by King, Wesley
Lana stood up from the bench, shaking. She could think those things about her dad, but it was different coming from this complete stranger.
“You don’t know him,” she growled.
“It appears I know more about him than you do. I am not blinded by adoration. Your father is swine.”
The comment sent Lana’s bubbling anger over the top, and without thinking, she charged. Lana pulled back her right hand, ready to punch the woman squarely in the face. That was her plan, anyway.
Avaria smiled and then dodged the punch with unnatural speed, moving in a blur. She spun behind Lana, grabbed her outstretched wrist, and twisted it behind her. Lana gasped as pain lanced up her arm and shoulder.
Avaria clutched Lana’s throat with her free hand. “Wouldn’t that have been satisfying to send me flying across the room?” she whispered.
Lana struggled to free herself, but Avaria’s grip was like iron. Helpless again, she thought. She remembered Kyle standing over her in the forest, wearing an arrogant smile.
“You don’t have a chance against me,” Avaria said softly. “Next time, I will make you suffer. But if you listen to me, I will give you the power to have your revenge. On your father, on Kyle”—she hissed his name—“and on all the others who have hurt you.”
White spots began to appear in Lana’s vision, and she stopped struggling.
“This session is over. I will take you back now.”
Avaria released her, and Lana gasped again as the strain on her throat eased. She turned to face her mentor, but she wasn’t going to try anything. She’d learned that lesson.
Avaria led her back to the control room and pushed open the door. Without a word, Lana hurried past and went straight to her bedroom, ignoring the boys on the couch. She dropped face-first onto the bed.
How could he do that? she thought.
The last night she’d been home, her father had been making jokes around the dinner table. Everything had seemed perfectly normal. The thought made her even angrier for some reason, and despite herself, Lana began to wonder what it would be like to have Avaria’s supernatural strength. If Lana had the same power, she would never be helpless again.
When she finally fell asleep, she dreamed that Kyle was standing over her in the forest again. But this time, Lana stood up, and Kyle was no longer smiling.
15
JAMES WAS SITTING ON ONE OF THE RECLINERS, MOPING. He hadn’t said a word since he received his announcement.
“You need to stop dwelling on Sara,” Hayden said. He was still sprawled out on the couch James and Lana had placed him on earlier. “Who cares what she’s doing?”
“Did you even hear that story?” James asked. “I was in love with her for years! She was cheating on me for like half the time we were dating! And it’s even worse that everyone thinks I’m too much of a coward to come to school.”
“Oh yeah,” Hayden said. “I forgot that part.”
James scowled at him. The drugs were obviously wearing off.
“Won’t your parents tell the school you’re missing?” Sam said, trying to cheer him up. “Someone must have called to see where you are.”
“I’m sure they did, but that won’t stop the rumors,” James muttered. “All I know is I can’t wait to push open the front doors and walk down that hallway with muscles bursting through my shirt. Then Mark will be sorry,” he added darkly.
“Wow, you were easy,” Hayden said. “Leni is at least going to have to ask nicely if he wants me to be a murdering supervillain. I still don’t even know what he’s going to do to me, besides beat me with tree trunks. Speaking of which, can someone adjust my rib bandages? They’re bunched.”
Sam hurried over. “Sorry I didn’t help before,” he said, sounding embarrassed. “I was in shock, I think.” He pulled on the bandages, and Hayden gasped, his face contorting in agony.
“Sorry, sorry!” Sam yelped.
“Just joking,” Hayden said. “Actually, it doesn’t hurt nearly as bad as it should. I think they gave me some crazy stuff to speed up the healing. That old lady said I should be ready to go in a day or two, which makes no sense. Leni is a jerk, let me tell you.”
“We should be careful what we say,” Sam whispered, gesturing toward the mirror.
Hayden smirked. “What? You think they’re really sitting there watching us all day like a reality TV marathon? Today on Becoming a Villain, teens mope about heartbreak and high school gossip, and James gives several brooding looks!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the mirror door swung open. “Hayden, come with me.”
“Crap,” Hayden whispered.
Hayden floated after Leni as he made his way through the enormous lobby. Leni had grown impatient with his limping and mentally yanked him off his feet.
They continued into the right wing hallway, and Leni finally stopped in front of a black door framed on either side by statues of grim-faced men with swords. Leni closed his eyes, and after an elaborate series of clicks, the door eased open.
Inside was the strangest room Hayden had ever seen. It was the size of their common area, and the air was very cool. The only light came from a few orange-hued lanterns scattered along the walls. But it was the contents of the room that were the most peculiar. There was a pile of black stones, four full-sized human dummies, a rack of pole-like weapons with gleaming blades, a heap of black sand, and a fire pit. The only other object was some sort of large computer with a seat in front of it.
“Could use a plant,” Hayden said, still hanging in midair. “Maybe a fern.”
“Silence,” Leni commanded as he strode toward the computer.
“Okay.”
Hayden had always had the very unfortunate habit of rambling when he was uncomfortable, and it often got him into trouble. Stop speaking, he told himself firmly as he floated after his mentor. This man will actually kill you.
“This is my training room,” Leni said. “There is another combat room the others use, but this room is specialized for my specific needs. Here you will learn to use your abilities. Only when you have mastered every task that I have prepared will I deem you fit to join this society.”
“I never did well in school,” Hayden pointed out. “I find the grading system an unfair way of—”
Leni’s eyes flashed. “You’re speaking.”
“Right.” Shut up, Hayden thought urgently.
“As I was saying, you will still have your group sessions, but I care little what you do there. Your time with me is what’s important, and you will utilize it fully. If you do not sharpen your mind, you will fail. If you fail, then you die.”
Hayden was about to respond but bit his lip at the last second.
“Let me give you a demonstration. Well, another one, I suppose,” Leni added, glancing at Hayden’s bloodied T-shirt with a hint of amusement.
With a flick of his finger, Leni turned Hayden in midair, until he was facing the middle of the room.
The pile of black sand began to swirl. It rose off the ground like a school of fish, twisting and weaving in complex patterns. Hayden’s eyes widened as the black cloud formed into one of the long weapons he’d noticed on the rack. The blade pointed at Hayden and then suddenly flew toward his head.
Hayden shouted in panic, but the weapon stopped just in front of his nose. It hovered there for a moment and then dissolved back into a pile of sand on the floor.
“I think I just wet myself,” Hayden murmured.
“What you saw takes a mastery that you may never know. We will see how deeply your talents run.”
Hayden glanced at him. “You mean I have the power to do that?”
“Everyone has the potential for MPA, to some extent. In most, it’s too limited to be realized. You have an aptitude for these abilities, a greater mental capacity than normal, doubtful as that may seem. That is why you were selected. I can assure you, it was not for your personality.”
“I always did feel rather smart.” He paused. “What is MPA?”
“Mental projection abilities,” Leni said, lightly tapping his temple with his finger. “They can manifest in two forms: telekinesis, which you and I possess, or telepathy, like Sliver and Sam. The League possesses several of each, though they are not as strong as Sliver and I. We are the most feared of all the Vindico because we can kill without ever touching our victims.”
He spun his finger, and Hayden’s limp body turned again.
“But I didn’t conduct your initial testing, and I don’t rely on others for my information. So, why don’t we see if you really have what it takes.”
Hayden floated over to the computer and was lowered into the seat. He grimaced as a stab of pain raced up his back. A blank screen stood before him, and on top of that, a cylinder was pointing at his head.
“We will test to make sure the preliminary readings were correct. You better hope they were.”
“I was never tested,” Hayden said nervously. “You sure you have the right guy?”
“You wouldn’t remember this test. It was conducted while you were sleeping.”
Hayden frowned. “That’s kind of creepy. When did—”
“Silence!”
Hayden anxiously stared at the screen. He had a feeling that if he didn’t have this ability, Leni would kill him on the spot. His mentor closed his eyes, and the words INITIALIZING TESTING appeared on the screen, while incomprehensible numbers streamed across the bottom. All of a sudden a white light leapt out of the cylinder, focusing on Hayden’s forehead. He closed his eyes under the intense glare.
It felt like something was pushing its way through his mind, looking under the layers of thoughts and emotions. It kept delving deeper, and Hayden was powerless to resist it. Then, just as abruptly as it had begun, the white light switched off, and Hayden opened his eyes. TESTING COMPLETE scrolled along the screen. He slumped, feeling strangely tired from the ordeal.
Leni was staring at him. Uh-oh, Hayden thought numbly.
“You pass,” Leni said. “You are fortunate. I will train you.” He paused. “You will never become as powerful as me, but I can still make you strong. Far stronger than your fellow protégés. Tomorrow we begin your training, here. If you can move one speck of sand by the end of the day, I will consider it a success. Tomorrow you will walk, so heal quickly.”
“Bet you I move five specks,” Hayden said.
“We shall see.”
Hayden floated off the seat again and followed Leni out of the room. He had never liked school, but for once, Hayden was going to try. He wanted Leni’s abilities, and more importantly, he knew his life depended on just how powerful he became.
I’m going to prove Leni wrong, Hayden thought, and then I’m going to kick his ass.
16
“WE’RE TAKING THIS?” JAMES ASKED SKEPTICALLY, GLANCING up at his mentor.
They were standing in the middle of a massive concrete parking garage the morning after James’s announcement, surrounded by expensive cars, limos, and motorcycles. There was even a strange futuristic-looking black vehicle in the corner that didn’t have any wheels. But the Torturer had led him through all of those and stopped in front of an old gray van. Its paint was flaking off, exposing spots of rust.
“What did you expect?” the Torturer replied as he started around the hood.
“I don’t know, like a cool jet or something.” The garage was so big that James could hear his voice echoing off the walls.
The big man laughed. “I think that would kind of stand out in Cambilsford. We need to be more discreet.”
“Yeah, I guess,” James agreed, still not quite sure why they were making the trip in the first place. “How far of a drive is it?”
The Torturer climbed into the driver’s side, and the whole van tilted a little to the left. “Not that far: five hours or so.”
“The Vindico’s headquarters are that close to my house?” James asked in amazement, settling in the passenger’s seat. “I mean, I know Portersfield was only two hours from Cambilsford, but I didn’t think—”
“What do you know about Portersfield?” the Torturer asked sharply, turning to James. He keyed the ignition at the same time, and a deep, grating rumble erupted from the engine.
“Uh,” James said, startled by his mentor’s reaction. “Just that an unidentified Villain—”
“Unidentified.” The Torturer shook his head, glowering. “They do everything they can to hide the truth.” He pressed a remote on the dash, and the garage door lifted smoothly into the ceiling, flooding the room with light. “Go on.”
“Well, the news report said he robbed a bank and flipped some cop cars,” James continued tentatively, sneaking glances at the huge man. He wished he hadn’t brought it up. “And uh, well…he killed four cops. Then, when he was trying to escape, Firefly intercepted him.”
James squinted as the Torturer steered the van out of the garage. He hadn’t seen sunlight for days.
“And what then?” the Torturer asked, hitting the gas pedal. The tires screeched, fighting for traction, and then the van barreled down the driveway.
“He killed Firefly,” James mumbled.
The Torturer turned to him, his eyes narrowed, and James shrank in his seat. Please don’t eat me, he thought.
“Yes, he did,” the Torturer said quietly. The big man suddenly broke out laughing and clapped James on the shoulder. The blow almost knocked him right through the passenger door.
“Look how scared you are,” he guffawed. “I killed Firefly; it’s no secret around here. But the League only told the public half that story, as usual. They somehow forgot to mention that Thunderbolt is the reason I robbed that bank.”
James frowned. “Thunderbolt? Why would he—”
“It’s a long story,” the Torturer said as the driveway plunged into the forest. Tall trees formed a canopy over-head, creating a tunnel. “That’s the Baron’s department. And we have business to take care of. Before I forget, take this.”
He dug into his pocket and withdrew a small glass vial. It was half-full of black liquid.
James stared at it apprehensively. “Is that…”
“Genome AP,” he said. “As I said, it’s much improved from what I took. I used to drink glasses of the stuff. And the main danger was always the muscle expansion, which is why I’m as big as I am. This stuff is still going to expand your muscles, but more so, it’s going to make them dense. You won’t get nearly as big as me, but you’ll get just as strong and just as hard.” He grinned. “You’ll be able to take laser blasts without going down, and bullets will barely even break your skin.”
The Torturer handed him the vial, and James unscrewed the top. You’re going to be a superhero, he told himself as a pungent smell filled his nose. You’re going to be a superhero. He drank the liquid, almost gagging as it crept down his throat. It felt like he was drinking crude oil.
“Only twenty more to go,” the Torturer said, taking back the empty vial. “One a day. Tell you what, I’ll send it with breakfast from now on.”
“Thanks,” James managed, fighting back nausea.
The Torturer nodded. “Now, to today’s venture. The Baron thought it was too soon for us to leave the mansion, but I want to start off your training with a little demonstration of what you’re going to become.”
Five hours later, James felt someone nudging his shoulder, and he blearily opened his eyes. He’d tried to keep mental track of where the Vindico’s headquarters were, but the winding route through the forest had left him hopelessly confused, and he’d fallen asleep instead. James always fell asleep on long car rides.
“Home sweet home,” the Torturer said softly.
James stared out the window as they drove past the farmhouses that circled Cambilsford. It felt like he’d been gone for months.
“We need to intercept Mark somewhere,” the Torturer continued. “Privately would be best, but as long as it’s not around anyone you know, that should be fine. We want people to question if he really saw you.
How does he get home from school?”
James frowned. “The town bus, I think. But how is that private?”
“It’s not, but our options are limited. It should mostly be strangers, at least.”
“What if Sara’s with him?” James asked nervously.
“Don’t worry,” the Torturer replied. “We’re going to make sure he’s alone. If he is, we’re going to get on the bus at a later stop, but we won’t sit together. We’ll let him talk to you, then as soon as he does or says anything, pow!”
He emphasized the pow by slamming his giant fist into his palm. It was so loud that the driver of the car next to them looked over.
James was still uneasy. “But all the people on the bus will see. Won’t they call the police? What if they notify the League?”
“The League is on the other side of the country, investigating a sighting of some big guy they thought was me,” he said, smiling. “They can only deal with one sighting at a time because they’re too scared we’re gonna pick them off if they split up. And the police will get a big surprise if they bother us. We’ll leave quickly anyway. In and out, no problem. Trust me.”
“All right,” James said, his stomach clenching.
They parked a few blocks away from the school. At the Torturer’s instruction, James quickly walked down the street and positioned a camera in a bush across from the school’s bus stop. By the time he climbed back into the van, the camera feed showed Mark saying good-bye to Sara and a few of his friends. Several minutes later, the bus pulled up, and they watched him get on.
The Torturer pushed open the van door. “All right, he’s alone. Let’s go. It’s time for our rendezvous.”
They hurried to the bus stop closest to their parked van. The Torturer sat down on the bench, while James stood anxiously by the curb. He shivered as a cold wind picked up.
“Remember, just fold your arms to signal me whenever he says something particularly insulting,” the Torturer reminded him. “Or if he punches you, that would obviously be my signal.”