Chapter 281 - 281. "Hero"

Art, Jackson, and Louis were extremely tense until they saw another text from Sammy. Once it showed up the three finally released held breaths. "I can't believe he just left like that! He could have been hurt or killed." Art was the angriest with the situation. 

"I thought that he was just trying to get someone from the next store over. But heading all the way to the girls was crazy." Jackson had tried to convince himself of the best but had realized that Asher had risked everything. 

"I just wish we could have gone. Would we have been terrified? Yes. But at least we could have all gone down together if the worst happened." Louis was sure that having three extra people would have been better, however, with Ashers' luck, that he had survived alone. 

"The girls say they have the two tied up. What do they do now? Do you think Cara will know?" Art was reading the reaction when a shadow caught his eye. "Shhhh, one of them is passing by." Art signaled everyone. Louis snuck back to the back door to continue his attempts. He didn't want to be anywhere near a villain when they came for money. The girls had just sent them a text of the dangers. 

While struggling with the electric lock he heard Art directing everyone to the back as well. There was always the hope that rescue showed up and opened the door too. 

"Will you be able to open it this time? You tried before?" The attendant was terrified hearing that the villains were nearby. In a panic, they bothered Louis for the tenth time. 

Feeling this irritation Louis gathered a sizable amount of his lighting and flexed his muscles to direct it toward the locking mechanism of the door. The door was designed not to gove away to electrical super powers and even electronic controlling powers. Yet, the high voltage of lighting was not something that could be resisted like normal electricity. It was untamed. 

The clicking and burning of the lock caused the attendant and Louis to jump and nearly shout. But they clamped their hands over their mouths and Louis slowly crept back to the front to find Art. 

"I managed to force the door lock open so we can head out. I bet we can do the same with the summer wear back door." Louis was proud of his success but kept his voice low so it wouldn't cause additional panic. 

"Nice job. Jackson and I will guide people back slowly. When everyone is leaving the exit we will g to the summer wear store. I will text the girls." They preceded with the plan and the trapped customers slowly filtered out under the nose of the nearby villain. 

"Art just texted that they cot the escape door open. We need to get ready for Louis to fry the door." Jane glared at Asher but gave him a quick tap on the shoulder to show that she was glad he was alright. 

Asher didn't miss this but remained in a calm position without reacting. He knew he could cause chaos. "Should we take those two with us? I don't think we should but if we don't they could tell their boss where we went." Laura had one another chack of the room and already told everyone to slowly start to move toward the back in silence. 

"Of course. We need to make sure they are in the hands of law enforcement. I won't be letting them get released." Cara would not let the two get away. They were creeps who tried to prey on her and the others in the store. There was no way they would not end up in a jail cell. 

"Then we take them with us. I think that will help the trauma these people will have too. Seeing the villains captured will help them rest easy." Asher supported the idea and began to drag the heavier grey skinned man behind him to the emergency door. 

"I texted Louis that we are waiting. Good thing the stores are nearby. The only question I have is why help isn't here just yet? Is there something wrong?" Jane wasn't sure what was going on. The upper floors are hero corps. Property and at the very least their guards should be acting to defend the mall and hero corp research floors. 

"They probably locked down to protect their research. It is worth a lot in the wrong hands." Cara already knew what the deal was. There was no way that hero corp. Would be able to send their basic security staff on rescue missions. If they did the dangerous information in their labs could be taken and used for much worse than a basic robbery. 

They were going to keep talking about their ideas when a knock on the glass caught them. "Louis. Finally. Everyone get away from the door." Sammy knew what was coming and watched as Louis twist and send a bolt of his lighting frying the electrical door lock with a terrible meting and burning smell. 

"I found their bag but where are those two idiots? Don't tell me they ditched us!" They froze as they let the customers rush out silently. They knew that these voices were the partners of the two unconscious villains with them. 

Asher motioned for everyone to move faster. Soon the entire store had been emptied and the two that had walked in were searching for their partners. U fortunately for the other two villains, Asher closed the door after dragging the grey skinned villan through right as they came around the corner. 

"Uhg, smells terrible back there. That's why no one should smoke. You smell like that all the time. Freaking disgusting." The villain joked with his partner and grabbed the money. "Who cares if they ditched. More money for us. Let's go tell boss." The two left as the group rushed toward the outside. 

"I thought you were a goner bro. Never again." Art said this while taking control of dragging the man with gun barrel like fingers. He had wanted to give Asher a piece of his mind but they had a mission to escape this mall. 

The exit was spotted by the light streaming in to the employee area. Every single customer had burst out in to the light of the setting sun to find officers set up around the mall. The officers were understandably confused but rushed forward to assist. 

There was a man that came up to Art and Asher. He moved his hands and two hunks of metal formed cuffs around the legs and hands of the captured villains. "You two managed to catch these and escape? There are unlocked doors, right? I am going in. Children with weak powers shouldn't take risks. You were too lucky." 

"Hey, Art...that guy looked like…" Asher saw Arts' angry expression. 

"Yeah, that bastard is my older brother. He didn't even ask if we were safe or harmed or anything." Art trembled with anger as an officer came and took away one of the villains. Soon the second was taken too and the two friends were asked to report everything that happened. 

Art was fairly quiet but gave a detailed explanation. Asher did the same as he cast worried glances at his friend who seemingly retreated in to some form of shell after seeing his brother. The others giving their explanations often pointed t the group as they gave their own explanations. It seemed that the group was being given a lot of credit here. 

"An hour passed and suddenly the mall doors opened and many customers flooded out in to the waiting officers. Arts' brother also appeared with the remainder of the villains cuffed and knocked out. Art just glared. 

Even after that, there were some wearing more official uniforms coming out. They were from the higher floors and had been locked down. Now they were all free to head home as they normally would. Once everyone was fully evacuated and all their stories had been recorded the officers started to send them off. 

"That was too much." Cara hadn't gotten everything she wanted done but felt that the entire experience has shown her too many things the group lacked just now. They needed to train much harder and learn much more t become proper heroes that could handle a situation like this alone.

Asher watched Art often and was going to make sure they had privacy to speak. Unfortunately, that would not be for some time as everyones' parents began to arrive and take them home. Art just glanced toward the researchers from hero corp who had exited. He could see his mother and father who were being held back by his brother. Art desperately wanted to go over but settled for a thumbs up before leaving with Art and Cara. 

"Don't worry. We will figure this stuff out." Asher reassured Art. This was all he could do for now. But his words still rang in Arts' mind. He had many friends and a good home to sleep in the night. Eventually, he would be the one protecting his family.