Relapsed by H. L. Burke

Author:H. L. Burke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: H. L. Burke
Published: 2020-05-31T00:00:00+00:00

Fade’s story continues in

Reformed: Supervillain Rehabilitation Project Book 1.

Enjoy this sample chapter of Reformed: Supervillain Rehabilitation Project Book 1.

Chapter One

If Prism had possessed a secondary superhero ability, it would’ve been Powerpoint. Her presentation to the committee on Super-Abled Affairs had hit all the right points. She’d thrown in graphs that outlined the expense of incarcerating supervillains: the special facilities that had to be not only maintained but redesigned every time a new villain with a previously unseen power came onto the scene; the consistent threat of breakouts; the networking said villains did within said prisons leading to villain team-ups that were even harder to put down than a single villain incident. She’d brought in statistics from reputable polls pointing out the public dissatisfaction over repeated attacks from the same villain who had been defeated months before, breaking out to rampage again. She’d even thrown in a joke, though from the look on Cosmic and Shepherd’s faces, that hadn’t gone over as well.

The conclusion was obvious: supervillain rehabilitation was the financially sound, politically viable, truly pragmatic choice.

Now if only the committee agreed with her.

As she sat in the lobby on the third floor of the headquarters for the Department of Super-Abled, affectionately called DOSA, she knew in her heart her presentation had been spot on. Her brother, Aiden—professionally known as Counsel—had patiently sat through enough rehearsals to be sure of it. Still, with time ticking on and the conference room doors remaining closed, doubt gripped her.

To distract herself from it, she turned to people watching. Guessing which individuals walking through DOSA offices were super-abled (usually called sables) or normies had always been a favorite game for her and Aiden. Sometimes it was easy to tell, as certain abilities left physical markers. Strength related powers tended to create bulky physiques. Shifters often brought some of their non-human traits along with them when they returned to human form (she’d gone to school with one who had sported a tail.).

Usually the game was further simplified by the fact that many sables sported questionable fashion. However, outside the committee, the people on this particular floor wore business professional attire—making Prism regret her choice to come in uniform, even if her uniform was a fairly subtle pair of cream suede leggings, a light blue bomber jacket, and reasonably comfortable boots. She’d have blended in fine in most situations—even with the metallic blue tips on her short, blonde hair. It wasn’t her fault that DOSA employees stuck to a strict dress code.

The door to the committee room popped open, and an older man with a hardened physique and dark skin that contrasted starkly with the white of his beard emerged. A few feathers stuck out from his hair, sparse enough that if she hadn’t known that he was a shifter, she might’ve dismissed them as a fashion choice. He gave her a fatherly smile.

“We’ve reached our conclusion, Lucia,” he said, his voice deep with a slight southern drawl.

With a tinge of displeasure, Prism rose. Usually it was considered a professional courtesy to address another sable by their hero-handle.

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