ChromaTober | FMS 2023 writing challenge | Hosted by @LoneRanger253

Day 20 | Stalk

AU: Robot!Sabre
Type: Not fluff O>O
Characters: Professor ???, ? ? ? ?

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Professor ??? POV

Sigh. I was walking down the city streets, making sure to avoid back alleys and places with most supervillain attacks. With folders of updates of a certain person.. or rather, a person, in my hands close to my chest, I made sure my footsteps were as quiet as possible in the dead of night - okay, evening. It was dark like ink. Makes sense, winter's near. And makes the job for that one freezing guy easier... I shook my head trying to not think about it. My current goal is just get back to my office and recover the data... and add more and see if it's possible to locate him and in the morning- or whenever I wake up if I fall asleep, see back to the- oh wait, no. I can't do that because I have a class to teach tomorrow- I sighed again, annoyed that I have to change my plans.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, I jolt went through my body, like a shiver. I acted as if I was cold with the evening 0°C breeze, though...

I knew I was being watched, followed, stalked even. "Man.. I should've brought a coat or something.." I muttered, hoping that my stalkers wouldn't be suspicious of me knowing they're there. I was growing nervous the more I thought about why they'd stalk me and about them getting my files which were as important to me like a state secret for the government. At no cost can I let them have it.

An explosion was heard nearby. I looked up and yelped, immediately sprinting off to not her smashed by falling rubble. Too distracted and panicked to scream or yell for help, I just ran as fast as my old legs would carry me, which unfortunately was not was. Soon I was tackled by someone I couldn't see. Oh... That invisible guy... And everything went black.

I woke up to a bright light shone on me, directly into my eyes because my head was tilted backwards. It was especially bright, blinding, with my glasses that magnified and zoomed in my field, much like microscopes. I gasped and breathed heavily, lowering my head.

"Well, well, well. Look who finally woke up." I recognised his voice. Invisible villain, Lucas was his name I think? I raised my head to look at them. There were three of them plus the ones behind me.

"...R-Reverse...?" I my breath hitched when I noticed the reversed flash mark on the villain's chest plate. Now I was genuinely horrified for my life. He smugly smiled under the mask with only his mouth visible, and slowly walked in front to show his authority, or power, over the people in the room, me included.

"I'm glad you still recognise me old man Watt's your name again?" He mocked me and I sank in my cold metal seat. I wasn't sure if he actually knew my name or was it just for show. He probably knew and wanted to feel good seeing my pain and uncomfortableness (if that's even a word, I'm not a grammar teacher). "Tell me, why do you think you are here? Why have we captured you?"

I didn't know. I didn't know why. I couldn't think of any logical reasons for my kidnapping- mannapping? No, get yourself together Watts!

"I will take the silence as a no. Very well, it gives us more of a show to tell that to you ourselves..." Oh no, my folders! The data! They have it! Panic and fear rose in me again. No no no no no no no no no no nono no no no no... This can't be happening.
"You see, we know that you were the one from whom this.. Flash got his frictionless suit from. Yes, we know it's frictionless. And in order for us to release is for you to replicate it for me."

"W-What?! I can't do that!"

"You will." He slammed his hand against the table in front of me, his voice rising but still kind if calm.

"I-I don't have t-the bluep-prints for that..! They burnt in an explosion in my lab."

"We know."

"Huh?" A hum escaped my lips, my tone questioning them and confused.

"We know they are likely gone physically, but.. they cannot be gone mentally, can they?" Oh, I see... "And before you say you don't remember, you do, got it? You have 8 hours to replicate at least the blueprint. Cannot have you miss your school and raise suspicion. However..." Here's comes the twist, the ultimatum. "If you fail to do that, we will publicly show that we have you and broadcast your death." There it is... Reverse, their obvious captain, smiled with his teeth seeing my shaking body. "Understood?"

"C-Crystal clear..." He nodded and someone behind me cut the ties around my hands and legs. The third in front of me, forgot his name but he freezes things, put papers for blueprints and normal paper with pens and pencils for my work.

"We look forward to your smooth cooperation." Reverse left three of his pawns to watch over me in the back of the room, starting to leave with his right and left hand men.

"And if..." my voice was quiet, but the leader heard me and stopped at the door from closing. "If I manage to complete it... You'll have taken photos of me helping you and will get me arrested..."

He didn't say anything. He smiled, though bitterly, and closed the door. His emotions and intentions were indescribable from behind that mask. I stared at the door for a moment longer, then switching my gaze to the tools given to me.

One big sheet of blueprint paper. A stack of A3 paper for sketching and calculations along with pencils and a small rubber. No calculator.

"W-Will I have to calculate the numbers b-by heart?" I nervously asked the people behind me.

"Yes, grandpa. It's not like we're rich enough to afford a simple calculator. WHAT DO YOU THINK?!" The girl who I knew usually had a hammer with her threw a calculator at my head and fell down. She was angry. I rubbed my forehead and looked at them cautiously, picking the device up and nodded slightly as a thanks if they even took it. I sat down and started thinking.

There's no way I'm making that madman a frictionless suit. He'd be unstoppable taking his speed and strength into consideration. He's even faster than Flash... And the way he got his speed has to be different from Sabre's.. I doubt he was caught in an explosion- actually, he could've been and is faster just because he's an adult? It's a possibility. But what explosion? I don't know any other labs in Core City other than mine and I'm pretty sure no one else but my class and I were inside.

Sigh... What has this day come to?