Chapter 52 [Grand Revealing]

Night,
Lina

After getting out of the cab, my hair was barraged by the cold winter wind, I ran my finger through my brunette wavy hair to stop it from fluttering in the wind.

"Stop messing with your hair. You gonna ruin it" Li scolded me as she gets out from the cab behind me.

"But the wind—" I was pulled by Li toward the steps leading to the front door of the buildings.

In front of the glass double door stood a large man in a suit checking the tickets of each guest, Li stop pulling me and begin to search for ours tickets in her handbag; I look around the entrance, seeing a massive number of people in fancy dress and suit exiting their luxury cars and heading toward the glass door.

When I turn and face the entrance once more, I was intrigued by the statue stood beside the entrance, the perfectly curved human statue resembles the one from the greek; the smooth surface and the perfectly chiseled edges, you can tell that it was done by a professional.

"Here you go," Li said as she hands over the tickets to the man.

"Everything checks out, go right ahead," the man said.

Li and I both went inside of the building, the white light shines from above. The architecture of this building was something else, I been studying it in college on how it mixes between Greek style of architecture and modern days architecture.

The interior of the building is completely shaped like a cylinder and a spiral ramp that go upward to the highest floor, along the ramp painting of a different kind of style hang from the bottom level to the highest level. I heard the highest level of the building has an observatory with a glass-domed ceiling that you can view the sky of Lunarhaven.

The bottom floor of where I stood is packed with different types of guests, they all in their every group talking with each other, I see a couple waiter here and there, bringing guest snacks and drinks. Most of the guest look like fancy rich people that I don't usually mingle on a regular basis so I tend to avoid them.

"Your coat Miss?" A voice appeared beside me; turning my head I could see it as one of the workers recognizable by their uniform politely ask me for my coats.

"uhh.. sure," I said; as I take off my coat and give it to her, Li did the same things.

The worker left after giving us the number for our coats, as I turn around to talk to Li, she was nowhere to be seen, when I look for her; I could see her black dress that tied up by lacing on each side. She already surrounded by people and already socializing and taking the number of different men attending the event even the women are snared by her charm.

I let out a sighed, as I couldn't believe that Li left me all alone here.

You know what I'm here to look at the amazing art, that what I'm gonna do; I slowly headed toward the ramps to see the painting up close.

"The economy has been stable for a while since the powered has gone"

"I'm not sure myself there is a business to be made in powered themselves"

"back when they exist, our stock was skyrocketed"

"but surely it was not a stable thing, remember what happens to last company that sponsors a power after they were gone that company went totally bankrupt"

"You all talked about powered and how we sponsor them, you know what the best part of having a super-powered? it's the destruction they caused"

"Think about it. How many time that a company was handed contracts provided by the government to repair, restore even build a new building? Oh I remember those days, our board has never been happy with the profit"

This is the conversation I heard as I passed the few people that were talking to each other, the way that they talk about superpowered as if they were a thing, a business, a profit to be made. I was disgusted by their conversation but I couldn't do anything about it because it's how the world work.

I stop in my track as a painting catch my eyes, it a picture of Aegis the superhero exist before I was born, the painting imbued with brightly color, it depicts the golden age of superhero the time in which they all fight for justice and the good of mankind against the evil supervillain at that time.

In the corner of my eyes: I notice a boy wearing a suit while his hand holding an Aegis superhero action figure; his eyes glimmer with excitement and wonder as he stares at the painting.

"Do you like the painting?" trying to strike a conversation with the boy.

"Yes. the painting is beautiful, I love aegis, when I grow up, I want to be just like him!" The boy answer; not taking his eyes off the painting

"Do you like Aegis Miss?" The boy asks.

"Yes, I do. He is awesome" I answer; beaming a smile at him.

"I know!" The boys said excitedly; as he turns his head toward me and looks at me with a giant smile on his face.

"Remember those fight he had with Dr. Claw, he was like Pow, Pow, and Smash!' The boy said; while trying to reenact some of its scenes.

"Of course I remember. My mom had it on tape, I sometimes watch it when I'm at home," I said.

"What is a tape?" the boy said; of course, he doesn't know, he still young.

"Like a video recording?" I explain.

"Ohh.." The boy awe.

"Do you want to know something cool?" I ask; The boy nodded his head eagerly.

"This painting is done by a friend of mine, she right down there in the black dress, she likes to kept it a secret because she doesn't like the attention," I said after gesturing my head toward where Li is located.

"If you keep bothering with compliments about the painting, she might make one for you," I said smiling.

"Wow, I'm sure to do that," the boy said, holding the action figure close to his chest.

"Jonathan!" a woman called out from afar; the boy turns his head to the woman and wave.

"I have to go. Thank you for talking to me, Miss. Here a gift!" the boy said after taking out a superhero card and gave it to me.

The boy wave at me while running toward the woman that was calling at him; I wave back to him just before he was leaving. I look at the card; the card shows a picture of Aegis standing on a top of building with both hands on his waist as he looks back straight at me and there is a circle at the corner of the card; power level 900.

The sight of the card in my hand, cause me to smile, the card itself is ridiculously OP than the other but it a good reminder for tonight; I kept the card safe in my handbag and begins walking upward the ramp wanting to admire the other paintings that hang alongside the spiral ramp.

Walking halfway up the spiral ramp, I stop by a painting of misshapen shape mesh together and mixing into a circle in the middle of the canvas, I was intrigued by the used of color that usually molds together.

"It the most beautiful one here by my taste. it depicts the changing time of what used to be an era of god that was overwhelmed by the era of the human." A male voice appeared beside me.

I glance to my side; a handsome Latino man with brown dark hair is standing beside me.

"I don't know about the era of god. For me it about how the world culture is now more connected by technology it becoming into a singular culture " I retort.

"So you are not just a eye candy but an eye candy with a side of intelligence," the man said.

"Excuse me, just because I look good that doesn't mean I lack the capacity to think"I snapped but in a polite manner.

"Woah feisty," the man said.

I clenched my hand tightly, I at the brink of wanting to punch this guy so hard that can send him flying to the moon; I take a deep breath calming myself when I was about to walk away, he stops me.

"Wait! I think we got off on the wrong foot, my name Sicario Delamez. I'm sorry if I offend you in any way" he apologizes.

"I was just complimenting you. It's just rare to meet a fellow appreciator at this kind of event, the people I usually met are bimbo that want to meet rich guys and snob who think he knows better than other people" Sicario explain.

"Have you look yourself in the mirror. A snob who thinks he knows better" I sassed.

"I apologized if I'm seen like that maybe meeting those kinds of people have caused me to become just like them" Sicario apologized again.

"Can we start all over again?" Sicario suggest.

"No, it not because I don't forgive you, I do but I have no interest meeting new people. Thank you anyway for the offer" I said and walk away from Sicario

When my eyes glance behind at Sicario; I could see Sicario smiling as he watches me leaving him behind and heading upward the spiral ramp.

Reaching the highest level of the building, I was hypnotized by the night sky above us. The dome glass ceiling really compliments the floor by letting in the moonlight shine the exhibit. As I was expected, the room is crowded with people and they all seem to surround the piece of painting that covers by white fabric located in the middle of the room.

"I can't wait for the grand revealing" chimed some woman.

"Me too. I felt all tingly just thinking about it" chimed another.

Suddenly, my buttock was slap from out of nowhere; I was about to swing my arm to hit whoever did that but quickly stopped when I saw Li with a grin on her face.

"Li! I almost hit you"I exclaim.

"I'm glad you don't besides that it for the kid you sent toward me, I thought you promise me to keep it a secret... nevermind that. So how was your night? Did you meet soon to be Mr. Johnson yet?" Li joked.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist. Anyway, It has been great so far after you left me alone to hit on people and by the way I didn't meet new guys. I had few glances toward me but none of them dared to talk to me while the only guy who dared to talk to me is a snob" I said, a slight annoyance contain in my voice.

"Do you know why guys don't want to talk to you?" Li ask.

"Why?" I ask

"It because you look like your on warpath and guys get intimidated by it" Li explained.

"That good then it not like I like weak men," I said.

"Ohh you like strong men so that your taste. I could hook you up with some of the guys that you might be interested" Li suggests.

"Please don't, Li!" I plead, Li smirk as she put her arm around my waist and pull me closer to her.

"Lady and gentlemen welcome to this year grand revealing before we could start please give a round of applause to Mr. Nicholas Clause, our annual sponsor of this event. He has been very generous and supportive of lifting the art culture in our city!" The announcer besides the hidden painting spoke.

A bald older man in his 50, who look alike like Santa with that thick white beard walks toward the announcer and the crowd clapped their hands as the old man waves his hand to the crowd. The man shakes the announcer's hand and stands beside the painting.

"Let us continue, will you do the honor of revealing the art to us, Mr. Nicholas Clause?" The announcer said.

The old man pulls the fabric revealing the painting underneath it; everyone was claps as they saw the painting, looking closely at it; the painting shows a devil rises from the ash and bodies, he raises his sword against the angel that came from above with the light of god behind him, smiting him with a spear.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of broken glass, people screaming and rubber screeching from below mixing with a loud sound of engine revving getting closer to us.

A massive motorcycle with two large wheels bigger than the body itself launch itself from the ramp and onto the floor; I scan the motorcycle, the skeleton and the body of the motorcycle is painted matte black, preventing light from reflecting from it.

My eyes wander to the rider; he is wearing a black leather hoodie, a gun handle can be seen poking out underneath the hoodie. The black motorcycle helmet with two horn poking out from its head that he is wearing is preventing me from seeing his face.

The dark black visor hides his eyes but there is an air of familiarity surrounding him, it almost as if I have met him before in my life.

The motorcycles stop to a screeching halt, it back tires drift a couple feet before it fully stops followed by a trail of smoke that comes from the friction between the rubber and the floor. The helmet-wearing man parked his motorcycle and step out from his seat.