The future of Landerton, a town on the verge of chaos, lies in the hands of two brothers. Fortunately, these aren't just average, everyday men. These brothers are heroes. And not just average, everyday heroes-they are superheroes named Lightning Bolt and Blazer, although they have no memories of their origins. But even with super powers, they may not learn the truth about the violence threatening their town until it is too late. They're going to need help, and these young superheroes will soon come to see that anyone can be a hero when the situation calls for it. When it really matters, the people you grew up with can be heroic too, and the whole town will need a substantial amount of courage and help to save themselves. Now, the brothers will have to dig deep to stay a step ahead of a psychotic, ill-tempered assassin who is honor-bound on a dark mission; a crazed man obsessed with vengeance; a bank robber who can teleport; a female mastermind-and whatever else lurks in the shadows of their past. As the brothers go through their first epic adventure, they find great friends-friends they will need for the biggest battle of their young lives. The world and its future are at stake, and only Lightning Bolt and Blazer can save it.

Lightning Bolt and Blazer

By Matt Zanders Jon Lundin

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2012 Matt Zanders Jon Lundin
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4697-4678-4

Chapter One

Getting to Know Your Inner Hero

A 42-inch television in Apartment #932 of complex Rx flicked to Channel 29 as a news lady reported. Her name as the bottom of the screen indicated was Carmen Light. Her wavy blonde hair bounced like an unwound ball of golden wire, but even her beauty was outmatched by the fear in her eyes. Just over her shoulder was a bank. There were maybe twenty unarmed cops standing outside the shiny glass. They knew that they were going to be bailed out rather soon.

"Calling all vehicles, a woman who calls herself the Anti-Hero is in the process of robbing the First National Bank of Landerton. It is believed that she is armed, and extremely dangerous. We advise caution to all citizens within this area." She paused for emphasis as though she knew exactly who was watching. "It would be nice if so called `heroes' would get here soon. And Lightning Bolt we'd rather your brother come rescue everyone." The day had just begun, and already there was a disaster. This wasn't the first time the Anti-Hero had pulled a stunt like this and it probably wouldn't be the last.

Sitting in front of his TV was a man listened attentively to gain details of crimes. Only moments before he had been watching a game show that had been rudely interrupted by this latest news. Was there such a thing as relaxing in Landerton? Couldn't he just watch some happy family win money by rhyming random words for six minutes? Was it really too much to ask for?

The man had amber eyes that seemed to pulse like embers in a fire. They concentrated hard on the TV taking in every little detail. He wasn't one to pass up information, especially the kind that could save his life. His name was Blazer. He and his brother Lightning Bolt lived on the ninth level of the apartment complex by themselves. Everyone else in the building lived below them, and they either didn't care or didn't recognize the heroes. They were special, because they were not only heroes. They were superheroes

As he walked to the bathroom, he looked around in case there was something around that could help him. There was a meteorite that could control minds on the dining room table. He opened the drawer in the hall and found a blue diamond that could turn him invisible. That was useless, because it also made him blind. He laughed a little that was sort of ironic.

Reaching to the back of the drawer he found a vial. He pulled it out, and he found that it contained liquid that Jacob Hurtzen had conjured. The scientist had been a close friend of Blazer's. He recalled that drinking the liquid along with making him invincible, it also made him insane. Before Jacob went missing he insisted that Blazer take the last bit of the concoction and hide it for a rainy day. If Blazer remembered correctly those had been his exact words, and Jacob had said them in such a way that Blazer could not refuse. He pocketed the vial, and continued to the bathroom.

He could hear water running in the shower. He proceeded to knock. Blazer heard his brother jolt out of his subconscious. Then he heard a sound similar to a scar skidding on ice. Bang!

"Leave me alone!" Lightning Bolt moaned.

"Can't, bro. The world needs us."

"Fine, I'll be out in like 39.56 seconds." He grumbled.

Blazer understood why is brother was acting so reluctant. The Black Raptor affair was enough to drain him for the week, not to mention all the other crap that they'd gone through: Self-destructing computers at city hall on Tuesday, naval missiles gone awry on Wednesday, and not to mention the kidnapping on the mayor's daughter on Thursday. Superheroing had become a 24/7 business, and Blazer wasn't sure he'd signed up for that.

Blazer heard his brother slip out the back exit of the bathroom with a whoosh. Like his namesake he was fast, but Blazer wasn't sure why everything had to be a competition. Lightning Bolt opened the door and jumped out like the bathroom was on fire.

"About time you showed up," his brother said.

Lightning Bolt shouldered his way past. "That was a record and you know it."

Blazer tapped his watch. "It looks like it took you 41.29 seconds. That's no record, and you know it."

Lightning Bolt let it go. "Sitrep."

"Sitrep? Seriously?" Lightning Bolt was getting so lazy that he couldn't even say complete sentences. What had the public done to him? Blazer wondered. They were at their limits. One more giant space monster, and they were going to explode from exhaustion.

Lightning Bolt just nodded. His facial expression told Blazer that he was in no mood to deal with any of that constant things they always dealt with.

Blazer shrugged. "Okay, Mr. Call of Duty. First National, Anti-Hero, cameras, cops, and a good two dozen hostages."

"Sounds simple enough," Lightning Bolt replied. "What are we waiting for?"

His brother motioned to the window. "After you." I'll have to follow just in case you mess up. There's no doubt that you will. He thought.

Lightning Bolt pushed the button, causing the window to slide up. Before jumping out the window he turned to his brother. "Is it just me or are villains really good at timing their attacks right when I get in the shower?" Blazer laughed and pushed him out the window, and he launched himself into the sky.

Lightning Bolt did three front flips, two 360 counter clockwise twists, topped it off with a back flip, and then he flew in the direction of the bank. He did all this without losing the sunglasses on his head. Blazer shook his head, muttering the words "show off" to nobody in particular.

Blazer did a simply dive through the window and flew to the bank. He flew a straight line avoiding obstacles, where as his brother was doing fancy tricks and narrowly avoiding buildings. Even with the less-than-expert flying abilities, he was still flying at an incredible speed that Blazer couldn't match. In seconds he was only a speck on the horizon.

The flight ended after about a minute when Blazer landed on the third floor balcony of the bank. Lightning Bolt was talking to a law enforcement agent, but he didn't look like one of the normal law enforcement agents they usually encountered. This man looked far more official than the standard Landerton patrol. Blazer made a quick mental list of the man's features. It was possible that they would be seeing more of him or that he would be tagging along for a while.

His whole head was covered with a black mask except for his left eye and his snow-white hair. He was wearing a dark army vest over black and gray camouflage. He was tall, but not as tall as either Lightning Bolt or Blazer. He looked like someone who had just materialized out of a video game.

There were many weapons strapped to the agent's body, including a pistol on each hip. There were knives in sheaths on his ankles and his shoulders. He even had an automatic weapon on his back. It was like he was going into a war that he was sure he wasn't going to win, or possibly a war that he could barely win. The hero didn't like the looks of it either way. There was definitely a storm brewing somewhere.

"I am Special Agent Dark Star. I have been assigned on a classified mission that involves the two of you."

"Well, Dark Star we have urgent business to attend to. The Anti-Hero is unpredictable, and it would be nice for the public if we saved everyone in this...