The town of Earl had quite an easy time repairing itself after it was bombarded with dozens of magical jewels from the sky. Always a tight-knit community, every able hand in town was armed with a tool of some sort to patch a roof or replace a window. And to those who were struck by the jewels, they were given a shoulder to lean on as their bodies recovered from the impact.

Within days, everything was back to normal. Shops were operating as they always had, banks were operating at normal capacity, and young children were whining about having to return to school. The only difference seen by the town was twofold. First was the excited air shown by those struck by the jewels to show off their new scars and discuss abilities not yet manifest. The other was the sudden addition of men screaming at street corners.

But these were not homeless people crying for change. These men were uniformed, clean-cut, and shouting with a purpose. In their possession was a number of brochures, colored with a distinct red and white color scheme that matched their uniforms, and proudly wore the name 'Scarlet Saviors' at the head of each page. But more interestingly, was a large television sitting on their table showing a test pattern. Their words drew a crowd, and that crowd eagerly fetched those struck by the jewels to hear their words first hand.

With the appropriate crowd drawn, one of the suited gentlemen flicked a button on the remote and played the anticipated message. On the screen, a red and white badger appeared, smiling. On his desk lay a nameplate reading 'Scarlatto'. No doubt, the man in charge of the operation.

"If you are seeing this message, then congratulations!" The man on the screen threw his arms out wide in glee. "You are about to embark on a most fantastic and fulfilling adventure. And you have to thank for that the jewels that had caused you all such trouble." The badger's smile somehow grew even wider, as he calmly brought his hands together, all fingers interlaced. "My name is Robert Scarlatto. And to those who had found themselves struck by the jewels, I offer you an opportunity of a lifetime. An opportunity to make use of the gifts those jewels bestow upon you. An opportunity to make the world a better place by joining the Scarlet Saviors"

With those words, a slideshow presentation popped up, replaced Scarlatto's beaming image, showing pictures of fitness equipment, and well-furnished apartments. As these pictures flashed on the screen, the badger's voice was overlaid. "With the Scarlet Saviors, you will have access to a 24/7 fitness center, fully furnished multi-room apartments, and a state of the art training…". He paused, waiting for the corresponding picture to appear on the screen, and chuckled when it finally did. "I apologize, folks, I'm too excited. As I was saying, a state of the art training facility, wherein you will hone your gifts, and learn to use them for the betterment of the world!"

The picture returned to Scarlatto, now standing up and extending a hand forward. "Take my hand. We will go through this adventure together." His extended hand turned to a finger, pointing upwards.

"However I encourage all of you to take the time to talk to your loved ones" he added, sitting back down, "this is a big decision to make, and it is not one to be made so hastily. My people will return in two days, and will offer anyone who is willing a ride to the condo." Taking a deep breath, Scarlatto turned his attention to something above the camera, and his wide grin shrank to a humble smile.

"We are lucky" he lucidly remarked, "we've been chosen by these magical jewels, and had their special abilities thrust upon on us. And it's up to us, kind few to use these gifts to make our world a better place.

"The power of the jewels has not passed to the kindhearted exclusively. We would be naïve to think that there would be none who walk this planet with the intent of harming others with their wonderful new abilities." Scarlatto paused and shut his eyes, sighing. "We Scarlet Saviors intend to bring these people to justice. As we speak, a jewel Fighting Force is at work combatting the evils of the world, and we cannot continue with the numbers we have for much longer. We see no need to endanger local policemen or spend millions in tax dollars on armies to settle these matters. The Scarlet Saviors have the materials it needs to handle these matters. We have scientists to supply us with equipment, engineers to operate our vehicles and machinery, and some of the sharpest minds providing medical services around the clock. All we need to help make the volatile future a safer place for all of us-" grinning wide again, Scarlatto pointed to the camera and out of the screen, "is you!"

With a final wink from Rob Scarlatto, the feed died, and the recruiters began handing out brochures to all interested. Everyone politely took one with a smile and returned to their daily lives, discussing whether or not they were going to join this supposed globe-trotting squadron. Most spoke negatively, choosing to live out their normal lives without risking life and limb.

But there was one that chose to save his breath on the matter. Rather than discuss whether it was better to stay in Earl and do his job with whatever perks his powers would grant him, he was already sprinting home to scan the brochure inside and out. To him, there was no question. He was put on this planet for the sole purpose of joining the Scarlet Saviors and being a superhero!

Isaac Hawkins, Zed by his friends and family alike, threw his door open and leapt onto his couch, reading the brochure with such gusto that he practically tore it in half. Everything that Rob Scarlatto spoke of in his video rang true. He was running an honest to goodness Super Hero guild in all but name. Being paid to travel the world and fight evil, it all seemed too good to be true. Whatever it was that Scarlatto was selling, Zed was most definitely buying.

From under his couch, Zed withdrew an old comic book and turned it to a random page. Inside, it depicted a group of heroes, working together to combat the threat to life as they knew it. Each one certain of the consequences that their jobs brought on, yet carrying on regardless. From their actions and words, they brought courage into people's hearts and washed away the fear imparted onto them by the evildoer of their respective universes.

Ever since he was young, this was what Zed wanted to do more than anything else. And with the Scarlet Saviors at his doorstep, that dream was bound to become a reality. Sure, his powers had yet to manifest, but they would soon enough, surely. Whatever the wheel of fate would grant him, Zed was prepared to make the most of it, and save as many people as he could.

Zed couldn't sleep a wink that night. The two day waiting period was of no use to him. From the moment the jewel pierced his chest, he knew exactly what it was he wanted out of life. And with Scarlatto's convenient invitation to help him take the first step, nothing in his dreams would've held up to his reality.

With nothing in his fridge to help put him to sleep, he put on his glasses and track jacket and quietly left his apartment for a night time walk around the neighborhood. Hopefully getting some exercise on a warm night would help him get to sleep.

As he approached his favorite corner store for a well-earned bottle of milk, Zed came to a sudden stop when he heard a noise in the adjacent alley. Peering down the alley, he watched a dark figure repeatedly raise its hand and bring it down with a heavy impact at the end of the motion. It didn't take long for him to register two other people in the alley. Standing one directly behind the other, a taller one holding back the arms of a shorter one.

And within a second, the picture was complete. One person was holding another back, while a third beat them with a long rod of some sort. It was a mugging! But there was more to it than that. Even from the angle he was standing, from the low light he was getting from some nearby street lights, it was obvious to Zed that these attackers were using jewel powers. One was protruding a metal rod from his arm, while the other somehow turned his body into a wire fence, locking the victim's arms and legs.

Zed felt a tightness in his chest as each heavy 'thud' found home on the victim's body. He had to do something. Maybe call the police, or cry for help. Desperately, he looked up and down the street for an oncoming car he could flag down. No one in this town would stand seeing something like this, surely. As he reached into his empty pocket to look for his phone, his fingers wrapped around another, flatter object. Zed took a deep breath and looked into his pocket, where the Scarlet Saviors brochure was jammed.

Staring intensely into the brochure, Zed's mind was filled with memories of his youth. Sitting in his father's lap and reading comic books, his stomach welling with excitement at the thought that someday, it might be him being the hero. Saving the day and letting people know the world is a safer place with him around. Swallowing hard, Zed stood up from the alley's entrance and stepped towards the attackers.

Unfortunately, his legs didn't quite get the memo. Zed's first step didn't quite carry the stability he needed and with a loud 'crash', he fell face-first into a pile of nearby trash cans. Garbage flew all over, as both assailants took their eyes off of their target to see what the racket was about. Said target smiled at the little distraction. It was what he had been waiting for all night.

It took Zed a moment to pick himself up. The impact, the smell, and the shame were all hitting at the same time, and he was taking a moment to register what to do next. But a fourth contender came into play before any decision was made. While Zed collected his thoughts, the air was suddenly filled with several harder, heavier, and significantly wetter 'thuds' than before. The sound was more likely to make him throw up than the intruding smell of garbage. Carefully, Zed picked himself up from the trash, both eyes closed as hard as he could. As he got to his knee, he turned his head and looked down the alley, at the source of the noises.

What Zed saw was now two downed people, small pools of blood were forming around their legs and arms, the third party involved seeming to disappear. Against his better judgment, he picked up his glasses and crawled towards them to get a better look at the remaining duo. Zed's eyes adjusted to the darkness now, and he was able to make out the faces before him. Putting a hand over his mouth, Zed could make no mistake of it. It was the recruiters he had met mere hours ago. The ones representing the Scarlet Saviors. One of their faces was badly bludgeoned, but their uniforms gave them away. Covering his mouth to keep himself from screaming, Zed was suddenly hit with a wave of anxiety. Had he interrupted the Scarlet Saviors from stopping a monster? Was all of this his fault? How would he sleep at night if whatever they were after struck again?

Tears welled up in Zed's eyes, and as he looked down to his pants pocket for a handkerchief, his attention was drawn to a trail of blood starting from one of the pools and leading further down the alley and around a corner. There were too many unanswered questions for Zed to just leave well enough alone. Again ignoring his better judgment, he followed the trail of blood and turned the corner, taking one last deep breath before looking, reminding himself that if there was a monster on the loose, he was the last hope to stop it!

Sitting on a box was someone not fitting the description of a monster, but a mugging victim. Cuts and bruises riddled his face, his white shirt stained a deep dark red, low and slow breaths in between grunts of pain. It only took a moment for the man to notice Zed looking at him. He smiled at the sight and sat up, chuckling to hide his pain-filled wheezes.

"Thanks," he said, reaching into a jacket pocket and withdrawing a handkerchief to wipe his mouth. "You saved my skin, pal."

"Are... are you alright?" Zed worriedly asked, taking a shaky step forward.

The person before him looked back at Zed, confused. "That's your first question? Aren't you gonna ask why these Scarlet guys were beating me up?" He slowly stood up, and Zed finally got a good look at him. It was a white chameleon, dawning a red jacket with a white collared shirt and a pair of shiny black leather pants. "For all you know," he said, between breaths, "I could be a bad guy they were trying to subdue."

"If that were the case" Zed started, eying the chameleon up and down and continuing to step forward and giving a nervous smile, "you would attack me too. Because you aren't, you can't be that bad, right?" Zed wasn't sure if he was asking the chameleon or himself.

"Yeah, well maybe I'm a sneaky type" the chameleon snarkily retorted, bringing his fingers together and wagging them like one would play a small piano. Waving his hand at Zed, he turned away. "Probably best to ignore me and pretend you didn't see me. Make both of our lives easier, yeah?" With that, the chameleon turned away and tried to walk, only to stumble and fall into a stack empty milk crates in front of him.

Zed, foregoing the fear that shook him moments before, approached the chameleon and threw one of his arms over his shoulder to help him walk. As dangerous as he may have been a minute ago, he needed help right now, and Zed was not about to leave him in an alley to bleed out. "I'll take you to a hospital, come on. Follow my lead."

The chameleon instinctively pulled his arm away, only to realize Zed's disconcerted expression and felt remorseful over his hasty act. "Sorry" he quickly said, putting a hand on the wall to keep himself stable. "I'm fine. No hospitals. I just need something to eat, I haven't had a bite all day."

"I know a diner nearby that's open 24 hours" Zed eagerly said, walking in front of the chameleon and pointing up the alley. Getting him some food would likely diffuse any mistrust between the two, and lead to some answers. "Do you like cricket burgers? They also have cockroach, or mantis if those are more your speed."

The chameleon looked at Zed, and then down to his stomach, and then back to Zed. "I... I like crickets." Zed smiled warmly, putting the chameleon's arm over his shoulder again to lead him out of cold the alley and into a warm dinner.

Meanwhile, one of the recruiters, on the verge of unconsciousness grabbed his cell phone and pressed a big red button in the middle. The moment he heard a voice on the other end, he uttered a succinct a phrase as he could before fainting from the pain. "…it's Dave… in Earl…"

Claudia put the receiver down and turned to face the other man in the room. Her sharp eyes and cold expression did not waver as she spoke. "David has been found. He's in Earl. Our agents were incapacitated."

Rob Scarlatto froze in place, letting his spoonful of rice fall on his plate, shooting rice all over the place. His hands shook and his eyes grew wide. "How long?" he asked through grit teeth. "How long until we can get someone there."

Claudia grabbed a small black book from the table and opened it. "The rendezvous point isn't too far" she calmly said, looking up from the book to see Scarlatto cradling his head in his hands and sighing. "We've got a number of people in Tea County tonight. I can get someone down there in a matter of hours."

"Get four." Scarlatto quickly said, looking down at his plate of food as if it were a dying relative.

"Rob, we can't raise suspicion" Claudia responded, slamming the book down and dropping it back on the table. "The days of us barging in and taking over the place are over." Returning to the phone on the desk, she punched a number and held the receiver to her head. "Besides, two of our own were already taken out, and are bound to make the news. If we start pouring in agents, we'll look ineffectual in the public eye. Less is more, Rob."

Seeing the distraught on Scarlatto's face, Claudia approached him and lifted his chin with one of her fingers. She met his frightened face with a warm smile. "Besides, the one I'm sending will have no issues taking care of our friend, David." Claudia brought her forehead to Rob's, speaking in a calmer voice to follow up. "A Hard Counter, as you like to put it."

Scarlatto smiled meekly, but his eyes still showed terror. Claudia knew them well. Rob Scarlatto shorthand for 'I don't care what you have to do, just do it.' She smiled, just as the person on the other end of the line picked up.