Chapter 5: Just another afternoon Columbus, Ohio
A/N: This Chapter is un beta'ed? when my beta reviews it I'll edit the mistakes, though I do hope you enjoy. Oh! and feel free to point out any errors.
Walking into a hotel, past the service desk I made my way to the elevator. Stepping out I made it to the suite. Pulling out a paperclip I picked the lock. Walking in without making a sound I walked to the bedroom. I could hear the man behind the heavy oak door.
"Heroes, protectors, guardians, sentinels of the innocent. The PRT would fill your heads with these lies, but it is these same 'heroes' create millions in property damage on an almost regular basis, they fill our youth with ideas of vigilantism, of anarchy, and the government gives them impunity. Heck, the government gives villains impunity from their actions, we're talking about murder, rape, assault, property damage. The list goes on, but I will not stand for it. I will fight for you, I will put you first, so vote for me so you can see the changes you deserve. All heroes will be made to unmask and join a branch of the military or join the force, they will have to take the required courses and will not be given a free pass. They will be held accountable for their actions. As for villains, they will be sent to maximum security, and any loss of life that resulted from a parahuman ability will be given capital punishment. The times were men and woman with powers being able to do what they wish is over, let's return to our former greatness." The man, Kyle White, finished his speech. He turned off his light and went to bed.
I waited there for the ten minutes it took for him to enter REM sleep. Walking beside him, I gently pushed a needle in his arm and tied a band to his upper arm. Grabbing the man's phone, I got to work. I unlocked his phone and made a few calls.
-The Next Morning-
Wearing an apron, I stood over the stove waiting for the cinnamon rolls to finish baking before I took the bacon off the heat. I went to set up the table in time to pull out the rolls. I started making the glaze for the cinnamon rolls. As I poured the glaze, I heard Sarah coming down the stairs. "Mmm it smells so good," Sarah called out as she made it downstairs. Lifting her us I placed her down on her seat before I started tickling her. She laughed as she tried to escape. I stopped so I could get her a cinnamon roll and a glass of milk.
She took a bite before humming in content. "You like it?" I asked with a smirk on my face.
"Uh-huh. It's really good, thank you, Gabe."
"Anytime Sarah." I continued to set the table until our parents came down. At which point I served them their rolls, with a nice roast to go with it.
"This is amazing Gabriel," Dad exclaimed as he inhaled his roll before going for seconds.
Mom took a bite before moaning in content. "Holy c- cow. This is amazing honey." She quickly ate hers before grabbing another one. Sarah finished her last bite before I put the last one on her plate. Her eyes lit up with joy as I ruffled her hair, she huffed in annoyance, but she was more focused on eating my pastries. I ate my breakfast as fast as possible. I went over to help Sarah down from her chair when she struggled to get down before she sat in Infront of the TV to watch cartoons.
" Alright I better get going, I'll be back by dinner." I told everyone as I headed towards the door.
" Where were you going again," mom asked.
"I was going to school to finish up a few projects that I need to get done."
"All right, just stay safe ok." Mom told me.
"Always am," I replied as I walked out of the house. Walking through a portal I arrived at my central base I walked towards my terminal. Typing in the proper commands, I selected a red vial from the laboratory. I put the vial down before two pieces emerged; skintight body armor, a three-piece suite. Getting dressed I grabbed the vial. Stepping through another portal I ended outside a trailer home, it was in serious need of repair; it was disgusting, the outside was dented, and being held together with duct tape.
Opening the flimsy wooden door, I stepped inside, which was a mess; empty cartons of pizza and another takeout, empty bottles of liquor. "What the fuck are you doing in my house!" I turn around coming face to face with a man of Asian descent; his hair was long, unkempt, and he was sickly thin. Pointing the revolver at me, finger already on the trigger.
Carefully raising my hands, I used my power to speak to the man. "My name is Prometheus, and I came to help you get everything you lost, and more." The man's eyes widen in recognition. He calms down but still holds me at gunpoint.
"How do I know you're the real deal, what are you twelve? How do I know this isn't a sick prank?" He asked, his voice cracking with emotion.
"My front right pocket, that should give you more than enough proof," I told the man. He looked at me, searching for any signs of deceit, not finding any he started rolling to me, halfway to me he stopped.
"Are you armed?" He asked me finger still on the trigger as he continues aiming the gun at my heart.
"Two knives on my back, a pistol on my left ankle." He told him, my tone cold, my movements unflinching. The man waited for a few seconds before rolling to me and reaching into my pocket, and slowly pulling out a glass vial filled with a dark red liquid.
"What is this?" He questioned holding the vial in his hand.
"That is the key to getting your life back, getting your daughter to love you again, the way you'll get your wife to take you back, and the way to making something of yourself." I stated."
". . . And If I don't take it?" He asked, in a bored tone, but he couldn't lie to me, to the path.
"Then your memories of me will be erased, and you'll die."
"His grip on the gun tightened on his weapon," Don't threaten me, crippled or not I can put a bullet in between your eyes before you'll even know what happened."
"I'm only speaking the truth. That's why you gorged yourself on your favorite foods, and just drank, and drank, it's also why theirs only a bullet in the chamber, right?" I asked. The man's eyes filled with tears; his breathing started getting rougher and rougher the occasional hiccup.
"N-no, I-I wouldn't, I wasn't I just, I mean I-." The started blubbering incoherently. I slowly stepped towards the man, gently taking the gun from his hand.
"Chris," I called to him my voice comforting as squeezed his hand. "This nightmare can end, agree too my conditions and you'll never suffer again, you'll get you family back too, it'll take a few months, three in fact, but if you do what I say, you'll be taking your daughter to end of year shopping."
Chris looked down at the vial in deep thought before looking at me, conviction and hope shining through the man. "I'll do anything you ask, so long as it doesn't affect my family, and doesn't hurt anyone." He stated full of conviction.
"That's acceptable. Pop it open and drink it in one go. When you wake up to go to the PRT and apply for a more solid position, tell them that surgery gave you the use of your legs and you spent the last three years in therapy. Don't worry all the required paperwork will be available to them. Just do your job, and if you listen to me, you'll how everything will go your way." I leaned forward never breaking eye contact with him as my expressions became ice, and my tone lifeless. "If you ever think about telling someone about me, the vial, or about any orders you'll get your family in pieces before you join them."
"Chris empty hand became a fist as anger filled him at my threat. "Understood. What if my family finds any information and figures it out?" he asked, knowing it wouldn't be good.
"Better keep them quiet in that scenario. Understand if anyone becomes a threat they will be eliminated. So, decide to drink it and get powers, be healed, and get everything you lost back, and more. Or don't and I'll erase your memories and I'll find someone else who will."
Chris pulled out the cork and hesitated, for a second, before chugging the liquid.
He blinked before steam emerged from his body burning him as the vial fixed all his physical, and mental impairments; His lost, and damaged muscles grew and thickened beyond anything humanly possible, his skeleton followed.
He relived his stomach of its contents and defecated himself as all the junk was removed from his system. His every organ was improved to an inhuman degree. Once the transformation was complete the man looked like the pinnacle of masculinity without looking, wrong, but the most important, to him at least would be his now functioning legs.
Pulling out an envelope I placed it on his table, telling him how to start his new job at the PRT written on the back of a picture of him smiling with his wife and daughter.
Opening I rift I didn't spare the man a second glance.
-Sometime later- Location: Earth 56, the Italian coast
Emerging from the portal I ended up in a world that was in the mid-1500 village, under the mid-morning sun. Walking through the empty streets through the streets there were human statues in several different positions. Walking further ahead I could see the population I ended up the town square, everyone was kneeling in prayer surrounded by armed sentinels praying to a woman sitting on a tall wooden stand. She with long, curly, chestnut hair, olive skin. She wore a royal purple dress it hugged her womanly figure just enough to show her curves, but not enough to be improper over her eyes she wore thick silk.
She spoke a language I couldn't understand, but several stone statues brought four people up to the stadium. The first was a young man, he was 23 with lightly tanned skin and black hair. He was decently built and impressive health for someone born in the same condition as the 1500s. Next to him was an unusually attractive woman in her late 20's with black hair that was both wavy and straight, and cobalt blue eyes, she wore a simple white dress the only accessory on her was a simple silver band.
Then two children looked seven, twins, a boy, and a girl, and like their parents were both astonishingly healthy for the time they live in.
The parahuman spoke again in her native tongue. Path to understanding and communicating. I thought as my power told me what she was saying.
"My loyal subjects, while most of you have shown nothing but adoration and fealty to your goddess many of you are refusing to accept my love, so I must force my love on those who do not accept it so like those before these commoners and those that are to come after them I force my love upon them.
The cape removed the colored silk over her eyes before she collapsed, a hole going through her brow. The guards flinched as they looked around for what killed her, everyone was shocked silent before that one brave civilian yelled out in elation. "The demon is dead!" the man's voice carried, and everyone was silent as what happened finally sunk in everyone erupted in cheer. The guards dropped their weapons the leader climbed up the stage and released the family bound family from their chains. They embraced each other crying tears of joy as they shook in relief.
The woman manages to catch my eyes, her eyes widen as I give her a nod before I turned around and walked away from the cheering people of this freed city. Opening a portal, I looked back at the woman one last time. Have a good life, Fortuna.
Earth Bet: Home.
Walking through the front door I see my parents watching a movie as Sarah's sleeping in between them. Locking the door, I kiss her cute nose making her face wrinkle before she smiles, I sit next to mom as I greet them. "Hey mom, dad I'm back."
"How did your projects go; did you finish them?" Mom asked as she ruffled my hair, not taking her eyes off the tv.
"Yeah it was a bit of moving around but I managed to finish what I had to do today, now I just wait." As we continued watching a kid's movie that Sarah probably talked our parents into watching, and my parents finished when she fell asleep. Looking at the time I told dad to turn on the news, doing so I felt successful at the title of the story they were covering.
Chicago's favored candidate has been arrested for the possession and use of heroin, along with his male lover.
The discredited candidate stood in front of all the reporters as he was dragged away by the police. "I'm innocent! It was capes, capes did this and the government is hiding it, please believe me! I'm innocent!"
The tv was changed back by dad so it wouldn't scare Sarah.
"What a sick freak, and I thought he was a good man." Mom said as dad agreed. We watched another movie after Sarah woke up, and when our parents went to sleep, she convinced me to watch another one. So, we cuddled as we watched Mulan for the sixth time.
A/N: Sorry for the short chapter everyone, Once I have the premise set up I'll be able to get into the real meat of the story.