Chapter 22

22

BLAM.

I expected a bullet, not a lasso made of red energy. The beam sliced through the glass, destroying the walls of the lab as it sped toward me. I lunged to the side, barely escaping the lasso. Smashing through a wall, I put distance between me and Dustin. I didn’t want him caught in the crossfire. Without his abilities, there was no telling how Zaster’s gadget would affect him.

“You can’t run.”

“I’m not running.”

The light recoiled into the gun, and he shot again. BLAM. Falling to the floor, the whip of energy passed harmlessly overhead. I couldn’t get any closer without making myself an easy target. If I were faster or could teleport, he’d already be in handcuffs.

With another shot, I dove behind the robotic arm. I climbed to my feet, back pressed to the limb. Leaning back, I pushed it toward Zaster, hoping it’d offer cover while I got within arm’s reach. He fired again, the beam slicing through the limb in a shower of sparks. I flew low to the ground, shattering wall after wall as I circled Zaster. I’d have to leave a note for Ricardo about the damage. Between Titan and now this crazy employee, I hoped he had insurance.

“Careful,” Dustin shouted.

As the beam of light rushed back into the gun, Zaster reached into the other side of his jacket and pulled out a smaller gun. Pointing it at Dustin, he shot me a smile. When an evil genius smiled, it didn’t bode well for the hero.

“No more cat and mouse. You want to save him; you know the cost.”

“Don’t do it,” Dustin said.

“Will you just shut up,” Zaster barked.

Could I move fast enough to get between a bullet and Dustin? What if I hurled a desk at him? I thought he’d put all his attention on me. This was my mistake, and I couldn’t let Dustin suffer for it.

“What’s your decision, Mr. Supreme?”

There was no decision. If I didn’t sacrifice myself, I wouldn’t just be letting down my boyfriend. I’d be letting down all heroes. He had come to me that night looking for a team-up. I owed it to my sidekick. Raising my hands over my head, I surrendered.

“I give myself up, and you let him go?”

“Sure,” Zaster shrugged. “Why not.”

“He’s lying,” Dustin said.

Of course, he was. That’s what villains did. I only needed to distract him until I could put myself between his gun and Dustin. Once I rescued him, I’d carry him back to my apartment and tend to him until his powers returned… if they returned.

I froze as I thought back to the scientists all those years ago. People like Zaster, scientists, or at least mad scientists, didn’t deserve redemption. Bullies in the pursuit of knowledge. They didn’t care about the cost. I ran away before, but not now. I had something to prove, a prophecy to fulfill. Every mad scientist beware.

Mr. Supreme wasn’t backing down anymore.

Zaster waved the smaller gun about, his finger hovering over the trigger. There was no point in trying to slide around him. When in doubt, do what they least expect. It’s exactly what Dustin would have done. Chest puffed out, I strode straight toward Zaster. If he didn’t drop me, I’d knock his lights out.

BLAM.

The beam of red light whipped around my arms, tightening until it tore into my suit. Flexing, I tried to break free, but it held in place. It constricted, forcing my arms to my side, the red light spreading across my body. For all his posturing, his gadget barely hurt. I wanted to poke at his failure, but I had a boyfriend to rescue.

If wiggling free wouldn’t work, I’d fly straight through the ceiling, dragging him behind. A quick stop at the police station, and he’d be behind bars. It’d be an easy save, and then I could come back, rescue Dustin, and we’d take a long hot shower… maybe two.

I pushed off, ready to use Zaster’s invention against him.

I hopped.

“Mr. Supreme, huh?” Zaster mocked. “It looks like somebody needs to change their name.”

I tried again and barely got off the floor. With a sharp tug, Zaster yanked me off my feet. I roared, ready to summon all my strength to break free.

Nothing.

“My greatest weakness…” I mumbled. For years, my greatest fear had been some mundane object or chemical would kill me. Never had I considered a device capable of robbing me of my gifts. I doubt even my father could have predicted this outcome.

I was human. Sort of.

“What are you going to do now?” Zaster’s laugh turned maniacal. “You’re nothing more than a pathetic wretch. I only need to infuse your powers, and I’ll be a god.”

The scientist had used me to achieve his fiendish goals. How many heroes would fall victim before they stopped him? Right now, he was a scientist with delusions of grandeur, but once he had our powers, he’d rival the strongest of us. I still had time to fix things.

“You’re a madman,” I shouted.

“What you call mad, I call genius.” The beam of energy siphoned into the gun. He let out another cackle. “I’ll show my peers. They’ll regret exiling me.”

Yup, all it took was a little power, and he’d be a bad guy.

“Supreme, are you okay?” Dustin shouted.

I flexed my fists. I ached, but his device had done little other than tear through my suit. Poking at my cheek, I was shocked to feel the pressure from the softest of touches. Granted unmeasurable power, neither Dustin nor I would be allowed to leave the building alive. He’d start his rampage with us, and then it’d continue the next day as scientists arrived at work. I couldn’t let Zaster use our powers for evil doing.

“Your alien boyfriend is powerless,” Zaster shouted. He waved the smaller gun about before pointing it at Dustin.

Zaster had made a grave error.

I moved until I was resting on all fours. I didn’t have my powers, but I was anything but powerless. If he thought I’d sit on the sidelines while he hurt my boyfriend, he had another thing coming.

“Zaster!” I roared while climbing to my feet. I leaned forward in a charge. He turned, leveling the gun with my head. I pushed his hand upward as his finger squeezed the trigger. BANG. Before he could respond, I smashed my forehead against his nose.

Zaster staggered back. He wasted no time smashing the butt of the gun against my temple. For a second, the room went dark, and I hissed at the pain. I glanced at my hands to see blood. It was the first time I had seen my blood. I didn’t realize how fragile humans were as a species.

He tried aiming the gun again, and I grabbed his wrist. Spinning about, I dragged him over my shoulder, flipping him so his back slammed against the tile.

“You shouldn’t have fucked with my boyfriend.” Somewhere, Janet cheered at my swearing.

I kicked away the power-stealing weapon hard enough it flew through shelves near Dustin. While equipment fell to the floor, Zaster tried again with the smaller gun. Stepping on his wrist, I used my bodyweight to pin him. Zaster let go. “I surrender,” he begged. “You’ve won.”

Victory. I had not only saved my boyfriend, but I stopped a madman from unleashing havoc on the city. I couldn’t wait to sit at the break room table and share my adventure. They’d pat me on the back, and maybe, if I were lucky, we’d have cake.

I kicked the other gun, launching it across the lab. Unarmed, I moved back, letting Zaster roll onto his belly. “You ape, you have no idea what you’ve done.”

“You can explain it on the way to the police station.”

For a moment, he didn’t make a sound. It started barely a whisper. His body heaved as the laughter grew louder. Zaster had moved from evil to mad scientist. He had lost and yet?—

“Imbecile.” He shot upright on his knees, reaching into his jacket. When he pulled out a regular handgun, I stumbled backward. At this range, there was no way he’d miss. I had been willing to die to save Dustin, but dying before he got away meant failure. I only wished?—

BANG.

I threw up my arms, preparing for the inevitable rush of pain. I clenched my eyes shut. The bullet struck just below my left eye, forcing my head to spin to the side. Instinctively, I reached for the wound, hoping to slow the blood. If I died on top of Zaster, maybe Dustin would?—

“Wait.” I poked at my cheek. Nothing. No hole. It had hardly hurt.

“What the hell?”

I turned to see Dustin holding the power-stealing gun, or at least what remained of it. The red glow had faded, and now it was nothing more than tomorrow’s garbage.

“How did you get free?” asked Zaster.

I had the same question until I saw the furry hell beast sitting on his shoulder. I glanced at the bench to see the cage had smashed free when I threw the gun. “Sampson?”

“Told you he’s a smart mouse.” Dustin gave him a rub between the ears.

“Seriously!” Zaster cried. “A lab rat?”

He pulled the trigger two more times. Bullets bounced off my chest. With my powers returned, they tickled. “I was so close,” he whined. “It’s not fair.”

“Do you want the pleasure?” I asked Dustin.

“Nah. This is your save.”

“Thanks.”

Zaster was running. I picked up the robotic arm, giving it a toss in the air for good measure. “Strength is back.” I spun about, whipping the arm across the lab, smashing half a dozen glass walls before it smacked Zaster in the back. He was only a few feet from the exit. Close, but not close enough.

“No more heroics without me,” I said.

I gave him a kiss, and Sampson jumped from his shoulder to mine. I tensed for a moment before he nuzzled against my neck. “You made a friend,” he said with a grin. “You know we’ll have to take him home after this.”

I’m not sure how I felt about sharing my cheese with the rodent. We walked through the lab, broken glass crunching underfoot. When we reached Zaster, he was pinned beneath the arm, flailing, trying to get up.

“What now?” asked Dustin.

“My favorite part, of course.”

“Paperwork?”

I nodded vigorously. “Oh, and this.” I reached into my belt and grabbed my phone. Opening the HeroApp?, I flicked to Disaster. Proudly, I clicked the “Defeated” button.

“You haven’t heard the laster of Derrick Zaster.”

“Oh, shut up,” Dustin said.

“Do you want to spend the night?”

“Are you really asking your boyfriend for a sleepover?”

Zaster didn’t understand. I bet he lived alone and didn’t have a beefy man to cuddle with. It’s probably what made him a villain. Hugs, not supervillainy.

“I’d love to.”

Now, I just needed to figure out how I was going to explain to Arthur that I destroyed his boyfriend’s lab. Lab… I still didn’t like them, but after defeating a scientist, they didn’t seem as scary. Arthur was going to be mad. That was a problem for tomorrow. Tonight, I wanted to focus on my sidekick and check a few more things off my list.