totally meta

chapter 14

Henry zipped through the city streets, the world blurring past him as his mind raced alongside his feet. His earpiece buzzed to life with Dr. Harris's voice.

"Henry, we've got another one," she said, her tone urgent. "There's a meta-human heading toward Angelic Industries, and she's after Lilian Ice. She's extremely dangerous—her body can transform into steel."

Henry's stomach dropped. Another meta-human, and this one had the power of near invulnerability. "I'm on it."

He pushed himself faster, the cityscape melting away as he aimed for the coordinates Harris had sent him. As he neared the industrial district, he could already see the chaos unfolding.

A woman stood in the middle of the street, her skin gleaming like polished metal, reflecting the sunlight. Cars had been overturned, and people were fleeing in every direction. Henry could hear the terrified screams, but his focus zeroed in on the metallic figure.

She was tall, muscular, her steel skin rippling as if it were alive. Every step she took cracked the asphalt beneath her feet, and her eyes were locked onto the massive Angelic Industries building in the distance.

Henry screeched to a halt, surveying the area. Civilians were scattering, trying to find safety. His first priority was getting them out of harm's way.

He darted into action, running through the crowd at super speed, lifting people out of the street and moving them to safety. A mother and her child, a delivery man, an elderly couple—one by one, he whisked them away until the area was clear.

Once the street was empty, Henry took a deep breath and faced the woman of steel. She was getting closer to her target, each step radiating intent. He couldn't let her reach Lilian.

"Hey!" he called out, his voice echoing off the nearby buildings.

The woman turned, her eyes narrowing at him. Her metallic face showed no fear—just raw determination.

"Get out of my way," she snarled, her voice as cold and hard as her skin.

"Sorry, can't do that," Henry replied, trying to keep his voice steady. He'd never faced someone like her before. "What's your deal with Lilian? Why are you going after her?"

"She's the reason I'm like this!" the woman growled, her fists clenching. "Angelic Industries' experiments turned me into a freak. I'm going to make her pay for what she did."

Henry's mind raced. He knew Lilian's experiments had caused a lot of chaos, but this woman's anger was burning with a vengeance. If she reached Lilian, there was no telling what she'd do.

"Look, I get it," Henry said, cautiously moving closer. "But hurting people isn't going to fix what happened to you."

"Don't pretend like you know what I've been through!" she shouted, her steel skin gleaming dangerously as she began to march toward him.

Henry didn't have time for more words. In a flash, he darted toward her, aiming to catch her off guard. But she was ready.

She swung her arm in a wide arc, and Henry barely dodged it, her steel fist cutting through the air with a sharp whoosh. She was fast—faster than he expected for someone made of metal.

Henry circled her, searching for an opening. She was strong, but if he could keep her off balance, he might have a chance. He zipped behind her, trying to wrap his arms around her from behind, but her skin was too slick, too hard to grip. She threw him off with a powerful shove, sending him skidding across the asphalt.

"Is that all you've got, Flash?" she taunted, stomping toward him.

Henry scrambled to his feet, heart racing. He needed to slow her down. As he looked around the street, his eyes caught sight of some heavy-duty electrical wires coiled near a construction site.

That's it, he thought.

Using his speed, Henry darted over to the wires, unraveling them as fast as his hands could move. He zipped back in front of the woman, holding the thick cables.

"You think that's going to stop me?" she laughed, her voice full of contempt. "I'm steel. Nothing can hold me."

"Let's find out," Henry shot back.

With lightning speed, he looped the cables around her body, crisscrossing them over her arms and torso. She struggled, trying to break free, but the wires tightened with each movement. Her strength was immense, but the cables were designed to withstand industrial weight—enough to hold even her.

"Get off me!" she roared, thrashing against the wires, but to no avail.

Henry secured the final knot, stepping back to catch his breath. She was trapped, bound by the cables, her steel form unable to break through.

"Stay down," he said, panting slightly. "You're not going anywhere."

The woman glared at him, her metallic eyes burning with rage. "You think this is over? You think you've won?"

"Not yet," Henry grabbed her and dragged her back to Seven labs where they put her in cell even she couldn't break with her steel body and abnormal strength.