…Comes with great Responsibility
The next morning when Jason arose from bed, his mind flooded with yesterday's events still on his mind. His hand was wrapped in a bandage from last night's accident. I can't use these...powers...if I do and someone sees me...well the last thing I want is my mom to see me being dragged off by the United Forces for scientific testing. Ughhhh, probes. the super powered teen thought as he got dressed.
Putting his glasses on, Jason exited his room and saw his mother in the middle of cooking breakfast. "Morning mom." he said as he sat down to eat, ready for whatever the day had in store for him.
His mother turned to him surprised, "Oh! I didn't think you'd be up this early hon." she said, finishing making up breakfast. The teen sat down at the breakfast table while Ava put the finishing touches on the food, "So how's the hand doing? Feel better?"
Jason looked down at the lightly bloodied bandage, it didn't sting when he pressed down on it. Ok super healing? Come on since when do spiders have that? Jason thought to himself, "Feels better, sorry about the plates again." he apologized, recalling the shattered shards that they needed to clean up the night before.
Ava smiled sweetly at her son, "Just be happy you didn't need stitches." she said as she brought her son his food.
It would probably be healed anyway. Jason thought but nodded in response to his mother. As he ate, he heard the sound of something being dropped, "What was that?"
Ava rolled her eyes, "That would be our neighbor doing spirits knows what." she said with a annoyed sigh. She rubbed her forehead in a attempt to ease the migrate she gained from the sounds of her neighbor's activities. She turned to her son, "Look just keep out of his way. You see the kind of people he hangs out with, it's better if you just avoid people like that all together." she advised, grabbing the plate that once had her son's food.
Jason rolled his eyes, "I already avoid them, it's why I'm not out there bustling people and enjoying all the free time I get while their in jail." he joked.
Ava turned away from the sink and gave him a pointed look, "I'm serious Jason. Stay away from Zolt. He's trouble. People like that..." she shook her head of that train of thought, "Never mind...just please do as I ask." she pleaded.
Jason half smiled, "Alright alright, I mean I was meaning to go over and knock some sense into him for that racket, but that's out the window." he said as he rose from the table while his mother rolled her eyes.
"Smart mouth. You are such a smart mouth it's not even funny." Ava said, shaking her head at her son, smiling nonetheless.
Jason smirked while he got his shoes on, "And the ladies love me for it." he replied sarcastically. Jason hadn't spent his high school years engaged with socializing with the opposite sex. And I doubt that I'm going to get a lot of female friends when they find out about my sticky fingers. he mused himself.
His mother smiled and wrapped a arm around his shoulders, "Why do you say that? A smart, strapping young man like yourself? I bet you'll find a girl by the end of this year." she said, giving him embrace of encouragement.
"The fact that you just called me 'strapping' only adds to my doubt mother." Jason said with a deadpanned tone. He was geek, but he was proud if it, not many can say that.
Ava swatted his back, "Oh hush! Now go on, get to school. Stay safe, and I love you." she said, walking him to the door. The young teen smiled and picked up his bag by the door leading out into the hallway.
Jason gave his mother a kiss on the cheek, "Love you too mom. Bye." Jason said as he exited the small apartment. Unlike most mornings when he had to rush down the hall and out his apartment building but with his newly discovered powers, he could easily make it to school before the first bell rings.
As he walked down the hallway, he saw one of the people Zolt was speaking with the day before. He was a skinny man in a dirty wife beater shirt, judo pants and bands in his wrists. He had tattoos which had dragons that were soaked into most if not all of his visible skin save for the face. His bald head was covered by a bowlers hat, his face had a scar on his left eye.
He was carrying a red container that reeked of kerosine, so the face that he was smoking a cigar while carrying the gas can made Jason give him a skeptical look. Is he seriously smoking while carting around something that is made for starting fires? Jason questioned.
The man caught him staring at him as the teen walked by. The man clamped a hand on Jason's shoulder, making him freeze in place, "There something you wanna say four eyes?" he asked, the gas can swinging in his other arm.
Yeah for a wise guy your more stupid than you look. Jason thought, thankfully he didn't speak that, "Nice hat." he said simply. The man stared at him for a second before chuckling and letting go of the young man. Jason watched as he brought the gallon of gas into Zolt's room, inside there where three men, a bulky man in noble like clothes, and Zolt himself.
Jason knew that they where doing something bad, and that someone would get hurt, My powers...but if use them to stop him, what's stopping them from hurting my mother? Jason thought as he stood there, watching the door close. The teen let out a sigh and continued down the hall to the stairwell. Checking to see if anyone was watching, Jason vaulted over the railing and fell to the ground floor, coming to a crouch with one hand on the ground.
"That's never getting old." Jason said smirking as he walked out the door to his apartment. Walking around the side of the building, he hopped up to the wall and began to climb, "Maybe I should buy a hoodie to wear when I do this." he muttered as he passed a window with someone inside feeding his pets.
…
"So it's all set up?" Zolt asked. Joe Pang, his second in command nodded. Joe had a silk suit on that covered up his actual muscle, everyone thought that the big guys are only good as bouncers. But Joe is actually a rock under all that fat, and he knew how to use it in a fight.
"The body's on it's way up. Look once we start this, there's no going back. You sure about this boss?" Joe asked. He and Zolt were friends since they could first be thrown in a cell together, that's actually how they first met.
"Jōn-Kai has been in charge of the Triple Threats long enough, time for a change in management. And last thing he's expecting is a dead man knocking him off his pedestal." Zolt explained as he walked to the window. "Besides. What kind of boss would want to live in a shithole like this?" he asked as he turned to his accomplice.
Just missing Jason climb the wall and run on the rooftop towards his school.
The knock at the door made Zolt ready a flame in his hand, "Whose there?" he asked as he approached the door, ready to fight who ever it is.
"It's me." Dragon Yang said from the other side of the door. The reason for his name being the art on his body that depicted the beasts themselves, "Now open the damn door before someone sees me!" he angrily hissed. Zolt opened the door, helping Dragon drag the corpse in.
…
Jason looked down at his lunch with unsatisfied look on his face. He was paired with Xang for a writing project, and to say that Xang protested against it was a understatement. The subject he had to write about was loss, it can be almost anything, loss of innocence, loss of money, loss of a job, things like that. Worst thing that Xang's probably lost is a pro-bending game. Jason thought realistically.
Contrary to what people thought, Pro Bending is a legitimate sport, as new as it was it was catching on fast. Jason never attended a game mostly because he had no reason too, but like anyone his age, he knew the basic rules from hearsay. But that wasn't the only thing on Jason's mind..
What he saw in Zolt's apartment was still present in his mind, he could have done something, and even of he didn't he could have told someone. But with people like Zolt, they would just buy out the jury or something, Jason may be young, but even he knew that if people have enough money and power, they can get away with almost anything.
"Dude look!"
"Holy Sprits.."
"Everyone get back from the windows!"
Jason looked up from his food and saw that most of not all of the students that where eating was now pressed up ago at the large glass window that covered a expanse of the cafeteria. Jason sat up and made his way to the crowd, "What's going on?" he asked one of the boys at the back.
"I don't know, I can't see." he replied, Jason tried to peek over the onlookers heads but to no avail. Walking to the wall, Jason saw that all the students were looking out the window before climbing up enough to see what the commotion was all about. When he could see, he froze in place.
There was a fire in the Dragon Flats Borough. And the smoke looked like was coming from his apartment building!
Jason dropped down from the wall and ran towards the exit of the cafeteria, he didn't care if got in trouble, he needed to make sure that his home was ok. The teen burst through the doors of the school and darted across the street, jumping over a car and onto a wall in the process and climbing as fast as he could.
Once he reached the rooftops, he leapt to the next building and sprinted until he raged the next one and repeated until he got to his apartment building.
It was burning like hell itself.
Moms ok, she's got to be okay. Jason thought as he scanned the crowd for his mother, he looked for black hair tied up in a ponytail. She's ok, she's ok, she's ok, she's-
"Someone's still in there!" A tenant shouted to the fireman as they arrived . Jason's heart stopped in his chest, without thinking, he jumped into the nearest window on the third floor.
"Mom!" He called out as he covered his mouth as nose with his sleeve. The firemen won't get up in time with the fire, it was up to him to save his mother. The room he landed in had flames gathering in the corners of the room, Jason ran to the door and kicked it, shattering the wood.
"Mom where are you!" Jason called out with a cough, the halls were filled with smoke, he needed to find her fast. The building began to shake and a price of the ceiling fell down the stairwell. The teen looked up and felt his stomach drop, this place wasn't going to hold.
The fire was worse on the top floor, the smoke was so bad that it began to cloud Jason's glasses. At the end if the hallway was his home, his only home that he knew for the past 16 years of his life. And it was turning to ashes right before his eyes.
Jumping from the wall to the hallway, the fire's roar showed that this is where it started. Jason summoned his bravery am and jumped right through the flames, charring his cloths in the process. He grabbed the door and ripped it off it's hinges, "Mom!" he called out through the smoke.
"J-Jason?" The teen's heart could burst from joy at the sound of her voice. Heading to where the voice was heard he froze.
His mother was trapped under a piece of rubble from the ceiling.
Ava had a cut on her forehead that was bleeding profusely, her once white skin was covered with ash and soot. "Jason? What are you-" she stopped in a coughing fit as her son kneeled beside her. The piece of ceiling must have weighed few hundred pounds.
"I'm gonna get you out of here mom." he said as he gripped the edges of the rock.
Ava grasped her son's wrist, "Sweetie, you need to go . You can't possibly lift-" she stopped herself when her son lifted the concrete of her and threw it aside. "H-how?"
Jason picked his mother up bridal style, "Adrenaline mom, come on let's get out before I run out if it." Jason lied as he carried her out the door. Jumping once agin over the fire, he was about to give a excuse to his mom but her eyes where closed. "M-m-mom?"
Jason was a bit grateful for her unconsciousness , that way he didn't have to explain how they survived a drop from a four story building level. Running to the door, he rammed his shoulder through the door, "Help! Please help!" Jason shouted as the EMTs took Ava from his arms.
"She has signs of smoke inhalation, get the oxygen ready!" one if them shouted as he loaded her onto a gurney, Jason fallowed alongside her as they put a air mask on her. "How did you find her?" the paramedic asked.
Jason stared down at his unconscious mother, "Sir how did you find her?" the medic asked again more frantically.
Jason shook his head as they approached the ambulance, "Under some heavy rubble." he said simply. He didn't want to make it sound suspicious so they'd question him, he didn't want to leave his mother's side until she was out of the woods.
One of the medics ran to the ambulance, "Call central, tell them we may have something punctured." Jason's heart seemed to be taking breaks today because he swore he felt his heart stop again.
Jason hopped in the ambulance as they loaded her in, grasping her hand as they laid her down.
Two figured watched as the ambulance drove away. "Ok so he did the right thing. He saved her." the man said in relief, watching the white car speed away towards the nearest hospital.
Madam Web sighed, "We don't exactly know that for sure."
The man looked at her shocked, "What? But he saved her life. She's going to okay...right?" he asked, hoping that the kind woman would recover fully.
She shook her head, "This world isn't exactly the most advanced, it's one if those things that can go both ways." Julia explained sadly. Right now back home she was in a coma, the only reason she could project herself here is the strength her powers, she knew what Jason was going through, he was worried sick about his mother like her daughter was.
"All we can do right now is pray." she said, her sad eyes hidden behind her glasses.
…
Jason sat outside of emergency with too much on his mind for someone his age. The doctors passed him by, casting looks of pity on him at his disheveled state that he had. He was silently praying that his mother would be alright when two people approached him, "Jacob O-rou?" man voice asked.
The teen looked up and nodded. A man with formal dress attire stood with a badge, they where with the metal ending police force. The other was a woman, she was in full uniform, she had graying hair with three horizontal scars in her cheek, Wait, why does she look so familiar?
The woman stepped forward, "Mr. O-rou, I'm Lin Bei-Fong. We have a few questions." she said. Jason would have been gawking if the situation was different but he shrugged. I don't care if they found out about my powers, just please let mom be safe.
Lin noticed how the boy kept glancing to the door to where his mother was, on the way over she heard if how he carried her out of the building running on pure adrenaline. Kid must be exhausted. she thought. "If you want we can talk somewhere else." Wei added in.
Wei was one of Lin's best detectives, she asked him to come along since he's been working on graphing the hierarchy of the gang, the Triple Threats. With newer gangs beginning to pop up over Republic City. And it's been hell on everyone to try and take them down.
The teen shook his head, "No...in case..." he wasn't sure in case of what.
Wei straightened himself, "We just got word back from the Fire Marshall. The fire wasn't a accident." Jason looked up at this, "And it started from your next door neighbor's room. And the landlord doesn't have his name on file, do you know who he is or what he looks like?" he asked, kneeling down to look at the teen.
Jason 'a hands clenched the sides of his seat, "Zolt. Zolt Shin." he said as calmly as he could. Zolt...Zolt, if anything happens to my mother I swear to god-
The door to Ava's room opened and out stepped a doctor in his white coat. Lin and Wei looked at him expectantly, instead if answering her turned to Jason, "She's awake, and she's asking for you." he said.
Jason took that as his excuse to enter the room. Leaving the doctor alone with the detective and his boss, "Will she be alright?" Lin asked, looking into the room at the boy at his mother's side.
The doctor let our a sigh, "I'm afraid that she inhaled too much smoke before he got to her. It's already in her lungs, and the pice if rubble made one of her arteries burst...all we can do is...make her comfortable." he said, looking inside.
Jason had his mother's hand in a tight grip. The doc was exaggerating when he said she was awake, her eyes were barely open but she was smiling, "What was that you where saying about girls this morning?" she asked.
Jason gave a heartfelt smile, "Yeah...so how are you holding up?" he asked, glad she was improving. The sound of doctors and patients were gone now that they where in the private room, it was only him and his mother.
Ava looked at her son sadly, "Jason...I'm not gonna lie... I don't think I'm getting out of here." she said, making the teen's heart snap. All of Jason's life his mother has been there for him, his father left them when he was only a babe, leaving only Ava to take care of him.
Jason frantically shook his head, "M-M-Mom you'll be alright, the doctors know what they're doing. Just wait you'll be out of here in a month or maybe sooner, it's just some smoke. I got it too so-"
Ava pressed her fingers to her son's cheek, silencing his ramblings. This isn't happening this isn't happening this isn't happening this isn't happening! "This is my fault..." he muttered so only she could hear.
Ava pulled him close and embraced him, "Honey...this isn't your fault...you couldn't have-"
"I saw Zolt's friend carry in a thing of Kerosine into his apartment...I could have told someone...I could have grabbed it and...and.." he blamed himself, if had just done something, anything to just stop them...
Ava kissed his forehead, "Honey, I don't care if you helped them carry it up. You didn't light the fire...Jason look at me." the teen looked at her with tears streaming down his face at her smiling features. "I love you sweetheart. No matter what you do...no matter...who you turn into...I will always love you...got it?" she asked.
Jason let out a sniffle, "Yes ma 'am." he said as he smiled. "I love you too mom." he said, nuzzling his face in her hair. Ava embraced her son, for that was the last time she managed to do so.
…
All that Jason could hear was white noise as people passed him while he sat on the bench outside the room where his mother had passed away in. Jason's emotions were running wild. He was devastated that Ava had died, scared of what would happen to him now, but above all, he was furious at what Zolt had done.
He needs to pay...he's going to pay in blood...but where the hell do I even start? Jason thought. He's not a detective, he doesn't have friends on the police force, and the thing he's doing right now is talking to one of the people who've done things just as if not worse than what Zolt's done.
Ok...think, don't think about mom now...just think about Zolt, what about his friends? Jason pondered silently, The guy with the gas can. He has to know where Zolt is. If not him, then someone who knows where he is. Jason concluded as he stood up and began to move towards the nearest exit. The roof.
The young man thought of what his mother taught him. As hard as he could, he couldn't push her out of his mind, 'There's a time to get involved, and a time not to.' her voice said in his head. The time not to get involved is over. For good! I'm not letting anyone else die from Zolt. I'll track him down until I find him. Then he'll answer for what he's done. Jason got rid of his bandage on his hand, If it can heal that in a day...
He took off his glasses and blinked a few times, his vision was damn near perfect.
He dropped the glasses and crushed them under his shoe. He was done doing nothing.
…
Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, Jason managed to get downtown pretty quick, the sun was beginning to set in the distance, it's been a long day for the teenager, and it wasn't over yet. He needed to find Zolt, and if he needed to go up the whole damn food chain if whatever he's a part of, fine.
As long as he finds the son of a bitch.
Jumping from the rooftops to the streets, he began to walk and look for anything...gang related. Ok yeah maybe I should have gone at this a different way. I mean what are the odds that- before he could finish that thought, a woman 'a scream full the air. "Huh. Why don't the police do this?" Jason asked as he ran towards the sounds if the scream.
Another scream rang out, ahead of him was a alleyway, before he went down, he stopped in his tracks. What the hell am I thinking!? If they see my face! If they find out who I am they'll...god who knows what they'll do! Jason thought as he put his hands on the sides of his head.
The woman let out another scream, this one was muffled. It see something off inside Jason, something that made him want to beat the crap out go whoever was doing that. "A mask." he stated with realization. Taking his shirt in his hands, he tore off a section of it from his left side and wrapped it around his face like a bandanna. Using his adhesive powers to make it stay in place.
Jason charged down the alley, there was a woman on the ground with a man ontop of her. Jason automatically knew what he was trying to do and it sickened him. He ran down the alley at full speed. When he reached the man, he drop kicked him off, landing on his fingertips, he pushed himself up and got back up. He looked at the downed man and walked over to him as he began to stand.
"Bad move kid!" he said as he pulled out a knife and slashed at the teen. The new vigilante easily dodged the knife by sidestepping and grabbing his shoulder and slamming the man up to the wall, making the plastered wall crack. "Ok! Ok! Ok! What do ya want man?" he asked with fear in his voice.
Jason glared into the man so hard he could swear he felt heat on his forehead, "I'm liking for a man with dragon tattoos. All over his arms and body. You know him!" he demanded in a growl. He wated answers and was prepared to break a few bones to get them.
The man started to sweat, "No man! If he has dragon tats, he must run with The Triple Threats. I'm with the Red Monsoons!" he exclaimed. Wait, what? There's more than one gang in Republic City. Well to be fair this is a pretty big city. Jason thought.
Holding him with one hand, he carried the monster over to a garbage container, "Stay here one second." he said as he flipped the lid open and tossed him inside after throwing the knife away. You know just fir good measure...Jason flipped the container itself to make sure he wouldn't escape.
Turning back to the woman, he saw she was up and was pretty scared if what she just saw him do, "Um...hi." Jason greeted, as he approached her. The woman backed up a little from the stranger, "You ok miss?" he asked. The woman just nodded, eyes glued to the trash container where her assaulter was. "Look um...you should probably get the police, I'll keep trashcan Sam back there busy."
Before he knew it, the woman rushed over and embraced her savior, "T-Thank you...if you didn't stop him..." she shuddered, still shaken by the events.
Jason pushed her away gently by her shoulders, "Don't think about the 'if's' right now. Now get out of here, find a policeman, and tell them what happened." he instructed. The girl nodded and ran to the end of the alley not blocked off by a trash bin.
Walking back to the trash container, the young vigilante flipped it back up and opened the lid to see his first victim covered in various things of garbage, "Gah! Was that really-" he stopped when he saw the look the masked man was giving him.
"Ok, here's what's going to happen. Your going to tell me about these Triple Threats, Red Monsoons, and whatever other gangs are in Republic City." he demanded.
The criminal gave him a dirty look, "And of I don't? Then what?" he asked. The masked man simply stood by the wall he was slammed against and threw a fist into it, making a hole in it.
"And I'm not a earth bender. So, from the top." Jason said.
…
The criminal told Jason everything he knew about the gangs, Triple Threat, Red Monsoons, and Agni Kai. It took until the sun went down but Jason got all the information that was needed.
The teen was in the ledge of the a building with his legs hanging off the side in downtown, "God...things are worse than I ever thought. Three big gangs, all of them want Republic City to be under their control." he said aloud. The night sky brought a dangerous tone to the city, the street lamps casting shadows on the roads.
Jason sighed, "Well if Zolt is with the Triple Threats, then that's who I go after. Now how do I find a Triple Threat to tail back to the hangout?" he thought aloud. "It's not like there's a directory of gang members that-" he stopped himself. He may not have something like that. But the police do.
…
The Police headquarters was pretty intimidating. With the statue of Toph Bei-Fong standing in front of it, it just screamed 'police'. As Jason walked into the police station, he looked around for anyone resembling the tattooed man. If he needed to, he'd use the police to lead him to them. He wanted the first crack at him.
The young man approached the receptionist, a young brunette in a black dress who was focusing on her nails, "Ummm, excuse me?" Jason asked politely.
The young woman turned to him, all smiles, "Yes, how can I help you?" she replied with equal politeness. Well if you work here I guess you have to be perky.
"I'm looking for a detective Wei? Is he here?" Jason asked.
The woman smiled, "He just went in for his shift." she leaned over the counter and pointed to the corridor, "Down that way, door at the end of the hall. You'll see him at his desk." she explained. After thanking the receptionist, he fallowed her instructions and opened the door to the room.
"Wow..." Jason muttered as he saw about a dozen policemen go like engines on their typewriters. Well they do say that most of the job is paperwork but still... Shaking his head if thoughts, he spotted the detective sitting at his desk.
Wei was reading the report on the body that they found in the burnt house from yesterday. They found a body inside the apartment that the kid had pointed them to, and they found a body. They're not sure if it's Zolt's but they're running testes to be positive. "Umm, detective Wei." the man looked up from his papers to see the kid from yesterday. Jeez, poor kid looks like he hasn't slept at all. he thought.
"Hey...Jason right?" he nodded, "What brings you here?" he asked, gesturing for the teen to sit down at the chair in front if his desk.
Jason cleared his throat, "Yesterday, I saw some guys enter Zolt's apartment, I think they may be...Involved." he stated. Wei felt like the luckiest man alive right now, more leads, more understanding of who they're after.
Wei opened his desk drawer, "That's great, we have some mugshots of some known gang members. If you can match them up with the photo we can go find them." he said as he pulled out the photobook.
Jason nodded, "Anything to help." he said as he opened the book and filled through the book. He actually saw some guys he walked past last night, but it wouldn't do any good if he just went snatching people off the streets, he'd have to catch them in the act to be put away.
After a few minutes of combing through the pages he stopped. Right in the middle of page Twelve was the man. "This is him. Dragon Yang." he said, reading the name below the mugshot. Get ready asshole, I'm coming for you next.
AN: I was torn between letting Ava live and die I'll be honest. But I wanted Jason to feel impacted by what he failed to do. Anyway, I should clear done things up.
This takes place about TWO YEARS before Legend of Korra takes place. If I just did this when Korra showed up then he'd be a good fighter like mako is with girls.
Also there will be Villains that you should recognize from Spider-Man. Who they 'll be I won't say.
Next chapter: Jason faces his mistake and meets a friend.