The stadium... The second Great Shadow... The scene defies belief.I hover above the stadium, my mouth agape, my mind struggling to comprehend what I'm seeing.
The Great Shadow, the terrifying creature that was about to devour thousands of people, is now sitting on the ground, acting like a teenager glued to a smartphone. Tweeting with anger issues? It's absurd. It's surreal. It's almost comical.I shake my head, trying to clear the confusion. This is not the time for laughter. There are still lives at stake.
"Computer," I say, my voice incredulous, "scan the Great Shadow. What's going on? Why is it acting like this?"The jet-bike analyzes the creature, running diagnostics, comparing its current state to its previous behavior."Analysis complete," the computer reports. "The Great Shadow has ingested a significant amount of... hormonal compounds. Its cognitive functions have been severely impaired. It is currently experiencing heightened emotional instability and a complete lack of focus."Hormonal compounds... Trans people... It all clicks into place. The Shadows gain the abilities of what they eat, but they also gain their disabilities. And in this case, the disabilities are... crippling.I stare at the Great Shadow, a mixture of relief and disgust washing over me. It's harmless, yes, but the implications are disturbing.
"So," I say, my voice barely audible, "all I have to do is... what? Ignore it? Let it tweet itself to death?"The thought is tempting, but I can't risk it. What if it snaps out of it? What if it regains its senses?I steel myself, preparing to strike. It's a mercy kill, really. A way to end its suffering, to prevent it from harming anyone else.
"Computer," I say, my voice firm, "target the Great Shadow's core. One shot. Make it quick."The Tek-Bow charges, aiming with precision, ready to deliver the final blow.I hesitate for a moment, a flicker of doubt crossing my mind. Is this the right thing to do? Is there another way?
But then I remember the faces of the victims, the screams of the terrified, the devastation wrought by the Shadows. There is no other way.I fire the Tek-Arrow, a beam of pure energy obliterating the Great Shadow in an instant. The stadium is safe. The threat is neutralized.
"One down," I say, my voice grim, "one to go."The message from the NYPD fills me with hope. They're using the biowaste. They're fighting back. They're winning.I smile, a surge of pride coursing through my veins. I am not alone in this fight. Humanity is rising up, finding its strength, its resilience, its will to survive.
"Where's the last Great Shadow?" I ask, my voice filled with renewed determination. "Let's finish this."