Captain Gargle

Chapter 6

The bustling newsroom of The Daily Tribune was in full swing as reporters dashed from desk to desk, phones ringing off the hook. Michael sat at his usual spot, his thoughts still swirling from last night's battle with Boy Baktol. Though his transformation into Captain Gargle was becoming routine, it felt surreal balancing his superhero duties with his day job.

"Hey, Michael!" Chief Pipay's unmistakable voice broke through the noise. She was striding toward him, her usual authoritative presence commanding attention. "I need you on something big."

Michael blinked, quickly turning away from his half-written article about local zoning laws. "Sure, Chief. What's up?"

Pipay tossed a stack of papers onto his desk, her eyebrows arched with curiosity. "Captain Gargle," she said, her voice low and conspiratorial. "There are reports coming in from all over. Some superhero is popping up, taking down villains, and we need someone to cover it. I want you on the story. Get everything you can—who he is, what he's about, why now. The works."

Michael's heart raced, though he kept his face neutral. Me? Covering myself?

"Uh, Captain Gargle?" Michael stammered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "You sure you don't want Belle on this one? She's usually more into the investigative stuff."

Pipay crossed her arms, fixing him with a hard stare. "Belle's got her own story to chase. But something tells me you've got a knack for this kind of thing. Plus, you've been out there in the field lately—maybe you'll stumble on something the others haven't."

Before Michael could argue further, another voice chimed in from behind. "Captain Gargle, huh?"

Belle Thompson appeared at Michael's side, her signature smirk firmly in place. She leaned against his desk, arms crossed, clearly intrigued. "I've heard about him. Stopping some villain in the town square last night, right? You get any leads on him, Michael?"

Michael's heart skipped a beat. Of all the people to be curious...

"I'm, uh, still working on it," Michael said, trying to keep his tone casual. "Not a lot of people know much about him yet."

Belle's eyes twinkled with interest. "Well, if you need a hand, I'm around. This Captain Gargle guy sounds like a good angle. Plus, I'm curious to know what kind of superhero flies while sitting."

Michael chuckled nervously, but inside, he was already dreading the thought of Belle digging into his alter ego. "Yeah, thanks. I'll keep you posted."

Pipay gave Michael a final nod, signaling the end of the conversation. "Get me something solid, Halloway. We're running this front page."

As the Chief walked away, Belle lingered for a moment, looking at Michael with that curious glint she always had when a story intrigued her. "I'm serious, though. If you find something, let me know. Captain Gargle could be a game changer."

With that, she sauntered off, leaving Michael sitting at his desk, his mind racing. He had to figure out how to balance being Captain Gargle and covering himself as a reporter. And if Belle was already interested, things could get complicated.

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Later that evening, Michael found himself patrolling the outskirts of the town in his Captain Gargle form. The night was calm, but after the encounter with Boy Baktol, he knew better than to expect peace. General Blaguda's forces were out there, and it was only a matter of time before another one of her lieutenants made their move.

As he floated above the rooftops—still in his awkward seated position—he noticed something unusual. A thick cloud of flies buzzed ominously around the town square, swarming in a way that set off alarms in his head. The sound was overwhelming, like a thousand tiny wings beating in unison, accompanied by a putrid stench that made his eyes water.