The Superhero's Powers (The Superhero's Son Book 4) by Lucas Flint Read Free Book Online

man? You're basically his archenemy. Shouldn't you be the one to beat him? Oh, do you mean you won't do it by yourself? Like, you'll work with your team to take him down?”
    “No,” I said. “I don't think my team is going to be able to do much against him, either.”
    “Why not?” said Malcolm. “Are you scared of Robert or something? He's pretty scary sometimes, I'll admit, but if you have the powers—”
    “I don't,” I said, though it was more like I mumbled it.
    “Huh?” said Malcolm. “What do you mean?”
    “I mean that I don't have the powers to beat him,” I said. It was hard to say this aloud, but I did it anyway because Malcolm needed to know the truth. “I don't have any powers at all anymore, actually. I'm … powerless.”
    “Powerless?” said Malcolm. “What do you mean?”
    I explained to Malcolm what happened to me, both during and after my fight with Robert, as well as what my family and I were going to do to stay safe. I hated having to explain it to him, because it just meant going over the fact that I was powerless again, but Malcolm was a good listener and he didn't interrupt me at all. He just let me explain everything until I finished.
    When I finished explaining everything to him, he was silent for a few seconds. I wasn't sure if he was just shocked at what happened to me or if he was maybe angry at me for losing my powers. Not that there was much of anything I could have done about it, obviously, since I hadn't intentionally gone out of my way to lose my powers, but I still worried he'd be angry anyway.
    Finally, Malcolm said, “Man, that's rough. Is there a way to get your powers back or what?”
    “Not that I know of,” I said, shaking my head. “My powers are completely and totally gone. I am just as powerless as you.”
    “Sorry to hear that,” said Malcolm. “But you said Robert actually stole them from you? Since when has Robert had a power?”
    “I don't know, but his dad was Master Chaos,” I said. “He probably inherited his power from his dad. It just didn't manifest until sometime recently.”
    “And he's killed at least three other people already?” said Malcolm. “I always knew that Robert was crazy, but I didn't know he was that crazy. I see why you and your parents are going into hiding. How much contact will you have with the outside world?”
    “I don't know,” I said. “I was under the impression that we would be entirely isolated from everyone else. That means that this will probably be the very last time we talk to each other, at least until Robert is stopped.”
    “ If Robert is stopped, you mean,” said Malcolm. He shuddered. “If he can steal anyone's powers, I don't know how any neohero is supposed to stop him. Well, maybe if you dropped a nuke on him, that might kill him, but that would probably also destroy the country, so I doubt the G-Men will do it.”
    “Yeah,” I said. “It's fine. I understand that it's necessary. I want my parents to be safe and this seems like the best way to ensure our safety.”
    “Sounds like it,” said Malcolm. “But … I dunno.”
    “Dunno about what?” I said. “What do you mean?”
    “Well, I was just thinking …” Malcolm trailed off, like he wasn't sure if he should be telling me this, before he continued. “When Robert held me hostage, he talked to me a little before you showed up.”
    “What did he talk to you about?” I said. “Did he threaten to kill you or something?”
    “He didn't really say a whole lot,” said Malcolm. “He basically told me that he had just kidnapped me to lure you into a trap.”
    “Yeah, I figured as much,” I said. “Did he say anything else besides that?”
    “Yeah,” said Malcolm. “He said it was all part of his plan to avenge his dad. Said he was going to make sure that you suffered just like he did, even worse actually.”
    “I pretty much already knew that,” I said with a sigh. “Robert's made his hatred of me pretty well known. I already