Concrete Kings II: The Fallen Crown

by D D

The Brooks Brothers return to restore peace to the city. A bigger threat makes an appearance.

Realistic 3D

sci_fi

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Concrete Kings II: The Fallen Crown

One year after the mechanical serpent nearly destroyed Ashcroft, the city had begun to resemble itself again. Not the frightened city from before. Something better. Fresh paint covered buildings that had once been abandoned. New streetlights illuminated Eastgate after dark. The basketball courts at Jefferson Park stayed crowded until nearly midnight, and local businesses filled storefronts that had been empty for years. A massive mural stretched across the side of Owens Motor Works. It showed two Black superheroes standing above the Ashcroft skyline. One wore dark armor patterned like cracked concrete, with a black cape flowing behind him. The other was surrounded by blue lightning, his silver-lined suit glowing against the painted night sky. Above their heads was a silver crown. Below them, in bold blue letters, were the words: THE KINGS PROTECT THEIR OWN. Tamir Brooks hated the mural. Trevon Brooks loved it. “You know what the problem is?” Trevon asked as they stood on the garage roof staring at it. Tamir folded his muscular arms across his chest. “The problem is my head is the size of a city bus.” “The artist captured your natural arrogance.” “He made me look angry.” “You always look angry.” “I don’t always look angry.” Trevon turned toward him and studied his face. Tamir stood six-foot-three, broad-shouldered and powerfully built, with deep mahogany skin, a neatly trimmed beard, and short twists shaped close to his head. The scar through his left eyebrow had become one of the most recognized features in America, though most people had only seen it beneath the edge of his mask. At twenty-three, he appeared older than he was. Responsibility had a way of aging a man. Trevon, now twenty, stood three inches shorter than his brother. His caramel-brown skin seemed almost golden beneath the afternoon sun. His shoulder-length locs were tied behind his head with a black band, and his lean athletic frame filled out a fitted white T-shirt bearing the crown emblem. His bright smile had appeared on magazine covers, advertisements, and news programs. Unlike Tamir, Trevon enjoyed the attention. “See?” Trevon said. “You’re doing it right now.” “Doing what?” “Looking angry.” “I’m standing still.” “Angrily.” The garage door opened beneath them. Malik Owens stepped outside carrying a damaged blue gauntlet. Malik was twenty-four, stocky and broad through the chest, with dark chocolate skin, hazel eyes, and a low fade cut so precisely it looked painted onto his head. His beard remained perfectly shaped despite the grease stains covering his gray work shirt. He looked up at the brothers. “Trevon, you melted another stabilizer.” “I was stopping a bank robbery.” “You punched through an armored truck.” “It was in the way.” “It was the bank’s armored truck.” “The robbers were inside it.” Malik pointed the damaged gauntlet toward him. “You can bend metal with your mind. Why do you keep punching things?” “Because punching is satisfying.” Tamir nodded toward the garage. “Can it be repaired?” “Dr. Cross is working on it. She also said both of you need to come downstairs.” Trevon sighed. “Whenever Aunt Imani says we need to come downstairs, there’s always either a scientific breakthrough or a lecture.” “With you,” Malik said, “it’s usually both.” The lower level of Owens Motor Works no longer resembled a repair shop. Behind a reinforced steel wall was a hidden command center filled with advanced computers, alien technology, training equipment, and display screens showing activity across Ashcroft. Dr. Imani Cross stood beside a circular table projecting a holographic image of Earth. She was fifty-six, tall and elegant, with copper-brown skin and long locs streaked with silver. Rectangular glasses rested over thoughtful dark eyes. She wore a rust-colored blouse beneath a white laboratory coat, though the coat’s pockets overflowed with tools, wires, and handwritten notes. Imani had become the scientific mind behind the Concrete Kings. She designed their suits. Studied their abilities. Monitored the alien energy inside their bodies. She had also become increasingly worried about them. Tamir entered wearing the upgraded version of his armor. The suit’s flexible black base layer fit tightly against his powerful frame. Thick charcoal-gray plates protected his chest, shoulders, forearms, thighs, and shins. Their rough surfaces resembled slabs of cracked stone. Silver-blue energy glowed beneath the cracks whenever he manipulated gravity. A metallic crown emblem stretched across his chest, formed by three angular skyscrapers. His black cape hung from his left shoulder and extended to the backs of his knees. It was reinforced with alien fibers that stiffened or softened according to changes in gravity, helping him steer during flight. Trevon’s upgraded suit was slimmer. Charcoal-black material covered his lean body, with silver armor lining his ribs, shoulders, knees, and forearms. Thin blue circuits branched across the suit like glowing veins. His rebuilt gauntlets contained rotating metal rings designed to regulate electromagnetic energy. His mask covered his entire face except his lower jaw. Narrow blue lenses protected his eyes, while his locs extended through an opening at the back. Imani looked at both of them. “Trevon, your gauntlets recorded a seventy-two percent overload during yesterday’s robbery.” “I stopped them.” “You also disrupted three hospital generators.” His smile disappeared. “Were the patients okay?” “Backup systems activated. This time.” Tamir glanced at his brother. Trevon looked away. Imani enlarged the holographic Earth. A red marker pulsed over North Africa. “Six hours ago, something entered the atmosphere over the Sahara Desert.” “Another crystal?” Tamir asked. “I don’t believe so.” The image changed. A satellite photograph showed an enormous crater in the desert. At its center lay a black structure nearly half a mile long. It resembled a jagged spear driven into the Earth. “What is it?” Trevon asked. Imani’s voice became quieter. “A prison.” The room fell silent. “How do you know?” Malik asked. Imani brought up symbols recovered from the object. The same crown emblem seen on the brothers’ armor appeared across its surface. “I found identical markings inside the original sphere at Westfield Steel. Until now, I thought they represented the energy source.” Tamir studied the images. “What do they represent?” Imani looked at him. “Ownership.” The prison opened at sunset. Military vehicles surrounded the crater. Helicopters circled above it. Scientists in protective suits approached the black structure. Without warning, the desert floor shook. The object split down its center. Crimson light poured through the opening. A figure stepped from the darkness. He stood nearly seven feet tall. His skin resembled polished black volcanic stone, smooth in some places and fractured in others. Glowing crimson lines pulsed beneath the cracks across his face, neck, chest, and arms. His features were sharp and almost human, though too symmetrical to be natural. A ridged brow framed golden eyes without visible pupils. Long black hair hung in thick ropes down his back. He wore heavy armor forged from living black metal. The plates shifted as he moved, folding around his enormous frame like scales. Crimson energy glowed between the seams. A jagged cape hung from his shoulders, dark red and burned along its edges. Across his back rested a double-edged spear almost as tall as he was. A soldier raised his weapon. The figure turned his head. Every rifle, helicopter, and armored vehicle lifted from the sand. The soldiers screamed as gravity vanished beneath them. The figure closed one hand. The vehicles crushed inward. Metal folded like paper. He stepped over the wreckage and looked toward the western horizon. Toward the Atlantic Ocean. Toward Ashcroft. He spoke in a language no human had heard in thousands of years. The crown energy inside Tamir and Trevon translated the words inside their minds. Two bearers remain. The Crown has awakened. That night, Tamir stood on the roof of Eastgate Medical Center. The city spread below him in glittering rows of lights. He could feel gravity everywhere. The pull of the buildings. The weight of the cars. The subtle pressure of thousands of people standing, sleeping, walking, and breathing. Since gaining his abilities, the world had never felt still. Trevon landed beside him in a burst of blue electricity. “You avoiding me?” “No.” “You left headquarters without saying anything.” “I wanted to think.” “That usually means you’re avoiding me.” Tamir continued watching the city. Trevon removed his mask. “I didn’t know about the hospitals.” “I know.” “I wouldn’t have overloaded the grid if I did.” “I know.” “Then say something.” Tamir faced him. “What do you want me to say?” “That you trust me.” Tamir’s expression tightened. “This isn’t about trust.” “It’s always about trust with you.” “You are powerful enough to shut down the city by accident.” “And you’re powerful enough to crush it.” “I know that.” “That’s the difference between us. You treat your powers like a burden.” “And you treat yours like a toy.” The words struck harder than Tamir intended. Trevon’s jaw tightened. “I saved those people.” “You always say that after taking an unnecessary risk.” “At least I take risks.” Tamir stepped closer. “What is that supposed to mean?” “You’re scared to do anything unless you can control every possible outcome.” “That is called thinking.” “No. It’s called fear.” Electricity crawled across Trevon’s suit. The air around Tamir became heavier. Before either brother could speak again, the clouds above Ashcroft turned red. Every light in the city flickered. A black shape descended through the sky. The alien landed in the center of Franklin Square. The impact cracked the pavement for half a block. People ran from the surrounding streets. Tamir pulled up his hood. Trevon put on his mask. The brothers leaped from the hospital roof. The alien stood motionless as they landed across from him. Up close, he appeared even larger. The crimson fractures beneath his stone-black skin brightened when he saw the crown emblems on their chests. Tamir’s cape settled behind him. “Who are you?” The alien answered in a deep voice that seemed to vibrate through the buildings. “I am Varkesh Obsidian, First General of the Crown Legion, Breaker of the Veloran Moons, Conqueror of Seven Hundred Worlds.” Trevon glanced at Tamir. “That’s a lot to fit on a business card.” Obsidian looked at him without humor. “The Crown chose poorly.” Blue electricity gathered around Trevon’s hands. “You came a long way to insult us.” “I came to reclaim what was stolen.” Tamir stepped forward. “The crystal gave us these powers.” “The crystal did not give.” Obsidian’s golden eyes narrowed. “It marked.” The brothers exchanged a glance. Obsidian removed the spear from his back. Its black blades ignited with crimson energy. “The Crown Crystals are scouts. They travel before the Legion. They find strong worlds, identify compatible bodies, and create commanders to prepare each civilization for conquest.” Trevon stared at him. “We’re not commanders.” “You are unfinished weapons.” Tamir’s expression hardened. “We belong to nobody.” Obsidian smiled for the first time. It was not a friendly expression. “Every bearer says that before obedience.” He raised his spear. “Kneel, and I will allow you to rule this world beneath me.” Trevon’s body erupted with blue lightning. “Here’s our answer.” He fired. The electrical blast illuminated Franklin Square. Obsidian caught it in one hand. The energy twisted around his fingers. Then it vanished into the crimson cracks beneath his skin. Trevon froze. Obsidian pointed at him. A magnetic force seized every metal component in Trevon’s suit. He flew forward uncontrollably. Obsidian struck him with the shaft of the spear. Trevon crashed through three storefronts. Tamir increased Obsidian’s gravity. The street collapsed beneath the alien’s boots. Obsidian did not move. He looked down, almost curious. Then he multiplied the gravity around Tamir. Tamir slammed onto both knees. The pavement broke beneath him. His armor groaned. “How?” Tamir gasped. Obsidian approached. “I commanded gravity before your species learned to build fire.” Tamir released a wave of force. Obsidian slid backward several feet. Trevon emerged from the destroyed storefront. His mask was cracked. Blood ran from his mouth. He hurled a row of parked cars toward the alien. Obsidian spun his spear. The vehicles split apart in midair. Tamir lifted the broken pieces and surrounded Obsidian with a storm of metal. Trevon magnetized them inward. The debris collapsed around the alien. For one second, the brothers thought they had him. A crimson explosion tore through the metal. Obsidian emerged untouched. He moved faster than either brother could see. His fist struck Tamir in the chest. Tamir flew through a building. Obsidian seized Trevon by the throat and lifted him from the ground. “You possess power without discipline,” he said. “Emotion without purpose.” Trevon shocked him repeatedly. Obsidian absorbed every bolt. Then he hurled Trevon into the street beside Tamir. The brothers struggled to rise. Obsidian looked down at them. The entire battle had lasted less than five minutes. “I will return in seven rotations of your world,” he said. “When I do, the Crown Beacon will be activated.” A black ship descended above the square. Obsidian rose toward it inside a column of red energy. “Prepare your people to serve.” The ship vanished into the clouds. Sirens approached from every direction. Trevon removed the broken remains of his mask. His face was swollen. Tamir lay beside him, unable to lift his left arm. Neither brother spoke. For the first time since becoming the Concrete Kings, they had been completely defeated. Ashcroft saw the battle. The world saw it. Videos spread across television and social media. For months, people had believed the Concrete Kings were nearly invincible. Obsidian had changed that belief in minutes. Some called for the brothers to surrender. Others demanded that the military arrest them before their alien energy attracted more invaders. Protesters gathered outside Owens Motor Works. Signs read: THE KINGS BROUGHT HIM HERE. NO MORE ALIEN HEROES. SAVE EARTH—SURRENDER THE CROWN. Trevon watched the news from a medical table beneath the garage. His left arm was wrapped in a regenerative brace. Burn marks covered his shoulders and chest. Tamir stood across the room while Imani repaired his damaged armor. “He beat us using our own powers,” Trevon said. “He has thousands of years of experience,” Imani replied. “So we need to get stronger.” Tamir shook his head. “Stronger won’t be enough.” Trevon looked at him. “You got another idea?” “We need to understand what we are.” “We know what we are.” “No. We know what we can do.” Tamir stared at the crown emblem lying on the table. “We don’t know what this energy is changing us into.” Imani entered a command into her computer. A three-dimensional image of their bodies appeared. Blue energy flowed through their nervous systems, bones, and organs. “The Crown energy is still evolving,” she said. “Each time you push beyond your limits, it creates new pathways.” Malik frowned. “Is that good?” “I don’t know.” “That sounds like scientist language for no.” Imani enlarged the holographic image of Trevon’s body. “Your abilities are tied to Earth’s electromagnetic field. Until now, you’ve drawn energy from local sources—power lines, batteries, lightning.” Trevon sat upright. “You’re saying I could use the planet itself?” “You may already be connected to it.” The image shifted to Tamir. “Your gravitational control is not limited to changing weight. Gravity shapes space, motion, and pressure. You’ve been using a universal force as though it were a lifting tool.” Tamir stared at the data. “What else can I do?” “That is what we have seven days to discover.” The training nearly killed them. Trevon traveled with Imani to an abandoned observatory outside Ashcroft. Deep beneath the facility, he entered an insulated chamber surrounded by magnetic coils. He closed his eyes. At first, he felt only the electronics around him. Then he reached farther. He sensed power lines beneath the roads. Metal inside buildings. Radio signals traveling through the air. Compasses turning. Satellites orbiting Earth. Beneath it all was something enormous. The planet’s magnetic field. It surrounded the world like an invisible ocean. Trevon connected to it. Every screen in the observatory shattered. Blue energy poured from his eyes and mouth. He screamed as the magnetic field lifted him into the air. For one terrifying moment, his consciousness expanded across half the planet. He felt storms over the Atlantic. Trains moving beneath distant cities. Signals passing between continents. Then the connection broke. He fell unconscious. When Trevon awoke, Imani sat beside him. “You touched it,” she said. “I felt everything.” “And?” Trevon looked frightened. “It felt like I was disappearing.” Imani placed a hand on his shoulder. “Power that large requires an anchor.” “What kind of anchor?” “Something that reminds you who you are.” Across the city, Tamir trained inside an abandoned quarry. He created small gravity fields and attempted to hold them independently. The first collapsed immediately. The second launched a boulder into the sky. The third formed a sphere of intense pressure that crushed stone into powder. Tamir practiced until blood ran from his nose. He learned to create invisible gravity prisons. He suspended dozens of boulders in the air. He bent the path of projectiles. Then he attempted something larger. Tamir focused on the empty space between two cliffs. Gravity distorted. The air rippled like heat above pavement. For one second, the space folded. Tamir vanished. He reappeared twenty feet away and crashed into the ground. Malik ran toward him. “What did you just do?” Tamir stared back at the place where he had been standing. “I moved without crossing the distance.” Malik blinked. “I’m going to pretend that made sense.” By the sixth day, both brothers had improved. They had not repaired what was broken between them. Trevon believed Tamir still saw him as reckless. Tamir believed Trevon still cared more about proving himself than protecting others. They trained together. They fought together. But they barely spoke outside of strategy. Obsidian noticed. The seventh day arrived beneath a crimson sky. Black ships appeared above cities around the world. They did not attack. They waited. Over Ashcroft, the clouds opened. A massive alien vessel descended. It stretched nearly three miles from end to end, shaped like a dark crown with curved towers rising from its surface. Red energy pulsed beneath its black armor. At the center of the ship stood the Crown Beacon. If activated, it would open a pathway through space for the Legion fleet. Obsidian’s voice entered every television, radio, and phone on Earth. “Your appointed rulers have rejected obedience.” Images of Tamir and Trevon appeared. “Therefore, your world will be remade by force.” The ship fired. A crimson beam struck downtown Ashcroft. The explosion destroyed an entire city block. Tamir and Trevon launched from the garage. They flew side by side without speaking. Tamir’s cape streamed behind him as he bent gravity around his body. Trevon drew power from Earth’s magnetic field, leaving a trail of blue light across the sky. Alien soldiers descended from the command ship. They wore black armor and carried energy spears. The brothers struck them above downtown. Tamir created gravity wells that pulled groups of soldiers together. Trevon disabled their armor with electromagnetic bursts. They moved with precision. Tamir opened paths. Trevon struck through them. Trevon redirected enemy weapons. Tamir crushed them. For several minutes, they fought as they always had. Like two halves of one warrior. Then Obsidian appeared. He landed on the roof of Ashcroft Tower, spear in hand. “You have evolved,” he said. Tamir floated across from him. “We’re still not kneeling.” Obsidian attacked. His spear collided with Tamir’s gravity shield. The impact shattered every window in the tower. Trevon descended from above, charged by the planet’s magnetic field. He struck Obsidian with a bolt powerful enough to split the rooftop. Obsidian staggered. For the first time, surprise crossed his face. Trevon smiled beneath his mask. “That one hurt, didn’t it?” Obsidian drove his spear into the roof. A wave of crimson gravity threw both brothers into nearby buildings. The alien general leaped after them. The battle traveled across downtown. Tamir and Obsidian smashed through rooftops. Trevon pursued them through the air, firing concentrated electromagnetic blasts. Obsidian caught Tamir by the cape and hurled him into Trevon. The brothers crashed through an office floor. Obsidian landed inside the building. He raised his spear. Tamir folded the space between them. He vanished. Obsidian’s spear struck empty air. Tamir reappeared behind him and created a gravity prison. Invisible pressure closed around Obsidian. The floor cracked. The alien dropped to one knee. “Trevon!” Trevon fired into the prison. Blue energy and compressed gravity collided around Obsidian. The explosion tore the top floors from the building. When the smoke cleared, Obsidian stood inside the ruins. His armor was cracked. Crimson light poured from the damage. He smiled. “At last.” He struck the ground with his spear. The entire building collapsed. Tamir flew downward, suspending thousands of tons of falling concrete. Trevon remained above him. “Go!” Tamir shouted. “Stop the beacon!” “I’m not leaving you!” “People are trapped below!” “I can help!” “You’re the only one who can destroy the beacon!” Trevon hesitated. Tamir’s arms shook as he held the collapsing building. “Trust me!” he shouted. The words struck Trevon harder than any blow. Tamir trusted him. Not as a child. Not as a reckless younger brother. As an equal. Trevon looked toward the command ship. Then he launched into the sky. Alien fighters surrounded him above the clouds. Trevon extended both arms. He connected fully to Earth’s magnetic field. The planet became his anchor. Blue light covered his body. Every fighter stopped in midair. Trevon twisted his hands. The ships collided with one another. He accelerated upward faster than he had ever flown. The air thinned. The sky darkened. Ice formed across his armor. The command ship loomed above him. Trevon tore through its outer hull. Inside, black corridors shifted like living tunnels. Alien soldiers charged him. He magnetically ripped their weapons away and used the ship’s own metal walls to trap them. The beacon stood in the center of an enormous chamber. It was a tower of red crystal stretching hundreds of feet upward. Energy gathered inside it. A portal began forming above Earth. Through it, Trevon saw stars. Then ships. Thousands of them. The Crown Legion. Trevon placed his hands against the beacon. He released a surge of electromagnetic energy. Nothing happened. The crystal absorbed it. Obsidian’s voice filled the chamber. “The Crown created your power. You cannot use it against its source.” Obsidian entered through the damaged hull. Tamir followed him. His armor was shattered across one shoulder. Blood ran from beneath his mask. “You left the building?” “Emergency crews took over.” Obsidian lifted his spear. “You chose attachment over destiny.” Tamir landed beside his brother. “That’s what you never understood.” Obsidian attacked. The three warriors collided beneath the portal. Tamir bent the path of Obsidian’s spear. Trevon struck the alien’s exposed armor. Obsidian grabbed Trevon and slammed him into the beacon. Tamir increased the general’s gravity until the ship’s floor buckled. Obsidian released a burst of crimson force. Tamir crashed against the chamber wall. Trevon rose unsteadily. Obsidian removed his cracked helmet. Crimson fractures covered most of his stone-black face. “You could have ruled galaxies,” he said. Trevon looked at Tamir. “We already got a city.” The brothers attacked together. Tamir folded space, moving both of them around Obsidian faster than the alien could respond. Trevon drew energy directly from Earth. Each strike cracked Obsidian’s armor further. The general roared and released the full force of his power. Gravity collapsed inward. Metal tore from the walls. The portal widened. Tamir and Trevon were pulled toward Obsidian. The alien raised his spear for the final blow. Tamir seized Trevon’s wrist. Their powers connected. For the first time, gravity and electromagnetic energy flowed through both brothers simultaneously. Tamir felt the planet’s magnetic field. Trevon felt the curvature of space. Their crown emblems glowed white. Imani’s voice came through their damaged communicators. “Your energies are synchronizing!” Tamir understood. The Crown had created commanders meant to control separate forces. But it had never expected two brothers to share them. Tamir compressed gravity around the beacon. Trevon filled the shrinking space with electromagnetic energy. The pressure built. Blue and silver light swirled between them. Obsidian stared in disbelief. “This is not possible.” Tamir looked at his brother. “Ready?” Trevon smiled. “Always.” Together, they released the attack. “KING’S JUDGMENT!” A blue-white wave exploded through the chamber. Gravity crushed the beacon inward while electromagnetic energy tore its atoms apart. The red crystal shattered. The portal collapsed. A shockwave traveled through the command ship. Obsidian’s armor disintegrated. He flew backward into the broken remains of the beacon. The command ship began falling toward Earth. Warning signals filled the chamber. Trevon looked at the planet below. “We need to move this thing.” Tamir stared at the three-mile vessel. “That’s impossible.” “You hate that word.” “I really do.” Tamir flew beneath the ship. He expanded a gravity field around the entire vessel. His body trembled. Blood poured from his nose. The ship slowed, but continued falling. Trevon connected to every metallic surface inside it. He pulled upward using Earth’s magnetic field. The brothers screamed from the strain. The ship stopped above the Atlantic Ocean. For several seconds, it hung motionless. Then Tamir redirected gravity. Trevon released the magnetic hold. The vessel drifted away from the planet. It disappeared into space, carrying the defeated Obsidian with it. The brothers fell toward Earth. Their suits were powerless. Tamir reached for Trevon. Trevon caught his hand. Together, they dropped through the clouds. A black aircraft appeared below them. Malik stood inside the open cargo door wearing a flight helmet. He waved frantically. “Y’all better aim for the plane! I only borrowed this!” The brothers crashed into the cargo bay. Malik stared at their burned, broken armor. “You destroyed both suits.” Trevon rolled onto his back. “Put it on my tab.” “You still owe me for the last gauntlet.” Tamir began laughing. Soon Trevon joined him. They laughed until neither could breathe. The Crown ships above Earth vanished after the beacon was destroyed. Humanity celebrated. For several weeks, Tamir and Trevon remained out of sight while recovering. The protests outside the garage disappeared. New murals appeared across Ashcroft. One showed the brothers not standing above the city, but standing inside it among ordinary people. The words beneath it read: A CROWN DOES NOT MAKE A KING. SERVICE DOES. Tamir and Trevon returned to the roof of Owens Motor Works one evening. They wore newly repaired suits. Tamir’s armor had been redesigned with smoother charcoal plates and a longer black cape edged in silver-blue light. Trevon’s suit contained stronger gauntlets and brighter circuits extending across his shoulders and chest. Below them, Eastgate moved beneath warm streetlights. Trevon leaned against the roof’s edge. “You really trust me?” Tamir looked at him. “Sometimes.” Trevon laughed. “I’m serious.” “So am I.” Tamir’s expression softened. “I’ve spent most of my life trying to protect you. I didn’t realize that could become another way of holding you back.” Trevon nodded. “I’ve spent most of mine trying to prove I don’t need protecting.” “You do.” “So do you.” Tamir extended his fist. Trevon bumped it. Inside the command center below them, an alarm sounded. Imani appeared through their communicators. “You need to see this.” They entered the laboratory. A signal pulsed across the largest screen. It came from deep space. Far beyond the solar system. Imani translated the transmission. A crown symbol appeared. Then dozens more. Hundreds. A voice spoke from the darkness. “Beacon destroyed.” The transmission paused. “General Obsidian defeated.” Another pause followed. Longer this time. Then the voice said: “Earth has produced worthy resistance.” The screen filled with images of enormous ships. “Deploy the royal fleet.” The transmission ended. Nobody spoke. Malik slowly removed his glasses. “How much time do we have?” Imani examined the data. “Years, perhaps. Space is vast.” “So we won.” Tamir stared at the dark screen. “We won the first round.” The brothers returned to the roof. Above Ashcroft, the stars shone brightly. Trevon placed his mask over his face. Far below them, police sirens echoed through Eastgate. A robbery. A fire. Someone needed help. The royal fleet could wait. Their city could not. Tamir stepped from the roof and rose into the night on a wave of distorted gravity. Trevon launched beside him in an explosion of blue lightning. Together, the Concrete Kings flew over Ashcroft. Brothers. Protectors. Unfinished weapons who had chosen to become something greater. Somewhere beyond the stars, an empire was coming. But Earth would not face it alone. Not while its kings still wore their crowns. THE END

Concrete Kings II: The Fallen Crown

Manuscript

Concrete Kings II: The Fallen Crown

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