The Ring

Aaron is always in a trance, it seems. He doesn’t eat or sleep and he has become almost emotionless in the last few weeks.
 
When he isn’t in a trance, he’s in the vault working on gadgets. We are always connected, Aaron and I. Never speaking anymore, but always connected.
 
He’s terribly worried about the ones he loves. He’s gone so far as to attempt imbuing ‘pieces’ of the runeforce into trinkets, hoping to give them to Regina and Jeremy…just in case. But also to Sarah, when she comes home again, eventually.
 
He gave me one of the rings he made, knowing that I’m closer to Sarah these days…hoping I can give it to her without raising suspicions. I’m not sure why he won’t tell her what he is now…even with our mind’s connected, he won’t reveal that to me.
 
Sarah has been trying to organize resistance fighters for several years now, but they just don’t have a chance. I flew her out to help a group in Portland, but almost as soon as we got there, they were under attack by Black Talon agents.
 
So, of course, Sarah calls for help from the New Champions using the open DarkR web. And Aaron instantly connects the dots, portaling to the XPlore Plane, then to Homestead, and then back to the XPlore Plane with several of the New Champions alongwith.
 
He’s angry with me, but I’m glad I did it. And I’m glad I had the plane here…or else he couldn’t have gotten here so quickly with the New Champions. The XPlore Plane is an innate ‘safe’ location for him. He can portal into the plane from almost anywhere in the world, it seems.
 
I think openly to Aaron, “Sharpe, when I was bringing Sarah here on the plane, I saw government vehicles approaching the warehouse where we keep the plane. That location isn’t safe anymore. They are catching up to us more quickly nowadays.”
 
His thoughts were short and intense “That doesn’t matter right now, Fazer. We have to protect Sarah.”
 
He didn’t even ask me why I agreed to bring Sarah here. And then the New Champions all just spring into action…
 
And, of course, I remain in the plane…in standby. I might as well be in a ‘trance’ like Sharpe is most of the time these days.
 
Maximum Resistance and the others move straight up toward the front of the fighting. Lil’Rocket just seems to swirl in and out of the bad guys, I can’t even pinpoint where he is and where he isn’t.
 
The new hero on the team, Liliana stays back with Runeforce…but I can tell she is mentally attacking the agents. I’ve heard others talk about her powers causing anguish over past regrets…boy would Aaron have a hard time if she ever turned on him.
 
But she and Runeforce fight side by side. Runeforce opens a supernova near a handful of agents down the street — his powers are more destructive than I’ve seen before. He’s angry.
 
The large mechs seem to come out of nowhere from behind Liliana and Runeforce — a blast hits both of them square-on. Runeforce is unmoved and Liliana seems to be pushed back only a bit. I’m gripping the controls of the plane. Should I join the battle? I can heal Liliana if she’s hurt…but I sense from Runeforce that all is fine.
 
In the next moment, Runeforce enacts protective auras around them both…and then around almost the entire building across the way. He’s afraid Sarah is in that building.
 
Soon enough, Ghost appears near that same building and punches the lights out of the last few Mechs. Literally.
 
And as soon as it began, this fight is over. Aaron portalled several injured agents into the plane for a moment while they healed. He doesn’t want me to come nearby while Sarah is there. He’s afraid if I’m close-by, it will eventually lead to him having to tell her the truth about who he is.
 
And eventually, he portals away on his own…back into the Sharpe Mansion Vault in Millennium City. And the New Champions return to Homestead.
 
On the return trip, Sarah comes and sits in the co-pilot’s seat…where Aaron usually sits.
 
“Should I tell my father what I’m doing?” she asks.
 
“You will when you are ready. I’m sure he has a few secrets of his own. Maybe one day you’ll both be ready to talk to each other about your secrets.” I respond, truthfully…hoping Aaron isn’t already in a trance and is still listening to my thoughts.
 
Sarah smiles, “Yeah, one day I’ll tell him. I just hope he’s proud of what I’m doing.”
 
“He’s proud of you, Sarah. Believe me.” I reach into my pocket and take the signet ring Aaron imbued with the runeforce into my hand, offering it to Sarah. “He wants you to have this. Put it on now and never take it off, OK?”
 
Sarah looks confused, “What? Why? Is everything OK?”
 
“Yes, he gave me one as well. He’s just getting sentimental, I guess.” Fazer shows Sarah the ring on her right pinkie finger. “At least it’s a nice-looking ring. He’s made worse…”
 
There is laughter at the memory of past creations, experiments, and ‘accidents’. And after a few moments, Sarah puts on the ring and then stands up to leave.
 
“Never take it off, Sarah. Promise me.”
 
“I promise.” Sarah says quietly as she walks away toward the back of the plane.
 
In my thoughts, I whisper to Aaron, “She’s wearing the ring now…if you are even listening.”
 
After a few moments, Runeforce’s thoughts answered quietly, “I am.”