Shining Heroes

Chapter 115

While heading back to my apartment building, it started to rain. I hadn't noticed at first until it became a heavy downpour. I had to pull over, and I quickly found that my temperature was so high they the rain would evaporate before it could even hit me.

I couldn't go into my apartment like this. It would give me away.

I carefully took my helmet and mask off before I pushed my motorcycle under an awning of a store to wait for the rain to settle down.

Before the rain had a chance to settle down, my attention was drawn to a woman walking towards me. That was before I noticed the ground freeze with every step closer to me.

"I'm not here to fight, Elizabeth." she quickly said while raising her hands. "Is your girl with you?"

"Not right now." I answered.

Without another word, she stood beside me under the awning.

"Do you want something?" I asked while looking over at her.

"I wanted to thank you." She looked at the ground. "My husband is on his way to the hospital to bring our son home."

"The boy was yours?" I asked as I was trying to piece together what she meant.

"Yeah. He wasn't supposed to go with them. He snuck into their truck from my understanding."

I looked over at her, and she had tears in her eyes.

"You didn't even know who he was, and you still gave him a second chance." Her voice wavered as she tried not to cry.

"He's a kid, and he was scared. I couldn't throw away..."

"I've known for a while. You aren't like the other heroes, but this solidifies it." She looked over at me. "But if you stay on this path, I can promise you it won't end well."

She sighed and looked back towards the water rushing off the awning.

"You will see it one day. Just don't let it change your heart." She spoke as if this was a conversation someone had with her before. "You are one of the rare few that do this for the sake of others."

"If you care so much, why did..." I struggled to find the words to say.

"Become a villain?" She asked softly, and I nodded in response. "There will be  days that will be ordered to do something you don't agree with. If you do it, nothing bad will come of it. If you dont, there will always be some sort of punishment."

"What did you not do?" I asked calmly.

"Let's just say I valued the lives of others too much." She sighed. "Enought about hero or villain talk. I wanted to let you know your actions don't go unnoticed by us, and after tonight, you're under my protection."

"I don't need your protection." I responded before I realized what I said.

"Regardless, everyone in my group will know you're my family. Thank you for what you did for my son." She said before she began to walk away. "They will still fight you, but they won't hurt you too badly."

I couldn't find any words to say as she walked away.

"Just so you know, not every villain works with me. Some despise me for having been a hero, and some are true villains."

I put my hands in my pockets and felt something other than my pills in the pocket. I pulled it out, and it was a piece of paper with an address and a note.

'Tomorrow, no heroes.'

When did she slip this into my pocket. Does this mean she wants me to come in civilian attire?

I thought about it for a while, but I wasn't sure if I could trust her.

I contemplated the idea until the rain stopped. By then, I felt if I had been drained of all energy I had. That only made the ride home feel colder than it normally would.

I didn't even make it home before my phone started to go off again. I pulled out my phone and saw I was being called to a building on fire.

I sighed before deciding to take another pill.

After arriving at the fire, I no longer felt tired, and I was ready to deal with the fire.

I was disappointed that when I got there, there was barely a fire to deal with. I killed the fire and found that the only damage was to the outside on the building. I also thought it was odd that the building didn't appear to have anyone living or working from it.

Something was off about the whole scene. There was one firetruck and a handful of fire fighters, but they only arrived after I did.

I didn't have time to ask any questions before I was called to another emergency.