The Last Day: The Shadow of the Knight | 04
Chapter 4: "Iron in the Night"
The streets of the city blurred beneath Steve Gallagher as he sped through the neon-lit alleys on his motorcycle. His heart was pounding, his mind sharp. Silas was in danger, and there was no time to waste. He had planned to corner Doyle tonight, finally bringing the corrupt executive down for good. But now, Silas had become a pawn in Doyle's game, and Steve had to act fast.
His fingers tightened around the handlebars as he weaved between cars, his eyes narrowing in determination. The truck carrying Silas was just ahead, slipping through traffic like a ghost. Steve had to intercept it before they reached Doyle’s fortress of an office.
In moments like this, the line between Steve Gallagher and the Iron Knight blurred. His mind was focused, calculating every move, but his heart was heavy with the responsibility of protecting someone who wasn’t ready for this fight. Stay strong, kid. I’m coming.
In the back of the truck...
Silas was in darkness, his mind racing as the vehicle rumbled along. His wrists were tied, and his pulse quickened with every bump in the road. The men who had grabbed him were silent, and the tension in the air was thick. They thought he was a TK, and though he had denied it, they weren’t going to take any chances. They were taking him straight to Doyle.
I’ve got to get out of here. Silas shifted uncomfortably, trying to think through his panic. His mind raced as he considered his options, but none of them looked good. Then, a thought hit him. The truck… the machines…
He closed his eyes, focusing on the faint hum of the truck’s engine, the steady rhythm of the machinery beneath him. His technopathy—the thing that had gotten him into this mess—was also his way out. He could feel the pulse of the truck’s systems, the way they moved, the way they responded to subtle commands.
Okay, let’s see if this works.
Silas concentrated, reaching out with his mind, feeling the way the gears shifted, how the engine powered the wheels. With a sudden jolt, he willed the truck to slow down, imagining the engine cutting off.
The truck sputtered and then stalled. He heard the driver curse as the vehicle ground to a halt in the middle of traffic. Silas couldn’t help but smile, despite the tension coiled in his chest. Maybe this technopathy thing isn’t so bad.
Outside...
Steve spotted the truck as it slowed to a stop. Good, Silas, you clever kid. He revved his motorcycle, closing the distance quickly. The thugs were already getting out of the truck, confused by the sudden breakdown. They didn’t see him coming until it was too late.
Steve vaulted off the bike mid-ride, landing hard on one of the men, sending him crashing to the pavement. Before the others could react, Steve was on them, fists flying, armor absorbing every blow they tried to land. His movements were precise, practiced. Years of training had made him the perfect one-man army, and tonight, that training was paying off.
Silas, still tied up in the back of the truck, heard the commotion and banged on the door. “Hey! Hey! Someone’s out there!” The noise was deafening—grunts, crashes, and then the unmistakable sound of something heavy hitting the pavement.
Suddenly, the back doors of the truck were ripped open, and there he was—the Iron Knight.
Silas stared in awe as the armored figure stood in front of him, sunlight reflecting off his sleek black armor. He had seen the Iron Knight before on the news, but never like this, never up close. For a moment, Silas forgot to breathe.
“You okay, kid?” Iron Knight’s voice was deep, resonant, and filled with a calm that contrasted the chaos around him.
Silas nodded dumbly. “Y-yeah, I’m fine. Just… tied up.”
With a swift motion, Iron Knight cut through the ropes binding Silas’s wrists. “Let’s get you out of here.”
But before they could move, one of the thugs lunged at Iron Knight from behind, a metal pipe raised high. Silas’s heart leapt into his throat, and without thinking, he grabbed the nearest thing he could find—a rock. With all his might, he threw it at the thug’s head, hitting him square between the eyes. The man stumbled, clutching his forehead, and dropped the pipe.
Iron Knight turned, saw the thug go down, and glanced back at Silas, a small smirk hidden beneath his mask. “Nice shot.” He gave Silas a thumbs up before turning back to finish the fight.
In one swift motion, Iron Knight disarmed the last two thugs, sending them sprawling to the ground with a few expertly placed strikes. The fight was over as quickly as it had begun.
Silas stood there, wide-eyed. “Holy crap… I hit him.”
Iron Knight approached him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Gutsy move, kid. You did good.”
Silas felt a swell of pride, even though his legs were still shaking. “Thanks. I mean, you did most of the work, but… thanks.”
Iron Knight motioned to the nearby alley. “Come on. I’ve got a safe house nearby. You’re staying put until I take care of Doyle.”
Hours later, in the safe house...
The safe house was a quiet, nondescript apartment tucked away in the outskirts of the city. Iron Knight guided Silas inside, making sure the doors were locked and the windows secured.
“Stay here,” Iron Knight said firmly. “Doyle’s still out there, and I need to handle this. You’ll be safe here.”
Silas, still buzzing with adrenaline, nodded. “What are you going to do?”
Iron Knight paused for a moment, his back to Silas. “Bring justice.” With that, he turned and walked out the door, leaving Silas alone in the quiet apartment.
Downtown, under the glow of a full moon...
Vance Doyle stood in a lavish office atop his skyscraper, overlooking the city. His men were preparing for the final phase of a heist that would make him untouchable—at least, in his mind. Everything was falling into place, and no one was the wiser.
At least, that’s what he thought.
Suddenly, the windows shattered, and in the center of the room stood the Iron Knight, silhouetted against the full moon, his presence overwhelming. He stepped forward, his voice echoing with authority.
“Vance Doyle!” he called out, his voice cold and steady. “I am the Iron Knight, keeper of justice in the City of Rivers. Your reign of corruption ends tonight.”
Doyle’s men scrambled, panic spreading like wildfire, but Doyle himself stood frozen, his face paling in the moonlight.
The Iron Knight stood tall, the full moon casting his shadow across the room, an unstoppable force ready to deliver judgment.
Iron Knight Voice Log Day 2073
“Every choice carries weight. I made a call, left a mission unfinished, and now I’m hoping it wasn’t the wrong one. Silas is safe, for now. But he’s changed. Whatever happened in that VR pod... it was more than just some glitch. The kid’s scared, and he has every right to be. And the worst part? I don’t have any answers. All I can do is keep him close, try to protect him from the shadows closing in. I hope it’s enough.”