This is an idea I got from the song Then Again, Maybe Not by the incredible Seattle based nerdcore rock band Kirby Krackle, look up the song on Youtube, it really is wonderfully catchy, although I'm going to have to advise you to listen to it after you read this chapter, not before. Considering my love for comics I'm pretty surprised that this is the first superhero themed glee fic I've written, but better late than never right? This is also the first story I've ever written in the first person, which ought to be fun. Also, the last chapter of A Home At The End Of The World should be up tomorrow.
She's escaped, Headcase has escaped the clutches of McKinley penitentiary, after everything I went through putting her away, all of the broken bones and mind games, she's escaped. Taking her in was my greatest victory, my one chance to prove myself. To tell the truth I've always had a feeling that I didn't quite belong. The Peace Patrol is an elite team of the most powerful beings on earth, Socialite Quinn Fabray, AKA Ice Queen, with her remarkable freezing powers, retired Athlete Noah Puckerman, who has gone by Dr. Damage ever since he was forced to leave the NFL when he discovered his super strength and invulnerability, pet psychologist Dr. Brittany Pierce who would probably be considered a hack in her day job if it weren't for her hidden talent of animal communication , Santana Lopez, who fought for justice by day as a district attorney and by night as Tantrum, a bona fide pyrokinetic, professional dancer Mike Chang, codename Kid Kinetic, who's dancing talents are aided by his superhuman speed and agility and Sam Evans, also known as Simpatico, an empath who's ability to feel the feelings of others has proven very useful in a team that lacks a proper psychic.
I would kill to have even Sam's powers, as of now I'm the only member of the Peace Patrol without a superpower to his name, but what I lack in powers I make up for in fighting ability, skill with weapons and gadgets, and almost obsessive persistence, I was the only one in years capable of catching Headcase, the most powerful member of the Sindicate, the most notorious active crime group in the United States. The day I put her away was the day I officially became a part of the group, once a promising young cop, I left the corrupt force I worked for and dedicated my life to fighting crime on my own terms as a street vigilante, before long the Peace Patrol sought me out, thinking it was easier to take me under their wing then try to stop me, but it took putting away Headcase for good for me to truly earn their respect, well, everyone except for Santana that is, and now Headcase is once again free to terrorize the streets of Lima City, and even if I had no way of stopping her from getting out I'll be damned if she's going to stay out.
"This is bad," Santana says, as she shuts off the news report playing in the Peace Patrol meeting room. "Putting away that bitch was the biggest pain in the ass we've ever had to deal with, now she's out, it's like we can't win with these scumbags."
"Look Tantrum, we caught her once we can do it again," Quinn says confidently.
"And you don't think she's going to up her defenses this time? It was pure dumb luck that we got her in the first place."
"Thanks Santana," I say sarcastically.
"We use codenames here numbnuts," She says, Santana really has never been my biggest fan.
"My codename isn't numbnuts Tantrum," I shoot back.
"Fine, Gadget," she complies, saying my codename like it's a bad word. "Really doesn't make you seem any less useless to be honest."
"Come on Tantrum, be nice," Sam says. "I know you're not really as mean as you let on, your feelings are my feelings remember? You're just scared is all."
"I'm not scared of her," Santana says unconvincingly. Santana never liked the way Headcase could read her thoughts and say them right back to her like it was nothing, she was so used to being guarded that being around people who could pick apart her every thought was unsettling to say the least. That's why it took her so long to warm up to Sam, he couldn't read her thoughts but he could read her emotions, which for her was even worse.
"Look, I'll take care of it alright, I know how her mind works, I may not be the smartest guy who ever lived-
"That's putting it mildly," Santana says, interrupting me.
"But I know people, I know her." I say firmly, ignoring Santana's comment. It's true, I was the best interrogator in my precinct, I'm not a psychic like Headcase or an empath like Sam, but I have intuition on my side.
"What makes you so sure you can catch her a second time?" Quinn says.
"Because I was the only one who could pull it off the first time."
"He's right," Mike adds. "If anyone's going to have a shot of bringing her in it'll be him."
"What am I chopped liver?" Santana says. "Unlike him I have actual powers."
"We're not trying to kill the woman," Puck says. "Besides, you remember what happened the last time you faced off against her, you couldn't handle it."
"And he can," Santana says gesturing toward him flippantly.
"He did," Puck shoots back.
"Look guys," Quinn says calmly. "With Headcase locked up we had a real chance to take down the Sindicate once and for all. If we're going to have a shot at taking her in again it's going to have to be a group effort. Sam, didn't you say that everyone's soul feels different? Maybe you can use your empathy to get a track on her."
"I can try but it may take awhile," Sam says. "Especially if she's already far away."
"Get on it," Quinn says. "Until then I'll call special agent Anderson to see if he has any leads and Gadget and Damage will be on stakeout at their headquarters."
Puck and I nod in agreement while Santana simply groans.
The day I got my Peace Patrol uniform was the day my life changed forever, and I'm reminded every time I put myself into my customized body armor, affix the retractable glider I made myself to my back, strap on my fully loaded utility belt and secure my black mask to my face. I sometimes think I'll never get used to this, the superhero thing, but tonight isn't the night to dwell on it, tonight is the night I go after the one who got away. If I have to I'll stake out with Puck at midnight as planned, but for now I know exactly where to find her, and I have to act alone.
I scale the rooftops of the Lima City skyline with an effortlessness gained from years of training, I don't break a sweat as I make my way to my destination. The only place I know she'll be. To tell the truth I'm a little nervous, bringing her in the first time nearly killed me, now she's likely to be even more pissed off than she was then. rumor has it she can kill you with her mind if she wants to, just make your heart stop beating with a narrowing of her eyes. She wouldn't kill me would she? She's had more than enough chances to, she's left me bloodied and broken so many times but she's left me alive, now there's no telling what she'll do.
I pull my glider as I leap off the roof, letting the wind carry me up to the roof of Sylvester towers, the last place I ever saw her as a free woman. I land on my feet and one hand with a light thud and stand up straight, pulling the wings of my glider back down while I scan the roof for any sign of her.
"I will escape, and when I do, we're going to finish this, once and for all." I remember her words so clearly in my head, and they send a chill down my spine. But I stand my ground, I can't chicken out now, everybody is counting on me, if I let them down I'll only be proving Santana right, I can't let Headcase win, and I certainly can't let Santana win.
"So we meet again." That voice, it sounds the same, but of course why wouldn't it? She's been locked up for less than a year. I can't tell where the voice is coming from though, where could she be? It's dark but I can still see pretty clearly, even without the night vision lenses on my mask.
"I'm behind you silly," she continues. I can't believe it, how did she get behind me so fast? How did I not hear? This is already getting off to a bad start, but she hasn't hit me yet, that's something. I turn slowly, carefully and look my old nemesis up and down, once again decked out in her leather uniform and red mask, it's a much better look than her prison get-up that's for sure, more appropriate for the situation at hand.
"I promised I'd get out, and I never break a promise," she says coolly.
"Your reading my mind right now aren't you?" I say.
"Maybe," she replies.
"What am I thinking?" I say, wondering silently why she hasn't struck yet.
"Well I can tell you what you should be thinking," she says, ice in her voice. "I should be running."
And at that she strikes, aiming for my face, but before she can punch me I grab her fist in my hand, squeezing it, making her recoil in pain, but she shakes it off and strikes with her knee, catching me hard in the groin, the body armor protects me, but not enough to keep me from distractedly dropping her hand, which she then uses to punch again, this time hitting her target, her fist hitting me hard in the face. She was always the overachiever this one, godlike psychic powers weren't enough, she had to learn how to fight like a beast too, but as good as she is at the hand to hand combat, I'm better. I ignore the pain in my jaw and hit back, sending her to the ground, she doesn't stay down long, she leaps to her feet and rushes at me, kicking and punching with all her might as I dodge and hit back, our bodies in a graceful, yet brutal dance. Her hits are quick and effective, slowing me down but not stopping me, after awhile of this I can taste blood, and my vision is blurred, but she isn't in great shape either, her face is bloody and there is fire in her eyes as she strikes at me again, slower now, weakened by my assault on her body, it will only take one final strike to send her down for good, but I don't want to knock her out, there's a lot to say and I need her conscious to hear it, so instead I tackle her to the ground, trapping her body under my giant one.
"You bastard," She says, struggling against me without much success.
"So," I say, out of breath but feeling pretty accomplished. "What am I thinking?"
She rolls her eyes and lets out a long sigh. "She's beautiful," she says, defeated.
"As ever," I add, brushing her dark hair out of her bruised face, and I close the distance between us then in a kiss I've been dreaming about since the night I sent her to jail.
So when did you figure out that Headcase was Rachel? I hope it wasn't right away. Anywhoo, Stay tuned folks!