by S. J. Delos
I stared at the package for several seconds before bringing my gaze back up to his. That goddamned smirk was back and more annoying than ever. “What is it?” I really didn’t want anything from him. In my mind, he’d already done enough.
“Something I think should interest you.” He leaned forward and stared at me. His steel blue eyes glimmered with a feverish intensity. “A little bit of information I feel generously compelled to share.” There was no way he was going to let me have the envelope and open it later. It would be here and now, or not at all.
I reached out and took it from him. When I folded up the opening flap and reached inside, my fingers brushed against a thick paper. I glanced up at Martin, he nodded quickly and tapped on the table with a well-manicured fingertip.
“Don’t rush,” he said. “I don’t want to miss a single moment of your expression.”
The dread I felt doubled and I pulled out a piece of heavy parchment, folded down the middle. When I opened it, several small photos fell out, landing on the table. My eyes drifted down to them and a gasp, barely audible to anyone other than Martin, escaped from between my lips.
There were four pictures in total, each featured a little red-haired girl. In one, she was sitting on couch, holding a stuffed rabbit with crooked ears and blue jean overalls. In another, she was in a high-chair, wearing a conical party hat, and looking happily at a single candle stuck in a chocolate-iced cupcake. The other two were taken in a bedroom with pink-flowered paper adorning the walls, the child surrounded by plenty of toys. She seemed healthy and happy. My vision blurred as I cycled through each photo over and over.
“She lives right here in Charlotte and her name is Harmony,” Martin said after a few moments. “At least, that’s what they named her. I would have gone with something less virtuous.” He clicked his tongue disapprovingly.
I looked up at him through the tears hung in my eyes. “I’m warning you, Martin. Stay away from her. I mean it.” I wiped my eyes and glared at him, jaw clenched.
“She’s my daughter, too. What type of father would I be to leave her among un-Enhanced peasants?”
I put both hands on the top of the table and leaned forward. “I’m only going to say this once. Leave her be or I will rip off your fucking head and kick it into low-earth orbit. You got that?”
He laughed again, showing not the least bit of concern regarding my threat. “Such motherly protection. I can see why you’re good at being a hero.” His eye turned hard. “You know, as well as anyone, that I do not put up with threats. However, since my weakness for you continues to be a thorn in my side, I will abide by your wishes. For now. But you are sorely mistaken if you think I’m going to stay away forever.”
“Martin …”
He stood up and straightened his jacket. “I have faith that, one day, you’ll be by my side again.. We will gather our daughter and be one whole, loving family.” His eyes sparkled with malicious happiness. “I wonder what her Enhancement is?” Then he smiled down at me, gave a tiny bow, and strolled out of the café. Within seconds, he’d vanished in the lunchtime crowd filling the sidewalk.
I spent another ten minutes looking at the photos, fingers brushing over the images. Harmony. My daughter. I wondered if I’d ever see her with my own two eyes. Hold her with my own two arms.
“This just in,” the newscaster on the television said, interrupting my thoughts. On the screen under his image were the words ‘Breaking News’. “It’s being reported that the supervillain known as Landslide is rampaging through the terminals at Douglas International Airport.”
I stood up and scooped up the photos, tucking them safely into an inside pocket of my brand new black and blue uniform. Several of the café’s patrons looked from the television to me, the look on their faces spurring me into action. There was a bad guy on the loose and it was time for me to get back on the clock.
The communicator in my ear chirped into life. “Kayo, this is Mister Manpower. Have you heard about the airport?”
“Affirmative,” I said as headed towards the door. “I thought Landslide was doing 25-to-Life down in Guadalajara.”
“So did I,” Greg said. “Richard and I are on our way. ETA: two minutes.”
I stepped outside into the brilliant sunshine-filled morning, clear blue sky overhead beckoning me. “Roger that, Manpower.” The grin that came across my face was impossible to restrain. “I’ll meet you guys there.”
In addition to changes with my durability, I’d also lost my ability to run at super speeds. And while I occasionally missed it, I couldn’t be too upset. Considering what I’d gained as a replacement.
As the citizens on the street—and those visible through the window of the café—pointed and snapped photos, I bent my knees slightly and threw myself upwards. A burst of giddy excitement ran through me as I shot into the air like a missile, one arm stretched out in front of me. I soared up above the buildings and paused, hovering in place, just long enough to look down at the crowd below. Their cheers and shouts of encouragement made my heart beat faster, and I gave them a little waving salute before zooming away in the direction of the airport.
As I headed into the good fight once more, I took a second to realize that I had always believed that I was destined to be a bad guy. However, with the supportive sounds of the people below still ringing in my ears, I was starting to think I’d been completely wrong.
Maybe I was a hero after all.
THE END
Kayo will return in
Some Kind of Hero.
Available 2016
About the Author
S.J. Delos lives in Greensboro, North Carolina with his patient, non-nerdy wife, Kimberley, and their two fortunately-nerdy offspring. He has been an aficionado of all things Geek since childhood, particularly superheroes and comic books.
So Not a Hero is his first novel.
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
Several individuals are responsible for helping me to write this book. While I can’t list everyone, I can give special recognition to a few. Many are authors with their own intriguing casts of characters. I highly recommend them for your reading pleasure.
M.A. Ray: www.menyoral.com
Jen Ponce: www.jenniferponce.com
Matthew Snyder: http://centralfringe.blogspot.com/
K.M. Herkes: www.storysculpting.blogspot.com
Rachel Bostwick: http://rachelbostwick.com/
M. L. John: www.mljohn.wordpress.com
Fiona Skye: http://fiona-skye.com/
I also want to thank:
Emily Snyder (for pretty much holding my hand, virtually, while I stumbled through the publishing process)
Rachel Bostwick (for designing a bad-ass cover worthy of Kayo)
Michelle John (for her editing suggestions)
Sue Sherman and Lisa Romeo (for being awesome beta readers)
The members of the Facebook group The Dragon’s Rocketship (for their online support of Kayo during the creation process)
And an extra big, THANK YOU to Lois White who put Stephen King’s The Stand in the hands of a 10 year-old boy and said “Enjoy!”
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: A REALLY BAD DAY
CHAPTER 2: AN UNEXPECTED OFFER
CHAPTER 3: A FORCE FOR GOOD?
CHAPTER 4: INTO THE HEROES’ DEN
CHAPTER 5: A BRAND NEW START
CHAPTER 6: FORGING FRIENDSHIPS
CHAPTER 7: DEBUT OF A HERO
CHAPTER 8: THE ‘D’ IN DYSFUNCTIONAL
CHAPTER 9: THROWING PAINS
CHAPTER 10: UP IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO
CHAPTER 11: THE UNBURIED PAST
CHAPTER 12: JUST LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE
CHAPTER 13: TEAMING UP AND OTHER ACTIVITIES FOR TWO
CHAPTER 14: THE DESCENT OF THE OTHER SHOE
CHAPTER 15: CLOSING OLD WOUNDS
CHAPTER 16: MAKING FRIENDS AND INJURING ENEMIES
CHAPTER 17: REPAIRING BRIDGES
CHAPTER 18: A COLOSSAL PROBLEM
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CHAPTER 19: WHISPERS, CLAIMS, AND THINGS LEFT UNSPOKEN
CHAPTER 20: THE EVIL YOU DIDN’T KNOW
CHAPTER 21: SO NOT A VILLAIN
EPILOGUE
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS