Chapter 8: Robbery At The Store
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In the spacious yet always somewhat cramped lecture hall of Avalon University, Miles found himself unusually engaged in today's science class.
His recent interactions and adventures had somehow sharpened his focus, and every question the professor posed seemed almost too easy. With a newfound confidence, he answered each one, not only correctly but with a flair that caught the attention of his classmates.
Beside him, Lara, who was typically one of the top students, seemed less absorbed by the day's lesson. Her mind appeared to be elsewhere, though she occasionally chimed in with her own correct answers.
Despite her distraction, she stole quick glances at Miles, her curiosity piqued by his unexpected participation and perhaps by something more.
Lara, always the epitome of both style and smarts, wore a soft, patterned sweater that complemented her slight frame, paired with high-waisted jeans that accented her curves discreetly.
Her glasses, more a fashion statement than a necessity, framed her bright, thoughtful eyes, adding to the aura of approachability and intellect she carried so effortlessly.
As the class wrapped up, the professor's last words were still hanging in the air while Miles and Lara gathered their books and stepped into the bustling hallway. A conversation ensued between them, flowing as naturally as the river of students around them.
"So, Miles, you were on fire today," Lara remarked, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose with a smile. "What's gotten into you?"
Miles chuckled, adjusting his backpack on his shoulder. "Just trying to build more confidence I guess. And maybe impress a certain classmate who's usually the star of the show here," he teased, giving her a playful nudge.
Lara laughed, the sound light and genuine. "Well, consider me impressed. But honestly, I'm glad to see you stepping up. It's... nice."
They continued walking, their steps syncing as they navigated through the crowded hall. After a moment of comfortable silence, Lara looked over at Miles, a hesitant expression crossing her face.
"Hey, I was wondering if you'd want to hang out this Friday? Maybe grab a coffee or something?" she asked, a hopeful note in her voice.
Miles paused, his mind automatically flipping through his plans. "Actually, I can't this Friday. I've got a party to go to."
"A party?" Lara's surprise was evident, her eyebrows arching behind her glasses. "I don't think I've ever heard you mention going to a party before."
He grinned, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, my roommate's dragging me to one. It's supposed to be this big event, and he's convinced I need to 'get out more' or something."
Lara smiled, though there was a slight flicker of disappointment in her gaze. "Well, that sounds like fun. You'll have to tell me all about it. Make sure you don't outshine everyone too much with your sudden social butterfly wings."
"I'll try to keep it under control, but I can't make any promises," Miles joked, his tone light.
As they reached the entrance of the building, the sunlight hit Lara's glasses, casting a glow that briefly highlighted her delicate features. "Have fun, Miles," she said, stepping aside to head to her next class. "And remember, parties are for enjoying, not just for making appearances."
"Thanks, Lara. I'll try to remember that," he called after her, watching as she disappeared into the crowd.
'The previous Miles sure was a party pooper but not me. I don't intend to only make an appearance.'
Miles turned away, a thoughtful smile playing on his lips. Lara's invitation and her demeanor made him believe he was starting to get to her.
Maybe after the party, he'd take her up on that coffee.
Miles slid into his sedan, the engine purring to life as he maneuvered out of the university parking lot and headed towards the grocery store where he worked part-time.
The routine drive gave him ample time to mull over his increasingly complicated life. Between classes, his job, and the nascent beginnings of a superhero career, the juggling act was going to be a challenge if he didn't balance them well.
As he parked and walked into the store, putting on his employee badge, Miles thought, 'Although I only get to use an ability for one hour before it goes into a 12-hour cooldown, I need to make every second count. Especially after that incident with the lasers... I can't afford to be reckless.'
The memory of inadvertently severing limbs was still fresh, a stark reminder of the power he wielded and the urgent need for control.
Miles clocked in, still lost in thought about creating a rigorous training schedule. 'Training's going to be essential. Not just using the powers, but understanding and mastering them. I need to be ready for anything.'
The shift started typically enough, with Miles stocking shelves and handling the register intermittently. The mundanity of scanning items and exchanging pleasantries with customers barely masked the whirl of his deeper concerns about balancing his dual lives.
Midway through his shift, the normalcy was shattered. A man in a battered leather jacket, his face obscured by a hood, approached the counter. His hands were buried in his pockets, his demeanor twitchy. Miles greeted him with a practiced smile, oblivious to the impending danger.
"Good evening, how can I help—" Miles started, but froze as the man pulled a pistol from his coat, slamming it onto the counter with a cold metallic clang.
"Open the register, now! And no alarms, or I shoot!" the man barked, his eyes wild and desperate.
Miles raised his hands slowly, his heart pounding. 'Stay calm, you're not bullet proof... Just give him what he wants,' he thought, attempting to keep his voice even.
"Okay, okay, just take it easy. We're doing what you asked."
Beside him, his colleague, a young woman with a shock of red hair and wide, frightened eyes, began emptying the register, her hands trembling.
The store's security guard, a stout, middle-aged man, made a sudden move to tackle the robber but was shot in the leg for his bravery. He collapsed with a grunt of pain, clutching his thigh as blood drizzled out.
"Anyone else wanna be a hero today?" the thief snarled, waving the pistol menacingly.
As Miles and his colleague complied, filling a bag with cash, Miles's mind raced. 'Of course I can't just let this moment pass. But I have to be smart about this.'
After they completely handed all the register contents to the thief, he turned to flee.
Miles knew it was his chance. The dice materialised in his hands and he rolled it on the counter.
He glanced down briefly to see the number '4' glowing on its surface.
**[ Activating Bane's Heightened Physical Strength ]**
'Lucky,' he thought, feeling the surge of power flood his muscles.
Miles physically grew in size with his muscles bulging out of his clothes and ripping them in the process.
Fortunately, his colleague was overwhelmed with fear and had collapsed to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. She didn't see Miles.
With no time to waste and a clarity born of adrenaline, he vaulted over the counter, his movements now powered by the formidable strength of Bane.
The thief, sensing the pursuit, spun around, his finger tightening on the trigger.
But Miles was faster as his enhanced physique closed the distance in a heartbeat.
He grabbed the thief's wrist, twisting it until the gun clattered to the floor, then shoved the man into a nearby display shelf.
Bang!
The thief collided with the shelf, and kept spiralling across the air till he rammed into the next one as well.
Miles stood back as the thief groaned, pinned under a cascade of cereal boxes.
He was about to turn around when the thief pushed some of the boxes off him.
Miles barely reacted... he had let his guard and only noticed the glowing hand of the thief when it was too late.
Fwwhiii~
With a surge of energy the thief unleashed a kinetic blast that hit Miles square in the chest.
Miles was instantly sent flying across the air, slamming into a display shelf behind.
'Fuck... That hurt...' Miles didn't know that the thief had superpowers but he felt it made sense now.
A lot of normal people didn't have the guts to engage in such acts these days. Although the Kinetic blast was powerful, his enhanced strength and physique had reduced the impact.
He jumped back to his feet upon noticing that the thief was fleeing.
Infuriated by the attack and driven by a surge of adrenaline, Miles didn't hesitate. He rushed forward again, dodging another blast as he closed in on him.
The thief struggled, releasing another burst of energy, but this time Miles was ready. He absorbed the hit and, fueled by rage, he grabbed the thief's wrists, spreading them apart.
The thief, grimacing in pain, tried to push back, but Miles's strength was overwhelming. Miles twisted the thief's wrists to the back and proceeded to deliver a series of punishing blows.
Each punch was a release of the frustration, driving the assailant back until he crashed into another shelf.
Miles didn't stop. He grabbed the thief by the collar and threw him across the aisle, where he landed hard against the cold tile floor, groaning in defeat.
As the thief tried to crawl away, Miles grabbed him once more, lifting him with one arm and pinning him against a wall. "Had enough?"
However, the thief passed out at this moment with blood trickling from the side of his head.
"Call 911," Miles yelled to his colleague who was still hiding behind the counter.
His colleague dialed 911, her voice shaky but relieved. "Police? Yes, we've got an armed robber subdued at the Martson's on Fifth. Please hurry."
Miles thoughts raced. 'This... this is one of the things I need to prepare for. Not just big villain showdowns but real-life crises that could happen any day. I need to be ready, always.'
His eyes settled on the security guard, now pale and grimacing in pain. Miles knelt beside him, checking the wound. "Hang in there, help is on the way," he reassured the guard, who managed a weak nod despite having a look of disbelief as he stared at Miles.
This was Miles cue to leave. He still had more than forty minutes of time with the ability and didn't want to reveal himself as one with superpowers.
Reaching towards the back, he erased part of the store's footage that showed his face and headed out.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone