The portal closed behind them, leaving Robert and the team standing in the streets of London. The once-bustling streets were now a wasteland of smoke, fire, and rubble. The air was thick with the acrid smell of burning debris, and the distant wail of sirens echoed through the chaos. Robert took a step forward, his boots crunching against broken glass and shattered concrete. His jaw tightened as he surveyed the devastation.

  “This… this is bad,” Freddie said, his voice uncharacteristically quiet as he stepped over a pile of rubble, his eyes wide with disbelief.

  Robert nodded. They moved cautiously, their footsteps echoing in the eerie silence. The destruction was overwhelming—cars overturned, storefronts reduced to ash, and the skeletal remains of buildings looming like ghosts in the smoke.

  Emma walked a few steps behind, her hands trembling as she took in the scene. The sheer scale of the damage was almost too much to bear. She paused in front of a collapsed apartment building, her breath catching in her throat. “This… this was someone’s home,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

  Joel noticed her hesitation and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, we’ll fix this. But we need to stop them first.”

  Emma nodded, but her eyes remained fixed on the rubble. “I just… I can’t believe they’d do this. All these people… they didn’t deserve this.”

  Robert turned back, his expression softening as he saw the pain in Emma’s eyes. “We’ll make it right,” he said, his voice steady. “But we can’t help anyone if we don’t stop them first.”

  Through the earpiece, “They should be down the street” said Darian, his voice calm. “Copy that” Robert.

  The team pressed on, the weight of the destruction pressing down on them. As they turned a corner, the full extent of the chaos became clear. The street was littered with the remnants of a police barricade—overturned vehicles, shattered riot shields, and the faint glow of dying fires. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and burnt metal.

  The sound of laughter echoed through the street, cold and mocking. The team froze, their senses on high alert. Ahead, the Reapers stood amidst the wreckage, their figures silhouetted against the flames. Michael leaned against an overturned car, his cybernetic arm gleaming in the firelight. His smirk was sharp, his crimson eyes flickering with amusement.

  “Well, look who decided to show up,” Michael said, his voice dripping with mockery. “We were starting to get bored here”

  Robert stepped forward, his voice low but filled with quiet rage. “This ends now. You’ve done enough damage.”

  Michael tilted his head, his smirk widening. “OH, the kid got some guts now. You think you can stop us? You’re out of your league, kid.”

  Emma stepped forward, her hands glowing faintly as she faced Michael. “You’re hurting innocent people. Why? What do you gain from this?”

  Michael’s gaze shifted to her, his expression cold. “Money and entertainment. And to lure you all here, but this time we will finish the job”

  The rest of the Reapers stepped forward, their powers flaring. Rook cracked his knuckles, his massive frame towering over the team. Dexter raised his rifle. Sylas stood with her eyes glowing, her technopathic powers ready to use. Mara materialized from the shadows, her cloaking device shimmering faintly.

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  “Leo and Luis help the G.A.R.D. evacuate,” Robert said, and Leo and Luis dashed away through the streets.

  “We will settle this right now,” said Robert, pointing at Michael.

  “Bring it,” said Michael with a grin. Robert launched himself, pushing Michael away from the others.

  The air crackled with tension as Robert and Michael faced off into the middle of the ruined street. Flames flickered around them, casting long shadows that danced across the rubble. Michael’s crimson eyes glowed faintly, his smirk sharp and predatory.

  “You think you can take me, kid?” Michael taunted, his voice low and menacing. “You’re out of your league.”

  Robert didn’t respond. He lunged forward, his fist crackling with energy as he aimed for Michael’s jaw. Michael sidestepped with surprising speed, his own fist slamming into Robert’s side. The impact sent Robert skidding across the pavement, but he recovered quickly. He replicated Michael’s super strength.

  Michael’s smirk widened. “Copying already? Pathetic”

  Robert charged again, this time meeting Michael head-on. Their fists collided with a thunderous crash, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the ground. The surrounding rubble trembled, and a nearby fire erupted into a burst of flames.

  Michael’s eyes glowed brighter, and a searing beam of heat vision shot toward Robert. Robert raised his arm, forming a shimmering shield of stone just in time to deflect the blast. The heat singed the air, leaving a trail of molten asphalt in its wake.

  “Not bad,” Michael said, his voice dripping with mockery. “But let’s see how long you can keep up.”

  Robert didn’t waste time. He dashed forward, his movements a blur as he closed the distance between them. He feinted left, then swung a powerful right hook. Michael blocked it, but Robert followed up with a spinning kick that connected with Michael’s ribs, sending him stumbling back.

  Michael growled, his eyes glowing brighter as he unleashed another blast of heat vision. Robert rolled to the side, the beam narrowly missing him and striking a nearby car, which exploded in a fiery burst. The shockwave knocked Robert off his feet, but he got on his feet quickly, his eyes flaring as he replicated Michael’s heat vision.

  Robert’s eyes glowed crimson as he fired his own beam of heat into the vision. Michael dodged, the blast grazing his shoulder and leaving a smoldering mark on his jacket. He glanced at the burn, his smirk fading as his expression turned deadly serious.

  “You’re starting to annoy me,” Michael said, his voice low and dangerous.

  He charged at Robert, his fists glowing with heat as he unleashed a flurry of punches. Robert blocked and countered, their movements a blur of speed and power. Each strike sent shockwaves through the air, the ground cracking beneath their feet.

  Michael landed a solid hit, his fist slamming into Robert’s chest and sending him flying into a pile of rubble. Robert groaned as he struggled to his feet. Michael didn’t give him a chance to recover. He leaped into the air, his fist aimed straight at Robert’s head.

  Robert Phase through the rubble, avoiding the impact. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the ground, shattering the windows of nearby buildings. Robert emerge from the ground behind Michael, sending him flying with a kick on his back.

  Michael landed hard, skidding across the pavement before coming to a stop. He stood slowly, his eyes glowing brighter than ever. “not bad,” he admitted, his voice tight. “But you’re still not enough.”

  Robert didn’t respond. He charged forward, his fists crackling with energy as he unleashed a barrage of punches. Michael blocked and countered. The ground trembled beneath them; the air filled with the sound of their blows.

  Finally, Robert saw an opening. He feinted left, then swung a powerful uppercut that connected with Michael’s jaw. The force of the impact sent Michael flying into a nearby building, the wall crumbling around him.

  Robert stood panting. He knew the fight wasn’t over. Michael emerged from the rubble, his eyes blazing with fury.

  The two charged at each other once more, their powers clashing in a burst of light and energy. The fight was far from over, but Robert was determined to end it—no matter the cost.