by David Barton
“What the hell is going on?”
“I don’t want you seeing this woman again.” He was pointing his finger at me, softly tapping it against my chest like I was one of his opponents in a case.
“Don’t use your lawyer intimidation tactics on me. And you can’t tell me who I can or cannot see. You lost privilege when you stopped caring about me and mum.”
“It was never like that and it still isn’t.”
“I know exactly how it was. I was an eleven year-old kid at his birthday party being asked where my father was. I didn’t know so I couldn’t answer them. It was humiliating and that wasn’t the only year that happened.”
“I wish I could tell you everything you need to know but right not you need your head focused. Being distracted by her isn’t going to help you.”
“What do I need to be focused on?”
“You know it deep down. Just follow your head not your heart on this one. Think before you do anything. And please come back to us.” Then he walked off, not giving me anymore explanation than his riddle words.
I looked at Felicity who was just staring at me. “Do you want to tell me what that was all about?”
“I can’t.”
“How about telling me how you know my father.”
“I can’t do that either.”
“Did you know he was actually my father?” She nodded. “Are you sleeping with him?”
She suddenly spoke up, “No of course not. I would never do that to him, your mother or you. I couldn’t do something like that to you. I never would.” She was talking like we were a couple. This whole situation was getting weirder by the second.
The great time we were having was now ruined. It had been destroyed by this single moment that involved my dad. Just like the other times in my life.
I quickly turned and walked away from Felicity and the poison that my father had a talent for injecting into my life. That night I walked for what seemed like miles. In reality it was probably only four or five. I didn’t watch where I was going and soon I found myself in a neighbourhood I had never been to. It was a drastic change from the posh area where the restaurant lived.
Abandoned houses were close to empty warehouses. Like a cross between a residential and an industrial estate. There were a few homeless people hanging around lit barrels like in the movies.
I kept walking despite the gut feeling I should turn around and head for a more populated area. Soon enough I started bumping into characters who wouldn’t have been out of place in a prison series.
The usual suspects wearing dark clothing and hoods covering most of their faces. I was sure they would have knifes concealed somewhere on their person, ready to mug anyone stupid enough to come into their neighbourhood. I was that stupid person right now like a rat walking into a cat’s den.
It wasn’t the first group or the second that came up to me. The third however saw me as an easy victim. The group descended, the ring leader stepping in my way. His gruff voice came from behind his hood. “Hand over your wallet, now before I knife you.”
His deep voice matched his large size. However this didn’t seem to bother me. Not even the threat of being knifed. I just kept walking straight past him and his friends like I didn’t even see them. Luckily they were so surprised by my reaction they didn’t fulfil their knifing threat.
As I moved further into the centre of the estate I saw more and more groups. But like the first few, these ones didn’t seem bothered by my presence. They just went about their business.
The only time I looked up is when I heard a high-pitched scream. It wasn’t female but the scream was full of terror. An imaginary coin was flipped in my head deciding whether to see what was going on or not.
The coin landed on the curious reporter side. My feet headed towards the alleyway between two warehouses. The screams turned into pleas as I got closer. Closer until I saw the two men. The one screaming was short and looked like he lived in this area. His clothes were covered in dirt and were ripped.
The other one towered above him, with handfuls of the screamer’s jacket. I swallowed over the big lump that was forming in my throat. I shouted at the shadowed man, “Hey, leave him alone.”
“Get lost.” The voice that came from this man matched the way he was dressed, posh. It also sounded so familiar but I didn’t want to believe it.
I stepped closer. Not saying anything, just looking at the back of this guy’s head. The hair was the same and he was wearing the same coat he always wore. I cleared my throat with a quiet cough. My voice was calm, “Hey.”
The man turned, pausing in the middle of telling me to get lost. He seemed just as shocked to see me as I was him. His voice stuttered before he was able to speak. “What are you doing in a place like this?”
“You don’t get to ask questions. This time you’ll be answering them.”
“Look, this isn’t what it looks like.”
“How many times has that been said in films?” I uttered sarcastically. “What are you doing here and why are you threatening this man?”
“I’ve told you already that I can’t explain things.”
“No, that’s not going to cut it.” My voice was slowly reaching to a shout. All the anger that I held towards my father was coming to the surface in one big swirl. “You are going to tell me what you are doing here and why. It’s time to give me some answers to my questions. It’s time to stop dodging them.”
“How about we head back home and have a nice quiet chat about this.”
“NO!” The anger manifested in me physically. I stepped forward and grabbed his expensive coat roughly. His hands came to mine and when I felt his palms on my skin, my mind changed. It didn’t go blank and dark. It was the complete opposite.
My mind was suddenly filled with a bright blue light. White specks of something floated around in front of my eyes. The weirdest thing was that it felt more like a buried memory than anything else.
My breath caught in my throat just before I yanked myself away from my father. I looked at him, suddenly out of breath. My whole body feeling miles away from my mind. “What was that?”
“I didn’t want you to remember this way.” He held his hand up in the air like he didn’t mean to touch me.
“Remember what? No more useless words. I want simple answers and I want them now.”
He looked at me, his mouth wide open. I noticed he still had a good grip on the screaming man’s jacket. “You want answers?”
“First you need to let him go.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why?” His mouth didn’t move. He stayed silent, not sharing the answers I asked for. “Let him go!”
“Fine.” He said it begrudgingly, turning to the man in question. “Believe me, I will find you again and I’ll get what I want.” The man looked at me when my father let him go. Then he bolted. His feet pounding on the concrete until I couldn’t hear or see him anymore. My father turned back with a strange smile on his face. “Happy now.”
“For me to be happy I would not be having this conversation with you. I would have been happier not seeing you at all today.”
“I just wanted to see you.”
“That explains the first time. How about the second and now this time. This time I found you yelling at some random person in the middle of the scum quarter.”
“He has information I need.”
“What information do you need?” Another silent answer. “I’m getting sick and tired of this. I’ve had enough.” I turned to walk away. Then I felt his grip on my waist. My mind went back to the previous state. A flash of blue light hit my eyes.
I yanked my wrist from his grip. The blue light went away and dark disgusting estate came back. I stormed off, my feet hitting the floor with the anger I was feeling. I turned the corner and didn’t stop. Putting as much distance between me and my father as much as possible.
My life was just fine without him. He’d been back one day and he’d already screwed things
up with Felicity and with my mind. I didn’t know what that blue light was all about or why I saw it but I was just going to ignore it and forget I ever had a father.
03/07/2014 PM
I’d been following the reporter for most of the day. I had been lucky when I saw him at the restaurant. My path to his apartment took me through the posh sector of the city. I just happened to see him enter a restaurant. I kept a close eye on him with the woman I actually needed to talk to. However, I didn’t feel right dropping in on a romantic meal just to chat with someone I’ve never met.
I had decided to leave it. Then when I saw her move out into the alleyway I thought my luck was in. Until that guy showed up. Then the reporter had the fight with the man. It was all confusing and I kept my super hearing out of it. There was clearly something going on emotionally and it was none of my business. It wouldn’t have helped me with what I needed to do.
It did make me lose the girl though when I started following the reporter instead. I just wanted to make sure he was okay and it cost me the talk I needed to have. I was shocked when he entered the rough area. It had been one I’ve frequented before when I was training this body.
It was weird how that memory came back to me. So much of my head was empty, void of memories. Weird how that particular one came to me. Beating on bad guys. Taking back the money they stole and keeping it. That might have not made me any better than them but at least I wasn’t blowing the money on drugs or guns. I was putting it back into my work. And my work is to help the city, not destroy it.
I kept my distance until he ran into that man again. Sure enough, another argument ensued. Then he stormed off. Straight towards another gang. This one was much bigger than the last one who he had ignored. That had impressed me but this gang didn’t look like they would ignore such disrespectful behaviour.
When I looked closer I recognised the ring leader. He still had the scar down his cheek and neck from the last time we met. He wasn’t one to mess about and the reporter was going to be in big trouble.
I jumped across the big gap between buildings, gliding silently above the reporter’s head. I landed with a roll and kept moving. Planting my foot on the roof and darting off in a different direction. Hopping over gaps until I was above the gang.
From this better perception I saw the guns they were carrying. My heart stopped for a second. Then I remembered the reporter. I might get shot but I had a better chance surviving this than he did.
Why did I care about this person so much? I’d never heard of him before the other night. Then again, maybe I had. Maybe that moment was lost in the memories I don’t have anymore. It must be my subconscious speaking to me. He must be important on some level. Even if I didn’t remember why.
As the reporter came closer the gang they spotted him. The leader gave them the nod and they headed out of their little hole. Five, seven, nine, twelve. I cursed. There were a lot more than I had thought.
My head ran through the scenario where I don’t intervene. Just let them get on with what they were doing. When that ended with the bloody corpse of the reporter left on the floor to bleed out my body reacted.
Leaping down from the building. I counted down, the air zooming past me as the concrete landing came closer and closer. I smiled as one of them passed straight underneath me. He didn’t know what hit him until my feet connected with his head.
I head the crack and another sickening noise as I landed. I rolled to break my fall, not looking at the damage I had created. My body moved with lightning speed. Throwing punches and kicks. A few counters and a few broken bones.
Then I heard the gunshots. An automatic gun of some kind. I dropped to my knees and grabbed one of the gang. He yelped then started bad mouthing me until the bullets ripped him apart. Blood dripped down on me but I didn’t care. I waited, patiently until the gunshots seized.
I heard the metallic click of a magazine hitting the floor. My feet sped me out from my cover. I saw the leader and three of his friends left. It was a blur until I blinked and I had my hand wrapped around his neck.
My eyes burned at the other three. They stood, prepared to fight until I clenched my hand. The snap came and I dropped the body like it was nothing. Like the fact I had broken a man’s neck in cold blood didn’t bother me one bit. And it didn’t. It never had done.
That’s when they saw the cold in my eyes. The emotionless stare I was throwing their way. That’s why they turned and ran in fear. Then I saw the reporter. He was frozen to the spot. His mouth wide open in a gormless kind of way.
“Are you okay?” I thought he was going to be disturbed by what he’s just witnessed.
Instead. “That was amazing. The way you just snapped his neck like that. Could you teach me how to do that?”
“I think it’s more to do with my strength than anything else.”
“True but that cold stare. That was really cool. You made those guys shit themselves.”
“Well I had just killed their gang leader and their friends.”
“But it was so cool.”
“Right.” I had never seen a reaction to my powers like this. All the people I tended to come into contact with either deserve this kind of treatment themselves or have been afraid. Not this guy. This guy seemed thrilled to witness it.
“What are you doing in this kind of neighbourhood. Roughing up bad guys?”
“I could ask you the same question.”
“I had a fight with someone two times in one evening. This was the last place I ever thought I’d find him.”
“Hope it’s nothing too bad.” I didn’t care but I didn’t see the harm in putting on a façade. Just until I find out who this man is to me.
“It’s not. I’m just going to forget about him and be done with it.”
“Good.”
“So, you never did answer my question.”
I coughed, wondering how he would take this next bit of news. “I’m looking for you actually. Seeing if you could help me.”
“Like the article thing I did. I’ll happily do that again. It’s put me back in my boss’ good books.” He had a face like a child blowing his candles out on his birthday cake.
“That’s great but it has more to do with your friend. The girl you were with at the restaurant.”
“You know about that? Have you been following me?”
“Only from the restaurant and it was a coincidence I even saw you on the street.”
“I don’t know if I’m okay with you invading my life like that.”
“Huh? If I hadn’t been following you, you would have been killed by these guys.”
“You don’t know that. I might be more capable than you think.”
I looked at his skinny body. It was like looking at a mirror that projected the complete opposite of yourself. “Doubtful.”
He scoffed at my comment. “I don’t feel like helping you right now. I don’t feel like helping anyone.” He stormed forwards. I saw him dip his shoulder as he came close but I didn’t move. He was knocked sideways as he hit me. I heard him yelp out in pain but he didn’t stop. I stood there motionless, listening to his footsteps until they went off into the far distance.
Then a sudden voice made me jump. “Hey.” The person wasn’t shouting but he wasn’t keeping his voice quiet. I turned, expecting to see one of the gang members. Instead it was the tall man in the posh jacket. His goatee looked ridiculous on his face and I somehow already had a loathing for him deep in my stomach. I guess I had already judged the kind of person he was.
“What?” I didn’t want to talk to him but he had a determined look in his eyes. It made me think he would follow me around until I did talk.
“Don’t what me. I know who and what you are.”
“You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know you have super-strength. You’re faster than anyone you know. Can hear really well, maybe a little too well. I know everything there is to know about you.”
“What’s your name?”
<
br /> “Donald Morrison.”
I racked my brain, trying to find that name or his face in my brain. I tried to place him on the organisation’s tree of evil doers but he didn’t fit. No luck. He was either innocent or he was one of the blank spaces. Then again, why would someone on that tree do their own dirty work? He didn’t look or dress, like a hired killer.
His eyes scanned my face. He pulled a look that made me think he was figuring me out. “Do you know who I am?”
“Never heard of you.”
“And my face?”
“Never seen it before.”
“Now, that’s a lie. You might not know it but your subconscious does. You know me. You know me very well.”
I didn’t like the way he was talking and I didn’t have time for this. “I have to go.”
“Go where? Do what? You have no home. You have no one to talk to. I can be that person. That one person in your life that you can trust. That you can open up to.”
“Why would I want to do that? I’ve been fine by myself.”
“Fine is going to get you killed and you haven’t been fine since losing your memories. Am I wrong?”
My brain froze. My lips wanted to move. Wanting to rip his words apart and leave him standing there. Standing there knowing he was wrong about me. But I couldn’t. No words wanted to form in my head. There was no come back. No argument.
The silence was broken by his sarcastic comment. “Doing fine by yourself. Let me guess, you’ve been beating up criminals left, right and centre trying to find a purpose in your life. I can return that purpose to you. I can give you something to live for. To work for.”
I was starting to see why the reporter acted the way he did. This man was crazy and to have him as a father must have been worse. “That’s enough. Stay away from me.” I stepped away. His fingers curled around my wrist in such a creepy way like he was trying to possess me.
I looked back at him prepared to throw a punch. Prepared to do whatever it took to give him the message not to touch me again. But then I stopped. My eyes went black until they lit up with a blue light. So warm on my eyes but not burning. White balls of light moved across my vision. There was nothing else. No people. I couldn’t move. It was so strange and yet, I felt completely at peace.
