Create a Hero RPG GAME THREAD (MOD Approved)

[Eddie Brock]

Season I - Part 70

You know those days that just sort of seem to drag on? When your good friend Time betrays you, and the clock ticks mercilessly - mockingly, even - on the wall. Every hour feels like a lifetime, and every second drains a little more of your soul. You know the kind? Yeah, I'm having one of those days. It sure as Hell doesn't help that I'm stuck in European History. Of all the classes to drag, Fate chose this one. It's yet another practical joke that the universe decided to pull on me. Fate, it seems, has a sadistic sense of humor.

Anyway, after surviving - barely - European History, I make my way to lunch with high hopes. Like most other things in my life, hope proves to be elusive. I find myself detached from everyone around me, and despite the uproar of rowdy, joyous conversations from my classmates, I find the silence of my thoughts to be deafening. My appetite dances just beyond my reach, and I end up staring at my food more than touching it. I usually pride myself on setting new records on Grilled Cheese Day, but today will contain no milestones.

Pre-Calculus lurks around the corner to add to my woes. Now, on top of feeling melancholic and exhausted, I can throw 'confused' into the mix. My emotions stir up like one big, weird melting pot. Eventually, I can't even tell how I feel anymore. I think this is how the word 'blah' was created. That's the only possible word in the Queen's English that I can find to appropriately describe my mood. Not that I ever pay attention in Pre-Calc, but I am especially distant when my teacher begins to prattle about numerical derivatives and the like. I never liked math, anyway.

Coming down the stretch, I trudge onward to gym. A nice game of volleyball awakens me from my emotional slumber, but it is only a temporary reprieve. After the first set, I decide to sit it out. My teammates aren't exuberant about that - I'm usually one of the better players - but they can see that I'm just not in the mood to do anything. I slump down onto the bleachers and watch the next match. My attention is far from focused, however, and I end up looking around the gym. My stomach sinks when I see Brooke talking to her friends on the bleachers across from me. We make brief eye contact, but she pretends not to notice. I make my decision right then.

I'm going to talk to her tonight.

With conviction invigorating my mind and body, the last period of the day - Art - flies by with unparalleled speed. I finish my crude still life drawing of a fruit bowl with only a little time to spare before the final bell rings. I'm one of the first students out of the class, and I make my way to my locker with a noticeable gait in my walk.

Tonight's the night.

I decide to dedicate my afternoon to myself. Lord knows I have plenty of thoughts racing through my head, and I need to take some time to sort them all out. As soon as I get home, I catch a quick 20 minute nap. After shoveling some overdue food into my throat, I grab my cell phone and head out. I don't even know where I'm going until I get there. Within half an hour, I find myself standing at the water's edge at Carver Lake.

You're going to set everything straight.

I bend down and retrieve the flattest stone I can find. Clutching it softly in my palm for a moment, I stare out over the calm waters of the lake. After a deep breath, I flick my wrist and release the stone. It skips a couple of times over the surface before plummeting to the unknown depths below. I stand motionless and allow the wind to circle and embrace my body for some time after that. I notice an empty pier and make my way to it. Removing my shoes and socks, I allow my feet to glaze over the same surface that the rock violated. Something about being so intimate with nature calms my soul.

Then, as if society cannot allow the environment to go undisturbed, my phone rings. I move very slowly as I pull it from my pocket. The little screen reads, "JIM." I pull my feet out of the water and answer the phone.

"Hey."

"Yo, man, are you doing anything?" Jim asks casually.

"Right now?" I inquire back.

Jim coughs. "Yeah," he replies simply.

I look around at Carver Lake. "Technically, no," I admit, "But I'm not home right now, and I'm thinking about heading over to Brooke's house later."

"Oh, really?" Jim asks surprised. "Are you two going to finally go back to what you used to be?"

I shrug. "If all goes well," I explain uncertainly. I put my shoes and socks back on. "We'll hang tomorrow."

"That's cool. Do what you gotta do, man," Jim suggests. He's always been so supportive - especially of my relationship with Brooke. I think he enjoyed seeing his two best friends so happy. He might have lived a little vicariously through us.

"I'll call you tomorrow when I get up," I promise. After our goodbyes, I hang up the phone and return it to its proper place in my pocket. With another deep, cleansing breath, I leave Carver Lake behind. My peaceful retreat was much welcomed - even if it was only temporary.

***

"15 dollars," the old man at the flower shop explains as I display the bouquet that I'm trying to purchase. It's at this exact moment that I remember that my financial situation isn't the greatest in the world. Smiling awkwardly at him, I rummage through my wallet. Unfortunately, I only come across $12.50.

"Heh," I chuckle uncomfortably. I begin to look around the flower shop for a cheaper alternative. I might want to start looking into a good part-time job. Crime fighting doesn't pay well - or at all, actually.

"Just take it," the old man offers.

"Really?"

He smiles. "Are you going to put them to good use?" he asks half-jokingly.

I bite my lip and shrug.

"I hope they help you...with whatever," he laughs. I try to offer him the money I do have, but he waves me off. "Go on."

I smile inwardly and outwardly. There is still kindness in the world. Sometimes, when I'm out fighting the scum of the city, I forget that there's still some humanity left on our little planet. Yet little moments like this make everything worthwhile. You never realize how small gestures can mean so much to so many people.

***

I rap gently on Brooke's window. I don't want to give her a heart attack. The shadow of night helped me get up the old-fashioned, wall-crawling way. Even so, I sit down on a tree branch for appearances' sake. Lucky for me, Brooke has a tree so close to her house. Otherwise, I'd have to do this the bland way.

"Sean! Do you have a death wish?" Brooke exclaims when she opens her window.

I smile. "Something like that," I reply. I display the bouquet from earlier. "Peace offering?"

Brooke accepts them with a faint smile.

"May I?" I ask, motioning to her room. Brooke steps aside from the window, and I leap in. Upon landing, I realize that I may have shown off a little too much, but I don't think Brooke noticed.

"Let's get right down to it," Brooke suggests, placing her hands on her hips. "Why are you here?"

"Why do you ask questions that you already know the answers to?" I fire back playfully.

"Sean..."

I get up and put my hands gently on Brooke's shoulders. "Brooke, listen to me," I insist.

"What's there to listen to?"

I decide that words aren't going to solve this problem. I need to follow my heart and hope that I haven't overstepped my bounds already. Lowering my hands from Brooke's shoulders to her arms, I pull her in and close my eyes. Moments later, we're locked in a passionate kiss. When the embrace ends, we both exhale calmly without opening our eyes.

"I'm listening," Brooke breathes airily. We both start to laugh lightly.

As Brooke and I continue to embrace, I listen to her breathing and her heartbeat. Everything about her captivates me. I literally feel myself melting for her. She rests her head on my shoulder, and I nearly fall apart right there. I kiss her neck softly, and I feel her arms tense around my neck. I try to think of a happier moment in my life, but memory fails me.

You know those days that just sort of seem to last forever? Time slows down, and you absorb every single moment in its wonderful entirety. You know the kind? Yeah, I'm having one of those days.
​

 

[SonnyBlack]

Tied to a chair Frankie's screams were muffled by the dish cloth Saydo tied over his mouth. Saydo pulled up a chair reaching in his pocket and taking out the pack of cigarettes he took off the guard. Lighting it he up took and puff and looked at Frankie.

"I'm not going to ******** you Frank I'm here to kill you shortly but your going to decide how. You have information I need and if you are up front I'll make it quick. But if you decide to not cooperate i'll have to take you apart piece by piece. Where is your uncle?"

Taking off the cloth Frankie immediately screams.

"**** you!"

Saydo puts the cloth back on and sits back down. Dropping the cigarette on the floor he takes out his blade. He gets up placing his hand over Frankie's mouth as his stabs the blade into Frank's abdomen and holds it in place. It takes over a minute for Frankie to stop screaming from the pain and then once again Saydo takes the cloth off.

"You...you ****." he says lowering his head as he tries to keep himself from passing out from the pain.

"Where is he?"

Looking into Saydo's eyes Frankie instinctively gives him a hard look before finally accepting his lose.

"He's in Hoboken."

"Where in Hoboken?"

Frankie one's again looks down clenching his teeth.

"Off Phieffer and MacAllen the house number is seven-twenty."

Saydo smirks as he puts the cloth back around Frankie's mouth.

"Thanks Frankie."

Grabbing the knife he slices across Frankie abdomen spilling his intestines all over the floor. Saydo takes out his phone texting in the hit to Franco, one was down and one to go.

 

[NiteMare Shape]

Icon​

I knock down the doors to the mansion and force my way in. Again, bullets begin raining down on me, with no effect. As I make my way to the main living area of the mansion, several of Forsaken's guards attack me...and again I take care of them with no trouble.

I walk into what was once the living room of this massive mansion, and for the first time lay eyes on the black clad figure known only as "Forsaken." He is a large man, about six and a half feet tall, dressed all in black, wearing what could be some sort of high tech armor. But the thing that really gets me is his face. He wears a black mask that is in the shape of a skull. As I stand before him, he begins to rise out of what can only be described as a throne, and looks me directly in the eyes.

"So, you made it this far. I am impressed."

"Sorry, I can't really say the same."

"Nevertheless. You have shown that you are a formidable opponent. It is a shame that you have to die so quickly, I would love to be able to test myself against a person such as yourself."

"I've been hearing that a lot today, Forsaken. And nobody has been able to make good on that threat."

"As I can see. It truly is a shame that you won't be around for the culmination of our victory. I really wish that you could see the world once we reshape it."

"I'm not going to let that happen."

"I must admit that I truly am looking forward to the destruction of Lost Haven. To watching the city that you have called home burn, and to walking on the corpses of those that you have fought so hard to protect."

Without thinking I hit him with a heat blast that sends him tumbling backward over his throne. I jump on him and start hitting him hard, wanting to put him down before he has the chance to get back up. But it doesn't work out that way. He tosses me off of him, as I get up he swings his arm at me, and out of thin air some sort of weapon, a sword of some kind appears in his hand. It comes crashing down on my head, and the weapon shatters upon impact. I kick him in the gut and he in knocked back against the far wall of the room. He gets to his feet, and he looks right at me, his body tenses and suddenly everything that is not bolted down begins flying at me. His throne hits me, and breaks apart. I keep moving toward him as actual pieces of the foundation begin flying at me. I bat the objects down as they fly in my direction, and suddenly, without warning the entire mansion begins to shake, and then blows apart.

Forsaken and I are standing alone in the ruins of the mansion, staring each other down.

"Rest assured Icon, we will finish this soon. And when we do, it will be your home that is no longer standing."

Then there is a bright white light, and he is gone. I do a quick scan around the area, only to find that Richter and Riot have also vanished, and everything seems quiet. I head to the skies, and do a sweep of the island just to be sure, but I can't find them anywhere. Once I'm satisfied that they are gone, I head home.







Elsewhere....

A woman sits at the control desk, watching holographic displays of the events on Nautican Island. Just as she sees Icon flying away from the island, she hears massive footsteps coming up behind her, and then stop.

"What is the situation on the island, Allura?" a booming voice asks.

"Regrettably, Icon has routed your forces, Lord Blackwind."

"And what of my disciples?"

"I was able to teleport them to the safehouse before Icon could apprehend them my lord."

"Very good. It is apparent that this 'Icon' is more of a threat than I had anticipated. Nevertheless, we will proceed as planned. Soon, Icon...as well as the rest of this miserable planet will bow to me."

 

[Saved]

Pulse

This is it, Pulse thinks. This is my final stand against them. I can't fail, not this time. Blitzen depends on me. It needs me. If I can't end the war here, I will never end the war there. Pulse flies through the air on one of his shockwaves. He continues his journey across the city, propelling himself into the air with his powers, sending him further into the underbelly of the beast.

His clothes have changed. He no longer wears the scrubs from the hostpital. Instead, he wears his bloodied and torn suit. Over his face is his ripped mask, sporting a large slash on the left side over the eye.

Normally, it is this mask that insights fear in his victims. It is a symbol, an omen of the imminent death that follows the vigilante everywhere he gots. But tonight, Pulse is much more frightening. His tattered suit and torn mask would reveal weakness, showing he is not unstopable. But this night, his broken suit shows something darker. The blood staining the fibers shows the vengeance in his heart, the inability for him to die despite his adversary.

Over his eye, the tear in the mask shows the anger. The fire of rage burning in his eyes is visable. To look into his face tonight is not to look into a mask, a simple potpourri of colored fibers. Tonight, his face shows the truth behind his cause. The honest view of what lies beneath his skin, and resides deep in his soul.

As Pulse fires another shockwave, he rises above the roof tops. As he scans the grounds below, he notices a glowing light. His body begins to descend, loosing its momentum. In stead of firing another shockwave, Pulse decides to fall, growing closer to the ground by the second.

As he nears the ground, Pulse sees the building much more clearly. It is burning, the fires inside consuming the building's interior. Pulse smirks, his cheeks raising the mask over his face.

"Where there is chaos...there is evil." He says in a tense voice. He shoots himself toward the building, dropping like a rocket to the destination.

In only seconds, Pulse's feet hit the ground. He sends another shockwave out from his body, using it as a type of thruster, keeping himself from crashing into the hard ground.

He walks on the street, heading for the burning building right in front of him. As he draws nearer, he hears a loud grunt. He suddenly stops, and leans forward, trying to get a better view of what is going on.

Suddenly, a body comes crashing through one of the large glass windows. The figure is dark, cloaked in a black garb with a tattered and scorched cape dangling from the shoulders. Pulse gets closer to the body, leaning down to it as he nears.

He rolls it over, looking at its front to identify it. To his surprise, it is the man whom he saw before. It is the hero Survivor who paid him a visit in the hospital the night before.

"Adam..." Pulse says in a low voice. He goes to check the hero's pulse, but before his fingers can touch the Survivor's neck, another loud crash is made. The sound echos loudly thoughout the street as glass litters the area. Pulse looks up as fiery debris fall around him, and to his surprise, sees something he never expected.

[BLACKOUT]"Another masked freak, huh?" [/BLACKOUT]He bellows in a deep voice, a wide smile on his face. [BLACKOUT]"Fine, then. More bones to break, more lives to take." [/BLACKOUT]

Pulse stares at the giant man before him, examining the man's physique. He notices the man's shape, his muscles and skin tone. Quickly, he approximates the man's height and weight, and possible factor of danger.

"Who the hell are you?" Pulse yells out in his dark voice, his inner turmoil coating every word. The beheamoth stares back, letting out a short but sinister laugh as the flames burn brightly behind him.

[BLACKOUT]"Me? Let's just call me the Grim Reaper." [/BLACKOUT]He says with a smirk. [BLACKOUT]"And tonight, it's your time."[/BLACKOUT]

"I've battled bigger and stronger." Pulse retorts, rising to his feet as he prepares to engage.

[BLACKOUT]"Yeah, but the big difference? They weren't me." [/BLACKOUT]

 

[Eddie Brock]

EPILOGUE

"I SWEAR TO GOD, I'LL KILL THEM!" the man with the sawed-off shotgun yells from the window. A police helicopter circles the condemned warehouse, shining its spotlight down on the crazed suspect. Along the pier surrounding the warehouse, squad cars are set up - their lights casting a blue and red hue on the bay. Inside the building, two children are being held hostage.

"What do we do?" one police officer asks his partner. He motions to the window. "That place is a fortress. Even with SWAT reinforcement, we'd never get those hostages out safely."

His partner sighs. "We pray for a miracle," he explains morbidly. This situation is all too familiar for someone of his experience, and he can vividly remember all the times it had gone wrong.

"Why don't we take the shot now - while we have him in our sights?" the young officer inquires impatiently.

"We're not authorized to use lethal force - not yet," his aged partner explains.

The young officer looks incredulous. "That b*stard has kidnapped two kids at gunpoint! We're not 'authorized' to use lethal force?!"

His partner nods solemnly. "That's what I said."

Now, the young officer sighs - but his is more a sigh of frustration than submission. He can't stand the thought that this is how it's going to end. There has to be a way to save those children. It can't go down like this.

Then, a blur of green appears as if on cue. The police officers barely get a glimpse of it, but they know exactly what's happening. The pier erupts into cheers of elation and satisfaction.

The young officer has never seen this before. He hasn't been on the force long enough, so this is his first encounter. As he watches the emerald streak in the sky, he feels completely overwhelmed - as if he's suddenly realized that there are things larger than himself. He can only manage one utterance.

"Wow."
​

 

[Spike_x1]

As Pulse and the hulking monster known as Lyle stared each other down, the Survivor slowly got to his feet. Adam had heard the explosion that Lyle caused a few minutes earlier and had arrived at the scene to find that the villain had made his way into the home of a man he intended to kill, and then Lyle had blown up a propane tank inside the building as he and his target were both standing next to it. Naturally, Lyle was uninjured, but his victim and the entire building around them had gone up in flames.

Upon the Survivor's arrival at the fire to see if anyone inside needed help, he was instantly greeted with a television-sized pale yellow fist. And now here he was, staggering in the street, waiting for his ribs and costume to mend themselves and for his right lung to re-inflate itself. As Lyle and Pulse talked, Adam pulled his mask above his nose and coughed out several pieces of discarded lung tissue. "P-guuh!-Pulse! Fall-hack!-Fall back!" Trying to talk to his fellow vigilante, Survivor's voice only came out in hoarse whispers, but the sound of his choking on blood and meat did manage to catch Lyle's attention. With startling speed for something so big, the yellow behemoth ran out from the hole in the burning building and snatched a gas can from a jeep parked on the side of the street, tearing through the small vehicle in the process.

[BLACKOUT]"Aw, you look like you could use a drink, Kiddo!"[/BLACKOUT] he shouted to the Survivor. [BLACKOUT]"Lemme help you out with that."[/BLACKOUT] With a laugh, Lyle hurled the red gas container at Adam so hard that it exploded from the sheer force of the impact when it hit him, knocking Survivor back and to the ground while also soaking him in gasoline, which unfortunately made contact with the spots of flames that were still scattered over the Survivor's body and costume. Even for someone with the finest combat training money could buy ingrained into his mind, the pain of being set completely on fire was more than enough to send the Survivor into throws of screaming agony. The last thing that he saw before his eyes were engulphed in roaring flames was the red eyes of Lyle staring at him and the gleeful smile on his face as he watched the Survivor's skin burn away.

Looking on in utter shock, Pulse was an instant from intervening when a gun barrel pressed against the back of his head.

 

[SonnyBlack]

The Boss didn't live like other gangsters in his small home deep in Hoboken. At appearance he just looked like some retired widow living out his final days in a home probably owned for years. To live and die in the city. The curtains offered only images of a shadow moving about the house. Something was not quite right, Saydo could feel it. Before offing Frankie he felt nervous, maybe a little scared but this was different.

Now wasn't the time for this, Saydo just wanted to get this over with and leave. Whatever momentary high he felt killing Frankie was long gone on the trip over. The wood creaked as Saydo walked up the stoop toward the door. Reaching into his pocket he takes out a key he took off Frank. Inside the house he could hear the old man walking around up stairs. With a knife in hand he slowly made he's way up the stairs trying his best to minimize the noise the old wooden stairs made as he took each step. Now on the top he could hear the TV blaring and the glow of the screen seeping through the partially closed door lighting the path.

There was something not right. Not just about how easy this seemed but something about killing. Saydo placed his hand on the side of the door slowly pushing it open. The bed was to the left as he entered taking a few steps. No one. No lights on in the bathroom, no more creaking sounds from the wood.

"I know your here."

The shot rings through the house like an echo in a cave. Saydo just stands there, motionless, his head spinning out of control. Finally he falls backward, just missing the bed his back sit perched against the bed with his limbs lifeless. The old man materialized in front of his face with a grin.

"You know Junior it's been a while since anyone has found me. Sure, sure enemies never really stop trying but it's always half heartedly."

Minutes maybe seconds to go. The bullet entered Saydo's skull but without enough force to kill him on the spot.

"So your the one that killed Frankie? Maybe it was for the best. When a man gets old he looks back at what he's accomplished and thinks about how it ends." Sonny sits on the bed beside the fallen Saydo. "I've been in this business for so many years." he said shaking his head. "I moved up from button man to Capo all the way to Don and I ruled in fear. We went from one of the least powerful to having the other families kissing my ass. And what do I have now? My kid, a coked out maniac who I expected everyday to hear died of a overdose. Helluva life."

Placing the gun in his lap Sonny looked at Saydo. Three, Two, One. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as the lids closed. There was no light at the end of the hallway, no heaven no hell, maybe someone forgot about him. Maybe he wasn't even worth damning. Sonny let out a desperate laugh.

"Maybe it best for both of us kid, maybe."

Sonny put the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger.

 

[Karem-Knight]

OOC: I'm assuming that Bannone and Cusone have already been killed and that the other hit men are protecting each other, hope you two (Spike and Syn) and an issue with this, if so let me know and I'll edit.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz7gajAb2ww (*This song represents the feeling I had while writing this.)

Lost Haven:

Franco stood outside the airport, it had been a long and harsh four months, but tonight it was finally over. The Carlo's reign in his city, their bombardment and black mailing ways were finally over, they won't have a leader, both of them will soon be dead. The Cusones are weak, and so are the D'Cunos who've been looking for a new leader since Charlie Bannone ended up there, the Vitis in Blitzen would now have Ralph Carlvento as their main guy, and Franco Zano will be King of Lost Haven once more, only member to die tonight in his family, his oldest friend; Jackie "Faces" Carbone.

Of course, Jackie has no clue what has been arranged, for the past month the war had cooled down since Joey's shooting, everyone thought Frankie had run away, the Carlos had already set up their plan to take over all Zano run business. Standing next to his best friend, waiting for Luigi.

"How come we're going back to Vegas? Isn't it a little risky, since they might be looking for us there?"

"I dunno, it's not safe here in the Haven, plus I could defiantly use some of the massage techniques they have in the Kingdom, might clear my head."

The two had been friends since the age of four, Franco and Jackie. At times the two were inseparable, they had always been one together, Jackie the street wise one, and Franco the more calm and focused one, with Luigi the one to keep things calm and even. Now that was over, the two had drifted apart since early 2006, the time the Carlos were making a comeback. Within a few minutes, Luigi arrived walking out of the car with a pair of sunglasses on, and a forced grin on his face to make Jackie feel relaxed.

"Okay guys, who wants to go to Vegas!"

"Shut the **** up, Lou. Let's just get in the plane."

*

Walking up the staircase, Franco stared out into the sun as the planes took off.

"Frank? Come on let's go."

Starring back at his friend, his former friend, He nodded and walked into the plane. Inside he sat, it was all first class, a sudden feeling of dread as his heart beated like a mad drum. His hands shaked, Franco had killed before, plenty of times, close to nearly thirty men, without a single bit of remorse, for much less of what Jackie had done. But could he do it? It would be like shooting his own brother, it would be shooting his own brother. As the plane took off, he could hear Luigi and Jackie discuss minor things.

"So anyway, Kramer just comes in, alright? And ****ing gives Jerry the chicken...."

Elsewhere:

Billy Cusone walked out one of his many "leisure hotels" with another hooker of his, beside him in his arms. He was standing there walking to the hotel, smiling with his new one night stand. Billy had impressive sexual stamina for a man hitting sixty, but he had been doing this every night for the past forty five years as his girl for the night giggled.

His soldiers waiting outside smiled at him, as they guarded the door for him. "Evening Mr.Cusone!" he simple waved at them, "Now I like that, your very classy for some small time guy." Getting out his wallet he put it in his pocket, "Spend it on something nice kid, you deserve it!" Grinning he took the girl in his arms, near the door way.

All of a sudden a masked man in a leather coat came out of no where, spinning a revolver round, and around and around his finger tips. The five soldiers guarding stared at one another then at him.

"Hey! Freakshow, who the **** do you think you are, get the **** out of here!" The man just kept spinning the revolver around and around.

"I said, GET THE **** OUT OF HERE, COWBOY!" Reaching for their guns, they aimed at him, and with one simple stroke of his finger tip as it spun, two of the fell on the floor. Killed by one bullet.

The other three panicked, but by the time they could, three bullets to the head. The boss, Cusone rushed outside; "Hey! What the **** is going on....HOLY ****!" Looking down at the dead corpses of his soliders he starred at Quickfire, still spinning his revolver.

"Franco Zano says Hi!"

BANG!

Back at the plane:

Nearly halfway to Las Vegas, Franco had calmed down sitting on the table with a glass of scotch in his hands. Secretly enjoying his final moments with his best friend, before the inevitable, where all the rage of Joey's near death come flooding back.

"Hey Frankie, remember the time when me, you and Nicky chased that Turkish guy? All the way, from West Haven to Central, we went down the ****ing bridge..."

"HAHA! Yeah, and then he tripped up and said that he had a bomb, so Nicky just goes; "Well, there's only one place a bomb can't go off...."

"HA! Yeah...and then we just lifted him up near the ocean and he sqiulled telling us where the money was."

"Yeah! And this ****er right here just kicked him in the water anyway!"

Haven:

Charles Bannone sat down at his local bar, drinking like mad with some of his buddies and talking at the bartender, he owned everything there, being the boss of the D'Cunos gets you that.

"Anyway, that ****, Franco Zano? Hasn't been seen for months! It's going to be, the Vitis and the Carlos duking it out next. And when they've killed each other, we're going to take over. I ****ing assure you that!"

With the manly laughter and scent of alcohol on his italian suit, Bannone smiled taking another bottle of beer.

"Oh really!?"

A loud voice said from the back of the bar, loud enough for everyone to hear it. Bannone, half drunk and the other high on adrenaline turned around and went.

"Yeah, who the **** do you think you....." Looking up at the brute, he noticed he was much, much bigger then anyone he had seen before, add to that he was an "other". Gulping his throat, the entire bar got out their guns out, aiming them at Lyle.

"Do.Not, **** with....Charles Bannone, my friend...you will regret it...." Chuckling, Lyle simply picked up the man next to him and ripped his head clean off as the entire bar started shooting at him.

Swinging his arms around, spreading them out of the way, the place went into chaos, Charles fell to the ground as the place fell apart. Getting out his 45 out, he raced towards the exit of the house, running for his life. Jumping to his 4x4 he opened the car doors and swung open, burning the rubber he drove as fast as he could. Only to find Lyle chasing him, becoming faster and faster then the car being knocked hundreds of mile into the air, before lying, breaking the boss's head.

Las Vegas:

The plane landed in Las Vegas airport, the three men got out. Franco was half tipsy, the scotch the only thing stopping him from blowing Jackie's brains out on the runway, he had to this well, and he had to do it right.

Walking down the staircase, Jackie was still cheerly, with Franco pretending to be, the two held each other in their arms.

"Hey Luigi, drive us to the "Hotel" will ya!?"

"Sure thing, I'm the only ****ing one of us sober anyway!" He said laughing, started up the engine they headed towards the Las Vegas strip. The two at the back rested their heads on the car seats, while they looked out into the city and the desert its self.

"It's a ****ing beautiful city here!"

"Got that right."

Blitzen:

Brian Brigantee sat in his car, with his three drivers at the back, reading the newspaper, Brigantee was interested in the growing war on terror, and had read up on great military leaders, he had taken them as his inspiration. To him, the death of Franco Zano was only the beginning, soon he would get rid of Sonny as well, the Viti family would become the Brigantee family. And he would be hailed as the emperor, it was a nice thought. But now, he was just acting boss of the Viti family, in the run down streets of Blitzen.

"Hey Boss, you want to stop here, we're running short of gas?" Looking up, he nodded.

"Okay, let me just go inside first. I'm hungry and want to get a burger or something."

"Sure thing boss." Opening the door, he walked onto th station, news paper in hand and just calmly minding his own business. Going in there, as he watched his solders pumping the gas, he calmly ordered a chesseburger and went outside again with it in his hand.

"All done?" He said to his driver, "All done." he replied. Opening the car door, he turned around to see a man with long hair and sunglasses and a trenchcoat walking towards him.

"Look at this ****ing guy, hey buddy...." All of a sudden he took out a shotgun, and Brian jumped into the car.

"Shoot that ****ing prick!" Firing like mad, they started up the engine, but none of the bullets stopped him, he just fired into the tires and at the drivers head.

"NO NO!" Opening the doors, El Diablo just shot at everyone in the car, threw away the shotgun and ran away.

Las Vegas:

Jackie stared outside watching the strip of Las Vegas, when he saw the Kingdom in all it's glory, when the car just drove by going away from it.

"Hey Lou, you just missed the goddamn hotel...."

All of a sudden, from his right he felt the feeling of a gun at the side of his head.

Lost Haven:

The Boss didn't live like other gangsters in his small home deep in Hoboken. At appearance he just looked like some retired widow living out his final days in a home probably owned for years. To live and die in the city. The curtains offered only images of a shadow moving about the house. Something was not quite right, Saydo could feel it. Before offing Frankie he felt nervous, maybe a little scared but this was different.

Now wasn't the time for this, Saydo just wanted to get this over with and leave. Whatever momentary high he felt killing Frankie was long gone on the trip over. The wood creaked as Saydo walked up the stoop toward the door. Reaching into his pocket he takes out a key he took off Frank. Inside the house he could hear the old man walking around up stairs. With a knife in hand he slowly made he's way up the stairs trying his best to minimize the noise the old wooden stairs made as he took each step. Now on the top he could hear the TV blaring and the glow of the screen seeping through the partially closed door lighting the path.

There was something not right. Not just about how easy this seemed but something about killing. Saydo placed his hand on the side of the door slowly pushing it open. The bed was to the left as he entered taking a few steps. No one. No lights on in the bathroom, no more creaking sounds from the wood.

"I know your here."

The shot rings through the house like an echo in a cave. Saydo just stands there, motionless, his head spinning out of control. Finally he falls backward, just missing the bed his back sit perched against the bed with his limbs lifeless. The old man materialized in front of his face with a grin.

"You know Junior it's been a while since anyone has found me. Sure, sure enemies never really stop trying but it's always half heartedly."

Minutes maybe seconds to go. The bullet entered Saydo's skull but without enough force to kill him on the spot.

"So your the one that killed Frankie? Maybe it was for the best. When a man gets old he looks back at what he's accomplished and thinks about how it ends." Sonny sits on the bed beside the fallen Saydo. "I've been in this business for so many years." he said shaking his head. "I moved up from button man to Capo all the way to Don and I ruled in fear. We went from one of the least powerful to having the other families kissing my ass. And what do I have now? My kid, a coked out maniac who I expected everyday to hear died of a overdose. Helluva life."

Placing the gun in his lap Sonny looked at Saydo. Three, Two, One. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as the lids closed. There was no light at the end of the hallway, no heaven no hell, maybe someone forgot about him. Maybe he wasn't even worth damning. Sonny let out a desperate laugh.

"Maybe it best for both of us kid, maybe."

Sonny put the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger.

Las Vegas, the Nevada desert:

Silence fell upon the car as Franco had a gun to his best friend's head.

"Get out of the car Jackie....."

 

[trustyside-kick]

Uriel makes you Fearless

Everyone has their eyes on the peculiar villain, all the while I'm staring at the skylight she just broke through. In my head...it is as if there are voices inside of me, telling me...willing me to change right now. And while I do not have the gist of these abilities just yet? I'm guessing this ladies' entrance just provided the way for heaven's ever illuminating light to shine down upon me and transform.

"Jewels, car keys, money, watches...don't feel you have to hold back now. The sooner we get done with this? The sooner you all can get back to your--"

Something catches her eye. And when I see what it is, all that I can think to scream is no. My painting. The painting: A Leap of Faith. She has her eyes on it. It's the highest bidding item I have been sold at this Art Gallery and she can see it for herself. She just hit the motherload.

"Well this is interesting..."

Some brave soul tries to get a move on her, but the girl is so fast she flips back and snaps his neck as the do tries to tackle at her. He goes down in one count, breathless. Those voices in my head? They seem to be getting louder. There are...innocences whose lives are at risk. But can I really transform? Make my identity known?

"I guess I wasn't at all clear. DON'T MOVE. Unless you want to end up like him or worse."

Wait a second. Identity? I'm not superhero.

But I cannot exactly expect to continue this will God has bestowed upon me if I make it known that I am an...divine agent or whatever I'm supposed to be. In the flash of an instant, I realize I don't have to play the role of a hero anymore.

"So, as I was saying--woah! What the hell happened?"

"Huh? Who...where'd you come from?"

Mr. Byrd aka the Blue Blur scans the area for a second as the villainous approaches him with a gun in her hand. I can tell when he sees the man lying on the floor, clearly not unconscious, but rather dead...that it easts at him more than anything.

"Lady, I don't think you realize who you are dealing with here. But if you think--"

*click*

She readies her gun and winks at him. Only thing she doesn't understand at first is why he smiles back.

"Lady...you clearly don't know who you're dealing with. I'm the Blue--"

That's when I cannot take it any longer. I don't know what overcomes me. Maybe its the view of a deadly firearm being pointed at a human life that does it. Maybe its the undying wrath I seem to have for justice to the man she killed earlier...or maybe its just the fact that she's ruining my art show. I don't know though...pick one. I don't know why I jump out at her, knocking her to the floor. It all was so fast, I just yell at Mr. Byrd out of pure instinct.

"Go! Get these people away from her! Use your superspeed or something! I'll keep her occupied!"

While I'm sure he is used to working solo? My guess is he nods his head because it is the smart move to make. Standard Superhero 101 that you can learn from any cartoon, movie, or comicbook: eliminate the casualties as much as you can. In a second, all I see is a blur as the Blue Blur suddenly starts to evacuate people.

Thing is, I'm so darn struck with awe at seeing him work that I don't notice the broad clocking me in the jaw. Then she knees me in the nuts...which by the way I have NO idea how considering how I held her down on the floor...and she crawls over to her gun.

 

[Saved]

As Pulse and the hulking monster known as Lyle stared each other down, the Survivor slowly got to his feet. Adam had heard the explosion that Lyle caused a few minutes earlier and had arrived at the scene to find that the villain had made his way into the home of a man he intended to kill, and then Lyle had blown up a propane tank inside the building as he and his target were both standing next to it. Naturally, Lyle was uninjured, but his victim and the entire building around them had gone up in flames.

Upon the Survivor's arrival at the fire to see if anyone inside needed help, he was instantly greeted with a television-sized pale yellow fist. And now here he was, staggering in the street, waiting for his ribs and costume to mend themselves and for his right lung to re-inflate itself. As Lyle and Pulse talked, Adam pulled his mask above his nose and coughed out several pieces of discarded lung tissue. "P-guuh!-Pulse! Fall-hack!-Fall back!" Trying to talk to his fellow vigilante, Survivor's voice only came out in hoarse whispers, but the sound of his choking on blood and meat did manage to catch Lyle's attention. With startling speed for something so big, the yellow behemoth ran out from the hole in the burning building and snatched a gas can from a jeep parked on the side of the street, tearing through the small vehicle in the process.

[blackout]"Aw, you look like you could use a drink, Kiddo!"[/blackout] he shouted to the Survivor. [blackout]"Lemme help you out with that."[/blackout] With a laugh, Lyle hurled the red gas container at Adam so hard that it exploded from the sheer force of the impact when it hit him, knocking Survivor back and to the ground while also soaking him in gasoline, which unfortunately made contact with the spots of flames that were still scattered over the Survivor's body and costume. Even for someone with the finest combat training money could buy ingrained into his mind, the pain of being set completely on fire was more than enough to send the Survivor into throws of screaming agony. The last thing that he saw before his eyes were engulphed in roaring flames was the red eyes of Lyle staring at him and the gleeful smile on his face as he watched the Survivor's skin burn away.

Looking on in utter shock, Pulse was an instant from intervening when a gun barrel pressed against the back of his head.

Pulse feels the cold barrel of the gun through his suit, pushing aside his hair and making contact with his scalp. Pulse untenses his muscles, ending his momentum for his jump. He lets out a breath and grits his teeth, his mind filling with anger at his sloppiness.

"I wouldn't move if I were you, Pulse." The man says with a smile.

"Who are you?" Pulse grunts.

"Me? I'm Quickfire. I'm here to kill you. And with your friend burning away in that pile, it looks like it's two against one, Pulse."

The man cock his gun, the click of the bullets shifting to a new click sounding loudly. Pulse smirks slightly, his body emiting adrenaline through his veins.

He looks in front of him to see the large yellow man walking toward him, a wide sadistic grin on his face. He laughs in a deep voice, the fire dancing behind his large muscular shape. Pulse feels the power in his body get stronger as the adrenaline courses through his body. He closes his fists together, tensing his body once more as he prepares himself to fight.

"I'm going to rip out your throat for this." He says in an hateful voice.

"A wise man once said 'There's nothing to fear, but fear itself." The man behind Pulse says with a prideful cackle.

"Really? Pulse starts, his fingers gripping together as he tightens his fists. "Then he's never met me."

 

[trustyside-kick]

Uriel makes you Fearless

She fires her gun like a madman--er rather madwoman, and I'm rolling around and trying to dodge like I never knew I could. I've been shot once before, and was afraid I was about to dye; don't want to relive that experience. When I roll behind table that was knocked on its side as the Blue Blur went to work evacuating people, the gunshots seem to stop for a moment.

So naturally I think "Cool. Great. Wonderful". That is until I try to peep over the edge of the table and a few more shots of gunfire whiz just over me. That's what I get for assuming this is like the movies where whenever the villain is sending a barrage of bullets and suddenly stop, it is because they are out of them. I'm lucky I still have my head on right.

She stops firing for a while. And I don't hear Mr. Byrd anywhere, probably getting the bystanders as far away as possible from the fight or something. Alright, time to--

"You gotta be kidding me."

As soon as I take a peak, the broad is taking my painting and placing it into a cloth case that was on one of the others. She ties it around onto her back, and suddenly she's off. I don't think so.

I get up, and try to sprint as fast as I can. She's so darn agile and quick like a fox. This is getting me no where. This is a big building and she may as well be a mile ahead of me. I stop just below the window she broke in through, and look up at it. Mr. Byrd returns to the room just as I look up.

"Hey, I thought you said you could handle this?! Where did she..."

I tear off my shirt, and I look over my shoulder. The angelic symbol of hope starts to burn into the back of my skin and I grit my teeth. I only pray that this pain is something I get used to with each passing transformation I'm going to have to make. Smoke and heat starts to rise from my back, and a bright light shines down through the broken ceiling window illuminating the entire place. When the light fades, my angel-fire wings sprout out and I'm clothed in the same garments I was in my previous transformation. Blue Blur stands there with his jaw dropped, not believing the sight before him.

"...go."

"She must've taken some sort of side entrance, slipping unnoticed as you returned to the hall. She couldn't have gotten too far, I'll take to the skies while you stay on foot."

I stand there, and he just stares at me still in awe and shock. We don't have time for this, we need to get moving.

"Sound good?"

"Huh? Oh, yea. Definitely. Don't be surprised if I find her before you though."

He winks, and in the blink of an instant, he is gone. I start to levitate upward, and as I ascend my angel-fire wings kick into high gear.

 

[trustyside-kick]

Uriel makes you Fearless

I'm flying through the dark nite sky, and I'm having no luck finding her. She's a sly, agile, quick one. And to make matters worse, she blends in with the shadows with her dark catsuit. As I'm flying through a small portion of the city, I can see blurs of a man running about. He finally stops, and I descend to the pavement.

"I don't understand it. There's no way in hell she could outrun me. Then we've got you playing the search helicopter role. So, she from your Rogues Gallery?"

"What? Rogues Gall--no. I'm no superhero."

"Uh...then what are you?"

"That's irrelevant. I think we'll have to search a little slower. She blends in so well with the shadows, and she's very elusive and quiet as she does so. But you're right. No way is she faster than you so she must be nearby. Given her slow pace to not make her presence known, I'd say we check the alleyways."

In that instant, he's off again. I'm sure it is eating at him. A man who can probably scan the entire city and one more time for kicks in under a minute, and he can't find what appeared to be some no-name thief. Then again, while I may not know what it's like for him when he's running about but that just may be a disadvantage. Were we in daylight, this wouldn't be the case. However he could be very well running past her while she is practically stealth with the shadows and unnoticed, and he wouldn't have known it. Looks like we're going to have to take it a bit slow.

I take off, but I fly low. I enter the alleyways and I fly even lower and slower. I scan with my eyes the best I can. I see a shadow lurking, and I start to follow. There's a downside to her situation: she has a painting wrapped onto her back. As soon as we can see her shadow, it is pretty obvious it is her in the night running about than some normal pedestrian. I doubt many people's shadow would have a rectangular shape on any part of it.

I chase what I see of her shadow around a corner and...what the heck? How'd I lose it? I--

"WOAH!"

Bullets whiz by my head and instantly I ascend away. I can see Blue Blur heading our direction and I'm guessing he can see me when I nod my head because he enters the alley way.

"You're the girl every man dreams of. You tease a bit by playing hard to get, and to top it off you wear that ever so tight catsuit while you do it. Come on, you foxy lady. I know you're here."

"The name's Nightfox, actually."

I hear gunshots, and I dive in with great speed. When I make my landing, I see the Blue Blur holding her gun in his hand, and spinning it around his finger.

"She actually thought bullets would do the trick. Really. Me. Told her before she didn't know who she was dealing witih. Alrighty then."

He grabs her by the arm as she shakes her head. My guess is after he pulled the gun from her he knocked her down pretty hard with his superspeed or something. I sigh some relief that my painting looks fine and I walk over as he holds her by the arms, untying it from her.

I only wish I wasn't busy looking at the painting, relieved it was undamaged during the entire duration of the chase and paid more attention to when she hoisted her legs up on the Blue Bur's waist, and headbutt him just before he loosens the grip on her arms to where she straight up does some karate, kung fu, judo--heck I don't know--whatever kind of chop at his neck, practically sucking the air out of him. Why you may ask? Because then I would've seen her smacking me in the back of the head with the butt of her gun. Now Blue Blur is busy trying to breathe and I'm here like an idiot rubbing the back of my head as she runs off with my painting again.

"She's like a freaking ninja!"

I get up on my feet, and chase after her. I did some researching about the supposed Archangels that bless and watch over me each time I transform and I came across something quite interesting: they each had an element. That would explain why that one night I encountered that pimp beating his hooker I simply reached out in emotional anger and a gust of wind shot out, blowing the dude yards away. If my guess is right, it was because of the Archangel that watched over that day. So right now I'm going to do the same thing and hope something happens that works out for me. I just hope it isn't fire or something and I accidentally burn the gal to a crisp.

So I do it. And what to my surprise? The very ground around her somewhat sprouts up as I raise my hand up, and closes around her as I close my palm. Meanwhile my painting goes flying through the air and I start to freak out. But just as I'm going to try to make a sort of "earth cushion" for it to land on? The Blue Blur is already there, jumping in the air and catching it. Also, may I add, he makes an awesome landing.

We both walk over to where the girl is stuck in my...earth/rock uh...thing? And Blue Blur hands me over the painting, and takes a seat on a piece of rock keeping her down. He looks down at her, and takes off her mask.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Ain't it a shame? The pretty ones are always either crazy, golddiggers, or trying to steal from ya."

"Suppose we should call and wait for the authorities?"

"Nah, you go on ahead. I'm a licensed superhero after all. No need to get you caught up in this."

I nod at him, and with my painting grasped under my armpit, I fly into the nightsky. Superhero. Is that what I am? Never heard of a superhero with a mission from God.

 

[Karem-Knight]

Las Vegas, somewhere in the desert:

Opening the car doors, Luigi also got out his handgun pointing it at Jackie. Reluctantly, the former Underboss had his hands up in the air, giving a smirk he started laughing.

"Hahaha, come on guys. This a joke, right? Good one, I admit you had me there...."

Franco pistol whipped his best friend in the face, as small bits of blood came pouring down from his forehead.

"Get out of the ****ing car, Jackei!"

Stumbling over, he got out of the vehicle, Luigi followed his every move from the front, as Franco did from behind. It was confusion, as he could see his hand shaking, Franco remained calmed; Joey had been shot, but what was on his mind were answers, he needed them, needed them before he shot him in the face.

"Frankie, please. What is this about!?"

"You know what this is about, you god damn rat!"

"What!?"

The very fact that he still denied it, made the possibility of putting that bullet into his skull all the more enjoyable.

"Kneel down, on the ground. Now!"

Jackie, came close to pleading.

"Frankie......please....."

"Now!"

"I.....I didn't work for Sonny.......he came to me, for information......I was going to tell you but....I.....I wanted to surprise you, by setting up ambushes, but then you......dirtied away from me.....and..."

"Get down on the ****ing ground, Lou!"

Luigi walked over there and kicked Jackie to the ground, landing face front in the dry sand. Getting up, the overweight aging mobster got up, as his best freind and boss picked him up from his head and stared down at him. Pointing the gun at his face, but taking two steps back, just enough to kill him.

"Jackie.....you know how this is going to end."

Starring down on the ground, he started to laugh. It was funny, he knew that Franco would win, Franco always wins, but the fact he sided with Sonny, it was still funny.

"Why?"

Looking back at him, Jackie smirked.

"I just........I just...........I don't know. I wanted to be Boss, I didn't know he wanted to kill you, just drive you out of town, so I could be in charge, Jackie Carbone, boss of Lost Haven."

"You ****ing idiot, you know Sonny wouldn't let you run Haven. He would have run you to the ground!"

Jackie sighed.

"Listen, Frank. I never wanted to.............I never wanted to get you hurt or anything, please, I promise, you can do anything, I'll live on the streets, you can get someone else to kill me.Please Frankie, please, dont shoot me, anyone else!"

"Why did you give up Joey?"

"What!?"

"We knew it was you. No one else did it, it was all you Jackie. Why, if it were me it would be one thing, but Joey!? You told them where Joey was.....WHY JACKIE?"

"I.....I..."

"TELL ME JACKIE!"

"Cause......cause....................."

"TELL ME!"

"I WANTED TO BE BOSS!"

With that revaluation, Franco bit his lip chowing it down. The gun became much heavier as he saw his best friend weep. But he kept the anger, the rage, he can mourn Jackie when he went to heaven.

"Frankie....I'm......."

BANG!
BANG!

Jackie's body went face down on the floor, two massive bullet holes and blood covering his entire face, putting the gun back in his pocket, Franco covered his entire face. Silence erupted, Luigi stared down at Jackie's lifeless corpse, looking back at the car and back at Frankie, he walked over to him and whispered.

"What should we do, do you want to bury him?"

"No. Let him rot."

Luigi nodded and the two walked back to the car, still tipsy from the whiskey, Franco rested his head on the back seat of the car, the war was over. Finally. All he wanted to do was to see his family, and rest for a few days, it was over. The End of a dark time in Franco Zano's life.

​

​

 

[Karem-Knight]

Lost Haven:

Mob War Reaches Bloody End.
Six keys mafia leaders killed, by supervillians.

Franco stood by the street corner reading the newspaper headlines, all read out the same thing. It was strange, after months on hiding out and fearing for his life, that was now behind him, he was now in Haven Park, sitting down enjoying a nice cup of coffee with Luigi.

"What's the update out West?" Franco said, two days later and life had become back to normal. "They're pulling some "UN" ****, Gary Asotoni, and Freddy Gustono now run it together, along with some other former capo. Looks like there's going to be a civil war **** going down."

Letting out a chuckle, he had to gloat, all the other families were now wrapped in his finger. "Maria and the kids back home now?"

"Yeah, she's a little upset but, I guess that justified. Got a lot of ass kissing to do."

"Tell me about it, wife's got me taking the kids to school and picking them up, everyday for at least a month."

Taking another sip of his coffee, Franco looked at the newspaper, and whispered in his breath.

"I got a phone call, from Carol Carbone."

The sounds of a busy Lost Haven street over took the conversation, as it went flat at the news of talking to your best friend, who you killed, wife.

"What did you say?"

"I said I tried to find Jackie, but it was to late. Got some people looking for whoever did it."

Luigi glanced at the floor, holding the coffee. Franco stood up and looked round his city, the sky scrapers of Haven looking down on him as he smiled, his sun glasses still on.

"Come on Lou, we've got a city to run."

​