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Pyrrhic
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 Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 8:46 pm Post subject: Anti-Heroics: Episode Two-Cover Story |
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Episode One
The Ghost
Walter Worthy observed the crowd of protestors behind the safety of his limousine window. He sighed, and depressed a button on the armrest, lowering the driver's partition.
“Any idea what this one is about, Edward?”
“Yes Sir.” Edward replied in his crisp, British accent. “I believe it's connected to rumors that our new mayor took specific liberties with her campaign fund.”
“The say that about every candidate, why pick on poor Henrietta?”
“Probably because these allegations are true.” Edward responded drily. “And if you would have my advice, Sir?”
“Always.”
“I would suggest that you refrain from such familiar speech about our lady mayor in public, association may tarnish your image.”
Walter chuckled.
“It's not very important what people think of Walter Worthy. The Ghost is the one with the reputation.”
“True Sir, but it may make life less complicated if you-”
“Shhhh!”
Walter raised his hand suddenly. He stared intensely at a particularly angry young woman waving a protest sign near the police line. She had red flowing hair, stark blue eyes, and her delicate mouth was twisted almost into a snarl as she shouted to no avail at a group of police officers.
“Edward,” Walter whispered excitedly. “I think that's Frostbite in the flesh!”
“Are you sure?” Edward asked, his composure slipping slightly. “She always keeps her face covered.”
“Positive. Her mask slipped on our last encounter. I'd recognize that face anywhere.”
Walter's voice trailed off, and a distant smile crossed his face.
“Sir?” Edward stated after an awkward silence.
“What? Oh, right. Make my apologies to Henrietta, Edward. Make up some plausible excuse; and drop me off at the nearest empty alley.”
“Very good Sir.”
A moment later, Walter disembarked into a dark side-street with a small black satchel in tow. After a quick scan of the surrounding area, he ducked behind a convenient dumpster and opened his case. He pulled out a dark gray body suit and mask. It was made of the sort of material that reflected light, but just barely enough to make him stand out in a crowd. It also accentuated his muscles without crossing the line of indecency. The mask hid his entire face, and a hidden wire altered the outline of his jaw, making him appear to have a different bone structure. That had been Edward's clever idea. Smoked glass, worked expertly into the seems around the eyes, hid the last identifiable feature of his recognizable face; the whole outfit subtly but effectively made him look like a completely different person than sheltered rich boy, Walter Worthy. Quickly, Walter changed clothes and stashed his business suit in the satchel. He then placed it in the dumpster, and hurried back towards town square.
The mayor's speech had already begun by the time he got there. Being careful to stay hidden, he crouched in the shadow of Town hall, behind the podium, and listened for trouble.
“-Make this term a victory for all of Disanti City!” She was saying. Loud applause almost, but not quite, drowned out the booing and hissing of the protestors in the back of the crowd. Walter saw movement from the opposite side of the square. A dark figure was crouched under a set of bleachers, moving almost to fast to catch.
“This is it,” he thought, butterflies stirring in his stomach despite all his years of heroics. “Get ready...”
“But it will not all be celebration,” Henrietta continued, “We all share anxieties about our problem with-”
“Our only problem is leaders like you!” A voice shouted.
The mayor and everyone in the crowd gasped as a figure clad entirely in form-fitting black leather leaped onto the stage and brandished an ominous metal device at the mayor. Before Walter or Henrietta could respond, one of the police officers on stage stepped forward while reaching for his gun. Frostbite clicked a switch with her thumb, and a shock of blue electricity shot out of the device and hit the man square in the chest. A blueish wave coursed over his whole body. He halted mid motion, not moving, not blinking, not breathing. And he remained staring at the spot Frostbite had been standing even after she moved forward towards the mayor. The crowd shrieked and began running back, the other officers raised their hands half-way in air and backed off. Henrietta stood her ground, looking her attacker dead in the eye, but her lower lip trembled slightly.
Walter smiled to himself from his hiding place. “Hold on Henrietta,” he whispered, “The heroics are about to start.”
Last edited by Pyrrhic on Mon Jan 13, 2014 10:33 am; edited 2 times in total
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HalfEmptyHero
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| Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 6:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Interesting beginning. Can't wait to read more.
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Emperor
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| Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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I agree, good start.
_________________
A synonym is a word you use when you can't spell the other one. - Baltasar Gracian
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Pyrrhic
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| Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 10:33 am Post subject: |
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Episode Two
Cover Story
“We've tolerated you long enough,” Frostbite hissed at the mayor, “It ends now!”
She clicked the same switch on the device; Henrietta closed her eyes. At the last possible second, Walter blinked into existence in front of Henrietta. He whipped the podium between himself and Frostbite, blocking the blast. The crowd erupted into applause, and Henrietta nearly fainted with relief. Before Frostbite could respond, Walter shoved the podium at her, forcing her to leap of the stage. She recovered her balance quickly, and began firing wildly at Henrietta. Walter scooped her up and jumped behind the opposite side. He set her down carefully.
“Stay hidden.” he said, in a much lower voice than his natural one. Henrietta nodded silently, her eyes wide. Walter turned and jumped back onto the stage.
“Be careful!” Henrietta called after him, her voice catching.
Walter stood still, waiting for Frostbite to take another shot. Even though her mask hid her entire face and head, Walter could tell she was scowling at him. She fired again, and Walter blinked out, re-forming behind her. Normally, he'd make the fight last longer, give the crowd something to talk about, but he had a bigger target than Frostbite at the moment. Before Frostbite could realize what was happening, Walter grabbed her arm,twisting it behind her back and forcing her into a kneeling position in front of the crowd. He squeezed a muscle on her arm, causing her hand to twitch and drop the device. He then took hold of the hem of her mask, and slipped it off her face in one fluid motion. Her red hair spilled out around her shoulders as the audience gasped in shock. Walter released her and she stood slowly to her feet.
“Give it back!” she whispered desperately, making a half-hearted attempt to reclaim her mask. But they both knew it was too late. A young man that Walter recognized from the protest group stepped forward, staring at her in disbelief.
“Katie?” he said slowly, “You've been...this, the whole time?”
Tears welled up in her eyes; she tried to say something, but was cut off by one of the remaining officers shouting: “She's unarmed, move in!”
Katie cast a frantic glance over her shoulder at the group of officers, and bolted through the crowd. They parted for her, whether out of fear or pity no one could tell. The police gave chase. Walter tucked the metal device safely into his glove, and turned back towards the stage. Henrietta was standing on it again, looking at him. Walter gave her a polite bow, then blinked out of sight again.
He rematerialized in an alley three blocks away. Edward was waiting for him, his satchel in tow.
“Very good work Sir. I suggest you change quickly, and rush to Henrietta's side in her hour of distress.”
“Just what I was thinking. While I do that,” he handed Edward the metal object he'd taken from Frostbite. “Find out whatever you can about this, specifically if the effect can be reversed.”
“Right away Sir.”
“Oh, and see to the other, issue, as well.”
Edward nodded. “Of course; I'll deliver it to the usual place and meet you there Sir.”
Walter ducked into the limousine, raised the partition, and changed while Edward drove him to Henrietta's office. It was swarming with police and personal security officers, and a few confused aides.
“Pardon me,” Walter said to a large security guard standing guard at the office door. “I'd like to speak to Miss Horton”.
The man shook his head
“I'm sorry Mr. Worthy, she isn't seeing anyone right now.”
“I'm sure she'll talk to me.”
“She's to be left alone until we're sure Frostbite didn't have an accomplice.”
“Accomplice?” Walter said, raising his voice in frustration, “Come on Jenkins, you know me. You're not seriously saying I'd hurt Henrietta, are you?”
“It isn't my call, Mr. Worthy. All I can say is that the mayor is-”
The door creaked open, and Henrietta peaked out.
“It's okay, Jenkins, he can come in.”
A worried expression crossed Jenkins' face, but he nodded and stepped aside. Walter entered the office quickly and shut the door.
“I came as soon as I heard,” he said, in his best worried voice, and wrapped her in a hug. She returned it stiffly, more out of politeness than affection.
“I'm so sorry,” he continued, “I should have been there with you. If I had, I might have-”
“You might have been killed.” Henrietta interrupted, pulling away from him. “I don't need another death on my conscience.”
Walter knit his brows together. “The policeman, the one that tried to stop Frostbite, he's dead?”
Henrietta didn't answer right away. She walked slowly over to her desk, and lowered her self into her chair. She opened the top drawer, and pulled out a silver flask. Walter glanced at the clock on the wall; it was barley past noon. Henrietta popped the top of the flask off and took a deep drink.
“I'm not sure if he's dead or not. He hasn't moved or breathed in hours, so I'm assuming. The doctors won't announce it yet, there's some sort of residue left on him that's playing havoc with traditional equipment.”
The pair lapsed into silence. Henrietta took another drink. After a long moment she closed her eyes and started massaging her temples.
“Why did he do it, Walter? Why did he protect me?”
“The police man? It was his job.”
“No, I mean the Ghost. Why does he bother? I've never been, I mean, I'm not-”
Walter stepped forward and put his hand over hers.
“Don't you dare say you aren't worth it.”
Tears threatened to spill over her face. “Most people are saying it. You've heard, haven't you? All the gossip about city funds and bribery?”
“Of course, but I know you're innocent. Surely the Ghost does too.”
An expression of deep pity crossed Henrietta's face. She looked at him the same way an adult looks at a child walking around in their parent's shoes.
“Walter, you are a very nice man, but you don't belong here, and you should go home now.”
“But I-”
“I know. I'm sorry. It's just how it is.”
Walter sighed, gave her hand a little squeeze, and exited the room. Jenkins was still standing by the door.
“Jenkins?” he asked, his voice heavy, “You wouldn't happen to have a cigarette on you?”
“No Mr. Worthy. I wasn't aware you smoked.”
“I don't, but I'm thinking of starting.”
With that, he trudged off, and left the capitol building. He walked past the crowds of police, reporters, and protestors swarming around the lawn. A few reporters tried to get his attention, but he ignored them and kept walking. Only when the crowd was behind him, did he allow the pensive, injured look on his face to disappear. He chuckled to himself, and sent a text to Edward. A few minutes later, the limousine pulled up, and Walter slipped inside.
“How'd it go Sir?” Edward asked.
“Very well; my cover as a clueless rich boy with a crush is definitely intact.”
“You don't think you're overplaying it a bit with Henrietta? It could backfire.”
“Oh, no. She's infatuated with the Ghost. I wonder sometimes what she'd do if she knew who he was.”
“Statements like that alarm me Sir.”
Walter laughed. “Don't worry, I may not have your unreasonable I.Q., but I'm not stupid. Besides, we have bigger problems right now.”
“I have the issue under control Sir. She's waiting for you as we speak.”
“Is 'waiting' a polite term for 'tied up and gagged in an abandoned warehouse'?”
“Yes Sir. I thought it was a necessary precaution, considering how much trouble she's been.”
“You thought correctly. What would I ever do without you're foresight, my friend?”
Edward smiled slightly. “I have no idea Sir.”
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