Sample Saturday: Hero With Powers

In Fly Another Day, Dave Johnson tries some heroics without powers:


Dave and Naomi walked out of the Kirkland Performance Center. Dave slipped his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “So what did you think?”

Naomi strolled in silence way too long before speaking. “Hearing people perform a vintage Radio show in the 21st Century wasn’t what I expected.”

“It was cool. It’s too bad they didn’t do Superman.”

Naomi smiled. “You look quite dapper tonight, Dave.”

“In a gray turtle neck and black jeans?”
“For you, that’s dressing up.”

Dave peered at Naomi’s navy blue polka dot dress. “Well, you were the best dressed woman there.”

Naomi blushed. “I was overdressed! The theaters I went to that summer in New York, people dressed up for, not just show up in their normal casual wear.”

“That’s how I like it.”

They approached near to their car. Naomi fished in her purse for her keys. “Has that whole food route helped you?”

Dave whipped his keys out and pressed the
button that unlocked the car. “It’s not leaping tall buildings in a single bound, but when I’m delivering meals to folks in need, I feel useful and like life’s got a point. I even have a business idea.”
Naomi stopped in her tracks. “Did the aliens abduct my husband again? You’ve never talked about starting a business.”

Sure, he’d only dreamed about it quietly until they started going to the shrink, but he wasn’t going to admit that was helpful at all for the world. “I’ve been thinking that, with all the kids in town, Bryerton needs a kid-friendly comic book store.”

Naomi kissed Dave on the cheek. “Okay, you’re still my husband, but that idea sounds like an oxymoron to me, honey. Some comics are nasty.”

“Exactly why we need a comic book store that doesn't sell those.”

“I guess we do finally have some money saved up. Let’s pray about it. If it still sounds like something we want to do, we can work on it.”

Was that a yes or a no?

The cry of an old man pierced the air. “Leave me alone!”

Dave sped toward the screaming, his arms and legs pumping full steam.

Naomi called. “Dave, wait for me!”

Dave turned down an alley packed with garbage cans.

A hood held a knife at an elderly man’s throat and sneered. “Seven dol-lars? What am I supposed to get with that?”

“A five year term in the State pen.” Dave clenched his fists on his hips. He might have lost his superpowers, but he could
still wisecrack like a pro.

The miscreant spun in a slow circle and glared. “Who are you?”

“Someone who thinks you shouldn’t rob old men. Give him his wallet and leave him alone before someone gets hurt.”

The hood laughed. “Okay, wise guy. As a bone for you being so amus-ing, I’ll let this waste of space live and simply take what you’ve got on you.”

The hood charged toward Dave with the knife. “Hand over the wallet or you’ll be the one who gets hurt.”

Dave jumped out of the way and grabbed the elbow of the knife arm. Dave squeezed and twisted the hood’s arm.

The hood pulled a switchblade out of his pocket with his right hand and slammed the blade into Dave’s stomach. Pain sliced through him in agonizing waves as the hood cursed at him. “I can use both hands, fool.”

Naomi screamed.

Dave gasped, clutched his stomach, and fell onto his knees. Batman had never had to face an ambidextrous hood.

The world faded around Dave as his face raced toward the pavement.

Find out what happens in Fly Another Day.