Once We Were Heroes by Henry J.E. Lewi, Macallan Single Malt

There had been six of us; we’d survived all these years and only a few people in the Pentagon had known our true history. A close-knit band of enhanced professionals loved by the Department of Defense but loathed by the Military Traditionalists, we were deployed wherever and whenever we were needed, using our so-called boosted ‘Super-Powers’

Under the Classified Presidential Order our existence and deployment was both ultra-secret and totally deniable. As the years went by as members of the group died, it was my job to go into their homes to remove any evidence of our secret lives. In reality I was guardian of their top-secret legacy.

Jack Lovell, ‘The Fireball’, had been the first to pass; his bright star had flamed out at the turn of the century and was soon followed by Bruce, a gentle giant of a man built like a brick outhouse, his heart unable to cope with his powerful frame.

The old man of the sea, Roman Prince, had drowned doing what he loved most: surfing in Hawaii, and The Asgardian, Blake Odinson, with the Government’s blessing, had returned home to take over his father’s business, but I hadn’t heard from him for many, many years.

Only Daniel and I were the known surviving members of the group until I got the call that Daniel had died and again it was my job to check and clear his apartment.

Frankly I was surprised that Daniel (he hated being called Danny) had made it this far. Following our military deployment in the early 80’s he’d suffered a severe chest injury that had damaged his heart, but with his engineering skills and genius had developed an advanced technology that allowed him to not only survive but also boosted his strength and his intellectual capability. His penthouse flat in New York was clean and tidy and superficially there was no evidence of his past life as an enhanced super soldier. The safe was empty of any incriminating documents but I knew that behind his clothes closet was a hidden secret compartment that of course I knew how to open, well I was a ‘Super Soldier’ too, and Daniel’s oldest and closest friend.

The compartment door slid open and there they were, Daniel’s old battle suits, the original gold one, and the newer black and silver suit, plus a briefcase, which contained just three items, a comic, a photo, and an envelope with my name printed on the front. The photo showed our group of six before our first deployment in 1982, Young, fit, and ready to go. The comic was a Tales of Mystery, Issue Number One from 1988, introducing a silver-suited ‘Man of Iron’.

I opened the letter, which read:

‘Dear Matt, 
if you’re reading this, I know you’re cleaning up the apartment. They were fun years when we all worked together for the government, and I always knew you’d outlive us all – I mean you haven’t aged a day; I guess it was that serum they gave you all those years ago. Keep the photo safe; it’s the only copy that exists – all the others plus the negatives were destroyed. For a laugh see the comic; they couldn’t even get the name and the battle suit right, though I’m surprised the government still let it through the censors back then – keep it safe.

I know you’re still working with the government alongside our old boss Max, so keep the Shield close and stay safe; your old friend Daniel.’

I put the items back in the briefcase and signaled to the yellow-jacketed “Cleaners” that it was OK to clear the apartment. I took the briefcase and left. I never wear the red, white, and blue they dressed me in all those years ago – jeans and a leather jacket suffice. The Shield is stowed in the trunk of the Bentley that Daniel gave me. Their legacy will probably survive in the comics, and I now hear they’re thinking of making a film about our early exploits – but will the public still love us, hate us, or loathe us, and anyway who’d ever believe it really happened?

Henry is a retired Surgeon and member of the Canvey Writers Group. He has published a number of stories on the CafeLit site.

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