For today’s blog post, I’ve asked an unarmed bank robber of Fid's Crusade by David H. Reiss to give us a typical day in his life. He had a lot to say, not to mention having his life in danger with Dr. Fid right there in his bedroom. Without further ado, take it away unarmed bank robber…
I don’t know what it was.
There wasn’t a whisper of noise, the floorboards didn’t squeak. I just woke up
and knew I wasn’t alone. Trying to move real slow and careful, I shifted to
grab the forty-four under the pillow; it wasn’t there, of course. Stacey was
visiting and I keep all the guns locked up when kids are in the house. My ex-
insisted, and for a moment I was afraid listening to that bitch was gonna get
me killed. And maybe Stacey too! But then the shadows shifted, and fear turned
to something worse.
A revolver wouldn’t’ve been
any use anyway. Probably better it was in the safe or I might’ve done something
stupid and got hurt before I figured out who was visiting.
“Do not be alarmed,” the
supervillain ordered calmly. His voice was freaky, almost human, but not quite:
synthetic, somehow menacing and dull at the same time. “If I intended any harm,
the pain would already have begun.”
I grew up seeing different
versions of that damned powered armor on the news. Its surface was so dark it
didn’t look solid…just a silhouette, no light or shadow could touch it, and
there were stars visible in that black. It felt like I should hold my breath,
like a man-shaped doorway to the night sky was in the room with me and if I
wasn’t careful, I’d fall right through into empty space. A red glow bled from
the armor’s seams, and that was the only hint of the guy’s real shape. On
television, the effect was disturbing. In person, it’s fricking terrifying.
It couldn’t be anyone else.
Doctor Fid was in my damned bedroom.
“I am here,” the villain
continued, “because you robbed a bank in East Boston on Tuesday. It was clever
of you to wait until the local superhero team–the Guardians–was already engaged
in battle in Belmont. Against me.”
He paused and I thought maybe
I should speak; it was kinda hard to guess what he wanted ’cause his armor had
no face. No face meant no expression. “Uh…Thank you?”
“You’re welcome,” he replied,
and even with no face and that damned emotionless voice, somehow I knew he was
laughing at me. But that sense of amusement disappeared when he continued:
“Your choice was clever, but short sighted. I’ve claimed New England as my
territory, but I generally do not micromanage lesser crimes performed in my
domain; If you’d waited until Wednesday to rob your bank, we would not be
having this conversion. But by using my trouncing of the Boston Guardians as a
distraction, you chose to involve me.
“And I have certain
expectations of professionalism for any crimes with which I am associated.”
He paused again but this time
I knew to keep my damned trap shut.
The strange suit of powered
armor floated closer, slow and imposing. “You beat a security guard unconscious
after you’d disarmed him. His name is James Monaghan and tomorrow is his son’s
birthday.”
I wanted to defend myself, say
maybe the guard deserved it or something, but the supervillain who fought
fricking Valiant hand-to-hand on the White House lawn was only a few feet away
and I could tell he was pissed at me. The words got stuck in my throat.
“I’m no stranger to cruelty,”
Doctor Fid chuckled, and it felt like something cold crawling up my spine, “but
I’ve always found it to be unseemly when directed at an undeserving target.
James Monaghan was no threat to you. He’ll survive this ordeal, but the level
of violence that you employed was unnecessary. It was unprofessional, and
thus…unacceptable.”
“I didn’t mean any
disrespect,” I finally choked out. “Please…”
“If I thought the insult was
intentional, we wouldn’t be talking right now.” Doctor Fid straightened, “But,
intentional or not, there are consequences.
“First: you will cease any
criminal operations in my territory. What you do elsewhere is none of my
concern, but I will know if you so much as jaywalk anywhere in New England. If
you do so then I will return, and I do not anticipate being quite so forgiving
during a second visit.”
“Okay.” That’d suck, but I
could move my operations south. And it’s not like I had any real choice,
anyway.
“Second…There has been an
online petition formed to fund James Monaghan’s hospital expenses. You will
donate ten thousand dollars anonymously. If you do this thing within
twenty-four hours, your daughter Stacy will not be forced to spend her own
birthday visiting her father in a hospital.”
Ten grand was a punishment,
but it wasn’t terrible y’know? Doctor Fid must’ve known what I took from the
bank, he was leaving me enough to get out of town without being desperate.
That’s smart; desperate people do stupid things, like try ‘n pull one last
score before the armored monster comes down on you like an avalanche. And maybe
some people would still be that stupid, but Doctor Fid knew my daughter’s name.
“I understand,” I said, and I
did. Maybe this ‘d be good for me, professionally. And maybe I’d be more
careful about which guards I put a hurt on next time.
Either way…Doctor Fid flew out
my window without another word, ‘n I knew I dodged a bullet big time.
He’s fricking scary.
About the Author
While growing
up, David H. Reiss was that weird kid with his nose in a book and his head in
the clouds. He was the table-top role-playing game geek, the comic-book nerd,
the story-teller and dreamer.
Fortunately,
he hasn't changed much.
David is a
software engineer by trade and a long-time sci-fi and fantasy devotee by
passion, and he lives in Silicon Valley with his
partner of twenty-six years. Until recently, he also shared his life with a
disturbingly spoiled cat named Freya.
(Farewell,
little huntress. You were loved. You are missed.)
David's first
book, Fid's Crusade,
has just recently been published; this was his first novel-length project, but
it certainly won't be his last—he's having far too much fun!
Website Link: https://www.davidhreiss.com
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/davidhreiss
Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/davidhreiss
About the Book:
Title: FID’S CRUSADE
Author: David H. Reiss
Publisher: Atian Press
Pages: 365
Genre: Scifi/Contemporary Fantasy
Author: David H. Reiss
Publisher: Atian Press
Pages: 365
Genre: Scifi/Contemporary Fantasy
BOOK BLURB:
Consumed by grief, rage, and self-loathing, a brilliant
inventor rebuilt himself to take on a new identity: the powered-armor-wearing
supervillain, Doctor Fid. For twenty violent years, Fid has continued his quest
to punish heroes who he considers to be unworthy of their accolades, and the
Doctor has left a long trail of blood and misery in his wake. After a personal
tragedy, however, Doctor Fid investigates a crime and uncovers a conspiracy so
terrible that even he is taken aback.
Haunted by painful memories and profound guilt, the veteran
supervillain must risk everything to save the world that he once sought to
terrorize. Every battle takes its toll…but the stakes are too high for retreat
to be an option.
In the end, it may take a villain to save the entire Earth
from those entrusted with the Earth’s protection.
Praise:
"Fid's
Crusade by David H. Reiss is one of the most refreshing and lively
takes on the superhero genre I've seen in years. His title character's crusade
is colorful, compelling, and takes wonderfully unexpected turns, and the novel
delivers an impressive emotional punch (to go along with the super-powered
ones). It stands easily alongside other character-driven superhero novels like
Austin Grossman's Soon I Will Be Invincible, Carrie Vaughn's After
the Golden Age, and Paul Tobin's Prepare to Die!." - Hugo
award-winning author Tim Pratt
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