Ethan stood on the deck, the freezing wind whipping his coat as he stared at the dark horizon. After a long, heavy silence, he turned to Jason with eyes that had turned as cold as the surrounding ice.

"Prepare everything. We're heading back. Bring those scientists and make sure they're secure. I want to know exactly what kind of shit is in those tanks and I want to know what it's for," Ethan said.

Jason nodded, signaling the men to begin the extraction. "What about the rest of the facility, Boss?" Jason said.

"Load everything useful onto the trucks. I want every piece of tech, every vial, and every scrap of data. But once we're clear, set fire to everything else. I want this village to disappear forever," Ethan said.

"Understood. We'll leave nothing but ash," Jason said.

Ethan had the two scientists dragged into a small, windowless shed near the docks. They were tied to wooden chairs, their lab coats stained with sweat and grime. Jason stood behind them, his shadow looming over the terrified men.

Ethan walked up to the first doctor and delivered a backhanded slap that sent the man's glasses flying across the room.

"I'm going to make this very simple. You aren't soldiers. You don't have genetic shields or high-tier armor. You're just meat," Ethan said.

"Please! We were just following orders! We're just researchers!" the scientist said.

Ethan leaned in close, his purple eyes glowing with a predatory light. "I don't care about your titles. You experiment on humans like they're livestock. So, here's the deal: you start talking, or I'll cut off your balls, fry them, and force-feed them to you before I let you bleed out in the snow," Ethan said.

The man's resolve shattered instantly. His lip trembled as he spilled everything. "The vials... the colored fluids in the tanks... they aren't weapons! They are concentrated nutrient serums. They're designed to keep the subjects in a state of stasis during the long transport to the Primary Laboratory. Without them, the cellular structure of the modified soldiers collapses during the journey!" the scientist said.

"And where is this Primary Laboratory?" Ethan said.

"I don't know the exact coordinates! It's deep in the interior, shielded by a permanent blizzard. Only the Commanders like Boris have the navigational keys!" the scientist said.

Ethan signaled to Jason to haul them away. "Throw them in the truck. They might be useful for parts later," Ethan said.

As the men were dragged out, Ethan stepped into the cold air to find Kira and the Great Bear waiting by the edge of the woods. The massive beast stood like a statue of black obsidian.

"The village is ready to burn, Kira. You're free now. The Scavengers won't be coming back here for a long time. You could come with me... my territory is safe, and you'd have everything you need," Ethan said.

Kira looked at the Great Bear, then back at Ethan with a mixture of gratitude and sadness.

"I would like to follow you, Ethan. My heart says I should go where the light is strong. But the Ancestor... the Great Guardian has spoken to me. He has asked me to follow him into the deep mountains. I do not know what awaits us there, but I cannot abandon the Great Spirit of my people. My path lies with him," Kira said.

Ethan nodded slowly, respecting the ancient bond. "I understand. If you ever need me, or if the mountains become too cold, you know how to find me," Ethan said.

Jason approached, handing a small black device to Ethan. "Everything is set, Boss. The ship, the labs, the barracks... all soaked in fuel," Jason said.

Ethan climbed into the passenger seat of his armored SUV. He looked out the window at the village, then at the girl and the bear standing at the tree line. Without a word, he pressed the detonator.

BOOM.

A series of muffled thuds echoed through the valley, followed by a roaring wall of orange flame consumed the icebreaker and the village in a single roar of heat.

The dry wood and chemical stores ignited instantly, sending a massive pillar of black smoke into the Arctic sky. The heat was so intense it began to melt the permafrost, turning the ground into a muddy graveyard.

The Great Bear let out a low, mournful rumble as it watched the fire, but Kira remained silent, her face illuminated by the flickering embers.

Ethan's convoy accelerated, the tires throwing up slush as they sped away from the destruction. In the rearview mirror, he saw Kira and the Bear turn and vanish into the mountain mist. Neither side looked back.

As the convoy rumbled across the desolate, frozen landscape, Ethan leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. The image of Boris's impenetrable frost barrier was still vivid in his mind.

"Crul, put all your efforts into penetrating Parthenon's digital defenses. I need to know their next move before they even make it. We need to know when and where they will strike back," Ethan said.

[Understood, Master. During the last incursion at the docks, I managed to hijack a direct uplink from the Scavengers' local terminal. This allowed me to bypass their primary firewalls and enter their regional database. I have successfully mapped the locations of six satellite facilities,] said Crul.

A digital map projected itself onto the windshield of the SUV, highlighting six pulsing red icons scattered across the region.

[These sites are high-probability holding centers. Based on the thermal signatures and logistical data I've intercepted, they are likely housing more kidnapped civilians and low-tier experimental subjects. I have scanned all surrounding security feeds; the protection levels at these sites are significantly weaker than the harbor. They would be easy prey,] said Crul.

Ethan looked at the map, his eyes tracing the path. Every single one of those facilities was conveniently located along their route back to the main headquarters. A predatory smile spread across his face.

"So, they're just sitting there waiting for us," Ethan said.

He reached for the intercom, his voice booming through every vehicle in the convoy and the cockpits of the hovering helicopters.

"Change of plans, team. We aren't just going home. We're going on a scavenger hunt. I've marked six enemy waypoints on your GPS. We are going to hit every single one of them. Kill the guards, secure the prisoners, and burn the buildings to the ground. I want Parthenon to wake up and realize they no longer own this territory," Ethan said.

"Copy that, Boss! We were hoping for a little more target practice before the weekend," Jason said.

The lead vehicles veered off the main road, their heavy tires carving new paths through the deep snow. The Helicopters banked in the sky, speeding ahead to provide aerial reconnaissance for the first strike. Ethan watched the first red icon on his screen grow closer.

"If Boris wants to hide behind a blizzard, he can watch his empire crumble from the inside," Ethan said.

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