Chapter 10

Nexus Mapping Sequence

5923 1607 – song – Rage Against the Machine  – Wake Up

6369 7778 – song – Rage Against the Machine – Sleep Now in the Fire

2258 1978 – song – Rage Against the Machine – Renegades of Funk

* Nexus Mapping Sequence media is provided to support chapter contents.

The plan sounded straightforward to Ethan, at least on paper. As Will explained it for the second time, Ethan couldn’t help but wonder if Will even wanted him there. The ex-soldier had an aura of calm readiness, but Ethan could sense the undercurrent of concern in his voice. Maybe it wasn’t doubt in Ethan’s abilities—it was the weight of the situation.

Akima and Will decided a small group on this mission would be best. Alex, Marco and Bobbi would hang back in the cabin while Will, Akima, Wolf and Ethan would go to New York City, where the leukocyte headquarters was located.

Their task seemed simple: cause enough chaos in Times Square to serve as a distraction. Akima, on the other hand, had the more dangerous role—sneaking into Gerry’s office to retrieve the crystal. None of them even knew if it was still there, and Akima’s assurances that the leukocytes would swarm Times Square once Ethan showed up weren’t exactly comforting.

Ethan trusted Akima and Will could handle themselves, but he couldn’t help but worry about Wolf. New York City was overwhelming even for Ethan, and Wolf’s wide-eyed fascination with the sheer number of people they will encountered didn’t inspire confidence.

As the small group prepared to leave, Akima approached the cabin’s door and shut it firmly, closing them off from the familiar sanctuary.

“So, how does this portal thing work?” Will asked, folding his arms. “I’ve seen it, but I don’t get it.”

Akima hesitated. “Gerry never explained it in detail to us,” she admitted. “It’s just something I was trained to use early on.”

Ethan leaned closer, intrigued. “So, you just think of where you want to go?”

Akima nodded, holding up her arm to reveal the sleek, metallic band wrapped around her wrist. “This is an axiom,” she explained. “It’s a multi-functional device, but one of its primary uses is opening portals. If I know a place well enough, I can simply think about it, and the axiom does the rest.”

“What about places you’ve never been?” Ethan asked.

Akima frowned, clearly not in the mood for a Q&A session. “It’s complicated. Let’s just say it can tap into someone else’s memory to create the link. But that’s not something we need to worry about right now.”

She placed her palm against the doorframe, and the wood began to glow a vivid green. The light rippled outward like liquid, infusing the frame with an otherworldly energy. With a quick motion, Akima pulled the door open to reveal a narrow alleyway, lined with graffiti-covered walls and littered with trash. The unmistakable din of New York traffic echoed in the distance.

“Let’s move,” Akima said, gesturing for them to step through.

Will went last, pausing in the glowing doorway. “Fifteen minutes,” he reminded her. “Then you’re clear to go.”

Akima nodded, and the moment he stepped through, she shut the door behind him. The glowing frame vanished, leaving them in the alleyway.

Ethan took a deep breath, steeling himself for what lay ahead. The alley’s pungent smell hit him immediately—a cocktail of hot garbage, gasoline, and a faint hint of sewage. He wrinkled his nose.

“This place stinks,” he muttered.

“Welcome to New York,” Will said, striding ahead. “Keep up, and don’t lose track of each other. It’s a ten-minute walk to Times Square.”

Ethan followed closely, keeping one eye on Wolf, who was already mesmerized by the sheer volume of people. The closer they got to Times Square, the thicker the crowd became, and Ethan could see Wolf’s wide-eyed wonder turning into sensory overload. Every time he bumped into someone, he tried to start a conversation, much to Will’s frustration.

“Focus, Wolf,” Will barked.

Ethan couldn’t resist a wry smile. For all their flaws, they made an interesting team.

As they approached Times Square, Ethan decided it was the perfect moment to listen to his dad’s next track. He popped in his headphones, eager for the familiar guidance.

“God, I wish I could share so much with you,” his dad began, his voice warm and nostalgic. “It’s hard to narrow down the songs and movies that mean the most to me. There are so many that shaped who I am, but I’ve only got room for so many.”

The closer they got to Times Square, the more the crowd swelled, and Ethan could feel the tension rising. Will kept a firm grip on Wolf, who kept trying to wander off.

“For every song I picked, there are a dozen more I wish I could’ve included,” his dad continued. “Take Rage Against the Machine, for example. They’re not just musicians—they’re prophets. Their music is a call to arms, a demand for justice in a corrupt world.”

Ethan felt a pang of recognition. The words hit home, aligning perfectly with the chaos he was about to face.

“America isn’t always the good guy,” his dad said. “It’s important to recognize that. Rage’s song Wake Up is more than music—it’s a message. A demand to open your eyes and see the world for what it really is.”

Ethan paused the track as they entered Times Square. Neon lights blazed across towering billboards, and the cacophony of honking taxis and chattering tourists was nearly deafening. The air buzzed with an electric energy that made Ethan’s heart race.

“You ready?” Will asked, his voice cutting through the noise.

“Yeah,” Ethan replied. “Hold up a second.”

He pulled out his phone and quickly searched for Rage Against the Machine. Within moments, he’d created a playlist, starting with Wake Up. The opening chords hit like a jolt of adrenaline, and Ethan felt a surge of confidence coursing through him.

Music blaring, Ethan turned to Wolf. “Let’s do this.”

The pounding rhythm and raw, defiant lyrics filled his mind, drowning out his fear. As Zack de la Rocha’s voice roared, Ethan’s resolve solidified.

The chaos was about to begin.

Wolf took the lead with a gleeful grin, his arms stretched out dramatically as he conjured a herd of elephants. Massive and lumbering, the elephants appeared in the middle of the street, trumpeting loudly and stomping in wide circles. Cars crumpled like tin cans under their weight, setting off blaring alarms. Pedestrians screamed and scattered, some sprinting for safety while others froze in shock, their phones raised to capture the chaos.

“This is perfect,” Will muttered, his eyes scanning the growing pandemonium. “This’ll definitely get their attention.”

Ethan, emboldened by the scene and the thumping rhythm of Wake Up blasting through his earbuds, focused on Wolf’s earlier advice. Think less, create more. Wolf had mentioned something about how the more bizarre and unexpected, the more effective. Taking that to heart, Ethan closed his eyes and pictured something ridiculous: a fifty-foot teddy bear.

When he opened his eyes, there it was—towering above the chaos, its button eyes glinting in the neon lights of Times Square. The teddy bear lumbered forward, its soft, oversized feet crushing cars as it went.

Ethan’s triumph quickly turned to panic as he realized he had no control over it. The bear’s movements were erratic, and it started wandering away from the group, heading straight for a towering billboard featuring a young girl modeling jeans.

“How do I control this thing?” Ethan shouted to Wolf.

“When you make something, you’ve gotta give it purpose and direction,” Wolf called back, his voice tinged with amusement. “Otherwise, it’ll just do whatever it wants.”

Ethan groaned. “What does a giant teddy bear even want?”

“To be loved,” Will deadpanned.

The bear seemed to prove him right as it reached the billboard and began swatting at it like a kitten playing with yarn. Sparks flew as the bear’s massive paws ripped through the metal framework.

“Okay, note to self: Be more specific with these creations,” Ethan muttered.

“We need to clear the street,” Will shouted. “Think bigger and scarier. But remember—no casualties!”

Wolf took the suggestion with relish. He waved his arms theatrically and conjured a pride of lions. The sleek, golden beasts leapt out of thin air, their ferocious roars echoing through the square. They didn’t attack anyone, but their menacing presence was enough to send the lingering crowd fleeing in terror.

As the last of the civilians scattered, a group of NYPD officers cautiously advanced from a side street, their hands on their holsters.

“Wolf,” Will said, his voice calm but firm, “handle our guests.”

Wolf grinned, stepping forward with a twinkle of mischief in his eye. He clapped his hands together, and suddenly a raging river materialized between them and the officers. Water gushed through the street, sweeping away debris and creating an impassable barrier.

Meanwhile, Ethan was getting the hang of things. Inspired by the chaos, he conjured a massive barricade around their position. The elephants continued to stomp and trumpet, creating a natural shield against any approaching threat.

When the first wave of leukocytes appeared, Ethan knew it was time to take things up a notch. He imagined a giant gun—not for bullets, but for something less lethal. The weapon materialized in his hands: a massive, unwieldy cannon with a barrel the size of a fire hydrant.

“Hey, I thought you said no guns,” Will quipped.

“Relax,” Ethan said. He took aim at an advancing leukocyte and fired.

A blob of glowing green slime shot from the barrel, smacking the target square in the chest. The impact sent the agent sprawling to the ground, and the slime began expanding, pinning her arms and legs in a sticky cocoon.

Will chuckled. “Alright, I take it back. Got another one of those for me?”

Ethan handed him the weapon, and Will wasted no time firing off a volley of slime, taking down several agents in quick succession.

“How do I reload this thing?” Will asked, glancing at the rapidly depleting slime supply.

“You don’t,” Ethan said with a grin. “Infinite ammo!”

Feeling a surge of confidence, Ethan decided to take it up a notch. As Sleep Now in the Fire roared in his ears, he focused on something monumental—a dinosaur. When he opened his eyes, a thirty-foot stegosaurus stood before him, its tail tipped with lethal spikes. At the center of its back, Ethan had even created a saddle.

He scrambled up and took the reins. The dinosaur roared, shaking the surrounding buildings. With a swing of its massive tail, it sent a cluster of agents flying like ragdolls.

Not to be outdone, Wolf conjured a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The colossal predator towered over the scene, its thunderous roar silencing the remaining onlookers. Wolf climbed onto its back, whooping and hollering like a rodeo cowboy as the T-Rex barreled through the barricades.

“When do we bail?” Ethan shouted down to Will, who was still taking out agents with precision slime shots.

“Akima said we’d know when it’s time!” Will called back.

Before Ethan could ask what that meant, a chill ran down his spine. From beyond the barricade, two figures emerged. Gerry, with his immaculate suit and unbothered expression, walked calmly toward them. Beside him, Issac moved with predatory grace, his cold, calculating gaze locked onto Ethan.

Ethan’s breath caught. While part of him was terrified, another part—the defiant, fiery part fueled by his dad’s words and Rage Against the Machine—felt a grim satisfaction.

Their plan had worked. The fight was far from over.

"Mr. Fuller, why don't you climb down and let us end this peacefully?" Gerry’s voice cut through the chaos with eerie calm, his sharp gaze pinning Ethan in place. The fact that Gerry knew his name sent a chill down Ethan’s spine.

“Nah,” Ethan called back, trying to mask his fear with bravado. “Bernard and I have some more whipping to do.” As if on cue, the stegosaurus—Bernard, apparently—swung its tail in a wide arc, scattering a cluster of approaching leukocytes like bowling pins.

“Who’s Bernard?” Will asked, glancing up at Ethan with a mix of confusion and amusement.

“My stegosaurus,” Ethan said with a shrug. “I named him Bernard.”

"I would advise against that," Gerry said, unfazed. "We have much to discuss."

Ethan gritted his teeth. “I’ve got nothing to say to you.”

Gerry leaned slightly toward Issac, whispering something too soft for anyone else to hear. Issac nodded once, his movements deliberate, and then he was off like a bullet, sprinting toward Ethan with inhuman speed.

Will reacted instantly, raising his slime cannon and firing. The shot missed by a hair, splattering harmlessly against a building. Issac, unbothered, dropped into a slide and popped back up in a fluid motion, continuing his approach. With a powerful leap, he soared toward Ethan, but Will intercepted him mid-air with a full-body tackle, sending them both sprawling across the pavement.

“Stay down!” Will barked, but Issac was already on his feet. He drove a brutal kick into Will’s ribs, sending him skidding across the ground with a pained grunt.

Issac turned back toward Ethan, his movements calm and deliberate, like a predator toying with its prey. Bernard, sensing the danger, lashed out with his tail, but Issac evaded it effortlessly, ducking and weaving with a dancer’s precision.

Ethan’s heart pounded as Issac reached the dinosaur’s side, now within arm’s reach. Bernard roared in frustration, unable to angle its massive body quickly enough to protect its rider. Issac reached up, his hand darting toward Ethan.

Then a deafening explosion rocked the air, and a plume of fire erupted from the direction of the Braxton Tower, where the Leukocyte headquarters was located at. Everyone froze for a split second, heads turning toward the source of the blast.

“That’s our signal!” Will shouted, his voice hoarse but urgent.

Issac turned back to Ethan, determination burning in his eyes. Before he could make his move, Wolf came barreling through on the back of his T-Rex, the dinosaur’s massive head slamming into Issac and sending him flying twenty yards. Wolf hopped down, grinning triumphantly, and rushed to help Will to his feet.

“Do you remember what I showed you?” Will asked, grimacing as he clutched his ribs.

“I think so,” Wolf replied, his enthusiasm undimmed.

Wolf raised his hands and began moving them with a practiced rhythm. Slowly, a Black Hawk helicopter shimmered into existence, its sleek frame appearing as if conjured from the air itself.

Will climbed into the cockpit, his movements quick despite his obvious pain. The rotors began spinning, their thunderous roar drowning out the chaos. “Keep them away!” Will shouted over the noise.

Ethan sprang into action, using his powers to pile cars and chunks of concrete around the helicopter, building a makeshift barricade. The walls rose higher and higher, buying them precious seconds.

“Let’s go!” Will yelled, gesturing frantically from the cockpit.

Wolf and Ethan scrambled aboard as Will pulled back on the controls. With a jolt, the helicopter lifted off, the barricade below them holding back the leukocytes. Issac, now back on his feet, glared up at them as they ascended, his expression promising retribution.

“Do you even know how to fly this thing?” Ethan asked, his voice tight with worry.

“Kind of,” Will replied with a smirk.

The helicopter veered southward, skimming over the tops of buildings. Outside Madison Square Garden, Will guided the Black Hawk onto a parking garage. Akima stood waiting, her arm looped around the floating crystal as it followed her like a loyal pet.

“Everything go okay?” she asked, shoving the crystal into the helicopter’s hold.

“I rode a dinosaur,” Wolf declared proudly, his grin splitting his face.

“Did you blow up Gerry’s office,” Ethan asked?

With everyone aboard, Will wasted no time lifting off again. Akima, uncharacteristically, allowed herself a small, triumphant smile. “Your damn right I blew up Gerry’s office.”

They flew across the Hudson River into New Jersey, eventually landing in a secluded field. Akima led them to an abandoned gas station nearby. She pressed her palm against the doorway, and the frame glowed faintly.

“Won’t they trace us back to the cabin?” Ethan asked.

“Not if we gateway hop,” Akima said, stepping through the glowing door. “It’s like leaving false trails. We jump through several doors, and they won’t be able to track us.”

The group followed her through doorway after doorway, passing through a dizzying array of locations—a bustling market in Morocco, a serene temple in Japan, and a crumbling castle in Ireland. Each place was more stunning than the last, but Ethan barely had time to take it in before they moved on.

Finally, they stepped through the last door, emerging into a public park where Alex, Marco, and Bobbi were waiting near the SUV.

“Guess you found the place okay?” Will asked, his tone light despite the tension.

“Your directions weren’t exactly easy to follow,” Marco replied, raising an eyebrow.

Everyone piled into the SUV, the crystal securely floating in the back. As they drove toward the cabin, Wolf and Ethan recounted their adventure in Times Square, complete with Wolf’s T-Rex ride and Ethan’s teddy bear escapade.

Marco pulled out his phone and showed Ethan a video of the giant teddy bear stomping through the city. “This one’s got over two million views already.”

“Not for long,” Akima said flatly. “Gerry will have it all erased. By tomorrow, people will think it was a movie stunt gone wrong.”

“That’s insane,” Alex said, shaking her head.

By the time they reached the cabin, Ethan could barely keep his eyes open. As he collapsed onto his bunk, exhaustion finally overtook him. For what felt like the first time, he felt a glimmer of hope. They had the crystal. They had a chance.