Broken Hero

Chapter 8

Volt gulps as she walks down the academy hospital corridor, reading the room numbers until she reaches Eclipse’s room. She hated the smell of hospitals. It had been two days since they brought Eclipse back, and Warfalcon had spent most of those days either there or in the academy’s holding cells, where Lindsey was being kept.

She poked her head inside, seeing him sitting by the bed with his head in his hands. Eclipse looked peaceful, asleep in bed with an IV and Monitors hooked up to her. Her heartbeat held a steady rhythm, the beeps filling the room. Warfalcon looks up at her.

“Hey, how is she doing?” She plays with her fingers nervously.

He shrugs. “Nothing's changed. Doc did a blood test when we arrived. He doesn’t know what she used, but it’s out of her system by now.”

He let out a deep sigh as she sat beside him. “If you don’t mind me asking... what happened between you two anyway?”

“I wish I knew, honestly. She helped me start this academy. At first, it was just us, but then we had four others join us. One day, she and the other four disappeared, and she didn’t come back till two months later... alone. After that... she just pulled away.” He sighs heavily as he stands up. “I need to do some paperwork and escort the president back to the airport. It’s too bad she couldn’t pardon Eclipse in person like she had planned. Would you like to stay here?”

Volt nods as he leaves the room, leaning back as she looks at Eclipse thoughtfully. The President of the United States had met with them to explain her involvement with Eclipse. The syndicate had been stealing government secrets for months, so when Eclipse called to ask for a job, they sent her to infiltrate them. She would get a hold of the stolen documents, switch them with fakes that could be tracked, and then return the real documents to the government. Her other job was to find a way to capture the four leaders of the syndicate, but apparently, that was easier said than done. They couldn’t get all four of them into the civilian area at the same time, and capturing only one would have scared the others into hiding.

She keeps playing that day with the clone repeatedly in her head. Something about that conversation felt wrong, but she couldn’t figure out what.

The door opens, and Doc walks inside, interrupting her thoughts. “I saw Warfalcon leave not long ago, didn’t realize you had come to visit, though.”

He smiles softly as he walks to the bed and puts a glove with wires on Eclipse’s left hand.

Volt tilts her head curiously. “What’s that?”

“A specialized meter for reading power levels. We measure them by ryms, and every person gives off about one rym while resting. Mainly from storing energy or releasing extra. We usually use something more like a heart monitor. However, since Eclipse’s power source is in her hand...” He explains as he fiddles with a small box attached to the glove.

“Wait, her source? Wasn't she born with powers?” Volt leans forward curiously.

He chuckles slightly as he presses a button. “Yes and No. Eclipse was born with the ability to manipulate water and dark elements, but she has a crystal in her hand, and that is where her other abilities come from. We call her ability class the infinity class... though she’s the only one in it so far. I’m sure she can explain it more thoroughly when she wakes up. You look worried about something.”

Volt looks at her hands. “She got mad at me. I tried to visit her the day before we arrested the syndicate, and she had a clone preventing me from seeing her. I don’t know if she’s tired of me or what...”

“Hm, and what did she say exactly?” Doc looks at the machine as he speaks.

Volt tears up a bit as she answers. "That she didn’t want me coming around anymore.”

“Well, I can’t say that she didn’t mean what she said. Eclipse has a condition on her crystal that prevents her from lying, and that extends to her clones. However, wording matters when it comes to her. I’d wait and see what she says before getting too worked up.” He frowns slightly at the machine.

Volt gets up. “Is something wrong?”

“Not wrong... per se... remember how I said everyone uses about one rym of their powers while resting? Eclipse uses five ryms due to a birth defect that her powers manage. However, right now she’s using ten ryms. So, whatever is going on, her powers are either the cause or they’re protecting her from something. But how do we stop it? At least we have some answers now.” He writes a few things down on his clipboard. “I’m going to go investigate some things. I’ll be back soon.”

Volt watches him leave and starts back to her seat when a small voice speaks up, echoing slightly. “Help her.”