Ripper 2: Flesh and Blood

## King City - Part 1

A man in dark armor stands in front of a massive monitor. A young Chinese man with red wraps on his arms stands behind him. The monitor shows a picture of a city with tall dark buildings.

???: What is this place?

Ozak: This is King City. A dark and gritty place. Even the city’s protector isn’t a hero.

???: Why haven’t you taken down the criminals then?

Ozak: We have someone trying, but villains never go away. A few seconds of still peace just means someone is planning something bigger.

???: Why are you showing me this place?

Ozak: Because Taio, you should know where all the founding members of the Legion come from.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

One of the popular gyms in King City is right on the edge of the city. In one of the gym’s back rooms a tall, broad man sits on his bed. His dark hair is clean and messy. The only sound coming from the room is of metal slicing air. His hand goes back and forth. A butterfly knife skillfully moving between his fingers. The man hears his computer go off. He stands up, sliding the knife into his pocket. His hand pulls the laptop’s screen open. The password screen pops up. Within one second. He’s on the Home Screen. The call notification pops up in the middle of his screen. His cursor accepts. Ozak appears on the screen.

Ozak: Ah, Ripper. You answered.

Royce sits down in his computer chair.

Royce: What do you want Ozak?

Ozak: We’ve got a new member, Taio. Oh sorry, Red Leopard.

Royce: What can he do?

Ozak: He isn’t super human. I picked him because of his martial arts.

Royce: What’s he useful for then? Who can he fight with no powers?

Ozak: You manage.

Royce: I struggle. I’m an honorary member of your group. I help where I can.

Ozak: Then maybe he’ll inspire you. Show you how much you could help if you were a true member.

Royce: Goodbye Ozak.

Ripper shuts his laptop. He stands up, his ear twitches. One of his hands lightly touches the doorknob. Then he yanks the door open. Emily jumps back.

Emily: So… How are you-

Royce: How old are you?

Emily: Old enough to know when to listen. The Legion is getting new members!

Royce: I don’t know what Ozak is planning.

Emily: Yes you do. Ozak talks to you about everything. You guys are like best friends. He’s your only friend!

Royce: Why do you need to know what The Legion is planning? Are you part of it?

Emily: No, but-

Ripper: But- then it’s none of your business. You're almost done with high school. Focus on that. Not some team that you can only see when you use a telescope.

Emily: How am I supposed to do that? Everyone at school talks about you. They love you.

Royce: B.L.A.D.E will kill them.

Emily goes silent.

Royce: I know why you’re asking. I’m tired of it. You never stop talking about the legion. There is nothing good about that team. They aren’t some group of heroes that teamed up to help the world. We got together because we needed to survive. We all knew that if there was a team if we could call others for help… Maybe when we’re in deep shit, we might just scrape by with a missing arm, or…

Royce bangs on his chest.

Royce: A blade to the heart.

Emily’s head is down. She won’t even look at Royce.

Emily: I’m sorry.

Royce: I’m not mad at you. I want the best for you. That team isn’t it.

Royce walks over to the door into the gym.

Royce: C’mon, I’m taking you to school today, right?

Emily mumbles under her breath.

Emily: Yes.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce and Emily sit in the car. The rumbling of Royce’s car is the only noise around them. They sit in silence. Neither one wanted to talk.

Royce: I’m not trying to be mean. I just know that I only have so much time left with you. When you become 18, who’s to say what you do with your life? I can’t tell you what to do? When you see superheroes don’t look at them as role models. Look at every person that’s died while they’re around and remember that they walk around with that guilt every day for the rest of their lives.

The car stops.

Royce: Have a good day at school.

Emily: …I’ll try.

Emily walks out of the car. Royce watches as she walks into the school. He sees another kid that catches his eye. The kid reminds him of the rooftops last night.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Darkness fills the sky. Royce stands high above the street. His black metal boots balance on the edge of a rooftop. The wind nearly tries to rip Royce’s red and black cape off his back. Royce wears a helmet that looks more like himself than his face. The bright red eyes stared down at the street. His gauntlet rises a little closer to his face. A small screen is on the gauntlet. Royce types something in.

Royce: What happened to protect your own city. Now Ozak’s trying to micromanage every criminal that gets thrown in jail. This is my time.

A car flies into view. The car nearly skids out on the turn. It drives faster and faster as it gets closer to Royce.

Royce: Finally here.

Royce stands tall. The car is almost to him. He steps off of the roof and falls to the ground. His boots crash into the back of the car. The back axles of the car break. The wheels bend off to the side. Ripper steps off of the car, but the car can barely move. It inches forward. You can hear the engine struggle. The car turns off. Four guys step out of the car.

Thug: The fuck hit our car?

The criminals look startled.

Thug: Jack The Ripper? Aren’t you on some pussy shit now? We aren’t afraid of you. The only thing you got is that stupid ass armor. What the fuck it does to a bullet?

The thugs run at Royce. The first one swings a crowbar. Royce grabs the crowbar. His fist smashes the thug’s stomach. Royce cracks the thug’s head with the back of the crowbar. Two thugs come running up. The first has no weapon. He hesitates on his punch. The crowbar splits his eye. A brass knuckles break against Royce’s helmet. The thug stands there scared. Royce grabs his neck and picks him up with one hand. The thug struggles in Royce’s hand. Royce begins to crush his windpipe. He breaks the thug’s nose with one strike and drops him to the dirty street. Royce swings his crowbar. The thug’s back cracks. The last thug pulls something out of the car. He pointed a gun at Royce. Bullets fire and bounce off Royce’s armor. Royce slowly walks up to the thug. The thug turns and runs.

Royce: And I thought they were all stupid. Luckily I have my gun.

Royce takes out a grappling gun. The hook shoots out of the gun and wraps around the thug’s leg. The thug drops to the ground. The hook slowly pulls him in. The thug is terrified.

Royce: Here’s how this goes. Tell me about your boss before I break your legs. Hurry up, not a lot of distance between us.

The thug looks around, almost as he is thinking about something.

Thug: W-Wait, wait! I’ll tell you!

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce is sitting in his car. Emily walks inside the school. Ripper pulls out of the parking spot and back onto the road. He twists the volume knob. Reporters talk about all the events in King City.

Male Reporter: B.L.A.D.E gauranties you your safety with their new project. They call it, The Power Killer. What do you think about this?

Female Reporter: I don’t know if I trust it. I mean, B.L.A.D.E has always kept us safe, but it can fight mutants like nothing. I think they’re over exaggerating.

Male Reporter: Even during the MMC War, they didn’t promise us something like this. If they were gonna promise anything. That would have been the time. I put all my trust in Fury.

Female Reporter: We all trust Fury. It’s the people that work for him we don’t trust.

Male Reporter: We’ll get more on that later. Check-in tomorrow for our deep dive with one of the engineers for the project. Did you hear about the new CEO at Cole Corp?

Female Reporter: I didn’t. Someone finally stepped up after, god bless his soul, Mr. Cole. Those are some big shoes to fill.

Royce turns off the radio.

Royce: The people never know anything. If they weren’t so fucking blind they wouldn’t need heroes to protect them.

## Shadows Past - Part 2

Emily walks down the street with her friends. They take up nearly the whole side of the street. People struggle trying to get by. They look at Emily and her friends annoyed. The girls are oblivious, lost in conversation.

Jess: You don’t like any boy? Not even one?

Emily: No, there’s no one…

Lexi: We gotta find you someone, girl! You spend too much time in the gym to not have boys running after you.

Emily: I live at a gym. Not work out there.

Lexi: They boys are all over me and I've never seen a gym. You just gotta give someone the look. If you find the right boy, they’ll know.

Emily: Can we talk about something else?

Jess: Ugh, you are so moody. Fine, let’s go shopping. That always cheers me up.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

After shopping, the three girls sit at a little cafe. They store all their bags under the table. The waiter comes over and takes their orders. When he walks away the girls immediately start gawking.

Jess: Did you see him, he’s cute.

Lexi: I think he was looking at you, Emily. You gotta give him the look. Boys need an obvious sign.

The waiter comes back over and puts their drinks down. Emily looks the waiter in his eyes. She looks up at him with low eyelids. He smiles.

Waiter: Hold on one second, I’ll be right back.

A few minutes later, the waiter puts a drink down in front of Emily.

Waiter: It’s on the house.

The waiter walks away.

Lexi: A free drink is good too.

Emily looks at the white napkin under the drink. There is black sharp writing on it.

Emily: It says meet out back in 15 minutes.

Jess: Ooo.

Lexi: You got your hooks in him. Now you can see him alone.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Emily stands at the back of the cafe waiting for a few minutes. The back door opens, and the waiter walks out. He rubs his wet hands off on his apron.

Waiter: Hey, you came. I didn’t know if you and your friends were going to leave.

Emily: You did write me a note.

The waiter comes closer.

Waiter: You didn’t have to be out here, but a pretty girl like you in an alley…

The waiter begins kissing Emily. Emily pushes him off of her.

Emily: I’m… I’m not ready for that yet.

Waiter: You’re just getting cold feet.

The waiter comes in for another kiss. Emily pushes him back again.

Waiter: What the fuck?! You came out here! I didn’t force you! Don’t fucking touch me! What if I pushed you?

The waiter pushes Emily back. Emily drops to the ground and sweeps his leg. He falls to the ground, and Emily runs away.

Waiter: Fuck you too bitch! Some girls don’t know what they have.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce sits in his office at work. He types away at the keyboard and writes on paperwork. Ricky walks into his office.

Ricky: Hey, boss! You’ve been in here a while. Is there that much paperwork?

Royce: Yeah, because I never feel like doing it.

Ricky: I know that feeling. Last second warrior.

Royce: I don’t think you know.

Ricky: I’m a master. I did it throughout school. Then I perfected it as an adult.

Royce: I don’t want a lazy worker Ricky.

Ricky: That’s not what I meant!

Royce: I know what you meant.

Ricky: You do?

Royce: …Fine I’ll give you the promotion.

Ricky: Really?!

Royce: You’re practically the manager of the store already. I’m just underpaying you.

Ricky: Not anymore! Thank you, boss!

Royce shoos Ricky away. Ricky runs out of the office excited.

Royce: Poor kid can barely ask for a promotion.

Royce looks at the clock.

Royce: Almost time for me to go to work.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce jumps across rooftops. The roofs nearly cave in when his heavy suit lands. Royce finds a clock tower. He grapples up to the top of the tower. He lands on a small ledge. He pushes in the wooden wall. The wall falls inside the clock tower. Royce jumps inside the room and puts the wooden wall back up. There is a stash of food and gear. Royce sits down. His back pressed against the cold wall. The cold moves through his metal armor and onto his back. He takes off his helmet.

Royce: Ugh… I’m just tired of being me. Crime is all in the shadows now. Shadows that I don’t know anymore.

Royce puts his helmet back on. He takes the wooden wall down. Standing on the ledge, he puts the wall back and looks down at the city.

Royce: Empty-

Someone runs across the rooftops. Their black outfit nearly makes them blend in. Ripper shoots his grappling hook to the top of the watchtower. He holds onto the gun with both hands and swings down to the rooftops. He lands and rolls. The hook flying back to the gun. He puts the gun away and chases the shadow. The person is fast. His suit slows him down too much. He can’t catch up. Royce looks around for anything to slow the man down. He sees nothing.

Royce: The hook will never reach.

The man jumps down into an alley. Royce jumps down, following him. He looks at the shadow in the face. A dark mask covers his face. Royce looks at the shadow's figure.

Royce: A girl? Who are you?

???: Hands up Ripper!

Royce looks behind him. A B.L.A.D.E Soldier points his gun at Royce. Royce looks back at the shadow. The woman is gone.

Royce: What are you going to do with that?

B.L.A.D.E Soldier: Stand down!

The soldier aims his gun. Royce takes a step forward. The soldier fires his gun. A wave of energy blasts out of it sending Royce flying into the street. Royce plants his hands and feet into the ground, recovering his balance. Two more soldiers walk up on his left and right. The two soldiers blast him with their guns. Royce feels like he’s being crushed. He takes two butterfly knives out of his armor. He throws the knives into the soldier’s legs. Then Royce stands up and runs at a soldier. He knees the soldier in the head. The soldier falls to the ground. Royce picks him up and throws him into the other soldier. Royce picks up the gun. He looks at the alleyway. The last soldier comes running out. Royce blasts him back.

Royce: Where’d the girl go?

Royce looks up to the roofs. He sees a shadow. He drops the B.L.A.D.E gun and grapples up to the rooftops. When he lands. He sees no one.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce walks into the back of the gym. His armor is still on. Emily walks out of her room. She jumps back.

Emily: I’m still not used to seeing you in that thing.

Royce: That’s the point. It’s meant to instill fear.

Royce takes off his helmet.

Emily: That’s better.

Royce walks over to his room’s door.

Emily: That’s it. You’re not going to tell me about your day or anything?.

Royce: When have I ever told you about my day? You want me to tell you what I see. That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.

Emily: What if I didn’t talk like you. I never told you anything.

Royce: You’re not me. Don’t act like it.

Royce slams his door shut.

## New Sword - Part 3

Royce stands on a rooftop. A man walks up next to him. The man has blond hair and dirty clothes.

Jackson: We meet again. I had almost lost the sound of your voice.

Royce: We always talk. Nothing gets done, but we talk. There is a place you could go to get new clothes.

Jackson: You bring this up every time. I told you before. I’m not ready to join the legion. Not yet.

Royce: That’s why I ask. For the time when you are ready.

Jackson: …How’s Emily doing?

Royce: She’d be doing better with you in her life. I’m a lot of things Jackson, a father isn’t one of them. Do you want the last picture she has of you to be this? A wrongfully imprisoned man that she never saw again.

Jackson: No, I don’t.

Jackson grabs his collar.

Jackson: This picture isn’t a great one either. I’ll see her when I’m ready-

Royce: Not everything is running on your time, Jackson. Emily wants to be a hero.

Jackson: Why would she want that? Didn’t she see me get thrown in jail for just having powers?

Royce: And every day she sees me walking around fine. You give her a reason to want to help people.

Jackson: That’s really why you want me to see her? So she won’t grow up and be a hero?

Royce: Do you want your daughter to die?

Jackson: I didn’t say I wanted her to be a hero. I like figuring out what you're thinking. You never think about people's feelings. Sometimes I laugh at how much you don’t give a shit.

Royce: I should care more about a teenager's feelings than her life?

Jackson: No, Royce. It's that you don’t care if she sees her father again. You just want her to live. Do you even care about her, or is this some sort of repayment for almost killing me?

Royce:…

Jackson: At least pretend.

Royce: I get tired of pretending. With you here, that’s all I do.

Jackson leans down near the edge of the roof, ready to jump down.

Royce: There is a new person in play. A woman. I tried to chase her down. She got away.

Jackson: You must be getting slower in your old age. I could never escape you. You won’t get much out of me.

Royce: I need more eyes. The city’s too big, too dark.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

A man in astute B.L.A.D.E Gear steps out of the back of a truck. Soldiers follow him. A few soldiers pull a casket out of the truck. They place the casket onto a stretcher and roll it through the empty B.L.A.D.E parking lot. The astute man stops in front of the door to the B.L.A.D.E facility. Soldiers open the door for him and he walks inside. A detective walks up to the man.

Detective: General Carter? Why is a general here?

General Carter: You have a problem city, Detective Brooks. The type of city where everything is hush. You can’t trust your neighbor. The perfect city for B.L.A.D.E to test new products.

Det. Brooks: Doesn’t sound like you’re here to help the city. What type of products?

General Carter waves his hand in front of the casket. The soldiers stand the casket up.

General Carter: I bring to you, a being meant only for destruction. A creature with no will, only purpose.

The soldiers open the front door off of the casket. A man in black B.L.A.D.E gear steps out. He has a ninja mask that covers his face. Two swords lay sheathed on his back. He stands perfectly still, not a sound comes from his mouth.

Det. Brooks: What is he?

General Carter: What is it. This is Deadman. A war machine.

Det. Brooks: Anything else for us? How will he beat a hero?

General Carter: Shoot him.

Det Brooks: What?

General Carter: Shoot him in the stomach, and watch.

Det. Brooks: N-

General Carter: That’s an order Detective.

Detective Brooks takes out his gun. He aims for Deadman’s stomach. A bullet fires off. Detective Brooks looks at the bloody hole in Deadman’s stomach. The hole slowly closes up until it’s healed.

General Carter: We’re only starting with Ripper.

Outside of the building. A shadow watches the B.L.A.D.E facility. The woman sees nothing but a few glimpses of people in the facility's windows. She disappears into the darkness.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jackson is about to jump down. Then he pauses.

Jackson: Y’know Royce. You’ve changed a lot since you joined the legion. No more killing, you try to pretend to be a decent human most of the time. I think the worst of everything though, is that you’ve lost your control over this city. The people aren’t scared of you anymore. B.L.A.D.E, the gangs, even the people don’t see you as a dark messiah. Now you’re just an obstacle.

Royce: Where did you hear that?

Jackson: I don’t just have eyes.

The shadowlands on their rooftop.

Jackson looks at the woman.

Jackson: Is this the girlfriend you were telling me about?

Jackson pretends to whisper to the woman.

Jackson: Be careful, he killed the last one.

Royce: Who are you?

???: You need to watch out. A B.L.A.D.E general is here.

Jackson: I told you, Ripper.

Royce: What would a general want in King’s city?

Jackson: Your head.

Royce: That can’t be the only reason.

The woman begins to walk away.

Royce: I’ll let you escape this time. Next time, I’m going to rip the mask off your face.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

A woman wakes up in her bed. The light shines through the penthouse windows. Her whites sheets almost reflect the sunlight. The room is filled with white tones. Pictures hang up on the wall. The woman looks at peace. She turns over and sees a man sleeping beside her. Her core temp turns to shame.

Katherine: Ugh, Derek.

She grabs her phone and sits up. She scrolls through her phone settings. At the top of the screen, it says, Katherine Cole. She looks at her 200 unread messages.

Katherine: What’s going on at Cole Corp?!

Katherine jumps out of bed. She puts on a white dress, fixes her hair, and runs out of the house.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Katherine is riding in the back of a car. She sees the driver's face through the mirror. He looks like a security guard. Her phone starts ringing. She picks it up.

Katherine: What’s happening over there, Elijah? I woke up today, and my phone was blowing up. I had over 200 messages.

Elijah: You gotta get over here, Annie. B.L.A.D.E is looking for you. Don’t answer any questions.

Katherine: I know the deal. They didn’t try to question you, did they?

Elijah: Yeah, of course, they did. I told them, I was like, “You better not even think about putting cuffs on me. I know my rights!” Girl, I’ll tell ya. They didn’t want to mess with me.

Katherine laughs.

Katherine: I’ll be there soon.

Elijah: You better.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

The car stops in front of Cole Corp. A guard opens up the door. Katherine steps out of the car. News Reporters storm her. Cameras, flashing lights, and people yelling fill the scene. Cole Corp's guard keep the people off of her. She steps inside, and B.L.A.D.E soldiers stop her.

Soldier: Come with us.

Katherine: This is my company!

Soldier: We have a warrant. Miss, please come with us.

Katherine is led by the two soldiers into the elevator. They stop on one of the higher floors. The soldiers lead Katherine into one of the offices. General Carter is sitting in the chair.

General Carter: Please, sit down.

Katherine sits down in the chair. Her body is rigid, and her movements slow.

General Carter: Don’t take this like… an interrogation, or a prosecution. No, this is a meeting between friends. No, no, no. A meeting between future allies.

Katherine: Why are you here?

General Carter: I don’t know how much your father told you before he passed, but his company wasn’t a shining beacon of legality. In fact, your father had his scientists develop a mutagen. Yes, it’s just like it sounds. A mixture that could give someone mutant abilities. He used that to try to create an, let's say force, of wreckoning. Normally I wouldn’t just bring this up but-

General Carter puts out a binder full of images. Katherine opens it and flips through the pages.

General Carter: We have a lot of evidence to prove that this company needs to be shut down, but B.L.A.D.E doesn’t want to have to run another company. So we’ll let you do that. All you need to do is create mutagens for us.

Katherine: If I don’t set up some crazy science division, you’re going to buy my company?

General Carter: We don’t need the company just this yet. We’ll give you some time to ponder over this decision.

General Carter stands up.

General Carter: Your choice affects you much more than it does us.

General Carter walks out of the room. After a few minutes, Katherine leaves the office. Derek is standing outside.

Derek: Kathy?! Are you okay?

Katherine: Not the time, and don’t call me Kathy.

Katherine walks past him without another word.

## Morning’s Glory - Part 4

Emily sits at a desk next to her friends. The teacher is still out of the classroom. Everybody is waiting for the homeroom bell to ring. The group of girls twist around in their chairs and talk about anything and everything they can.

Lexi: Ooo, graduation is coming up soon. Do you know if any of the football players have a study hall last block?

Jess rolls her eyes and looks at Emily. Jess looks like she is thinking for a second.

Jess: Isn’t your birthday coming up?

Emily: A few days before graduation.

Jess: That’s fun. What are you doing? A party, dinner-

Emily: I haven’t really decided.

Jess: I can help you with that. I’ll plan everything. Don’t worry.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce wakes up in his bed. The sunlight blinds him. His body feels heavy, but he’s not tired. He sits up in his bed, his feet on the ground. He holds his face in his palms. Royce’s hands fall down to the bed, pulling on his skin. He throws the covers off of him and gets out of bed. His hand grabs the bottom knob on his dresser. He pulls out a towel and slugs it over his shoulder. Royce leaves his room and walks down the hallway. The house feels empty. Even the air is still. Royce opens the bathroom door. He throws the towel over the shower’s wall. He turns to the toilet. A light cough can be heard over the flushing water.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce is lying on a bench press. All of the weighted plates he can find are on the bar. The metal bar is slightly bending on the ends. Royce lifts rep after rep.

Ricky walks over to Royce. He stands behind the bench press smiling at the girls watching Royce.

Ricky: Mind if I spot you, buddy?

Royce: You can spot me if you can lift it.

Ricky: You’re only a little bigger than me.

Royce puts the bar up. He sits up on the bench. When he stands, Ricky looks up at him.

Ricky: And a little taller. So what? I spend more time here than you do.

Royce picks the bar up off of the bench press and lays it down on the floor.

Royce: Do a deadlift for me, and don’t give yourself a hernia. I’m not paying your insurance.

Ricky bends down. His hands grab the bar. He tries to lift the bar up. The bar doesn’t rise off the ground. Ricky looks at the girls laughing at him.

Royce: You wouldn’t be a good spotter, would you?

Ricky: You know that wasn’t the point.

Royce: You already spend all your time in the gym. Impress them by yourself. We both know you can. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes. I’m taking a shower.

Royce walks into the back of the gym. Ricky looks at him confused as he walks away.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

General Carter sits at his desk. His feet are up, and he unwraps Hershey chocolate. He eats the piece of chocolate

Det. Brooks: What do you want us to do with Deadman? A fucking mutant is sitting in, what, a testing tube? That’s just like B.L.A.D.E You yell about how superheroes are ruining this world, and then you make more.

General Carter: Are you done Detective?

Det. Brooks: What more do you want me to say?

General Carter stands up.

General Carter: I want you to say everything you have to say. Whatever you can think of. If you believe it. Yell it at me. Scream if you have to. I want to make you feel stupid. We both know that there are Generals that want the world to crumble under their feet. Hell, Fury keeps his people leashed up so tight you can’t breathe. You know what’s worse than Fury ruling? Mutants ruling. Do you remember the civil war Brooks? I do. The mutants wanted to kill every last human left because they were angry.

Det. Brooks: I’ve read the history books. I’ve looked over the files. B.L.A.D.E wasn’t a bystander. They held the mutants as slaves for years.

General Carter: They didn’t just kill soldiers!

Det. Brooks: Neither did B.L.A.D.E!

General Carter fixes his collar.

General Carter: Let me show you something.

General Carter turns his computer around. He plays a video. Det. Brooks watches Ripper take down his soldiers.

Det. Brooks: What’s here? Those soldiers weren’t well trained. A mutant could easily take them down. It’s your fault for sending them in.

General Carter: How much research have you done Brooks?

Det. Brooks: This is my city. I know Ripper. He used to be a ruthless killer. Someone that was B.L.A.D.E’s top priority. You never really treated him like it, but he was.

General Carter: He’s also human. No powers, no secret weapon. Just a man in iron armor. Nothing. No soldier has been able to put a scratch on him. What did they do here? Push him back? All we did was piss off someone who has connections to one of the most dangerous mutant groups to ever exist.

Det. Brooks: What are you trying to say now? You're a man of morals. A general with so much principle that it is your life’s mission to take down mutants. Weren’t you the one that said you’ll be testing your devices in this city because no one will tell on you?

General Carter: Greater good detective. Your lack of understanding has you struggling to keep his city under control.

General Carter gets a notification on his laptop. He walks over to the door.

General Carter: It's time.

The two men walk out of the office, and into one of the back rooms. In a testing tube, Deadman floats around. General Carter presses a button on the machine. The liquid in the machine drains out. All the tubes attached to Deadman unhook, and the door opens. Deadman walks out of the machine.

General Carter: Deadman, it’s time. You need to track down Ripper. Find him, and kill him. Whatever it takes.

Deadman walks out of the room. Brooks looks at Carter.

Det. Brooks: What have you just unleashed on my city?

General Carter: The undead.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce walks out from a portal. He steps onto The Beacon. Dynamo walks by.

Dynamo: Oh Ripper, what's up? I feel like I haven’t talked to you in… forever. You really need to come around more. Be part of the family, y’know.

Royce: What family? You’re all here because you have nowhere else to go.

Royce walks away. Dynamo yells to him from the other side of the room.

Dynamo: I thought they said you were getting nicer! You’re still an ass!

Royce: Shut up.

Dynamo: Love you too!

Royce walks over to a room he has never been in. A monitor spans across the entire wall of the room. In the center of the room, a control panel, filled with hundreds of buttons. Ozak is sitting in a chair pressing buttons on the control panel.

Ozak: I needed a new place to watch over everything. Standing next to the portal didn’t work for me. People come back, wanting to celebrate. I’m never doing anything other than watching.

Royce: There’s no reason to celebrate. A million people are planning to destroy the world at this moment.

Ozak: I wish there were only one million. Why are you here Royce? Just a check up. See if the Legion is still together. Making sure The Beacon isn’t falling out of the sky?

Royce: I wanted to know how The Legion was running. Are you expanding? What’s going on?

Ozak: We can’t expand without spreading ourselves thin. Like I always say. We need more people. More ground we can cover. We have a section of the west on lockdown, but-

Royce: B.L.A.D.E

Ozak: That’s why you’re here. You want to know about B.L.A.D.E I’ve been thinking about what to do about them. I just don’t know yet. They’re a problem, but it’s not like B.L.A.D.E is another team. B.L.A.D.E is an empire. Soon they’ll take over America and really become an Empire. Whatever you do, Royce. Don’t start a war.

Royce: Tell your people to not start a war.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce stands on top of a rooftop. His phone is up to his ear. Emily’s voice comes through the phone.

Emily: What’s for dinner? I’m starving.

Royce: I’ll order you a pizza or something. Just watch the door.

Emily: I hate watching the door. I have to sit in the empty gym. It’s creepy.

Royce: Then starve.

Royce hangs up. The woman in black lands on the rooftop.

Royce: Why are you here?

???: I’m not here to fight. I’d appreciate it if you don’t jump at the chance to rip my mask off.

Royce: Then why are you here?

???: We both don’t like B.L.A.D.E They want to take over this city. Who are they to come to our city and do whatever they want? I’ve watched you. You are lost out here. You don’t know what’s going on. You need my help.

Royce: What could your help give me? Eyes and ears on the street. Senses don’t matter when you can’t trust them. You’re useless to me.

???: If you need trust, then I can work on that. Call me Jade. I think I can be like a partner to you.

Royce hears breathing. A loud heavy breath. One that you could only imagine a monster having.

Royce hears swords stab into the wall. Deadman jumps onto the rooftop. His sword is dripping with blood. He looks at Royce.

## A Deadman Killer - Part 5

Deadman stands on the rooftop. The air carried the stench of a near rotten carcass. His arms dangle at his side. The tips of his swords resting on the ground. Deadman stands there, still as the building they stand on. Royce watches him. He can hear Deadman’s heavy breathing, but his chest doesn’t move.

Jade: Is it a monster?

Royce: …He’s watching us. Run.

Royce turns and runs. He jumps to another building. Jade hesitates, and follows him. Deadman is faster than her. He runs past Jade. His blades scratched the rooftop, making an ear piercing sound, dragging behind him. Deadman jumps over the empty alleyway, landing on the edge of a rooftop. His feet break through the small lift on the ledge. Jade runs behind Deadman, trying to catch up to the monster. Royce turns around. Deadman is close behind. He’s getting closer quickly. Ripper stumbles back, in a moment of vulnerability and thought. Ripper’s heel taps the ledge. He looks at the ground. The only thing in sight is an open dumpster. Royce steps forward, gaining back his stability. Deadman lands on his roof, still running. A blade comes down on Royce. The blade crashes against Royce’s gauntlet. Deadman’s other sword lands in Royce’s hand. Royce’s metal helmet collides with Deadman’s skull. Blood runs down Royce’s helmet. Deadman is unfazed. Deadman slams his head on Royce’s helmet over and over. Royce, confused, kicks Deadman back. Blood cover’s Royce’s sight. He wipes the blood off. Deadman stabs his sword into Royce’s armor. The sword breaks in two. Royce’s elbow breaks Deadman’s skull.

Royce: What are you? A demon?

Royce stands above Deadman. Deadman drops his sword. Royce crouches down and grabs Deadman’s jaw with one hand. Royce puts pressure on the deadman's jaw. Royce hears the cracking and popping of bones.

Royce: Who sent you?

Blades come out from the skin on Deadman’s wrists. Royce catches the blade. Royce steps back, but the blade slices through his armor. Ripper holds his bleeding side. Deadman stands back up. A kick to Deadman’s head and he falls back to the ground. Jade stands above Deadman.

Royce: Get back! His blades cut through anything!

Jade takes a few steps back. Deadman gets back to his feet in an instant. His focus changes from Royce to Jade. Both of his arms rise, and he jumps at her. A grappling hook locks onto his throat. Royce pulls Deadman away from Jade.

Royce: We can’t beat this thing.

Jade: Then how do we solve our little problem? Leave him?

Royce: …Maybe.

Royce walks to the edge of the rooftop. He jumps down. Deadman falls down. The grappling hook drags him along the roof. A stain of blood follows him. Ripper presses the button on the grappling gun. The hook pulls back to the gun. Deadman is thrown off the building. The hook loses its grasp, sticking back to the gun. Deadman falls into the dumpster. Royce slams the top down. Jade jumps down from the roof. She lands on the top of the dumpster.

Royce: Stay there.

Royce finds a metal pipe going up the side of the publing. He breaks off a small part of the pipe. He bends it, and lays the part on the dumpster. He bends the bar over the dumpster, locking it in place. Jade hops down.

Jade: If he was any stronger he might have killed you.

Royce: You can say that about anyone I’ve fought. He wasn’t stronger… Why are you still here? I’m not becoming your partner. If I needed help I would be with the Legion. Not a black leather pretend vigilante.

Jade: I’m a pretend vigilante? What are you? A superhero in black that watches the city, leaving a trail of broken bones and fractured skulls. You don’t even know what you want to be. If you decided what you wanted to be, you’d know what’s going on in this city. Instead, you’re too preoccupied by your identity crisis.

Jade turns away from Royce, walking off.

Jade: Come back once you figure out where that thing came from.

Royce: What was it?

Jade: One of B.L.A.D.E’s new inventions.

Royce pauses for a moment.

Royce: We’ll work together, but we aren’t partners.

Royce turns to the dumpster.

Royce: He will escape, and he’ll come after one of us. From what I've seen. You don’t want him to choose you. You may know more about the tension in this city, but you need me to stop it.

Royce raises his arm. The grappler takes him up.

```
	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

```

Emily is on her bed, laying on her stomach. Her homework lays on a folder so the paper won’t rip. Headphones block her ears, but not the rumble of the house. She takes out her headphones and hurries over to the door. When she opens the door. Royce stands there, in bloodied armor. Emily is taken aback. Royce sits down. His broad back lays against the wall. He takes off his helmet.

Royce: Sit.

Emily sits down next to him.

Emily: Did you kill someone?

Royce: How would you feel if I did?

Emily goes quiet, her lips press together as if she wants to say something, but can’t.

Royce: Remember that feeling for the day when I do kill someone. Remember what I tell you now. Even the most pure hearted heroes will kill if they’re pushed. You look at people like Godson as if they are prophets. I’ve spoken to Godson. We had a long conversation about how he has to hold himself back from killing, even if it’s the easiest option. I didn’t kill anyone, but don’t be surprised when I do. You want to be a hero? Don’t flinch when you see blood. Be ready to come home covered in blood after fighting 20 guys that just wouldn’t back down. Do you even know why you’re fighting?

Emily: B.L.A.D.E I’m fighting because of B.L.A.D.E They took my father away from me. You tried all you could, but you never found him. I’ll find him. Someone needs to.

Royce: What if your father is dead? How much of your life will you waste fighting a useless battle?

Emily: I’ll spend my whole life fighting. I’m not the only life those monsters at B.L.A.D.E changed.

Royce: You’ve got it all figured out. Your birthday is coming up in a few days. After that, summer’s coming. If you’re ready to fight villains, then you're ready to sleep on the summer streets.

Emily looks at Royce, scared. Royce stands up.

Royce: Did you eat?

Emily: Yeah.

Royce: Good.

Royce’s bedroom door slams shut behind him.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

The alleyway is full of banging. The dumpster tips back and forth, nearly falling over. A man walks into the alleyway from the street. He sees the shaking dumpster. He takes a step back. The dumpster goes still.

Man: Was that real?

A blade comes out from the dumpster. The blade moves around in a circle. A piece of the dumpster falls down, and Deadman climbs out from the hole. Deadman breaths in and out. The stench of Royce moves through his mouth and nose. The man sees a monster walking towards him. He tries to run, but he trips. He turns around and sees Deadman standing above him. The man looks at deadman in horor. Deadman walks off. The man holds his pounding heart.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce is laying in bed. Royce hears banging outside. He wakes up and looks out the window. Deadman walks past the window. Royce ducks down. Deadman continues walking. Royce runs over the open floorboards. He takes out his suit. He puts on most of it. Then he hears banging on his door. A sword slices into the door. Royce puts on his helmet. He runs at the door and kicks it open. Deadman’s back hits the wall. Royce’s fist slams into Deadman’s head like a hammer. Deadman slices across Royce’s torso. Royce takes a step back, his mind empty of ideas. Then his pupils enlarge.

Royce: You’ll follow me anywhere. I just have to stay ahead.

Royce runs out of the gym. Deadman runs after him.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce runs out into a busy street. People run when they see Royce. Phones go up to ears as people call the police. Deadman swings his blade. Royce dodges past the blade, and kicks Deadman out into the street. The cars fly by. Deadman is hit again and again. Finally a car stops. Deadman rises. B.L.A.D.E cars drive onto the scene.

B.L.A.D.E soldier: Stop there Ripper. We will fire.

Royce: Go back home to the other demons.

Royce grapples away. Bullets fly at him, but the grappling hook pulls him out of sight. Deadman runs after Royce. Soldiers run at Deadman. They stop him from moving. Deadman doesn’t make any move to fight them. The soldiers cuff Deadman. His sword go back into his wrists, and the soldiers drag Deadman back to their car.

## Birthday Wishes - Part 6

Royce walks into an old gun store. Guns are lined up along the walls. A man with a full beard, big belly, and a blue shirt with black pants stands behind the register.

Shopkeeper: Royce!

The man lets out a bellow of laughter.

Shopkeeper: I haven’t seen you in forever. I must have not talked to you since high school.

Royce: Yeah, it’s been a while.

Shopkeeper: I’m surprised you recognize me. Old jimbo here has gotten a little round in the mid section. I don’t know if my wife is hugging me or my belly!

Royce: I almost didn’t recognize you, but under all that beard hair is the same face.

Jim: Have you ever seen me without a beard?

Jim laughs again.

Jim: Even in high school. I kept a little beard. It didn’t help with the ladies, but if you ever asked me I’d tell you it did. What brings you here? A gun, I’m guessing?

Royce: Your standard gun. Something that could protect you if the time ever came.

Jim: Do you know any types, or are you just spitballing ideas?

Royce: I’ll leave it up to the professional to decide.

Jim: The most popular choice would be a glock.

Jim grabs a gun off of the wall and places it down.

Jim: I assume you’ve heard of it. A reliable gun, I’d be surprised if it jammed on you. It’s got a nine millimeter bullet. So if you’re worried about whether your handgun will stop someone, this thing will create some nasty wounds. Since this is for defense. I would go with a glock 19. It’s small, easy to conceal, but it’ll get the job done when the time comes.

Royce: Then I’ll take it.

Jim: Good choice.

Royce walks out of the store with a gun case in a plastic bag. He puts the case down in the passenger seat.

Royce: Who the hell was that guy? I’ve never seen him before in my life.

Royce starts the car.

Royce: Time to go get a cake.
 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce opens the door to his office. Emily is sitting down watching TV eating cereal. She is so focused on the TV, her spoon stays still with pieces of cereal on it. Royce sits down in his office chair.

Royce: You have a room.

Emily: Yeah, but your TV is bigger.

Royce: Fine, just hurry up and get out. My to-do list didn’t include babysitting a teenager.

Royce looks at the TV. The bottom headline says “Cole’s daughter steps up to be the next CEO, Katherine Cole.” Royce looks at the woman. She has tan skin, emerald green eyes, and long dark hair.

Royce: You care about the daily news?

Emily: I couldn’t find the remote.

Royce picks the remote up off the desk. Royce speaks annoyed.

Royce: You couldn’t find this remote? Why are you watching the news?

Emily: There aren't a lot of girl CEOs. I wanted to see what she was about.

Royce: Good. She’s a better role model than I am. Even if you don’t know her.

Royce buries his face in paperwork.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Katherine lays in bed. Her phone is a little above her face. She scrolls through post after post of her family’s pictures. She sees pictures of her nieces and nephews. The chat pops up. Katherine looks at all the comments. Everyone was talking about how the party was fun. Katherine texts her mother, “We should set up a week to meet some time.”

Katherine: She’s not going to text back. No matter how hard I try. I don’t think she’d even open the door for me if I showed up at her house.

Katherine’s stomach grumbles. She throws the heavy covers off of her, and gets out of bed. She walks through the empty hallways. Down the stairs where the only noise is the creaking of each step. She steps into the kitchen and heats up a premade dinner. She watches the microwave. The food spins around, and the humming rings in her ears. Her phone rings. She eagerly checks it.

Katherine: Spam mail.

The microwave beeps. Katherine grabs her food, and drags herself back upstairs.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce walks out to the back of the gym. He throws the trash into the dumpster. When he walks back inside. He sees a note on the door. He rips the tape off, and reads the note.

Royce: A phone number.

Royce walks inside dialing the number. He puts the phone to his ear. The sound of ringing is deafening. Then someone picks up the phone.

Royce: Hello.

Jackson: I didn’t know if you’d see the note. Yeah, I got a phone. Now you can call me instead of creeping around to track me down like I’m your next criminal.

Royce: Good, you got a phone. Maybe you should come swing by. It is your daughter’s birthday.

Jackson: She’s already 18…

Royce: Yes, it really has been two years since you’ve seen her. Now, what are you going to do? I can tell you the best birthday present you could give is being there for once.

Jackson:...

Royce: I swear to god, if you hang up this phone-

Royce hears a beep. He puts his phone in his pocket. Royce flings his door open. It slams shut behind him.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

```
Emily sits in Royce’s office.

```

Emily: Now I can be in your office.

Royce: Not during work.

Emily shakes her head annoyed. Royce leaves the room. When he comes back. He is holding a cake. He sets it down on the desk. Emily looks at the candles that say 18. She blows them out. Royce takes the candles out of the cake.

Royce: Time to cut the cake.

Emily: Give me a big piece.

Royce: You’re eighteen now. You decide the piece.

Royce holds out the cake server. Emily looks up at Royce as she grabs it from him.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Half an hour later, Royce and Emily are watching TV. Royce says he’ll be right back. When Royce steps back into the room. He is holding a box. He steps the box down on the table, as he sits down. Emily turns around.

Emily: What’s that?

Royce: Something I think you’ll need. Open it up.

Emily stands up. She opens the box, and sees the gun laying there.

Emily: Am I allowed to have this?

Royce: Legally? No, but I’m your guardian and I say you can have it.

Emily: Why… Why give me this?

Royce: You know how many times I’ve been shot, stabbed, or beat up on the street. You always need something to keep you ahead. I don’t see your suit of armor. The least you can do is have a last option. That’s my last gift to you. My last piece of advice. From here on out. You’re your own woman now. You make your decisions.

Emily: I don’t know if I want it.

Royce: You don’t know if you want what?

Emily:...

## Junkyard Hustle - Part 7

Royce is standing in an empty room on The Beacon. Godson stands next to him, side by side. Godson is a bit taller than Royce. They both look out of the glass into space.

Royce: Why did you want me here? I don’t have time for stargazing. A call would have worked just as well.

Godson: I wanted to check in with you. Face to face. It’s been a while since we spoke.

Royce: When we talk, we talk about nothing. I report to Ozak. He’s the only one that needs to hear a word from me.

Godson: I don’t want a report. I’m the only friend you have in the Legion. You’ve burned bridges with everyone else. When they repair the bridges, you just burn them down again.

Royce: I only burned the bridges others made. I was never their friend. Cameron’s a kid. Neci’s a viking, Dynamo is an idiot. Work colleagues. I don’t go out for drinks with them.

Godson: That’s not how they saw it. That doesn’t matter anyway. You’ve been falling off the rails. You don’t help the legion. You barely help your city. What are you doing?

Royce: I save my city. Without me, mafias would run the place.

Godson: What about the people?

Royce: What about the people?

Godson: I don’t think I’ve seen you save a single person. You take down criminals, but you never save people.

Royce: It’s King City. If you live there, you know to keep off the streets.

Godson: Then explain how people are still dying. A superhero saves people. That’s your first job. Not beating up criminals.

Royce: I thought every Legion member was a hero. That’s the default.

Godson: We were supposed to be a team of heroes. That doesn’t mean every member is a hero.

Royce: I never wanted to be a superhero. I never wanted to be a part of this team. I’ve never wanted anything. Everything I have, I’ve taken or been given. The world owes that title being taken from me. Everyone deserves repercussions. No matter how far in the past their mistakes were.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Darts are flying, and laughter can be heard bouncing off the walls. In between the chaos of drunkards and sly manipulators, a brown haired man sits on a bar stool. One lock of white hair blocks his vision. A red mask covers the top half of his face. A heavy brown jacket covers his body. His full cup moves up and down, until it’s refilled, and the process begins again. His cheeks are flushed red, but his frown only gets deeper.

Bartender: That’s it for the night. Go home.

???: I plan on leaving. I can’t stand the fucking people in here. Your shitty drinks don’t help either, but I’m drunk. So job done, I guess.

The man slides a picture over to the bartender.

Bartender: Everybody knows The Ripper. What about him?

???: Who is he? I need a name.

Bartender: If anybody knew, B.L.A.D.E would already have him locked up. They really want his ass too. It’s not worth the heat. Just sit this one out Fortune.

Fortune: It’s not money. It’s personal.

Fortune stands up. He slides off the bar stool like a snake. Every movement is calculated.

Bartender: Whoever he killed. It’s not worth your life either. It’s just another skull you're letting him hang on his wall of trophies.

Fortune: If my brother’s head is plastered up on a wall like a prize, then I’d rather die than live my life with that regret.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce looks at an old building. The walls look as if a strong wind could make them crumble. The bricks are chipped down and eroded. Royce walks into the building. He barely pushes the metal door, but it swings open and crashes into the wall. Royce hears banging. Metal hits the floor, as a man stomps his feet in frustration. Royce looks at a man with gray streaks in his hair trying to fix his disheveled suit before someone walks in. The man’s face goes ghostly white at the sight of Royce. Royce drops a bag on the floor.

Housing Agent: Mr.Rorric. So good to see you. I was a bit confused why you might want to buy this place. The neighborhoods are a bit poor. I don’t think many people around here will go to a gym.

Royce: Are you trying to sell me the house, or telling me to avoid it at all costs.

Housing Agent: By all means. I would love for you to buy this place, but I don’t want to get my name wrapped up in anything.

Royce: You won’t. I’m just using this place as extra storage.

The agents has a sigh of relief.

Housing Agent: Thank god. What a relief. I thought… Well, y’know. You don’t seem like a really trustworthy type of guy.

Royce: Take your money and get out.

Housing Agent: Yup, I’ll be doing that. I hope you like the place.

The agent walks up to the bag. He zips it open, and sees the money in it.

Housing Agent: I’ll be counting this. If it’s short I’ll be taking this place back.

Royce: You have your money. Leave.

The agents disappear into the shadow of the hallway. Royce looks at all the open area.

Royce: Everything’s still here.

He picks up tools from the work benches. Royce picks up a soldering iron that looks a bit rusted.

Royce: I wonder how much of this still works.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

A car stops in front of a giant metal door. The door looks rusted and brittle. The door is just as much junk as the trash in the junkyard behind it. The car door opens up, and Royce steps outside. He looks at the barbed wire fence. He takes off his leather coat and lays it over the top of the fence. Royce hops the fence, walking away he takes his coat with him. As Royce moves his arms through the coat, he looks around at all the garbage lying around. The only thing not rusted or destroyed are pieces of useless metals. Nearly 20 minutes of walking around leads Royce to nothing but disappointment. With an angry bend in his lip, and scrunched eyebrows. He starts heading back. Then, he sees something. It’s not a piece of metal, but metal pieces put together. He gets closer.

Royce: A motorcycle.

A cracking high pitched voice yells out from the background.

???: This is my motorcycle! You shouldn’t be here!

Royce bends down. He grabs a metal pipe and hides it behind his leg. A junkie comes out from behind the trash with a shotgun.

Junkie: Who are you?! How did you get in here?!

Royce: I-

Junkie: I’ve killed men before! I’ll use this!

Royce: I don’t doubt you. I thought I was allowed to look around here. Is that not the case?

The junkie looks around and then back at Royce.

Junkie: N-no, you can’t be here!

Royce: Will you let me leave then?

Junkie: N-, yeah. Don’t try anything!

Royce walks up to the junkie. The junkie keeps his gun pointed at Royce. Once Royce goes to pass him, he grabs his gun. A shot fires off. Royce holds the gun to the side. The metal pipe cracks the junkie’s skull. He hits the ground bleeding on the dirt. Royce kneels down beside the junkie.

Royce: You're not worth saving.

He stands back up.

Royce: I need to find a way to move this motorcycle.

Royce looks at the junkie's truck. The back looks big enough for the motorcycle to fit. Royce looks around for a crane. He finds a magnet grappling.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Fortune walks into another bar. A man is standing with his back against a wall. The smoke from his cigar floats around his fedora. He puts his glasses on once he sees Fortune.

???: Money.

Fortune passes the man money.

Fortune: You know I would bring the money Cache.

Cache: I don’t know anything. I don’t care whether you bring the money or not. My son doesn’t go hungry because you don't need info.

Fortune: What do you have for me?

Cache: His name is Royce Rorric. If you need to know more about him. His brother is a street rat. His brother is Jackson Rorric. He shouldn’t be too hard to find. I know I don’t need to tell you this, but you have a damn good chance at dying here. He may not be as intimidating as he once was, but people make him out to be a lot different in story.

Fortune: I’ve fought him once. My brother and I almost beat him and Godson. I can handle the guy in armor. You were right. You don’t need to tell me.

Cache: I never want to lose a good customer.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

The broken down motorcycle wheels roll on the floors of the old building. Royce locks the motorcycle down in a contraption. He takes a good look at the bike.

Royce: I’ll need to take the whole thing apart.

Royce walks over to a table with several tools on it. His hand moves to pick up one of the wrenches. A buzz comes from his pocket. He takes out his phone and answers the call. The phone lays on the desk, speaker on.

Royce: Hello?

Emily: Ricky says he needs your help.

Royce: With what?

Emily: I don’t know. He just showed me papers.

Royce punches his nose.

Royce: Tell him I’m on my way.

He hangs up the phone, and puts it in his pocket. Rubbing his hands together, dusting them off, he walks out of the building. The door slams shut behind him. He walks over to his car, a feeling rises in his stomach. When he looks at his car. Someone is sitting in the driver’s seat. Royce pats his pockets checking for the keys he learns that he doesn’t have. His car starts. The engine revs up and the wheels spin.

Royce: Fuck.

The car launched at Royce. Royce jumps to the side. The front of the car barely misses his leg. When Royce gets to his feet, he sees the car spin around. The wheels turn to him, and the car comes back at him. Royce tries to move, but his foot gets caught in a pothole. He tries to pull his foot out. Royce holds his wrist up to his face and presses a button. The car stops in an instant. Royce looks into the driver's eyes. All he sees is a mask, grayed out by the window. The car door opens, and fortune steps out of the car.

Royce: Fortune. How did you figure out who I was?

Fortune: Maybe you should have killed your own brother. He leads a paper trail straight back to you.

Fortune walks up to Royce. Royce throws a right hook to Fortune’s jaw. His weight feels off. His hand misses. Two quick jabs into Royce’s stomach cracks his ribs. Royce stumbles back. Fortune throws a heavy cross punch. Royce moves to block the punch. The bright sun blinds him. Fortune’s fist breaks his nose. Royce feels his back land on the cracked sidewalk. Fortune stomps his foot into Royce’s stomach. Royce looks up at the face full of bright red anger.

Fortune: This is your fault. If my brother was still alive, you’d be too.

Royce: How many people did you kill?

Fortune’s foot presses further into Royce’s stomach.

Royce: You were a criminal. Just that day you had killed people. What made them different. Were they criminals? Your brother was too. Will vengeance get you too?

B.L.A.D.E trucks pull up onto the street.

Royce: I thought your power was luck.

Fortune runs away. Two B.L.A.D.E soldiers run up to Royce. The cars follow in pursuit of Fortune.

B.L.A.D.E soldier: Are you okay sir?

Royce: That crazy mutant attacked me out of nowhere.

## Fortune’s End - Part 8

Royce is sitting in his office. He writes away at paperwork. He goes over books, switches between paper and screen. He hears a knock at the office door.

Royce: Come in.

Emily quietly opens the door and walks in.

Emily: Why did the cops bring you home?

Royce: Old problems.

Emily: With what?

Royce: It’s nothing. Remember to never leave anything open ended. If you do, you're just waiting for the story to continue.

Emily heads for the door, knowing she won’t get any answers.

Royce: But sometimes. You need the time… And the experience to make a better decision on what to do.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce walks onto The Beacon. His metal boots bang against the steel floor. He walks up to the control room door. The door slides open, and he walks inside. Ozak is sitting at the control panel. Royce knows, if he could see Ozak’s eyes, they would be dead focused. Royce walks up next to Ozak. He looks at the screen. Files open and close as Ozak scans every file for information. Royce finally realizes what he’s looking at.

Royce: B.L.A.D.E operations. You’ve been having the Legion survey them.

Royce leaves a moment of silence, waiting for Ozak to respond. Ozak slowly takes his hands off the controls. The screen becomes nothing but a window looking at earth.

Ozak: For not being a part of this team, you sure like being here.

Royce: I don’t like being here. I like what this place can offer.

Ozak: Amenities without pay. Wouldn’t we all love that. What can I do for you this time?

Royce: I need all your files on Fortune.

Ozak: I don’t have time to scan through all the files with you. Go home. I’ll send you a message when I send the files to your computer.

Royce nods. He walks out of the control room. Ozak blankly stares at earth. For all the time he spends analyzing it. He gives the sight an unfamiliar look.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce opens his laptop, sitting in his bedroom sofa chair. He scrolls through business emails, spam, and old emails about purchases. Nearing the edge of boredom, a message appears. He clicks on Ozak’s message and downloads a file. He scrolls through information about Fortune. He sees an address, names, and other lists. Royce brings up a picture of Fortune’s driver’s license. He sees the name Xavier Torres.

Royce: I need to find out what kind of person he is.

Royce closes his laptop and stands up.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce walks up to a small, but nice looking home. He looks at a car in the driveway before knocking on the wooden door. Then he waits for a response. Soon, the door opens up. An older woman stands in front of him.

Royce: Hello, my name is Royce Rorrick. I’m a friend of your son, Xavier.

???: What do you need?

Royce: Xavier needs help. After his brother died-

???: Ashton is dead?

Royce: I’m sorry. I thought you knew. He’s been dead for years.

???: My son has been dead for years, and I never knew.

The woman stumbles back in a wave of hysteria. Tears fill her eyes. Royce puts a hand on her shoulder. The woman turns to Royce with a harsh tone.

Fortune’s Mother: What do you want from me?

Royce: I want to know about Xaviers past. Something that could bring him back to his senses.

She wipes her tears away and leads Royce into her living room. Royce sits down on the couch. Fortune’s mother grabs a picture of Fortune and Karma off of one of her counters. She hands the picture to Royce, and then sits down in one of the chairs.

Fortune’s Mother: Xavier was a good boy. He did well in school, he always protected his brother, I don’t know what happened.

Royce: What do you mean he was good?

Fortune’s Mother: When Xavier was a boy, he loved superhero movies. He always wanted to help people, but during the war he watched a hero kill people. I still remember how much that hero’s face. He had so much hate. After that, Xavier gave up on becoming a hero. Ashton didn’t help either. That boy always got into trouble.

Royce: Thank you.

Royce stands up.

Royce: I’ll leave you to your peace.

Royce leaves the woman’s house. He steps down her stone stairs, walking to his car. He takes out his phone and puts the ringing device up to his ear. Sitting in his car, he finally gets an answer.

Jackson: Yo?

Royce: I’m going to send you an address. Meet me there. Stay in the shadows. You’ll know when to come out.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce stands on a rooftop. His cape slowly shifting in the wind. Fortune jumps up to the rooftop.

Royce: I knew you would find me. You’re always guided in the right direction.

Fortune: B.L.A.D.E won’t stop us this time. You’ll die, and then I can finally live in peace.

Royce: Peace? Were you in peace before Ashton died-

Fortune: Don’t say his name.

Royce: To me. It looks like, the way you’re going, you’ll never be at peace.

Fortune runs at Royce. His fists fly out in quick jabs. Royce blocks a few of the fists. Then Fortune’s knuckles banging on Royce’s iron armor. Fortune’s right cross punch shifts Royce’s helmet to the side. Royce grabs his arm.

Royce: You won’t kill me. You can’t.

Fortune’s face flashes bright red. He gets quicker. His strikes feel like hammers into Royce’s stomach. His armor protects his bones, but the force rings through his body like a wave of pain. Fortune’s hands connect together, and strike down with the force of a falling boulder. Royce’s heavy metal armor crashes onto the ground. One of the sais unhooks from his belt and falls to the ground. Fortune slowly walks up to Royce. He picks the sai off of the ground and sits on top of Royce. The sai raises high above fortunes head.

Royce: Make me bleed.

Fortune looks into Royce’s deep dark eyes.

Fortune: How do you know so much about me?!

Royce: I found your mother. I asked her about you. All I needed to say was that you needed help. She never gave up on you.

Fortune takes one more look into Royce’s eyes. He drops the sai onto the ground, and gets off of Royce. Royce stands up. His cape rubbing against the ground.

Fortune: I hate this fucking city.

Royce holds something out.

Royce: Then leave.

Fortune grabs a key out of Royce’s hand.

Fortune: What is this?

Royce: You always wanted to be a hero. Can you manage it?

Fortune:…

Royce: That will allow you to join the Legion… Fix the mistakes you made.

Fortune leaves speechless. He jumps down off of the rooftop. Jackson walks up from behind Royce.

Royce: Some of that was for you too.

Jackson: I know.

Royce: Anyone can be redeemed.

Royce begins walking away. Jackson almost takes a step.

Jackson: I want to see my daughter.

Royce stops.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

The gym’s back door opens up. Royce walks through. He looks at Emily sitting against one of the hallway walls.

Emily: Your back already. You're usually out the whole night.

Royce takes his helmet off. She looks at his serious face.

Emily: What’s wrong?

Jackson walks through the door. Emily looks at his reddish skin. After a moment of hesitation, she runs at him. They wrap their arms around each other.

Jackson: I’m back.

## Propose A Deal - Part 9

Royce and Jackson stand over a manhole cover. Royce hands Jackson a key that looks nearly identical to the one he gave Fortune. Jackson clutches the key tight in his hand.

Jackson: Remember when this started. We had a fight because you didn’t want anything to do with me. Right before I got powers.

Royce: …I remember.

Jackson: Now you're helping me join The Legion. Why? You’re so confusing all the fucking time.

Royce: I’ve always protected you. All your life. I pulled a blade on a man when you were still a baby. You were safe. What did I need to talk to you for?

Jackson: You care for people in a weird way Royce. I appreciate it though. You never gave up on me. Thank you. Not just for me, but for getting my daughter back on the right track.

Royce: We’re family.

Royce and Jackson shake hands. Jackson takes off the manhole cover and jumps through the portal.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Cole Corp, a building with walls made out of glass so clear, the walls nearly look missing. People walk through, all with different goals in mind. Some rushing, others biding their time. The secretary at the desk is on a computer, clicking on many different files.

Secretary: Hm?

B.L.A.D.E soldiers kick in the doors, shattering the glass. General Carter walks in front of the soldiers holding a paper in his hand.

General Carter: Everybody out!

General Carter looks at the Secretary.

General Carter: Tell Katherine I'm coming.

Terrified, the secretary dials numbers and picks up the phone. General Carter smiles.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Katherine is sitting at her desk. She is trying to hide the flush of anger on her face. General Carter sits down and looks her in her eyes. Katherine groans her words out.

Katherine: I thought you said you were giving me a choice.

General Carter: I didn’t get a response. I had to take matters into my own hands. You know how work is. Deadlines are harsh.

Katherine: So what? You’ve decided to buy my business.

General Carter: No. What would favor both of us, is if you did exactly what I say. You're going to start creating the same chemicals your father was.

Katherine: I don’t have them-

General Carter: Not even one of the scientists that were working on that project is still under you? Let’s not play stupid. You may not have known about what your father was doing, but you can damn well recreate it. Then, you are going to go up on stage, with B.L.A.D.E soldiers, and apologize for your fathers actions.

Katherine: Why do you want people to know about the chemicals? Won’t that put you in jeopardy of being found out?

General Carter laughs.

General Carter: You have no idea how the United States works. It’s like clockwork, but all the gears are B.L.A.D.E. Who’s going to investigate us? The police? We are justice.

General Carter stands up.

Katherine: You seem real cocky for someone who is just strolling along. What if I was wearing a wire? What would you do then?

General Carter: Someone smarter than you would keep their ideas to themselves. Just so you don’t think that’s a good idea-

General Carter takes out a device from his pocket.

General Carter: EMP. If you did have a wire, it would be destroyed. You are nowhere near as smart as your father was.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce is in one of the backrooms of the gym that he uses as a small kitchen. He makes steak tips on a gas stove that can barely startup. Every time he uses the stove he questions why he counts the thousands in his bank, but won’t buy a working stove. He makes sides and sits down with his food in his office. He looks over paperwork as he eats. The lines of ink start to blend together. Royce questions that last time he got some sleep. A feeling comes up deep from his throat. He coughs and finds something else to do in the meantime. Looking up at the tv, he grabs the remote and turns it on. A camera is showing a wooden stage. A crowd of people eagerly wait. B.L.A.D.E soldiers surround the edge of the stage. Katherine Cole steps up to the microphone. Royce listens closely.

Katherine: You may have recently heard about B.L.A.D.E breaking into Cole Corp. Maybe not from the news, but the word still travels around. B.L.A.D.E had a warrant to inspect the building. No one was hurt during the inspection. They did, however, find remnants of my father’s work. My Father, Ethan Cole, had been making chemicals that could change a man into a mutant. I assure you, neither I nor any of my associates knew of this matter. B.L.A.D.E and I have worked together to expel all of the rememants my father’s illegal chemicals. I apologize for this matter, and I hope you all have a great day.

Royce smiles.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce stands on a rooftop. He is as still as a statue. Even his cape doesn’t dare to move. Not a breeze, animal, or sound disrupts the eerie silence that King City has rarely ever experienced. Jade lands behind Royce. She walks up to him.

Jade: You left me a message.

Jade shows him a piece of paper.

Jade: How did you know I would find this paper on the street?

Royce: Because I know where you will be. We know B.L.A.D.E’s motivation now. I was their second target. They weren’t really trying to kill me. They had an opportunity to kill me and they tried. Their real goal was to take your business, wasn’t it?

## A General’s Tale - Part 10

Jade: You know who I am.

Royce walks up to Jade and grabs her chin. He looks deep into her eyes. She smacks his hand away.

Royce: Green eyes like that are rare, and I’ve heard your voice enough to recognize you.

Katherine: What are you going to do now? Tell everyone I’m a vigilante?

Royce: No. You said B.L.A.D.E And you were working together. You must still have your company then. I wouldn’t want B.L.A.D.E to get any more powerful than they already are.

Katherine: I can’t do anything anymore. If I step too far out of line, they’ll buy me out of my business.

Royce: How?

Katherine: Haven’t you seen the news? After my apology, every news station started talking about B.L.A.D.E Finding the illegal chemicals. Our reputation drops with our stocks.

Royce: How long have you known they were coming for you?

Katherine: Before the last time we talked.

Royce: If you told me, you might not be in this situation. You let your company get taken away. B.L.A.D.E will take over the city from under us if we don’t stop them.

Katherine: We don’t have the power they have. B.L.A.D.E has an army, tech, everything they need.

Royce: They can’t use their whole army to control one city. We plan our moves. The head of B.L.A.D.E will pull out of King City when the casualties get too high.

Royce moves to jump off the building.

Katherine: How will I get in touch with you?

Royce: You won’t. I’ll contact you.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Emily is sitting in her room. Her laptop is open. Her hair is messy. She scrolls through different college websites, looking at all the different places. Her face scrunches up in a sour expression as she looks at the prices. She stares at the computer for hours in a trance. She jumps at the sound of knocking on her door.

Emily: Come in.

Royce opens the door. He looks at her computer.

Royce: Colleges.

Emily: Yeah…

Royce: Are you thinking about it?

Emily: …Y-yeah, I’m thinking.

Royce stands over her silently. The silence almost kills Emily.

Emily: I don’t know if I want to be a hero.

Royce: You think putting in a double at a job is hard. Being a hero will take all of your will. You have to put being a hero above everything. Relationships, food, a home, you give up all of that as a hero. None of that matters when you are the thing between life and death. If you lived on the street, eating food out of trashes, would you still save people? If you have to think about it, your not a hero.

Royce walks to the door.

Emily: I want to go to college!

Royce turns his head.

Royce: I’ll pay your student loans.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce pulls up next to the broken down building. He gets out of his car and walks up to the door. He takes a key out of his pocket and unlocks the door. He looks down. He sees a light footprint on the ground. He quietly closes the door. He gets a bit lower to the ground, sneaking closer to the main room. He stops at the opening. He peaks over the corner. Someone is working on the motorcycle. He sees sparks flying off of the bike as a blowtorch heats up the metal. Royce sneaks into the room. He grabs a wrench off of the table. He holds up his hand, ready to throw it.

???: Wait!

Royce looks over at a young man with blonde hair.

Connor: It’s us!

Royce puts down the wrench.

Royce: Grease?

Grease turns off the blowtorch, and puts up his face shield.

Grease: I heard someone bought this place. I figured the only one who would spend money on this place would be you.

Royce: I thought you were never coming back. Isn’t B.L.A.D.E still looking for Connor?

Connor: They have calmed down. They never really cared about me anyway. I’m one of the people they kidnapped just to lock up. They wouldn’t spend another cent on trying to find me.

Royce: It wasn’t only B.L.A.D.E. Don’t you have another monster to run from?

Grease: I wasn’t in King City, but I still kept up with the news. You’re not the same Ripper you were all those years ago. You aren’t a monster anymore. You’re not a killing machine. Joining with the Legion turned you into more of a hero. You might not like it, but you’re changing.

Royce: I still kill. The dead don’t always make the news.

Grease: Then you must be killing less. Before, the channels use to have their Ripper Killings Hour.

Royce: You may not be running away anymore, but why come back?

Grease: This is our home. We can’t run away. You know the feeling, or else you’d have left a long time ago. I can make gadgets, but I don’t have anyone that will use them. Connor over here isn’t a very brave kid.

Connor: You don’t even leave your workshop!

Grease: Connor has learned well. He can help me make your gadgets if you’d like.

Grease puts out his hand. Royce steps forward and shakes Grease’s hand.

Royce: I need your help already. Can you make a type of radio?

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Katherine walks into her room. General Carter’s words play in her mind over and over again. ‘You are nowhere near as smart as your father was.’ She thinks about Ripper, and how he figured out who she was. She opens her closet looking at her costume.

Katherine: Ripper isn’t that smart. He just listened to my voice and guessed off of the news. He is probably some random guy on the street that would never even make it on the news. If I ever met him, I would know.

She touches her costume.

Katherine: He can’t hold this above my head. I’ll figure out who he is.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

General Carter sits at his desk. His laptop has a shadowed out face on it.

???: You will sit there and wait. When Ms. Cole begins making the chemicals, then you may leave. I know you’ve been trying to kill Ripper. That is not the priority. He will die in 2050 when the heroes die. Don’t waste our resources.

General Carter: That’s why I only sent Deadman sir. Ripper has never been the priority. I understand you have bigger plans. What I don’t understand is why wouldn’t we want to get rid of future problems.

???: Ripper is not a future problem. You are making him a problem. Stay away from him, keep his anger far away from you. If you don’t, he will come after you. If you aren’t ready. He will run you out of town.

General Carter: Yes sir.

???: We will not speak of this again.

The call ends. General Carter slams his laptop shut. Detective Brooks walks in.

General Carter: That bastard Ripper! He’s one smart asshole. He brought Deadman into the public so we would have to take him in.

Det. Brooks: I thought you were a B.L.A.D.E general. You can’t even handle a Hero without powers. You're supposed to be able to take down mutants.

General Carter: He has the one thing that mutants don’t. We can capture mutants because they aren’t smart. Ripper is one intelligent fuck! And you, Brooks, you’ve been here for how long? You haven’t even made him sweat. He had to bring Deadman into public. Why? Because he couldn’t stop him. Get the fuck out of my office.

Detective Brooks begins walking away.

General Carter: Tell the soldiers we will not go after Ripper. Unless Ripper is in the people's sight, don’t make a move.

## Graduation Day - Part 11

Royce is sitting down in a black foldable chair. There are more than a hundred seats around, and every seat is full. Kids walk up to the stage in their blue uniforms. Their graduation hats sit on their head, with their ear to ear smiles warming the hearts of all the watching parents. Emily walks up to the stage. When she grabs her diploma. She looks out at the crowd, looking for Royce. When she sees his face. He shows her a slight smile. Everyone is clapping, but she feels like she can only hear him. She walks off the stage. Royce looks down at his phone. He is on a call with someone. Royce puts the phone to his ear.

Royce: Did you hear everything?

Jackson: Thank you.

Royce: You're welcome.

Near the ceremony, hidden from the people’s view. Jackson watches Emily walk off the stage. Tears roll down his cheeks. The tears dissolve from the heat of his skin.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later that night, a party in the woods. The students throw their hats into the hair. Spiked punch is passed out to everyone that wants a drink, and everyone that doesn’t. People sit around the bonfire talking. Others like the shadows of the trees. Not a single person isn’t smiling. Emily is sitting around the bonfire with her friends. Lexi’s face is flushed from drinks.

Lexi: We all get to leave this Hell! No more highschool for us!

Lexi and Jess clink drinks.

Jess: College is going to be awesome. We get to get away from our parents and do what we want. Did you invite Emily yet?

Emily: Invite me to what?

Lexi: I thought you did.
‘
Jess: We’re all going on a road trip over the summer before we start college. Everyone is going to see Niagara falls. Are you coming with us?

Emily: I’ll have to ask-

Lexi: Ask who? You're an adult now. You can make your own decisions.

Emily: I’ll go.

Lexi: That’s my girl!

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce walks into Grease’s workshop. Connor is working on the motorcycle. Grease is fiddling with a small device. Grease hears Royce’s foot steps.

Grease: It’s all ready for you.

Grease throws a small metal ball at Royce. Royce catches the ball, he holds it in his hand. He feels a button on the top of the ball. Grease holds a similar ball in his hand. He presses the top of the ball and speaks into it. Royce hears his voice project out of the ball in his hand.

Grease: This work for you?

Royce: It does.

Grease: I thought you might need it quick, so I had Connor help me make it. He moves faster than my old bones can.

Royce: You aren’t that old, Grease.

Grease: Maybe not, but I am slow. You’ll feel it one day.

Royce’s face gets serious for a moment before returning to normal.

Royce: I don’t have any more projects for now.

Grease: You sure you don’t want me to fix your armor up a bit? Look’s like it hasn’t been touched in quite a while. You’d think the Legion would have a mechanic.

Royce: If you’re ever bored. You could be the Legion’s mechanic.

Grease: I’m too damn old for all that. I go to bed at 8:30 now, Royce. I can’t have ten different projects thrown on my desk every hour.

Royce: Then don’t join.

Royce leaves the workshop.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce is in his office working on paperwork. He rubs his face. His legs start to hurt. He looks down at his sore and swollen legs. He thinks back to the past days, but can’t reason why his legs are swollen. He hears a knock on the door.

Royce: Come in.

Emily walks into the room. Emily looks a bit nervous.

Royce: What’s your question?

Emily feels a bit startled.

Royce: I can see it in your face. What have you been thinking about?

Emily: C-can I go on a roadtrip with my friends?

Royce: Where are you going? How long will you be gone?

Emily: We’ll drive up to Niagara Falls. It would be a summer trip.

Royce: If that’s what you want then go.

Emily: Thank you!

Emily runs out of the room. Royce calls Jackson and sets his phone on the table.

Jackson: Yo?

Royce: Emily is going on a road trip with her friends over the summer.

There is a moment of silence.

Jackson: She really has grown up… I missed so much.

Royce: She has the whole rest of her life. You can be there for that.

Jackson: Maybe, but I’ll never get those years back. You were right. I should have come back earlier. Thank you Royce. Thank you for telling me.

Royce stays silent. Jackson hangs up the phone.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

A small Ma and Pa shop sits at the end of a busy block of King City. The last few customers leave the shop. An older man walks over to the doors, to close the shop for the night. Three men dressed up in similar dark clothing walk in before the man is able to close the doors. Behind the men, a man with brown hair and a cloak walks in. His dark cloak is offset by the red on the inside of his clothes. He has long brown hair tied back and hidden within his cloak. One long bang comes down over his right eye. Gold highlights his cloak.

Man: Youngblood!

Youngblood: Pay up old man. I’m a nice guy. I gave you an extra month to save up the money. I know some months can be hard. I get that-

The man’s blank face turns into a snarl. His tone becomes harsh and deadly.

Youngblood: But unless you have a good reason why you can’t pay. I’m going to have to cut your last few years short.

B.L.A.D.E trucks park outside. Youngblood turns around. He looks back at the old man. Then bursts out into laughter. Youngblood looks at his men.

Youngblood: Kill them.

The men in dark clothes run out of the building. They pull out their guns and start firing away.

Youngblood: You thought the smart decision was to call the cops to keep you safe? My name is known quite well. I think you know what comes next.

Old Man: No please! I don’t want to end up like the others!

The old man sits on his knees, begging Youngblood to not hurt him.

Youngblood: You knew the consequences. Your greed got the best of you.

Youngblood holds out his hand. The old man’s mouth opens wide, uncontrollably. Blood pours out of his eye, nose, and mouth.

Youngblood: You only need to lose half of your blood to die. You sit here, and puke out blood. You can’t breathe, your heart stops pumping, and you die. That is your consequence. I thought the reputation would hold up, but I guess, after a while, people just forget. Don’t they?

The old man’s blood forms into a ball that levitates just above Youngblood’s hand. The old man’s lifeless body falls to the ground. Youngblood turns outside. He sees his last man fall to the ground, just as dead as the old man. Youngblood throws the doors open. He throws the ball of blood at one of the blade soldiers. It turns into a spear and slices through the soldier’s stomach. Bullets fly at Youngblood. The ball of blood comes back. It forms a protective cover around Youngblood.

Youngblood: I hate you soldiers. Get the hell out of my city.

Youngblood turns the shield into a thousand small spikes. He shoots them out like needles into everything around him. He looks at the dead soldiers. He hears a slight sound. A small device flies through the hair. A collar clicks around his neck. He turns around. General Carter is on the roof of the shop holding a gun Youngblood has never seen before. Youngblood tries moving the blood. Nothing happens. He laughs and puts his hands behind his back.

Youngblood: I guess you caught me, huh?

General Carter jumps down from the building.

General Carter: On your knees.

## One Bad Day - Part 12

Royce and Emily are standing in the gym’s parking lot.

Royce: You’ll be gone the whole summer. When you come back. You’ll be packing for college.

Emily: Are you sad?

Royce: I don’t get sad anymore. The last time I was sad, was the first time I ever thought I had a father.

Emily: What happened to my grandfather?

Royce: He’s not your grandfather. He’s related to you, but he’s nothing more than that.

Emily: Does Dad know him?

Royce: No. He never will. Never ask this again.

Emily goes silent. A car pulls up.

Royce: Goodbye.

Royce walks away. Emily gets in the car.

Lexi: Your Dad is scary.

Emily:...

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

General Carter is walking through the B.L.A.D.E facility. He walks down a long hall of empty prison cells. He drags a metal chair on the floor. The floor screeching for the metal legs scratching against it. General Carter sets the chair down in front of a cell and sits down. Youngblood grabs the metal bars. His eerie smile hidden behind the bars.

General Carter: You’re one powerful man Youngblood. I’ve heard that name said in fear all around the city.

Youngblood looks at General Carter’s nametag.

Youngblood: Don’t try to fool me Carter. You aren’t well versed in my city. I watched you drive in here with an army of men the same way I’ll watch you flee when you have no more men to throw away. I know how B.L.A.D.E works. You have a mission. I’m not it.

General Carter: You sure do like talking. Why don’t you tell me about you.

Youngblood: Sure, I got time to kill. My father was a surgeon. A real goody two shoes type of guy. Except he wasn’t. When he did surgeries on dying patients, he would take their hearts, lungs, anything that was in good enough shape to sell. I didn’t escape his wrath either. I’m missing one of my kidneys if you need proof.

Youngblood’s face flushes up with anger.

Youngblood: But what really pissed me off, was using me to save his favorite dying customer! One of his customers needed new organs because he had some ol’ disease that just wouldn’t stop his organs from giving out on the poor bastard! This man had death on his damn doorstep for years! One night, he needed a blood transfusion for god knows what! Listen to this. I had to give the blood, at 6 years old, I was going to give this man blood. I had no choice of course, and my father started taking my lifeblood! This man just so happen to need a little more than I could give. So who do you think my father choose? I ended up nearly dying on the table until my father had some glimpse of pity for his own dying child. He figured that, since he didn’t have the blood he needed, mutant blood would work.

General Carter: Lets talk more about present day you. Your relationships, your everyday life, tha mafia.

Youngblood laughs.

Youngblood: Oh, Carter. You’re the real man. Exactly what you’d think a B.L.A.D.E general would act like.

Youngblood slams his head against the bars. He looks at General Carter with a fire in his eyes.

Youngblood: You want me to snitch?! What will you do to get the information?! Why don’t you try torture!

General Carter: I won’t get anything out of you.

General Carter picks up his chair.

Youngblood: Come back. I like your company. I’ll be nice.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce runs across the rooftops. The city is strangely nosy. King City is never quiet, but the night does grow stale. He runs on rooftops, hearing sounds from down below. The sounds almost block out all noise, but not every sense is just about sound. Royce can feel someone watching him. He runs around, but the feeling doesn’t go away. He decides to go somewhere random. He sees the B.L.A.D.E facility to his left as he is running.

Katherine: Where did he go?

Katherine lands on the building. She sees something coming at her. She catches a small ball. Royce walks out from the shadows.

Royce: Why are you following me?

Katherine: What is this?

Royce: Answer my question.

Katherine: Who are you?

Royce: My name won’t help you run B.L.A.D.E out of the city. Don’t become more of a burden then a help. You will be on your own. That thing you have in your hand. That’s a communication device. You press the button on the top, and you can talk to me. It’s not great, but it will do.

They hear shots go off.

Royce: That’s the B.L.A.D.E Facility.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

General Carter sits at his desk. He pinches his nose with his eyes closed.

General Carter: Why does this city make you feel like you're drowning? I’m trying to help people. Why is it so damn hard?

He hears a crash.

General Carter: The roof!

General Carter runs out his door. He sees a man in dark armor. At first, he thinks Ripper has finally come. After a longer glance, he realizes this man isn’t Ripper. His armor is a body suit that looks like it was stolen from B.L.A.D.E and colored black.

General Carter: That B.L.A.D.E nanotech armor! How did you get it?

The man looks at General Carter. He pulls a gun out of his holster. General Carter jumps back inside the room. Bullets fly past his legs as he jumps. Bullets break holes in the wall behind Carter. Carter looks down at a wound in his side.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce and Katherine stand on the facilities rooftop. Royce sees the man in armor.

Katherine: Do you know him?

Royce: No.

Royce jumps down behind the man. He slams his hands on the top of the man’s head like a hammer. The man falls on the ground. Royce throws his punch down at the man. The man’s arm shoots up and grabs Royce’s hand.

Royce: Who are you?

???: Gian.

Royce kicks Gian in the stomach. Gian rolls to the side and stands back up.

Royce: I’ve never seen you before. Why are you fighting B.L.A.D.E?

Gian’s voice is deep and raspy. He sounds like an older man.

Gian: This is my home. I’m here to force them out. They should have never come here.

Gian grabs something out of his pocket. Royce looks at the item.

Royce: Detonator.

Royce takes out his grappler. He fires it off. The hook knocks the detonator out of Gian’s hand. Then the hook moves back to Royce. Gian grabs the hook and pulls Royce closer. Royce drops the grappler and runs at Gian. Gian throws a heavy right hook. Royce blocks it, but Gian’s left hand jabs Royce in the head over and over. Each punch dents Royce’s armor. Royce feels his helmet indenting into his face. He stumbles back.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

General Carter: He’s busy.

General Carter is peeking out from his office. He tries to stand up, but he knows he won’t run too far with his wound. A few soldiers sneak into the office from a different door.

General Carter: Help me!

Soldier: General!

The Soldiers pick General Carter up. They drag him out of the office.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce feels Gian’s fist slam into his gut, cracking his armor. Gian looks into Royce’s red eyes, and bashes his head against Royces. The top of Royce’s helmet indents in. Royce falls to the ground. He picks up his communicator.

Royce: There are bombs.

Gian picks up his detonator. He clicks the button. Explosions go off all around. The building starts to collapse. Smoke from debris fills the air. Gian disappears into the fog. Katherine jumps down. She helps Royce up.

Royce: Where were you?

Katherine: B.L.A.D.E soldiers were escaping. I thought I would be able to catch General Carter, but I couldn’t find him.

Royce: I don’t need help.

Royce picks up his grappler. He grabs Katherine, and they fly up to the top of the building. Royce and Katherine slide down the facility as it breaks down. They see General Carter and two soldiers carrying him to a truck.

Katherine: There he is.

Katherine runs over, but someone else is following them. Youngblood walks out of the building. His collar is missing, and his neck is full of burns.

Youngblood: Carter! Where are you going?! I told you I liked your company. Now you’re leaving. I guess I predicted that!

Youngblood puts his hand out. He drains one of the soldiers. The blood goes into his hand. The truck door opens. Youngblood gets ready to throw the blood at General Carter. A bullet flies. Youngblood falls to the ground with a bullet wound in his leg. The truck door shuts. The soldier gets in, and the truck drives away. Royce and Katherine watch the truck only for a second.

Katherine: Why?!

Royce puts the gun away.

Royce: Let’s go before the mutant gets up.

## Disconnected - Part 13

Youngblood walks through a mansion. The halls are filled with people in dark clothes. He smiles and waves to the people he knows. He can feel the room getting closer and closer. The nearer the room is, the less people he sees around him. Only bodyguards line the hallways, everwatching. He walks up to a door. Two guards stand in front of the door. One of them nods, and opens up the door. Youngblood walks inside the Don’s office.

Youngblood: Don Lorenzo, B.L.A.D.E has been taken down.

Don Lorenzo: Where did you get this information?

Youngblood: I saw it first hand. Ripper was there. Explosives went off. Just look at the facility. The whole place went to shit.

Don Lorenzo: You hold your tongue around me boy.

Youngblood: The facility is rubble now.

Don Lorenzo: Ripper did this?

Youngblood: He was there.

Don Lorenzo: I thought Ripper was taking a back seat in this city. He might be trying to grab the reins. If he is, we’ll snatch them out from under him. Now that B.L.A.D.E’s gone. I want men all over the city. Fill the power vacuum before someone else does, or before Ripper intimidates everyone back into a corner.

Youngblood: I’ll take men. Do you want me to tell everyone?

Don Lorenzo: No, they don’t need to hear it from you. They need to hear it from me.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce jumps onto a rooftop. Katherine follows closely behind him. Her persistence gets Royce to stop.

Royce: What?

Katherine: Why did you shoot him?!

Royce: I’m a hero.

Katherine: You know that’s not the reason. Now General Carter is still in King City. B.L.A.D.E is still here. He just needs the men. They can back him up.

Royce: He won’t get anymore men.

Katherine: Why not?

Royce: They already got what they wanted. There is no reason to fund this mission anymore. Isn’t your company already making their chemicals?

Katherine: Yes.

Royce: Then they aren’t going to come back. They have no reason to. They might have come back if one of their generals were killed. I couldn’t risk that chance. We don’t need a B.L.A.D.E controlled city. I’ve seen cities like that. Washington D.C. is run by B.L.A.D.E. Even if King City isn’t perfect, it’s still better than that.

Katherine: So I just give B.L.A.D.E chemicals? I don’t have any way out of it.

Royce: Do you really think Carter dying would have changed anything? He is one of thousands of generals. They would have just sent someone else.

Katherine sits down.

Katherine: What a big fail that was then.

Royce: Is it? B.L.A.D.E is gone. One less cancer for this city to have to cure.

Katherine: All it did was bring in a new one. Who was that guy dressed up like you?

Royce:...

Katherine: No clue?

Katherine sighs.

Katherine: Fine. Run off again then.

Royce: If you see him. You know how to contact me.

Katherine: Bye Ripper.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce walks out of the backrooms into the gym. He sees Ricky lifting weights in the gym. He walks up behind him.

Ricky: You spotting me?

Royce: Your forms off.

Ricky: The weights fucking heavy dude.

Royce: Then make it weigh less.

Ricky: That’s not the point.

Royce: Better to do them right then to do a shitty job with bigger weights. You know that.

Ricky: Sometimes I just want to look cool, man.

Royce: I just came to say the gym is doing great. You’ll be getting a raise.

Ricky: Really?

Royce: I wouldn’t lie about a raise.

Royce walks away. He can hear Ricky punching the air excited. He gets a call. Royce lifts the phone up to his ear as he walks into the backrooms.

Royce: Hello?

???: It’s Dynamo. I need to talk to you.

Royce: I’ll be in the Beacon in a minute.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce walks onto The Beacon. Dynamo is waiting for him in the main lobby.

Dynamo: Hey, Ripper! Last time we talked you were being an ass. Now you came in like 2 seconds. What a good dog you are.

Royce: And you call me the ass.

Dynamo: I don’t know why Ozak told me to talk to you. I guess everyone else was just too busy, or maybe they did noseys during a meeting I missed. Either way, they probably gave me the job because it's shit.

Royce: Stop dragging the conversation on. You say everybody’s busy. I’m too busy to sit here like a teenager and throw out subliminal disses with you. Grow up, tell me what I need to know, and move the fuck on.

Dynamo: I was having fun. No need to get all butt-hurt about it. Ozak wanted you to know The Legion will be uncontactable for a little while. You won’t even be able to get on The Beacon. So if you need anything before, ask now before you're left to die.

Royce: Why wasn’t I told about this mission?

Dynamo: Honestly Royce. For how smart you are, you just never understood anything. You want to be a part of this team, but you don’t. I don’t think anyone trusts you. The only friend you have is Godson. For all he has tried, you just kicked the man while he was down. You treated him like shit and he gave up on you. At this point man, the only reason Ozak hasn’t cut you off from the League is because he doesn’t want people to think we are some high officials. That and you haven’t done anything truly awful.

Royce: Is that supposed to upset me?

Dynamo shrugs.

Dynamo: No, and I didn’t think it would. You have no emotions, never have. Don’t you have that niece? Emily I think. You never cared about her, and she’s lived with you for years. The only one you care about is your brother.

Royce: You’ve been talking to Jackson, haven’t you?

Dynamo: Yeah, the more I listen, the more I understand you. You're a sociopath that unwantingly cares about his brother. I think you’d be better off just leaving The Legion.

Royce: Thank you for the update Dynamo.

Royce walks over to the teleporter.

Dynamo: You're welcome.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Don Lorenzo walks onto the balcony at the top of the staircase in his mansion. Everyone is down below. One of his guards whistles, grabbing everyone’s attention.

Don Lorenzo: Your higher ups have already been informed on what you’ll be doing. You all will be told what's going on soon, but until then. I have decided something. Ripper is a threat to this city. He is a threat to us, The King’s Mafia. Who ever is able to kill Ripper, will be promoted. The compensation will be worth it. Very well worth it. I want his head.

Youngblood is down in the crowd. He licks his lips.

Youngblood: Then you’ll find his head on your desk.

## The Blood Prophet - Part 14

Three mafia members walk out of the mansion. They get in a car and drive off. They sit in the car talking.

Mafia Man 1: You think we can really kill Ripper?

Mafia Man 2: Who cares. It’s not like we’ll die if we don’t. He might break a bone, but after a month or two everything is normal. We might as well try.

Mafia Man 3: He might not be killing now, but what happens if we piss him off? He’s still Ripper.

Mafia Man 1: Stop the car, I gotta smoke.

Mafia Man 2: You can’t roll down a window?

Mafia Man 3: Hell no he can’t. Not in my car.

The car stops. The three guys get out of the car. Mafia Man 1 leans against the car and lights a cigarette.

Mafia Man 1: Clear your mind with a smoke.

A black BMW pulls into the alleyway. They all look at the car. The door opens, and Youngblood walks out.

Mafia Man 1: Oh, Youngblood. You want a smoke?

Youngblood: Are you looking to take down Ripper?

Mafia Man 1: Everybody is.

Youngblood walks up to the man.

Youngblood: Good, then I didn’t follow you for no reason.

Youngblood grabs the man’s face, crushing his cigarette and burning his hand. The mafia man’s head smashes the car’s tinted glass.

Mafia Man 2: Yo, what the fuck!

He pulls out a gun and starts unloading bullets on Youngblood. Blood comes off of the mafia man with glass in his head. The blood stops all of the bullets. The metal bullets land at Youngblood’s feet. The blood flies off like arrows, piercing the mafia man’s body. The last mafia gun comes up from behind Youngblood. A bullet graze’s Youngblood’s side. He turns around and throws his arm forward. The mafia man stops moving.

Youngblood: I love watching struggle. Right now, I’m keeping all the blood away from your heart. If nothing pumps, you get no air. You can breathe all you want, and you’ll still suffocate.

The mafia man drops to the ground dead. Youngblood walks back over to his BMW. He gets in and closes the door.

Youngblood: Less competition. I wouldn’t want Ripper to die before I get to pay him back for the bullet.

Youngblood takes out his phone.

Youngblood: Judas. I know you’ve always been the type to love trophies. What if you had the biggest trophy in all of King City. Ripper’s head.

Youngblood hears a deep inhale.

Judas: I would love to see his helmet on my wall.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

In Cole Corp, Katherine sits at her desk. Papers fill her sight. She moves through each paper, slowly, and without much focus. Everytime she tries to think about work, her mind drifts off to what else she could be doing. The one picture she can’t stop thinking about is Ripper’s face. Who could he be under the mask? She even asks herself why she cares. Soon she puts her head down in defeat, knowing she won’t get anything done.

Katherine: B.L.A.D.E’s gone. I should just hang up the costume and let Ripper be the hero. I’m not as smart as Carter, and I’m not as strong as Ripper. I can’t compare to them.

She hears a knock on her door. She puts her head up. Without giving her time to answer Derek walks in, closing the door behind him

Derek: Katherine. I know you don’t want me talking to you at work, but how else am I going to talk to you? I go to your house, and you're not home. I call, you don’t answer. I’ve got to say my piece somehow.

Katherine shakes her head, a little annoyed.

Katherine: Fine. Say your piece.

Derek: I know how awful I was. I should have never cheated on you. You were the best thing in my life. I’m working on myself. I know my mistakes.

Katherine: Derek, we’re never getting back together.

Derek shrivels up. She can see anger and sadness in his eyes, but he can’t form the words to question her.

Katherine: I didn’t just break up with you because I was angry. I tried to fix our relationship. I tried hard, for a long time. I’m done trying.

Derek: Fine.

Derek walks out, slamming the door shut. Katherine puts her head back down on the desk.

Katherine: I’ve always dated guys like him. I don’t want that pain anymore.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce stands on a rooftop looking down over the dead mafia men. He jumps down onto the ground and looks around at all of them. He looks at the blood all over them. He crouches down next to one. The man has cuts all in him, but most of them aren’t deep. Royce looks at the weak cuts.

Royce: Even the light cuts are bloody. This isn’t his blood.

Royce sees a flash of the man from the B.L.A.D.E facility controlling blood.

Royce: He killed them. Why?

Royce looks at the guy’s clothes.

Royce: They are all wearing the same ark clothes.

He flips up half of one of the men’s coats. On the inside he sees an imprint. The imprint is a picture of a pool table with text underneath saying ‘King’s.’

Royce: It’s the King’s Mafia. For why someone would want to kill them, could be anything. Katherine should know the Mafia is making moves again, before they go after one of us.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later that night, Katherine sees Royce down near the dead bodies. She hops down from the rooftop,

Katherine: Have you been standing here the whole time? Doesn’t the smell bother you?

Royce: No. It’s a smell I’ve dealt with a lot.

Katherine: Why did I need to see this? Who are these people?

Royce: These are mafia men. Someone killed them all.

Katherine: Was it the guy in dark armor?

Royce: No. The blood doesn’t match up. It’s more likely the man that tried to kill General Carter.

Katherine: If he did this, are you worried about what he might do?

Royce: Why?

Katherine: You shot him in the leg. I would want revenge.

Royce: I’m not worried. I’ve fought people with powers before. They’re not an issue.

Royce hears a deep breathe in.

Judas: Oh, what a beautiful smell. You could get high off it’s ecstasy. It’s truly a beautiful thing.

Royce: Who are you?

Judas puts a hand on his chest.

Judas: Me? I- I am Judas. The traitor, the blood prophet. A scientist that only wants to know the intricacies of the humans that can push our limits and break free from the shackles that is our skin. I’ve set people free. These men on the ground, they are free.

Royce: You killed these people?

Judas looks at Royce eagerly.

Judas: No, no, no. I would not do work like this. I wouldn’t kill a man with so many cuts. The body is beautiful, the body is pure. It should not be defiled.

Katherine: If you care so much about people, then why do you love the smell of death? Why are you here?

Judas: Death is a passover. A jump to a new truth. I will follow them, but I still have much more work to do in our current truth. For why I’m here pretty lady, is to see real truth. I will unmask Ripper, and learn everything that makes him function.

Royce: You want to rip out my organs and test me.

Judas giggles.

Judas: Your flat voice. It’s like you don’t even care! I love it. You're perfect. To answer your question honestly, M’lady. I was never here to move a pawn. Only look at the board.

Royce runs at Judas.

Judas: Au revoir!

Judas bows. A small ball drops out of his hand, and smoke covers the area. Royce starts coughing.

Katherine: Are you okay?

Royce: Fine.

The smoke clears. Royce looks at Katherine.

Katherine: He’s insane.

## Iron Bond - Part 15

Katherine rolls around in her bed. The bright sun shines through her window. She feels like no matter where she moves, the sunlight only shines directly on her. She grabs her phone and scrolls endlessly. She knows she isn't looking at the phone, but looking for something to waste time. When she looks up from her phone. She sees a picture of her and her father. The bed covers move off of her as she slides out of her bed. She walks up to the picture.

Katherine: Derek, Ripper. I always get involved with the same type of men.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce walks inside Grease’s workshop. He walks up to Grease holding his dented helmet.

Royce: I was walking around with this on for a day. I need it fixed. The metal isn’t useful if it presses against my head.

Grease: That’s why it isn’t built like that.

Grease takes the helmet from Royce.

Grease: Who fucked up your helmet like this?

Royce: Do you know of anyone that could have gotten armor like mine?

Grease: Yeah.

Royce: Who?

Grease: B.L.A.D.E, who else? I’m guessing someone with armor like yours was the one that dented your armor?

Royce: Why even ask?

Grease: Because your shooting in the dark asking me. C’mon, there is another man with a master engineer and a bloodlust like yours? I doubt it.

Royce: I leave the rest of the suit here. I can’t use it without the mask. I’ll be back in an hour to pick it up.

Grease: An hour? Isn’t that a little short for you?

Royce: The city needs Ripper. I can’t come back in a few days. By that time, who knows what kind of villains could appear.

Grease: Good, we just finished the other project then.

Royce: Which one?

Royce looks at Conner. Connor throws keys to him.

Connor: Press the button.

Royce presses the button on the keys. The motorcycle behind Connor starts up.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Katherine perches on a rooftop looking down at all the people in the town.

Katherine: I use to come out here to help the city. Now I need to come out here. I need to clear my head.

Katherine sighs. She sees mafia members running through the alleyway. The men are covers in blood. Katherine stands up. She gets ready to jump down. Cloth covers her mouth, she can’t breath. She feels an arm wrap around her. A voice whispers into her ear. She knows the voice.

Judas: I thought they’d get your attention. Blood always grabs mine.

Katherine collapses into Judas’ arms. He drags her body away.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Katherine’s eyes slowly open up. She sees Judas’ face up close. He looks at her with crazy eyes. She tries to jump back, but she’s tied to a chair.

Katherine: What do you want with me?

Judas: If you’re worried, then know Ripper is the target. He’ll come looking for you, and I’l capture him. It’s as simple as that.

Katherine: You’re not going to hurt me.

Judas laughs.

Judas: That part was a joke. If Ripper surrounds himself with you, he must like you. Something about that pretty body must be special. I’ll slice you open until I find it.

Katherine: He won’t know where we are. You’ll sit here waiting forever.

Judas brings out the metal ball. Katherine’s eye fill with rage.

Judas: So it is what I thought. At first, I thought it was a bomb. I felt the button, but I knew pressing it might kill me, and I wasn’t ready for that. Then, I decided to look at the back of it.

Judas turns the metal ball around. Katherine looks at the small holes in the back of the ball.

Judas: It’s a speaker. Why would heroes have a speaker in their back pocket? I figure this might be a way to talk to each other. What do you think?

Katherine:...

Judas laughs.

Judas: Let’s call him together.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce is in his armor. His cape barely stays on his back. The wind around his bike slaps his suit. He hears a noise come from his pocket. He brings out the communicator.

Royce: Katherine?

Judas: This isn’t Katherine, but she is here. Say hi to your boyfriend. I bet he wants to say hi to you.

Katherine: It’s Judas! Don’t come! He set up a trap!

Judas: Noisy one. Unfortunately-

Royce hears the sound of a blade. Katherine yells out in pain.

Judas: The woman in leather doesn’t know her place.

Judas picks up a piece of paper and says out a location.

Judas: Now you know where to go. Make a decision. You know its a trap. Will you still come to save her? We’ll see won’t we? Every minute it takes you, she gets another slice. Her yapping already got her two scars. I don’t know how much she’ll be able to take. What really matters. Is how much you think she can take. See you soon, Ripper.

Royce puts the communicator in his pocket.

Royce: He’s half an hour across town. This is your test Connor. This bike needs to make it before Judas gets bored with her.

The motorcycle shoots off. The wheel spins faster than the naked eye can comprehend. Ripper has passion in his eyes. Everytime he turns a corner, skid marks cover the ground.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce sees the building up ahead. He stops the bike. He feels the bike slide a bit. He jumps off and runs inside. Royce throws the doors open. The doors hit the walls, bounce back, and close behind him. He sees painting on the walls. It looks like hieroglyphics. He glances at it quick and keeps walking. He sees a light at the end of the hallway, but the light isn’t bright. It’s a dark, blood red color. Royce walks inside the room. Judas is standing next to Katherine. Katherine wiggles in her chair. Royce sees the blood on her legs.

Royce: I’m here.

The door shuts. Royce looks at the door. He knows he won’t be able to get out. He looks back at Judas.

Judas: I told you. It’s a trap. You knew you were going to die here. Your superhero ego just wouldn’t let you pass up the challenge of saving a damsel in distress.

Judas presses a button. Turret’s come out of the walls. Judas laughs.

Judas: Say goodbye to your last day of freedom.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

The turrets fire off heavy rounds. The rounds bounce off of Ripper. His armor dents a bit more from each bullet. Soon a bullet grazes the weak part of his chassis. He drops to one knee. The bullets keep coming. Judas turns them off. Royce is breathing heavily. Each bullet feels like a hammer was bashed against him.

Judas: One bullet hits your head in the right stop. You’ll be unconscious. Let’s see how long that takes.

Royce looks at the remote, Judas has. He throws one sai at the remote. Judas presses the button. Bullets collide with Royce’s armor. The Sai slices Judas’ hand. Judas drops the remote on the ground. He starts running over to it. Royce takes out his gun and dives onto the ground. He fires off a bullet. The bullet flies through the remote, destroying it. The turrets power down. Judas’ eyes fill with horror. He runs over to Katherine, and pulls out a gun. Royce fires a few shots, they miss Judas. Judas hides behind Katherines chair. He points a gun at Katherine’s head.

Judas: Don’t shoot. Drop your gun. If you fire, two people die.

Royce puts down his gun. He kicks it across the room. Judas unties Katherine. Katherine stands up and rushes over to Royce. Judas fires off a shot.

Judas: Start running Ripper.

Katherine’s leg starts pouring out blood. A bullet wound goes through her thigh.

Judas: That’s a lethal shot. You don’t have time for the two of us. Now run.

Royce lifts Katherine up.

Royce: I’ll kill you.

Judas: You’ve won Ripper. I’m no match for you. You won’t see me again.

Royce runs out of the room. He kicks the front doors open. He looks down at Katherine. She looks up at him with big dazed eyes. He can’t tell what she’s thinking. She puts her hands on his mask. She tries to lift his mask up, but she doesn’t have the strength to move it. Royce sits her on the motorcycle. He puts his arms around hers and holds onto the handles. He drives off. Katherine woozily moving back and forth. He holds her tighter.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce stops at Grease’s warehouse. He picks Katherine up off of the motorcycle and carries her in. Grease looks terrified and confused. Royce sees Connor’s face turn a green color, as if he was going to throw up.

Grease: Why is she here Royce?! Bring her to a fucking hospital!

Royce: I saw her leg. The bullet went through. You just need to cauterize the wound. If you do it quickly, she won’t even need more blood.

Grease: Cauterize the wound? With what? A blowtorch?

Royce: You have the precision.

Grease: I have the precision to give her an infection.

Royce: Do you have clean stainless steel?

Grease: The steel. Yes. Clean? No.

Royce: Wipe it down, and bring it to me. Bring the blowtorch too.

Grease: Are you sure?

Royce: I’m not a boy. I’ve cauterized my own wounds before. She’ll be fine.

Royce runs to the back of the warehouse and sets Katherine down. He sees Katherine is still awake. She looks up at him with tears in her eyes.

Katherine: Ripper. Save me.

Grease comes in with the blow torch and stainless steel. Royce straps Katherine down to the table, Katherine doesn’t react.

Grease: You're not going to give her any pain killers?

Royce makes Katherine bite down on a belt.

Royce: Do you have any?

Grease winces thinking about Katherines pain. He walks out.

Royce: Katherine.

He gets no response.

Royce: Good. You won’t remember any of this.

Royce heats up the stainless steel.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Katherine opens her eyes. She feels a soft sheet around her. She looks to her left. Royce is sitting in a chair. His head looking up at the empty ceiling. Katherine wishes she could look into his eyes. She whispers.

Katherine: Are you awake?

Royce: I don’t sleep.

Katherine: I was a little out of it by the end, but I think I remember most of it.

Royce: Do you remember the steel?

She shakes her head.

Royce: Then you forgot what you needed to.

Katherine: I’m sorry I tried to take off your mask.

Royce: I don’t care. It was a last wish.

Katherine: No, it wasn’t. I don’t care about knowing your identity anymore. I just want to see your face.

Katherine rolls further into her bed.

Katherine: But I know you won’t show me.

Royce looks at Katherine. He hears Dynamo’s words in his head, “ You have no emotions, never have. Don’t you have that niece? Emily I think. You never cared about her, and she’s lived with you for years. The only one you care about is your brother.” Royce stands up. He walks over to Katherine, and kneels down beside her bed. Katherine looks at him in shock. She puts her hand on his mask. She slowly lifts up the mask and looks at him. She looks at his tan skin, dark hair, and short beard. Katherine tries to lean over to him, but can’t.

Katherine: Closer.

Royce leans over her. Katherine leans in and their lips meet.

## Blood Oath - Part 16

A BMW stops at a red light. The tinted windows make everyone look twice at the car. They think 'must be a businessman,’ ‘who drives an expensive car like that and doesn’t show off in it.’ Youngblood feels like he can hear the thoughts about him. His crooked smile doesn’t look happy, but frightening. His phone rings, annoyed that his moment was ruined. He answers the phone.

Youngblood: Who is it?

???: I don’t need my trophy.

Youngblood: Judas. You're telling me you didn’t kill him?

Judas: He’s not what I was hoping for.

Youngblood: I told you it was Ripper. You got Ripper. What did you expect? Godson?

Judas: He is not in the prime shape I expected. I wanted a brand new toy. Not one with an expiration date.

Youngblood: You got to pick the date. People say I’m insane, but you're the crazy bastard that just turned your back on me.

Judas: You didn’t pay me. I owe you nothing. Try to kill me Youngblood. I’ll be out of the city within the hour. Run as fast as Black Mask if you have too! You still won’t be able to catch me. You can control blood, but you can’t control your mind. Stupid as ever, you’ll just find someone else to kill Ripper. Why don’t you grow some balls and kill him yourself?

Youngblood: I like you better when you're pretending to be insane. Keep yourself in check. Calling me stupid. I’m not going to kill Ripper, because I don’t need The Legion breathing down my back. You thought, your Ripper’s number one enemy right now aren’t you? You’ve never left this city, and now you're fleeing with your damn tail between your legs.

Youngblood parks his car at the King City docks.

Youngblood: Within the hour? Your boats leave in the next ten minutes. Are you going to be late?

Judas: What?

Youngblood gets out of his car. Holding the door, he looks up at the boat. A few of the sailors are looking down at him. He shuts his car door and walks up the metal ramp to the boat. He drags both his hands on the cold metal railings. He takes a deep breath of the sea salt air. His feet leave the shaking metal ramp and step onto the wood of the boat. The sailor’s nervous expressions make Youngblood’s mouth twist up into a smile.

Youngblood: I heard you're harboring a friend of mine. You all know me. Maybe you're not loyal yet, but you're as loyal as money can buy, right? You wouldn’t lie to the Don.

Youngblood locks eyes with all of them. They nervously shake their heads, agreeing.

Youngblood: Good. If you wouldn’t lie to the Don, then you shouldn’t lie to me. Bring me Judas.

Two sailors walk over to a crate. Then open up the top to the crate. Judas jumps out and punches one of the sailors in his jaw. The other sailor knocks Judas down with one heavy fist. The two sailors pick Judas up by his arms and drag him over to Youngblood. Youngblood kneels down to Judas’ level laughing.

Youngblood: You stupid fuck! The mafia owns these docks. You see that up there?

Youngblood points at the glass window of the cockpit.

Youngblood: That’s where the captain sits. Y’know, the one who ratted you out.

Judas looks up at Youngblood.

Youngblood: This is bible worthy. I feel like Jesus. No one can stop me. Not even Judas.

Youngblood takes out a Beretta M9. He presses the metal against Judas’ skull.

Judas: You're not going to drain the blood from my insides? I thought that's how you were. A monster that did whatever he wanted because it was fun.

Youngblood: I’m a monster? What about you? Pretending to be insane. Dissecting innocent people to learn about them.

Judas: I’m a scientist! I was going to help the world with my knowledge! Pretending kept me sane! I could blame every bad thing I did on a different part of me!

Youngblood pressed the gun against Judas’ head harder.

Youngblood: That is the most pitiful thing I have ever heard. You couldn’t even acknowledge what you had done. I don’t know if I should kill you, or let you rot in jail with all the free time in the world to be haunted by your past.

Judas: I-

Youngblood pulls the trigger. Judas’ blood splatters on the floor.

Youngblood: Hide him. Then drop him in the middle of the ocean.

Youngblood walks down the metal ramp. He takes out a handkerchief and cleans the blood off of his pistol.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce stands on a rooftop talking through the communication device. He looks like he is waiting for something.

Katherine: The streets are becoming more dangerous. I don’t even have to look for criminals anymore. They just walk around like they own the city.

Royce: Until we take out the Don, they do. B.L.A.D.E isn’t here anymore. There isn’t anyone but us to stop them. Now that I don’t kill people, they don’t even have to think twice about the Don’s orders. They fear him more than me. They’ll just keep coming.

Katherine: They’ll keep coming because they’re after you. When we took a few down the other day, they focused everything on you.

Royce: Good, you shouldn’t be out anyway. You still have a bullet wound that could reopen. You should be looking after your company.

Katherine: Then you have to promise me you’ll be careful. The mafia wants you dead.

Royce looks down at the mafia guys. They look like they’re looking around. Royce jumps down in between the men. He kicks out one of their feet. He grabs the man by his hair and slams his head on the ground. Another man tries to pistol whip Royce. Royce grabs his wrist and snaps it. The man lets go of his gun. The other man fires off a few bullets into Royce’s armor. Royce knocks the broken wrist man out with one punch. He looks at the mafia man holding his pistol. He fires off a few more bullets. Royce hears the click of an empty clip. He kicks the man into a brick wall. Then his fist cracks his skull.

Katherine: I didn’t need to hear all that. Why didn’t you turn it off?

Royce: Reassurance.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gian is standing in the clocktower and he looks at all of Royce’s stuff. Gian looks over all the stuff Royce left in the tower.

Gian: Not much here. Must be a base he doesn’t use much.

Gian sets a bag down on the ground. He sits down next to the bag and takes out a device. He presses the red record button on the device.

Gian: Average street power level 8,000. Ripper power level 45,000 and dropping. Youngblood power level unsure. Quick glance says around 35,000. Superhumans are a rarity. B.L.A.D.E is gone. The city is dying.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce is sitting in his office chair. He looks at the books. He notices the numbers have stopped increasing. Ricky walks into the office.

Ricky: Hey boss, what did you want to talk about?

Royce: I’m thinking of expanding the business. Setting up more gyms. Besides me, you know the most about how to run this store. I want you to set up the new gyms that will be opening up.

Ricky: Like, I’ll be running the store?

Royce: Yes.

Ricky: That sounds awesome. Yes! Yes, I’ll do it.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Youngblood is at the mafia’s mansion. He sits in the library talking with one of the other mafia members.

Youngblood: What do we know about Ripper? What was he up to before the Mafia wanted his head?

Record Keeper: He’s been quiet since he joined the legion. Before that, he kicked Cole out of the city.

Youngblood: Did it have to do with the chemical that was on TV?

Record Keeper: Yes. Cole was paying a man named Dr. Scott.

Youngblood: I heard about his arrest. You're telling me he was that big of a deal to B.L.A.D.E that they release that information years later. I need to have this chemical.

## Father’s Heist - Part 17

A man walks down the prison hallways. His hood is up, and a mask covers his mouth and nose. He stops in front of iron bars. An older man sits behind the bars. He doesn’t look up at the dark man. The prisoner looks down at the floor.

???: Why are you here?

Youngblood: I’m not going to waste time. Can you make that chemical again, Scott?

Dr. Scott looks up at Youngblood.

Dr. Scott: No, I don’t want to. Not again.

Youngblood: Fine, then rot in here. I just need one. What will B.L.A.D.E need when they come?

Youngblood walks away.

Dr. Scott: Wait!

Youngblood smiles and walks back over to the bars.

Dr. Scott: Only one bottle.

A prison guard walks down the hallway. He stops when he sees Youngblood.

Guard: Hey! You shouldn’t be in here!

Youngblood puts out his hand. The guard hold his throat. He drops to the ground and pukes out blood. The blood raises off the ground and breaks the iron door down. Dr. Scott walks out of the cell.

Youngblood: I love prison breaks.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce is at a bar drinking and watching the news. The reporter talks about a prison break. Royce’s face gets a little more flushed with red.

Royce: Dr. Scott is out.

Royce asks himself ‘why now? After years of sitting in prison has he finally snapped, or has someone broken him out.’ His thoughts are interrupted when a man sits down a seat away from him. Royce turns and looks at the man. Royce’s vision starts to blur. Anger fills his eyes. After a second, the man feels eyes watching him. He looks at Royce.

Royce: Why are you here? I thought you’d never come back to King City.

Royce speaks. His teeth grind together. He looks at the man’s short dark hair mixed with white strands. His face is starting to wrinkle, and his dark eyes have an emptiness to them.

???: This was my city before it was yours. I felt like coming home.

Royce: This hasn’t been your home in 20 years, Rorric.

Rorric: My son still lives here. Home is where the family is.

Royce: We are not family. As a kid I would go to bed with nightmares of you. Your a fucking monster.

Rorric: Nightmares, huh? Is that supposed to make me cry for you? I made you stronger. That's what fathers are supposed to do.

Royce: Do I need to remind you of what happened the last time we saw each other?

Rorric: I’ve had a few drinks. Let’s hear what you remember, so I can tell you what actually happened.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

A young Royce, no more than fourteen, walks through an airport alone. His head is down, avoiding eye contact with anyone. He walks through the labyrinth of the airport. The signs tell him where to go, but it feels as if every sign he follows just leads to another sign. Looking around for any airport workers for help, he finds nothing. No one to help him. He manages to find his way out. Cars are everywhere. An old black car pulls up in front of him. The window rolls down. Royce sees his father.

Rorric: Get in.

Royce opens the door and sits down. When the door shuts, the car starts moving. Rorric already looks angry. Royce can’t tell if it's the traffic, or if he did something.

Rorric: No “hi dad?”

Royce: I’m not calling you dad.

Rorric chuckles.

Rorric: Then I’m not calling you son. You have to call me something, and I’m damn sure your not calling me by my first name. Then refer to me as Rorric, and respect the name. You have it because we’re blood, but know I didn’t want you to have my name.

Royce: You can take it back.

A fist knocks Royce’s head into the car door. Royce holds his head in pain.

Rorric: Appreciate what you have.

Royce: My mother sent me here for the summer. Once this is over, I’ll never see you again.

Rorric: This is an every summer thing Royce. You think everything will go to your little plan. No, you're a kid. You do as the grown up says.

The car becomes silent.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

The car stops. Royce looks at the broken down house in front of them. The windows and doors have iron bars on them. Royce and Rorric step out of the car. Rorric opens up the door. The door shakes like plastic as he opens it up. When Royce walks inside, he sees a wrecked house. He looks at the old tv, stains on the floor, and cigarette ashes on the table. He looks up from the table to see a woman in just her underwear smoking. She speaks with a raspy voice.

Woman: Get out of the way. I’m trying to watch TV.

Royce takes a step back.

Woman: Damn kid.

Royce looks at Rorric.

Royce: This is where you live?

Rorric: Are you complaining?

Royce follows Rorric into one of the rooms. Rorric closes the door.

Rorric: You know how to steal?

Royce: What?

Rorric: You know what I said. Answer the question.

Royce: I’ve stolen before.

Rorric: Good. I know you have, you are your mother’s son.

Royce: My mother doesn’t steal.

Rorric: Not with you. C’mon. I’m going to show you how you really make money.

Royce: Why’d we come here then?

Rorric: I needed my tools.

Rorric picks up a box.

Rorric: Get in the car.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce and Rorric pull into a car lot. Rorric gets out of the car, and walks around looking for a specific type of car.

Royce: What are we doing?

Rorric: You never steal in your own car. Not even if you change the license plate. You want a generic car. Something that anyone could have.

Royce: Won’t they still know? If someone reports that their car went missing they’ll know what happened.

Rorric: You’re right. That’s why you never steal in a place that has cameras, or witnesses.

Royce: A parking lot.

Rorric: People move in and out of here constantly. They won’t know who was here and who wasn’t. The camera’s on these poles I took down already. They can’t trace a thing. They’ll know where it was stolen, but they won’t know who stole it.

Rorric and Royce find a car. Rorric sets down his box and takes out a screwdriver. Royce hears Rorric break the lock. He opens the door and sits down. He unlocks the other doors, and sets the box in the back seat. Royce sits down, and Rorric hotwires the car.

Rorric: Not an alarm or sound went off.

They pull out of the car lot.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

The car pulls up to a car shop. Their car has different license plates on it. Royce and Rorric watch the car shop. Rorric puts on a mask and hands another mask to Royce.

Rorric: For what you’re going to do. The mask will make it harder. You just have to outrun him.

Rorric hands Royce a gun.

Rorric: When your finger is on the trigger. You ask yourself, prison or murder? You fire when you make your decision.

Royce: What do I get out of this?

Rorric: You’ll get some money. Now go do your job.

Royce puts his mask on, and throws his hood up to cover some of the mask. He walks inside the autobody shop. His head is down. He sees no one is there. He walks up to the cash register. He moves the register slightly off of the counter. Then he takes out his screwdriver. He unscrews three bolts. Then lifts the top part of the register up a little bit. Confused, Royce gets closer to have a look. He presses down on a small latch and the drawer opens up. He starts taking money out of the drawer. A man walks in. After a second, he looks at Royce.

Man: What the fuck are you doing?!

Royce moves away from the counter. He tries to move to the right. The man moves to the right. He goes to the left, and the guy copies him. Then the man runs straight at him. Royce runs around one of the aisles and out the door. The man follows him. A minute after the two run outside. Rorric walks in with his mask on and a backpack strapped to his back.

Rorric: He did well.

Rorric moves past the register and into a back room. He sees a metal door blocking his way. Rorric takes a circular saw out of his backpack. He turns the saw on and starts cutting the side of the door. After a minute, the lock brakes. The door slightly swings back and forth. Rorric walks inside the room. He sees drugs all around. In the middle of the room is a safe. Rorric turns around. He takes out a power tool, and starts bolting the door to the wall. The metal door won’t move. Rorric puts the tool in his bag and takes the circular saw out again. He walks over to the back of the safe and starts cutting. Soon he finishes cutting. He moves the back of the safe to the floor. Thousands of dollars lay in the safe. He throws the cash into his bag. He hears a knock on the back door. He opens the back door up, and Royce runs in. Rorric bolts down the back door.

Rorric: You lost him?

Royce: Yeah, he was a slow runner.

Rorric: Good.

They hear someone trying to open the front door. Then there are a few bangs on the door. The noise stops.

Rorric: He’s going for the back door.

Rorric takes out another power tool. He unbolts the front door. Then opens it up. Royce runs out, Rorric hears banging on the back door. He laughs and follows Royce.

Rorric: Stay out of sight.

Rorric and Royce run outside. They look around, the man is still trying to open the back door. Rorric and Royce jump inside their car. Rorric starts up the car and drives over to a beach. He parks the car.

Rorric: Did you use the gun?

Royce: No.

Rorric: Give it to me.

Royce hesitates and hands Rorric the gun. Rorric opens up his bag. He starts counting.

Rorric: looks like something around 20 grand.

Royce: How much do I get?

Rorric: You get to live in my house another month. Your fucking lucky I didn’t take the money you stole from the fucking drawer.

Royce: Your a fucking bastard! I didn’t ask to be here. Now what? You're going to make me steal for you! You can f-

Rorric presses the muzzle of the pistol against Royce’s head. He presses the gun against Royce so hard, it forces Royce’s head into the window. Royce stays still.

Rorric: I told you respect. Let's make this rent for a week. We’ll do a job every week, or else your living on the fucking street. You’ll be a street rat. A starving disease just looking for food.

Royce: I’d rather live on the street.

Rorric: Then get the fuck out of my car.

Royce steps out of the car.

Rorric: If you try to go back home, I’ll find you. You're staying on the street until I allow you to leave.

Royce runs off.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rorric: You made your decision. I didn’t force you to be out on the street.

Royce: You put a gun to my head. I was already a fucked up child. I watched my own mother kill my brother’s father.

Rorric smiles.

Rorric: I loved your mother. She was a firecracker.

Royce: Why are you in my city?

Rorric: I’m an old man. I wanted to come home. See peace to the relationships I left open ended.

Royce: You’ll get peace when you die.

Rorric: Give an old man a chance! Tomorrow night, I’ll be at the Old tavern! Meet me there!

Royce stands up and walks out. Rorric takes a drink.

## Dinner Confessions - Part 18

A woman is sitting down with her fourteen year old daughter. They are both watching TV in a small apartment.

Woman: Mia, what do you have me watching?

Mia: It’s one of those new shows. Everybody at school is watching it.

Woman: Fine, I’ll give it a try.

They hear a knock on the door. The woman stands up and walks over to the door. She opens it up. Three mafia guys stand at the door. Mia looks over. In the blink of a second, the woman falls down holding her bleeding stomach. Mia looks at her mother in horror. The mafia guys walk over to her. She gets up and tries to run. Someone grabs her arm. She looks up at the man holding her. She sees him raise her fist.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce stands on a rooftop. He looks down at all the cars and street lights. Katherine looks at him a bit worried.

Katherine: What’s wrong?

Royce: Nothing.

Katherine: Nothing’s wrong? You won’t even look at me, and you haven’t moved in minutes. The city can’t talk to you.

Royce: My father is in King City.

Katherine: You never told me about your father before.

Royce: He’s an abusive manipulator. My mother ran from him, I ran from him. Now he’s running back to me. I don’t know why he would.

Katherine: How long has it been since you’ve seen your father?

Royce: 20 years.

Katherine: Someone can change a lot in 20 years. He may not be the angel that you wanted your father to be, but he can still regret his past.

Royce: His regret didn’t come with guilt. I asked him. He didn’t own up to doing one thing wrong.

Katherine: Would you apologize Royce?

Royce takes a moment of silence.

Katherine: You know who my father was, and you know what that type of guy acted like. He wasn’t a good dad, but I miss him. I wish he was still around. You don’t have to accept his apology, but you should at least hear it.

Royce looks at Katherine. She seems a little shocked and nervous.

Royce: I’ll hear what he has to say.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dr. Scott is in a small lab, mixing chemicals to perfection. He grabs two vials and pours them into a beaker. A sort of bubbling happens. He mixes the chemicals around, and the concoction turns into a yellow color. Dr. Scott smells the mixture, it burns his nose a bit.

Dr. Scott: Just like the last time. This thing could destroy the world, but so could B.L.A.D.E.

Dr. Scott walks out of the lab. Youngblood is sitting on the couch.

Dr. Scott: It’s done.

Dr. Scott hands Youngblood a yellow vial.

Youngblood: This stuff reacts with what's around it you said?

Dr. Scott: You get powers from what's around you.

Youngblood looks at the vile.

Youngblood: If this doesn’t work. I’ll be coming for more.

Dr. Scott: It will work.

Youngblood stands up and walks out. Two mafia men follow him out.

Youngblood: Did you bring the girl to the forest?

Mafia man: Yes.

Youngblood: And the woman that owed me money?

Mafia man: Dead.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce walks into the Old tavern. He sees his father sitting down in a booth with a menu raised to his face. Royce sits down.

Rorric: I knew you would come.

Royce: You didn’t know anything.

Rorric: I hoped.

Royce: You said you wanted to make peace. Make peace.

Rorric: Even I know I wasn’t the greatest father. I could have been around more. I didn’t have to kick you out on the street. I was greedy, and in my old age, I’ve seen a lot of people like me. I’ve seen a lot of people like me die.

Royce:..

They sit in silence for a minute.

Royce: What made you do it? Why did you act like that?

Rorric: I never wanted kids... I didn’t like you, and I didn’t like the responsibility you always reminded me of.

Royce: Why come back now?

Rorric: When you get old. The word Son means something different. Honor. The honor of my son is The Ripper.

Royce: There it is.

Rorric: What? I’m proud of you.

Royce: Proud? You're a con man. You don’t get honor from me, you like power.

Royce stands up.

Rorric: I’ll pay for the dinner.

Royce: Pay the 20 dollar meal. You never paid for anything else.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mia wakes up in a forest. Her eyes slowly open. When she looks around, there are only trees in sight. She stands up and walks around, dragging her hands on the tree bark. She can see through the trees. Tall buildings are in sight. She starts running. When someone grabs her. She yells and opens her eyes. Youngblood is kneeling down next to her. He holds her still.

Youngblood: Are you okay?

Mia starts crying.

Mia: These two guys…

Mia’s words become muffled by her sobs. Youngblood pats her head and fixes her hair.

Youngblood: It’s okay. You’re safe now. I know who did it.

Mia looks at Youngblood with a teary-eyed curiosity.

Youngblood: It was Ripper. I can help you get revenge for your mother, but you have to trust me.

Mia: Okay.

Youngblood takes out the yellow vial.

Youngblood: Close your eyes.

Youngblood pours the yellow vile onto the top of Mia’s head.

## Green Life - Part 19

Royce’s eyes open. He feels sluggish. The sheets on his bed feel heavy. He struggles to pull himself out of bed. As he sits up, he feels lightheaded. He stands up. His body feels like it’s stabilizing. Royce walks out of his room, phone in hand. Soon he finds himself in the bathroom. The water pours down from the shower. He feels the water, checking the temperature. As he is about to step in, his phone rings. He grabs his phone off of the sink counter and answers it.

Royce: Hello?

Katherine: Royce, I think I found something.

Royce: This early?

Katherine: I thought you never sleep?

Royce: I have to once in a while.

Katherine: It’s weird. I didn’t know your voice could get any deeper.

Royce stays silent for a minute.

Royce: What did you find?

Katherine: Down by the Redwood Forest.

Royce: Let me take a shower. I’ll meet you there.

Royce hangs up the phone.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Katherine sits on a rooftop overlooking the giant Redwood Trees. Royce appears behind her.

Royce: What did you find?

Katherine, startled, quickly turns around.

Katherine: You didn’t have to sneak around. I was waiting for you.

Royce: What did you find?

Katherine: We’ll need to look a bit farther into the forest, but if you look, the forest is starting to become overgrown.

Royce: Are you sure there is a reason for it?

Katherine: That’s why I said we’ll need to go in deeper. It’s not just the garden keeper being out sick.

Royce: I trust you. Show me what you found.

Royce and Katherine jump down from the building. They walk along the muddy ground. Royce gets closer to the forest. He sees the overgrown thorn bushes protruding out of the trees like a spiky shield. Royce presses his metal gauntlet against the thorn. He feels a prick.

Royce: I don’t need to see any more.

Katherine: What did you find?

Royce shows her his finger bleeding out of the metal gauntlet. Katherine looks at the thorn bush with a drop of blood on it.

Katherine: Why did you do that? What if it’s poisonous?

Royce: I’ve gone through worse. We need to figure out what caused this. Scour the streets. If someone did this, especially a mutant, they won’t be hiding very well.

Katherine: Okay.

Katherine stands for a second, like she’s waiting on something.

Royce: And be careful.

Katherine smiles.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Youngblood walks down the long mansion hallway. The guard’s eyes seem to follow him. He can’t do anything but give them a devilish smile that forces them to look away. No matter how many guards he scares, he still feels powerless. The hallway is his walk of shame. The one person he will never be able to scare sits at the end of this road.

Youngblood: The Don called me.

One guard opens the door. Youngblood walks inside, and sits down at the Don’s desk.

Don Lorenzo: I’m sure you’ve talked to the men. You’ve seen the streets. How come? I ask them two things, and they can’t deliver.

Youngblood: We took over the city. We just don’t have Ripper.

A muzzle pushes Youngblood’s head into the desk. Youngblood feels the cold iron of a gun on the back of his head. He bites his lip in frustration.

Don Lorenzo: Would I want bullets with no gun? or a gun with no bullets?

Youngblood: No.

Don Lorenzo: So you do understand the concept. I don’t have control, unless I have control. If Ripper is walking around, we will never own this city. I need his head on my desk, not on my throne.

Youngblood: I understand that sir, but the men aren’t well equipped. B.L.A.D.E couldn’t even take him down. Their bullets bounce off of him, and when they turn to run he breaks their legs.

Don Lorenzo: I heard he was whipped into shape by the legion.

Youngblood: We’re lucky he was. If he wasn’t, our men would be dead.

Don Lorenzo: What does this mean, Youngblood? Are you telling me I don’t get Ripper’s head? We just have to let him be?

Youngblood: No. I’ve been working on it. You saw the news, Dr. Scott? I broke him out. He created a mutagen for me. I’m trying to use it to make our men more powerful. I just tested it on my first person. We’ll see if she can kill Ripper.

Don Lorenzo: If she doesn’t?

Youngblood: There’s always plan B.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce is running along the sides of the King City rooftops. Police cars drive down the street. Royce follows them down a long street. As he keeps running, tiredness catches up to him. Before long he stops and rests. His chest feels like it can’t get enough air, and he drops to one knee. He looks ahead, the police cruisers all come together in front of a building. Royce walks closer to the building. The closer he gets, the less fuzzy his sight becomes. Plants cover over the entire building. Royce picks up his communicator.

Royce: I found the building. It’s on 03 George Street.

Katherine: Wait for me.

Royce: If anything bad happens, you’ll make it in time.

Royce jumps down from the building. He sneaks in the alleyways until he gets behind the house. Giant plants sprout out of the windows, covering the walls. Royce walks up to the door. He creaks the door open. Vines, roots, and other plants cover the ground. He steps one foot onto the plants. The vines wrap around his leg.

Royce: This is why I went in first.

Vines spring out from the walls and wrap around Royce. The vines drag Royce to the center of the house. Mia comes down from the ceiling. A vine beneath her feet slowly lower her down.

Royce: Why are you doing this? You're a little girl.

Mia: You don’t know who I am? You know who my mother was.

Royce: Who are you?

A vine whips Royce’s head. The sound of the smack rings through his helmet.

Mia: Now I’ll kill you!

Vines come down from all sides of the building. Royce looks around at all the vines. The vines whip at him. Royce can feel the bruises forming under his armor after each vine swing. Mia loses herself in the plants. Her arms move on their own. Royce looks at her face. Her mouth has an ear to ear smile, but her eyes have a sadness.

Royce: I didn’t kill anyone!

Mia is startled for a second. Katherine runs inside the building. She pulls one of Royce’s sai out of his belt, and slices the vines. Mia winces in pain. Katherine and Royce start running. Mia pulls herself together. She sends her plants after them. Royce turns around and throws a small ball. The ball hit nearly hits Mia, then a vine stops the ball. The ball explodes into a dust cloud, covering Mia. Mia looks around, distracted by the smoke. Royce and Katherine run back into the alleyways.

## Burning Passion - Part 20

Royce is walking through the alleyways. Not a word comes out of his mouth. Katherine follows behind him. She places a hand on his shoulder.

Katherine: What’s wrong? What happened in there?

Royce: That girl lost her mother. She says I did it, and I have no idea if I did. If I did. When will my mistakes stop catching up to me? I’ve tried mercy, but it seems like my old mistakes will always find my weakness.

Katherine: Mercy isn’t going to make your mistakes disappear. You're a better person now. If your mistakes keep catching up to you, then you’re getting another chance to fix them.

Royce: I wanted them gone. The mistakes are mistakes. I didn’t want to fix them.

Katherine: I know you don’t mean that. I saw you with fortune. You didn’t need to help him.

Royce pauses for a moment.

Royce: We can’t beat this girl. She can control every plant in that house.

Katherine: How do we beat someone that we can’t even get close to?

Royce thinks.

Royce: When you cut me down, she felt the pain. You could see her reaction. There might be a drawback to her power. We’ll use fire. It’ll spread faster than anything else we could do.

Katherine: A flamethrower?

Royce: No, you can drop that. We’ll need something a bit different.

Royce starts walking away.

Royce: It’s time you meet Grease.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce and Katherine walk inside of Grease’s workshop. Grease is standing over Connor looking down at his work.

Grease: Good, but your work is still a bit flawed. When you're working on one part, you can’t tunnel vision. You need to make sure you don’t damage any other metals when you aren’t paying attention.

Royce takes off his gauntlet. Grease turns around and looks at him.

Grease: What this time R-

Royce: She knows.

Grease: What do you want me to build then?

Royce: I need you to install a flamethrower onto this gauntlet.

Grease: Let me guess. You want it in like 15 minutes this time.

Royce: The faster the better.

Grease takes Royce’s gauntlet and walks over to the desk.

Royce: We need to let them work.

Royce and Katherine walk into one of the empty rooms. Katherine sits down in an old chair. Royce sits down with his back against the wall. Katherine taps her foot on the ground. Royce closes his eyes and looks up at the ceiling, waiting for her to say something.

Katherine: Can we really do that to a little girl? If we burn the plants, won’t that feel like we’re burning her alive?

Royce: Maybe, but we aren’t.

Katherine: That doesn’t take away the feeling.

Royce: That’s why I’ll do it.

Katherine: I’m not just talking about me. Its weight on your shoulders too.

Royce: My armor’s my weight. One more pound won’t make a difference.

Katherine: Maybe not anymore.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

An hour later, Grease opens the door. He sees Katherine and Royce sitting in the room.

Grease: It’s done.

Royce and Katherine stand up. They follow Grease into the workshop. Grease shows Royce the gauntlet. There is a metal piece that rises a little off of the gauntlet.

Grease: Don’t put this part in front of your face. It gets hot. You control it with a button at the top of your wrist.

Royce: Thank you Grease.

Grease: It was a quick job.

Royce looks at Katherine.

Royce: I’ll give you one minute.

Katherine smiles.

Katherine: You’re a good man Royce. You just don’t want to believe it.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Katherine walks along the grass. She looks at the backdoor. The plants around the building seem to have only grown bigger. Katherine opens the door and steps inside. Vines wrap around her, and bring her to the center of the building. She hears laughing from the ceiling. When she looks up. Mia looks down on her with a smile.

Mia: You did the same thing as Ripper. Did you think I wasn’t going to catch you this time?

Katherine: I let you catch me. I wanted to talk to you. The police, Ripper, they all think your dangerous.

Mia: I am!

Katherine: You have powers now. You only want to use them to hurt people?

Mia: I want to use them to hurt Ripper. He killed my mother in cold blood. The same way he killed everyone else.

Katherine: When? When did he hurt you?

Mia: He killed my mother two days ago.

Katherine takes a second. Then she realizes what's going on.

Katherine: Ripper couldn’t have killed your mother.

Mia: Liar!

The vines sprout off of the walls. They get ready to attack Katherine. Then the vines stop. Mia holds her head.

Mia: Ah!

Katherine sees fire burning through the walls. The vines wrapped around Katherine come loose. Katherine falls down. She looks behind her. Royce walks inside the building. Royce is still setting the plants ablaze. Mia looks at Royce. The vines bring her closer to him. She moves her arms, and the plants on the floor rise up and slam down onto the ground. Royce dodges before the plants hit him. Burning vines come off the walls and smack Royce. Royce’s armor starts to burn his skin as the air gets hot. The vines grab a hold of Royce’s arms. His flamethrower stops spitting flames. Mia walks up to Royce.

Mia: Your to blame.

Royce looks into Mia’s yellow eyes.

Royce: Scott.

The plants around Royce’s right arm burn brittle. His arm comes loose. He throws a pulled punch against Mia. She falls to the ground, unconscious. Royce lifts her up and throws her over his shoulder. Royce looks at Katherine.

Royce: Get out of here.

Royce sees Katherine jump out one of the windows. Royce runs through the back door. He walks around the house. Police are waiting in front of the house. Royce walks out. One police puts his hand up.

Policeman: Hold your fire!

Royce sets Mia down on the ground.

Royce: She’s a mutant.

Royce walks away. The police let him leave. Once Royce is out of view, he hears his communicator. He lifts it up to his face.

Royce: What?

Katherine: She said you killed her mother two days ago.

Royce looks angry.

Royce: She was being manipulated.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Youngblood walks inside Dr. Scotts lab.

Youngblood: Good news, and bad news. The good news, your chemical works! It’s amazing. I don’t know how you managed to make it. Except, Ripper still took down our little supermutant. I call her Wolfsbane cause I can never remember her name. So, unlike our original agreement. I’m going to need more.

Dr. Scott: More? More?! Don’t you understand? There’s more than just powers that come with the serum. Their eyes change color too!

Youngblood: I should kill you. Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?

Dr. Scott: I was hoping you would have let me go once it worked. Now he’s going to come after us. He knows it was me.

Youngblood takes a deep breath.

Youngblood: Plan C it is.

## The Right Path - Part 21

Royce sits on some workout equipment. He looks at the bench press with his name labeled on it. He looks at the weights and takes a few off. He sits down and ducks under the bar. He grips onto the bar tight. He lifts the bar up off of the rack and slowly lifts it up and down. One of the workers looks at him. He realizes that Royce is going a little slow.

Worker: Do you need a spotter sir?

Royce: No. Focus on the customers.

Worker: Okay.

Royce keeps lifting.

???: No spotter? I taught you that. Never take help from anyone.

Royce sets the bar up on the rack. He sits up and looks at the man.

Royce: Rorric. Why are you here?

Rorric: I wanted to see what my son did for work. I thought it would be more, elaborate. Like a high position in a company or something, but this works too. You’ve made good money. I’m proud.

Royce: I don’t want to add to your pride. You need to be more humble, not prideful.

Rorric: Then prove I’m not as good as I think I am. I’ve got a job for you.

Royce: A job. Why? Why would I take your job? The last time we worked together, you took the money and kicked me out on the street.

Rorric: We’d be partners. Split down the middle. We each get half. Royce, its different this time. We could take over this city. Who’s to stop us? B.L.A.D.E is gone. The mafia is nothing to you-

Royce: Shut the hell up. There are people everywhere.

Rorric: We won’t need to care.

Royce: Get the fuck out of my gym.

Rorric: I heard you’re going to start expanding your business. A little extra cash couldn’t hurt. Think about it.

Royce asks himself how could he know that. Katherine walks into the gym wearing black training shorts and a racerback bra. She bumps into Rorric. Rorric looks back at her and smiles. Katherine sees Royce and walks up to him.

Royce: Why are you here?

Katherine: What put you in a bad mood? Did it have anything to do with that guy?

Royce: That was my father.

Katherine: He looks just as scary as you.

Royce: I look scary?

Katherine kisses him on the cheek.

Katherine: Not to me.

Royce: Why did you come? You didn’t go out of your way to change clothes just to come see me.

Katherine looks embarrassed.

Katherine: I needed a place to work out too.

Royce: Then let me show you around.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later that day, Katherine is in Royce’s shower. Royce is leaning against the outside of the bathroom door. Katherine hears his muffled words.

Royce: I know what happened to that little girl.

Katherine: What happened?

Royce: Scott. The one who broke out the prison. He made more of your father’s chemical. That’s what changed her into a monster.

Katherine: You think Scott manipulated her into attacking you.

Royce: I don’t know yet, but I’ll find out what happened.

Royce hears the shower turn off. After a minute, the door opens up. Royce sees Katherine’s wet hair drape over her clean clothes. Royce puts a hand on her chin. She looks up at him with big eyes. Royce begins kissing her. She pulls back for a second.

Katherine: I like this you.

She lets Royce pull her back into the kiss. Royce thinks to himself. ‘You like the attention. Have I been neglecting you?’

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce and Katherine are on the rooftop of a tall building. Royce is standing, Katherine sits down next to him. They look down at the street. They see mafia men walk down the street like clockwork. They could count the minutes before another group of mafia members walk down the street.

Katherine: Why don’t we take a few of these guys out. We could question them. I think you’d scare the words out of them.

Royce: They are all grunts. There is so many of them, and they don’t know much. Putting any effort into them would be too much energy.

Katherine: Then we’ll just sit here all day watching people walk by.

A dark car with tinted windows drives by. Royce presses a button on his helmet. His vision zooms in on the car window. Royce unzooms.

Katherine: You think that car is someone important.

Royce: I’m going to find out.

Royce jumps across the rooftops. His fatigue sets in early. Katherine catches up to him. Royce pushes through the pain. Katherine looks at Royce with a confused frown. Her expression only makes him angry. His rage fuels him to go faster. The car stops in front of an old building. Royce stops running. His legs hurt, and his heart beat feels like it’s in his ears. He watches as the car doors open. Mafia men walk inside the building.

Katherine: What are we doing Royce?

Royce: We challenge them.

Royce jumps down from the building. His metal boots crash onto the street. He walks up to the front door of the broken down building. The iron on his boot collides with the door handle, breaking the lock. The door swings open, and Royce walks inside. Katherine follows close behind. Royce hears the sounds of the mafia men running on the creaking wooden floors. He takes his sai out. Two men run down the stairs. Royce throws his sai into their stomachs. He creeps along the wall. He turns the wall quick. A gun is pointed at him. He pushes the gun to the roof. Bullets break through the ceiling. Wooden chips fall down on Royce’s head. Royce’s metal gauntlet breaks the man’s nose. The man falls on the floor. Royce picks him up by his collar.

Royce: What is this place?

Mafia Man: I-It’s an old science lab.

Royce: Why are you here?

Mafia Man: We were cleaning it out.

Royce: Why?

Mafia Man: We’re just told what to do!

Royce knocks the man out with one punch. Royce stands up, grabs his sai, and walks up the stairs. He sees doors all around. Royce opens the door to a chemical lab. Not everything has been cleaned. He looks at vials with different color chemicals. He finds a vile with a yellow liquid. Underneath the vile is a note. Royce lifts up the note. He turns the note around to see the name of a building.

Katherine: Meet at the rooftop?

Katherine waits for Royce to speak.

Katherine: You're not going. It’s a trap. Last time you walked into a trap you almost died. You could barely handle Judas.

Royce: Go to Grease. Tell him I need new armor.

Katherine looks into Royce’s red eyes.

Katherine: Okay.

Katherine walks away. Royce looks at the note.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

A man in dark armor stands on a high rooftop looking down on the other buildings like they are nothing but ants underneath his feet. The sound of a zipline-like rope comes from behind him. Royce climbs up onto the rooftop.

Royce: Did you break Scott out? Are you working with the mafia?

Gian: There’s so much you haven’t put together yet. You know who broke him out, you’ve seen him. I’ve been watching you. It seems like you can take down as many grunts as you want, but you’ll never protect your city. They aren’t under the iron fist. With your strength, I don’t even know if you could hold it. Your power is weakening. With this armor, I can see exactly how strong you are. Are you sick?

Royce: What does it matter?

Gian: It matters to you, doesn’t it. Why are you weakening?

Royce: Who are you?!

Gian starts walking forward.

Gian: I am your savior. Your messiah. The one who will bring you back to glory.

Gian’s walk turns into a run. He throws a punch. Royce catches his fist. Royce’s metal gauntlet smashes into Gian’s stomach. Gian doesn’t waver. He kicks Royce back, leaving a dent in Royce’s iron stomach. Gian runs at Royce, jumps into the air, crashing down with a metal fist. Royce blocks Gian’s punch, but it rips through his gauntlet, and dents his helmet. Ripper stumbles back. He can feel his arm was slashed by his indented gauntlet.

Gian: You were great. No one could stand in your way. The best anyone got off was broken legs. Now you let everyone walk all over you. The reason you don’t know anything, the reason you lost your power, is because your too damn weak to keep it!

Royce feels fatigued. He tries to move, but his chest hurts, and he feels like he can’t breathe. Gian walks up to Royce, his fists ready. He punches Royce with heavy fists over and over. Royce’s helmet dents until it’s as weak as glass. Gian uppercut’s Royce’s stomach. His punch slices through Royce’s armor like a blade. Royce looks behind him. He is standing on the edge of the rooftop.

Gian: Tip for you. If you want to stop the mafia, try the Don’s house. People like Scott will always be a problem. You have to fix the problem. You have to kill them.

Gian pushes Royce off of the building.

## The Mafia - Part 22

Royce wakes up in a hard bed. He can feel the steel frame under the mattress. He looks around at the dark walls, dusty shelves, and dirty floor. His head hurts. He puts one hand on his forehead, holding his head. His armor is gone, he is in his regular clothes. Royce knows exactly where he is, but who brought him here? The door opens up. Katherine walks in.

Katherine: You’re awake.

She pulls a chair up to Royce’s bed.

Katherine: What happened? After I talked to Grease, I went to find you.

Royce: You found me on the street.

Katherine: I thought you were dead!

Royce: I’ll never die. Not from some criminal.

Katherine: Did you find out who broke out Scott?

Royce: No. It was the copycat. Gian. He could have killed me. For some reason he wants me alive. He’s dangerous, but I don’t know his game. I know nearly nothing about him. That's the second time he’s ever shown up. I need to find him.

Katherine: You need to rest. You almost died. The world can handle surviving without Ripper for now.

Royce: Can it survive without Jade? Has your bullet wound healed, or are you hoping it doesn’t reopen?

Katherine: You have deep cuts all over your body. My bullet wound is almost healed. Your not leaving.

Katherine stands up and walks out. Royce stares at the ceiling for a minute. Then Grease walks inside the room.

Grease: We need to talk.

Grease sits down in the chair Katherine left.

Grease: I’m not a doctor, but I can still check your vitals. I looked at your heart rate, and your oxygen. The hell is wrong with you? Your heart rate is abnormally high, even when you’re resting. You’re extremely fit, your heart rate should be abnormally low. Oxygen levels are low too. Do you have lung cancer or something?

Royce: During one of my missions with the Legion. A blade stabbed me in the heart. Ozak was able to keep me alive with magic until he could replace my heart. From my heart failing. He had to replace my lungs. He used some alien technology. Now even my replacements are failing me.

Grease: You can’t go out fighting like that. With what you have here, if you work yourself up too much, you’ll collapse. Your blood won’t get enough oxygen. Your heart will keep pumping faster until you have a heart attack.

Royce: Then we hope I take down the villains before I collapse.

Grease: There isn’t hope. You need to find Ozak, or you are going to die.

Royce: Ozak is busy. He’s on a mission.

Grease: Then you shoot him a text and rest in a hospital until his schedule is free, like you do for a regular doctor.

Royce:...

Grease: You realize, if you die, you don’t get a second chance at anything. That’s the end of your legacy. Your story, that’s where it’ll end. It’ll end with you dying to your own hand.

Royce: Where’s my armor?

Grease: Your new armor isn’t done.

Royce: Then my old one.

Grease: Your armor is almost in shambles.

Royce: It's either that, or I dawn a ski mask.

Grease: I knew you’d go out either way. I fixed your armor up a bit. It’s at least wearable now. You can’t take bullets like you could before, but most bullets will bounce off of you. I hope.

Royce: Thank you. I’m going to need a new bike too.

Grease: What?

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce is riding his motorcycle through the streets of King City. He flies by red lights, moving in between cars, and dodging crashes. Katherine sits on the back of the bike with her arms wrapped around him.

Katherine: Why did you put that armor back on again? You couldn’t have even waited one day.

Royce: No. I was stupid. I thought it would be too dangerous to walk into the mafia’s headquarters. Now nearly all of their men are on the streets.

Katherine: And what if they know we’re coming?

Royce: They already do, but they can’t take their men off the street. If they do, they’ll lose control.

Katherine: Are you sure this is smart?

Royce: No, but I’ve tried everything else. We don’t have the time to let them keep control of the city. We need to free King City. We can’t let someone take the throne.

Royce sees the mansion.

Royce: Get ready.

Royce takes something off of his belt. He takes the pin out with his teeth and throws it at the door. The metal ball explodes, breaking the door open. Royce takes his grapple and gun out. The grappling hook shoots off to the rooftop. Royce shoots up off the bike. Katherine is pulled up with him. Royce aims down at the bike. He fires off two shots. The bike drives straight into the mansion. Royce swings into the window. As the glass crashes, he hears an explosion down below. Katherine and Royce land on an upper balcony of the mansion. They look down to the ground floor. Royce sees a group of Mafia men on the ground with burn marks from the explosion all over them.

Royce: Find the Don.

Mafia men run over to Royce and Katherine. They come in from both sides of the balcony. Royce and Katherine stand back to back. The man runs at Royce throwing a heavy punch. Royce grabs his arm with one hand. His other hand grabs the side of the man’s head, and bashes him against the wall. The other man runs over to Katherine. Katherine kicks him in the jaw. Then one punch knocks him off the balcony.

Royce: You check this floor, I’ll move down.

Katherine runs down one of the hallways. Royce looks down the stairs. Mafia men are at the bottom of the stairs confused and trying to help their friends. Royce runs down the stairs. His grappler is in his hand ready. Armed Mafia men run up to the bottom of the stairs. They look up at Royce and ready their assault rifles. Royce runs to the right of the giant stairs. The bullets break the stairs next to him. A few bullets catch his arm, and bounce off his armor. He fires off a grappling hook and swings over the stairs. He lets go of the grappler and falls down. He lands on one of the men with his heavy boots. The armed men stand beside him. He knocks the gun out of one of their hands. Then grabs the man. He turns around, holding the man like a shield. An assault rifle points at him. Bullets puncture the man’s skin like needles. The clip runs out. Royce pushes the dead man onto the mafia guy. The dead man falls to the ground and Royce knocks the man out with one punch as he struggles to reload his gun. Royce holds his gun out. Four mafia men come running down the hallway.

Royce: They’re all coming from the left side.

Royce fires off bullets. Two of the mafia men drop down. The other two fire off a few shots. One shot pierced Royce’s left arm. A few more bullets fire off and the other two drop dead. Royce detaches his clip, and puts a new one into his pistol. He continues walking down the hallway. The place feels empty. He hears the stomps of a heavy man. Royce looks at the door beside him. He creaks it open, waiting. A man holding a minigun walks up. The minigun barrel starts to spin. Royce jumps into the room. Bullets fly past the door.

Royce: How do I beat him?

Royce stands in the line of the door. His back’s against the back wall. The minigun starts firing bullets through the wall. The lead bullets rip through the wall like paper. Then they cut through the door, hitting Royce’s chest. Royce drops down. The man kicks the door open. He sees Royce sitting there dead. Royce’s head bounces up. One bullet fires from his pistol. Royce looks up at the bullet wound in the man’s head. The man drops to the ground, his minigun crashes on top of his body.

Royce: My armor’s the strongest in the chest.

Royce walks out of the room. He finds an iron door.

Royce: This has got to be it. It looks like a bunker.

Royce looks at the lock.

Royce: It’s going to be damn near unbreakable. Even the minigun wouldn’t break through it. The bullets will bounce off.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Inside the bunker, the most powerful members of the mafia are sitting, waiting for Ripper to come. Youngblood, the Don, and other high profile characters are waiting. Youngblood looks at the Don.

Youngblood: We’re just waiting to die.

Don Lorenzo: Would you rather just die?

Youngblood: Maybe! You didn’t take anyone that could protect us. It’s only us here. What do you guys have? Pistols? I’m the only one that could hold their own against Ripper.

Don Lorenzo: Why do you think you're here?

Youngblood: I am still one of your most important members.

Don Lorenzo: You’re important if I want you to be important. You are nothing. Just a general for me to throw at people I don’t like. No wait by the door, and keep all the important, rich, people safe.

Youngblood laughs. He puts his hand up to one of the business men with them.

Business man: No please!

Youngblood drains the blood out of him. Blood pours out of his ears, eyes, and mouth. The man drops dead. Youngblood shoots the blood into the door lock like a spear. The lock breaks. Royce stands there, looking at Youngblood.

Royce: You’re the one that did it, aren’t you. You broke Scott out.

Youngblood: Scotts making more chemicals right now. Once he finishes those, he will make mutants. You have enough time for the Don, but can you fight me before he finishes? Are you willing to take that chance?

Royce: I’ll find you.

Youngblood: Maybe, or maybe I’ll find you.

Royce walks into the room.

Royce: I’ll come back for you.

Royce looks around. A man runs up to him with a crowbar. He punches the man in his stomach. The man falls down to the ground, his suit disheveled. Royce picks up the crowbar. Royce hears Katherine’s voice through the communicator.

Royce: What?

Katherine: I found Scott.

Royce: What is he doing?

Katherine: He was hiding in an empty room with a few men protecting him.

Royce: He lied.

Katherine: Who?

Royce points his gun at the Don.

Royce: Who was that who just left.

Don Lorenzo: That was Youngblood.

Royce runs out of the room. He shuts the door, and locks it using the crowbar. Royce runs outside. An armored truck drives by him. Royce crouches down and fires a few shots at the tires. One shot hits the tire, but the car barely changes direction. Royce takes out his communicator.

Royce: He got away.

Katherine: Who?

Royce: The one who broke out Scott.

## Rule This City - Part 23

Royce and Katherine stand on a building. They watch the police drag out man after man out of the Don’s mansion and throw them in a swat car.

Royce: They should have just let me walk through. The cops wouldn’t have had anything to charge them with if they didn’t fire back.

Katherine: Your reputation still holds up. They thought you were coming to kill them.

Royce: I thought they were going to kill me.

Katherine: I thought you said you couldn’t die.

Royce: I used to be invincible. Now I’m just a man.

Royce walks away.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce wakes up in his bed. The sun shines down on his face. The sunlight gives him a headache. He feels like he can’t wake up without a headache anymore. There is a knock at his door.

Royce: Who’s in my house?

Royce stands up and feels light headed. He walks up to the door. He opens the door to see his father standing there.

Rorric: Royce.

Royce: Why are you in my house?

Rorric: Because I needed to talk to you.

Royce: About?

Rorric: I wanted to say, I wish I was more like you. You had the chance to change. I’ve never been able to trust anyone. You have a family, a girl, friends. I could never be like that. The only people I had around me were the ones that trusted money. That's how I wanted it. I wanted to be able to drop people without a care. You let the world around you make your decisions, but you can’t let it make all of your decisions.

Royce: What are you talking about?

Rorric: When an opportunity presents itself, you need to take it. Whether it helps your friends or hurts them, everyone looks out for themself. Remember that.

Royce: Your persuasion doesn’t work. You should have tried that when I was a kid. I’m 35. I know when someone is trying to sell me on a pitch.

Rorric: I’m telling you the truth. You’ll learn.

Rorric leaves. Royce watches him walk out of the door. Royce calls Grease.

Royce: How’s the armor looking?

Grease: It’s getting there. We’ve been working on it all night. Connor, I, and Donut Empire coffee are tag teaming the new suit. We’ll have it done by the end of the day.

Royce: Thank you for the update.

Royce ends the call. Royce walks into the office. Ricky is sitting there doing paperwork.

Royce: You’ve stepped up Ricky.

Ricky: I’ve been learning how to do all the paperwork. I need to if I am going to run my own shop.

Royce nods.

Royce: I won’t stop you from learning. I’ll check over your paperwork later. I’m going to take a shower.

Royce walks into the bathroom. The shower turns on. Steam starts filling up the room. As he stands in the shower, he feels claustrophobic. He can barely breathe. He opens up a window. He slides down the shower wall and sits down. He starts coughing.

Royce: I can’t handle it anymore. My time’s running out. I can’t be like this with Katherine. She didn’t do anything to deserve it.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce is in his car. He parks in front of a white mini mansion. He sends a text to Katherine saying, “here.” He steps out of his car and knocks on the door. Katherine opens the door smiling.

Katherine: Come in.

Royce and Katherine sit down on Katherine’s couch.

Katherine: What’s going on?

Royce: We can’t be together.

Katherine looks a bit shocked.

Katherine: Uh… wh-

Royce: I’m dying, Katherine. You shouldn’t have to see that.

Katherine: What are you talking about?!

Royce: My heart and lungs are failing me. I don’t know how much time I have left.

Katherine took a moment to collect her thoughts.

Katherine: I want to be there!

Royce: You have a life to live. You have a business to look after. You became a hero because of B.L.A.D.E. They aren’t here anymore. It’s time for your life to go back to normal.

Katherine looks distrot. She doesn’t know what to say.

Royce: I’m sorry.

Royce stands up and walks to the door.

Katherine: Did you know?

Royce: What?

Katherine: Did you know the whole time that you were going to die.

Royce: Yes.

Katherine: You're an asshole.

Royce: I know.

Royce walks out of the house. Katherine’s eyes fill with tears.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later that day, Royce is running around the city. He has barely been running around for ten minutes, and fatigue has already started slowing him down. He stops to take a breath. He looks up at the old clock tower. He takes out his grappler. He looks at the dents and scratches. Then he fires the grappling hook to the top of the tower. He flies up into the air. He lands on the edge. He removes the wooden wall and sneaks in. He sets the wall back. He looks around. The place is different.

Royce: Someone has been using this place.

Royce walks up to the desk. There is a note on the desk. It says midnight on it.

Royce: Gian? Grease needs to deliver on his promise.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce walks into Grease’s workshop. He looks at Connor and Grease.

Royce: Is it done?

Grease: It’s done. It’s made of pure black steel. Your last armor was dense iron. Steel’s lightweight, so we were able to put a hell of a lot more steel then we could iron, and it’s still lighter. Nothing should be able to get through this. We even made sure to keep the flamethrower on there. I made you new sai to go with it too. Black steel sai. They should be able to cut through anything you need. I’m not B.L.A.D.E though. I don’t have their tech. You should still call Katherine if your trying to fight Gian.

Royce: I’ll do this alone.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Midnight strikes. Royce looks up at the clock tower. He grapples back up. He moves the wooden wall and walks inside. Gian stands there with his helmet off and his back turned to Royce.

Royce: I knew who you were. Turn around.

Gian turns to Royce.

Royce: Who else would Gian be? It was always you, Rorric.

Rorric: Then why didn’t you kill me?

Royce: You always met me at a public place. The bar, a tavern, my gym. What was I supposed to do?

Rorric: I saw that you finally cut off that girl. That was a good first step.

Royce: What does that have to do with anything?

Rorric: Don’t you know why I’ve been doing this?

Royce: I don’t know anything. I never cared to know.

Rorric laughs.

Rorric: We can take over the city Royce. We’ve been working together. I helped you take down B.L.A.D.E, and you helped me take down the mafia. It’s been you and me. Now, no one stands in our way. We could own this city. Everything will go through us. We’ll be rich.

Royce: Why not take down the mafia by yourself. You could have killed me, and owed the city.

Rorric: I told you before Royce. Your kids are your honor. I did this for you too. So you can further my legacy!

Royce: Your legacy dies with you. Your name will leave people's mouths as soon as you die. No one will remember you. That day is coming soon, Rorric. Like you said, you're an old man. Your body is decaying. You're just an old bastard scavenging for anything to make his memory last longer.

Rorric: Then I’ll just have another kid. I’m not too old yet. You can be replaced.

Rorric runs at Royce. He tackles him, and slams Royce into the wall. Royce slams his elbow on Rorric back over and over. Royce puts his hands together. The metals crash together as Royce’s hands come down like a sledgehammer. Rorric falls to the ground. Royce stomps his heavy boot down. Rorric rolls to the side and gets back to his feet. Rorric jumps forward. His metal fist cracks against Royce’s steel jaw. Royce grabs Rorric’s hand, pulls him close, and slams his head against Rorric’s helmet. Rorric stumbles back in a daze. Royce hits Rorric with jab after jab in his head. Rorric can’t seem to gain his balance back. Rorric falls onto his back. He kicks Royce in his stomach. Rorric jumps back to his feet.

Rorric: We’ll get nowhere like that. It’s like a clash of titans. We need to use something to cut through the armor.

Blade’s come out of the top of Rorric’s wrists. Royce takes out his sai. Royce can feel his chest tightening up. His heartbeat rings in his ears. Rorric jumps at Royce. He swings his blades over and over. Royce dodges to the left and right. Then, Royce feels a sharp pain in his chest. One blade slices at his torso. Rorric doesn’t stop. He slashes at Royce over and over again, until Royce’s black steel torso is red. Rorric slams down both blades at one. Royce catches them in the tongs of his sai.

Rorric: You will join me. I’ll kill everyone you know. Grease and Connor, dead. Emily and Jackson, dead. I’ll start with Katherine. You’ll join me one way or another. If you still don’t join me. Then I’ll finally kill you. Once everyone you know is dead.

Anger blocks out Royce’s pain. Rorric watches as Royce’s power level rises. Royce kicks Rorric back. Royce pushes forward. Rorric swings a blade at Royce. Royce catches the blade. It slices down the middle of Royce’s hand. Royce stabs one sai through Rorric’s stomach. Rorric falls back. Royce pulls him closer and kicks the sai in deeper. Royce lets go. Rorric falls to the ground. Royce stands above him. A bullet fires. The bullet goes through Royce’s stomach. Royce drops down. He pins Rorric’s arms down with his knees, and rips the gun out of Rorric’s hand. Royce throws the gun across the room. He starts punching Rorric over and over again in his head. Rorric’s helmet dents in. Royce rips his helmet off of him. He sees his father’s face. It only makes him angrier. He punches him with hard steel over and over again. His face is bloody and bruised.

Rorric: You're just like me. I should have known. My legacy will carry on either way.

Royce: Carry on? I’m the last thing you have. I have what? Another month to live. Die knowing that I’ll be there soon.

Rorric’s smile turns into a deep frown as he stops moving.

Royce stands up. He looks at his father’s lifeless body.

Royce: Even in the end. You cared about no one.

## The End - Part 24

Royce is writing on papers. They don’t look like his normal paperwork. He finishes writing and puts the papers in an envelope. He is talking on the phone.

Emily: It’s great down here. I’ve looked at so many colleges. I think I want to travel around the world more.

Royce: You can do that after college.

Emily: I know, but it’s really fun. You should fly around.

Royce: I like King City. I don’t want to see it anywhere else. This is my home.

Emily: You're such an old man.

Royce: I’ll talk to you soon.

Emily: See ya!

Royce ends the call. He stands up, and walks outside. He steps inside his car. He drives down the road. He turns on the radio. He hears Katherine’s voice.

Katherine: We are trying to make Cole Corp as great as it was before. We want people to not just hear our name, but trust it. Know that they are getting a good product when they buy from us.

Interviewer: And what about the Cole fiasco that happened before?

Katherine: B.L.A.D.E is actually still at our company. We let them come and go as they please. We have nothing to hide, and we want everyone to know that.

Interviewer: What about you? What are your personal goals? Anything you could say to the male bachelors out there?

Katherine laughs.

Katherine: Is this for them or for you?

Royce: She’s doing better.

Royce stops the car. He puts his letter into a drop box.

Royce: I need to check on Grease.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce walks into Grease’s workshop. Grease and Connor are arguing. Royce hides behind the wall, listening in.

Connor: You’re working with a superhero. Royce is going to die. I don’t want to stop helping the world. I want to take his offer. We could join the Legion and help them.

Grease: No, I’m too old for that. Royce is a friend. I came back for him. You have a life ahead of you. Live it.

Connor: This is my life!

Royce walks in.

Royce: Grease. You know you should let him join. He’s a mutant. He can’t live a normal life. Let him join the legion.

Grease looks defeated.

Grease: Okay, fine. You can join the Legion.

Connor: Yes!

Royce: Here you go.

Connor walks up ro Royce, and Royce hands him the key. Connor runs to the back room.

Grease: I didn’t want to let him go.

Royce: You have to.

Grease sighs.

Grease: I know… I think it’s time we talk Royce.

Grease leads Royce omtp a room. Royce and Grease sit down in bent metal chairs.

Grease: You killed your father?

Royce: I had to. He wouldn’t have gone away. He was able to steal a suit from B.L.A.D.E. No prison was going to hold him.

Grease: That’s not it. I know you had to. I didn’t know you could. I thought after sparing your brother-

Royce: I’ve never cared about anyone Grease. I don’t even care for my brother. I think the only reason I feel any way is because I protect him like my mother protected me. I spent years with Emily. I was miserable. I had to fake emotions whenever she was there. I couldn’t wait for her to leave. I didn’t start dating Katherine because I liked her. I did it to try to prove someone wrong.

Grease: That’s why.

Royce: That’s why?

Grease: The Legion is back. Have you tried Ozak?

Royce: I’ve made my peace with it. I’ve done everything I needed to do. I helped my brother, and I protected my city. I’ve made my peace.

Grease: That’s it then. You’re going to wait till you die?

Royce: That’s all I can do.

Grease and Royce stand up. Grease shakes Royce’s hand.

Grease: You aren’t a monster Royce. You’re just a sad man.

Grease walks away.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce stands on a building. He looks down at the city. The cars, the people, he feels like he has seen the same scene again and again.

Royce: It’s different every time.

Four men with B.L.A.D.E gear surround Royce. Their guns fire off whips that wrap Royce’s limbs. Electricity runs through the wires and through Royce’s metal. He feels the electricity run through his body. He drops to his knees.

Royce: Wait!

They stop the electricity.

???: What?

Royce: You're still missing one person. Youngblood.

???: We’ve taken him down before. We can do it again.

Royce: Why waste your own lives, when you can use mine.

The man flips up his mask.

???: Fine Ripper. We’ll make a deal. The name’s General Carter.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce sits in the back of an armored B.L.A.D.E truck. Royce’s arms and legs are bolted down. Royce looks into General Carter’s eyes.

General Carter: Why help us?

Royce: I’m going to die anyway. Why did you come back to the city?

General Carter: To take you in, and restore my name. My reputation was ruined after the facility exploded. Someone was able to sneak passed all of the soldiers in the building, and plant bombs all around. That doesn’t look too good on my transcript.

Royce: That’s the deal then. You let me kill Youngblood, and I’ll go in with you.

General Carter: Where is he?

Royce: The only place an old mafia member would go.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Youngblood is at a party. Everyone is in a suit. Their right hands are always with a full glass of champagne. Youngblood walks to the back of the mansion. He sees a door slightly creaked open. A businessman is sitting in his chair. A half naked girl is on top of him. The girl turns around shocked. She tries to cover herself.

Youngblood: Oh, don’t stop the party. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of your cheating or anything. Y’know this man has been married 15 years. He’s a good hardworking man.

Businessman: Get the fuck out of here!

Youngblood laughs.

Youngblood: Are you trying to scare me? Look at you. You're pitiful. I’m surprised your voice didn’t crack. You know who I am. You should have gone to jail with the rest of them.

Businessman: No-

Youngblood: Now you know. I’m killing all of you.

Blood pours out of the woman’s mouth and onto the business man. The blood flies over to Youngblood's hand. He forms a spear. The businessman tries to throw the woman off of him, but Youngblood stabs the spear through both of them.

Youngblood: Beautiful.

Youngblood drinks from his champagne. He leaves the mansion nearly skipping. He walks down the street. Then he hears a crash behind him. Youngblood turns around. He looks at Royce standing there.

Youngblood: Ripper. I didn’t know if you were ever going to come for me.

Royce: You never stopped killing.

Youngblood laughs.

Youngblood: Neither did you.

Royce: You're a demon.

Youngblood: I know.

Youngblood puts up his fist. He tries to control the blood in Royce’s body.

Youngblood: What’s wrong with you?!

Royce: Alien technology.

Youngblood: You damn Legion.

Youngblood takes a knife and slashes his own arm open. He creates two blades out of the blood. His body starts rapidly healing.

Youngblood: Come on. Fight the demon.

Youngblood runs at Royce. Royce’s moves are slow. Youngblood slashes him twice. His sword comes back down, and Royce blocks it with his gauntlet. Royce punches Youngblood in his jaw. Youngblood stumbles back.

Youngblood: I can taste the steel.

Youngblood changes the swords into daggers. The excess blood flies over to Royce. It locks around his arms like cuffs. Youngblood swings his daggers. Royce puts up his arms trying to block him. Royce hears someone speak into his ear.

General Carter: I need that shot.

Royce throws his arms around Youngblood. He holds him steady.

Youngblood: What are you doing?!

Youngblood stabs Royce in the stomach over and over again. Royce’s stomach pours out blood.

General Carter: Got it.

General Carter fires his gun. A collar wraps around Youngblood’s neck. The blood knives splash onto the ground along with the cuffs around Royce’s hands. Royce headbutts Youngblood. Youngblood falls to the ground and Royce takes out his sai. Royce stabs both sai onto Youngblood’s chest. Then Royce falls off of Youngblood. Blood was still pouring out of his stomach. Royce hears Youngblood’s quiet last words.

Youngblood: I just wanted to be useful. I wanted to be worth something.

Royce dazes out into a fever dream of blood loss.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Young Royce is sitting in front of the TV watching a movie. His mother is sitting on the couch. He is watching Mr. Untouchable stand with his black and gold cape.

Mr.Untouchable: Anyone can be a hero. It’s not about what you can do, but about whether you do it or not. Am I a hero when I save kids because I have powers, or because I saved the kids? Be a hero in your own way. Powers or not.

Royce: I want to be a hero!

Mother: Don’t say that. If B.L.A.D.E hears you say that they’ll be mad.

Royce: Okay.

Royce’s Mother turns off the movie.

Mother: Let’s watch something else.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Royce: I was a hero. In my own way.

Royce’s body goes motionless. General Carter walks up to Royce.

General Carter: Pack them up.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Godson walks up to his mailbox. He takes out the letters, and walks back inside his apartment. When he sets the mail down, he notices one that’s different. Godson opens it up.

Godson: Is this a will? Appointing me executor. “Ricky Vice will get all ownership of Roaring Gyms. Emily Rorric will get all the other assets.”

Godson sits down looking confused.

Godson: Royce is dead?