Chapter 28: Electrical storm

The city was alive with a storm. Rain fell in sheets, bouncing off rooftops, slicking streets, and illuminating the night with shimmering reflections. Derek perched atop a building, eyes scanning the neon-lit alley below. Every shadow could be a trap. Every flicker of light a signal.

Shockwave was here.

He adjusted his leather jacket, the wet fabric clinging to his lean frame. Spiky hair plastered against his forehead. His Kitana rested against his back, ready, the metal glinting dimly under the city lights. Derek could feel the electric hum even before he saw the source.

“Static energy, circuits running wild… and a guy with a serious ego,” Derek muttered to himself. “Perfect.”

A sudden flash lit the alley. Sparks leapt from a lamppost, forming arcs in the rain. Shockwave emerged, his gauntlets glowing violently, wires snaking like live serpents across his armored arms.

“You’re late, Thunder,” Shockwave called, voice echoing with distortion. “Or maybe you just like watching me play.”

“I’m right on time,” Derek said calmly, leaping from the rooftop. Landing on the wet asphalt, he squared up. “And I always finish what I start.”

Shockwave laughed, a metallic, vibrating sound. “You think speed alone will save you?” He raised his hands, arcs of electricity forming between his fingers. “This city will fry you before you blink.”

Derek grinned, rolling forward as a bolt slammed into the ground where he had just stood. “We’ll see about that.”

The fight ignited instantly. Derek darted left, then right, weaving through puddles that hissed under stray sparks. Shockwave’s gauntlets fired blasts in rapid succession, forcing Derek to calculate every step. One misstep, and he’d be cooked.

“You rely on reflexes!” Shockwave shouted, sending a concentrated bolt toward Derek’s chest. “You rely on agility! But raw power…” He slammed both fists into the asphalt, sending a jagged wave of electricity forward. “…beats finesse every time!”

Derek twisted midair, narrowly avoiding the pulse. He landed behind a dumpster, crouching low, eyes flicking for opportunities. “Then I’ll just have to… mix things up.” He grabbed a nearby metal pipe, twirling it with precision, eyes locked on Shockwave.

“You can’t touch me!” Shockwave roared. He surged forward, armor sparking as bolts of energy darted outward. Derek timed a perfect jump, landing on the edge of a fire escape, pivoting to kick the gauntlets’ wiring mid-strike. Sparks erupted, and Shockwave stumbled back.

“Annoying, aren’t you?” Shockwave hissed, readjusting his gauntlets. “You’ve got skills, but this city… it’s mine. I’ll fry it and you with it!”

Derek smirked. “Then I guess I better save it.” He vaulted from the fire escape, flipping over a low wall, then spun, striking Shockwave’s exposed chest plate with the metal pipe. Sparks flew, illuminating Shockwave’s stunned face.

“You think that’s enough?” Shockwave bellowed, regaining balance. “Try this!” He slammed his palms onto the wet ground. Electricity erupted, shooting up in jagged pillars around him, surrounding Derek.

Derek’s eyes narrowed. “A little dramatic, aren’t we?” He lunged, rolling past one surge, ducking under another. Each movement was precise, deliberate. Every dodge was a calculation.

“You’re fast,” Shockwave admitted, voice strained. “But can you predict the chaos?”

“Yes. Chaos has a pattern. You just make it messy.” Derek kicked a puddle toward Shockwave’s face, the water short-circuiting a portion of his gauntlets. Sparks crackled loudly. Shockwave stumbled back, furious.

“You’re going to regret this!” Shockwave yelled. He raised both hands, releasing a continuous electric arc. Derek flipped over it, grabbing a loose pipe hanging from scaffolding above. Using the wet metal as a conductor, he redirected part of the energy toward a nearby lamppost. The current arced across it, hitting Shockwave’s shoulder.

“Not enough,” Shockwave growled, trying to recover. But Derek was already moving—speed, precision, and strategy fused. A spinning kick sent Shockwave crashing into a dumpster.

“You’re persistent,” Shockwave said through gritted teeth, scrambling up. “But persistence won’t save you.” He charged, aiming a close-range shockwave strike.

“Close-range is my specialty,” Derek countered. He sidestepped, grabbed Shockwave’s wrist, and used his momentum to flip him into a steel railing. Sparks exploded around them as Shockwave slammed into the metal.

“Ungh! Enough!” Shockwave screamed, clutching his shoulder. “You’re… going to pay!”

Derek’s voice was calm, but each word carried weight. “Power isn’t everything. Skill, timing, and intelligence win fights.” He dropped low, sweeping Shockwave’s legs. Shockwave crashed to the ground, gauntlets sparking erratically.

“You… think you’ve won?” Shockwave hissed, struggling to rise. “You… can’t stop me!”

“Watch me,” Derek said, circling him. Every step calculated. Every eye movement read. He caught Shockwave off-guard, grabbing a dangling cable from the scaffolding. Pulling it, he yanked the energy directly into Shockwave’s chest plate. Sparks flew in a blinding arc. Shockwave convulsed, falling to his knees, his armor smoking.

Derek exhaled, gripping the pipe tightly. “Your storm ends here. And maybe now… you’ll learn why the Cold Genius doesn’t lose.”

Shockwave coughed, smoke rising. “I… will… return,” he whispered weakly.

“You can return,” Derek said, stepping back, the Kitana glinting in the lamplight. “But next time, don’t underestimate me—or the city.”

Lightning flashed overhead, illuminating the soaked streets. Derek turned toward the shadows, disappearing into the night. The battle was over, but the war… the war was far from done.

Above, the rain continued to pour. Derek’s silhouette vanished into the skyline, a calm figure against the chaos he had survived—and the storm he had conquered.

To be continued…