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.
Something was off. I looked under my desk, but my small security camera was gone. "My room's been searched, and they tried to cover it up." I straightened back out and looked around my room, checking every spot I had hidden something.
They were all gone. My security cameras, hidden power disablers, and files of various villains. The Board must have ransacked my room. I walked to the headboard of my bed and lifted the top piece off, exposing a hidden cavity where I kept most of the important files.
"Gone," I said. I flipped the lid in my hand and found my original 'Partners in Justice' necklace as well as a couple of permanent power disablers, which I stuffed into the hidden pockets on my suit. I took the necklace out and set the wood back in place. Putting it on, I turned around to face Glitch. "I have a feeling where she could have taken him. Come on, let's go before the Board comes back."
"You think they're coming back?"
To answer his question, I pointed to a corner. "Hidden camera. The place is bugged." I turned to the camera to address whoever was listening in. "I think City Sweeper is at the Mars building since she's used it before. It may be her headquarters where she is planning on taking over the city. We'll be there, send backup."
Without waiting for another second, I opened my window and flew out, checking to be sure Glitch was following me. I flew through the city as fast as I could, scanning the rooftops of several tall buildings, double checking to make sure CS didn't change her headquarters.
"There's the Mars building!" Glitch shouted, pointing towards the towering skyscraper. As if I didn't notice it.
"Be careful," I warned him, turning sharply and heading straight for the building. I landed hard on purpose, re-energizing myself and also trying to look dramatic. "Where's my brother, Catastrophe?"
Catastrophe, who happened to be the only one on the roof, besides Charlie and me, kept his arms crossed and a very defiant expression on his face. He so doesn't know who he's messing with or what's coming at him. "Flaming Spark, I should have guessed you were Headphones and that you were working undercover. No wonder you always tried to team up with me, you were trying to get closer to me to take my powers away."
"Ah, so he isn't as stupid as his name," I grumbled, balling my hands into tight fists. "And how'd you know I was working undercover?"
"That mole you were trying to find with that whole Sophie Daley scene told me," he grinned. "Oh yes, that rogue hero is very much real."
I narrowed my eyes, feeling like I was being played with. "Who is he?" Ha, like he would tell me, even a poorly scripted superhero movie wouldn't have the big twist revealed till the credits roll.
"For that incredibly sharp brain in your head, you sure are clueless," Catastrophe remarked, stepping closer and uncrossing his arms.
I tensed and stepped closer, making sure that Charlie was safely behind me. I'm missing something, something important and something that's been hiding underneath my nose all along. But what was it? Back up, Coal, back up this whole process.
"I know you from somewhere."
"Ah, good job. But where?" he asked, taking another step closer as if I wouldn't notice.
Where? The question bounced around in my head as every important event played rapidly through my memory. I know him from somewhere, but where exactly? The wind picked up then, blowing Catastrophe's dirty blonde curls in every direction. I sucked in a breath when the memory suddenly hit me.
"You were that home invader at Elora's house."
"Bingo," he said, grinning and stepping yet closer.
"Elora's City Sweeper."
"And you're just now figuring that out? She dropped pretty big hints on you. I guess you aren't as smart as you make out to be." He closed the distance between us, and I was suddenly face to face with my worst enemy. City Sweeper may be heading the operation, but Catastrophe was the villain I could never take down, like that spider that always got away before you could squish it.
I kept my gaze steady with him, not breaking it for anything. "Oh, trust me, Apostrophe, I'm not as shallow as you think I am." Before he could respond, I turned invisible and sank to my knees quickly, I grabbed a permanent power disabler out of my boot and stabbed it into his leg, injecting the disabler into him.
Catastrophe screamed, his arms and legs flailed around as he tried finding me, but he lost his strength and fell back. I reappeared and stood over him. "I got you now, Catastrophe. Your villain days are over." I watched as he writhed in pain, his powers fading away forever. "Where is City Sweeper?" I asked, gritting my teeth and bending closer to him but careful to keep my distance.
"I'm not telling you!" he grunted out, still stubborn and struggling to stay awake.
"Glitch? Fry his brains," I said, straightening back out and crossing my arms.
"What?" Glitch asked, from his voice I could tell his eyes were wide and his skin considerably paler.
"Fry his brains. He's no use to us."
Come on, Charlie, catch my bluff, catch my bluff.
There was an awkward moment, but then Charlie cleared his throat and stepped closer. "Ah yes, fried, scrambled or hard-boiled?"
Not the time for jokes, but that'll work. "Fried," I said, looking Catastrophe dead in the eye, so he knew I was serious beyond measure. "You lost your powers, they're gone for good, do you want to lose your brain, too? For what, a vigilante who was probably going to turn on you anyway?"
"I was going to turn on her first," he spat, wiggling away from Charlie, he wasn't strong enough and soon stopped, out of breath and looking weaker by the second.
"So since loyalty isn't your biggest quality you should have no problem telling me where she is."
"She's at the Board of Heroes and Villains."
"Good job, I'll make sure the garbage boys come up here to take out the trash," I said, shooting up into the sky.
Charlie caught up with me. "So, what's the plan?" he shouted.
"I'll tell you when I think of it. I need to make a quick stop somewhere, though."
I could hear Glitch groan over the wind. "Can't you run your errands later? We're trying to save your brother and keep you from getting killed."
I sent him a big grin. "That's me, living on the edge."
****
The side door leading into the Board of Heroes and Villains squeaked. And when I say squeaked, I don't mean a little mouse with a bad cough, I mean like you're standing right in front of a lion, and it decides to roar as loud as it could kind of a squeak. Maybe I should just stay away from metaphors.
Anyway, it was loud, loud enough I winced and was completely positive everyone in the building heard the door open.
I heard Glitch groan. "I've been meaning to oil those stupid hinges," he whispered.
"It's a good thing we can turn invisible," I said, slipping into that convenient cloak of invisibility. I looked behind me and didn't see Charlie. "You there?"
"Yeah, just took your advice."
We slipped into the building. I tried reaching back to grab the door but it slammed shut, the noise echoed, bouncing off the walls and alerting everyone that someone had just entered. I bumped into Charlie by accident but grabbed his elbow and pulled him with me.
"Maybe invisibility isn't the greatest thing right now?" Glitch asked, tripping next to me and almost knocking me down.
"Oh fine," I grumbled, turning visible again. I crouched down low to the ground and ran as quietly as I could down the hallway, waiting for Glitch to catch up behind me.
"Where do you think they are?" he asked, looking around the corner.
I opened my mouth to say something, but there was a sound behind us that made us both turn around slowly. Personally, I was expecting to see City Sweeper or some other villain that's joined up with her. But instead, it was Red. So this is where he disappeared to.
Glitch immediately jumped in front of me. "He didn't escape the Solitary Bin on purpose. And he's too unique of a super for you to disable his powers, besides he's been working undercover for you so cut him a break already."
I blinked, not expecting that at all.
Red frowned and glanced at me. "You know that information is confidential, Coal, why'd you go telling a useless super?"
"I'm not useless," Glitch said, gritting his teeth and balling his hands into fists. "My powers are back. So watch it, Pinky."
I inwardly groaned, creating nicknames should be my job, not Charlie's but whatever I'll let it slide this once. "Well, you didn't leave me any options, Red. You were going to take my powers away. Really? What did I do?"
Before he could answer, the building shook and the lights hanging from the ceiling flickered like a scene from a terrible horror movie. Plaster sprinkled down on us and cracks ran up the plain white walls.
"City Sweeper's taken over the Board," Red said quickly, his eyes looking around us frantically. "I think she plans on taking over the city next."
I couldn't help it. I grinned wide and peeked over Charlie's shoulder. "So you admit it, she is a girl. I told you so." Wait, why would she even want to take over the city? Didn't she only want revenge for her sister?
"Let's not rub it in," he said, holding up a hand and then noticing I was in Flaming Spark's suit. "Flaming Spark, long time no see."
I scowled. "Come on, let's go get this done and over with." I spun on my heel and looked around the corner again, when I was sure it was clear I took off running down the hallway, hoping that Red and Glitch were behind me.
A few turns and I was soon in the main room of the Board of Heroes and Villains. Electricity crackled along the walls, the air feeling charged and constricted the closer I got. I looked down at my feet and saw electric bolts zapping down the floor, deciding it'd be safer to be off the ground I flew up into the air keeping away from the walls and ceiling.
I looked behind me quickly and found Charlie by my side, Red not too far behind. I glanced around the corner and gasped. The whole room was nearly white with electricity snapping and popping everywhere, the computer screens that covered the walls were black, sparks flying off them and making the worst buzzing sound.
I leaned further in and found City Sweeper in the middle of the room. She stretched out her hand towards the computer screens and they immediately came back to life, revealing a whole map of the city and her plans to take it over.
There was something by her feet that caught my eye. It was Ben. Tied up and unconscious, he wasn't even in his super suit just his jeans and a torn shirt. I lifted my hand to the side of my mask and pressed the zoom button, hey I'm nearsighted, not farsighted.
I looked closer at Ben's chest and breathed out in relief when I saw it rise and fall. He's still alive. I turned around quickly and found Charlie staring at Elora, A.K.A City Sweeper. I tapped on his shoulder and got his attention. "You okay, lovebird?"
Charlie nodded his head but sighed softly. "I should have known my first love would be a vigilante. Come on, let's take her down."
I looked behind Glitch, but Red was gone. Frowning, I turned back around and quickly formed a plan, whispering it into Glitch's ear and waiting for his nod of confirmation.
Quickly, because time was obviously not on our side, I looked at the tracking device on my phone. They were getting closer but were still several minutes away. Time to stall like there's no tomorrow.
*cries hysterically* sorry if this wasn't what you all expected. I don't do violence so... Writing these scenes are proving to be a challenge. *cries some more*
Don't expect the next chapter to be violent, okay? Okay. But it'll obviously still be intense.