Big City Villain | BOOK ONE

Chapter Thirty-Four: City Sweeper Rises.

Ben's room was thoroughly thrashed. His bed had been turned over and was leaning precariously against the light gray walls with the blankets thrown everywhere. His clothes were strewn out from his desk and closet, boxes with papers spilled on top of everything else like the sprinkles on a cake. Mm. Food. Focus!

In short, Ben's room was a disaster. I have failed to mention this, but Benjamin is a neat freak. I can only imagine the conniption he'll get when he sees the state of his room.

If he sees it.

I shook the thought from my head and walked carefully through his room, looking for any signs or clues that may be conveniently laying around.

"I don't think he's here, Headphones- I mean, Coal, or Flaming Spark," Glitch said, sounding and looking confused.

"Just call me by whatever I'm dressed as, okay Glitch?" I said, moving back his mattress and looking between it and the wall. Nothing. "I didn't think Ben would be here. I was kind of hoping for a clue of some sort."

"Check to see if his super suit is still here. Maybe they think they got him, but he's out on duty or something," Charlie suggested, doing a complete turn. "Except, where would he hide it?"

I ran my fingers through my hair. If I was Ben, where would I hide my super suit? In plain sight, right under everyone's noses. I looked around his room again, scanning the walls and trying to remember exactly where everything was.

"Where did you hide it, Ben?" I asked under my breath, stepping through the mess and running my hands across the walls but there was no hidden safe like I expected.

"Look up, Flame," Glitch said suddenly.

I disobeyed and instead looked at Glitch. His head was tilted all the way back, his eyes wide as he stared at whatever was on the ceiling. I almost didn't want to look up, almost didn't want to see what was up there but I need every clue I can get.

So I looked up.

Help.

I flew to the ceiling and looked closer at the letters burned into the paint. I brushed my fingers across the E, wincing as the plaster that made the popcorn ceiling come loose and sprinkle down on me. The writing was definitely burned in and done in a rush as the letters were sloppy and the P wasn't exactly complete.

It was Ben. He must have done this with his laser vision. That means CS has him.

"My room now," I said, flying for the door and yanking it open.

"They want you dead," Glitch said, catching me in the hallway. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around. He showed me his phone which had a text message on it reading: 'Headphones wanted dead. Dangerous villain on the loose, as are all his accomplices.' "I don't think you and Red are on the same side anymore."

"But what side am I on, Glitch? Am I the villain? Do you really want to risk your life for me?"

"You're my best friend, have been for the past ten years, you think I'm going to let some death threat break that up?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Let's go get your brother."

I nodded my head and braced myself for the worst. I threw my bedroom door open but frowned. It was untouched.

"They didn't think to look in your room?" Glitch asked, stepping in with me and looking around my too clean room.