Hard Light - A Teenage Superhero Story

22: Shit Shit Shit *Shit*

"Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit..."

I muttered under my breath as I sprinted over the rooftops. Somehow the blockade had seen my drone and tried to shoot it down. I recalled it before they could, but now they knew something was up.

I jumped across an alleyway and kept sprinting. As I got closer and closer to the Anti-Superpower units, my heart beat faster.

I jumped over another alley and one of the men from the ASP unit alerted. I could hear weapons firing stun rounds at me, but I ignored them. Eventually I saw one of those big boxes turn my direction, and I grunted.

I dove at the last second and a thundering noise that made my head spin and my chest burn roared past me. I rolled and got to my feet, keeping the pace. Two more stunning bolts nearly hit me but landed a few feet away from me, and I kept sprinting.

The noise returned and this time it barely missed me by a foot. I stifled a scream and kept running. I was almost in the clear.

I tripped and tumbled to the ground as one of the stun rounds hit me. I grunted at the surprisingly dull pain. It didn't even hurt as bad as the training bolts at school.

I got to my feet and noticed that a few men had scaled the buildings and were on the roof approaching me quickly. I tried to erect a wall behind me, but it sputtered and flashed, then steadied, but it was dim. I frowned in confusion.

I felt another bolt hit me, and the wall flickered and dimmed. "Shit shit shit-"

Another one hit me and the wall shattered. I reabsorbed it, but something felt wrong. The stun rounds were draining my powers.

I kept going, but there were two weaponized drones ahead of me. I was surrounded now. An idea struck me. I couldn't get them to stop following me, but maybe...

I came to a stop and faked pain.

I needed them to underestimate me. I needed them off guard.

I bent over and put my hands on my knees, my face a mask of pain. The domino mask I'd placed over my eyes felt odd with the expression, but I ignored it. My suit felt heavy on my back.

"Ma'am, you need to come with us, please," A man off to my right spoke. I glanced around for a few seconds, breathing deeply. There were seven people, all aiming at me. Two others were standing normally but holding cuffs and a dampening cuff for my arm. I heaved in my breaths, trying to sell my exhaustion. I took stock, keeping my chin tucked close to my chest to try and obscure my face. I'd need to rely on my own abilities. My reflexes and strength wouldn't be affected, as they were now part of my genes. But my lights and aura would be. So I'd need to rely on my combat training.

I was glad I'd spent so much time watching Red Fury train, I'd hopefully picked up something other than her muscles and impressive footwork.

As the unit approached, they began to lower their weapon, as I hadn't changed my stance or said anything.

They came closer, and I waited for one to reach out to grab my arm.

I uncoiled my tensed muscles. I grabbed the man's arm and pulled him closer, stepped behind him as he stumbled past me, and pulled back. He flopped backward, and I grabbed the combat knife from his belt and in the same motion flipped him on his stomach. Someone fired, and I dove over the downed man. Another person fired and I felt the bolt go past my head. Instead of coming to my feet, I swept someone's legs out from under them with my leg, and when they fell I scrambled for their weapon. I fired the bolt and it hit someone, and they grunted before toppling over.

I lunged for someone else's legs and they toppled down over me, and another bolt hit them. I glanced back as they tensed, then relaxed.

It would seem these bolts would knock out anyone without powers. Huh.