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Murder Moves to Suprenum

Chapter 4

By Draconicon

A week passed since his arrest, and no further consequences followed. Mato knew that he should have been grateful for Mr. Bonifacio's help with getting out of that situation, but he still didn't know why the elephant had shown up. No matter how much money his boss was saving with a glorified cloning secretary, he seriously doubted that he was worth coming down to the station and putting one's reputation and favors on the line. Whatever it was, he was sure that he'd find out eventually.

The crow grunted as the train to work slowed almost to a stop, almost tossed off his feet as everyone stumbled to the side. He reached for his phone automatically, pulling it out as the city super-app beeped.

"What happened this time?" he muttered, tapping the screen. "Power outage due to scuffle between Professor Light and Skybolt, no...air pollution from a Smokestack raid...ugh. Not again."

There'd been another subway scuffle, and while it hadn't completely trashed the line, they were going to have to wait for another fifteen minutes before the train could be underway again.

The rest of the passengers on the train had a similar reaction to him when they got their phone out, and when the conductor offered everyone the chance to just hop off and make their way back to the station that they'd just left, half the people on it decided to take it. Mato almost did, but with his station near the terminus of the line, it'd be better to just wait it out. Thankful that they were still near the surface, he fired off a quick text to Mr. Bonifacio before taking one of the abandoned seats.

He plucked at his tie, fiddling with it for a moment before tucking it back in. His suit was as tight and uncomfortable as it always was, but he had another moment of greater discomfort with the reminder that it was just an office suit. Not a hero costume, not some sort of super-suit, just a suit. Plain, boring, and altogether too common compared to all the other suits around him that were going to their own jobs. He crossed his arms, the little 'sleeves' of feathers that ran down his arms poking out through the wrists of his shirt, the talon-fingers poking out tensing and squeezing along his arms as he gripped them tight.

He'd hoped, desperately hoped, that the 'reward' from Irene would have become a more regular thing, but she'd dumped him as soon as the night was over. The one time that he tried to get in contact with her had been rebuffed with a restraining order that was, apparently, to last until she left town. So much for any further gratitude there.

That, combined with the fact that her husband apparently ran a construction plant on the far side of town, confirmed that he'd get nothing good out of that situation. Whatever 'good' he'd managed to do by saving her was already done, and it was kept quiet. Mr. Bonifacio had been rather clear about that the next day, and the crow rubbed his head as his boss's words played through his head again.

Keep your head down. Nobody hears about that, and everything stays good. No problem with that, I think, and I'm sure you understand. You understand, right? Yes? Yes, good. Wonderful. Splendid.

And just like that, the elephant had bundled him into silence. And for the last week, Mr. Bonifacio had been in his business like never before, always following him or a clone around, asking about his powers and abilities, pushing for greater demonstrations. It had become almost oppressive, and he started finding ways to keep the elephant focused on his clones rather than anything else. The clones always returned with memories of the elephant watching, always watching.

He didn't know what that meant for his employment. He hadn't received any official warnings, but that meant diddly squat. He just hoped that things would get better sooner than later.

The train lurched and they were underway again. He sighed, putting his phone away as he leaned back. Might as well try and relax. Sooner or later, he had to find something. Maybe he'd find an opening when one of the heroes retired.

He tried not to think about the fact that there couldn't be that many old or veteran heroes getting close and just held onto the fantasy, instead.

Mato was the first off the train as he reached the station. Even when they got close to the surface again, there was no message back from Mr. Bonifacio, and he didn't know what that meant. All he knew was that a lack of message either meant that things were okay and he should still make all due speed to the office, or that Mr. Bonifacio hadn't seen the message yet. Either way, he needed to move.

The crow leaped up the stairs from the underground as fast as his legs would carry him, barely flashing his phone at the reader at the top before rounding the corner and running for the plaza where Bonifacio Industries waited. He was almost there when -

"Heh, so you're the new hero."

He stopped, scraping the ground with his talons as he turned. The voice had come from the alley he'd just passed, and standing in it was a skunk. His tail and head were green where it should have been white, and stainless steel stood out in piercings through his lips and along his left ear. The way he leaned back against the alley wall, so casual and yet so sneeringly arrogant, immediately put the crow on his guard.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"That's confirmation enough for me, heh. Name's Spore."

"Spore, hmm? And, let's say that you are correct. What would it matter to you if I was the new hero around here?"

"I'd say that you're going the right way towards joining the ones like me on the other side of the law."

Mato stopped, one clawed talon in the alley and the rest of his body out of it. He narrowed his eyes.

"Are you confessing to being a villain?"

"More like someone that has powers and doesn't much care for the system."

"And you're just...saying that?"

The skunk shrugged, chuckling as he leaned his head back .

"Who am I saying it to? Some birdbrain that thought he could just go around doing things and not get punished for it?"

"It would be for the public's good if I dealt with you, I imagine."

"Says who? That asshole, Mirage? Or someone that only knows what a super is from old comic book issues?"

"I say it, and I know that there are villains out there that want nothing but selfish things."

"True enough," Spore said, shaking his head. "But that's not me. Nor the people I hang with. We just...don't fit in, heh. Can't use our powers without permission, can't do anything to show off, can't really do...well, anything, actually, unless it's pure normy." He brought his head back down. "Kinda shitty, when you think about it."

"..."

"Anyway, kid, I'm just here to let you know that there's more options than the heroes out there. Considering you like to use your powers regardless of the rules, heh, you might want to consider reaching out."

"I am a hero. Not a villain."

"From where I'm standing, you're neither. All you are is super-powered. And if you can't use it...are you really?"

Mato didn't like how reasonable the other man was being. Everything made too much sense, and that only made him angrier. He clenched his hands all the tighter as Spore chuckled.

"Hey, no pressure, man. If you change your mind, just talk about it. I'll find you."

"How?"

"That's for later, kid."

"Do not call me that."

"Then act your age, eh? It's the real world for you, now. Time to start thinking like an adult."

"Then maybe you should stop having so many edibles or worse. Being stoned is no clear-headed life."

"Eh, maybe, maybe not." The skunk shrugged, turning around and waving over his shoulder. "But everyone needs a distraction. See you around."

The urge to chase the skunk down and bring him in was almost overwhelming. The idea of putting him in his place and showing him what a hero could do was so appealing, particularly as it might open up a slot for him in the hero rankings. If there were villains just walking around, waiting to do their own dastardly things, surely that meant that there weren't enough heroes on patrol, right?

Or did it mean -

Ping.

His phone reminded him that he was technically on the clock. He turned and ran, cursing under his breath.

Thankfully, Mr. Bonifacio didn't mind him being late. As a matter of fact, the elephant was almost surprised when he turned up. The CEO blinked as the crow walked into the office rather than looming up as he usually did.

"Mr. Kiyoshi? I thought - ah yes, it was only a delay, not a stop. My apologies, a lack of understanding and - oh, that is a thing. Let me -"

The absentminded elephant leaned over his desk, tapping a few buttons on his computer. Mato waited patiently with his arms crossed behind his back, just taking in the office as he always did.

After all, it was something of a spectacle. While it lacked the full-wall windows that some major offices did, it made up for that with projections from external security cameras, allowing Mr. Bonifacio to see the city as he willed. Some were even beamed from drones that flew across the city, giving him further details from all over the place. The room itself, carpeted in a bright red with white walls, made it impossible to look anywhere but at the blue-suited elephant. Even now, at his glass desk, he was surrounded by transparent things that just made him the center of attention.

"Ah, yes, I misread. My apologies, Mr. Kiyoshi; I thought you wouldn't be in at all. Oh, my, that was a mistake on my part. My deepest apologies. But at least I - no, no, that is inappropriate. But yes. There are advantages."

He had almost gotten used to his boss's weird way of talking by now, almost being the key word. He still didn't know what was going through Mr. Bonifacio's head half the time, but at least the boss was speaking as much of his thoughts as he was thinking them. He imagined that context would not have helped.

The elephant reached into a drawer that was somehow see-through around its edges but didn't reveal its contents. Mato cocked his head to the side as his employer drew his hand back, offering a few sheets of paper.

"I don't have much for you today, I'm afraid. Why don't you copy these and then head out?"

"...Head out, Mr. Bonifacio?" he asked, blinking.

"Well, there are, of course, other purposes - but no, no. Unless - no," the CEO said, his eyes flicking back and forth all too visibly beneath those glasses.

"...Yes. Got it. Copy the papers..."

He stepped back carefully, taking his time and not taking his eyes off the elephant, either. There was something just a bit off-putting there, and he almost wondered if there was some clumsy attempt to flirt there. If that was the case -

Very much not his type, he decided, and the crow left the office in a hurry, making his way to the elevator and heading back down through the building. He walked through the lobby, exchanged brief small-talk with the raccoon clerk that had held him back two weeks ago, then went to the lounge that also held the copy-machine.

"Strange...very strange..."

It was almost enough to make him reevaluate the last couple weeks and the strange behavior that the elephant had been putting on. He doubted that Mr. Bonifacio thought about him that way, but considering the rather obsessive behavior of late, it would explain a few small things.

But not everything.

He shook his head. He'd have to find something else to be busy with, at least for now. But maybe it'd be a good idea to start floating some applications around. Surely, with some live-in experience - a couple of months later - he would be able to slip into a different job. It would be better than -

"Excuse me."

He turned, blinking. Standing in the doorway was someone that most definitely didn't work at the company, nor did she belong in the back rooms of the company. The panther looking down at him wore a long blue dress that ran from her chest - sleeveless - all the way down to her ankles, though not without a slit on either side that went right up to her hips. The plunging neckline took his attention for a moment, but he dragged his eyes back up before he could get lost between those large breasts.

"You work here?" she asked, her voice surprisingly soft for someone built so thick.

"Yes...And you are?"

"An appointment of Mr. Bonifacio. He's available?"

"That depends on who you are?"

"Charming that you think that will get you a name." She chuckled. "You came down from his office. Is he available?"

"I was just about to take his paperwork back up -"

"That would be a yes, then. I'll take them for you."

The panther reached out for the copies and the original papers, only for him to step back. She blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"There is no excuse. Who are you?"

"...Ah, yes, I see. The 'loyal employee'." She chuckled. "Some time since I've seen someone willing to put in the work. You certainly can't be local."

"...No."

"That's what I thought. Now, let me make this clear to you. I am someone that has business with Mr. Bonifacio. Private business. Likely he sent you down here to clear you out of the way so that we can conduct our appointment with privacy. To keep the temptation from lingering, I will be taking those papers up with me so you won't feel compelled to interrupt. Do you understand me?"

Mato blinked. The way that she just laid down the way that it was going to go was certainly not what he had been expecting, nor did he expect to be all but hustled right out of his own position.

Nor did he expect the panther to lean in and take the papers right out of his hands before he could stop her and walk out of the room. He blinked, stared at his empty hands, and then after her.

"...oh, no. No way."

Shaking his head, Mato stepped forward, leaving a clone behind. The other employees had seen that often enough; they wouldn't question the fact that he'd left someone else down here to do the work while he attended to the boss. He just had to make sure that the cameras weren't paying too much attention.

If the panther was telling the truth, though...

He looked up as he took a roundabout route through the hallways back to the lobby. The cameras in the corners followed him, yes, but only briefly before they flicked back to what they were doing.

By the time that he'd reached the elevators five minutes later, he was all but convinced they'd forgotten about him. He tapped the button and stepped inside, sending it back to the boss's office. There were a few other things on that floor that he could be expected to attend to, and if Mr. Bonifacio was busy with the meeting, he probably wouldn't be paying attention. And if it happened to be something more sinister...

Well, he might need a hero.

The crow stepped out of the elevator, and for the first time since beginning employment for the company, the floor was completely silent. There was no noise, no idle chatter, not even the soft hum of a computer running. It was completely quiet. He held his breath as he walked across the short hallway, pressing his ear to the door.

"Mmph...Does it always have to feel like that?" he heard Mr. Bonifacio say.

"My powers are quite intimate, Mr. Bonifacio. If it was so ignorable, it would hardly be worth it, would it?"

And that was the panther woman. She had powers? What were they? And why would she be here, using them on the boss?

He had to see more. Kneeling down, Mato leaned ever so slightly against the door, easing it open the faintest crack. He leaned in, his eye sliding along the crack, moving until he saw his boss slowly pulling his pants back on. His suit jacket lay across the desk, and his shaft was only just getting tucked into his pants.

But the part that stood out was the purple writing along his left pec. It simply read 'The Curator', and the writing glowed just enough to let a subtle illumination through his white shirt as he pulled it back on.

"And it works? Just like the last one?" the elephant asked without a trace of his usual absentmindedness.

"Yes, yes," the panther said, shrugging as she leaned against the door, almost closing it. "You'll have your new power for the next month. There will be no risk of someone coming after you again."

"Excellent. And it's -"

"Super speed. Just as you asked."

"Perfect."

Wait. He - how did he get powers? How did she -

"While I understand why you'd want to avoid the hassle of registering your powers, I'm curious how long you plan to keep your abilities secret," the panther said. "After all, you are collecting quite a few of the supers of Suprenum under your banner."

Since when? Mato wondered. He's not hired any that I know of.

"The heroes are desperate enough to take what they're given," the elephant said. "The more that I can collect as employees, the more that I control the resource that they represent. Controlled power, to be flexed or restrained as I see fit. And, of course, if some of them happen to wander into the bio-labs on the other side of the city...well, I cannot help but take advantage of the discoveries that we can tap."

The crow's breath caught in his throat. He'd expected something revolutionary, but this...this was beyond the pale. Mr. Bonifacio just kept going, too.

"A pity that the other corporations found out how to accomplish something similar, but for the moment it suits my purposes. A nominal couple of superheroes to control the worst of the criminal element is a small price to pay so long as the majority of the super-powered population are kept under control. Dependency on one's paycheck works wonders for that, and if needed, they can be...temporarily unleashed."

"And for those that operate outside of that control? You gloat like this every time, and I still wonder if you're stupid enough to try anything with me," the panther said.

"Heh...you and I have an agreement, Curator. So long as you come when I call, you'll have your...freedom." Mr. Bonifacio chuckled. "Unlike those street thugs. So many that simply don't understand. That much power, uncontrolled? It would do more than topple the hierarchy that they rail against. It would topple most of the ordered society that we have in the first place."

"Such as Smokestack?"

"Don't remind me of her. I'll have to have a word with the police to push their patrols harder. That kangaroo and her little family need to be rooted out before they get any bigger."

Mato could hardly believe what he was hearing. He stumbled back from the door, catching himself before he could tumble over, and turned on his heel. He had to get out of there, had to leave before he did something stupid.

The ride down the elevator and walking out of the lobby happened without him knowing, and the next thing he knew, he was standing in Bonifacio Plaza, just looking around at every business around him, every little shop that he had always ignored before. How many were staffed by supers that had no other choice? How many were just traps that the elephant had laid for those that were desperate enough to walk into them?

Mato shook his head, trying to tell himself that this wasn't as much of a game-changer as it felt like, but there was no lying to himself now. It had been bad enough to find out that so many heroes were cut out of the job market just because of what they were. It was something else to find that people like Bonifacio had made it that way intentionally, all but harvesting people like him for whatever purpose they had in mind.

Kept under control...until he has to unleash us...

The thought of the elephant's simple disdain for them as anything but useful tools rather than the powerful individuals that they were shocked him to his core. Mr. Bonifacio had set up an entire city for the purpose of heroes, but he'd never thought -

He was an idiot. That was all that he could say. He was an idiot, and had fallen for the lure that the businessman had set up. Believing that anyone in power actually cared about spending their money in a way to benefit the rest of humanity had been his biggest mistake.

He could feel himself tending towards a crash. There was only one way out of it, and he desperately clung to it.

Smokestack. She, at least, seemed to care, and if Bonifacio wanted her gone, then that probably meant that she was a rebel, right? A rebel against an unjust system?

It was probably reaching there, but he had to hold onto something as his world crumbled around him. The crow kept walking, his breath coming harsh and shallow.

Let's say that she is part of a rebellion. How do you even find her again?

Because he couldn't go back to Bonifacio. He couldn't face the elephant knowing what he did now. He had to find someone else, someone that offered something better. His only option was to become -

Not a villain. He couldn't see himself as that. As an anti-hero...yes, yes, he could see that. And they might accept that. But how to find her?

The answer had been offered just that morning. He stopped in his tracks at the alley, realizing he'd already walked quite some distance towards the station. He turned on his heel, looking down the alleyway, and whispered.

"Spore."

The skunk walked around the corner as if his name had summoned him, that green stripe, those bare feet, and that smirk on his face unmistakable. He tossed a cigarette to the side, pushing his hands into his jeans pockets as he walked up.

"Changed your mind?" the skunk asked.

"...I want to talk to...to Smokestack."

"Funny. I'm happy to introduce you."

"...Now?"

"Why not?" The skunk held out his hand. "You ready?"

"No, but I don't have a choice."

"Heh, none of us do. Come on."

The End

Summary: Mato finds out some serious problems with Suprenum, and realizes that not everything has the best intentions for heroes in mind.

Tags: No Sex, Crow, Elephant, Skunk, Panther, Superpowers, Superheroes, Series, Suprenum, Patreon, Revelation, Invitation, Traitor,