Patriot City Nights - part 2
by Law2

"Murder!" exclaimed Detective O'Brien before bursting into laughter. "Kid I've been a detective longer than you've been able take yerself to the potty. I know murder when I see murder." O'Brien doubled over laughing and some of the surrounding officers joined in.

"Stop it! Stop laughing now!" insisted El Diablo.

Detective O'Brien pulled a handkerchief from his suit and wiped his eyes. "What makes you think this was murder?"

"Perhaps it is a gift from the Energy X which flows through my veins. I can sense that this man...was dead before he was burned. I can't explain it. I suppose it is some sort of sixth sense."

"You hear that O'Brien. This boy can talk to fire," said on of the officers. "I've seen people eat fire, but talking to it is something new. Now, I've seen everything." He began laughing again.

"All right, that's enough men," said Detective O'Brien. "I didn't invite Freedom Force down here for our entertainment. They're here to learn there is more to crime fighting than chasing super villains. Show him the note Peters." The name Peters was immediately familiar to El Diablo. It was an officer Peters that patrolled the neighborhood where Ricardo Ramirez was a juvenile delinquent. Ramirez hated Officer Peters, and that meant El Diablo hated him too.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" asked Peters as he stood over El Diablo holding the suicide note. "Something about you looks mighty familiar."

El Diablo put the sheet back over the body and stood face to face with Officer Peters. "I believe you are mistaken senor. We have never met."

"Funny, I never forget a face. Maybe you should take off that mask and..."

"Like I said. You are mistaken." El Diablo took the suicide note from officer Peters' hand and read it.

"You see it all right there in black and white, kid," said Detective O'Brien. "This is a clear case of suicide."

"Yep. Maybe the next time you talk to fire you should tell it it's a liar," stated Officer Peters.

The suicide note was convincing, and yet El Diablo still had an un-ebbing feeling that his newly discovered sixth sense was right. However, he had no way to prove it. The police showed El Diablo other evidence they had uncovered to further prove that Percy Smith committed suicide. They even apologized for laughing at him. It was all so convincing that he decided that he should dismiss his claims completely.

Detective O'Brien walked him back to the entrance of the crime scene to rejoin Alche-Miss and Liberty Lad, who were talking to each other in the Freedom Flyer.

"How was it?" asked Liberty Lad. "Did you actually see the body?"

"Si," said El Diablo. "I saw everything, but I'm still not convinced."

"Not convinced," said Alche-Miss. "What do you mean?"

"He seems to think it was murder instead of suicide," said Detective O'Brien. "Gave us all a good laugh."

"I didn't know you were a detective sugah."

"I'm not, it's just something I can't explain. Something to do with the Energy-X." Realizing that he was talking to two other Energy-X potent people, El Diablo explained what happened to him when he examined the corpse in the alley.

"Keen," said Liberty Lad. "Perhaps it's something like Patriot. When Minute Man was exposed to Energy-X Patriot became sentient."

"Patriot?" asked Detective O'Brien.

"Minute Man's cane," answered Alche-Miss.

"You mean that stick think he carries with ‘em?"

"Si, senor. That stick thing."

"It can talk?"

"Not quite," said Liberty Lad. "But it does demonstrate its own level of consciousness. Also, Sea Urchin and Man of War seem to have similar abilities with their water powers."

"Maybe it has something to do with water and fire being elements," said Alche-Miss. "But ah do feel the same sensation when ah'm working with portals. I feel more like ah'm communicating with them instead of controlling them."

"Sounds like that Energy-X is some pretty powerful..." Detective O'Brien paused for a moment and took a quick look around him. "...Stuff."

"It is," said El Diablo with vigor in order to reinforce the statements he made in the alley.

Before the conversation could advance further a call came through Detective O'Brien's portable radio.

"Calling all available units! Please report to the eastern warehouse district. Reports of superhuman disturbances."

The message started to repeat.

"O'Brien here. I've got Freedom Force with me. We're on our way." He pointed at the Freedom Flyer. "How fast can you guys get there in this contraption?"

"Faster than a squad car," said Liberty Lad.

"Then I'm going with you."

El Diablo wanted to object to Detective O'Brien's coming along, but he realized that it would probably lead to more argument and that would result in more damage to the city.

There were several small fires in many of the warehouses. Broken glass, damaged office furniture, and various other debris decorated the streets. El Diablo brought the Freedom Flyer to a low hover just outside of the carnage.

"I think I'll fly up myself and have a look around," said El Diablo.

"Perhaps we should stay together," said Alche-Miss

"Don't worry," said El Diablo. "It'll just take..."

A massive force hit the hood of the Freedom Flyer sending it crashing to the ground and its occupants hurdling into the air. Instinctively El Diablo corrected himself to begin flying. Before he could completely get his bearings, he noticed the others rapidly descending to the ground. With no time to think, he grabbed Alche-Miss with one hand and Detective O'Brien with the other and planted them gently on the ground. He heard Liberty Lad hit with a thud and looked in the direction. Apparently, training time had paid off. It was reflex that led him to rescue the other two. Liberty Lad appeared shaken, but otherwise fine.

"What the hell just happened?" asked O'Brien. El Diablo saw a hulking dark form standing on the hood of the Freedom Flyer wreckage. In the dim light of the surrounding fires he could barely make out horns atop its head. It turned to face him with eyes glowing dark red. It let out a loud roar and charged him.

"A Man-bull!" said El Diablo as he took flight to avoid the charging beast. It swung upward with an open hand clipping him on the heels and sending him wildly into the air. He managed to straighten himself.

"I don't know where you came from but I'm going to send you straight to hell." He fired a flame blast at the beast, but it was off target and easily dodged. Before he could fire another blast he heard gunfire in the distance and felt bullets wisp passed his head. This made it instantly clear that they had been ambushed. He raised a flame shield. The beast picked up an office desk that was lying in the street.

"Hey Man-bull, betcha can't catch me!" said Liberty Lad. The beast turned in search of the boy. El Diablo couldn't see Liberty Lad anywhere around. He noticed that Detective O'Brien had taken cover in the doorway of nearby warehouse and had his revolver in hand. Alche-Miss was with him, but clearly frozen with fear. The beast flung the desk in the general direction of Liberty Lad's voice. El Diablo took the opportunity to fire another blast. It hit.

"Rrrroooaaarrrr!" That got the beasts attention. El Diablo could hear more gunfire and felt the wisp of more bullets. However, this time the incoming shots were answered by outgoing shots and screams of pain.

"Got'em," said Detective O'Brien. "Now you guys finish off that overgrown cow!"

El Diablo turned his attention back to the beast only to be met with some random debris. The blow was painful and the resulting fall to the ground knocked the wind out of him. The beast was quickly on top him. It loomed over.

"Hasta la Vista!" said the beast as it swung down. El Diablo prepared for the worst, but was surprised when an energy blast that could only have come from Alche-Miss caught the beast between the eyes. It staggered backward and was hit from behind by some of Liberty Lad's grenades. Furious, El Diablo added an overpowered fire blast to the mix. The beast fell to the ground with a loud thud and lay there in a smoldering heap.

"Is it dead?" asked Liberty Lad as he ran toward El Diablo.

"Are you okay sugah?" Asked Alche-Miss.

"I'll be okay. Gracias," said El Diablo. He struggled to his feet and noticed that the others were around him and the fallen beast.

"Sure is one ugly son of a...gun," said Detective O'Brien. He kneeled down and placed his hand in front of the beast's mouth. "He's not dead."

"Calling Detective O'Brien. Do you copy?" came a voice from the portable radio Detective O'Brien carried.

"Aye. I copy," said Detective O'Brien into the radio. "What is it?" He walked away from the three superheroes as if he wanted to speak in private.

"This doesn't look good," said El Diablo. "If there is a Man-bull then that means Pan must be back."

"But that's impossible," said Alche-Miss. "I thought Pan was taken care of permanently."

"Me too," Liberty Lad added. "But we can't argue with the facts, can we?"

"Well!" said Detective O'Brien as he headed back to the group. "That was forensics. Congratulations El Diablo, you were right. Percy Smith was murdered." He cracked a large grin. "But don't go pattin' yerself on the back just yet, it might interest you to know that I knew it was murder all along."

To be continued...