Virgil ate his can of beans in silence while Sheri sat by his side. The meal was bland and tasteless but he didn't care; at least the heat would distract him from how sore his body was. His eyes wandered up the length of Sheri's arm to settle on the bandages peeking through the sleeve of her top.
News of Edith's abduction came out of left field...he hadn't expected that. Something didn't add up.
Was it because she tried uncovering Salvatore's chemical formula from the Adrenomancer? He mentally scratched that idea. That made no sense...Salvatore didn't leave loose ends untied; he was thorough. If he considered something—or someone—a threat...they weren't around long enough to worry about. Maybe Edith uncovered something else...another plot or scheme.
At least she was alive. Abducting her meant Salvatore wanted her to work for him...or do something for him. Which meant she still had leverage. Which also meant Salvatore may let Edith live for longer if she kept cooperating...or if he managed to get whatever he needed done, finished sooner than later.
Of course, that brought along the problem of retrieving her; even injured as he was...the odds of successfully finding her and freeing her from Salvatore were slim to none. No...he couldn't rush into things...he needed more intel. This was one fight he couldn't win with brawn and guns—he needed to think things through.
Sheri's worried stare broke him out of his thoughts. She must have sensed his tension. He forced himself to relax—relax and eat. Nothing good ever came from worrying about stuff he had no control over.
"How's Fii coming along?" he asked casually.
The question earned him a small smile. "She's doing well," she answered as she adjusted her glasses. "Considering all that's happened...she's been really strong...pulling through despite everything."
He knew all too well what that girl was made of. Despite all the tragedies Salvatore's attack caused, it tempered Fii's resolve and grit—it hardened her against adversity and pain. She had to learn to bring the hammer down when push came to shove; there was no room to hesitate when lives were on the line.
The faint trace of a smile came unbidden, but soon turned into a frown.
Kenzo's death left a mark on him. It hurt. Despite their history, Virgil still held a certain respect and admiration for him. He was more of a hero than any of the egotistic, self-glorifying Metahumans in the metropolis. If circumstances had been different, Kenzo could've changed the face of the slums...for the better. And he would've kept the spirit of the people alive and well. A damn shame if there ever was one.
But at least Fii managed to put an end to Prime once and for all. Prime had become more of a hindrance than help, twisting the ideals set by the founders of the Metropolis. His reign had become a tyranny.
Maybe now...with him out of the way...hopefully the good guys could start doing good without having to play the game of political bullshit. Things could only go uphill from here.
His main concern now was with Fii.
No doubt Kenzo's death had left its mark. The kid needed to find closure. He could only imagine the conflicting emotions she must have felt...the grief. She'd be fine in time, that much he could safely say.
What he wasn't so sure of...was how she would acclimate to her rapid growth in power. No Metahuman had ever made this sort of jump so fast. Not even him, not even Prime.
There was no telling what effect such speedy development might have on her. He needed to keep a close eye on her. For everyone's sake.
That night, she had been forced to kill. It may have been for the greater good...but it took its toll on the psyche. He knew.
One slip. That was all it took to start a dark downward spiral. He didn't want that to happen to her—not someone like her. She was different. Innocent. Naïve in so many ways despite the struggles she went through daily. There was a light inside her that couldn't be snuffed out no matter how hard life threw curveballs at her. The world needed more like her—despite what he said or did otherwise.
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Fii casually walked up the side of the Tower of Songs, her gravikinesis letting her cling to its surface with ease. After several moments, she reached a window sill—pulled herself onto the ledge—and swung herself up to sit atop the crumbling edifice.
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A quiet sigh left her lips as she took a moment to stare at the setting sun. She had come here for some peace and quiet—just a few moments away from the usual hustle and bustle to gather her thoughts.
The sky above was ablaze with hues of pink and purple; streaks of gold danced across the clouds as they lazily drifted past. The air was still warm from the afternoon heat, though a breeze carried whispers of cooler evenings to come. Fii leaned back against the rough concrete and gazed out into the horizon.
The slums stretched far below her perch, an endless expanse of dilapidated buildings and makeshift structures built from whatever was at hand. Interspersed throughout the city were large sections of densely packed shanties where even more desperate souls eked out an existence—hoping for nothing more than enough food and shelter to make it another day.
Beyond the outskirts lay the gleaming towers of the Metropolis behind The Wall. The contrast between the two worlds couldn't have been starker.
A crackle of noise from her earpiece interrupted her thoughts. She tapped at the device lightly as its low hum faded in and out.
"Hey, Fii—err, I mean Axion." Quinn's voice came through clearly for once as he adjusted the signal. It had taken him a while to figure out how to work the signal boosters Rao had rigged together. But now, the comm link was stable and secure—a welcome convenience.
"Are you doing okay?" The sound of his breathing filtered over the device as she pondered the question.
"I'm okay," she finally said as she idly traced shapes on the concrete beneath her fingertips. "Just taking a breather until my next patrol."
The wind rustled her hair as a soft sigh escaped her lips. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the cool stone behind her. "How about you?" she asked quietly.
There was a pause on the line before he answered. "I've been busy with the repairs and all but..." His voice trailed off briefly before coming back to life with renewed energy. "Well, yeah...good! Busy as ever...can't complain. Just got these new upgrades for the drones—that's what I've been tinkering with lately."
"That sounds nice." A faint smile played across her lips as she listened. She appreciated the small talk.
A slight pause came over the line; there was an unasked question hanging in the air—not being said...but present.
Fii could imagine the nervous frown gracing Quinn's features as he gathered up the courage to speak his mind.
"Say...we haven't talked much lately. Maybe we could catch up after your patrol? We could grab something at the Rust Market or whatever...I mean if you want...it'd be cool...I'd be cool with that. I just...you know...just...maybe we could hang out sometime...that is if you're cool with it. If you don't feel like it then that's also fine." He stumbled over the words as he tried to get them out as quickly as possible. He took a deep breath after finishing.
"That would be nice." Fii chuckled softly before reassuring him. "Really. I've missed our talks." The admission made her feel better than she'd felt all day.
There was a brief lull before Quinn replied.
"Great! So...I'll...see you later then?" There was an audible click as he switched off his microphone. Fii could picture the goofy expression on Quinn's face as he hurriedly made some adjustments to his gadgetry.
Her cheeks flushed pink despite herself as the corners of her mouth tugged upwards involuntarily. With a sigh she stood and stretched; she had stalled for long enough. Duty called.
She pressed the play button on the cassette player strapped to her utility belt and leaned into the familiar melody emanating from the earpiece.
Kenzo's last song echoed through her ears—the one he had told her about. A song about Axion—a song about her.
Fii lept into the air, her body weightless as she soared high above the slums. She floated on the notes of the music drifting through her ears—a smile spreading across her face—she drifted higher and higher as if carried aloft by wings.
The wind caressed her cheek—the sun bathed her skin—the song filled her mind—she became part of everything around her.
Every note held meaning, every rhythm vibrated with purpose. She understood now more than ever what Kenzo meant when he said music held magic within its sound waves. It spoke a language all its own—a language with no barriers or restrictions.
At this brief, fleeting instant, nothing else mattered except the feeling of being untethered to the confines of gravity and earthly laws...just existing.
The sensation faded as she descended onto the street below—back into reality.
Fii continued on her way towards her patrol route.
There was no denying the changes happening. The slums were getting noticed by the Metropolis in new ways. She could feel it in her bones. Something was coming...and she'd need to be prepared for whatever happened next.
Slumlife wasn't pretty. Nor was it poetic.
For Axion—for Fii—it just...was. It was all she had known—and would probably ever know. All the same, it would always be her home...no matter how hard or ugly. And if it meant protecting what she cared about, then that's what she would do.
No questions asked. No regrets. Even if there'd be nothing but ashes and dust behind in her wake...so long as everyone could survive another night...then she could live with herself...even though life gave her no chance to dream.
She would keep moving forward. Because if nothing else...life had taught her one valuable lesson: There would always be tomorrow, and hope would never leave her heart.
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Book One End