"Your father hired me."
Shannon peeked from a nearby tree,hiding herself from the sight of the armored hunter and Starlio,who seemed frozen in place by shock,unable to move or react to the information he had just heard.Can she do anything about it to help him...?
"What-"Starlio stuttered.
"Put the pieces together yourself Starlio.I'm sure you can tell just from my tone whether I'm lying.Now that I've told you the truth,make a choice.Follow me back and surrender your armor...or go crazy here and let's make a mess."Titus threatened.
Starlio was still at a loss.None of this makes sense...yet it strangely does.
Titus drew his sword,the orange blade glowing in under the morning sun,it's heat felt by does around it.Titus pointed the weapon at Starlio,who stood motionless with his fists clenching,heading glaring down against Titus.
"Starlio!"Shannon yelled at him from afar.
Right.I have people to protect.Shannon's voice rung through his head as Starlio jumped at Titus,backhanding the sword away from him and activated his thrusters,slamming into Titus and boosting the both of them down the street.
Without hesitation,Starlio began hammering down punch after punch onto Titus' helmet in rage before the hunter managed to duck,slicing Starlio's waist armor with his heated blade and firing a missile at the teen.Starlio flew aside as the missile hit the road,blowing up a huge chunk of the bitumen and drew his own heated blades from his wrists.
"Countermeasures...smart."Titus remarks.
"My dad hired you...?Why?!"Starlio roared.
"Business policy states that personal reasoning behind the contracts need not be stated to both parties.He's your dad kid.Not mine...which...might be better or worse."Titus took off into the sky before shooting back down at supersonic speeds,his sword clashing against Starlio's blades as the two engaged in a match up of strength.
Starlio fired up his back rockets,trying to push back against Titus's overwhelming strength only to notice little to no results in his efforts.There's no way the suit of that size could provide this much strength...Titus himself...must be super strong as well.
"Smoke!"Starlio commands.
Panels around the Model 3's ribs opened up as thick foggy smoke began spraying all around the two armored beings.Starlio quickly kicked Titus aside,blending himself within the smoke.Starlio quickly shot himself around Titus,launching his blades at the hunter who dodged him completely out of instinct,grabbing the charging Starlio by the back and tossing him right across the street and into a nearby bench,smashing it completely.
Starlio quickly got up,raising his own blades to deflect an incoming sword blow from Titus.
"What...you're using Demonshot's drug aren't you?!"Starlio groaned.
"You're smart."Titus remarks,kicking Starlio in the chest before slashing him across the arm,slicing off Starlio's wrist missiles and without hesitation,followed up the attack with a missile shot from his shoulder missile launchers right into the Model 3's chest piece.
Flames erupted all around the teenager who felt himself being blasted further across the town,slamming right into the side of a bus.
The Model 3 dented a massive hole through the public vehicle before collapsing back onto the ground,flames still resonating around the armor and his core,weakened structurally by the blast.Starlio's HUD was blaring out warning signs as he spotted Titus,flying directly at him mercilessly with the heated sword drawn.
Starlio quickly forced himself to jump out of the way as Titus's blade pierced into the ground where Starlio laid just a second ago,turning his attention back onto the teen and firing another missile.
Shit.
Starlio's limbs were still feeling the aftershock from the previous blast,unable to move out of the way in time when the missile blasted his shoulder,blowing off more pieces of the Model 3 until it eventually exposed the actual body of Starlio within all that metal.
"Yo!What the hell are you doing?!"Mason Stex roared into Titus' earpiece within the armor.
"What does it look like I'm doing?"Titus answered.
"You're supposed to apprehend him and take the armor.Now you're destroying both him and the armor!"Mason exclaimed.Titus sarcastically chuckled to himself as he growled back:"Think about this...in our records the Model 1 and 2 were only first spotted weeks apart.Now that months has passed do you seriously expect him to only have one armor?!"
Starlio could see passengers of the bus,stuck within the vehicle as chunks of rubble were blocking the bus' door and on the other hand,Titus was communicating with his superiors...Mason.
Model 3 integrity:40%
This won't last."Summon Model 5 now."
"Model 5 estimated time of arrival:68 seconds."The A.I of Starlio's armor responded.Titus easily saw that Starlio was up to something,boosting himself using his rockets to supersonic speeds,kicking Starlio right in the chest and blasting him further across the town,landing in the middle of a busy road as cars braked in the nick of time,inches away from hitting him at full speed.
It only took seconds for a large pile of cars to stack up on the road,stopping for Starlio who looked into the air to see Titus soaring towards him.
"A.I How long?"Starlio asks.
[28 seconds]
Titus landed behind him,thrusting his sword forward as the teenager forcefully ejected himself out of the Model 3 in the nick of time.Titus' sword impaled through the lifeless Model 3 Armor,tossing it aside like a rag doll and finding Starlio now completely defenseless against him.
Starlio's heart ached a little,watching as one of his best creations crumbling onto the road like a pile of scrap metal.
"You have him now.Apprehend him."Mason commands.
"Only fools like you don't know how your son operate after so many years."Titus remarks,spotting the Model 5 Armor soaring towards them from a distance.
Now.
Starlio jumped at Titus,his wrist watch deploying a hatch that fired out a small projectile no bigger than half a pencil at the hunter.Titus looked at it and quickly realized what it was,only for the mini missile to hit him and blasting him several feet into the sky,just enough time as Starlio jumped into the air once again for the Model 5 to wrap itself around him,landing back on the ground fully combat ready once more.
"Model 5-Strength.Online."The A.I reports to Starlio.
"Fucking knew it."Titus's armor was dented by the surprise missile shot as Starlio breathed out in relief.That missile was built into his watch exactly for such purposes.Only being able to be used once,but enough to buy him that few extra seconds that would have otherwise meant his defeat.
The Model 5 was taller than his previous armors,bringing the teen to a height of 6 feet exactly,the armor displaying a tankier and sturdier look compared to the skinnier Model 3 with huge blocks of armoring covering his forearms,shoulders and legs and visible pistons,running down the back of the armor,each piston providing Starlio with an incredible strength boost.
"You crossed the line Titus."Starlio charged forward in anger.
Titus smirked to himself as he swung his blade only for Starlio to throw a punch in retaliation,striking the heated blade head on and to Titus' horror,shattering the weapon like a wine glass.Titus was stunned by the power of the Model 5,which slammed into him,smashing him through a road divider and right onto the other side of the road where right in front of them,the road began leading towards a bridge that stretched across a small river.
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"You picked a bad job to accept Titus.Why did my father hire you?!"Starlio roared.
"Like you just demonstrated,you have too much power on your hands!"Titus reached his arm out,grabbing a passing car and holding it in place before turning back to Starlio:"Let's see how you do when you're not the only one involved."
"This mo-"Starlio grunted as Titus tossed the car along with it's horrified driver into the air,prompting Starlio to quickly take off into the air,using the power of the Model 5 to catch the vehicle mid air and hovering to maintain it's grip over the car.
"Hold tight!"Starlio tells the driver when from the corner of his eye,he spotted Titus making a beeline for him.
"Missile!"Starlio commands as the Model 5's shoulder cannons popped out,firing several miniature missiles at Titus who was forced to break his charge in order to avoid the teenager's projectiles.Starlio quickly descended the car down back onto the road,turning his attention back to Titus who had already dodged the missiles,making another mad dash at him.
Clenching his fist,Starlio charged back at Titus,confident about the strength of the Model 5 as the two armored beings clashed into one another.
Titus' armor was easily overpowered as Starlio began raining blows down on Titus,each blow easily making dents within Titus' armor.Titus quickly realized the power difference between their machines,the only thing allowing him to keep up with Starlio is the Silverblood drug running through his blood.
Titus grabbed one of Starlio's punches,jumping into the air and smacking The Model 5 with all his strength,only for the armor to turn back at him almost unharmed.
"Shit-"
Starlio kicked Titus in the chest,launching him right through a tree that broke like it was a sandcastle,Titus collapsing on the ground with his armor minutes away from breaking down on itself."Titus!Your armor is compromised!Retreat!"
"Can't!He'll catch up easily."Titus groaned,his forearm opening up a hatch that revealed a blaster,aiming it towards the bustling road of cars.
"I'll cause a distraction."Titus reports,firing the blaster.
Starlio quickly leapt into the path of the blast,determined to use his armor to tank the shot for the other civilians.The blast hit him,knocking Starlio back and right into the side of a school bus that was pushed off it's course,driving directly towards the side of the bridge,smashing through the road barrier.
The first half of the bus was literally hanging off the side of the road.
"NO!"Starlio moved,flying towards the bus and grabbing it from the back in order to stop the massive vehicle from toppling over the bridge."Piston pull strength double!"Starlio groaned as his grip on the bus began slipping:"Come on kids!Move!"
The terrified students within the bus quickly moved towards the back exit as Starlio held on to the vehicle.Several drivers got off their vehicles,forcing open the door of the bus for the students to escape when a spine chilling creaking sound emerged from the bus,more of the massive vehicle giving way to the gravity that was dragging it down.
Student after student got off the bus.Five more....four more....come on...
"No you won't!"
Titus attacked again as the nearby civilians tried to protect Starlio."Get away from him you monster!"A lady yelled at Titus,who ignored her,heading right for Starlio who had no choice but to tank the following attacks.
"BANG."
A car rammed into Titus,knocking the armored hunter down as Xavier Navarro got out of his vehicle with Shannon and Roy behind him.The inventor pulled out a strange looking rifle,firing a bolt of electricity at Titus and successfully freezing him in place with the bolt's voltage.
With those extra few seconds Xavier brought,the last student and bus driver himself leapt off the back of the bus door,allowing Starlio to finally let go for the bus to fall into the river below them.An exhausted Starlio leaned against the side of the road,looking at Xavier and his friends:"How...did you guys-"
"Your friends told me about Titus.Came down here as fast as I could."Xavier explains.
"Oh my god...your armors,how many are there?"Roy notices the Model 5 as Shannon slaps his arm:"Not the time now.Xavier said that the cops might be against us right?We have to get out of here."
"Bring him too.You know where to go?Navarro Warehouse is definitely not safe so we need somewhere low key to hideout in."Xavier looks at Titus,who has seemingly passed out from exhaustion."Where are the others,did they listen?"Starlio refers to the students.
"Not many.Only Angie,Joseline and Kane believed us and left first,you know seeing as how we are literally the only friends you have?But the school's been evacuated after news of two armored beings fighting each other outside the front gates broke out."Roy informs him."Also...Frank kinda knocked the living hell out of one of those suited men in front of the school gates while we tried to leave so...most likely all of us are in those people's radar already."
"Where's Frank then?"
"Oh yea he did leave with the other three I just forgot he existed."Roy answered.
"Do you have anywhere you know we can go?"Xavier asks Roy who began thinking:"I might have a place but...you know what,let's go."
-
5 Hours Passed.
The group of students found themselves hiding out in Roy's grandfather's house.According to him,his parents were busy and he had to live with his grandparents for months.His grandmother had passed but,his grandfather was surprisingly more than glad to host Starlio and his gang.
"Please,help yourselves."Roy's Grandfather brought a plate of cookies to them.
"We're really grateful for this Mr Brandon."Starlio thanked the old man:"Ahh it's fine.I'm a lonely old man,it's rare for anyone to hang out with me.You guys just gave me something to do!I'll be glad to help out if you guys need me to."
Titus was stripped from the armor and chained up in the basement of the house where Frank and Joseline,the two sporty students volunteered to monitor him until he regains consciousness while Xavier tried to get his people to help out with their predicament.
"So let me get this straight?We are being hunted by your Dad?"Kane asks.
"I don't know what's going on either.Until Titus wakes up there's nothing much we can do.But since we are all identified by those gunmen it's safe to say that we are all most likely being hunted and staying here is the only thing we can do until we know that we are safe."Starlio tells the group.
"Alright...that makes sense."Angie agrees.
"I don't have enough beds and mattresses for everyone of course so...you girls can take the beds,the rest of us can use the sofas and stuff.If you need anything just lemme know,I want my grandpa to rest."Roy reminds the rest,who all nodded in agreement.
"How about food?"Shannon asks.
"I guess I can go out on supply runs.It's not like we are confined to this house for good,it's just for us to lay low."Starlio tells them when Angie instantly volunteers:"I'll go with you!"
"No,Starlio has the armor to fight Titus in case he breaks out or anything."Kane suggests.
"I'll go with you."Roy tells Angie.
"Alright..."Angie's response was clearly hiding her disappointment.The teenagers in the group had been in situations like this before.From kidnappings to being held hostage,hiding out with people they know and embraced disasters together before didn't seem like the worst thing in the world.
Each teenager had already contacted their respective families,explaining their current situation but with each parent having different reactions,there was nothing much anyone could do.Angie's parents were worried sick, Shannon's parents trusted her in Starlio's hands, Kane's parents didn't even pick up the call,Joseline's parents were mad at Starlio for dragging their daughter into the whole thing and Frank...said nothing.
"I'm needed back at Navarro Warehouse.Police and there for questioning.I'll endanger you all if I stay any longer."Xavier tells the teens.
"You've done enough for us.Take care."Starlio tells his mentor who left the house.
Night fell.
Frank was surprisingly chill about everything going on.He showed little to no emotion within the group,who were trying to figure out their dinner while the former bully just stood at the entrance of the basement,staring down at Titus.
"Dude...I know we got off to a bad start but...you're cool."Starlio approached the huge teenager,who easily towered over him.
"Yea...I mean.You're cool too."Frank admits.
"Anyway we are making some instant noodles.There's chicken flavor,spicy sesame flavor and mushroom what would u like?"The prodigy asks the bully who thought for a second:"I'll take the spicy.If's there's extra please give me two packets I'm easily hungry."
"Spicy for Frank!"Starlio informed Angie and Roy,who were cooking.
"Alright you don't have to keep me company Starlio,just go talk to Shannon or something before this gets real awkward real quick."Frank tells Starlio who paused for a moment before answering him:"No,I actually have something legitimate to ask you."
"Shoot."
Frank's expression changed to a slightly warmer one when Starlio asks:"You...I've seen you in action back then when the school was attacked.You seemed very comfortable with combat and the fact that we heard nothing from you when we discussed our parents...like where did you come from?"
Frank took a deep breath.
"Not that different from you honestly.Dad's a military cunt who forced me to fight when I was younger,signed me up for countless programs to nurture me to be his successor one day.Fuck that,it's his dream, not mine."
"Understandable. Military people are bad news huh?"
"Very."Frank agrees when he noticed Titus,slowly moving.
"Hey the dickheads' awake."Frank tells Starlio as he summoned the Model 5.The armor,staying still at the corner of the living room was brought online,hovering towards Starlio who quickly suited up,jumping down onto the basement to greet the hunter head on.
"Where....you guys got me....hehe."Titus chuckled weakly.
"Now,you tell me everything."Starlio demands in the Model 5.
Next Chapter- The Unwilling Successors