[ WP ] You 're a superhero who realizes that if you do n't take your day job more seriously , you risk losing your job and ending up homeless . But the call to fight for truth and justice is just so tempting .

Kelly made it to the top of the top of the old deli in downtown. It was her secret meeting location with the vigilante known as Retribution. He stood there on the edge of the building, something was wrong about his body language, and it made her ill at ease. 
 
 `` Retribution.'' she called out. The man turned and walked towards her, his massive shoulder slumped, his head bowed. He stood well over six foot tall with a huge frame that carried his impossibly muscled body, yet in this moment he seemed helpless. 
 
 `` What happened?'' Kelly asked. 
 
 `` It's twins'' Retribution replied. `` My wife is expecting twins.'' he finished. Kelly shuddered. She'd never thought of Retribution as anything more then a force for justice, an unwavering champion of good, now here he was unburdening his personal life to her. 
 
 `` You know when I took down that gang of jewel thieves two weeks ago? That took months of detective work. I stopped paying attention at my job. I've lost clients left and right, management is noticing. I try to invest myself in my work but.'' he stopped. `` It's just stupid work. Kissing this guy's ass or this company's ass, shuffling money from one person to another. I ca n't do it anymore, the man I was is gone. Retribution is all I am now.'' he finished. 
 
 `` How does nobody at your job notice who you are?'' Kelly asked. 
 
 `` Oh it's easy to fool people, order clothes a couple sizes to big, wear poorly tailored suits. I keep my distance from people and my handshakes are solid but non-threatening. Some people tell me I should play basketball but I tell them I got a knee injury. I'm just the big dumb goof at the office.'' Retribution replied. 
 
 Kelly nodded. She could tell he was n't done talking. 
 
 `` I think about stealing from those criminals, but once you do something awful for money. What makes you stop? How do you keep yourself from going down that same road time and again? I ca n't ask you or anyone else to start a GoFundMe account. You'll be killed by the gangs that hate me, or at least have to live in fear of it. Old Doc Silver has a ten million dollar bounty on my head. I almost wish I could kill myself and collect it.'' Retribution said with a laugh. 
 
 `` Doc's run this town for twenty years till you came around and kicked his ass.'' Kelly said, trying to boost the spirits of the superhero. 
 
 `` Oh he still runs most of it. The cops, the lawyers, still to many people loyal to him. It's what drove me to the mask, what drove me to do all this. I just do n't know what to do anymore. If I had it to do all over again I'd have never married her, never brought her into this. I can live under bridges, in homeless shelters, eating garbage, none of that bothers me. I just do n't want that life for her.'' The resignation in his voice made Kelly's bones ache. 
 
 He reached out to her and put his gloved hand on her cheek. 
 
 `` Do n't sweat it. I'll figure this all out. I just needed somebody to vent to. You've always been there for me Kel. Good luck with your mom. Thank you.'' Retribution said and just like that he's jumped off the roof of the deli. She was always amazed at how such falls did n't even hurt him. 
 
 Kelly stood in silence for minutes, then she bowed her head, tears began pouring from her blue eyes. Her mother's mind was failing, she needed care, care Kelly could n't provide. She pulled her phone out of her purse and her whole body heaved with her breaths. Retribution's words echoed in her mind. 
 
 `` Once you do something awful for money how do you stop?'' 
 
 She wanted to do the right thing, to drop the phone, to not be weak. 
 
 `` Hello'' Doc's voice was oily and arrogant, even in a single word he let the other party know who was in control. 
 
 `` Doc I got a lead on Retribution. Give me a few weeks and I'll have his identity for you.'' Kelly said. Her stomach twisting as she said it. 
 
 `` Kelly my dear sweet girl, I knew you would n't fail me. Get me that name and you are on easy street kid. Never work another day in your life.'' Doc said as he hung up. 
 
 Doc was a murderer and a tyrant but the one thing that was known town wide was that those that served him loyally were lavished with his wealth and power. 
 
 Kelly made it back to her car before breaking down and weeping. Could she truly betray Retribution? Did she have any other choice? 
 

