He couldn’t believe it. Volt had fallen unconscious twice, and he didn’t even know what hit him. He just knew he had to find Abyss.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcc6Nvutzrc
Volt threw caution to the wind and began to run through this massive underground structure. All sort of machines, top secret weapons and strange liquids, not to mention a life support monitor.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xxIq4khLZ
What are they doing down here?25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIO9UTIjF46
Volt shook off the curiosity. He couldn’t help but feel like it was his fault Abyss was missing in this place, and that terrified him.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJC6RsyKID
“I should have stopped him,” Volt growled. He swore under his breath in his first language, but then, realizing no one would understand, hear, or care around here, he shouted it at the top of his lungs before calling out. “ABYSS, WHERE ARE YOU?!” 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdHGgKMwI9
No response this time. I hope he’s okay...25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbZdADcQDS
Volt continued to search for what felt like another hour. He grew continuously more panicked as he found spots where it looked like wires were ripped out of the various machines. Volt worried about all these high-voltage machines and the live wires protruding from them. He wouldn’t be affected by them, but if Abyss wasn’t actively trying to absorb their power as he made contact, Volt swallowed back a lump in his throat as he called out again.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpo4T0MuELA
Eventually, Volt found Abyss sitting, dazed against a machine. Destroyed wires sat around the dark-haired twin, and Volt felt a surge of devastation strike. Did he get electrocuted? Why is he zoning out? If he’s been awake, why didn’t he respond? “Abyss!”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbGdd5pIzD
Abyss shook himself and looked up at Volt. “Huh?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFV7NqIL9rT
Volt ran over to his brother and grabbed his shoulders tightly, shouting at Abyss in their first language. “You almost gave me a heart attack! And you don’t have enough control of my power to bring me back! What were you thinking? Didn’t you hear me calling for you?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8UECZhids
“Before or after the second wave?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IUEJ8r0GK
“Second wave of what?” Volt asked, feeling flustered.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3d56jDUSFt
“That girl... she had some sort of toxic power...”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuanNHntcCp
“What girl? Alexandra? Sol, this isn’t funny,” Volt said, fuming. “Your brain didn’t get scrambled, right? Why aren’t you making sense.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkC5DxapWQ7
“No, someone else entirely. She’s the one who knocked you out.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0E5t1C0c8
“What? She... okay? Did she try and abduct you or something?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcg321xvBs
“I mean, she kind of did?” Abyss answered.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpdz1QeRv4
Volt groaned, “helpful. Look, I think we need to make an agreement. No more separating. I’m lucky I found you.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfJtO4SZ3H
“I agree,” Abyss pressed. “Seriously. It’s not like I could do much to prevent it.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVbbGp8km3
Volt sighed. “Fine. Fine. But don’t you see? This is what happens when you go off looking for danger.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjXGn4RwMm
“This is the worst trouble I’ve gotten us in up to date,” Abyss argued, “I’d say we’re even after your skydiving stunt.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWEM6zpN91
“Regardless, it could have been a lot worse,” Volt lectured.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wnuZflDW9
“I know that! Believe me, I do! You don’t even know the half of it.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55mISfeTGR
Volt felt his breath catch in shock. “What? What’s that supposed to mean?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouPARt0qBm
Abyss didn’t respond.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRs4XsCzWeM
Volt shook his brother, “Abyss, talk to me! Come on, man, you’re scaring me!”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fWEjzON5k
“Sorry! Sorry! Is that what you want?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvDDt3DsGO
Volt clenched his teeth. “I want to know what’s going on with you lately,” Volt growled.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2C63bmtzQ
Abyss balled his fists. “Alright. Alright! You want to know what’s going on? I’ll tell you! I didn’t want to come here! I don’t like all these people staring at us like we’re aliens just because we were raised by them. I hate knowing Kronos just wants to use us to hurt people, and you don’t seem to care!” Abyss got up and stormed off in the direction of the exit, grabbing his own arm, nails digging into his flesh. Volt stared helplessly back at Abyss.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNinYs51P6
He didn’t want to admit to himself that Abyss had been growing more detached and distant.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMnaMYVydg
Volt was starting to worry that they were growing apart.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTE6dgsvGH
“You’re right, let’s go,” Volt muttered to himself. “I wasn’t even supposed to come down here to look for you, but do I get any thanks? Of course, not...”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw080o9TvOw
No response.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9P0PStw7mq
Neither brother expected this would be their last chance to talk to each other.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFV9usMnX0F
* * *
The next day, the commander met up with Abyss and Volt after their training with Alexandra. The older man had grim expression on his face. Volt could tell something was off. This wasn’t the man he was talking to in the elevator yesterday.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpatTSjFLL
“Advancements have been made concerning the fate of the world, and it comes with troubling news. I hope you both are ready.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEkxzRdOmH
“Ready?” Volt asked. He looked behind himself to make sure Abyss was there, but the dark-haired brother had lagged to speak with Alexandra. Volt wished he could know what Abyss was talking about, but at the same time, her worried it might be about their dispute from yesterday. Abyss hadn’t said another word to Volt since.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNajLUpSiNt
“Fate is not kind. Have you boys ever killed before?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriRUgh3ifH
Volt’s eyes widened in surprise. “No,” he said simply. He swallowed and hardened his expression. He couldn’t let himself be thrown off by this topic. He was part of a war against humanity, he knew there would be death at some point.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ666NCbOWCa
“I need one of you for an essential task. I have trained my soldier to fight against those with supernatural abilities, but this opponent seems outs of reach for even the best of us.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczAG40wceC
“I’ll go,” Volt answered, without hesitation. If going himself meant Abyss would stay here, if he could know for certain that Abyss would be safe, he would do anything, even kill himself.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWonyj8ggW
The commander just nodded. “I heard of yesterday’s incidents; you and your brother went to the bottom floor and were attacked.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlC3YZFxqPG
“That’s right.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDHMOubKSG
“You released one of the most dangerous threats this world has ever faced. If we don’t end this now, there will be no one left to save. Achlys. I made a mistake in locking her away instead of.... executing a threat. I’m relying on you to fix my mistake.” Volt could tell this topic was difficult for Commander H.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsuHqEoZtd
“Yes, sir. Where do I go? What do I need to know?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OSGjC8mdw
With that, the commander led Volt away, leaving Abyss behind.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YGCCPr7pq
* * *
“This is difficult for me to ask,” the commander explained in the confines of his office.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Db1gMHQGV
Volt stood stiff, arms pinned to his sides as he looked straight ahead. His first mission.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wkAPNGUHT
The commander told Volt all about Achlys’ abilities to create chemicals and gasses on a whim. Volt learned about the tell in her hair. If it glowed, she was using this ability. However, he also warned of a threat that even the commander didn’t know much about. He only knew about the potentials of this second ability.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIBSEBX64M
Umbrakinesis.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTm5fVS7qdm
The manipulation of shadows and abilities that can be used in darkness.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmR05PveZ1j
He said she could have teleportation, gain temporary physical transparency, the ability to summon creatures of darkness, summon weapons from the shadows, enhanced strength and agility, regeneration, and a variety of other potential abilities. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXPozsVey3
The truth was, there was no way to know for certain what she would be able to do with this power.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApslYBGyG8
Volt never considered the possibility of multiple powers before now. Did she have multiple cartridges in her heart? It didn’t seem possible. One was already a dangerous procedure. Or was she one of these “Inhuman” threats that PISTOL swore against? Whichever one, she was the target, and one Volt would have to take down in a controlled environment.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbJ5P2lBCg
* * *
Before Volt left, he wrote a note for Abyss and left it on his brother’s pillow. He couldn’t explain much. The mission was top-secret. Not even Alexandra knew according to H. Still, he explained that he would be back in a few weeks after he did an important job for the commander and explained that they wouldn’t give him time to say goodbye in person.
* * *
The first few nights were detective work. Volt got a lead on a power outage at a Samsung tech store a couple towns over. During this time, only a holo-watch was stolen.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡct7oJRbiUF
A similar lead took him to a well-known fast-food chain restaurant.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecWuQcs8Xp
It was strange. The restaurant was closer to PISTOL HQ than the tech store, but the incident at the restaurant happened after the store. That’s when Volt realized she was might be going back to HQ.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡor6GIQDvcO
Commander H told Volt to trust his instincts and be cautious. She was dangerous and could try anything. Volt knew he had to be on edge. It was near midnight the next day by the time he arrived back at HQ, but he didn’t make his presence known to anyone.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5lqyL3i1t
Three more restaurant blackouts occurred in the area.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkO0KjSR5UX
“Must be hard to find a job for lunch money after escaping an underground rebel prison,” Volt muttered. He paused a moment. He tried to think of a better way to word that but gave up as he heard movement.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90Yzzjrsy5
He slowly but quickly followed it and found a dark mass clinging to the exterior of the base before climbing into a window.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5wiBT4cij
Alarms sounded in the back of Volt’s mind.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCce2w9JBG
She re-entered the base.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZZE1Ll75G
He began to panic and try to think of ways to get up to that level quickly, but he came up blank.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcR3EQFFed2
That’s when he heard thunder in the distance as a drizzle came down. He saw a flash of lightning and got an idea. He concentrated his energy in the feet causing multiple blasts of electricity to launch him up. As he began to fall, he created another blast. It sounded like a terrible storm.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVZ65w9Tzy
The shockwaves propelled Volt upwards, but his legs were in agony near the end. He barely caught himself on the windowsill and pulled himself up with only his fingertips. He looked inside and saw Achlys leave a note by the bottom bunk. The top bunk of this room was empty.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHVPMZLklo
Volt’s eyes widened when he realized this was his room, and she was leaving a note for Abyss.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlW6aBtpUB4
Suddenly, Volt’s hands slipped. From this height, a normal person would have died, but using multiple blasts from his hands, Volt was able to slow his ascent to minimize damage when he collided with the ground.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGdIVlSeVn
The wind was knocked out of Volt, and he could tell multiple ribs were broken, but somehow, he survived the damage he sustained.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4K4IkVv1zf
That’s when he saw the figure fly out of the window at high speeds. Volt forced himself up as soon as possible to follow at light speed as his legs screamed at him to stop.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRX08YSFe7L
* * *
Three days later, he finally caught up with her.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7dAO51yuq
It was broad daylight as she wandered the streets outside Queen Ember’s castle. She seemed to be examining the layout, exterior, and guard posts. She was planning something, but she would never be able to pull it off.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wOut8mm5m
Volt thought about the fear that gripped his heart when Abyss went missing in that place. At the time, he had no idea if his brother was alive. He didn’t know how he let Abyss get taken. But now he did know. Based on what Abyss said, based on everything H told him, Volt knew that if this woman was alive, Abyss was in danger.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC79FdPgQ6d
He pictured her standing over Abyss in his sleep, the dark, deadly form. He remembered how everything could have gone wrong that night if she spotted Volt.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOLVpRNAtp
This woman was dangerous, and Volt was the only one who could stop her.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTKi8Yp8lY
Volt charged a direct blast. A lightning spear should do the job. Volt smiled. After this, he could rest easy.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzdea831ZG
But she heard the high-pitched scream of electricity and spun around to face him. Her hair glowed green, and Volt knew to hold his breath, but without a constant flow of breath, his own electricity blew up in his face, knocking him back several paces. Everything went black.
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