"What in blazes happened here?!" Toxic Tess exclaimed as she burst into the wrecked research lab. Broken glass, overturned equipment, and pools of glowing neon fluid covered the floor. In the centre of the chaos stood her sister Toxica, positively fuming with rage beneath her hazard suit.

"That damned meddlesome speedster got in somehow during the blackout!" Toxica vented. She explained the bold break-in, ruined cylinder prison, stolen test subject, and their narrow escape thanks to the fortuitous quake.

Toxic Tess clenched her fists, neon claws extending. "Escaped ya say?! With our most valuable asset? Oh hell nah..." She grabbed the comm device, patching into the oil rig's intercoms. "Attention all hands, we have an intruder loose with electric dreadlocks! Secure Cain and shred any ally helping him attempt to escape!"

Elsewhere, The Blur supported a stumbling Cain through metallic corridors while Toxic Tess's amplified threats echoed around them. "Bumbo, we've been marked men now," The Blur muttered. "How ya strength holding up?"

Cain winced but managed a defiant smirk. "Heh not too brisk...but seen worse days." He peered curiously at The Blur’s unmasked features. "Crazy how it’s you under there, D! Does Tanya know 'bout yuh secret capering?"

Before The Blur could explain, angry bootsteps and cocking guns resounded ahead of them. A dozen gruff Red Reefers rounded the tunnel junction wielding assault rifles and cutlasses.

"There's the lab scamps!" one eye-patched mate shouted. "Turn 'em into fish bait on Boss Hammerhead's orders!"

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The gang unleashed a barrage of bullets but The Blur’s dreadlocks blurred and were snatching each deadly projectile barely inches from their bodies with lightning precision! With Cain tucked protectively behind him, The Blur zapped thunderbolt volleys back down the corridor, scorching the walls and blasting Red Reefers off their feet!

“Ah, that electric monkey zapped mi!”

As they fled into a winding stairwell, Cain repeated his earlier question between ragged breaths. "So Blur...exactly how yuh sneak onto this tin fortress anyhow? Did you swim here blasting bad guys like some jellyfish superman?"

The Blur looked sheepish as they descended precariously. "Eh well, sorta actually...had special diving gear for deep sea approach. But have no exit plan past getting you out safely." He thumped his chest. “So commandeering one of them boat is our only option now.”

Cain managed a laugh despite their dire straits. "Fo real? Man yuh crazy! But I just remembered something. There is a helipad atop this iron monstrosity. The chopper might still be there. It’s better than trying for them boats. I'll jet us far from here!"

“You decide to tell me that after we’ve come this far down? And are you sure you can get us out in your condition?”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Of course. I’m just a bit weak,” responded Cain.

“Hmm…” The Blur wasn’t sure Cain had the energy to pilot anything but he decided to rush towards the helipad instead of searching for a boat.

Zigzagging back up half-lit stairwells away from cursing, trigger-happy goons proved easier said than executed. The Blur unleashed stun blasts from his lightning dreadlocks, buying precious seconds between narrow escapes from gangsters trying to box them in at every sublevel.

As they neared the upper floor, one burly pirate incompetently let a metal case slip from his fingers while trying to reload giant guns with one hand. Out spilt several vials containing bubbling cobalt and magenta fluids...samples of the dreaded Loki-7 compound!

Seeing the volatile substance, the oaf went berserk. He promptly grabbed and injected himself with a vial of glittering neon cocktail. But rather than suffer harm as expected, corded muscles expanded freakishly beneath his thin vest!

"Feel...the power! Gonna smash these speedy stowaways good for Boss Skull n’ Hammerhead! Then big promotion for Muler!"

Indeed, before their shocked eyes, the Red Reefer’s frame ballooned drastically into a seven-foot, heavily-muscled monster! His skin tone grew metallic navy with magenta circuitry patterns etched upon flexing biceps. Luminescent fists clenched eagerly and he stomped the steel floor, creating visible dents.

Cain gulped nervously. "Uh funky chicken...looks like them Toxic Sisters created Hulk serum! This might spell trouble..."

Boom! 💥

The musclebound Muler charged forward like a juggernaut, forcing The Blur to intercept his crushing blows. Each punch released concussive air blasts tearing up floor panels all around them. The Blur wove through debris, blitzing the behemoth with lightning-fast strikes but Muler appeared unaffected by the attacks!

"Is that all ya got pipsqueak?!" Muler taunted, toxic saliva trailing as he pursued them. "I'mma pound ya through ten floors down once I smash this puny speedster!"

Blur realized engaging the juggernaut brute head-on played into the villains' hands. He had to end this brawl fast and get Cain topside. Perceiving the beast incoming again, Blur dashed behind his lumbering opponent before unleashing a signature move!

"Vibration Smash!!" The special technique channelled a massive surge of kinetic energy on impact, smashing giant Muler backwards through several armed compatriots! The Blur seized the window to pull Cain ahead towards distant stairwells. He hoped the aircraft was still at the helipad because they desperately needed an emergency evac!

Suddenly, a deafening crash rocked the entire oil platform as something massive struck nearby. Rivets popped out from metal floor sections. Peering over railings revealed a horrific sight - Boss Hammerhead had jumped from upper catwalks into their midst with his fists slamming down like twin wrecking balls! The floor cratered violently beneath the infuriated crime lord now unfurling to full height.

"So you're the speedy gnat causing security breaches?!" Hammerhead rumbled, rotating muscular neck menacingly. "Bah! I am Boss Hammerhead of Red Reef Gang! These waters and all within are my domain!" The brutal Slav cracked giant knuckles. "I'll use your guts to choke sharks!"

From overhead, the Toxic Sister's amplified voices screeched through speakers. "See that bright costume punk? That's the freak we mentioned! Smash the speedy monkey, but we'll deal with retrieving Cain!"

The Blur weighed options hastily with Hammerhead and Red Reefers approaching. The situation deteriorated.

Meanwhile, Cain crawled to the spilled case of Loki-7 vials apparently forgotten near battered Muler.

💉💉💉

“These are from one of the latest batches… maybe I can use these to my advantage.” Cain promptly grabbed 3 neon tubes and injected the contents simultaneously into his straining neck!

"Cain no!!😨”The Blur watched in horror as Cain's body convulsed violently...then stilled deathly motionless. Dread knotted his guts. Had the fool's risky gamble with tainted chemicals backfired horribly???