February 10th, 1994, St. Louis
I hated being famous, I could tell Holly or Stratego in costume did too. We’d been married long enough where I could see the weight of her smile start to be heavier with each signature. Don’t get us wrong we loved saving people and appreciated the support but after a while it wore you down until you were a smiling shell of “Hello’s” and “Good to meet you”.
I looked around for an escape and spotted a small coffee shop called some generic name that was practically empty. As there was a lull I grabbed Holly being acknowledged with a grunt as I ducked us in. The scent of burned coffee and somehow fresh donuts hit me when I entered and I saw the 20 something year old behind the counter give us a look of relief and then excitement as she realized that her boredom was finished.
“Holy shit you guys are the roaming heroes right?” She asked the high pitched voice hitting my ears like an out of tune instrument. “What can I get you? It's on the house of course.”
Finally, good news today. My 24 year old body that was desperately addicted to caffeine instantly made the girl my new favorite person of the century. “I’ll just take a black coffee please and you dear?” I asked Stratego about her Napoleon inspired outfit shifting into a more human mood.
“A Chai tea made with oat milk please.” Her calm voice rang out making my heart pitter a little faster as always.
We then migrated to a seat in the back corner away from the 2 other patrons of the place and an old man with a newspaper who looked straight out of a movie and an officer sitting down with what looked like a worn out paperback of some detective novel.
I caught myself in the window as we walked. My modern military garb influenced the bright orange uniform staring back at me, the full head covering glass helmet obscuring my face and heavy boots making me feel sorry for the floor.
We sat in companiable silence as usual in public while downing our needed caffeine when a massive noise erupted from outside. The sound of a thousand shattering planes of glass hit out ears before the window blew out of the cafe. We were instantly on our feet pushing the barista and patrons into the back telling the officer to call in a possible parahuman incident.
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I made my way out of the cafe as Stratego set up her Toy soldiers on a table using the salt shakers and creamers as building her power already at work. I looked on the street and saw pandemonium dozens of people running every which way as glass flew in the air like a whirlwind shredding everyone in its wake. I threw cars doors and tables in the way blocking the glass while throwing people into the cafe with my mind straining to keep up with the multitasking. Relief was suddenly given to me as several golem-like constructs emerged from the concrete below my feet as I saw a gray costumed figure emerge from the ground. Sindri, the head of the local protectorate, had arrived. And not just him apparently as I saw 4 other figures appear, 2 flying, 1 riding a badass motorbike and another simply sprinting next to them all.
“Fulcrum I heard you guys just got in town.” The gravelly voice of Sindri said.
“Yup, I wasn't expecting this much excitement in St. Louis thought.” I said my usual cheerful voice, helping keep my nerves down. “You know what we are dealing with yet?”
“Must be a fresh trigger or an outsider, we don’t have anyone in St. Louis who can do this. You know minx” Sindri asked looking over at the catlike sprinter from earlier tiger patterned fur covering their body.
“Mh heard about a break out of the canterbury asylum a week back but no news about who did it.” He said a voice devoid of emotion.
“I think we are about to find out.” Sindri said as he pointed at the street where a lone figure walked down the road thousands of glass shards swirling around them as they came into view. A glass plate covering their face as the face of a teenage girl looked back at us.
“Hello Heroes of St. Louis and guests!” She yelled at the civilians cowering behind us giving me a nod as she talked. “We were not expecting the famous roaming heroes in the city but it’s a lovely surprise.”
“Who the fuck are you!” One of the protectorate heroes yelled getting held back by Minx as he did. “Why the hell did you just murder dozens!!” I could tell he was looking at one of the bodies with more interest than the others. The rules are done now. killing family of capes was against the rules even if I didn't believe in them very much.
“Ah I haven’t introduced myself sorry about that. I am Shatterbird of the Slaughterhouse Nine.” As she said that silence permitted the area.
“D-did you say the nine?” The hero I recognized as Volumetric said, voice quivering as he did.
“Yes, yes she was my good man.” Said a voice that every hero would recognize, one that gave a shiver of fear to all around. And it had come from behind us.
Turning I saw the charismatic form of jack slash casually standing with a knife to the throat of Sindri. The hero had a calm expression trying to put on a brave front for his team. That wasn't what caught my attention however, the form of my wife on her knees with a floating knife next to her was.
"Seems like I've caught two little birdies and only one can fly away." Jack said a vicious grin appearing on his face. "And I only think it right to let the proper authorities decide which I should let fly free."