Jackie and Heavy Metal launched themselves at Hammerhead in perfect unison, the street around them vibrating from their combined momentum. Heavy Metal's metallic frame gleamed under the city lights; his enthusiasm was unmistakable; he looked almost giddy as he swung a fist toward Hammerhead's oversized shark-like arm. Jackie mirrored the aggression, his own strikes fast and precise, fists cracking through the air. When their blows connected with Hammerhead's massive fists, the resulting impact sent all three of them skidding backward, chunks of asphalt erupting and sparks flying everywhere.
They didn't waste a second. Jackie and Heavy Metal circled back immediately, attacking from opposite sides, forcing Hammerhead to drop the safe he'd been holding. The beast instinctively hardened his stance, muscles rippling beneath thick skin as he countered. Despite his size, Hammerhead was surprisingly fast, catching one of Jackie's kicks midair and hurling him directly into Heavy Metal. Both heroes slammed into the pavement with a hard thud.
Heavy Metal shook off the impact and muttered, almost begrudgingly, "Okay… he's strong. And fast."
Jackie nodded as he regained footing, brushing dust from his coat. "Yeah," he said, scanning Hammerhead with sharp eyes. "There's a reason this guy hasn't been caught yet, despite making the news every time he strikes. He's one tough bastard to put down."
Jackie and Heavy Metal surged forward again, coordinating their attacks like a well-oiled machine. But Hammerhead wasn't about to be outmatched. With a sudden, violent slam, he drove one massive arm into the pavement. The ground exploded outward, chunks of asphalt and dust rocketing through the air like shrapnel. Jackie and Metal both raised arms to shield their faces, blinking through the debris that momentarily blinded them.
By the time the dust settled, Hammerhead was already moving. He had wrenched a large telephone pole free from the cracked street, swinging it with terrifying force toward the two heroes. Jackie reacted instantly, vaulting over the swinging pole with a roll that kept him on his feet, while Heavy Metal wasn't so lucky. The full weight of the pole connected with him, sending him hurtling into the window of a small shop. Glass exploded outward, raining down, but Heavy Metal groaned and gave a strained thumbs-up, clearly battered but still in the fight.
Jackie used the distraction to close the distance, launching himself straight at Hammerhead. His fist connected with a bone-crunching leaping punch, staggering the shark back a few steps, dazed. Jackie pressed his advantage, landing a rapid series of punches and kicks, each strike drawing a grunt of pain from the massive brute. He finished the combo with a fluid handstand kick, striking Hammerhead squarely and sending him stumbling further back.
But the assault only fueled Hammerhead's rage. With a roar, he lunged forward, catching Jackie in midair before his feet hit the ground, hurling him like a ragdoll into the hood of a parked car. Hammerhead dropped to one knee, chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath from both exertion and the pain from Jackie's attacks.
Groggy but determined, Jackie pushed himself up, cracking his neck and muttering under his breath, "Damn… this fish hits hard." Heavy Metal recovered nearby, his metal plating scratched but intact, and together the two heroes readied themselves again.
Jackie and Heavy Metal lunged forward in perfect synchronization, their momentum unrelenting. Hammerhead had regained some of his bearings, though his breathing was still heavy and uneven. Without hesitation, he wrenched another car free from the street and held it in front of him like a shield, slamming it into place to intercept the oncoming strikes from both heroes. Sparks and metal screeched as Jackie's fists slammed against the steel, while Heavy Metal's armored punch bounced harmlessly off the reinforced frame. The sheer weight of the car absorbed a lot of their force, but neither of them relented.
After a few brutal exchanges, Hammerhead tried to gain the upper hand with a familiar tactic: he stomped his massive foot into the asphalt, sending shards of pavement and dust flying into the air in an attempt to obscure their vision again. But this time Jackie and Metal were faster. Jackie twisted his body mid-leap, slicing through the dust, and landed a powerful kick squarely on Hammerhead's face. The shark man staggered, almost spinning backward from the impact, but quickly recovered, snapping his teeth and roaring in frustration.
From there, the assault became relentless. Jackie and Heavy Metal bounced Hammerhead between them like a deadly game of ping-pong. Jackie's mix of precise strikes, punches, and kicks kept the beast off balance, while Heavy Metal's crushing blows kept the brute moving from side to side. Hammerhead slammed his fists into the street with such force that a crater formed beneath him, dust and debris erupting in a cloud that forced both Jackie and Metal to leap back.
"I won't stop until you two bastards die by my hand!" Hammerhead bellowed, eyes wild and fueled by adrenaline. With a roar, he charged, intent on tearing them apart. Jackie and Metal timed their counterattacks perfectly. Jackie spun into a handstand kick, the sole of his boot connecting with Hammerhead's jaw, while Heavy Metal's solid right hook slammed into the shark man's side simultaneously. The combined force sent Hammerhead flying into a telephone pole, crumpling against it with a thunderous crash.
Breathing heavily, Jackie and Metal watched as the massive shark struggled to rise. The brute's movements were sluggish, each step labored, but he began to stagger toward them. They tensed, readying for another onslaught, but then, finally, Hammerhead gave in to exhaustion, collapsing a few feet away. Jackie raised an eyebrow, casual despite the adrenaline still thrumming through his veins. "Not dead?"
Metal shook his head, checking carefully. "Alive. Just passed out."
Jackie nodded. "Alright. Good."
The two heroes turned to survey the destruction around them. The street was mangled, with twisted metal, cracked asphalt, smoke curling from small fires, and debris scattered everywhere. Heavy Metal let out a low whistle. "That… really was a rough one, wasn't it?"
Jackie nodded, brushing dust from his coat. "Certainly was. But we got the job done."
Metal tapped his earpiece, calling in to dispatch. "Hammerhead's subdued. Authorities can move in for cleanup." After a brief exchange confirming the details, Metal released the earpiece and turned back to Jackie, who was finishing a deep breath, trying to calm the lingering rush of adrenaline from the fight.
For a moment, the street sat in a strange quiet. Sirens wailed farther off, and boots and radios crackled at the edges of the wreckage, but right where Jackie stood, there was space to breathe.
Heavy Metal broke the silence first.
"Hey," he said casually, folding his arms. "After the last time we ran into each other, I actually looked you up."
Jackie glanced at him. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. And I was surprised to see you aren't signed with an agency yet."
Jackie shrugged. "Still running solo."
Metal tilted his head slightly. "That by choice? Like, are you some rich kid doing this for fun, or has nobody really taken notice of you yet?"
Jackie huffed a quiet laugh. "Definitely not rich. And no, nobody's really come knocking."
Metal frowned a little. "Seriously? With your strength?"
Jackie rubbed the back of his neck. "I just haven't gotten much done yet. It's not exactly easy to stand out. There's a lot of spandex-wearing super folk running around these days."
Metal nodded slowly. "Yeah. I get that. Took me about two years before anyone noticed me. I was breaking my back out there before I finally got a shot to try out for an agency."
Jackie glanced over. "What agency are you with, anyway?"
"The Vermillion Agency."
Jackie froze for half a second. His eyes widened. "Wait. Vermillion as in Lady Prime's Vermillion?"
Metal smirked. "That's the one."
Jackie let out a low whistle. "Damn, impressive work."
Heavy Metal thought for a moment, then reached out and gave Jackie a light pat on the chest, metal fingers thudding against fabric. "Y'know, now that I think about it, my agency's holding tryouts next week. They do it every year."
Jackie blinked. "Tryouts?"
"Yeah. I was the lucky bastard who got in last time," Metal said. "All it takes is a recommendation from a current member. Someone vouching for you."
Jackie stared at him. "Are you serious?"
Metal nodded. "I can put in a word. Get you into the group."
For a second, Jackie didn't say anything. His brain lagged behind the moment. Then reality caught up all at once.
"…Yeah," Jackie said quickly. "Yeah, I'm in."
They shook hands, Jackie's grip firm and excited. Metal chuckled.
They talked a little longer, exchanging numbers. Metal ran through the details, dates, what to expect, who to talk to when Jackie showed up. Then, with a final nod, Heavy Metal turned and headed off, melting back into the chaos of flashing lights and cleanup crews.
Jackie stayed where he was, watching authorities cuff the unconscious Hammerhead and load him onto a reinforced transport. He looked around at the shattered street, the broken cars, and the cracked asphalt.
Then he looked up at the sky.
"Damn," he muttered. "Fate really doesn't mess around when it comes to opportunity."
A grin split his face. He pumped his arm once, sharp and victorious.
"Let's fucking go."
Jackie turned and walked off down the street, steps light, almost bouncing, like things are finally falling into place for him.