章 28: Monstrum-XXVIII
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DATE:20th of June, the 70th year after the Coronation
LOCATION: Concord Metropolis
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It was strange to see Alice work through her actual job of graphic design, even if from home.
She even put a rule to "not cuddle" within these hours, something I don't understand as I never initiates such an act.
In the meantime I had Emily search about the Donn's family through whatever sources she can. Thinking about it, I never really knew my contractor.
This is when my phone started gettig some kind of alert and Alice came running to get me.
I asked why would we need to deploy, but I only got a "crime doesn't have a schedule".
We got in our costumes and arrived at some kind of factory. Alice told me they make important machinery for computers, but I didn't get the exact details.
There was a sudden protest forming in front of it. Are heroes the soldiers of robber barons?
We stood at a distance from the crowd, our team positioned strategically along the street, blending into the shadowed edges of buildings. I pulled my collar up against the chill, watching the growing crowd of protesters as they gathered in front of the factory's gates. Their voices rose in unison, chants echoing down the industrial block, banners held high with slogans about fair wages and better treatment.
Alice, standing next to me, kept her gaze focused on the crowd, her expression unreadable. "This protest feels…different," she murmured. "Like they organized fast. Too fast."
I nodded, keeping my eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. Protests weren't uncommon here, but the intensity seemed strange. As the crowd swelled, so did the restlessness in the air. Workers with furrowed brows and clenched fists filled the streets, their faces a mix of frustration and exhaustion.
T's voice crackled over my earpiece, his deep tone calm. "Looks like a legitimate protest, but stay sharp. I don't trust the situation." He sounded more serious than usual, and I could tell he was scanning the crowd for any sign of escalation.
Across the street, Prisma and Nimbus watched the scene with focused intensity. Prisma leaned against a lamppost, her gaze sweeping over the crowd as if dissecting every movement.
Over the earpiece, T's voice cut in again, this time with a hint of urgency. "Stay sharp, everyone. I don't like how fast this crowd is building."
Alice nodded, her gaze still locked on the protesters. "Let's hope this stays peaceful," she murmured, but I could sense the tension building around us. All it would take was one wrong move, one spark to send this into chaos.
Nimbus floated slightly above the ground on his personal cloud, drifting effortlessly as he surveyed the crowd. He looked relaxed, but I knew he was ready to act, to whip up a gust of wind if the protesters moved toward the gates or push back any out-of-control elements. The cloud gave him a vantage point, allowing him to stay mobile and intervene quickly if things turned hostile.
As the tension in the air built, I could see Nimbus preparing, his hand at his side, ready to direct a current if needed. His eyes stayed on the protesters, gauging the crowd's mood. We all held our positions, each of us waiting, every sense attuned to catch the first sign of real trouble.
Just before Alice lifted me off the ground, I tapped my earpiece and spoke quickly. "T, listen, there's something important in the archives. Emily says this place holds blueprints for high-value devices. If these protesters are a cover for something bigger, we can't let anyone get their hands on that."
There was a pause on the other end, and then T's voice came back, skeptical and sharp. "You're leaving? In the middle of this? Look, I get the idea, but we're here to control the crowd. We don't even know if there's any real threat beyond some rowdy protesters."
"I'm not saying it's certain, but this is bigger than just crowd control," I insisted. "The others have the situation handled. Alice and I will be in and out fast."
He huffed, clearly unconvinced. "You're making a call outside of orders. " Thisguy is an idiot. If someone wanted to infiltrate this factory, a protest was the best way. It is how I would have done it myself.
"It is," I replied, cutting off before he could argue further. Alice's hand was already extended, and I took it, nodding to her to take us up. With one powerful shift in gravity, she lifted us both, and we shot through the air toward the factory, leaving the team behind.
As we flew toward a side entrance, the city blurred below us. I forced myself to stay focused on the mission. Whatever was happening here, we needed to get ahead of it—and quickly.
As Alice and I took off, T's voice crackled angrily over the earpiece. "Are you kidding me right now? I'm the lead on this mission, and you're just gonna ignore my orders?"
I could feel the heat in his words, the unmistakable frustration of someone whose authority was being challenged. "T, this isn't about questioning your lead. It's about preventing something bigger from happening," I shot back, keeping my voice calm but firm.
"You're abandoning your team. This is insubordination, plain and simple," he replied, anger sharpening every word. " I'm making sure SuperiorWoman hears about it."
"Then let her know," I said, my tone clipped as I felt Alice pull us higher over the crowd. "You've got Prisma and Nimbus at your side. You can handle a crowd. Alice and I need to handle this."
I could practically hear his teeth grinding as he muttered, "Fine. But don't expect backup if you've bitten off more than you can chew."
The earpiece clicked as he cut the line, his silence somehow louder than his words. I glanced at Alice, and she gave me a quick nod, her eyes fixed on our target. We both knew we couldn't afford to hesitate now.
The archive was sprawling—a maze of shelves and rows filled with folders, each packed with blueprints and design papers. The dim lighting cast long shadows across the metal shelving, giving the whole place a quiet, almost eerie vibe. As Alice and I stepped inside, I caught sight of someone toward the back, moving between folders with a swift, practiced air. He was dressed like a civilian—jeans, a loose hoodie—but something about the way he moved felt off. Too precise. Too focused.
I cleared my throat and approached, keeping my tone firm but calm. "Sir, this area's off-limits to the public. I need you to leave, now."
The man didn't even flinch, his hand continuing to skim the folders as though he hadn't heard me. Alice took a step forward, her gaze narrowed. "Did you hear him? You need to get out of here."
Finally, he turned to look at us, and there was a glint in his eye—a sharpness that made my instincts flare. Without a word, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife, the blade glinting under the fluorescent lights. In a single fluid movement, he lunged forward.
"Alice!" I shouted, but it was too late. His knife struck, sinking into her side with an accuracy that proved he was far from a random civilian. Alice staggered back, gripping her side, her face a mix of pain and fury. She'd trained for situations like this, but even she had been caught off guard by his speed and skill.
Ignoring the impulse to slow time—no need to waste energy yet—I stepped between them, forcing the man back a few paces with a calculated strike. His stance shifted, revealing an air of discipline that reeked of combat training. Whatever this man was, he wasn't just some factory worker out of his depth.
Alice steadied herself, breathing heavily but still ready to fight. "Definitely not a civilian," she muttered, her eyes blazing with determination as she straightened, her focus locking onto him.
I tightened my grip and took a step forward, ready to fight.
I took a deep breath, letting my power kick in, slowing everything around me to a crawl. The man's movements stretched, like watching a slow-motion scene in a movie. I shifted my stance, lifted my leg, and aimed a kick right for the knife, intending to disarm him and end this quickly.
But to my shock, the man twisted his arm in a way that seemed almost… unnatural. His wrist contorted, bending backward as he tried to redirect the knife toward me, his expression eerily calm. The way he moved wasn't just agile—it defied what a human body should be able to do. It was wrong, unsettling.
I barely dodged, leaning back just in time as the blade skimmed inches from my chest. I recovered quickly, adrenaline surging as I realized this was no ordinary opponent. Whoever he was, he had more than just combat training on his side—something else, something unnatural, was at play here.
I didn't let up, pushing back with a focused kick to his chest to create distance. "Alice, keep an eye on his movements. He's not… normal."
She nodded, her face pale but resolute as she straightened, preparing to strike as we both closed in on him again.
Alice narrowed her eyes, extending her hand toward the attacker, trying to increase his gravity and pin him down. But to our surprise, he remained unfazed, moving with an unsettling fluidity that hinted at more than just basic combat training.
Realizing her tactic wasn't working, she shifted strategy, charging in to subdue him directly. I was right behind her, ready to support her. But just as she closed the distance, the man's blade flashed.
In a swift, practiced motion, he slashed at her chest. Alice gasped, stumbling back as the knife bit into her skin, a thin line of crimson appearing instantly. I couldn't understand how he'd managed to cut her; she was supposed to be much stronger than any ordinary foe.
"What…?" I muttered, horrified. I rushed to her side as she clutched the wound, shock etched across her face. The blade had easily pierced her defenses, and now a wave of confusion washed over me. What was that knife made of?
I glanced at the blade, its surface gleaming with a cold steel luster. It didn't seem magical, but there was something about it that suggested it had a unique composition, perhaps a metal designed for cutting through enhanced strength. I needed to know more—how could a weapon like that exist?
"Stay with me, Alice!" I urged, trying to focus on the task at hand as I prepared to confront the man again. We couldn't let him get the upper hand; this was a fight we had to win, and I needed to protect her, no matter what.
As I watched Alice stagger back, clutching her wound, a surge of anger mixed with confusion coursed through me. Who the hell was this man to take us both down like this? My mind raced, searching for answers while adrenaline surged through my veins.
He was dressed in ordinary civilian clothes, yet his skills and that blade were anything but mundane. My Hao suit was designed for protection, and I couldn't fathom how I had gotten through this encounter without a scratch. But if Alice had been pierced, then maybe my suit wasn't enough to shield me from whatever was happening here.
Determined to turn the tide, I spotted a knife lying on a nearby table. With a swift motion, I grabbed it, channeling my focus. I lunged forward, aiming to stab his hand and disarm him, hoping to gain the advantage. The blade plunged into his palm with precision, but instead of recoiling in pain, he simply twisted his hand, the knife scraping against his skin, a look of irritation crossing his face.
He was undeterred. It was as if the pain didn't register with him, and that realization sent chills down my spine. This wasn't just a regular thug; he was something else entirely—stronger, more resilient than I had anticipated.
I took a step back, heart pounding. "What the hell are you?" I demanded, my voice steady despite the rising fear. I had to figure out how to subdue him without letting Alice take any more hits. If he could shrug off my attack, I needed to rethink my approach, and fast.
In that moment of realization, desperation clawed at me. This guy was unlike anyone I'd faced before, and traditional methods weren't working. I needed to escalate, to show him just how serious I was. Drawing on my training as a former assassin, I decided to pull out my "special move"—though I'd never expected to use it like this.
I reached into my holster and took out a revolver, specially the one modified to fire shotgun shells. The moment the weapon was in my hand, I felt a rush of adrenaline. This was no ordinary fight; this was about survival. I aimed low, steadying my breath as I focused on the man's legs.
"Time to end this," I muttered, pulling the trigger.
The gun roared, the explosive blast echoing in the confined space. The shells ripped through the air, striking the man's legs with devastating force. I watched as he collapsed, his legs obliterated, yet he remained eerily still, his expression unchanged. He was still undeterred, just staring at me with that unnerving calm, as if the violence I'd unleashed didn't even register.
A chill ran down my spine. How could he withstand that?
"Get back!" I yelled, but it was too late. Alice's scream cut through the air, filled with horror at my display of violence. "What are you doing?" she shrieked, her voice trembling as she took a step back, shock in her eyes.
I turned to her, feeling a pang of guilt for the brutality I had just unleashed. But in that moment, I couldn't afford to hesitate. This man was a threat, and if I didn't eliminate it now, who knew what would happen next?
"Stay behind me, Alice!" I commanded, eyes locked on my target, ready for whatever came next.
As I stood there, catching my breath and processing the shocking resilience of my opponent, a voice echoed behind us. "How disappointing, Alek-1, that you've failed so easily."
I whipped around, heart racing. A woman stood there, her presence commanding and unsettling. With a simple twist of her wrist, my gun disassembled itself, the pieces clattering to the ground. I stared in disbelief, my mind racing. Who the hell was she?
Before I could react, I felt the tension in the air shift, and suddenly, more figures emerged from the shadows. They looked like guards, dressed in uniforms that resembled military attire, but something about their posture and demeanor screamed that they weren't who they appeared to be. There was a coldness in their eyes, a mechanical precision that sent a wave of dread through me.
I glanced back at the woman, confusion and anger boiling within me. "What is going on?" I demanded, trying to regain control of the situation, but my instincts screamed that we were in over our heads. Alek-1, the man I had just shot, remained on the ground, seemingly unfazed by his injuries, still watching us with that eerie calm.
The woman stepped closer, her expression smug. "What's the matter, Alek-1? Are you afraid of a little competition?" Was she talking about the men who I had of just broken the ankles of?
I shot a worried glance at Alice, who was standing beside me, eyes wide with fear but ready for action. "We need to get out of here," I whispered urgently, scanning the room for an exit.
With Alek-1 still on the ground and the guards closing in, I could feel the stakes rising. Whatever was happening here, we had to leave as soon as possible. This was beginning to leave my "league".
As I was about to move, Alice's eyes flared with... I am not sure, but it was Something scary. "Actually, this changes things." she declared, raising her hand.
Before I could react, I felt an immense force slam down upon them, as if gravity itself had intensified. Their knees buckled, and they dropped to the ground, gasping as the weight pressed down on them. I glanced around to see that everyone—Alek-1, the guards, and even the other woman—had fallen to their knees, struggling against the crushing force.
Her gaze was focused, landing on the woman I now knew as Vierna. Her expression hardened, and the the voice that left that delicate mouth made me shiver. "I didn't think I would find you here, Vierna."
The fear in Vierna's eyes was palpable. She realized the threat Alice posed, knowing full well that if Alice chose to, she could turn everyone in the room into a red paste. But instead of fleeing, a smug grin crept across Vierna's face. With a swift motion, she tapped a button on her suit, and suddenly, the gravity shifted again, nullifying the pressure around us.
The others rose to their feet, freed from Alice's grip. Vierna glared at Alice, defiance etched on her face despite the fear lingering in her eyes.
"So, you've come to play, have you?" the woman sneered, regaining her composure. "You don't scare me!"
I exchanged glances with Alice, knowing we had to stay sharp. This confrontation was more complex than I had anticipated. It wasn't just a fight against one opponent; we were up against a skilled villain and her powerful allies. Whatever plans they had, I knew we needed to act fast and find a way to turn the tide before it was too late.
As the gravity settled back to normal, I exchanged a quick glance with Alice. We knew we couldn't let Vierna escape and access whatever information she was looking for in the archive. But the five guards—who had been silently observing—now shifted their focus onto us, their expressions hardening into determined looks.
They stepped forward in unison, blocking my path to Vierna with an intimidating formation.
"Stay behind me," Alice said, her voice steady. She concentrated, ready to manipulate gravity again.
With a flick of her wrist, she increased the gravitational force around the guards. One by one, they began to falter under the sudden weight pressing down on them. Their knees buckled, but unlike the previous guards, these men displayed the same resilience as Alek-1. They gritted their teeth and strained against Alice's power, refusing to go down easily.
"Just hold them!" I urged, knowing I had to reach Vierna before it was too late. I took a step forward, but one of the guards lunged at me, fueled by sheer determination. I dodged, ducking under his outstretched arm.
The remaining guards charged forward, their silence only amplifying their menacing presence. With a quick breath, I activated my ability, slowing down time around me. Everything around me stretched as I moved with precision, avoiding another guard's desperate grab. I redirected his arm, sending him crashing into the wall before he could regain his footing.
"Go!" Alice called out, her brow furrowed in concentration as she struggled to keep the weight of gravity heavy on the guards. "I can hold them, but you have to stop her!"
I nodded, pushing forward toward the archive, knowing that every second counted. The remaining guards still fought valiantly against Alice's manipulation, using their strength to push against the force pressing them down.
I burst into the archive just in time to see Vierna rifling through the folders, her eyes scanning the pages frantically. "Stop right there!" I shouted, moving to cut her off.
But before I could close the distance, she glanced over her shoulder, a sly grin spreading across her face. "Too late," she taunted, and in an instant, I realized my mistake. Despite her scientist's demeanor, she wasn't just another weakling to be taken down easily.
She touched a device on her wrist, and suddenly, she lunged at me with an insane speed I wasn't prepared for. Before I could react, she delivered a punch to my stomach that knocked the wind out of me, propelling me backward. I flew thirty meters through the air, crashing hard into the shelves of books behind me, the impact rattling the entire archive.
Pain shot through my abdomen as I struggled to recover, gasping for air. I pushed myself up, the world spinning around me. As I regained my bearings, I looked around, desperate to locate Vierna. But she was gone, slipping away like a shadow into the depths of the building, leaving me alone in the chaotic aftermath of our confrontation.
"What just happened?" I muttered to myself, trying to piece together how someone who looked like a scientist could strike with such ferocity. Yeah I was sure. This was way out of my league.
She was also gone.
I scrambled back to where Alice was, still holding her ground against the guards, her expression fierce as she fought to maintain control over their weight. Just as one of them attempted to break free, I charged in, using my ability to slow down time once more. I dodged between them, swiftly delivering precise strikes that incapacitated the guards one by one. As if, it was like they were animals. Even after I broke their trachea they still were alive.
"Did you take her down" Alice said, a hint of anger in her voice as I joined her side. She was disappointed when I shaked my head. Together, we tackled the last few guards, and with a final coordinated effort, we knocked out Alek-1 and his look-alikes, leaving them sprawled on the floor.
Once the dust settled, we returned to the main area where our teammates were waiting. T stood with his arms crossed, looking furious. "Where the hell have you two been?" he demanded, his tone sharp. "We just got word that a few protesters were shot. You should have been here!"
"It wasn't my fault," I shot back, irritation creeping into my voice. "We were dealing with a serious threat in the archive. Villains were infiltrating!"
Alice nodded in agreement, her brow furrowed. "We had to stop them, T. They could have accessed sensitive information."
But T wasn't having it. "You could have coordinated better! We could have used your help." Prisma and Nimbus stood beside him, both nodding in support, clearly siding with T's frustrations. Well fuck you both.
Before I could respond, the sound of sirens grew louder outside, and soon, police officers flooded the area, ready to take control of the situation. They approached us, directing their attention to the incapacitated Alek-1 and the guards.
"We'll take them in for questioning," one of the officers said, eyeing the unconscious forms on the ground.
We watched as the police began to secure the area, but our attention turned to Alek-1 and his look-alikes. Something felt off. The officers began checking their bodies, and the tension in the air shifted.
"Wait," one of the officers called out, his voice rising in alarm. "They've… they've killed themselves!"
The realization hit us hard. The officers found cyanide pills, confirming what we feared: Alek-1 and his associates had chosen to end their own lives rather than face the consequences of their actions.
"Damn it," I muttered, feeling the weight of the situation settle over me.
Alice Was especially disturbed. But not with their death. I could feel it was something more, something about that woman. I never saw her so angry.
As the officers began to take the bodies away, Alice turned to T, her voice steady but filled with urgency. "You need to understand—one of Secundo Manus's disciples was there. That's why we couldn't just apprehend them. They were far more dangerous than we anticipated."
T's face twisted in frustration. "Great! So you couldn't even apprehend them? You let them slip right through your fingers!" He gestured angrily at the dead guards, his anger palpable. "This is a serious mess, and we're the ones who have to clean it up!"
I felt my blood boil at T's tone. "You think we didn't try?" I snapped back. "We had no idea what we were dealing with until it was too late. Alice and I were fighting for our lives! Don't act like you could have done any better!"
T stepped closer, his voice low but intense. "We messed up bad. If we had coordinated, we might have been able to stop them before anyone got hurt. Instead, we're standing here watching them die!"
I could feel Alice's tension beside me, her jaw clenched as she tried to remain composed. "T, we did our best under the circumstances. It's easy to criticize from the sidelines. You weren't in there with us."
But T wasn't listening. He turned away, shaking his head in disappointment. "We need to be better. This can't happen again."
The weight of his words hung heavy in the air. I couldn't shake the feeling of frustration that had built up inside me. We had faced real danger, and instead of support, all we received was blame.
I glanced at Alice, her expression filled with a disgust I have never seen. I could see her clench her fist at how T acted. Even as assassin I stand by her. Even if we put her personal history aside. What we did was much more important than just playing soldier. And I don't care what he has to say, that ' this is real hero work' or ' this is how our world works'. I don't care about any of that. In the first place I didn't want to become a hero, but I still need to be one until we arrest the Donn.
After the police finished securing the scene, T made a quick call to Superior Woman, and it wasn't long before she arrived at the HQ. Her presence brought an immediate sense of authority, but it also added to the tension that hung in the air.
"T," she said, her tone firm but measured. "What's going on?"
T wasted no time diving into his perspective, recounting the events of the day with an emphasis on the failure to apprehend Alek-1 and his associates. "We had them in our grasp, but they slipped away because of poor coordination," he explained. "Alice and Aionis were distracted by a personal threat while we were out there trying to keep the peace."
As he spoke, I could see Alice's frustration boiling beneath the surface. She opened her mouth to counter T's claims, but Superior Woman raised a hand to pause her.
"I see," Superior Woman said, nodding thoughtfully. "It's clear there were many factors at play. However, I need to emphasize the importance of teamwork. We can't afford these kinds of mistakes."
T smirked, clearly pleased with her words. "Exactly. They need to understand that this isn't just about personal battles. It's about the team."
Alice tried to speak up. "But you don't understand what we were facing! It was a disciple of Secundo Manus—a real threat!"
But Superior Woman's gaze shifted, almost dismissively, as she turned her attention back to T. "I'll handle this from here. You two can step outside for a moment."
"Wait, what?" I exclaimed, bewildered by the sudden shift.
"Now," Superior Woman insisted, her voice brooking no argument.
Alice shot me a look of disbelief, and I could see the hurt in her eyes. We were being sidelined just when we needed to defend ourselves the most. Reluctantly, we stepped out of the room, feeling the weight of their judgment pressing down on us.
As the door closed behind us, I turned to Alice, trying to find the right words. "I didn't mean to let T get to us. We did everything we could."
Alice shook her head, frustration mingling with hurt. "It's not just T, it's... it's everything. Seeing Vierna again, knowing what she's capable of—it hit me harder than I thought it would. Superior Woman knows me. She knows how much this affects me."
I wanted to comfort her, but the uncertainty gnawed at me. "What exactly is your deal with Vierna?"
Alice leaned against the wall, her expression a mixture of anger and sadness as she struggled to find the right words. "I didn't know Vierna personally, but I've heard about her. She's a disciple of Secundo Manus."
I furrowed my brow, trying to piece together the connection. "The one who—"
"Yeah," Alice said, wiping away a stray tear. "He used to be close to the professor. But when Secundo Manus turned to twisted biological experiments, everything changed. They drifted apart."
The weight of her revelation hung heavy in the air. "I didn't know Vierna was involved with him," I said slowly, trying to understand. "What does that mean for her?"
Alice looked down, her hands trembling slightly. "It means she was trained under someone who has lost all sense of morality. The men we fought? They're not just criminals; they're victims of his inhumane experiments."
I could see the pain in her eyes as she continued, "They're a product of his madness. Secundo Manus has become something terrible, and it's heartbreaking to think that Vierna is part of that legacy."
As she spoke, I realized the depth of her distress. This wasn't just about the fight we had; it was personal for her. "Alice, I—" I started, wanting to comfort her, but she cut me off.
"I should have recognized who she was. If I'd connected the dots sooner, maybe I could have done something." Her voice cracked, revealing the turmoil she felt inside.
"Alice, you couldn't have known," I said softly. "You were thrown into a fight for your life. None of this is your fault."
But I sensed there was more she wanted to say, more she was grappling with.
Instead, I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll get through this. We'll figure out how to take down Secundo Manus and anyone who stands in our way. Together." Yeah, might as well.
Alice nodded, though the sorrow in her eyes remained.
T left the room, shooting us a glare that conveyed his disappointment more than any words could. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving an uncomfortable silence in its wake.
Superior Woman stepped closer, her expression serious but softened with understanding. "You both need to be more careful out there," she said, her voice steady. "I understand the urgency you felt, but situations like this can escalate quickly. We're not just dealing with criminals; we're facing serious threats." Fuck you. I should have just let Vierna steal whatever she wanted in peace. Is this what you want to say?
I nodded, suppressing any thoughts."We didn't know they were victims of those experiments. It wasn't just a simple fight," I replied, trying to convey our perspective.
"I know," she said, her gaze shifting between us. "But you have to remember that your actions have consequences. The lives of those you confront are not just numbers or casualties—they're individuals, with their own stories and pain. Be mindful of that moving forward." Not this really is bullshit. So much for having ideals.
Alice wiped away her lingering tears, her expression slowly shifting from despair to determination. "We will. We'll do better."
Superior Woman nodded, a flicker of pride in her eyes. "Good. Because we need every one of you to be at your best. This isn't just about power; it's about strategy, empathy, and knowing when to fight and when to retreat."
We returned home and took a bath together, but there was no mood for anything. Gosh I hate heroes.
That night I found myself back in the void.
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