Page 05
"But we've made up since then, you could have told us," Vera said, a little hurt.
"Never seemed important enough to bring up till now," Aron shrugged.
"Okay, wait right there, I need to get my pad, and we'll go over everything. Oh, and I charge five hundred an hour," Noah said, getting up from his seat.
"Put it on my tab." Noah chuckled as he patted Aron's shoulder as he left the room to get his briefcase.
"I'll be your R&D Director," Aminah cooed as she draped her arms along his shoulders. "I've always wondered what it would be like to fuck the boss," she purred into his ear.
"You can't leave me out, Aron," Tazia pouted as she crossed her arms.
"You can be in charge of security."
"Why?" Tazia asked, she didn't think that was a glamorous job like R&D.
"Because you're feisty," Aron said, wiggling his eyebrows. Watching how her cheeks heated when he said that.
"Aron, if I agree to this, how much of the profits would you be taking for yourself?" Vera asked, in her best business-like voice.
"None."
"None?" Arching an eyebrow when her son nodded. "You're going to live off your interest aren't you?" Vera asked to which Aron nodded.
"Whatever profits are earned will be paid out to you all and the workers, the rest will be reinvested in the company." Noticing how everyone had meandered their way back to the den as he had been talking. Listening to every word he said, also seeing how Isabel was giving Troy the cold shoulder.
"Okay, Aron, as your lawyer, I will represent your interest to the fullest of my ability," Noah said, opening his briefcase and pulling out a blank contract he always had on hand which had already been notarized and signed by him. "I just need you to sign here before we can discuss anything prudent to your company," he said, sliding the contract across the table and laying a pen upon it.
"Let me take him," Tazia cooed, when she bent in front of Aron and lightly kissing his lips. Wishing she could have him inside of her at that moment for being the wonderful father he was turning out to be.
"Excellent," Noah grinned once his son's John Hancock graced the dotted line. "Now let's hear all about this plan of yours," he said, with eagerness in his voice to see his son succeed.
Vera walked into their kitchen and for the first time she didn't dread going to work, seeing how she wasn't going to work. She didn't have to any longer. She had accepted Aron's offer to be his CEO. Knowing Noah and she would be working closely for a very long time. Her mind wondered if Aron had done that for a reason since with their jobs, hero work, and life in general sometimes it was hard to make time for themselves. She had felt that spark once again, the same spark that drew them together when she and Noah made love last night. She could see how ecstatic Noah was, just as she was. It showed in their love making as well. Tilting her head back, trying to remember the change in their fortune, it was when she got her son back. Feeling her body heat when she felt Noah's arms wrapping around her. Leaning back against him, softly mewing at how his lips kissed along her neck.
"How's the love of my life?" Noah asked, in a soft whisper.
"Better now that I'm in the arms of the man that I love," Vera replied in a loving tone.
"This is a new start for us."
"For all of us," Vera corrected.
"Let's make Aron's dream come true."
"Mmmhmm," Vera nodded in agreement.
"Aron, you sure you want to look at this place?" Vera asked, when they were parked in front of a plot of land a little outside the city that was zoned for industrial, after they had retrieved her belongings from her former place of work.
"Yeah." Aron's eyes ran over the vast, if not barren, fifty acres of land spread out before him and the river at the other end of it.
"Why, there are other factories for sell why not one of them?"
"Oh, we'll go see one, I'm just thinking ahead," Aron said, imagining what the site would look like in his head. "At least until this site is ready to go online." Writing down the number of the agent that was selling the property.
"And what were you thinking?" Vera asked, eager to learn how that mind of his worked.
"High security fencing, the administration building there," pointing to the east side of the property, "your office way up at the top," smiling at his mother who returned it, "the second factory, that is if I buy one before construction starts on this place, will be over there," pointing to the southwestern part of the lot, "or that's the idea anyway," Aron said, turning back to his mother. Who leaned forward and passionately kissed her son.
"I promise you, I won't let you down," Vera whispered as their lips parted.
"I know, or I'll fire you. Although, you might enjoy how you have to earn your job back," Aron said, with a sinful grin.
"I know I would," Vera uttered with a sultry smile.
"So, shall we hit those factories?"
"Yeah."
"As you can see this used to be a textile factory," the real-estate agent spoke as he led Aron and Vera around the now desolate factory that had been closed down for the past five years. Aron also noted how the man slyly ogled his mother. "The bank left these looms here in case another textile company came in," he said, gesturing to the now silent machines.
"Are they still operational?" Aron asked, wondering how many feet of fabric it could put out per hour.
"As far as I know," The agent nodded. "They might need a tune up given the years they have sat unused. If you'll follow me I'll show you the rest of the factory floor and the office space," he said, with a smile on his face as he led them deeper into the building.
Aron stood at the window that overlooked the factory floor as his mother and the real-estate agent talked amongst themselves from behind him. It would be tight, but he could see the place had what he needed to produce the fabric body armor his past self had made. Although it did need a face lift and some enhancements to bring the place up to task for what he had planned. Still, the place wasn't bad at all.
"What do you think?" Aron asked, glancing at his mother's reflection in the glass.
"It's in a good location, enough docks to handle a busy day without cluttering the yard. Close enough distance from the interstate so your goods can be on the road before even an hour is up. The office is kind of small, but we can work around that for now."
"What was the bank asking for this place again?" Aron asked, although he knew he just like watching the man jump to, eager to sell the place.
"Twenty and a quarter million."
"Tell them I'll buy it for seventeen," Aron countered. "With the looms included."
"If you wait a moment I'll phone them now," he said, pulling out his phone when Aron nodded.
Seeing his mother scurrying to his side when he held out his hand away from his side. Feeling the softness of her skin on his as her fingers wrapped around his hand. Seeing the pride in her eyes as he was taking the first steps in his adult life. Turning to look at the man when he walked back towards them after his phone call.
"That was the bank, they say they'll consider your offer and get back to you in two weeks."
"I see, don't take too long, I might just find another foreclosed factory to my liking. Thank you for your time, we'll see ourselves out," Aron spoke shaking the man's hand.
"You know we're going to need to hire an HR Director to handle the hiring," Vera stated as they climbed back into the SUV.
"You know anyone you can trust for that job?" Aron asked, looking over at his mother.
"I believe I do, he's a little odd, but he's a good man. He's only stayed at that company because of the benefits and pay to support his kids. But I know if we offer him the same and a little more money he'd jump at the chance to get out of that place."
"Then you can put your feelers out and see if he bites," Aron stated, seeing his mother nod as they headed home. It was his turn to watch Henry before he had to leave to meet with Atlanta that evening.
"Hope I didn't keep you waiting long, Void," Atlanta said, coming to a landing behind him. Knowing how he held out a pair of binoculars in his left hand for her. "What am I looking at?"
"Four sentries on the roof, a dozen patrolling the grounds, and I read another forty heat signatures inside," Aron said, matter-of-factly. Trying not to eye the high tech rifle on her back yet he did have Veil take a snapshot of it and send it to Sara. Maybe they could track down the maker of the weapon, and the seller. "So, glad you came?"
"Of course," Atlanta said, with a sinister light in her eyes. Slinging the rifle around, inserting the power pack waiting for the weapon to charge. "I'll handle the ones on the roof, you can handle the ones on the ground, and I'll pick off the others when I'm done," she said, flipping down the stabilizers and resting it on the ledge while it was still in its energizing stage. "What? I'm not invincible like you are," Atlanta said, flashing him a coy, knowing smirk.
"Void, I detect multiple metahuman signatures a block away. They correspond with those I scanned when we were in their base. Please use caution."
"So, you're still testing me, I see," Aron stated, clearly startling Atlanta.
"I don't know..."
"If you're going to lie to me then this partnership is off to a bad start. I know they're watching us from a block in that direction," Aron said, nodding towards her team. Seeing the wicked grin spreading along her face when he spoke those words.
"How did you know?" Atlanta asked, her eyes ran down his body in a calculating light.
"I have drones flying about to ensure there weren't any civilians in harm's way," Aron lied. Arching an eyebrow behind his mask at how she sucked on her lower lip.
"I'm not testing you. They are, they want to see you in action. We need to know if you can do what's needed."
"Then let's get started," Aron spoke, moving up to the ledge, placing his right foot upon it. Feeling the substructure of the roof reaching its breaking point before he unleashed the pent up strength in his legs.
"Told you, Maximins, he's the one we need," Atlanta said, as her team of seven watched as Aron's dark shadow walked through the walls of flames that were now consuming the building after he had wiped out a rather violent, extremist, religious cult that were behind numerous bombings that had killed scores of innocent lives.
"He sure doesn't pull his punches," Maximins spoke as the others nodded.
"Can he be trusted?"
"We don't need to trust him, we just need him for one important mission, then we'll dispose of him," Atlanta said, with an evil smile.
"But it won't be removed from its vault for another eight months. That's a lot of time for that man to be around us."
"Why we'll have him work with the Crusaders for the most part and only use him sparingly. Why risk ourselves when we can just take it easy?" Atlanta asked, getting a chuckle from the seven of them.
"Where did he..." The sound of a body landing behind them caused all eight of them to turn to see Aron rising from his kneeling position.
"So the Team Cestron finally decided to show itself," Aron said, coldly.
"That was an impressive performance," Maximins said, yet it felt the man cared not one bit about his praise.
"Uh-huh, so we done with these tests, or should we continue to circle jerk each other?" Aron asked, having heard everything they spoke of when he had sent one of his drones to spy on them the moment he entered the warehouse.
"Oh, I like him, he has attitude," said the only other female member on the team that went by the name of Dark Sin. "Makes me want to fry it out of him," she said cruelly, as electricity arced along her spread fingers.
"You can try," Aron taunted, when he made his new suit he had added a way for the electricity to move along the suit and to ground without causing him any harm. When she started to move her hand to unleash, however, many amps she had at her command at him, his laser pistol was already pointed at her head. "Go ahead, you'll be dead before you can even form a spark," Aron said darkly, as the accelerator began to spin.
"We aren't here to fight, Dark Sin," Maximins said, reaching out and pushing his subordinate's arm down. "We're here to witness what this hero can do. All in favor of inviting the hero named Void into Cestron raise your hands," all but two rose their right hands, "all opposed?" Aron noted how Dark Sin and one other rose their hands when Maximins asked that. "There you have it, we have our new member," Maximins said, holding out his hand to Void, who simply holstered his weapon.
"You don't play well with others, do you?" Asked a man that Aron didn't care to remember his name as he remained silent. In truth, Aron was playing Bejeweled he thought it was more entertaining than listening to them.
"Well you're going to have to work on that. You'll be working with the Crusaders to keep up the ruse. Keep your communicator on, we'll be in touch."
When Maximins said that Aron took it as a sign he was done and that meant he could leave, which he did. If he didn't then... well, the mission would have been in jeopardy. Especially after what he had heard. Aron had to restrain himself from punching a hole through Atlanta's chest. "Atlanta keep an eye on him." Maximins said, as Aron zoomed off.
"I had planned on it," Atlanta muttered watching the lights of Aron's jet bike suddenly disappearing. Knowing she was going to use Aron to take out Maximins so she could take over. Aron might not be able to match Maximins strength from what she has seen, yet it would be enough to weaken him to the point that killing him wouldn't put her in harm's way. If Aron survived then she would simply take him out too or turn him into her little pet. She hadn't decided on that yet.
"You get all that?" Aron asked, when he reappeared two hundred miles away from the city he was just at.
"Yes, Void. We're working on trying to find out what they were referencing. But it will take time."
"Well, we have eight months," Aron spoke wondering how his folks were going to take the news that this would take longer than they had hoped. Hearing a door closing over the line.
"Aron, are you alright?" Aron could hear the concern in her voice. He wondered why.
"Yeah, why do you ask?"
"You sound upset."
"Maybe a little," Aron admitted.
"Do you want to talk about it, Aron?"
"Nah, just eager to end this thing is all."
"I know, I can't thank you enough for doing this. You're helping a great many people when we bring these 'heroes' down. Are you heading home?"
"Yeah, it's my turn to watch Henry."
"Maybe you'll show me a picture of your little boy, when you come over next time?" Aron arched an eyebrow when he heard that lovey-dovey tone of hers. It was kind of weirding him out. "Aron, can I ask you a question?"
"Shoot."
"What would you say if I said I wanted to be there in that house with you and watch your family's activities?"
"I'd say you'd be alone given how I don't do group sex."
"But what if we just watched?"
"Do you really want to see it that badly?" Aron asked, shaking his head at her 'Mmmhmm.'
"I listen to everything, Aron. I've lost count of the times I got off listening to you fucking your mother, sisters, aunts, I just want to be there with you." Rubbing his temple, this was getting far too out of hand and far too weird for his liking.
"Let me think about it. It's not really a spectator sport, you know."
"I know. I'll do anything you or they ask."
"I'll talk to them."
"Promise?"
"Promise," Aron replied.
"Okay!" Shaking his head at how chipper Sara sounded at the prospect of watching his family getting their fuck on. "Have a safe flight home. I'll contact you tomorrow." With their conversation over, switching the bike out of hover mode and entering null-space to head home.
Two weeks later...
Aron was concentrating on the micro soldering he was doing at the time to get the right hand ready to be attached to its limb. He knew without Aminah's help the build would have taken months if not a year or more by himself, given the limited hours he worked on the project. As it was, Veil's body was almost ready to have its outer casing installed. Then the process of grafting the skin to the plating would commence. However, first, he needed to finish working on the brain. He has spent most of his focus on the hardware. The head unit was nearly completed they just had to install Veil's brain. Rolling his shoulders once he had replaced the soldering iron on its stand.
Hooking up the power supply to the leads in the wrist and running through the sequence to ensure every finger and thumb was working in proper order. Disconnecting it from the power source, gently lifting the hand off the mount he was using while he worked. Walking over to Veil's new body and carefully attaching it to the right arm. A sense of pride and accomplishment washed over him as his eyes ran along the nearly assembled android body. Now all that remained to do that day was smelt the platinum and combine it with the caesium that had been sitting in the canister. He had already made the mold and the chip that would be embedded in the metal to turn it into a smart metal to ensure that it stayed in the form he had chosen to mimic the neuropathways of the human brain.
Stripping off his clothes and shoes, he didn't want to ruin them in case there was some splash back in the pouring. Lowering the welder goggles down as the smelter roared eager to have a taste of that silvery metal in Aron's hand. Aron had cut the platinum into chunks so it would fit more easily and snuggly in the crucible. Then measuring out a pound of the caesium before adding it to the crucible to make the alloy for his photonic brain, also adding the special element needed to join the two together.
It was of his own design that he would never allow to leave his lips. He had seen how aroused and excited Aminah was when she watched him making the cast of the structure of Veil's body out of Neuium billets that he had bought. He was one of the few people that actually knew how to smelt that rare and hard metal given how it would never melt in high heat. No. You had to use the right sound vibrations to turn the metal into a liquid state and then bombard it with a range of sound waves to ensure that the metal would stay in a fixed state. It normally took twenty-four hours for the process to be completed.
"Aron?" Aminah spoke causing him to turn his head as she stood in the doorway that led to his little smelting room his counterpart had built when he made his hidden lab. "What are you doing in here?" she asked, her eyes running down his near naked state.
"About to pour the alloy for Veil's brain," Aron said, truthfully.
"Oh! May I stay and watch?"
"Sure, suit yourself," Aron shrugged. It was just a pour he didn't see why she got all excited about it.
Aminah held her breath as she watched Aron lifting the crucible out of the furnace. Seeing the crucible glowing white-hot as Aron carefully moved over to the mold that sat waiting on the floor. Watching how his hands were steady as he slowly poured that hot metal into the opening. Noting how his breathing was shallow, his focus intently on the pour, knowing how his eyes were watching how the metal flowed into the mold.
"How long will it take to cool?" Aminah asked, as Aron placed the crucible into the annealing oven to cool down at a slower rate.
"About two days," Aron spoke removing his goggles.
"Then come, we have things to do," Aminah said, holding out her hand to him.
"Huh?"
"The bank called, they've accepted your offer," Aminah stated with a smile on her face.
"Oh! Then I guess I need to be dressed like a businessman, no?" Aron asked, with a smirk. Remembering how hot she was when she and Tazia had taken him shopping for a few suits.
"Mmmhmm," Aminah hummed, her cheeks heating as Aron pulled her into him. "You wouldn't mind if we had a little fun in the shower before we go, would you?" she purred, loving how she felt in his arms.
"No, I wouldn't."
"Good." Taking him by the hand, hastily grabbing his clothes and sneakers and leading Aron out to the showers.
"You're looking fit, Void, I approve."
"Thank you, Veil. So do I," Aminah replied knowing how he and Vera always went to the trainyard in the wee hours of the morning to exercise. She even went a few times. It had amazed her how he with one hand was lifting train engines like it was lighter than a feather. Then there was how Vera made him pull the engine and thirteen cars all connected around the trainyard. She saw the slight shock, then the pride, in her sister's eyes when Aron had completed ten laps. It did make her wonder how strong Aron was and would get as the years went by.
"Father, when you return will you bring Henry down, I'd like to see him."
"Sure, Veil, I'm sure Henry would love to see you, too," Aron said, in a warm, caring tone.
Aron walked out of the bank with the deed in his hands with his mother and aunt beside him. He knew he was going to have to spend another three million just to retrofit the factory to his liking. Wondering if the loom workers that had once worked there had found other jobs yet. He knew with the limited space he would have to automate the sowing process. Given how most of the free space would be needed to create the thread.
"Aron, you're father wants to see you in his office so you can go over the corporate papers to legalize your business," Vera said, dressed in her best business attire to show her son he hadn't put his trust in the wrong person, as she read the text from her husband.
"Have you heard from that friend of yours, yet?" Aron asked, knowing the two billion from the interest was sitting in the corporate account he had opened to cover the payroll and whatever else for the startup costs. Even that didn't put a dent in what the interest alone had earned him over the past few months.
"Yes... but?!" Shyly looking away when her son looked at her. "He's asking for an extra twenty thousand, since the company matched your offer."
"Is he worth it?" Aron asked, with a pointed look while he noted how Aminah was sketching out designs for the equipment needed to mass produce the thread.
"He's a very honest man, and a hard worker," Vera said, putting in a good word for her friend.
"Alright, offer it to him, but tell him for that kind of money I expect him to work extremely hard for my company."
"Yes, honey, I'll tell him." Vera nodded.
"Hello, Aron," Noah greeted, smiling warmly at his son when he met him, his wife, and sister-in-law at the front desk. "Come, this shouldn't take too long," he said, gesturing him to follow after. "So, I hear you bought a factory," Noah spoke from over his shoulder.
"Yeah, but it's going to need some major upgrades to be operational," Aron uttered, peering over at his mother. "You can handle hiring the construction crews, can't you?"
"Of course, I'll look into it when we get home," Vera nodded.
"And I know someone that can make the equipment that it will need," Aminah stated, showing Aron the sketches she had done so far. Noting how he made a few minor corrections to them.
"You inquire about that and let me know how much he or she will be asking for the work to be done," Aron spoke handing her pad back to her.
"I love this side of you," Aminah whispered into his ear.
"And I greatly enjoy every side of you," Aron responded with a coy smile, to which his father chuckled, his mother lightly batted his arm, and Aminah's face grew red. Looking down when Aminah took him by the arm, her right hand covering her stomach. The look of something that he couldn't describe was etched on her face. "Aminah, what's wrong? Is it the baby?" His worried tone stopped his mother and father in their tracks.
"Aminah, are you feeling any pain, any discomfort?" Vera asked, quickly rushing to her sister's side.
"No," shaking her head, a smile forming on her lips at what she was sensing, "I feel her, baby," Aminah cooed peering at Aron with teary eyes. "I feel her mind, she's so strong! Oh, my. She's talking," she whispered as tears of joy began to fall.
"Like how Mom used to tell us how you used to speak to her when you were still in the womb?" Vera asked, curiously.
"Mmmhmm," Aminah hummed as she nodded. "Our baby, our little girl, is just like me," she cooed lovingly down at their child.
"Show me," Aron spoke knowing her mental powers wouldn't induce her labor like Tazia's would. Closing his eyes as Aminah pressed her forehead against him. Linking them together allowing him to feel what she was feeling at that moment. When he opened his eyes once again, he found his hand resting over her stomach and feeling a tiny hand against his palm while Aminah rested hers over his.
"Our daughter already loves you," Aminah whispered in a loving light. "I'm so happy that you agreed to be her father," she said, before kissing him with such emotion that she didn't know if it was hers, their daughter's, or both. When they parted they both saw Vera standing far too close, a look of hurt in her eyes, her pouty lip puffed for being left out. That was soon corrected when Vera and Noah joined them in their little group hug.
As they were about done with all the legal matters a huge explosion rocked the city. Rattling the windows, as the mushroom cloud rose to the sky blurring out the sun. At that moment, his phone rang violently in his pocket.
"Hello?"
"Aron we need your help?" Aron got to his feet when Lyla's frantic voice came over the line.
"What's wrong?"
"We can't get near this thing. It's too hot!"
"Alright, I'll be there soon. Until then contain the situation," Aron spoke seeing his parents' and Aminah's need to protect the city yet they didn't have their super suits with them.
"Okay, we'll try. Please hurry!"
"Mom, take Aminah home, Dad, how do I get to the roof?" Aron asked, taking command.
"Honey, you aren't going without..."
"Not this time Mom, seems I'm the only one that can handle this," Aron said, cutting his mother off. "I'm invulnerable remember."
"But even you have your limits," Aminah said, in a worried tone.
"Take the stairs," Noah said, "Be careful, son."
Aron nodded that he would before dashing off to the stairwell. Bringing his phone to his ear, he knew Veil was always connected to it. At first he thought it was a little strange until he got used to having her always in his ear. "Veil?"
"Yes, Void. What is your command?"
"Send the wing," Aron directed he always wondered how that mobile platform would work in real combat. He had placed a spare costume in its cargo pod for such occasions. His suit jacket, tie, shirt, and everything else -- minus his shoes -- when flying as the high winds carried his clothes away as he pulled down his mask. Climbing onto the platform, hearing the locking mechanisms activating and securing his feet to the flight surface. Seeing the link establishing between the suit and the wing's onboard computer Aron had designed years ago. Seeing Veil had loaded the ordnance needed to battle a fire monster of whatever kind that he was flying to meet as the weapons list ran down the screen while he made sure the suit and wing were communicating at a hundred percent. With a sonic boom Aron flew to the rescue.
AC/DC's 'Back in Black' roared announcing Aron's arrival. "Veil, prep the fire suppressant canisters," Aron commanded as his eyes took in the fight before him as a twenty foot tall 'thing' (the best term Aron could label it as at the moment), covered in fire loomed before him. "Troy are you close?"
"Yeah, what's the plan?"
"The moment the canisters deploy I need you to do your thing. Given how hot it is, the gel will melt in two minutes. So when it's covered I need you to freeze it."
"Void, I'm detecting Alpha radiation emanating from it."
"Shit," Aron cursed.
"What's wrong?" Chery's voice came over the line.
"It's radioactive," Aron stated hearing their curses as well. "Troy and I will handle this, the rest of you get the people to safety."
"You two be careful, don't do anything reckless like you did in Bosnia," Isabel said, in a concerned sisterly tone.
"Preparing to drop." Aron felt the wing wobble slightly as the payload detached from the weapon racks. Firing off the thrusters to slow his speed turning around like he was riding a wave in the ocean. Aron had to admit flying it was hell-a fun! If the city wasn't endanger at the moment. Seeing Troy springing into action keeping the gel cool enough to snuff out the flames for him to demolish the thing. Feeling the latch unlocking doing a back flip off of it allowing Veil to take control of the wing. Using a hundred percent of his strength as his fist slammed into the head unit of the thing whatever it was. Feeling it crumble like confetti paper. Taking hold of one of the metal struts and ripping the head clean off. However, Aron didn't see how the things arms were reaching up as he tossed the head away. Troy's warning came too late as the tons of pressure began to squeeze him like a ripe tomato. Aron screamed out as the pressure built and built.
"Void!" Troy's voice filled the air as he tried desperately to free his brother.
"Just kidding," Aron spoke freeing his arms, ripping off the index fingers and sending them into the chest of the robot, now that Aron had a better look at its insides, where he estimated the power source was.
"Fucking, asshole! I thought you were in trouble!" Troy shouted, clearly not a fan of Aron's little joke. His icy blue eye watched as the robot fell backwards with Aron still in its grasp. Then he heard the sound of metal on metal sliding against one another.
"You might have stopped my robot hero, but my bomb will ensure you will die along with this city, no one outsmarts the Collector!"
"Who the fuck is the Collector?!" Aron asked himself. "Please, please, don't tell me I now have a corny archnemesis," he pleaded, yet as his eyes looked down at the bomb, he knew the villain was serious. "No more fucking around, Aron, get to work!" Aron growled in his mind when he easily freed himself. Ordering Veil to bring down his wing, as he heard Troy rushing up to the robot's side.
"Please, please tell me you can stop that thing?" Troy asked, knowing they couldn't let it end here.
"Not in time," Aron admitted noting the countdown. So he did the only thing he could think of with such little time to get the bomb far enough away from the city and any populated areas before it went off. "Veil, activate the magnetic repulser," he ordered as he tore the bomb from its housing.
"What are you doing?" Troy asked, watching how Aron's fingers were moving along a digital display that appeared two inches over his left forearm.
"Sending it to space so the fallout and radiation won't reenter the atmosphere," Aron said matter-of-factly, watching the velocity increasing to the point where the Ion drive would kick on.
"Will it make it in time?" Troy asked, staring up at the shrinking image of the mobile platform.
"Yes." Was all the answer Aron would give. The two brother's witnessed the ensuing explosion, Aron knew his wing had reached the point where the Moon's gravity would pulled the fallout and radiation towards it and keeping it from contaminating the Earth. "Well, this blows," Aron sighed.
"Why?! You just saved thousands of lives!" Troy said, throwing up his arms.
"True, but how am I to get home?" Aron asked, with a smile on his lips as Troy shook his head trying not to laugh.
"Did someone call for a ride?" Tazia purred leaning over the side, as their jet car hovered over them.
"Hello, beautiful," Aron said, loving how he could always make those cheeks heat.
"Hey! We're here too!" Isabel and Lyla uttered as they too leaned over the side.
"How would I have known, I don't have X-ray vision you know," Aron joked, quickly activating the voice dampeners and called Sara.
"Yes, Void. We saw. Thank you, for saving us."
"Find out what you can about this 'Collector' character and how he was able to get his hands on the material needed to make a nuke. When you do, let me know, I'll pay him a visit," Aron said, with deathly undertones.
"We'll see what we can dig up. But when we do, I want him alive is that clear?!"
"I won't make promises. Got to go," Aron said, cutting the line as Carl brought the car to ground level.
Upon returning home Vera, Aminah, and Noah threw their arms around Aron. So very happy that he and the city was safe. Telling him how they were so very proud of him when he had answered the call for help. It was like night and day compared to the fight with the giant robot so many months ago.
"Void, should I begin constructing a new wing?"
"No, not yet, I think it can be improved, there was far too much instability when the canisters released," Aron stated, pulling off his mask as he walked towards the control center of the base.
"I detected that as well. May I make some of my own tweaks to the platform and let you view it?"
"Sure, Veil, that will be fine," Aron agreed sinking into the chair in front of the control panel for the mainframe. "Veil, run a very deep search for any and all reference to a villain named Collector."
"Understood, running search now." Aron leaned back in the chair, his fingertips pressing together as his eyes moved over the screen. Unaware of how Vera, Neil, Chery, Tazia, Carl, and Aminah were looking at him when he did that.
"What?" Aron asked, confused by the looks they were giving him when he peered over at them.
"You look so much like Dad when you do that," Chery stated, to which the others nodded along.
"Well, Henry probably picked it up from me. Speaking of which, where is Henry?"
"Sleeping peacefully in the lab, father. I am keeping careful watch over him."
"Ah, best to not wake him then."
"Mmmhmm," Tazia hummed in agreement.
"I have completed my search; shall I display the results?"
"Yes."
"Does this mean you have your very first nemesis?!" Vera asked, in a dreamy light.
"Please, let's not start on that. I have to be a hero to have a nemesis," Aron teased.
"I've been thinking on that," Aminah said, stepping up. "While it's true you do not have all the characteristics of a hero, nor do you have all the ones that make a villain."
"Void is an antihero. History has come full circle."
"I was thinking the same thing, Veil," Aminah said, smiling up at Veil's camera.
"I'm not going to win this argument am I?" Aron sighed when they all uttered with one voice, along with Veil, in a stern: 'No.'
"So you just accept that fact mister," Vera said, wagging her finger at him with a smile on her face.
"Veil, remove the ones that are dead and how many does that leave us?" Aron asked, as his eyes moved down the screen.
"Three."
"Start compiling data on those three and we'll start our hunt there," Aron ordered, turning in his seat and lifting out of it to go see his son.
The next morning...
Aron was feeding Henry a bottle as they relaxed in the den not paying attention to the TV while Tazia and the others were patrolling the city. To help out those that were affected by the battle yesterday. Feeling Aminah sinking down beside him and leaning lightly against him as li'l Henry gazed up at him while suckling on his bottle.
"Welcome back everybody! I hope those of you in the upper part of the city are faring well from that unexpected attack yesterday. We at Metaville Today reached out to the authorities to inquire if they had any leads on who might have sent that thing here. However, they failed to comment on our query given how it's an active investigation. We wish them good hunting in hunting down the villain that would endanger innocent lives!"
"We all know if The Phantom Marvels hadn't been there yesterday it could have been a lot worse if those heroes hadn't defended the city. We all saw how they were giving it their all. When it appeared the monster, or robot as we know it now, was feeding on Firelight's flames. We saw how much she wanted to best that beast yet knew enough that her being there was only strengthening the thing."
"Agreed," her black co-host cut in, "I was so rooting for them too. Yet I suspect the heat was just too much for them to handle. Firelight was probably the only one of them that could withstand the heat, yet how can you fight something when your own powers strengthen your opponent?"
"You call on your reclusive friend!"
"And what an entrance he made! Let's play the clip!" her co-host said excitedly. Sighing when 'Back in Black' played over the speakers. Even if he told them he wasn't a hero that wouldn't change their minds. It was more likely to drive more people to his name. That was the last thing Aron wanted. "I have to say the song seemed very appropriate. Sort of like the interlude to an epic ass kicking!"
"Beth!" the woman giggled.
"What?! I'm only saying what everyone else is thinking, am I right?" Aron noted how the woman peered out at the audience as they clapped.
"Yet, who would have thought there would be a bomb inside that thing?!"
"I know I didn't. The scientists this morning show contacted stated that if it had gone off it would have been very bad for the city and those in the surrounding towns. Void, if you're listening, thank you once again for saving us and keeping us safe. Please, I know you haven't spoken to the News or anyone for that matter, but please call in and let the citizens of this city, that you have saved, hear that voice of yours." Aron looked over at Aminah when she nudged his arm when Henry was done with his bottle as the number for the studio appeared on the screen.
"Why do I let you talk me into things like this?" Aron grumbled as he pushed himself out of his seat.
"Because you love me," Aminah said, wiggling her nose as she held Henry.
"What's that, oh my God, we have him on the line!" Beth said, excitedly into the camera.
"This is Void, you wanted to talk." Pinching the bridge of his nose when the hostess' squealed as his voice came over the TV speakers.
A month later...
"Aron?!" Sara gasped in surprise when he was standing on her balcony in his costume when she walked into her bedroom after returning from work. Throwing her arms around him when she rushed outside. "I wasn't expecting you," she whispered in dream-like wonder. Feeling his arms pulling her tighter against him. Biting her lip, her body heating as his right hand squeezed her ass.
"You wanted to watch, no?"
Sara gasped; excitement filled her eyes when he spoke those words. She knew from her bug they had been discussing it since she asked him. So she knew how much many of his family members didn't like it. Yet she always heard him say: 'She already knows about us; she hasn't outed us yet, both our secret identities or what we do here. I don't see the harm. She's just going to keep asking either way.'
"Do you mean they finally agreed?" Sara asked, with hope.
"It does. You need to put on that first before we go anywhere," Aron stated pointing at the box that contained a special optical camouflage suit that she wouldn't be able to see out of to protect the base and the entrance to it the jet bike uses.
