Scene 6

Chaos had taken hold at the city’s center. The escaped criminal—known as Rumbleshock—had been responsible for countless deaths over the past years.
Electricity poured into his body from the power lines. His muscles tensed, his energy swelling with every surge.
The police could do nothing.

And worst of all—no heroes had arrived.

“What the hell? How are we supposed to stop that?” a cop named Joe shouted to his partner, Tyler, both of them taking cover behind their patrol car.

Tyler rose just enough to fire twice. The bullets ricocheted harmlessly.
He ducked again, his gaze unfocused. “Shit. I don’t know.”

“Any heroes? Haven’t they put the call out?”

“You think today’s gonna be any different? It never is. They never issue the damn orders on time,” Tyler said, his eyes drifting back to the criminal. “Heroes always show up when it’s too late.”

Joe tightened his grip on his weapon.
His last resort.
What was he supposed to do?

Wait?

Run?

“Shit,” he muttered.
His heart pounded harder, faster.

Tyler stepped closer, noticing his labored breathing. “Hey—hey.” He pressed a hand against Joe’s chest. “Stay with me. It’s gonna be okay.” Joe didn’t respond. “Look at me, Joe. Look at me.”

Slowly, Joe obeyed. His eyes were pale.

“Don’t check out on me. You’ve handled worse than this.”

That was true.
So what the hell was he doing?

Little by little, his grip on the gun loosened.
“I’m a cop,” he said.

Tyler nodded. “Yeah.”

“And my job is to protect this city,” Joe added, his breath still heavy.

“Keep going.”

“And I have to act.”

“That’s right.”

Joe stood, his footing firm with newfound resolve. He raised his pistol and fired—again and again—straight at Rumbleshock.

Tyler watched it all unfold.

His jaw tightened. His vision blurred.

Time slowed.

“NOOO!”
What have I done?

…

Meanwhile, on the rooftop of a nearby building, Andrew sprinted toward the scene.

“You’re almost there,” Gilben’s voice came through the communicator.

He leapt from rooftop to rooftop with ease—speed was never the problem.
At last, he reached the edge.
And saw it.

Yellow. Violent. Everywhere.

Lightning tore through nearby buildings—and at its center, the source.
This wasn’t just another threat.
So why had Gilben sent someone he barely knew to face something like this?
It didn’t matter.

He had to—

ACT.

A blink.
A man, defenseless.
A gun wouldn’t do anything.
A flash of lightning—death, inevitable.

“No.”

…

Tyler raised a hand.
There was nothing left. That was the end.
He was about to watch his friend die.
A streak of lightning, like a shooting star—one last wish.

Don’t die.

He shut his eyes. There was nothing he could do.
The lightning struck.

—but not him.
It hit Andrew.

—or rather, Benjamin.

The cheers of his fellow officers snapped Tyler’s eyes open.
His friend was alive.

Benjamin trembled, his muscles failing. His breath faltered, his energy draining away.
“AAAAAHH!”

“Ugh—who the hell are you?!” the criminal shouted.

Rumbleshock grabbed Benjamin, hurling him over and over—

CRASH!!

A violent tremor split the ground. Pavement shattered into fragments.
The air was driven from Benjamin’s lungs.
But he wouldn’t stay down.
His body twisted—then vanished.
Gone.
And suddenly—

standing before Rumbleshock.

“What—?!”

A bolt of lightning lashed out—lost to Benjamin’s speed.
He reappeared.

“Back off,” Benjamin said.
Rumbleshock swung hard.
Benjamin slipped past it, bending the motion—rematerializing behind him.

No warning. No delay.
A strike to the jaw—

rang out across the street.

Rumbleshock fell.

A smile spread across Benjamin’s lips.
He looked down at his fist—his knuckles blackened, burned.
They didn’t look bad at all.
It was real euphoria. Euphoria born from something good.
He glanced back.
And above all else—a life had been saved.
The officers were shouting, pouring their relief into cheers, praising him like a savior.
And even if he wasn’t one—

he could be.
He could become what he had always wanted to be.
Bury the past.
Leave it there.

“You there?” Gilben’s voice crackled through the communicator.

Benjamin pressed the button. “Of course I am,” he replied.

“Come to my office.”