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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3ZB35Dzug
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp448SGNLFj
What are they doing down here?49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHUwpNaUrq
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPeYhIYW5o
“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?!” 49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9j4EncIeWk
No response this time. I hope he’s okay...49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6UplUF1BK
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyz138ybqY
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!”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7UAaSKFxk
Abyss shook himself and looked up at Volt. “Huh?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQzNrHs2O9
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?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiwFzPir1P
“Before or after the second wave?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQZFT0Fp7T
“Second wave of what?” Volt asked, feeling flustered.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwhK6PQ2fF
“That girl... she had some sort of toxic power...”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kSJN8lTSy
“What girl? Alexandra? Sol, this isn’t funny,” Volt said, fuming. “Your brain didn’t get scrambled, right? Why aren’t you making sense.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1cDNrKPlp
“No, someone else entirely. She’s the one who knocked you out.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KNklzvaf8
“What? She... okay? Did she try and abduct you or something?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtCfk6QUZK
“I mean, she kind of did?” Abyss answered.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvFMNxSgIH
Volt groaned, “helpful. Look, I think we need to make an agreement. No more separating. I’m lucky I found you.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1DwNd971c
“I agree,” Abyss pressed. “Seriously. It’s not like I could do much to prevent it.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWO9zJ8ztX
Volt sighed. “Fine. Fine. But don’t you see? This is what happens when you go off looking for danger.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bq6yLuJDF
“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.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELerPYawSe
“Regardless, it could have been a lot worse,” Volt lectured.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKnXwebU0A
“I know that! Believe me, I do! You don’t even know the half of it.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAzJ1wVuku
Volt felt his breath catch in shock. “What? What’s that supposed to mean?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwwkrxg2hz
Abyss didn’t respond.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtMubQpwnp
Volt shook his brother, “Abyss, talk to me! Come on, man, you’re scaring me!”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pU7liQRZw
“Sorry! Sorry! Is that what you want?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpGyMim3cA
Volt clenched his teeth. “I want to know what’s going on with you lately,” Volt growled.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCjS8ZcST8
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hHGHUDgtO
He didn’t want to admit to himself that Abyss had been growing more detached and distant.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLelRbmJf3
Volt was starting to worry that they were growing apart.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0z4h1dYh8B
“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...”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JBcbCsRgl
No response.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gxFuwiLE1
Neither brother expected this would be their last chance to talk to each other.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTBa936n9U
* * *
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYHJ15Xirn
“Advancements have been made concerning the fate of the world, and it comes with troubling news. I hope you both are ready.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEUvJ9UYn2
“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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BpMJ7Q2TF
“Fate is not kind. Have you boys ever killed before?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVk2cuat6s
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LmmLf3Kj0
“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.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJVuSw9vfn
“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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ceqfXPlEi
The commander just nodded. “I heard of yesterday’s incidents; you and your brother went to the bottom floor and were attacked.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPq0Yk1phWP
“That’s right.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMPRE6Q4KS
“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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOvLqM8i6r
“Yes, sir. Where do I go? What do I need to know?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡly4U2KSwNE
With that, the commander led Volt away, leaving Abyss behind.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRFPSVaFMA
* * *
“This is difficult for me to ask,” the commander explained in the confines of his office.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfmM09gp9y
Volt stood stiff, arms pinned to his sides as he looked straight ahead. His first mission.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiHg63SSpY
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRgLPvlnZY
Umbrakinesis.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIsrXHC0N4
The manipulation of shadows and abilities that can be used in darkness.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0pmXncF2b
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. 49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1M1YsZPvi
The truth was, there was no way to know for certain what she would be able to do with this power.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXngcxCEmxJ
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UNxoxCYSR
* * *
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8VnPSPdQZZ
A similar lead took him to a well-known fast-food chain restaurant.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ380b99zG7h
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTS1gavpo37
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxe2BiZDSE
Three more restaurant blackouts occurred in the area.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71EyvwAcPl
“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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRh3pk8480O
He slowly but quickly followed it and found a dark mass clinging to the exterior of the base before climbing into a window.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgM3v3A2AE
Alarms sounded in the back of Volt’s mind.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiadem8KkXd
She re-entered the base.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2ZpBXhUai
He began to panic and try to think of ways to get up to that level quickly, but he came up blank.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbY6lnoiRtz
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPLkrjlByE
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FZKA1PQn9
Volt’s eyes widened when he realized this was his room, and she was leaving a note for Abyss.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB37z5KlZPO
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAKvHHpeLo
The wind was knocked out of Volt, and he could tell multiple ribs were broken, but somehow, he survived the damage he sustained.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxCIOoARiA
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiux5WfkQYu
* * *
Three days later, he finally caught up with her.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQNnm15G7p
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDEg7kTvYY
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRQBzzrcGH
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDx5DOmuyt0
This woman was dangerous, and Volt was the only one who could stop her.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOBhllrhJr
Volt charged a direct blast. A lightning spear should do the job. Volt smiled. After this, he could rest easy.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRTYzJ5jeV
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.
ns216.73.216.107da2
and then Add to home screen.