Sergeant Darius "Hellhound" Rook was still reeling from his encounter with Captain Adrian Wolfe. The man had been a legend, a war hero—until he vanished. Now, he was alive, working with General Kruger, and spouting cryptic warnings.
Rook didn't have time for riddles.
The battlefield was shifting. Kruger and Baron Kane had momentarily withdrawn, both their forces licking their wounds. The eerie silence made Rook uneasy. He felt like prey in a predator's den.
And then he heard it.
The low, distorted growl of something unnatural.
Rook turned, raising his rifle—but he wasn't fast enough.
A blur of movement crashed into him, sending him flying. He barely had time to react before a massive hand wrapped around his throat, lifting him off the ground.
But something was wrong.
His eyes glowed with an unnatural yellow hue, veins darkened, skin paler than before. His strength was inhuman.
Rook struggled, gasping for air. "What… the hell… did Kruger do to you?"
Wolfe's grip tightened, but there was hesitation in his eyes. He wasn't fully gone—not yet.
"I told you," Wolfe muttered, his voice distorted. "You don't understand what's coming."
With a snarl, he hurled Rook into a pile of debris. The impact rattled Rook's bones, but he forced himself to roll to his feet. He needed to move.
Wolfe was stronger. Faster. Deadlier.
Rook barely had time to dodge as Wolfe lunged again, his combat knife slashing through the air. The blade grazed Rook's arm, drawing blood, but he twisted away, bringing up his pistol.
Right to Wolfe's shoulder.
The captain staggered, growling in frustration—but the wound barely seemed to slow him down.
"Damn it," Rook hissed. Kruger had turned him into something else.
But if Wolfe wasn't fully gone… maybe there was still a way to break whatever control Kruger had on him.
Rook scanned the area, mind racing. He needed an opening.
And then he saw it—a power junction, still sparking from previous explosions.
If he could shock Wolfe's system, maybe he could snap him out of it.
Rook sprinted, baiting Wolfe toward the junction. Wolfe took the bait, lunging with his enhanced speed. At the last second, Rook dove aside—leading Wolfe straight into the exposed cables.
Wolfe convulsed as electricity surged through his body. He let out an inhuman roar, eyes flashing wildly.
Then, suddenly—he collapsed.
Smoke curled from his uniform. His body twitched, his breath ragged.
Rook approached cautiously, gun raised.
For a moment, silence.
Then—Wolfe's eyes flickered back to normal. He coughed, groaning.
"Rook… you idiot," he muttered. "That actually worked."
Rook smirked. "Yeah, well… I had a good teacher."
But before they could speak further, a shadow loomed over them.
General Kruger had arrived.