Elly Watterson, A-class Superhero

Interlude

Bene Torres walked down the dark hallway towards the professor's lab. He only had to report to the professor before he headed home.

He got to the big steel door that barred the rest of the world from the lab, and knocked once, twice, before he heard a muffled “Come in.”

He pushed the door and it creaked open with a menacing groan. “Did you forget to oil the door again?” Bene asked, turning to the professor.

Professor Delaney didn't spare him a glance. “Oh Bene. You're back, how did it go? What were you saying?”

“The door, professor.” Bene said patiently. “You were supposed to oil it before I got back.” “Oh, I must have forgotten. I've been so busy, I'm almost finished…”

Bene shakes his head fondly and walked to the older man. He was used to the professor's scatterbrained nature, especially whenever he was working on a project.

“So we're all set?” “Not yet, but soon. It'll be ready to launch in a week.” Bene hummed, satisfied. In a week, he'd be exposing the Robbins for what they were: monsters.

Working with the professor could be a hassle, but he always got things done. Except for oiling the door, apparently.

The professor looked at Bene finally and took a double take, realizing Bene was in his stealth gear. “Oh right, the superhero! How did it go?”

Bene put the swords, blaster gun and boots on the table, sliding it over to the professor for maintenance. “Well enough. She won't be able to stop us.”

“She refused to join?” Prof. Delaney questioned and Bene rolled his eyes.

(If Elly was here, she'd feel validated that Bene’s judgement was so potent, it couldn't be hidden by the mask. Less so by the next words out of Bene's mouth).

“She's useless. She's got the powers but is terrible at weilding them. Hang on, can I steal her powers? Is that possible?”

The professor thought about it. “Could be. I just have to build a device. It should take me about…” He mentally did the calculations. “Three weeks.”

Bene shook his head. “No, we don't have time. We're behind schedule as it is.” The professor shrugged, moving it to backup plan #52. “You said she's incompetent? We could always train her.”

Bene immediately said. “No.” The woman was obnoxious. The memory of their conversation made her blood boil.

Talking to him instead of focusing on the fight, wanting to die fighting something she had no way of stopping, the audacity of not even having a word so Bene could hate her properly without feeling foolish.

He took a breath. He had to calm down and think. He had done his best, he had given…ugh, the superhero a warning: Don't get in his way.

If she didn't listen. Bene would have to stop her. Permanently.