Inside the underground base, the atmosphere was charged with expectation. Kel and Shine stared at A00 with penetrating gazes, their expressions demanding answers that had been postponed for too long. The LED lights of the laboratory created dramatic shadows on the tense faces, while the constant hum of electronic equipment filled the silence.
A00 sighed deeply, as if he were preparing to open a chest of memories he preferred to keep locked: "Okay, I'll say a little."
Kel and Shine instinctively drew closer, forming an informal semicircle around him. There was something in A00's posture that suggested he was finally ready to share fragments of his mysterious identity.
"Before I was a hero, I was a...", A00 began, his words coming out slowly as if each one were carefully weighed.
Before he could complete the revealing sentence, a message appeared on the main screen of Kel's computer. The electronic sound cut through the moment like a blade, abruptly interrupting the confession everyone had been waiting for so long.
"Mister Kel", ARIA's synthetic voice echoed through the speakers strategically positioned throughout the laboratory, "the data you were searching for about Nolan Jackson has just been processed and is ready for analysis."
Immediate curiosity took hold of both Shine and A00. They stood up quickly, their bodies leaning toward the computer screen like magnets attracted to metal. The revelation about A00's past would have to wait a little longer.
Kel walked directly to his ergonomic chair, which automatically adjusted to his body as he sat down. His fingers flew over the holographic keyboard, navigating through layers of encrypted data and complex biometric analyses.
After a few minutes absorbing the information on the screen, Kel turned to face his companions, especially focusing on Shine. There was something in his expression that mixed scientific fascination with genuine concern.
"Guys, it's going to sound kind of strange, but it's the truth", he said, nervously straightening his glasses. "So, do I start with the good side or the bad?"
Both A00 and Shine responded simultaneously, their voices overlapping: "With the bad!"
Kel positioned himself better in the chair, straightened his glasses once more, and swallowed hard while looking directly at Shine. It was evident that the information he was about to share would deeply affect her.
"Okay. I'll start with the biographical data", he said, his voice taking on the clinical tone he used when presenting important scientific discoveries. "The records indicate that Nolan Jackson was once a respected mathematics teacher at a local secondary school."
He paused to check the data on the screen before continuing: "During his academic career, he maintained a stable family life. He had a wife named Marta Jackson and a small four-year-old daughter. Apparently, they lived a normal and happy life."
The atmosphere in the laboratory became heavier as Kel continued: "When Nolan stopped working for reasons the records don't clearly specify, he separated from both his daughter and Marta. The family completely fell apart."
Blood Night crossed his arms, clearly impatient with the biographical details: "So what? Everyone has family problems."
Kel ignored the interruption and proceeded: "He remained unemployed for a long period, sustaining himself with very little money. During this financially difficult phase of his life, he met someone else and decided to marry again."
The boy made a dramatic pause, his eyes moving between A00 and Shine: "His second marriage, the data shows it was with Meisy Jackson."
Kel turned directly to A00, pointing an accusing finger in his direction: "The guy you killed there in the prison, you idiot!"
A00 remained silent, his face showing no remorse or surprise. Shine just listened attentively, absorbing every detail of the tragic story that was unfolding.
Kel continued his clinical narrative: "Nolan and Meisy began robbing stores and banks to survive in misery. To execute these crimes, he used his red energy powers, becoming increasingly efficient and dangerous."
He checked more data on the screen: "Eventually, the police managed to arrest them. Both were transferred to Ralow prison, where they remained until the incident you caused."
Kel turned to face A00 and Shine with absolute seriousness: "So, this means he won't give up until he kills you, A00. He lost everything twice in life, and you were responsible for the second tragedy."
"That's the bad part", Kel concluded, his words weighing in the air like a death sentence.
Shine, who had remained silent during the entire explanation, finally spoke: "And the good news?"
Kel took a deep breath, as if he were preparing to reveal something even more significant: "The good news is that I found your parents."
He looked directly at Shine, his eyes shining with the excitement of an important scientific discovery: "I took Nolan's fingerprints from the traces on A00's suit after the fight. I used these samples to compare powers and analyze genetic differences."
Kel paused, letting the tension accumulate: "His fingerprints matched perfectly with yours in several genetic markers. To be absolutely certain, I did facial recognition using government databases."
The final revelation came out like a blow: "I discovered that your mother's name is Marta Jackson. Nolan Jackson is your father. And your real name is Cátia Jackson."
Shine heard the name "Cátia" echo in her mind like a distant echo. It was a name she knew was hers, engraved in some deep part of her memory, but she had never known who had given it or where it came from.
The shock hit her like an avalanche. Her eyes widened, and she felt as if the ground had disappeared beneath her feet.
A00, unable to resist a sarcastic comment even in such a dramatic moment, said: "You're kidding! You're saying that the red firefly is the father of the rainbow firefly?"
No one responded to Blood Night. The gravity of the revelation had created a profound silence in the laboratory.
Shine was lost in her own fragmented memories. Years growing up on the streets, stealing crumbs to survive, sleeping in cold alleys, always wondering where she had come from. And now she discovered that after all she had parents who were still alive - a father who had become a criminal and a mother who had disappeared from her life when she was only four years old.
Tears began to stream down her face as she clenched her fists so hard that her nails dug into the palms of her hands. The physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional storm she was facing.
The charged silence was abruptly cut by ARIA's voice: "Warning: Moskol is suffering invasion damage. Sir, do you wish me to show security videos?"
"Yes, please", Kel responded immediately, his scientific concerns giving way to the urgency of the situation.
The main computer screen expanded, showing live feeds from security cameras scattered throughout downtown Moskol. The image was devastating: Nolan Jackson floated in the air like a vengeful divinity, his extended arms firing continuous bursts of red energy that destroyed everything around.
His voice echoed through the streets with such intense rancor and rage that it made the cameras' audio distort: "Bring me your protector! Bring me Blood Night!"
**[M.L.P - Multiverse: Forbidden Legacy]**