Chapter 39: Best Friends

In the country of Indonesia, a beautiful island was under attack. Bali was a tourist attraction for all countries around the world, and it had become a target. Citizens of all races and ethnicities could be seen fleeing in terror. Another evil Invincible was making his rounds, destroying anything and everything.

In the Bali Hanging Gardens, a beautiful neighborhood resort in the treetops of the jungle, a blonde haired woman with glasses could be seen typing on her futuristic cell phone. Her hair was up in a bun, and she wore a business suit with a pencil skirt. She could see the destruction taking place on the beachfront which was only a few miles away. It wouldn't take long for it to reach this tranquil place.

People were already sprinting across the long bridges that connected the scenic place. While typing onto her phone, it started ringing. She immediately raised it to her ear.

"I need evac. Now!" She exclaimed.

"Evac request accepted. Hang tight. E.T.A. is 30 minutes." The voice answered calmly.

The woman looked down toward the beachfront. The explosions were getting closer. She couldn't help but bite her lip in frustration.

"That's not fast enough! I'm telling you this right now! If I die here today, a certain somebody won't leave a stone unturned until he finds out why I didn't survive!" She threatened.

The man over the phone paused for a second. His voice could be heard screaming in the background. It seemed as if he was relaying her words to other people. When he got back to the phone, he spoke.

"Two fighter jets and an attack heli are on the way. Stay safe. 10 minutes until arrival." He declared.

The blonde immediately hung up after the statement. Unknown to the people on the other side, it was all a bluff. This woman had no idea where her mystery man had gone. She hadn't seen him in years. It was as if he'd vanished after The Shift.

It was time to focus on the present. She had to get away from the area. Without another moment of delay, she took off running across the first bridge. There were several bridges that created a network of roads across the entire resort. It would take a while to reach the ground.

As she ran, her high heels tapped on the ground with every step. The woman clicked her tongue. They were making it harder for her to run at full speed. It only took a moment for them to come off. She held them in one hand while running along.

The sound of explosions grew closer and closer as she fled from the resort. Civilians and tourists pushed each other in an attempt to get away faster. Some of the unlucky ones were trampled. The blonde hurtled over these people with ease, reaching the other side.

Right when she got to the next bridge, she realized her time was up. The destruction had reached them. As she sprinted for dear life, a figure violently emerged from the woodworks.

BOOOM

The evil viltrumite burst into the open, massive trees and rocks crashing onto the resort. Several bridges were instantly broken. People screamed in fear as they plummeted to their death. One side of the blonde woman's bridge also collapsed, making the entire structure fall.

As she fell, she grabbed onto the rope railing of the bridge. If nothing was done, her life would be over. One hand held onto the rope while the other reached into the waistline of her skirt. A pistol was revealed. She aimed at the bindings of the rope and shot.

BAM

The bullet hit its target, and the rope unclasped from the bridge. Her legs wrapped around the rope as she swung through the air. She knew that people would die from her next action, but she had to do it if she wanted to live.

Another shot rang, and another bridge fell. She grasped onto the next rope and swung. It was almost as if she was trained to survive. Interesting if one knew her identity. Behind her, the alternate Invincible flew through the treehouses like a human projectile. The entire resort was crumbling.

A few swings later, and the blonde had made it to the ground. She quickly ran toward the beachfront. Innocent civilians fell from above, splatting on the ground like paste. She had to dodge the falling humans with every step. It was like a warzone, with explosions resounding all across the area. She was only able to glimpse the flying man for a second as he sped through the place at high speeds.

The woman was almost out of breath as she neared the beach. Her adrenaline was coursing through her, which caused her to miss the spectacle behind her. The bodies had stopped falling. Broken debris floated into the air. None of the crumbling buildings fell to the ground. It was as if time was frozen. Everything had stopped moving.

When she reached the beach, she quickly grabbed a stick and started to dig a massive 'SOS' into the sand. It was at this moment that two figures burst into the clearing.

BOOM

The evil Mark hurtled past the sand, skipping across the ocean. His body eventually stopped and he grit his teeth in pain. There was a hole in the side of his torso. He quickly accelerated back toward the beach in anger.

An intense surge of panic flooded the woman's system upon witnessing this scene. Her gaze turned to the other figure, who was now floating over the sand. His white cape flowed behind him in a gentle manner. There was an expression of indifference on his face. Her eyes widened upon seeing him. It had been years since she'd seen that cold visage.

Taz watched the approaching Invincible with disdain. He would just kill this one and continue on his way. In only a moment, the angry villain had arrived. The momentum continued as he prepared to crash into the stoic hero. Absolver's eyes glowed red. Two intense beams of heat burst forth, sending the man back into the ocean. He wouldn't be coming back out this time.

There was a moment of silence as the young elite floated in place. Taz was going to head straight to Angstrom Levy and eliminate any Invincibles on the way. He had already memorized a route that would take him there while killing a few enemies. Right before he took off, a voice brought him out of his focus.

"Taz?" The blonde called out. Absolver stopped in his tracks and turned around. When his gaze landed on the woman, he raised an eyebrow in slight surprise.

"Lexi." He answered.

The woman's jaw dropped in shock for a moment. She walked up to him and pointed her finger in his face. No words came out. She didn't know what to say. Lexi then turned around and walked across the sand.

Taz didn't say a word and followed at a slow pace. It seemed as if she was going through a rollercoaster of emotions. The blonde couldn't even decide what to do. After a moment, a small giggle escaped her lips.

"I knew it…You're a hero! I knew it! I fucking knew it!" She exclaimed.

"............."

The woman turned back to the powerful man and grabbed his collar. Her face was contorted with anger. She couldn't decide on what emotion to feel.

"You…Where have you been?! It's been years…WHY HAVEN'T YOU ANSWERED MY TEXTS?!?!?" She screamed. Absolver scratched the back of his head.

"...I no longer have a phone." He responded.

"You just disappeared after the college tour! Why didn't I realize you were Absolver?! Fuck…How did I not see that?! I thought we were best friends…but I get it. You don't care about me." She finished. Taz faltered for a second. He truly hadn't expected to run into her here.

"...You know my identity now. Therefore, you should understand that I have enemies. Very strong ones. If they found out that you were close to me, you wouldn't even know how you died." He explained.

"So you just stop talking to me? You just cut me off?!" She yelled in frustration.

"I disappeared. I haven't talked to anyone normal ever since. Though you don't seem normal anymore…Since when did you start walking around with pistols?" He questioned. Lexi frowned.

"Since when did you start caring about what I do?!" She answered with another question. It didn't seem like she'd calm down anytime soon. Taz rubbed his temple before looking away.

"...I have a world to save, so I'm gonna go." He announced. The blonde's eyes widened. She quickly jumped onto his floating figure. Her legs wrapped around his waist.

"No! Wait!"

"Lexi…"

"I carry guns now because…I'm a spy for the New Earth Federation." She revealed. Absolver frowned.

'If that's true, then there's a possibility that she knows Cecil.' He thought. The young elite could already feel a migraine coming. The peaceful solitude of his forest home seemed to be slipping away.

"And the clothes? You look like a business woman."

Lexi smirked and squeezed her thighs around him even tighter. She then leaned in his ear. Her lips slightly grazed his skin.

"Secretary by day, spy by night. Isn't that so hot?" She whispered sexily.

"...I see."

"You know…I found out Eve was a hero. I should've known you were one too."

"I'm not a hero." Taz denied.

"Then what are you?" She mocked.

"Lexi, we're wasting time. I have to go."

The blonde sighed and hopped off the man hunk. A smile once again adorned her face. As she walked circles around him, she spoke.

"You know…I've always wanted to do this…" She trailed off. Lexi was behind him at this point.

"Hmm?"

SMACK

Her hand slapped his bottom. Not only that, but she kept it there, squeezing on it for good measure. The young elite didn't know how to feel about that. It was the first time someone dared.

"Oh yeah…Those tights do you real good. Now go get 'em, stud!" She hummed.

Taz shook his head before blasting to the sky. It was time to end this. Lexi watched as he disappeared in the clouds. Right on cue, the sound of a helicopter entered her ears. It seemed that her threats to the Federation were no longer bluffs. Absolver wouldn't leave a stone unturned if she died.

The blonde couldn't help but pop a mischievous grin. Her best friend was back.