energy and redirect it to rejoin the raging sea that lay dormant inside me.

"Fucking hell!!" I said while wiping the sweat that had accumulated around my eyes.

I took a moment to breathe after nearly killing and saving everyone in the span of a few minutes.

My relaxation was cut short as another pressing matter came to mind. I now had to see if the radiation left behind would be an issue for Dawn, Jamie or the surrounding population. Closing my eyes and focusing on the particles in the environment, I released a sigh of relief. It seemed that I had luckily shut down the beam in time, and the amount present wasn't dangerous. A few kids with two heads might appear in the future, but that should be the extent of it.

'That was just a slither of energy. What the fuck would all of it do?'

Shaking my head to eliminate that alarming thought, I ran to check on Jamie's prone form. Ignoring Ana's fallen and twisted body on the way over.

'Hopefully, Jamie is ok.'

I quickly reached the hamster and smiled when I saw his little chest moving.

"Hey there, bud. Wake up, you did good," I said as I gently shook him.

He slowly opened his eyes and began chittering away before he amusingly remembered I couldn't understand, and then I felt the familiar sensation of his mind.

~I am sorry, Sir. I ignored your command and acted without thought,~ Jamie whispered as he bowed his head towards me.

"You have to stop apologising, Jamie. You saved me from a very embarrassing death," I replied with a smirk. "However, when telling this story, let's leave out her age."

'Almost losing to a little girl is something I won't be telling anyone.

"I...I didn't want to hurt anyone," Ana suddenly interrupted with a shocked gasp. "I just wanted to play with someone for once."

Hearing her words, I turned away from Jamie and stared at Ana in contemplation. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity for the girl in front of me. She had been experimented on and treated like a weapon by her father. Perhaps in another life without him, she could have been an ordinary girl.

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'Unfortunately for her, this wasn't that other life.'

All of a sudden, in the distance, I could hear a commotion occurring in the sleepy village. The screams and destruction had brought along a crowd that was slowly making its way towards us. Opportunely, the distance between cottages was vast enough that a group their size would arrive at the earliest in half an hour. Giving Jamie ample time to do as he pleased. While I may pity the girl, her actions are still her own.

"Have your fun, kill the little shit and then let's leave. I have no patience to deal with pitchfork-wielding village idiots," I offhandedly said to Jamie as I made my way towards Dawn in the study.

Just as I was about to jump out of the lab, I noticed the silence behind me. Turning around, I was greeted by Jamie simply staring at the girl. He had made no moves to harm her or end it.

"What's the problem, Jamie?" I questioned his inaction. "We don't have time for you to fuck around."

He looked away from Ana and floated towards me.

~I have no more hate in my heart, and I believe she was also a victim, Master Ben,~ Jamie whispered in a confused yet determined manner. ~Her life, as it is, is over, and that is enough for me.~

I could see he had made up his mind and decided to deal with it myself.

With a sigh, I gave Jamie a look of displeasure and walked back towards Ana. The hamster flew beside me, chittering in confusion during the short walk. However, I ignored his attempts to communicate.

Kneeling over the child, I could tell that even without her powers, she was slowly healing from the attack and, if given time, could possibly recover.

'I can't let that happen.'

"You should be proud, Sweetheart. Not many can say they nearly bested Soldier Boy," I said with a smile that turned serious. "Unfortunately, your time has run its course."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice sounding genuinely human for the first time. "I don't want to be like this anymore."

I said nothing in response and wrapped my right hand around her throat. Giving her a small smile of encouragement that she matched, I twisted her neck and locked eyes until I saw the life fade from hers. It was sad. However, the world would be a lot safer with one less monster in it.

'That should put her down for good.'

Wiping my hands on the remains of her dress, I turned towards the shocked and speechless Jamie.

"Take this as a lesson in life, Jamie. We don't leave threats alive, no matter how young, promising, weak or broken," I said sternly, knowing he may leave after my decision. "I'm not in the business of creating my own Batman. If you can't understand, it would be better for you to go your own way."

I sighed, hoping he would decide to stay. However, I would not budge on my morals, and if he could not agree, it was wiser if he left now.

~Master Ben is all I have. You not want Jamie?~ The hamster brokenly stated whilst his head shook vigorously and his eyes glistened with tears.

'Well, that's a relief. I would miss the fur ball.'

"Of course I don't want you to fucking leave. We have a lot of assholes that need to be taught a lesson," I replied with a grin that the hamster matched.

Happy that my little family won't be broken up so soon, I looked back down at the body of Ana and sighed before lifting her gently, placing her on the operating table and closing her eyes.

'That's better. The floor isn't the most dignified burial ground.'

Turning away from her body, I began checking the lab for anything useful when I saw something that made me chuckle. In a small corner was the table leg that I had dropped during the fight.

'That would have been useful.'

As I reached down to grab the baton, my eyes were drawn to a small blue light leaking from the hole my death ray had made in the far left wall.

'Is there something behind the wall?'

Curiosity taking the better of me, I grabbed the table leg and approached the hole. Once I got close enough to see what was inside, I let out a greedy smile.

"Jackpot baby!!'

"Stay here, Jamie," I said to the hamster as I stared at the room's contents with childish glee.

It was a basic hidden room with three objects neatly arranged on a single table, a work desk on one side and a row of blue lights on the ceiling. Besides these objects, there were obvious signs of Victor having worked here, with papers chucked all over the floor, a steaming cup of coffee left untouched and an open laptop on the side desk.

'He must have been in the lab when I broke down the door.'

The idiot had the time to prepare and died when he could have possibly won. I have definitely learned a valuable lesson in taking every enemy and situation seriously.

But my self-reflection and smug sense of self-improvement were short-lived, as on climbing through, red lights suddenly illuminated the room, and the three objects were immediately encased in a giant glass box. If that wasn't enough, ten massive mechanical turrets dropped down from the ceiling, their barrels pointed directly at me.

"I need to stop being so fucking careless," I whispered in annoyance.

'The universe has a twisted sense of humour.'