The Super Jerk Trilogy (Now 3-in-1)

4. Anti-Hero

{Cameron}

I'm woken by a kick. I snort unflatteringly and jerk my head up. Standing above me is a guy in an all-black uniform. He looks like a SWAT team member, or maybe somebody playing one in a movie. Either way, he seems to think the uniform makes him invincible.

   "Wha'?" I blink at him uncomprehendingly.

   "Are you Blue Bolt?" His expression stays perfectly expressionless.

   "Yeah." I adjust myself against the wall, trying to relieve some of the sore spots on my back. "Why? Who's asking?"

   "It's Green. He wants to see you. Didn't say why." He steps forward and begins to unfasten the metal cuffs around my wrists.

   "Really? So he's keeping big secrets now and expects me to not have any questions?" I have to wait until the exact second he's let his guard down. Then maybe I can escape.

   The guy just shrugs. "I don't ask. I just do what I'm told."

   Just as he's crossing over to my other wrist, I see my opportunity. With my free hand I grab his belt buckle, yanking him forward. At the same time, I throw my head forward, as hard as possible. I get a satisfying oomph as a result. Before he has time to recover, I stick my leg out so he trips when he stumbles sideways, falling with a thud on the ground. That wakes Jocelyn up, because I hear her chains rattle just as I unfasten mine. These quick-release cuffs were probably a really good idea until you're only attached by one. I squeeze it and it pops open, then leap to my feet. My legs are stiff and shaky from lack of use, and it takes a couple seconds for me to balance again.

   The guard starts to get up, but I'm faster, leaping at him and socking him in the face. He slumps sideways, out cold. Then I spin on my heel to face Jocelyn, her brow furrowed.

   "What are you doing?" Jocelyn asks as I hurry over to undo her cuffs too.

   "We're getting out of here." It's a bold statement, because I still have no idea where we are. But I owe it to her, and everyone still wondering what happened to me, to try and escape.

   "Where is here, exactly?" She rubs her wrists as she stands, also a little wobbly on her feet.

   "That's what we're gonna figure out. C'mon." I take off running across the room, towards the half-open door along the far wall. When I hit it, I glance behind me. Jocelyn's just catching up, holding a stitch in her side.

   "I haven't run like that since before I got here," she pants, steadying herself against the wall. "But good to know your super instincts are still intact."

   "They're not. I just really want to get out of here before he wakes up." I glance at the guard, still unmoving on the ground. "C'mon. I'm gonna need help with this door."

   When we get outside, my plan's thwarted once again. We've ended up in a plain white hallway, stretching in both directions with no landmarks whatsoever.

   "Any brilliant ideas?" Jocelyn says as I slam the door and lock it from outside. It's the only door, it appears, so at least we have that to go on. As for everything else, though, that'll be another story.

"I hadn't thought this far ahead, honestly."

   "Clearly." Flicker of a smile, and a wink. Then she jerks her chin off to our left. "This way. Worth a shot."

   This time it's me who hurries to keep up. Maybe it's because she has a head start or something, but I can't seem to catch up until she slows down also, breathing hard. Normally I'd be able to run longer and farther with my super endurance, but I can't even feel my lightning, usually buzzing through my nerves like live wires. I feel zapped, like I've used too much of my powers at once and need to recharge them.