Read Online First Superhero 1: The Second Super by Logan Rutherford - Free Book Online Page A

likely do the same thing to my parents if they knew who they were was one of my greatest fears. And Richter just reminded me of it using the rubble of Manhattan. He was trying to paint the general population as the bad people, and himself as the victim. While it did make me feel sorry for his family, it didn’t make me feel sorry for Richter. He’d killed thousands, and deserved none of my or anybody else’s sympathy.
    The fact that he was trying to communicate with me terrified me, however. This was all real. It was happening.
    And it was all about to kick off sooner than I thought.

13

SUITING UP
    I PRACTICALLY KICKED the door to my house down as I charged into our living room. “Mom?! Dad?!” I shouted.
    “In here!” I heard them shout from the kitchen.
    I passed the living room to my left, and entered the large den area. I almost used my super speed to run to the kitchen, but I showed some restraint. I entered the kitchen and gave Mom and Dad a big hug. Once we were done, I turned to the TV that was mounted underneath the cabinet and clicked to the news channel.
    “It’s everywhere, honey,” Mom said.
    “I know,” I said. “He’s calling me out.”
    “What are you going to do?” she asked, her voice shaking.
    I turned and looked at Dad, who seemed to be just as clueless as I was.
    I stood there for a moment, thinking. “I’m not going to play his mind games,” I said finally. “He can send all the messages he wants. But until I see him out there…just…being Richter, I’m not going out there. I have to train as much as I can before I face him.”
    Dad nodded. “You’re going to let him come to you, not you go to him,” he said, summing up what I was trying to say in a way that makes sense.
    “Yeah, exactly.”
    “Wait here,” Mom said abruptly. She walked out of the kitchen and disappeared around the hallway and into her and Dad’s bedroom.
    I looked at Dad, confused. Dad just shrugged his shoulders, acting as if he had no idea what Mom was talking about. I could tell by the smug look on his face, though, that he knew.
    Mom came back into the kitchen holding a white cardboard box, the kind you put clothes in before you wrap them up and give them as a gift.
    “What’s this?” I asked as she handed it to me.
    “Just open it!” she said with a smile.
    I pushed aside some mail that sat on the kitchen counter and set the box down. I slid my fingers underneath the sides and lifted the top of the box off.
    Sitting folded neatly underneath the top lid of the box was a navy-blue suit with scarlet-red stitching. I let out a small gasp as I pulled the suit from the box. I unfolded it and marveled at its beauty.
    The chest, shoulders, and part of the back were a thick, rough navy leather and had a scarlet stitching outline. The pants part of the suit was leather as well, but unlike the roughness of the leather on the chest, was surprisingly smooth to the touch. The rest of the suit was made up of an extremely thin and light material that didn't hinder my dexterity or range of motion. There was a head piece as well, which covered my entire skull except for my eyes, and from my chin up to a hardened nose piece. Also in the box were a pair of navy blue sneakers—with scarlet-red shoelaces of course—and a pair of leather gloves.
    “Wow,” I said as I held the suit up to my body. “This is incredible, Mom!”
    Mom smiled and looked me over, looking very proud. “I know how worried you are about keeping your identity a secret. It's not bulletproof or has any special gadgets or anything like that, but it'll get the job done. Nobody will know who you are, and we'll all be safe.”
    Dad gave me a pat on the shoulder. “Plus, you need something iconic. When people see that suit, they'll know that they're safe.”
    I smiled and laughed. “I guess you can say it's all part of the Kane Andrews brand.”
    Dad rolled his eyes and Mom laughed.
    “Yes,” Dad said. “I guess you could say that.”
    I