Jordan could feel the debris atomize, joining the ionized atmosphere that surrounded his form. The cloud of steam from the liquids of his body evaporating couldn’t cloud his vision, not like he was now. He approached slowly, the Bone Thief swaying ahead of him, one step at a time. Storm clouds gathered and lightning danced for him.

“You’re a monster too,” the Bone Thief spoke. “I should have guessed.”

Moving quickly didn’t suit him. He could put on speed when needed, but his body was built for taking damage. The carapace flowed down his sides and over his legs like a skirt, smaller thorns lining them and limiting his motion. For this threat, he wouldn’t need speed.

“Where’s the speech, hero? Where’s the bravado! Come on now, you’re starting to bore me!”

She didn’t get to finish talking when he snapped in front of her, leaping from twenty feet away. A straight jab to what amounted to her head sent her entire mass reeling backwards, even as a dozen odd teeth shattered against his fist. He didn’t relent, using the momentum to spin around and catch her throat with a back hand, the thorns adorning his wrists goring her flesh. Tearing twin grooves through her neck, he couldn’t finish his rotation before she retaliated, smacking him away with her rope-like limbs.

He smashed through a wall but came out the better for the exchange, chunks of those tendrils having impaled themselves onto his armor and tearing free. He landed on his feet, immediately bounding back into the thin alley. The world slowed around him as his perception heightened. Beita was running past him, flashing a thumbs up. The Bone Thief was recoiling still, limbs shredded.

He couldn’t move as fast as he could see, but it did give him time to think. Spotting something discarded, he made his move.

The Bone Thief lashed out, bringing more of the buildings down around them. She missed as he lunged to the side, grabbing up something. Suddenly the silvered axe, now considerably more worn, was hurtled at her head. Unlike before, this time it had enough force behind it to stick into her.

Screaming, she wrapped her arms around her body, absorbing their mass. She swung herself around and around, building up momentum before smashing down onto him. Jordan braced himself, catching her head and stopping her dead. The stone steps beneath them shattered and his right foot sunk into the ground as he, with an electric shout, lifted her into the air. Swinging her back, destroying more of the surroundings, he launched her towards the church.

His feet were simplified and armored, almost bird-like. Three talons up front with a fourth in the back. They clicked along the ground as he walked after her. The masses teemed around her, skin shredding as the alien biomass that overtook their bodies grew. She stood in the center; head reared back as her wounds bled.

Two of them, barely resembling humans anymore, leapt at him. Dropping to one knee, he took one to the right shoulder, impaling them five times over. Twisting, he struck the other with his left fist. A surge of electricity passed from him into their body, sending them hurtling back. After a moment, they swelled with energy and exploded. The one on his shoulder was still alive, as much as they could be called alive, but stuck.

Something he noticed out in the field was that these things weren’t much stronger than a normal human. Limitation of what they were made from, he mused. Their only real danger were numbers. Raising his right arm, he felt the thrashing and grasping grow more frantic. Charging power from his shoulder bound electric organs, he unleashed a small pulse, shredding the impaled infected.

“Think you’re so clever. Think you’re so fucking good. These apes aren’t good for much, but their bodies are mine, you stupid thing. Their power is mine!”

Jordan looked her up and down. A little over a hundred of the infected surrounded her. He could see some were latching onto her, exploding into tissue that surged into her body. Her wounds closed and her figure bulked up.

“Absorbing one, my strength doubles!” They piled on, grabbing hold of her in a mass pit. “This is why my species is scorned and feared. Why we’ve been restricted to a fucking sewer planet. Soon though, soon we will be free to roam. Free to explore. To claim the stars! My benefactors know about you. They know what you’ve done. They know you, Jordan Arnaz.”

He waited. Soon her body twisted, reshaping itself around her core. If by choice, or virtue of what she had stolen, she resembled a skinned primate, with her eel-like, many toothed head at the front. Some small tendrils remained, waving along her back. Soon it no longer resembled muscle, but instead a mass of worms, imitating a gorilla. Then, fully formed, she screamed with the voices of a hundred dead, now larger than any structure on the island.

He tilted his head.

A massive fist launched at him with blinding speed, Jordan meeting it shoulder first. The structure of the hand exploded into a dozen smaller arms; chunks of meat left bleeding on his armor. Planting his feet, he moved to absorb and deflect attacks as he could. Eventually the limb passed over him, the Bone Thief bringing the palm of her left hand down to crush him.

He jumped past it, reaching her head faster than her arm could impact the ground. A wall of meat reared up from her chest and neck, absorbing his punch. The force of the punch sent him backwards even as her flesh erupted. She charged after him while he was still falling, successfully catching him with a punch, smashing him into the ground. More buildings ruptured and collapsed, a quake following the blow.

Screaming in crazed satisfaction, she followed that with another punch, and then another, and another. Each punch stronger than the last, cracking apart more and more of the homes. Her hands, shredded and torn, raised into the sky. Only too late did she notice the bulge inside of her right arm, moving up to the shoulder.

A sudden burst of lightning tore from within her, severing the limb entirely just below the shoulder. She fell back from the force and shock, Jordan left suspended in midair from her wound. His left fist was brimming with electricity, the energy arcing from the spikes into the twin thorns just above them. Before he could get the shot off, the severed limb exploded into a thousand veiny ropes, grabbing, and pulling him down. Twisting, he unleashed the explosive discharge into the teeming mass of half formed fingers and discarded meat.

The combustion consumed him as well, sending him further back. Landing on his feet, talons tearing grooves through the stone walkway, he snapped his head up. Beyond the burning charred mountain of diseased flesh, the Bone Thief was convulsing. Her body contorted, worm-like form contracting. She was diminishing in size as long strands covered in bone tipped barbs took the place of the lost limb.

Diminishing in size, but not mass.

“You shit,” she breathed. “You’re nothing!”

Soon she was almost the same height as him, the ground shattering beneath her weight. This was something he’d seen before, though different. Less refined. Compressing mass, making herself denser, and all the benefits and drawbacks that came with it.

Her bone whip lashed out, faster than he could dodge, smashing him across the face. The first surprised him, the second made him stumble, and the third knocked him back. They struck just separate of one another, as she launched her body at him with one grotesquely large limb. He went to block it when it, like the larger ones, exploded into many half-formed arms, grabbing him instead.

With a great shriek, she threw him over her shoulder. He felt another stone wall shatter as he landed inside of the Church of Saint Paul and Saint Peter. Shaking his head, he got to his feet, taking in his surroundings. It was an ancient place, a few centuries old at least. Sparse artwork and old statues took up a few corners of the building. The interior was meant to be white, but the paint was crumbling away.

He felt no reverence for the holy ground. After a life like his, he supposed this wasn’t strange. The front doors of the church exploded, the Bone Thief bending to step within.

“I wanted to lure you here for my grand reveal, you know. I’ve been studying your species on the trip here. So many things I wanted to do.”

He looked from her to the door she burst through. Finally, he jerked his thumb to the side from where he came.

“There was a hole.”

She sighed, before a quiet laughter took hold. “You really are no fun at all!”

The two clashed, the walls of the church shuddering. The bells rang as they traded blow for blow, fist to fist. Soon the walls cracked, the entire building collapsing around them. With a shriek, she smashed away the falling ceiling. Jordan simply let the rubble break upon him. In the collapse, he moved in front of her faster than she was ready for. She was breathing heavy.

“You’re getting tired.”

Making her body so dense was a gamble. One that couldn’t pay off for her. She had no way to put him down. While he, empowered by alien energy and the element of lightning itself, could go much further.

“Fuck you!”

She grabbed him, punching him away. She was getting frantic, putting more effort into her strikes but at the risk of burning herself out faster. Launching at him, she wasn’t prepared to be caught in turn, Jordan using the thorns at his wrists to snag her neck. Twisting, he tossed her further back, harder, smashing straight through the wall around the city.

She’d be tumbling for a few yards. He readied himself to follow her when the spotlights filled the area. He didn’t need to look up to see what it was.

“This is the Supreme United Nations Taskforce! I am Operative Blackwater! We demand this fighting cease immediately! This extraterrestrial entity is our jurisdiction!”

A fleet of S.U.N. attack helicopters. Jordan chased the Bone Thief faster than they could follow. She was recovering when he crashed into her, sending her flying back again. He didn’t give her any chance to compose herself, repeatedly leaping back at her with another punch, backhand and slash. Further and further, he forced her across the island, the alien parasite getting back to sorts halfway across.

She stopped her impromptu flight by latching her whips around the lighthouse they found her in. He wouldn’t allow her to take even a second to think twice. Raising his left arm, he drew it back as the glowing organs burned with ethereal power. As each spike lit up, he punched forward.

A lance of ionized green fury tore the lighthouse to pieces. The beam caught her, carrying her to the far side of the island. If she tried to scream, it was lost to the noise. Her remains dropped off right into the center of the cemetery. Taking a running start, he leapt for where he figured she’d drop.

Jordan landed before what remained of her did. Pieces of her body rained all around, the ground slick with the diseased blood she left in her wake. With a wet slap, her head and what remained of her body crashed against a tombstone.

“W-wait,” she gasped. “Wait just-!”

Jordan stomped on her neck. His talons digging into her battered flesh.

“M-my,” her head was struggling to lift again. “My benefactor,” she gasped. “Told me to ask you something.”

Electricity burned along his right arm, originating from the glowing sections built along his shoulder and amplified by his spikes. He lazily lifted his fist and pointed it at her head.

“How did it feel to kill her?”

Every electric organ across his body burned brighter at once. Lightning flowed across his body and into hers, electrifying her.

“Please! Stop!”

Slowly they dimmed. The electric discharge building up in his right hand dissipated. He stepped down from the Bone Thief and sat down next to her, leaning against a grave marker. Her head twisted, craning to look at him.

“What are you doing?”

“Resting.”

“I don’t understand you.”

“That’s fine.”

He could ignore it in the moment, but his body was aching. There was only so far he could push himself before things broke. Sitting there for a time, the helicopters were finally starting to catch up. They’d try to interfere, maybe even transport her away.

He lifted his head to the sky.

“Why Lucia?”

She made a noise of confusion, before realization hit. “You are sharp. Yes, I had a host in Felix, but that wasn’t suitable. I needed an edge before I started my task. Something that could help me win others over.” She sighed. “I guess some things are universal for any species.”

“We all cherish our young.”

His head lowered.

Pushing away from her, he could see her body attempting to restructure itself. It simply didn’t have the biomass.

“Please, if you bring me materials, I could repair myself. I can tell you who,” she gasped, voice ragged. “I can help you. I can tell you who sent me.”

He stood over her. Lucia’s face, cracked and stuck in an eternal death scream, remained embedded in the parasite’s chest. With one stomp it shattered, caving in her chest.

“Stop! Please!”

He calmly raised his right arm, electric discharge primed.

“Please! I don’t want to die!”

***

Another explosion signaled the end of the fight. Beita couldn’t get sick like humans, but it made her ill all the same. Things like that deserved what they got. She studied the virus more while the fighting was happening, trying to block out the worst of the violence.

Jordan wouldn’t ask, she wasn’t sure he’d really care, but she liked to learn about these things. Short range airborne virus, emanated from the host taken by the Bone Thief, only affecting species genetically related to the host. She grimaced, not wanting to imagine what would have happened if it had landed ashore or managed to escape. The virus would die without the Bone Thief, and those affected would die in a few days due to not being able to sustain themselves.

Beita didn’t know such a parasite existed, but the universe found all kinds of horrible ways to surprise her. She couldn’t keep the tears away for the islanders. They never stood a chance. Even those who weren’t fully affected, they would be dead in little time. The only good thing was that they weren’t carriers. Small favors.

She could feel the air shift as a fleet of helicopters arrived. The SUN Taskforce was arriving late, as usual. To their credit, these were nearly silent, quite a feat for human engineering. Only one descended, with only one occupant exiting. They were in full armor, their shiny badge proudly displayed at the center of their chest.

She didn’t recognize this Operative. Their armor was the same uniform, silver and grey, with black stripes running along the arms and accenting the helmet. The mirrored visor took in the carnage, stopping when they saw her. Beita crossed her arms. Behind her, she heard a distinct clicking noise.

“Operative Blackwater,” Jordan’s voice rumbled through the air. It was masked in an electric reverb that she found pleasant. “You’re late.”

He approached from the side, the Operative’s body language shifting.

“Brigadier. You got here fast.”

Beita ran up. “Yeah well, you didn’t do your job!”

Operative Blackwater turned to look at her. “The child. Taking care of her well enough, Brigadier? Seems irresponsible to bring her to hostile territory.”

“I was going to come with or without him.”

“I’m sure,” the Operative let out a noise of frustration. “You know as well as I how rare it is to run into an alien that possesses intelligence. We had this one well in hand. They were going to divulge intel in return for us leaving them be on this island.”

“They killed-!”

The Operative held up his hand, cutting her off. “One hundred and thirty people. Yes, we know. However, that was a natural byproduct of its biology- and compared to what we’ve suffered in the immediate past, it is an acceptable trade for a safer world.”

“You can’t be serious. There’s no way you trusted her! And letting that many people die, just writing them off? No way!”

“Trust is not something we at the S.U.N. do, child. You should know that better than most. We’ve written off far worse tallies. How many people has your oh so noble guardian killed?” He turned his attention to Jordan, making no move to step up to him. “How many people died in Atlanta? How many soldiers did you kill in Texas? How many have you killed since?”

“There are no saints. We had contingency plans for the alien if she tried to escape. We were readying a capture team to study and force the information she had out into the open. All you’ve done is blunder in and ensure that all these people died for nothing. For what? To be heroes?”

“Hardly,” Jordan finally spoke again, freezing the SUN Agent in place. “Heroes can fly.”

Blackwater looked back at him. “What is that supposed to mean? Forget it. I don’t care. If you’re wondering, she couldn’t make it. Too busy running things back at HQ.”

Jordan made a noise, though Beita couldn’t be sure what kind. It was too garbled by electric reverb.

“You didn’t expect me. She’d be here otherwise.”

Blackwater took a step back. “What do you think you’re accomplishing? I’m dying to know. All you do is run around, chasing fires. That’s all you’ve ever done. Do you think you’re improving the world? Making any difference at all?”

“Better than forcing the world to change,” Beita muttered. “Trampling on everyone who doesn’t have the power to stand against you.”

“We’re not the ones who ruined this world. That’d be you,” Blackwater pointed to Beita.

He never got to finish his sentence, Jordan slugging him across the face. Beita winced, seeing the helmet flex inwards briefly, the Agent sent to the ground.

“Bastard!”

Jordan kicked him flat, pinning him with his foot. His left and right talons struck past Blackwater’s shoulders, piercing the stone. The middle one rested at the prone man’s throat.

“Jordan, please,” Beita said. “I don’t want any more fighting.”

Backing off Blackwater, he turned his head to her. It was a habit of his to ensure she knew he was talking to her. “Let’s go.”

The Agent got back to his feet, his armor undamaged. “You want to be angry at someone, try looking at yourself! You’re the reason the world turned to us! We’re having to shoulder your burden, Jordan!”

“Must be difficult.” Jordan turned slightly. “What if she escaped?”

“What? We had this in hand! There was no way for her to leave. Even if she did, we would have dealt with it!”

Jordan’s body bristled with static. “Of course.”

He turned to Beita, offering his hand.

“I get to pick the boat,” she mumbled.

The SUN descended behind them as they went to the docks. They wouldn’t be bothered. They weren’t going to pick a fight after they’d already lost their asset. This was also not an active combat team equipped to deal with them directly. Small favors. Beita wished they could have disposed of all the Bone Thief’s remains, but she didn’t have the energy to fight them over it either.

Soon enough they were on a ship and heading out to the open ocean. Jordan was managing the boat while transformed, which made her heart ache even more. She could only imagine how bad his injuries were. Often after a fight, he would slink off from her for a day or two so she wouldn’t see.

“I just want to help people. Why does everything have to be so hard? Why do they hate us? We don’t deserve this. You don’t.”

“It’s not about deserve, Beita. Never was.”

She looked back to Nueva Tabarca. It was swarming with soldiers now as they sailed further out. So many dead for nothing at all. Tears welled, Beita unable to hold back. She cried, shaking.

With gentle pressure Jordan picked her up. He needed to be careful as he was. She resisted the urge to hug him, knowing it’d only hurt her.

“W-why did it,” she tried to speak between sobs.

He carried her over to the wheel, taking hold of a spoke but keeping her close. He was warm like this, his body a burning furnace even at rest. Beita stared at him.

“Why don’t you cry?”

“Mm?”

“I’ve never, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cry. You always comfort me when I do.”

“That’s my privilege.”

“But you don’t.”

“I used to. One day I couldn’t.” He shifted her, taking a finger to wipe away one of her tears. “It’s healthy, I think, crying. I hope your tears never dry.”

“If it’s healthy you should try to, too.”

He laughed a little. It sounded like the melody of a storm.

“I forgot how.”

She looked aside. “That’s supposed to be my thing.”

Something about what he said kept bouncing around in her head.

Heroes can fly.

Why did he sound so wistful? Why did it sound so familiar?

“Jordan, when did we meet?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

She frowned. “I want to know. I can’t…my memory doesn’t work right. I know that. I want to remember the past. More than a few years at a time.”

He looked away from her to the rising sun.

“The past is somewhere you cannot return. It’s a bitter thing.”

Beita sighed. “But it can be sweet too.”

He said nothing.

In silence they drifted on the tides, helicopters overhead.