by Brandy Gaye
It had taken everything in Victor’s immense power to leave Samantha’s house. But he couldn’t stand being in Darrin’s presence any longer and he really did need to contact his long time friend and mentor to let him know he was okay. Victor had always been smart about tactics. He knew when to say when and when to push through. Now was a time that he had to push through. He was afraid if he stopped too long, the severity of his situation would crash down upon him and he definitely didn’t want to be around Sam for that. Once again, he pushed away the reality that everyone he held closest, everyone who knew him, the real him, had died in a violent explosion. He had nearly every power he’d ever thought of and yet he couldn’t save any of them. Not to mention his boss had been an advocate of super heroes and they’d had long discussions about how the city would be better with them. Victor had respected him immensely and now he was gone too. He didn’t even know who would take the places of those lost. With so many good cops gone, the city would be overrun with crime in no time.
His speed brought him far from Sam's county home and back to the city; he had lost all train of thought and ended up back near his apartment. Luckily the hour was late and all of the action would still be at the point of explosion. After carefully listening and x-raying the area, he decided it would be safe to go in and grab some things. No one would be by his place for awhile, maybe even days. There would be so much to sort out. He risked making the call from his phone. There wouldn't ever be a need for someone to check his records. Would there? He sighed and put the receiver down. Better safe than sorry. He grabbed some change out of a bowl in the kitchen, stopping briefly to yank a picture of a complete family photo from two years ago off the fridge and headed out to find a pay phone.
"Hello?"
"Maurice. Thank the powers you answered."
"Victor! I was trying to call you!"
"Phone is fried, wasn't at home. Hey, can I come by? I know it's late. I can be there in an hour if I go full speed."
"No need. I'm here. In town. I was supposed to be at that Ball tonight. I was going to surprise you. You didn't really think I'd miss your big promotion to Lieutenant and your award did you? But my plane was delayed. Talk about thank the powers."
"Wait. You're here? Where are you?"
"At the DunnMoore Inn. I-Victor?"
Maurice Lock had barely realized that Victor had hung up the phone when there was a knock on his door. He hung up the receiver and answered it. "I really hate when you do that."
Victor wrapped his arms around the man until Maurice couldn't breathe; which wasn't long.
Victor lightened up when he realized his strength, but didn't let go. Maurice hugged him back for a long time as Victor's reality came crashing down all at once. Maurice held him tight and also mourned his friends.
After a hot shower and a cup of black coffee, Victor had composed himself enough to talk about it. Not that there was much to tell about the explosion. One minute he was being interviewed, the next, BOOM. When Maurice asked him about where he'd gotten off to, Vic just shrugged. "I actually have a new, well, friend, who knows about me."
"Mm hm. Who is she?"
"I didn't say it was a she."
"You didn't have to." He eyed the otter sweatshirt and the pawprint jammie pants. "She must be special for you to let your guard down."
Vic smiled sincerely for the first time since he'd come to her house earlier that evening. "She's like us. With her mind. It's pretty cool. And she's pretty strong. She even volunteers at the prison. Though, don't ask me why."
"I wouldn't. So, what else? You've got a nervous energy around you. There's a black tinge to your aura. What aren't you saying?"
Maurice had mentored Victor from a young age. Maurice had been a city councilman and a lawyer who practiced too many pro bono cases for wife's comfort. (They were still happily married, however.) He had also been a super hero back before the city had outlawed them. The Karate Cowboy excelled in energy attack and defense, while also being able to decipher criminal moves based on aura readings. He also really, really liked old westerns. Maurice had confided in Frank Moses, one of the cops that had taken Victor in, when he suspected that Victor had powers. All of Victor's adoptive parents eventually knew Maurice's secret but they had taken it to their graves.
Victor knew the black aura in this case meant unforgiving towards Darrin. He would have to work on that. Victor hesitated talking about Steam. Though Maury was probably the greatest person to walk the earth, he didn't want to jeopardize Sam's trust in him anymore than Darrin would have wanted to. It irritated him that he agreed on something with the villain. Secrets always came out but this one would have to wait to make its debut some other time. "I found out a little lead on the explosion."
Maury perked up. "What is it?"
"We'll have to go to The Mob Boss."
Maury deflated. "I hate that guy. Say, so, I know all of this has happened pretty fast. What are you going to do? You know, about being dead."
Vic swallowed the words before he could say them, it sounded so bizarre, but he sat up straight and just spit them out. "I'm going to be a super hero."
It still sounded bizarre.
Maury only raised his eyebrows.
"I know what you're going to say and I know it's crazy. But it's the only way to freely find out who did this. And there's so much chaos right now, there's no one to really oppose me and-"
"I came home to run for District Attorney."
Victor shut up.
"I was going to tell you at the ball tonight. I know I haven't lived here in some time. After the debacle with the heroes ten years ago, well, I just couldn't stand it. Being here and not being able to help to my fullest ability but I've been watching the news. I've been talking to you and things have gotten out of hand. I can't stand it anymore. This is my home town and I shouldn't have left. I know. And now it looks like some of the competition for DA is gone so I might have a shot. I do still have some friends in high places. Well, as long as they weren't-nevermind. No, kid, I think you being a hero is exactly what this city needs.
"Really?"
"Yes. It is long overdue that you give this city everything you've got."
"I don't even know where to start."
"A name, an outfit. It's as good a place as any."
"Would you-"
"Oh no, no, no. I don't want to relive that nightmare. But I can give you advice on everything else. I may be a retired super hero, but I'm still active up here." He tapped his head. "The most important thing now though is to get some sleep. So get. We'll talk more tomorrow."
Victor stood and yawned. "Ya, ya." He walked a few paces and stopped. "Could you...would you help oversee their funerals? I know I have a couple of aunts and uncles but they don't know about me and I can't...since I'm dead."
Maury nodded. "We'll sort it out later. Go get some rest."
Night, Maury. And thanks."
"Ya kid." Victor exited the room and Maury ran his hand over his face. His eyes filled with tears for the friends he'd lost and the anger he felt towards whoever was responsible. He would have to forgive himself for ever leaving and for not fighting harder to keep his place among the justice system. His inner peace had been discolored for too long. He was more determined now than ever to return the city to its glory days and if Victor was willing, together they would win.
Darrin woke up when the sun came through the living room window. He'd come back up stairs to watch TV after tossing and turning. The faint smell of burning wafted into his nostrils and he sat up, alert only to notice that the leather sofa beneath him had been melted beyond repair.
Oops.
And the remote.
This sometimes happened when he had nightmares. Still, Sam was not going to be happy. She'd get over it eventually but it was embarrassing. It was the only time he could not control his power. He got up and clicked the TV off manually then headed into the kitchen for something to eat. He grabbed a banana out of a bowl on the table and took a deep breath. He'd b
een lying low for awhile now but truth be told, with the law enforcement agencies in chaos at the moment, now was the perfect time to strike.
He only stole from banks or big business where he knew the money would be insured. His mother and his biological father had been very tech savvy and it had rubbed off on him enough to know how to hack into the computer systems. He did that sometimes with the big corporations but there was something very satisfying about burning his way into a building and melting the safe doors into silver molten puddles. Plus, money moved via computer could be traced and taken away. The beneficiaries of his crimes didn't have the knowledge or power to fight it. Early on, he'd actually wired some money to a local women's shelter via the corrupt Bigg Corporation and when they found out, the shelter had received it anonymously, they took it back! It was only $10 grand. He'd never been able to get at them again but he'd tried on and off.
He finished his banana and gathered his things. He wouldn't be seeing Sam for awhile again and it was probably for the better if she was going to be hanging around that doof, Victor. Who she dated was her choice though. She'd never been very smart with guys anyway. Why couldn't she just find someone normal? Still, he decided that if he did happen to find anything out about the explosion, he'd get her word, but it wasn't his primary goal. Still, he hung out in enough seedy crook bars to overhear some pretty interesting stuff. And he wasn't worried about Victor anyway. It wouldn't last. He grabbed an apple for the road and headed out.
Sam came down about an hour later, also unable to sleep. She was going to go wake Darrin to see if he wanted to run to the donut shop with her, as they did on occasions like this, but she smelled the burning first and noticed the sofa second. She knew he wouldn't be there. She sighed. The guy at her favorite furniture store must have thought she had some sort of fetish. But she couldn't risk leaving any scorched chairs or table in the house and Darrin had some intense anger issues and burned a few more things than he intended.
She showered and ate, trying to keep her mind off of a certain, well, ex-cop, she supposed now. She dressed and refused to check her phone for the missed call she knew wasn't there. She had to be at work in two hours anyway and there was nothing like listening to other people's problems to make hers seem easy.
Sam grabbed her keys and readied to leave when the doorbell rang. Her heart fluttered as it always did. She lived in constant fear that someone would be looking for Darrin, that they'd been found out. And she still regretted telling Victor. She wanted to trust him but in hindsight, it may not have been the smartest move.
She peered through the peephole and then flung open the door. "Hi!" She realized she'd been a little to enthusiastic and quickly toned it down. "Hi."
Victor smiled and gestured coming inside.
"Oh! Of course. Come in." He did and she shut the door. "Did you find your friend?"
"Yes and in fact he's in town now. I think he'll be sticking around for awhile so I'll have a place to stay."
"Oh, good. I mean, not that you can't crash here. I have plenty of space."
He smiled. "You're a sucker for hard luck cases aren't you?"
The statement shook her a little. Darrin had told her that on numerous occasions but she'd always brushed him off. It ruffled her feathers to hear it from someone else. And from Victor, who she hardly knew really. He didn't sugarcoat much.
"It's not a fault," Victor went on. "It's endearing. You're whole career is based on helping lost causes."
It embarrassed her somewhat and angered her. She didn't consider everyone she saw a lost cause. She'd helped lots of people. But she didn't want to argue with him. He had enough on his plate.
He went on. "Hey, I'm not a hard luck case. I'd be fine without your help. Really. Seriously. I'm not just saying that. I want to be here."
"And what is it, exactly that you want?"
"Well, if I'm going to do this whole super hero thing, I was hoping you would help me. Just as a second opinion sort of thing. I don't even know where to start. But the sooner I get on with it, the sooner I can find the people responsible for blowing up my life. Literally."
"How about a name?"
"I was thinking something simple like Handcuffs or SWAT. You know something cop related. It's what I know, you know?"
She chuckled. "Handcuffs?"
"Just brainstorming here."
"Well, let me think on it today. I do have to go to work and dote on my lost causes."
"Right."
"I'll be home around 4 if you want to come back. Or you can stay. Maybe we can go costume shopping." She laughed.
"That's just some ploy to get me into tights isn't it?"
She shrugged playfully.
"All right. I'll be back at four."
Her day went by slower than slugs across a salt field. She tried to focus on her patients but she kept imagining different outfits for Victor. Black for sure. He'd look amazing. But then something bright to note that he was a good guy. Not pink obviously. Maybe blue? Too guy. Red, too villain.
The evening would prove to be the best date she'd ever been on. Victor chided her endlessly that he had to die to get her to go out with him. He'd borrowed clothes from Maury, and some money; Maury was overly generous, so he'd bought a few new things that fit a little better and changed while they were out. He wore a purple baseball cap and fake glasses just to make it hard to recognize him in case anyone was looking his way. He'd been on the news a lot and was kind of a local celebrity so Sam insisted that he not be found out. They ate at a tiny pizza place with arcade games and live music. Apparently, one of Victor's talents was dancing and he pulled her up in front of everyone to twirl her around. She'd never been so outgoing in all her life. They found a flailing black coat in a local thrift store window and both knew it was the one; thick material, bright silver buttons and big cuffs.
Sam's favorite event of the evening though actually did happen to be leggings shopping. Victor was a good sport about it and even tried a pair of black pleather tights on.
"Snug," he'd said at first. "But actually, not uncomfortable."
They bought them.
Sam suggested purple as a complement color, liking the hat on his head, and he easily agreed. It had been a favorite color among a couple of his moms. They found a pair of purple gloves at the sports store and a pair of black combat boots at a trendy Goth store.
"What will you wear under the jacket?" Sam asked.
"You know? There's a shop down on Walt Street that we should go look at. I did a drug bust there last year but the new owners are clean. Let's go."
It was an armory of sorts. Sam had never seen anything like it. "They do a lot of business for the local ren faire and for the Coyote Theatre up the street."
Chain mail and medieval gowns and corsets filled the shop. It was like walking into the past. It even smelled of herbs and fires.
"Can I help ye?" The clerk herself wore a quintessential Queen Guinevere gown and accompanying gold circlet around her long braided hair.
"Yes, milady," Victor answered. "I'm in need of a breast plate."
"Very good, sir. Along the back wall are those ready for purchase or we do custom orders as well."
Sam and Victor picked out a simple metal plate. It was lighter than it looked but still an alloy of some sort. "It'll look good in purple, huh?"
Sam nodded. "Brilliant. This is fun."
They checked out, Sam still in sticker shock at how much the thing cost but smiling about it eager to see what the entre ensemble looked like. On the way out the door, she noticed a little purple eye mask on the clearance rack. "Victor! We almost forgot!"
They got home late after an action flick and some marshmallow ice cream from a 24 hour ice cream parlor and Sam hadn't been so happy ever. Regardless of the black cloud over both their heads regarding the death of his family, there was just the niggling feeling that the other shoe would drop. How could she be with a man who was legally dead? What would happen if he went through with this hero thin
g and was found out? Then there was Darrin. If Victor was fighting crime off the grid of legality, there would be a cry out for him to capture Steam. And Victor wasn't a fan of his anyway.
Plus, she was falling for this guy way too fast. After her last disaster of a relationship, she'd sworn never to do that again.
There were issues but for right now, she pushed them aside and helped him sort out his outfit.
She nearly bit her nails to stubs waiting for him to come out of the bedroom.
"These boots take forever to lace up!" He called out. "Movies make this look A LOT easier!"
He finally emerged and Sam's mouth curled up into a smile. He looked great. He looked sexy. He looked like he was ready to kick evil's butt.
He twirled and the coat flailed out. "Besides the chest plate needs to be purple, I look good. I mean, I always look good. But this is cool."
Samantha couldn't have agreed more. "I think you're ready, Captain."
He locked eyes with her. "I gotta admit, I never thought I'd meet someone as amazing as me."
"Well, I might be more modest at least."
"You shouldn't be. Sam, do this with me."
"What?"
"Be a hero."
The suggestion knocked her from her euphoria. "No. No, I can't."
"Why not?"
"First of all, I don't have a cool costume."
"We can whip something up."
"Secondly, I'm not the type of person who goes looking for trouble. I have enough on my plate with Darrin. My heart falls every time someone knocks on the door or calls me. I always think he's been found out or me. I don't have the gumption to deal with anything more and now you. No, no. I think I am happier behind the scenes."
"Suit yourself. More glory for me."
"Yes, of course. When are you debuting Captain?"
They'd agreed on Captain since it was where he had been ultimately headed anyway on the force and it was short, simple and superhero appropriate.
"As soon as I paint this. Is there an auto supply store around? I bet that they have metal paint."
"Yes we can go there tomorrow. I'm off."
"Really? You failed to mention that. So you are all mine tomorrow too. Excellent."
Sam smiled slyly. "You can stay tonight too, if you want." Victor's eyebrows rose above his mask. Sam giggled at rendering him speechless. "No self-serving remark?"
"I think agreeing to that is about as self-serving as I can get."
"Good. This is your room then. Mine is down the hall. Bathroom that way. Good night Victor." She stepped down the hall into her room and closed the door, giddy and proud of herself. She wasn't going to be taken in so easily. Not after the last horror of a relationship she'd been in.
When she didn't reappear, he called out, "Would it help if I tell you I love you?" Meant as a jest, he surprised himself by meaning it.
Sam's euphoria suddenly vanished and was replaced with a panic. Lightheaded, trembling panic.
When no response came, Victor shrugged and enjoyed that she played hard to get.
Sam involuntarily locked her bedroom door and considered calling Darrin but ultimately didn't. She eventually fell into a tossful sleep.
The next morning, she talked herself down off the cliff and was elated to smell breakfast.
"He cooks too."
"I told you I'm a man of many powers."
She took a seat at the table and glanced at him in her glittery orange kitten apron as he brought her food.
"French toast."
"My favorite!"
"Good." He came back a second later with over easy eggs and toast.
"Over easy even." Her anxiety instantly returned. "How did you know?"
He shrugged. "You didn't have any food in the kitchen so I went shopping. I hope you don't mind." He poured her a glass of apple juice. Her favorite. He'd x-rayed the trash and bought things which had been previously consumed.
Sam suddenly excused herself. "You know what? Not so hungry anymore. And, I have an early meeting I forgot about."
Victor super speeded in front of her to keep her in the kitchen.
"Hey, if this is about what I said last night, it was just--"
"Get out of my way."
She used her power to push him away and he hit the adjoining wall hard enough to break through the drywall to the studs. She hurried from the house leaving Victor in a daze.
