Free Better to Die a Hero by Michael Van Dagger

Bryan’s adolescent dreams of crime fighting and most likely put the three of them at greater risk. It would also save him from having to fabricate a lie about how he defended himself.
    Several minutes passed before the junkies staggered out of sight and by then Steve felt good again, on top of the world even, but peering down the twenty-foot drop did bring a queasiness. How did those two find the courage for that first jump? Steve looked down the distance his strong heart pounding. He had witnessed superhuman leaps by his friends, whose landings ended without consequence. His strength being equal to or greater than Bryan’s, he knew the jump should go fine, but stubborn legs refused to budge. He moved to the staircase and stepped down half the distance. That was better. He swallowed hard and jumped. The solid landing made him aware of every muscle from calf to chest as raw power rippled through his body, even the abdominals that lay buried several inches under belly fat. Without hesitation, he sprang upward, holding back no effort, attempting to copy the feats witnessed a week earlier. He approached the top fence faster than anticipated and slammed chest first into the cold metal, arms moving almost too quick to see wrapped around the metal to stop a fall backward.
    “Son of a b…” Steve scrambled over, dropped to the grass, and rubbed his chest. He scanned the area relieved to see no spectators. The coast being clear, he stood up and leaned over the edge less nervous than the first time. The full level of heightened strength lasted about twenty hours as best Nora and Bryan could estimate. Not a very scientific approach but the best they could come up with.
    Less than half that time had passed since his last dose, so again, theoretically the jump should be safe. It occurred to him that maybe they should keep a log as to when they “powered up” as Bryan had come to call it. From his own experience, he felt just as strong on the down side, but a quick test after school on the new weight set had proven those sensations wrong. If one of them lost track of time the result could get them killed. Obviously, the powder wasn’t perfect, which added to his apprehensions over patrolling the park.
    “I may be as dumb as a box of rocks, but here goes.”
    He leapt outward over the fence and stomach acid stung his esophagus. A tingle surged through his scalp and the ground rushed up to meet him. A tickle shot up his nostrils. His eyes closed as steel like legs absorbed the landing.
    “Hachooo!” The sneeze echoed off the wall. “Holy crap! That felt good.” He wiped spit from his chin and looked up to see where he had left his stomach.
    Steve wasted no time practicing his jumps upward. In two hours time he could complete a half turn on the way up, throw his legs over his head and vault off the railing, landing several feet from the edge. His grace paled in comparison to Nora's and any somersaults or flips would have to wait for the future; still he impressed himself. After a series of just one more jump, he started the run home.
     
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    New York Journal:
     
    “Hello, I'm Michelle O’Donnell and welcome to another edition of New York Journal. Still the top story tonight in New York is reputed crime boss John Savini and the two gang-style massacres that took place yesterday. Harlem saw its worst ever gang related killings when a rundown tenement building was besieged by what witnesses describe as a small group of commandos dressed in black and toting automatic weapons. Carnage broke out in the building as the mask gunmen exchanged fire with African American gang members. At this time, the death toll stands at twenty-six, twenty-one gang members and five innocent tenants. Although it is suspected there were wounded among the assailants none were left behind at the scene and no identification has been made as to who they were. Police did, however, find a large crack cocaine