Seventeen year old Jay Sasaki lives in a world where corporations spend millions of dollars to exploit superpowered children and the media defines good and evil. Cursed with the ability to steal souls, Jay leads a double life as both a normal high s...
The following Friday, instead of heading into the newsroom, I went up to the top floor of the San Urbano Times building to talk to Mr. Russell. I still couldn't quite believe that I was about to speak to the CEO of the San Urbano Times. He was one of the richest men in the city, and I was just a lowly intern. I certainly couldn't explain why he had agreed to this, but nevertheless, I was about to interview him. Vanessa had prepared me well, with a packet of notes and detailed instructions on what to ask him. However, I was still a little nervous as I carefully knocked on the door to his office.
Mr. Russell didn't come to the door. At first, I worried that I had come at the wrong time, but when I checked Vanessa's notes, I saw that I was only five minutes early. I stood back and waited patiently, hoping that Mr. Russell would arrive soon.
The door was slightly ajar, and I heard two voices float into the hallway. I recognized one of them immediately. "I've asked all of the higher-ups at the Academy about this, and none of them have given me a good answer," Declan said. "Sanjana said that you might know."
"Well, I don't work at the Academy," a second voice said. "I only fund them. The President of the Academy gives me only the broadest overview of what's going on there. I doubt that I can help you, Declan, but you can always try."
"I already talked to the President, and his answer was too vague for my taste," Declan said.
"Just cut to the chase," the other man said. "What's your question?"
"Why is the Gadfly my archenemy, Mr. Russell?" Declan asked.
"That's a good question," Mr. Russell said.
"Can't you talk the Academy into giving me a different assignment?" Declan asked. "He's just no fun to fight, and I've faithfully served the Academy ever since my graduation. I feel like they should give me an archenemy who's actually powerful. The Gadfly's not a real threat, not when you have Brightside and Lady Quake and the Bash Brothers..."
"That's where you're wrong," Mr. Russell said. "The Gadfly is a huge threat to the Academy."
"How?" Declan asked. "He only has one measly power, and he refuses to fight. He's barely a supervillain at all."
"Declan, he was kicked out of the Academy only two weeks after he was admitted," Mr. Russell said. "The teachers, some of the most powerful superheroes in the whole country, were afraid of him. Don't you think that says something?"
"You must be confused," Declan said. "That doesn't sound like the Gadfly at all. All he's done recently is cause a traffic jam and taunt me over email."
"He doesn't realize his own strength," Mr. Russell argued. "If the Gadfly knew how powerful he was, then the whole system would be destroyed. San Urbano would be overrun with supervillains, with the scum of the city in charge of it. That's why the Academy is trusting you, Declan. If that ever happens, it will be your responsibility to defeat him."
