Proximity

A Web-Serial based on the hit television show Heroes. My own take on people with abilities and their challenges living in a world of chaos. Drug Runners, Corporate Corruption, and so much more.

From the Desk of Eric Elric

What a sick twisted turn of events. Turns out, having special abilities or powers is real. However, I had to get fucking lucky and get one of the worst powers imaginable. The ability to manipulate feelings. Sounds grand I’m sure. However you’re fucking wrong. Every ability there is a drawback. Ready to hear mine? I absorb them. If they’re sad. I absorb their sadness. What a pathetic joke. Sick I say. Now besides my terrible drug addiction, I have to deal with other people’s sadness. It’s so wrong. Worst, I can’t control it. I just make people happier. If I accidentally touch them, they’re sadness becomes my own. Now I get to lie awake at night waiting for the next hit in the morning, while mourning myself. It’s sick. But I’m not worried. 

They’re here now. They have swords. 
I was getting sick of the sadness anyway.

Story Teaser

“It is said there are such a thing as anti-abilities,” Dr. Grimhold said concerned. 

“What is an anti-ability,” Radian asked confused. 

“It’s a sort of ability where the person who possesses the ability is overtaken by its power. The only reported case of this is Gabriel Grey, a.k.a Sylar. His Intuitive Aptitude, that is the ability to understand how things work, he used to take countless abilities from others that possessed them. It came with the price of a hunger, or longing for knowledge. He went around murdering people for their abilities,” Dr. Grimhold answered. 

“You think Kain has an anti-ability?” 

“I’m sure of it, sadly I’m not sure what the ability would be. That’s the problem we are running into. He’s been such a dark child ever since we brought him here. He possesses several of the nine signs that he could be a serial killer. We’ve simply kept an eye on him but we’ve had to intervene multiple times because of his danger to himself and others.”

“Where is Kain now?”

“We are not sure that’s why you and I are in the courthouse keeping an eye out for anything suspicious.”

“If he’s this dangerous is is safe for only you and I to be out here?”

“I’m sure we can get him safely back to his room, if not at a push of the button the security will be on their way to apprehend.”

“Won’t it be too late?”

“Not necessarily, see Kain is very shy and doesn’t like confrontation. We can use that to our advantage to get him back safely. It saddens me that we have to treat one of our students like a prisoner but I don’t see any other way.”

“Are you waiting for me doctor?” A voice pierced the evening air. 

“Kain, we don’t want any trouble.” Dr. Grimhold responded softly. 

“Too late for that, lock me up like some kind of animal, you’ll regret that by the end of the night. You’ll be dead. And I’ll be free of this hellish place you call an ‘institution’. So doctor, what tricks do you have for me tonight?” Kain laughed. 

Suddenly out of nowhere Dr. Grimhold was tossed into the air and thrashed onto the ground. Panting desperately for precious air to renter his lungs. Radian stood shocked at some creature standing before him. A red glow surrounded the young Kain and his eyes were full of bloodlust and vengeance. His nails had grown into claws and his muscles had increased immensely. Suddenly his claws were heading straight for Radians stomach, he quickly teleported away. He realized that this left Kain and Dr. Grimhold alone in the empty courtyard, bloodshed was imminent. Radian teleported behind Kain and kicked him with all his might into the surrounding stone walls. Grabbing Dr. Grim hold and teleporting him to safety. Once they were safely above the courtyard Radian pressed the security button and alerted the guards. He appeared before the disgruntled Kain prepared to try and talk him down.   

“You don’t want to do this Kain. You’re dangerous! They will put you down!” 

“I don’t care anymore, Radian. You just don’t understand what it is like to be a prisoner at a school thats supposed to help you? It doesn’t matter. You’ll never understand, I just need you out of the way so I can take care of Dr. Grimhold,” Kain screamed. 

Radian gasped, Kain had claws going through his stomach. Radian spat up some blood as he crumpled to his knees. Kain ripped it out and looked at him, hatred consumed him. 

“Its over Radian, you never understood.” Kain said preparing the final blow. 

Five different tasers struck Kain at once the air filled with bright flashing light as his body absorbed the electricity. Suddenly the red aura was gone and on the ground lay an unconscious Kain.

“Quick grab Radian and get him to the hospital wing!” was the last thing Radian heard as sleep claimed him.

Subject: Davis Duval

Imagine, just for one-second the ability of enhanced strength. Imagine how you could use this. How about the ability to run at crazy speeds? Interested yet? I guess they call it Hyperadrenal. Pretty neat huh? Imagine me, a street talker. No home, no real friends, nothing but the pavement as my only ally. Couch surfing night after night, until you finally get to where you need to go! Traveling has always been a strong desire of mine. With this ability I can now do it.

I am currently in the big old city of New York. I know the area like nobody else, well at least the, shall we say, less desireable neighborhood. However, I’m not the biggest winner the world has seen either. I’m a drug runner. Going alleyway to alleyway delivering the world the highest quality of drugs that I can offer! You can make it; I can run it! Thats my sales pitch, nice huh?

I was carrying a drug that was street coded as Happy Victor, and it was selling for a high price. A high price I get a steep fifteen percent commission for. Five percent more than usual. I was delivering it to a man that only called himself, “The Pusher” who knows why? Who even cares! I’m just the messenger. However I did notice one thing awfully suspicious about my package. I had just left the seller, Jeremy, and was being followed by two people wearing hoodies. A bit scary if I do say so myself. I decided I need to lose these tag-alongs. I stopped and closed my eyes.

My ability needed complete focus and for me to entice my “flight or fight response” I needed to work myself up and get that adrenaline flowing. I looked back to the two followers who didn’t even stop coming at me and smiled.

“Catch me if you can fuckers!” I screamed.

Suddenly like a rocket I was bolting down the alleyway, going at least seventy miles per hour if not more. There was no way they could keep up with that. I thought of their pathetic faces at the end of the alley way, ‘what just happened?’ Their only thought. Furiously I struggled making tough turns and trying to remember the alleyways I’ve traveled all my life.

After I felt there was enough distance between us, I knew I needed to take it down a notch or I was going to put myself into shock. I focused on my body, exhaling to calm it all down. I began to slow and finally came to a stop. I collapsed on the ground and began to choke, my body fighting for oxygen. Finally I filled my lungs with the cities polluted air. Just about everything began to go back to normal. My lightheadedness, my beating heart, and my aching limbs however were still there. I walked down another alley like a drunken fool until my balance caught up with me. I smiled and continued on my journey!

I was approaching the “crib” of “The Pusher” and noticed one hell of a party was going on, and I wasn’t go to miss out on a party from a psycho drug lord. It was one of those common apartment complexes you always here about, well besides the size. It was a huge duplex with only three available rooms. All massive, and very nice. Those modern television shows that show those high-fluent modern made apartments. This guy had that. But then again, a drug lord? Why would you expect any different? There blocking that typical New York apartment complex stairwell was one huge son of a bitch! This guy was obviously a convict, covered head to toe in despicable tattoos, and his arms had to be at least the size of my legs.

“What the fuck do you want, pencil neck?” he scowled at me.

“No ones will is as strong as ’the pushers’!” I said, a codeword Jeremy had provided me.

“Who might you be little rubber throat?” he said, not once did he unfold his arms.

“My name is Davis, I’m ‘the runner’ sort of say, and I believe your boss is expecting a package to arrive!” I smirked at him.

“Give it here, and get the fuck out, little turtle bitch!” he scoffed finally extending one of his inhumane arms.

“I believe my instructions are always to deliver to at least his personal body guard, not some over zealous monkey man such as yourself.”

“Got a big mouth for someone so tiny!”

“I get it from my momma!”

“Fine, get in here. Make it quick, you don’t want this ‘monkey man’ coming at cha!”

“Got it Mr. Ape.”

His growl I took as his confirmation for me to enter. The place was packed! Babes were naked everywhere, there was at least a dozen stripper stages. Men of all shapes and sizes inhaling bright neon colored powder. Everyone was having a good time. Suddenly someone came rushing at me, he looked pretty menacing as well. He was sharply dressed and packing heat. His suit pored of wealth and I knew at once, he was who I needed.

“Ah, you’ve got the goods sir?” he said, heavy with an Irish accent.

“Of course, I always deliver,” I smiled.

“Good then, come with me.”

I followed through the halls of sweat and arousal until we were at a door.

“Come in then.”

Walking in I noticed two strippers giving a lap dance to a guy laughing on a leather couch. He looked to be in his early thirties, his suit was of luxury silk, or so I guessed. He wore a pair of black dress shoes and a watch glistening of black on his wrist. He stopped his laughter and looked at me. Near me was a table made completely of crystal glass, upon it sat a luxury bowl, complete with fancy truffles.

“Hello, and who might you be?”

“The name is Davis, I’ve got a package for you!”

“Good leave it on the table, and leave!”

“What about my money?”

“Oh right, I forgot! Kill him!”

Suddenly the walls started opening up around me. Out from the hidden doors came a small gathering of very large men. They each carried a machine gun in their enormous hands and looked at me. They began to close in. I quickly shut my eyes and focused my adrenaline. I got the rush I was looking for and grasped the table, I threw it at three of the five gentleman coming towards me. The glass smashed into their bodies piercing them with glass and pinning them to the ground. The two behind me, as expected would be ready to shoot me down. I ducked quickly and sweep kicked the one closest to me. His gunfire struck the partner next to him as he fell. I grabbed a piece of the broken glass and drove the chunk right into the fancy guys silk suit. He collapsed to the floor, blood gushing from his stomach.

I looked around for an exit and to my dismay I had completely forgotten my escort. The strippers were of no danger, they were passed out on the floor. But my escort, that Irish bastard was looking right into my eyes. I figured he would pull a gun from his waistband and fill me full of lead and I was coming down from my adrenaline rush. He suddenly began to clap his hands!

“Bravo, I guess Jeremy isn’t a moron after all,” he chuckled deeply.

“Okay wait was this a test?” I said rather pissed off.

“Indeed. You passed! Congratulations! Now you’re ours!” He said menacingly.

“What?”

The escort pulled out a briefcase from another one of those hidden panels and slid it across the floor.

“I suggest leaving, before something bad happens, we will talk again,”

I decided it was best to take that offer and head the hell out of this nightmare. I quickly snapped open the case, in it were banded crisp hundred dollars bills. I snapped it shut and got the fuck out of there! The party was still in full swing but I decided it wasn’t best to doddle and I wanted to get back to Jeremy, and get some rest my body was screaming for sleep. 

Subject: Caspian Carrington

There in a leather chair at a wooden desk sat a burly young man with defiantly dark eyes and a full head of black hair. He slipped a cigarette into his mouth and snapped his fingers. A flame emitted from his finger tips and he lit his cigarette. The smoke was swished away by the corporation’s air recycling system. He knew his boss would be in here soon to ream his ass about another bullshit assignment he didn’t do to “quite to his standards”.

Thankfully this wasn’t his only life. He led another dark, more sinister life. Suddenly his door opened and his boss stepped in. Dressed head to toe in a silk suit and a pair of Italian leather shoes. His hair was neatly managed, his eyes although hidden by a pair of expensive lenses were a dark blue, and his lips were in a disappointed frown. Caspian knew he didn’t do something right.

“Caspian, I need you to redo this report. The font is all wrong and the diagram isn’t quite right. When I want something done, I prefer it be done to my standards. Not to your pathetic excuse of a ‘good job’. I am expecting these to be done by seven tonight. That means you get to stay a little later. Maybe this time you’ll learn that when I want something done, it’s done the right way! You like having a job right? Because you are not irreplaceable, I’ll find someone else, pay them less, and get it done the way I want it. Why do I keep you? Because I thought you being Damien’s son would be a huge asset to this company! I was very disappointed,” the boss said.

“No problem Mr. Yashiro sir!” Caspian said, holding back an angry grimace.

The door closed and it took every ounce of his willpower not to catch the building on fire and kick his bosses charred remains. He slammed his hand down on the desk and took a forced pull of his cigarette flicking the ashes into a marble ashtray on his desk. Suddenly his Mac dinged. He must have another email.

“Dear Fire-Star,

Greetings, I’m sure you’ve been expecting something from me. They call me Zeus, I am the leader of an elite organization with unjust goals. I have a mission for you. I hear you are quite an assassin. Especially in cases of mass murder. I have a particular job for you. So far out of the norm of an assassin of your caliber that your payoff will be substantial. I have already wired one-million dollars into your offshore account. That is a gift to you, an incentive of sorts. If you decline this offer, its still yours, if you accept this offer the remainder will bring it to one-billion dollars and it will be wired into the same account. You can start life anew and if you’re interested maybe even a cushy job in my company.

There are two conference meetings coming up of the infamous, Capsule Corporation. One is tonight, at eight, the other is Thursday at the same time. I have a backup plan in case you decline my offer. Everyone must die. I will realize once my targets are neutralized that you’ve completed the task, making my back up plan no longer a requirement. Once this happens you will receive your compensation. I do realize that you’ve probably been ripped off before but I’m not a stupid man those that have ripped you off have been, shall I say disposed of. As you know there is only one way to get your information, a referral from a precious hire of yours? My business is known only as Capital Revenue Incorporated. I’m sure you could find me if you really wanted too.

I hope to do business with you…

THIS EMAIL WILL DISAPPEAR AS SOON AS ITS READ

Sincerely,

Zeus of CRI”

Caspian smiled. Finally, a real job! The hours dragged by. Caspian updated his fonts and edited the diagram enough to look like he’s done it. He knew it didn’t matter his boss just liked being a dick. He tossed it in the bosses inbox on the outside of his office and left. He quickly gathered his things and left. There in the parking lot sat his beloved father’s mustang, passed down to him in his fathers will. He got into his mustang and sped off towards the conference.

Traffic was bustling as usual, cars honking and lining up at seemingly forever lights finally switched from red to green. He finally approached his destination. The streets were lined with cars he pulled himself into the closest open space he could find. Cutting off an elderly gentleman who flipped him the bird. He liked the way he looked as he fixed his clothes. He started towards the hotel entrance but was sidetracked by a dark alley where a couple of corporate big wigs puffing on a cigarette.

“Hey guys how is it going?” he asked.

“Not bad, how about you? I don’t recognize your face but I’m sure you’re an intern, you’re way to young to be established at Capsule Corp!” the man smirked, stiffing him.

“Right on!” Caspian said, hiding the anger blowing up inside him.

The gentleman just chuckled. Caspian whipped the hands out of his pockets and and snapped his fingers engulfing the men in flames. As they screamed and ran around Caspian decked one of them and jacked their wallet. Inside was his prize, a folded up invitation to the conference. He smiled and watched as the men took a couple more steps before they collapsed onto the ground, charred remains in their place. Caspian walked towards the Marriott’s door and saw the bell man.

“How are you tonight sir? Can I see your invitation!” he asked kindly, an obviously non-genuine smile.

“I’m fantastic! Here you go!” Caspian smiled.

The bellman looked at the invitation with a slight suspicion. I guess Caspian didn’t look like Capsule Corp material. Eying him up and down judging him quietly.

“What brings you here tonight?” the bellman asked.

“I’m here for the conference and the pleasantry of watching our corporations stock market skyrocket,” Caspian lied fluently.

“Good to go!” the bell man said waving him inside.

In the hall were little groups of people chatting about their recent accomplishments at the company. The people were dressed very nice. Making Caspian’s father’s secondhand suit look tacky. He noticed a few babes dressed in tiny dresses and flirty blouses. Probably hired for their looks, not their talents. He figured he’d get some sweet ass before he burned this place to the ground. He walked over to a girl standing by herself looking nervously around for her friend that had abandoned her.

“Hey, how are you doing tonight on such a fine evening?” Caspian said slyly.

She nervously fidgeted at her brandy on the rocks. Caspian whipped out a lighter, although he didn’t need it, and quickly caught her drink on fire. She gasped as he so confidently played a trick on her. Not knowing the consequences, just head on confrontation. She was instantly aroused. She was the type of women who enjoyed confident men. Casually she pulled on her dress revealing just enough cleavage to keep Caspian interested. Chatting away as Caspian undressed her with his eyes. She wore a tiny red dress, the one all the girls claim to posses hidden in their closet. Each one of her curves embellished in red satin. Caspian couldn’t help but stare. Imagining those breasts falling out of her dress. What color underwear she could be wearing? Was she all natural or a closer to the edge kind of woman? How toned was that ass of hers. Eying her up and down he granted himself approval. She was definitely a nice lay.

She looked at him straight on, those bedroom eyes and grabbed his hand. They slipped through the crowd and quietly snuck into a custodial closet. Next thing he knew he was screwing the living daylights out of her. He continued to ram her hushing her moans with his hand. They went at it for at least ten minutes now but he wasn’t finished with her yet. She shuddered and stiffened as she reached orgasm. He continued to enjoy her company until finally with a small grunt he finished inside her. They cleaned themselves up and fixed their clothes. They separated into the hotel’s theatre to try and avoid a snooze fest of presentations.

After the deathly boring presentations Caspian knew he needed to get the job he was originally hired out of the way. The head honchos were wrapping up and everyone was eager for cocktail hour. Once everyone had a drink Caspian grabbed himself his signature drink. A rum with coke; less coke, more rum. He drank off of it quickly and decided it was time. Caspian snuck around the corner and noticed the bar of highly flammable liquor. He snapped his fingers causing a ball of highly concentrated heat to form on his fingertip and he tossed blowing up several bottles. Highly flammable liquid splashed throughout the crowd. The bartender furiously apologized to his guests as everyone decided to move out of the danger zone. Snapping his fingers Caspian threw a stream of flames onto the mess of spilled liquor and everything wet caught fire. People tossed their glasses in fear as fire ate at their skin only creating new paths of death to reach its victims. Everyone was on fire now furiously running about in agony as the flames continued their feast on their flesh. Caspian smiled as he prepared his signature move. The comet. He focused his flames into the mostly empty rum and coke he was enjoying and tossed it into the crowd of the more fortunate. Those that weren’t on fire were quickly screaming as fire spread through their clothes. He lit the carpet on fire and took that as his sign to leave.

He had memorized several fire exits and needed to make sure people couldn’t leave. Slipping outside he quickly bounced door to door melting them to their frames. People couldn’t escape now. He snuck his way to one of the back alleys and prepared for his escape. He was rushing through toppled boxes and catastrophically uneven dumpsters. Slipping thorough tight spaces and disgusting rotten cactuses of dead rodents he found his exit. A perfectly clean alleyway in which to sneak past the arriving firetrucks. He leapt onto a dumpster blocking his path and did a backflip onto the concrete below. Pleased with himself he had almost reached the exit!

“Damn these things are long,” he cried panting from his frantic escape.

He saw the light of the streetlights and smiled slowing down. He was suddenly blasted back by an invisible force. He lied panting on the cold dirty alleyway sidewalks.

“Hello Caspian,” a chilling voice infiltrated his ears.

Caspian snapped his fingers and let a blast of fire near his chilling intruder. It was blocked immediately and fed into the brick walls instantly heading the bricks and alleyway. Caspian was lifted up almost magically and tossed against the hot bricks searing his back. Suddenly several broken pieces of pipe were sent through his hands into the bricks, pinning him. His agonizing screamed were muffled by seemingly nothing.

“I’ve been looking for you for some time now, I can’t believe I’ve failed my father and let you slip by me so often. Thats what I get for passing my own judgement. Forgive me father,” the intruder said chillingly calm.

“Who the fuck are you!” Caspian spat through the force muffling him.

“Thats not important, whats important is why I am here. You are a catastrophe. An inkling of the very infection of this beautiful world. I am here to put you down. Return you to where you belong,” the intruder spoke softly.

Through agonizing pain and blood pouring out of his body Caspian took a nice look of his assailant. There before him was a boy, no older than seventeen, he seemed to be wearing cardinal robes but in black and white thread. Hanging from his neck was a beautiful silver cross swinging softly. He wore a white cap and stared at him with hatred in his eyes.

“What say you Caspian Ross, do you feel resentment for your actions?” his weird assailant asked.

“You don’t know what its like with this anger feasting on your very being, this lust for murder that eats you up inside!” Caspian screamed twitching as the iron bars in his body stung.

“You’re worse off than I thought!” the assailant said worried.

“It’s you!” Caspian cringed as he realized who was attacking him.

“You’ve heard of me?” they asked calmly. Not once did his posture break.

“You’re him. The legendary do-gooder spat around the world of our species. The one who thinks he’s doing gods bidding when he’s no better than people like me. You’re nothing more than a crafty assassin!” Caspian insulted.

“I will tell you my name, for once it is spilled you won’t be alive long enough to tell anyone about it. They call me The Enforcer. I’m the Gabriel of angels. The marine of justice. I’m an assailant of good, charged with the task of cleansing the world of its sickness. Once you are taken care of the world will be one step closer to revival!” The Enforcer spoke eagerly.

“You’re nothing more than a monster, just like me! You’re no better than any of us. Nothing but a disgrace of the world just like you accuse me of. Haha you think you’re doing good! You’re disgusting nothing but…” Caspian coughed as blood began to flow from his mouth.

“I’m sorry you’re a monster,” The Enforcer said hanging his head in sorrow.

A crack filled the quiet night air as Caspian’s limp body strung lifelessly by steel on the bricks of a dirty alleyway. The Enforcer kissed his cross and began to walk away.

“Forgive me father for I have sinned…”

Subject: Heather Harper

She stumbled on the pavement as she tried to escape from her attacker. The night at the bar had not gone well at all, and now her ex was after her. She managed to get a good distance away but quickly realized she was cornered.

“God damn it,” she hissed as blood oozed from her scuffed knees as she looked at the trucks that blocked the exit, “shipping will be the death of me.”

She looked around for someplace to hide as his footsteps bounced off the brick.

“Come here sweetie pie, I only want to talk,” he slurred in his drunken state. He was getting closer now.

She looked around when suddenly she was stricken with a ghastly view. There on the bricks was a man hanging, bars through his hands and feet. The letter “A” bloody on his forehead. On the pavement below were the etched words “forgive me father; for I have sinned”.  She held back tears and a sick gurgling begging to come up. She suddenly saw the attacker only thirty feet from her.

“I don’t have a choice please save me,” she cried, tears running down her face.

She ran up to the dead body on the brick walls and quickly touched him in the chest. Suddenly she felt faint as her life force drained from her body. She felt the pain of bars in her hands and feet and her neck stung with a vengeance. She cried out in pain as it coursed through her body unbearably so. Suddenly the man’s eyes opened wide in terror. He snapped his fingers and flames melted the bars. He fell to the ground, thinker style. The holes in his hands melted together and he stood up; bloodlust in his eyes.

“I’m so fucking pissed,” he screamed as he looked for a way out.

“Hey man, that’s my girl over there don’t touch her she’s mine!” the attacker hiccupped now feet away from them.

He looked over to the girl and saw tears running down her face.

“Please save me,” she begged.

“Good, an outlet,” the bloody man smiled as he snapped his fingers repeatedly.

Every snap caused more flames to devour the man’s body, over and over again. His agonizing screams echoing off the bricks. Melting flesh and bone until nothing was left except a small pile of ash. He was not satisfied he needed to get away before her hurt her next. His venomous anger festering inside him. He struggled a cigarette from his coat shaking uncontrollably as he pulled in out covered in blood. Putting one to his lips he snapped softly lighting it and falling backwards onto the brick. Exhaling a cloud of grey smoke, as the nicotine worked its magic.

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” he frowned pulling it from his lips.

“Thank you,” she sputtered as she fell to the ground panting desperately.

“So what the hell happened?” he asked suddenly realizing what had happened.

“I’m Heather, I heal people I guess,” Heather said quietly, “I found you here crucified on the bricks. I needed your help.”

“Someone like me, that’s reassuring. My name is Caspian. I burn things,” Caspian snickered.

“How can we do these things?” Heather said looking down.

“I don’t know but what I need to know is how you found me, every little detail,” Caspian said forcefully.

“Oh,” she gasped frightfully, “you were here pinned to the bricks with bars through your hands and feet. Below you were the words forgive me father; for I have sinned. And your forehead.”

Caspian touched his forehead and felt something sticky, he pulled it away to see blood on his fingertips.

“It’s an A,” Heather squeaked.

“Someone murdered me?” Caspian cried out as he bit hard on his cigarette.

“Yes.”

“This is an outrage. Thank you for saving me but I’ve got some work to do. Get home lady, and stay there. Get a gun or something. Don’t be stupid. These streets are nothing but evil.”

Suddenly he was gone around the corner, huffing in anger mumbling to himself as Heather picked herself off the ground. Brushing away dirt and fighting back tears. He’s right. I should have something. I’m pathetic.

Heather rushed through the alleys looking every direction for someone else to make her feel venerable. She found the door to the bathroom. She wanted to clean up before she went back to the club next door to meet her friends. She stood for what seemed like ages looking at her bruised ego in the mirror. It was stupid what she did, thinking about what he’s done to her and then thinking he would change. Especially when he’s drunk. Never flirt with a drunk ex, ever. When she felt she was decent enough she slipped outside into the club. Desperately hoping she could find her friends and get out of here.

Subject: Quinn Quiver

The alleyway had led to a dead end. Davis was struggling to deal with his luck. If they found him, he’s done for. But with his ability he wasn’t too worried. No one can match his Hyperdreanal. Suddenly from the roof a figure emerged. Leaping from balcony to balcony without a skip. There before him landed a young man in his late teens. Black hair spiked up and a serious frown on his face.

“Hello Davis,” the man said calmly.

“Who are you what do you want?” Davis said through gritted teeth. Behind him were two men with guns. He was boxed in.

“I’ve got this, report back to Derek,” the man said to the two men behind him.

They both put their guns away and started to leave.

“You’re with them?” Davis huffed angrily.

“Yes, we need to put you down. Derek’s orders,” the man smiled.

“Well good luck with that, so many have tried. So many have failed,” Davis said as he closed his eyes focusing his energy to the flight or fight response. You can guess which one he went with.

Suddenly Davis lunged at his attacker with superior force. The man blocked it without a thought, deflecting his fist beside him. Davis came in for a low kick but the man leapt not once focusing on where his attacks were coming from. Davis steeped back and prepared his signature move, a punch with all his force. The man dodged his fist with extreme accuracy.

“You’re one of us,” Davis said as he calmed his body.

“No, I am not like you. I am something entirely different. They call me Quinn, I too have an ability. I’ve already deciphered yours.”

Suddenly Davis was punched tossing him back. Three more strikes came hitting him all in pressure points crippling him to his knees.

“Fuck,” Davis swore, “I guess speed is necessary here.”

Focusing his thoughts he enticed the flight response. In a furry of punches and kicks he came at Quinn. Quinn blocked everyone of them and pulled Davis arm back, snapping it and dropping him to his knees.

“Ow what the fucking shit is going on,” Davis cried in agony.

Quinn came at him doing two swift kicks to his kidney as blood poured from Davis’s mouth. He spurted in pain.

“What do you want more? Your other arm or both your legs,” Quinn smiled.

“I said I’d never do this but I have no choice, time to kick it in overdrive,” Davis fell back on the pavement and closed his eyes. He enticed both of his responses at the same time. Suddenly in a flip Davis pummeled Quinn. Punching him in blind rage at speeds he barely could block. He managed to soften every blow before a kick in his stomach through his system off. Quinn buckled in pain as he fell to the ground blood oozing from his mouth and his eyes rolling to the back of his head. Davis crumpled to his knees clutching his chest as he entered cardiac arrest. His eyes jumped and rolled like crazy as his body fought to survive. Suddenly Davis was out.

The two men laid on the ground panting slowly as unconsciousness claimed them. The crunching of footsteps could be heard softly through the pressure in their ear as someone prayed.

Now I lay me down to sleep.

I pray the lord my soul to keep

If I die before I wake

I pray the lord my soul to take

Suddenly flames burst behind them and a scream could be heard.

“I fucking found you now you little shit….”

A Showdown

Caspian came from behind the brick, with a grimace on his face. He looked thoroughly pissed.

“So killing your own kind is a specialty of yours?” Caspian said through gritted teeth.

“I killed you?” the man said flabbergasted.

“Didn’t take,” Caspian laughed as he whipped out his hand and snapped his fingers.

Flames came at him in a stream of blue liquid, exploding on contact with the man. However, he was left unscathed.

“That’s a pity, I will not be crucifying you this time. Your death will be in cold blood. Please my father I beg for your forgiveness as what I’m about to do is frowned upon. If I cannot be forgiven I will sacrifice my soul to you as payment.” the man said, suddenly his eyes began to glow.

Telekinetic energy blasted out of his body crumpling all the brick around them, Caspian barely managed to soften that blow with his flames as he was tossed into the bricks, a couple bones snapping on impact. He crumpled to his knees panting. Suddenly their hand was on his throat and picking him up.

“I killed you so you would be cleansed. I crucified you so you may ask forgiveness from my father, you failed to follow those simples’ requests, and now I must kill you. You will not be given a fair trial, you will not be judged, you will be sent to hell. I will not be the Enforcer this time,” The main said as he hung his head in shame. Tears flowing from his eyes. He tossed his cross in disgust at what he was about to do.

Suddenly Quinn leapt onto his feet and swiftly kicked the Enforcer into the bricks across from the crippled Caspian.

“Forgive me father for I have sinned,” Quinn chuckled as he walked up to the surprised man with bloodlust in his eyes.

Quinn picked him up by the throat and punched several arteries on the man’s body before dropping him to the pavement. The Enforcer gagged as the first time in his life, he tasted blood.

“You managed to hurt me?” The Enforcer pleaded with shock.

“Of course I did, I’m Hyperkinetic, and I know everything about you before you do!” Quinn smiled, “and I know just where to punch you for maximum effect.”

“This will not do, I cannot have this, and I have a mission to save your retched souls. Why do you not want to be saved? Why do you want to rot in hell? Why do you want to be under Satan’s rule?” The Enforcer said angrily, “you need to be saved!”

Suddenly telekinetic energy oozed from the Enforcer and he lifted up Quinn and snapped his body in half. Quinn’s scream was all that could be heard from the whooshing of his power. He dropped to the ground jerking in pain as the Enforcer approached him. He wiped his lip for the blood and drew an A on his forehead.

“You will be saved,” the Enforcer said as he silently prayed.

Caspian tried to stand up but his body was mangled from the brick wall and he didn’t know what to do, Quinn was just snapped in half. He couldn’t win this fight, he needed to get away, and what about that other guy? Looking over Caspian noticed that he wasn’t laying there, he is going to try and fight him. It’s suicide. Caspian bit through the pain.

“Don’t do it man, he’s too strong!” Caspian cried out.

Davis appeared behind the Enforcer and struck him as hard as he could. But nothing happened it was absorbed by telekinetic energy.

“You’re next,” the Enforcer laughed.

He blasted Davis into the brick walls and summoned two pipes and sent them through his chest. A gasp was all that could be heard before death claimed him. Caspian pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He took a pull in and struggled to stand up. He smirked at the Enforcer who noticed him moving.

“Why do you get up? You know you can’t fight the holy light,” the Enforcer said as he walked up to Caspian.

“I figured this may be my last breath, again, why not enjoy my last cigarette? Surly you know about the last meal?” Caspian gasped as he leaned against the brick.

“You don’t deserve such luxuries. You’re a monstrosity and need to be put down!” the Enforcer said angrily.

“Well who said you’re why I’m dying?” Caspian laughed as he closed his eyes.

He took a final drag on his cigarette and began to snap his fingers quietly building up momentum. Snapping faster flames played around his body in a swirling vortex. Suddenly a cyclone of fire was separating them. The Enforcer summoned his telekinetic energy and prepared to defend himself. The glow of eyes could be seen through the fire.

“Dante’s Inferno!” Caspian yelled as he released his fire.

A tornado of flaming disaster destroying everything in its wake, including burning up Caspian. The Enforcer tried to block it with his telekinesis but it only softened the blow. The Enforcer stood in shock as his robes were partially melted. His body burned slightly from the fire. The Enforcer looked at the ghastly view that surrounded him. Davis hung on the wall blood oozing from his wounds. Quinn had finally stopped floundering as he laid silently on the pavement, Caspian was seemingly standing still, a massacre of burned flesh and partially exposed bone.

“All I wanted to do was save you from what you’ve become,” the Enforcer pleaded as he dropped to his knees, “why wouldn’t you let me save you?”

“Maybe we weren’t looking to be saved,” a voice rang out beside him.

The Enforcer looked, with pure fear in his eyes, to see Quinn, somehow standing again. Panting as his body struggled to keep up with him.

“How are you standing?” the Enforcer gasped, truly terrified.

“There is a lot you don’t understand,” Quinn said.

A flurry of kicks came at the Enforcer slamming him into the bricks two nails were tossed at him, aimed at his head. Quinn picked up a couple bricks and tossed those too, nailing the Enforcer. He attempted to protect himself to realize, his telekinesis wasn’t working.

“What did you do?” the Enforcer shuttered.

“Simple. I’ve studied anatomy, and my studies told me there was a slim chance your telekinesis was fueled by two places in your brain. I took the risk of death to shut you down. You’re too strong and we can’t have someone like you running about. I’m sorry Mr. Enforcer, but today is your day of reckoning. I will bring you to whatever god you believe in, where you can atone for your sins. With one cut of this knife, all your blood will spill to the pavement. I will lie next to you as my body can’t fight forever. I will not be dying alone tonight,” Quinn said as he pulled a knife from his pocket. Snapping it open.

“This can’t happen, you can’t do this! I have so many more lives to save! Please don’t!” he begged.

“You haven’t saved anyone. In reality you had just become a cold blooded killer. You say you’re trying to save souls, but really you’re taking them when they are, to your standards, cursed. You are actually sending those souls to hell. If you so believe in such a place.” Quinn said walking up to him.

“No, me crucifying them should save them!” the Enforcer spoke, questioning his actions.

“That’s not how this works, I’m sorry,” Quinn said his head hung low.

Quinn placed the blade at his throat and prepared to take his life. Something he has never done before. He wasn’t sure if he had it in him. Capturing people is different. They are alive. They are just brought to their handler, they do the dirty work, if necessary, and he’s just the collector. Quinn began to tear up. Swiftly he needed to get it over with.

A crack of electricity coursed through Quinn’s body. Spasms struck him as he shuttered on the pavement. His knife tossed aside and his eyes rolling in and out of consciousness.

“I don’t know how you managed to do this to my assassin but I will not tolerate it,” a deep voice boomed.

Quinn tried to look at him, tried to get a look, but his body was already so weak from the battle. He knew unconsciousness was not far away. He fought it but his body gave in. He heard their footsteps approaching him. Wondering what he would do to him now?

“You have let me down Alexander, you must be punished…”

A Sliver of Truth

“You have failed me Alexander, do you know what that means?” the man said menacingly.

“No please, they’re dead, it was a slight blip in my plans!” Alexander (aka “The Enforcer”) whimpered.

“But Caspian, he was the big deal, and it took you two tries to stop him? How upsetting,” he smirked.

Electricity flowed from the man’s body electrocuting Alexander. He floundered and choked as pain filled his body. Tears welled up in his eyes, as for the second time in his life, he felt pain.

“Please Zeus, they’re gone. I did it. Please stop hurting me,” he begged.

“You heard the man,” a voice rang behind Zeus.

“Dr. Grimhold, I knew I would run into you soon enough!” Zeus smirked as he turned around, lighting flying from his hands. A person absorbed the lightning, bursting into flames and turning into dust. Suddenly water rained down on him, sparking electricity from his body, directing it in wild directions.

“How could you, you clever disgrace!” Zeus cried.

“Not so strong without your little dog huh?” the man smiled.

A slim man stepped from behind him, he seemed to be of Haitian descent. He sported a pair of gold glasses and wore a tailored suit. He fixed his sleeves as a clone of the man stepped beside him.

“Capture the Enforcer, his powers have been shut off, and take Mr. Zeus in for questioning, he’s meddled with too much. Did you find Heather?” Dr. Grimhold asked, as he produced a pair of specialized handcuffs, “These have a sedative inside that will prevent them from accessing their abilities.”

“Yes sir,” one of the clones said as they apprehended the sparking man. The other clone managed to grab the one weeping on the wall. They both were carried to a van parked in the alley.

“We have Heather,” one said tapping an earpiece.

“Excellent, bring her here we need her,” Dr. Grimhold said as he inspected the bodies.

Heather and one of the clones stepped out of the alley. Heather looked terrified at the mass grave in front of her. One of the clones brought them chairs and he motioned for her to sit down.

“Good afternoon Heather, my name is Dr. Kasey Grimhold, I specialize in people with abilities. I have summoned you here, with the help of my friend, Abacus, and his many clones. However, I am not one who will simply demand a favor without returning one, quid pro quo, sort of say,” he smiled.

“You want me to go through all this pain to heal these three people? Why do I have this stupid power?” she sputtered in anger.

“You see it all began as a government experiment, I bet that pretty much explains it. Twenty-six individuals were chosen coded with initials that all equal one letter. For example, you are Heather Hayes Harper, HHH, you have the ability to heal, you were given this power when you were a child, you never knew why you couldn’t get hurt but you were so young, you thought it was normal. Until you grew up. Then you questioned it, and now you live in fear. That’s what I’m offering today, I have with me a serum that would suppress your fear gland in your brain, you won’t live in fear and you will forget the awful things that had happened to you before. Would you be interested? A few mintues of your time, and no more fear?” Kasey smiled, producing a small box with a needle inside.

“I hate living in fear every day, but this is ridiculous. So I am a genetic experiment?” Heather said, feeling like she’s known this all along.

“I would say, please take your time to think about it, but these people here, they don’t have the luxury and Trevor and I, um, he’s a Time Traveler, have lost touch, so it’s all you. I apologize for the horrific things that have been done to you, but me, I’m on your side. I want to get to the bottom of this. Figure out what corporation has done this. I will find them. I will destroy them, from the inside out.” Kasey said.

“You need these three to help with that?” she asked intrigued.

“Yes.”

“Okay, I will do it. Please figure this out for me. I hate, being different.”

“Don’t ever hate who you are.”

He prepared the needle. She put out her arm and he gently injected it into her.

“This takes time to work, so this is where I leave you, but my card, in case you have questions.” Kasey smiled as he slipped a card in her pocket and walked to his van.

“Thank you,” she said, tears of joy whelming inside her.

Heather walked up to the mangled bodies and took a deep breath. She placed her arms on Quinn, who laid silently on the concrete. She felt pain through her spine, life force leaving her body. His eyes slowly opened, but they were instantly closed. Davis was the most gruesome. Bars through his chest. She needed help with him. She walked up to Caspian, the man she has saved once before. She looked at his exposed bone and blood. A smoking cigarette by him. She found herself attracted to him, like she needed to care for him. After saving her life, she had grown attached, even after his sharp words. She picked his hand up and poured herself into him. Her flesh felt like it was being seared by the sun. She felt the anger inside him. She decided, she would fix this too. What kind of man would he be after this? Suddenly his eyes snapped opened and flames played around his hands as he prepared to defend himself.

“Caspian, it’s me, it’s me!” she cried in fear.

“Heather? Have I been killed again?” Caspian said calmly.

“Yes, and I need your help with the man hanging from the wall!” she asked.

“Where is the Enforcer?” Caspian asked, ignoring her.

“He was taken by Dr. Grimhold, I don’t know where, he sent me here to save you,” Heather explained.

“Oh, okay, I will pursue the answers to that next, first off Davis!” Caspian said snapping his fingers melting the bars that help him up.

Heather walked over to him and touched him, her chest aching and her life force diminishing. His eyes opened as hers closed.

“I’m glad to see everyone awake.” Quinn smirked, dusting himself off.

END OF ARC ONE…

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