The next few minutes were just them asking questions they have already asked before and I just sat there answering them.
I couldn't blame them, they were completely left in the loop by their best friend. I think I too would be filled with so many questions after witnessing something like that.
We finished up and left the diner before midnight and we all dispersed our separate ways.
What an evening I was having, it was crazy. I was extremely tired — mentally and sleepy as well.
Opening the door to my room, I wondered if the second in command of the White Vortex would out me to the police even after I had given him a thorough orientation.
Well, even if he did, the police would report it to the ISA and they would flag it as another unidentified rogue metahuman.
***
Beep, beep, beep.
My alarm blared at the usual time — 6:15 a.m.
I was already awake at this point, my mind racing, recalling what has happened the previous day.
It was at the moment it dawned on me that I intentionally and outrightly killed a human being, and I didn't feel any form of remorse whatsoever.
It was weird, maybe it's because of the fact that I had erased other villains prior to Huang Song. I mean, some of them like Ant Goliath were just mere humans at one point. Until they had an enlightenment event that turned everything around for them.
I also found it crazy how an enlightenment event could breed an outstanding hero like me or even like Golden Guardian or War Man while other enlightenment events could breed a potential civilian threatening villain.
"To each his own, I guess..."
I pounced out of my bed and dashed into the bathroom, washed up and out the door of my apartment in mere minutes.
To the abandoned warehouse.
Another morning of gruesome training and experimenting with my abilities.
Within the space of two hours, I was back at my house stuffing food in my mouth after pushing myself to the limit, trying to see how much I could take before the Forever Armor burned me out.
I rewarded myself with the greatest prize of all: a double decker sandwich; thick slices of toasted bread, layers of chicken meat, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and a mustard sauce I may or may not have stolen from a stall on my way home.
A masterpiece of breakfast delicacy.
"Hrrraaaaammmpoohhh"
I took a slow, dramatic bite of the th sandwich and let the flavors hit my taste buds causing me to sink into the living room couch in delight.
"Perfection," I muttered to myself.
It was already a few minutes after 10 a.m so I was sure that my mom had already left the house for work. So I relaxed in the living room and put on the TV.
With my sandwich in one hand and a glass of orange juice in the other, I thought I was going to have the most quiet, relaxing and to-myself morning which was well earned if I must add.
Until —
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Came from the front door. Immediately the sound hit my ears, I knew exactly who it was. The pattern was way too familiar to not know.
A few seconds passed.
Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.
Just as I predicted; three times, a few seconds of silence waiting for response then, four times.
I let out a distasteful sigh.
Of course, I don't know how I didn't expect him to show up today, especially after what happened the previous night.
Setting down my food as well as the TV remote, I trudged to the door, unlocked it and swung it open.
Standing there grinning at me with their white teeths — as expected, Jake and Ellie.
"Hey Moron!" Ellie said as she swayed her hands in the air, almost like a wave but her hands were cupped.
I stared at them blankly. "You show up at my house unannounced and immediately insult me. How very civilized of you." I said while I step aside giving room so they could come in.
"Since when did we need to announce that we are coming to your house dummy, get out of the way!" Jake forced his way in despite me giving him room.
"So, what's new this time around... Is there something else that has happened this morning that you're not telling us!..." Ellie called out from the living room.
I shut the front door and immediately dashed to the living room, hoping they wouldn't do what I had in mind.
"You just seating here stuffing your face with unholy sandwich?" Ellie asked with a mouthful of something.
I slapped my forehead with disappointed upon realizing she had my sandwich in her graps and she was already munching on it.
"I've only had one bite of that masterpiece of a sandwich!"
I glared as I plopped down on the couch closest to the door.
She grabbed the orange Tok and began to take a sip with asking.
"Seriously?"
"You drink too much juice," she said.
I let out another sigh again and changed my focus to Jake, only to find out he had been string at me the whole time.
"What is it?..."
"Tch!!!" He clicked his tongue to signify a certain level of annoyance.
"Next time you hide something like this again from me I'll dislocate your arm... Idiot!" He yelled while pointing directly at the Forever Core glowing softly in my chest.
"Hehe... Yes sir." I replied nervously with a subtle scratch to the back of my head.
It felt sought of weird, sitting in my living room. Us three, it had always been us against the world. I'd been so caught up in training, personal missions, fighting villains that I kinda forgot about this— about them.
I let out a soft smile unconsciously as I and Jake stared at eachother.
"I've been spending so much time with the armor lately," I admitted, swirling the last of my juice Ellie remained.
"I've almost forgotten what it's like to just chill with you guys, I know that with this power comes great responsibility..."
"But I miss when things used to be simple..."
"When it used to be just us..."
Ellie snorted with disgust.
"You sound like you're in a super hero movie or something..." She said sticking her tongue out.
"Yeah, if you keep talking like that I'm going to give you a wedgie" Jake added.
A brief moment of silence fell upon the living room. I could tell they both felt what I felt, that bond.
Ellie elbowed him. "What we are trying to say is that; just don't turn into one of those weird, comic characters that brood on rooftops in the rain and monologue about justice."
"No promises... "I laughed.
Just then, the sound of the plate shaking frantically in the coffee distracted us.
I could feel it, but I was sure Jake and Ellie couldn't — a subtle tremor coming from underground.
It got stronger and stronger by the second until we all physically had to hold things in place so they don't fall over and break.
"What the...?"
"Yo, is that an earthquake?" Jake asked, glancing around while he dropped the flower pot back ontop the counter.
A few seconds later, a loud explosion hit from the distance. It was so powerful that we could feel the earth tremor beneath us. Not to mention how loud it was.
I immediately rushed to the window to see if I could get a glimpse of what was going on.
The sky grew darker and darker the longer I stood there. Filling up with unnatural fog.
The TV twiched info a black and white feed and then back on. A newswoman appeared on the screen, she looked like she had seen a ghost and was very stumbling with her words.
"We are sorry to interrupt your program, but this is a direct message from the higher ups. Sector D is under attack! I repeat Sector D is under attack!"
"A villain known as Gravehowl has unleashed an army of creatures upon the city. The streets are swarming with what appears to be undead and mutated beast".
"The threat level has been classified as Demon+... "
" All available heroes are required to engage any beast and take them out on sight before they harm innocent civilians... "
"Tempest Wolf, Gravehowl's long time rival and nemesis, is unaccounted for, if any high rank hero can hear please we need your help!!"
"... "
The feed returned to back and white and we stood there staring at eachother like we were all ghost.
"Tempest Wolf is gone...?"
"Who's going to take care of Gravehowl!... " Ellie said with panic etched in her voice.
Tempest Wolf was a popular A-Class hero who had a reputation for showing up and foiling Gravehowls never ending plans to take over Sector D.
But now, he was nowhere to be found. It looks like a new hero would have to step up to save the day.