Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 184: Delivering The Plant

Chapter 184: Delivering The Plant

The buzz about the situation on Demetra was spreading like wildfire.

Caspian, always ahead of the game, was privy to details most in the Alliance didn’t have. Still, by that time, Morrison had already boarded a ship, clutching the level-nine strength-enhancing plant like his life depended on it.

"Could something have happened to Lyra?" Caspian wondered aloud, making his way home to ask his sister, Leona. But when he arrived, she was drowning in work.

"You’ve got time for questions? How about helping me deal with the military instead?" she snapped, clearly at her wit’s end.

They’d been badgering her nonstop for funds, and it was wearing her down.

Every major battle seemed to trigger the same old fight—military versus finance. Before a battle, they demanded supplies; afterward, they demanded compensation for the injured. The constant tug-of-war was driving Leona up the wall.

Caspian raised his hands in surrender. "Yeah, that’s a hard pass. I’ve got zero interest in that stuff." He had no taste for politics. His world was money, not government hassles.

Leona shot him a look of pure frustration. If only her "useless" little brother had a bit more ambition, their father wouldn’t have shoved all this responsibility onto her.

Still, after a deep breath, she filled him in. "Lyra? She killed Blackheart. And not only that, she took on Broken Blade and left her seriously injured. That’s a major win for her."

Caspian, lounging back with his cup of tea, nearly choked. "She’s that strong?" He clicked his tongue, letting it sink in. "Man, she must’ve been holding back during her AMAT days."

"Exactly," Leona said, nodding. "Even the military higher-ups were caught off guard by what she pulled off."

Caspian leaned back, thinking aloud, "Right now, she might still need me for business, but in a few years? I could be the one chasing her for favors."

Leona smirked. "Don’t count on it. She’s badly hurt from this fight, and Ansel’s still locked in a power struggle with Leandro over who gets to oversee the interns."

Suddenly, Caspian’s mind flashed to Morrison, hastily heading off with the rare level-nine plant.

If only he’d known sooner... He quickly shook off the thought. Sure, he was all about making money, but he wasn’t heartless. Plus, keeping Lyra alive was way more profitable than the alternative.

Meanwhile, Morrison was on a medical supply ship bound for Demetra, a grueling five-day non-stop journey through various space stations. But instead of heading straight for the military base when he landed, he made his way to Lightwell City, a nearby hub.

After a little digging, he managed to get Thierry’s number from Mandy and gave him a ring. "Mr. Whyte? Morrison here. I’m Lyra’s assistant. I’m in Lightwell—could we meet up?"

Zinnia might’ve been the closer contact, but Thierry, with Whyte as his surname, had a more solid reputation, and Morrison needed someone he could trust in this tricky situation.

Thierry, who had met him a few times, didn’t hesitate. "Let me get clearance to step out."

However, with Lyra still stuck inside that elastic metal egg, Thierry hesitated for a moment. He decided to loop Zinnia and the others in, using the excuse of needing to shop for supplies, and he was granted leave without issue.

Zinnia, on the other hand, was far from pleased. "Shopping? Are you serious right now? I’m barely hanging on over here," she grumbled, looking visibly drained after days of circling the metal egg where Lyra was trapped. "She’s still stuck in that thing, and we don’t even know if she’s alive."

Vikie tried to keep her calm. "C’mon, let’s head out. Maybe we’ll pick up a clue or something."

Helion, hands jammed in his pockets, shot a glance at Thierry, who had been unusually quiet this whole time. Based on what he knew, Thierry wasn’t the type to get sidetracked during critical moments.

With everyone wrapped up in their own thoughts, they followed Thierry to the meetup spot, where Morrison was waiting.

Seeing the whole squad show up, Morrison frowned slightly. This might get complicated.

Thierry quickly stepped forward, reassuring Morrison, "We’re all friends of Lyra’s, sir. There’s no need to be concerned about us."

Zinnia, the most familiar with Morrison, wasted no time. She grabbed him by the arm and, with a sense of urgency, asked, "Do you have a way to save Lyra?"

"I do," Morrison replied, his voice steady, "but I’ll need your help to get in touch with her first."

The entire group fell silent, the weight of the situation settling in. They knew they were in for a fight.

Meanwhile, not too far away, a man was watching their every move through binoculars. He immediately reported back, "Sir, someone from Elden Prime just arrived, and it looks like they’re working to save Miss Lyra."

In his office, Ansel leaned back with a cold smirk when he heard the news. "I knew those kids weren’t just going out shopping for fun." He then barked his orders, "Stay close, and wait for the right moment. Let’s see if the little dog Lyra raised brought anything useful."

Morrison had originally planned to deliver the treatment directly to Lyra. However, there was one major issue—civilians weren’t allowed inside the military base without top-tier authorization.

Zinnia, thinking on her feet, suggested, "Why don’t we talk to Leandro? He’s the one in charge of the base."

"That could work," Morrison nodded, appreciating the suggestion.

Thierry quickly reached out to Leandro’s adjutant, explaining that Lyra’s team had arrived with a special medicine that could save her.

Before long, they were granted permission to enter the base. Their hearts lifted as they rushed toward the base’s gates.

But just as they neared the edge of the city, a sudden and violent superpower attack blindsided them.

Their attackers were heavily cloaked, but Thierry recognized the energy immediately. "It’s Vice Admiral Shedd’s people!" he shouted, gritting his teeth.

"Dammit!" he cursed, his frustration clear.

Without hesitation, one of the assailants targeted Morrison directly.

Reacting quickly, Morrison conjured a mist-like substance in his hand, which solidified into a shield.

But the attacker, an Aerokinesis Peculiar, was lightning-fast. In the blink of an eye, he flanked Morrison, snatching the Space Button from his neck.

Morrison’s face drained of color as he realized what had just happened. Instantly, the mist in his hand shifted, transforming into a whip that lashed out at the attacker.

Meanwhile, Thierry and the rest of the group jumped in to help, but the level-seven Peculiar unleashed a blast of wind so strong it sent them sprawling to the ground.

In a flash, the attacker was gone, racing toward the military base.

Morrison scrambled to his feet and gave chase, but he was too late. The intruder had already slipped inside the heavily guarded base.

Frustrated, Morrison kicked a nearby rock, his anger boiling over.

Back at the military base, Ansel watched the chaos unfold through the surveillance cameras, a twisted grin spreading across his face.

Everything was falling into place just as he had anticipated.

Zinnia, tears brimming in her eyes, turned to Morrison, her voice shaky. "What do we do now, Mr. Morrison?"

Disheveled from the scuffle, Morrison plopped down on a large rock just outside the base. "Give me a second to think..." he muttered. Then, his eyes sharpened. "For now, get someone from the base to guide us inside."

The team quickly moved to follow his instructions. While they scrambled, Morrison discreetly pulled out his opticomputer and typed a message. All the while, drones overhead slowly drifted out of sight.

A few minutes later, Leandro’s adjutant arrived, surprised by the tense atmosphere. "What happened here?" he asked, his brows furrowed.

Zinnia was about to explain, but Morrison, glancing at his watch, cut her off. "It’s about time," he said cryptically.

Right on cue, a young courier jogged up, holding a box. "Mr. Morrison, your package. Please sign for it."

Morrison calmly handed the courier a fat tip from his wallet. "Thanks."

Turning back to the stunned group, he flashed a grin. "I didn’t underestimate Vice Admiral Shedd’s dirty tricks."

Before even leaving the ship, Morrison had taken precautions, arranging for the plant to be shipped directly to the base.

He knew someone like Ansel would be monitoring them like a hawk, so he had to think several steps ahead to outsmart him. And it worked.

When they finally arrived at the giant metallic sphere that had trapped Lyra, Morrison’s emotions were all over the place.

Seeing her like this, reduced to being imprisoned in this massive metal structure, felt surreal.

He took a deep breath and called out, "Boss, I’ve brought the medicine."

The metallic shell began to crack open slowly, a thick, metallic scent of blood filling the air.