Omega Kid
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the Kick-Ass comic or film written by Mark Millar, or any guest characters from other Kick-Ass fanfic's they are owned by their own writers and creators. However, original characters in Omega Kid belong to me.
If you enjoyed this chapter and want to know more about my work, you can like the Rurrlock-God of Power Facebook page.
Chapter 10: Say Hello to the Enemy
Saturday 5th June 2010
I couldn't be happier to be away from school once the weekend had arrived. Away from all the talk and rumours that rampaged all week about Lea. Around every corridor and in every class, I heard people calling Lea a psychopath, a deranged maniac and other slurs that I didn't want to repeat. As much as I wanted to say something back and defend her, I didn't have the energy to do so. It pained me to keep my mouth shut more than listening to what others had to say.
I thought that being alone would help me feel better, but, that just meant I was drowning in my own thoughts. I thought about how I could have handled things differently. After all, Lea was just someone who wanted to do some good in the world and believed that they could do it. Okay, things got out of hand and could have turned out much worse, and not just for her.
Thankfully, the thief was out of intensive care and from what I heard, would make a recovery. Still, that didn't little to ease how I felt. The feeling's name was guilt and it was making itself quite comfortable in the pit of my stomach.
There had to be something to take my mind off of this, but I couldn't force myself to get out of bed. I rolled over to retrieve my laptop and turned it on. As it took an eternity to load, I thought about what to search up. I rolled onto my back and stared up at the blank ceiling, mimicking the state of my mind right now. I'd hoped that after a few days, this Lea incident would go away. Yet, I couldn't think of anything other than how scared she must have felt, or how scared she was right now.
After a while, I turned back over to my laptop and opened up YouTube. Immediately, the Kick-Ass viral video popped up on my recommendation feed. Feeling nostalgic and too jaded to find another video, I played it.
As I watched the video, seeing him fend off the group of armed thugs I couldn't help but wonder a few things. Did he ever go through the same thing? Did he ever meet his fans, and see how he had affected their lives?
Of course, I knew I wasn't going to be the only superhero in London. At some point, there were going to be others appearing. But other than Lea, it's just been me so far. In the U.S, people were walking the streets wearing costumes just for fashion or for fun. But here, everyone was counting on me. Whether I was ready or not, I was the example to look towards. Considering what happened to Lea, I was off to a terrible start.
I was so lost in my thoughts that when the video ended and another one on my suggestion list played, it startled me.
The video was set in a news studio with two people sat facing each other. One was that new reporter I'd seen a few times over the past few weeks, Amanda Linea. The other was the Prime Minister himself, Milo White. Hot off the trails of his recent re-election. To be honest, I'm not much of a political person, at least in the sense of talking about politicians and their ideals. Even if I was old enough to vote, I didn't have a big opinion on the guy other than him coming across as quite smug.
Despite the video sneaking up on me, I did hear the opening line coming from the reporter. ''So, just going back to what we were discussing, you seem to have this opinion that this is no gang war issue to be addressed, despite the increase of related attacks to…''
''There is no increase,'' Milo interrupted, holding out his hand to silence her. ''Recent statistics have shown that gang-related crimes have been falling within the past five years. We have done more to combat crime on the streets. There has been increased funding by the government into our police force. We are addressing the issue, even as you and I speak right now.''
Obviously looking displeased at being cut off, Amanda fired back. ''Now, you say this about recent statistics, however, we find other such reading to clash with this statement.''
''More gangs are disbanding.''
''But the ones that haven't are increasing their rate of attack. Such as this new, unnamed gang that seemed to be declaring war on whoever they consider a threat.'' Behind her, up on the screen was the symbol of the new gang we had heard reports about before, with the red and purple clenched fists pointing in opposite directions. ''Are you saying that this isn't a problem to address just because other problems have?''
''That's not what I'm saying at all, and I do just want to point out, I am finding your tone hostile.'' He grumbled.
Amanda replied without missing a beat. ''In my own opinion, my tone is blunt and to the point. Something you seem to be avoiding.''
A smirk grew across my face. I like her the more often I see her.
Trying to remain calm and collected, the Prime Minister responded diplomatically. ''Very well, that's your own opinion. Actually, I am glad you brought this up…'' He gestured towards the symbol. ''Because I want to point something out that I think others are too afraid to say. While we are doing everything in our power to combat this threat, there are certain individuals who I believe are making the situation worse, antagonising the antagonists to make a point.''
''And who do you believe these individuals are?''
''Well, one of the biggest culprits that I have no qualms over naming and shaming is Omega Kid.''
Oh no. The empty feeling in my stomach returned in full force, like a tractor crashing through a newly refurbished home. For the first time, I looked up to see the name of the video I was watching. 'Prime Minster Milo White names and shames Omega Kid.'
I could see something in Amanda's expression shift. She leant forward. ''So, you think that one person who is inspiring to do some good is responsible for…''
She didn't get far, as Milo cut in once more, this time more aggressively. ''He may not be singularly responsible for the attacks by this gang, and I do applaud anyone who sets out with good intentions, however, he has gone about this in completely the wrong fashion. He isn't inspiring good. What he is inspiring is vigilantism! The idea that you can live by your own rules without having to worry about the consequences of your actions.''
Amanda shook her head. ''That's not the impression I get from him at all. I believe he is someone who wants to help people.''
''Well, that's your opinion, and I think we've clearly established at this point that our opinions are very different. See, wanting to help people and actually helping them are two different things. I have never been comfortable with the idea of people hiding behind masks taking the law into their own hands. And considering what has happened recently, with a seemingly ordinary young woman, cutting off a man's hand with a sword, I am well within the right to think that…''
I instantly turned off the video the moment Lea was referenced. I slammed my laptop shut and rolled on my back to stare up at the ceiling once more. He's lucky I wasn't old enough to vote otherwise I definitely would have gone for the other person.
I should be angry with him, but instead, I felt terrified. He's the Prime Minister! Behind the royal family, this was the biggest name in the UK, and he was making it quite clear he was not a fan of mine. I know I said I wanted to be one of the greatest superheroes in the world, but I didn't think I'd explode in popularity this quickly. Not to mention on the wrong side of the like-dislike spectrum. If he wanted, he could call a Special Forces team to hunt me down. The world felt like it was shrinking every passing day, and I was suffocating because of it.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
I looked over towards my bedroom door and heard Jenna's voice on the other side.
''Thomas, can I come in?''
''Yeah, sure.''
She entered the door, leaving the door open and standing there for a moment. ''You alright?''
Putting on a brave face, I grinned at her. ''Yeah. Just a little bored.''
''Why don't you hang out with Alex and Stephen, then?''
''I called them earlier. They're out with family at the moment.''
''Ah, I see,'' She walked over and sat on the edge of my bed. ''Well, isn't there anyone from school you could give a call to?''
With a shrug of my shoulders, I gazed up at the ceiling again. ''Not really. Rachael's working at Comic-City today.''
''I know,'' She responded. I could tell she was thinking of who else I could call. It wouldn't take her long to go through the list, especially since you could count the number of good friends or acquaintances I have with one hand. ''What about those two who helped you with your science project this week?''
Oh wow, it never occurred to me to call Megan or Stella. Although, I'm not exactly that close with Stella and I don't know if Megan will want to spend the day with me. I still feel guilty after the way I snapped at her before. She says that she forgave me and hasn't treated me any different, but hurting Megan is the equivalent of harming a puppy. Not matter how much they come back to you, you still feel bad for hurting them. ''I…I don't think…''
She must have noticed my hesitation because she patted my shoulder and grabbed my attention. ''In that case, if you have nothing planned, why don't you and I go to Comic-City today?''
I stared at her with a mixture of apprehension and curiousness.
''But you're not working today.''
''I know. I meant you and me go as ordinary visitors.''
I sat myself up. ''How come?''
''What? I'm always working, so we never get to spend time together.''
''And when you do have off-time you want to go to your workplace?''
She chuckled lightly as if realising what she was saying was a bit weird, but she persisted. ''You like going there.''
''But you don't. You don't even like comics.''
She raised her brows at me. ''Excuse me. You assume that I don't like comics?''
''No, I just…I didn't think that you read any comics.''
''I've happened to read a few comics. Not only when I'm at work on occasion but also growing up I had quite the collection,'' She said proudly. ''Unfortunately, I wasn't able to hold onto them. I would have passed them onto you.''
''Heh, if there was any space I had for more comics, that's long gone,'' I lifted my legs from the edge of my bed and gestured to the bottom. Boxes are hidden underneath contained stacks of comics that I had assembled over the years. My grin remained on my face. I genuinely had no idea Jenna enjoyed reading comics. I assumed that with her working at Comic-City, a job she's not too enthused about, she would have grown sick of them. My obsession to always drag her to different shops to buy more comics couldn't have helped either. But not only hearing that she had a collection beforehand, but was also going to pass the collection on to me, it made my heart glow. ''What comics did you have?''
''Ones that I couldn't get enough of were the Adventures of TinTin!''
''No way.'' I beamed
''Way,'' She winked. ''There was also a Batman story I use to read over and over again.''
''Which one?''
She stared off into the distance and her face scrunched up. ''I can't remember the name of it exactly. Um…it was…ah, what was it?''
An idea came to me before I properly thought it over. ''Why don't you look in my collection? Maybe I have it.''
''Good idea.''
It was only after those words passed my lips that I realised my mistake. Underneath my bed, lying draped across my stack of comics, I had left my Omega Kid costume there. If she looked underneath, she would have a clear sight of it. She was already lifting herself off the bed to look underneath. I leapt in front of her. ''Actually, don't worry about it, I'll get it for you!''
Befuddled with my sudden outburst, I didn't give her time to respond before I lay on my belly and hung over the edge of the bed. Just as I thought, I could see my costume on my comics. I reached out and grabbed it, hoping to throw it towards the far end and out of sight. However, trying to toss it away whilst I was hanging upside down was a lot harder than I thought it would be. It kept tumbling backwards, still within eyesight.
Jenna must have mistaken my struggles with me searching for the comic because I could feel the bed shift with her movement. ''Are you okay? I could find it…''
''No, no, it's okay,'' I groaned, still trying to fling my costume towards the back. I had to keep her off my back for a little bit longer. ''Um, what's the name of the comic?''
''Oh, it's a Batman comic.''
''That doesn't exactly narrow it down. There's a lot of Batman comics,'' With one hand, I try to move my costume away, and the other I use to flip through a pile of random Dark Knight tales. ''Uh…Dark Knight Returns?''
''No, that wasn't it.''
''Joker's Millions?''
''No.''
''Batman Gothic?''
''That wasn't it,'' I could feel her move again, threatening to lean down and see my costume. ''Are you sure you don't want me to help you…''
''No, I'm fine. I know where everything is. Was it Batman/Tarzan?''
She chortled. ''Very funny.''
''What? That was an actual comic,'' Finally, after so many tries, I was able to hurl the costume behind one of the boxes and out of sight. I breathed a silent sigh of relief.
''That's it!'' She suddenly shouted, causing me to jump and bang my head against the floor. ''Batman Knightfall. That was the name of it.''
I hissed in pain and rubbed my head. ''What? I don't have that issue.'' I climb up from under the bed certain that I know had a Looney Tunes style bump growing on top of my head.
''Thomas, a comic book that you don't have,'' She gasped in an over-exaggerated manner. ''I'm shocked.''
''Hey, like I said, I don't have much space for anything else.''
She sprang up onto her feet. For a moment, I was afraid she was going to propose to help tidy under my bed. Thankfully, she walked over towards the door. ''Well, this gives us more reason to go to Comic-City. Besides, I have something I want to talk to you about anyway. We'll head out and get some lunch afterwards. Spend some quality little brother and sister time.''
''Are you ever going to stop putting the little in front of the brother?''
''No.'' She and I laughed.
Jenna and I browsed around Comic-City for a solid five minutes before we finally stumbled across the Batman comic we were looking for. It's not like this place was an endless sea of shelves and comics. It's just that things here were so unorganised it was a miracle anything could be found in its proper place. Whilst looking around, I couldn't spot Rachael, so I guessed she must have been on her lunch break.
After picking out the chosen comic and handing it to Jenna, she eyed it for a moment before nodding. ''Yep, this is the one.''
''So, why do you like this one? You have something against Batman?''
''No, I just like how it's more realistic than most comics?''
''Realistic?''
''Yeah. I find comics with impervious heroes boring and stupid. I like to read a story where the hero is challenged and has to work for his victory. Superheroes are people too. They aren't immortal or inhuman. I have no interest in Batman. But reading a story where he has his back broken and could die, only to rise to the occasion and save the day, it's refreshing and inspiring to read.''
Admittedly, I wasn't too keen on hearing the part about superheroes breaking their backs and almost dying. However, it was cool to see her have an interest in something that I love. She may work in a comic-book shop, but that doesn't mean we have something to talk about at the dinner table. I always moved onto other subjects as this was something I thought she had no interest in. It's nice to hear that we might have similar tastes, however small it may be.
With the answer to one mystery solved, there was another I wanted to know. ''You mentioned earlier there was something you wanted to talk about.''
''Yes,'' She turned to face me. ''I wanted to tell you sooner, but I wanted to be certain before letting you know. Now, I have a fair chance of it happening…''
Please don't tell me she's pregnant!
''Don't worry, I'm not pregnant or anything,'' She said, reading my face precisely. ''I went to a job interview about two weeks ago.''
''Oh?''
''And I have another one coming up soon. This one is confirmation that I'm going to get the job,'' Her smile grew wider with every word. ''I'm going to be starting a new job sometime soon.''
''No way,'' I exclaimed and she started to hug me tightly. Very tightly…okay, now she was choking me. ''Jenna…can't…breath.''
She released her vice grip on me. ''Sorry, sorry.''
After taking a moment to get my breath back, I let the moment sink in. For years, Jenna has wanted a new job and to hear her finally get something, it made me ecstatic for her. However, as I observed my surroundings, something started to click in the back of my mind. ''Ah, that's why you wanted to come here.''
She forced a smile for my sake. ''I know you love coming here. But, this was too good an opportunity to pass.''
''Oh no, I understand,'' I said. ''That's so awesome for you. If you want to go for it then go for it. I can just always come here whenever, but you deserve a new challenge. It'll be great.''
''Thanks.''
''So, where is it you're going to work?''
''Harrison's Bank.''
I looked perplexed. ''Never heard of it.''
A giggle escaped her. ''It's nothing huge, but the pay will be better and the hours won't be as constricting. Anyways, like I said, I still have another interview to go to soon. But, I think that'll be just to arrange the start date and any other details I need to know.''
Before I could say anything else, my phone started to ring. Jenna started to walk past me. ''You can stay in here if you want, I'll go pick us up some lunch. See you in a bit.''
''See ya,'' I replied before she left. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, groaning once I saw Alex's name light up on the screen. Begrudgingly, I answered. ''What's up?''
''Hey Thomas, how are things going?''
''Pretty good, actually. You?''
''Not bad. Steph and I came up with some wicked new designs for our costumes...''
''What? Guys, I don't want to change my costume design!''
''But, you need to change it. It's a tradition for a superhero to change up their costume design every now and again! Even if by the smallest detail.''
''The details in my costume are fine as they are.'' I huffed.
''Now, now, that's no way for someone to handle criticism. Plus, it needs to match ours as well.''
Ah, here we go again. I rubbed my face and tried to suppress an audible groan. ''Come on, you're not going to bring this up again, are you?''
''Why not? Thomas, you're going to need partners.''
''No, I don't. I won't need partners now, or ever.''
Just then, I could hear Stephen's voice calling out from behind Alex. ''How about sidekicks?''
''No.''
''Why not?'' They both questioned.
''Remember Lea? That's why!'' I yelled louder than I intended. There was a moment where the two were unusually quiet after my flare-up. I had thought they were prodding me with this partner thing just to annoy me, but now that it was silent, I could tell they were trying to be considerate.
''It won't be like that.'' Alex finally answered back.
A heavy breath left me. ''I don't want to take that chance. For now, I want to do this superhero thing alone.''
''For now?'' His tone wasn't teasing or sarcastic, more hopeful than anything else.
I cursed myself for stumbling over my own words. I'm not sure what the future was going to bring me, and the video of Milo White earlier didn't help matters. I couldn't bring Alex and Stephen into this without any kind of plan. Especially after how poorly I dealt with Lea. ''No, just…I don't need partners, or sidekicks or anyone. Look, I'm not in the mood to talk about this, so if there's nothing else you want to say can I go now?''
Another moment of silence followed. ''Yeah, no problem, bud. Talk to you later?''
''Yeah, bye.'' I hung up after him.
I looked around the store for a bit, but I just wasn't in the mood to read anything. So I was left standing around with my hands in my pocket and finding the floor more interesting to stare at. I might as well go outside to see if Jenna has found a place to eat.
After stepping outside, I looked around for a moment to see if I could find her. I was having no look, although, there was another person who instantly caught my attention. Standing beside a sports shop was Rachael, currently munching on a sandwich, chatting with Sophie and Chloe.
The way the sun glinted off the shop windows behind her caused the light to shine off her, and I literally felt myself gasp and take a gulp of air. Man, I'm hopeless. Then again, who wouldn't be after getting to know someone like her?
Not wasting any time, I hurried over to the other side of the road to talk with them. Chloe was the first to notice me, taking a moment to recognise me before waving. ''Yo!''
''Hi.'' I greeted.
Rachael turned around and glowed with a brilliant smile. ''Hey, how are you?''
''I'm good, just out with my sister.''
''She's not working today, is she?'' Rachael asked.
''No, no. We're just out. So, you on your lunch break?''
She nodded and looked down at her wristwatch. ''Yep, I've still got fifteen minutes. Care to stick around for a bit?''
''Of course.'' As if I was ever going to waste a chance to hang out with Rachael.
Chloe stepped forward. ''So, Thomas, given any more thought to our offer about joining the school football team?''
A sense of nervousness crawled up my skin, despite Chloe and Sophie approaching me with an admiring sense of confidence. I wished that would rub off on me. ''I...how do I apply for it?''
Sophie waved her hand nonchalantly. ''It's not like signing a contract or anything. If you're interested, we can put a good word in with the teacher, and he should be able to put your name in for contention.''
''Of course, he'll get in,'' Chloe proclaimed and smacked her hand playfully on my chest, causing me to jump and earn a small laugh from Rachael. I must have looked like a deer caught in headlights. ''It's not like the school has a list of people wanting to join the team in a hurry.''
''How come?'' I inquired.
''Some people find it a waste of time. There's no grade associated with it, and they don't want to put in the extra work for nothing.'' Chloe answered.
''But still,'' I hesitated and looked at each of them. ''Do you think I have what it takes? Based on just one game.''
Rachael leant forward. ''Trust me, if these two have been playing Football their whole lives before I even knew them. If they are this certain about someone joining the team, they know it's someone worth the effort.''
''Really?''
''Definitely.'' The sisters said.
Oh wow, this was more praise than I was used to. Hopefully, I wasn't blushing too much. Unable to look them in the eye without wanting curl into a ball due to the kind words, I searched further down the street to try and spot Jenna. Until I heard someone clear their throat and I turned to see Chloe gesturing towards Comic-City. ''So, your sister works at the same place Rachael does?''
I nodded. I couldn't say anything else before Rachael whacked her friend's arm. ''I told you already.''
''I wasn't paying attention.'' She teased.
Rachael rolled her eyes before looking towards me. ''This is what I have to deal with.''
''Oh, trust me, I know how you feel.'' I laughed and she did as well. The way her head tilted as she laughed caused a single strand of hair to fall over her face, allowing me to gaze at the freckles that dotted her cheeks. The summer sun made them more prominent and I felt my own cheeks warming. I didn't want to stare at her for too long, so I changed the subject. ''Is Stella around?''
Chloe was the first to respond, shaking her head. ''She said she couldn't make it today. I think she's hanging out with Megan. Is that her name?'' She asked the others.
''Yep,'' Sophie answered. ''I haven't met her a lot. What's she like?''
''She's nice,'' Rachael replied. ''A bit quiet, but she is so lovely and sweet. After what happened to William, she deserves some good friends to be around.''
I nodded in agreement. A thoughtful look crossed over Chloe's face as she crossed her arms over her chest. ''It's weird when you think about it. After what Jason did to her brother, you wouldn't have thought Megan would want to talk with Stella. Other people wouldn't have been so forgiving, even if they knew Stella was innocent in it all.''
That's when a thought flashed through my mind. I had thought about asking Rachael before but thought better of it as things were pretty intense at the time. Now, I thought it wouldn't be too impersonal to ask. ''Did…did any of you know? About…Stella with Jason?''
As soon as I said it I wanted to apologise and push the topic away. It was clear they weren't comfortable talking about this. ''We had a feeling about him,'' Rachael finally spoke up. ''We'd seen Stella with him. But we never imagined she was…'' She hesitated, carefully choosing her words. ''Involved with him in that kind of way. I can't stand the thought of her having to deal with someone like that. Jason, he was such a...a...''
''A real asshole?''
''That's the nice version of saying it.''
''You know,'' Chloe said. ''As happy as I am that he is in prison, I would have liked to have seen you get a rematch so you could knock that prick on his ass.''
Oh, if only they knew that rematch already happened. ''I…don't know if it wouldn't have ended any different than the first fight. Heck, it wasn't even a fight.''
Rachael smiled at me. ''It was still the right thing to do.''
Once again, I was too shy to look her in the eye, so I turned around to find Jenna who should be making her way back to us any moment now. Just then, something caught my eye. A car had skidded round a corner, tires screeching along the ground in an ear-piercing manner. A few pedestrians on the street nearby yelled at the car as he sped down the road heading in our direction, swerving about erratically. I barely had time to notice the car had gone over the pavement before it was rapidly closing in on us.
''Look out!'' I yelled at the top of my voice. I reached behind me and grabbed the closest person, who turned out to be Chloe. I was hoping to help someone else, but there wasn't any time. I pulled Chloe to the side just as the car zoomed past us. The wind thrashed against us as we crashed into the wall of the shop beside us.
After the sounds of the car rocketing down the street disappeared, I heard Chloe panicked gasps and pants next to me…and then, an awful scream. Chloe and I instantly followed the sound of the scream. Rachael was kneeling on the ground, unhurt, huddled over Sophie, who lay on the ground crying and holding her unmoving legs. Distinctive dirt marks pressed over her limbs and they almost looked bent at a slight angle.
Chloe dived down to the ground next to her sister, trying to calm her whilst Rachael reached for her phone. No matter how loud Chloe spoke, it was drowned out by Sophie's screams of pain.
I didn't know what to do. I've never dealt with anything like this before. It was like Lea all over again, I felt so useless. Further down the street, cars that hadn't gotten in the way of the runaway or that were parked were smashed up and pushed onto the pavement. Other pedestrians stumbled about, unsure of what had just happened and a few others appeared to have been hit as well.
My gaze shifted back to Sophie, still in agonising pain. Rachael and Chloe weren't sure what to do, afraid that if they moved her, it would make things worse. How could this have happened? Just a minute ago we were talking and laughing without a care in the world. The fear inside me was pushed to the side by anger, growing more heated. There was no warning from the driver, so if they were out of control, they were doing it intentionally. They had to be stopped.
''I'm going to see if anyone else needs help.'' I wasn't sure if they heard me over Sophie, but I couldn't wait if I wanted a chance to catch up with them.
I bolted down the street, following the carnage that the reckless driver had left behind. At least they weren't going to be difficult to track down. In fact, I wondered if the police would reach them before I did.
I must have been running for close to forty minutes by the time I spotted their car. I feared I would pass out. Not the best idea when standing in the middle of a junkyard. I hid behind a discarded washing machine, peering over the top to see the car parked right out a warehouse. The battered vehicle had been abandoned with the occupant, or occupants taking cover inside. I reached for my rucksack, pulled out my costume and quickly changed into it before leaving my bag hidden underneath the debris.
I needed to know if I was dealing with multiple people, and if I was, how many exactly, so I made my way around the back. Finding a drainpipe, I climbed up it, trying not to look down. Luckily, before I got to a disorienting height, I found a broken window with which I could silently crawl through. Once inside, I took light steps and ducked around whatever object I could hide behind. A part of me wanted to stay hidden.
The quiet whispers of voices forced me to examine the pathway before me. The shelves around me were stacked with all kinds of heavy-lifting equipment. If I bumped into any of them, it would make a lot of noise. Carefully, I tiptoed down the pathway, leading onto a veranda that overlooked the main loading bay area of the warehouse. Glancing down over the edge, I could see three people below, shouting at one another.
''We should have gone back, man. We left our boys hanging!'' One yelled desperately.
''We'd be dead as well. We were all screwed. They came out of nowhere.'' Another guy replied.
Getting a better view of them, they all looked pretty beaten and bloody. There wasn't much time to examine what I was up against, as I heard footsteps coming to my left. I turned just in the nick of time to see someone coming towards my position. I moved back a bit and hide. He was standing where I was a moment ago. His back was turned, facing away from me. I had the chance to take him by surprise. Taking baby steps, I closed in on him…before his body tensed.
''So what are we going to do?'' He barked at the others. Afraid I would be caught I silently hurried back into my hiding spot. ''Are we just going to hide here?''
''We're going to stay here and make sure they weren't following us.'' The second person responded.
''Bruv, they'll just follow the mess we caused,'' The more cautious one spoke. ''We need to go now.''
''Not yet. Maybe the police will get to them face and deal with them. Until then, we lay low and wait it out.''
Piece by piece the puzzle was starting to fit together. So these guys were on the run from someone? Probably escaping a fight that they badly lost considering the state they were in, and with how they were implying that there was more of them. That still doesn't excuse them for the harm they've caused. Sophie had been seriously hurt because of them. I needed to get to the bottom of this fast before I might find myself overwhelmed.
It seemed like their talk was over, and the guy in front of me was now walking in my direction, unable to see me as I hide behind a shelf. Soon enough, he was so close I could hear him breathe. I listened for anyone else that might come up to the second floor. It sounded like the others were going to remain in the loading bay, possibly on the lookout for the police or their followers. If I didn't act now, he would be too far away. I leapt out and wrapped one arm around his body and my other covered his mouth.
He struggled against my grip and tried to call out for the others. Luckily, I suppressed his cries and dragged him back further down the pathway, back towards the broken window. Once I was sure we were a safe enough distance, I pulled him close enough for me to whisper in his ear. ''I want to know what is going on. So if you keep quiet and answer my questions, no one has to get hurt. Do you understand?''
Wow, I actually feel pretty badass right now.
His face moved about, trying to get a good look at me as he felt my costume rubbing against his skin. I felt his struggle lessen and he slowly lifted both his hands away from me, a hopeful sign that he was going to cooperate. Taking a chance, I moved my hand away from his mouth. ''Omega Kid?'' He muttered. ''Hey, man, we don't have any beef with you. Just let us go.''
''Let you go? After you run over my friend?'' I hissed.
''Look, we were just trying to get away.''
''From who?''
He paused, his sweaty head shaking and his body heaved. ''I don't know, man. It's that new gang everyone's been talking about. They came out of nowhere. No warning. No name. They didn't even say what they wanted. They just drove these big-ass trucks into our area and started shooting up the place. We couldn't fight back. We had to get out of there!''
He seemed pretty serious about this. Plus, he wouldn't really have much reason to lie to me if he was willing to talk. ''Do you think they were following you?''
''Maybe, I don't know. We drove away as quick as we could. Just let us go, we don't want any trouble.''
''Neither do I. So, why don't we try a compromise?''
It took him a few seconds to respond. The hesitation had me on edge until he finally spoke calmly. ''Yeah, yeah. We can do that.''
BAM! Before I knew it, he struck his elbow into my shoulder causing me to let go. I grunted in pain, but I had other problems. I raced after him. ''Hey, Omega Kid is here! He's…'' Once I was close enough, I kicked at his ankle, causing him to buckle and fall face first into the railings on the veranda. He was out like a candle.
It was too late now. The other three below were looking up at their unconscious partner before shifting their gazes towards me. ''We don't have time for this! This ain't your problem, Omega Kid!''
Knowing I can't back down or hide now, I stood my ground. ''You made it my problem when you endangered innocent people.''
''It isn't like that!'' One of them defended. ''We were trying to get away from the other gang. They might still be following us.''
''I wouldn't be surprised,'' I retorted. ''Considering the damage your driving caused, if I was able to track you down, this gang will in no time.''
The aggressive individual pulled out a knife from his back pocket, brandishing it threateningly, causing my body to tremble. ''Don't get in our way. We're not after you. Just leave.''
I gulped and felt my foot shuffle backwards slightly. My mind raced back to Sophie, and what these people had done to her. ''My friend…she got hurt because of you. She could be dead! Because of you.''
He sneered. ''That ain't our problem.''
The harshness of his words. The complete disregard he had for putting innocent people in harm's way and shrugging off any damage caused was enough to stifle my fear and replace it with rage. ''Well, it is now. Because I'm not going anywhere.''
His grip on his knife tightened. I could hear the leather straps on the handle of the blade threatening to break. He walked over towards the stairs and I prepared myself for an inevitable fight. That is until a strange noise caught us off guard and forced us all to stop and turn our attention towards the steel loading bay door. Next to the door, I noticed something large passing by the window. A truck? Oh crap, the other guy mentioned that the gang ambushed them with a truck. They had followed them!
CRASH! The loading bay door exploded off the hinges, pushed inwards by the armoured truck bursting through at full-speed. Chunks of wood and metal go flying in all directions. The loading bay was clouded with so much dust and debris, I had to cover my eyes and turn my body away. The thundering sound echoed into my eardrums, almost shattering them. After that, the next thing I heard was the scraping sound of the demolished bay door sliding off the front of the truck and the doors of the vehicle opening.
I managed to catch a glimpse of about a dozen people scrambling from the doors, drawing assault rifles. Even if my throat wasn't weak from breathing in the dust cloud their raid had caused, I had no time to warn the runaways before the gang opened fire.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Fortunately for me, I jumped back faster and further than I realised I could. Hundreds, if not, thousands of bullets tore into the loading bay. By this point, I had moved so far back down the pathway I couldn't see what was going on below. Although I could still hear the horrifying cries of the gang's last remaining targets. I felt my stomach turn. Their screams only lasted a second or two, although, the gunfire didn't stop. I dived behind a metal shelf, hoping that this would cover me until I could find an opening. There was another problem, though, out of the corner of my eye, I could see the still unconscious body of the snitch I knocked out. The hail of bullets rained down closer and closer towards him.
There wasn't any time for me to check for an opening without wasting a precious second. Keeping my body as low as possible, I slide my body along the floor and grabbed his shirtsleeve. I pulled with all my strength, praying that the material didn't rip. My head felt like it was going to burst due to the noise coming from their firepower. Eventually, I pulled the guy over me and pressed him against the back of the self, out of the line of fire.
BANG!
I screamed. A searing pain tore its way through me. Blood splattered on the ground and my right arm flopped uncontrollably. I'd thought my whole body was behind cover, but I was terribly wrong. Unable to hold in my screams, I stared down at my bloody arm. The bullet must have gone clean through, as I could see a hole just above my elbow. I slumped back against the shelf, holding my arm and tried to cover the wound and stop the bleeding. First, my arm throbbed wildly then the rest of my body followed that action. My heart was racing so quickly I was afraid I would go into cardiac arrest.
I was in so much pain I hadn't even noticed that the gunfire had stopped. Seconds passed by, or maybe minutes, I could tell anymore because my head was so numb. It was a miracle I didn't pass out. Taking a chance, I peeked around the edge of the shelf. At this angle, I couldn't see them properly, and I feared that if I moved closer I would be shot without a chance to see who hit me.
My eyes rolled upwards, and things started to go black. No, no. Come on, Thomas! I can't die. I don't want to die. As I drearily looked up, I could see something in the corner attached to the ceiling. A small, circular mirror that looked down over the loading bay. Perfect, I could survey the area without the risk of getting sniped. The truck that had bulldozed its way inside drove in slightly, careful not to run any of the gangsters over. I could see something painted on the side. The gang's symbol, the two fists facing opposite ways. Just as I feared, it was the new gang! Underneath the symbol was one word, 'Toxin.'
Toxin? Isn't that the name of a Spiderman villain?
As for the gangsters themselves, they all wore purple and red coats with hoods draped over their heads, concealing a lot of their faces. I underestimated their numbers. There must have been close to thirty of them by now, each of them armed. They were even packing secondary melee weapons like baseball bats, cricket bats and machetes. An army would be the best way to describe this. There was no way I could take on this kind of firepower, especially with my arm.
The doors to the truck opened once again. Someone leant out, not exiting fully, opting to watch everything has he hung on by the access. Even though he was shrouded by shadow, this person was an absolute behemoth so large he could barely exit through the door. Maybe that's why he didn't come out. Then someone else walked out, ducking underneath the giant's arm and stepping outwards. The person kicked aside some rubble and debris, marching forward as a few gangsters surrounded him like bodyguards. He paused, observing the carnage they had caused before walking over towards a motionless body on the ground.
It was too hard to make out the face, but I could tell by the torn clothes that it was the guy with the knife who ordered me to leave before the shootout. The gangster, I'm guessing the leader with the way the others were shielding him, kneeled down over the body before bringing out a thin knife. His body obstructed my sight, although that's probably a good thing, as I had a good idea on what he was doing.
I jolted, my body shook like I had just stopped myself from falling asleep. When I tried to look up at the mirror, my vision was too blurred to make out what was happening. If I don't leave now, I'm going to faint, and I'll be an easy target. There's no way I'm looking to get carved like a turkey.
''Omega Kid!'' A voice called.
My body froze with fear, as my arm continued to burn. They must have seen me before I could properly hide. Remaining as silent as possible, I didn't budge an inch, hoping that they might think me dead and leave. I knew that was just wishful thinking.
''We know you're here! I'd like to have a word with you,'' His voice was thick with overconfidence, and a slight hint of an American accent, I think. ''You have no business being here, and you're not the one we're after. So why don't you drop any weapons you have and come out quietly.''
Ha, like I'm that stupid. I know that the moment I lift my head up, my brains will be splattered on the wall.
Through my muffled hearing, I could make out some gangsters stomping their way up the stairs. Crap, they know where I am. I can't fight back. I can't even keep myself fully awake. All I could do was run. My only hope was heading out the way I came in. But to do that, I was most likely going to make myself a moving target. The chance of me getting shot was…I didn't even want to think about it. Not to mention I had the added weight of the unconscious snitch still snoozing next to me. Even if I had both arms I wouldn't be able to carry him with me. But if I leave him like this, he'll be found and killed.
Looking around, I saw a gap at the bottom of the shelf. Big enough for him to fit, and small enough to be a good hiding spot. Letting go of my throbbing arm, I shoved and pushed him with what little strength remained. I squeezed him underneath making sure that every part of him was out of sight.
''Please, don't wake up,'' I mumbled.
Once he was taken care of, I now had to make my escape. It was a straight shot down the pathway towards the broken window. I was only on the second floor, so if I fell the height wouldn't kill me, right? Right? Oh God, I don't want to do this. I heard their footsteps on the veranda. If I don't move now, they would have a clear shot at me. Tears stung my bloodshot eyes, and I adjusted my body so that my foot was planted down and I could sprint when ready. I had to ignore the pain, just for a few seconds.
I close my eyes.
Jenna, Rachael, Alex, Stephen, Megan…everyone...
I run.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The sounds of the guns being fired and the bullets landing close by reverberated all around me, but I didn't dare look away. I sprinted towards the window. I couldn't be cautious about this or stall for a moment; I had to take a leap of faith…literally.
CRASH! I charged through the window, not getting hit by any bullets, as far as I was aware. I fell at least two stories...THUD! Crashing onto a dumpster and rolled onto the floor. The wind was knocked right out of me, and my body felt like it was caving in from the inside out. It would have been worse if I landed on my bad arm. Knowing I can't run for it, I roll under the dumpster and waited.
I think at this point I was too terrified to pass out. I waited for what felt like an eternity. Even when I heard a truck drive off into the distance I remained low, just in case there were people left behind to search for stragglers. I kept my hand over the bullet wound on my arm, grimaced by the feeling of warm blood still leaking between my fingers. If I didn't want to die from blood loss, I had to move and find help soon.
After what felt like hours, I pulled myself out from under the dumpster. I scanned the area. Nothing seemed out of place, and the coast seemed clear. My body felt like it weighed a tonne as I stood up and limped over to find my rucksack. It was awkward to try and remove my costume and retrieve my casual clothes with only one arm. At least it meant that I was still alive.
Groggily, I hooked my rucksack over my shoulder and hobbled back to civilisation. There was no way I could make it back home. Even if I did, how could I possibly explain to Jenna my sudden disappearance and the state I was in? Jenna! Was she caught by the driver? I didn't see her. I need to know what happened with Sophie. What about Rachael and Chloe? I had to make it back to them and find out.
Unfortunately, I think I only got about a third of the way before I finally collapsed and slipped into darkness.
The first thing I saw when I woke up was Jenna looking down at me. My vision was still blurred slightly, but I could recognise her a mile away. There was a minty taste in my mouth and the scent of rubber gloves caused my nose to scrunch up. I must have been found and taken to a hospital. I turned my head and glanced at my right arm, which was now hooked up to an IV and bandaged. There was still no feeling coming from it and I couldn't move, but right now, I was thankful that it hadn't been amputated.
''How do you feel?'' Jenna asked softly. She must be fighting every urge in her body not to hug me tightly, afraid to crush my already fragile bones.
''Lightheaded,'' I responded. Like a bolt of lightning, it came to me I knew what she was going to do now. She was going to scold me for being so reckless and literally running towards the danger. ''Jenna, I'm really sorry about...''
''Shh, it's okay, it wasn't your fault!'' She soothed.
Had I been drugged or something? Ever since Jason knocked me out, she'd go into hysteria if I were caught within five miles of trouble. ''I…don't…''
''You was out for a while. Rachael told me that you were with her when the car drove by. You went to help others that might have been hurt. Do you remember what happened after that?''
''I was…'' My head was hurting bad enough, now I had the added confusion of playing along with a story I had no clue about. What would Rachael say that…wait. ''Wait, what about Rachael?''
Jenna pointed towards the other side of the bed. I turned and saw Rachael asleep at a chair, thankfully fine and seemingly unharmed. My rucksack was nestled next to her foot. Oh, I really hope no one has looked inside. Then again, if they had, that would surely be the first thing I would be asked about.
Before I could spend too long thinking, Jenna continued. ''She's hasn't left the hospital all day. Not even when her mum called. Always checking up on you and…'' She hesitated. ''Sophie.''
My stomach was in knots hearing her say Sophie's name. I turned around sharply to her. ''Is Sophie okay? What about Chloe?''
''They're both alive. Chloe is with her now,'' She bit her bottom lip, her expression darkened. ''Sophie was hit pretty badly. They're doing everything they can. She should pull through, but they're not sure what kind of damage was done to her legs. It sounds bad.''
It tore me apart inside to her this. I'm glad she's alive. But it was heartbreaking to imagine the pain she was going through right now. I don't know how Chloe would be handling this situation. Probably the way Jenna was handling things checking up on me. ''What happened? Afterwards, what happened?''
''I heard the car. I tried to look for you, but I ran into Rachael and her friends first. They were waiting for an ambulance for Sophie, and Rachael told me you went off to help other people. I searched everywhere for you. I was terrified, thinking that you might be dead or…'' Her voice began to crack. After taking a moment to collect herself, she continued with the story. ''Then, I got a call from Rachael about two hours later, telling me that while waiting at the hospital with Sophie, she saw you being brought. You'd been found unconscious on the street. You were shot! Don't you remember that?''
I felt like I was going to pass out again from being overwhelmed with all this info. ''Yeah…it…I didn't see who shot…'' I couldn't finish my sentence. I didn't know how too.
''Apparently, the drivers were gangsters,'' Jenna said. ''They were found dead this afternoon in some junkyard. It was apparently a massacre. I'm so glad you weren't there.''
So, they think it was the drivers who shot me? That works fine for me. If Jenna knew what had really happened, then this Toxin gang would be the least of my worries. But either way, whatever the story, I had still been shot. I stared at my arm, which I hadn't even realised was shaking. There was just no feeling whatsoever. At least the pain had been numbed.
Jenna noticed me staring at my arm and offered a reassuring smile. ''You'll be fine. It may take a while, but the doctors said you'll recover.''
''How long exactly? Until it fully heals?''
''They said between three or four weeks. Possibly more.''
A silent sigh passed my lips. That was too long! Who knows how many people could get hurt or killed if I'm gone for that long? And what if Toxin causes more trouble whilst I'm stuck here recovering? I'm not going to be of much use with one arm. So I would have to pray for a speedy recovery and hope that they remain inactive until I'm back.
It seems impossible. It was going to be me against an army. But, if they consider me a threat, then that means they fear there's a chance I could beat them. I've seen their leader. Next time, I'll be ready. Even if I just get lucky, I stand a chance of beating them. All I can do for now is wait.
To Be Continued...
If you'd like, you can follow my original stories on Wattpad. My penname is Thomas-LF. Thank you for your time, if you do read them, I hope you enjoy them.