anymore boy. You’re soiled goods now. You’ve broken your winning streak. I don’t have any use for you now.”
Steele’s eyes stung with tears as he watched his father and William Murdock talk over the particulars of his sale. He felt like an object, a slave to the cruel whims of fate. He didn’t know what he would do with this William Murdock, this man who had no idea of his strange abilities. His dad knew of them, had always known.
Steele knew his new owner would have trouble believing him if he told him of his ability to withstand even a bullet at point-blank range without injury. He wasn’t a normal boy by anyone’s standards—especially when one took into account his incredible endurance and power. He had the strength of ten grown men—he could bench-press a Mini Cooper for goodness’ sake. Steele was just a freak in a world populated with freaks, and what’s more, he knew it.
A few minutes later, after the details had been worked out, his father left with a briefcase full of money, never once looking back at his son. Steele watched him go with a hopelessness that threatened to drown him. He felt Murdock move closer to him. “He would have taken half that much, you know,” Steele murmured softly to his new owner.
“I know. But you’re more than worth the money. Not to worry son, I’ll take good care of you, you’ll see. Your days of struggle are over.”
“I threw that fight because I wanted out of boxing. And you want to train me for the ‘big ring’, as you called it? I don’t want that, thank you very much, sir.”
“That big ring I referred to is life,” Murdock said gently. “I will train you to use your abilities to their fullest, and with training comes understanding. You’ll know yourself at last, and you’ll be safe in my care as you learn. I wish to prepare you for the world, my boy.”
“What do you know of my abilities?”
“I’ve been watching you for some time now, Brian Steele. I know you’re incredibly strong and capable of withstanding an enormous amount of damage with nary a qualm. You can deflect a barrage of blows without batting an eye, much less sustaining an injury. You can run for miles on end and never become winded. You could destroy a man with only one blow if you so choose. You’re resilient in a way that I’ve never seen before, and I want to help you learn to use this to your advantage in every way.”
Steele tried not to fall for Murdock’s easy, gentle ways, but it was impossible. Steele’s heart had already softened and his fear was fading.
“Come on. Let’s leave this ruckus behind us forever,” Murdock said, putting his arm about Steele’s shoulders, taking him through the crowd. “Have you ever been to Cleveland?”
Steele shook his head and left in the care of his new guardian.
Chapter One
Many years later
Marla Rivers looked about her, recognizing all the familiar comforts of her home. The coma had lasted a little over a year. But her mother had kept up the payments on her house, never giving up the hope that Marla would come back to herself. That Marla would, eventually, wake up.
It had taken almost six grueling months of physical therapy to regain her ability to walk. And even now, Marla often walked with a cane. But at last she was home again, released from the hospital, safe and sound after her long absence.
She ignored the flickering of light as she passed by a lamp. She’d learned it was best to ignore such things.
Everything was as she’d left it. Nothing had been disturbed. She knew she had her mother to thank for that. The sense of familiarity was comforting to her after months spent in a strange, sterile hospital room.
She put her luggage away, weak with exertion when she was done but determined not to let it hold her back in any way. She felt like taking a bath but knew it was too soon to test herself in the large garden tub alone. She might slip beneath the surface of the water and never come back up. For
Steele’s eyes stung with tears as he watched his father and William Murdock talk over the particulars of his sale. He felt like an object, a slave to the cruel whims of fate. He didn’t know what he would do with this William Murdock, this man who had no idea of his strange abilities. His dad knew of them, had always known.
Steele knew his new owner would have trouble believing him if he told him of his ability to withstand even a bullet at point-blank range without injury. He wasn’t a normal boy by anyone’s standards—especially when one took into account his incredible endurance and power. He had the strength of ten grown men—he could bench-press a Mini Cooper for goodness’ sake. Steele was just a freak in a world populated with freaks, and what’s more, he knew it.
A few minutes later, after the details had been worked out, his father left with a briefcase full of money, never once looking back at his son. Steele watched him go with a hopelessness that threatened to drown him. He felt Murdock move closer to him. “He would have taken half that much, you know,” Steele murmured softly to his new owner.
“I know. But you’re more than worth the money. Not to worry son, I’ll take good care of you, you’ll see. Your days of struggle are over.”
“I threw that fight because I wanted out of boxing. And you want to train me for the ‘big ring’, as you called it? I don’t want that, thank you very much, sir.”
“That big ring I referred to is life,” Murdock said gently. “I will train you to use your abilities to their fullest, and with training comes understanding. You’ll know yourself at last, and you’ll be safe in my care as you learn. I wish to prepare you for the world, my boy.”
“What do you know of my abilities?”
“I’ve been watching you for some time now, Brian Steele. I know you’re incredibly strong and capable of withstanding an enormous amount of damage with nary a qualm. You can deflect a barrage of blows without batting an eye, much less sustaining an injury. You can run for miles on end and never become winded. You could destroy a man with only one blow if you so choose. You’re resilient in a way that I’ve never seen before, and I want to help you learn to use this to your advantage in every way.”
Steele tried not to fall for Murdock’s easy, gentle ways, but it was impossible. Steele’s heart had already softened and his fear was fading.
“Come on. Let’s leave this ruckus behind us forever,” Murdock said, putting his arm about Steele’s shoulders, taking him through the crowd. “Have you ever been to Cleveland?”
Steele shook his head and left in the care of his new guardian.
Chapter One
Many years later
Marla Rivers looked about her, recognizing all the familiar comforts of her home. The coma had lasted a little over a year. But her mother had kept up the payments on her house, never giving up the hope that Marla would come back to herself. That Marla would, eventually, wake up.
It had taken almost six grueling months of physical therapy to regain her ability to walk. And even now, Marla often walked with a cane. But at last she was home again, released from the hospital, safe and sound after her long absence.
She ignored the flickering of light as she passed by a lamp. She’d learned it was best to ignore such things.
Everything was as she’d left it. Nothing had been disturbed. She knew she had her mother to thank for that. The sense of familiarity was comforting to her after months spent in a strange, sterile hospital room.
She put her luggage away, weak with exertion when she was done but determined not to let it hold her back in any way. She felt like taking a bath but knew it was too soon to test herself in the large garden tub alone. She might slip beneath the surface of the water and never come back up. For
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