Chapter Six
"Hey, Connor. C'mere, I wanna show you something." James said. Connor walked into the main hall of Deaths Door and saw James standing next to a mannequin with a suit on it.
"Okay, so, since I'm trying this new hero thing, and trying to change my image, I figured I'd get a different suit. So I made this." James said, gesturing to the suit. Connor inspected it. It was mostly black, with some white inlays. The chest of the suit had a 'R' on it with a scythe behind it. Then Connor chuckled.
" A cape? " He asked.
"Okay look. I'll get to that. The suit is a scuba suit that I modified. There is a kevlar-kraxinium bi weave throughout the suit so it'll be hard but flexible. It'll be able to stop most knives and kinda iffy on bullets." James explained.
"I thought you healed really fast though." Connor cut him off. James just looked at him.
"Shit still hurts Connor. Anyway, the cowl here with also protect against head trauma, and then I have the hood connected to the cape like a grim reaper type deal." James finished. Connor just stared at him with one eyebrow raised. James sighed.
"The cape. Okay. The cape wraps around like a cloak, so it covers the whole back and the sides, it looks cool. Also, it's made of this material, I might have stolen, that when I touch it with the gloves in the suit, it'll harden or soften so I could, like, glide or block bullets or hit someone with it, or even shield a civilian from flames or something. It's practical. And it's superhero like." James explained. More like he was trying to convince himself, rather than Connor.
"We're going to have a find a suit for you too. Cuz that sleeveless hoodie thing makes you look like you're going to a showing of the Matrix movies." James said. Connor stared at him for a moment.
"Well, I didn't plan on being a superhero James" Connor said as he started walking away.
"No cape." He said as he exited the room. Leaving James next to his new suit.
"Man. It's just a cape..."
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A couple days later, Knight was at Deaths Door sparring with Connor, testing out the kids powers and showing him how to fight more efficiently, when James entered the room.
"Alright, Connor. Got you a suit." James said. Connor unfroze his skin back to normal and followed James into the main hall with Trench in tow.
James led him to another mannequin that had a pure white suit on it.
"Alright, so the mask first. It's an old Mempo mask I got from my time in Japan, but I modified it. So, now it's all white and looks badass." James explained. The Mempo Mask covered from the nose down. Only leaving the eyes and top of his head visible. It looked like some kind of demon mouth.
"The icy white eyes and platinum hair are a good image. So, wanted to keep that visible."
The pants were white cargo pants that tucked into combat boots and the torso was just a white sleeveless Kevlar body armor, which had the word Zero engraved in it and colored black to offset against the white.
"Alright, that's pretty dope." Connor admitted, looking closer at it.
"I figured you liked showing off the icy arms, so it'd be a trademarked thing of yours." James explained while Connor looked at his creation.
"Hey, Jimmy. The suits are cool and all, but I discovered something about popsicle here." Trench said. Connor looked up from the suit.
"Oh yeah, I think I might be strong too." Connor said nonchalantly.
"Strong how? Like my wife asks me to open the pickle jar, or I can lift a car strong?" James asked. Connor pondered for a moment.
"I don't know about a car, but I'd say that one."
"Well, lift that." James said. Pointing to some large object that was hidden by a tarp. Connor walked over and pulled the tarp off, and beneath it was a Tron looking motorcycle that was a sickly white color.
"That, is The Pale Horse. All the Death talk from Trench inspired me." James explained. Connor just shook his head, and grabbed the bike, and began to lift it. He wasn't strong enough to just hoist it over is head, but he was strong enough to lift it chest height, before placing back on the ground.
" Okay, well that bike weights roughly 700 pounds, so yeah I'd say you're strong." James said wide eyed.
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Joseph Pike stood at his desk, looking over case notes and his own investigation notes about The Revenant when he heard the sirens. He looked out of the window of his studio apartment and saw the fire trucks flying by. He opened the window and looked down the street they were heading and he saw it: A massive fire had erupted in a low income housing complex. Then, he almost couldn't believe what he saw next. A black suited figure gliding from a rooftop directly into the burning building. He grabbed his coat and pulled out one of his guns. Just because he turned in his ECPD issued firearm, didn't mean he had no guns, and he left his apartment.
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Revenant glided through a window that was already shattered and landed into the burning complex. He didn't know if anyone was in here, but he had to check. That's when he heard the crying.
"Connor, are you able to start putting out the fire?" Revenant said into the earpiece he had installed into his cowl.
"I can try" Absolute Zero replied. Connor had arrived in the back of the complex and was going to try to use his ice to stop the fire at its base. Revenant followed the sounds of the screaming into a fully engulfed room and saw a little girl crying and trapped, surrounded, by flames. Revenant ran over to her and scooped her up.
"Don't worry. I got you." He said to her. Suddenly the floor gave out beneath them, he pulled the little girl close and landed on his back, shielding her from danger. He saw a window in the room they were now in and dove through it, and glided down to the street. He released the little girl and she ran to her father who was in the street frantically calling for her. The fire fighters stared at Revenant.
"Aren't you.." The Chief started to ask.
"Yes, I'm The Revenant. Trying something new now." He replied before one of the fire trucks behind him exploded. Revenant grabbed the Fire Chief and used his cape to shield him from the flames. When he stood back up, he saw a figure walking through the wreckage.
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Joseph Pike watched as Revenant protected the fire chief, and was shocked. He was even more shocked when a man walked towards them. He looked like that Knight guy, but the suit was different. It was green and had these weird eye bulges on the face of the suit.
"Revenant. Where is Absolute Zero? He is who I really want!" The man yelled.
"Who are you?" Revenant replied.
"I am Mantis!"
Pike sighed. More freaks?
Suddenly another figure walked over to Revenant. It was the ice guy from the newspapers. Absolute Zero. Another killer working with the ultimate killer, Pike thought to himself.
"What do you want with me?" Pike heard Absolute Zero ask.
"I want you to die!" Mantis yelled before charging them.
Pike knew this was his chance. Wait until they finished fighting, then swoop in and take down Revenant.
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Mantis charged at Absolute Zero, but Revenant swooped in and tackled him before he could get to him. Mantis just side swept Revenants blow and thrust kicked him, and Revenant went crashing into another fire truck.
"That suit hits as hard as Knights" Revenant though to himself. Connor began firing ice shards at Mantis from his hands. The ice smacked against the suit, not piercing it, but barely slowing Mantis down.
Mantis shot forward and got right in front of Zero, suddenly the arms of the suit turned into these scythe like blades, like a Praying Mantis arms. Zero dodged underneath one of the swipes, and delivered and icy uppercut into the face of Mantis. The power of Zero, sent Mantis flying backwards, and landing on his back.
Thats when Revenant realized it. This guy, whoever he was, didn't know how to fight. He must have made the suit himself, but wasn't a capable fighter.
Revenant ran towards the downed Mantis, and just as he began to stand back up, Revenant delivered a running side kick that landed square with Mantis's face, sending him right back down to his back.
"Zero, freeze his legs!" Revenant ordered, but before Zero could act, Mantis began flying into the air, and away from the scene. Leaving Revenant and Absolute Zero standing in the street.
Then, Revenant heard clapping. He turned around and saw the fire fighters and some of the civilians, especially the father of the little girl he saved, clapping and cheering for them. Revenant was a little shocked, but decided not to show it.
Thats when all Hell broke loose.