A Mutant Named Mizzie (4 page)

“That’s right.”

“Terrific! Because I plan to bring some guests.”

“Sure thing, Cap! How many?”

I did a quick count of the mutants in their cages. “Thirty-seven.”

Zimmerman wasn’t too thrilled when I gave him the full details of the plan. If you think he seemed unnerved by one baby mutant in his office, you can imagine how upset he was to discover that thirty-seven mutants would be staying in his brand-new beach house.

But in the end, he agreed. I was his top client, after all. He even authorized a few additions: enough beds for all the mutants, a twenty-foot-tall fence installed around the front of his property and motion sensors on the beach to ensure that our guests could wander outside—but not
too
far.

Zimmerman arranged for a hover bus big enough to deliver all the captives to his beach
house. On the way back, we made a quick stop at the drive-through of JumboBurger for eighty Jumbo Deluxe Burgers—
minus
the pickles, lettuce, ketchup, tomatoes, onions, Jumbo Sauce and buns.

After a few weeks in the beach house, the mutants’ condition had improved greatly. The looks of misery on their faces had faded; the deep pockets under their eyes had vanished. With enough food to eat, space to move around and days of sunbathing with their feet in the ocean, everyone was looking much healthier and happier.

But they couldn’t stay in the beach house forever. And so a month later, they were all on hand for the official opening of my newest philanthropic endeavor: the Captain Justice Mutant Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.

There was a time when I would’ve done anything to avoid being spotted by the media in the company of mutants (
unless
I had one of the mutants in a headlock). But a lot can change in a month.

On the day of the opening, I invited dozens of reporters, TV crews and photographers for the press conference. Sophie was even in the audience, looking my way with the kind of smile I rarely see on her face during these kinds of press events. I gave my daughter a wink as I approached the podium. And I wasn’t alone. In my arms was a gray-skinned baby with a tuft of black hair and one very sharp tooth.

“Thank you for coming,” I said into the microphone. “I would like to begin by introducing you to Mizzie.”

GREETINGS, READER!

Superheroes are everywhere. Leaping across cinema screens, appearing in commercials, and starring in novels like
Joshua Dread
by Lee Bacon.

Okay, fine—I’m not
technically
the star. That would be Joshua Dread, the twelve-year-old son of my archnemeses, the Dread Duo. Joshua just wants to be normal, but it’s tough to do when your parents are involved in an evil scheme to destroy the world. Especially now that Joshua is developing a strange power of his own.

If you haven’t read
Joshua Dread
already—read it now! Because let’s not forget,
Joshua Dread
features a celebrity guest star—me!

LEE BACON
grew up in Texas with parents who never once tried to destroy the world (at least, not that he knew of). He lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit him at
leebaconbooks.com
.