Sundance’s Syn
by
R. J. Ross
***
Published by:
R. J. Ross at Smashwords
Sundance’s Syn
Copyright © 2010 by R. J. Ross
* * *
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
***
Sundance’s Syn
***
Chapter 1
It was, by far, the most desperate and foolish thing she had ever done in her life. Of course she had done many a foolish thing in her life, being the superhero of the largest town on the planet usually led to that sort of thing, but this--this was far more foolish than she had ever imagined.
But Sundance Fighter was turning twenty seven and she had yet to, as embarrassing as it was to admit, lose her virginity. Not that she would admit it, especially not to those asshole competitors of hers. And the last time she had had a girl talk had been… “In elementary school,” she groused as she rubbed her temple.
Sundance was no slouch in the looks department, if you went for the muscular, short haired type. Her ears pointed sharply, her green eyes were tilted, and her mouth was just a little too wide, and a little too biting if you asked all of the males she had angered in the past. She was an Amazon class fighter. Complete with unimaginable strength and self-discipline. And she was becoming an old maid.
She nudged her heels into the sides of the large stallion under her, clicking to make him crawl up the side of the dark, dangerous looking mountain that many a hero had tried to climb before. At the top of the mountain laid the home of the most dangerous, most villainous, and most good looking man around for miles.
Of course Syn had gone into retirement almost three years ago. Rumor had it that he had taken up some rich man’s hobby like mountain climbing. She could believe it. But she wasn’t quite sure why he had retired in the first place. Right before he had retired he had beaten her. Badly. She had been left standing in an empty room, wondering what in the hell had happened and why her heart was still pounding against her chest. She had hated him that day. But at the same time she had found herself wondering when he would show up again.
So she had a bit of a crush on a super villain. Ok. She could accept that as long as no one knew, although it had taken her a while to accept it herself. But he hadn’t shown up again, anywhere. She had scanned the newspapers for news of his latest theft, pulled extra rounds for the off chance of catching him, and yet he hadn’t shown up. After the first year and a half she had given up hope.
And she had gotten older. And older. Until here she rode up the side of his mountain on her winged horse, wondering how he would react to her sudden, and shocking, decision.
They had to fly to reach the very top, with Saint George landing on the steps of his house with a slight prance as he looked around nervously. She patted his neck, whispering her encouragements as she glanced around as well. He had to know she was there. If anything he had known she was there when she was at the bottom of the mountain. And to show that he knew the large wooden door swung open in silent invitation.
“You can bring your horse in, if you want.” The voice came from the shadows, making her jerk ever so slightly. “As long as he’s house broken, that is.”
“He is,” she said as they entered the castle and she dismounted, handing Saint an apple. He ate it in one bite.
“So, Sundance,” the voice went on. “Have you come to vanquish me as a good little heroine might? You’re a little late, don’t you think?”
“I haven’t,” she said coldly. “Although for all your evil deeds you probably deserved it.”
“A little harmless fun,” he said, finally stepping out of the shadows. He was smooth looking, his long black hair pulled back in a braid, his square, perfectly formed face smirking at her slightly. “When you’ve got super strength and speed and nothing better to do, well… you know how it goes.”
“No I don’t,” she replied, unable to keep her eyes from running over his long, muscular body.
“I forgot. You were too busy saving the day to learn to have a little fun.”
“Why’d you stop?”
“Short attention span.” He looked at her, raising one black eyebrow. “Would you like a drink?”
“Don’t you want to know why I’ve come?” she asked.
“I’m assuming it has something to do with boredom?” he asked. “I play a mean game of chess.”
“You really think that’s how it works? Arch enemies get together for coffee and a game of chess?”
“Then I’m at a loss,” he replied with a shrug. “Make sure you close the door behind you on the way out.”
“Dammit, I want you to take my virginity,” she blurted out. She flushed so brightly that her neck turned red as well.
He stared at her blankly for a long moment, looking as astonished as she had felt those three years ago. Then he laughed.
“Shut up,” she muttered.
“No… really… you’re kidding me, right?” he asked, wiping at a tear. “You’re a virgin?”
“There is nothing wrong with being a virgin!” she blustered loudly.
“Then why do you want me to get rid of it for you?” he asked in a husky voice that almost made her tremble. She glared at him instead.
“Because even if you do brag about it, no one’s going to believe you,” she said. “And I’m twenty seven years old and not likely to get married. So I figured… why not?”
“Twenty seven isn’t that old,” he replied. “But I have to decline, unfortunately.”
“… Fine. I knew I should have just asked Masked Marauder.”
“The Masked Marauder? That faker?”
“He has a good body.”
“He uses steroids.”
“But that doesn’t matter when it’s a one time thing,” she replied with a shrug. “I believe he lives in the valley, I guess I’ll just be going then.”
“You’re serious about this,” he said.
“Deadly,” she told him as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“So it’s just a one time thing,” he said, leaning back against the fireplace that she only just noticed. The room was high class, a large, plush looking red velvet chair in front of the fire, a tiger skin rug at its feet. There were rows and rows of books on the wall, each hardback and leather covered.
And all she could think of was how much fun they could have on that rug. “Huh?”
“The virginity thing. It’ll only be a one time thing, right?”
“Oh, right. Of course,” she said with a shrug. “Just a one time thing. You can only lose it once, right?”
“Then fine. I’ll do it.”
“Take off your pants and lie down on the rug,” she told him, reaching for the zipper of her suit.
“I don’t think so,” he said. Sundance jerked to a stop. “I have a few requests before I fulfill your little… desire.”
“What?” she asked blankly. Her zipper was half undone.
“I expect you to beat me before I sleep with you,” he said so casually that she didn’t catch it at first.
“I didn’t take you for one of those bondage people, but I guess—“
“Not like that,” he said, turning and heading for the discreet bar in the corner. “Would you like a drink as we discuss this?”
“I don’t drink.”
“Well there’s one more thing you can’t beat me at, then,” he said as he poured himself a drink, then poured her one as well. She took it reluctantly, sipping slowly. It burnt its way down her throat, landing heavily on her empty stomach.
“What do you mean by that?” she demanded.
“Show up here in the morning. We’ll spar. If you can beat me I’ll give you your one night.”
“And if I can’t?” she asked. Just in case.
“Then you keep trying,” he said. “Anything you want. Games, fighting, puzzles. If you can beat me I’ll sleep with you.”
“I’m the greatest hero around,” she bragged. “It won’t take me any time at all.”
“You couldn’t touch me three years ago. I doubt that’s changed since then,” he said calmly, taking another drink.
“I thought men liked getting offered sex,” she said irritably.
“I get bored easily,” he said with a shrug. “I’m going to get as much entertainment out of this as I can. Dinner?”
“… I need to go. It’s time for my rounds,” she said, feeling strangely as if she had gotten the short end of the stick for some reason.
“You should probably eat something before you do. Alcohol on an empty stomach can’t be good.”
“How did you—“ She stopped and shook her head. “Saint! We’re leaving!” She called over her shoulder. The black Pegasus snorted and trotted over to her, leaning down so she could pull herself onto his back. And she left, not noticing the way he watched her go.
***
The sun was still rising in the sky when Saint George landed on the front step of his castle. Sunny swung one leg over his back, landing with an easy motion as she headed for the door. This time it didn’t swing open, but when she tried the handle she wasn’t surprised to find that it was unlocked.
She and Saint entered silently, looking around for a long while before she motioned for him to go to the side. A platter of apples stood on a small table, just waiting for him. And a hint of surprise crossed Sunny’s face. It seemed Syn thought of everything. Except being there, it seemed.
While Saint munched happily on apples she made her way up the curving staircase to the left, curious as to just how big the castle really was and if there was anyone else there. Perhaps Syn had a live-in lover, she thought. A strange twitch developed in her jaw at that idea, so she shoved it aside. If he had a live-in lover he wouldn’t have been so willing to accept her offer.
But he hadn’t been, a treacherous thought slipped through her mind. Not until she had threatened to go to another man. It was probably a matter of pride, or something. Sunny didn’t care. She just didn’t want to walk in on him sleeping with another woman when he had denied her that privilege so recently.
She started opening doors and peeking inside, surprised at just how many empty rooms he had. Each was done in a different fashion, but all tastefully. For a moment she forgot what she was looking for and took her time admiring all the antiques that seemed to decorate the house. But one room in particular made her go still.
It was a simplistic room, actually, with a large bed in the middle, and a dresser to the side. The walls were a soft cream color that accented the dark blue carpet and trim nicely. The pictures were gorgeously bright and dramatic. They lent the simple room a feeling of power and energy that she couldn’t seem to resist. She stepped in once she was certain that it was empty and headed for the large bed, sitting on the edge of it just so she could look around.
A mirror was discreetly placed next to the dresser. She hadn’t noticed it before, but now that she had she took the time to look herself over. She hadn’t put on her usual hero outfit of blue spandex and armor. Instead she wore a simple white button up shirt and a pair of baggy black fighting pants. Her shoes were scuffed up boots that had seen better days, and her hair was sticking up at odd angles, just as it always did, no matter how many times she brushed it. She frowned slightly and ran a hand over it, sighing as it sprang right back into place.
“Do you like it?” The voice made her jerk and look up blankly at the door that had opened while she had been staring at herself. It seemed to be a connecting room; Syn’s room, judging by the look of his boxers and the sleepy look in his eyes.
“Like what?” she asked, unable to keep her eyes from devouring him whole. His body was perfectly sculpted. It was the kind of body a woman could run her hands over for hours, then her tongue—
“The room,” he said. “I’m rather fond of how it came out, myself. My decorator, though, said it was a little too sparse for his tastes.” He yawned. “But he was still irritated that I wouldn’t let him paint everything red, black and white at the time.”
“It’s a bit subtle for you, though,” she said. “I never pictured you as a creams and blues sort of man.”
“It’s not my room,” he replied with a shrug.
“Then whose is it?”
“Do you want to see the rest of the house before we spar?” he asked, changing the subject. “I’ll need to get cleaned up and eat, first.”
“Of course,” she replied.
“And if you want you can let Saint George out back,” he added as he started to turn. “There’s a small pasture out there that should fit him.” He was gone before she could think to reply.
“He has a pasture?” she asked herself as she stood and headed out the door again. First a room that was her idea of perfect, then a pasture out back? She wondered how much he would ask to buy his house. Of course there was no way she could afford it on what the town paid her for her work. So there wasn’t any reason to ask in the first place. She sighed as she tromped down the stairs, letting out a whistle that brought Saint running. “Now… to find out how we get out back in the first place,” she muttered as she grabbed his halter and started walking him through the spacious hallways.
The doors were huge everywhere, it seemed. They were large enough for her to stay at Saint’s side as they headed through the hallways, looking for the back door. And he hadn’t complained about her bringing a horse in the house. That was astonishing in itself. Then again Saint’s hooves clip clopped against tough brick floors, not even leaving a scratch. She finally found a strange looking half door that led to the pasture he had mentioned.
She opened the bottom of the door, smacking Saint lightly on the rump to get him moving, then turned and looked around again. They had passed by the extremely spacious kitchen, and now she could smell something cooking. It made her stomach grumble loudly in hunger, and unable to stop herself, she headed back to it. The sight of Syn cooking made her blink in surprise. “What, no professional chef?”
“I gave the servants the week off, actually,” he replied. “There’s only the two of them, after all.”
“Two?”
“An older couple, Jonathan and Margie. I sent them on a cruise.” He flipped the pancakes in his frying pan expertly then glanced over at her. “So how do you like your eggs?”
“Over easy, I guess,” she said. She didn’t know what else to say, really. The idea of being cooked for by Syn was a little overwhelming, to say the least.
“Take a seat. I’ll just finish up here,” he said with a slight nod to the four person table in the corner. The kitchen was done in blacks and reds, with white accents, she noticed with a slight smirk. But somehow it was still comfortable. She sat down on one of the tall backed black wooden chairs, turning it so she could watch him cook. He looked good in an apron.
“I didn’t know this sparring came with a free meal,” she said casually.
“It would be rude not to share,” he said simply as he made two plates and headed for the table, sitting down across from her and putting the plates down. There was a jug of orange juice and a carafe of coffee there already, and she helped herself to the orange juice. “Have you thought further on how you’re going to beat me?”
“I’m sure a spar will be good enough,” she said.
“And I’m sure it won’t be,” he said arrogantly, “which is why I think we might need to put a time limit on this little game of ours.” She jerked ever so slightly as she looked at him in surprise.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean if you don’t manage to beat me in… oh, two weeks… then I get to choose something I want from you.”
She fell silent and her eyes narrowed on him, ignoring how utterly tasty he looked in the morning. “What kind of something?” she asked. “If you’re trying to get me to stop being a hero—“
“No. I wouldn’t ask that,” he said as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “You seem to enjoy it too much.”
“If you want Saint—“
“I do have a few mares I’m looking into. I might want to borrow him. But I wouldn’t take him from you.” He poured syrup over his pancakes then cut into them with a look of satisfaction.
“You want to breed him?” she asked, completely taken off guard by his comment.
“There aren’t many Pegasus around, you know. And you’ve got a prime specimen. You shouldn’t let that go to waste,” he said as he handed her the syrup. She took it without thinking. “I’ve got plenty of room to raise them here, as well as a good climate for them. I’ve noticed that Saint George seems sturdier on mountains than a normal horse would be.”
“He is,” she said, still slightly astonished by his comment. She had never thought of breeding Saint before. “These mares… are they Pegasus?”
“One is. The other is pure blooded Arabian. It should make for an interesting cross,” he said as he finished eating, leaning back to take a sip of his black coffee. “You could make millions off of his children.”
She gave him a dark look. “I wouldn’t feel right selling Saint’s children to just anyone.”
“Not just anyone would be able to afford them,” he replied. “The rich would love to get their hands on them. They’d get the best of everything. And I’d like to have one or two myself.”
“Is that what you’d ask of me? If I lost?”
“No. That’s something I want you to take into consideration.” He watched her for a long moment, as if trying to see into her soul. It made her feel uncomfortable.
“Then what is it that you want?”
“Something I’ll decide on after we’ve finished up the two weeks.” He stood, taking his plate and hers to the sink and starting to wash them. It was only then that Sunny realized she had eaten the entire thing while they were talking. “I have to ask, though,” he said over his shoulder. “Where did you get Saint George, anyway?”
“I caught him,” she said as she got to her feet and moved beside him to dry. “When I was a teenager I used to sneak into the mountains outside of my village. There was a small herd of Pegasus there. His father looked exactly like he does now. But when he was born Saint was too small.”
“Hard to believe.”
“Now it is. A predator came, and the Pegasus flew away, but Saint… well, he didn’t make it very far. I got rid of the cat and brought Saint home with me. He’s been like family ever since.”
“What about his mother?”
“She died. Trying to save him.” There was hesitation in Sunny’s voice, as if she didn’t like to remember that part of the story.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said softly.
“It’s in the past,” Sunny said with a shrug. “And Saint’s now healthy as a horse, I guess you could say. Everyone in town adores him. He gets so many apples a day that I’m surprised he’s not overweight.”
“I’m sure he works it off.”
“He does.”
“Well… are you ready now?” he asked as they put the last plate away. “I’ve got a gym room downstairs. It should be plenty of room.”
“I have to ask,” she said as she followed him down the stairs. “How much does a house like this go for on the open market?”
“It doesn’t,” he told her. “I built most of it myself.”
“You’re kidding me.”
“Nope. The super powers come in handy in construction.” He glanced over his shoulder at her when he reached yet another large wooden door. “I figured that if I wanted it to last through super hero attacks it should be built out of the best quality material, and by the best construction worker. Me.”
“But you retired.”
“The house took a little longer than I expected,” he said. “And by the time it was finished I wasn’t thinking of stealing anymore. It would be too easy.” The door opened to reveal one of the most beautiful workout rooms she had ever seen. Mirrors decorated the walls, and the floor was smooth, shining wood. It was enough to make her breath catch in her throat. “Not that I haven’t gotten offers,” He added with a little smirk. “Like it?”
“I want your house,” she said unthinkingly.
“I thought you just wanted my body,” he teased as he stepped out onto the wooden floor, motioning for her to follow. “If it got out what you were doing, your reputation would be in tatters.”
She shrugged it off. “Then we’ll just have to keep it from getting out, now won’t we?”
“I guess we will,” he said, right before the fight began.
***
She was sore and tired by the time she got to the usual diner for lunch. Thanks to her stubborn streak he had had to beat her five times before she gave up for the day. And sadly, each loss had been faster than the one before it. The only good part about it was that she rather enjoyed being pinned to the ground by him. Not that she would admit it to anyone.
“Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in,” one of the heroes called from the side. She didn’t say a word to him, merely flipped him the bird as she dropped down at her usual spot at the bar.
“Can I get the regular, Gladys? And an energy drink,” she said to the older redheaded woman behind the counter. “I’ve had a long day.”
“Sure thing, Sunny,” Gladys called out. “The least I can do for the woman that saved my Tom from a tree.”
The heroes behind her started hooting. “Monotown’s greatest cat hero, is more likely!” Midnight Menace muttered under his breath. Midnight Menace, or Menny to his friends, was short and stocky looking. He preferred firearms, and had ammo on belts strapped across his bare chest. Sunny was positive he got a discount at the leather store for his black leather pants and boots. His mask covered his head and the top part of his face. It was leather, too.
“I heard that, Menny,” Sunny called without even looking back. “And Tom’s her husband. He caught sight of you coming and just felt the urge to hide. Because everyone knows that your victims tend to come out worse than they were going in.”
“Oooh, low blow.”
“So where you been hiding, Sunny?” Masked Marauder called from the same booth. He was big and dangerous looking, which was a laugh. He hadn’t fought crime in years, just preened and talked to the cameras. His uniform fit him nicely, though, with his waxed chest showing, his black vest perfectly pressed, and his pants and boots nicely shined. Even his simple, gauzy mask looked as if it saw the drycleaner’s on a regular basis.
“Haven’t you heard?” Midnight Menace said. “She’s been sneaking off lately. Heading towards the black mountain.”
“Syn’s place? No way! Even she’s not stupid enough to try and bag the big guy!”
A flush crept up Sunny’s neck as she put her own spin on the “Bagging” comment against her will.
“Maybe she’s gotten bored with being a good guy. Took up an apprenticeship.”
“Don’t you dare talk about my Sunny that way, you punks!” Gladys called from where she was getting plates from Tom. “Sunny’s the best hero this town’s ever seen, and she’s not about to turn to the dark side. Isn’t that right, Sunny?”
And Sunny wished the ground would swallow her whole. “I’ve been training,” she said, not answering either question, really. “In case things get tough. The mountain’s good for Saint’s endurance.”
“See? I told you my Sunny would have nothing to do with the likes of that villain!” Gladys bragged. “She’s a good girl. Isn’t that right, Sunny?”
“Syn’s retired,” she said as she played with her spaghetti. “He hasn’t shown his face for three years.”
“A pity, that,” Gladys complained. “He was a bad boy, but he was such a good looking one!”
“Gladys!” Sunny said, choking on a laugh.
“Just because I don’t agree with what he does doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate what he looks like!” Gladys said. “It’s a shame he was bad. He had the most wonderful dimples.”
This time she couldn’t help herself. Sunny started to laugh.
“Not that I want you having anything to do with him, still, mind you. We need you around for a good long while yet, hon,” Gladys added, flushing ever so slightly. “But a woman would have to be dead not to notice something like that.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Sunny said with a sigh.
She didn’t even notice the surprised looks on the heroes’ faces behind her.
“I could have sworn she was gay…” Masked Marauder said under his breath.
“Who? Gladys?”
“You’re a moron.”
***
Chapter Two
Again morning found Sunny slipping through the door of Syn’s castle, Saint George held by the reins. She reached up and patted his neck before leading him to the pasture in back. This time, though, she didn’t want to wake Syn before she got a better chance to look around. There was something she really wanted to know, after all. Three years ago he could have stolen anything in the world. Yet he had gone to a small museum in Tinseltown and wiped out a collection of beautiful, yet not so priceless artifacts. And she wanted to know what he had done with them.
She had watched the black market for those items, but with her being a superhero it wasn’t easy. They could have been slipped past her notice. She just wished, though, that she knew why he had stolen them at all.
“This waking early thing…” A voice from behind her made her jump slightly. “Is it part of the requirements for being a superhero?” She turned, looking at the only half dressed Syn, swearing that he went around in boxers just to distract her.
“I wanted a better look around,” she said as casually as she could. “People have already started to wonder why I’ve been heading out this way. So I figure I should finish it today, before someone decides to follow me.”
“So you thought you’d take this last opportunity to see of I kept those trinkets I stole three years ago, is that it?” he asked as he headed for the kitchen. “Are you hungry?”
“I—um… sure, why not?” He had caught her off guard and he knew it. But she wasn’t about to turn down free food.
He started talking as he put together the things he would need for their meal. His red apron went over his black boxers, and should have looked silly, but somehow managed to avoid that. “I’ve always wondered, why didn’t you stay in Tinseltown? You had a pretty good thing going there back then, didn’t you?”
“There were too many heroes wanting to take my place,” she said with a shrug. “And once you beat me they took advantage of it. So I left.”
“And just accidentally found the town I had moved to, is that it?”
“Something like that.”
“You were here only a week after I showed up. I’m impressed,” he drawled as he plated an omelet and garnished it with a few herbs before handing it to her. Then he started piling all sorts of strange things into his own, sausage, tomatoes, cheese, and some things she didn’t even know what they were. Idly she looked at her own, wondering just what he had put in it when she hadn’t been looking. “Try it. It’s good.”
“Um… right,” she said as she slowly cut a piece off, tasting it slowly. “It’s good,” she said in surprise.
“You’ve been living off of diner food for too long,” he said. “Your diet should have a lot less grease in it, you’d fight more effectively.”
“What are you, a dietician?” she asked around her mouthful of food. She reached for the hot sauce and splashed it on top, looking quite satisfied with how that came out.
Syn dropped down across from her, starting his own meal with much more class than she showed. And he seemed to like speaking while eating. “So… are you going to ask me?”
She almost choked on her meal. “Ask you what?”
“What I did with the artifacts.”
She stared at him for a moment, knowing that she was being baited. But she couldn’t help herself. “So what did you do with them?”
“I gave them back to the town they had come from,” he said. “It’s never been the money that enticed me.” He took another bite before pouring himself a cup of coffee, then pouring her one as well. “I liked the security system they put up.”
“You liked it?”
“It was a challenge,” he said. “But they didn’t know I was there until you showed up.”
“I’m not going to apologize,” she said, her eyes narrowing on him, her fork halfway to her mouth.
“I didn’t expect you to,” he said as he leaned back and took a sip of his coffee. The familiarity with that movement sent a small warning signal to her mind. She ignored it. “So how will you try to beat me today, Sunny?”
“It’s Sundance.”
“Unless it’s your friend speaking,” he agreed. “But I like Sunny better.”
She gave him a dark look, knowing already that he wouldn’t be changing his mind any time soon. And unless she could beat him there was no way of forcing him to. Hearing her nickname on his lips seemed far too personal.
Of course she did plan on sleeping with him soon, so a name wasn’t nearly as personal as she planned on getting, the treacherous little voice in her head whispered. “You seem to know an awful lot about me, Syn.”
“I’m sure you know a lot about me, as well,” he replied, his dark brown eyes catching her green ones and holding them in thrall. “Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer, you know?” A tiny little smirk pulled at his lips. “And I plan on keeping my enemy very, very close.” Then he sat up, breaking the spell his eyes had held on her. “I think… games today.”
“Wh—what?”
“Chess? Checkers? Poker? Twister? What’s your preference, Sunny?”
“Twister,” she repeated blankly.
“That works for me,” he said as he led the way to the workout room. For a long second she stood there, confused.
“I didn’t mean that’s what I wanted to play!” she finally burst out as she chased after him. “I was just wondering why you had it. Isn’t that a kid’s game?”
“Ahh. Oh well. Jenga?”
“That’s another kid’s game!” she protested. “You’re treating me like a child and you still expect to beat me!” She was honestly offended.
“Jenga takes a skilled eye and steady hands. Twister… well that’s just fun,” he replied as he headed for a wall and pushed a few buttons on a pad. It slid open to reveal a large metal closet full of weapons and games. That combination was enough to leave her speechless as he pulled out a large stack of the boardgames and let it slide closed.
But it was when he set up a game on the floor that she noticed how very strange he was. “What is this?” she asked curiously as she found herself sitting down across from him.
“A strategy game,” he said. The board was a fold out model of Monotown, complete with signs and people. “I made this up a few years ago, back when I was debating going back into my old line of work.” He got out small flags, some white, some green, some yellow and some red. Each he placed on the top of buildings with such a casual motion that for a second she didn’t realize what they meant.
“Are those ratings?” she asked after a second.
“Of their security systems, yes,” he agreed. There were very few reds given out.
“Are they up to date?”
“Always. I like to check about once a month or so,” he replied with a shrug. “A little habit I haven’t seemed to be able to break.” He turned and opened a small box that sat next to his leg. This held miniatures of all the heroes in the town. He handed them over to Sunny. “Place these wherever you think they’d be around eleven o’clock at night.”
She took them silently, raising an eyebrow at how accurately they were molded before she placed them one by one on various buildings around the town. Then she pulled out her miniature, not surprised that there was a Saint George miniature right next to it in the box. She put the two together on one of the highest buildings in the town. “At eleven we start our night patrol,” she said idly.
“I know.” His calm tone made her twitch. Then he pulled out a small figure dressed in black and handed it to her. “This is me.”
“Do you play with dolls often?” she asked.
“They prefer the term action figures,” he replied with only a tiny grin as he took his miniature back. “Now the question is… where do you think I’d start?”
She hesitated then pointed at one of the two buildings with a red flag on it. “There.”
“Mmmm, close,” he said as he placed his miniature down on the innocuous looking pub a few blocks away from the building she was pointing at. “I would be here. Or somewhere like this, at least. I’d have been there since nine o’clock at least.”
“And let me guess, you’d have robbed the place already, too,” she said dryly.
“No, now that’s where you’re wrong.” He moved his miniature onto the street, casually moving it towards the building. Then he placed it on the building across from the target. “It’s not any fun unless there’s the risk of being caught.”
And she gasped as she realized that his miniature was right next to the Masked Marauder. “You’re kidding me!”
“Not at all,” he said. “Masked Marauder’s been slipping lately. You could walk up to him and wave and he wouldn’t have a clue.” Then he reached out and moved Masked Marauder’s miniature to a building down the street. “He’s too busy thinking about his gig at the Foxy Loxy.”
“The Foxy Loxy?” Sunny repeated blankly.
“A strip joint. He starts his show at midnight. A real hit with the ladies, I’ve heard. And with some men, as well.”
“So it’s midnight now?”
“Exactly. Midnight Menace would be… here,” he said, moving the other miniature hero to yet another building. This one had a yellow flag on it. “This is the place the novices hit on a regular basis.” It was several buildings away from where the red flag was.
“And I would be here,” she said, placing her miniature along with Saint’s on a building with a yellow flag down the street from the building he was aiming at with a sigh. “No one touches the museum. They’ve got the best security in the town,” she added, knowing that he had won. She leaned back. “Could you really pull it off?”
“I don’t know. What do you think?” he said as he casually moved his figurine to the target building.
“I think you’ve been out of the game for three years now,” she said slowly. “You might have missed something.”
“They’ve got a lazar system installed,” he said, getting to his feet. “Both motion and sound activated.” He stopped at the pad once again, typing in another combination of numbers. The mirrored wall opened, revealing a computer system with several monitors connected to it. He pulled out a keyboard, typing quickly on it and bringing up a large layout of the museum in question. “There are two control rooms for the system, here, and here. Each has a guard. Running a tape loop won’t work unless you hit both of them at the exact same time.”
“You’d need someone to help,” she said. “And everyone knows you work alone.”
“You’re right,” he said with a shrug. “If I did it the normal way, that is.”
“What does that mean?” she demanded.
“You’ll find out tonight.”
“It won’t work now. I already know your plans,” she said. “I’ll be sitting on the place, waiting for you to show up.”
“That might make it worth coming out of retirement for,” he said with a wicked smile.
“No,” she said. “If I beat you I won’t be able to collect my prize. I’d have to send you to jail.”
“Not if I make a few calls,” he replied. “I’ve been offered the job once before.”
“…What?”
“They want to brag that their system is perfect. That not even the great criminal mastermind, Syn, can break in. If I manage to they’ll pay me another million. Toss in the greatest superhero in town and I might manage to squeeze out two.”
“I thought you didn’t care for the money.”
“It’s the rush I’m after,” he told her. “I like knowing I can get caught.”
“I don’t understand you. There’s got to be an easier way to get your thrills,” she admitted. “But I suppose this could be considered a legal job, then…”
“It can.”
“And if I win?”
“Then we’ll take care of your little problem. And you’ll never have to come here again.”
“It’s a deal.”
***
She was late getting to the diner, but her mind was so full of his plans that she didn’t even respond to the teasing of the other heroes. She just dropped down in her usual spot and said something slightly incomprehensible to Gladys.
“Sunny? Are you feeling ok?” Gladys asked as she placed her usual energy drink in front of her. “You haven’t been showing up for breakfast…”
“Order up!” Tom called from the kitchen, distracting the older female from her line of thought. Sunny glanced up at him gratefully, catching a wink before he disappeared back into his kitchen. She reached out and took a sip of her drink, wondering if she should tell the others about what Syn was planning.
“What kind of thief gets up before noon?” Masked Marauder asked irritably. “I think she’s just jerking our chains.”
“Maybe she’s got a guy,” Midnight Menace replied with a loud yawn. He didn’t like waking up any earlier than he absolutely had to.
A flush crossed Sunny’s face, but her eyes narrowed. “You two still don’t believe me when I say I’ve been training?” she asked.
“Training for what? The Apocalypse?” Masked Marauder asked. “Because everyone knows you don’t wake up before noon unless you have to. What do you really do on Black Mountain, Sunny?”
“What do you really do at midnight, double M?” she demanded right back. He jerked.
Midnight Menace blinked as he looked from Sunny to Masked Marauder. “I think I’m missing something here.” He commented casually as he noticed how flushed Masked Marauder looked.
“Why don’t you tell, double M? I’m sure everyone would be interested in finding out,” Sunny went on, enjoying herself for once. “Tell me, do you wear that costume or do you have something else? I’m seeing Velcro, correct me if I’m wrong.”
“What’s she talking about, double M?” Menny asked, slowly waking up completely. “I never took you for the Velcro sort, but—“
“Here’s your usual, Sunny,” Gladys said as she bustled over and placed a plate in front of her. “Quit teasing the boys. They try their hardest.”
“Yes, Gladys,” Sunny replied, properly reprimanded. She had the strangest urge to stick her tongue out at him when Gladys wasn’t looking. But she ignored it. She was a bigger hero than that. At least that’s what she told herself.
“So Velcro…” Menny said slowly. “And Sunny’s morning visits to train with a secret lover, and… what in the hell is going on again?”
“He started it.” Sunny muttered as she started to eat. There was no way she was going to tell them about Syn. They could just look like idiots when she caught him for all she cared.
“But you’re the one that brought up the Foxy Loxy!” Masked Marauder replied irritably.
Midnight Menace choked on his drink, snorting it out of his nose before he burst into laughter. “The FOXY LOXY?” he practically shouted. “You’re kidding me!”
“Shut it, Menny,” Double M growled.
“No, really, you work at the Foxy Loxy?” Menny asked. “The strip joint?”
“YES. I work at the Foxy Loxy. Can we change the subject now?”
Menny looked at him, long and hard. “No,” he finally said. “How much does it pay?”
“It’s not the pay so much as the tips—DAMMIT! I said drop it!” Double M complained. “I’m not the one that’s been doing something mysterious on Black Mountain!”
“Nope, just at the Foxy Loxy.”
Sunny finished her meal and shoved away from the counter. “I’ll leave you two to discuss spandex and Velcro. Someone’s got to do their job in this town,” she said before walking out of the diner and leaving them both behind. They were far too close to the truth. She had to finish up this relationship with Syn.
And the sooner the better.
***
At nine o’clock a very normal looking man stepped into the diner. He had a baseball hat on, with his hair pulled up under it, a T-shirt that looked as if it had seen better days, a pair of dirty looking jeans and work boots. There was a streak of grime on his cheek, Gladys noticed as she handed over a menu. “What can I get you, sugar?” she asked almost cheekily.
“Um,” the man said, looking over the list for a moment as if contemplating. “It’s been a long day… the wife shouldn’t complain about a beer or two…”
“Coming right up,” Gladys replied, frowning ever so slightly. “Have you been in here before?”
“Huh?” The man looked up, dark brown eyes crinkling around the edges in a curious look. “No, actually. My family and I just moved here. I got a job with a construction company in the area. One of those temporary things for now, but I’m hoping it works out.”
“I’m sure you’ll do just fine. What with all the supers in the area a good construction worker is a valuable commodity!” Gladys said encouragingly. She even reached out and patted his hand.
“Thanks, ma’am. I was kinda hoping that might be the case,” Syn said as he took a swig of his beer. This was going even smoother than he had planned.
***
The door slammed open and Sunny stepped into the little bar that he had indicated. She took one look around, ignoring the drunken leers of the people at the bar, then turned and walked out again. He hadn’t said that this would be the place. In fact he had mentioned that it would be this place, or someplace like it. There were plenty of bars in Monotown.
With a muttered curse she mounted Saint once again, tapping her heels into his side to make him take off. There was no point in looking for him before he made his move. She already knew where he was going. But she was getting hungry, so she stopped at the diner, dismounting and heading for the counter.
“Gladys?” she called, leaning forward on her elbows, not even noticing the construction worker nursing a beer next to her. “Can I get a sandwich and a few apples to go?”
“Of course, Sunny!” Gladys called from where she was pouring coffee for a person on the other side of the room. “Just give me a few moments.”
“That’s fine,” Sunny replied, slipping onto the stool next to her and waiting impatiently. “Oh, and could you add a bottle of water to that? I get the feeling it’s going to be a long night.”
“Sure thing!”
Sunny sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to rid herself of the stress induced headache that was threatening.
“Headache?” the man next to her asked softly. She frowned and started to glance over, but just then Gladys placed a bag and a bottle in front of her and she had to dig for her wallet. “I’ll get it. Least I can do for one of the town’s protectors,” the man said.
“Um… thanks,” she muttered, grabbing the bag and water and heading for the door. She heard him talking as she left, and she got the strangest feeling that she knew him. But no, he was just another construction worker. They tended to congregate to the diner.
“I should have gotten her autograph,” she heard him say as the door started to swing shut slowly behind her. “My wife’s a real fan.”
See? She had just been paranoid because she knew Syn was in town. Saint whinnied as he saw her, trotting over to nose the bag in her hand. “Not yet, Saint. First we need to get to the museum,” she said as she mounted and they took off.
***
She had been sitting on the roof of the museum for almost two hours. It would be another hour before he showed up if he had been telling the truth. Why she had believed him she honestly didn’t know. He had probably been pulling her leg. Or worse, telling her one thing before he did something else. Like go after the other hard to hit building in the town.
Her eyes narrowed at that thought. He wouldn’t! He was too arrogant to do something like that. At least she thought he was. She looked around, catching sight of Masked Marauder sitting on the building across the way. It was the national bank. She looked down at the street, wondering if Syn was among those few people still walking around. There were a few men in business suits, checking their watches and talking on their cell phones with an urgency that should have been left behind them in their offices.
Their wives or girlfriends clung to their arms, looking bored or fascinated with the stream of nice cars that they crawled out of. They all looked alike, somehow. The only differences being slight variations of hair colors and dresses. Beautiful in a fake sort of manner that made Sunny shake her head and look away. If Syn was down there with one of them she’d rather not know.
She didn’t even jerk as Masked Marauder swung over to the museum, dropping down next to where she and Saint were waiting impatiently. “This isn’t your normal routine,” he said with a slight frown.
“What’s the matter, Double M? Did I forget to file transfer papers?” she asked dryly.
“As a matter of fact you did. You’re in my territory, Sunny. I don’t appreciate it,” he growled.
“Oh, don’t worry,” she replied. “I was just checking out the rich bastards down there. Figured I might try to catch one and retire on his bank account.”
His eyes widened and he looked down at the suit wearing men. “You’re kidding me,” he finally said. “You’d shove their cell phones down their throats before the date was over.”
“True, true. But a girl can dream, can’t she?” she said, an evil smirk pulling at her lips. She shouldn’t be taking it out on him, she knew it. But she was getting irritable at this little game. And the longer she had to wait the more likely it seemed to her that he would beat her. She had never been as patient as she should be. Especially when she knew something was going to happen.
“What are you really doing?” Masked Marauder demanded. “You’ve been hiding things from us, Sunny, and we don’t appreciate it. Especially your little fascination with Black Mountain.”
“You know the story, Double M. Don’t give me that crap.”
“Why you left Tinseltown?” he asked. “But that’s ancient history. No one could beat Syn,” he said, actually sounding as if he empathized. “Rumor has it that he has superhero genetics.”
“He does,” Sunny agreed. “And he’s smart. He’s a hell of a lot smarter than most heroes.” She shook her head. “He would have made a great hero.”
“Seems he made a good villain, too.”
“He does. Or he did.”
“He’s retired Sunny,” Double M said as he dropped one hand on her shoulder. “All we’ve got to worry about now are a few kids trying to rip off gas stations. Maybe a random villain that wants to conquer the world. Nothing as bad as Syn.” He stood out of his crouch and checked his watch. “Do you need me to help keep watch for whatever you’re looking for?”
“Nah,” she said. “Saint and I can handle it.”
“You sure?” he asked.
“I’m positive. Go back to your rounds, Double M. I can handle this.”
“You know,” he said after a second of looking at her. “Nobody would blame you if you really did choose to settle down. We’re all getting a little older, you know?”
“How old are you, Double M?”
“Thirty-five.”
“Yeah, you are getting up there, aren’t you?” she said. “I thought I saw a few white hairs on your head.” The look of horror on his face had her laughing out loud. “I’m kidding! I’m kidding! Just get going already. You don’t want to disappoint your fans.”
“Don’t even joke about that sort of thing, Sunny,” he complained, looking as if he wished he had a mirror. “My looks are my livelihood.”
“Right, right. Get going already, would you? You’re distracting me from my lurking in the shadows.”
“Oh, right. But you know where I’ll be if you have any problems, right?”
“Unfortunately, yes. I do,” she said right before he swung away on his long chain. She reached up and patted Saint’s neck before she settled down in her previous spot, looking down once again at the businessmen and their perfect females.
She was getting bored again already.
***
Syn sat in the bank at one of the smaller tables, a laptop opened in front of him. He was dressed in an immaculate suit, his suitcase beside him, his jacket tossed casually over the back of his chair. A pair of glasses perched on the tip of his nose. Unfortunately his braid had had to go for this one. The lack of weight on the back of his neck felt eerie and wrong.
“Is there anything I can do for you, sir?” one of the bank workers asked, leaning down ever so slightly to give him a glimpse of her cleavage. He didn’t even look up.
“I’m almost done, actually,” he replied, lifting a hand. “I have to thank you for letting me use wi-fi here. Not many places in this town seem to be set up for it.” He had told her that he was an investor on his way to Tinseltown. And she had believed him.
“We’re trying to make this a more business friendly environment,” she replied, trying to bank the lust she felt for this perfect male specimen. “You know, you look a little familiar… have you ever been on television?”
“No, actually,” he said as he closed his laptop and leaned back to smile at her. “I just have one of those faces, I’m afraid. But I need to get going. It’s getting late and if I want to make that five o’clock flight I’m going to need my sleep.”
“Oh,” she said with a slight pout. “I have a spare bed, if you need it.”
“I’ve already got a motel room, I’m afraid. But thank you for the offer.” He grabbed his things and stood, giving her a smile. “I won’t forget your kindness,” he added before he turned and walked out the front door of the building. It was so much easier now that people had started to forget about him. Almost too easy. He hoped that Sunny would at least show up to make this entertaining.
***
Sunny scowled slightly and slipped down the fire escape of the museum, something unnerving her about the utter silence. It was midnight, but she hadn’t seen him anywhere. That meant he had to be there already. She jerked as she saw a tiny crack of light shining from the back door. Either the guard hadn’t locked up properly, or Syn was there.
She stopped as she caught sight of a large shadow in the corner and headed over, leaning down to get a better look. “Found the guard,” she whispered, reaching up to check his pulse. It was faint, but still there. She jumped to her feet and headed through the door at top speed. Syn was good. But she would stop him, dammit! She would!
Behind her the body of the “Guard” shifted and sat up, pulling the hat a little further down before he casually got to his feet and followed her into the building.
“Halt! Who goes—“
“Sundance Fighter,” Sunny said briskly. “I have reason to believe that Syn is in the building.” She was running as she spoke, heading for the control room. “Unlock this door,” she told him. The guard fumbled with his keys before getting it unlocked. There was another guard sitting in front of a wall of monitors, sipping at a cup of coffee. “It has to be a loop,” she said as she looked over the monitor. “Tell me, what’s the most well guarded item in the building?”
“It’s a—it’s an artifact from Mapletown, a painting done by one of the founding fathers.” The first guard said. “But not even Syn would—“
“Where’s it at?”
“The top floor,” he said as she raced out the door and headed up the stairs. Unfortunately Saint couldn’t fit in a normal building, so she was on her own. She caught sight of another guard heading for her, and barked out an order. “Check the other control room! We’ve got an intruder.” She raced up the stairs before he could reply.
She was setting off all the alarms in the building. The sounds of police cars wailed in the distance as they headed straight for the museum. But she ignored it. This was far more important than that. He had beaten her, she could almost taste it.
She stepped onto the top floor and looked around wildly. She expected him to step out of nowhere and taunt her with the fact that he had broken in without her knowing. For a second she didn’t even realize that the painting was still sitting in the middle of the room, untouched. When she did she stared at it in shock, wondering what had happened.
“I have to thank you, Sunny.” The whisper brushed against her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. “This was even easier than I thought it would be.”
She whirled, glowering at Syn. “You dressed as a guard? And cut your hair?” she demanded. “That’s not fair!”
“You were right, you know. I did need help. Five… four… three… two…” And before she could ask why he was counting down the lights went out with a loud “BOOM!”
A few seconds later the lights flickered on again as the backup generator kicked in. But Syn was gone. So was the painting.
“Damn you, Syn!!” she bellowed at the top of her lungs. She could almost have sworn she heard him laugh.
***
Chapter Three
The next morning she dropped down at his breakfast table looking like hell worn over and glared at him as he took a sip of coffee. He bit back a laugh. “Good morning, Sunny.”
“I hate you,” she hissed darkly. “I spent the entire night at the police station, trying to explain what happened.”
“I got a call from the people at the museum,” he replied. “They want me to help revise the alarm for another million. They say that down time was the reason I wasn’t caught.”
“But you created the down time.”
“I did,” he said. “There’s a small back door in their firewall. It wasn’t as hard to find as I thought it would be. But it would have been more work to break in if you hadn’t been there.”
“But you could have done it.”
“Yes.”
“I hate you,” she growled. “I quit.”
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