John Reese wanted nothing more than a peaceful retirement
from fighting crime and being a superhero. To find that peace he moved to a
small farmhouse out in the middle of nowhere.
On
a quiet spring night he was sitting in his living room after dinner when his
front door burst open and his peaceful retirement was over.
Forty-Seven
years have passed since the day of the Awakening, when five percent of the
world’s population was suddenly given abilities and powers.
Some
used their powers for good and the world prospered.
Others
used their powers for evil and the world suffered.
It
has been forty-seven years and both heroes and villains have aged.
John
Reese, aka Captain Atomic, knew when the door burst open that he wouldn’t get
to watch the rest of CrimeLine.
The
three attackers burst into the foyer and immediately tried their best to kill
him.
He
dodged sizzling energy bursts from a young super villain he recognized as
Firebug.
The
last time they fought he broke Firebug’s nose with a head butt that rung his
own bell. That was one of the first incidents that told him it might be time to
retire.
The
bursts of white-hot energy set his couch on fire as he dove behind it. He wasn’t
very fond of the couch. It was itchy and kind of uncomfortable.
It
flew up into the air as another of the attackers, Majesto the Magician,
levitated it.
“You
can’t run anymore, Captain,” a deep, scratchy voice yelled as a huge, stone
fist slammed into the wooden front door breaking it into splinters.
That
voice and fist belonged to The Rumbler.
Atomic’s
final battle was with this villain and he thought The Rumbler was doing a
fifteen-year stint in Atomic City prison. But when you have villains as
friends, no prison can keep you contained.
Atomic
grabbed a small end table that went well with the couch and threw it towards
the door. It slammed into Firebug’s face.
“Oh
GOD!” Firebug yelled. “My nose!”
Blood
spurt out Firebug’s nose and the energy he had building up for another volley
of energized fire was let loose in the foyer.
The
ceiling burst into flame. Plaster fell in smoldering chunks.
“Get
out of the way,” Rumbler yelled.
His
stone hands pushed Firebug out of the foyer just as the chunks of flaming
ceiling fell around them.
“He’s
mine.” Rumbler yelled, ignoring Majesto’s cries for help as his black cloak and
clothing caught fire.
Captain
Atomic ran down the hallway away from his burning living room.
The
Rumbler saw him and gave chase.
“He
isn’t going anywhere,” Firebug yelled through tearful eyes and a bloody face.
“The others are outside waiting for him.”
“He’s
mine!”
The
Rumbler slammed his fists through the walls of the hallway. The floorboards
cracked and splintered under his heavy steps.
As
he got to the end of the hallway a glowing fist slammed into his stone face.
The
punch lifted the two-ton man off his feet and sent him skidding down the hall. His
lifeless body slid to a stop at the feet of Majesto and Firebug.
Majesto
stared in disbelief.
“He
still has his powers,” Majesto said under his breath.
“No,
he doesn’t, get him,” Firebug yelled. He sent a large orb of red and orange
energy down the hall, fire erupting as it bounced off the walls and exploded at
the end.
“I’m
waiting outside with the others,” Majesto said. He disappeared in cloud of inky
black smoke.
“Fucking
Coward,” Firebug yelled.
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