THIS is fiction, of course. I don't own the characters. But I wish they'd let me write the movie script. Re-envisioning SUCKS. I would continue the original storyline. MINUS the inclusion of the Greatest American Heroine... (god help me, that was awful).
Chapter 2 -
Kevin scooted in the back door of the house, cradling his stepmother effortlessly in his arms. It felt as if she were weightless, thanks to the power of the strange red suit. He darted through the first floor, into the living room, and gently laid Pam on the couch. Then he zipped upstairs at super speed and put his own clothes on, over the red ones. He zipped back downstairs and made sure the house was in order. On his way through the kitchen, he drew a glass of water and brought it into the living room, when he sat on the loveseat near the unconscious woman, and waiting, heart pounding for his Uncle Bill and Tony Villacana to arrive. As of yet, he was totally unsure of what to say had happened. Obviously, he could not buffalo the woman. She already knew. It remained to be seen, what Bill and Tony's reaction would be. He didn't have to wait long for it.
The rumble of the Piranha was audible long before the long, black 1959 Coupe Deville convertible rolled into the driveway. It had been Tony's first and only car. Also, his only real love, besides the FBI. It was a gas hog, a rolling anachronism, and fit the duo perfectly. Even if retired agent Bill Maxwell cringed every time they got into it.
Kevin went to the door, making sure to use a normal pace. He opened it, just as Bill was about to knock.
"Hey Kiddo! What's shakin?" the older man smiled, punching him in the shoulder affectionately, as he entered the house. Tony came in behind, and offered a hand, in a more reserved fashion.
"Kev. What's happinin?"
"Mom was kidnapped tonight." The younger man said quietly, leading them into the living room.
Tony grabbed for his cell phone immediately.
"No need. I took care of it already." He pointed to the still unconscious woman on the couch.
"You took CARE of it?" Tony barked, "HOW?"
Sheepishly, Kevin undid a few buttons on his shirt, to reveal the red garment underneath. The color drained from Bills face, and he sat down abruptly on the loveseat.
"The Jammies. The red jammies WORK for you!" the old man whispered.
"Red jammies? What the hell are you talking about old man? You goin senile on me?"
Maxwell waved the younger agent into silence.
"I used to see Dad wearing this crazy outfit. He always told me he was headed to a costume ball with YOU." Kevin said accusingly.
Maxwell chuckled.
"Yeah. Your Daddy never was much for covert operations. He couldn't lie worth a damn. Especially to the Counselor or you."
The young teacher smiled sadly.
"You guys were playing Super-Hero."
Bill hesitated only for a second, before nodding affirmation.
"For 10 years. Your father was the reason my solved case ratio was the highest in the Bureau. I'd bring the files to Ralph, and he and I would chase down the bad guys. He lost the manual to the suit; right after the green guys gave it to him…." Bill's eyes widened, as Kevin pulled the long lost manual from his coat pocket and handed it to him.
"Holy Guacamole. You got it too."
Tony had lapsed back onto the couch and was observing the conversation critically, between the two men.
"So, yer sayin those red pjs are a super suit of some sort? Given to Mr. Hinckley by aliens?"
"Yeah. On that one field trip out into the desert you imbeciles went on your junior year. That's the night I met Ralph, and he got the suit." Bill nodded tiredly.
"And he and you became like, Super agents for the Bureau?"
"no no no. If I had TOLD anyone at the Bureau, how long do you think they would have let Ralphie-boy keep the suit? It would have been taken and they would have tried to dissect it to find out how it worked and make an army of red suited super-agents." The white haired man growled. "Not that the green guys would have let that happen. I think they said the suit would have disintegrated without Ralph's wearing it. But then, how'd it last in the box all these years?"
"It was waiting for Kevin." Pam said, sitting up on the couch. The men turned and looked at her
"Mom…" her stepson started.
"No, Kevin. It's the truth. It's the only thing that makes sense. The suit was created for Ralph. You are his son. You share his DNA. Obviously, the suit thinks you're close enough to him, to be a substitute." She took the glass of water from the end table and sipped it.
"What happened at the courthouse, Judge?" Tony asked, leaning forward.
She shrugged.
"I was grabbed, bound, gagged and blindfolded and thrown in the back of a van. The next thing I know, I think my husband has returned from the dead to save me."
Kevin smiled sadly.
"I wish it had been too, Mom. I do. But at least the suit allowed me to save you. And I think it might mean for me to do more." He looked meaningfully at Tony.
The younger agent let out a barking laugh and stood.
"Okay peoples. You're all hallucinating. There's no such thing as a super-hero, or a suit that gives you super powers."
Kevin rose and walked to the front door.
"Let me show you something, Tony." He walked outside. The other rose and followed.
They gathered around the Piranha. Calmly, Kevin reached down and took a hold of the front bumper. Effortlessly, he lifted the front of the classic car off the ground. Tony's jaw dropped. He slid in beneath it, and hefted the whole car above his head, standing silently in the driveway.
"Just so you know, this morning, I was nowhere NEAR this strong, Tony." He said calmly. Gently, he hefted the car slightly up and down, as if weight lifting.
The stricken agent plopped backwards into the grass, starting at his car, hovering in the air.
"Kid, ya better put it down now. I think the delinquent's had enough of a shock for one day." Bill chuckled.
Gently, the teacher lowered the car back down, and stood beside it. Pam helped a still shell-shocked Tony to his feet.
"I don't think it's good that you do this, Kevin." She said quietly. "That thing killed your father."
"NO, Counselor. I killed Ralph. As sure as you're standing there, you KNOW it was my fault." Bill said forcefully.
"Bill," she began,
"IF it had not been for my call, he wouldn't have come to help me. He wouldn't have stepped in front of a bullet for ME, forgetting he didn't have the suit even ON underneath his clothes. If I HADN'T driven him out into the desert and screamed for the green guys to save him again, they wouldn't have TAKEN him." The old man said bitterly.
The woman moved in without hesitation and put her arms around him.
"I do NOT blame YOU."
"Me neither Uncle Bill. Never have." Kevin said quietly.
"Yeah Kid. But you never KNEW how your Daddy died. Stupid stupid stupid. I should have MADE sure he had the jammies on."
"HE should have made sure himself. It was NOT your responsibility." Pam responded.
"We were each other's responsibilities. That's the way it worked. We looked out for each other's failings. What I didn't do, Ralph did, and visa versa. He hated wearing the suit under his civvies. Hell, he didn't really like wearin it, period. But, the green guys gave it to HIM, cause they KNEW that ME in a super suit would result in dead bodies."
"Like right after Dad died….." Kevin whispered.
Bill slumped and walked back into the house.
"The Szarzo Gang Massacre." Tony murmured. "27 guys beaten savagely to death. No knives or guns used. Except for what they used trying to defend themselves from whatever killed them. The cops said it looked like Superman went berserk. Guys thrown through brick walls, through ceilings onto the 4th floor of the warehouse they were doping out of. The found some of the bodies 6 blocks away, looking like they'd gone parachuting. With no chutes. It's never been solved."
Pam was silent.
"They shot your father. When Bill came back from the desert. He asked for the suit. I was so hysterical, I didn't even think anything of what he would want it for."
They walked back inside, to find Bill standing at the bar, against the far wall. He had poured himself a scotch. His hands were shaking.
"Old Man," Tony began.
"I've had nightmares for years." The retired agent whispered. "They deserved it. But, I never knew. I never KNEW how much restraint Ralph had when he wore the suit. That's why they picked him, and not me." He paused and took a long sip from his glass.
"They took him. I sat there in the desert for a long time. I thought they'd bring him right back. When they didn't, I finally came home. Came straight here and got the suit. I left the good counselor with her tears. Not one for consoling women. She knows. Lord, she knows. I knew were the Szarzo's were. Always had. I begged silently all the way to their hideout. BEGGED the green guys to hear me, and for the suit to work just ONCE for me. It felt like I was prayin. Praying for a vengeance I knew I'd never get from my own god. I put the suit on. And bashed right through the steel reinforced door into their drug lab. I killed em. Every last one. With my bare hands. THAT'S why they gave Ralph the suit. He had self control. I have none. And, what's worse," he looked up finally, staring straight into the eyes of his protégé, "I don't gave a damn, either.
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