Origins of a D-List Supervillain (33 page)

The powercell bomb bounced to where several of the Olympians were positioned at the entrance to the pharmacy. Ares didn’t hesitate to pounce on it as the weapon detonated.

The others were scattered like bowling pins by the force of the explosion. I didn’t linger to see if I’d done any lasting damage to the Olympian and turned on the afterburners. They’d be after me in moments. Apollo was already heading for his chariot. Aphrodite and Zeus were mounting the hoversleds.

All I’d have to do is make it to the waterfront and do my swim to freedom. Just a few more miles.

“Energy signature closing rapidly,” the suit warned.

I tried to evade, but I only managed to avoid a direct hit from Apollo. It was enough to send me crashing into a warehouse. Silencing the master alarm and looking at my depleted energy levels, I didn’t like my odds, but was kind of in shock that I’d held on this long. Of course they weren’t in full control of their faculties, so it wasn’t exactly like I was getting them at the top of their game.

I fired my blasters and opened a hole in the wall, intending to go through it and stopped. Instead, I shot a hole into the next one as well and squeezed into a janitor’s closet and hid, hoping they would think I went out the hole and chase me that way. The minimal shielding I had left should keep Aphrodite from detecting me. Zeus was another matter, but my power levels were so low that he might also miss me.

Doing a quick diagnostic, I heard a death knell in my mind. There was a breech in the armor on the back of my leg that I only now noticed. If I went into the Gulf, the suit would flood and short out. I wouldn’t be coming out alive. I stuffed a wad of rags into the crack in my armor that would hopefully prevent one of those bugs from crawling inside and taking me over.

I heard movement outside, and peeked through the crack in the door. Hermes was rushing around the room and searching in a random manner. I gently shut the door and tried to figure out an option that got me out of here intact.

Nothing came to mind. I couldn’t even locate any power to recharge my suit. I didn’t want to go out like this, but even my self-destruct was gone.

I’m so screwed.

Cal Stringel’s adventure continues in the already released, smash hit,
Confessions of a D-List Supervillain.
Look for the third installment of the series in the fall of 2014.

About the Author

Jim Bernheimer is the author of several novels and the publisher and editor of three anthologies. He lives in Chesapeake, Virginia with his wife and two daughters while writing whatever four out of the five voices in his head agree on. Visit his website at
www.jimbernheimer.com

Other Books by the Author

Horror, Humor, and Heroes Volume I

Horror, Humor, and Heroes Volume II

Horror, Humor, and Heroes Volume III

Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman

Dead Eye 2: The Skinwalker Conspiracies

Spirals of Destiny Book One: Rider

Spirals of Destiny Book Two: Sorceress

Prime Suspects: A Clone Detective Mystery

and

Confessions of a D-List Supervillain

The best is yet to come!