After hearing the buzz come from the far side of the room, I rush to the closet to change. In record time, I'm suited up and ready to go. Location in hand, I'm on my way downtown. Even from the skies, I can see the chaos on the ground. Police, fire, torn up building. The usual damage caused by one of the town rogues. In the back of my mind I try to figure out which one it could be this time. It could be Muerta, but I just put her in jail last week. Devastator's been behind bars the longest so I count him out. Then again he's famous for his long term breakout plans. I would know.
"Here he comes!" I hear when I land. I make my way over to the police chief and wait while he fills me in on the situation. I only stay long enough to hear 'seven hostages' and 'a bomb'. Easy enough. I'll be back home before breakfast.
I find a back entrance to the bank and try to find a way to the front. As I round the corner, I see six of the seven hostages tied up back to back. One of them notices me and tells the others, thankfully not drawing attention to me. I tap the button on the side of my mask and survey the area. The Anarchist is by the door, taunting the police with a gun to a poor man's head. I reach for my belt and load a single dart into my gun. I shoot and it hits him directly in the back of his leg, making him instantly drop to the ground, freeing the man from his grasp. I move toward the front of the building, finding it and disarming it with minutes to spare. I look down and check my timer; a new record.
"Is he dead?" I hear a shaky voice come from behind me and a hand reaches to touch my shoulder. I turn around and am faced with a pair of the greenest eyes I've ever seen.
"Not dead, stunned. He should be out for hours. Days, even." He nods and rubs at his neck and sighs. "You're safe now." He looks up at me and gives me a half-hearted smile. I turn to untie the other six and I hear him speak again.
"Y-you know, it's funny. I hear about you all the t-time on the news but it never seemed real. Like you were s-some dream or figment of everyone's im-magination or something. You're not, though. You just saved my life."
"It's my job." I flash him my award winning smile and wink. I turn around again and start my walk into the flashing lights of the press.
"Thank you." It's low, and quiet, almost a whisper but I still hear it. It's the first time anyone has ever thanked me for saving them in years. This is a gesture I haven't seen since the first person I saved all those years ago. After becoming the town hero, people stop be grateful for your help and expect it. I turn around, this time smiling genuinely.
"What's your name?" I put my hand out and he walks over to grab it.
"Kendall. Kendall Knight."
"You're welcome, Kendall Knight." I let go of his hand and leave the way I came, deciding that the press already has their story. I get home and strip off my clothes, placing them in the back of my closet before hitting the button that conceals them. As I sink into bed, I turn on the news and see the green-eyed sweetheart.
"-personally held captive by The Anarchist, how does it feel?"
"I thought I was going to die. Never see my friends or family again. All I could think about were all of the things I haven't done yet. Get a better job, fall in love, move out of my parents' house. Know what I mean?"
"Yes." The reporter gives a fake chuckle and returns to the questions. "How was Marvelous Man in person? Is he as marvelous as his name declares?"
"He was-" I wait for his reaction, expecting the worst. You'd think that after saving people's lives, they'd love you. Not in my case. To them I'm 'fake', 'annoying', 'obnoxious' and 'cocky. "-all that and then some. It was mind blowing, really. To see him in action. I owe him my life."
I shut the TV off and slip under the covers, the smile never leaving my face.
There should be more people like Kendall Knight.
Okay, so Marvelous Man isn't the coolest Superhero name, but it's all I could think of. All the good ones are taken. :)-
