Chapter Five

It was not the response Infern had been expecting. At least, that's what I figured out by the stunned expression on his face.
"Pardon me?"
"Take me home." I repeated, a little less forcefully. "Look, Mr Infern, this is a little much to take in. I'm sure you're doing some great things here, and I'm flattered you want me and Sammy to be Field Agents for you, but it isn't for me."
"Every young man wants to be a Superhero at some point in his life," Infern tried reasoning. "I'm offering you a chance to live out that boyhood fantasy."
"Can you make me fly?"
"Yes."
"Can you give me Super Strength?"
"Absolutely."
"Can you guarantee nothing will happen to my family if I get discovered?"
"Yes!" Infern was practically giddy. "That's why a lot of Superheroes use secret identities."
"And," I followed up, "Can you bring Frank back to life?"

Silence.

"What?" Infern spluttered.
"You heard me. I'm not even one of your Field Agents yet, and already I've caused one death. If what you say is true, I may even be the cause of my own death, and Sammy's. I can't take that responsibility."
"Mr Tucker," Infern started. "We are at war with the darker aspects of society."
"I didn't ask to be a part of your war!" I shouted.
"You asked to be purified by The Truth!" Infern bellowed at me.
"I was trying to save my life!" I shot back. "I would have done or said anything to get out of there!"
Infern reeled back, as if I had struck him.
"Your life," he stated, "Was never in danger. We do not kill. We don't threaten, or intimidate. Every member of The Brotherhood is here because he or she wishes to be."

I shook my head. Really, what could I say?
"We have men and women from all walks of life, to are sworn to uphold justice, and freedom. I'm sorry if you don't want to be a part of it, but you're refusing to see the larger picture."
I said nothing. Infern took this as leave to continue.
"For hundreds of years, we have protected the people of this city, this country, and this world. Our Field Agents, rare as they are, are all of the highest quality. They undergo rigorous training, and all of them know the risks. They choose to fight because they want to believe that good people should be treated with respect, and dignity, and be safe." Infern paused, and looked me right in the eye. "With your Foundation, Mr Tucker, you have shown that you believe in the same things."
"It isn't the same."
"Isn't it?" Infern smiled. "Why did you set up your Foundation? One that, I'd like to add, has provided homes, food, and clothing for thousands of widows, widowers, and orphans of the Rikti war."
"I did it because…well…it was right."
"And what we are doing here isn't?"

I had a response planned. I was ready to argue, reason, and cajole with Infern, all until he saw my point of view. It didn't matter to be if he agreed with me, but I wanted him to see things from my perspective.
Unfortunately, I never got the chance.

The room exploded.

---

Dozens of armoured men poured in from all directions, with dangerous looking, black guns, all glinting in the artificial lighting. Flames shot out through some of them, burning equipment, furniture, and workers alike. The lead man stopped in front of myself and Infern, and, although he wore a black helmet, he seemed to smile.
"So, Infern. This is your latest Agent?"
Infern drew himself up to his full height, as if nothing were happening around him. As if scores of his men weren't being slaughtered before his eyes.
"Corruptor!" He spat. "Why have you violated this place?"
"I wished to meet with your friend from England," this man…Corruptor…seemed to smirk. "And now I wish I hadn't. He is unworthy of The Truth."
"What do you know of The Truth? You and your friends cast that aside, you butchered and violated it."
"So?" Corruptor shrugged. "Something else I'll butcher and violate, Infern, is you. Unless you hand over your friend and his companion."
"Never!" Infern yelled, and drew out a small metal cylinder from his pocket. Squeezing it gently, it erupted in flames, until it became a sword, made of fire. "This man is under my protection. Leave, now."
"No". And Corruptor's gun spat out a single bullet, seemingly in slow motion, causing Infern to collapse on the ground, the fire sword cutting out.
Corruptor turned to face me. "And, as for you…you will know the pain of dying slowly, unless you tell me what I want to know."
I ignored him, and went to Inferns' aid. He was bleeding from a chest wound, the red casting a sickening colour on his grey suit.
"Promise me…" Infern coughed. "Promise me you'll find The Truth within yourself…"
"I…I promise."
Infern slipped the cylinder into my hand surreptitiously. "For The Truth." He muttered, before he sagged in my arms.

I stood slowly, never taking my eyes off the man called Corruptor. "Are you ready to tell me what I want to know?" he asked.
"I…yes."
"Good." Corruptor lowered the gun. "Now…come with me, and nobody else need die."
"Okay."
Corruptor tilted his head, and although I couldn't hear what he said, I was sure he was in radio communication with his troops. They all stopped fighting, and, to a man, turned and started to exit. When Corruptor turned to survey the damage he and his team had dealt, I saw my chance. Squeezing the cylinder, I leaped at Corruptor, swinging the fire sword at his head.

It was a beautiful swing. My aim, although I had never swung such an instrument before, was true, and the momentum I had built up by swinging a weapon with such little mass, was considerable. Corruptor didn't stand a chance.

I was half right. Corruptor didn't stand.

Ducking with such speed I didn't know existed, he sent a kick at my midsection, knocking the air out of me, and plunging me back, so I stumbled against the body of Infern. When I tried to stand, he levelled his gun at me.
"No, please….don't!"

Corruptor wasn't, seemingly, in a forgiving mood. His gun rained bullets upon me.

Has anyone here ever been shot? No? Well, I wouldn't recommend it. I heard the bullets, and although I felt a sharp stinging in my legs, and I saw the blood spurt out of my damaged knees, I couldn't quite latch on to the realisation of what had happened. When I tried to stand again, I found I couldn't. Not that I didn't want to. Not because I was too weak to stand. Quite simply, I couldn't stand up, because I had no more legs to stand with.

I want you to understand, dear reader, that, yes I'm being quite clinical in what I write here. This isn't to say I didn't feel angry, or hurt. Oh, I was in agony. The type you can only feel when you violently lose two limbs – two essential body parts that provide the only form of locomotion we inherently possess. However, I believe that, as it happened, I was in shock. Although I was in pain, the shock dampened a lot of the emotions I felt going through this. I apologise for my clinical viewpoint, however, I don't remember, to this day, a lot of the emotions I went through. Whether I honestly can't remember it, or whether my mind chooses not to, isn't something I can attest to. Nor is it something I want to. Lack of blood, combined with such a violent action being performed on me…it was surreal. As I have said before, the Rikti war never really affected me in a personal way. None of my family died, and with the exception of Emily leaving me for a soldier, no bad things happened to be concerning the war. The only major life change, in fact, was when the lottery made me stupendously rich. Those two events, the lottery and Emily leaving me, were the only two events concerning my personal life, and the war. And now, years later, with the Rikti threat all but gone, with life returning to normal…I was left paralysed. That sort of thing should never happen.

I stared up at Corruptor. The world was getting darker, but I could see enough to know that he was leaning over me. My face in the reflection of his mask's visor was one I barely recognised. I had never seen such fear in anybody's face, and now it was being shown back at me.

I heard a click, as Corruptor did something to his weapon, and a pilot light burst into flame in front of the barrel. Somehow…even though I was losing blood, and quite probably my life, I knew what had happened. I knew what Corruptor planned to do.
However, I didn't know what he was going to say. There was no way I could have known. Even above the roar of the flames left by his troopers, the spluttering death of the computer banks around me, or even my own screams, I still heard Corruptors words, and they'll haunt me until the day I die.

"Goodbye, Jay."

Then his gun erupted into fire, spewing it over everything that didn't move, including me. I felt a brief flash of heat, combined with intense light, and then the world dissolved into sweet oblivion.