Page 58 of Breathless Recruiter

“How do we find him?” asked Discord. “Should I look for the lights?”

I knew exactly how to lure him out. All villains had a weakness, a button that would render them all but helpless. It was almost mean to manipulate our unseen guest… almost. If Discord wanted to be a proper hero, he’d need to learn these tricks of the trade.

“We can head out,” I shouted. “This one isn’t worth our?—”

“Our what?” yelled the voice.

Discord leaned over my shoulder and whispered, “Are you bating him?”

“Let a vigilante have this one,” I shouted.

I gave Discord a slight nudge toward the front door. He looked perplexed. He had a lot to learn about villains. I’d have to see if I could find my first edition copy ofSo You Want to Be a Superherofor him to study. Throwing punches might be useful at times, but often, the deadliest blow was striking their ego.

“We’re not really leaving, are we?” I wanted to chuckle at my sidekick.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

On a walkway connecting the two closest vats, a man stood with a gun at his side. The scientist had traded his white jacket for a black trench coat. The glow from the vat beneath him glinted off the goggles he wore. I was about to ask what he was doing when I spotted the container by his feet filled with red ooze. Whatever schemes he had in store, he needed something from the plant to complete them.

“Oh, look, there you are.” Keep him feeling insignificant and he’d walk right into my trap. “A scientist? This isn’t worth our time.”

“Should we be poking fun at him?” Discord asked.

“What’s he going to do?”

“You question, Disaster?”

Before I could comment on his lackluster codename, he grabbed the tube of chemicals and jumped off the walkway. Pointing his gun at the floor, he pulled the trigger. A loud boom cracked the concrete and slowed his descent. It wasn’t much different from Discord’s powers. Okay, maybe our scientist deserved alittleattention.

“I came to do a little shopping. Killing the two of you is an added benefit.”

“What are you planning?” Discord shouted.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Discord didn’t understand villain etiquette. Directly asking them for their diabolical plans never worked. They’d hold the information back, acting as if they were superior. It needed to be coaxed out of them.

“He’s just a crook,” I said. I lifted off the floor, Discord following suit. “He’s nothing more than a common crook.”

Disaster laughed. “With this…” He hoisted the container against his chest. “I’ll have all I need to complete my experiment. Then bumbling heroes won’t be able to stop me.”

“That’s our goal,” I whispered. “Get the chemicals.”

Discord pushed off, flying low to the ground, fist forward to strike the scientist. The high-pitch scream from Discord would blow away the average human. Disaster raised his gun, firing, and the loud boom negated his powers. With a second pull of the trigger, it sent him flying to the side. We had underestimated the mad doctor’s arsenal.

I shoved the fear aside and flew toward Disaster. When he pulled the trigger, I rolled to the right, feeling the vibration ripple along my skin. He’d have to be?—

Disaster dropped the gun and threw back his jacket. He grabbed a gun on his hip and, with lightning reflexes, fired.I switched directions, but the glowing projectile followed. Just before it struck, it shot out a net. I was going to laugh when it dragged me to the plant floor. I tried freeing myself, but it was like the planet’s gravity had increased a hundred times.

“You’re not going to get away,” I grunted. He had me pinned. Mr. Supreme defeated by a net. I should have listened to Dustin and gone after the villain who spoke to fish.

“Not so tough, are you?” I tried tearing at the ropes, but they stretched, making it impossible to break free. “And here I heard you were one of Vanguard’s finest.”

As Disaster walked closer, admiring his handiwork, Discord let loose a sonic screech that shook the entire plant. Disaster appeared inconvenienced at best. When he tapped a button on his chest, a shimmering blue light surrounded him. Great, he also had a personal force field.

“Did you think I came here without ways to neutralize your powers? You realize I’m a scientist, right? Heroes, you don’t deserve your gifts.”

Discord swooped in and landed between me and Disaster. His hands were balled into fists. The scientist let loose with maniacal laughter. Rushing in had been a bad idea. It was like Disaster had prepared for an encounter not withanyhero, but with us.

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