The Crusaders

Chapter 2: The Gargoyle Stalks at Night

New York City, NY, May 28, 2029

After Mark flew off to God knew where, Jasper walked home on his own. His hands were shoved in his pockets, the warm summer air making his coat fly behind him. As he passed by an electronics store, he noticed that the TV's were showing a report about the anniversary of the Lionel-Addams Act. Out of curiosity, Jasper stood there and listened for a bit.

The anchorwoman was reading the notes. "And in other news, today marks the 3-year anniversary of the passing of the Lionel-Addams Act. For our younger viewers, the Lionel-Addams act was an act passed by the United Nations that stated all metahumans, or those who called themselves superheroes would either become enlisted with the government, or give up their lives of crimefighting. Several of these heroes chose both options, but some rejected both, going into hiding as enemies of the government. Dark Law, the former hero known as Urban Avenger, who was responsible for the nightclub shooting last month, was one of these heroes."

Jasper sighed to himself, hating that this whole thing was now becoming a act that was being paraded out for the media to draw more attention to. They needed time for those who went quietly to slip into the shadows without fear of prosecution. The anchorwoman was still talking. "Now, especially with the nightclub shooting and several gang wars going on in New York, the debate rages on: should superheroes be government property?"

After deciding he'd heard enough, Jasper walked away, heading to his home, or at least the place that he called his home. He walked a few blocks, then found his place. It was an old abandoned church that had been left to ruin after the housing crisis. Now, it was owned by him. He used to use it for his...old business, but nowadays, he liked the privacy of the place. 

He walked up the front door, and then grabbed the old bronze knocker. He knocked three times, waiting for two seconds in between. Any more or less, he would have remained locked out. When he finished, a small portion of the brick wall next to the door slid away to reveal a hand scanner. He placed his palm onto it, and then it flashed green. "Identity confirmed. Welcome, Jasper Singh." A pleasant female voice said, and the door swung open.

Jasper walked in, seeing that the main room had been converted into a multi-level living quarters. The main floor had a kitchen, couch with a TV, and a bathroom with working plumbing, which oddly enough had been the hardest thing about this place to build. On the second floor was a bedroom, and his own personal computer, which wasn't something you could buy on the traditional electronics market. Jasper didn't have a name for this place, but those who did see it called it the Belltower.

As he walked into the kitchen, Jasper felt something brush in between his legs. He looked down to see an orange tabby cat staring up at him, meowing and licking its mouth. He leaned down and picked it up, stroking it. "I see you've let yourself in." He said out loud, knowing she was listening. 

On the couch, a younger woman, who looked like she was in her early 20's, with dark skin and frizzy, poofy hair, turned around and smiled. "Jasper, hey. Lunch with Mark go well?" Jasper put the cat on the floor, and it walked over to the girl. "Somewhat. He acted a little...odd." The cat leaped into the girls lap, and she smiled as she stroked it. "Well, he is from another planet. I'd expect him to." 

Jasper walked upstairs to his computer, and sat down in the chair. Naomi Johnston was a young girl that he had met in the slums one day while on patrol. Aside from his fellow colleagues, she was the only person he had revealed his secret identity to. He learned that she was an adept hacker, and could do things with computers that not many other people could. She proved to be useful and helped him on several of his missions. After a while, she insisted on going by the codename Hope.