Chapter 162

  Alexander stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He was mostly dry, other than the damp hair, droplets occasionally finding their way down his neck.

  In one corner of the room, drones lay scattered across the floor. He’d recalled them, sneaking them through the windows one after another, and recharged each before having them enter standby mode. Droney was the only one active.

  Miniaturized power sources remained a problem for his plans. Unfortunately, unlike most cybernetic components, it wasn’t a matter of simply designing or purchasing all the parts and bringing them together.

  Droney’s power source remained one of the most advanced pieces of technology he’d ever seen, perhaps rivalled only by the shield emitters and other, more common but still advanced technology found on the Nexus.

  Whoever had provided the drones to the Throne of Scales, sponsors of their superhero livestreaming from what he understood, clearly had access to technology and manufacturing that Alexander didn’t.

  For now.

  Droney hovered near the window, shifting and tracking movement on the street below.

  Alexander swept the drone with his senses, reaching deep. The little machine’s center held an orb a little larger than a golf ball. The outer shell constructed from an alloy Alexander didn’t recognize, dense, incredibly durable, and actively generating a counteracting energy field shielding the internals.

  His powered senses slipped through without challenge. At the core was an exotic electromagnetic containment field, maintaining a sublime hydrogen micro-fusion reactor. As always, when he ‘looked’ at it, he felt a nearly overpowering urge to tamper with it.

  He wasn’t suicidal. It was more the urge to touch a hot surface. An electric fence. Just a little feel.

  Instead, he carefully withdrew. Electrokinesis and Metallokinesis could easily manipulate the device, hence the temptation. But, like all simpler machines, Technopathy provided minimal insight.

  It was an interesting and often ignored facet of his power. All machines responded to Technopathy at varying levels of capability. Computers were the best; capable of an incredible range of functions, with hardware akin to that of a mind. It was as if they were borderline sentient under the touch of his power.

  At the other end of the machine spectrum were basic devices. A toaster would obey his power, releasing the catch keeping the bread cooking. But it couldn’t lower the spring-controlled mechanism at his demand unless it were a more advanced model with such functionality built in.

  Still, no matter the machine, all bent to Technopathy. To Machine God, as the power was now called. And the greater its responsiveness, the stronger the sense of willing obedience. That was why he’d kept the gauntlet, and his new arm, simple. Mechanical switches for functionality rather than complex chipsets and advanced computational potential.

  It was also why he avoided building a suit. The idea of wearing the feeling of worship made him extremely uncomfortable.

  The only reason he could tolerate the nanites throughout his body was that they barely registered. It took intense focus to sense them with Technopathy, even if Metallokinesis knew where they were at all times.

  Alexander sighed. The power core problem wouldn’t solve itself. If he wanted to scale his operations and expand his capabilities, he needed either a supplier or the ability to manufacture them himself. Which meant securing access to the technology one way or another. Purchasing rights if possible. Reverse-engineering if necessary. And if neither of those worked, there was always Goliath. They produced everything the military needed, including power cores and reactors.

  A problem for another day.

  He flopped onto the bed and checked the time. Almost eight in the morning. Another hour at most before the lawyer’s office would open. Plenty of time to get dressed and make his way over.

  In the meantime… He’d wondered whether the System’s communication functions would work across the distance between Earth and the Nexus. And there was only one way to find out.

  Alexander pulled up the interface with a thought and selected Julia from his list of contacts. The connection request went out.

  The wait stretched for several seconds. Long enough that he began to wonder if distance did matter to the System after all.

  Then Julia’s voice came through, clear as if she were in the next room. “Alex?”

  “Hey,” Alexander said, a feeling of warmth spreading through him. “I was thinking about you and wanted to see if calling actually worked from this far away.”

  “Apparently it does. I’m glad you tried.”

  He could hear the smile in her voice. “Are you still on the Nexus?”

  “Yeah. We’re leaving tomorrow, actually,” she said. “What are you up to?”

  “Oh, you know. Laying here in just a towel thinking about you.” Alexander grinned at the ceiling, amusing himself by imagining the subtle blush he knew that would elicit. “I’m in New York.”

  “New York?” Her tone shifted, concern bleeding through. “Alex, you need to be careful. That city has some serious superheroes.”

  The worry in her voice made him smile despite himself. “I’m being careful. Promise.”

  “Why are you even out that far?”

  “Need to recruit a lawyer—”

  Julia’s laugh cut him off. “What did you do this time?”

  Alexander chuckled. “No, nothing serious. I just realized we need proper legal representation as we grow. Among other things.” He shifted on the bed, adjusting the towel. “What have you been up to?”

  “Seeing as many of the sights on the Nexus as I can manage.” Her voice carried genuine enthusiasm. “There’s a district that is completely submerged, and they have these completely transparent capsules used to navigate across it. You can’t really visit anything though, because the buildings are all underwater too.”

  “That sounds incredible.”

  “It is.” The enthusiasm faded slightly. “Though it’s not the same without you. I miss you.”

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  The simple honesty in those words hit harder than he expected.

  “Miss you too,” Alexander sighed. “Let me know when you’re back and we can organize another date night.”

  “I’d like that.”

  They fell into a comfortable silence.

  “How’s Talia?” Julia asked, breaking it. “And the others?”

  “They’re good. Busy. I dropped a lot on them during the return trip, though I think they were expecting it. Or something like it, anyway.” Alexander paused. “We’re expanding our operations. And forming an alliance with the Royals.”

  “That’s a big deal, Alex,” Julia said.

  Alexander nodded to himself. “Yeah. It just made sense, considering everything that’s going on and what both sides bring to the table… which reminds me. Please let Max know that I’m willing to sell the Throne of Scales advanced shield emitters once I’m producing them. Strictly for use, though.”

  “The ones you got from the Station Master?”

  “Yeah.” He smiled. “I’ll even throw in a friends and rivals discount.”

  Julia giggled. “I’ll let him know. I’m sure he’ll be interested.”

  In the quiet that followed, Alexander’s thoughts turned to what he’d learned. The smile on his face faded.

  “Jules…” He hesitated, uncertain how best to ask. “Did you know kids can awaken powers?”

  Julia’s sharp intake of breath came clearly through the connection. “What?”

  “I checked out the Scar last night—”

  “Alexander!”

  “—and watched some superhuman action in the ruins. One of them threw a car through a building, and I ended up holding the ceiling up so it wouldn’t collapse on two people hiding inside.” He kept his tone neutral, though he was relieved that she hadn’t known. “Turned out to be kids. Maybe fifteen and sixteen. Brother and sister. The girl panicked when she saw me. Blasted me in the face with roots and vines.”

  “What?” Julia said again, the word carrying a weight it hadn’t before.

  “Yeah. That’s basically how I felt.” Alexander let the pause stretch. “AEGIS has to know. There’s no way they don’t.”

  Silence followed. When Julia finally spoke, her voice was carefully controlled. Too controlled. He’d spent enough time with her to recognize the anger simmering underneath.

  “Yes,” she bit off. “And the UEG.”

  Alexander sighed quietly to himself. He hadn’t meant to turn the conversation dark, but the topic was clearly weighing on him more than he realized.

  “Sorry,” he said. “I just found out earlier, and I can’t stop thinking about it.”

  “Don’t apologize, Alex.” The whoosh of an automated door cut through, indicating that Julia was on the move. “I’m glad you told me. We needed to know this.”

  Alexander frowned. She had a good point. “Perhaps… everyone needs to know.”

  “Listen. I’m calling a meeting with Max and Hjordis. Guang, too,” she added. “Then maybe I’ll punch Marcus in the face.”

  He raised an eyebrow. That was more than simple anger. “As much as I’d love to see that, maybe don’t attack a Galactic Council member. If it must be done, ask your boyfriend. He’s already a supervillain.”

  Julia laughed.

  Alexander continued. “Message me if you need evidence. Droney should have captured the moment I got my ass kicked by a kid.”

  “In high definition, I hope?” Julia joked. She sounded calmer. Just a little. “I will, but I think Max and Hjordis will trust your word, which will be enough to take to Marcus and get the truth.”

  He made a sound of agreement.

  “I have to go,” she said reluctantly. “But I’m going to hold you to that date night when I get back.”

  “Date night is contingent on you not becoming a galactic criminal.” Alexander smiled. “Just tell me when.”

  “I’ll call you soon.” Julia paused. “Be careful in New York, okay?”

  “I will. Take care, Jules.”

  He cut the call.

  Alexander lay there staring at the ceiling for several minutes, replaying the conversation in his head.

  Everyone needed to know. Once the thought had manifested, he couldn’t shake it. It wormed its way into everything else, slowly crystallizing into an idea.

  They were already planning to release the recordings of Santiago Systems and the alien abductions. There was no reason he could think of not to include any other uncomfortable truths, children awakening powers included, at the same time.

  The mega-corporations. AEGIS. The UEG. They all acted as if they alone held the right to determine what the people should know. What they deserved to know.

  He wasn’t ignorant of the ramifications. It would add fuel to the fire already burning across the world in the hearts of the people standing up and protesting against the authorities keeping them in the dark.

  But there was no avoiding what was coming. Alexander believed it only because of the absolute certainty of those he respected as… colleagues. It wasn’t the right word, but he could think of no better one.

  Maximilian de Castillo. Julia Delvane. Hjordis… whose last name he didn’t know. Spencer… whose last name he also didn’t know, now that he thought about it, which meant he might also be a Rooke. Valerie, the Queen of Hearts.

  If they couldn’t avoid the oncoming disaster, then it was necessary to prepare. And anyone who knew had a responsibility to warn those who didn’t.

  The idea snapped into place, fully realized.

  He sat up.

  Alexander had a responsibility. Because unlike the others, he could ensure the world heard the warning.

  He frowned. Burning Santiago Systems and sharing the truth about children gaining powers was simple enough. The evidence already existed. Convincing the world about the Prophecy of Eights was another matter entirely.

  Alexander believed what the others had told him. Carefully corroborated Spencer’s story by mentioning it to Maximilian. Discussed it with Julia. Dropped hints to the Queen.

  They all believed it. That it was inevitable.

  It wouldn’t be enough to convince others. He needed something more.

  “Shit,” Alexander cursed as the realization settled in.

  Grimnir needed a prophet of their own. One that could convince the world.

  A knock interrupted his thoughts.

  Alexander’s attention shifted to the door. The cameras in the hallway responded to his thoughts immediately, feeding him a view of the corridor outside his room. A young woman in a hotel uniform stood there, his suit draped carefully over her arm.

  Right on time.

  He stood and crossed to the door, pulling it open.

  The woman looked up with a professional smile. “Your suit, sir. The cleaning service—” Her eyes widened. The smile froze. She turned away quickly, color rising in her cheeks.

  Alexander glanced down at himself. Still wearing just the towel.

  “Sorry,” he said, struggling to keep his tone composed. “Lost track of time.”

  He took the suit from her and transferred a five hundred credit guilt tip with a thought.

  “Thank you for the quick turnaround,” Alexander added.

  She nodded, still not quite looking at him. “Of course. Have a good day, sir.”

  Alexander closed the door and set the suit on the bed. He stood there for a moment, processing the embarrassment.

  He shook his head and raised his left hand. Electrokinesis flowed from his Core, causing electricity to crackle and dance down his cybernetic arm. He pushed more power into it, and the field expanded, then ran his fingers through his hair. The familiar tingle of resistance spread across his scalp as the remaining water in his damp hair flash-boiled into steam.

  Seconds later, he was completely dry.

  Alexander dressed quickly, then checked himself in the mirror. The suit had been returned in perfect condition.

  Droney beeped from near the window.

  “Not this time, buddy,” Alexander said, turning toward the drone. “Need to keep a low profile, and apparently you’re more famous than I am.”

  Droney beeped three more times in quick succession.

  Alexander felt a distinct impression of humor through his connection to the little machine. He smiled. “Hold down the fort.”

  He headed for the door.

  First, the lawyer. Then finalize the alliance with the Royals, which would provide access to all the intelligence they’d gathered on superhumans over the years.

  Once Talia had it, she’d be able to find what they needed. Someone with the right power. A true diviner who could give the warning the credibility it required.

  Then they could change the world’s heading.

  Alexander opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

  Being a supervillain was a lot of work.

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