Aberrant: 2011 - A Night's Exercise [Complete]

[Bellator]

Bellator sighs and walks into the 1050 Lounge, nodding to the regulars, and takes off his Yankees cap. He is wearing a t-shirt with his logo on it, and B.C.S. on the back. His pants are a faded pair of jeans. He sits down at the end of the bar, and signals to the bartender for his usual. As his Sam Adams arrives he pulls out a twenty and hands it to the lady behind the bar. He smiles and raises his glass in a silent toast. Here's to the fallen. Heroes every one. He gets up and wanders over to the video jukebox, putting in some money and selecting some songs.

As his selections come on, he sighs wistfully and a tear comes to his eyes. Never thought i'd be shedding a tear over some Metallica, but here I am. As the songs continue, Bell signals so the bartender to keep the beer flowing. The next few hours seem to blend together for him, and as he hears the familiar voice announcing last call, he stands up and makes his way to the door, after paying off the remainder of his tab.

Bell leaves the lounge with a wave to the bartender and a nod to all the regulars. Jeez, now if only I could get up the courage to tell Kara how I feel about her, I'd really be in good shape... but I don't want to burden her now with this.

What Bellator didn't notice, in his musings, was the fact that three men left the lounge just seconds after he did, and they were following him. The men were wearing leather jackets and bandanas around their heads, like sweatbands, and speaking softly among themselves, gloating about their good luck at finding someone for some fun tonight, especially one that was as drunk as they thought Bell was. When Bell made his way to an area near several construction sites, the guys following him lowered the bandanas to cover their lower faces, and reached into their jackets, two pulling out knives, and one pulling out a pistol. The three thugs rushed up to Bell and quickly and quietly surrounded him. The one with the gun motions with the gun and points to Bell's pocketed hands, "Hands where I can see 'em. Give us all your cash, credit cards and cell phone, and you wont be hurt."

Bell looks up from his reverie and looks around, taking in the situation. He then grins at the three would-be muggers. "You really don't want to do this. Not tonight."

[Bellator]

The mugger with the gun in his hands just laughs, "Yeah, right." The other muggers laugh as well.

Bell just sighs, and shakes his head. He pulls his hands out of the pockets of his jeans, and smiles evilly. His index fingers are pointed out and his thumbs are up in the air, like a kid pretending that his hand is a gun.

The muggers let out a roar of laughter, and shake their heads. One of the muggers with a knife smirks, "Oh, boy."

Bell chuckles. He then quickly fades out from in between the three of them and appears behind the one with the gun and puts his right index finger to the head mugger's temple and wraps his left arm around his throat, "Drop your weapons!" The muggers stop laughing and turn to look at their leader, in the grips of an apparent madman. The lead mugger chuckles, "Take him down."

Bell then points his finger at the sky and fires a shot off from his hand. A loud crack rings out and a small ball of light blue energy flies into the sky at screaming speed. He then points his finger back at the head of the leader, "What did I just say?"

[Bellator]

One of the muggers with the knives drops his weapon and runs. The other stares at the scene before him, like a deer caught in the headlights of an incoming vehicle, his knife held in a hand that is suddenly slick and clammy. Oh my god. He’s a nova… he’s gonna kill us for this. He speaks in a timid and shaking voice. “Please don’t kill him. Please.” The leader begins to shiver and sweat profusely. “Yeah, please don’t kill me. I’ll give you anything. Just don’t hurt me.”

Bell smiles, “I’m not gonna hurt you… much.” He releases the leader and cracks the knuckles on both his hands. “Your move.”

The two remaining muggers stare at Bell, then run. Bell sighs and fades out from his current location, and appears in front of and between the two men, his arms extended straight out at the shoulder’s. He catches the running men with a clothesline, sending them sprawling to the ground. Bell sighs. “You know. I thought you’d put up more of a challenge. But no…” The two men on the ground sit up, and start crawling away from Bell. Once they get a couple of feet away, they get up and start sprinting away, leaving their weapons on the ground. Bell bends over and grabs the knife and gun. He sighs, and watches the two goons run off.

Bellator vanishes from the scene of the confrontation, only to reappear at the Central park reservoir. He throws the gun and knife into the depths of the Reservoir and fades out. Bell then fades in in his bedroom at the apartment he rents. He undresses, throwing his clothes into the corner of the room, and lays down on the bed, the events of the night replaying in his head. Maybe I should have just let them go without taunting them. Nah. That was fun… What am I THINKING? I should never have let it get that far. I should have seen them coming and short-circuted it. Maybe I should talk to someone about my feelings, to help me deal with them in a sane and safe way… not in the way that almost happened. Bell drifts off to a troubled night’s sleep, filled with nightmares and tossing and turning.

[Bellator]

Bellator wakes up and turns to look at his bedside clock. 3:00. It’s too damned early. That’s the third night in a row that I’ve woken up in the middle of the night. He gets up and walks to the kitchen, rubbing his eyes as he goes. He sighs and opens the fridge, flinching at the sudden increase in light. Bell reaches in and grabs two bottles of Bawls, pressing one of them to the back of his neck. Bell opens the other bottle and downs it in one gulp. “Ahhhhhh. That feels good.”

He shakes his head, and opens the second bottle, downing it in the same fashion as the first. Bell then walks over to his living area and rummages through the junk drawer. He finally finds what he is searching for, and pulls it out, looking at it in the light, revealing it to be a refrigerator magnet for Project Utopia’s Manhattan Rashoud Facility. Hmmmmm. I doubt there’s anyone there at this hour, but I can always leave a message. Bell picks up the phone, and dials the number on the magnet.

A perky female voice answers after two rings, “Project Utopia, Manhattan. This is Michelle. How may I help you?”

Bell grimaces, then speaks up, “Hi. I’m calling to speak to someone in the Nova Health Division. I have a problem that I think they may be able to help me with.”

“I think that it can be arranged. Do you know what group within that division you wish to speak to?”

Bell hangs his head and sighs, “Not quite. Is there a group that handles mental issues?”

“Yes, there is. I’ll transfer you now.”

Bell wanders around the room, waiting for the transfer to go through, listening to maddeningly bland muzak.

”Hello, Nova Health Division, Mental Health Group. Jason speaking, How may I assist you?”

Bell perks up, “Hi, I’d like to set up a time to see one of your Psychiatrists. Would you be able to do that?”

“Yes, sir. Can I ask when would be a good time for you? And are you in our system already?”

Bell chuckles, “The sooner the better, and I should be in there.”

“Very good, sir. I can set up an appointment for tomorrow at 2:00 pm. With Dr. Vilheim. And what name should I put in the book?”

“I should be in the system under Joseph Bernolli.”

“Ah. Yes, sir, you are in the system. And the appointment is set. You know where we’re located, I assume?”

Bell laughs, “I’ll be there early, and thank you.”

“No problem, that’s what we’re here for.”

Bell hangs up and gets dressed, heading out for his morning jog.