The Crimson Dragon Volume 10

## Settled - Issue 1

It’s 2047, twenty-two years after the war ended. A young man sits at a bar downing his eighth shot. He just stares down at the bar. He looks up at the bartender.

Bartender: Want another drink?

???: I want my keys.

Bartender: Call someone to pick you up. You’re not getting your keys.

The young man stands up and wobbles as he does so. He slams his hands on the table once he regains balance.

???: Give me my damn keys! I own the car!

Bartender: Then you shouldn’t have given me your keys.

The young man raises the glass ready to throw it at the bartender. A woman walks through the door and folds her arms.

???: Caleb!

Caleb drops the glass. Once he sees the woman he mumbles under his breath.

Caleb: Of fucking course.

He rolls his eyes. He orders another drink from the bartender as the woman walks over. He pinches his nose and downs the drink. He slams the glass on the table.

Caleb: Hey sis. What do you want?

???: I’m taking you home before you ruin more of this bar.

Caleb: No, I think I’ll stay. I would rather stay than be dragged back to you and your condescending boyfriend’s house Rachel.

Rachel: He only talks to you like that because he cares about you. He wants you to stop drinking yourself into oblivion. He was your friend before he was my boyfriend.

Caleb: Yeah, shows what you do to people.

Rachel: It’s not my fault our mothers dead!

Caleb: I know! It’s our father’s! He is nowhere to be seen! I haven’t seen him since we went off to college, have you?! I hope he never fucking comes back!

Bartender: You two have to leave.

Caleb: Look what you did! You even made the bartender a cunt!

Caleb throws the glass at the bartender. It smashes on the wall behind the bartender. Caleb walks to the door.

Bartender: You have to pay for that!

Caleb: Put it on my tab!

Caleb slams the doors open.

——————————————————————————————————————————

2032, seven years after the war ended Kai is in his new business skyscraper. He was able to build it from all the money his company was making during the war. Kai circles around a table with a hologram on it. The hologram is of a building. Two red dots are moving around in the hologram. Kai is talking over an earpiece.

Kai: The target is on the next floor. He should be easy to capture. You know what to do. Take him away, make sure no one sees. You are the best Fang.

In the building, the hologram shows, two League members are sneaking through the vents. One taps their earpiece after Kai finishes speaking.

Fang: We’ll report back when we complete the mission Ra’s.

He turns off his coms. They walk over the opening in the vent. They see the target in the office. He is having a conversation with another businessman.

Target: I don’t care if the people are going to realize we’re dumping all our waste in the rivers. It saves me money, and the rivers wash it away so I don’t have to deal with it. Get out of my office with stupid ideas that don’t save money!

The other businessman leaves the room. Fang waits for a second and then jumps down. He quickly runs behind the target and puts his blade up to the target’s neck.

Fang: Do you know why I am here?

Target: I haven’t done anything! You can’t kill me!

Fang: I have a blade to your throat. Of course I can kill you, but because of our new Ra’s you get one opportunity to change yourself.

Fang grabs the target by the neck and smashes him through the giant window. He is only being held up by Fang. His feet dangle in the air.

Fang: You have two choices. Fall, or change yourself for the better. You poison kids every day by making the river they swim in polluted. You’re a monster. Now, Fall, or change?

Target: Change!

Fang: If you don’t change I’ll come back and make your death worse than falling.

Target: Change! I’m choking!

Fang drops the target on the ground of the office. The man starts heavy breathing.

Fang: If you call your security. You’ll be dead in the next few minutes. Make sure we don’t have to see you again.

Fang crawls back inside the vent.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai watches the red dots start moving again.

Feng: We told the target what he had to do.

Kai: Good work. You can return back to the League.

Someone knocks on Kai’s door. Kai changes the hologram to a hologram of the skyscraper. Max walks inside the room.

Kai: Oh, it’s just you. What’s up Max?

Max: You wanna know what’s not up! My pay! I put together the blueprints for the original phone that is now selling like it’s the best thing since sliced bread! I’m only making five hundred thousand dollars a year. People get paid that just working for google!

Kai: Alright Max, tell you what. You pay me whatever you have in the bank, that is that you don’t need for the next weak, and I’ll give you Lawrence’s share of the company.

Max: Really?

Kai: Yeah. I only need 51%. Without you, I would never have gotten the business this far. You deserve it, but why do you really want a better paycheck?

Max: I’m moving in with someone…

Kai: You finally moving in with your boyfriend. That’s great! You can finally leave me the hell alone.

Max: I don’t work on your computers that often!

Kai: I don’t even fight crime anymore! You still follow me around!

Max: You’re lazy.

Kai: You like dark places like a cockroach.

Max: Agree to agree.

Kai: Damn straight.

Max: So, don’t you have to go pick Genki for detention.

Kai sighs.

Kai: Yeah, Remi yelled at him for it.

Max: How did he even get into detention, he’s ten?

Kai: Someone was making fun of him for looking Japanese. Obviously, the conversation progressed to his parents and he attacked the kid.

Max: Why is he in detention for that. I would have beat up the kid, and I’m like thirty!

Kai: They all got put in detention. Remember, no hitting. Alright, I gotta go talk to him.

Max: Lucky bastard. You can just leave whenever you want.

Kai: Of course I can. I’m the boss.

Kai leaves the building. He gets in his car and drives over to the school. He sees Genki standing on the sidewalk with his teacher there. Kai gets out of the car. The teacher is standing there with a piece of paper on a clipboard.

Teacher: Sign this to take your son home.

Kai signs the paper.

Teacher: He fought in class. That kind of behavior is unacceptable.

Kai: I know what he did. Let me decide what’s acceptable and not acceptable for my son, alright?

Kai and Genki both get in the car. Kai sees Genki is nervous through the mirror.

Kai: You okay?

Genki: Are you going to yell at me like mum?

Kai shakes his head.

Kai: Nope. I just want to talk. We can talk now or later. We can sit in this car all day, I’ve got time. Whenever you’re ready.

Kai takes the car out of the park. As Kai starts driving he checks the mirror every now and again. He can see Genki is getting ready to tell him something.

Genki: They were talking about my mom and dad. I don’t even remember them. They were telling me about how bad my parents are.

Kai: Your mother and father loved you. Your mother and father were both parts of the military. I met them during the war and took you in when they gave their lives to win against the mutants. The next time they talk to you like that tell them who your parents really were. They won’t know what to say. They’ll stop after that.

Genki: How do you know?

Kai: I’ve had to deal with a lot of people Genki. They just think you’re easy to pick on. Once you show that your not they’ll find someone easier to pick on.

Genki: You’re not mad?

Kai: No, neither is Remi. She just didn’t like that you fought is all.

Kai pulls into his driveway. The old mansion he has is rebuilt with new more modern technology. Kai’s car pulls into the garage. The door shuts behind them and they get out of the car. They both walk inside. Kai sees Remi.

Kai: Genki, go upstairs and do your homework. I know you didn’t get it all done during detention.

Genki runs upstairs.

Remi: Did you talk to him about it?

Kai: Of course I did. It’s just a phase. As he gets a little older he won’t remember his other parents at all. The kids will think he’s great because he rich. Right now the kids just try to find a kid littler than them.

Remi: I felt so bad about yelling at him. I didn’t realize what had happened. The teacher just made it seem like he was fighting.

Kai: Genki’s good. He wouldn’t fight for no reason. Alright, who’s making dinner?

Remi: I will because you have to pick up the twins tomorrow for their dentist appointment.

Kai: Ah! Mindless chores! Can’t you do it?

Remi starts taking food out of the fridge and getting ready to cook.

Remi: I have a story to work on for the news. You can’t handle the twins for a day?

Kai: No, those little beasties have too much energy.

Remi: There your little beasties.

The twins run in the room. They both yell at the same time.

Twins: Dad!

Kai gets down on one knee and hugs them.

Remi: Caleb, Rachel, you get your homework done?

Rachel: Yes.

Remi: Alright, you can play outside now.

They both run outside.

Kai: Their monsters.

## Museum - Issue 2

Kai is driving the car to the Dentist. Caleb and Rachel sit in the back of the car.

Caleb: Why do we need to go to the dentist?

Kai: Because you hate brushing your teeth.

Rachel: Nuh uh, we have good teeth!

They both smile showing their teeth.

Kai: That’s adorable, but you still need to go to the dentist.

They pout in the back seat.

Kai: If you’re good then maybe you’ll get something. If your not, I’ll fight you.

Rachel: What do we get?

Kai: Don’t push your luck.

The car stops and they all get out. They hold Kai’s hand as they walk through the parking lot. They walk inside and the kids sit down while Kai grabs paper work. Kai soon sits down. He looks at Rachel.

Kai: Stay a kid. You won’t have paperwork.

They are eventually called in. Caleb sits down in the chair first. Kai and Rachel sit in the side chairs. Kai starts hearing his name being called.

Fang: Kai.

Kai taps his earpeice.

Kai: Can this wait?

Fang: No.

Kai sighs.

Kai: I’ll be right back. I have to take a call. I’ll be right outside.

Kai steps out for a minute.

——————————————————————————————————————————

The door to Rachel’s house burts open. Caleb walks inside almost tripping over his own feet. A man walks out of the kitchen.

Caleb: Will! I’ll kill you! You're banging my sister!

Caleb goes to run at Will. Caleb trips and falls on the floor.

Will: You already know I’m with your sister.

Caleb: The ground knocked some sense into me. I’m still going to kill you. Just, after I sober up.

Will: Need water?

Caleb: Shut up!

Will: I’ll get you water.

A few minutes later Caleb is laying on the couch. Caleb is covering his face with his hands. Will puts a glass of water next to Caleb.

Rachel: Did your great fall hurt, Humpty dumpty?

Caleb: No, I just feel like throwing up. If you keep talking I might just blow chunks all over this living room.

Rachel: Why are you always so spiteful?

Caleb: Because you took me away from the bar.

Will: You sound like an addict.

Caleb: I’m also an adult that can make his own decision. Like beating the shit out of you.

Will: Like you could do that. You’ll just fall on your face again.

Rachel: Caleb, we’re worried about you. You’re at the bar more than you’re at your own home!

Caleb: If you’re going to force me to be sober I would rather do it while people aren’t telling me about all the bad decisions I make in life. Just look at who you married?!

Will: Y’know Caleb. I’ve always been here for you. Even if you treated me like dirt because I know you haven’t been the same since your father left, but your a real fucking asshole now.

Caleb: You know why?! Bcause when we were in college you were my best friend! You lied to me for two years. I asked you whether you were dating my sister and you denied it! I would call you and you would run over sweaty from having sex with my sister behind my back! You were there for me? No, you were making up for what you did!

Will: Get out of my house.

Caleb: I’ve been trying you, but your wife dragged me in here.

Caleb walks past Rachel who just has he head down. He leaves the house.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai: What’s going on Fang?

Fang: The target fled. I think he might have gone to his museum, but I don’t know for sure. It would take to long for me to find a route inside and to sneak around. You can go undercover and find it out much faster.

Kai: I’m the head of the demon. I’m suppose to give the orders.

Fang: You have a better idea?

Kai: No, I was just telling you you’re place. We’ll go with your plan.

Kai turns off his coms and walks back in.

Dentist: Your teeth look great. Have you been brushing everyday?

Caleb: I try not to.

Dentist: No, you have to brush your teeth everyday and keep them healthy.

Kai: I make him brush his teath everyday, not without a fight though.

Caleb gets up from the chair.

Kai: Alright Rachel. I expect your teeth to be better than Calebs because you do what you’re told.

—————————————————————————————————————————

They are all back in the car. Kai is driving the car down the long road. Kai puts down the window and puts on sunglasses.

Caleb: What do we get?

Rachel: Yeah, what do we get?

Kai: God, I shouldn’t have said anything. Spoiled brats. Who wants to go to the museum?

They both raise there hands.

Kai: Put your hands down. You guys aren’t in school. They treat you kids like dogs, jesus.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Remi walks inside the reporter building.

Female Reporter: The boss wanted to speak with you.

Remi: Is it another change? I feel like one more change and I’m fired for good.

Female Reporter: She probably wants to talk about the stories your doing.

Remi: Wish me luck.

Remi walks into her bosses office. She sits down in the chair.

Boss: Remi, it’s good to see you. Usually you just come in to clock in and you leave before I even get to see you.

Remi: My work is fun. I like to get a head start.

Boss: I know, and that’s why I want to promote you to the mutant department.

Remi: What?

Boss: The people need something to hate. They are itching for reasons to hate mutants even more. You need to find out stories about the remaining mutants. I’ll give you some time because it’s hard now that all the mutants are being thrown in prison.

Remi: What if I can’t find any mutant stories?

Boss: Don’t be so pessimistic. I believe in you.

Remi leaves the building.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai and the kids walk into the museum. They whole museum is all about the Mutant Civil War. Caleb and Rachel run over to a statue of President Bordon. They look enticed by the scenery and displays. Kai walks over to them.

Kai: I’ll be right back. If any strangers walk up to you say my name and I’ll come.

Rachel: Okay.

Kai looks around the place. People bump into him over and over again. Lots of voices fill his ears as he searches for a suspicious place. Kai mumbles under his breath.

Kai: Not here. He would do either be on the floor above or the basement. He wouldn’t be on the floor with all the people. To easy to be spotted with the cameras.

Kai sees the cameras.

Kai: That’s it. A camera would be at the door because he wants to know if anyone is coming.

People look at him strangely. Kai taps his earpiece and they look relieved. Kai finds a door away from everybody. There is a camera facing right at the door. Kai teleports inside the door. He lands on a staircase. He starts walking down the staircase. The target is talking to a woman.

Target: I need you to protect me.

Woman: Why?

Target: They are insane! I was attacked by, by some ninja! He held me out of the building. I was dangling in the air! He was going to kill me over some pollution problems or something.

Woman: No they weren’t. No one is taking down business men for polluting. You must have done something else or they are attacking every single company out there. What did you do?

Target: Nothing!

Woman: If you want to have a work relationship there can’t be lies. I won’t help you.

Target: It’s because I pollute the waters around my hospitals so my hospitals make money, okay! It just so happens that most of them are kids! It’s not my fault! The hospital was a bad investment!

A small blade goes through the chest of the man.

Target: I thought you were going to protect me!

Woman: I protect good people.

Target: I’ve seen your work! You’re a rotten human.

Woman: I’m not that bad, but I think you misunderstood. I protect good people and myself.

She pushes the small blade further into his chest. She turns the blade kiiling him. Kai sees a glow around the blade as he walks a step further down the stairs. He sees the womans long beautiful white hair. Kai takes one more step down the stairs

Rachel: Kai!

The voice startled him. The stair creeks and Kai teleports outside of the room just as the woman looked at the stairs.

Woman: Must just be my imagination.

She shrugs.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai walks back into the main room. He sees a man talking to his children.

Kai: Excuse me, who are you?

Man: Who are you?!

Kai: I’m there father. So let me ask again. Who are you?

The man walks away.

Caleb: This place is awesome! There are cool people with superpowers and stuff.

Kai: Really?

They continue to look around the museum

——————————————————————————————————————————

Later that day, Kai drives back home with Caleb and Rachel taking a nap in the back seat. When Kai gets home he picks both of them up and puts them in there beds. Kai starts cooking dinner. An hour later, Remi walks through the door and drops her bag on the couch.

Kai: Someone’s angry.

Remi: My boss wants me to do stories on mutants!

Kai: The mutants locked up. What story is there to tell?

Remi: That’s the problem. What am I going to do? There isn’t any story to tell.

Kai: You could always go to the mutant camps. I could call Terra or Bordon and get you into one to do a story.

Remi: I’ll try it.

Kai: I’ll call her tomorrow.

Remi walks over to Kai and looks over his shoulder as he cooks on the stove.

Remi: What’s for dinner.

Kai: You’re so fat.

## Puppeteer - Issue 3

The white haired young woman walks through the New York streets at night. She holds out her dagger-like blade. It shines four white colored lights into the distance. She walks down an alley, following the brightest light. She hides as she hears trucks. Two B.L.A.D.E. trucks drive by the alleyway. As soon as they turn the corner the woman runs over to an old abandoned theatre. She holds up her blade. The light goes inside the building. She opens up the unlocked door. She walks through a room. As she opens another door she sees a stage with lights on. A crowd full of people are watching the play. She walks past the people watching the play. There is a little booth on the stage. Two puppets are being voiced.

Puppet: I was really mad at my friend Mark for stealing my dictionary.

Puppet2: What’d you tell him?

Puppet: I told him, mark my words!

The whole crowd laughs.

Puppet: Why did the invisible man turn down the job offer?

Puppet: Why?

Puppet: He couldn’t see himself doing it!

Everyone laughs again.

Woman: I heard they call you the Soul Master.

A man stands up from behind the booth. He has short brown hair and big crazy eyes. He has a sock puppet on each hand.

Soul Master: Who told you? Was it one of my audience?!

He points into the crowd.

Soul Master: Who snitched?

Woman: It was no one in the audience, but the man’s identity will not be given.

Soul Master: It was a man!

Every man in the audience has a small white orb come out of their mouths. Once the orb leaves them they drop to the ground dead. The orbs fly into the puppets on Soul Master’s hands.

Soul Master: What do you want?! Did you just come here to tell me someone was a snitch?

Woman: I want to make a deal with you. I need something, but it’s heavily guarded and I can’t get it myself. I need you to use your power so everyone lets me steal it.

Soul Master: What’s in it for me?

Woman: Your theatre looks a little run down-

Soul Master: It’s perfect, I’ll kill you!

Soul master reaches for a knife in his pocket.

Woman: Why don’t you make it more perfect. If you control people inside a bank I can steal you all the money you need to make your perfect theatre. How does that sound?

Soul Master: I could steal the money by myself!

Woman: What if you get caught? They won’t let a criminal own a theatre.

Soul Master: You’re right! It’s a deal!

Woman: Good.

Soul Master: What’s your name, strange woman?

She bows.

Woman: My name is Shi.

Soul Master: No, not your gender. Your name.

Everyone in the crowd laughs.

Shi: Let’s go.

Soul Master: Now?

Shi: Now.

Shi starts walking out of the theatre. Soul Master follows her.

Soul Master: No refunds!

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai walks inside his skyscraper. Kai has a coffee from the bibble and sip in his hand. He walks inside an elevator. Max runs up to the elevator.

Max: Hold it!

Kai waves to max and drinks his coffee as the door shuts in his face. Kai gets an angry text from Max. Kai just laughs at it and puts his phone back in his pocket. The elevator opens and Kai walks out of the elevator. His secretary sits at her desk doing paperwork. She almost doesn’t see him. Once she realizes he’s there she gets up.

Secretary: Mr.Adara, you have a meeting in five minutes with the shareholders of the company.

Kai: I’ll get to it when I get to it.

Kai walks inside his office. He sees a card on his hologram projector. It’s from Max. The print says “I upgraded the damn thing.”

Kai: Now I feel bad for not holding the door.

The hologram turns on. It shows the news.

Reporter: Last night a bank was robbed without the police being called. The guards said it was like they were being controlled. Is it a new mutant, or are the guards lying-

Kai switches the hologram over to a map of the city. Kai zooms in on the bank. He brings up a hologram of the bank that was robbed. Kai drinks more of his coffee.

Kai: I know this bank. I don’t think those guards would have been criminals. It’s probably a mutant. Hologram!

The holograms speakers respond.

Hologram: What would you like me to do?

Kai: Send Fang an alert to check out the guards at the Bank of America on 125th street.

Someone knocks on Kai’s door.

Kai switches the hologram back to the skyscraper. He opens the door and it’s his secretary.

Secretary: Mr.Adara, the meeting is right now.

Kai: I’m going. I’m going.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai stands up in front of a group of people still drinking his coffee. A chart of the sales in the company. The chart line slowly rises up. Max is one of the people in the group.

Kai: Our sales have been steadily increasing as more and more people get jobs and have the money to buy our tech.

Shareholder: Not good enough for me! We need the sales to rise faster.

Kai: Okay greedy. Who owns the company?

Kai continues.

Kai: That’s why we’re coming out with cheap watches. They’ll be able to call people and all that, but they will have a lot of weaker tech then our phones. They will be affordable and practically like an older phone but newer.

Shareholder: We’re a company who only sells to the higher class.

Kai: Why don’t you try to broaden your horizons? Who wants to start making cheaper tech?

Most of the shareholders raise their hands.

Kai: Thank you.

Kai leaves the meeting room.

Kai: I think that's enough for today. I’ll have the whole house to myself if I go home. Remi’s at the mutant camps. So I can chill.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Remi is led through the mutant camp by a B.L.A.D.E. soldier.

Soldier: Ms.Lorenz can not make it. She has to look after several camps. So she travels around if there is ever any word of a breakout.

Remi: So there is word of a breakout and Terra is just now leaving to deal with it?

Soldier: Are you trying to suggest there was an actual breakout. No, impossible. Ms.Lorenz just goes to make sure nothing happens. When word spreads it’s usually just because a mutant wants to break out. Not because they actually can.

Remi: What are the conditions like?

Soldier: The conditions are just like any other prison. Three meals a day. They all have war crimes against them. We don’t try to make their life fun, we try to make it feel like a punishment.

Remi walks past cells. Mutants slam on the bars of the cells.

Remi: And they can’t use their powers in there?

Soldier: No, of course not. If you want to continue to look around, do so. Just stay out of the locked areas.

Remi sneaks around the mutant camp. She sees mutants outside working out. She walks past at least a hundred cells. She finds nothing. She walks up to a locked door. She makes a little spark and puts it in the lock of a door. It makes a small explosion and unlocks the door. She walks in and shuts the door behind her. All she sees is a generator.

Remi: Dammit. There’s no story here. None of this is exciting or interesting. Everyone already knows about the mutant camps.

Remi sighs and leans against a wall.

Remi: What am I going to do?

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai opens the door to his house. He walks inside and sits on the couch. Kai puts his feet up and turns on the tv. Three League members walk up from behind him. Kai doesn’t turn around.

Kai: What?

League member: We saw a man outside of the bank.

Kai: What bank?

League member: Fang told us you said the Bank of America on 125th street. We saw a man outside that building. We thought he was insane because he had sock puppets.

Kai: Maybe he had something to do with it? Keep a lookout. Things might be getting interesting from here on out. New York city might have more of a criminal underground than I thought.

## Drive - Issue 4

Caleb is walking back to the bar. He opens the door and hears the yelling of drunk men and women.

Caleb: Shut up!

He walks over to the bar.

Caleb: I want my keys.

Bartender: You look sobered up.

Caleb: I don’t want to talk about it.

The bartender hands Caleb his keys. Caleb grabs his keys and leaves the bar. Caleb gets in his car with his head pounding. Caleb thinks back to his argument with Will and Rachel.

Will: I’ve always been here for you. Even if you treated me like dirt because I know you haven’t been the same since your father left, but your a real fucking asshole now.

Caleb slams his hands on his steering wheel. The horn honks again and again. Caleb pulls out of the parking lot.

Caleb: I need to clear my head.

Caleb's car slowly starts driving on the road as it starts to get dark.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai wakes up at noon. He gets out of bed and takes a shower. Once Kai throws on new clothes he walks downstairs. Kai starts thinking to himself about the bank robbery. He mumbles his rapid thoughts under his breath.

Kai: If one person was outside then what was he doing? A mutant wouldn’t need a lookout. He must have been doing something. Maybe he was the one controlling the guards? Who actually robbed the bank then? Was it the girl? I need to check on Cal’s Soul Blade.

Kai gets in his car and drives over to the police department. Kai walks inside the building. There are a lot of B.L.A.D.E. soldiers walking around. Kai walks through the aisle of desks for detectives. Some of the police are working on documents as others are laughing and joking around. Kai walks up a small staircase. He opens the door to the biggest office in the building. He sits down in the chair. In front of him is Commissioner Owen.

Kai: Do you even have time for me now? You’re a big time cop.

Owen: Maybe I can spare a little time. How have you been?

Kai: As good as I can ever be.

Owen: I hear you. I walk into the office praying I don’t have a stack of papers on my desk.

Kai: That must be awful. I’m saying things are as good as they get while I just skipped out on work. You’re sitting here doing paperwork all day.

Owen: You’re right. You should stop complaining.

Owen’s phone starts ringing.

Owen: One second.

Owen picks up the phone for a minute before ending the call.

Kai: What’s going on?

Owen: Another bank was robbed. I gotta go. So, why are you here?

Kai: I need to see Cal’s blade.

Owen: The blade the department picked up years ago from the Teflon killer?

Kai: Yeah, that one.

Owen: Alright.

Owen stands up and walks out the room. Kai follows him.

Owen: What’s so special about this blade?

Kai: I think it might have something to do with the recent bank heists.

Owen: You think that the guards aren’t lying?

Kai: If I’m right. There telling the truth.

Owen: I thought they were. It’s too unbelievable to be a lie. I especially don’t believe that all the guards would have been in on it. Not a single one of them said they weren’t controlled.

Kai: That could always be good planning.

Owen: Now with multiple banks being robbed the same way? I don’t think so.

Kai: Just making suggestions.

They walk into a room full of items the department has picked up. Kai sees Cal’s giant blade on the floor.

Kai: They still haven’t got it yet.

Owen: Why would they even know about this blade?

Kai: I have a theory, but there isn’t really any backing for it. I think they both have soul blades, like this one. I know of a girl that has one, but we have no idea who is actually robbing the banks. There is still a good reason it isn’t her because she seemed adamant on protecting good people and punishing the bad.

Owen: Not a single person has been killed during the heists. The good people haven’t been harmed.

Kai: It’s still sketchy.

Owen: Don’t tell me it’s sketchy. It’s your theory.

Kai: Will you look after the blade while it’s here? If the blade is taken then that woman could have something to do with the attacks.

Owen: Or it could be a coincidence. A blade being robbed from the police and bank heists are two separate events.

Kai: But what is the chance that there are multiple mutants or soul blade users active with B.L.A.D.E. soldiers all around?

Owen: It’s not unheard of, but if the woman was really attacking these banks she would use that same controller power on all the soldiers here.

Kai: If you get controlled, tell me.

Owen: I can do that. Now, I gotta go.

Kai: I’ll talk to you later.

Kai goes to the store and eventually drives back home. As his car pulls into the driveway the bus stops. Genki and the twins get out of the bus. Kai walks inside from the garage. The front door opens and the twins burst in.

Rachel: Can we play outside?

Caleb: Yeah, can we?

Kai: Of course you can. Your mother will probably make you do your homework once she gets back though. You got like an hour, go!

They run outside. Genki starts walking upstairs.

Kai: Bad day at school?

Genki: The kids stopped messing with me.

Kai: So then what happened?

Genki: I failed a test…

Kai sighs.

Kai: It’s not a big deal. You being upset about it is what matters. You balance out a bad test with better grades. Your mother is better with the academic stuff. She’ll help you out, and if you really don’t understand we’ll get you a tutor. What class did you fail in?

Genki: Math.

Kai: Don’t you normally do well in math?

Genki: Yeah, I don’t know what happened.

Kai: You’re not going to get everything in math. You’ll do well in some parts and worse in others. You’ll do better on the next test.

Kai hears the door opening.

Kai: Go start your homework. I’ll get Remi to help you out in a bit.

Genki walks up the stairs.

Remi walks inside and starts taking off her shoes.

Kai: How’d your trip go?

Remi: Terrible. The mutant camps don’t have any story. They're just holding mutants. Everyone already knows about them.

Kai: You’ll find a story. Stories are always happening. Eventually a mutant story will come up.

Remi sighs and walks up to Kai.

Remi: Can you just go fight somebody and tell me about it?

Kai laughs.

Kai: Just like the old days. When I would go take down a criminal and we’d tell each other about all we did that day.

Remi: You didn’t even talk! All you would tell me about was the story. Then I would talk the whole rest of the time.

Kai: And you loved it.

Remi leans against Kai and he holds her.

Remi: Yeah.

Kai and Remi hear a crash outside.

Remi: Did you let the kids play outside?!

Kai: Only for an hour.

They both walk outside. The twins are rough housing. Caleb goes to tackle Rachel. Jet flames come off of his feet propelling him forward. A pink wall appears in front of Caleb. He slams into the wall and hits the ground.

Caleb: Ow!

Caleb starts crying and Remi runs over to him and swaddles him.

Kai: What did I tell you guys about powers!?

Rachel: Caleb started it!

Caleb: N-no I didn’t.

Kai: Alright, you two need some time away from each other. C’mon Caleb.

Caleb follows Kai into the garage. Caleb sits in the back seat wiping his tears away. Kai starts the car. Kai pulls the car out of the driveway.

Caleb: W-where are we going?

Kai: We’re just driving around. Just watch what’s around you. Put down your window if you want.

Caleb looks out the window. He watches the houses go by. Then he hears barking. Caleb sees a dog running around.

Caleb: Look it’s a dog!

Kai: I see him.

Kai sees Caleb get excited and forget that he was even sad.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Caleb stops his car at a light. He turns onto the highway. His car starts picking up speed. Caleb is holding a liquor bottle he got from the back seat. He drinks another swig of the bottle.

Caleb: Car drives don’t trick me anymore. It’s not clearing my mind!

Caleb drinks another swing.

Caleb: My mother dies, my father leaves, my sister and best friend hate me, Genki moved and left me alone. I got fucking nobody!

Caleb keeps switching his lanes getting in front of cars. People are honking their horns, but the alcohol is drowning out the noise.

Caleb: See, god, we’re in a fight. You’re going to keep pilling the bullshit on until I’ve hit my limit.

Caleb drinks another swing.

Caleb: I won’t give you the fucking satisfaction.

Caleb takes his hands off the wheel and flips off the sky. The car turns hard to the right. The car drives straight for a tree. The car swings left at the last second. The car smashes into the tree.

## Cloak - Issue 5

Caleb is inside of a hospital. Will is sitting down in one of the chairs. Rachel is standing beside the bed. Caleb has cuts and bruises all over him. There is an iv in his arm. His eyes start to slowly open. Caleb starts to sit up in his bed to no avail. He winces in pain and lays back down.

Rachel: Caleb?

There's a moment of silence.

Caleb: I thought a hangover was bad. Jesus, my head is killing me.

Rachel hugs him.

Will: They said that your brakes were cut. We came over here as soon as we heard what had happened.

Caleb thinks back to the accident. He remembers stopping at the light right before the accident.

Caleb: I don’t know who would have cut my breaks.

Rachel: We’ll figure it out. Don’t worry about it. You need to get some rest and get better.

Caleb: Will, can you ask the doctors when will I be let out?

Will: Sure, I can ask them. I’ll be right back.

Will leaves the room.

Caleb: Rachel, did you see my car?

Rachel: Your car is totaled. The whole right side is destroyed.

Caleb: My car swung at the last second. I saw our father in that stupid old costume of his.

Rachel: You were probably dreaming.

Caleb: No, I saw him. The car would have never turned.

Rachel: You wouldn’t have turned the car? If the tree was going to hit the right side of your car, why wouldn’t you turn?

Caleb: Because my brakes weren’t cut.

Rachel: How? They said there were perfect slashes in the breaks!

Caleb: Keep your voice down. I stopped at a red light before I turned onto the highway. The breaks weren’t cut until either the crash or after the crash. We need to find our father.

Rachel: No, the only time you need to be thinking about our father is when you’re in therapy.

Will walks in.

Will: Caleb, they said you can leave at the end of the day. You seem fine, they just want to monitor you for a little longer.

Caleb: Then I’ll rest up today, but no therapy!

Caleb holds his head.

Caleb: God, that hurts.

——————————————————————————————————————————

The next day Caleb is laying in Rachel’s guest room. Caleb stands up in some pain. He walks around to get his bearings. Caleb leaves the room and walks to the kitchen. He grabs some bread and makes toast for breakfast. He quickly eats and tries to get out of the door as soon as possible. As he puts his hand on the door knob Rachel is standing behind him.

Rachel: You better not be going out to find our father.

Caleb: Why, you want to come?

Rachel: No, you know that wasn’t him! It was a dream!

Caleb: We never heard anything about his death.

Rachel: Just because he is alive doesn’t mean he saved you!

Caleb: Then I’ll find him and ask.

Rachel: You’re so hopelessly hardheaded and stupid!

Caleb: So you’re coming?

Rachel: If I didn’t then who would look after you?

Caleb: No one, I guess.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Caleb and Rachel walk down the street passing many buildings. Rachel gets tired of walking without knowing where they are going.

Rachel: Where do you want to even start looking?

Caleb: We’ll start at this bar I know.

Rachel: Which one?

Caleb: Heh, good one. I know all the bars in Manhattan. That’s how I know where to get the best information, and where the real criminals hang out.

Rachel: Should we really be looking, “where the real criminals,” are? You can’t even fight.

Caleb: Then we won’t start a fight.

Caleb and Rachel walk behind a clothing store. They see a staircase down with a little hut over the staircase. They walk down the stairs and open the door. They see a bunch of drunk people laughing. A man sees Caleb. A man yells at Caleb.

Man: Caleb’s here! Now the real party starts!

Caleb: Eh, not today.

Man: You’re always ready!

Caleb: Soon, man. Soon.

Caleb and Rachel sit down at the bar.

Caleb: These people really are evil. They’re at a bar before breakfast.

Rachel: They’re you.

The bartender walks up to them.

Bartender: Ah, what drink you want today.

Caleb: No drink, information.

Bartender: On?

Caleb: The Crimson Dragon. If anyone knows where he is.

Bartender: That’s going to cost you.

Caleb: How much.

Bartender: A g.

Rachel: Can’t we get it for less than that? Maybe if we cut a deal?

Bartender: You ain’t pretty enough for that.

Rachel: That’s not what I meant.

Bartender: Then what did you mean?

Rachel: A trade.

Bartender: And what exactly of yours would I want?

Rachel: We know what’s going on down here-

Bartender: You're a cop?

Caleb: She’s not a cop. You really think I would hang out with a cop. She’s not a snitch either. I hate both. I’ll give you the g.

Bartender: That’s more like it.

Caleb hands over money.

Bartender: There’s this person that goes around wearing a cloak.

Caleb: Man or woman?

Bartender: I’d tell you if I knew. The person has been going around talking about taking down the Crimson Dragon. Came into this bar once or twice. Seemed like the Crimson dragon may be a personal vendetta. The person wanted some artifact. Guess it was important. If you really need a gender. My guess, it was a man. Walked with power.

Caleb: Do you know where we can find this guy?

Bartender: You know how to find people, Caleb. I have no idea where the guy could be.

Caleb: Alright then. Thanks for the info.

Bartender: Come back any time.

Caleb and Rachel start walking down the street.

Rachel: How do we find this girl?

Caleb: How am I supposed to know? She could be anywhere!

Rachel: The bartender just said you knew how to find people. Wait, Caleb… What is your job?

Caleb: What do you mean?

Rachel: You dropped out of college after our mother died. What do you do?

Caleb sighs.

Caleb: I track people down. It’s the only thing I’m good at, okay! I can’t build shit, I’m not smart, I’m a college dropout! What the hell else am I supposed to do?!

Rachel: Do you at least find criminals?

Caleb: I do whatever pays the bills. I don’t care whether it’s a criminal or a man who donates to homeless puppies. Why do you think I get respect in a bar like that even though I’m not a good fighter? I do what it takes to get the job done. Now I’m going back to the house and think about a plan for when it turns to night.

——————————————————————————————————————————

That night, Rachel and Caleb dress in darker clothes. They go out on the street almost covered in the darkness.

Rachel: You said you were coming up with a plan.

Caleb: The bartender tried to trick us, but he ended up giving us the exact place the guy will be. The bartender said that the man was looking for information and had came inside the bar before. Then he said that the guy was around. The man comes to the bar at night for information. It’s obvious.

Rachel: I think you were lying when you said you weren't smart. You never did good in school, but you can solve mysteries like Uncle Owen.

Caleb: I have to deal with that bartender all the time. I’m just used to his shit.

Caleb and Rachel walk back down the stairs. People are dancing all over. The place looks more like a club than a regular bar. The twins split up and search the floor. They have to squeeze by several people. Caleb sees out of the corner of his eye a cloak. Caleb starts running around the bar trying to keep up with the man in the cloak. Caleb finds the man in the cloak again. The man in the cloak is walking up the stairs, walking out of the bar. Caleb runs through the crowd catching up with the man. Rachel sees him and starts following. When Caleb sees the man in the cloak outside the bar, the man turns around. He looks at Caleb. All Caleb can see is the man’s eyes. Cold and dead. Rachel walks up the stairs and sees them.

???: You’re not supposed to track someone down who’s inside the bar. I can kill you for that.

Caleb: We don’t want to fight you. That’s why it’s allowed. We want to know something from you. Where’s the Crimson Dragon?

???: He’s my kill.

Caleb: We aren’t trying to kill him. We need to talk with him.

???: I can’t help you. No one knows where he is.

Rachel: You must know something! You are trying to kill him and you have no idea?

???: I’ve been trying to kill him for years. One day, he disappeared. No one knows where he is. I don’t need to know where he is now to kill him.

The man tries to walk away. Caleb grabs the man’s arm. The man punches Caleb in the jaw. Rachel runs over. The man grabs Caleb and throws him into Rachel. When they both look up, the man is gone. Caleb slams his hand on the ground.

Caleb: Shit!

## Sword - Issue 6

In the front yard, the twins are standing in front of Kai.

Kai: Your powers are finally coming in. That means that you're going to have to wear these bracelets. You won’t be able to use your powers while you wear them. Don’t tell anyone about your powers, okay.

The twins speak at the same time.

Twins: Okay.

Kai: Alright now go off to school.

The twins run up next to Genki, waiting for the bus. The bus comes and picks them up. Kai walks back over to Remi.

Remi: Should we really believe they aren’t going to tell anyone?

Kai: No, they’ll at least tell a few people. Who’s going to believe them though? They’re kids.

Remi: B.L.A.D.E. might.

Kai: If anything happens I’ll get Bordon on the line.

Remi grabs the necklace she is wearing.

Remi: You gave me this so the B.L.A.D.E. scanners don’t pick up that I’m mutant. If the kids bracelets work the same then they’ll be fine.

Kai: Of course they will. The bracelets lock onto their wrists. The only one who could figure out how to take it off is the teacher.

Remi: And I emailed the school that their bracelets need to stay on.

Kai: So they will be fine.

Remi: I’m worried. I wish neither of them had superpowers, but I’m glad that Genki doesn’t at least.

Kai: We’ll teach them to live without their superpowers. Not to be ashamed of having them, but how to live a good life without it.

Remi: I never want them to grow up and become superheroes.

Kai: It’s a good career. Look at where it got me.

Remi rolls her eyes at him.

Remi: You’re lucky you heal fast. So many people have died while you were running around. Your human friends and other heroes. I can’t imagine having to bury my own kids.

Kai: That’s why we’re here. Tou protect our kids.

Remi: When they’re adults there’s only so much we can do. I don’t want to be overbearing.

Kai: Then teach them why they shouldn’t while they are young. Once they get older they’ll make whatever decisions they see fit. Whether we think it was the right decision or not.

The bus picks up the kids and drives away.

Kai: Remi, you’ll still be there to guide them even when they’re adults. You can only do so much. So stop worrying about it.

Remi kisses Kai on the cheek.

Remi: I know. I just wish the circumstances were better. I gotta go. I’ll see you later.

Remi walks back inside the house and Kai walks over to the garage. Kai gets in his car and drives to work. When Kai gets in the elevator Max comes running. Kai holds the door and Max gets in.

Max: I thought you were going to wave again like the piece of shit you are.

Kai: That’s no way to talk to your boss.

Max: You're still an asshole.

Kai: One time thing.

Max: A one time murder still makes you a killer.

Kai: You got me there.

Max: So?

Kai: So what?

Max: You know.

Kai: I have no idea what you are talking about.

Max: With all these mutant bank robberies. Are you going to dawn the mask again?

Kai: Hell no. B.L.A.D.E. can handle that with all the government funds. Plus Remi’s gained a hatred for superheroes along with the rest of the world.

Max: Remi doesn’t want you to get hurt? You can heal fast! What kind of dumb shit is that?!

Kai: Probably because we have kids now. Even if I don't die, the kids don’t need to see me come home bloody and beaten.

The elevator stops and opens. Kai and Max walk out of the elevator.

Max: Your kids don’t matter!

Kai: Let’s agree to disagree on that one.

They walk inside Kai’s office as the secretary looks dumb founded.

Secretary: Is he gay?

Inside Kai’s office, the hologram turns on.

Max: You’re really not going to fight at all?

Kai: Nope, I’m just going to give any information I learn about to Owen.

Max: That doesn’t sound like you at all. Very beta male.

Kai: I didn’t ask to be judged.

Max: You’re scared of a little fght!

Kai: I’m not scared.

Max: You’re scared of being bloody and beaten. You said it yourself.

Kai: You are really twisting my words.

Max: Admit that you’re scared!

The secretary hears the yelling from outside the office.

Secretary: Maybe I should find another job?

Back in the other room Kai is shaking his head.

Kai: Why are you so into this case? It’s just bank robberies! Why do you care?

Max: I’m bored! I have nothing to do anymore. What am I supposed to do on my computer? You have me the special computer and I can’t even use it for anything special anymore. I go to work, I come home and hang out with my boyfriend. Then I sleep and go back to work. I have absolutely nothing to do.

Kai: You want to make me fight people for your entertainment.

There is a moment of silence.

Max: Exactly.

Kai: Get back to work Max!

Kai sends Max out of his office. The secretary walks up to Max.

Secretary: Is the boss gay?

Max: What? He has two kids.

Secretary: You and I both know that doesn’t mean anything.

Max: No, he’s not gay. We're just talking about a meeting about a new product, but he can’t go because of his kids.

Secretary: Oh, okay.

Max: Yeah.

Max walks away.

Max: She wants to sleep with him.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Owen is sitting at his desk. He is shuffling through papers.

Owen: Blueberry donut or Chocolate glazed. The tough decisions of a cop. I’ll just get both.

Owen finds a paper with a picture of Soul Master on it. Owen starts reading the text on the paper.

Owen: Julian Baker, less formally known as Soul Master. B.L.A.D.E tried to capture him once, to no avail. He controlled all of them and made them kill each other. He claims it was for his amusement.

Owen mumbles as he scans the text on the page. He starts speaking more clearly as he gets to important information.

Owen: He was in a mental institute since he was fifteen. He broke out at the age of twenty one. He controlled everyone in the mental hospital and made them perform puppet shows.

Owen looks disgusted at what he is reading.

Owen: This man is insane. He needs to be taken down immediately. He has no regard for life. It’s surprising he hasn’t killed anyone during the bank robberies. That’s proof he isn’t working alone.

Owen sees everyone outside of the office is completely still. Owen sees a woman walk through the front door. Owen grabs his gun and runs out of his office. He holds up his gun and the woman takes out her blade. Owen shoots off a few arounds. As the two bullets come her way she slices them both in half. Owen tries to shoot again, but he is frozen. Owen drops his gun and puts both arms at his side.

Owen: I can’t control my body.

Shi: You're lucky you still have control over your mouth.

Owen: Then why do I?

Shi: Because I like you. You went against the whole police department because they were corrupt. You’re amazing.

The woman starts walking over to the hallway.

Owen: What are you trying to get?

Shi: I know who you’re friends with. You already know what I want. Don’t play dumb.

The woman walks out of sight for a minute. When she comes back into sight her blade is at her side and she is holding Cal’s sword with both hands. She walks back over to Owen and puts the sword down. She kisses Owen on the cheek.

Shi: Maybe we can play again sometime.

She picks the sword back up and carries it over to four B.L.A.D.E. soldiers. They’re all lined up.

Shi: I don’t hurt good people, but we all know what B.L.A.D.E. soldiers are. They’re just the worst. So you’re going to have to die.

They all yell through closed lips, unable to move.

Shi: Yeah, see you in Hell.

She lifts up the sword and swings. The sword cuts through all of them. The two halves of each body fall on the ground. Cal’s sword is covered in blood.

Shi: Bloody, just as I like it.

Shi leaves the building. A few minutes after she leaves everyone can move again.

Owen: The only woman that likes me and she is a murderous psychopath.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai drives home from the school with all the children in the back seat.

Genki: Why are we getting picked up today?

Kai: We’re all going somewhere today, but we have to go home and pick up your mother.

Caleb: Where are we going?

Kai: It’s a secret.

Rachel: For how long?

Kai: Until we get there.

Genki: You two are so annoying.

Caleb: Am not!

Genki: Are to!

Kai: Nope, none of that. If you’re going to argue like that you might as well just be quiet.

Kai pulls the car into the garage.

Kai: If you gotta go to the bathroom go.

Nobody moves.

Kai: Good.

Kai walks inside the house. Hung on the wall is Cal’s sword covered in blood. Kai walks up to the sword. Kai’s phone starts ringing. He picks up the call.

Owen: The woman is helping take down the banks. You were right! The man controlling everyone goes by puppet master. He controlled everyone in the NYPD. Then the woman walked in and stole the sword.

Kai: I think I might have to put the mask back on.

Owen: Yeah, the police can’t handle Soul Master!

Kai: No, Cal’s sword is in my house. The woman wants to kill me.

## SPAS - Issue 7

Remi walks in the door and sees the bloody sword mounted on the wall.

Remi: What did you do?!

Kai: I wasn’t me! The kids are out in the car. Bring them to the zoo and I’ll clean this up.

Remi: You better explain this later!

Kai: You’ll get an explanation.

Remi walks off to the garage. She sits in the driver seat and the kids look at her.

Remi: Your father won’t be coming with us.

Genki: Why not?

Remi: Um, he is making a special dinner. It’s going to take a little while so he has to stay home.

Caleb: We’re are we going?

Remi: We’re all going to the zoo. You’ll be able to pet animals and see lions.

Caleb: Awesome.

The kids start murmuring about the zoo and Remi takes a breath of relief.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai wipes the blade off. He cleans the wall with a rag and a bottle of spray wash. He cleans off the wall and gets a mop. Soon the room is back to the way it originally was.

Kai: No matter how hard I try to stay away from fighting. I even get League members to do it for me. No matter what it comes back...

Kai walks to the furnace. He takes a brick out of the fireplace. It slowly moves out of the way. Kai walks down the stairs and the fireplace closes behind him. He steps onto the basement floor. Seeing a dusty old room.

Kai: Someone has to clean this place, but I’m not doing it. I’m not cleaning for one last mission.

Kai sees his suit put up on a manikin.

Kai: God, even the suit needs to be cleaned.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Shi walks onto a gun range. The pops and cracks of gunshots going off. As she walks through the crowd of people guys stare at her. A man sits at one booth. He holds the gun up and fires a whole clip into the target. Not a single bullet missed the bullseye. Shi starts watching him shoot. He picks up a bigger gun. He picks up an automatic and switches it to single fire. He after a few shots hit the bullseye. He switches the mode to automatic. He holds down the trigger. The shots become a little more inaccurate, but still hit around the center of the target. A man comes up.

Man: You use single fire. Have you never been to a gun range before?!

The man at the booth doesn’t turn around. He starts looking at the guns.

Shooter: I know my way around a gun.

Man: That’s not what I said.

Shooter: What did you say then?

The man at the booth holds up a nine millimeter gun.

Man: Just leave.

The man at the booth nods his head.

Shooter: Alright.

Shi follows the man as he leaves the building.

Shi: I believe you’re the man I’m looking for.

Shooter: Nobody looks for me. You must be talking about someone else.

Shi: I don’t think I am.

Shi looks at a gun on the man’s side. The gun hangs from his belt.

Shi: It has a certain glow to it.

Shooter: It’s the italian SPAS 12. What would a little lady like you see in a shotgun?

Shi: More than you know.

Shi takes out her blade.

Shooter: It glows. What do you want?

Shi: I need your help taking someone down.

Shooter: I don’t do that anymore. I can’t help you.

The man starts to walk away.

Shi: It’s a mutant posing as a human. He escaped being captured by B.L.A.D.E.

Shooter: I’m in, but I need proof he’s a mutant.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai drives Remi’s car up to the police department. Kai grabs Cal’s sword out of the back. He carries it inside the building. Cops stare at him. Kai puts his hand up.

Kai: I know it looks suspicious. Move on.

Kai carries the sword to storage. He puts the sword back where it belongs and walks inside Owen’s office. Kai sits down as Owen is going through papers.

Kai: Owen.

Owen doesn’t realize Kai is there.

Kai: Owen!

Owen moves back in surprise of the noise.

Owen: Oh, Kai. When did you get there?

Kai: What are you, old, deaf, and blind?

Owen: Apparently, but I’m glad you’re here. I have been going through papers and I think I have found her next partner.

Kai: How?

Owen: Since this woman, Shi, I found her case file. Has a soul blade and was able to find another soul blade. She would most likely be making partners with other soul blade wielders. So I looked for any strange weapon or abilities, like you’ve told me Cal had before, when you go on about how your friends died.

Kai: I’m not that whiny.

Owen: Whatever you say, I found this guy when I looked through our database.

Owen slides a file over to Kai. Kai opens it up to see a man with jet black hair and a beard. The man looks like he's in his 40s.

Owen: He’s an ex-B.L.A.D.E soldier named Carlos Jones. When people started hating mutants he joined along with the mob mentality. He was a great soldier. He had pinpoint accuracy, but when he got the soul blade they thought he was a mutant because of his powers. He was disgracefully discharged to say the least.

Kai: Then we need to find him before Shi does. Where is he?

Owen: Where would any ex-soldier go?

Kai: To his house?

Owen: The shooting range. People go where they know best.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai and Owen travel to several shooting ranges. Eventually they talk to one manager who seems to have answers.

Owen: Have you seen a man named Carlos Jones? Jet black hair and a beard.

Man: Yeah… Yeah, I have. He used an automatic and held down the trigger spraying bullets. That guy was a dickhead. He was talking about going to a puppet show or something at an old theatre. He walked with some stunning silver haired girl. Man, she was so beautiful.

Owen: Yeah, that’s all the information we need. Thank you.

Kai and Owen start walking out of the building.

Kai: I know all the abandoned buildings around here. I’ll be able to find it, but I need to go alone.

Owen: You’re right. It’s definitely a trap. If I go in, that puppet master can control my mind. You’re the only one who has a chance of being able to control himself.

Kai: Hopefully being able to control spiritual energy will work it’s magic.

Owen: Hopefully you deal with them so the police don't have to. We can’t do anything against them.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Once it turns night, Kai travels to the old theatre. He walks inside the first room. All the lights are off. He opens the door to the theatre part of the building. He sees all the lights on. People fill up the seats. Kai sits down in one of the only seats that are open. Kai watches the stage. There are two puppets set up in a booth.

Puppet1: Why couldn’t the bicycle stand up by itself?

Puppet2: I don’t know.

Puppet1: It was two tired!

Everyone in the crowd laughs.

Puppet1: How does Moses make his coffee?

Puppet2: I don’t know.

Puppet1: Hebrews it!

Everyone in the crowd laughs. Soul Master stands up from behind the booth.

Soul Master: Someone’s not laughing! I can sense it! Who isn’t laughing?!

Kai stands up. Everyone turns and looks at him. Their eyes are all blue. Kai mumbles under his breath.

Kai: He controls everyone in the room.

Soul Master: Kill him for his treachery!

All of the people run at Kai. Kai dodges their punches and tries not to hurt them.

Kai: There all people. I can’t hurt them for being controlled.

Eventually Kai starts getting punched. The fists don’t hurt, but they start to get annoying. Kai puts out his hands, and energy blasts everyone back.

Kai runs to the stage, but Soul Master has disappeared. On Top of a building, Shi and Carlos stand looking through the theatre window.

Shi: Is that proof?

Carlos: I’ll cover him in lead.

## Family - Issue 8

Kai is sitting in his bed with Remi. They’re both watching TV.

Kai: How was the zoo?

Remi: The kids liked it. Genki knew something was up.

Kai: He always knows. When we had our first fight he got all upset even though he didn’t even see us fight.

Remi goes silent for a second.

Remi: Kai, why was there a bloody sword in our house?

Kai: Couldn’t avoid that conversation forever.

Remi: Just tell me. Did you do something? Are people after you? I have to do a story about the attack on the police department and a fight at a theatre. You know about both of the attacks and you won’t tell me anything!

Kai: It has to do with Cal.

Remi: You told me Cal’s dead.

Kai: He is. It doesn’t have to do with him coming back from the dead. Remi, just let me handle it.

Remi: Why? Why do you want to handle it on your own? We always work together.

Kai: Because you can’t help. If I tell you what’s going on you’ll want to join in. The city doesn’t need more mutants showing up. Just let me handle it.

Remi: Fine. Handle it yourself!

Remi lays down and turns away from him.

Kai: Goodnight.

Kai lays down. When Kai wakes up Remi has already left the bed. Kai checks his phone.

Kai: Thank god it’s saturday.

Kai walks downstairs and sees the kids eating and watching TV in the living room. Remi is in the kitchen.

Kai: What’s for breakfast?

Remi: Make it yourself. This is for the kids.

Kai: And this is why Genki always knows when we have a fight.

Remi glares at Kai. Kai puts his hands up.

Kai: Too far.

Remi: The kids are going to swim in the pool today-

Kai: I remember. I’m cooking food on the grill and you're making the sides.

Remi: Just stay out of the kitchen.

Remi grabs a plate and leaves the kitchen.

Kai: I’m not telling you for your own good Remi!

Kai mumbles.

Kai: Soul Master will just control her along with everyone else.

Later that day, Kai is cooking on the grill. He finishes cooking the last burger and turns off the grill.

Kai: The foods done! Come get it!

Kai sits down in one of the chairs as the kids all get out of the pool to get food. Kai starts thinking to himself. He starts feeling really tired.

Beast: Someone is trying to contact you through meditation.

Kai lays back in the chair. He feels like he's falling. The world turns black. He lands on a thin layer of water. As he hits the water, it moves around, but he does not fall in. He stands on the water seeing only black and the movement of waves. A shadowy figure comes out from the darkness. The closer the shadow gets, the wisps of darkness leave him. Stick appears out of the shadows.

Kai: You haven’t died? How old are you now, 115?

Stick: Don’t ask a man his age.

Stick starts to circle around Kai.

Stick: Of course I haven’t died yet. I will never die. We are the same in that regard.

Kai: Why are you here Stick?

Stick: I’m always here when you need me. That’s what I do. That’s who I am. That’s what fathers do.

Kai: You only come when you want something. You just like showing up willing to trade for it. You’re not my father. Slade is.

Stick: Who are you more like? You may have the same hardships as Slade did, but you two are very different people. You think that you have stopped the conversion, but it never stopped. It just became better at hiding.

Kai: What are you talking about?

Stick: You think you’re a family man. How long will that last? You’re already trying to put your mask back on. What ever happened to Fang, hm?

Kai: He’s not strong enough to take on these new villains.

Stick: The villains never became weaker Kai. So what changed?

Kai: What do you mean? The villains have been weaker ever since the war died down.

Stick: Have they been, or like the conversion are they just better at hiding?

Kai: What the hell do you mean conversion? You’ve talked yourself into a circle and you’ve explained none of it!

Stick: I have a mission for you Kai.

Kai: We gave you something for our freedom already. Terra and I already struck a deal with you.

Stick: I told you I would leave you when I die.

Kai: Where do I meet you?

Stick: You know where. The same place I captured you.

Stick disappears into the shadows. Kai falls and hits the water. He sinks into the dark waters until he can’t breath. He wakes up with a deep breath in the real world.

The twins run by Kai. They stop at the pool holding their food.

Kai: Wait!

Kai shakes his head and the twins turn around.

Kai: Where’s your mother?

Caleb: Mom’s inside.

Rachel: She just said that daddy.

Kai: Yeah, I was just playing with you. Making sure you were on top of your game. Now go eat.

They both sit down by the pool and eat. Kai walks to the house.

Kai: I’m getting some major deja vu.

Kai walks inside the house. He hears murmuring from the kitchen. He hears someone on the phone. Kai walks inside the kitchen. Remi is standing there on the phone.

Remi: Yeah, thank you. Talk to you later, bye.

Remi hangs up the phone.

Remi: Owen had to clue me into the attack at the NYPD because you won’t. Apparently there is a woman you won’t tell me about.

Kai: Remi, I have to go talk to Stick.

Remi: You don’t have to do anything. No, you’re not talking to him.

Kai: It’s not either of our choices. I have no idea what Stick wants, nor do I know what he’s capable of.

Remi walks up to Kai.

Remi: Will you tell me what you guys talk about when you get home?

Kai: Whatever you want to hear.

Remi: Just leave. I’ll make up an excuse for the kids.

Kai kisses Remi on the forehead.

Kai: Thank you.

Remi: Yeah.

Kai leaves the house. He drives over to Sticks building. Kai walks inside and down the hall. Everywhere is completely empty. Kai walks inside a big room. Stick is standing at the window. The room is empty. There is no furniture in the entire building.

Kai: This place feels kind of dead.

Stick: I’m no longer staying here.

Kai: Like, in New York?

Stick: Yes. The team I put together died years ago.

Kai: Az is dead.

Stick: Yes. There is nothing left for me in New York. Except for you and Terra, but neither of you want me here.

Kai: Are you having a late life crisis or something? Wait a minute, did you call me here to just get one more thing out of me before you left.

Stick: Of course I have. You were one of my biggest failures. I didn’t train you early enough, nor did I train you enough. You were trained to hold a weapon. I would have trained you to be my weapon.

Kai: What do you want me to do Stick?

Stick: Simple, I want Caleb.

Kai: No.

Stick: I gave you everything and you took it all from me. I want another try.

Kai: Hell no.

Stick: I didn’t think that was going to work. I’ll get him eventually. Then get me Cal’s sword. I’ll add it to my collection.

Kai: Fine, I’ll get you Cal’s sword.

Kai leaves the building and gets in his car. He drives off to the police department. Kai goes into storage. He grabs the sword and comes back into the main part of the building. Owen looks at him funny.

Owen: What are you doing?

Kai: I got a better place to put it.

Owen: Alright, whatever you say.

Kai leaves the police department. Kai pulls up to Stick building. Kai gets out and starts walking to the room Stick is in.

Kai: This feels like a chore. It's like I’m picking up his dry cleaning.

Kai sees Stick standing there chuckling.

Kai: What?

Stick: Life has become so much easier for you. You have friends, family, a job. All meaningless to an immortal. When you get older, I’ll be there. You’ll know when the time has come, and I’ll lead you to what you have to do. When you become like me. That is the conversion.

Kai hands Stick Cal’s sword.

Kai: I’ll never be like you.

Kai starts walking away.

Stick: What you want doesn’t change the natural order of things. Life will always be life.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Caleb and Rachel are sitting on the couch.

Caleb: Now we have to find him again. He said he doesn’t need to find our dad to kill him. What does that even mean?

Rachel: I have no idea. Caleb.

Caleb: Yeah.

Rachel: The more I think about Dad. The more I think about Mom, and I hate it.

Caleb: Maybe we both need counseling.

——————————————————————————————————————————

In 2045, two years before Caleb and Rachel were sitting on the couch together they were rushing to the hospital. They both were in the same car. Caleb was driving them to their mother’s hospital. Caleb parked the car and they both speed walked inside. They quickly checked in and walked to their mother’s room. When they walked in she looked awful.

Rachel: Mom!

Rachel went over to her mother’s side and hugged her.

Remi: It’s okay Rachel.

Caleb stands in front of the bed shocked.

Remi: Come here.

Caleb walks over and hugs his mother.

Rachel: What happened?

Caleb: Why didn’t you tell us anything?

Remi: Sit down.

The twins sit down on opposite sides of the bed.

Remi: I have cancer.

Caleb: We’ll get you the treatments. Dad has a ton of money.

Remi: The doctors say there's nothing they can do. They say my brain tumor has already spread.

Rachel: We can’t do anything?

Remi: It’s going to be okay.

Caleb: Why isn’t dad here?

Remi: Caleb, he’s busy. He-

Caleb: He’s always busy!

Remi sighs.

Remi: I want you both to know I love you. I tried everything to help you get into college, and enjoy life. I want you both to settle down and have kids. I just wish I could be there to see it. I wish I could have been a grandma.

Rachel is trying not to cry.

Rachel: No, mom, please.

Remi: Your parents are always going to have to leave you eventually. I wish I could have stayed a little longer.

Caleb: We’ll stay with you the whole night. It doesn’t matter.

Remi: I love you both.

## Partners - Issue 9

Kai walks inside the house later at night. He hears the TV in the living room. Kai goes into the basement and changes back into normal clothes. When Kai comes back upstairs he walks into the living room. Remi is passed out on the couch. Kai lifts Remi up, holding her like a bride. He brings her upstairs. Genki is out of his room looking at Kai.

Kai: Shhh.

Kai walks inside his bedroom and puts Remi down. Kai walks back over to Genki and shuts the door.

Kai: What do you need lil’ man?

Genki: Where were you? Mom was waiting for you in the living room.

Kai: I was just catching up with an old ”friend.” Your mother just doesn’t like him very much. Why don’t I tuck you in and we can all go to bed.

Genki: Okay.

Kai and Genki walk to Genki’s room. Genki gets in bed and Kai tucks him in.

Kai: Goodnight.

Genki: Goodnight.

Kai leaves the room and shuts the door. Kai walks back to his room. He sees Remi sleeping. Kai gets in bed and lays there. He tries to fall asleep, but he stays wide awake. Kai gets out of bed and walks down stairs. He walks into the basement and grabs his staff.

Kai: I can’t take three people anymore. It’s been too long since the last time I had to fight. It’s time to clean off the rust.

Kai trained all night. The next morning, he is more tired than he has ever been. Kai’s clothes are drenched. His moves are slow and inaccurate. Kai still swings the staff around. He hears the furnace move. Someone walks down the stairs as the furnace door shuts.

Remi: When did you get home?

Remi looks tired. She sits on one of the steps.

Kai: I don’t know. Definitely late, and you were obviously passed out.

Remi: Are you working on losing your dad bod? Guys normally just go to the gym for that.

Kai: I don’t have a dad bod!

Remi: Yeah you do. I love you anyway though.

Kai: I’m just training.

Remi: What are you training for?

There’s a moment of silence between the two of them. All they hear is the sound of Kai swinging his staff.

Remi: I forgot, you won’t tell me. Have fun training then.

Remi starts walking upstairs.

Kai: Remi, I don’t like keeping secrets from you. You know that.

Remi: Then tell me!

Kai: Can you promise me that, no matter what it is, you won’t help?

Remi: I just wish it didn’t have to do with fighting. I’m making breakfast. What do you want?

Kai: Just my regular breakfast please.

Kai walks upstairs once everyone has left. He stood in the shower for a while. Then once he got out of the shower he put on clothes and heated up the breakfast Remi made. Kai sits down on the couch eating food watching TV.

Kai: Back into the swing of things.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Shi sits on the edge of the theatre. Soul Master and Carlos are walking around the stage.

Carlos: You’re supposed to be leading us. What are we doing?

Shi: There’s still one more light left.

Soul Master: Obviously. The light is on.

Soul Master points to the theatre lights. Shi and Carlos ignore Soul Master.

Shi: I still need to find him, and I don’t need anyone interrupting me. Carlos, you and Soul Master will keep the Crimson Dragon busy while I find him. I’ll leave tonight. He’ll be searching for me. He’s as persistent as they come.

Carlos takes out his gun.

Carlos: I’ll blast him.

Soul Master: That can be your name! Soul Blaster!

Carlos: Soul?

Soul Master: Nevermind.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Remi drives to work. She pulls up and stops in the parking lot. Remi rushes inside with her bag. She sits down at her computer and starts typing away about the stories going around about the woman who attacked the NYPD. The female reporter from before walks up to Remi.

Remi: Hello, Leah.

Leah: I wanted you to know that when you fail at finding a story about a mutant. I’ll be replacing you.

Remi: I thought you were nice.

Leah: I'm nice so I can get a promotion. You don’t need the job. Your husband is rich.

Remi: I’m a good reporter. I like to give people the news they should be hearing.

Leah: You gave up on that when you waited years to come back to reporting.

Remi: I came back once my kids were in school! I had twins.

Leah: During a civil war. When New York was destroyed. What were you doing?

Remi: I’m a reporter too. You’re not getting answers out of me.

Leah: I just wanted to tell you not to rush to get a story out or anything. You can take as much time as you need. If you want to go over the deadline, that’s fine with me.

Leah walks away. Remi mumbles under her breath.

Remi: Bitch.

Later that day, Remi picks the kids up after school. The twins are in the back seat, rowdy as ever. Genki sits moderately still.

Caleb: Oh, we’re not going anywhere fun.

Remi: Why do you think that, Caleb?

Rachel: Only Dad picks us up for fun things.

Remi: What?!

Caleb: Yeah, like the museum and when we were going to go to the zoo.

Remi: I drove you to the zoo.

Genki: Yeah, but Dad picked us up.

Remi scoffs.

Remi: You think I’m not fun.

Caleb: Yeah!

Remi: Then where do you want to go?

They sit there in silence.

Remi: Do you want to go to the park?

Caleb and Rachel both get excited.

The twins: Yeah!

Genki: No.

Remi: They have you outbeat Genki. I guess we’re going to Central Park.

Remi turns up the radio and they drive to Central Park. They walk through the green scenery. Remi sits on a bench and the twins run around.

Remi: Don’t run too far!

Genki stands there awkwardly.

Remi: C’mon, sit.

Genki sits down on the bench.

Remi: You’re fathers the same way. When I brought him here, he just let me talk on and on about how much I loved nature. He didn’t care about it at all. You don’t have to love nature to enjoy it. Look at everything here in Central Park. All of New York city had to be rebuilt, but not this place. Everyone left it untouched.

Genki: But what are you supposed to do?

Remi: You don’t have to do anything Genki. You could sit down by the water and watch the ducks. You could sit here on the bench with me. You could run around with the twins. Anything you want.

Genki: Alright.

Genki walks over to the pond. He watches the ducks swim around. Remi sees him sit down and start watching them.

Remi takes a deep breath.

Remi: I need this break.

——————————————————————————————————————————

That night, Kai puts on the crimson dragon suit. He stands in the basement, with his staff on his side. Kai teleports outside of his house. He runs down the street and teleports on top of the building. Flashes of red appear as Kai teleports from one place to another. Then Kai hears a gunshot. From another rooftop, Soul Master and Carlos stand. Carlos is wearing black and white military gear armor. He even has a helmet.

Carlos: You make it pretty obvious where you live. You don’t even try to hide that you come from the mansion.

Kai: Didn’t think I had to. Especially since Shi already put a bloody sword in my house.

Carlos: That was a threat. This is a murder.

People come out of the houses.

Kai: What are they going to do? We’re on roofs.

Soul Master: Is that what you think?!

The people just stand there looking at Kai.

Kai: Not much of a murder.

Kai teleports next to Carlos, and superman punches him. Carlos grabs Kai’s arm, and throws him into the crowd. Kai hits the ground and picks himself up.

Kai: You know their punches don’t do anything.

Kai hears Carlos right next to him.

Carlos: They aren’t supposed to.

Kai gets blasted back by shotgun bullets.

Kai slams into the building. The people grab Kai and pull him up. Kai throws their arms off of him. As Kai gets his bearings another shotgun blast hits him. Kai slides on the ground. People swarm him as he gets up. Kai teleports to the roof where Soul Master was, but Soul Master is gone.

Kai: Where the hell did he go?

Kai hears Carlos behind him.

Carlos: Are you going to fight?

Carlos kicks Kai off the building and into the people. Kai gets back up.

Kai: If I can’t see them. Then I have to hear them.

Kai concentrates on listening. He is overwhelmed by the sounds of the people swarming him. Kai opens his eyes and sees Carlos’ smile. Kai gets blasted back by another shotgun shot. Kai drags across the ground. He has shotgun bullets stuck in him. Kai’s whole torso is bleeding. Some parts of his legs were hit by stray bullets. The people stop swarming Kai, and Carlos walks up to him.

Kai: You won.

Carlos: I want to kill you so badly, but you’re not my kill.

Kai: Then why fight me?

Carlos: To buy time. We couldn’t have you searching the city while Shi was busy. We’ll fight you again. Next time, you’ll die.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Shi walks inside an old pharmacy. She sees broken supplies everywhere. Somehow the lights are still on. Shi walks inside a door in the back. She sees a silver haired man working on a body. He cuts off an arm and replaces it with a robotic limb.

???: My work is very delicate. Please, wait your turn.

Shi: I’m not here for your medical expertise. I heard you were attacked by shinobi, Adam.

Adam: What do you want to know about them? Hurry it up. I must finish this before the patient wakes up, or else they will be in extreme agony.

Shi: What if I could tell you there's a way that we could work together to stop them from ever being a problem.

Adam walks over in almost a slither. He stands in front of Shi.

Adam: Everything comes with a price. What do I have to give to get rid of the shinobi that attacked me?

Shi: Nothing. I want to kill their leader for my own reasons.

Adam quickly backs up and turns around to walk back over to the body.

Adam: I’ll help you, but only because those ninja want me to become a tool. I will not become a tool again. Like I was for Integer.

Shi: You won’t be. We’re partners.

Adam starts working on the body again. As shi leaves the room she hears the noise of tools cutting and drilling into the body.

## Questions - Issue 10

Kai walks in his house through the back door. Remi and the twins are standing in front of him. Remi looks furious.

Rachel: Dad?

Remi: Why don’t you two go upstairs. C’mon, I’ll tuck you both in.

Remi forces the kids upstairs. Kei teleports into his bedroom. He takes his costume off and gets in the shower. In a few minutes Remi walks inside the bathroom while Kai is still in the shower. She starts yelling at Kai from the other side of the shower curtain.

Remi: Why would you walk in the house bloody like that?!

Kai: I thought the kids would be asleep this late!

Remi: Why didn’t you teleport?!

Kai: I didn’t think I would have to!

Remi: How are we supposed to explain that to our kids? What do we even say?

Kai: I don’t know!

Remi: You better figure it out! You’re the one who wants to be a superhero again. You’re running all over the place fighting crime, working, taking care of the kids. You were bound to make a mistake!

Kai: I’m not becoming a superhero again. I’m stopping this last group and that's it!

Remi: Group?!

Kai: Can we talk about this when I’m out of the shower?!

Kai hears the door open and slam shut.

Twenty minutes later, Kai and Remi are both sitting on the bed.

Remi: Explain.

Kai: It’s a group of people with soul blades. Shi, the woman Owen talked about, is the leader of the group. Somehow she is tied to Cal. There are two more members of the group. Carlos, an ex-military soldier that carries a shotgun, and Soul Master, a man who can control people to do whatever he wants them too. You can’t help because Soul Master would just control your mind.

Remi: You couldn’t tell me anything about them because I would want to help you?

Kai: Yes.

Remi: No!

Remi looks more angry than she has ever been before.

Remi: I would never help because if we both go out there and die, the children will be orphans! Do you think I’m stupid?! You know I wouldn’t help you fight! The only reason you didn’t tell me is your fucking pride! You just want to do everything by yourself! The only reason you didn’t tell me is because, at the end of the day, you want to be a superhero again! Get the hell out!

Kai: Where do I sleep?

Remi: One of the guest rooms!

Remi throws a pillow at Kai as Kai leaves the room.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Caleb and Rachel are in Rachel’s house. Rachel finishes making food and they both sit on the couch watching TV. As they are laughing at the TV they hear Will yelling into his phone. Will shuts the door so they can’t hear him.

Caleb: Is everything alright?

Rachel: He just hates his job right now. Normally his job is great, but shit happens.

Caleb: It just reminded me of when our parents fought.

Rachel: You mean the time when you cried?

Caleb: I wouldn’t have put it that way. I cried to make you feel better.

Rachel: No, you cried because our parents barely fought. They were yelling and we could hear it from our room. I had to lay with you cause you were crying like a baby.

Caleb: Memory is subjective.

Caleb stands up from the couch.

Rachel: No, not this again.

Caleb: I can’t just sit by Rachel. I’ve set out to find our father. No setbacks are stopping me. We’ll find the man in the cloak.

Rachel stands up next to him.

Rachel: I guess we will.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai walks downstairs. He grabs a slim jim and leaves the house. He teleports constantly throughout the city. He finally stops teleporting on top of Henry Hall’s Apartment building. Kai eats his food sitting down watching the city.

Kai: Maybe I do want to be a superhero again.

Kai lays down looking up at the sky.

Kai: All those times I wanted to have a life. When I realized I was always filling my time with something. Whether I was a soldier, bounty hunter, or superhero I never did anything but that.

Beast: You hopped inside a portal without good reason.

Kai: I had your reason and that was reason enough.

Beast: By all means, trust satan.

Kai: Yeah, but going to hell was one of my more fun adventures. I even got to see Jaik again.

Beast: Now that weak human is ruling over one of my great nations.

Kai: You could have always ruled over all the cities. Why have you just showed up out of nowhere anyway? You normally try to stay out of my life.

Beast: Omniscience. I’m just looking out for something.

Kai: Why do you even stay out of my life?

Beast: You don’t need any voices in your head, yet.

Kai: Well then, while you’re still here. If you have omniscience, do I long for being a superhero again?

Beast: Some questions are better left for someone else to figure out. If I tell you everything there is to know then you won’t gain what you need from taking the time to learn it.

Kai sighs. Then a kick comes out of nowhere. Kai blocks the kick and gets up from the ground. In front of Kai is a man with silver hair. The man holds a cigarette up to his mouth. He blows smoke out at Kai.

Adam: Somebody's trying to kill you, y’know. You shouldn’t be so carefree. Maybe I’ll use your body for parts. Oo, mutant parts. That does sound like something fun to play with. Alive or dead, hard choice.

Adam takes off gloves. Both his forearms and hands are pure metal.

Kai mumbles under his breath.

Kai: Is that his soul blade? He turned his arms into soul blades.

Adam's heavy punch flies through the air. Kai deflects the punch. He feels his skin slam against the metal as he blocks the punches. Adam hits Kai in the arm. Kai’s arm flies back. Kai tries to move his arm, but it feels dead. Kai starts blocking Adam’s punches with one hand. As his feeling in his arm starts coming back. Adam drops to the ground, and his heavy fist cracks Kai’s knee. Kai falls to the ground with no feeling in his leg. Adam stands over Kai, looking down on him. Kai kicks Adam in the stomach. Kai gets up from the ground. He can just start moving his leg again. Adam punches Kai in the arm he hasn’t been hit in yet. Kai stands there with both arms imobile. Adam hits Kai with metal blows left and right. Kai teleports above Adam. He throws a last ditch kick. Adam grabs Kai’s leg and throws him off the building. Adam fixes his collar.

Adam: He’s lucky Shi wants to kill him, or else I’d be cutting him up already.

Kai is falling through the air.

Kai: I can’t keep losing like this!

Kai teleports to the ground. He lands on his one good leg.

Kai: That’s it. I know what I have to do.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Caleb and Rachel walk outside. They stand on top of a building.

Rachel: Why are we standing here? It’s dark out. What are you going to see?

Caleb: You’d be surprised what you can see. People don’t hide as well at night. They think the dark is their cover.

Rachel: Yeah, that would be good… If we could see in the dark! Then the dark wouldn’t be their cover.

Caleb: Just watch.

They look around for at least half an hour, then they see a shadow move.

Caleb: Follow them!

Caleb and Rachel run after the moving shadow. The shadow moves across the rooftops fluently. Like the shadow is flying across the building. They see the shadow travel inside a window. Caleb and Rachel climb through the window. They see a ninja stand above a man while holding a sword.

Man: W-who are you.

???: To you? Death.

The ninja pushes the man over. As the man is lying on the ground trying to crawl away, the ninja stabs his blade through the man.

Man: AH!

???: Why are you children standing behind me?

Caleb: You’re part of the League right? The League of Assassins is famous around here. You guys watch everything that happens. We need to know information about someone.

The ninja takes off his mask.

???: My name is Fang. This is a one time offer. You’ll get your information for free.

Caleb: Why? What’s in it for you.

Fang: I’m just listening to orders from a child.

Caleb: Why are you calling us children? We’re adults.

Fang: Being an adult for a short time just promotes you to a big child. What do you want to know?

Caleb: Where the man in the cloak is.

Fang: Woman in the cloak. She lives in an old mall. It’s run down. Most people tell folktales about monsters that live down there so it’s pretty remote.

Caleb: Thank you, but, I can’t shake the feeling you want something.

Fang: I don’t want anything. It’s all about what the head of the demon wants.

Fang puts his mask back on. He quickly leaves through the window. Traveling back into the deep abyss of darkness.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Remi walks downstairs early the next morning. She walks up to the fridge yawning, ready to make the kids breakfast. She reads a sticky note on the fridge.

Remi: “I’m taking some time to clear my head. I love you.”

Kai wrote his name at the bottom of the note. Remi kisses the note and holds it close to her.

Remi: Thank you.

## Father - Issue 11

Kai gets in a private jet. He sits down in one of the booths on the jet. One of the pilots walks over to Kai.

Pilot: The Jengish Chokusu mountain. Why do you even want to go to Kyrgyzstan?

Kai: Someone I have to see.

Pilot: Okay then. I’m taking a nap. Gotta be ready when it’s time to switch with the other pilot. This is a day long flight.

The pilot leaves the room. Kai takes out his staff and looks down at it.

Kai: The best gift I was ever given.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Remi is cooking breakfast for the kids. Caleb and Rachel sit at the counter watching Remi cook.

Remi: What are you guys doing at school?

Caleb: At recess we played tag, and I tagged like everybody!

Remi: Wow, good job.

Rachel: You only tagged everybody because you always got tagged first.

Caleb: No! You don’t know. You don’t even play tag.

Remi: No fighting.

Caleb: Rachel started it.

Remi: And I finished it.

Remi finishes making waffles. She hands them both a plate.

Caleb: Can we watch cartoons before school?

Remi: Do you really want to?

Caleb: Yeah.

Remi: Then go watch cartoons.

Remi follows them into the living room. Caleb and Rachel walk into the living room and sit on the floor with their plates. Remi sits on the couch. She looks at them zone out of the world. They both look happy. Remi smiles.

Remi: What is even going on?

Rachel: Shhh, there fighting the bad guy.

Remi: Did she just shush me?

Remi shakes her head.

Remi: Kids.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Shi, Carlos, Soul Master, and Adam all stand in the theatre.

Adam: Why do you even need our help? I took the weakling down myself. He’s nothing.

Carlos: Soul Master and I took him out too. Why have you even called us?

Shi: You don’t understand.

Adam: I think you were just afraid to take him on, or maybe you don’t want to.

Shi: No, that’s not it.

Soul Master: She’s a chicken!

Soul master starts clucking. He gets the crowd of people there to cluck along with him. Shi quickly punches Soul Master in the head, knocking him over.

Shi: I don’t think you know who the Crimson Dragon is. He took out one of the Generals during the Mutant Meta Civil War. He has regeneration that stops him from being easily killed. He even has some kind of way to power himself up, but I have no idea what it is.

Adam: He was able to take down a general. How?

Shi: I don’t know, but he did it. The next time we see him, we’ll all be fighting him. We’ll need to be ready.

Carlos: What do we do until then?

Shi: Find a bigger base. Try to find somewhere open and secluded. We don’t need B.L.A.D.E. soldiers intervening in our plans.

Soul Master: And no snitches!

Shi: Sure, no snitches either.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai is sitting on the plane. He looks at his phone. Kai lightly throws his phone to the other side of the plane. Kai lays back in his seat. Soon Kai falls asleep. Kai hears a voice.

Slade: Hey kid.

Kai opens his eyes. Kai is holding a chess piece in his hand.

Slade: I don’t have all day.

Kai puts down the piece and moves another chess piece.

Slade quickly moves a chess piece.

Slade: You’re getting better.

Kai: And there is still so much I don’t know.

Slade laughs.

Slade: What don’t you know? You know about Hell, war, being a soldier, having a family. You have the family I always wish I had.

Kai: I’ll probably just fuck it up.

Slade: Look at how much I fucked up. I did everything wrong in my life, but I raised you. I might not have been much, but I can be proud that you did what I wanted to.

Kai: How did you do it though? How did you just completely give up fighting to raise a son?

Slade: Haven’t you already done that? Your youngests are seven years old and they have never seen you fight.

Kai: I don’t know if I can do it forever.

Slade: Nothing is forever, Kid. Even the gods don’t live forever.

Kai: I won’t have to stop fighting then?

Slade: You’ll still have to make a choice, but this time you’re just decided what you want to do for now.

Kai: I love Remi, and I love my kids. I don’t want to give them up for fighting criminals.

Slade: Then don’t.

Slade moves a chess piece.

Slade: Checkmate.

Kai: It’s been fourteen years since we played chess, and you still beat me.

Slade: Unfortunately, you always sucked at chess.

Kai laughs.

Kai: At least I picked up your fighting skill.

Slade: You know why I always played chess with you, right?

Kai: I thought you were just a chess addict. No, I have no idea why you made me play chess.

Slade: I always knew you were going to have to fight when you got older. I wanted you to be ready to make quick and clever decisions. I wanted you to be able to make a plan. I was afraid you were going to die before me. Most people in our line of work don’t live long. You have to be special, some kind of lucky bastard to survive.

Kai: Thanks for always looking out for me Slade.

Slade: From beyond the grave.

Everything turns red and absorbs into Kai. Kai wakes up. He looks out of the window to see snow.

Pilot: You’ve been sleeping forever. You slept through the stops and everything!

Kai: I wasn’t sleeping. I was meditating.

The plane lands at an airport.

Kai: Return in a day. I’ll be back by then.

Pilot: We’ll be here.

Kai walks through Kyrgyzstan. He walks through the snow until he reaches the mountains. Kai rubs his hands together and breaths on them. Kai starts climbing up the mountain. As he holds onto the rocks, some pieces break off. As he climbs up the mountain, many times rocks break off and he has to teleport back to the mountain. As Kai gets higher and higher up the mountain, he gets more tired and it gets harder to breath. Kai eventually sees the mountain’s peak. Kai teleports to the top. He climbs up the ledge. Kai walks through the heavy snow.

Kai: Wow, it’s kind of cold. I don’t remember it being this cold the last time I came here.

Kai hears running. A snow storm picks up. All Kai can see is the white from the snow. He sees something moving in the snow.

Kai: Not this again.

Kai takes out his staff.

Kai: If there's two of them, then…

The two wolf bear hybrids walk up to Kai.

Kai: You cubs grew up!

One of them nuzzles Kai.

Kai: I’m surprised you even remember me.

The polar bears walk off. Kai follows them into Slade’s old cave. Kai sees Slade’s swords still in the ground. Kai walks over and picks up Slade's mask.

Kai: I would have loved it if the kids could have met him.

Kai brushes the snow off the mask and sets it back down in front of the swords.

Behind Slade's grave the father bear lays. Kai walks up to the bear. He pets the bear, and puts his hand in front of its nose.

Kai: I hope you find the cub's mother in the afterlife.

When Kai turns around the bears are gone. Kai sits in the snow in front of Slades grave. Kai starts meditating. Kai breaths in.

Kai: It’s time to train.

Kai gets up from the ground. He starts swinging his staff. The snow kicks up from under him with every move that he makes. Kai’s hands slide up and down the bo staff as he swings it around. When the staff slams against the ground and the caves surfaces a crack can be heard across the entire mountain. Kai trains like this for hours on end. One day later, Kai is still training. The bears quietly walk inside the cave. Kai can clearly hear every step they make. The polar bears walk up to Kai.

Kai: I wish the best on you two.

Kai pets the two bears.

Kai: I couldn’t be happier to see you two are still alive after all these years. It’s like seeing family.

Kai walks outside of the cave and over to the edge of the cliff. The polar bears stand and watch him.

Kai: Thanks for the send off.

Kai jumps off the mountain. The wind feels like it is trying to force him back up to the mountain as he falls faster and faster. As Kai gets close to the ground he runs along the bottom of the mountain. He runs from the mountain onto the ground, using all the force of his fall to push him forward. Kai runs to the airport going faster than he ever has. He stops at his plane. Sparks fly off his feet as he stops. He gets in the plane and the pilots are sitting there.

Kai: Well, get to flying the plane!

## New - Issue 12

Kai pulls his car into the house. He walks inside and the kids are doing their homework at the counter. The twins look bored. They turn around and their expression changes to excitement. They both yell and run over.

Twins: Daddy!

Kai gets down on one knee and hugs them.

Kai: I was only gone for a few days.

Remi walks in from around the corner.

Remi: A few days to long.

The twins go back to working on homework. Kai and Remi walk into the other room.

Kai: I’m sorry. I should have just told you what was going on from the start.

Remi: You should have, but now I know and that's what matters. What are you going to do? Do you still want to be a hero?

Kai: No, I’m over all that. It causes more problems than it’s worth. I guess I looked back on all the good times, forgetting that there weren't many of them. Running around town fighting is fun and all, but now I’m old. I don’t feel like jumping across rooftops anymore.

Remi kisses Kai.

Remi: I’m glad.

Remi starts to walk off to the twins.

Kai: But I still have one fight left. I still have to take them down. No one else is going to do it.

Remi grabs Kai’s hands.

Remi: One last fight.

She lets go and walks off to the kids. Kai quickly walks into the garage. His car starts up. The garage door opens and his car backs up onto the street. Kai’s car starts flying along the road.

Kai: I have an idea.

Kai’s car parks at the police department. Kai walks through the crowd of people and up to Owen.

Kai: I need a gun.

Owen laughs.

Owen: Could you be anymore blunt about it? The police department doesn’t give out guns. Just go to a store and buy one. You’re rich.

Kai: I need a special type of gun.

Owen: Oh, a mutant killing gun. I got you.

Owen and Kai walk over to the armory. They look at all the guns and ammo they have.

Owen: You know mutant guns won’t do anything more to the soul blade group right? They’re still humans.

Kai: I’m not keeping the gun like this Owen. I need it for something else.

Owen: Alright then. Good luck Kai.

Kai: Thanks, I’m going to need it.

Kai is about to walk out of the armory.

Kai: Oh yeah, Remi is pissed at you.

Owen: For what?

Kai: You never see the kids!

Owen: If you can take down the soul blade group then maybe I’ll have some free time to leave the office.

Kai: It’s a deal.

Kai walks back through the crowd of people. He sits in his car. He throws the gun onto the passenger seat of the car. Kai drives his car to work. Kai stands in the elevator as it slowly moves up. The elevator dings and Max is standing in front of the receptionist's desk.

Max: You called.

Kai and Max walk inside of Kai’s office. Kai hands Max the gun.

Max: What about it? It’s a regular old mutant killer.

Kai: I need you to change the gun. Make it so the gun can paralyze someone.

Max: Like, a tranq dart?

Kai: No, that’ll be too slow. Can you figure out a way to make a bullet paralyze someone?

Max: I have a team of geniuses in the IT department. Me, myself, and I can figure this out easily. Just give me a few hours.

Kai: Then go figure it out.

Max: Now this is the Kai I like working with.

Kai: This is the last time Max.

Max: Probably for the best.

Max leaves the room. Kai puts in an earpiece that's on the table.

Kai: Fang, Fang do you hear me?

After a minute Fang responds.

Fang: I hear you sir.

Kai: You were supposed to be keeping tabs on the city. Did you see anything with the soul blade group?

Fang: We’ve been calling them the Soul Squad. Yeah, we watched them move from the theatre to an old abandoned mall.

Kai: Thank you. You do a good job watching over the city.

Kai takes off his com. The hologram turns on showing the city. Kai zooms in on the abandoned mall.

Kai: Plan time.

A few hours later, Max walks back into Kai’s office. Max holds out the gun.

Kai: Does it work?

Max: It works!

Kai: Then I have no more time to waste.

Kai leaves the office.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Caleb and Rachel walk into the old abandoned mall. They look around and find nothing.

Caleb: This was a bust. She must have left.

Rachel: Why would she have left?

Caleb: Maybe she was lying. Maybe there is a way to find our father, and she found it.

Rachel: There is no way for us to find our father without help.

The woman in the cloak walks into the room. They hear the tapping of her footsteps.

???: You’re right? You can’t do it without my help.

The cloak falls off of her. Shi stands before them. Shi is holding a yellow crystal. Rachel and Caleb can see lighting flicker off in the stone.

Shi: I think I’m going to have to do something about this rat problem.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai walks inside the dark mall. He sees vines and grass growing inside. Kai walks past the disgusting interior. He finds a big open room. The lights all turn on in the room. Kai sees all four of the Soul Squad members around him. Citizens are in a circle behind the four soul blade wielders.

Kai looks at Soul Master and Carlos.

Kai: I figured out your little stunt. Cal had the ability to go invisible. That’s how you kept appearing out of nowhere. If there's any more tricks up your sleeve you better use them.

Shi: I’ve been planning this day, and I couldn’t imagine the day coming together so perfectly. Hope you told your kids goodbye.

The people surround Kai as Kai gets a red aura. Kai holds the gun in one hand and his staff in the other. Kai quickly shoots Adam. Adam falls back and Kai puts his gun on his side. Kai puts his hands out and blasts everyone back with red energy. Shi comes out of nowhere. She slices through the air. Kai can hear her blade cut through the air. Kai kicks her back, and jabs her in the stomach with his sword. Kai gets a blast from the shotgun to his chest. Kai is flung back by the force of the bullets. Kai teleports above Carlos and baseball swings his staff at Carlos’ head. Kai can hear a loud crack. Kai’s feet reach the ground and humans start to surround him again. Kai punches forward. A red blast comes out of his fist blasting them back.

Kai: They’re a nuisance.

Shi slices her dagger along Kai’s back. Kai moves forward and jabs his staff back. He felt the wound from Shi wasn’t repairing itself. Shi is stunned by the staff hit. Kai back jump kicks and feels his foot collide with Shi’s head. Kai feels blood hit his leg. A kick comes out of nowhere. Kai slams his staff on Adam’s foot, and Adam falls to the ground. Adam pops up and punches Kai in the chest. Kai hits the ground. Adam, Shi, and Carlos all go invisible. Kai starts getting cut, blasted, and punched. Then a man jumps down behind Soul Master. The man holds a gigantic blade.

Kai: Stick!

Stick swings his heavy blade around. The blade easily chops off Soul Masters head. All the people get their senses back and run out of the mall. Adam, Shi, and Carlos all become visible again. Kai’s arms extend with red aura.

Kai: If I can’t use my arms, this will have to do.

Kai gets up off the ground.

Kai: I don’t say this often, but I’m happy to see you Stick.

Stick: Save the emotional stuff for your kids. It’s time to kill some mother fuckers.

Stick runs at Adam. Adam punches, and Stick blocks it with the sword. Adam moves around the sword and right hook punches. Stick grabs Adam’s arm. Stick punches Adam’s elbow. Sticks hand goes through Adam’s arm.

Adam: AH!

Stick picks up his sword as Adam walks back holding his arm in agonizing pain. Stick lets the heavy blade fall on Adam. Adam holds up his one good arm. The metal of his arm holds Stick's sword up. The Sword slowly falls closer to Adam. Carlos fires off his shotgun. Stick drops to the ground. The bullets fire into Adam. Stick spins around and kicks out Carlos’s feet. Stick gets back up as Carlos is still falling and grabs the sword. Stick swings the sword up and cuts Carlos in half. Adam punches stick in the back, and Stick falls to the ground paralyzed. Kai is blocking all of Shi’s attacks. She swings her small blade and Kai blocks everything. Kai throws a right hook and Shi stabs her balde right through his hand. Kai kicks her back. As Shi is falling, Kai teleports behind her. Kai grabs her by the back of her collar and slams her on the ground. Kai turns around and sees a stick. Adam holds up Cal’s sword with one hand above Stick. Kai teleports in front and above Adam. Kai grabs his staff and slams his it down through Adam. The staff goes through his chest and into the ground.

Stick: It’s the first time I’ve seen you kill. I’m proud.

As Stick starts to get a feeling back he stands up. Shi is looking at them from across the room.

Kai: Who even is Cal to you?!

Shi: My name is Shi Steel. I’m Cal’s sister. You’ve killed my whole family, and now you kill my team. You slaughter them even with my brother’s blade.

Stick: They were going to die one way or another. Be happy it’s a familiar blade.

Shi becomes furious. She starts running at them.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Caleb: What are you going to do?

Shi: What am I going to do? You’re going to come with me. I’m going to teach you a history lesson.

Shi looks at the crystal and mumbles.

Shi: I have to go now.

Fang jumps down from above. He knocks the crystal out of her hand. The crystal lands on the ground. They both run after it. Fang stops on the crystal, destroying it.

Shi: I’ll kill you all! That was my one way to go back in time and kill the Crimson Dragon.

Shi swings her blade.. Fang parries her dagger. Shi’s attacks become quicker and quicker. She kicks Fang back and lunges forward. Her blade stabs into Fang’s stomach. Caleb jumps in the air. He is sent higher into the air by rocket flames that come out of his feet. He moves his feet like he is going to kick Shi in the face. Flames come out of his feet and blast her in the face. Shi punches Caleb. Caleb falls to the ground. Shi’s face is untouched by the flames. Caleb runs back.

Fang: She’s too powerful!

Fang and Caleb run behind Rachel. Rachel creates a pink barrier blocking Shi. Shi punches the barrier. It cracks. Shi punches it again and again.

Rachel: She’ll rip the barrier open.

Fang: Caleb. Go up to the ceiling and move the metal bar!

Caleb boosts himself up with flames. He grabs onto the metal bar.

Caleb: This is holding the roofing up.

Caleb bends the bar just enough that the ceiling starts to collapse. Shi breaks the barrier. Rachel rolls back. Rocks and parts of the ceiling fall down blocking Shi off.

Fang: Run before she breaks through that.

They all run.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai and Stick surround Shi.

Kai: You can’t win.

Shi: I’ll fight till I die.

Shi disappears. Kai and stick look around. Shi appears behind Kai and stabs him in the back. Kai steps on her foot and elbows her in the nose. She falls onto the ground. Shi rolls back and gets up. She breathes in. Kai feels his energy being sucked out. Stick swings his giant blade. Shi rolls to the side.

Kai: I’ll take her down myself, Stick. I killed her brother. I have to deal with this.

Kai takes his staff out of Adam’s dead body. He gets ready to fight. Shi looks at his bloody staff in anger. She rushes him. Kai swings his staff. Shi dodges back before the staff his her. She stays just out of range of Kai’s staff. She throws her dagger at Kai. Kai blocks the dagger and Shi throws a right hook to Kai’s jaw. Kai swings his staff up. It hits her arm and moves her arm away from Kai’s head. Kai forces his staff forward pushing her back. Then he baseball swings his staff. The staff swings and slams into Shi’s temple. Shi hits the ground hard.

Kai: I killed your father out of fear because he was going to kill me. Then I killed your brother because there was no other way. I’m not going to kill you.

Kai and stick leave. Shi is on the ground powerless and in pain.

Stick: You should have killed her.

Kai: Maybe, but I didn’t. It seems like there is never a right answer. If you kill someone, you might get a consequence. If you don’t kill someone, then you might get a consequence. There is no set option.

Stick: That’s why I kill everyone. Imagine how powerful Cal would be now. You would have had much more trouble if he was still alive.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai constantly teleports across the city until he ends up in his room. Kai takes a shower and changes clothes. Kai walks downstairs to see all the kids watching TV. Remi is sitting on the couch. Kai sits next to Remi and puts his arm around her.

Kai: What are we watching?

Kai sees cartoons on the TV.

Kai: Cartoons, sweet.

Remi looks at Kai.

Remi: Is it over?

Kai: Yeah, it’s over.

Remi lays her head on Kai as they watch TV.

Remi: I’ve decided I don’t want to report anymore.

Kai: Really, why?

Remi: I don’t want to do what someone else wants. If I’m going to write then I want to write my own story.

Kai: Then what are you going to do now?

Remi: I’m going to spend more time with the kids, finding hobbies, anything I want.

Kai: Sounds like a plan I can get behind.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Caleb, Rachel, and Fang stop running.

Caleb: Why were you here Fang?

Fang: You know why I am here. I work for you father.

Caleb: Bring us to him.

Fang:...

——————————————————————————————————————————

The next day, Caleb and Rachel are on a helicopter. The Helicopter lands at the League Mountain. The twins walk up to the building's doors. Two shinobi open up the door. They are led down through the halls and into one big room. Kai sits on the throne.

Kai: I was hoping you could live without knowing, but I was wrong. I’m sorry for that.

Caleb: You left our mother in a hospital!

Kai: I left her with you two.

Rachel: Why weren’t you there?

Kai: I’ll tell you what happened. You have a right to know. Years ago…

——————————————————————————————————————————

Remi and Kai are in a room. A doctor walks in.

Doctor: Remi, I’m sorry but you have cancer.

Remi looks like she is going to cry. shocked

Kai: We’ll get the treatments. I’ll pay for the best doctors, anything you need.

Doctor: No, Remi has a brain tumor that can’t be removed without damage to her brain. It would be impossible to do the surgery. You have a few weeks to live, I’m sorry.

Remi: Thank you for telling me, doctor.

Kai walks with Remi out of the medical building. They walk into Kai’s car. Remi breaks down crying and Kai holds her.

Remi: There’s still so much I want to see. I want to become a grandmother. I want to see our kids grow up. I want to be there. I want to be here with you.

Kai: The lazarus pit. The league has a pit of waters that can heal you so well that humans can live for thousands of years.

Remi: What’s the catch?

Kai: It’s small. It doesn’t matter. Remi, I’m not letting you die.

Remi: What’s the catch?!

Kai looks upset.

Kai: You might not be the same person when you come out. You might be violent and angry. You’ll become insane.

Remi: No, I would rather die with my kids.

Kai sighs.

Remi: I want you to promise me something. You’ve already promised me this, but I don’t want you to forget. After I die, I want you to make sure our kids never become heroes. Can you please make sure they don’t get hurt?

Kai: Of course. They're my children too. I would never let them get hurt.

Remi: I just needed to hear your promise.

Weeks later, Kai stands on top of a building. He looks in through a window seeing Remi say goodbye to the children. Stick stands next to him.

Stick: I told you years ago that the conversion was happening.

Kai: Shut up. I can’t be around my kids. Slade and you being around me made me want to be a hero. I can’t risk them becoming like me. I want them to be able to grow old with kids. See their grandchildren. Have a normal life.

Stick: You can’t be in that life. You aren’t normal. You're an immortal superhero. You’ll see all your kids die. You’ll see your grandchildren die. You’ll see the world as generations die over and over again.

Kai: I’ll miss them, but I have to stay away.

Stick and Kai leave the rooftop.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Caleb: You left because you want us to have a normal life?

Kai: Could I truly be in your lives? I have to run an army of assassins. I have never been good at living a double life.

Rachel: Why didn’t you tell us?

Kai: You would have come here. That’s why I said I was wrong. I should have told you when your mother died. Now you must leave. I will watch over you as best I can.

Caleb: That’s all we get? A story and a goodbye!

Kai: That’s all I can give.

Caleb: That all you want to give.

Caleb and Rachel start walking out of the room. Caleb turns around.

Caleb: Why did you save me?!

Kai: Save you?

Caleb: When my car crashed.

Kai: I didn’t save you.

Caleb: They were wearing a sweatshirt. I guess I must have just been confused. All I saw was grey.

The twins leave. They get back on the helicopter.

Rachel: Was it worth it?

Caleb is silent for a minute.

Caleb: Yeah, it was worth seeing him. Even if he doesn’t want to be in our lives he is still our father.

Rachel: He would give us anything we want. He just can’t give us time with our father.

Caleb: We lost a father and a mother.

Rachel: We still have each other.

Caleb: I have nothing.

Rachel: Asshole.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Kai presses a button on his throne. A door opens behind him. Kai walks inside the door. He sees Stick and Genki standing there. They are looking at the many scrolls.

Genki: You won’t be with the twins, but you let me join.

Kai: I don’t have a right to tell you what you should do. You have a right to know who your biological father really is, and the choice to do what you want.

Stick: All of these scrolls are powerful.

Kai: We’re going to need them. We need to make the League one of the strongest forces on earth. Sarab made them weak when he wanted to stay out of fights. He was to afraid to become strong.

Genki: What is this? The world resets after a civil war and the league changes. Is this some kind of rebirth? No, Renaissance. Yeah, that fits?

Stick: The name doesn’t matter.

Kai: It’s time for something new.