Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again.-Chapter 633: Earl’s little Lizard.

After everyone but Hades left, Earl was carried into the room on Nimo’s shoulders. Tank was on their heels, a wrench in one hand and Sunshine’s hammer in the other.

Sunshine tilted her head, looking beyond the humans to the robot. She stretched her hand out, allowing the hammer to return to where it was supposed to be.

"Foreman Sunshine, I am still using that. There is a lot of damage to be fixed." Tank told her.

She commanded the hammer to return to the robot. "Are the results of Earl’s scan complete?" She asked it.

Earl sat upright and Nimo winced. The kid was treating her neck like the back of a horse!

"Why was I scanned without my knowledge?" Earl asked.

"Because you were struck by lightning." Sunshine replied. She had sent the robot to the medic bay to take a look while she was repairing parts of the base which needed her personal attention.

Hades, Ariel, Nimo and Earl gathered close to Sunshine, waiting patiently for the report.

Tank did not make them wait. "Results complete," the robot intoned, voice calm. "Subject Earl Quinn. Age: eight. Indicators suggest early manifestation of biological changes undetected by the thermal band. Neural activity exceeds baseline. Cellular resonance: anomalous."

Everyone looked at Sunshine, who looked at Earl in awe. "He is awakening," she whispered, half-terrified. half thrilled.

Nimo put Earl on the table and touched his forehead. "He is not feverish...."

Sunshine cut in. "Not all awakenings are loud, some are silent. Just as it was with Ice hood. Their bodies just remain the same. That is why I sent Tank in to do a more comprehensive scan. He even took blood while Earl was resting."

Hades poked his face in Earl’s direct eyesight. Sunshine pulled him back.

Earl squirmed under everyone’s gaze, cheeks flushed.

"How do you feel?" Sunshine asked him.

"Normal." He beamed. "This is so cool. I am going to awaken a lightning ability, aren’t I?" He grimaced. "It would be cooler if I get claws too."

Hunter had walked in behind Tank, and she barked twice. "Further anomaly detected. Foreign organism present."

Sunshine frowned. "Foreign organism?"

Before she could ask more, Earl shifted uncomfortably. A small movement wiggled at his pocket. Sunshine’s eyes widened as a scaled head poked out--a lizard with emerald, green eyes and shimmering scales! It looked like a little Arcladon!

"Is that...." she exclaimed and turned to Hunter.

Earl cupped the creature gently in his hands. "She is harmless. I found her sleeping in my pocket yesterday. She followed me through night duty and home in the morning. I didn’t want to scare you."

"Oh my God!" Sunshine whispered.

Hades grabbed his gun; Nimo revealed her claws.

Earl protected the lizard with his hands.

Hunter’s sensors pulsed brighter. "Mutant signature confirmed. The biologically engineered Arcladon exhibits bio-energy patterns synchronized with Earl’s own. Probability of symbiotic link: 82%."

"What does that mean?" Hades bellowed.

"It means she is mine." Earl replied stubbornly.

"You are not keeping that beast." Hades bellowed again. "Their kind just tried to fry us all to death with lightning. Put it down, so that I can finish it off."

Earl looked at Sunshine. "Mom, help me. Dad is being unreasonable; Berry is just a baby. I can teach her like you are teaching White."

Sunshine’s heart twisted. Whose side was she supposed to pick?

"Suni, the watchers were controlling the Arcladons. You rescued White from death’s jaws. There is a difference." Hades raised his voice and then he lunged, reaching for Earl’s hands.

Sunshine pulled him back while Earl went and hid behind Nimo. He burst into tears quickly, taking Sunshine by surprise.

"Hades, calm down." She raised her voice too. "Hunter said something about a symbiotic link. That means Earl and the creature are connected. I think we should monitor closely first and find out if this is dangerous to our son or related to his ability. We can even suppress the abilities of the creature and keep it lizard sized forever as an ordinary pet. We will figure this out together."

Then her phone beeped. It was a siren, meaning trouble!

Sunshine slowly looked down at the device in her hand.

Hades groaned loudly. "What now?"

Sunshine answered it right away. "This is Sunshine Quinn."

Vicente’s voice came through, slightly rough from the wind. "Boss lady."

"Vicente? What is it? Get straight to the point." She pinched the bridge of her nose, keeping her eyes on Earl. The boy was looking at her and Hades as if they were thieves or enemies!

"I just received a message from Ferry island,"

Sunshine’s expression immediately hardened. "Go on."

"There are still people loyal to me there," Vicente continued. "One of them sent word a few minutes ago. Mercenaries entered Ferry Island yesterday when the alarms started going off."

Hades leaned closer, trying to listen. Sunshine put the phone on speaker.

Sunshine frowned. "Mercenaries? From where?"

"I do not have the details of where they came from. Someone at the gates let them in while everyone was distracted."

Sunshine rubbed her forehead slowly. "I am not surprised,"

Vicente let out a breath. "Luca must be behind it. He’s been waiting for the best opportunity to grab that territory."

Hades muttered under his breath, "That man has the patience of a cockroach."

Sunshine nodded slightly even though Vicente couldn’t see her. "He probably thinks Fortress Four is weak right now."

"Yes, after the Arcladon attack and reports of fires and collapsed buildings, everyone was trying to figure out who was alive and who was dead or how to save their asses. Some people were robbing others during that time. He is smart I’ll give him that." Vicente added.

"A fool if you ask me," Hades said.

Sunshine nodded.

Vicente continued speaking, "They probably believe that while we are busy repairing the fortress, the rebels can take control of Ferry Island and Kingsbridge, then march on Westbrook."

Sunshine’s voice turned cold. "Still, he moved faster than I expected."

"What do you want me to do boss lady?" Vicente asked.

Sunshine stopped walking completely. Hades also stopped, watching her carefully. He knew that look on her face. It was the look she had when someone had just made a very big mistake. It was resolve. "They declared war on us so we will give them one. I was looking for a reason to wipe them out anyway, and they have given me a legitimate one." she said calmly.

There was a short pause on the line. Then Vicente answered immediately, "Understood."

"You will guard the borders of Kingsbridge," Sunshine continued. "No rebel crosses from Ferry Island into other bases."

"Yes ma’am."

Sunshine ended the call and slipped the phone back into her pocket.

Hades sighed dramatically. "I guess the lizard wins for now."

Earl tipped his chin up, cradling the creature.

Sunshine stared at the tiny reptile, its tail curling around her son’s fingers like it belonged there. Was this creature the source of Earl’s awakening or merely drawn to it? How had it slipped into the bubble?

Ariel touched her arm. "I will handle this mom."

Sunshine reached, brushing Ariel hair back from his forehead. Then, she stood up and did the same to Earl. "Go home, both of you." She turned to Hades. "You know what to do, gather our armies and weapons."

Hades nodded. "Yes ma’am."

Sunshine nodded once before they separated, she moved to the command center where she planned to get a look at Ferry Island through drones and there after find the best strategy to attack the rebels and their helpers.