Choices 2-1

I found the guy who was going to be my first arrest. I had been keeping to the edges of the main gang territories for the most part. Eventually I wanted to venture in and really make it as a hero, but I needed some practice before that.

Which brings me to this guy.

The guy was dealing out of a two door car behind the gas station a few miles from my house. It was a nicer car in that it was clean and undamaged. It was black, or maybe a dark blue. I had stopped across the street from the gas station, on the rooftops of course, to watch him. I didn't make my move until after he had made more than two sales, just so I could be sure he was dealing and not just meeting someone.

Deciding it was time I teleported onto the hood of his car. He must have had it in gear because he floored the accelerator with a startled yell of "Sonuva bitch!"

The car jerked out from under me and I fell over the top, off the back to the waiting asphalt, missing banging my head by the narrowest of margins.

A bit of luck for me was that the guy wasn't expecting to tear ass out of the lot any more than I did. He lost control of the car on the left hand turn and slammed sideways into the cars parked along the opposite side of the street before catching on one poor dirty green pickup and coming to an abrupt stop.

Holy shit.

I ran to the dealer's car, blue fire at the ready in one hand.

I didn't need to have bothered. The dealer was still dazed from taking the airbag to the face, unbuckled as he was. I checked the interior for any visible weapons before I reached in and zip tied the man's wrists to the steering wheel. The sudden restraint of his arms drew the man's limited attention and he weakly tugged at them, cursing. Slurred at first but slowly becoming clearer and his brain got back into gear.

I ignored him and looked around. There were people down the street rubbernecking and more than a few had their phones out taking pictures.

Phones.

Right I had one now, I should call it in. Um the dealer s not a cape so I should call the police right?

I fished the flip phone burner that Tattletale had given me just a few days ago and dialed 911.

"911 what is your emergency?"

I should have prepared what to say, because I haven't a clue what to do now that I'm in the moment.

"Hello?"

Fuck it wing it. "There is a drug dealer tied to a wrecked car just past the Captain's Gas Stop on Parkwater Street."

"Is anyone hurt?"

"He's a little banged up but I think he is alright."

"Emergency services are on the way. Can I have your name Miss?"

"T-Uhh," whoops almost gave the wrong name on reflex. "Willow Wisp."

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.

"Are you a hero registered with the PRT or Protectorate?"

That's a thing? "Um nooo."

"Very well please remain on site and a member of the protectorate will be sent to your location to take your statement. Please remain on the line until emergency personnel arrive." The operators tone had changed somewhat. Not in a good way either.

I'm not sure staying is a good idea. Not that I was going to tell them that. "I'll be here." I didn't technically lie but I did hang up the phone, powered it off and removed the battery like Tattletale had showed me. I waited with the dealer until I heard sirens and once the first set of flashing lights appeared. Focusing on the roof from where I had started this I teleported away, still with a sight line to the event but out of sight of the casual viewer.

The first vehicle to arrive was a pair of police cars that parked down the street almost a hundred feet from the dealers car. Two officers got out from each vehicle and drew their guns, holding them pointed down, cautiously approached the vehicle.

"Driver!" The lead officer yelled. "Keep your hands where I can see them and exit the vehicle!"

"I fuckin' can't!" The dealer yelled back.

I wondered for a moment it I shouldn't have zipped him to the steering wheel.

The officers traded a quick few words amongst themselves and split up into two pairs and approached the car from either side.

"He's tied to the wheel Charlie!" The closest officer reported. "Zip ties."

"Cuff him til we know what's going on." Was the response.

"I didn't do nothin'." The dealer yelled. "Some fuckin guy jumped on my car and attacked me."

The first officer reached in and cuffed the dealer's wrists. Then tried the door. "Driver side is jammed." He called to the others.

The other officers looked at the passenger side noting that it was heavily damaged from the smash and slide that damaged a few other cars parked on the road side. They each discounted the possibility of opening that door.

"Cut the ties and get him out through the window. Carefully, I smell gas." Called another officer.

Gas? I hadn't smelled anything when I was there. Then again, I was wearing a mask.

I watched two of the officers pull the dealer out of the car and sit him on the sidewalk across the street from his car.

Not a minute later the first fire engine showed up with an ambulance right behind.

Everything was being handled and I could leave, but I didn't. The 911 operator said that someone from the protectorate would be coming and I wanted to see who.

Soon a PRT vehicle showed up and a group of men dismounted from the double doors in the back, spreading out as they did so. One PRT trooper met with one of the officers with words I couldn't come close to hearing at this distance. One of the gestures was clear enough though. A shrug of the shoulders. I wonder if they were talking about me and the lack of my presence at the scene.

I was disappointed though. "I thought someone from the protectorate meant I would get to see a real Hero." I grumbled aloud.

"Well they are real heroes too you know." An adult male voice said from behind me.

I did not scream in surprise. The

Voice did not laugh. And most certainly I did not almost fall off the edge of the building. None of that happened.

When I finally caught my balance from not almost falling to the street below to see a man in body armor. "Assault." I breathed.

"Thaaaats me" the Hero confirmed. "And you must beeee uhh, don't tell me, ah, Willow Wisp!"

Oh man, energetic and sociable, I'm out of my depth. "Uh yeah."

"Cool. Cool. Always good to meet a new cape that doesn't want to kill you." He joked. I think. "Could you do me a favor and spell your cape name so I can write it down later."

I didn't see any harm in it, so I did.

"Great thanks. Cape names are important so we try to get them right."

He seemed like a nice guy but I didn't like the way he snuck up on me. "What about the whole Chubster thing?"

"What thing? Oh! The PHO rumor that we stuck him with the name?" He laughed. "Total bull, you should know better than to believe what you read on the internet." He looked me over. "Don't suppose you're an adult yet."

That made me a bit uncomfortable.

He noticed. "No! No, no no no. Just no." He waved his hands in a negative gesture. "I only meant it in that I'm trying to figure out what to put down in my after action report. Armsmaster has this whole uptight office boss thing going on. So we pretty much have to commit everything we do to paper. I don't think Alexandria herself could pull the stick from his ass."

I laughed.

He grinned. Walking over to the buildings edge and gave a whistle at the sight. "You do all that?"

"Not intentionally." I muttered. Assault was way too easy going and I was having a hard time keeping pace. "He just kinda took off on me."

"Yeah, it happens like that sometimes." He frowned. "A lot of the time actually. Now that I think about it, they almost always run. And fight when they can't."

I didn't know what to say to that.

"So, listen." He hunched down to sit on the edge of the building hanging his legs off the edge. "You're new right?"

I didn't sit down which I was sure is what he had intended. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry." He completely threw me off with that.

"Sorry?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "No one gets their powers by collecting stamps kid."

I remembered the locker and shivered.

"However you got yours," he continued," I'm sorry that we heroes couldn't prevent it."

I...I don't know what to think. No one, not even Dad, had said that they were sorry it had happened. I mean it was kind of a ridiculous thing to get choked up about.

"Still feels fresh huh?" Assault commented on my silence. "My bad for bringing it up."

"It's fine." I whispered hoarsely. This is not how I thought meeting a professional hero would go. Well I guess Panacea had seen me at my worst.

"So, you're new." He kicked his feet absently. "Life can be tough for new capes. This your first time out?"

I shook my head both in the negative gesture and to clear my head. "No but it's the first time I was able to call in."

Assault winced. "I hope you didn't use your personal phone."

"No." I didn't elaborate. How do you explain a hero getting a phone from their villain friend.

"Good." He didn't push the issue. "Have you thought about maybe trying out the Wards?"

"Not the best a social things." I admitted.

"Hah!" Assault barked out a laugh. "Neither are a few of our Wards. Then there is Armsmaster the grump himself. Being sociable isn't necessary to be a member." He gestured to himself. "Not everyone can be perfect like me." He waved down to the street.

I looked in the direction her was waving. People on the street had their phones out and pointed out way. Not sure what kind of video or pictures they could expect to get this late at night but whatever.

"So, what do you think?" He stood up and offered his hand to me. "Want to give the Wards a shot?"

Author's Note: I got nothing for this Note. So, um, Thanks! for you whom have fav/followed!