1.14 Endgame Part 8

The bolts of pink plasma blast the creature I’m holding. Fortunately I am shielded from the attacks myself. I really do not want to find out good the Sentinel armour is versus multiple bolts of plasma the hard way.

I let go of the creature I’m holding out of surprise as it begins to disintegrate. The creature is disappearing to flecks and shards of red light that soon disappear.

That’s one down at least, but there is still another eight to go. I better try out lasers on them since punching them doesn’t work.

I fly up and aim my lasers at them, I fire a couple of short beams and I get pounded by return fire. I grunt in pain as agony strikes me. My head is pounding and my right elbow feels like it is on fire.

I fall to the floor as the Sentinel armour suffers multiple system failures. The helmet is cracked and severely damaged from a couple of headshots with the left eyepiece broken while the right elbow joint is barely moving. At least the chest armour held up.

As the HUD flickers, I look at my opponents from my prone position. The one I hit with the lasers has some burn lines in their armour, but nothing serious or actually hinders it. I wish my own armour is that good.

Is this it?

“Strike the power core!” yells Darrac as he and Sky begin their assault.

Darrac slashes the core of one of the creatures with his spikes while Sky stabs another with one of her knives. As two creatures disintegrate like the first did, the other remaining six open fire on the duo.

Sky goes down as she takes another pair of while Darrac staggers backwards as he takes a shot to the gut. The already battered Neriarr pants as the creatures focus their aim on him.

“No!” I shout as I activate the rocket pack, aiming at one of the creature’s glowing red orbs

Four of the creatures turn and fire on me, but they don’t get a chance to aim and only one shot hits, glancing off my lower leg. I crash into creature and using my left arm, I grab a hold of the red ball of energy in its abdomen and rip it away.

The creature flickers and starts to disintegrate, but only to begin to reform around the orb against. I snarl as I clench my hand into a fist around the orb, bursting the field keeping the energy contained.

This time the creature disintegrates for real as the energy from the orb fades. I look up at the others just in time to see them open fire on me. I don’t have time to dodge, but I do my best anyway as I stumble to the side.

I let out a gasp of pain as I take a pair of direct hits to the chest. The chest plating has finally taken too much damage. I really have no idea how long I can keep this up.

I drop to one knee with my left hand pressed against the floor. I look at defiantly at the creatures. In a story, this would be about the time one of the other teams would show up to save us.

As the creatures prepare to finish me off with one final volley, a flash of white light slams into them, scattering the creatures.

I let out a short pained laugh as I watch Sam tear the remaining five creatures apart. Nothing like a Class 5 superhero to take out some Sektain forces. Sam is even ripping limb from limb with his bare hands, not even needing to go the power orbs.

I really ought to hook up my AI box with the computers before the Machinist destroys them or something.

I grunt as I get to my feet and stagger over to the closest computer station, getting out the grey box as I do so.

“Need some help?” asks Lucy as she stops next to me as I reach the computer panel.

“Can you make sure Commando, Vision and Darrac are okay?” I reply.

“Bolt, Night Beast, Multiform, Storm Knight and Gateway are already on it,” says Lucy, “Vision is already better. His costume took most of the blast and he decided to lay low as he called us telepathically so we knew what was going on through the jamming.”

“Good to hear,” I say as I being to connect the AI box to the computer and grunt in pain as I turn my right arm the wrong way.

“Are you okay?” inquires Lucy as looks me over, “You look in a pretty bad way.”

“I’m a bit banged up,” I admit, “But the Sentinel armour took the brunt of it. I just want to get the AI box connected to the computers.”

“AI box?” repeats Lucy in a questioning tone.

“A non-sentient AI I have created to hack the computer systems for us since Janelle won’t be able to do due the access point of the hacking needing to be internal,” I explain, “Ahh, I got it connected.”

1.14 Endgame Part 7

The next room is even worse than the previous one. It appears we stumbled into the factory in which the Machines are created and several of them are already complete and ready for battle.

Narszara leaps into battle as I grab Sky and James and fly for the door on the other side of the room. I don’t even dare waste time looking at what Mia and Darrac are doing.

A Machine drops down in front of us and I fire off all eleven of my remaining missiles at it, exploding the darn thing. I don’t slow down as I fly through the wreckage. My armour can handle it and the cos-mat costume should protect Sky and James.

I smash head first through the door. I let go of Sky and James as I into the floor. From the sounds in the previous room, I think as I get to my feet, it sounds like Narszara is keeping our enemies in there busy. I hope Mia or Darrac don’t get hurt.

“Are you okay Sentinel?” asks James.

                                                                 

“I’m fine, just used up all my missiles, but fine,” I reply with a dismissive wave of my hand, “At least this room is empty.”

“The next room should be the command room where the Machinist is operating out of if memory serves,” says Darrac as he lands behind us, “My captain is providing support for your Norgardian.”

“Okay,” I say, “Let’s take down the Machinist.”

I really wonder how Darrac knows what a Norgardian is, but now is most definitely not the time to bring that up.

I let Darrac open the door again as out of our group, he is the best at operating Sektain technology even if I do feel I’m pretty good at it myself.

“Done,” declares Darrac as the door goes wide open.

We walk into the also empty room. This one is clearly the command room or bridge as we would call it on Earth. There are a multitude of computers and other such devices including a large holo-table in the middle of the room.

“So where is the Machinist?” asks James.

“I don’t know,” admits Darrac as he stops and looks around, “I assumed he would be operating out of the command centre. It is the only logical choice to set up his headquarters, but it would appear otherwise.”

“That’s for sure,” says Sky, “Any ideas on where else he come be?”

“No,” replies Darrac, “We’ll have to scour the entire ship.”

“Let’s call the other teams and see if they found the Machinist?” I suggest and do so, “Sentinel here. Has anyone found the Machinist? My team is currently in the command centre or bridge and nobody has been here.”

But all I get is static. It would seem that our communications are being jammed. Better call in with Janelle and Alex.

And again all I get is static. We are definitely being jammed.

“Hey guys-” I start when several beings flash into existence around us.

Each of these beings is made of a pinkish grey material and consists of sleek armour plates with red energy in the gaps that form a humanoid shape. Where the abdomen would be, these creatures have a glowing orb of red energy.

What are these things? I think as they open fire.

Bolts of pink plasma fly from their sleek guns. James and Sky both go down while Darrac staggers and drops to his knee, panting. I take a couple of hits, one to the back of my right shoulder and the other to my chest.

I grunt in pain as I actually feel the shots through the armour and collapse on the ground. I check my armour status and see that the enemy has actually done some serious damage to the Sentinel armour. In fact, the armour integrity around the shoulder has been damaged.

Without moving my head, I look towards Darrac. The Neriarr topples over as he takes several more bolts of plasma. If a couple of those did major damage to the Sentinel armour, I can only imagine how much pain Darrac is in. Darn it, I’m not even sure if he survived.

How will I explain to Mia if he doesn’t? How will I live with myself if a member of my team dies on my watch?

But first I have to make sure these things do down.

There are nine of these creatures and they head to the rest of us, three for each of us Leaguers now Darrac is down. James is still down while Sky is stirring. One of the creatures takes aim at her with its gun.

Time for action, I decide as I activate my rocket pack, aiming for the enemy taking aim at Sky.

I fly through the air and tackle the creature, sending both of us tumbling with myself being the one landing on top. I punch it in the face twice, but whatever it is made of holds up against even the enhanced strength that Sentinel armour grants me.

Not looking good at all, I think as I spot the other eight creatures aiming at me. Things are made even worse when the one below me punches me in the face. It doesn’t do much against the Sentinel armour however and I grab the creature as I get to my feet.

As the other creatures open fire, I use their compatriot as ‘human’ shield.

1.14 Endgame Part 6

Our four aerial vehicles come to a halt over site of the sunken Sektain warship.

“Okay,” I say to my team as we wait in the cargo bay of the Dusty Corsair, “Let’s drop.”

Of course we have to wait for the ramp to lower, but once that is done, we all leap out of the spaceship.

I take the opportunity to look around. The other teams are doing the same though some of us are falling faster than others such as Britannia and Sam, who have both used their flight to reach the ocean even faster than the others.

Me? I’m willing to just use gravity.

I plunge into the ocean, but Narszara’s magic charm is working perfectly. While I know I’m surrounded by water, I’m more than capable of acting if I wasn’t to the point I can even use my rocket pack and lasers down here.

Excellent. Just another advantage we have over the Machine and the other creations of the Machinist.

“There,” I tell the others over the comms, pointing at the wrecked ship below.

As the other teams go their own routes, I take my own team down to the hole I spotted in the side. As expected the ship is flooded with several remains of the crew floating about as I do my best to try and ignore them.

“There is an intact airlock ahead,” says Darrac as he takes the lead.

“Can you open it up?” I ask him.

“Easily,” replies Darrac, “I grew up around technology like this. I believe the correct expression is that this is a slice of cake.”

Within a couple of seconds, we enter the air lock and the water drains around us.

“Do want to break the airlock so the ship is flooded?” inquires Sky as the water finishes draining around us.

“No,” I reply, “If we flood the whole thing, we could easily kill the Machinist and wreck salvageable technology within. And Sektain technology, even if it is a few decades out of data, is very valuable on Earth. Plus we can communicate verbally if we need to such as if our communicators get jammed.”

I step into the next room and freeze at what awaits us. The Machine. And not just one, but three of the big guy.

We all leap into action. Mia draws her pistols and begins to unleash rapid fire on the one on the right as Darrac flies at it. Sky and I both move around the sides to attack the one on the left while Narszara charges the one in the middle.

I’ll use my telekinesis to pop any missiles they unleash, says James.

I send a mental agreement at him as I activate the rocket pack as the Machine I targeted fire off its missiles at me. It also its lasers, both those are aimed at Sky, not me. I fly through the explosion results from the exploding missiles as they are telekinetically taken out and grab the disc ball head.

I grunt as I yank it out and the Machine drops to its knee. Aiming at the gap in which the head was connected to, I fire a missile of my own at it. I’m caught in the explosion, but the Sentinel armour weathers it with ease. The Machine on the other hand has taken a beating as most of its upper chest is destroyed and the left arm is blown off.

Unfortunately its right arm is still working fine, a fact I find out as the Machine grabs me and slams me into floor. I roll out of the way of a energy blade and fire my lasers at the now exposed shoulder joint of the remaining arm.

I hit and the arm twitches before falling limp at the side. But the Machine is still active and I have to finish it even if it is incapable of fighting anymore. Never turn your back on an enemy after all.

Sky is already on that one so I turn to see how the other members of our team are doing, ready to provide assistance if necessary. But it doesn’t look like the others need it as Narszara has crushed her own foe and is helping Darrac and Mia finish off the Machine on the right.

I hear metal tearing behind me and I look over my shoulder to see the remains of the Machine being ripped apart. It has to be the work of James.

“Three Machines?” inquires Sky.

“I didn’t expect it either,” I reply, “Did it feel a little too easy? The others ones were much tougher and harder to defeat.”

“I believe that experience and use of teamwork allowed us to overcome them Verigar,” says Narszara, “The previous times we were not prepared and were caught off guard. This time the battle was fought on our terms, not theirs.”

“Makes senses,” I agree, “Let’s press onto the next room.”

1968 - Black Storm

A tallish man of Eastern European descent causally strolls down the road, hands in the pockets of his black leather jacket. His hair is of medium length and is black with brown streaks. His shining blue eyes glow and crackle with power. His brown trousers are rugged while his white cotton shirt is slightly wrinkled.

Power and confidence seems to radiate from him. The half a dozen men and women following him only help him seem more dangerous, especially as they are wearing the same sort of clothing as their leader. Two even have flak jackets.

The man grins as he approaches the line of police cars that has formed there to stop him and his followers.

“Let’s get started shall we,” says man in Bulgarian.

The police cars began to rise into the air. The man laughs as the police officers panic. They are unprepared for such as threat and only two of the nine officers on the scene are armed with guns. Even then, those guns are only small sidearms.

The Bulgarian raises both of his arms, one hand aiming at each of the armed police officers. Beams of lightning leap from his hands and electrocute both of the officers, both of them going flying.

Whether or not they survived, the Bulgarian doesn’t know. Not that he cares either way.

The police cars stop rising before being slammed hard into the ground by the same force that raised them into the air in the first place. Another two officers are crushed by the falling cars whilst a third has his legs trapped.

The remaining officers scattered. With no way of fighting back and half of them already down, it is the only thing they can do.

The Bulgarian lets them go. He already has an objective and this attempt by the local police to stop him was nothing more than a minor distraction if that. The city hall is only a few blocks away.

He and his followers are almost there when another police car intercepts them. The Bulgarian scoffs at this foolishness before unleashing another blast of lightning at the car. Both the vehicle and its occupants are fried and the police car slams through the wall of a building on the other side of the street

The Bulgarian smirks and stops in front of city hall. The large building rumbles and collapses in on itself.

Nothing in this town can stop me. Not until the League of Heroes shows up and even then they’ll have their hands full.

The Black Storm has arrived

***

Lantern drops from the sky, landing next to Commando by the rumble of Birmingham’s former city hall.

“Lightning bolts from his arms and some sort of gravity powers,” says Lantern, “At least that is what the locals are saying. He also has bunch of followers, but they didn’t seem to do anything. Nobody actually saw the gravity powers being used by the person, just the effects so it might be one of his followers. Oh yeah and the guy calls him the Black Storm.”

“He is powerful alright,” replies Commando.

“Any idea on what he wants?” asks Lantern

“I think he might want a war,” answers Commando, “It is my guess he is trying to take a chunk of land to rule and he has chosen here, either has his city to rule or the starting point for his future empire. Unless he just wants destruction or was hired, it is the most likely explanation.”

“I hope you are wrong friend,” says Lantern.

“Me too,” agrees Commando.

“Heroes!” suddenly yells voice with a Bulgarian accent.

“Oh @#-fudge,” curses Commando as he draws a pair of his combat knifes and Lantern floats back up into the air.

“What do you want Black Storm?” demands Lantern as the hero turns to face the villain and crosses his arms.

“Why,” replies Black Storm as he steps out from amongst his followers, “I want a kingdom to rule of course. I wield immense power and I have the capabilities to bestow lesser powers upon my followers and soldiers.”

“You think he’s joking,” whispers Commando over their communicators.

“No, not about either bit,” Lantern whispers back before replying to Black Storm, “I’m afraid we can’t allow that.”

“Of course you can’t,” smirks Black Storm.

“We’re going to have to bring you in for what you done,” continues Lantern regardless of the interruption, “You killed over two dozen people and put another fifty in hospital yesterday.”

“I know, I was there,” drawls Black Storm.

“Surrender!” demands Commando as he takes a pair of steps towards Black Storm and his followers.

“No,” replies Black Storm as he rises into air, until he is at eye level with Lantern, “I don’t think I will.”

Black Storm raises his arm at Lantern, who in turn flies at Black Storm. The aspiring supervillain fires at both a bolt of lightning and a sonic blast at the hero.

Lantern is dazed and staggered by the unexpected strength of the attack. His own attack is halt and he is knocked backwards through the air.

Meanwhile the ground, Commando is fighting his own tense battle. While he was put on guard by Black Storm’s statement about giving powers to his followers, Commando was still mentally unprepared to face a large amount of supers, no matter how weak their powers.

One of the men tosses an ice shard the size of a water bottle at Commando while another sends a fireball no bigger than a tennis ball towards the hero. With his enhanced reflexes, Commando easily blocks both attacks with his knives  

One of the men has some limited superspeed, nothing faster than particularly fast car, but with his own limited superspeed, the veteran soldier catches the speedster with a fist to the gut. The speedster flips over and goes crashing to the rubble of the city hall.

Commando bats another ice shard and fireball aside with his knives before rushing the other followers of Black Storm as Lantern fends off their leader above them.

The two ranged members of their group pull back along with a woman while the remaining man and woman counter charge Commando. Commando punches the man in the jugular and he staggers backwards.

The woman is even more unsuccessful as Commando easily dodges her swing and stabs one of his knives into her knee. The woman drops, screaming in pain, before Commando grabs her with his now free hand.

He pulls her in front of him, using her as a human shield as third ice shard and fireball comes his way. The fireball misses both of them, but the ice shard cuts into the woman, entrenching itself just below her shoulder.

Already a great deal of pain, the woman faints and Commando tosses her body into the man who charged him. Both go tumbling into the ground together and Commando rushes at the other three.

Time to take out the ice shard thrower and fireball thrower.

Suddenly another pair of men appears in front of Commando.

Invisibles? Teleportation? Commando considers and disregards these possibilities in a spilt-second. He can’t hear or smell usual stuff he would from real people that he would given his enhanced senses. They even look fuzzy to his superior eyesight.

Illusions. There must be what that woman does.

Commando runs through the illusion men, but they block the next ice shard and fireball from his sight until it is too late for him to dodge.

The ice shard and fireball both hit him, but his cos-mat costume easily absorbs their blows.

Commando slams into the illusionist woman, knocking her backwards before kicking the ice shard man in balls. He grunts in pain as he drops to the ground, clutching his injured privates. Commando quickly takes him out of the fight proper by kicking him in the face.

The other man takes a swing at Commando, both of his fists engulfed in flames.

Not just fireballs, but weak pyrokinesis.

Commando rolls back and prepares to attack when his side flares up in pain. The hero looks down and sees that he has been cut through his cos-mat costume.

That should have happened. Sentinel’s cos-mat can resist any normal sharp attacks. Unless...

Commando tries to step to the side, but his attacker nicks him in the shoulder, leaving Commando with a light cut. A fireball hits his injured shoulder, cauterising his wound.

“Damn it!” yells Commando as he realises the source of his troubles is the speedster using the knife he left in the woman who charged him.

Now knowing what he is dealing with, Commando is much better prepared to face his foe and is able to parried the next two strikes with his own knife

Unfortunately, Commando also has to dodge another fireball and that leaves an opening for the speedster. The speedster stabs Commando in the stomach, leaving the knife lodged one of Commando’s organs.

The hero grunts in pain before pulling out the bloody knife. At least he has both of his weapons now.

Another fireball hits Commando dead the chest, but his costume takes it again. Commando waits before slicing the speedster in the arm as he goes past. The man cries out in pain before tripping as he tries to hold his injured arm.

Moving quickly, Commando tosses one of his knifes into the chest of the pyrokinetic. The man falls backwards and Commando doesn’t particularly care if he survives.

Shouldn’t have fought me in the first place if he didn’t want to get hurt.

This doesn’t feel like busting some criminals to him. Instead, it feels like a battle in war, something Commando knows all too well.

Only one more to go.

Commando rushes the final man, swinging at fist at him. The man catches and squeezes. Commando winces as the man uses weak super strength to crush his hand.

I am so glad my power allows me to block most of the pain.

The superhero headbutts his opponent before stabbing his remaining knife into the man’s thigh. His opponent lets go Commando’s mushed hand and Commando grabs his throat using his other hand.

His opponent gargles for a couple of moments before going unconscious. Commando laughs. He might have multiple cuts in him, but he has won. Only person still able to fight is the illusionist and her power is useless against Commando.

Commando stops laughing when he sees Lantern slam into the ground behind him.

“Damn it,” mutters Commando as he looks up in time to get a lightning bolt to the face.

He staggers backwards. The bolt didn’t hurt that much as Commando can take the blast between his powers and costume. But his wounds give him some weak spots against the electricity.

“You hurt my people,” growls Black Storm from above Commando.

To Commando’s surprise, Black Storm sounds genuinely angry and upset over what happened to his followers.

I guess he actually cares about them unlike a lot of those we face.

Black Storm tosses lightning bolt after the lightning bolt at Commando whilst unleashing a wailing shriek at him with his sonic powers.

But Commando weathers the attacks. He is a tough old soldier and despite his injuries, he gone through much worse than this.

Eventually it starts to become too much for Commando to bear. He drops to his knee, barely staying conscious.

“Die Commando,” hisses Black Storm as he picks up one yanks one of Commando’s knives from the body of one of his followers.

“No!” yells Lantern, his voice echoing and a flash of light blinds Commando.

***

Lantern gets to feet before just standing there panting for a moment. Black Storm ended up being a tad too strong and he got knocked out of the sky by Black Storm’s gravity powers.

He looks over at Commando, Black Storm and his followers and freezes at what he sees.

All of Black Storm’s followers are down on the ground, but Commando has just dropped to one knee. His fellow Leaguer has smoke coming from his stomach and shoulder and Lantern can smell roasted flesh.

Black Storm lands and acquires one of Commando’s combat knives.

“Die Commando,” hisses the supervillain.

Lantern can’t allow this, he just can’t. Not the death of one of the League of Heroes.

His powers run on willpower and at the moment, Lantern’s will is the only thing keeping upright and awake after the beating Black Storm gave him.

But this is different. When he is particularly determined about something, Lantern has had temporary power boosts before. At the determination to keep his friend alive and stopping Black Storm, something powerful is building up inside him.

“No!” Lantern yells and a beam of white energy bursts from his eyes, going through his visor.

The beam hits the stunned Black Storm straight in the chest, sending him flying into a building across the street. With a resurgence in power, Lantern rises into the air.

Today they won this battle, but not without cost. Commando needs urgent help.

Lantern swoops down and picks up his fallen teammate. Not risking Black Storm or some of his followers finishing the job themselves if he takes Commando to the local hospital, Lantern flies Commando to the hospital in Coventry.

He quickly returns to the Birmingham’s former city hall, but by that time, Black Storm and his followers are long gone.

Why can I shake the feeling I have just fought a battle in a greater war?

1.10 Ancient Warriors Part 10

Our merry band of superpowered beings attracted as much attention as one might expect as we strolled about London.

I couldn’t tell who attracted more stares, the superheroes or the knights. The Camelotians were more unusual, but we Leaguers were more recognisable.

The press and paparazzi also followed us around, taking photos where they could, but nobody tried to stop us for questions or get in our way. At least nobody was that dumb. It would have been annoying to deal with them.

If the press keeps this up, they might get back on my good side.

Normally I might have minded about being chased around like this by them, but as we’re technically on state business or whatever the term, we got nothing to hide or worry about. Camelot won’t care about any bad press anyway.

We visited several landmarks, including Big Ben, the London Eye, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and the Invasion Memorial.

“The city is most interesting,” notes Sir Brock, “It is much larger than Camelot.”

“I thought Camelot was a magical kingdom,” replies Lantern, clearly expecting further explanation.

I decide to might as well grant it to him.

“It is, but it’s basically in a sub-dimension of the Isles with waypoints that allow people to switch with one of the two dimensions they are in,” I explain, “Camelot has three meanings. First if the Kingdom of Camelot, the second is the castle in which the Knights of the Round Table reside in at the centre of the Kingdom and the third is the town that has sprung up around the castle. Sir Brock is referring to that last one and he is correct as the town is simply the size of a town.”

“Sentinel is correct Lantern,” Sir Brock confirms my own statements, “This city is many times the size of our town, but we have several landmarks our own.”

Sam starts to speak again, but I’m distracted as I hear a phone ringing. It takes me a moment to place it as it not coming through the armour before I realise the source.

Daniel Griffin’s phone aka my handheld communicator.

“Route to my armour and answer,” I whisper to my armour before telling the others, “I got to take a call.”

“Hello?” I say as I answer the call.

“Daniel?” replies my Dad, “Where are you?”

“Out with Sam, James and Sky,” I reply, turning off by armour’s PA so I can keep my conversation secret, “I already told you that this morning.”

“I know, but,” says Dad, but he hesitates.

“Is this about the tracking chip you put in the phone that I never use?” I inquire pleasantly.

“What the- How do you know about that?” demands Dad, “And why don’t you use it?”

“You just brought another phone when I already had a more advanced one that I have customised and modified to my liking,” I tell him, “So of course I don’t use an inferior device. Also, I found the tracking chip I decided to upgrade the phone you got me.”

“Damn it,” curses Dad, “It’s your sister.”

My heart stops. Metaphorically of course. If had really stopped, my armour’s life support would have kicked in.

“What happened?” I demand.

“She and one of her friends were going through one of the bad areas of town,” answers Dad, “I don’t why or what they were thinking by doing so, but they got jumped by some thugs from what they said. Beat them up a bit and stole their bags. Lily is currently in hospital. Nothing major fortunately.”

“Any idea on who did it?”  I ask, my voice hardening.

“None,” replies Dad, “Probably just some scum getting the drop on a pair of young girls. Your mother and I could really use you back here while now.”

“I’m sort of busy, but I could get home quickly if you wanted,” I say.

“No, its fine,” says Dad in a weary voice, “Just get home as quick as you can.”

“Okay, I’ll try and quicken things, but I’ll still be a while,” I tell my Dad before ending the call.

“Darn it,” I curse out loud, causing the others to look at me.

“What happened?” asks Sam.

“Back home some thugs jumped my sister,” I whisper so any bypassers can’t overhear, “In hospital. Going to deal with it when we get back and can’t do it as this me.”

“Need any help?” offers Sky.

“Maybe,” I mutter, “I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do right now. I do want to get home as soon as possible.”

I take a deep breath and think for a moment. The Sentinel can’t do anything to help Lily Griffin without causing even more trouble. It’ll be up to Daniel Griffin to aid his sister.

But that doesn’t mean the Sentinel can’t give Daniel Griffin a bit of help under table that no one will ever know about.

“Janelle,” I whisper.

“Yes?” comes the reply from the alien AI.

“My sister and her friend were attacked and robbed,” I tell her, “Find out who did covertly so I can deal with them later.”

I get Janelle’s okay and cut the connection,

The rest of the visit goes well, but I leave after a couple of hours and fly on home. I just couldn’t focus while I was worrying about my little sis.

But Janelle made my day a lot better the moment she told me that she has the information I requested.