The snake's mouth clamped down on Arsenal. Her vision went dark while her visor adjusted. Rows of dagger-sharp teeth squealed against her armor.
It had happened so fast that Arsenal found herself on her back, her limbs squeezed between the gaps in its teeth. Her arms and legs were fine, but sensors in her Heads Up Display showed teeth pressing into her exosuit's chest and back. The monstrosity had rows and rows of teeth like a shark.
Alarms flashed in the bottom of Arsenal's HUD:
ARMOR PLATING COMPROMISED
HULL PRESSURE INCREASING
Panic and power swelled within her. With it came the familiar, stomach-churning nausea.
POWER CLIMBING
FUNNELING EXCESS POWER TO COMBAT THRUSTERS
FUNNELING EXCESS POWER TO KINETIC SYSTEMS
Arsenal flicked internal switches, trying to funnel away excess power. She struggled in the serpent's mouth, her fusion-powered exosuit grinding helplessly against its teeth. Not even point-blank overcharged kinetic blasts were affecting the creature.
Power poured out of her now, but the excess heat had no place to go. Steam clouded the gaps between flesh and metal.
HULL INTEGRITY COMPROMISED
"TINA! I need help. Is anyone nearby?"
TINA's voice came through, but it was filled with static. "No one will get here fast enough."
SYSTEMS OVERLOADING
Things were quickly going from bad to worse. If Arsenal didn't get crushed, she was going to have a meltdown.
POWER DISPERSAL RECOMMENDED
"—I know! I can't discharge! What am I supposed to do?"
If she used her concussive discharge now, she'd be left with minimal power, and there was no telling whether the attack would be strong enough to get her out of the snake's mouth.
More system alerts flashed:
HEAT SINKS COMPROMISED
POWER CIRCULATION COMPROMISED
HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS COMPROMISED
EXTERNAL SENSOR MALFUNCTION (x4)
HUD MALFUNCTION
Her display went black. Cherry shouted Arsenal's name into the comms, but she couldn't answer. She was too busy screaming.
TINA's static riddled voice echoed through her failing armor. "You know what you have to do!"
She was terrified of melting down. She dreaded the emergency cooling measures. They always hurt. They always hurt...
All her life, Clara had been fighting to control herself. Struggling to control herself—her body and her emotions. Not just for her own safety—for her dad, for Emmett, for her friends. She was a danger to everyone around her.
Arsenal screamed again, but this time it wasn't a scream of fear or pain or rage or regret.
She'd bottled herself up too long. She'd played it safe, training and molding herself into someone who could fit inside an exosuit. Someone who hid inside the suit.
"I'm not going to die here!"
HULL BREACH (x2)
LIFE SUPPORT COMPROMISED
Arsenal took a deep breath. The air was thick and tainted. "TINA..."
"Yes."
"Tell Emmett to stay away. Don't let me hurt him."
YOU ARE READING
Mod Superhero (Book 4 STUB on JULY 30th)
Science FictionFor this cyborg, power is just an upgrade away. Emmett was used to being caught between college and his engineering internship, but when he gets caught between a powerful hero and an even stronger villain, he becomes collateral damage. Instead of d...
