Nuklear Age by Brian Clevinger Read Free Book Online

attention and hummed a dirge.
    Atomik Lad looked down in hungry depression. “Hey, what's that?”
    “My pocket,” Nuklear Man said.
    “Spandex pockets? Since when?”
    “How else do you suppose I stow things like clues? Hm?”
    “Clues like what?”
    “Oh yeah,” he took out the birthday note and unfolded it clumsily. He tried to read it but furrowed his brow in confusion. Atomik Lad rolled his eyes and turned the note right side up for the Hero who grinned his appreciation. “It's a birthday card from my dad,” Nuklear Man answered.
    “Birthday, huh?” Atomik Lad considered it for a moment, “Do you know what this means?”
    “It means that I've found a vague hint to my elusive past that has yet to show even the slightest suggestion as to my origins and has boggled – nay – defied explanation of any kind for the past ten years?”
    “Well that too I guess. But more importantly, we can go to a Benny's and get a free birthday cake with our meal!”
    Nuklear Man's body glowed with Happy Plazma. Angus rubbed his hands together. He was hungry with anticipation. And hunger.
    The odd trio took to the skies.
    “Ha-Ho!”
    “DWWWWAAAARRRFFFF-A-PULLLLLLLLT!”
    “Um. Yeah.”
    __________

Issue 5 – The Restaurant at the Beginning of the Book
     
    Minutes later, over the rooftops of Metroville, Nuklear Man and Angus were giddy with questions for Atomik Lad about the seemingly mythical “Benny’s” with its “free birthday cake.”
    “How big is the cake?” chimed Nuklear Man.
    “Do it have the frilly li’l flowers?” Angus inquired.
    Nuklear Man and Atomik Lad looked at their diminutive companion as though he had giant radioactive walruses climbing out of his ears and speaking in tongues.
    “Er, Ah likes the icin’!” he said in gruff defense.
    “Oh...um, yeah. Icing. Sure,” Nuklear Man said uncomfortably.
    Atomik Lad simply looked away to avoid the heavy silence that followed.
    Angus, desperately needing to change the subject, asked, “Do we even know where we're goin'?”
    Nuklear Man inconspicuously glanced at Atomik Lad. The sidekick rolled his eyes and marveled at how conspicuous Nuklear Man was no matter how hard he tried.
    “Yeah, I know where it is.” Atomik Lad took the lead, “Follow me.”
    Angus gave Nuklear Man a shocked “You're letting the sidekick lead?!” look.
    “Er. It's uh, it's Sidekick-Lead-The-Way-Day,” Nuklear Man said while tugging at his collar.
    A few more moments of awkward silence that were very well disguised only by the Scotsman's thunderous Iron: Bagpipe Thrusters passed before Atomik Lad announced, “There it is! Benny’s!”
    Nuklear Man and the Iron Scotsman squealed with delight.
    The sidekick touched down expertly in front of the restaurant’s entrance. The Golden Guardian crashed into the sidewalk while the Surly Scot smacked painfully against the front window and made a squeaky sound as he slid to the ground. Atomik Lad groaned.
    The trio scurried inside like three stooges. It took several attempts before they managed to get past the doorway. In front of them was a small restaurant style chalk board with “Today's Special! All you can eat! $5!” written in ornate pastel letters. Nuklear Man and Angus squealed. Again.
    A pleasant waitress greeted them, “Hello, I'm Rachel.” she had a mildly Asiatic appearance to Atomik Lad and he found her an agreeable experience to look at. “I'll be your waitress for today. Smoking or Non?”
    “Super!” the Hero answered with a thumbs up
    “Ugh,” Atomik Lad said. “Non, please, thank you.”
    Rachel gave Nuklear Man an uneasy smile, nodded at Atomik Lad, and asked, “Just the two then?”
    “Awkch- hem !” Angus phlegmed. “What's the matter with ye, lass? Can’t ye see there be three o’ us?”
    She took a step back as Angus rumbled.
    Atomik Lad moved between them, “Uh, three. Sorry.”
    Rachel tried to recover using all her waitress katas of smiling and thinking happy thoughts, mainly ones