Different [A Superhero AU] - Book One

Chapter Nineteen - Multiple Conflicts

The boss storms down the hallway, his face red with rage and his fists clenched at his side. Cry follows in silence, his head hanging.

"Over and over again, you fail me. I tell you to kill Matt and Ryan and what do you do? You let them get away AND you allow Seán to get kidnapped!" the boss yells. "I made you to be strong, yet you are weak."

"Yes father," Cry says, his voice soft and firm.

"There will be consequences if you do not retrieve Seán in a week's time."

"Yes father."

The boss continues to walk, leaving Cry standing alone in the darkened hallway. The boy clenches his jaw and marches in the opposite direction, determination filling the eyes under the mask.

—

Mark runs his fingers through his hair nervously as he steps out of the laboratory. The other heroes follow, observing the procedure being done on Jack through a one-way window. Inside, Matthias lifts the eyepatch carefully and inserts a syringe into the villain's sclerae, drawing out a bright green liquid. After taking three more syringe-fulls, he lowers the eyepatch and brushes his hands together.

"Well, that was quick," Marzia comments, leaning against Felix with a sigh. The Swede nods and wraps an arm around her waist.  "Why is this happening anyway?" 

"Matthias needs that fluid so he can find a cure," Phil replies. "I can't fix that eye with water."

Before they can say another word, a loud, familiar buzz echoes through the halls and alerts all of the heroes. Instantly, they're racing off in separate directions to get into their super suits and get to the exits. Somewhere in the city, the villains are attacking innocent civilians.

Mark gives one last glance towards Jack's sleeping figure before running off, getting into his suit as quickly as possible and joining the others in the street. Outside, massive fires erupt from cars, the crackling of flames mixing with the sounds of screams. The villains race around, cornering innocent people and firing off guns.

Phil groans and lifts his hands, summoning water from all around him and using it to douse the fires. Mark charges into the streets, slamming into the side of a fire-bending Brit. He tumbles to the pavement before recovering, backing away from the hero and forming a wall of fire around him. A frustrated sigh escapes Mark's lips as he pulls to a stop, his chest inches from the flames. He can see the Brit through the barrier, his hands raised and his face red with heat. His arms and neck are red as well, his eyes bright orange instead of their regular brown.

The hero takes a few steps back from the wall of fire. "Dan, right?"

"How do you know my name?" the Brit demands in return.

"I've studied a bit."

Dan scowls and closes in the walls more. Beads of sweat run down Mark's face from the heat as he centres himself.

"Let Jack go," the Brit commands.

The American scoffs and wipes his forehead. "I can't do that."

Dan continues to close Mark in until the heat is enough to singe the hairs on his arms. He gasps, unable to find air amongst all the humidity. 

Then, the fire is gone. Dan stares at the spot over Mark's head, hardly paying attention to the hero.  Mark gasps, inhaling the cool, breathable air until his lungs don't ache anymore.  He coughs before finally looking in the direction of Dan's gaze.

Cry presses his gun to Matt's chest, his entire body rigid. The new anti-hero stares at him with wide eyes, his hands raised in the air.

"Please, Cry, don't do this," Matt pleads.

"You and Ryan betrayed us and risked the lives of the other villains just so YOU could live in PEACE," the masked villain spits, his voice like venom.

Matt winces. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry isn't enough! We've endured FIFTEEN YEARS OF ABUSE, and you think you can just LEAVE?! You were with us for TWO YEARS!"

Matt goes rigid, not used to hearing Cry yell. The masked villain lowers his gun, his entire body shaking. Mark glances from Cry to Dan, whose eyes have returned to their regular brown and now display a wide variety of emotion.  The villain turns on his heel, taking a step away from Matt as he attempts to get himself under control.

The anti-hero takes a deep breath, his shoulders relaxing slightly. As he does, Cry spins on his heel and pulls the trigger, the bullet shredding Matt's chest and sending him crumpling to the concrete with a sickening thud.