No Good Deed
Everyone needed to take an occasional day off—even supervillains. Achan knew that working too much tended to make one a little crazy, and he really didn’t see the point of degrading his public image any more than it already had. So, he was enjoying a day off.
A fuzzy bathrobe and pair of house slippers were all he could be bothered to don before taking up the morning paper and a cup of coffee. He shuffled down a sterile corridor within his secret base while sipping at his drink. He didn’t want to multitask too much, but he didn’t think glancing through the paper’s headlines would be too terribly taxing.
‘Is this the end for Aureole?’ he read, then coughed, nearly choking on his drink. “Good gods. They’re just making it up as they go, aren’t they? What doofus would even bother reading this fluff?” It occurred to him that he was reading it. He coughed again, then cleared his throat.
Achan started walking again but hesitated on noticing the coffee he had spit on the floor. He shrugged. Eh, someone will clean that up. When he thought about the ‘who,’ he realized he hadn’t actually seen anyone all morning. He glanced up and down the halls. “Where is everybody? Everyone on holiday or something?”
After several minutes of walking and inspecting empty rooms, he finally heard some chatter. It was coming from the armory. He stepped into the doorway to see a group of his henchmen. They wore steel-blue jumpers and looked to be gearing up for a mission. Some strapped on battle armor, while others loaded and readied plasma rifles.
One was talking over the others, his name badge reading ‘223.’ “It’s gonna be a blood bath,” he said, charging his rifle. “And it’s about time too. All them heroes are going to get what’s coming to them. This is our time and ain’t no one going to tell us what we can’t do.”
189 nodded along while tying his bootlaces. “Yeah, and if we don’t hurry up and join in, we’ll never hear the end of it. I heard that the Kage and Esmeray crews headed out before sun up. Everyone wants to be the one to snuff him out.”
“Well, they’re going to have to get in line. He’s mine.”
“Big words from a guy still sitting in his base polishing his rifle.”
Achan scowled. Didn’t realize I was housing a bunch of gossips. He cleared his throat.
The group noticed him and shot to their feet. “Sir!” they said in chorus.
He glanced down at his house slippers and wriggled his toes. “Look, guys... this isn’t exactly a formal occasion. I’m just curious where everyone’s gone.”
223 grinned. “Sir, they already left on the raid. We were just about to go join them.”
Raid? I don’t recall seeing that on the schedule. Gosh, I can’t remember the last time I even bothered with a raid. Must be something sentimental. Hmm... Then again, that seems a bit eclectic for our more recent exploits. “Where is this raid?”
“It’s a small ranch due west of Metropolis. We’re going to dye those hills red! It’s going to be glorious.”
Achon’s lips drew into a line. “If one of you buffoons don’t tell me what the hell’s going on, I’m going to boil the lot of you in pickle juice.”
“Sir, everyone is headed to Aureole’s.”
“Aureole’s? Golden boy doesn’t have a base.”
“No, sir. His house. We know who he is.”
“Yeah,” 189 added. “The fool was helping some old lady cross the street. But she was a former neighbor or something. She recognized his smile. Said his name and folks overheard. No good deed, am I right?”
Coffee spilled over the lip of Achon’s mug as a growing rage radiated through his grip. The newspaper crumpled into his balled fist. “And my own men went to participate in this witch hunt?”
“Uh, yes, sir. We thought you—”
He hurled his mug into the wall, the ceramic exploding and cowing the group. “You’re henchmen! You don’t think! You do!” He pointed to each of them. “Spread the word. If anyone else leaves before I return, I’ll make sure the very last thing they learn is what it means to need a hero.”
Achan spun on his heel and ran. So much for my day off.
Achan tore across the sky, his rocket boots propelling him like ordinance. His own blue-steel jumper had replaced his bathrobe and his wrists were now affixed with electronic bracers.
West of the city, rolling hills soon became plains. A small farm house sat alone, an adjacent field filled with various forms. A smaller group clustered further west, while something like an army positioned itself to the east.
He arched over the horde, then landed, dirt and debris pluming up around him as he jogged to a stop.
The smaller group was unexpected. Aureole stood defiant, his fists balled, his sky blue chest stuck out, his golden cape fluttering behind him. He wasn’t wearing his helmet though, his glare saying that he wouldn’t be pulling any punches today. Behind him, his wife knelt with their two daughters pulled into her chest, her hands wrapping around their eyes.
All of that was well and good. It was the other two that were out of place. They were positioned between him and Aureole. One was a towering figure cloaked in black—Kage. His form blurred along its edges like a shadow out of focus.
Alongside him, an elongated mound of corpses were stacked three-feet high. Esmeray sat atop it. She was garbed in maroon and looked to be cleaning under her nails with a bloody dagger. She glanced up. “Achan? A bit lost, are we?”
Achan looked around at the red soaked grass. “No. I was just in the area and got curious about the ongoing construction.”
Maroon, black, and steel-blue uniforms weaved through the impromptu barricade. She tapped a body with the tip of her dagger. “Am I going to be adding you to it or are you going to play nice?”
He raised his hands. “I’m not trying to make waves. It’s just a curious sight is all.”
“It’s a fine place for a wall, don’t you think? I was passing through myself. When I saw this wall-less field, I thought to myself, it would be a right shame for it to go on not having a wall.”
Achon glanced to Kage, who just crossed his arms and shrugged. “It is a fine wall, as far as walls go. A real marvel.”
Aureole eyes flicked between the backs of Kage and Esmeray. There was desperation in his eyes, and he looked ready to pounce in any direction.
*Damn shame seeing him like this. *He sighed and turned back to survey the field. The horizon was a mass of restless forms, a swirl of colors representing members from all of the city’s big three. Seeing any one of them was enough to make law enforcement take a sick day. I always wondered what sort of great caper might bring us together. There’s no telling what the boys in blue might do if they ever saw this. He laughed.
“Mind sharing what’s so funny?” Esmeray asked. “Me and Kage love a good laugh, right Kage?” She glanced at Kage, who shrugged. “Don’t listen to Kage. He’s not operating with a full box of crayons.”
“The three of us. Here. It’s just not how I pictured it.”
“Ah, yeah. I always figured there’d be more elephants.”
“Elephants?”
“Of course. I don’t like to talk about them when they’re not in the same room. I’m no gossip, you know?”
Achon grinned. “Right. So, how are we going to go about this? It might be easier to staff replacements if we don’t cull our own.”
“Dead men don't like to gossip. I know. I checked. So no survivors; no problem.”
“Why?” Aureole interjected. He was looking down and shaking his head. “Why are you doing this?”
Esmeray scowled over her shoulder. “Hey, pipe down back there. Didn’t I tell you already? I don’t consort with you goodie two shoes. You all smell too much like sunshine. Which is inconsiderate when you remember Kage’s sun allergy.” She shook her head. “And you call me a villain.”
Aureole marched over to Esmeray and took her by the shoulder.
She twisted away, then shook her dagger in his direction, the wall between them. “Easy there, Mr. Hero. I already have a dance partner. You’ll have to find someone else.”
“Where’s your backup?” Achon asked. “The other heroes. Surely, they must know that some would target you once your identity was uncovered.”
His jaw flexed. “There’s probably trouble in the city. We can’t be everywhere at once.”
“The city’s three most wanted bosses are together and standing on your lawn. What could be more troublesome? I’d expect us to warrant more attention, especially under the threat of collaboration.”
“If you mean to use my family... I’ll never forgive you.”
“I’d expect no less.” Achon glanced at Kage and Esmeray. “The three of us are in agreement. No harm shall come to your family.”
“But your men are—”
“Zealous idiots who won’t leave this field alive.”
“I don’t understand. We’re enemies... Why are you doing this?”
“I prefer to think of us as rivals. Heroes... They’re the real enemies.” He nodded to himself. “How many times have we fought, Aureole?”
“I couldn’t say.”
“Precisely. You’re not keeping score, so you don’t have one to settle. The others... They like to smile into the public eye, and then kick us when no one’s looking. Give them a different mask and they’re as dirty as any of us. But you, you’re different. You pull your punches. You get us medical attention after you’ve won. And you respect the effort we put into our work.
“Basically, you treat us like people. You make us want to be better. And we are better because of it.” He glanced at Esmeray. “Relatively speaking, of course.
“In another life, I might have even wound up on your side. Perhaps, if we had only met sooner. Bah... No sense dwelling on it now.”
“They come,” Kage said.
The horizon writhed and encroached.
Achon adjusted his bracers. “Then, it’s time to go to work.”
“I should fight too,” Aureole said. “I can’t just sit by and watch my enem—my rivals fight my battles.”
“Oh, a hero-villain team-up? Well, this day is just full of surprises.” He met the gaze of Kage and Esmeray. “If me and Golden Boy run on ahead, might I expect you two to tend the wall?”
“Of course,” said Esmeray. “Besides. If I stepped away only for someone to trample all over my hard work, even I don’t know what I might do.”
“Agreed. You do seem like you work too much. And it would be a right shame for such a fate to befall such fine craftsmanship.”
“Well go on then. Just don’t go stacking my material too far away.”
Achon walked passed them all, then crouched alongside Aureole’s family, his wife’s embrace visibly tightening around their children. He gestured to a blue and gold helmet lying alongside her. “Can I borrow that?”
The woman’s stunned expression followed his gesture, then nodded vigorously.
Achon passed the helmet over to the hero, who donned it and slid a reflective visor down over his eyes. “We should meet them before they draw too close. You ready?”
“I am.”
“Just do me a favor and don’t pull your punches this time. There’s plenty of fight out there and we don’t want any of them getting back up again.”
“Agreed.”
Achon flexed his wrists and three-foot blades extended from beneath each of his fists. He was preparing to launch, when his arm snagged, causing him to turn back.
Aureole was holding his arm. “Thank you for this,” he said.
“Sure. Just don’t go getting sentimental. I’d hate for it to ruin our rivalry.”
“Well, ours has always been one of my more complicated relationships, and I’d hate to see it deteriorate further.”
“Precisely.” Achon paused. “You know... I’m planning a bank heist next week and it just wouldn’t be the same if you didn’t stop by. Can I count on you to be there?”
Aureole glanced back to the encroaching mass. “Well, my plate’s a bit full at the moment. But I’m expecting my schedule to open up. So yeah, you can expect me. Do you have the address?”
“I’m afraid that’s a surprise. But don’t worry. You’ll get the invitation.”
The hero grinned. “Then, I look forward to it.”
“Alright. Well, best get this done.”
The two of them squared on the hoard then launched into the fray.
Writing Prompt: The hero’s secret identity is revealed. Surprisingly, their enemies have enough honor to not go after their loved ones or lord over their personal life.
