Randy finished his grocery shopping for the day and started heading back to Jase's headquarters. A large bag of food hung by his side as he wandered among the various people going about their lives. Strange how they seemed to all be so busy, yet each of their problems was inconsequential to anyone except themselves.
Quiet music played through his headphones, and Randy barely kept himself from humming along. He did not hum in public. Only when he was in a private area. Like his room.
Some sort of scuffle seemed to be happening up ahead, so Randy slinked to the side of the street and inched closer. If it was Team Chaos, he was outta here. He did not feel like risking his neck walking within two blocks of those creeps.
No, it wasn't Team Chaos thankfully. He didn't quite recognize the costumes, but as long as they weren't Team Chaos he should be fine. Random villain attack? Legion? Neither had a reason to care about Randy Mays as long as he didn't don his Magnetic costume.
He wove through the people backing away quickly as the pair up ahead threatened the employees of a small restaurant. Something about protection money.
Not his problem. Randy kept going, keeping to the other side of the street. He didn't feel like taking a detour, and he was far from the only one. The crowd pushed in closer as everyone left a wide berth around the Miracle wielding morons.
Suddenly, everything stopped. A glowing red blade swung down in front of Randy, a mere inch from his nose. It sat in front of his face, blocking him from going farther. The people around him squealed and scampered away as he froze in disbelief.
Justin.
Shit.
Shit shit shit.
If anyone could recognize him in a crowd, it would have been Justin. But, wait. Had their costumes always looked like that?
Useless thoughts flew through his head at a million miles a second as Randy tried to come to grips with the situation. Behind him, a similar blue scythe blocked off his path.
"Long time no see. We didn't quite get to finish last time, did we? As I recall, you ran away when a little girl came to save you."
Cold sweat poured down Randy's back. He didn't have time to formulate something elaborate, so he turned slowly to meet Justin's eyes behind the mask.
"What a bonus, eh?" Justin continued. "We head here for some cash while the Legion's busy, and I find my old buddy."
Randy's mind was blank. How would he get out of this? June wasn't here to save him now.
"Who are you again?"
Justin's eyes widened slightly, then narrowed in a glare as he pulled one blade back and swung it at Randy.
He couldn't come up with anything else. What was wrong with him? Talk to him! Work things out! Don't just pretend you don't know him!
Randy fell onto his butt as the scythe cut where his neck had been a moment before.
"Twinblade! What are you doing over there?" Jacob glared at them lazily as he held several employees and bystanders hostage with his chains.
"Found a backstabber. Gonna bring him with us." Justin grinned and placed the blade of his blue scythe at Randy's neck. No escaping now.
No June.
No Meadow.
Meadow was gone.
She'd never be anywhere ever again.
Was he about to vanish too?
Then salvation. A saviour he'd never thought he'd be happy to see.
"Are you attacking random civilians too now?" A large hand grabbed Justin's forearm and dragged the blade away from Randy. Lightning stood over them, towering such that Randy had to crane his neck to see her. Man she was huge. Tall and muscled. The exact kind of person you'd want to protect you from a thug.
"The hell?" Justin asked, ripping his arm out of her grip.
"I thought the Legion were all going to be busy!" Jacob snapped, glowering at Lightning.
"I'm no longer Legion, but I am ready to bring you both in." Lightning stepped between Randy and Justin, loosening her shoulders.
"Then bring him in too! He's part of the Phalanx," Justin snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at Justin.
Randy's blood ran cold at that. Lightning was well known for being a powerhouse. He did not want to deal with her right now.
"Excuse me?" Lightning asked, taking a step forward. Justin retreated at her imposing figure.
"He's a sneak thief! You should be apprehending him too. He's not some random civilian."
Lightning took a glance back at Randy, who tried to stand up, but fell down again. Why was he quivering so much? What was wrong with him?
Oh. Right.
Jail meant death.
Death like Meadow's.
Scattershot.
Scattered into the fertilizer bin.
No!
He wasn't joining her.
"I..." Randy said, starting but never able to get out more than one word. He tried again, stuttering, but didn't manage to say anything meaningful.
"If you're going to make an accusation, I'm going to need evidence," Lightning said coldly, turning back to Justin and Jacob. "Right now, you're my priority. I don't care about some man who may or may not be a member of the former Phalanx."
Randy glanced up in awe. She didn't care about him! That meant he had a chance to escape.
"Screw you, bitch!" Justin ran at her with both blades drawn, but she ducked between them and planted a kick in his abdomen.
"Wanna head to prison?" Lightning asked, grabbing Justin by the back of his suit and holding him up as he continued to gasp for breath.
"Back off!" Jacob abandoned several of his prisoners and sent the chains towards Lightning instead. She pushed Justin to intercept a couple, then nimbly dodged the rest.
It was then that Randy finally remembered how legs worked. He stood up, grabbing his bag of half-smushed groceries and started running.
Good thing he did too. As he vacated his position, a chain landed right where he'd been. His heart pounding faster than it ever had, Randy ran.
He ran and ran until the commotion was far behind him.
Finally, he collapsed in an alley, heaving for breath. When he looked at his hands, they were shaking.
What the hell had he gotten himself into?
When that purple figure gave him a Miracle - it seemed like a lifetime ago - he hadn't expected it would lead to this.
Why did having a Miracle mean it was kill or be killed?
Could he go back in time and reject the purple figure's gift?
Or would it be possible to give it back now and wash his hands of everything?
What would a normal life be like?
Ha.
As if he'd ever be allowed anything like that.
Several minutes later, Randy picked up his groceries again and finished the trip home. His wishful thinking would never be spoken aloud.
But, a man could dream.
