Sufferer's deck for an upcoming card game-based story

Reaper of the Guilty: Chapter 2 – On-the-Spot Interview

Chapter 2 – On-the-Spot Interview

Today is a day to spend as my real identity, Timeo Severe. I’m hoping to call an emergency meeting between my friends who are powerful leaders in the four families that control every industry in Meridian, not counting mine. Darcy is always ready to drop whatever she is doing to see me, since her art projects can always be halted and handed over to her associates. As soon as I called her, she asked about us meeting, and we agreed to meet at the usual place in a few hours. Klinge, on the other hand, is too busy helping his mechanics. My best friend, Lancetto, texted me that he's in a meeting with Church leadership, businessmen, and politicians, so there’s no chance to get them to involve themselves.

Despite this, I text Klinge and Lancetto about the shapeshifter, what I know about them, that we need to meet at their earliest convenience, and can’t put it off for long. They both agree on this and promise to meet soon. I breathe in and out to try to calm myself down and remind myself not to be too worried about this new vigilante as I walk through the streets of Meridian.

“Timeo Severe? Can we talk in private?” I hear someone say to me.

I look around, but don’t see anyone looking at me or trying to get my attention, so I keep walking.

“You weren’t imagining anything, Timeo. Perhaps your dark friend told you of me?” the same person says.

“You’re the shape-”

“Keep walking and talking to an alleyway. When I asked if we could talk in private, I meant we will talk in private whether you want to or not.”

“Fine,” I say as I walk and look around for the nearest alleyway. “Who are you and what do you want?”

“My name is Azeria, and what I want is to help you and your friends make this city a better place.”

“What way would that be?”

“By making your mutual friend rely less on the law and work more independently, like he used to.”

“I don’t think he’ll do that. The extremists in the city are why he started working with the law.”

“Are you sure that it was a good trade-off? Things got done, and criminals at all levels of power got punished more back then, but now, criminals, both rich and poor, are still taking advantage of desperate people, no matter how many get locked up, killed, or are said to be not guilty by corrupt lawyers and judges. I’ve even talked to our mutual friend yesterday, who seems to be weighed down by how much things haven’t changed.”

“You don’t know him like I do.”

“Let’s talk more in private so I can and know what to say to him next time. It’ll help us both more if you tell me his secrets, maybe even arrange a meeting while you’re at it. I’m sure you have his number or a way of contacting him. He should have his own spotlight in the sky like some other heroes have at this point.”

“I’m not going to tell you his real identity, if that’s what you want to know.”

“Eh. His true identity doesn’t matter as much as his personal history and why he chose to be a hero.”

I make it to an alley and wait for someone to approach me out of the crowd. Both sides of the alley are open, but it’s dark enough in between so that no one can see us. At this point, I think of transforming into L’Obscurité because no one shows up. Did the Azeria get caught up in the crowd? Before I can transform all the way, I see Darcy walking to me.

“What are you doing here?” I ask her.

“You said to meet you, so I was walking to meet you, and just happened to see you in the crowd. Who were you talking to in the crowd?” she asks.

Despite my always feeling as if Darcy is stalking me, this meeting with her feels more off than usual. If Azeria can transform into Raymond, then she can transform into anyone, including Darcy. I could just transform to confirm it, but at the same time, do I want to expose my identity to Azeria? She said it didn’t matter, though she could have been lying. There is one sure way of finding out, so I take the risk and try kissing Darcy, only for her to push me away.

“What are you doing?” she asks.

“I guess you don’t know that Darcy is madly in love with me, do you, Azeria? Stop playing games with me and show me your true face,” I say.

Azeria laughs at me, walks into the darker part of the alley, and transforms herself into her, presumably, actual self. She has hazel eyes, medium brown hair, tanned skin, and is wearing scrubs and sneakers.

“I thought I’d get you to talk more if I showed up as Darcy since you’re always around her, but I didn’t think the rumors of you two being in a relationship were true,” Azeria says.

“We aren’t in a relationship,” I say.

“So it’s a one-sided deal then? That’s interesting, and here I thought you were the aggressive one for getting the four families to work together to help the city.”

“If you want to meet L’Obscurité, you’d better start explaining yourself to me. How did you get your power, and how does it work?”

“Let’s just say I work at a company that had a secret, experimental formula for shapeshifting, I tried it, and it, thankfully, agreed with my body, so I can use the power. As for how it works…”  pinches me enough to make me bleed and transforms her body, clothes, and voice to match mine. “If I touch a person’s blood, I can replicate their voice and entire appearance. I think it’s better than what happened to the original shapeshifter formula, which needed the user to ingest the person they wanted to transform into. Sure, I can’t take your memories like the original, but this is good enough.”

“Who else do you know that you can transform into?”

Azeria shows me by transforming into Lancetto, Klinge, Raymond, Chief Assistant Ralph, Mayor Jeph, Deputy Mayor Tim, and even an approximation of L’Obscurité.

“This L’Obscurité form is very inaccurate since he’s mostly made of shadow, but I criminals can’t tell the difference in the dark. I got his form when I managed to take a picture with him and get his autograph, not too long ago. I’m sort of a mega fan.”

Azeria reaches into her pocket and shows me a L’Obscurité key chain attached to her keys. I’m not sure if I should be more annoyed or creeped out. At least this isn’t as creepy as Darcy sending me a picture of her sleeping with an L’Obscurité plush with another message saying she wishes I were there. I’m really starting to regret going legit because legit heroes can have merchandise made of them. Heroes and vigilantes can only profit from their merchandise if the country knows their true identity, which may or may not be publicly known, but since I don’t need the money and people knowing who I am, I don’t see or care to see a penny from my merchandise sales.

“I see. So, you want L’Obscurité to go back to the way he was during his first year of crime fighting. Beyond the reasons you gave, what personal reason do you have?”

“I know the results of corruption because I work in the secret labs where it festers. Criminals were scared and quick to make themselves look as legit as possible, just in case he appeared to punish them. Now, they don’t care as much, and things are back to what they were. I think the moment I snapped was when I heard them say that he was leashed when he started working with the law.”

“Violence and disrupting society to create change won’t yield much benefit. You’ll merely reduce everything to ashes, and innocents will perish alongside the guilty.”

“I can assure you that the negatives can be alleviated because L’Obscurité has hundreds, if not thousands, of people in the city and beyond who would follow his every command.”

“If they want to follow his lead, then they should do as he already says and does. If they don’t, then they’ll find themselves opposing him. It’s as simple as that.”

“That’s why I want you to talk to him. Here’s my number. Set up the meeting, or you’ll be seeing me more often than you’d prefer, and I will be doing more to you than just a simple pinch.”

“You’re not afraid that I’ll find out who your employers are and report what you’ve done?”

“I don’t care if you do. I’m sick of that place and need a change of career anyway. Now, I must get going. My allies and I need to find more ways of getting our hero’s attention than acting in his name.”

“Wait!”

I try grabbing Azeria, but she runs away and slips into the crowd, where she presumably transforms since I’ve already lost sight of her. Great. Everything that I do just seems to turn against me. I don’t even feel like going hunting for criminals at all today, so I simply head into work at one of my family’s charities to help the food kitchen there and get my mind off my worries. After work, I calmly call my friends, let them know what happened, and this time, the situation makes them agree to arrange a meeting the next day. We meet in the usual spot, a private room in one of Lancetto’s office buildings where no one can hear or see us. Lancetto is dressed up like he’s meeting with the president, as always, with his top hat and dressy suit, pants, and shoes, Klinge is dressed as if he just got out of the car mechanics in jeans, a hoodie, t-shirt, and beat up boots, and Darcy is wearing a homemade dress, a large circular hat, heels, and her favorite snake scarf.

Lancetto is the first to speak in the meeting, like he usually does, as he says, “Does she know L’Obscurité’s true identity?”

“She doesn’t. I don’t even think she cares to know,” I say.

“What? Do you guys know?” Klinge asks.

Lancetto, Darcy, and I look at each other as if mentally communicating with one another since we all know what we’re thinking about.

“Since Azeria can disguise herself as any one of us, there’s one sure way of knowing if you are all who you say you are,” I say. “Who do you think L’Obscurité is?”

Lancetto and Darcy say it’s me, which stops Klinge from guessing because of the confidence in their statement.

He then says, “Is it you, Timeo?” I transform into L’Obscurité to show him without saying anything, and then go back into my normal form. “You kept this secret from me? Why?”

“We didn’t know when or how to tell you,” Lancetto says.

“We’ve been working together for three years now. You could’ve just told me out of the blue, and it would’ve been fine with me.”

“Doesn’t this count as out of the blue?” Darcy asks.

“Tch. I guess it is. It’s also nice to know I’m not the only freak in the room. No offense, Timeo.”

“None taken.”

“So, how did you figure out she was being me without transforming?” Darcy asks.

“I tried to kiss her. When she pushed me away, I knew it wasn’t you-”

At this moment, it occurs to me what I’m saying and to whom. Why did you allow me to talk without thinking, God?

“You tried kissing her?!” Darcy says as she gets up and grabs me by the collar.

Lancetto and Klinge can’t help but laugh at me.

“Darcy, it was the only way.”

“At least we know this is the true Darcy,” Klinge comments.

“Come on. Calm down. Nothing happened and he didn’t kiss her,” Lancetto says.

Darcy grunts, sits back down, and says, “Fine, but remember, your lips are only for me, Timeo.”

“Sure,” I say as I fix my collar and tie. “Do your contacts know of any extremist fan clubs of mine?”

“Lots, but none that are well-connected. They all have an idea of what crime-fighting should be like, and most are associated with legitimate hero and vigilante groups.”

“Keep an eye on them and remind them that I don’t approve of going above the law without a good reason. Lancetto?”

“People acting outside of their contracts is a given, especially in hero and vigilante businesses. I have my most trusted friends looking deeper into what gets ignored.”

“Thanks, brother.”

“I’ll be sure to do the same on my end, but it won’t be easy,” Klinge says. “You have a lot of fans in the lower and middle classes who want the existing system to be done away with yesterday. Many organize and hold protests and conspire to hurt or steal from certain people.”

“Damn it,” I say. “If speaking publicly about what people should do and be their example doesn’t work, and taking breaks doesn’t do it either, what should I do?”

“You keep doing your best and what you think is right. You’ll always have your nay-sayers and enemies,” Lancetto says.

“I know, I know. I’m not as used to it as you are, but I guess that’s my only course of action. I just have the feeling that even if I stop Azeria and her followers, then that won’t stop others from doing the same, just like how what I’ve been doing hasn’t stopped crime to any significant degree for long.”

“People are always going to be bastards,” Klinge says. “You can’t let that stop you from trying to be better than them.”

“Whatever villain or challenge pops up, we’ll always face it with you, Timeo. No matter how many times or how long we have to fight, I’m sure we’ll make a lasting difference,” Darcy says.

I sigh and then say, “Thank you, my friends. Let’s find a way to change the minds of these extremist fans of mine before we resort to violence or turning them over to the law. I’ll arrange the meeting with Azeria and see what I can do on my end.”

Klinge and Lancetto agree, and the meeting is dismissed. Darcy continues following me even though the other two have gone their own way.

“What is Dar-”

Darcy kisses me over and over again until I forcefully hold her at a distance.

“I’m not leaving your side until this business with Azeria is finished. I don’t want her taking any of your kisses or for you to think that she’s me,” Darcy says.

“It won’t happen again, Darcy. You can leave me-”

“No, I won’t!”

I struggle trying to get Darcy away from me, causing a scene in the office where people are laughing and rooting for either one of us to win. To not embarrass us further, I stop struggling and let Darcy stay by my side. She has an iron grip on my hand that makes it almost feel as if they’ll never come apart. On the way to work at one of my family’s schools, Darcy calls her parents to tell them that she’ll be staying with me for a bit, news that they seem overjoyed at.

“Why are they so happy?” I ask.

“They’re happy that my dark prince is finally accepting me into his heart,” she says.

“They don’t know, do they?”

“Maybe. Probably. If they do, they figured out the same way I did. Through your art that we’ve made together.”

“Great. Everyone might as well know at this point.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what is it that they know?” the driver of my limo asks.

“Don’t worry about it, and I’ll pay you double to forget about it.”

“Yes, sir!”

For the rest of the day, Darcy stays by my side and works with me as if we were glued to one another. The people at the school are glad to see her, especially those who know her and she’s worked with before here. By six in the afternoon, we head to my house, and I have to explain to my parents that Darcy will be eating dinner with us and sleeping over tonight, something that they don’t mind because our families are friendly with one another. At night, I have to struggle to get her off me so I can take a shower alone, and then struggle again so that she doesn’t pull me into the bathroom, so I don’t take a shower with her when it’s her turn. There are multiple bathrooms here, why can’t she just leave me alone for a minute?!

Finally, my last struggle of the night is getting her to sleep alone in the guest bedroom. She holds my arms, and we go back and forth arguing why we should sleep separately until she finally gives in.

“Okay, I’ll sleep alone if I get one good night kiss,” she says.

Wanting this to be over with, I concede and kiss her on the head.

“No, I want a kiss on the lips.”

“Darcy…please…”

“Just one quick kiss.”

“…fine.”

After kissing her on the lips, she holds me to make the kiss last longer, as expected, until she’s satisfied. She then lets go, tells me that she loves me, and goodnight. I walk out of the guest room, and as I’m walking to my room, my parents notice my tired condition.

They ask if I’m okay, and all I can muster is, “Tch. Women.” Without elaborating, they know what I’m talking about and laugh as they call me and Darcy a cute pair. Whatever. Heading over to my room, I crash on the bed, and despite knowing there’s a good chance that Darcy will walk into my room to sleep with me, I can’t help but let my tiredness take me as I fall asleep.

Reaper of the Guilty: Chapter 1 – A Shadowy Threat

Chapter 1 – A Shadowy Threat

Sometimes, after a long day of work, I like to look out at the city to remind myself of what I’m fighting for. Meridian is a beautiful place, especially at night. Despite the many sins she hides behind her surface, the good people in it make her worth fighting for, something that I do daily. It’s also something that’s starting to grind on me. I go out and help the law catch criminals or kill them, and no matter how many get locked up or killed, more come to take their place. There have been periods when they don’t show up as often, but they always come back.

Because of this, today I’ve given this latest group of criminals I’ve gone after a special suffering in which they want to die, but won’t. Maybe it’s morbid. Maybe I’m losing my sense of morality and justifying my brutality because I don’t control the punishment that people get, since God does it based on a person’s sins. Whatever the case is, maybe it’s something I should reflect on by taking a vacation. I haven’t taken a break beyond the ones I go on with my parents in the summer. I can’t reflect much now, especially since someone has entered the building.

When I investigate who it is, I find that it’s the Chief of Police, Raymond. He seems shocked at what he is looking at. Maybe I am getting too extreme for my own good and the good of the sinful if he’s afraid of what he’s seeing.

“Haha. You’d think after three years of seeing my work, you’d be used to the sight of it,” I say from the shadows as I manifest myself in front of Raymond.

“I don’t think anyone could get used to this besides you,” Raymond says, not trying to look frightened by my sudden appearance.

Hmm. Something is bothering me about seeing him. I can’t place it, yet for some reason.

Ignoring it for now, I say, “I’m surprised you came here so fast without me telling you about it.”

“You’d think someone wouldn’t report to the police all the screaming and moaning coming from this building?” he asks.

“Maybe. People know it’s my calling card after three years of working, so most know not to care or worry, knowing that I’m doing good by punishing evildoers.”

“You’re right,” Raymond says, taking out a piece of gum and chewing it. “Still, you might be scaring people more than teaching them a lesson.”

“Those two things aren’t always mutually exclusive.”

“Again, you’re right. I’m not arguing with your methods. I’m just saying you’re putting more people into asylums than turning them into upstanding citizens.”

“Now it’s my turn to admit you’re right, chief. Three years of work and the city has hardly changed from what it once was.”

“That’s not true. Most people look up to you now. They’re even starting to dress up and sell things with your name on it.”

“So? I don’t care for vain things like that.”

“What about those who try to be a hero and vigilante like you?”

“I don’t care for the extremists who use justice and virtue as an excuse to kill and steal from those whom they think deserve it.”

“What about the legitimate heroes and vigilantes? They’re doing a lot of good without going too far.”

“I pray that they have better success than I do.”

“Come on, L’Obscurité. Everything that you’ve done so far for the city has been positive, with few negatives to be found. Even all this, with criminals somehow being alive despite their organs hanging out of their bodies, will be helpful to making the city a better place.”

“If…you say so. You seem more positive about my work than usual. What changed?”

“Working with you can do that. You should talk to more street-level heroes that you’ve inspired if you want to make a larger difference this year.”

Again, another change of heart. Before I can point it out, I feel that I’m getting a call from my phone, so I manifest it from my normal pockets, and am surprised to see that it’s Raymond calling me. Looking back over to where I saw him, I see that he’s disappeared.

Picking up the call and talking over him, I say, “What are you calling me for, and where did you go?”

“Huh? What are you talking about, kid? I’m headed to you right now after hearing people call the police about your work,” he says.

I take a few seconds to search the area, inside and outside of the building, and can’t find anyone who looks like Raymond.

“You weren’t just here talking to me?”

“No, I wasn’t. Why? What happened?”

“It looks like we have a shapeshifter on our hands. I was just talking to someone who looked and sounded like you.”

“What?!”

“Yeah. He has the same scar over his eye, bullet hole scars on the sides of his face, same sounding voice, and habit of chewing gum, but…now that I think about it, the oddities in his ideas stand out to me.”

“Alright, I’ll be there in a second. Keep searching the area for him in the meantime.”

I do as the chief says and still don’t find anything, no matter how thoroughly I search. Going a bit further beyond, I question people in the area and probe their minds for information. None of them know anything from the admiring citizens who want to take a picture and get my autograph to the shady criminals who work in the dark. When Raymond arrives, I tell him everything that was said between the shapeshifter and me.

“At least they don’t know your true identity. From the sound of it, you have a secret admirer. I’m surprised something like a shapeshifter got the drop on you since you can see into people’s souls,” Raymond says.

“I knew something was weird, but I ignored it. I can only read souls when I intentionally do so. It’s not automatic,” I say.

“Tch. I guess your powers can’t always be that convenient. This admirer is probably one of the new heroes or vigilantes who say they’re inspired by you.”

“That’s probably true, but I don’t think they’re any of the public ones associated with any legitimate hero or vigilante group, since they approached me without revealing who they truly are, unlike those who have publicly approached me without masking their identity.”

“Hopefully, they’re not one of the extremists. All I can suggest is that you try to get to know them more the next time they reveal themselves to you. In the meantime, I’ll clean up the mess you’ve made here, and I know I ask this a lot, but will these people be okay?”

“They will. Their organs will be back in their bodies by tomorrow morning, and they’ll be fine as if nothing happened. Well, at least their bodies will. As for their minds, I can’t say for certain other than I hope they’ve learned their lesson. Hahaha!”

“Tch. Sometimes, I swear you do this so your family’s asylums get more government funding for all the people who go there.”

“Please, chief. You know me better than that.”

“Yeah, yeah, Timeo. Just try to take it easier on these people, even though they may deserve it.”

I don’t say anything to the chief as I continue my hunt for criminals tonight. My weeding out of crime includes people being eaten from the inside or out by vermin, insects, or both, being ripped apart by beasts of the dark or the demons that tempt them, crushed by the material possessions they seek, or stretched from floor to ceiling. All of this either kills or makes the criminals repent, and yet, I feel as if I am doing nothing. Even the smiles of the people I rescue hardly lighten my heart like they used to. None of these people, not even the superhuman villains or people with political power or in business, know of the shapeshifter who talked to me, and by the end of the day, I notice that I’ve hardly been praying for the sinners I punish, which lightens their punishment.

Raymond has been okay with me killing criminals in certain situations, such as self-defense, but I feel as if I’m failing in my duties by forgetting or not even trying to pray. God, please forgive me for my incompetence and failures. Help my enemies see your light in your darkness, and me in my quest to enforce your justice. Help my loved ones in our shared endeavors, and those who say they are inspired by me and that I am open to them, despite the sin on their souls. Amen.

The next short story featuring the dark prince of crime fighting is out today!

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Crime and sin have a name to fear, and it is that of L’Obscurité, who is now turning over a new leaf in his second year of crime fighting. He allies himself with the Chief of Police and tries to honor and work with the law to not inspire extremism in others again, but when innocents are arrested along with the evil people they work for, L’Obscurité must find the balance between doing what is right and what is lawful.

Villain of Crime: Chapter 4 – Justice Served

Chapter 4 – Justice Served

It feels like it was just yesterday that Klinge, Lancetto, and Darcy agreed to celebrate the workers of Meridian, and the day is already here. A good twenty or so city blocks are reserved for today’s events, with every company, school, and partner of the four families being represented, along with companies foreign to them, such as the new and upcoming Coronamento Corporation, which is starting to expand in most cities of the country. There are activities for children and places for adults to relax, drink, or receive job offers, some of which include on-site job interviews for positions that don’t require prior experience or a college degree. The hero and vigilante associations are also recruiting while also doubling as security for the event, along with the police. Finally, there’s an area where the city’s history is being told, and pieces of its history are shown off.

Everything is going as planned without a single hitch or sign of trouble in sight. Maybe I’m overthinking it, but I feel something will happen. I’m just not sure when. To my surprise, I see Chief Raymond fight his way through his crowd to me and take a seat at the table I’m sitting at.

“Good morning, chief. How are you enjoying today’s festivities?” I ask.

“They’re nice, but migraine-inducing,” Raymond says while chewing on his gum.

“Are you here to join me for a drink? Have you ever tried wine with coffee? My brother, Lancetto, introduced me to it, and I can’t help but have at least one during special celebrations.”

“I prefer whiskey with coffee for my special occasions. I’m not here for that, well, I kind of am, but it’s not the main reason. Tell our mutual, shadowy friend L’Obscurité that he was right.”

“Right about what?”

“About most things. He’ll know what I mean.”

“I’ll let him know if I ever see him.”

“I know you and your friends see him. I’m pretty sure he’s even one of you or your other powerful friends who is around your age. Sooner or later, I’ll find out who he really is.”

“Then what?”

“Depends. If he’s a corrupt man, doing wrong in secret and only helping because of a guilty conscience or trying to get help from the inside just in case he eventually gets caught, I’ll arrest him. On the other hand, if he’s some prodigal son making up for his shady past or someone as clean as you, I’ll just trust him a bit more and won’t spill his identity to anyone.”

Considering what Raymond said, I say, “I’m sure he’ll just tell you his identity if you told him that.”

“If you think that, then you must know him better than I thought.”

“I do. He’s an honest man who wears his personality on his sleeves.”

“You’re right, but he can also be tricky.”

“Even so, I’m confident that he won’t hide anything from you and tell you who he is because he trusts you after working with you this month and seeing who you really are inside.”

“Yeah? I hope so.”

The time comes for my friends and I have to give our speeches. Instead of speaking formally to the people, we involve our employees, our family, and friends, speaking informally about their experiences, good times, and bad times at work, why they work, and to be honest in their feelings towards it and the state of the city. This honesty gathers a large crowd of people who are invested in watching it, who laugh, cheer, and clap for those who talk. By the time I have a chance to talk, there seems to be over a hundred people gathered around, with others watching from afar, watching what is happening on the TVs. I talk with my parents and how our faith is the reason why we continue our work in education, hospitals, and charities, and how the underlying message of our faith is that to love is to suffer pushes us to make sacrifices for those we serve and those who help us serve.

To conclude, my dad says. “Let this be our renewal of vows of our dedication to the people of Meridian. We, the Severe Family, promise you that we will be there whether you are poor or rich, healthy or sick.”

“We promise to do our best every day as if it were our last and will not stop until every needy person is served and every ill person is given proper care,” my mom says.

“And I promise that Meridian will no longer be looked down on by the rest of the country and world. Instead, we will be a shining example of how a people can rise above their flaws and be the leaders of a brighter future,” I say.

My family and I receive cheers and applause from the crowds, which quickly turns to screaming as something goes wrong. What happens isn’t obvious until we hear gunshots and see heroes and vigilantes fighting other masked and superhuman individuals. While the police, led by Chief Raymond, try to bring us to safety, I try to think of a way to get away so I can transform and not have to think of a silly or stupid excuse for doing so. An answer comes when criminals with guns attack us, and without thinking, I draw my pistol from inside my suit jacket, help the police by returning fire at the criminals, and throw myself in front of Raymond so I get shot instead of him.

“Timeo! What were you thinking, kid?!” Raymond asks as he pulls me back from the action.

I’ve been shot so much as L’Obscurité that the reality of getting shot in my normal form didn’t occur to me. Thankfully, it’s nothing lethal, or at least I don’t think it is.

“I thought you needed help, and I’m not going to let anyone die when I’m around,” I say, partially telling the truth.

To aid what I’m saying, my parents also have their pistols out, looking like they’re ready to shoot anyone who even looks like a masked criminal.

“We help others even if it costs us our lives. That’s what it means to be born in Meridian,” my dad says.

“We’ll help you get our son to safety, chief. You can count on us,” my mom adds.

“And you people are supposed to work in hospitals…okay. Let’s get him to the medical tent.”

Raymond and my parents bring me to a medical tent. There, my parents work on my wounds and patch me up. I’m glad that it wasn’t really anything lethal and even gladder that my parents say that they’re proud of me.

“Now, you gun-toting doctors, stay put while we take care of the chaos happening outside. Leave the heroics to us,” Raymond says before heading out into the chaos.

Great. I’m stuck in another situation that I have to think my way out of; however, this silent prayer is quickly answered as a flying superhuman blows away the tent and us along with it in a single blow, allowing me the chance to hide in the crowd, find my way to a dark ally, and transform into L’Obscurité and now it’s time for justice. Going into the action, I restrain every criminal I come across and take away the powers of the villains with superhuman abilities. As the tide turns against the criminals, I spot Derick, the Manager, trying to escape in the chaos by leaving his allies behind and hurting everyone who gets in his way. I push my way past those he leaves behind and stop him in his tracks.

“You won’t escape this time!” I say.

His powers are slowly drained from him as his legs and arms wither into dry sticks that come off at the slightest touch.

“You ruined everything! This was supposed to be my great revenge against the system! I was going to prove that my products, my heroes, guns, and people were better than anything the city could make,” Derick says.

“You’re just a shell of your former self, Derick. A pathetic man who could’ve been something great if you didn’t let the world corrupt you.”

“I won’t let you take me to your flawed justice system and even worse rehabilitation asylums! I won’t!”

Derick bites on something, and his head explodes into pieces. In the last moments of his life, I saw the flickers of a man who wanted to prove himself and make the city a better place, but that was overtaken by the evil he allowed to fester in his soul. As the chaos dies down and order is restored, I check on my parents, who are okay, and then tell Raymond what happened and what I saw in Derick.

“It’s a shame, but at least it’s over,” Raymond says.

“For him it is. We still have plenty of other criminals, villains, and cases to tackle,” I say.

“That’s just the nature of the job. Let’s rest easy for now and talk in private for a second.”

I follow Raymond to a building that has its superhuman barriers up. He tells his officers to guard the entrances and to make sure that no one hears our conversation.

Inside, I say, “I know what you want to tell me. Timeo-”

“Don’t give me that half-truth talk. I know who you are, kid,” Raymond says.

I reveal my true face, smile, and say, “What gave it away?”

“It’s funny. Over this past month, I kept getting the feeling that if you were in your normal form, you’d still throw yourself in front of me to protect me, since it’s been a habit of yours. Part of me thought you wouldn’t because you might be vulnerable and risk dying. I’m glad to have been proven wrong. In my many years of working with heroes and vigilantes, I have to say that you’re one of the more unique ones.”

“What makes you say that?”

“You’re a real hero. You don’t fight for honor, glory, and riches, and you don’t kiss up to those in power to get your way. You do it to make a difference, and it doesn’t matter whose feet you step on to do it; you do your best to make it happen. You remind me a lot of me in my younger years.”

“You’re a good man, chief. I believe that together, Meridian will be a fairer and better city to live in, so it doesn’t corrupt men like Derick and drive them into insanity.”

Raymond looks at me, laughs, and then says, “I have my doubts, but your example has convinced me that there’s a chance we’ll see the city change in our lifetime.”

There’s a knock at the door that Raymond answers. I put on my mask as he does and listen in on what’s happening.

“What is it?” Raymond asks.

“Trouble downtown. Crooks are using the chaos down here as a distraction to rob a bank,” a cop says.

“I’m on it!” I say as I slip past the cops.

Following the cop cars to the bank where the robbery is happening, I enter the bank with a laugh. The criminals are panicking and pointing their guns in all directions.

One of them says, “Who…who’s laughing?!”

“The dark agent of justice known as L’Obscurité,” I say. “Drop your weapons, and I may let you leave here alive.”

“We ain’t doing anything!”

I turn the weapons of the criminals into living snakes that bite them and slither away. They’re all huddled together now, scared out of their mind. As I hover above them, they notice my shadow and scream in fear as they fall to the ground.

“Don’t kill us! We surrender!” one of them says.

“Sin is suicide, death of the soul, and punishment in of itself, but justice is yet to be satisfied. You won’t be let off so easily,” I say before laughing and enacting justice on the cowering criminals.

 

The End

Villain of Crime: Chapter 3 – Rich Man of the People

Chapter 3 – Rich Man of the People

Today I meet with Lancetto apart from the others since I need a more casual meeting than the usual serious ones. We’re sharing lunch at one of his family’s office buildings that has a popular brunch restaurant in it. Even though I offered to pay for it, Lancetto says that the meal is on the house since his family owns the building that the brunch restaurant is in.

“How goes it with the chief? I hear nothing but positive news in the media,” Lancetto says.

“The work is starting to grind on me,” I admit. “We get rid of criminals on the street, and they keep popping up in different areas in and outside of the city, particularly in the suburbs.”

“Still, you’re doing a lot of good.”

“Sure. Have you heard what people are saying on social media and at the protests in the streets? They think L’Obscurité sold out to the government because he’s working with them.”

“Ah, I wouldn’t worry about them. It’s just a bunch of noise and anarchists who want nothing but to see those in power suffer because they don’t live like the rich.”

“But what he’s doing is supposed to be inspiring people to work within the law rather than be against it.”

“I get what you’re saying, but there are always people out there who say you sold out or are corrupt for one reason or another.”

“There has to be a middle ground.”

“There isn’t any. Despite what people say about believing in grey morality or being apolitical, people will always see things as being either good or evil. It’s best to just do the best you can and only worry about legitimate criticism from trustworthy people.”

“People such as yourself?”

“You know it, brother. I’ll always be rooting for you. Well, me, Darcy, and your parents, even though they don’t know about your other side. Speaking about her, is she still bothering you?”

“When does she not? She’s always texting or calling me, wanting to know how things are going and when we’ll see each other again. At this point, it wouldn’t surprise me to see her in my room, watching me sleep.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me either. Be careful around that lady.”

“What about you? Do you have any lady trouble of your own?”

“No, and I don’t want any right now since I’m so busy with everything, including that day of appreciation.”

“How’s that going?”

“Good. I was able to negotiate a day off for most workers, and those who chose to work that day get overtime. All that’s left is arranging police and hero security, schedule of events, and other odds and ends.”

“Thanks. I owe you for this.”

“And other favors concerning law, business, and the Church. You can pay me back with a day of games and drinks. I still need to settle the score in a few kart racing and board games.”

“Well, when we do play, expect that score to stay unsettled because I’ll be winning most of the games again.”

“We’ll see about that. I’ve been practicing.”

Lancetto and I laugh before talking about our love of games and then going our separate ways for work. I visit Klinge as L’Obscurité and talk to him about any new information he might have found.

“I’ve heard from friends of friends that their possessions and wages have been taken by their debtors. I also heard that they were offered a way to pay off their debts in one sweep by partaking in ‘legit’ testing for powers, but most were smart enough to deny it and take the debt on the chin,” Klinge says, along with the locations at the where the stolen property may be.

“Seems simple enough,” I say.

“That’s where you’re wrong, because what was taken from the workers wasn’t exactly theirs to begin with. They bought stolen property and goods at a cheap price from the criminals since they’re short on cash and are under agreements that the criminals can take back whatever they sell and pay if the debtors don’t pay their dues with interest meaning that you’re going to have a tough time convincing the chief to give people what they bought and are owed.”

“I’ll see what I can do. The contract they gave me was…edited to be in my favor.”

“And they didn’t notice?”

“Not yet, they didn’t.”

“They will sooner or later, since those terms are how they keep powerful people like you under control. I hope you’re ready for the trouble you’ll be in.”

“I am. They’ll have to keep me after I’ve shown them how much of an invaluable ally I am to them.”

Klinge grunts and then says, “They’ve villainized more famous heroes for less. Be careful with them. Those in power can be more villainous than those who aren’t.”

“Hahaha! Isn’t that the truth?”

Klinge wishes me luck, tells me the location where this crime is happening, and the business that does. I then relay this information to Raymond, except I leave out the part about the people being paid in stolen property. He agrees to go with me to undercover this operation, and we meet there independently like always, however, before he gets there, I go through the area, disappearing some of the stolen property and giving it back to the poor of the city who are owed it, including some of the homeless on the street who get both money, clothes, and food. When Raymond arrives, he doesn’t suspect anything and just asks to be pointed in the right direction. I do so, and we go to the supermarket mall where the center of the operations is.

Entering the supermarket, some of the employees complain about “stolen” goods and are already at each other’s throats. The manager of the operations steps out and tries to keep the peace, but Raymond demanding to search the area and the employees to explain themselves further enflames tensions as people accuse each other of setting them up for the police. They then start firing at and fighting one another. In the chaos, Raymond calls for backup, which comes in seconds since they were just around the corner waiting for his signal. Because of the backup, I’m better able to focus on the criminals and keep the innocents who were working for them out of the way and a way out, so they aren’t implicated in their mess.

During the chaos, I find the manager and go after him. His superhuman bodyguards come after me to slow me down, but after taking away their powers and making them suffer the consequences of their sins, I’m able to go back after the manager and corner him in an alley.

“Hahaha! Cornered like the rat you are,” I say.

“A rat, you say? Do rats give people opportunities to advance in life? Make more of themselves?” the manager asks.

“You made people experiment on themselves and work in slavish working conditions and contracts to enrich yourself and make yourself more powerful.”

“You’re wrong. I did what had to be done to give people the opportunity to rise beyond the corrupt leaders we find ourselves under.”

“By being one yourself?”

“By making my own superhumans. Creating an industry for people who would get screwed over worse in more established industries. At least when I screw them over, they know ahead of time. You know, you were right in me wanting to make myself more powerful, and this is how I do it.”

The manager sticks himself with a needle, and his thin body turns muscular, and his light brown skin turns grey and black.

“Ha! Do you think your new powers will stop me? Do you know who I am?”

“I do. That’s why I have something that will stop you. Come on out, everyone!”

Before I can do anything, people start coming out of hidden doors that I thought were plain walls. Everyone here is innocent, so I can’t do anything to them, and in the few seconds that I lose sight of the manager, he disappears. The bastard either also gained super speed, the ability to turn invisible, or both, and I have no clue where he went. Seeing as how these innocent people helped him escape and have their hands dirty with his work, I try to make them leave, but Raymond catches them before they do.

“Do you think you can make these criminals leave just like you did the others?” he asks.

“Only normal, poor people escaped before things escalated,” I say.

“People whom you also gave stolen possessions and cash to. You’re not the only person who has secret contacts behind the scenes. We need to talk; you, me, and the mayor.”

I go with Raymond in his police car to the mayor’s office, and he talks about what I did.

“So? What do you have to say about this? You’ve broken the terms we agreed to,” Raymond says.

“I didn’t break any terms. You should read that long list of restraints that you put on me again,” I say.

“What? Bring in the paper he signed.”

Tim brings in the papers, looks them over, and says, “Nope. He didn’t break any of the terms.”

“Give me that.” Raymond looks over the terms and then says, “These are different than the normal terms given to city heroes and vigilantes!”

“They are?” Jeph and Tim say in astonishment.

“Don’t act stupid. You’re supposed to read these over in case someone changes them, and be familiar with them from top to bottom. Are you honestly saying that you didn’t notice?”

A few moments of silence pass until Tim admits that, “I did notice it after he signed, but because the terms-”

“I don’t want to hear your excuses, fanboy! Mayor Jeph, what are we going to do now that this kid couldn’t go a month without breaking the terms he signed for?”

“Nothing,” Mayor Jeph says. “I must also take the blame for not noticing the changes and doing nothing about them.”

“But you can still do something about it.”

“But I won’t. L’Obscurité has done nothing evil as far as I’m concerned and doesn’t need to be punished for it.”

“This isn’t about punishing evil. He still broke the law.”

“When did you lose your love for virtue?”

“What?”

“You used to talk to me about making the city a better place and adjusting the laws as one of the ways of doing this. You’ve lost sight of your goals because of legalism, Chief Raymond. Breaking the law can be evil or good, and in this case, L’Obscurité did something good. In fact, I think he did us a favor. Go and release those people you arrested who were forced to work for the actual criminals. If you want to punish them, tell the courts to make them work for however many days of community service. Tell them to work at one of the Severe charities. I hear they pay well and have nice places to work.”

“But Jeph-”

“But nothing! The government of a city should work for its citizens just as much as its citizens work for it. I don’t care how much it costs to give the poor people who got caught up with the wrong crowd a new beginning, just do it! I’m tired of the poor of this city either having to deal with squalor living conditions or being forced to be the lackies of some villain or crime boss.”

“…yes, sir.”

Raymond walks out of the room looking defeated and feeling as if he’s been shamefully exposed. I give him time alone while thinking about how to get back on the trail of the manager whom I saw and who is behind the superhuman drug. As if answering my want for an answer, I look at my phone and see a text from Darcy, asking how my day has been going since she heard about what happened on the news. After putting some distance between me and the mayor’s office and putting back my normal appearance on, I tell her what happened and if she has any information on who I saw. Hardly a minute passes before she says she knows and that I have to see her so she can explain everything, because of course she can’t simply email or call to tell me the information, so I agree and go to the art school where she’s teaching today.

Darcy dismisses the class when I arrive at her classroom and takes me to a private and wide-open room. The room is decorated with various kinds of art, both beautiful, horrific, ambiguous, and simple. In the center of the room is a large table with different kinds of papers, books, and canvases to draw on with various kinds of drawing utensils.

“Why are we in here?” I ask.

“You know me. This is one of my favorite rooms in the locations that my family owns. It’s so nice and quiet. Besides, what we need to talk about is a private matter,” she says.

Going over to a computer and speaker in the corner of the room, she starts playing slow dance music and holds out her hand. I roll my eyes, take her hand, and dance with her as she puts her head on my chest.

“We should dance like this more often,” she says.

“The information I came here for. Who is this manager I’m after?” I ask.

“His name is Derick, otherwise known as the Manager. He was an optimistic soul, thinking that he could change the system from within, but after so many years of getting nowhere, having to punish the innocent, ignoring the crimes of those in power, and allow the guilty to walk away from deserved prison sentences, so that he wouldn’t lose his job and life, he lost his mind. He quit and works in the poorer districts of the city, copying the corrupt leadership and clients he worked with, except he lets people know that he gives them bad deals and when he’s going to be unfair to them.”

“Why do people choose to work with him then?”

“He’s completely honest with people even when he’s being selfish. He also carried a lot of money, business secrets, and the formulas to create superhumans with him, along with many of the tools and chemicals needed to do so. When he says he’ll do something, he takes every risk to accomplish his goal, and if he fails, he’s honest about it without making any excuses. At the same time, he expects those he works with to do the same as him.”

“I see. Honesty is his only policy then.”

“He cares about that so he can show the corrupt that they can be powerful through honesty. It’s his only goal since he’s lost his moral compass after being broken down for so long.”

“Poor soul. I’ll say a prayer for him and have to bring an end to his suffering soon.”

“For now, let’s keep dancing together.” I try to let go of Darcy, but she tightens her grip on me. “I won’t let you leave me.”

“I could transform and enter the shadows or light to easily escape.”

“But do you want to? I can feel that you’re tired and overworked because of how much you’ve been running around, helping people, and stopping crime.” I grunt. “I’m right, aren’t I? Rest in my arms,” Darcy says and then kisses my face. “I’m here for you.”

I can’t help but do as Darcy says, as if my body prefers to listen to her rather than me. Of course, the dance isn’t the only thing she wants. She doesn’t let my hand go as we go out to dinner and spend some time walking around Meridian, looking at the towering buildings and walking through the parks. Am I doing this because I truly love her or because she’s a valuable ally and wouldn’t want to give her a reason to turn against me? Time will tell, but for now, I have to admit that spending time with her is nice and relaxing.