Author Note
Sorry for not uploading for a while as I had to go through multiple comics just to find more information on the heroes in Image Comics, since there's barely any on the Image Comics Wiki.
But holy cow, some of them have horrendous writing. The characters feel empty, not like real people at all. I wonder how they were able to write them like that. No wonder they're not as famous compared to the big names in Image Comics.
The worst part is that I have to read them again because I forgot the key information. My eyes just skim over the story without even reading it.
I'm doing this for me and for all of you, so enjoy this chapter.
— X —
Mark finally returned home, yawning as he stepped through the door. For the first time, he felt genuinely tired. The heavy gravity he had been enduring had drained him, whereas before he had always been full of energy. As he entered the house, he saw Debbie sitting on the couch with her legs crossed, watching TV.
"Welcome back," Debbie greeted him with a smile, turning away from the screen.
Mark stopped to watch. The local news was reporting on his recent work from earlier that day. He watched intently.
[MASS PARALYSIS AT BALTIMORE HARBOR PRECISION METALS — CEO FOUND DEAD]
"Today, around 6:30 PM, an employee arriving for his shift called the authorities after what he witnessed," the first male reporter said in a serious tone.
The female reporter continued, "He discovered a group of people paralyzed, unable to move their bodies. Only their heads could move. They were still alive."
The male reporter added, "Shortly after, authorities found Johnson Wade, the CEO of the company, dead. His neck had been crushed by a single choke."
"Not only that," the female reporter went on, "the police also discovered that money from the factory had been stolen by the perpetrator."
Mark's eyebrows narrowed. He was confused by the reporter's statement. 'I didn't steal their money. What are they on about? I didn't have time to even think about it.'
But the news continued without stating the real secret hidden beneath the factory. It was brushed aside as the police on the scene gave their statement.
'What about the trafficking ring? I'm sure the cages are still there. The evidence is still there. What the fuck?' Mark grew annoyed. The news didn't address it, like they didn't know what had really happened there. Or something else was going on. 'Did they hide the truth? If they did, then I'm glad I sent those people home instead of handing them over to the authorities.'
Mark walked away and headed upstairs to his room, moving slowly because the increased gravity was still activated. When he reached his room, he dropped his bag on the floor and went to the bathroom to take a shower. As the water ran over him, he sighed, thinking about what had just happened.
'My previous world or this world, it's all the same thing. The same schemes. Lying to the public. Man, I hate it here. It's the same problems all over again.'
'I wish... No, I can stop it. But now I have to be extra careful. The heroes will try to put me in jail. This world is full of unknown heroes from other comics. I don't know their personalities or their power scaling.'
'A lot of people will be on my ass, looking for me. But the real question is, will the GDA come after me? Or do they already know the truth? Cecil probably has every piece of dirty information on everybody, the way he moves in the comics and the show.'
Mark didn't know what to think about his current situation. He stared at the shower head, asking himself if he regretted killing the man. But as soon as the thought of regret surfaced, he remembered the condition of the people being trafficked. He forgot about regret instantly.
'I'm going to do it again. Because nobody else will.'
. . . .
City Hall, Baltimore.
The Mayor of Baltimore rested his hands on his mahogany desk, fingers interlocked as he contemplated the current situation. He looked serious and deep in thought. A knock came at the door.
"Sir, may I enter?" his assistant asked.
"Come in," the mayor said.
The assistant entered the office, holding a file, and approached the desk.
"What's the situation? What did the higher-ups say?" the mayor asked.
"No answer yet, sir," the assistant replied.
The mayor's face twitched. He stood up from his seat, raising his voice. "Wade was one of the biggest donors to the state, and they didn't even bother to look into the situation? He was just killed in cold blood."
The mayor sighed and stepped away from his chair, moving to stand at the window. He stared out at the night sky.
"What do you think I should do?" the mayor asked. "The way I see it, the state won't send help. If they were going to, they would have done it already."
"Perhaps, sir, you could form a task force. In return, you could use this to strengthen your image among the people of Baltimore," the assistant offered.
The mayor's eyes lit up. He turned around. "That's a great idea. But who should we hire?" He wanted to hear more of his assistant's thoughts on who would be best suited for the situation.
"There are many to choose from. But given our budget, if we want results, we should select veteran heroes regardless of their... infamous backgrounds," the assistant said, hinting at the type of heroes they should consider.
"Who do you have in mind?" the mayor asked.
"Jeff Terrell, also known as Shaft. The former leader of Youngblood," the assistant said, placing the file on the desk.
For context, the Youngblood team had been disbanded due to scandals involving the mysterious death of one of their heroes. One of their own teammates had been the killer. On top of that, the team's management had failed spectacularly. Because of this, their funding had been pulled after they broke the public's trust.
"Are you trying to ruin my image?" The mayor raised his voice. This could become dangerous if it went in the wrong direction.
"No, sir. Shaft's reputation is well known to the public, and they love him as a superhero," the assistant said. "And he won't reject our request. He needs the money. He'll willingly help us."
The mayor couldn't argue. Shaft was one of the few members of Youngblood without any major scandals. He was also a former FBI agent, which could help the case.
"If we go with your plan, who else should we put on the task force? Shaft can't handle this on his own," the mayor asked, wanting to know the full roster.
"Vogue, Doc Rocket, and Jonny Panic," the assistant said. Reading the mayor's expression, he added, "We can't be picky here. Most well-known and powerful heroes would require far more money."
The mayor took a deep breath. "Let me think about it..." He looked at his assistant's face. "You're dismissed."
The assistant nodded and left the office. The mayor turned back to the window, staring at the night sky. He wasn't sure whether to go through with the idea his assistant had suggested. He decided to wait until tomorrow to see if the government would give an answer.
Unfortunately for him, that answer would never come.