by H. L. Burke
I need to find him and take care of this.
He grabbed Jackson’s arm. The boy jumped halfway out of his chair before flushing and settling down again.
“Sorry, but look, Jackson, Prism told me about your abilities. Could you tell me where the guy who attacked you is right now?”
“Maybe—” Jackson drew out the word. “I got a good look at him, but if he’s gone too far, I might not be able to trace him. I’ll give it a go, though.” He closed his eyes, settling cross legged into his chair. After a moment, his face paled. “Oh, crap, he’s close.”
Fade leaned forward in his seat. “Can you tell me where?”
“Pull up a map on your phone, and I can show you.”
Fade passed Jackson his phone. The boy scrolled for a moment before pointing to the screen.
“He’s here. He’s not moving, but I don’t know for how long.”
Fade memorized the location. He could be there in five minutes on foot, but he wouldn’t want anyone in DOSA to know it. Not this time.
He stood. “I’m going to go to the bathroom. We never talked about this. Understand?”
Jackson’s eyes widened, but he managed a brief nod. “Don’t you think we should call DOSA? Tell them where he is?”
“No. I’ve got this.” Fade left the boy behind, following the restroom signs down the hall. There wouldn’t be any security cameras in there. Making note of an employees only area nearby, he slipped into the bathroom and stashed his phone, still on, inside a paper towel dispenser. He then hid his jacket in a wastepaper basket before ghosting through the wall. After a few minutes of dodging security cameras, he found a supply closet that included a box of surgical masks. Putting one of these securely over his face, he navigated his way through the interior of the hospital.
Once outside, he exhaled. He needed to hurry. There was no guarantee Earwig would stay at that location for long, and his next destination could very well be to attack Prism at her most vulnerable.
DOSA wasn’t equipped to handle this. They’d already failed Prism more times than Fade could count, and he wasn’t giving them another chance. No, what Prism needed right now wasn’t a hero. She needed a villain.
That was one thing he was willing and able to be.
Chapter Sixteen
Every fiber of his being flooded with the prickling energy of his powers as Fade stared at the building across the alley. A cracked parking lot, dotted with weeds and trash, sat in front of two garage doors. The front office windows were boarded up, and several of the glass panels in the “Speedy’s Auto-Repair” sign were broken or missing.
If he’s not still here, what then? I can’t stay away from the hospital for too long.
His hand strayed to his back pocket where his phone usually would be. His mouth twisted. What if something happened with Lucia or the baby and he wasn’t there?
Move fast. Get this done. They won’t be safe as long as Earwig’s free.
Circling around, he chose a location on the back wall and faded through into a grimy, unlit employee bathroom. He paused to listen. Footsteps echoed outside the door, loud for a moment then fading away.
His muscles tensed. He needed to start carrying a weapon. While guns weren’t standard issue for most DOSA sables, villains didn’t always have the same restrictions. Keeping himself fully faded, he slipped through the door and into an abandoned garage. A single folding table and chair sat against one wall with a laptop on top of it. Beside the laptop sat a helmet, and the upper half of a set of dark brown body armor was draped over the back of the chair.
Making himself at home.
In spite of the rage and anxiety warring within him, Fade smiled. This idiot thought he’d gotten away clean. A skittering noise like a thousand tiny pins striking a hard surface jerked Fade around. A pair of feet swung down from the ceiling and swooshed straight through Fade’s ghosted body.
Fade ducked and looked up. With a mumbled curse, Earwig reattached his feet to the ceiling and scrambled away. Fade darted to the small table, snatched up Earwig’s own helmet, and hurled it after the fleeing villain. It glanced off the back of Earwig’s head. He grunted and toppled from the ceiling, somehow twisting mid-fall to land on all fours. He crouched.
Without his armor or helmet, Earwig looked like a normal, average-sized white dude with short brown hair. He wore a white t-shirt and dark pants of the same material as his discarded upper-body armor. However, when he extended one hand, tiny dark barbs jutted from his palm and fingertips. Fade didn’t want to experience what those were like against skin.
“You tried to kill my wife,” Fade growled.
“Nothing personal. Strictly a business deal.” Earwig winked at him.
“It’s personal to me.” Fade darted forward. Solidifying a single fist, he swung for Earwig’s smug face.
Earwig blocked and ducked through Fade’s body. Fade spun about. Earwig charged him. Fade grunted as the villain’s energy intermingled with his.
“You can’t bring me down like that,” Earwig taunted. “What’s wrong? Afraid to take a few hits?”
Fade gritted his teeth. Earwig vaulted from the floor, his hands catching on the ceiling. Fade tackled the other man’s legs, allowing himself to become solid. Earwig fell, landing on top of Fade. Fade’s breath left him in a painful whoosh. Earwig swiped at Fade with his barbed hand. Fade rolled out of the way. With a loud rip, Earwig’s claws shredded through Fade’s t-shirt. Pain raced across Fade’s back. He leaped up and sent his foot crashing into Earwig’s chest. Earwig toppled, skidding on his butt several feet across the floor.
Fade jumped again. This time he accessed his full powers. He gripped Earwig by his shirt, projected his energy into him, and pushed down hard. Earwig struggled, but Fade grabbed him by each wrist and shoved both of the villain’s hands through the cement floor. He then released him and withdrew as Earwig’s body solidified again, leaving his hands trapped.
Earwig’s jaw dropped, and he thrashed wildly, kicking out at Fade and bucking against the floor that held his arms captive. Fade knelt on his chest.
“Who hired you?” Fade said.
Earwig’s mouth clamped closed.
“Trust me, Earwig, there’s no one here but us, and I don’t mind messing up your face before I take you in.” Fade pushed down with his knee. “Wouldn’t be the worst thing DOSA has on my record.”
“I don’t know!” Earwig wheezed.
“How did your client find you?” Fade eased up on Earwig’s chest so he could talk.
“It’s all online these days. I get the email and a wire transfer advance, then when the police report the death, I get a second wire transfer.” Earwig jerked his chin in the direction of the table with the laptop. “It’s on there, but you know supervillains. They’ve got good cyber security. Your DOSA desk jockeys won’t find anything.”
Fade grabbed Earwig by the throat. “You sure you don’t have anything more to tell me?”
“You know what I know,” Earwig growled.
Fade stared Earwig down. The villain didn’t blink, and what he said rang true. While Fade was pretty sure Brink was the one behind the hit, it would’ve been nice to have something concrete, some contact method that might lead to a location.
He drew a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his brow. The hot ball of rage within him still burned. Knocking Earwig down hadn’t quenched it like he’d hoped it would. He tried to content himself with the idea that the bastard was caught.
Of course, now Fade had other problems. Going rogue meant he had to figure out how to get the villain into custody. If he released him from the floor, it could be another fight, but if Fade left him there to call in backup, Earwig might escape. He had enough superstrength to potentially crack through the cement if given enough time.
I can’t stay here long, though. I need to get back to Lucia and the baby.
Fear squeezed his heart, and he sank his fingernails into Earwig’s neck. “I hope you already spent that advance, because y
ou’re not seeing the outside of a DOSA holding cell ever again. You’re not going to get another chance to hurt anyone. Especially my wife.”
Earwig’s throat spasmed under Fade’s grasp, but then he flashed a cunning smile. “Handing me over to DOSA won’t save your wife. You know that. As soon as my employer finds out I’m in custody, he’ll just contract another killer. Are you going to arrest every supervillain or normie assassin for hire to keep her safe?”
Cold washed through Fade, but he kept his expression stony and tightened his hold.
Earwig fought for breath. “Let me talk. I have a proposition. If I disappear with my client’s money, it’ll take him a while to figure out what happened. I can even lead him on, make him think I’m regrouping and getting ready to take another shot at her.” His words sped up. “It might not keep her safe forever, but it will buy you some time, more than you’ll have if I’m incarcerated. What do you say? Everyone knows you’re not a hero, Fade. You’re fine with bending the law to get what you want.”
Fade’s chest constricted. Earwig was right. Brink appeared to have deep pockets. If he was willing to send one assassin, he’d send another. However, Fade had no faith in Earwig’s integrity.
If I let him go, he could come after Lucia again. If I take him in, someone else will—but at least I’ll know to protect her. He’s right, though. I could use some time. She’ll be easier to protect if she gets better.
Doubt shook him. He needed to save her, but at what cost?
I’m not losing her. I can’t.
A hard determination took root around his heart.
“You’re right,” Fade said. “If I turn you in like a good DOSA agent, it won’t stop this. However, if you simply disappear, maybe it’ll send a message about what happens when someone messes with my family.”
Earwig grinned, but it died as Fade’s expression steeled. Fade drew his powers into his hand and flooded them through Earwig’s body.
“Wait! No—” Earwig shouted.
Fade shoved downward against Earwig’s throat and chest, pushing him through the concrete floor. He released Earwig and jumped to his feet.
The unmarred floor stared back at him. Fade’s heart drummed painfully against his ribs. If he acted fast, he could undo what he’d done. It would take a few minutes for Earwig to suffocate—
Instead he turned away, looking for any evidence. He collected Earwig’s helmet, laptop, and top portion of the body armor. A thought struck him and he put on the body armor and helmet before leaving the backroom. The jacket fit uncomfortably snug, but if there were cameras in the area, he wanted them to see Earwig walking away.
A few back alleys later, he found a spot where he could remove the armor and toss it all into a dumpster. He considered the laptop. It might have information that led back to Brink, but if he turned it in, he’d have to explain how he got it.
He tucked it under his arm and started towards the hospital again. A police cruiser sat parked in front of a convenience store. No sign of the officer. Fade walked by it and ghosted the laptop through the door onto the front seat. That would get investigated and probably work its way back to DOSA.
Adrenaline flagging, he trudged back towards the hospital, still taking routes that would avoid exposure.
I just murdered a man—but if it keeps Lucia safe, I’ll carry that. I’ll carry everything. Oh dear God, please let her be all right.
Chapter Seventeen
Fade ghosted into the bathroom where he’d stashed his phone and jacket. He leaned up against the sink, avoiding his own reflection in the mirror. His chest felt hollow, sucked dry of all hope and pain leaving him numb. He couldn’t think about Lucia or the baby, not without losing himself to overwhelming dread.
Do I even deserve them any more after what I just did?
His grasp on the edge of the sink tightened. No. Earwig was a murderer who had guiltlessly attacked a pregnant woman and a teen boy with the intent to kill. Maybe Fade could’ve shown him mercy, but it would’ve put Prism in further danger. He wasn’t going down that path of self-doubt. He wouldn’t regret what he’d had to do.
He probed the section of his back where Earwig had scratched him. The wounds weren’t deep and they’d already scabbed over. He reclaimed his jacket to cover the area before fishing his phone out of the paper towel dispenser.
He flinched at the line of text notifications and missed calls.
Tanvi: Dude, where are you? We can’t find you anywhere.
Keeper: Lad, what’s going on? Why aren’t you here?
He selected the Tanvi conversation and his knees weakened.
The last message read, Pris is in recovery. Where are you, dude? I will beat your ass if you don’t get here in the next five minutes. Third floor. Room 302.
The text had arrived fifteen minutes ago. Regret stabbed at his heart. He’d left Lucia alone. Maybe with good reason, but she wouldn’t know that, and he couldn’t very well tell her. He shoved his phone into his back pocket and left the bathroom at a quick walk.
When he entered the third floor, Keeper and Wildfyre stood up from waiting room chairs to greet him.
“Ach, where were you?” Keeper burst out. “We got here, and Porter said you’d been here but disappeared.”
Wildfyre crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. “You have someplace else you needed to be?”
Fade didn’t have time for this. “How is she? The baby?”
Keeper’s scowl melted into a tired expression. “Lucia is up. Coherent. She’ll be fine. The baby—I don’t know. Tanvi’s with Lucia, but I just got done searching the grounds for you.”
Fade pushed past his teammates towards the hospital room.
Tanvi jumped up from her chair beside Lucia’s bed and glared at him.
“Your butt. I’m kicking it.”
“Later.” He focused on Lucia. Her face looked pale, eyes tired, but she was alive. Tanvi moved out of the way, letting him take her chair.
“I’ll be outside if you need me,” Tanvi whispered.
Lucia gave a weak nod.
Fade searched his wife’s face as the door closed behind Tanvi.
“Where were you?” her voice cracked.
He hung his head. “It’s ... I had something I needed to do, for both of us. I can’t say what, but I’m asking you to trust me.”
“I do, but Fade—Fade, she wasn’t breathing. They took me from her, and I didn’t even hear her cry.”
His heart broke open. “Is she ... do you know what’s going on?”
“No, and then I got out of surgery, and you weren’t here. No one knew where you were.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “You weren’t here. Fade, I needed you, more than I’d ever needed you, and you weren’t here.”
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, unable to meet her gaze.
“What if she—if she doesn’t make it, what’s going to happen to us? If you run away from me—”
“I won’t!” he said quickly. “I swear. I made a mistake.” He reached out and clasped her hand. “Lucia, I am so sorry. When I heard what had happened—something in me snapped. I’ve never ...” He’d never felt anything like that. He couldn’t process it. His insides felt like they’d been yanked out and stomped on, and now—oh, what if their baby didn’t make it? What if he never got to hold her?
His vision blurred.
Prism’s hand brushed against his cheek then grasped the back of his neck, pulling him closer. He rested his forehead against hers and choked back a sob.
“I thought I was going to lose you. I’ve never lost anyone before. Not like—” He choked.
“You’ve never been close enough to someone to lose them before,” she murmured. “I know.”
While Fade’s mentor, Kevin Powell, had been important to him, it had never reached the degree of intimacy he’d found with Lucia. Even his mother he could barely remember, and the little time they had spent together now felt unreal and distant. She’d always been more of an idea than a person.
Lucia was his world, and he’d almost lost her.
“Fade, I know this is new for you, but please, you need to be strong. I can’t—I can’t do this alone.” A sob shook her.
“I know, and I’m sorry.” He gently slipped one arm behind her shoulders, leery of her midsection. Even if sables healed quickly, he had to be careful with her now. “I won’t leave again. I promise. No matter what.”
Her fingers tightened into the back of his jacket. “Why haven’t they told me what happened to her yet? It can’t be good. If she is okay, why isn’t she here?”
“I don’t know.” He pressed his cheek against her forehead. His soul throbbed, gushing more heart’s blood with every pulse. The dread he’d pushed down during his pursuit of Earwig welled up again, consuming all thought. He tried to focus on Lucia on still having her, but their child—the child they hadn’t even named yet—was still an unknown. “Please God,” he whispered. “Whatever I’ve done, whatever I deserve, let her be all right. Let her live.”
“Amen,” Lucia breathed.
Fade kissed his wife’s cheek. He tried to latch onto anything but fear. He remembered the way he’d felt when Lucia had told him of her pregnancy, the first time he’d seen the child move on the ultrasound screen, when he felt her kick within her mother.
That was all real. He’d experienced that. He was a father. No matter what else happened, he was a father, and he’d love that child forever.
But I want a chance to love her here. Not as a memory. Not as a loss. As my baby, my little girl, grown girl someday—
Tears seeped from his eyes, and he clung to his wife to keep from drowning. The minutes dragged on. Eventually his back screamed for mercy from the unnatural position he was in, and he had to sit up. He still kept his hand around Lucia’s though. They sat in silence for some time before she spoke again.