~ Ø ~

From the face cards to the suit, a full deck of card danced playfully in the air as though it was following a tune that would command them to do so. The symphony however didn't exist. Only a maestro whose deep blue eyes followed the quick movements of the cards.

Under the majestic performance of the rectangular objects, Jace, also known to his parents and his few existing friends as Ace laid down on his very messy bed that sat low on the ground while his right hand reached out to the flying cards just a few points below the black ceiling.

Ace's hand swayed in a graceful motion from left to right as his wrist bent in the same particular direction, twirling his fingers slowly but would immediately pop his fingers outward causing the cards to spread across the ceiling before converging at the center to swirl in a violent storm.

He wasn't really frightened of what he was doing for he already discovered he had this ability the moment he saw his best friend get thrown off a furious roller coaster when they were riding it three years ago. Luckily for Jason, Ace's ability emerged then, saving him just before he could turn into a mutilated corpse over a pool of his very own crimson blood. Although it did shocked some people how the young boy didn't die, they just labeled that event as a miracle.

Ace still remember the specific feeling he had that day. There was a fear of being different from other people, but being different saved a life. And saving a life sparked a purpose and responsibility.

It was 6:30 A.M. in San Francisco but he was still not getting up from his bed even though it was a school day.

"This is Charles Smith connecting to you live at All News 740 Radio Station! It's about 6:31 in the morning right now folks so you better drink those coffee for work! While you're on that, let me give you the steaming news that we have right now. A man who calls himself the Purifier saved the people in the United States Capitol in Washington from a group of armed terrorists last night. Let me give you my two cents about people like him, I wouldn't want to live in the same neighborhood as this guy. What do you think Amber?"

"I would have to agree with you there Charles, you just never know what could happen when you live among people like them! Should we even call them people? Lots of things could go wrong. Their brain, their control, their so called superpowers or the fact that they've made so many enemies that if they attack him, the citizens will get involved. You see I like them only when they're saving us, but I wouldn't want them getting near me or my family and that's just the dirt right there."

"I agree with that."

"Not to mention the 26 people who were murdered by a mysterious person last night with unknown creatures! All of them were mauled to death! Is this an enemy of a superhero!? I don't know what's happening to this city!"

"I'm pretty sure everyone thinks of that. I would be scared too if the enemies of a superhero from San Francisco came here to whoop our asses down. Anyway, another news is all about the disappearing thief of San Francisco who the citizens named as the Spec—"

Ace's forehead furrowed. The cards on the ceiling slammed on all corners of the room as he reached his left hand towards the radio, turning it off. "What a bunch of brainless imbeciles."

His room was a war zone that reeked of vanilla fired by scented candles that he lit every night to help him sleep. The clothes and objects inside seemed to have a mind of their own as Ace does not know or remember how they got to every corner of his room. This time however, he has an idea why his room looked like an aftermath of a storm due to what happened last night.

The walls were coated with forest green paint and a gigantic furry carpet laid on top of the cold marble floor. Beside his bed was a wooden desk made out of oak that Ace's mother Priscilla got from a yard sale not far from the street where their house was located. 134_ Hayes Street to be particular, a very quiet suburb.

At the corner of the room was a window that let the spring breeze inside along some uninvited leaves. Right next to it was a keyboard on a stand and a black violin case. Two varnished bookcases stood next to each other, their thin, glossy shelves carried an endless supply of medical books both thin and thick, paperback and hard copies. Surrounding it were framed certificates of various competition most would find difficult for his age such as math, writing, quiz bees, science and environment –all of it inked with gigantic words of first place with his name in the middle.

"I don't want to go to school today. Should I go to school today? I don't think I should go to school today. It's a prison for children," he said repeatedly, his hand still playing with the deck of cards above him.

Alongside him were multiple cell biology books resting on his bed after a long night of studying. They were thick and heavy, the same as the bags under his eyes. He was only a junior in high school but he's already preparing himself for Medical Cell Biology, one of the toughest medical course there is. He thought that maybe, if he succeeded in this course, he will accomplish perfection in excellence as his father told him. And in return, he will get what he wants.

The door creaked slightly. Ace opened the palm of his hand as the cards flew quickly towards it before someone entered his room. A woman in her mid-thirties with poise in front of the frightened young man. She had olive skin and a long, wavy carrot red hair that reached her elbows. Her big, round eyes located him at his bed.

"Mom!" Ace huffed. "I told you to knock before you recklessly enter my room like a maniac!" He grabbed his red glasses that matched the color of his hair perfectly.

"Oh, sorry Dear. It's just that I wouldn't catch you snooping around with a girl in your bed or doing drugs if I knock on your door. Now go downstairs and eat your breakfast young man, I've been telling you to get ready ever since I woke up," Priscilla reminded him while continuously tapping her right foot on the floor.

"I just woke up. And why does it seem like you're implying that you do not trust me? Your own flesh and blood." He left the room and his mother.

Priscilla let out a tiny giggle. "That's precisely why I do not trust you."

"What do you mean? And for the record, I don't do drugs. And why would I snoop around with a girl in my bed? I don't even know anyone at my school and I've been attending that jail for three years now," he said, his head peaked through the open door of his room where he saw his mother fixing his bed.

He rolled his eyes for a moment, quickly sprinting next to his mother. "Mom, I don't need your help in fixing this mess I can clean this room by myself." He grabbed all of his used clothes and stacked them on the laundry bin right next to the cabinet before proceeding to go downstairs slowly, passing by framed pictures that included him and his forced smile that showed his teeth. He could almost immediately smell the savory invitation of breakfast from the stairs.

The lack of sleep and caffeine made his noodle legs limp their way towards the end of the hallway. In it were shining and spotless cases imprisoning his achievements in its glass veil. He finally made it to the arch leading towards the next room. His body still slouched forward when a sound of metal striking a porcelain three times hit his ears.

His body straightened, fixed his messy hair and took a deep breath. He entered the medium sized dining area merged with the kitchen. The yellow coated walls were lined with glass casement windows adorned with maroon, velvet curtains. At the end was the backdoor which led to their backyard.

A white, rectangular table was at the center of the room where plates were stacked with eggs and bacon that glistened with cooking oil, inviting Ace with their savory fragrance. At the end of the table was his father whose crown was covered with gray hair swept to the side. He had his gaze immersed at the morning newspaper while holding a warm cup of black coffee; his favorite. The herald in the form of a paper was mostly covered with the gruesome murder of 26 people at a nearby restaurant attacked by unknown creatures. There were no survivors and the cctv couldn't help.

They were pretty wealthy as the very curious and very, very old gossip next door would say when she saw the chandeliers and the decorations inside. But Ace's father named Oliver —a perfectionist and a very strict man— was a very thrifty person. He had a price point for everything that they will buy, but he was the only parent with a stable job so Priscilla did not mind his way of managing their finance.

"G-good morning Father." Ace grabbed unto the back of the chair opposite to his father though he immediately went and sat to the side when their eyes met.

"How nice of you to join me for breakfast this late Jace." Oliver's voice was deep yet he spoke quietly, garnering the attention of his son who started to shove spoonful of food in his mouth.

"So, I recall your mother saying you barely got an A+ on your last exam on Science?" His father asked while looking at Ace's eyes.

The boy's heart skipped a beat, swallowing the food in his mouth before replying to his father. "Uhhh– yeah. It's really difficult considering the fact that the exam's coverage was the first six chapters of the manu—."

Oliver cleared his throat. "Nothing's difficult if you work hard for it. Therefore I conclude that you didn't really reviewed for that particular exam. Another reason why I should throw your useless gadgets away. But you'll have to thank your mother. If it weren't for her, you'll be a caveman long before you started thinking your exams were difficult," he spoke quietly without a hint of emotion, flipping the newspaper to the next page, still holding eye contact with his son, shooting a penetrating glare at him.

"B-but are you happy that I perfected all the other subjects?"

Oliver closed the newspaper and laid it carefully on top of the table. He dusted his black suit before standing up, walking towards the credence table at the left side of the room where his black briefcase resides. The sound of his leather shoes struck Ace's ears, his cold stare froze his body in place.

"Did you perfected all of your subjects?" he answered.

Ace lowered his head, his hand gripped the silver spoon tightly, slowly lifting the small portion of food into his mouth.

"D-did you felt the earthquake last night?" Ace asked his Father after swallowing the food in his mouth.

"I do not recall experiencing an earthquake last night. I guess I was too busy finishing my paperwork I didn't had the time to notice something that doesn't concern me."

Maybe it was due to the frightening event last night that still lingered on Ace's mind. Perhaps it was the repugnant words from the radio station he was listening to. Or it could possibly be the weight of his father's words that crushed all his efforts to the ground. Whichever it was, it removed his appetite and replaced it with a growing anger and disappointment. He only wanted a nice conversation, but he hasn't gotten any since he was little.

"Well you should be!" Ace violently smashed the table, standing up. "It's an earthquake for fuck's sake!"

Oliver clutched Ace's left arm with great strength, his son trembling before his presence. "What did you just say?" His eyebrows curled and his brown eyes widened in anger.

Ace motionlessly stared at the hallway, wanting to break free from Oliver's strong grip but he cannot escape. He was petrified by his father's gaze even though he wasn't looking at him.

All of a sudden he felt a powerful smack on the side of his face knocking him to the floor.

"Oliver! What are you doing to Ace!" Priscilla rushed to her son's side to help him.

Oliver fixed his tie and took the black leather briefcase from the table. "The next time you make the decision of talking back and saying such vulgar words, think twice of what may happen to you." He ended his lecture to his son by walking out of their house and riding his black Mini Cooper S convertible to go to work.

"Are you okay?" Priscilla asked her panting son while holding an ice pack over his eye.

"I-I'm fine," Ace replied before grabbing his red glasses besides him and standing up. He could feel the pulsating sensation on his left temples, but he didn't care about it.

"Why doesn't he treat me like his child?" he mumbled, his mother trying to search for an answer.

There was silence in the room. "Anyway, I need to get dressed I'm gonna be late for school." He ran upstairs leaving his mother sitting on the floor, still holding the melting ice pack on her cold and numb hands.

Ace chose not to dwell on that painful experience as he calmly opened his gigantic closet after taking a cold shower. He blindly grabbed for some clothes and wore it; a white long sleeve shirt and green pants. He also took a pair of black sneakers under his bed before combing his short wavy red hair to the side.

He stared at his reflection through the small mirror on his desk, gently caressing the small bruise on his face. A pent up breath was released from his mouth when the walls grumbled, shaking along the floor who had joined the rattling. Everything inside his room quivered in panic alongside Ace who seemed to be standing on a tight rope. One by one the photos hanging from the wall fell due to the vibration, its protective glass shattered as it met the floor that struck his ears through the loud pounding of his heart.

"Shit!" He became numb when the closet toppled over him but he stopped it using his ability just in time before it smashed him. It was as if his room was a part of a dollhouse rattled about by little children.

"This earthquake has gotten out of control! Why isn't everything postponed?" He pushed the closet back to its original position and regained his balance. A picture landed right next to him. "M-mom!" He stood up and grabbed his playing cards before running downstairs, placing the Ace of Clubs on his chest pocket.

"Mom! Where are you!?" Ace hurried downstairs as the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling shook violently.

"Ace what are you doing? Go find some cover!" Priscilla shouted from the dining area. Ace assumed she's under their dining table so he himself looked for something that would protect him even though he knew he could stop the incoming furniture and appliances using his ability. But he still know that he does not have full control of it and who knows, they might not show up when he's in a pinch.

After a good three minutes of hiding under the coffee table in the living room, the earthquake finally stopped.

Ace stood up and rushed to his mother's side. "Are you okay Mom?"

"It's a little bit longer than the one from last night and it is more powerful," Priscilla pointed out, fixing her son's hair and glasses. "S-sweetie I don't think you should go to school today. They might've postponed all classes."

"It's not really that powerful Mom. No buildings or houses got destroyed. None of our stuff got destroyed too except for those picture frames so I think it's safe. Plus the school principal is an idiot so I don't think he'll care about his students' safety." Ace helped his mother brush the broken glass on the floor using a broom before throwing all of it in a garbage bag.

"I better go. See you later Mom." Ace waved at his mother who hugged him tightly. He struggled to escape his way out of the embrace that caused discomfort. Eventually, he did before leaving the house.

After getting outside, he released a pent up breath dying to get out. Deep down he was terrified, he just wanted to be a strong man for his mother. He didn't learn it from any of his tutors or even his father. Throughout his childhood, he had to be one. Forced to be one. There was nobody that would help him besides himself to finish and perfect a task thrown at him by life.

At the intersection of Hayes street, the bus was anticipated by Ace and a few other students who didn't notice –but mostly ignored his existence, bumping into him from time to time. It was annoying, his eyebrow would raise a couple of times.

The students played like infants, so childish and careless. It was within 10 seconds when a boy shoved the blonde girl forward hard. Too hard that she fell into the road on her back met by the hurtling noise and loud horn of the incoming bus.

They froze in fear during that warm Monday morning.

Ace however didn't. Adrenaline fueled his legs as he quickly ran towards the girl petrified by the raging vehicle. His fingers moved like spider legs, stopping the wheels of the bus. The wheels persistently tried to stop the momentum by pushing against the road hard enough but it was enough for Ace to grab the girl out of the road before the lagging vehicle eviscerated her existence on the face of the earth.

"O-oh my God are you okay!?" A lady rushed towards the children who nodded simultaneously in response. At least Ace knew they're finally out of the spell casted by fear and death. He walked away knowing the bus wouldn't function properly or the driver who reeked of alcohol and depression.

"W-wait! Who are you?" The girl asked with a teary eye.

"Nobody," Ace replied, his hand tightened on the strap of his backpack and continued to walk towards school.

"Thank you so much for saving me! I hope I meet you again soon!"

"You're a hero!" They all screamed.

His face was stuck on a neutral state, its been glued that way since he was a child who didn't get any praise. But he felt exhilarated and proud of himself for once. He loved doing heroic things –more than achieving things for his father's attention, but he didn't want to expose it to others knowing how they'll react.

It didn't matter. He shook his head lightly and let out those final thoughts of fear. He was just happy at the moment; bright and intoxicated with energy as the adrenaline still didn't want to leave his system.

He continued his mundane life afterwards when something cold and wet landed on his right shoulder. He looked at it, his white shirt now stained with an unknown red liquid that reeked of spoiled meat. His head looked upwards, a black smoke peered from the building's rooftop. It was bizarre though he shrugged it off and settled on the idea that his eyes played tricks on him.

~Ø~