06-24-2019, 09:46 AM
ORIGINS – EPISODE 6
Not gonna lie, I was bummed. No, not like that, I mean I was annoyed. Mainly because my first chance to be the hero had fallen flat, and Amberstone had needed to bail me out. There I was, looking every inch the superhero, ready to take down the bad guys, and when it came to the crunch I couldn’t perform. Now believe me, Elijah has never had a problem with performing, in fact my erection was legendary around these parts, but after all the buildup, to fail so miserably… it had left me questioning if I was the right person for the job.
Amberstone: Hmm, I see.
Amberstone was busy poking and prodding the suit as I read the local newspaper. Nothing in there about my exploits… probably a good thing seeing as the only real picture they could have got was me having my ass handed to me.
Amberstone: I think I see the problem Elijah
I don’t correct him… as long as I wasn’t in the suit it was all good.
Elijah: Yeah?
Amberstone: Indeed, it seems that the suit rejected you.
High school flashback… rejection seemed to be the buzz word around that time
Elijah: Rejected me? How?
Amberstone: Yes, I can understand why you would ask that question.
But apparently doesn’t feel the need to answer it.
Elijah: So?
Amberstone: Ah yes, of course. Elijah, it might be a stupid question, seeing as your grades at school were very little to shout out about.
Usually I would have been surprised he knew what my grades were, but this was Amberstone and nothing shocked me these days.
Amberstone: But, have you ever heard of Metamorphezine?
Elijah: Of course
Amberstone: Splendid, that saves a lot of explaining.
Elijah: I don’t really
Amberstone sighs, the type of sigh that would have earned him a smack in the mouth, but I was after answers
Amberstone: Metamorphezine is a living, breathing organism that is as much alive as you and me.
Elijah: OK, thanks for the Science lesson (I failed Science, just in case you were wondering), but what does that have to do with anything.
Amberstone: The suit Elijah, it is made from that very same material. And it doesn’t believe you are worthy of wearing it.
Elijah: Fuck off, you’re shitting me
Amberstone: True story homeslice…
I ignore his attempt at street speak, we would never talk about it again.
Elijah: What, so like Mjolnir? Thor’s Hammer?
Amberstone: Yes, exactly the same. The suit won’t let you use it, because it doesn’t feel like you have earned it.
Elijah: So let me get this street, stop me if I’m mistaken. You give me a super power that’s only ever any good if we are in the middle of a thunder storm, and then in an effort to assist me, you make a suit with ‘feelings’.
Amberstone: Yes, that about sums it up
Elijah: Seriously dude, you are the worst genius ever
Honestly, I knew that was bullshit. I mean off the top of my head Dr Evil was a lot worse than Amberstone, and what about Dr Doofenshmirtz. That aside, it was certainly starting to look like Amberstone hadn’t given this a great deal of though.
Amberstone: You have to understand Elijah, for us to take down G.U.A.R.D the wearer and the suit HAVE to be one entity. The slightest doubt in either and we are doomed to failure.
Elijah: So what are you saying?
Amberstone: I’m saying that we have to find a way for the suit to believe in you.
Now, I don’t know if you’re all thinking the same as me, but that sounds ridiculous right? As far as I’m aware Superman never had these issues with his super suit, and neither did Captain Marvel unless you count the fairly obvious camel toe. But, taking this ridiculous notion as truth, how the heck was I supposed to get a suit to ‘believe’ in me?
Elijah: So how do I do that then? Take it to dinner or something?
Amberstone raises his eyebrows
Elijah: I was joking dude… and what does a suit eat anyways?
Amberstone: I honestly don’t know…
Three months ago, if you had told me that I was going to have super powers and have the fate of the world resting on my shoulders, I would have told you to bring it on. Now however, it just seemed to be an inconvenience to a ‘normal’ life, and one obstacle after another.
THREE DAYS LATER
Ok, so I’ll be honest, we couldn’t come to a conclusion. I mean, a living, breathing suit that had a chip on its shoulder wasn’t the easiest situation to deal with, making it like a piece of shit like me, and that was something else. Truth be told, I was impressed, after all to figure out that I’d been a bit of a knob in my life just from me wearing it twice, the AI on this thing must have been top spec. The only thing we could think of was to give it another trial run, and hence Amberstone and I were stood on top of a high rise building with a few more storeys than I cared for. That’s storeys, floors… not a story like this one. I was once again wearing the suit, and it may have been my brain playing tricks, but I was sure it was digging me in the ribs at every opportunity.
Zero (because he’s got the suit on… durr): OK, so what are we doing up here?
I look over the edge at Joe Public going about their business below.
Amberstone: I have a theory…
Zero: About time
Amberstone: See, has we have calculated, the suit doesn’t like you
Zero: Alright dude, don’t rub it in.
Amberstone: So, it needs to know that you are willing to sacrifice everything for the cause.
Zero: Err, hold on… I hope that you’re not suggesting what I think you are.
Amberstone: Hear me out Zero…
He was lucky I was actually still on the roof, but I had to admit I got a kick out of being called by my hero name.
Zero: I’m not throwing myself off a building Amberstone. Committing suicide just to pacify the emo suit? I don’t think so.
Amberstone: But think about it Zero… the suit doesn’t trust you to use its capabilities, but I reiterate it is living, and it is breathing.
Zero: So what you saying?
Amberstone: The suit feels everything you do… I’m of the belief that the suit will engage self-preservation mode.
Zero: Belief? Well that’s encouraging. And if not?
Amberstone: Then I’ll be looking for a new subject.
He says it very ‘matter of fact’, so much so I nearly throw him from the top just to see how high he bounces. But there is something about his words than make me realize that this could be the only way. And no matter the frustrations, I ‘liked’ being Zero. All my life I had been a no-one, and irrelevance. This suit could make me into somebody, and that was something I craved more than anything else… except maybe a blowjob from Ariana Grande.
Zero: And you reckon this will work?
Amberstone nods, but not very encouragingly, and I step up onto the ledge
Zero: Jesus, that’s a long way down
Amberstone: Trust the suit Elijah… trust the suit
I don’t know what the hell I was thinking, but I step off the ledge and into the void, plummeting towards the concrete below. I’d love to tell you that my life flashed before my eyes or some other near death cliché that would fit in with this bullshit, but it doesn’t, all I feel is the suit suddenly starting to tighten, making it difficult for me to breathe, the equivalent I guess of the human butt clench. The suit then starts to right itself, and amazingly and with very little effort I land on my feet, not quite believing the lack of impact, literally as if I’d floated. I look up, at Amberstone high above, who puts up a thumbs up.
“See, I told you…”
He had told me… that the suit wouldn’t let me die, and ignoring the fact that this was probably the happiest relationship I’d ever been in, I notice a crowd starting to build, wondering who the heck it was who’d just jumped off a building and lived. Now wasn’t the time to answer those questions…
“Go back to base… I’ll see you there.”
I didn’t know if it had made a difference, I didn’t know if me and the suit were now having a love affair for the ages. What I did know was that knowing Amberstone, it wouldn’t be long till I found out.
“How did you do that?”
“Where did you come from?”
“Who are you?”
The questions come thick and fast from my gathering fans… yeah, I’m calling it, my group of ‘Zeroes’. I put my hands on my waist, and look at them all, and if it wasn’t for the mask they would see the goofy smile growing on my face
Zero: Me? I’m the Savior of this City.
I lower my head and put my forefingers and thumbs together, totally off the cuff and in a diamond shape
Zero: I… AM… ZERO!!!
I turn and make my way through the alleys, eventually losing the last of my ‘Zeroes’, feeling every inch the hero that they needed.
EVEN LATER
OK, so none of you have super powers, so I don’t expect you to understand. But right now I was on top of the world. Imagine that first time that you get with a girl, and she’s down on you and swallows… well, that was nowhere near close to how I was feeling. Honestly, I reckon I could have taken on the world without the super suit, but considering the lengths I’d gone to gains its trust I may as well use the damn thing. Maybe the next time it would listen, we would have to wait and see. Anyway, when I got home, Deborah was waiting for me in the corridor. Deborah’s the clingy woman who lives next door and wants some stuff remember? Cool. She’d baked me some muffins, and me being the kind of guy who can’t resist a good muffin, I’d invited her in for a couple of minutes, just to be polite. That was three hours ago. The only saving grace? Her magnificent mammaries that as usual were bursting out of her low cut top, and had distracted me from her tedious dialogue.
Deborah: So, how do you like the Muffins?
It was the first question she’d asked in the three hours and it caught me a bit off guard.
Elijah: Yeah, they are great. Thanks, but you didn’t have to.
Deborah: Did you know, they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?
Elijah: Is that right?
Deborah nods, her breasts jigging wonderfully.
Deborah: Elijah?
Elijah: Yeah?
Deborah: You do know how I feel about you don’t you?
Yeah, I did… the snail trail of moistness from the door and on the chair had given me a clue.
Elijah: No…
I stall, a certain sense of inevitability falling over this conversation.
Deborah: I think I’ve made it pretty clear over the last few months.
She had, she was… her boobs seemed to be speaking to me. Inviting me to sample their pleasures. Her face though, it was telling me a different story. I guess I could always bag it up if necessary.
Elijah: Deborah… I’m flattered, seriously I am
Christ, I may has well gone full cliché and say it wasn’t her…
Elijah: It’s not you, it’s me…
Yeah… maybe I should be Captain Cliché instead
Elijah: But, I can’t be with you… or anyone for that matter
Deborah: Why not, are you a monk?
I wasn’t… and why didn’t I think of that excuse.
Elijah: No, I’m not a monk. It’s just, with certain power comes certainly responsibility…
I’m not ashamed I used that line. It was a good line.
Elijah: And I just can’t be in a relationship right now
Deborah: Why not, I’d be good to you, I’d take care of you. And you’d want for nothing… I’m even talking bum sex
God I wish I could get past the face
Elijah: It’s easier for me to show you…
I lift the laptop lid, and bring up YouTube, and the clip someone had filmed of me, sorry Zero, leaping from the top of the building and landing on my feet.
Deborah: Yeah, it’s the new superhero guy that people are talking about, the lightening guy.
Elijah: Yeah, well that guy… it’s me.
Deborah looks at me for a moment, and I shit you not, even her breasts look at me dismissively.
Deborah: I get it Elijah, you don’t want to be with me. Just say, you don’t need to lie to me.
She looked really hurt, which wasn’t my intention. Maybe I should have just given her one, in the interests of more muffins.
Elijah: No, seriously… that’s me. The guy who can conduct electricity.
He points his thumbs towards him
Elijah: Me!
Deborah: Seriously?
Elijah: I promise you… and what more…
The words come out my mouth before I can stop them
Elijah: I can prove it… I’m going to take you to my secret lair.
It wasn’t a lair, tbf it wasn’t even mine. But only now do I think of the consequences of going there and how pissed Amberstone was going to be with me, and the fact it would cease to be a secret.
Deborah: OK, if this is true… show me.
Elijah: Really?
Deborah: Look at me, how could any man resist? I’ve been racking my brains trying to figure out what was wrong with you…
Wrong with me???
Deborah: …this would explain everything.
Now, at this point I had a choice. I could either take her to the lair, and explain everything and hope that the dam didn’t burst and flood the eastern seaboard when she saw me in the tight fitting suit. Or, I could tell her that although her body was banging, her face was like a bag of spanners, and therefore run the risk of me being stabbed in my sleep. It was a conundrum no doubt. I chose the former… Amberstone being the lesser of two evils, or at least that was how I thought it would pan out.
I was wrong.
…TO BE CONTINUED
/ZERO HOUR
TARGET: CRISSY GARDNER
CRIME: HUBRIS
MISSION: SAVE THE SCW
The words pass across the screen, before we see Zero, the colors popping from his red tight fitting suit that bears no resemblance to any current super hero living or dead. He sits cross-legged, motioning for the camera to come closer, then putting a hand up, pushing it back
“Not that close fella…”
He puts a thumbs up when satisfied, and starts to speak.
“Welcome Citizens of SCW… by now you all know who I am, so I shall spare you the introductions.”
Nobody has a clue who he is, but he is oblivious to that.
“Two weeks ago, I had a purpose, a mission if you will. It wasn’t to claim an imaginary Flame like most, during the annual meeting of super villains. It wasn’t even to throw said villains out of the ring and to the outside, sending them to oblivion. Oh no, that would have been too easy for someone with my powers. My primary purpose was to put the Kingdom on notice. And ensure that they knew that I will not allow your savior, Giovanni Aries, to be victimized any longer, whilst your ‘false God’s’ run riot. That mission was accomplished, regardless of my message being ended abruptly by the future ‘Kingpin’ Owen Cruze. And how do I know my message was received loud and clear? Quite simply two names…”
He pauses for a few moments, for dramatic effect.
“Ricky Octavius and Kelcey Wallace.”
Zero nods his head very matter of fact.
“At this very moment Kelcey Wallace lies in a hospital bed, the official line being ‘complications whilst giving birth’. Only recently, it was revealed the Ricky Octavius’ body had been found, a young life snuffed out prematurely. These two ‘events’ are not coincidence my friends. They are linked by one person, or should I say one entity, that being the criminal majority of this company and its followers. Why is Kelcey really in hospital? Because her husband couldn’t resist the allure of the Dark Side, nor the sweet cinnamon scent of an Angelic Vagina that’s why. And why is Ricky Octavius now deceased having apparently plummeted to his death? Because one of your ‘bright new hopes’ Peyton Rice broke his heart to raise her banner in support of those that seek to seize our beautiful city. Harsh, yes it might be, but the truth always is. And though he may speak in metaphors it seems to me that in SCW the only truth teller is Giovanni.”
Zero gets to his feet and walks over to a board. On said board there are a series of pictures pinned to it. We see Regan Street, Selena Frost, and Owen Cruze, joined by Aaron Blackbourne, Kennedy Street and Peyton Rice. Zero jabs at the board, specifically at Regan’s picture.
“These people, the feed lies and, one day… those lies will be revealed. These, are my primary targets, the people who spread nothing but ‘fake news’.”
He scrolls down the board, past a whole raft of picture before arriving at the bottom, where we see Crissy Gardner.
“And then Citizens, you have the foot soldiers… those that walk the front lines whilst those at the top peddle their untruths. Busting a gut each week in a battle to be noticed by the Criminal Masterminds of the Kingdom. Some people, they call them ‘irrelevant’ but not Zero.”
A shake of the head confirms this.
“I call them ‘Hope’, but only if their eyes are opened to who are the true heroes of SCW.”
He pulls down a canvas that he attaches in front of the board. On that canvas are several pictures. One of them shows a couple sleeping in their bed. Another shows a dog sleeping on its back, its legs akimbo. A third shows a student nodding off at a lecture.
“The common denominator in all of these pictures… moments prior to this they had been listening to one of Crissy Gardner’s rhetoric’s.
He pulls down the canvas and it flips back, Zero going back to his seat.
“Do you want to know Crissy, why you are constantly ignored, when the ‘trinkets’ as Giovanni calls them are handed out? Oh, don’t think this is going to be me telling you how weak you are, or how your abilities could never stack up to mine, because I know you will be a more than capable opponent, but your quite simply not powered like I am.
No, the reason you are ignored, is quite simply, NO ONE hears you and those that do fall to sleep after approximately 4.2 seconds.
Take Regan… you can’t help but hear her whine constantly, and boy does she whine. Take Selena, she’s there constantly in your face, like a pit-bull with a bone. But you… no one hears, and honestly sweet cheeks no one cares.
You want the truth Crissy… I didn’t even realize you’d competed in the Battle Royal until I googled it. And that’s your problem, you’ll never be noticed, the criminal element will never allow you to rise through its ranks until you have something of substance to say or indeed give. THIS, facing me on Breakdown will come at a cost, and excruciating pain, that’s a given. However, you WILL be noticed because you’re up against me… it’s up to you what attention that brings. But once you are noticed Crissy, what then? What is it that you desire? There has to be some reason why you returned right?”
He’d watched a TV show, ‘Lucifer’, and promised himself he would use that line. And he felt accomplished that he’d managed to squeeze it in.
“And that reason, is my biggest problem. Because although you give me hope that SCW will one day be free of the binds that hold it, those like Regan, and like Selena, you want to be like them. You want to have held the term ‘Champion’ like they have before you, and that is the most important thing to you, you’ve already made that clear that your hubris clouds your judgement to reality. The corruption that currently makes this company smell of stale urine, you don’t care about that as long as you hold a title, as long as you feel that glory. People choosing their sexual partners like sweets, you prefer to let that slide, not your place to comment. Those that have been given power, giving out ‘favors’ but only to those that ‘toe the line’ but that’s not your business right? Jesus Christ, why can’t you see that of course it’s our business, because it effects the reputation of OUR city? A reputation that right now is in the gutter. That’s the message the Giovanni is preaching, that only the few won’t ignore.”
He punches his right hand into the palm of his life, clearly frustrated.
“But, what they and maybe you don’t realize is one day very soon, people will come to realize that the false idols that dominate social media are full of nothing more than propaganda for those much higher up the chain. They WILL fall, there is no greater certainty than that, and then there will be nothing to protect those that hold power over SCW and indeed EMERGE.
But Giovanni won’t rule… that’s not what he wants, we will ALL have our city back, once the criminal element of the Kingdom has been purged. The question is Crissy, quite simply, will you be a well-respected member of the community, or one of those eliminated?
As I said previously, for you I have hope, but unlike the uneducated, I am under no illusions as to your possible unbreakable allegiances and ambitions.”
He scoffs, truthfully, he felt that Crissy was probably one of those that would never escape the attraction of accolades and prizes, and that her ‘hero worship’ would forever be displaced. But, that wasn’t what was important, not this Wednesday.
“Crissy, on Wednesday in Des Moines, just like in Montreal, I am going to deliver a message. That message being that whatever side you stand on now, there is still time for you to follow the Dragon, all the way to Giovanni’s fabled Wonderland. You DO have a choice, and now is the time to make it, or forever be lost to the Kingdom.”
He stands
“With 39 enemies, it was always going to be a task even for me. Though one of those with the biggest mouths now knows my power don’t you Mr Raynes? But one on one Crissy, I’m going to give an example of what I can do, and ensure that unlike you, my message rings loud and clear. However capable you are, I’m stronger, faster, fitter… just simply better. And I’m afraid there is nothing you can do about your present, that is I am afraid set in stone. You can however do something about your future, and unlike Marty Mcfly, there will be no need for you to go back in time. Buck the trend Crissy, don’t be like THEM. And maybe, just maybe, when the final act arrives… you’ll be sitting on the right side of the fence. You have till Wednesday Ms Gardner… choose wisely.”
He puts up his hands, forming the now familiar diamond with his thumbs and forefingers as the scene fades.
Not gonna lie, I was bummed. No, not like that, I mean I was annoyed. Mainly because my first chance to be the hero had fallen flat, and Amberstone had needed to bail me out. There I was, looking every inch the superhero, ready to take down the bad guys, and when it came to the crunch I couldn’t perform. Now believe me, Elijah has never had a problem with performing, in fact my erection was legendary around these parts, but after all the buildup, to fail so miserably… it had left me questioning if I was the right person for the job.
Amberstone: Hmm, I see.
Amberstone was busy poking and prodding the suit as I read the local newspaper. Nothing in there about my exploits… probably a good thing seeing as the only real picture they could have got was me having my ass handed to me.
Amberstone: I think I see the problem Elijah
I don’t correct him… as long as I wasn’t in the suit it was all good.
Elijah: Yeah?
Amberstone: Indeed, it seems that the suit rejected you.
High school flashback… rejection seemed to be the buzz word around that time
Elijah: Rejected me? How?
Amberstone: Yes, I can understand why you would ask that question.
But apparently doesn’t feel the need to answer it.
Elijah: So?
Amberstone: Ah yes, of course. Elijah, it might be a stupid question, seeing as your grades at school were very little to shout out about.
Usually I would have been surprised he knew what my grades were, but this was Amberstone and nothing shocked me these days.
Amberstone: But, have you ever heard of Metamorphezine?
Elijah: Of course
Amberstone: Splendid, that saves a lot of explaining.
Elijah: I don’t really
Amberstone sighs, the type of sigh that would have earned him a smack in the mouth, but I was after answers
Amberstone: Metamorphezine is a living, breathing organism that is as much alive as you and me.
Elijah: OK, thanks for the Science lesson (I failed Science, just in case you were wondering), but what does that have to do with anything.
Amberstone: The suit Elijah, it is made from that very same material. And it doesn’t believe you are worthy of wearing it.
Elijah: Fuck off, you’re shitting me
Amberstone: True story homeslice…
I ignore his attempt at street speak, we would never talk about it again.
Elijah: What, so like Mjolnir? Thor’s Hammer?
Amberstone: Yes, exactly the same. The suit won’t let you use it, because it doesn’t feel like you have earned it.
Elijah: So let me get this street, stop me if I’m mistaken. You give me a super power that’s only ever any good if we are in the middle of a thunder storm, and then in an effort to assist me, you make a suit with ‘feelings’.
Amberstone: Yes, that about sums it up
Elijah: Seriously dude, you are the worst genius ever
Honestly, I knew that was bullshit. I mean off the top of my head Dr Evil was a lot worse than Amberstone, and what about Dr Doofenshmirtz. That aside, it was certainly starting to look like Amberstone hadn’t given this a great deal of though.
Amberstone: You have to understand Elijah, for us to take down G.U.A.R.D the wearer and the suit HAVE to be one entity. The slightest doubt in either and we are doomed to failure.
Elijah: So what are you saying?
Amberstone: I’m saying that we have to find a way for the suit to believe in you.
Now, I don’t know if you’re all thinking the same as me, but that sounds ridiculous right? As far as I’m aware Superman never had these issues with his super suit, and neither did Captain Marvel unless you count the fairly obvious camel toe. But, taking this ridiculous notion as truth, how the heck was I supposed to get a suit to ‘believe’ in me?
Elijah: So how do I do that then? Take it to dinner or something?
Amberstone raises his eyebrows
Elijah: I was joking dude… and what does a suit eat anyways?
Amberstone: I honestly don’t know…
Three months ago, if you had told me that I was going to have super powers and have the fate of the world resting on my shoulders, I would have told you to bring it on. Now however, it just seemed to be an inconvenience to a ‘normal’ life, and one obstacle after another.
THREE DAYS LATER
Ok, so I’ll be honest, we couldn’t come to a conclusion. I mean, a living, breathing suit that had a chip on its shoulder wasn’t the easiest situation to deal with, making it like a piece of shit like me, and that was something else. Truth be told, I was impressed, after all to figure out that I’d been a bit of a knob in my life just from me wearing it twice, the AI on this thing must have been top spec. The only thing we could think of was to give it another trial run, and hence Amberstone and I were stood on top of a high rise building with a few more storeys than I cared for. That’s storeys, floors… not a story like this one. I was once again wearing the suit, and it may have been my brain playing tricks, but I was sure it was digging me in the ribs at every opportunity.
Zero (because he’s got the suit on… durr): OK, so what are we doing up here?
I look over the edge at Joe Public going about their business below.
Amberstone: I have a theory…
Zero: About time
Amberstone: See, has we have calculated, the suit doesn’t like you
Zero: Alright dude, don’t rub it in.
Amberstone: So, it needs to know that you are willing to sacrifice everything for the cause.
Zero: Err, hold on… I hope that you’re not suggesting what I think you are.
Amberstone: Hear me out Zero…
He was lucky I was actually still on the roof, but I had to admit I got a kick out of being called by my hero name.
Zero: I’m not throwing myself off a building Amberstone. Committing suicide just to pacify the emo suit? I don’t think so.
Amberstone: But think about it Zero… the suit doesn’t trust you to use its capabilities, but I reiterate it is living, and it is breathing.
Zero: So what you saying?
Amberstone: The suit feels everything you do… I’m of the belief that the suit will engage self-preservation mode.
Zero: Belief? Well that’s encouraging. And if not?
Amberstone: Then I’ll be looking for a new subject.
He says it very ‘matter of fact’, so much so I nearly throw him from the top just to see how high he bounces. But there is something about his words than make me realize that this could be the only way. And no matter the frustrations, I ‘liked’ being Zero. All my life I had been a no-one, and irrelevance. This suit could make me into somebody, and that was something I craved more than anything else… except maybe a blowjob from Ariana Grande.
Zero: And you reckon this will work?
Amberstone nods, but not very encouragingly, and I step up onto the ledge
Zero: Jesus, that’s a long way down
Amberstone: Trust the suit Elijah… trust the suit
I don’t know what the hell I was thinking, but I step off the ledge and into the void, plummeting towards the concrete below. I’d love to tell you that my life flashed before my eyes or some other near death cliché that would fit in with this bullshit, but it doesn’t, all I feel is the suit suddenly starting to tighten, making it difficult for me to breathe, the equivalent I guess of the human butt clench. The suit then starts to right itself, and amazingly and with very little effort I land on my feet, not quite believing the lack of impact, literally as if I’d floated. I look up, at Amberstone high above, who puts up a thumbs up.
“See, I told you…”
He had told me… that the suit wouldn’t let me die, and ignoring the fact that this was probably the happiest relationship I’d ever been in, I notice a crowd starting to build, wondering who the heck it was who’d just jumped off a building and lived. Now wasn’t the time to answer those questions…
“Go back to base… I’ll see you there.”
I didn’t know if it had made a difference, I didn’t know if me and the suit were now having a love affair for the ages. What I did know was that knowing Amberstone, it wouldn’t be long till I found out.
“How did you do that?”
“Where did you come from?”
“Who are you?”
The questions come thick and fast from my gathering fans… yeah, I’m calling it, my group of ‘Zeroes’. I put my hands on my waist, and look at them all, and if it wasn’t for the mask they would see the goofy smile growing on my face
Zero: Me? I’m the Savior of this City.
I lower my head and put my forefingers and thumbs together, totally off the cuff and in a diamond shape
Zero: I… AM… ZERO!!!
I turn and make my way through the alleys, eventually losing the last of my ‘Zeroes’, feeling every inch the hero that they needed.
EVEN LATER
OK, so none of you have super powers, so I don’t expect you to understand. But right now I was on top of the world. Imagine that first time that you get with a girl, and she’s down on you and swallows… well, that was nowhere near close to how I was feeling. Honestly, I reckon I could have taken on the world without the super suit, but considering the lengths I’d gone to gains its trust I may as well use the damn thing. Maybe the next time it would listen, we would have to wait and see. Anyway, when I got home, Deborah was waiting for me in the corridor. Deborah’s the clingy woman who lives next door and wants some stuff remember? Cool. She’d baked me some muffins, and me being the kind of guy who can’t resist a good muffin, I’d invited her in for a couple of minutes, just to be polite. That was three hours ago. The only saving grace? Her magnificent mammaries that as usual were bursting out of her low cut top, and had distracted me from her tedious dialogue.
Deborah: So, how do you like the Muffins?
It was the first question she’d asked in the three hours and it caught me a bit off guard.
Elijah: Yeah, they are great. Thanks, but you didn’t have to.
Deborah: Did you know, they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?
Elijah: Is that right?
Deborah nods, her breasts jigging wonderfully.
Deborah: Elijah?
Elijah: Yeah?
Deborah: You do know how I feel about you don’t you?
Yeah, I did… the snail trail of moistness from the door and on the chair had given me a clue.
Elijah: No…
I stall, a certain sense of inevitability falling over this conversation.
Deborah: I think I’ve made it pretty clear over the last few months.
She had, she was… her boobs seemed to be speaking to me. Inviting me to sample their pleasures. Her face though, it was telling me a different story. I guess I could always bag it up if necessary.
Elijah: Deborah… I’m flattered, seriously I am
Christ, I may has well gone full cliché and say it wasn’t her…
Elijah: It’s not you, it’s me…
Yeah… maybe I should be Captain Cliché instead
Elijah: But, I can’t be with you… or anyone for that matter
Deborah: Why not, are you a monk?
I wasn’t… and why didn’t I think of that excuse.
Elijah: No, I’m not a monk. It’s just, with certain power comes certainly responsibility…
I’m not ashamed I used that line. It was a good line.
Elijah: And I just can’t be in a relationship right now
Deborah: Why not, I’d be good to you, I’d take care of you. And you’d want for nothing… I’m even talking bum sex
God I wish I could get past the face
Elijah: It’s easier for me to show you…
I lift the laptop lid, and bring up YouTube, and the clip someone had filmed of me, sorry Zero, leaping from the top of the building and landing on my feet.
Deborah: Yeah, it’s the new superhero guy that people are talking about, the lightening guy.
Elijah: Yeah, well that guy… it’s me.
Deborah looks at me for a moment, and I shit you not, even her breasts look at me dismissively.
Deborah: I get it Elijah, you don’t want to be with me. Just say, you don’t need to lie to me.
She looked really hurt, which wasn’t my intention. Maybe I should have just given her one, in the interests of more muffins.
Elijah: No, seriously… that’s me. The guy who can conduct electricity.
He points his thumbs towards him
Elijah: Me!
Deborah: Seriously?
Elijah: I promise you… and what more…
The words come out my mouth before I can stop them
Elijah: I can prove it… I’m going to take you to my secret lair.
It wasn’t a lair, tbf it wasn’t even mine. But only now do I think of the consequences of going there and how pissed Amberstone was going to be with me, and the fact it would cease to be a secret.
Deborah: OK, if this is true… show me.
Elijah: Really?
Deborah: Look at me, how could any man resist? I’ve been racking my brains trying to figure out what was wrong with you…
Wrong with me???
Deborah: …this would explain everything.
Now, at this point I had a choice. I could either take her to the lair, and explain everything and hope that the dam didn’t burst and flood the eastern seaboard when she saw me in the tight fitting suit. Or, I could tell her that although her body was banging, her face was like a bag of spanners, and therefore run the risk of me being stabbed in my sleep. It was a conundrum no doubt. I chose the former… Amberstone being the lesser of two evils, or at least that was how I thought it would pan out.
I was wrong.
…TO BE CONTINUED
/ZERO HOUR
TARGET: CRISSY GARDNER
CRIME: HUBRIS
MISSION: SAVE THE SCW
The words pass across the screen, before we see Zero, the colors popping from his red tight fitting suit that bears no resemblance to any current super hero living or dead. He sits cross-legged, motioning for the camera to come closer, then putting a hand up, pushing it back
“Not that close fella…”
He puts a thumbs up when satisfied, and starts to speak.
“Welcome Citizens of SCW… by now you all know who I am, so I shall spare you the introductions.”
Nobody has a clue who he is, but he is oblivious to that.
“Two weeks ago, I had a purpose, a mission if you will. It wasn’t to claim an imaginary Flame like most, during the annual meeting of super villains. It wasn’t even to throw said villains out of the ring and to the outside, sending them to oblivion. Oh no, that would have been too easy for someone with my powers. My primary purpose was to put the Kingdom on notice. And ensure that they knew that I will not allow your savior, Giovanni Aries, to be victimized any longer, whilst your ‘false God’s’ run riot. That mission was accomplished, regardless of my message being ended abruptly by the future ‘Kingpin’ Owen Cruze. And how do I know my message was received loud and clear? Quite simply two names…”
He pauses for a few moments, for dramatic effect.
“Ricky Octavius and Kelcey Wallace.”
Zero nods his head very matter of fact.
“At this very moment Kelcey Wallace lies in a hospital bed, the official line being ‘complications whilst giving birth’. Only recently, it was revealed the Ricky Octavius’ body had been found, a young life snuffed out prematurely. These two ‘events’ are not coincidence my friends. They are linked by one person, or should I say one entity, that being the criminal majority of this company and its followers. Why is Kelcey really in hospital? Because her husband couldn’t resist the allure of the Dark Side, nor the sweet cinnamon scent of an Angelic Vagina that’s why. And why is Ricky Octavius now deceased having apparently plummeted to his death? Because one of your ‘bright new hopes’ Peyton Rice broke his heart to raise her banner in support of those that seek to seize our beautiful city. Harsh, yes it might be, but the truth always is. And though he may speak in metaphors it seems to me that in SCW the only truth teller is Giovanni.”
Zero gets to his feet and walks over to a board. On said board there are a series of pictures pinned to it. We see Regan Street, Selena Frost, and Owen Cruze, joined by Aaron Blackbourne, Kennedy Street and Peyton Rice. Zero jabs at the board, specifically at Regan’s picture.
“These people, the feed lies and, one day… those lies will be revealed. These, are my primary targets, the people who spread nothing but ‘fake news’.”
He scrolls down the board, past a whole raft of picture before arriving at the bottom, where we see Crissy Gardner.
“And then Citizens, you have the foot soldiers… those that walk the front lines whilst those at the top peddle their untruths. Busting a gut each week in a battle to be noticed by the Criminal Masterminds of the Kingdom. Some people, they call them ‘irrelevant’ but not Zero.”
A shake of the head confirms this.
“I call them ‘Hope’, but only if their eyes are opened to who are the true heroes of SCW.”
He pulls down a canvas that he attaches in front of the board. On that canvas are several pictures. One of them shows a couple sleeping in their bed. Another shows a dog sleeping on its back, its legs akimbo. A third shows a student nodding off at a lecture.
“The common denominator in all of these pictures… moments prior to this they had been listening to one of Crissy Gardner’s rhetoric’s.
He pulls down the canvas and it flips back, Zero going back to his seat.
“Do you want to know Crissy, why you are constantly ignored, when the ‘trinkets’ as Giovanni calls them are handed out? Oh, don’t think this is going to be me telling you how weak you are, or how your abilities could never stack up to mine, because I know you will be a more than capable opponent, but your quite simply not powered like I am.
No, the reason you are ignored, is quite simply, NO ONE hears you and those that do fall to sleep after approximately 4.2 seconds.
Take Regan… you can’t help but hear her whine constantly, and boy does she whine. Take Selena, she’s there constantly in your face, like a pit-bull with a bone. But you… no one hears, and honestly sweet cheeks no one cares.
You want the truth Crissy… I didn’t even realize you’d competed in the Battle Royal until I googled it. And that’s your problem, you’ll never be noticed, the criminal element will never allow you to rise through its ranks until you have something of substance to say or indeed give. THIS, facing me on Breakdown will come at a cost, and excruciating pain, that’s a given. However, you WILL be noticed because you’re up against me… it’s up to you what attention that brings. But once you are noticed Crissy, what then? What is it that you desire? There has to be some reason why you returned right?”
He’d watched a TV show, ‘Lucifer’, and promised himself he would use that line. And he felt accomplished that he’d managed to squeeze it in.
“And that reason, is my biggest problem. Because although you give me hope that SCW will one day be free of the binds that hold it, those like Regan, and like Selena, you want to be like them. You want to have held the term ‘Champion’ like they have before you, and that is the most important thing to you, you’ve already made that clear that your hubris clouds your judgement to reality. The corruption that currently makes this company smell of stale urine, you don’t care about that as long as you hold a title, as long as you feel that glory. People choosing their sexual partners like sweets, you prefer to let that slide, not your place to comment. Those that have been given power, giving out ‘favors’ but only to those that ‘toe the line’ but that’s not your business right? Jesus Christ, why can’t you see that of course it’s our business, because it effects the reputation of OUR city? A reputation that right now is in the gutter. That’s the message the Giovanni is preaching, that only the few won’t ignore.”
He punches his right hand into the palm of his life, clearly frustrated.
“But, what they and maybe you don’t realize is one day very soon, people will come to realize that the false idols that dominate social media are full of nothing more than propaganda for those much higher up the chain. They WILL fall, there is no greater certainty than that, and then there will be nothing to protect those that hold power over SCW and indeed EMERGE.
But Giovanni won’t rule… that’s not what he wants, we will ALL have our city back, once the criminal element of the Kingdom has been purged. The question is Crissy, quite simply, will you be a well-respected member of the community, or one of those eliminated?
As I said previously, for you I have hope, but unlike the uneducated, I am under no illusions as to your possible unbreakable allegiances and ambitions.”
He scoffs, truthfully, he felt that Crissy was probably one of those that would never escape the attraction of accolades and prizes, and that her ‘hero worship’ would forever be displaced. But, that wasn’t what was important, not this Wednesday.
“Crissy, on Wednesday in Des Moines, just like in Montreal, I am going to deliver a message. That message being that whatever side you stand on now, there is still time for you to follow the Dragon, all the way to Giovanni’s fabled Wonderland. You DO have a choice, and now is the time to make it, or forever be lost to the Kingdom.”
He stands
“With 39 enemies, it was always going to be a task even for me. Though one of those with the biggest mouths now knows my power don’t you Mr Raynes? But one on one Crissy, I’m going to give an example of what I can do, and ensure that unlike you, my message rings loud and clear. However capable you are, I’m stronger, faster, fitter… just simply better. And I’m afraid there is nothing you can do about your present, that is I am afraid set in stone. You can however do something about your future, and unlike Marty Mcfly, there will be no need for you to go back in time. Buck the trend Crissy, don’t be like THEM. And maybe, just maybe, when the final act arrives… you’ll be sitting on the right side of the fence. You have till Wednesday Ms Gardner… choose wisely.”
He puts up his hands, forming the now familiar diamond with his thumbs and forefingers as the scene fades.