Tag: Drama

Heroisms: Vengeance

(This is Episode Nine, Just joining in? Find Episode One @ Heroisms: Immortality or the Previous Episode @ Heroisms: Disguise)

Morgan stood off to the side as Alex and Alison joined him. “Who’s Virgil? And who is that guy?” Alex asked, unsure if he wanted to know. Alison stood staring at Brooke, still unsure if it was her or not. Morgan finally answered after a few moments of awkward silence. “That’s Lance. He’s what’s called a truth seer, and if what he said is correct, your girl here is actually a guy.” The three of them all looked back to Lance making Brooke uncomfortable. Alison was visibly getting agitated by Lance’s methods to what was seemingly one of her friends. “So what do we do now and how do we out this Virgil character?” Morgan swallowed hard. “Normal methods include torture. Virgil is a shape shifter. He can manipulate his appearance and is trained to withstand incredible amounts of pain. Last time I heard a story about him, he was being tortured for so long and kept his form that the person holding him actually believed that Virgil was their loved one. They stopped, he performed the assassination despite being captured and he escaped.”

As the group stood by, Lance had begun slapping Brooke and Alison was about to give in. Only Alex held her back. “Give him a minute, Lance knows that Virgil isn’t Brooke and it’s likely that Virgil knows that too. He should give in soon.” Soon turned into eventually, and then eventually turned into later and then Alison couldn’t take it any more. “I know it’s her Alex, maybe they force fed her meat at the jail because they knew she was a vegetarian. Just another form of torture.” Alex shook his head. “I believe these guys, if Lance can really see the truth, then why question it?” Alison spat at his feet in anger. “Why question anything at all then? What if that’s really her, and they torture her to death?” Alex looked over and noticed Lance had pulled out a knife and was sharpening it. “Well, maybe we should talk to them about it.”

Alison made it there long before Alex and she spun Lance to face her. “I don’t care if this is or isn’t her, but no matter what I can’t let you do this just in case it is her.” Lance growled a long angry sigh. “It’s people like you who make me sick, people like you who are weak and let the wrong person in. You can’t give in, that is entirely where his power lies.” Alex was suddenly stepping between them, not where he wanted to be but also probably the safest place for him to be at this point. “Look guys, we just got here. Let’s not fight, put Broo-er… Virgil in lock up and we will figure something out in the morning.” Lance pulled back and put away his knife. “Fine. Your rooms are in block B.” He tossed them a pair of keys and waived some guys over to carry the bench Brooke was on away. Alison leaned in as Brooke passed by. Brooke was almost hysterical, and she screamed accusations at Alison as they passed. “You’re going to let them torture me? You said you’d protect me! You said I was like your little sister!” As Alison burst into tears, Alex threw his arms around her and guided her to their room. As they laid there together in the dark, Alex knew he would get no sleep. Alison was shaking and crying so bad she was convulsing. It was going to be a long hard night.

***

Jason knew that his new get up would attract some attention if he was caught by a camera. Lucky for him, his past provided him all the knowledge and skills necessary to evade and confuse these electronic watchdogs. As he moved silently through the shadows, he came upon his first group of delinquents. A drug deal was going down, and both groups were armed to the teeth. As he laid in wait, he watched as the transaction took place. He finally saw an opening and moved through the shadows behind some of the armed guards patrolling the perimeter. After quickly and silently dispatching them, he began to feel the adrenaline kicking back in. He hadn’t felt this good in a long time! After tying the two men together he made his way inside and tried to manoeuvre himself around the side of one of the cars. Suddenly he found himself in the middle of a stand off and bullets began flying left and right.

He dove out and grabbed a man in a leather jacket and hauled him down. After promptly tying him to the bumper of the car they crashed behind, he knocked him out and proceeded to the next guy in the chaos. As he moved about through the bullets and the shadows, he had never felt more alive! Something about not being government sanctioned was almost too much for him. As he leapt out for the last guy, he felt a slight thud as the man shot him in the chest. Lucky for Jason, he was invulnerable. “Look, I know you want to shoot again, but don’t waste the ammo. Just surrender and no one gets hurt.” The man relaxed a little and grinned. “I must have missed the first time, I won’t miss again.” As he pulled the trigger, the bullet ricocheted back on him off Jason and dropped him to the ground. Jason laughed heartily. “I did try and warn you. But no criminals ever… listen…” He watched as a small oval shaped disk rolled on its edge away from the man’s body. As it struck his foot, he looked at it and immediately knew he had to do more research before his next outing. He fled the scene of the crime and left everything as it was. The disk laid facing the sky, and despite being splattered with blood it clearly showed the undercover officer’s badge in the dim moonlight.

Heroisms: Disguise

(This is Episode Eight, Just joining in? Find Episode One @ Heroisms: Immortality or the Previous Episode @ Heroisms: Impervious)

Julia had just finished making the two a cup of tea as they sat down at her apartment. Jason sat awkwardly in her chair and felt strangely claustrophobic. “Would you like to switch?” Jason gingerly nodded and the two swapped spots, leaving him on the couch. “Thanks for this Julia, I really just meant at the shelter. I didn’t expect to come home with you.” She smiled at him. “I know, but it’s that innocence that lets me know I can trust you here.” She sipped from her tea while she thought. “Jason, are you going to go up against the government?”

Jason was shocked at how openly she asked the question, but refocused himself. “I suppose that is an honest question. Not immediately. I severed my link with Alpha Team and I’m now looking to form an underground squad.” They both paused a moment and sipped their teas in unison. Julia looked to Jason, the concern evident in her eyes. “Will it be a few more years before I see you again?” Jason sighed and stared into his tea. “I hope not, but I make no promises that I can’t keep.” Julia stood up and joined Jason on the couch. As she laid her head on his shoulder, the two stared off into oblivion.

“Brooke, you okay?” Alex was standing over her as she threw up everything she ever ate. As he looked at her, something caught his eye in the puddle she was creating. He stood up and backed away and turned to Alison. Pointing to her vomit, he managed to catch Alison’s attention. As they both stared to where he was pointing, there was evidence of meat. “I’ll go get something to clean that up.” Alison ran off in a hurry. Alex watched as Brooke stood up wiping her mouth. “Ew, I regret not taking the bus.” Alex walked over and helped Brooke outside and onto a bench. “Maybe some fresh air will do you good.” As she sat down, Alison suddenly reappeared with Morgan from the mostly stark white garage. “We were wondering where you guys went. I asked him for help and we got back as fast as we could.” Brooke shook her head. “I’m fine really, just not used to… ‘poofing’ from one place to the next.” Alex smiled and then without warning pinned Brooke to the bench as the two others began binding her to the bench.

Alex stepped back and stared at Brooke who looked confused as ever. “Talk.” Alex demanded. It was a direct order. Brooke looked frantically to the other two but they were clearly in on it too. “What, I don’t understand-” Alex cut her off. “Brooke doesn’t eat meat. So who the hell are you?”  Brooke looked back and forth and then came up with something. “It was all they had when we were arrested, so I had some. I know I shouldn’t, but I was hungry.” She pouted and Alison walked over and slapped her, shortly followed by Morgan restraining Alison. “Where is she? Where is Brooke!?” Alison was screaming, drawing attention from some other members of Delta. Brooke looked to her hurt and offended. “I eat meat once and this is how you treat me? You’re all a bunch of…” Her words trailed off. She was fixated on a single member of Delta who didn’t seem too impressed to see her. As the large man with a scar across his face walked up he leaned in and whispered a single word to Brooke. “Virgil.” Brooke suddenly swallowed hard and everyone backed away. The man grinned, his scar twisting his smile upwards on one side. “It’s good to see you again. I can’t wait to hear what you’ve got to say.”

The next morning Jason stood in the doorway to Julia’s room as she slept soundly in her bed. The memories he had of her might be all he would have left soon enough. He glanced to the note he was leaving behind as if to second guess it, but then turned to walk away. Last night may have been filled with passion, but this morning should be left like this. Quiet, unemotional and peaceful. He calmly walked out the front door and decided to assemble a costume. Today would be the start of his decline. He was moments away from becoming a vigilante, and only weeks away from becoming a terrorist. I guess I’d better look the part. He thought as he entered a clothing store. As he looked around the leather biker jackets, helmets and combat boots all looked appealing. This is going to be fun.

In an office across town, Mister Wilks was sitting at his desk when Dex burst in. “Yes Dex? Come in, have a seat.” Dex seemed rather out of breath, but managed to toss a report on Wilks’ desk. “They’ve finished scouring the river. As it stands, Jason never turned up.” Mister Wilks crushed the report in his hands and stood up. He stared with a look of disgust in Dex’s direction. “Congratulations, you are the biggest failure we’ve kept alive all these years.” Dex stared at him, completely unimpressed by what was just said. “Maybe if you had done your research, you’d have know Jason was impervious to all damage.” Mister Wilks stifled back a comment and shook his head. “Well neither of those really matter now, how is our friend doing in recovery?” Dex smiled, “Come see for yourself.” The two walked down the hall and stopped at a large window looking down over a gym. Down on the floor duelling with a punching bag was Dracon, and he looked angrier than ever.

Heroisms: Impervious

(This is Episode Seven, Just joining in? Find Episode One @ Heroisms: Immortality or the Previous Episode @ Heroisms: Destiny)

I have to stop running… my lungs are about to burst. Jason turned back and looked down the alley as if he was expecting someone to be following him. As he stood staring, he waited long enough to catch his breath. Pulling something from his pocket, he glanced down to his hand. The diamond bullet sparkled in the moonlit alley. He grinned to himself. I guess diamond won’t cut it any more, which makes me wonder, what can kill me? As he stood there contemplating his weakness, he felt the urge to move on. After all it wouldn’t be long before the government had completely trawled the river looking for his corpse. As he made his way to a manhole cover, he considered the sewers for cover. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Jason spun and looked around the alley. “Who’s there!? Show yourself!” From the shadows walked a man in a suit. “Jason.” Jason stared at the man, unsure if it was the same man he had met many years before. “Drifter? Is that you?” The man acknowledged the name and smiled. “Consider this your going away present.” He walked up and gave Jason a small pill. “Take that and they’ll lose the trace on you.” As he began to move back to the shadows he turned with one last thing. “Good luck Jason, don’t do anything too stupid.”

Alex sat in the cab between the two girls. All he wanted to do was hold them until he knew everything would be okay. As he thought about watching Jason being shot, he wondered who would be next? Would it be him? One of the girls? Suddenly the radio caught his ear. Crackling and hissing in the moments of silence, it seemed as though the President was making some kind of address. “…latest act against the government will not be tolerated. As we move forward a counter terrorism unit will be put in place in every state. These will be helmed by some of the most specialized and advanced soldiers we have seen to date.” Alex sat back in his seat and considered this. Is that a message for the heroes out there? He turned to Brooke and saw she seemed unconcerned with the broadcast, but when he looked to Alison he knew she was thinking the same thing. As they arrived back at the base, Alex helped the girls out of the car and watched as scores of federal agents were combing the place for clues. An agent ran up to them and shook his head. “I’m sorry, but you guys might be free, but you’re not allowed here. Arrangements have been made for you to stay with Delta squad.” He pointed to a man on a nearby chair, playing on his iPhone. “He’ll take you there.”

Alex and his posse walked up and greeted the slim man, who was engrossed in his game. “Hey so I hear you’re-” The man shushed them from his seat and dragged his finger across the screen and then lifted it. They watched as he turned from hopeful to angry. “God damn boomerang bird… So yeah, I’m Morgan from Delta team, yadda yadda yadda. Let’s blow this joint.” He stood up and put his arms around Alex and grabbed Brooke and Alison on the arm. “It’s a pleasure.” Alex stared at him with confusion, amid much discomfort. “What are you doing exactly?” Morgan just grinned. “Oh, I’m just real friendly. Especially with the ladies.” He turned and shot Alison a wink, and she turned away in disgust. “Well hold on tight. We’re there in three-two-one-” In a flash the group were suddenly in a large stark white room with no windows and only a garage door. “Welcome to Delta Squad!” He let them go and walked a few steps forward before Brooke vomited all over the ground in front of her. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face her. “Interesting, girl can’t handle it.” He walked away as Alex tended to her.

The alleys were crawling with hobos and disturbing animals of the night. As Jason made his way to the homeless shelter he hoped he still had a friend left. When he walked in, he saw her. She was a breath of fresh air whenever his eyes found her. She wasn’t much taller than five feet, but she carried herself as if she was a pillar of incredible beauty. Jason stopped for a moment to take her all in from her small black shoes so perfectly plain, to her long flowing skirt, up her hips and her torso to her stunningly natural beauty. Her eyes shimmered like two sapphires of hope in the sea of gold that was her hair. He melted as she turned to him and dropped everything to come crashing into his arms. “Jason! It’s so good to see you! It’s been… oh my gosh, three no, four years?” Jason’s grin faded away. “Yeah, I don’t know why I don’t come here more often, if for nothing else the scenery Julia.” She blushed and sat him down with her on a nearby bench. “So to what do I owe the honor?” Jason cringed a bit. “I hate popping back into your life with a huge request, but I need a place to stay.” Julia leaned back with a quizzical look on her face. “Is everything alright?” Jason shook his head. “No, my employers tried to kill me and I intend on repaying them for that.”

Heroisms: Destiny

(This is Episode Six, Just joining in? Find Episode One @ Heroisms: Immortality or the Previous Episode @ Heroisms: Choice)

Alex was sitting in his cell when finally a man in a crisp black suit entered the room. “Alexander Deacon McCarthy.” His voice was rich with hatred. “We have some questions as to what exactly your merry little band of misfits has been up to.” Alex stood up and marched over to the iron bars before him. “Look, we have been saving people. Nothing more, nothing less.” The man in the suit scratched his chin and looked down to a folder in his hands. He looked back to Alex without a word, just a grin. Alex grabbed the metal bars and leaned his head against them. “Look Mister… umm… what’s your name?” Clearing his throat, the man in the suit simply replied, “Wilks, Mister Wilks.” Alex felt the iron bars, they seemed more solid than ever before. Normally he could easily bend them, but these cuffs must be absorbing his power. “Mister Wilks, I can assure you. We would never make a move against the government. They have given us stability and credibility among the communities we work in.” Mister Wilks sighed rather heavily. “I wish I could believe that Mister McCarthy. But what I have in my hands is in your own words.”

Mister Wilks pulls a single sheet from the folder in his hands. Clearing his throat once again, he reads off a trio of earth shatteringly familiar lines. ” I think he needed to be taught a lesson, but not like this. I think this is a definite warning from our own government. Do as you’re told, or else.” Mister Wilks looks up to Alex who is as white as freshly fallen snow. “I’m sorry, aren’t those your words Mister McCarthy?” Alex flashed back to the night of Blaze’s funeral and how he tried to keep watch that no one was around. “How did you…” Mister Wilks holds his hand up, interrupting Alex. “Answer the question Mister McCarthy. Are those your words or not? A simple yes or no will suffice.” As Alex clutches the iron bars, he feels rage building in him. A rage so intense, it could consume him. His silence doesn’t go unnoticed. Mister Wilks shakes his head and lifts a radio from his blazer. “Do it.” A sudden scream from the next room sends Alex into a panic. “Alison! Alison!” Nothing but confusion consuming him now, Alex’s gaze jumps from the wall back to Wilks. Mister Wilks stands grinning ever so slightly. “Well?” Alex sighs and shakes his head. “Fine, it was me. Those are my words. Jason and I were conspirators against the government.”

Mister Wilks places the page in the folder and nods. “Thank you for that Mister McCarthy. You’ll be shipped to New Alcatraz in the morning.” As he sauntered smugly from the room, Alex watched him leave. Damn it, I have to get out of here. Hopefully they only got Alison. As Alex pondered his next move, he found himself trying to stay calm. Do I wait this out? It seems as if they’re going to put all of us away. He then turned to the wall from where the scream originated. As he pressed an ear to it, he could hear some muffled sobs just on the other side. “Alison, are you okay?” He stroked the wall for a lack of anything else he could do. A reply came a few sniffles later. “I’m alright. But they separated Brooke and I. I hope she’s okay… she’s just a kid!” Alex turned and sat against the wall. “She’ll be fine Alison, she’s tough.”

Suddenly a group of men rushed past the front door. Alex turned his attention to the panic outside of his cell. “I wonder what’s going on out there?” Alison didn’t reply, she was busy muffling her sobs. As Alex pondered the  events beyond his cage, suddenly Dex walked up to his cell. Alex rushed to the front and grabbed the door as if to rip it off its hinges. “You son of a-” Before he could utter the words, Dex shoved his hand through the bars and covered his mouth. Leaning in really close, Dex whispered to him. “The keys in your pocket are your ticket to freedom. I know Jason acted alone, he always has. Anyone else is just along for the ride.” He turned and checked both ways before removing his hand. “Kid, I know you and him were close, but now it’s your time to shine. You can’t save people from New Alcatraz.” He walked away as quickly as he appeared and Alex stuffed his hand awkwardly into his pocket. Sure enough, there was a key. You still owe me one for killing Jason, I’ll find you. As Alex tried the key in the door, he found that it didn’t fit. Son of a bitch gave me the wrong key. Then as he stared at it, he noticed it had his initials and date of birth on it, along with a barcode. Alex examined the key and then tried it in his cuffs. As they slid off, he felt a wave of static electricity slide off of him. As the wave fell away, his strength returned. Time to get out of here.

As Alex reached for the bars, Dex suddenly reappeared. “Quick get those back on and give me that damn key!” Alex quickly did as he was told and tossed Dex the key. Alex watched in confusion as Dex ran off, leaving him to rot in the cell. That’s it. He is so dead. When I find him- His thoughts are interrupted by a very angry Mister Wilks. “You’re free to go. The guards outside will remove your cuffs.” As he opened the cell door, Alex walked out in a daze. “Why am I free and are the others as well?” Mister Wilks stared at him with no answer. Finally the answer came from Alison tugging at his arm. “Let’s go Alex. They told me Brooke is outside waiting.” As the two of them met up with Brooke outside, they found themselves rejoicing before getting into a cab awaiting them. Mister Wilks watched as they drove away. Dex walked up beside him and shook his head. “What if they find out?” Mister Wilks watched with a stone cold glare as the lights disappeared down the road. “They won’t. Virgil is the best at what he does.”

Heroisms: Choice

(This is Episode Five, Just joining in? Find Episode One @ Heroisms: Immortality or the Previous Episode @ Heroisms: Achilles Heel)

Alex clutched the two girls for what seemed like hours. As they wept, they could heard calls coming in over the radio but no one would go to respond. As they watched the television for some hope, the chopper landed and people began scouring the water for his body. They prayed no one would find one, but then the live coverage cut back to regularly scheduled broadcasting. Alex grabbed Brooke and Alison and lead them to Alison’s room. “Girls, do me a favour and stay here. I’m going to try and get some more information. Just try and relax.” The girls both burst into hysterics and hugged each other as Alex closed the door. His mind raced faster than it ever had before. What the hell was Jason thinking? Why did he kill a man? Why is he dead now? What about us? As he thought about these things, before long he was outside and finally noticed he was being yelled at through a megaphone. “Put your hands in the air and you won’t be harmed!” Alex looked around amid his confusion and raised his hands. As two men with special looking handcuffs rushed up to him, more rushed past him and into the base.

Dex stood near the edge of the water, staring downwind. A man in a suit walked up beside him, looking sharp as ever. “Is he…?” The man asked quietly, and Dex without glancing to him responded. “I’m a sure shot Vance. He’s dead.” As the man in the suit acknowledged the confirmation he turned his back to Dex and grunted. “That’s Sir to you Dex, and don’t forget who is in charge here.” As the man loaded himself back into a nearby chopper, Dex’s eyes never left the water. I’m sorry Jason, you were one of my only friends from that time… but sometimes secrets are worth ending. He turned his gaze to a jet black boat with men leaping into the water in diving suits. Good bye old friend. With that Dex returned to his chopper, and stared at the boat in the water as he thought back to the crime he and Jason had committed together. The crime for which he was still paying off the debt.

Jason and Dex had been in the desert for months when they finally stumbled across their enemy. “Well Jason, this is it.” Dex grinned as if to show he wasn’t nervous. Jason turned to him and nearly burst out laughing. “Look, Dex, if you’re trying to make me feel better just don’t. I’m going to run in, you’re going to cover me and everything will work out.” Dex sighed. “No pressure, what if I hit you?” Jason laughed almost loud enough that anyone could overhear. “Don’t worry about it. But if you shoot me, I will have to hurt you. Got it?” Dex swallowed hard. It was his first mission abroad, and he was stuck with this lunatic. “Whatever you say boss.” He watched through the scope as his boss burst into action. Dex was amazed at his precision and how quickly and efficiently he worked. “Jesus, this guy is some kind of new age ninja James Bond…” Suddenly a man with a huge automatic rifle caught Dex’s eye and with a quick trigger pull, fell to the ground. “Well, one for me, twelve for Jason.” He caught a few other guys and eventually the count ended at four to thirty seven. Dex rushed across the desert to meet up with the sole warrior against the town.

“So, you umm… do this often?” Dex stuttered as Jason tied up the last of his victims. Jason grinned, but concentrated on his knot. “You could say that. In fact, it’s just good to have company here.” A woman burst out of a nearby house and charged the two of them with a knife in hand. Dex raised the rifle, but Jason pointed it down and prepared for the woman. As she got near, Jason disarmed her and tossed the weapon to the ground at his feet. Dex stood staring, impressed by Jason’s skill. The woman was screaming something in a language Dex didn’t recognize. “What is she saying Jason?” Jason swallowed hard. “It seems this town was occupied by peace keeping troops from around here. These are all civilians fighting for their right to survive.” Dex’s stomach jumped into his throat. Jason had disarmed, knocked out or otherwise disabled the thirty seven he had fought. Dex had killed the four he shot. “Jesus, can you apologize for me?” Jason began his apology when suddenly the man he had just finished tying up was at his throat with a knife. Jason somehow kept calm and waved Dex off. Dex however, pointed the gun at the man with the knife and began shouting, “Drop it! Drop it now!”

The moment grew tense and finally the man with the knife couldn’t take it any more and slashed wildly at Jason’s throat. Dex pulled the trigger and the man soared backwards, landing on his back with a bullet to the head. Jason stared at Dex and immediately grabbed the gun from him. “We don’t kill, we aren’t supposed to kill! Not these people, not the peace keepers!” Dex stared at him, only confusion written all over his face. “How are you still alive?” Jason shook his head. “I’m invincible you idiot. I can’t be cut, stabbed or bludgeoned.” Dex fell to his rump as Jason walked around freeing people and explaining the situation to them. A few moments later Jason was approached by the woman who had originally come at him with the knife. She began jabbering to him about something and suddenly the color in his face faded away. Dex stared at him from the ground. “Are you okay?” Jason turned to him with rage in his eyes, but an uncomfortable look on his face. “No. Our military is nearby, and they’ve been robbing, raping and sacking any city they get near. We’re going to stop them.”

Dex snapped back from his thoughts to the concerned look of the man across from him. As he turned to look back to the water where Jason fell, he sighed. My family can never know that we killed twenty three of our own soldiers. My wife can never know that her brother was a rapist and a robber. No one can ever know that it was your idea, and that when you wanted to turn them in, my rage took their lives. Thank you for taking that secret to your grave. Dex sighed as if the world had been taken off his shoulders and he grinned at the man across from him. “You still haven’t missed, have you Dex?” The man across from him asked with a hint of hidden praise. Dex couldn’t help but grin. “Nope. I will never miss.” As the man looked away, Dex looked to his feet as the smile slowly drifted from his face. But sometimes, I wish that was a choice I could make.