The Legacy of Eros - Dark Son Ch. 01

"What makes you think there isn't some video somewhere which puts you at the scene of the crime?" his gravelly voice insinuated the worry into my mind.

'The Web Slinger,' I thought. I was keeping that thought to myself too.

"You know something I don't know, but I tell you right now -- I will find out exactly what happened."

"You ... good luck with that, Night Watchman," I glared hate right back. "Besides, what's got you so pissed off? The fact I might have committed a crime outside of your ever present gaze, or that someone beat you to Kalashnikov Kori?"

There was a pregnant pause as the Night Watchman ordered his thoughts.

"Is this some game to you?" he rasped.

"No. I do not now nor have I ever wanted to be a criminal kingpin in this city," I was confused by this latest tact.

"Good, because you have no idea what is going on here, or the hell you, Liberty and Arachne have unleashed."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Ivankov was a necessary evil, Haven. He kept the balance of terror in this burg. Within his Code, he was something we could handle," NW reasoned out for me.

"Have fun explaining that to Lucky Dead," I slipped up.

"So you know of that fruitcake," he pounced.

"Sure I do ~ a crazy-cakes looking for her missing girlfriend. Who hasn't heard of her by now?" I fibbed.

"You are a horribly liar."

"You are just seeking to trip me up somehow," I countered.

"I only trip up the guilty," his glare pierced me.

"I think you are obsessed with finding me guilty of something," I riposted.

"Perhaps, but it is only because I don't want you bringing Angelheart down with you when you do inevitably screw up."

"I can't wait for you to have the discussion with her about how Kori Ivankov was necessary for ... what did you call it ...?"

"The balance of terror," he reminded me.

"Yeah -- that."

"Well, she's going to see firsthand the cost of what you and those other amateurs did," he grumbled. "People are going to start dropping dead all over this city because of Kori Ivankov's murder. This is going to have far-ranging, insidious effects. Every innocent who gets killed in this upcoming Mob War ..."

"Yeah, and innocent people will get caught in the crossfire -- I get it. I'm telling you right now -- I didn't kill Kori Ivankov."

"Who did?"

"What did he die of?" I inquired.

"Now you are playing at junior detective?"

"No, but common sense is common sense."

"Fine -- death by multiple calibers according to the M.E.," the Night Watchman informed me.

"I suggest he was gunned down by his own men ... probably sick of that whole 'terror' thing you were talking about," I theorized.

"Except he was immune to small arms fire," NW let me know.

"I thought he was a 'normie'," I shrugged.

"Someone negated his powers apparently," he said both so much and nothing at all.

"That's not something I do either," I grinned. "I beat people up -- I'm real strong ya know."

"Oh, I think you are full of surprises, Dark Son."

"I neither confirm nor deny that identity ... as is my right," I kept smiling.

"You are not as clever, or entertaining, as you think you are."

"I know that too. You are simply stomping on my good times so I feel justified in annoying the crap out of you whenever I can," I let him know.

"She (Skye) will get over this infatuation with you in time," he riposted.

"If you thought so, you wouldn't be making a habit of darkening my doorway," I volleyed.

He paused for a few seconds then ...

"Touche," he acknowledged I'd gotten one up on him. He really was worried about Skye and her relationship with me.

"Now if you could get passed me being Baron Bedlam's son, we might be able to find some common ground -- such as Skye's happiness," I offered up an olive branch.

"Not going to happen," he shook his head ever so slightly. "You are a bad guy and eventually you will fuck up enough for her to see that."

"She knows I'm the 'Bad Guy' in this little drama ... and she doesn't care," I snorted. "That's your problem."

"That's OUR problem," he rasped. "You should be man enough to let her go -- drive her away if necessary ... but you are not."

"Are you saying I don't care for her?"

"No. I'm saying she cares about you a hell of a lot more than you care about her though," his eyes bore into my soul. "You should see there is not future in this relationship for her and let her go."

"You got me there," I turned away, feeling terribly guilty all of a sudden. "I know definitely where my career path will take me and that will cause Angelheart no end of grief ... but I can't simply let her go, or drive her away. It isn't as simple as you make it out to be."

"Oh ... a pang of conscience. I admit I didn't expect that from you. Not this early."

"My form of villainy doesn't have me fucking over my friends, Night Watchman," I rationalized. "I fact, it is all about loyalty ... no matter what the cost."

"So, you really are going to get your Dad out of prison ...," NW trailed off.

"Am I that transparent?" I turned back toward him.

"You had to know the real Baron Bedlam to know the effect he had on people," he mused. "He inspired a level of devotion you don't see much outside of cults of personality. Even without the cult apparatus, he could get people to sacrifice their lives for his goals. It is sad to see you going down that same road."

"Spare me your pity," I scoffed. "I don't need it."

"You need help, Kid," he shook his head. "Either psychologically, or logistically. Either you will get over this sick devotion to your father, or you will get him out and see for yourself what a bastard he could be."

"I don't need anyone else in my mind," I smirked. "As for the logistics ... I'll make sure to keep you informed of my progress so you can continue to critique my efforts and provide me with sage advice as needed."

"Now you are back to being a smart-ass," he snorted. "Neither as clever nor as insightful as you wish to be."

"No -- I just want you gone. I'd hope for the rest of my life, but I'll settle for the 'here and now' of you leaving for the rest of the even- ... morning," I noted the dawn was upon us.

"We'll talk again," the Night Watchman turned to leave.

I had this insane impulse to attack him from behind then I realized it was all just a lure. I had no real advantage over the man despite the way he presented himself ... and I was smart enough to realize it. He walked over to the door and left my abode without further comment. I didn't hear him go down the hall, or take the stairs. He was just ... gone.

It also dawned on me Angelheart had realized it was the Night Watchman at my door ~ all life patterns being as specific as fingerprints, or so she believed. She had wanted to stick around to intercede when things got rough between me and the Old Man. She still didn't realize I saved my rage for the moments I was alone -- training.

I had too much to do in my real life to give into such dark impulses. I had one chance to get my Father out of Super-super-max. If I botched it, or made some mistake putting my plan together, that was it ... his last chance at freedom ... and I wasn't going to do that to the Old Bastard. Once he was free, I would be free of him -- once and for all!

[END OF CHAPTER ONE]

Vigilantes and Mercenaries

Arachne ~ [Secret ID: Suzi Park] "Terrorist threat, or Metahuman menace" ~ (stupendous leaping ability, sticks to surfaces and incredible strength & agility plus vomits forth webbing) -- Secret Identity -- South Korean-American female independent journalist. She is a good person with a serious PR problem due to her being hounded by the Rupert Murdoch's of this world.

Ender ~ [Real name: Unknown] -- Goes by the name Marco Ziegfeld. A 'retired' metahuman hitman who now runs a gymnasium for both up-and-coming metahumans as well as 'normie' henchmen (to make them a cut above your normal thug). His powers include photographic memory & reflexes plus extreme levels of agility and accuracy. He is exceedingly skilled in virtually every martial art and weapon known to man as well.

Liberty Lincoln ~ [yes, Liberty Lincoln is her actual name] ~ modest metahuman abilities plus superior senses and martial artist) -- female Black Private Detective who protects the poor and downtrodden in her part of town. She is also renowned through the metahuman world as an honest seeker of justice and hard-boiled gum-shoe.

Lucky Dead ~ [Secret Identity: Zill Wilson] ~ her metahuman power is after she is killed she creates a living clone who carries on (the original body slowly dissolves). She is a vigilante struggling to solve the kidnapping of her girlfriend (Karen Kane). Girlfriend was kidnapped due to her work with journalist Suzi Park aka Arachne. Currently at war with the Russian Mafia as well as a nation-wide slavery ring. Often works with Arachne and Liberty Lincoln. Is secretly into hardcore BDSM. "Pain is my Mistress," with 'Pain' being her nickname for Karen. Unbeknownst to her, Lucky's powers are demonic in origin.

Stunner ~ [Public Identity: Deidre O'Donnell] -- Dazzling good looks plus electrical manipulation powers -- mercenary bodyguard -- she has plenty of stunts off her electrical manipulation including levitation, shock shield, and teleportation via lightning bolt.

Web Slinger ~ [Real name: unknown] -- is an internet vigilante who uses superhuman computing ability to help anarchistic and anti-corruption activists around the globe. Not only do they have metahuman abilities which effect the World Wide Web, they can create illusions using network bandwidth and channel electronic currents in dangerous, or amusing, ways. The 'gunslinger' of the Web.

Power Levels

Negligible -- Less than One-Eighth Human Capacity

Subpar -- Less than Half of Human Capacity

Baseline -- Basic Human level (as an example: lifting 50 kg)

Superior -- More than Twice Human Capacity

Olympic -- More than Five times Human Capacity

Superhuman -- More than Ten times Human Capacity

Incredible -- More than Twenty-five times Human capacity

Spectacular -- More than Fifty times Human capacity

Amazing -- More than One Hundred times Human capacity

Tier I -- Abilities which can effect several city blocks

Tier II -- Abilities which can effect an entire city

Tier III -- Abilities which can effect an entire county

Continental -- Abilities which can effect some portion of a continent

Terrestrial -- Abilities which can effect some portion of the Globe

Nova -- Planet-spanning abilities

Super-nova -- Solar System-spanning abilities

Interstellar -- Star-spanning abilities

Galaxy -- Galaxy-spanning abilities

[END]