A D Tier's Breaking Point

Chapter 40

One week later

The skies were remarkably clear for once. Clear enough for the civilians in Central City to make the most of the sun. The parks were full of families, friends, couples, kids. All playing and enjoying the rather rare moment of peace. Away from the trees and manicured patches of grass, offices were full of workers fanning themselves under air con machines, huddled around computers or meeting tables in a drone of bureaucratic voices. Along the high streets people were milling between shops and cafes, shuffling along in constantly moving crowds.

And throughout the city, in civilian clothes and more obvious costumes, the heroes kept watch.

'Anything to report?' the Amazonian asked into her ear piece.

'Nothing in King's Park.'

'Ditto at Lighthouse Towers.'

'Central Mall is clear. Aside from your usual F tiers.'

'So is Central university.'

'Hmm,' the Amazonian watched from her perch. She was opposite City Hall, watching over the square. A couple of nearby buildings had maintenance workers on the roofs, people were disappearing in and out of windows, busy living their lives. Everything was normal. But she couldn't shake that something was off. 'Nothing to report here. But keep alert, it feels too quiet.'

'Really?' a familiar voice behind her said. She spun around on the spot, raising her shield and whip, before her eyes went wide. Perfectly slicked white blond hair, glowing yellow eyes, blood red shirt, silver chains, and a hungry grin she never wanted to see again. 'Never thought I'd hear you heroes complain about things being too quiet.'

The Amazonian pressed the alert button hidden in her shield. There were voices in her ear, but she could barely pay attention to them.

Instead she tried to glower at the familiar looking villain (there has been no confirmation that this was anything other than a trick) as he prowled closer to her, 'It's probably a good thing I showed up today then. So, should we spice things up?'

'I don't know who you think you are, but-' her speech was cut short by a hand clasping around her neck. Before she could blink her feet were off the roof, and by the time her whip was ready to slash at the villain's face she was dangling in mid air. She gasped against his hand wrapped around her neck, slowly threatening to choke her. She went to twist into a throw to send him scattering off the roof, realising too late that he wasn't standing on the roof either. The two of them were hanging in mid air. When the screams started below her, she gritted her teeth and flicked her wrist.

The villain didn't even dodge the leather scratching his face, and even grabbed at the whip, wrapping it tight around his hand. 'Oh now this should make things easier,' he grinned, watching the magic begin to glow gold in the whip. 'Do you have any questions for me?'

Shit. She tugged at her whip, but the villain was grinning at her with bloodlust in his eyes. The other voices grew louder in her ear, and there was a movement in her peripheral vision. Glancing past his shoulder, she saw Sprint, his hand to his own earpiece. They could hear everything. He could warn the others.

The Amazonian gripped the handle of her whip tighter and managed to rasp, 'Who are you?'

'I...' the villain grinned, 'am Alex Harris. But you know me better as the S tier. The one. The only. The irreplaceable. Now,' he held her out further, slowly squeezing her neck tighter, until she began to choke. 'Lets see if you heroes can shrug death off just as easily.'

'Shit!' The Sprint whispered from his hiding place as soon as they heard the crack of bone and cartilage. He switched his audio to all channels, eyes widening in fear as the S tier dropped the Amazonian's limp body, slowly turning in mid air to face him. 'All heroes come in. Black alert at City Hall. S tier is back and the Amazonian is down. I repeat, S tier-'