THE ADVENTURES OF TEKEON

#11. THE DARKEST DAY: PART FOUR

The cops immediately ceased fire. But I didn't stop like I usually did to greet them. To convince them I was on their side. To offer to help. Nah.

They should be thanking the stars that they held their fire. And if they dared open fire again, they would be in my way.

My eyes locked on Rogue as I advanced. Gaze dripping with vengeance, I hovered towards him. Sparks still danced from his armor's framework. He lifted his armor's left hand slowly. The hand was shaky, barely functional, but I wouldn't take the chances. I stomped on it, denting the armor, pinning the hand to the ground, and disabling it.

“No!” He attempted to move his right hand. It was even slower. Shakier. I kicked it. And it gave out its final sparks before disabling.

“Please,” he whimpered. “Time out, Tekeon. Time out. Uh…. How's it going?” He began to ramble. “I didn't know you were this strong. Time out, what do you say? Another day? Come on, let’s reason—”

“How?” I balled my fists as a whisper escaped my mouth.

“How...dare you?” I screamed, and hammered away at his armor's helmet.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Perhaps it was the most reinforced part of his armor. But with every resounding punch, with every clank, with every raging pound, the dents became bigger. And his screaming became louder. Not screams of pain but of fear. The headpiece was too big for my punches to have an impact on him. But not for long.

“I surrender! I quit! I give up! Arrest me!” His words drowned like background noise. All that rang in my head was rage. All I wanted him to feel was my rage.

“Jason,” Blitz started. “I am so sorry for your loss right now. But bear with me. Try to remember our first week of crime fighting… when we established the ‘no kill’ rule. Look within yourself. Take a deep breath, Jason. Does that rule still stand?”

BANG! His armor gave way, caving under the cumulative power of my punches. And I saw the real deal. Peppered, shabby hair. Brown eyes bulging with fear. Crooked nose, breath held. Gapped teeth and open jaw. A face frozen in fear. I balled my fist and drew it back for maximum impact.

“I surrender!” He said. “Please, don't hurt me! Please!”

Amidst my seething wrath, I found it in me to salvage a bit of patience. If for nothing but to give him a moment of self-reflection before his last breath.

“Don't hurt you?” I growled. “After what you've done? You killed all these people. You killed my world. You killed them! And now you're telling me not to hurt you. How did you think this was going to end?”

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry!”

“Why did you pick this street? Why?”

“I'm sorry. It was random, I swear. I just wanted to... I just thought I could beat you.  I thought... I didn't know you were this strong. Please. Mercy. I thought I came prepared. If I had known your strength, I would have tried something else.”

“You won't be joining these people. You'll be going to hell.” I peeled his helmet off like a thick wrapping, exposing his face fully. No chance to miss. He had to witness vengeance without any obstruction to his vision.

My left hand clutched his neck, and he choked, eyes bulging, reddening.

“Tekeon!” A police officer screamed over a megaphone behind me. “The suspect has been disarmed and has surrendered. If you proceed to take his life, it's first-degree murder under the law!”

I nodded and closed my eyes. My parents’ smiles—their hopes, their dreams—washed over me. And when I thought it was already at the max, my anger reached a new peak.

I strengthened the chokehold. And raised my other fist higher. ‘The cops can't stop me. Blitz can't stop me.’

And I delivered the final blow. BAM!