2:03 a.m. – Channel 7 News Station, Rooftop
The wind howled across the rooftop as Ryan Bruce—Veltrix—stepped out of the ruined stairwell, bloodied and breathing hard. Behind him, the newsroom below buzzed with sirens, soot, and traumatized interns. In front of him?
Larsen.
He stood at the edge of the rooftop, silhouetted against the blinking red "ON AIR" tower, clutching a briefcase like it was sacred.
"You're late," Larsen said, hair flapping like a soap opera villain in a wind tunnel. "The third act monologue is already halfway done."
Ryan cracked his neck. "Then I'll skip to the part where the bad guy loses."
2:04 a.m. – The Final Broadcast
Larsen tapped the briefcase. "Do you even know what this is? These files—ONYX CORE's greatest sins. The operations we buried. The families we broke. I'm just the consequence of secrets."
Ryan stepped closer. "You're not a consequence. You're a man who thinks drama is a personality."
Larsen clicked a remote. A rooftop screen lit up—broadcasting to every remaining hijacked feed in New Orleans.
"Let's give the people a finale," he smirked.
Then, as if scripted—
Cue rooftop combat.
Fists flew. The camera drone hovered. Thunder cracked.
Larsen fought like a man unhinged—using cables, shattered antennas, even a rusty Emmy award as weapons.
"You ruined my life, Veltrix!"
"You fake your injuries for sympathy and tax breaks!"
Ryan ducked, punched, rolled, and finally tackled Larsen into the satellite dish. Sparks flew.
2:11 a.m. – Emily's Surprise Cut-In
Back in the studio, Emily hit a button marked "EMERGENCY CUT."
Her face appeared on-screen citywide.
"No offense, gentlemen, but this soap opera is running long. This is Channel 7. And we have a better story."
Behind her, Holly and Faith—still in pajamas—held up signs that read:
"Hi Dad!"
"Tell Larsen he's dumb!"
2:13 a.m. – The Choice
On the roof, Ryan now had the upper hand. Larsen, gasping, crawled toward the edge.
The briefcase teetered on the ledge.
One push—and Larsen would fall. One grab—and the files would leak.
Ryan paused.
"You're not worth it," he said quietly. "But my family is."
He turned—grabbed the briefcase instead—and handcuffed Larsen to the tower base.
2:14 a.m. – The Spotlight Shuts Off
As Ryan walked away, the ON AIR light finally blinked out.
And with it, so did Larsen's reach.
3:00 a.m. – Outside Channel 7
Ryan, still bruised, stood beside Emily. Holly was asleep in his arms. Faith had commandeered a police officer's hat.
"You're limping," Emily said, leaning on him.
"I'm also concussed and covered in confetti," Ryan replied. "But yeah. Limping tops the list."
She looked at the city skyline, now calm.
"No more secrets?"
He smiled. "Only the ones in your browser history."
The camera zooms out.
The screen fades to black.
And just before it cuts completely—
A glitch.
A flicker of static.
The Glitch Wolf symbol flashes once.
And then disappears.
[TO BE CONTINUED...]