章節 35: Chapter 35. Hero or Villain
[What if Italy had a DC hero. Who would it be? What of other countries?]
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My conscious feels at ease as I soar from the sky to the street down below. The buildings of this city could use an improved touch of modernity, but that's nothing that concerns me. My trip in this city is done, though it took longer than I expected.
"So long Italy." I say as I inconspicuously land and join the streets below. My mind does feel easy now. "The psychic link is broken. Now to get back to my life."
I look at my wristwatch and read the time. "1605. I'll make it in time for the party."
I make up my mind to find a quick way out of this country.
"First, for some light dinner, I'll..." I carefully choose a target and my eyes flare with desire.
It's one thing owning a tonne of treasure, but it's another to exchange it for money and luxury, especially when everyone thinks they can have it for themselves, for free.
Just thinking about wealth makes me reflect to where I have put the treasure. I know it's safe. No one can get to it without getting cursed.
The streets of Italy are still friendly as ever. People greeting each other politely as they head for home, brushing past those going about their evening routes.
The cars look as vintage as the streets, and kids are happily jumping around while playing their games. So casual. That makes my target stand out.
He's wearing a white-lined, blue-black suit with a matching top hat, his eyes glued to a newspaper as the chauffer opens up the backdoor to his car.
Absentmindedly, he bends his back to enter in the car. I'm feeling confident. I don't have to think this through. I'll just borrow the amount I need and get to the airport. Easy. No need to curse anyone (unless it calls for it).
Adrenaline pumps and courses through my veins as I wait for my cue. The car sets off and takes on a stable, casual pace.
It strolls through the streets, the residents admiring it's make, model, and the person inside: his presumed stature.
"It's not even in the headlines anymore." The guy in the back seat speaks Italian, acting as though he's initiating a conversation with the driver. The driver knows better and just nods at whatever he says.
"They are saying that it was a volcanic eruption in the middle of the Atlantic." He continues. "It's no longer being regarded as an anomaly."
He holds his newspaper up again and crosses his legs. "They are covering up for something."
"What if they found it?" His eyes narrow and a dark shadow covers around them. "I won't let them-"
Screeeeeechhh!
The car comes to an instant stop, the momentum throwing the passenger forward. The passenger manages to stop himself with the back of the front seat.
"What now?!" He sounds both frustrated and angry at the driver.
"I'm sorry sir." The driver speaks Italian too. "Someone's blocking our path. He doesn't look alright."
The passenger heaves himself up, shaken up a bit from the abrupt stop. He looks at the obstacle in front, through the windshield.
Honk, honk, honk!
The driver presses severally on the horn, signalling for me to move out of the way. The passenger in the back seat bites his lips as beads of sweat form on his face. He's looking at my determined expression, and he doesn't like it.
"Does he know?!" His mind starts to run wild as he reflects on the goods in the trunk. "But how?!! They assure me no one knew about the-"
"Run him over!" He shouts at the driver, predicting an unwanted confrontation.
The driver hesitates, still in Italian. "B-b-but..."
The passengers shifts his body violently and attempts to get to the front sit at lightning speed.
"Do you know what they'll do to me if I lose it." He mumbles a lot, switching to English and breaking back to Italian. He physically forces the driver to press on the pedal and the car starts moving in skids, with no stable control of the wheel.
"Please stop!" The driver begs as the car moves in chaos, the desperate passenger working hard to take over control.
"Get Out!" He shouts as he manages to get the handle to the driver's sit and opens the door. He pushes the struggling driver out of the car and finally takes control of the car.
The screeching car finally finds it's path and bursts with speed towards me. He's determined to run me over and disappear.
I haven't been expecting such a desperate reaction, however. "Is this how everyone reacts in Italy?"
My mind jumps to a stereotype, my eyes looking up to the thought-bubble popping out. I was anticipating a lot of waving.
The car is now my threat, making me twice as powerful.
Threat Level: 30
<X/60>
<Strength: 60>
<Speed: 60>
<Agility: 60>
<HP: 60>
Believing that he can run me over, the current driver accelerates and bumps into me. With my hands, I push the car back and take two steps back to allow for the slightly gathered momentum.
The driver's head crashes through the windshield and his body follows. His expression is a mixture of shock and worry, while I'm only grinning.
I hold off the car until it quiets down and throw it aside. Everything is as easy as I had thought.
I turn to face the rich guy that just flew through the windshield. He's quivering like a cornered mouse and his face is all bloody.
I feel sorry for him (slightly) but I have to move quickly since the scene is gathering a crown. I don't wanna attract the cops. This is just a quick, regular showdown.
"Nothing to see here people." I bark at the crowd.
"I just want all your mon-" I start but the quivering rich man blabbers something.
"I don't know who you are working for, but they kill you if you take it." He screams. "They'll kill me too!"
I can't help but feel a little interested, but I've already attracted enough attention. Last thing I want is people pulling out their crappy phones to take pictures.
"Oh. They are." I sigh as I cloak my face to avoid my face from being captured. I'm not entirely a rookie. I've done this before.
I pull out a card from my pocket. It reads:
"Hunter's tab. After all my treasure is sold out."
I do mean to pay him back (and all those others who have "helped" me survive so far). I will just have to sell my treasure first.
I proceed to shut him up and quickly search him and leave him the card, before moving to search the car. I check the sits, rip out the trunk where I find a black briefcase and take it.
My hunt for extra cash complete, I mean to disappear from the stagnating scene when someone dares to stop me.
Before me stands a kid I'd estimate to be roughly 13 - 15 years old. He's wearing a costume with a yellow cape on his back, striking a superhero's pose: hands on the hips, legs apart, chin up.
"Surrender now or face the might of-," He starts his well rehearse line. "Roma Raptor."
I scoff at his threat.
"I wouldn't dare to steal in a major city with a major hero in it, this soon." I tell myself. "But that I couldn't beat them all up."
"I'm clever enough to avoid major trouble when it's not needed." I continue. "Still haven't figured myself out."
My mind flashes back to Themyscira and my heart sinks. That was traumatizing. Makes you want to only look out for yourself in this dark world.
"Heroes fight for justice and peace but end up only with scars and lots of enemies." I tell the kid, wondering whether or not I should curse him. "Where is the justice in that?"
The young hero strikes a fighting pose. "Your choice, villain." He declares with determination.
I weigh my options. Cursing him might be excessive, especially considering his youthful idealism. Instead, I decide to "play" along.
"Alright, kid. You win," I say, holding my hands up in mock surrender. "But I hope you understand that the world isn't as black and white as you think."
"Those you might think of us heroes may turn out to be ambiguous and try to sacrifice you." I add.
He looks triumphant, believing he has thwarted a villain. He trudges to get the briefcase and apprehend.
In this complex world, sometimes the line between hero and antihero blurs, and justice becomes a matter of perspective.
"Batman breaks bones to save Gotham while Catwoman steals to save young girls." I think, my eyes studying the features of the young hero. "As for me..."
I take a deep breath. "I guess we'll find out soon enough."
I jump the gun and enjoy the shock on the kid's face. He's taken aback and falls to the ground as he observes a power that could work miracles of his hero-career. The power of flight.
But what's with my flight posture?
"Heroism 101." I shout back at the young hero. "Don't ever let your guard down."
"Looking forward to seeing what you become, Young Justice." I say as I throw out another of my sympathy cards down at him. I just robbed this kid of a victory.
Maybe one day, I'll pay him back too.
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