Average Joe (2018)

35

The clouds swept across the atmosphere, like giant cotton balls rolling across the horizon. The sky around me deepened in color, as the sun fell from view, leaving the world dark. I yelled as I almost lost my balance over North Manhattan. The moonlight glittered against the shallow layer of water that surfaced below the wide, stone, moss-dressed, bridge.

I gently floated down onto a tree branch, staying in the shadows, my back tensing with anticipation. I pulled my hood up and got my baton ready. The man I saw did not even remotely look like a threat or an evil secret keeper. The man was young - maybe late twenties - and had spiked hair, his suit way too big for the skinny dude. His eyes were tired as if he had a long day, and his form leaned against the concrete railing. I stared at the man, who blankly stared into the water. The man fished a coin from his pocket.

"I wish my boss would die," he grumbled, before he flipped the coin, slapping it into the water seconds later. The man stared into the water a little while more, while I sat on the tree branch, trying to conceal myself. I sat there longer, and started to wonder where Bryan and Cora were.

"Screw this," The man grumbled, before turning on his heel and walking back into the woods.

I gently floated above the woods and kept an eye on the man as he walked below me. I came back down and saw him walking towards a gate. I started to follow him on foot, trying to keep my distance.

Why would Oblivion want this guy dead?

I focused on the red dot on the man's jacket, trying to keep up with him. I was three feet away when I realized something - the red dot wasn't a part of the suit. A gunshot rang out and I flew forward, tackling the man to the ground. I felt something like a bullet, tearing my jacket.

"What the hell are you doing!" He screamed.

"Stay down!" I grumbled as I dragged him behind a low-bearing stone wall. Two more shots could be heard and the other side of the wall exploded twice with stone and gunpowder.

"What's happening?" The man screamed.

"Let you know as soon as I find out," I sighed.

This was not the Chronicle. I ran around the stone wall to the edge and looked where the shots came from. In the darkness of the woods, I could see the glow of a sniper rifle. I extended my arm and blue lightning flashed and struck the tree next to the sniper, a large branch falling toward him. Whoever the gunman was, jumped out of the way, letting the branch smack the forest floor. Taking advantage of the situation, I flew upwards and landed behind him.

As the man turned, I slapped my baton across his helmet, the glass on it shattering. He stumbled backward and shot at me. In a panic, I electrified my entire body, the bullets melted before they could even touch me.

Well... That's a new trick...

I knocked the gun out of his hands. He punched me in the face, my check bone stinging and I fell against a tree trunk.

Angered, I got to my feet again and punched him back, my fist going through the shattered helmet mask. I heard a sickening crack and my fist screamed in pain. As he raised his fist to hit me, I knocked his arm to the side and unleashed a series of attacks on his torso.

"Where's the Chronicle?" I demanded as I landed my last punch, knocking him to the ground. The gunman raised his hands in defeat.

"Okay!" He pleaded. "Okay!" He stood and looked at me in defeat.

"The Chronicle is..."

A sliver object dressed in crimson poked through his chest, the man screaming in pain. I yelled and jumped back as the man gurgled up blood and fell to his knees. I grabbed him and pressed my hands against his wound.

"It'll be okay," I assured him, as I laid him on the ground. I looked up and saw Bryan, who was holding a bloodied knife.

"What the hell was that?"

"He's scum!"

"He's useful! Damn it, now we have to start from square one!" Cora ran up behind Bryan.

"What happened!" Cora demanded.

"Help me stop the bleeding!" I pleaded. Cora got on her knees and pressed her hands against mine, which were now cherry red.

"It'll be okay," I assured him. "It's going to be alright." The man stared at me with tearful eyes. "You're going to be fine." Just as the words left my mouth, the park filled with red and blue lights, accompanied by sirens.

"We've gotta go," I warned my friends.

___

We walked back into the clock tower and immediately took off our clothes, which were drenched in crimson.

"What happened?" Tori asked. "What's all that blood from?"

I took off my shirt and threw it to the ground. Once Bryan and Cora were undressed, I took their clothes and mine and put them in a pile. I doused them in gasoline. I stared at them a moment more, before I grabbed the book of matches and lit the clothing, the orange flame lighting up the room.

"What was that?" I demanded Bryan. His expression was stony.

"He was trash, Norman. Do you honestly think he deserved to live?"

"Bryan, what did you do?" Tori asked with concern.

"It's not your decision on who lives and who dies!" I told him. "And if you think you can, you're just as bad as the Chronicle!" Bryan got into my face.

"Just wait. When someone you love dies, you'll be surprised what you can live with."

"We needed him. He could've told us what was going on."

"That's what we have the messages for!"

"And if the Chronicle and Oblivion find out their conversation has been hacked?"

"It must be nice to be in Norman land where everything is sunlight and daisies. Well here in the real world, this is how things work!"

"Bryan!" Cora yelled. "Norman is right. We needed him to find the Chronicle. You know, the Chronicle? Your brother's killer. If you want to catch him you're going to have to stop being an ass!"

I stood dumbfounded, as Cora stood up to Bryan. I think that's when I noticed how beautiful she was.