The City That Heroes Built

by Daniel Pierce

  “And Glory Knight probably knew about them.”

  “He might have known about them,” Fiver said. “It could be interesting.”

  “Glory Knight left before Firefly. Maybe she knows why, and maybe it had something to do with this.”

  “As in some of the Guard wanted to break into the Citadel and some didn't? To what end? They didn't have anyone on the inside, they weren't hell-bent on killing people.”

  “We don't need to guess,” I said. “You've got Firefly's number.”

  “I'm reluctant to ask. She's skittish.”

  “Look, I'll drop you off, you go in alone. Ask why Glory Knight left and ask about the plans. Maybe she'll be upfront. If she's aiding and abetting Leonidas's escape, she can't be too shy about it.”

  “We're guessing about that,” Fiver said. “Lots of circumstantial, coincidental stuff. Nothing solid.”

  “None of this is going to give us a smoking gun,” I said.

  “Hacking their data might. Let's get Jen in on this.”

  “Why not both?”

  “Yeah, okay, back to First Families Foundation.”

  I dropped him off and waited in the parking garage. I caught a bit of the news. The big story of the afternoon was last night's robbery of four different gun stores, by a large collection of Supra-villains calling themselves 'Injustice Unlimited'. Authorities believed there may be as many as 10 Supras in this team, though no one knew why they would be stealing a lot of guns. Only three of the Supra-villains have been identified: Go-Go Girl, Mind Riot, and Curtain Call.

  Following that, the radio reported Marissa Courtney, along with the Innocence Project and Supra Rights Watch, filed the paperwork to begin the long legal war to release the would-be Supra-Hero Leonidas, Marissa's older brother, David Courtney.

  Fiver called me to pick him up after about 45 minutes. I drove around front of the building.

  “Long talk,” I observed when he got in.

  “Nah, I had to wait. Got about two minutes with her,” he said. “She says Glory Knight just preferred the other group, guessed that maybe the Guard weren't as friendly and welcoming as he expected. Less camaraderie.”

  “Fair enough,” I said. “He was old for a new guy anyway.”

  “She also denied knowing anything about blueprints of the Citadel, says Glory Knight probably didn't either. They didn't hold regular meetings or anything like that.”

  “So that leaves Thirteen,” I said.

  “Yeah.” He slipped into his silent mode.

  “You seem uncertain.”

  “I don't like her. She'd be a convenient villain. But I don't really have any proof that she's done anything against the group.”

  “Valor thought so.”

  “Valor was pretty emotional. His crush died in a pretty violent way.”

  “Still.”

  “We've got a lot of nothing to go on,” Fiver said. “And a lot of assumptions about what could be related, or could be the product of my imagination.”

  “Maybe we should keep asking questions,” I said. “The more we find out about, the more clues we can put together. It might be a lot of little things.”

  “Who do you think we should talk to?”

  “Calliope,” I said.

  “No way, dude.”

  “She was a Guardian Angel. I'll bet she can get some details on Glory Knight from Sentinel.”

  “Sentinel is kind of a dick. Did you read Dinner's in the Oven?” he asked.

  “Name one guy whose ex-wife portrayed him in a positive light.”

  “Touché.”

  “I'm not saying that Calliope is going to have the answers, but she might be a step along the way,” I said.

  “Why don't you ask her?”

  “I don't know her.”

  “Perfect reason. She hates me,” Fiver said. “You ought to just say you're writing the definitive history of supras and ask if she can help out.”

  “I have been using that as a cover story,” I admitted.

  “When?”

  “When someone asks me what I do. I tell them I'm a researcher working on a book about supras.”

  “It's a natural fit,” Fiver said.

  “Am I dropping you off at Murphy's now?”

  “I don't know. Where'd this traffic come from?”

  We'd just gotten on the freeway and were already in a dead stop. Red and blue flashes poked out over the cars ahead.

  “Looks like an accident,” I said.

  “I'll be right back,” Fiver said. He got out.

  I watched him jog forward between the cars. We were about 200 yards from the police cars. I got out and followed. A half dozen police cars blocked the road 30 yards from an overturned armored car. Further down the freeway, more than a half mile away, another set of cop cars were positioned. A few people had begun to abandon their cars and move away from the scene. I moved to stand on the barrier on the side of the freeway to get a better view.

  Someone was standing on top of the armored car, trying to go in through the bottom of it. Bright white energy glowed from his hands, like a cutting torch. He had a ski mask and trenchcoat, as did a few others who were ducking behind the armored car. A similarly attired woman jumped up on to the armored car. A long prehensile monkey-tail poked out the back of her coat. She ripped the door off. With her tail supporting her, she pulled out two guards who did their best to fight back despite their bullets bouncing off their attacker's skin. Police were yelling something in a megaphone, and were totally focused on the situation. Four armed men came around from behind the armored car, with their two hostages. I recognized Monkeyfist, as a lesser-known villain out of LA. Her partner on top of the armored car was Demolition Condition. Together they tore though the damaged underside, and then leapt into the back.

  While the cops were focused on them, Fiver had snuck around to the trunk of a cop car and picked the lock. He outfitted himself with a riot control helmet to cover his face and a bulletproof vest with POLICE written on it. He tapped one of the cops on the shoulder, and then stepped out in front of the cars with his hands raised.

  “I'm the negotiator!” he yelled. “Don't shoot!” He continued forward. “Let's talk.”

  My phone rang.

  “Coin out,” Cal said.

  I jumped down and put my coin down.

  “Out.”

  Cal teleported in, facing the wrong way, in his combat gear. I pointed him in the right direction. Fiver had closed to within a few yards of the hostages. Fiver moved close to the gunman to his far left and Cal popped over. The gunmen tracked Fiver, giving them a difficult angle. He tore the AK-47 from the hands of the closest one as Cal disappeared with the hostages. The move left the gunmen vulnerable to the police, but they didn't fire. Fiver swung the rifle by the barrel, smashing it into the head of the second gunman. The third stepped forward to try to get a shot off and hit the disarmed criminal in front of Fiver. The last man in the line started shooting at the cops, bringing gunfire in response, Fiver danced out of the way of the incoming bullets as the police took down the remaining gunmen.

  The smashing out of the armored car's back door broke a moment of quiet. Monkeyfist and Demolition Condition stepped out. Monkeyfist held a box with her tail. They looked at the police, then Fiver. Monkeyfist stalked towards him. He backpedaled for a few seconds before standing his ground. He caught her between steps with a fist to her throat. She wheezed and grabbed her neck. Fiver spun a leg sweep at her ankles, knocking her feet out from under her. She hit the ground, but instantly stood back up in time to catch a fist to the face. She collapsed.

  Demolition Condition stepped forward. Fiver backpedaled again, this time all the way to the cop cars.

  “Baton!” he yelled. One of the cops threw a baton to him. He caught it, in the same motion bringing it across Demolition Condition's head. It staggered the villain, but Fiver was now holding a melted baton. Demolition Condition sneered. He swung his arms wildly at Fiver, his clothes catching fire as he attacked
. Fiver ducked away. Another baton came from the police. Similar results: a dazed Demolition Condition and a ruined baton. Two more batons were thrown to him, one wildly overthrown, but he caught both and faced Demolition Condition again. This time the paired batons, dropped Demolition Condition to one knee. Fiver stopped and looked at the cops.

  “You guys want to just shoot this asshole, please?”

  The cops opened fire. The bullets hit Demolition Condition but melted as they hit, seemingly doing nothing. Monkeyfist recovered and got to her feet. Demolition Condition charged Fiver, sending him dodging away. The nearest cop car took the brunt of the fire-infused fists. The car melted and burned. The cops dove for cover as it burst into flames. Cal appeared in the middle of the street and oriented himself. Monkeyfist dove over the police cars and started beating on the cops, tail still grasping the box she'd taken from the armored car. Cal didn't have a clean shot on her, so he shot at Demolition Condition instead, the bullets again not having any effect.

  “We tried that already,” Fiver shouted, still dodging away from Demolition Condition.

  “Now I know!” Cal yelled back. “Taser?”

  “Don't bother,” Fiver said. He ran over to Cal. “We need help.” Then, “Look out!” Monkeyfist hurled a car at them. Cal didn't get a chance to move. Fiver moved, but not far enough. The car impacted and flipped over, smashing against the overturned armored car, pinning Fiver and Cal underneath. Cal managed to teleport away, out from underneath.

  The cops were out of the fight. They fled through the cars parked in the traffic jam, gathering drivers with them as they went.

  Monkeyfist and Demolition Condition looked over to Fiver. His legs were pinned under the police car where it came to rest against the armored car. They started a slow strut over. Demolition Condition began to glow white hot as he stepped forward, leaving bubbling asphalt footprints behind. I could feel the heat from where I watched. Wherever Cal was, Fiver needed him back.

  Demolition Condition was a step away when a blue and white streak fell from the sky behind him. Skyborne struck a heroic pose in the middle of the freeway. I believe that it's something he must have practiced. Demolition Condition and Monkeyfist stopped to look back. They exchanged a look. Monkeyfist turned to face Skyborne, threw off her trenchcoat, revealing a skintight black costume below. Demolition Condition turned back to kill Fiver. Slowburn dropped form the sky and stood blocking the path in his bright red and black costume.

  Demolition Condition attacked, grabbing Slowburn in a smoldering bear hug. Slowburn got airborne, taking his attacker with him. Monkeyfist threw a series of rapid punches, doing little through Skyborne's protective force field. Skyborne fought back, but she was too nimble for him to hit. She took the opportunity to run. Skyborne flew up and followed.

  I ran over to Fiver. He'd lost the police helmet he'd had on.

  “Help me get this off,” he said.

  “I can't lift a car, man. We need Cal.” I looked around for him.

  “I think he teleported to the hospital,” Fiver said.

  “We need to get you there, too.”

  “No, send a text to my healer. We'll meet her wherever she wants.”

  “How are we getting there? My car's stuck and Cal's away.”

  He gave a nod to the sky. Slowburn and Skyborne flew down.

  “A little help? I got hit by a car,” Fiver said.

  “Should have looked both ways,” Slowburn said.

  “Three dozen supras in the city and I get saved by a smartass.”

  “You might want to be a little nicer to me while you're under the car,” Slowburn said.

  Skyborne lifted the police car off Fiver and set it aside.

  “Hospital?”

  “Nah, I'm pretty close to dying. I need a specialist. Can you get me to the parking lot across from the mosque downtown?”

  “I thought you didn't like to fly,” Slowburn said.

  “I like dying even less.” Slowburn lifted Fiver up. “No loopdy-loops,” Fiver warned.

  Slowburn just grinned.

  “Seriously, I'm dying.”

  “Aw man. Okay.”

  Slowburn launched into the air.

  “They know each other?” Skyborne asked.

  I shrugged.

  “You want a lift?” Skyborne asked.

  “Hell yeah!” I said.

  “Alright, let's do it.” He grabbed me by the arm and we flew straight up into the sky, before tipping over and aiming for downtown. Flying was weird. Skyborne didn't pull me, so much as he brought me flying with him. We went zero to sixty in a second, my arm should have felt like it was being pulled off, but instead I floated along like a glider with Skyborne steering.

  We landed next to Fiver and Slowburn in a parking lot. Shianna Mohammed was with them.

  “This is subtle?” she asked.

  “I'm dying,” Fiver said. “I can feel my insides slushing around.”

  She laid her hands on his chest. He writhed in pain and made an unholy noise.

  “Stay still.”

  “I'm trying,” Fiver said. “You have no idea how this feels.”

  “It feels the same for me as it does for you,” Shianna said. “You don't see me crying about it.”

  “Seriously?” Fiver asked. He stopped moving.

  “Yes, I'm just not a baby about it.”

  “I had no idea.”

  “There is a price to pay for your power as well,” she said. “There's always a price.”

  “I can't eat ice cream without it melting before I finish,” Slowburn said.

  Fiver's external injuries healed up as we watched.

  “I can move my legs!”

  “It might be a while before you walk. The muscles need to heal naturally as well. Also, your liver will be weak, so be careful.”

  “You're the best,” Fiver said.

  “I'm sure the next MADL fundraiser will be successful,” Shianna said. She straightened up and left.

  Slowburn helped Fiver to his feet. Fiver struggled to stand.

  “You been drinking?” Slowburn asked. He leaned Fiver against a car.

  “Not this morning,” Fiver answered. “But I'm ready to start. Cal answering?”

  I shook my head.

  “Probably popped to the hospital,” Fiver said.

  “Back to the bar?” I asked.

  “Yeah, call a cab while I stand here with my non-working legs.”

  “I could fly you back,” Slowburn said.

  “I don't need a beer that bad.”

  “I guess we'll see you around then.”

  “Yeah, thanks for the save, Sloppy.”

  “No worries. It was good to see you,” said Slowburn. He grinned under his mask. Like a shot, Slowburn and Skyborne launched into the air.

  “Wait, that was Sloppy Toaster from the New Powers?” I asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “How long have you known he was Slowburn?”

  “About five minutes.”

  “Wow.”

  “Yeah, good to know he's back in the game.”

  “Is it strange that he didn't let you know?”

  “It'd be stranger if he did,” Fiver said. “I changed everything about myself when I got out. New home, new job, new name, new number.”

  “New job? What's your job?”

  “Property management. What's yours?”

  “Freelancer writer.”

  “That sounds like a job you tell your girlfriend's dad right after he says you're unemployed. Spoiler alert, he still thinks you're unemployed after you tell him.”

  Our cab came around and we headed back to Murphy's. Fiver called Simon to get him ready in case we needed to go get Cal, but by the time we were back in the bar, so was Cal.

  “Sorry I had to bail on the fight. I was about to drop. It was instinct.”

  “You get patched up?”

  “Yeah, mostly. Concussion, broken ribs, and I lost a pair of Glocks and my webgear. Check this out, though. If they c
an see your eyes at the hospital, they don't take your mask off. The nurses explained it to me. I guess it's a precaution against their staff being murdered for finding out a secret identity. Different story once the cops get there.”

  “You need Shianna to check you out?”

  “Maybe later. I'm guessing you used up our goodwill for the day?”

  “Or for the month.”

  “We've got to stop getting cars throw at us.”

  “It's getting hit by them that's the troubling part for me,” Fiver said. He filled in Cal on the details of the end of the fight, Skyborne and Slowburn's arrival, and revealed that Slowburn was formerly the New Powers member known as Sloppy Toaster, Free Fry Zone, and Singe Element, as well as Helmet Fire, Thermidor, and Torchy Joe.

  “Slowburn is a much better choice,” Cal opined.

  “Agreed, though you should have seen his Helmet Fire costume. He tried to get away with wearing a giant helmet, like half the size of his body. The thing was he couldn't fly like that, and he kept spinning out of control because of the airflow pulling the helmet up as he flew. We were almost late interrupting a drug deal.”

  “You ever think about trying to track down Virtuoso?” I asked.

  “For what?” Fiver said. “We didn't keep in touch when Apparition and Valor died, and we'd been hanging out almost every day. Five years later, I don't think we'd have a lot to talk about.”

  “Ever wonder what she's up to?”

  “Nope.”

  “All right,” I said. “Speaking of teammates we haven't seen in a while, what are Simon and Jen up to?”

  “Dunno,” Cal said. “Probably recovering from yesterday.”

  “What was yesterday?”

  “The 4th of July. You may have noticed the fireworks.”

  “Yeah, I was home chilling.”

  “I'm guessing they weren't. Simon worked anyway.”

  “I'm going to call it a night,” I said. “It's been a long day.”

  “All right, man,” Fiver said. “Thanks for the ride today.”

  I went home thinking about Glory Knight's situation. I fell asleep on my couch reading about suicide notes.

  July 6, 2021

  I went down for a cup of coffee when I woke up around ten. There was no line, thankfully.