A boy’s ears rung as he woke up in a haze. Smoke decreased his field of vision, but he heard the screams of people around him, especially his mom.
“Please! Don’t hurt my boy!” she exclaimed.
His breathing became hard – heavier. The polluted air was entering his lungs. He felt himself give way to the toxin. Looking up to try to follow his mom’s voice, his eyes widened to find the architect of his pending demise instead.
“Hey kid,” the towering figure in front of him said. The boy tried to make out the culprit’s face, but saw the outline of a gas mask instead. He scanned the culprit to try to make out anything. A bright, colorful Jackel insignia stood out in the midst of mayhem on the culprit’s chest.
“My boss sends Max his regards,” he said as he pressed his thumb to a device in his hand. “He knows he will weep at your funeral. He’s just sorry he couldn’t be there to attend it.” His lips curled to an eerie, sadistic smile.
The boy averted the man’s gaze in defeat. He finally saw his mom charging for him as she screeched the word, “no” in the distance. His eyes closed waiting for the impact.
Suddenly, he felt a strong force of wind carry him away. Opening his eyes once more, he saw nothing but blurred images pass his line of sight. A smile spread across his face. Just as quickly as the wind swept him up, it stopped. Ambulance lights lit up the surrounding area as the mysterious force set him down. A silhouette of a man outlined its appearance.
The boy couldn’t hide the gleam in his eyes as he caught a glimpse of the integrated “M” on the man’s attire and the hopeful smile he always carried with him. He turned away, cape flowing with a bear symbol on his back. A gust of wind slightly blew the area as he sped off in the distance.
“God bless you, Maximum!” his mom beside him cried out.
The boy gazed on in admiration, whispering beneath his breath, “Take it to the max.”
Adrenaline surged through Maximum’s body as he felt the stinging sensation of air resistance, running through the city. He ventilated the surrounding areas from the toxic smoke by blowing past them at mach speed. Emergency respondent personnel were able to save more lives, not having to worry about inhaling it.
“This is TGC news at ground zero of the terrorist attack! We’re being escorted off the premises by law enforcement due to reports of the location of a bo-”
The news reporter abruptly stopped her broadcast as Maximum could be seen behind her in the distance forcibly punch the ground beneath him. The impact sent a shockwave shattering glass around him. The reporter, camera crew, and surrounding police officers ducked for cover.
He ripped a giant mechanism from its place. With knees bent; head towards the sky, he jumped up high as he could. People momentarily lost their balance as the tremor of it shook the area. A mini crater formed below where he launched himself. Rapidly kicking the air, he caused shockwaves to elevate himself even further, creating more distance. The impending weight he carried caused veins to protrude from his arms. Hoisting the mechanism above his shoulders, he threw it out of harm’s way, but not without getting hit by the impact of the blast.
The sound of the culprit’s heart came to a deafening panic in his ears as he frantically pressed the button on the device. Taking a look around, he stood in shock. His nearby allies were taken out and the hostages under his mercy were gone in just moments.
Boom!
Crashing debris from the roof of the building appeared out of nowhere along with a flaming object that looked like a tiny meteor. The gaping hole in the roof and the impact the crash made forced the remaining toxic smoke to exit the building. As the dust settled, the culprit saw Maximum emerge from what he thought was a meteor. He had a knee to the ground, fists clenched in a stance where he braced himself for the landing. As he stood, remaining residues of flame licked exposed parts of his suit, revealing flesh wounds.
The culprit stood in awe as the wounds healed right before his very eyes. Even through the smoke, he could see righteous fury light up in Maximum’s hazel-colored iris, the vexation of gritted teeth, and an overwhelming pressure of a being – a symbol who was bigger than himself. It’s as if a vengeful angel came down to purge him from his sins. He shook in fright, dropping the device in his hand in defeat.
“Tell your boss to say it to my face!” Maximum boastfully said.
Reginald andah 