Mod Superhero

Chapter 4.8 - Aftermath

Arsenal waved a dismissive gauntlet. "The suit's not all it's cracked up to be."

Mod turned back toward Krystal and smirked. "What about we turn you into a cyborg?"

Krystal looked him up and down, eyeing his injuries. "No, thank you!"

The group shared a hearty laugh. Mod followed along, half-wanting to ask if his injuries really looked that bad. He wouldn't have guessed it from the pain alone, but then he'd had worse. Much worse.

The group walked with the flow of returning capes. Serenity led the teams toward the repurposed office building. Medical teams were already triaging the returning capes, funneling them toward medical tents or monitoring areas with practiced efficiency.

Larian said he wasn't injured but offered to help Krystal to a medical tent.

It quickly dawned on Mod that the group would be going their separate ways for the day. Most of them seemed alright enough, but Krystal didn't. And Mod and Arsenal needed to get back to the lab.

Each time they sparred together, the group stayed together afterward. Sometimes they reviewed their tactics, but most times they just hung out. They were friends, after all.

Sometimes, it surprised Mod just how quickly that had happened.

"We'll find you later," Mod called after them.

Larian and Krystal turned and both laughed. Krystal blew a strand of hair out of her face and said, "Just worry about yourself."

Mod, Arsenal, McGuire, and Cherry stepped out of the flow of returning capes so they didn't hold up traffic.

McGuire adjusted his mask. "I guess this is goodbye."

Arsenal scoffed. "You say it like we're not going to see each other tomorrow."

McGuire replied, "I don't know what I'm going to do without Mod. I haven't slept by myself in, like, a month."

Cherry chuckled, and Mod rolled his eyes.

"Don't say that so loud. Some of these capes might write fanfiction," Mod replied jokingly.

McGuire glanced around suspiciously, like he was about to make another joke, but TINA interrupted him.

"I'll monitor Summit forum accounts for anything suspicious."

Cherry snorted. "Come on, McGuire. Some of us humans need to rest." She held out her arm for McGuire, and the pair walked arm in arm toward the tents.

Mod and Arsenal watched them go.

Before they could leave, a nearby medic took one look at Mod, then tried ushering him toward a medical tent.

Arsenal stepped forward. "He's a cyborg. He needs repairs."

The medic looked Mod up and down. Their face was a mix of confusion and concern.

Serenity came over a second later.

"He'll be fine," Serenity replied. Then she turned to Mod and Arsenal. "How fast can you be ready for action?"

TINA replied in Mod's ear, "Prosthetic repairs will take approximately one hour. Most organic wounds will heal in twelve to twenty-four hours. Your thigh will take one to two days to heal completely."

Mod blinked. He hadn't been exactly sure what to expect, but it felt like his organic healing had gotten even faster.

"I should be ready by this evening."

Serenity turned to Arsenal expectantly.

Arsenal replied flatly, "I'll be ready by this afternoon."

Serenity nodded, then looked out over the rest of the returning capes and the trainees. Her lips pursed in concern.

"I wish I could give you more time, but I don't think we'll get it. Stay home for the day and rest. I'll expect you back here tomorrow morning. If they attack again, I'll message you. If that happens, I expect you to fly your asses back here as quickly as you can."

~

Mod and Arsenal boarded a heavy drone bound for the lab. Once the drone doors closed, Arsenal climbed out of her suit, and the two of them peeled off their masks.

Despite the fact that they were both tired and ragged, Emmett couldn't help but admire Clara. She sighed and pushed back stray strands of hair. Even now, she exuded power and poise.

Thankfully, Clara didn't notice him gawking. She sat on the metal bench next to him and leaned against his shoulder.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Clara's hand found his and their fingers laced together.

Emmett smiled and sighed. "Why does everybody keep asking me that?"

"Because you look like shit," she replied, squeezing his hand.

"I'll be fine. That was pretty rough out there though, wasn't it?"

Clara nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Emmett let his worries drift away and focused on the weight of Clara against his shoulder—the feeling of her hand in his.

"I could go for a coffee," Mod said quietly.

"Deal."

That was the last they said to each other on the trip back to the lab. Then there was only comfortable silence and the quiet hum of the heavy drone.

~ ~ ~