Chapter 1
She was running. Through light and dark, light and dark, as she sped past the large windows, the illumination coming from the street lights outside. Her legs were killing her, burning oxygen that she just did not have, her heart was thumping painfully, her throat burnt with every gasped breath, her arms were pumping to push her forward but her shoulders ached and protested with every movement. She was too focused to think properly, all her brain was doing was concentrating on getting as much oxygen to her muscles as possible so she wouldn't collapse. But her mind was also racing, words tumbling around, half praying and half begging that she was not too late.
How could she have missed the clues for so long? Because the pair of them had been enjoying it too much, that was why. They had thought they were fantastic, the crime-fighting duo of Bludhaven, no criminal could out-smart them, or defeat them, and together they would make their city safe. The people deserved it, after the horrors that took place after the Chemo disaster and all the rebuilding work that had gone on, Bludhaven was still dragging itself out of the mud, a few criminals would not stop that happening. But something had gone wrong. Someone had figured out how to stop them. You had to make them believe you were immortal, that nothing could hurt you, that you would never die, if they knew you were a mere human under the suit then they would stop fearing you. They had utilized technology, tricks, illusions, everything to look like proper superheroes. But someone had not been fooled, and now it had all gone wrong.
She didn't stop when she hit the doors, her legs propelled her forward and she simply shielded her head with her arms, but they swung open quite easily. Too easily in fact, braced for an impact that never came, she stumbled in to the room, struggled to gain her balance, then slipped on something wet on the floor and tumbled over. She pushed herself up with her hands, gasping for breath, wanting to stand but finding her legs would not work. She fought back the urge to vomit, her limbs shaking, her head spinning, little dots flashing in front of her eyes. She wasn't sure what she had slipped on but she could feel it under her legs. And then the smell hit her nose, there was a hint of metal in the air, a small that you tended get more at the back of butcher's shops or at a particularly violent crime scene. She lifted her head just as the cloud moved away from it's place in front of the full moon, the silvery light pouring in through the large, full-length French windows of the room, lighting a scene that her brain instantly tried to hide. Small details were instantly removed, things that she could never cope with, but she was surprised by the amount of blood there seemed to be in the human body. It was everywhere, over the marble tiles, on some of the walls and windows, she had slipped on some of it, was sitting on some of it, and the sound of the occasional drip suggested there was still a bit more left to lose.
She could see him hanging limply, being held up by the scruff of the neck by a tall man, with light brown hair, a thick beard, a brown coat, more tufts of hair sticking out from the cuffs of the coat, a knife glinting evilly in his other hand. The look on his face, calm but triumphant, as he dropped his limp parcel, then turned and leapt out the open window, leaving her with the body of her dead lover.
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"Today Bludhaven buried it's beloved son, Simon Yamal, who was brutally murdered in his home two weeks ago. Attendees of the funeral included the Mayor of Bludhaven with the Commissioner of the Police force, and the District Attorney, as well as much of Bludhaven's citizens and many workers from Grayson Electronics. Richard Grayson, chairman of the company and mentor to Mr Yamal read the eulogy, and accompanied his daughter and Mr Yamal's girlfriend, Carlotta Grayson. Simon Yamal started off in the Youth of the Future project started by Grayson Electronics for teenagers from under privileged backgrounds. He soon proved to be the project's keenest member and helped develop the T330 engine that was later used in the Kawasaki 9600, he was quickly promoted within the company despite his lack of education and previous problems with the law, and was believed to be the man that would one day take over the company once Mr Grayson was ready to retire. Mr Yamal met Miss Grayson, who was two years his junior, several times at Grayson Electronics, and the pair have been dating since she was fifteen. Mr Grayson gave his blessing to the couple on her sixteenth birthday and many believe that Mr Yamal had been planning to propose on her eighteen-"
She put the remote carefully on the sofa next to her and simply stared at the black screen.