Beyond Your Limits

[Flashback: Discussing Mastocracy Amongst the Council]

"What do you mean there's no inheritance!?!?" Demanded Sundeep with his clenched fist pounding on the desk of the hero.

"Good Morning Sundeep, I take it the Council shared the full document with you?" 

"Damn right, they did. What the hell man! Why is inheritance stripped away from those in leadership positions!?" 

Perseverance looked up from the document he was signing. "Sundeep, inheritance, and insider trading are what disconnected the one-percenters of America from the other ninety-nine percent. I will not allow us, America, to fall to ruin all because you want to give your next generation a head start. If anything, the children of politicians need to have weighted shackles to hold them back as they already live better than most. Luckily, during my time as leader of Greater Ottawa, I saw to it that children got an education regardless of money, they got food and a place to call home. America back then, when you and I were growing up, made certain only they got ahead. If we want to show the world we're on top, leaders can't own shit. No stock, no property, no inheritance."

Sundeep gritted his teeth and crumpled the paper into a wad before storming out of the Reddick Mansion. "This isn't over, hero. Mark my words." 

Perseverance shook his head and kept writing. As he did, the vestiges of Theodore Roosevelt and Frederick Douglass looked over his shoulder. "You're ensuring that Merit and Proficiency have no outer influences. Right?" Asked Frederick Douglass. 

"Exactly right. I gutted the American monetary class system and swapped it for one rooted in merit actions and professional proficiency. However, I had to strip leaders of certain things to keep vanity from seeding in our fledgling society." Replied the Ghost. He sighed before going on. "Unfortunately, it seems to have the effect I thought it would. I just hope they see the good It will bring us..."

[End of Flashback-Present Day]

Cheryl ran to Scott, her daughter, and Sundeep's remaining forces. As Cessair rejoined the fight, the Ghost's eyes were a molten red as he rounded the corner. The Ghost stood before them like a possessed demon, just standing before them as a bloodied, rage-filled mess. As he took a breath to speak, the air seemed to go completely still. He uttered the words that fell out of his mouth as if they were lead bars falling to the bottom of a lake.

"I am tired of forgiving the full lot of you... I am tired of giving you chances and waiting for the three of you to learn. So there will be no more chances, no more forgiveness or kindness. It will be you three, me, and time. The only chance you all have of living is to lay down your weapons and surrender right this fucking second."

None of them moved, rather Cheryl taunted his little speech. The Ghost's reply was a launched voodoo-spirit wall of souls that burned their skin. The Ghost slam-injected two large syringes into both sides of his neck and lost control.

"YOU INSIGNIFICANT FUCKS!"

The Ghost grabbed his father by the throat as his father had done to him on several occasions and slammed him into the pavement. He then lunged after his mother and sister, flicking voodoo chains at them, instantly immobilizing his prey. 

"LIFEFORCE EXTRACTION! STAR SPANGLED GRAND LARCENY!" yelled the Ghost. Golden energy ripped away from his mother and sister as they attempted to free themselves. The chains of voodoo spirits leeched their lifeforce away from them, rapidly aging them. However, with a cry of agony, the chains vanished. The Ghost had been stabbed again, this time, by his birth mother. 

"YOU..." His eyes were locked on her, but the blade twisted into his shoulder was all that kept him still. 

"I should've ensured the abortions worked when I had the chance." She said out loud for everyone to hear. Madie Sue fired off her rifle and knocked her away from the Ghost. 

"Come on, Ghost! We have to finish this battle!" She yelled to him as the Greater Ottawans rallied to her. 

The Ghost shook his head. "No, not we Madie Sue. JUST ME!"

Cessair leaped into the air with the Ghost hot on his heels. The Ghost radioed Dr. Sue. "I'll leave them to you. Good luck."

As the sundown hours brought an orange-colored sky to Greater Ottawa, the Ghost's people took down their traitorous brethren. Admiral Nolan, with assistance from Irongrail Archie, Mike Brisson, and Liam took down Scott with a collective four-way punch to the face. Dr. Sue, Demi, and Barbara took down Cheryl and Lexi while the others captured the remaining traitors. 

"Dr. Sue, all of the traitors and Delzigade forces have been rounded up. What should we do with them?" Asked General Roger Allen. 

"Chain them up, then place them in Jordan Park. I want every one of them to see their foolish actions for what they are. 

As General Allen marched them away, Mike Brisson rushed Dr. Sue to WCMY where they'd been tracking the Ghost. 

"How is he?" Asked Archie. 

"With the wounds he has, he'll be lucky to crash land back in Tennessee." Said Dr. Sue looking at the vitals screen. Her gaze locked on the critical warning light that was flashing on the screen. 

Meanwhile, the Ghost and Cessair were over Antarctica and attempted to finish their fight. Despite his injuries, the Ghost of Ottawa was still a force of immeasurable power and will. Punch for punch, jab for jab, an explosion of power for an explosion of power. Both attempt to wear out the other. The Ghost's body was in a state of euphoric fire. He was operating well beyond his limits, a whopping one million to one will over body ratio. The pain was ever-growing, his vision blurred in and out of focus, but he refused to quit. As Cessair missed a punch, the Ghost slammed his fist through Cessair's chest. 

"You will never see the light of day again... Rot in eternal misery, you fascist filth. Signed America, addressed to you."

As the Ghost retracted his arm through Cessair's chest, he pulled out the fascist's heart and crushed it. He let go of the man, watching the corpse fall before splattering all over the icy plateau of Antarctica. As he raised his fist, the immense toll of all the injuries he'd sustained began to set in. 

"In-Innov-... INNOVATORS OF SPEED!" He struggled to speak. He launched himself back towards familiar territory. His body ached and he was cold. The stab wounds he'd sustained were far too deep for anything he had to stop the bleeding. However, the bleeding was the least of his worries. As he sped across the skies, one by one the Innovators of Speed Vestiges began dropping like flies. 

"What's... happening?" He asked. 

"We're all... exhausted. We feel as you feel." Said Amelia as she, Chuck Yeager, John Glen, and the Wrights were all that were left. 

"Have to stay awake... COME ON!" He yelled trying to push himself. As he crossed over Tennessee, his consciousness was evaporating into thin air. However, as he looked up, barely able to see straight, Dr. Sue was flying in Barbara's Huey with Constitution ready to catch him. As he passed out from blood and energy exhaustion, the automaton caught him, and medics aboard the Huey helped stabilize him. 

Everything for him finally went black as he entered the Ottawa Hospital and was rushed into surgery, with everyone waiting to hear any news about their hero...