Chapter Two

Mystical Illusions

'Now for more on the story we alerted you on earlier. WGN Chicago was reportedly burnt down only hours ago. We have Michael Sanders on the scene, Michael, what's going on down there.'

'Well it's hard to say right now, but from interviewing most of the staff this is the conclusion I came to. A mutant attacked the building and was courageously fought off by a camera man at the station. The mutant, still unnamed at the moment, took one hostage. But it seems she was taken back to safety by this so called hero. The man kept the situation under control and saved many people's lives. It looks to me that Chicago might have there own little hero to look up to. God knows we need it…'

Cole sat in a local sports bar a good ten blocks away from WGN. He usually came there to blow off some steam, but the main thought on his mind was what would happen to him after WGN burned down? He was officially unemployed and would have to find another job…quickly. The rent bill had begun to stack up and if he didn't come up with the dough he might lose his home. It was a good couple minutes before Cole realized that this wouldn't be the best place to 'think'. Drunks littered the tables, girls in short skirts and tight white T-Shirts kept staring at him, and pool balls clanked loudly as large brooding men played at the other end of the bar.

Cole sat silently as he gazed up at the news every couple minutes. He kept drinking lightly on his beer, but made sure he didn't gulp down to much. He didn't have enough money to buy another one. A shady figure approached him; he had a black leather jacket around him and wore blood red pants. The man was slightly stocky and had a large mustache that covered most of his face like a mask.

"Can I help you, sir?" Cole said politely as he turned to face the large man.

"No, no, I was just curious because you looked familiar and I thought I'd get a closer look at you."

Cole raised an eyebrow and thought for a moment. "I look familiar?"

"Yah, you're that camera man from WGN! You saved all those people!" The fat man looked suspicious and Cole wandered if he should continue the conversation. "Well, are you?" The man asked again.

Cole chuckled at the mention of his act. And nodded, "Yah that was me, but it was no big deal." Cole said as he began to drink a long swig from his beer. Cole finished off the beer and a distraught look covered his face.

"What's wrong?" The large man said with a greedy smile.

"It's just…I'm out of money, I don't really have a job right now, and…I've got this date on Saturday and I don't know if I'll be able to afford it." Cole looked at the ground, almost embarrassed at himself for telling the man he didn't even know.

"Get this man another drink!" The large man boomed so suddenly that Cole jumped slightly. The bartender rushed over and supplied Cole with a drink and smirked. Cole gave him a strange look and began to drink the beer.

"You didn't have to do that." Cole said after he drank most of the beer down.

"I felt bad for yah," The man said with a grin.

"I don't even believe I know your name." Cole said as he began to drink once again.

"My name…is of none importance. And I…uh…must be going." The man rushed out of the door quickly without even a look back to Cole.

"What was that?" Cole said as he drank the rest of his beer and decided it was time to get back to his home.

Cole stood up and walked out of the door. He had only had two drinks but was still feeling queasy. The streets were dark and most of the overhead lights had been shutoff due to its cracked glass. He ran a hand over his brow and was beginning to sweat profusely. He looked around and couldn't see much, darkness blocked his view from anything else.

"What's…happening to…me?" He kept walking; he felt like he had lead in his leg's and knew if he didn't stop walking soon he would collapse. He heard footsteps in front of him and stopped. The pain in his legs began to ease…but not much.

"Who's…who's there?" Cole croaked out. Silence was his only reply. He knelt down slightly as his legs began to give out. He heard trash can topple to the ground in the ally closest to him and he looked ahead. His eyes began to burn and he couldn't muster the strength to move. Darkness flooded over him as he drifted off…

"AHHH!" Cole bolted up into the air and looked around cautiously. He was laid out in nothing but his black boxers and a white T-Shirt. "Where am I?" his head was throbbing and he didn't feel like keeping his eyes opened much longer. Before he did anything else he decided he might as well look around and survey his surroundings. The room was lit faintly by a lantern in the corner, the bed he was on looked like one of the only objects in the room. Besides that the room was completely empty, except for the bed and lantern of course.

"Don't move," A voice called from the other room. Cole strained his ears, trying to figure out if the voice was recognizable. He waited a moment until the man had walked into the room. He was wearing a long white lab jacket and black pants. He was clean cut for the most part, and had a small goatee.

"I don't believe you know me," He said extending his hand. "My names Mark Letterman, and trust me you'll be just fine."

Cole kept the mystifying look on his face. Not really knowing what to say so Mark continued for him.

"I know this might sound crazy. But that guy at the bar, that bought you a drink…was trying to kill you. We're lucky I got to you first. The man at the bar, his name was Sam. His last name I'm still unsure of. But Sam was working for a man nicknamed the Mysti. No one knows his real name but I believe-"

Cole waved one hand in the air to stop Mark from talking anymore. "The Mysti? Why does he want me dead?"

"Silence…I will explain everything to you in time." Mark cleared his throat and carried on. "Mysti is a mutant, one of the most powerful in the world. He has one power that will help him ultimately in the times to come." Cole tensed up…waiting for this awesome power to be announced. "Mysti can see years into the future. He saw into the future and knows the threat that you will become. He wants you dead before the thought even comes into your head. But we have the upper hand now…you already know what you're supposed to do right?"

Cole closed his eyes and lay back slightly. "I…It's hard to tell. I mean, this is some heavy stuff. I think that-"

Mark Letterman stuck his hand and waved it to silence Cole. "You know what you need to do, and that's all that matters. But remember, Mysti's gang will be coming for you. He'll find out we talked…he'll see the future change…He'll want you dead more then ever now. You can't let that happen, if you do, it will be the end."

"The end?"

"Think of Mysti's powers! What would stop him from taking over the world? He can foretell every move your about to make. He would be dominant…but somehow…you defeat him. But if his plan carries out, and his little gang members succeed…" Mark's voice trailed off as he sighed and looked to Cole with a look of satisfaction. "I believe you can do it."

Cole smiled uneasily and stood, searching the room with his eyes for the remainder of his clothes. "Thanks for all this." Cole said as he began to pull on his jeans.

"Don't thank me, please! Don't expect to speak with me until Mysti is defeated. I will probably go into hiding for the most part of the fight. If he finds out how much I told you I'll be killed quickly and silently. No one will probably even know."

Cole put on the rest of his clothes and laced up his shoes as a million thoughts began to run through his mind. 'Was my thought earlier back at the station the one that Mark was referring to? Or was it something else…and what if I didn't beat Mysti? He sounds like a pretty cunning foe.' Cole didn't bother a second glance at Mark as he left the room and began into the dark Chicago night.

"I need this job!"

Cole sat in a large executive news office overlooking Chicago. It had been one night since his strange encounter with Mark and he was hoping to get the job here as camera man for a new news show CBS but the interview wasn't going over to well. Cole was everything that the producer wasn't looking for. He wanted someone that could just lay back and not really say much, just be there to do his job. But Cole was all about talking with other workers, getting to know everyone, and be popular. But the producer didn't want to take any light off of the anchors.

"Well I don't need you!" The producer growled at Cole as he sat back in his chair. "I'll call if you something comes up. But don't get your hopes up."

Cole looked down to the nice black carpet, the red tile, and the gold lining the stairway. What would he do? If he didn't make some money fast he wouldn't be able to go on his date, and even worse, he'd lose his apartment. His mind raced with millions of thoughts, but all too stupid and time consuming to work.

"Someone help!" The yell came from many blocks away but that didn't stop Cole. He ducked into a dark ally and peeled off his outer clothes suddenly, leaving him not naked…but in a costume that struck fear and joy into anyone that saw it. He was bearing the costume of Spider-Man and was preparing to go into action.

Cole had gone right to work after his talk with Mark Letterman. He didn't have the strength of the real Spider-Man, but he had played football up until college and believed that would be an advantage. He also didn't have webs, but he had decided to improvise with small black ropes until he thought of something more substantial.

Some people laughed as he ran past, but Cole couldn't stay mad for long. If he had seen such an unworthy copy of Spider-Man's costume he would have laughed too. He wore skin tight red pants and a bright blue sweater. He had at least gone to one of his good friend's Luke for help. He didn't tell him what he was doing, but said he needed a black spider painted on his blue shirt. Luke, being the artist he was, agreed without a second thought to what Cole had in mind. The only non-foolish thing on his costume was the mask. It looked like the real Spider-Man mask and everything, Cole had won it in an auction on E-Bay.

"Don't move!" Cole yelled as he got to the place where he had heard the cry of help. A man with a black gun stood in front of a woman in her twenties.

"Spidah-Man?" The crook said breathlessly as he began to back up. "I thought yah fought up in New York! What are yah doin' here?"

Cole didn't bother saying anything as he threw the rope forward, it worked perfectly, wrapping around the crook's leg and causing him to fall to the ground. "It is you!"

Cole smiled as he walked over the girl. "Are you ok? He didn't hurt you did he?" The girl shook her head and turned, running away as fast as possible. People began to walk up suddenly, looking over the situation.

"Spider-Man?"

"In Chicago?"

"Psssh…"

Cole pulled the ropes tightly around the crook before leaving the scene quickly. He threw a rope up into the air and it caught around the flag pole he had aimed for. He leaned back and used his momentum to propel him forward, over the cars and people on the sidewalk. People looked up dumbstruck at the awesome sight above them.

"Spider-Man!" A young child shouted as he raised his fist into the air. "You rock!"

Cole smiled down at his first 'fan' and began to soar ever higher. With the air in his face and all of his worries seemed to be back down on the ground. A trouble didn't follow Cole up into the skies. As he flew he felt like there wasn't a worry in the world. He felt as if he could take on the world…

Alright, you've set there one chapter full of action. Then you set through another chapter full of important dialogue. I promise you, next chapter will be full of powerful dialogue and great action. So don't miss next chapter when…MYSTI STRIKES!