The junkyard was quiet, save for the occasional clatter of metal as Andy sifted through the piles. It had been years since he'd stepped foot in this place, but it still felt familiar—the rusted cars, the broken appliances, the faint smell of oil and decay. He'd spent countless hours here as a kid, scavenging for parts, dreaming of building something that would change everything. Now, he was back, but the stakes were higher.
He crouched down, pulling a sheet of scrap metal from the pile. It was bent and corroded, but it would do. He tossed it into the cart he'd brought with him, already half-full with wires, gears, and other odds and ends. EIL's voice echoed in his head, calm and precise.
[The carbon fiber we need isn't here. We'll have to source it elsewhere.]
"Yeah, I figured," he muttered, wiping his hands on his jeans. "This place isn't exactly a goldmine. But it's cheap, and it's close."
He stood up, stretching his back. The sun was starting to dip below the horizon, he has been at it for hours, and his body was starting to feel it. He reached for the cart, ready to head back home, when a voice stopped him cold.
"Well, well. Look who it is."
He froze.
He didn't need to turn around to know who it was. That voice—smug, condescending, dripping with arrogance—was burned into his memory. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, and turned.
Kael stood a few feet away, arms crossed, a smirk plastered across his face. He looked older, taller, but the same cocky energy radiated off him. His hair was longer, tied back in a loose ponytail, and he wore a leather jacket that looked like it cost more than Andy's entire apartment. Behind him stood two other guys, both Gifted, both looking bored but ready for trouble.
"Kael," he said, his voice flat. "Long time."
"Yeah, no kidding," Kael said, taking a step closer. "What's it been, five years? Six? You look like shit, by the way."
Andy didn't respond. He just stood there, his hands at his sides, watching Kael carefully. He could feel EIL in the back of his mind, analyzing, calculating.
[Heart rate elevated. Adrenaline levels rising. Stay calm.]
"What are you even doing here?" Kael asked, glancing at the cart full of junk. "Scavenging like some kind of rat? Figures. You always were good at picking through trash."
One of the guys behind Kael chuckled. Andy ignored him, keeping his eyes on Kael.
"I'm just here for parts," he said. "I'll be out of your way in a minute."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Parts? For what? Some stupid little project? You still playing with toys, Null?"
"It's not a toy."
Kael laughed, a sharp, mocking sound. "Sure it's not. Whatever helps you sleep at night." He took another step closer, his smirk widening. "You know, I always wondered what happened to you. You just disappeared one day. No goodbye, no nothing. I figured you finally realized you didn't belong here."
Andy didn't flinch. "I didn't disappear. I just stopped wasting my time."
Kael's smirk faltered for a moment, but he recovered quickly. "Wasting your time? That's rich. You were always wasting your time. You're a Null. You'll always be a Null. No matter how many little gadgets you build, you'll never be one of us."
Andy's jaw tightened, but he didn't rise to the bait. He'd heard this before, too many times to count. It didn't sting like it used to.
"I'm not trying to be one of you," he said. "I'm trying to be better."
Kael laughed again, but there was an edge to it now. "Better? You? That's a good one. You're still the same weak little kid you always were. You think you've changed? You think you're something special now? Let me show you how wrong you are."
He flicked his wrist, and a small flame appeared in his palm, dancing and flickering. The other two guys stepped forward, their own abilities flaring to life—one with a crackle of electricity, the other with a faint shimmer of telekinetic energy.
Andy didn't move. He just stood there, watching them, his mind racing. He could feel EIL working, analyzing their movements, calculating the best course of action.
[Engaging in combat is not advisable. Retreat is the optimal strategy.]
"I'm not looking for a fight," he said, his voice calm.
Kael smirked. "Too bad. Because I am."
He hurled the flame at Andy, fast and precise. He ducked, the heat singeing the air above him. He rolled to the side, coming up in a crouch, his hand already reaching for the device on his belt.
The guy with the electricity lunged at him, sparks flying from his fingertips. Andy activated the device, a small shield of energy flaring to life just in time to block the attack. The electricity crackled against the shield, but it held.
"What the hell?" the guy muttered, stepping back.
Kael's eyes narrowed. "What's this? You've got some new tricks, huh? Cute. But it's not gonna save you."
He launched another fireball, bigger this time. Andy dodged again, but the heat was intense, forcing him back. The telekinetic guy joined in, using his power to hurl chunks of metal at him. He deflected them with the shield, but the force of the impacts was starting to wear him down.
[Shield integrity at 67%. Recommend disengagement.]
He gritted his teeth.
He wanted to beat Kael up but he knew, today was not the day.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out another device—a small, cylindrical object. He activated it and threw it at the ground. It exploded in a flash of light and smoke, temporarily blinding the others.
"You're gonna have to do better than that!" Kael shouted, waving the smoke away.
But when it cleared, Andy was gone.
---
He moved quickly, staying low and sticking to the shadows. He could hear Kael and the others behind him, shouting, searching. He didn't stop until he was out of the junkyard, back on the empty streets.
He leaned against a wall, catching his breath. His hands were shaking, but his mind was clear.
[You handled that well. But they will come after you again.]
"I know," he said, his voice quiet. "Next time will be painful... For them."
He pushed off the wall and started walking home to work on his projects.