For those who dont know I have updated the heroe’s attire because prior to the new items that were added I had very little to work with. I will say this that I am actually very happy to be returning to this story as I always felt that it was one of my more interesting pieces. However, due to writers block it was shelved for a year and I had been working on an update for some time now. Thanks to all those who waited. I will also take this chance to thank Nobody who had won my contest Interpretation of My characters with his versions of Nightmare and The Red Queen.
So without further ado I will present the latest part of Heros Of out Time. The Bullet
-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-
I slammed my hand down on the alarm clock hard to stop the blasted beeping. The resulting factor being a sore hand and a broken alarm clock. Sixth one this month. The stinging sensation of the pain soon relinquished into mild discomfort as I shook my hand back and forth. I sat up in my bed and was met with the sunshine glaring into my eyes as if I had done wrong by it in the past. With a sigh I grabbed my pain medication from the table and popped the cap off. If I didn’t take two of these little pills every day I wouldn’t be able to walk straight. Running that fast as a young man comes with a price and that price is no kinder than the police that patrol the streets. My ligaments are thinner than the latest model of the week. It was fun though. Dashing at the speed of a bullet from point A to point B like it was nothing. Kids asking for my autograph and hanging on my every word. Not like now. Not like now at all. Then again maybe I am only remembering the good times of being the Bullet. There were perhaps more bad times than good times back then. One specific bad time was when Nightmare forced me out on patrol the day my mother died. Asshole.
I dropped the pills and got up out of bed. Grunting as I got up from the bed, I wished the pills would kick in sooner. I looked in the mirror at the flabby man staring back. How did I get from the speeding bullet to a grey haired flabby old divorced man with weak legs? Then again, there was some good to my life these days. Slowly I walked over to my closet to get my clothes for the day.
-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-
Before I had the chance to open it there was a knock on my front door. I grabbed my robe and walked out of my room towards the front door. The hallway was full of pictures of me and my co-workers, there were none of my ex-wife or children as I found that raised too many questions in company.
-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-
“I AM COMING!” I shouted as the impatient visitor continued to knock. I opened the door to something that caused my stomach to twist and anger to rise in my body.
My daughter of 16 and son of 10 stood with my ex wife at my doorstep. I prayed that this was all some kind of medication induced nightmare.
“Um…Hi guys. What’s going-” before I could even finish my daughter walked by me sporting a mini-skirt and t-shirt that almost made me want to vomit. It read “Naughty all the time”. I knew what that meant, but I really wish I didn’t.
“Hello Patrick…Forget again?” My ex said in her condescending tone.
“As a matter of fact I didn’t, I just have a lot on my mind these days Maxine.” I lied as she handed me her little care package for Alex and Selena. She did this every time I had to look after the kids. As if I would forget that Alex is diabetic or that Selena is….becoming a woman. Oh how I hated to think about that.
“Try not to get them killed Patrick.” Maxine said worrying I was going to have some kind of Cocaine party.
“Screw you Maxine. Their safe here.”I said trying to stay as quiet as possible for the kid’s sake.
“I hope so…BYE KIDS” Maxine said to the kids turning from queen bitch to loving mommy instantly.
“Bye mommy†Alex said to his mother as Selena stayed silent.
I closed the door as Maxine walked away and was left with my two kids. This was going to be a long ass day. I prayed that the Eliminator would break out of his cryo-shell and somehow hunt me down to put me out of my misery. I walked into the living room where my kids were currently fighting over the remote.
“I WANNA WATCH 15 AND RICH!!” Selena shouted at Alex.
“NOOO ROBOT DOME!!” Alex shouted as they both pulled at the remote.
“KIDS!!!” I shouted and they stared at me.
“Have you…had breakfast yet?” I asked not sure what I wanted to talk with them about.
“I had a smoothie” Selena said as she snatched the remote from Alex’s hand.
“DAAAAAAAD!” Alex shouted.
“Look! I’m going to get ready for work right now. So….don’t move.” I said ignoring Alex’s cry.
An hour later, I was dressed in a shirt and tie and shaved. It was only then that I decided to face the little monsters that were my children. I saw Alex in the kitchen playing a video game his mother must have got him. Selena was in the living room and seeing as I had to be at work soon I thought I should at least ask her to babysit for a few minutes. I walked towards the living room, but stopped as I heard her talking on the phone to someone.
“Yeah…Yeah…Oh common I am not that pretty….Look I can’t meet today….Because I’m at my dads…I wish he was as cool as her…No he’s some Art dealer or something…Well maybe we can meet up later..No I’m not gonna play your games Josh.” She said as she laughed a little and hung up.
Oh great. She has a boyfriend. This is all I need. First Nightmare goes on a rant about all the former members of the Guild of Justice being in danger, then I get a strange phone call from someone crying and asking me what it’s all about, now I find out my little girl is going out with some guy. My god this day could not get any worse.
I walked into the room and sat beside her. I have no idea how to do this kind of talk. I mean my dad didn’t even have this talk with me I kinda just found out by my own, but hell if I’m gonna let her do that!
“Um…Selena…” I said to her not sure how to continue.
“Dad…what do you want?” She asked me confused at what the hell I was doing.
“When a man and a woman…Eh…love each other a lot-“
“DAD! Don’t you dare! I don’t want to hear this!!” She shouted interrupting me.
“But it’s important for you to know!” I said as she got up to leave.
“I know all this stuff and don’t want to hear you tell me any of this crap please!!” She said as she looked down to me.
“Fine. Look I need you to babysit your brother. I need to get to work.” I said to her as a look of pure disgust came across her face.
“Fine…” She said smiling. I knew that smile too well. It was the I am going to do something I’m not supposed to smile. But what could I do? I had to get to work.
“I love you honey” I said in a cliché T.V movie style dad way.
“Whatever Dad” She said as she left the room.
Work was quiet. None had come in to look at these paintings at all today and honestly I think I was about to kill myself out of boredom. Suddenly the door opened and a face from my past entered the studio. I rose from my chair and walked towards the man formally known as Mr. Invincible.
“Hello William.” I said smiling towards the indestructible man.
“Patrick!”William said as we shared a handshake.
“I didn’t know you worked here” William said as he pulled away his hand.
“For the last 5 years.” I said in confidence to my old comrade.
I then realised that he was in far better shape than I was. This made me feel a little jealous of him. Stupid genetics. Fastest man in the world is in worse shape than the indestructible man. There was some irony to the situation but I couldn’t see it.
“Got any recommendations?” William asked.
“For what?” I asked looking at William with some confusion.
“Paintings.” William asked smiling at me.
“Oh over here.” I said leading him to some of my favourite pictures.
“Maybe we can get a drink after.” William offered me as we walked towards the paintings.
“Um…I don’t know” I said remembering my kids at home.
“Common…When is the next time we are gonna be able to hang out?” William asked making a good point with a hint of melancholy in his voice.
“Ya talked me into it” I said admitting defeat.
We left for the bar after I sold him the paintings. There, he ordered two scotches and we began to drink and talk about old times.
“Remember Captain Pain. Guy who believed he was as invincible as me.” William said reminding me of that old villain.
“Oh yeah. What happened to him?” I asked while drinking my scotch.
“He wanted to prove it once and for all and jumped off a building.” William said as they both began to laugh loudly.
“Oh we are going to Hell Will.” I said wiping a tear from my eye.
“Yeah we will be in the laughing corner.” William said passing me a smile.
“Ever think about going back out there?” I asked Will causing him to change his facial expression.
“No…Why?” he asked looking at me with a strange look.
“Just thinking about some stuff.” I said trying to cover my tracks.
“You’re not really considering Nightmares ridiculous offer? Are you?!” William said as he downed the last of his drink and ordered two more.
“No…Well…I couldn’t if I wanted to…” I said looking at my glass remembering my legs condition.
“Me neither…” William said as he received the two new glasses of scotch.
“Why?” I asked looking at William.
“I don’t ask you about your problems. Please grant me that same luxury.” He said as he downed his full glass of scotch.
“You’re right…sorry” I said as I drank the last of my first scotch and started on my other.
“It’s fine. Cheers” William said as he lifted his glass.
-Clang-
Our glasses rang as they bounced off each other and we continued drinking. After a few more drinks we decided to call it a day and parted ways. He walked down the street to his car and I to my own. It was strange being a little drunk this time of day but not unheard of for some people in this city. I had to get home before Alex burns the house down or something.
Coming home after a few drinks, I saw a car in my driveway. Slowly and a little tipsy I stepped out of the car and walked towards the front door. My medication started wearing off and I could feel my legs in intense pain with every step I took. I opened the door and waddled into the house.
“DADDY!!”
My concentration was broken by my little girls screams. My eyes shot up and to the young man holding my daughter at knife point and my son tied up in the living room.
“Shut it!” The young man said as he stared at me.
“Please don’t hurt me Josh.” She begged.
“Shut up bitch! So you’re the guy I am supposed to kill huh?” He said as he licked her cheek.
“What do you want?” I asked fury filling my body.
“The Bullet.” He said smiling as shock flooded the fury from my body.
“What are you talking about Josh?!” Selena asked looking at me tears rolling down her face.
“Selena quiet!” I shouted as I walked slowly towards the young man.
“Not another move Daddy dearest” He said pushing the knife closer to Selena’s neck.
“Daddy…Help…” She said slowly begging me.
“Let her go…You want to kill me…I’ll let you. Just let my little girl go.” I said as I fell to my knees and looked at him.
I groaned in pain as my knees hit the ground.
“You think I’m that stupid?” He said looking at me.
“Wanna hear something ya didn’t know about your Daddy? He used to run around the city as a Superhero” He went on as I hoped he wouldn’t notice me rising to my feet.
I dashed over and punched him in the face.
“Run Honey!!
She ran to her brother and watched as I looked at her attacker. This little punk was gonna pay for what he did. I then realised why dashing to him at such a speed was a mistake. My legs gave away to pain and I could feel the bone rub against bone. This gave the little shit enough time to get up make a dash of his own. I felt it. The knife pierced my stomach causing me to see my own blood for the first time in years. I had two choices. Either let this guy kill me and do god knows what with my kids after or fight back.
I punched him in the stomach about twenty times. Apparently he didn’t realise that I could move any part of my body at great speed. He backed away holding his stomach in great pain as I got up. Biting down on the pain I dashed behind him and elbowed him in the kidneys.
“You shouldn’t have done that” I said as I twisted his arm.
“Wanna know the funniest thing?..” He said as I grabbed his knife and threw it across the room.
“Don’t you dare say anything” I ordered as I twisted his arm harder and harder feeling the blood pour from my stomach.
“Your daughter-“.-Bang-All of a sudden he shut up as my eyes widened with horror.
He fell to the ground with his hand on another knife. He must have been planning to stab me with it. But my mind quickly turned to the person who had saved mine and my children’s lives. The Nightmare stood in my doorway. The Red Queen ran inside and comforted my children. Stretch than entered and observed the body.
“What are you guys doing here?” I asked looking at them.
“We followed you here” Nightmare responded in his usual dark tone.
“The bands getting back together. Wondering if you wanted to join us again….Bullet?” Stretch said as he looked up to me.
“Dad…You’re the Bullet?” Selena said looking at me with fear.
“Yes Honey…I am the Bullet.” I said to my daughter.
“But I got something to tell you guys…”I said to my comrades.
