He smiled as he watched the three vehicles drive away, proud of his work. His thoughts went to Emma. He would be able to return home and finally spend time with her again. It had felt like so long since he had seen her that he had almost forgotten why he was helping the government to begin with.
In just a few short days, Neil had killed the most wanted terrorist in the world and had possibly prevented a new Korean War. He was satisfied knowing he had changed the world almost effortlessly.
He was so distracted by his thoughts, in fact, that it took him a few moments to understand what the orange ball of light and smoke was that he saw in front of him. When the sound reached his ears, he knew that it was loud, but still didn’t quite understand why he was looking at an explosion. Even more puzzling was that the explosion covered up the middle of the three limousines he was watching. How funny, he thought, that the middle limousine was the same one that Kim Jong-Un had gotten into after being shot and miraculously healed. They must have a good view of this ball of fire that had erupted.
Neil’s eyes opened wide as the understanding finally clicked. The explosion was the middle limousine. When the initial blast cleared, all that was visible was a smoldering heap of twisted metal. No one could have survived that kind of carnage. Kim Jong-Un was dead.
The other vehicles slammed on their breaks. The rear limo crashed into the wreckage of the middle one. As they stopped, people poured out of the doors, weapons drawn. Several figures wearing uniforms were on their knees, with their hands on top of their head, or covering their faces. They had collapsed with grief. Neil couldn’t see their faces from that distance, but he imagined they were very displeased.
Thoughts swirled around in Neil’s head as he surveyed the scene before him. He was positive there was no rocket or missile before the explosion. The only explanation was that there was some kind of bomb already planted on the car. If Kim Jong-Un was the target of the bomb, as Neil was certain he was, then only someone on his own staff would have known which vehicle he would get in.
The truth dawned on Neil. He was too late. The Generals he killed had already planted the bomb before the limousines arrived. Their plan was set in motion, despite their demise. They couldn’t have been the only ones involved in the plan, either. There must have been a triggerman, as well as someone to plant the bombs while the limos were in storage.
Neil had been sent on a wild goose chase. His employers’ intelligence only told them that there was a plan to assassinate Kim, but not when or where it would happen. Now that it had happened, what did that mean? Who was next in line to command the military? Was the successor just as driven towards war as the two Generals Neil had killed?
As emergency vehicles and police cars approached the scene of the attack, Neil realized that his window to escape unseen was closing rapidly. He would have to worry about the ramifications later. For now, his priority was getting back to Augusta to explain what transpired.
---
“We’ve got a big fucking problem here, Neil.” Carl said, as Neil walked through the familiar double doors of PRECINCT.
“I haven’t even told you the bad news yet.”
Carl was holding a government tablet with a news article displayed on the screen. He held it in the air to show Neil.
“People are starting to connect the dots. Someone filmed the SAM site when it tried to shoot you down, and someone else filmed you floating above the ground when you landed. They got a pretty close shot of your face. You didn’t get all the cameras.”
His face turned bright red. He had clearly been waiting for Neil to return so he could shout at him.
Neil watched the video on the tablet. One of the operators of the Surface-to-Air missile site filmed the launch and the subsequent mid-air deactivation of the missiles as they approached the man falling from the sky. The video of him hovering over the ground looked to be from inside a nearby building. A window frame was visible on the edges of the video. The cameraman zoomed in close enough to make out Neil’s face clear enough for someone to recognize him if they knew who they were looking for. The article went on to mention the other pictures and videos where sightings of the mysterious flying man have been documented.
“Maybe I shouldn’t tell you what happened in Korea, then?”
“I don’t fucking care what happened in Korea. The Chicago picture, the library video, the stories of the angel of death dressed as an American soldier in Pakistan – people are all starting to paint the picture. They’re going to figure out it’s all the same person, and they’ll know you work for the government. This is bad, Neil.”
So what if they knew he worked for the government? They couldn’t do anything about it. Neil didn’t understand why Carl was freaking out.
“Who cares? Kim Jong-Un is dead.”
Carl dropped his hands to his sides and stared straight at Neil, mouth agape.
“Please tell me you didn’t say what I think you said.”
Neil nodded.
“How could you let his happen?! You have unlimited power, and you let him die? What is wrong with you? Were you just sitting there fingering your asshole the whole time?”
Who did Carl think he was? Neil did what was asked of him. He had killed the Generals. Kim Jong-Un’s death wasn’t his fault. Carl’s terrible excuse for intel was to blame. He was tired of hearing people talk down to him like some sort of child.
Neil was clenching his teeth, seething with anger. He clenched Carl around the throat and lifted him into the air effortlessly. Carl grabbed at his hand and tried to pry his fingers apart, but it was no use.
“I did what you asked. I killed the fucking Generals. No one knew it was me. I wasn’t seen. Kim Jong-Un’s death is on you. How was I supposed to know there was a bomb on his limousine? Your intel was too late. Kim was as good as dead before I even got there.”
Neil set Carl back down, after venting his frustration.
“I completed my end of the deal. I want to see Emma.”
Carl fell to his knees rubbing his throat. There was a bright red mark around his neck where Neil’s hand had been.
“Go fuck yourself. You can see your little girlfriend when you clean up the mess you caused.”
Carl looked up at him, still massaging his neck. Neil didn’t need anyone’s permission anymore. Carl wasn’t his boss. If he wanted to see Emma, he was going to see Emma. Carl could clean up his mess. Neil wasn’t his janitor.
He turned away from Carl and headed back towards the double doors.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Home” Neil said, without turning back to face him.
Carl ran behind the reception desk and slammed a button under the desk. A cylindrical steel bar shot across the doorway, preventing the door from opening. A several inch thick metal blast door descended from the ceiling and sealed the exit even further.
Neil turned his head to face Carl and laughed.
“Are you kidding me, Carl?” He said, caustically.
He effortlessly ripped the blast door off the wall, bent the steel bar out of the way, and made his way upstairs. He grabbed his phone from the locker and headed outside. He was up in the air and on his way back to Michigan in seconds.
---
After a short flight, Neil landed in the back yard of his house in East Lansing. He couldn’t believe how fast his life was moving. Just a few hours earlier, he was in North Korea watching the country’s leader go up in flames. Shortly after that, he was back in Georgia being told that the whole world was catching on that there was some sort of superhero flying around. Now, he was back in Michigan in the yard of the house where he had spent the last year of college with his friends.
Neil was relieved to find both Alex and Bryan’s cars in the driveway. He longed for a chance to speak with them to hold onto a piece of his former life. He walked around to the front door and knocked twice. Alex opened the door from the inside.
“HOLY SHIT!! BRYAN, SUPERMAN IS HERE!!” Alex turned his
head and yelled.
Bryan came running to the door. His eyes widened when he saw Neil.
“Neil! It’s really you! We saw your picture on the internet. We told everyone, but no one would believe it was you. Was it? Was that you falling from the sky over in Georgia? Are you the flying man?”
They both had a hopeful look on their faces, like a child who had just been told that Santa Claus was coming over. Neil couldn’t disappoint them. They stood there waiting for his response for several seconds before Neil decided if he was going to tell the truth.
“Yes.”
Neil smiled as he saw the pure excitement in his friends faces.
“No fucking way! You can mother fucking fly? Get the shit out. How did this happen?” Alex asked.
He was shouting loud enough that a lady walking on the other side of the street turned and looked. Neil shoved past his friends and forced his way inside. They shut the door behind him.
“Well, remember when I told you about those weird things that were happening?” They nodded. “That’s when it started.”
Neil told them the story all the way up until the point where he met Carl. They hung on his every word. At the end, they asked for a demonstration. He lifted both of them off the ground, and Bryan nearly had a panic attack.
“So what happened after that?” Alex asked. “That was like, two weeks ago.”
“I’ve been running around doing some favors for the government. I shouldn’t tell you exactly what, but I think you’ll probably find out pretty soon.”
“Are you kidding me? So you’re like, a real live superhero/secret agent hybrid?” Bryan asked.
“Basically.”
There was another round of excited yelling, and exchanging of potential badass scenarios between Bryan and Alex.
“Who do you think would win in a fight, you or Superman?” Bryan asked.
“No, you or Superman and Goku?” Alex added.
“Have you made a costume? You need to have a costume.”
“Did you fly to a different Galaxy? Maybe there’s a whole planet of people just like you and you’re like their long lost son or something.”
“Weird question, I know, but when you poop do you squeeze it out with your asshole still or just kinda yank it out there with your mind? No muss no fuss that way, if you ask me.”
“Speaking of which, have you tried jacking off with your mind yet? I bet you could make it feel just like the real thing.”
Neil stopped them before they got too carried away.
“Look guys, I’m sorry, but I didn’t come back just to see you both. I need to find Emma. Has she been around?”
“Oh I get it, you’re too cool for your best friends now that you’ve got Obama on speed dial.” Bryan joked.
“It’s not like that, man, it’s just really important that -” Neil was interrupted.
“Relax man.” Alex said, “He’s just joking. Emma stopped by a few days ago. Said she hasn’t heard from you and wanted to know what was going on. We told her you just split town. She said her Dad did the same thing. Is he in on all of this too?”
Neil nodded.
“So…is he Batman, or is he Robin? I’m just trying to figure out the relationship here.” Bryan asked.
“Shut up man, he’s being serious.” Alex interjected, “I saw her getting a bite just yesterday. She’s definitely still around. I’d check her house.”
Neil said goodbye to his friends and left the house. Bryan insisted he would keep Neil’s secret identity, but he very much doubted that. Bryan wasn’t known for keeping secrets.
Neil walked quickly all the way to Emma’s house. He thought about just flying the distance, but he didn’t want to create any unwanted attention. When he arrived, he walked up the pathway to the front door and knocked. He could feel the presence of two people in the living room slowly get up and walk towards the door. He could tell by examining their characteristics that one was definitely Emma.
The other person was not someone Neil could make out. He was large and extremely muscular, and carried something in his hand. Neil experienced a wave of panic as he realized what the object was. The man was carrying a gun.
The stranger stood out of view of the doorway and pointed the gun at Emma. The door opened.
“Hello, Neil.” Emma said.
She had a blank expression on her face. She didn’t seem surprised in the slightest that Neil was there. Small tears formed at the corners of her eyes, but she otherwise showed no emotion.
“You can come out. I know you’re there.” Neil said loudly.
The man stepped into view stood behind Emma. He wrapped one arm around her neck loosely and put the gun to her head.
“It’s good to finally meet.” The man said, “Your reputation precedes you. I can tell your abilities were not exaggerated.”
“Put the gun down.”
“I have the gun, I make the rules.” He said, “Now this is what’s going to happen. You’re going to leave here immediately and fly back to -”
Neil was tired of listening. He flung the man up against the wall and pinned him several feet off the ground. He walked past Emma and towards the man. He was struggling to move, but it was useless. Neil saw the fear as he stared directly into his eyes.
“No. I make the rules. This is what’s going to happen. You’re going to put the gun to your head and pull the trigger. You just feel so bad about pointing a loaded weapon at an innocent girl.”
Neil was face to face with the man now. The man shook his head and his face turned red while tears streamed down. The man may have never been afraid in his entire life, but he was terrified now.
He carefully moved the man’s arm so that the handgun he was still holding pointed at his head. The man clenched his teeth, and spit flew out of his mouth while he grunted, trying to resist the control that Neil had over him. He was unable to speak, but Neil could imagine what he was thinking.
“There, now. Everything’s going to be ok.” Neil said.
He pulled the trigger.
CHAPTER 18
The man’s lifeless body fell to the floor, and the gun fell next to him with a thud. Blood was splattered all over the wall behind him, and slowly dripped down the painting of a lighthouse hung to the wall. Emma screamed and ran into the kitchen. Neil chased after her.
“Emma, wait! I came here for you! I was just protecting you!”
Neil followed her into the kitchen. When he walked in, he was met with a shotgun barrel pointed directly at his face.
“Get the fuck back!” Emma shouted, “I don’t know who you are, get out, now!”
She was crying. There was blood spattered on her clothes and her face. Her long blonde hair was laced with drops of red.
“Emma, it’s me, Neil.” He said, unable to comprehend the situation before him.
“You’re not Neil. You’re a monster!” She said.
Neil walked towards her.
“How can you say that? I care about you. You have no idea what I’ve done for you.”
He inched closer, but she stepped back.
“Stay back! I’ll fucking shoot, I swear.”
She pumped the shotgun. Her hands and legs were shaking. Neil couldn’t understand why she was afraid of him after he had just saved her life. He continued moving forwards.
“I fucking warned you.” She said.
She pulled the trigger.
Six metal balls shot out of the end of the barrel and hit Neil in the chest. They bounced off harmlessly. Neil looked down and saw the holes in his shirt, but there was no damage to his skin underneath. He looked back up at Emma.
“Oh my God, you’re a demon!” Emma dropped the gun and collapsed to the floor. She began sobbing. “Please, God, don’t kill me”. She covered her face with her hands.
Neil was speechless. He didn’t know how to respond. Everything he had done since leaving his home was for Emma, and she was terrified of him. He had saved her life, and she thought he was a monster. She trie
d to kill him. Neil didn’t know whether to be furious or heartbroken. Without saying anything, he turned around and left her house. He had no place there.
He took off and headed back to Georgia. Flight no longer gave him the sense of exhilaration or freedom. The weather was bleak, and the sun appeared colorless. The surface of the earth beneath him no longer held the same sense of wonder. He did not feel like a god floating above men, but rather a lost boy, searching for answers to questions he did not understand.
No one was there to greet Neil when he got back to PRECINCT. He had some choice words for Carl, so he asked around to find out where he was. One of the workers told him they had l
ast seen Carl go into the testing facility.
Why was Carl in the testing facility?
Neil moved towards the entrance, and Carl jumped out of the double doors right as he approached.
“Glad to see you came to your senses.” Carl said.
Neil didn’t respond. He walked straight up and punched him square in the face using his natural strength. Carl stumbled back several feet.
“That’s for having one of your men put a gun to Emma’s head. Next time it will be you I kill.”
“What are you talking about? What do you mean next time? Did you…did you kill Jones?”
Neil’s silence was confirmation enough.
“Jesus Christ. He spent fifteen years in Special Forces. He was a god damned patriot!”
“I’m sure his funeral will reflect that.”
He left Carl and made his way up to the conference room to get something to eat. General Steele was inside already eating a plate of angel-hair pasta, watching the news on the large plasma TV that hung on the wall.
“I heard about what happened in Korea” he said, eyes still fixed on the TV.
“Yeah, that kind of sucked. There was nothing I could do.”
“I know” Steele said, “But they don’t.” He pointed to the TV.
Neil listened to the news reporter.
Superhuman Nature Page 20
