Nightfury: The Vigilante

Vigilant Fracture

Astrid sat in her office, staring at the screen of her laptop. On her laptop, a video was being played. A video/footage taken from the surveillance cameras inside the smoke-filled garage, which showed Nightfury fighting against the mercenaries, a good chunk of their movements hidden by the smoke.

This was the latest footage found on Nightfury. Before this, she'd reviewed other available footage. Glimpses of Nightfury chasing suspects, and fuller scenes from criminal hideouts. Most showed hand-to-hand combat, but a few, which were mainly recovered from surveillance cameras of criminal hideouts, revealed gunfights.

The grainy surveillance footage played on repeat, the sound of muted gunfire and scuffling echoes crackling through the speakers. Despite the smoke obscuring the view, Nightfury's fluid movements were unmistakable.

As she watched, Astrid's brow furrowed. Something about Nightfury's technique seemed...off. Too calculated, too precise. She leaned forward, rewinding the video to examine a particular sequence.

She scrutinized the footage, her trained eyes picking out details others might miss. Nightfury's movements were fluid, calculated.

His fighting style, his skills, from what she could observe in the videos she watched, were very refined. Not like that of some master martial artist. More similar to someone who has been trained and battle tested. Considering how long Nightfury has been active, she has no doubt he definitely had time to refine his skills in combat. But there was a pattern in his movements.

He used cover effectively, exploited enemy weaknesses, and executed precise disarms. The way he cleared rooms, checked corners, and utilized suppressive fire... it was all too familiar.

Astrid's eyes narrowed, her jaw clenched, as she watched Nightfury's calculated movements. "What drives someone to this level of skill and violence?" she wondered. A shiver ran down her spine. This wasn't just any vigilante.

His fighting style echoed that of a trained military man, and reviewing every footage once more, the facts became even more clear to her.

She noted the efficient use of the crowbars in combat in the latest footage, the economy of motion, the tactical positioning, how he moves in a firefight in another footage, and his decision making. She remembered the bodies of Nightfury's victims, how he had shot them, precise and effective, wasting no more than 3 to 4 bullets per person.

And seeing all this, it became undeniably clear. His techniques mirrored those taught in advanced military programs. Standard Operating Procedures, Combat maneuvers, etc was easily detectable in his moves.

"This isn't some street-fighting thug," Astrid thought,"He's been trained. Military, possibly even special ops."

Her grip on the laptop tightened, as her mind raced with possibilities. Just who was this vigilante? What was his story?

Astrid put down the screen of her laptop, before spinning in her chair to face the board, her eyes scanning all the notes, pictures and other stuff she hung there.

"What drives someone to this level of skill put a path of violence?" Astrid wondered.

Thoughts swirled in her mind, as she leaned back onto her chair, looking up towards the ceiling.

Nightfury is a lawless vigilante. His actions create unrest and undermine authority. That's what she knew so far. She doesn't know what his motives are, but assumes it is probably personal revenge or glory.

But her recent encounters have made a dent in her previous judgment.

The support Detective Jack Frost showed regarding Nightfury made her reconsider her opinions on him. The detective had a first hand experience with the vigilante, so for him to say something like that, was unexpected for her. Nightfury's methods are unorthodox, but Jack's observation of cleaner streets and reduced crime rates was definitely right.