Heroes were hard to come by anywhere you went.

Of course there were Police Officers, Firefighters and Surgeons but they were just doing their jobs.

No, there was a limited supply of the kind of heroes that risked their lives for free AND solely out of the kindness in their hearts.

Most were called vigilantes.

Jackie . . . . was currently in jail again for impersonating a cop going after a man who was accused of trafficking fentanyl to children.

"Ah, come on Chuck, can't you just cut me a break this time? I CAUGHT the guy for fucks sake!"

Chuck rolled his eyes, sitting back in his desk, "Yeah but you also impersonated a police officer which is ILLEGAL, Jackie. Next time, just call it in and leave it to the real heros, huh?"

"Oh fuck off" Jackie mumbled to himself.

"What was that?"

"Phone call . . . . I get a phone call, don't I?"

Chuck tapped his fingers on the desk and sighed heavily. He knew where this was going, "Yeah . . . yeah, you do. But do you honestly think they'll be all that happy they have to bail you out of jail AGAIN?"

Jackie just shrugged, "Eh, what they gonna do? Leave me in here to rot?"

"Maybe one day they will"

A couple of hours later, Jackie was grinning ear to ear, "I told ya they'd come through!"

"Yeah, whatever, you're lucky this time Jackie. Maybe not so lucky next time"

The person that bailed Jackie out of jail was smaller in stature but had an authoritative posture, "There better not be a next time. This is the LAST time"

Jackie snorted, "Whatever, you love me and you know it, Sammie"

Sammie whirled around on him, "This doesn't have anything to do with whether I love you or not, Jackie, and you know it! God, you're so stupid sometimes! You don't care about anyone else but yourself!"

"Hey, that's not true!" but Sammie didn't want to hear it and kept going, stomping her way out of the building.

"Hey! Sammie! Wait up!" Jackie ran after her, stopping her before she got to her car and put a hand on her shoulder.

She turned and slapped his hand off of her, "What do you want?!"

Jackie raised his hands submissively, "Hey . . . I'm sorry, okay? But I couldn't just let that guy continue to give those kids drugs . . . I just . . couldn't, alright? What if one of those kids had been Benny?"

Sammie glared at him, "What you COULD have done . . . was tell the police and let them do their fucking job . . . NOT attack the man and put him in the hospital in a coma. Now his WIFE is threatening to sue you and let me guess . . . you thought I was going to take care of THAT, too?"

Jackie cleared this throat, coughing a little in the surprise of her calculations, "Oh well . . uh . . . it'll be fine, Sam. I'm pretty sure I can get a good enough lawyer"

Sammie huffed at him, "And you just assume that lawyer will be me . . . am I right?"

Jackie finger gunned her, "You'd be the best sister in the world if you DID"

Sammie swat him on the chest, "You're lucky I love you . . . . I already put together your case and talked to the wife"

"YES! See?" Jackie laughed, "This is why you're the best!"

"BUT" she continued, "There's a catch. Community service for six months, TWENTY thousand dollars, an apology and a promise that you'll never impersonate a police officer again. If you do, you're going straight into prison without bail."

Jackie nodded, his hands on his hips, a little thrown off, "Okay . . . I won't fake being a cop . . . I do community service anyway-"

"Not your way . . . you'll volunteer in the soup kitchen. Four nights a week. Got it?"

Jackie didn't have a lot of room to argue. Everything else he could do, "Fine. But I'm not apologizing to that freak"

Sammie rolled her eyes, "Yeah . .I figured that part."

Later that evening, Sammie drove Jackie to her place so they could go over more of the paperwork and finer details.

She opened the door to her house and walked in with Jackie behind her, "Rose! Benny! I'm home!"

Jackie smiled, hearing the small footsteps of his nephew running, "Mommy!"

Benny turned fast out of the hallway from the kitchen and gasped in excitement, "Uncle Jackie! You're here too!? I haven't seen you in forever!" he launched himself at Jackie, unable to contain how happy he was.

Jackie laughed and ruffled his hair, "Hey little man!" he grabbed him and picked him up, "How you been? You've gotten bigger!"

"I wish mommy'd let you come over more often. I did my school paper on you!"

"You did?" Jackie looked to Sammie for more info and she chuckled.

"Yeah . . ." she sighed, "The assignment was to write about your favorite hero. For some weird reason, he chose you. I don't know why"

"I'll go get it and show you!" Benny wiggled out of Jackie's grasp and ran to his room.

Jackie smirked at his sister, "He could have done it on his deadbeat asshole father, the firefighter, but see? His big hose ain't all that it seems, huh?"

"Shut up, Jackie" she swat him again, "He's actually . . he hasn't been around lately. Don't mention him to Benny, okay?"

He just nodded and smiled at Rose who had been in the kitchen but came out to greet them.

"Oh!" Rose looked startled, "Jackie-boy . . . I didn't know you'd be coming! Come on, come on, I made fresh cookies and Benny-boy helped!"

Benny raced back in with his homework assignment and they all went into the kitchen, "I DID!" the kid seemed so proud of himself, "Rose made chocolate chip but I made the ones with M&Ms in them!"

"Awesome!" Jackie picked one up and stuffed it in his mouth, "Really good, little man! You've outdone yourself!" he smirked at Rose, "You too, Rose!"

Rose just waved him off, knowing he was just a big flirt.

"Alright, Benny" Sammie pat her son's back, "It's late. Time for bed."

"But!" Benny stomped his foot, "I wanted Uncle Jackie to read my homework!"

"I will tonight, bud" Jackie took the sheet of paper, smiling at the drawing of him in red pajamas and blue mask, "What grade you get on it?"

"An A!"

"Hell yeah ya did. I mean look at this. Prime material right here."

"I gave you a superhero name, too! You wanna hear it!?"

"Sure!"

"Jackieboy Man!"

Jackie snorted, "Like . . Like what Rose calls me and then MAN after it?" it was a little odd but he wasn't about to crush this little kid's dreams, "I love it. Now get on to bed. I'll read it tonight and put my stamp of approval on it in the morning for ya"

"Okay! Good night mom! Night Uncle Jackie! Night Auntie Rose!"

A little while later after cleaning up, Rose, the nanny, left to go home for the night. This left Jackie and Sammie alone together in the living room.

"I really wish you'd reconsider trying to go back on the force"

Jackie shook his head, munching on another cookie, "Hell no. Too many crooked cops in that station. Already had my fill of those bastards"

"Yet, you keep going for visits" Sammie huffed, "There's more officers needed in other areas besides around here, you know"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't wanna leave Benny. I hardly get to see him as it is"

"Who's fault is that?"

Jackie scoffed but changed the subject with a big smirk, "You remember that time we pissed mom and dad off when we were kids and we were caught messing around in that abandoned warehouse?"

Sammie snorted, drinking a sip of her wine, "I found out that place had massive radiation counts. We're lucky we didn't die of radiation poisoning or cancer."

"What?" Jackie laughed, "The old place on Fifth?"

"Yeah!" Sammie nodded, "Apparently, there was a secret nuclear waste dump in the basement or SOMETHING. I don't know. The FBI crossed it off years ago to the public and wouldn't tell anyone the real story"

"Real story?" Jackie was intrigued now, "Why you say it like that?"

Sammie shrugged, "Well, they said it was nuclear waste but I don't remember seeing anything like that when we played in the basement, right? I think they were hiding something"

"Hm . . cool"

"No"

"What?"

"Don't go to check it out. That's stupid"

"I wasn't gonna"

"Yes, you were"

"Yeah, I was. How'd you know?"

"I'm your sister. I know you" she rolled her eyes, "And you can't go there anyway. They tore down the place last year, actually. Nothing there now but ruins on a hill surrounded by dead trees. Gross. Anyway, about your community service-"

"Uh-uh . . .. ya can't just skip by all of that like it was nothing. You're the one that brought up the nuclear shit!" Jackie shoved her, "You knew I'd be interested!"

"I was just bringing up something from our past is all like you were" she shrugged, "Too much wine bringing up memories. Anyway, promise me you won't go. You need to start your community service tomorrow and get this money sent so they don't sue you for more. You barely have any to live off of as it is"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'll take care of it. Don't worry so much, sis"

"I worry all the time about you"

"Yeah and that's why you're starting to get gray hair"

"WHAT?!"

Jackie knew he promised but then again . . . . he could never stay away from a good mystery.

Sammie was right. Bringing up that old house brought a lot of old memories out to play.

And now here he was behind yellow caution tape looking up at the ruins on the hill. Sammie remembered correctly, the trees were all dead but Jackie didn't realize the property was so big. They really traversed this area so much when they were little?

Looking around making sure no one could see him, Jackie made his way past the caution tape and out of sight on the other side.

'Let's see . . . what exactly is the government hiding out here? I don't see anybody around. Unless Sammie's just pulling my leg'

He walked up the long driveway, being mindful of the trees around him and making sure there were no cameras hidden anywhere.

'Wouldn't put it past those kinds of fucks. Government always wants to watch everyone's move.'

But as far as he could see, there was nothing but dead limbs and grass and when he finally got to where the house used to be, it was just an empty plot of land. There was only dirt now where the house used to be and no new grass had managed to grow, not that he was surprised.

Looking around, Jackie was actually pretty disappointed, 'Guess Sammie was right . .. not that I'd tell her anything. This kind of sucks. Wasted my gas money . . .'

But something stopped his musings and he stared at a lone piece of a broken wooden panel on the ground. It was a bit out of place and just looked like forgotten trash from the teardown. But something dug at Jackie. What was underneath it?

Edging closer, he kicked the wooden panel aside and narrowed his eyes down on the freshly moved earth.

'This is out of place compared to the compacted dirt over there. Looks fresh like someone recently buried something here'

Did he want to know what it was?

Of course.

But he didn't have a shovel so his curiosity went next level last resort. He had to use his hands.

Getting on his knees, he dug his fingers in the dirt and moved more and more to the side, going deeper and deeper until his fingernails scraped across something of a different texture.

Fabric?

Brushing away the dirt, he suddenly stopped, when he saw the color. Blue.

'What is this?'

He didn't think anything of it. He just went to pick it up.

But life had other plans for him and the moment he grabbed hold of the fabric, a great burst of electricity and power surged out and into him.

It felt like he was being tased and choked. Gripping the fabric in his hand, he found he couldn't let go but it was already too late.

A great crack boomed in the air and all he saw was green light erupted from somewhere.

But he felt that feeling go away and he had curious thought in his head, 'Was that light coming from ME?'

He felt like he could do anything. Strength welled up inside of him and he had never felt better.

Finally, the painful feeling subsided completely and Jackie could open his eyes fully. He looked at his hands first, seeing green sparks crack off of his fingers.

'The hell?' he still had hold of the fabric and only then realized it was a blue eye mask, 'Wait . . . that's so fucking weird . . . why . . . what the hell happened just now?'

He didn't waste time leaving the area. Something was wrong and he had to find out now and he knew just the person to go to.

"Are you high?" Sammie crossed her arms at him, "Because I fucking swear, Jackie, I'll never let you around Benny again if"

"Dammit, Sammie just listen to me!" he couldn't control it. It just happened and sparks crackled out of his finger tips.

Sammie was quick, though, and backed away before she could get hurt.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?"

"THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING!" Jackie yelled back at her.

The sparks subsided but his fear didn't, "What's . . . what's happened to me, Sam? How did you hear about that property again?"

She scoffed at him, "Jackie, seriously? You're blaming ME?! I'm the one that told you NOT to go!"

"Yeah but if you hadn't said ANYTHING, none of this would have happened! You know how impressionable I am!"

"Oh yeah, sorry, I forgot you're a fucking CHILD!"

Jackie took a small breathe and tried to diffuse the situation, "Look . . . Sam. I just . . . I know I shouldn't have gone. But I did. And as soon as I touched this stupid fooking mask, everything went to shit"

"Mask? What mask?"

He took it out of his jeans pocket and showed it, "I don't . . for some reason, I think you can touch it now. I feels like . . I don't know. It doesn't feel dangerous anymore. Like . . Like everything it held within it is now in ME . . . you know?"

She grabbed it out of his hand, "Huh . . . yeah, you're right. I didn't get superpowers either. . . . dammit"

Jackie grabbed the mask back, "Oh quit it. . . . what do I do?"

She shrugged, "How am I supposed to know? I mean, yeah, I'm the lawyer and I'll tell you how to be safe and responsible with this but would you really listen to me?"

Jackie rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, "Superpowers . . . . .feels more like a ticking time bomb inside of me. Oh and apparently I'm really strong now, too. I fucked up the wheel of my car driving here. Can I borrow your car tomorrow?"

"What . . . what the fuck!? No! Fucking . . . are you KIDDING ME!? Super strength!? What are you, fucking Superman!?"

Jackie just shrugged, "So I can't borrow your car?"

"No! Fucking fly, you asshole!" she tried to joke but really, Jackie knew she was just covering up her fear.

'Is she . . . is she afraid of me?'

But he brushed that thought away and just shook his head, "I don't think I can fly . . . Think I just have sparks and I'm really strong. . . . . . I would never hurt you, you know"

Sammie blinked, as if surprised by his words, "I . . . yeah, I know, Jackie. I know you wouldn't . . . . not on purpose"

That stung.

But she was right, as hurtful as that sounded.

Later the next night, Jackie found himself sitting on the balcony of his apartment, looking out at the city and its lights. The sirens and cars honking in the distance. The smells of the streets and restaurants below.

'Is it just me or are my senses a bit heightened too? . . . maybe I'm just overwhelmed with everything lately is all'

He put his hands in his pockets, attempting to relax but suddenly felt something crunchy in his one pocket.

Shifting a little, he dug it out and unwrinkled it.

'Benny's paper over me . . . . his hero'

Suddenly, however, he realized something he hadn't before.

The drawing Benny made of him.

He was wearing a red cape (he wore the same red hoodie a lot) . . . and a blue mask.

'No . . . that . . that HAS to be a coincidence. Right? Yeah, it has to be. No way Benny'd know. . . just random is all.'

But it bothered him.

It dug inside under his skin like a rash.

'I'm not a hero' he thought to himself gloomily, 'I just get into trouble trying to do good things.'

Jackie smirked, scoffing at himself, "No hero would be so stupid. Real heros do bigger and better things. I'm just . . . a bum, really"

A scream filled the air.

Jackie flinched, hearing it like an airhorn in his ears. He shot up and looked over his balcony.

'That wasn't far from here . . . what was that? Someone in trouble?'

He gripped the guard rails and listened even more, not realizing he was squeezing to tight, reforming them.

More than one body.

There was a struggle.

"Stop fighting me and give me the fucking bag, lady!"

Jackie didn't think about it. He never did.

'That was just in the other alley. What if he pulls a gun?'

He leaped from his balcony, only a little surprised that he stuck the landing and ran towards the struggle.

There was only one man against a young woman. She was gripping her purse and shopping bags tightly, trying to get away from him.

The man was older and had a knife on him, brandishing it at her in a threat, "Fucking told you already, lady! I'm not messing around! Give the bags! Drop 'em!"

"Please, no! Please just let me go! I won't say anything! I promise!"

"Stupid fucking woman! Just drop the damn bags!"

Jackie saw the man lose his temper before anyone ever could.

The man leaped forward to swing the knife at her.

But Jackie was faster.

With a swift jump, Jackie was in between them and grabbed the knife in his fist.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" the man panicked, "WHERE DID YOU COME FROM!?" he tried to pull away but Jackie held tight onto the weapon, even squeezing and bending it into a unless hook.

The man gaped at him and shuddered, "The fuck! Fuck this!" he let the knife go and bolted.

Jackie, meanwhile, threw the old weapon onto the ground and turned, "Are you okay, mam?"

The young woman just stared at him, "Uh . . what . . . who are you? How did you . . . what. . "

Jackie smiled, "Believe me, I wish I knew, myself. But I'm glad you're okay."

"Who are you? Are you a superhero?" she blurted, "I've never seen anyone do such a thing to a knife like that! It was like magic or something!"

Jackie just shook his head, "I Uh . . . . well" he started to think, though.

He didn't realize he still had the mask in his other hand. Looking down on it, his heart filled with a sudden purpose.

Was this it?

It just felt so . . . . right.

So perfect.

Was this what it felt like to know what you were born to do?

Jackie licked his lips and swallowed, clearing his throat a little, "Um . . . .heh . . . yes, mam . . . I'm the knew hero on the block . . . you can call me. . ."

It only took him a moment.

He knew it wasn't customary to have a superhero name with your actual name in it but why should he care?

He had SUPER POWERS. No one could stop him!

And it only took him a moment to think of his hero name, remembering his nephew and sister.

"Jackieboy. . . . ." he smiled, "My name is Jackieboy Man, mam"

He put on the blue mask and with the red hoodie he wore. . . . a new story was about to be written.