IMPORTANT: The latter half of this chapter is pretty dark. There's a warning for viewer discretion if you aren't interested in reading torture or implied rape. It can be skipped, but you might lose some understanding of the character's emotions etc.
"God, I've been dying for some food. Gonna have as much as I can afford." Evan said aloud, the three early birds sitting at a pleasant corner table. The restaurant was acceptable, nothing striking the trio as especially expensive, but the ambience was fitting for the quaint dining place it was.
"You fat bastard." Mark joked as he mockingly rubbed his stomach, "Rugby players are supposed to be big and muscular, not chunky."
"I actually hate you, Mark. We've come to this nice, fine establishment, and you're being so rude. Unbelievable. I expect this from Amir, not you."
Rob elbowed the rugby jock with a slight smile on his face, "You're one to talk. I don't think I've ever met someone as rude as you, Evan. You even got that homeless man look, too, not the ex-veteran kind either; the crackhead type."
"At least I can grow long hair, posh boy. Besides, you always wear a suit, no matter the occasion. That's a bit strange. Swimming? Suit. Rugby? Suit. Informal dinner? Suit."
The suited man winced, fiddling with his Rolex, "Ok, I get your point. But, you have to look good all the time; appearances matter."
"I feel that at the moment, Rob. Fuck me, is it annoying." Mark uttered in a tired tone.
"Haha, finally! Someone understands me." He put his hand on Evan's shoulder, "When you finally get famous with loads of money, unlikely, but if you do, you'll understand. Who knows... you could even be one of those short clip people."
Mark laughed, "You mean Shorties? What a name. It would suit you perfectly, Evan. The irony."
"Fuck you both. I don't understand why anyone liked that name. You got 6-foot people being called shorties; so weird." He paused as he looked upwards, "Oh? Seems big bush and Gianna have finally stopped shagging and come to meet us."
"Heh, look how lost they are." Rob snickered, "Should've got here early."
A minute later, the couple spotted the trio in the corner, walking over with Shaq in front, his massive afro unchanged within the last month. He smiled as he got into talking range, "Oi, oi. How's everyone doing?"
The pair sat down, Shaq next to Gianna, who was next to Mark; the other two opposite them. Both newcomers glanced at Mark, slight frowns appearing as they noticed the shades covering his eyes.
Evan shrugged, "Not bad, honestly. New job got me preoccupied, other than rug. No point asking posh boy, he's got more money than sense, so no problems."
Shaq laughed as Rob grunted; Gianna shook her head at their antics. She was slightly more tanned than usual, likely due to her recent holiday, her pink hair her standout feature. The couple turned to Mark, their gazes curious about his answer.
"Why you all looking so interested? My life is plastered all over the news nowadays. I saw on Whisper that someone videoed me getting some bloody fish and chips. 7.3 million likes! Insane."
Gianna laughed, speaking in a soft voice, "I saw that! You stared at the camera like a deer in headlights. It was pretty funny."
"Oi, oi. Why've I not seen this video, then?" Shaq questioned his girlfriend, "We've just missed a prime opportunity to roast him."
"Cheers, Shaq. Really appreciate that." Mark joked, "Shall we order then? Or are we just going to sit here, taking the piss outta each other?"
Settling down after Mark's comment, they called a waiter over to order. A slender and short man came, notepad in hand, as he listened to each person give their food order. The man walked off after they had finished, the group idly chatting for the next twenty minutes before pausing, for a moment, to tuck into their lunch-come-dinner.
Gianna took a mouthful of food before staring at Mark, her brows furrowing as she contemplated asking something. Swallowing, she decided to ask, "So, might as well get to the question everyone wants to know. What's... What's it like with powers? Superpowers? Like flying and stuff?"
Mark stopped eating for a moment, slightly embarrassed as all four stared at him in anticipation before opening his mouth to speak, "Erm... that's kind of a hard question. Erm, I suppose it feels pretty normal like I haven't changed. But, I guess when I'm flying or doing some supernatural shit, then yeah, it feels pretty fuckin cool."
Evan tutted to himself, "God, I'm so jealous. It's got to be so fucking cool man, flying and shit."
He sighed in response, "It's not all good. There are so many rules and shit you've got to be careful of. You can't overstep and yanno; step on some country's toes. Your private life is non-existent unless you disguise yourself, and every action or word you do gets scrutinised to fuck in the media. It... isn't the ideal fantasy you imagine it to be. And... if I could give it back, to bring my family... I would." He paused before shaking his head, "Sorry, I've made it depressing."
Gianna's lip trembled, thoughts on Elise passing through her mind as Evan spoke to Mark, "No, no... just, sorry. We shouldn't have asked."
"Ah, it's fine. I should have gotten over it by now. Everything's moved so fast that I barely had any time to process it." Wishing to change the mood of the conversation, he looked at Evan, "What's the new job? Thought you had an aversion to working, lazy shit."
The shaggy-haired man snorted, "There's just no need, Mark. I'm working at a place called Sandy's Bar. Woman who owns it is dead nice and knew my uncle and got me the job. Minimum wage, but better than nothing."
"Oh nice, not too shabby. Do you work on the bar, or are you a muscle-head bouncer or some shit?"
"Hey, that's rude to bouncers, man. But I'm pretty sure you need a license for that shit. I ain't paying for it either. I just work at the bar, serving drinks. Easy stuff."
Shaq guffawed, "Easy stuff, my arse. The first few days, all you did was complain cause you had no fuckin idea how to do anything. You're actually a retard, Evan."
Evan grimaced at the comment, "We don't talk about that. Never happened. How about we order dessert?"
"Ooo, dessert. Don't mind if I do." Gianna said, her voice giddy at the prospect.
The conversation successfully steered towards dessert; they returned to idle chatter as they waited. No more than ten minutes later, their final items were served. Finishing their dinner, they all stayed around and chatted, playfully bantering with each other before deciding to leave.
Evan patted his belly as they walked outside, laughing heartily, "Maybe, you're right; I am fat."
Shaq joined in, "You're overweight. Your BMI classifies you as obese. You fat fuck!"
Gianna shook her head at everyone's behaviour, "You can't say much either, babe. Your BMI is probably only slightly lower than theirs."
Mark frowned, "There's no way. He's Muslim, surley he doesn't get enough protein. Ahh, must be steroids, my bad."
"Fuck you, Mark." Shaq uttered, "I'm not a strict Muslim; I can eat beef and chicken and shit. We ain't back in the 50s with Aaban running around. The world has progressed; the faith has moved with the times."
Holding his hands up, a smile on his face, "Woah, Woah. No need to go on a monologue about religion; no one enjoys those. I was just joking."
The afro man shrugged, "That's true. Anyways, we going out as well? It's only half 3, we can go to a... erm... I don't know. Karaoke? Bowling? Golf?"
"Babe, you know Mark would win stuff like bowling really easily, right? He'd just flick it, and he'd get a strike. Golf might be hard too, might send the ball to space." Gianna inputted, getting a short chuckle from Mark.
"It's embarrassing to admit, but she's right. I'd fuck you guys at that shit. Too easy. Karaoke, though..."
Evan patted his chest, "Karaoke it is, then! Gianna, my lady, I'm certain you'll love my beautiful voice."
Rob snickered, as did Gianna, the former shaking his head as he punched Evan's arm, "Shut the fuck up, Evan. Your voice is dry as shit. No wonder you got no success with the ladies." He laughed before turning around, "I'll go get a taxi then; gimme a moment."
Rob walked off, talking to the phone's AI to go to a certain app as Evan moved over to him, starting to rant about which place to go.
"Well, whilst everyone's disappeared and calmed down." Gianna started, "I... I wanted to say sorry for your loss, Mark. We promised... not to talk about it, but... Elise and... sorry."
She started to cry, Shaq holding her close as he sighed, "Fuck man, life sucks. I hope you're doing good, dude. Elise... hit the group pretty hard, and we were just close friends. For you... sorry."
Mark sadly smiled, "It's fine. I... visit them regularly. I don't know if I should be happy that life keeps me busy or whether it would be better to dwell on it." He sighed deeply, "Wel-"
Interrupted, HAP rapidly spoke into his ear, "Mark! Leave for France; now! It's urgent. I'll inform you on the way, but you need to move."
Slightly wincing from the sudden sound, he stood confused and disorientated for a time, the moment inopportune, "What? Why? What?"
Gianna and Shaq looked at him like a crazy person, Rob and Evan overhearing his shouting as they wondered who he was speaking to. The AI urged him to hurry as Mark clicked his tongue, "Urgent business. I gotta go... fuck me."
He shot into the sky, receiving stunned and awed gazes from his friends before he flew southbound, towards France, at remarkable speed. A sonic boom resounded in the air moments after he ascended.
The sky was overcast, the sun dimmed by the vast clouds, as Secundo stood outside a rich house complex, a team of eight dressed in black body armour standing behind him. Breathing in the foreign air, he smiled, "Stay outside. Buy time for me to get in position. Your deaths will bring great pride to the Messiah, the cause just and worthy. You will all be remembered for this endeavour. You will have brought down a god."
The figures moved, like a ghost, impossibly swift and silent as they occupied positions across the mansion's grounds. It was massive, the building grand and ancient, centuries-old and surrounded by hedges with a brick fence and metal gate stopping intruders from the front. Armed security patrolled the premises, a logo of a planet with a gear behind it plastered upon their chest.
Two stood guard outside the gate, armed with guns produced by Tayi, bored and speaking to each other in French. One of them noticed a figure appear a few meters before them, causing them to become spooked and raise their rifles towards the hulking suit of armour.
"Qui-" The left started to speak before suddenly finding himself a pile of mush plastering the cream brick walls. Unable to react, the remaining soldier stood stunned for a moment, his instincts kicking in as he pressed the trigger. The gun exploded as a projectile shot out at speeds faster than a bullet towards no target in particular before he, too, was a stain upon the wall.
Secundo brushed his arms with his hand, the blood smeared across his armour suit. Mildly irritated at the insect's blood, he turned towards the fence before kicking it. The two separate pieces of the gate, each a couple hundred kilograms in weight, were sent flying by the hit, one landing on an investigating guard, his body broken completely.
Secundo started his onslaught as more guards appeared. Five minutes later, blood covering the outside grounds like Secundo himself, the giant casually walked through a house hallway. Entering the master bedroom, he was greeted by the last line of defence.
BANG! BANG! CRACK!
Railguns erupted as projectiles shot towards him, the doorframe obliterated as he swerved between each shot, the few that hit bouncing off his armour but earning a grunt as a reward. He appeared before one of the six survivors of his massacre, his steel war hammer raised, as he smashed a guard to the floor. The ground caved from the force behind the blow as blood spewed in every direction.
He turned towards the rest, grim resolve on their faces before Secundo ran his body into two of them, crashing through a thick brick wall. Their bodies were battered and broken, lying in the debris. Turning around, casually walking towards the remaining three, he grinned inside his suit.
His voice distorted and alien, he mocked them as they continued firing upon him, futilely, "Once there were six. Now there are three."
As he uttered the last of his mocking, he propelled himself forward, his hammer annihilating one of the guard's heads, bits of brain and flesh splashing the floor and ceiling. Throwing the weapon to his other hand, he struck out to the left, hitting a female guard in the chest as it caved in, her body violently hitting the wall, breaking her spine.
"And then... there was one."
The man's resolve seemingly shattered; the last guard slumped to the floor, silent and without regrets. Secundo shook his head, grabbing the man's neck. Pulling on it, he ripped the head and spine out. Carelessly, Secundo chucked it on the floor before turning to a thick metal door in the room's corner.
"Ah, a panic room. I've... found... you." He uttered creepily, glancing around for a hidden camera, "I hope you're watching, Russo. You should have stayed second fiddle. You brought this on yourself."
Done talking, he launched himself through the metal door, the frame ripped off from the wall by the sheer weight and force behind him. Secundo stared at a cowering couple in the corner. An elderly man and a woman sat shivering as they stared at his bloody and monstrous silhouette.
"Hello there. Everything that is about to happen was ordered by Michael. It's time you stopped leeching off his wealth."
------- THIS SCENE IS POTENTIALLY DISTURBING; VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED -------
Their gazes were a mixture of confusion and abject terror as Secundo instantly appeared before their vision, grabbing the male in one hand and holding him in the air like a bag of potatoes, flailing and screaming. Turning, he grabbed the woman by her grey hair, roughly dragging her along the floor over sharp metal and wood spikes, earning painful cries as he did so.
Roughly chucking the woman on the bed after hitting her unconscious, Secundo turned to the old man and removed his helmet. He dropped Russo's father from his nine-foot height, the older male grunting in pain as a sick crunch was heard, his arm bent awkwardly. Grabbing a knife from an opening in his suit, he pried it under one of the man's fingernails, uncaring about the man's broken arm being moved and twisted.
"Remember, old man. Before you go to your doom, Michael sends his regards." Flicking the knife upwards, the man screeched as the nail was pried off. Holding the man down, he moved the knife to another fingernail, doing the same for each and every digit, numb to the man's agonizing banshee screams.
Finished with the nails, he grabbed the man's pinkie as Secundo stared into the man's withering eyes with malice. Ignoring the sobs, he tightened his grip on the finger as it crunched into paste from the pressure, the painful screaming restarting to form a blissful crescendo in Secundo's ears. He moved onto the next finger, repeating for every single one. Satisfied once finished, he pulled the man's shoes off. Russo's father, realising what was about to happen, began to try to fight harder against the inhumanely strong figure.
"Stop, old man. Nothing will save you now. But don't worry, I'll keep you alive for a moment, just to see what happens to your wife."
Repeating the entire process with the man's toes and toenails, Secundo proceeded to punch the man's chin, shattering the jaw and sending most of the yellowed teeth across the floor. Considering the male finished, he turned towards the woman, grabbing her leg and bringing her closer to the edge of the bed. Grabbing her clothing, he ripped it off until she was naked. He grabbed her sagged boobs, looking at the husband as he put on a friendly grin.
"Nowh! Noh!"
Ignoring the husband's cries, Secundo removed himself from the suit. The metal separated itself as the interlocking joints and connectors sprang apart, the armoured lattice disassembling itself into individual pieces and allowing the occupant to go in and come out. He opened his trouser zipper as he held the unconscious woman down.
BOOM!
Mark hit the ground with force, HAP constantly urging him onward throughout the flight. All he had learned was that Russo had commanded, not asked, commanded him to come here. Upon arrival, he had learned the reason why. Two piles of mush lay at the front gate's entrance, the wall covered in crimson.
"Shit. Where is this HAP?" Mark spoke in concern.
"Russo's family house. Go inside now! One of the Invincibles you've already fought is inside. Electronics have been shut down; you're on your own."
Grunting, Mark shot forward, a sonic boom shattering parts of the front gate walls as he ran to the front courtyard. He saw more dead guards, an additional ten or so, sprawled across the garden and fountain, the water dyed red.
BOOM!
Glancing around, unnoticed as they hid behind the hedges, one of Secundo's perimeter security had launched a missile at Mark, hitting him dead on. The smoke clearing, Mark stared at the direction it came from, his clothes unharmed as he wisely kept the mental field surrounding his body. When it hit, his mind ached momentarily, but his anger kept it at bay.
Spotting one of the culprits, the same armour and appearance as the demons from the Watford Facility, Mark lasered the hedge. The figure died instantly, the metal they were wearing cooking them alive as the plant barrier caught fire.
"Forget them, Mark. Head inside." HAP directed him inside his ear.
Moving to rush inside, an ear-piercing sound resounded across the area from one of the black figures. He remembered a similar device was used against him previously. He sneered as the noise was dulled considerably due to the ear machine being the only way he could hear.
Using his beam to kill that soldier, he sprinted towards the door of the building, the gravel path turning into projectiles that struck the mansion and smashed windows like a wave. Hearing noises from upstairs, he flew into the ceiling, ending up in an opulent hallway. Moving right, he followed the hallway until it intersected with another hallway in an L shape. Spotting a destroyed doorframe, he moved towards it, ensuring not to move too fast lest he destroys the building.
Appearing in the doorway, he was stunned for a moment, the sight a horror to his mind. Besides the dead guards, he saw a half-flayed corpse nailed to the back wall with a metal pipe. His fingers and toes were destroyed, Mark spotting nails and teeth scattered around the room. Upon the bed was a woman naked and with her eyes gouged out. Her breasts had been ripped off her body before he noticed her genitals. Mutilated, it was nothing but a gaping hole of red as a white liquid dripped out from it.
Mark's expression was a culmination of horror, disgust and anger. Noticing the opened fault, he appeared before the entrance as he spotted the Invincible, a big rifle in hand before a projectile flew out. Mark ascended to escape the shot as he realised it was an ambush. However, the bullet from the gun hit him faster than he could have imagined, far beyond the speed of even the world's fastest bullet.
It hit the left side of his chest like an asteroid, his body rag-dolling through four walls before crashing through the floor and into the main reception. A hole in his chest, black blood rapidly leaking out of his body; darkness greeted his vision.