Power Uppers | ✔️

Chapter Thirteen

          In other news, Old Eden City Mall is still under full lockdown as the investigation continues for terrorists thought to be using the building as their headquarters. Investigators are quiet about the backlog at all entries into New Downtown, saying only that a person of interest is thought to be at large. We'll have more information as it become available. I'm Katie McClayon for channel three news.

The man watching the small TV behind the counter muted the set when Tayla and Max exited the basement. She winced at a replaying image of Doctor Scott being escorted from the mall. The man spun in his chair, adjusting glasses that were far too big for his face.

"Ya get ah'nuff ta eat?"

"Are you Nicron?" Max asked.

Tayla wasn't sure if the man chuckled or was clearing his throat. He pushed on his glasses again, they hung heavy on his wide ears, his ear tips sagged outward, curling over the metal glasses. Skin wrinkled around the edges of his lips when he smiled a silver-toothed smile.

"Ya don't waste a minute, do ya, Max?"

"How do you know my name? We've never talked directly."

Again the man made the weird noise, this time running a hand over his smooth dome head. He drummed long, boney fingers against the glass-topped desk with his other hand. Black eyes hidden beneath busy eyebrows watched Max with what Tayla suspected was a whimsical twitch, as if Max's question was beyond absurd.

"He has a list of Supers, Max," she whispered. "I'm sure he knows a lot of names."

The man snapped his fingers and pointed toward Tayla. "Girlie gets it! We be knowing who got da brains between ya."

"Great. That doesn't answer my question of are you Nicron?"

The man leaned his head against his hand, tapping his fingers against the loose folds of his cheek. "Much anger be in ya."

Max grunted and touched a finger to the man's frail arms. He brushed them slow from the shoulder to his elbow. "Are you Nicron?"

His would be puppet rolled his eyes, grabbing Max's hand. The teen yelped as the man twisted the hand backward, nearly bending it to touch his wrist. Max dropped to his knees as the man slid off his swivel chair, still holding his wrist. Where Tayla was short, this man made her feel like a giant. At his full height, he barely reached her waist, yet he toppled Max into a pile on his knees.

"I no be likin' ya tone, Max." He twisted Max's wrist again, causing him to shriek.

Max swung his free arm toward the man, who grabbed it. Both of Max's hands twisted backward, the man stepping in toward him. On his knees, the diminutive man dwarfed Max. His lips twitched as he looked up at the man, both eyes narrowing.

Tayla stepped back toward the counter, eyes wide. There was no way such a tiny man could be able to topple Max. One hand gripped the side of the counter as she watched the man step closer to Max, bending his hands as far as they could physically bend. If he didn't stop, he was going to break both of Max's wrists. Tayla gritted her teeth, her heart raced. She glanced for a weapon, a pair of scissors, anything she could use against the man. There was nothing, not even a paperclip. If the register wasn't bolted to the counter, she'd have grabbed that and slammed it against his head.