Chapter 3

After i stopped choking on my own hot chocolate, i had to take a moment to really understand what she told me.

"Why? Why would i join a bunch of thugs and go around harming innocents? If anything, i'd rather try my hand at being a hero and do some good. This entire thing is so weird, why would you contact me after i witnessed you robbing a store? What am i missing?"

Watching her crack a smile, i felt like a small mouse cornered by a very large cat.

"Alright, here's the thing, we're not supervillans, we're vigilantes, and we're planning to fight crime across the city! Since we've just started out, we're a little low on funds, and that's why we hit that store since it's actually a front for White Light, the Nazi gang ran by Purifier."

"Wait, what? But the store owner is a really nice guy, and you're telling me they're Nazis? And how does this explain you wanting me here, what could i offer your little crew, i'm a normal person and i don't have anything to offer you people."

"Oh please" she said, looking at me like i was treating her like a child "I know you're not normal, you have powers as well. I was trying to convince you to do what i said when you used your power yesterday and clocked me in the face. Kinda hard to forget. And that's why we need you, my powers make me take control of people by amplifying their ideas. That's why we came in looking as scary as we could, so when people got told to sit down and give us their money, they already had the idea in their heads, and i simply amplified it, but you resisted it by doing that weird thing before you clocked me in the face, and that's why we need you."

She looked serious now, but i still didn't understand exactly why she needed me, and then suddenly it dawned on me. "Wait, is this going were i think it's going? You need me cause Purifier has some mental powers like you, and you want me to clock him in the face like i did to you."

"Yes!" she said, practically beaming "And that's why we need you! Don't you understand how useful a power, however minor it is, with the power to resist mind control is against someone like Purifier?"

Yes, i really did understand how useful it is, but - "Why don't you go to the police, or the local Hero League and let them handle this? They're surely more qualified then us, and they have the resources to get jobs done without having to rob stores."

"Like they'd do a thing. the police can't handle criminals like these, and in a big city like Brownell City there are more high profile criminals to catch then some drug pushing, piece of shit Nazis, and that's where vigilantes like us come in."

"I-" and then i froze, realizing that i could, for once in my life, make a difference. I also remembered how alive i'd felt yesterday, and i wanted more.

"I'll join you since it sounds interesting and hey, being a hero doesn't seem to bad!"

***

Almost forty minutes later, we arrived at a run down warehouse at the docks. Brownell City, being located at the coast, had a large, if old and underused, port, which often served the less legal parts of the cities inhabitants. Going into the warehouse, one among many, it looked exactly like i'd expect a old run down warehouse to look. Turning towards Alexa and raising an eyebrow, she simply pointed forward, towards a room inside the building. Going inside the room, she turned towards me, and handing me a balaclava.

"Put this on, even thought they saw your face yesterday they didn't realize who you were, and we've decided that we'll hide our identities from each other unless we want the others to realize who we are. So put that on, and let's see who's in."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

We took the stairs up, and taking a key from her pocket and unlocking a lock that was very hard to see, we went into the room.

Once inside, i looked around and realized it looked much like how i'd come to expect teenage hangout spots to look. A TV with a couch and a couple of love-seats, a fridge and even a stove. Inside the room there were two guys with masks, one of them the person that tasered me the other day, and the other one i didn't recognize immediately, but the i realized it was the one that had been waiting outside.

"Hey, i, uh, kinda got recruited today? Nice to meet you, you can call me John Doe for the time being, if we're supposed to be anonymous."

The guy that tasered me started laughing, and after recovering, he started to speak.

"Hey John, you can call me Shocking, since i can, as you probably noticed, shock people."

letting out another small laugh, he walked up to me and shook my hand. "Welcome to the group, and i get feeling odd hanging out with the people that robbed you yesterday, but we can't let those shiteating Nazis find out that we're actively targeting them before we can line up a real good sucker-punch."

Turning around and focusing on the last person there, the one who had been waiting outside spoke up. "Hello John, you can call me Poof, since i can teleport myself and other people, and leave a small cloud of smoke both were we left from, and where we arrive."

Then they turned to me, both of them, and i realized that Alexa had left me alone to go get something to drink.

"So what do you do man, you managed to resist Takeover, so it gotta be something cool, right? You got mental powers on your own or what?" Shocking was almost bouncing now, and just from looking at him he looked exited.

"I actually don't know very well what i do. I suppose i have some minor mental resistance, but it's not anything I've known of before today. There might be something else as well, but nothing I've noticed before today."

"Oh, i was thinking you might have some regeneration as well, since you recovered from my shock so damn fast. I was scared i'd put you down for good with that second shock man, i'm sorry 'bout that, but i kinda panicked, since this was the first time any of us attacked somewhere with actual customers, before this, we've only hit places like empty warehouses where they store drugs or weapons to mess them over, so i'm not used to using my power on people."

"That actually sounds plausible since i recovered so damn quickly. And apology accepted, it's really nothing to worry about, since i'm fine and all. But i gotta go guys, i told my parents i'd just head out for a walk since if i even mentioned a girl, they'd probably start probing me for info, plus it'd only take a little time before my sister found out, and then i'll never be able to live this down."

That actually got a laugh out of them both, and i even heard a small snigger from Alexa over on the couch. Turning to leave, someone coughed behind me to get my attention. Turning around, it was Poof.

"Here, take this" he was holding out a cellphone with a charger , "so we can contact you when we're gonna go for 'em. Also, come back another day, our last member is out right now, so we'll let her introduce herself when she gets back. Stay safe."

Walking home, i realized what a day it had been. In less then 24 hours, i had fought, and then joined, a group of vigilantes, whose current objective was fighting a small Nazi gang.

What a fucking day.

***

Little longer today, only by a couple of hundred words. If you have any questions or if i fucked something up hard, don't hesitate to give me a comment pointing it out.

Nite.