Adventures of The Red Bee

Chapter 2: Justice Will be Served

Driving to work that day, Richard thought about his heroics from the day before, and how little the people appreciated his work. Apparently, they didn't like his costume. Soon, they would see his true potential.

He arrived at the office building. When he entered the building, he saw the district attorney, Tom Darrow, standing with his arms crossed. Oh no. Richard knew when Tom was standing like that, he had a lot to rant about, and he usually ranted with Richard. Tom walked towards him, and Richard knew what was coming next.

"Good day to you, Richard," Tom said.

"Hello, Tom," Richard replied, waiting for the rant.

"Hey," Tom continued, "have you heard about that new masked vigilante? You know, the one in a bee costume?"

"Yes," Richard said, "I've heard of him. Seems like a pretty great guy to me."

"What?" Tom said, shocked. "This bee man is fighting crime illegally. He is committing a crime, and he should be convicted."

"Oh, come on," Richard said in an annoyed voice, "that bee man is just a man who's tired of the slowness of our current crime system. I've been sitting here in this office for years, watching crooks pass by like water through a strain. I'd probably be fighting crime too if I had the drive to do it."

"So you would dress up as some sort of red bee and throw bees at your enemies?" Tom retorted, becoming more agitated with each word. "And what about that thing he shot in the criminal's back? He could've killed that man, and criminals don't deserve to die without a court case."

Richard thought on this for a few seconds. Guilt nearly took him away from the current argument. He was reckless and tactless... But what did it matter? Those criminals did things worse than anything he would ever do. Besides, it was just an accident, right? Accidents happen.

"Maybe that man didn't deserve what he got," he said, "but this bee man helped stop a bank robbery."

"Don't forget he also caused the citizens to fear him as well," Tom said. "A cloud of bees can be dangerous to the general public, which is just another reason to stop this menace."

"Maybe he does operate outside the law," Richard said, "and maybe he is a bit intense, but maybe it's necessary."

Richard saw Tom roll his eyes, and he said, "You'll never agree with me, Richard. Now, let's get to work."

It was a relatively normal work day at the office. There was a crime that happened downtown around the Downey Building. Made sense, since David Downey was a famous business man, and criminals were usually targeting him. He was also forced to investigate the case of the bank robbery and the Red Bee, which wasn't very fun, as most of the office thought the bee man was a dangerous vigilante. Oh well. They didn't know anything about his intentions.

After hours of investigating different crimes, Richard and Tom walked out of the building together, arguing if their current president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, was truly helping America. They were talking when they heard a great booming sound coming from behind them. Both stopped arguing and looked back to see their office building erupting in flames, and shouts filled the surrounding streets.

"I'm calling firefighters," Tom shouted, running to a nearby telephone pole.

"I'm running in to help people out of there," Richard shouted back, and before Tom could stop him, he ran into the burning building, determined to help.

Smoke engulfed the room, and Richard was barely able to see through it all. there also fires all around him, and the heat caused him to sweat while he ran through the chaos. Then, he saw someone lying on the ground. It was a woman with brown hair, and she seemed to be passed out. He picked her up and lifted her limp body onto his shoulder. Then, he crouched to avoid the smoke, which was rising to the ceiling. As he looked for more people in danger, he saw the form of a figure standing in the fire. Getting closer, he saw the figure held a strange gun like device that was attached to a tank on his back by a tube. The figure was also wearing a gas mask and a seemingly flame resistant suit.

Richard stopped getting closer. Was that man holding what he thought he was holding? When he started backing away, a torrent of fire escaped from the figure's gun-like device. A flamethrower. Standing up, Richard ran away from this strange man as fast as he could. He was tempted to confront the man, but he knew if he did, the woman would be in grave danger, and he wasn't exactly ready to battle.

Dodging the flames, he managed to escape the office building, burned in some spots, but mostly fine. He had made sure the woman didn't get hurt. The firefighters had arrived right when he exited the building, along with an ambulance. Emergency responders went up to him and took the woman, placing her in the ambulance truck. Firefighters ran into the building, and they began putting out the fire.

Tom ran up to Richard and embraced him in a hug.

"You're still alive!" he exclaimed, letting go of Richard and placing his hands on his shoulders, staring at him as if he couldn't believe he was there.

"Yes," Richard replied, "I am still alive. Why are you so surprised?" He laughed, and Tom laughed as well.

"You're an idiot," Tom said, "but you already knew that."

"Ha," Richard laughed, "I knew the sincerity had to end at some point." Dropping the smile, Richard looked Tom dead in the eyes, and said, "Tom, I saw someone in there... Someone with a flamethrower..."

Tom looked at Richard in surprise. "So," he said, "somebody laid waste to the building on purpose?"

Richard nodded, and said, "Looks like that's what happened. They probably wanted to destroy our criminal records..."

"Why, though?" Tom asked. "I mean, he had to be working for someone, right? Unless he was working independently, but I don't think we've had many reports of arson in recent years...

"I don't know," Richard said.

Tom and Richard remained silent after that, and they watched the firefighters put out the fire and save people stuck inside. Richard told the firefighters about the flamethrower bearing man, but they said they didn't see anyone like that. He must've escaped before the firefighters arrived.

After the fire was gone, Richard drove back to his home. During the drive, he thought about the strange flamethrower man. It was disgusting to Richard someone would burn down a building filled with innocent people. What kind of self-respecting person would do something like that? Criminal scum, that's who. Richard knew his next goal. He was going to find the man, and he was going to deliver him to the hands of justice.

This man was not getting away. Justice would be served.