Page 40 of The Not So Super Hero
“Let us pass, Sasha, and you can continue your fun,” Zane spoke with an icy voice that sounded nothing like him.
Bailey stared wide-eyed at Zane, shocked to have heard him give Sasha permission to continue harming others.Zane kept his gaze locked on Sasha.However, she wouldn’t look directly at him.She either focused on Bailey, the ground, or something around Zane.
“No can do,” Sasha replied with an almost gleeful tone.“Though my main objective here isn’t you, I’m sure Law will reward me for bringing you back.”
Zane flinched.
“I’m sure he’s missed you,” Sasha added, then sent a burst of ferocious energy that cracked the ground in its path.
The darkness returned, erupting as a shield.Bailey heard the energy break apart on the shield, hissing wind and shattering glass.Wisps of smoke brushed against Bailey’s cheeks.Then Zane brushed him aside.He stood defensively in front of Bailey, making a whip-like motion.The mist curled around his arm, extending like a portion of his own body that came hurtling down towards Sasha.
She dodged to the left, to the right, back and forward.Zane swung his arm, forcing the shadows to chase her.Each time his hand came down, the ground rocked.Bailey’s legs gave out.He dropped to his knees, hands gripping his glasses that couldn’t decide whether to fall off or stay on his face.
“I’m surprised you still remember how to do that!”Sasha called from above, the pulsating energy carrying her as if she weighed nothing.She didn’t even take a breath before sending her power down with enough force to crush the surrounding cars.
Zane shielded them; the mist coiled around his legs, digging into the very earth to keep him steady.His arms rose, hands shaking when a cloud of darkness circled above them, quivering from the strength of Sasha’s strength but never caving.Gunshots rang through the air, but they were useless against Sasha, who simply detoured their path.One went beneath the shield, flying past Bailey.He screamed.
Zane glanced back at Bailey.Groaning, he returned his attention to Sasha.With one push of his legs, Zane lurched into the sky with his fist pulled back and heading in Sasha’s direction.His fist buried in her gut.Screaming, she was sent back, nearly dropping from her lack of concentration.Zane fell back to the ground.He retreated to Bailey’s side, retaking a defensive position.
Sasha screamed in anger, sending sickles of pulsing lightning that Zane destroyed with a flick of his wrist.The battle raged on.Sasha threw everything she had at Zane, whatever could be lifted from the ground it was almost like it was a battle of stamina.Not once did a single thing hit Zane or Bailey.Sasha screamed again.That scream caused a massive power surge to twist and swirl until the sky went dark.Tornadoes formed, one after the other, demolishing building after building as cars were picked up and thrown like toys.
The darkness crept up Bailey’s arms and legs, keeping him in place.The wind whipped the glasses from his face, yet another pair ruined.Groaning, he rubbed his eyes that barely made out blurred figures all around.Zane, however, remained perfectly in view.His shadow grew darker, veins pitch black.The surrounding shadows darkened.Everything bent towards Zane.The shadows erupted like water towards the sky, reaching for Sasha.She cried out before it wrapped around her like sticky tar, keeping her in place even when she slashed at it.Shadows circled around her like a python, pulling at her, further and further down until she couldn’t do a damn thing to stop it.
The powerful swing hurled her downward.The impact of her body against the dirt stunned her.Zane took slow steps towards the woman, the mist circling around him much like the electrifying energy was doing to Sasha earlier.He wasn’t frightened.He wasn’t hesitating.Zane seemed to know exactly what he was doing and was more than willing to do it.
“Wait!”Bailey called.“The heroes have to be on their way, so…so just leave her be.”
Zane didn’t even acknowledge he heard Bailey.Biting his lip, Bailey called at once more, but it was too late.Zane stood above Sasha.Suddenly, she released a hysterical scream.Zane hadn’t done anything, and yet Sasha practically clawed out her hair.Tears streamed down her cheeks.She kicked and withered on the ground.
“Get out of my head!”She shrieked until her voice grew hoarse.Zane wasn’t even doing anything.She didn’t stop her blood-curdling screams, not even when Zane walked away.Zane approached Bailey, Sasha’s cries continuing in the background.
The mist around Bailey let up.Zane stood before him; his eyes pitch black while his fingers twitched at his sides.Bailey couldn’t bring himself to speak or look away from the dark of Zane’s eyes.He felt bare, like every secret he ever had was laid out for Zane to see.It made him feel cold and afraid.
“Go,” Zane ordered, raising his hand to point at the blockade.“It’s safe over there.”
Bailey wanted to ask,is it not safe here?But something told him Zane wouldn’t answer.
Nodding, Bailey stood on shaking legs.He backed away, attention fixated on Zane.Zane didn’t look away either.He kept his attention on Bailey until his ankle hit a stone that blocked his path.Jumping, Bailey glanced at his ankle, then back at Zane.But he had disappeared.Nothing but a wisp of smoke remained, disappearing into thin air.
Pivoting on his heel, Bailey couldn’t find Zane anywhere.Whatever questions he had were left unanswered.A second later, a pair of arms wrapped around Bailey.A first responder tugged him towards safety.Officers piled around Sasha, who had finally passed out.
Bailey was dragged away, being asked if he was all right, if he had any injuries, but the boy was incapable of responding.For once, his mouth felt sewn shut.There were no words as his mind tried to wrap around what he had just witnessed.
Bailey always knew Zane was a mutant.He never suspected how strong.It was almost unfathomable, imagining someone like Zane with a power that most only dreamed of.He fought off a super villain.Most mutants would cave under that kind of pressure without proper training, but Zane didn’t flinch.Remembering his stony expression sent a shiver down Bailey’s spine.He hated it.The way Zane showed no remorse.It was terrifying.He looked like a completely different person.
There wasn’t time to settle down after what had happened.Classes were canceled.Some dorms were destroyed while parts of the campus were severely damaged.Those who stayed in the dorms were sent to stay in apartments or hotels off campus.Bailey was one of those people since his luck had to be the worst and his dorm was one of the completely crushed places on campus.Go figure.
Ryan wasn’t as bummed about it as Bailey since the only thing he talked about was how glad he was that Bailey made it out alive.Amery was the same, bursting into tears after Bailey explained to them what had happened.It seemed she couldn’t handle the thought of Bailey being so near death.Maybe Bailey would be more frightened by it, too, but he kind of felt numb.He wasn’t sure why.
“Zane must be one hell of a mutant to have actually beaten Sasha,” Ryan said after Amery calmed down enough to hold a conversation.The three of them sat in the hotel room they were given.Amery wasn’t meant to be in there with them, but it wasn’t like the school was actually checking.
“Last I heard Sasha’s a Level 8 and Zane didn’t even get any help from the heroes,” Ryan added.
“It could have been dumb luck?”Amery suggested.“Even if it’s shocking, I’m grateful you were with him.If not, who knows what would have happened?Your luck is going to be the death of me, too!”
Amery constricted Bailey with her grip.Not that he was complaining, since cuddling was something he sorely needed.Although everything had died down, Bailey still felt like he was there, lying on the sidewalk in horror.He watched a battle between people who he couldn’t ever dream of going up against.Remembering Zane, the way he moved, how he seemed to know exactly what to do and when to do it, it had Bailey questioning who Zane really was.
He sure as hell wasn’t a typical janitor.
