Different [A Superhero AU] - Book One

Chapter One - Sides Collide

Jack stands on the roof of a building, staring down at the streets below him. His green hair blows in the wind, causing him to brush it out of his eyes impatiently. Their hired criminals sneak into the bank below, every movement monitored by the five figures high above the ground. Silence hovers around them, the distant sound of vehicles barely interrupting their focus. Dan, a lanky British kid with a fringe, dangles his legs over the edge of the building and watches the crooks with disinterest.

"How can you be comfortable with that?" Cry asks. His mask fails to show his emotions, but everyone can tell by the tone of his voice that he's uncomfortable with Dan's vicinity to the edge.

Dan shrugs in response, never even turning to face Cry. Stephanie, the only girl in the group, pays little attention to the boys as she watches the street. Matt and Ryan, the newest members of the group, sit quietly nearby.

A voice crackles through their individual earpieces, causing silence to fall once again.

"The heroes are intercepting the criminals. Interfere!" Matthew, their leader from the sidelines, exclaims.

Jack straightens up, adjusting his eyepatch on his left eye slightly. Stephanie strides over, climbing onto his back. With a deep breath, Jack starts running, using his momentum and speed to race down the side of the building. His visible eye changes from its normal white and blue to a bright, glowing green iris and black sclerae at the exertion of his power. In the blink of an eye, he's on the ground. Cry lands on the ground moments later with Matt, Ryan, and Dan.

The Irishman lets Stephanie down and takes off, racing towards the first hero he sees, a man with red hair and a dark jumpsuit. He extends his fist, about to ram it right through the hero's chest, before he feels himself being pulled to a halt. The hero glances over, his very gaze freezing his progression. In a split second, Jack's back slams into the ground and the hero is standing over him. The Irishman wheezes, trying to pull air back into his lungs. How was he able to stop him? He was going at superhuman speeds!

"That didn't work, did it?" the hero asks, a smirk gracing his face. Jack zips to his feet and attempts to attack again, but finds himself on the ground once again.

"How?!" he demands, throwing another punch. The hero simply laughs and knocks him down again.

"Jack, you idiot, he can slow you down! You're not gonna win like this," Matthew barks into his ear. Instinctively, the Irishman claps his hand over his ear as he drags himself to his feet. At a quick glance at his team, he realizes with a groan that they're getting their asses handed to them.

"Get out of there. All of you," Matthew orders.

"Don't have to tell me twice," comes Dan's voice. With a burst of flame, the Brit is gone. The other villains race away after him, leaving the heroes to capture their hired criminals.

---

Mark watches the Irishman go before grabbing the criminals, who have been chained up by the other heroes. Felix, a blond Swede with striking blue eyes, conjures a police van out of thin air that they can throw the criminals in.

"A job well done," Ken compliments as he lifts one of the crooks into the vehicle.

"Yes," Marzia agrees. The Italian girl spins a specialized pen in her hand, drawing a human in the air. The drawing comes to life, and listens to her as she orders it to drive the vehicle.

"Good job today," the voice of Matthias says into their earpieces. "Drop your suits off and then you can go home."

Mark stretches and heads down the street, the rest of his team following close on his heels. They reach the headquarters, strolling in through the front doors.

"We're back!" Mark exclaims, a grin on his face.

Matthias approaches them with a bowl of water in his hands. "Well done today. Does anyone need medical treatment?"

"My arm is bleeding," Ken mentions, holding the spot on his arm. Phil, a dark-haired Brit, takes the water from Matthias and uses it to heal Ken's arm.

Matthias nods and adjusts his glasses. "Well, if that's all, you can go home."

Everyone bids farewell and heads off to change out of their superhero outfits. Mark shakes Matthias' shoulder gently.

"You should take some time off. You're here late every day," he says.

The other man smiles a little. "Ah, it's fine. I still have a lot of work to do, and I'm not nearly as tired as you guys at the end of the day. Have a good sleep tonight, Mark."

"You've got it, Matthias."

With that, Mark heads off to change and go home.