THE SHIELD (TRANSFORMATION)

The rain didn’t fall that night. It attacked. It slammed against the roof of St. Mercy Hospital in the capital of Tana like a thousand fists. Lightning cut the sky open every few seconds, showing the city burning below. Inside room 204, the lights flickered. A baby’s cry broke through the chaos. "His name is Cody," General Cade whispered. His voice was rough, exhausted, but there was pride in it. "Cody of House Cade." Elena, his wife, lay on the bed, sweat on her forehead but smiling. She reached out with a trembling hand and touched the baby’s tiny cheek. "He’s beautiful, Cade." Cade wasn’t looking at the baby. Not yet. His eyes were on the small disc on his belt. The Shield. Right now it was just dull metal. The size of a palm. Cold. Unremarkable. But Cade knew what it was. The moment his blood touched it, the moment his DNA activated it, it would blaze blue and unfold into armor stronger than any tank. It could magnetize every weapon within 100 meters. Bullets would freeze mid-air. Swords would fly from enemy hands. That’s why they were burning Tana to get it. "General!" The door burst open. A young soldier stumbled in, soaked to the bone, blood on his arm. "Sir, they found the hospital. The rebels. They’re two blocks away. They’re burning everything." Cade stood. The chair scraped against the floor. "How many?" "Too many, sir. And they have the magnet-snipers. They’re here for the Shield." Elena sat up, clutching Cody to her chest. "Cade—" "Take my wife and son," Cade cut her off. He looked at the soldier. "Now. Get them out through the east exit. The tunnels." "Sir, I can’t leave you—" "That’s an order, soldier!" Cade’s voice cracked like thunder. "GET THEM OUT!" For the next hour, Cade fought in the rain. The Shield sang to him. It flew from his belt and wrapped around his arm, then his chest, then his back. Blue light poured from the seams. With every step, weapons flew toward him and stuck to his armor. He became a walking storm. But there were too many. A bullet caught him in the shoulder. Then another in the side. He kept moving. He found Elena in what used to be their home. The roof was gone. The walls were rubble. Fire licked at the edges of what was left. She was crouched behind a broken wall, holding Cody so tight the baby started to cry again. "They’re coming," she whispered when she saw him. Blood was on her dress. Not hers. "I can hear them." Cade dropped to his knees in front of her. Every breath hurt. He pulled the Shield from his arm. It dimmed, waiting. "Listen to me," he said. Blood was on his hands now. "Take this. Take Cody. Run. Far away from Tana. Don’t come back. Not until..." He pressed the cold disc into her hands. It felt heavier than it should. "When Cody is 15 years old," Cade continued, "give it to him. And find Andrew. Andrew Vance. He was with me in the first war. He’ll know what to do. He’ll teach Cody how to use it. How to activate it." Elena was sobbing now. "Don’t leave us, Cade. Please." Cade cupped his son’s face. Cody was quiet now, staring at him with big, dark eyes. "I have to," Cade whispered. "The destruction started because of this. It ends with him." Footsteps. Dozens of them. Torches flickered between the trees. Cade kissed Cody’s forehead one last time. Then he kissed Elena. "I love you." He stood, drew his sword, and ran back into the rain. Elena didn’t watch him go. She ran. Behind her, the entire sky turned blue. One massive flash. A sound like the world splitting in half. General Cade was gone. And The Shield was now in the hands of a woman holding a newborn. She ran until her legs gave out. Until Tana was just smoke on the horizon. She never stopped. [TO BE CONTINUED ]