by Joshua
“Ah, you’re probably right.” Vaughn said, looking down at the three boys with bullet holes in them. “You know, when I was a kid, you rebelled against the government, or God, not against fucking superheroes.”
“What do you expect," Reedy said. "A man shows up that can fly and stop bullets with his face. To these kids, he probably seems a lot like God."
"Nah, you're getting too philosophical now," Vaughn said. "They hate him for the same reason they hate us. Authority. Hands down, end of story."
"So what do you guys think?" the officer asked.
"You did a good job calling us," Vaughn said. "Was he here?"
"Not that we know of, but people are scared. All these gangs cropping up are disappearing just as fast. Apparently, your boy doesn't like to share. Oh, and we found a discarded gun with no prints. The serial number is a match for one that was stolen from that pawn shop a few days ago. Wasn’t he involved in that as well?”
"Yeah, he’s a slippery asshole," Reedy replied. "We just can't get a bead on him."
"Yeah, he's definitely playing it safe," Vaughn said. "It's only a matter of time before he sticks his head out again."
"Where's Alpha Male in all of this?" the officer asked.
"I guess he's doing his usual thing," Reedy said.
*****
Alpha Male stood atop the Wade Tower holding a manila envelope in his hands. He fingered the small plastic device through the envelope before opening it. Pulling it out, he examined it. The thing was just a bit bigger than a key fob. He caressed the big red button for a moment, feeling its contours with the tip of his finger. A moment passed and he dropped it back in the packet. As it disappeared, something else came into view. He pulled out three large photographs. Shock hit him as he looked at the black and whites of his meeting with The Magpie. They slid right back in place when his phone went off. He pulled it from his belt and looked at it. It was an unfamiliar number, but he hit 'answer' anyways.
"Look, don't take it personally," said The Magpie on the other end. "I just need some extra money before I leave town for good. This used to be such a safe city to steal in."
"So this is why you’ve kept me waiting for so long. How much?" Alpha said, scanning around for any signs of the man. The tower was so high up, he couldn't get a good look at any of the nearby rooftops.
"Ten million," said The Magpie.
"I don't have—"
"Don't," The Magpie said. "I know exactly what you have, and that's why I'm asking for it. Even with the Wright Initiative, you make so much money off these pathetic people. Selling shoes, and shows, and other doodads. It should be criminal. And before you say anything, you should know that I’ve also got evidence that you had me wipe the prints off a crime scene, so if I was you, I’d pay. Can’t have that beautiful police chief finding out about this, can we?"
"What's my guarantee?"
"You have my word," said The Magpie.
"It's going to take—"
"I know. Let’s say the end of next week."
The phone line went dead. Alpha looked at the screen and threw it to the ground. It hit with the force of a small bomb, cracking the roof, and shattering into pieces. He let out a bellowing howl and took flight.
*****
Rose sat on her couch watching the evening news. In one hand, she held the remote, and in the other, she held a stout glass of whiskey. The ice in the glass clinked every time she took a drink. Her husband sat at the other end of the couch, his face buried in a book. He looked up after she gulped down her drink and got up to get another.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.
“No,” she said, walking into the kitchen.
“At some point, we’re going to need to discuss all this,” he said, looking over his shoulder.
“What's there to talk about?” she asked, returning with a new drink. “The city is seeing its highest spike in crime in years, and I’m the head of the police force.”
“Yeah, but you also presided over the city when it was at its lowest crime level ever. You can’t beat yourself up over something you don’t have control over,” he said.
“That’s what you don’t get!” she yelled. “I do have control. This shit shouldn’t be happening in my city! Not when I’m in command.” She put her head down and supported herself on the edge of the couch. “I…uh, I don’t want to talk about it.”
He started to say something, but she flashed him a glance that said, don't.
"I'm going to my office, I'll be up later," said Rose as she walked off. She sat down at her desk and stared at it. She didn't move until the sound of her husband going up the stairs shook away her thoughts. She clicked the mouse and watched as the screen of her computer came on. After a few moments of browsing the news sites, she turned it off and reached down for her purse. She dug around inside, looking for the small device, but it wasn't there. Panic hit, and she dumped the whole thing out. She rummaged through the pile, scattering everything around, but still couldn't find it.
"Oh fuck," she said, jumping up and grabbing her coat. She was out the door before her husband could call out her name.
Chapter Twenty-One.
Vaughn greeted Reedy with a large yawn while wiping the sleep from his eyes. Reedy took one look around the office and saw that everyone else was as tired as Vaughn.
"What'd I miss?" Reedy asked.
"Oh, shit man," Vaughn said. "The captain came in around midnight and had us tear the place apart looking for something. Some kind of box with a button on it. We didn't find it."
"What were you doing here at midnight?" Reedy asked.
"Oh, boy," Vaughn said, with a big creeping smile. "The internet at my house is complete shit, so I come here sometimes to—"
"Don't say look at porn," Reedy said.
Vaughn chuckled and said, "No, it works well enough for that. I think I've got us a serious lead."
"Oh yeah?"
"Oh, yeah," Vaughn replied, and walked over to his desk. "I searched most of the night and finally found our guy. Yeah, it took a lot of work, but I found out that he changed his name before going off to school in Russia, of all places."
"He's from Russia originally, right?" Reedy asked, looking down at the paperwork Vaughn had printed out.
"Yep," said Vaughn. "Going back to school there makes sense, but not the name change."
"I guess," Reedy said, giving it some thought. "Or maybe we are looking too far into all this."
"His new name, get this, it's Jacob Jones," Vaughn said. "Just like a comic book villain."
"Sounds more like a superhero's name to me," Reedy said, smiling.
Vaughn sneered and said, "Bite me."
"So, what now?" Reedy asked.
"I'm going to get back to it, and you can help."
*****
Alpha Male sat the large pallet of bricks down on the top scaffolding and nodded to the bricklayer before heading back to the ground. At the bottom, an attractive brunette held her microphone, waiting for his return.
"So, is all this a part of the Wright Initiative?" she asked.
"Well, yes and no," Alpha replied, with a smile as he landed. He scratched the back of his head. "The Wright Initiative takes the money from the various products and television programs I endorse and pays for these projects from that. I just volunteer my time when I can."
"That's very noble of you," she said, smiling.
"Ah, well, thank you," he said. "I try."
"Can you explain a little more about The Wright Initiative?" she asked.
"Oh yes, of course," he said. "When I was first starting out, there was this…criminal. He was driving like crazy, weaving in and out of traffic, swerving off the road. He was apparently trying to get away from the cops after he’d robbed a bank. I flew down beside the car and signaled for him to pull over. I wanted to stop him for reckless, and possibly drunk driving, but then he pulled a pistol on me and fired. The bullet
hit me square in the face. It was the first time I’d been hit in the face. It startled me, and before I knew it, I had flown into oncoming traffic. I pulled up before I hit the car coming at me…"
Alpha paused and swallowed hard. "But…I um…I slammed into a news helicopter and it crashed into a nearby building. The Wrights were the first ones they pulled from the wreckage. The helicopter had completely demolished the building. The only ones who survived were the kids. They…were at a nearby church for bible study."
Alpha covered his face with his hand, hiding from the woman and the cameraman.
"It's OK," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "You've done so much good for this city. It was an accident. You have to forgive yourself."
"Yeah, I try every day," he said, turning back to them. “But it’s just so hard sometimes.”
He paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and regained his composure.
“Are you able to continue?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“It’s been years since it happened,” she said. “It’s the ten year anniversary of that tragic incident. People want to know, do you, or anyone else for that matter, have any idea where Eddy Wright is now?”
“No,” he said. “It’s actually a heartbreaking story, and one that spurred the initiative into motion. After losing his family, the boy had no one to else to go to, so he got put into a foster home. I was told he wasn’t there a month before he ran off. As far as I know, no one has heard from, or seen him since.”
“Oh, that’s so awful,” she said, shaking her head.
“Yeah, it really is,” Alpha said. “I was told he was actually a very intelligent boy with a bright future ahead of him. This all just adds to my guilt, you know?”
“Oh yes, but, for every Eddy Wright, you’ve saved so many more people. With everything going on right now, this city needs you now, more than ever.”
“Thank you Rachel,” he said, smiling.
She turned back to the camera and held the mic up to her face. “I’m Rachel Dobbs, thank you for tuning in.”
*****
“Can you believe this shit?” Eddy said, throwing the remote at the television. It missed, but shattered when it hit the ground. “That fucking asshole; getting on there and talking about me and my family like he gives a shit?”
“What do you want to do about it?” Xavier asked.
"It's time," said Eddy, fuming. His lips clenched as he glared at the television set.
"I think so too," Xavier said. "We've done enough sitting around."
"Um, Eddy, I think you should see this," said Jon, from the doorway.
"Not now," Eddy said, without turning.
"It's that thing," Jon said. "Like, from before. The monster we found down in the sewer?"
Eddy’s eyes perked up and he turned to look. "What are you trying to tell me?"
"We found the other one," Jon said, struggling to get the words out.
Eddy shined a flashlight down the tunnel and saw the white mass lying on the ground. Its chest heaved with every breath, but it didn't move. Eddy’s light exposed the pooled blood and chunks of flesh on the ground around it.
"What happened?" he asked.
In a frantic, bumbling voice, he said, "It, uh…It killed a few guys, because they didn't see it, but it's not moving much now. We think it's starving."
"Where are the bodies…? Never mind," Eddy said as the awful realization came to him. He took a few steps closer, fixed on the thing as it turned its head and looked him. The blinding light was too much, so the creature covered its eyes and groaned.
"Look at it," Eddy said, taking a few more steps forward. Its size had diminished and now the skin hung off it where the bulging muscles once were. It was still massive, and he could see the raw power it still held, but the thing was suffering. It groaned in pain, and rolled to its side.
"I bet it got lost down here, and without much food," Eddy said, turning back to Jon and Xavier. "Here's what I want. Jon, you need to get some good food for this thing; lots of it. Feed it for a day or two, but no more than that. When you bring the last bit of food, I want you to make a trail leading back to the pit where we found the first one, ok?"
"A trail?" Jon asked, looking over Eddy’s shoulder into the darkness.
"Of food," Eddy said, turning back to the monster. "This just became plan B."
"But uh, why me?" Jon asked.
"Because," Eddy said, turning and walking up to the boy. He placed his hand on Jon’s shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "You're the only one I trust to do this, OK?"
"OK," Jon said, through the lump in his throat.
"Now, on to plan A," Eddy said, walking out.
*****
"I'm scared," Al said. Ivy took his hand in hers and looked him in the eye.
"That's OK," she said. "I'd be scared too if I didn't remember anything."
"It's not just that," Al said, looking down. "I have all this anger inside me, and all this power. I'm afraid of what I'm capable of."
"You've been practicing right?" she asked, bending a bit to meet his gaze. His head followed hers until their eyes met again.
"Yeah, I have,” he said, pointing at the box of bottles. He lifted it up into the air, and brought each bottle out, one at a time. They began to orbit around the box. It wasn't until they started to spin that she clapped.
"Oh my god, you've gotten so good!"
"There's not much else to do down here," he said, smiling. "I got you something." Reaching behind the bed, he pulled up a brown paper bag and handed it.to her. Her eyes went wide as he placed the gift in her lap.
"You got me a gift?" she asked. She unfolded the top and looked into the bag. Her eyes became quizzical as she reached in and pulled out a carton of milk.
"Where did you get this?" she asked.
"I got one of the boys to pick it up for me," he said, smiling. It's what you said you wanted, right?"
"They didn't tell you that it needed to stay cold, did they?" she said. "Milk goes bad if you don't put it in a refrigerator."
He's face sunk as he looked at the white container in her hand. She turned to him grinning wide as he looked at her, disappointed. Their gazes met once more and the smile slowly faded from her face. She kissed him with all the passion she could muster, and he pulled away.
"What are you doing?" he asked. She looked stunned, but then a playful grin appeared and she kissed him once again. This time, he didn't pull away. Instead, he met her lips with equal fervor and they were lost for a moment in each other’s embrace. It wasn't until the bottles fell and crashed to pieces that they stopped. He looked shocked by the mess, but she just laughed. He saw her happiness and followed her in laughter.
"We could leave, you know?" she said. "Get away from this city and Alpha…And him."
"I can't," he said. "I need to know why I hate him so much. And, I believe in what Eddy’s doing. He's helping all of us live better lives. He needs my help for that."
"He's just," she said, but the words didn't come.
"Eddy and I agree that I have a connection to Alpha…" He took a deep breath and said, "Alpha Male. We don't know what, but until I do, I can't leave. It may be the only opportunity I have to figure out who I am. I've heard this rumor that I'm his long lost side kick. If it's true, he's the only person who knows."
She grabbed his arm and said, "But what if you can't control yourself when you see him? What if this rage isn’t controllable?"
"It's OK," he said, taking her hand off his arm and holding it. "Eddy and I agree that I'm not to be around him until it is."
"And what if that never happens?" she said.
His face went sour as he pulled away. "I don't understand why you are being this way."
"I care about you, Al. I don't want anything to happen, and sometimes, I don't think Eddy does."
"He does," Al said. "I promise." He leaned in to kiss her again. Their lip
s touched, but the passion wasn't there. As they pulled away from each other, a knock came at the door. It was Jon.
"Eddy says we've got another job to do tonight and he needs you."
"Tell him I'll be there," Al said.
Jon forced a smile for Ivy and said, "He said to bring the suit." Jon turned away from the door and left.
*****
"I need another one," Rose said, to the man across the desk from her. His mouth formed into a frown as he glared at her, not speaking
His office was dark, and gloomy, with few personal effects and even less personality. The walls had no decorations, just a large television set mounted a few feet away. The desktop was clean and meticulous; barren, save for the assorted office supplies. In front of him sat a large open file
"Look, I'm sorry, but…"
"You're sorry?" he asked, finally moving. "You've lost a piece of equipment that's designed to take out a god damned super hero, and you're sorry?"
"Yes," she said, rigid.
“You’re fired,” he said, closing the file. “Expect a formal investigation soon to determine whether or not you were secretly working with Alpha Male to derail this operation.”
“No, please,” she said, stunned. “I’m not working with him. I…I seriously lost it, OK. Please, don’t do this. I’ll fix this.”
Her words gave him pause. He peered at her for a moment before looking away. His eyes darted back to hers. “Ok, I'll give you one more, but this is it, Rose. You've fucked up one too many times. You don't get another chance. Are we clear?”
"Yes," she said, clearing her throat. “Yes.”
"You can leave now," he said. "Oh, and Rose, we've been given the green light on a new tactical unit to come in and help clean up this mess. I thought you should hear it from me first. Also, I want it known that I’m only doing you this favor because Alpha seems to like you, and has a history of cooperating with you. That’s your only bargaining chip here."
She walked out of his office and went towards the elevator. She was already in before the door was even halfway open, pressing the button for the top floor. Fidgeting around, she searched her pockets for cigarettes and a lighter. When the elevator opened, she stepped out and headed towards the stairwell.
