Twins 99 Volume 1 – How Heroes Start Chapter 6: Criminal Misunderstandings

Three days later, it is nighttime and I’m playing video games in my room.

“Hey, where is your brother?”

Dad enters my room.

“He is exercising in the Training Room.”

“Why aren’t you exercising?”

“Because, I have reasons.”

I hesitantly answer.

“What are your reasons?”

“Um, I guess I have to go find them.”

I joke and try to go past Dad and leave my room. I can’t tell him that I was too lazy to exercise in the Training Room.

“Go get your brother and put these on.”

Dad hands me our criminal-looking outfits.

“Vigilante time?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

I run all the way downstairs to the Training Room. I see Jovan right outside of the door.

“Dude, I thought you were exercising in there.”

“I forgot the password.”

“Seriously? So, you were just standing here the entire time. You left my room thirty minutes ago. You’re so dumb.”

“Shut up, you probably don’t know the password either.”

I walk past Jovan and I slowly put in the code, so Jovan can clearly see what I’m typing. I typed it like that on purpose.

“It’s twins99.”

“You’re a dick.”

I know. It was still funny. I chuckle a lot after his response.

“Okay, we gotta put these on again.”

I show Jovan our ‘Them’ costumes.

“Vigilante time?”

“Vigilante time.”

We put on the criminal outfits and head out of the house with Dad.

“Ah man, don't we have to walk there again?”

I ask Jovan, afraid that I already know the answer to my question.

“Yeah, so? Get used to it.”

“This is only the SECOND time that we're going out as vigilantes. How would I already be used to this?”

“I'm already used to it.”

“No, you're not.”

“Quit it and start walking.”

Dad ends our bickering and we begin strolling through our neighborhood. As we get out of our neighborhood, I start hearing weird noises.

“What the hell is that?”

“Animal noises?”

Jovan supposes because how loud the noises are.

“No, those sounds are moans.”

Dad notes, sounding disturbed. All of the sudden, I trip and land inside of a bush.

“Man, come on. No one told me there was anything in front of me.”

I lift my head and make out what seems to be a man and woman covered in leaves while making love to each other.

“JESUS CHRIST!”

I get out of the bush by accidentally using my superspeed. I dash up a house and skyrocket into the air. I am so high in the air that I have a clear view of the moon. I don't have time to enjoy the view as I make a fast and rough landing back to the earth. Now, the area, I landed on, appears as a small demolished grave.

“Did that really just happen?”

“Yes.”

Jovan answers Dad's question.

“That hurt like hell.”

I hold my head to ease the pain. As I glance at the sky, I spot several leaves. I move my head to the left and see a naked man with leaves and dirt all over his body.

“Oh god.”

I turn my head to the right and glare at a naked woman covered in leaves and dirt.

“OH GOD.”

I am literally in between the couple. Why? WHYYYYYY?! I DIDN'T WANT THIS!!!

“What was that all about?”

“Nothing, I was temporarily scared of the dark.”

I tell Dad a lie while we amble out of the neighborhood.

“Sure.”

Dad doesn't believe me at all. I don't blame him. I said something that a kid would say. But, I don't care as long as he doesn't bring it up again. That was definitely anime karma. I ran in the OPPOSITE direction and got in a WORSE position with the couple. That crap was not my fault.  Who does that outside in the dark? Better question, who does that outside when it is almost midnight?! How could they see each other? If I was in there any longer, it could have led to something way too kinky for me. Why do anime cliches only happen to me?! I am absolutely not telling anyone this. Not even Jovan. The only positive thing about this is I can run on walls. Which was a given.

“The noises stopped.”

Jovan observes.

“Great.”

I half-heartedly respond.

“You saw people having sex, didn't you.”

Dad whispers into my ear. Wha

“How did you know that?”

“I told you I heard moans. It was obvious. Animals don't make sounds like that.”

I swear. This day was fine, until night came. After more walking, we make it downtown.

“Screw this, I can't get used to walking over two miles a day.”

I bend my knees and take a breather.

“You can run more than that and not get tired.”

Dad points out.

“That is when I use my superspeed. This is different.”

“Makes no sense, but whatever.”

Dad grabs us and takes a leap up to a small building. He lets go of us and we race to the ledge of the building.  

“Where are we going?”

I question Dad while we commence jumping across the buildings in Radix City.

“To a small food market.”

“Wow, from a drug store to a food market.”

“Yeah, like from rated R to PG.”

Jovan and I comment.

“Whatever, just don’t get yourselves killed. You have a piece of paper, right?”

“Yup.”

I hold out a piece of paper to Dad and it immediately flies out of my hands. I hurry back to the piece of paper and retrieve it.

“Got it.”

I look under my feet and realize that I'm in the air. I slowly fall hard to the ground like a cartoon character.

“Dammit.”

I remark at the fact that I'm covered in trash and I landed in a trash can. It smells so horrible. It is a bunch of a dirty food, clothes, and poop. The cliches attack again.

“My bad.”

I apologize as I catch up with Dad and Jovan. Dad looks at me like I should give the paper to Jovan.

“You are so clumsy with your superspeed.”

This is much more than just clumsiness. It’s like I'm cursed. Dad probably wouldn't believe that. I don't know what else to think with all of these ridiculous things happening to me. I'm practically the guy that everyone hurts to get a good laugh.

“Don't jump so close to us. You smell awful.”

Jovan states while moving away from me.

“I agree, you smell and look like a homeless person.”

Dad holds his nose.

“I know, geez.”

As if this was apart of my plan. I find a half-eaten banana on my sleeve and wipe it off.

“Now, I have to clean your outfit. Do you have a pen?”

“Yeah.”

Jovan points to his left pocket.

“Good, we’re here.”

Dad confirms. We stop jumping and look at the food market.

“Beat up the thugs and make a name for ‘Them’. Got it?”

“Yeah, Dad, we got it. Let’s do this, Jo.”

“Alright, Ja.”

We jump down to the food store. This will be different from last time. We won’t be as scared. If the steroids aren’t involved, this will be a walk in the park. This is our chance to redeem ourselves and impress Dad.

“I wonder how they’ll handle this one.”

Dad wonders as we enter the food shop. We see ten thugs shooting bullets.

“Oh, shit!”

I grab Jovan and dash around the thugs to the counter.

“Damn, that was close. How’d they know we were coming? I guess you only have to stop one crime to be popular in these streets. So, what’s the plan, Jovan?”

I try to sound calm. Jovan doesn’t respond back, yet he is holding his nose.

“Hey, are you listening?”

I'm starting to get annoyed. What is his problem?

“Look.”

Jovan speaks with a dazed face. I put my head above the counter. I spot a purple haired girl in a superhero-like outfit with abnormal guns in her pockets. She is swiftly evading the thugs’ bullets.

“Jovan, is she who I think she is?”

I remark with a solemn voice as I look Jovan dead in his face.

“Yes, she is.”

Jovan also phrases with a grim look.

“Okay.”

I gradually turn my head away from Jovan.  A VIGILANTE! OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD! I look back and get another glimpse of her. Yep, she’s real! In the flesh! She has a nice figure. No superhero would come to a food market. And, it’s only our second day on the job!

“Jovan, she’s a vigilante.”

I announce with an excited voice.

“I know, shut up and get away from me. You still stink.”

“What do we do?”

I simply ignore his rude retort.

“We help her, obviously.”

“Oh, right. The normal response.”

Jovan leaps out from the counter and charges at the thugs.

“Yeah, I'll wait for them to run out of bullets.”

I cowardly react when I notice that the thugs are still firing their weapons. The vigilante detects Jovan and bolts towards him.

“Is there a thug behind me?”

Jovan wonders in his brain. In the blink of an eye, the vigilante kicks Jovan toward the milk section of the store.

“What the hell?”

Jovan says in frustration with milk spilling on his head. What the? Why would she hit Jovan? Ohhhhhhhh...

“Hey, aren't you a member of ‘Them’?”

“Good, you can assist us with this cosplayer. First, why don’t you take off that mask off? The milk ruined it.”

Two thugs state while looking down on Jovan.

“You idiot, he is apart of ‘Them’. He can’t take his mask off.”

“Why?”

“If people see their face, they get executed. That’s what Carlos told me before he got executed.”

“Damn, that’s harsh. ‘Them’ don’t play around.”

The two thugs discuss.

“I cannot take this gang seriously.”

Jovan declares in his mind. Jovan and the thugs watch the criminals get pummeled by the vigilante.  

“What the hell is that smell?”

A thug wonders and gets kicked in the face by the vigilante.

“Okay, here.”

One of the two thugs hand Jovan a gun.

“Whoa.”

Jovan is fascinated and terrified of the fact that he's holding a gun.

“What do you mean whoa?!”

“How old are you?!”

The two thugs rejoin, but the vigilante knocks them out afterwards.

“You're the last one.”

The vigilante confirms. She prepares to kick Jovan in his face.

“Not so fast!”

In a flash, I instantly grip the vigilante’s leg and toss her through a wall and out of the store.

“I hope that didn't hurt too much.”

A good amount of concrete drops on her after I say that.

“You're welcome, Jovan.”

“Yeah, yeah. Did you just move out from the counter?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow.”

“Shut up, I was confused when she hit you the first time. I was like ‘Does she know what side she's on?’. But after that, I realized it was because of our criminal outfits.”

Jovan just shakes his head.

“That explains why she kicked me.”

“What it doesn’t explain is why the hell you have a gun.”

“The thugs gave it to me because you know. We’re criminals.”

“Oh, you think you’re cool now.”

“Yeah, I do.”

Jovan points the gun at me.

“Okay, chill out! Stop, that isn’t funny!”

I beg.
“You need to chill out. I’m not going to shoot you.”

Jovan tosses the gun aside.

“Accidents can happen, asshole. Is there a reason you didn't activate your blue eyes?”

I inquire while noticing that his eyes are a normal brown color.

“They didn't change?”

“Nope.”

“That's weird. My eyes always activate when I'm in danger.”

Jovan thinks to himself.

“I guess you thugs had a special one with you.”

The vigilante steadily walks towards us.

“One with quick reflexes.”

The vigilante declares with confidence.

“Huh?”

I pronounce, sounding puzzled. Is she talking about me? Jovan and I glance at each other with bewildered faces. She just called superspeed ‘quick reflexes’.

“Still, it won't matter. Because, you'll lose.”

Wait, she has us completely wrong. I did hit her, but I am not letting it go any farther than that.

“Wait a second. We're not bad guys. This is going to sound weird, but we're…”

“Stop talking.”

Dad interrupts my sentence through my earpiece.

“What?”

“Fight her.”

“What, Dad, that is unnecessary. We are not the bad guys.”

“That is not what I'm getting at. Think of her as preparation for the real deal. You are going to be fighting people stronger than her.”

“But, she is going to get the wrong idea about us.”

“You can fix that later. Right now, you need experience with people at a superhuman level. Plus, she attacked you first.”

“She attacked Jovan, not me. Couldn't we just fight you for preparation?”

“Just fight her.”

“I mean… She's a girl and I don't fight girls.”

“You just threw her like a boomerang!”

Dad adds anger to his voice.

“That was for Jovan.”

“You are not going to kill her. It is just training. You better forget about your little oath to girls because there are going to female villains. You two have NEVER been in a fight before. So, fight her already.”

“Alright, I get it.”

Man, Dad is forcing me to break my code. I am a gentlemen. I don’t brawl with girls. Probably because I hate to get on their bad side. Nothing good comes from it. We could reveal ourselves, however Dad would get pissed if I did that. The vigilante seems excited about this matchup. I guess I don’t have any options.

“Let’s go.”

The vigilante and I rush towards each other.

“Hey, wait. You idiot! You know this is a misunderstanding!”

Jovan states with a look of annoyance. The vigilante jumps in the air and attempts to kick me. I effortlessly run past her attack as if I was a small breeze of wind and punch her back through two aisles of food products, which break apart and drop on her.

“What the hell?!”

“Dad wants us to take her on as practice.”

“What?! Now, isn’t the time for that. Couldn’t we just fight Dad for that?”

“That’s what I said, but he still wants us to fight her.”

“Seriously.”

Jovan sighs, feeling aggravated.

“I know. I don’t want to do this either.”

“Get over yourselves.”

Dad rudely speaks into our earpieces. I turn around and the vigilante is sprinting at me with stains on her costume. I dash towards her and simply punch her in the stomach. She flies to the counter right away. The counter shatters into two large pieces on contact. Jovan glances at me with a furious face.

“What, I don’t know how to hold back.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Jovan replies with no emotion.

“Why would I lie about that? You make it seem like I want to do this. I don’t have time to hold back. Hopefully, my strength knocks her unconscious. I want this to end as fast as possible.”

It shouldn’t be that hard either. She is a vigilante. Not a superhero. The vigilante rises up and charges at me again. I rush and appear behind her in an instant. I strive to hit her on her back.

“Khaaaaaa!”

I cough out saliva as the vigilante actually delivers a roundhouse kick to my stomach. The impact propels me to the floor and leaves me holding my stomach.

“She predicted where Javon was going to go?!”

Jovan affirms in his mind.

“This vigilante is skilled. She guessed Javon’s attack pattern from one attack, even though her eyes can’t keep up with Javon’s superspeed. She used Javon’s superspeed to get her attack off as quick as possible. This practice might be a real challenge.”

Dad anticipates, looking more interested in the battle. I pick myself up at a leisurely pace. I can’t believe she hit me. And, she timed it so perfectly. It was like she was waiting for me. Can she see me while I am using my superspeed? No, that should be impossible for her. Is she just that good? Has she fought superhumans before or has she been trained? Whatever the case, I can’t mess around with her. Still, she is a girl, so I can’t overdo it.

I sprint towards the vigilante at full speed. I reach the vigilante’s face and she attempts to strike me in my face.

“What the?”

The vigilante punches air, then spots me behind her. She swings another punch at me, but she doesn’t hit anything. Right away, an intense gust of wind blows by the vigilante. She almost gets knocked off her feet. Without delay, multiple blasts of wind swirl past her from every direction. It is as if a small tornado is forming around her.

“Dang, is Javon generating all of that wind?”

Jovan imagines while taking cover behind an aisle of snacks to avoid the breeze.

“I can’t see anything.”

Dad uses the cameras, that he implanted in the store, to zoom in on the scenario. He still doesn’t spot anything. All he sees is the vigilante randomly moving on her own.

“So, Javon is going so fast that my cameras can’t see him. The Simulation Training is already taking effect.”

The vigilante clearly cannot keep up with the wind as she turns her head every time a gust of wind passes by her.

“Is this being done by that hoodlum? If that is the case, I have to guess where he might run to.”

The vigilante pays attention to the direction the wind blows. Currents of air bluster by her from behind, in front of, and across from her. Basically, the wind blows from north, south, west, and east. The vigilante closes her eyes to hear the wind.

“I can hardly focus because of this awful smell that shows up every time the wind blows. However, his next move will be… here!”

The vigilante delivers a kick to her right side. Air goes past her leg, but she doesn’t hit anything. Without warning, a swift gust of wind flies in front of and past the vigilante. It happened so fast that the vigilante is pushed back by the wind and falls to the floor.

There it is! I emerge from the wind and land a solid blow to the vigilante’s back. My attack launches her all the way to the back of the store, smashing through all of the aisles, and out of the store again. Jovan glares at me with a stunned expression.

“You are fast.”

“Duh.”

I get on my knees and rapidly breath through my nose.

“He could have done that, a long time ago. At the speed he was going, she couldn't counter his movements. Her predictions were worthless since she couldn't touch him either. What was his reason for stalling?... Ughhhh. That was his way of holding back on her. His stupid code made him do a dumb decision. He tired himself out without knowing if that attack would take her out.”

Dad concludes, based on the vigilante’s reaction to my superspeed.

“That should have taken her out. That punch had my strength and superspeed combined in it.”

I lay my body on the earth. Sheesh, that was exhausting. I ran my fastest for a very short time and that very short time wore me out. I hope I looked cool. I wanted to finish her with one attack. The classic way to defeat someone. If my last attack did do the job, I can say I beat the vigilante on my own. Because, Jovan did not do CRAP. Jovan glances at the hole, that was created from my last punch, and doesn’t spot the vigilante.

“I think she is down for the count.”

“Good.” I can officially say that I beat a vigilante by myself.”

I sigh in relief. We begin ambling out of the food shop.

“Yeah, you're right. You nearly killed a girl who fights for good. Great job.”

“Exaggerating much. I didn't nearly kill her. I did enough to knock her out. I never wanted to taker her on in the first place.”

“This whole thing was stupid. It had no meaning.”

Jovan surmises with an irritated tone.

“JAVON, JOVAN, MOVE!”

Dad demands through our earpieces. We turn our heads and a purple energy ball quickly hits me in my left eye. It explodes on contact and produces a medium sized purple explosion that destroys the front of the food store. Jovan gently stands up with some injuries done to his body.

“I did not expect her to have something like that up her sleeve.”

Jovan gapes at all of the damage that occurred from the explosion.

“Javon.”

Jovan stares at my beaten body that got shot to a building. My outfit is torn apart, I have injuries all over my body, and my left eye is covered with blood.

“That was the first time I used my guns against a criminal. I didn't mean for it to be that destructive. I forgot to decrease their power. Oh well. Now, that the hoodlum is out of the picture, I just need to take you out. I won't need my guns for you.”

The vigilante puts her gun back in her pocket and charges at Jovan.

“Wait, I'm not a criminal.”

She tries to punch Jovan, however he skillfully blocks her punch and pins her to the ground.

“I'm telling you that I'm innocent.”

“This is how you pin people down?”

Jovan's right hand is on the vigilante’s boob.

“No, um, uh.”

Jovan stutters because he is too nervous to explain the situation.

“You're not doing it right.”

The vigilante kicks Jovan off of her, gets on his back, and puts his right arm against his back while using her left hand to hold Jovan's back to the ground.

“This is how you pin people down.”

“I just touched her boob. And, she doesn’t care? I guess I should be thanking her. If she did care, things would have gotten a lot worse. That, and I wouldn't be able to make fun of Javon for the ‘Carol incident’ anymore. My eyes had close timing like usual, but weird execution. Anime cliches can REALLY happen in real life.”

Jovan deduces to himself.

“All of your friends have been taken out. You should give up already. You're lucky that I don't have handcuffs.”

“This sucks ass. All of this could have been avoided if we just told her that we're good guys. I still hate the fact that we're wearing criminal costumes. But, it has gone too far for her to believe a word I say. Plus, if I don't do anything, me and Javon will actually go to jail. I don't want to fight her. But.”

Jovan uses his legs to flip himself and the vigilante, so that he is on top of her instead. Then, he gets off of her.

“I don’t have a choice.”

Jovan decides with his blue eyes and black pupils.

“Looks like they are about to engage in close combat.”

Dad notes as Jovan and the vigilante stand in front of each other. The vigilante runs to Jovan and endeavors to do a flying kick to Jovan. He just barely evades her attack, then punches her in the face. The vigilante spits out blood afterwards.

“Shit, was that too much?”

Jovan worries. The vigilante wipes her mouth and jumps up in the air. She hits Jovan with a butterfly kick that instantly makes blood come out of his mouth, turns his head the other way, and knocks him to the earth.

“Nevermind.”

Jovan stands back up and rubs the blood off his mouth. He attempts to punch the vigilante in her stomach. She blocks it and kicks his right leg, which makes him fall. After that, she uppercuts him into the air. Jovan recollects himself and lands safely on the ground.

The vigilante knees Jovan and performs a flash kick that bangs Jovan's head to the floor. He rises up and does his best to kick the vigilante, yet she grabs his leg with one hand.

“You are not much of a challenge.”

The vigilante mentions. Jovan leaps off his other foot and gives her a strong left hook to her jaw. The vigilante goes down to the earth right away.

“Ok, that was impressive. Still, it will take a lot more than that to defeat me.”

The vigilante rushes at Jovan, springs up in the air, and hits him with a tornado kick, that sends him to the floor with his stomach hurting. Despite his pain, Jovan strives to kick the vigilante. She blocks it with her hand and elbows him in his stomach.

“Ugggghhhh!”

Jovan cries in agony. However, he spins around her, jumps up, and delivers a fierce kick to the back of her head that forces her to the ground.

“Damn!”

Tamba utters after Jovan's last move. The vigilante rises to her feet and charges at Jovan for a flying kick with her left leg. Jovan takes her left leg and slams it to the earth. Still, the vigilante kicks Jovan in his face with her right leg and he releases her left leg. From the floor, she hops over Jovan like an ecstatic kangaroo and deals a crescent kick to his back. Jovan kisses the concrete as he slides to the floor.

“You don't have enough training.”

The vigilante picks up Jovan by his shirt. Next, she stares at his eyes and notices that they are blue.

“Is that his normal eye color? Looks strange. It wasn't that color when he first hit him. Nah, he's a normal hoodlum.”

The vigilante carelessly assumes to herself. She lets go of Jovan’s shirt and does a backflip kick to his chin. Blood erupts out of his mouth as he soars up in the air and falls to a pile of obliterated food products.

“I can't win. She is on another level when it comes to close combat. But, I can't let her arrest me. I need to get Javon and escape.”

Jovan unfortunately admits with his eyes back to their normal brown color, bruises all over his body, and blood around his mouth. He is truly defeated.

“Dad.”

Jovan implores through his earpiece.

“I'm coming.”

Dad solemnly answers.

“Finally, I took them all down. It wasn’t supposed to take that long. My mom is going to be so mad. It is almost midnight. I should call 911 and get the police over here as soon as possible.”

The vigilante takes out her phone from her back pocket and calls the police.

“Oh my gosh. You're still trying to fight?”

The vigilante glances at Jovan, who is standing before her.

“That's it. Time to finish this.”

The vigilante takes out both of her guns.

“Dead Eyes, activate.”

The vigilante says and the guns light up with violet colors.

“Dead Eyes, times two.”

The vigilante’s guns automatically get brighter.

“This is going to hurt a lot.”

The vigilante shoots purple energy balls, from both of her guns, toward Jovan.

“What is that?”

From a car, a police officer sees a huge outburst of purple energy.

“Hey, Chris, are you seeing this?”

The police officer asks through a walkie-talkie.

“Yeah, still working on believing it.”

Chris replies.

“It looks like an unknown substance detonated.”

“More like a bunch of skunks farted.”

“That is one massive explosion. We have to go there immediately.”

“You never laugh at my jokes.”

“Now is not the time for that.”

“Whatever.”

Chris puts away his walkie-talkie.

“Your jokes aren't funny.”

The police officer murmurs to himself as he readies his vehicle.

“Okay, now, he's down.”

The vigilante assumes as the dust clears the area.

“How? That's impossible.”

The vigilante can still Jovan standing with the same wounds he had before she shot him.

“You really won't give up. Did you want to rob this store that badly? You know, the whole ‘Honor among thieves’ thing isn't actually a thing. A thief has to get rid of his honor before he can rob a store.”

The vigilante fires two more purple energy balls at Jovan. Two purple explosions layer on top of each other for a devastating attack. Shortly, the dust fades and Jovan is still on his feet.

“What is going on? I know my shots hit him. Is there something I'm missing? Does he have a defensive power that I don't know about? No, if he had a defensive power, he would have used it while I was kicking his ass. Then, how is he not unconscious?”

The vigilante contemplates, freaking out over the situation. I begin to wake up. I squint my right eye, yet my left eye is completely filled with blood and I can't move it. What the? Man, how long have I been out? Nevermind, not long. I'm still at the damn food shop. I cautiously stand on my feet. Ah, my entire body hurts. Good god, we're still fighting this chick?! I spot Jovan with the vigilante. Wait…

“Whoa, Dad is fighting the vigilante.”

I also spot Dad in front of Jovan. I guess I'll watch. It's not like I can do anything in my condition.

“How come she can't see Dad?”

Jovan wonders.

“Whatever his defense is, it must not work in close combat. So, I'll defeat him that way.”

The vigilante puts her guns in her pockets and dashes toward Jovan.

“I'll end this.”

Dad seizes control of the vigilante’s arm with his right arm.

“Huh? Something has my arm.”

The vigilante is startled and doesn’t know how to react.

“I’ll try to make this as painless as possible.”

Dad holds her up and gives her a powerful left jab to her stomach. The vigilante immediately gasps for her life as the earth, around them, shakes like a tiny earthquake. The vigilante loses consciousness and Dad lays her on the ground.

“The practice is over.”

I reaffirm while walking towards Jovan and Dad.

“Can we go home now?”

Jovan requests while Dad is looking at the vigilante’s guns.

“This isn’t Earth technology.”

Dad picks up one of the guns and inspects them.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m just looking at it. I have never seen a gun like this before.”

Dad points it up to the pitch black sky and pulls the trigger on it. Nothing comes out of the gun.

“Wow, Dad, you don’t know how to use a gun.”

“You’re talking? You never even touched one.”

“Yeah, I have.”

“When?”

“Today.”

I get myself involved in Dad and Jovan’s conversation.

“Why would he have a gun?”

“A thug gave him one.”

“Did you use it?”

Dad questions Jovan with an agitated expression.

“No.”

“Good. Now, let me try something.”

Dad ambles to the vigilante’s body and stands up her unconscious body.

“Dad, I'm pretty sure she's down, so you can’t interrogate her.”

“I know that, Javon. That's not what I'm doing.”

Dad puts the gun in the vigilante’s hand and holds it up to the pitch black sky. He uses her finger to pull the trigger. A purple energy ball comes out of the gun and flies to the sky. Oh, he was only doing that.

“The guns require her touch? No, it's more than that. The guns recognize her as the user. They must have some advanced biometrics in them.”

Dad figures out from that one event. He puts down the vigilante, takes both of her guns and puts them in his pockets.

“You’re stealing her guns. Now, we really are criminals.”

“I’m just going to examine them, Jovan, calm down. The cops are coming.”

We hear the sound of a police siren.

“Did you two write the note saying crap about ‘Them’?”

“Yeah, I did while Javon was occupying the vigilante.”

“Okay, let’s go. And, Javon. Take a shower right when we get to the house.”

Dad holds his nose to avoid smelling me.

“Yeah, alright. Shouldn't Jovan take a shower, too?”

“I'm not the one, who literally smells like garbage.”

“I'm not the one, who literally looks like a punching bag.”

“You two are not doing this now. “

Dad stops our quarrel and we run towards an alley between two buildings. When we reach the gap, we enter the shadows and just narrowly avoid the police as they arrive at the trashed food shop.