I talked with Steven Coal for a while but I never dropped my guard. I was on duty after all.
"So if you take up woodcarving you will be able to handle stress better." Steven said continuing his thoughts.
"Wood carving huh? I should try it, I never thought about it as a stress relief." I responded, I was really enjoying this talk, It's like steven knew exactly what to say for me to understand what I should do to better myself in the long run. He didn't have expectations for me either, It's like he is just wants to tell me. As he put it. "I can only help, ultimately it all depends on you."
"Indeed, your best self is a very skilled wood carver. And you would..." Steven continued, before being cut off by some knocking at the door.
*knock knock*
"Yes?" Steven called out.
"Sir, The Chief of police sent me to deliver the report on the blood in the letter." A male voice came from the other side. It sounded weird though, like they were sick.
"Alright, wait a second I'll unlock the door." Steven responded and turned to me. "You should put on your mask again."
"I should, I'll get the door too." I said. I put on my mask and got up to open the door. I looked through the peep hole and saw a police officer standing straight holding something behind their back. I assume it's the police report. And I opened the door.
"Welcome, you can give the report to me and leave. Steven isn't available right now." I spoke. Something about this seemed off. I didn't want to be rude, but I wasn't sure if I should let them in.
"No can do sir. Chief wants me to deliver it to Steven himself, here I have a seal of authority." And they reached into their pockets.
Something in me screamed to duck. And I did. As a gun shot fired through the officers pocket and right where my head was a few moments ago. And a fight began.
Two quick snake like jabs came one after the other from the officer.
I blocked one with my arm and took the other in the chest, it was strong, I felt it shake my body before I countered, dashed out my hand for their collar, grabbing it and throwing them into the kitchen.
They grabbed my arm while flying and pulled me with them with the fineness of a dancer, I fell over the railing. We both landed on our heads and struggled to stand up immediately. I got up first, shook my head then rushed at them.
They got up in time to roll onto the counter, grab a light hanging and slam onto my head as I passed. Shards of glass cutting into my head, stinging and ringing in my ear. The wires attached the light hung out and caused a black out killing every light on the floor. I was momentarily stunned as they grabbed my head and forcefully introduced it to the counter. My vision blurred and I tasted blood.
I threw out a punch hitting them. They fell back a pace and kicked. I caught their leg and threw them into the stairs well. Hitting the stairwell. I heard something crack and ran at them.
They leaned back and grabbed my neck between their legs and twisted throwing me into the stairs as well, before thowing a series of devastating punches at me. I took them all and kicked them in the stomach.
They stumbled back and we traded blows until I saw where Steven was, he was trying to sneak up on the officer, I had no idea what he was planning but I couldn't risk him, panic welled up in me as I took a heavy blow to my head to get between Steven and the officer. I grabbed him and stepped back waiting for an attack. My head spinning even faster then before.
They didn't press the attack, and for a moment I had a chance to breath. I wanted to keep it so I spoke. "Why do you want Steven dead?" I tried to look at the officers. Their mask was off but I couldn't see anything because the lights were out. And my eyes were blurry.
They looked at me and shook their darkend head. "You would never understand what that monster did to me." They spoke and reached out into their pocket.
I cursed as they pulled out their gun. I ran in front of Steven to block the bullet with my power. I could lose a limb here. But the bullet never came. I looked closer and their gun was broken. There was a awkward pause for a second before Gerald and his posy burst in through the doorway and pointed guns at the officer.
"Freaze!" Gerald called. Clearly more them happy to shoot at the officer if they didn't listen.
The officers slowly raise their hands as they backed away from the ground into the wall window and leaned into it. "No" they said.
Gerald smiled amd took the shot at the officer. The officer ducked and the bullet hit the window and cracked it. They officer then punched the point it cracked and shattered a sizeable chunk of the wall and jumped out the window. A cold breeze and the rain were all that stood in their place. Everyone was stunned. I ran at the window hoping to see them as they fell but when I looked I saw nothing.
They were just gone. Like they weren't there, as if this was a dream. But it wasn't a dream, I was here. I could still taste my blood, my ears rang, my head was still spinning. I hadn't had a fight where I got beat up that bad in years. And I didn't even know who to blame was.
"Start looking!" I yelled. I was mad, I wanted to find them.
"Yes Sir!!!" Everyone called back. And Gerald started organizing the effort. But I needed a break. I went to the bathroom and locked the door. grabbed the towel and wiped down the blood on my body. I took off my mask and cleaned under there to. I had lost some teeth but there was a doctor in the city who could fix that. I'll go to them aftery break, I changed my clothes into civilian clothes and threw on a jacket to hide them. I washed up. Put my mask back on and left the room.
Gerald was still organizing the efforts to search for the perpetrator. He was asking people for a description of the officer. But everyone gave different answers. Some said they were tall, some said short, different hair styles even different genders. No one could give a specific description. Carma footage didn't make sense either. It was missing completely. Not surprisingly, A major security flaw in this building is that the executive elevator can stop at the server room for the security footage. No one but the head bodyguard should have had a key so no one thought it was a problem. Very convenient for the villain but it's too late to complain now.
"You guys search the building and nearby streets, I'm going to take a walk. I need to think. Gerald stay with Steven, and stay with two of your best bodyguards. Don't let your gaurd down. Hurry up." I said, I needed to rest but I couldn't do it here, I'm going for a coffee.
"Bring me back the new pumpkin exxpresso. I want to try it." Steven called out before turning back to his call. He is probably very busy.
How did he know I was going for a coffee? Oh right. Saw my everything. Of course he knows what I do to relax "sure" I called back.
I walked out the door and took the stairs, it was a long way down. It would take a while to walk.
"Ugh." I said. And started walking down.
-A not inconsiderable time later-
I was at the bottom of the stairs, exhausted, and even more tired now. But as I walked out of the building I felt a wave of cold air hit me, it was still raining, I smiled.
"I love a good walk through the rain. It always calms be down." I spoke quietly before taking my first steps out of the building. The rain poured down pretty hard, I didn't mind though. With each drop that hit my body the blood, exhaustion, and thoughts, from my fight earlier was washed off. Although I was still injured it never bothered me, my power practically guaranteed that, they say with great power comes great responsibility. But does that even apply to me?
Do I have a responsibility to save someone's life if it would cost me a limb? The fact that I can even bring someone back to life, if even only for a short time after their death. Do I have the responsibility to save them if it only causes me harm? I didn't know, I just know that when my family needed me I wasn't there. And I will not allow that to happen again. I made a stop in an alley to remove my mask, and continued on my way.
After walking down a few blocks mindlessly wandering, and wondering. Slowly forgetting everything and just looking at my surroundings, people walking around, going about their lives. I muse thinking about who they may be. Heros if their own stories. Protagonists of their adventures.
Eventually I wondered enough to find a coffee shop. It was a cozy shop named the community coffee corner. Two large windows showing inside details I wasn't close enough to see. But a neon OPEN sign told me the obvious. Also the shop was not on a corner. It was sandwiched between a daycare and a law office... thinking about it I suppose the employees of those to places are very grateful to have a coffee shop next door.
I walked closer and saw a sign placed outside that read. "Community coffee corner, providing a safe place to chill, talk about problems, and drink good coffee." I looked up and saw inside the shop. About thirty people were sitting in small cubbies 2-3 per a cubby, each cubby hadtwo benches and a table, and a hard wood floor decorating the ground in the building, outside the cubbies were single chairs scattered about, a student studying and a man relaxing were sitting in those. A small cue lined up at the coffee counter for coffees. And a cozy lighting system. Not too bright but warm instead
I entered and a small bell rang, the room was pleasantly warm, a perfect temperature for a nap or to relax, light jazz and lofi playing in the background. The attendant working the counter waved and pointed at a small box with menus I noticed that everyone in the que had one. And there was another box by the attendant I didn't have to think about think about because I then saw someone deposit their menu there after they got their coffee.
I got in line and just smiled. Everything about this place was easy going and pleasant. It was hard not to smile. I did how ever get weird looks occasional because I was both soaking wet and injured. It's fine though. I didn't care.
So I waited in line and waited patiently for my turn. I hear someone walk in behind me, and finally it's my turn.
"Hey um, I'm new here so, I might regret this but I want a mushroom coffee, and a pumpkin exxpresso?" I said, I have never had a mushroom coffee. I wanted to try.
"Sure!" The cheery attendant responded. Typed it up and started making the coffees. "It will be $16.46, but since you are new I won't make you pay, just tell me what you think of the pumpkin exxpresso. We just put it up, and you are the first to buy it."
"Oh, uh, thank you." I said. I wasn't expecting this kindness but I'll take it. After a second I got both coffees but I rest for a second before I hear something that make me pause.
"Can I get a pamphlet displaying information about a trip to the Bahamas?" A soft female voice came from behind me. I turned to look at them. It was a black haired girl I could only describe as beautiful, long hair, blue eyes, small lips and a small nose, a confident look and a well defined jawline, as well as freckles speckled on her cheeks. A leather Jacket defining her shoulders and chest. Not completely covering her shirt underneath which connected to her pants what covered her legs loosely.
But more importantly what was that coffee order?