American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

"Six minutes until the explosion."

Martin gritted his teeth. "We don't have time to save everyone, but we can at least save the few with the strongest vital signs. Besides, we need to survive to stop the doctor's associates from continuing the experiments."

Although Lynn was unwilling, she knew this was the best option at the moment. "Alright, let's do it."

"Impossible!" the doctor cried frantically. "The ice here is tens of meters thick; you simply cannot..."

But his words were interrupted by Martin's actions. Martin closed his eyes and began to concentrate all his mental power. He could feel the presence of the seawater deep beneath his feet; it was the source of his power.

“I need your help,” Martin said to Lynn. “Go to the biological lab and bring over the victims with the strongest vital signs. I need time to open the passage.”

Lynn acted immediately, rushing out of the control room and running quickly towards the biological laboratory. There, he quickly assessed the condition of the victims, selected three relatively healthy individuals, and transferred them to the vicinity of the control room using emergency stretchers.

"Four minutes until the explosion."

Martin had begun the most difficult use of his abilities of his life. He extended his consciousness deep underground, sensing the structure and thickness of the ice. Then, he began to influence the ice's structure at the molecular level, causing it to gradually melt.

“It’s too deep,” Martin said painfully, sweat dripping from his forehead. “The ice is thicker than I thought.”

Seeing Martin's efforts, the doctor's face showed a mocking expression. "Foolish fellow, do you think you can melt a layer of ice tens of meters thick all by yourself?"

But Martin didn't give up. He mobilized every ounce of strength within him, even beginning to overdraw his own life force. With his efforts, cracks began to appear in the ground, and water seeped up from deep within.

"It's working!" Lynn said excitedly.

"Two minutes until the explosion."

Martin's face turned deathly pale, but he gritted his teeth and persevered. Suddenly, a tremendous cracking sound came from the ground, and a hole about two meters in diameter appeared, from which dark seawater surged up.

"It's a success!" Lynn was overjoyed.

“Quick!” Martin said weakly, “Take the victims with you, we must get in the water immediately.”

Lynn quickly secured the three victims together, then jumped into the icy seawater with Martin.

"One minute until the explosion."

The seawater was terrifyingly cold, almost instantly rendering people unconscious. But with his last bit of strength, Martin created a relatively warm current in the water, enveloping Lynn and the victims.

“Upstream!” Martin said with his last breath. “As far away from the base as possible!”

The four men swam desperately upwards in the dark water. Although Martin was extremely weak, he still managed to maintain a protective current.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven"

The countdown sounds faded underwater, but the power of the explosion was real. A massive explosion came from the depths, and a powerful shockwave traveled through the water, nearly scattering the four people.

The entire Arctic Station 2 was reduced to ruins in the explosion, and a massive fireball illuminated the Arctic night sky. Dr. Viktor Kuznetsov and his evil laboratory vanished in the blast.

When Lynn and Martin brought the three victims to the surface, they found only ruins. The former research station had completely vanished, leaving only a huge crater and scattered building fragments.

"Did we succeed?" Martin asked weakly.

“Yes,” Lynn answered as he swam, “we stopped that madman, though at a great cost.”

In the frigid Arctic, the four men endured nearly half an hour in the seawater until a Canadian military rescue helicopter arrived. Major McDonald could hardly believe his eyes when he saw them.

“My God, how did you guys survive?” McDonald asked.

“It’s a long story,” Lynn replied wearily. “Let’s save them first, we can talk about the rest when we get back.”

On the way back to Barrow, Lynn reported the situation to FBI headquarters via satellite phone. Deputy Director McLaren, upon hearing the report, felt both relieved and regretful.

“You successfully destroyed the base and rescued the victims, which is a huge victory,” McLaren said. “But the doctor’s death means we’ve lost the opportunity to obtain more information.”

“Yes,” Lynn replied somberly, “and according to what the doctor said before his death, his research data has been transferred to other places. This terrorist organization may have other branches.”

“We will continue our investigation,” McLaren assured him. “You have done more than enough.”

Upon returning to Barrow, the three rescued victims were rushed to the hospital. Although their conditions were unstable, they were at least alive and had hope of recovery.

Emily was moved to tears when she saw Lynn and Martin return safely. "You really did it," she said, her voice choked with emotion. "Although the price was high, justice ultimately triumphed over evil."

Martin needs a long period of rest and treatment due to overuse of his abilities. However, he is in good spirits because he knows he has participated in a meaningful battle.

“It’s certainly a pity we couldn’t capture the doctor alive and bring him to justice,” Martin said, lying on the medical bed, “but at least we prevented more innocent people from being harmed.”

Lynn nodded. "Yes, and we've obtained a lot of evidence and data, which will help us track down other members of this organization."

A few days later, as the team prepared to leave Alaska, the local Inuit people held a simple ceremony to express their gratitude. The old hunter, Amak, spoke on behalf of the local residents:

"While we don't fully understand what you did in the Arctic Ocean, we know you stopped the forces of evil. This land thanks you for your courage and sacrifice."

On the plane back to New York, Lynn gazed at the sea of ​​clouds outside the window, his emotions a jumble. They had indeed won, destroying a dangerous bioterrorism organization and rescuing some victims. But at the same time, they had lost the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the organization's network. "What are you thinking about?" Emily asked, sitting next to him.

“I think this is just the beginning,” Lynn replied. “There are probably other madmen like the Doctor in the world, and other innocent people who need our protection.”

Emily grasped Lynn's hand. "Then let's keep fighting. As long as there are people who need help, there will always be heroes who step forward."

Three weeks later, Lynn Hall stood on the balcony of his Upper East Side apartment in Manhattan, a freshly brewed cup of coffee in hand, gazing at the bustling streets below. After that harrowing mission in the Arctic, this peaceful urban life felt all the more precious. Sunlight filtered through the thin clouds, warm and comforting his face, a stark contrast to the biting Arctic winds.

It was 10 a.m., and normally he would have been busy at FBI headquarters for several hours by then. But now, he could leisurely enjoy his coffee, observe the rushing commuters downstairs, and feel a long-lost tranquility.

Yesterday afternoon, Deputy Director McLaren personally called him.

“Lynn,” McLaren’s voice sounded much more relaxed than usual, “given your outstanding performance on the Arctic mission and the intense work of the past few months, headquarters has decided to grant you a two-week paid leave.”

"Half a month?" Lynn was somewhat surprised. "Deputy Director, isn't that too long? There's still a lot of follow-up work to be done."

“Someone else will take over these tasks,” McLaren interrupted him. “You need to rest. I’ve already read the reports from the Arctic mission; you’ve all been under tremendous physical and mental stress. Martin is still recovering, and you need time to adjust.”

“And what about Miss Emily?” Lynn inquired. “What about her safety?”

“It’s all arranged,” McLaren replied. “Although Dr. Viktor Kuznetsov is dead, according to our intelligence, his organization does indeed have other branches. However, Miss Emily is no longer their primary target. We’ve arranged a new identity and residence for her, and she is safe now.”

After hanging up the phone, Lynn felt a long-lost sense of relief. Since taking on this case, he had hardly had a real rest. Every day was filled with tense investigations, pursuits, and battles, keeping his mind constantly on high alert. Now he could finally let go of everything and get some rest.

Lynn returned to the living room from the balcony and began to think about how to spend his two-week vacation. His apartment wasn't large, but it was cozyly decorated. The living room had a comfortable sofa and coffee table, landscape paintings on the walls, and various books on the bookshelves. This was his haven, the only place where he could truly relax after a busy day at work.

The phone rang suddenly, interrupting his thoughts. He saw the caller ID: Emily.

“Good morning, Agent Lynn,” Emily’s voice sounded cheerful. “No, I should call you Mr. Lynn now, since you’re on vacation.”

Lynn smiled. "Good morning, Emily. You sound like you're in a good mood."

“Yes, I’ve been feeling much better since moving to the new apartment,” Emily said. “And I heard you got a vacation too?”

“Yes, half a month,” Lynn replied. “To be honest, I haven’t figured out how to spend this time yet.”

“That’s wonderful!” Emily exclaimed excitedly. “I was just about to discuss something with you. Would you be interested in going on vacation together?”

The suggestion surprised Lynn. Although he and Emily had developed a deep friendship during the mission, he was still taken aback by her suggestion to go on vacation together.

"A vacation together?" Lynn repeated. "What are your thoughts?"

“I’ve been wanting to relax by the sea,” Emily said. “After everything that’s happened, I feel like I need some sunshine and seawater to heal my soul. What do you think of Hawaii?”

Hawaii. Lynn imagined the blue skies, white clouds, turquoise seas, golden sands, and warm sunshine there. Indeed, after the harshness and dangers of the Arctic, nothing was more relaxing than a tropical island.

“Hawaii sounds nice,” Lynn said, “but are you sure you want to come with me? I mean, maybe you’d prefer to go with your friends.”

“Lynn,” Emily’s voice became serious, “without you, I might not be alive today. You not only saved my life, but you also protected me through the most difficult time. I want to go on vacation with you; that’s the truth.”

Lynn was moved by Emily's sincerity. Indeed, during this mission, they had faced life-or-death situations and forged a bond that went beyond ordinary friendship.

“Okay,” Lynn decided, “I agree. But we need to plan ahead and choose the right place and time.”

"That's wonderful!" Emily exclaimed excitedly. "I'll come find you right away, and we can plan our trip together."

An hour later, Emily arrived at Lynn's apartment. She looked much healthier than when she was in the Arctic, with a rosy complexion and a renewed sparkle in her eyes. She wore a light blue dress and looked fresh and natural.

“Your apartment is very nice,” Emily said, looking around. “It feels very homey.”

“Thank you,” Lynn poured her a cup of coffee. “Sit down, let’s talk about the plans for Hawaii.”

The two sat on the sofa, and Emily took out her laptop and began searching for information about Hawaii.

“Hawaii has many islands,” Emily said while browsing the web. “Oahu has the vibrant Honolulu and the famous Waikiki Beach, Maui is known for its natural scenery, and the Big Island has an active volcano.”

"What kind of vacation do you prefer?" Lynn asked. "Do you prefer a bustling city or a quiet natural environment?"

Emily thought for a moment, "After all that dangerous stuff, I want some peace and quiet. Maybe we can choose a relatively quiet place, but not too remote, with at least basic facilities and services."

“Naomai might be a better fit,” Lynn suggested. “I’ve heard it has beautiful beaches, but fewer tourists and a quieter environment.”

“Maui,” Emily searched online, “looks really amazing. It has Haleakala National Park, where you can watch the sunrise; and the winding road to Hana with its beautiful scenery.”

The two spent the entire morning researching Maui. They checked out hotels, restaurants, attractions, and various activity options. Emily seemed particularly excited, frequently pointing to photos on the screen and discussing possible itineraries.

“This hotel looks nice,” Emily said, pointing to a seaside resort. “It has a private beach, and the rooms all face the ocean.”

Lynn glanced at the price. "It's really good, but it's not cheap either."

“Money is no problem,” Emily said. “Didn’t the FBI give me some compensation? Besides, after going through so much danger, we deserve a luxurious vacation.” (End of Chapter)