Superheroes Suck

Chapter 27: Adventures in the Batcave Continue

"That's just what people guess." M. Maddox took a seat on the arm of one of the chairs, "I have neither confirmed nor denied any of their guesses. The M doesn't even stand for Max, I just always wanted to be named Max when I was a little kid. The M might not even stand for anything, my first name could be something like Thomas or Yancy."

"Yancy?" My mother just glared at him disappointed but he just stared back seriously.

"It could be." Maddox couldn't contain his smile for very long however, "Alright, I will admit. It does not stand for something quite so ridiculous as that. I promise however that when you do learn my name... well it will be epic. It's a family name, I come from a long and distinguished line of men who share it with me."

"You mean it's something stupid like Maurice." My mother sighed.

"You'll see." He just smiled a knowing smile and turned to me. "I should have known a troublemaker like you would have to be related to someone like her. Danger follows the both of you, like a clock in the night, barely able to be seen until a flash of light illuminated everything."

"Quit being poetic Max," My mother's eyes zeroed in on him, having no patience for his stupidity. It was kind of familiar, "any word on the targets?"

"I have Juggernaut watching over Nighthawk's civilians and Saber is keeping an eye on Shadowstar's kid."

I piped in, "What about Mary?"

I was more than a little worried about her. Mary is not the kind of person who can deal with this sort of thing, surprisingly I am, but she's not. She puts on a brave face, which can make it difficult at times to know if she's okay. Knowing that not only her life, but my life and her father's life, the two people she has left in the world, would kill her.

"Don't worry dear, everyone is accounted for. All except for one civilian who I thought could use a little extra protection. That's why I brought him here." Maddox flourished his arm and then gestured to the door, "Come out."

The room stilled until our mystery man stepped through the doorway. I sprung up and rushed over, flinging myself into a pair of strong, sturdy arms. My mother's faint steps pattered as she moved to join the two of us in our hug. Everyone else just stayed back, allowing us to have our mini-reunion although I felt Spitfire's eyes bore into my back.

"It's been way too long Noves." His grip tightened on the two of us.

Tightening my grip on him in response, eventually, I muttered, "It's so good to see you Hunter."

"You too kid." He pulled back from both of us and turned to my mother, "How you holding up?"

My mother's eyes widened like a deer in the headlights, "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean Allison, how are the two of you holding up?" There was an edge to his voice.

"We put all his crap on the curb," I cut in, knowing it was still a pretty sore subject for my mother, "That was my idea, I'm hoping someone else got to some of his stuff before he did."

"Good," Hunter nodded to himself, "Good. You deserve better."

Hunter had once been a young, inexperienced cop. The Hunter that my mother had met many years ago was far from the man who stood before me. This Hunter was hardened by years on the force, no longer the young and bubbly cop who smiled all the time. Though, part of that can be attributed to his wife's death, that took a lot of wind out of his sails.

He stole a glance at my mother, and they shared a secret smile. The two had parted shortly after my parents got married, that much I knew from old stories they told Mary and I. They had been reunited through our friendship, it's so strange to think that they lived in the same city for 15 years and never ran into each other.