Foreshadow II

[Brown Dynamite]

Table of Contents:
1.>The HellQ
2. >20Q
3.Foreshadow's Reputation

Freedom City Timeline:
November 4th, 2011: Have A Cigar! Omens' first meeting with The King of Suits and Quarrel in which they interrupt a mob meeting

September 12th, 2012: OVERTHROW in Freedom Hall A group of heroes save City Hall, erstwhilst Omen returns stolen medical information

January 13th, 2013:  Neon Exposure Good old fashioned preventative weapon smuggling operation by Foreshadow and Errant

January 3rd, 2013: Deadly Deposits 

January 16th, 2013: Day of Wrath: Family Matters Omen barely scrapes by defeating a robotic doppelganger of Foreshadow

February 27th, 2013: Opening Bids Omen teams up with the Speedster Velocity against Larceny, Inc

 

June 29th, 2013: Carnival Night Foreshadow reunites with Velocity and teams up with Graft to try and save Carnivale in Rio!

 

July 20th, 2013: Automated Withdrawal Foreshadow reunites with Silver Spider and teams up with Comrade Frost, Amelyth, Gloaming to put a stop to a bank robbing itself.

 

November 2, 2013:  Your Day in Court Foreshadow, Cannonade, Mess, Hound, and Revenant testify against the Hangman.

 

November 15th, 2013: Cutting off the Supply Foreshadow teams up with Net Fly and Osprey to take down a massive international drug operation
 
November 17-29th, 2013: Aqua Regia Foreshadow teams up with Wraith, Crimson Tiger, and Blodeuwedd under the direction of Raven to put a stop to the latest twisted plot inside the Circuit Maximus

 

December 12th, 2013: Graft vs Host Foreshadow reunites with Graft and together they get a first hand account of what medical malpractice is really like.

 

December 17, 2013: Bright Lights and Good Cheer Foreshadow reunites with old faces and makes new acquaintances at the Freedom League Christmas Party

Edited December 23, 2013 by HG Morrison

[Brown Dynamite]

Introduction
Who are you? Sum yourself up in one sentence.
A guy who has moved from jumping balance beams to jumping rooftops just to fight the good fight.

Do you have any nicknames, street names, titles, or nom de plume?
None that I know of

What is your full birth name?
Erick Aleksandrovich Lutrova

Where do you live?
I have a pretty swank penthouse near the Atlantis hotel.

How old are you? What year were you born (if applicable)?
1993, Lucky year

Physical Traits
What is your gender? If not applicable, please explain.
Male

How would you describe your heritage?
Ðу, Ñ Ð¾Ð¿Ñ€ÐµÐ´ÐµÐ»ÐµÐ½Ð½Ð¾ РоÑÑиÑ.

How tall are you?
Just shy of five foot ten

What is your body type?
So I've definitely got what they call a 'gymnast's body. Well muscled but not too large.

Do you have any particular weaknesses, such as allergies or physical disabilities?
Do women count? Kidding, kidding. But I'm pretty stable physically, though I have been told I should work on controlling my emotions better. I also don't do well around flames.

How do you carry yourself? Are you graceful, or heavy on your feet? Can you be stealthy, do you walk with confidence?
Well grace is natural, stealth takes a bit more work but out of necessity I do it well. I'm pretty sure anyone who dresses up in a costume has to have confidence in themselves.

Describe your skin, eye, and hair color.
Blonde haired, blue eyed, and sitting comfortably between fair skinned and extremely lightly tanned.

How do you wear your hair, if applicable? Do you have facial hair?
I just let it do its thing, other than combing I don't exactly do anything special. It has been suggested I tie it into a ponytail, probably won't ever do it. I keep myself clean shaven out of preference.

Do you consider yourself attractive? Do others?
I've never heard any complaints from the ladies, and there certainly have been ladies. Although I don't exactly take enough time

Do you have any scars, tattoos, piercings, or birthmarks?
I have a couple scars, other than that I'm pretty clean.

Do you resemble anyone famous?
Last I checked I was famous when the mask isn't on. Sure not mobbed in the streets famous, but still well known among gymnastics enthusiasts.

Do you have a dominant hand?
I am a lefty. But you'd be hard pressed to tell nowadays.

What kind of clothing do you wear?
I usually wear some pretty high end suits. Fedoras are nice too.

Do you wear makeup?
No.

What is your vocal range? Is your voice distinctive in some way?
My voice is slightly deep soothing even.

Do you have any distinctive habits, nervous tics, or mannerisms? Where did they come from, and what causes them? Do other people notice and remark on these habits? Do they annoy you or other people?
I crack a few too many jokes even when inappropriate, some people think it's a defense habit. Really I think I'm just fine.


History
Where do you come from?
Freedom City is home; always has been.

Have you made any major moves, or do you live in your hometown?
Still living in the South side, but I have my own place now. I wanted a view.

Do you feel loyal to your country of citizenship? Do you consider yourself patriotic? How do you feel about the government of your country?
Well I certainly love the good ol' US of A and I am definitely patriotic. With that said, I don't have a blind loyalty to the government. They're not infallible and they're certainly not always right.

How do you feel about the place you come from?
Well it's home, and I love it. But...even if the newspapers say it has been cleaned up I find there's always trouble going on here.

Where is your home town? What was/is it like?
What part of Freedom City is hard to get?

Growing up, were most of the people you knew similar to you, or were you somehow a minority? How did that affect you?
When I was a kid only one of my friends wasn't a gymnast. And to be fair those friends were really more like competitors and acquaintances. My teenage years are more fruitful, but I don't exactly hang with a clique or anything.

Is there something you've always been really good at or really bad at? How has that affected your life?
Well I've been told I'm pretty good at that gymnastics thing. Especially tumbling. As a child it ran my life. Now, I get to do it out of fun while doing the thing I do love.

Were there any traumatic experiences in your early years (death of a family member, abandonment, orphaned at an early age)?
My parents were killed and let's just say being raised by David didn't start out all warm and cuddly. Guy likes to keep to himself.

Briefly describe a defining moment in your childhood and how it influenced your life.
Remember that whole my parents died thing? Well apart of me believed, heck I might even still believe, that if I had acted quicker, smarter, harder something they wouldn't have died in the fire.

What stupid things did you do when you were younger?
I was kind of a robot always following orders to a T. Really didn't do much for my happiness.

Where did you go to school? How much school did you have, and did you enjoy it?
Say what you will about public school and you'd probably be right. I'm going to FCU now, and it seems to be going well. The commute can be a bit of a pain yet another reason I need to buy steady transportation.

Do you have any mementos of your childhood? What are they, and why did you keep them? If you have none, why not?
Everything burned down in the fire. All I have are my stupid trophies kept at my old gym, and a couple of newspaper clippings. Considering they're all I have left of my time with my family, I treasure them.

When did you decide to become a hero? Why? Did anyone influence you one way or another in the decision?
It wasn't too long after David let me in on his secret. I suppose I was angry when I was younger and vengeance sounded nice. But, I don't do this out of a desire for vengeance and I don't trace the choice back anyone else. It was all me.

Is the reason you give people for becoming a hero different than your real reason? If so, why?
Nah, at the end of the day it boils down too I wanted to do what I can to help people.

Do you have any deep, dark secrets in the past that may come back to haunt you?
Not that I can think of.

Do you represent yourself as being different from who you really are? Why?
Nope. I am who I am, I'm not going to take the time to put on a production for anyone.

If you do have these secrets, what do you fear would happen if the truth became known? How far would you go to protect those secrets?
Well the only real secrets I have is my whole secret identity shtick. I suppose I'll go pretty far for that, but seeing as I don't have any skeletons in my closet there's nothing to fear.

Do you have any sort of criminal record? If so, is it public knowledge?
Some would argue that being a cape is a criminal act in of itself. But really as far as paper trails go I'm a boy scout

Family
What are your biological parents' names?
Aleksandr Lutrova and Natasha Lutrova

Were you raised by them? If not, please explain and describe who raised you.
My childhood was certainly spent with them. But on account of circumstances my formative years were spent with David.

What was their standing in the community? What did/do they do for a living?
To be blunt they pretty much lived through me. More like managers than parents. Still I like to think the neighbors liked them.

Where are your parents now?
I really hope I don't have to repeat that they're dead anymore. It's kind of a sore subject.

Did your family stay in one area or move around a lot?
We never moved that I can remember.

How did you get along with their parents? How do you get along with them now (if applicable).
It was a tumultuous relationship, but we loved each other.

How do your parents view you now, or how would they?
I think they would be proud, while being disappointed. Funny how that works.

Do you have any siblings? If so how many and what are their names? Describe your relationship with them.
None only child here.

What was your birth order in the family?
Um see last question?

Where are your siblings now (if applicable)? Do they have families of their own? What do they do?
They're in make believe land.

Do you stay in touch with them or have you become estranged?
Because I'm not crazy we sure don't stay in touch.

Do you love or hate one member of the family in particular?
Well David's family now. I love him like a dad. It didn't start out that way though. Haven't ever called him dad either...

Is any member of the family special to you in any way (perhaps, as a confidant, mentor, or arch-rival)?
I'll go back to David again he's certainly me mentor. He may not be of biological relation, but he's family.

Are there any black (or white) sheep in the family (including you)? If so, please explain.
I don't really know much about my parents relatives, but considering no one ever tried to claim me I'll assume I'm the black sheep.

Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? If so, please explain, including how it has affected your life.
My grandfather was part of the Russian mob. I don't exactly worry about that ever, but I do figure it'll cause some trouble if I spend time in the wrong parts of Russia.

Do you have a partner and children currently? If so, please describe them.
Nope.

If you do not have a partner or children, do you want them someday? How firm are you in your opinion on this, and what might change your mind?
I guess I do. I mean the whole white picket fences and children thing does sound nice. It's kind of hard to make a relationship last though. But, family's important I don't think anything will stop me from working for that when I'm ready.

What type of person would be your ideal mate?
Well I do like women with a bit of spunk to them. Life's too short to not have fun. Still, I suppose I don't have a specific type. We just have to click well.


Relationships
Do you have any close friends? If so, please describe them, and how you came to be close to them.
Well my best friend's a bit of a tech genius. She's also the daughter of my two former coaches. So there's a bit of history there. Sadly enough I think Alaina is my only close friend.

Do you have a best friend? If so, how did they become your best friend? How close are you to your best friend?
See previous.

If you were to go missing, who would worry about you?
David, Alaina, and...hmm. I should probably make better friends.

Have you lost any loves? If so, how did it happen, and what did you do?
I'm not going over this again.

Do you have any bitter enemies? If so, please describe them and their history with you.
Hm the mobs not a fan of me. Probably has something to do with Foreshadow's symbol. Then again it may have to do with that drug operation I busted the other week. Either way, the sop seems to be to shoot me.

If you have enemies, how do you think they might attempt to work against you in the future?
I have no idea how criminals would plant on taking me down. Probably more numbers and far more bullets. Either way it doesn't sound too fun.

What is the worst thing someone has done to you?
Other than the whole being orphaned thing? Well I do get shot at pretty often, attempted murder seems pretty bad.

Where do your loyalties lie? In what order?
Foreshadow, Alaina, Citizens

Who or what do you trust the most? Why?
David. He's pretty up front about everything with me. And it kills the guy that he didn't prevent my parents death.

Who or what do you despise? Why?
I'm really not a fan of criminals. Obviously. But mob types are especially not winning any points with me. Considering one of them was involved in the fire way back when.

What qualities do you admire most in other people? Are these qualities you possess?
I like courage, loyalty, duty, respect, confidence, and empathy. I probably have some of these qualities.

What qualities do you hate most in other people? Do you have any of those qualities?
I'm really not a fan of self loathing. Seriously, that's a pet peeve of mine. Not valuing human life and arson are also pretty much no nos. Oh, messiness is really gross too. I think I'm pretty good on these fronts.

Do you have a secret identity? If so, who knows it? Do you hide it from people who are close to you? Why?
Of course I have a secret identity. Sure the only two who know about my super heroics are David and Alaina. I can't exactly go around broadcasting that I, former child prodigy and all am fighting crime. It would also put loved ones in danger.

Do you work well on teams and in groups? Are you a leader or a follower?
There's no reason why I can't function well in a team. Although I would rather lead then follow, I'm a bit bad with taking orders nowadays. Still the best leaders were the best followers so either or.

Are you on a super team? If so, how do you get along with your comrades? Do you trust them, or do you have secrets from them?
I'm not. Maybe I should put an ad out in the paper?

Are you a member of any church, fraternal organization, club, committee, political party, or other group? How much time do you spend on that?
No to all the above. I do want to join a club on campus though it's hard to find one I like.


Personality & Beliefs
Who are your heroes?
Foreshadow's pretty awesome. But Lady Liberty's inspirational.

Did you ever become disillusioned with former heroes or idols? If so, why and what were the circumstances?
Nope, but to be fair I never exactly idolized them to begin with. They're people they make mistakes.

Do you like being a hero? If so, what is the most rewarding part? If not, what makes you keep doing it?
I love being a hero. The most rewarding part is knowing that I'm making a difference. After all isn't that why we do it?

Is there anything that would make you give up hero work, or even switch sides?
I don't think I would ever switch sides. Retiring though I can see that happening one day. Still I don't know why I would retire yet. Maybe family obligations.

What are your short term goals (what would you like to be doing within a year)?
I suppose getting straight A's would be fine. But, I can sleep through my classes and pass usually. I'd like to open that Gym I was talking about it would make a good cover business for a hideout as well.

What are your long term goals (what would you like to be doing twenty years from now)?
Hm, I do want David to settle down by then. I may even take over the Foreshadow mantle if that's what it takes to get the guy to slow down. A wife and kids would be nice for me too. I would really love to have my own business empire as far as the civilian side of things go though.

What is your greatest fear? Why? What do you do when something triggers this fear?
I don't do well around fires. Something about losing the people you care about in a house consuming blaze does that to a guy. My breathing becomes shallow, things get hazy, and I get stupid.

Is there anything you would give you life for?
Well I'm not trying to come off as a martyr when I say I would do it for anyone I'm trying to protect. After all, I'd much rather live for someone than die for them.

How do you feel about money and material wealth? Do you desire it or disdain it? Are you miserly with what you have, or do you like to share? Is it a mark of success, or a means to an end?
Money's good, it's certainly useful. I have plenty of it, but I wouldn't turn down more. I donate to many charities. But I wouldn't outright say it's a mark of success. Considering that success can be measured in many ways and the best way would be through happiness.

How do you generally treat others?
I give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Even the guy shooting at me. Isn't the golden rule to treat everyone as you want to be treated?

Are you a trusting person? Has your trust ever been abused?
Yes and yes.


Are you introverted (shy and withdrawn) or extroverted (outgoing)? Do you have a lot of self-confidence?
Boy if there's one thing I'm lacking in it isn't confidence. Life's too short to be introverted and I'm too amazing to let it pass me by.

How do you act around attractive, available members of your preferred sex?
Like any other red blooded male, I try and use my charm to make some headway. Hey, I can have a little fun.

What are your most annoying habits?
I suppose I do tend to run my mouth. Though I hear people are more annoyed with me being a bit too daring. Or thrill seeking as they call it.

Do you feel contempt for any general category of people? Who are they, and why?
Criminals are a cowar-ha, just kidding. Sure crime is bad, but I don't personally hate the criminals. I'm sure there are monsters out there, but you can't group them into one category.


What is your favorite food? Do you prefer any particular type of food? Do you take the time to enjoy your food, or do you eat as fast as you can?
I love spicy foods. The hotter the better. And I always take time to enjoy my meals.

What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)?
Root beer's pretty good. I don't exactly drink alcohol. Legal reasons and all, but I do have a glass of Vodka with David in his study on New Years. That's nice.


What is your favorite treat (dessert)?
Key Lime Pie

Are there any specific foodstuffs that you find disgusting or refuse to eat?
Mayonnaise is nasty. Nasty.

What is your favorite color? Are there any colors you dislike?
Black and white are good colors. Not a fan of green though.

What sort of music do you like? Is there any that you hate?
I like all music.

If you have a favorite scent, what is it?
I like sweet smells. They're soothing.

Do you have a favorite animal?
Falcons are pretty cool.

What is your most treasured possession? Why?
My childhood trophies. Sure they're stupid, but they are also my last connection to my birth parents.

Do you enjoy "roughing it", or do you prefer your creature comforts?
Nothing wrong with roughing it.  And yes I do realize the irony coming from the guy living in a luxurious penthouse.   I just love living in luxury.  

Is there a job or a task you would absolutely refuse to do?
Does eating American pancakes count?

Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? If so, how do your beliefs affect your life?How important is it to you?
Well I'm nominally Roman Catholic on my dad's side, but I lean more to Russian Orthodox than anything.  I'm not starovey don't get me wrong.  But,my mom was a dvoeverie.  Well my dad gave me all the guilt in the world, and my mom all the optimism.  I'd like to say it's important enough to have shaped me as a person, but doesn't influence me quite as strongly anymore..

Was your faith influenced or molded by anyone special?
My parents I suppose

If you belong to a religious organization, how often do you attend? Do you have a specific place of worship, or friends within the organization? How much do you agree with the beliefs of your organization?
I don't really attend service anymore.

Could you kill? Have you killed?
Let me start of by saying that I have never and would never kill willingly. But technically speaking isn't everyone capable of killing? That's the roughest part of the whole crime fighting gig. It's not always, the crime boss doing things.  Sometimes it can be the housewife who just snapped. So yeah, I could do it, but I won't ever do it.

What circumstances led to you forming that conviction, or taking that action?
Seeing your parents die in front of you does instill a sense of value for human life. Although in that same vein I suppose it could do the opposite for others.

Are there circumstances under which you believe it is permissible to kill? What are they?
No.  Not without consequences.  The law exists for a reason, and we should place our trust in it.  Even if you have to kill someone in self defense.  Or to prevent the universe from collapsing.  You should let the police know so they can let our legal system decided the outcome there.

How would you react to watching someone kill another person? Would your reaction be different if the killer was a friend or an enemy of yours?
I'd bring them in no matter who it was. Even if it was self-defense I do have certain responsibilities to uphold.  

How would you react if something important was stolen from you?
I would get it back?

How would you react to public humiliation?
I'd shrug it off. Stuff happens.

How would you react if a good friend or relative were purposely or accidentally killed? Has it happened to you?
It's a rough situation let me tell you. I'd like to say I would keep my cool and bring the killer to justice. But to be honest, I don't want to take the chance that I'm wrong ever. Which is why I'll prevent the situation from ever cropping up again.

What do you consider to be the worst crime someone could commit and why?
Murder. Bar none. A person can recover from everything else. In some cases it'll be a long and sordid road to recovery. But there's no coming back for a murder victim.

If your life were to end in 24 hours, what five things would you do in those remaining hours?
I suppose I would spend the day with the old man. I can guarantee I'll be having a fancy meal. I'll compete there has to be a gymnastics event with last day openings somewhere. Doing a little charity of course. I would like to finish the day with a girl in my arms.


Career & Training
Do you have any special training in your hero skills? If so, where and how did you get it?
I've been trained for years at home criminology and other assorted skills. I also took a bit of a vacation rounding out my talents around the world and polishing my martial arts abilities.

Who taught you the most about your heroing abilities? What was your relationship with that person?
I was trained by the one and only Foreshadow.  He's my father, I guess.

Do you have any particularly unusual skills? How did you acquire them?
I've always been pretty good at tumbling. While practice does make perfect, I'm also pretty much a natural.

Do you do something besides hero work for a living? Have you ever done anything else, or do you plan to?
I'm a student as it stands. But I plan on running a business eventually.

What is your preferred combat style?
I like to strike hard and fast. I hate being an easy target so I'm always moving about. With that said, there is no such thing as fighting dirty in a real fight. I'll use anything and everything that will give me a an advantage within reason.  I mix a variety of acrobatic martial arts, but my most effective stand ins are boxing and escrima.

Have you ever received any awards or honours?
I've won quite a few gymnastics competitions. I'm always on the honor roll too.

What skill areas would you like most to improve in? Is there anything you can't do that you wish desperately you could?
I little more upper body strength would be nice. I also would like to strengthen my overall combat effectiveness by improving my martial arts skills. Lastly, I am well read as it stands. But there's no harm in improving my knowledge. If I can't shoot plasma beams out of my hand, I may as well make my mind more formidable than those plasma beams.

How do you act around people who are more skilled than you in areas you'd like to improve? Are you jealous, or do you try and learn?
Envy is a waste of an emotion, on the off chance I find people with the talent to impress me, I take it in as a learning opportunity.


Lifestyle & Hobbies
What is a normal day for you? How do you feel when something interrupts this routine?
Well there's my morning exercise routine, then some personal hygiene time, followed by classes, I find some time to relax before going out for a little nightly patrol, I have to finish strong with some nightly exercise, and more hygiene time. Sure there's some fluff missing like my meals, but who really wants to hear about when I'm eating. Plans change, I don't really have any issue when my routine gets messed up. I do prefer not to miss my classes though.

Do you have any hobbies, or interests outside hero work? What are they, and where did you pick them up?
I am a business major if that answers anything. I actually am planning on opening a gym soon. Hard to find the real estate for my needs though. I'm also a bit of an avid reader.

What do you do for fun?
I'll try anything once. Really I do all the typical things. Clubbing, playing sports, going to concerts, dating, y'know all that jazz. Except I have the money to throw around for it.

Do you have a costume? What does it look like?
My costume's pretty much pure black with a light blue emblem. Foreshadow's emblem actually. Gloves, boots, and a cape included. All of which are a bit bulkier than I originally envisioned. I do have a belt with multiple compartments worn across my waist. In the center of that belt is my own emblem. Which is basically the Eye of Providence inside a pentacle inside a square inside an upside down triangle inside a rectangle. The finishing touch is my domino mask.

How do you normally dress when not in costume?
I love suits. What can I say I stay classy.

What do you wear to bed most nights?
Boxers are comfortable, might be odd that the AC is cranked up all the way though.

Do you wear any special jewelry? What is it, and what does it look like?
I've never been big on jewelry. Sorry.


Do you have a special place where you keep your valuables?
Well what isn't kept in the family safe sits pretty comfortably at E-sea.

What's your preferred means of local travel? How about long distance?
Well I'm looking into buying a motorcycle, but as it stands I'm usually just paying drivers to chauffeur me around. Unless you mean on the job, then I'm usually hoofing it.


Miscellaneous
Have you ever made a will, or tried to make arrangements for your death? What provisions did you make?
Bit early to plan for death isn't it? With that said half of my assets are going to charity, there are instructions for my other half I just for the life of me can't remember them. Well, I suppose we'll find out when I die. No cremation!

If your features were to be destroyed beyond recognition, is there any other way of identifying your body?
Well I may know someone who probably saw it coming.

What would you like to be remembered for after your death?
You're really obsessed with killing me aren't you? Still it would be nice to leave a mark on this world

Do you believe you pose a threat to the public? Why or why not?
I don't think I'm a physical threat barring some sort of mind control. But, I do pose a bit of a danger to the public in that I

What do you perceive as your greatest strength?
I'm pretty great at adapting to things as they come. Which is good as I run into quite a few situations requiring a bit of flexibility

What do you perceive as your greatest weakness?
On that same note, I'm a bit on the impatient side. Which has unfortunately led to those very same situations I've had to adapt to.

As a player, if you could, what advice would you give your character? Speak as if he/she were sitting right here in front of you. Use proper tone so they might heed your advice...
You're a bit too trusting, and in this business that could lead to a very short career. It would probably be in your best interest to start keeping people at an arm's length. Or at least find a better compromise. It'd also be prudent to lose the cockiness.

[Brown Dynamite]

Clad in his heroic attire, Erick hunched over his bed holding a firm grip over his right side. Having apparently gone through quite the night. The pain resonated throughout his body with every labored breath. "I've got to look into thicker armor inlays. It almost feels as if the bullets actually reached home." For a moment the only noise that filled the spacious room was the sound of a person's throat being cleared. In response the youthful vigilante turned his head to find the source only to spot the appearance of his best friend Alaina whom was dressed in a track suit with disheveled hair barely covering the lenses of her spectacles.

The brunette made her way over and set a glass of water on the bed stand before softly whispering, "You don't have to do this you know. You can just quit, be a student. Hell be an Olympic athlete. Something else." She was of course talking about his nightly outings. It wasn't something that he remembered leaving up for discussion. His mind had been made up years ago on the matter. But Alaina had of course only been privy to this knowledge for a good three weeks. Removing his signature domino mask, Omen simply shook his head in response.

"No this I have to do."

Furrowing her brows the brunette huffed before starting an inquisitive tirade, "Oh really and why is that? Why do you take it upon yourself to punish every criminal that you can, is it out of some stupid death wish because of your parents?

Omen chuckled as he slumped into the bed. Tossing his head back the acrobat reached over for the glass of water taking a slow drink. “You're misunderstanding something. I believe more in rehabilitation than retribution. But, I don't do this because of my parents. I do it for myself. I have the skills to make a difference in the streets in ways that I certainly could never do on a vault.â€

Sighing, the young woman got into bed next to the costumed vigilante. Wistfully staring up at the ceiling she parted her lips to continue, “Fine. You get some sense of fulfillment from this whole thing. Great for you. But when you come back home hobbling about I worry. I just don't think you should do this alone. Isn't there someone you can call to help you out when you go on your patrols? There's got to be hotline for this type of thing. How about that Foreshadow guy? I assume you're not just wearing that emblem for show. If you can't find anyone else why not ask him to work with you?â€

“Well there's an idea. Hey I have no problem with working with anyone else. Sharing is caring and all that jazz. But, I don't really have any other capes on speed dial or anything. Plus even if I could theoretically get a hold of Foreshadow he tends to prefer the solo approach. So no, at the moment the whole buddy cop act isn't on the table.â€

“Okay then why now? When I last peeked into your records you were acing all your classes. Although your journalism professor did give you a paltry 93 on your last paper a couple of hours ago. Can't you just give yourself some more time to prepare for this whole crime fighting business?â€

Erick would turn his head to take in the fact that she hacked into his university's network just to check up on him. The more he thought about it, the less surprising it was. Quite frankly Alaina wasn't a model example of privacy. The fact that she found anything less than a perfect grade paltry was even less surprising much to Erick's chagrin. “It's horses for courses. I'm always going to perform better in motion than I will behind a desk. Besides I've trained for this. Even out there alone I'm not too worried about things going south.â€

Without missing a beat Alaina would capitalize on the last part of his response. “Yes, taking a year long vacation around the world. Amazing preparation. It did wonders for that bullet you took earlier. Still I will concede you're a bit too good at all this, I would almost venture think you've been working on this your whole life. Quick question though, how did you even get any training done over that past year? You may have a silver tongue, but you're no professional linguist.â€

Erick stopped to laugh for a moment as she continued giving him the third degree. Taking another drink from his glass Erick responded, “Thing is getting punched in the face is pretty universal. Language barriers didn't really become that big of an issue in any of the villages I came by. I even learned a couple phrases to get me around. I'm almost hurt that you have so little faith in me.†He chuckled at his tongue in cheek comment.

"I'm sure you're losing sooo much sleep over my lack of faith. "What do you hope to accomplish as Omen? I understand the why. But what's the endgame?"

"Endgame? Came I be honest Lainie? I have no idea. Really I'm playing it by ear. I want to help people and everything. But I'm not living any illusions about the city's criminal elements ever going away. It would be nice to have a hand in Driogano's family unfolding though."

"Your ever lack of direction in life is endearing. It really does feel like I'm losing my best friend the deeper you get yourself into this life. What if one day you decide that you want to be Omen full-time and Erick Sloane becomes a passing memory?"

Tilting his head Erick could see the sincerity in Alaiana's eyes. Those big brown eyes really did know how to pull on the heartstrings. "Hey I'll always be around. But I'm not playing a role every time I put on that mask. I'm always going to be Erick, but there's a second half to that coin now. And I'll do everything in my power to make sure I'm successful in all my endeavors. Civilian or otherwise."

Alaina would furrow her brows as she contemplated her next question. Her line of questioning had been growing a bit too cynical as they went along and every so often she could see Erick wincing out of the corner of her eyes. Obviously he was going to have to sleep off being shot soon. "And what are these civilian endeavors then?"

"I think I'm gonna buy this building. Maybe convert it into a gym. It would be nice to start my own athletic corporation. That whole Olympics thing does sound fun too. Pick up a bit of gold and come home."

"Cute. Funny how your dreams for the future are all so self-involved. So no little ones or Missus Sloane in the game plan?"

"Pot meet kettle. You're the last person that needs to lecture on being self-involved. Besides personal goals are supposed to be y'know personal. And I didn't mention the whole kids and a family thing, because I figure they would be a given. I do want a couple more years of playing around though not as many as David. That guy needs to find a wife"

Erick did bring up a good point. His adoptive father wasn't exactly living an example of commited relationships. "Did you tell him? I mean about your whole superhero thing. He is your father technically and has every right to know. Is he on board with you risking your life every night?"

Foreshadow's secret wasn't Erick's to share. Even if Alaina was the one asking. Clearing his throat Erick began to seek out the words to answer her latest pair of questions. "I told him. I wasn't going to keep something like this a secret from him. It didn't exactly fly over well. But David's supportive. He would prefer I focused on my education first. But David respects my decision. Even if he does keep insisting I get a medical ward built in here."

"Oh geez I wonder why he would think you need medical care on stand by. Look I will support your decision as well. Just help comfort me by answering a few more questions and I promise to let you get some sleep. Aren't you afraid something's gonna go badly one day. Something your body armor inlays can't account for?

The ever confident youth felt a sharp twinge of pain by his side as he managed to wheeze out "Oh c'mon how long have you known me? I don't exactly do afraid."

For the first time. "Oh really so you'll even jump into a burning building to save someone?"

Erick stopped to scratch his head. She was hitting a little low with that one. But it was a fair enough question. "I'll admit, that'll slow me down some. But I can't afford to let someone die because of my personal hangups. So yes even then Omen would be on the scene. Hopefully I'll leave with all my body parts uncharred."

"Cute. There are still some anomalies that we haven't discussed. Metahumans, aliens, and everything else in between. How do you feel about them? Considering your career choice you're bound to run into the like. So I'm wondering your opinion on the whole lot. Also what about powered criminals, how do you plan on dealing with them? Last I check being able to flip around all fancy like didn't afford you any defense against someone throwing an eighteen wheeler at you."

"Welp to answer the first question. Every living being on the planet deserves to feel safe. I don't distinguish between humans, metahumans, aliens, atlanteans, or any other classification. If they need me I'll be there to do my thing. I will say that some of the things that some of them can does mean that they should be handled with a bit more care than the average person. But it would be wrong to not treat them as people because of it. With that in mind I'm aware I'll have to take more care in case I run into criminals with certain talents. I do my best thinking on my feet which is why I have you do all my equipment buying so I know all my bases are covered in preparation. But the fact of the matter is there are just some guys out there I won't be able to beat by trading blows. When it comes to facing those guys my mind's going to have to be my weapon of choice."

"Wow I'm actually impressed with that answer. Of course we did go over that silver tongue earlier. Still your mind is going to be willing when your body can't sometime. Don't you ever get tired of jumping around from rooftop to rooftop? That has got to be hell on your legs. Speaking of being shape don't misunderstand what I'm about to say, because your physique is magazine cover worthy. But Erick what are you going to do if someone targets your belt? Or disarms you of that fancy little stick?"

Chuckling Erick could tell she was at least comfortable enough to begin asking more lighthearted questions by now. "You're telling me I swear my legs almost fell off on my last patrol. But that's why you're around. You're in charge of all technology acquisition for Omen. As soon as you get me something to get around much easier I'll take it. Then I'll fall back to my fist. I have a pretty good pair y'know. And trust me I do know how to use them. I'm getting better every day actually. Plus there's that whole thinking on my feet thing."

"Coy as usual Thanks for adding levity to the situation. We were oh so lacking." The brunette sarcastically called out.

"You're the one flinging such sharp jabs at the guy who had been shot today," Erick responded.

"Good point you are hurting. So Erick what are you going to do when you're seriously injured? A famous athlete can't exactly go to the hospital with riddled with gunshot wounds and other trauma. Let alone how are you going to explain your injuries to your teachers? Because, I know you know better than to think I'm letting"

"That's the beauty of having money. I can afford a concierge doctor to make a house call. Besides we both know you've been reading up in secrecy on first aid. I'm sure I'll make it through the night. As for FCU's faculty, I thought you had more faith in my wordplay. I'll come up with something. We have a lot stairs, who's to say I couldn't take a very strange fall."

"I'm ignoring the accusation. I'm also going to have to ignore your complete lack of foresight. But I am getting tired so last question. How does it feel? Being a hero I mean."

Erick smiled. Now this question he was certainly ready to answer. "That's a loaded question. I love it. There's no doubt about that. No rush quite like it, but I'm no adrenaline junkie. Well okay I'm a bit of a junkie. But there's a reason why I chose the name Omen. And it doesn't have to do with how the name sounds in conjunction with Foreshadow. I wanted to be a symbol of bad things to come for those whom skirt on the wrong side of the law. Of course being a symbol of hope for the regular people is pretty nice."

"You are right you aren't an adrenaline junkie. You're a total show-off. But Erick...no Omen. Do be careful. Anyways I'm heading to bed. By the way you're taking tomorrow night off to recover. If I so much as hear any objections, I will fill up a shotgun with beanbags and we'll test that concierge doctor theory. Night." Rolling off the bed the young woman gave Erick's injured side a playful tap before running out of the room.

"How is she still more terrifying than the muzzle of a gun?" Glad to be done with her interrogation Erick fell into a slumber knowing that he would more or less be sleeping in the next day.