Chapter one

One more try 11-24-14

Heroes always lose/Villains never win

1: Heroes Always Lose

Then
I am Twenty Years old, I am handcuffed to a iron pipe. My chest is on fire, my heart is broken and my lip is bleeding My head is rattling like a freight train, I hear screaming? Not sure if it's mine or some one else?

I try to shake some sens in to my brain. Remember your training Will! Get it together

Where am I? How did I get hear and what is that noise?

The pain in my chest begins to subside,I take deep breaths to calm my nerves. Take stock of my situation.

I look around in the dim,smoke filled room. I begin to recognize some of the things around me. I'm in the base,the hood-quarters

Hood -quarters, God how Reese hated that name.

Reese,Reese Long. The Hood. My mentor, my friend,my burden.

Then I remember it all! How I got hear, why I am handcuffed to this pole and why there is smoke. I blink back another tear,focus and remember why I am hear. How this all started. It gives me something to focus on as I slowly work my way out of thew cuff's. He did them in just the right way,of course he would. It would take a master escape artist to get out in under 8 Minutes. I can do it in 6.

That’s 6 to long. I'll be to late, because now I know what that sound is and, my heart breaks again.

The call had come an hour ago? Was it just an hour? It seems like weeks. The call, a once in a life time emergency signal from the One person on the planet who could send it. It was herd in every corner of the world, in every language. It was addressed to us, the Super Humans. A call to action, villain or hero. Set aside our bickering and come. Paragon needed help! A threat had come, unlike anything our world would ever see, something that would require every super powered being on the planet to respond.

There was no question they would come, he was Paragon The greatest and most powerful of us. The best of us. He had long ago set himself above the everyday game of Hero vs Villain and only got involved when the big threats showed up. A bank robbery he could ignore, a volcano endangering thousands would get his attention. So for him to call for help, from all of us. It was something that threatened all life on earth.

I begged Reese to let me go, I was his side kick of course I had to go. He refused, told me to stay behind. There had to be some of us to stay behind “just in case”.

“Just in case of what?”

He just looked at me with sadness,sadness. In the 12 years I had known him, been his side kick I had seen every emotion Reese Long was capable of showing. I had never once seen him sad.

“You can't go William, for one last time just do what I ask!”

Then it hit me. For one last time? What a strange thing to say, it was almost if.

“You don't think you are going to come back?”

“I doubt any of us will be coming back Will. Not this time.”

“Why?”

“This day was going to come sooner or latter will, I knew it. I’ve always known it. Ever since I put on that very First mask for the very First time! I knew this day would come, It had to.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You have never seen him up close Will, in fact you have never seen any of the Big Dogs. Paragon, Protious, Professor Mad, Motivator. I’ve kept you away from them, I had to. Had to protect you.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve been with the Crusaders! Fought Legion and Barron Terror! Saved Los Angels at least 5 times? What do you mean the Big Dogs?”

“Every Super villain and hero you have encountered since the day I met you? There powerful but not like them. Not like Paragon .”

He paused, started gathering his things.

“ When you stand in the same room with someone like us, someone who is just a well trained human you see just that. A well trained human in a mask. When you stand in the same room with someone like David Drake, you just see a very smart man who built himself some power armor. You stand in the same room with someone like Vale and you see someone who can do something amazing! She can fly! She can fly, but so what, she's still just human. Still eats and shits like the rest of us. You can accept that we live in a world where people can fly and shoot fire out of there eyes but that’s ok, because at the end of the day they are just like us.”

He was done now, just bending over the computer.

He looked at me again, pressed the enter key. Walked over to me.

“When you stand in the same room with Protious, with Synergy, with god damned Paragon ! Your mind just goes blank! You cant even look at him, its like staring at the Sun,at a dream become real or a nightmare. I met him once, I never wanted to see him again. He's impossible, he and the rest of the World Changers. Even in a world like ours, where there are Super Humans, he is impossible He just cant exist, he breaks every rule of Physics. He's not a Super Man, he's a God. That’s why I’ve always known this day would come Will”

He stopped Looked at me, took my hand.

“Because in every story about Gods,the Gods fall William. They have to. Olympus, Valhalla, Fairy Tales , they all end. They end Will and Gods fall. There is just no place in the world for them. That’s why today had to happen, that’s why I don't think I'm coming back and that’s why you can't go. Because some one has to stay behind William.”

I think I was crying then.

“Why?”

“To remind them William, remind them we once walked the earth and carry the torch. God's fall William, but someone has to keep that memory alive for the future.”

That's when he hit me.

The sound was an air raid siren, the smoke was all the records and equipment in the Hood's base burning. His fail safe in case? In case today happened.

I stand up,toss the handcuffs away. Watch 12 years of my life go up in flames and turn off the radio. I don't need to hear the siren, don't need to listen to the news. I know whats going on.

There gone, all of them. Every Super Hero and Villain that responded to the call. Gone.

In the days to come the world would mourn, they would ask questions . They would seek out the few that were still around and want to know why ? What happened? Where the Supers went and why there were still around.

Those of us who remained behind. They were the one's who were to old to respond or too far away or to scared. They were to young,or in the case of the Villains? They were in jail. Then there were the One's like me, the side kicks. Like me, there mentors had made them stay behind and like me, we few. We fragile few were left to tell the story of the days the God's walked the Earth.

We would never know what happened, what the threat in fact was. The how and the why would be argued for months, then in time. The world would move on. Like it always had.

I wore the mask for a week or so after “The Event” (The event, that’s what they were calling it?). There was still crime, still riots, still penny anti D-list Super Villains to deal with, so I wore the mask till One day after stopping a robbery at a 7/11 I just gave up. Why bother ?

I tossed my mask in the trash and walked home and went on with my life, just a foot note in the history of the Super Humans. People would ask, what ever happened to Paragon?

No one ever asked, what ever happened to KID SIDE KICK?

Now.

I'm 22 years old. I'm running as fast as I can. I used to be faster damn it!

Two thoughts fill my head, One. I need to get my Car fixed and Two, I'm out of shape! I used to be faster, Kid Sidekick would never run this slow.

Then I realize I am thinking about it again, my past life. It's an addiction in some ways, the life of a Costumed Vigilante. Two Years and I still can't shake it.
I push that thought out of my head and keep running.!
I'm about to become an Uncle for the first time and I'm late.

I am at the Hospital and I am looking at the most beautiful sight in the world, the lovely green eyes of my Niece. Welcome to the world Penelope Rose Taylor. My sister and her Husband look so tired, so happy, so perfect. It's all I can do to not cry. I just feel that tinny hand grip my finger for the first time and I know I will spoil her rotten. That I will do everything I can to keep her safe.

Well, not everything.

We laugh, we cry, we talk, we eat. We do everything a family does at a time like this. Then One by One we leave the happy family alone. We will see them soon, celebrate this new life.

Grandma offers me a ride home, at 85 my grandmother is offering me a ride home. Tonight I'm going to walk, shake off the cobwebs. I'm out of shape, the walk will do me good. It's not that far.

So I walk home, lost in my thoughts Even in a room full of family I am alone, they all know part of me is broken, has been for Two Years but none of them know why. Well I have always suspected that Grandma knew but she never said anything. Whats that line “In less you have already been there I cant tell you about it. We have no common base from which to talk about it?”

Something like that, they know I am sad but they don't know why. I think I told them a story about a bad break up once? They just stopped asking after a while, its not like I am miserable? I have a good life, a good job, friends and family I love. I Just became an Uncle for the first time! So, yeah I have a good life, but there's just always that itch! That voice in the back of my head, and they can see it. Sens it, that part of me is broken.

If I was a Alcoholic I would go to AA meetings, sadly there is no 12 step program for us. Most of us could not stand being in the same room with each other. Still, there are,options?.

She asks me how I got the stupid name KID SIDEKICK? And why I kept it. She knows the story, they all do. Still She asks and I answer.

When I had started my career as a masked vigilante I was such a cliche. Angry, tragic kid dressed in black who knew some martial arts and thought he could be the next avenging angel of the night. Got my ass handed to me the first time I went against a gang member, and the second and third as well. I got better though, was making a name for my self. I had wanted to be known as The Cowl, or The Cape or something equally dark knight spooky.

One day I ran into a D-List super villain named Mammoth, he almost killed me. That’s when I met Reese Long for the First time. That’s when I met the Hood. I watched as he took out the Mammoth in under a Minuet, laughing the whole time.

He took me under his wing after that, by the end of the Month I was his side kick.

Then came that stupid day when I did not listen to him, almost got both of us killed. He was so angry, he slapped me! Called me stupid. He was so disappointed in me! That was the day I saw the real Reese Long for the first time, the egomaniac sociopath that was the Hood.

As we left the crime seen a reporter asked the Hood who I was, I can still here his answer.

“Him, he's just my stupid Kid Sidekick.”

From that day on I was refereed to as the Hood's Kid Sidekick. Never once the Cowl or the Cape, just the Hood's Kid Sidekick. Soon I was just being called Kid Sidekick, it was a joke. A insult, I was to petty to even have a real name like the Fox or the Hood! I was just Kid Sidekick.

Then something happened, people began to respect the name,fear it. Kid Sidekick saves bus full of Children! Kid Sidekick foils bank robbery. Run for it boys! It's Kid Sidekick.

Soon it was not a joke, soon it was something to be proud of. Soon I began to like being Kid Sidekick. There were a Dozen guys out there named the Cowl or the Ghost or the Cape, but there was only one Kid Sidekick.

Hi, my name is William Kids and I am a recovering side kick named Kid Sidekick.

There are Four of us in her little support group. We meet when we can,about twice a month. It consisted of Myself
A D-List super villain who was in jail when the “Event” happened by the name of Thomas “Peeping Tom” Peterson.
A playing card themed fellow sidekick whose mentor left behind, named Blake “Black Heart” King and her.

My best friend ,Marin. Beautiful,weird,green skinned Marin. They all had Super powers of some type. Marin had the whole Flight,Water Breathing,Super Strength thing going. Tom had some kind of Enhanced Senses and Blake could run really fast, like sports car fast.

Me? I just had Years of Physical and Mental training. I was considered a world class Athlete, Martial Artist and someone once tagged me and the Hood as California’s greatest detectives? Was never sure what that actually meant ?

Funny thing being a member of the Non Powered Super's club,it's like being a Gun Fighter in the Old West. Some new guy always comes along and wants to challenge “the Great Detective?”. =

Hindsight is 20/20 and I look back and think, “ The Great Detective should have seen this coming”. I don't know, all I know is, that it started with that robbery

Then.

I'm 20 years old. I'm at the top of my game, and I am way out of my depth!
I am not supposed to be hear, that’s for sure. They made that very clear when they shot me!!
My leg stings from the bullet, jack ass shot me! I'm hiding, trying to avoid these guys . I should be a whisper in the night but I am making rookie mistakes! Letting my emotions get the best of me! Never go in angry,the Hood used to say.

I'm to broken to be angry. Frustrated,curious,devastated,hurt and in a zen like state of I am going to kick the ass of the next person I see, but not angry.

After the event, all of us that were left had no idea what to do. All over the world you had a handful of us just standing around going “What the Fuck?” I did everything I could think of to follow up,find out what happened? I could not get an answer from any source and your telling me the Intelligence Community has the ability to find One guy in a city of Ten Thousand but they have no idea what happened ?

After a few days of being led down blind ally’s, I just decided that I was going to go find out for my self.

Which led me to here
The sight, where it happened. Ground Zero of the event?

The closest thing I can compare it to is either a major disaster or that seen near the end of Close Encounters. The whole area was sealed off,locked down and placed in a 100% no contact zone. Black Helicopters and Jeeps patrol the area,along with a small army of men and Woman in Uniforms I don't recognize and a Dozen or so Scientist types. I felt like a fugitive, not a Super Hero.

There hiding something? I'm in the shadows, bleeding, being chased by a group of well armed men. They make it very clear they do not appreciate me skulking around the sight, thus the bullet

I m sorry but, I have every right to be here!
I needed to know! Call it survivors guilt or my OCD but I needed to know what was so Earth shattering that it required every available Super Human on the Planet to come to this point and then just, vanish?

No blood, no bodies,no witnesses, no clues, no signs or evidence of any kind. Just gone.

I patch up the wound as best I can,take a second to catch my breath and then slowly crawl to the next available spot while they search for me. I get near to a jeep and flop myself into the back.

Time passe, not sure how long. The jeep is dark, warm and smells of potato chips, I am tired and losing blood so I may have zoned out. Eventually One of the Soldiers walks past the Jeep, I grab him and drag him in. Knocking him out before he has a chance to scream I Search him but other then his Weapons and a Security card he has nothing to tell me who he works for. I slip on his uniform and leave him tied up in the Jeep. I wait till another patrol passes by and then I just fall in behind them. Another Drone in the Hive.

My walking tour of the site does not fill me with any new information , before the day is over I have taken pictures, copied files and listened in on conversations Whoever these guys are, they have no better idea what happened then I do.

Night falls and I limp my way out of the Area, no One notices. I find my Car just where I left it and drive back the way I came till I find a 24 Hour Coffey Shop where I could collapse and go over my notes. I drift in and out of sleep, the staff shows no concern. By Noon I am back home and considering what to do next.

Do I keep going out there and fighting Crime? Do I keep trying to investigate the Event? Or do I hang up my Cape and live the rest of my life as William Kids, Bakery owner?

The Universe has no answers for me, just an empty stomach and no idea what to do next? I just go about my life waiting for inspiration

It comes a few days latter when I read that someone murdered Walter Krumpus! Who is Walter Krumpus? Well Walter Krumpus was in fact Dr Fog, one of the very first costumed heroes to walk the Earth!

His body was found only a few miles from where I lived, it was as if fate was asking me to look into his murder, after all he and I had one thing in common We were both left behind, him due to age. Me due to my mentor knowing what was going to happen?

As night fell, I put on the mask made my way to the home of William Krumpus.

Now.

Fate is a strange thing, even if you don't believe in fate you can not argue that the universe is a weird place where crazy stuff often happens. I ask myself what if? Was it fate or just dumb luck that started all this?

I had spent the afternoon visiting friends, playing pool. Eating Carbs,laughing. You know, normal stuff.

I was on my home,traffic was tight so I decided to take a alternate way.

That’s when I herd the sirens.

They were racing up the street behind me I pulled over so they could pass me and I looked out the window. I caught a glimpse of movement and with curiosity I looked and there, leaping between Two buildings was a guy in a Red Mask !

What?

A guy in a mask? A guy in a brightly colored Costume with a Backpack strapped to his back ? Leaping between Two buildings in the opposite direction the Police were going?

A Villain?

In my mind the difference between a Criminal and a Super Villain is the costume. Any One can rob a Bank wearing a ski mask, but a Super Villain does it in a costume and mask and call's himself Professor Doom or something.

This guy, who ever he was. Was not a Criminal, he was a Villain. As far as I knew there were only a handful of Super Villains left on earth after the Event. The One's who were in jail at the time. Or injured,or to old or cowardly or held back by there mentors like I was. I knew where most of them were and from my brief glimpse I did not recognize the guy so.

A new Villain? Or an existing one in a new costume, either way? After Two years of nothing, a new masked bad guy appears?

I think I was out of the car and heading for an ally way before I even realized what I was doing.

I had to stop my self, my hands were on the side of the building and I was just about to climb up and I had to stop myself.

What was I doing?

No equipment,no costume,no preparation and Two years out of shape and I was considering engaging in a rooftop chase against a Foe I knew nothing about?

I had not punched anything other then bread dough in the past Two years, I was not ready to do this.

I was on top of the roof within Fifteen Seconds, slow by my count. I tried to catch a glimpse of my quarry while also scanning the rooftop for anything I could use as a weapon?

I had already lost him? Nothing as far as the eye could see, just trash and a few confused Pigeons

I looked back the way the Police had gone and realized I should get out of the way before they think I was the guy they were chasing.

I jumped back down and landed in a sloppy roll but any landing you can limp away from right.

After that I got back into the car and drove past the Crime scene.

Manning Electronics was not your corner Radio Shack They sold high end specialty electronics to computer companies. Somehow I did not think the Villain robed them for there Money? No he was after whatever it was they made, and in my experience a masked Villain stealing state of the art technology never ends well.

I drove home in quiet contemplation, wondering what I had just seen and why? Who was this new Villain and what had he stolen?

Under my bed was a small locked suitcase, my “Bat-Cave”. It held all that was left of Kid Sidekick. A spare costume. A worn mask. A pair of Tonfa*. A First Aid kit,roll of Duct Tape and a Flash drive that contained all the information I was able to save from the Hood's files as well as information on every remaining Super that I knew of. I had not pend the case in about 8 Months, had not put on the mask again since. Well since that night Two years ago.

The information about the Crime was vague with no mention of a mask being involved. No, they would not want to stir up that Hornets Nest just yet.

As far as the public knew we had all vanished on that day Two years ago. How would they react if the discovered some of us were still around? Would they rise us up and embrace us as their long lost Heroes or would they Riot against us as they had Hex Cat.

I sat her with the mask in my hand and waited for an answer?

I did not wait long.

(*fighting sticks)

Then

Sneaking in to the home of William Krumpus,AKA Dr Fog was easy. The Police presence was minimal as CSI had already been here, just the stranded yellow tape and a Patrol car cruising the area. Nothing I could not handle

It may come as a surprise but for the most part those of us in the Super Powered Fraternity do not have elaborate secret bases. Most of us just had normal homes and kept our Super Stuff in a closet or in the back sees of the car. Unless you were a Power Armor type like David Drake, you did not need a secret base these days.

Williams house was nice, the home of a retired Professor of Chemistry in a nice middle class neighborhood. I did not find anything in my exploration that the police did not already make not of in there initial investigation, but then they did not know about his other life.

It did not take long for me to find the hidden space in the garage where he kept his Dr Fog equipment. I was hoping he had some extra security measure, hidden camera or something but other then the Uniform and signature gas gun there was nothing.

I gave the House one more look over, I tried to remember if he had any Family or a Side Kick? Someone I could pass the Dr fog equipment on to. Like the Hood had passed his legacy on to me.

No one came to mind.

Dr Fog had not been fully active since the 80's. I am sure he had the usual who's who of a Rogues Gallery, we all did but no One I could think of who would want to kill him after all these years. Especially since 90% of us were MIA.

Maybe it had just been a home invasion, lets face it the criminals of the world were having a field day this month with no Heroes to stop them.

It was easy for me to tap into the Police database on my Smart Phone and go over the report and evidence .Everything seemed to point to someone breaking in to his house, William confronting the guy and getting him self killed. Maybe 15 Years ago he could have handled a common thug, but he must have been in his 80's.

I walked the house from corner to corner, trying to see if the Police had missed anything. After about Twenty minutes I was ready to give up.

Then I saw it.

Stuck in the heating vent, a small Black Cat whisker. William Krumpus did not own a Cat.

I was out the door and on my way before the Police car did it's next drive by. I racked my brain to think of any Criminals who used Cats or were Cat like or even owned a Black Cat- Ok I was searching it with the own a Black Cat thing, my Aunt had a Black Cat did that make her a suspect.

A Black Cat whisker was nothing, but it was all I had and I felt I owed it to Dr Fog to solve his murder.

So I started with the most obvious, any one I could think of with a Cat motif ,in Los Angles who had not Vanished.

The list was short.

Hex Cat.

Hex Cat was what we referred to in the Super biz as a neutral or force of nature. Sometimes she would help out the Heroes, some times she would side with the Villains, and sometimes she would just do strange chaotic things. All the time following her own muse.

I had only encountered her Twice before, both times she had seemed unstable..

I had no problem picturing her killing Dr Fog. I just had no idea why?

That is if this was her Whisker.

I was grasping at shadows and I knew it. The whisker could mean nothing. That did not stop me from racing to the part of Los Angeles where she was known to spend most of her time. About a ½ an hour from Dr Fog's house.

Hex Cat was an Anime fan's wet dream. A large breasted Cat Girl, with Cat ears a tail and everything. She was an enigma, her origins unknown to any of us. Good or bad she just was.

I spent almost an hour siting on the roof of an Optometrist office before I caught a break, the barking of Dogs filled the night along with a scream.

I jumped from the roof to the building across the street with practiced ease and was bounding in the direction of the noise. The night echoed with the sound's of trash cans falling over, Dogs barking, people yelling ?

I landed on the top of a Video Shop and looked down in to the Parking Lot. A group of maybe Six people were standing about Ten feet away from a collection of large garbage cans. Two of the people had large Dogs and those Dogs were barking at the cans. Crouched on top of the cans was a humanoid feline shape. Hex Cat.

She was hissing at them, and they in turn were yelling at her, something about a baby?

“Where were you?”

“Why didn't you save my baby?”

“Why are you still alive and they are all dead?”

“My brother, what the fuck did you do to my Brother?”

“Your One of them, One of those freak Super's!”

“Why did you do it. Kill that man?”

“My baby!”

Honestly I had no idea what was going on? There were a whole bunch of angry conversations that made no sens to me all happening at once.
I herd sirens, I saw more people coming out of the video shop, and the building next to it.

It all happened so fast after that

I looked away for a second to see how close the Police were, they were just turning into the Parking Lot. When I tuned back, One of the dogs had somehow gotten free and was charging at Hex Cat. She turned to face it and that’s when I saw it, hanging from her shoulder. One of Dr Fog's gas guns.

It was like slow motion, she was hissing, yelling and somehow she fumbled with the Gun and it went off.

William Krumpus- Dr Fog had been a brilliant Chemist, ahead of his time really. In his costumed persona he used had created and used several canister Guns of his own creation that used compressed air to shot out canisters of the various gas’s and compounds he used. Smiler to the Air Soft Guns of today. From Flash Bombs to sticky Glue Grenades he had created a vast arsenal of Chemical compounds to fight crime. The most infamous though was his “Fear Fog”.

The words “Nooooooo!” were leaving my lips as the Gun went off, I felt like I was in a cliche Action Film but this is how I remember it happening

I was up and over the top of the Roof as the sickly Green tendrils of “Fear Fog” filled the air. I don't know if she meant to pull the trigger or it was an accident but the Die had been cast.

One by One the people in the Parking lot were overcome with the effects of the “Fear Fog”. From what I remember from the Hood's files on Dr Fog, the Green gas had the ability to hinder vision and muffle sound,in addition it contained various Pheromones to create a low level of Fear and Dread on any one who inhaled it. That was forty Years ago, who knows what that Toxic Goo could do after steeping in it's own juices all this time?

I did not have long to question that?

As each of them inhaled the Fog they were over come with Fear. Screaming,Yelling,Vomiting! They began to attack anything that moved, anything they saw as the source of their fear.

Fight or Flight!

Standing on top of the trash can, being attacked by the Dog was the source of there fear, Hex Cat.

If they were overcome by the Fog in such a violent fashion, it's effect on her was a Hundred fold. She was attacking the Dog and anything else that got near her with Feline savagery Those Claws and Fangs were not just for show and she was a agile and deadly as a pouncing Tiger.

It was Riot vs Rage as the crowd fell on her and She in return fought back.

I could hold my breath for up to a 11 minutes at rest and 4 or 5 while fighting. The lenses in my mask were designed to protect me from things like Tear gas and Mace. I would be ok, any One who got in my way? Not so much.

Hands and fists and nails and a bat (Why is there always one guy with a Baseball Bat?) impounded on me as I systematically began to break up the fight.

Fist to the back of the Neck of Target One. He stumbles and I trip him, as he falls I use Akido to flow in to the next Target. I come up behind Two of them and use Judo to slam each of them to the ground. I deliver a Haymaker to the chin of a Third. I leap and deliver a Spin Kick to the Head of the Forth.

Police are yelling somewhere behind me, I think I hear a Gun shot. It's hard to tell in the Fog, I can feel it starting to seep into my exposed skin.

The guy with the bat steps in to my view and swings at me with all his rage and strength, I easily dodge the bat and dislocate his wrist. It flips in the air, I grab it and swing it in to the chest of another target.

“Don’t think of them of people Kid! Just targets, just obstacles in your way.”

That’s what the Hood used to say, and as the Fear Fog began to effect me as well, that’s just what I did. Blood hit my Face, something fell at my Feet, it might have been a Finger.

There were Bullets now, whizzing in the Fog as the Fear claimed more victims.

A riot like I said.

One by One I encountered another target, One by One they fell before my skill, my fear, my rage.

They were just people, overcome with the effects of the Fog while I had been trained to fight since I was Six!

A Fist attempted to connect with my Chest, I blocked it and placed a Kick in my opponents Knee in return! I herd something snap!

Something razor sharp and fast slashed at me, I flowed with it and drove my elbow in to the nose of my next Victim

That’s when I saw it was Hex Cat, or what was left of her. She had been mauled by Man and Dog, they were still swinging at her, biting and tearing. He blood was all over the place, her flesh was a molted mess of Crimson and Black!

Something hit me in the back, hard and with force. I recognized the sound and feeling as a Police issue “less then lethal” Sand Bag round (The Hood had shot them at me several times during many of our practice sessions.)

I snapped out of my fugue as if hit with water, suddenly I was holding the bloody forum of Hex Cat.

After that everything just sort of fell apart.

There was Sirens, yelling. An Ambulance and Hazmat team. Police and interviews. Some more violence as the fog continued its Toxic assault

There were accusation and insults. Some of the Police recognized me but that did not gain me any favors from them. There was definitely a your not welcome any more vibe. How dare I survive when the real Hero's like Paragon had vanished?!

Hex Cat was rushed to the hospital

I was told to vanish and not to interfere with the investigation

I never did find out how Hex Cat got the Gas Gun, if she was responsible for the murder of William Krumpus and if so why?

As for the thing with the baby? I have no clue? There was nothing in the paper the next day about a missing baby?

Latter on I was informed herd there was a mix up at the Hospital, something about her Mutant Blood. They say she passed away, when no One came to claim her remains she was quietly passed on to the Government or something. I don't know.

Once I finally made it home that night, I tossed the mask under my bed and swore the world had seen the last of Kid Sidekick.

There had been a few other sightings of the mask's that survived the event over the next Month. All of them ended negatively.

Somehow the collective unconscious of the World had decided they did not want or need Para Humans around any more, those who had Vanished well good riddance. Those of us who had been left behind, well we should just stay away.

So One by One we did. About Two Month latter Marrin got in touch with me about starting a support group for people like us.

I thought it was a stupid idea.

I still went.

Now.

It had been a while, but it's not like I let my self go?

Working 6 days a week from 5AM to 3PM at a Bakery is a workout! Do you have any idea how much a 50 pound bag of Flour weighs? 50 Pounds! Plus I walk almost everywhere if I can, I hit the Gym 2-3 times a week and spar at the Dojo every Saturday.

So it's not like I let my self go?

But, yeah even all that. It's not the same is it? I did not know if I could do it again, put on the mask. Become Kid Sidekick again? When I'm William Kids I'm just a guy, doing his thing, moving along. When I was Kid Sidekick though, it meant something! I stood for something! Fighting Crime, leaping across the top's of buildings, trading blows with Super Villains. It was amazing, it was 8-12 Years of my life and it meant something! It ended and it took me a long time to let it go, I loved it. Being Kid Sidekick! Not the way Reese loved it, no for him being the Hood was way different then being Kid Sidekick was for me. I was the Yin to his Yang, the White to his Black.

And no there was nothing Homosexual between us! In fact the whole time I knew him I cant recall Reese showing any Romantic or Sexual interest in any One Male or Female? We were partners, he was my mentor. He was a mad man! But he was my friend.

Could I do it again? Be Kid Sidekick again?

What was I thinking?

I tossed the mask across my room and stared at the wall. One guy, One guy in a mask robbing a electronics shop and I am ready to jump out the window and lay down some Kid Sidekick smack again?

Did I really miss it that much?

Maybe Marin was right, I did need her stupid group after all?

I was just about to dial her number when it rang?

The signal!

There is no red phone, alert button or skylight in the shape of a K to get in touch with people like me. There was a network though, that as technology grew and the world changed went from word of mouth to a App on my Smart phone

Programed to monitor the Police and Fire Radio and alert those of us who had it to a situation that might require our aid. Also it allowed a select few who knew the number to contact you directly.

At that moment the Smart phone started buzzing, the App was humming. Someone was trying to get in contact with us. With me, using the network? It had been Two Years since the last time I herd that sound, not sure why I never removed the App but there it was. Buzzing again, calling to me.

Should I answer it?

Of course I should.

“Hello? Marrin?”

There was no response, just a whirring noise like a Fan.

“Hello? Who is this? How did you get this number?”

Again nothing, just the loud fan noise. It sounded vaguely familiar like a airplane propeller getting ready for take off.

“Is this a joke?.”

Still more noise, then the faint sound of arguing. Some one yelling “Find Reginald! Find Reginald!”

“Who is this? Who is Reginald?”

The line went dead,just a hallow dial tone. I was about to put the phone down when it buzzed again, a TXT appeared in my in box. It said simply, “They are not dead.”

After that it was a whirlwind of reaction and emotion, I can honestly say I do not remember putting the mask and the uniform on, the weapons and gadgets hanging from my waist. I was in almost a dream state, I did not become aware of what I had done till I was behind the wheel of my car and half way down the block.

I sure as hell did not remember the Costume being this tight when I wore it last.

I stooped the car at the end of my street and looked at my gloved hands. My face in the mirror, the mask and cold blue eyes of Kid Sidekick staring back at me.

I closed my eyes. Thoughts flashed through my brain, images and ideas all mingling together trying to make sens of Today. One idea kept coming to the front, that sound. I know I had herd that sound before. Like a very big fan.

I opened my eyes,gritted my teeth and gunned the engine I was racing down the streets to the place where I believed I had herd that noise before

I may have been smiling