Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

2007

Hub City University

Victor 'Vic' Sage saw smoke rising from one of the windows of the ground floor, and quickly rushed inside, passing the guard who cried out. "Hey wait a-"

Vic didn't even break stride, completely ignoring that guard, running in to the direction of the smoke, and kicked open the door of the place, seeing Professor Aristotle "Tot" Rodor throwing some papers into a fire, while Dr. Arby Twain threw in another paper, which made the fire flare up for a bit, the flames rising, the smoke of this fire going out of the window.

"Professor Tot", Vic said, causing Tot to look up at him. "What's going on?"

"We abandoned a project, Vic", Tot informed him, as he and Twain threw another page each into the fire, burning them into nothingness. "The Pseudoderm project."

"What's that about?" Vic asked, curious.

"It's an artificial skin, works like a bandage with the help of a bonding gas that works alongside it", Twain explained while walking off to get more papers. "The two of us, we developed it together."

"And you're burning it because…..does the skin become permanent and take the place of the original, affecting the person used on, and making them act erratically because they believe they're a new person now?"

Walking back to the fire, Twain looked at Tot in confusion over what Vic had just said, his expression clearly making it clear that he was thinking- 'What the hell did this guy even say?'

Tot sighed, taking off his glasses and running a hand across his face. "No Vic. It could be toxic, and it was especially found to be fatal when applied to open wounds. We tested it on an injured rat, it was gone." There was guilt on his face, even for a lab rat, while he put his glasses back on. "While it won't be harmful to normal skin, the risk is too much, especially when people get open wounds. So, we've decided to let go of this project."

"Lots of years of research wasted though", Twain sighed, Vic glancing at him with one raised eyebrow, detecting some hint of bitterness.

The flames rose before them, shining in Tot's eye. "Maybe it's for the best."

Vic just watched the flames rising, his expression unreadable, while the flames briefly formed a 'question mark' symbol in his eyes as they lashed.

A question mark is shown over what appears to be a blank face, alongside various pictures and newspaper clippings attached via tape, the title card saying 'THE QUESTION' appearing, as 'THE QUESTION - Original Instrumental Music - William McCarthy' plays in the background, whispers being heard over the noir music.

Present Day, 2014

Vic Sage walked into the KBEL News headquarters, his bag slung over his shoulder, opening the revolving doors, passing by a woman, who greeted him. "Hey Vic."

"Hi, Maria."

He walked forth, another guy waving. "Vic."

"John."

While he greeted back, his voice seemed quite…..detached. And cold, even.

Very soon, he made his way into his office, cluttered with various papers, some even on the ground. He was sure the janitor had actually missed his office on purpose, considering the mess here. There were also many papers with writings, pictures, and newspaper clippings, all stapled onto the wall at various points, with some writings including 'What happened to the cat?' and 'Was the Particle Accelerator Explosion planned?' and so on.

Sitting at his desk, Vic went through various papers, before lifting out a half-written article- 'Are all the police bought?'

That was when Earle appeared at his door. "Vic, boss wants to see you."

Picking up the half-written article, Vic walked out of his office, into his boss' office.

"Vic, I thought I told you I needed that article by today, hmm?" Bear McCready asked him, sitting in a cross-legged position.

"Here, boss, half-ready", Vic said, putting it down at his desk. "Give me a little time, by end of day, this will be done and at your desk."

"Let me see!" Drinking some of his coffee, Bear leaned in, and took the article, skimming through it. Then, he put it back at the desk. "Scrap this, start over with something else."

"But bo-"

"Do you know what this is?" McCready asked, looking very annoyed.

"A smoking gun."

"Yes, when the police come after us, they'll have a lot of smoking guns once they're done", McCready argued. "All you're doing is making a volatile situation slip even harder, Vic. You don't even have any proof!"

"I do, actually."

"Like you did about the boyband thing?"

"Do you want to see the proof?" Vic challenged him.

"No, I want you to drop this. You've 3 more days, come up with something better, and I'll publish it", McCready told Vic in a tone that left no room for arguments.

Vic picked his article back up, and folded the paper, putting it into his pocket while glaring at McCready. "McCready, if I wanted to write clickbait, I'd be working for BuzzBreak. We expose the rot, or we're just part of it."

"I'm trying to make sure none of us rot six feet under the ground", McCready snarled, as Vic shrugged and walked off, back into his office, and shut the door, slamming the article on his desk angrily, making some papers fly here and there, while he sat down, and reached into his bag, searching through it.

"All of them, trying to press down on me."

A few seconds later, he took out a small packet, looking at the material inside. Opening the packet up, Vic poured the powder on his hand, and sniffed it with his nose, just as his phone beeped, and he took it out with his other hand, opening it up to see that it was a message from Myra Connelly- 'Hi Vic. We still up for coffee?'

Vic quickly sent her the auto-reply of 'yes', then sniffed what was in his hand again, his head leaning back against his chair as he grunted happily at what he was feeling from the effects of this powder. If no one wanted to listen to him, fine. He'd still do something to feel good at least.

A door opened, and out walked Tot, throwing some trash out into the dustbin, before picking up the newspaper that had been delivered to him, and looking around, he went back inside, shutting the door, walking through an old, dusty and cluttered lab, looking at various items inside, including a hat that he kept in the corner, then at a safe for a few seconds longer than he did at anything else that was in the room. After that, he lifted a cloth and used it to dust a corner, then sat down on his seat, relaxing a bit, looking ahead at some chemicals bubbling up in flasks, after which he opened the newspaper, noting the front page was about two mysterious deaths in police custody, which he was not surprised by.

He flipped through the pages, reading about a mugging, then a robbery, and another mugging!

On the third page, his eyebrow raised when he saw something interesting.

'Toxic skin graft causes death of a soldier.'

Tot tilted his head, running a hand through his hair. Why did this remind him of something?

Standing up, Tot put the newspaper down, and walked off to change.

Vic arrived at 'The Hub', wearing sunglasses now, and saw Myra Connelly waving to him from a seat, Vic waving back and walking to where she was, pulling out his chair and sitting down, before taking his sunglasses off. "Myra."

"Good to see you too, Vic." Myra held out her hand, that Vic shook. "Been three months now."

Vic nodded, looking to the TV in the café behind her, which showed Mayor Wesley Fermin speaking. "I am not resisting any investigation upon me."

"Is it true that you're supporting your fiancée's campaign for the next election?" One reporter asked.

"She is my fiancée, of course I'm supporting her! I think she has some very good ideas, that shall improve this city's infrastructure."

"Are there skeletons under her closet, like yours?" One more reporter asked him.

"She is not corrupt, and neither am I!" Wesley said in reply.

Vic scoffed, picking up the menu. "As if he is going to answer any of that truthfully."

Myra turned to Vic, looking offended. "Vic!"

"No, seriously, that guy?" Vic gestured with his head at Wesley on the TV. "I didn't take you for a fixer-upper type."

"He is not, Vic!" Myra argued to him, the waitress arriving.

"Latte." Vic's response was instant, the waitress noting it down.

"Cold coffee", Myra added, the waitress noting that down also before walking off, Myra turning back to glare at Vic.

"Do you have any proof?"

"It's written all over him. Besides, name one Mayor in this city in the last 50 years who was not corrupt."

"I want to be Mayor, if I get it, would I be corrupt too?" Myra inquired.

"Well, power does corrupt." Then he noticed the glare she was giving him. "But of course, change happens, I think. You can be the change this city needs." He shook his head. "But not with that guy's support on you."

"Do you really think he is corrupt, or are you just jealous?" Myra finally asked, Vic scoffing while rubbing his face.

"You really think its about that?" He asked her, sounding offended for once. "People, always blaming everything on negative emotions. Whoever wired us this way, he or she definitely watches us all like we're a TV show, for their entertainment."

Myra rolled her eyes at his conspiracy theory. "Look, Vic, I'm happy with Wesley, can't you just be happy for me?" As the waitress returned with their coffees and put them down, Myra added. "Can we not talk about him, and just be friends having coffee?"

"Well, it is what I was invited for, I think, so friends having coffee it is", Vic commented, lifting up his mug, as did Myra.

"You do support my campaign though, right?"

"I hate politicians in this city. Corrupt scum, putting us all down, most of all me, the guy who knows the truth." Myra winced a bit. "But, you're not like the rest. Only politician I support." Leaning back, he added. "But don't expect me to write any articles of endorsement."

Myra looked mock-offended. "I am so hurt, Vic."

Vic just chuckled.

Tot sat in a restaurant, looking up to see Twain arrive, dressed up nicely. Twain sat down in front of Tot, both of them shaking hands.

"Tot, been a while. Last time was-"

"At the University", Tot finished, Twain nodding at that, while Tot looked Twain up and down. "You look good."

"You don't." There was a smirk on Twain's face when he made that reply, Tot looking down at himself, knowing just how unkempt he was, especially compared to Twain, but this was not the reason that he was here. "Why'd you call me?"

"You remember our Pseudoderm experiment, right?" Tot inquired, and Twain nodded once more.

"How can I forget? Research after research, and then we threw it all away."

"Did we, Twain?" Tot inquired, his eyes narrowed behind his glasses.

"What are you talking about?" Twain asked back in response, seeming to be confused by this.

Tot put the paper down right in front of Twain, open at the page where he'd read the news about the death in Afghanistan.

"This is what I'm talking about, Twain!"

Twain looked down at the newspaper, seeing the headline about some soldier in Afghanistan dying due to some toxic skin graft.

"Reminds you of something?" Tot inquired, tilting his head. "I remember Pseudoderm did the exact same thing when it was applied on someone with open wounds."

"I don't know anything about this, Tot!" Twain snapped. "I didn't even know about this death until you showed me the paper."

"You and I were the only ones who knew about this", Tot pointed out. "And I've not been selling any skin grafts anywhere."

"And you think I did it?" Twain asked, seeming hurt, though Tot was unmoved. "But wait, I wasn't the only one who knew, right?"

Tot leaned back. "You mean-"

"That friend of yours, the journalism intern-"

"Vic Sage."

"Right, Vic Sage!"

"He is an actual full-on journalist now, at KBEL News. Appears on the TV too."

"Weird, didn't see him", Twain commented. "Then again, I don't watch the news, so I wouldn't know."

"Right."

"Well, he knew about this as well, since he walked in on us when we were burning our research", Twain reminded Tot. "Maybe he grabbed some of it and snuck out with it."

"Then waited until now to sell it?" Tot asked, seeming puzzled by that, because of Vic wanted to make a profit off of the Pseudoderm, he'd have done it back then instead of seven years later.

"And you think I would sell it seven years later instead of just back then?" Twain asked instead, not really answering any questions, only asking more in return, something that Tot could see all too well.

Folding his arms, Tot leaned back. "Well-"

"Look, it was good to see you, Tot, but I don't have much time to remember failed experiments." Twain stood up and walked off. "See you around." Tot just watched him leave, then looked back at the newspaper headline, not buying Twain's act one bit.

Later

Vic returned to his apartment, and shut the door, before dropping his bag, looking at the wall, which had even more photos and newspaper clippings attached here and there on a board via a lot of tape, one page stuck there saying- 'Are Springwood, Haddonfield and Camp Crystal Lake standing on ley lines?'

A few seconds later, a boxing bag was set up, hanging from the ceiling, and Vic was in a tank top, wearing boxing gloves. He cracked his knuckles and neck, then began to throw punch after punch after punch at the bag, shaking and then moving it with each blow that he gave it. It didn't move too far, but did move by a decent distance, showing Vic's striking strength was just fine.

Then, he threw some kicks at the bag also, alongside his punches, the bag shaking here and there with each blow of his, until, about one and a half hours later, Vic was finally tired, and he took off his gloves, putting them to the side, before putting the bag down, and he sat on the ground, panting due to the effort of the exercise.

Seeing his bag, Vic reached into it, taking out another packet. He was about to pull out the powder, when suddenly, his phone rang, making him drop it.

Turning to his phone, Vic saw that it was Tot, which made him narrow his eyes.

Reaching to the phone, Vic accepted the call and put it to his ear. "What's up, Tot?"

"There's something I need to talk to you about, Victor. Meet me at my lab."

Well, this was serious, Vic mused as he cut the call and put the phone down.

Tot had just called him 'Victor', which meant something was up.

Vic looked at the packet with the powder that he'd dropped, and with a shaking hand, he reached out to it, staring at it for a few seconds. Then, he released a deep breath that he did not realize he'd been holding, and grasped the bag, pulling it towards him, putting the packet back inside, for now at least.

After that, he got up, and moved away to change, so he could meet Tot.

Later

Vic walked into his cab, and closed the door, the driver driving away, while Vic looked out the window, his eyes narrowing on seeing a cop shoving a civilian into a corner.

"Where's the money?" The cop asked, the man crying.

"Please, just one more-" He was cut off when the cop took out his gun and pistol-whipped the guy hard, making his head bleed while he fell down, crying more.

"Clearly, you're not taking the consequences seriously."

Vic leaned back in the backseat of the cab, sighing as he ran a hand across his face, wondering if this city was gonna go anywhere anytime soon.

There was a knock on the door of Tot's lab, and he walked to it, opening it up to reveal Vic.

"Hey Tot." Vic's voice was solemn.

"Come in, Vic." Vic walked in, Tot closing the door and locking it up, Vic seeing just how cluttered the place was, as Tot used his cloth to wipe a seat, and pulled it out for Vic, while taking his own seat also.

"Doesn't look as good as your old place", Vic commented.

"I'm not at the university anymore", Tot pointed out.

"It's just a pattern", Vic commented to Tot. "Life has a way of pushing down on the good guys, and punching up the bad ones. Especially in this city. Someone might be responsible. I'll try to find out."

"Vic, do you remember when you walked in on me and Twain burning some research in the university seven years ago?" Tot inquired, and Vic looked up, his eyes lighting up as he remembered that very scene vividly in his head.

"I remember, yes. What about it?"

"I think not all of the Pseudoderm was destroyed." Tot put the paper in Vic's lap, Vic now reading the headline about the soldier in Afghanistan.

"Remember the effects that we'd described?"

"It is fatal if applied on open skin", Vic remembered. "And a soldier- he'd have open skin."

"Exactly."

"I know you're not selling it, so is it Twain?" Vic asked, coming to the logical and most likely conclusion even before Tot could share his suspicions with the journalist.

"It has to be Twain. I asked him earlier, he got way too defensive to be innocent", Tot agreed with Vic, taking a seat in front of the man. "Now, because of his actions, a man has died. And if he continues with this, even more people could die because of this carelessness."

Vic commented with a thoughtful look. "If that stuff's still out there, people are gonna die."

Sharing another look with Tot, Vic immediately got up, putting the newspaper down. "I'm going into look into it."

"Are you going to ask Twain about it?" Tot inquired, as Vic turned around and walked away.

"Liars don't admit. What I need is to make sure everyone knows about it, whether Twain wants them to or not."

With that, Vic reached the door, and opened it up, sharing one more look with Tot. "I'll see you when I get more." With that, he shut the door while Tot sighed, then rubbed his head.

Vic stood on a rooftop, adjacent to Twain's own apartment, using binoculars to look ahead at the man's place.

This city is rotten, from top to bottom. The Mayor only cares about his power, and the police are all free to let crime go on as long as it benefits them. Hub City is…worse than Gotham and Starling. And it is up to people like us to try and make a difference…even as the higher-ups push down upon us to stifle our voices.

Vic watched through the transparent window, seeing via binoculars that Twain had opened his door. Now, he was talking to a man, and discreetly slipped a packet to him, the two shaking hands, before Twain closed the door quickly.

Twain hopes, with this deal, to become one of the elite, so he too can escape the consequences of his actions. But he doesn't know, that he has me on his case.

Vic then looked down with his binoculars, seeing a car standing there.

Quickly, he ran towards the building's elevator, and used it to get down, then ran out, seeing the man that Twain had just spoken to, walking out of the other building himself, then getting into a black car, which he used to drive away.

Vic turned to see a cab arriving, and held out his hand, stopping the cabbie, after which he opened the backdoor and took his seat while closing it. "Follow that black car, please."

The cabbie looked weirded out, but drove forth anyways, before asking Vic. "Haven't I seen you before?"

"Don't think so", Vic shrugged, not telling the guy that he was a news reporter for KBEL News after all.

He looked down at the setting sun, wondering how this day in the city would end for him.

The cab stopped near a warehouse at the docks, Vic paying the cabbie, before getting out, hearing the tires screech as the cabbie drove off, while Vic walked closer to the place, seeing two people pass by, so he spun and hid behind a crate, now hearing their footsteps moving away, which made him sigh in relief.

He popped his head out, seeing the two were far off now, and noted the door was locked, but the windows were not.

Seeing no one around in the vicinity, he quickly made his way towards the window as fast as he could without running, considering that would be heard, and expose him. When he got closer, Vic rolled and got underneath the window, before grasping it, and got up a little, looking inside to see what was going on.

The courier of Twain had just taken out a packet, which he handed over to another man, who went off with it to a corner, Vic quickly taking out his phone and taking a picture, making sure his phone was on silent. He saw some more chemicals bubbling up here and there in the place, clearly a lab of sorts, with people working here and there.

He took more pictures, getting back down when someone turned to his direction, and he heard footsteps close-by from inside, so he stayed down until the guy was past, and he knelt up again, taking a few more pictures.

"Where's the next sale?" He heard one guy asking, so he turned the recorder of his phone on.

Another one was about to reply. "Well, we did Afghanistan, guy said Pak-"

Vic was suddenly grabbed from behind by the collar, making him drop his phone as he gasped, because of which it couldn't detect the sounds from inside the warehouse properly, missing the crucial detail. Vic used his arm to cover his face as he was turned around by one guard. "What the hell are you-"

Vic quickly decked him in the solar plexus, making him gasp, while the other guard tried to punch but Vic grabbed him and threw him to the ground, punching him hard thrice, breaking his nose, after which he rolled away and grabbed his phone, though the first guard recovered and grabbed his foot, trying to drag him back, injuring his face.

"INTRUDER!"

Vic lashed out with his other foot, kicking the guy's face and throwing him off, after which he got up while pocketing his phone, seeing the door open, and he turned around and rushed off, running zig-zag, avoiding the shots fired at him, though one grazed his coat, making him wince, even as he managed to run off, the gunshots still being heard by him until he was a far distance away.

"Who the hell was that?" The courier from earlier asked while walking out.

"No idea, but he could have something."

The courier glared at the guards. "You two had one job." They groaned on the ground, bleeding and in pain, while he took out his phone. "I'm calling the boss."

Tot heard a knock on his door, and quickly walked to it, opening it up to see Vic panting, his coat having a hole on its shoulder.

"What the hell happened, Vic?" Tot asked, closing the door, as Vic staggered inside, taking his seat.

"Two guards almost got me", Vic confessed sadly. "Took a few pictures, but got interrupted before I could record what they were talking about. Had to hide my face while running away."

"If they saw your face, you're a dead man", Tot pointed out grimly, walking to a table, pouring some coffee for Vic and himself. "I'm not sure how we're gonna handle a second time, since the danger isn't going to go away. They'd be even more careful now."

"Which means I have to be as well", Vic noted, Tot walking to him with two cups of coffee, Vic taking one as he sipped, and Tot sipped from the other. "I know a way that can be done."

"What?" Tot inquired, putting his cup down after taking another sip.

"Pseudoderm was a breakthrough", Vic hypothesized. "Even with its fatal effect on open wounds, which you couldn't find a way to fix, something like that can't be thrown into the trash. You were always a bit of an optimist, Tot. I know you'd have kept some of it. Not used it, or even thought of selling it, but kept it in the hope that one day, you could improve it, and remove that side-effect." He looked at Tot directly in the eyes. "Am I right on that?"

Tot just stared at him for a few seconds, then took off his glasses while rubbing his face. "Sometimes I wonder how you don't have the answer to if God is real or not."

"I might", Vic shrugged, as Tot walked towards a safe, and kneeling, turned it, until he got the right code, then opened it up, taking out a small packet of what was clearly Pseudoderm.

"Not much, but it will cover your face", Tot said, looking reluctant. "But if you've an open wound-"

"I don't", Vic cut him off while getting up and taking the packet from him. "I'm not an idiot, Tot. I wouldn't wear this if I did. If I get one, I'll wear a bandage first, then this over it." Seeing Tot's look, he added. "Looking fabulous isn't really a concern of mine when I want to get to such stories without being seen."

'THE QUESTION - Original Instrumental Music - William McCarthy' plays

Sage stood in front of the mirror, staring at his face, Tot in the corner, arms folded.

"I made some modifications."

Vic put the Pseudoderm mask on, the features on his face slowly disappearing.

"It doesn't just hide your face."

Vic continued to watch, seeing that there was no face on him now.

It was just a blank. People would question what kind of thing he was if they believed in the supernatural.

"There's a bonding gas. It changes your hair color."

And it did, Vic's hair slowly changing their shade to red.

"Your clothes also."

Vic looked down in the mirror, seeing his coat turn purple now.

"Pretty much, who you are would be a question to everyone."

Behind his faceless mask, Vic smirked, then walked to the corner, picking up the hat that Tot had kept here, putting it on.

"With the Pseudoderm, the hat will stick to your head as long as you've that mask on", Tot informed Vic, who just nodded on hearing that, satisfied with this disguise.

"This time, I'll get my answers."

"Good luck", Tot said, watching Vic walk off.

"How could you let this happen?" Twain angrily yelled at the courier. "We need to find this man, quickly!" Groaning, he added. "And get all the evidence away from this place, then burn it down!" Everyone continued to stare at him, including the courier. "NOW!" All of them immediately got to work.

The two guards were patrolling again, the one with the broken nose having a bandage on his nose, both sharing a look.

"Think we're fired?" The one who'd been kicked by Vic inquired.

"Come on, we tried our best! Look at me!" He pointed at his nose. "They shouldn't blame us, when all of them shot at him and he still esca-"

Suddenly, he was pushed into the other guard, both falling down to the ground, and as they looked up, a boot smashed on their faces each.

Inside, Twain watched, seeing the courier and another man about to pour some oil on the ground, while three others were removing chemicals, and two were loading crates.

"We've 15 minutes! Do it fast!"

That was when the lights shut off.

"Who turned off the lights?"

"Wasn't me?"

"Check it out, you idiots!"

A flashlight was turned on by one of the men loading the crates, and he looked it to search around for the switchboard, turning around, before his light fell on a face.

Or lack thereof.

He screamed in horror just as his own face was grabbed, and then he got punched twice, before going silent.

"FIND IT!"

The lights suddenly came on, the other guy at the crates having blindly found the switchboard, which was when he was suddenly grabbed by the back of his head, and it got slammed into the switchboard, breaking it and turning off the lights again, this time permanently.

The remaining five took out their guns, firing blindly, Twain crying out. "Show your face and face us, you coward!"

Looking at the courier and the other guy, Twain noted they'd dropped the oil already. "Torch it."

The courier took out a lighter to do as asked, lighting it up, when suddenly, his wrist was grabbed, and the 'no-face' appeared in his own face, unnerving him.

"What the-"

Vic headbutted him hard, knocking him out, only for the lighter to fall from his grip before Vic could take it, and it fell to the ground, causing fire to light up, Vic now visible to the remaining people.

Twain's eyes widened in horror on seeing the man's blank face, then, he narrowed them in realization. "Wait, you have the-"

The other four men just started firing at Vic, who rolled away to avoid, and got underneath a table, then on its other side, and even as they fired at him, he kicked the table, shattering the flasks and spilling the chemicals, some of those splashing at two of the men's shoes, burning through and getting to their feet, making them scream in pain.

The other two backed off wisely, while firing in Vic's direction, but he ran around, avoiding all, and disappeared into the darkness, where the light of the flames did not reach. The two looked here and there, trying to find him, when one's head was smashed from behind by a chemical flask, the chemical burning the back of his head as he cried out in pain and fell down, his head burnt, and as the other turned, Vic grabbed him by the collar, and slammed him into a wall, grasping his wrist also, hitting it on the wall as he dropped his gun.

The man then decked Vic's 'no-face', making him fall to the floor, and smashed his foot on Vic's chest thrice, Vic gasping.

"You're a dead man, you hear me?!" The man snarled, grabbing Vic's collar. "I'm gonna-" Vic grasped his wrist and decked his face, staggering him, and grabbing his throat, started pushing up, until he was standing up, though the man still struggled, only for Vic to smash the back of his head on the wall, making him cry out in pain before he fell down, concussed.

Then, Vic turned around, seeing Twain aiming a gun at him with shaking hands.

"Stay back!" He backed off, even as Vic walked at him. "I said STAY BACK!" Vic didn't, causing Twain to shoot, but Vic rolled away to avoid it, and he hid behind a crate, hearing the clicking of the gun when the bullets ran out after Twain continued to fire in his direction. Before Twain could begin to reload, Vic rolled out and got up, grabbing him by the collar.

"You have the Pseudoderm!" Twain gasped, before Vic threw him down, then reached into his pocket. "Who the hell are you?"

"Good question", Vic noted. "I've a better one- why are you selling Pseudoderm?"

"It was a breakthrough! And that idiot Tot decided it should be torched for ONE FLAW!" Twain screamed at Vic, the fire now spreading.

"That flaw caused a death", Vic snarled at him. "And you were going to cause more, as long as you got your money, didn't you?"

"So what? You need money to survive in a city like this one!" Twain simply said. "All this city does is crush us otherwise!"

Vic kneeled down to his level. "It does. But it is up to us to not become crushers like everyone else." Vic shook his head. "You became one. And now you're torching this place so that-"

"To remove evidence", Twain shrugged. "You can't prove I did it! You-"

"Can't I?" Vic suddenly grabbed Twain's hand, and reaching out, grabbed a chemical flask, then poured it on the hand, causing Twain to scream and cry out in pain.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Bet the guy who died felt just like this in his last moments, but much worse", Vic sneered, then grabbed Twain by the back of the collar, dragging him out of the warehouse, which burnt behind them, and as they reached out, he threw Twain on the ground.

"What are you gonna do? Kill me?" Twain asked, still holding his hand, only to hear sirens.

"Nope, called them. They suck", Vic said, pointing to the direction of the siren-lights. "But they'll take care of you. Besides, you got to explain why you were here at this time anyways."

Sneering, Twain asked Vic angrily, "You think you're some hero? The world doesn't care about your little crusade."

"No, it doesn't." Vic shook his head. "But I do."

With that, he walked off, Twain lifting his head to see the 'no-face' man disappear into the dark of the night, while police cars stopped nearby, some cops getting out with guns raised, walking near the fallen Twain, to detain him.

Vic, having a slight bruise on his face, put the phone in front of Tot, both listening to the recording.

"It was a breakthrough! And that idiot Tot decided it should be torched for ONE FLAW!"

"That flaw caused a death. And you were going to cause more, as long as you got your money, didn't you?"

"So what? You need money to survive in a city like this one! All this city does is crush us otherwise!"

Tot looked up at Vic, grinning a bit, as Vic then pressed buttons on the phone, sending the recording to Tot.

"Think you can modify my voice a bit more, and leak it onto the Internet?"

"Child's play, Vic, child's play." Tot lifted up his own phone that had received the recording and walked off to do as asked, before walking back, holding out his hand.

"What?" Vic asked, confused. "I'm not holding anything." He narrowed his eyes. "Unless, you can somehow see atoms in that direction and want to hold them."

Tot tilted his head in confusion, then said. "The mask."

Vic looked thoughtful, Tot asking. "What's the matter?"

"I liked using it", Vic confessed. "Helped me take down Twain, and his men. They didn't even see my face. And after the truth is out, no one is going to listen to him anyways. They won't put two and two together, about this mask being Pseudoderm."

"So you're trying to say that-"

"Gonna use it for some more cases", Vic said with a shrug.

"Just for more sto-"

"You didn't mind when it was your story", Vic pointed out.

"I just wanted to stop the misuse of this invention", Tot replied to that.

Vic smirked. "And I want the corrupt elite to stop misusing this city's resources. That's the real fight, Tot, not a few stories."

With that, he turned around and walked off, Tot watching after him with some concern and hesitation, before walking to this phone to do as asked.

KBEL News

McCready saw an article slammed down on his desk, then looked up to see Vic, noting he'd a slight bruise.

"You look bad."

"Looked worse." Vic shrugged, before McCready started reading the news article, and narrowed his eyes.

"Your proof is-"

"Its all over the Internet already, guy's own words." Vic held out his phone, and revealed an audio clip of the recording on the Internet. "I was looking into him even before this. So I got more details. Want the city to hear?"

McCready just stared at Vic.

Later

Sitting in front of the camera, Vic began to speak. "The recording that has taken this city by storm- respected scientist and Professor Arby Twain was found selling a material he and Professor Aristotle Rodor made but discarded seven years ago, to countries with less resources. Professor Aristotle was reached out for comment, and he revealed it was an artificial skin, working alongside a bonding gas. But it was fatal when applied on open wounds, which is why it was discarded. However, it has been brought to light that Professor Twain did not discard the research, or his part of the material."

An image of Twain appeared behind him. "And it caused the death of a soldier in Afghanistan. Now though, he has been arrested. Question is, what more secrets are the respected in this city hiding? And who is this 'no-face' man he and his men claim took down their operation? More tonight."

Later

Vic sat in his apartment, taking out some powder, and sniffing it again, before his phone beeped, and he saw it was Myra.

"Your story was good. Maybe this city does have hope, because of you of all people."

Vic just put the phone away, and continued sniffing.

'THE QUESTION - Original Instrumental Music - William McCarthy' plays

At nighttime, Vic, now wearing the Pseudoderm mask again, stood on a rooftop, looking down across the entire city.

Hub City has the highest amount of corruption out of all cities in America.

The cop from earlier was pistol-whipping the civilian again.

"You're out of time now!" The cop snarled.

But it is up to the people, to rebel. Clearly, they're all on a leash, given fear or money, or both. Both makes sense.

The cop raised his pistol again.

I don't fear these people. Why be scared when they can't see your face, and you can see theirs?

As the cop brought the pistol down, his hand was suddenly grasped, and he turned to see Vic in his mask standing there.

And I don't want money. All I want…is answers to my questions!

Vic shoved the cop into the wall, and slammed his hand on it thrice, disarming him, before the cop kneed his gut, winding him, and punched him down, lifting up his baton while the civilian he was harassing ran off.

"That was a mistake, you 'no-face' bastard. Who the hell are you?"

As he brought it down, Vic suddenly kicked his gut with both feet, staggering him back, and standing up, grasped his face, and the hand holding the baton.

"Good question, as I always say."

With that, he slammed the guy's head on the wall, making him drop the baton, while he slid down, holding his head in pain, and pinning him down, Vic continued to punch his face, which bled.

Ending credits play.

Chapter Text

Hub City

Reggie Mills, a low-level accountant for the Hub City Police Department, was rushing through a dark alley, constantly looking back in fear after every few seconds to see if anyone was after him or not, then turning back to the front to continue running away from the people who were chasing him. His right hand was inside his pocket, clutching a flash drive very hard, afraid to let it go, as if it was his lifeline.

If he managed to get away and get the flash drive to Vic in time, it might just become his lifeline too.

Getting through the alley, Reggie ran to the right, finding a big pole, and rushed to its other side, taking the flash drive out as he looked at it, and then, he took out his phone, dialling a number, and calling. He heard the ringtone. "Please, pick up, quickly-"

That was when he saw two black SUVs pulling up in front of him, so he turned tail and ran off, even as the person on the other end did not pick up, with the automated voice saying- "The person you are calling is not answering. Please leave a voice mail."

Reggie started doing just that. "I have proof. Fermin's got the police in his pocket. They're laundering money. If I disappear, Vic plea-"

He was cut off when two shadowy figures who'd emerged from the SUVs tackled Reggie to the ground, making the flash drive and phone fall to the ground, even as he tried to crawl and reach those, but one of the two men started dragging him away.

"VIC! Please just he-"

The other man cut the call and picked the phone up alongside the flash drive, with Reggie crying out. "NO! PLEASE! NOOOOOOOOO!"

A question mark is shown over what appears to be a blank face, alongside various pictures and newspaper clippings attached via tape, the title card saying 'THE QUESTION' appearing, as 'THE QUESTION - Original Instrumental Music - William McCarthy' plays in the background, whispers being heard over the noir music.

Next morning, KBEL News Office.

Vic sat at his desk in his office, looking at his phone, his expression grim, as he pressed play for the umpteenth time, listening to the voice message that had been left for him.

"I have proof. Fermin's got the police in his pocket. They're laundering money. If I disappear, Vic plea-"

Then there were sounds of a struggle, and those were followed by-

"VIC! Please just he-"

And that was it, the call was cut after that. Vic cursed himself for not having listened to this voicemail in time. If he'd gotten there earlier, perhaps Reggie would still be fine.

Even then, Reggie had found something out, and it was up to him to crack open the case like he always did.

"Don't worry, Reggie. You've something to crack the case open, and expose that jerk I already know is up to no good. I'll find you."

Picking up his phone, Vic pocketed it, then stood up, taking his bag as well, and walking off to the office of McCready.

Reaching the office, Vic saw McCready look up at him, and just played the voice message that he had on him.

"I have proof. Fermin's got the police in his pocket. They're laundering money. If I disappear, Vic plea-"

Then the sounds of the struggle, followed by-

"VIC! Please just he-"

And then, the call cutting.

"What'd you say, boss?" Vic asked in his usual detached tone, McCready not looking very convinced by this.

"You know this guy?"

"Low-level accountant in the police department, helped out on the water supply story last year", Vic shrugged while taking a seat. "He was a good source, if something has happened to him, which we know it has, considering that voice message, he is onto something big. That being the Mayor being corrupt, which is not a surprise at all, but he has tangible evidence about it, clearly."

"And now he is missing, so that tangible evidence is not with us", McCready pointed out. "Even he is not with us, so I'm not sure if there's anything we can do, Vic."

"We can try to find out the truth, which is what we're supposed to do here", Vic pointed out, but McCready put a hand on his employee's shoulder, leaning in closer to Vic's face.

"Look, you want to fight for justice and all, its admirable, everyone should do that", McCready assured Vic, then added. "But in a city like this, you got to be careful. You've already ruffled many feathers, Vic, and if you do this, there won't be any going back. What happened to this guy can easily happen to you too, are you ready to accept that risk?" McCready leaned back, his arms folded. "Because I am not, and neither is the rest of this news station."

Vic just sighed. "You told me we're supposed to be fearless, and do anything for a story, to fight for justice. Now you're saying this? Did they get to you?"

McCready looked offended at the accusation. "No, they didn't, Vic! I'm just looking out for you!" He quickly added. "Even if a lot of things you say drive me nuts, you are my best reporter, so I don't wanna see anything happen to you, that's all"

Vic shrugged, then stood up, pocketing his phone while turning to the door. "I've been fine all this time, boss, I'm sure I can handle it. Besides, even if nothing pops up here, I'm sure that guy without a face who popped up last week would pop up again to make his way to our papers."

"Man first exposed Twain, then beat up a cop, I wonder what his goal is", McCready had to say.

"Maybe he is just someone who was tired of seeing the rot in this city, and decided to do something about it", Vic muttered, then walked off, leaving his employer pondering over his words.

Vic walked into the precinct that was closest to the scene of crime, deciding to poke the bear itself at the very start, see if he could get a reaction.

The police here are fine as long as Wesley pays them to do whatever they want to do. Which is why anyone taking a shot at the Mayor, ends up being targeted by them. They think they're tough when going after the weak. Stand up to them, and they'd fold faster than the Arrow on laundry day.

Seeing the police captain, Vic immediately walked to him. "Captain Wallace-"

"Sage", Eric Wallace scoffed in anger, even as Vic walked next to him. "Why are you here?"

"Someone from your own department went missing last night", Vic pointed out to the police captain. "Reggie Mills, the accountant."

"We got loads of people working here, accountants included, no one notices a low-level worker like that not showing up", Wallace simply countered while walking into his office, Vic standing at the door, watching Wallace take his seat. "Maybe the guy got drunk and fell down in a ditch or something?"

"Captain Wallace, he may be a low-level accountant, but he is part of the police force, please try to take this seriously", Vic warned him. "Unless you or your boss made him disappear, in which case I'd say you should take it even more seriously than you already are!"

"Don't accuse me with your nutty theories, Sage", Wallace threatened the journalist. "We got more important things to do than look for some missing small-time worker."

"Really? Aren't you all supposed to serve and protect?" Vic asked, making Wallace stand up angrily. "A man went missing, someone working for you, in fact, and you think there is something more important than finding him?" As Wallace walked closer, Vic added. "Did you find out the day of Armageddon or something? That could be more important, I guess, but only that, whenever it happens, and if it is now-"

Wallace grasped Vic's shoulder roughly, Vic wincing just a little, while glaring at the man. "Don't tell me how to do my job, Sage. You're a journalist, not a cop."

"Well, I'm doing my job right, so I guess that makes me qualified on telling you how to do your job right", Vic countered, Wallace angrily shoving him out of his office.

"Get outta here, Sage. Its just a simple missing person case, there's way worse going on, like that guy with no face beating on that cop last week. Maybe he took your pal, to beat him up or something", Wallace snarled.

"I've got a voice message from Reggie before he was taken-" Vic started, but Wallace cut him off.

"Well, you're doing your job, right? In that case, go off and do your job!" With that, Wallace slammed the door of his office shut, Vic shaking his head and turning around, walking off.

He didn't fold, but he has something to hide.

Vic noticed a few other cops giving him looks, but when he looked back at them, they turned away quickly, Vic filing that away for later on.

As do the rest of them. They know what went down, but they're not gonna talk to me, because they don't want to be dragged out into the light. This city swallows people who ask the wrong questions."

Later

Tot heard the knock on his door, and opened it up to see Vic on the other side, his face grim. Tot beckoned Vic to come in, which he did, Tot shutting the door behind his friend, seeing Vic taking his seat already, as Tot went off to get some coffee for the both of them. "Bad day at work?"

"This guy I know went missing, accountant at the Hub City Police Department", Vic explained to Tot, who started brewing some coffee for Vic and himself. "Tried to talk to the Captain."

"I can already imagine how that went", Tot said while cringing, noting the coffee was ready, so he brought out two mugs, then poured the coffee into them both, before putting the container away, and after that, he held both the cups and walked over to Vic, handing him one cup, while sipping from the other one himself.

"Yep, guy has a lot of stuff to hide, didn't even hear the recorded message Reggie had sent me before they took him away", Vic commented, then took a sip of the coffee himself. "Like usual, it is up to me to solve this. Everything in this city falls to me. Makes me wonder, if there is something out there making these things happen, then sitting back with popcorn to watch me crack the case for its own entertainment."

Tot just stared at Vic for a few seconds, blinking a few times while his mind processed what the man had said.

He considered Vic a good and trusted friend, he did. After all, there was a reason he'd asked Vic to look into Twain when Tot had rightfully suspected him of selling the Pseudoderm illegally to make money, and Vic had exposed the guy, getting him arrested, with Tot's faith in him rewarded.

But then there were times like these where Tot wondered how crazy Vic could be with those conspiracy theories he kept spouting randomly from time to time, albeit Tot wouldn't be surprised if a few of them turned out to be true, but all of them? Hell no!

Still, even with his conspiracy theories, Tot found Vic one of the few sensible people in Hub City to speak with.

"I heard a guy with no face beat up a cop last week", Tot then said, Vic immediately freezing, the coffee cup close to his lips.

"He was harassing a guy to pay him up, I decided he'd get his payment…..with fists", Vic shrugged, Tot sighing and shaking his head, as he finished his coffee and put the cup away, then took his glasses off, staring at Vic with his bare eyes now.

"Look, I don't approve of these methods, but I get it, I won't call it out, considering I benefitted when you used these same methods to stop Twain", Tot assured Vic. "But still, word of advice- if you keep poking at the bears too much, they will bite and claw back, and there won't be anywhere left to go."

Vic just finished his own coffee, and put the cup down as well.

"Well, until that day comes, I shall freely poke as much as I want."

Tot sighed, wondering when this had become his life, but still nodded, grudgingly accepting of Vic's choice ultimately.

Vic knocked on the door before him, and it was opened by a middle-aged woman.

"Yes?"

"I'm Vic Sage", Vic introduced himself, holding out his hand. "You must be Katherine, Reggie's wife."

She shook his hand, before stepping aside to let him in. "Reggie told me about you after you two worked together last year."

Katherine closed the door, while Vic just stood, until Katherine gestured to a small couch, that he took for himself, and she sat before him. "Do you need water?"

"No, I just came to ask you a few things, so I could get a better idea on how to approach this", Vic replied, Katherine nodding, the journalist seeing the concern for her husband that she had on her face. "Do you know what Reggie was up to when they took him?"

"I know, he told me. He'd dirt on the police and the Mayor, he was trying to expose it", Katherine noted, wiping a tear from her eye. "I told him to keep his head down at first, and not be a hero. But he didn't listen to me. Now he is not here!" It looked like she'd cry, but she barely controlled herself. "And no one is trying to find him!"

"I am", Vic pointed out to her. "The moment they took him, they just confirmed to me that he had something on them. That means they're guilty with something to hide."

"Well, my husband isn't here, so I'm not sure what you can do without any information on this", Katherine replied, and Vic could not deny her point either.

"Right, you're right", Vic confessed to her. "That's why I'm here. Can you tell me any places your husband frequents, other than the precinct? Would make it easier to try and track him down."

"He actually called me last night, before they took him", Katherine revealed, to Vic's relief, since the timing of that could really help him. Taking out her phone, Katherine showed Vic the time of the call, it was 11:15 PM.

Vic then looked at his own phone for a reminder, and saw the voice mail had come to him at 11:40 PM., meaning not very long after.

"Did he tell you where he was when he called?" Vic asked the woman.

"Its that dive bar, at the 5th Sector", Katherine revealed to Vic. "He goes there to have a drink from time to time. Off-duty cops frequent that place a lot."

"He probably thought going to a place swarming with cops would reduce the suspicion on him", Vic commented, giving his own hypothesis, then stood up. "Thank you for your help, Mrs. Mills. I will now try to track him from there on." With that, he walked out, closing the door behind him, Katherine just looking down sadly, part of her hoping her husband was fine, and the other part scared of if something had already happened to him.

Vic stood at her door, and reaching into his bag, he pulled out a small packet, then took the powder out and sniffed it, even as he continued to walk ahead, uncaring of the consequences in this moment.

Arriving at the dive bar in 5th Sector, Vic looked at its sign, then walked inside, seeing three cops in a corner, all laughing together at something one of them had said, drunk, glasses in their hands. Turning, he saw another cop taking his own drink, then walking past Vic, bumping his shoulder on purpose, Vic just sighing and rolling his eyes, not caring much about that.

What he cared about was finding out what had happened to Reggie.

Walking up to the guy at the bar, Vic stood there for a while, with the guy asking. "Want anything? Strong or weak? Single or-"

"I'm actually hear to ask you a few questions", Vic told the guy in no uncertain terms.

"Cops here don't ask a thing, who're you?" The guy asked, looking quite curious now.

Vic just lifted up his ID, showing him who and what he was. "A journalist."

"Ah, makes sense, they can never let go."

Vic chuckled. "No we can't." Then, his face turning serious again, Vic asked. "A frequent customer of yours was taken last night, not very far from here."

"Which one? I've a lot of frequent customers, so you've to be more specific there."

"Reggie Mills", Vic immediately said the name, some cops hearing and giving him looks from where they sat, while the bartender did a little double-take, something Vic easily got, and he knew it was because of the cops.

"Look, I don't know anything about that", the bartender told Vic. "I mean, I served him drinks all the time, but I don't really talk about people's personal lives much, whether it's him or any of the cops here." Leaning in, he whispered. "You know how most of those guys are, best to not look eye-to-eye with them on anything."

Vic could tell he might know more, but he was genuinely afraid of these cops, so he decided not to ask him anything. "It's fine." He reassured, then turned to the various cops, who were giving him looks from time to time. Before he could do anything, someone grasped his shoulder, Vic turning to see it was yet another cop.

Reading his badge, Vic got the name- 'Detective Sam Duffy'.

"Can I help you with anything?" Vic simply asked Detective Duffy, who gestured to a corner, then led Vic to that corner, Vic not resisting, since even in the corner, they were visible to others, so it was clear the guy wasn't trying to put a beating on him.

If he does put a beating on me, would the rest really care enough to step in?

He looked at some cops, drinking and laughing amongst themselves again.

Don't think so.

He turned back to Duffy. "What'd you want?"

"I know that guy, he was nice", Duffy told Vic. "And I've an idea on what happened to him."

"What?" Vic simply asked.

"Well, he liked to gamble a lot, at that Hubsino place", Duffy confessed, Vic simply tilting his head while processing this piece of information. "He got a lot of debts on him. I think one of the loan sharks got to him last night."

"Is that so?" Vic inquired, Duffy just nodding, then patting his shoulder.

"Good luck with finding him."

With that, Duffy walked off, Vic watching after him, as another cop came up to Duffy, both of them now speaking in hushed whispers.

His wife didn't mention any gambling debts. Even if its more likely that he got taken because of dirt on the Mayor, if he'd debts, she'd have told me about those, just in case.

The other cop shared a nod with Duffy, then walked off outside, Vic taking out his phone and putting it to his ear, pretending to talk to someone.

"Yeah boss, I'll have something up soon", he said to absolutely no one while walking out behind the other cop, making sure he looked discreet enough, and getting out, he saw the cop just walking away on his own, calling a cab as he stopped at one place, and the cab stopped, allowing him to get in.

Seeing another cab coming in, Vic stopped it, and then got inside. "Follow that other cab." Like last time, he could tell the cabbie was weirded out. "I'm paying, don't worry." Shrugging, the cabbie put his foot on the accelerator and followed the other cab.

After about a few minutes, the other cab stopped near what looked like a small building, the cop getting out and paying his driver, who immediately left, so Vic told his driver. "Stop!" The cabbie did, Vic getting out and paying him. "Here!"

"Hey, have we met before?" The cabbie asked, and Vic shook his head.

"Don't think that we have."

With that, Vic walked to the building, but stopped before he could step inside.

There could be danger here.

Reaching into his bag, Vic pulled out the Pseudoderm mask, then seeing a garbage dump in an alley nearby, Vic ran to it, and kept his bag underneath it, so that it'd remain hidden, and just in case some sort of garbage disposal came in for the trash, at least his bag wouldn't be taken alongside it.

'THE QUESTION - Original Instrumental Music - William McCarthy' plays

Vic put his mask on.

With that, his facial features disappeared, his hair color changed to red, and the coat that he wore turned purple too, while he put the hat on.

Time for some questions and answers.

And then, Vic rushed into the building, kicking the door open. He looked around, finding it empty, nothing inside it, not even a table or chair, no fridge either, meaning no one lived here, but since Duffy's associate had come here, Vic knew there was something going on in this place.

As he turned around, he saw there was an elevator over here, and that gave him an idea of what could be going on.

So, he pressed the button, the elevator doors opening up, and he walked inside, the elevator now taking him down, into a basement of sorts, from where he could hear very loud cheering from people, as well as grunts and smashes. The elevator finally stopped, and the doors opened up, Vic walking out to see various cops and other people gathered around a cage!

Inside the cage, two people were fighting, both without their shirts, one bald, and the other with facial hair.

Amongst the cheering cops was Duffy's associate also.

The bald one grabbed the one with the facial hair in a chokehold, and leapt, slamming them both down, the people around cheering loudly again.

"SMASH! SMASH! SMASH! SMASH! SMASH!"

Getting up, the bald one grabbed the other guy again, and slammed his head to the ground, drawing some blood and knocking him out finally, with everyone cheering at the fighting once more.

"Come on, pay up!" One guy said to another, the other guy already taking out money, and as Vic looked around, more payments were made.

A bet, clearly.

Feeling a hand to his shoulder, Vic turned to see it was another cop.

"Hey! It's that no face guy who-"

Vic immediately decked the cop on the nose, dazing him, and reaching down, quickly took his gun, then put the guy in front of himself, the gun aimed at his head, right as other cops aimed at him, but now, this cop was in their way, and Vic wasn't moving his own gun away either, so it was clear there wasn't much they could do about this right now.

"Let him go, no face, and we won't shoot", Duffy's associate told Vic, not that he cared about the threat.

"You are not allowed here!" The fight club owner snarled as he pointed at Vic, but Vic wasn't ruffled by the threats.

"Who the hell are you?" Another one asked him. "And why are you assaulting cops?"

"As I always say, good questions", Vic shrugged.

"What are you then? A question yourself?" One more inquired.

"If that's what you want me to be", Vic replied, then briefly aimed his gun at them, and put it back at the cop's head. "I'm here for you." He gestured to Duffy's associate. "You're gonna answer a few questions of mine, it can go easy, or it can go rough. Of course, rough has many meanings, as does easy, people saying 'easy' can put a light beating too, as we've seen throughout history, but-"

He was cut off when suddenly, his hand was grasped from the side, and as he turned, a muscular shirtless man decked him, sending him to the floor, causing him to drop his gun, as others stared at the scene, with the muscular man kicking Vic, making him groan as he rolled away in pain.

The other cops started aiming their guns, but the man raised his hand. "Oh no! He is mine!" Grabbing Vic by the collar, he lifted him up. "That cop you beat up last week was my little brother, jackass! You're gonna pay for that!" He headbutted Vic, dazing him, then spinning him around, threw him into a wall in the corner, Vic hitting it and falling to the floor, groaning.

The muscular guy marched towards Vic, grabbing him by the back of the collar, picking him back up, and reared his fist back to land another punch.

Only this time, Vic kneed him, right between his legs, causing him to scream in pain, as he let go.

And then, Vic decked his jaw thrice, before grabbing onto him and kneeing his gut two more times. Roaring, the guy grabbed Vic and hurled him into the other direction, where the other cops were, preparing to aim again, but he held up his hand, wanting to deal with Vic himself.

As he got closer, Vic rolled away, and launched both feet forwards into the guy's gut, causing him to gasp in pain while he knelt down, and Vic wrapped both feet around the guy's neck, only for him to get up and grab onto both feet of the vigilante, roaring and spinning him around, before throwing him off, right into another cop.

And as luck would have it, this one was none other than Duffy's associate, whom he'd been trailing so far, with both of them on the floor at this point, groaning.

The muscular guy walked towards them both again, but Vic acted quickly. Reaching into the holster of Duffy's associate, Vic pulled his gun out, and getting up, used it to whack the muscular man on his face, drawing blood while he staggered away, and then he whacked him two more times, before hitting his nose as he screamed, the nose broken, while he fell down.

Right as the other cops began to aim their guns, Vic quickly picked up Duffy's associate, and held him hostage, backing off from the rest.

"Stay back, or he gets it", Vic warned, reaching the elevator soon.

"Do something!" The cop begged, but no one did, Vic pressing the button as the doors opened, and he went inside, not letting the cop go, after which the doors closed, and the elevator began going up, Vic throwing the cop down.

"You are gonna-"

Vic pistol whipped the cop hard, making him fall down while he spat out some blood. "What did you do to Reggie Mills?"

"Who?"

"The accountant!" Vic pistol whipped him again, throwing him to the ground. "I know he was taken by cops like yourself, tell me what you know otherwise-"

"Otherwise what?"

Vic pulled the trigger, hitting the spot right next to the cop's knee, making him gasp in fear while the elevator reached the top, the door opening, though Vic stood in between them, to make sure they would not close. "Next one shall go into you." The cop was still not responding, causing Vic to pull the trigger just a bit further. "Want to test the theory?"

Finally, the cop spoke. "All right, all right! I'll tell you what I know!" Vic just gestured the cop to go on. "Reggie never had debts! The cops did take him, but I don't know where!"

"Who took him?"

When he didn't respond, Vic fired, and got him in the shoulder, making him scream in pain.

"Duffy! Sam Duffy!"

That was when shots were fired, and Vic looked down, bullets going through the elevator's bottom, and would have hit his feet had he not been standing at the doors, as the cop got hit by what he'd describe as 'friendly fire', making him scream louder, with Vic quickly backing off from the elevators and taking the gun with him, since it might have his fingerprints now.

Reaching outside, Vic quickly ran to the garbage dump, and reaching down, pulled his bag out, after which he ran away, and threw the gun into the water down below, then rushed off, right into another alley, where he took his Pseudoderm mask off, and put it back inside his bag. Then, he took a deep breath, calming himself down, and breathed out, after which he walked off like a normal person, so as to not look suspicious.

Sam Duffy was now getting out of the bar, which was when he saw Vic Sage before him, a few bruises on his face.

"Hey man!" Duffy greeted him amicably. "Found anything?" Noticing his face, Duffy also asked. "And what happened there?"

"Rough guards at the casino", Vic lied through his teeth, Duffy just nodding.

"Yeah, that happens a lot, so-"

"Reggie did not have any gambling debts", Vic immediately said, causing Duffy to stop talking mid-sentence, Vic just glaring at him.

I did not confirm if he had any, but I know that wasn't why he was taken.

Duffy stared at Vic, clutching one fist of his.

His reaction makes that clear to me. He doesn't even know his own associate gave me his name.

"Look, I don't know what you're trying to do", Duffy began. "But Reggie is not everyone's priority, there are a lot of things going on in this city, you should understand that. If not because of gambling, he got taken because of something else, or by a criminal, could be anything, just stop asking about it all the time."

"That's what I do though", Vic pointed out. "And I know you lied about his debts, since you did not deny it right now. Tell me, Duffy, what happened to him?"

Duffy grew angry, and grabbed Vic by the collar, slamming him into a wall nearby, while he got into Vic's face, sneering at him.

"You think you scare me, Sage? You're just a guy who writes stories and then speaks those stories on the news channel to get a bunch of views. We are the ones who write history."

"What kind of history?" Vic inquired, completely unphased, as Duffy reared his fist back, and hit Vic in the gut, winding him as he went down on his knees.

"This was just a little warning, come around again and I'll give you the full package. Whatever kind of history it is, it won't be remembering you at all, not even as an annoyance." With that, Duffy turned around and walked off, giving Vic one last glare and scoff, after which he left the area, and Vic looked up, narrowing his eyes, Duffy's actions making it even clearer that he operated freely without any fear of consequences regardless of whatever he did, including assaulting a reporter just for asking a few questions.

Tit for that, as they say.

Duffy walked to his car, opening the door, but just before he could get in, someone grabbed his wrist in a hold, and then grabbed his head, slamming it on the hood of the car, making him grunt in pain while his face bled, and then, Vic, dressed up as the Question, held his face up.

"What'd you do to Reggie Mills?" Vic asked, his voice a bit morphed.

Looking at the glass, Duffy caught the reflection of the no face guy.

"Its you….." Duffy growled. "Assaulted that other guy last week, and now me, huh? What'd you want?"

"The truth", Vic sneered. "What did you do to Reggie? Tell me!"

"As if!" Duffy sneered, only for his face to get slammed into the hood a second time, breaking his nose while he screamed in agony.

"Damn you!" Vic slammed his face a third time, knocking him out, as his unconscious body slid to the ground, and getting into the car, Vic opened the compartment, seeing a few things, including a phone. Taking the phone, Vic got out, and knelt near Duffy, checking his pockets, seeing there was another phone in one of the pockets.

Vic quickly opened the other phone, and it asked for a fingerprint.

Grasping the unconscious Duffy's wrist, Vic pressed one finger onto the phone, opening it up, and walked off, first changing the biometrics to make sure the phone would not need to be opened up by anything of Duffy's again.

This is for the unsavory tasks he has to do.

Vic then checked the call history, seeing one number having called him a few times, and the latest was from last night, around 10:53 PM, not long before Reggie had vanished.

Walking off, Vic turned the voice message on.

"Reggie Mills knows too much, get rid of him."

Later, Vic sat in his apartment, scrolling through the burner phone, while holding his own phone to his ear with his other hand, hearing the other side ring, until it was picked up.

"Hello, Vic", Myra's voice came to him from the other side. "What's up?"

"An accountant for the Hub City Police Department went missing last night after calling me to tell me something", Vic informed his ex-girlfriend, now a Mayoral candidate. "The police seem to be involved, since when I asked them about this, they just kept sending me in circles the entire time. And I think Wesley is part of this too."

He could Myra's groan of annoyance from the other end. "How many times are we gonna go over this, Vic? Wesley is innocent of whatever you're accusing him of, you have no proof."

"Try questioning him", Vic requested.

"I would, but I've no reason to. Stop this crusade of yours."

Vic sighed, then told Myra. ""This city's burning, and you're standing next to the guy holding the match, even though you want to put the fire out."

Still scrolling through the burner phone, Vic looked at the messages, and his eyes widened on seeing one from the Mayor, around 12 AM, which said- "Dump it near the warehouse that burnt down last week."

He knew just what warehouse this message was talking about, and if Reggie had been killed with his body dumped there, it could still be there.

It was nightfall now, and Vic, dressed up as the Question, reached the warehouse, hiding behind a crate, looking at the burnt remains of the warehouse, courtesy of himself of course. He opened each crate one by one, trying to find the body, but there was nothing. The burner phone was in his hand, since if he kept it at his home for too long, the police would track it, and then it would be revealed that Vic Sage was the no face question guy assaulting cops.

But no matter how much he searched, there was no body to be found here.

Looks like they cleaned it up. They knew I'd see the message.

Then, Vic heard sirens, and turned, seeing various cop cars arrive, with some cops getting out, aiming their guns, Vic running, the burner phone still in hand.

"FREEZE!" One cop screamed, even as Vic ran, and they all opened fire, Vic ducking and weaving behind crates to dodge, though one shot managed to hit the phone, destroying it as Vic gasped, seeing it fall to the floor, shattered, causing him to groan as he ran off, avoiding more shots, and disappearing into the night, the cops lowering their guns as they glared ahead into the darkness.

Returning to his apartment, Vic punched the wall angrily, then turned the TV on, seeing Wesley Fermin at a press conference.

"We'd a great gala last night, raised a lot of money for my fiancée's campaign", Wesley was telling all the reporters that were around him. "Took the entire night, but we got it done. Here's to Myra Connelly for Mayor!" Everyone cheered, as Vic groaned, slumping to the ground while shutting the door.

He has an alibi. Perfect, airtight, and one that makes people go 'awww', because who doesn't love a good romance?

Hearing the phone ring, Vic pulled it out, seeing it was none other than Myra. Bracing himself already, Vic accepted the call, putting the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Seriously, what are you trying to do, Vic?" Myra asked him angrily. "All you do is accuse Wesley of being corrupt, and there is no evidence for any of it. Are you jealous or just decided to make him the target of your conspiracy theories? Or both? He your George Soros or something?"

"Myra, listen-"

But she wasn't going to listen at this point. ""Maybe you don't care about this city, Vic. Maybe you just don't want me to be happy."

Vic froze, speechless for once, just as the call was cut.

Sighing, he put the phone down, then reached into his bag, pulling out a packet, and then, holding the powder in his hand, Vic sniffed it, leaning his head back.

This is the taste of defeat. Might as well make it pleasing before going on to the next round. Because don't kid yourself, this is our cage match, and the entire city is the cage, watching us go at it. And if there is someone up there who watches us for entertainment, well, there you go, you'll have it.

With that, he closed his eyes, continuing to sniff the powder.

Wesley sat in his office, alone, before the door opened, Detective Sam Duffy walking in, a bandage over his nose now.

"Sage won't stop", Duffy said grimly, Wesley nodding at that.

"Well, we'll have to make him learn when to quit soon", Wesley sneered, leaning back into his chair, Duffy nodding as he put something at Wesley's desk.

Reggie's bloodied ID badge!

"There's this no face guy too. They're calling him the Question now, because he says 'good question' a lot", Duffy informed the Mayor. "He has been beating on cops a lot, and seems to be on our case as well. He'll be a problem."

Wesley just shrugged with a smirk. "We'll deal with him."

Ending credits play.

Chapter Text

In a back alley behind a rundown bar, a man stood, nervously lighting up a cigarette, then putting it into his mouth, and taking in a breath, he breathed out, smoke emanating from his mouth as well now, his nerves calming down due to this. This was Danny "Ghost" Alvarez, a street-level informant, and he'd found some things he needed to share with a certain someone.

Taking out his phone, Danny went to 'Contacts', then scrolled through various names, before finding a specific name, of a certain someone.

Victor!

Quickly, he dialed, then put the phone to his ear, muttering. "Pick up, pick up!"

In a few seconds, it was picked up. "Hello, Danny?"

"Vic!" Danny sighed in relief, glad he'd picked up the call in time. "I got something. Big. But it's dangerous. We gotta meet—fast."

"Sure, what is it?"

Only, before Danny could reply, a SUV pulled up nearby, causing him to mutter. "Oh shit!"

"What's going on?"

"They're here!" Danny cried out in fear, and began to run, as two people got out of the SUV, and gave chase to him.

"Danny, what's happening? Who is there?"

Danny started. "I'm near the Avenue Carl Bar! And its-"

WHACK!

Danny fell down, knocked out, his head having been whacked by a bat, while one of the two men picked him up, walking back to the SUV with the man.

"Danny? Danny?!"

The other man crushed the phone with his foot, then the fallen cigarette, Vic's voice no longer audible, and then, he too returned to the SUV, and within seconds, it drove away.

A question mark is shown over what appears to be a blank face, alongside various pictures and newspaper clippings attached via tape, the title card saying 'THE QUESTION' appearing, as 'THE QUESTION - Original Instrumental Music - William McCarthy' plays in the background, whispers being heard over the noir music.

Next morning, KBEL News Office

"People are still asking who this man without a face is", Vic was speaking, the cameras all upon him, as he showed a sketch of the figure, which unbeknownst to all but Tot and himself, was him in his vigilante guise, behind him. "The cops have begun to call him 'The Question', claiming he has a habit of saying 'good question' every time they ask him who he is. However, no one is any closer to finding out anything else about him. Who is he? What are his intentions? More tonight."

With that, a voice said 'Cut', and Vic stood up, walking past the cameraman, with the shooter of the segment saying. "All right, that was some good stuff, Vic, you put more emotion than usual-"

He was completely ignored though, Vic walking past him, making him freeze mid-sentence, as he and the cameraman shared a strange look, both of them used to Vic's mannerisms, just like everyone else in the building was too.

Returning to his office, Vic shut the door, and took out his phone, having recorded the last call with Danny right before he'd been taken, reminded of what had happened to Reggie Mills just a week ago, who too had been taken right while trying to call Vic over something he'd found.

Vic pressed the 'on' button, hearing everything.

"Hello, Danny?"

"Vic! I got something. Big. But it's dangerous. We gotta meet—fast."

"Sure, what is it?"

Then, there was the sound of tires screeching.

"Oh shit!"

"What's going on?"

"They're here!"

"Danny, what's happening? Who is there?"

"I'm near the Avenue Carl Bar! And its-"

WHACK!

"Danny? Danny?!"

Vic sighed sadly, the recording stopping, while he picked up the phone and then went into his boss' office, McCready looking up at Vic with a little smile.

"Saw the segment you shot, pretty good, keep that up", McCready said, Vic nodding while he took a seat before McCready.

"Another informant of mine went missing last night, its very similar to Reggie Mills last week", Vic told his boss, looking quite worried about him. "He said he'd his hands on something big, then he went missing."

"What'd you think it is?" McCready inquired.

"Well, could be he found aliens", Vic replied, McCready looking at him incredulously. "I mean, we're getting people with powers recently in Central City, most likely due to that Particle Accelerator exploding, so this is not that far out there."

"One step at a time, Vic", McCready begged him. He liked the guy, he was a good journalist when he was trying, but these conspiracy theories were always a handful and too much to deal with. "We got people with powers over in Central City, got it. Anyways, I'm not sure what to do unless you find out anything more about your guy, so you can go ahead. After the segment today, I don't mind letting you do what you want for a while."

"Thanks boss", Vic said, then turning around, walked back into his office, sighing in relief. The boss was in a better mood this time than usual, so there wasn't as much hindrance in his path as before.

Getting back inside his office, Vic shut the door, and sat down, looking at the powder which he took out from his bag, wanting to sniff some.

Still, he himself was in a slightly better mood now, and put it back down into the bag.

The boss still needs me reciting line after line to pass off as 'news', and luckily, the other me makes for a very good source of news. No one can stop talking about him due to more frequent sightings of him, and we even have a name for him now- The Question. I actually like it, I do like to ask a lot of questions, to get the answers for them all. Like what was Ferdinand Magellan's plan if he turned out to be wrong about the Earth being a sphere? Or what Danny was trying to tell me before these people took him? Its very eerily similar to what happened with Reggie last week, I hope I get something more this time. Luckily, he gave me the name of the place he was at.

Later

Vic arrived at the Avenue Carl Bar, a very rundown place. The dive bar from last week where the cops hung out had a shady look but was maintained decently. This place, was not, to put it mildly. Probably didn't even have the funding to look like a half-decent place and all, sad really.

Those who harm others get all the luxuries of the world over here. Those who just want to live, they don't even get resources to live with basic needs.

Opening the door, Vic went in, no bouncers checking him either. Clearly, the place couldn't even afford those. Albeit, the dive bar with the cops had no bouncers either, but that was for entirely different reasons as well.

There were very few patrons here, all having drinks, some looking at Vic warily, not that he cared about it. Seeing the bartender cleaning a few glasses, Vic walked up to him. "Hey there."

"Hello", the bartender said, narrowing his eyes, seeming to recognize Vic. "Aren't you the guy from the news?"

"Yeah, that'd be me, pleased to meet a fan", Vic quipped, the bartender shrugging as he kept his cloth down, and put one of the glasses away.

"Why are you here?" The bartender simply inquired.

"I imagine you are familiar with Danny Alvarez", Vic noted, the bartender's eyes lighting up.

"Oh, him? He is a regular here", the bartender confirmed to Vic. "He was here just last night as well, then left in a hurry."

"Do you know that he went missing?" Vic inquired, the bartender's eyes widening, while some of the patrons at the bar looked up from where they were, shock on their faces.

"Really? How? When?"

"Just last night, after leaving this place", Vic told the man, causing him to gulp on hearing all that.

"Look, I don't know anything, he left this place-"

"Oh, I know you didn't have anything to do with this", Vic reassured the bartender, making him sigh in relief. "He was already out of here when he called me, and that's when he was taken, I'm not sure by who."

"Well, I don't know either", the bartender shrugged. "He was a nice guy. Bit weird, but nice."

"I know", Vic sighed. "We met a few months ago, he could get to places where I couldn't, he had a shady past, but he was trying to move on, be better, do some good in this city that supports only crime and corruption. But now, someone got to him, and I must find out who it was. Because whatever Danny was looking into, it was big, he told me as such just before they took him."

The bartender just gave a sigh, and took a seat, rubbing his head. "Well then, it looks like he got too close to something. People like us? We don't ask questions like you do, Vic."

"I know, and that's why I do this, so that others don't have to", Vic told the man. "Anyways, it's a bad neighbourhood, I'd advice you be careful and all."

The bartender just shrugged. "Oh, we know how bad it is. People going missing all the time, especially girls, if you hadn't told me about what Danny was looking into, wouldn't even give him going missing a second thought really."

"Interesting", Vic commented. "Anyways, I'll be off." He handed a card to the bartender. "If you find anything, you can reach me over here."

The man nodded, while Vic walked to the doors, opening them and walking out of the bar, sighing.

Well, that was mostly a bust. But did find out something- people go missing here a lot. That's something worth looking into.

Walking off, Vic decided to go to a side, trying to find anything.

People are usually kidnapped in alleys. Not sure why that is, but it happens so much, that its worth checking out at this point.

Walking into the alley himself, Vic looked around, then looked down, seeing the crushed cigarette from the previous night, and right next to it, the crushed phone!

Lucky me!

Kneeling down, Vic picked up the broken phone and pocketed it for himself.

Vic put the phone right before Tot, who looked down at it, eyes narrowed behind his glasses, after which he looked back up at Vic.

"This belonged to your informant who got taken away last night?" Tot asked, just to be sure, and Vic nodded.

"Yeah, the kidnappers thought crushing the phone would be enough to hide them, but they clearly don't know me, or the fact that I know you", Vic said, Tot realizing what Vic's intentions were with all of this. "Can you fix this and look into it and all?"

"Yep, shouldn't be hard for me, Vic", Tot told him, picking the broken phone up and looking it over. "Gonna take a few hours, but will get it done."

"Besides, was thinking of asking you to make a burner phone for me also", Vic told Tot. "Maybe after you've made this, I can just use this as my burner?"

"You think Danny is no longer with us?" Tot inquired.

"I'd like to hope for the best, but knowing this city, its not really possible, Tot", Vic pointed out to him, and as much as Tot hated to admit it, Vic was right about that. "Anyways, just get it fixed. I think we can find more in his contacts and all."

"Will do, Vic, and like I always say, be careful", Tot told Vic. "Last week, you tried to accuse the Mayor, didn't really pan out at the end, did it?"

"Not this time, but there's always the next time. I'm not letting this go until I have something", Vic said very firmly, and Tot knew that Vic wasn't going to give up until he could nail Wesley Fermin to the cross over everything.

"Just make sure Myra doesn't hate you anymore than she already does after what happened last week", Tot reminded, Vic sighing, since he knew Tot had a point about that.

"When she finds out I was right about her guy all along, she is not gonna hate me anymore", Vic simply said in reply, then walked out, Tot watching after him with another sigh, as he took off his glasses and cleaned them, then put them back on, while looking at the broken phone, which he now needed to fix up.

Vic put up the boxing bag in his home, then put on the boxing gloves, before punching it a few times, shaking it with each punch, and he carried on like that for a few minutes. Then, he added a few kicks as well, doing a few more moves on the bag, all for practise, reaching up about half an hour.

Finally, when he was done, he panted, putting the bag down while he sat down with a groan, clearly tired.

Then, he picked up his phone, getting to Myra's name, and he texted- "Hey." He wondered what else to say. Should he apologize? No, he knew he was right, there was no need to apologize, she'd know the truth soon enough herself. Should he try to justify himself? No, that won't be a good look either, since while he was right, until he'd definitive proof, trying to justify himself would just make him look even worse to her. Now was not the time.

So, with those thoughts in mind, Vic just pressed 'enter', the 'Hey' being sent to Myra as of now.

He waited for half a minute, seeing her typing back, and then, seeing the message just made his heart sink.

"I don't wanna talk, Vic."

Vic sighed, lowering his head and running his hand through his hair, wondering how he could fix things with Myra even as he still continued to investigate her fiancé.

Well, not gonna get anywhere right now. Not with Myra, and not with whatever Danny was looking into, until Tot fixes up the phone for me.

And with that in mind, Vic finally took out the packet, and taking out the powder, he sniffed it, losing himself into this little pleasure for now. Then, he reached into his bag, and tried to take out another packet, only to realize there was none at all, causing him to groan in annoyance, then angrily punch the ground.

He needed more of that!

Later, Vic knocked right at the door, and after a few seconds, Myra opened up, levelling Vic with a gaze that made it clear she was still mad, and ultimately, he could not really blame her.

"Why are you here now, Vic?" Myra asked him, as Vic ran a hand over his head.

"Look, Myra", Vic started. "I know there was no evidence of what I said, but I thought I-"

"You accused Wesley without any proof, there is still none", Myra pointed out in response. "Like I asked before, I will ask again- were you just jealous or is he the target of your latest conspiracy theories?"

"Neither, Myra. I just want you to be happy, you couldn't be happy with me, but I hope you can find someone else", Vic assured her, only for Myra to shake her head.

"I have found someone, Vic, you just don't like that someone", she simply said, arms folded, Vic sighing once more as he put a hand against the wall nearby, wondering what he could say to make it better right now.

"I was just looking out for you and the rest of this city, Myra. If this guy is who I say he is, then we know he is responsible for the rot in the city, and you're so close to him, which means that you'd be in trouble too."

Myra still wasn't having any of it. "I know you think you're protecting me, Vic, but you're only pushing me away."

Vic tried to plead with her at this point. "I just don't want you to wake up one day and realize you trusted the wrong person."

Myra just levelled him with another gaze, then shut the door on his face without saying another word, causing Vic to groan, clutching his other hand into a fist, and punching the wall, after which he turned around and walked off from the place, his fingers shaking a little bit, because there was something he needed, and did not have right now.

Calling the elevator, Vic got into it, and it went down, Vic's fingers still shaking considering what he wanted.

A while later, Vic walked into a little alley, and knocked on a door at the side. A few seconds later, the door opened up, a shady looking man with a scruffy beard looking Vic up and down.

"Oh, it's you!" The man said, sounding rough but conditionally pleasant at the same time, stepping aside, allowing Vic to enter, after which he shut the door, Vic's nose already picking up smells of the chemicals being worked on inside of the place. Getting further in, Vic saw a man sitting at a table, already prepared for Vic.

"The same?" The man inquired, Vic nodding at that.

"The same."

Reaching into a drawer, the man took out a small packet with the powder, handing it to Vic, who took it, and put in his bag, the man taking out a few more packets of the same kind, and handing them over to Vic, who put those inside his bag, then took out a few dollars, and handed those to the man, who counted each of them carefully, and satisfied, opened a different drawer, putting the money inside of it.

"Pleasure doing business with you", the man said, Vic nodding at that. "And appreciate you not talking about us in the news, ya know how it goes, Vic."

"Oh, I know", Vic sighed, walking away, the man who'd led him in now leading him out, and opening the door for him, Vic walking out as the man shut the door, and Vic looked at his hands, which shook a bit. Part of him just felt dirty, at what he'd to do, to fuel his little habit, yet, he just didn't know how to really stop.

The city is corrupt, as I keep saying. Never said I wasn't. This is something that I keep doing, even though I know I shouldn't. I've nothing else, no other pleasures to indulge in while I try to fight for this city. This is it.

Hearing his phone ringing, Vic picked up, seeing it was Tot, and put it to his ear. "Hello?"

"You'd be very pleased to know- the phone has been fixed. Come over and let's take a look."

"Thanks Tot", Vic thanked his friend.

Soon enough, Vic was in Tot's place once more, Tot lifting up the repaired phone, and handing it over to Vic, who held it in his hand, looking over it, and reaching the contacts information, noting the last call was to himself, obviously.

"Who're you looking for?" Tot inquired, standing to Vic's side now, and looking at the phone over his shoulder, seeing Vic starting to scroll through Danny's contacts.

"Whoever he was talking to most, I bet that guy would know something", Vic told Tot, seeing a certain saved number popping up quite a bit, and it was saved with- Herman.

Vic narrowed his eyes, seeing calls had been exchanged between Danny and Herman for the past few weeks, but recently, all of Herman's calls had gone on to be unanswered by Danny, including one that had been put to Danny on the exact same day when he'd vanished, though it was a few hours ago.

"I think this guy might know something", Vic commented, then asked Tot. "Can you track someone's cell with a phone call?"

"Keep them talking long enough, and their phone is basically a signal for me", Tot shrugged, quickly opening up his laptop and activating some software, after which he plugged the phone to the laptop.

With that, Vic called on the number, putting it to his ear, and in a few seconds, someone did pick it up on the other end. "Hello?"

"How the hell are you calling me?" The voice on the other end asked, clearly fearful now, and Vic assumed this man who was talking to him now was none other than Herman.

"Well, Herman, how are you?" Vic simply inquired, sounding very nonchalant, and he thought he could hear a few teeth chattering at this point. "Wasn't picking up your calls until yesterday, just got busy with something."

"Who the hell are you?" Herman simply asked, not responding to what Vic had asked. "How do you have this phone? You are supposed to be-"

"Supposed to be what, huh?" Vic asked. "You know something that I don't, Herman? Do tell me."

"Don't call here again!" Herman said in a panic, and then the call was cut, Vic chuckling a little at how easily he'd rattled Herman with just one phone call, and this was proof enough that Herman knew a lot, and was just too afraid to talk, especially since he'd been called from the number of a man who was missing, something which Herman was definitely aware of based on how he was talking and all that he was saying.

Putting the phone down, Vic looked up at Tot. "Well, what've you got?"

"Kept him talking just long enough", Tot said to Vic with a grin, looking at a beeping red dot on the laptop, which was clearly an indicator of where this Herman guy's phone was, meaning that was where Vic would also find Herman. "That's where he is, and no matter where he goes now, I'll track him. Not too hard for a guy like me."

"Figured that", Vic shrugged, smirking a little, while looking at the area. "Its not too far from Avenue Carl Bar, in the same location at least. Well, I did know the neighborhood sucks, even the bartender said as much, so obviously, a guy like this responsible for a disappearance will be found there."

Getting up, Vic took the phone and held it out to Tot. "And now, I'll make calls with this when I don't wanna be traced by people, since this phone belongs to someone who is supposed to be missing. Thanks again Tot."

"No worries", Tot assured him, Vic pocketing the phone, then turning around and walking to the door, opening it up and leaving Tot's place for now, knowing what it was that he had to do next.

'THE QUESTION - Original Instrumental Music - William McCarthy' plays

Taking out the Pseudodermic mask, Vic put it on his face, his features disappearing underneath it, while the bonding gas also did its work, causing Vic's clothes as well as his hair to change their color, and finally, he put the hat on his head, and that also managed to stick now due to the Pseudoderm and its bonding gas both working their magic on him.

With that, Vic rushed away, running across the streets and alleys, covered in the darkness that infested this entire city, the darkness that he had to fight.

This could be connected to Wesley, or not. While corruption is the biggest problem this city faces, its not the only one. When Danny said he was onto something big, he could easily mean something else as well, some big crime that is happening under everyone's noses but no one cares because they're too busy counting the money that they're making from all the illegal things that they get up to. Wesley is one of the many symptoms of the bigger disease infecting this whole city, and it is up to me to fight all the symptoms, because no one else does it. Too afraid or too complicit, that'd be it, no one can be unaware when things like this happen on a daily basis.

Vic ran across a rooftop, looking down as he saw the man he figured was Hernan about to take a smoke, clearly rattled. Jumping down onto a ledge, Vic leveraged himself, and leapt down from the ledge, Herman looking up at him too late as he got a hard punch to the face that sent him to the ground, causing his nose to break, while the cigarette fell away from him.

In a repeat of what had happened to Danny's own cigarette one night ago, this one got crushed, by Vic's foot, and as Herman looked up, Vic grabbed him by the collar, then lifted him up, slamming him into the wall, making him gasp in pain.

"What did you do to Danny?" Vic asked.

"Screw yourself, no-face Question!" Herman protested, only for his head to be slammed into the wall, making him gasp in pain, while Vic threw him down to the ground, then slammed his foot onto his kneecap, causing him to cry out on pain.

"AAAARGGH!" Herman screamed, only for Vic to slam his foot on Herman's kneecap a second time, now clearly making it break, Herman crying more, as Vic knelt near him.

"Shall we try again with my question?" Vic inquired, lifting Herman's head up by grabbing his hair, making sure Herman was looking straight into his no-face mask. "Tell me- where is Danny Alvarez, also known as 'Ghost'? He was in contact with you too recently, I noticed, care to explain why? You see, I've a lot of questions I need answers to, and I'm hoping you can clear up all my doubts. If you don't, well-" Vic smashed his head onto the ground lightly, drawing more blood as he screamed in pain, while Vic stood up, looking down at him coldly.

Before Herman could respond, Vic put a foot on the broken kneecap another time, just making Herman cry in pain again.

"OKAY! STOP! STOP! I'LL TELL YOU! JUST STOP! PLEASE!"

Vic did, removing his foot from Herman's kneecap, making him sigh and pant a bit, Vic just folding his arms as he looked down at the man, clearly waiting for him to answer everything now.

"Talk!"

Herman spilled everything instantly. "Danny's dead. He was asking about girls—about shipments. He got taken to the docks."

Vic sighed sadly. He had already accepted the worst-case scenario that Danny had been killed. However, now that it was confirmed that this was true, it truly did hurt for Vic to realize that.

But there were more questions Vic now had based on this thug's answer, so he knelt down once more, glaring at Herman, and even though his face was hidden behind the mask, Herman could just feel the glare boring into him, causing him to gulp.

"What girls? And what shipments?"

"Trafficking!" The thug immediately said, then suddenly shut up. "Oh no! He is gonna kill me now!"

"Who is gonna kill you?" Vic asked, but the guy was just talking to himself.

"I'm dead! He is gonna-"

He was cut off when Vic punched him hard on the throat, making him gasp in pain, the wind driven from him for a few seconds.

"Who?" Vic asked again in a growl, the man recovering his breath bit by bit.

"You don't scare me as much as he does!" Herman now said. "And he-"

"Is not here with you right now", Vic pointed out, now grasping one hand of Herman, and lifting it up, slowly touching the middle finger with both hands.

CRACK!

Herman screamed in pain due to his finger being broken, Vic adding. "But I am. So, tell me again- who is gonna kill you?"

Stopping his screaming, Herman finally gave Vic a name. "Mr. Nox! He is the one behind all this!"

"He is trafficking girls?" Vic inquired, Herman nodding. "Where?"

"Many avenues, usually they're just brought to the city by our men under some covers, but sometimes, we use the docks. Both, to bring them in, or get them out of here after they're picked up. Tonight, we are using the docks!" Herman revealed, Vic sighing sadly, then glaring at Herman in utter disgust.

"And what happened to Danny?" Vic then asked.

"He met us, said he wanted to join, so I managed to get him in, then I saw he was about to snap pictures of where the girls were! He was trying to expose us, so I chased him off, then told the boss. They sent the men after him to stop him from getting the word out, and now-"

Growling in utter rage, Vic slammed his foot right on the face of Herman, breaking some teeth, and knocking him out at last.

Then, turning around, Vic walked off, disappearing into the night.

Vic angrily slammed the mug down, having just finished his coffee, then looked at Tot. "If there's one crime I hate more than anything, it's this! Trafficking humans, putting a price to their bodies, and selling them like goods! Such scum! All of us are part of a puzzle, whose puzzle, I do not know, but we don't get to play with each other like that."

Tot nodded, drinking more of his own coffee, then putting the mug down. "This does sound bad, yeah. Trafficking always is, but to this degree in our city? Even I didn't realize it. Then again, with the police only caring about their own pockets, its not very surprising either."

"Nope, really is not", Vic agreed with a shake of his head. "At least I know what I'm doing tonight now. This shipment needs to be stopped quickly."

"Well, now that you're involved, make sure what happened to Danny doesn't happen to you", Tot warned Vic, and on seeing the journalist's look, he added in a measured tone. "These kinds of men don't just disappear when you stop one shipment. You sure you're ready for that?"

Vic knew what Tot meant, and he'd already made up his own mind also. "I don't stop all of this because it's easy for me to do, Tot. I try to stop all of this because no one else will."

With that, Vic walked out, putting the Pseudoderm mask on at last, for his mission this night, which was to stop this shipment by the human traffickers led by this Mr. Nox.

Vic knelt at a crate at the docks, looking ahead, seeing one man with a gun, that he had aimed at a few women, all of them in shackles, looking quite beaten up. Gesturing to a large crate with the gun, the man glared at the women, who walked into it, too scared or too broken or both to really protest, or even look the man in the eye.

Vic clutched a fist angrily, looking down to see one man roaming around with a gun, clearly looking for any intruders.

As he walked past, Vic leapt down behind him, and quickly grabbed him in a chokehold, while also grabbing his gun hand, raising it up, preventing the man from firing a shot. With his other hand, the man tried to elbow Vic twice, but Vic resisted both times, tightening his grip around this guard's throat, as well as the wrist, until finally, the guard passed out, and the gun was now in Vic's hand instead.

Sighing, Vic got up, and rushed past the two lines of crates, being in the middle of both, and popped out, seeing one guard looking the other way. Lifting up the gun, Vic pistol whipped him out in two hard strikes, then leapt up the crate, looking down from there to see one more guard walking to the side.

Vic leapt down and hit the man hard on the head with his gun, drawing blood and knocking him out too, which was when the guard who'd led the women into the crates finally noticed him.

"HEY!" He cried out, aiming his gun and firing as Vic rolled away to avoid, and fired back, the man running off to avoid too.

"INTRUDER!" The guard cried out, Vic looking around to see a few more men with guns arrive.

Raising his hand that had the gun, Vic fired into the air, causing the men to back off for a bit, and then, he rushed between the crates before anyone could see him. Firing at a crate, he weakened the opener, and opening it up, went inside, closing it, knowing the men were spreading out to find him now, but he had to be ready.

He kept his ears open, making sure to listen to every footstep, and measure its distance from his crate. One of the footsteps was quite close.

Taking the opportunity, Vic shoved the door open, hitting the man right on the face, knocking him out, and then he popped out, seeing one more man about to aim his gun, but Vic fired at his kneecap, making him go down with a cry of pain, and then, he leapt up the crate, seeing more men arriving and taking aim at him, Vic running to avoid the shots that went through the wood of the crate, and he leapt out onto the other side, rolling across the ground and picking himself up, seeing two men arriving to shoot at him, only for him to shoot at their kneecaps first, taking them down already, after which he rushed ahead, avoiding gunshots from a few more men.

He found himself before the crate where the women were now locked up, and started aiming at the lock, only for someone to grab his gun hand, causing him to let go, as he turned to see a scruffy man with messy hair, who gave Vic a headbutt, knocking him down, and tried to smash his own foot on Vic's chest, only for Vic to roll away to avoid, and getting up, he rammed into the man, grasping him by the abdomen and pushing him back a bit, but the man planted his feet into the ground and resisted, then grabbing Vic, threw him off, Vic rolling onto the ground as he groaned.

Vic looked up, seeing some men having arrived, about to shoot once more, and quickly got up, running and rolling away to avoid some shots, hiding between the line of crates, and then, he leapt up onto one crate, seeing a loading platform not far off from where he was. Only, the lead enforcer leapt onto that platform, making Vic groan, as he leapt onto it too, ready to fight the man.

The man charged, only for Vic to slide beneath his feet and get onto the other side, even as some men tried to shoot, though Vic's slide helped him dodge those shots, and he stood up, glaring at the man, who growled at him.

"I'm gonna smash that no-face in", the enforcer snarled, the platform moving a bit as more men tried to fire at Vic, and he backed from the platform to avoid being hit by any of the shots. The enforcer charged Vic with a roar and hit his head with his fist hard, causing Vic to gasp as he went down on a knee, holding his head, but as the enforcer made to grab Vic's collar, Vic headbutted his nose hard, breaking it as he staggered back in pain.

Avoiding a few more shots, Vic rushed into the man, and grabbing his waist, pushed him off, and he fell down from the platform, onto one crate, breaking some bones before falling down on two more men, crushing them underneath his broken body, while Vic jumped off the platform onto a crate, and leapt down from the crate, rolling to avoid some more shots, and picking up his fallen gun, after which, he shot at the crate's lock, destroying it, and opened it up, seeing the girls inside.

"Come on, get out of here!" Vic cried out, even as they were fired at, causing Vic to fire back at the thugs, making them take cover for now. "Go! Quickly!" Not needing to be told twice, the girls all ran off before the thugs could pop out of their cover, Vic still keeping his gun aimed in the direction of those thugs.

BANG!

Ducking, Vic rushed to avoid the shots, and leapt onto the crate inside which the girls had been, looking down to see a tall bearded man, his gun held out.

"You think you can interfere in my operations and just run away?" The man snarled. Vic realizing this was none other than Mr. Nox himself. "You must be the guy with all the questions. Too bad you won't get any answers tonight."

With that, he fired again, as did the rest, Vic running onto the crate's other side and leaping off to avoid shots, and rolling away behind another crate to avoid a few more shots, which was when thug came too close, only for Vic to grasp his wrist, strike his abdomen hard with the pistol, then throw him to the ground, pistol whipping his face as he was knocked out.

After that, he got up and ran off, throwing the gun away, avoiding a few more shots, and disappearing into the night.

Hearing a knock, Tot opened the door, seeing Vic standing there, a bit injured but mostly fine, looking frustrated.

"Saved the girls", Vic said as he walked in.

"And?"

"Nox is still out there, and he'll do this again."

Tot sighed. "You can't stop an entire network in one night, kid. But you scared them. That's a start."

Looking up, Vic gave a nod, not denying that bit.

Myra sat across from Wesley in their apartment, holding his hand. "Look, I know I've said it a lot, but still, thank you for supporting my campaign, I wouldn't be able to do this without you."

Wesley just smiled at her. "I know you want what's best for this city, honey, just like I do. Whatever you want, you got it." Leaning ahead, he shared a kiss with her on the lips, before Myra leaned back in her chair.

"I know Vic doesn't trust you. But I do."

Wesley just smiled in response.

Nox looked down at Herman, who knelt before him after being shoved by two guys, Nox glaring at him angrily.

"So, I heard you told the Question about what's gonna happen at the docks."

"Please boss!" Herman begged. "He kept beating me, I just wanted it all to stop-"

BANG!

Herman fell down, dead, Nox lowering his gun.

"Now it has stopped." Looking around at his other men, he ordered. "Clean this up!"

The men immediately got to work.

Few days later

Vic knelt near Danny's grave, sighing sadly as he put a rose on it.

"You tried to do the right thing, Ghost. I won't let them bury the truth with you. Might take a while, but I'll fight these guys when they return."

Ending credits play.

Chapter Text

It was nighttime in Hub City, and a man in a suit carrying a briefcase walked out of a building, walking towards his car in the parking lot, adjusting his tie once more, before unlocking the car by pressing the button on his key. Only, right as he was about to open the door, someone grabbed him from behind and smashed his head into the glass, breaking it, and making him bleed, causing him to cry out in pain, while he was thrown down.

Looking up, he saw it was a masked man, wearing tactical gear, with a baton in hand.

"No! Please-"

He didn't get a chance to say anymore, the man in the tactical gear bringing the baton down on him. The businessman raised his arm to defend himself vainly, only leading to his arm being broken, which made him scream even louder, while the figure struck his shoulder with the baton, breaking the bone there, followed by hitting his kneecap, as he screamed and cried more.

"Please! Leave me!" The businessman cried in between his screams. "I will pay you-"

He was cut off when the man in the gear struck his jaw with the baton, breaking it as he fell to his side in pain, blood falling onto the ground at this point due to how injured the businessman was.

"Tim Barney, you shall be punished for making this city suffer", the man in the gear declared, then growled in anger. "You don't even deserve a trial."

The businessman, whose name was Tim Barney, looked up in fear, the tactical gear-wearing man taking out a gun now, and aiming at the businessman.

Tim couldn't protest and beg for his life even though he wanted, considering his jaw was broken at this point.

BANG!

Tim's head slumped to the ground, the businessman dead now, a pool of blood around his body, while the killer looked up, seeing three security guards rushing in, no doubt having seen footage of him assaulting Barney.

"Wait!" One guard cried out, but the murderer spun around and fled from the spot, disappearing into the darkness of the garage, gone by the time the guards reached Barney's body, kneeling near it and sighing.

A question mark is shown over what appears to be a blank face, alongside various pictures and newspaper clippings attached via tape, the title card saying 'THE QUESTION' appearing, as 'THE QUESTION - Original Instrumental Music - William McCarthy' plays in the background, whispers being heard over the noir music.

KBEL News Office

Vic sat in front of the camera. "The following footage is graphic and disturbing. Watch at your own risk."

Then, the image of Tim's dead body was shown, albeit blurred, but still, the blood was visible.

"Businessman Tim Barney was murdered this morning by a mysterious assailant in a mask", Vic started saying, with the image of the assailant, caught on camera, visible behind him, to all the viewers watching the news. "While a philanthropist, Mr. Barney has been suspected on various charges of bribery and corruption." The cameraman was waving at Vic in a panic now, putting a hand across his throat, but Vic wasn't really listening to him. "The man who murdered him wielded a baton like that of the police, but they've denied any involvement in this matter so far. Who is the man in the mask? Why did he kill Tim Barney? More tonight."

With that, the camera stopped rolling, and Vic stood up, the cameraman giving him a look as Vic walked past him.

"What?"

"You weren't supposed to say all that about Barney or the police somehow being involved", the cameraman pointed out, though Vic just folded his arms.

"I didn't say the police were involved, I said the baton was like the ones used by the police, and that they've denied involvement in this matter so far, both of which are true, since I did ask Captain Wallace to the face if the police are involved, and he denied it", Vic shrugged, causing the cameraman to facepalm, while Vic walked off, right to McCready's office, already hearing him in a screaming match with someone on the phone.

Vic knocked on the door, then opened up, seeing McCready slamming his fist on the table. "Its freedom of speech, Captain! Look it up!" He grunted due to whatever the person on the other end, clearly Captain Eric Wallace, was saying to him, before replying. "Yeah, well, it is up to journalists to make reasonable deductions, and also speak some assumptions to get more traction on the news. Its our job, we know how to do it, we don't need our advice, and you don't need ours regarding how to catch criminals. Goodbye!" With that, McCready slammed his phone down, panting.

Vic stood at the door. "Hey boss, didn't expect you to-"

"Shut your mouth!" McCready sneered, pointing at Vic. "That whole spiel about Tim's alleged crimes, which I already agreed to not talk about last time they were making him infamous, and the baton looking like police batons wasn't on the script, or even the article being written. You had no reason to say any of that, Vic!"

"I mean, like you said, got us traction", Vic shrugged. "And I mean, Tim's crimes are well-known, just because he wasn't charged doesn't mean he didn't do it, he is a rich guy after all. For the talk of the police, well, both you and I can see the baton, a police baton looks exactly like that. Even if I didn't say it, people would figure it out and talk about it."

"Maybe that's why you shouldn't have said it", McCready simply said in reply, totally unmoved. "You basically just put a conspiracy theory out on our official news channel. The police are pissed, as you can see, and Tim's family would want a pound of flesh for that statement too, all because you ran your mouth, Vic!"

Vic sighed, running a hand across his head, getting McCready's point. "Sorry, boss."

"Make sure it doesn't happen again, or your ass is outta here", McCready simply gave a final warning. "And if you can actually find out more about the guy using a baton like the police, and other weapons of the sort, go look into it, and give me a full report on it, with real evidence, which I would run on the news without any hesitation, but its got to be actual evidence, not just you pointing at something and running your mouth on it. Got it?"

Vic nodded. "Got it, boss."

A while later, Vic was back home, sniffing his powder, while looking at the TV, another anchor at the KBEL News named Veronica speaking now. "Many seem to be in support of this new vigilante's actions, a lot of them saying this is justice for everyone Tim Barney allegedly hurt, while others think this vigilante is as much part of the problem as people like Barney. The city is divided on the matter, some believing he is a hero, and others calling him a murderer."

"Well, he did murder", Vic said with a shrug, before putting his head on the table. "Another masked lunatic in Hub City. Just what we needed."

Yes, he knew he sounded like a total hypocrite when he said that…..and he didn't care about that one bit.

Later

Vic walked near the police station, seeing Captain Eric Wallace about to walk in, and called out. "Captain Wallace!" Wallace turned to see him, instantly groaning in annoyance, knowing he was gonna hate what came next, and Vic was totally looking forward to that, for very good reason. Tormenting this guy was a favorite pastime of his, after all.

"You've some nerve showing up here after what you said about the killer being a cop", Wallace snarled, only for Vic to raise his hands.

"I said the baton resembled a cop's baton, not that the killer was a cop, do people not listen properly nowadays?" Vic asked in reply, feigning innocence now, causing Wallace to scoff.

"I know your type very well, all you care about is fearmongering amongst our population", Wallace simply shrugged, trying to walk past Vic, who ended up standing in his way. "That's all you've ever done at KBEL News!"

"Well, you do your jobs better, and I won't need to scare people with the truth", Vic shrugged, causing Wallace to get into his face.

"Get outta my sight, Sage!"

"Tell me, some fired cop did it?" Vic asked, only for Wallace to grab him roughly by the shoulder and slam him to a car, getting even further into his face.

"If you ask one more question, you'll be in for harassment, you got it?!"

Vic just shrugged, not saying a word, as Wallace shoved him away, then walked off inside the police station, Vic watching after him while adjusting his coat.

Well, after this, one thing I can say is- a fired cop did do it! Because a corrupt one would protect Barney for money.

Myra was on the phone with a man. "Look, I know it doesn't look like it, but I promise, it will be put to good use, and regardless of I win or lose, we will pay you back for-" The call was instantly cut, making her sigh as she put the phone down, putting her head in her hands, with two hands beginning to massage her shoulders, causing her to lean her head back into Wesley's chest, her eyes closed.

"Thanks, honey", Myra muttered, relaxing herself into her fiancé's soothing touch.

"Tough time with this guy?" Wesley inquired, Myra nodding as she leaned forwards, rubbing her head once more, with Wesley walking to her front, then pulling out a chair and sitting before her.

"These rich people, even if they lose a million, nothing will change for them, and they still hold onto all of their money", Myra said with a little scoff. "They got what they wanted, and now they think everyone else can just stay down, so they can step on them and get even more. Change is what we need, but the powerful elite of this city just don't want it."

Wesley nodded, leaning back in his own chair, arms folded. "While I see where you're coming, right now, Hub City doesn't need dreamers, Myra. It needs order."

Myra gestured all around with her hands. "And what would you call what we have now?" Wesley did not respond, Myra simply leaning back in her chair again. "Look, I know you've tried your best, but we need to do a lot more to make this city what its supposed to be, Wesley. And that's something I want to do."

Hub City Hospital

Vic walked into the hospital, keeping his head slightly lowered, since the KBEL News meant he was well-known, and seeing a local famous reporter inside the hospital wasn't something the staff would like, since, well, it was a hospital after all.

Soon, he turned a corner, finding the morgue, and with a slight knock, opened the door, causing the morgue guy to turn and face him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The guy asked, as Vic lifted his head, revealing his face, the man recognizing him.

"Aren't you the news guy who said a cop did this?"

"I said a police-style baton was used, not that the police did it!" Vic pointed out, then quickly held up some bills. "Can I see the body?"

The guy looked like he wanted to argue. Instead, he took Vic's money, then asked. "Why do you wanna see the body exactly?" Before Vic could reply, he added. "I mean, what you said about the wounds on your channel was actually true. It is a police-style baton, how'd you know?"

"Its this city", Vic shrugged, walking into the morgue, the guy stepping aside to let Vic step in. "Seen a lot of bodies like that, all targets of police brutality." The guy went in, and unlocked one cabinet, pulling out Tim Barney's body, Vic looking down at it, seeing the face injured due to having been smashed on glass, and then all the blows from a baton, ending with a gunshot wound to the head. "I think a former cop did this."

"Why former?" The morgue guy inquired.

"Current police won't kill a cash cow", Vic pointed out, causing the guy to nod.

"Good point", he said. "You know, I hate to be in this city, but can't move anywhere, don't have much." Vic nodded, understanding. "But your news, as scary as it is, at least you tell the truth, that kind of stuff, it keeps the mind a bit aware, in times like these, so I gotta say, thanks."

Vic couldn't help but smile on hearing this, since pretty much most of the time, he was hit with bullets (metaphorically) over what he said on the news, both at the news network itself, and anyone he reported on (if they were powerful enough), but here, someone was thanking him for telling the truth on his news channel.

"No", Vic shook his head. "Thank you."

For reminding me just why exactly I do all this, whether as a news anchor, or as the guy with no face. You're clearly being moral.

He looked down at Tim Barney's body once more.

Seeing the body in-person, and getting the pathologist's opinion, I know I was right about how he died. Time for the other guy pay the good captain a visit.

Eric Wallace got out of the police station, and was about to unlock the door of his car, only to be grabbed by someone, and have his head smashed on the hood of the car. "Who killed Tim Barney?!"

"Screw you, man!" Wallace said angrily, only for his head to get smashed on the hood a second time.

"Wrong answer", Vic, now having the Question mask upon his face, snarled, seeing Wallace's hand trying to reach for his gun, causing Vic to grab that hand and twist, making Wallace scream in pain, with Vic keeping Wallace's head gripped with his other hand, still aimed at the car's hood, ready to be smashed if Vic did not find his answers satisfactory.

"I'll ask again- who killed Tim Barney?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know? You think I'm a psychic or something?" Wallace replied, only for Vic to let go of his hand, then take out the gun himself, and throw it into a corner. After that, he pulled Wallace back, and shoved him into the wall, now face-to-face (or face-to-no face) with him, and as Wallace tried to charge at him, Vic grabbed him by the face and shoved him back into the wall.

"The guy at the KBEL News said the baton used was like a cop's baton", Vic pointed out.

"That guy is crazy; he says anything for ratings!" Wallce ranted, only to get decked in the stomach, causing him to double down in pain, while Vic grabbed him by the collar, then shoved him back into the wall.

"Still, any lead is worth checking out. Come on, you're a police captain, you should agree with me", Vic shrugged, Wallace just glaring at him.

"Screw you and others like you! Ever since that Arrow guy came in Starling City, you're all popping up like cockroaches! First Batman, then some runner in Central City, and now you!" Wallace said with a scoff. "These cities do not belong to vigilantes, but to-"

"Don't talk to me about how vigilantes break the law, considering how many laws you break for your benefit", Vic sneered, while pointing at Wallace, then touching his head with that finger. "If you don't wanna tell me because I'm a vigilante, fine. But you and I both know I do this thing better than you. And we both know Barney was amongst the cash cows you people liked. So, why don't you give me something so I can bring the killer of your cash cow in, huh? I'm sure you'd like that."

Wallace just stared at Vic, then scoffed, not believing he was doing this, and wiped his face.

"There was one guy, we fired him two months ago."

"For what?" Vic inquired.

"Too much brutality, he always crossed the line", Wallace said, making Vic tilt his head.

"Isn't that what you lot do all the time though?" Vic inquired, only for Wallace to shake his head.

"Not in that way", the police captain explained to Vic. "He actually went after those in power, wanted to bring them to justice and all, he said. Got some people hurt along the way, so we let him go."

"Surprised he is still alive", Vic pointed out.

"We were gonna do an encounter of him, but he disappeared before we could, haven't seen the guy since then", Wallace finally confessed everything that he knew. Well, almost everything. "You want someone? It has to be this guy!"

"I can see that", Vic agreed, since based on what Wallace said, this fired ex-cop could be the only one who'd reasonably have murdered Tim Barney. "What's this guy's name?"

"Bolton. Lyle Bolton", Wallace finally gave the name. "That's your guy. Though if you wanna find him, be my guest."

"Watch me", Vic shrugged, just as two more cops came out, and saw Vic questioning their captain, causing them to draw their guns.

Immediately, Vic grabbed Wallace by the collar and threw him to the ground, then ran off as they began firing after Wallace had already fallen, allowing him to escape without being hit once, while the two put their guns inside and helped Wallace up.

"You alright, captain?" One of them asked, Eric nodding as the other rushed to pick up Wallace's gun that Vic had thrown earlier.

"Yeah, just telling the freak to screw himself", Wallace said with a little sneer as he snatched his gun back from the cop who'd just started holding it out to him.

Later

Vic sat before Tot, who was at his computer. "Lyle Bolton, huh? There is no information on him to be found, clearly, they've erased it."

"Can you find it?" Vic inquired.

"I'm good, but not that good", Tot confirmed, Vic nodding as he took a sip of his coffee.

"In that case, let's take a look at the pattern", Vic decided, keeping his mug to the side, while looking down at the newspaper which had the headline of Tim Barney's murder.

"He has only dropped one body, not sure what pattern you can find with him", Tot said in reply, but Vic already had ideas.

He walked to the computer, Tot shifting a bit, allowing Vic to type now, with Vic typing 'Tim Barney racketing case', the results showing up instantly, and Vic clicked on the first article he found, then pulled his chair as well, sitting on it right next to Tot.

"This was the biggest case regarding Barney, biggest scandal he found himself in", Vic started telling Tot. "But he walked, like he always did. Lots of people protested, but nothing was actually done about any of this."

"And you think this will lead you to Lyle, how?" Tot inquired, Vic scrolling down through the rest of the article.

"If Barney was Lyle's first kill, then I've reason to believe his other kills are related to this specific case", Vic said what he thought. "Barney was even arrested for this one, until he was let go, only time guy has been arrested on any charge at all. Wanna bet Lyle was one of the people who arrested him?"

"And then got pissed when he was released", Tot realized Vic nodding, Tot looking at the article, the photo of a judge appearing. "Judge Ramsay, says he is the one who presided over Barney's case."

"Then released him over a surprising lack of evidence", Vic commented, leaning back in his chair. "Because two of the witnesses disappeared, and one was found dead. Very suspicious, but they don't do suspicion in a court of law, do they? Let's be honest, they all know how its gonna turn out, these trials and all are just for show, to try and fool people like you and me, and others."

"…Right, anyways-"

"Yeah, if he killed Barney, its reasonable to assume that Judge Ramsay is his next target", Vic said to Tot, before getting up, putting his no-face mask on, the clothes soon changing color too alongside his hair, as he put the hat on before walking out. "I'll be staking him out to see if that happens."

Judge Ramsay was signing a few documents in his office, then put his pen down, rubbing his head as he sat back, tired, before pulling out his drawer underneath, looking at some cash he had. He was about to take it out and count it, when there was a knock on his door, causing him to shut the drawer instantly.

"Come in."

The door opened, and Ramsay looked up to see a man wearing tactical gear, carrying a baton. Before Ramsay could say anything, the man shut the door, then walked further in, until he was standing next to Ramsay's desk, looking down at the Judge.

"Yes?" Ramsay inquired, thinking this was just another cop, considering the tactical gear, and the fact that there were a few seemingly dangerous criminals being brought to court every now and then, meaning police in tactical gear were needed to keep those kinds of people in check if they got out of control during proceedings, to keep everyone else safe.

"Judge Ramsay", the man immediately began to say, his tone sending chills down Ramsay's spine. "You shall pay for making this city suffer."

Ramsay tried to act like he was in control of the situation. "Get out of my office, right this instant!"

Instead, the man, who was none other than Lyle Bolton himself, brought his baton down on the Judge's desk, cracking it and making him yelp as he backed off, while Lyle grabbed Ramsay by the collar, then threw him over his shoulder, sending him to the ground, causing him to gasp in pain again, while he tried to get up and run, only for the baton to be brought down right upon his left leg.

He was about to scream in pain, but a hand wrapped around his mouth, muffling his screams, with Lyle pressing down harder, not letting Ramsay go.

"Tim Barney hurt people with his ventures, and you decided to let him off. His lawyer argued for him, but you are the reason he is really out on the streets", Lyle said with a sneer. "Now, you shall suffer for all that you've unleashed." With that, he brought the baton down upon Ramsay's back, injuring him there as he gasped in pain, and Bolton hit his other leg thrice, breaking that as well, with Ramsay having tears in his eyes at this point, realizing he was going to die.

At that moment, the door was kicked open, Lyle and Ramsay both looking up to see Vic as the Question standing there.

Before Lyle could react, Vic rushed in, grabbing him and hurling him across the room, over Ramsay's cracked table, making him roll there, as Ramsay called out finally. "HEEEELP! HELP MEEEEE!"

Lyle took out his gun and fired at Vic, who rolled away to avoid, one shot hitting Ramsay in the side as he gasped, then closed his eyes, unconscious, as Vic rolled forwards to dodge another shot and kicked the table right into Lyle when he fired again, causing him to drop his gun while his shot fired, and sending him staggering back, Vic standing up to fight him now.

Lyle roared and swung his baton, Vic ducking to avoid, after which he punched Bolton in his gut, making him double down in pain, and grasped his wrist with one hand, then his throat with another, pinning him against the window, kneeing his gut again, only for Lyle to push him off, Vic falling over the table, Lyle leaping over it with baton raised, but as he brought it down on Vic, Vic rolled away to avoid, then kicked Lyle away, and flipped up, punching his face twice, only for Lyle to spin and elbow Vic on the face, sending him staggering back, after which he struck Vic's chest with his baton, sending the breath out of Vic's lungs, Vic staggering back into a wall.

As Lyle made to strike again, Vic lashed out with his foot, kicking Bolton on the chest as he was sent staggering back himself.

"Lyle Bolton", Vic said the man's name, causing Lyle to freeze briefly. "I know who you are and what you want, but doing this- it makes you no better than any of these people."

Lyle wasn't convinced, as he growled at Vic. "The system is broken. You know it. These men don't deserve a trial."

Vic shook his head. "Justice isn't about what we deserve. It's about the truth."

Hearing rushed footsteps, Lyle ran off, grabbing his gun and shooting at the window, shattering it, after which he ended up leaping through the window, going to the other side and escaping, and then, Vic rushed to the window just as the other cops arrived, trying to fire at him, but Vic leapt out the window and rolled across the ground, dodging various shots that were being fired at him, and rushed off, the cops continuing to fire until he was completely out of their line of sight, with some of the cops now leaning near the fallen Judge Ramsay to provide him with first aid and then the required medical attention.

Later

Vic and Tot looked up at the news, sitting inside the latter's place, both drinking some coffee, the anchor saying- "The killer of Tim Barney struck again, this time targeting Judge Ramsay, a distinguished Judge with over 20 years of experience. Police in the area revealed they spotted the Question fleeing the scene too, casting suspicion on this new vigilante, with people asking if he is involved in these murders as well."

"When in doubt, throw the vigilante under the bus to cover your backside", Vic said with a shrug, before gulping down all of his coffee in one go.

"To be fair, Lyle Bolton is a vigilante too, just not the same kind as you", Tot pointed out.

"I'm nothing like that guy", Vic denied immediately.

"At least Judge Ramsay was saved, I guess that's a win", Tot tried to look at the bright side, though Vic just couldn't do that.

"Yeah, I saved the scumbag's life, since like I said, killing him isn't justice, exposing the truth about him until he can't talk his way out of it, that's justice", Vic told Tot what he thought. "Still, Lyle escaped, and he'll attack again."

"Who'd you think would be next?" Tot inquired.

"Most likely the lawyer who defended Barney", Vic theorized with a shrug. "Even then, I don't think Lyle would go out so quickly after almost being caught last time, he'll wait this out, and when he strikes again, I will be there to get him." He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Lyle is right about this city being broken, the system is being used to help people like Wesley, Barney and Ramsay get richer and more powerful, at the expense of everyone else, that being people like you and me. But how he is handling the corruption, that is not what we're supposed to do."

"And why do you believe that?" Tot simply asked.

"Killing these people isn't going to fix anything, it'll just make sure that someone else ends up taking the place of these people, and the next guy could be even worse", Vic pointed out the after-effects of such killings. "Not to mention, if they die with their reputation still intact, they'd be considered martyrs by those who benefit from them, and be painted as such, casting even more doubt upon opposers, who'd be seen as crazy for standing up against these so-called great men." Vic stood up finally. "That is why, I believe in exposing the truth, because when that is done, they can't talk their way out of it, and the image, the reputation that they manicured for themselves so carefully is finally destroyed, showing the world who such people truly are." A smile crossed Vic's face. "That's what I do, that's what the Question is here for, and that is why, someone like Lyle cannot be allowed to go on."

With that, Vic walked out of the place. "See you, Tot."

Later, KBEL News

Vic sat inside his office, taking out various pages in where he'd notes, going over them, looking at the writings he'd regarding this case. Problem was, while he knew who the man behind the mask was, and how exactly he operated, Vic couldn't tell his boss yet, because it was his other self who'd found out all this information (some of it by assaulting a certain police captain of all people), meaning he'd no credible source for any of this.

One that he needed to get.

What do I do now? I've to stop this guy, and get a real story about him too which doesn't make people connect the dots and realize I am the Question.

Outside Vic's office, other people were walking here and there, chatting or just looking through their own papers for their articles, everyone hard at work. That was when Lyle, in his full suit, came in via revolving doors, and threw a smoke grenade before anyone could react, smoke emanating from it and covering the entire room, making the people scream and run here and there in terror, or cower.

Hearing the screaming, Vic stood up, putting his papers down, and slightly opened his office's door, seeing all the gas.

"What in the….?" He trailed off, realizing Lyle was here now. But why?

Closing the door, Vic knelt near his bag, racking his brain, trying to figure out what the connection was, and why Lyle would attack KBEL News of all places.

And that was when he remembered something McCready had told him earlier.

"That whole spiel about Tim's alleged crimes, which I already agreed to not talk about last time they were making him infamous-"

Reaching into his bag, Vic quickly pulled out his mask, and put it on, the face vanishing, the hair and clothes changing color, before he put his hat on as well.

McCready saw his door being kicked open by Lyle, and raised his hands. "Look man, I-"

Lyle grabbed him by the collar and shoved him to the ground, before standing over him. "You are an addition to the rot that is infecting this city, Bear McCready!"

"Please, I didn't do anything!"

"That's your crime!" Lyla declared as he took out his baton. "You didn't report on Tim Barney's crimes to make more people aware of the truth, even thought you had ALL EVIDENCE!" With that, he brought the baton down on McCready-

When Vic slid in, kicking both feet of Lyle, sending him falling to the floor, just as Vic got up himself first, and grabbed Lyle by the head, smashing it down twice on the ground, though because of all his gear, Lyle wasn't injured much, and he elbowed Vic, making him let go as he staggered away, and Lyle got up, swinging his baton twice, Vic backing off to avoid it both times.

"Why the hell are you attacking an innocent man?" Vic asked, causing Lyle to roar as he swung again, Vic dodging, only for Lyle to deck Vic hard with a swing of his other fist, dazing him and sending him near the door.

"He is not innocent!" Lyle declared. "He'd evidence that Tim Barney paid off Judge Ramsay to let him off, and he didn't tell anyone about it, even stopped this channel from airing anything regarding the guy! He is part of the problem!"

"PLEASE!" McCready begged, picking himself up until he was on his knees now. "Barney found out I had information about him, and sent his men, they threatened my wife and son, and showed me live footage of where both were. I couldn't do it!" He was crying now, and even though Vic's face couldn't be seen, it was clear he was looking at his boss in sympathy.

Lyle, however, wasn't very moved.

"You're still part of the problem. As long as people care about only themselves, nothing will change. I am going to give people like you what they deserve!"

"You can't kill them!" Vic said, causing Lyle to turn to him.

"So that they do the same damn thing again?" Lyle asked with a scoff.

"All you accomplish by killing this corrupt lot is making them martyrs for their side, it won't end their corruption, it will just make it worse!" Vic pointed out. "Don't you see that, Lyle? That is your issue, you're not seeing the big picture, and killing these people. When really, its exposing the truth so they can't talk their way out, that's the real way to deal with such people."

"They will talk their way out, they always talk their way out!" Lyle ranted. "Besides, how will you expose the truth?"

Vic held up his burner phone, pressing play.

"Barney found out I had information about him, and sent his men, they threatened my wife and son, and showed me live footage of where both were. I couldn't do it!"

McCready looked down in tears, Lyle just staring at Vic, who put the phone back in his pocket. "And once this is out there, people will know who Barney really is, and Ramsay isn't going to be considered honorable either. Everyone will say that McCready is not to blame, considering his family was threatened by these people. Don't you see? Exposing the truth is how you take them down."

It seemed like Lyle was considering, since he put his baton to his side after the next few seconds.

Vic's hopes were dashed when he turned around to face McCready and pulled his gun out. "My way is more permanent and less time-consuming."

Before he could pull the trigger, Vic rammed into him, sending him to the side, the shot going haywire, as Vic grasped Lyle's wrist while he turned around, decking Vic twice, trying to get him to leave his wrist, but Vic didn't budge even as his face bled, and he kneed Lyle in between his legs, causing him to gasp in pain and let go, Vic throwing the gun away.

Then, Vic grabbed Lyle and rammed them both onto the ground, punching Lyle's masked face thrice, only for Lyle to grab his wrist the fourth time, and shoot up, headbutting Vic as he was dazed, and then grabbing him by the throat, Lyle pinned Vic down, then decked him a few times too.

Vic recovered and decked his face hard, sending him staggering away, and got up, picking up McCready's chair, and hitting Lyle hard with it, shattering the chair and injuring the former cop even more, and then, he kicked Lyle's side, sending him sprawling onto the ground. Lyle tried to get up, but Vic took his own baton from his side and hit him with it five times, breaking some of his bones, causing Lyle to cry out in pain, with Vic putting his foot down on Lyle, keeping him on the ground.

Lyle looked up at Vic's no-face, and snarled. "One day, you'll realize I was right."

"That's the day when the world will no longer make even a little sense", Vic said, as sirens were heard, and removing his foot from over the injured Lyle, Vic walked off, back into his own office room, the gas fading but still there, letting him hide until he'd reach his office room and take the mask off.

Later

Vic and Tot sat together, both watching the former's broadcast.

"Former police officer Lyle Bolton was unmasked as the killer earlier tonight, and arrested. The mysterious recording supposedly uploaded by the Question also reveals that Tim Barney threatened our own KBEL News Editor Bear McCready's family to keep him silent. Now, an investigation has been opened on Judge Ramsay for accepting a bribe."

"Looking good up there", Tot said, Vic smirking on hearing that.

"Boss and I butt heads a lot, but he is a good guy", Vic told Tot. "And well, if his family was threatened, I can understand him. He is good, yeah." Like he himself was, regardless of his little problem. That was just stress relief!

"Can you understand how much of a pain you are in his ass?" Tot asked, causing both of them to chuckle.

"Thanks for uploading the recording anonymously again", Vic thanked Tot, who simply shrugged.

"Just helping out a friend." Then, he got serious. "But at least Lyle was stopped. I get what he was trying to do, but this was not the right way."

Vic nodded in agreement. "In fighting the darkness, he became part of it."

Tot sighed. "It's easy to take shortcuts when the city is this dark. But once you do, there's no turning back."

Vic immediately said. "I'm not like him."

Tot firmly said. "Make sure you never are."

Same time

Myra sighed, putting her phone down, looking up to see Wesley looking down at her in what seemed to be sympathy.

"Another bust?" He asked, and Myra nodded, making a little pouty face.

"Should I even run?" She wondered now. "Other than the fact that I'm about to marry you, no one knows a thing about me, or what I want to do. They think I'm just some nut."

Wesley walked to her side, kneeling near her. "They don't know you like I do, and while I'm supporting you, I'll do it more consistently, I will show them all you're more than qualified to take over from me." The two kissed, and then, embraced each other, Wesley's cruel smirk not visible to Myra, who was just happy her fiancé was here to offer her his support and comfort.

But if she could see Wesley's face right now, she'd know it was cold and calculating.

Ending credits play.