The bank smelled of stale coffee and disinfectant. The air conditioning barely kept up, and we all seemed to wear the same expression: that of someone tired of waiting.
In front of me, a screen showed the midday news.
"Disappearances continue. Authorities report that more than thirty people have mysteriously disappeared over the past three days..."
Someone behind me muttered something like "what a disaster," and I nodded without looking. It wasn't the kind of news you want to hear when you just came to deposit a check.
I checked my pockets; I had my modern phone, the expensive one, and the other… the old one. One of those flip phones, that clicks like a typewriter when you dial. I kept it out of habit, out of nostalgia. I don't know why, but that morning I had decided to bring it.
The news kept going, showing a map of red dots across Manhattan. The line moved painfully slowly, like baby steps.
And then, the first bang. A shot at the ceiling.
"EVERYONE TO THE GROUND! No one try to be a hero!" shouted a voice.
Everything erupted into screams. The gunshot still buzzed in my ears as people hit the floor.
A guard tried to draw his weapon, but a shot forced him to drop it. Glass shattered, someone screamed for the police, but the robbers were already inside. Six or seven, I'm not sure, all masked, armed to the teeth.
"Phones, now! Everyone on the floor, phones in the center, quick!" shouted one.
I watched them pass among us, carrying black bags. I handed over my new phone without thinking. The old one… for some reason, I left it in my pocket, covered with my hand.
Everything happened too fast to even process properly.
I saw the counter guy, one of the robbers, push a teller and grope her while she sobbed. Another yelled, "Leave her alone, idiot!" but as soon as he looked away, the pervert did it again.
I looked around, no one was doing anything, everyone was scared, I can't just stand there watching these guys do whatever they want. I have to do something, anything, no matter how small...
I got it.
I moved my hand, feeling for the phone in my pocket.
A woman beside me—a gray-haired lady—looked at me and shook her head slowly, her eyes wide. She whispered, barely audible:
"Don't do it."
My heart was pounding so hard it hurt. I felt the warm plastic of the old phone and opened it. The keys clicked tic-tic-tic as I dialed.
Nine.
One.
One.
As soon as I pressed the last number, I heard a click behind me. The cold of a gun barrel against my neck took the air from my lungs.
"What the hell are you doing?" said a hoarse voice.
I swallowed slowly.
"Nothing… n-nothing… I-I… was just scratching my l-leg," I lied desperately.
Why, why did I do this, I should have just stayed still, now I'm going to die, shit shit
"Bad move, old man," spat the guy. I could smell his breath, a mix of tobacco and alcohol.
Damn it, I closed my eyes tight, my heart seeming like it would explode as I waited for my inevitable end.
And then.
A voice broke the silence, loud, clear, full of confidence.
"Calm down! Everything will be fine… because I'm here!"
The sound came from nowhere and everywhere at once. The air vibrated. Something blue passed by me so fast it was barely a blur.
I felt the wind cut across my face, heard an electric buzz, zzzzzsshh, and then the thud of several bodies hitting the floor.
The gunfire started, but it was useless. Bullets hit nothing, falling to the ground as if by magic before they could strike anything. Each burst was answered by a solid thud, a body hitting the floor, a gun flying out of a hand.
I tried to look, but only caught a flash of blue racing along the bank walls. Like a lightning bolt with form.
"W-what… what is that?" muttered someone near me.
The guy aiming at me turned and fired into the air. He didn't see what hit him. A blast threw him against the wall, and his gun fell to the ground.
I stepped back, stunned, as the figure stopped in the middle of the hall.
It was a creature… no, someone, with a strange, aerodynamic, alien-like silhouette, like the invaders from last week, not the same, but with that vibe of something not from Earth, wearing black armor with white visors, a strange black-and-white hourglass symbol on the chest.
They looked at me for barely a second. I couldn't tell if they were smiling or not, but their voice sounded confident:
"I told you everything would be fine."
Before I could process it, they moved again, faster than my eyes could follow. The thieves fired randomly, terrified.
Then, a different bang. From the ceiling, a figure descended, crashing through a window from the upper floor.
It was a woman. Tall and slender, with purple hair flowing, wearing a white and violet suit.
"Jewel!" shouted someone. "It's Jewel!"
The heroine landed right on two of the fleeing thugs. She disarmed them in one motion, her arms strong as steel. One tried to strike her; she stopped him with her forearm and shoved him into a column.
Meanwhile, the other creature moved among the criminals. Not fighting: just disarming and restraining.
The people, who seconds before were crying or praying, began to lift their heads. And I… I couldn't stop watching.
The guy who had pointed a gun at me lay unconscious. The old phone was still in my hand, open. My heart pounding like it might burst.
And just like that, in a matter of seconds, it was all over.
Jewel floated a few meters off the ground, the sun shining through the broken window illuminating her figure.
"Well," she said, crossing her arms, "that sounded a bit cheesy."
The metallic voice of the speedy being replied from across the hall, scratching the back of its helmet with a claw.
"I improvised the moment…" they said, almost apologetically. "I just wanted everyone to know they'd be okay."
Jewel chuckled softly, a puff of amusement.
"Yes, well, relax, we'll think of something better later, add it to 'things to improve to be a hero.'"She smiled slightly."Come on, you've got homework, alien boy."
And she floated out the same window she had entered, leaving a gust of air that scattered papers on the floor.
The "alien boy" followed her with his eyes, then turned back to us, still processing that we were alive.
They looked at us for a second, the white visors reflecting the flickering emergency lights.
"Banks aren't always that boring, huh?" they said, in a casual tone. "Oh, and don't call me that, please, and relax, the police are already on the way."
And before anyone could respond, they disappeared in a burst of wind.
For a few seconds, no one spoke. Then someone started clapping. Another joined. And another.
The murmur turned into spontaneous applause.
Nervous laughter, crying, hugs.
Sirens could already be heard nearby, echoing through the streets.
A woman wept in gratitude, a wounded guard nodded through gritted teeth as he secured his bandage, and I still held the old phone open in my hand, trembling.
"Did you see that?" said a boy, about sixteen, eyes shining. "It was Legion! The guy who fought in the Chitauri invasion!"
Several looked at him, incredulous, but he kept talking, excited.
"I saw him in the videos! That hourglass symbol on his chest, it has to be him!"
Someone else muttered.
"Oh my God… it's true… but Jona said he was dangerous?"
And as police cars screeched to a stop outside and red and blue lights flickered across the floor covered in bills and casings, I couldn't help but smile.
Moments ago, I was about to die; my legs should be shaking and I should be crying, but I can't help sighing in relief as I lift my hand to look at my old cell phone.
"From now on, I'll carry you with me, my cursed tin lucky charm."
================================================================
The air high above the billboard was cold, but pleasant. From there, you could see all the traffic in Manhattan, cars like glowing insects moving through streets lit gold by the lamps.
I had a box of Chinese noodles in my hands.
Jewel, beside me, slurped the noodles eagerly.
"You know?" she said, slurping a noodle with a faint sound. "I never thought I'd end up eating on top of a billboard with a guy who can turn into aliens."
"And I never imagined I'd be eating Chinese food atop a billboard with the superhero Jewel," I replied, wiping my mouth with a napkin.
I don't know about her, but for me, the closest thing to a superhero in my world is firefighters, medical personnel, security… and maybe some old YouTube tutorials by kids showing how to fix a PC problem or install a pirated game.
The reliability was higher if the video quality was terrible.
But here I am, with Jessica Jones herself, with the Omnitrix on my arm, in New York, eating Chinese food. It's so surreal it almost sounds stupid.
"Your flattery won't improve your grade, mister, you still need to practice your heroic entrances," Jessica said, pointing with her chopsticks, but the faint blush on her cheeks betrayed the seriousness of her words.
We stared at each other for a few seconds before laughing and eating again.
A comfortable silence settled between us as we finished our meal.
"Hey," Jess said, moving a chopstick thoughtfully. "Do you trust Elektra? I know she's an old Daredevil ally and Danny respects her, but… she's an assassin. What makes her different from the bad guys we're chasing now?"
Wow, moral dilemmas, like I didn't have enough already.
I thought a bit while watching traffic below.
"I wouldn't be too sure. Is she an ally? I guess so, but she's not someone I'd trust with my back, you know," I turned my head slightly to look at her. "As for what makes her different… I'm not entirely sure. She's not with them, that's something… I believe in second chances. If she genuinely wants to change, I'd like to help her through that transition."
Jessica stored the leftovers in a bag and stood up, sighing.
"But what about what she did? Trying to change and be better, yes, obviously good, but all the people she killed? The families she ruined, all the innocents… what about them?"
I slowly stood, holding my waist like an old man, a habit from my other life.
"I also believe in retribution. She will answer for what she did, sooner or later, like all of us. But now, now it's time to focus on this case and find all those people. As for Elektra, just keep an eye on her, I will too."
She nodded, watching the traffic below.
"Sounds good to me, at least for now. When everyone is safe, we'll decide what to do with Elektra."
"Alright… by the way… have you seen a… purple man?"
"Purple man?" she raised an eyebrow. "No, haven't seen anyone like that, why, is it a disease or something?"
Good, looks like Killgrave isn't around, at least not for now.
"No, no, I just heard there's a purple man out there, you don't have to worry about it, it's something I'm working on," I reassured her, brushing it off with one hand.
"Still, if you see anyone like that, don't go near them and call me, okay? Seems like he has pathological neurosensory abilities that can make a person fall under his absolute control."
"That sounds horrible," she crossed her arms. "Alright, if a purple guy shows up, I'll make sure to tell you. You sure you don't want help?"
"No no no," I put a hand on her shoulder. "I've got this under control. It's just that with this case, I haven't had time yet, but with one of my transformations, this guy is nothing. But anything organic… that's a problem. That's why you shouldn't approach."
I tried to find him, searched and searched, but I don't even remember the villain's real name or if he focused on a specific area of the city. So I stayed alert for any sign of Killgrave or his traits, but I haven't had luck. Part of me wants to believe he doesn't exist in this reality, but if Jessica is here…
"Alright, alright, I get it, calm down," she removed my hand from her shoulder. "By the way, are you ready for tonight?"
"Completely," I assured her. "Tonight we'll finish this."
================================================================
In a stone hallway, damp and lit by candles casting dancing shadows on the walls, the sound of the subordinate's footsteps echoed softly until he stopped in front of the enormous wooden door carved with ancient symbols.
The ninja knelt.
"Master," he said, head bowed. "We have… troubling news."
Inside, the leader stood in front of a brazier, his silhouette outlined by the fire. The mask covered his face completely, revealing only cold, motionless eyes.
"Speak," he commanded, without turning.
The subordinate swallowed hard.
"Over the past two days… we've lost contact with several squads. First, the group in the financial district… then those patrolling the harbor. The ones sent to investigate never returned either."
Silence hung like a slab. Only the crackling of the fire was heard.
The leader narrowed his eyes.
"How many?"
"Five squads, sir. Forty men."
The ninja lowered his head even further.
"We don't know if they were captured or… "
A sharp thud interrupted him. The leader had thrown a dagger without even turning. The weapon pierced the subordinate's neck, who fell to his knees before collapsing to the ground.
The leader finally turned, observing the body without emotion.
"Useless. All of you. You can't even keep control of a rotten city. Neither the living nor the dead serve me if they are weak." His voice was a low whisper, loaded with contained fury. "The darkness of this city belongs to me."
He turned to the ninjas waiting motionless at the edges of the room.
"You," he said, pointing at one.
The chosen one stepped forward, bowing his head.
"Yes, master."
"From now on, you are in charge." The leader crossed his hands behind his back. "Find those responsible. No matter who they are. If you fail… your corpse will serve as a warning to the next one."
"As you command," the ninja replied, without lifting his gaze.
The leader barely nodded and returned to watching the fire.
The newly appointed one bowed deeply, and as they dragged the previous body away,
The lights flickered. Once. Twice. Then darkness. Only the fire of the brazier illuminated the room.
The creak of metal, quick steps, a confused murmur.
"What's happening?" whispered one.
The leader drew his katana. His senses, enhanced by rituals and magic, detected a figure moving at impossible speed on the other side of the door.
"Form a circle," he ordered in a low voice. "Now!"
A buzz cut through the air. A blue flash raced across the room at impossible speed. One ninja fell with a dull thud before understanding what hit him. Another was disarmed in the blink of an eye.
More figures entered, one wrapped in red, their staff spinning with precise rhythm: Daredevil.
His movements were pure coordination, reading the air, the steps, the whistle of weapons. He struck a katana before the attacker could touch him, deflected another attack with a side kick, and threw his staff, bouncing it off two enemies before it returned to his hand.
When one tried to circle him, a web line stopped him in his tracks.
"Hey, Red!" shouted Spider-Man clinging to the ceiling. "Do you think this will take long? I made plans with a friend today."
"These things are never quick, Spider, you should know that by now," Daredevil grunted, delivering a strike that sent another ninja to the floor.
On the floor, Jewel entered like a meteor.
Three ninjas were thrown against the walls by her charge.
One tried to get up, but she grabbed him by the chest and threw him onto another group.
"Who else wants to fly?" she said, a tense smile on her face.
Two katanas came at her back. Before they could touch her skin, a golden fist struck them, breaking the blades in one hit. Iron Fist intervened, his arm wrapped in chi energy.
"Control your breathing, Jewel. Don't waste your strength, stay calm. I notice your body tense."
"I try not to kill them!" she replied, dodging a low strike.
"Then you're on the right path. Don't overexert," Danny responded, spinning on his axis and releasing a wave that swept four of them aside like dry leaves. "Let your strength flow through your body; directing it is easier than holding it back."
Across the warehouse, Elektra danced. Her sais gleamed in the dim light, each step a deadly choreography.
She planted one in the ground, blocked a sword, disarmed with the other, and using the ninja's body as leverage, jumped back, landing gracefully.
And among them all, XLR8 was a blue lightning bolt. Running along walls, creating gusts that destabilized enemies. Every time a ninja raised a weapon, he was already gone.
He disarmed, immobilized, or simply knocked out enemies with rapid, precise strikes. Sometimes, only a zshhh! was heard, and another foe fell.
"That's cheating!" shouted Spider-Man as an enemy dropped in front of him, wrapped in a tangle of cables.
"You wanted to bet on who'd take out more enemies, those five dollars are mine, pal" replied XLR8's distorted voice, passing by in a rush of air.
"I forgot you had one of the speedsters. I thought you'd go with the furball," said Spider-Man, launching a web at two more.
Elektra deflected attacks Daredevil couldn't predict.
Spider-Man covered Jewel from above.
Iron Fist took down groups trying to surround them with precision.
And XLR8, the fastest, ensured no one escaped.
The ninja leader, seeing his men fall one by one, launched himself into combat. His sword traced a silver line through the air, cutting a web and forcing Spider-Man to retreat. Elektra spun her sais, ready to confront him, but Daredevil raised a hand.
"He's mine."
They exchanged a rapid series of blows. The clash of metals echoed like a drum. The ninja pushed him, but Daredevil spun, threw him down with a lock, and just as the enemy tried to rise, Iron Fist slammed the ground, shaking the entire structure.
The leader fell to his knees, panting.
"Surrender," Danny said, his voice calm but firm.
The ninja smiled beneath his mask.
"You don't understand… you're already dead."
He tried to bite his molar. But in his hand, XLR8 already held a small black capsule, spinning it between his pointed "fingers."
"Looking for this?" the speedster said, with a hint of mockery.
They were surrounded. Elektra stepped forward slowly, spinning one of her sais in her hand.
"Now," she whispered, leaning toward him.
"You're going to tell us where Gorgon is."
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HOW ARE YOU? I HOPE YOU'RE WELL. AS FOR ME, I'M STILL TAKING CARE OF MY FATHER. HE'S BETTER NOW, BUT THESE THINGS TAKE TIME.
ANYWAY, WE'LL SEE IF OUR HEROES MANAGE TO FIND THE MISSING PEOPLE AND UNCOVER "THE HAND'S" PLAN.
I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND SUPPORT.
SEE YOU NEXT TIME :)