Hero's Break Read online

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  Both men drove the cars calmly through the traffic heading into town. Accel hung back so as not to arouse Bolt’s suspicions. Bolt was happy thinking he had lost his attacker, while Accel’s anger steadily grew as he relived the moment of Psy and Bolt kissing.

  Sirens wailed up ahead, and cars parted as a fire engine followed by police cars and ambulance vans forced their way through the traffic towards the devastation Accel had caused on the highway.

  After ten minutes, they reached the town center’s large central plaza, which was encircled by a continuous stream of traffic. Customers were enjoying evening drinks and food at café-style tables and chairs crammed into the middle of the plaza. To the sides of the Plaza, shoppers and revelers wandered around, peering into brightly lit shop windows adorned with Christmas decorations. The doors swung back and forth as shoppers indulged in late night Christmas shopping on the last few days available. All around, restaurants were packed due to Christmas parties, and the customers spilled over onto the sidewalks. The festive spirit filled the air as the Christmas music that was piped through the cafés and shops extended out into the open.

  The Ferrari purred through the streets, attracting glances from envious pedestrians. Bolt wound down his window and cranked up the music to draw even more attention to himself. As he drove at a crawl past a few young women, he smiled with his arm resting on the door frame. Two women dressed for a night out and walking fast in the cold to their party destination, frowned at his arrogance and moved quickly on.

  Accel watched as Bolt found an elusive parking space by using his telekinesis to force the row of cars in front to shuffle forward and those behind to scuttle backwards. The cars in front and behind crunched into one another, and a line of alarms started blaring out with car lights flashing. Shoppers stopped and turned around to view the commotion, including the two women. Car owners appeared from the surrounding restaurants and shops to turn off their alarms and inspect the damage. He smoothly parked the red Ferrari in the newly created space. Bolt climbed out, stepped to one side, and looked up and down the row of cars.

  “Not me,” he said, “Look, nothing touched my car,” he added before walking off.

  A tall muscular man with a bald head and scar across his eye inspected his damaged Lexus. His face twisted and reddened in anger at the dented front and rear bumpers. He heard Bolt joking about the cars and stomped over.

  “You did this,” he shouted, his fist swinging.

  Bolt, shorter and leaner, grabbed the man’s fist and twisted it over. The bone cracked, then Bolt shoved the muscular man screaming in agony to the ground. The other car owners backed away and reached for their phones.

  “Self-defence,” he said and raised his hands in the air. He adjusted his black leather jacket and pushed back his floppy blond hair as he walked off.

  Accel watched and waited in the White Lotus as he blocked all the traffic around the plaza. Horns beeped behind him, lights flashed in unison, and angry drivers climbed out of their cars. Bolt noticed the extra commotion going on behind him and twisted around to see the white Lotus with Accel in it.

  Accel stared at him then revved the white sports car violently. He floored the accelerator, letting off the clutch to burn away from the traffic jam he had caused. Accel drove straight at Bolt. Bolt sprinted quickly across the road into the plaza but was not able to escape so easily. The White Lotus bounced up on the sidewalk and smashed through bins; people dived out of the way before it hammered into Bolt full on. Bolt catapulted over the car’s roof and onto the road behind.

  Screams and panic ensued as the White Lotus smashed through a water hydrant and then wrapped around a lamppost. Water burst out of the broken hydrant and rained down. The remaining pedestrians scattered, finding cover behind cars or running into restaurants and shops to hide. The sounds of car alarms and water raining down filled the void after the accident until Bolt screamed in pain. He writhed around as he regained consciousness. His body hurt like hell, but he knew he would recover thanks to the underlying strength all of the superheroes in the unit possessed. He pushed himself off the ground, and his blood streamed down his face.

  Accel recovered as well. He sat back from being slumped over the steering wheel and kicked the broken door off the Lotus to send it skidding across the road. He clambered out and stood staring through the rain at Bolt. Both men tensed their muscles and clicked their bones back into place.

  They rushed at each other splashing through the puddles of water, exchanging punches and kicks, and ducking and blocking as they fought on the wet flagstones. Their clothes were drenched in water, which sprayed out on every impact.

  Suddenly, Accel’s movements sped up, and his fist flashed into Bolt, punching him so hard that he hit the ground. Bolt looked up.

  “No powers! Remember what the General said.”

  “Screw you. You are just scared I will win,” Accel answered.

  “Bulls#@t! We all know I am the best. The General wants me to lead the group. I am Subject One after all; you’re just Subject Two. You will always be second place to me, and Psy knows it.”

  Accel sneered in response and beckoned Bolt forward before clenching his hands into fists.

  “Well, let’s find out once and for all.”

  Bolt sprung up and looked at the tables and chairs scattered about. They began lifting up and hurtling towards Accel, as Bolt commanded them with his telekinesis. Accel used his speed to duck and weave out the way, but an avalanche of objects soon showered onto him and pinned him to the ground.