Nightmare - Secret Identities Book 1

Chapter 3

Virgil's POV

I grabbed onto Prince and teleported somewhere safe before returning to the front steps of the bank. I need Logan...

The police charged after me as I teleported around, searching faces. I knew they wouldn't fire into the crowd; even if it wouldn't hurt voids, not all Paragons were hated by the cops.

I finally saw a familiar face and grabbed ahold of Logan's hand, disappearing with him. Once safely inside his apartment, I released him.

"Virgil, would you care to explain?" he asked.

"Later. Grab Patt and a first-aid kit. I'll be back in a few minutes." I teleported away, materializing back where I'd left Prince, my mind all over the place.

The room was dark and brought back old memories. It was mostly empty, save for the desks we couldn't be bothered moving and the things we thought would be too suspicious to have anywhere else. For a superhero hideout, it hadn't been bad.

Suddenly, Prince slammed me against a wall. "Tell me what the fuck is going on now."

I couldn't teleport away with him grabbing me, and his mind was completely shut-off. "I'm trying to help you," I growled, "but I can't do that if you don't let me go."

His grip on me loosened until he stepped away slowly, obviously limping.

"Good. Lay down on the table over there.  I'll be right back." I went back to others' apartment, grabbed Patton and Logan, and returned swiftly.

When I finally got a look at him, Prince looked like shit, laying on the table and blood soaking into his already red suit.

Patton, wearing a cat onesie, rushed to his side.

"Don't touch him!" I yelled quickly.

Patt jumped back.

"He-He's bullet-proof.  What he...  What he was shot with...  I don't know what it could do to us." I tried to think of a plan, but I was a mess.

Logan spoke up. "I'll take care of it, then."

I took a deep breath. Logan doesn't have powers. It makes sense that he would...   I flicked the lights on in the room. "Patt, once the bullet's out, patch him up."

A muffled scream drew our attention.  Logan was digging in Prince's leg for the bullet, the victim biting on a towel. Logan pulled his hand out, revealing a bright red, glowing bullet.

"Jesus fuck," I mumbled.

Prince pulled the towel out of his mouth. Out of breath, he asked, "Care to tell me what the hell that woman was talking about?"

I looked around and saw a remote sitting on a nearby desk. "Think the T.V. still works?" I wondered aloud. I pressed on and turned it to the local news station.

"Anti-hero that many have come to call 'Nightmare' seems to have come out of retirement despite his deal with local police," the female news anchor said. "Spotted just moments ago at Align National Bank, Nightmare seemed to have saved the day but then teleported through the crowd, causing an uproar of panic."

"Honestly," the man next to her spoke, "after he terrorized-"

The remote was snatched from my hand and the T.V. muted. Patton sighed. "Don't listen to them. They don't know the whole story."

I turned around to see Prince staring at me with pity. "Don't give me that look." I started picking up medical supplies to distract from my shaking hands.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and strangers' emotions flooded my mind. I froze, my senses tingling with utter fear. Words seemed next to impossible as I stammered, "I-I... Cops... Door..."

Logan touched my shoulder. "How many? How long do we have?"

"A-A lot coming up the stairs now." My powers flickered in and out; I knew I couldn't hold them long enough to teleport. "I can't get us all out of here."

Logan, as composed as ever, looked at Patton. "We have a 'Plan B,' of sorts." He turned to Prince. "What are your powers?"

"Um...  I can fly?"

"Grab"—he stopped himself before he said my name, gesturing to me instead—"him and go out the window now." He grabbed onto Patton's hand and slipped into the bathroom.

I don't wanna know... I rushed over to the nearest window and opened it. Pointing downward, I instructed, "Out."

Roman's POV

I knew we didn't have time to argue, so I flew out the window swiftly. Hovering stories above the ground, I held out my arms.

Nightmare—it felt wrong to call him that—cursed under his breath before leaping into my grasp.

I wrapped my arms around him to keep him from slipping. I hooked my left arm under his legs to better carry him.

He held out a trembling hand, and, slowly, the windowpane began to move downward.

"Police!  Open up!"

I flew us up quickly. Floating over the roof, I touched us down. When pressure reached my injured leg, I buckled, barely able to myself from crashing into the man that now lay under me. "Sorry.  I'll-"

He hushed me. "Don't move," he whispered.

Patton's POV

I threw off my shirt, enjoying watching Logan do the same, despite the circumstances. I heard yelling at the door but knew I'd have to play it off like I hadn't. Gently—lovingly—I pushed him against the vanity, my lips connecting with his.

The door behind me was thrown open, earning a scream from me.

"Hands in the air!  Show me your hands now!"

We listened.

"What's going on?" I pretended. I reached for my shirt.

"Don't move!"  Two officers stepped forward, grabbing and cuffing us. They began dragging us out of the office.

I took a deep breath and let down the walls Virgil had taught me to put up around my mind. We're in cuffs, Virge. I think they're taking us to the station.

A voice in my head said, "Alright.  I'll figure something out."