Masks

Chapter Fourteen

I yelped as two arms wrapped around my stomach and lifted me off the ground. I pushed out of their grasp and scowled at my capture.

"Jesus Maximus stop doing that!" I growled.

"Stop calling me that." He frowned. "And besides it's The R."

He pointed to the black mask that sat around his eyes. I corrected him by gesturing to his jeans and checked shirt.

"Will you take the stupid mask off?" I rolled my eyes. "I still think the costume is stupid you know."

"You're such a liar," he said. "You love me in the costume."

"Only because I know it's you beneath the mask." I gave a coy smile and Max reached for my hand using the other to pull the mask over his head. "Are we going to meet the guys now?"

"The guys and Kelly," I corrected. "Yeah. At mine. You sure you can handle meeting my dad?

"I don't know," he chuckled. "Is he going to kill me?"

"Like you wouldn't be able to run away Mr Reflex."
He grinned and leaned forward to peck me on the lips.

It felt like a party at my house. Everyone was there as we walked through the door. I could hear Kelly and Mitchell and Timmy screaming at the TV as they played one of my video games. I had no doubt Tim was cheating again.

"Dad you remember I mentioned Max?"

Max stepped forward and shook Dad's hand firmly. Dad looked him up and down. I could tell he was trying to play the role of scary Dad. Fair play to him he really did look intimidating. He'd straightened himself to full height and was wearing the kind of judgmental look that had to be practiced to perfection in the bathroom mirror.

"Hi, nice to meet you."

"Hmmm," Dad muttered and headed into the living room.

I laughed shaking my head in disbelief and lead Max after him.

I settled into the chair with Dad sat beside me on the arm while the others squashed together on the sofa. Mitchell draped his arm around Kelly and Max and Tim were arguing as they nudged each other in the arm trying to knock the other out of the virtual race.

"You both suck," I announce. "Winner verses me and I'll show you how it's done."

Dad gave me playful nudge on the shoulder and smiled down at me.

"I'm proud of you," he said. "You did good kid."

"Thanks," I laughed. "For what it's worth I think you did pretty good too."

Dad ruffled my hair like a little kid and knocked me playfully on the nose.

"I do too."

There came a knock at the door and so Dad pushed himself up off the sofa and answered it.

"It's probably Walden," I told him.

A mere couple of minutes later a presences entered the room once more and all of our laughter was cut dead. I jumped up from my chair. Max transformed into Reflex only in persona as he seemed to grow in size and his jaw locked tight.

"Oh I'm sorry," Mortal smirked. "Am I interrupting something?"

The six foot supervillain in a completely blacked out costume with simple purple text stood holding the barrel of a gun flush against my father's temple. His grin was the most twisted thing I've ever seen, glossy white and straight and snarling.

"Avery, Mr Reflex if you would follow me."

There was no arguing when the guy could put a hole through my father's head. Slowly Max and I separated ourselves from the others who froze with complete fear.