Super for You, Bad for Me

by Asta Idonea

  He nodded and I slowly relaxed my grip.

  “Good. Now, where is he?”

  “Fuck you, Pig Swill. You can’t do a thing to me.” He had to pause his speech in order to burp but quickly picked it up again. When he spoke this time, he sounded his words with greater clarity than before. Apparently, I’d shocked him sober. “The coppers will come down on you like a ton o’ bricks. I’m not scared of you. And neither is Laurence. He’s got the same powers as you, and soon I will too. Then we’ll see who threatens who.”

  Rage heated my palms, making them itch, but I kept the anger to a simmer and didn’t release the flames. Not yet.

  “How long have you been in on his plans?”

  “Since that day you attacked me during the shoot. I told him what you’d done, and he promised we’d make you pay. We just had to wait for the right opportunity. Laurence found it. You’re finished, Pig Swill.”

  “The right opportunity?” I nearly choked on the words. “Kane died, you arsehole.”

  Brad shrugged. “So? Hardly a big loss. Maybe the rest of us will stand a chance at some better roles now. That snooty git deserved everything he got.”

  I didn’t think; I simply reacted.

  Mentally grasping his shirt, I flung him across the room. He skidded along the floor, bowling over several others in his wake, only halting when he impacted a wall. The music came to an abrupt stop, and everyone stared my way.

  With a captive audience, I cleared my throat. “I’m looking for a certain Laurence Bartholomew. I’m told he’s in ‘the lab.’ I assume that’s around here somewhere. Which of you lovely folks can give me directions?” No one responded. I tapped my foot. “I don’t have all day, people. Surely someone knows. You all studied here, after all.”

  One guy stepped forward and tentatively raised his hand. “That door will take you to the stairs.” He pointed to the entrance through which Brad had appeared earlier. “The science labs are on the third floor.”

  His female companion glowered and elbowed him in the ribs. He shrugged and looked sheepish, but I smiled at the display. The woman ought to learn, there’s nothing wrong with a healthy sense of self-preservation.

  “Thank you. Most kind.” I glanced around the crowd. “I would suggest you all head home if you wish to avoid accidental injury. Things might get a little messy here.” Igniting a fireball in my hand seemed the ideal way to emphasize my point.

  The flames proclaimed the truth of my identity to anyone who hadn’t already guessed, and there was a mad rush for the main doors. Most shot through them without risking a backward glance, but a few snapped photos on their phones before dashing after their fellows. A couple of guys grabbed Brad by the arms and dragged him out too. I let them take him; he looked unconscious, anyway. Or dead. Upon reflection, I didn’t care either way.

  Once everyone had left, I broke apart some chairs and used the pieces to barricade the doors. The barrier wouldn’t last long under assault; however, it guaranteed me a little extra time. No doubt someone had called the police by now, and I didn’t want them interrupting me at an inopportune time again. Satisfied with my work, as it stood, I crossed the room, swung open the door to the stairwell, and began to climb.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  AFTER THE first nine steps, I flew myself the rest of the way. It wasn’t laziness—not entirely. I wanted to conserve my physical strength for the possible battle ahead. Arriving out of breath wasn’t the way to go. I wouldn’t instill much fear if I looked fagged. Comic book heroes never arrived on the scene puffing and panting. Plus, flying was quicker. I didn’t know how much time I had before the police interfered, and I was keen to avoid a repetition of the rooftop. On this occasion, Laurence wasn’t getting away. That I swore.

  The door to the third flood creaked when I opened it, the sound echoing in the stairwell. After I’d shut it behind me, I paused to listen. I heard nothing to suggest that Laurence had marked my approach, but I experienced a sudden horror at the thought that he might already be gone. How far would the noise from below have traveled? Was it possible he’d noticed the cessation of music from the disco, realized something was up, and fled? Surely not. Three floors was a long way, and there’d been plenty of closed doors between here and the auditorium. The question now was, would I have to search the entire floor, room by room?

  I twisted, and my gaze settled on some writing upon the wall. Turning fully, I breathed a relieved sigh to find directions neatly stenciled in black. Arts and Humanities to the left. Science to the right. When I stormed in that direction, however, my dress shoes tapped out a loud beat against the floor. That wouldn’t do. The sound was certain to alert Laurence to my presence. Thankfully, it was easily resolved.

  Floating down the corridor, a centimeter above the ground, I peeped into each room as I passed. Most of the doors sported convenient glass panels, offering dim glimpses of the spaces beyond. For those that didn’t, I had to ease open the door to check inside. The majority of those were toilet blocks or storerooms. Nonetheless, with the end of the corridor fast approaching, I began to despair. Had I missed Laurence, after all?

  Then I caught a muffled voice. At first I thought I’d imagined it, but then I heard it again. It came from behind the farthest door. I placed my back to the wall and drifted closer. Peering carefully around, through the glass, I saw Laurence. He paced, a mobile phone pressed to his ear. He looked agitated, and when he spoke, his words were clipped. At the sight of him, the itching in my palms intensified. One well-placed fireball would do the trick. Kick open the door and rain fire and brimstone upon him. That was why I’d come here, wasn’t it? I was here to kill him. So why was Ellen’s admonishment about judge, jury, and executioner suddenly running through my head?

  She’d told me always to find another way. Was there another way? I imagined she’d meant a legal way, handing Laurence over to the police and letting justice take its course. Trouble with that was, there was no guarantee that justice would be served. What if the jury believed Laurence over me? That could end with me locked up and Laurence walking free. I wouldn’t risk that. This was for Kane. And for others. Laurence was unstable; he needed containment. Since that wasn’t forthcoming, I was pursuing the only logical course. In this case, there was no other way. Ellen would understand when she heard all the facts. That didn’t mean I couldn’t be smart about it. Time might be limited, but I could still choose my moment with care, to ensure that all went to plan. I wouldn’t countenance another escape.

  While I waited for Laurence to turn his back, I listened to his conversation. The one-sided argument made no sense at first, but when I started to catch the drift of it, I decided to hold off my attack to hear more.

  “I already told you, I can’t give you a timeline. No, I never promised a delivery date. I’m working as fast as I can, but it’s trial and error and—No! You need to understand, if you want this to work, you’ll have to wait. Quit harassing me and get onto the police instead. Bring your influence to bear. They need to find Outterridge. He’s flying around in a bright green suit! How hard can it be? With him out of the picture, I’ll have one less thing to worry me, and I’ll be able to give the formula my full attention.”

  I thought back to Brad’s comment about gaining powers. I’d taken it as drunken ramblings, but perhaps I’d been wrong. Was that what was going on here: an attempt to replicate the slime? It would certainly confirm that what had happened to me and Laurence had been a fluke, that only that single batch had produced these effects. Laurence wanted to reproduce it somehow, and on behalf of a third party. That knowledge altered my plans. In the wrong hands, these powers could be deadly. I couldn’t sweep in and eliminate Laurence with a single blow; first, I needed to discover the name of his haranguing accomplice.

  Laurence hung up and turned away from the door, and I made my move.

  I flung the door wide, caught Laurence’s lab coat with my mind, and dragged him toward me. Taken unawares, he had no chance to react before I wrapped m
y hand around his throat and backed him into the wall. I ignited my other palm and held the flames close to his face, to discourage any countermeasures. Apparently the ploy worked because he ceased his struggles and settled on glaring daggers at me instead.

  “How did you find me here?”

  “You have your snap-happy chum, Brad, to thank for that.”

  I ignored Laurence’s string of expletives and tried to think what a superhero would normally say at this juncture. “Anyway, I’ll be the one asking the questions. Who was on the other end of that call?”

  Laurence barked out a laugh, until I tightened my grip, rendering all sound impossible. His skin was hot and clammy beneath my fingers. I’d not thought it possible, but he looked worse than at our last encounter. I waited for a few seconds as he struggled for breath. When he blinked rapidly, I took it to mean that he was ready to talk. However, when I loosened my hold, all that came out from between his lips was hot air.

  “You think I’d tell you that? It’s you who’s delusional, Outterridge. What did you expect to achieve by coming here?”

  The all-too-familiar sound of approaching sirens made us both glance toward the window, where red and blue flashes illuminated the dark navy sky. Tires screeched as the vehicles pulled up outside.

  “Caught in the act, viciously attacking me for a second time. They’ll have you for this. The only way you walk away is by killing them all, and I’m starting to think you haven’t got it in you. You’re big on threats, but you never seem to follow through. That’s why, in a contest between you and me, you’re always going to lose.”

  Although it irked me to admit it, I feared that he was right. For all my grand plans for vengeance, when the moment came, there was always an excuse, a way out, something to stop me from committing to whatever action I’d contemplated. I was feeble and pathetic. All this power and strength I now possessed was useless if I kept weakness in my heart and soul. A lily-livered coward couldn’t avenge Kane. If I was going to do this, I had to be resolute. I had to release my fears and relax my morals. No law. No rules. No second-guessing. And no turning back. That was the only way. Perhaps I’d lose myself in the process, but if that was the price I had to pay, so be it.

  I moved my hand closer, and Laurence flinched as the flames approached his cheek. His cocky exterior slipped, and I glimpsed a flash of terror in his eyes. This time, instead of making me waiver, it firmed my resolve.

  “When we met on set, I would never have dreamt that you had it in you to be a killer either. A mere conversation with Barry Hidgkin seemed sufficient to make you piss your pants. Yet look at you now. You killed Kane and endangered the lives of others. You’ve tried to kill me too—several times. You changed. What makes you think that I can’t do the same?”

  “I-I don’t believe you.”

  I inched my hand closer and Laurence screamed. When I moved the flames away, there was a raw red spot on his cheek. Satisfaction surged in my gut. He deserved pain. How must Kane have felt, falling from that height? He would have been afraid. He would have known what was coming. Had he died on impact, or had he lingered in agony awhile? I was no torturer, but some actions were justified. Once I got my answers, I’d end it swiftly and then turn myself in to the police. I didn’t care what happened to me in the long run, so long as I avenged Kane first.

  “Who was on the phone, Laurence?”

  “You’ll have to kill me. I’m not saying a thing.”

  An idea occurred to me. I cursed myself for not having thought of it sooner. It wouldn’t work in a movie because the bad guys always knew how to cover their tracks, but Laurence was an amateur, and his specialty was chemicals, not technology.

  “Actually, don’t worry about the name. After you’re dead, I’ll simply check your phone and redial the last number.”

  Laurence blanched. “It won’t work.”

  “Oh, I think it will, and so do you. It would appear, Laurence, that you are now surplus to requirement.”

  I extinguished the flames, wrapped both hands around his neck, and squeezed. A mental grip on his clothing was all that was required to prevent him from fighting back.

  It was a strange sensation. On the one hand, I felt powerful, strong, in control. On the other, I’d never been so helpless and alone. Laurence’s life was, quite literally, in my hands, and snuffing it out was far easier than I’d ever imagined. I could sense him trying to override my mental hold on his lab coat and shoes, but my rage outweighed his fear. He had no chance of budging me. I’d always thought it must take immense physical strength to strangle someone, yet already Laurence labored for breath. A little tighter, a little longer, and it would be done. I knew what was required, but I didn’t alter my grip. His death was my final victory. However, something held me back, and that something was—

  “K-K-Kane.”

  “What?” Startled, I loosened my grip, and Laurence took a gasping breath.

  “Not dead. Kane… still alive.”

  My anger surged. “How dare you? Do you really suppose I’d fall for such nonsense? I was there, remember? I saw him plummet over the edge. You prevented my attempt to save him. You don’t have the right to speak his name and use him for your lies.” I started to tighten my hold once more, but Laurence gave a violent shake of his head.

  “Caught… him. Alive.”

  It was another of his filthy lies. It had to be a lie. Nevertheless, a little voice in the back of my mind whispered that, though not probable, it was possible. What if Laurence was telling the truth? The news reports all agreed that Kane was dead; I’d heard no hint to the contrary. Therefore, if Laurence’s tale of rescue was real, he must have Kane stashed somewhere, and if I killed Laurence without learning that location, Kane might starve to death.

  My hesitation and loss of focus gave Laurence the opportunity he needed. Overcoming my mental hold, he got his arms between mine and broke free. He bashed me from behind with a floating lab stool at the same time for good measure. I scrambled to physically grasp his lab coat as I crumpled, but he jerked away. However, rather than continuing the offensive while he had the advantage, he turned from me and bolted across the room.

  I pursued him the instant I clambered to my feet, but I didn’t get far before I heard a noise in the corridor. Approaching footsteps pounded an irregular allegro beat. If I followed Laurence, the police—for who else could it be?—would catch up with us in no time. I had to slow them down first. In any case, this was the only way in or out of the room. Unless he planned to open a window and jump, Laurence had nowhere to go. He didn’t possess a fancy superhero suit like mine, and I’d not yet seen him attempt to fly in his everyday clothing, so I doubted he’d try it now. Ergo, he was trapped in here with me.

  Or so I thought.

  To my surprise, and horror, when Laurence reached the far side of the lab, a panel in the wall slid open. A fucking hidden doorway? It had to be a joke. That sort of thing didn’t happen in real life. Yet it was no hallucination, for Laurence stepped inside and I caught sight of his grin as the wall closed behind him.

  “Oswell, we know you’re in there. Come out quietly with your hands up.” There was something familiar about the policeman’s voice, but I didn’t have time to dwell on that.

  I reached for the metal doorframe through which my pursuers would soon appear, feeling all its particles in my mind. I’d never attempted anything like this before. If it didn’t work the way that I hoped, I was screwed. I pulled at the bonds, breaking apart several, changing their composition. The metal groaned and creaked and shook. Then to my delight, it started to melt. I let it flow until it covered the gap between door and frame, at which point I reformed the broken bonds, returning it to its original, solid state.

  Someone turned the handle. The door didn’t budge. They tried again, grunting, clearly pushing with all their strength. My mental welding attempt held. They’d bust through eventually, with the right tools, but I’d bought myself some additional time.

  Having dealt with
that pressing matter, I continued on my original course and hurried to the wall through which Laurence had vanished.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  THE SURFACE was smooth. I’d never have guessed there was a doorway had I not seen it open and close with my own two eyes. Looking closely now, I perceived the two thin lines of the join, but had I not known where to focus, they would, in all likelihood, have been invisible to me. There was no sign of a handle or mechanism. A method of opening and closing the door had to exist, but to me it made little difference; I had another way.

  When I slid the panel upward with my mind, a dark drop greeted me. I’d been wrong in my initial assumption: this was no hidden room but a secret lift, and the car was no longer on my floor. Bringing it back was no problem, but I feared that such an action would alert Laurence to my pursuit, allowing him to escape. If he hadn’t done so already. Better to play it safe.

  I stuck my head into the hollow space and looked up and down. With only two floors above me, I would have expected to glimpse the bottom of the car had Laurence gone up, but I couldn’t make out any shape in that direction. Down, all was dark. It seemed the more likely route. Gathering careful hold of my costume, I stepped into the void.

  As I drifted slowly down, a banging echoed from above, and I glanced up at the vanishing patch of light. The police were working on the door, but they weren’t through yet. Beneath me, I sensed a change in the air, and when I peered past my feet, I could see the top of the elevator car. After landing as softly as possible on its roof, I raised the access hatch. A light within helped me confirm that the car was empty, so I descended into it.

  I listened. The only sounds that greeted my ear were the infernal bangs coming from above. Even so, there was no way of knowing whether or not Laurence awaited me on the other side of the door. Unless I opened it.