I quickly ran over to Andy and tugged his mask on. “Can you make it out of here? I’ll deal with Jenny and Hen.”
“Don’t forget about the police, because I see them pulling up now. Sure you don’t want me to stay?”
I shook my head. “Someone has to be around to bail me out if shit goes south. Just keep your ear on that intercom, okay?”
“You’ve got it.” He grunted as he stood up. Before he left, he reached around and grabbed a pair of handcuffs. He tossed them to me, whispering quickly before leaving.
He flipped the switch and took off for the sky in a split second. I half glided, half ran over to where Jenny was starting to wake up. I grabbed her wrists and quickly cuffed them behind her back just as the first police car skidded to a stop. Hen was alert now, running over to where I was pushing Jenny toward the officers. My heart was racing. Once again, I was stuck in public speaking, an area I hated.
The officer skidded to a stop in front of us, half reaching for his gun and half terrified of Jenny. I could see the debate inside him as he took in my costume and it settled in his mind just who I was. I shoved Jenny forward, and to his credit, he took hold of her handcuffs. The man wasn’t as timid as the other officers had been before around Jenny. Word of her terrifying powers had spread quickly. Looking down at his name tag, I saw why. He wasn’t just a police officer.
The Chief of Police himself had come out to see what was going on. A butterfly took flight in my stomach as I cleared my throat, trying to find a way to make it out of there alive.
“Sir, this woman is the one you call The Darkness. I believe you’ll find all of the heist jewels and artwork at her home or in her van.”
“Um,” he said, “just what do you think you’re doing? This is police business.”
I laughed. “Then you guys need to step up your game.”
“Do her powers not work anymore?” he grumbled.
I shook my head. “She can’t use them unless she has control over her hands. I suggest you don’t take those cuffs off at all in the near future. Otherwise, I won’t be able to help you.”
“Would it do me any good to try and arrest you? I’ve seen what you can do. I don’t want to get electrocuted.”
Chuckling softly, I shook my head. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. It’s the last thing in the world I would do. But I sure would appreciate a free pass this time. I promise it won’t happen again.”
“You won’t fight crime?”
“I won’t get caught,” I said quickly. I turned back to Hen as the chief put Jenny in his cruiser. “Can I offer you a ride out of here?”
Her mouth fell open as she nodded her head. “Sure.”
I grinned and pulled her closer to me before turning back to the chief. He gawked at us for a second before asking, “What’s your name?”
“Strike,” I said confidently.
I lifted my free arm into the air and aimed for the sky, not because I had to but because it seemed like the perfect thing to do. Hen squeezed me tightly as we went higher into the sky. I flew low, the night sky cool against my skin as a thrill went through me. Her body pressed against mine was almost enough to drive me wild. Instead, her house came into view after a few minutes, and I gently set us down on her front lawn. The trip hadn’t been long enough. There was so much that I wanted to tell her, so many things that she could never know.
Hen stepped away from me, taking an unsteady breath as she smoothed out the dress she’d been wearing.
“What the hell happened back there? Why did that lady kidnap me?” she blurted out.
I resisted the urge to laugh. Of course Hen wasn’t scared. She was more pissed off than anything. Though there wasn’t much I could tell her, it would help me to have a good cover story.
“They got you mixed up with someone else. Someone I care very much for. I’m sorry all of this had to happen to you, but I promise that you’re safe now.”
“Oh,” she said with a blush. “So, they thought I was your girlfriend?”
“Criminals don’t always research their information very well,” I lied. “You look a lot like her, though, very pretty.”
“Thank you,” she said softly. “And um, thank you for saving my life and all that. I know that I wasn’t the one you were supposed to be saving now, but still, it was really great.”
“That’s what I do. I should go, though. Be safe,” I said quickly.
Turning around, I got ready to take off when I heard her yell behind me. “Wait!”
“Yes?”
“Listen,” she said. “I know that this is probably super lame, but I was wondering if you could help out a friend of mine? I bet you’re busy, but my boyfriend’s buddy, Andy, he’s got this asshole brother. I was wondering if maybe you could scare some sense into Buzz and get him to leave his brother alone. Andy is smart. Even if you can’t tell me who you are, I bet he could help you out tons.”
“So, you want me to beat up some kid’s brother?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t say you had to beat him up, just give him a scare.”
I laughed and nodded. “I promise I’ll see what I can do. Hen?”
She looked up and grinned, nodding as her curls bounced. “Yeah?”
“Try and stay out of trouble,” I said quickly.
Before she could say anything else, I was in the air, shooting straight up so that no one could see which way I was going. It had been a wild night, and now that Hen was safe, I needed to make sure my trusted sidekick and best friend was home safe. I glided around the city for a few minutes, making sure that nothing was following me from the ground or air, before diving down and landing gracefully right next to the garage.
As I rounded the corner and pulled off my cape and hood, I heard the telltale click of a gun being unlocked. With a deep breath, I dropped everything to the ground and looked up. Swallowing, I stared back at the figure as he stepped into the light.
Travis let out a heavy sigh. “Jesus, kid, can’t you just use the front door like everyone else?”
“Sorry,” I muttered, my own heart racing. “Andy around?”
“Yeah,” he said in his disproving voice as he looked at my outfit and stepped away from the door. “Something we should talk about? Andy came stumbling in here pretty shaken. You know how I feel about his getting hurt.”
“Yep. I also know that you should talk to him about how you feel,” I said with a racing heart. “He’s a good guy, and he deserves to know how you feel about him. Listen, I told you I would be a friend to him, and I plan on taking care of him too. He’s a good guy. I don’t want him being protected by just anyone. You got me?”
Travis looked stunned as he nodded his head. I had a feeling that from now on, I would see him making more of an effort with Andy. It was lost on me how they could both like each other and still not have the balls to talk about it. After all, they spent every single day together. I let out a worn sigh and headed for the garage door. It had been a long night.
Andy looked up when he heard the door open. His eyes closed with relief when he saw me. “Oh, shit, thank God, man. I was starting to wonder if they didn’t get you and maybe were keeping it off the radio. What the hell happened out there?”
“Where do I even begin? That shit was crazy, right?” I collapsed into one of his desk chairs and took a deep breath. “I don’t know if you’ll believe me even if I tell you.”
“Was I hallucinating or did I see Hen there? I can’t tell. Things are still a little shaken up.”
I shook my head. “That was the real deal, man. We have a much bigger problem on our hands though. Did you hear what Jenny said?”
Andy nodded carefully. “Yeah. There are more supervillains out there.”
Chapter 24
“What are we going to do? We almost killed ourselves just dealing with one of them. I wish we knew numbers.”
“Two, but I don’t want to worry about them tonight. Are you okay?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I feel alive for the fi
rst time in ages! What about you? You’re the one who did all the work.”
“No way. If it weren’t for you, I would be a vegetable right now.”
“I guess we make a pretty good team then,” he said with a smile.
“You’d better believe we do. I don’t know where this is taking us, but I’m glad that you’re along for the ride. Man,” I said, a yawn slipping out, “I’m gonna change and head out. I don’t think I’ve ever been this tired before in my life. Plus, I realized something while we were out there.”
“Oh, yeah? You mean besides the hero always getting the girl?”
I laughed. “Yeah. I’m pretty lucky to have my grandparents, and I think I need to tell them what’s been going on. They deserve that much. If this is going to be a regular thing, I don’t want them wondering whether I’m out here doing drugs or something.”
“Good for you,” Andy said as Travis walked in. “I think I have a little confessing of my own to do tonight. A life-threatening situation will do that to you, you know.”
“I couldn’t agree more. As a matter of fact, I called an Uber right after landing and he just got here, so I’m gonna bounce.”
He smiled. “No more stalling then?”
I shook my head and opened the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Good luck.”
The first thing I noticed was my grandmother laughing as I opened the door. It reminded me of my mother’s laugh so much that I had to choke back a tear. She wiped her eyes when she saw me, her familiar smile staying in place.
“Oh, honey, we were just watching the news. How was your night?” she asked.
“Long, happy to be home. I feel like I still need about five days of sleep. So, what’s so funny on the news?”
“Oh,” she said, patting the seat next to her. “They’re getting so heated over this superhero nonsense. It’s just too funny.”
I sat down and grinned. My grandfather was snoring away in his recliner. “I see he’s comfortable. So, what do you think about all of this?”
She shook her head and frowned. “I don’t care one bit either way. They’re just amplified good Samaritans. If a few bad seeds have powers now, we’re going to need some help. Of course, that’s just my opinion. What about you, Benji? What do you think about all of this?”
I swallowed. “Well, I haven’t really had a chance to watch the news tonight.”
“You don’t say? You and your friend get into something interesting?”
My eyes flickered to the television. They were still covering the story from earlier. It seemed to be the only thing that people were talking about. “We had a good time.”
“You aren’t in trouble, are you?” she asked softly.
I shook my head. “No. For the first time, I really feel like I know where I’m going.”
She looked at the television. “You know, I’m always here if you want to talk about things. I’m sure you have other people to share with, but don’t discount this old lady’s advice.”
I grinned. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Silence fell between us, heavy with the knowledge that we both shared. I didn’t have to be a genius like Andy to know what was going on. “How long have you known?”
“Oh, Benji,” she whispered. “I know that I wasn’t always there for you growing up, but your mother made sure we saw pictures and videos of you all the time. We watched you grow up from right here in this apartment. I know how my grandson moves, even if we were strangers when you first came.”
“Are you going to tell Grandpa?” I asked with a dry mouth.
“I don’t know yet. He can be stubborn, but I think if he knew it was you, his mind and heart would change. For now, I think we will just keep it between us. That was you? Saving that girl out there?”
I nodded. “And my friend, Andy. He’s the one who has been helping me out with all of this. I didn’t realize that someone was recording it.”
“They piece it together with the security cameras in the area. And the girl? Is that the one you like?”
“Yeah,” I said, my heart racing. “She doesn’t know it’s me. I’ll have to keep lying to her. It’s not safe for people to know, Grandma. You can’t tell anyone.”
She scoffed. “They wouldn’t believe me even if I did say something. It would be chalked up to the crazy rantings of an old lady.” She paused for a second. “Does this mean you’re going to stay around here?”
“For now, it does. I’m not sure after high school, but as long as you still want me here, I’ll stay.”
“Of course, we still want you here!” she said quickly. “You’re our grandson, first and foremost. All this other stuff isn’t you. It’s Strike. You need a place to call home as Benji, and this will always be home for you.”
“Thanks,” I said softly. I couldn’t suppress a yawn as she patted my knee.
“Go get some sleep, honey. You’ve had a long day, and even superheroes need rest. Promise me though that you’ll be careful out there? I know you can’t promise to be safe all the time, so careful will have to do.”
“I promise,” I said as I leaned over her. I gently kissed her forehead. “I love you, Grandma.”
“We love you too, sweetheart.” Her eyes started to water again. “I’m so proud of you. Your parents would be too. You’re a good man.”
I swallowed hard, unable to speak for fear that I would start to cry as well. With a curt nod, I slipped into my bedroom and collapsed on the bed.
“This is a nice surprise,” I told Hen as I left the apartment building.
She grinned. “I thought you would like it. It’s such a nice day, and there’s a two-hour delay anyway, so why not walk?”
“Right,” I said, recalling the message she’d sent earlier. Apparently, the school was without power. Someone had hacked the system in the night so we were all able to sleep in a bit.
Hen gave me a sly look. “Don’t think I don’t know your secret.”
My heart started to race. “Um, what are you talking about?”
She nudged my arm, her fingers slipping between mine as she took my hand. “You were with Andy last night, and I bet the two of you cooked up this whole two-hour delay. This has ‘Andy’ written all over it.”
I let out the breath I’d been holding. “Right. Yeah, you got me.” I quickly changed the subject. “So, I saw that you had a pretty wild night? Sorry I didn’t call. By the time I left Andy’s place, I figured you’d be asleep.”
“Ugh,” she said. “I wish. It seemed like everyone saw the news. My phone didn’t stop ringing all night. Plus, the police wanted me to stick around, but my dad shut that down really quickly. I’m happy it’s over. I just don’t want to face school today.”
“Why don’t we skip?” I offered. It was something that I’d never done, but today seemed like as good a day as any. “Come on. We can go to Andy’s place and hang out, get some breakfast first, and by the time we get there, Buzz will be gone.”
“Seriously? There are tons of people who want to talk to me about yesterday. God, even the principal called my house.”
“Okay,” I said with a shrug. “I wouldn’t want to deal with that, but we’re different people, and I like you just the way you are.”
We walked for a little way before she skidded to a halt. “You know what?” she said abruptly. “I don’t want to deal with those people, and I sure as hell don’t want to spend my day being pulled away from you.”
“Really?” I said quickly. “Because we don’t have to.”
“Well, I do,” she said quickly. “I do want a break. Hanging out with you and Andy all day is exactly what I wanted to do. I just didn’t know it before. So, what do you say? Let’s go get some breakfast.”
“Absolutely,” I said. “Mind if I invite him?”
She laughed. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Fifteen minutes later, the three of us were sitting on a blanket at the back of his property, eating a custom breakfast. We’d planned on going out, but when Buzz left early
to meet up with the lacrosse team, Hen and I made a run for it. I watched the two of them laughing together as my girlfriend nibbled on the spread. It was so cool that we were all together. The worst of things seemed to be behind us. I could actually see myself building a life here in New York.
I picked up the coffee thermos to pour myself another cup when I realized it was empty. I jumped up and Andy looked at me like I was crazy.
“You know that we have people for that, right?”
I shrugged. “A little exercise isn’t going to hurt me after that breakfast. It will only take a second. The house is fifty yards away, not five miles. Live a little, Andy.”
He rolled his eyes. “Says the kid from Oregon.”
Hen laughed. “I can see how suited you two are as friends. I like it.”
“Good, because you’re stuck with me as long as you two are dating,” Andy replied playfully. “By the way, I love this pairing.”
Hen started to blush, and I knew that she was in good hands as I jogged toward the house. I was comfortable enough with it now that I could find my way around. I saw Andy’s car sitting empty and made a mental note to ask him about Travis. Hopefully, I hadn’t judged the situation incorrectly. I glanced back at them one more time before reaching for the doorknob. I was so distracted by my happiness that I never saw the fist coming.
It connected with my left cheek just seconds before I realized what was happening. I crumpled to the ground and shot out my leg, bringing the attacker down to the ground along with me. Quickly getting back to my feet, I watched Buzz regain his footing too and wipe the blood from his cheek where he hadn’t caught himself in time to avoid hitting the pavement.
“What the hell is your problem, man?” I blurted out.
My cheekbone felt like it was on fire, pain radiating through my face. My left eye started to water as the swelling settled in.
“I want you out of here, you and your little slut. You aren’t welcome on my property,” he growled.
The City Superhero (Book 1): Rise Of The Super Strike Page 18