Super Sales on Super Heroes: Book 2

by William D. Arand

  Modified powers with massive detriments that made them cost few points.

  Eva was a very good example.

  He’d given her super strength. On par with some of the mightiest in the world. Except it only worked for a short period of time given certain circumstances.

  As strange as it was, the power cost a touch under one thousand points. It was an economical power that was undeniably useful.

  Then he gave her Lilly’s powers, with the same limitation.

  Then Kit’s.

  And Andrea’s.

  Eva had an altered version of many powers. She was his personal nuclear warhead. Eva… was probably the single strongest super in his employ. Provided it only had to last a day or two.

  And she didn’t even know it.

  Because each and every power he gave her had a limitation. She had to have Felix’s approval to use them, speak the name of the power, and after the usage, that power would fade away.

  Nor did she know about it. She had no idea about all these powers he’d put into her.

  In fact no one did. They were originally just experiments.

  After his success with these one-off powers, he’d begun making the books with similar powers within, instead of just medical training.

  And soon, the library will be done.

  Breaking free of his thoughts, he slid a small skill book across the desk to her. It’d been an expensive skill book to make. It had cost him a number of points.

  “This is Wraith’s power set. I want you to go with him tonight on his mission. Learn from him. Let’s see you put to use all those other skill books we’ve been feeding you,” Felix said with a grin.

  Every skill book created for every other department was given to Eva as well. She was a walking encyclopedia of the working knowledge of Legion.

  Eva gave him a small smile and picked up the book. A few seconds later and it vanished into nothing.

  Part of keeping the cost of books down was making them all single usage.

  Now if only I could use those damn books myself.

  Much to his chagrin, not a single book was usable by him.

  At any level.

  It lined up with the inability to modify himself.

  Or to modify others to have his own power.

  “When you’re ready, head out with Wraith. Oh… Lily and Andrea will be joining us in a week,” he said.

  Eva had bonded with both of them. Lily for being Evan’s mentor, Andrea for helping her adapt to Legion life.

  The young woman smiled brightly and couldn’t help but clap her hands together.

  “Really?” she nearly squealed.

  “Yes. Really. Now,” Felix said, turning to Wraith. “Your mission. I need you to infiltrate the local Hero HQ. We’re trying to find out why they want Kit. We know they want her. To the point that they’re willing to blow up schools. But not why.

  “I want to know. Take a head set so I can follow along. Shouldn’t get in your way at all.”

  Wraith, the black silhouette that he was, made no move to obey the order.

  About the time it took for a single breath passed before he answered.

  “Why not look into their memories?” Wraith asked.

  Felix had contemplated that one already.

  It wasn’t outside of his power, but it would involve hunting around in their heads. There was no guarantee that if he popped open those memories he’d locked out they would be containable.

  Or that he could re-blank them after.

  He’d done it while they were insane with agony and suffering. Truth be told, he wasn’t even positive he hadn’t damaged them in the process. Right now it was a risk he wasn’t willing to run.

  Not when he could find the information through other means.

  “It’s something I’ve considered,” Felix admitted. “Not something I’m willing to pursue at this time. Anything else?”

  “No.”

  “Go. Make sure you protect, take care of, and guide Eva. Assume she could eventually take your place since she can fade through objects,” Felix commanded.

  “Of course,” Wraith said. Without turning around, Wraith inverted into himself and began walking to the door.

  Eva gave him a nervous, yet excited, smile, and dashed off after the black shadow.

  She was a bit too excited, but it was a mission where she was mostly on her own.

  After the door closed, Felix let out a nervous breath. Pressing a hand to his temple he steadied himself.

  “Gotta succeed on their own eventually. All you can do is prepare them. And she’s as prepared as someone who’s lived lifetimes,” Felix said, trying to assure himself.

  Eva might be his wrecking ball, but she was also as close to a younger sibling, a daughter, a niece, as he had.

  Part of giving her so many one-off powers was an insurance card. That she could get out of any situation should the need arise.

  Provided he finally told her about it.

  The problem was that the moment he told her about it, she’d probably try to volunteer for more dangerous duty.

  Sighing again, Felix wondered if this was what parents went through.

  Wraith slid along the external wall, dipping and diving through the shadows. Passing around and past guards as if they were standing still and looking the wrong way

  From Felix’s point of view, Wraith was walking along obviously and should have been noticed.

  He knew better though.

  If Wraith didn’t want to be seen, and you weren’t aware of him to begin with, you simply wouldn’t see him. That was more or less his power.

  The ability to kill someone in a single breath was actually all trained.

  Wraith’s head turned fractionally and Eva was just in the corner of the screen. She was pressed in low to the solid thick wall and was more than halfway melted into it.

  That’s one way to hide yourself.

  Gliding forward, Wraith was off. They scampered along the perimeter and slipped inside without anyone the wiser, Wraith slipping between two guards, and Eva simply passing through the wall completely.

  Felix couldn’t help but frown when they made it onto the main grounds. It was a wide open space. There was no cover, no greenery, nothing.

  It was a blank enclosure that would highlight anyone trying to get across.

  Felix suddenly felt as if he’d made a mistake.

  This didn’t make sense and didn’t feel right.

  Wraith would do his best to get through, but even he had his limits. Especially with Eva tagging along.

  So why didn’t he say anything?

  “Wraith, this is Felix. Double back, we’re done here. That’s a death trap,” Felix said into the mic.

  Waiting, he watched as Wraith’s head swiveled back and forth, surveying the field.

  “Wraith?” Felix called. “Retreat. Head back to home base.”

  “Felix, I don’t think he’s wearing his earpiece,” Eva whispered softly.

  Wraith’s head whipped around as Eva spoke.

  Why wouldn’t he—shit!

  “Eva, tell him Felix said stand down. Quickly!” Felix demanded.

  From Wraith’s view, he saw Eva’s head dip down then back up as she got her orders.

  Before she could even open her mouth, Wraith was darting across the no man’s land. Dodging between suspicious clumps in the ground Wraith kept on. His feet carried him onward at a breakneck speed.

  He was doing his best to avoid everything and carry out the orders Felix gave him. The orders that he was forced to follow.

  Damnit. I didn’t even think of him disobeying through the minutia of the orders.

  Wraith was following all of his directives. Felix suspected that there was no way for Wraith to actually beat this section though.

  “Stay put, Eva. Actually, belay that, get back here immediately,” Felix said.

  All it would take is a thermal camera pointed in Wraith’s direction and that’d do it. Right? He might know abo
ut them, but without knowing where they are, he can do his best by moving quick.

  Felix sighed and hoped the suicidal run wouldn’t be just that. He wasn’t optimistic though.

  The Hero had played Felix rather well.

  “I suppose that’s what I get for relying on a press-ganged recruit. Everyone else is mostly here of their own volition at this point,” Felix muttered to himself.

  Wraith twisted around a corner as alarms started going off all around him. His view spun as he surveyed the scene and immediately adapted to the best of his ability.

  “And now… he’s going to commit suicide while following orders. He’ll even do so in such a way that it’ll alert the entire Hero’s Guild,” Felix said. Shaking his head he felt the helplessness in his stomach. “He signed on so he didn’t die needlessly, then throws his life away to warn them? Why? What changed?”

  A line of security officers with rifles sprang out in front of Wraith and leveled their weapons while firing.

  Twisting as best as he could Wraith charged headlong into the riflemen.

  Bullet after bullet struck the living shadow, the first several sending him crashing to the ground.

  There was no letting up though. Felix couldn’t see much anymore as the headset had twisted around. All he could see were boots.

  Boots and muzzle flashes.

  Only when empty magazines hit the ground did the flashes stop.

  There was no movement from Wraith. He’d been cut down and killed instantly from what Felix could guess.

  Frowning, Felix berated himself again.

  He should have seen it. Using Wraith was opening himself up to problems.

  Felix knew better, too. His paranoia should have warned him.

  Though that left him with only two people who could fill Wraith’s role now.

  One was Miu, the other was Eva.

  And Eva sure as hell isn’t being sent out on something like this.

  Which means we need to upgrade Miu.

  The view on the monitor changed, grabbing Felix’s attention.

  A dark black pair of boots stood in front of the camera. For a second, as the newcomer tilted Wraith to one side, Felix got the view of a handsome man in a black and white costume.

  Then inky darkness took over the camera, and the feed died.

  And that was that.

  Felix grunted, and rewound the footage. He took a screen-capture of the black and white costumed man and sent it over to Lily.

  Closing up his terminal, he laid his hands on his desk and thought.

  The best option was to power up both Miu and Eva.

  Doing so to Eva would reveal everything else though.

  Making a decision, Felix looked up at the closest bodyguard.

  “Please get Miu, and send her over to me. We’ve hit a snag and I seek her counsel,” Felix said.

  Nodding his head, the bodyguard turned to one side and said something into his mic.

  So be it. We’ll need to go about this another way I suppose. The Hero guild might not be the only one who knows.

  What about the Villains? Nothing wrong with seeing what they know, right?

  Maybe they’ll even trade me for the information.

  The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

  Right up until I have to kill them, at least.

  Chapter 4 - Hopscotch -

  Miu came quickly. Stopping in front of his desk and then standing at a loose sort of attention, her eyes boring into him.

  “Everyone out,” Felix said. “If your department head can’t protect me, no one can.”

  The night crew of bodyguards only left after Miu gave them a quick nod of her head.

  Felix laid his head back against the head rest of his chair when the door clicked shut.

  “Wraith committed suicide while obeying orders,” Felix said simply.

  Miu stood stock still for a moment, then nodded her head once.

  “I’m considering upgrading you, and powering you up, in such a way as to replace him. The problem being that you’re also the department head for my bodyguards. I’d like your thoughts,” Felix concluded.

  Miu shifted her weight uneasily from one foot to the other then clicked her tongue.

  “I dislike it. But I agree that I am probably the best candidate. My natural power makes me formidable with even the least bit of training,” Miu said, her mouth turning down into a frown. “Victoria could take my place as department head, and probably should. She’s who they look to if I’m not around. To be honest the position was never permanent for me. I was only filling in.”

  “And what position do you want then? You’re the mystery, Miu. I’ve tried to get into that head of yours. Heaven knows I’ve tried. But I can’t seem to get anything out of you. I want to know more. Know your desires. Your wants,” Felix said, leaning forward now.

  He didn’t get too many opportunities to get into Miu’s comfort zone. Not ones that she brought up herself.

  Miu’s nose twitched and she looked away to one side. After what felt like forever, she turned her eyes back to him.

  “You would use that information to beguile me into working harder for you. Your carrot, as it were,” Miu said.

  “I can’t deny that. But is that so bad? To be rewarded for your efforts? It’s not as if you’re not doing the work anyways,” Felix said, doing his best to sound reasonable.

  Miu’s lips pressed together tightly, then shook her head.

  “My wants and desires wouldn’t be attained easily,” Miu said.

  “Try me, I’m open to suggestions.”

  “No, you are not. This isn’t something that could be given,” she reaffirmed. Her voice had an odd pitch to it, and her eyes flashed in a peculiar way.

  Kit had once said your mind was unique. Different even.

  What are you hiding in there?

  “And how would you know unless you asked?”

  Miu shook her head again, then folded her hands together behind her back, and went into a rigid stance.

  Recognizing it for what it was, Felix let the subject drop.

  “List out everything you’ll need training- and power-wise to do Wraith’s job, if not better. I’m willing to dump a ton of points into you if that’s what it’ll take,” Felix said. Leaning back into his chair, he felt tired and drained.

  “Understood,” Miu said. “I’ll have it for you by tomorrow at noon.”

  “Thank you, Miu. You can go,” Felix said. There would be no further conversation without dragging it out of her.

  And that wouldn’t really get him what he wanted.

  Not really.

  Grunting, Felix decided to wait up for Eva.

  Then he’d crawl into bed and wait for tomorrow.

  And whatever joys the day might bring.

  Felix scoffed once and pulled up his terminal again. He might as well get some work done.

  Before he even started to type, even before his bodyguards retook their positions, his phone went off.

  Glancing down at the display he frowned.

  Dimitry?

  Tapping the accept button he pushed his earpiece a bit deeper.

  “Felix here,” Felix said into the phone.

  “Felix, it’s Dimitry,” said the Russian loan shark.

  “What can I do for you?” Felix caught the eye of one of his bodyguards, pointed to his phone, then held a thumb up, then turned it down, then back up while shrugging his shoulders.

  “Line’s clean, boss,” said the bodyguard.

  “And by the way, line is clean on both ends,” Felix said, making sure to be direct and to the point.

  Dimitry chuckled darkly.

  “My thanks. I’d like to call in that second marker I have,” Dimitry said slowly. “It’s a simple meet and greet. I’m somewhat cut off from the rest of my organization here. It would go a long way to have a proxy relay information face to face about the situation. Having you do it in person would… I’d feel much better about it.”

  Th
at doesn’t seem like everything. What else does he want? I mean, he could just call someone or send an email in a cryptic way. Couldn’t he?

  “I’d also appreciate it if you could give them two hundred thousand in cash,” Dimitry finished.

  Felix mulled that one over. He owed Dimitry two more favors. Transmuting items to gold, changing it to cash, and then handing it over wouldn’t be terrible.

  Not exactly pleasant, but not horrible.

  “And that’d be your second favor? That’s all? Deliver the money, this is from Dimitry, thanks bye?” Felix asked. He wanted to clarify the situation. To make sure everything required was stated simply.

  “That’d be it,” Dimitry confirmed.

  “Alright. Send me the contact information. I’ll see if I can take care of it tomorrow or the next day. It’ll be done before the week is out though, I can promise that,” Felix said.

  “Ah, thanks, Felix. I appreciate you keeping your word.”

  “I wouldn’t be a good ally if I didn’t, now would I? Oh, I was wondering about that order of rifles?”

  “Ah, yes. I turned those over to your personal bed assistant. She was quite eager to get another order of them.”

  “Eh? Alright. I’m sure she has something in mind.”

  “Wait, so she is?”

  “Is what?”

  “Your bed assistant?”

  “For a bit now. Why?”

  “She’s Myriad, right?”

  “Yeah,” Felix said slowly.

  “Does she… uh…”

  “Does she?”

  “Multiply… as well?”

  Felix let the line hang open for a few seconds, a small smirk on his face.

  “She does.”

  It was two days later before Felix finally managed to make the time for Dimitry’s chore. That and to get the gold transferred to cash without creating a serious issue.

  The IRS was probably watching Felix like a hawk. He had no doubt a few government agencies had suspicions about his newfound wealth.

  In the end, he’d resorted to having a few trusted people take ownership of the gold and transfer it.

  How many villains would trust their employees with that much cash, after all? None.

  So no one watched as his people walked around with all that money.

  Which led up to him sitting in the car.