Underlined words signify the beginnings of new "Chapters/Codes". All "Chapters" are from Henry's point of view unless I say so. Some of these aren't canon accurate either, so... Some of these are quite short as well, as writing 26 'chapters' in one is incredibly exhausting, difficult and would be way too long if I put as much detail into each of them as I did for regular chapters.
Warning! This chapter contains an array of triggers, including but not exclusively, broken bones, gun violence, murder, foster care system abuse, child abuse, PTSD and more.
And the last one is purely so I can infodump.
Code A: Anaphylaxis
The Man Cave was pretty efficient at getting the job done. My team had become so close that we barely had to speak to each other for the other to get what they were trying to tell them. But what made the team so efficient was that after Piper joined, we created a set of codes, 26 codes to be exact.
It made things easier. It's easier to yell, whisper or say, "Code and then the letter." in serious situations.
Like now, for example. I have a lot of allergies, luckily only food-related ones, but allergies nonetheless, and all of them are very deadly. Well, it seems we found another one of my allergies. Kiwis.
Now the thing with anaphylactic shock is that you have very little time to act, so it was so easy to use the codes.
I was eating a kiwi when I felt my throat begin to swell. Oh, here we go again. I quickly alert Piper by smacking her on the arm. When she went to reprimand me for hitting her but saw my wide, panic-stricken eyes and my shaky letter A in sign language, she got it immediately.
She yelled. "Code A!"
Everyone immediately kicked into gear, Schwoz rushed over to the backroom after seeing the source of the allergy to find the proper EpiPen. Charlotte rubbed my back as if it would help and Piper quickly unbuttoned the buttons around my neck on my shirt so it wouldn't be as tight.
Schwoz ran back into the main room, an orange needle in hand. He quickly uncapped the pen and jabbed it into my leg. The effect was practically instantaneous. My throat loosened, and my breathing eased.
After a few moments of heavy breathing, I finally said, "Thank you."
"Anytime, kid," Rai responded.
Code B: Broken
Luckily we didn't have to call this code very often because it usually sucked for me. Code B stood for broken, or more specifically, broken bones.
Unfortunately for me, now was one of those awful times when I broke something, my wrist and most of my hand. It had been quite stupid of me if I'm being honest. Our criminal was a supervillain from Metroberg. He wasn't overly powerful, but what he could do was change every bit of his body into solid steel while remaining mobile. I thought that if I could catch him by surprise by sneaking up on him and punching him in the neck, it would knock the wind out of him.
Unknown to me was the fact that whenever you touched his skin with enough force, it would turn into steel. So, when my fist collided with the Man of Steel's neck, his skin immediately turned to steel, and all I could feel was my hand shattering.
I let out a shriek of pain as I collapse away from the super-powered villain. My hand hung limply, looking very broken and loose, almost like a bag of coins, but instead, they were bones, my broken, scratch that, shattered bones.
"Kid!" Rai yelled.
"I'm okay. I'm okay! Go!" I yelled at him as the Man of Steel was getting away.
Rai held a look of brief conflict before chasing after the villain. I tap my wristwatch with my uninjured hand, conjuring an image of the Man Cave on the hologram.
"Kid Danger?" Schwoz asked with a slightly worried tone.
"Yeah, so I may or may not have a significant Code B on my hand and wrist.
Schwoz groaned in annoyance, sighing he said, "Fine, just get back here soon so I can set the breaks." Though his tone was of aggravation, I could tell he was worried. Schwoz always was whenever I'd go out on calls with Rai.
When I finally did get back to the Man Cave, and Schwoz finally gave me the diagnosis, it turned out that I had broken 13 bones in my hand and two in my wrist. I was in for a long healing process and even longer physiotherapy sessions.
Yeah, Code B wasn't my favourite code.
Code C: Coffee
"Call me your lord and saviour because I have just saved all of you!" Piper announced, coming down the elevator with two beige treys filled with six rather large coffees. "I've got a Code C."
It had been a very long night. We were basically on 24-hour watch because a criminal group known only as the Wicked Ones had decided to attack City Hall. We had been up all night.
"Yes!" Jasper yelled as he rushed over.
"One iced mocha with treacle syrup for Jasper, one cinnamon chai latté for Charlotte, one black coffee for Rai, basic by the way," She comments, taking a breath before continuing the long list of orders she memorised, "one mocha with raspberry syrup for Schwoz and one salted caramel iced coffee, light base, with almond milk for Henry."
"Hey, it's not that basic!" Rai exclaimed, sounding annoyed as he took the Starbucks™ cup from Piper.
"It is." We all voiced.
"Is not," Rai whined, pouting like a toddler. "I bet it's better than yours, Piper."
"Really? It's better than an iced London fog with vanilla and hazelnut syrup?"
"Yes!"
"No, it's not." We all answer, laughing at his sour expression.
Code D: Down
Code D was a scary one, one that I had only experienced a few times but knew all too well. Code D stood for Down, as in someone's been injured and can no longer continue the mission. I'm sure you've heard it in some crime television show or movie, "Agent down!" or something.
Like now, for example, I was rapidly losing blood from an entry and exit wound created by a bullet that tore through my stomach, no doubt having done horrific damage to my organs.
"Code D! I need emergency evacuation for Kid Danger immediately!" Rai yells into the coms.
We had been on a group mission with The Thundermans. Well, Phoebe, Max, Nora and Billy, that is. Hank and Barb had fully retired from superheroing, and Chloe was still too young.
"I'm on my way! " Billy yelled into the coms.
"No, King Quick, you need to get the rest of the civilians out. I've got it! " Max instructed.
I could feel my head fog, and my tongue felt like cotton in my mouth. "Go. Max will get me." I groan weakly to Rai.
"Kid, I'm not leaving you." Rai insists.
"Captain Man, you have to, you have to disarm the bomb when everyone has been evacuated," I explain, my head starting to fog up even more.
"Captain, he's right. You have a job to do." Phoebe agreed.
"Oh my gods, fine!" Rai relented. "Kid, I swear, if you die on me, I will bring you back to life just to kill you again."
"Thanks, Cap," I mumble, though I could tell he was terrified.
After only a minute or two, someone was floating me off the ground, cursing about how much blood I'd lost. I recognized the voice as Max's, but I couldn't make him out.
"-ang in th- Danger? -on't do tha-" I faded out into the darkness, unconsciousness enveloping me like a hug.
When I would awake in the morning, Rai would hit me upside the head for scaring him.
Code E: Eat
It was a crime wave. I hate crime waves, and Rai hates crime waves. The only person who hates crime waves more than either of us was Charlotte. She dives straight into work. She works harder than either of us when it comes to crime waves.
She was like me in many ways. While she never had as clear of a lack of self-preservation as I did, she was somewhere on the scale of stupidity for forgetting to take care of herself. She, unlike me, did remember to eat and sleep and drink water. She even had a brilliant skincare routine that could rival the best beauty guru in the world. But she, like me, would dive into work and forget that she had to take care of herself before everyone else from time to time.
So, here I found myself with my friends. I'd just gotten back from a solo mission. Rai was still on his. Piper was on a laptop, trying to force her way into the criminal database. Schwoz was working on a new gun to help safely apprehend criminals. Jasper was reviewing the maps of where criminals had hit. Charlotte was working herself thin. Her attention spread out over six different screens, each with new information.
Occasionally we would all go to the auto snack for lunch or dinner or even just a snack, but one person refused to get up from the desk. Charlotte. Sighing, I wrung the rainwater out of my hair that had been soaking my scalp all day. It's pouring out of the cosmos, but that didn't stop crime.
"Charlotte, how many hours of sleep did you get last night?" I sigh.
"Hmm?" She replied, avoiding the question.
"Sleep. How many hours?" I sarcastically repeat.
"Oh, you know," then she mumbled the rest.
"A little louder for our friends in the back," I say jokingly.
"Two and a half."
"Uh-huh, and how much have you had to drink today?"
"Three cups."
"Of water?" I ask sceptically.
"Coffee is made from water." She defends herself.
"Sure, sure, sure, and how much have you eaten?"
"I had a bagel, remember?"
"I do remember. Plain bagel with cream cheese. I also remember that that was at two in the morning when I got back from my mission."
"Ok fine, so I haven't eaten very much. What's the big deal?"
"Ok, I'm calling it. Code E."
"Come on-" She started, sounding very frustrated.
"Let me put it this way, if I came down the tubes after seven missions today and told you I have barely slept, I haven't had any water and the last time I ate was at two in the morning, what would you do?" My tone was so full of disappointment that it surprised me.
Charlotte defeatedly sighed. "I would make you drink a glass of water, get a meal and tell you to go to sleep."
"That's what I thought."
"But it's different right now-"
"Because of the crime wave?"
"Yes! I can't just-"
"You will just."
"But someone has to -"
"Work the computers? Piper can. It will give her a break from hacking that black market villain site that she told us was the Hero League's Villain Database. If we needed the site, we would have asked Phoebe for today's code."
"Hey!" Piper exclaimed before nodding her head in defeat. "Fair. Get some rest and eat something, Char. We can take care of it."
Charlotte finally relents. "Thank you."
Code F: Family
"Oh, you cannot be serious!" Rai yelled, startling us all.
"Rai?" Jasper asked worriedly.
"What is it?" Piper asked him.
"Code F. One second," Rai growled before quickly typing on his phone and bringing it up to his ear. We all exchanged confused glances as Rai waited for the other person to pick up the phone. "Kat, I cannot come out right now! Yes, I know he's my father, but that doesn't mean I have to come." Rai growled.
Rai's father? He never talks about his father. They aren't on good terms by any means. While Rai loves being a hero, he's always resented his father for taking away his childhood. He never got to graduate since he spent most of his childhood training. Once he turned eighteen, he moved out and only speaks to his father once a year when a particular weekend came up.
"Look, Kat, I understand that he's my dad, but he pulls this bullshit every year! I'm not flying out to Washington for this shit! No, I know- yes, Kat, I know- oh my gods! Fine! I'll get a flight out tomorrow! Love you too!" He yelled into the phone as he hung up.
He let out a rather loud sigh of frustration.
"Rai? Are you alright?" I ask tentatively.
"No! Gods! Why does my dad do this?" He shouted.
"Who was that?" Piper asked.
"Kat Manchester." I sighed as it became clear Rai wasn't going to respond. "Rai's cousin. Every year like clockwork, Rai's dad claims that the family doesn't spend enough time together, so he calls for a family reunion. When the family says no, he creates a sob story of how he's a quote on quote, not going to be around much longer, and that family means so much to him. So they all go home to Washington and spend a weekend with him, and without fail, he makes them all feel like shit for two days straight." I explain.
"Exactly! I don't know why I even bother going!"
"Then don't go," Charlotte suggested.
"I have to. The man is my father."
"So? He took away your childhood and criticized you." Jasper added.
"You know what, you're right." He quickly called Kat again. "Yeah, Kat? Change of plans, I'm not coming. Tell Pops that this is for my childhood and my sanity."
With that, he hung up.
Code G: Guilt
"I couldn't- they're de- I couldn't do any- I had no other- oh gods," I whisper as I stare at the dead body of a criminal I had just killed.
"Kid Danger, we need to go!"
"They had a gun- they would have- oh my gods- they would have shot- I had to. I- oh my gods- killed them." I ramble breathlessly.
"Kid, listen to me. I know that you're probably panicking, but we need to go so the cops can do their jobs," Rai explained, but whatever he said was in through one ear, out the other, not stopping to make sense in my brain.
"I've never killed- I never meant to we use stun guns- I- this is all my-," I say in one light breath.
"Kid, you never meant to hurt anyone, we know the risks of going into battle, and we try our best to end fights with minimal damage, but things happen. If you hadn't kicked him back, he would have hurt you. It's not on you that his neck broke when he hit the wall. I know that right now, you feel like the world is folding in on itself, and I know you feel like you're going to die, but listen to me, everything will be ok."
"Have you ever killed anyone?" It was the first complete sentence I'd said since I'd killed the criminal.
At first, Rai said nothing, but then, with a long breath, he responded, "No."
"Then how could you possibly understand?" I ask numbly.
"If we just get back to the Man Cave, we can talk this through."
Finally, I nod. Rai gave me a relieved smile as he helped me off the ground - when did I get on the pavement? - it doesn't matter. Vaguely, I could hear Rai quietly call a Code G, but after that, I just tuned out the world.
All I could feel was immense guilt.
Code H: Hostages
"Ok, everyone, this is serious. We have a Code H. Four men, three women and seven children are held hostage at the Swellview City Bank. You have one goal, get in, take down the hostage-taker, and make sure they don't shoot a hostage." Piper told us, sounding suspiciously like a drill sergeant.
"She knows she's not the boss, right?" Rai asked me.
"Good luck telling her that, man." I joke.
"Hey! Are you talking during the briefing?" My sister snapped.
"No, of course not. Sorry, Piper." I apologize.
"Sorry, Piper," Rai adds.
"Apology accepted. Let's move."
- time skip -
Getting the hostages out was easy. The hostage-takers didn't know what they were doing. When we had the arrested and all the hostages in shock blankets, we went back to the Man Cave.
Code H could be stressful, but sometimes it was easy.
Code I: Injured
"Ow," I mutter as Rai helps me limp into the Man Cave. "Ow. Ow. Ow."
"Henry!" Jasper exclaims.
"I'm fine. I just turned over my ankle." I wave off.
"That doesn't sound fine." Schwoz pointed out.
"Oh, it's not that bad. I need to elevate it, that's all." I shrug, letting Rai help me onto the couch.
"What happened?" Charlotte asked, grabbing her desk chair to prop up my ankle.
"We were chasing some thug when he started throwing stuff at us that he could grab as they were running, but he managed to throw something right where I was about to step, and I tripped over it. I landed on my ankle wrong, but it's only minor."
"Alright, but I'm going to do a scan just to be sure." States Schwoz as he pulls his medical wand out of the desk drawer. He scans me up and down to be sure. It's when he furrows his brow do I begin to worry. "Your ankle will be fine in a few days with rest and elevation, but Henry, are you aware you have an old broken rib?"
"What!" Rai shrieks.
"Yeah, it looks old and healed over, but it has healed weirdly," Schwoz explains.
"Yeah, I know about it," I reply, trying my best to sound nonchalant.
"And you didn't tell me?" Rai yells.
Schwoz looked between Rai and me before taking the matter into his own hands, something I don't think I've ever seen the short man do. "Rai, Jasper, Charlotte, do you mind giving Henry and me the room?"
Jasper looked like he was going to protest, but Charlotte intervened. "Come on, Jasp, let's give Schwoz and Henry some room to talk. Rai, I suggest you do the same."
"What? No! I want to know what's going on!" Rai whines.
"Rai, I promise, it's nothing you need to know. Just trust me." I reassure.
Judging by the conflicted look on Rai's face, he wanted to stay but decided against it with my reassuring smile. When it was finally just Schwoz and me, Schwoz looked at me with a stern but comforting gaze.
"I need to know anything that could affect your health, Henry. You know that, medically wise."
"I know. It's just, that I try not to think about this. So, back when I was five, when my mom was still pregnant with Piper, we were in some major financial trouble. Financial trouble that my parents refused to acknowledge." I took a breath. "It was when my kindergarten teacher, Mx. Golly, called Child Protective Services, that my parents started to fix their problem. Mx. Golly had noticed that I had been losing weight and was coming to school hungry. When they asked me about it, I told them that I hadn't eaten in four days."
"Oh my gods, Henry," Schwoz whispered. "That's-"
"It gets worse. CPS took me out of the home, promising it would only be until my parents got back on their feet. I was supposed to stay with my Aunt Nymph. But, unfortunately, she had broken her legs in a motorcycle accident. She was barely 23 at the time, so she was still a bit of a rebel, too busy being rebellious to settle down, so obviously, she was in no condition to take care of me. That's where the foster care system came in."
Schwoz inhaled sharply, not unaware of the horror stories of the foster system. "I'm guessing I'm not going to like this story."
I shake my head. "I was an emergency placement. They stuck me in the first home that they could. Mr Donovan. He was an arsehole. Oh, my gods, he was terrible. He was fostering six children, including myself. Myself, the youngest, Maeve Prince, six, Freya Diggle, eight, Cadmus and Ophelia Lively, ten, they were twins, and Arlo Diaz, eleven."
"That's a lot of kids. Especially so young."
"Yeah, it is. Luckily, the twins were adopted shortly after, but Maeve, Freya, Arlo and I were there for a while. Donovan used to beat us if we messed up. He had us doing chores. He said that we owed it to him, that if we were bad, he would kick us out. To a bunch of kids, that was terrifying. He didn't even call us by our real names. Maeve was Princess, Freya was Kiwi because she was from New Zealand, Arlo was Queso, Mr Donovan was very racist, and I was Blondie."
"Henry, that sounds awful."
"I remember the first time I had to make supper for him."
"Henry, you were five. How could- how could you make him supper?"
"I couldn't. That was the problem. I tried so hard to make some boxed macaroni and cheese, but I burnt it." I wince, recalling what I was about to say. "He screamed and screamed at me for 'ruining his pot'. He held me down while he beat me up, but only in areas easy to cover. I guess he ended up breaking my rib."
"Oh, Henry..."
"When he let me go, Arlo helped me wrap it, which is devastating when you remember he was eleven. I guess he had experienced beatings before too. Luckily I never punctured a lung, but it never actually healed properly."
"What happened to Donavon?"
"He was arrested two months later. Freya showed up at school breathing heavily and sweaty. She was bleeding internally from a beating that morning. The school called an ambulance, and Freya's social worker arrived. They looked into Mr Donavon and found that he had been abusing his foster children. He's still in prison."
"What happened to Arlo, Maeve and Freya?"
"Freya's in her third year of business school. Maeve is in her first year of nursing. And Arlo ended up moving back to Spaihis Tío Alberto adopted him, Alberto. As far as I know, he's doing well. He's working as a social worker."
"I'm glad you all got your happy endings."
"Not exactly happy endings, more like happy middles."
Schwoz chuckled. "So Rai doesn't know anything about this?"
I lightly shook my head. "There are some things you just want to keep private, you know?"
"Yeah, I know. I won't tell Rai if you don't want me to."
"Thanks, Schwoz."
We smile at each other, content in the knowledge that it was ok to keep parts of yourself private.
Code J: Jolly Beatles
"Guess what Rai has gotten himself into again." I laughed.
"It's not funny!" Rai snapped
"What's not funny?" Piper asked.
"Nothing-"
"Rai has got sprayed by the tears of a jolly beetle perfume, which isn't a problem because we have the cure, but what's funny is that he got hurt."
"What? Are you okay?" Jasper asked.
"What do you mean he got hurt? He's indestructible." Piper insisted.
Of course, she wouldn't know about Rai's one weakness. "Oh, yeah, Rai's kryptonite, so to say, is the tears of a jolly beetle, and the cure is also the tears of a jolly beetle, but happy tears."
"Wait, so he's currently not indestructible?" Piper confirmed.
"Nope," I laughed.
"I think we're missing the obvious." Charlotte pointed out, "Rai, how are you hurt?"
"This is the worst pain imaginable!" Rai bemoaned.
"Okay, and what is this pain?" Schwoz asked, preparing to bring out the scanner.
"He's fine. All it is is a papercut." I cleared up, laughing at Rai's overdramatic, pained face.
"Seriously?" Charlotte asked, her voice filled with exasperation.
"It's painful, okay!"
"Rai, you've seen me get electrocuted, choked to near blacking out, break bones and more, and you're crying over a paper cut?" I laugh.
"Well yeah, but-" Rai spluttered. "Just give me the antidote!"
"Nah, I think we should let him spend a day completely human, see if he makes it through the day," Charlotte suggested with a sly smirk spread across her face.
"What? No!" Rai yelled.
"You'll be fine for a few hours." Piper laughs.
"Yeah, Rai, live life normally for a while. Let's see how you cope," Jasper added.
"You can't be serious." Rai deadpanned.
"Deadly serious," Schwoz answered, leaving through the door that leads to his lab.
Code K: Killed
I couldn't breathe, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't breathe. Barge had my neck squished between his upper and forearm, effectively cutting off any oxygen flow I was receiving. My vision was fading quickly. I might have even warned them about this. I couldn't tell, but I did know that I was losing consciousness pretty quickly.
I felt like the air was being forced out of my body, like a balloon slowly losing its helium. My vision was swimming, blackening at the corners, and Barge, the towel worshipping bafoon, wouldn't let go. As I felt Charlotte continue to try and break me free, I closed my eyes. Being awake was overrated anyway.
-.-.-.-.-
I open my eyes, gasping for air. My lungs felt like lead, and my throat felt raw. My mind felt foggy, and my mouth felt like cotton. I tried to move, only to find I was unable to. Huh. Weird.
"Hey, hey, you're okay. Just take it easy. You weren't breathing. I almost had to call a Code K, which, by the way, is not something I'd like to do. Your chest will hurt like hell, and you're probably feeling pretty awful. Just hold on, kid. Charlotte and Jasper will get us back so we can reverse the effects of the flabber gas, and we'll get your throat healed."
Kid. Only Rai called me kid. "Cap'n Man." I slurred out.
"Yeah, kid, it's me. We're going back to the Man Cave."
Sure enough, even though I'd much rather stay on the towel-covered floor of the laundromat, I felt my body move.
Code L: Late
"Piper! We are going to be late!"
"No, we're not!" Piper called back.
"Piper, come on!" I yelled.
"Can't hear you!" Piper yelled, switching on her hairdryer.
"Piper! I growl. "Fine! If you come down right now, I promise we can stop at Starbucks on the way."
The hairdryer cut off. "And you'll pay?" She exits the bathroom, a ready-to-bargain smirk on her face. She's leaning against the stair railing now.
"I'll buy you a grande drink." I offer.
"Trenta with an iced lemon loaf." She counters.
She can't be serious. "Grande with an iced lemon loaf."
"Trenta with a cake pop." She says, her eyes narrowing.
"Venti with a cake pop, final offer."
"Deal." She agreed, throwing her somewhat wet hair into a ponytail and bouncing down the stairs. "Come on! We're going to be late!" She bounds into the car.
I groaned, quickly texting Rai: Code L.
Code M: Missing
I've decided that this is stupid. The thought of being kidnapped is scary and all, but honestly, it's boring. I have been sitting in some dingy basement, tied to a chair. The air conditioner was on blast, and I was freezing. I'm sure a Code M is already in effect. Rai is sure to have gone to the Man Cave and had probably already started locating my tracker.
The kidnapper who took me wasn't even all that smart, amateur. He didn't even bother to check to see if I had a tracker. He just took my phone, idiot.
"So, are you ready to talk?" The kidnapper asks.
"Nah, I mean, I'm sorry, but your interrogation tactics suck. Like, come on. Cigarette burns? My uncle used to put out cigars on me as a kid."
"You're uncle put out cigarettes on you?" The kidnapper repeated.
"Yeah, I mean, it wasn't that bad. Hold on," I shimmied in my chair to get my sleeve up. "See?" There were a few old cigar burns. "And come on. All you've done besides this is rough me up a few times. Do better."
"Kid, are you okay?" The man asked.
"Yeah? Why?" I ask.
"Teenagers scare the living shit out of me." I heard him whisper.
"Plus, I've had much worse on the job."
The man paled. "Like what?"
"Oh, uh," I paused to think, "Electrocution, that sucked. Shot at, had my arm broken - that hurt - uh, I was in an explosion. And that's not even including the emotional trauma."
"E-Emotional trauma?" The kidnapper stammered.
"Oh yeah. I've been doing this since I was a kid, hence the name. I've practically grown up a child soldier. I learned how to shoot a gun and detain a criminal before I learned trigonometry."
"Kid, that doesn't seem-"
"Oh, and of course, the anxiety." I cut him off.
"The anxiety?" The criminal echoed.
"Yeah, I mean, my parents don't know I do this, so there's the fear that they'll find out about my career choice, and then there's the added fear of anyone finding out my identity and going after my family. And that's not even accounting for the number of times I've been in peril. After a while, it starts to get to you."
"Jesus, would you like anything? A hug? A cup of tea?" The kidnapper asked, crouching down in front of me.
"Honestly, I could go for a cup of tea."
"Su-sure, n-no pro-problem. Milk and sugar?"
"Lots of milk, no sugar."
"Sure thing, kid." He mumbled in a dazed sort of way.
Huh, I think I scared him.
- time skip -
"So," I take a sip of tea. The kidnapper, who I've since learned is named David Cooper, had undone one of my arms from the restraints to allow me to drink my tea, "do you think that your father not showing you enough attention as a child caused you to spiral into a life of crime?"
"You know, it might have."
"Look, David, I'm not an expert, but I don't think you want to be a criminal."
"I don't! And I've never committed a crime before now!" David enthusiastically exclaimed.
"I know that. And, as we've gone over, you haven't injured me all that much."
"I'm so sorry about that." David apologized
"David, it's nothing."
"Still, I spent all this time trying not to be my dad, only to rough up a kid."
"David, what we do after our mistakes that matter, not the actions themselves."
"You're a wise kid, do you know that?" He muses.
I ignore the last comment. "So, what do you want to do?"
"Well, I want to go to university and be an art major."
"Really? That's excellent, man!"
"Thanks, it's always been a dream of mine. And I mean, I'm only twenty. I still have loads of time."
"Well, I'm happy for you. Look, you seem like a good guy. You're young. You have a future. So, I will let you go on the condition that you are on a one-year probation for your crimes. If I catch anything about you returning to crime, I will lock you up, no hesitation."
David nodded excitedly, "Yes, I promise! I will never do anything like this or against the law ever again."
"Good, I want to see your art, man."
"Thanks, but what about you? I mean, kid, the way you talk about your job as a superhero, it doesn't sound healthy."
"What? No, I'm fine."
"I hate to break it to you, kiddo, but that's not fine. That's repressing trauma."
"No, no. I only have a little trauma."
"Okay, then let me ask you, do you wake up every night from nightmares?" I nod. "What about loud noises? Do you wince or react badly?" I nod again. "Do you feel detached from reality?" Nod. "Do you find that you have no interest in things that used to cause you joy?" Nod. "How about this, you may just mention your injuries in passing, but do you avoid thinking and talking about them in-depth?" I nod. "Kid, those are all signs of post-traumatic stress disorder."
"Huh," I whisper.
"Look, I don't mean to bring you down."
"No, no, David, it's okay."
- time skip -
David had fully untied me at this point. We were sitting down drinking tea and discussing what needed to be talked about by an unbiased person when Rai burst through the door.
"Freeze!" He yelled. "Put your hands - wait, what?"
"Oh hey, Cap, this is David. He's my new friend. He wants to be an art major."
"He- what?"
"An art major," I repeated. "We're friends now, and he gave me tea."
"Oh, okay, cool, cool, cool, no doubt," Rai mumbled. "Hey, kid?"
"Yes?"
"Are you out of your damn mind!" Rai yelled.
"I mean maybe, but David here has been nothing but accommodating. We talked it out, and I'm prepared to let him go on the terms of probation."
"Kid Danger, he kidnapped you!"
"More like he forced me to have a conversation with him with a little spice added," I say, gesturing to the ropes discarded on the floor.
"A little- a little spice added? Dude, he kidnapped you!"
"A surprise hang out."
"Kidnapping!"
"Forced date."
"Aww, is this a date?" David laughed.
"Hold on!" Rai yelled.
"I mean, sure. We probably can't see each other again, though. Secret identity and all."
"Damn, 'cause you're cute." David sighed.
"Teenagers scare the living shit out of me," Rai mumbled.
"Hey, that's what he said!" I laughed.
"Good gods." Rai sighed as David and I high-fived.
Code N: Nightmares
A gasp ripped through my throat as I bolted awake. My body trembled from the residual fear of my nightmare. Not that I remembered what it was about.
No, I didn't remember how my parents lay limp on the floor, a single red, circular wound marred on their foreheads, their eyes staring unseeingly into the distance.
I didn't remember how my sister's body lay like a ragdoll, splayed out on her bed, her limbs jutting out at odd angles.
I didn't remember how Charlotte screamed for the sweet release of death as some masked villain tortured her, only for her wish to be granted when she died the same way as my parents did.
I didn't remember how Jasper cursed me out and ripped my heart in two as he told me how terrible a person I was and that he wished he'd never met me, only to die in my arms a moment later.
I didn't remember how Schwoz was shot executioner style for simply knowing me.
I didn't remember how Rai stood before me, face contorted with anger as he told me that he'd always known I'd turn out this way, broken and dark, evil and malicious. He said I was never suited to be a hero, that I'd always end up being the villain I was. And I didn't remember that as Rai raised his gun, I saw my reflection, seeing not normal myself, but the masked villain. The villain had the same smile, hair, and eyes because he was me. I didn't remember the memories of killing my friends.
And I didn't remember that the only emotion I felt when Rai killed me was pure relief.
"Code N," I whispered, no one around to hear me.
And I didn't remember, but I knew I'd never forget.
Code O: Okay
Since I met Rai, there's always been one thing I could be sure of: Rai was always okay. It was a constant in my life. Even when my life would fall into chaos, and I felt like I was about to have a meltdown, I would latch onto the fact that Rai would always be okay. When I felt like I was about to cry, if I felt the anxiety of the job creep against my soul, I would repeat "Code O", and something so simple always calmed me down.
Code P: Pain
It was quiet, and I was alone. Though, I had been alone for a good while now. I don't know why I thought going to Dystopia was a good plan. I thought, well, I can do anything, I can go to a dystopian country and solve crimes as I did in Swellview. But that's not true anymore. Dystopia isn't like Swellview. It's not even Swellview adjacent. There are crimes here that would make Rai shudder. They keep me up at night. The what-ifs and could-have should-haves keep me awake until light filters through my window, feeling the weight of the casualties - yes, casualties - and injuries of victims I couldn't save, crush my soul, weigh on my heart and plague my mind. The pain of my failures tore me from the inside out.
Charlotte and Jasper notice. I know they know. They know I know they know. I know they know, I know they know. Everyone knows, but no one talks about it. I know they have PTSD, so why would I bother them with mine? We don't talk about our pain, the pain that eats us from the inside out. We live with it and grow around it. We move on, and we never stop running. Because if we did, if we stopped for one moment, the pain would eat us alive.
Code Q: Questions
Life as a superhero was fun, frightening, and sometimes annoying. Fun, because what little kid doesn't want to be a superhero when they grow up? Terrifying because I face criminals of all sorts daily, some of who want to kill me. But annoying because when you are a superhero with a hidden identity, people begin to ask questions.
'Hey, where did you get that black eye?'
'Why are you limping?'
'Why didn't you come to the fifth period?'
It begins to get exhausting after a while. Sometimes it made me want to hide in the Man Cave and never return to civilian life.
Maybe that's why I ran away to Dystopia with Charlotte and Jasper. No one would question me there. No one would care there. So when I entered some Dystopian dive bar, and no one asked for an ID, no one batted an eye when I stayed out until three with Charlotte and Jasper, I finally felt free. No one would call a Code Q here.
No one questioned me when I bought a shit ton of ramen noodles.
No one questioned me why I wasn't in school.
No one questioned why I sang karaoke at the top of my lungs and danced with my friends with smiles across our faces and alcohol in our blood.
No one questioned me why I had blood on my leather jacket sleeves.
No one questioned me why my smile didn't seem to reach my eyes.
No one questioned why I stopped drinking soda and started drinking jack and coke.
No one questioned me when I laid my gun on the bar counter.
No one questioned me when I walked away from the criminal I had killed.
No one questioned me, but inside, I wished they had.
Code R: Reporters
"Captain Man! Kid Danger! I'm Kara Cresley, from the Swellview Daily News! Care to comment on the Swellview Strangler's latest attack and just how you stopped him?" The woman shoved a microphone into my face.
"Oh, fun, code R. You can handle this, can't you Kid Danger?" Rai laughed, already walking away.
"What? Captain Man- and he's already gone. Alright, uh, sorry, what was the question?"
Rai and I never liked reporters, they were nosy and most of the time, rather rude. They never left well enough alone and were always trying to get interviews and the inside scoop on everything. Yes, I know it's their job, but it's an annoying one.
"Would you like to comment on the Swellview Strangler's last attack and how you put a magnificent end to his murderous spree?" Kara Cresley asked again, pointing the microphone at my face again.
With a sigh, "Uh, yeah, okay, so- nope not doing this. Figure it out." I laugh, running off after Rai.
Code S: Sleep
"Henry, you need to sleep," Rai whined as he came out of the hall which leads to his bedroom, finding me on the couch with the Man Cave laptop on my lap. "Code S, man."
"I'm not tired," I replied, stifling a yawn as I spoke.
"Come on, when was the last time you slept?" Rai asked, moving to sit beside me.
"I'm not sure," I replied, not taking my eyes off the screen. "One, two days? It's not important. I don't need sleep, I need to work."
"Henry, it's okay to take a break. I know you want to find the Swellview Strangler, but you won't find him when you're falling asleep where you're sitting." Rai reminded me, wrapping an arm around me, pulling me close so my head was resting on his shoulder.
"I can't sleep, I have too much work to do! Every time I try to, I just see the faces of the people that that monster has killed! We need to stop him, Rai! That tea I drank last night, which you said was girly, was supposed to help, but it didn't do shit. And I'm so tired." I whined, knowing I probably sounded like an overtired toddler.
I heard Rai sigh as he closed the laptop and pulled it away from me. "Okay, kid, come here." Rai smiled at me, adjusting me so my weight was against his chest.
"This is stupid," I mumbled.
"Relax, Henry, I've got you," Rai reassured me.
With some reluctance, let him pull me into a comforting embrace. Rai pulled my chest up onto his lap, letting my head rest on his leg, and began running his fingers through my shaggy, fluffy hair, which had not been gelled in several days.
Rai began humming an ACDC song quietly. After several minutes, I finally began to relax, my tense muscles slowly loosening. Rai kept up his ministrations until my breathing deepened, and I felt my body go limp. It was just as I fell into unconsciousness that I heard Rai whisper.
"Sleep well Henry, I'll be here when you wake up."
Code T: Tears
"Okay, okay, hold on, I'm going to get you down," Rai reassured me, working on the binds that were holding me up against the wall, trying to avoid the gashes on my exposed torso. "I've got you."
"Cap'n..." I slurred, suddenly overcome with just how much the blood loss was affecting me.
"Yeah, yeah kid, I'm here. I'm getting you out of here."
"I thought you- you wouldn't find me..." I drawled, letting my body slump as Rai finally released me from my cuffs. Maybe it was the blood loss, the exhaustion or the drugs in my system the men had dosed me with, but I found it suddenly very difficult to keep my composure. Tears began to flood my eyes. "You were gone... so long."
"Ah, kid, don't do that, I'm here, I'm here. Don't pull a Code T on me, you know I can't handle tears." Rai pleaded. "I'm getting you out of here, come on, it's okay."
I blink sluggishly at Rai, brain catching up with the burning gashes stretched across my torso, pain starting to kick in as the adrenaline begins to wear thin. "Cap'n?"
"Yeah-yeah, kid?" Rai responds, blinking back tears of his own.
"Thank you f'r findin' me." I sighed, letting myself go completely limp in Rai's arms, unconsciousness enveloping me like a warm hug.
Code U: Undercover
It wasn't all that often that Rai or I had to go undercover, but when it did happen, we were always prepared. Going undercover is kind of like an art form or even a dance, one wrong move and everything could unravel like a cheap bracelet. It could even cost you your life or the lives of others. Safe to say, everything was on the line, which is why ita great relief to find out I no longer had to go undercover at a criminal biker gang's bar.
The group of bikers in question were led by Ophelia Alise, a wicked woman with a multitude of charges to her name; murder, theft, grand theft auto, assault and fraud. She was not a woman I wanted to spend time with for more than I had to. So, to find out that she was arrested at a simple, random traffic stop was a weight off of my shoulders.
I was not looking forward to this specific case, so when Charlotte informed us that she had been arrested along with four of the gang members and the rest of the criminal gang had disbanded and fled the state, I sagged with relief. No tears were shed over the loss of this particular Code U.
Code V: Vest
Though I never thought I'd say this, Piper joining the team was an absolute godsend. I don't know why we never thought of it before, I'd certainly been shot more than enough. It just never came up, but Piper, ever the realist, suggested Schwoz make my vest bulletproof. At first, I didn't see the point, yes it was safer, but It's not like I got shot on every case, but Piper was persistent= as always, she refused to back down. So, Schwoz replaced my silver vest with a silver kevlar.
And thank the gods that he did, thank the gods that Piper thought of it because if he didn't, I would have three bullet holes shot through my stomach, chest and hip.
"Kid Danger!" Rai yelled. Fear and panic lit his eyes like a tree at Christmas.
"N-No, keep going," I wheezed, trying to regain the breath that had been punched from my lungs from the bullet's impact against my vest. The bruises were going to be hell to deal with, but much easier than three holes ripped through my body. "Code V, I'm good."
"Remind me to thank that girl when we get back!" Rai shouted.
"Don't," wheeze, "worry, I'll be," wheeze, "thanking her too."
"You sure it was just the vest?"
"Considering," wheeze, "I'm not bleeding," wheeze, "out at the moment, yes."
"Alright, good, catch your breath, I've got this loser."
"Oi! Wearin' kevlars now, are ye'?" The thug yowled as Rai cuffed him. "That's no fair!"
"What? So he's just supposed to let himself get shot?" Rai sarcastically questioned.
"Well, yeah! We criminals, we do hard work, and it would be great if we could pick one of ye' off! And since we can't get the stone skin fella gone, we gots to go fer the young'in." He responded.
"Hey, that's my young'in- sidekick, you can't just go and shoot people!"
"Really? It's so easy though." The thug said with a confused look on his face.
"That's not the point." Rai sighed.
"And" wheeze, "I really," wheeze, "don't appreciate being shot at." I groaned, laying on my back as I tried to regain my breath.
"Yeah, so how about, when you do get out of prison, don't go shooting people, okay?"
"I s'pose I could give 'er a shot." Said the criminal with a sigh.
"Glad," wheeze, "to hear it." I groaned. "Ooh those," wheeze, "are going to be wicked," wheeze, "bruises."
Code W: Walls
Rai's Point of View
I saw it happen in front of my eyes. I saw the moment Henry's walls went up. Why did Schwoz have to tell him about Drex? Everything was perfectly fine the way it was, with Henry knowing nothing of Drex and him believing that he was my one and only sidekick. But no! Schwoz just had to open his big mouth. Seriously, though, it was big enough to shove a pineapple in there.
I'm getting off track. Henry was like my kid, he is my best friend, and now- now he knows that he's not my first sidekick. How will that affect him? Will he look at me differently now that he knows my sidekick was and is so malicious? Will he be closed off forever? Would he hate me? I could see the way Henry closed himself off from me, and that killed me, it hurt more than words could express.
All I could hope, beyond hope, pray, was that Henry wouldn't keep his walls up forever.
Code X: X-Ray
Rai's Point of View
It was barely four in the morning when I heard the knock on my door. Grumbling, I dragged myself out of bed, untangling my legs from the blue duvet, letting the heat regretfully waft out of the comforting cacoon I was once in. This better be good, and not Schwoz just wanting to tell me about a new invention he was making because I swear to all the gods available, I will stuff a pineapple in his mouth now that I knew it was possible.
I whipped open the door, "Schwoz! This had better be good!"
Schwoz was standing awkwardly on the other side of the door, holding his right arm against his chest weirdly, like he was cradling it.
"Sorry, I-" Schwoz started. "Never mind, it's fine." He mumbled.
Suddenly alert from the way my friend was speaking, I stand up straight, my expression softening. "Schwoz, are you okay?"
"Yeah, no, I'm okay, I just- I'm sorry for bothering you." He hastily replied, turning to leave.
"Schwoz."
"Yes?" He turned around.
"What did you do to your arm?" I ask, a small, but worried smile on my face.
"I believe I may have broken it."
Oh, the smile left my face quickly. My friend and hero instincts sprung into overdrive. "How did you possibly break your arm?" I ask hastily, leading my friend out to the living area. "I swear, Schwoz if it was some stupid gadget or chemical experiment, I'll kill-"
"I spilt my coffee and slipped, that's all." Schwoz cut me off. "But, I probably need a Code X."
I find myself beginning to relax, knowing that Schwoz hadn't indeed injured himself in some way that could call for more expert medical practice than what I could muster up.
"Alright, that I can deal with. Come on, let's get this scanned so we can cast it and go to bed." I sighed.
- time skip -
"Well, it looks like you only broke it in one place, a hairline fracture, I think."
Schwoz peered over my shoulder, to look at the screen. "Yeah, you're right. Good job."
"Yeah, I listen!"
"You do?"
"Oi! I'm the one fixing your arm, remember?" I laughed.
"Sorry, sorry."
"Here," I pull out a cast gum ball from the medical cabinet, passing it two Schwoz.
He nodded with a smile, blowing a bubble, watching as a bright blue cast appeared on his arm.
"Thank you, Rai."
"Of course, man, you're my friend. I'll always be here for you."
Code Y: Young
Rai's Point of View
I've known Henry Hart and Charlotte since they were thirteen years old, and since then, I've seen them grow up. From an over-excited middle schooler to brilliant young adults, it's been a pleasure to be their friend. And Charlotte has always been so down-to-earth, intelligent and mature, that it was hard to remember she was still only a kid. And Henry, despite his bravery and everything the superhero life has thrown at him, is also still just a kid. I knew Jasper since he was fourteen, and he went from a goofy little kid to a wonderful, yet still goofy, young man.
So, when Henry decided to go off to Dystopia with Jasper and Charlotte, I didn't bat an eye. Sure I was gutted that my kids were leaving me, but boy, was I proud of them. It was only when they came back from Dystopia for Thanksgiving did I realize how young they are.
Schwoz and I had been preparing the New Man Cave's dinner table, setting the table, stringing orange, red, and yellow balloons and bringing out the meal the auto snack had prepared. We hadn't thought anything of it.
We noticed right away that the three were acting odd, closed off, and jumpy. It was only after supper did everything come to light. I'm sure Schwoz didn't mean to do it, but when he got up to grab another plate of mashed potatoes, which is better than turkey, just putting it out there, he kicked a balloon, causing it to burst, causing Henry to flinch so hard, I thought he might fall out of his chair. And fuck, it wasn't even just Henry. Charlotte had such a far-away expression in her eyes that I wouldn't know but she had been experiencing an absence seizure. And Jasper, Jasper was gripping the table so hard that his knuckles were white.
"Kids?" I asked.
"I- How bullet- we don't have guns with- there's no-" Henry whimpered.
"Henry, kid, are you okay? It was just the balloon." I reassured.
"Captain Man doesn't use bullet guns," Jasper whispered to himself.
"No, no, we don't use bullet guns. We use harmless stun lasers. I promise it was just the balloon." I promised.
"Right, right, no, I know that."
"What's going on? What happened?" Schwoz asked, fear crinkling his eyes.
"No, it's- it's nothing," Jasper said.
"Henry has gotten shot twice times, once in the shoulder, once in the stomach. Jasper's been shot four times, once in the leg, once in the arm and twice in the stomach. I've been shot once, in the arm. Guns- guns are scary." Charlotte finally spoke up, coming out of her trance-like state.
"The- the balloon, when it- when it popped, it sounds- it sounds just like a gun," Said Henry.
"Schwoz, clear out the balloons. I'm going to order some tea for the kids. It's going to be okay, you're all okay." I said, smiling grimly at them.
As I ordered their teas, remembering exactly how they took it even after a year, I heard Henry speak.
"Dystopia is so much scarier than Swellview."
Charlotte and Jasper made sounds of agreement.
"I never wanted to know how it feels to have a hole ripped through your body," Charlotte admitted, sounding more shaken than I'd ever heard her.
"Shh, it's okay. You're not going back there. It's okay, you're safe now." I said, rubbing circles on her back.
Jasper, Henry and Charlotte looked up at me.
"Rai, we have to," Charlotte said.
"We are Dystopia's only line of defence. We don't have any other choice." Jasper agreed.
"No, absolutely not. You are staying here where it's safe and warm, and there are no guns- er, less guns, it's still America."
"Rai, we're going back," Henry said softly, sounding as though he didn't even agree with what he was saying.
- time skip -
I sat with Schwoz, drinking tea. The kids had gone to bed, exhausted and anxious, still reeling from the panic the balloon had caused.
"Schwoz, they're only nineteen. How is this okay?"
"It's not. No one their age should have such a strong reaction to gunshots like they do." Schwoz agreed.
"Do you ever forget how young they are?" I ask after a moment of silence.
"All the time," Schwoz admitted.
"I don't remember when I stopped looking at them like teenagers. They always seemed so..."
"I know, they were always so." Schwoz agreed.
"How are we going to stop them from going back?"
"Rai, I don't think we can. They're adults, they can make their own decisions."
"God dammit Schwoz! When we go into a case where I child is at risk, we call a Code Y, a Code Young, well dammit. I'm calling it now. There are children at risk here! They can't go back to that awful place! Between the three of them, they have been shot seven times! They can't go back!"
"Rai, what about the kids who live in Dystopia? Who defends them if Charlotte, Jasper and Henry aren't there?"
"Someone else's kids! My kids are staying here!"
After a moment of silence, Schwoz finally spoke. "Rai, they'll go back. You know they will. Because as young as they are, they have a right to do what they want with their lives. But, if they ever decide they want to come home, the Man Cave, new and improved will always be there for them."
"Schwoz, what if they never come home? What if they die there?"
"They'll come home." Schwoz smiled. "I know they will."
And they did come home. Two years later.
After they had finally finished what they had set to do. They established a T-Force-connected police force, started the first private orphanage, opened schools and helped reform the education system. They changed so much and helped Dystopia so much.
Sure they came back with more scars than anyone the age of twenty-one should have, but they survived, and they came out better.
Code Z: Zip It!
One thing the members of the Man Cave team had to deal with on a daily, was Jasper's plethora of special interests. Whether it was from late nights of not being able to sleep that led to random research on random topics or just the general thirst for knowledge, Jasper had an enormous supply of useless knowledge that drove me and our friends insane.
"Hey, did you know that the origins of women's pockets are rooted in sexism?" Jasper asked.
"No, Jasp," I replied, "I can't say that I did."
"Yeah, when pockets were first invented, they were just bags underneath clothes with a little opening to access them. It was the closest we've ever gotten to pocket equality, but unlike men, women had to take off layers of clothing to access their pockets." Jasper explained.
"Uh-huh," Charlotte responded.
"Yeah, and then in the late 1700s, fashion changed so that women wore slim-fitting clothes, which caused women to lose their pockets, which sparked the small bag industry, barely large enough to hold a few coins, which was to show how women didn't have money without a man," Jasper explained.
"Right." Piper nodded, actually seeming a bit interested.
"But then the pocket revolution came around. Pamphlets on how to sew pockets into clothing were passed around as women started to push for independence, and for a while, that was fine, until society did what we do best. World War."
"Uh huh, and was that the first of two instalments?" I briefly asked.
"Yeah, it was. The men went away to war, leaving women to do the 'men's' jobs." Jasper explained, putting air quotes around the word 'men's'. "And women had to wear work clothing, which had pockets. Massive pockets! Like you could fit so much stuff in there! Have you seen the difference between men's to women's pockets? It's insane! Sorry, I'm getting off track." Jasper chuckled. "Uh, so they-"
"Jasper, no offence, but Code Z," Charlotte announced, with a sympathetic smile and a wince.
"No, yeah, that's fine. Sorry." Jasper apologized, suddenly seeming pretty awkward.
"No, seriously, we'd love to hear the rest, it's just, we have a lot of work to do, so why don't you tell us over dinner tonight, that is if you all are staying for dinner?" Rai suggested.
"Depends, what's for dinner?" Jasper asked, scrunching his brow.
"Jasper, it's the autosnack, it can make whatever you want for dinner." Schwoz reminded him, rolling his eyes.
- time skip -
Jasper did end up explaining the rest of the unique history of pockets to my friends, that was quite interesting. Maybe we as a team should learn to listen to Jasper's infodumps, or at least be kinder when we shut him down.
Holy fuck, I did it. My 100th one shot. I did it! You have no idea what this means to me, and I could never have done it without all of you lovely readers by my side. I am so grateful for all of you and the kindness you have shown me for the last three years. You are all so wonderful, and I hope beyond hopes that you enjoyed reading my 100th one shot as much as I enjoyed reading it. This chapter was also very significant to me because way back in 2019, I put forward the idea of writing an alphabet one-shot book, basically a book with a different prompt for each letter. I never did get around to writing it, so I wrote it now. This work in progress literally took three years to see the light of day.
So, as always,
Cheers!