The Beginning of the End Part 4

"Everyone in the room stood in amazement as Trent flew into the machine. The light beam hit him, and he screamed and cried like a newborn. The students gasped in fear. Finally, the beam stopped, and so did Trent's screams. A pile of smoke covered the machine, like an indoor fog."

"Barbara was in tears as she ran toward the man who had pushed Trent into the machine. She began hitting him in the chest, screaming, 'You killed him!' The man pushed Barbara away."

The man's mouth curved into a deep frown. "That's what happens when anyone defies me," he said. Diogo frowned, annoyed. The man's face mirrored Diogo's expression as he watched him leave the room. Diogo's heavy footsteps grew fainter as he made his way to the control room.

"Barbara surprised everyone, including herself, when she gave the man a spinning kick to the face. The man let out a groan and spat out a mouthful of blood and a tooth. As he looked at Barbara, his eyes were cold and hard. He grabbed a handful of her hair and slammed her face into the ground. Barbara cried out in pain."

The man pulled out his gun, his bleeding lips twisting into a snarl. "You've really pissed me off," he said. He aimed the gun at Barbara, his finger hovering over the trigger. The students closed their eyes, bracing for the worst. Barbara took a deep breath and closed her eyes. They heard a gunshot ring out, but when they opened their eyes, Barbara was still standing there. An iron plate had appeared out of nowhere, deflecting the bullet and knocking the gun out of the man's hand."

"Where did that come from?" Anton exclaimed. Everyone looked around, their eyes darting from corner to corner, but they couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Suddenly, they heard a low rumbling sound, like a muffled thunderstorm. The walls began to shake, and the lights flickered on and off. The students looked at each other, their faces pale with fear.

As the students watched in horror, the Norman 3.0 started to shake and vibrate. A cloud of smoke billowed out from its insides, making it difficult to see what was happening. And then, a figure emerged from the machine. He was tall and muscular, with broad shoulders and a chiseled jawline. He wore a necklace with an X-shaped pendant around his neck.

Barbara struggled to comprehend what she was seeing. The figure that emerged from the Norman 3.0 looked eerily familiar. "Trent?" she asked, but even as she said the name, she was uncertain. The room was filled with a palpable tension as everyone stared at the man, their expressions a mixture of fear and wonder. The man who had shot Barbara was frozen in place, his eyes darting around the room, taking in the expressions of the people gathered there. The silence was broken by a cacophony of whispers as people began talking to each other, their voices hushed and urgent.

The man that came out of the machine gazed at the man who shot Barbara coldly with a gaze capable of piercing anyone's heart and triggering fear. "No one hurts my friends" the man from the machine finally said. Barbara was assured it was Trent. Everyone in the room were able to recognize him but he looks manly and bigger now. Trent double taps the necklace's pendant. A sleek, black skintight attire with gold stripes deploys over Trent's body.

As the man who had emerged from the Norman 3.0 gazed at the other man, his expression was one of cold fury. His eyes were like daggers, and they seemed to bore into the other man's soul. "You hurt my friends," the man said in a voice that was low and deadly. A hush fell over the room as everyone watched the scene play out. Barbara knew, without a doubt, that this was Trent. Though he looked older and more muscular, his face was still the same, and his eyes still held the same intensity they had all those years ago.

With a quick flick of his finger, Trent tapped the necklace's pendant three times. The air around him shimmered and pulsed, as if responding to his touch. Suddenly, a sleek, black suit materialized over his body. The suit was as smooth and tight as a second skin, and it was patterned with intricate gold stripes that glittered in the light. The transformation was complete, and Trent stood before them, looking like a completely different person.

As everyone in the room watched in astonishment, one of the students from the other school - Linda - finally broke the silence. "The naerse technology actually works," she said, the disbelief evident in her voice. She had been skeptical of the project, but now she was forced to admit that John Wales, Fane and their team had been successful. 

Fane, ever the showman, jumped to his feet, a look of triumph on his face. "It worked!" he cried, his voice ringing with delight. 

Fane's exclamation was met with a wall of stern glares from the others, who were less than impressed by his celebratory antics. Undaunted, Fane pulled himself up to his full height and tried to affect an air of dignified composure. "Of course, I knew it would work," he said, his smirk barely concealed by a thin veneer of composure. He couldn't help but allow a hint of smugness to creep into his voice. "What can I say? I'm a genius." His words were met with a collective roll of the eyes from his colleagues.

Trent's over confidence got the better of him, and he sprinted towards the four glowing geeks, arms outstretched. They all turned to face him, their eyes glowing brighter than ever. They all opened fire. Trent let out an audible groan and hunched over, clutching his midsection. A shocked silence filled the room, until Barbara and Sydney broke the spell, shouting "Trent!" in unison.

Trent brushed himself off and stood up, his expression turning sly. With a mischievous grin, he sprinted towards the first man, leaping over him and wrapping his legs around the man's head. With a quick twist, Trent brought the man crashing down to the floor with a heavy thud. The man groaned and clutched his back, a look of pain etched across his face. The others in the room gasped in surprise, unsure of what to do next. Trent looked around the room, a hint of smugness on his face.

Sydney couldn't help but wonder, "How did he do that?" Barbara shook Sydney out of his thoughts and told him they needed to help Trent. One of the glowing geeks held a gun to Trent's head, his hands shaking with fear. "One more step and I'll blow your head off," he stammered, fully aware that bullets couldn't harm Trent. They had fired countless rounds at him, but not a single scratch had been left on his body. The others in the room were at a loss, eager to know what would happen next. It was like something out of a movie for the students watching.

"Trent, catch!" Barbara shouted, tossing the titania bracelet in his direction. Trent quickly slid his leg around, knocking the man with the gun off balance. He caught the bracelet and swiftly put it on, the lights flashing across his body. In an instant, two duel titania submachine guns appeared in his hands. With a flourish, he gripped the guns in a cool, calculated pose. The others could only stare in awe.

Trent's eyes started to glow - one bright blue, the other vibrant green. A digital heads-up display popped up in his vision, showing a myriad of stats, data, and options. A voice spoke inside his head. "Welcome and congratulations! You have successfully paired with the suit and I am now at your service." The voice was a mix of robotic precision and feminine grace. A million possibilities raced through Trent's mind as he realized what this meant - he had total control over the suit and its capabilities.