Spectacle: Phoenix Warriors, #3

By Ryan Ignersoll

Some heroes are more than they seem.

Being able to read minds isn't as great as it might appear. Riku has a love-hate relationship with her supa abilities. Balancing being a hero, a mom, and a businesswoman is a struggle, but Riku is willing to make it work.

The city needs her, now more than ever.

Down on her Luck, Kayleigh looks for a new friend, Ace, to turn it around. Soon she learns what she really wants in life and is willing to do whatever it takes.

A cat and mouse game starts as Kayleigh and Riku try to outsmart each other to achieve their dreams. Who will come out on top?

Spectacle contains action, drama, highs and lows, romance, and light gamelit elements. If you love superhero origin stories, this one's for you.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ryan Ingersoll
• Release date: Nov 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393951186

Book preview

1

The air was thick with smoke and fluorescent lights. Just the type of place that Kayleigh thrived in. She was wearing a light pink sleeveless blouse and jeans as it was the beginning of July and hot out. Her auburn hair hung loosely down to her shoulders, and her blue eyes were the norm for her heritage. She was Irish, not that anyone would be able to tell.

She was at O’Malley Irish pub. Well, not really there, but in the illegal casino in the basement, that very few police knew about. Only the dirty ones that were corrupt and owed even more money than she did to Uncle MacCade, or Liam to his close friends, Kayleigh was not.

The man scared her if she was being honest, but this was the closest place to play poker, and Kayleigh had to play. It was one of the few things that made her feel alive that she was genuinely doing something other than her boring life, her dead-end life to nowheresville. For someone like her, that was the worst of the worst. She had to do something to get the blood flowing in her and her heart pounding.

The dealer flopped an ace on the river, and Kayleigh peeked at her cards. She was down tonight, and that was the case most nights. She was over ten thousand in debt to MacCade. That ace wasn’t good for her. She had kings in her hand and had been betting big in hopes of paying off some of her debt. That was part of the high that she sought, and she knew it wasn’t the best way to get it. Yet, she craved the game and the high. The stakes of MacCade making her pay in more than just the money. That was what kept her coming back for more.

No backing down now, Kayleigh thought. Raise, she said.  Kayleigh did her best not to give any tells for the others to read and figure out that she didn’t get any help from the ace on the river.

The man across the table from her had beady eyes and a narrow mouth—just the type of guy that Kayleigh would call squirrely. Just the sight of him made her uneasy and put her off her game a little. She should not have played tonight with him here. And yet when she saw him, she knew it was going to be an exciting night.

All in, the man said.

Kayleigh gulped. She couldn’t tell if he was bluffing or not. She had the kings, and the only thing that would beat her is aces. This was a hard one. The man couldn’t have it. No way he stuck around this long with an ace and nothing else. He had to be chasing that flush. Just had to be taking a gamble and missed.

Call, Kayleigh replied. It was putting her all in. Since he had more money than her.

She showed her kings with a smile, and the man flipped over his Ace. Kayleigh was devasted. She lost it all again. Again. Codswallop, she moaned. She had been hoodwinked and was in debt even more. It was then that she wished she had trusted her gut to not play when she saw the man, and yet it had been a heart-racing night and made it worth it.

A big burly man that was at least three of her walked over to Kayleigh. The muscular man looked at her, making Kayleigh anxious like he wanted to take a bite out of her and see what she tasted like. She had a thought he’d say something, yum taste like chicken. She looked up at him, hoping he didn’t act on the actions she was thinking. Come with me, he said. Uncle MacCade wants a word.

Kayleigh was a supa, not that any of them here knew that. She really tried to hide it, and the thought ran through her mind of using the power to get out of her. She could turn invisible and be out of her in a blink of an eye. None would be able to see a thing. Though that meant she would have to move yet again, and that was something she wanted to avoid.

Not to mention, it came at the cost of exposing herself and never being able to come back. Plus, she would have to travel to Atlantic City to play some cards. Kayleigh didn’t have an in at any of the possible other illegal joints in Philly. Or anything close to her. That made the choice for her.

Fine, she said and stood up to obey the burly man. I hope Liam is having a great night.

The bouncer snorted. Don’t let him hear you calling him that.

Kayleigh shrugged. She wasn’t stupid or suicidal, so she wouldn’t say the man’s name to his face. Not that saying it to one of his henchmen was much better. She really was looking for a high tonight and needed to check herself. Lead on, big man.

The enforcer took her to a set of doors that lead down a drape hallway and into a tight, cramped room. Stay here, he said. Then shut the door to make sure she didn’t leave.

The room clearly was used to threaten people. On the floor and walls were dried blood and other things that Kayleigh didn’t want to think of. Her eyes took in the tiny torture chamber that she was trapped in. She had gotten just want she needed, a massive spike in her adrenaline. Like nothing else, she had ever felt before. This might be the night she regrets ever taking up the cards.

A few minutes later, Uncle MacCade entered the room. He was of average height, but his girth was double that of most men. He had a foul smell emanating from him. His teeth were crooked, and when he smiled at Kayleigh, it wasn’t friendly in the slightest. That from all the stories was what he liked to say was part of his charm. He thought he was being friendly and kind when he smiled. Letting the people that were about to take a beating know he cared. It didn’t work.

Kayleigh, Kayleigh, MacCade said with a thick accent. He was second generation here but sounded like he was fresh off the boat. What am I going to do with you?

She took a deep breath. Let me pay you back, she suggested.

And how are you going to do that? He leaned down close to her, inches away from her, before stepping back.

I can find a way, Uncle MacCade. Kayleigh was shaking and worried he was going to kill her. Yet, she felt the rush going through her body. This was just what Kayleigh needed. It sucked she owed the man money, but this was unlike anything she had ever been through before. I know I can.

Kayleigh scanned the man.

Liam MacCade

0

Health: 76

Stamina: 24

Speed: 1

Durability: 4

Agility: 1

Accuracy: 8

Affiliation: evil

None of that was a surprise to Kayleigh, and it didn’t change the fact that he sacred the daylight out of her. She might be level twenty-nine and in her mid-twenties, but this was a man not to be trifled with. Just because a person wasn’t a supa didn’t mean they would be able to kill a person. MacCade was more than capable of killing a person, supa, or not. She had heard the rumors of him and his temper.

The man-made a threatening gesture and cracked his knuckles. You have a week, he said. If you don’t make a payment, I’ll send Little Toretto after you.

Kayleigh barely held in her groan. Everyone knew that Toretto was the one that had been in prison for nearly beaten a man to death. He was little but had a rage in him and liked to let it out.

Don’t worry, she said. I’ll pay you.

* * *

Later that night, Kayleigh was on the street sneaking out another supa she had heard of. One that might be able to help her out. Everyone saw him on the news not long ago. The supa she sought killed his father, and to Kayleigh, it was justified. Both his parents killed his girlfriend and unborn baby. Mimic was a strange name, and Kayleigh wondered why Ace had gone with such a name. It wasn’t all that important, but she had always let her mind wander on unimportant things. It was one of her many downfalls.

Kayleigh being a super with a neutral to neutral evil alignment, liked to keep up tabs on the supas like her. The rumors were that Ace lived on the streets, and Kayleigh was sure that he wasn't used to that. Being from the Jackson family, it was a well-known family in the city of brotherly love. One had to be living under a log, not know them and their estate. Kayleigh wondered what would happen to the house now that the family was all but dead. A shame to let it go to waste, but there was nothing that she could do about it. Kayleigh was a nobody and had no power to do much about. That was partly why she was searching for Mimic. He might be able to help her pay MacCade back. Come up with a good plan of action.

The last Kayleigh had heard, Ace was roaming around the cemetery often. His girl was buried there, and he was keeping guard on her. It was vaguely sweet of him. The boy had a romantic side to him, and that might just be his downfall. If Kayleigh had heard about it, there was a good chance that the hero, Rosethorn, might have as well. That was another rumor on the street that the red-headed hero searched for him and tried to scare him straight. If Kayleigh had anything to do with it, that wouldn’t happen.

A block away, Kayleigh saw a dark-skinned man, about nineteen years old, in an alley. He had seen better days. The world had been cruel to him, and he clearly didn’t know how to handle living on the streets. Not that Kayleigh would have the foggiest clue how to do that. Not that she lived an extraordinary life currently.

He looked up as she approached him. Stop, he said. If you come any closer, I’ll make you regret it.

Kayleigh threw up her hands. Not here to hurt you. I’m just another supa. Scan me.

Ace hesitated a moment, and he must have done just that, as shock filled his eyes. Okay, I see. You’re a high level.

Kayleigh scanned him.

Ace Jackson

8

Power Mimicry

Health: 87

Stamina: 76

Speed: 7

Durability: 5

Agility: 8

Accuracy: 6

Affiliation: Neutral evil

You aren’t that low, she said. Trying to be nice to the young villain.  Eight and going up.

Mimic shrugged. Not like you. What do you want?

I require some help. Kayleigh needed money, and she heard that he robbed a bank. That was something she had never done before. Kayleigh explained this to him. Not that she liked needing help, but she didn’t want to rush into anything that might get her into trouble without some advice.

What do you need from me? Mimic looked her over closely.

I don’t like to go in without knowing what I’m doing. You’ve done it. Either join me or tell me what you do.

Ace laughed. He told her what he had done and how he got away. It wasn’t much help, but the more knowledge she had, the better.

Hearing his story had both gave her hope and scared her. One thing was for certain, it was going to provide her with a rush. She couldn’t wait for more of that.

* * *

The next morning just as the bank opened, Kayleigh slipped in using her power. Which was invisibility; she loved it and hated it. A power like Mimic would be nice. Not say that invisibility was bad. Kayleigh was sure that young men all over the world could love it. Perverts.

Not that Kayleigh would have been much better as a teenage boy with her powers. She was neutral evil after all, but that did feel like crossing a line. One that if she ever caught a man doing, she’d make sure he was never able to use his mini-me again.

As it was, she was