Sky High After Dark - Cosmic

"Wait. He has one of those?!" Aron stammered, knowing that it was a rather large plane.

"He does, as his catchline states: 'We fly, conquer, in all of a span of a day.' So we're going to have to be extra careful in not to arouse any suspicion on our part," Sara said, feeling her nipples hardening as she watched him dress. Wishing she had a bra to hide how they were poking against her shirt. "Now, let's get your disguise ready," she said with a wicked smile at his befuddled look.

******

"I should have brought Bob (Bionoid Surveillance Bot) with me," Aron whispered low as he and Sara browsed through the stalls that were near to the airfield. Slyly eyeing how the rebels were patrolling the street armed to the teeth.

"We'll make do," Sara whispered from the depths of her shawl, trying not to laugh at how odd his face looks with the latex mask on his face so no one, not even the agents they were staying with, would know Aron's real identity. "Don't you think Nettie would like this?" she asked, picking up what appeared to be an ivory baby rattle. Noting that it was rather cheap in USD given the collapse of the Crona, their national currency.

"How much for these five items?" Aron asked, gesturing to the items set before him. He wasn't foolish enough to return home without something to give his sisters and children.

"American?" The woman asked with a thick Consvellia accent, to which Aron nodded. "Five of your dollars." Handing the woman a ten-dollar bill, noting how her eyes quivered when he told her to keep the change. He felt soiled after the woman profusely kissed his hand. What Aron didn't know was that a ten-dollar bill would feed her family for six months due to the exchange rate. Watching how she neatly and carefully wrapped each item in thick sheets of tissue paper and carefully placed each item in an old plastic bag. "You enjoy your stay in our land. Please come back again." She called out to them as they left her booth.

"I think that woman would have sucked you off right there," Sara teased as they ambled down the lane; all the while, the glasses she was wearing were taking snapshots of the airfield as they continued to play the visiting tourist.

"Nah, you'd get jealous and have to join in," Aron shot back, chuckling as she shoved him.

After an hour of pretending to shop, they had to leave; Sara didn't want to raise any suspicion before the time came. So the two of them set off to scout the base that their target would be at should they fail to eliminate him at the airfield. She knew if they didn't, it would be a hard fight given how fortified the base was. Sara had a feeling if that came to pass, Aron would be going in alone, at least for the initial ingress. It was two in the afternoon when they arrived back at their safe house. Nodding to the two agents as they sat in front of their equipment, trying to pick up any chatter they could. Telling Aron to go take a nap; he was going to need it.

"Aron?!" Sara whispered as she shook him after three hours.

"What?" Aron groaned, half asleep.

"He's thirty minutes out." Watching how Aron became instantly awake. "We need to hurry." Backing away as Aron threw off the covers and surged out of bed.

"You ready for this?" Aron asked as the leather of his glove squeaked when he closed and opened his hand to ensure his suit was up to par for the task at hand.

"Of course," Sara said with a smirk on her lips as she primed her new duel laser pistols before placing them in their holsters on her back that sat against the small of it. Clipping the grenades to the belt, placing the plasma ones on the left and the EMP ones on her right. The plastic clip snapped as the row of throwing knives sat diagonally across her chest. "The question is, are you ready for this?" Biting her lip when Aron just smiled as he pulled down his mask.

"Aron!" Sara cried out over the wind as they pulled behind the tail end of their target's C-10. Watching how he brought up his right arm and a strange triangle device slid out of the sleeve. "What did you do?!" she asked as she noted how the four engines on the plane simply shut down when the airplane was coming in for its landing.

"EMP," Aron said factually. Watching the plane dropping from the air to the ground a hundred feet below it. "Provide air cover; I'll handle the ground forces," he said before leaping off his bike. It didn't take the rebels long to organize and open fire at him as he fell to the ground. Landing in a kneeling position, pulling out his new laser pistols, he had placed the old ones back with his counterpart's suit. Smirking as the throng of men raced towards him, their bullets deforming as it struck his suit. "Veil?"

"Yes, Void?"

"Scatter." Was his only command as his tracking system rapidly locked on to the targets. Allowing Veil to control the firing sequence as he moved his arms in a hundred and eighty-degree arc. Listening to the bodies dropping as his lasers cut through them. Looking up, seeing Sara firing off shot after shot, "At least they work," he mumbled to himself.

"Void, brace yourself." Was Sara's only warning as she tossed a plasma grenade into the barrels of stockpiled jet fuel. Walking through the flames to instill fear in the hearts of the men. He wasn't there to kill them. If they ran, he wouldn't chase after them. He had one mission, and he was determined to see it through as he walked towards the crashed C-10. Stopping in his tracks as the side of the plane just exploded outwards. The debris striking a few of the rebel soldiers and killing a few. Scowling when his hide was too thick for his lasers to cut through as he shielded his head with his very massive right arm.

"Alright, we do this the old fashion way," Aron muttered, holstering his weapons, and took off in a sprint. "Veil, sadistic mode," he ordered as he leapt into the air.

"Engaging now." The shockwave that was produced as his fist landed on the man's jaw thundered like a massive explosion.

"So a mosquito thinks to bite me. Well, I know how to handle pests," the man grunted, shaking off the punch. Taking Aron into his massive hand, thinking to squeeze the life out of him.

"This all you got? My mother squeezes me tighter than this. Here watch," Aron taunted, easily freeing his left arm. His hand taking hold of the man's thumb and pulling it back. A sadistic smile formed on his lips as the man howled when he broke his thumb. The wind howled in his ears as the man tossed him across the airfield. The front of the fuel truck curled in around him as he collided with it. The thumping of his feet on the ground reverberated in Aron's skull as the man barreled towards him. Lifting his left arm and selecting his pin missiles. Listening to the man's howls of pain as all eight found their target. The hiss of his jet boots sounded as Aron pushed off the ground. Pummeling the man's midsection with a dozen or so punches, all with the equivalent of twenty tons of force. Blood sprayed his face as he struck the man's center mass with his max strength. Sending the man flying backward. "How does it look from the air?" Aron asked as he stalked towards his prey.

"We got incoming! Ten minutes out!"

"I'll be done before then," Aron stated confidently as he stepped through the hole the man had made in the hanger's outer wall. People, innocent people who had no choice but to work for the rebels so they could feed their families, ran pouring out of the hanger as Aron systematically broke the man. Pulling out his pistol as the man stumbled and crawled his way to safety once they were outside again. Raising his arm and took aim at the flag pole. Aron wanted to make a statement to all those that chose to be villains. Watching the quarter half falling to the ground, ignoring the man's feeble strikes on his body as Aron grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground. Leaping into the air and slamming the man's back down on the severed pole. Noting the man's blood as it ran down its surface as he struggled in vain to hold on to what little life he had left.

"Hand me two of those plasma grenades," Aron directed as he and Sara hovered over the rebel base. He might not be able to stop the war that was brewing; he could hinder the rebels. Tossing the grenades into the ammo depot, and took off at max speed before the grenades went off. The moment they entered Null space, a very massive explosion left a crater ten feet deep where the ammo depot once stood.

******

The sun was just rising over the city of Metaville as they set down on the rooftop of the NSA Hub. Rolling up his mask once Sara had eased off the back of it. Leaning down and placing a kiss on his lips.

"Now, you be safe in going home. I'll inform the General that our mission was a success. Now, do you want your suit back?" Sara asked after her tongue had explored every inch of his mouth.              

"No, it's yours, at least until you decide you don't want me as a partner any longer."

"That's never going to happen," Sara said in a loving tone as her thumbs brushed along his jaw. They both turned their heads as the sound of an explosion roared in the morning air as the ensuing fire rose above the buildings. "Go. You might be the only hero close by," she spoke, backing away, smiling when he scowled at the title.

"Veil, report," Aron commanded as he raced to the scene.

"A gas line exploded beneath an apartment complex. Fire and rescue are on the way."

"Alright, then I guess I should lend a hand."

"Affirmative."

******

"Guys, you have to see this?!" Neil shouted, being the one whose turn it was to make breakfast; he was up rather early. "Aron's on TV."

"What!" Vera's shout could be heard from her bedroom on the second floor. The rushing of feet could be heard as they all raced to the den.

"A little after six this morning, the Green Hills apartment complex was rocked in the early hours as a gas line exploded in the basement of the place. We do not have a cause as to why the main would explode like it did, but as the fire raged, the city's Fire and Rescue raced to the scene, as did this news crew. Everyone was surprised to find the hero, the man this city has come to know in the past few months, and who launched a very heated debate of what a hero is, running in and out of that burning building. As the firefighters raced to set up their trucks. Void, as this humble reporter had the honor to meet, worked tirelessly to get the people out of harm's way. As the crews worked to put out the fires, you can see our hero strapped to an oxygen mask due to the smoke inhalation he must have suffered due to his heroic acts. However, that didn't stop our brave hero from running back into the blaze. Yet I have sad news to report: in the early moments of the explosion the lives of the people in the apartments above the gas line did not survive. Please stay tuned for more as reports continue to come in."

"Yes!" Vera shouted in joy that finally, the world would see her son as a hero that she knew her son to be. Her head snapped to the right as she heard the elevator doors in the living room rolling open. Her auburn hair flew wildly behind her as she raced towards her son. Hearing him coughing as she barreled into him. "Oh, my sweet, sweet boy!" she cried joyously as she planted one kiss after another on his cheeks and mouth.

"C-can't breathe," Aron rasped as his mother hugged him tightly.

"I knew you were a hero," Vera said with quivering eyes.

"I'm not," Aron countered.

"You can't ruin this," shaking her head, "not when we all saw what you did for those people," Vera said with a prideful smile on her lips as her family members nodded along.

"Can we like debate this when I don't have jet lag?" Aron yawned.

"Of course, honey," Vera nodded. Glancing out of the corner of her eye as Jill slipped through the gathered bodies. Feeling her cheeks heat at that passionate kiss, Jill laid on her son's lips.

"Welcome home, Daddy," Jill said in a dreamy voice

"Come, Aron, let's get you to bed," Aminah and Tazia spoke as they held out their hands to him.

Chapter Twelve

"Okay, Aron, give us the mission briefing," Chery said as her team members gathered around the main control center of the base.

"Veil bring up the file that the past me made for The Collector," Aron directed.

"Understood."

"As you all know, thanks to Jill, we know this villain is supposedly dead and still a threat to the world," bringing up the horrors the villain wrought in the past, "and thanks to Sara's team, we've narrowed down the places he might be," Aron said, bringing up the three locations. "However, only two of them can be discarded."

"Okay, and why do you say that?" Neil asked, studying every piece of information as he stood beside his nephew as Aron sat in the only chair there.

"Because this is the sight of the final battle between The Collector and my past self, and this is what it looks like today," Aron said, putting the two images side by side.

"Oh my god, it hasn't changed one bit?!" Tazia exclaimed.

"I know," Aron nodded, "which is impossible if the man is dead. Too much time has passed for some company not to come in and bulldoze it to the ground. Which means someone or something is keeping the property in its former state, given how this all should be a rusted pile of junk by now. This is why I believe we're likely to find this villain here."

"So what's the plan, my fearless leader," Aminah said, shooting Aron a coy smirk as she rested her hand on his right shoulder.

"First, I'll scout it out, rather not draw too much suspicion to us if this is a dead end. However, if there is something there, you'll fly down and join me, and then we'll clear out the place."

"Sounds reasonable, but you're only going to scout, right?" Chery asked, looking at the back of the chair where Aron's head was.

"Yes," Aron noted how his other family members were listening in but well out of eyesight, or so they thought. "Let's suit up; I'd rather sleep in my own bed tonight," he said, rising from his seat.

"You better be careful," Tazia said as she stood before Aron after suiting up. "Don't make me have to pull you out of the fire."

"My, Tazia, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were in love with me," Aron mused as he recounted their conversation when he had returned after interrogating Iron Sarge. Watching how those cheeks of hers madly blushed.

"Aron?!" Tazia cooed in a small voice causing Aminah and Chery to giggle at their sister's tone. "You know I do..." Her exhalation was loud in that room as her hands held onto Aron's face as his tongue rolled within her mouth. "Don't you go leaving us," Tazia whispered; she wasn't referring to their team; she meant their children.

"Never, Tazia."

"Good," Tazia sighed, resting her head on his chest.

"Aron... where's mine?" Aminah asked, plumping up her lower lip. Feeling her clit throbbing as their lips parted.

"Aron, I know this might seem childish to you, but we've done a little something whenever we were going out on a mission. So far, every one of us has made it home; I'd like not to buck our luck now. Would you mind if..."

"No, go ahead, Chery," Aron nodded, only to have Aminah and Tazia taking hold of his coat and pulling him into their group huddle.

"Remember what I told you about him, always be mindful while your there; nothing is as what it seems with that villain," Jill said, peering at her father as Aron stood before her. "Be safe and come home soon," she whispered as those that were remaining behind had gathered there to wish them luck and see them off as she hugged her father.

"Veil, watch the kids for us and try not to drain the life out of Troy," Aron teased, seeing his brother's face ripen to a ripe cherry.

"I will, but father, Troy is just so easy to tease," Veil spoke, lifting up her shirt to give her father a proper send-off. "Just remember these are waiting for you," she said, bouncing on her feet, causing her naked breasts to jiggle. "Father," Veil uttered breathlessly as Aron tweaked her nipple.

"Remember what I taught you, and you'll do fine," Vera said in a motherly voice as she tugged on the lapels of his coat. "Now, you best not keep your team," she spoke, the light of her motherly pride shown in her eyes, knowing while Aron might not be on her team, he was on a team nonetheless and a hero. That's what truly mattered to her that the world knows the hero her son is that she knew he was.

"Good luck, son, I do hope you find out who is behind this," Noah said, laying his hand on Aron's shoulder.

"Alright, team, mount up; I'll meet you in the air," Aron spoke, taking command as he pulled down his mask as he strode towards his jet bike.

******

"Aron!" Aminah and Tazia cried out as they watched as the jet bike exploded in a flash.

"I'm fine. Let's get to work." Aron's voice came over their communicators as his body left a trail of smoke as he fell towards the ground. Landing in a kneeling position, his fist pressing into the asphalt as his eyes moved over the system reports as Veil rebooted. Looking around, seeing the movement as the mechanical puppets began to move from their once camouflage places. "Right, not everything is as it seems," Aron mumbled Jill's warning. "Be careful we have robots," he warned as he quickly drew his pistols.

"Yes, hero! Entertain The Collector!"

******

"What the hell is going on with this thing," Jill grumbled as she tapped the remote against her hand when the last five channels showed the same thing.

"Nothing is wrong with the TV Jill, The Collector has taken over the airwaves," Veil spoke, pointing to the person on the screen.

"Dad!" Jill screamed when the image showed Aron surrounded as robots kept coming no matter how many he put down.

"Thank you all for joining us today, now let's watch the death of a hero." Jill's hand flew to her mouth at the sound of that voice. It was him!

"Jill, why are you... Aron!" Vera shouted at the sight of her son being overrun by the hordes of robots. "No!" she screamed out in horror as a giant robotic hand slammed down on top of her son.

"Yes! Die hero die! No! Impossible!"

"You better trash that robot, Tazia!" Vera howled as she watched Tazia tearing through the robot's head in her organic metal form. "Yes! You better not be taken out so easily," she said, seeing the red beams erupting from the back of the robot's hand. Watching how Aron spun his pistols around before holstering them.

"Go, Dad!" Jill cried joyously as that solid metal pole he used as a staff spun around dismantling robot after robot.

******

"Veil, hack into his system and play track thirty-two," Aron said, plunging his makeshift staff into the ground or what once was a staff given the dents.

"Understood."

"You up to covering my back?"

"Always," Tazia said with a smile.

"Good," Aron said before taking off in a run as Within Temptation's 'Entertain You' began to play.

"What is this madness?!" The Collector roared as Aron's team tore through the robots that he had taken years to build.

"Welcome to the Void," Aron growled as he slammed his fists down with all his might on the ground causing a fissure to form, trapping the giant robot's foot that rose to take over for the fallen one. "Tazia! Eagle-2," he spoke, seeing her nod and smile as she ran towards him. Bending down and interlocking his fingers and giving her a boost sending her right at the robot's power source.

Aminah's arms weaved through the air as she floated in the sky, as her telekinetic powers kept her aloft. Her hips swayed as she got into the beat. All the while, she was gathering sharp implements behind her before sending them flying into the droids that were heading towards her siblings.