Episode: 1.14

--- Jericho ---

Once he and Rook had the last of the criminals tied up, he took a step back and tried to stay on his feet as the adrenaline crash finally hit him. After all, it wouldn’t do for his street cred if he fell flat on his ass, especially after being that badass in front of Rook, who seemed a little less annoyed at him, than she was the last time he’d put on his mask.

(It’s the little things in life.)

His gaze softened as he watched a number of the parents holding their kids, crying in relief as they were reunited. A scene that brought back several memories as well as a faint smile.

(Or maybe its just the important things…)

A tug on his pants, had him jump to the side, before realizing it was just a little kid trying to get his attention… He seriously hoped Rook hadn’t seen it, though a snort of laughter from her general direction killed that hope before he could even begin nurturing it.

“What’s up, little one?”

“I was wondering, which hero are you mister?” the kid answered shyly, bits of flour from his smoke bomb still sticking to them.

“Hero?” He asked, confused as more littles started to swarm him.

“Yeah, like Shock-rat!” Another little called while gesturing to the street-rat-turned-hero’s merch.

“Oh, well you see…”

He ran a hand over the back of his neck, looking the expectant littles over with a more nervous expression.

(The fuck am I supposed to say?)

He took a quick glance towards Rook, only to see she was wearing her signature smirk the one that always seemed to say, ‘You’re on your own, dumbass.’.

Turning back to the kids, he noticed a number of parents watching him just as curiously as their kids, “the thing is…”

(Well, honesty is the best policy…)

“I’m not a hero.”

“You’re not…” the kid asked, in a confused tone with just a hint of disappointment.

“Nope.” He shook his head before placing his hand on his chest and striking a pose. “For you see, I am a villain.”

He very pointedly ignored the sound of Rook’s palm meeting her face.

“But aren’t villains the bad guys?” A little girl asked raising her hand to get his attention.

“That they are.” He nodded taking note of both how the parents were now watching him warily, as well as a number of the nearby stores.

“Then why’d you save us?” the little girl asked him with an innocence only found in children.

(Ooh, is that a… and that’s a…)

He couldn’t stop the mad grin that made its way to his face as delightfully demented plan pieced itself together.

(Yeah. Okay. I can work with this.)

“Because I am no ordinary villain,” He stood to his full height and paused for dramatic effect.

“No, I am greater than those lesser villains, for I am a supervillain!” He declared in a tone as close to the characters from his Saturday morning cartoons as he could manage before striking a pose that would do them proud. A performance that made several of the younger kids stare at him in pure awe, a reaction he chose to acknowledge over the incredulous looks everyone over the age of five was giving him.

“And this lot,” He gestured towards the bound criminals, having no problem (literally or figuratively) throwing them under a bus. “They were in the way of my elaborate heist, so of course I had to make sure they didn’t get in my way, tying them up for the police is just me leaving out the trash of villainy.”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“And what exactly is your ‘elaborate heist’?” Rook asked from behind him, giving him a glare and a tone that said she knew he was just making this up as went.

Which, was only half-right.

“Well obviously I’m here to rob that candy store.”

For a moment she seemed to stall, “What.”

He let out a sigh of exasperation, before crouching in front of the children. “Hey, kids if you guys were villains, and you could steal anything you wanted, what place would you guys rob?”

“Candy store!” a number of the kids yelled excitedly.

He glanced at Rook over his shoulder before shaking his head in disappointment.

“See you grown-ups just don’t get it.” He told her, savoring the way her eye twitched in irritation.

“I’d rob a toy store.” A quiet voice said from behind him.

Letting out a dramatic gasp he turned back to the kids, while taking a half-hop back.

“Who said that?!” he asked in a panicky tone, as the girl from before raised her hand once more.

“How ever did you guess my nefarious ploy?!” He demanded as he fell to his knees. Something in his chest loving the way the kids were able to laugh and smile, despite the life-threatening situation they were in less than fifteen minutes ago.

(Innocence must be protected…)

“No matter!” He yelled, smoothly rising to his feet as he raised a single finger into the air. “It will take more than clever children to stop this most creative caper of…”

(Need a name, need a name, need a name…)

“Jericho King!”

(Fuck!)

He rushed forward, completely ignoring the people who had to jump out of his way as he ran towards the candy store as much to continue his game, as it was to get away from Rook before she could kill him for using his real name.

Once at the store he jumped in the air before drop kicking the already unlocked door, something he thought the kids would think cool.

Quickly he grabbed the biggest tub of candy he could manage, before rushing out of the store and dumping it in front of the kids and their parents who were looking at him with a mix of awe, curiosity, and sheer wtf-ness, he was rapidly becoming addicted to.

(Then again, I’ve always been a performer first and foremost…)

“For those of you wondering,” he looked the kids in the eyes one by one, “this…” he gestured towards the small mountain of candy, “is a bribe.”

“What’s a bribe?” one of the kids asked.

“I’m giving you guys candy, and you forget all about today, you know me, the candy, those guys.” He glared at one of the bound thugs that was beginning to regain consciousness, before making a quick gesture to Rook, who made sure said thug lost it once more.

“But my mommy said I shouldn’t take candy from strangers.” Another told him.

“And she’s right you shouldn’t.” He nodded to the little one.

“Luckily, I’m not a stranger,” He placed a hand on his chest again, as he struck another pose, “I am Jericho King.”

(Damn it! Come up with an actual alias!)

“No, you’re a strange one alright.” Rook growled just loud enough for him to hear, her tone of voice promising him nothing but pain.

(Ugh, she’s going to kick my ass for this…)

“And… if you don’t believe me just ask your parents.”

“Can I mamma?” a little girl asked running up to her mother, who he immediately recognized as Sienna.

A woman he once called a friend, who was also friends with virtually everyone else he thought of as friend despite not talking to them in years. She was also someone who knew enough about his past, that she could very easily decide she didn’t want her kid around him.

(It would explain why she ran away from me earlier…)

“I-um,” Sienna’s eyes darted to him, with an odd mix of guilt and concern that hurt him.

(I guess that’s my answer…)

“I think that would be just fine, dolcezza.” An elderly voice cut in for his daughter.

“Yay!” the child cheered before rushing to hug her grandfather.

“Papa, I…” Sienna began, as her own daughter rushed to the pile of candy.

“Don’t worry about it, cara mia, better they remember this than everything else that’s happened today.” Damico assured her, as well as the other parents who reluctantly let their own children go.

Backing away he nodded towards the kids trying to get some space from them and maybe find an exit before one of their parents decided to call the cops on him, because even if he did shout his name he was technically still a stranger to all but three people present.

“You’re a good man Jericho.” Rook commented, cutting off his escape, though whether from the authorities or herself he wasn’t entirely sure.

(I hope it’s the later… today ‘s been too long without adding cops to the mix.)

“A dumbass, I’m going to beat within an inch of his life later, but still a good man.” She continued grabbing his shoulder in such a way, that it would’ve painfully pinched a nerve… Well, if it hadn’t been killed by a completely different sadist in his life first, anyway.

(I… really need to rethink who I make friends with…)

“So, you’ve told me…” he sighed, before noticing Damico and Sienna walking towards him.

“I just wanted to thank you for saving everyone, I don’t know what I’d do without mia figilia or nipotina they are all I truly have left in this world…” Damico began, watching his granddaughter play with the other kids. “Which is why I appreciate you doing this,” The grandfather grew a soft smile as he turned to his granddaughter as she ate candy and played with the other kids, “you’ve turned a very bad memory into a very good one.”

“It’s no problem,” he shrugged, as best he could with Rooks hand on his shoulder as he tried to ignore his own memories, “kids shouldn’t have to be around this kind of thing.”

Rook’s grip softened.

“Oh, before I forget,” he said making a show of squirming out of Rook’s grip before walking on, “I do believe I promised these kids I’d rob that toy store over there.” He paused before smirking. “Again.”