Page 121 of The Not So Super Hero
Zane screamed.The blade retreated.Blood poured from the open wound.He grew dizzy.His legs resembled jello.Then Bailey disappeared, replaced by his reflection once more.The blade remained, dripping blood onto the cracked ground.He took slow steps towards Zane.He stumbled back.A hand pressed against the room, pathetically attempting to stop the bleeding.
“Are you scared?”The figure asked, mimicking Zane’s voice perfectly.“Why?”
Zane’s legs gave out.His vision blurred.The pain echoed, a burning tingle spreading to the tip of his fingers.
“Is this not exactly who you are, a monster?”
It was that question that set something off in Zane’s mind.Something simply clicked, like someone hit the rewind button.
“Zane, darkness lives in all of us.People are not born with a destiny to be good or evil.There is only right and wrong and the choices we, as individuals, make for ourselves.In the end, the only thing that defines you are the choices that you make.You decide who you are.Simple as that.”
“It doesn’t matter what Antoine says.He can call you a monster or claim that all you do is hurt others, but you get to decide who you are, Zane, not him.”
The thoughts were always there, at the back of his mind, a glimmer of hope.It took years of running and new found friendship and love to make Zane realize how true they were.He was not who Antoine claimed him to be.He wasn’t even who he thought himself to be.He was the only one to decide the choices he made and the person he wanted to become.Simple as that.
When the monstrosity kneeled, Zane formed a dagger in his hand to plunge into the beast’s chest.He elongated the blade to tear out the apparitions back.Spikes grew along the blade, piercing it a dozen times.
“I’m not a monster,” Zane whispered.It held more worth than he could ever imagine.
Cracks formed on the imposter’s face.Pieces of smoke lifted into the air.It was then that Zane realized it was not an illusion at all.Beneath the mask was Antoine himself.Upon seeing him, Zane pulled out the blade, only to slam it back in.Antoine’s body tensed; he lurched forward to let out a violent cough.His hands clung to Zane’s arms, like he was willing to continue this fight, only his body was no longer listening.
“You can continue lying to yourself,” Antoine spat.His voice lowered and eyes dimmed.“You can’t change what you are.”
Zane didn’t respond.He ripped the blade out of Antoine’s chest and shoved him back.His body fell, eyes rolling into the back of his head.Blood pooled around his body, mixing with Zane’s.Crimson slipped through his fingers.He couldn’t feel the pain any longer.
Antoine didn’t move.His eyes were dim, unaware, gone.Zane wasn’t sure why he didn’t feel relief.Perhaps it hadn’t settled in?Was he angry that he didn’t get more answers?Antoine was the only person who knew more about Zane than he thought, who his mother was, what they even did to him, or was he so paranoid that he didn’t think it to be true?Zane wasn’t sure, but it left a chilly feeling within him.
All he could think about when his vision lined black was how he hoped the next time he awoke, Bailey would be there.
CHAPTER 37
Baileyfeltanincrediblesense of déjà vu when the alarms started blaring.His immediate thought was,are you fucking serious?Followed by wondering how people in witness protection survived because, apparently, he couldn’t be hidden!Then again, not everyone had Rebirth coming after them.
Unlike last time, Chris was with him.That didn’t mean Bailey wasn’t scared, but Chris had Bailey on his feet in record time.They ran into the hall before Bailey could linger on the alarm.
They didn’t take more than a step into the hall before a strange ball of light flew by.The ball shattered at the end of the hall, leaving a searing crack.Following its path, they discovered Law at the end of the hall.His lips twitched into a smile when he said, “Oops.I missed.”
Chris retrieved his pistol and shot.A peculiar glowing light formed a shield around Law that blocked the bullet.The light originated from a short gun-shaped item that was previously used to fire the shot earlier.Evil geniuses really were a pain in the ass.
“Bailey, I’ve been sent to escort you to Antoine.Would you mind?”Law inquired, like he honestly believed Bailey would agree.
Bailey gave a flabbergasted look before wincing after Chris’ second shot rang, then a third and a fourth.
“I’m talking to Bailey.It’s rude to interrupt,” Law said.
He fired another shot.Then they somehow appeared at the opposite end of the hall.It wasn’t until Chris had him running down the hall that Bailey recalled his mutation.He could stop time and, apparently, move people during it.
Chris kept a firm hold on his wrist.Bailey peered over his shoulder.He heard Law shooting.The walls shook after every impact that somehow expanded in power.Law’s voice echoed through the hall, “Don’t run!I’ll take you to Zane.I hear you haven’t seen him in a while!”
Rounding a corner, Chris came to a sudden halt.Bailey slammed into his back.The floor shook.The blasts became unbearably loud.When Bailey peered over Chris’ shoulder, he saw where the noise originated from.From the floor they were now on, they could see over the railing to a floor below.A battle ensued.Gunshots rang and who knew what else?A fire had started.The sprinkling system kicked on.There were cries for help, followed by agonized screams that put Bailey’s teeth on edge.
There was an exit nearby.Those below hadn’t seen them.Bailey stuck close to the wall under Chris’ orders.He kept his attention on Chris’ back, struggling to ignore the suffering shouts.His stomach knotted.That knot became strangling when Law stepped through the door.
“Found you!”Law shouted.He raised his gun, the shot aimed at Bailey.Chris body slammed him to the floor.Bailey cowered, hands over his ears.The world blurred from the loss of his glasses.Chris fired.His hand searched the floor, feeling the rim of his glasses.
Chris disappeared, then reappeared behind Law.Law pivoted to face Chris.The shield formed to protect him from the bullets.Though Chris was in front of him, he didn’t fire the gun.He found that odd.Could it be that the gun couldn’t shield Law and attack, or it needed time to prepare for an assault?
Chris fired another shot.Law still wasn’t firing.From the position Bailey was in, he could barely make out a blinking light on the side of the gun.It was currently yellow, like a stoplight.Green likely meant shoot.Red was out of energy.Yellow was powering up?He wasn’t sure until the light shifted green.Law fired.That wasn’t the only weird thing, either.There was a very thin opening between the floor and the shield.The shield covered Law all around, but beneath him; he was vulnerable.
