I descended a long flight of stairs, slowly pacing myself. Sure, I could've used my super speed to get there faster. First of all, I think I deserve a little break after running at high gear for a long period of time. But that's just an excuse; in truth, I'm scared. Thanks to my Mind's eye, I know that below is the person who could destroy tanks with his bare hands. He wasn't doing anything, just standing there, waiting for me.
Thankfully, Gavin didn't make me speed up; he probably realized what I'm feeling. Eventually, I was in front of a large metal door. I could feel it, this is the door that leads to Atlas.
"Any advice?"
"Don't slow down and don't let him grab you."
I was hoping for a more emotional advice, but I guess that will do. I took a deep breath before plunging my hands deep into the metal. With my hands, it was like tearing wet paper. I ripped apart the metal door just enough for my body to squeeze in, and in there, I found myself in a large white room. It was a very, very spacious space, and there wasn't anything here aside from the large man in the middle.
"Welcome." He greeted me.
I know that Gavin was a pretty big guy, but Atlas blows his physique and height out of the water. He looks to be nearly seven feet tall! With muscles that are grotesque. He had slick dark brown hair with a goatee. He was wearing simple grey jogging pants and a black tank top which shows his titanic muscles.
He was giving me a smug smirk, looking unbothered that someone ripped a steel door open in front of him. My heart starts to pound. Is he really confident he could take me on? Atlas looks at me with curiosity.
"Interesting, you're wearing SEE goggles and yet, you're wearing what seems to be a poor attempt at a superhero suit. I doubt the higher-ups will let you wear that?"
What the heck is he talking about? What higher-ups?
"He must've thought you're one of the government's science projects or a weapon to take him out. Either way, that's good, he doesn't know anything, don't answer anything that could expose you!"
Ah, so that explains it.
"So, who sent you? The Americans, the Canadians? And that speed? Are you some kind of new super soldier project they're working on?"
I stayed silent, firstly from Gavin's advice and secondly, I was frozen rooted to the spot. Too afraid to move, let alone speak. Atlas's face shifted to a disappointed one.
"Not a talker, eh? Maybe this will loosen your lip."
I tense at his menacing words. Atlas dug around his pocket to pull out a phone and started to tap on it. Is he so confident that he would take his eyes off me, despite knowing what I'm capable of!? Is Atlas really that strong? My thoughts were cut off as the wall behind Atlas's started to shift.
The wall opened to reveal thick glass, and behind that glass made my mouth drop and my stomach to tighten. It was a large rocket as big as a school bus. It was yellow and in the corner there were two black lines in the middle.
"The bomb," I say heavily.
"That's right. I told you that would loosen your lip." Atlas said smugly, juggling his phone with one hand.
I gulped. "Look, you don't have to do this? Just give up, and no one gets hurt."
But much to my chagrin, Atlas begins to laugh like I just told him a joke.
"Now I know you're not with the government, usually they send their boys to kill me, but you..." He gestured to me.
"You're not a killer, are you? And seeing as you didn't try to harm my men and instead drag them to the middle of the forest without their equipment, it tells me that you've never been in a fight."
My heart stopped, and tried as I might, I couldn't stop my body shaking. Atlas sighs, sounding almost disappointed.
"I was hoping for a good brawl, oh well. Though I'm curious how you know about all this and who sent you, but I suppose it doesn't matter now."
Atlas then tapped his phone once more, and suddenly, the room containing the nuclear bomb's lights started to pulse red. Then a loud and clear female computer speaker voices out:
"BOMB LAUNCHING IN 15 MINUTES, PLEASE EVACUATE THE BUILDING."
I looked at Atlas, horrified, and his face continued to remain smug. He crushes the phone in his hand before tossing it away.
"Wha-what did you do!?" I screamed.
"You seem slow, I activated the launching of the bomb." He cracked his neck and knuckles.
"You're insane, you're going to get caught by the blast!!"
Atlas smirks, I tense as he confidently gets close to me, walking as if there isn't a bomb about to be lunch and vaporize Toronto as well as this building.
"No, after I'm done with you. I'm going to leave this place via chopper. And I only need five minutes to kill you."
He says, his smug face was suddenly replaced by a serious one, and he started to charge at me. I gasped, he was freaking fast. I leaped to the side just as slammed his fist to where I stood previously. The ground formed a large crack.
"Ben, you've got to stop the bomb from going off now!" Gavin shouts.
He's right, Atlas doesn't matter right now. I need to stop it from launching. I moved to get to the room, only for Atlas to grab onto my hood before throwing me back to the wall. Before I could process what happened, he was upon me. Grabbing my chest before slamming my body to the ground.
"BEN!"
"Too bad for-ugh!?"
I spat on his eye, making his grip upon me loose, and I ran to get some distance. I looked at Atlas, who wiped his eyes, giving me a nasty glare.
"You, brat..." He growls.
I gulped, taking a step back.
"Kid, are you okay?"
"Yeah, it didn't hurt, not that much."
I wasn't lying, though, while it didn't hurt, I could most certainly feel his blows. It felt more of a playful punch to me rather than something that could knock my lights out. Still the fact that I felt it shows how strong he is.
"Stop the bomb, kid, stop the bomb!" Gavin repeats.
I look at Atlas, who ran up to block my way to the bomb. Another smug smile formed on his face. As if saying I would never get the bomb unless I get past him. That can be arranged.
I took a deep breath before using my super speed to grab him by the arm, intending to drag him to where the rest of his goons are. But before I could pull, he felt his other hand connect to my side, and I REALLY felt that. I gasped, letting his arm go, and as soon as I did, he spartan kicked me to the chest, launching me into the air before my body tumbled to the ground.
"Did you think you could do the same thing to me like you did to the others? Idiot, who do you think I am?"
I groaned, getting up, clinging to the side. I glared at Atlas.
"It's no use, dragging him isn't going to cut it. He's blocking the way to the nuke, there is no choice but to fight him."
My heart dropped. Like fight him, fight him? Like punch his chest like I-. I shook my head furiously, no, there is gotta be some way.
"Come on, Gav- I mean, man, can't you just hack it to stop the launch!" I shouted to him, desperate for any other way.
Atlas chimes in. "Tell whoever you're talking to that it's pointless!"
"What!?"
"The code is too complex, it would take too much time for your hacker to stop it, and even if you did, the nuke will detonate on its own just a bit after its launch." He gloats.
I grit my teeth in frustration. Things got worse and worse. I can't get him out of the way, Gavin can't stop it, and I don't have much on my hands! It was as if the universe wanted me to fight. But I can't!
The memory of Emily's dad flashes in my brain.
"You've got to fight, Ben! There is no other choice!"
"But, I-I-I don't want to hurt anyone."
"That's disappointing, at least you're an easy kill!"
Atlas interrupted my thoughts as he leapt in the air. I jumped to the side, only barely dodging a superman punch. He tried to punch again, but I dodged. A left hook was barely dodged. This pattern keeps going several times.
"I get it, Ben. I know you don't want to hurt anyone, you're kind like that, but right now you have no choice!"
I wanted to yell back that I won't do it, but Atlas planted his foot in my stomach again. And again, I find myself on the ground groaning while tending to my abdomen, which is most likely bruised right now.
"I don't want to hurt anyone," I muttered weakly.
"I'm sorry, Ben. But the world doesn't always work with just words." He says in a softer tone.
"Unfortunately, sometimes words cannot get through a person, sometimes your actions are the only thing they can hear."
I got back up, Atlas was marching towards me, and a savage smile formed on his mouth.
"Inaction is sometimes even worse than committing harm. If you don't do something, everybody, including your family, will die!"
Atlas didn't cocked back his fist and aimed it straight at my head. His first seems to travel in slow motion. I thought about Emily, Gavin, my family, and everyone. I can't afford to let them down! Before Atlas' fist could connect, I grabbed his arm. Atlas made a noise of surprise, and before he could pull back, I launched a haymaker right on his jaw, which landed and caused him to stumble.
Atlas made a grunt of pain. I didn't allow myself to recover, I screamed as I launched several more haymakers and a couple of jabs aimed at his face. He took multiple steps back, and his nose and mouth were bleeding from my attacks.
"You, BRAT!"
A swift punch nearly landed, but I ducked to avoid it. I cocked back my fist, suddenly my hand felt hot like something warm was coating it. I ignored the feeling as I rammed my knuckles at Atlas's chest which sent him flying before crashing to the wall creating webs of cracks. I pant for a few moments before looking at my fist.
"Woah..."
Wrapped around my hand was red electricity, dancing from my hand to my arm. I looked at Atlas, who gritted his teeth in pain and before looking where I punched him. His tank top was damaged severely, and there was a nasty burn where I punched him.
"I didn't know you did that."
"Me, neither..." I say, looking at the crimson electricity on his hand, it then vanished into thin air along with its warmth.
I looked at Atlas, who was in pain, and a pang of guilt and worry filled me. I couldn't believe I would hit someone again after what happened. Thankfully, or thankfully, not sure which one, Atlas got up with some difficulty. To my surprise, he didn't look mad; in fact, he seemed almost giddy.
"Yes, that was amazing! I'd never felt someone hit me that hard!"
Atlas wipes the blood off his face, but still leaves a red smear on his face.
"This is a good opportunity to use 'That'."