Elementals

Chapter 9 - I know these streets like the back of my hand

Dark as the void was the sky of New York, only lit up by the city lights and the shining beams of cars riding down the streets. The lofty and dingy concrete buildings lined the roads, forming the grid that buzzed to life at night. As the sky went sour, the unsavory types took to the streets. This city, or rather, island is known as the Rockefeller Single, and within the Rockefeller Single lived a hero.

Atop the rooftops in northern Rockefeller, two crooks dashed from building to building, with ill-gotten goods in hand. The first crook, donning a gray hoodie and reflective metal chestpiece, followed behind the red sweater and cap wearing second crook. Stumbling on his feet, the silver crook nearly tripped while the crimson crook nimbly jumped between the rooftops. On their tail was a figure draped in a dirty and ragged brown cloak. A piercing azure shine peered from the shadowy cowl of his as he calmly chased after the criminals, taking slow and steady steps.

"Run, ya big ol' oaf!" the crimson caper screeched.

"I'm trynna mah best, boss!" the silver thief responded.

"He'll catch up any minute!" the scarlet crook informed his shiny lackey as the latter fool tripped on his own feet. With a grunt, the goon lifted his head, spotting the distant figure.

"Uh, boss? He don't look like he goin' nowhere!" he pointed out. The crook turned his head from the figure to look at his crimson leader for only a moment, but he could still see the blinding flash of yellow light illuminate the area around him. With a bolt of lightning following his path, the cloaked figure bolted forward instantly, crossing dozens of roofs in a blink of the eye.

"Ah, I'm going somewhere, alright." the figure responded to the goon. "Right here, to be exact." he said with a coy smile. The goon scurried away from the figure as fast as he could.

"What the- Who are you?!" he screamed.

"Ah, you're not from around here, are you?" the figure asked. "All of the guys here know me! I'm the biggest pain in their side, they've even given me nicknames." the figure started to count on his fingers. "Like 'Bolt Brat,' 'Zapbreath,' or my favorite, 'Blonde piece of ************.' But you, my new pal, can call me Kid Lightning, the local vigilante."

"K-Kid Lightning? What kinda name is that?"

"The one that you're about to remember for years to come, ol' chum!" the figure gleefully answered. The crook anxiously rose from the ground, back against the corner of the roof. He towered over the boy, but even when looking down upon him, fear still raced through his mind. He reeled back his arm and struck down, missing entirely. As the boy twirled under the fist, he jabbed his index and pinkie finger into the man's side.

"Wha-" the man gasped.

"Taser Fingers." the boy smiled from under his hood. Arcing electricity sparked between the boy's fingers as it surged through the man's body. Jittering from the shock, the man dropped to the ground. "Now, to get you ready for the cops." the boy kicked the man up into the air, flipped over him, and then proceeded to grab him by the collar before slamming him into the side of the building. He raised his arm up towards the man while he was still falling in the air. Building up an energy within his cloak, he shot out an electric net that kept the man attached to the building.

The boy looked over, briefly spotting the crimson crook drop from the rooftops into the alleys.

"Probably heading down the alleys to the sewers, the nearest manhole is on the other side of this block. Guess I gotta beat him there." the boy said to himself. Unleashing lightning in the air, the boy bolted and jumped from his fall and into the black sky. As the darkness was swallowed up by his yellow bolts, he dashed like lightning itself and landed on a dumpster in the alleyway where the manhole was located. The boy face planted into the garbage as the sounds of footsteps approached him. He quickly jumped out of the trash and stood in the middle of the alleyway.