[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/OGg5bWf.png[/img][/center]


[color=Gold]"Come on out, Mister Mittens,"[/color] I say, calling out to the big-ass pet tarantula of the little girl on the first floor. Getting the girl and her folks to safety was easy enough, but in the middle of all the excitement, a piece of debris knocked the tarantula's terrarium out of my hands, and it broke open on the floor. I've cleared out everyone on the first floor now, except for that damn bug.

I was gonna leave it at that, but the girl started crying, and well, here I am, back in the towering inferno. Maybe raising Danielle has made me go a little soft, but I can't stand to see kids cry if I can help it.

[color=Gold]"Niiiice, tarantula,"[/color] I say gently, picking through the rubble to get to the next floor. [color=Gold]"Gooood tarantu--oh jeezus!"[/color]

Out of nowhere, the big furry hand-like body of Mister Mittens drops down from the ceiling right onto my shoulder. My reflex is to swat the damn thing, but I stop myself just shy of splatting it, then it skitters down my back and I start to squirm. God, I [i]hate[/i] bugs.

Before I can grab him, the tarantula scrambles off to where I can't see it.

[color=Gold]"Get back here, you eight-legged freaky--"[/color]

There's a scream from upstairs, and I sigh.

[color=Gold]"This ain't over, Mister Mittens,"[/color] I call out. [color=Gold]"I'm gettin' your ass before this is done."[/color]

Bounding up the stairs, I grumble to himself, wishing Spider-Man was here so he could control that thing with his spider-telepathy. He can do that, right? Or am I thinking about Ant-Man? One of the bug guys, I know that.

There's a buzz on my hip, and I see it's a text from Jessica. Not a lot of time to sit here chatting, but I always check when it's from the Missus in case it's important.

[quote=PatientBean][color=af82b0][I]"Hey, on a case atm. Unsure how long it will be. I'll try to get home at a reasonable hour, but no promises.

And sidenote: heard of any animals demonstrating superpowers? Indulge me

Love you[/i][/color]
[/quote]

I tap a button to go talk-to-text as I run up the stairs. [color=Gold]"We talking like Lockjaw? You might wanna ask the Thing about something like that. Dealing with a fire right now, call you back when I'm done. Love you too."[/color]

Making it to the upper floor, the damage from the fire's a lot worse. Flames lick up the walls, the ceilings are blackened with soot and smoke...

...and speaking of smoke, why haven't I heard any smoke alarms? I told the super here that this place wasn't up to code, that they were gonna need to renovate if they wanted H4H to keep their current rates. [color=Gold]"Second time today some cheap-ass landlord is causin' me trouble,"[/color] I mutter to myself.

Going floor by floor, I kick in doors, clear the way for the FDNY to put out the blaze, and get as many people as I can to safety. Working my way to the top, I know there's only a few places I haven't checked.

[color=Gold]"Okay, folks,"[/color] I call out, [color=Gold]"Things are gonna be okay, just stay calm and--"[/color]

Part of a wall gives way, and I see something in the blaze.

[color=Gold]"...oh, sweet Christmas..."[/color]

[quote=@Half Pint]The flames cast monstrous shadows against the walls, distorting his silhouette into something other. Something inhuman. To anyone watching from the street, it was a nightmare unfolding before their eyes. A fire made worse by the addition of the Vampyre.

And if any so-called hero had come to play savior tonight, they would only see one thing:

A monster in the fire.

For Michael Morbius his good deed might not have gone to waste, but it definitely wasn't going to go unpunished.[/quote]

As if blood-sucking landlords weren't bad enough. Now I gotta deal with an actual damn vampire.

[color=Gold]"Hey gruesome!"[/color] I shout out, cracking my knuckles. [color=Gold]"You best take your hands off that lady. Or I'm gonna send your ass back to Transylvania in a bucket!"[/color]