PRIDE

I can’t remember the last time I had been so angry. I felt hot, like my I had just stuck my head inside of a broiling oven. I could have pounded both cars on either side of me until they were nothing but mounds of junk. But what really would have made me feel better, would have been to smash Dispatch’s face into the concrete wall behind me.

I just don’t get it. I’ve called this guy for days – it’s not like someone didn’t go out of their way to threaten my life if I didn’t deliver a message. Maybe Dispatch didn’t care about that. But let’s also add on that I wanted to talk about the totems – this unknown coming danger. Yet, when I call to have these conversations, I get no response.

After several unanswered calls and e-mails, Dispatch shows up to me in the parking garage of my new office. The same M.O. as last time when I got suspended –and he came to do it again.

“Leroy, Todd confessed to manipulating your watch that inhibited your powers. You need to learn a bit more discipline. Superheroes have to play by the rules. And as such, your suspension has been extended. Here is your new inhibitor.” He extended his hand to give me the new watch. When I didn’t take it, he walked up to me and tucked it into my jacket pocket.

“Bull-Shit!” Was all I could say.

Dispatch stopped and looked back at me. I didn’t take it back.

“We did this your way. And for that, I almost got my ass handed to me.” I took the watch from my pocket. “Now we do this my way. And if you don’t like it, Mr. High-and-Mighty, you can go to hell.” I dropped the watch to the ground.

“If you are unofficially using your powers Leroy, we will treat you as a threat. Don’t dig yourself into a hole.”

“See, that’s where you misunderstand. Leroy J. Powers don’t hide up in nobody’s hole – or kiss around them. So you can keep your threats to yourself, and save all this tough love for the real bad guys.” I turned and headed to my office. Terra was going to think I lost my mind.