While Alice and Anomaly left to set up, I walked through rooms and hallways until we reached a door.

We were still a few floors below ground level, so I didn’t expect it when the door opened into a garage. My surprise only grew when I saw what it held. It was like a sea of mechanical parts – an underground car park retrofitted to be some kind of workshop for a Mechakinetic.

There were cars, bikes, vans, buses, and much more. There were even a couple of the armored transports I rode in before. Some vehicles were in the midst of repair, while others were in the process of being built. The technology on display was fascinating – something I could only dream up during one of my fugue sessions.

If only I could have a place like this for myself—

“This is one of Kriegsmaschine’s workshops. He’s a contractor we get in to do custom orders from time to time,” The Old Man explained. “We have a couple personnel trained in his tech to do general upkeep but no one understands the tech better than the man himself. When we need projects done fast, we get him personally.”

“A shame he isn’t here now,” I replied.

“You have to make do with what you’ve got. Now, you’re going to need something small and fast. It’s a warzone out there so the less chance you have of getting shot, the better. It's a good thing you have that suit, it gives you some room for error.”

He led me through the workshop until we found a collection of motorcycles outfitted for war. At a glance, they were small and nimble bikes with mounted machine guns. Then, as my eyes trailed down the line, I found bigger ones that sported missile pods and armor that wouldn’t go amiss on a tank. It wasn’t hard to picture a legion of soldiers riding these things through the streets amid a warzone.

“You should find these to your liking,” The Old Man said. “They’re fast, agile, and highly durable. There is no modern handheld firearm capable of even putting a dent in these things. Mechatech excluded of course.”

I walked forward and placed a hand on one of the bike's handles. Like fireworks, the information sprang into my head as I began piecing together what made it tick.

[Kriegsmaschine Bike V6]

“Six iterations. I would have loved to have seen the earlier models. Still, I suppose considering it’s a low-rider, I shouldn’t be surprised he used a 2018 Henry Larrison to work off of,” I said, looking deeper into the tree. With each passing second, I found my respect for Kriegsmaschine grew. He wasn’t using Pyranium, but Temberite for the armor. That stuff was notoriously hard to work with and even harder to get. “You guys must have deep pockets to be getting Temberite.”

Temberite was a material created by a group of Supers instead of just one. Where that group operated out of was beyond me. Not that it mattered because these guys had to get it imported, whereas I could just cheat.

“Now that, I’m not at liberty to say,” The Old Man said. “We have our ways. Until we discuss further cooperation, I’m afraid that’s all you’ll be getting on the matter. Though it is interesting, how you were able to tell exactly what it was with so little inspection.”

“I have my ways,” I said, brushing off his curiosity. “Until we discuss further cooperation, I’m afraid that’s all you’ll be getting on the matter.”

The Old Man scoffed. “I don’t need a power to know Alice has big aspirations. That girl has a goal and despite how powerful she is, she recognizes that she’s going to need a lot of help. It’s rare that young supers like her understand the big picture. Most either die young or get swept up by bigger organizations.”

“Are you going somewhere with this? You’re not telling me anything new,” I said, giving him a flat stare. “She helped me out when I was in a tough spot and so far, we work well together. Whatever her aspirations may be, I’ll help her with them.”

I knew what she wanted. Control over territory in the city. It started with getting rid of The Cains and acquiring what they left behind for our own, but that was looking more like a short-term goal than an endgame. Assuming we survive the night, we could feasibly do that in the next few weeks. What would happen after that?

Where exactly did her aspirations end? How much control did Alice want?

“She’s got you wrapped around her finger,” The Old Man said sadly. “She’s pulled you, Liam, and whoever this other girl is, into her schemes. If this whole thing goes south, she’ll leave you all out to dry without a second thought.”

I suppressed my urge to groan. I already knew all of this. Alice was a complicated person, made even worse because of six different versions were floating inside her head. Above all else, she would prioritize herself; she made that abundantly clear after our last encounter with Grim. The only way to ensure she stayed was to never put Alice in a position where that became her only option. With enough time, I could make sure of that.

Regardless of Alice’s flaws, I had to present a united front. I couldn’t let this guy think he could drive a wedge between us.

“Is that your strategy?” I asked, venom coloring my tone. “Spout a whole bunch of half baked accusations to get me to jump ship?” I scoffed and looked away. “You don’t think I know what she’s like?”

“You think you do,” The Old Man said. “I’m not trying to coerce you. I’m telling you how it is. I’ve been in this business for over thirty years, kid. I’m going to die in this business and I’ve made peace with that. You? You’re young, and if you play your cards right, you’ll have your whole life ahead of you. Liam too, if he’d stop making stupid choices.”

“That’s all very sentimental, but we barely know each other and this looks extremely suspicious,” I scowled. “Hell, I don’t even know your name.”

“Francis Anderson,” he said like it was the easiest thing in the world. “Never been one for codenames.”

I hadn’t expected him to tell me his name without some pushback. With only a name, there was a lot I could do with my tech now. That wasn’t even considering what Alice could do. Although, since Liam knew him, he probably thought there wasn’t any point in hiding it from us.

“I’d give you mine, but I suspect you already know it.”

Francis narrowed his eyes.

“I do not. I only know you as Upgrade,” he intoned. “I can say with certainty that the people I represent do know who you are. They’ll know Alice, Liam, and if they don’t already, your other team member as well. They know the identity of just about every Evohuman in this city, even the ones protected by the ECU. Unless you are exceptional, there is nothing you can hide from them.”

A shudder crawled up my spine.

He wasn’t telling me this to intimidate or to scare me. He was telling me because it was a truth – a reality I had to come to terms with. There was nothing I could do about it. If they knew about everyone in the city, they’d foresee any plans to tear them down. However, it also meant they were very discreet because if someone with this much influence knew the identities of every super in the city, they would have done something about the gangs by now. The fact that they hadn’t done this meant they had something to gain.

Anonymity. If they started doing that, people would notice their operation here. They get by because no one knows they’re here. It’s just like Alice said.

“Well, that sounds like a challenge,” I said, trying to sound confident. Given how Francis scoffed, I could tell I had failed to impress him. “It’s not important right now anyway. What good is information about my personal life if Grim kills us all?”

“Quite right,” Francis agreed. “Back to business then. Have you ridden one of these before?”

I plopped down on the closest Mechatech bike and gripped the handles, my power showing me every upgrade path available. I knew where all the important parts were. Brakes, acceleration, engine, headlights, weapons control, frequency ignition– oh, haven’t seen that before. I knew most modern vehicles had wireless security, used to lock and unlock doors, but I hadn’t seen it in the ignition before.

“No, but I’ll manage.”

I loaded up my software and connected to the bike. It would only be a few moments before I had the right frequency. The security installed into the bike’s systems was basic. I’d put money on the wireless ignition being a recent addition to the motorcycle.

“Some tips then. When you turn, lean with the motion – just like a normal bike. I also shouldn’t need to say this, but these things are heavy, so if you don’t want to end up as a red smear, don’t take sharp turns at speed,” Francis explained. “Other than that, it’s fairly straightforward. You’re a smart kid, you’ll be fine.”

I nodded slowly. “Thanks.”

“I’ll get you the key.”

“No need.”

My breaching software broke through, and I tuned to the right frequency and sent the starter signal. The ignition turned on its own as the engine roared to life. Francis frowned lightly. I gave the engine a couple of revs to get a better feel for it. It was a powerful machine – leagues ahead of the stuff sold nowadays. I could imagine how envious Chris would be if he could see me now.

“Try not to get yourself killed,” The Old Man warned.

“That’s the plan,” I said, exhaling slowly. “Hopefully, there are no more nasty surprises tonight. I’ve had enough of those to last me a good while.”

“The plan has a few contingencies if things go awry. You know what to do,” Francis replied. “Just make sure you stay on top of your game. You know your part, so do it properly and we’ll all wake up tomorrow.”

I arched an eyebrow at him. “Do you think we actually have a chance?”

“I can’t say for sure, but it's better than doing nothing,” he reached up to his earpiece and began transmitting. “One exiting at gate two. Expect one of Kriegsmaschine’s bikes.” A small alarm rang through the garage, and I saw the metal gate at the end open. “Good luck out there, I’ll be in touch.”

He turned and walked off.

I pulled down on the accelerator, gliding through the garage and up the ramp toward the surface. The bike was surprisingly easy to control. Whether it would be easy enough when I was in danger was an entirely different story. I just needed to keep my distance and stick to the plan. I was confident the others would play their parts.

I surged out the last gate and onto the street, the fresh night air hitting my body. While I couldn’t smell the smoke that blanketed the city, it wasn’t hard to figure out where the battles were. Fires painted a dull red glow to the backdrop of Bayside – if I didn’t know any better, I’d have thought the sun had yet to set.

Amid the warzone, Pandora was likely trying to push their way into Grim’s territory and judging by the fact the fighting was still ongoing, they weren’t finding much success. At least not quickly.

With another rev of my motorcycle, I took off toward the chaos.

“How’re we doing, is Mia all caught up?”

“I just finished giving her the rundown. I’m sure she and Anomaly will sort out their personal stuff after we deal with Grim,” Alice replied. “Are you set up on your end?”

“I’m on my way now. Hopefully, this thing will be fast enough to keep me alive. Are you having any trouble with the sonar beacons?”

“Oh pah-lease, Upgrade. Who do you think you’re talking to? I know what I’m doing, have some faith.”

“No can do. I’m saving it all for my part of the plan. I’m going to need it if we want this to go smoothly,” I said, leaking some nervous amusement into my voice. “How about you, Anomaly? Are you in position yet?”

It took him a few moments to respond, probably because he needed to change back into his human form to communicate.

“You need faith? I’m the one with the shittest job. All you need to do is run away. I’m the one that has to go for a swim,” the aggravation in his voice was hard to miss. “Seriously, do any of you have any idea how much of a pain it is to swim while transformed? I don’t know how I’m supposed to move with the amount of water you’re expecting me to take in.”

“We talked about this,” Alice chimed in with a groan. “You’ll be able to propel yourself forward. Plus, you can limit how much water you take in at any given moment. You have enough control, you just have to concentrate.”

“We’re so screwed,” Anomaly muttered. “Whatever, I’ll do what I can.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” I could practically hear Alice’s smile. “How’re you feeling, Upgrade? Are you still up for this? There’s still time for us to switch places if you're not certain, but we’ll have to be quick.”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“You said it yourself that Pink will be too fast to keep Grim’s attention. I should be fine,” I turned another street corner, my confidence in my motorbike skills increasing by the minute. However, as I got closer to the chaos, I could feel my hands beginning to shake with trepidation. It was a do-or-die situation. I couldn’t afford to make mistakes. “But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. I’ll be honest, I’m scared – but this is the way it has to be.”

“I’m scared too,” Alice replied, sounding sympathetic. “I’m scared for all of us. Just think positively, that’s what I’m doing. This is going to work. It will.”

I couldn’t have any doubts. It was too crucial to start getting cold feet, and I couldn’t afford to bail now. I couldn’t just ignore what was going on. I had helped make this bed – now I needed to do my part and lie in it.

“I’m five minutes out,” I radioed back. “Alice, have you got those beacons set up yet?”

“Just zippin’ to the last place, Uppies!” Pink’s voice came through. There was a bit of a delay before Alice spoke again. “Setting up the last one now. Mia’s statues are almost in position.”

“Are you sure it was a good idea to have her use all of them?”

“We gotta pull out all the stops for this one. Better to over-prepare and live, than die because we held something back,” Alice replied sagely. “I know there are a few tricky turns, but I believe you can do it.”

I checked the GPS I had delegated to the top right of my visor. It tracked me as I rode through the city streets, and there was a glaring green line where my route started until it ended. Where the green ended, a blue one began. It was a bit longer, but the colors represented two routes.

Two routes for two plans. One primary and a contingency.

“Anomaly?”

There was a short pause.

“Yeah, what? I’m at the place. Water’s cold as fuck.”

“Okay, good,” I said, ignoring the last part. We had all set up, except for me – but I wasn’t too far off. A few more minutes and I’d be there. That’s when the real ‘fun’ would begin. I never considered myself an adrenaline junkie, but I was starting to see why some people lived for shit like this. The fear, anxiety, and uncertainty, mixed with all the chaos created an indescribable feeling.

I glided into another street, easing the turn to keep up my speed when a request to connect to our communication network came through. I looked at the unknown number and figured it could only be one person. I allowed the connection through, and Francis’ voice sounded.

“Since we’re monitoring the fighting, I thought it best to give you an update.”

“It didn’t even occur to you to ask for access to my network before I left? I could have rejected your call, you know.”

“Don’t act like you would have given it even if I asked.”

Alice giggled. “Alright, hit us with the info. I’ve seen a little bit of the damage but getting the bigger picture can only help.”

“Liberation and his lieutenants are currently in a stand-off with Grim. Neither can push against the other without unacceptable casualties. Gold Rush and a couple of other freshly recruited Cain Evohumans are fighting a losing battle against the ECU. Nemesis is critically injured and has retreated into Cain territory to recover. It’s unlikely he’ll be rejoining the fight tonight,” Francis explained. “There has been a lot of collateral damage. Expect to see missing buildings and entire streets blocked by debris.”

I was surprised to hear that Grim hadn’t been able to push against Pandora. Was Liberation really that powerful? All I knew was that he was the head honcho of the local Pandora branch. While Wildfire might act as his voice for Bayside, Liberation was the guy who actually ran the local chapter.

“Liberation can hold him off?” I asked, perplexed.

“As is the case with some Evohumans. Some have better luck than others holding their own against Grim, but it never lasts.”

“What about Gaea and The Queen’s Court? What’re they doing?”

“Protecting their territory while sending some of their best to attack where Grim isn’t. Springsong, Haze, and Ricochet will be hitting The Cains’ weak points,” Alice said. “While others like Uplink will cooperate with the ECU. They mostly give info and help with search and rescue. It makes Gaea look good to the wider public.”

I scowled as I turned into another street.

“I didn’t realize the ECU would accept their help.”

“They typically do in situations like this, they can’t afford to turn down assistance.”

“Speaking of, look sharp, Upgrade,” The Old Man warned. “We’ve overheard some radio chatter from the ECU. Overwatch has spotted you moving toward the battle. You’re about to be intercepted.”

Just like how Gold predicted.

Pink moved too quickly, and Anomaly could move too discreetly for them to notice. Mia was unlikely to even be on their radar, so I’d be the only one they’d pick up on. I knew that they would try to stop me from joining the battle. The ECU wanted to minimize casualties. However, they’d also take any opportunity to cut off support for the Cains.

Whoever was about to intercept me would have Mentalist support to discern my intentions. Lying was going to be borderline impossible – which was a good thing. The real challenge would be getting them to believe the truth.

Ahead of me at the far end of the street, I saw a figure glide out from the right of the intersection. They placed themselves in the middle of the road to block my path. Since I wasn’t going full tilt, I had enough time to slow down. When I saw who was blocking my way, I realized it wouldn’t have mattered anyway.

I came to a slow stop.

This ought to be interesting.

“I shouldn’t need to explain that this section of the city is considered an active conflict zone. This is no time or place for children to try and prove anything,” Domination’s calm, authoritative tone washed over me. “Turn around and go home, Upgrade.”

Sometimes, it was hard to believe a woman this stern was Abby’s mother. She wore another uniquely designed armor from Nanoforge. Unlike Comet, Domination’s had silver linings instead of gold. Her symbol was a crown surrounded by a bubble.

“I can’t do that, sorry,” I said, itching to speed away. I was already in Domination’s range, so stopping and crunching my bike could happen at any moment – but she didn’t. She was here for information, not to stop me. Saving lives was her top priority, not wasting time here. “Myself and a few others have a plan. We can put an end to this.”

Domination opened her mouth to say something, but the feedback through her headpiece gave her pause. My visor picked up the chatter, but the encryption was too sophisticated to break through quickly. I’d have to invest more charges into my security-cracking software if I wanted to brute force my way into their network.

“A plan,” Domination repeated curiously. “Alice has determined his weakness?”

It didn’t surprise me they knew of her. Ionizer had probably spoken in depth about our encounter in the Bunker.

“She has.”

Domination’s reply was immediate. “What is it?”

“Water.”

Her brow furrowed incredulously. It was the reaction we all had. I did not doubt that her Mentalist support was also reeling from the information. The complete lack of any audio from her headpiece would have made me laugh if the situation wasn’t so serious. I waited through the silence, getting more antsy by the moment.

Finally, audio came through her headpiece, and she spoke.

“You’re certain of this?”

“There’s more to it than that, but that’s the only practical solution we have. Given the situation, we’re eager to test our hypothesis,” I said evenly. “It’s better than sitting around and waiting for the city to be destroyed. Pandora’s the one warring against Grim. All your side is doing is minimizing the damage. If this situation isn’t resolved soon, Bayside will be nothing but rubble.”

That was the reality of it. This conflict needed to end before it spiraled more than it already had. If it went any further, the ECU would declare the city forfeit and begin evacuation.

“Cities can be rebuilt, especially with the Architect’s help. You shouldn’t throw your life away on a chance,” Domination replied with a scowl. “Your information will be helpful and may change our approach to this situation. Still, I recommend you turn around and leave.”

I didn’t come all this way just to turn tail and run.

“You didn’t come here to stop me,” I shot back. “And even if you believe us about his weakness, you won’t act on it in time. We’re doing this.”

“No,” Domination held her ground, glaring at me. I panicked when I was lifted off the ground by her power. I tried to struggle, but it was fruitless. It was like being trapped in Abby’s power, but Domination had far more precision, and there were no visual indicators that her power was active. It was an invisible, crushing force. “Enough people have died tonight. I will not allow a child to walk into a warzone.”

This was all wrong! Alice said they would only question me – not capture me!

I tried to activate my shoulder-mounted grenade launcher, but the mechanisms wouldn’t move. Her control over this entire space was absolute.

“What gives you the impression that I’m a child?” I hissed out.

Domination scoffed. “I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve been alive. I know a child when I see one. I— what?”

A hand went to her earpiece as audio came through. I saw her features go through a whole range of emotions.

“Let him go— what do you mean!? Who’s orders are these?” Domination demanded angrily. She waited for a moment as the audio went silent. Another few seconds passed as I waited with bated breath. Then, another stream of encrypted audio came through. “...Not a priority?”

There was a metallic groaning from the streetlights around us as they bent. Windows shook, and a few shattered as Domination’s anger multiplied.

Finally, I found myself dropped back into the seat of my bike. My hands gripped the handles so tightly that if I could see them, I’d bet my knuckles would be white. I looked up to find Domination facing away from me.

“I am needed elsewhere and have been instructed to let you through.” She stated bitterly.

I gave her a long, hard stare through my visor. Again, I knew she wouldn’t see it, but I would see this through to the end. As Alice said, I needed to have faith that this plan would work. After tonight, Grim would be an issue no one would have to worry about ever again.

“Don’t worry, I don’t intend to die here.”

Domination’s shoulders sagged a bit. “They never do.”

With a sigh, she stepped onto a metal platform she had brought and took off into the night sky, returning to the search and rescue effort.

“Close call,” Francis radioed through. “How are you holding up?”

“You said they wouldn’t try to stop me,” I growled, taking a breath to try and calm myself down. “That almost completely fucked us.”

“The higher ups are desperate to get rid of Grim. If there’s any chance this can be ended, they’re going to take it, especially when it doesn’t risk any of their own people,” Alice explained calmly. “You were never in any danger.”

I revved the engine and took off down the street once more.

“Certainly felt like I was.”

I pushed closer to where the battles were taking place. The closer I got, the more destruction I saw. Buildings on either side of the road had collapsed, spilling debris across the street. Cars were either on fire, hardened slag, or husks. That was just the start of it. It was another couple of blocks from my designated position when I started to see the bodies.

All it took was a quick scan to show me that they weren’t unconscious. These people were dead. The worst part was I could barely tell if they were gang members, civilians, or Supers. All I could do was keep going.

“How many?” I muttered, horrified. “How many people?”

“Too many, kid,” The Old Man replied.

I reached my position without any more interruptions. It was a desecrated intersection with a thick cloud of dust and smoke in the air. I could hear gunfire and shouting close by, coupled with the occasional explosion. I was near several flaming buildings, and the air was thick with ash. My suit, however, protected me from the elements and kept me supplied with fresh, clean oxygen.

I checked the time.

4:56 A.M.

I focused on my power and felt a surge of relief.

[Charges: 25/25]

They had reset.

“I’m here.”

“One momeeeeeeent,” Alice replied. She sounded like she was fiddling with something, probably the last sonar beacon. “All done!”

“We need to get Grim’s attention away from Pandora.”

“Leave that to moi!” Pink sounded.

I was left in silence to soak in the atmosphere of a bleeding city. I waited at the intersection, my eyes flicking left and right. To the left was the beginning of my route, and to the right was a road that led directly to Grim. Close to the side of the road, a fire hydrant sat, waiting for the right moment.

Deep breathes. In and out. 1,2,3… 1,2,3.

I waited… and waited.

Come on, Alice.

A pink flash zoomed past me so quickly that if I had blinked at the wrong moment, I would have missed her. Thankfully, she left a cloud of dust in her trail.

“Incoming, Uppies! Give that engine some juice, you’re gonna need it!”

I revved the engine multiple times, my eyes glued to the end of the street on my right. Against the darkened night sky, with all the smoke and dust about, it would’ve been almost impossible to spot the cloud of darkness that had turned into the street. Thankfully, my visor picked it up and highlighted it as a danger.

I readied myself.

The shadow washed into the street like a tsunami, just like the night we saved Mia. Grim lingered as if he was wondering where his target had disappeared. It had no eyes and no discernable features. Grim’s shadow was just a black cloud of death. I wondered how he perceived his surroundings while transformed – but I filed that away for now.

When he began speeding up toward me, I knew I had become the focus of his hostility.

My shoulder-mounted grenade launcher opened up and aimed the fire hydrant.

3…2…1

I fired, and the chase was on.