09 - Brickhouse

Frankie was doing seven years in Zigursky Penitentiary for armed robbery. The robbery in question was a Mighty Mart holdup that was interrupted by a vaguely disinterested electric blaster who had stopped in for a slurpee. When the cops came and booked the gangers, they confiscated his sword, a 14th century antique given to him by Odysseus himself. Frankie was a Warrior, and no prison walls would hold him for long.

Frankie and a few others were fortunate enough to share a cell, and after months of stealthy digging, the small crew of thugs managed to break out of prison. An exultant Frankie looks out across the city, breathing in the fresh air for the first time in a long time.

A large furry shadow crosses over Frankie and his pals. Their eyes grow wide in terror.

"Is it really, really necessary to send the Warwolf after those escaped convicts?" Teckstyle asks, leaning over a guardrail overlooking the absolute trouncing of the thugs below. He and Flatfoot are standing on a bridge in sight of the looming penitentiary.

"Bismarck needs his exercise. This way, at least we get some crime fighting done at the same time," Flatfoot says calmly.

"Hey, I’m all about the crime fighting, but don’t you think this is a little…excessive?"

"Not my fault they escape and then stand around waiting for the cops to arrest them again."

A few growls and screams rise up to the heroes’ ears. "Yeah, but they get returned with fewer parts than when they left."

Flat regards Teck with a blank stare. "Ok, Mr. I Hit Everything With ‘Energy’ Whose Health Effects Have Not Been Fully Tested."

"Oh come on," Teck says. "My energy attacks have pulled your fat out of the fire more times than you can count."

"You still don’t know what that stuff is, do you?"

"How come you didn’t ride that radiation defender about his powers?"

"Radiation’s a respected source of super powers. Well known fact."

"Ok, what about those two dark powered girls we teamed with last week?" Teck demands. The screams from Frankie and his crew are growing fainter.

"Everyone knows the risks of teaming up with dark powered heroes. Its like cigarettes, people know its bad for you, but still do it anyway."

"Except cigarettes just ruin your health, not expose you to eternal damnation."

"Bah. Details."

"How is energy worse than those powers then?"

"Look, the risks are known for dark powers. The eldritch energies of the netherhells have a documented source and effect. All dark powers come from the same place. Energy? Heck, there’s all sorts of energy out there. Cosmic, electric, ionic, heat, etc. The fact that you aren’t sure which it is speaks volumes of your reputation as a scientist."

"I’m not a scientist!"

"Denial never helped anyone through their problems, Teck."

"Now this is just unfair."

"Hey, what do I know, I just kick the stuffing out of people at super speed."

"When they’re down."

"When they’re down," Flat agrees. "I haven’t leveled any buildings using my powers."

"This week."

"This week," Flat agrees again. "I think the screaming’s stopped down there."

"Yeah, looks like your dog ran off with the ringleader."

Flat shakes his head. "Probably going to bury him for later. Well, he’ll be gone for a few hours."
The two heroes stand in silence, looking around for something to do. Teck sees a scuffle in the distance.

"Flat, look over there, some Crey agents fighting the Council!"

"Really?" Flat asks, looking in the direction the blaster is pointing. "We’ve gotta help them!"

"Right, we’ve gotta--wait, what?"

"Help them," Flat says.

"Help who?" Teck asks, confused.

"The Crey guys."

"You’ve got to be kidding!"

"What?"

"They’re bad guys!" Teck shouts.

"What? No way. Crey Industries is one of this city’s most respected companies!" Flat says defensively.

"Look, that’s…I mean….Don’t you…Don’t you remember fighting through all those hidden labs and their hideous experiments?" Teck demands, getting flustered.

"Look, I realize that Crey may be having a little problem with greedy individuals within the company using the technology for their own nefarious purposes, but that does not reflect all the hard work being put in by all those proud and loyal employees."

"A little problem? Flat, just because there’s a lot of honest people working for the company doesn’t mean its not corrupt at the top."

"I find that just a little hard to believe."

"Why?"

"Because, when I saved that one lab from opening up a rift in the fabric of reality and sucking the entire city into oblivion, I received a very nice letter of thanks signed by Countess Crey herself."

"Flat, I got that same letter a week before you did. Its called a form letter."

"Well, she’s a busy woman, what with running her own multi-billion dollar company, and with her husband sick with a mysterious illness and all, she probably doesn’t have the time to write a new letter for every hero that saves her company."

"You are so in denial." Teck shakes his head.

"Look, how’s this for a deal. Let’s take down the Council goons first, and if the Crey agents do fight us, then they’re obviously the bad kind, and you can arrest them to your heart’s content. And if they don’t fight us, don’t you think you owe an apology to someone very close to you…yourself."

"What is wrong with you??"

"Looks like someone needs a hug."

"Flat, this isn’t the time for that kind of childish-- You know what, never mind." Teckstyle yells and flies off into the fight.

One nova blast later, Crey and Council forces lie groaning around the block.

"You know, Teck, its not healthy to work out all your frustrations through violence." Flat says patiently.

"You’re a scrapper! All you do is violence!" Teck screams.

"True, but I’m not the one losing my temper, now am I?"