Post by kardonwire on Feb 15, 2012 12:09:48 GMT -5
From the pages of Odd man: Ultimate Muscle - A prelude to a strange constant, issue #1 of 3
Once again night had fallen upon River city, children rushed to bed while parents enjoyed those sweet few hours before the sandman called for them also. This wasn't unique to the city, you could find this story anywhere, but the backstreets of River city where something else, where the real stories waited. Drugs, prostitutes, murder, abduction, robbery and rape. Nothing was below the standards of those horrible streets, where even the light of day refused to shine.
Working cars were seldom seen in Swamp town, a nickname those in law enforcement used for the area. Block after block was clogged with dismantled cars, rust and sometimes moss finding itself a fitting home among the scum that trashed or had stolen from these vehicles. Buildings in desperate need of repair were a dime a dozen, stairs missing from flat corridors, cardboard for windows. You name it Swamp town had it, even a little shanty town called the tinned bayou.
It's on one of these backstreets that Detective Muscle finds himself. It's nine thirty at night and it's been twenty two hours since he's been home, but more importantly it's been nine since his last drink.
"What's it look like doc?" Slurs Muscle. The ever present bags under his eyes heavier than ever as he puts his right hand through his thinning grey hair.
On his knees, doctor Gallagher, looked up at Detective Muscle.
Uh. Why is it always this drunk fat ass I get. Thought Gallagher.
"You never go home Muscle? Why not drink on your own damn time?" Asked the doctor in disgust. Making a show as he sniffed the air. "You damn well stink of the stuff."
Muscle pictured himself grabbing the pompous doctor by his scrawny neck, maybe if he'd been sober he thought. He drank to keep himself calm, keep on edge so he didn't go over, do something he'd regret. Not that there wasn't a mountain already. As quickly as his anger rised it subdued, his fists loosening. Giving an unapologetic shrug of the shoulders Muscle replied.
"How about you save that attitude for that cheating bitch of yers. Ain't my fault she can't keep them legs closed."
Gallagher closed up, biting his lips. Nearby officers who were keeping the curious civilians, all hoping to get a good look at the body, from entering the scene of the homicide nervous that they might need to get in between the two. Muscle broke the silence.
"So how about you do yer job and tell me about the body like I asked."
"Fine." Angrily spat the doctor. "The call came in about half an hour ago, only been here ten minutes....."
Muscle interrupted with a loud grunt, closing his eyes in a show of annoyance.
"Doc. How about you tell me why I'm here? I don't care 'bout yer shit. How'd you know he's a meta?"
Gallagher eyes quivered slightly in fear of the raised tone Muscle had suddenly took.
"Oh....um. Don't you recognize him?"
Muscle's face began scrunch up as he took a quick look away from the doctor and for the first time had a look at the body. It was a white kid, late teens Muscle suspected, which was already a bit of a red flag. Swamp town was black neighbourhood, very few white families. The only metas you got here where black and most of them weren't exactly the spandex wearing type like this kid. Then it dawned on him, Muscle recognized the red and white stripped design, the kid had been in the news the last few weeks. The press were calling him Red jet, from what Muscle had read he was some sort of speedster.
"Red jet? What the fuck is this kid doing here?" Shouted Muscle. His usual droopy face coming to live for a brief second as his temper reached it's peak. "Fuckin' press is going to have a field day. You know the mayor was loving this kid, he's gonna have the whole bloody force on this." Pausing, Muscle took a hard look at the ground before flinging his arms up in the air like a child having a tantrum. "Shit! Just cause this little bastard couldn't leave catching the crooks to the professionals."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The commissioner had phoned the mayor that night once he had received the oral report from Muscle and by the morning the paper headlines all rung the same:
R.P.D. deny stabbing as cause of murder, Red jet dead - Mayor wants justice, Swamp town claims another hero.
It was now twelve in the afternoon and Muscle sat outside the autopsy room sleeping, his snores echoing through the empty, pristine halls. Every now and then some drool would escape from his mouth and drip down his bottom lip onto his stretched and stained black sweater. The click, clack of a pair of heels began to sound from down the hall, getting closer every second.
"Excuse me. Detective...Muscle?" Quietly said the woman reaching out a hand to give him a slight nudge.
As her slender finger touched him, Muscle awoke with a start. His eyes shot wide open followed by a loud snort as his right arm flung itself against the wall behind him with a heavy thud, causing cracks to form from the impact. The young woman dressed in operating scrubs jumping back in fright.
"Shit......." Lazily said Muscle, his head throbbing. "Commissioner ain't gonna be happy 'bout that."
Standing, Muscle began to stretch his back accompanied by moans of relief.
Once he'd finished he turned to face the young woman, who was still visibly shaken from the force he had smacked the wall with. Muscle looked at her awkwardly for a moment, the hangover jumbling his thoughts as his body ached for more sleep.
"Oh." Muscle exclaimed, realizing why she was so shaken. "You're new, ain't yeh."
"Yeah....."
"Old Eyes will have sent you down here as a joke." Seeing she was still confused Muscle clenched his right had into a fist and took a light tap at the wall, his upper body swaying as he did. The area he hit cracked slightly.
"Super strength." Stated Muscle with a goofy grin on his face as he began the walk down to old Eyes office.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few hours ago
"Muscle your lead detective on this case, Higgins is your second." Announced Commissioner Tagg.
His brief pause before the announcement had caused all the detectives in the room to tense, all hoping to avoid the hassle that this case would cause. They suspected it would be Muscle, he was the only meta in the whole department and most hero killings in River city got him as the lead. Commissioner Tagg sat at his desk, his elbows sitting atop its oak finish and his hands clasped around each other sitting in front of his chin, he knew Muscle would object and waited for his usual foul mouthed rant. It never came however, Tagg raising an eyebrow at Muscle.
"You hear me Muscle?" Asked Tagg, his voice raised slightly.
Muscle stood still, a blank expression on his face, as the other detectives in the room turned to look at him, all wary of what he might do. Reaching into the right pocket of his withered, grey rainbeater, jacket Muscle pulled out an old scratched and rusted, formerly, silver flask and went to take a drink as he unscrewed its loose lid.
"That drink Muscle?" Inquired Tagg calmy, a disapproving look in his eye. Muscle's head twitching slightly at the taste of the whiskey as its warmth cleared his throat.
"Nope." He replied as he placed the lid back on top of the flask.
Both men held a knowing stare for a second as Muscle moved to put it back into his pocket, the other detectives in the room unable to move from the tension. With an annoyed tut Muscle gave in and tossed the flask over to the commissioner, aiming for the floor near him. Tagg looked over to the detective nearest the flask, eying him to pick it up which he did with some hesitation as he looked over to Muscle who gave a a roll of his eyes at the game the commissioner was playing.
"I need you at your best Muscle." Tagg said getting up from his chair and pointing his wrinkled index finger at Muscle. "The mayors all over my ass to find who killed this kid and my best bet is you! You know as well as I do that those punk ass thugs over in Swamp town ain't gonna give two shits unless I send you in."
Muscle let out a defeated sigh as he agreed before dragging himself to the door.
"You'll get it back once you finish the case." Tagg shouted, shaking the flask that was now in his possession, over to Muscle as he slammed the door behind him a few nails falling from the hinges.
Once again night had fallen upon River city, children rushed to bed while parents enjoyed those sweet few hours before the sandman called for them also. This wasn't unique to the city, you could find this story anywhere, but the backstreets of River city where something else, where the real stories waited. Drugs, prostitutes, murder, abduction, robbery and rape. Nothing was below the standards of those horrible streets, where even the light of day refused to shine.
Working cars were seldom seen in Swamp town, a nickname those in law enforcement used for the area. Block after block was clogged with dismantled cars, rust and sometimes moss finding itself a fitting home among the scum that trashed or had stolen from these vehicles. Buildings in desperate need of repair were a dime a dozen, stairs missing from flat corridors, cardboard for windows. You name it Swamp town had it, even a little shanty town called the tinned bayou.
It's on one of these backstreets that Detective Muscle finds himself. It's nine thirty at night and it's been twenty two hours since he's been home, but more importantly it's been nine since his last drink.
"What's it look like doc?" Slurs Muscle. The ever present bags under his eyes heavier than ever as he puts his right hand through his thinning grey hair.
On his knees, doctor Gallagher, looked up at Detective Muscle.
Uh. Why is it always this drunk fat ass I get. Thought Gallagher.
"You never go home Muscle? Why not drink on your own damn time?" Asked the doctor in disgust. Making a show as he sniffed the air. "You damn well stink of the stuff."
Muscle pictured himself grabbing the pompous doctor by his scrawny neck, maybe if he'd been sober he thought. He drank to keep himself calm, keep on edge so he didn't go over, do something he'd regret. Not that there wasn't a mountain already. As quickly as his anger rised it subdued, his fists loosening. Giving an unapologetic shrug of the shoulders Muscle replied.
"How about you save that attitude for that cheating bitch of yers. Ain't my fault she can't keep them legs closed."
Gallagher closed up, biting his lips. Nearby officers who were keeping the curious civilians, all hoping to get a good look at the body, from entering the scene of the homicide nervous that they might need to get in between the two. Muscle broke the silence.
"So how about you do yer job and tell me about the body like I asked."
"Fine." Angrily spat the doctor. "The call came in about half an hour ago, only been here ten minutes....."
Muscle interrupted with a loud grunt, closing his eyes in a show of annoyance.
"Doc. How about you tell me why I'm here? I don't care 'bout yer shit. How'd you know he's a meta?"
Gallagher eyes quivered slightly in fear of the raised tone Muscle had suddenly took.
"Oh....um. Don't you recognize him?"
Muscle's face began scrunch up as he took a quick look away from the doctor and for the first time had a look at the body. It was a white kid, late teens Muscle suspected, which was already a bit of a red flag. Swamp town was black neighbourhood, very few white families. The only metas you got here where black and most of them weren't exactly the spandex wearing type like this kid. Then it dawned on him, Muscle recognized the red and white stripped design, the kid had been in the news the last few weeks. The press were calling him Red jet, from what Muscle had read he was some sort of speedster.
"Red jet? What the fuck is this kid doing here?" Shouted Muscle. His usual droopy face coming to live for a brief second as his temper reached it's peak. "Fuckin' press is going to have a field day. You know the mayor was loving this kid, he's gonna have the whole bloody force on this." Pausing, Muscle took a hard look at the ground before flinging his arms up in the air like a child having a tantrum. "Shit! Just cause this little bastard couldn't leave catching the crooks to the professionals."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The commissioner had phoned the mayor that night once he had received the oral report from Muscle and by the morning the paper headlines all rung the same:
R.P.D. deny stabbing as cause of murder, Red jet dead - Mayor wants justice, Swamp town claims another hero.
It was now twelve in the afternoon and Muscle sat outside the autopsy room sleeping, his snores echoing through the empty, pristine halls. Every now and then some drool would escape from his mouth and drip down his bottom lip onto his stretched and stained black sweater. The click, clack of a pair of heels began to sound from down the hall, getting closer every second.
"Excuse me. Detective...Muscle?" Quietly said the woman reaching out a hand to give him a slight nudge.
As her slender finger touched him, Muscle awoke with a start. His eyes shot wide open followed by a loud snort as his right arm flung itself against the wall behind him with a heavy thud, causing cracks to form from the impact. The young woman dressed in operating scrubs jumping back in fright.
"Shit......." Lazily said Muscle, his head throbbing. "Commissioner ain't gonna be happy 'bout that."
Standing, Muscle began to stretch his back accompanied by moans of relief.
Once he'd finished he turned to face the young woman, who was still visibly shaken from the force he had smacked the wall with. Muscle looked at her awkwardly for a moment, the hangover jumbling his thoughts as his body ached for more sleep.
"Oh." Muscle exclaimed, realizing why she was so shaken. "You're new, ain't yeh."
"Yeah....."
"Old Eyes will have sent you down here as a joke." Seeing she was still confused Muscle clenched his right had into a fist and took a light tap at the wall, his upper body swaying as he did. The area he hit cracked slightly.
"Super strength." Stated Muscle with a goofy grin on his face as he began the walk down to old Eyes office.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few hours ago
"Muscle your lead detective on this case, Higgins is your second." Announced Commissioner Tagg.
His brief pause before the announcement had caused all the detectives in the room to tense, all hoping to avoid the hassle that this case would cause. They suspected it would be Muscle, he was the only meta in the whole department and most hero killings in River city got him as the lead. Commissioner Tagg sat at his desk, his elbows sitting atop its oak finish and his hands clasped around each other sitting in front of his chin, he knew Muscle would object and waited for his usual foul mouthed rant. It never came however, Tagg raising an eyebrow at Muscle.
"You hear me Muscle?" Asked Tagg, his voice raised slightly.
Muscle stood still, a blank expression on his face, as the other detectives in the room turned to look at him, all wary of what he might do. Reaching into the right pocket of his withered, grey rainbeater, jacket Muscle pulled out an old scratched and rusted, formerly, silver flask and went to take a drink as he unscrewed its loose lid.
"That drink Muscle?" Inquired Tagg calmy, a disapproving look in his eye. Muscle's head twitching slightly at the taste of the whiskey as its warmth cleared his throat.
"Nope." He replied as he placed the lid back on top of the flask.
Both men held a knowing stare for a second as Muscle moved to put it back into his pocket, the other detectives in the room unable to move from the tension. With an annoyed tut Muscle gave in and tossed the flask over to the commissioner, aiming for the floor near him. Tagg looked over to the detective nearest the flask, eying him to pick it up which he did with some hesitation as he looked over to Muscle who gave a a roll of his eyes at the game the commissioner was playing.
"I need you at your best Muscle." Tagg said getting up from his chair and pointing his wrinkled index finger at Muscle. "The mayors all over my ass to find who killed this kid and my best bet is you! You know as well as I do that those punk ass thugs over in Swamp town ain't gonna give two shits unless I send you in."
Muscle let out a defeated sigh as he agreed before dragging himself to the door.
"You'll get it back once you finish the case." Tagg shouted, shaking the flask that was now in his possession, over to Muscle as he slammed the door behind him a few nails falling from the hinges.