The Confidential Files of A Superhero

Onyx: Five

Alex’s Point of VIew

Soundtrack: Sinner by Shaya Zamora

There had to be something in the air. Some sort of toxic gas that was making me sit here like a maniac, gasping for air. My ears were still ringing, my heart an uncontrollable pounding that made it hard to focus on anything else. All I could see was Ali, starting back at me completely terrified. We were thrown back to that very night, the one I’d almost lost it all. I could feel the bile rush up my throat as the panic built inside of me. We have to get out of here, I have to get her to safety, but I couldn’t make myself move. I was frozen as a statue, my body still trying to make sense of reality.

“What was that? Are you guys okay?” Kyle’s voice was coming through my ear, clearly having heard and felt the explosion shake through the building. The shrill of screams around us was loud enough to drown in, with every hostage losing their damn minds. I opened my mouth to speak, no words escaping me as I fumbled. Thankfully Ben responded to Kyle with an ease, clearly coping with the effects of this explosion better than I was. But how could they be so calm? Ali was in danger, we all were. Right? But the thought wasn’t sitting right, I knew it wasn’t something was wrong with me. Something was so very wrong. I spread my hands wide on the concrete floor, trying to will myself to snap out of whatever had come over me but I couldn’t break it, no matter how hard I tried. All I could see was Ali, and all I could feel was that stupid monazite in my chest.

My hand flung to the front of my suit, wiping over the smooth fabric with reassurance. I’d expected to find the source of my pain, to feel the torn fabric, and to pull my hand back and see it covered in my own blood. But I was clean and my suit was still in perfect condition. This isn’t happening. The words rang through my head but I couldn’t hang on to them.

“Onyx, get the girl out of here. I’ll try to track down the thief’s,” My brothers instructions ringing through my ear, loud and clear, finally broke the trance that had come over me. I started to my feet. Struggling to find my balance as the room spun around me. I blinked my eyes several times, determined to see through the cloud of ash and smoke around us. The room reeked from the fire, but the smell helped to keep me focused. Ali was still lingering on the edge of my mind no matter how much I tried to push the thought away. It’s not happening again. It’s not happening again. It’s not happening again. Ali is safe. The words rang through my mind like some sort of twisted chant as I forced myself to get a grip. My hands balled into fists, and for the first time since the explosion I was able to open my eyes and see the room clearly.

“I’m faster, you get the girl. I can catch these guys,” I blurted my instructions loud and clear through the ear piece that linked the three of us. I’d expected to hear the two of them argue back with me, but this attack plan wasn’t up for debate anymore. I was the leader here, it was my role to always be the one to take charge, and it was about time that I claimed that back.

Whether Ben wanted to admit it or not, we both knew exactly why he was here right now. He hated being a superhero, but there was only one person who could convince him to take on an extra shift after already working a whole summer of them. My father was worried I’d lost my touch, he was worried about how I would react to my first mission back in the field. And I was, I was slipping. I could feel it in every inch of my bones, the fear building up inside of me that I was struggling to see past. This was my job though, and if I didn’t get my head on straight right now then other people were going to get hurt. So many others. I wouldn’t let my father be right, I had to prove myself capable here and now. There was nothing in this world that I was better at then catching the bad guy, I’d shown the world that over and over again. I’d grown up in this city, full of ego and confidence because I knew I was the best. I still am, and now I had to rally that feeling up inside of myself once again.

I ignored the arguments from Ben and Kyle, taking off into the air. With the dust from the explosion beginning to settle, it was getting a little clearer to see. But the smoke still made my lungs burn, so I knew I had to move fast. There was only one place the robbers would go next. People who robbed banks were desperate, they weren’t going to flea here without getting their cash. That explosion had been a distraction at best, but it was also their ticket into the vault as it broke the door clean off of its frame. This same attack had almost happened a few years ago, but we’d managed to diffuse the bomb in time. You’d think after someone’s first attempt to rob your bank with a heavy duty bomb, you’d consider putting in a more resistant safe door, but clearly this manager wasn’t the brightest because my eyes just then finally landed on the open door frame.

I swooped over, landing right in front of it. The woman who’d been trying to open the vault for them was unconscious on the ground, my brother reaching her side almost at the same moment. He gave me a nervous glance which I quickly returned with a confidence nod. I wouldn’t let him see the dark wave brewing inside of me. No, we had a job here to do, and I was going to stay focused from here on our. Before I could spend too long lingering over the unconscious and clearly injured blonde woman on the ground, I turned my attention to the vault ahead. Her, I wasn’t capable of helping now, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to let these men get away with what they’d done here today. They’re scared all of these people, committed some very serious property damage, and left that poor woman with injuries that would land her at least a few days in the hospital. They didn’t get to win now. They were leaving here in the back of a cop car, or not at all.

I stepped into the vault, seeing the men in the middle of the room. They were both so focused on filling their duffle bag with wads of cash that they hardly noticed my arrival. “That doesn’t belong to you,” I said, keeping my voice low and threatening as I inched closer to them.

“Get out of here,” the man raised his gun in my direction as he spoke back. It was clear he had no idea who I was and that actually made me feel a little insulted. Sure, I’d taken a summer off, but two months is nothing really. Truly any good bank robber should have done his research on the cities defence, including superhero’s, and had themselves properly prepared before walking into a stupid situation like that.

I smirked, finding the humour in the moment. In one swift motion I rushed forwards. The man barely had time to fire his gun, the sound making my whole body startle in a panic but I pushed through it. The bullet bounced off my chest easily, and in less than 10 seconds I had the man unconscious on the floor. The man was out cold, and I knew he wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon but still I pulled the leather cuffs from the back of my suit and restrained him. I wasn’t taking any risks here.

In the time that had taken, the other man was stupid enough to try to close the duffle bag, getting the zipper stuck in the process. He flung it over his shoulder as I turned to him. Realizing he was out of time he tried to make a run for it, but I overpowered him with ease and once again easily took him out until he was restrained next to his buddy.

“All clear,” I called through the ear piece, smiling to myself as my Kyle and Ben replied with the same. Just in time, the fire crews were coming rushing into the building and prepared to put out the flames caused by the explosion. Meanwhile I headed for the front room, scanning quickly to make sure all the bystanders were gone. My eyes moved to the front door, knowing that on any other mission I would have proudly strode through those doors and flashed the crowd a smile before making a dramatic exit and taking off into the sky. But right now, I didn’t want the attention. I turned away, making my way back to the stair well. I allowed the air to rush back under my feet as I hovered up to the top and slipped back through the rooftop excess.

The second I was out in the open air again, I could hear the roaring crowd below me and the police sirens echoing around me. Without looking back in their direction I took off, heading straight upwards into the clouds and away from the cameras. That one question was still ringing clear as day in my mind though, what is wrong with me?