Dont Be a Hero

Macy's Predicament

   Macy sat in the middle of her big bed with tears streaming down her face. She stroked Max's soft fur and every so often she produced a snow flake for him to chase. It made her laugh through her tears to watch the comical expressions he made when the cold flakes would drift down and land on his nose or melt away in his paw. It was better than when she played with him with a laser or a small flash light. He would be so triumphant when he caught the flake only to have it melt instantly, leaving him empty-pawed and confused.

What was she going to do? How had this happened? She knew so much about the people with unusual abilities. She and Jackson had discovered so much about them. But they were criminals. They needed to be brought in. Didn't they? What now? She was one of them. She hadn't asked for it. It wasn't something she had ever expected. She was likely one of the few people who didn't envy them the power they possessed. She had been grateful that she was normal. She never would have wanted to be different. To be outlawed. She was a cop! Wasn't that what Jackson always said? We're cops, for Christ’s sake! His voice echoed in her head.

Jackson! What was he going to think if he found out? He would look at her differently. He might even resent her. Hate her. Believe she had been hiding something from him all this time. She couldn't bear the thought of her partner thinking she was some sort of... weird... super freak! She sobbed again. And the Chief! She'd heard him today. The Chief had it in for the vigilantes. She thought maybe he was a little afraid of them. He wasn't afraid of much but she thought he might be intimidated by them. What would he think of her if he found out? What then? She would lose her job. Lose her partner. She would be outcast from the only people she had ever felt close to and loved.

She fell back on her bed and cried harder. Max stared at her a moment and then got up and went over to her. He stepped up onto her tummy and pulled himself all the way up. He stepped forward gingerly and sniffed her tear-streaked face. Turning on his loud motor he began to lick the salty tears from her cheeks. Macy giggled through her sobs and stroked him.

"Thank you, Maxie. You are such a good kitty. You would never hate me, would you?" She smiled and yawned. Soon she was fast asleep with her cat curled comfortably in the crook of her neck fast asleep as well.

...........

His eyes snap open as he looks around the familiar room. He has grown used to the dark shadows cast from different objects and furniture. He stands and goes to the small trap door to retrieve his gear. He dresses quickly and leaves in silence. When he gets in his car, he pulls the small monitor down. "Greetings, Father Time." He hears the familiar robotic voice say.

"Hello, car... err... Orion. I think we'd better go check on our friend, Harley Chase."

"Which address would you like to check, sir?"

"All of the ones marked with the asterisk starting with the closest."

"As you wish."

He types in some information and pulls up Harley's photo. His brows furrow as he thinks about his approach. Harley has no wife. Many women work for him and he sleeps with different ones every night. This would be a problem if he were unable to catch Harley alone. He needs to figure out a way to eliminate him without hurting an innocent girl, without her being blamed, and without her remembering what happened.

"Would you enjoy some light jazz while we travel, sir?"

"Do not ask me silly questions."

"My apologies, sir. We shall arrive at your first destination in four minutes, 32 seconds."

He pulls up a view of the address they are approaching and zooms in. It is a large, two-story home. He studies the landscape and layout carefully. When they arrive on the street, he pulls the cloaking lever and scans the quiet neighborhood. There is no movement. No signs of anyone alert anywhere. They pull into the long drive, still cloaked. He takes in the darkened windows. There is a small window on the garage door. He hops out once he is sure the coast is clear and approaches the small window. He raises himself up and looks inside. There is no car in the garage.