Send Kricket (Kricket Must Be Available)

Upon arriving on scene, Kricket strides into the diner, panting as he had rushed here as fast as he could manage.

The diner is moderately busy, the waitress is quick to rush over, not even trying to be subtle as she points to the corner booth where a figure sits, slowly sinking into the seat as though trying to fade into its plush, slightly ripped surface.

He approaches slowly, hands at the ready, prepared to shatter their eardrums at a moments notice.

“Hey pal… we got a call bout a suspicious person… know anythin bout that..?” He says as he stops to within 5 feet from the booth.

By now the entire diner is watching, some people hurriedly gathering their things, other people far too enraptured to move as the surveillance drones scans the entirety of the establishment.

The figure sits up a little, accepting that there’s no avoiding this confrontation now, he reaches up slow, as to ensure that he doesn’t startle the hero in front of him.

He pulls his hood down, revealing the face of an old man, filled with frustration and embarrassment.

The drone is quick to identify him, Mitchel Goodwin, AKA Mr Midnight, a retired villain from way back when.

He was released a few months ago, having served the entirety of his sentence lawfully, his record even suggests he was a model inmate on his latest visit.

The name actually makes you a little nostalgic, way back when you were just a freelancer, you and your team actually brought him in.

His MO was cat-burglary targeting the upper crust of the city, penthouses in the westside, mansions near south beach, the wealthy.

His career culminated in the theft at Juno Valentine’s estate, there he stole nearly every valuable item she had which led to the collapse of her family in its entirety.

You remember him being a roguish kind of handsome, fitting him well as he fashioned himself as a sort of gentlemen thief.

In a way, he represents simpler days, or at least they FELT simpler to you back then, you were just a kid, the only responsibility you had was the kind you asked for.

And now, all these years later he sits here, an old man just trying to fade into obscurity.

“I’ve done NOTHING WRONG… please just… leave me be..” he says, voice trembling; it’s clear this isn’t the first time this has happened sense he was released.

You relay the message to Kricket who slowly backs off hands lowering to his sides.

“I’m… sorry for the disturbance.. have a good day..” he says, not quite sure what to say before he departs.

He gives a small, harsh chuckle, as though the idea of him enjoying his day is a fantasy, which considering, it might very well be.

Typically when a villain leaves the game behind, they fade into the woodwork, they HAVE to, otherwise they can expect daily harassment or even attempts on their life from the families of their victims.

Sometimes it’s just not enough to pretend they’re normal, sometimes they just can’t take the stares of citizens, wondering it’s all an act, that they’re just biding their time before their next sin.

And that’s if they’re lucky enough to be of sound mind, the unwell… they never get better… no matter the therapy, no matter the medicine, the stares are just too much.

You see to it the waitress is fined for having wasted hero time, it’s the least you can do for a guy in that position.

Kricket returns to base, in his haste to get reach the scene on time, he had wasted much of his energy, he’ll be on the bench for the rest of the day.