Novels2Search

14. Protests

Breaking News: Hero Work Permit Bill Revolutionizes Opportunities for Superheroes

In a groundbreaking move, the government has introduced the Hero Work Permit Bill, aimed at expanding the career horizons of superheroes beyond traditional government jobs. This landmark legislation is set to unlock new opportunities for heroes to utilize their extraordinary abilities in various corporate sectors, fostering a more diverse and dynamic workforce. The Hero Work Permit Bill, championed by Senator Rachel Jenkins, seeks to bridge the gap between the superhero community and the private sector. This bill recognizes the immense value that superheroes can bring to the corporate world, from enhancing workplace safety to driving innovation and growth.

Key Provisions of the Hero Work Permit Bill

Expanded Job Opportunities: The bill allows superheroes to work in a wide range of industries, including technology, healthcare, finance, and education, among others.

Streamlined Permitting Process: A simplified and efficient permit application process will enable heroes to quickly secure the necessary approvals to work in their chosen fields.

Enhanced Collaboration: The bill encourages public-private partnerships, facilitating collaboration between superheroes, corporations, and government agencies to address complex challenges and promote mutual growth.

Excerpt from the Hero Work Permit Bill

"Section 3, Article 2: The Hero Work Permit shall be granted to any superhero who meets the eligibility criteria set forth in this Act, allowing them to engage in gainful employment with private corporations, non-profit organizations, or government agencies. The permit shall be valid for a period of five years, subject to renewal upon satisfactory performance and adherence to the Code of Heroic Conduct."

The Hero Work Permit Bill has garnered widespread support from both the superhero community and corporate leaders. Many see this legislation as a game-changer, enabling heroes to make a more significant impact on society while exploring new career paths. "This bill is a beacon of hope for heroes like me who want to make a difference beyond just fighting crime," said Aurora, a prominent superhero. "I'm excited to explore opportunities in the tech sector and contribute to innovation that benefits humanity." Corporate leaders are also enthusiastic about the potential benefits of hiring superheroes. "The unique skills and abilities of superheroes can be a game-changer for our industry," said CEO of NovaTech, James Reed. "We're eager to tap into this talent pool and create a more dynamic and effective workforce." As the Hero Work Permit Bill moves forward, it is clear that this legislation has the potential to revolutionize the way superheroes contribute to society, opening up new avenues for growth, collaboration, and positive change.

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Cord

Things were not going well in life, in the world, and in general. The city was falling apart almost as quickly as the rest of the country. Food was growing scarcer, and parts of the world were unlivable. Superheroes delayed the effects of the dying fields and the clouds of ash and lava, but they didn’t have the power. As they tried to save the cattle, fields, and farms the looting and unrest grew. I watched from afar on the TV, but I eventually turned it off. The puff pieces they wrote about local heroes were a joke. They shouldn’t even exist. Without them, the world would be a better place.

There was a time when I thought things would be better with heroes in them but not anymore. There are just as many villains, and they too exploit every bit of their power. Considering it logistically the country was going to fall into this pit at some point. While there are maybe ten to-one heroes to villains, maybe twenty, they can’t be on call all the time. They can’t be at the crime scene right away. And most importantly they can’t save everyone or everything.

Other countries were dealing with the same problem on different scales depending on their population. Unfortunately, a few politicians had died. The governments of the world had set up the Superhuman Agency and other programs, but it was all bullshit. It didn’t work and they knew it. While they could catch a few superhuman criminals it was too slow. Add in the fact that the criminal justice system is slow and questionable when trying to deal with how to imprison them. Some want them given the death penalty. I do too. A few of the villains who have killed several people were put to death.

A part of it is the lack of justice. Many crimes haven’t been solved. The New York crater was never put to rest. No closure on the source was found for their victims and families. Then a sea serpent appeared. It has died, but its children have fled the toxic rivers in their wake. In Yellowstone, the volcanic eruptions seemed a fluke more than intentional, but it’s bad timing crushed morale further. The whole city is tensing for more problems and more deaths. We are all lacking solutions to problems caused by gods walking among men.

The sense of impending doom was palpable. Every day felt like a countdown to the next catastrophe. The streets were eerily quiet, save for the occasional siren or distant explosion. People moved like shadows, their faces etched with worry and despair. The once-bustling markets were now ghost towns, with only a few brave souls venturing out to scavenge what little food remained.

I remember a time when the city was alive and vibrant with the hum of daily life. Now, it was a shell of its former self, a grim reminder of what we had lost. The superheroes, once revered as saviors, were now seen as harbingers of chaos. Their battles with villains left destruction in their wake, and the collateral damage was too great to ignore.

I used to believe in them, in their ability to make the world a better place. But that belief had been shattered, piece by piece, with every failed rescue, every unsolved crime, and every life lost. The media's relentless glorification of their deeds now felt like a cruel joke. They were not gods; they were flawed beings, just like the rest of us, and their presence only seemed to exacerbate our problems.

The Superhuman Agency, touted as the ultimate solution, was a bureaucratic nightmare. Red tape and inefficiency plagued their efforts, and the criminals they did manage to apprehend often slipped through the cracks of a broken justice system. The debate over how to deal with superhuman criminals raged on, with no clear consensus in sight. Some called for the death penalty, arguing that it was the only way to ensure they couldn't harm anyone else. I found myself agreeing, bitterly, with that sentiment.

The lack of justice was a festering wound. The New York crater, a gaping scar on the landscape, was a constant reminder of our failure. The families of the victims had no closure and no answers. And then there were the sea serpents, monstrous creatures that had emerged from the depths, only to leave a trail of toxic rivers in their wake. Their presence was a grim testament to the unnatural forces at play in our world.

In the midst of this chaos, I found myself grappling with a sense of helplessness. What could one person do in the face of such overwhelming odds? The problems we faced were monumental, and the solutions seemed elusive. It was as if we were caught in a never-ending cycle of destruction and despair, with no way out.

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So, I found myself at one of the few remaining lively events in the city. It wasn’t like I had a job to go to anymore. The few I could find were odd jobs and temporary work. The government always needed someone on a crew cleaning up after a superhero’s wake.

Protest marches filled Times Square. They marched in front of the Capital building, the United Nations building, and the Superhuman Agency offices. People were yelled at and sometimes blocked from entering that building. It usually wasn’t long because security was nearby. I joined in the yelling as well. After the first few times in front of the building security pushed us further back. None of the people entering or exiting the building were superhumans or obviously so. They wore business casual or suits. Their names were listened to on government websites and their pictures were taken. If they were secretly superhumans then they hid it well. We just needed to vent our frustrations. To feel like we were making a difference. The people in charge needed to hear our calls and they saw our messages everywhere.

I even took the time to travel down to Washington D.C. The trains still worked, and the trip was quick. Many people had left the Midwest and headed to one of the coasts. With the connection to ports, they were one of the places that still got regular shipments of food. The Midwest still got food, but it was harder and more expensive. Protests in D.C. were much bigger in some ways even though New York City had more people.

They were more organized and didn’t turn into riots. The superheroes patrolling the area constantly would make sure of it. The capital and surrounding areas were probably the safest places in America and had a population of over five thousand people.

I arrived in Washington D.C. with a sense of purpose, albeit tinged with a heavy heart. The city was a stark contrast to the desolation I had left behind. The streets were bustling with activity, but it was a different kind of energy—one fueled by anger, frustration, and a desperate need for change. The protests here were a testament to the collective discontent that had gripped the nation.

As I joined the throngs of people marching through the streets, I felt a sense of camaraderie. We were all here for the same reason: to make our voices heard, to demand accountability from those in power, and to push for a world where superheroes were not the unchecked gods they had become. The chants and slogans echoed through the air, a symphony of dissent that reverberated off the historic buildings.

"Down with the Superhuman Agency!" "Justice for the victims!" "No more collateral damage!"

The signs we carried were a visual representation of our grievances. Some depicted the destruction left in the wake of superhero battles, while others bore the faces of those who had lost their lives. It was a somber reminder of the human cost of this new world order.

As we marched, I couldn't help but notice the presence of the 'Worshippers' on the other side of the street. They were a group of fervent supporters who saw the superheroes as divine beings, sent to save humanity. Their chants were a stark contrast to ours, filled with praise and adulation.

"Blessed are the heroes!" "In heroes we trust!" "Gods among us!"

“You wacko’s. They are killing us!”

The tension between the two groups was palpable. It was as if we were two sides of the same coin, each convinced of our righteousness. The police and security forces kept a wary eye on us, ready to intervene at the first sign of trouble.

As the day wore on, the protest began to wind down. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the National Mall. The crowd started to disperse, but the sense of urgency and determination lingered in the air. It was clear that this was not the end, but merely a chapter in a much larger struggle.

I was about to head back to my hotel when a fellow protester approached me. He was a young man, probably in his late twenties, with a scruffy beard and a determined look in his eyes. He introduced himself as Christian.

"Hey, you were pretty vocal out there," he said with a grin. "Wanna grab a drink with me and a few others? We could use some company."

I hesitated for a moment but then nodded. "Sure, why not? I could use a drink."

We made our way to a nearby bar, one of the few places that still had a semblance of normalcy. The dim lighting and the hum of conversation provided a welcome respite from the chaos outside. Christian introduced me to his friends, a diverse group of individuals who had all been drawn together by their shared disillusionment with the current state of the world.

As we sat down and ordered our drinks, the conversation flowed easily. We talked about the protests, the superheroes, and the state of the world. It was a cathartic experience, sharing our frustrations and fears with others who understood.

"I used to believe in them, you know," Christian said, taking a sip of his beer. "The heroes, I mean. I thought they were our saviors. But now... I don't know. It feels like they're just making things worse."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I used to think the same. But now, it feels like we're just pawns in their battles. The collateral damage is too much to bear."

One of Christian's friends, a woman named Sarah, chimed in. "It's not just the damage. It's the lack of accountability. They operate above the law, and we're the ones who suffer for it."

“I was in New York when it was bombed. The whole building shook. I was no more than two blocks away. If I was on break and went closer, then I might have died.”

“Damn. That’s crazy. The closest I’ve been to an incident was a robbery. The super with strength threw a few of the men through the windows.”

“I don’t wasn’t any of them near me again,” I said taking a sip of my drink. “The company took the insurance money and took down the building and laid half of us off. Now I’m here trying to do something. Anything really.”

“I didn’t have it as bad, but I saw the writing on the wall and ran,” said Christian. “Watching the world crumble while you are just starting on your path to a career is not fun. Everyone is fleeing to do remote work leaving those who can leave to wallow in the destruction.”

“I keep thinking about our actions and the protests. While discussions have gone on since their appearance, the number of protesters and the dislike has grown. We must hit a tipping point soon or maybe we have already. They must listen to us,” I said.

“And do what?” asked Christian rhetorically. “They are technically human beings too with rights under the constitution. What we need is radical action.

Christian leaned forward, his eyes burning with intensity. "What we need is radical action," he repeated, his voice low but fervent. "The system is broken, and the superheroes are a part of that system. They operate above the law, and we're the ones who pay the price. It's time we take matters into our own hands."

I could feel the tension in the air as Christian's words hung between us. The others at the table exchanged uneasy glances, but no one interrupted him. It was clear that Christian's frustration mirrored our own, even if his solution seemed extreme.

"What kind of radical action are you talking about?" I asked cautiously, not entirely sure I wanted to hear the answer.

Christian took a deep breath as if steeling himself for what he was about to say. "We need to organize. Not just protests, but real resistance. We need to find ways to disrupt their operations, expose their weaknesses, and hold them accountable. If the government won't do it, then we have to."

Sarah, who had been quiet up until now, spoke up. "But how? They're so powerful, and they have the backing of the government. What can we possibly do against them?"

Christian's expression softened slightly as he turned to her. "I know it sounds impossible, but there are ways. We can start by gathering information, finding out who they are, and exposing their secrets. We can use technology to our advantage, hack into their systems, and disrupt their communications. And we can build alliances with others who feel the same way we do. Why do you think you are here? Why most of the protesters are here? They want radical change."

I couldn't help but feel a mix of fear and excitement at Christian's words. It was a dangerous path, he was suggesting, but there was a part of me that was drawn to the idea of acting, of fighting back against the seemingly unstoppable force that had upended our lives.

"You're talking about a revolution," I said quietly.

Christian nodded. "Yes, a revolution. But it doesn't have to be violent. But there will be force. We can use our voices, our skills, and our determination to make a difference. We just need to be smart about it."

The conversation continued late into the night, each of us sharing our own stories and perspectives. We discussed ideas and the initial strategy. It was a small comfort, knowing that we were not alone in our struggle. As the bar began to empty, I felt a renewed sense of determination. We might be facing insurmountable odds, but we were not powerless. Together, we could make a difference.

As I left the bar and walked back to my hotel, I couldn't help but think about the future. The road ahead was uncertain, and the challenges were immense. But for the first time in a long while, I felt a glimmer of hope. We were not alone in this fight, and as long as we stood together, there was a chance for change.