Still steaming, the silver appendage brought back flashes of the escape from Iodine when Quantum cut off Lucian's arm - no, not Quantum, Holmes. That lunatic didn't deserve the name. Gabriel would never think of him as Quantum again - all the memories of idolizing the Republic's greatest hero in fan art forums now left a sour taste in his mouth.
Sounds of the battle had ceased, but before securing his brother's cherished psionic dampener, Gabriel had to secure himself. There were no signs of movement outside the field Holmes put up earlier, but the greyed tint of Zero's time freeze was fading away. Lucian's words echoed in his brain - "Zero will need help in about ten seconds" - he realized those ten seconds were almost up. Hiding his brainwaves, he carefully moved towards the dampener.
Before collecting the metal arm, Holmes appeared next to the deactivated portal in a flash - hefting Zero by the neck.
Zero pried at Holmes' grip, but it was clear the Sentinel was done fighting. The darker black coating now looked like a moth-eaten quilt - tiny patches of skin and civilian clothing were visible through gaps in the oily protection.
Holmes fired twin green lasers from his eyes - straight into Zero's face. When the light faded, Zero was unharmed, but Gabriel noticed the fractures in the darkness grew; ever so slightly. Small motes of energy floated away from Zero as if evaporating.
"Hit me all you like." Zero's voice sounded hoarse and tired. "Nothing gets through my shell." He gave a weak smile, but his breath ran too ragged to pull off that kind of bravado.
Holmes sneered and poked a finger into a gap in the oil-like covering, eliciting a wince from Zero. "Your dark matter armor will last a few more hits - at most. Now be quiet while I figure out what happened here." He pointed the finger at Zero, and another searing beam hit the Sentinel.
The amorphous energy shield shifted to defend, but the protection was wearing down against the continuous laser; there was barely enough dark matter left to cover Zero's torso. In a few moments, the defenses would lose out, and the world would lose another champion; unless Gabriel did something.
A plan was beginning to form, but with the odds of success, there was something he needed to do first.
Alfred. Can you text Jimmy for me?
His partner's understanding flowed through their link; these last few seconds might be the last chance Gabriel would get. Your message?
The words flowed from Gabriel's mind in an instant.
I'm sorry for not reaching out earlier - I don't know why I didn't. Maybe I got caught up in all the hustle and bustle at the Spire... or maybe I got lost in it. Either way, my lab isn't the same without you peaking over my shoulder with sandwiches and comics - I miss you.
I've made some friends, some pretty incredible ones, at that. I'll make sure you meet them if anything happens to me tonight. I know you haven't heard from me since we left the lab, and the next thing you know, I'm saying goodbye (maybe)? I'm probably the worst son.
This might not surprise you too much. You know what I was made for and how much I hated it, but tonight is the night - my time to save the world. Like I always dreamed as a kid.
Remember how you always hid my Sentinel drawings from the other scientists when I was little? Thank you for never crushing that dream, and thank you for sneaking me crayons. You were my light in the dark.
Wish me luck.
Your adopted lab-rat-turned-Sentinel,
Gabriel
YOU ARE READING
A Hero's Song (Darkest Secrets Volume 1)
Science FictionGabriel lived his whole life in an underground lab, surrounded by people who only sought to use him - tricked into believing he was broken from birth. Trained to be a killing machine, he never thought he could live a different life until one unusual...
