Cecil filled in the details I had missed.
Conquest appeared on earth radars and the next thing they knew he was floating above Invincible as the latter was doing some heroics.
The details are blurry but the gist of it is they fought and Mark was losing badly. Oliver, his apparently alien half-brother after Nolan 'mated' with some alien race female that age really fast, came to help.
The kid if he can be called so as he was litterally born about two years ago naturally stood no chance.
Cecil knew this that why he sent the GoG to solve the threat, but it was apparent that not all can join anyway and there was a fraction in the team to begin with.
So only Holly and Immortal joined with support from Robot in the background and the rest of the heroes were busy managing the damage left behind.
The results already told me the whole story but yeah if I didn't arrive when I did Cecil would have sent every single hero in the world to atleast wear Conquest down and hope the man fall.
Risky, messy and promised a lot of loss but he had no other choice. He didn't say it and he didn't look like it but I knew Cecil was hanging by the last ropes before he gave up entirely.
The man was just a shell still standing only due to his years of work and experience but even he was at his limits.
We discussed more things, he asked where we are, how is everyone and how long will it take for them to 'return'.
He saw Conquest and was 'demanding' to take care of him, I asked if he had what it take to imprison or even hold him down after he woke up.
Cecil argued they will take care of it and I gave him clear statistics at what will it take to keep Conquest as a prisoner, though he didn't understand all of it, the numbers made sense to him and if anyone in the world knew about the resources they had on the planet it was him.
And he knew they didn't have what it takes to build a prison capable of holding a Viltrumite at the moment so he 'agreed' to leave him with me at the moment and will focus on getting information on the Empire first.
After that he left with promise to return if I wasn't the one coming to them.
Despite everything? Cecil was the chillest government personnel to deal with.
He still has his shady dealings but at his core the guy truly believes in heroes and the safety of his planet. No ulterior plans, just doing his job.
It's hard not to respect this kind of dedication that's why I went along with his 'tough-guy' act and let him think he has any power in the conversation.
He was not dumb, he knew the truth but he went along with it too because that's how he used to do things.
Done with that I checked on the patients. A lot of bodies were rescued from under the rubble. Not all of them made it and those who did, will either have physical or mental trauma to accompany them for the rest of their lives.
I only healed minor and internal damages but I won't be dealing with missing body parts and limbs, they'll just have to live with it.
Even with advanced technology, magic and Meta powers regrowing limbs and cells regeneration take time and resources that I am not really willing to give for many reasons.
Cecil already took a look at the place and I saw the gears in his eyes spinning, another thing is that if I did it once I'll have to deal with it twice than third and so on...
Cecil obviously has no way of convincing me to help nor to lend my technology to him but if Holly and Eve interfered... that's not a discussion I am willing to entertain.
It's cruel and selfish I know but they have to understand that if I didn't appear, forget about staying in one piece they will all be dead and the planet conquered.
This is not the first threat they encountered on this planet and I doubt it will be the last. They are used to it at this point and it's better if stayed out of it.
There are billions of people across countless worlds and I am not about to become the personal miracle machine of every civilization that I visit am I?
If they gave themselves to me like the [SU] on the other hand...
But hey I healed them from cancer and similar stuff atleast.
Oh that's good I better see how she's doing personally then.
I followed Amy's directions and passed through several doors until I arrived outside one of the recovery rooms.
The door slid open and I entered and saw Holly laying dow on the bed, several monitors surrounding her.
Most had already switched from emergency status to observation mode and she had a screnn manned by Amy talking and explaining things to her.
She noticed me and the moment she did she smiled "you came my love."
I smiled back at her as I approached her and slowly but carefully hugged her and she hugged me back.
"Of course I would."
We stayed like this for a while Holly's grip sometimes getting tighter while her breath slower and sometimes she will relax and take a deep breath and exhales.
I didn't say anything and just patted and caressed her back. I could understand her emotional turmoil at the moment.
Holly fought monsters before, fought aliens. And most probably fought things that should've killed her but didn't and she came really close to it this time she almost believed it.
"Thank you for coming love" she raised her head and kissed me on lips slowly taking her time to enjoy the taste and then she rested her head against mine.
"Shhh... don't say that. Everything is fine now." I comforted her softly and then with a teasing tone "If you took the suit I prepared for you, you would have fared better"
She punched me in the shoulder softly as she chuckled.
"You should know by now but I don't think any 'suit' could have survived that monster" her fist tightened at the mention of Conquest.
I chuckled a bit while kissing her fist "you would be surprised, I designed the suit specifically for the kind of battles we encounter you know.
It might not have done much in the big picture but it would have kept you alive, lessened the damage and gave you options.
In the worst case it would have notified me earlier and I could have came faster."
I explained the suit I was talking about while also checking on her body and condition more carefully, seeing that everything is alright I squeezed her boob pretending to be serious and nodded to myself.
"I am glad that you are fine and nothing bad happened to you" I looked at her eyes with full sincerity my hand still playing with her chest.
"Pffft. Come here you" with a punch and a laugh she hugged my face to her chest. She was hugging really tight if I actually needed to breath I would have been in trouble right now.
Minutes went like that as we talked and joked while Holly's mood improved visibly along her health.
Her fear and feeling of loss didn't disappear completely but I am sure she will be over it with no time and she has me anyway and I know many ways to help her in the future.
Not that War woman will be having any depression or confidence problems in the near future. She's a warrior and a proud woman, such thing won't affect her for long.
I turned to Holly as we both heard Amy "you wanna come with to see how Eve's doing?"
Holly thought for a moment then shook her head "No it's fine I'll see her later, I'll rest for a bit more but you should go. The girl may want an alone time for herself" she smiled mischievously at the end, kissed me than shooed me away.
I pretended that I didn't understand what she was insinuating and went to check on Eve's room.
Eve looked toward the door before it fully opened.
The moment she saw me, the tension in her shoulders visibly melted away.
"You're okay!" She even sighed in relief.
I blinked and smiled amusedly at her.
"I should be the one saying that actually" I laughed at her bashful embarrassment and went in to check on her.
"How are you feeling Eve?" I took a seat on a chair beside her bed and right as I asked, her shoulders tensed again and she looked down.
"Hey, hey Eve. It's okay, you are fine. Everything is going to be better alright?" I put my hand on her shoulder trying to ease her worries a bit.
She raised her head and I could see the tears on the corner of her eyes that she's holding back.
"But if it doesn't... what if...-"
"It's okay Eve you can let it all out, you deserve this much after everything that happened" and just like that her tears ran down freely and seeking physical comfort she hugged and buried her face on my waist.
I brushed her hair softly while caressing her back.
After fights trauma is one of those difficult and frustrating situations to deal with.
I experienced it with the Team and their age make it even more hard to come up with the right motivational speech to come with.
Thankfully Eve is not a kid and she had her fair share of dealings even though this one was the closest to her brushing with death.
And apparently this close brush unlocked her limiters and fortunately reconstructed her body back to its prime but also brought her energy readings to a high abnormal condition.
She's lucky that I studied her powers extensively and can help her with them before she suffer another power-loss trauma that requires her to put the limiters herself.
It took a while but she lifted her head eventually, her face full of tears and embarrassment as she wiped them with her hand.
"I am sorry.. I-.." "It's alright Eve, I am here for you okay?"
She nodded and sat straighter on her bed lost in thoughts then she looked at me with open eyes and asked worriedly "How is Mark? And War woman? And... and...-"
I put my hand on her shoulder again and applied soft strength to calm her down.
"They are fine Eve they are receiving treatments right now. Holly already awake and fine just tired and the rest are being tended to."
"What about... what about him? Conquest, what happened to him" she clenched her shaking hands tight as she mentioned him.
"I dealt with him, you don't have to worry anymore he won't hurt anyone again"
Eve didn't stop until she asked all the questions she needed about the battle and the aftermath, some got her to cheer up a bit and others... about survivors and damage made her more sad.
"I should be helping."
"You're recovering."
"People need me."
"And right now your job is getting better."
"..."
"It's not your responsibility to shoulder all the world needs Eve. There are others out there doing their part too"
That forced her to calm herself a bit.
"Thank you Zane" she looked up at my face and smiled weakly.
"For what?"
"For everything" she looked down at her hands but she was not shaking anymore.
"No need to thank me Eve I did what I could" I chuckled a bit at her behavior.
"But you wouldn't do it for just anyone normally" is she trying to tease or admonish me here?
I smiled amused at her cheeky behavior "No, not just for anyone." I lifted my hand and held my fingers apart as a pay back. "You are a little bit more special then that."
Eve blinked and simply stared at me. A faint blush spread across her cheeks.
"Now that's just mean" She huffed adorably and turned her head away in mock anger, but I could see her lips twitching as she tried – and failed – not to smile.
I laughed.
A moment later, she joined me, and the atmosphere in the room became noticeably lighter.