by Lucas Flint
In any case, I didn’t dislike Brains or his wife, Vanish, at all. They were great people and good superheroes who were clearly focused on protecting the citizens of Showdown from all kinds of threats. In the month since I’d arrived in Showdown, I had seen them both work very hard to catch criminals and protect civilians. And it was all about to culminate tonight with the capture of the infamous supervillain and crime lord Gregorio ‘Earth King’ Russo.
For the past few months, the city of Showdown, Virginia had been plagued by a spike in criminal and supervillain activity, ranging from bank robberies to the sale of illegal weaponry to local criminals and gangs. While Brains and Vanish were capable of handling almost any level of crime, the recent upsurge had been too much for them to handle on their own, so the Neohero Alliance had sent me to help.
According to Brains, most of the recent spike in crime could be traced back to a man named Gregorio Russo, or, as he was known in the criminal underworld, Earth King. Unlike most supervillains, Earth King rarely acted out in public. He instead acted behind the scenes, striking deals with drug cartels and selling illegal weaponry off to the highest bidder. As a result, he had never been arrested himself, although plenty of his associates or minions had been arrested in his place.
Tonight, however, that was about to change. According to the intelligence which Brains and Vanish had gathered, Earth King was supposed to be in the building directly across the street from me tonight. Although it looked like a simple hometown bakery on the outside, Frank’s Bread & Donuts was actually supposed to be the meeting place between Earth King and a client. Earth King was allegedly going to try to sell some salvaged powerless gas to this client tonight, which was when we were supposed to pounce and arrest him.
But we had to be careful. Earth King was extremely paranoid about getting arrested and was known to bail out on a potential meeting with a new client if he even suspected that it might be a trap. That was why it had taken many months for our informant—a charismatic young man named Albert Doyle—to set up this meeting, because he had to take it slow so Earth King wouldn’t become suspicious. Even the location had to be carefully chosen. Fred’s Bread & Donuts was one of Earth King’s favorite restaurants in Showdown, so it was chosen in order to lower Earth King’s guard.
Of course, even if Earth King did show up, capturing him would still be difficult. As his name suggested, Earth King could not only control dirt but turn his body into earth. More than once, Earth King had evaded capture by the police or superheroes by turning into dirt and sinking into the ground. That was why everyone who was part of this operation tonight was armed with powerless gas pellets that we could throw at him. I had a few in the pockets of my costume, which I was eager to get rid of because I hated carrying around these pellets even when necessary. I was worried they would burst open in my pockets and make me powerless, which would definitely ruin our plans.
The plan tonight was simple. Doyle would drive up to Frank’s Bread & Donuts, where he would then walk up to the front door and knock. One of Earth King’s minions would let him inside and he would go to the back of the building, where Earth King himself would be, waiting in the bakery’s office. There, Doyle would chat with Earth King for a few minutes, pretending to be interested in buying weapons from Earth King. Meanwhile, Brains, Vanish, me, and the Showdown City Police Department would surround the building and ensure that neither Earth King nor any of his minions could escape.
With any luck, Earth King would be on his way to Ultimate Max prison tonight and the crime levels in Showdown ought to return to their normal levels. And if not … experience told me that it wasn’t helpful to dwell on what would happen if things went wrong. We’d just have to improvise, which was something I had a lot of experience doing.
Suddenly, a light blue sedan with white bumpers pulled up in front of the bakery. The door popped open and a short, stout man with long hair hopped out. I had to stifle a laugh because I always found the antics of Albert Doyle, our informant, amusing. Unlike me, Doyle was just an ordinary human being with no powers of his own, but he cared about Showdown just as much as any superhuman and he had been the one to volunteer to meet with Earth King when Brains first came up with this plan months ago, or so I heard. He was just a security guard working at the Braindome, our base in Showdown, but so far he had shown himself to be a lot more than just an employee.
Doyle definitely was not showing any fear as he walked up to the front door of the bakery. He held up a hand, paused as if for dramatic tension, and then knocked loudly and quickly on the door before stepping back. He folded his hands behind his back and waited, whistling patiently for Earth King’s men to answer.
Sensing that it was almost time to act, I leaned closer to the window, keeping my eyes fixed on the front door to the bakery. Once the door opened and Doyle went inside, it would be go-time for all of us.
But no one came to answer the door. I saw Doyle walk up to the glass door and peer inside, cupping his hands around his eyes to help him see better. Then he stepped back and looked to the left and to the right briefly as if he was looking for something.
“Doyle,” came Brains’ voice through my earcom, which was on the same group frequency as Doyle’s. “What’s the matter? Why haven’t they let you into the bakery yet?”
“I was about to ask the same question myself,” came Doyle’s Southern drawl. “Just looked inside, but it’s dark as a cave and I can’t see anything.”
“You don’t think Earth King somehow knew this was a trap and bailed at the last minute, do you?” said Vanish, her concerned voice coming loud and clear over my earcom.
“Impossible,” said Brains. “I saw Earth King arrive in his limousine less than an hour ago and I haven’t seen him leave the bakery since. Nor has the sewer team reported seeing anything unusual in the sewer below the building, either.”
“Maybe he just didn’t hear you,” I said. “Try knocking again.”
Doyle chuckled. “I knocked about as loudly as I can. Earth King ain’t a spring chicken, but I know he’s not deaf, either. Something’s up and I’m not sure what.”
“Check to see if the door is unlocked,” Brains suggested. “If it is, open it and go inside. We’ll surround the building as soon as you enter.”
“But what if they notice?” said Doyle.
“If Earth King is already gone, then it doesn’t matter if they notice or not,” said Brains. “Just go inside. You’ll be perfectly safe.”
“Okay,” said Doyle doubtfully. “The door seems unlocked, so I’ll just let myself in. If something happens, I’ll let you guys know.”
I tensed, watching as Doyle walked up to the front door and opened it. He hesitated for a moment before disappearing inside, the door swinging shut behind him on his way in.
“Okay, I’m in,” said Doyle in a soft voice. “Smells like bread, but I don’t see anyone.”
I gulped but said nothing. If Earth King really was gone, then this entire plan would go to waste and we’d be back to square one.
“Keep looking,” said Brains. “I already told the cops to start surrounding the place. Perhaps Earth King’s minions are hiding somewhere.”
“Doubt it,” said Doyle. “Place looks like no one’s been in it since—”
I suddenly heard what sounded like a chair scraping against the floor, followed by Doyle saying, “Who’s there?”
“Doyle?” said Brains. “Did you find someone?”
Doyle, however, did not seem to be paying attention to what Brains said, because he said, “Now who in the hell are—”
Doyle was cut off by a single gunshot. And then I heard him fall to the floor of the bakery with a dull thud.
-
Read the rest of The Superhero’s Return HERE!
Other books by Lucas Flint
The Superhero’s Son:
The Superhero’s Test
The Superhero’s Team
The Superhero’s Summit
The Superhero’s Powers
The Superhero’s Origin
The Superhero’s World
The Superhero’s Vision
The Superhero’s Prison
The Superhero’s End
The Young Neos:
Brothers
Powers
Counterparts
Dimensions
Heroes
Minimum Wage Sidekick:
First Job
First Date
First Offer
First Magic
First Mentor
First War
The Supervillain’s Kids:
Bait & Switch
Tag Team
Blood Gems
Prison Break
The Legacy Superhero:
A Superhero’s Legacy
A Superhero’s Death
A Superhero’s Revenge
A Superhero’s Assault
Dimension Heroes:
Crossover
Team Up
Amalgamation
Lightning Bolt:
The Superhero’s Return
The Superhero’s Glitch
The Superhero’s Cure
The Superhero’s Strike
The Superhero’s Clone
Subscribe to my newsletter and get a FREE exclusive novella!
If you would like to be the FIRST to know about my newest releases, please subscribe to my weekly newsletter by clicking this link HERE. Newsletter subscribers are always the first to know about my newest releases, exclusive deals, updates on my books, and more. Plus, all subscribers get Happy Birthday: A Minimum Wage Sidekick Novella for FREE just for signing up!
So click this link HERE to sign up today!
Appendix 1: The Superhero's Son
Kevin Jake Jason (Bolt). The protagonist of The Superhero’s Son and one of the protagonists of The Young Neos sequel series. He is an eighteen-year-old man and son of the late superhero Genius. He is also the twin brother of Ronald Jason, also known as White Lightning, and has a girlfriend named Blizzard. He is the former leader of the Young Neos and current NHA member. He can fly, has super speed, super strength, and can shoot red lightning bolts from his hands.
Theodore Ronald Jason (Genius). One of the first superheroes, starting his career at the age of 11 as Boy Genius, and father of Bolt. He was also a founding member of the Neohero Alliance and one of the most famous and well-respected superheroes even after his death. He had the ability to create anything he could imagine.
Ronald Jason (White Lightning). The twin brother of Bolt. Has the exact same powers as Bolt, though he is less experienced than him.
Neohero Alliance (NHA). The largest and oldest superhero organization in the country. Run by the Leadership Council. Its headquarters is Hero Island off the coast of New York.
The Young Neos. The most famous teenage superhero team in the country. It is run under the supervision of the Neohero Alliance, specifically Mecha Knight. Its current leader is Stinger.
John Waterson (Omega Man). The most powerful superhero in the world and current President of the NHA. He has many of the same powers as Bolt, but he is far more powerful than Bolt and is well-respected by heroes and feared by villains in equal measure, despite spending most of his days running the NHA rather than fighting crime as he used to.
The Midnight Menace. The leader of the Independent Neoheroes for Justice. While not as powerful as Omega Man, the Midnight Menace is still one of the most feared and mysterious superheroes in the world and often straddles the line between legal and illegal methods of fighting crime. He controls shadow and can move without making noise.
The Independent Neoheroes for Justice (INJ). The second largest superhero organization in the world. It broke apart from the NHA over disagreements about how to interact with the US government and be superheroes in general, though in recent years the two organizations have made efforts to restore relations. It is based in California, though the exact location of their base is a strongly guarded secret.
The Leadership Council. The ruling body of the NHA. It has seven members who vote on various matters relating to the NHA.
The Justice Statue. A massive statue of Omega Man and the Midnight Menace shaking hands, which is a symbol of unity between the NHA and INJ.
Hero Island. The base of the NHA. It was created by the superhero Mr. Miner, who rose it from the seafloor. It is a popular tourist destination in addition to providing shelter for NHA members.
Hero Island Janitorial Team. The team in charge of keeping Hero Island clean and in order. It is mostly made up of non-superpowered humans and is led by Curtis Brown.
Jack Ruger (Mecha Knight). A member of the Neohero Alliance Leadership Council and the supervisor of the Young Neos, as well as the informal mentor of Bolt after Genius’ death. Mecha Knight can control and talk to technology. He himself is a human consciousness downloaded into a robotic knight, though this is a well-kept secret that very few NHA members know.
Hero Island Security. The security team for Hero Island. Like the Janitorial Team, they are mostly made up of normal humans. Led by the superhero Muscle.
Black Blur. Current member of the Leadership Council. He has super speed and doesn’t get along well with Bolt.
Tsunami. An infamous supervillain who is currently imprisoned in Ultimate Max. He can control water and has something of a god complex. He is also the father of the superhuman twins Bait and Switch.
Pokacu. An alien race of biomechanical beings who were under the control of their planet known as the Mother World. The Pokacu invaded Earth twice, but were repelled by Earth’s superheroes each time. The Pokacu were wiped out when Bolt and Nicknacks blew up the Mother World. There are only two known surviving Pokacu: Graalix and Nicknacks (see individual entries for more info).
Mother World. The home planet of the Pokacu people, as well as their ruler and creator. The Mother World sent the Pokacu people across the universe in an attempt to conquer it, but was eventually destroyed by Bolt and Nicknacks sometime before the start of Crossover.
N’ckn’ax (Nicknacks). A Pokacu who broke free of the Mother World’s control and warned humanity of the first Pokacu invasion. He was originally a member of the Leadership Council before resigning to find the remaining members of his race who had also broken free from the Mother World.
Graalix. One of the two known surviving members of the Pokacu race, Graalix is fanatical in his devotion to the Mother World and has been in a deep depression since her destruction. He was believed to have died after the second Pokacu invasion, but was actually secretly retrieved by the G-Men for study.
Powerless gas. A unique type of yellow-colored gas which the Pokacu army used in their conquest of Earth. For reasons not well understood, powerless gas can render a superhuman exposed to it powerless, ranging from a few minutes to a full day depending on the amount they were exposed to. Though rare after the first Pokacu invasion, the crashing of dozens of Pokacu mother ships all over the world after the second Pokacu invasion mean that powerless gas is now much more common and easily available. Some people are even attempting to make artificial versions to mass produce, though results have been mixed.
The Starborn. A race of technologically advanced aliens who genetically engineered humanity’s ancestors millions of years ago, which is why superhumans exist. They are mysterious and powerful and can cross dimensions. Their current whereabouts are unknown.
The Servants of the Starborn. A lesser race of aliens who serve the Starborn and act as their heralds, preparing worlds for their arrival.
The Department of Superpowered & Extraterrestrial Beings (The G-Men). A superhero team sponsored and funded by the federal government, which also deals with various superhuman and alien problems that other government agencies cannot. Lead by Cadmus Smith.
Cadmus Smith. The current Director of the G-Men. He can read minds and is immortal, having been born in the 1920s. He wants what is best for the US and is willing to do what it takes to keep the country safe, no matter how immorta
l it may be.
Sarah Bradford (Shade). A prominent G-Men agent who is Cadmus’ second-in-command. She can control shadow.
Ultimate Max. The best and only superhuman prison in the country. It is home to most of the country’s most dangerous supervillains and criminals and has only ever suffered two prison breaks since its founding.
Project Neo. A secretive government project originally designed to study the newly discovered superhumans, but was eventually changed to focus on developing weapons and technology to defend against superhumans. It was shut down in 2017 after thirty years of activity.
Test Subjects. Ten Superhumans who were experimented upon by the government in an attempt to understand superhumans. Cadmus was Test Subject 001.
Environs. Special suits designed within Project Neo to help humans survive alien worlds.
Vision. A superhuman cult/terrorist group dedicated to spreading Visionism, an ideology which states that superpowers are a social construct created to further social inequality and that they must be abolished in order to create true equality and justice. It was disbanded not long after the death of its leader, Barnabas Sagan (also known as the Visionary).
Neo-Vision. A brief, more radical revival of Vision with the same basic ideology, but whose members were more likely to commit terrorist acts out in the open rather than infiltrate and take over institutions from within. It disbanded when its leader, the superhuman Incantation, was defeated and arrested.