Later that evening, Gabriel and Jai-Lee found themselves at Denny’s Diner—their regular Friday night hangout after a long week of school. They took their usual booth in the far-right corner, right next to the window and close enough for Jai-Lee to see the TV. It wasn’t fancy, but it was theirs—same spot, same time, every week.

  The waitress came over and placed their food on the table. Gabriel had a Mountain Top Burger—three layers of beef patties sandwiched between a tower of buns, melted cheese, gherkins, salad, ketchup, and loaded fries, with a Coke on the side. Jai-Lee, as always, hadn’t ordered anything. She said she wasn’t hungry. But as soon as the plate hit the table, her hand was already reaching for his fries.

  “Jai, man…” Gabriel elongated as Jai-Lee shoved a handful of fries into her mouth.

  “What?” she mumbled, her words barely making it through the mountain of fries she shoved into her mouth.

  “We’ve been coming here for two years now—same day, same booth, same time. You know what else hasn’t changed?”

  She swallowed quickly, rubbing her chin as she looked around like she was really thinking about it. “Oh! The Kevin Cosby Show! We always watch it right here!”

  Gabriel just stared at her for a second before shaking his head. “No, Jai. Forget it.”

  “Alright, Gabe, if you say so,” she said, grinning as she went right back for more of his fries.

  “It’s not like you’re gonna stop eating my food anyway,” he muttered under his breath.

  “What was that?” she said, raising an eyebrow.

  “Nothing.”

  She leaned back in her seat, pointing at the TV. “Hold that thought. My show’s about to start.”

  Gabriel grabbed his burger, sinking back into his chair as the countdown timer reached ten.

  “Five, four, three, two, one…” a woman’s voice said off-screen.

  “Good evening, New York—no…” Kevin paused, staring blankly at the camera for a moment before continuing. “Let’s start again. Good evening, America.” He straightened his tie and leaned in closer. “Now, let’s get straight into it, folks. The topic for today—Dragonblade. Is he a hero, or is he a criminal? Well, people, you don’t have to wait for the answer, because I’ve got it right here.”

  Kevin paused for dramatic effect, his eyes locked on the camera as he sat stoic behind his desk. “He’s a goddamn criminal. Plain and simple.”

  He leaned back, tapping a pen against his desk before continuing. “You see, ladies and gentlemen, we live in a country built on justice, not chaos. We have laws, courts, and trained professionals who risk their lives every single day to keep us safe. But then there’s him—this self-proclaimed hero who thinks he’s above it all. No badge. No accountability. Just a mask and an ego the size of this city.”

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  On-screen, Kevin kept talking, his voice catching everyone’s ears, stirring up debate among the customers in the diner. “Could I—or anyone else—take the law into our own hands? No. Because the system works. The law works. But people like Dragonblade think they’re above it.”

  Kevin adjusted his tie again, his tone low and persuasive as he tried to grab hold of the viewers with his words.“Now, I know some of you out there are gonna say, ‘But Kevin, he’s helping people! He’s saving lives!’” He leaned forward, lowering his voice. “Let me tell you something—vigilantes don’t save lives. They take control. They create fear. They make everyone think the system doesn’t work.”

  He smirked, pointing straight into the camera. “Dragonblade, I hope you’re watching, because I’m talking to you. You’re not a hero—you’re a threat. And it’s only a matter of time before this city realizes it.”

  Jai-Lee stared at the screen, half chewing, half laughing. “Yo, Gabe, you hearing this? You made The Kevin Cosby Showagain.” She shook her head, grinning. “That’s, what—five times now?”

  Gabriel didn’t answer right away. He just sat back, burger in hand but untouched, eyes still fixed on the TV. “Yeah, I hear it,” he said finally, his voice portraying a frustrated figure.

  Jai-Lee chuckled, nudging his arm. “Man, you should be proud. Most people can only dream about getting on TV. You? You’re practically a regular guest.”

  “It’s not funny, Jai,” Gabriel said, annoyed as he sat their with a sour face.

  “Alright, alright,” she said, holding her hands up, still fighting a smile. “Just saying, the guy’s obsessed with you.”

  Gabriel let out a quiet breath through his nose, eyes still on the screen. His reflection flickered across the glass in front of him, the glow of the TV catching the faintest glint of anger spreading across his features.

  “Yeah, well,” he said quietly, “obsessed people are dangerous.”

  From the next booth over, a man’s voice was loud enough to hear over all of the chatter. “That Dragonblade guy’s asking for it. You don’t just go around playing hero and expect not to piss off the wrong people.”

  His friend burst out laughing, his food flying out of his mouth. “Yeah, man’s got a death wish. Cops’ll find him one day, or someone else will. Either way, he’s he’s a dead man.”

  Gabriel’s mouth opened to speak, the words nearly trickling off his tongue when Jai-Lee’s police scanner went off, stopping him before he could say a word.

  “Attention all units. We have a 10-3 in progress. Suspects are fleeing in a red sedan, heading eastbound. Units in pursuit. Requesting aerial support,” a voice reported over the radio.

  “Gabe.”

  “Yeah, I know,” he responded, already up from his seat.

  He quickly made his way out the back door, making sure no one could see him, then transformed. His wings shot out to the side. He looked up and shot through the sky with an explosive burst.

  As he soared through the city, he burst past Kevin Cosby’s penthouse studio with blinding speed, shaking the windows as he passed. Kevin’s eyes went wide. He rose from his seat, pushing it back.

  “Keep that camera on me!” he barked as he ran to the window to have a glance at what it was—and there he was, Dragonblade, flying off into the distance.

  “There he goes again,” Kevin sneered as the camera panned down the street, barely catching a glimpse of Dragonblade. “Breaking the law, playing God. You think wearing a flashy costume makes you exempt from your crimes, Dragonblade? You think it absolves you?”

  Kevin stood tall, his fingers curling into a fist as he spoke. “Listen to me, people. Crime rates are down now, sure. But what happens when he makes a mistake? When these criminals start expecting him, escalating their tactics? Who’s going to pay the price? It could be your friends or family in law enforcement on the frontlines. We can’t wait for that tragedy to strike. Wake up! Act now, before it’s too late!”

  He raised a finger, signaling for his close-up, his eyes locking with the camera lens. “I leave you with that, America. The ball is in your court.”

  With that final message, Kevin pointed to his badge of the American flag pinned on his tie, holding a piercing glare until the screen cut to black, but his words left a lasting impression, leaving all of America to wonder: was Dragonblade truly the hero, or the villain?