Darklight glanced at the paper long enough to register it as a résumé, then looked up at Heli-Woman with annoyance. He gestured to the prospective henchmen & women behind her. They filed out of the ballroom he rented for auditions in a hurry once Heli-Woman showed up.
“You’re scaring away my applicants!” he complained. “You promised I could get this done today.” Heli-Woman shrugged and ran her fingers through her long blond hair.
“If they’re running the second I show up, you don’t want them anyway. I’m not bothering you, I brought you a new henchman,” she smiled and pointed at the sheet in Darklight’s hand. He crumpled it in one hand and tossed it away.
“Overqualified,” he smirked.
“No!” Heli-Woman aimed the palm of her hand towards the crumpled sheet. A small, fan-like propeller came out of her hand and whirred to life. A small cyclone of air lifted the paper ball and carried it back to the card table where Darklight sat. The propeller retracted into her hand and she began to unwrap and smooth out the résumé. “I’ll make it worth your while,” she winked at him. Darklight sat up straighter and smiled at her. Heli-Woman aimed her hand at a folding chair and pulled it to her with a whirlwind. She sat down and crossed her legs.
“Obviously, I’m not going to stop you any time you bring your new lead enforcer,” she said. “As long as it’s only minor trouble.”
“Lead enforcer? No way, I can’t do that to Miguel. He has a family and everything.” He stared at Heli-Woman with a look of disbelief. “You’ve met his kids, remember? They were at the hero-villain retreat last year.” Heli-Woman nodded.
“Of course I remember. Look, I’m doing this for Miguel too. Don’t you think he’s been in Darklight’s shadow long enough? It’s time for him to start his own villainy instead of doing yours all the time. I know a hero upstate that sorely needs a good, no, a great villain. Miguel studied under the best. He just needs a good villain name, and everyone’s happy.”
“Miguel is his villain name,” Darklight shrugged. “I don’t get it, but he likes it.”
“Well, whatever. What do you think?” She smiled when Darklight picked up the wrinkled sheet of paper and actually read through it.
“You can’t be serious? I thought this was for you.”
“It IS for me. The biggest favor ever.” Heli-Woman leaned over the card table and clasped her hands together. “Pleeeeeease.” Darklight sighed.
“Look, I’m not going to speak for Miguel. Let me ask him if he’s even interested in moving up.” Darklight pulled a
“FireShark,” Heli-Woman replied. Darklight nodded then walked away talking on the phone. He returned 10 minutes later and sat in front of Heli-Woman.
“Okay, here’s the deal. Everything is on a
“You won’t regret it. He’s going to do great for you,” she said.
“And you won’t stop any heist he’s a part of, right?” Heli-woman shrugged.
“Keep it reasonable. Maybe one a week, and minor things like banks and jewelry. The stuff that’s insured.” Darklight nodded.
“Alright. Well
“He’s at home resting. You don’t need to interview him, he’ll be ready to go tonight. Trust me.” Darklight sighed. “Fine. Have him show up at the hideout on C Street at 9.”
“Thank you!” Heli-Woman said. She stood, ran around the table and kissed Darklight on the forehead. “You won’t regret it!”
Darklight answered the door at 9 p.m. On the other side he found Heli-Woman standing next to a young man.
“C’mon in,” Darklight said to the young man. Heli-Woman stepped forward, but Darklight held a hand up to stop her. “Just him. He’s on the clock now.”
“But, I’m not going to get in your way like we said. I’m taking the night off so I can be here and help him,” Heli-Woman said and tried to step forward again.
“Look, we’re friends, so I gave your son the job without interviewing him. But he’s 18. He doesn’t need his mom hovering over him every moment. He needs to make his own mistakes or he won’t learn how to deal with them.” Darklight looked back into the hideout at the small group of rough looking henchmen. “I can’t run a gang of villains if my lead enforcer’s mommy is always hanging around. Go home, I’ll call you if there are any emergencies.”
“Fine. I’ll watch from a distance,” Heli-Woman said. A large propeller exited the top of her head and began to spin. She flew to the roof of a nearby building and sat down on the edge of it staring at Darklight’s hideout. He closed the door and stared at his new hire.
“Do you even want to be here?” the young man shrugged.
“She said I needed ‘real-world’ work experience, but she goes to all my interviews. You’re the only one that already knows what kind of parent she is.”
