{Chapter: 43 - The Base Of 'Division'}
Aiden didn't immediately devour Nick's telekinetic ability.
He stood in still silence, unmoving as the others discussed their plan, the quiet weight of his own power humming beneath his skin. He had just absorbed two of the most potent psionic abilities in this plane—Pusher and Mover—and even for someone like him, who thrived on dominance and raw strength, this was too much for him not to mention the Sniff ability he got a few hours ago.
The last thing he wanted was to become unstable again.
He still remembered the earlier surge, how the abilities had nearly run wild inside him, overwhelming his senses like a storm tearing through body. That moment of near-loss had taught him a valuable lesson—true power wasn't just about strength. It was about discipline. Precision.
Patience.
For now, Nick's gift would have to wait.
---
The journey to the United States wasn't as straightforward as hopping on a commercial flight. They had no passports, no identification, and three of them were fugitives—wanted and hunted by one of the most powerful underground organizations in the world.
But Aiden had something better than documents—he had telepathy.
With a casual glance, a subtle Move, and a planted memories, he wove through airport security like a shadow. Their faces were known the moment people looked at them. Flight attendants nodded at them instinctively. Ticketing agents smiled as they passed by.
To them, Aiden was just another businessman, traveling with colleagues. No questions asked.
The others followed his lead, half in awe, half in fear.
"He just made a guard greet us as if we are royalty," Kira whispered to Cassie as they boarded the plane.
Cassie glanced at Aiden's back, then whispered, "What even is he…?"
---
They arrived after nearly twenty hours of flight, layovers, and navigating across borders like ghosts. The world outside hadn't changed, but everything inside them had.
They were no longer survivors. They were invaders.
The Division's main research base loomed before them—a sleek fortress hidden in plain sight, tucked behind layers of government bureaucracy and invisible protocols. If you weren't looking for it, you'd never know what kind of horrors were being done inside.
From across the street, the facility looked unassuming—glass windows, concrete walls, minimal movement.
But Kira knew better.
"There," she said, pointing from their vantage point on the rooftop of an adjacent building. "Behind those security gates. Don't be fooled—this is no normal lab. I escaped from here once. They have at least a dozen gifted inside, not counting guards, tech support, or surveillance."
Aiden studied the compound with a calm expression.
'Twelve enhanced individuals, give or take…' he mused silently. 'Not ideal. I've barely adjusted to the powers I consumed yesterday. Absorbing too many more, too fast, could risk destabilizing the system.'
Still, his gaze locked onto the building with purpose.
'So many superpowered people? It's just been a day's time since I took two strong abilities. And It's a bit of a hassle to devour so many abilities in just two days.
'I don't need to devour everyone today. With the gene potion in hand, I can come back. Absorbing duplicates can be used to strengthen the abilities I already have—or even provide energy to fuel system upgrades.'
He turned to the others.
"The so-called 'heavily guarded and fortified' is meaningless to me. You can follow me… but stay alert. Protect yourselves. I won't be babysitting."
Nick tightened the straps on his backpack and nodded. "Understood."
Cassie's heart pounded. She was still struggling to believe they were doing this. "No turning back now…"
Kira clenched her jaw. "Let's finish what we started."
---
As they approached the main gate, Aiden raised his hand, almost lazily, and pressed it against the steel-reinforced door he push the door with his super strength.
With a low, guttural groan, the metal trembled. Bolts cracked. Hinges screamed.
And then—it ripped clean off, soaring backward and crashing into the concrete like a meteor.
Alarms blared. Red lights flared to life. Motion sensors activated. Within seconds, a squad of fully armed guards rushed in—shouting, aiming, ready to kill.
But their weapons never fired.
Before the first trigger was pulled, their rifles jerked violently from their hands and floated midair, disassembled in a blink. Screws, magazines, barrels—scattered like confetti.
Aiden stepped forward, his eyes glowing faintly.
The guards staggered, clutching their heads. Their thoughts began unraveling. Memories, commands, instincts—shattered. The guards then felt a bit of a headache. Then came silence, as each one collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
Aiden stood in the middle of the corridor, barely winded.
"This was done using his newly gained Telepathy and Telekinesis. "They're quit refined. Efficient."
He turned his head without looking back. "Kira. Lead me to the research wing—where they keep the gene potion. The original batch, and the formula."
Kira moved up beside him, nodding. "Follow me."
He then addressed the others, voice calm but sharp.
"Cassie, Nick—you two go free the prisoners. Start with her mother. Nick, keep your telekinetic shield active at all times. You'll need it."
"What about you?" Nick asked.
Aiden's smile was cold.
"I'll be busy collecting what's mine."
---
As Aiden and Kira progressed deeper into the heart of the Division facility, resistance grew fiercer. Corridors buzzed with movement. Panic spread among staff and security.
They encountered gifted defenders—They encountered many armed guards and people with abilities along the way.
But it didn't matter.
Aiden cut through them like a reaper.
One soldier tried to drop a stun grenade. Aiden stopped it mid-air with his mind and turned it inside out, sending the blast back into the team.
Another attacker tried to delete his memories. A Wiper Aiden quickly crushed his head into a wall with a single push, leaving him drooling on the floor.
And as each one fell, Aiden absorbed what he could—cautiously. As he will need this power soon!
---
By the time they reached the sealed vault marked GENE DEVELOPMENT WING, Kira's breath came in sharp.
Aiden, looked as calm and composed as ever, as if he'd just taken a peaceful stroll through a park. Not a single drop of blood marred his outfit, and the faint ember-glow still flickering across his skin gave him a godlike aura.
"We're here," Kira panted, pointing to the massive reinforced door in front of them. "Behind that door is where the formula is developed. The simulations, the gene modifications, the failed and successful tests—all of it happens there. The scientists work behind that reinforced glass lab."
Suddenly, a voice rang out with military precision.
"Stop right there!"
Six agents, each clearly enhanced with some form of supernatural ability, stepped into the hallway, their stances ready for combat. These six people standing guard who probably had powers.
Aiden didn't even blink.
In the same instant the guards prepared to lunge forward, Aiden raised his hand and activated his Telekinesis. Invisible force gripped each of them. They floated helplessly in the air, thrashing wildly as their bodies were jerked toward the steel vault door. One after another, he smashed their heads against the reinforced steel with terrifying force and precision.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
The sound echoed in the corridor until all six fell to the ground unconscious, leaving behind an eerie silence.
The abilities of these people would appear to be too strong for ordinary people and they would seem invincible. However, they can still be defeated by experienced fighters with fast reaction speed who can catch them faster then they could react...
"They weren't much of a challenge," Aiden muttered, stepping forward. He turned back to Kira. "Stay behind me. This next part is important."
Aiden's body began to radiate intense heat, his skin igniting into Flame Mode. Flames danced around his arms and shoulders, gathering into a sphere of molten energy.
With a calm breath, he unleashed a searing blast of flame against the vault door. The metal groaned, bubbled, then melted in a tide of glowing orange. In seconds, the impenetrable vault was nothing more than a glowing puddle of slag.
After entering, Aiden saw three scientists who had gone unconscious as soon as he step inside using telepathy. He walked in slowly, eyes scanning every surface.
Rows of monitors displayed DNA sequences and chemical simulations. Vials containing glowing blue liquids were neatly arranged along a metallic workbench. Near the center of the lab, a biometric safe had already been pried open—likely in a panic—revealing a small, heavily sealed case.
Aiden grabbed the case, opened it, and carefully removed two key items: a vial marked GENE: MASTER PROTOTYPE and a datapad containing the formula. He placed both securely into his inventory.
"We did it," Kira whispered. "That's it... the real thing. The original."
Aiden turned to her.
"Now comes your part."
Kira's expression tensed, and she looked away briefly. "You're going to devour my ability now, right?"
He stepped forward and gently placed a hand on her head. "No," he said softly.
Instead of draining her power, Aiden used his combined abilities of Wiper and Pusher to gently ease into her mind. He searched for emotional triggers, memories tied to loyalty, moments of fear, hope, trust. Then he began sculpting those thoughts, slowly instilling absolute trust and devotion toward himself.
He didn't forget to delete any memory related Nick and replaced himself in those memories.
It was delicate work. The mind was not something to be recklessly controlled, especially for a first-time attempt at deep emotional rewiring.
He instilled feelings of trust and absolute loyalty towards himself using his telepathy, since this was his first time doing something like manipulating the mind, he was extra careful..
Fifteen minutes later, Kira's pupils dilated for a moment, turned pitch black, then returned to normal.
As one of the female protagonists, Kira's body and appearance were really good. Even though doing something like this made him feel awkward, he decided to proceed. He wanted to transform her into his own maid, who would manage the Division in his stead when he returned to the Marvel Plane.
Aiden let go of his hand, and Kira's expression changed slightly. Looking towards her, he could see that her eyes were now filled with reverence for him..
She blinked, then she said in reverence.
"Command me, Master."
Her voice was soft but unwavering.
Aiden stepped back, pleased with the result. "You will manage this facility in my absence. Root out any resistance. And... grab every ounce of cash and precious material you can find."
"Yes, Sir."
Kira turned on her heel and left immediately.
Aiden wandered deeper into the complex and eventually found Nick, Cassie, and Cassie's mother. They were surrounded by the broken remains of a cell and two unconscious guards.
"You did it," Nick said. "Is it over?"
"Almost. Now it's your turn."
Cassie looked up at him, eyes wide with trust. "You're going to take our powers?"
"Yes. But I'll also give you something in return: freedom, and a clean slate."
Nick hesitated. "And Kira?"
"She's gone," Aiden lied. "She took her chance and disappeared."
Without waiting for further questions, Aiden placed his hand on Nick's head and activated Devour. The Telekinesis flowed into him, strengthening his already formidable mastery of the ability. A few memory adjustments followed—Nick now remembered nothing of course he didn't forget to delete any and all memories of Kira just in case.
He did the same with Cassie's mother, absorbing her clairvoyance. Then finally her daughter, who's memories were now modified.
He left each of them with a small stash of cash and made sure they remembered nothing of Kira after all, now she was his.
Outside the base, the three of them walked off toward freedom, their burdens lighter, their pasts muddied, but their futures open.
Back inside, Aiden stood in the central lab chamber. The entire Division base was now his.
Only two days remained. Two days to bring all the superpowered agents are loyal to him.
And he still had one last target to find.
The Pop Girl.
The chase wasn't over.
Not yet.