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, all original characters in Omega Kid belong to me.
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The Demons Arc
Chapter 59: This is New!
Thursday 2nd June 2011
''Why is it taking so long to finish?''
''These things take time. Rome wasn't built in a day.''
''Tell that to the bearded woman in the sky.'' Silver Saint grunts before storming off to leave Harry alone.
I'm sure that the archer was thankful to finally have some peace, as he was busy putting the final modifications underneath our new vehicle, dubbed the Hero-Mobile. Not a day went by where someone in the team didn't hound him, myself included. I couldn't help it. We were going to have our own truck ready to drive within the next few days if Harry's estimation were accurate. It's the stuff of superhero dreams to have a Batmobile of our own. Okay, Harry made it pretty clear that he was only going to fix it up and didn't have the capabilities to add anything like missile-launchers or gadgets.
With that little distraction played out, I returned my focus to what I was doing. Ever since my fight with Douglas, my injuries had pretty much prevented me from diving back into action immediately afterwards, even if I wanted to go against Jenna's two-week break rule. Fortunately for me, that break was going to be over by the end of this weekend, and it seemed like I was starting to make a full recovery.
The only persistent damage that refused to leave was a throbbing pain in my left ankle. For some reason, that remained all the way through my healing. I could walk just fine and have even improved to the point where I could lightly jog for a little bit.
To help see how it was progressing, I found myself practising my football skills with that foot. Right now, I was using a banged-up football that Silver had found and spent most of the morning kicking it against the wall, increasing the strength of my kick every time until the pain became too much.
Taking deep breaths, I paced around for a bit, allowing the pain to subside. Once it had calmed down, I ran up to the ball one final time and kicked with all my might. It soon became apparent that I was a right-footer as the ball went soaring over the wall and out into the street. I clasped my hand over my mouth and prayed that I didn't hit anyone's car or window.
''If this was rugby, that would have been a very good shot!'' Silver called out smugly.
After a moment of listening, I breathed a sigh of relief to hear no crash of any kind. Wanting to get my own back, I turned around to Silver and smirked. ''Well, you're German, why don't you have a go?''
''Football is not for me,'' She replied and strutted over towards me. ''And I'm thinking it's not for you either with a shot like that.''
''Hey, I'll have you know that I'm on my school's football team.''
''Is that so?''
''Yeah,'' I hesitated as she stared intently at me, knowing that I had something more to say. ''I mean, I was on the school team and I'm trying to get back into it…''
She shook her head, cutting me off. ''With a shot like that, they might be better off without you.''
I rolled my eyes. ''Thank you, your constructive criticism is much appreciated.''
By this point, Silver had become pretty much a fully-fledged member of the team. Her tone and personality took a bit of getting used to, but her heart was in the right place, and although she could make a comment that might throw someone off, there was never any disrespect about it. Not to mention, just like she promised, she allowed us to use her multiple hideouts throughout this part of London as bases and meet-up points. We did still have some confusion as she continued to wear her makeshift Omega Girl costume, though that's only a minor thing.
Okay, we still didn't know her secret identity, though that never stopped us from having Hellrider help us before.
Speaking of Hellrider, he hadn't been seen since we saw him assisting us against Attila and Hun. He showed up and then disappeared just as quickly. Was he still willing to help us? I couldn't know.
I was brought out of my thoughts by Silver gently drumming her fist against my chest. ''So, why were you dropped from your school's team?'' She inquired.
A sigh escaped me and I looked away ashamedly. Silver leant in closer, more curious than ever following my actions. ''On my first game with the team…I…sort of…got myself sent-off for knocking over a player.''
Silver's eyes bulged out of both her real eye-sockets and mask ones. Then, a bellowing laugh came from Harry, who had emerged from underneath the Hero-Mobile. ''You? Knocked someone over hard enough to get yourself sent-off?''
''Yeah.''
Another fit of laughter erupted from him. ''What did they do to antagonise you to earn that kind of reaction?''
''It was an accident...and a heat of the moment kind of thing. A lot was on my mind that day.''
It took a few seconds for Harry to calm down. I'd never seen him laugh like that before. Okay, I could kind of understand it from his point of view. Despite me being a superhero, it is bewildering to imagine me knocking someone over without the costume.
Meanwhile, Silver giggled lightly. ''If football was like that, I might consider playing it.''
''Like I said, it was just a bad day for me. I'm going to be talking with the captain of the team tomorrow and see if there is still a chance for me to work my way back in.''
Her eyebrow arched upwards. ''You're back in school tomorrow?''
''Apparently so,'' I replied objectively. ''I'm feeling fit enough and that's enough for my sister. Though why I'm going back on a Friday is beyond me.''
''Does that mean you'll be coming back to help us?''
My answer didn't come instantly. In the eyes of the outside world, Omega Kid was still considered dead. I had been put on an extended break before I could announce my big return. The others had continued as the League of Heroes without me, and their exploits were being covered by whoever would catch sight of them. It was always noted that Omega Kid was never with them, so that added more fuel to the fire. ''I'm definitely going to help you guys if you ever need me. But, not until after this weekend.''
Once again, Harry emerged from the truck, wiping his mucky hands on his shirt. A grunt came from him as he stood up straight and walked over to us. Silver perked up and opened her mouth to say something until Harry lifted a finger to silence her. ''Before you ask, no, it's not finished yet,'' He shifted his gaze towards me next, an amused grin tugging at his lips. ''You're really committed to keeping that promise to your sister, aren't you?''
I nodded and my heart felt an ounce or two heavier. ''After what I put her through, I think it's the least she deserves.''
''She's still angry with you?'' He probed.
''Without a doubt,'' I stressed. ''I mean, she's gotten better after taking a few days to let the realisation sink in. But, I'm sure you could imagine how crappy it would feel if you found out your sibling was a crime-fighter behind your back.''
Silver and Harry shared a quick look before turning back to me and responding. ''No.''
I chuckled a little. Inside, I was still feeling like a complete scum bug with the way I treated Jenna. ''I hated having to keep this side of me a secret from her. I don't ever want to lie to her like that again.''
''Don't have that mindset!'' Harry said firmly, catching me off-guard.
''What do you mean?''
''Telling the truth is always seen as the morally good action, and most of the time it is. However, there's always going to be some occasions where lying and holding a secret are the best course of action. It may not seem like it, but your sister's reaction to you being Omega Kid was taken a lot better than how many other people would have taken it. Trust me, keeping a secret can be a good thing.''
I thought best not to argue with him on that statement. He's probably been through a lot that I haven't dealt with yet. I'm not going to lie, I can see his point and understand where he was coming from.
Things were quiet for a little bit when Silver let out a small whistle and pranced. ''Anyways, I don't do so well with conversations about family and I'm bored, so I'm going to go now.''
A bewildered expression formed on Harry's face and he pointed to the floor. ''Isn't this your house? And you're leaving?''
She waved her arms and leapt upwards to a small platform, effortlessly tilting her body on the edge with one leg before bowing to us. ''Mein Heim ist dein Heim! I want to go and look for something to do.''
That would have to do as our goodbye for now because she was already dashing along the platform and over towards the wall. She easily hopped on top of the ledge and bounced over towards the second-floor window. My lip curled upwards into a smile seeing how incredibly she was moving about, like a master assassin that was thankfully on our side. Soon, she was out of sight and heading off to places unknown.
''Do you think she does that just to show off?'' Harry asked.
''You wouldn't?''
''Oh hell yeah, I would!'' He said in a deadpan manner.
I laughed as he walked towards a small water fountain continued to a broken pillar. He let the water run to wash his hands and then splashed some on his face, which was currently as red as a tomato. It wasn't hard to see why. He had been non-stop to make sure that our new Hero-Mobile not only run smoothly but looked the part too.
Gone was the Toxin symbol. Instead, it proudly showed paintings of each of our signals. My stomach did a giddy somersault seeing it so close to completion and marvelling at the splendid job Harry had done.
''I didn't know you were a mechanic!'' I shouted to Harry.
He shook his hands to dry them and turned around to face me. Water and sweat drenched his face and his hair stuck to his forehead. ''My dad was a mechanic and my mother grew up surrounded by cars. It only makes sense that I would pick up a thing or two.''
''Do you still keep in contact with your parents? If that's not too personal to ask.''
''From time to time,'' He shrugged. ''Once I moved out, we all just kind of moved on. Don't get me wrong, if I were invited over for Christmas dinner I'd gladly go, I just need to be invited first.''
''Ah, okay,'' I thought to leave it at that. It appeared to be a bit of a sticky subject for him, despite his best attempts to remain unaffected and respectable.
I was surprised when he decided to continue, clearly picking up on my awkwardness and how quickly I wanted to brush aside the topic. ''I still love my parents, and they love me. They hate me, but they love me too. They haven't always agreed with me. Whether it was what colleges I went to, the company I kept, my sexuality, there was always some comment they wanted to throw my way. But, come the end of the day, they wouldn't want me to change.''
''That's cool. That's how it should be. You're awesome as you are.''
That stroked his ego. He nodded and grinned. ''Damn right. Unlike some people we know, I don't have to pretend to act rough and tough to be cool. I exude coolness by being chill.''
''You know, I can't tell if you were trying to throw shade at Hellrider or Alex.''
''Honestly, I don't even know who I was referring to,'' He laughed and rubbed some water droplets off his face.
A slight twitch of pain crept up from the back of my ankle and all along my foot. I hissed quietly and tried to shift my weight off of it. Every now and again, there would be this slight jolt that would course up my leg from out of nowhere. I supposed the football practice was a bit much. ''I think I'm going to follow Silver's example and head home. Except, I have just the one.''
Harry hummed. It wasn't a hum of agreement or amusement, it sounded like he was thinking of something else. I stared at him waiting to see if he wanted to add something. His arms were folded over his chest and he glared all around the base. It's not exactly the Batcave or even Donovan's former base in terms of quality. A few broken walls and some half-finished pillars made this place feel ancient, but there was space for our bags and clothes, a training mat that we had recycled, and space for a small laptop for us to use.
Time ticked by and Harry remained quiet, refusing to look at me. He had inspected every visible part of the base before I got too agitated and questioned him. ''What's up?''
''It's about Silver.''
''What? Do you still not trust her?''
''It's not that I don't trust me. It's that I don't know her.''
''Secret identities are kinda part of the superhero deal,'' I pointed out. ''It took us some time before we found out each other's real names, and that was by chance.''
Harry shook his head and breathed heavily through his nose. ''This is different.''
''How so?''
He waved his hand up, gesturing to our base, Silver's home. ''I just find this too unbelievable. She lives on the streets and makes a home in whatever derelict place she can find, scrounging for money to buy food. Yet, she appears very healthy and fit, to the point where she could outrun any of us in a free running contest. She speaks fluent English. There just doesn't seem to be any struggle. It's too easy for her. People living on the streets don't have it that easy.''
I listened carefully to his every word, finding it difficult to disagree with him. When she told me that she lived on the street, I couldn't believe it. I wanted to believe her, after everything that she's done for us. She helped us in a fight she had no place in, just because she wanted to help. She took us into her home and basically let us move in with her. But, Harry was right, there is a missing piece to her story that made it difficult to find this whole thing plausible.
I bit my bottom lip and sighed. ''I hear where you're coming from. But we don't know the whole truth. There might be a reason she is here and she doesn't have any reason to lie to us. I'm not going to start accusing her of anything when she hasn't done a wrong.''
''And I'm not saying we should,'' He concurred. ''I'm just saying that I think there's more to her story, and the longer we go on not knowing, the more anxious I get.''
My walk home was plagued with thoughts about what Harry said. Why do I find myself understanding his point of view even though I disagree with his opinion?
I want nothing more than for Silver to be truthful with us and for her to be a true ally. But, I don't want to bring up anything that opens old scars and makes her second guess being our partner. She's more than earned herself a spot on our team. However, if there was more to her that we didn't like it wouldn't be the first time I've been tricked by a costumed vigilante thinking they're in the right.
Of course, I had no choice but to be reminded of Douglas Carbone, as he was still trending as the top news story, even a fortnight after his death.
The moment I unlocked the front door and stepped inside, I was surprised to hear Jenna call out from the front room. ''Thomas, can you come in here for a second?''
''Okay,'' I hurried in and saw her seated on the sofa. ''What's up?''
''Have a look at this.'' She told me, pointing towards the television, displaying the news channel. She was watching a hot debate going on within the House of Parliament between the numerous MP's and Prime Minister Milo White.
Currently, the focus was on MP Isabel Ciara, reading from a speech nestled on her desk, pointing an accusing finger towards the startled leader. ''The fact of the matter is, no matter how it is addressed, this notorious gangster from the United States was allowed to terrorise our streets for almost a year. There was no strategy to stop him. A plan could not be formed. He grew in power over the months, to the point where he grew ties and connections with incredibly dangerous individuals.''
A chorus of applause and cheers followed, and she raised her chin and looked on proudly, almost as if she was enticing the opposition, including Milo himself. I had to admire her guts, even if I just thought of her as a lesser of two annoyances.
Right on cue, the Prime Minister was quick to rush to his own defence, calling for order before beginning his speech. ''It is true that Douglas Carbone did work alongside some very terrible people in his time here in the United Kingdom. But now that his operation has been put to a halt, and his connections have been revealed, it will allow us to find everyone involved and responsible for helping him commit these atrocious crimes…''
''That is the point I am trying to address,'' Isabel interrupted. Many different voices tried to raise their volume in the hopes of drowning out the others, but Isabel was the loudest of them all as she snapped. ''We have known about the people he was involved with for months now, not limited to the sons of the head of a weapons manufacturing and distribution company, or a former U.S. Army veteran. Douglas Carbone was not captured by the police. He was not captured by any authority. He wasn't even captured. He was killed by a group of costumed individuals parading as superheroes.''
I never want to make a joke about trigger words, but if there ever were one for Milo, it would be superheroes. He licked his dry lips and fired back. ''I would like to remind everyone here that I have never been supportive of the actions of these superheroes. We will not condone their actions. I may not be a popular figure with the majority because of how they naively see masked individuals taking the law into their own hands. The safety of the people is our top priority.''
''I doubt that,'' Isabel retorted.
Milo looked like he was about to explode. I wouldn't have been surprised if he tried to jump over the desk to get a piece of her. ''Excuse me, I am not very accepting of your tone!''
''Good! Because my tone represents how the people feel. You have failed to do anything about the gangs, the superheroes and supervillains that have risen in this country. If something disastrous were to happen, you would pass the blame to others, but if someone were to do some good, you would gladly take the credit. We cannot accept this anymore…''
Things went abnormally quiet once she paused. Words threatened to leave her lips as she left everyone hanging by the edge of their seat, both in the debate hall and in every home that was watching what was going on. I turned over to Jenna to see her reaction and she glanced back over at me with a worried expression.
I turned around just in time to see Isabel finished her statement. ''I call for a vote of no confidence for Prime Minister Milo White! You are clearly not fit to lead this country.''
The hall erupted. People rose to their feet and started shouting at one another whilst Isabel remained unflinching. Her eyes were locked with Milo, who for the very first time couldn't find a response. He was as pale as his namesake. He couldn't keep eye contact for long and glanced down towards the ground in a defeated manner. Quickly, the screen faded to black as Jenna switched the TV off.
''Holy crap.'' I murmured.
''I know, it just happened. I thought you would want to see,'' She moved over to allow me space to sit on the sofa with her. ''How do you feel?''
''I don't know. I don't like him and he hasn't handled things well, but I wasn't expecting this. Can she even do that?''
She shrugged her shoulders. ''To be honest, I'm not sure. She wouldn't have called him out publicly like that if she couldn't. I knew they didn't like each other, but I would never have imagined she would take it that far.''
I nodded in agreement. Here was me thinking that Douglas no longer being an issue would have meant things would become simpler like before. ''Well, at least now I know what everyone will be talking about in school tomorrow.''
''Hmm, I doubt it'll just be tomorrow. This is going to go on for quite a while,'' She breathed heavier than usual, forcing me to turn around and gaze at her. A sullen look clouded her face and her head slowly tilted from side to side. ''I know what you're going to talk about.''
''Actually, I don't. After that, I'm not sure what else to talk about…''
''Our agreement about your break,'' She said sternly. Oh boy, this isn't going to be an easy conversation. My body shifted upright and I turned around to face her fully, my complete and undivided attention drawn to her as she continued. ''I know we had a deal, but I'm thinking you should hold off for another week.''
''What?'' I practically leapt up from the sofa in shock. In doing so, my weight was forced on my bad foot and caused a bolt of pain to shoot up my body and I grunted.
She sharply pointed to my foot. ''That's the reason! You're not ready.''
''I can stand and jog on it,'' I defended. ''It's just when I put too much pressure on it…''
''That's my point! If anything were to happen, for example, you could break your foot when you're trying to run away…''
''I'll have the others to back me up…''
''But what if you don't? What if there's a time when you're on your own with no one to help you when you need it?''
''That won't happen. We're a team!'' That probably wasn't the best justification I could have made, further evidenced when she turned away with an unconvinced look. ''I made you a promise that I wouldn't do things alone, and they know it. They'll look out for me. I promise.''
''Why do you want to rush back into this? Everyone already thinks Omega Kid is dead! Can't you just wait one more week?''
Seeing the distressed caused my argument to stumble on its way up my throat. She wasn't rowing with me out of malice or to hurt me, it was the opposite. The tension in my body slipped away and I felt myself relax as I sighed and nodded. ''Okay.''
Jenna looked puzzled. ''Okay?''
''Okay,'' I started fidgeting with my hands and couldn't look her in the eyes without the fear of tears making an appearance. Memories of how angry or scared she had been in the past whenever I had to lie to her replayed and repeated in my head. ''I don't want…I'm sorry I…I don't…''
My words stumbled over each other. Damn it, how is it that I can find it so easy to talk back against supervillains and gangsters, but the idea of raising my voice to my sister made me feel sick to my stomach? Maybe because I acted like a villain towards her? I mean, sleeping pills? Really? I still can't believe I did that.
I noticed Jenna stand up from the sofa and hold out her arms. ''Come here,'' She approached me and hugged me tightly, which I gladly returned. After a moment without needing to say anything, I heard her whisper in my ear. ''I just don't want you to get hurt and then there's nothing I can do about it.''
''I know.''
''I'm not saying for you to stop completely, even if I would be very happy if you did,'' She had said that in a good-humoured way, but I knew that she was serious about it deep down. I chuckled against her shoulder before we parted ways. Her hands rubbed my arms, easing the stress and anxiety. Eventually, her smile returned. ''On a lighter note, I'm glad you finally let me win an argument.''
I scoffed with a sly grin. ''I'll let you have this one.''
It may not have been the most popular decision I ever made to tell Jenna about my secret identity. Yet, when there are moments like this where she shows how protective of me she is, or supportive in her own overly protective way, it makes me think it was one of the best decisions I made.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
''Thomas, can you get that? I'm busy!''
''Me too! Can you get it?''
''Are you reading a comic?''
I lifted my head from the pages of my comic book. ''No.''
Despite being in another room, she could somehow tell I was lying. ''Nice try. Hurry up and answer the door.''
I let out a grunt loud enough for her to hear as I got up from my bed and dashed down the stairs and towards the front door, passing by Jenna who was busy stitching together one of her old shirts with the sewing machine. She was so busy with her hobby that she didn't see me playfully stick my tongue out at her as I passed. Before long, I opened the door and was happy to see a radiate figure standing at the door.
''Hey, Wonder Boy,'' Rachael greeted, leaning in close for a quick kiss on my warm cheek.
''Hi,'' I wrapped my arms around her, only to have something jab in my stomach. I pulled back and my shoulders slumped when I saw her carrying a pile of exam and research books. ''Are you kidding me?''
Rachael offered an apologetic smile. ''Sorry, you know the drill. You've been off for a while now, so you have some catching up to do.''
''I'm back in tomorrow, can't I just do it then?''
''The teachers don't see it that way. They figure this will be a head start to your catch-up.''
I should have expected this. I think I've done more homework than actual schoolwork in the past year and a half because of my time off. Knowing there wasn't going to be a way out of this, I stepped aside and allowed Rachael to step in. Once she did, I shut the door behind. ''Can I get you anything to drink?''
She reached into her jacket and pulled out a full water bottle. ''I came prepared.''
''As you always do.''
She winked. ''How are you feeling?''
''Good, good.''
''Aren't you going to be returning as Omega Kid soon?''
A sense of guilt washed over me. She must have picked up on my hesitant reaction because she narrowed her eyes at me and tilted her head. I bit my lip and turned to her. ''There's been a slight hiccup.''
''It's not serious, is it?'' She asked in a tone laced with concern.
''No, don't worry. It's just…because I'm not fully fit like I hoped I would be, I promised Jenna I would wait a bit longer…''
Rachael nodded slowly, seemingly understanding what I was implying. Before she could give me her response, we heard Jenna call out from the kitchen. ''Thomas, who is it?''
''It's just Rachael.''
She teasingly nudged me on the shoulder. ''Just Rachael?''
''You know what I meant.'' I smiled.
We walked to the doorframe to see Jenna shift her gaze away from the sewing machine. ''Hey, how are you?''
''I'm doing well, thank you,'' Rachael replied and then gestured to the pile of books in her head. ''I just came by to drop off the work Thomas has missed. I figured we could study together if that's okay?''
''Yeah, of course,'' She returned to her work, fixing up the sleeve to her shirt. It only came to me now that Rachael was still carrying all of our work. I offered to take it from her, which she gladly accepted. Just as we were about to leave, Jenna gave us one final statement. ''Just don't do anything you shouldn't up there.''
Although her tone was playful, Rachael and I stopped dead in our tracks and our faces paled. We sharply turned back to Jenna, who wasn't even looking in our direction, yet we somehow felt like we had been caught red-handed. I could feel the heat radiate from my cheeks, and a thin line of sweat form on my back. Rachael and I shared a quick glance with dinner-plate-sized eyes before Jenna noticed we were still here and eyed us curiously. ''What's up?''
''Nothing!'' We both shrieked and rushed for the stairs, dashing up to the next floor and slamming my bedroom door shut.
That was probably not the best way to leave, but the embarrassment levels would have only grown had we stayed and tried to explain ourselves. I pressed my ear to the door, listening for Jenna. Once I knew all was quiet, I sighed with relief. ''Well, that was awkward.''
''You could say that again.'' Rachael laughed quietly. She walked over to take a seat on the edge of my bed, setting the books down to the side. ''I'm guessing that Jenna doesn't about…what we did?''
''Ha, no way. If she didn't kill me for the Omega Kid thing, she would definitely kill me if she found out we…we…you know,'' I cursed myself for stumbling at the last part.
''Would she really?''
I thought it over. ''I don't know, probably not. But, it's…this isn't a subject we have had much chance to talk about. Does your mum know?''
''Oh God, no,'' She chortled. ''She'd kill me. I've had the whole birds and bees speech, whether I wanted to hear it or not.''
It was still unusual to see Rachael get flustered when talking about something, although with this topic it was understandable. This wasn't an easy thing to talk about, even if I have nothing but good memories. I moved away from the door and took a small space next to her on the bed, our bodies naturally moving closer until our shoulders bumped and we were left silently sitting. It was so quiet, not only could I hear her soft breathing, but the beating of her heart. She was probably just as nervous thinking about this as I was.
Finally, she whispered. ''We are going to have to talk about it.''
''Yeah, I know,'' I cleared my thought and wondered where I could even start. ''It didn't…like…I didn't hurt you did I?''
''What do you mean?''
''I just…I've heard that a girl's first time can hurt, and I want to know so that…I mean, I don't want it to hurt for you. I mean…I hope that it didn't, I wasn't trying to…I…'' No matter how hard I tried to consider my words, they would come out a jumbled mess, leaving me to stutter my way through a sentence incoherently.
After that, I lost track of what I was even trying to say. Even when I tried to stop, my mouth would just run ahead and I wasn't making any sense.
It wasn't until I felt Rachael's hand tug on my arm that I finally stopped babbling. ''Breathe,'' She ordered with a grin. I did as instructed and finally shut up, giving her time to respond. ''It didn't hurt. Depending on how a girl feels, their first time doesn't have to hurt.''
''Really?''
She nodded.
Somehow, I still felt mortified. ''Guess that shows how much I know about sex education.''
''With the school system currently in place, it's a miracle we learn about it at all,'' She jested, trying to help my mood. I didn't want to be nervous. I wanted to talk to her about this, but I'm not used to being so open about sex. If Rachael was as uneasy as I was, she was doing an incredible job of suppressing it. ''How did it feel for you?'' She asked.
A gulp rolled down my throat and my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. ''Um…it was…it was a pretty tense situation we were in.''
She glanced down at the floor. ''Yeah, it probably wasn't the best time for…''
That came out horribly on my part. I didn't want to make it seem like a bad thing. I sharply turned to her, catching her attention. ''But I wouldn't want to change it. I mean…I'm happy it happened. I'm happy that I finally got to share that first time with you.''
Her smile grew brighter. ''I am too. It wasn't quite how I imagined our first time would go, but that didn't make it any less special.''
A goofy grin tugged at my lips. ''You imagined our first time?''
Her cheeks reddened. ''Well…yeah. Haven't you?''
''Okay, you got me there.'' The tension was thankfully cut by the heartfelt laugh we shared. However, after a moment, Rachael's expression grew serious. Something was still clearly on her mind and she wanted to get it off her chest. ''Are you okay?''
''Yeah,'' She hesitated before continuing. ''I agree that I wouldn't want to change anything about it. It was scary. It was a bit awkward. It was all over the place…''
''Those are good things?'' I asked perplexedly.
Surprisingly, she nodded. ''I had built so much expectation over the years of what my first time would be like. To have it come across as so normal…it made it feel…you made me feel relaxed. Despite what was going on, I laughed and I smiled. I was going with the flow, not sure if what I was doing was the correct way of doing it, if there is a correct way of doing it. It was exciting. I'm probably not making much sense…''
''Actually,'' I cut in. ''I get what you mean. That's how I felt. You're just better at putting it into words than I am.''
Despite flashing me another smile, it dropped as she carried on. ''That being said, there was something we didn't think about at the time that could have had serious consequences.''
Immediately, my skin crawled and I felt a chill run down my body. A thousand ideas and thoughts rushed through my mind, wondering if I had done something wrong. ''What was it?'' I questioned, too impatient to figure it out for myself.
''Protection.'' She mumbled.
At that moment, I felt like I was going to faint. ''Wait…you're…'' The word got stuck in my throat.
Rachael threw her hands up and gasped. ''No, no. I'm not pregnant! I'm not!''
Thank goodness she said that fast enough, otherwise I might have actually passed out. My body slumped on my bed mattress and I let out a heavy sigh. ''Don't scare me like that.''
''Sorry, I should have phrased my words better.'' She said, unable to stop a small chuckle seeing how panicked I got in that moment.
Allowing me a chance to catch my breath, I sat upright. ''Are you sure? Like, I mean…there isn't a chance that you might be?''
''I've just had my time of the month. There hasn't been any morning sickness. And…'' She paused, eyes glancing around the room before turning back to me. ''I did check with my doctor. It's not his field but he did take a sample for someone and the results came back. So, no chance that I am pregnant.''
I suppose that cements that fact. I'm not going to be an early dad. If that was the case, that date of returning as Omega Kid could very well be postponed indefinitely. Thinking it over, if Rachael did come out and say that she was pregnant, is that really what I want to think about? That felt selfish. ''I'm sorry, I didn't mean to react that way.''
''I know.''
''And you're right. It's best that we're more careful next time and actually use protection. Again, I wasn't really thinking when it happened.''
''Don't blame yourself. We were both caught up in the moment.'' She rested her head on my shoulder.
''I'd like to be a dad, one day when things are a bit easier.''
''You'd make a great dad.''
''You too,'' I replied, beaming with happiness at her statement. She laughed and afterwards I thought back to what I just said and it hit me. I cringed and slapped my forehead. ''I mean a great mum! I meant to say mum!''
She was laughing so much that she slid off my shoulder and rested her head on my chest, bumping against it. Her laugh was so infectious that I copied her. Tears coated her eyes as she rubbed them. Eventually, she calmed down and patted her hand on the books beside her. ''Anyways, enough talking. We've got studying to do.''
''Can't we just keep talking?''
''Nope, as much as I would like to, you have catching up to do!''
I rolled my eyes and accepted defeat. She was right. With school finishing very soon, I had to lift myself out of the gutter if I wanted good grades before hopefully heading to college.
It's only just starting to dawn on me how quickly things seem to be passing by. I'm less than two months away from finishing secondary school. Days were drifting by before I could fully process them. I was on the verge of becoming an adult. In a few years, if Rachael and I are hopefully still together, we will have a real discussion about starting a family. Would I still be Omega Kid in my adulthood? It would kind of go against the kid in the name. I was going to say that it's something I should worry about when the time comes…but it feels like that time is coming closer every day.
The faint bang against my bedroom window brought me hurtling back to reality, any dreams that I had were now forgotten. I groaned and rubbed my hand over my face, trying to wake myself up. My eyes resisted the urge to open as I rolled over and reached for my phone on the floor. My hand flopped about for a bit before finding it and opening it. The sudden burst of light burnt my eyes. It took some time before I became accustomed to the light and could clearly see the time.
11:13pm
To be awoken by a bump in the night was the last thing I needed before school tomorrow. Sighing, I lay still on my bed and listened for any other noise. There was a possibility that what I heard was a figment of my imagination or nothing of importance. However, when I heard another bang coming from my window, I knew I had to investigate…no matter how reluctant I was to do so.
After a few attempts, I pushed my blanket off and got up from my bed. My eyes were still half-closed as I waddled over to the window.
I pulled the curtain aside. The light from the moon above illuminated my room. With the summer heat, it might actually have been a better idea to leave the window open. I grabbed the handle and pushed it open…the moment a masked figure leapt up and grabbed the ledge. ''Thomas!''
''Jesus Christ!'' I yelled and jumped back. My heart thundering as I instinctively clenched my shirt. ''Alex? Are you trying to kill me?''
If I wasn't fully awake before, then Alex, in his Ultra Kid costume, made sure I was now. As I tried to stop myself from having a mini-heart attack, he opened the window and climbed inside. ''Sorry, bud. I had to find a way to sneak in.''
''Why? Jenna knows our secret identities. Why would you need to sneak in?''
He stopped. I could practically see something click in the back of his head. ''Oh yeah, she does. I keep forgetting.''
I held my tongue. There would be plenty of opportunities to scold him at a later time. Right now, there was another question pressing in my mind. ''Whatever, what are you even doing here?''
''We need your help.'' He said seriously.
The sleep in my eyes and the overwhelming black of his costume made it difficult to see him properly. I hurried over to the light and switched it on. As soon as I gazed back in his direction, I was startled to see him with a black eye coming up and dry blood covering his nose. ''What the hell happened?''
He paced around the room. A slight hobble in his step was noticeable. ''We were patrolling near Oxford Circus. Things were quiet, and then all of a sudden we got ambushed by a bunch of hoodies. First, there were three, then three more appeared out of nowhere, and more and more kept coming. No matter how many times we hit them, they just kept getting back up. We all got separated. I've tried to call them, but no one's answering.''
''Everyone was together?''
''Yeah, and then we all got split in different directions. That was over an hour ago,'' He huffed, rubbing his arm. A crack could be heard as he rolled his shoulder. It was clear he was in a bad way, and I hate to image the others in a similar state. I immediately checked my phone for any missed calls, but nothing came up. Alex grabbed my arm, forcing me to look at him. ''Listen, I know you promised Jenna that you wouldn't put on the costume until after this weekend. But I reckon that being a little bit early wouldn't hurt anyone…except for the dicks that ambushed us. We're going to hurt them.''
Despite every part of me pumping my fist and wanting to jump in to help, my lips remained sealed. My talk with Jenna earlier replayed in my head. Alex seemed to notice my uncertainty as he stared at me with narrow eyes. I did want to keep my promise to Jenna, especially after all that I've done to her. But if my friends are in danger, I have to do something…
Another heart attack moment shot through me, as well as Alex, as my bedroom door flung open and Jenna rushed inside. Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates when she saw Alex standing next to me. ''What's going on?''
Before I could answer, Alex beat me to it. ''Hi, Jenna. Can Thomas come out to play?''
She glared at him, although her face softened when she spotted his injuries. ''Are you okay? What happened?''
''Oh, just work. You know how it is. Trust me, it's worse than it looks,'' He waved his hand dismissively. That did not help Jenna's nerves in the slightest, nor mine for that matter. He caught on to what he said and cleared his throat. ''No, wait, I meant that to be the other way…anyway, I know that it's late so I won't bother you for too long. I know that Thomas promised you he wasn't going to suit up until after the weekend. But we would really appreciate it if he could maybe get let out early?''
I could feel my bones cringe from the inside out. Jenna turned to me. ''You were going to help them?''
''I was going to say no!''
Alex gawked at me. ''You were?''
''No! I mean…'' I felt like pulling my hair out. ''Jenna and I pushed back my return date because my foot hasn't fully healed. I'm sorry, I was supposed to call you about it earlier but I got distracted.''
Things were quiet between us. I don't think Alex knew how to continue his argument. It was my fault for not delivering the news to them quicker, but I thought I could save it for tomorrow and tell them in school. All I needed was one more night. At this point in my life, I should realise that I shouldn't leave things to chance.
Jenna stepped forward. ''Where's Stephen?''
Tearing his eyes away from me, Alex stared at her pleadingly. ''That's why we need Thomas. Our team is split up, and I need help to find them.''
A sigh escaped from her. It was apparent how much she disliked this idea of letting me help, however, knowing that the others were in trouble caused doubts in her judgement. ''This is serious.''
I hated putting her through this. It was the last thing I wanted to do, especially as things were starting to get back to normal between us. ''Jenna…'' I grabbed her attention. She looked at me curiously. ''I don't want to let you down or make you think I would ever want to break our promise. But they need my help. They are out there, hurt and on the run. I have to do something. I promise, after I help my team tonight, I will go back to your agreement and won't suit up until you say so. I double-triple promise!''
She turned away, a loud gulp coming from her as she breathed heavily through her nose. Alex and I exchanged glances, wondering if she was going to relent. After a while, she huffed and folded her arms across her chest, clutching her arms tightly. ''Okay, you can go! Make sure that everyone is safe, and call me as soon as you can.''
Nothing could stop me from leaping forward and hugging her. ''I promise to call the moment this is all sorted out. Thank you!''
Her embrace was firm as she held me close, reluctant to let go. I put on a brave face, ignoring the slight throb around my ankle. The others were in worse shape than I was, so I had to be there for them. I rushed over to my wardrobe and grabbed my costume. Rips and cuts were neatly stitched and it had thankfully been washed. No scent of body odour or drop of blood.
I reached for the hem of my vest, ready to get change. However, I noticed the presence of Alex and Jenna still standing behind me. ''Um…I'm going to need to change.''
''Sorry,'' Jenna exclaimed and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
''I'll look the other way!'' Alex mumbled before doing just that, turning his body and staring out of the window.
I rolled my eyes, not for the first time today. Knowing that time wasn't on our side, I changed into my costume as quickly as possible. Wearing it again, it felt really good. It had felt like years since I last wore it. Don't know why.
Anyways, it was time for action.
It didn't take us long to reach our destination. A few bus stops and we were on the street where Alex claimed they were ambushed. I probably should have expected to get a few stares from the late-night drivers. Especially since I'm still considered dead as far as the public was concerned. Then again, a few bus drivers reporting on seeing me hitching a ride was the last thing on my mind. As long as we found the others safe and sound, I didn't care if people found out that I was still alive and kicking. Kicking probably wasn't the best example to use with my bad foot, but you know what I meant.
Alex must have noticed too because as we walked along he would throw the occasional glance in my direction and see me limp when we picked up speed. I shrugged it off and marched onwards. Find the others first and worry about the consequences later.
We reached the street Alex mentioned and searched the place. The place was completely empty. No sign of a superhero, hooded thug or even a drifting homeless person. It was like walking in the middle of a ghost town. I checked my phone again, cursing when it came up empty.
Alex gulped heavily. ''I hope the others are okay.''
''I'm sure they're fine,'' I reassured him, even if I was still trying to encourage myself at the same time. ''They can't have gone far. If they're okay, they would have met back at one of Silver's homes.''
''I should have done more to help.'' He kicked the wall of a shop in frustration.
''You did everything you could. If it was an ambush, there's only so much you can do,'' I walked over and patted him on the shoulder, standing close by as he breathed. With a shake of his head, he pressed his hands to his waist and lowered his gaze to the ground. I needed him to keep a clear head, especially if we found ourselves ambushed. ''Did you see any of them?''
''No, they all had their hoods up. I didn't see any gang signs on their jackets and they didn't say anything. All we got were a few growls and they were carrying knives.''
I furrowed my brows. ''They growled at you?''
''Yeah, weird, huh? Like a proper animal growl.''
Taunts, weird threats and villainous speeches in other languages I'm used to. But I can't ever recall an enemy of ours growling. Then again, with my hearing, I can never be too sure.
Returning my focus to our surrounding area, I kept my eyes peeled for any sign of movement. All we got was the occasional car and motorcycle driving by on the road. The air had gotten unusually cold for a summer night. So much so, I could see my breath visible every time I exhaled. That ghost town comment I made might come back to bite me.
We passed by a few more streets, both becoming more agitated the longer we went without finding them. Guilt shot through my heart. I couldn't blame Jenna for this. She was just protecting me, and understandably so. However, I wished that I were there to help them, or at least know what happened.
Alex and I flinched when we heard a ringtone chiming. It was a faint muffle, but it was more than enough to stop us in our tracks.
''That's my phone!'' Alex shouted and retrieved it from inside his pocket before I had even turned around.
''Who is it?'' I asked and dashed next to him.
A wide grin exploded across his face. ''It's Stella!''
I peeked over his shoulder, looking at the screen. ''R u ok?''
Alex's fingers were like a blur as he messaged his response. ''Fine. Where r u?''
We waited agonisingly for Stella to reply. Our hearts were in a race to see which could beat faster. After what felt like forever, a new message popped up. ''Silver's house near Bond Street. Emerald and Snapshot are here too!''
''On our way.'' Once he finished texting her back, he let out a loud sigh. ''About time something went right tonight.''
''Took the words right out of my mouth, come on!'' We hurried to our new destination. Thankfully for us, it was within walking distance from here. If we ran we could make it there in no time. Although with both of us limping, we won't be breaking our speed record.
As we ran, I heard Alex call out. ''The base at Bond Street, that one's called Hairy Bush, right?''
''No, that's the one in Brisbane Road.''
''Oh, so what's the name of the one the others are at?''
''I'm not saying it!'' I scowled.
''I need to remember the names, just in case something else does happen and we have to remember a base.''
I released a growl of my own. He wasn't going to stop pestering me until I answered him, no matter how reluctant I was to say the name. When we rounded the corner, I briefly scanned the street to make sure we were alone before I mumbled. ''Derelict Dildo.''
He was silent, taking the name in. ''I should question Silver's choice in names for her homes, but I'm more baffled by the fact that you remember them all.''
''With names like that, they're hard to forget.''
Though not as unforgettable as the stories Silver told me, detailing the backstory behind each of their names.
The night had somehow gotten cold when we reached the base, a rundown shop that used to sell antiques and old costumes. Silver once mentioned that this was the place where she found the material to make her Omega Girl costume. I couldn't help but marvel her ability to stitch together a replica costume of mine using bits and pieces she collected and found. Although, that just added credibility to Harry's argument about being wary of her history. Where had she picked up all her skills? That was a question I was going to save for another day.
Making sure we weren't being followed, Alex and I dashed through the open entrance. The front doors had long been broken down. This place was neglected compared to our other bases and hideouts. With a broken desk over in one corner and mouldy mannequins piled on the floor. But, a home was a home and it did provide a second-floor room that was empty and with plenty of space. My guess was that Stella, Dee and Patricia were there.
Alex and I scurried up the staircase, avoiding the bits of broken wood that spiked outwards. We reached the second floor and walked inside of the room. Just as I predicted, the three ladies were inside, all in their costumes. Stella was tending to Patricia, wrapping a bandage around her bloody arm whilst Dee looked out from the window at the street below.
Stella grabbed her staff and aimed it in her direction the moment we stepped inside. I guess we should have announced ourselves first before charging in. All three turned to us with equal looks of shock, eventually turning into happiness.
''Thomas? You're here?'' Stella gasped and rushed over to hug me. I held her tightly, glad that she was safe.
''Yep, I decided to help.''
Patricia let out a relieved gasp. ''Thank the lord, because we need all the help we can get.''
We pulled apart and I got a good look at Stella. There was a small cut above her eye and her lip had swollen, but she looked more or less fine. She turned to Alex and the two of them hugged as well, glad to see that the other was safe. The moment they stepped back, Alex was quick to question her. ''You haven't seen Steph, have you?''
''No, I hoped that he was with you.'' She replied dejectedly.
''Crap, where is he?'' Alex paced around, clenching his fist and looking like he was about to punch something.
There was nothing we could do for now. I was just glad that we found someone; at least half the group. ''We'll find him. The others might be huddled somewhere together like we are.''
''He should at least call me. He has a phone for a reason!'' He barked.
Stella and I shared a quick glance. It was better to just let him cool off for the time being. She walked over to Patricia, kneeling down to finish tending to the Goth's arm. From the looks of it, she suffered a nasty cut that left a huge gash. The wound appeared to have been cleaned and stitched up, so at least there's that. Patricia smiled at me and I returned the gesture.
Time was moving quickly, and we needed to move ahead if we were going to find the others before someone else did. I marched over to Dee, who smirked and opened her body for a hug. Her arm wrapped around my neck as we embraced. ''Welcome back, co-captain.''
''Not quite the welcome I would have liked.'' We parted. She appeared to be in the best shape of the group so far. There weren't any bruises or cuts as far as I could see. Although, with her costume and cape that slung over her back, it was hard to tell. ''Are you all okay?''
''We're managing for the moment.''
''Do you know where the others are?''
She took a step backwards, giving me a clear view of the street below. She pointed out into the distance, drawing attention to a Chinese takeaway by the corner. ''We saw Big Bob get cornered in an alleyway. We tried to go and help him but got overrun. Snapshot got cut.''
''He got me when I wasn't looking.'' She called out.
A loud huff came from Alex. ''Now you know how I feel.'' At least he was keeping his sense of humour.
Dee continued. ''We almost didn't make it out. Silver was with us. She stayed behind to find Big Bob and keep them off our backs as we escaped. I wanted to go back and help, but with Stella helping Pat, I would have been on my own.''
''Not anymore,'' I told her before looking over at the other girls. ''Will you two be fine on your own?''
''We'll be okay,'' Stella confirmed.
I turned to Alex, who was adjusting his mask. ''You ready?''
''Always.''
Wasting no time, Dee, Alex and I rushed down the stairs and out of the shop. A thick layer of mist began to envelop the street and the cold wind wiped briskly through our costumes. I actually had to rub my arms to warm them up. The day had been quite warm, so for it to become this cold all of a sudden was surprising. We were on a mission to save our friends, meaning we couldn't let the cold bother us. Even if it started to become so chilly that my teeth began to chatter.
Dee and Alex were on their guard, as was I. Every building we passed we peered around the corner, expecting something to jump out and attack us. The wind howled, growing stronger by the second, knocking over a few signs that had been left standing on the pavement. This late at night, all the shops were closed, sealed shut behind metal gates and locked doors. If we were going to run into someone, it would either by one of the others…or a hooded figure. As much as I was hoping that I wouldn't run into them, I would like to give them a piece of my mind for hurting my friends.
We reached the takeaway shop and waited for a moment. Dee tilted her head to listen, refusing to risk her life by looking around and getting a dagger tossed between her eyes like a dart. From my perspective, all was quiet. But like I said, my hearing wasn't going to be much to snuff at.
She sneakily advanced around, Alex and me taking the reigns closely behind. We were now walking down a smoggy alleyway. The narrow path meant that the wind thrust against us harder than before. A dustbin skidded along the ground, almost toppling over. I feared that a storm might be upon us.
Ha, death by Mother Nature, that would be quite the way for a superhero to go.
In the distance, we saw something move. Before we could even prepare ourselves, we relaxed when we saw that it was a fox scurrying around looking for a meal. Then, as it got halfway down the alley, something caught its attention, causing it to freeze. The three of us watched the fox suddenly zoom in the other direction. There was something else coming around the corner. We took a battle stance and expected the worst.
Shuffling around was someone quite large. Actually, it was two people. There was still a large person, currently being aided by a brightly dressed individual mumbling in a foreign language. I think it was German. Those were all the clues we needed to know who it was.
We could now clearly see Silver and Bobby. The gentle giant limping and being helped by the smaller superhero.
''Silver!'' I called out with a hushed yell.
The two looked up and the relief on their faces was happy to see. They looked too tired to carry on any further so we hurried over to them. Bobby decided to give Silver a break, sliding off her and leaning against the dustbin within reaching distance. A thankful chuckle passed her lips. ''I could kiss you all!''
''I wouldn't object!'' Alex said.
I rolled my eyes at his comment while Dee glanced away shyly. Staring at Silver, she looked like she had just walked through hell with a smile on her face. Strands of her tangled hair pushed through her mask. Her teeth and gums were bloody. There was an evident tremble especially when the wind picked up, threatening to knock her over like a half-cut tree. I approached her, helping her keep her balance. ''We can share the hugs and kisses later, let's get out of here first.''
Silver pressed her fingers to her head and saluted me. Too tired to think of a witty response? She really was in bad shape.
My gaze shifted to Bobby. I walked over and gently pat him on the back, getting his attention. ''How're you holding up, big guy?''
He gulped. ''Not t-to-too bad. My leg hurts.''
I wasn't surprised to hear that. He kept his left knee bent and didn't let his foot touch the ground. It shook vigorously, giving a clear indication that he wasn't going to be walking, let alone fighting for a little bit.
There would be time to assess the damage later, when we're in more comfortable surroundings and not out in the open, exposed to a possible attack. ''Stella will have a look at that for you. Let's help you up.''
Alex hurried over to help me. The two of us grabbed one arm and hoisted it over our respective shoulders. Despite sharing the weight, it felt like carrying an elephant. A baby elephant, maybe? It was hard to tell.
Silver and Dee led the way. This was going to be a slow process. It would probably take us ten minutes just to get out of this alleyway.
Despite her injuries being clear for all to see, Silver turned down the offer of help by waving her hand. Dee's face creased with concern. ''Are you sure? Just because I have one arm, don't think I can't carry you.''
Silver laughed. ''Don't you worry about me, badass,'' She then pointed to Bobby, a wide grin plastered on her face. ''He was a beast. He must have beaten twenty of those bastards. I think he only let me have some fun so not to appear selfish.''
The friendly giant shook his head slowly. ''Nope. I needed y-your help. Thank you.''
''Anytime.'' She winked.
Some blood had been spilt and bruises acquired, but at least spirits were still up amongst the team. I cleared my throat to address the others. ''As soon as we get back, we'll start our search for Harry and Steph. Hopefully, they're close by.''
''We haven't seen them since we s-sep-separated,'' Bobby whispered.
That left me worried. I hoped they were close by. For all we know, they could be on the other side of London trying to escape the hoodies. Then again, if they stopped chasing Alex, Dee and the rest, then why would they carry on in their pursuit of Alex and Harry? It was that thought that left me puzzled. ''What happened to the hoodies? Where did they all disappear to?''
Silver shrugged weakly. ''I don't know. They might have given up. After we knocked away some of them, they left. Not too long ago, in fact.''
Dee cocked her head seeming confused. ''That's strange. Why would they retreat when they had you and Bobby backed against a corner?''
Alex turned to me. ''Maybe they gave up once they realised how stubborn we were?''
Silver laughed with a ragged breath. ''Are you calling me stubborn?''
''Yes, and because this is coming from me, you know that's saying a lot.''
The mystery of their disappearance kept me from laughing at Alex and Silver's banter. ''But still, from the sounds of it, you guys were outnumbered.''
We were only a short distance from leaving the alleyway and making it back onto the street when Dee stopped. She remained deathly still, earning looks of confusion from all of us. I wanted to ask her what was wrong, but my words wouldn't leave my throat. She turned around with a pale, ghostly look on her face. ''They didn't retreat. They set a trap.''
A loud crash turned our attention back towards the street. From both sides, four hooded figures emerged. They stood tall, draped in leather jackets with metal spikes jutting along their shoulders. Two of them held small knives and the other flicked metal chains like whips. If Alex was in a joking mood, he might have commented on how they had the complete biker-gang attire. They stood like imposing statues, blocking our only path to freedom.
Instinctively, I looked behind, and I really wish I hadn't. Four more hoodies waited with the same weapons. One of them lashed his chain against the wall and lighting up the alleyway with sparks. This action alerted the others. We looked back and forth, first at the metal heads that had us confined and then to each other. There was only one way out of this predicament.
Well, I should have expected this to happen. If I want a peaceful night, I get a fight banging on my door.
Alex and I carefully set Bobby down against the wall. He groaned, trying to not add pressure to his bad leg. I threw him a hopeful smile. ''Just stay down. We'll take care of this.''
''I-I-I want to help.'' He struggled.
''Don't push yourself. The four of us can handle them.'' I look to the others. Dee appeared to be ready to go, and while Alex was dazed, he still looked battle-ready. Silver, on the other hand, I wasn't too sure about. We could take them, one against two. However, if just one of us were picked off, then the odds on any of us making it out of here alive would dwindle. ''Are you all okay to fight?'' I asked.
Dee scoffed. ''Even if we weren't, we're not left with any other choice.''
''Okay then, you and Silver will handle the ones at the back. Ultra and I can take these ones.''
They nodded and we split into our respective teams. As Alex and I stared down the four that blocked our path to the street, Dee and Silver locked eyes with the ones ganging up from behind. A happy little huff came from Silver. ''I've always imagined the four of us on a double-date.''
''Then you're alone with those thoughts.'' I retorted.
Alex threw me an impish glare. ''What? You're saying I'm not dating material?''
Normally, I would tell him to focus. But, honestly? As scary as things were right now, the thrill of being back, fighting alongside my teammates had me excited. I've missed it. ''Oh yeah, I'm really disappointed I missed a chance to ask you out,'' I replied sarcastically.
The time for talk was over as the four in front charged towards Alex and me. One of the hoodies equipped with a chain thrashed it in my direction. I weaved my body underneath it, stepped to the side and threw a hard punch that caught him in the gut.
BAM!
An ear-piercing cry erupted. Instantly, my head buzzed and my ears felt like they were bleeding. I didn't expect someone to scream like that unless they had an advanced mecha-suit to help out. The pain. The pain was something that I didn't miss.
Because I was too busy trying to cover my ears, I almost missed another hoodie swinging his knife in my direction. I leant back, the blade just missing my stomach.
BAM! I hit him on the side of the head, knocking him into the wall.
From the side, one of them wrapped their chain around me and yanked it hard. My arm was being crushed as I was pulled aside. There was no way I could use that arm to fight back or break free. The hoodie dragged me like a dog on a leash. He threw a punch at me, which I saw at the last second. I bobbed my head away, feeling the wind brush against my cheek. Using my other hand, I tightly grabbed his sleeve. I wanted to show that I could give as could as I could take.
As we wrestled, shoving each other into the wall, I could hear weird snarling noises coming from underneath his hood. His breath was foul, almost making me puke. Trying to free himself, he lifted his knee to hit me. I raised my knee and blocked his attack.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted another hoodie with a knife charging at me. I still couldn't pull myself free with a chain wrapped around my arm. The knife came to me. Thinking quickly, I pulled my embracer's sleeve, hearing the material rip and used him as a shield. Once the knife plunged into his shoulder, I was unfortunate to hear another hollowing scream, this time right next to my ear.
At least his grasp on his chain loosened and I could pull myself free. I jumped to the side and kicked into his back. BAM! He crashed into the one with the knife and they went tumbling along the ground.
I waved my arm to get some feeling back and flexed my jaw to stop the ringing in my ears. Now that I was free, I could check to see how the others were getting along.
BAM! BAM! Alex kicked one hoodie in the chest and uppercut another under the chin. Two seemed to be an okay number for him to handle. He saw one of them try to pick up his discarded chain. Leaping forward, Alex's knee collided with his opponent's chest and knocked him away.
Further away, Dee was having no trouble dealing with her two. One of them tried to stab her with his knife, and she effortlessly sidestepped him.
BAM! She whacked her elbow into the back of his head, knocking him down to the ground. The second hurled his chain at her and managed to snag it around her arm. She let out an audible groan when the chain clutched forcefully. The hoodie hauled her in. Her heels dug into the ground trying to stop herself from being pulled closer. I was about to rush over to help her until a saw her slyly grin. She circled her arm around the chain over and over again, this time pulling the gangster towards her as she thrust her arm forward like a fencing sword.
BAM! He was lifted off his feet and sent crashing into the wall. Dee shook the chain off her arm and ran over to deal with another.
But things weren't going so smoothly for Silver.
One of the hoodies slashed at her and she dodged as best as she could, occasionally blocking his strikes with one of her tonfas. To get a bit of distance between them, she hopped on top of a sealed dustbin and kicked herself off the wall. However, the moment she landed, she lost her balance and landed in a heap. Before she could get up to run, another hoodie threw his chain-wrapped fist at her. BAM! She took a clean punch to the shoulder and was knocked down.
I sprinted forward as he prepared another punch. Silver was too slow to pick herself off the ground, and the hoodie would have clobbered over the head if I didn't make it in time. BAM! I barged him out of the way, sending him slamming into the wall and slumping to the ground.
''Are you okay?'' I asked Silver.
A stupid question when I saw the state she was in. Eventually, she stood up, spinning a tonfa in her hand. ''Good.'' She smirked at me. ''About time you saved me. It's usually the other way around.''
''You're just having an off-night, we all have that from time-to-time.'' I teased. It felt good to be apart of this again. A part of the banter, a part of the excitement…it strangely felt like home.
The hoodie stood back up, but I wasn't going to give him the chance to attack. I spun my left leg and kicked him in the side.
BAM!
CRACK!
A searing punch suddenly launched up my leg and I couldn't stop myself from screaming in agony. I would have collapsed to the ground if Silver hadn't caught me. ''Crap!'' I hissed through gritted teeth.
''What happened?''
''My foot!''
She glanced down, seeing me grab my ankle. ''It still hasn't healed?''
''No! Ah, damn it!'' I cursed.
Just when things were looking up, I had to go and jinx it. I went from being the freshest one in the group to a hindrance in the blink of an eye. If I didn't find a way to stand up and keep fighting, the others will become distracted by trying to help me and that would put them in more danger.
Next to us, another hoodie runs forward, brandishing a knife. Silver jumped up and blocked the blade with her tonfa. BAM! She smashed her elbow into the side of his head, knocking him back. He didn't let up and tried to swipe at her once more. She kept him at bay, holding him off as I tried to stand up. I limped around needing to use the wall to stay upright. This wasn't the time to take things easy. I pressed my foot on the ground, hoping that I could keep it down without flinching. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. And to make matters ones, the hoodie I barged aside was back up and approaching me.
He had to have seen I was limping and having trouble standing. Everyone else was busy fighting, so I had to deal with this guy myself.
His chain was still wrapped around his fist like a glove and he took a few punches at me. I pushed his fist away, bruising my arm upon contact, but I'd take that over getting battered in the face. BAM! I countered with a punch of my own. However, the momentum caused me to stumble forward. To stop myself from falling, I pressed my left leg down and it felt like my bone would crumble under the weight.
Off balance, I was an easy target for the hoodie. BAM! He landed a clean punch on my right cheek, sending me crashing to the ground.
I should be thankful for that punch. Because the pain in my leg was now being transferred to my face.
I dragged myself away from the advancing hoodie. We were now out of the alleyway and onto the street. I suppose a backup plan would be to wait for a car and let it run him over. But this late at night, I knew that wasn't going to happen.
Shifting my weight onto my right knee, I kept my body low as he towered over me, letting him believe he had the advantage. His fist was drawn back and he punched towards my face. I lurched my head to the other side, pushed his arm away with my own and thrust the palm of my other hand into his face. BAM! I landed a direct hit. Although I think I might have hit his teeth because I felt something dig into the skin of my hand.
As he staggered backwards, I reached out to grab him by the collar of his jacket. I pressed my right leg against the back of his knees and toss him over it. He landed with a hard thud, rolling into the road. He limply moved his hands. If he thought I was going to give him a chance to get back up, he was wrong. The next punch I give will knock him down for the count.
I loomed over him and grabbed him by the shoulders of his jacket. Grabbing his hood, I pulled it back and quickly pondered what I would see. A face covered in tattoos? A rainbow-coloured Mohawk? Facial piercings that would make him look like something out of Hellraiser?
No…
What I saw was…
Something else…
His flesh was rotted and caving in, so much so that it looked more like a skull. The eyelids were slit, only revealing part of his yellow eyes. But what stood out the most were his spiked teeth that bulged from his dry gums. It was inhuman. Worse than that…it was demonic.
Having its face revealed, he belted a frightening roar that was more than enough to force me to let go and stumble backwards.
The pain in my ankle was forgotten. I've faced some weird things in my career as a superhero…this topped the list, no question. I was fighting a literal demon.
More roars similar to the demons echoed from the alleyway. I turned around to see that the hoodies my friends were fighting had stopped brawling and were lifting their heads back to howl like wolves in the night sky. My teammates looked at each other, not sure what to do or what was even happening. They stared at me. I didn't know what to say.
Dee's eyes widened and she pointed behind me. ''Watch out!''
The demon's chain wrapped around my throat and I felt it clamp firmly. I couldn't breathe as I was pulled back, falling onto my back and sliding next to the demon. I grabbed the chain, desperately pulling. My neck felt like it was caving in. My eyes watered and I'm sure that my face was as blue as my mask. Unless the others hurried over to help me, I couldn't see how I could get out of this one. The demon loomed over me, drooling and snarly through its fangs. It knew that it didn't even have to do anything more, just wait for the life to be choked out of me.
My body went numb and my mind was spinning. Any second now I would drift into unconsciousness and that would be the end of it.
Then something weird happened. I felt the ground beneath me rumble slightly, and either my ears were acting up again, or I could hear a car coming.
The demon turned at the very moment a large truck bashed into him, forcing him to let go of the chain and fly a good hundred yards down the road. With no one holding the chain, I was able to pry myself free. I coughed so hard that my throat felt like it was ripping itself apart from the inside out. I didn't care as long as I could breathe. Throwing the chain to the side I looked up at the truck that had parked next to me.
Immediately, the first thing that stood out was the painting on its side. It was our symbols. I was looking at our operational Hero-Mobile.
Once I got up, careful not to apply pressure to my bad ankle, the back doors burst open and I had never been happier to see Steph pop his head out and smile at me. ''Hey, Thomas!''
I could only laugh. This night was proving too much for my sanity. The moment he jumped out from the back I rushed over to hug him.
Peering inside the truck, I saw Harry looking back from the driver's seat. ''Fancy seeing you here!''
''Felt like a midnight stroll,'' I replied satirically.
''Right, well, this taxi is ready to go anywhere other than here.''
I nodded and turned to Steph. ''We need to get the others.''
He repeated my action and the two of us hurried back towards the alleyway.
Alex and Dee were doing their best to fend off the other demons whilst protecting a weakened Silver. She had worn herself out, as much as she didn't want to admit it. I grabbed her by the shoulder and guided her towards the truck. ''Come on, let's go.''
Dee kicked a demon back, giving her the space to help Alex. He was shielding himself from being stabbed by a knife. The demon hissed and kicked his legs, drawing the tip of the blade closer to his chest.
BAM! It didn't see Steph pounce and punch it square in the face. He turned to his older brother, expecting either his gratitude or bliss to see that he was unharmed.
Instead, he was left startled and shocked when Alex slapped him on the back of his head. ''Where the hell was you? I was worried sick!''
Dee grabbed his shoulder. ''Come on, we need to get Bobby and…''
There were too distracted to notice another demon swing his chain around. ''Behind you!'' I called out.
They turned to see the demon about to whip them with his weapon. From out of the shadows, a dustbin slammed into the back of its head, leaving it to crumble unconsciously to the ground. Bobby dropped the can on the demon and limped forward. Alex, Steph and Dee rushed to help him, hoisting his large body onto their backs and working together to hurry back to the truck. I wanted to help them, but they seemed to be doing fine on their own, so I turned around to keep the door open for them.
It was lucky I turned around because I just caught sight of the demon that Harry had run over return and whipped his chain at me. I stepped back. The metal clanged against the door, the part where my head was just a split-second ago.
I grabbed the handle of the door to stop myself from falling. The demon advanced on me, curling his chain around his fist once again. They just wouldn't give up. I may have been half-conscious when I was choking, but I know that it took quite a hit from the vehicle. So, as well as an inhuman appearance, they appeared to have inhuman endurance. My beating it down in a fight wasn't going to do much good. However, I had to get it away from the truck.
THWACK!
The demon reeled forward after Stella's staff hit in in the back of the head like a javelin. As the staff the nestled on the ground, the demon looked up, looking more pissed than hurt…I think, with a face like that it's hard to tell how it feels. It turned around and roared at what it through was Stella.
BAM! Patricia battered it to the ground using her metal camera. Stella wasn't too far behind her, as the Goth didn't know whether to look at the thing she just knocked down or me. ''What the hell did I just hit?''
''Questions later, truck now!'' I replied, quickly grabbing Stella's staff and tossing it to her.
The two of them jumped into the back of the truck, and the others managed to carry Bobby the rest of the way. He awkwardly climbed on, scooting to the side to allow room for the others. Silver followed close by, with Alex up next and leaving Dee and me as last to enter, and last to see the rest of the demons hunt us down. Unanimously, we jumped on board and shut the steel doors.
''Go, go, go!'' I called out.
I heard Harry stamp his foot on the pedal and my ears pricked at the sound of screeching tires, spinning so fast that I could smell the smoke coming off of them. For a second, I was afraid it wasn't going to work. We were jolted as the truck sped off, leaving the demons behind on the streets. It wasn't until Harry turned a few corners and gave us a wide berth that we all started to relax.
Relax might not be the right word considering what we just faced. But, we were all safe and accounted for, away from the danger, that's the least I could say.
Dragging out a moan, I slumped against the side of the truck, resting my head. I didn't even care about the bumpy ride.
''Okay,'' Patricia broke the silence. ''I'll ask now. What the hell did I just hit?''
No one was brave enough to answer. No one knew how to answer. I took off my mask and wiped away the sweat building up on my forehead. ''Uh…if I were to hazard a guess…I think we just fought demons.''
Everyone was silent, letting that comment sink in. If I had said the same thing just a few hours ago, I would have gotten a look of complete and utter bafflement.
''What?'' Harry yelled in a tone of complete and utter bafflement.
Dee shook her head. ''I can't believe it. This is the real world, there are no such things as demons.''
Alex arched his brow. ''You do remember the story we told you about how we once faced the ghost of a magician?''
''Look, I'm sorry, but I wasn't there. So, you'll have to forgive me if I find it a little hard to believe that we just fought literal monsters.''
''Monsters exist,'' Silver whispered roughly. All eyes turned to her. ''This is the real world. But it's a big world, and lots of things hide in the shadows.''
Stella stared. ''What? You've seen these things before.''
''No, nothing like them. I've…'' She trailed off, her eyes drifting to the floor. Her hands rubbed together as she let out a shaky breath. I wondered if she would continue. Finally, she glanced back over to us. ''I've never seen anything like them before, and I've been on these streets for years.''
''So, what are we going to do?'' Steph inquired.
My head dipped and I rubbed the temple firmly, trying to suppress the aching that felt like it was bulging against my brain. Drawing out a long sigh, I shook my head. ''There's not much we can do, other than preparing ourselves for next time. I don't think that'll be the last we see of them.''
The next half a minute went by in silence. We're going up against something we don't have the faintest clue about. All we know is that they are tough, they are scary, and they could strike again.
Eventually, Harry coughed loudly from the driver's seat. ''Well, one positive we can take out of tonight is that I got the truck working! No need to thank me.''
His cynical, somewhat playful tone was enough to cause us to giggle, easing our mood a little.
Silver, looking happier now, raised her hand. ''Can I drive?''
''Do you have a licence?'' Harry questioned, never taking his eyes off the road.
Patricia turned her head. ''We're costumed superheroes. I don't think any of us are going to be showing our ID's if we get pulled over.''
Harry groaned. ''Okay, another question, have you had lessons?''
Waving her hand dismissively, Silver scoffed. ''Is that really so important?''
''If we don't want to crash and die? Yes, it is important!''
As they continued to argue, with Silver practically begging to take a spin at the Hero-Mobile, I suddenly remembered something that I needed to do.
I rushed to retrieve my phone from inside of my pocket. To the side, I spotted Dee turning to glance in my direction, creasing her brow at me. ''What's up?'' She asked me.
''I already kinda broke one promise. I'm not about to break another.'' I replied. Alex and I exchanged a look, and I could see he was trying to hide a smirk by looking in the other direction, watching Harry and Silver's argument. Quickly typing in my home number, the phone rang maybe once before I heard a click on the other side. ''Hey, Jenna.''
''Oh, thank God. Are you okay? Is everyone fine?'' She said breathlessly.
''Yeah, yeah, we're all fine and safe. We're going to be heading home. It's been a long night.'' I scanned the expressions on everyone's faces, all of which told the same story, that I mumbled the understatement of the century.
A heavy sigh of relief came from my sister. After a beat of silence, she continued. ''So, what was the trouble? What happened?''
Oh man, I didn't think about how I was going to explain this to her. It's one of those stories where you wouldn't believe it unless you were there. But, if these things are roaming the streets, then I have to tell Jenna about them. No more secrets between us no matter how far-fetched they are. ''Uh…what I'm about to tell you is going to be hard to believe…''
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.