Falling Down
| Falling Down | |
|---|---|
| Date of Cutscene: | 15 September 2022 |
| Location: | New York |
| Synopsis: | Dr. Franklin Hall, aka Graviton, has his vengeance on his treacherous former assistant, Todd Collins. |
| Cast of Characters: | Franklin Hall |
Rain fell with a soft hiss along the asphalt, as a young man in a hoodie dashed for the front door of his apartment. The rain had already driven passerbys indoors, the falling sheet of water obscuring sight, turning vision beyond a certain point into watercolor visions.
All of that didn't matter, of course, to Collins, other than irritation at the wetness. His umbrella had given up the ghost blocks back, but he's resigned himself to being drenched. A small thing really, he figured, in the grand scheme of things, after the new he'd gotten.
Hall had flinched in their game of chicken. He'd resigned, rather than risk his assistants revealing his responsibility for the lab accident. "And that means Dr. Todd Collins is IN, baby!" he thought to himself. Of course, he'd need to share the project with his fellow former assistants, Ada and Diego, but they were team players, and frankly with Hall gone, they wouldn't care if he pushed himself into a leadership roll. They'd just be happy that "justice" was done.
He fully expected to hear from New Horizons at any time about being promoted into his former boss's position. The thought put more than a little spring in his step even as he dodged between puddles. More than a spring than expected...
...and with a yelp he suddenly found himself airborne, falling upwards, his hands frantically snatching out, trying to grab hold of anything that might halt the motion. "The fuck?!?" he yelled, more startled than afraid.
At least, until he drew even with the building's roof, and the figure standing there, dressed in nondescript clothes. Jeans, boots, a dark hoodie. It was the hockey mask the figure wore that induced the first rush of adrenaline, of fear in Collins. The outstretched hand that seemed to suggest this figure was responsible for the sudden change in gravity as he was suspended in midair. "Who the hell are you?!? W-what do you want??"
The figure cocked his head slightly, then spoke in a deep, but satisfied tone. "I have many things I want Todd. But most of all...I want my project back, you backstabbing son of a bitch."
The voice was familiar, bringing a chill down Todd's spine. "F-Franklin? What the fuck are you doing? When did you get-"
"Powers?" the masked man interrupted. "A freakish side effect of the accident, it seems. Something I've been hiding until recently. I didn't feel I needed to be lumped in with other metahuman freaks...but I admit, it's growing on me."
Todd licked his lips. "Put me down, you creep! I'll call the cops!" He fumbled for his smartphone, starting to panic, before it jerked out of his hand, plummeting to the ground far below and shattering on the steps of the building.
The hoodied figure leaned in. "Oh, I will. Don't worry. I've even left a note in your apartment. You should really lock your windows. It'll explain to the police exactly how a treacherous little shit like you couldn't deal with betraying the trust of his mentor. Just couldn't take it."
Todd froze. "W-what? N-no, I...if you want it back, I'll give it back Fra-Dr. Hall, I will, I'll-!"
"I think your word is suspect. But it should be quick. And...I think the name now...is Graviton." His hand motioned downward as Todd plummeted out of life, his scream cut off with a wet crunch from many stories below, as Graviton walked up to the edge, looking over to view the crumpled body, the red leaking from it already being washed away, before lifting off and vanishing up into the rain. Just two left now...
