Thanos Venge - Rebirth

"See it's easy to ignore trouble 
When you're living in a bubble"
- Aint it Fun(Paramore)

It's human nature to learn from their mistakes and improve. Become better people. Get farther in life and succeed.
But sometimes people never learn. And unfortunately, those kinds of people are usually lucky enough to get away with whatever they do. 
Art Gallner was one of those people.
No one understood how this 18 year old scum won and got out of the courtroom without the three counts of rape against him. The case was extremely strong and he got off with nothing but a slap on the wrist. It was outrageous. It was unfair.
But Art understood. After all, what case would they have to offer without the key evidence in the way. His family had a way of getting rid of things that shouldn't exist under the sun after all.
Making his way through the angry crowd throwing food at him, he managed to get into the family van.
"The Apartment." He says to his driver. He looks out the window and gives the furious people a smug grin and the finger.
He felt powerful. He felt large.
He felt untouchable.
The phone on his pocket vibrated. His new plaything had finally texted him back.

Veronica Manson:
Omigosh, congratulations! I knew u wer innocent.

Art Galner:
But of course. I'm Art Gallner. I wasn't about to be taken down by some lying bitches.

Veronica Manson.
Mmmm that's sexy.

Art's grin widened into a creepy smile. He felt his crotch tent up his pants and he couldn't keep his excitement at all.
He felt he needed to share that, sending a picture to this naive girl.

Veronica Manson:
<3 omg ur hot and u have tat huge sword on u 2? It feels unfair Im not sending you anything.

Art Gallner licked his lips. His excitement continuing to grow.

Veronica Manson:
Say... Y dont we celebrate your win. Meet me at that alley just behind Eastbrick Live!
I've got a friend inside and we can get a private room.

You'd think, after nearly losing his court case, Art Gallner would be careful not to act on his libido. But this one was being too easy for him and he wasn't passing up that chance.
"Ricky. Change of plans. Drop me off at the alley behind Eastbrick Live."
The driver looked back at the spoiled brat, nodded, and changed his route.
Once they've arrived, Art shoos him away and walks over to find Veronica.
The thing about this place, it was loud and it was very, very busy. If this girl had so much as a working neuron on her brain, maybe she'd have the sense to have a date somewhere public. But where was the fun in that? She probably thought.
Besides, assuming she did have these connections, he had her in a room all to himself.
Art didn't care for the details. He cared about the condoms on his back pocket and his bloated ego.
"Veronica?" He walked around the long alley stretch. He normally wouldn't be caught dead here. Alleyways are for stoners and criminals, after all.
But he turned off his common sense the moment he got aroused.
Maybe she didn't hear me. He rationalized to himself. This is the loudest part of Eastbrick City.
But the longer he walked towards the end of the alley, the faster his arousal start to fade and his sense of caution starting to return.
As he was about to reach the end of the alley, starting to expect no one... or worse, someone else, a backdoor to Eastbrick Live opened. 
It was Veronica. The same foxy young woman he had seen from the few photos she had graced him with.
She looked like the piece of meat he had so wanted to eat for days. Tall, bottle blonde, and curvy. The way she lit up when she saw his face and practically jumped meant he was probably the ditzy type too. Judging by her expensive choice in clothing, she was most likely also after his wallet. He knew how to play with these types.
He slid his hand into his coat pocket, clutching on to the Stun Gun he used to knock his conquests out.
She was throwing herself at him so there really was no need for him to use force. But on the off chance she gets annoying, he had a way to shut her up.
"There you are! Sorry I didn't wait out here. It was kinda stinky." She sticks her tongue out, trying to be cute.
"No worries." He pastes on a smile. "Just got here really."
Veronica turns to a suited man by the door. He nods and lets Art through.
Art was practically pulled in by Veronica, who excitedly led them through the halls into a room. The press on nails digging into his wrists were enough for Art to decide that this was a one man act and prepared the Stun Gun for when they find privacy.
They reach a velvet door. Before they could enter, Veronica places her back against it and smiles at Art. "I think you're gonna love the private party I put together for you."
Oh I'm sure I will. He said to himself.
Veronica slowly opened the door without peeling her eyes away from Art.
The room was dimly lit and decorated with velvety curtains and wine to set the mood.
Is this what this girl spends the money she gets from men on?
"I hope you're prepared for an... Exciting Night" Veronica giggled.
It didn't matter to Art what Veronica planned. One small zap will be enough for Art to enjoy himself.
Veronica turned her back to him as she started walking towards the wine. "Let's celebrate."
"Oh I intend to."
Electricity cackled across the room and a loud thud hit the floor.
But it wasn't Veronica who was sprawled down on the floor.
The door closed behind them. Art was still a little conscious but his body was twitching from the impact where the Stun Gun hit him.
Veronica didn't react, only staring at Art as he tries to regain composure.
Then, a third set of footsteps echoed the room.
The combat boots stopped in front of Art's face. His vision was a little shaky but he was starting to regain his footing.
For all of 5 seconds.
Art couldn't even get his own Stun Gun out before the mystery man kicked it away and kicked his face in.
"What do you want? Money?"
The mystery man laughed. His voice filtered by some sort of voice modulator.
"He thinks he can buy me." Veronica laughed with him.
"What a loser." She said.
He felt the man plant his heavy foot down his back. Veronica finally moved from her spot, taking out what looked like handcuffs from her purse.
Adrenaline started coursing through his body. His mind raced and he started to think that these people were here for his organs.
But his mind was shut down before he could even attempt to overpower the man. The cold steel of a Stun Gun was all too familiar to his neck and a long blast of electricity had finally knocked him cold.

~X~

It wasn't the draft that woke Art Gallner nor was it the loud music that was suddenly playing in the room.
It was the slap across his face.
he was stripped to his boxers and both his hands and feet were handcuffed to the bedpost.
Sitting right next to him was a man, presumably the same man who had knocked him out. his face was hidden in a black leather hoodie and his mouth was covered by some sort of scarf. There was nothing that could give out anything about him.
Veronica was no longer in the room.
"What the fuck do you want from me?!" He struggled from his bindings. "HELP! SOMEONE HELP!"
"No one's gonna hear you and no one's gonna help you either." The man said.
"This is one of Eastbrick Live's most exclusive rooms. These walls are built to secure nothing comes out of that door. And even if somehow your voice exits this room, the noise of the crowds outside would drown you out."
The man leans in to his face. "And besides. Don't you like private rooms? I thought it was your MO to get girls alone and quiet."
"Don't you watch the news? I'm not guilty! Its all bullshit!" Art screamed as the man zapped his chest.
"I'm not a dumbass. I know your family tried to destroy any evidence incriminating you."
Tried? He knows his family DID destroy it. What was he talking about?
"That's... just... a bunch of rumors."
The man tilted his head slightly. Art could feel him give a sadistic smile from beyond that scarf.
"Are you sure?" The man pressed a remote and TVs around the room that he didn't notice before lit up and played videos... of him. These were security footage and hidden recordings of him forcing himself on the women who he raped. Women who had tried to defend himself.
Art felt a lump on his throat and his eyes watering. 
"If that's not enough for you, I've also got the pictures and the data you tried to destroy."
The man tossed out a folder to the floor where numerous self taken images and paperwork that sets timestamps on him that were previously seized by the Gallner Family to try and save him.
"Why are you doing this? Who are you?!" Art tried to sound defiant, but his quivering voice and crying made it all too pathetic.
"Ah. Where are my manners. My name's Thanos Venge." That name... Art didn't believe it. That name was just... It was just a rumor. A story to scare off criminals around Eastbrick. "As to why I'm doing this, I think you'll find that I've been paid quite generously to make you suffer. And I happen to dislike rapists."
"But I'm not--" Another zap to his body cuts him off.
"Are you seriously going to deny how much of a cockroach you are even with all this evidence? Maybe I need to knock some sense into you."
Art yelped, not used to the pain inflicted on him. "Okay! I did it! I raped those girls!"
He sobbed, making a mess of himself as he blubbered on. "But I only did--"
Thanos zapped him again, this time to knock him out.
"Rape is rape." he put away his Stun Gun. "You don't get to justify how vile you are. Cara says Hi."
Thanos walked out the room, finding "Veronica" waiting for him outside.
"Thanks for the help, Erika." The girl, Erika, shrugged. "You know, you don't have to keep wearing that outfit or that wig anymore."
"I dunno. Don't you think blondes have more fun?"
Thanos chuckled at the reference.
"Will that be enough though?" She asked as she slowly removed her press on nails.
"Just open the news when you get home. I think you'll be surprised."

~X~

"Shocking evidence surfaces as a video of Rape Suspect Art Gallner is spread across local digital billboards in Eastbrick City. The video shows Gallner admitting to his crimes as lost evidence is found in the room he was locked in. Police found him and all this evidence in a room in Eastbrick Live. No one can tell how he was lured here and no CCTV footage was found. 
Evidence suggests that this is the work of local vigilante, Thanos Venge, who seems to have left a card with those initials.  People have been asking who this Thanos Venge is, and whether if he is a hero or a threat. This is not the first time his name has popped up in the news. More on this at 9:00 with Maria Samson. This is BBC News."
Reese Morrison silently ate his dinner with his best friend, Mandy Roe, at their dorm's mess hall.
"Can you believe it? Who is this Thanos Venge anyway?" Reese looked tired and just nodded.
"Where have you been anyways? You came home late yesterday."
"Los Angeles." He said sarcastically. Mandy rolled her eyes as Reese smiled.
She'd never have known that Thanos Venge was just sitting across her.

-Authors Notes:
Hello, readers. Welcome to the first official reboot episode of Thanos Venge.
The original story is something that I've been brewing up for over 5 years. I knew how the story was originally going to go but when I took the chance to read the previous stories and its original future, I felt myself cringe. I've changed somewhat as a writer and after a long lapse, I feel as if I should finally give this story new life. Something with a better, more thought out formula that doesn't sound ridiculous.
Note that the upcoming episodes may not follow the storyline you may have read in the past.
I will not take down the old ones either but it will be marked now as Rumors regarding Thanos and Reese in this storyline to account for their existence.
I hope you enjoy this renewed start of Thanos Venge.
- MaxAxil

Read the Old Version here!