The Man In Red

[LordOfDarkness]

Chapter One - The Joint​

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In the heart of the ever breathing Limbo City, a man wondered the streets, alone. His nights were always lived out this way. He pushed open a door and made his way into his usual drinking spot, 'The Joint'. He made his way towards the bar counter.​

He was greeted warmly. "Hey Tony, good to see you again" came the bartender's voice. "What'll it be?"​

The man looked up at the bartender. "Just the usual" he answered, the bartender nodded. "Sure, coming right up".​

Half an hour had passed by, the glasses were piling up on the counter. "You can really handle your drink, Tony" the bartender pointed out, pouring him yet another drink. "Keep 'em coming" Tony replied, picking up the glass and tipping the drink into his mouth. He gulped down the contents, the liquid burnt the back of his throat when it slid down. He didn't mind all too much, he just continued his mindless binge. Then he observed the time on his wristwatch. It came to his attention that a person of the female kind was eyeing him up from across the room. She wandered over to him and sat on the empty seat next to him.​

"What's a handsome fella like yourself doing here?" she wondered curiously, looking deep into Tony's eyes. Without much care, he took another swig of his drink and coolly replied. "Just making the most of my night, before I take care of some business. What about you?".​

"You could say the same" she said. "How about me and you ditch this place and go have us some real fun?" she followed up with, winking at him.​

"No thanks lady, I'm not interested" Tony answered, coldly. She shrugged and returned back to her previous table. It was then that her overly jealous boyfriend entered the room, having been in the toilet whilst their conversation had been going on. He walked over to her and sat down, rather like he didn't want to.​

"Dude, that guy at the bar over there was hitting on your girl whilst you were in the toilet" his friend told him, obviously to wind him up. He was the type to cause a stir and start a scene. He stood up from his chair. "Huh...I'll teach that son of a bitch not to mess with my girl" he said, rolling up his sleeves. His jealousy and overreaction pleased his girlfriend greatly. It seemed when he blew things way out of proportion, she got a real sense of love and care she wouldn't normally get from him. He forcefully made his way over to where Tony was sat, where he was just minding his own business. He tapped him on the right shoulder. "Hey pal" he said agitated, but he was just ignored.​

"Take it outside if need be Marcus. I'm sick of you always making trouble in here" the bartender interfered. Marcus tapped Tony's right shoulder again, still no acknowledgement. "Is this guy ignorant or just stupid?" Marcus wondered, waving his hands in front of Tony's face. "Ah, just leave it Marcus" came his girlfriend's voice, "He's obviously not playing along".​

"Fair enough. Seems ignorance was the clever option for you after all" he said menacingly, resuming his night out without bothering Tony again. "Don't let him get to you, he's an ass. He always has been that way" the bartender said, wiping one of Tony's glasses up.​

"He doesn't bother me. I've got bigger problems" Tony answered. "Well, I'm quite the listener. I mean, what else have I got to do? Since business is so quiet. Spill the beans friend." Tony looked up at the friendly bartender before replying. "It's a little complicated. But, thanks nonetheless. See you around" he said, having finished his last drink for the night. He got up and grabbed his red trench coat and put it on before leaving. It had not long started to rain. He put the hood up, making his way outside. He was a short distance away from the bar when he was stopped by a familiar voice.​

"Hey jackass!". He turned around. Not to his surprise, it was Marcus from the bar. Clearly the guy had unfinished business with him, he didn't really have time to spare. "Still mad at me because your girlfriend was hitting on me?" Tony questioned. "What the **** would my girlfriend see in you?" Marcus replied, clearly ****ed off at Tony's response. "Go home, sober up. Talk to me when your decent, I've got bigger things to handle right now" Tony made clear, turning his back on Marcus. This angered him, turning his face bright red with rage. He charged towards Tony, pushing his way through the rain. He reached Tony, and pushed him in the back. "Seriously, don't even bother". "**** you man. I'm gonna teach you some manners and some respect" Marcus scornfully said back, pushing Tony again.​

By now this consistent pestering was becoming a serious annoyance. Usually Tony was calm, cool and collected, but Marcus was pushing his temper and his luck and tonight he had bigger business to attend to without some ass-hole bothering him and getting in the way of it.​

 

[LordOfDarkness]

Tony stopped Marcus by placing his hand in front of him and holding him back with complete ease. "This may be of no importance to you, but I have something to attend to, unlike yourself. Now I'm gonna take my hand off your chest, and should you choose to come at me again, I'll show you why you really shouldn't mess with me" Tony said, letting go afterwards. As soon as he did so, it was evident that Marcus hadn't been paying attention to this total stranger, and his previous intentions shot straight back into place because he swung his fist right at Tony's face. The next thing he knew he was on his ass, which was now wet from all the rain that had fallen. Tony had executed a kick before Marcus' fist had reached him, and that kick had knocked him back several feet. However, he was the type to get into brawls all the time, so a little kick knocking him back was nothing out of the ordinary. He got back on his feet again, regaining his posture. Then he set about a wild set of punches and swings directed at Tony, each one of them unsuccessful. Every time he extended his arm out with his fist clenched, he hit nothing but air, as Tony's head avoided the moves each time. He was stunned at the speed in which the dodges were being pulled off, and running out of energy. But before long, his girlfriend and friend turned up outside to check up on him, pulling him away from Tony. It was then that from nowhere a man stepped out and stabbed Tony through the chest. Marcus somewhat smiled, in his slightly drunken and frustrated state of mind, but the others were in shock at this. The friend pulled out his cell phone and dialled for an ambulance, thinking the man they had just seen stabbed would require immediate medical attention.​

The attacker was still stood near Tony, who wasn't doing anything but lying there. "****ing Hell Marcus, do something!" his girlfriend demanded forcefully. Marcus, who was only after a little fight with Tony, was now sympathetic and he rushed over to pull the attacker away from the stranger he had previously wanted to beat up.​

"Hi, this is nine-one-one, what seems to be the problem?" came the operator's voice on the other end of the line. "Someone's just been stabbed, could I request the police and an ambulance? Our location is outside 'The Joint' on 9th Avenue". "Okay, they're on their way now Sir. Can you explain the person's condition, is it critical?" the operator enquired. "I'm unaware, I'm not stood near him. My friend, he's confronting the attacker"...​

"Oh my God, Marcus!!" the woman screamed, as he collapsed to the floor. "What's all the screaming in the background Sir?" came the operator's voice. "My friend has been attacked also"..."Okay, I'd advise you to try and remain calm and take whoever it is that's there with you somewhere safe and stay there until police and medical support arrive" the operator advised.​

The friend grabbed the girl's arm, pulling her away from Marcus' body and into the bar. "Pete, we have a situation outside. Some lunatic has attacked Marcus and that other guy that was here". "Okay, don't worry" Pete said, he reached for a shotgun he kept under the counter for safe measure. Running outside, he met with the attacker who appeared to be masked, he could only make him out from the side. "Drop the knife!" Pete demanded. The man paid no attention to the demand. He was scouring the streets. The police sirens and ambulance sirens blared in the distance. "Police are on their way, just drop the knife and give up" Pete said. The attacker continued to look around as if he was searching for something, or rather, someone. Pete was confident the shotgun would provide him with all the protection he needed against the masked thug. He moved forward and pressed the barrels of the shotgun into the thug's back. The man turned around, a pair of dark red eyes stared blankly at the daunting expression on Pete's face. The shotgun was dropped in the midst of the horror, the strange figured attacker narrowed in towards him, Pete was its new prey. Then thankfully a gunshot was heard, and a speeding bullet raced through the night sky like a jet taking off. The bullet passed through the rain drops that were still coming down, pushing through them, it made contact with the masked figure's head. The bullet was so powerful from the sheer speed it had accumulated before impact, plus not to mention the handgun it was fired from, that it had blasted the being into the wall of the building. Blood splattered out everywhere onto the building firstly, it trickled down it. Then splatters of it landed on the floor. Some had made its way out and over onto Pete's once clean white shirt, about the same time as the bullet had connected with the being's head. A few heart stopping seconds had passed, and then questions going through Pete's mind were answered, when it was made clear that it wasn't a person they were dealing with. Whatever it was got back up again, having been slumped against the foundation. Pete scrambled for the shotgun to assist him, the police cars were moments from turning around the corner. There was no sign of where the out of the blue shot had been fired from. Pete didn't know whether to wait for support or just to shoot to protect his life. Another direction was taken instead, but it wasn't his own decision. Something, much like a chain, pierced through the creature's skin and pulled it of anyone's view. Pete stood shocked, confused and terrified. Finally assistance had arrived, just a bit too late.​

 

[LordOfDarkness]

The next day arrived, as the sun woke to kiss the Earth with its magnificent glow. The events of last night not going unforgotten. We find ourselves inside a hospital, a nurse making her way over to one of the patients. "How are you feeling today?" the nurse enquired thoughtfully, as the man awoke to his breakfast. "You were lucky it wasn't a very serious cut. Enjoy your food. Oh, you have a visitor" she added. He expected it to be his girlfriend, having worried about him. He was wrong however. As he looked up from the bed to make out who it was, the beaming sunlight shone in his eyes and he couldn't see clearly. When it dimmed down, the person was made clear to him. He was surprised, but not greatly. It was the man he'd met last night, the one he had tried to save. Before he could ask anything, Tony started talking. "Perhaps now you won't go picking fights with everyone you meet?". Marcus absorbed that statement, but spat it back out again, like it was poisoning him. "What do you mean? It wasn't you who stabbed me?" he replied. "No, but you can never be so sure about what anyone else is going to do" Tony answered back, sitting himself down in the chair opposite the bed. "What are you doing here anyway? Checking if last night taught me a lesson? You want to know if I've changed my ways now?" Marcus queried.

"No, I want to see if you're thankful you're still alive. If you count your blessings. Your breakfast should taste a lot better if you're grateful enough to appreciate this day. In this World, every day is a gift, trust me" Tony responded, knowledgeably. "What is this? What are we meant to be playing here? Teacher and pupil? Master and apprentice? After last night, you show up and...Wait a minute" Marcus stopped abruptly. "You know why I'm here. It's coming back to you now" Tony said, watching Marcus' facial expressions. Last night started to play like a video in his mind. He remembered stepping outside into the rain. He remembered his failed attempt to attack what was then just a stranger to him. He witnessed Tony getting stabbed in his chest. Then he remembered pulling the attacker away, a black mask covering their face. He saw it just before the blade cut into his skin, those big dark red eyes. He fainted.

Like waking up again, he shot up in the hospital bed in a sweat. "Your chest!" Marcus said, almost randomly. "Let me see it" he added. Tony hesitated slightly. "Okay, if you really want to know the truth?" Tony said, undoing the buttons on his shirt. Slowly his chest was becoming more so visible. No indication of a wound was made apparent. Marcus shook his head in disbelief. "That's impossible! I saw you get stabbed. We all saw you get stabbed. We know it happened" he said, still in disbelief. There wasn't a scar on Tony's chest, not even a scratch. Not a single slight visible sign whatsoever that anything sharp had entered into that region of his body. "Is this some sort of joke? A sick and twisted joke? The guy with the red eyes and you not really getting stabbed. What the **** is this all about?" Marcus said, frustrated and a little nervous.

Tony took a deep breath. "Okay Marcus. Since last night happened, you'll need to know the truth. I don't usually reveal my secret to anyone. And I swear if you so much as tell anyone, it won't be them that kill you, it'll be me" Tony began, but was interrupted. "Them?" Marcus wondered. "Let me finish. As I was saying, you can't tell anyone else. After the incident last night, I disappeared out of sight. From what I know, your girlfriend, friend and Pete all went to the police station to explain what happened and to be comforted after the trauma. They're still there now, they're safe. You on the other hand, aren't" Tony explained, Marcus looked annoyed. "And what is that suppose to mean? Why are they safe and I'm not?" he said, agitated. "They know you're here Marcus. They know you know. They have ways of knowing. The walls talk and pass the message on. The World works in mysterious ways. You can never trust anyone" Tony remarked. "Not even you?" Marcus replied, looking into Tony's eyes. "I'm the only one you can trust" Tony answered. "Sleep Marcus".

Night time hit, as the sun had stopped gracing us with her beauty, the moon arose to have his time to dazzle us. Marcus was sound asleep in the hospital bed. Tony however was sleeping with both eyes wide open. The curtains around Marcus' bed were pulled all the way around, so that nobody could watch him sleep. Not that anyone would of wanted to do such a thing. Tony waited, it was only a matter of time before they came. The surroundings made it difficult for Tony to carry out his job, since there were so many witnesses that would know the truth if they saw. He couldn't let that be the case. He assembled together two pieces of metal. One piece was a handle with a trigger, and the other piece was a metal bar with holes at the end for firing needles. The needle gun was put together, and Tony waited a little longer.

Then the noises came. Only Tony could hear the noises, as the humans were sound asleep. The noises weren't very pleasant. A variety of screaming sounds. Painful sounds, echoing around the room. Tony shut his eyes for a minute. Something stuck its head through the curtains, it spotted Marcus sleeping. It did not spot Tony 'sleeping' in the chair, which added greatly to Tony's advantage. The creature's sharp claws were made considerably noticeable, they were each the size of daggers. It narrowed ever so closer to Marcus. Tony raised the needle gun, aiming it at the creature's head. He could not miss this shot. Marcus' life depended on it. And Tony's secret was not to be widely shared with everyone. The creature had come to the point in which it felt comfortable with executing the swift attack of severing Marcus' head. It was literally now or never for Tony, who pulled the trigger. The needle just missed the beast's head by a few millimetres. Tony flung himself out of the chair with such force that he grabbed the creature before it could make another move and he pulled it and himself through the hospital window. The smash woke Marcus up immediately, and a few other patients also. Nobody had a clue about what was going on. Marcus looked down onto the street below, out of the broken window. He could make out two people fighting.

On the street below, Tony was wrestling with the creature that had just tried to kill Marcus. He was knocked to the floor by the creature, but he turned around and pulled the trigger on the needle gun. This time he didn't miss. The thing stumbled backwards, losing consciousness. It hit the ground. Tony turned away. "You don't...honestly think...they would of just sent...me" came the creature's last words. "****!!!" Tony exclaimed. He needed to get back into the hospital. He had no choice but to reveal his true form. He did it in short bursts, as he began to scale the building with the aid of his strength and abilities. Like a spider, he scaled upwards until he reached the room he had jumped from. As he got to the top, he was still in his true form. He grabbed Marcus, who tried to fight back and leapt out of the window. As he jumped, he turned around and fired a long chain from what seemed like his wrist, he latched onto the top of the hospital. Almost as if he was rope climbing the building, he pulled himself and Marcus to the top as they found themselves on the roof. Marcus was crying for help, or at least trying to, Tony was covering his mouth. Marcus was attempting to bite Tony's fingers, but the slight nibbling sensation did not bother Tony at all.

He let go of Marcus who attempted to run for the rooftop door. Again, he fired the chain and it latched its way around Marcus' leg, he pulled and Marcus fell to the ground. "STOP!" Tony screamed. Marcus recognised the voice. "I'm not trying to hurt you, you idiot, I'm trying to save you" Tony made clear. "When I said they know, I meant they know. They want you dead for knowing about them" Tony stated. Marcus was in fear on the floor, not moving at all. "I don't know what you're taking about" Marcus cried, "Just leave me alone" he whimpered. "If that's what you want Marcus?" Tony replied, turning his back for a few seconds. Then they showed up, more creatures. Marcus looked up and spotted them looking down on him, their faces a horrible evil he'd never seen before. "TONY!!!" Marcus bellowed at the top of his voice. The handy chain came into sight again, as the creatures were all pulled towards Tony's direction. As he let go of the chain, he fired another shot from the needle gun which successfully hit one of the creatures, instantly killing it. But the gun was kicked out of his hand, and he was kicked backwards off the building. As he flew so far back, he flung out the trusty chain again and grabbed the creature that had kicked him back. As he pulled it forwards towards him, he kicked off from its back and latched onto the other creature, repeating the process until finally he jumped off from the last one's back and landed onto the roof again. "I thought you were a goner right then" Marcus said, getting back to his feet. "Is it over?" he asked. Tony shrugged. "My work is never over" he said. "Come with me. It's the only way you'll be safe" he added.