by Lucas Flint
“Not in person,” said Seth, “but you need to realize that I’ve been keeping a very close eye on this entire situation ever since the Neo-Killer first made his presence known to the world. Indeed, I’ve been involved in it far before then, right, Janet?”
Janet nodded. Her dreamy, slightly dead expression creeped me out. “Yes, Seth, dear. You are right, as always.”
Seth kissed Janet on the head and looked over at me, his cool smile never leaving his lips. “After all, I was the one who informed the Neo-Killer about you in the first place.”
My pulse seemed to stop. “Wait, what?”
“You heard me,” said Seth. “Haven’t you wondered how the Neo-Killer knew you were the one responsible for the second Pokacu invasion? Did he never tell you that someone told him about that little fact?”
I gulped. “I remember he mentioned someone telling him, but I didn’t know it was you. I didn’t even know you knew that.”
“I’ve been watching you very closely for a very long time, Bolt,” said Seth. He brushed back his silver hair. “I’ve seen you grow and mature as a man and a superhero. I’ve seen you defeat some of the most dangerous supervillains on the planet, traverse different universes, and learn secrets that would shake the whole world if they were widely known. There is very little about you that I don’t know.”
Despite wearing my full body suit, I suddenly felt like I was standing naked before Seth. “Why? Why did you send the Neo-Killer after me? Thanks to you, dozens of superhumans are dead thanks to his actions. What do you have against me? Against people like me?”
Seth squeezed Janet’s shoulder. “Nothing. Not one thing.”
“So you did it all for no reason?” I said. My hands shook. “Because of you, Blizzard got sick and might die. And you acted like you were my friend earlier.”
Seth shrugged. “There’s no need to go around proclaiming unpleasant truths all the time. Prudence is as important a quality as honesty.”
“You can take your prudence and shove it,” I snapped. I pointed a finger at Seth. “Just a wild guess, but were you also the one who brought back Holly in the Vaultwork?”
“Good guess,” said Seth. “That would be my handiwork as well. Or, rather, the work of the programmers who work for me. I’m not much of a tech guy myself, despite my interest in science and technology from a young age.”
“First the Neo-Killer, then Holly,” I said. “If you don’t want me dead, you’ve got a funny way of showing it.”
“I don’t want you dead at all, Bolt,” said Seth. “I still consider Genius a friend, despite our falling out. I respect his memory by sparing you. I just wish you would understand that.”
“Understand that the Neo-Killer nearly killed me and my girlfriend because you gave him a target to blame for his problems?” I said. “Yeah, right.”
“I will admit I didn’t think the Neo-Killer would attempt to kill you,” said Seth with another shrug. “The reason I pointed him to you is because I wanted to see if you were as strong as your reputation suggested. The only snag was that poor David—that’s his real name, in case you didn’t know—was a lot more emotional and, well, crazier than I expected.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” I said dryly. “And what was your grand plan for Holly? Decided to destroy the Internet for the good of society or something like that?”
“Hardly,” said Seth. “Holly was supposed to be a weapon, one I planned to sell to the highest bidders. I am glad you destroyed her, though, because she turned out to be less than satisfactory for my purposes.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Fisticuffs, who was still asleep behind me. “Are you going to sell Fisticuffs, too? Is that why you wanted him?”
“Not exactly,” said Seth, shaking his head. “I have other purposes in mind for him, but really, the reason I wanted him back was simple: He is mine.”
I looked at Seth again. “He’s yours? What do you mean?”
“I funded Project Revival,” Seth replied, “and I also freed him a few months ago from his suspended animation and only lost him because I underestimated him. By all rights, Jake Johnson is my property. Looking at it that way, the Red Tide Pirates didn’t really ‘steal’ him so much as they returned what is rightfully mine.”
“He’s a person,” I said.
“He’s a clone,” Seth corrected. “But the distinction is irrelevant now. What matters is that he is mine and mine to do with as I see fit.”
“Not unless I free him first,” I said. “If I can get him out of here, then—”
Without warning, two strong hands closed around my throat, instantly cutting off my air. Gasping, I looked over my shoulder and saw Fisticuffs standing upright. He was staring at me with soulless eyes, his iron grip tightening around my throat like a clamp.
Seth’s smile became more like a smirk. “You’re assuming he even wants to be free. That, I am afraid, is an assumption you won’t live long enough to correct.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
I was completely taken aback by Fisticuffs’ strength. I knew that he was a strong guy and all, but he seemed even stronger than me. I struggled to remove his hands off my throat, but his grip was like iron and all I succeeded in doing was waste precious time and air that I didn’t have.
Instead, I kicked back and struck Fisticuffs in the knees. That seemed to work, because his grip on my throat loosened, allowing me to rip his hands off me entirely. I whirled around and threw a punch at his face, but Fisticuffs’ fists grew bright red and he blocked my punches with his own. My fists slammed into Fisticuffs’ hands like a rocket, yet they held up despite my best efforts to push back against him.
Then, faster than I expected, Fisticuffs’ hands exploded into bright red crimson energy and he shoved me back with shocking strength. I staggered backward and nearly lost my balance, but then Fisticuffs hopped out of his case and began pummeling me. His superpowered punches, powered by that weird red energy his body generated, hit me hard in multiple spots at once, but particularly in my face and chest. I managed to raise my arms to protect myself, but it left me on the defensive and seemed to spur on Fisticuffs to come at me harder and faster than ever.
Fisticuffs’ relentless offense left me on the defensive. I hated being on the defensive, but there was nothing much I could do about it. Suddenly one of his punches got through and hit me in the chest hard enough to send me flying.
I landed hard on the wooden floor at Seth and Janet’s feet. Janet made a small frightened noise and clung to Seth more closely, while Seth’s smirk looked even more smug upside down then it did right side up.
“You look a little tired, my boy,” said Seth. “Perhaps you need a nap after your long day.”
Before I could respond to that, Fisticuffs fell on top of me, straddling my waist with his legs and grabbing the collar of my costume. He then slammed his fist into my face again and again, each punch coming faster and harder than the last until, finally, he hit me one last time so hard that my nose broke. He then pushed me down and pinned me under his strong hands, making it nearly impossible for me to get up and move around.
“Very efficient,” Seth said as if he was watching someone test drive a brand new car. “I wasn’t so sure that Fisticuffs here could beat you in a fair fight, but it seems I underestimated him. That’s good. It means he will serve as a good base for the army I intend to build.”
“Army?” I said. My words came out slightly slurred and hard to understand because there was blood in my mouth from my broken nose and my cheeks were swollen from the blows I had taken. “What army?”
“You’ll find out soon enough,” said Seth. He then let go of Janet and bent over to look me in the face a little bit closer. “I can end this anytime, Bolt, as long as you agree to join me. Fisticuffs only attacks you on my orders. One word from me—just one word, that’s all—and he will stop pummeling you into dust. I’ll even give you the cure for Blizzard’s disease, just to sweeten the deal. What do you say?”
&nbs
p; I spat blood in his face. “Eat dirt.”
Seth’s smirk turned into a frown and he stood up again. “Unreasonable, yet I can’t say I am surprised. Genius was much like you. Although a paragon of rationality and logic, he had a stubborn streak in him that made it so he wouldn’t give up no matter what. I see you inherited that particular trait of his. Unfortunately, I don’t think it will serve you nearly as well as it served him.”
Seth looked at Fisticuffs. “Jake, beat him into unconsciousness. If that means breaking a few bones here and there, then so be it.”
Fisticuffs merely nodded once in response to Seth’s orders. He grabbed my collar again and pulled my head up. He raised one fist, which blazed with crimson energy, and aimed it squarely at my face. I would have tried to move, but I was still too dazed from the repeated, never-ending blows to do much more other than stare at the incoming attack that would surely kill me once it went through. Seth may have wanted me alive—God knows why—but somehow I sensed Fisticuffs wasn’t exactly good at controlling the lethality of his powers just yet.
Then, without warning, a loud gunshot went off in the hold. The gunshot’s noise was magnified by the tight space, making everyone cringe, except for Fisticuffs, who cried out in pain and fell off me. He rolled away and landed on his side, clutching a bleeding gun wound in his side. His blank eyes seemed a little less blank now, but he was still clearly under Seth’s thrall.
But I didn’t pay any attention to Fisticuffs. Instead, I looked over at who had shot him, wondering who could have possibly done that. It couldn’t have been Fingerprints, who was still in the possession of the Red Tide Pirates.
Instead, it was Edge. He had pulled that stupidly huge gun off his back and was pointing it at Fisticuffs, smoke rising off the barrel. He was breathing in and out rapidly and, despite his edgy costume, I could tell this was probably the first time he had actually shot another human being before. His whole body shook and his one exposed eye was so wide with shock that it looked like it was about to fall out of its socket.
“Who are you?” said Seth, staring at Edge with confusion and disapproval. “Oh, I see. You’re the one who freed Bolt, aren’t you?”
Edge nodded. “Y-Yeah. I’m Edge Vigilante, a dark crusader for justice and good on the s-streets of Showdown. I strike fear into the hearts of my e-enemies and go w-where other superheroes are too afraid to go.”
Seth’s smirk returned, this time smugger than ever. “You’re a kid. A scared kid, at that. Put that gun down. You might shoot your eye out.”
Edge suddenly aimed his gun at Seth and Janet. Janet squeaked in fear and clung tighter than ever to Seth, but Seth, as usual, looked completely undisturbed by the fact that someone was aiming a gun at him. I wondered if that was a regular occurrence for him.
“N-No,” said Edge. His stutter caused his voice go high and low randomly. I doubt he was even consciously trying to mask his voice anymore. “You’re the b-bad guys. I’m going to take you two in. Same as any street c-criminal.”
Seth rolled his eyes. “You’ve read too many comic books. Or maybe you think you’re going to be like Bolt here when you grow up? Looking at his current state, I can’t say he makes for a very good role model. Boys your age typically like winners, don’t they?”
Edge sniffled. “Bolt is more than a w-winner. He’s a h-hero. A real one. Not like you.”
For the first time, I thought I caught a glimpse of anger in Seth’s face before his cool smugness returned. “Low standards, kid. You don’t know what I’ve done to make the world a better place.”
“I k-know all about it, but I also know you’ve been a horrible man,” said Edge. He gulped. “The reason I came here tonight was to confront y-you for your crimes.”
Seth tilted his head to the side, again with amusement on his lips. “And what gives you the authority to come after me? Are you with the G-Men, the NHA, the INJ, or even the police? You seem a little too young to belong to any of those organizations. I doubt even the Young Neos would accept you.”
“I’m not with anyone,” said Edge. “I’m just a lone man trying to find justice in a w-world that doesn’t have it.”
“Way too many comic books,” said Seth. “And in such a lame voice, too. If you really want to scare me, then you should drop the melodramatic dialogue. It doesn’t help.”
“You want me to really scare you?” said Edge. “Fine. I’ll t-tell you exactly who I am.”
Edge reached up and tore his helmet off his face. “I’m your grandson … and I am going to teach you a lesson for hurting my family.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Seeing Edge’s face for the first time was surprising. He looked even younger than I believed. He looked closer to twelve than fourteen and even had a little baby fat still on his face. His short brown hair and intense black eyes, however, even made me feel a little wary. His skin, admittedly, was pretty pimply, but I didn’t look much better when I was his age.
What stood out to me most, however, was his eerie resemblance to Seth. He looked like what I imagined Seth must have looked like when he was a teenager, if slightly fatter. Same general face shape, features … hell, their noses were exactly the same. It felt like I was looking at Seth’s clone, but if what he said was true, then he was just his grandson, not his clone.
For the first time, genuine shock appeared on Seth’s face. He seemed unable to believe his eyes. It was rather satisfying, I will admit, to see such a smug jerk finally at a loss for words, as if Edge’s presence was something he had literally not seen coming.
“My … grandson?” said Seth. He sounded lost and confused and looked more like the old man he was than a brilliant mastermind or schemer. “Impossible. I don’t have a grandson.”
“Yes, you do,” said Edge. He had stopped stuttering, but I could see tears forming at the edges of his eyes. “The only reason you don’t know it is because you’re an awful grandfather who doesn’t care about anyone other than himself.”
Seth pursed his lips. I guess even he couldn’t deny the obvious physical resemblances between himself and Edge. “I see my son has been busy since I last spoke to him.”
“That was eighteen years ago,” said Edge. He wiped the tears out of his eyes. “Before I was born, but I’ve seen what you did to my parents. I know that if they hadn’t gotten in your way, they would still be here, still be with me.”
My eyes widened in shock. So Edge’s parents really had died after all? I suddenly felt incredibly guilty for thinking his story was too ridiculous to be true.
“I didn’t owe my disobedient son anything, or that girl he liked, either,” said Seth without a hint of remorse in his voice. “He didn’t understand what I was trying to do, and he certainly wouldn’t understand what I am trying to do now. Some days I’m not even sure he is actually my son.”
“You ruined us,” said Edge. “Our lives, my life … all because my dad didn’t like what you were doing. You like to act like you’re the good guy, but you’re just as bad as any random street criminal. You just got more money, that’s all.”
Seth’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know what Ethan told you, but I don’t really feel like convincing you otherwise. Grandson or no, if you shoot me, then I will make sure you are destroyed.”
“I know that,” said Edge. He sniffled. “When I first decided to become Edge Vigilante to take you down, I knew I could get in trouble. But I don’t care. I’m going to take you down, here and now. At least then you won’t be able to ruin any other lives.”
Without further ado, Edge pulled the trigger on his gun and another loud gunshot went off.
At first, I thought Seth had been hit because he cried out when the gunshot went off. But then I noticed that Seth was completely unharmed, although Janet wasn’t.
Janet stood in between Seth and Edge, her arms extended out to either side. She was still smiling that same mindless smile she always wore, but there was a bit of a grimace to it as well, like she was in pain. Not surprising, given
the large, bloody bullet hole in her chest. Blood stained her pure white dress, making her look like the victim of a serial killer in a murder movie or something. Even Edge seemed surprised by what she did, lowering his gun with a look of disbelief on his face.
Then Janet looked over her shoulder at Seth and gave him her beautiful smile. “So sorry, honey. I did my best.”
With that, Janet’s eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed onto the floor in a stone-like heap. She did not rise again or even move. She was quite clearly dead.
Seth just stared at Janet’s body for what seemed like an eternity. The look on his face was a mixture of anger, disbelief, and, oddly enough, resignation. He stood as still as a statue, which made me wonder for a second if he had just died on the spot as well.
“Janet,” said Seth under his breath suddenly, “my sweet, beautiful Janet. I will make sure your sacrifice was not in vain. You will rise again. That much I can promise.”
Then Seth suddenly looked over at Fisticuffs. I had forgotten all about Uncle Jake’s clone in all of the frenzy confusion. Despite the bullet hole in the side of his body, he was already rising to his feet again, clearly ready to go another round with me.
“Jake,” said Seth in a sharp, unusually cold voice. “Eliminate both of the brats. Now.”
Fisticuffs, his gaze still blank, nodded and then rushed toward us. I tried to get up, but Fisticuffs just jumped over me and kept running toward Edge. Edge pointed his gun at Fisticuffs, but before he could fire it, Fisticuffs smashed his crimson fist into the ground, making it explode in Edge’s hands and making Edge cry out in pain. Then Fisticuffs followed it up with a kick that sent Edge flying. Edge slammed into the wall on the other side of the hold and fell down onto his stomach and face, groaning in pain and clutching the spot where he had been kicked.
Knowing Edge stood no chance against Fisticuffs, I struggled to get onto my feet. I heard movement and looked up to see Seth disappear through the hold’s exit. A part of me wanted to follow him, but I knew that I couldn’t just abandon Edge to Fisticuffs. I had to stop Fisticuffs before he pounded Edge into meat.