MONTHS EARLIER…
G came to with a throbbing headache, his vision blurry and the only thing infront of him was steel and stark white light. He tasted antiseptic and fear. His arms were cuffed behind a metal chair, his legs strapped down. The room was small, soundproofed, with no windows. He tried to break free but was too weak.
A few minutes later, the door hissed open, and A man in an expensive-looking dashiki walked in, his face etched with concern, followed by two armed agents.
"Commander Dabo," the man began, his voice surprisingly calm. "Good to see you're awake."
G squinted, trying to place the face. The features were familiar, but softened by time, the edges of youth now rounded by age and perhaps regret. "Do I know you?" he grunted.
The man smiled. "You used to call me Captain. Before you deserted, that is."
"Jamiu? Agent Jamiu?" G said, the realization hitting him.
"The one and only and its Agent Jay." Agent Jamiu nodded. He dismissed the two agents, who exited and closed the door behind them. "It's been a long time, Dabo. Last I heard, you were teaching Islamic studies to street urchins in Abuja."
"They're not street urchins," G snapped, instantly defensive.
Jay raised an eyebrow. "Indeed. Which brings us to why you're here. Your 'boys' caused quite a stir at Excellence Secondary College yesterday."
G's heart hammered. "Where are they? What have you done with them?"
"Calm yourself. They're fine. For now." Jay pulled up a metal chair and sat opposite G, close enough for G to see the weary lines around his eyes. "They were… retrieved. Along with another Nucron with lightning powers. They are currently being transferred to a more… secure location." he explained.
"The Island," G murmured, a cold dread washing over him. He had heard the whispers, the rumors about the remote facility where Nucrons simply disappeared.
Jay's expression remained unreadable. "That's above your pay grade, Dabo. My superiors want to know why you are aiding these… anomalies. Why you are harboring Nucrons who refuse treatment."
"They took the antidote." G said, the words hot with frustration. "It didn't work! It made them weak for a few hours, then their powers came back."
"So you claim. Our reports suggest a 96% success rate." Jay said as he leaned back
"Your reports are lies!" G raged. "Or manipulated. I was there, I saw it with my own eyes. They were sick, vomiting! And then they were back, stronger!"
"Interesting," Jay murmured, more to himself than to G. "That aligns with some… inconsistencies we've observed." He pulled out a tablet. "We have footage, Dabo. Of your boys fighting bandits, using their powers. Of them destroying our drone." he said as he held out the tablet.
G felt a pang of pride, despite the dire circumstances. His boys had fought. They had survived.
"And we know they went straight to you right after this happened," Jay continued, his gaze sharp. "What exactly is your involvement with them? Their training? We have sources that suggest military-grade coordination."
"My involvement is personal," G stated.
"I protect them. I teach them to control what they are, so they don't hurt themselves, or others. So they don't become… weapons." The last word was spat with disdain, a clear challenge to the agent.
Jay stared at him for a long moment.
"You haven't changed, Dabo. Always the protector." He paused, then his voice dropped.
"Look, I have my orders. But… I also remember who you are. And I have my own suspicions about this 'antidote' and its true purpose. This facility… it's a temporary solution for the 'resistants'. But the true purpose of the Island is known only to a select few." Jay explained.
"Kane," G breathed.
"Dr Marcus Kane, he is a man of singular vision. And ruthless ambition. He's the architect of this whole 'Nucranium Event' aftermath. And yes, he wants to use your boys. He wants to use all of them."
"they're at the Island. I need to get to them. I need to know where it is." G's mind raced.
Jay shook his head. "Impossible. Information about the Island is compartmentalized. Even I don't have access to its exact location, only the transfer coordinates. And even if you did know, you're in no position to do anything. You're under federal custody."
"Then help me," G pleaded, a rare vulnerability in his voice.
"Help me get out. I can stop Kane. But I can't do it from here."
Jay studied him, "That's a big ask, Dabo. You're a federal detainee. And a former deserter."
"And you're a man who knows what's right," G countered.
"You've always been about order, about protecting the innocent. Whatever Kane's plan is… it's chaos wrapped in a uniform. It will destroy everything."
Jay stood up, pacing the small room. He looked conflicted, torn between duty and a flicker of his old comrade's principles. "I can't just open the doors, Dabo. But… I can delay reports. I can make sure your detention here isn't… widely publicized. And I can perhaps… leave some 'tools' lying around for you to find."
He turned back to G, determination in his eyes. "But after this, we're square. Understand? You go your way, I go mine. And if you ever become a threat to national security, I will hunt you down myself."
"Understood," G said.
"Just tell me, how do I find them after I get out of this cage? How do I get to the Island?" he asked.
Jay walked to the door, pausing with his hand on the handle. "The Island… it's not just a location, Dabo. It's a project. A secret known only to the highest echelons. But… there's always a back channel. Look for a man named 'Professor Charles'. He's one of Kane's lead scientists. If anyone knows the intricate details of that facility, it's him."
He opened the door, signaling for the guards to re-enter. "Just remember, Dabo. I never saw you."
The door clicked shut, plunging G back into a calculated silence. The headache was still there, but now, a new resolve burned beneath it. He had a name. He had a lead. And he had to find his boys. He began to mentally map out the room, searching for the "tools" Jay might have left. He would not fail them.