OutMan The Beginning (1)

The road to the show down

The next morning, Andrew sat on a stool at the L-shaped dining room table, typing away on his laptop. He was focused and determined, with a strong sense of purpose driving him forward. Andrew had been on his laptop all morning, frantically typing away in hopes of finding any leads on Lily and Jessica. Meanwhile, Donnie had been out dealing with criminals, using it as a way to distract himself from the current situation and pass the time. Despite their different approaches, they were both determined to find their missing loved ones. The Red Edge watched intently from a live feed on his device, monitoring every move that the OutMan was making to defend the city and desperately search for Lily and Jessica. He admired the OutMan's dedication and bravery, knowing that he too had a role to play in this dangerous game. Tension hung thick in the air as everyone played their roles, anticipating the big showdown that was sure to come. The OutMan and Red Edge in particular were preparing for all-out war, fueled by a deep hatred for one another that threatened to tear them both apart. Donnie rushed back into his apartment, the mix of red and white energy pulsing through his veins as he removed his mask and turned to Andrew. "Have you found anything on Lily or Jessica?" he asked urgently, before grabbing a fruit-punch Gatorade from his refrigerator. Andrew slumped exhaustedly into his chair, still no closer to finding Lily or Jessica. " Still No luck" Donnie threw his head back in frustration as Andrew was still unable to find Lily and Jessica. Donnie walked to the living room and sat on the couch, while Andrew looked at his laptop with a sigh before closing it and standing up. He turned to Donnie and said, "We're gonna find Lily and Jessica." Andrew looked at Donnie and said, "I just have this feeling that Lily and Jessica are okay. We'll find them soon." Donnie felt relieved hearing that. Donnie looked away and said, "You know you're right, they're okay." He repeated it to himself, trying to convince himself that it was true. As Donnie and Andrew turned towards the door, they saw Donnie's colleague and friend, Ralph, entering the room.
Ralph's jeans were a worn, but stylish shade of light blue that hugged his hips and long legs. His bomber jacket was beige with intricate blue designs gracing the sleeves and chest, matching the iconic Courtside Suede Sneakers he wore on his feet. His white shirt was pressed perfectly.
Ralph came into the living room and stopped as he saw Andrew, whom he had never met before. Andrew looked back at him, Donnie said, "Ralph, this is my friend Andrew. Andrew, this is my colleague from work, Ralph." Ralph smiled and extended his hand for a handshake, and Andrew reciprocated the gesture. Andrew and Ralph shook hands as Donnie explained to Ralph that Andrew was an expert tech whiz who had been helping him out. Ralph turned to Donnie and noticed that he was wearing his suit. "Have you been out on patrol taking down criminals?" Andrew resumes back to work on his laptop in the kitchen while Donnie looks at Ralph, "Did you need something or are you just going to stand there and admire my suit?" Donnie stood before Ralph, his expression contrite. 'I'm sorry, man. I know I said this superhero gig wasn't for us, but I was wrong" "Actually, Ralph, Donnie interrupted, his voice heavy with concern. "Maybe you were right about this. Lily and Jessica were taken by Red Edge and despite searching all night and morning, I have come up empty." Ralph was taken aback by the news.
"What? Lily was taken?" Donnie walked over to the kitchen, followed closely by Ralph. He leaned himself against the counter, crossing his arms. Andrew turned to Ralph. *I've already run heat signatures, live surveillance feed, and facial recognition, but still nothing," Andrew said with frustration evident in his voice. His intelligence was apparent as he spoke, but even he was at a loss."Ralph, Andrew and I have been searching for hours, but we've made no progress. Donnie said with frustration evident in his voice. "I have employed a variety of scanning methods, including satellite and drone imagery, as well as ground-level sweeps with mobile devices," Andrew stated in his intelligent manner. "no trace of Lily or Jessica has been detected within the city limits." Andrew let out a heavy sigh as he slumped back in his chair, the weight of the situation weighing heavily on his mind. "I still think we're not using all of our resources," Ralph said defensively. "Maybe we need to bring in outside help." "And who do you propose we bring in, Ralph?" "At least someone with an intelligent mind!" Ralph said snarkily, causing Andrew's eyebrows to furrow in offense. The two men were nose to nose, about to come to blows, when Donnie intervened, pulling the two apart. "Guys, we need to work together if we're going to find them," he said sternly. Donnie looked from Ralph to Andrew, keeping them firmly apart. "We can't afford to turn on each other, especially now when we have a job to do - finding Lily and Jessica. So let's work together and put our differences aside" he said firmly. Ralph moved Donnie's hand away from his shirt and Donnie let go of Andrew but still kept an eye on both of them. "Hey man, I'm sorry" Andrew said, his voice low and sincere. "I was out of line." Ralph looked at Andrew for a moment before nodding. "It's cool. I was being a bit of a hothead myself" Donnie looked relieved that the tension had dissipated. Ralph turned to Andrew and asked, " don't suppose you have a plan to find Jessica and Lily, do you?" Andrew scratched his head, thinking for a moment. Ralph and Andrew began to exchange ideas, brainstorming ways to find Jessica and Lily. Donnie smirked as he saw them working together. As Ralph and Andrew continued to exchange ideas, Donnie's attention began to drift. Suddenly, he realized that if Fist Striker knows where The Red Edge is keeping Lily and Jessica, maybe they could finally rescue them. Without saying a word, Donnie abruptly left the apartment in a rush, leaving a trail of red and white energy behind him. He rushed down the street, dodging pedestrians and cars alike with lightning-fast reflexes. The wind whipped through his hair as he ran, the sensation of movement exhilarating and freeing. Sitting in the jail cell, Charlotte Leslie wore a blue prison suit that hung loosely on her frame. Looking out into the courtyard, she watched as other inmates chatted, laughed, and played games, the sun casting a warm glow over everything. Charlotte's eyes widened in shock as she suddenly blinked and found herself standing on top of a rooftop. The wind whipped through her hair and the city skyline stretched out before her in a sea of twinkling lights. Looking around curiously, she tried to figure out what had just happened to her, feeling a sense of unease creeping over her. Charlotte's heart leapt at the thought of being able to escape, but a cold voice suddenly cut through her thoughts. "Don't even think about trying to escape, it warned. Turning around, she saw Outman standing just a few feet away from her, his suit and mask hiding his face. Outman smirked, his eyes narrowing at Charlotte. "Did you miss me?" he taunted. She rolled her eyes, frustration clear in her voice. "Ugh, you again? What do you want?" Outman chuckled, enjoying Charlotte's frustration. "It's nice to see you too," he replied sarcastically. "Actually, I have a few questions for you to answer. And you might wanna answer them quickly before the cops realize you're out of your cell." Suddenly, the alarms blared through the prison, indicating that the cops had discovered Leslie was missing. Outman grinned wickedly at Charlotte. "Time's ticking, sweetheart. What's it gonna be?" "Ok, ok!" Charlotte exclaimed, feeling the pressure. "where's the Red Edge hiding?" 'I don't know, Charlotte said quickly. "Hmmmm" Outman murmured. "Not what I wanted to hear."
'I swear, I don't know where he's hiding out," Charlotte pleaded with Outman. "There are two innocent people in danger," Outman warned her. "Why should I even care about them?"
Charlotte snapped. "Because if something happens to them, their blood will be on your hands," Outman said sternly. "And I will make your life a living hell" Charlotte smirked and laughed as she realized the innocent victims that Red Edge has are close to Outman. " see why you're so desperate to save them. These people are close to you, aren't they?" she said sarcastically. Outman locked eyes with Charlotte, his voice quivering with emotion as he revealed, "The Red Edge has my baby sister and my friend. If anything were to happen to them, I wouldn't be able to live with myself." Outman's voice caught in his throat as he continued, "I lost my parents at a young age, and then my second parent. But i'm not going to lose my sister next. I'll be the one to make the sacrifice for her." His eyes were determined, but held a hint of sadness and pain. Outman's eyes softened as he pleaded,
"Wouldn't you do the same if you had a sister?" Charlotte's gaze met his, and after a moment's hesitation she caved, " I may hate you, but I respect your love for your family" Outman's eyes widened with anticipation as he leaned in, asking with urgency"Where is the Red Edge keeping the victims, and where is he hiding?" He practically held his breath, waiting for a response. Charlotte furrowed her brow in thought before admitting, "He never told me. The Red Edge would always come to me when he came to see if I eliminated you." Outman listened intently as Charlotte explained, "The Red Edge would always go on about killing you, getting his revenge, and being the hero." He couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine at the man's twisted mentality. Outman asked Charlotte, "Then why hasn't he come to finish the job himself?" Charlotte sighed and replied, "The Red Edge is weak. He needs more...power Which is what I need." Outman turned away from Charlotte, trying to process what she had just told him. His mind raced with thoughts of the Red Edge's plans for power and revenge, and he could feel a cold sweat forming on his brow. Outman muttered to himself, "The Red Edge is weak? More power?" He scratched his chin in contemplation, his eves narrowed and calculating. The thought of the Red Edge gaining more strength filled him with a sense of dread, knowing the danger that posed to their city. Outman continued to pace back and forth, trying to piece together the puzzle of the Red Edge's plans. Suddenly, he was interrupted by Charlotte's voice. "Hey, if you're done talking to yourself, can I go back to my cell now?" she said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. Charlotte was rushed back to her cell in a blur of motion, barely able to register her surroundings. She took a quick glance around "I'll see you around OutMan" she said. OutMan rushed through the streets in a blur of red and white energy, his mind racing with newfound knowledge of his next steps. He knew exactly what to do now to find Lily and Jessica, and he could feel the energy pulsing through him as he focused on his mission. Donnie rushed back to his apartment, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins as he stormed through the door and quickly removed his mask, startling Ralph and Andrew. They stared in awe as Donnie stood before them. "Where have you been, man?" Andrew asked, concern etched on his face as Donnie cut him off, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I know how to find them and what the Red Edge wants" Donnie said. Andrew and Ralph exchanged curious glances at each other. Donnie took a deep breath, his eyes blazing with a fierce determination. "I'm going to give myself up to the Red Edge," he said, his voice holding a sense of conviction that sent chills down Andrew and Ralph's spines. Andrew's eyes widened in shock and disbelief as he heard Donnie's plan. "Are you crazy?" he cried out, almost unable to believe what he had just heard. "You want to give yourself up to the guy who's trying to kill you and wipe out the future?" he continued, his voice filled with concern and fear for his friend's safety. Ralph looked at Donnie with a mix of worry and disbelief on his face. "Donnie, you can't do this," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "What are the odds that he's not going to just kill you at first sight?" he continued, his eyes pleading with Donnie to reconsider his plan. Donnie grinned confidently at his friends. "He's not gonna kill me, because he needs me," he said, his voice dripping with bravado. Andrew looked at him curiously and asked, "Needs you for what?" Donnie's tone grew serious as he looked directly at Andrew, asking, "Do you remember a few days ago when you had to put me down because my powers were consuming me?" His eyes searched Andrew's for any sign of hesitation or doubt. As Andrew thought back to that moment, his brow furrowed in concentration. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers, remembering the red and white energy forces that had combined within Donnie. Ralph, who had been listening intently nearby, looked at Donnie and Andrew curiously. He had been unaware of what had happened, but he could tell from their serious expressions that something significant had taken place. "Wait, wait, wait, wait, what's going on?
What are you guys talking about?" Ralph asked in confusion. "That Night Donnie was attacked By the red edge, He was exposed to both high-energy red radiation and low -energy white radiation during the attack. The combination of these two forces resulted in a highly reactive chemical reaction that produced an as-yet unknown energy that affected Donnie's cellular biology in a unique and unpredictable manner"
"Jessica and I discussed the concept of separating the forces within Donnie's body, but concluded that attempting to do so could be
catastrophic. The energy released during such an operation would likely be uncontrollable and could potentially cause widespread destruction," Andrew explained. "Ralph, the reason Red Edge has been sending Fist Striker to do his dirty work is because he's weak. The night I was affected, I somehow siphoned his energy, leaving him vulnerable and unable to deal with his own problems"Donnie crossed his arms "And you're just going to hand yourself over to Red Edge? To what, give that energy back to him?" Ralph asked incredulously, unable to understand why Donnie would willingly put himself in such a dangerous situation. "There's no other option," Donnie said firmly. "If Red Edge wants his powers back, then I'm going to give it to him." he explained, his voice resolute and determined. "Are you sure about this, Donnie? I mean, what if this goes south?" Andrew turned to Donnie, concern etched on his face as he voiced his worries. "It's the only way to save Lily and Jessica," Donnie replied, a tinge of urgency creeping into his voice. "We have to take the risk and hope for the best. I can't sit back and let them suffer, I'm sorry guys, but... I have to do this." Donnie met Andrew's gaze, his expression resolute. "I can't let them down. They're counting on us" Ralph looked at Andrew, then turned to face Donnie as he approached him.Placing a hand on his shoulder, he said, "Your parents would be proud of you, Donnie. To see where you are and what you've become... it's truly inspiring." Ralph's smile stretched across his face, showing his pearly white teeth as Donnie began to make his way out of the apartment. He pulled his mask over his chiseled jaw, accentuating the strong lines of his features. As he reached the door, Donnie turned back to Andrew and Ralph, his intense gaze locking onto theirs. "Give 'em hell, Donnie," Andrew called out, a sly grin creeping across his lips. Ralph chimed in, "And make sure you bring Lily and Jessica home safe." Donnie nodded, a determined look in his eyes. As Donnie ran out of the apartment, a mix of red and white energy began to spark around him, crackling in the air like lightning. His muscles tensed as the energy surged through him, propelling him through the streets at ungodly speeds. His eyes glowed with an otherworldly intensity. With a fierce determination driving him, Donnie raced towards An empty parking garage As he reached the Garage, he slid to a stop, rubber burning against concrete as he dug his heels in. His heart was pounding in his chest, and his breath came out in ragged gasps as he surveyed the surrounding area. Donnie stood there, waiting anxiously as he scanned the shadows for any signs of movement. Donnie waited in the silent, empty parking garage. Suddenly, he shouted out into the emptiness, his words echoing off the walls. "Get out here! I know why you want me! It's because I have your powers! You want it back? Well here I am! Come and get me!" Donnie shouted out once again, his voice filled with determination. "I'm here!" Suddenly, the Red Edge arrived in a rush of red energy, and Donnie turned around. Donnie confidently stepped forward and spoke, "I know why you sent the Fist Striker after me" The Red Edge replied, "Then you know what comes next." Donnie stood face to face with The Red Edge and firmly said, "If you want your powers back, you have to let my baby sister and friend go." He was determined to protect his loved ones at all costs. The Red Edge tilted his head slightly as he considered Donnie's proposal, and Donnie warned him, "And if you ever decide to target my family again, Or Anyone, I will hunt you down. Only god knows what I will do to you." Donnie's words dripped with conviction as he laid out the consequences of crossing him. The Red Edge Laughed to himself before telling Donnie, " I admire your love for your family, Mr. Jace." Donnie stared back at him with a determined look. "But in the future, family Is a constant struggle for you, Mr. Jace," said the Red Edge. He knew that Donnie's devotion to his family was both his biggest strength and his greatest vulnerability.