The quiet night was shattered as Cal and Amber walked back from their mission, the thrill of success still lingering in the air. Amber was animated, recounting their achievements, but then her expression shifted, her eyes narrowing as if searching for something unseen.
"Cal," she said suddenly, her voice tight and uncertain, speaking directly into his mind. "I can't hear his thoughts. It's like… he's empty." She could feel a mind, full of murderous intent, but empty of thought.
Before Cal could respond, a figure stepped out from the shadows. The air seemed to grow colder, the oppressive presence of Henry Mire filling the space between them. His steps were slow, deliberate, and his voice was barely more than a whisper.
"I got tired of waiting for you to find me," Henry murmured, his eyes never leaving Cal. "Thought I'd come to you instead."
Cal's heart pounded as he stepped protectively in front of Amber, his mind racing. "Even with how strong you are, kid, I don't think you'd beat 'im."
Brutus's words echoed in his mind. Amber could hear them too.
You can't think like that. It's not just you anymore. Her words filled his head, trying to drown out Brutus's. Whoever this guy is, we can beat him.
Cal steeled his resolve. Taking a stance and coiling his muscles, ready to spring.
Henry tilted his head slightly, a faint smile on his lips as he looked between Cal and Amber. His gaze was disconcerting, his eyes devoid of any true emotion.
"You started a pretty big ruckus around my part of town. Though I guess all of it is my town." He gestured around. His voice low, nearly whispering. It left Amber unsettled. "I want you to know something." He took a step forward, Cal and Amber a step back.
"For every person you've saved, I've killed one just to match you. Life for life." His grin widened to an unnatural degree, the street lights illumination causing a shadow to fall over his face, twisting it even further.
Cal gritted his teeth. A deep, ragged breath forced almost a growl from him. "You're lying, you'd be insane." He fought not to believe him.
Caleb… calm down. He heard Amber's voice echo. Ignoring it and locking his eyes on Henry.
Henry's smile widened, but it never reached his eyes. "No, not insane. Just… realistic. I've seen humanity for what it is, over and over. If God won't fix this broken world, then I will."
Cal didn't wait. He lunged at Henry, his movements almost a blur. His fist aimed directly at Henry's head, but Henry barely moved. The punch grazed his cheek, a shallow cut appearing on his skin. Henry's hand shifted into a blade, a crunching and popping sound as the bones reformed, he slashed at Cal with a speed and precision that left him dizzy.
Henry's attacks were relentless, cutting pieces off Cal with every swing. Cal dodged desperately, his body twisting and contorting to avoid the lethal blows. Blood splattered onto the ground as his healing struggled to keep up with the damage.
Amber watched in horror, her mind racing. She felt utterly powerless, trapped on the sidelines while Cal fought for his life. What could she do? If she could just touch him, she could do something—put him to sleep, push a thought into his mind, anything to stop him. But he moved too fast, and she couldn't get close.
I need to distract him. If I can touch him, even for a second, I might be able to stop this. Her face was contorted with urgency.
Henry paused for a moment, his eyes flicking to the blood on his hand. He looked almost annoyed. "Such a mess," he muttered. "You're only making this harder for yourself."
Seeing the desperation in Cal's eyes, Amber felt a surge of anger and fear. She knew she had to do something, anything, to give Cal a chance.
"You're a coward!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the empty street. "You're evil!"
Henry's head snapped towards her, his eyes narrowing. His voice, when he spoke, was dangerously low.
"Evil? You have no idea what I am."
Cal went in, roaring as he threw an overhand as hard as he could.
Henry turned back to Cal, delivering a brutal blow that severed his hand clean off. Cal cried out, collapsing to the ground, his blood pooling around him as his healing slowed, struggling to keep up.
Henry picked up Cal's severed hand, his expression one of grotesque amusement.
"If you scream again," he said calmly, "I'll cut you in half."
Amber's heart pounded in her chest. She saw Cal lying on the ground, struggling to get up, his body battered and broken. She felt a surge of fear and desperation. If she didn't do something now, they were both going to die.
Cal, seeing the fear in her eyes, forced himself to his feet. He roared in fury, charging at Henry with everything he had left. Henry barely glanced at him before delivering a powerful strike that sent Cal crashing through a storefront window. Glass shattered around him, the alarm blaring as he tumbled inside.
As Henry turned back toward her, Amber knew she had only a split second. Her heart pounded as she rushed forward, her hand outstretched. She slapped him across the face just as he turned back to her, her fingers making brief contact with his skin before he could react.
Amber usually felt a person's emotions and thoughts more intensely when in contact with them. She had already noticed Henry's silent mind, his thoughts weren't normal, almost commands whispered into the back of his head. When she touched him she felt it, somebody else, Henry wasn't a real person.
The moment her hand touched his face, Henry's body convulsed, his flesh warping and twisting as a psychic connection was disrupted. His eyes widened in shock and rage.
"What did you do to me, you bitch?" His voice was filled with fury, his body trembling as he tried to regain control.
Seeing his chance, Cal summoned every ounce of strength he had left. He pushed himself off the ground, his body screaming in protest. He charged forward, his fist drawn back. With another roar, he delivered a devastating punch that shattered his own arm from the force. The blow obliterated Henry's head, blood and brain matter splattering across the pavement.
Onlookers from apartments and buildings screamed in horror as Henry's body crumpled to the ground, lifeless. Cal stood there, panting, his mind numb from the shock and pain. He stared at the blood-soaked scene, his heart pounding in his chest.
Amber rushed to his side, her hands shaking as she grabbed his arm. "Cal, we have to go, now!"
He looked at her, dazed, barely processing her words. She shook him, her voice urgent and filled with fear.
"Cal! We need to go!"
Slowly, reality came crashing back. He nodded, his body moving on autopilot as they fled into the night, the weight of what had just happened bearing down on them both.