"Where's Uncle Nolan and Mark?"
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows as Russell shuffled down from the second floor in slippers, pretending to be groggy and tired. He asked his aunt Debbie, who was busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen.
"Nolan and Mark went out to play baseball somewhere," she replied casually.
"Don't worry about them. Let's eat first."
She slid a freshly fried egg onto a steaming plate of tomato spaghetti, then served one for herself and one for her nephew, placing them on the dining table.
"Baseball?" Russell echoed as he sat down after freshening up.
What a heartwarming father-son moment — one throws, the other catches. Classic American bonding time. Omni-Man rarely showed his emotions. Moments like this had never happened before. Mark probably thought his father was playing catch with him out of joy over his newfound powers.
Russell wasn't so sure.
His uncle — Omni-Man — was rarely so sentimental. Who knew what he was really feeling? Sadness? Pride? Headache? Guilt?
Most likely… all of the above.
Twisting the tangled spaghetti around his fork, Russell smiled slightly as he took a bite, savoring the taste.
When Mark was seven, his father told him he was Omni-Man — not from Earth, but from the planet Viltrum. He said the Viltrumites were a noble and peace-loving race of galactic protectors, sent out to guard weaker planets.
Omni-Man told everyone the same story.
"It's all a lie."
In truth, Omni-Man was a scout sent ahead to prepare Earth for future conquest. He was to eliminate potential threats and ensure humanity grew complacent and dependent on Viltrumite protection when faced with catastrophic danger.
"Just like Lex Luthor always suspected Superman of being — a secret alien threat."
If Lex Luthor had been born in this world, he'd be seen as a visionary genius — the only one who saw through it all. But alas...
Viltrumites lived for thousands of years. Omni-Man had originally planned to wait until Mark grew old and died — along with his wife — before making his move. It was his way of preserving some semblance of family affection.
Russell gazed out the window at the sky.
But now that Mark had awakened his powers, his lifespan would rival or even exceed Omni-Man's. A long heartbreak was worse than a clean cut. So he chose to act early.
That decision… was what would lead to the massacre of the Global Guardians.
"Aunt Debbie, I'm not feeling so good today. I think I've got a slight fever — I'd like to take a day off." Russell pushed his plate away and pressed a hand to his forehead.
"A fever?" Aunt Debbie touched his forehead, then compared it to her own. Sure enough, it was a bit warm.
"I'll get you some medicine. After you take it, go back to bed — sleep it off."
If it had been Mark asking to skip school, she would've suspected him of faking it — maybe even checking his temperature with a mug of hot water pressed to his forehead.
But Russell was different.
He had always been mature beyond his years, a straight-A student, thoughtful and never troublesome. If he said he was sick, then he truly must be unwell.
"I'm heading back upstairs then, Aunt Debbie."
After taking the medicine she found for him, Russell slowly climbed the stairs to his room.
Debbie changed into her real estate business suit, slipped on her high heels, and prepared to head to work.
Whoosh!
Just then, Omni-Man and Mark returned, landing on the lawn outside the house.
Mark had just played the most exhilarating game of catch ever — tossing a baseball around the globe with his dad. Omni-Man would hurl it along Earth's orbit, and Mark would catch it as it whipped around at supersonic speed.
It was thrilling beyond words. He had begged his father to keep playing until they were nearly late for school.
As he saw his cousin Russell heading upstairs, he asked his mom, confused, "Why's Russ still in pajamas? School's about to start."
"Russell's not feeling well. He's staying home today." Debbie kissed her husband on the cheek and said it loud enough for both father and son to hear.
"What's wrong with him?" Mark scratched his head.
He vaguely recalled that a few days ago, Russell had helped him fight off a member of the football team after Mark stood up for someone and got into trouble. Russell had taken a punch to the stomach during the scuffle — though the other guy ended up much worse.
"He's got a mild fever," Debbie said.
"A fever?" Mark repeated.
Omni-Man folded his arms, glancing upstairs without much concern.
Mark had awakened his powers just yesterday. And today, Russell was suddenly sick?
The timing was suspicious. Teenage emotions were complicated. Perhaps seeing his cousin suddenly gain powers made Russell feel inferior or upset. It wasn't unheard of.
Nolan pinched the bridge of his nose, headache mounting. He didn't have time to worry about his wife's nephew — a boy he had more or less raised himself.
Today, he had something far more important to do — eliminate the Global Guardians.
"Don't worry about your cousin. You're going to school alone today."
"Alone? That means I can fly!" Mark's eyes lit up.
"Do what you want," Nolan waved him off.
Mark checked on Russell one last time. Seeing that he had just fallen asleep after taking medicine, he didn't think much of it. Grabbing his backpack, he blasted off into the sky toward school.
The living room was now empty, save for Omni-Man.
He looked around at the cozy, orderly home that Debbie kept so well. For a brief moment, his face betrayed a flicker of inner struggle.
Then he gritted his teeth, changed into his uniform, and flew outside.
Hovering midair, cape fluttering, he glanced one last time toward Russell's sleeping figure on the second floor… and then took off.
Once Omni-Man was gone, Russell opened his eyes.
After a moment of silence, confirming his uncle wasn't coming back anytime soon, he threw off the blanket, changed into athletic gear, and vanished at sonic speed.
If Omni-Man really was headed to wipe out the Global Guardians, there was no time to waste.
"Please… let him not have left right away."
Russell launched himself toward the Guardians' headquarters at full speed.
Downtown.
"Help!"
Screams echoed through the streets as civilians fled in panic. Behind a police barricade, several officers huddled behind cars, nervously sweating and firing useless rounds at a towering figure in exosuit armor.
None of their bullets made a dent.
The supervillain Carnage Cannon raised his massive mechanical right arm — which had been replaced with a heavy-duty gatling cannon. A blast of red energy pierced straight through a nearby building.
"See that?" he sneered. "Put a hole in a whole damn building. And you're still standing there shooting peashooters? Give it up already."
But before he could get another word out, a yellow-and-blue blur smashed into him at supersonic speed, sending him flying through a department store and into the next city block.
"I know that guy — that's Carnage Cannon!"
"He saved us! Who are you?!"
With the crowd cheering, Mark stood tall, hands on hips, smiling confidently.
"Hi there! I'm… Invincible Boy!"
Mark didn't notice the shadowy figure hovering above the clouds.
Omni-Man stood watching, arms crossed, frowning.
He stared down at his son — smiling, carefree, thrilled to be a hero — as if this moment might be the last time he ever saw him like that.
Then he turned and flew away, this time toward Debbie's real estate office.
There, he quietly watched his wife help clients, her usual warmth and patience on full display. She explained every home in detail, answering questions with a smile.
Time passed. The sun moved across the sky.
Finally, Omni-Man closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. When he opened them again, his entire presence had changed. The warmth was gone. He was now a blade unsheathed, honed and ruthless.
"It's time."
Hesitating further wouldn't change what must be done.
He turned and shot off toward Utah — the Global Guardians' headquarters — tearing through clouds like lightning.
..................
300 PS= 1 bonus chapter's
Support me at patreon.com/INTRAX and read upto 30 Advanced Chapters!