by Leona Fox
So, she hardened her heart and tried pushing away the feelings of dread that were rising through her stomach as she went back to work, searching through various pages and forums to try finding the real identity behind ComicsGod#1. It turned out he was a prolific poster on various forums and chat sites, but it took her a little while actually to link those profiles to his real identity. When she did, she let Andy know immediately, then went to meet her friend Emily to get a break from the case. She walked out into the golden sunshine and took a moment to close her eyes. She let the warmth of the day wash over her, inhaling deeply, trying not to think about the fact this would be a sensation that Stanley never would experience again.
“I find it hard to believe someone would travel all the way from the city just to stop someone from being a hero,” Andy said, his hands gripping tightly on the wheel as the car sped down the freeway, engine roaring like a tiger on the prowl.
The radio played some soft pop music in the background; neither of them knew the artist, but it only was there for some ambient noise. The car was a little too warm for comfort, so Ellen had turned up the AC and was enjoying the feeling of the temperature dropping. She noticed goosebumps on Andy's arm, though. They always had had different tolerances to temperature changes.
“You don't know what these people are like. They love talking about the small details of things. To them these fictional characters are more important than the world around them. They invest so much time and energy in these mythical worlds that emotions run high. They're not just stories,” Ellen said.
“I guess I don't really understand that mindset. Surely they must know that it's all just make-believe. Don't they have real lives to occupy their time? I can think of a hundred things I'd rather do than argue over some comic book that was published forty years ago.”
“That's the thing, these stories are a way for them to escape their lives. Generally, these people are loners or outsiders. They're introverts who find it difficult to connect with people in the real world. And there's nothing wrong with that. People have been using stories to escape life since the dawn of man. Stories always have been a part of our culture and history, just look at cave paintings.”
“I get that, but you can't tell me this hasn't gone too far.”
“Well, obviously, if Stanley did die because of an internet argument then, yes, it has gone too far. But I was in the comic book store the other day. I figured if The Phenom was going to be anywhere I'd find him there. Anyway, they were having a debate and it was so passionate. At least they are involved in something. I'd take that over being apathetic about the world any day.”
“Yes, about that, why didn't you tell me you had gone to the store?”
“I didn't really find anything of interest. They were more interested in talking about comics than they were about talking to me. And some of them didn't even like the fact that there was someone running around as The Phenom. They thought it was an insult to the character.”
“I'd have thought that was pertinent information. Could any of them have killed him?”
Ellen shook her head. “Unlikely. Most of them were in no physical condition to do so, and I think they were more interested in the bluster rather than actually taking action. I think a lot of them were stuck in a sort of limbo, so wrapped up in this culture they had created for themselves that their real lives passed them by.”
“Until Stanley decided to blur fiction and reality.”
“Yes...and about him...I have another confession to make,” Ellen said, looking a little guilty. Andy raised an eyebrow.
“Go on,” he said.
Ellen took a deep breath. “The night after The Phenom first appeared I went to where he was patrolling and pretended I needed help so he would come to me. I wanted to talk with him, one on one, to see if I could get through to him and convince him about the dangers of what he was doing.”
“You what?!” Andy said, momentarily taking his eyes off the road.
“Why didn't you tell me about this? You had no idea what kind of person he was, not to mention that you went behind my back. You should have told me what you were planning. Then we could have set a trap, or you should have made a citizen’s arrest.”
“Okay, well, first of all, I can hold my own in a fight, but I don't think I could have arrested him. This is exactly why I didn't tell you. I wanted to talk with him on his own terms, and try figuring out his motivations.”
“You should have told me sooner.”
“I know, there just didn't seem to be an appropriate time.”
“You're as bad as a vigilante,” he replied with a twinkle in his eye, and the city appeared on the horizon.
Ellen did not like returning to the city. It reminded her of the person she used to be, the one who was so wrapped up in her own life that she forgot her roots. Andy, too, had bad memories of this place. So both of them were determined to spend as little time in the city as possible. The minute they got off the freeway the traffic increased and they were slowed by traffic lights. They snaked through the narrow streets of the city. People swarmed over the sidewalks. Huge skyscrapers towered into the sky, and Ellen caught a view of her old office building. It seemed such an empty life to her now, to be in that office, day after day, removed from society.
The city reflected her past, but it was a past that seemed distinct from her life now. When she thought of the person she used to be she almost shook her head in disbelief for she had changed so much. Without thinking about it, she reached over and placed her hand on Andy's. He turned his over so their palms were touching and their fingers linked in with each other, drawing strength from each other.
Ellen glanced down at the details Iris had provided and read out the address to Andy again. Even though it had been years since he had been a cop in the city he still knew the streets like the back of his hand. It didn't take them long to find the apartment block they were looking for. It was a dingy place and there was a distinct odor in the air. They both had to suppress the urge to vomit.
“I almost forgot how much I missed this place,” Andy said sarcastically.
They walked up the stairs, ignoring the sticky substance on the floor, and made their way to the apartment of a Mr. James Kane. After knocking on the door they waited a few moments and glanced at each other when they didn't hear footsteps. Not liking the thought of waiting around for James Kane to show up, they were glad when they heard a lock being shifted and the door opening, revealing a man sitting in a wheelchair.
“Are you James Kane, also known as ComicsGod#1?” Andy asked, although from the look of it they both knew he couldn't have been responsible for Stanley's murder.
“I am known by that moniker in certain circles,” he said, then welcomed them into his home, which was messy and dim. The air smelled stale and they declined the offer to sit down.
“What is this about?” he asked. Andy showed James his badge.
“I don't know if you've heard, but there was a man running around East Pender dressed as The Phenom,” Andy began.
“I did hear some rumors of that, yes.”
“Then you also may have heard that he's dead. And his real name was Stanley Smith. Also known as The Phenom99.”
As Andy said Stanley's username a look of recognition fell over James' face. It soon turned to sorrow as he let out a weary sigh. “Ah yes, he was a spirited person, and a worthy debate opponent. I had a feeling he was young. He had that idealistic outlook that people tend to have before they see the world for what it really is. But you're here because...?”
“Well, we saw the emails the two of you exchanged about a hero needing a villain, and we thought perhaps you actually became that villain.”
“As you can see, that would be quite an impressive feat for me. No, sadly, my time is spent in cyberspace. While I did argue that heroes need villains, it was more from a sense of a dramatic purpose than anything in the real world. I should have seen this coming, I suppose. He often mentioned things concerning the
existence of a superhero in our world. I took it as harmless fantasy, but I see now he was more serious about it.”
“I don't suppose you know of anyone else who had these tendencies? Perhaps someone who wasn't as wholesome as Stanley and would have gone down a different path?” Ellen asked.
“There are always people who claim they're going to do great deeds with their lives, especially on the internet, but any of them rarely do. I suppose it's possible but...forgive me, where did you say you're from again?”
“East Pender,” Ellen said.
“Hmm, yes, well, to be honest I'm not sure I've ever heard of that place. But I do think that if a villain had killed The Phenom he would have made sure to take credit for it, even if it was just online. There has not been any chatter about that. So, in my humble opinion, I think you're pursuing the wrong lead. It's a shame, though. I always enjoyed talking with Stanley. The world needs more people like him. Maybe, in the end, he was right and there is enough evil in the world without there being a villain. I think I'll go and read some Phenom comics now as a little tribute to him,” he said, and showed Andy and Ellen to the door.
The two of them were disappointed that they had come all this way for nothing, but the idea of there being a lot of evil in the world stayed with them as they made their way back to the car. They thought back to their time in the city. How the streets were rife with crime. How it took a lot of good men to try and keep them safe. And even then it seemed an impossible task. They thought about all the people they had encountered in their careers, and were glad they had their small town. There were problems enough there, of course, but it was nothing compared to the cesspool of the city. That was a place that was truly in need of a hero and, in some ways, Ellen felt pity for it as she watched the city fade from view.
“Maybe we are going about this all wrong,” she said as she and Andy drove back to East Pender.
“Maybe we got distracted by the colorful costume and the whole idea of superheroes. What if this was just a random murder? Maybe Stanley approached someone he couldn't handle, or someone was waiting for him and took him by surprise?”
“Why would anyone have been waiting for him?”
“Stanley did stop a number of crimes. Maybe one of the people he attacked wanted revenge? It's not beyond the realm of possibility that they followed him and found out where he lived. They may even have known who he was.”
“So…what? We have to go through everyone Stanley attacked?”
“Yeah, not all of them were locked up. Some got released on technicalities and others were out on bail. Stanley made a difference but he couldn't put everyone away.”
“I'm not so sure. The thing is, we don't know if they were killing The Phenom or Stanley. I still think it was someone who knew him. I want to talk to Adam again. He was the only one who knew Stanley was The Phenom. Part of me thinks he knows even more than that.”
Chapter 8
Once they were back in East Pender the two of them breathed a sigh of relief as they saw the wide green park and the bright flowers that provided a sense of familiarity and comfort. Ellen stopped off at the cafe to check in with Alexander, and saw Kelly there as well. As a matter of fact, the cafe was filled with people and they all had somber looks on their faces.
“What is all this?” Ellen asked.
“Ah, well, I hope you don't mind,” Alexander began, looking rather sheepish, “but I took the liberty of inviting the columnist here to talk about The Phenom and compile stories for his book. I know you weren't The Phenom's biggest fan, but I didn't think you'd mind. It has proven to be quite popular.”
Ellen looked around at the crowd of people waiting for their turn to be interviewed by the columnist, who was sitting in the corner. Ellen recognized a number of people as those whom The Phenom had helped, but still more who never even had seen him, only been inspired by his good deeds. They all had come together and been united by The Phenom, and Ellen thought about sitting down with the columnist herself to pay tribute to Stanley. In some ways she wished they knew his real name, but she wasn't sure if that was something Stanley even would have wanted.
“I didn't know you were such a fan of The Phenom,” Ellen said, sitting down next to Kelly.
“I can't say I particularly like the idea of him dressing up in a costume and going out to fight people, but I always liked the comic book art style. I may even have dabbled in some when I was younger. He had a lot of flair, and that is something I do admire. I assume you're investigating his killer?” Kelly said.
“We are, although it's not going as well as I would like.”
“I'm sorry I haven't been around much to help. It's just that Matthew has had some time off work, and he wanted to spend it together. How are you and Andy doing?”
“We're fine,” Ellen said, smiling, although it was more forced than she wanted it to be.
“Uh, oh. That doesn't sound ‘fine’ to me.”
“Trust me, we're good, it's just that...”
“What? Come on Ellen, don't hold out on me. We've known each other too long to have secrets from each other.”
Ellen sighed. “Sometimes I feel like everything we do in East Pender gets in the way of us being together. When we started going out, we just wanted to go on dates so we'd be able to detach from everything. But recently, we've kinda settled into this rhythm and we're both so drained from the cases. I've been so occupied with the cafe that, whenever we're together, we just sit together. I never wanted to be one of those old married couples that exist in the same space but don't actually go out or do things.”
“You two need to take a trip together. The honeymoon was just what Matthew and I needed. When was the last time you even had a vacation?”
“People like me and Andy don't get vacations.”
Kelly scoffed. “Everyone needs a vacation! The two of you need to get away. Just be together under the sun somewhere, sipping on cocktails, looking out at the sea, no mysteries or crimes to solve,” she said pointedly.
“We have too many things to take care of here.”
“Nonsense. You have Alexander looking after the cafe now and I think he's proved himself more than capable. I shall be on hand, of course, to make sure the place runs smoothly in your absence. Iris can handle the police,” Kelly said.
Ellen still looked unconvinced, so she added, “I'm not saying you have to go away for months. Even a week would do the two of you a world of good.”
“I'll think about it,” Ellen said through thin lips, but even she had to admit the thought of being alone somewhere with Andy was appealing.
Speaking of Andy, her phone buzzed with a message that he was going to see Adam if she wanted to join him. “Gotta go,” she said, and squeezed Kelly on the shoulder, sad that she couldn't spend a little more time with her friend.
Adam wasn't at home this time, but his father told them he was at the comic store. So Andy and Ellen went there. The mood, as in the cafe, was somber. Adam was sitting by himself, writing some things on a pad of paper. Ellen assumed he was working on the story he and Stanley had been creating. Eyes turned toward the two of them as they entered and Adam didn't even need to be summoned to know they were there looking for him. He picked up his jacket and slung a bag over his shoulders as he walked out of the store. Andy and Ellen followed. They walked down the street into the park where they could talk without being heard.
“I told you everything I know,” Adam said, turning his back to them.
“I don't think you did,” Andy replied.
“I think there's more going on here. There has to be more to this. You must know of somebody else who disapproved of what he was doing, or let word slip to somebody at that store. Somebody must have helped you get all the material for the costumes.”
“No! We did it all ourselves. It was just the two of us. We never told anyone else, not even our parents. We had to keep our secret identities to protect the people around us. We knew it wasn't going to be easy, that one day there might be
people who wanted to hurt The Phenom and try finding out who was behind it all. We might be young, but we're not stupid. We've read a lot of comics and we know how these things go. We just wanted to make people happy, and make them feel safe.
“There were times when I wanted to tell those guys because they talked about superheroes all the time, but none of them ever would have done what we did. They just like to sit in there and talk about things, but we actually went out and did something about it. We created The Phenom in this world, and brought him off the page. We went around and got all the material and learned how to stitch it together ourselves. We scouted that area he was going to patrol, we practiced his voice and his movements, and when he put on that costume Stanley was The Phenom.”
Adam paused and reached out, plucking a couple of leaves from a branch. He rubbed them in between his fingers, then let them fall to the ground. His head hung from his shoulders and his voice was raw. When he looked at them Ellen saw the pain in his eyes, and her heart went out to the young boy.
“Adam,” she said softly, “are you sure there wasn't anyone else who knew, or even suspected, that the two of you were doing this? Do you think that perhaps Stanley could have told anyone?”
Adam shook his head vehemently. “No, we both agreed that when we started this it would be just the two of us and nobody else. We were in this together, and nothing was going to change that. He didn't even tell his mom, and that was the hardest thing for him because he used to tell her everything. But he knew she never would understand. He wanted to do it for his dad, y'know? Do you know how his father died?”
Andy and Ellen shook their heads. There was so much they didn't know about Stanley, so much they never would get the chance to know. Adam nodded his head slightly. “I didn't think you would. It was a long time ago now, back when we were just kids. His dad worked in the city. One night he was coming home late and two guys were having a street race. Don't think his dad barely heard the screech of tires before they rammed into his car. From what I heard it spun over and over again, all the way down the road, just like in a movie. He was in a coma for a couple of days, but never opened his eyes again. Stanley wasn't the same after that. We were just kids. He started reading comics then, and I think The Phenom became like a father to him. His mom wanted to protect him. She didn't want anything to hurt him, so she made him take up judo and karate. Kinda funny, really; if he never had taken those classes he wouldn't have been The Phenom in the first place.”