Gold Rush: Dead Man Walking

(This story takes place in a possible dystopian future)
Part 1

"Damn it!" A screwdriver goes flying across a dimly lit room. An older gentleman enters the room with a concerned expression. "What's wrong Daniel?" The older man said as he placed a plate containing a sandwich down beside the sitting annoyed younger man. The younger individual sighed and turned to the older gentleman with an almost sad look in his eyes. "I- I'm sorry Mr. Kaneko. It's just this damn leg. You'd think I'd be used to it by now." Daniel closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. Mr. Kaneko put a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "I can understand your frustration. Do you want me to see if Shiori can help? She knows more about this than I do." Mr. Kaneko chuckled and gave a slight smile before removing his hand from Daniel's shoulder. He let out another sigh and shook his head. "No. Don't worry about it. You guys do enough for me." Daniel looked down at what was now considered his right leg. It was no longer warm flesh and bone, but cold metal and wires. He followed the mechanical limb with his eyes from the top, down to where the foot should be. Instead of having a foot, it ended in a metallic sphere. Just looking at the gold and grey prosthesis made Daniel angry. He thought why me? What did I do so horrible that made deserve this? He began to breathe deeply as a scowl formed on his face. A pat on the shoulder by Mr. Kaneko calmed him down, if only a little.

"Daniel? Please, try to relax. We'll figure something out." Mr. Kaneko offered a reassuring smile to the young man he called friend. But Daniel was feeling far from relaxed. "How the Hell can I relax? I have one God damned leg!" Daniel clenched his fist. For years he had been not only forced to hide, but was unable to run. He could still remember what it felt like though. The cool wind blowing his hair back as he reached speeds faster than most cars. A feeling of freedom. Of peace. Now he could no longer run. Hell, he could barely walk. All he could do now was hobble around and wait to die. His hands began to shake as he thought back to the good old days, when he only wanted to help others. He wasn't a great hero like his late idol Thundrax, but he tried his best. Back then he wasn't just Daniel Chase. He was Gold Rush. But that was a lifetime ago. He hadn't used that name in many years and the suit was thrown away long ago. It still bothered him that someone that was so fast once upon a time, was now slower than most. Mr. Kaneko lowered his head. He didn't know what to say to. "I'm sorry Daniel." That was all he could muster up. What else could he say? Even he remembered a time when Gold Rush saved the lives of him and his daughter. His daughter, that meant everything. It was funny to him that this saviour in gold not only was someone he knew, but someone that paid him rent every month. At least, he used to. After Daniel revealed who he was to him, he wasn't about to accept another penny from the man that saved his daughter. He was eternally grateful. He would do his best to repay him for what he did all those years ago.

Daniel sighed and tried to relax. His hands stopped shaking and he breathed out slowly. "I know. It's just th- I feel useless. Like I'm just walking around waiting to die." Daniel rubbed his temples and shook his head. "You and Shiori, you've been so great to me. I don't know what I would do without you. Thank you for that" Mr. Kaneko smiled and shook his head. "It's me that should be thanking you Daniel. You saved not only me, but my baby girl." Daniel scowled at that comment as he thought back to the time in question. He shook his head and looked up at Mr. Kaneko. "Gold Rush saved you. Not this nobody I am now." Mr. Kaneko perked a brow and smiled again. "Gold Rush and Daniel are one and the same. You are still a hero." Daniel waved a hand dismissively. This wasn't the first time Mr. Kaneko has praised him, but it always seemed to fall on deaf ears. This time was no different. How could he be the same person he was years ago? How could he be a hero to anyone? Now all he did was sit in the dark trying hard not to think of what he used to be. He didn't understand why Mr. Kaneko and Shiori would put their lives at risk for him. They were after all, harboring a fugitive. Vigilantes and powered individuals have been illegal for years now, and Daniel was looked at as nothing more than a freak and a criminal. If he still had both legs, he would flee back to Canada. He would make sure that Mr. Kaneko and Shiori were safe as him being there put them in danger of being arrested.

The thought of these two kind individuals rotting in a cell for the rest of their lives was a hard pill to swallow. Mr. Kaneko was nearly sixty five years old, and Shiori was still a kid. At least she was to Daniel. The truth was she was twenty five now, far from being a kid. But Daniel still saw her as one. She was kind and optimistic, but perhaps a little naive. She felt that the 'good guys' would win in the end. Like they would make a comeback and things would go back to how they were. There was a time Daniel thought the same way. But that time had long since passed. This was how the world was now. Hopeless. "Look I don't want to sound rude, but can I please be alone?" Daniel glanced up at Mr. Kaneko with a pleading look in his eyes. He brushed his long hair out of his face before quickly turning away from his older landlord and friend. Mr. Kaneko gave a nod and slight smile, before turning around and leaving the dark room. Daniel was left alone. Alone with his thoughts. His doubts. His fears. And his robotic limb that he hated with a passion. He stood up slowly as his prosthesis helped support him. He walked over to the other side of the room and struggled to bend over and pick up the screwdriver he had thrown earlier. His mechanical leg buckled as he tried to reach the tool, before he was finally able to grab it. "Well what do you know. Maybe there is hope after all." He said with a mild chuckle. He walked back over to his chair and sat down. "Yeah right." He scowled and once again began to use the screwdriver on his robotic leg.