V: The V in Vigilant

to Roger—even without Matt’s powers, Vicwouldn’t have been able to ignore the man’s plea. “Matty…”
Before he could say anything else, Mattsilenced him with a quick kiss. “I love you,” he whispered. “Besafe.”
Vic didn’t wait for Matt to change his mind.He took off through the soccer field at a dead run, heading for thetrees and the tennis courts beyond.
* * * *
For a large man, Vic could move silently whenit suited him. When he reached the evergreens, he ducked throughtheir branches as quietly as he could, inching forward to assessthe situation. He could hear Roger cursing, a steady stream ofexpletives occasionally punctuated with, “Stop it, will you?” and“I’m gonna…” The rest of his threats were drowned out in viciouslaughter Vic knew belonged to those two overweight punks who hadbeen on his bus earlier that evening. He was looking forward tokicking their drunk asses.
As he cleared the trees, his super poweredvision allowed him to see the scene before him as if the tenniscourts were ablaze with light, even though they were still hiddenin darkness. One jerk held the handlebars of Roger’s manualwheelchair and stood on a short wire rack behind the seat. Hisfriend pushed him along, building up speed until he couldn’t runany longer and shoving hard against his back to send both he andthe wheelchair soaring across the court. Roger sat frightened inthe chair, hands gripping the arm rests as he struggled to stayseated. When they reached one end of the court, the men switchedplaces, zooming back the way they had come.
Pure rage flooded Vic. He wanted to tearright through the thin wire fence surrounding the court and grabthose two assholes, one in each hand, to beat their thick headstogether in the hope of knocking some sense into them. But beforehe could do that, he saw the gate in the fence and turned on hisheel, changing direction. As satisfying as it might be to feel thefence tear beneath his hands, he wouldn’t be able to explain itwhen the police arrived. Stepping through the open gate, he feltMatt’s super strength flood his arms and legs as he started acrossthe court.
Bob and Mick were at the far end of thecourt, whirling Roger’s chair around for another crossing. Thistime, one of the wheels turned wrong and the chair shuddered,stuck. Roger lurched forward and Mick, holding the wheelchair,pitched him forward again to dump him out. Roger held on, cursing.“Fuck! Let go! Get off my chair and leave me the hell alone!”
Mick tipped the chair a second time as Bobhowled with laughter. When Roger still didn’t fall, Bob begankicking at the arm rests, forcing Roger to release his grip if hedidn’t want to get his fingers smashed. It took another two triesbefore they managed it, but eventually Roger tumbled to the ground,crying out in pain when his shoulder hit the pavement.
Even then, he didn’t give up the fight. AsBob dropped into the wheelchair, Roger clawed at his assailant’slegs, snagging a fist full of Bob’s pants and trying to pull himfrom the seat. “Get off me!” Bob squealed, kicking out. His bootconnected with Roger’s chest, pushing the disabled veteranaway.
Then Vic was there. Coming up behind Mick, hesent a hard punch low into Mick’s back, right at his kidney, whichsent the man crumpling to the ground. As he fell, Vic kicked himaside, and from the corner of his eye, he saw Roger crawl towardthe drunk. Wrapping an arm around Mick’s neck, Roger got him in achokehold that put him out of commission.
With both hands, Vic grabbed the wheelchairand, in one swift movement, lifted it as he turned it upside down.Bob was dropped unceremoniously onto the ground, cowering when Vicbrought the wheelchair down hard onto his head. He wanted to strikeagain—something in him was close to snapping, and Vic wantednothing more than to pound this lowlife into the ground with themetal contraption in his hands—but Roger needed that chair to getaround and Vic didn’t want to damage it more than it had beenalready. So he settled for kicking Bob in the side, his steel-toedwork boot crunching bone where it connected with Bob’s ribs.
Satisfied, Vic set down the wheelchair andoffered Roger a hand as he climbed back into it. “Thanks,” Rogersighed, brushing his hair from his sweaty face. He didn’t quitemeet Vic’s gaze, as if he were embarrassed to be found in such apredicament—instead, he frowned at the men writhing on the groundand muttered, “I mean, really. If you hadn’t—”
“It’s cool,” Vic assured him. “Look, Mattcalled the cops so I’m sure they’re on the way. It’s been a longday for me, and I’d rather not be around when they arrive.” Theflashing lights would be murder on his dilated pupils, and even ifhis friend Kendra were on the scene, he didn’t need to appear inyet another crime report. Dropping a hand to Roger’s shoulder, hesaid, “If you can take it from here, I’d just as soon you didn’tmention my name or anything, you know?”
Now Roger looked at him, a grin on his face.“They won’t think I did this—”
“Are you kidding?” Vic asked, grinninghimself now. “You knocked that guy out with your bare hands. That’sdamn sharp, man. Damn sharp.”
Even in the darkness, Vic could see the colorrising to Roger’s face. “Well, some things stay with you, Iguess.”
“Another couple minutes and you would’ve hadthem both,” Vic assured him. “I only helped out some. You going tobe all right here by yourself?”
Roger nodded. “Go on. I’ll see you tomorrow,I guess. Thanks again.”
Vic clapped him on the shoulder. “Noproblem.”
In the distance, the sound of sirens piercedthe night and Vic crossed the court, heading back to his car andthe promise of picking up where he and Matt had left off once theygot home.
TO BE CONTINUED…
* * * *
ABOUT J.M. SNYDER
A multi-published author of gayerotic/romantic fiction, J.M. Snyder began writingboyband slash before turning to self-publishing. She has workedwith several different e-publishers, including Amber Allure Press,Aspen Mountain Press, eXcessica Publishing, and Torquere Press, andhas short stories published in anthologies by Alyson Books, AspenMountain Press, Cleis Press, eXcessica Publishing, Lethe Press, andRavenous Romance. For more information, including excerpts,