"Damn, what's with this heat?" Johan pulled at his jacket's collar as they descended deeper into the complex, shifting uncomfortably as sweat trickled down his shirt. Despite the lab being devoid of people, he kept his weapon ready, its weight reassuring in his hand. A sense of foreboding filled him, but he couldn't place why. The temperature intensified as they headed toward the main computer room.
"Whatever this computer system is, it requires tremendous energy." Rebecca wiped her brow with a koala-imprinted handkerchief. "The cooling system is working overtime to compensate for the energy expenditure."
"With this heat, is it any wonder no one's working overtime?" Samuel removed his shirt, exposing his bare chest. A little extreme, but Johan couldn't blame him. Even Rebecca removed her coat, wrapping it around her waist. The other Jotnar nodded their agreement, but they continued in silence, just in case.
The facility wasn't too dissimilar from Ymir's other secret lab in the warehouse, but an overbearing neatness permeated the place. Nothing seemed out of place, everything organized and labeled. Whoever ran this place was a prolific neat freak. From his position behind the windows, Johan spotted mechanical parts and odd devices of unknown use. They tried the doors but found them locked for the night.
"Worry about those later. Let's investigate the main computer first." The hacker girl bounced like an excitable child, hardly containing her excitement. Johan dabbed at his forehead with his shirt as they approached the main computer room.
"Interesting." Rebecca connected her laptop to the electronic lock after they pried open a nearby panel and tapped at the keys.
"What is it?" Samuel asked, his voice tense. "Is it too difficult to break?"
"It's nothing too serious, but something caught my eye. The system calls this the Surtur Room. Isn't that the name Simensen gave you?" Rebecca replied.
"It is." For some inexplicable reason, Johan's tension intensified. As the door lock released, a wave of heat struck them. It was like walking into a sauna.
"What the hell?" Samuel asked in utter amazement. Standing before them was the largest computer they'd ever seen, occupying an entire wall. Countless box-like servers stood in neat rows, covering almost every square inch of the room. Since when did a computer ever require this much space?
"Fascinating. It's like a computer from the 1950s. Let's see." Rebecca tapped at the keyboard sitting below the computer's multiple screens. After defeating its rudimentary security, she browsed through the system.
"Well?" Johan asked, wiping sweat off his forehead. The intensity of the heat's pressure was almost unbearable, fighting the urge to flee to more hospitable temperatures. A desert, maybe? His pistol was slick in his hand, so he put it away. With such unbearable heat, how the heck could anyone work? Wouldn't they pass out from heatstroke?
"That's interesting, but what's the purpose of this?" Rebecca muttered to herself.
"What's the matter? Is it some kinda superweapon?" Samuel asked.
"I'm not sure." Rebecca peered at the text flashing across the screen. "Surtur's processing power is beyond anything I've ever seen before. But I can't tell its purpose."
Johan blinked. "Sorry?"
"Every bit of processing power is being used for a single program—to calculate a single equation," Rebecca replied. "It explains the simple security. It's an unnecessary waste of energy."
"Why? What is Ymir trying to accomplish?" Johan asked, his tension intensifying threefold.
Countless numbers appeared on the screen—a mathematical equation far beyond anything Johan had ever seen. The endless scrolling text made his head spin.
"Beats me." Rebecca growled, throwing her hands up in frustration. "It's processing and collecting an insane amount of data, but I can't tell why."
"What a waste of a technological marvel! Why this single equation?" The hacker girl began pacing with frantic energy, a habit when she was worked up. She suddenly snapped her fingers, withdrawing a USB stick. After inserting it into Surtur, she tapped at some keys. Moments later, she returned the device to her pocket.
When her friends gave her questioning glances, Rebecca replied, wearing a satisfied smile. "I copied a small portion of the data being processed. It should provide some clues about what equation Surtur is working on."
"Good idea. Let's leave this heat already! Let's check the other labs next." Johan's shirt was soaked through with sweat, clinging to his skin uncomfortably. He couldn't imagine how bad they smelled. "They must have a computer with something of actual worth on it."
"How disappointing!" Samuel said as they left Surtur's computer room. Johan sighed in relief as they entered the cooler main hall. It was still hot, but it felt like a winter breeze compared to the inferno they'd just escaped. "They're just computing some math problem!"
"This lab looks more promising," Rebecca pointed to a door labeled Lab E. "I saw parts that looked like a Rangadriver."
After a quick key tab, the door swished open. Rebecca's hacking skills never ceased to amaze Johan. They spread across the room, examining each table surface. They found some Valkyrie weapons in various states of completion. What caught Johan's eye, however, were parts he recognized from Yareli's Rangadriver.
"Is this a belt?" While the parts were familiar, the layout seemed different. Johan examined what appeared to be a sword.
"What do we have here?" Rebecca broke into a nearby laptop, scanning through its files. After several moments of tapping, she found some blueprints. "They're exploring different designs to make the device less strenuous on the user."
Samuel smirked. "So they're floundering around in the dark, then?"
"So it seems." Rebecca tapped her chin, scrolling through the different projects Ymir was experimenting with. Most of them sounded fantastical, even by Ymir standards: an antimatter fusion drive, a counter-gravity generator, digitizing a human brain, and hard-light holograms. You couldn't accuse the company of not shooting for the stars.
"How interesting! They're expanding their teleportation experiment's scope. With a powerful enough relay tower to boost the signal, you could theoretically teleport anywhere on Earth!"
"Fascinating, Becca, but is there anything useful? Any dirt?" Samuel asked impatiently. With Yareli engaging the Valkyries, they might send someone into the lab to double-check its security.
"There isn't a folder labeled 'evil plan,' if that's what you're wondering. But I caught something." Rebecca grunted in annoyance. "They're building toward something. I'm finding reports of massive development of Angra Armlets."
"Really? What's the rush?" Johan asked, bristling with apprehension.
"Not sure, but they're assembling hundreds of them. President Wilson recently left a memo ordering increased production to fulfill a certain timetable. I found the word 'Ragnarök' mentioned once or twice." Johan instinctively swallowed, not liking the sound of that.
"Great, so there is a larger plot." Samuel scowled. "Is there anything you can do?"
"Actually, yes." Rebecca brightened. "I have a computer virus that will wipe out their system. Everything's probably backed up, no doubt, but it'll slow them down."
"Good idea. Burn everything!" Samuel beamed with a mischievous smile.
"You said they're producing Angra Armlets? Are they producing them here?" Johan asked. They found pieces of Angra Armlets scattered around the lab on work tables, but none seemed functional. Most appeared either in pieces or disrepair, but a few seemed halfway completed.
"Up in the main Sköll building. That's where they're being produced," Rebecca replied. "Would you believe we passed them without even realizing it? They're stored in those crates we saw earlier."
"Good. There's no time to waste." Johan said.
With Yareli still fighting for her life, she needed their help right away. It shouldn't be hard to break open a crate to steal one. They'd only been locked with a simple computerized lock. If only they'd examined them earlier! But they had been too occupied looking for this lab's entrance.
"Just let me insert the computer virus." Rebecca's hand reached for a side pocket on her still wrapped coat, but Samuel tackled her to the floor. Johan winced as a gun crackled, shattering Rebecca's workstation. Pieces of broken glass rained on their heads like sparkling confetti.
"I'm afraid I can't allow that. I've worked too hard to allow such interruptions." At the lab's door stood Valter Halvorsen, pistol in hand. From his picture, he seemed like an enormous man. In person, however, he was a proverbial giant.
"If you're wise, you'll surrender, whoever you are." An edge entered Halvorsen's voice. "I won't ask again."
Panic filled Johan as he remembered the scientist's military training. Despite his lengthy retirement, time clearly hadn't dulled his skills or physique. The man seemed pure muscle, his eyes shining with fierce, alert intelligence. From this position, it seemed unlikely the Jotnar could jump him. Halvorsen was waiting for them to attempt something stupid.
"Well?" Johan gave his friends a nervous glance.
"Do we have a choice?" Rebecca raised her hands in surrender. "Don't worry. I've got a plan. Let me do the talking."
Samuel shot her a skeptical look. "Will they even listen? Ymir killed the Boss without hesitation. They'll trample anyone in their way."
"I know. But trust me, okay?" Rebecca's voice was tense. "I've got a trick up my sleeve."
"That won't work!" Deep down, Johan knew it didn't matter how convincing Rebecca was. Ymir would kill them—or worse, use them against Yareli. Johan cursed under his breath. He still had his pistol, but it was no match for the scientist's superior training. He'd be dead before his weapon even tracked him.
Rebecca raised her voice, calling out over the counter. "You win! We surrender! Just don't shoot!"
"Rise up slowly. Any funny business and I'll shoot you dead. Don't think I won't." Halvorsen had a perfect line of sight. Johan considered running—splitting in different directions and praying for luck—but he refused to lose any more friends.
"If only I could transform," Johan thought, gripping his Uhyre Key in his pocket hard enough to make the metal squeal. Then, like lightning, a desperate idea struck. Risky, but it might work.
He gestured subtly at Samuel to run. His friend gave him a questioning look, unsure, but then nodded. He drew his weapon, face set with resolve.
"Please don't die," Johan whispered.
Samuel burst from cover, sprinting toward a nearby table, weapon raised. Halvorsen tracked him instantly.
"Rebecca—pull everything off the table!" Johan shouted.
"Wait, what?" she said, confused. But she obeyed. Johan winced as heavy equipment crashed onto his head. Gunshots rang out. Rebecca screamed. Samuel howled in pain.
"Are you okay?" Johan cried.
"I'm fine!" Rebecca's voice trembled. "It flew over me!"
"What the hell are you doing?" Halvorsen barked, still trying to piece it together.
Johan didn't answer. He clawed through the debris, praying his memory was right. Then—there! The Angra Armlet. Damaged, incomplete—but it was hope. As he reached for it, Halvorsen kicked the table. Johan hit the tiled floor hard—checkered green and white, he noted numbly. What an odd detail to notice at such a time.
Halvorsen loomed over him, gun pointed at his head.
"Looking for salvation in scrap? Foolish." His voice was cold.
Johan's eyes locked onto the armlet, just meters away. Close—but impossibly far with a gun to his skull.
"It's over. Surrender, or die," Halvorsen said.
Before Johan could speak, Rebecca screamed and hurled herself at the scientist. The impact knocked his gun aside. Halvorsen grunted and flung her away, but it was enough. Johan lunged for the armlet, strapping it to his arm.
Halvorsen narrowed his eyes. "You're going to use that? Reckless."
Johan ignored him. He slammed his boar etched Uhyre Key into place. "Terrorize!"
Sparks exploded, the device lighting up like fireworks. Agony ripped through him, the pain blinding and almost driving him to his knees. But then the pain stabilized. Laughter burst from his throat—deep, booming, monstrous. Dark fur spread over his skin. Muscles bulged. Tusked jaws curled into a smirk as he glared down at the now dwarfed. He'd grown a full meter taller than the scientist.
"I thought the shock might kill you," If Halvorsen was intimated by the hulking monster standing before him, he didn't show it. No, he seemed more amused than anything.
"You might want to surrender," Johan rumbled.
Instead, Halvorsen tossed his coat onto a chair and dropped into a fighting stance. What? He wanted to throw down with him? That was insane.
"Rebecca, get Samuel out of here," Johan said. She nodded and rushed to their wounded friend. Blood soaked his side, but he was alive. Halvorsen hadn't aimed to kill.
"They won't escape," Halvorsen said coolly. "Ilma will deal with them. You're brave, I'll give you that."
Halvorsen's large frame bent down, scooping up a half-finished Valkyrie sword from the floor. "But I'm not so easy to beat."
Johan charged. While he possessed no claws like Selim's demented spider form, his fists felt like sledgehammers. The power of his punch was incredible, like he could level a building with a single blow. He held back—just enough to avoid killing. He'd wound Halvorsen, then flee.
His punch arced toward the man's chest.
Halvorsen caught it.
With both hands.
"What—" Johan blinked.
"I never bought into Wilson's theories," Halvorsen said calmly. "Strength doesn't come from machines. It comes from within."
A brutal punch cracked into Johan's nose. Then a flurry of slashes drove him back, each lighting a fire on his chest. He stumbled back, his bulk smashing him through a table by accident. It shattered in a spray of splinters, but Johan's thick fur barely noticed it. He staggered upright, shaking his head.
"You held back," Halvorsen said, stepping forward. "Big mistake."
He raised the blade overhead, stance poised. "If you want to survive, monster—fight with everything you have."