Free League of Super Heroes: Rise of the Villain (Book #1) Page A

“Well, a League Super Hero turned up dead last night, I
didn’t know who else to turn to. I’m sorry.” She batted her
eyelashes at him, knowing full well he couldn’t resist.
    Justice smiled at
Genny, she was a great hero with a strange power. He had met many
heroes in his day, but none that could take on non-corporeal form.
She had certainly been an asset when he was in the field, she could
break into any facility without tripping any alarms, and she was
quick too. Justice realized he was still smiling and that she was
looking at him a little strange, as though he had done something
wrong. “Oh, about the hero who died? So sad.” He said hurriedly,
“I’m not sure what you want me to do though Genny; you know I’m no
longer apart of the league of super heroes.” The statement made his
stomach drop.
    “ Justice you know that I wouldn’t come to you unless I had to.
Like I said, Freeze is gone and someone out there is after us,
someone out there killed a hero last night. I’m just trying to
protect the league; I thought you would help.”She disappeared, the
look of disappointment lingering in the room. Ghost girl was always
making speedy exits with no warning, something Justice Man had not
missed in her absence.

CHAPTER THREE

    The sun was bright
and the roads seemed to shimmer in the summer heat, Justice walked
into the dirty garage and looked around for his friend. Mike was
the strongest guy he knew, a feature that Mike loved to show off,
especially in the company of women. Justice caught a glimpse of his
friend buried beneath a 1964 Ford Mustang, his bald head peeking
out from beneath the exhaust. He walked over to the car and
crouched down, “Hey Mikey. Got some bad news about the LOH, think
we could talk in your office?”
    The car lifted off
the ground, as if with ease, Mike’s massive frame emerging from
beneath it. He placed the car down and motioned for Justice to lead
the way to his office. Once inside the room, Mike lit a cigarette,
a habit he had never been able to kick and one that made Justice
angry. “Put that crap, you know how much I hate cigarettes. That
stuff’ll kill you.” He coughed for emphasis as Mike put the smoke
out, he didn’t seem too amused with J’s surprise visit.
    “ J,
I told you not to bother me with this league stuff. We ain’t needed
in this city no more.” Mike had a raspy voice as if his throat was
coated in tar and his lungs filled with smoke. Justice knew it was
going to take some convincing to get Muscle Man on board, but he
needed someone to help him figure out who was killing heroes and he
didn’t know who else to trust these days.
    “ Someone is killing Supers Mike; I need your help to figure
out whom. You’re the muscle, I need you c’mon man.” Justice
pleaded, knowing that talking up the muscle head was the only way
to coax him into helping. “You know if we figure it out they might
give us a reward.” He added at the end.
    Mike sighed, running
his oil stained hand over his weathered face as if he were
thinking. He turned to Justice and stared into his eyes, “This is
the last time you come to me, you hear me Justice?! I will help you
figure this out, and then I’m done. For good.”
    The men shook hands
and agreed to meet up later at an old diner downtown. Justice
walked out of the shop smiling ear to ear, he was happy to have
Muscle Man’s help. He knew that it was going to be weird working
with his old team mate but did they ever work well together. It put
his mind at ease knowing that he had help in his search; little did
he know he wouldn’t have to look too long.

CHAPTER FOUR

    The diner smelled
like old coffee and perfume, while same pictures that had been on
the pale blue walls for the past thirty years hung desperately
clinging to their wires. Their waitress, Flo, had come around to
take their orders and fill their cups with lukewarm coffee. Mike
and J had gotten right down to business, starting a list of people
who were possible