Hunting Heroes: A Superhero Novel by Derek Pozel Page B

banding together again and the good Afflicted are gone or driven into hiding. What then?”
    Sage downed the remainder of his drink and rose from his chair.
    Garrett slid forward and his hands gripped the armrests.
    “No need to be alarmed,” Sage shook the glass. “I’m fixing myself another drink. Would you care for one? I have the good stuff.”
    “No thanks, I don’t drink on the job,” Garrett watched his enemy move about without a care in the world. It somewhat bothered him his reputation had no effect on the half-drunk superhero.
    “Suit yourself,” Sage poured himself another drink from the crystal decanter on the bar near his chair.
    “I didn’t expect to find you in your pajamas,” Garrett said.
    “What do you expect?” Sage let out a hearty chuckle. “It’s almost midnight and I’m at home. We don’t sleep in our uniforms,” Sage nestled back into his chair and he nipped at his drink. “Now, where were we? Oh yes, the Assembly, the Afflicted and how we’re evil, except for you of course.”
    Garrett waved his index finger. “I didn’t say that. Everyone was fine before the Afflicted came along. They will be fine when they are gone. Come on, we both know Granite was a complete idiot. He was vain, egotistical, and had a violent temper. He’d get himself killed sooner or later.”
    “It’s possible,” Sage said. “But, when it comes to the Afflicted anything is possible.”
    “Or worse,” Garrett said. “He would add another father, mother, brother or sister to your accidental death stat. I saw how he treated people. He thought he was better than them because he had powers. He deserved what he got. Shadow Guard was in the wrong place at the wrong time and he was easy to find.”
    “How you attacked Granite was brutal to say the least,” Sage said. “You broke his nose, knocked out 3 of his teeth, not to mention the stitches. It was quite savage.”
    Garrett turned away to face the fireplace. “I’m not proud of it. But, it is what it is. It’s what had to be done.”
    “Assaulting two members of the Assembly had to be done?” Sage’s voice deepened. “Do you understand the full ramifications of your actions? Patriot will not hold back, he never has.”
    “Maybe if he did, we wouldn’t be here,” Garrett said.
    Sage’s heavy eyelids narrowed. “You don’t remember the crime or the corruption in this city?”
    “No,” Garrett said.
    “You were still too young then,” Sage said. “He was the first one of us to stand up to it, in a tacky brown trench coat and goggles. He inspired the rest of us to step out of the shadows, to show our gifts to the world.”
    “There were others before him,” Garrett said.
    “Yes, it wasn’t long after Patriot burst onto the scene. He made the people of this city believe they could fight back and they did. They raised him up on their shoulders as their hero, their savior. It is what makes him a legend and more than a man with gifts and goggles.”
    “You think too much of him,” Garrett said. “He drove the gangs, the dealers, the corrupt politicians deeper into hiding. I remember reading about the retaliation by the gangs.”
    “You are correct,” Sage closed his eyes. “I stepped in and helped fight them off. He made me believe I could do much more with my gifts.”
    “You closed the wound, but the infection is still there.” Garrett said in a distant tone. “Now you need a whole team of people to keep the peace.”
    “Those Afflicted joined us because they wanted to help,” Sage said. “They wanted to control their gifts and we helped them. It is why we created the Assembly, to protect the innocent. Also, to lead the next generation of Afflicted to be even greater than we can ever hope to be.”
    Garrett leaned forward and licked his lips. “Being a hero doesn’t give you a pass to do whatever you want, regardless if you’re in the Assembly or not. You have to be accountable for your actions. Even the legendary Patriot