Chapter 07-04

Obsidian, the ever-heavy sleeper, did not awake as early as Alex had. He laid under the heavy sets of hotel blankets and unlike the hotels on Earth he didn’t worry about the potential ‘things’ that were under the covers with him. Even though it had passed sunset sunlight did not make it into the room.

Alex ventured out of the bed to walk over to the window to have a look. Pulling the curtains back he found that they were not only in for rain, but it had arrived and everything outside was soaked. He wished they would have parked the truck closer to the actual room.

He thought that there was no better time to do a little work on his stats and power point allocation. Obsidian would be better if he let her sleep for a little longer. Checking his points, he found that he had sixteen Power Points to spend and twelve stat points.

Consideration had already narrowed his new power choices down to telekinetics, teleportation, and scan. Recent developments and the addition of Function to his team really shot scan down on the list. This just left Telekinesis and Teleportation on his list of desired powers.

Teleportation would certainly help him get around better, but it would be a dozen or so points until he could make any real distance, and even more points that he would have to spend to be able to extend his teleportation to other people essentially having to leave Obsidian behind until he grew more powerful. On top of all that he already had flight which was a very powerful movement-based power.

So, this train to thought really put him in front of Telekinesis. This was one of his most used powers in the past. If he would have known that he was going to permanently do the body switch with the body in this world he probably, no he definitely would have chosen that ability over something else probably Super-Strength. It was a great power, but it put him directly in harms way because he fought purely in melee. He was still very happy that he had taken Regeneration. Game or no that power would always make a better quality of life.

He pondered the decision for a few more minutes watching the swirls in the dark sky outside of the window. Ultimately, he felt that Telekinesis was the best choice for him in the moment. This was the first power that he had taken that had a split stat allotment. Unlike super-strength that put four points into his strength or regeneration that put three points into constitution when he spent points in them, Telekinesis put one point into intelligence and two points into will. On the first point it did one in intelligence and four into will. This right off the bat would increase his energy. Telekinesis took a great deal of willpower to wield because of the strain on the mind. With the additional point in intelligence Alex could feel himself get just a little sharper and the will sent a rush of vitality through his veins.

With his six remaining points he split them among this other three powers. This allotment meant that he had spent six points in super strength, five points in flight, and six points in regeneration, while technically he had spent ten in Telekinesis it was really only one. The points that he allocated into Flight unlocked his first flight-based skill.

-New Skill Unlocked!

-Air Sprint

-At the cost of 50 energy triple your flight speed for 8 seconds.

-This Skill has a 20 Second cool down.

The last thing that he wanted to do before awakening the Kraken from her slumber was to distribute his stat points. He had twelve that needed homes. The three stats that Alex felt were falling behind were Wisdom, Perception and Charisma. Two sixteens and a nineteen respectively. His Fate wasn’t too far ahead with a twenty, but it was over that threshold.

He spent four points in Charisma. He’d seen with Mr. Money the effect that could be had so he didn’t feel like it was anything like a waste. He decided to go a head with four in the other two as well bringing them both up to twenty.

When Alex committed to his choices he sucked in a sharp breath of air. His body was changing rapidly. His mind ached from a moment. Everything in the room around him became sharper owing to his higher perception and glancing in a mirror he saw that he found himself far sexier.

“Damn son.” He whispered to himself.

He wasn’t sure how to quantify the feeling that crossed over him at the increase of his wisdom score, but he did feel like he might make fewer stupid calls in the future. He attributed it to his confidence taking a rise from the increased score. He took a moment to look over his scores.

-Strength: (Passive: 42) (Active: 63)

-Dexterity: (Passive: 30) (Active: 40)

-Intelligence: (Passive: 21) (Active: 22)

-Wisdom: (20)

-Charisma: (23)

-Constitution: (Passive: 37) (Active: 56)

-Fate: (20)

-Perception: (20)

-Will: (Passive: 27) (Active: 31)

For his current level of nine he could not have asked for better stats. The only one that was not super clear on him was Fate. He had never been much to put points in it in the past and wasn’t sure what it changed.

Alex stretched while taking one last look out at the cloudy sky. Rain started to fall in sheets.

“Figures.” He said shaking his head.

Turning from the window he walked over to his bed. He grabbed a pillow before walking over to the head of Obsidian’s bed. Carefully he positioned himself over her making note of the location of her hands and feet. He executed his operation in a swift motion pushing the pillow down on her head.

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She immediately awoke struggling against the pillow. Kicking and scream Alex was glad that he had made note of her appendage positions. He pulled the pillow of her face. She gasped an jumped up. She balled her fist and punched him in the shoulder.

“Jerk!” She yelled.

“Good morning sunshine!” Alex said with a smile. He rubbed the impact point on his arm.

“What the hell was that?” She demanded.

“I mean anyone can shake a person awake, I chose to go another route.” Alex said shrugging.

“Psychopath.” She hissed jumping down from the bed.

“The jury is still out on that one.” Alex noted.

“I’m guessing it’s time to go?” She asked. She had slept in a pair of dark black and purple pajamas that Alex was not exactly sure of their origins.

“Yeah, it’s raining cats and dogs outside. Are all of your cloths color coordinated to your super persona?” He asked pointing at her.

“Yes, they are.” She said giving a sharp nod.

Obsidian disappeared into the bathroom to change into her super suit. Alex was already halfway there having slept in most of his the night before. He donned the top half and the with a quiet hiss and click he put on his mask.

“Good afternoon sir.” Function said appearing in the room.

“Good morning Function.” Alex said with a nod.

“Shall I set up navigation to the indicated point you received during you mission update last night?” he asked.

“That would be very helpful.” Alex nodded.

Once Obsidian was finished the head out for the mission. They took the truck the short ride into the mountains. There were several mines most of which were producing Uranium, but there were other resources coming out regularly too.

Alex assumed when they parked in front of a mine entrance that was label with two of their three current missions that it wasn’t a coincidence and the two were connected. He put the truck in park and shut down the reactor. The duo looked at the fenced off entrance building for a long silent moment.

“No point in wasting time.” Alex said opening his door.

They approached the fence gate. The door was left completely ajar and the pad lock had been destroyed. Shiny pieces of it lay on the ground around the door. Kneeling down Alex picked up a piece and examined it.

“What do you think?” He said holding it up towards Obsidian.

“High powered energy blast?” She half said half asked.

“That’s what I was thinking.” He said with a nod. He dropped the metal and proceeded to the front door of the main mine building. The door was still closed and locked which at first, he took as a good sign. When he thought about it though it likely meant that there was another way in and out that he didn’t know about.

Eric’s key card did its job. When he waved it over the panel next to the door the locked clicked right opened and the door swung out freely. Alex leaned inside the door frame fists balled and ready to brawl.

There was nothing, the room was a little dim, but the light from the windows was enough for both of them to see. He wasn’t sure that his newly enhanced perception wasn’t playing a part, but if it was, he was thankful. He didn’t mind surprises as long as they didn’t come out of places that were dark and creepy.

There wasn’t much to the small building. There were some control systems to one side that were keeping up with the mine’s ventilation systems as well as power distribution for all of the equipment and machinery. In the center of the back wall there were three elevators.

“Going down?” Alex asked in a goofy creepy voice pointing to the elevators.

“If we must.” Obsidian sighed and rolled her eyes.

They boarded the elevator. According to the location on the map it was all the way down that they had to go. Alex pressed the lowest button. The doors slid closed and the car began it’s decent. The sound of the creaking metal was all that could be heard.

When the elevator came to a stop the doors slid open to reveal a metal lattice that had to be opened manually. They stepped out into a stone tunnel that looked like it had been carved in a perfect circle by some kind of machine. Alex continued to lead them down the tunnels following the indicator to the location that Eric had given them. The location for the other uranium-based mission just lead to the elevator giving Alex the distinct ‘you figure it out’ vibe.

They took a left down a narrow tunnel, then they took a right. After a few minutes of walking they began to go up a slight incline. Then they reached a dead end, which was where the navigation on his HUD stopped.

“Well this is excellent!” Obsidian said words oozing with sarcasm.

“Just hold on a second.” Alex said holding up his hand. He walked over to one of the lights that was hanging from the wall and pulled it down. They were battery powered since the power lines had not been run into the newer part of the mine yet.

He looked all around, but he saw nothing that would indicate that what there were standing at was anything more than just a dead end. That was until he heard a rustling. The noise of movement and scratching came from above his head.

Alex looked up to see a round hole just large enough for him to fit through. He shone the light up but didn’t see anything but continuing tunnels.

“Give me a boost.” Obsidian suggested.

“Are you sure?” Alex asked looking from her to the creepy tunnel.

“We’re on a mission, right? What could go wrong?” She asked.

“Yeah. Literally five million things.” Alex said with a nod.

“Just give me a boost.” She reiterated.

Alex laced his fingers together and offered his hands for her to step into. She climbed up using his head for stability and was able to grab ahold of the tunnel walls. She climbed up about ten feet fairly easily finding holds as she moved.

“It’s not too tight, you can make it.” She called down to him once she was about twenty feet up the tunnel.

Alex flew himself up into the tunnel but was unable to keep the hover going in the small area. Every time his arm would bump the wall his power would deactivate, and he would fall a few feet. He decided to take ahold of the holds and climb just like Obsidian.

They moved quickly covering a hundred feet in just a few minutes. The holds they used to climb almost seemed to be carved like a ladder system.

Without warning a rock hit the top of Alex’s head. When he looked up, he saw Obsidian sliding down. She was desperately tried to grab ahold of something, but as fast as she was moving, she couldn’t get a grip.

Before Alex knew exactly what had happened, he and Obsidian were jammed face to face in the tunnel. Neither one could move. Alex’s left arm was over his head stuck in an awkward position.

“Are you alright?” Alex asked moving his head around, mostly because it was the only thing he could really move.

“I’m fine.” She said with a groan.

“Well this is an interesting development.” Alex said.

“Don’t get any ideas.” She replied looking him in the eye which wasn’t hard because their eyes were literally inches apart.

“Oh, I’ve got all kinds of ideas, but none of them helpful.” He said trying really hard not to think about the shirtless image from the night before that had been raddling around in his mind since it happened.

“Here’s what we are going to do.” Obsidian said with an exhale, “I’m going activate my ability and I want you to use your strength to break the stone with me.”

“That should like a crazier idea then I had in mind.” Alex said.

“What’s your idea then?” She asked with an impatient look.

“Never mind, let’s do your thing.” Alex gave her and awkward smile.

Obsidian’s skin began to glow purple. Alex could feel the soft skin that gave way under the pressure of his body cease to do so.

“Are you ready?” He asked.

“Do it!” She said.

Alex focused energy into his super-strength. He pushed out with his arms breaking the stone around him. Obsidian began to shift backward as the stone behind her buckled under the pressure. Chunks fell down to the ground in the shaft below them. Finally, after longer than either of them wanted they were free. Like a spider monkey Obsidian shot up the tunnel stopping for nothing.

Alex hung suspended for a moment waiting to either make the climb himself or drop down at a moment’s notice.

“I made it! Your turn.” She called down to him.

One carful movement at a time Alex climbed up the tunnel walls. When he reached the top Obsidian offered a hand to help him out of the hole. He climbed out into a large, dark open cavern.

“Next time if you want some close time with me. You just have to ask.” Alex said trying to break the tension of the two of them rubbing against each other for over a half hour.

In response she punched him saying nothing, but be it a trick of the light, he thought that he saw her blush slightly.