Chapter 47

Rain drizzled lightly from the clouds above. Our suits protected us from the water falling from the sky all around. My eyes searched the dark horizon of the docking bay. This is where Larsen was. I looked to my right to see Phoenix holding Justin to his chest. Ryder stood next to Tex whose chest was puffed out in anticipation. Jazz looked more beautiful than I’d ever seen her before. She was really turning into a fine woman. Her eyes twitched to her right to catch me staring at her. A smile crossed her lips and my cheeks flushed red. Again I looked forward searching for any type of movement. The bay was full of large metal containers stacked almost fifty feet over our heads. How could we see anything through this maze of metal?

Tex stepped forward and turned around to look at us, “This is it. Don’t hold anything back.” He smiled over all of us and Ryder grabbed Tex’s wrist and pulled him into his chest. Jazz wrapped her arms around both of them. Phoenix held Justin’s hand and they walked over to the hug being shared by all the Oresons. My hands went to my hips and I looked down to the moist ground and waited for the tender moment to finish. Justin’s hand reached out and forcefully pulled me into the large huddle.

“I love you all.” Phoenix spoke softly and we wrapped our arms around each other for a few moments. Suddenly everything went completely black. My powers had been shut off. The group split into different defensive positions. My knees buckled and I fell to the ground as the loud screech filled my ears again. I screamed out in pain and held my head between my hands.

‘Focus, Focus, Focus…’ I screamed over and over again in my head. As I began to center my mind everything became lighter and the screeching stopped. As my strength returned I picked my body up and I became ready for what was about to come. Justin was kneeling on the ground holding his head still. He wasn’t as strong as me, but soon he would be up. My feet sidestepped bringing me closer to Tex whose eyes were illuminated and shining over the whole bay. My chest heaved in anticipation.

“Help me somebody please help me!” A woman was calling from just around the other side of the metal boxes. Everyone tightened a little as her heels could be heard running around the container. “Please someone help me!” She screamed louder and louder. I held my breath as she came around the corner. I immediately recognized her.

“Emma!”I screamed. She was the stewardess from the airplane. Her eyes caught with mine and panic filled them.

“Shiloh,” she ran toward me and I pushed my way out of the group to run toward her.

When I was about five feet from her Tex jumped forward, “Stop Shiloh!” He leapt forward with great speed and pulled me back. As my body crashed into the cement below I watched as a paralyzing shock shot straight through him. The shock didn’t come from Emma, no, it came from above. His body went limp instantly and he crashed into a container behind him. Jazz gasped and she took flight. We all looked to our left where we saw Zane sitting on the edge of one of the containers with the electricity snapping at his fingertips. Jazz and Ryder flew after him and they both disappeared. My attention stayed on them a second too long. I was soon reminded of what I saw when I was leaving the plane. Emma’s eyes flashed red and black. She curled her upper lip up into a snarl. Black electricity snapped between her fingers. I wasn’t fast enough. She slammed her clawed hands into my chest sending a jolt through my whole body.

I fell backwards into the crevasse of cement I had made earlier. As the electricity surged through me I sat on the ground shaking and jolting. My heart rate increases and sporadically jumped inside my chest. Emma took off but not far behind her was Phoenix and Justin. I knew Justin would come through. As the last bits of current left my body I picked myself up and ran over to Tex. As I turned him over he moaned something. His eyes were crackling with blue current, blue current? That was a Hero color. If he had been shocked by Zane it would’ve had to be black electricity. Tex brought my face closer to his, “GO!” He yelled as best he could and with one swift push from his arm my body was away from his.

I had no idea where I was actually going. I opened my mind as I searched for Phoenix, Justin, Ryder, or Jazz. There was nothing and as I ran deeper and deeper into the bay. Everything around me became darker and darker as I continually moved. An eerie feeling rushed over me and I heard a man panting. Right as I turned around to see where the noise was coming from a man landed on top of me. I fell backwards hitting my head on the hard cement. I moaned and pushed the man off. I leapt to my feet and took a defensive position. They’re lying on the ground was something I didn’t expect�"at all. It was all a blast from the past almost. I rubbed my eyes to make sure it wasn’t a dream. But there on the cement ground was a very beaten up Jerry. Blood was streaming from multiple cuts on his face, wrinkles but lines into his face, and age had shrunken his previously large figure. He was almost unrecognizable. His once dark hair had grayed. His gut still stuck out as usual. He moaned slightly and rolled to his bloody side.

I knelt down and put my hands on him, “Jerry are you alright?” What a stupid question. That’s why I never talked to people when I was Shiloh. Obviously he wasn’t alright, so I tried again. “Jerry it’s me Collin. You’re alright now.” That was a lot better. If I got out of this talking to people would definitely be what I would have to work on.

My hand warmed and I ran them over Jerry’s limp body. “I have you now, it’s okay.” I said soothingly over and over again. As my healing powers began to work Jerry began to regain consciousness.

“Collin, is that you?” He finally moaned through a thick beard.

I nodded and surprisingly tears welled up in my eyes, “Yes it’s me.” I gave him my hand and he took it. “Now tell me everything.”

He sat up slowly and rubbed his head, “I was just at a bar and someone grabbed me. They beat me and that’s all I can remember.” My eyes looked into his deeply as I searched for memories.

There was nothing there that I wanted or needed to see. Suddenly the images that snapped before my eyes were memories, false memories, but memories nonetheless. There Jerry was beating on my mother until she was where I saw her last. The images filled my mind and continued to take control of my whole body. The only thing that took me out of it was Phoenix screaming behind me, “Run Collin!”

I snapped out of my daze and looked all round me. Villains began to appear out of the shadows. In one swift movement I got Jerry to his feet and put his arm around my neck. My feet pushed hard as I tried to carry us both out of the way. Two thick legs appeared in front of me and I crashed into them sending both me and Jerry flying backwards. I looked up from the ground to see Larsen scowling down toward me. I swallowed all my fear away only to be let down. Jerry moaned behind me and I realized that my hand was smashing his body harder into the ground. Slowly I picked myself off of him and pushed him back further and further. Larsen followed still with that evil glare on his face.

My breathing deepened and I now began to feel the panic. Phoenix was thrown into the circle behind me along with a limp almost lifeless Jazz. Tex was soon following Justin and Ryder. Phoenix and I were now the only Heroes left that were conscious. “Ah, my boys,” Lars said proudly. The Villains began to circle around us. Except these weren’t villains I had ever seen before. Something weird was going on. It was if Larsen was breeding his own Villains, they followed his every step and move. If that was the case either Phoenix or I could easily shut off their new found powers. I closed my eyes and began to focus. I could feel Larsen’s powers pulling at me from the back of my mind.

Jerry slowly picked himself off the ground and finished the triangle being surrounded. Phoenix kept his back turned to me and looked at all the other Villains just waiting for them to attack. Not only did we have ourselves to protect; now we had humans and other Heroes to take care of. Electricity snapped at my fingertips and Larsen noticed. “You really think that you’ll be able to beat me, a little boy like you?” He laughed maniacally like he had a few days ago in the hotel. A surge of electricity snapped from his fingers and went straight into my chest. I coughed and fell to my knees. I held my chest and tried to regain my breathing as the current spread through my veins. “What a foolish boy.” Jerry grabbed me under my arm and helped me back up to my feet. The shock was still radiating through my body as I stood.

“Collin, I wonder why we didn’t get along.” Larsen began to circle the three of us. I guess he was trying to talk us to death.

“I don’t know what you mean, sir.” Was I really still using manners with this guy?

He laughed loudly. His voice boomed over the whole bay. “You’re still calling me sir? Well I guess I shouldn’t complain.” He laughed again and looked at his dark gloves. His red eyes looked over the dark fabric over and over again. “I sure am something special.”

“I’ll say.” Phoenix hissed underneath his breath in a sarcastic tone. Electricity snapped through him after his remark. He stood still with his shoulder squared. The burst didn’t even faze him. “Do you actually think that would still work on me?”

“You’re right my boy, I really shouldn’t underestimate you.” Suddenly from the bowels of what seemed the center of the earth was an ear shattering screech. A large column of power shot out from the ground, ran through Larsen to his hands, and straight into Phoenix’s chest. Sweat beaded on my forehead as Phoenix fell straight to the ground. Smoke rose slowly from the burnt hole in his suit. Tears rolled down my eyes as I looked down at all these bodies around me. The situation was turning hopeless. There was nothing I could do. I would be returning to Rylan in a body bag. Could I possibly do that to him? Could I possibly not ever see him again?

I felt the pain again ripping at my stomach as I tried to force all my strength into my mind. I had to beat Larsen. He was the only thing holding any of us back. If he continued to live he would ruin our lives. I knew that very well. Smoke still billowed out of Phoenix’s chest. He was the only one who could do this. I closed my eyes and tried to heal all of him that I could. I felt a rage rippling through the back of my spine. My powers were starting to take over, trying to protect me. I’d never felt them work this hard before. They were honestly trying to beat Larsen just as much as I was. The earth had shifted when Larsen went Villain.

Suddenly, a hand came around hitting me on the side of my head and slamming me into the ground. I felt the cement crumble against the force of my falling body. My wrists bent awkwardly underneath my body as I caught myself. Larsen walked toward me with great speed. My heart seemed to pound out of my chest as he got closer. I picked myself up and instead of running leapt right for him. It was something Collin wouldn’t have done�"but Shiloh sure would. My hand pushed out in front of me and my knuckles connected with his bottom jaw. It felt as if I was hitting a fleshy brick wall. The stubble on his chin scraped along his chin as I leapt past him. My feet landed on the ground in front of him as I ended my assault. He stepped backward trying to regain his balance and I went at him again. Actually I never stopped. I kicked, I clawed, I punched I did everything I could to get control. I felt the fabric of my gloves tear away as I clawed at his face over and over. My toes began to bleed from the kicking of his shins and legs. My knuckles broke and bled at each blow.

Finally his hand connected with my stomach and I flew backwards into a crate.  A large crater formed in the metal and the containers above it began to sway back and forth. The top one leaned a little too far as I pushed myself out of the rubble. The stack began to fall carefully one at a time landing on top of each other crushing one after the next until finally they seemed they’d crush me in an instant.

Two hands were on my side immediately and shoved me out of the way. The containers fell crushing several Villains standing close to the scene and to my Hero. Jerry lay crushed halfway between two craters. I gasped and ran toward him. An unknown force shoved me again into another pile making them fall one after the other. This continued in a giant circle until containers lay wasted all around me. My chest heaved as it searched for breath. My body was giving up and my mind was getting weaker. I continued to push toward Larsen. Blood dripped from my fingertips onto the ground below. With my powers I could hear the droplets hitting the asphalt. A cut pounded at the back of my head but I didn’t have enough power to heal myself. Larsen had sucked every last bit of energy out of my body. Slowly I was decaying and I wouldn’t be able to hold him off. I would become his minion just like Zane. I would work for the other side. I sucked in air in tiny bits trying to get some speed.

Finally I turned to him and walked straight for his large frame. Both of his hands went up and created a force field. My legs shook as I pushed against it. The wind from the energy pushed my hair back whipping it in front of my face. Somewhere in the chaos I had lost my mask all together. The force field pushed down on me harder and harder but I continued to walk forward. My shoulders heaved with all the strength they could muster. The muscles in my legs shook uncontrollably as if I’d been standing for three weeks. I felt my force field continually getting stronger as I pushed.

Panic rose in Larsen’s eyes as he realized that I wasn’t giving up. He began to back up as I got closer. The fear in him gave me strength. My thigh muscles pushed harder and I picked up a run toward him. From the corner of my eye I saw a black figure soaring towards me, but did nothing. Zane flew into me knocking me out of the force duel. Zane landed on top of me and proceeded to punch me. Blood gushed from my face as the bones protecting it shattered. I felt my nose crack and it exploded into a flood of red liquid. Larsen’s footsteps became closer and closer until finally they stopped all together. His dark shadow stood over Zane and me. A deep laugh came from his chest. “Hit him harder my son.” Larsen’s voice boomed over the constant thuds against my face.

With each hit I became weaker and I felt Larsen’s pull. My chest heaved with pain now. The pain didn’t come from the punches or the weight on my chest. No, the pain came from the future. Everything looked so bleak now and I couldn’t change it. I had the opportunity to take the world into my hands and fix it. I had the chance to get rid of the worst Villain in the world and I couldn’t even do that. I couldn’t must enough strength to even save myself. So now, I waited for it. This would be the end of everything. My eyes shut tightly and I waited. My body had finally given up and my powers were shutting down. The blood from Zane’s punching was running down my face to my neck. I started to cough up blood from my filled lungs. His hand wrapped around my throat as he slammed his fist into my face. The breath was getting harder and harder to find. My healing powers had completely halted and I could no longer feel warmth inside my body. I had failed.  Pain was starting to appear everywhere in my body. Tears swelled in my eyes and I moaned. I heard that death was peaceful. I was hoping that it was.

Zane threw one last punch that connected with my jaw, breaking it in at least two different places.  Unexpectedly Zane’s weight was shoved off me�"forced off me. His body slammed into a container and he screeched in pain. Larsen gasped and I opened my eyes. Rylan stood fully suited above me with his legs straddling over me. His cape snapped and whipped in the wind. His bright white hair blew back and the morning light was hitting his face. Rylan glared with his eyes illuminated and growled at Larsen, “Don’t you touch him again.”

Larsen’s eyes were huge as he realized that Rylan was standing in front of him. Without looking at me Rylan’s hands lowered down to my lifeless body. I grabbed it and he helped me up. “Now finish him.” Rylan whispered and let go of me. My healing powers shot off inside my body and I felt warmth in my health. Larsen’s eyes got huge and I realized all the Villains that were once on his side were all on their knees holding their heads between their hands and shouting in pain. My eyes shot to Rylan who looked at me with great pride. He winked behind his mask and patted my butt as I walked by.

Heat rose in my cheeks. It wasn’t from my powers.  My body leapt onto Larsen knocking him down to the ground. My hand connected with his face over and over again. Rylan controlled the powers of everyone around us letting me beat Larsen as long as I felt necessary. I watched as blood bubbled from his mouth and I felt a deep pride rise inside my chest. My hands were connecting with the most powerful and evil villain of our time. I had dreamed of this moment for many years. My knuckles connected with his, “This is for Jazz.” I said and shoved my hand into his large head once again, “This is for your family.” I felt tears rising up in my throat. “This is for my family.” I grabbed Larsen’s throat and slammed his head into the concrete below. I had never felt his much anger running through my body�"ever. “This,” one more slam, “is for Phoenix.”

A hand touched my shoulder and I looked up to see Phoenix standing above me. His eyes were on his father. Slowly I lifted myself up off of his body and stood next to Phoenix. His hand stayed on my shoulder and he seemed to not be able to move as he looked down at his father I cocked my leg back and shoved it into his side. Larsen moaned and rolled over grabbing his rib cage, “That is for killing my husband, you b*****d. “He’s all yours.” The words hissed behind my teeth and I looked up at Phoenix’s frightened young face.

Justin walked up behind Phoenix and looked at me. My eye lids closed over my eyes and I stepped over Larsen. There was somewhere that I needed to be. Jerry’s body  crumpled underneath the container helplessly. My hands lifted underneath the metal trap and began to lift it. Jerry’s hand touched mine and stopped me. “No.” He said so silently I barely heard. My hands stayed under the container and he looked up to the sky, “It’s time.”

“No it’s not. I can save you.” I leaned my shoulder against the medal and started to push once more.  

Jerry’s eyes connected with mine and a smile spread across his face.  “Meredith…” His eyes returned to the sky, but he wasn’t actually looking at it. It was almost as if he was looking through it.

“What did you say?” I asked as my voice shook.

His hand reached up and touched the side of my face. This wasn’t him and I knew it the second his eyes looked at me again. “I am so proud of you my boy…”There was only one person that could’ve been. My Dad. His eyes slowly closed and I knew I had lost him. Finally the air rushed back into my lungs. How long had I not taken a breath? My hands went to the sides of his face and my lips softly touched his forehead.  It was time to let him go. All the memories seemed to settle in the back of my mind. That chapter of my life was now gone. I pushed myself back and leaned against the container. I used my sleeve to wipe the blood that was dripping down my face.

My attention was taken off of him to see Tex kneeling in front of Zane. He had Zane’s head inches from his own. “Zane you know this isn’t you.” Jazz was kneeling behind Tex looking hopeful into Zane’s again silver eyes. “Zane I love you, I love you so much. Look at me Zane.” He shook his head and finally the life seemed to snap back into Zane’s eyes. Air rushed into this lungs and he clawed at Tex’s wrists.

“What happened?” He asked with fear and panic in his voice. Tex pulled him into his chest. Jazz wrapped her arms around them both and they all started to cry together. Police sirens were now blazing loud and clear somewhere on the dock. My eyes went to Rylan who was watching Phoenix with careful eyes.

Phoenix and Justin stood above Larsen’s lifeless body. Larsen’s head had been snapped and was now sitting at a strange angle on the ground. Phoenix was curled into Justin’s chest sobbing uncontrollably. Justin tried, but failed, at comforting Phoenix with rubbing his arms. Phoenix beat on his chest and clawed at his suit. Tears ran from Justin’s eyes also as they looked at this too mature situation. Rylan snapped his head to me and he gave me a smile telling me exactly what to do.

I pushed away from the rubbage and stepped over the bodies and rubble lying on the ground as I walked closer to Phoenix.  Rylan reached out his hand and I took it for a moment before sliding our fingers apart. When I got to the two weeping men, Justin and Phoenix, I put my hand on Justin’s shoulder and he didn’t protest. He voluntarily handed Phoenix over to me. His body shook in my arms and I rubbed my hand over his hair over and over. With each stroke I spoke softly the same words he once spoke to me on a secret beach, “It’s going to be alright.”