A D Tier's Breaking Point

Chapter 7

Alex's eyes widened as he jumped closer to the TV, scanning the pixels for the source of the voice. He saw the crowd shiver, the heroes' faces harden as they took up defensive stances. Still the voice, hijacking their sound system continued. 'Brilliant blue sky, warm summer sun, and if I didn't know any better, it looks like the whole world's celebrating. What's the occasion? Fairness Association decided to close down its doors?'

A cry went up from the crowds, and as people started pointing the camera on the drone panned up to the top of City Hall, zooming in on a lone figure that made Alex's blood run cold. He had never seen Morgan wear a suit, or wear all black ('Navy blue was the colour of choice for stealth,' they would always remind Alex) but that wasn't what made Morgan look wrong. It might have been how much skinnier they were, their normally round face now a little too thin. Or it might have been the dark cruel look barely hidden behind the plain black mask.

'Because if it was that,' Morgan started speaking again as they stepped closer and closer to the edge of the building, making Alex wince, too close too close, 'then I'm offended I didn't get an invite. I could have brought fruit punch.'

'Monday are you still there?' Janice broke through the tension in the room and Alex turned to her.

'Yes ma'am,' the artificial voice came back.

'What exactly is Morgan doing?'

As Monday paused at the question, Morgan continued on the screen. 'Unless of course, that isn't the reason for your little party here. After all, today is an important anniversary. To a lot of people. One that should be treated with respect.' Morgan paused and looked down, clearly angling down to see the stage, and Alex could only imagine the glares they were getting back from the heroes. 'You wouldn't be stupid enough to turn the anniversary of S-tier's death into an excuse for a party? Or, even more ridiculous, an actual holiday? Would you?'

'I believe,' Monday piped up over the phone, 'the exact words the Boss used were, "it's time to teach those assholes a lesson." Sorry about the language.'

'They can't,' Alex shook his head, 'That was a full team of A Tiers on that stage. There's no way Morgan can-'

'Heart Stealer!' a voice rang out through the TV and across the crowd that made Alex growl. A familiar thorn in his side flew into view, blue cape flapping in the breeze as they hovered in the air, staring down Morgan, 'You are not welcome here!'

Morgan scoffed, rolling their shoulders, and it was only then that Alex noticed the silver bracers on their arms gently beeping. 'Do you mind? I've been working on this speech for a month, it would be rude to interrupt.'

Aceman flew closer and Alex was ready to jump next to him and knock his lights out, when Janice spoke up, 'How does going toe to toe with Aceman teach the heroes a lesson?'

'Well first of all, Boss will win.' Alex looked doubtful at that, but Monday continued. 'And second, they're playing distraction.'

'This is your last chance, villain,' Aceman's voice came through on the TV again and everyone turned their attention back. 'Stand down now, leave quietly, and no one needs to come to any harm.'

Morgan laughed, a cold and slightly manic one that set Alex's teeth on edge, 'Oh it's much too late for that. Hero.'

Janice blinked, a lightbulb clearly going off in her head, 'Heart Stealer shows up to the announcement of this bogus holiday seeking revenge...'

'Fairness Association sends their big hitters to deal with them. And leaves their HQ wide open.'

Alex froze, 'This is a heist?!'

'And a chance to take out some heroes too. Win-win really,' Monday piped back.

'You make it sound like Morgan is going to kill them.'

Aceman interrupted the group's conversation again, 'Let the record show I tried to do this peacefully. You elected for violence today.'

Morgan flashed a toothy grin and straightened their back slightly, 'Okay, well how about this? You have ten seconds to try and hit me. If you get in one hit in ten seconds, I'll go with you all quiet, not a peep. If you don't, then I get to hit you right back. As hard as I can.'

Bernard's hand on Alex's arm was the only thing keeping him grounded enough to not teleport right in front of Morgan and rip the heads of every hero that dared to threaten them, and that was when they noticed Aceman pause. Almost like a flinch. A touch too tense for facing down what Alex thought was a D-tier. Because as Morgan stared down one of the most powerful heroes in the Fairness Association without blinking, Alex was starting to realise that Morgan absolutely had the capacity to become a more dangerous villain than the one he left behind. If they ever had the inclination to.

'Just one hit?' Aceman asked. Morgan grinned, a triumphant one this time, and nodded. The movement was so fast that the cameras couldn't pick it up, and in just a blink Aceman was by the roof, fist extended. And Morgan was nowhere to be seen.

'Shit!' Alex yelled and reality rippled around him, his parents' cries fading too quickly as the living room was replaced by the open sky above the City Hall plaza. Alex quickly slipped on invisibility, not a common power for him but he didn't want Aceman to know he was here yet, not until he found Morgan and-

'Is that all you've got?' Morgan's voice piped up from the speakers and Alex focused on the building, and sure enough Morgan was halfway across the rooftop. Without a scratch on them. Alex flew closer as Aceman braced and flew at Morgan again, too fast for the camera but Alex was able to catch every second as Ace went to swing and...Morgan was gone. Completely vanished.

Alex flew closer, looking around with a mix of worry and confusion and spotted Morgan standing on the corner of the building. 'Come on Ace, are you even trying?' Ace grunted in frustration at that, but this time Alex watched Morgan as they twitched their hand and stepped to the side, vanishing into thin air in time for Ace to swing right into the space they were previously occupying.

This time Morgan reappeared closer, wearing a smug grin the entire time. 'Come on Ace, you only have a few seconds left.' Aceman's punch came without warning, but Morgan still jumped away, vanishing only to appear on the ledge overlooking the crowd. They can teleport, Alex realised, watching in awe as Morgan expertly moved through the air, dodging every attack as Aceman dived for them again and again. Morgan reappeared directly behind Ace after a wild swing and grinned, 'Time's up.'

Ace lashed out behind him but Morgan was already gone, only to materialise a few feet above Aceman. They dropped onto his shoulders, one of their gloves glowing with a white light and Morgan snarled, 'My turn.'

They slammed their hand into the back of Aceman's neck and white energy pulsed through his body, making him seize up in pain. Morgan's face twisted into a cruel mockey of a smile as they clutched at Aceman, and the crowd below began to scream and run. Alex didn't pay them any attention though, only watching as the white energy started to run through Aceman's veins, along his neck and bulging muscles, and soon he was roaring in agony.

Another roar joined him and Alex looked up at the same time as Morgan jumped off Aceman's back and dodged a rogue projectile, vanishing into thin air again. They reappeared, tapping something on their gauntlet that was now glowing with that white energy as Aceman staggered to his knees and another hero flew to his side. 'So,' Morgan called out, their voice still carrying through the speakers as they turned to face the newcomers, 'Who's next?'