The First Superhero Books 0-3 Box Set Read online

  “Yes! Pizza sounds so good right now. Did she get it from the grocery store, or did she get some from Yorkshire Pizza?”

  Dad smiled and laughed. “She didn’t get any shitty frozen pizza, she got some from Yorkshire!”

  I tried to say something in response, but I was speechless. My father had just casually cursed in front of me. That was something he only did if he was angry, or if it was part of a joke he was telling, or some sort of special occasion like that. His dropping an S-bomb casually in a conversation like that was definitely breaking new ground, and it made me very happy. I still didn’t have the guts to say it back, but it made me feel good knowing my father was looking at me as more of a grownup. I guess a day of bonding over testing out your son’s superpowers does that to a father.

  “THESE ARE SOME NICE digs you got going on here. You should get thrown off a roof by a supervillain more often. Better yet, let him throw me off one!” Drew exclaimed as we stepped into Macy and her sister’s new apartment.

  Macy rolled her eyes as she gave Drew a hug.

  “You’re an idiot, Drew,” Michael said as he walked in behind him and handed Macy some flowers. “These are from all of us.”

  Macy took a look at them and smiled. They were what the florist had described as a “summer assortment,” made up of sunflowers and some purple and yellow and white other flowers. But sunflowers were the only ones I recognized.

  “I love them!” she all but shrieked. “Thank you, guys, so much.”

  She turned to me and gave me a big hug. I took in a deep breath, inhaling the wonderful smell of her perfume. She broke free of our embrace all too soon and closed the door behind me.

  “Thank you all so much,” she said again. “I really don’t know what I’d do without you three as my friends.”

  “Aww, shucks, Macy,” Drew said. “You’re not bad yourself.”

  “I thank what he’s trying to say is thank you, Macy. You’re a wonderful member of our crew,” Michael said.

  “And I think what he’s trying to say is thank you for being such a great friend yourself,” I said.

  All four of us burst out laughing. Macy walked over to the kitchen and pulled a vase out of a cabinet, filled it with water, and put the flowers inside. “There,” she said as she placed the vase in the middle of the counter. “They look perfect.”

  I smiled. They did look perfect. And so did Macy. She was wearing a green T-shirt that made her green eyes explode with color, and black yoga pants that made her look flat-out hot. God, I was so in love with her. She really was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen.

  “Where’s the big sis?” Drew asked.

  “She’s out with some friends,” Macy said as she walked out of the kitchen and back toward the entryway where we were all standing. “Come into the living room, guys.”

  The three of us walked into the living room and sat down on the leather couches that were in an L-formation. A giant TV sat in the corner on top of a glass television stand.

  “Nice TV,” I said.

  Macy smiled. “Oh, thanks. Like most everything in here, it was donated.”

  “Hey, if you’ve got any extras, you can send them my way,” Drew said.

  “Didn’t you just get a new TV?” Michael asked, slightly perturbed.

  “That’s not the point.”

  Macy laughed and shook her head. “Sorry, but anything extra I donated to the Richter Relief Fund.”

  The RRF was not just a fund, it was a charity that helped people get their lives back together after their homes and/or families had been destroyed by Richter. At least, that’s what they did in theory. Since Richter was currently going full throttle, there hadn’t really been a chance for recovery or relief just yet.

  Yet another reminder that I was the only one who was going to be able to bring about said relief and recovery.

  “What’s the plan for tomorrow?” Michael asked.

  “We haven’t even gotten to the plan for tonight,” Drew said.

  Michael rolled his eyes. “I know that. It was a little bit rhetorical, but also I like to be really organized, okay? You know that!”

  “What did you have in mind, Michael?” Macy asked before Drew could jump back in.

  “I was thinking we’d go back down to high school and volunteer there some more. I want to still go down there, you know, even though Macy and Madeline aren’t there anymore.”

  I smiled and nodded. “Of course, Michael.”

  “Yeah, Michael, of course,” Macy agreed.

  Drew rolled his eyes. “And Big Mike wins the hearts of millions once again.”

  I chuckled, and Michael let out a smile.

  “Let’s get to the dinner and shitty TV movies, shall we?” Drew said as he stood and clapped his hands together.

  We each grabbed a hamburger that Macy had gotten from the Burger Shack, along with a soda from the fridge. When we turned the TV on, however, my appetite instantly went away.

  The channel was on a news station, and on it was an aerial view of an abandoned Manhattan. Richter had taken some buildings and arranged them to spell REMEMBER MY FAMILY in the rubble.

  “We’re not sure who the message from Richter is for,” the news lady said. “But speculation is rampant, and it’s obvious that we aren’t going to get a statement from Richter himself.”

  I knew exactly who the message was for, though. It was meant for me.

  Richter was trying to tell me to remember what had happened to his parents, but little did he know that it was something I was unable to forget. The public killing his family was something that was always in the back of my mind. The fact that the public would most likely do the same thing to my parents if they knew who they were was one of my greatest fears. And Richter had reminded me of it using the rubble of Manhattan. He was trying to paint the general population as the bad people, and himself as the victim. While it did make me feel sorry for his family, it didn’t make me feel sorry for Richter. He’d killed thousands, and deserved none of my or anybody else’s sympathy.

  The fact that he was trying to communicate with me was terrifying, however. This was all real. It was happening.

  And it was all about to kick off sooner than I thought.

  Suiting Up

  I practically kicked the door to my house down as I charged into our living room. “Mom? Dad?” I shouted.

  “In here!” I heard them shout from the kitchen.

  I passed the living room to my left and entered the large den area. I almost used my super speed to run to the kitchen, but I showed some restraint. I entered the kitchen and gave Mom and Dad a big hug. Once we were done, I turned to the TV mounted underneath the cabinet and clicked to the news channel.

  “It’s everywhere, honey,” Mom said.

  “I know,” I said. “He’s calling me out.”

  “What are you going to do?” she asked, her voice shaking.

  I turned and looked at Dad, who seemed to be as clueless as I was.

  I stood there for a moment, thinking. “I’m not going to play his mind games,” I said finally. “He can send all the messages he wants. But until I see him out there ... just ... being Richter, I’m not going out there. I have to train as much as I can before I face him.”

  Dad nodded. “You’re going to let him come to you, not you go to him,” he said, summing up what I was trying to say in a way that made sense.

  “Yeah, exactly.”

  “Wait here,” Mom said abruptly. She walked out of the kitchen and disappeared around the hallway and into her and Dad’s bedroom.

  I looked at Dad, confused. Dad just shrugged, acting as if he had no idea what Mom was talking about. I could tell by the smug look on his face, though, that he knew.

  Mom came back into the kitchen holding a white cardboard box, the kind you put clothes in before you wrap them up and give them as a gift.

  “What’s this?” I asked as she handed it to me.

  “Just open it!” she said with a smile.
r />   I pushed aside some mail that sat on the kitchen counter and set the box down. I slid my fingers underneath the sides and lifted the top of the box off.

  Folded neatly inside was a navy blue suit with scarlet-red stitching. I let out a small gasp as I pulled the suit from the box. I unfolded it and marveled at its beauty.

  The chest, shoulders, and part of the back were a thick, rough navy leather and had a scarlet stitching outline. The pants part of the suit was leather as well, but unlike the roughness of the leather on the chest, was surprisingly smooth to the touch. The rest of the suit was made up of an extremely thin and lightweight material that didn't hinder my dexterity or range of motion. There was a headpiece as well, which covered my entire skull except for my eyes, and from my chin up to a hardened nosepiece. Also in the box were a pair of navy blue sneakers—with scarlet-red shoelaces, of course—and a pair of leather gloves.

  “Wow,” I said as I held the suit up to my body. “This is incredible, Mom!”

  Mom smiled and looked me over, looking very proud. “I know how worried you are about keeping your identity a secret. It's not bulletproof, and it doesn’t have any special gadgets or anything like that, but it'll get the job done. Nobody will know who you are, and we'll all be safe.”

  Dad gave me a pat on the shoulder. “Plus, you need something iconic. When people see that suit, they'll know that they're safe.”

  I smiled and laughed. “I guess you can say it's all part of the Kane Andrews brand.”

  Dad rolled his eyes and Mom laughed.

  “Yes,” Dad said. “I guess you could say that.”

  I stood there for a moment admiring the suit before Mom waved her hands toward the bathroom. “Go try it on! I worked hard sewing that thing together. I want to see how good it looks on you!”

  “Alright, alright!” I said as Mom ushered me to the bathroom.

  I shut the door behind me and flicked on the lights. I was only wearing a white T-shirt and some basketball shorts, so I didn't bother taking those off. I figured the suit would probably be a bit more comfortable with those on.

  I put on the suit like a SCUBA diver would put on his wetsuit. From the back, I stuck my legs into the leather pants, which, while being tight, were surprisingly comfortable and thankfully offered a lot of room around the crotch area.

  Next I slipped my head into the mask part of the suit, then stuck my arms into the sleeves. I reached behind me and, thanks to my increased dexterity, zipped the suit up with ease. I took a moment to admire myself in the bathroom mirror.

  Damn, I looked badass.

  The fabric that wasn't leather was form fitting, so you could see the outlines of my abs and biceps, which were growing larger with each passing day. The headpiece worked perfectly, as there were no defining features showing. My eyes weren't glowing, however, so I focused on them, and, like flipping a switch, they began to glow bright. Now it'd really be impossible to tell who I was.

  I slipped on the navy blue leather gloves and was surprised at how thin they were and how little they restricted my movement.

  Once they were on, I took one last look at myself in the mirror. The outfit was complete, and I was beginning to feel ready for whatever Richter would throw my way.

  I wasn't. Not in the slightest.

  Richter Returns

  I’ll never forget the moment when everything I’d been dreading came to life.

  I was sitting on the couch, messing around on my phone with the television playing in the background. I wasn’t really paying attention to the TV, as I was in the middle of a nice text conversation with Macy.

  The Breaking News jingle played, and the news reporter began her spiel. “We have breaking news for you coming out of Ebon, Indiana. We have reports coming in from eyewitnesses all over the city saying that Richter is in the middle of wreaking havoc. Unfortunately we cannot be more specific than that, but local news teams are on their way to safely get coverage. Many of you are familiar with the city of Ebon, after reports of a second superhuman surfaced in recent days, one who actually scared Richter off. There’s speculation that this is a move by Richter to try to draw out this second Super, but as this story is still developing, there’s no way for us to know for sure. It’ll be interesting to see how this will all play out, so you don’t want to turn the channel.”

  “Kane! What are you doing?” my dad shouted at me, breaking me from my trance.

  I looked at up him, and he was trying his best to keep his composure and not freak out.

  “I’m scared, Dad,” I said, barely above a whisper. I thought I was going to throw up. My palms were practically dripping with sweat, and I couldn’t find the strength to stand.

  Dad walked over to me, got down on one knee, and put his hand on my shoulder. He looked into my eyes and smiled. “I believe in you, son. I’ve never been more proud of anyone than I am of you right now. Go out there and make me even more proud.”

  I felt a warmth wash over me. My dad believed in me, and that gave me more strength than superpowers ever could.

  I nodded. “Okay. I guess it’s my time to shine.”

  I heard Mom clear her throat, and I looked up at her. She’d walked into the room while Dad and I were having our moment, and was standing in the entryway holding my suit. She opened her mouth to say something, but her voice just cracked. Instead, she held out my suit.

  I stood up and walked over to her. I took it from her hands and then gave her a hug.

  I let go of her and then pulled the suit on over my clothes. I put it on so fast Mom and Dad couldn’t even see me do it. To them, I was their son one second, and someone in a super suit the next.

  “Keep an eye on the news,” I told them as I walked to the front door.

  “Don’t worry. We’ll be glued to our seats, cheering you on from here,” Dad said.

  I smiled at them and then walked out the door. I stood on the front lawn and took a deep breath. It’s showtime, I thought before launching into the air and beginning my flight to Ebon.

  It took only a few seconds to reach Ebon, but that’s all it took to shift my focus away from my parents and on to finding Richter.

  Ebon isn’t a very large city, so it took only two quick scans before I saw Richter hovering a few hundred feet over downtown. He was a couple of miles away, but with my super hearing mixed with his amplifying his voice, it wasn’t hard to hear what he was saying at all.

  “You’re out there, come face me. I will tear this city apart if I have to in order to find you. And if you’re not here, I will tear down another, and another, and another. I’ll tear this whole damned world apart if I have to.”

  Well, you’re not going to have to, I thought. I focused in on Richter and launched myself right at him, fists at the ready.

  I flew as fast as I could, which was a huge mistake. There was a loud sonic boom as I broke the sound barrier, which gave me away to Richter. Given his own super-speed and reflexes, he was able to duck down. As I flew over him, he reached up and grabbed my suit, and, using my momentum against me, he shifted my course and sent me spiraling straight toward the ground.

  I threw on the brakes as hard as I could, but I didn’t have much room to stop. I stopped myself just inches from a cameraman who had his giant camera pointing directly at my face. I was thankful for my suit and glowing eyes, because if it weren’t for them, my face would’ve been filling the screens of televisions and computers around the world.

  I turned around just in time to see Richter barreling down at me, going full speed. Using my speed and reflexes, I kicked him right in the jaw once he got in range. That knocked him off course, so instead of his crashing into me and, subsequently, the camera crew behind me, he went flying through a ten-story building that was in the middle of construction. Part of the building collapsed, sending dirt flying everywhere and dust billowing into the street.

  “Shit!” I shouted, angry with myself. I might have saved the camera crew, but sending Richter through a building wasn’t exactly
the safest thing ever. I hoped that the construction crew had the day off, or were in the side of the building that hadn’t collapsed.

  Richter used that distraction to his advantage. It felt as if I’d been hit by a freight train as Richter barreled into me as fast as he could, and he wasn’t stopping. I was in too much shock and pain to fight back as the world flew by around me at Mach speed. Richter pulled me back and then threw me down into a mountain. A deafening boom shot through the air as the earth exploded around me. The side of the mountain had been obliterated by my impact, and I was lying at the bottom of a giant hole I’d punched into the earth.

  I screamed in pain as I felt my bones pop back into place and fuse back together. Bones that had been obliterated and turned to dust regrew in a matter of seconds. I was alive, but just barely. My body repaired itself just enough to keep it that way, but judging by the blood I was coughing up and the incredible amount of pain I was in, it’d be a while before I was fully recovered.

  The hole I was in was filled with dust, but the sides were perfectly round and smooth, as if someone had taken a hole-puncher and punched a perfect hole into the ground. I looked up, and I could barely see a pinhole of light far, far away. That tiny pinhole was actually the hole leading to the surface, and I would later find it was a hundred yards wide.

  A pair of glowing eyes descended into the hole. Even though it was too dark to see his face, I knew it was Richter. He picked up my limp body, and I didn’t have the energy to protest or fight back. I was in too much pain.

  Richter carried me out of the hole and dumped me at the edge of it as soon as we got outside. I coughed up some dust and tried to get as much oxygen in me as I could. The oxygen and fresh air must have sped up my recovery, because I was already feeling much better, much faster.

  “When you’re ready to stand, I’m ready to talk,” Richter said as he sat down next to me, dangling his feet over the edge of the pit my body had formed.

  I took a few more deep breaths, and, while trying not to scream in pain, I pushed myself up to my feet. I stumbled a bit like I was drunk, but I eventually found my footing. I could feel my insides repairing themselves much quicker now, and my pain was being replaced with anger.