I hesitate.
She has no weapons that I can detect. I am sorry I did not see her earlier. It was as if she did not exist until she stepped out of the shadows.
“Talk, huh? You generally break into people’s houses when you want to talk to them?”
“Generally? No. Usually, when I break into a place, it’s to kill everyone in it,” she says seriously. When she sees my expression, she emphasizes her empty hands. “Don’t worry, they’re all bad people. Which is why I’m here. I need your help.”
“Help killing people? I don’t think so.”
She sighs, turns her head to the side, and looks at something I can’t see.
Amelia, you are in EXTREME danger. This woman is Madisun Dumas, the Wraith. She is currently in the bottom floor of the North Dakota UltraMax. I do not know how she is here, but she is accused of murdering HUNDREDS of people. And that is just here in the United States. She is responsible for—"
“No doubt your AI is telling you that I’m the most murderous, evil bitch on the planet. He’s not wrong. But he’s also not right.”
How does she know about Epic?
“You have ten seconds to explain,” I say.
“My family was murdered by a crime syndicate called ISO-1. They specialize in using superpowered enforcers, and they are into everything from drugs to human trafficking. They even infiltrated several governments,” she says. “Ours included.”
“I’ve heard of them. I thought they were broken in the US?” I ask.
“They’re not. The leader has a power that can... extract promises from people. It’s not mind control, but a lot like it. Even if you have no intention of fulfilling the promise, as soon as you agree with him, his power forces you to do it. Undercover agents, government officials, supers… he has them all. He’s who I need your help bringing down.”
“I take it by ‘bringing down’ you mean kill?”
She gives me a wry smile as she reaches for a beer, pops the tab, and takes a long swig. “Yes.”
“I’m sorry about your family, really, but the things you’ve done... that’s not justification. I’m going to bring you in,” I say as I trigger the suit. It only takes a second for the Animetal to cover me and I’m holding my hands toward her, weapons ready.
She does that thing, where she looks to the side again before looking back at me.
“He’s an alien, Lockheart, a Th’un. I was told no one knows more about them than you. Am I wrong?”
I freeze. A Th’un... on Earth? Crap. I lower my hands and trigger my helmet to recede. A cold shiver runs through my spine at the memory of what I did to their people... what they made me do.
Something happens then… the air shivers and a little girl appears besides Wraith. “You killed 10 billion people!” she screams. Then she looks at Wraith and points her finger at me. “This. This is what I want. Work with her!”
Then she fades away like she was never there.
“Uh, what was that?” I ask.
“Would you believe me if I told you I’m possessed by a psychopathic ghost who feeds on death?” she asks with a nervous smile.
I slowly nod ‘yes.’ “That wouldn’t even make the top ten of strange things that happened to me this month.”
That takes her by surprise.
“You must live an interesting life,” she says.
“Okay... Wraith. I just have one question.”
She lowers her hands and nods. “What’s that?”
“Where is this scumbag Th’un?”
She smiles, and something about it sends alarms screaming in my brain to run. She’s a predator, a wolf, and the whole world are sheep for her. That thought is sobering.
“I was hoping you would help me find him. Then we can put an end to ISO-1, permanently.”
Want more of the Wraith and Arsenal? Check out Superhero by Night Book 4!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
You can find Jeffery in the following places:
Mailing List: https://goo.gl/LJdYDn
Website: www.jefferyhhaskell.com
Facebook Fan Page:www.facebook.com/jefferyhhaskell
Amazon-Author-Page:https://www.amazon.com/Jeffery-H.-Haskell/e/B01I2W55SO
Email:[email protected]
I love talking to fans and I love talking superheroes. Please come by and drop me a line! All my superhero books are series, so be on the look out for the next one! Welcome to the Full Metal Superverse!
Arsenal Reloaded (Full Metal Superhero Book 8) Page 18
