Baxter McGill looked down from the underside of the Cross Bronx Expressway, and below him and saw the men with guns. The men were black, and they were pointing their guns at two latino men in an abandoned lot - there was lots of shouting and swearing. Tonight he wasn’t Baxter McGill - tonight he was Mr. Astonishing, a crime fighting vigilante who was bringing justice to the streets of New York.

Weeks had passed since the retreat. Baxter’s relationship with Cheryl had all but ended - she had spent her days locked in her bedroom and avoiding him, and then announced that she was going to see her mother for a few weeks. Manuela had decided to leave the McGill residence - and now Baxter spent his days watching Mr. Amazing documentaries and eating vast amounts of delivery food, and his nights creeping to rendezvous with Cinza at hotels.

Baxter was now massive - his muscles bulged and he had grown several inches. He sat amongst the burger wrappers and pizza boxes and stared at the TV. He was watching a documentary called Mr. Amazing’s Top Ten Takedowns. It was a compilation of news footage of Mr. Amazing’s most famous arrests, all caught in high definition by a TV news crew who were conveniently close by. The footage was narrated by a man who breathlessly detailed the action the viewer was watching. Baxter had watched this documentary hundreds of times - and he looked at the screen as Mr. Amazing jumped from a burning building holding two terrorists - handing them over to the police and smiling at the camera. Baxter turned off the TV, and sat in silence staring at the blank screen. He had been given these powers for a reason - just as Perseus had been given his powers. Just as Mr. Amazing had been given his powers. Not to sit around and eat burgers and watch documentaries - he had been given these powers so that he too could be amazing. Baxter stood and went to his bedroom. The floor of the bedroom was littered with fast food wrappers and packaging. He found his XXXXL tracksuit and pulled it on. He had found an online store that sold sneakers in extra large sizes, and he pulled them on and left his apartment. He walked across town and arrived at Tango Down - a shop that sold paintball, airsoft, camping, and survival equipment.

‘Hey buddy!’ - said a cheerful man behind the counter as Baxter walked in.

‘Hey’ - said Baxter, walking up to the counter and taking a sheet of paper from his pocket - ‘I am looking for something like this…’

Baxter handed the cheerful man the sheet of paper who unfolded it and looked at it. It was a printout of a special forces soldier wearing black tactical gear. The cheerful man studied the image for a moment - ‘Is this for you?’

‘Yep’ - said Baxter, glancing around the store.

The cheerful man scratched his chin - ‘I think we can get most of this - in your size’

‘Cool’ - said Baxter.

‘You want this for airsoft?’ - said the cheerful man, looking up at the towering Baxter.

‘Sure’ - said Baxter, smiling back at him.

The cheerful man got up from his stool and wandered around the store, taking items off of hangers and picking up other items - ‘What size boots?’

‘15’ - said Baxter

The man found a pair of boots and held them up - ‘Last ones!’ - He stacked everything up on the counter - ‘There’s a changing room through there if you want to try everything on’

Baxter took the pile of clothes and boots and headed to the changing room. A while later he stepped out wearing a black mask that only showed his eyes, a black tactical long sleeve shirt, a black tactical vest, black gloves, black utility belt, and black tactical pants that were tucked into a pair of black lightweight boots.

‘How’s it fit?’ - said the cheerful man, studying Baxter.

‘A bit snug here and there’ - said Baxter.

‘Well, that’s as big as this gear goes - so you are gonna have to lay off the milkshakes if you wanna wear it!’ - said the cheerful man, laughing.

Baxter stared at himself in the mirror - he thought he looked great. Ominous and dark. He walked to the counter - ‘I need a knife as well, a bowie knife’

The cheerful man moved behind the counter and took a few different knives from a display that he laid out in front of Baxter. Baxter inspected the blades, and made his choice and then returned to the changing room and changed. Baxter also took a tactical backpack, and the cheerful man packed everything into the backpack and then Baxter paid for everything and then left.

Baxter wandered back to his apartment and waited for the sun to set - and for him to undergo his metamorphosis to The Darkness, his crime fighting alter ego. Baxter’s apartment was only a couple of blocks from Central Park, and for his first outing as The Darkness he planned to wander over to the park dressed in his civilian clothes and then change into the black gear he had purchased at Tango Down. He would then, in the shadows, patrol the park looking for law breakers to bring to justice. Baxter imagined he might find a woman being mugged, and he would step from the shadows and save her. He had packed some cable ties in the backpack - and he would tie up the muggers and leave a note saying the muggers had been brought to justice by The Darkness for the police to find. The Darkness would clean-up New York City - and there would be newspaper articles about this mystery crime fighter. Perhaps the police would contact him - and ask for his help solving serious crimes. He would be like Batman, and Bruce Wayne.

The sun set and Baxter picked up the backpack and headed out into the night. Baxter headed towards Central Park, crossing Madison Avenue and then 5th Avenue. He entered the park by the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, and made his way into the interior. Baxter continued through the park, heading north. He made it to an area called the North Woodland near the very top of the park. It was now fully dark, and the path was lit by overhead street lighting. There were a few people still walking through the park, but it was quiet. Baxter walked slowly through the wooded area until he was sure he was alone, and then he leaped over the short fence and into the trees. Baxter crouched in the darkness for a while, making sure that he was alone and that no one had seen him dart off into the undergrowth. When he was certain he was alone, he gently unzipped the backpack and began taking out his uniform - The Darkness' uniform. Tonight he would become someone - something else. Tonight he would begin utilizing these incredible powers he had been gifted - and The Darkness would arise out of the shadows. Baxter continued unpacking the black clothes, and had everything neatly arranged in front of him. He pulled off the tracksuit top and then pulled off his sneakers and then pulled down and removed the tracksuit bottoms. Baxter no longer wote underwear - as he couldn’t find any that fitted him. Baxter stood naked in darkness amongst the tree naked - when he heard a voice behind him - ‘Hey big boy!’

Baxter jumped and let out a yelp - and then spun around. A man was standing in the shadows, light from a streetlight on the path shining across his face.

‘Are you looking for some company?’ - said the man, who was now staring at Baxter’s giant penis and grinning.

‘Jesus fucking Christ - where the fuck did you come from?’ - said Baxter, trying to cover himself up.

‘Who me?’ - said the man coyly - ‘I was just out for a walk in the woods to see if I could find any fairies who might be looking for a bit of company’

Baxter was flustered. He was standing naked in the trees in the middle of Central Park and there was this man grinning at him.

‘Look, I am in the middle of something right now - so if you could, you know, clear off that would be great’ - said Baxter firmly.

‘I have to say, I have met many fairies in these woods, mister - but never one who is so big and muscly…and who has such a big cock!’ - said the man, stepping closer to Baxter - ‘Can I touch it?’

Baxter was now fully flustered - and didn’t know what to do. Should he stay naked and try to get rid of the man, or should he continue changing into his The Darkness uniform, or should he just put his tracksuit back on a flee.

The man stepped closer to Baxter again, and placed a hand on his stomach - ‘Don’t be shy, mister - let me touch it for you, and then I can suck it and make it nice and hard - and then you can fuck me!’

‘Look - I didn’t come out here to meet men in the woods’ - said Baxter, in a louder and sterner voice - ‘I am a crime fighter, and I am just getting changed into my uniform, okay. So if you can just FUCK OFF back into the woods and leave me alone, I have important crime fighting work to do!’

‘What the fuck is going on in here?’ - said another voice, and two flashlights turned on. It was the police.

‘Oh fuck!’ - said the other man, and he darted off into the trees.

‘Well what in the name of sweet Mary do we have here?’ - said a policeman, shining a flashlight into Baxter’s face.

‘Fucking degenerates!’ - said the other policeman.

Baxter squinted as the light shone in his eyes - ‘Look officer, this is not what it seems?’

‘Not what it fucking seems?’ - said the first policeman - ‘Well, if it is not what it seems, do you mind telling us what it fucking is that has to stark fucking naked in the park at night?’

There was silence - Baxter tried to think of something to say.

‘Shall I tell you what this seems?’ - said the second policeman - ‘It seems we caught you naked in the fucking park waiting for someone to come along a suck your fucking cock. Is that what it fucking is?’

‘No - that is not what it is’ - said Baxter - ‘I was getting changed, here in the woods, when this man appeared…’

‘What man?’ - said the first policeman.

‘Well, he has gone now - he went into the trees’ - said Baxter - ‘Anyways, I was getting changed…’

‘Why are you getting fucking changed in the woods in Central Park at night?’ - said the second policeman.

‘Because…because…’ - said Baxter.

‘Because you wanted someone to come along and suck your cock?’ - said the second policeman.

‘No - not because of that. I was getting changed because…because - I am a crime fighter!’ - said Baxter, grinning at the policemen.

‘Oh Jesus - buddy, you should have stuck with the getting your cock sucked story!’ - said the first policeman.

The second policeman leaned down and picked up the cable ties and the bowie knife - ‘And what are these for?’

‘For tying up criminals’ - said Baxter, grinning more.

‘Okay big guy - you are under fucking arrest!’ - said the first policeman, and he pulled his sidearm and pointed it at Baxter.

‘Don’t fucking move, Bruce fucking Wayne!’ - said the second policeman, taking his handcuffs from his belt.

‘Put your hands in the air and turn around slowly - okay!’ - said the policeman pointing the gun.

‘Officers - there is no need for this. I am the good guy!’ - said Baxter, still smiling.

‘Hands in the fucking air Mr. Good Guy!’ - said the policeman with the gun.

The other policeman was speaking into his radio, calling for back-up.

‘Look - I will just get my stuff and head home and we can all forget about this whole incident’ - said Baxter

‘HANDS IN THE FUCKING AIR!’ - shouted the policeman pointing the gun.

Baxter raised his arms, and began turning.

‘Nice and slow - no sudden movements, okay’ - said the policeman pointing the gun.

The second policeman stepped towards Baxter, and grabbed his left wrist. Quicker than the eye could react, Baxter spun around and shoved the policeman away. The other policeman fired his gun, and for a moment Baxter and the policeman both stood in silent shock. The smoke from the gun cleared, and the bullet was stuck to Baxter’s chest, flat and dull - like a dime. Baxter stared at the bullet. The policeman stared at the bullet. And then Baxter slowly picked it from his skin, and held it up.

‘What the fuck?’ - said the policeman.

And then Baxter lunged and punched the policeman in the ribs. He heard a crack. Baxter leaned down and scooped up his clothes and other belongings and ran from the woods. The second policeman was dazed - and was climbing to his feet. He briefly saw the naked man darting off towards the path.

Baxter ran as fast as he could through the park, and in no time at all he was at 97th Street that ran through the middle of Central Park. Baxter dove into the bushes and quickly dressed himself in his tracksuit and sneakers. He stuffed the rest of his belongings in the backpack and then re-emerged from the undergrowth and crossed 97th Street. Baxter could hear police sirens all around the park - and he picked up the speed again and jogged across the park East 96th Street and crossed 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue, and then turned south on Park Avenue and arrived at his apartment building where Bernie was standing and smiling. Bernie opened the door for Baxter, and tried to make a little small talk but Baxter hurried past him to the elevator and up to his apartment. Baxter sat on the couch and turned on the TV, changing the channels to the 24 hour local news channel. Baxter sat watching the studio anchors talking about a rat infestation in the subway and a lawsuit against a landlord on the upper east side and then the studio went to a live broadcast from Central Park. The reporter on the scene was talking about a dangerous man police were looking for, who had attacked two police officers in the North Woods of Central Park. A uniformed police officer, a captain, was talking to the reporter. He was saying that police had discovered a naked man in the North Woods area of Central Park, and that the man had equipment that would be used in committing a violent crime. The police captain was saying that the man had overpowered the two police officers, and one of them had been sent to hospital with serious injuries. The police captain continued that the man they are looking for is armed, and should be considered very dangerous.

Baxter stared at the screen as the reporter continued interviewing the police captain, and then stared at his hand. He opened his fist and the flat, dull bullet sat in the middle of his giant palm.

***

Baxter now avoided Central Park. He had tried a few other missions to be The Darkness, but all of them seemed to end the same way. He would travel out to a remote part of the city and sit around in the shadows waiting for a crime to be committed, but nothing would happen. But now Baxter McGill looked down from the underside of the Cross Bronx Expressway, and below him and saw the men with guns. They were pointing their guns at two men in an abandoned lot - there was lots of shouting and swearing.

Tonight was the night. Tonight he had finally found an actual crime. Tonight he was The Darkness, a crime fighting vigilante who was bringing justice to the streets of New York.

Baxter watched the men.

‘You got the fuckin’ money you Mexican piece of fuckin’ shit?’ - said one of the men with guns.

‘I told you man - I get the money for you tomorrow, man!’ - said one of the men with his hands in the air.

‘Tomorra is a fucking day too fucking late, nigga!’ - said the man with the gun.

Baxter moved himself to the edge of the Cross Bronx Expressway. He would drop down on the ground, and inform the men with guns that he was The Darkness - and that they were to surrender, or else. Baxter was nervous - and he hesitated for a moment. But then he jumped. He landed on his feet - no more than 20 feet from where the group of men were standing. He stood with his hands on his hips - and all of the men slowly turned their heads towards him.

The group of men - some with guns and some with their hands in the air stared at Baxter. There was silence.

‘Who da fuck are you?’ - said the man with the gun who had been speaking.

‘I am The Darkness - and you are ordered to surrender!’ - said Baxter, trying to make his voice as commanding as possible.

The men with guns glanced at each other, and then at the men who had their hands in the air.

‘You that what?’ - said the man with the gun.

‘I am The Darkness - and I bring justice to the streets of this city!’

‘You know nigga - you is either a bit late or a bit too early for mutha fuckin Halloween’ - said the man with the gun.

‘I say again - you are ordered to surrender!’ - said Baxter, taking a step towards the group.

The group of men with the guns laughed.

‘And what if I don’t wanna surrender, mutha fucker?’

‘Then you will force me to take you and your men down, lawbreaker!’ - said Baxter, sternly.

‘Waste this fool ass punk!’ - said one of the other men with guns.

‘You know - I think we might just do that!’ - said the man with the gun, and all of the men with guns turned towards where Baxter, or The Darkness, was standing.

‘Your weapons cannot hurt me, lawbreakers. Now this is your last chance to surrender!’

And then there was a volley of gunfire. The black men with guns fell down - and the Mexican men were holding guns that they had taken from their pockets whilst the black men were distracted. Baxter blinked - unsure what to do next.

‘Thank you homie!’ - said one of the Mexican men, and the group quickly ran away. Baxter was left standing in front of five dead men - puddles of blood running from their bodies. Baxter could hear police sirens in the distance, and some people were starting to gather.

‘That guy in black killed them all!’ - someone said behind Baxter.

And then The Darkness fled. Baxter made it back to where he had stashed his civilian clothes, and then found a cab and made it back to Manhattan and his apartment. Baxter sat down in front of the TV and waited for news about the five dead bodies in the Bronx and the mystery man dressed in black. And then the phone rang. Baxter distractedly stood and picked up the receiver - ‘Hello?’

‘Is this Baxter McGill?’ - said a voice.

‘Yes, this is Baxter McGill - who is calling?’

And then a noise came through the receiver - a noise like an old computer modem trying to connect to the internet over a phone line. Baxter stared ahead of him as the noise went from the receiver, and into his ear and then into his brain. The chip that Dr. Janus had planted inside on Baxter’s brain became active - and Baxter continued to stare ahead of him as the strange model noise continued in his ear. When the noise finished, Baxter hung up the phone and walked to the apartment door and left.