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[Color=silver]“Don't cower now! Finish what you started!”[/color] Viktor wanted nothing more for Warp or Elio to make the wrong move. All Viktor was looking for was more justification to inflict as much harm as he could on the two teens from the youth center.

Kila meanwhile, had finally gotten back up to his feet and surveyed the room. It seemed that just after the defeat of Aleen’a’s opponent, the lights of the place turned back on. Now that it was much clearer, the young lion saw the carnage; unconscious and barely conscious bodies strewn across the battlefield. Friend and foe licking their wounds. Although more of his allies were standing, it didn’t feel like they had won.

Regardless, the saving grace was that at least some of the missing teens were found. Though, that was when Kila finally acknowledged that Viktor had entered the room. The man himself had surely seen better days as, without his helmet, his head could be seen. The veins popping across his head, and the anger that twisted in his expression. 

Something did not seem right, even with the understanding that Alisa had been ‘disassembled’. Usually, Rain was more robotic than their android friend was, but clearly, he wasn’t thinking rationally. Perhaps there was more underneath the shell that he put up, a connection made that was more than just a teammate— a friend had been lost. Having endured similarly terrible circumstances, Kila could reconcile the state he was in.

Taking several steps to place himself between Viktor and the teens, Kila raised his hands. 

[color=goldenrod]“Alright, Rain. That’s enough. The battle is over.”[/color] It was a troubling sign when Viktor stared at Kila with an unaltered expression. His jaw then clenched in response to the obstacle Kila placed in his path.

[Color=silver]“It's not enough! Move or get moved!”[/color] Viktor proceeded forward, but not without addressing the kidnapped teens. [color=silver]“Don't you want to avenge Riley?! Aren't you wondering what happened to him?!”[/color] There was a sadistic look that crossed Viktor's face.

Kila remained steadfast, maintaining his path in front of him. [color=goldenrod]“What are you talking about…?”[/color] The expression that Viktor wore was met with one becoming increasingly tense. Studying him, easily there was something off, more than he initially anticipated. Kassy said he was fine, but whatever happened down there implied the opposite. Something about his demeanor seemed like it was different from an ordinary rage. 

That name didn’t belong to one of the team members that had departed, that much he remembered. However, Viktor almost looked…deviously pleased? As though what he said was referring to someone who…That was when it seemed to click with the off behavior. Viktor stopped his advance when the distance between the two was too close to take another step.

[color=goldenrod]“What…what did [i]you[/i] do?”[/color]

[Color=silver]“[I][b]I[/b][/I] did what was necessary. He was in the way…”[/color] Viktor scowled at Kila, his anger rising with his teammates’ defiance against him. [Color=silver]“Just like you are!”[/color] Viktor reached out to grab Kila by the shirt to shove him aside. Yet, Kila grabbed him by the wrist as he himself was grabbed, unintimidated.

Although Viktor had used the reasoning of ‘doing what was necessary’ before, clearly, something else was at play. Despite appearing somewhat uninjured, his suit was disfigured on his form…almost like he’d outgrown it. Combining this with his current hyper-aggressive state of mind pointed to the idea that there perhaps was a chemical agent he was exposed to. Regardless, allowing him this vengeance likely wouldn’t calm him, and ultimately would result in a failure of their team’s purpose. [color=goldenrod][i]Juuma…[/i][/color]

[color=goldenrod]“They are no longer trying to fight back; their captors have been beaten. You take this dishonorable revenge, you’ll lose everything…”[/color] Kila used his free hand to gesture to them behind him without breaking eye contact. Viktor had been just about to push Kila away. He felt he could do it with ease with the drug pumping through his veins. Nothing could stop him, or so he thought. Convincing him would be difficult, the Meta was aware. However, Kila took note of the only other thing that seemed to rouse Viktor's emotions. Or rather, person…

[color=goldenrod]“Do you think this is what Alisa would want to be aware of [i]when[/i] she [i]returns[/i]? To find out that you lost control of yourself and mutilated the very teens we’ve come to rescue? That you were willing to fight your own squadmates to do it?”[/color]

[Color=silver]“But they….”[/color] Viktor grit his teeth as he flexed his arm on Kila, but he didn't budge him. The young man who had always found himself certain, even when he may have been wrong was now conflicted. The same thing he had ridiculed Talon for… the same thing he felt made him better too. [Color=silver]“Move… Please… DON'T MAKE ME HURT YOU! THEY DESERVE THIS FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO HER! I…”[/color] His face lowered and his outstretched arm went heavy as he let go of Kila. [Color=silver]“I just… I just don't know what else to do.”[/color]

[color=goldenrod]“We finish the mission the right way, no matter how much it hurts in the moment. We will find the ones [i]truly[/i] responsible, and bring them to justice. And we remember, at least in her case, Cybergirl is not gone forever. What you do now, determines whether you will be there to welcome her home.”[/color] Kila’s voice took on a calmer, to even gentle, tone the longer he spoke. He let go of Viktor’s arm as well, though cautiously aware of any rash action he might take. From his synopsis, the Meta came to the conclusion that this may very well have been the first time Viktor lost someone he cared about. 

[color=goldenrod]“For now, we need to check our wounded, and make contact with the league.”[/color]

[Color=silver]“Affirmative.”[/color] Viktor's voice was low as he spoke. He dared not look at the teens behind Kila, not wanting the sight of them to trigger him. In the short term, he might have preferred the rage over the dejection but he knew Kila was right. If he gave into his anger, the regret he might feel when he faced Alisa again would likely be everlasting. Finally turning away, Viktor walked from Kila to what was left of Alisa. As he stared down at her, he wiped at something unmistakably wet rolling down his face. [Color=silver]“Let's finish this so we can all go home.”[/color]