Chapter 35: Parallel Lines

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Saturday arrived with clear skies.

By eight in the morning, Helix Dynamics had transformed the city’s central plaza into a festival.

Children lined up for photographs.

Food stalls stretched across the square.

Blue banners fluttered above the crowd.

Every screen displayed the same message.

MEET VELOCYTE

Cheers erupted as Omar landed on the main stage.

Blue lightning rippled beneath his boots.

The applause was deafening.

He waved politely.

Inside the helmet…

He felt strangely empty.

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Across town…

Rasheed was replacing roof tiles for Mrs. Okafor.

The elderly woman laughed as he effortlessly carried stacks of materials up a ladder.

“You know…”

“If superheroes don’t work out…”

“…you’d make a decent handyman.”

Rasheed almost dropped a tile.

“You’d be surprised.”

She handed him a bottle of water.

“You always show up when someone needs help.”

He smiled.

“I learned that from someone.”

She nodded.

“Your father.”

Rasheed looked toward the horizon.

“Yeah…”

“My father.”

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Back at the plaza…

A little boy raised his hand.

“Velocyte!”

Omar knelt.

“What’s your name?”

“Kunle.”

“What do you want to ask me?”

The boy grinned.

“If Red Pulse challenged you to a race…”

“…who would win?”

The crowd laughed.

Cameras immediately focused on Omar.

Every reporter waited for a headline.

Omar paused.

Then smiled.

“I don’t know.”

The crowd went quiet.

“I’ve never raced him.”

“But…”

“If he’s out there saving people…”

“…then I hope we’re both too busy to find out.”

For the first time that day…

The applause felt genuine.

Watching from backstage…

The Director’s expression didn’t change.

But Dr. Sato smiled.

“That answer wasn’t in the script.”

“No.”

“It wasn’t.”

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At that exact moment…

Three blocks away…

Rasheed’s pocket watch began ticking wildly.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

He froze.

Mrs. Okafor noticed.

“Everything alright?”

“I…”

He looked toward the city center.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

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Beneath the festival…

Hidden under the old subway station…

Mr. Vale checked his watch.

“Thirty seconds.”

His men finished placing compact Chrona devices around the ancient tunnel walls.

Not bombs.

Resonators.

Small machines designed to awaken something sleeping beneath the city.

A lieutenant swallowed.

“Sir…”

“What if Helix detects us?”

“They won’t.”

“What about the speedsters?”

Vale smiled.

“They’re exactly where I want them.”

He pressed a small switch.

The resonators activated.

A low hum echoed through the underground tunnels.

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Above ground…

The pocket watch snapped open.

A crimson pulse erupted from it.

Rasheed caught it before anyone noticed.

Inside…

A new message appeared in his father’s handwriting.

Don’t let them wake the Second Vault.

His heart pounded.

“The plaza…”

Without another word, he dropped the hammer and sprinted.

Mrs. Okafor blinked.

“He didn’t even take his toolbox…”

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At the same time…

Helix command interrupted Omar’s public appearance.

A sharp tone echoed inside his helmet.

UNAUTHORIZED ENERGY SURGE DETECTED.

LOCATION: DIRECTLY BELOW THE PLAZA.

The Director’s voice followed.

“Evacuate the civilians.”

“Immediately.”

Omar didn’t hesitate.

“Ladies and gentlemen…”

“Please remain calm.”

Before anyone could react—

He vanished in a streak of blue lightning.

The crowd erupted into confusion.

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Deep underground…

The tunnel walls began to glow.

Ancient symbols carved into the stone illuminated one by one.

The air itself seemed to vibrate.

Mr. Vale stepped back.

“There you are.”

Far below…

Something enormous shifted.

Not a creature.

Not a machine.

A door.

One that hadn’t moved in decades.

The stone groaned.

Dust rained from the ceiling.

A faint crimson light escaped through the widening crack.

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Red lightning exploded into the tunnel from one entrance.

Blue lightning crashed in from the other.

Rasheed and Omar arrived simultaneously.

Both stopped.

Between them…

Mr. Vale calmly adjusted his silver gloves.

“So…”

He looked from one speedster to the other.

“…the city’s two guardians.”

“I’m honored.”

Neither Rasheed nor Omar spoke.

Mr. Vale smiled.

Then he did something neither expected.

He bowed.

Not mockingly.

Respectfully.

“I’ve been looking forward to meeting both of you.”

Behind him…

The ancient door opened another inch.

A wave of Chronal energy rolled through the tunnel.

For a brief second…

All three men saw the same impossible vision.

A city in ruins.

A crimson sky.

Two speedsters standing back-to-back.

And a single figure watching them from the horizon.

Then the vision vanished.

Silence.

Mr. Vale’s smile faded.

“So…”

“You saw it too.”

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