Reckoners 01 - Steelheart

firing on the soldiers again. One tossed a grenademy direction, but I was already pulling back into the corridor. “And Prof is still out there.”
    “We’re aborting,” Tia said. “Retreat. Prof will escape using the tensors.”
    “He’ll never stay ahead of Steelheart,” I said. “Besides, do you really want to run without trying this?” I ran my finger along the gun in its holster.
    Tia was silent.
    “I’m going for it,” I said. “If you take heat, pull out.” I ran off the field and back into the hallways beneath the stands, holding Abraham’s assault rifle and listening to soldiers shout behind me.
Steelheart and Prof were moving this direction
, I thought.
I just need to wrap around and get close enough to fire on him. I can do it from behind
.
    It would work. It
had
to work.
    Those soldiers were following me. Abraham’s gun had a grenade launcher underneath. Any ammunition? Those were meant to be fired before exploding, but I could use my remote detonator pen and an eraser tab to make one go off.
    No luck. The gun was out of grenades. I cursed, but then saw the remote fire switch on the gun. I grinned, then stopped, spun, and put the gun on the ground, wedged back against a chunk of steel. I flipped the switch and ran.
    It started firing like crazy, spraying the corridor behind me with bullets. It probably wouldn’t do much damage, but all I needed was a short breather. I heard soldiers yelling at one another to take cover.
    That would do. I reached another opening and left the hallway, dashing out onto the playing field.
    Smoke curled in patches from the ground. Steelheart’s blasts seemed to smolder after they hit, starting fires on things that shouldn’t burn. I raised the pistol, and in a fleeting moment I wondered what Abraham would say when he learned that I’d lost his gun. Again.
    I spotted Steelheart, who was turned away from me, distracted by Prof. I ran for all I was worth, passing through clouds of smoke, leaping over rubble.
    Steelheart started to turn as I approached. I could see his eyes, imperious and arrogant. His hands seemed to burn with energy. I pulled to a halt in the whipping smoke, arms shaking as I raised the gun. The gun that had killed my father. The only weapon that had ever wounded this monster in front of me.
    I fired three shots.

40
    EACH one hit … and each one bounced free of Steelheart, like pebbles thrown at a tank.
    I lowered the gun. Steelheart raised a hand toward me, energy glowing around his palm, but I didn’t care.
    That’s it
, I thought.
We’ve tried everything
. I didn’t know his secret. I never had.
    I had failed.
    He released a blast of energy, and some primal part of me wouldn’t just stand there. I threw myself to the side, and the blast hit the ground beside me, spraying up a shower of molten metal. The ground shook and the blast threw my roll out of control. I tumbled hard on the unyielding ground.
    I came to a stop and lay there, dazed. Steelheart stepped forward. His cape had been torn in places from Prof’s attacks, but hedidn’t seem to be anything more than inconvenienced. He loomed above me, hand forward.
    He was majestic. I could recognize that, even as I readied myself for death at his hands. Silver and black cape flapping, the rips making it look more
real
somehow. Classically square face, a jaw that any linebacker would have envied, a body that was toned and muscled—but not in the way of a bodybuilder. This wasn’t exaggeration; it was perfection.
    He studied me, his hand glowing. “Ah yes,” he said. “The child in the bank.”
    I blinked, shocked.
    “I remember everyone and everything,” he said to me. “You needn’t be surprised. I am divine, child. I do not forget. I thought you well and dead. A loose end. I
hate
loose ends.”
    “You killed my father,” I whispered. A stupid thing to say, but it was what came out.
    “I’ve killed a lot of fathers,” Steelheart said. “And mothers, sons, daughters. It is my right.”
    The glow of his hand grew brighter. I braced myself for what was coming.
    Prof tackled Steelheart from behind.
    I rolled to the side by reflex as the two hit the ground nearby. Prof came up on top. His clothing was burned, ripped, and bloodied. He had his sword, and began slamming it down in Steelheart’s face.
    Steelheart laughed as the weapon hit; his face actually
dented
the sword.
    He was talking to me to draw Prof out
, I realized in a daze.
He …
    Steelheart reached up and