It was another warm night in Burnington, The skies was clouded and raining just as the weather girl Nancy Bella said it would be on Channel 8, but the man currently walking down the sidewalk didn't mind the rain. He was carrying a bag of groceries for tonight. It was simple stuff he was making for tonight, just some steak and rice. He held a black umbrella in his hand, shielding himself. He just got off his shift at the Dollar Paradise where he works as a cashier and as a stocker. His name was Gary Chenglai. His hair was black and short, he just got a haircut three days ago at Barber Wire, a barber shop that gives you decent hair cuts for cheap. He had on a dull red jacket and blue jeans. He was around 5'12. His eyes a deep brown. He was humming a little tune to himself, it was the new hit "Take On Me" by A-ha. He first heard that song today.

He will never forget it as when that song was playing he had met that beautiful woman with jade-color eyes with a gorgeous dress of the same color. She happily chatted with him while he stocked the soda. When he asked for her name, she simply wagged her finger at him with a seductive smile.

"Why spoiled the mystery? We're having such good fun." She said, holding a umbrella that was recently wet from the rain. The intercom was blaring Take on Me. Gary couldn't really explain what he was feeling at this moment. It was a potent cocktail of Excitement mixed with Anxiety. She had long beautiful black hair, she was clearly Asian like Gary himself, but he could tell she was Japanese. She also had a fondness for green if her eyeshadow is anything to go by. Her alluring eyes that made Gary knees weak on the spot, her smile that of a pure predator.

"Okay, but what if I want to be friends with you?" He asked curiously taking some bottles from a box of Coca-Cola and putting it in the cooler.

"Oh? You don't want to be more than that?" She asked getting way closer to him to than he was comfortable with.

He got a little nervous, but he didn't want to show it.

"Maybe, but for right now, friends?." He asked hopefully.

The mysterious woman smiled at him. "Friends, for now. I see you around, Gary." She agreed.

She began to walk away, before she reached the exit, she turn to him with a wide grin that made him feel butterflies in his stomach.

"I really think this is the start of something exciting, don't you agree?" She said happily, then she left out before Gary can reply.

There was something about her that made Gary uneasy, but he just couldn't figure out what it was.

"Who was that?" A female voice asked from the counter.

Gary turn toward the cashier. She was wearing the same uniform as him. A black polo shirt with the store logo on the back. Her hair was medium length and auburn-colored but a single streak of it was dyed red. She was wearing light makeup that made her blue eyes pop out more. She was wearing lip gloss that made her lips shine. Her name was Andrea Walken, she worked here for around a year now, she showed Gary the ropes on his first day. He been working here for a good five months.

"No idea." Gary responded.

"She was mysterious, Hopefully she come back again tomorrow." Andrea said plainly. Counting the big wad of twenties that mysterious woman gave her.

After his shift ended, Gary walked home. He couldn't help the feeling that he was being watched. But then again, he does live in Burnington, pretty much everybody have that feeling 24\7. He made very sure to pay extra attention to his surroundings.

He walked past the record store known as Vinyl Sanctuary, The giant glass window that was usually there was patched up with wood. Somebody broke in the night before and almost made off with the cash register before getting their throat slashed open violently by an unknown assailant to the point you can see the larynx.

There would be still dried blood on the sidewalk if it wasn't for the cleanup crew. Gary felt queasy and made an extra effort to step around the crime scene.

"Oh god, I get freaked out just thinking about it." Gary thought, shivering a little. Hurrying his pace a little more. He didn't like living in Burnington, he didn't know how he survived this long. The only reason he was living here was because it arguably cheaper then say Redemption, Nevada and he didn't have enough money to move to Glory, Illinois. Plus his job is not too far away from his apartment so really it was a matter of convince.

Gary began thinking about that new vigilante that showed up a week ago. Night-Terror is what the news called him. He took down a clown themed gangster who was planning to turn one of Burnington's arguably cleanest neighborhoods into a hotbed for drug-dealing. And also how he saved his co-worker from a robbery, Gary called in sick that day because he had the flu.

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Gary remember Andrea being super-excited about it.

"He just came in and beat the ever-loving crap out of the robber, he had these tasers and a night stick. You shoulda been there!" Andrea said to Gary on the phone excitedly as he sip on chicken noodle soup.

"We need more people like him." Gary thought as he continued walking, being mindful of his surroundings. He know that the police try their best, but they can't stop everything. Having a hero around, it helps. He thought about the comic books he used to read as a kid and couldn't just help but realized how surreal it all was that there was a actual superhero in town.

It gave him hope. He heard various stories about heroes popping up here and there like Shining Patriot who stopped a Nazi loyalist known as Uber-Storm. Then there was Mistress of Justice who saved President Marshall and an entire building of people from a deranged former presidential candidate who subjected himself to experimental chemicals to become the Lord of Terror.

"That was last year, she was given a medal of heroism and the key to the city for that." Gary thought, he always admired heroes who saved lives, it inspired him to do good whenever he can.

"Even if I can't do much, I can try." That was a personal motto Gary stood by.

Not that Gary thought he could ever be a fighting hero. gangbangers? cold-blooded killers? Former presidential candidates that can induce nightmares that feel real? Nazis that can shoot lighting bolts? He leave that to the professionals. He stick to volunteering at Jane's soup kitchen on Saturdays.

"I pray you find your daughter safe and unharmed." He remembered telling his teary eyed boss that when he found out about the horrible news of her daughter being kidnapped by some shady thugs. The police themselves had no leads on these thugs were. Jane said she hired a good detective to help her find her precious Renee.

He grit his teeth in frustration as he felt powerless to help this kind woman who always help others. Memories of the past threatened to resurface and he had to think of that mysterious woman again to calm down.

Within fifteen minutes, he made it to the apartment building safe and sound. It was near the police station, so not too much happen around this place. These apartments like the ones in Cabrini Crossings are cheap but much more nicer to look at. The building wasn't covered in spray-paint either, and didn't smell of stale liquor and despair. Well, at least on a good day.

He decided after he put the groceries away to pay a visit to his friend that live in the same building as him. The friend name was Trevor. No last name. Gary considered him to be a friend because he stopped Gary from getting mugged one time. He was about to get shot by this guy over twenty dollars before the thug ran off. Gary looked up to see Trevor with a shotgun hanging out the window in a dangerous fashion. He had red hair with the back of his hair being green, making him stand out like a coca-coca in the Pepsi section. Yellow eyes that was scary to look at, especially at night. He was a average height of 6'0 ft. wearing a salmon colored shirt with black jeans and dull faded sneakers.

"Thank you!" Gary said gratefully .

"You're wel-" Trevor felled out the window onto the concrete in front of Gary. Now it wasn't too much of a far drop but it was still from the third floor. Gary jumped back, clearly shocked. The first thing he thought he should do is call a ambulance.

Trevor put his hand up in the air.

"No ambulances, they not getting my treasures." Trevor said, slurring.

"But you just felled from the third floor!, you need medical attention!" Gary nearly yelled, still in disbelief.

"What I need is a drink." Trevor said getting up slowly. Gary hear the sickening sounds of Bones cracking back into place.

"Hey, you wanna get wasted?" Trevor said, through clenched teeth. Holding his shattered rib cage that was slowly being mended. Blood running like a fountain from his busted nose.

Gary numbly shakes his head no.

"Suit yourself. See you around, Mortal." With that, Trevor limped back into the apartment building, Leaving a utterly baffled Gary. Gary wondered if he had super-powers as well.

Every other time they would meet, they would have short but interesting conversations. For example.

"Having sex is fun but can get dull if you do it everyday ." Trevor said out of nowhere, smoking a cigarette, leaning back in a plush red chair.

Gary had to process that. "How so?" Gary questioned. He was eating a burger he picked up from Banger Burgers and Freaky Fries, now in three locations across Burnington, Florida.

"Now i don't know about your experience but mine is centuries worth." Trevor bragged , smiling.

Gary rolled his eyes. Trevor look like he was in thirties at best, remind him of some of his friends back in his school, yeah they bragged about getting laid all the time but they never actually did it. It was painfully clear they didn't know how sex worked.

"Once you had sex enough times, the whole act start to get meaningless. I never took it seriously when Ab-my friend told me to not indulge in pleasure too much because it will eventually get tiresome. And sure enough he was right." Trevor said, a far-away look in his eyes.

"Is that so?" Gary asked, not convinced.

"Well, not unless you start trying new things. Trevor replied plainly.

Trevor noticed the confusion on Gary's face.

"Let me tell you what I'm talking about." Trevor clarified.

The whole rest of conversation Gary did his best to block out, because it was so disturbing and disgusting that he needed to take a long hot shower after the fact. He wasn't a prude, mind you. But if he had to live the rest of his life without ever knowing what cock and ball torture is, he be fine with that.

"I made it back in one piece." Gary thought as he opened the doors.

He walked into the lobby which smelled of cigarettes and cigars, shouting and laughing can be heard from upstairs. Most likely the tenants was playing cards. At the very least, the supposedly calm atmosphere put him at ease for now.

Gary walked up the stairs to his apartment on the 4th floor. He got his key and opened the door.

He got kicked in the face the moment he walked in.