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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsSpiaZQg8
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LymY7pEz1
What are they doing down here?22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpxRwrR6pV
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVY3MLZpR4f
“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?!” 22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMej86kYPp
No response this time. I hope he’s okay...22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5xfZvk4nr
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeD3MZpOpZ
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!”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWjkurcSHJ
Abyss shook himself and looked up at Volt. “Huh?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVtouvYSMk
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?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMAFLPGiTH
“Before or after the second wave?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsBgKW13Y2
“Second wave of what?” Volt asked, feeling flustered.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe98fyEro2b
“That girl... she had some sort of toxic power...”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQzwK1F1gL
“What girl? Alexandra? Sol, this isn’t funny,” Volt said, fuming. “Your brain didn’t get scrambled, right? Why aren’t you making sense.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04XZG1HjIJ
“No, someone else entirely. She’s the one who knocked you out.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrA1NM1VnJ
“What? She... okay? Did she try and abduct you or something?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyojawLUNDJ
“I mean, she kind of did?” Abyss answered.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sGDGvxBiQ
Volt groaned, “helpful. Look, I think we need to make an agreement. No more separating. I’m lucky I found you.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OSRuwT8PX
“I agree,” Abyss pressed. “Seriously. It’s not like I could do much to prevent it.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfp9HuqRwxK
Volt sighed. “Fine. Fine. But don’t you see? This is what happens when you go off looking for danger.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuVDlX3sdT
“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.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDP1vYqWRt
“Regardless, it could have been a lot worse,” Volt lectured.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSytiAqH5rh
“I know that! Believe me, I do! You don’t even know the half of it.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFxEkAxBf6
Volt felt his breath catch in shock. “What? What’s that supposed to mean?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjW90Fs4c1
Abyss didn’t respond.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rTSvyay0e
Volt shook his brother, “Abyss, talk to me! Come on, man, you’re scaring me!”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTzTftOajU
“Sorry! Sorry! Is that what you want?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6Xh2QSfi6
Volt clenched his teeth. “I want to know what’s going on with you lately,” Volt growled.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlw3m8qhk3K
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwsQJObUTH
He didn’t want to admit to himself that Abyss had been growing more detached and distant.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBacOIiZFOl
Volt was starting to worry that they were growing apart.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYps6lFtVv
“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...”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXhpOxcbtq
No response.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdwMYruasO
Neither brother expected this would be their last chance to talk to each other.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡReudpCdCsO
* * *
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxd9vDWBJ6S
“Advancements have been made concerning the fate of the world, and it comes with troubling news. I hope you both are ready.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdD4sOjp0w
“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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSsJZ1Rc6R
“Fate is not kind. Have you boys ever killed before?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgdEFGDRkz
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhOw66QDhi
“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.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZb8KBbr5K
“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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyUUotPWqE
The commander just nodded. “I heard of yesterday’s incidents; you and your brother went to the bottom floor and were attacked.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7D3FMEffKX
“That’s right.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhEG3eqHX0
“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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJRhox8clC
“Yes, sir. Where do I go? What do I need to know?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXqrWiOXzg
With that, the commander led Volt away, leaving Abyss behind.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgInnkkMTRx
* * *
“This is difficult for me to ask,” the commander explained in the confines of his office.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbGRDfhEu8
Volt stood stiff, arms pinned to his sides as he looked straight ahead. His first mission.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Qbo0Mhk2i
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSL9CZ9ItG
Umbrakinesis.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyS4l7j5a12
The manipulation of shadows and abilities that can be used in darkness.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7x8CNoBc2q
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. 22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivSU3YZU4s
The truth was, there was no way to know for certain what she would be able to do with this power.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnD0TI3OXj6
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKo2mEQyBt
* * *
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOV7dCi0LS
A similar lead took him to a well-known fast-food chain restaurant.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52qChjFLLc
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJL5JlmSnno
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8vPeWp3lB
Three more restaurant blackouts occurred in the area.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0WlEnV5iX
“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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeSfJnicdH
He slowly but quickly followed it and found a dark mass clinging to the exterior of the base before climbing into a window.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowzgojiAKX
Alarms sounded in the back of Volt’s mind.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegJl78p35F
She re-entered the base.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQw5YIS11C1
He began to panic and try to think of ways to get up to that level quickly, but he came up blank.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrObswOxP7
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QTP7eYgt7
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEvpw0nr8c
Volt’s eyes widened when he realized this was his room, and she was leaving a note for Abyss.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN38SNCuTmT
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1pvkZIUM4
The wind was knocked out of Volt, and he could tell multiple ribs were broken, but somehow, he survived the damage he sustained.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjn8blsWom
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9NJTJYgqi
* * *
Three days later, he finally caught up with her.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNeGiioCVKT
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTDL8tb3nC
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtI6scrcX6X
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DUBMxu5uK
This woman was dangerous, and Volt was the only one who could stop her.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmIEqHQxyi
Volt charged a direct blast. A lightning spear should do the job. Volt smiled. After this, he could rest easy.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLXeXjLmEP
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.
ns216.73.216.14da2
and then Add to home screen.