by Joshua
"Man, why didn't you tell me about any of this?" Reedy asked.
"It wasn't important," Vaughn replied, waving him off.
"Fuck you, it's very important! We almost lost the case!"
"Look, I'm sorry," Vaughn said. "It won't happen again. That guy…He just gets under my skin."
"I gotta know," Reedy said. "Do you think this guy could be Beta Boy, or are you stirring up the past for your own reasons?"
"I…I think there’s a possibility," Vaughn replied. "He's the only other known super person and no one's seen him in years."
"If that's true, then that means Alpha Male's possibly lying and that kinda scares me," Reedy said.
"Yeah," Vaughn replied. "Me too."
*****
Alpha Male was soaring between the buildings with the precision of a hawk. He banked turns at full speed, zooming through the city in anger. His teeth gritted as he fought to keep control at that speed. His body began to wobble, and he slowed to a stop. Huffing, he hovered in place.
He exhaled and floated down to street level, hovering over the traffic lights. His eyes scanned the intersection for danger, then he moved on. The pedestrians below couldn't see him. They went on with their daily lives while he patrolled their city, his city.
Hours flew by as he wound his way down the streets. The city was calm, subdued as the sun began its tangerine descent into deep vermilion. He sighed as the town went dark with night.
Down the road, he heard a man yelling. Alpha rushed toward the sound, flying through an alley way, to the street on the other side. He was there in less than a minute.
"What's the problem?" he asked.
"Some punk just shoplifted from my store," the man said. "I'd go after him, but I can't leave!"
"Don't worry," Alpha said. "I'll get him."
Alpha jumped into the air, flying over the heads of the people walking. Within seconds, he saw the thief barreling through anyone in his way. Alpha watched him panic and take off faster. He slammed through a few small groups before turning down a corner. Alpha followed.
Alpha was soon on the runner, grabbing at his jacket. He spun him around and against a wall. Anger filled his eyes and he readied himself to dole out justice. The thief screamed, flinching as Alpha balled his fist to strike him. There, in his grip cried a young boy, barely in his teens.
"Please, don't!" the boy said, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm sorry." The kid dropped the handful of candy bars to the ground and started bawling. Alpha released him and flew away.
*****
"I'm worried Mac," Rose said, nursing two fingers of cheap sour mash whiskey.
"Ah, I wouldn't be," Mac said, sipping his own drink. "This city always bounces back."
"It's not that," she replied, looking up at herself in the bar mirror. She was tired, and it showed. Her eyes were dark and baggy and her hair was frizzed out and unkempt. She ran a few fingers through it, but only succeeded in finding painful knots. "It's Alpha Male. He's become…different, you know?"
"Not really," Mac said, sifting through the bowl of mixed nuts. He pulled out a peanut and dropped it into his mouth. "But, I don't really see him much."
"Yeah, I don't know either," she said. She reached into her bag and pulled out the little black device. "They want me to bring him down if he steps outta line."
"You serious?" Mac asked, surprised.
"Yeah, they gave me this," she said, showing him the device. He picked it up and looked at it.
"What's it do?" he asked.
“It’s some kind of sound weapon," she said. "I haven't tried it out yet. It came with ear plugs"
“What do you mean, you haven’t tried it out yet?” He asked.
“I don’t know,” she said. “I just…I don’t know how I feel about it. They are asking me to use it on him.”
"You want to try it out now?" he asked, with a mischievous grin.
"Fuck it," she said. "It's got a knob for turning down the power. Let’s see what the lowest level does."
"We should go somewhere safe," Mac said, getting up.
"Well, no shit." Rose laughed and dropped a few dollars down onto the bar.
“Let’s go down to the loading docks,” he said. “We shouldn’t have to worry about much there. I’ll drive, since you’re…”
“Yeah, you drive,” she said, finishing her drink.
Once at the docks, she handed him a pair of special ear plugs, and inserted her own. She watched his lips moving, but she couldn't hear a word he was saying. She pointed towards her ear and shook her head. He waved it off with a gesture of "never mind."
They took a few items from his car, and placed them against a brick wall. The building stood tall with two other buildings near it. They were the shipping offices for all the things that came and went out of the city.
She pointed the device towards a few scattered beer bottles and looked at Mac with a nod. He smiled in agreement. She flipped the switch and watched the red power light come on. Using the dial, she turned it up one notch until the read-out said "1". Her finger slid atop the button and she held it there for a moment. Mac was giddy with excitement. She smiled and pressed the button.
The bottles shook, clinking across the ground before tumbling over. They rolled on the ground for a moment and popped. She jumped a bit, then started laughing with excitement. Turning to Mac, she shot him a big thumbs up and he reciprocated the gesture with a laugh she couldn't hear. She went to hit the switch but stopped when glass began to rain down on them. She covered her head and felt the shards cutting into the skin of her hands.
"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck," she said fumbling with the device. The pain in her hand made the process tricky, but she finally got it turned off. She took the ear plugs out and looked at Mac. In the distance, the sound of crying car alarms rang through the night.
"We need to get out of here!" he said.
She looked up and saw that every window had been busted out. The ground around them was covered in small sharp chunks that reminded her of fresh fallen snow.
"Come on," Mac said, pulling her by the arm. "Jesus Christ. You’re bleeding like crazy. I'll take you to the hospital."
"I'm fine," she said, laughing like an excited teenager as they raced towards his car.
*****
"This place, it's our home now," Ivy said to Al as they walked through the subway terminal. They stopped for a moment and looked over a short wall. Below them, on the lower platform, was a cluster of shanties. "A lot of the people here have lived on the streets for a long time. The rest of us sort of found our way here with Eddie when our houses were destroyed."
"What happened?" Al asked.
"I can't talk about that, but after it happened, most of the kids from that block fell through the cracks. Our teachers did their best, but most of us ended up on the street."
"That must have been hard," Al said, turning toward her.
"It was," she said. "It really was. Most of us scrounged through garbage, doing what we could to eat. Then Eddy started his group and brought us down here. You and him, you have a good deal in common."
"I'd say so," came a voice from behind them. They both turned and saw Jon. "You and he both have a serious grudge against the same guy."
Al's fist tightened and his lip began to curl.
"We've been working on that bastard for weeks now," Jon said. "We could really use your help taking him down."
"Jon, not now OK?" Ivy asked.
Jon grimaced and asked, "if not now, then when?"
"Later, OK?" she said.
"It's alright," Al said to Ivy as he looked back at Jon. "I want to help. But, it's going to be on my terms."
"Great, let’s go tell Eddy," John said, waving Al along. They both walked off together.
Ivy frowned, huffing as she followed.
Chapter Sixteen.
Alpha sat in the dark, nestled in his cushy chair, holding the remote while flipping through the channels. B
eside him on the table, a half empty bottle of whiskey sat with a missing top. Next to that was an uneaten sandwich.
Every twenty channels or so, he'd kick the bottle back and take a deep swig. The amber liquid ran down his lips and dripped off his chin, but Alpha did nothing to stop it. He winced from the burn, and put it back on the table.
A colorful barrage of images came up on the screen and he put the remote down. The title popped up, "Alpha Male and Beta Boy". He gave a soft smile and took another drink.
The two heroes were both chained to a pipe in a sewer that was filling up with water. The steady stream poured from a pipe above them, and spewed from between the seams of the one they were chained to.
"This is it, isn't it?" Beta Boy asked.
"Don't be so negative," Alpha's cartoon double replied. "I'm already cooking up a plan as we speak."
Alpha followed the words with his own lips before taking another drink.
"Once the water reaches that frayed wire, you will be the ones cooking!" said Omega Man from the top of the sewer. He cackled at the pun and Alpha couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.
The phone rang, buzzing on the table and Alpha picked it up. He pressed mute on the remote and hit 'accept'. "It's been a long time, Colonel," he said.
"How are you, boy?"
"You've seen the news, you know how I am," Alpha said, staring at the screen.
"Aye, and you know I'm not calling to chat. They've put a dot on your head."
"A dot?" Alpha asked.
"Yeah, a red fucking dot. This is a formal warning boy. They are gunning for you and the word is, they've got the means to take you down if need be. Watch your ass, OK?"
"Yeah, thanks colonel," Alpha said.
"You've been through some shit, and I worry. This isn't the life I would have chosen for you, so take it easy. Don't let that mind meld fuck get you down."
"I've got this," Alpha said. “Thanks for the tip.”
“You know I owe you a few favors. Don’t mention it.”
Alpha hit end and dialed another number.
"Hey, we need to meet. Yeah, the usual place."
The phone went silent on the other end as he set it down. He grabbed the bottle and turned it up, guzzling a third of it before setting it back down. His finger pressed the mute button and the sound on the TV came back.
*****
"It's been awhile since we last spoke. How can I help you, Rose?" Dr. Eisner asked.
Rose sat back in the recliner with her feet up, looking at Dr. Eisner. He was an older man with black hair salted with grey and a light stubble on his face.
"Well, I don't know," she said. "Where to start? My failing career, my disaster of a marriage, or how I'm in love with a super hero?"
"Is that still going on?" he asked, writing on his pad.
"Which one?" she asked.
"Your feelings for Alpha Male."
"Yes, it’s still going on," she said, covering her eyes.
"There's nothing to be ashamed of," the doctor said. "Biologically speaking, it makes perfect sense. He's a strong, capable man. Many women are attracted to him. It speaks to your resolve that you haven't given in to these feelings."
"Things with my husband aren't getting any better. He's jealous of Alpha, and my job is too demanding. We’ve…talked about divorce a few times."
"Is that something you want?" he asked.
"Sometimes. I love him, but sometimes I think it would just be easier."
"Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't," he replied.
"Yeah," she said. "Can I smoke?"
"No, but we can take a short break if you need to."
"Nah, I'm OK."
"So. You've started smoking again." he said, writing still.
"Yep, yet another problem in our relationship."
"That's not surprising. Why did you start again?"
"I don't know. Weakness I guess. Things are falling apart. A few nights ago, I did something really stupid. I um…I used this…My boss gave me this weapon for stopping Alpha Male. It's some kind of sonic device. I tested it in an alleyway for fun and it shattered all the windows for a block.”
"I take it you weren't caught," he said.
"Nope. I ran away laughing before anyone could get there. I was kind of drunk, but it was fun and exciting. I felt good afterwards. That's when I realized I needed to come see you again."
"Rebellion can be liberating. This is probably why you started smoking again," he said. "Was anyone hurt?"
"No, and the city has already agreed to pay for damages. It's a part of this program they created when Alpha Male first came around."
"Yes, the Wright initiative. I remember when that building went down. Very sad."
"Yes, it's a tough price to pay for safety."
“I can’t help but note a hint of sarcasm in your voice. You work directly with Alpha Male, do you not think his presence is needed?”
“I uh…shit, I don’t know. I mean, yeah he’s done some good, and saved a bunch of people, but he’s caused a lot of problems too. I stand by him, but I still question that decision every day.”
*****
"I'm glad you decided to get with us," Eddy said, placing his hand on Al's shoulder. "It's good that you understand our struggle. This is going to be different than before. No more helping for room and board, ok?"
Al shook his head and said, "I'm not going to kill anyone."
"No one’s asking you to," Eddy replied, smiling. He put his arm around Al’s shoulder "You, you are our mascot. You'll be on the front lines protecting us from that asshole Alpha Male."
Al's fists clenched up as the name hit him like a blow to the face. Hs teeth gritted and his breathing became heavy.
"It's OK," Eddy said, placing both hands on Al's shoulders. He looked the man in the eyes. "It's OK. Take a deep breath."
"I…I don't think I can do that," Al said.
"Sure you can. Just stop, and take a breath," Eddy said, maintaining eye contact.
"No, I mean, I don't think I can take on…" Al said, sweating now.
"Look, there's a reason you can't hear this guy’s name without freaking. My bet is, he has something to do with it. Something you need to find out. Don't you think?"
"I want to help, I really do. But—"
"When the time comes, you will or you won't. As long as you make yourself useful, you are welcome here. Ok?" Eddy said, with a soft smile. "You don't look so good. Why don't you go lie down? Gather your strength."
"I will, thanks," Al said.
Ivy took him by the arm and led him away from the chamber. Eddy scooted up onto the dais and plopped down on the chair. He flipped on the television and booted up the game system. With controller in hand, he watched the screen pop up saying “Alpha Male”. Once the game started, he took the avatar of Alpha Male, and began flying him into the ground, over and over, killing him each time.
"So, that didn't go so well," Keen said over Eddy’s shoulder.
"Sure it did," Eddy replied, mashing the buttons. "You saw how unstable he is. We're gonna point him towards Alpha and watch the fireworks. If they don't kill each other, the fallout from the battle will only hurt the hero’s reputation even more."
“Yeah, I guess that’s a good point,” Keen said, watching the digitized hero smash into the ground.
*****
Reedy sat at his desk, looking at the pathetic breakfast before him. The warm coffee and pre-packaged cakes looked about as appetizing as a turd, but his stomach ached. He checked his watch and saw it was almost lunch time. Pulling the wrapper apart, he leaned back in his chair.
"I bring biscuits, and you bring this shit," he said to Vaughn.
"Ah, fuck you," Vaughn replied, never looking up from his paperwork. "It was all the Korean grocery by my place had that wasn't in a foreign language."
Reedy’s eyes got big and he sat up in his chair. "Do you think some trash could still be
at one of the crime scenes?"
"Um, in this city? I don't see why not." Vaughn said sitting back in his chair. "Are you suggesting we go on a garbage run?"
"No, I think you already did that this morning," Reedy said, looking at his food.
"Har har, fucker," Vaughn said. "Whatever your idea is, it's gotta be better than being here."
The two detectives searched the site where Reedy had confronted his attacker. The place where he’d been injured, and left for dead. Reedy stood over the spot where he had fallen unconscious and tried to remember any details he could. The man had been eating junk food while his friend drank liquor from the bottle.
"The trash would be scattered by now," Reedy said. "It’s been weeks, but I'm looking for some kind of junk food wrappers. Something that could have been missed."
"I think this might be a waste of time," Vaughn said. "No offense of course, but too much time has gone by."
"Yeah, none taken," Reedy replied with two handfuls of trash. "You know, I've watched nothing but stupid detective shows for the last month. I guess it's gone to my head."
"I used to do the same exact thing," Vaughn said, with a chuckle.
"Really?" Reedy asked.
"Yeah. I think we all did that," Vaughn said. "You get disillusioned pretty quick."
"Consider me disillusioned," Reedy replied, tossing the trash back down.
"Don't say anything," Vaughn said. "But Jacobs; he still watches reruns of Dragnet every day."
"I believe it," Reedy said, smiling. "He dresses like it."
"Come on partner," Vaughn said. "I'll buy you a coffee."
"Thanks," Reedy said. "You know, with the clean crime scenes, someone has to be covering their tracks. This guy, he didn't seem the type. He was sitting here, less than a block from the crime, eating anything he could stuff in his mouth."
"Maybe the scene wasn't cleaned," Vaughn said, his eyes going wide with excitement. "Maybe this guy doesn't have fingerprints. Maybe, he's a spook. You know, some kind of top secret government agent, or hell, maybe he’s one of their projects or something. That shit's always happening in the movies."
"Maybe," Reedy said. "Maybe."
Chapter Seventeen.
"OK, guys," Xavier said, pulling down the black cloth mask over his face. "Same thing as last time. We get in, we get out."
