(guys I literally can't write fight scenes I'm so sorry) _______________

Secret Special Service and How It Affects You

•••

The next two days were rough. Sandpaper rough. So rough, in fact, it took ages off my life not to scream. Or cry. Or both.

Cecil had had me speak at their funeral, as an opener for Omni-Man. There was so much I could've said, but so little could I say. I wasn't much for public speaking, and I had one-too-many personal anecdotes I kept threatening to slip in.

It was a closed event, for only the families of the fallen heroes and those who knew them, but the actual procession was streamed on live TV. It was more of a political move than anything else, a way to show we can be strong even without our greatest heroes. The whole thing was a blur.

I had to come to terms with the fact they were gone. No longer would Red Rush carry me running so fast until I thought my skin was going to detach from my body. So much for training alongside War Woman. Sayonara to playing impossible hide and seek with Green Ghost.

In an instant, everyone was dead. They were like a family to me — I couldn't imagine how their real families felt. When the Guardians left, they couldn't have known they were leaving for good. I was glad, so glad, they didn't have to see the gore.

Honestly, that haunted me the most.

I hardly ate anything - my appetite was curbed by the constant imagery replaying in my mind. Not even LiveLeak could ever be so brutal. I should've been dead on that floor. I should've been there to fight with them - maybe one more teammate would've turned the tides.

Maybe they wouldn't have hurt when they died.

I wondered, at times, how I would've gone out. Limbs ripped off? Head smashed in? Ripped in two top to bottom? I felt like a horrible person for even contemplating it.

Thankfully, on the third day of sulking, my watch chimed with energy. Somewhere, there was danger. And even though the Guardians were reduced to the Guardian, it was my job and duty to protect the globe.

I drove, once again through traffic, to the middle of town, where an entire portal of aliens streamed into the street.

That's definitely a problem.

I hopped out of my car, leaving it in the middle of the street, and ran as fast as my body could physically carry me into the altercation. Unfortunately, one of my powers was not super speed.

People screamed and panicked as they ran away, desperately trying not to be casualties of whatever this was. Normally, I'd be playing support. Healing people, punching things.

Today, I was on the front line. I was the only line, in fact, and I was going to try and do seven people's jobs at once.

Impossible. The thought alone made me want to shit my pants.

That was it. This would be the day the Guardians died.

"Go, go, go!" I yelled at pedestrians, taking down any immediate threats. I tried my best to deflect any shots aimed at the stragglers, but watching the carnage grow around me just proved how deep I was in.

I shielded a family of three from a shot from an incredibly high tech blaster, commanding them to safety. The shot grazed the top of my arm, and even through my suit I could feel it. I cringed at the burning sensation, painful but not detrimental. I clutched it, more surprised at the sensation than anything else, and steeled myself.

As I focused on the shot, the family scrambled away to what I played was safety. Three down, a billion to go.

I zeroed in on taking out as many as I could, but even with my strength I was no good alone. I hated using brute force, and I was struggling to imagine how I ever thought I could handle this. After taking a couple minor hits, I was able to transfer my injuries to take out contained areas of the unarmed soldiers, but even that did very little.

Then, a surprise.

A flash of color shot past me into the midst of the chaos.

"Stop!" A voice I didn't recognize yelled. "Get away from those people!"

My eyes shot to the hero, who donned a blue and yellow suit, standing in the middle of the street. I admired the moxie and the confidence, but the execution left some to be desired.

I watched with a gasp as one of the aliens sent a blast straight through a line of people, and finally straight into our new hero. So much for that.

He fell to the ground, splattered with the blood of the poor civilians. I punched, kicked and wrestled with more aliens as they came, eyes continuously darting to the general area of this new guy. I crossed my fingers this wasn't a knockout already.

"Everything good over there?" I screamed, delivering a critical blow through the head of an alien.

Clearly everything was not good over there, because the next thing I knew he had effectively gotten shot again, and dragged an old woman into a ditch.

This whole situation was leagues beyond what I was capable of handling. I knew that now. Even if I keep punching, these guys only fought with blasters. There was no pain in the world great enough to destroy an entire army, and even I have my limits.

One too many shots was all it would take. I needed backup.

I ran to the boy in the ditch, who sat looking as white as a ghost, cradling this old woman's battered body.

"Are you okay?" I asked, kneeling at the edge of the crater. A blast of energy hit my back, and I grimaced, stumbling.

"Affinity?" He asked. I worried he might pass out right then and there.

I moved to respond, looking behind myself to make sure the hoard wasn't spreading too large, when a low hum appeared from above.

"I don't know who you are, but it's time to go," a familiar voice spoke. Atom Eve.

Thank the lord for Teen Team. So much for being the Guardian.

She flew in from above, followed by an aircraft carrying the three other members, not including the many Dupli-Kate duplicates. Together, they began to asses the damage and take out the baddies. It was a well-matched fight. Punches were thrown, atoms were smashed, and coins were tossed.

I hopped back into action as the army made its way to the crater, not allowing anyone to create any more damage here. With each shot I took, my punches hit harder. Mindlessly, I was taking down man after man in one punch, a feat that should have taken a solid fight normally.

"Take her to safety," Atom Eve yelled to the boy in the crater as she deflected a barrage of lasers. "Go!"

"You're Atom Eve," he remarked incredulously.

"What? Get out of here!" Eve yelled. "We've got it covered."

The boy watched her with a look of shock on his face, but followed quickly commands. Blankly, he lifted off into the sky with the old woman safely in his arms, dodging fire after fire, and shot away at speeds too high for me to comprehend.

I'll admit. I was intrigued.

"Affinity, your strengths right now will go to a marginal better use assuring civilians get to safety," the robot remarked from behind. I startled for a moment, lost in thought.

Admittedly, now wasn't the greatest time to do any deep reflecting, but I was surprised to be addressed by the robot. Still, he had a point. I was no war machine, especially not next to the others.

I was built for support.

I fought tooth and nail through the aliens, taking hits with as much gusto as I could manage and helping any poor soul unfortunate enough to have not yet evacuated. I kept fighting, even as I watched Teen Team grow weaker and wearier. Still, I was hardly worried until a well timed shot pierced my suit, leaving a twisted burn mark along my arm.

I cried out, swinging with the other one, blowing an aliens head clean off on impact. I got ready to rear up for another one, when suddenly things seemed to just... stop. The blasts stopped. The aliens stopped.

Instead, they turned around and walked straight back into the portal.

What in the world.

I stood, amazed, watching their spontaneous retreat. Teen Team seemed to be doing the same and I found myself heading in the direction they were gathered. By the time I reached them, the portal had blinked shut faster than it had arrived.

After a long pause of silence, the first to speak was Rex-Splode. He was a hothead dressed in orange clothes. Fitting.

"Now, I don't know what just happened, but I think I speak for everyone when I say I don't want it to happen ever again."

Seconded. Definitely seconded.

School the next day went by in a blur. I felt like the walking dead, replaying the altercation over in my head. It was almost strange enough to outshine the Guardians incident.

The keyword being almost.

"What's gotten into you?" William hissed, nudging my side during English. "You seem off. Quiet."

"Nothing. It's nothing. I didn't sleep very well last night," I responded, shaking him off. I passed on a halfhearted smile and shifted in his direction. "Thanks for checking in. It means a lot, really."

It did. I did a terrible job of showing it, but William's care really did make my heart swell.

"I don't believe that for a second," William remarked with a shake of his head.

"I don't know what else to tell you," I shrugged, putting my head down for extra effect. It didn't make me feel any better, but it sure must've looked like I was tired because William let it be.

The truth, I thought to myself. That's what else I could tell him.

I visited the hospital after school. The special one, where supers and the highest government clearance go.

It was a bright, stark white building with insides to match. Soldiers lined the halls hustling this way and that. Monitors beeped in every corner, created with technology beyond my understanding. It was America's deepest buried gem.

I walked deep into the complex, counting the numbers on the doors until I came across the one I was looking for. I pressed an ear to the door, expecting to hear the bustle and whir of surgical instruments. Instead, I heard a gentle voice.

Hastily, I changed into my super suit. I needed a valid reason to do what I was going to do, and I couldn't show up in day clothes for a stranger.

I pushed the door open, taking extra care to be gentle with it. In the room, Omni-Man laid in bed, still unconscious. A vitals monitor beeped from nearby. Next to him, a teenage boy sat at his bedside.

He had sleek dark hair and gentle hands, applying a wet towel to Omni-Man's forehead. He donned a sweater and a crisp pair of khakis, and when he turned his attention to me I noticed he had some of the kindest eyes I had ever seen.

"Affinity?" He asked. The voice was recognizable, but I couldn't pinpoint from where.

"You got it," I affirmed, although I was sure there was no reassurance necessary. "You must be family?"

"I- well, ah... yeah," the boy stumbled, tongue tied in knots. "What're you here for?"

"Cecil thinks he could wake up any minute now. I'm hoping to take away some pain before he does," I explained, cautiously walking to the opposite side of the bed. "I know he doesn't hurt easily, but he'll be real sore when he gets up. We kind of need him fully functioning as soon as possible."

"You're... taking away his pain?" the boy asked, an eyebrow cocked. Immediately, he leaned forward intently.

I nodded, reaching out a hand to Omni-Man's chest. Even in such a volatile state, he felt solid.

"It's one of my powers," I explained. "I can take others pain onto myself."

"That hurts you, though, doesn't it?" the boy asked, genuine interest filling his eyes. "Omni-Man can take a lot. How do you know what hurts him won't be unbearable for you?"

He paused, adding, "No offense. I didn't mean it... like that."

"What, you're suggesting I'm not as strong as Omni-Man?" I scoffed, a playful smile crossing my face. "You'd be right, but I can probably handle more than you think - I turn pain into power. Besides, I'm not taking all of it. He has to hurt a little in order to monitor him properly."

"Woah," the boy remarked. "That's metal."

"Thanks. It's pretty sweet you think so," I said with a smile.

Diverting my attention back to Omni-Man, I took a deep breath and focused on his heartbeats. With each one, I felt myself growing increasingly weaker, a hum filling the room. There was an alarmingly hot sensation on my chest, and my head felt concussed. Even though there were no visible signs, I had to fight to keep collecting his pain.

I felt like the majority of the bones in my body were breaking. I gritted my teeth and designated an ungodly amount of strength trying not to cry, focusing on not making a fool of myself for the cute (I mean, what?) boy opposite me.

I could feel his eyes on me, watching as my hands glowed with the faintest blue light and I fought not to crumple. Had he ever been this close to a hero before?

Aside from Omni-Man, of course.

Breathing heavy, having taken as much pain as I could manage, I tried shakily to remove my hand before realizing I was unable to hold myself up. Embarrassing. I focused all my strength into my arm, and diverted my pain into power.

My head immediately fogged as my neurons charged fire through my body. I looked up at the boy, who still watched me with eyes of worry, and sighed.

"Are you worried about him?" I asked, pain laced in my voice.

"I never used to be. Even on dangerous missions, I always trusted he was going to show up safe at home in time for dinner," the boy explained, his face softening. He rested his hands in his lap, allowing himself to slouch forward. "I've never seen him like this."

"He's strong. I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about. Cross my heart," I assured. I tried to lift a hand to 'cross my heart' but my muscles shook and trembled with stress.

"Thank you. It's nice to hear someone say it."

"It's weird," I commented as I fought for breath, my body working overtime to convert my injuries into strength. I must've looked like I ran over five miles. "I know heroes have families — I'd met most of the Guardians'. But it still sends me reeling to see a new one. It's kind of like... how you can't imagine your teachers doing anything outside of school. I didn't even know Omni-Man had a family."

"That's me. Omni-Man's family," he remarked. "My name's Mark."

Oh.

I fought off a look of surprise, trying not to let my features give anything away. The chances of there being multiple Mark's around my age in Chicago were huge - but as I allowed my eyes to linger over his features I was stunned to realize I did recognize him.

This was William's friend. The supposed comic book geek. No wonder.

I smiled, a genuine honest smile that filled my whole face and was absolutely worth the soreness in my cheeks. I did my best to straighten up and look more powerful than I really was. I hoped I gave off the impression of being strong and resilient - invincible, even.

I pulled myself shakily away from my position beside Omni-Man and internally cursed at myself for walking with such little stability. So much for the unbreakable facade.

"It's nice to meet you, Mark," I remarked, hoping my confidence would outshine my weakness. "Maybe I'll see you around sometime."

I knew I would - the question was when, not if.

His eyes seemed to light up as I said that, and I cast him one final glance before taking my leave. Mark. Son of Omni-Man. Comic enthusiast.

"Totally. Yeah. I hope so too," he seemed to choke out. "It's nice to meet you, too."

Let me be more specific — I knew I would be seeing him. But he wouldn't be seeing me.