Sky High After Dark: Legacy

Yet Aron heard none of the fool's bluster. No. All Aron was focused on was that fear on that little girls face. That called out to him to save her. To bring the monster down that held her in his grip. His eyes ran down his HUD seeing the mode had reached a hundred percent. He was not about to let that girl die!

"Veil, Sadistic mode."

"Sadistic mode engaged." Spikes formed on his knuckles, along the back of his hand, the sleeves of his coat and shoulders. He had taken the idea from his counterpart's original suit. The smart metal he had turned into wire and incorporated it into the fabric of the suit was for this very reason. So the spikes wouldn't deform under the crushing force of his blows. Long wicked spikes protruded behind his calves, a row of spikes lined his knees as the wire made the front of his shins as hard as steel. The flight stabilizers moved every which way as the subprogram 'Mongoose' was initialized. "Carl."

"What is it, Void?" Aron heard the worry and relief in his uncle's voice.

"I need you at my location in three seconds. Save the girl."

"Roger."

"I'm warning you; I will kill her..." Unbearable pain seared his chest, his grip loosened and his hostage was gone in a flash as he felt himself flying backwards. Blood sprayed, teeth flew from his mouth as Aron's backhand sent him flipping, tumbling, and skidding along the asphalt. "It can't be... I'm the strongest..." His super suit tore from Aron's grip as his uppercut sent Maximins streaking towards the heavens. His boots roared as he sped skyward. Performing a backflip, his reinforced left shin striking Maximins square in his stomach. The strike thundered with a force of a train sending that villainous cur rocketing back towards the ground. Aron stalked towards the man as he pulled himself out of the crater his landing had created.

"You can't do this... you're a hero," Maximins spoke weakly, or as well as he could while missing quite the number of teeth. Blood trickled from his mouth as Aron lifted him aloft.

"I. Am. Void. I am no hero," Aron said darkly, releasing his grip only to have his right jab send Maximins flying backwards once again.

"Void, only twenty percent fuel is left in the boots."

"Understood. I guess it's time to wrap this up," Aron stated, before taking off after his foe.

Vera and the others watched in shock as their eyes followed Maximins uncontrolled backwards flight. Then came her son rocketing towards the man. "Don't do it! He's not worth it, Void!" Looking way as Aron dragged Maximins' face along the pavement. Watching how Aron easily avoided the man's right jab, wincing as Maximins howled in pain as Aron brought down his elbow shattering the man's joint. Grinning sadistically as he easily caught Maximins feeble attempt at striking him with his only good arm as he held the villain aloft by the throat.

"Be glad I was asked to take you in alive," his blue-green eyes glinted with glee at the sound of the man's screams as he snapped the bones in Maximins's forearm, "otherwise this fight would have been long over, some pinnacle," Aron said, tossing Maximins broken, beaten body towards the feet of Sara's men.

"Void!" His family shouted as he collapsed to a knee. Coughing up blood once he pulled his hood up above his nose.

"Void, you have internal bleeding, your breastbone is fractured. I suggest immediate medical attention." What Aron would have said will remain a mystery as he blacked out from exhaustion and the pain.

******

When Aron woke up he didn't know if the day had past or what given how he was in a room with no windows. Wondering why he couldn't open his left eye all that well. Glancing around with his good one when he heard machines beeping and chirping. Looking down at his body, noting the hospital gown, instantly his hand shot towards his face.

"Your identity is still a secret." Sara's sweet voice caused his eyes to shoot towards the darkened corner of the room as she stepped out of the shadows.

"Where am I? How long...?"

"Shh, no need to worry about that," Sara said, sauntering along the bed. Her fingertips ran along the mattress before her hand slipped into his. "I was so worried that I had lost you. I've never seen you bleed before," she spoke as a single tear streaked down her cheek. "It's still today or rather tonight. It seems not only are you invulnerable but you heal quickly as well. Given how the doctors couldn't penetrate your skin to insert an IV into you to help stop the bleeding you were suffering. I can't say how long it will take for you to heal, yet you're out of the woods for the moment. As to where we are, we're in a secret NSA hospital used for our agents. I know you're worried about your family. I'll inform them that you're awake and sound. If not sore," Sara said, with a warm smile on her lips. "You did after all beat the world's strongest man. I guess that makes you the strongest man now." Reaching forward, pushing up his mask, seeing the bruising beginning to form before passionately kissing him. Silently telling him she was so very happy that he was still alive.

"Here, watch some TV, you're the talk of the town," Sara said, switching it on. "I'll go call your mother, and let her know you'll be home soon, and see if the doctors are ready to release you." Looking back as the door closed behind her, her eyes quivered knowing she had almost lost him.

"I'm Beth Turner, live from Fides, bringing you a special edition of the Metaville Today show, just hours ago, our very own heroes, who came to the aid of Void -- a hero we've all come to know in recent months, did battle with the core members of The Sovereign Crusaders. As you can see from these images taken just moments after Void had singlehandedly taken down Maximins -- the world's ex-strongest man -- the battle was intense. Yet not without a cost. Just moments after Maximins's defeat our hero, the man who has helped and saved Metaville, collapsed due to his injuries sustained in his battle against Maximins. Little is known at this time on Void's whereabouts and his condition. As we see here those agents that helped to evacuate the city center during the battle loading our hero into an unmarked vehicle. To where we don't know. It's my hope that Void is still alive. I hope and pray that I am right.

Upon their defeat the Director of the FBI held a press conference announcing that the task force, which Void was a part of, was met with success in the capture and arrest of all eight members of the team we've come to learn was called Cestron. Where those eight so-called heroes used their powers and influence to fool those they had sworn to protect. Most of the villains were captured with little harm, except for Atlanta, whose hips were broken when Mariner and Firelight had defeated her. Maximins sustained major injuries in his battle with Void. We are unaware of his condition at the moment. I say, after all the years they pulled the wool over this city's eyes, good riddance to bad rubbish!

However, after the news broke the new leader of the now restructured Crusaders released a statement. It reads: 'Void, if you hear this, know that while I was angry at first. I thought these people, whom I looked up to, could never do this. Yet this only proves that not all villains are as forthright as we once believed. So when you're healed, please visit us.' That was Nightshade, the new leader of The Sovereign Crusaders. Where I hope this shadow that the core members has thrown onto that very fine team of heroes will not darken their doorstep. Although, if they're in the company of Void, then you know they had no hand in the crimes those eight false heroes have committed.

I will close out this segment with one last, final word. Void if you are still with us, and if you can hear these words. Know that you have a great many people rooting for your speedy recovery, and Metaville awaits the return of their hero."

Aron turned his head as the door to his hospital roomed open and in stepped Sara. "I think she has a crush on you," she teased as she lowered herself onto the bed seeing him rolling his eyes. "I spoke with your parents, their ecstatic to know that you're doing well. I couldn't tell them exactly were you where, only that your health wasn't life threatening any more and that you had awakened just moments ago. I also told them that the doctors wanted to keep you here overnight just for observation in case your body didn't stop the bleeding on its own," Sara stated, seeing Aron nod in understanding. "This is twice now," she whispered reaching up and softly caressing Aron's cheek.

"Huh?"

"Twice now you have defied Death, I'm beginning to wonder if Death itself won't stop you," Sara said, smiling at his chuckle. "Would you mind if I stayed with you tonight?" Snuggling close to him without putting too much weight on his sore body. So very thankful that everything worked out like it was supposed to.

Aron eased off his jet bike slowly once he was freed from the hospital. Pain. While it was a fascinating experience he wasn't keen on repeating it again. A smile appeared on his lips at the sight of his family members standing there all eager to greet him. Seeing their shock at his bruised face and black eye. Something else he's never had before as he pulled off his mask.

"Damn, Aron, you look like shit!" Troy said, with a brotherly smile.

"Feel like it, too." Hissing when Tazia was too eager to wait and pressed against his fractured breastbone. "It's okay, you didn't know," he whispered lightly kissing her lips when she started to apologize. "How's Henry and Nettie?"

"First let's get you healed and we'll talk," Vera said, holding out her hand to her son. Knowing just what she was going to do.

The End. For Now.

Epilogue

A week had passed since the fight with Cestron. Which seemed to have enhanced his family's notoriety around the globe. His as well, as much as he hated it. He loved working in the shadows; that is after all where the villains run to hide only to find him waiting for them. The limelight never sat well with him, yet he did venture out a few days later in his costume just to shut the TV people up upon the speculation of his death. How that only fueled more extravagant tales about him to pollute the airwaves.

Yet that didn't matter at the moment as he lowered the shell that would cover the front of the chest onto its awaiting body. His eyes watched that pulsating yellow glow of the power unit humming along before the metal shell sealed the innards of Veil's body from view. Running the laser welder along the seams to fuse the two haves together. Wiping his brow with his forearm once he was done, knowing all that remained was attaching the head unit then the process of grafting the skin to the shell would begin. Once the head was attached and connected to the power supply. Aron ran through the test needed to ensure the basic operating system that handled the basic eye, mouth, hand movement, he had designed, coded, and installed was operating within parameters of the OS. When he was happy that everything was working within the specs Aron had it return to sleep mode. He was about to leave for the night to go play with Henry and Nettie when the sound of the monitor that he had once used to watch the videos of his past self left behind for him suddenly turned on. He so hoped he didn't look like that when he reached fifty plus years.

"If you're watching this, that means the sensors I installed in this lab have detected that you have reached the point that you might be able to do what I could not."

"Huh?" Aron muttered wondering what his counterpart was talking about.

"In order to save our daughter, Jill, due to how the powers she was born with were killing her. My wife and I agreed the only way at the time was to put her into suspended animation. Given my limited options at the time I was powerless to stop the degradation to her body. However, I had hope. Hope that you, my younger, future self could do what I could not. That is to say; save Jill's life! She didn't ask to be born with the power she has, yet what was I to do, watch my only daughter die before my very eyes?! No! That wasn't going to happen! Not ever! I know Carol and I told Henry that she had died, yet that was to keep him and anyone else from tampering with her pod."

His eyes watched the conversation the three of them had with one another standing in a room somewhere on the third level, he could tell by the paint on the walls. Wondering how he would be if it was Nettie that was the one that was dying. Wouldn't he do everything in his power to see her life saved? Damn right, he would!

"I implore you, my future self. Save my daughter! Save our daughter! The printout of what I was able to measure, due to the lack of technology in this time period limited my tests to the cause of why her powers were degrading her cells so quickly, should help you narrow your search down." Aron turned his head to the left as a yellow corrugated roll of paper inched out of the wall. "My daughter has been asleep for sixty some years waiting for you to reach this point. Please don't make her wait a moment longer. Good luck, I pray for your success. Speak Omega, and Veil will know what to do."

Ripping the paper from the wall, his eyes scanning along the still warm ink. His mind racing at what this meant. It was impossible. It just couldn't be. Could it? Could something that's never happened before, in all the years of the history of super powered beings, just spontaneously happen in his own child?! Shaking his head, he needed Aminah's opinion on it before he even began to speculate on the nature of Jill's powers. Still, he did want to see her. Walking out of the lab with determination.

"Veil?!"

"Yes, Void. Is something the matter? I sense agitation in your voice."

"Omega!"

Suddenly the lights of the third floor shut off casting him into darkness before red pulsating lights appeared along the baseboards of the wall telling him to follow after them. It seemed like the lights were leading him around in a maze he had no idea where on the third floor he was given the few times a wall would slide open and close once he was through. That was, until he stood in that very room he had seen in that video file.

"Jill!" Her name left his lips in a whisper.