Loonatics: United

Episode 6: Departure

Early in the morning, with the sky still painted in green, Tech, Matt and Anne were outside of the aperture along with Jack with the solar cells installed on him. Each one of them wore small backpacks and communication devices around their ears to listen and speak with Hill. "We are about to descend, general." Tech said as he put on a harness just like the others did.

"Alright fellow, we and the rest of your team will stay here if that thing returns, don't doubt to call for help if you need it." Hill said from the other side of the line.

"Everyone ready?" Tech asked.

Matt adjusted the rope that was attached to his harness. "Ready."

"So, we just place the antennas around the place and let Jack do his magic." Anne nodded at herself nervously. "Easy task."

Matt smirked at her. "Scared? Tough girl?"

Anne chuckled falsely. "In your dreams, nerd."

Tech stepped on the first rock inside the entrance to descend as he grabbed his rope. "Okay guys, just follow me."

Matt and Anne did so, and the three of them were now with their feet sticked to the rocky wall, moving one foot at a time, descending slowly. Anne's nervousness could be seen in her eyes; she was looking upwards all the time. "It's just a hole; you won't fall, you won't die…" She whispered, then Matt approached her suddenly.

"Are you okay?" Matt asked as he stopped his steps.

Anne closed her eyes and lowered her head. "Yes." She sighed. "It's the height, that's all."

Matt took her hand. "Step by step Anne, I'm here with you."

Anne stood silent for a moment, then she looked at him. "Step by step." She reached for another rock with her foot; the rock was weakly attached to the dirt so it fell down and left her hanging from her harness for a split of second in which she gasped and Matt gripped her hand stronger.

"It's okay, it's okay, just look at me." Matt said as he went down to her level, then she managed to step on another rock.

"I hate this!" Anne complained.

"We can take you back to the camp if you want…" Matt was interrupted.

"No." Anne shook her head insecurely. "I can do this just, keep…" She felt that what she was about to say would sound stupid.

Matt smiled at her, knowing what she wanted to say. "I'll keep holding your hand."

Anne chuckled. "Thanks." She exhaled. "Let's do this."

Tech was a few more meters below them, next to Jack who was just walking through the wall casually. "How are we doing up there?! You nearly killed me a few moments ago with that rock!"

"Sorry Tech! My bad." Anne replied.

"It's okay!" Tech said as he continued to descend.

In the meantime, Ace was training his laser vision shooting at some piled rocks he had put a few meters in front of him, varying his power in distinct ways. "Boring day?" Lexi asked as she approached him.

Ace had cut a rock in half with his vision before replying. "Sort of, I mean we are literally doing nothing, Tech and the others are doing all the job."

"Maybe is Tech's moment to shine." Lexi placed a hand on his shoulder.

Ace chuckled. "Yeah, I know, but, it's kinda odd to actually have free time without having the weight of the world over my back."

Lexi nodded. "Right, I don't even remember when was the last time we went out."

"Me neither." Ace looked at her. "Maybe we can do something about it when this madness is over."

Rev, Duck and Slam were lying on the sandy ground taking some sun. "This is gorgeous." Duck said, then Slam growled affirmatively.

"I don't even know how Tech managed to let the sun-heat enter through the shield in such a natural way maybe he used some kind of…" Rev was interrupted.

"Just don't Rev, enjoy the moment." Duck said.

"Yeah, I'll ask him later." Rev concluded.

While trying to sleep, Duck managed to hear some voices a few tents away, he tilted his head gently to try to hear better. "I've told you this a million times! This is the chance of our lives, don't you want to be better than this? We can achieve great things, my contact says there are no risks and he wants to meet all of you guys." The voice that Duck heard suddenly got out of his range, which obviously was nothing compared to Lexi's particular ability.

"Meh, not my problem." Duck said to himself.

Tech stepped on the last rock before getting inside a cave that surrounded a green sphere of energy that was on the center. "Intriguing, the energy isn't from the planet's core, this is an isolated form of energy." Moments later Anne and Matt caught up with him. They untied the rope from their harnesses, and Jack was already with them. Tech took off his backpack and unzipped it, then he took out a metallic, cubic antenna out of it. "I'll put mine just here; you cover the rest of the cave with yours." Tech pressed a button on the antenna he had put over the ground and a blue light appeared on its upper part. "Okay, this one is ready."

Matt and Anne nodded, and they went into opposite places of the cave to install their antennas, they did so rapidly and without hassles. "It´s done, Tech." Anne said.

"Your turn Jack." Tech took his hijacker turned pet and placed it nearby the energy sphere with the solar cells facing at it. "Initiate extraction."

Jack made a beeping noise, and the antennas started to emit blue rays towards the worm, then the green light of the sphere started to fade slowly and to travel towards Jack's solar cells.

"It's working!" Matt said as he looked at the odd light spectacle.

"How much long will it take?" Anne asked.

Tech heard Anne's question by the cave's echo. "No more than half an hour."

"Great." Anne sat down on the ground.

Matt approached her and sat down right next to her. "See? It wasn't that bad."

Anne smirked. "Yeah, thanks."

"For what?" Matt asked.

Anne took his hand; she looked into his eyes gratefully, and Matt just smiled.

"General, the plan is working." Tech said waiting for Hill's response through his comm.

"Excellent news fellow, we'll keep an eye on things up here anyways." Hill said.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Acmetropolis, Ziox was about to punch a gigantic building just before he started to feel weak, he kneeled down with his hands touching the concrete. "What is this?!" He growled and coughed almost immediately. "My…my home." He said to himself after figuring out what was happening to him, he stood up and began to run back to the place he came from. "My power!"

A soldier was walking around the camp site, surveilling as his boss had told him to do, suddenly he started to hear huge steps coming from far way, each time sounding closer, he gasped and ran quickly to look for Hill, then he found him resting over his tent. "Sir, I heard him!"

Hill raised an eyebrow, then the holographic shield disappeared. "And we've run out of energy it seems." He growled and walked by the soldier. "Get the megaphone out of my tent." The soldier did so as Hill headed to the camp's center accompanied by him, who gave him the megaphone. "Everyone! Take shelter in the last four tents, we have to protect ourselves until Tech and the others do their job! Come on there's no time to loose!" Hill yelled, then his men followed his orders and hid on the last rows of tents. "You too, Loonatics."

Ace went to speak with him along with Lexi, Duck, Rev and Slam. "General, we'll distract the monster so your men can survive this."

"What?! He will destroy you! Just get in those tents, is an order!" Hill commanded aggressively.

Duck crossed his arms. "With all due respect, we only follow orders from our leader." He looked at Ace briefly.

Ace smiled at him and looked back at Hill. "Let your men live, we'll deal with the monster."

Hill thought hesitantly, then he walked towards Ace and extended his hand. "Thanks."

They both shook hands. "It's our job, now get all of your men sheltered." Ace said, then Hill nodded and walked away from them.

"I hope Tech is doing well." Lexi said.

"Look! Its brightness is fading out!" Matt pointed at the energy sphere.

"It's just a matter of time for it to be totally drained." Tech said.

Anne stood up and approached Tech. "But will it happen soon enough?"

Tech shook his head. "I don't know."

Anne lowered her head and scratched her upper arm worriedly, then Matt got into his feet and went next to her. "Don't worry, they'll come up with something." Matt said reassuringly.

Ziox was already on sight, and Lexi had managed to hear him coming from behind the hills. "Get ready boys."

The creature suddenly jumped high, then he landed in front of the five Loonatics. "You." Ziox said with a deep voice.

"Lost something?" Ace shot his laser vision and hit the monster's shin, making him to growl in pain and to get on one knee.

"He is weaker! Tech really figured it out." Rev said and ran rapidly towards his other shin and punched it with the force of his speed, the monster screamed and fell down, his face hit the ground strongly.

Slam had approached the groaning creature and punched his face with both fists, seemingly defeating him.

"Wait, is that everything he got?" Duck walked by the creature's hand cockily. "The bigger they are…" All of a sudden, Ziox caught Duck with his hand, clenching his fist fiercely and making Duck to cough and groan desperately.

"Duck!" Ace yelled and ran towards them, then Ziox got up quickly and smashed Ace with the palm of his hand before grabbing him and tightening his grip. "You won't…" Ace said with a weak tone of defeat, looking at the creature's eyes. "Get away with this…"

Slam growled and approached Ziox to try to hit him again, but the monster reacted and kicked him with little effort, sending Slam to the air, then he hit the ground painfully.

"Hurry up Tech." Lexi said with a broken voice, knowing she wasn't able to do much for their friends in that moment.

Rev began to run in circles around Ziox. "Hold on guys." He repeated to himself while trying to run faster to make some time and keep the monster distracted.

Tech, Matt and Anne were still glancing at the energy that now looked like a little marble. "Hurry." Tech said as he rubbed his hands anxiously.

Suddenly, the cave got completely dark and they all gasped briefly. "Like a light bulb." Matt said.

Tech sighed with relief. "Congratulations guys, we've saved the day." Jack got off the wall and beeped. "Yes, that includes you, buddy."

"Now, where is our stuff? I can't see anything." Anne said.

"Did you bring the lamp? Matt?" Tech asked.

"Uhm, I forgot it." Matt replied with embarrassment.

Ziox had fallen, he was unconscious in front of Lexi and Rev, still holding Ace and Duck with his hands. Rev took out Duck from the dead monster's grip, same as Lexi did with Ace.

"Ace, Ace please stay with me." Lexi was holding Ace's back and head while he laid on the ground, trying to find signs of life, after a few seconds she could hear a heartbeat. She smirked and sighed with relief, then she kissed his forehead.

Duck had resisted Ziox's attack better than Ace did, he opened his eyes slowly and saw Rev's extended hand facing at him, he took it and Rev helped him to get up. "Thanks man." Duck said. "Where's Slam?" Slam growled at Duck's question as he walked towards them.

A day after, the Loonatics were in front of Hill and his men inside of his base at the stadium, parting paths. "I hope we can keep in touch with you to maintain the city safe." Ace said, who was wearing a brace on his left arm.

Hill nodded. "Of course, we make a very good team." He extended his hand. "Thank you fellows, for everything."

"Farewell general." Ace said as they shook hands, then he and the rest left the building.

Hill smirked, then turned to look at his men. "Well, let's get back to work fellows."

Anne was standing next to Matt behind the other soldiers. "So, back to normal I guess."

Matt nodded. "Well, you still have to teach me how to fight."

Anne looked at him. "Oh that's true!"

"But something more basic this time, until I can, you know, be at your level" Matt said.

Meanwhile on the Loonatics' HQ, Slam, Rev and Duck were watching TV at the living room; Tech was in his bedroom upgrading Jack, and Ace and Lexi were in front of the window next to the kitchen, glancing at the city together. "Now I know why you like this view so much." Lexi said. "It gives you hope, to think that one day things will be as they were before."

"After what we achieved these last days, I think everything is possible." Ace looked at her.

"That's the Ace I know and love." Lexi leaned forward and started to kiss him.

Ace hugged her and embraced the kiss.