Ten days after the aliens arrived, they struck at 11 AM. They made everything stop via an EMP. I was in the back of a greyhound with my safe containing the suit. Thankfully, I had recently made a faraday shield to line the safe, which protected the suit from the EMP. The bus, however, had no such protection. I knew it had happened the instant the lights cut off. The bus coasted to a stop, which was assisted by the car directly in front of it. Everyone was panicking, and asking questions nobody had an answer to. I knew that this was when people started looting during the movies, and it turned out they were right. I was about to leave the bus when somebody pointed a gun at me.

"Open your safe, " he said.

In a flash, I drew my .22 and pointed it at him. He pulled the trigger first, but before the bullet hit me. I fired as well. Another thing my insanity had affected was my perception of time. After a few years, I realised I could control it. I used that ability now, only firing once fired upon was one of my rules. The bullet I fired hit him in the chest, and his bullet hit me. I was thrown back, but safe. I was wearing the bullet proof vest, which I was thankful for now. I left him where he lay screaming and I opened the safe.

Once he saw what was inside he said, "You risked your life for that? And why put it in the safe?"

I put in the left leg. "I knew I wouldn't die. Thugs always aim for the chest, " I put on the right leg. "And I put it in the safe to keep it safe. " I put on the left arm.

"That's not gonna work, everythings broken. Cars, phones, everything that runs off a battery. "

I put on the right arm. "This will still work. " I tapped the inside of the safe. "Faraday cages. Blocks EMPs. " I strapped on the helmet and powered on the suit.

"Good afternoon Carl. All systems operational, " PECS said.

The thug got up and staggered off the bus and I was alone. I strapped the solar panel to my back and plugged it into the batteries to lengthen the life.

"Password is 'legally insane'. Set to energy saver mode, level 10. Status to yellow, stay ready, " I instructed him.

"Nice to see you too sir, " he responded as he changed the settings. PECS was created several years ago and had almost seemed to become sentient in that time. I grabbed my backpack and positioned it underneath the solar panel and exited the bus and was met by the stares of people around me. Most in awe, a few in fear. They had seen what I'd done to the thug, no doubt. I had holstered the .22 in my belt, but I could easily get it, but I didn't need to when I had some on my arms. I walked up to the driver.

"Give me your map of the area, " I said. He handed them over, and I looked for our location. We were a few miles from the outside of Kingsport, where Holston Defense was located. I had PECS take a picture of the route, then handed them back. "Thanks. " I started recording and ran down the freeway passing surprised onlookers and injured people. Once I got up to speed, I activated the spring boots to increase my speed. The recording was for the people at Holston Defense. If they saw it in the field, they should be more willing to help me with it. I kept running all day, dodging the occasional thug.

As the day went on, I saw less and less people messing with cars, waiting for help, and crying as they realised this was what had happened and it wouldn't unhappen any time soon. By nightfall, I had reached the outskirts of the city. The suit was at 84% power, which was better than I had expected. I spent the night in the woods, sleeping while I slowed time to a crawl, then speeding it up to morning once I was awake. I was running through the town on the spring boots towards Holston Defense. Bad idea. I attracted too much attention, and a gang of thugs attacked me. As soon as I saw them attack, I pulled in the spring boots and just missed a bullet that went over my head. There were five, two to my right and three on my left. The two on the right had guns, so did one on the left. I slowed down time and waited for them to make the first move.

Their plan was simple; the knives would attack while being supported by the guns. I let them get close, facing the two knifemen on the left. When they swung, I dodged in between them and stabbed them both with the extending knives. They pierced their skin and probably hit something important. They fell down, clutching their sides. The gunmen behind me fired, and I blocked both of the bullets with my right arm. I kept the left arm trained on the left gunman. The bullets hit my arm, and I leveled my hand at them and shot them both. The left gunman turned and ran.

I returned time back to normal and continued to Holston Defense.