Legend of a Hero - Issue Fourteen -

Detroit, Michigan 1992


My path is clear now, I read the address from the note Hank gave me, now all that stands between me and Albert Zerstoiten is chaos and brutality. Nobody said this would be easy.

The players are out of my league here, super powered individuals who only show up when the local news station tells them they should. Give me that kind of power and I’d change the world, instead of all out war on the streets.

A burning sensation hits my gut, hard to tell if its pain or instinct. Hank said something about a final judgement, this battle is clearly a prelude to something else, something much bigger… and deadlier.

I climb up a fire escape, manage to get above the blood and sweat. The building I need to get to is beyond them. The detective in me suspects this battle is a diversion of some sort, intended to keep the so called heroes at bay.

All brawn and no brain… we’re doomed.

I jump from one building to the next, using every last ounce of strength I have to carry me across. Once past the chaos below me I head for a second fire escape.

Then like a hammer I feel it, my insides feel like they’re about to explode. I fall to the ground in agony, twisting and turning above the warriors below. Stupid old man, you pushed yourself too far… forgot you were only human, you pretend you’re above all this, above all them, but you’re just as battered and broken as the rest.

I hold a hand to my ribs, feeling bone creak against bone, I push myself up from the floor with the other. All the while more than ever noticing my own mortality.

I push myself forward, over the edge and down the fire escape. The soles of my feet crush scattered glass on the floor, the slick oiled liquids that inhabit the ally pool around my feet. I put a hand to the wall and cough up blood, when I look up I see it, just across the street, my final destination.

“Remember me?”

A voice from behind me, I’m slipping. I turn around, and am met with a gun to the face. I feel my jaw move in ways it shouldn’t, I hit the ground, my blood stains the floor.

“I had a good thing going.”

I look up and see him, the man that started it all… dressed in white with the face of a demon. The bride.

“They said I’d find you again, didn’t count on you finding me though.”

Behind him a demon lurks, wings spread… fire spitting from its mouth.

It approaches me with devilish intent, the bride looks on with glee. His hand loosening on the gun, my blood dripping from its grip.

I roll over and slowly get to my knees the demon is in no hurry. I pull a knee up to my chest, letting the other support my body.

With so many super powered people running and flying around it’s easy to forget about the abilities of a normal man. Sure we can’t fly and lift cars above our heads.

“Make it slow, I want to see his expression change when his life is ripped from his heart.”

The demon turns and smiles at the bride.

Mistake.

I push my knee from my chest, using the oiled lubricated floor to slide through the demons legs. The look on the brides face is worth the pain coming from my ribs as I snatch the gun from his loosened hand and blow a hole in the demons head.

It falls to the ground, smoke and black tar slip from the wound. The bride tries to kick me whilst I’m down, I shoot his feet from under him.

I slowly climb to my feet and walk towards the bride.

“I won’t tell you anything this time. Just go ahead and kill me.”

I slide my hand to the barrel of the gun pull my arm back and swing… knocking him out cold.

“Shhh.”

This is the point where I take the prisoner down to the station, but things are a little different now. Invisible needles remind me of my limited time.

I relieve the gun of its cargo, throw it away and make my way across the street.

I get to the middle of the street when I see it. An explosion in the sky, so small yet so loud.

I turn to the battle, a few of the heroes look up in the sky with regret. One lone hero sheds a tear as they mouth the word.

“… vanguard…”

This seems to only make them fight harder. I get to the building and I’m met with two spandex wearing heroes. I know it’s the end of July, but this is pushing it.

“Stand back citizen, leave Doctor Destroyer to us.”

I’d ask to see there superhero badge, but I doubt they’d get the joke.

“Its been a long few days, super powers or not, I’m going through that door.”

They seem to be in a hurry, they rush past me and leave me to my fate.

Which suits me fine.

I’m about to head inside when the door blows off its hinges, making me dive out of the way. One hero flies out, a lifeless shell of what went inside. The second jumps outside and lands beside him, noticing his friends fate he looks up towards the door.

“You animal… you killed him.”

A man in a suit of armor steps outside, sunlight bouncing from his golden frame.

“Is it not you, who sought to kill me?”

The lone hero stands up ready to face the challenge ahead.

“Only to stop you… you’ve hurt too many people, I can’t let it go on any longer.”

Brave words, but it doesn’t take a scientist to know this guys out matched.

The golden man steps forward, towards the lone hero. Leaving a route clear for me to slip inside.

The spandex wearing hero will do his job… its time for me to do mine.

I head to the door, a small group of heroes join the man in spandex, evening the odds a little. Makes my decision seem less cowardly, but I have to get inside, and in my condition I wouldn’t last more than fifteen seconds with that guy.

Once inside its simply a matter of heading towards the most expensive looking thing in the building, which just so happens to be a giant computer flashing with blue and purple lights. A big red button glows violent red, above it sits a computer screen showing me my fate.

T-Minus 10 seconds.

I’m not a computer hacker, I can’t re program a VCR let alone a master computer in a villains lair.

I do what any sane man would do in a situation like this. I run as fast as I can towards the door, picking up a piece of splintered door frame as I do.

I bolt through the door and towards the battle outside. Spotting the man in the golden armor being almost over whelmed by the attacking heroes. I leap towards him, splintered wood in hands, my body is broken, but my soul is mended.

As I land a perfect shot to his head one beautiful brilliant flash erupts from the sky like a stairway to heaven, coming to claim our souls.

In my last moments I feel empty, I can’t help but wonder if all this had been for nothing. Despite my best intentions I did nothing, no one is any better because of me.

Then just before the sky goes black, before my eyes are closed and my mind wonders off I see it. A small yellow cab, its passengers looking in there rear view mirror and seeing the destruction, in the distance.

I wonder if anyone will remember me, if they’ll know how much I suffered these past few days. I wonder if anyone will remember the name Detective Drake Vermont.

The End