A Cure
[WP] In a universe where the rules of superhero comics are real, any vat of chemicals, any vial of liquid, any combination of ingredients may result in superpowers. In this universe, you are the most feared superhero or villain imaginable. You are The Chemist.
*****
“Pleasure to see you, Mr. Fallen Dagger. I know we aren’t meeting on the best of terms, but I assure you, coming to my chemist was the best decision you ever made. I can’t wait to cure you.” The Chemist said, his face covered in a white surgical mask with his fingers still smelling of disinfectant. He went over to the tied-up hero, touching his cheek as he examined his symptoms.
“Let me go, you freak. If you do anything to me, the other heroes will come for you. Do you know how much trouble you will be in? Imagine having all of those heroes trying to find you. You won’t last a day before you’re captured.” Fallen Dagger turned his face, the hero trying to break out of the metallic wiring that was keeping him pinned to the chair.
“Let you go? I can’t, you’re sick. I’m a good pharmacist, I help people. No one dies on my watch, no one dies again.” The Chemist didn’t even appear to be looking at Fallen Dagger. Instead, his attention lingered on the wall, staring blankly at it in deep thought before his fingers crept down to the hero’s neck, checking their pulse. “Still alive? That’s good. Some heroes lose their pulse as a side effect.”
“Of course, I’m alive. I’m talking to you. Look, let me go and I’ll overlook this. We can even get you some help.”
“Help? I could use assistants. Capturing heroes and villains is tiring.” He reflected, turning away from the hero as he went to his small laboratory set, getting a needle.
“Not that kind of help, professional help. A therapist or something like that.”
“I don’t need any of that. I’m cured.” The Chemist shifted closer to the hero, holding his arm still. “This won’t hurt at all; I just need a bit of blood.”
Fallen Dagger flinched as The Chemist collected the sample, heading over to his centrifuge, and setting the sample inside. He let it spin as he began turning on a Bunsen burner. “I’m already certain I know what your cure will be. I just want to make sure I’m correct. We don’t want to risk any unnecessary harm. I’m a good pharmacist.”
“You said that already, but how many good Pharmacists tie up people?”
“I need to tie you up. You won’t let me cure you if I don’t. I’m sorry.” The Chemist searched his office, finding a small green lollypop, offering it to the hero, who turned his head in disgust.
“Curing me of what, exactly?” “Your abilities. It’s a disease and I will cure you of it. You won’t be able to hurt anyone if you don’t have powers. Your loved ones won’t accidentally get hurt, either.” His surgical mask moved upwards as he tried to give a friendly smile to Fallen Dagger before heading over to the centrifuge.
“My abilities?” Fallen Dagger began rocking in the chair, desperately trying to free himself from his bindings. “Without my powers, I can’t save anyone. The villains will win if you take my powers away. Is that what you want? Villains, to rule the world?”
“You can still save people. You could be a pharmacist or a firefighter. Those save people. Don’t worry, I’ll cure the villains too. If everyone is cured, there’s no disease.”
“You’re insane. SOMEONE HELP ME, HE’S TRYING TO GET RID OF MY POWERS.”
The Chemist only watched as he screamed out, scrunching his nose at the noise. “Please, quiet when I’m working. I can’t risk mistakes.” He took out the blood, noticing a blue layer above the plasma. “Chemical A-O-A? Military-grade powers, not well researched, easy to get rid of.”
“Y-yeah. Exactly. Military-grade. Not only will you have the heroes after you, but the entire military will come looking for you. My powers are worth a lot of money.”
“Why waste money on such a thing?” He shook his head as he began preparing the cure. He placed a few chemicals into a test tube before holding it over the flame, carefully letting the mixture heat as he gave it a few swirls. After a short amount of time, he placed the test tube in a rack, getting a clean needle. “I won’t lie to you. This will hurt. I have some painkillers that will help with the pain, though.”
“Don’t you dare!” Fallen Dagger tried to activate his abilities, but his super strong skin didn’t seem to be working, nor was his super strength. At first, he thought it must have been a special type of binding, but it looked pretty normal to him. “Why aren’t my powers working?”
“It’s a gas. I keep it pumping through the air. It weakens your body and allows me to cure you. Without it, I fear I wouldn’t be able to do much against someone as sick as you.” He got out his painkillers from his lab coat, collecting two of the tablets before shoving them into Fallen Dagger’s mouth, waiting until he swallowed them.
“Wait. Please don’t take away my powers. I could barely hold a gun when I was in the army and now look at me. I can dive from buildings; they make me great.”
“It’s a sickness. Greatness isn’t given to people, it’s earned. You will remember that when the world’s cured of this illness.” With that, they injected the needle. Fallen Dagger cringed in the chair as a hot, burning flame shot through his body, causing him to squirm and wiggle in the chair before finally, the painkillers kicked in, numbing the pain. The Chemist watched as Fallen Dagger passed out before undoing his bindings, leaving the lollypop in his lap. “I’ll call the heroes and let them know to pick you up.”
The Chemist gathered his equipment, loading it into the back of his van. Once the van was loaded, he set his phone down, setting a timer for it to send an emergency call to the heroes in thirty minutes. By then, he would be gone, leaving only Fallen Dagger behind and an abandoned warehouse that had been his chemist for the night.
*****
THE END
