My finger hovered over the 'send' button, a single point of pressure holding back a tidal wave of violence. The message was crafted with a villain's precision.
It wasn't just an anonymous tip; it was a challenge, a piece of irresistible bait.
To the Heroes of Neo-Olympus, it began. You hunt a ghost you cannot find. You seek the heart of the Evil Villainess. You believe her to be a phantom, but even phantoms need a place to rest.
Below are the coordinates to her primary operations centre, her 'nest' as it were. It emanates a non-terrestrial energy signature because her power is not of your world. Come and claim your prize, if you dare.
It was a lie wrapped in a truth. The coordinates were real. The energy signature was real. But the target I was giving them wasn't me; it was a threat far greater.
By framing the alien facility as my own base, I was guaranteeing a massive, overwhelming response. Heroes were driven by ego.
