Ok, some general commentary before I begin. This fic should have been edited by yourself or a prereader prior to being sent to the list. Typos and misspellings abound. Also, whatever you're using for quotation marks, they're not ASCII standard.

Worth
by John T. Davis

Chapter 1

     It was night, and it was dark.  The alleys and streets of the city
seemed dead, the dull light of the street lamps spread an erie glow thro=

ugh

the Tokyo night.  They gave the illusion of activity--and safety.  This
illusion kept the mind of the woman calm as she carried her small child
towards the residential district.  She couldn=E2^=C0^=D9t think of any r=

eason to be

nervous, and probably wouldn=E2^=C0^=D9t have shown it if she was for th=

e benifit=20

of
the youth in her ams.

Ams?

As she arrived at the alley that comprised the rest of
their journey to their apartment building, the youth stirred.  She smile=

d

down at him and lowed

lowered

him to the ground, allowing him to walk the rest of the
way home.  Best to keep him sleepy, she thought.. They entered the still
darkness of the passage hand in hand, jovial thoughts of home and sleep =

on

their minds.  They continued to walk through the corridor, unaware of th=

e

eyes upon them.

     =E2^=C0^=DCHold up, lady,=E2^=C0^=DD a gruff voice called from the=

darkness.  The=20

child
glanced in its direction curiously, and remained perfectly still.  His
mother, finally sensing danger, moved herself between her son and the=20
source
of the sound, aprehension

apprehension

and fear slowly claiming her thoughts.  A short,
burly figure moved forward just enough for his outline to be visible.  H=

e

deftly kept his face hidden from sight.  The woman felt her blood go col=

d=20

as
she noticed the object in his outstretched hand -- a silenced, massive
handgun.  =E2^=C0^=DCPut that nice pearl necklace of yours in your purse=

and drop=20

it on
the ground.=E2^=C0^=DD

     The woman, upon realizing that her life was now in the hands of th=

e=20

man
in the shadows, realized her best course of action was to comply.

"realizing... realized" is redundant, differ your word choice

As the
shakily undid the clasp on her necklace and slipped into her purse, she
called pleadingly, =E2^=C0^=DCPlease don=E2^=C0^=D9t hurt my son.  Pleas=

e.=E2^=C0^=DD

     =E2^=C0^=DCIf you do as I ask, you have nothing to worry about.=E2=

^=C0^=DD   He=20

audibly
snickered as the bag hit the floor.  =E2^=C0^=DCGood.  Now, kick it over=

here. =20

Make
sure to hit it hard enough.  I don=E2^=C0^=D9t want to have to move to g=

et it,=E2^=C0^=DD=20

he
pulled the hammer back on his gun, and the two clicks denoting a
double-action could be heard echoing through the alley, =E2^=C0^=DCand n=

eithe do=20

you.=E2^=C0^=DD

neither

 With this edict in mind, the now visibly tembling woman kicked the pur=

se

toward her attacker with all her might, and it stopped right in front of=

=20

him.
 Her son had by now deduced what was happening, and remaind silent.  Th=

is=20

was

remained

not because he had realized it would be safter, but as his eyes gave awa=

y,=20

he

safer

was paralyzed with pure and unyielding terror.  The man bent at the knee=

s=20

and
grasped the handle.  =E2^=C0^=DCThanks, lady, its been a real pleasure.=E2=

^=C0^=DD  The=20

woman
sensed that he was about to make his escape, and began to cautously feel=

=20

joy

cautiously, which I don't really think is the proper word here.

as she realized she and her son were going to survive.  At that instant,=

=20

with
the man still facing them his weapon only partially lowered, one of the=20
dull
lights that stood at the entrance to the alley died, but not before=20
flashing
at its highest intensity, giving the woman and her son two seconds to
unwillingly burn the monster=E2^=C0^=D9s face into their memories.  It w=

ould be one

they would never forget, not just for what its wearer had done to them b=

ut

also for the distinct and deep scar that ran from his left temple to his
jawline.  Combinded with his short, jagged hair, burning black eyes, and=

=20

full

combined, and HUH? What is going on here? Where'd the light come from?

lips, it created an unforgettable portrait.  As the two seconds ended an=

d=20

he
light faded, the man quickly raised his weapon back up, level with his
victims.  =E2^=C0^=DCWell, now this isn=E2^=C0^=D9t going to be good for=

you.  See, now you=20

know
what I look like and might want to turn me in later.  I just can=E2^=C0^=

=D9t have

that.=E2^=C0^=DD  The mother made a desperate attempt to plead with him =

but he=20

ignored
her and tightened his thumb around the trigger.  He began to squeeze.

     Suddenly, the robber let out a gruff scream and fell into the ligh=

t.

His hand no longer held a weapon, but was instead soaked in blood oozing=

=20

from
a deep, narrow cut on his palm.  Mother and son were both too confused a=

nd

frightened to attempt an escape, and could do nothing but tightly cling =

to

each other=E2^=C0^=D9s hand.  A lamp showed the man=E2^=C0^=D9s weapon t=

o be speared to the=20

wall
of the narrow alley by something that was a dark green or black, with
something red on the end not in the wall.  The man recovered his composu=

re

and started to reach for his gun -- and stopped dead.  His eyes caught a
partially hidden figure facing him from the other end of the alley.  The
lamplight gave very little detail away to the nervous oberver, until the
mystery man stepped forward.  He was tall, probably around six feet.  Hi=

s

clothing looked black, though it was not possible to see much of what he=

=20

was
wearing, for he held a cape around his entire body, allowng nothing to s=

how

but a small v-shapped portion of his upper chest.  What was visible seem=

ed=20

to
be a shirt from a tuxedo, complete with bowtie.

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