Heroes at Heart

Two: Max Owens

The city's mayor, Nora Cotreau, asked me to come to city hall so I could be assigned a villain. Needless to say, I wasn't thrilled. But I couldn't blame it on the city this time; I had waited too long to remove myself from the AVL. It was my fault this was happening.

I ran through scenarios in my head of what I would say to Nora when I finally met her. Before, I had only spoken with members of city council. But now, now was my chance to get my point across. I'm not interested.

"Max, you're sure you want to go alone? I can come with you, you know," my mom said. We were sitting outside city hall in her beat-up, cherry red Volkswagen bug, waiting for the clock to turn seven.

I shook my head as I got out of the car. "I'll be fine, mom, seriously. Don't worry."

She waved and watched me walk inside, before circling around the parking lot in an attempt to find an available space.

I pulled nervously at my tie as I walked through the door.

Inside, there were people everywhere, and they all seemed to know what they were doing. I was completely out of place.

I had visited city hall once on a fourth grade field trip, but that hadn't adequately prepared me for this. I didn't know where to go, I didn't know where Nora's office was, and I didn't know who to ask for directions.

I had just started to accept my fate of being eternally lost in this white domed building, when I heard someone call my name.

"Owens?" I turned to see a young woman holding what appeared to be a yellow folder. "I'm supposed to meet with you about the assignment." She ended her sentences as if they were questions, even when they were clearly not.

I smiled, and reached out to shake her hand. "You must be Nora."

The girl gave me a strange look. "No..." There was a pause, as if she was expecting me to correct myself. I did not. "I'm Janet. I'm the intern?"

So far, I did not like Janet the intern. Janet the intern rejected my handshake.

"Nora wants you to take this folder, and call her if you have any questions." Janet thrust the envelope into my hand, before turning to walk away.

"Can I speak with her now?" I asked. I thought it was a valid question, but apparently Janet the intern did not.

"No," she said, before walking off.
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"How'd it go?" Mom asked when I finally got back to the car.

I shook my head, and held up the envelope.

"Well, you gave it your best shot," mom said, before starting the car.

I turned the envelope over in my hands, waiting to open it until we got home. But I noticed something scrawled on the front. A name. It wasn't my name, so my next guess was that it was the name of the villain I would be forced to fight.

In the dim light of the car, I could barely make it out. But when I finally did, I couldn't believe my eyes.

Nora had not only assigned me a villain, she had essentially assigned me a death sentence. Because written across that envelope was the name of the city's most dangerous and feared villain; the man I would have to defeat, or die trying.

Vinicus Cauldwell.