I barely woke to the birds chirping as the sun began to break its first shed of light across my bedroom floor. I kicked ever-so-ladylike out of bed with a hard thunk on my wooden floor, shaking the nerdy anime and mini figures on my shelves as I did so. I could have hit the softer trans colored rug covering MOST of my room but we’d decided that things wouldn't be as easy as that today. I nailed my knee, hard, into the first bit of wood it found and my head took the first figure that decided to have a leap of faith at the exact time. The impact upon my temple felt wonderful. That was a wonderful feeling. After letting out my groans of discomfort, I leaned against the bed.Had everything from the previous night been in my head? A dream, or nightmare? I remembered being hurt and I remembered the encounter just fine though, dreams usually weren’t that vivid, outside of course, the nightmares. Those tend to make damned sure I remember them. It was foggy outside and I was hungry. My stomach protested our hunger and broke the silence with it’s bellowing call of pain as I got a big whiff of some food cooking downstairs. I shook myself more awake, stood, and the pain came rolling through like I’d been slammed into by a truck last night.

This was the most pain I’d woken up with in a long time, and I couldn’t even remember what happened.

“This isn’t normal is it?” I asked no one in particular. My voice escaped it’s box and I barely recognized it. I usually suffered fatigued unreality when nightmares got particularly bad and even after the two years of transitioning, it was still jarring to hear that higher feminine voice break my lips. No matter how long it had been or will be, I don’t think I’ll really ever get used to it.

“NO, it isn’t. I’m unsure of what's going on here. Give me a little time to evaluate everything that we’re missing in our databases, erm, our brains, and I’ll get back to you.” The voice in my head rarely didn’t know something so I figured if I needed a moment, the least I could do was give it to myself. I nodded. I was in my pajamas, which was odd. I hadn’t remembered switching into them but I also wasn’t remembering much these days either. . Damn, had I been drinking a lot recently? If so it had to be a shit load. I shook my head and gave myself a couple of gentle face slaps, waking myself up. I brushed off my clothes, making sure to resemble a girl who had her life together. Nah, couldn’t even pretend to pull that one off. I grabbed my street clothes and changed, chuckling as I did.

I grabbed my mask off the computer desk. My room still resembled an average teenage boys room. I hadn’t really figured myself out yet. Along with the physical transitioning I’d also recently been going through an interest burn out, ironic considering I was a pyro. My room, as I said, screamed man cave, except for the randomly pinned around trans flags and pride colors trying to cover some of the previously outdated posters. Band posters, tech magazines and the nerdy figures covered a majority of what would be a blank boring wall. A few gaming and movie posters stuck underneath the few newer ones I had managed to put up. A Fear Patrol recruitment poster hung right on the back of my door with the Governor’s face smiling brightly at me. I found amusement in the poster even though my siblings feel I should join. Me, myself and I disagree entirely with the sentiment considering I’m on the top of that man’s hunted list. Or at the very least, I’m in one of the top ten slots. I half tucked my shirt and headed towards the door, rolling my pant legs. I can’t help myself, the style is cool. The bed sat directly behind me, messy as all hell, I’d fix it later and my tv hung from its prongs in the opposite corner. I should really update the room. All my new found aesthetics would eventually break through the interest barrier and find their way onto the walls. It’ll happen one of these days. I patted my hand gently on the beast that is my computer as the Jefferson sticker smiled up at me.

That little guy was everywhere.

I slowly creaked open my door and peaked out down the hall. I was the second door to the end of a second story hall. Adjacent to me, in the depth of darkness that flooded only this very end of the house, was my eldest sister, Janette. I shivered at the very thought of her. For whatever reason, since we’d been kids, I was her number one target of bullying. Not typically physically but she liked to practice her fear prowess on me and let me tell you, it worked. I’m genuinely afraid of her. I glanced down the hall and waited for any signs of movement before sheepishly stepping out myself when a small voice broke the silence, scaring what little courage I’d had left–out.

“You needn't worry, she’s still sick. Hasn’t left that room for a couple of days, but neither have you really for that matter.” My second youngest sister, Michelle, leaned against the wall next to the bathroom, drying her wet hands on her pajamas. She shared the floor with us while the others were downstairs.

“Oh, erm, thanks? You’re not gonna like, act as her proxy or anything right now are you? I’m too sore for a fight right now kid.” I said with a little more hostility than probably needed.

“No, not today. I’m not feeling great. Maybe some other time.” She nodded to me and disappeared down the hall leaving me with some great advice. “Your shoes are untied.” I quickly checked and they were. I fixed them, and with a little skip headed out towards the stairs. Our stairs have a beautiful railing built on an amazing mahogany wood case that I tend to slide down every morning I can. It gets me going. Gets me pumped. I landed directly on my feet as I burst into one of the most lively atmospheres I’d ever seen in our house. Music blared from the kitchen, which I couldn't believe I missed until now. The kitchen was dimly lit as I heard conversations from the kitchen. That would be Stacy, my second oldest sister and Nicole, the youngest. I rounded the corner ducking through the living room. Our living room looks like any generic living room you could probably imagine. Pictures, tv, media stand in the center, a fireplace. The pictures on the walls are from childhood adventures, vacations, there's a nice picture of Janette from when she was younger and not so mean. She’s actually smiling in that one. Most of us took a vote when mom and dad passed away that we should leave the room like how they’d intended it to look, i think mostly it helps everybody grieve. Of course, seeing me probably undoes their progress, which is why I tend to hang out more in the bunker these days than at home. I burst through the doorway into the kitchen with a dab, as I was met with a chunk of egg to the face.

“Seriously? Who throws a damned egg at someone?” I laughed. My eldest sister, Stacy grinned.

“Who skips out on coming home after days at a time?” She playfully punched my shoulder. Her long red hair was done up in a bun.

“Wait, days? I haven't been home in days?” I asked, genuinely confused.

“It’s been like four days AJ.” Nicole answered, handing me a warm biscuit from across the kitchen island.

“I thought I was only gone for a day or two at most? Yum, thanks!” A smile broke across my face as I bit into the warm bread that had been buttered ever so perfectly.

“This is even more concerning.” That voice in me chimed in.

“You've been MIA for like 4 days now. Nicole found you passed out on the floor upstairs. You’re lucky it was her and not Jan.” Stacy said, who was now mixing some eggs around in a pan.

“Yeah? Well thanks for that kiddo.” I said, tossing her my fist. She smiled and bumped it.

“Of course AJ, I got you.” She chuckled at something that I guessed she and Stacy had been talking about before as the two returned to their conversation. Nicole’s black hair hung down covering her face.

“You know, kiddo, you should look into getting a cut of some sort. That hair is growing so fucking long.” I chuckled. She hid her face a little.

“Yeah, says the girl with the bush growing on her head?’ Stacy asked, stepping in to defend our sibling. I laughed and flexed.

“I can pull it off. She can’t.” I stuck my tongue out at Nicole as Stacy handed me a fixed plate. I shook my head.

“Anyway, baby sister, what are you off to do, something stupid and dangerous I assume?” Stacy asked, rolling her eyes. I set the plate she had fixed me down on the counter and nodded.

“Of course, you know me so well. What else would I be up to?” I laughed. She shrugged.

“At least promise me you'll be safe about it. If I can't stop you from this hero business you’ve convinced yourself you need to do, at least promise me you’ll be safe about everything?” She gave me a stern, older sibling look that only she can effectively pull off on me.I shrugged.

“I can promise nothing.” I laughed.

“AJ. I’m serious. Promise me you'll be safe out there. I don’t understand why you feel like you have to do anything. You’ve been through enough. You know that right? You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.” Stacy explained.

“Yes we do.” The voice and I spoke within my head almost in unison. I had to prove everything to everyone. Every single day, I had to make up for the sins of my past. I knew, no I know, that I never will fully recover from them and that I’ll never be squared with the universe but for every villain I take down in Industry, I step over another gap on the long road of redemption ahead of me.

I hope anyway.

“It’s been years. You were eight years old. You can go a little easy on yourself from time to time, you know that right?” That voice spoke calmly. I did not.

“No, I CAN”T!!” I spat the last part out as both Stacy and Nicole shared a concerned look. Which was entirely fair. I looked up and sighed.

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“Sorry. Sorry.” I basically pleaded with them.

“That voice again?” Stacy asked, handing me the plate of food again with a smile now. Her smiles are always warm. She, for some reason, has always been the only person that can calm me down. I nodded to her though, accepting the plate this time as I could physically feel my stomach gurgle. It hurt like hell. How long had I gone without eating? These time lapses in my memory were becoming a problem and I would soon start suffering even greater consequences for them if I didn’t start working on figuring them out.

“Yeah, sorry guys.” I said quietly as I scarfed down a makeshift breakfast sandwich with extra hot sauce

“It’s cool dude, but seriously promise me you’ll be safe out there? Promise us.” Stacy commanded.

“Okay okay, sheesh. I promise I’ll be safe. I’ll double and triple check my six okay?” I smiled. The two nodded in acceptance.

“That’s as good as any promise we'll get I think.” Stacy said laughing. “Oh, give Jess a call. She’s been worried sick about you these last four days.” My, not girlfriend but not not girlfriend, Jess–was absolutely a worry wart when it came to me. She, being one of the few people that knew my secrets, most of them anyway, always worried anytime I’d do anything even slightly dangerous and the fact that I hadn't remembered the last four days, meant I’d absolutely need to check in with her. If she wasn’t already out on the streets with a small task force scorching the earth of the city for me herself.

“Oh shit, yeah you’re right. I need to make sure she knows I’m good, but firstly, I need to make sure I know I’m good. I’ll call her as soon as I figure out something. If she calls again though, can you tell her you’ve seen me and I’m alive? I’ll swing by her place later today while I’m out!” I said as I said as I started heading for the side kitchen door.

“Will do! Also, you should really consider getting some therapy for that voice of yours while you’re out fighting crime and such. I feel like you would benefit from it immensely” She said as-a-matter-of-factly. I grinned a Cheshire smile.

“Why would I pay for a therapist when I’ve already got one though?” I pulled my ski mask out from my jeans pocket and waved it in the air triumphantly. Stacy shook her head.

“That doesn’t count you brat!” She yelled as I closed the door behind me. Four days had been long enough. It was time to make sure that the streets knew I was still alive. It was time to show Industry City that, darkfire was still around.

Marked.

I've been marked since I was a kid. I'm not happy about it and it makes everything I do that much harder but, the cold hard truth of my life that I had to learn at a young age is that I am marked. I'm marked for being a kinetically empowered person, I'm marked for being a double, I'm marked for my past and I'm marked now for what I do in the present. I always thought that by doing this whole detective vigilante thing that I would remove that mark by some degree, maybe it could show the world that we aren't dangerous people and that maybe I could prove that our system needs reworked but, for every crime lord I bring down they throw that much more Fear Patrol my way or some new villain rises out of the ashes of a previous one. I'm not saying I don't enjoy what I do, hell. I love it. I just wish I had it as easy as some of the other up and comers do and I didn't have that damned sniper always following me.

She is the bane of my existence and makes everything I do twice as difficult. I left the house, the laughter in the kitchen disappearing as I closed the door behind me. I headed down the darkened morning street, circling several times until I managed to get back to that park I was in the other night. Memories shivered through me of that creepy girl in the mask. It was there that I put my own on. I come to life under that mask. Its like my whole personality shifts. I am no longer AJ Green, the trans-child of the grand military Green family, but I am for all case and purposes--Darkfire. That's all that matters under this mask. My fire, my darkness and my innate ability to piss every single villain off with my superior sense of humor. I ducked out from behind a tree and headed out into Industry proper.

We live in the suburban district, one of the nicer ones at that, so we're a little ways from the city proper. I made my way through, zipping and weaving my way through every dark cranny and crevice I could find. Shadowslipping makes everything a little more fun, why walk everywhere when you can just break your body's molecules down to individual cells and dematerialize into the darkness and reemerge somewhere further along the road? Okay it actually kind of sounds terrifying when I describe it this way but trust me on this, it's so much faster than just walking and it gives me that cool edge of being a zippy detective in the shadows. I slipped through the back alleys of some skyscrapers and found my way to the top. The sun had started rising now, which meant my slipping would be limited. I reached into my pocket and pulled a crumbled slip of paper out from before. Where was I even headed? Where did this even come from? With all this memory loss and with these gaps of time missing from my life by the chunks, I couldn't even be too sure I was on to something at all other than the address that sat before me on the sheet of crumpled up paper. It was somewhere in the industrial districts, warehouse zones. I rarely went to those areas and for good reason, they smelled horrible, even worse than the typical stench of this place and the criminal underworld there was far beyond my pay grade. Not that I'm getting any kind of payment for any of the work I'm doing here, though I really should be. I'm mostly helping IPD and Fear Patrol out by cleaning their streets under private contracts if you really think about it and in return they send the hounds. Every. Single. Time. But I digress. I headed towards the coordinates on the sheet.

There were two legible things printed on this paper. An address, barley- and a single scribbled word.

Kintech.

I'd vaguely heard of the company. They produced the highest number of small cybernetics parts in the city. They weren't the leading manufacturer but they dealt more specifically with powered things called conducting I believed. That's all I knew about them. Had I been working on something with these guys? Had I been hired by a client even or was I working on my own? I really wish I'd been smart enough the other night to keep the paper out of my pocket as It'd gotten soaked in there from the storm and laying in the wet grass. Nothing else was readable and I was drawing a blank on any kind of important details. The only thing that came to mind was the sight of a semi-craft barreling down 30 towards me as I dove out of the way and a bullet grazed my leg? My shoulder? I couldn't even remember where I'd been hurt now. Dammit this was getting old and my inner voice was quiet, which wasn't helping anything either.

At this point the sun had come up and I found myself tumbling out of a slip into the brightness on top of some roof. I hadn't even realized how far I'd traveled. I was starting to worry about my mental health even more than usual if I was disassociating to the point of traveling places now. I knelt down on the edge of the concrete top looking out onto a warehouse bustling with activity. Armed soldiers, carrying more firepower than our actual military, were bringing a truck in through the back of the building. These guys screamed private military or small deals mobs. I counted eleven guards positioned in different places around the perimeter. It had been a little while since I was involved in some heavy duty combat but your girl had the confidence to pull this off. I counted and marked the positions of all eleven of them and darted downwards. Small screens of smoke took me down the building as I conjured the little puffs under my boots. Fire is always an under-appreciated power whenever people talk about cool ones. I can do so many things with this ability of mine and that's not even including the darkness hybrid. I dropped down to the ground and breathed in.

"Well, here we go." I said to myself in preparation, trying to wake my inner self up who for some reason seemed to not be taking any of my calls.

I strolled around to the front door, avoiding the guards once I was sure the back doors were closed, tugged at the front door and strolled inside. The semi sat parked in the middle of the warehouse as the rest was just a large empty building with several rows of useless shelving units that seemed like they were there for decoration more than anything. this was the kind of a warehouse you'd bring the cops to, not have an actual deal go down. I walked through the front doors and with a small surveillance of the area decided what my next best course of action would be.

"Hey you guys left your front door open, ya know any weirdo could just stroll in here off the street and interrupt your totally very legal business transaction happening here." I said with such confidence. I didn't need my inner voice to tell me to run though because what followed was a barrage of hammering bullets. I should have expected it but I was kind of hoping I'd get the chance to roll a twenty on this and talk to them first. Guess I was wrong. Several streams of bullets flashed past me as I dove backwards into some smoke puffs I threw forwards. The room quickly grew thickened in an orange tinted smoke. Which helped suppress some of their fire but it also meant that I was subjugated to my own field coverage. I hid behind one of the empty useless shelves. I guess they weren't so useless. Most people in shootouts tend to forget though that wooden structures don't stop bullets. I dove the minute the first few bullets broke through my temporary hideaway. I threw a blast of pure fire with dancing black flames towards the first guy I could see. His screams stopped a few minutes afterwards. That was the worst part about this to me. The killing. Of course it didn't exactly bother me and I would do it without hesitation, but it didn't make the sounds of them dying any easier to listen to.

I threw another blast which was followed by another scream. Bullets rung out all around me in flashes of yellow. Those shots were loud too, my ears started ringing as I found myself rounding the truck. I tried to peak in under the cover of one of the shipment crates but before I even realized what had happened a shot rang out louder than the others as the truck exploded. I just barely noticed the heat rising within seconds of detonation. I shadowslipped using the mechanics' bay under the floor. The truck exploded above me in a magnificent display of pyrotechnics. Or what little I managed to see as I lay hidden in my crevice. I listened for movement. Nothing. There wasn't a single sound from above me and I couldn't believe just how fast an actual explosion occurred. I realized though as I sat there that I had something in my hand. A vile with some kind of liquid in it. It wasn't glowing or anything but it was a purple color. Some kind of new drug maybe?

I waited long enough for the coast to be fully cleared and squeezed my way back up. The fog had cleared although the fire started rapidly spreading. I saw the bodies of the others as I shook my head. Someone had taken the lives of the rest of these guys to prevent me from seeing what was in here. I was faster than they'd expected but shit. Whatever this stuff was, was worth the secrecy of killing an army to keep it from me. I brushed myself off and headed out through the back. A groan caught my attention. Someone was still alive. I reached down to see if I could help them before they laughed.

"You. Darkfire. Too late. You can't stop what's coming. It's already in circulation. You're way over your head-" A bullet whizzed by me and slammed into his chest. I barreled sideways and reared my hand back ready to throw another fire blast when I noticed a red dot sight glinting in the sunlight. Of course they'd be here. Dammit these guys have nothing better to do with their days than harass me huh? I figured who'd shot that round. Fucking, Melony. She was probably expecting to catch both of us in that shot, she's amazing too and I think the only reason she missed me was...wait she hadn't missed me. Blood was trickling down my side.

"Well fuck, wonderful! This is the gods damned thanks I get for doing your dirty work?" I yelled out into the parking lot from the holes in the doors that had been blown off the hinges from the explosion. I figured going out there would be a terrible idea. I tucked the vile into my pocket and slipped around the side way into the next building over. I found myself an access tunnel to the sewer systems and dove into it, sealing it from the other side with some welding fire. I wasn't away from Melony for good but I'd bought myself some time while Fear Patrol inevitably took the time to clean up the scene. In the meantime. It may have been the blood I was losing or the adrenaline from the firefight but...

I was starting to feel like our deceased friend was right. I was in way over my head this time. I needed to get somewhere. I needed help. I needed to get to my bunker.