Who: Hephaestus and Hades What: Reunions and Gangbusting Where: Downtown Miami, the “Shadowlands” When: Late Thursday Night/Early Friday Morning, July 15/16 Warnings: Extreme Graphic Violence
Hephaestus prowled the back alleys of Miami’s downtown. The bright lights of Miami’s vibrant night life blended with the deep darkness of the alleyways to create a perpetual twilight apropos of the name the “Shadowlands”. It provided the perfect location for another sort of night life for which Miami was notorious.
Hephaestus wryly wondered why no one had thought to look for Hades there before.
His mirth left him, though, as he plunged ever deeper into Miami’s shadows. He knew what had happened to his uncle. He had seen it. It hadn’t been a pretty picture. Watching his uncle get jumped from behind and shot would haunt him, and Hephaestus wished that he would be able to forget it. Fortunately, the horror of the scene was undercut by the fact that by the time Hephaestus saw it, he already knew that his uncle was alive.
Hephaestus had very little footage of Hades himself. It was mostly of Hades eating, the only time the elder god seemed to become visible. Hephaestus’ surveillance even revealed that Hades had lunched with Cato. Why the youth hadn’t revealed this, Hephaestus couldn’t say, but it was irrelevant now. Hephaestus may have had little footage of Hades himself, but he had plenty of footage of cars being vandalized and gang members being killed by an unseen assailant.
Hades was obviously the vigilante in the Miami Herald. That much, at least, Hephaestus could figure out. What he couldn’t figure out was why. He could understand Hades going out for vengeance against those who had attacked him, and he could understand not contacting anyone as he did it. His vengeance so far, however, was so... unfocused. Was Hades trying to eliminate all gang activity in Miami? If so, where did the vandalism fit in? Hephaestus had many questions for his uncle.
“Hey, check out the pinta on this culo.”
The voice jarred Hephaestus from his thoughts. Focusing past his heads up display, Hephaestus found himself looking at a rather nondescript man with tan skin, short, dark hair, sloppy clothes. Hephaestus had run across several in his search, and had received abuse from each. He was clad in his invulnerable armor, and while he would rather not walk around in it openly, even at night, he wanted to take every precaution. Pounding the pavement was the only way for Hephaestus to find a target that was both mobile and invisible, and he was set to ignore the man as he had the others. Until his mind and his HUD recognized the man at the same moment.
It was one of Hades’ attackers.
“I want to ask you a few questions,” Hephaestus said flatly. It was a lie. Hephaestus was looking at a dead man. The only question Hephaestus had was if he would get any useful intel from the man before he murdered him.
Hades... Dante... The Vigilante was on the hunt. Night had fallen upon his city and he emerged unseen from his underground sanctuaries to avenge her in the streets. The evening prior he had learned much from his victim... the dying seemed to love to speak to try to regain a chance at life.
They didn't understand they would find no mercy from him, but that wasn't his concern.
A group of gang members had caught his ear - pimps, drug dealers and child kidnappers -- his blood boiled at even the thought of them existing and he knew where they might be.
But he paused at the sight before him. One of his targets was speaking to a man in some strange suit. Were they both gang members? Where were the others?
He held back to watch. There was no need to charge in without knowing what was going on and how many he was going to kill tonight.
“Is that a gabo voice coming out of that shit?” the man asked, laughing. “You think you Iron Man or some shit, culo? I ain’t answering no gabo in a tin can.”
Hephaestus advanced on the man. His HUD flashed relevant statistics and beeped, but he ignored it. He was focused on the man in front of him.
“That’s fine,” Hephaestus said with a shrug. “I just wanted to distract you so you wouldn’t run away.” Reaching out, Hephaestus grabbed the man with a gauntlet clad hand.
“What you doing, gabo?” The man said incredulously. His look of shock quickly turned to anger. “Looks like we about to see if you really bulletproof.” Pulling a semiautomatic pistol from the waistband of his pants, the man emptied its magazine into Hephaestus. The bullets ricocheted wildly, several cutting into the man’s own legs and abdomen. As the man screamed in pain, Hephaestus smirked cruelly.
“Unfortunately for you, It seems that I am,” Hephaestus replied, trying in vain to hide the enjoyment in his voice. “But don’t worry, you won’t suffer long.” Hephaestus popped open his leg sheath, slowly drawing Kingbreaker. With deliberate movements, Hephaestus raised the axe above his head. The man’s eyes bulged from their sockets as his cries of pain turned into frenzied screams of panic. His cries cut off abruptly as Hephaestus split the man’s head in a single stroke. Hephaestus dropped the body contemptuously to the ground.
Before he could focus on his search again, five more men came pouring into the alley from a doorway behind where the man had been sitting. Hephaestus focused on each in turn. Each man had participated in the attack on Hades. Each man only had a few moments left to live.
The vigilante watched and while he never lost being utterly surprised by what he witnessed, he did grow ever more pleased. The suited man was clearly not a civilian or one of the gang members. He was like him -- shedding the blood of the guilty. It made him smile a hidden smile.
He wasn't alone in his fight. But then again? Why would he be? Why would he be the only one with powers? And more importantly, why would he be the only one who would care and act?
The logic was too sound to be false or coincidental to him.
But as they rushed out of the doorway, he rushed in to see if there were any innocents inside but found only a card table and alcohol. He was both relieved and disappointed at it.
And while still unseen, he took a chance and called out, "Allie, all clear. No innocents inside, only them." Silent once more, he moved and began of the semi-automatic guns away from the five men. There had been quite enough gunfire from them for one day.
Hephaestus stood motionless, stunned at the voice he had just heard. He focused on his HUD again. The beeping had been his PKE meter. It was reading Hades’ ichor signature. Several cries of surprise brought his attention to the gangbangers in front of him. Their shock mirrored his own as their weapons disappeared out of their hands. It seemed Hephaestus had found his uncle. Relief flooded his body, and all the tension melted away. He almost called out to Hades, but held back. He didn’t need his emotional reunion witnessed by some of Miami’s lowest criminals.
His uncle had no idea that it would be an emotional reunion though he did hope that it was a reunion of some sort. But that was for later. There was work to be done now.
And too many of them for overly slow deaths. He could not restrain them one by one and it was was semi-public place this alley... not that he believed anyone would report this incident. He, too, had read the papers.
It was nice to be appreciated.
But with the last of the semi-automatic weapons in his hands, he didn't lose his unseen smirk; not a single bit as he fired at their legs, aiming for their kneecaps to make them fall to the ground. Only twice did a limb just come completely off when he held the trigger too longer and too many rounds escaped it and into human flesh.
Hephaestus’ eyebrows quirked as he watched Hades kneecap the gangsters. They lied on the ground, screaming and crying in pain. He looked to Hades, waiting for his next move. Hephaestus didn’t feel any need to interpose between Hades and his victims. He figured that his uncle deserved a bit of revenge.
There was something very pleasing to his uncle when he watched the couple of limbs sever from their owners. He looked down at the gun and then grabbed another as he stalked close to the crippled gang members. He was taking revenge, but not for himself. “You separated children from their families, women from their dignity and safety... you are parasites on this world and so you will be severed bit by bit.”
He ignored that screams and cries. He didn’t care. The sound of the gunfire was what he focused on as he aimed and blew the men apart limb by limb, even dismembering the one that his ally had cleaved in two in a moment of uncontrolled relish that his gave away. It was simply fun to watch the men die and their blood spray all around at the hands of their own weapons.
Tossing the guns aside again, he reached down and grabbed one of the limbs and began to write with it in blood on the wall... And as he did, he looked over his invisible shoulder as his comrade. Suddenly, he wasn’t sure if he should have done all of that in front of him. What if he was put in that suit because someone blew off all his limbs...? He could recall someone having all their limbs blown off and put into a suit. “If I offended you by that display, I apologize.”
Hephaestus’ confusion would be plain on his face were he not wearing his helmet. When he spoke, his voice gave it all away.
“Why would I be offended, uncle?” Hephaestus asked. “I’ve seen much worse in my day. This barely scratches the surface of our family’s cruelty.” Hephaestus tried to keep his references to his family vague. He knew all too well how likely it was that they were being recorded. “I am inclined to ask why you are doing this. It seems a bit much for revenge.” Hephaestus did not doubt his uncle’s good intentions, but the manner in which Hades was pursuing those intentions was frankly befuddling to Hephaestus.
“Because you are in a robo-suit. Maybe blowing off all these limbs would be offensive considering that...” It could have been taken as a joke perhaps with how casually he replied. He even shrugged as he turned back to the wall and finished what he was writing and then threw down the limb in disgust for it. But his allie had said something that had struck his ear... And he needed to know why. He needed to know a lot of things, “We should talk elsewhere. This is not the place for discussions.”
Hephaestus considered his uncle’s words. He hadn’t even considered his own lost legs until Hades had brought it up. It was true that Hephaestus had lost his legs, but Hephaestus had done that himself in order to replace them with vastly superior bionic replacements. He hadn’t lost them in some accident or assault, and his suit wasn’t a robo-suit, it was simply armor. Hades would know those facts. Hephaestus’ confusion was quickly being replaced with concern tinged with dread.
“We should talk elsewhere,” Hephaestus agreed. “Do you have a place in mind?” Hephaestus had the distinct feeling that he and Hades were expecting to have two entirely different conversations.
Did he? He had many places they could talk. His nightly patrols of his city had showed him many hidden areas to duck into and he would choose one of those. Even though his uncle didn’t trust bringing his found comrade into the sanctuary of the sewers just yet, he did trust enough to lead him away from this crime scene and asks questions he needed answered.
“Follow,” he said and walked heavily so his footsteps could be heard and proceeded to lead him an abandoned newsstand truck nearby. Why it had never been removed, he simply didn’t know or ask but it was out of sight of the general streets and probably any law enforcement, if they bothered to approach the neighborhood at all until daylight. Shutting the door behind them, he didn’t wait to ask, “You’re the second person to call me that. Why ‘Uncle’? Please tell me that it’s a nickname and not a name I came up with because I would like to think I would pick one that strikes fear into the hearts of men.”
Hephaestus couldn’t believe what he was hearing. More accurately, he didn’t want to believe it. The scene he couldn’t forget played in his mind once more. Had the gunshot effected Hades’ memory? Did his uncle have brain damage? Hephaestus felt his heart sink as dire scenarios played out in his mind. The walls of the truck seemed to be closing in on him.
“I call you ‘uncle’ because you are my uncle,” Hephaestus said deliberately, trying to keep his emotions in check. He pulled off his helmet, looking where he believed Hades to be. “Don’t you recognize me?” Hephaestus swallowed past a lump in his throat. He was finding it hard to regain his emotional equilibrium.
Since Hephaestus pulled off his helmet revealing his face and just as importantly, confessed blood relation to him, Hades released his invisibility and hid away the sharp pain doing so caused him. It was only fair and he felt hidden enough in the abandoned newsstand truck to be visible. Did he recognize him? He stared at him, searching his face for a long moment before he finally shook his head. “I’m sorry. Your voice sounds familiar, much more than the last person to call me ‘Uncle’.... but I don’t.”
Hephaestus sighed, burying his face in his free hand. He rubbed his eyes in frustrated desperation. When he pulled his hand away, he was surprised to see that his fingers were wet. Quickly rubbing his eyes dry, Hephaestus drew in a deep breath. Having a complete emotional breakdown wouldn’t help anyone.
“Do you believe me?” Hephaestus asked, his voice wavering slightly. He cleared his throat and continued more evenly, “Do you believe that you are my uncle?” Hephaestus didn’t expect an affirmative, but he was laying the groundwork for further questions.
Hephaestus didn’t expect an affirmative but even though he was an amnesia vigilante, he was still an judge at his very nature. He never ceased searching his nephew’s face, his expressions and his eyes... The truth was written then. “Yes. I do.” Then looking down at his nephew’s suit, he asked, “Is it a family venture to defend the city? Do we all have powers?” A hopeful smile crossed his face as the image of that flashed in his mind. To have a family fight together for the sake of justice with him? He truly hoped for it.
Hephaestus felt relief creep in against the dread. Hades believed him. That was a start.
“No and yes,” Hephaestus answered after a brief moment of consideration. “The members of our family generally look out for themselves. However,” Hephaestus added quickly, trying to soften the blow, “we were once charged with stewardship over something much greater than a single city. That is why we all have powers.” Hephaestus wasn’t sure what Hades recalled or what he was ready to believe. How would he react to being told he was a former deity? Hephaestus had no experience with such a revelation.
“So that boy may have been trying to help me with all of this and had the ability to do so. Blew him off thinking he was just some confused kid that I didn’t want to get involved in all of this...” But at the very least, Hephaestus confession didn’t disturb him too much nor did it erase his smile. He leaned back against one of the walls with his arms crossed in thought. A whole family fighting beside him was probably too much to hope for but it seemed he had some... “Is my name ‘Dante’? He called me that and it sounded right.”
“Dante is your name,” Hephaestus affirmed with a nod. He assumed the “confused kid” was Cato. Hephaestus hoped Hades’ memory returned before he had to explain Cato to him.
“However, it is but the latest in a series of aliases and identities you’ve had,” Hephaestus continued, leaving Hades’ true name unsaid. He was building to that reveal, exposing the truth bit by bit to keep it comprehensible.
The explanation made him laugh. Dante laughed at the perfect sense that sentence had made. Of course, he had gone through a series of aliases and identities. When one was compromised he had to move to another. He nodded, “And what’s your name now that I know mine.
“My name is Vadimas,” Hephaestus did not share in his uncle’s mirth. He could guess the connections Hades was making with the information While Hephaestus was providing the information in a way to allow Hades to make those connections, Hephaestus couldn’t shake the feeling that it was getting him nowhere.
“Now,” Hephaestus continued, “may I ask you a question?” Normally such a question was rhetorical, but given that Hades considered him practically a stranger, if a friendly one, Hephaestus waited for a reply before forging ahead.
“Sure, shoot,” Dante replied quickly. Vadimas had answered his after all.
“What do you actually remember about yourself?” Hephaestus asked bluntly. He waited, letting the question hang in the air.
Dante’s mirth dissipated at the question and his eyes lowered to the ground. He shook his head, “About myself?” His voice hushed, “It’s like I don’t exist.”
“Don’t you think that’s odd?” Hephaestus asked gently. “Haven’t you ever wondered about your existence? About how you came to be where you are now?” Hephaestus was prodding, trying to spark something in Hades’ mind, forcing him to look past whatever trauma was blocking his memories.
“Of course.” Dante’s earliest memory was doing just that... pondering what he was and his own existence. “That’s what drove me back to avenging in the streets. What else could I be but what I am?” Then, shrugging, he pulled out a crushed bullet from his back pocket to show Vadimas, “But I know I’m at a loss. I found the cause... I just hoped it would all come back eventual
The bullet was crushed, as if it had struck a hard surface, not fragmented, as it would be if it had torn through something soft like living tissue. Hephaestus considered that for a moment, then felt as if he wanted to sigh, laugh, and roll his eyes all at once. Was it possible that Hades was suffering from blunt force trauma induced amnesia?
“I can help you remember what else you could be,” Hephaestus said, pushing aside his frustration, “if you trust me.” If he could get Hades to trust him, Hephaestus could begin trying to revive his memories more seriously.
It was a question Dante seriously considered as he pushed off the wall and studied his nephew’s face again. He looked sincere. He didn’t seem to be deceiving him or trying to deceive him.... but most importantly, he had a gut feeling that he could. Over the last few days, all he had done was follow his gut when it came to things like this and it had worked out. Still... “I do trust you but how?”
“How?” Hephaestus parroted. “Am I not wearing a technologically advanced suit of armor? Why, I will use the power of science!” It was only partly true and very dramatic, but given that Hades had set himself up as a superhero when his memory failed him, dramatic may very well be the perfect approach.
Rubbing the back of his head where he had been shot, Dante smiled at the reply but his attention were clearly not there. He was caught in thought as the larger, more expansive world that his nephew represented and its consequences became clearer in his mind. His voice hushed, “Have I worried a lot of people?”
Don’t just say yes. Don’t just say yes. Don’t just say yes. Don’t just say yes. Don’t just say yes. Don’t just say yes. Don’t just say yes. Don’t just say yes. Don’t just say yes. Don’t just say yes.
“Not excessively,” Hephaestus said comfortingly, “but there are people waiting for you to return to them.” Including Hades’ wife and children, but Hephaestus was unsure of how to broach that topic, as well. Right now, he wanted to get Hades somewhere safe. Then he would worry about who to contact. Mentally, Hephaestus chuckled. Contacting the family is exactly the type of job he would usually leave to Hades.
That reply at the very least let Dante regain his good mood. He let out an obvious sigh of relief, “Good. Not good that I worried people excessively or not but I was having some worrying thoughts the last few days...” He fixed his leather gloves idly as he chuckled, mostly to himself as he shook his head and the thoughts away, “You think a lot of crazy things when you have absolutely nothing to go, let me tell you. But you’ve just cleared them all right away.”
“I’m glad I could help,” Hephaestus replied. “And, let me just say, it’s good to see you.” Hephaestus paused for a moment, simply unable to say anything. With a small shake of his head, he continued, “Well, shall we go? I have a car parked nearby. Don’t worry. It’s electric.” Hephaestus chuckled as he referenced his uncle’s vandalism spree.
“Yeah, we should and good. Hate those gas-guzzling, smoke spewing monsters on the roads. Sometimes I wonder if people are just trying to purposely destroy nature,” Dante commented in reply as he reclaimed his invisibility. If his nephew was still going to be walking around in a robo-suit, no one was going to tell him not to be invisible, “Just don’t get people. They hurt anything they can.”
Hephaestus kept his mouth shut about Hades’ own gas-guzzling conveyance and its fate. There was time enough for irony later.
“Then follow me,” Hephaestus said, reattaching his helmet. Hephaestus hopped out of the truck, leading Hades back to his car and his old life.
Summary: In an interesting reversal, Hades finds Hephaestus as Hephaestus is busy taking a bite out of crime. Hephaestus is glad to have found his uncle, but saddened when as he discovers that his uncle is stricken with amnesia. Also, they brutally kill some gang members.