Created

Part 6, Chapter 27

Skyler

CHESF base

A loud explosion sounded from somewhere above Skyler's head, and the monitor she was working at shut off. The lights flickered, but came back on. She looked up at the concrete ceiling. What was that? Then, her mind got to running.

It might have been Spectre, no, nobody would open the doors. I'm safe down here, he couldn't find us. He couldn't find us.

Another crash, and the lights finally went out. The backup lights glowed red, barely illuminating enough to see.

I need to go help Lizzie.

Skyler grabbed her gloves and clicked the buttons. Her armor appeared around her in about two seconds. The night vision mode in the suit made it easier to see. Skyler ran down the hallway, and finally after realizing that running was too slow, hopped up into the air and half extended her wings. The flapped like a hummingbird's and created a high buzzing sound. When she finally got to Lizzie's room, she knocked on the door. It immediately opened and June had her hand out, ready to blast her. Skyler's hands went up with a gesture of surrender.

"Woah. Don't fire. It's me."

June's arm lowered. Skyler stepped inside and the door closed. The lock clicked. Skyler thought about it, and the helmet dissolved from her face. June grabbed a lantern and lit it on fire. Why Lizzie had one in her room, Skyler had no idea. But it was helpful. The room was now illuminated brightly. Almost as brightly as usual. Only then did Skyler see Lizzie huddled in the corner beneath the desk. Her room was painted pink with paintings of butterflies, fairies, and castle's on her walls. They were so expertly done, that Skyler had to assume that June did the service for her.

"Hey Sky," Lizzie said. She scooted out of the desk and reached for her. Skyler took her hand.

"What's happening?" June asked.

"I don't know, but I assume that somehow Spectre got in. No one else could cause this kind of panic." Skyler replied.

"That's what I thought too. I had to go help Lizzie because Spectre might be holding a vendetta against her because of how she saved me."

Lizzie tugged on Skyler's hand.

"Are we going to die?" She asked.

"No baby, we won't. We'll just stay here and let the army handle it, okay?" June replied, softly but sweetly. Lizzie just nodded her head. Another explosion made Lizzie jerk and scoot back into her previous hiding place, letting go of Skyler's hand in the process. Skyler and June gave each other knowing glances.

"You just stay right there honey. We will protect you." Skyler and June both stood up and faced the doorway. There were loud footsteps coming down the hall. June's armor appeared on her and her hands ignited. Skyler made her own helmet appear and her blades stuck out menacingly. Skyler heard some of the footsteps stop just outside the door. The rest kept on going. It sounded like three or four soldiers, based on the sounds of their heavy leather boots against the concrete floor. Lizzie whimpered quietly in the corner. The lock clicked, and the door slid open. Two soldiers holding fully automatic rifles came barging in, guns not firing, but being brandished. One of the soldiers had close cropped blonde hair, and the other was a young redhead that couldn't have been out of his twenties yet. A being enshrouded with black fire came into their view. Spectre walked through the open doorway directly behind them.

"Hello." His deep voice emanated from everywhere, it seemed. "Finally. How long I've waited to meet you in person. He spread his arms apart, and an invisible force pushed June and Skyler to either side. He walked right in between them, facing the cowering Lizzie. "Your mental capabilities are astonishing. The black fire dissipated, leaving only a humanoid in black and grey skull armor that was fashioned much like the team's. He stuck out an inviting hand toward Lizzie. "It is okay child. You are too valuable for me to harm." Lizzie grabbed his hand, and let him stand her up. Skyler and June were still being held at gunpoint.

"Are you Spectre?" Lizzie said.

"Indeed I am." His voice no longer emanated from the walls, but from the form in front of them. It was no longer powerful, but more...fatherly. Gentle.

"So, you were the bad man inside June's head."

"Bad is an opinion. I was inside of June's head yes. But I am not evil. I just wanted to meet each of you. Let them go." The two soldiers lowered the muzzles of the gun, and the invisible force that held Skyler disappeared. "Can I trust you to play nice?"

Skyler gritted her teeth.

"Yes." June responded, glaring at the form. Spectre held up his free hand, palm up, and flipped it over in a fluid action. As his hand flipped, Skyler and June's armor disappeared, leaving them standing in the room with no protection besides their thin layer of clothing.

"That's better. Now I can see your faces."

"But we can't see yours," Skyler replied.

"My face would frighten the little one."

Lizzie looked up at him, still holding his hand. "I'll be okay." It pained Skyler to see her holding the hand of that monster, but she couldn't state her opinion, lest she be shot in the back of the head.

With a deep breath, Spectre let go of Lizzie's hand, and raised his arms to his face. When his hands connected with either side of the mask, a lock clicked, and the helmet disconnected from the armor. He slowly raised his hands and lifted up his arms to reveal...a young middle aged man that looked strikingly like their commander, Joshua Sandburn, in his younger years. His tan skin contrasted sharply with the dull colors of his armor, and his tousled black hair hung down one side of his head. He was expertly manicured. There wasn't a single line or blemish on his skin. Skyler felt inadvertently attracted to him.

Eww, gross. Mind controlling monster, or elderly military commander. Yuck.

But even with those thoughts, pleasure still came to her mind. Skyler looked at June and saw that she felt the same. There was just something...good about him. Lizzie looked up at his face.

"You look like our commander."

"I know. I was created out of his tissues, then augmented for more power. I am his clone."

"Wow." Lizzie responded, still looking up.

"So. Where will we begin. Your thoughts, or mine."