The Villain is My no.1 Fan!?

Heroes are Celebrities

"Don't worry about it. I see you."

Jay snorts. "Okay, creeper. Bye."

"Love you!" Gannet sing-songs, ending the call.

Jay steps out from the safety of the van, gritting his teeth at the clamor. He feels a little stupid thinking this is what he wanted; the crush of fans, cameras, and sound is almost unbearable. He rushes into the studio, and is greeted by the sight of Scoops chugging a sparkling water. He sets the drink down, grinning.

"Witty! Welcome! I'm glad to see you again, buddy!"

"Hey Scoops. Um, glad to be here."

"You don't have to lie. I can smell the reluctance from here."

"Yeah well, you know me. I'm not made for television."

Scoops laughs as he hands Jay a clip-on microphone. "Nonsense. We'll get it over with quickly, make the Network happy, and get you back on the streets chasing down Stygian. You'll do great."

"Yeah," Jay coughs, putting the mic on.

He grabs a cup of coffee from the refreshment table and follows Scoops to the set. His heart thuds in his chest as he sits before the cameras, clutching his cup tightly in his hands. The tacky space just puts him more on edge. The neutral colors and basic-ass furniture makes him long for the dark calmness of Gannet's apartment.

"We are live in three, two, one!" a camera tech calls out.

"Well heeello, Neo Houston! It's another bright, beautiful morning, and boy, does Scoops have a Scoop for you! Witty! My man! Welcome to SuperNewsDaily!"

"Hi Scoops..."

"Viewers, If you don't know this accomplished and hardworking hero, this is Quickwit. Witty, why don't you tell us about yourself?"

"Ah, uh, there's not much to say, really."

"Nonsense, why don't you tell us a little about how you became a hero?"

"Well, I've been working as a hero ever since I realized I had powers. I was rejected by the junior hero program so I acted as a vigilante until I was accepted into the Lonestar University of Heroics in 2046 and—"

"L.U.H represent!"

"Ah, yeah. Represent," Jay croaks, "um. after I graduated, I came to Houston and joined the Network's sidekick program."

"And how lucky we are to have you, Quickwit! Houston sure has taken notice of you."

Jay rubs his neck nervously. "Yeah, though I wish it was under better circumstances. I honestly didn't expect so many people to, uh, care, about what happened to me."

Scoops nods solemnly. "Yes. Viewers, if you weren't already aware, Class-A menace Stygian has been revealed to be none other than a citizen named Gannet Faulkner. He had been living among us, pretending to be a normal citizen as he plotted out his evil schemes! But not only did he infiltrate our city...but our heros' lives. Can you tell us a bit more about that Quickwit?"

"Yes. He approached me and said he was a fan. I guess I was just so grateful to have a supporter that I never even thought that he might be...lying."

"But you were much more than just fan and hero, right?"

Jay goes pink, blood rushing to his face. Does he really have to say this on live tv? "Uh, we were very close. Before I figured out he was lying. I mean."

Scoops nods before his hand goes to his earpiece. He frowns for a moment before returning to his fake plastered-on grin. "I think it's time to get down to the truth!"