CAST OF HEROES

Chapter Thirty-One

James woke up chained against the wall. He struggled pulling against the chains as he sighed in defeat, clenching his teeth frowning. His body hung fifteen inches from the floor, his face bruised.

An android with a black skull face walked in the room as it looked at James when it turned its head.

"What do you want?" James frowned, clamping his hands to a fist. 

The android reached for a silver handle on the side of the wall as it pressed a button and drew out a long red laser whip.

James' eyes bulged. "Oh, hell no." 

 Blood leaked from James back as he experienced forty lashes from an android using a laser whip as it swung in momentum. The cold metallic hand, flinched in motion, whipping deep into his back that lasted for hours. Loud moans were heard all across the ship. The temperature of the room rose. Sweat dripped off James's face and chest, landing on the floor mixed with bloodstains. His lips quivered upward from the intensity of pain. His half-conscious mind drifted to his mother, Raya, and his friend Hunter. How he wanted to be home with them now on Earth 1.

Streams of red and blue lights alternated in unison above James' cell. He looked at the light dazed, vision blurry. James' face ached as he moved his jaw. Loud footsteps crunched on the steel floor. The door opened, letting out a whooshing sound. Saladin strode inside James' cell in his black uniform. He looked at James, examining him, pulling his head upward. "You are strong, boy, and you will be ready for the next phase."James pulled his head away from his grip.

"My friends will come. They won't rest until they find me." James glared at him.

Saladin smirked. "Yes, I will be expecting them. The one missing piece would be Millennia. After I destroy all of humanity from all worlds, I will send you back to your Earth begging for a quick release. Everything you hold so dear to you will be an afterthought. Then, I will be able to recreate the Superior race."

"You won't get what you want Saladin, I will stop you." James strained against his restraints."I will."

Saladin laughed."No, you won't stop me, boy. Your power has been drained. Soon you will be broken. You will aid me, son."

James gritted his teeth, frowning. "I will never help you. Never!"

"Oh, you will, boy. You will." Saladin eyes  glowed a deep green. "In time, you will see the world I make. You will serve me."

James spat on Saladin's face. Saladin's green aura grew around his body, as the mucous evaporated from his skin. He backhanded James hard in the face, punched him in the stomach, and drew blood from his mouth causing him to spasm in pain. Each breath he took cracked a rib. Saladin circled behind him and pressed on James' back with his hand, putting pressure on the wound that had a heavy red bruise cemented in blood. 

"You will learn." Saladin punched James' face with hard blows. "To respect my authority, boy!"

James' eyes dazed as he felt hope slipping from his grasp. Despair pounded in his heart, knowing that he was trapped. His hands clenched against the chains. Muscles contracted as James twisted and budge against the chains. A flicker of green and blue energy formed in his eyes. 

Saladin glowing green eyes widened with curiosity. "Yes, you have the same look as Millennia. That same fire in your eyes." Saladin pulled and gripped James' head back with his hand. "And that fire will be put out." Saladin punched James hard, knocking him out. 

Saladin opened the door and walked out of James' cell. He received a call from his silver red blinking wrist band. He clicked on it as a holographic image of Nabal appeared. "What is it, Nabal? It better be good---"