Vigilante: Book One

Bang

Bang.

Lazarus turned and saw the russian weakly standing, holding a pistol. He looked at Jason. He saw a hole where his heart was. He saw blood trickle out of his mouth in the weak moonlight. He dropped to the ground, blood starting to pool. Lazarus sprinted at the man and he punched him, hard. The man fell to the ground again. Lazarus hit him again, hearing bones crack. He stood over the demon's body, he kept hitting the face. He reeled back, and released a powerful punch, directly onto the nose. He heard the helmet crack. He saw it cracked all the way to the the forehead where the material switched. He saw mostly blood over the russian's face. He didn't know what had came over him. That was not him. He didn't want to hurt people more than he had to. But he just did.

Jason was still bleeding. He was conscious at least. Lazarus held his best friend. He was barely breathing, coughing up blood. 

"Come on Jason, stay with me. Stay awake." He gently tapped his face. Jason looked up at him.

"Take off your mask, please." Jason said rasply.

"What?" Lazarus said, confused.

"Let me see my best friend's face, one last time." Jason knowingly said.

Lazarus pulled off his mask. "You see my face, now know that you are going to make it. The hospital is right over there. We can get you over to it, they can help you."
"No, they can't and you know it." Jason said.

"Save your strength." Lazarus said, feeling the tears start to well.

"This is my end, but not yours," He coughed up blood, "You can be something great. You can be a hero. Something greater than a man that purges corruption. You can be a light," he coughed and hacked, "to those in darkness. You can protect the little guy. You can keep your head up on the rainy days, and help those through the fires of life. But realize this Lazarus, you don't need a mask to be a  hero. Not everyone can be a hero Lazarus, but you can. You are afraid, mortified, but you do what needs to be done anyways. You risk your future, your dream, your life, all for this city. You look evil in the eyes and say 'no more.'  " His heart started to slow, too slow. Lazarus knew what was about to happen, but he wasn't ready for it, not yet, he was too young, too pure.

"You are the closest thing to a true  brother Jason. I love you like one too. You are one of the only people that I know is a true friend. You have stuck by my side since we were kids, Thank you. You risked everything for this city too. The only difference in us, is that I was too scared to do it without a mask. You did all of this without one." Lazarus started to choke on his words. "I wouldn't trade our time together for anything. Not for money, for power, even for peace. I love you Jason, my brother."

"You, you are already a hero Lazarus," Jason was about to go. "I love you too. Save our city, and I'll see you on the other," He inhaled a large breath, "I'll see you on the other side, brother." He exhaled. Lazarus felt his body go limp. He held his hand, not ready to let go, not yet.

"No, no, no, no, no. Jason, please, wake up. Please, I need you to wake up. I can't do this without you." He was sobbing. He pulled his hands up from Jason's lifeless body and he heard something.He looked in Jason's hand. It was one of the files. He had managed to get it before they left Warehouse nine. He pocketed it. 

The funeral was small. It was two days after he died. Lazarus felt absolutely terrible. He had gone to his apartment to make sure nothing of a special value was left. He had a small family. They were going to press charges against the man that killed him. His name was Akimi Dimitri. Lazarus had felt way to bad to go out, to wear the mask. 

"Hey, long time no see Lazarus Allen." A feminine voice said. Lazarus already felt better. He turned around. 

"Why hello, Jessica Merritt." He said, slightly smirking as he he turned around to face his friend. She was wearing a black suit, no tie. They embraced each other.

"I haven't seen you since I won that case a few months back. You know, the million dollar one." Everly said as they let go of each other.

"So much has happened since then. I vote we go talk about it over drinks. Coffee, tea, anything." Lazarus said.

"That would be great. The Getris family already has be pinned for their attorney in the case against Dimitri. I would love some help from a private investigator, do you know where I could find one? I'm thinking of one I know extremely well. He happens to work at a spa right now though." She said referring to Lazarus  and how he told her that he would become a PI.

"I don't have my license yet. I have taken all my classes, I just don't have time to go take the exam yet." He said.

"Don't have time? This would propel your life forward! You would be the only one in the Dogpatch, Central Waterfront, and Potrero Hill area. You-" Lazarus cut her off.

"Today is not the day for this. Today is a day to mourn the loss of our friend. Mourn our third part." He looked at Jason's grave. They were about to lower him in. Lazarus walked over to it. He felt the tears start to roll down as he placed his hand on it. "Today we mourn the loss of a son, of a friend," Lazarus choked on his words, "of a brother." 

Jason's father came up to him and put his arm around Lazarus's shoulder. "But we also come to celebrate the time we had with him. And that we know he had a good heart. A better one than most of us. He always wanted to do the right thing, no matter the cost." Mr. Getris said.

"Someone once told me that when your afraid but you still stand in the face of fear, look evil in the eyes and say 'no more,' when you risk it all for the thing you know is right, then you are a hero. Jason was a hero." Lazarus said as they lowered the casket into the ground.

A/N: This was kind of hard to write. Offing Jason was rough but I think it was the right thing to do. At least I gave a new character, Jessica Merritt. She is a lawyer, that's great with our law breaking vigilante. Thanks for reading, and next time; Drinks with Jessica. Keep reading!