Loonatics Revamp Rise of the Loonatics Episode 1 (Saved)

Chapter 16

The rest of their examination went almost silently, save for the occasional questionings about their health and the machines' noises. Once the six of them got their blood drawn and had their body check on the scanner – except Tech who, for some reason, had been allowed to skip that part – the nurses and the Gopher couple exited the medical bay, promising them they would see their friends soon.

Nobody dared to talk, still processing the fact the whole country knew about their superpowers and they would never embrace a normal, life ever again. They all thought about their family if they would ever be able to see them again, or even if they, too, would face troubles because of what happened. Half an hour went by in total silence, the atmosphere heavy, before the door was opened again. Six soldiers stood at the entrance, guns out just in case.

"Follow us," the nearest one ordered.

They obeyed quietly, and they found themselves walking around the base once again with three soldiers before them and the other three closing the march. However, this time the halls were empty, and about five minutes later they arrived before a big metallic door, closed and protected by what looked like a retinal scan. One soldier crouched down before the screen; immediately, the scanner recognised him and gave him authorization to enter, after a bright red light analysed his retina. The door opened, giving the group access to the room behind it.
It was a big – scratch that, a gigantic sort of meeting room, with two distinguishable parts. Half of the room looked more like a control centre, with technicians and scientists working tirelessly on their computers, with larger screens displayed on the walls showing parts of Acmetropolis as well as maps of the city – looking at one of them, Ace could see a red dot lost in the part representing the sea, and he understood it was supposed to be the meteor that struck the city earlier this day. In the middle of the room's other half stood a long and large table, with a holographic screen currently turned off, with about thirty chairs surrounding it. Thought the room itself was impressive, looking like it was taken from a sci-fi movie, what took the group's attention were the people sitting around the table, who had turned around at their arrival.

"Ma! Pa!" Rev cried out, both surprised and overjoyed to see his parents.

And they weren't the only familiar faces they recognized: Rip was sitting next to his mother, looking weary but fine. Lexi gasped when she saw her parents too, who teared up at the sight of her. Alonso cried Slam's name, happy to see his friend unharmed, and Ace turned his head just in time to see his father get up from his chair and run to him like it was a matter of life and death. He felt his body being almost crushed to death before he could process what was going on and what on Earth Nao was doing here, sitting in a chair inside an ultra-protected military base in the middle of God knows where. Even more surprising was his father's reaction at the sight of his son walking inside the room; Ace couldn't remember a moment Nao had acted this desperate, the man usually being so strict and not showing that much emotion even in private. Then again, the young man had just survived two catastrophes in one day and had been held against his will by the US army afterward. He supposed any parents, even the outwardly coldest, would be desperate to see their child again after such events.
Before Ace could return the hug, Nao was already withdrawing, but he kept his hands on his shoulders and checked every inch of his son with his dark eyes.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, keeping his voice low enough so only he could hear him. "Did they touch you?"

"I-I'm fine," Ace managed to say, wondering why his father wouldn't want anybody else to know what he was saying. "And they ran a few tests, but–"

"Tests?" Nao repeated, eyes narrowing. "What tests?"

"Just a blood test and a body scan," Ace answered, confused, "why?"