ERA of Challenge #18: The Human Flashbulb

The Human Flashbulb
PART ONE
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"Galacto-Lieutenant Flashbulb! There is a dire Galacto-Emergency! We require your Galacto-Assistance at once! Moose Rider and I have run out of vod-"

*CLICK*

I don't need to listen to that @#$%. This isn't what I signed on for. A few years ago The Galacto-Rangers were doing something real, you know? Something important. We were out there fighting alongside groups like The Frontline or The Freedom Force, taking down actual threats and making an impact against crime worldwide. That's why I got into this superhero thing in the first place, right?

Now Gary just expects me to make booze-runs for him. No @#$%ing thanks.

I don't really know how it happened. It seems like one minute, we were this huge collective of heroes. I was leading squads of five, ten, even twenty people at a time into battle against some of the nastiest villains Paragon City could offer. @#$%, we fought Lord Recluse! Nemesis! Tyrant! And beat them all into the ground, I might add. Now it seems like there are only about a dozen Galacto-Rangers left, and here I am sitting in my car with the police-scanner on, just looking for something to do.

Galactoman says the Rangers became so much less active because some sort of bigtime supervillains are @#$%ing up the space/time continuum. Says he detected it with his "Galacto-Senses". I don't really know. Half the time he's full of @#$%. Probably more than half the time.

What the @#$% am I doing with my life?

*KZZZZT*

"All units, please respond. There is a super-powered robbery in progress at the Citizen's Bank on Maple Street. Repeat: There is..."

That's only a couple blocks away. Lock the car up, throw a couple more quarters in the parking meter, and Showtime.

It only takes me a couple seconds to fly over to the bank. I don't see any other supers on-site, and the PPD looks as thinly-spread as always. I spot Detective Freitag and I touch down next to him. He's a nice guy. He and his wife invited me over for dinner once.

"It's good to see you, HFB. We've got multiple super-powered hostiles, they have hostages, you need to get in there right now."

I like Freitag. He's all about sticking to the facts.

I let the light wash through me and go invisible. The Detective doesn't even flinch. He's been through a lot, that guy. I head past the police barricades and up to the entrance. I was a little worried that a door opening by itself might tip off the crooks, but the glass on one of them is smashed right out. Nice of these dumb@#$%s to make it so easy for me.

I jog into the lobby and get my bearings. Eight - no, wait - nine hostages. Four tellers, five security, one of them unconscious. Two villains, one big guy and one little guy. The little one's Mangle, I've seen him before. And the big guy is... Oh, what the @#$% is his name. Something stupid. @#$%... um... Comatorium? That's it. Mangle's staying quiet, Comatorium's ranting. "Human filth" this, "Cleanse the Earth" that. Standard fare. I'll have to take him first. One, because his energy blasts could hit a hostage. Two, I want to shut his stupid @#$% up.

I set my Defenderbelt to "Hover" and silently float across the room until I've sidled up behind him. He's still ranting, flailing his arms around. This guy's a nut. I have to duck under his left arm as he waves it around above his head to punctuate some sort of point about "paring down the population". I'm trying to come up with a game-plan and then I see it, and all I can think is... really? This guy actually has his brain exposed? Just, like, hanging out? REALLY? I reach out with two fingers and quickly rap them against his cerebral cortex. The guy drops like a sack of @#$%. The hostages around him gasp. I hate that part of what I do. I don't want to scare regular people.

Now Mangle's got his claws out. @#$%, he's sniffing the air. Does he have heightened senses? Suddenly he's rushing me. Guess he does. He takes a few swipes at me, but he only gets the cape. @#$% it. If he wants to throw down, I'll throw down. I let myself go visible and he takes a step back, looks kind of surprised. I've got a good two feet on this little @#$%, and I almost laugh. He just snarls, tries to let me know he's all bad and scary. I don't hesitate. I set my feet back down on the ground, and I punch him right in the mouth, real quick-like. Ooh, he's mad now. He lets loose with a "I won't be caged again!" and comes at me hard. @#$%'s fast; he's got a claw through my shoulder before I can react. No time to worry about the pain, and no time to let this guy @#$% with me anymore. I grab his free arm by the wrist, stare him right in the eyes, and let him have it. My dad's namesake, the first power I ever developed, my "flashbulb". My vision goes that familiar white as the light blasts out of my eyes. Mangle screams and I let him fall away from me, very aware of the feeling of his claws sliding back out of my shoulder. He's retracted those claws now, rolling around on the floor and clutching his face. I kick him in the stomach, hard. I'm a little @#$%ed that I let him stab me. Then I grab his head by the horns and smack it against the floor once, twice, and he's out cold.

I glance back over at Comawhatever and he's still flat on his face, so I rush over to the unconscious guard. I tap out a sequence of buttons on my belt - it's such a part of my day-to-day that I don't even have to think about the code anymore - and the familiar green aura of energy flows out from it. I feel the pain in my shoulder melt away as the wounds stitch themselves up without even a scar, and I watch as the bruise on the guard's forehead fades away and he wakes up. He looks up at me; I actually think I've rescued this guy before, now that I get a good look at him. "H-Human Flashbulb," he says, "There are more of them. Th-They've got the manager and his secretary... a-and a bomb! I saw them heading for the vault!"

Okay. It's time to really superhero up. I speak loud, going for my best baritone, like Statesman does. "Don't worry folks, I'll get you out of here safely. And don't you worry about these creeps: They'll be going to jail for a long, long time. Come on now, everyone head for the door. There are police officers standing by to help you out."

I make sure they all make it out okay, and then I head back inside. As I step back into the lobby I hear a walkie-talkie start squawking. "Mangle? Mangle, you there?"

I'd better act fast. There are still lives on the line.

The Human Flashbulb
PART TWO
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I try to pin down who's the one doing the talking, but their voice is all muffled like they're wearing a mask, or a helmet. That doesn't help me out, could be anybody. I go back to being invisible, float up a foot or so off the ground, and drift slowly through the lobby and towards the offices. They're gonna' find those two unconscious @#$%s any minute now, and I have to be ready.

I hear the same muffled voice coming from down the hall. "Mangle? Mangle, where you at?" Suddenly an armored figure is rushing towards me. He's holding the other walkie. I manage to dodge to the left just as he runs past me and into the lobby. Okay, red and yellow armor. Probably some sort of fire guy right? Looks familiar. Wait, was this one of the @#$%s we ran into in Nerva that time? Yeah, Pyrelord was his name. Whatever, time to-

*CLANG*

@#$%. @#$% @#$% @#$%. Feel like I got hit by a car. What the @#$% happened? Okay. Okay. Stand up slowly, and...

...and I must've blacked out for a second, because I'm visible again. @#$% @#$%ing @#$%.

Everybody stops moving for a second while I pick myself up and get my bearings. I see what happened now: That dumb @#$% Bad Penny was running down the hall after his buddy, and slammed right into me while I wasn't paying attention. How many times do I have to deal with this guy? Thankfully they seem more surprised than I am, though I am totally hating myself for even letting a chump like Bad Penny knock me over. I'm really off my game lately. Get it together.

I close my eyes for a second to concentrate on the illusion I want to create. When I open them again the entire Freedom Phalanx is standing around me, silently glaring at the two villains. Hopefully they'll just surrender on the spot. @#$%, it's happened before.

Well, it half-works. Bad Penny starts to back away, covering his face and whimpering. But Pyrelord loses it. He yells "DID YOU KNOW THAT I LIKE FIRE?!" and chucks a fireball at what he thinks is Back Alley Brawler. I kind of feel bad for guys like this. The guy is obviously just crazy. Sometimes it feels like half my job is beating up sick people. I focus on the spectral form of the Brawler and he solidifies into a hard-light construct. Difficult trick to master, takes a lot of focus. The rest of my fake Phalanx melts away as the fireball bursts against "Brawler's" chest, and "he" rushes towards Pyrelord, grabs him, and pins his arms to his sides. He asks the thing "Did you know that I like fire?" while he wiggles around. It's kind of sad.

Bad Penny is running at me now, letting his battle cry lead the way: "In for a penny, in for a pound!" I have to admit, that's actually pretty good. Maybe I'll tell him that after he's locked up. I've never really had a good catchphrase, and neither did Dad. I mean, what am I gonna' say? "Everybody Flash?" Everything just sounds too awkward. I go invisible and step out of Bad Penny's way, and he crashes into the wall.

You know in the old Looney Tunes cartoons, when Wile E. Coyote or somebody would run into a wall and it'd leave a dent in the shape of their body? That actually happens with this guy. I can't help it: I laugh out loud. He gets more @#$%ed off than I expect and he runs toward the sound of my voice all "DON'T LAUGH AT ME!" He takes a swing that nearly connects, but I duck to the right, turn, and land a kick on the small of his back as he runs past me. He hits the ground, his face cracking the tiles. My foot hurts like a @#$%. I can keep this guy confused and running around all night, but I really have no way to knock out a dude made of metal.

But inspiration strikes. I run across the lobby and crouch behind a desk. My construct is standing completely still, with Pyrelord clutched in its arms. Bad Penny is struggling to his feet, looking hecka mad. I let the construct fade away and put all my focus on weaving a new illusion. Within a few seconds, both Pyrelord and Bad Penny look exactly like me. Well, as close to exact as I can get, at least. There's only so much time you can spend staring at yourself in the mirror before it starts to get creepy, you know?

Bad Penny rushes toward Pyrelord, hollering his catchphrase again. It's not so clever the second time. That's the problem with those things. Pyrelord reacts surprisingly quickly, and launches a pretty massive fire blast at his friend. I let it go on for a few seconds... hopefully long enough for Bad Penny's feet to melt to the floor... and then I stand up and throw a wall of hard light between the two of them. Don't want these @#$%s to actually kill eachother. Pyrelord starts really freaking out now, I think he's actually crying, and again I feel a little bad. I use a trick Aurora Borealis helped me figure out. A fast sequence of lights flash in front of his eyes, and I hope his helmet doesn't have too much glare protection. Maybe I'm relying too much on the bad guys being stupid? That could be a problem. I can't let myself get cocky in this job. My parents always told me that getting cocky could get you killed. Thankfully, I guessed right with this guy and he passes right out.

I take a second to look around. Property damage isn't really too bad yet, considering. Pyrelord, Mangle, and Comatorium are out cold. Bad Penny is awake and ranting at me, but he's stuck there pretty well so I'm not too worried. Comatorium starts to stir a little. I jog over to him and poke his brain again, and he stops. I allow myself the brief luxury of healing up my foot with the Defenderbelt. I think I broke a toe on that copper idiot. He screams "I WILL BE REVENGED!"

I head back for the offices. Whoever's left still has two hostages, and probably knows I'm here. Gonna' have to be careful.

The Human Flashbulb
PART THREE
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I work my way down the hallway towards the bank manager's office, quickly and quietly. It's conspicuously silent here, save for Bad Penny hollering in the background.

The quiet continues as I head into the office. Nobody here. I glance around. There was definitely a struggle. Desks overturned, drawers hastily opened, paper all over the place. A brief sound of a muffled voice comes from the hallway leading to the vault. Definitely a woman, can't make out what she said, if anything. I hover out there to assess the situation.

@#$%.

Two guys, a hostage each. Guns to heads. The one on the right is Hollow Point. I've dealt with him a bunch of times, usually bank jobs like this one. He's got the manager. On the left is Comrade. Only tangled with him once or twice, he's not so tough, but he's got his gun against the secretary's temple and his other hand covering her mouth. This is bad. Both these guys are killers, and neither would hesitate to shoot a hostage.

Hollow Point looks around the hall, then shouts "Human Flashlight! We know you're here! Go visible with your hands above your head if you want these @#$%s to live!"

I need a second to think. I could easily take one of these guys, but I need to hit them both at once, simultaneously. I can't risk a single shot being fired. I hate taking a gamble like this, but I need to buy some time. I focus for a second to create a hard-light version of myself, hands above my head, standing right in front of them.

They both immediately start screaming at the illusion. Hollow Point's saying "Get on the ground! Get on the ground!" Comrade's saying something in Russian. What should I do? How do I handle this?

...Okay. I have to. I am SO not comfortable doing this @#$%, but I have no choice. The shard of the Well of the Furies that I have stashed in a compartment in my belt is calling out to me, and this time I need to listen. I HATE using magic. It's too unpredictable. I'm not trained well enough in it. It scares me. But right now it's my only chance to save these people. I put both my hands out in front of me, and I breathe deep. Inhale, exhale, inhale, and then I hold it. I concentrate as hard as I can on what I want to happen; I concentrate much harder than when I'm just crafting illusions. After a few seconds, I feel the Well's power start to stir in my chest, then spread to my arms. The two mercenaries are both still shouting at the projection of me, making threats, shaking their hostages, when an arc of blue electricity shoots from each of my hands, hitting Comrade and Hollow Point both directly in their faces. It only takes a fraction of a second and they're both on the ground... Thankfully their hostages are still standing, though they look confused as @#$%. I am too, I guess, but it's magic.

I dissolve the illusion and go visible. I want them to see someone in bright colors and a cape so they won't think something WORSE is about to happen to them. "It's gonna' be okay, folks," I say, forcing a nonchalant grin, "you're safe now. Just head on out the front door and the police will be there to help you. Ignore the metal Abe Lincoln guy, he's stuck to the floor. I'm going to get to the vault and disarm that bomb."

They both give me a weird look at the part about Bad Penny, but they seem thankful. I listen until they're out of the building, then I head into the vault.

It looks like they got a chance to rig up their explosives, but not to arm them. I crouch down over the bomb and start to take a look at-

"@#$%!"

It takes me a second to realize I just yelled that out loud. Something just slashed my back wide open. Somebody with a sword or something. Before I even have time to think, instinct has me standing up, turning around, and taking a fighting stance.

Captain Mako. Captain @#$% Mako.

I've never won a fight against Mako without help. Fighting him doesn't work. He's too fast and strong. Going invisible doesn't work, he's got electroreceptors that show him right where I am. Illusions don't work, he can smell what's real and what isn't. The first time I went against Mako, he almost killed me. I've never tried to take him on solo since then.

I think he's smiling, but it's hard to tell. He lunges at me. Hits me right under the ribs with his claws, hard enough to toss me into a wall. I flop to the ground like one of the dead fish this @#$%'s probably used to eating. Vision's getting blurry. I try to pick myself up but my hand slips in something. My blood, probably. I'm lying on my side on the floor, Mako runs up on me fast, and kicks me in the back a few times. I'm trying to reach for my belt to try and heal myself, but I think my right arm broke when I hit the wall. My chest is bleeding like crazy. I can barely see. Over my heart pounding in my ears, I can hear that Mako's laughing now.

He's leaving me alone for the moment, he must be going off to arm the bomb. I can't let that happen. If I lose consciousness, the hospital's mediporters will pull me out of here and all those people outside will get blown the @#$% up. I can't let that happen. I can't let that happen.

I manage to roll onto my back, which hurts like @#$%, but at least my left arm isn't pinned under me anymore. I tap a sequence of commands into my belt and it heals me as much as it can, which is basically enough for me to stand up, but not enough to fix my broken bones. I tap in a second sequence, and my force-field whirs to life. It's not fantastic - something my mom put together in her garage last year - but it might be able to take some of the edge off of whatever Mako's going to do to me.

I realize that I still can't see very well. I struggle to my feet and wipe the blood out of my eyes. If I squint I can make out shapes. Captain Mako turns back around to look at me and laughs again. I don't have time to heal myself up anymore: This is it. I don't think I have the focus to use the Well's powers right now, and I don't know how I'm going to get out of this. My right arm just hangs limply at my side, it's gonna' be useless.

Suddenly, two grayish shapes fall down from the ceiling behind Mako. There's a flurry of activity. Sounds of fighting, but I can't make out what's happening. I try to take a step forward, and slip in the blood, landing on my back. Now I can only hear noise. Something metallic. Mako swearing. Sounds of fists and boots hitting leathery flesh. Then I hear a body hit the floor, hard, and Mako's voice: "Sink... or... swim." Then there's somebody standing over me, holding out their hand. I take it, and they pull me up.

"You've looked better, Marcus." I think I know that voice.

"Gimme a sec," I say, as I set my Defenderbelt to its highest setting and heal myself back to normal.

I look back up from my belt and I was right... It's Red-@#$%ing-Havok! And just a few feet behind him is Foxy Ferret. Two good friends that I haven't seen in far too long. "It's good to see you, Marcus," she says, smiling. I smile back. Things just went from bad to great. I've been fighting crime with these two for years.

Red-Havok looks me in the eyes, and suddenly gets real serious. "Marcus, we're starting something big here. And we want you in on the ground floor. We-"

Some time during all of this Mako must have regained consciousness. @#$% heals fast. He roars and lunges at the three of us. However, while he's still mid-air a powerful torrent of ice smashes through the bank's wall and freezes him in place. A second blast of ice freezes the bomb by the vault. And in through the newly-created hole in the wall flies Xanatos. Like, THE Xanatos. He lands right next to us. I am TOTALLY geeking out. I don't know what to say. My parents used to tell me stories about this guy. I try to sober myself up, shake off the pain and look as professional as I can. "That was some good work there, son," Xanatos says to me, "You saved a lot of lives back th-"

There's a bright flash of light as Galactoman teleports into the room with us. "Galacto-Lieutenant Galacto-Flashbulb, you turnnnnt off your Galacto-Communicator-Galacto! We had to go get our own Galacto-Beverages... Um... Wha happened here?"

Foxy Ferret is the first to laugh. "Oh, Galactoman!" she says, and the rest of us start laughing too.

Cue the theme music.

Blinkback
EPILOGUE
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After all the superheroes leave, after the police have secured the area, after the cleaners have left, after the lights have been turned out... a figure materializes in the corner of the room surrounding the bank's vault, leaning against the wall. He'd been waiting for a few hours, but he was a patient guy. Besides, super-fights are always fun to watch.

Blinkback stretches his arms over his head and yawns, then casually strolls over to the vault. He types in the combination, the door swings open, and he walks in. He glances around at the safe-deposit boxes, stopping at box #603. He points a finger at the lock, and a small burst of energy flies from his fingertip, and the drawer pops out. He reaches in, grabs a small parcel, and, now whistling softly to himself, starts to stroll back out of the vault.

Suddenly, there's a brief flash of light, shortly followed by a large rush of air. The lights in the vault all snap on with an electric crackle. Baron Blitzman looks Blinkback up and down, and then speaks:

"Joel, Joel, Joel. Look at you, making mischief in the night. You managed to dodge Xanatos, you know. You must be pretty proud of that. Anyway, I have an offer for you..."