Heroic Measures (continued)

The image on the screen shifted. It was a glossy scene from a magazine, most likely retouched for publication, Walter thought. It showed the Sharpshooter dragging a limp Carrion by his collar through a dirty alleyway toward the county jail. Both were bloodied and covered with grime. Had Walter not known which of the two had been the hero, it would been almost impossible to tell from the photograph. As he well knew, the good guys did not always win.

There had also been reports, never proven, that Sharpshooter had performed assassinations for the government in exchange for amnesty from possible prosecution. Even the hint of such activities had caused the highest heroes to shy away from him. He had not been seen, even in his civilian identity, for several months. Among the most prevalent rumors were that he had retired, committed suicide, and left to establish himself as a hero somewhere else with a new name. Wilder stories also circulated, such as that he had dropped from sight because he was now a covert government agent, or was now hiring himself in South America to the highest bidder. The truth was, Walter realized somewhat guiltily, that no one cared enough to find out for certain.

The sounds of people shifting uncomfortably in their seats shifted Walter from his reverie. There was also the occasional cough, or clearing of a throat, as Collins peered around at his audience. He never quite made eye contact, Walter noticed, just allowing his gaze to sweep over those present.

“Where we do we draw the line?” he asked. His accent had diminished now as he posed the question in a calm, almost Socratic tone.

The projected image dimmed and then brightened again to a new view.

Even Walter had to look away for a moment. Not because of the scene itself, which showed only the picture of a man in fierce close-up, but because of his memories of when that particular photograph had been taken. For more than a decade, Alpha had been regarded as among the best of the heroes. He had been a mentor and leader, an example for the heroes and public alike. And then had come his rapid descent into madness. No one really understood why, but everyone did know that his last rampage had cost twenty-two innocent civilians their lives and left two heroes permanently crippled.