Indigo City, 342 Days after the Impact.
The thing about this place... it has a habit of hitting you in the face when you least expect it. My point is shown right on the streets below as a construction crew happily continues with their work on the ruined Police Station. Poor guys. That was one of the places that got hit when everything began falling.
"Dad." A small voice suddenly appears catching me by surprise. I turn my head from the window to see my daughter Daisy frowning at me from the bathroom door. "Why do you have to go?" She asks with a look of pure innocence. She's been taught well.
"Jesus Daisy!" I say just before pulling up my pants zipper so I can turn safely towards her. "I'm just going to get some milk!" She shakes her head as if she's about to protest. "I'll only be gone for a few minutes!" I point out.
"That's what you said last time." She replies. For a 6 year old she's pretty smart... "When you went out for a walk with Mum." A bad memory. It's almost been a year since that night. I'm impressed she still remembers it. Probably because she was 5 at the time... and she wasn't even there. She was at home with her friends... back when stuff like that was common.
"It isn't going to be like last time." I say gently. I crouch to her level and I stare into her eyes... I'm trying to show her everything's all right but I'm reminded of someone.
Mary. She has Mary's eyes.
Instantly I bolt up so Daisy can't see the pain etched into my face. I mess with her hair to annoy her just before stepping into the living room and pulling my overcoat on. "I'll be back in five kiddo." With a snap of my fingers a gust of wind blows the door open. Daisy gives me a sad look. "Why don't you go watch some Demon Dog? It'll keep you from getting bored." I mutter just as the door blows shut behind me. My trip down the building's stairs is pretty normal for the most part. I say hello to the crazy cat lady that lives next door to us. She says something in her psycho language before slamming her apartment door shut. I spend the rest of my trip down the stairs trying to work out if she insulted me.
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"6 Pinter of the blue top, Joel." I try to say this in the coolest voice I can muster. Joel gives me a look with his two beady eyes before turning his overweight frame towards the fridge behind him. While he's occupied for half an hour I reach over towards the till and 'port my hand inside. I pull a 20 out just as Joel turns around holding the milk I so desire.
"3 bucks an' 16 cents." Joel mumbles before sniffing. "You smell brimstone?" He asks just before putting the milk on the counter.
"What's brimstone?" I ask as I hand the 20 over. Joel's fat mouth twitches as if he's trying to suppress a smile. Probably trying to work out if he can eat the money or not.
"Here's your change." He drones before handing the remainder of his money over.
"What no bag?" I ask just as another customer enters the shop. Joel scowls at me a second before the customer barges into me knocking me aside. "What the hell?!" I start to say just before the guy pulls a pistol out of his pocket. He's wearing one of those hoodies that covers the lower half of your face... kinda like one of those cowboys in the old westerns. Except not as cool and if you see one in real life it probably means a junkie's about to slice you. He points the gun directly at Joel.
"PUT THE MONEY IN THE F#CKING BAG!" He screams at Joel. Slowly I try to stand up but the guy's gun appears directly in front of my face. "DON'T MOVE!" He screams. I put my hands above my head allowing the milk to drop to the floor.
"Easy." I say. "Just calm down." The guy can't be more then 19... it's either that or he's a reasonably small 20 something year old. He seems nervous. For a moment I wonder if he's got other people working with him or if he's been sent to do the thing on his own. Joel passes a shopping bag filled with the cash to the guy.
"Here..." Joel says nervously. He's probably busy gasping for breath. That's what happens when he moves his arms. "Here just... just go!" I see the guy take it... and I see it's filled to the brim with cash. Too good to resist.
"Yoink!" I yell as I lunge forward. A gust of wind smashes into the robber's chest knocking him backwards. My hand reaches forward and takes the bag's handles. I smash through the shelves before smashing through the exit into the street. I hear Joel gargling behind me but I ignore him as I leap over a parked car and land on the tarmac road. Indigo City is emptier now. Ever since the satellites started falling and... the 'zombies' started appearing a LOT of people decided to leave this hell hole. To be honest it wasn't the greatest place to begin with.. but it was bearable. Less people means less cars... however that doesn't mean the car heading straight for me right now isn't going to crush my skull into the pavement. Its horns blaring, lights blazing. It's going way too fast to stop in time. Not his fault.
POP!
The car passes by. My body isn't underneath it. I reappear on the other side of the street. The bag filled with money is still around my arm. Joel is screaming at me from across the street. I haven't seen him move so much in years!
"Better luck next time!" I yell at him before turning towards an alleyway. Hopefully nobody saw me 'port back there. The last thing I need is for everyone to realize I'm a Carrier. Daisy knows of course. She knows about Mary as well. For a 6 year old she's pretty smart. VERY smart. Probably got it from her Mum. I'm busy wondering if she also got her Mum's good looks when the barrel of a gun points into the side of my temple.
"Well, well, well." An old voice rings out. I know who it is as soon as the gun disappears into its holster. "If it ain't Marcus Brooks!" I turn to see an Old man wearing body armor with a dirty grin across his face. I can see where his teeth used to be...
"Snipes." I mutter. He nods at me with respect. "I didn't know you were still around. Thought you'd get out of here when you had the chance."
Snipes glances at the bag over my shoulder. "Been busy have ya?" He asks. My silence is a good enough response. "Nah I couldn't leave this place." He pauses. "Not yet anyway. Me and some of the guys are still in town if you wanna play catch up."
"What do you want Snipes?" I ask. Snipes wouldn't be hanging right near my apartment unless he wanted something. Probably money... or maybe something else. The old man's smart. He knew I was a Carrier the second I asked him to babysit Daisy one time. He might want me to use my powers for something. Rob a bank, blow up a building? Something like that.
"For once... it ain't something that I want. It's something that YOU want."
"And what's that?"
Snipes reaches inside his army jacket's pocket. Dirt and dust flies off it. I wonder how long he's been sat down that alleyway waiting for me to run past? Slowly he pulls a scruffy piece of paper out and passes it towards me. I open it up.
"What's this?" I ask. Several names that I've never heard of. "Who are these people?" Snipes' smile disappears. He's gone serious.
"The names on that list... are the names of the ba$tard scientists that worked in that camp Mary went too." Anger flashes through my mind.
"You mean... they're the ones who..." Snipes nods slowly. I stare at the list a second time. "Where did you get this?"
"Come on Mark. You know I'll do anything for you... and Mary. And they will too."
"Who's 'they'?" I ask. He grins before taking off his rucksack.
"Oh yeah. Nearly forgot." He pulls a large piece of fabric out and hands it over. "They wanted you to have this too."
"Who's THEY?!" I repeat. I'm starting to get annoyed. Snipes is making me feel like I'm on a crappy TV show or something. The fabric unravels in my hands revealing something that resembles some kind of... oh god. "You know this is a comic book costume?" I ask.
"Specially designed just for your capabilities." Snipes waddles away into the distance. "Good luck Mark!" He yells before turning the corner. I stare at the costume in my hands. The bag with the money has been completely forgotten. I glance at the list... and then I realize something.
"Goddamn it." I mutter to myself.
I left the milk in the store.
To be continued.
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