Adventures of The Red Bee

Chapter 1: Origins of the Red Bee

Richard Raleigh was an assistant district attorney who lived in Superior City. His job paid well, and for a while after getting this job, he was satisfied. However, as the number of crimes appearing on the news increased, he knew he had to do something. Anything. He loved his city more than anything, and to see its peace and pride go down like this was crushing to him. How he could help more, however, was beyond him.

Then, one day, an idea struck him while he was working in his garden. The sun shone bright, and the flowers he had grown were in full bloom. He saw a bee flying towards one of his roses. Smiling, he thought about bees, and how fond he was of them. His fascination with bees started when one stung him when he was seven years old. Although it had hurt, he had grown entranced with how they sting to protect themselves, and eventually, he started a hobby of keeping bees. They stung threats... Criminals were a threat to the city... What if he stung the criminals?

Running back to his house, he picked up his old sewing supplies and some red and yellow fabrics, and he began to create a suit that perfectly encapsulated all he stood for... Bright, yet strangely menacing! Yes, the scum of Superior city would be frightened of him, and rightly so. 

After finishing on his suit, he created a red mask to put over his eyes. Now, it was time to work on the weapons he would use. Of course, he would use his bees as a weapon, and would throw pollen to where he wanted them to attack. He also needed a blunt force weapon, just in case his bees didn't follow his instructions as well as he wanted them to. 

He took an old revolver he had laying laying around, and he tinkered with it so it would no longer shoot bullets. Instead, it would shoot what he liked to call, "Stinger Bolts." They were short and pointed sticks covered with a weak acid that would leave opponents incapacitated with pain. A bit much? Maybe, but it was a last resort. He'd fight with his hands before he would use his, "Stinger Gun." With the gun ready, he painted it red and stored it in a yellow pouch he would attach to his belt. This belt would contain his favorite bee: Michael. He had known Michael for several years, and he seemed to have an unnaturally long life, along with the ability to sting more than once. 

Now he was ready to fight crime as... Actually, he hadn't come up with a name. There were a variety of names he could choose from... Bee Man could work, but he felt it was a bit cheesy. The Hornet may be a viable option, but he was using bees to fight, not hornets. He was dressed in red and used bees for combat... Of course! He knew what to call himself all along!

The Red Bee!

It was genius. Evildoers would fear the name of the Red Bee! He put on his costume. It fit perfectly. Then, he picked up a jar full of pollen, and another full of bees. Placing the stinger gun on the side of his belt and putting Michael in his belt pouch, he left his home, ready to fight crime. 

Listening to the police radio, Richard sat in his car, waiting for a crime to happen nearby. All of a sudden, he heard the perfect crime. It was a bank robbery in process, and the police hadn't gotten there yet. Leaving his car, he ran to the bank, where he saw too men with ski masks inside the bank.

He opened the doors of the bank and burst in. The bank robbers looked at him in shock, and so did all the other people in the bank. 

"Stop right there, you crooks," the Red Bee said, standing tall and proudly, "or else I will have to stop you!"

The criminals stared at him, frozen for a few seconds. Then, they laughed loudly.

"You?" asked one of them, still laughing. "You look like you went to a circus and forgot to take off the costume when you came back!"

The Red Bee looked at them in confusion. He thought he was intimidating.

"Yeah," said the second one, "you look pathetic! Trying to play hero..." He took out a gun from his pocket and raised it toward the Red Bee. "Now," he continued, "you could keep on playing hero and lose your life... Or, you can forget we ever existed and leave."

The Red Bee glared at the men. Who did they think he was?

"Or," said the Red Bee, taking out his jar of pollen, "I could do this!" He opened the jar and threw some pollen at the two men. With them distracted, he took out his jar of bees and opened it. The bees were attracted to the pollen, and they went to the two men. Screams surrounded the room, with people covering their faces and children. When the two men tried to attack the bees, they got stung. However, one of the criminals managed to escape the cloud of bees, and he ran out of the bank.

The Red Bee tried to chase him down, but the man already had a farther head start. So, he did what he didn't want to do. He took out his stinger gun and shot the man in the back with it. The stinger bolt pierced his skin, and the man fell down. However, instead of simply falling, the man started shaking uncontrolably on the ground, and he began developing large bumps and rashes all over his skin in only a few seconds. 

"Oh no," the Red Bee said to himself, "he must have had an allergic reaction with the acid..."

Running back into the bank, he saw the other man lying on the ground with several bee stings on his body. Using his pollen, he attracted the bees back into their jar. Then, he went to the bank counter where the receptionist was cowering in fear, and he used the bank's phone to call an ambulance. Then, he exited the bank and went back to his car, where he drove back to his home. 

Later that night, Richard Raleigh sat on his couch, and watched the news. He paid close attention when the bank robbery was mentioned. On the screen was a man with black hair, and his name was Johnathan Randolph.

"Earlier today," he started, "the Superior City Bank was nearly robbed by Alejandro Chevez and Gerald Copanog." 

On screen were two images of the men side by side. Gerald was the man who pulled the gun on Richard, and Alejandro was the man who was allergic to Richard's acid.

"They were stopped by a vigilante who supposedly wore a red, bee themed costume. In fact, many at the scene of the crime said it looked stupid."

At this, Richard closed his fists in anger.

"According to eye-witness reports, this bee-themed vigilante used bees to fight off these criminals, and he even shot one in the back with a stake covered with some sort of acid. Alejandro Chevez had an allergic reaction to this acid, and is in the hospital as we speak. Now, the question must be asked: Is this strange bee man a benefit to the city, or is he nothing more than another masked criminal?"

Richard turned off the television. As it seemed, Superior City wasn't very happy with his work. Despite this, he wouldn't stop. He couldn't stop. Not when there were criminals he needed to deal with. He got up from his couch and went to bed. That night, he dreamt of bees...

                                                                  ***

Alejandro Chevez was lying in a hospital bed, thanks to that stupid bee man... The doctors had told him it was lucky he survived. However, he would be left with this disfigurement for the rest of his life, which didn't seem very lucky to him. That man didn't just disfigure him for life. No, now Alejandro was facing upwards of ten years in prison thanks to him. 

He wouldn't let this man get away. When he finds some way to escape his situation, he'll get his revenge.

"Just you wait," he whispered to himself, "just you wait."