by David Barton
“They came to my apartment. They tried something. It was like a memory or something.”
“They were definitely trying to give you your memories back. It’s the best thing we could do right now.”
“How? We’re trapped in cells.”
“They should be here shortly. They came with me to keep an eye on you but didn’t get caught. We should be saved anytime now.”
“I don’t know about all this.” I felt so weak just taking in all this information. I took a bunch of steps back until my legs hit the bed, dropping my butt down. “It’s all so strange.”
“You want strange. Look at your reflection now.”
I look at her but then look to my left. Expecting to see the bulky man I knew I was, I was instead looking at the weedy reporter. I moved and he moved in return. “Oh my god. You were right.”
“See. There’s something else you should know. I really do love you. Back in our world we were ready to share our light.”
“Share our light?”
“Be together forever as one ball of light. It’s the biggest commitment in our world since we don’t have any kind of family dynamic. Sharing our light would be irreversible.”
“Oh.”
“It’s okay if you don’t remember. You will once we find our healer.”
Just then there was an explosion. The wall opposite our cell windows came crashing into the small space. “I guess they like to make an entrance.”
I looked over to where the dust was settling but I didn’t see the man and woman who had been pretending to be my parents. Instead there was a face I recognised from the bug room. Another memory from when I was Ryan. It was Henrikson and a few more men carrying guns.
Henrikson stepped into the hallway and smiled at me. “I’m very happy to find you. It’s my fault you’re in this mess in the first place. We need to get you out.”
I place my hand against the glass, “Wait. I need you to answer me something.”
“Yes.”
“I’m not who you think I am but I need to ask. Have you been leeching funds from your businesses to fund criminal acts?”
“What! Why on earth would you think that?”
“Something I’ve been looking into.”
“You have me mistaken for the very person who put you in here. He works for me, very close to the top of my corporation. I found this same thing out and I’ve been putting a plan together to try and get him. He’s the most intelligent man I’ve met. This place is a vital section of his own business. I want to take it out and put him out of business. First I wanted to get you out.”
“I want to help.”
“No, you can’t help.”
I look over to Felicity in surprise. “Why not?”
“You’re human now. You don’t have your powers and I don’t think you’ll be able to call on them because of your brain damage.”
I was shocked. “How do you know about me?”
“Please, I have my eyes and ears. Good news is, I’m on your side. There are people out there who would use you for their own ends.”
“Since you know who I really am, you know I can’t just stand around whilst this person is hurting people in this city. I won’t sit idly by whilst someone else risks their life for this cause. It’s something I have to do.”
She smiled, her eyes sparkling. “That’s the good inside of you coming out. Hold onto that. Hold onto the love you feel for me.”
“Find the others, get them to me and fix my memories.” Turning to Henrikson. “Get us out of these cells and I’ll help you.”
“Are you sure?” I nodded quickly in reply. “Okay. Stand aside.” We did and watched as he and his men shot the glass. It cracked and splintered and finally came crashing to the floor.
I climbed out of my cell and the first thing I did was grab Felicity and pull her into a passionate kiss. Pulling her body against mine. Not caring about the facility or the small audience we had. Nothing but her lips mattered to me.
Slowly pulling away from her, my heavy breathing matching hers. “Wow.” Her word was little more than a breath kissing my lips.
“I know. We’ll finish this later.”
She produced a wicked smile, gave me a peck on the cheek before saying, “Stay safe.” Then she went, running through the big hole and off to find help.
Henrikson offered me a gun but I declined on taking it. “I haven’t fired one before and I don’t want to start now.”
“How will you defend yourself?”
“It’ll come to me when I need it.”
“Okay. We need to head to the control centre.”
“Fine, lead the way.”
I followed, at the back of the group. We met resistance but they were easily dispatched with bullets. We found the control room easy, maybe too easy.
As Henrikson’s men planted explosives around the room I walked up to Henrikson who was watching a monitor of the outside world. “What is this place exactly?”
“What did you see on the way over to this room?” His stare didn’t leave the screen.
“Just empty rooms with beds inside of them.”
“And what facility would have rooms like that?”
“A test facility.”
“Think simpler.” He looked up at me. “Think less conspiracy and more practical.”
I thought and there was only one place that would look like this. “A prison?”
“Exactly. The difference between this one and another is the tests they did here. My right hand man has been trying to find people with special gifts. Brain washing them to do his bidding. Some with some incredible power you wouldn’t believe if I told you.”
“I’ve seen some strange things in my life.”
“Not like this. I can assure you.” I smiled. “I’m sure he has more places like this but we blow this place up and it hinders his plans. That will have to do for now.”
“What about the other places then?”
“I looked through the records myself. This is the only place in this whole city. Beyond the city will have to wait. This one is important to destroy.”
A guard came up behind us, “The charges are set. We have five minutes to get out of here.”
“Plenty of time. Let’s get going. Come on, when we get out of here I’d love to show you something I’ve been working on.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a surprise.”
07/07/2014 AM
We started our journey to the exit of this facility. Passing by more rooms. Moving down endless corridors. Until we saw the exit in the distance. My escape was soon obstructed by a sudden noise. Cracking and banging.
It was all around us until the wall down the corridor suddenly got sucked away. Breaking into pieces and disappearing. We all froze staring at the hole. Wondering what kind of weapon could do that.
Then a man appeared. He was wearing some kind of rubber suit that had a hole on his chest. His muscles rippled underneath the tight material. His stare was scary. There didn’t seem to be any kind of life behind them.
Then another person appeared beside him. This one was the opposite. Scruffy looking, wearing nothing but a white t-shirt, blue jeans and big brown boots. His face was like his arms. One half of him was skin. The other seemed to be smooth metal.
He smiled at us as we all stared. Then he spoke, acting all cocky. “Well, isn’t this a nice surprise. Bumping into you guys before you could escape. We know about the explosives. Someone is on their way to defuse them now.”
Henrikson piped up. “No one can defuse them without the key.”
“I’m sure our lady will find a way. She’s very good at surprising people. So, this is how things are going to proceed right now. You will all surrender to us. We will take you to one of our bosses and they will decide what to do with you.” He pulled a huge smile like he had won a massive pop in poker.
Then he spoke again. “Now.” He lifted his human arm up and pointed it directly at me. “I think you and I w
ill get on like a house on fire. I have seen the photos and seen what you’re capable of once you change.”
Henrikson looked at me. “Don’t worry. They aren’t going to take you anywhere.”
“I’m not that worried about two men even if he is half covered in metal.”
“Good.”
“Hey!” His sudden increase in volume made both of us jump. Then he smiled, all calm. “Now that I have your attention again shall we get on with your surrender?”
“I don’t think so.” Henrikson pulled his gun up and fired a single shot. He had perfect aim. The bullet flying on a trajectory towards the guy’s head. I watched as he moved his arm, bringing the shiny metal up in front of him. The bullet hit it and shot off into the wall beside him.
The whole group were shocked as well as myself. The guy blew out a long sigh like he was disappointed in Henrikson but there was a sick smile appearing on his face. “That is such a shame you decided that option. Now we can do nothing else, other than kill you.” He turned to his silent friend and nodded. “Now Blackhole.”
The person beside him didn’t say anything. Didn’t even acknowledge hearing the order. But he moved never the less. Taking a simple step in front of his friend. His face suddenly moved like he was smiling but then a dark black abyss appeared in his eyes. Then his move was full of darkness that managed to make me feel hollow inside.
Then the noise of air, sucking. Wind whipped around us as pieces of the walls and floor started coming apart. It all flew into his chest where a black hole had appeared. All the debris was sucked inside him and was gone. The guys in front of me all fired but it was no good. Just like everything else, the bullets were sucked into this being’s chest and were gone from existence.
The shooting stopped and everything was dead silent like we had been sucked into that black hole as well. The cocky guy spoke up again. “I’m feeling generous today. Here’s your second chance to surrender. Hand over your weapons and we’ll get going.” He smiled and his eyes looked directly at Henrikson.
Nothing was said between the two of them and everybody was still. Until there was a single footstep that echoed around the hallway. One of Henrikson’s guards moved out from the group, dropping to his knees in front of the metal man. His voice was shaky, “I surrender. Please have mercy on me.”
“Mercy is for the weak.” The man nodded to Blackhole who’s arms shot out suddenly, grabbing the man by his shoulders. The hole opened up again and the gush of wind came only this time is was directed at the man. We all watched in horror as the man who used to work for Henrikson got sucked into this thing. Bit by bit the man was ripped apart by the wind and was pulled into total blackness.
I stood there shocked at what I’d just witnessed. The half metal man spoke again like he was already addressing his prisoners. “Who will be next to surrender.” A massive grin came across his face. I just had the urge to punch his head off.
Then the thought of attack popped into my head. They might know what I’m capable of, doesn’t mean they would be expecting it. Especially after an act of power like that. But, I couldn’t hit them head on. It might be a surprise but I’d still get sucked into that void Blackhole called a chest.
I called to the light inside of my body. Picturing the ball that had come out of Felicity’s body. Thinking about my own ball of light. Wanting it to take over my body and make me the super being I could remember. The power came to me slowly. It slipped around me, feeling strange and familiar at the same time. Like I was trying on a jacket I hadn’t worn in years.
I whispered to Henrikson, “I’ll be right back.” He couldn’t even answer. In no time I was gone, speeding down the hallways. As I moved I felt my body changing, becoming bigger. I filled out my clothes once again, becoming the image I had become used to.
My hearing I kept on alert. Listening to the metal man saying how I was a coward for running away and leaving my friends.
I got out of range to hear if Henrikson even gave a response. My feet pounding on the floor, turning corner after corner. Unfortunately this placed seemed like a maze. It all seemed hopeless until I turned a corner and found a ruined wall. I looked through it and saw another, a tunnel of destruction. I heard the voice coming from the other end.
Suddenly my ears were bombarded by a scream. I worked my way through the holes until I peered around the corner, spotting Blackhole making another guard disappear. This had to stop right now. My hand tightened around a metal bar I found on the floor. Then I moved, wielding the weapon in my hand like a two-handed spear.
I was behind the human black hole and flung the weapon with all my might. The blunt end powered through his head, sticking out of his dark mouth. The body went stiff and I didn’t know if it had done any damage at first.
His friend with the metal arm just stood and watched without emotion. Clearly not great friends. A sudden scream filled the air making me cover my ears. My eyes took in the sight of the human vacuum. His head starting to shrink. Then it broke into pieces, being sucked into his open mouth. Then his body started degrading. Pieces of him slowly disappeared until the body that used to be there was no more. The pole dropped to the floor with a massive twang.
I stared at the metal man. “It’s time for you to surrender. Don’t you think?”
The man looked at me. “You think this, changes anything. There are plenty more people like him where I come from and no, I don’t think I will surrender.” Then he ran straight for the wall opposite him. His arm was drawn back and he punched a man sized hole in the concrete with so much ease it put me to shame.
I ran to the opening to see him disappearing off into the distance. Smashing holes as he went. “We need to get after him.”
“No, let me go after him. You and your men need to get back to the explosives and make sure they don’t get stopped.”
“They won’t. There’s no way of disarming them without the key. Not even for a special person.”
“Then get out of here before they go off.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll get out, someone needs to stop this metal man. Maybe he can give me some information.”
“True. Any kind of information would be good.”
“Then go. I’ll be out of here in no time.” I watched as his men followed him to the exit. Then I sped off, using my speed to easily catch up with the metal man. My shoulders knocked off a few more pieces of wall. He must have heard the noise.
He turned and swung his metal arm in my direction but I was moving too fast. I ducked the arm and hit him in the stomach with my shoulder. We both went flying through a few more walls. Hitting contents of the rooms beyond with loud thuds until we rolled to a stop.
I found myself in a hallway that looked like all the others. He had gone a little further through another wall. He grunted as he climbed to his feet, coming back through the hole.
I quickly stood up but pain came through my leg. I looked down and saw a piece of metal poking out of my thigh. Two injuries in the same leg. My luck didn’t seem to be on my side at the moment. I yanked the metal out, blood spurting onto the floor. It was a bad wound but I wouldn’t be able to do anything about it at the moment.
There was a crunch. Looking up I saw the man leaning against the hole. He too had sustained an injury but it didn’t look bad. A piece of metal had stabbed itself inside of his metal arm. He didn’t seem bothered by it. “That hurt little boy?” I winched as pain shot up my leg again. This made him smile. “Looks like you are hurt.”
“Only a little.”
“Well, this.” He pointed to his metal arm. “I can’t even feel this. Which means I’ll be able to kill you even with your powers.”
A soft voice suddenly came into the conversation. “What about my powers?”
“What?” The man looked around just in time to see a fist smash into his jaw. He cried out in pain but this didn’t stop Felicity. She kept moving, flipping. She was like a lethal gymnast. Bending and twisting out the way of his at
tacks. I couldn’t help but watch and be impressed by her.
He had cuts on his face. A bruise starting to form around his jaw where her first hit connected. My smile suddenly faded as he managed to block her attack. He grabbed her wrist in his metal arm and pulled her around into his body.
She was facing me and I saw the sudden fear in her face. My emotions matched hers. I stepped forwards but was then frozen to the spot as the man pulled out a gun. “Don’t you come any closer.” He spat blood to the floor. “Your little bitch knocked my tooth lose.”
“That’s not all I was going to knock lose.” She still had fire in her voice but I could see it was all fake. She was just as worried about that gun as I was.
“There’s going to be nothing left of your neck when I’m finished with you.” His cold stare moved to me. “Now, usually I would tell you that you will watch whilst I snap your girlfriend’s neck.” He squeezed a little tighter bringing out a cry from Felicity.
“Don’t!”
“I’m not going to do that. Instead, I’m just going to shoot you and let you think about what exactly I’m going to do to her. You think about how you could have stopped me but you didn’t. It’s your fault she’s dead and that I got away with it.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“No?” He smiled and pulled the trigger. The gun propelled the bullet through the air at my chest. Then I felt it. Not the piercing pain in my chest but a blunt force sending me sideways. I hit the floor, the pain in my leg flaring through my whole body.
I looked up to Felicity and watched her. Her face was full of determination. She grabbed the piece of metal from the metal arm around her neck. Bending as she jabbed it back. The metal sliced into his human side. Blood spurted over the two of them from his neck.
Then the guy fell backwards taking her with him. I rushed to my feet and got to her. His metal arm was stuck around her neck. As she wriggled to get out from under it I grabbed the metal forearm.
Using my strength I pulled. The metal creaked and finally snapped. It didn’t seem like I was ripping off someone’s arm. It was more like snapping a bar in half. Felicity grabbed hold of me and scrambled to her feet. Wrapping her arms around my neck she pulled me into a tight hug. When she pulled away I only now saw the mask wrapped around her head. “Where did you get that from?”
