Valeria trembled as the monster's claws began to dig into her torso. Even though it perforated the woman's skin only a quarter inch, she yelled out in excruciating pain. The powerful energy dancing on its fingers appeared to boil blood on coming in contact.
Valeria closed her eyes, and a tear rolled down her cheek. She didn't expect to die that way but was glad it was through Caesar's hands.
Suddenly, a voice echoed from above. "Victor! Listen to me!"
Five of Maverick's drones hovered over the site, just outside the time bubble. Their speakers were on full blast. A female voice spoke to the creature through them.
Victor froze momentarily, then turned his face towards the sky, eyeing the drones and baring his fangs in annoyance.
"It's me! Haley! Have you forgotten me? Don't you remember you are Caesar? The Peerless Man With A Thousand Gifts! The brave one who vowed to save the world? Don't regress down this path and break your promises! Don't become a villain!"
Victor's hideous face suddenly looked like he was confused and disoriented. Then he snapped his head back at Val. He retreated his claws and released from his grip.
The young woman fell to her knees and gasped for breath. She looked down at her lacerated, bloody chest. Victor had been moments away from digging into her heart.
"It's working!" Haley said to Maverick. "Go ahead with the plan!"
"Oh, I'm not so sure about that…"
The creature looked up and pointed a glistening claw at a drone. Boom! A beam of energy focused and shot out, blasting the drone out of the sky.
"Dammit!" Maverick cursed. "Your plan isn't working, Miss Haley! This was a bad idea! What do we do now?"
While Haley panicked at a loss of ideas, Claire stepped forward and took the microphone from her. "Let me talk to him! Let me see if he responds to my voice."
Claire's voice appeared over the speakers shortly. "Victor, it's me! What's going on with you? You told me you'd be back home safely soon! Don't forget your promise! Please, I am waiting for you! Don't give up your humanity!"
At this point, the creature hesitated and growled incoherently. However, it recovered within seconds and shot down two more drones. Now, the last two drones hovered above the location, within its shooting range.
Maverick, Haley, and Claire's faces drooped. They realized Victor was too far gone and wasn't likely to listen to reason or emotion.
However, another individual snatched the microphone from Claire. This time, the voice was replaced again. "Victor… I'm so sorry…"
Carol was on the microphone, and her eyes were streaming with tears. Her voice was shaking but full of conviction.
"I betrayed you! All of this happened because of me! You almost died for the choices I made! Punish me for my mistake… But please… Don't hurt your friends… Don't punish yourself… Remember who you are… Caesar is not the only identity you have!"
"You're a man who'd give up everything for the people he loves! You're a grandson, a friend, a boss, an employee! And you used to be the perfect, selfless husband too! There are other roles Victor Damone has to play in this world apart from the savior's!"
"Victor… Your noble soul won't change no matter how powerful you become or what transformation you go through! If I am wrong, then prove me wrong right now! Kill us all! Otherwise… If I am right, come back to us! Come back to me!"
Carol's voice was full of tremors but was overloaded with emotion. It brought silence in the war council room and the battlefield. The creature had hung onto every word, and its body had become still.
Suddenly, the time bubble burst, and its frozen prisoners fell back into regular speed. The army people scurried away to the Greyhound armored cars to escape.
Victor held his misshapen head in his claws, struggling against his inner beast. He fell to his knees and let out a ferocious roar. His slit eyes returned to human form, giving a semblance of his former self.
"It worked!" Julia exclaimed. "You're awesome, Carol! Clearly, Victor loves you the most. Your words broke through his barriers even though we all thought he was too far gone!"
Claire and Haley exchanged jealous glances. Why would he love a woman who betrayed him and almost got him killed? But the answer was right before them and could not be denied. They could clearly see that Victor responded to Carol's voice while ignoring theirs. Did he still love her?
Carol smiled bitterly and shook her head. "No, he doesn't love me anymore, Julia. It's just that I never got a chance to apologize to him properly. My betrayal must have weighed on him heavily, making him weak. Victor might have superhuman abilities, but on the inside, he is human, just like us. If he decides to forgive himself, his burden will be truly lifted."
As the others debated Victor's recovery, his skin darkened again, and the human eyes reverted to monster slits. The human transition tilted towards creature form again.
"No, not again!" Haley cried out.