by Lee Bacon
We came to a stop in front of the black door.
The idea of facing down Vex had been a lot easier to grasp when I’d thought my parents would be there with me. But now it was just us—five kids in uniforms. No superpowers, no utility belts. All we had was Dad’s plasma pistol. Would that be enough?
I pushed all my doubts away. Once Vex got his new bionic body, he’d be invincible. And unless we managed to stop him in the next three minutes, that was exactly what was going to happen.
Lost in these thoughts, I didn’t notice nFinity turning and raising the plasma pistol, until the barrel was pointed right at my chest.
“Any sudden moves and I pull the trigger,” he said.
I felt like I’d stumbled into a bizarre dream. None of this made any sense. nFinity stepped forward calmly, a dark grin forming on his face.
“Everybody back up.” He jabbed the plasma pistol, forcing us backward until we were against the wall. His eyes narrowed behind his mask.
“Wh-what’re you doing?” Miranda asked in a wounded voice. “Vex is going to be here any minute.”
“That’s right. And I imagine he’ll be pretty happy to see what I brought him.”
Milton gaped at nFinity, his mouth hanging open. “You and Vex—you’re working together?”
nFinity shook his head. “Not yet. But I’ve been in this business long enough to know that it’s never too late to form new partnerships. It’s an opportunity too good to pass up, really. I give Vex something he wants”—nFinity’s eyes flickered over to me—“and he gets rid of the competition.”
“What’re you talking about?” I asked.
“Isn’t it obvious? Ever since the world found out about the Nameless Hero, I’ve been ignored, overlooked. I was supposed to be the cover story of Super Scoop. I was supposed to be the one with endorsement deals. But then you came along.” nFinity glared at me. “Do you have any idea how hard I worked to get where I am? I’m not about to let you swoop in and take my place.”
I struggled to comprehend what I was hearing. So there’d been some truth to Super Scoop’s claims of a power struggle between us. I just hadn’t known about it.
“Don’t act so surprised, Nameless! You want the attention more than any of us. Back at the commercial shoot when those scorpions attacked, you stood back and let those things overpower us. You watched while I nearly got killed.”
My memory flashed with the sight of nFinity, blood streaming out of multiple wounds, cornered by scorpions. “I wanted to fight sooner,” I said. “But Gavin … he was holding me back.”
nFinity shook his head furiously. “Don’t blame this on anyone else. It was you! You were waiting for just the right moment—until the rest of us were weak. Nearly defeated. The perfect moment for the Nameless Hero to swoop in and save the day.”
“You have to believe me,” I pleaded. “That wasn’t the way it happened.”
“Shut up!” nFinity’s finger tightened on the trigger. “Because of you, I’m nothing. What am I supposed to do now? Perform in shopping malls, showing off my fire tricks for six-year-olds? I don’t think so. Once Vex takes care of the Nameless Hero, things will go back to the way they were. I’ll be famous again.”
My heart thundered in my ears. In the corner of my vision, I could see the black door. Vex was behind there. Any second now, he’d be unstoppable.
Until now, Sophie had taken nFinity’s sudden betrayal in silence. But I could see in her face that it hit her the hardest.
“nFinity, please,” she pleaded, her voice wavering. “You’re not thinking clearly. This isn’t who you are.”
“I’m sorry, Sophie.” nFinity’s expression softened, and just for a second I saw the cool, good-looking hero Sophie had adored all this time. But it was only a moment. Then his face changed again. His jaw clenched in fierce determination. “This is the way it has to be.”
My brain seared with the hopelessness of the situation. I didn’t know what was worse—getting blasted by the plasma pistol or waiting around for Vex to show up. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much choice. A thunderous noise rumbled through the corridor. Something was moving behind the black door. Something enormous.
I glanced at my friends. Was this the last time I was ever going to see them?
“I’m the one Vex wants,” I said to nFinity. “Not them. Let the others go.”
“Not a chance.” nFinity’s lip curled into a sneer that wiped away any last trace of the teenage superhero he’d once been. “I can’t have any witnesses contradicting my side of the story.”
The floor trembled beneath my feet. The walls shook.
“Sounds like the guest of honor is on his way,” nFinity said.
All at once, the black door shattered into a thousand pieces. The wall around it crumbled. I covered my face to block the flying debris. Opening my eyes again, I saw a figure emerging from the black room.
Phineas Vex had arrived. And by the looks of it, he’d gotten a major upgrade.
32
I’d thought Vex was pretty terrifying when he was just an old dude with a cane, but that was nothing compared to the way he looked now. He towered over the rest of us, a mountain of armor-plated muscles and devious gadgetry.
The only part of Vex that was still visible was his face, leering through a clear window in the head of his bionic capsule. A patchwork of grisly scars crisscrossed his skin. One of his eyes was white and unseeing. The other stared cruelly down at me.
From the neck down, Vex was sealed away inside a ten-foot-tall body that made even the bulkiest bodybuilder look like a weakling by comparison. His massive arms and legs looked as if they’d been formed from solid titanium, and his chest bulged like an indestructible tank.
Vex stomped forward, each step shaking the ground. More and more of the walls crumbled down around him. He must’ve still been getting used to the suit, because his movements were stiff and jerky, like those of a toddler just learning to walk.
“I’ve waited a long time to meet you again, Joshua Dread.” Vex’s voice boomed from a speaker built into his new high-tech body. His eyes passed over Sophie, Milton, and Miranda. “And how polite of you to bring your friends along.”
“I—I captured them, sir,” nFinity said. “I wouldn’t let them destroy you.”
“Glad to see you’ve had a change of heart,” Vex replied. “Your service won’t be overlooked. Especially if you stay on my side.”
A dark look of satisfaction formed on nFinity’s face. “I will do anything, sir.”
“After so long in that miserable dark room, I can finally move again.” Vex held out one bionic arm, looking it over admiringly. “I’ve been waiting for months to test out my new body. And now’s my chance.”
Vex grabbed hold of Milton’s arm so quickly that none of us even had the chance to flinch.
“As you can see, the limbs have excellent precision and speed.” Vex lifted Milton off the ground. “And just wait till I show you the added features. I’m able to detect every physical characteristic of those around me—every strength and weakness, all with a simple body scan.”
To demonstrate, a panel opened up in the chest of Vex’s robo-suit, and a grid of red lasers traced up and down Milton’s body.
A moment later, Vex recited the results of the scan: “Above-average agility but your speed suffers in long distances due to a broken leg when you were nine. Type A blood. No discernible Gyfts. And you really should floss more regularly.”
“Lemme go!” Milton squirmed and kicked, but Vex’s grip didn’t falter.
“I had my team of scientists analyze the powers of the most fearsome supervillains on earth and distill each and every one of them into a function of this suit.” Vex turned his one good eye on me. “Including your mother’s.”
With his free hand, Vex motioned to the ceiling. A rumbling sound grew louder above him until a thick brown root burst through the ceiling panel. Another broke through an instant later. Like tentacles, the roots extended farther int
o the corridor, wrapping around Sophie and Miranda, lifting them off the ground.
I realized at once what Vex meant. His bionic body allowed him to control plant life, just like my mom.
Sophie and Miranda clutched at the roots, kicking in the air. But there was no escaping.
Vex’s magnified voice boomed across this horrible scene. “But unlike your mother, I’m not limited to only one power. Surely you’re aware of the way Revoltor can levitate objects in thin air. Well, now so can I.…”
Vex released Milton. But instead of falling, Milton drifted in front of him, as if he were suspended by invisible wires.
“I’m capable of generating an electric charge like Tesla the Terrible.” Vex flicked his fingers, and a tiny bolt of lightning zapped Milton’s arm.
“Ouch!” Milton screamed, recoiling from the shock.
“And like Raven Fury, I can use mind-control to attack others.” Vex narrowed his one good eye, focusing on Sophie, Miranda, and Milton, who were dangling in front of him—two held up by the roots, the other floating in midair. And all of a sudden, my friends clutched at their throats, as if they were being choked by some unseen force.
“As you can see, there’s no point in resisting. I am now indestructible. And it’s all thanks to you, Joshua Dread.” Vex’s terrible gaze turned back to me. “You nearly killed me the last time we faced each other. But I survived. And now I’m stronger than I’ve ever been before. Reborn as the greatest supervillain the world has ever known.”
Horror rippled through my entire body. My friends struggled in front of me. If someone didn’t stop Vex soon, they would choke to death. Beside me, nFinity was watching with a look of sinister fascination on his face.
“Let them go!” I screamed at Vex. “I’ll do whatever you want! Just let my friends live!”
“Not a chance,” Vex said. “Your friends were there the night that I nearly died. They also bear responsibility. The only reason I’m sparing your life is because I have something much bigger in store for you.”
I clenched my hands into fists, plunging my mind deep into concentration. If I could just trigger my spontaneous combustion, maybe I could fight back, do something to stop Vex, to make him release my friends. Gritting my teeth, I focused harder. And for a second, I thought it might actually be working. A sudden WHOOSH rushed through my ears. But it wasn’t my Gyft. It was something else. Someone else.
“Release your evil grip on those children, you fiend!”
I whirled around, and my heart leaped at the sight of Captain Justice flying through the corridor, his shiny blue cape sweeping behind him. And he wasn’t alone either. A reality-TV crew trailed him—two cameramen and a guy with a boom mic buzzing through the air in jet packs—recording everything.
“Engage Spear of Freedom!” A holographic blue spear appeared from the bulky metal band around Captain Justice’s wrist. He thrust it forward. A flash of blue erupted in front of me as the spear collided with Vex.
I’d seen Captain Justice’s hologram weapons cause some major damage to my parents over the years, but the Spear of Freedom didn’t even make a dent in Vex’s armor.
“I’ll deal with you children once I’ve finished off Captain Justice,” Vex said, turning his attention away from Sophie, Miranda, and Milton. All at once, his power over them vanished. Milton fell suddenly. The roots untangled from Sophie and Miranda. They dropped to the floor next to Milton, gasping to regain their breath.
“I’m pleased to see you brought your camera crew, Justice,” Vex growled. “Now the entire world will have a chance to witness your death. You see, my suit wasn’t outfitted only to replicate the powers of villains. I’ve also had it designed to match the abilities of one particular superhero—you.”
Captain Justice has battled fearsome villains, starred in million-dollar marketing campaigns, and appeared on the covers of countless magazines. And now he’s adding a new accomplishment to his career: reality-TV star.
As Vex spoke, a bazooka rose behind his back.
“Engage Rocket Launcher of Hatred!” Vex bellowed.
And like the hologram weapons that appeared from Captain Justice’s wristbands, the bazooka launched a red holographic rocket. I barely had a chance to dive to the side before it blasted across the corridor, spiraling in Captain Justice’s direction.
“Watch out!” Captain Justice shoved his cameramen out of the way. The rocket flew past them. “You can attack me if you want, Vex,” Captain Justice yelled. “But leave my reality-TV crew out of it.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of nFinity raising the plasma pistol and taking aim at Captain Justice. I dove just in time to tackle nFinity before he could get the shot off. With chaos roaring all around me, I tried to wrestle the pistol away from nFinity, but he overpowered me. One hand gripped my neck. The other raised the plasma pistol.
“Hope you’ve enjoyed your fifteen minutes of fame, Nameless Hero,” nFinity snarled. “Because you’re about to become the Faceless Hero.”
He aimed the pistol between my eyes.
“NO!” Vex screamed. “I need him alive!”
nFinity’s eyes burned, but he didn’t dare disobey Vex’s order. I took advantage of his hesitation to kick him away from me. nFinity sprawled onto his back, and I scrambled away.
“Engage Smoke Screen of Integrity!” Captain Justice yelled.
A blue cloud burst from his wristband, filling the corridor. It was like I’d suddenly gone blind. All I could see was blue. I staggered away from Vex, until the dim outline of Captain Justice emerged from the cloud. He had Sophie, Miranda, and Milton under one arm. I could see the vague shapes of the camera crew around him.
“Engage Protective Umbrella of Virtue!” Captain Justice said.
A flash of blue cut through the cloud as he slammed the umbrella sideways, creating a barrier between us and Vex.
“Come along,” Captain Justice said. “The umbrella won’t hold him off forever.”
I stumbled alongside Captain Justice and the others. Behind me, an ominous voice boomed from somewhere in the cloud.
“This isn’t over!” Phineas Vex sounded like he was speaking from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. “I’ll find you, Joshua Dread. Soon, I’ll find you!”
The ground trembled beneath my feet as Vex’s massive footsteps shook the corridor. For a horrifying instant, I was sure he was following us. But the heavy stomping was moving in the other direction, joined by smaller footsteps that must’ve been nFinity’s. Soon the sounds disappeared entirely and the blue cloud began to clear.
“Great job back there with the hologram umbrella thingy,” one of the cameramen said to Captain Justice. “You sure we can’t try to get one more take? I missed the shot with all the blue smoke.”
“I’m afraid not, Kenny,” Captain Justice said. “We’re lucky to get away in the first place. The only reason my tactic worked is because Vex is still getting used to his bionic body. I fear that there won’t be any stopping him once he’s mastered all the functions.”
Keeping up a quick pace as he led us back to my parents and Brandy, Captain Justice explained how he’d found headquarters. He’d been tracking Vex for years, ever since Vex had killed his wife. Not long ago, Captain Justice had picked up suspicious activity that could only be linked back to Vex. A huge underground facility. Scientists being forced to design a suit that wouldn’t just keep a man alive but would turn him into an all-powerful being. Even a strange rumor that the new superhero group the Alliance of the Impossible was somehow connected.
“Of course, I was busy shooting Hangin’ with Justice, not to mention my usual schedule of kicking villainous butt and saving the world,” Captain Justice said. “But when I discovered the headquarters, I came here right away—”
“Yeah, we were in the middle of shooting a romantic dinner with Scarlett Flame,” said one of the cameramen. “You could’ve at least given us some warning that you’d have to interrupt your date. We missed out on a lot of good
footage—”
“Wait a minute,” Sophie looked up at her dad with shock. “You’re dating?”
Captain Justice came to a stop, turning to face Sophie. “I should’ve told you sooner. It’s just … with what happened to your mother, I didn’t know how you’d take it.”
“If you’re dating again, it’s fine. I just wish you’d tell me.”
Meanwhile, the TV crew was inching closer on all sides. One camera trained on Captain Justice, the other on Sophie. The boom mic dangled between them, picking up all their dialogue.
“I’m sorry, honey,” Captain Justice said.
“It’s okay,” Sophie replied. “I’m just glad you showed up when you did.”
“This is great stuff,” one of the cameramen said under his breath.
It looked like Sophie and Captain Justice were about to hug. The crew was just moving in for the close-up on the big emotional scene, when Milton burst in front of one camera.
“What’s Scarlett Flame like?” Milton was hopping up and down excitedly. “Does her power medallion really let her see into the future?”
The cameraman cursed quietly to himself.
“Are you and Scarlett Flame really dating?” Milton persisted. “ ’Cause that would be awesome!”
Captain Justice actually seemed to be blushing. “Ms. Flame is a … uh—very charming and … er—talented superhero lady,” he spluttered.
“You really like her, huh?” Sophie gave her dad a playful punch on the shoulder.
Meanwhile, Milton was tugging on Captain Justice’s cape to get his attention. “A few weeks ago, Super Scoop reported that Scarlett Flame inherited her power from her grandmother. Is that true? Can a superpower skip a generation, or could it be that—”
“We should keep moving.” Captain Justice began walking again hurriedly. “No telling what dangers are still lurking in this facility.”
I think he just wanted to change the subject.
33
“This is kind of awkward.”