by Joshua
"Does anyone have a goddamned cigarette and lighter?" she asked. The workers at their desks all looked up but no one responded. Her heels clicked on the concrete stairs, frustration rising with each step. With a strong push, she opened the door to the outside world, the breeze hitting her in the face. It wasn't until the door closed that she let out a throat splitting scream.
"Are you OK?" Alpha ask, from behind her.
She spun around, shocked. "What the fuck are you doing up here?"
"I was waiting on you," he said. "I sent you a text to meet me here."
"Oh, I uh, I didn't get it," she said, wiping the angry tears from her eyes.
"Are you OK?" he asked again.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "Things are just…getting a little crazy."
"It's alright," he said. "Things have been so easy for so long, I don't think any of us were prepared for it to get this bad so fast."
"Why can't you fix this?" she asked, stepping closer to him.
"I'm trying," he said. "Their tactics are hard to follow. It's not like the old days when the criminals were lazy and careless."
"Yeah," she said. "You don't have a cigarette, do you?"
He smiled and shook his head. "I don't smoke."
"Yeah, me either," she said with a shrug.
"I'm doing everything I can," he said.
"Yeah, I guess it's just not enough right now," she said. "Apparently, the assholes in charge have got a tac unit together to fight this thing."
'I guess we're just gonna have to beat ‘em to it," he said with a sly smile. She glanced over at him, and returned a small smile.
"You can’t say anything to anybody about what I'm about to do," she said.
"OK," he said, eyeing her.
She approached, without making eye contact, and wrapped her arms around him. He could feel her sobbing against his chest as she held him tight. Every so often, she’d tighten her grip, trying to squeeze him as hard as she could.
Chapter Twenty-Two.
"So, my buddy in Vice says that drugs are hitting the streets in large quantities," Vaughn said. “Like Escobar large.”
"Jesus," Reedy said. "So it’s true, things really are going down the toilet."
"Eh, it's bad, but statistically, we’re still pretty low. Lower than the second lowest city in America, I'd say."
"You say a lot of things," Reedy said, sneering.
"Fuck you," Vaughn said, without missing a beat. "So, yeah, things are going to shit, but not as much as the media wants you to think. Which leads me to my point; things are maintaining at low numbers because the Omegas are keeping the competition weeded out. Word is, this recent surge is coming from one or two guys, tops."
"What does that mean for us?" Reedy asked. "We aren't Vice."
"No, but if we catch the supplier, we might be able to get some information on our guy," Vaughn said, with a hopeful smile.
"They say he wears a costume now," Reedy said. “The blurry photos are popping up all over social media. It’s like goddamned Bigfoot. We’ve got Closed Circuit TV cameras, and Phone videos, and not a single one has a clear picture!”
"Yeah, I heard," Vaughn replied, looking through some papers. "Have you seen it? It's just like the one from that cartoon. Papers have already started calling him—” Vaughn looked up at Reedy, “Omega Man."
A smile came over Reedy’s face. "I almost got killed by a real life supervillain."
Vaughn just stopped, paused for a second, and started chuckling. "It's so weird when you say it like that. You're taking it pretty well."
"I mean, it's one of those things," said Reedy, pulling the chair out to sit down. "If this hadn’t happened, I wouldn't be a detective right now."
"Don't say that," Vaughn replied. "I don't want to hear any of that serendipity, fate bullshit, OK?"
"I'm just saying, it’s hard for me to stay mad. I was in a lot of pain, but I'm fine now. Nothing permanent happened. I got better, and I was offered a new job with better pay."
"Look, we are the ones in control. It's our lives, and each man has to live with the choices and consequences of that life. You can forgive this guy all you want, but it's not cosmic intervention, or fate. It's you, coping with a very awful thing that happened; stitching pieces together because you don't have all the answers."
"Jesus man," Reedy said, throwing his hands up. "I didn't realize that was such a sore spot."
"Ugh, it's not," he said, dropping his head down. "Sorry, things are just stressful right now."
"Maybe some good news will help relieve that," Reedy said, with a big smile. "My lady's pregnant."
Caught off guard, Vaughn started a slow chuckle and put his hand out, ready to shake. Reedy thrust his hand out and met his grasp, but Vaughn pulled him in for a big hug.
"Congratulations!"
"Thanks, man."
The phone rang on Vaughn's desk and he pulled the receiver up to his ear.
"This is detective, Vaughn," he said. His eyes went wide and he started scrambling for a pen. His hand ransacked the cluttered desk until a pen found its way into his fingers. Frantic, he said, "Are you sure? Eight o'clock?" He stopped and looked up at Reedy, his voice calm, "How do you know this?" He pulled the phone away from his ear and hung up the phone.
"What?" Reedy asked.
"Someone’s ratted Omega Man out," Vaughn said. "One of his crew told us where he’s going to be tonight."
*****
"Plan A is simple," Eddy said, with both hands on Al's shoulders, staring him in the eyes. "It's just like before. In, out, and home before the cops show up."
"Yeah," Al said. "In, out."
He looked around and saw the other men were hanging out. Xavier stood at the front of the small group with a smirk on his face.
"What about them?" Al asked, nodding.
"They aren't needed this time," Eddy said, grabbing the black mask from his back pocket. Al watched as Xavier's smirk grew. "It’s just you. If you run into any trouble, just head back here. This is just a trial run to see if you can handle this on your own. Don't stress."
"Yeah," Al said, looking at the mask.
"Go bring us back some food," Eddy said, holding it out.
"Are you sure they shouldn't come?" Al asked. "They've been adding more guards lately."
"It's OK," Eddy said, looking him in the eyes. "They can't stop bullets like you. We don't want a repeat of the Keen situation, right?"
"No, no we don't," Al said, grabbing the mask from Eddy. He pulled it over his face and exhaled. "I'll be back soon."
*****
The pen streaked across the cover of the video game, signing “Alpha Male" in sprawling cursive. Alpha handed it to the elated boy and smiled, while a few other kids waited their turn, fidgeting with excitement.
"You be safe, and remember the Alpha way!" Alpha said in a dramatic tone.
"Always fight injustice, and evil with courage, strength, intelligence, and wisdom!" the boy replied, holding up his hand in a salute.
"That's right!" Alpha said, and watched as the boy walked off, grinning from ear to ear. Alpha was waving the next boy along when a tomato hit him in the face. He exhaled as he wiped the red mush away. He turned to see who threw it, but three more flew at him. They squashed against his chest and shoulder.
"Why aren't you out there doing something," yelled a woman. "Go save our city, you useless prick!"
Alpha ignored her and waved the next boy along again. The nervous child hesitated, but Alpha encouraged him with a wave. He took one step towards the superhero and stopped when a barrage of vegetables came flying by. He didn’t move, taking the pelting without a word. When they were done, he left, flying off into the sky.
The street lights blurred in long lines as he flew past. Teeth clenched and fists tight, he scanned the pedestrians below, looking for any minor indiscretion.
He flew higher once the pursuit became fruitless. "Where are you ba
stards?"
He managed two laps around the city, finding nothing. The night was still, calm, and quiet for such a loud city. His anger grew with each uneventful moment. The only reason he stopped was the vibration at his hip.
The phone read "Rose," as he hit the accept button.
"We've got a solid tip that our boy is making a run tonight. We need you. I'll text you the address."
He “ended” the call and placed the phone back into his belt. A slight grin formed at the edges of his mouth.
*****
Ducking behind a large retaining wall, Omega Man marched up to the front gates of the warehouse. He waved his hand and tore them off the hinges without stopping. The chain link barrier folded in two as it hit the ground and slid a hundred feet before settling against the side of the building. He was a few feet from the loading dock when the sirens stopped him. Turning, he saw the large police force focusing their guns at him. He raised his hand at them and they opened fire. Automatic weapons sprayed bullets while littering the quiet night air with thousands of tiny explosions. The force of the bullets almost knocked him back, but he was still able to redirect them towards the ground. Hundreds of pock marks lined up just outside his arm’s length.
His ears rang, and his heart beat hard in his chest. The rage was building up inside when they opened fire again, this time launching tear gas canisters at the ground around his feet. They spewed forth their contents, a thick white cloud that whistled as it escaped. The effect was immediate, bring water to his eyes and nose. Disoriented, he had to focus on them before they would lift into the air. The canisters shot back at the crowd of police. The ones without masks coughed and wheezed, ducking behind their cars for protection. The air cleared around Omega as he wiped at his eyes and nose, trying to subdue the burn. The second his vision stopped blurring, he started scanning for possible escape routes. The obvious was towards the fence, but the police were starting to scramble around each side with the hopes of surrounding him. Panic stricken, he fought to take a breath.
The blue and red lights cascaded off the wall above him as he readied himself to run. Hunched down with both hands on the ground, he took a deep breath. Behind him, the policemen yelled at one another, shouting commands back and forth, until a loud thump quieted them. Everything grew still, and silent; Omega Man knew what had happened. Something inside him clicked, and he had to turn and look over the wall. Standing between him and the police was Alpha Male, tall and stout, with his chest stuck out and his shoulders back. They made eye contact, and Omega's vision began to blur. He felt a surge of uncontrollable energy wash over his entire body, and within a second, he was over the wall, walking towards Alpha. His hands balled into steel tight fists.
Alpha met his pace, closing the distance between them. The closer they got, the faster Omega moved until he was in a dead run. Alpha’s feet came off the ground as he shot towards his enemy. The first punch landed, but Omega absorbed the force with his power, rolling with the blow. He turned back to face Alpha just in time to stop the next punch. Alpha pressed in with all his weight, pushing against the invisible force. With teeth gritted, and eyes watering, Omega struggled to push him away, but the superhero was too much for him. Omega faltered, taking the punch again, and then another one. He felt the blows ringing in his head, but the powerful anger pushed him through. It was when Alpha pulled back to swing again that Omega got his chance. The blast hit Alpha square in the chest, knocking him back over fifty feet. The hero landed hard on the ground, but was up within the space of a breath. He shot himself towards Omega, fist out, but his enemy redirected Alpha into the warehouse, toppling most of the structure in one blow. The smoke and dust plumed up, blanketing the place in a thick cloud.
Omega was breathing hard as Alpha stepped out of the wreckage. The hero's mask was torn, exposing half of his face. His dark hair was matted with sweat. He swatted away a few pieces of metal as he approached his enemy.
"I've been waiting for a real battle," Alpha said with a smirk.
"How…" Omega started, fighting the blinding fury. "Why do I hate you so much? What have you done to me?"
Alpha spit, wiped his lip, and charged.
Feeling an intense pressure build up inside of him, Omega released a massive scream. A sphere of raw power surrounded him, pulsating before erupting and knocking everyone back. Glass rained down from every building in the area.
Alpha found himself on the ground again, his ears ringing with a deafening tone. He shook his head, trying to fight the disorientation. He reached for the device in his belt when the explosions started.
Behind the police vehicles, fire exploded into the air, lighting up the area. The burning flash caught the officers off guard, forcing them to the ground. Alpha could see Rose, huddling on the concrete with her arms over her head. He looked at her, and then back at the crumpled body of his enemy. He hesitated for one second, unsure what to do, but the second blast pulled him to action. He flew at her, worried he might not make it.
A third explosion shook the ground as he stood over her. He lifted her up into his arms, held her close, and flew away. Coughing, she fought back, pounding against his chest.
"Take me back!" she said, screaming. "We've got to save them!"
They were blocks away when he finally put her down. She was exhausted and bleeding from a wound on her head. The blood trickled down through her hair and onto her face. He wiped it away, staring into her eyes.
"Take me back," she said, but the fight was gone from her voice. He propped her up against the brick wall and flew off towards the chaos. He came over the top of a building and saw the fires still burning bright. The police officers scrambled around, coughing and wheezing as they checked on each other. He looked towards the place where he had left Omega, but his enemy was gone. He scanned around, and finally saw three men pulling him along towards an open sewer hole. He shot towards them, but it was too late. The hole closed, and they were gone.
He landed near the manhole cover and punched it. It bent and fell into the hole. Floating down into the dark tunnels, he equipped his cellphone and turned on its flashlight. It was another four way connector with no visible signs to follow.
"God damn it!" he said, punching the wall. He had to pull his hand from the hole. He started down a random path when an unknown number flashed across the screen, and with slow reluctance, he hit accept.
"Let’s do this now," The Magpie said.
Chapter Twenty-Three.
Reedy scrambled around the wreckage, checking on everyone he could. The fires had died down, but he could still feel the heat on his skin as he ran from man to man, looking for Vaughn.
"Have you seen Vaughn," he asked one group of men. They were resting against a turned over car, one cradling his crying partner. They didn't seem to hear him, instead they just spaced out, staring at the dwindling flames. He rushed away, still hunting.
"He's over here," Mac said, waving Reedy to him.
A lump caught in Reedy’s throat as he approached. Mac was leaning over Vaughn with his hands on the man's chest. Reedy could hear the man speaking, but the words didn't register. Blood had soaked through Vaughn’s shirt. It was wet and black, glistening in the fire light. Reedy got down beside them and found Vaughn’s hand in his. His partner looked up at him with a smile and said, "I'm going to be just fine. Don't look so sad."
"Yeah," Reedy said. "You're going to be fine." In the distance, the wailing of sirens got louder and he turned to see the ambulances coming towards them.
*****
"There are no words that can express the horror this city has faced tonight," said Rose as she stood behind the podium. Her head was bandaged up, but a red spot had begun to seep through. "This blatant act of terrorism must be stopped at all costs, which is why the government has agreed to send in troops to help us combat this enemy. Things are going to be a lot harder for us before they get better, but you have my word. We will not stop until this threat is eliminated. I will no
t allow the people of my city to live in constant fear. There will be road blocks, check points, and curfews until we can take down these assholes for good. That is all for now, but you will hear from me again."
The press went crazy as she walked away, pelting her with questions. She stopped for one second, ready to speak again, but decided against it. Mac escorted Rose into the building, and closed the door behind them.
Alpha stood atop the tall building looking at the masked man. The Magpie was across from him, hands crossed over his chest. He was tapping his foot.
"I don't have the money," Alpha said. "And I'm not going to get it either."
"Ok," The Magpie replied. "I'll just have to send those pictures along when we are done here. The newspapers will love it."
"I'm sure they will, but I don't care. I'm not going to negotiate with you." Alpha said.
"Then why even come up here?" The Magpie asked.
Alpha smiled. "I was hoping you'd be stupid enough to come in person."
"Normally, I wouldn't, but I've got a safety measure," The Magpie said, taking a step closer. He pulled out the smell device and held it in his hand. "I made my own."
Alphas eyes went wide for a second, but he regained composed. "I don't care what toys you brought. This conversation is over."
He bent his knees to take off when the sound came. It hit him like a brick, knocking his legs out from under him. The constant buzz in his head reverberated through his entire body. His heart pounded, and his body became clammy. He could feel the strength draining from his limbs.
"You know the biggest problem with you?" The Magpie asked, stopping the device. "People aren't afraid of you anymore. Me, I never was, but that's because I saw through your bullshit a long time ago. I saw your tactics, and I worked around them."
Alpha scoffed, and shifted his weight to his knees. "I never pursued you for a reason. Your bullshit heists only helped me." He stood on shaky knees and took an unsure step towards The Magpie. The thief held up the device, cautioning Alpha Male to stay where he was.
"Oh yeah, great hero? Explain yourself. How did I help you?"
