Hacked by Tim Miller Page B

be spared the coming trials. Your soul shall absorb into my being, into eternal bliss.”
         “Thanks, I’m good,” Charlie would reply. It went the same way every time. He wasn’t sure what the old man’s angle was other than to mind fuck him. He had no doubt that he’d be coming for him soon, but he’d cross that bridge when he got to it.
         “You coming to bed?” Maria asked. She was standing in the doorway looking out at Charlie. After all she’d been through and even just wearing a baggy t-shirt, she still looked stunning. If he were honest with himself, he had no idea why she was with him. The girl was a Latina goddess. She could have any guy in the world, yet she chose him. Granted he rescued her from an angry god, and jumped off the Tower of the America’s in San Antonio while holding onto her, but still.
         “I have some things to do tonight. Work called me in for a while,” he lied. His job was as a stocker in an overnight warehouse. He was a fill in, so they usually called him in. Most nights though, he was out doing an old hobby.
         “Again?”
         “Yeah, again. We need the money.” No they didn’t, but it got her off his back. He loved Maria, at least he thought he did. Though part of him was never sure he was capable of love. Before he was slaying unruly deities, he was not only a preacher, but a serial killer. Though he only killed evil sinners that God told him about, he later learned God had nothing to do with it. He was just sick. Then, there was the part about his ancestors were fallen angels, so he could also turn people into zombies if he chose, though he hadn’t done so in quite a while.
         Which was ok, being sick helped him to not care about getting hurt or how big or powerful his opponent.
         “Will you be working long? I hate being here alone,” she said.
         “I hope not. I’ll do my work and leave as soon as I can.”
         “Ok. Good night Charlie. I love you.”
         “I love you too,” he said as she disappeared into the bedroom. Since her possession, she’d been near zombie like herself. He’d taken her to some doctors who tried to prescribe her medication for depression, but she wouldn’t take it. Said she never wanted anything else messing with her mind again. Charlie couldn’t really blame her.
         Once she was in bed, he went into his man cave which was really a study, except there was only a beanbag, TV, and some bookshelves. Behind one of the shelves was a small compartment he’d cut out that contained his bag. He grabbed the bag and put the book shelf back against the wall and headed out to the car.
         Even though he had all these new and amazing powers, there were some things he preferred to do the old fashioned way. Though he used his power for smaller tasks like information gathering, since his brain was now faster and more accurate than google. It hadn’t happened yet, but if he ever needed to make himself disappear, he was sure he could do that too.
         He parked the car just across the street from his target’s home. A young, slick douchebag named Ronny Richards lived there. Ronny was a UPS driver, but he also happened to be a rapist. Ronny would check out women on his routes and scout the ones who lived alone, then come back later for his own special delivery. For some reason, despite his gift for violence and madness, Charlie always had a soft spot for women and children. Maybe it was because as a serial killer, he took out other predators, and now with his new powers, he was at the top of any and every food chain.
         Monsters who preyed on the weak and helpless were the worst kind. Though he didn’t have any illusions of doing God’s work. That was all in the past. He watched the quiet house until Ronny’s car pulled into the garage. It was just past midnight. The usual time Ronny gets back from the bar. Charlie knew his every move and every