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Anthony's vision was scrambled from the lights. Little dots fluttered and dance and the room was blurry. He felt light and almost dreamy as he groaned. There was a very dull throb in his shoulder and he remembered the bullet suddenly but it didn't seem to evoke much emotion. This was probably due to the pain killers though he wouldn't have any way of knowing.

Another presence in the room made itself known by speaking to him. He mumbled and tried to make a response but the sound poured out of his mouth in a sloppy manner at first. Regrouping he managed to form a sentence, "Hello?" His eyes were still blurry, but he could make out the image of a person, "Who are you? Where's the rest of my uniform?" He was still wearing the hood and the pants but his boots, shirt, gloves and the things he stored in his tunic's pockets were missing. He remembered the fight vividly and then the arrival of Oual but after that blood loss seemed to have screwed with his memory a bit. "I presume you're Detective Oual?"

Anthony grunted, and nodded, "You know as well as I do that I'll be up and about as soon as I can." His vision was less cloudy now, "Mikantish, can he be trusted?" He said sitting up, "It may seem paranoid but I need to know."

Upon sitting up Anthony got the first good look at himself since he had left his home. His tunic had been removed and he could see the full extent of everything that had happened to his body. There was an ugly scar on his shoulder where the bullet had entered his body, hideous purple and green bruises decorated his body, he couldn't imagine what his face looked like. The pain killers had pretty much nulled any pain he would feel. He looked at Oual and then to the blinds which had been drawn shut, the door was locked. "Detective," He said pulling the hood off and taking the mask off of his face, "We have Much to discuss."

Anthony did two things he almost never did in that moment: Smile and trust someone. He felt a sense of burden lift off of Oual and he felt himself slacken a little, "Well you more than anyone know the old cliche crime never sleeps. Someone with my... abilities... shouldn't be sitting aside idly while normal people risk their lives. The police are under considerable strain in this city so I do my part to help... Incidentally I stole a police scanner and some other equipment from the station to do so."

He laughed a little and was shocked by the noise since it rarely escaped from him. "I examined a body that I assume belonged to an officer at Listerine Estate, waited to interrogate owner of home but she never showed up. I had to leave, but I intended to finish the investigation later." Oual offered his hand to Anthony who without hesitation took it and shook it firmly, "I need help Oual."

"James..." Anthony muttered looking utterly shocked and amazed, "James is dead? I worked with him before prom to rescue people from an apartment..." Anthony was unsure how much Oual knew about the late Lieutenant and hesitated, "The body appeared to be male and in a puddle of some sort of metal alloy, seemed to have suffered severely due to burning. I'm sorry for the loss Oual; I only knew James Cross for thirty or so minutes but he selfless and determined. His death only serves to strengthen my desire to work along side the police."

"I need you to keep this a secret Oual," He said referring to himself as he spoke, "No one knows about this or my unique abilities and I intend to keep it that way. More people in masks appear everyday in this town; Some for good and even more for bad and I don't intend to back down but I need assistance." He pushed the sheets off of him and with a wince stood from the bed and extended his hand, "If you scratch my back I'll scratch yours. I don't have much to offer but I'll help in anyway that I can."

Paranoia was setting in as voices in the back of Anthony's mind suggested he had had his mask off long enough. Replacing the mask and hood on his face feeling a calm wash over him. There were some design defects in the costume that he was going to have to work out. Slipping the heavy tunic on over the various wounds he had received in the past 24 hours he stood fully garbed again before Oual, "I have some things to discuss with you in private detective. Is there a time and a place that I could do so with you?"

Grunting his acknowledgement that he was aware of James' abilities he quickly shoved his feet into his boots and followed Oual. The news that Oual had resigned was stunning to say the least, "Hrm, You're resignation is untimely but none the less we must cope. I don't have the resources that the police department has but a partnership of our combined strengths could be enough to root out this so called "mastermind" and any other criminals that have blackened this town's good reputation."

Anthony stopped abruptly in the hallway staring ahead at Oual. A vision ripped through the frontal lobe of his brain with such vividness that he almost lost control of his bowels. The vision was a group of heroes blurred by flashing cameras with a banner hanging above their heads. The banner read: [i]The League Of Special Individuals and mumbles of excitement rippled through his consciousness.

"I think we need a team," Oual said to him and Anthony Gasped, "No.... We're going to need a League."

Previous

Violet gasped at Sentinel's (in her mind) magic ability. She wished she could turn invisible too! Maybe her new friend would teach her after he was done talking to his scary friends.

Violet didn't speak as they walked through the hospital. There was something about the white walls and clipboard-armed nurses that made her nervous...so nervous that she wanted to turn and run out of the place. But her new friend was here, and she needed to keep him safe.

When they came to a stop in front of Oual and Anthony, Violet gave a loud and excited gasp. Completely blowing any cover Sentinel might have hoped for, she squealed loudly and ran to her old friend's side, completely bypassing and ignoring Anthony.

"Mr. Detective!" Violet squealed, wrapping her arms around his left arm. All was, apparently, forgiven.

Previous

"My new friend Mr. Shadyface brought me," Violet said, her mismatched eyes meeting Oual's as she pointed vaguely behind her. "I was in a shadow place and I was being a little teapot who got all steamed up and Mr. Knifey became Mr. Sleepy and then Mr. Shadyface came and said I could see his living place but first he took me to 'Hospital' and went all gone and I wanted to keep him safe from his scary friends...Only his scary friends aren't so scary because one of them is you!"

Violet beamed up at Oual as though waiting for him to praise her for being such a brave and clever girl.