Jolt

Revenge stood on the corner of a skyscraper. The night had been uneventful so far. مرکت, ایمرلڈ was at the base trying to track down Dealer. Surprisingly, Reaper had not escaped prison yet. It surprised Red Revenge. Although Reaper had murdered his father, the man didn't know Red Revenge was Samuel Grant. His arrival always complicated things.

Revenge sighed. The last time he had faced Reaper was two years ago. It had been a small battle, hadn't even made the news. Reaper had escaped and Revenge had caught him and thrown him back. It was Page 3 in the Local section if memory served.

Red Revenge's attention was caught سے طرف کی a teenage girl running down the silent street. A police officer rounded the corner, chasing her. The girl ducked in an alleyway, breathing heavily. She hid behind a dumpster کی, ڈمپسٹر and watched as the police drove right past her.

Revenge dropped down, but remained in the shadows. The police were still close and the girl remained in her hiding place. Revenge couldn't see much of her. She was wearing dark jeans and a hoodie. A bright yellow and green backpack was on her back.

"The backpack isn't helping آپ hide." Revenge said.

The girl whipped around. She couldn't have been older than fourteen, if that old. Her face was concealed in shadows, but Revenge could see fear radiating off of her.

"What's in the backpack?" he asked, stepping out of the shadows. The girl backed up into the wall, breathing heavily. "Stay back! Please!"

Revenge walked آگے slowly, oblivious to just how frightened the girl was. "I asked a question."

The girl screamed and threw up her hands, palms facing outward as if she were pushing Revenge away. Bright yellow lightning arced from her palms and hit Revenge square in the chest. He yelled and flew backwards into the brick wall.

"Oh my God!" the girl exclaimed. "I am so sorry!"

Revenge groaned and sat up. "Meta-human."

The girl merely gave him a questioning look.

Revenge hauled himself to his feet and looked at the girl. She was still terrified. For the first time, Red Revenge saw exactly how terrified.

"Just tell me what's in the backpack and I won't hurt you." he said.

The girl opened it and showed him some candy bars. "I tried to pay for them, honestly I did."

Revenge nodded and gestured for her to put the backpack back on. "I went to pay and accidentally hit the cashier with lightning. A police officer tried to arrest me, but I accidentally hit him too. I ran. I was scared."

Revenge studied her over. She wasn't his common criminal. She was a teenager who had gotten in over her head سے طرف کی a pure accident.

"What's your name?" Revenge asked.

The girl was silent for a moment. Almost hesitant.

"S-Sarah." she said. "Sarah Tesla."

"Ironic name." Revenge said.

Sarah smiled uneasily.

"Come on." Revenge said.

"Where are we going?" Sarah asked.

"My base. Emerald, mask on. I'm bringing a visitor."

Revenge took off the blindfold and opened the door to the warehouse. Sarah walked in.

"I didn't think آپ were bringing ہوم a girl." مرکت, ایمرلڈ said, leaning on the desk.

"Take it easy on her." Revenge said.

ہولی raised an eyebrow. She was dressed in skinny jeans and a tank-top. A leather جیکٹ went over that and a pair of sunglasses replaced her mask.

Sarah walked around the computer hub of the warehouse, admiring the technology. She bent down to look at a computer module and the lights flickered.

"Sorry!" she exclaimed, standing bolt upright.

"Meta?" ہولی asked.

"Lightning." Revenge replied.

Sarah sat down uneasily on the couch. Revenge motioned for ہولی to follow him into the garage. She did, closing the door firmly behind her.

"You're in it deep now, Brooke." Sarah muttered.

"What are we going to do with her?!" ہولی exclaimed. "Let her stay at Grant Towers?"

"I don't know. But she's terrified of me. She was trying to buy snacks and electrocuted two people on accident. She didn't mean any harm."

"And آپ believe her?"

"Checked the security footage."

"Paranoido."

"Keeps me alive."

ہولی sighed. "So what do we do?" she asked.

Revenge looked at his feet. "I don't know. We can let her sleep here for the night, I'll watch her. Run a full background check at the penthouse and tell me what آپ find. I don't think she has anything on her, but I don't wanna risk it."

ہولی nodded and walked back into the computer hub.

Sarah was sitting uneasily on the couch, twiddling her fingers and looking completely nervous. She had taken off her hoodie and it was for the first time Revenge noticed just how beautiful she was.

She had platinum blonde hair that flowed halfway to her elbow. Her green-gray eyes sparked (no pun intended). She looked up as the Black Hero entered the room.

"Do آپ have anywhere to stay?" he asked.

Sarah opened her mouth, but closed it. She shook her head.s

"What about your parents?" Revenge asked, squatting in front of her.

"Killed during the Battle of New York*." she said. "I work at a grocery store. I normally sleep in abandoned buildings."

"Do آپ have any relations?"

"My step-mom is rich, but I don't particularly like her. And her me."

Revenge glanced at ہولی who shrugged.

"Do آپ want to stay here for tonight?" Revenge asked.

Sarah looked up, stunned.

"You'd have to sleep on the couch." Revenge said. "But you'd be محفوظ and warm here."

Sarah looked back and forth between Revenge and مرکت, ایمرلڈ before nodding and smiling. It was a warm, beautiful smile Revenge couldn't help but respond to.

"Sam."

Sam removed his head from the میز, جدول and put a finger on his ear com.

"Yes?"

"I did the background check..."

"And?"

"There's no one named Sarah Tesla. It's a fake ID."

"Did آپ run facial recognition?"

"Yes. It comes up with a Brooke Shield. Thirteen, until two months ago, she went to New York Middle. It is right اگلے to the high school where the biological attack occurred."

"Makes sense." Revenge shrugged.

"Well her story checks out. Her dad had her, got divorced, and married another woman. However, her biological mom and dad were killed when Trapper was here. Her step mom fled the city."

Revenge was silent, thinking.

"Sam?"

"Let's let her be." he said. "She hasn't done anything wrong."

"Yet."

When Sam woke the اگلے morning, Sarah was gone. She had folded up the blanket he had lent her last night and had disappeared. Sam sighed and went to change into his civvies.

T-shirt, jeans, Saturday. It practically screamed America. Sam looked something up and drove to the nearest super-store. He walked in and wasn't surprised to see Brooke bagging items at the cashier stand. She looked up and immediately downward again. Sam went about his shopping, always keeping one eye on Brooke.

Sam was heading towards the register when two police officers walked in. They walked over to Brooke and spoke to her for a moment. She followed them outside. Sam watched as she was put in the back of the police car, a کالر slapped around her neck, and was driven off.

"Draxx," Revenge walked into the police captain's office. "I need to see the girl آپ brought in today."

"Which one?" Draxx asked, adjusting his glasses and popping a fresh stick of Spearmint into his mouth.

"Meta-human. Lightning. Resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer, theft."

"Ah, yes. Jane Doe. We're running facial recognition, bu-"

"Don't."

Draxx cancelled the program.

"I need to see the girl."

Draxx nodded. "You've got the keys."

Revenge walked into the back and down the row of jail cells. Brooke was sitting in the سیکنڈ to last one. She looked absolutely miserable.

"Sarah." Revenge said. The teen looked up. "They got me." she said, holding up her handcuffed arms.

"So my ذریعہ tells me."

"Grant?" she asked. "He's not very good at it."

"But he's all I've got." Revenge said. He unlocked the door. "Come on."

"But-"

"Don't worry." Revenge said. He unlocked the handcuffs and meta-collar and escorted Sarah out of the police station. No one کہا anything.

"Why?" she asked.

"What?"

"Why did آپ break me out of jail?"

"It's not my habit to let the innocent pay for crimes they didn't commit." Revenge said.

Sarah sighed. "This isn't going to work. My whole life is ruined now."

"What do آپ mean?"

"The police will constantly be watching me. I've got a criminal record, nowhere to go, no family, no friends. I'm a freak."

"You're not a freak." Revenge said. "You're a beautiful, smart girl with a gift."

"A gift?!" Sarah yelled. "You call this a gift?!" lightning arced from palm to palm.

"Calm down." Revenge said. "I understand what it feels like-"

"No آپ don't!"

Revenge was silent. In truth, he didn't know.

"I'm leaving." Sarah said, walking towards the door. She opened and stormed off. Revenge sighed and put his head in his hands.

"Follow her." he commanded the shadows.

Sarah walked down the empty street, hoodie up. She looked like she had been crying, but also angry. How could Revenge call what she had a "gift" and think he was right? He didn't know a thing about her! Hell, her name wasn't even Sarah! Some hero.

Sarah stormed into an alley. She heard running footsteps and turned to see who it was. A man slammed her into the wall, trying to kiss her. Sarah screamed, but she knew immediately no one heard her.

"Come on babe! Just want a good time!"

Sarah screamed again, fighting the man to keep him away. He continued trying to kiss her. Sarah slapped him and tried to run away. The man grabbed her hoodie and yanked her back, causing a tight sensation in her throat. The man pressed her against the دیوار again, this time with a very large and tight hand at her throat. He pressed his lips sloppily to hers. Sarah tried to scream, but it only caused the man to laugh.

"Enough." a female voice commanded. A girl in scale armor and a blue-orange outfit jumped into the alleyway and crunched the man's shoulder blades with her impact. He fell to the ground, screaming and crying. Ravager stomped on his back and he was silenced.

"Are you-" Ravager started, but Sarah planted an electrically charged مککا, عجیب الخلقت in her mouth. Ravager stumbled backwards. Sarah ran.

"Wait!" Ravager yelled. She ran after Sarah.

Her hoodie was down and her long, blonde hair was waving behind her as she ran. She ducked into an alley and Ravager followed. The girl had disappeared, the alley was completely dark.

"Damn it!" Ravager cursed. She turned around to see three very big guys in her way.

"Move." Ravager commanded. The guys didn't budge.

Ravager went for her swords, but a taser line hit her in the chest and she fell to the ground unconscious.

"Good job." a voice came from the shadows. "Let's not leave her in the cold! Inside gentlemen! Inside!" a long, evil laugh resonated and then went silent

Red Revenge slowly walked onto the windy roof. It was familiar. His father had died here. He had hunted down his killer and almost avenged his fathers death had the NYC Police not stopped him. Here he was again, looking for the same man after he received a message saying Reaper wanted to "return something".

It was cold, even through his suit. Colder than it should have been for late March.

The اقدام was sudden. Guys swarmed the roof, pointing guns at Revenge while a single cloaked figure and two smaller, female ones walked out onto the roof.

"Been a while, hasn't it?" the cloaked figure asked as the two females stood at the edge of the building.

Revenge didn't move.

The lights flickered on and everything was illuminated. Revenge counted twenty guys. All in a دائرے, حلقہ around him. One figure was dressed as the Grim Reaper. His two female companions were dressed the same.

"Reaper." Revenge growled after a silent moment.

The man laughed wickedly. "I suppose I don't need to introduce my companions?"

"Nightingale?"

The man laughed again. "Friends of yours."

He jerked the robes off of the girls to reveal Rose Walker and Sarah. Both were tied, gagged, and strung loosely to the outside of the building's guard rail.

Revenge started forward, but Reaper held up his scythe. "Stop, یا they die."

"Then what'll save آپ from my wrath?" Revenge demanded.

"Good point." Reaper said, pausing to think. "Let's try again, don't step آگے یا one gets it and the other is dropped."

Revenge didn't move, silently accepting the deal.

"Now then. I've long pondered your grudge against me. Really I have. I think about آپ a lot! آپ could say I was obsessed."

"No. Kidding." Revenge growled.

Reaper continued to pace, his ڈاکو, ہڈ hiding his details. "My point is who are you? What makes آپ tick? Who is bold enough to name themselves Red Revenge and try to be a hero in this city? And why does he hunt down little old me?"

Revenge clenched his fists.

"See? آپ care about me too! How affectionate!"

"I only thing I care about is your dead corpse." Revenge growled again.

Reaper laughed. "Well, to avoid the discussion, I'm cutting straight to the chase. Mask off."

"Or?" Revenge asked.

Reaper laughed and fired a shot at Rose. It went straight through her shoulder and she cringed. She was wearing her usual tank-top and jeans, her white hair waving in the wind.

"You'll shoot an assassin and a street-rat?" Revenge asked.

Reaper's expression went blank. Then he grinned again and laughed. "Almost had me! They're people. You'd save them."

"Would I?"

Reaper laughed. "Well let's find out, shall we?"

His foot hit Rose in the stomach and she fell.

"No!" Revenge yelled, running آگے and trying to leap after the girl. Reaper grabbed his cape and jerked him back on the roof, causing Revenge to bang his head.

"Watch it. Metal poles hurt!"

Revenge groaned as Reaper continued to سوئنگ, جھول at him with a metal baseball bat. For five منٹ this kept up. Finally Revenge rolled over and groaned. Then he didn't move.

"Get rid of the other girl." Reaper کہا casually. One of the gangsters shoved Sarah off the edge. She screamed as she fell.

Revenge growled and leapt up, grabbing Reaper's neck. He closed his grip on it and walked over the guard rail and to the corner edge of the roof.

"I'm going to kill you." Revenge growled. "Right after I break آپ in two."

"Now, now." Reaper said, his ڈاکو, ہڈ blowing off in the wind to reveal his nervous, sweaty face. "Let's not do anything we'll regret."

"Oh, I'll never regret this." Revenge said.

"REVENGE!" a voice yelled. Sam didn't turn, but he knew مرکت, ایمرلڈ was running up behind him, the gangsters already unconscious.

Reaper wasn't sure what to say as مرکت, ایمرلڈ ran up, بارش کا کوٹ, خندق کوٹ billowing, trying to get Revenge to put the villain down.

"Three times this scum has escaped my grasp. First, it was the police, then—"

"Ooh! I remember that—unh!"

Revenge tightened his grip on the hooded man. "Shut it."

مرکت, ایمرلڈ put his hand on his shoulder. "You don't want to do this."

"Yeah kid, what kind of hero kills someone?"

"You're really not helping yourself." Revenge growled. Reaper gulped and shut up.

Revenge's grip loosened steadily, the Black Hero pulling one finger away from the whimpering villain's throat at a time.

"Stop!" a new voice yelled. Revenge and مرکت, ایمرلڈ turned to see Sarah running towards them. "Don't kill him."

Revenge stared at her. "How—"

"Think of it as booster rockets." The younger blonde replied, holding out her hands as lightning arced between them.

For a moment, everything was still and silent as Revenge thought over the situation in his mind. At that moment however, مزید of Reaper's squad busted onto the roof and fired at the trio of heroes. Sarah yelled and collapsed onto the roof clutching her arm. مرکت, ایمرلڈ grabbed the girl and covered her with her body as the jet hovered اگلے to the roof.

Luckily most of the bullets were going towards Revenge. After ہولی placed the girl in the plane, she realized why.

Sam was grinding his foot onto the villain's hand which had caught the banister after Revenge dropped him in shock. In that moment, he wasn't Red Revenge, he was Samuel Grant. A thirteen سال old boy who's father had been killed سے طرف کی the man he was trying to drop to the same sticky death.

A light hot sprinkle of rain began to fall.

"Revenge! Now!" مرکت, ایمرلڈ yelled.

Revenge didn't even look up. He continued grinding his foot into the villain's hand. At that precise moment, lightning struck the edge of the building. The gangsters stumbled backwards blindly and Revenge's mask disappeared. ہولی could see straight through to his tear filled face.

And Reaper dropped.

Then the Black Hero was gone and the gangsters were running forward, shooting a line desperately at Reaper. ہولی had seen enough and flew off towards the base, Sarah in the back نشست bleeding and biting her tongue to keep from crying.

Sam was waiting at the apartment when ہولی got there. He was silent in his chair, his back towards her, looking out the window smoking a cigarette. It wasn't until ہولی was closer she saw his face covered in tears.

"I didn't do it." Sam muttered even as ہولی was hugging him. "He's محفوظ and getting three square meals a دن while my father is six feet under because of him. My mother too…"

"Sam, I'm so sorry." ہولی said, stroking his hair and breathing in the scent of it. She let him cry for a moment and then she shushed him.

"Sarah got shot in the arm near her wrist."

"Is she going to be alright?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," ہولی smiled. "She'll be fine. But she needs to talk to آپ she said."

Sam looked at ہولی and then at the suit laying on the floor. "I guess it is about time I got a civilian suit to hide my ID."

Sam walked into the base in a white T-Shirt, jeans, a black jacket, ڈاکو, ہڈ up, baseball hat and sunglasses. Sarah was laying on the couch, her arm bandaged roughly سے طرف کی Holly.

"How are آپ feeling?" Sam asked.

"Lousy." Sarah admitted. "Look, I need to tell آپ something—"

"You don't need to tell me anything." Sam said, squatting اگلے to her.

Sarah smiled weakly before groaning. "So what do I do? I'm a criminal now. I can't go back to my old job and I certainly can't hang with you."

Sam remained silent, pondering the situation.

"What am I going to do?" Sarah asked again, hiding her face in her hands.

"I've got a friend in Manhattan." Revenge finally spoke. "You can stay with her. She's a meta too."

"Night Hunter یا Nightress یا whatever?" Sarah asked, wiping the silent tears from her face.

"Yes. Her name's Alexa Lynx. She'd be happy to have a...sidekick. If you're willing."

Sarah debated with herself silently for a few منٹ before finally replying. "Okay... But where'd I stay?"

Revenge glanced at Holly. "I have a powerful friend who has a building there. He could give آپ an apartment. Clothes, food I'm sure will be provided as well."

Sarah looked at him. "Why are آپ being so nice? You're Red Revenge. The Black Hero. Everyone's terrified of you."

"Because the idea is to terrify the bad guys into submission. You're not a bad guy."

Sarah smiled and hugged Revenge. ہولی shifted her position as Revenge returned the embrace. "Thank you." Sarah said.

"No problem...Brooke." Revenge replied.

Sarah looked up. "How-?"

"Please," Revenge grinned. "I'm the Black Hero. آپ can't lie to me."

Sarah laughed.

This Fanfiction is dedicated to a friend of mine. Maybe one دن she'll read this.

*See Trapper