The Origins Of: Zaptric

Prologue: After "The Incident"

May 4, 2012

Manhattan, New York

Aftereffects of "The Incident"

"Things are never gonna be the same now," is what I heard my boss say in the distance as I place down another piece of foreign scrap onto the truck's bed. Looking at the humongous gaps in the walls and ceiling of the good ol' Grand Central Station. The elegance of this vintage structure was taken apart from an unfortunate war with... aliens.

Still can't believe that this planet witnessed aliens.

"I mean look at this," Mr. Toomes went on about this event with his dear coworker of a friend, Phineas Mason. He held a drawing from the looks of it where I stood. Pretty sure it's a drawing that his daughter did of 'Earth's Mightiest Heroes'. Toomes went on with a scoff to his voice, "got aliens". The father to the artist of the piece that was in his grip took his cheaters up off from his chest and put them on. To further examine the caricatures presented on the paper with Phineas looking over his shoulder to see the art too.

I myself do believe that these self-proclaim Avengers did save the world from chaos, yet they destroyed my hometown with lives lost in the process too. Every battle like this results in tragedies, but no. Not in Manhattan. Just glad that my friend was not present when it happened and is instead at some high-end art school studying aboard in Berlin, Germany. If he was here he would've wanted to fight alongside to protect my town, yet he hasn't fully harnessed his powers causing the scenario to be too dangerous for his safety. Good thing he is off probably getting drunk to oblivion with, hopefully, friends that he made. I see from my peripheral vision that Mr. Toomes is looking around to 'check' on his workers. I act as if I was recently working hard by wiping the somewhat nonexistent sweat off my forehead. Once he seems satisfied, he goes back to the paper in his hands and I go back to eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Big green guys tearing down buildings," The boss heckled to the thought of the monstrosity with the skin of green. Coming to our place and using it as a jungle gym. Bouncing back and forth from one window to the next. Not very fond of the idea to let an unknown being to run loose with no supervision. Toomes stares at the drawing with disbelief, "when I was a kid I used to draw cowboys and Indians," as he put the paper to his side. Phineas, on the other hand, thought that it would be a good idea to correct him with, "um it's actually Native American," in which he didn't listen to him. After that our labor of work was normal for a few minutes until men in suits just barged into the closed off area with a woman looking mid 50's emerging out from the men in black posse.

"Attention, please!" The woman announced as they make their way farther into the torn down building.

"In accordance with Executive Order 396B: all post-battle cleanup operations are now under our jurisdiction," she looked around the area for a split second with no emotion to depict off her face. "Thank you for your service, we'll take it from here," the look on Toomes face was not quite what you call, happy.

Everyone else stopped what they were doing to check out what was going on. Mr. Toomes replied to the lady with, "Who the hell are you?"

Classy, Adrian. Classy.

This man next to the lady called out, "qualified personnel."

I have a feeling that this man is gonna get his ass kicked sometime soon.

"Look, I have a city contract to salvage all of this, okay. With the city. so-" before he could finish his statement the grandma cut in.

"I apologize, Mr. Toomes, but all salvage operations are now under our jurisdiction," she explained like she was trying to be sincere, yet it didn't quite work. The cat lady continued with, "please turn over any and all exotic materials that you've collected or you will be prosecuted."

That little statement won't scare me as I'm eyeballing the purple gems connected to the alien metal. The last thing I heard from the two was Toomes running after the lady saying, "Ma'am, what am..." and the rest is just muffled from where I stand. As they bickered I get closer to the glowing rocks that are at least detached, so I can easily take them. I shove as many as I can in my lunch box and my coat pockets. I probably grabbed about 10 or 13 rocks. Just as I was about to leave the premise, a commotion is caused over yonder. I look over to see Toomes standing over the man that was by the lady now on the ground holding his face. Plus guns from all direction being pointed at Toomes.

Called it. The jackass got his jack of an ass kicked.

I hurried, yet stealth likes out and away from Grand Central Station, or what's left of it. To get out of the building without making a noise was difficult considering there is debris all over the place, and one small step could've made a big enough of a noise to rat me out. Though once I did make out through of the man-made, or alien-made, or even Hulk-made holes in the wall low enough for me to climb up and out of. The first sight brought to me was the skyscraper that stood across the street from where I am. Good ol' Stark Towers. The man of wealth and the world makes him out to be the new Da Vinci, yet he wished he could be half the man that the legend was. Just because he is so far on record the smarts human of our decade, doesn't mean he is the best. Not saying I hate him because I truly don't know the dude close enough or at all for the matter to claim hatred or not. Just please for god's sake! Don't call him the new Da Vinci.

No one is could ever be new Da Vinci.

Once I finished my little tantrum in my head, I made my way towards the closest alleyway to leads me towards my humble bungalow. To the dark, I disappear.