Hours later, I simply sat there. I sat and stared at the ‘business’ card that Maelstrom had given me. One with a kinky black lipstick kiss on the back. That, not to mention the knowing smirk she gave me when I told her I wasn’t going with her, drove me crazy.

My super powers don’t involve any extra mental capacity, not that I need mental improvement. I’m also definitely not a telepath. I’m certainly no better than the next guy at reading women. I’m pretty certain that nobody can mistake the mark on the back of that card as anything other than some form of interest.

And that absolutely baffled me.

Look, I may be the cocky and lovable asshole now, but at the time? Let’s just say it had certainly been a while since I had really talked to anyone, let alone a woman as beautiful as Maelstrom. I had never seen that level of interest from a woman before, certainly not one as beautiful as her. Suffice to say, I was interested. Really interested. I just had no desire to get into crime at that point. Despite my lack of a decent job, I just didn’t want to start myself down the path of an indecent career. Not to mention that I had no idea exactly what she was interested in. Perhaps she thought I was attractive. Maybe she thought that screwing a newer villain meant that she was less likely to get stabbed in the back. Honestly, I didn’t think that she had anything good in mind for me. It was hard for me, at the time, to believe that a woman as hot as her was legitimately attracted to me. So, I just wasn’t going to get myself involved.

That sentiment pretty much lasted until I saw the interview with the great golden goblin on tv.

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I believe that I spoke earlier of how important pettiness is as a villain. Let me reiterate. If you aren’t incredibly petty, it is horrifically unlikely that you will ever become a villain. Mercenary? Assassin? Cat-burglar? Sure. But a real supervillain? Never. What I saw on my screen that day still haunts me. So, there’s the ass hat, once again standing in front of a news caster. There’s old blonde for brains assuring the newscaster and the civilians alike that he’s going to catch the monster that did such a horrific thing. There’s Mr. Douchebag, looking perfect despite his recent foray into the sewers. Well, perfect except for one incredibly important detail.

Radiant is cuddling up to him.

She looked hurt. She was hiding it well, but I could tell. How could I not after spending nearly eighteen years at her side? She was practically on the verge of tears, and it was all because of me. But, she was cuddling up to that floating gold-encrusted turd. She was leaning on that fucking ass of a human piece of garbage for emotional support. All while he was promising to hunt me down.

I couldn’t take it.

I don’t know about anyone else, but it just wasn’t something that I could take lying down. She left me. She betrayed me. For him of all people? No. I simply wasn’t going to let him get away with it. Hell, I wasn’t going to let her get away with it. I mean, how dare she? I was an innocent man, and she not only stood by to let him hunt me, but she nodded in affirmation as the ‘Golden Boy of Central City’ ranted about how he was going to take me down.

The phone rang for a few seconds before Maelstrom’s girlish voice answered. “Already decide to turn to a life of crime?” I could hear the smirk in her voice. The giggle at how easily I had caved in just waiting to burst free. For some reason, I found her all the more attractive for it.

“So long as I get to wipe the smug grin off of those bastards’ faces.”