Second Flight

Passing time
The Origin of
Flex
by Steven Lewis

"I,m not afraid of you anymore," the man in his late twenties
screamed,"you can't overtake me. I know how to use my powers now."
"That's were your wrong, 'son', you always have been, and always will
be a pathetic little weakling, just like me,"the faceless man laughed,
mocking Adrian Corbo, the superhero otherwise known as Flex.
"Your not my father, your not real. Go aw-<...the noise that keeps
awake my head explodes...>

<... and my body aches, everything's on fire, Push...BEEEEEEEP>

Waking up to a crummy, run-down apartment in your own country is
bad enough, but one in New York Ciy, America? Even worse. But after
all, this man has been through hell and back, what's one more day in
this city? Same song on the radio, Same clothes for work, same
apartment, same traffic, same job, same everything. Yet, Adrian Corbo
had a smile on his face whatever the setting. This was his ideal
surrounding, a bit crowded, but what isn't these days. As he walked
through the doors of the Mandarin Chinese Restaurant he was greeted by
the generous face of the store owner's mother, Mrs. Lee.
"You look cold, here,"Mrs.Lee handed him a sweater,"I<cough> made this
for you"
"Thanks, Mrs. Lee," he took the sweater, even though it was burning up
outside.
"Now you go get to work,"Mrs. Lee warned"before my son comes out
here<cough>."
"Thanks for the sweater, Mrs. Lee"
Adrian had become used to Mrs. Lee being there, her health was
deteriorating and Mr.Lee didn't have enough for the hopitol bills.
Adrian had even asked Mr.Lee to give him a paycut, so that Mrs. Lee
could at least get medicine. The Lees were good honest people, Adrian
liked them. Walking into the back hhe donded an apron and got to
work,'flexing' his hand into a small knife to chop up some vegetables
and throw into a steamer with some roasted duck. There were the
regulars that came every day, Joe and Max, arguing over if the Royals or
the Yankees won a game in 1945. Fat Mrs. Klein, who sat with her small,
thin husband, quite a comedic pair. But there was one woman who he
didn't recognize at first, having her face hidden by a menu.
"Adrian, that woman in the corner wanted you to take her order,"Mr. Lee
said,"maybe she's a secret admirer."

"May I take your order,ma'am?" Adrian asked in his most polite voice.
"I'll take one cup of java and a meeting with a super-hero,"she pulled
down the menu to reveal the aged face of Heather MacNeil- Hudson-Judd.
"Mrs. Hudso-umm, I mean, Mrs. Judd, I told you last time you were here,
I'm not Flex anymore. Just Adrian."
"Adrian, listen to me, we've got the department running again, but this
time it's better, we've got a great group of kids, but they need a
teacher, someone who can lead them. Your brother already signed up as
commander. We need you, you have good skills, you need to use them."
"Every time you come, and every time I say no, what makes you think
this time will be any different?"
"This time is different, the Zodiac is back, they've been making
attacks on old Alpha members, Murmer was captured, Mac was killed alot
of the kids were injured. They tried to pursue by rumbling with Jared,
but you know that when someone threatens one Caps Corps member he
threatens them all. All our evidence leads to them attacking you, they
are propably already coming. Please come with me."
"No, the department always has been a lie, why should I believe it's
changed. I'm happy here. Plain and simple. Why can't I just be left
alone, look, I've got to get back to work, so either leave or order
something."
"I'll have a cup of cofee...to go,"when she recieved the steaming cup
she left, not looking back.

By closing time Adrian was wore out from a hard days work, as he headed
out the door he felt the rigid air breeze, he started walking
when he felt a strange sense tingling in the back of his neck, he turned
around and saw a lagely muscled-leg slip into an alleyway. The figure
was tracking him, he decided to turn the tables. Sprinting to the
alleyway, Adrian saw the largest surprise in his life. The figure was as
large as a bull on steroids...Taurus. Heather was right, the Zodiac was
repaying their debts, and Taurus sure had one with Flex. Taurus still
had the scar from when Flex had accidentaly stabbed him. You've never
lived until you have two horns coming twoards you, now that's
excillerhating. Adrian had reflexivly transformed his hands into the
largest blades possible, trying to disorient the behemoth by aiming
strait twords his head. THe giant tryed moving but still recieved a
large gash. Taurus, backing of muttered something that was to scrambled
to be understood.
Trying to get home as fast as he could, he bolted to the apartment,
closing and locking the door. He didn't sleep that night, he was to
stressed. Stressed over the fact that he had just been attacked, and
stressed over the fact that Heather was right, and that meant that she
might be right about the department, too. He decided to try to read
himself to sleep, but Robinson Crusoe is only good the first time you
read it. He thought he might as well stay up all night, he wouldn't be
able to have a good sleep anyway, it was already 3 A.M. He plopped down
in his chair and turned on the T.V. watching Laugh-In reruns until 5:00.
When he woke up at 10 in the morning, he realized he had fallen asleep
and was late for work. Getting dressed and walking to work as fast as he
could, he still only got there by 10:45. When he turned the corner he
saw the police cars and ambulences surrounding the Restaurant carrying a
gurney out of the restaraunt.
"Mr. Lee, what's happening?"Adrian rushed to the weeping man.
"These people came in the middle of the night<sob>they hit Ma while I
was in the back and then they tore up the place,"the man was nearly
bawling,but continued,"they left this for you."
"Thank You, Mr. Lee,"and with that he walked away, throwing the note on
the ground, sobbing, he went home.

When he reached his apartment, he packed his stuff in a suit case and
left, not looking back. He started for the bus station, walking slowly.
He knew it was time, time for him to face his apprehensions. When he got
to the bus station he waited in the line to get to the clerk.
"Where to?"asked the unenthusiastic clerk.
"Ontario." and with that he left America, headed for Departent H.