The Negative Man_Twilight Days

by Jeremy Croston

  “He does.”

  Ellison’s fist hit the wall beside us. “I told you that a war would be needed. Persecution, sure, but an all-out genocide? No, Jericho, we cannot let that happen.”

  I left out the part where I had a copy of the schematic and was in the process of having it modified. “What do you suggest we do?”

  He flipped off the generator. “This isn’t quite ready yet and we’ll talk about that later. In the meantime, let’s retreat to the suite at the top of the building. There we will wait for Providence and Destiny to return. Our first attack comes tonight.”

  ****

  The angry blonde man walking into the room was the man formally known as Parker Lattimore. Providence, as Ellison referred to him, looked a bit worse for wear. It appeared his fight with The Morning Lynx didn’t quite go his way. He looked as if he had a nasty burn along his neck.

  “Destiny will be in shortly,” he told Ellison, not even noticing me yet. “Are you sure it is wise to go after such a public place so soon?”

  “We’ve been hiding in the shadows for so long, Providence. Let us show our newest recruit that we aren’t afraid of the light.”

  As soon as Ellison said that, his head snapped in the direction where I was standing. “Jericho Staley,” he said with a bit of a sarcastic bite. “I would’ve counted on you sticking with Kyle, but it appears I was wrong.”

  “You know, I did kill his dad,” I retorted.

  Providence nodded with approval. “That was always the question down at the precinct; were you good or were you evil?”

  Ha, I was curious as to what the consensus was. “And, which conclusion did everyone come to?”

  “Most thought you were evil, but I kept telling them that there was no such thing. There’s people who do what’s necessary and people who cower when called to stand with a greater power.”

  The way he looked at Ellison, there was no question he considered the man the highest of all the powers in the world. “It seems tonight we’re being called for something, aren’t we?” I asked.

  “That we are, Jericho,” my dad answered. “The new mayor is having an introductory gala tonight at the mayoral mansion. I do believe that we are going to be the guests of honor.”

  “And I have the tickets,” a lady’s voice joined in. Destiny was here. “A couple of poor aldermen with no morals were easy enough to bribe with some pouting and glances.”

  “Volkkenkrüger, has the plan changed with Jericho joining?” Providence asked.

  “There is no Jericho tonight,” he answered. “Son, will you don The Negative Man costume again; help me remind these people just what supers can do?”

  Could I do it? After all, this is what Kyle wanted me to do, infiltrate the group. “I can and I will,” I said a bit too easily. “What’s the main objective for tonight?”

  “There are two objectives,” he said to all of us. “The first is simple. A clean display of power, enough to make everyone at this gala tremble in fear.”

  “And the second?” asked a very impatient Providence.

  Ellison rubbed his hands together. “The second will be my task as you three keep the good people busy. I’m going to make sure by the end of tonight that our good and fair mayor has a change of heart. He’ll be a very useful pawn in the plans I have down the road.”

  His powers; not even I truly understood how they worked and they had done some serious damage to me. “Just what memories is he going to have of these events?” I asked.

  “To the outside world, it will look like a few supers crashing a party and making some rich people sweat it out,” he answered with joy in each word. “To our poor mayor though, he’s going to think this is an assassination attempt on his life. By the end of the night, he’s going to be so paranoid that he’ll begin ordering lethal force against supers.”

  Lethal force? Was Ellison serious? “I thought our mission was to save supers from persecution?”

  All three of them began to smile as if I was missing something. Then Ellison clarified. “This is a war, Jericho, casualties will happen. The moment the country sees this lunatic killing innocent supers in the streets, the tides will turn. With sympathy on our side, no one will see the final piece of my puzzle coming.”

  “Which is?” I was really regretting this.

  His answer was just more of the cryptic crap. “As I told you in the generator room, we’ll talk about that later.”

  Chapter 17 –

  Monday Evening; Mayoral Mansion

  I was alone out in the streets. My Negative Man costume was on and I was beginning to prepare for my grand entrance. I could already hear a good amount of panicking happening inside with Destiny and Providence starting the show.

  Ellison had just entered moments before. “We are going to do great things, Jericho. This was what our lives were leading us to,” were the last words he spoke before he left me alone.

  I had no real way of communicating to Kyle and the others what was going on. Before we’d left Skyline Tower, we each put our cellphones in a safety deposit box and took a comm. As soon as Ellison entered the building, I turned mine on. “Negative Man, ready and willing.”

  “Two more minutes, Jericho,” Ellison’s voice replied. “I’m almost in position.”

  Time seemed to slow to a crawl as I listened to Providence and Destiny talk about the disarray they were starting to cause. I knew the police would be coming at any moment, so it tested my own patience to stand there and wait. It seemed like the call to action would never come, but it did.

  “Jericho, now!”

  At Ellison’s command, Jericho disappeared and The Negative Man returned for the first time in almost a decade. I blew off the doors to the mansion and stormed in. The security that was still fighting off the two others in the room turned to face the newest and most dangerous threat. How easily I disposed of them was child’s play.

  Providence wasn’t as impressed as he should’ve been. “Not killing today?”

  “Death is only warranted when the situation calls for it. Control is something you need to learn.”

  I walked right by him and into the ballroom where most of the politicians and socialites were. My immediate presence put them all into a state of shock, quiet. “I don’t think an introduction is necessary, as most of you know who I am.”

  A few people were brave enough to murmur to each other. “The Negative Man,” they whispered.

  There was nothing quite like a captive audience. “I have returned from death to take back what’s mine.” We didn’t have a script or anything to follow, so I just said what came naturally. “Pacific Station once belonged to me and it will again.”

  The loud blare of sirens began to surround the entrance. “Providence, Destiny, go take stock of our new visitors,” I instructed.

  Providence looked pissed at being given directions, but I also think he knew better than to challenge me. Destiny, on the other hand, looked very much at ease listening to me. She even added a wink as she walked out with Providence.

  “They won’t help you tonight,” I told my new friends. “The police have no idea what they are up against.”

  “Is it true? You’re back?” Someone asked in the crowd. I couldn’t see who it was, only that it was a feminine voice.

  Were these people blind? “I’m not here for my health,” I snapped.

  Above us, on the balcony overlooking the ballroom, I saw Ellison in his weird mask. With him was the mayor, Frank Boosman. There was something vastly different in Frank’s eyes, almost a glow that shouldn’t have been there. Was this Ellison’s power at work?”

  “You saved us from Ronald Victory,” a man yelled.

  “I didn’t save you from Victory.” That wasn’t a lie, per se. I’d killed Victory for my own means. “He just happened to be in my way.”

  Destiny was back, her hand resting against my arm. “The new police chief would like a word with you.”

  “Maybe he’ll be more in awe of me.” I waved m
y hand at the hostages. “Apparently eight years and people forget all you can do.”

  Annoyed, I left the ballroom and headed to Providence’s position by the front door. A line-up of fifteen to twenty cops were waiting for me, each with assault rifles pointed in my direction.

  “Gentlemen, I’d put those down if I were you.”

  They didn’t listen, either. Instead, most of them snapped their rifles, locking them in to shoot. Okay, I did warn them. I charged up my negative energy and clapped my hands together. The shockwave it produced rushed out and knocked everyone down, their rifles flying away from each and every one of them.

  “Stand down,” a man yelled. Chief Tim Berkheimer walked out from behind on of the squad cars. “There’s no reason we can’t resolve this reasonably. My predecessor had notes on you, that you were a well-thought-out man.”

  He must’ve assumed I didn’t watch much news. “Funny how your tune tonight is cooperation when at the press conference where Boosman introduced you, it was more power and intimidation.”

  “I don’t believe everything the mayor does,” he responded.

  And honestly, I didn’t believe in the act I was putting on, but we all had a part to play. Fortunately, Ellison took any more improv moments out of my hands. “The deed is done,” he spoke to each of us.

  “Chief Berkheimer, let’s call this a draw,” I said suddenly.

  The man was very surprised at how I wasn’t asking or demanding anything. “You and your associates are just going to leave?”

  “For tonight, yes. This was just a stretching of the legs field trip. Don’t brother following us, it wouldn’t end well.”

  Destiny joined Providence and I at the entranceway. “Shall we leave, boys?”

  We’d overstayed our welcome as it was.

  ****

  We returned to the Skyline Tower, the mission apparently was successful. From the moment we’d left, Berkheimer’s words stuck with me. I don’t believe everything the mayor does, he admitted. Was he trying to throw me off my game or was he serious? An ally like that could be a good thing to have in my back pocket, with all the deception I was trying to juggle.

  Ellison entered right after us, clapping at his success. “Bravo, everyone, bravo. Between our actual show and the one that Boosman got to witness first hand, tonight will go down in history as the start of our rebellion.”

  I felt a tug on my hood as I removed my mask. Providence and Ellison were walking forward, each man happy with how things went. “You seem to be in your own little land tonight, Jericho.”

  “It’s Ellison’s powers,” I made up on the spot. “I know what it’s like to have my reality altered and then come face to face with the truth. I don’t feel sorry for Boosman,” I added quickly as she looked at me. “I’m just worried what’s going to happen to the man if and when he finds out the truth. Not many can handle such a mind squeeze.”

  She nodded in agreement. “Personally, we don’t need a puppet mayor, but Volkkenkrüger claims it will make the next part easier.”

  “What do you think?” I asked.

  “I just think he enjoys showing off his power and toying with people’s emotions.” Realizing what she said, “Not yours, of course. I can’t imagine he’d do that to you after raising you all those years.”

  Not that I needed any more doubts creeping into my mind, but I’d started to wonder that myself. Maybe the answers I sought would reveal themselves the longer I worked with them. At the very least, it gave me a reason to keep going with Kyle’s plan.

  “We should go celebrate,” she offered.

  “What’s your idea of a celebration?”

  She pulled out her phone and did a quick search on it. Before I knew it, she stuck it under my nose. “Thirty miles outside the city, there’s this biker bar where no-one would even give us two looks. Those two will be plotting more of the city’s demise; they don’t need us.”

  Ellison had apparently been overhearing a bit of this. “Some time out will do you good, Jericho. And don’t worry about Boosman, by the time he discovers the truth, his role in all of this will be over.”

  I chuckled to myself; he’d probably heard Destiny question his motives for using the mayor, but that may have been their dynamic. He didn’t even address it as he gave his blessing to leave.

  I told Destiny to give me ten minutes to get changed and cleaned up a bit. Ellison gave me an access card to a room on the second floor. “This is our home, no matter where you actually end up sleeping.”

  Maybe he didn’t approve of my old apartment, but it felt comfortable to me. Either way, I didn’t snub his hospitality and instead went up to check out the digs. The key card opened up to a very nice room, complete with an en-suite bathroom.

  No, I told myself. No matter how great this place is, remember to stay true to who you are. I wasn’t a hero in any sense of the word, but I was no genocidal maniac, either. Dressed, I left the luxury room behind and headed down to see just what trouble Destiny was about to get us into.

  Chapter 18 –

  Late Monday Night; Bug Tooth Tony’s

  When the man who wrote the dictionary gave the definition for biker bar, I’m pretty sure Bug Tooth Tony’s was his inspiration. Sure enough, it was about thirty miles south of the city limits in a little Podunk town named Ojos de Serpiente, or Snake Eyes if your Spanish was rusty. The entire place was apparently run by one biker gang, Chicos Veneno. Seeing as how I never really went all that far from Pacific Station during my first run, this little place hadn’t even blipped on my radar.

  And for good reason, I might add. It looked like a hellhole.

  Destiny pulled her car up to one of the last parking spots available and we got out. If I’d been just a regular old joe, I really would’ve felt exposed. But I was The Negative Man and I didn’t see anything that even looked remotely dangerous to me.

  As we approached the front door, a few angry looking bikers gave me the once over, but once they spotted Destiny, they backed down. I wasn’t sure if it was the cocktail dress outfit she had on or maybe if they knew who she was. Either way, the possibility of a fight leveled out. We passed without any further altercations or glances.

  “It’s been a few weeks since I’ve been here. I love the atmosphere,” Destiny told me.

  This wasn’t exactly my thing. “I wouldn’t have picked you to be a biker kinda girl.”

  “Hello Destiny,” a lady greeted her as we passed over the threshold. She fit right in with the place, tall, tight jeans, and a wild mop of hair. “I see you brought a date tonight, too,” the newcomer cooed.

  “Katja, this is Jericho—or as you might know him, The Negative Man.” The moment she said that, the entire place stopped. All eyes turned to us. “That’s right. You probably just saw us on television.”

  “Destiny,” I muttered quietly. “I don’t think that was a brilliant idea.”

  She winked. At that moment, the entire joint broke out into applause. Holy hell, they were treating us as if we were heroes. Men got up and came over, wanting to shake my hand or slap me on the back with all of their might. Before I could even process everything, beers were placed in our hands and we were whisked into the center of Bug Tooth Tony’s. The music was back on and this place had officially lost its mind.

  The lady who’d brought me here was reveling in this. “Not quite what you were expecting?”

  “That’s an understatement,” I answered.

  “Down here, rebels and warriors aren’t just appreciated, they are revered. Tonight, we could be the king and queen of this place, if we wanted to.”

  As nice as the offer was, I was just hoping to get a few beers and some peace and quiet. Unlike the rest of these so-called deviants, I’d been to the top of the mountain. Money, power, fame, you name it and I had it. These days, my only motivating factors were what kept me and my friends alive.

  Huh, who would’ve ever thought I’d have friends?

  “When you’re the king, you get a target on
your back,” I said. I took a slow draft of beer from the bottle. “Been there and done that, lady.”

  “But did you have a queen to help keep you there?”

  My anger almost flared up. For a split second I almost went full on bad guy, frying here and the entire place in my wake. No, don’t do it Jericho. She didn’t know about Heather—not many people did. She wasn’t speaking out of arrogance, she was speaking from ignorance. That wasn’t her fault.

  Back under control, “I did have a queen; one I had to kill myself.”

  I let that sink in as I finished my beer. Destiny’s face was a mix of shock and fear. “Why did you kill her?”

  “Ronald Victory had control over her, at the end. I wasn’t going to let him take her life so his would be better. No, I gave her the ending she deserved, one that didn’t end up with her being hated by millions of people for no good reason.”

  As the party began to filter elsewhere, it got real heavy between us. “Life of a superpowered villain isn’t an easy one, is it?”

  “Nope,” I agreed. I don’t think any of them, Providence, Destiny, or Ellison knew what this lifestyle could bring. “My father, Ellison, he keeps the gritty stuff from you, doesn’t he?”

  “Providence is his second in command, or at least was until you came back.” That probably was the cause of the angst between the two of us. “If you listened to him, the plan will be easy to execute and once it is over, the super population will believe us to be heroes.”

  “Ha.” I couldn’t even help myself. “Going through with his plan is going to put a lot of blood on your hands. Even if successful, heroes we won’t be; we’ll be the ones who ruined a country.”

  She placed her hand on my shoulder and the two of us began to slow dance to the next song. “How do you sleep at night? With all the things you’ve done, how do you live with it?”

  “I tried to kill myself eight years ago.” The night Heather died, yes, that night, I had attempted to commit suicide. It hadn’t worked, which I wasn’t sure was for the best. “The weight of the sins comes down on you, hard. These decisions we make, they don’t go away. I’ve got room for a few more sins; do you?” I asked.