1.06

Hunter, Silas and Jimena had decided to patrol the streets of Athena. Michael had said a little teamwork would help build them as heroes.

“How long you been doing the hero thing, Quagmire?” Silas asked Quagmire. Quagmire was Jimena’s costume name. The three walked around in a group, unsure if this was the correct method of ‘patrolling’ the streets.

“Yesterday was my first go at it. What about you two?”

“About a month. How long you had your powers?” Silas asked.

“A year. You?” Jimena noticed some of the citizens were giving them strange looks and a wide berth. Others gave them a double look, sizing them up.

“I’ve had mine almost my whole life, Hunter’s started close to four years ago.”

“What makes you want to be a hero?” Hunter asked.

“I…have my reasons. People need help, don’t they?” Jimena came across a little guarded.

“Yeah, but anyone can help anyone. Why a hero?” Hunter wanted to press the issue.

“I said I had my reasons. Why did you?” Jimena rose to Hunter’s challenge.

“I have mine as well.” Hunter shoved his hands into his pockets and walked ahead of the other two.

“I became one because I always wanted to. I want to help people and make a difference,” said Silas. Silas felt a little uneasy with the rising tension.

“That doesn’t seem to be a good enough reason for him. What’s his problem?” Jimena burned her glare into the back of Hunter’s head.

“He takes the whole hero thing really seriously. He still gives me some flack if I don’t seem to take it seriously. Give him time, he’ll come around.”

As Hunter drudged ahead, he was knocked to the side as a tall man steamrolled past him. Hunter looked over his shoulder and watched the man cut across the street, looking frantic.

A hand violently pulled his arm away from him and Hunter looked up to see an elderly woman. She wore a heavy furred overcoat even though it wasn’t a cold evening. A pearl necklace gleamed in the lights that shone through the shop windows.

“Please help me. That man stole my purse. Please, its full of valuables.” Seeing her face reminded Hunter of his loving grandmother. He struggled to ever deny an elderly person in need.

“I’ll bring it back for you.” Hunter turned and started to run in the direction of the purse snatcher. Jimena and Silas fell in stride with Hunter.

“What’s happened?” Jimena asked.

“Elderly lady’s purse has been snatched. That guy that ran across the street. I think he went this way.” The three made their pursuit through the crowded streets, winding this way and that. Hunter made a note that he needed to start cardio training.

“There.” Hunter pointed to their target who ducked down an alleyway.

The three rounded the corner and came upon a dead-end. The three of them shared a look of confusion, their target had seemingly disappeared.

Hunter ran over to the only dumpster in the alley and threw open the lid. Save for some manky trash, there was nothing else of interest in the bin.

“Dammit,” Hunter hissed.

“Can’t just disappear,” said Jimena.

Silas approached the dumpster and looked inside as well. He jumped in and started to toss some of the trash around.

“What are you doing?” Hunter asked.

“Checking for some kind of trapdoor or something.” Silas continued to throw trash out of the dumpster and the trio heard a stifled laugh from up above.

“You didn’t think that was ridiculous?” The voice called from a rooftop.

“Now that its been pointed out.” Silas sounded a little embarrassed. He jumped back out of the dumpster and both Jimena and Hunter stepped away from the stench.

“Give back that purse,’ demanded Hunter.

“How about no?” the purse snatcher taunted.

“Then I’ll stop you.” Hunter opened his flask of dust and directed the stream to the rooftop, only for the dust to slowly fall back down.

“What was that?” the purse snatcher called down. Hunter could feel his teammates staring at him and he felt anger bubble up from within.

“Come down here then,” Hunter called.

“Nah, I’m pretty comfortable up here.”

“Its all right Hunter, we’ve got it,” said Jimena. She raised her hands and shot forth a ball of slime that hit the culprit square in the face.

The criminal faltered and plummeted from the roof. Silas inflated and landed underneath just in time. The purse snatcher bounced off Silas and landed face first on the cement ground. He didn’t move.

“Got him,” Silas cheered. He called the police, but Hunter took the purse and returned it to the elderly lady without waiting for the authorities to show up.

“Thank you. Here, take this.” The lady dug around in her bag and offered Hunter a fifty-dollar bill.

“No, no. Please, I couldn’t. All in a day’s work for a hero.”

The team split up at midnight, but Hunter didn’t go home. He made it back to his school and snuck into the building.

Hunter let himself into the new hideout and was glad to see Michael sitting in a chair, watching the TV

“What seems to be the problem, young superhero?”

“My powers. They seem, underwhelming. I don’t think I’d be accepted into the Hero Academy.” Hunter looked at his hands.

“Powers are only one tool available to a superhero.” Michael made them a milkshake each.

“But dust? My father could manipulate his density. That’s at least useful.”

“Learn how to make yours useful,” Michael quipped.

“I can make someone sneeze. Make their throat itch or hard for them to see. That’s about it.” Hunter was amazed at how easy he found it to talk to Michael. He had never confided in anyone about his doubts with his powers.

“Those things are very useful. But do you truly understand your powers? What makes it work, what it does?” Michael pulled out a tray of steaming cookies and offered them to Hunter, who eagerly grabbed a handful.

“No. It’s pretty much been the same since the start.”

“We’re going to have to fix that aren’t we?”

“Do you think you can?” Hunter asked, curious.

“I’ve trained many heroes.” Michael gave a smile.