Shock and Awe (Enhanced Book 1)

Chapter 19

I'm on the run.

Archie and I decided it would be best to separate until Monday night and he would show up, too, at the designated time — just in case something happens to me before then. He gave me a new and improved suit before promising he can find somewhere to stay hidden away.

When I got home from our meeting, there was a black SUV waiting down the road from my house.

I went to Forrest's apartment, where there was another SUV.

There was a third at Mia's house.

Unable to risk saying goodbye, I ditched both of my phones in a dumpster without telling anyone where I would be.

I didn't even know where to go that would be safe.

For the last three days, I've been a runaway from my family and friends. I've slept in any alcove I've been able to find — not staying for too long.

At night, Amazing Man patrols constantly. He flies over my house, Forrest's apartment, Mia's house, our school, even the Jimenez house — anywhere he thinks I could be, Considering how easily I let him into my life, I'm internally beating myself up for being so stupid.

It's only hours before I am supposed to meet with Crimson Current and Archie, but a bad feeling has taken residence in my chest. I can feel that something is going to go wrong.

I check my surroundings before walking briskly from alley to alley, trying to keep myself small. I figured it would be best to go ahead and work toward the restaurant to make sure I'm not being followed. The last thing I need is to drag Archie and Crimson Current down with me.

I round the corner to the back alley of the Jimenez restaurant, fully intending to climb in the large dumpster and wait, but a figure standing in the alley stops me.

The tall stature — although cast in shadow — reminds me of the super I'm here to meet. Except that's not for a few more hours.

"Crim?"

"I knew you would show up here sooner or later," the figure says and I realize with fright that it is not Crimson Current standing in the alley.

It's Amazing Man.

"A-Amaze," I stutter, looking around for anything to defend myself with. Other than the pipes attached to the bricks and the trash bags along the ground, there's nothing. At least, I'm in my new suit which is decked with new gear. "What are you doing here?"

He stalks forward, broad shoulders and jaw tense. His eyes, shrouded in darkness, bare into mine with unconcealed anger. "You didn't have to run, Awe. We want to work with you."

"We?"

"Agent Matthews, me, the government — all of us. We're a family, you know. We protect our own."

"Like you protected the Tri-City's super before me?"

Amaze's hand curls in to a fist. "We've changed," he promises in a sickly sweet tone. "We want you to continue being Tri-City's protector, Awe. We'll leave you alone — let you get on with your life — if you do one thing for us."

My hand twitches toward my whip, but I keep my gaze locked on Amaze. "What?"

"We want Crimson Current's identity."

I recoil in shock. What would they ever want with that? "You want me to bring him in?"

The super laughs humorlessly, the smile on his face dripping with malice. "We know you've been meeting with him. You probably wouldn't even bring him in if we asked that. No, we want you to reveal his identity publicly. You can do it by whatever means — even hide so he doesn't know it was you — but that is our condition. Then, you can go back to your double life as high schooler and protector of the city. It sounds like a fair deal, doesn't it?"