Several Requests

[Living_Hellfire]

Skway City, April 16th 2025, Approximately 15:45 local time

Thunder rolled over Paragon City and heads craned to watch as a burnt orange light soared over the cloud cover of  the rainy afternoon.

"I'll be home soon, sweety." Said the woman into her cell phone as she strode down the sidewalk,  the rain coat making her way home. She dodged other pedestrians and stood patiently at lights while she nodded, listening. "Yes, I understand, sweetheart and I'm on my way home, but it's crowded and busy an- " A car hissed past the lights at high speed, honking its horn, forcing the woman back onto the sidewalk. She gasped. "I'm sorry, Rupert, I've got to let you go. I'll be home soon, I love you!"

The busy crowd stood for moment and the intersection almost froze in time. The traffic lights themselves seemed to pause before that same burnt orange flame seared a course through the sky above the buildings, in very hot pursuit of the car that had almost killed Amanda Carson. It could hardly be surprising that several airborne craft followed suit. Amanda had very little time to notice and simply allowed herself to be swept up with the crowd as they fled South towards the aid stations positioned near the warehouse district.

Paragon City boasts one of the most organized mob cultures in the world. As a home to meta-humans, normal humans frequently have to prepare for the notion that they may have to run, fight or even prepare to evacuate at a moment's notice. Amanda ran with her fellow Paragonians, knowing that they would help her if she fell, and she did. 

"I gotchu!" Said a big man as he scooped her up by her arm. "Just keep runnin'!"

And so she did. She ran as more aircraft began soar over the buildings, speeding their way towards that burnt orange glow.


******


Kyle Smith had lost his toy. He didn't realize he'd lost his toy, he only understood that he was angry about something. He wailed his anger and his frustration at the heavens with the expectation that they would grant him his demand that his toy be restored but it was not. So he wailed.

What Kyle did not know was that he was 9 months old and laying in a crib in a shattered building, but he had naught to fear for an Angel would soon arrive to save him. The Angel spoke to Kyle, assuring him that help would arrive. The Angel smelled of ashes and was warm and Kyle slept. The firefighters reported an odour of cigar smoke in the air when they found the infant.


********


"I saw him, boss! I saw him!"

Enzio Mangione snatched the 9mm from his desk as he leapt to his feet.

"You saw that fuoco motherfucker?!"

"Yeah, an' he's comin' right here, right now!"

As a Capo Enzio had to follow certain rules, but in times of war he had authority. Especially when his social club is under threat. He holstered his pistol under his arm and motioned. His soldiers immediately cleared the poker table and the sandwiches and took up defensive positions behind the bar and scattered crates.

"What was he wearin'?"

"What?"

"You fuggin' catzo, was he wearin' a suit or the other thing?"

"It was a suit!"

Enzio breathed deep. "Alright, maybe we can negotiate."

The sound of hard-soled loafers echoed in the distance.