Love and Salvation: Chapter 1 – Love at First Sight

Chapter 1 – Love at First Sight

Today’s another beautiful day God has given us in the Sunny City of Tomorrow, Solis, in the best country in the world, the Columbian Union. I help charities relocate donated items from one location to another, ensuring that the homeless and those in need receive the essentials, the sick reach their destinations, cats are rescued from trees, lost pets are reunited with their owners, and I give talks at schools.

“You’re so cool, John Elio!” people tell me.

“You’re such an inspiration to the kids.”

“When I grow up, I want to be like you!”

“I want to beat up bad guys like you did when you went on that rampage through the city,”

For the last particular response, I say, “Don’t do that, unless you absolutely know for sure that you’re doing the right thing, and allies to back you up.”

I wouldn’t want anyone to turn out to be like my friend, Mark, who was a good-hearted but reckless hero. Seeing a rise in crime, I quickly go out to each of the locations, stopping robberies, protecting people in fights, and taking down superhuman villains and criminals who want to make a name for themselves. During street battles, I help the cops quickly restore peace. Right after the fight ends, several heroes and vigilantes arrive on the scene, and they are annoyed and disappointed because they cannot claim the glory or credit for their help. They complain about me constantly resolving issues as soon as they are reported.

“Well, at least you can rest assured that the city is safer with me,” I say.

“Pfft, whatever. That’s easy to say for you since you keep getting all the credit,” one of the heroes says.

“I don’t work for the credit. I’m just trying to help people as soon as they call for it.”

The heroes scoff at me again and head off to the next call for help, while I assist the authorities in cleaning up here, helping them cuff the criminals and put them in their prisoner transports, and aiding the injured who were caught in the fight to get to the ambulances. This is why I prefer doing menial charity work. It’s heartbreaking to see people hurt and their life’s work damaged or broken beyond repair, and the other heroes always complain if I work too hard at my job. I always feel like I have to remind them that we work to protect and help the city rather than work for a paycheck and glory.

One of the officers says to me, “Have you thought about getting an upgrade to your outfit? I’m not trying to say that your casual hero, complete with a hoodie, jeans, and boots, and a classic hero cape, is ugly. I’m just talking about getting some armor.”

“Nah. I’m nearly invulnerable, so I have no need for it,” I say.

“I know that, but you can never be too careful.”

“I’m good. I have a sort of ballistic weave in my clothes, if that makes you feel any better.”

“I guess.”

My friend, Luke, created the ballistic weave that all heroes in Solis have made standard and are upgrading upon. As for me, I keep the last upgrade he made before he passed away. A few onlookers cheer us on for our heroics, and some of the teenagers discuss the pointlessness of being a cop.

“They practically give you powers nowadays because of how far science has advanced. Heck, they do the same for cops, so there’s no reason not to be a hero,” one of the teenagers says.

“Yeah, but I’d still like to be one,” another says.

“Why’s that? I heard the pay isn’t as good, and you have to adhere to more rules.”

“I just admire them.”

“For what? Their knight armor that they wear? You can get better, more stylish gear from the hero associations if you sign up with them. The police have no reason to exist in the modern day because of heroes.”

Going up to the teenagers, I say, “The cops are just as heroic as the heroes and vigilantes, and should be treated with the same respect.”

The one teenager who wants to be a cop thanks me and smiles, while the other tepidly agrees and looks away. My friend, Titus, was a police officer before joining a hero association comprised of former officers. The police should receive due honor just as much as heroes, and not be looked down upon by anyone. Some of the civilians here that I know have offered to make me breakfast since I saved them again. At first, I deny their offer, but after they offer to make me my favorite breakfast: eggs, bacon, and toast with orange juice, and are persistent about it, how could I say no, even though I already ate breakfast with my family in the morning?

While eating breakfast, I look at the friends and their families around me, their smiling faces, and watch them talk and laugh. This is why I became a hero: to serve God, protect people, and bring them happiness. Moments like these are beyond precious and can keep a man going no matter how hard life gets. After finishing my meal and saying goodbye, I head out and am about to respond to more requests for help when my older sister, Idelle, calls me.

Answering the call, I say, “Hey! What’s going on?”

“Have you made any new allies yet, like I’ve been telling you, John?” Idelle asks.

“I…haven’t, yet…”

“This is why I’m calling to remind you, and no, the heroes and vigilantes in Solis, your hometown of Poca Bellezza, and the secret agency don’t count. Have you even made any friends since you lost Luke, Titus, and Mark?”

“…not really.”

“Look, I’m sorry to have brought them up. I just want you to have more people looking after you since so many people have grudges against you, and because the agency told me that you got those same people coming after you today.”

“I’ll find an isolated place to deal with them.”

“It’ll be worse when you’re isolated. I’m heading over to you now. Keep an eye out for trouble.”

“Right. See you soon, sis.”

I leap up into the air and jump around on the rooftops, keeping an eye out for trouble. An hour passes until I feel a presence I’ve never felt before turns my attention to a woman who is quickly running at me with super speed. She’s…she’s…I run at her with my own super speed and meet her halfway. She’s about to stab me with her long, black nails, but I grab her and kiss her on the lips, something that stuns her at first. She then stabs and slices at me with her nails that feel like they have poison to them, none of which are effective against me.

Finally free of my kiss, she says, “Stop! What are you doing?! Why did you kiss me?!”

“You’re the one God made my heart fall for,” I say.

“What?! You just met me. How would you know that?!”

“I just know. I’m sorry that this is so sudden, but will you marry me?”

The woman’s pale face is flushed red, and she’s stunned again before spitting a greenish, black acid in my face, something that doesn’t affect me like the rest of her attacks.

“I came here to kill you and draw out the agency you work for,” she says.

“The agency? I don’t really work for them. I just help them when our interests align,” I say.

“Why would you do that when they’ve experimented on you and your sister? They did the same to me, which is why they have to pay!”

“I thought they stopped experimenting on people against their will?”

“I volunteered, but that doesn’t make a difference. What they did to me wasn’t part of the agreement, and them just letting me go and offering me to work for them doesn’t even start to repay what they did to me. I’m walking death now, and there’s no shot at me going back to a normal life.”

“I can help you. I have to, as your husband.”

“Shut up! Don’t say stupid stuff like that when we’re not even married.”

“But we will be. My name is John. What’s yours?”

“…Deborah.”

I hug her and say, “Deborah, I promise to make you happy and live a fulfilling life. Just tell me what you need.”

Idelle finds us and says, “John! What are you doing?”

I hold Deborah’s hand and say, “This is the woman God chose to be my wife.”

“What? She clearly doesn’t want to be your wife, given how she’s struggling to let go of your hand.”

“I can tell just like how I knew you were my sister before you told me.”

“You were right about that, but this is something completely different.”

“Let go of my hand!” Deborah says.

“Will you let us help you?” I ask.

“Why should I believe that you people don’t work for the same agency that experimented on us?”

“I know the agency better than John does, and know its past evils better than most people, so trust me when I say that we only work with them when our interests and methods align. They’re the ones who told us to watch us for people coming after us today.”

“Huh? I thought Deborah was the one they were warning us about.”

“No, they weren’t concerned about her. We’re facing a larger force that should be arriving soon.”

That larger force soon attacks us as a barrage of missiles hits us, followed by a group of superhumans hitting us with their powers. I let go of Deborah’s hand and protect both her and my sister by getting in the way of attacks meant for them. There’s no time for defense when the two most important people in my life could be seriously hurt or die in this instance. I push myself no matter how much pain I endure to keep the two of them safe until the battle is done. By then, I collapse to my knees, and the agency Idelle and I ally with arrive with the police, who arrest the people who attacked us.

Idelle helps me up and says, “You didn’t have to defend me. You know I hate it when I see you get hurt.”

“And you know I hate it when the same happens to you,” I say.

“You didn’t need to help me either. My acidic blood heals my wounds, and my body is more resistant to damage than it seems,” Deborah says.

“I still wanted to protect you since you’re going to be my wife.”

“You-you just can’t drop that on someone! What if I refuse to be your wife, and keep doing so no matter what you do or say?”

“I’ll convince you. I’m sure of it since our hearts were made for each other. If you want a normal life and justice for your condition, I can make it happen. Let’s work together and go from there. The agency that you want to draw out is here, after all. I just ask that you give me a chance.”

“I might if you help me kill them.”

“That’s not going to do anything to help you.”

One of the agents comes up to us and says, “Deborah, is it? John is right.”

“You’re just saying that to save your lives!”

“It doesn’t make a difference. We know what you want and what we did was wrong, but there’s no going back, and what’s done in the past is permanent. I’d trust John if I were you. He was the reason why we stopped experimenting on people the way we did.”

“I still want payback for what was done to me!”

“If you do, you can go after the people who just attacked you. They were part of the same group that experimented on you and still do the same to others to further their own ends.”

“Oh, and I’m sure you guys are all saints now, huh?”

“I can say we’re the lesser evil, in your terms.”

“Deborah. Please,” I say as I put my hand on her shoulder. “Killing them, and those associated with them for their past actions, will only make you a wanted criminal for life. Help me and I promise that I’ll give you the closest thing to a happy, normal life that you can.”

Deborah seems to think it over for ten seconds, until yelling out, and agrees to help us out.

“It looks like I don’t have a better choice. I’d rather not live miserably on the run for the rest of my life, so I’ll give you a chance.”

“Yes!” I say as I hug her. “Thank you so much! I promise that everything will be better from now on.”

“Stop promising so much! I’m sure you won’t fulfill every single thing you’ve promised.”

“I promise that I will.”

“Tch. You’re impossible to deal with.”

“If anything, he’ll try,” the agent says. “John hasn’t failed to accomplish anything he’s set out to do, so far. Now, follow us to our hideout. We have some leads you may want to follow.”

Idelle, Deborah, and I agree to go with the agents. Please. God, help me be the man Deborah needs, so I can break her heart of stone and help her escape the misery that blinds it.