=== SHAY ===

Traffic blows, I thought, tapping the steering wheel of my car impatiently. It was rush hour, and I wanted to be on patrol, but instead, I was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic downtown. I pulled up a few feet, then leaned over to see what the cause was. Construction, I thought. Reconstruction, actually. There had been a super-fight around here recently. It had destroyed the street. But it also stopped that Amish guy who started destroying cars. Bro wanted us to go back to horses and buggies. A smile spread across my face as I pictured some of the vehicles from the neighborhood as buggies. Just two hundred pounds of speaker loaded in the back. The horses slowly desensitized to eardrum-crushing bass.

  There was an alarm going off somewhere nearby. I could sense it. A pulsing signal sent out from a few blocks away. I could feel, hear, and sometimes see the electromagnetic signals constantly being sent out. I don't pay it a lot of attention anymore. As a child, it was pretty overwhelming. I missed school for a few weeks. My mom was so worried. She took me to the doctor, but they couldn't do an M.R.I. or anything. I caused too much interference. Fortunately, I practiced with my powers constantly. It's hard not to. I was eight, and when kids find out they can do something, they do it all the time. Billy was double-jointed in his arm, and he constantly showed off. I draw out the electricity in everything around me. The kids at school loved it.

  I pulled over to the side of the street and tuned into the alarm. It was a bank. They were being robbed. I thought briefly of my first experience with Kari, still smiling. I stepped out and looked at the parking meter on the sidewalk, considering it. I don't have any change, but I'm about to stop a robbery . . . I pointed at the device, and a spark of electricity shot forth from my finger to it; the display flickered for a second, then the display read 4 HOURS. There was a meter maid down the road, but I didn't pay them any mind. Instead, I took out a spooled piece of copper from my coat and brandished it. With a flick of my wrist, it extended out entirely and gripped a powerline. The smell of ozone filled the air. I pulled myself up, landed on the line, and bungied off it, soaring over the building. I threw out my copper whip again, and it caught onto something else. I pulled myself forward before landing on a building across the street as I honed in on the feeling of the alarm. I landed on a building across the street.

Despite being after hours, the bank's doors were propped open. There was the barrel of a gun sticking out of one. Cops had surrounded the bank, and when one started moving towards the doors, the gun would go off. Something's off, I thought. There's something . . . robotic about that. I closed my eyes and let the sensations rush over me. The buzz of electricity in the city was constant, running through the streets, buildings, lights, cars, clocks, phones, everything. I pushed my focus towards the bank. I accidentally picked up some messages on the cops' phones. There was one with texts from both people labeled as 'Wife' and 'Marisa <3'. I saw the contents of the messages too. The Wife was asking him to pick up some milk. Marisa <3 had sent him some pictures. I wasn't trying to snoop, but it's hard. I can just see things sometimes.

  I honed myself in and found what I suspected. The rifle sticking out of the door didn't have anyone manning it. It was just tied to the door. It had a thermal sensor welded to it. I couldn't tell exactly how they had rigged it together, but it was set up to fire whenever it sensed heat above a certain amount. I pushed past the door and tapped into the electrical feed. Eventually, I found the cameras. I'd been practicing at this for a while. Tapping into the cameras of security systems. It was easier the closer I got, but now I could do it from this far away. There was just a bit of lag. I could only trust it to be somewhat up-to-date. Through the lens of the lobby security camera, I saw the tellers and patrons bunched up in the middle of the floor with a masked man with another rifle standing over them. They looked terrified. I traced through the network and found another camera on the back wall. Someone was setting up something on the window. It looked like clay shaped into an empty square around the frame. I frowned, considering, then switched to another camera. More people in masks with guns were standing in and around the vault. I switched to the vault camera. And saw some of the same guys and a shaking teller pushing money into the bag as one of them gestured with his gun, demanding she go faster.

  I jumped down from the building, landing heavily on the street below. Some of the cops spun and trained their guns on me. I raised my hands and smiled at them. "Whoa there. I'm here to help."

  Some of them lowered their weapons, and one or two even nodded to me. The man in charge called out, "Thunderblast, we have everything under control here."

  "Alright, I just thought I'd offer. Do you have eyes on the inside?" I asked, making sure to put extra deference in my tone and to keep my hands out.

  "Not yet. Situation just started. But there's only one exit."

  "I think they're going to create a second one," I said, taking a few steps closer.

  "What? How do you know that?"

  "I tapped into the security cameras. Took a look around. No one was hurt, that I could see. They have most of the hostages in the lobby." The cop looked at me skeptically.

  "How many are in there?"

  "Five," I replied. "One in the lobby, one in the vault, two just outside of the vault, one in a back room setting up their escape."

  "What about the one at the door firing on us?" Another cop asked.

  "That's just a gun with a thermal sensor attached. Anytime it senses heat, it fires."

  "You sure about that, boy?"

  "Yes, I am," I responded, a bit of the respect fading from my tone. I felt my jaw tighten, and I stood up straighter. I was taller than the officer, than most of them.

  "What's their escape plan?"

  "I'm not sure. I saw the one in the back putting some putty around a window."

  "Might be C4," one of the cops added. "Could be looking to blow out the window and escape that way."

  "Okay. And what's your plan to deal with it, Thunderblast?" The lead cop asked. I pointed a finger and arced a lance of lightning over to the barrel of the gun. The cops jumped, and a few raised their weapons for a moment. I traced the electricity coursing through the metal and chained it to the thermal sensor, frying the microchips.

  "Do what I do. Be a hero," I replied with an easy grin. "But I think we gotta move quick. They're probably almost done."

I walked forward, and the breach team gathered behind me. I felt my back tighten. I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. Having that many cops behind me, all itching to shoot, makes me nervous. When I got to the door, I pulled it open, peered inside, then connected to the cameras again, briefly cycling through. None of them noticed that I had shorted out the gun up front. I got into the antechamber, taking out my copper line again.

  Rushing in, I flicked my wrist, and my wire wrapped around the gunman's weapon, sending a quick pulse of electricity through it. He yelped and dropped it, and I pulled it away with a little tug. He started dashing to the back as the other robbers came out to see what the commotion was. They started brandishing their guns, and I pointed and arced a bolt of lightning at the first one through the door. It struck him in the chest, and he spasmed, his gun firing randomly. Damn it! He must have had his finger on the trigger. No one had been hit, which was good, but it hadn't been smart to handle it that way. The S.W.A.T. team behind me charged forward and shot at the thieves. They fired back. This is going to be a bloodbath if I let them handle it. I glanced around quickly, trying to think of something, anything to stop this. My eyes landed on the lights above the gunmen's heads. I shot another bolt of electricity through the air and overloaded the bulbs. They exploded overhead, raining glass down upon them. The men screamed and scattered. I took this opportunity to jump up on the counter and brandish my copper whip. I swept it across the three figures, and they all spasmed and twitched before falling limp. I hadn't used enough electricity to really harm them. Just as much as your average taser. Just enough to disable.

  The cops split up, some going to check on the hostages and others going to cuff the burglars. I watched them, noticing that a few of them carried heavy anti-meta cuffs. I suppressed a shudder, trying not to remember the terrible nausea they caused, and hopped off the counter.

  "There's still one mo-" I began to say, but my words were drowned out by the roar of an explosion, crashing metal, and shattering glass. I sprinted to the back room. Well, what was left of it. The wall had been taken off entirely. A man was dashing away, dressed in black, wearing a ski mask, and carrying a gun. Ladies and gentlemen, I think we found our last contestant. I ran after him, unfurling my copper line. He turned a corner, and I skidded after him, barely staying upright. He turned and opened fire. My eyes widened, and I dove to the side. People screamed. Fuck! In public!

  I shot up and cracked my whip, sending an arcing line at him. He wasn't fast enough to dodge lightning. But realistically, who is? Kari? Bion? I grinned to myself and started towards the criminal. Only to hear some heavy breathing. There was a man who had been caught in the crossfire. Blood was leaking down the front of his shirt. I leaned over him and pulled his shirt open. There was a lot of blood. I looked around for anyone to help, but almost everyone else had scattered. Applying pressure to the wound with one hand, I raised the other to my head, searching.

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I found the signal I was looking for. Chattering over it as the police I'd left behind to chase the last guy reported in. I cut in, "This is Thunderblast. I need an ambulance; a man's been shot. I got the last thief. He's in custody. Hurry!"

  I couldn't keep my voice steady. I'd seen a few people die in front of me before. It never really got any easier. I didn't want this man to be added to the list. I grit my teeth. The ambulance got there within minutes and started treating the man. He was pale; I didn't like his chances. I stared down at his blood, staining my hands. The cops showed up a while after that and took the last robber in. They asked me to stick around and give my statement. I did so, not needing any more problems with the police. During the questioning, a white guy with slicked-back blond hair in a nicely tailored suit joined in and introduced himself.

  “Hello, Thunderblast.” Something in the way he said my name set me off. I didn't like it. "I'm Don Lawin, Assistant District Attorney."

  "Why's the A.D.A. here?" I asked.

  "I make it a point to check in on crimes involving vigilantes," he said dismissively. "Why did you get involved?"

  "Seemed like the neighborly thing to do. After all, I may end up using this bank."

  "And your interference almost let one of the robbers escape. Almost got a civilian killed. Maybe you should've stayed away, meta." My mouth twisted into a frown, and I nodded. I understood why the way he said my name had sounded wrong before.

  "And if I hadn't interfered, sir," I put the same amount of contempt into the syllable that he had. "Our boys in blue might still be outside trying to find a way to outsmart a gun with a thermal camera taped to it."

  The cop standing next to Lawin glared at me, but he looked away when I met his eye. "The next time y'all need help, just give a shout. I'd be happy to lend a hand."

=== DON ===

I watched that freak walk away. I could have him arrested for Obstruction, but the press is here. They've been interviewing the witnesses. And the hostages have been singing his praises. Calling him a hero. It made me sick. The thought of them putting freaks and monsters like Thunderblast, like Smash Gal, on a pedestal infuriated me. Don't they realize they're just destroying everything? Even today, this man, Harold Shango Jonathan Bien-Amie, got a man shot and killed. Kari Stewart has killed people. I took a few deep breaths, suppressing the images of the remains of people that woman flew through when she was thrown through a building. My stomach turned. And people laud them as saviors. Their day will come, though, I thought to myself as one of the cops guided me through the crime scene.

  They showed me the window that the thieves had blown out to escape. The light that Thunderblast had blown out. It was an open-and-shut case, even with the meta filth making my job harder. Officers had started to do an inventory of what the team had been trying to steal with some bank employees. I walked in and watched them for a few minutes. A few bundles of money were lying on the table next to me. They won't notice. And if they do, they'll just assume that filthy meta took them. Or the criminals.

  Arms crossed, I gestured with a finger to the bundles, and light started to bend away from them. They disappeared from sight shortly after. And I leaned on the table for a moment and slipped them inside my coat. For the Cause, I thought, grinning inwardly. The Fed can reimburse them. Just like it did when those degenerates on Wall Street tanked them before. I walked out, the bills still invisible in my jacket. Those freaks won't know what hit them when we're ready. Using those abilities, like the filth, made me sick. I hated everything about it. But I had to remember my goal. God has gifted me with their curse to take them down.

  No one stopped me as I walked out. Why would they? I'm the Assistant District Attorney. A good man doing right by normal people. I got into the car provided to me by the city and drove back to the office. I parked it and walked over to the muddy jeep I kept nearby. I opened the back up and stashed the cash in the spare wheel well. I heard some footsteps behind me. "Hey there, Don. How's it going?"

  I took a moment to adjust the money, making sure to avoid sudden movements. It was just the District Attorney, Alan Crane. "Oh, you know, just getting ready to do a little off-roading."

  "Yeah, you love the outdoors," he responded affably. "You wanna go fishing sometime?"

  "Yeah, we should put something on the books," I responded, trying to put my best smile on. "How's the Wan trial going?"

  "I don't know, Don. It just doesn't feel right." Crane's body language visibly closed off, and he frowned, leaning against my jeep. I narrowed my eyes at him, then took a deep breath. "Prosecuting a man who's saved the world. It's just not right. But he broke the law. Got thousands of people killed."

  "We've always been too lenient on these vigilantes," I muttered, staring into the back of my jeep.

  "Yeah, but what can we do? They're necessary," Crane said thoughtfully. "We got too many of those strange events. Even if Bion brought the Grignau to the planet, he still pushed them back. He's the only one who could do anything to them. Well, until Smash Gal. She's a good girl."

  "She's no different than the rest of them."

  "I thought you'd be a fan," Crane replied, raising an eyebrow. "She's almost as law-and-order as you are."

  "She . . ." I stopped myself. My stomach roiled at the thought of me being a fan of any of those things. "She's done some good in the city. But she can't even stop those cat burglars. She's even friends with them. Didn't you see that Esvanir and her had dinner the other night?"

"From what I heard, they weren't on friendly terms. Professor Mind was the only thing that stopped them from going at it."

  "Of course," I said, trying to minimize my patronizing tone. The man's a moron, but he's still my boss, I thought. Worse than being a moron, he's a traitor. Selling out his people for those monsters. I sighed and closed the trunk of my jeep, forcing Crane to stand away. "Anyway, Alan. It's after hours, and I was hoping to get out to the campsite here pretty soon."

  "Oh, yeah," Crane replied, smiling. "Enjoy your little getaway."

  I drove off a few minutes later, driving out past the suburbs and deep into the rural areas surrounding Avalare. It took a few hours before I turned onto a dirt road leading deep into some woods. About twenty minutes after that, I came across a gate. Men were patrolling around the perimeter and protecting the fence surrounding the area. I stopped at the entrance and one of the young men, dressed in camo fatigues and a buzzcut, carrying a rifle, stepped up to my jeep. I rolled down the window and greeted him. "Jenkins, good man. How is everything?"

  "Ah, Sargent Lawin! Good to see you. Everything is going well. No visitors except for you today. Nothing to report," he said deferentially.

  "That's good to hear. Open the gate." The young man rushed off and pulled the gate open. I pulled through. Behind the fence were several steel buildings. There were more men running circuits around the compound. I pulled up to the spot set aside for me, parked, got out, and retrieved the money. I walked through and made my way to my home-away-from-home; my office had a heavy desk with a plush seat behind it. I smiled up at the wood-carved insignia nailed to the wall. An eagle with arrows clutched tightly in one taloned foot and a syringe in the other. Just below the eagle's feet were the words Curatio Virium Armatorum. The Cure Armed Forces. A few minutes after I sat at my desk, a stiff-backed woman walked through my door without knocking. She had a severe face and tight, angular features framed by long black hair; her gaze cut through me sharply, and I shifted before putting on a smile and greeting her. "Stacy. It's good to see you."

  "Lawin," she said shortly. "What's going on in the city?"

  "Nothing out of the ordinary. They're still letting the degenerates run around and do as they please. A freak helped 'stop' a bank robbery." I tossed the bundles of cash onto the table. She picked them up and spread them out with her thumb.

  "How much is here?"

  "I don't know. Probably 20k," I replied, yawning. "Didn't have time to count it."

  She smiled. It transformed her face. She still looked like a predator, but the kind that one wanted to keep around. I grinned back at her before shaking my computer awake. My desktop came up. The background picture was the hole in the building that the Grignau had thrown Kari Stewart through. It wasn't graphic. But I'd seen the photos of the victims. The Grignau were monsters, but she was just as bad. Worse, even. The Grignau go away eventually. In a small voice, I said, "Make sure some of the money gets to the recovery fund."

  "Of course, Don," she muttered, nodding before turning to leave. I watched her go. I spent a few minutes double-checking the funds and reports from members of the organization. After finishing that, I got up and went to a different building. They were all disconnected from the electrical grid and were powered by colossal gas tanks. What we've built here is proof of our righteousness. God gifted mankind with the world. And we will reclaim it from those usurpers. I strode into a brightly lit, very white room. It was partitioned off by large panes of glass. I stepped over and pushed a button on a panel built into one of the support beams. "Alexander, how's the research going?"

  A man in a hazmat suit jumped and turned. From behind his transparent faceplate, I could see him smile brightly. "Oh, uh, Sargent Lawin, sir. Good to see you. It's very promising, very promising indeed. I need a subject to really test it on, but I think that we have a cure."

  "A cure for the meta contagion?"

  "Well, I still need to run more tests. My hope is that we can cure it and keep the poor souls afflicted alive."

  "That would be ideal, but remember, stopping it from spreading further, stopping them from spreading their degeneracy, is much more important."

  "Of course, Sargent," Alexander replied, nodding fervently.