After spending a full day and night working with Conner to coordinate information at their abandoned factory headquarters, John had come home.

The jog from work to home took a half-hour, but after all his training with Death Head, the distance was nothing to John. He may not have been tough enough to become a Mask like Conner, but he’d still gotten in well above-average shape.

|X|

John’s family lived in a small one-story house between two larger buildings, a grocery store to their west and a clothing store to their east. His home was just down the road from the church his father preached at, and his mother worked as a manager in the grocery store next door.

Money had always been tight but manageable for John’s family. But ever since he got his job working for Death Head and now Shining Darkness, John had brought his mother and father a bit more comfort in their lives. This was especially helpful as the Parkinson’s his father was diagnosed with some years ago slowly worsened.

|X|

Coming in through the front door, John said, “I’m hoooome.” His tone was half-hearted and lazy, perfectly expressing his exhaustion.

It was midnight, so John wasn’t expecting a response. As such, he was taken off guard when his father called back, “Welcome back, son.”

Picking up his pace, John sped to his house’s living room. Within, he saw his dad sitting on the couch and reading a history book with his left hand while his right quivered beside him.

“Oh. Hi, Dad,” John said before pausing, waiting for his father to speak. But when he didn’t say anything and just stared at him with patient expectance, John went on, “I… didn’t expect you to still be up.”

With a raised brow, John’s father sighed lightly through his nostrils before stating, “It’s past midnight, and I was worried for you. I know your job keeps you busy, but this is the latest you’ve ever come home.”

“I know. Sorry, Sir. Shine and I are just trying to give it our all to finding the missing kids.”

Perking up as he pulled his spasming hand from between couch cushions, John’s father asked, “Oh? And how’s the progress going with that?”

Happy his dad was intrigued, John explained attentively, “Pretty well, I think. I have my computer back at base running data on every building surrounding the park to try and figure out which ones could be used for spying on the area. And Conner’s busy looking over the buildings themselves for vantage points.”

Cocking a brow, John’s father asked, “Alright… Could you, perhaps, invent some new device to speed the process up?”

“Erm… Dad, inventing something like that isn’t something I can just… do… so easily,” John replied, trying to hide his somewhat judgemental tone.

“Oh really?” His father responded with strange pride. “You used to bring your mother and me all your inventions. You had something new for us every week.”

“Er… Well, I… I’ve been busy ever since…” John started.

Cutting in, his dad finished his sentence, “Ever since you began your work with Masks. You’ve come up with a few things, but your work has slowed.”

John froze up at his dad’s judgment. The fear of being forced out of his career rushed into his mind.

I don’t want to quit. I know Conner doesn’t need my help as much anymore, but I can still do stuff.

Despite himself, John’s words were ringing in his brain but couldn’t leave his throat.

Realizing his son was about to break into a cold sweat, John’s father let out a soft chortle before telling him, “John, calm down. I’m still proud of the work you’re doing. You’ve helped save lives… I just want to make sure your passions aren’t getting swallowed by your job.”

Taken aback, John shifted his gaze while thinking before focusing back on his father and telling him, “I mean, I really appreciate that, Dad… But the work I do is important…”

Finally standing up from the couch, John’s father walked up to him and asked, "And developing your vocation isn't? Remember the 'Parable of the Talents' from Matthew.'"

"Hard not to, Dad. It's one of your favorites," John replied with a bit of dry wit in an attempt to break the tension within himself.

"Well, in your case, it keeps being relevant," he countered. "We're made in the image of the Creator of this universe, John. He gifted us with great minds who could study Creation- to help us solve earthly problems, yes, but also- so His glory could be revealed."

"The heavens declare the glory of God," John added, quoting the book of Psalms to show he'd paid attention on Sundays. Always the teacher's pet.

"Precisely. And you have one such mind; your mom and I both know you do."

Flattered beyond belief, all John could ask was, “And you… You really think I’m that smart?”

Putting his good hand on his son’s shoulder, John’s dad replied confidently, “I assumed you knew as much already… Listen, keep up the work you’re doing. You’re saving lives, after all, but start considering what you’ll do out of high school. With grades like yours, there’s practically no school you can’t get into. With the right education, the machines you’ll create one day will change this world forever.”

Smiling uncontrollably at his dad, John replied, “I… Yeah, okay. I guess I can start making more time for workshopping and studying once this case is over.”

Patting his son’s shoulder, John’s father told him, “As Francis Bacon once said, ‘Wise men make more opportunities than they find.’ And my boy is amongst the wisest.”

Grinning now, John said, “I think… I need to get some sleep, but I think I can work on some new facial recognition and body language reading software to help track this kidnapper down faster. Hehe.”

Nodding with an approving smile, John’s father told him, “Once again, I don’t know what you mean… And that’s just more proof to me how proud I should be of you.”

As his dad praised him, John glanced down at his father’s shaking hand.

Redoubling his determination, John told himself, And I think I have another project or two in mind after those.

|XXX|

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

It had been three days since John told Conner about the missing kids. The Amber Alert for Janet was released two days ago, and John and Conner claimed it was helping them narrow down their suspects.

However, during this time, Lana’d hardly seen hide nor hair of her vigilante friends. She understood they were busy, but with them working, William in the line of duty, and Carl imprisoned, she only had her distant parents to keep her company over the weekend.

They weren’t abusive by any means, but they were always so distant that Lana regularly questioned if they actually cared about her. In fact, Lana was beginning to suspect if a younger version of herself would have been a perfect victim for whoever this kidnapper was.

After school on Monday, Lana cheered herself up a bit with the anime club. However, without Conner around, Lana realized more and more she wasn’t really good friends with anyone in the club. Everyone there was perfectly friendly, especially herself, but perhaps due to her role as leader, she never got particularly close to any other club members.

Once the club was over and Lana cleaned everything up, instead of going home, she took the newest volume of the latest manga to catch her interest and went to the city park.

The park had been all but abandoned after the news ran stories of this kidnapper making the place their hunting ground. However, knowing Conner was working close by and feeling somewhat confident she could protect herself, the air of menace bothered her none.

Finding a park bench beneath a lamp, Lana took her seat and cracked open her book, Leo The Sol Champion.

|X|

It was a manga about a teenage boy in a world at risk of completely flooding due to the presence of vicious Water Demons. However, Leo was chosen by the spirits of the sun to be empowered to boil away the salt water and turn it into fresh rain the Humans could drink and store away. But Leo wasn’t alone. He had help from an old super genius who captured the boiled water, his best friend who had animal powers, and his girlfriend, who had freezing abilities and turned the Water Demons into icebergs.

|X|

Lana deduced on her own she enjoyed this manga because Leo’s light and fire powers reminded her of Conner in his transformed state. Not to mention, Leo’s entourage of superpowered friends was beyond entertaining for her.

How Lana wished she could be like Leo’s lover and join Shining Darkness on his adventures. A life of excitement with loved ones by her side was truly Lana’s ultimate fantasy. In all honesty, after Conner revealed his mysterious powers to her, Lana’d hoped she and the rest of the fiend group would start gaining powers, too, and live out the fantasy of a shonen manga. But as the months went by, her hopes for such a dream were slowly dying.

After finishing the volume, Lana set the book down beside her, let out a sigh, and complained quietly, “Conner could at least ask me out… I have eyes, so I know you like me, and I thought I’d been making it obvious I’m into you too… I know his work keeps him busy, but we could at least be there for each other… Erm. Maybe I should just ask him out instead…? No way! I…” Suddenly, Lana was hit with a flash of realization, pulled her phone out of her pocket, and said, “Oh! I almost forgot.”

Whenever Lana finished catching up on a series, she liked to look up interviews with the authors to get an idea of their creative process. She felt it helped her in writing her own book.

Finding an interview after a few minutes of online searching, Lana was about to start reading when she heard a slovenly voice call out, “Hey therr, darlin’! Watssa purddy young thng like you doin’ here all alone?”

Looking up, Lana grimaced at what she saw stumbling toward her. A man who had to at least be in his forties, wore a business suit rumpled from partying, and was visibly drunk, complemented by the bottle of booze in his hand.

Setting her phone down, Lana stood up, put her hands in her jacket pockets, and replied, “Young is right, jerk. I’m seventeen. Piss off.”

Not breaking his stride, the creep smiled and chuckled, with Lana able to smell his rank breath from the twelve feet between them.

“Herherhaha. Oh, schweetie, schtop temptin’ me!”

Fully glaring, Lana asked, “Are you seriously trying crap like this in Miracle City? I’m sure there’s easier ways to go to the hospital that don’t involve pissing the Super Mask off.”

Now reaching for Lana, the creep replied, “Aw, c’mon! He c’nt be everorwhere at wonce! Now c’mere, darlin’. We’re-.”

Just as the creep’s hand got within Lana’s reach, the young woman swung her right hand out of her pocket, making blood fly.

With his drunken state dulling pain, the creep was initially puzzled by the sudden splash of blood on his hand and arm. Pulling his hand back, it didn’t properly register that the tips of his pointer and middle fingers were missing. It wasn’t until he saw the bloody switchblade in Lana’s right hand that the truth of the situation hit him.

At once, the creep screamed in pain and anger. But before he could start yelling at Lana properly, she had taken a few steps closer to him. Having pulled her left hand out, Lana held a can of pepper spray in the creep’s face, blasting it at him as his mouth was still open.

Overwhelmed entirely in his sloshed condition, the creep fell on his back and began writhing and wailing in agony.

Stepping away to wipe the blood off her knife with the grass, Lana expounded, “I grew up in this shitty city of thugs, and I’m too small to use my muscles. Did you think I wouldn’t be armed, dumbass?”

A moment after Lana’d finished cleaning her knife, she heard a loud thud near her and sprung to her feet. Spinning around, she was relieved when she saw the imposing figure of the Shining Darkness towering over the creep.

Seeing her mutual crush built like a Greek god, Lana thought the same thing she always did when she saw him transformed.

Holy crap, he’s so hot like this.

Putting her weapons away, Lana couldn’t hold back her smile and was about to greet Conner but was stopped when he addressed her, “Hello, young Mam. I am the Shining Darkness. Were you assaulted by this man?”

Why is he-...? Oh, right.

Reminding herself Conner had to play his hero role, Lana did her best to put on a surprised attitude and replied, “Um… Ye-yeah. I took care of him when he tried to get handsy… So I… But he… I cut part of his fingers off.”

Conner’s demeanor immediately changed to concern as he crouched to check on the creep. The scumbag had passed out by now, practically foaming at the mouth from the pepper spray, making it easy for Conner to pull his injured hand up to examine.

“Crap…” Picking his severed digits up from the grass, Shining Darkness said, “I’ll take his fingertips to the hospital with him and hope they can reattach them.”

Surprised and understandably ticked off, Lana put a fist on her hip and asked, “What?! You know he was gonna rape me, right?”

Shaking the creep’s wrist, flopping his injured hand about, Shining Darkness replied, “And now he’s going to jail after you cut his fingers off and shot pepper spray down his throat. I think that’s enough revenge, considering you didn’t actually get hurt.”

Conner’s tone was far more authoritative than Lana appreciated. Folding her arms, she gritted her teeth and felt a rebuttal about to leave her throat.

However, just as her voice started to manifest, she reminded herself, I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen him on the job… Is this how he always handles things?

Blushing a bit from embarrassment, Lana pocketed her hands and said, “Fine… Whatever… Just make sure he stays locked up.”

Picking the creep up in a bridal carry, Shining Darkness replied, “Thank you for understanding... Do you need me to escort you home? If you wait here, I can be back in mere minutes.”

Immediately, the thought of walking through the streets while hanging onto her city’s Super Mask struck Lana. Not only did she like the idea of Conner accompanying her, but the ego stroke of people seeing her with the Shining Darkness was hard to resist.

Regardless, Lana shook the idea loose from her mind and told Conner, “I’ll be fine. I’m sure you’ve got important work to do, Mr. Darkness.” Despite herself, Lana couldn’t hide all the disappointment in her voice.

With a slight sigh, Shining Darkness replied, “If… If you’re sure. Have a safe night, Ms.”

Without much hesitation after that, Shining Darkness leaped off into the night sky.

Once Lana couldn’t see him anymore, she sighed as well. She cursed herself slightly for not fighting harder for him to come back. Regardless, she knew it was for the best.

Picking her book and phone up from the bench, Lana started making her way out of the park and back to the home that never felt like home.

Wanting to get her mind off her disappointment, Lana remembered she’d never actually read the interview of the manga author.

Putting her book under her arm, Lana unlocked her phone and read as she walked. It took her until she was halfway home to finish, but when she did, she couldn’t believe what she’d read.

Putting her phone in her pocket beside the switchblade, Lana looked up at a street lamp and the lit windows of Miracle City’s tall buildings. It was like staring into artificial starlight.

“I… I really need to talk to Conner and John about this as soon as possible… Even sooner than possible,” Lana muttered as her brain raced a mile a second.