The next day, 12:09 pm…

Alejandro and some friends are in a shopping mall hanging out and going windows shopping. They eat a light meal and watch the food court T.V. showing news about the Red Confederacy personnel arriving in the country.

“You heard our government is just letting them in?” Alejandro says.

“Oh, yeah, we’re being invaded by the United States, that’s why the Reds are here,” his friend says sarcastically. Everyone knew the Red Confederacy was coming to collect the Bellusaxum in the country to feed their war machinery, and that supposedly Venezuela would be allowed to join the Red alliance.

Two hours later the group prepares to leave but they spot at the mall entrance something that appears to be military trucks and heavily armed foreign soldiers. They have blocked all the shopping mall entrances and are leaving people locked up. The friends ask themselves what is happening and start getting nervous.

One of the troopers speaks in Spanish with a megaphone:

“Attention, it is requested to anyone who knows the whereabouts of this individual,” he brandishes a placard with the photo of a man, “please approach personnel of the Red Confederacy, this man is wanted by the Venezuelan government, thank you for your cooperation.”

That only made people uneasy, they demanded to be allowed to leave the place but the soldiers refused to let them, to the point that some people tried to escape but they responded by aiming their rifles at them. One of the civilians was bold enough to run through them only to get knocked down and detained by the soldiers outside.

“What the hell?! And those guys of the Confederacy can come here and pummel people just like that? We need to get out of here, I don’t like how this is gonna end,” says one of the group.

“OK, and how you are going to do it? You’ll just get shot in the face,” says another of the group.

“I have an idea, let’s go to that antique store,” says Alejandro.

They went to the place that Alejandro mentioned, selling all kinds of goods for the scrupulous customer. The group was received by a cautious owner due to the recent presence of the Red Confederacy.

“What do you want? There’s nothing to see here...”

“Relax, we’re looking for something to clear the way to escape from those mercenaries and your store has what we need.” says Alejandro.

“What the heck are you talking about? You alone want to face all those psychos of the confederacy? Did you smoke something spoiled?”

“No, but this might change your mind…”

Alejandro uses his mind power to influence the owner through mental suggestion, the store owner feels an arresting, claustrophobic but non-threatening feeling, like his surroundings are getting cramped and suffocating, then Alejandro cuts the psychic link, a rare skill he discovered out of the blue in the past months.

“You... you are like those people with powers that recently became the trending topic... Listen, I don’t have any weapons or anything like that, also there are too many to fight alone, just saying, I shouldn’t tell you this but… I’m hiding that guy the Confederacy is looking for.”

“And what do they want from him? All the damn place locked down because of one man,” says Roberth.

“That man is an agent of the Vanguard of the Atlantic, he was investigating the activity of the Red Confederacy in the country and found some important information about their operations. It will only be a matter of time until they find him.”

“So what we can do about it?” Alejandro says.

“Speak to him, I think he has a plan to get out of this mess,” says the owner.

“Wait a second, me and Luis will be near the entrance to warn you of anything that happens,” says his friend Maria.

“OK, be careful out there,” says Alejandro.

The group splits at once, while Luis and Maria go to keep an eye on the mall entrance, Alejandro and Roberth get closer to the agent of the VOA, and the store owner closes the door to avoid any unwanted attention.

The agent is using a PDA and as soon as he notices Alejandro and Roberth, he puts it in his pocket.

“If the owner has let you in, then you are trustworthy.” He looks at them closely. “I believe you have superpowers, perhaps you can get us out of this little problem…” The Agent has an unmistakable American accent.

“First, I have questions,” says Alejandro.

“Well ask now, the Confederacy is impatient.”

“What is the Vanguard of the Atlantic doing here in Venezuela?” says Alejandro.

“The Vanguard of the Atlantic is a reformed NATO, here to respond to the Red Confederacy’s increasing expansionism which we regard as a menace. Latin America has Bellusaxum in abundance but this country possesses the most valued stuff. Venezuela has become a strategic location for both the Reds and the North Americans. The most impoverished countries in the continent are trying to join the Red Confederacy and your government has shown to be submissive to them, still we can’t give away our presence in Venezuela. The information I have is critical to my superiors.”

“The store’s owner said you have a plan in mind, and what is that?” says Roberth.

“This is the procedure, south of the shopping mall there’s a clear area, a VOA helicopter disguised as a civilian’s will come to pick me up briefly when I give the signal, but I’ll need your talents to clear the way. You’ll get past the guards if you help me.”

“Sounds good but I’m gonna need certain things first. Hey, where are the medieval weapons you sell?” Alejandro was thinking, having trained enough with his mental abilities, fighting skills and physical conditioning, in addition to a few quarrels due the high rate of crime, he could take on men with guns.

“You plan to place yourself against those soldiers using that kind of weapon? Doesn’t seem smart…”

“You relax, I’ll handle it.”

“Alright, I hope you know what you are doing, come with me.”

“Hey Alejandro, I also need a weapon. I want to give you a hand,” Roberth says.

“And you have something to ward off bullets? As far as I know you only heat things.”

“I have an ace up my sleeve, you’ll see.”

The owner shows them the merchandise. “These are the real thing, no budget steel or cheap imitations, take your pick.”

“I’ll take this pollaxe, and you Roberth?”

“This mace should be enough.”

“One more thing, if you are going to kill some red confederates you better take these balaclavas so they won’t recognize and hunt you down, good luck.”

“Thanks for the help, partner.” Alejandro smiles, feeling good about his team.

“All ready? Then I’m gonna call my fellow associates to begin the operation.”

As the men are leaving the store, Maria and Luis approach, looking concerned.

Maria speaks first. “Where did you get those things? It doesn’t matter, listen I have good and bad news, the good is they are letting people leave the mall, but the bad news is they know where to find the man they are looking for, I think they are coming here...”

“It didn’t take very long to find me, you better get safe inside the store, the confederates have orders to shoot to kill anyone who gets on their way.”

“Get inside now. When this is over meet me at my house.” Alejandro tells his friends.

“Got it, take care.” Luis says.

As the owner closes the store, Alejandro and Roberth put on balaclavas and prepare themselves to escort the agent to the extraction point, going down the stairs, they notice the mall entrance is still held up by the confederates and as soon as they notice them they aim for the group. The agent quickly gets inside the nearest store for cover.

One of the soldiers speaks with a megaphone: “Hand over the VOA spy now.”

“I don’t think so imbecile!” Shouts Roberth.

The soldier gives the command to fire.

In an instant, a shower of bullets headed to the pair, Alejandro forms what appears to be a personal psychic field which deflects the bullets to other directions. Meanwhile Roberth stands his ground, the ammunition bouncing off his skin, falling, misshapen and warped.

“What do you think eh?” You are not the only tough guy in the neighborhood, a shame my power only lasts for a short time,” Roberth says.

“Impressive, now it’s time to take action,” Alejandro says, preparing to run toward the enemy.

The troopers were baffled. As they reload their weapons as fast as possible, the duo begins to charge against them.

One by one they slay the soldiers, some of them trying to fight them at close combat. Unable to hold their position, they fall back. Alejandro and Roberth follow the remaining troopers outside, all of them get in the trucks and hurriedly leave the area.

“They got the message, better for them to not return.” Roberth says, catching his breath.

The VOA agent approaches Alejandro and Roberth. “Impressive abilities, I had to see it myself, but hear my advice; you are not completely bullet-proof. I have heard reports of Superhumans being neutralized after receiving a lot of punishment, be it from guns, explosives or the end of a knife, never be overconfident.”

“Superhumans?” inquired Roberth.

“That’s our term for people with powers, ‘Magnar Humans’ for those who outperform any superhuman in every aspect.”

“Magnar Humans eh, they must be very coveted for any nation’s army,” Alejandro says.

“Excessively, just one of them with the right training and equipment can effectively turn them into One-Man Armies, but let’s not waste more time, we need to go to the extraction point.”

After about a fifteen-minute-walk, they arrive at the destination, a rural area devoid of prying eyes. It doesn’t take long to notice the chopper coming from afar, and it lands in front of them.

“Thank you for your support, you’ve helped the Vanguard a lot. Better you return home, best of luck.”

He enters to the chopper and quickly leaves the zone while Alejandro and Roberth decide to take different paths home.

“Better we separate, let’s see what’s going to happen the next day after this encounter,” says Roberth.

“Alright, can’t wait for tomorrow’s news…” Alejandro shakes his friend’s hand before they part.

Some hours later, government authorities arrive to the mall to investigate the situation. The first thing they do is demand the mall security footage, and during the fight they find a fatal flaw in Alejandro; with their vast resources and advanced scanning equipment, they spot in just half a second a small, torn piece of his balaclava revealing a part of his face briefly. He didn’t realized his balaclava had a critical tear during the confrontation. With the rascal identified, they prepare to send him a message…