Chapter 21

21

Orion: Are we positive about this name?

Janet: Janet and her Coven, sounds perfect.

Drew: Uhm…

Orion: How did Janet get in this group chat?

Janet: New company policy.

Janet: I wrote it today.

Janet: You shall now refer to me as queen.

Orion: Left Group Chat

I growled. “Disaster.”

Citizens of Vanguard had posted photos on the HeroApp? of the battle between Discord and Disaster. The mad scientist had upgraded since we saw him last. Underneath that lab coat, he hid a growing arsenal. When we first met, he had found a way to protect himself from Discord’s abilities. Now, he took down my partner. If he could do that, then what did he have in store for me?

Had Zaster figured out my weakness?

I soared high above Vanguard, leaving the chaos of cars honking and people yelling behind. I needed the silence to sort out where Zaster might have taken Dustin. Where would an evil scientist take his subject? Perhaps there were clues in the?—

The giant V appeared on the phone’s screen. With a quick click, an alert appeared. Disaster had been spotted at the Synergy building. In the notes, it mentioned that he may have already defeated a hero this evening. It labeled him as extremely dangerous and suggested a team of heroes intercede.

“Click.” With the press of my thumb, I claimed Disaster as my own. When I swapped over to the photo of Dustin strapped to the table, I spotted a cage in the background. Sampson had taken an interest in Zaster’s experiment. He toyed with me. This had gone from a random villain attack to something personal. I didn’t need to be a veteran hero to know a trap lay waiting for me.

“I don’t care,” I mumbled. Dustin needed me. My boyfriend needed me.

I’d be the hero Dustin deserved.

Slipping my phone into my utility belt, I cracked my neck to one side. Fear, move over. I needed to fulfill my destiny. I’d make Dustin proud. I’d make Halo proud. Most of all, I’d make myself proud.

Into the city I fell, heading toward Synergy. At night, the building was almost pitch black. Street lamps peppered the walkways, but normally, the building itself stood like a void. Light escaped from the shattered windows and broken doors. It’d take them weeks to repair all the damage from Titan. I dropped in front of the revolving door.

“Careful,” I whispered. It wasn’t fear, not from Zaster. If I made a wrong move, I wouldn’t be able to save Dustin. My senses were on high alert. Pushing through the door, the interior lights had been dimmed. I waited for the madman to jump out from behind the reception desk.

Nothing.

“This place is creepy,” I muttered.

Drifting through the lobby, I slowly rose until I reached the second-floor balcony. I checked back and forth for any potential hiding spots. If Zaster had Dustin strapped to a table, it was somewhere in the labs on the other side of these doors. At least at this hour, I wouldn’t have to deal with Tia.

My fingers hovered over the door handle. With a steadying breath, I tried to remind myself that it was nothing more than a lobby. I fought with the memories of men in masks staring down at me, ready to do something devious to uncover my alien origins. The thought of storming through the lobby and into the… labs… I didn’t have a choice. I wouldn’t abandon my partner.

Throwing open the doors, I flinched, ready for a laser to the chest. When I finally opened my eyes, I found an abandoned reception area. The room was dark, other than a lamp behind Tia’s desk. I continued a cautious approach, pausing as something colorful caught my eye.

A single troll doll sat on the desk. I recognized the diamond in its belly button. This was one of Janet’s most treasured possessions. The last time I saw it, its hair had been pulled tight with a bowtie. Now it had a mohawk. Janet was going to declare war when she found it missing.

“A problem for another time,” I mumbled.

I reached the far side of the room. Behind double doors, I knew there’d be dozens of laboratories used by Synergy. “You can do this, Wyatt.” My thoughts turned from the bad men to the good one, to the only man who mattered right now. Dustin wouldn’t hesitate. He’d bust down doors and save me. “Be the hero.”

I grabbed the handles and tore the doors off their hinges. I burst into a hallway. Flying down the corridor, each side had glass rooms filled with devices I couldn’t identify.

All caution went out the window when I spotted Dustin on the other side of a glass partition. Strapped to a table, he wasn’t moving. There were tables filled with science tools and a giant robotic arm hanging in the distance. None of it made sense. I could have used the door, but I didn’t care about the collateral damage. I smashed the glass and ran to him.

“Dustin. Dustin, are you okay?” I gave his face a gentle slap, hoping to wake him. When his eyes didn’t open, I feared the worst. I put an ear down to his nose just in time to hear him snort. The snoring started. Good, he was only unconscious. Pulling at his restraints, they were tough even for me. I’d most likely have to pick up the entire table and carry him to safety.

“I’m going to get you?—”

The lights shut off, leaving the interior in pitch black. Any lingering doubts about this being a trap vanished. Did Zaster have the ability to bend shadows to his will? Could he feed off the darkness? Or?—

“I wasn’t sure you’d show.”

Nope, like all villains, he wanted a dramatic entrance.

A light in the next lab turned on. Zaster stepped into it, wearing his black trench coat and dark goggles resting on top of his head. My muscles tightened as I moved between him and Dustin. This explained why my hair stood on end every time I encountered the man. I should have guessed he was a supervillain in the making.

“Zaster,” I cursed.

“That’s D. Zaster to you.”

“Wait, are you just using your initials?”

He lifted the goggles, letting them sit on top of his head. “Derrick Zaster, what else would I call myself?”

The anger remained, but I couldn’t help but mock the man. I laughed. Hard. Hands resting on my knees, I buckled over, amused by the lack of creativity in his name. “That’s so bad.” It was hilarious, but the fastest way to make a villain slip up was to wound their pride.

“Says the guy named Mr. Supreme.”

I wiped the tears from my eyes. “I don’t follow.”

“Mr. Supreme? Wyatt. Supreme.”

“Still not following.”

“Your name,” he said.

“Mr. Supreme.”

“Wyatt Supreme.” He threw his hands in the air. Whatever he was trying to get at, it didn’t stop me from chuckling. He might be a genius, but he’d be laughed out of the League of Evil with a name like that.

“Anyway,” he said. “Have you come to meet the same fate as your beloved Discord? Or should I say, Dustin?”

“I know his name.” I glanced over my shoulder to Dustin, sleeping soundly. Seeing him restrained reminded me why I disliked scientists. First, I’d defeat Zaster, and then I’d rescue my boyfriend. “For a bad guy, you narrate a lot.”

He took a step forward with his hands above his head. With a quick glance at the floor, he growled and stepped back into the light.

“Screw it,” he barked.

I took several steps closer, ready to fight if I must. I waited for the robotic arm to come to life or for an army of mutant animals to appear. He clapped his hands together. The overhead lights turned on. At this distance, he appeared even more smug than normal. I had given Zaster the benefit of the doubt. I should have known he was a bad guy the moment he stole my Fudgy bar. It had been downright diabolical.

“My dear, Wyatt. You were the answer to all my problems.”

“You’re welcome.”

He ignored my comment. “What other secrets can I discover?” Zaster pulled his goggles over his eyes. “Shall we find out?”

“Wyatt.” I turned to see Dustin lifting his head off the table. My brave security guard had worry written across his face. “You need to run.”

No, not until I had dropped him off somewhere safe. Even as Zaster flipped back the side of his coat, revealing a gun, I stood my ground. Every leg muscle twitched, urging me to turn around and flee. Planting my feet, my fingers rolled into fists. “No,” I whispered. Today, I’d make a stand.

“His gun, it?—”

“Hush,” Zaster shouted. Don’t ruin my surprise. He swung about the futuristic weapon, the barrel glowing a bright red. It wasn’t like any rifle bank robbers used. It was easily twice the size of the one he used in the chemical plant. Was this what had gotten him laughed at by the other scientists? While they tried to create superpowers, he made a bunch of high-tech guns. Not very sciencey if you ask me.

“With your alien physiology, I can steal powers from supers.” Oh, that didn’t sound good at all. “And then inject them into myself.” Yup, definitely bad.

“Run,” Dustin shouted. It explained why a man with a sonic scream didn’t vaporize Zaster with his war cry. The mad scientist pumped the barrel of his weapon as the tip flared. If he had bested Dustin, a shot from his toy, and I’d be powerless to stop him. It might not be my one weakness, but being rendered nothing more than a strong human might as well be powerless.

With a quick glance at Dustin, I spun about and gave his bindings another tug. If the tables were turned, he’d scoff at my demand. He’d have already launched himself at Zaster, bested him, and we’d be sharing a Fudgy bar. For Dustin, I’d risk exposing myself.

“Save yourself,” Dustin begged.

Fear grappled my heart and my pulse pumped hard enough for me to hear it in my ears. In the back of my head, Dustin’s voice the night of the launch echoed. “You’re not the only one who gets scared.” I’d save the day despite the fear.

Zaster laughed hysterically. “Wyatt Supreme, you can still run.”

“No,” I barked. “Heroes don’t run.”