Chapter 26: Planning A Birthday Party

      (Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma City, California)

           Two weeks later, It was 11:25 PM as Sgt Holt drives through the main gate of the cemetery. Holding the steering wheel with his left hand, he holds his cell phone to his right ear. "Ok, I just entered the cemetery, It's pitch black all around....", Sgt Holt says, " Where do I go next?....". Ritchie on the other line speaks up saying, "You'll soon see a fork on the road, take the road on the left, then three roads down turn right. It's the fourth mausoleum to your left side, you won't miss it, you'll see a black hearse parked in front of it.....",  And after a few minutes of driving through the dark surroundings, Sgt. Holt finally see's the black hearse  as he parks his car right behind it.

       Getting out of the car, "Ok, I'm here, now what do I do?....", asks the former police detective as he speaks into his cell phone. "Just go in front of the mausoleum's double doors, I can see you through a security camera. I'll automatically open the door for you....", says Ritchie. And as Sgt Holt starts to walk closer to the mausoleum, he starts to wonder how a small external free standing building could house Grey and Ritchie. Looking around, he notices the size of the rectangular shaped structure which was about 38 feet in length, 17 feet in width and 11 feet in height, "I just hope that you've got enough leg room in there for four people...", Sgt Holt mumbles to himself, but as he looks at the black hearse behind him, he suddenly snickers at what he notices about the black car.

     Reaching the mausoleum, he looks around once again as he gazes at the intricacies and the masterful artistic details that marks the entrance to the mausoleum. And before he could grab the door's latch, the door suddenly opens automatically. Sgt Holt speaks into his cell phone saying, "I'm not usually a ghost fearing guy, but just tell me that was you....". He quickly hears Ritchie giggling on the other line as he pushes the door open and enters in.

     Walking a few steps forward, he hears the bronze double doors close behind him as a circle of equally spaced candles near the ceiling automatically lights up. "That's me...", says Ritchie. In front of Sgt Holt was a marble tomb with inscriptions that he could not read. Glancing down at the granite gray colored floor, he decides to approach the stone tomb's inscriptions. Then kneeling on one knee he touches the inscriptions and squints as he tries to read it. "To My Beloved Wife Sandy....We will see each other again soon...I promise....Love, Mark...". Sgt Holt just raises an eyebrow after reading the inscriptions when suddenly the marble tomb starts to slide sideways, creating a sound of heavy stones that starts to grind against each other.  And as he looks at the opening in the ground, dim green LED lights starts to light up at each step of what appears to be a secret spiral staircase that leads into an underground facility.

    Bending down to peek below, he suddenly see's bright lights turn on and hears Ritchie yell, "Come on down!.....Don't be shy!...". Walking down the spiral staircase, Sgt Holt starts discovering a much wider underground facility. "Welcome to the Batcave!...", Ritchie shouts, "This is our secret hideout.....". After reaching the ground, Sgt. Holt sniffs and asks, "Why does it smell like shit in here?!..". Ritchie who was in the middle of changing Grey's soiled diaper says, "Whoever designed this underground hideout forgot to build a ventilation system....So whenever I clean Grey's shit, the smell lingers on for hours.....". Sgt Holt looks around at the 500 square feet studio and condo type area as he asks, "How are you able to eat with this smell?....". Ritchie turns Grey's quadriplegic body on his left side as he uses a few moist pads to wipe Grey's buttocks then responds, "Oh I'm used to it, even when I'm hungry, I can still eat my milk and cereals with the aroma of diarrhea all around me.....I just breathe through my mouth...", says Ritchie laughing, "After a while you get used to it, sometimes I can even taste what Grey had for dinner the night before....".

    Grey feeling annoyed at Ritchie's disgusting jokes yells, "Will you stop with your graphic descriptions and just finish cleaning me up!...". Ritchie quietly rolls his eyes as he decides to just remain silent in order to not further incite Grey's anger towards him. And as Sgt Holt walks to the middle of the room, he looks around to get a feel of the place. To the northern wall of the facility was the facility's emergency escape exit which leads to the city's underground sewer system, the wall beside it was also where Grey's hospital bed was parked together with a dialysis machine, the remaining space was where Ritchie has his air mattress positioned. To the east wall was their leather sofa and beside it was a small kitchen, complete with a refrigerator and oven. To the north west side was where their television, computer station and security monitors where located at. To the south west side was where the bathroom was located at, and to the south side was the spiral staircase that leads up to the mausoleum. There was also a small square dining table for two people at the middle of the room with two folding chairs.

    Taking a seat by the dining table, "So what happened to the remains of Dr. Peters wife, Is it still inside that marble tomb upstairs?...". Ritchie shakes his head as he straightens Grey in bed, "Actually, he had his wife's remains transferred to a different burial site...", Ritchie says, "Funny thing though, I could not understand what he mean't when he said that her death was just temporary....". Grey looking cynical says, "Your not high on drugs, are you?....". Ritchie sigh's deeply and stays silent once again as he tries not to get into another argument with Grey while he checks for any kinks in Grey's urinary catheter tube then continues on to fasten Grey's splints to his arms and legs to prevent muscular contractures.

     Sgt Holt feeling tired glances at his wrist watch then asks, "So what time is Mark coming here?....It's getting late....". Ritchie does not answer as he covers Grey with a white bed sheet then followed by a thick blanket. After a few minutes of silence, Sgt Holt snickers as he remembers seeing the black hearse parked in front of the Mausoleum as he asks, "By the way, who's crazy idea was it to soup up that black hearse parked outside....".  Ritchie suddenly starts looking frantic while Grey appears puzzled by the former detective's question. As Ritchie turns his back on Grey, Grey quickly realizes that Ritchie was silently gesturing a hidden message to the police sergeant to keep his mouth shut. "Ritchie!, what the hell have you done to the car?!....", shouts Grey, "I told you to just take it for an oil change and a tune up......What does he mean by "Souped up?"...".

     Ritchie starts to fidget nervously then says, "Well I kind'a got carried away, and I did a little more than an oil change and a tune up.....". With Grey's eyes getting wider and his breathing deeper, he asks, "What the hell have you done to the car Ritche, tell me!....". Ritchie wringing his hands stammers saying, "I di..did a few minor modifications to the black hearse....Well since we already have a "Batcave", I thought that we should also have a "Batmobile", so I did six things to improve the car.....".

       Grey was intensely silent, dreading what was about to come out of Ritchie's mouth as Ritchie starts explaining, "Well, the first thing I did was to have the mechanic replace the standard airfilter with a high low filter, in order to get a small boost in horse power and fuel efficiency....The second thing was that I had the mechanic install a computer chip to better regulate the car's fuel injection.....Third was to have the standard manifolds replaced with dual exhaust headers.....". Ritchie pauses for a moment hoping not to incite Grey's anger by what he has to say next. "Fourth was that I had the car's tires changed to the wider performance type tires used at NASCAR....". Grey's heart starts to pound harder and faster as Ritchie rubs his eyes wondering whether or not he just saw steam coming out of Grey's ears. "The fifth thing was when the mechanic talked me into having turbo chargers installed on top of the car's engine, it sit's two feet above the hood but I can still see the road when driving....It's also nitro methane powered and can probably outrace a Ferrari....". Sgt Holt starts to laugh loudly as he blurts out saying, "It looks really cool Grey, In all my life,  I've never seen a hearse turned into a muscle car...". Grey was now indignant as he tells Ritchie to continue explaining. Suddenly Sgt Holt cuts Ritchie off in mid sentence as he laughingly says, "And the sixth and last thing, let me guess, Is it the orange painted flames on the sides of the car?....".

      Grey finally grunts in anger, "Ahhh!, You turned our black hearse into a hot rod?!....". Ritchie points to Sgt Holt and say's, "Actually he's incorrect....It's not orange flames....It's more fiery red....". Grey bounces his head on his pillow in anger a couple of times then says, "I don't care what color flames is painted on it!....Ritchie!, we're supposed to keep a low profile, inconspicuous....How could you have done that....Ahhh!, And where the hell did you get the money to pay for that huh!....". Ritchie looking embarrassed answers, "I used your credit card...Well since Dr. Peters said that you'll have only two months to live once you start using his deadly serum, I thought that I might as well max out your credit card since once your dead, there's no way for them to collect....".

      Grey reasons back saying, "Ritchie, whatever happened to being honest. Don't you know that what you're doing is immoral?!....". Ritchie blurts back raising his voice, "What's immoral are those credit card  companies that charges consumers up to 18% interest on payments. They are the real criminals not me....".

      Thirty minutes later, It was already past midnight when Dr. Peters finally arrives. Unable to keep his usual calm and gentle demeanor, he couldn't help feel disappointed as he stares down at the floor, then says, "I'm not even gonna ask why the hearse looks the way it does....". Looking tired and standing hunched over, he takes a deep breath as he places his hands inside his pockets, "Thank you all for coming to this meeting tonight, with the crisis that's happening to us and all around us. I believe that it's in Grey's best interest and for  us too, that we all  brainstorm our options, plans and the risks that we're all taking in helping Grey through this dangerous and emotionally stressful time....".

     After a few seconds of silence. Everybody starts to glance at each other as Dr. Peters starts to update the group with the newest developments in his quest to help Grey. Walking towards Grey's hospital bed, Dr. Peters clings to the bed's metal side rails as he stares at Grey then says, "My research team was finally able to ascertain the most vital properties of the JK4 serum, though they've just only scratched the surface. The two main properties that it possesses which you all are already aware of, are the ability to create a temporary neural bridge between the two severed nerves of the spinal cord without any negative effects on the liver and the kidneys, thus bringing back full motor and sensory function to a paralyzed person. The second property which is more specific to your particular case....", says Dr. Peters as he addresses Grey, "For some reason that our research team still don't understand, the JK4 serum interacts with the melted titanium plate that's embedded in the parietal lobe of your brain, creating a psycho kinetic neuro biochemical reaction that gives you the ability to control titanium metals thus giving you super strength whenever you're wearing your knight's titanium armor....".

    Grey looking bewildered quickly asks, "I don't understand....I remember Dr. Kane telling me that the JK4 serum was unable to create a neural bridge between the two severed nerves in my spinal cord. I'm confused  by these conflicting findings....". Dr. Peters glances at Sgt. Holt and Ritchie who were seated as they patiently listen to the conversation. Dr. Peters rubs his forehead, and with uncertainty he thinks for a moment then says, "I really don't know why he would say that, for all I know, maybe he wanted you to feel hopeless in order to incite your anger towards drunk drivers, that way he could easily recruit you to join him in killing all convicted drunk drivers. Another reason could be that when you first used the serum, there really was no effect in bridging the severed nerves in your spinal cord. But maybe overtime, the continued use of the JK4 could have enhanced it's effects on your central nervous system....Just like a seed that's planted, it doesn't show any changes for awhile but as time goes on, it eventually sprouts a stem out of the soil....".

    Grey feeling a sense of heightened anticipation quickly asks, "The serum....What's the status on the serum?....". Dr. Peters stares at Grey as he sigh's deeply, "I hate to say this, but it's ready....my team of biochemists were finally able to combine the "MP1" the "SP3" serums together with the pyschokinetic chemical properties that we've been able to isolate from Dr. Kane's JK4 serum....I brought it with me, it's a liquid suspension that's in a 120 milliliter plastic bottle. Just like any suspension, you have to shake it well before drinking it, and a whole bottle will give you back movement to your whole body that will last for about eight hours. That's if you're able to remain stoic at all times, any prolonged feelings of fear, sadness, excitement and even euphoria will quickly reduce the serum's concentration in your bloodstream, thus draining you of your super strength, which will also hasten your eventual return to a quadriplegic state.....But of course you already know this....The only difference with this new serum is it's severe toxicity......As a doctor and a friend...My advice to you is not to take this drug....You could be dead in a matter of hours, days, weeks and I'm sure that you won't last more than two months, even if you take this drug sparingly.....".

     A dreadful silence fills the place as the four men ponder the complexity and the desperation of Grey's situation. "I don't have a choice....", says Grey, "I need to get that security video tape from the mob and work to prove that I'm innocent of this crime....". Dr. Peters loosens his neck tie as he tries to persuade Grey to see his point of view, "Look Grey, The prudent thing to do is to not take this drug and just wait it out for a year or two. If you give me a chance, My team of biochemists will be able to unlock the secret chemical properties of Dr. Kane's JK4 serum. My team can also research ways to regulate the brain's limbic system which is the center of emotions...If you give me time, I can invent drugs that can regulate the serotonine, dopamine and even the adrenaline neurotransmitters....These are some of your body's chemicals that stimulates your heightened emotional states which diminishes the serum's effects on your blood stream, thus making you weak....And don't forget, the Vatican should be sending us the "Holy Flask" soon which will cure you of your paralysis permanently...."

      Still unconvinced, Grey looks around at his friends as he says, "I'm sorry Doc, but I can't wait that long....The longer I wait, the more I'm placing all of you in danger of getting implicated as my accessories, accomplices and abettors. I am a wanted criminal and I don't want to take you all down with me....".

     Sgt. Holt suddenly rises from his seat saying, "Grey's right you know.....Sooner rather than later, the police will be able to find more clues and they will eventually track us down. We are harbouring a criminal and we'll all be facing jail time not "if" but "when" we get caught....". Dr. Peters had nothing more to say as he turns his back and steps away from Grey's presence. Now it was Sgt. Holt's turn to speak, and as he stands closer to Grey's hospital bed, he glances at everyone then says, "Ok,  I've got some good news.....First, the fingerprints on Detective Cross's bedside phone does not match Grey's fingerprints. In order to pin down Dr. Kane for the murder, we need to obtain his finger prints in order to match it with the prints on the crime scene.....Secondly, some detective friends of mine searched Dr. Kane's home and found traces of dried blood from shoes and a white lab coat that belongs to Dr. Kane, once we're able to do a DNA analysis and find out that the blood has the same DNA with Detective Cross, then it will be easier to pin down Dr. Kane for Detective Cross's murder. We also have reports from family members of drunk drivers that Dr. Kane burned alive, saying that they saw Dr. Kane materialize in front of them and also disappear after he burned his victims alive while the family members stood helplessly, watching in horror, which means that we have eye witnesses that will explain Dr. Kane's ability of teleporting himself from one place to another, which will be vital in proving that Grey is innocent in the murder of Detective Cross....".

     After a few moments, Grey swallows hard as he asks, "So how are we going to find out if the mob has the security video tape or disc in their possession?....". Sgt. Holt sneers as he replies, "Don't worry Grey, I have the perfect plan. We'll have to pay Officer Ronald Dumbspell a visit, just give me a few days to set up this plan. In the meantime, you'll need another mode of transportation. That souped up hearse won't do....", Sgt. Holt chuckles then says, "Unless you're taking it to a car show....". Grey gives Ritchie a demeaning glance as Ritchie pretends not to be aware of Grey's agitation towards him. "We can use our black truck...". Ritchie says, "It's still parked in our apartment's garage...". Sgt Holt shakes his head in disapproval and says, "No!...You can't use that truck any longer. Sooner or later, the police will find out that your black truck was your "get away" vehicle the night Officer Alan Francis was murdered at the Busche bottling factory. There are a lot of security camera's from local businesses around town that video recorded your truck during your escape. It's only a matter of time before the police narrows down their search in finding the right get away car....".

     Dr. Peters pushes himself away from the wall and says, "I've got just the right car for you Grey....". Ritchie suddenly looks excited as he asks, "Are you gonna lend us your stretch limousine?....". Looking tired, Dr. Peters was still able to flash a grin as he responds saying, "No....I got something even better. I'll let you use my vintage 1999 white Ford mustang, which is also self driving. After all, every knight should have his own fiery steed....Right?...". Everybody got caught smiling for a moment in the midst of their precarious situation.

    Dr. Peters then instructs Ritchie to drive the hearse to his mechanic in the morning, in order to revert the car into it's original condition. He also asks Ritchie about the two week training he received in drawing blood and in using the dialysis machine. "I've dialized close to fifty patients this last two weeks and I'm ready...", Ritchie says, "I've also done close to a hundred blood draws too....". Dr. Peters then hands Ritchie a small gadget which was the same size as an electronic glucometer which is used to check a diabetic person's blood sugar level. "This is an electronic "CBC analyzer"....Once Grey starts to use the toxic drug, you have to draw his blood daily and place a few drops of blood into the device. It will check the health of Grey's liver and kidneys. I want you to email me the results daily...Right away....". Dr. Peters also reminds Grey that he'll have to surgically place an arteriovenous fistula in his arm in order to prepare him for dialysis, once his kidneys starts to fail.

        But while Dr. Peters was explaining the procedure, Grey interrupts him as he asks, "How's Samantha doing?....". Getting caught off guard, Dr. Peters pauses for a few moments then says, "To be honest, I'm not really sure....I guess that we've just both been so busy that we really haven't had the chance to spend time together like we used to....". Grey sensing a disconnect between father and daughter asks, "Is everything Ok between the two of you?....". Dr. Peters breathes hard as he evades the question by quickly changing the topic, saying, "That reminds me, with Dr. Kane's ability to teleport himself wherever he wishes, I've decided to double the number of security personnel in and out of our house. Just in case John Kane decides to get back at me for suing him for the control of his JK4 serum....Now before we end this meeting....Does anybody have any other concerns?...". Suddenly Ritchie looking embarrassed hands Dr. Peters Grey's credit card. "I maxed out Grey's credit card....Would you mind paying it off?....". Without hesitation, Dr. Peters takes the credit card and slides it inside his wallet. And as they glance at the clock on the wall which showed the time being 02:45 AM, they finally decide to end their meeting with a feeling of anxiety that starts to linger in the back of their minds while they prepare to face a future filled with danger and uncertainty.

     (Macrostrength Industries Corporate Office, Treasure Island, San Francisco, California)

        The next day, Inside John Layer's office, Mr. Layer together with his assistant Adolf Marcos were glued to the TV, watching the 10:00 AM news. "Good morning, America....Thank you for tuning into USNN news. And now for today's top story, as of this week, there are now fifteen states that have illegalized smoking and had banned the sales of cigarettes in their respective state. Studies show that this trend is due to the fact that Americans are now getting more healthier and living longer lives in the states that have banned smoking and the illegalization of cigarette sales. Even more impressive is that due to the drastic decrease of lung cancer, cardiovascular and other vascular diseases on Americans in these states, this had caused a dramatic drop in each state's health care costs. Excess health care funds are now being diverted by states into much needed social programs that benefits the poor and the undocumented or illegal citizens of each state.

         On other news, we just learned from a White House spokesperson that America will have her first real superhero crime fighter. Six days from today, the President of the United States will inaugurate thirty-one year old, US military and Navy Captain Chase Brassman as the sole pilot of a high tech exoskeletal suit called "The Protector". We are told by personnel from the Pentagon and it's maker, Macrostrength Industries that the suit provides the wearer, super human strength that's comparable to the cartoon character "Superman". The formal introduction and ceremony will be held at the south lawn of the White House and we will be providing you with live telecast of this amazing and historical event. We were also told that Samantha Peters who is the daughter of billionaire, world renowned doctor and scientist Mark Peters will be in attendance as it has been known that the two have been close friends since high school and are rumored to be dating each other.

         Speaking of Samantha Peters, on celebrity news, famous celebrities, sports legends, top politicians, former cancer patients and other guests have started receiving their invitations for Samantha Peters thirty-first birthday celebration which will be held at their mansion at Hillsborough California two weeks from today. The number of expected guests are believed to exceed twelve hundred. We also learned that a total of 200 security personnel will be providing security in and out of the mansion and it's grounds. Preparations for this grand birthday party had begun yesterday and will take ten days to complete. We tried to interview Miss Peters but her security personnel would not let us get close to her.

         Now on local news, a mad scientist with superpowers who's known as "Dr. Kinesis" had burned another man with a history of drunk driving conviction. He has now tortured, burned and killed a total of twelve people, all with records of DUI arrests. And we just received the latest news about another attack last night by Dr. Kinesis, but in a turn of event, Dr, Kinesis had changed his mind and decided not to burn his victim alive when he found out that the female who had a DUI arrest last week was a single mother. Police investigators had told us that just when Dr. Kinesis was about to light a match stick and toss it at his female victim who was already doused with gasoline that her seven year old daughter came barging into the bedroom crying and asking Dr. Kinesis not to hurt her mother. The police detectives believe that the seven year old girl reminded Dr. Kinesis of his own seven year old daughter who was burned alive together with his wife several years ago. What happened next was that, Dr. Kinesis became misty eyed as he stared at the little girl and finally just before he disappeared, he warned the single mother to never drink and drive ever  again.

        Speaking of crime, the crime rate in Vallejo California has started to increase once again since the end of the crime fighting duo known as the "Mysterious Knight" and his sidekick "Cobra" who as you know are now wanted for the slaying of two Vallejo police officers. So far, the police are still working on finding both former crime fighters who are now criminals and fugitives from the law. The police wants you to...(click).

       John Layer turns off the TV as he turns around in his seat to face Dr. Marcos, "Isn't that amazing Marcos...", says John Layer, "All this time, Dr. Kane has been hiding his super powers from us....Good thing we're in business with him, who knows, maybe one of these days we can have him as an ally....". Dr. Marcos who's sitting across from John Layer nods in agreement when suddenly he hears his boss ask, "What's the status with Bionico, is he ready for his first mission yet?!.....". Dr. Marcos stammers nervously saying, "We can...can...can't seem to control him Mr Layer, torturing him with electric shock does not seem to affect him anymore, even though it temporarily disables him. Last week, he killed another one of our scientists, the week before that, he crushed a security officer's head just like he was squeezing juice from a lemon. He's just very impulsive, unreliable and unpredictable. I think that the best thing to do is to destroy him and find another replacement....".

      John Layer looking visibly upset, stands up and starts to pace the floor, "We're not starting from scratch Marcos...", says John Layer, "I've invested so much time and money in this creature....Just his prototype bionic limbs alone had cost me over forty million...You just don't throw forty million dollars away!.....I want this project to work!. In two weeks, I want Bionico to crash Samantha Peters birthday party and have him decapitate his father's head in front of her. I want her to suffer as I am suffering right now, with my cigarette business struggling due to the illegalization of smoking and the ban on cigarette sales by more states. If I don't kill Samantha Peters soon, there will come a time when cigarettes will become extinct in America, and that would be a devastating tragedy to all Americans. But I don't want Bionico to kill Samantha Peters on her birthday, let's give her a few months to grieve the tragic loss of her father before we send Bionico for a second visit to finally finish her off....".

     Dr. Marcos hesitates then nervously raises his hand up, "Sir, what about Captain Brassman...I'm pretty sure that he'll be attending Miss Peters birthday party, and with his access to the "Protector" suit, he could be the only one who can stop Bionico from killing Dr. Peters.....". John Layer stops pacing as he stands still  thinking while he taps his chin with his index finger, "Hmmm....Let me think....", John Layer says, "Ok, two days before the birthday party, I wan't you to obtain the suit from him. Tell him that our scientists and engineers needs to update the "Protector" suit with new electronic exoskeletal enhancements and a new computer system software and that the process will take a whole week. That way we can also watch how Bionico will shred Captain Chase Brassman to pieces.....Poor little cute Samantha Peters, she does not know it yet but she's about witness the death of her father and her bestfriend on her birthday....". As John Layer starts to laugh out loud,  Dr. Marcos asks, "So are you going to the White House to attend the inauguration of the Protector or do you want me to....". John Layer quickly grumbles then yells, "Of course I'm gonna attend!....I want the American people to see me as one of the greatest innovators of all time....And besides, I need to pretend that I consider Captain Brassman as my adopted son...That should help take away some of the FBI and the Pentagon's suspscions that we've been sabotaging the Protector in the past....".

          (Andrew's Air Force Base, Maryland - Located 11 miles southeast of Washington DC)

         Five days later, it was 09:30 PM when Chase returns to his Officer's quarters after a grueling two hour  workout at the military base's gymnasium. Still in his sweat soaked gray sweater and sweat pants, he suddenly hears someone knocking on his front door. Dropping his keys, cell phone and his wallet on his living room's coffee table, he proceeds towards the door and opens it. And as the door opens, he see's Major Garfield Powers smiling, wearing his formal green army uniform. "Hey Chase!, how's it goin'...", says Garfield, "You're soaked, just got done working out?.....". Chase smiles back as he lets his best friend in. And as Garfield steps inside, he quickly surveys his surroundings, "Not bad for a bachelor's pad...", Garfield says, "I just wish that the military made all our officer's quarters a little more bigger than a hotel room, you know what I mean?...". Chase grins lightly as they both sit on the room's sofa opposite each other. "So are you ready for your big day tomorrow!....I envy you my friend...", Garfield says smiling, "For you to be introduced as America's first real super hero will be unprecedented....It will be an event comparable to Neal Armstrong,  the first man to have ever walked on the moon.....". Chase grins as he waves off Garfield's flattering words, but the more Chase wanted to minimize the next day's inauguration, the more excited Garfield felt for his best friend. "Come on man!....Stop with the fake humility...", says Garfield, "After tomorrow, all the kids in America will throw away their Marvel and DC comics and thousands of kids will be lining up at the local comics store for a chance to buy the first edition of the "Protector". Who knows, ten years from now, there'll be schools, buildings, freeways and streets that will all be named after you.....Aren't you thrilled of the possibilities?......".

         Chase stays silent as he stares off at a blank wall, trying to sustain a smile. Noticing that something was bothering Chase, Garfield asks, "What's wrong buddy, you're a little more quiet than normal tonight....What's on your mind?.....". Chase sigh's deeply as his face turns worried, then says, "I'm just a liitle bit nervous about tomorrow....". Garfield looking surprised, moves closer to the edge of his seat as he asks, "What's there to worry about, Is it meeting the President of the United States....Is it the hundreds of people who'll be excitedly waiting for your flyby and your landing on the south lawn's stage, or is it the billions of people all around the world who will be watching you on TV while you fly around in your super suit?.....". Chase shakes his head saying, "It's not that, It's what we planned two days ago....You know, with that reporter you set up to ask me those questions....". Garfield suddenly bursts laughing as he asks, "Is that it?!....You're nervous because we pre-fabricated questions that my reporter friend will be asking you?....Chase, you told me that Samantha will be at your inauguration tomorrow right?.....And that you want to find a way to impress her. You also told me that the reason she fell in love with her late boyfriend Grey was because of his sense of humor, correct?....".

         Chase nods silently as Garfield continues saying, "Well therefore, that's what we're gonna do, we're gonna make her laugh. Just follow the script we practiced....There's gonna be hundreds of reporters who'll be raising their hands to ask you questions, my reporter friend will be positioned on your left side. Just like I said before, you can't miss him, he'll be wearing an orange suit with a blue neck tie with a picture of "Superman" on it. From time to time, just point to him and he'll ask you the scripted questions I prepared and just look at your copy for the question's answer. I swear, you'll make everybody laugh tomorrow, but what's even more important is that you're showing Samantha that you have a sense of humor, just like her late boyfriend....". Chase grimaces momentarily then says, "But I feel like I'm cheating...I love Samantha so much but I can't pretend to have a sense of humor when I don't feel that I do, why can't I just be myself....". Garfield suddenly groans, "Ahhh!...You're not getting the point my friend....What we're doing is not cheating, It's more like doing stand up comedy. Those stand up comedians in those comedy clubs don't just go up on stage and just say whatever comes to their mind. They follow a script!....And that's what you're gonna do!....Believe me, If you don't win Samantha's heart soon, after her birthday party next week, she'll be flying back to Africa, and who knows what may happen. You might never get another chance to win her over....So just ask yourself this question, "Is she worth it or not?"....".

        (City of Vallejo, California)

         A few hours later, it was 03:00 AM when a Vallejo police car cruises slowly through a dimly lighted street in a crime plagued part of town. Driving the police car was Officer Ronald Dumbspell and with him was Sergeant Nick Holt. "I can't believe that we're in the same car together....", Officer Dumbspell says, "We've been in the same police force for 27 years and this is the first time we've ever been partnered together....Isn't that amazing?....". Sgt. Holt forces a grin while looking away, sliding down his window while pretending to be upbeat as he replies saying, "Well, there's always a first time for everything, I guess....".

        Though unknown to Officer Dumbspell, it was Sgt Holt's idea for them to partner together that night by forcing their police supervisor who once used to be Sgt Holt's subordinate to change that night's assignment. "Any plans of retiring yet?....", Officer Dumbspell asks, "For me, I've got a few months left....Me and the wife just bought a nice beach house in Malibu California....With the kids off to college, retirement will be like heaven....". Sgt Holt looking annoyed asks, "How are you able to buy a beach house in Malibu with a police officer's salary?.....". Officer Dumbspell realizing that he should not have boasted about his new expensive house suddenly gets nervous as he swallows hard while he grips the steering wheel tighter saying, "I..um...I got something on the side....a business....a side business....". Sgt Holt looks away feeling dismayed at the knowledge that Officer Dumbspell makes a lot of money from working for the mob as he pretends to be ignorant of Officer Dumbspell's criminal connections.

         Then after a few minutes of silence, "Hey, why don't you pull over by that convenience store....", says Sgt Holt, "I need to get some coffee, I'm starting to get sleepy....". And as the police car parks a few feet away from the convenience store, Sgt Holt gets out of the car then quickly looks back in asking, "You want some coffee?.....". Officer Dumbspell hesitates for a moment then says, "Oh! sure...Thanks....I want some cream and sugar with it too....". And as Sgt Holt walks away from the car, he looks at the empty, quiet and deserted streets while walking towards the store. And as he was about to enter in, he sneers with pleasure at the thought of what was about to happen to Officer Dumbspell. Then after entering the convenience store, he see's the store clerk whom he'd known for years as he tells his friend to go to the storage room for five minutes and do some restocking. The store clerk looking puzzled at Sgt Holt's request, starts to question Sgt Holt's motives, but Sgt Holt calmly says, "Bert, just trust me on this....And don't worry, I'll watch the cash register while you're away.

       Once the store clerk had left, Sgt Holt uses his cell phone to contact Grey. "Ok, all's clear...He's all yours....". Then in less than a minute, Grey, in his titanium knight's armor appears out of a dark alley across the street from the convenience store as he silently levitates towards the police car. And while Officer Dumbspell was checking his cell phone's text messages, he suddenly gets surprised by a crashing sound from his driver's door getting instantly ripped away. Feeling panic stricken, he quickly goes for his gun but as he was reaching for it, he suddenly see's a sword's shiny blade pressing tightly below his neck's Adam's apple. "You make a sound or move one inch and you die!....", Grey says, as he tries to keep his emotions in check. Sitting frozen with his heart beat racing, Officer Dumbspell slowly takes his right hand away from his gun and places his hands on his lap. "Where the hell is the security surveillance video tape that you and Cheney took, the night you both framed me for murdering Officer Francis!....". And as sweat beads appear on Officer Dumbspell's forehead, he thought of swallowing before speaking but feared that any sudden movement might make the blade cut through his neck as he whispers saying, "I don't know what you're talking about....".

        Feeling more flustered, Grey suddenly grabs Officer Dumbspell's hair and pulls his head back with his left hand as he presses his sword further, increasing the blades pressure on Officer Dumbspell's throat. "You lie to me one more time and I'll cut your head off right now!....". Then as Officer Dumbspell's level of fear rises, he starts to wail as he pleads saying, "Oh!..please....Don't kill me!....I know where it is....It's a security surveillance disc....The mob has it.....We all watched the disc...They wanted to see how we framed you for the rookie cop's murder.... So we all watched it inside Dr. Courtest's office....I saw him as he placed it inside his office's safe.....It's behind a painting on the wall, but I don't know the safe's combination...Please don't kill me...Please....".

       Then Grey, realizing that he got the information he needs, warns the police officer that he'll come back for him to kill him if he does not find the disc inside the mob's safe. And as Officer Dumbspell quivers in fear, Grey tells him to close his eyes and to count to ten. And after ten seconds had passed, Officer Dumbspell slowly opens his eyes and see's Sgt Holt smiling at him while he was holding two cups of coffee. Feeling frantic and angry, Officer Dumbspell yells, "Where the hell were you!....Didn't you hear the loud commotion that was happening out here?....That knight with the red "X" mark on his chest attacked me!...Can't you see, he even ripped the door off the car!....Didn't you hear it...What's wrong with you!....". Sgt Holt looking unconcerned, shrugs his shoulders then says, "Sorry man!...I was too sleepy....I guess my senses are not that sharp tonight...". And as he hands a cup of coffee to Officer Dumbspell, he pretends to loose his grip on it as he pours the scalding hot liquid all over Officer Dumbspell's lap causing the police man to shriek in extreme  pain. Pretending to be apologetic and concerned, he quickly calls for police back up due to the attack on his partner by the "Mysterious Knight ", then also requests an ambulance due to the second degree burn on Officer Dumbspell's thighs. And as Sgt Holt stares at his whining police partner, he sneers once again as he mumbles to himself saying, "That's for my rookie partner, you idiot!...".

       (The South Lawn at the White House in Washington DC)

          Several hours later, it was 10:00 AM when the President of the United States finally arrives in his presidential helicopter, "Marine One", as it touches down at the South Lawn. After walking off from the helicopter, the President starts waving to a multitude of people gathered close to the White House. Flanked by his secret service agents, the U.S. President starts his leisurely walk, 50 yards towards a stage which was set up right in front of the White House. To each side of the stage were hundreds of spectators, men, women and children who were all excitedly waiting for the main event, which was the arrival of America's first ever real superhero. After the President reaches the stage, he takes a seat together with some of his cabinet members, members of the U.S. Congress, invited dignitaries and officials and representatives from the Pentagon and Macrostrength Industries.

        After the President had sat down, the United States Air Force band, which was composed of fifty  military musicians wearing their military blue uniforms starts to play celebratory music to make the atmosphere more festive. And as the music excites the crowd, several military rifle companies consisting of between 80 to 200 soldiers, airmen and sailors from the Army, Airforce, Marines, Navy and the Coast Guard starts their marching parade across the South Lawn. With the sunny weather and with a cool temperature, the public who numbered closed to 5,000 together with hundreds of journalists, news reporters and camera men were all mostly in a joyous and happy mood. There were free balloons for kids, free popcorn, pizza and drinks that were being handed out to the waiting public.

        Meanwhile, the public seating to the left side of the stage was where Samantha, together with her four body guards were sitting. Due to the loud fanfare around her which was coming from excited fans and the  loud music from a flourish of brass musical instruments. She tries to use her left index finger to plug her left ear as she spoke to Betsy on her cell phone, "You have to speak up!...It's just too noisy out here...", says Samantha as she quickly adjusts her sunglasses, then plugs her ear once again. "I said, Are you wearing that ivory floral dress?!...", Betsy asks, yelling over the phone, "The one with prints of pink budding roses and green leaves!....I might be color blind but I ain't dumb...". While barely hearing what Betsy was saying, Samantha remains silent, when she hears Betsy once again say, "That dress I told you to wear, the one with the adjustable T-strap with a sultry open back!....". Samantha shakes her  head saying, "I don't have the slightest idea what dress you're talking about!....". Thinking that Samantha was being evasive and coy, Betsy suddenly groans with exaggeration then says, "Ahhh!...Don't play dumb with me, Missy!....It's the one you wore last Easter during your garden party and Easter egg hunt that you organized for the Bay Area's under priviledged kids....You know, the one with that flirtatious front side slit that hits up at mid-thigh.....".

          Samantha suddenly giggles as she remembers the dress that her best friend was describing to her as she responds saying, "No!, silly!....I'm not wearing that today. I'm here wearing a business suit, a black blazer over a white silk blouse, black pants and a black leather platform pump with a 4 inch covered heel, that's it!.....". Betsy imitates a man's deep grunt then say's, "Arrrgh!...What's wrong with you?!....You're suppose to be there to attract, flirt and seduce Chase, not to have a business meeting him!....". Samantha rolls her eyes and smiles as she feels a little embarrassed at Betsy's teasing, then says, "You know, I've got to go, I think the President is about to speak....". Betsy not wanting to end their conversation suddenly yells, "Wait...Please...Wait....Just one last question....What evening gown are you wearing for tonight's formal dinner and dance party at the White House?....Tell me, tell me, tell me....I need to know!...". Samantha sigh's deeply from her best friend's annoying questions as she answers, "I'm not going to the ball tonight...I just don't feel like celebrating yet....". And before Betsy could react to her decision to not go, Samantha quickly says, "Goodbye!...See ya soon!....", as she hangs up her phone.

          After another five minutes had passed, a White House spokesperson walks up to the podium to welcome the crowd and to voice out some safety reminders together with some announcements about children's games and other family fun oriented activities that will commence right after the inaugural rites of America's first super hero are finished. Then looking behind him, the White House spokesperson see's the President nod which indicates that the President was ready to give his speech. "And now, without further ado....", says the announcer, " I present to you, the President of the United States!.....". A loud applause follows from the sea of spectators together with loud music which was emanating from the United States Air Force band. Standing behind the presidential podium, the President waves as TV camera's were all focused on him, sending his live images to billions of people watching in their TV sets around the world.

      Looking down at his prepared speech, the President pauses for a moment as he gazes proudly to all the people that showed up. "Thank you everyone for your warm welcome....And due to the number of kids, specially toddlers playing and running all around, I'll promise to keep my speech short and sweet, since children under the age of nine all know that play time is much more important than listening to an old man like me....". Diffused laughter starts to erupt from the crowd as the President smiles then says, "Today is a historic day as you all know.....For more than a century, Americans have been dreaming of a day like today. Since the early 1900's, kids, adults and even the elderly have been dreaming of superheroes, reading about superheroes in comic books and watching TV shows and movies about super heroes. Generations of people have always admired, respected and even dreamt of being superheroes, and that includes me.....I know that when I was a kid, I always fantasized what it would be like to have super powers, to fly and to be invincible, to not ever have to feel pain. And I know, most of you out there feel the same way too. But before all of you starts to look up to a real super hero, let me just remind you that inside your heart is a hidden super hero that wants to come out. What I mean to say is that America did not become great because of super heroes. America has, is and will always be the greatest country on earth because of generations of Americans who had done super deeds and heroic acts. Like the police officers and firefighters who perished on September 11, 2001. Soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who had given their lives in America's past wars. Men and women who fought for fair civil rights, common people, Americans who united to fight unethical and deceitful corporations. An example is when Burger King avoided paying higher taxes by moving their corporate office in Canada, instead of lying down and taking it in the gut, the American people all united and boycotted this fast food restaurant. Americans started avoiding Burger King like the plague. And after a few years, that fast food franchise finally collapsed. Today, Burger King is out of the fast food business and is struggling to stay afloat in the manure hauling and fertilizer business. The same thing with Walmart, whose owners are the richest people in America. But because of their greed, Walmart employees are still one of the lowest paid workers in the nation with horrible benefits. Even the dogs and cats of Walmart's owners all ate better food than their employees did. And so what did Americans do?.....They united and boycotted Walmart. So my final message to all of you is....That the people's will, is and will always be far more powerful than any superhero, specially when there's unity towards a moral cause that is geared to uphold justice, equality, peace and prosperity to it's people from generation to generation. Always remember, that all of you can be real superheroes in your own right when you unite....Unite to battle corporate corruption, unite to not re-elect unscrupulous politicians. These are just a couple of things that "Superman" or "Ironman" cannot achieve, even if they were real......Thank you and may God bless America...".

          And as the President gets a standing ovation, he looks back at his assistants to ascertain the status of the "Protector". And while Samantha was standing and applauding together with the rest of the crowd, she suddenly feels her cell phone vibrate. She takes out her cell phone, plugs her left ear, then answers the call, "Samantha here, who's this?....". And to her surprise, she hears Chase's voice on the other line say, "Hey Sam!, It's me....". Feeling surprised, Samantha excitedly asks, "Where are you?......". She quickly hears Chase say, "I'm 3,000 feet up in the sky flying in circles....", suddenly Chase see's text messages from his visor's computer screen informing him that it was time for him to do his flyby, aerial stunts and after that, his much awaited landing at the South Lawn's stage. "Oooops..I guess It's time for me to impress the crowd....I'll see you in a few minutes Ok?....". But before Chase could disconnect the line, Samantha quickly blurts out saying, "Chase wait!....You won't see me on the stage. I did not want the extra attention so I decided to mix in with the crowd, but I'll see you after the ceremony Ok?...". Chase chuckles then says, "Ok then....I'll catch you later...". (click)

         Then while the spectators were watching the skies, the Protector suddenly zooms by, performing a low altitude flyby. The sea of onlookers were all amazed as the people collectively gasps in excitement and awe at the electrifying and daredevil aerial stunts that the Protector starts to perform. With all eyes focused on him, the Protector continued performing aerial loops, negative G dives, rolling reversals and Split S maneuvers. The crowd watching were all astounded, with some of them taking pictures while others were constantly zooming in with their video cameras. Children were ecstatic, some pointing upwards and shouting the word "Superman" as they watch the Protector darting through the sky.

        Then after the thirty minute air show was over, The Protector stops in mid air and hovers 200 feet above the crowd as he starts waving to all the fans that were watching him. The master of ceremonies then walks to the podium and announces. Ladies and gentlemen and kids....May I introduce to you the Protector!....Piloted by Navy Captain Chase Brassman!....". And as the cheering surges even louder, Chase starts to glide towards the stage. The President, together with all other VIP's and other dignitaries starts to rise from their seats and applaud as they watch the Protector start his slow vertical descent on the stage.

        And as the Protector decreases his altitude, everyone on stage and in the direct vicinity of a few feet,  starts to cover their ears from the loudness of the Protector's rocket boosters, while some steps back due to the strong air current coming from the rocket booster's exhaust. And as soon as the Protector touches down on stage, Chase quickly turns off his systems and takes off his helmet while watching the President approach him with excitement. Chase quickly smiles and waves to the cheers of the people as he shakes hands with the President.

      The President then steps closer to the podium and pulls the microphone closer to him as he says, "America, here is your new superhero!....". Then once again, the sea of fans erupts to loud cheers of joy and excitement. Not wanting to waste time, the President signals his assistants to prepare the ceremonial rites in order to formally commission Captain Chase Brassman as the sole pilot of the Protector. Then after a few seconds had passed, the cheering had quickly died down as the crowd watches the President and the Protector face each other with their right hands both raised. And as the President starts to recite the pledge of loyalty to the nation, Chase repeats every word the President says. And after the pledge was finished, a loud thunderous roar from the crowd erupts once again as Chase raises his hands up in a symbol of pride,  honor and victory.

     And after a few minutes of waving to the cheering crowd, the President speaks into the microphone saying, "I know that this wasn't planned, but after Captain Brassman is done being interviewed, I'm sure he wouldn't mind signing some autograph's...Right Captain Brassman?....". Chase quickly nods at the President's suggestion which drove the crowd into another screaming frenzy. Finally, after another few minutes, the crowd's roar gradually diminishes paving the way to the start of the question and answer portion of the ceremony. Looking around at the hundreds of hands raised up to question Chase, Chase nervously searches the crowd to his left side and see's the news reporter wearing an orange suit with a blue neck tie that had the picture of "Superman" on it. The reporter wearing the orange suit quickly gives him a thumbs up gesture to signal him that his scripted questions were ready.

      While deciding on who to pick first, Chase nonchalantly opens a small drawer from the podium and pulls out his scripted question and answer sheet. Then taking a deep breath while smiling, Chase points to one of several excited female teenagers who all came as a group.  After the cordless microphone was passed to her, the overly excited young woman gasps for air then quickly asks, "Are you married?!...And if not, will you come to my high school prom with me?!...". A thunderous and boisterous crowd starts to cheer once again as Chase smiles at the abashed young teen as he says, "I'm not married, and I'm honored that you're inviting me.....But I'm sorry, I can't. Anyway, I'm sure that a beautiful young lady such as yourself should not have any problems finding a date for your prom...". More cheers erupts from the crowd as Chase points to one of the reporters. "Captain Brassman, there are unofficial reports from the North Korean news agency that you have attacked North Korea in the past and had even killed a number of North Korean pilots, who some of them happens to have families....What can you say to the wives you've widowed and to the children you've orphaned?....". The cheering and the joyous atmosphere suddenly dies down as if a fog of silence had blanketed the thousands of fans watching Chase up on stage. Frozen from hearing the question, Chase thinks of the most honest and diplomatic way to answer the question, when all of a sudden, the master of ceremonies quickly intrudes as he runs to the podium and pulls the microphone close to his face as he blurts out saying, "That's a matter of national security, Captain Brassman can't and will not answer that question...".

             But before the awkward announcement starts to dampen the crowd's mood, the master of ceremonies points to another spectator who excitedly asks, "Will you run for President of the United States someday?!....". Once again the crowd starts to cheer wildly at the question as Captain Brassman smiles, then  responds saying, "I don't really know.....Maybe......For now, I really just want to enjoy the honor of piloting the Protector...". And after another round of applause, Chase finally points to the reporter wearing the orange suit, "KFIX news...Captain Brassman, If the MARVEL and DC superheroes were real, and you had to face them in battle, do you think you can defeat them?. Let's say you had to fight Superman, one on one, how would you fight him?....". The crowd suddenly becomes silent, waiting with great anticipation as Chase calmly looks at the scripted answers on his cheat sheet then reads it saying, "I would use Kryptonite of course....". Diffused laughter erupts from the crowd as the orange reporter continues asking him.

Reporter wearing orange suit:  "What about Ironman, how would you defeat him?..."
Chase: (Looking down at his cheat sheet says) "I'd use a really large magnet?!....". (People laughing)
Reporter wearing orange suit:  "How about the Hulk, how would you stop him?....".
Chase: "I'll advice him to stop taking anabolic steroids....That should get rid of his roid rage..." (Crowd laughing)

Reporter wearing orange suit:  "What about Spiderman?...How would you beat him?...".
Chase: (Reading from his cheat sheet says) "I'd tell him that it's time for him to come out of the closet and  that he doesn't have to wear a mask just to wear his tight spandex, cause gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders now all have equal rights in our society...". (More cheers from the crowd erupts)

Reporter wearing orange suit:  "What about Aquaman?....".
Chase:  "I'd trap him in a really big fish bowl....". (More indistinct laughter from the crowd)

Reporter wearing orange suit:  "What about Wonder Woman?....".
Chase:   "I would offer a truce by taking her out on a date.....". (Diffused laughter from the crowd)

Reporter wearing orange suit:  "What about Flash?.....".
Chase:  "He'd be really hard to catch, the best thing to do would be to first slow him down....So I guess I would start by installing traffic lights everywhere....". (Continued laughter from the crowd)

Reporter wearing orange suit:  "My last question....How would you defeat Green Lantern?...".
Chase:  "I'd use a really sharp ring cutter...". (More cheering and applause from the crowd)

        With hundreds of hands raised, Chase points to another civilian as he asks, "Captain Brassman, how does it feel to be a superhero?....". Chase smiles then humbly looks down momentarily then says, "To be honest, I'm still in shock!....It feels surreal, whenever I'm wearing this super suit. It's just indescribable....Actually, I feel like a kid that has the best toy in the world a child could ever have....".

       Chase then looks to the opposite side and points to a news reporter. "KFUN news....Captain Brassman, there are rumors floating around that there is an African American Army Officer that's more skilled, more intelligent and more qualified than you, who should be piloting the Protector, and that the only reason you got picked was because of your skin color, your blue eyes and your blonde hair. What can you say about that?...". Silence suddenly radiates throughout the crowd as Chase tries to brush away the hurtful and disparaging question. Being at a loss for words, Chase quickly reminds himself that honesty was the best way to address the issue as he pauses briefly, then in a calm and serene manner answers, " I guess, I would like to think that the reason I was selected to pilot the Protector was because of my superior skills, talents and my intellect, and if there is someone more deserving than me to pilot the Protector, then I would gladly step aside. But for now until that time comes, I will fulfill my duties to the best of my abilities.... Thank you all, and may God always bless America!.....". And as Chase turns around to greet the other VIP's and dignitaries on stage, the crowd once again, starts their deafening cheers while the military band starts playing their music to add more excitement to the festivities.

          And while Samantha was applauding together with the thousands of fans watching, she notices a trail of people forming in order to get a signed autograph from Chase. And as the line extends far and away, she feels that it was best to just leave Chase a message in his cell phone's voice mail, in order to give the people a chance to meet their new superhero.

         (The Mayflower Renaissance Washington, DC Hotel)

         Later that night, it was 10:15 pm as Samantha continues to review corporate reports from some of Cure Corp's regional branches, located in different parts of the world. Glancing at her wrist watch, she couldn't believe that she'd been glued to her laptop computer for close to three hours. Still wearing her faded blue jeans, white ribbed turtle neck sweater and white tennis shoes, she started to feel sleepy and starts feeling  tempted to change into her pajamas, and as she  looks around at her hotel room and gazes at her queen size bed, the thought of her diving to bed and calling it a night was starting to become more inviting, yet she knew that the more effort she pours into her work, will help make Betsy's tasks in the morning more easier to bear. Then after taking a sip of coffee from her mug, she scrolls down to check other data that needed to be analyzed when suddenly she hears loud sounds coming from her room's balcony. Recognizing that the familiar sounds were coming from the sounds of the Protector's rocket boosters, she quickly walks towards her window and pulls her crimson colored curtains apart.

        Samantha, looking through a sliding transparent glass door, quickly smiles as she see's Chase wearing his Protector suit as he slowly descends on her room's balcony. And after Chase touches down, he turns off his suit's systems completely then takes off his red helmet. And as Samantha slides open her glass door, she quickly feels the 67 degree cool evening breeze brush through her face and her hair. And as she steps out to meet Chase, she starts to giggle then says, "You didn't have to use your super suit just to visit me you know. This hotel has elevators....Six of them, all in good working condition....", Samantha teasingly informs Chase. Chase takes a step closer to Samantha as he plays along saying, "Nah!....Being inside an elevator and waiting to reach the 80th floor just takes forever, besides I got this suit on loan from the US government, so why not use it every once in a while right?....".

       They both start to laugh at the same time, as they begin to hug tightly. And as they end their embrace, Samantha stares up at Chase with a quizzical look then asks, "Aren't you supposed to be at your inauguration's dinner and dance party celebration at the White House?....After all, you're the main celebrant...". Chase shakes his head smiling, "I did, for the dinner part....Then when the time came for the dancing part, I told the President that I was allergic to dancing and that I had to leave before I go into anaphylactic shock.....". Samantha snickers then asks, "And the President believed you?....". Chase rolls his eyes then says, "Actually he did not, so I had to tell him the truth, that I wanted to visit you.....". A brief time of silence ensues as they lock into each other's eyes, smiling, and for a few seconds they start to feel drawn into each other.

        And as attracted as they were to each other, Samantha starts to feel a gnawing sense of uneasiness as she suddenly reverts back to small talk. "You were very funny today...Answering those questions on how you'd fight those fictional Marvel and DC superheroes....", Samantha says looking up at Chase, "All these years I've known you, I never knew that side of you.....So, since when did you develop a sense of humor....". Chase suddenly blushes as he starts to feel his digestive system start to churn from the lie he's about to say, "I actually have a great sense of humor...", Chase say's, "It's just that I take life too seriously sometimes, I guess....".

        And as Chase stares at Samantha's beauty, he quickly changes the topic saying, "It's nice to see you not wearing black....And I don't mean that in a disrespectful way, you just look different tonight....". Breaking eye contact with Chase, Samantha looks out into the city's lights with sadness as if she was searching for someone then says, "I try not to wear black when I'm alone....It just reminds me too much of Grey....A mixture of grief and a deafening silence from being alone can be too much to bear, even for me....". And as Chase stares at Samantha's somber facial expression, he decides to try to cheer her up by offering her an idea. "Would you like to go sight seeing tonight....",Chase asks," There's a lot to see here in DC.....".

       Taken by surprise, Samantha glances around momentarily then looks at her wrist watch, "It's kind'a late, don't you think?....Besides, my chauffeur's probably fast asleep by now....". Chase chuckles then says, "I didn't mean drive, I mean't fly....". Caught off guard, Samantha looks up at Chase with her mouth slightly open then asks, "You mean like "Fly" fly?.....Fly away with you?....Like when Superman took Lois Lane flying?....". Chase nods smiling, seeing that this would impress Samantha, and knowing that no woman had ever been flown in the arms of a real super hero, at least not in real life, he thought to himself.

       Coming back to her senses, Samantha suddenly feels a rush of excitement run through her veins as she looks to her front door then says, "My bodyguards are standing outside my door!....", Samantha exclaims, "I don't think they'd approve of me leaving without them...". Chase grins while he gently takes Samantha's hands then says, "It's Ok...You're with me....Besides, we won't take too long, we'll be back before they even suspect that you were ever gone....".

      Samantha suddenly feels breathless as she nervously wrings her hands together as her mind starts to wrestle whether to accept Chase's invitation or not. Then suddenly, on the spur of the moment, Samantha finally agrees. Chase nods eagerly then tells Samantha to grab a light jacket. And while Samantha was back in her room searching for her black leather jacket. Chase starts getting ready as he puts on his helmet and pushes up his visor. He then program's his computer's artificial intelligence to prepare their flight itinerary to all the sight seeing places in the city. And as Samantha hurries back out to the balcony, Chase quickly hands her a pair of foam earplugs. "You better use these....", says Chase, "Take offs and landings usually gets pretty loud....". And while Samantha was pushing the ear plugs into her ears, she suddenly see's the Protector's wings fan out while Chase was checking his computer's telemetry readings. "Your wings, they're different from the last one's you had....", Samantha says, " That new design looks more like a boomerang!....I like it better than the other one!....". Chase smiles and replies saying, "Yeah, my new wings are identical to the wings of the stealth bomber....Macrostrength Industries just installed it last week, It's part of the stealth technology designed for penetrating anti-aircraft defenses.....".

        Then after a brief silence, Chase notices a hint of nervousness on Samantha's face as he snickers and says, "Why are you nervous.....You shouldn't be, we've already gone skydiving together in the past. And I remember you being so confident when you jumped out of the plane....". Samantha expands the smile on her face as she sigh's then says, "You're right, It's just that I've always been used to being in control. It must be just that I feel a little vulnerable right now...", Samantha hesitates then suddenly says, ".Ok, I'm ready!...". And as they both stand side by side, facing towards the city, Chase slowly and gently wraps his left arm around Samantha's waist as he holds up her right hand with his other hand while steam and a loud jet rocket sound starts emitting from his red rocket boosters. Feeling a gradual increase of vibrations, Samantha grips Chase's hands tighter as they start to ascend gradually. And as they start to hover away from the building, Samantha surprisingly see's numerous hotel guests watching and waving at them from their room's balcony.

         Feeling a little embarrassed, Samantha blushes then decides to wave back at all the people waving  and cheering at them. And as they start to ascend higher and away from the hotel, Samantha's nervousness starts to shift into feelings of exhilaration as she looks down at the city. Then once they reached an altitude of 1,000 feet, Chase orders his system's computer to switch his rocket boosters to stealth or silent mode. And in an instant, the loud rocket sounds coming from the Protector's rocket boosters becomes completely silent without any loss of power or a change in it's thrusters. Samantha sensing the loss of sound suddenly stares at Chase looking panic stricken. Chase stares and smiles back at Samantha as he pulls out her earplugs then says, "We're Ok, I just switched my propulsion system to silent mode, that way you can enjoy the tour even better....". Samantha not breaking eye contact quickly asks, "How come you didn't use that earlier when you landed on my balcony?....". Chase speaks closer to Samantha's ear as he explains, "My propulsion system's stealth mode is top secret.....It's what I use when I penetrate into enemy territory. I'm not allowed to use this technology in public or when there are people around me watching and listening.....".

      Samantha nods and finally smiles as she looks back down at all the city's lights. And after awhile, Samantha starts to enjoy the aerial tour even better as she hears nothing but the whistling in the wind. And with her hair fluttering in the air, she feels Chase lower her below him at arms length. Feeling a pure sense of freedom,  Samantha spreads her arms to her sides, imitating an eagle in flight. And as Chase gently banks right, he starts to lower their altitude to about 500 feet as they glide and circle around the,  "Washington Monument", a few times. Chase pulls her up closer to him and asks, "Are you cold?....". Samantha shakes her head smiling as she shouts, "No, I'm Ok!....This is the best feeling I've ever had!....".

      And as Chase lowers her back down, they start to change direction and continue on to visit other places like the "Jefferson Memorial Monument", the "National Mall", "Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial", "Washington National Cathedral", "Korean War Veteran's Memorial", "United States Holocaust Memorial Museum", "Vietnam Veteran's Memorial", "National Zoological Park", "Lincoln Memorial", and a few other sight seeing places.

      It was past midnight when Chase returns Samantha back to her hotel. And as they start to approach Samantha's balcony, the loud sound from the Protector's rocket boosters ends up waking some of the hotel guests as they look through their respective glass sliding doors, with some of them even coming out to their balconies just to get another glimpse of the Protector. Samantha feeling ashamed of the loud noise bury's her face on Chase's chest as she mumbles saying, "This is embarrassing....". Chase waves and smiles at all the people he awoke then yells, "Sorry to have awaken you all....I'm just dropping her off, then I'll be on my way..... You can all go back to bed, I'll use the elevator on my way out, that way I won't have to disturb you again!.....Thanks for your patience everybody, and good night....". Samantha starts to giggle as she kept her eyes closed and her face buried in Chase's green flight suit. And as they slowly descend in Samantha's balcony, they lock eyes again while they slowly rotate downward for a gentle touchdown.

      And right after their landing, Chase takes off his red helmet as they stand motionless, staring at each other's eyes as if they were in a trance. And as Samantha slowly takes off her earplugs, Chase starts to feel that this was the time to make his move. He then slowly tilts his head slightly as he goes for a kiss, and as Samantha looses herself in the moment, she closes her eyes as she slowly finds her arms slipping around Chase which she felt was the perfect conclusion to a magical evening. But as they were kissing, Samantha suddenly pulls away. Feeling that something wasn't right, Samantha starts to apologize, "I'm sorry Chase, I don't know what came over me.....". Chase gently takes her hands, smiles and says, "I love you Sam.....I just want you to know that now while I still have a chance of saying it.....After your birthday party next week, we'll be going our own separate ways again, and I just don't know where life's destiny will lead us to....".

     Samantha steps back closer to Chase and slips her arms around him once again. She then leans her head against his chest with her eyes closed. Listening to his pounding heartbeat, Samantha wanted so much to reciprocate the love and affection Chase was giving her, but something just did not feel right, the memory of Grey was still lingering in her mind and in her heart. "I told you once before that you and I will have a wonderful life together....", Samantha says, "I just need a little more time.....Please be patient......And when the time comes, I promise to love you with all my heart and all my soul....". And after a few more minutes of remaining in the comfort of each other's embrace, Chase finally decides to leave. And just when he was about to fly off the balcony, Samantha giggles and reminds him that he promised all the people he awoke that he'd take the elevator and leave on foot as not to awaken anymore guests. They both laugh briefly as Chase leaves through Samantha's front door. Coming out of Samantha's room, two of the four body guards standing on watch were surprised and were perplexed at how the Protector got inside Samantha's room without them knowing. And as Chase walks towards the elevators, Samantha explains to her bodyguards the unexpected visit she got from Chase earlier.

       (Mausoleum's Underground Hideout, at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, California)

       Two days later, It was exactly 11:00 pm when Grey, Ritchie, Sgt. Holt and Dr. Peters were all watching the news on TV. "Good evening America, welcome to the eleven o'clock news....And now for our top story. We've learned this morning from a Whitehouse spokesperson, that the President has ordered America's first ever real super hero, "The Protector", to be stationed at the Arizona-Mexico border. The Protector's new assignment will be to help the U.S. Border Patrol seize all the illegal narcotic drugs that are being smuggled in the United States. The President will also be meeting with Mexico's President to discuss the possibility of sanctioning the Protector to attack and destroy all of Mexico's drug cartels.....In other news, the FBI are now getting involved in the hunt for Dr. Kinesis, the scientist with superpowers, who's abilities are psychokinesis and teleportation. As of yesterday, Dr. Kinesis had already burned and killed a total of thirty individuals, all with a history of DUI arrests. And speaking of DUI arrests, we've just recently learned that there has been a sharp decrease in DUI arrests here in Northern California. We've spoken randomly to different people here in the Bay Area, and all of them say that people are now scared of driving drunk because of the gruesome deaths of DUI offenders from the hands of Dr. Kinesis. Some people we spoke to even consider Dr. Kinesis somewhat of a "Anti-Hero" for his crusade in killing DUI offenders. Others even say that it's better for drunk drivers to be burned alive rather than see them kill innocent people on the freeway from drunk driving car accidents. And finally, for some local news, the Mysterious Knight attacked another Vallejo police officer two days ago in the city of Vallejo. Officer Ronald Dumbspell said that around 03:00 am, while his police partner was getting coffee inside a convenience store, the Mysterious Knight with the red "X" mark on his breastplate suddenly attacked and tried to kill him. Officer Dumbspell told us that he used his superior martial arts skill in fighting off his attacker. Officer Dumbspell also told us that he could have been the Mysterious Knight's third victim, but he says that because of his superior fighting skills, he was able to fight off his attacker, who eventually escaped.....".

               Sgt Holt and Grey starts to laugh at the news report. "That dirty cop was crying and pleading while I had my sword by his throat!...", Grey says as he lays motionless in his hospital bed. Sgt Holt laughs even louder then says, "Do you know that even before I spilled the scalding coffee on his lap that his pants was already wet!....Dumbspell was so scared, he pee'd his pants!...". And as everybody starts to laugh loudly, their enjoyment was suddenly cut short by a crime expert being interviewed on TV.

             And as they continue to watch the news, they start to listen attentively as a criminal psychologist was being questioned by the news anchor, "So Dr. Smith, with your years of experience as a criminal psychologist, how would you assess the motives of the Mysterious Knight?....". The 80 year old man pulls the microphone closer to him and says, "In my 50 years of practicing criminal psychology, I know for a fact that the number one reason a person decides to be a serial killer is because of early childhood trauma, It could be physical, mental, emotional or a combination of the three. After studying the photos of the Mysterious Knight that were given to me by the Vallejo Police department. My analysis boils down to the symbols on his shield which is a "Red Cross" and the symbol on his breastplate of a red "X" mark. I've concluded that these marks represent symbols of suffering that he endured early on in his life, probably during grade school. I firmly believe that the Mysterious Knight was really bad in math during his grade school years and that the "Red Cross" on his shield is really a "Plus" sign, while the red "X" mark on his breastplate is really a "Multiplication" sign. What I'm trying to say is that I believe that this Mysterious Knight had a traumatic experience adding and multiplying when he was in grade school. These are all repressed feelings that suddenly surfaced when he became an adult, that's why he's taking his revenge out on society....He uses the signs of addition and multiplication as his mark of hatred towards society...". The news anchor looking unconvinced, looks at the TV camera saying, "There you have it folks, now you all know that the Mysterious Knight is killing cops because he was really bad in math, specifically, addition and multiplication.....And that is it for tonight's news, please stay tune for the next episode of...". (Click)

        Dr. Peters suddenly turns off the TV, and as Grey glances around, he see's everyone snickering. And as Ritchie tries to suppress his laugh, he notices Grey staring at him in disgust, "What's wrong, why are you looking at me like that?....", says Ritchie as he tries to keep himself from laughing. "I just don't understand how you prioritize things....", Grey says with an agitated look, "You took the time and effort to transform the black hearse into a "Hot Rod" and yet, you can't even remember to take a few minutes of your time to drop by a hardware store to buy me a chemical paint remover so that you can erase that stupid looking red "X" mark on my knight's breastplate.....And now the world just doesn't think that I'm a cop killer, but now they also think that I'm also bad at grade school math!....". The three men listening to Grey couldn't hold it any longer as they finally burst out laughing.

      Thirty minutes later, while Ritchie and Sgt Holt was having a snack, Dr. Peters was finishing up his physical exam on Grey. "The latest result I got from the CBC analyzer shows that your kidney and liver enzymes are slightly elevated, which does not surprise me. That dull ache that you're feeling from your lower back could be a sign of kidney injury from the toxic serum you took.....", says Dr. Peters, looking at his quadriplegic patient who's lying in his hospital bed, "It's not too late yet Grey, If you stop taking my toxic serum now, you're kidneys and liver can still return to it's normal state....". Grey looks away, ignoring Dr. Peter's advice as he asks, "So, how would I know when I'm going into kidney and liver failure. What are the signs and symptoms I should look for?....". Dr. Peters grabs hold of the hospital bed's stainless steel siderails, squeezing them tightly as he leans forward and sigh's deeply then says, "Early signs of kidney problems could include, low back pain, increased red blood cells in your urine, proteinuria, chills and fever, nausea, vomiting, you can become anemic, later signs could be darkening of your urine, like the color of the coca cola drink. You can develop swelling on your face, eyes and ankles or even a generalized edema. You can also experience weight loss and skin itching....Which reminds me...". Dr. Peters turns around as he instructs Ritchie saying, "Starting at midnight, I need you to collect Grey's urine for the next 24 hours so I can assess his Glomerular Filtration Rate, make sure to put the containers on ice at all times....". Ritchie nods while taking a bite of his pizza. Dr. Peters then looks back down at Grey as he tries to give him as much detailed information of what will happen to him when his liver fails, hoping that this would scare Grey and wishing that this would make him change his mind to not continue taking the toxic serum. "Now with liver failure, the signs and symptoms would be edema due to the decrease in your albumin level, your eyes might start turning yellow from increased bilirubin, you can have increased bleeding if you're injured due to the decrease of fibrin in your system. Right now, your Alamine amino tranferase is still at the high normal range, and you can still reverse this destructive trend and save your life if you stop now....".

         Grey stays silent as he looks away and stares at a blank wall, signalling his unwillingness to agree with Dr. Peters medical advice. And as Grey remains noncommital to Dr. Peters counsel, he decides to just look away as his thoughts starts to veer on his feelings for Samantha. He tries to give meaning to the sadness in his heart by reminding himself that he was giving Samantha a fresh start in life and love, and that she does not deserve to carry the burden of caring for a quadriplegic like him. Noticing that Grey was in despair, the three men sitting around the small dinner table start to whisper among themselves, and after a few minutes they all approach Grey's hospital bed to try to give Grey some encouragement.

        And as they gather around the hospital bed, Sgt Holt starts to speak, "You're not alone Grey....We're all in this together. We are a team and we will do everything we can to help you get through this ordeal....". Everyone glances at each other as Sgt Holt continues speaking, "Right now, I'm in the process of gathering more information on how we can break into the mob's mansion so we can steal that surveillance video disc. And once we achieve that task, we can then prove your innocense in the murder of Officer Francis and also prove that It was really Dr. Kinesis who killed Detective Cross, we have all of the circumstantial evidences ready to implicate Dr. Kane for Cross's murder.....". And as they all stare at Grey's somber facial expression, they watch as he takes a deep breath, then glances around the room without making any eye contact. Realizing that Grey was feeling depressed, Dr. Peters takes his turn as he says, "Just to let you know, I called the Vatican yesterday and the Pope's right hand man informed me that more Cardinals had approved the release of the Holy Flask....He also told me that the Pope is now actively involved in speaking to the last few remaining Cardinals who are still opposed to the release of the "Holy Flask". I was told that we should be receiving the Holy Flask within the next two weeks....". Grey remains silent, still unfazed by the positive developments that could lead to him getting back a normal life. Finally Ritchie speaks up saying, "C'mon, cheer up buddy!....These are great news....Once you're proven innocent of the murders of those two cops and you get complete healing from drinking the contents of the Holy Flask, then you'll be normal again. You can win Samantha back in your life!....Isn't that what you want?....". Grey finally looks at his friends as he sigh's deeply then says, "You all know that everything you said is not cut and dry....A lot of bad things and set backs can still happen.....I guess what really saddens me is the fact that I could die soon without getting another chance to see Samantha. If I have just one wish before I die, I'd wish for one last chance to be able to see her in person, even just to gaze at her beauty for one final time, will bring eternal joy to my heart and soul at the hour of my death.......".

          Ritchie suddenly rolls his eyes, "You're such a drama queen Grey!....", Ritchie says, "If you want to see Sam that bad then why don't you just attend her birthday party this Saturday?....". Grey's expression suddenly turns from sadness to agitation as he yells at Ritchie saying, "Have you gone mad?!...How the hell can I go to her party dressed as a knight?!...". There was silence for a few seconds as Grey starts to notice everyone snickering once again. "What's so funny about what I just said?...". And as Dr. Peters and Sgt Holt were trying not to laugh, Ritchie suddenly blurts out saying, "I'm sure you're aware that Sam's birthday which is on November four is being celebrated this Saturday night right?, which happens to be October 31st...Holloween night, which means, everyone will be in costume dummy!...". Sgt Holt and Dr. Peters starts to chuckle as they stare at Grey's stunned facial expression. "Are you guys saying that I can be at her birthday party this Saturday?....But wouldn't the police arrest me since I'm the "Mysterious Knight"?....". Dr. Peters stoops as he gently pats Grey's lifeless arm then says, "Do you know that this year, the second most popular costume is the "Mysterious Knight" costume?...There's gonna be a lot of guys wearing a fake knight's armor with a crimson colored cape draped over their backs, I guarantee you, you'll blend in....Actually, the "Mysterious Knight" costume even outsold the Count Dracula and the Darth Vader costumes combined.....". Ritchie looking puzzled, quickly asks, "Then what's the most popular selling Holloween costume this year?....". Sgt Holt smiles then says, "What else, but the Protector costume of course....".
(End Of Chapter)

(Author's Note: If you've enjoyed reading this novel, please consider donating to the sick, the poor and the hungry in your respective country. Thank You....Greg Elie)