Scarier than Evil: Chapter 3 – Deadly Pursuit

Chapter 3 – Deadly Pursuit

It’s been four hours since we started searching for Edoardo, setting up checkpoints, and nothing has happened so far. All I’ve heard on the radio are teams getting set up at their assigned points and other teams investigating buildings and caves in the city's mountainous forest and hilly outskirts and finding nothing. Alex and Kurtis have been talking back and forth on our personal radios about how cool it is we get to ride these fast cars with the deadly pursuit force outside of our jurisdiction. While they talk, I can’t help but think about the day not too long ago when a police precinct was taken over by a group of criminals and saved by Salvatore and his friends at Coronamento. I was informed about it when it was happening, but because we had to scramble and go to further precinct to arm ourselves, Salvatore and his friends were able to clean up everything long before we got there.

I then think about how we were embarrassed because of that event and Edoardo’s motives. He plans to invalidate the police by getting away with crime and making us look bad compared to other groups who enforce justice but aren’t tied to the law as much as we are. I wonder if he had anything to do with that takeover of the precinct and dead-end cases that we can’t figure out where no one was killed except for shady officials. It’s then that I remember reading in Edoardo’s journal that he admitted that the prison break was an inside job and told his allies in there to get their fellow prison guards to leave. The guards of those shady officials also quit their jobs and joined other groups to enforce justice, so he was likely the reason for their deaths, too, especially since I remember him knowing and protecting those particular officials while he was still a cop.

My reflection on past events is woken up by the sound of something rushing past me and a bad feeling. Turning on the heat vision of the vehicle, I see that a convoy of vehicles aided by superhumans has passed me invisibly, so I quickly inform everyone else and chase after them. Minutes after my call, our superhuman companions fly or run at the speed of sound to my aid, and our target has just uncloaked themselves since they know we’ve found them. Our superhuman allies clash as the rest of my backup starts to come and, unfortunately, crash and get mixed up in their fight. I activate my car's machine gun and start firing at the people in the other cars and trucks who are firing back at me. I’m able to blow up and make a few of the vehicles crash, but I’m still taking heavy fire, so I call in for support.

“I need backup now!” I say while continuously firing my car’s gun.

“Don’t worry, bud. I’m close to you! Just hang in there!” Kurtis says.

Kurtis’ words are reassuring, but I need something now. I use another weapon in my car, which fires out small projectiles that hit a few of the cars in front of me. The projectiles allow me to hack into their systems and give control of them to me and Chief Bernardo, who also has access to my car’s controls.

“You have control over the enemy vehicles, chief. Want to take them for a ride?” I ask.

“I’ll give them a ride they’ll never forget,” Bernardo says with a laugh.

The cars under Bernardo’s control crash into the cars that we don’t control, taking some of them out and damaging the others before being wrecked or taken out by their own.

“Make sure they head towards our roadblock! We’re ready to stop them there,” Alex says.

“Roger,” I say.

Switching my car’s weapons, I fire rockets at the vehicles in front of me so they go exactly where I want, the tunnel that runs under the hills. Out of the smoke of my rockets, Kurtis makes a stylish entrance by ramming one of the cars into the tunnel so it doesn’t make a turn down a tight service tunnel.

“Your backup has arrived!” Kurtis says as his car speeds ahead to ram our targets into the walls.

While this is happening, they are still firing at us, and we’re swerving through the traffic that was on the road before our roadblocks were set up.

“Be careful, Kurtis!” I say.

“I got this. Remember, I was part of the deadly pursuit squad!” Kurtis says as he begins to show off.

He crashes cars and even trucks into the walls and columns in the tunnel while also using his car’s guns and missiles accurately to destroy them or flip them over, all the while avoiding the civilians on the road.

“Woah! I still got it,” Kurtis says. “Eight targets remain.”

“We’re ready at the checkpoint with an additional surprise. Back off a bit and let me have a chance to show off next,” Alex says.

Kurtis and I do as he says as we exit the tunnel and see the checkpoint in sight. The checkpoint is comprised of pursuit cars and barriers with cops wielding armor-piercing rifles and explosives. There’s a single hole in the defenses that a large truck drives through that Alex is driving. The truck drives almost as fast as our pursuit cars and drives through two of the cars we’re pursuing and makes them fly into two other cars. Ahead of us, the firepower of the checkpoint stops an additional two cars while the largest and most heavily armored truck drives through the hole of the checkpoint, not even being stopped by what hits it or the spike strips behind it and helicopters that come in to shoot at it. Kurtis, Alex, and I continue to chase after it and empty the remainder of our car’s weapons into it, to no effect.

“This stubborn bastard won’t go down. I’ll have to go in and plant a melting charge to give us a shot at the interior,” I say as I launch a grappling hook that pierces the armor of the truck and attaches my car to it. “Chief, take control.”

“Be careful, Renzo!” Bernardo says.

I press a button, make the car's front windshield retract, climb out of my car, and crawl on top of the truck. Taking one of the melting charges meant for the toughest of armor and superhumans, I plant it on the truck and back off back into my car as the charge explodes and melts through the truck's armor as if it contained lava. After releasing my car’s hook from the truck, I tell everyone to fire into the hole, and this makes the truck drive around more erratically, off the road, and crash into a barn in the middle of nowhere. Kurtis, Alex, and I stop outside of the barn with other pursuit cops who have just now caught up to us. However, backup arrives for our targets as people in cars and superhumans. Chaos ensues as both sides clash, and someone throws smoke grenades to add to it and separate me from my friends.

I don’t have a second to try to regroup with them before a superhuman comes out of the smoke and attacks me with his sharp claws on his arms, legs, and face. Using the shotguns I took from my car, I duel wield them and shoot at his arms and legs until I blow them off along with his head after several shots to that as well. Before I can take a breath, I’m punched by another superhuman so hard that I fly into my car and through its windshield. The wind is knocked out of me, and my armor is shattered. However, I still force myself to move, hoping that there’s no serious damage to me. Getting to the back of the car, I take a heavy, light-machine gun and unload the gun into the superhuman and others who come at me. It seems like I killed them all until one last superhuman steps out of the smoke and dust. I try to fire at him, but my gun is empty, and I don’t have another box magazine to refill it.

“Ha!” the superhuman says. “You don’t have anything left for me?”

Overconfident bastard. I draw my magnums and fire at the superhuman, each shot landing on her face, and I don’t stop until it pops like a pimple. With her out of the way, I walk through the smoke and dust of the battle that now seems to be calming down as the noise subsides and it becomes eerily quiet. I keep my submachine gun and magnum up with my finger on the trigger on the lookout for trouble until I find it in the ruined remains of the barn that the armored truck crashed into. Our primary target, Edoardo, sits on a lawn chair with a TV next to him on a table. He’s wearing a casual jean jacket, blue shirt, jeans, and boots with no guns on him. His hair is a light blonde with bits of white in it, and his clean-shaven face makes him look younger than he actually is.

“I figured that out of every cop in the area, you would be the one to find me. It would be either you or Bernardo, but I was leaning more towards you because you have your dad’s persistence,” Edoardo says.

“Shut up!” I say before holstering my guns, cuffing his hands, and telling him his rights.

“And you're by the book to the letter as he was. It’ll look good on your resume when the police department merges with a hero group or some other government-approved association. You couldn’t have gotten me without their help, you know?”

I ignore his words as best as I can, make him get up, and walk him back to my car. Now that the dust has settled and the smoke has faded away, I see that my friends and allies are alive for the most part, with many injured and many others dead.

“See what you did, Edoardo?” I say. “You’re not the same uncle I looked up to as a kid.”

“I am, my dear nephew. I’m just a bit wiser, as you should be, and know that this isn’t the end,” he says.

As Edoardo is taken away and put in the back of a heavily armored truck, he smiles at me. Alex comes up to me to tell me how relieved he is that everything is over, while Kurtis talks about how it felt like being in an action movie. Meanwhile, I feel empty and drained and just want to go home and pass out.

Scarier than Evil: Chapter 2 – Digging Deeper

Chapter 2 – Digging Deeper

Before my alarm rings, I wake up and cannot go back to sleep to the point where I get up from bed and start to get ready. I look in the mirror and look at my red eyes that never cease to give me pause when I look at them for more than a few seconds. They result from the enhancements given to us, so every officer has red eyes. I turn my mind away from the banal issue, comb my short black hair, and can’t help but remember my brother’s reminder of styling it and getting a “real man’s haircut”. After, I put on my dark blue police uniform, hat, gloves, and shawl all of which have ballistic weave in them. Alicia puts her arms around me and rests her head on my back as I fix my uniform, put my gun in its holster, and phone and other equipment in my pockets.

“You’re up early. Is something bothering you?” she sleepily asks.

“I’m fine. Just couldn’t go back to sleep,” I say.

“When you’re up this early, you’re usually anxious about something. Are you worried about your brother?”

“When am I not concerned about him? He’s been mixing himself up in some shady business as of late.”

“Don’t worry about him. I’m sure he knows what he’s doing. It’ll be fine.”

“I hope so.”

Alicia and I go downstairs to make breakfast and as we’re eating and watching the news, we see Giovanni, head of the Coronamento Corp and boss of Salvatore, appear on TV and present the evidence that proves the innocence of the man Salvatore broke out from prison yesterday.

When questioned about keeping the man in his company building, Giovanni says, “We’re keeping him safe there because we can’t trust our justice system that put an innocent man who tried to expose his corrupt family’s crimes behind bars in the toughest prison we have. Until my attorneys properly secure his freedom, I will personally ensure his safety.”

My kids ask me if Giovanni can do what he’s doing and I tell them, “No, but we can’t forcefully take that man away from him, especially after the evidence Giovanni has shown and because of who he is and the people and resources he has.”

I quickly finish my breakfast, kiss my family goodbye, including my dog, and leave to see Salvatore. Sure enough, he’s home as he said he would be. His dog, Brozo, and my nephew, Davito, are the first to greet me at the door and most excited to see me while his wife, Isabella, presents me with a meal and coffee as is our family tradition to give food to guests, especially family. Since I already ate, I tepidly pick at my meal, as a form of respect and thankfulness. Meanwhile, my brother greets me and acts as if I’m just here to say hello, share a meal, and that nothing is happening.

“Be serious, Salvatore,” I say. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“Something big and involves a man who wants to get rid of the police,” Salvatore says.

I don’t say anything for a few seconds, anticipating it to be a joke, but Salvatore doesn’t say anything and he has a straight face.

“You’re serious? That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it really? What do the police do that state, corporate, or hero group sponsored superhumans and vigilantes can’t? You guys have unique armor and enhancements that no one else has, but the whole modern knight thing is a larp to take advantage of the cultural shift back to traditionalism and I’m sure that one group or person will outdo what you guys have.”

“Is that why we have someone trying to get rid of us? Because they think we’re outdated?”

“There’s that and he has a personal grudge against the police.”

“What does this have to do with yesterday’s prison break?”

“They started it to get the help they needed out of prison. I tried to stop it with my help inside the prison, but I could only do so much, and we had another ace up our sleeve.”

“The relative of the Humphreys?”

“Yes. We were going to free him one way or another anyway and then get him to help us find his stash of information on the man we’re after since they’re both from the decrepit part of the city.”

“And why are you helping me? If the man did get rid of the police, then that gives me a reason to join you at Coronamento.”

“Giovanni respects the police as a virtuous institution at its core and has many friends within it that greatly help him. Also, he and I would rather have you join us of your own free will and not out of desperation.”

“And because you’re making it look like a favor done out of the kindness of your hearts.”

“We also want you to handle this on your own to prove that the police are still useful and do things that other groups can’t. I’ll help out with the odds and ends, but it has to be you who brings in the man we’re after.”

“Who is he? Say his name already. You seem to know it.”

Salvatore looks away from me for a second before saying, “It’s Uncle Edoardo.”

“Uncle Edoardo? Last I heard he was enjoying his retirement. Why would a man who worked with dad try to get rid of the police?”

“Giovanni and I have our theories, but you should be able to find some information at his house.”

I sigh and look at Salvatore hoping that he’s joking, but just like last time, he’s serious.

“I hope you’re wrong about this,” I say as I get up.

“Remember what dad taught us! If he or anyone pulls a gun on you, you do not hesitate to kill them.”

“I know. I’ll be careful, Salvatore.”

I say bye to Isabella who tells me good luck while Davito acts as if I’m off to be a hero saying, “Go get the bad guys, Uncle Renzo!”

“I will,” I say with a chuckle.

Salvatore has always reminded me not to hesitate when in danger since it’s how he saved our parents and me from being killed by people we considered family. Still, he keeps the memory fresh in his mind to motivate him to change the world by working for Coronamento while I try to keep the memory out of my head, and if I ever remember it, it reminds me to be an uncompromising cop just like our dad was. Getting back in my car, I drive off to Edoardo’s house and call Chief Bernardo to tell him what Salvatore told me.

“It does sound ridiculous, but Salvatore isn’t the kind of person to accuse someone of a crime without convincing proof,” Bernardo says. “Edoardo was always the kind of person who was sympathetic and only used violence if it was absolutely necessary. See what you can find out and keep me updated. I want to know as soon you find something.”

“Yes sir,” I say.

The area where Edoardo lives is a recovering decrepit area of the city. Since Coronamento kicked the Humphries out, they’ve been redeveloping it by bringing new jobs and even its own dedicated police precinct where the cops hardly went due to the high levels of danger. Edoardo once told me that the area wasn’t that bad when he was growing up and the police weren’t shot on sight, but now I’m really curious why he's doing what he’s doing when the neighborhood is getting better. Stopping by his front door, I see that the mailbox is full as if no one has taken it for a few weeks, which is strange since he’s usually back from traveling at the end of the month. I knock on the door, wait a few seconds, and then knock again. Huh. No one seems to be home.

Looking around, I find a hidden key in a loose brick that Edoardo told me he kept here in case he lost his own. I’m inside the house now and it’s eerily quiet. Everything has a layer of dust on it, but nothing seems out of place. It’s as if Edoardo has recently left the house in clean shape as usual, and has simply, not come back to clean it. Around the house, I find pictures of him and his family and ones with him, my dad, and Chief Bernardo. These photos remind me that I should possibly question Edoardo’s children even though I know they haven’t seen him since their mom died.

Nothing looks out of the ordinary until I notice a bookshelf in his bedroom that is hiding a room behind it. I push aside the bookshelf and enter the room to find what looks to be an investigation room with maps, photos, and news reports. These maps of the prison and pictures of the escaped prisoners and the writing on them instantly confirm my fear that Edoardo planned the prison break. Among the many papers, I find a journal under them. In it, Edoardo details his plans to get rid of the police since the new hero and vigilante groups can do something that it can’t, namely change the law and not be bound by it. What catches my attention the most is the part of the journal that addresses my name directly.

It says, “I hope whoever is reading this will take my words to heart. If I had to guess, one of my best friend’s boys, Renzo, is one reading it, and if you are, I hope you don’t turn out like your dad. He was headstrong about doing the right thing through the police force, but it almost got him killed on more than one occasion such as the one where you were almost killed. The law doesn’t deserve good men like him or my other best friend, Bernardo. Tell him that I wrote he’s a good man and to stop blaming himself for everything.

I hope the reason that I’m doing this resonates with you. The police are filled with criminals and corrupt men who want to use their position for wealth and to get away with crime. This is not news to anyone, however, with the advent of superhuman and vigilante groups, the police have become irrelevant. They deal with most of the criminals nowadays while the police are only around to make sure they do things by the book. Even then, the police will let them get away with going above the law for good or ill. These forces of justice can strongarm the government into making proper laws and get away with enforcing justice in a way that the law cannot punish them. What does the death penalty or prison mean for those who can take a bullet to the face, become immaterial, or are supported by people like them? Laws are enforced by strength and the heroes and vigilantes of this age are changing the world.

Quit your job now, Renzo, and join your brother at Coronamento. Otherwise, if you want to get me, I would have started my plan by the time of writing this, and should be in the area that I circled in the map of this room. I’m doing this as a favor to you, my nephew. I wish you well and that we don’t meet each other at the business end of guns. I love you and tell your family that I love them as well.”

The sound of a door opening causes me to drop the journal and immediately draw my revolver.

“Renzo! Are you here?” I hear Kurtis say from downstairs to my relief.

Going downstairs, I tell Kurtis and Alex what I found and ask them why they’re here.

“We overheard Chief Bernardo talking to you and didn’t want you to be in this dangerous part of the city alone,” Alex says.

“Yeah, why didn’t you ask us to help you?” Kurtis asks.

“I’m sorry guys. I didn’t think about it because I was so focused on learning more about this case.”

Alex and Kurtis understand my reasoning and remind me that they’re always available to help me. After thanking them, I call Bernardo and tell him what I found. He cuts me off, says he’ll be down at the house, and within minutes, he and an investigation squad of five people come to look through the scene for any or more clues about Edoardo’s whereabouts and plans.

He reads through Edoardo’s diary, slams it down, and then says, “He says to stop blaming myself for everything, but this only wants me to do that more.”

Before I can say anything, he radios back to the precinct that he wants every available state trooper and officer to search the area that Edoardo circled on the map.

“Sir, I’d like to be part of the search,” I say and then add, “If possible, can Alex and Kurtis aid me?”

“Of course they can. You can aid the deadly pursuit squad that is searching in the mountainous region outside of the city where Edoardo is most likely to be. I hope you boys are ready to drive fast cars for an intense car chase. Now, get there and get our man, dead or alive!”

“Yes, sir!” we say before heading out to get our cars and Edoardo before he can do any more damage and bring his plans to fruition.

Scarier than Evil: Chapter 1 – Lethal Justice

Chapter 1 – Lethal Justice

“Code red! Code red! There is a prison breakout at Abbott Penitentiary! All available units are to arm and deploy immediately,” an announcement comes over the loudspeakers in the precinct.

Everyone arms themselves and puts on their armor as we race toward our cars and trucks and rush to the prison with our sirens blaring. Thirty officers are responding to this call, while the rest in the city stay behind to keep an eye on any crimes that may occur while we’re gone. Alex and Kurtis are with me, sitting at the back of a heavily armored police truck, double-checking our weapons and ammo.

“Who do you think caused the breakout this time? Superhumans or the allies of famous criminals could be behind it,” Kurtis suggests.

“Abbott Penitentiary is the most heavily guarded prison for miles. I think it was an inside job. What do you think, Renzo?” Alex says.

“Could be either. Could be both,” I say. “We’ll figure it out after stopping the riot.”

“Do you ever bet or have fun? Give it your best guess.”

“If you want my best guess, superhumans are the most likely suspect for the breakout or some famous criminal. They have been the usual suspect for breakouts from prisons that house superhumans. It’s why I’m double-checking our ammo types.”

We have ammo for every type of superhuman, including those with bodies made of metal or liquid and stronger than those of a tank. The equipment and enhancements we’ve been given allow us to dual-wield weapons or wield heavy weapons with shields. Kurtis typically uses two submachine guns and two shotguns as backups while Alex wields a heavy machine gun and a riot shield that won’t break under the pressure of a truck. Meanwhile, I have a submachine gun, a revolver that could kill an elephant in a single shot, and two backup magnums.

“If anything, we can thank them for the upgrades we got to our amour and getting injections to take hits from them and react faster,” Kurtis says.

“But they also make our jobs harder,” Alex interjects. “What can we really do against people who can fly away, melt into the tiniest spaces, and shape-shift, just to name a few People also prefer to work for corporations and groups that have fewer restrictions and higher pay for those who are superhuman or want to become one.”

“Yeah, I wish we had some of those enhancements the government workers have. I heard those in the intelligence and spy divisions can turn invisible or have super hearing.”

“Can the chatter. We’re here,” I say.

The truck we’re in comes to a screeching halt and we run out of the doors as they open. We’ve already been assigned blocks of the prison to check on so we immediately spread out as soon as we enter it. The loudspeakers in the prison have a message on repeat telling the prisoners that those who stay in their cells will have a lessened sentence while those who don’t will be shot and killed on sight. This ruling for prisoners took place due to certain superhumans and famous criminals repeatedly breaking out and causing more death and chaos in the country, and sure enough, some prisoners sit in their cells and act like nothing is happening while others are armed with weapons they took from the dead guards and the prison’s armory and trying to escape. We open fire as soon as we see these prisoners and push forward while using flashbangs and smoke to blind and disorient them.

After tearing through the rift raft, we find our way to their bosses, who have blown holes in the prison walls and are on their way out. We radio over to our allies what is happening as we chase after the higher-valued targets and shoot our way to them, tearing apart whomever we come across and ignoring the small arms fire that hits our armor. Once outside, we throw explosives at the getaway cars and trucks and execute the remaining escaping criminals. Before we head back in to sweep the rest of the prison, we are told over the radio of one of the other squads engaging the superhumans and them escaping only for them to appear in front of us soon after with high-valued criminals in their arms. I switch to my magnums and take out two superhumans by rapidly emptying four clips into them, making the people they carried fall to the ground to their deaths.

As for the others, they now focus their attention on us who separate us from each other. I’m punched through a wall by a fast superhuman but I get up quickly and take care of him thanks to my submachine gun and enhanced reaction that is barely able to keep up with him. I rush back outside to help Alex and Kurtis and am blown back by an explosion that comes from below. My body is struggling to get up now after taking so much punishment as I scream at it in my head to get up and continue fighting. I look up to see who is escaping out of the hole and am surprised to see my older brother, Salvatore, coming out of it with a criminal, both being carried out by a superhuman.

“Salvatore! What are you doing here?!” I say as I take off my helmet.

“Rescuing a man who was unlawfully imprisoned. You should catch your breath, let us escape, and rethink that offer to join Coronamento to work with me,” he says.

“I won’t. How does breaking out that prisoner benefit Coronamento anyway? I don’t think you can pretend to the world that this action is alegal rather than illegal.”

“You’ll see soon, Renzo. Keep an eye on the news.”

“Salvatore!” I yell out as he leaves.

Finally on my feet, I chase him in vain and then turn my attention to help Alex and Kurtis take care of the rest of the criminals both normal and superhuman. We then help the rest of the squad put the prison back into order during which I can’t help but think about my brother, what part he had to play in this, and why he took one specific prisoner. I report what happened back to Chief Bernardo, with whom I have a personal meeting in his precinct office.

“Salvatore…he was such a good cop. I still blame myself for him quitting and joining Coronamento,” Chief Bernardo says.

“You shouldn’t, chief. It was always something he was considering and you did your best. There was no changing his mind. Believe me. I tried my best as well,” I say.

“Yeah, I know. I just can’t help but feel that way. Anyways, back to what happened, I’m putting you on this prison break case, especially since you have direct contact with one of the suspects. From our five seconds of research, he rescued one of the relatives of the Humphries. Now, the question is, why would your brother and the Coronamento Corp want to break out of prison a man whose company they ran into the ground, helped expose as criminals, and had a hand in the attempted assassination of you and your family.”

“I’ll figure it out by questioning my brother. I’ve already tried calling him and he said he’ll see me tomorrow because he can’t be in public yet until the truth about the prisoner comes out tomorrow.”

“I’m glad your brother is forthcoming with you meeting him, but sill. For him to be so straightforward about telling you everything must mean Coronamento already has their alegal excuses as to how breaking a prisoner out is somehow good and won’t get them into serious trouble.”

“Salvatore did say the man was unlawfully imprisoned.”

“I don’t see how since his record shows him working closely with his criminal family and his only saving grace was turning himself in and telling us his family’s crimes and where their safehouses and hiding places were.”

Since there’s nothing left to do today but rest, I return home and crash on the couch. As usual, my daughter, Licia, and son, Rocio, jump on me while I’m trying to relax. Before I can say anything, our Dobermann, Octavo, also jumps on me to lick my face. We laugh, I ask my kids and wife, Alicia, how school was since my wife teaches them and others at the school they go to. They say that nothing is going on and are more interested in hearing about my day since they know I was involved in stopping the prison break, so I tell them everything and Alicia is the only one concerned about what I said while my kids are excited, acting as if my brother was some kind of hero or vigilante they typically hear on the news, especially since that’s how some parts of the media and world show him and the Coronamento Corp he serves as.

I just hope that he gives me a reason to completely trust him tomorrow and see him as they see him and as I once saw him when we were younger. I’m sure this is the start of a messy investigation that’s going to leave me beyond exhausted after it.

My latest book is complete and out today for free!

Download for free at select online retailers - https://books2read.com/b/mgn9Kz

After he saved his parents and brother from an attempted assassination by those he trusted, Salvatore lost faith in law, especially when he tried to be a police officer like his father. While trying to enact his version of true justice behind the scenes, he catches the attention of Giovanni, head of the Coronamento Corp and prince of the alegal. Under Coronamento, he can punish the guilty who get away with crime without worrying about restrictive laws, starting with the Humphrey Collective who put on a front of being a charity.

Angel in Devil's Clothing: Chapter 5 – Justice Outside the Law

Chapter 5 – Justice Outside the Law

I’m called in the middle of the night by Giovanni who says, “This is it. Humphrey’s higher-ups are playing their final hand at a police precinct where they’re holding hostages with those in the force who are on their side, the people you’ve arrested, and the remaining superhumans on their side. They’re trying to draw us out so they can get their revenge for what we did to them. If we don’t go there, the hostages will be killed, so I say we give them what they want, and don’t worry, your brother isn’t there.”

“I’ll be there in a second so we can end this,” I say as I get dressed.

“I knew you would want a piece of this action. Your other ex-cop friends will be here too. See you soon.”

Isabella asks me, “What was that? Where are you going?”

I kiss her and say, “I’ll be back. Going to take out some dirty cops.”

“What?”

I run out the door and head to the police precinct that Giovanni texted me to be at. Sure enough, my friends who were on the force such as Marco and Olimpia are there along with other superhumans who are allied with Coronamento. To my surprise, Giovanni is actually here.

“What? Do you think I would just sit out this momentous occasion?” he asks when I ask about him being here. “We haven’t been given legal permission to rescue the hostages since anyone who could is in there, so we’ll take their silence as consent to save them. There can’t be any prisoners on this. Kill everyone besides the hostages. Got it?”

We agree with Giovanni and head in guns blazing. This is it. This is the kind of justice I’ve always wanted to see enacted with no flawed human laws holding me back and just straight justice being handed out one bullet at a time. No lawyers giving these people an easy way out nor a flawed prison system that gives them a light sentence. I don’t have to worry about facing any consequences for this in the present or the future. Renzo and my parents may complain about it later, but they’ll get over it in time when they see how I’ve changed the city for the better. I’m now at one of the most heavily protected places in the precinct, the chief’s office where I find the assistant chief of police injecting himself with some enhancers.

“Huh. I figured someone within the precinct was bringing it down. Should’ve guessed it was you,” I say. “What’s your name again?”

“You don’t remember me, but I know all about you, Salvatore,” the man says before turning into a red and white monster with bulging muscles and a crooked face and attacking us.

My allies and I shoot at him while tactically retreating. Our superhuman allies get involved and are beaten back just as we are.

“Should I bother to remember? You’re going to be dead soon anyway,” I say trying to distract the man.

“When you first joined the police, I thought you would investigate who forced the friends of your family to kill them, but you didn’t. Well, here’s your answer.”

“And? Do you want me to kill you harder?”

I keep shooting and making the assistant chief follow me as he continues to fight, throw away, and kill anyone who gets in his way.

“I just thought it would hurt you more knowing the one who is trying to kill you will go back to your family to finish the job. Your brother’s been a pain in my side, so his death will be especially gratifying for me.”

“What did we do to you to make you hate us so much?”

“You constantly halted and ruined our operations in the desolate area of the city. We would’ve restored it by ourselves and made it a safe place for the poor and downtrodden if you hadn’t gotten in our way!”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have tried getting away with breaking the law and other wicked things you’ve done.”

“Ha! Come now, we both know that we can’t get what we want without breaking a few laws and doing things that the other side considers evil. You’re just another devil in my way!”

The fight is brought outside to the back parking lot where there are others like him along with my allies who are fighting alongside us. We’re now back-to-back and starting to lose people, however, we start to gain the advantage when Giovanni comes in with backup while wielding dual desert eagles. He’s able to take hits from our superhuman enemies and even fight back with punches of his own.

“You didn’t think I would use some of the enhancers for myself, did you?” Giovanni asks me when he looks at my surprised expression. “A true leader leads from the front and puts his life on the line for the cause he loves and fights for!”

With Giovanni and my allies’ help, the superhuman enemies are eventually defeated mostly by their enhancements, turning on them and making them either explode, shrivel up and die, or lose the strength they had. The last few are huddled in a corner, one of which is the assistant chief. They’re all unable to fight back and are bleeding with their hands up.

“It’s funny, isn’t it?” the assistant chief says. “I almost put your family to death and you’re about to kill me and mine.”

“You know what’s funnier? That you think I care about you going after me and my loved ones. I care more about the larger issue of corruption in the world and the criminals inside and outside of the government who get away with evil. That’s why I didn’t investigate that attempted assassination, and you know what else is funny? I’m feeling thankful that you did what you did because I wouldn’t be here without your help.”

“Whatever. We’re both devils at the end of the day. I’ll see you in Hell.”

“No, you won’t because unlike you, I’m doing the right thing.”

Giovanni comes up to me and says, “Do you want to have the finishing touch? They did go after you and yours.”

“Nope. You can have it, boss. They’re nothing more to me than sinners who need to face judgment.”

“Okay then.” Giovanni shoots the assistant chief and three others he is with. “That was very big of you. I don’t know if I’d do the same if I was in your position. You truly are a virtuous man, Salvatore.”

“Thank you, sir. I trust that this isn’t the end.”

“Not at all. I have many more competitors and other groups I have to either eliminate or ‘convince’ to join me.”

“I’m all for it. Just point the way and let’s get to work.”

Giovanni smiles at me and then says, “There will always be more work to do. We’re still at the beginning of our long crusade against evil. For now, rest and go back home to your family. I’ll have your next target tomorrow.”

We all leave as the cleanup crew comes to take care of the wounded and dead bodies. Giovanni soaks up the attention of the media while I head back home, thankful for the job I have. I can’t wait to see who I’ll be up against next in this lifelong quest of mine to protect and punish.

 

The End

Angel in Devil's Clothing: Chapter 4 – Legal Arrest of a Rival

Chapter 4 – Legal Arrest of a Rival

I’m about to head out to work to meet Renzo and am surprised to see him outside my house. He’s the spitting image of our dad in his prime, with short black hair, a blue officer uniform, and a hat with three upside-down triangles on it, but he differs with his red eyes that are a result of the recent enhancement injections the police were given and his basic haircut that I always try to get him to stylize.

“What? Don’t trust me even to meet you where I said I would?” I ask.

“Not really,” he admits.

“Ah, so the younger brother is making sure the older is not getting into trouble now?”

“That’s right. I see you’re still wearing one of dad’s Lieutenant General stars.”

“Always and I see you’re doing the same.”

“I always am.” Renzo looks over me and says hi to Isabella, Davito, and Brozo who say hi back. He pets Brozo and then we leave in his police car.

“How are Alicia, Licia, and Rocio?”

“Fine. Are you and Isabella still trying to have another child?”

“Yes, and we may be getting good news soon. I hope it’s another boy, but I’ll be fine with a girl. How about your new dog, Octavo?”

“The kids love him and he loves them back. He’s become another sibling to them.”

“Like dogs usually do.”

“I told mom and dad that we’re going to have dinner with them after we’re done today.”

“I don’t mind, but it’s not that time of the month when we usually meet up again. What’s the occasion?”

“No reason.”

“Are you trying to get me to change my mind? Because I won’t, not after what I’ve accomplished with Coronamento.”

“Dozens of people are dead and more are on the streets out of work.”

“Whoever lost their job at Humphrey will find new ones with Coronamento now that we’ve moved into their territory and enriched the area. As for those who died, it’s a tragedy for those who were innocent and didn’t know better and justice for those who did.”

“What happened to you, Salvatore? When did you become so cold?”

“The day you and our parents almost died.”

“You’re still letting that day bother you?”

“Yes, because it motivates me to protect not only you and our family but also others so that no one will go through it.”

“And you think this is the way to prevent it?”

“I do and you can do the same. The offer for the job is still on the table for you.”

“Don’t bother. Today, I’ll show you that good can still be done by the book.”

Still as naïve as always. I allow Renzo to take point in the arrests we are making today in the desolate area of the city where members of the Humphrey Collective may be roaming. For the first few, they come along after some convincing that their sentences will be shortened if they do and give up any information on where the higher-ups are, what other illegal dealings Humphrey was taking part in, and where the other criminals on the list may be. Some of them come easily because they’re afraid of me or put up a fight because they hate me for not trying to save the kid. Every single one of these criminals we take to the police checkpoint where they are taken to the station to be processed and held for the time being before they can be tried and sentenced. Nothing too interesting happens until one of the criminals decides not to open their door to us.

We do the honors and break down the door for ourselves, point our pistols at a woman with her gun up, and tell her to freeze. She refuses, fires her gun at us, and runs away. Thankfully she misses, and even if she didn’t we’re both wearing outfits laced with ballistic weave that give us basic protection against small firearms. We chase after her and the woman’s husband holds her hostage with a gun to her head, threatening to kill her unless we let them go. I don’t care to listen to him and shoot both the man and woman.

“What did you do that for?!” Renzo asks.

“They were both armed criminals resisting arrest and one of them already tried to kill us. We are within our right to defend ourselves,” I say.

Renzo is about to say something else until we hear the commotion downstairs, upstairs, and outside of this apartment room. We take cover and see people start to come in with their guns raised.

“There could’ve been a way to take them in alive,” Renzo says with a whisper.

“Well, there’s no way of doing that here, so toughen up and get to killing,” I say before leaving cover and popping heads with my pistol one after the other.

Renzo radios for backup while aiding me and covering my back as we make our way out of the apartment. With our backs against each other and downstairs, we find that the stairs are blocked and the only way forward is to cross the hallways filled with criminals who are using furniture as pseudo-cover. We accept the challenge in front of us and carefully but forcefully break through the step-up they have here including their traps as they come out of the room and hidden holes in the walls, ceiling, and floor. Pushing forward, we shoot our way down and are pinned at the bottom of the stairs, but backup comes just in time to help us out. Not wanting them to have all the fun, Renzo and I help them clear out any remaining threats in the building.

Afterward, Renzo says, “Is this what you wanted?”

“I don’t want it all to be killing criminals so they won’t be locked up and let go through our flawed justice system, but this is what I want, in a way,” I say.

“I see.”

Renzo and I quietly walk back to our car and I expect him to say something else, but he doesn’t.

“I’m not a psychopath or a sociopath, Renzo. I know it isn’t pretty, pleasant, or makes us anything like the heroes we wanted to be, but it’s what has to be done,” I continue.

“I know. I get it.”

Do you really? What you’re saying and the silence between us reminds me of the times when we got in trouble with mom and dad. On the radio, we hear how the other teams have made a full sweep of the area, and every criminal on our list has either been arrested or killed, so Renzo and I head to our parents’ house for dinner. Our parents are glad to see us after hearing so much about what we were doing on the news. They say they’re proud of us, which brings a smile to my face while Renzo seems indifferent.

Our mom asks Renzo while cooking, “Did you call or text Ignazio and remind him to come over?”

“I did, but he said he might not come over, like usual. He’s either busy with work or his wife, so I wouldn’t worry about him,” Renzo says.

“Well, give him another text as a reminder. He needs to come over once in a while.”

“Renzo is right,” I throw in. “He’ll come around when he comes around.”

“Both of you shouldn’t be so lukewarm about your brother. Maybe you should make time to hang out or talk to him so he spends time with us.”

“Sure,” Renzo and I say in unison.

Ignazio is the odd brother out who doesn’t want to be in the police and wants to live a normal life. At first, we thought he’d just be the boring, middle brother who would do something like Isabella who might’ve helped us in the offices, but he’s instead kept to himself and stays away from us for the most part except for holidays or when mom and dad are adamant about him coming over. As we eat, we make small talk about what we’ve been up to and current events.

“Salvatore’s employers have been making waves against Humphrey,” Renzo says.

“Yeah. I’ve been doing a lot of good ever since I first started there,” I add.

“Will you let us know or is that top secret?” our dad asks with a smile.

Not wanting to admit to having a part in the bank incident or stealing information at the food pantry, I say, “Investigating our competitor and exposing them for what they are so they can face justice.”

“And how have you been doing that?”

“You’ve seen the news. Everything you need to know is-”

“I know you’re speaking in technical truths like how Giovanni is, but you don’t know how to be plain in the truth while leaving out important bits like he does. You’re not that kind of person, never were.”

“Your point, dad?”

“I’m not going to say that you should stop what you’re doing and quit that company, but I also can’t completely praise you for it. You’ve indeed been doing a lot of good. However, at the same time, you’re the cause of a lot of suffering and death. I just suggest that you pray and really ask yourself if what you’re doing is the right thing. You still pray, don’t you?”

“Always.”

“Then I trust you in the hands of God.”

Looking over to Renzo, I see that his eyes are down at his food as if he’s somewhat disappointed at what dad said. I am a bit too despite not expecting him to say that I was doing a lot of good. All in all, I say today was a good day. On the drive back to my house, I offer Renzo a place at Coronamento again, which he denies again.

“If you say so,” I say. “We’ll see what your coworkers decide tomorrow and then maybe you’ll change your mind.”

“Whatever,” Renzo says before driving off.

Going back inside, I spend the rest of the night with my wife, son, and dog with no regrets about what happened and happy that everything worked out in my favor.

Angel in Devil's Clothing: Chapter 3 – Playing the Villain

Chapter 3 – Playing the Villain

“I want to be a hero,” I see my younger self saying in front of me in a mirror. “I want to protect people, especially my parents and brothers.”

It’s easier said than done, kid. You can’t protect them all.

“Yes, I can! You were just too weak and slow! That’s why our family was almost killed!”

The younger version of myself mutates like the teenager I saw and charges at me. I wake up from my dream and look around the room as my alarm rings. As my wife, Isabella, kisses me, stretches, and says good morning, her eyes seem to notice something about me.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“Yeah…I’m fine,” I say as I get out of bed and get dressed for work.

“You don’t seem like it. You haven’t been the same since you were last at work. Are you sure you don’t want me working with you?”

“No, I need you here taking care of and homeschooling our son, Davito.”

“I could help you by working in the offices of Coronamento just like I helped you by working in the offices of the police.”

“Being there will put a bigger target on you than being at the police, so no, and that’s final.”

“Well, at least don’t rush out the door and eat some breakfast before going to work. Your mom would kill us if you didn’t eat before you left.”

I can’t argue with that, so I go downstairs and help prepare a breakfast of sausage, eggs, and French toast with Isabella. While eating with our son, I keep my eyes on the news, particularly the part where Giovanni comes on.

“Our most talented minds in the scientific community agree that fetuses are infants, humans in small form, and are deserving of the chance of life rather than having to be killed for the convenience of the mother,” Giovanni says.

One reporter asks him if the mother should die to allow for the possible saving of a child.

“What a stupid question. Any mother worth the honor of her title would do anything to save her child and those that don’t aren’t worthy of the honorable title of mother. Additionally, killing an innocent to save the life of someone else is counter-productive and an evil act through and through. We are at an age of technology where saving both lives should be more possible than in the past, and yet, we are sorely lacking in this department because of politics, our want to take shortcuts at the cost of innocent human life, and falsehoods that pervade our society.”

“Salvatore!” Isabella says.

“What?” I ask.

Isabella looks at Davito who says, “Is that the guy who made you kill that vigilante?”

“Yes and no. The vigilante was a danger to everyone, and because of that, I had to put him down.”

“Is it Humphrey’s fault he was like that like the news says?”

“Yes, I blame them for it more than the kid.”

“Are you going to kick their butts today?”

“Maybe. It depends on what Giovanni wants me to do.”

“Maybe you’ll get to kill more corrupted vigilantes and save more people! You’re like a cool villain who is also a hero!”

What Davito says gives me pause and slight relief that my son sees me as a hero though I know that what I’m doing is inspiring him to be like me and may have to go through the same hardships. After finishing my breakfast, I kiss my family and tell them I love them before leaving. At the door, I pet our dog, a borzoi we named Brozo, give him his steak, whisper a reminder to keep his brother and my wife safe, and then walk out the door. When I get to Giovanni’s office, I ask him what the plans are for today as I take a seat. He turns around with a cup of coffee in his hand and looks at me for a couple of seconds before responding.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

This again.

“Yes, I’m fine. I would’ve taken an additional day off like you said if I wasn’t.”

“I can tell if my employees are lying to me or themselves. I want to make sure they’re in their best possible condition so they can work to their fullest potential. That’s why I asked and gave you those days off, but I can see that you didn’t really need it. You’re a tough guy, aren’t you, Salvatore? Usually killing a teenager would make a person take more than a few days off.”

“I’m not too worked about it because I did the right thing and it’s what my father taught me to do. When there’s something difficult that needs to be done, you do it without flinching and being upset about what could’ve been done after.”

“So, you have no regrets about what you did?”

“None. I just hope the kid is in Heaven.”

“Me too. I paid for his funeral service and those that died during that day and all I got for it was the news saying that I did it for show. I really do care for my enemies and want the best for them. Despite all this damage we’re doing to them, I’d rather have peace than war, but when a brat keeps misbehaving, you don’t stop putting them in time out and slapping their wrist until they stop. If they’d come to me and accepted my offer to merge, this would all be over, but that’s not the case. They took all their heroes and vigilantes out of the public and are said to be reforming them in the only research center they own. My spies say they’re going to use them to upstage and get revenge on us.” Giovanni smirks. “How would you like to play a villain? A real one this time.”

“My son already sees me as a heroic villain so it doesn’t bother me.”

“You are a hero, Salvatore. Just not a conventional one. Now, let me show you your tools of righteous evil.”

Giovanni takes me to the very depths of his office building, where he keeps some of his best weapons, armor, and superhuman research.

“I’m surprised you’d take me to a place like this despite me only doing a few jobs for you,” I say.

“You’ve proven yourself to be a trusted man. What do you think of this place? Impressive, isn’t it?” Giovanni says.

“It is though I expected it to look more like something out of a sci-fi movie with alien-looking technology here rather than something modern though I do wonder what those objects and symbols in the test chambers are. They look like things I’ve seen in theology and mystic books.”

“That’s because superhumans gain their power from God more than science. You can inject as many chemicals as you can into a person, but they’ll eventually hit a limit. However, some haven’t been experimented on who are better than those who have.”

“I’m sure it’s something that I barely understand.”

“I hardly do and the scientists and theologians here struggle in the same way. It’s a good thing for you that we don’t need to give you those kinds of power for what you need to do today.”

A set of gold and red armor is brought out to me by the researchers like a Christmas gift.

“I thought you would like this one since your codename was Gold Devil. Try it on,” Giovanni says.

I put on the armor and as it synchronizes with me, it begins to feel like a natural extension of myself. Giovanni brings me to a testing area where I get to see all its bells and whistles. With the armor, I can jump high, hover in the air, deploy a shield with my right arm, and withstand small arms fire as if I was pelted with small rocks.

“This is amazing,” I say as I feel like a real hero.

“These suits are tested to make even the simplest man feel superhuman. Your teammates are given the same suit and you will be teamed up with other superhumans and vigilantes who are loyal to us. I know you’ve fought alongside heroes and vigilantes as a cop, so this should be simple for you, especially since subtlety isn’t necessary.”

It shouldn’t surprise me that Giovanni knows my history as an officer, and yet, it feels like it does. I’ve indeed worked with heroes and vigilantes when solving crimes, arresting criminals, and killing murderers though I’ve always found the experience wanting. Most of them didn’t kill criminals because they wanted to respect the justice system and put on a show about how good and merciful they were even when the criminal didn’t deserve another second of life. They’ve even stopped me from killing or putting away certain criminals who they were hired to protect and only got a slap on the wrist by the law. I don’t mind putting down Humphrey’s heroes and vigilantes who are do-gooders by name alone and just hired help who do whatever the company says. This may be said of me as well, but just as Giovanni said, at least I know I’m truly in the right.

My squad and I are driven by heavily armored trucks to the facility where Humphrey’s superhumans are and immediately get to work. The superhumans and vigilantes clash while people like me in armor face the other humans who are wearing a similar kind of armor. We break through the enemy’s forces and head inside the facility where there’s already a fight happening between the superhumans and a squad of police officers. These officers are wearing the usual knight-inspired armor and are either dual-wielding submachine guns and shotguns or wielding their guns with bulletproof riot shields. It’s then that I also see the red skulls and three upside-down triangles on their shoulder armor and recognize who they are.

Could Renzo be with them? Those symbols on their shoulders are from the squad he’s with and if he takes after me at all, he would be here to stop the illegal activities. I shoot my way to him and am almost immediately blown away by gunfire by him and his cops.

“Stop! We’re on the same side,” I call out to them.

The chaos of the battle envelops us so that I’m facing a single officer who I hope is Renzo. He fires his guns at me while I run at him with my shield up. I slide to make him fall down and then knock away his guns with my shield.

“Stop!” I say as I take off my helmet. “It’s me!”

“Salvatore?” Renzo says as he takes his helmet off. “Of course you’d be here. After you exposed the Humphrey Collective, I was allowed to go after them and found this facility where they plan to attack their competitors from, which I’m sure you’re aware of.”

“You’re right and welcome,” I say and then put my helmet back on and help him up. “Now, let’s bring these people to justice.”

Renzo puts his helmet back on and picks up his weapons.

“Tch. I guess there’s no point in fighting you and your friends. Just let me know which are friendly.”

I do as he says and now we have the police fighting with us. With their help, we are not only able to kill every superhuman and vigilante quicker, but we also legitimize our place here as the news reports this incident as the Coronamento Corp helping law enforcement rather than waging a secret war behind the scenes. The chief of police reports Renzo’s findings and exposes their plans to attack their competitors in secret and their inhumane ways of testing their formulas to give people like teenagers superhuman powers. After our formal congratulations from Giovanni on a job well done, I ask him if he knew the police, particularly my brother, would be there.

He smiles and says, “It was a happy coincidence that he was there and even if he wasn’t, you still wanted your brother to be a part of Coronamento anyway.”

I can’t say anything against that since he’s right. If Renzo did take my advice and was working with me, he’d have better armor, weapons, enhancements, and freedom to enact real justice.

“Don’t worry though,” he says. “You’ll get more opportunities to work with him soon. The police have given us the green light to work with them in a more public and completely legal manner since the Humphrey Collective is now considered an illegal, criminal organization. Speaking of them…”

Giovanni looks around and points them out as they enter our hall.

“Don’t ever say that I never give you what you want.”

I thank Giovanni and go up to my brother.

“Looks like we’re working together again, little brother,” I say to Renzo.

“This is only temporary until the Humphrey Collective is wiped from the city. Let’s not try to do what we did yesterday. If you hadn’t shown up, my team and I would’ve found the evidence we needed without having to start a fight,” he yaps.

“You’re still the baby-faced boy scout just like dad. Maybe our time together will show you that those ways need to change and you need to be less merciful.”

“Maybe I’ll show you the opposite and that dad was right to stay an officer and not serve any company as you do. Remember that I’m watching you and everything you do has to be by the book. I won’t tolerate any illegal or alegal tricks.”

“You can trust me, Renzo. Let’s enjoy the celebration before we get to work tomorrow.”

“Sure.”

I’ll get you on my side yet, little brother.