25 years after Houston was destroyed in a brutal supervillain attack, Jay Martin is accepted into the Texan Hero Network. Tasked with this sacred duty, he takes on the alter ego of Quickwit and vows to always protect Neo Houston.
Unfortunately, desp...
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Jay is astounded by just how many. Free services, free catering, luxury cars, luxury clothes. All of it is offered to him by any and all corporations in the Houston area. Everyone wants the prestige that comes with associating with Alphaman's new sidekick.
Of course, nothing is ever really truly free. The price is Jay performing in a promo, a commercial, or most embarrassing, a short on some social media app. He has some semblance of pride, so he flat out refuses all offers (except for the deal exchanging a post for a new van. It's a six seater with deluxe size cup holders and so worth it.)
However, when Alphaman catches wind of this, he has some words to share. So, for two months straight, Jay's been juggling brutal training sessions that leave him injured and exhausted, all while trying to be an influencer. All of the products he's forced to shill lack any appeal to him, but some are worse than others. Promoting three different disgusting, useless green powders is almost what breaks him, but finally Alphaman gets what he wanted: a bunch of free shit to give away at his New York Eve party.
Usually, Jay's plans for the New Year include cooking a nice meal for himself and secluding himself away from the world. He wasn't much of a partier, and hated the reminder he'd wasted another year alone. So it was usually his habit to binge westerns and pretend he wasn't wasting his life.
For 2051, though, he'd been excited to get together with Gannet and Razzmatazz. While they couldn't afford the luxury of throwing a lavish party, there'd been talks of a bonfire and smores in the forest. For the first time, Jay had been eager to watch the ball drop and kiss someone at the stroke of midnight, to bring the new year in with love, light, and laughter.
Things never go to plan, though. Love, light, and laughter? Yeah right. Alphaman wasn't going to let that happen. God forbid his sidekick have a life outside of hero work.
Though, Jay really resents calling this hero work. He hauls dozens of bags in his arms toward the lavish condominium, grimacing as he steps inside. He takes in the cold minimalistic decor as he approaches the front desk. A woman wearing a plain domino mask ignores Jay, typing away on her computer. This building must be staffed by Network employees, then.
"Hello? Uh, I'm looking for, um, Alphaman's apartment?"
The receptionist stares, looking like she just smelled something sour. She leans on her hand. "You're going to have to be a little more specific. The whole building is his. You're Quickwit, right? Are you here for the party?"
"Oh uh yeah."
"Go through the biometric scanner on the left. The elevator is right behind it. Floor 13, flat 444."
"Thanks."
Jay makes his way to the scanner. He steps through the blue forcefield—
He jumps as an alarm starts to blare. The receptionist holds her hand up for a moment, and Jay is suddenly bound by light blue shadows. "Wait, what—"
