Chapter 9 - The Big Bang

var nopopup = 0;rsi_hints = 'Cartoons,Static Shock,Drama'; Disclaimer: I don't own Static Shock. It belongs to MisterDwayne McDuffie, Milestone, DC Comics and WB. I wish it did. Then,Shiv would have a split personality named Joe and they would argue.Warning: Will containslash, drugs, violence and one sided relationships. This will be abit riskier than my average fics. Knowing me it'll be okay but I onlythought it fair to place a warning. I hope everyone enjoys therendition of Shiv by a third author. I want to be original and hopethis is.A/N: Thisis the second to the last chapter. I know it makes me sad too. I'veloved writing this bad boy. I hope you like this one and I will havea present for you next time. Its a little slashy but not. I hope youlike the chapter./// =flashbackTaken LightlyChapter 9: The Big BangVirgil and Richie had returned from the Chen home a few hoursbefore dinner. It was a silent walk back to the gas station, wherethey gathered their things silently. They felt a wave of guiltknowing what Solada had told them. Even Virgil and Richie's curiositycouldn't denounce the fact that they had uncovered something, notonly very personal but something not for them to know. Virgil hadalso been taken aback by Solada, she was not what he had expected.She wasn't the cold hearted monster, he had expected a women like herto be. She was human with a horrible problem that she had no controlover. Richie sat at the computer by the cluttered desk playing with themouse. "Should we just lay off on it?"Virgil turned. He was sitting on the small sofa in the gas stationthinking things over. The question had taken him a little bysurprise. "I don't know, Rich."Richie stared at the wall for a moment. "It...it isn't ourbusiness. The entire pursuit isn't actually morally acceptable."Richie said obviously speaking from sheer intellect."But?" Virgil said, leaning over the back of the couch."Quit talking like a computer, Rich. If I wanted logic, I'd askBackpack. What do you actually think about this?"Richie sighed. He hated when Virgil did this. It was so mucheasier to tell him the facts without really getting down to emotions."I think that it all depends.""On what?" Virgil said, looking directly at Richie."On how attached you are." Richie paused for a moment."Or he is."Virgil shot Richie a look. "Don't act like you don't know." Richie said bluntly."About people... like him."Virgil's raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? What are youtalking about Rich?"Richie sighed. He had forgotten that not everyone was an expert onhuman psychology. "Its a psychological response. People usuallyhave one or two responses to severe neglect. It can result in avariety of neurological shortcomings and...""Rich, can you give me lamen's terms?""Since his mom ignored him so much, he could either have nodesire for relationships of any kind or could have a distorted view.""You're saying...""He could have taking your interest as meaning somethingelse. Friendship. Compassion. Any positive emotion.""He's insane, Rich. He's manipulative.""He may be insane but I don't think he's that manipulative."Richie said, looking at his computer screen.Virgil shot Richie a look."Its just a guess from his physical attributes." Richiesaid, bringing up some files on his computer. "He is erratic andhighly unstable. He's one of the hardest bang baby to guess whenplanning a strategy because it only has a broad range ofsimilarities.""This doesn't prove your point, Rich.""He's direct. Its the common similarity. I assume, he is thesame mentally. He probably doesn't lie or manipulate." Richiepaused, spinning the mouse on the mousepad. "I'm guessing,anyway.""I don't know, Rich.""I think you should go one more time to tell the doctorsanyway.""You're right as usual, Rich."Richie sat silently for a moment. "I told you not to get tooattached, V. Did you?"Virgil was surprised by the statement. He really did not expect itat all. He got up off of the couch and walked over to Richie andhugged him. He really didn't know what else to do. "Not achance, Rich."Virgil went to he center again the next weekend. He wore hisStatic costume to the visit like he always did. He wasn't lookingforward to the encounter. He really didn't know how he was going totell Dr. Lin. She had had such confidence in him. It seemed almostcruel to disappoint her. Richie was right, though. He had become fartoo close to Shiv. He wasn't even a friend. He was a maraudingmetahuman with no regard for human life. He couldn't treat him as anally, a friend. He took a deep breath and walked into the building.He turned down a hallway as doctors passed quickly. Dr. Adams turnedas he walked by her and she looked up from her clipboard. She lookedup to Static slowly with the clipboard at her side. "Static."she said with a cool smile. "So glad to see you."Static turned quickly. It was uneasy being around her. She wascold. "Yeah.""May I speak with you in my office?"Static recoiled a little and put his hand inside his coat turningon the two way microphone on his inner coat. "About what?""It will only take a moment.""Fine...ma'am." Static said and walked into a smalloffice.She locked the door behind her and looked over to her desk. Sheplaced her hands on the desk behind her. "I know about you andDr. Lin's plans. I don't like it and I don't pretend to.""What do you mean? You're here to help bang babies and that'swhat she's doing."She grinned. It wasn't normal at all. It was almost maniacal. "Iam here to help normal people. Bang babies are examples of mutation.A horrible imperfection that needs to be corrected. I have no desirein helping any one of those monsters and especially not one that isat such easy distance.""What kind of doctor, are you?" Static said, half scaredout of his mind. "He came in here, half dead. You saved him. Whyare you doing this?""Saved him?!" she said, loudly. "I saved aspecimen. I have no intention of releasing him. I need him alive tostudy. However, I've learned all I can by observation. I need to gofurther."Static stared. He didn't know how to react."And if I had any control over the issue, you would be in acell with that monster.""Metahumans are people. How can you do this? I can't let you!I'm going to get him out of here! BANG BABIES ARE NOT JUST LABRATS!!" Static was hysterical. He charged his hands. He wasn'teven thinking at the moment. It was pure instinct.Suddenly, Dr. Adams removed a black handgun from her coat andpointed it at Virgil. "Don't move."Static froze. He was less than ten feet away from her. He knewthat an electric charge would trigger a reflex in her finger. Hedidn't know what to do. His fist sparked viciously. "I should have gotten rid of you the moment you walked intothis clinic. You bang babies are nothing but trouble. You have noplace in society."At that moment, the door opened and standing in it was a veryfrightened Richie and a confused Dr. Lin and Jackson. Dr. Lin rushedforward. "Caren! Caren, what is going on?!""Shut up, Lin! Can't you see! I'm getting rid of the onlything stopping our research!"She rushed to Static's side. "He's a child, Caren!!""Not anymore! They aren't human and you know, they aren't!!""Caren!" Dr. Jackson yelled as a shot was fired. Everything happened in an instant. Richie screamed, throwing a zapcap from a belt on his side. Dr. Lin pushed Static and collapsed ontothe floor in a heap. She was screaming and blood poured from herside. Dr. Jackson rushed to her side, huddling over her yelling forhelp. Static was in shock as he lay on the floor for a moment. Richiewas hunched over him. He appeared to be upset but Static couldn'ttell. He could hardly see. His pupils were dilated and the rest ofhis body was shaking rapidly. It took a long moment for him to get ahold of himself. Static blinked his eyes. He swallowed hard and triedto rise to a sitting position. Richie was indeed upset. He lookedterrified. His face was pale and he was shaking almost as violentlyas Virgil. Richie tried helping him up as he sat on the hard tilefloor.Static panted for a moment and turned. His mouth gaped. Dr. Adamslay in a heap on the floor of the office. It appeared as though shehad been burned electrically from the inside out. She was charredalmost black with a brittle appearance. It was an image hard to getout of your mind. Static looked up at Richie, who appeared oddlyunfazed by the scene he had just caused, appearing more worried aboutVirgil than the fact that he had just killed someone. He appeared tobe calming by the moment knowing that Virigl was all right. It waseery.Static stood up and backed out of the room. Richie followed.Paramedics had arrived to pick up Dr. Lin and appriopriately Dr.Jackson had gone as well. Static just wanted that image out of hishead. It was horrible, more than anything he had seen before. "Areyou all right?" Richie said, nervously hovering behind him."What do you think!?!"Richie looked upset. "I know it was close. But you're okay.Right?""Who cares about me?! Someone just died!! You killed her!!!""She was trying to kill you." Richie said. He lookedscared but not completely able to understand the situation. "Shewas hysterical. What was I supposed to do?""You could have restrained her!""And let her do this again. She won't come back to get youthis time! Never!""Is that all that matters to you?" Virgil said, halfshocked.Richie didn't answer. It was awkward. "Is that what being a super genius does to you?""You don't understand, V. I had to make a decision. She wouldhave killed you, V and that doctor and anyone else that she wanted!!"Richie said seriously. "I have to get back to the gas station. Ijust came because I heard the wire. I'll see you there, V.""Don't call me that in my gear.""Yeah... right." Richie said almost hurt by the commentand left the hallway toward the exit.Static stood in the hall for a moment. The doctors had cleared andhe was alone. He felt his stomach almost give out. It was hard tobreath for a moment. The entire experience had rattled him. He pulledoff his white mask. He didn't want to be Static at the moment. Hedidn't want to be him when he felt so scared. He swallowed hard. Heknew he had to confront Shiv. There was no way around it. It had totell him he was bailing out of this.He walked into the hallway where Shiv's cell was placed. He didn'tbother to put his mask on. He would be gone soon and for some reason,he didn't seem to care anymore. He walked over to the cell and pushedthe button. "Shiv."Shiv rolled over, immediately. He appeared happy to see him. Hegrinned. "What? I'm not Joe toda...." Shiv stopped suddenlyseeing Virgil's face. "You... your... what happened to you?""Nothing." Virgil said hastily. "I have to tell yousomething."Shiv appeared concerned. "Static... what's... why are youcovered in blood?""That's not important. I'm trying to tell you that...""Yes, it is. Are you bleeding?""No!""Then, why are you covered in blood?" Shiv said. Helooked scared. "Let me out! You're bleeding.""No!"Shiv looked around. "Then come in here. You're hurt. I cantell.""No! I'm not going in there!""You look exhausted. You need help!""And why should I trust you, Shiv!?""Because you already trust me!! Why are you calling me that?""What are you talking about?" Virgil said backing away."You come here. You got me out of that stupid little cell.You called me by my name. You knew my name! You took off your mask!!""Shiv, you don't understand.""Stop calling me that!!" He was maniac. He was nowstanding up with his hands formed to purple blades panting. "Idon't want to be called that! Not by you!!"Virgil was slightly frightened. He knew he was safe but he waslike a caged animal. You didn't feel safe so close. "Alright,Joe. What are you saying?"Shiv lowered his arms. "What am I saying? What am I saying!?!You know what I'm saying. How couldn't you?"Virgil didn't like how this sounded. It wasn't going the way hehad hoped. "I will not be abandoned again! Not by you!!""Abandoned? What do you think is going on?""You hate Shiv, I know, you do. But you didn't hate Joe. Youwanted to see him and that's why you keep coming back. You wanted tosee Joe." It was hard to tell if he was going to start laughingor crying. He was completely hysterical."Shiv...""DON'T CALL ME THAT!!!" he said yelled with his blade infront of himself. "I don't want you to call me that!""Fine. Joe, I never loved you. I don't know what you thoughtbut I didn't. I never did and you didn't either."Shiv backed up. "You don't mean that. You're just confused.You just don't understand yet." He was huddling back on himselfinto the corner of the cell. Virgil sat down on the floor outside of the cell. "Do youremember the night of the Big Bang? I do. I wasn't supposed to bethere. I came because Wade's gang wanted me to finish off this bullyproblem I had. You know Hotstreak, right?"Shiv didn't answer but he slouched slightly."Well, he was called F-Stop, back then. He used to beat me upin school all the time. I went to Dakota Union. That's a publicschool. Wade used to stick up for me. He told me to finish off theproblem. I went to the pier that night and they gave me a gun."Shiv turned his head slightly but quickly turned back the wallwhen Virgil turned to check."I couldn't do it though. I ended up in the middle of thatgang war. Then, the crates exploded. I climbed over the fence andpassed out."Shiv slightly turned his head over his shoulder.Virgil moved his hand up and pushed a button on the side of thedoor. The wall moved out of the way. There was no longer a solidbarrier between them. "I ended up at home the next day and Ifound out about my powers. Lights worked by themselves, metal couldfloat, everything. I decided to be Static. To make something good outof it." Virgil looked up.Shiv was sitting on the other end of his cell no longer crawled inon himself. He was sitting watching Virgil with interest. "Youwent back home?""Yeah. What happened to you, Joe? How did you become, youknow.""Shiv. How did I become Shiv?" Shiv looked almostfrustrated. "I was stupid. I was really stupid."///Joe walked down the hall of his school into the front office. Hewas slightly drowsy from the medication he had to take. He was nowoff anything that Ivan could give him and being watched very closelyby his parents. It was probably in one of groggiest moods of hisexistence. He looked into the front office and sat down in one of thesmall chairs. The secretaries talked on the phones, jotted down notesand shuffled through papers. One of the secretaries looked up fromher papers and smiled. "Joe?""Yeah." he said, quickly lifting his head.She handed him a small brown envelope. Joe frowned at the envelopeand walked out of the office looking at the tawny paper envelope. Hestood in the empty hall for a moment. He sighed and at last quicklyripped the small envelope open and looked at the small piece of paperinside. It read coldly:Geometry: D-History: EEnglish:DScience: E P.E. : ATeacher's Comments: We are unhappy toinform you that your son's conduct is deplorable. He appears to beneglecting his medication and frequently makes outbursts in class. Heis a distraction to the other teachers and students. His socialskills, concentration, comprehension and cognitive skills have notimproved over the past few months and I suggest trying stricter ormore dramatic treatments for his condition or at least have him makean effort.Joe was furious. "I domake an effort! What do they think I'm some stupid, lazy..." Joetrailed off as he quickly walked out of the building. He got on hisskateboard and rode away from the school. He was thinking to himselfthen smiled. His father. His father knew he studied and how hard itwas for him. His father would understand. It was one bad markingperiod. He wasn't that bad a student. Joe stopped at his house andturned into the yard. He greeted Spike warmly and left his skateboardup against the side of house. He walked in through the front door andwalked down the hall to his bedroom with Spike at his heels. Hechanged out of his school uniform and into some more comfortableclothes as Spike crawled onto Joe's bed. Joe turned on his videogames and sat on the bed. He sat with Spike playing his games forprobably an hour or more. He was happy actually. The small dim roomwas not dreary today. It was a welcome, cozy feeling knowing that hisfather would be on his side on this one. He was sure of this. He hadactually told his father how he had ended up buying drugs and though,they were far from close. He was his father and they were teacherswith no personal relationships, whatsoever with him. It was nature tofavor his son over his son's teachers. It was only right that way, inJoe's opinion.Tadahashi arrived homearound five in the evening. He walked into the door and he wasgreeted subtly by Joe who was in the living room. He was surprised.Joe was usually in his room as he and Solada avoided each otherfiercely. He turned into the living room and folded his arms over hischest. Joe turned his head and grinned mildly. "Hi dad.""Jomei...""You know, Joe is oneless syllable to say and sounds better."Tadahashi resisted the urgeto scold the teenager for his comment. "Jomei, where's yourreport card?"Joe smiled. Tadahashi shothim a smirk. Joe laughed. "I didn't burn it again. Its in mypocket." he said and pulled out the piece of paper handing it tohis father.Tadahashi opened the paperand looked it over. His expression quickly changed. His face quicklywent from in a pleasant mood to shock to furious. "Whathappened?!""Its my teachers."Joe said confidently. "Your teachers...Jomei, you were on marijuana for half the marking period and youblame your teachers?!""I got off it and Itried! You know I did!""You tried? If you havetried, you could have gotten this up to a passing grade in half amarking period!!""You know I tried!!""If you tried, you'd dobetter!! When I was your age, I was..."Joe stood up. He lookedangry, almost furious. "I'M NOT YOU!!""Fine! You don't have to be me!" BothTadahashi and Joe were furious. They were standing now barely twofeet apart screaming at one another. "I don't expect it!! But,you have to do well in school!!""I try!! Its not easy for me but I try!!!"Joe's muscles tensed as he rose higher on his feet. He was at fullheight the same as his father. However as he rose on his feet, he wastaller by almost an inch. He didn't usually get into heated argumentswith Tadahashi. Joe was almost always laid back with a controlledpresence. "Don't even try to say I don't!"Tadahashi's glasses slid on his face slightly. He hadnever been this furious at Joe in his life. "If you tried, youwould pass Jomei!! How do you expect to make it on your own!! YOUHAVE NO PLANS!! NO REAL TALENT!! YOU CAN HARDLY..."Joe erupted with a mixture of angry and hurt. Hisfather had always joked in some way about how skateboarding and videogames wouldn't get him anywhere but, he had never attacked him inthis way before. It was a direct honest attack and Joe was notprepared. He was now standing almost eye to eye with his father. "Ihate you."Joe run off to his room and locked the door. He wasunsure whether he had yelled or whispered it. His mind was spinning.He couldn't think straight. He only knew that he had to get out ofhis parents' home. He had been hurt by them before. Many times. Hismother had never even smiled at him for as long as he remember, letalone touched him, and his father had been too absorbed in hisshortcomings to see anything good in him, he knew that now. He hadnever had a safe nurturing parent and he was sick of the ridicule andneglect. He wanted a family or to be on his own. It was better tohave no one than many who didn't care at all. He pulled down adufflebag from his closet and began filling it with anything he couldthink of. Spike watched from his master's bed anxiously. However,he did not make a sound or interfere. Spike had always understood hismaster. He could tell how he felt and how he acted. His master washurt and he was not going to interfere in his master's flight. It wasthe only decent thing to do.Joe finished packing and looked around to for a wayout. He noticed the small window on the far end of the room. Hezipped the bag and flung it over his shoulder. He walked over to hisbed and scratched Spike behind the ears. "I'll miss you, boy.You were the only one who really knew me, my only friend. Take careof yourself and try not to get in too much trouble." he said ashe rubbed the old Akita's head. He rose and walked over to the window. He pulled thewindow open and jumped out of it onto the yard below. He sprintedacross the yard, over the fence and into the street. He beganrunning. He didn't know where he was going. He didn't particularlycare at that point. He just intended on getting as much distancebetween him and his parents' house as possible. He stopped nearly a mile down the abandoned road. Helooked around. It was near some type of pier. It was fenced off withlarge tanks on platforms with a toxic symbol on it. Inside on thefar, it looked like a riot. He wasn't sure what was going on. But, heheard something: sirens. It was the police. He knew if he got caughthe would be taken back to his parents' house. He panicked and slippedthrough the fence. He had just walked into the middle of a gang war.It had to be almost five hundred people there, all were fiercelyfighting one another. "Get out of the way!!" He heardsomeone say to him or maybe to someone else, however, it was toolate. He was punched in the face by what looked like a latina woman.He was on the ground for probably no more than five minute. However,the fight moved so quickly he was stepped on almost seven times,apparently, left for dead by the gang bangers. He turned to his left.He had dropped his bag but it was gone. Someone had picked it up. Hewas about to consider the option of just lying there until it wasover. He really was safest being stepped on and not in the line offire. However before he could decide, he heard yelling from the otherend of the pier. The police were firing on the crowd. There wereexplosions and a thick mist like gas covered the pier. It was like afog. Joe rose to feet and looked around. The air was thick with thedirty gas. It was impossible to see anything more than ten feet awayfrom you.The gas was rising. It was now almost twice as tall ashe was and thickly coating the air. He looked around again hoping tosee something. It was near impossible. He could hardly breath as helooked in every direction. Finally, he saw someone. It was the latinawoman from earlier. He stared unable to stop. She appeared to bemelting or not melting but changing into water. He was awestruck anddisgusted at the same time. He knew she needed help, even if she didpunch him in the face. But just as he got up to move toward her, hefelt something. It was stinging in his hands and eyes. He stood for amoment. He was sure he was screaming. However, when you are that muchpain you can't hear as well as normally and you wouldn't want to. Thearea was deafening with screams. The gas had an almost acidic effecton the skin. Full grown men were literally brought to their knees byit as it absorbed itself into their cells. Joe would have done thesame if this knees hadn't locked from fear. He looked down at hishands he was sure they would be raw and red by now. To his greatsurprise that was hardly the result. His hands were glowing a palepurple. He began panting. This was impossible. It couldn't behappening. He looked around still terrified. The gas was clearing andhe did the only thing he could think of: run. He ran right down themiddle of the yard and right to the wall. Then, He leaped over andran into a nearby alley. He looked back in shock. He had just ranmore 500 yards and jumped clear over a 10 foot fence in less thanthree minutes and wasn't even close to being out of breath.That's it. Please Review.

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