Thunder claps in the air as a motorcycle pulls up along a strip of buildings with plenty of neon signs labeled with kanji, but the motor vehicle stops in front of one that has no words on its face. A row of people talk to one another, eager for an invitation to enter whilst two non-descript guardsmen stand side by side on the doorway. Bold on their part as their establishment gives the intention of unkind deeds, yet so open for everyone to see.
Getting off the yellow and black bike is Lightning Man, whose real life persona, Clifford Zelmore, rode from a warehouse in the same night to find Oswald Knight. Lightning changed into his heroic side on the way to this nightclub, in the hopes of finding someone. If nothing else, he intends to get information from the man himself who runs the establishment.
Lightning completely bypasses the crowd, some of which cheer for him, as they may recognize him from his Ultimate Wrestling, others jeer and hiss him, also probably knowing who he is and also because Lightning is cutting in front of them trying to get into the nightclub. As Lightning approaches, one of the guards steps up with the other close behind.
Guard #1: Woah hey, hey! Buddy what’s going on here, can’t ya see the line here?
Guard #2: Yeah, can’t you see? Whaddya doing here, do you think someone important?
Lightning: I’m here for your boss. Is he here?
Guard #1: Da boss? Hey Jimmy, this guy says he’s here for da boss.
Jimmy?: Hahah ohh here for da boss.
Guard: Who do you think you are huh? Nobody sees da boss unless they here for official business, and you? What are you? Some sort of super hero in that get up?
Jimmy: Hey uh, ain’t you that fella that is gonna fight da boss?
Guard: Wait, Jimmy, you said it was that Lightning dude? Best go tell him tha-
Lightning: So he is here.
Guard: What huh?
Lightning grabbed both men’s neck and pulled them back before smashing both of the guards noggins against each other headbutting them hard, as that happens, heavy music is heard in Lightning’s mind. As the men fall to the ground, the crowd disperse, both running away into the rain, and some take photos and videos with their phones. Lightning ignores them, and marches his way into the nightclub as the music continues.
As Lightning enters through the doorway of the nightclub, a guard behind a podium runs to check on the commotion and gets thrown outside by his arm by Lightning Man as he continues to enter the nightclub and the patrons begin running out of the club at the sight of violence. The song now starts singing
Dazed and confused
Black and blue he sits alone now
Another guard makes a run at Lightning, only for the hero to catch them, and slam them to the floor with force
Craving one more pill to numb his ache
On the way to run from all the anger
Choking on the tear gas
As Lightning marches, two more guards run to him, one throws a punch, misses and Lightning counters with his own punch straight to the face knocking him out. Meanwhile the second one attempts to kick, Lightning blocks the kick and throws the female guard to some tables as four more guards reinforce and point guns at Lightning Man
Gunfire tearing up the night, this is not even his fight, is this the cost of stolen freedom?
The guards fire their firearms as Lightning quickly dashed towards a stone pillar to take cover while bullets just barely missed him. While in cover, Lightning arm’s up his electric gun, and grappling hook
Is it worth the sacrifice? The legless corpses line in the street, as children cry themselves to sleep, one more night loves in… the grave
As the gunfire stops, Lightning turns over to shoot his grappling hook and hooks himself to the wall behind the guards. He immediately retracts and flies towards the armed thugs, letting go of the hook, he clotheslines two of them.
Dysfunction
Lightning catches one of the guards guns in the air, and throws it at another armed guard’s head
Temptation
Lightning then turns around and clubs a firearm out of the fourth guardsmen’s hand
To leave the violence behind, the damage done has left a scar… so deep.
Lightning raises his knee to this guardsmen’s jaw and then he uppercut the guard who flew in the air, before returning to the guard he threw the gun at
Keep the faith! When darkness comes.
The guard raised his fists ready for action and rushed Lightning
I give myself, to make you still
The guard attempted a roundhouse kick, but Lightning ducked and punched the guard in the groin, who wailing in agony
The nights will bleed, the days will burn!
Lightning then took the man’s head and nailed his Shocktastic Stunner onto the guard, which sent him flying through a doorway
I’ll stay till you return
So keep the faith
‘Cause it's meant for you…
Lightning stood up, and looked through the doorway ready for more action, but as he does, we are treated to a flashback of a younger, Clifford Zelmore, standing beside a female
16, so sweet, when she gave herself the first time
The girl, no older than sixteen, sharing Clifford’s orange hair color was shouting at a man who appeared to be the Yellowjacket Man. The man was walking away with a slight visible grin on his face. Cliff however, held this female back from chase
Promises of love turned out to be lies
Thrown to the street
The pregnant girl that no one stuck around for
In another scene, Cliff was standing between the young girl, and what appeared to be her parents, who threw clothes out, and shouted at the girl while Clifford looked shocked and confused as to why they would do this to this girl
Bring in a new life to exile
Or cut the cord while there's still time
Another scene showed the girl holding a rosary praying while a storm bellows outside while Clifford makes food in a nearby kitchen watching the young girl.
Not even God will give the answers
To abomination's bride
Dreams die under the knife of loss
Feels like she's up there on the cross
Is our nature such a sin?
In another scene, Clifford opens a door to find the young girl in a bed, covered in blood. He rushes to get to her as fast as he can, trying to find a pulse in a panic, but he cannot.
Rejection
Confusion
She's gonna sleep and not wake up
The damage done crushed her glass heart to pieces
Finally, Clifford looks up as lightning flashes outside the window to which we are brought back to the present, and Lightning Man is once again fighting multiple assailants
Keep the faith when darkness comes
I give myself to make you still
Lightning dropkicks a guard out of the way, while another guard tries to attack him with a sword, but misses.
The nights will bleed
The days will burn
Lightning fights the sword off the guard, and stabs the guard in the foot before knocking him out with a Shining Wizard
I'll stay till you return
Another guard rushes in, and points a gun at Lightning
So keep the faith
Believe in this
Lightning pulls his electric gun and shoots the guard in the chest with an electric volt charge giving a small explosion sending her flying
Just keep the faith
'Cause it's meant for you
While still in the nightclub a guard rushes into Oswald Knight’s private suite, panicked and out of breath, the guard calls for Oswald
Guard #3: BOSS! Boss! Mr. Oswald! We have a problem down here! Some wackadoo is down there, beating the shit out of all our guys! He’s faster than bullets!
Oswald turned down and sauntered with a casual grace, his eyes narrowing as he caught glimpses of a flicker, a brief taunting image before it would veer away in a cacophony of activity. His breathing slowed, his features tightening, just enough to confer the seriousness of the situation at hand.
Oswald Knight: “You better watch how you talkin' and where you walking' or you and your allies might be lying in chalk. A careful man you are not… courting the anger of Mr Penguin. A common trait among you heroic types. So blinded by your own arrogance.”
Oswald’s haughty proud laughter tore through the air. A reminder of the vain nature of Oswald himself.
Oswald Knight: “Man of Lightning, you hide in shadow like a coward, a familial trait it would seem. I wonder if the one you lost, screamed, cried out for you as they died. Arranging that death took less than five minutes, my chosen assassin, taking delight in his work. Isn’t that right Victor?” Oswald chuckled, seconds before a new voice broke into the conversation.
Victor: “Quite right. That was some of my best work, afterwards I added a sweet sweet scar to my body. Another tally mark. That’s all it was in the end. I enjoy my work. It’s like creating art. Art involving bodies, but art nevertheless.” Victor remarked, a gleam of amusement lingering in his eyes.
Oswald’s laughter, harsh and imperious, rocked the air.
Oswald Knight: “That will be all Victor. You’ve fulfilled your duties admirably. You always have.”
The guard reluctantly leaves Oswald’s room, but as he does, the camera returns to Lightning Man fighting in the lobby as the music once again picks up. Guards now try to swarm Lightning, but he overpowers in a loud roar and the guards go flying, with one falling over a balcony onto the ground floor. Lightning charges at one, spearing him with his Lightning Strike, knocking the wind out of them. The other two get up and try to gang on Lightning again, but are blocked
Keep the faith when darkness comes
Lightning keeps dodging incoming strikes from the guards, until he headbutts one of them, stunning the guard and then takes a punch to his face by the other guard which staggers the hero
I give myself to bring you peace
The nights will bleed
Lightning recovers to strike the guard who hit him with swift punch and kick combo that ends in a jumping kick to the guard’s face to send them crashing into a table
The days will burn
I'll stay until you return
Lightning then turns his attention to the other guard and ducks a punch to hit a High Angle Slam on that guard.
So keep the faith
Believe in this
Just keep the faith
'Cause it's meant for you
The guard who left to warn Oswald, opens a door that lead to Oswald Knight, see’s Lightning Man, and tries to run back to his boss, but Lightning catches him and headbutts him hard knocking him out, and throws him back into the room where Oswald is and shouts out
Oswald’s expression is hard, calculating upon seeing his guard caught off and taken down. A rare thing for Victor.
Oswald Knight: “ Lightning Man, decided to step out from the shadows have you? How bold of you. That’s almost brave of you, well it would be if you weren’t hiding behind a mask. You see the difference between you and me, Is I hide nothing, I’m honest…. But you…. Can you claim the same?”
Oswald’s mocking question lingered in the air, a tension building in the air.
Lightning marches up to Oswald, reloading his charge gun, preparing for the worst
Lightning: I’m not here to talk about what's different. But I’ll humor you nonetheless. This mask is not a symbol of hiding, it is a meaning of hope. It is a drive that shows anybody can be me, a hero. Whereas people like you, hide in your suites, pretending not to be afraid, yet you had scores upon scores of goons standing in my way before I found you.
Lightning takes aim of his gun at Oswald
Lightning: If anyones a coward in this room, it is you. Do you know how many people got hurt? How many could’ve died? Do you even care for the life of your employees? I’m sure you don’t, otherwise, we wouldn’t have had to come to this. Now. I have a question, and you will answer!
Before Oswald could have a chance to speak, Lightning fires his charge gun, but not at Knight, instead he hit Victor in the head, electrocuting him non fatally
Oswald’s expression grew colder, thus in that moment he was truly Mr Penguin, the personification of ice, a chilly predator who acted in his own best interest first and foremost. His lips were set in a scowl, his expression one of pure disdain.
Oswald Knight: “Speak aloud your question hero, you are starting to bore me.” Oswald snarled, ignoring the rest of Lightning Man’s pointed barb, determined to show no weakness in the presence of this faux hero.
Lightning: There is a man, he frequents your club, they call him the “Yellowjacket”. I need a name, who is he?
**Oswald: “Yellowjacket… I’ve heard of him. We’ve done business together. He’s a valuable asset, a specialist in his field. I did uncover his name….. His civilian identity once upon a time. He goes by the name Bishop. Just Bishop.” **
Oswald’s lips turned up into a smirk, amused by the line of questioning.
Lightning hears the name “Bishop” and blinks furiously, trying to hold back his own thoughts and memories. He also contemplates shooting Oswald, his hand trembling and about to pull the trigger. But he raises his gun up.
Lightning: Bishop eh? Well. If that's his name, I'll be able to put him to justice now…
Lightning puts his gun in his holster
Lightning: Thank you Oswald. Your friend here will be fine. And your justice… will be served. In the Dome.
_The hero turns around and pulls out a wallet before taking out cards and nicknacks before audibly mumbling “DAMN!” to himself before looking back at Knight and sighing heavily. Lightning then closes and tosses the wallet behind him _
Lightning: Keep the change, it should at least cover the tables.
Lightning Man leaves Oswald alone, exiting his suite, then the club to get back on his rained on motorcycle. LM revs his engine and rides away.
Oswald gave one final contemptuous look, as he murmured in a harsh tone. Oswald Knight: “ Never shall justice be served, Never” Oswald taunted, his words were a vow made long ago.
