Alpha squad

The facility was hidden beneath layers of concrete and steel, an unmarked structure buried deep in the forgotten industrial part of Ivory City. The air outside was thick with fog as James and the rest of Alpha Squad approached, their faces masked in determination. The underground facility loomed ahead, its entrance obscured by overgrown weeds and rusted metal gates. It looked abandoned, forgotten—just the kind of place Dr. Xavier Grey would hide his secrets.

"We're close," Oscar Shaw whispered, his voice barely audible above the sound of their footsteps. He led the way, his eyes scanning the digital map on his tablet. "The entrance should be just ahead."

The team moved in tight formation, their senses heightened. There was no telling what kind of defenses or traps lay inside the facility, but they couldn't afford to hesitate. Every second they wasted was another moment Alex remained at the mercy of whatever dark force was controlling him.

James led the group, his alchemy gauntlet pulsing with a faint glow. His muscles were coiled tight, ready for whatever might spring from the shadows. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off—an undercurrent of danger that ran deeper than just the threat of an enemy. There was something about this place that didn't feel right.

Samantha was next to him, her light powers keeping the darkness at bay, a beacon in the night. "Stay alert," she said quietly, her eyes scanning the area. "Something feels… wrong."

"I feel it too," Peter Evans said from behind them, his electricity crackling in the quiet night. "Like we're being watched."

Oscar stopped in front of a rusted door, its surface covered in thick layers of grime. He pulled out a set of tools, working quickly to bypass the lock. The door creaked open with a low groan, revealing a dark, musty hallway that stretched far into the bowels of the earth.

James took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Let's go."

As they descended into the facility, the air grew colder, heavier. The walls were lined with faded equipment, old files, and strange markings that seemed to pulse with an unnatural energy. There was no sound save for their footsteps and the occasional buzz of malfunctioning lights overhead. It was the kind of place that felt like it had been abandoned for years—but James knew better. Dr. Grey had been here, and he was likely watching them now, just out of reach.

"Keep your eyes open," James muttered to the group. "We don't know what we're walking into."

They moved down the narrow hall, passing what appeared to be research rooms filled with broken glass and discarded equipment. But in one room, something caught James's attention. A large mirror, its surface cracked and distorted, stood against the far wall. The mirror was strange—too strange. It didn't reflect the dim lights of the room properly. Instead, it shimmered with a faint, unnatural glow.

"Hold up," James said, his instincts screaming. "There's something wrong with this."

Samantha stepped closer, her light powers illuminating the reflection. But instead of seeing her own face, she saw something… else. A flickering image of Alex, his body writhing in blue flames, his eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.

"It's… it's showing him," Samantha said, her voice trembling. "It's showing what's happening to Alex."

"Whatever this is, it's connected to him," James said, stepping closer to the mirror. He could feel the pull of the strange energy emanating from it, like a force drawing him in.

Suddenly, the mirror rippled, distorting the image of Alex. The flames around him seemed to intensify, flickering with blue energy that wasn't quite fire, but something darker. The mirror seemed to pull them in, as if inviting them to see more.

"Don't touch it!" Peter warned, stepping forward with a crackle of electricity in his hands. "It's a trap."

But it was too late. The mirror flashed, and the world around them seemed to warp. The air turned thick with the smell of burning ozone, and the floor beneath their feet felt unstable, shifting as though the building itself was alive. James tried to step back, but something held him in place. The others were frozen, too, their bodies caught in the mirror's strange gravitational pull.

And then, everything went black.

James's eyes snapped open. He was no longer in the facility. He wasn't even sure where he was. The surroundings were unfamiliar, a place that seemed to exist outside of time and space. The air was heavy with a strange energy, and the ground beneath his feet was smooth, like glass.

"James…" a voice called out to him, distant but familiar. It was Alex's voice.

"Alex?" James called out, his heart pounding in his chest. "Where are you?"

The voice echoed, but no answer came. Instead, a figure stepped out from the shadows—a tall, imposing figure dressed in black armor, its face hidden beneath a dark hood.

"Who are you?" James demanded, his muscles tensing as he prepared for a fight.

The figure tilted its head slightly, then raised a hand, revealing an intricate silver mask. Its voice, when it spoke, was smooth and cold. "I am the one who controls the fire."

The words sent a chill down James's spine. "You're the one controlling Alex."

The figure gave a small, unsettling smile. "Not controlling. Guiding."

"Guiding him into what? What's your goal?" James asked, taking a step back, his alchemy powers thrumming in his gauntlet.

The figure's eyes glowed with an eerie blue light. "Your friend, Alex Nolan, is a vessel—a vessel for something far greater than he realizes. He is the key to unlocking a power that can change everything."

James's heart raced as the figure's words sank in. Alex was more than just a hero. He was a pawn in a larger game—a game controlled by someone who understood the true nature of the power within him.

"I won't let you use him," James said, his voice steady but filled with resolve. "I'll stop you, no matter what it takes."

The figure laughed softly, the sound hollow and foreboding. "You cannot stop what has already begun, James Maxwell. The mirror has shown you the truth. The question now is—what will you do with it?"

To be continued...