by TJ Klune
He headed for the door, Seth following closely behind him. When he opened it, he found his two favorite women standing on the porch, huddled close together, both glancing over their shoulders. Jasmine Kensington frowned as she adjusted her ridiculously expensive scarf, her dark hair falling on her shoulders in cascading waves.
“We have a problem,” Lola Gibson muttered, looking grim.
“Hurray,” Nick said. “What now?”
“That,” Gibby said, jerking her head back out toward the street. She pushed by Nick, pulling her hood down to reveal her shorn head.
“Oh,” Jazz said, turning to look out onto the street again. “Yeah. That. So, you’re going to think this is funny. I hope. Then we’ll all laugh about it and everything will be fine and nothing will be bad.”
Nick frowned as he stepped out of the doorway onto the porch. His skin chilled almost immediately, but he ignored it. He looked out onto the street. Quiet—almost unnervingly so. The coming storm was keeping everyone inside. Cars lined both sides of the street, windows covered in a layer of frost. A panel van idled in front of the house, black exhaust streaming from the tailpipe. Faint laughter from somewhere, bright and happy. Other than that, nothing. No cackling villain cribbing Nick’s fanfiction, no death and destruction raining down upon them from above.
“I don’t get it,” Nick said, scanning the street again in case he’d missed something. Seth came up behind him, hooking his chin over Nick’s shoulder.
Jazz pointed toward the paneled van. “That’s a delivery van.”
“Okay,” Nick said slowly. “And what are they delivering? Is it a Valentine’s Day thing?” Oh, crap. Was he supposed to buy Seth a present? He hadn’t even thought of that. Goddammit.
Jazz shook her head. “Remember how we talked about outfitting Team Pyro Storm with new tech?”
“Yeah,” Nick said, looking at the van with renewed interest. “Did you actually do that?”
“Me and Gibby went a couple of weeks ago and picked a bunch of stuff out. We wanted it to be a surprise.”
He squinted at Jazz as Seth said, “What’s wrong? Did they forget part of the delivery?”
Jazz smiled beatifically. “So, here’s the thing. Daddy gave me his credit card, right? And when I’ve used it in the past, I’ve always put in his phone number when placing orders in case they needed to call him to confirm the charges.”
Nick shivered as Seth’s breath warmed his ear. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“The delivery man is very good at his job,” Jazz said. “So much so that he called the phone number on the order to confirm the delivery.”
Seth made a strangled sound as he stepped back.
“And apparently,” Jazz continued, “Daddy didn’t know what the delivery man was talking about because the address the driver gave wasn’t our house, but another address entirely.”
Gibby leaned her head out the door. “Have you gotten to the good part yet, babe? I want to see the look on Nick’s face.”
“I’m about to,” she said before turning back to Nick. “So, Nicky—oh my goodness, look how handsome you are today. Seth, you too! Is that a new bow tie? It suits you.”
“Thank you,” Nick said. “That’s a nice thing to—you’re about to say something bad, aren’t you.”
She winced. “Maybe? So Daddy and Mom were at lunch with Gibby’s parents.” She tapped a finger against her chin thoughtfully. “What were the odds that they’d all be together right when that phone call came? And even though I told Daddy there was nothing to be concerned with, they decided they’re all going to come over and see what’s being delivered.”
“There it is,” Gibby said. “That’s the look I was hoping for: shock mixed with terror. Thanks for not letting me down, Nicky.”
Dumbfounded, Nick turned back toward the street as Seth banged his head against the side of the house.
Two couples were hurrying up the street, the men huddled close with the women.
Miles and Joanna Kensington were in the lead, her arm looped through his. Miles was a charmingly chubby man with thinning blond hair and a devious glint to his eyes, dressed to the nines in a charcoal-gray suit and a red power tie. His long coat billowed around him as they approached the house, his expensive shoes smudged with street grime.
Jazz took after her mother almost completely, with dark hair and dark eyes. Joanna—Jo for short—was beautiful. She seemed to float wherever she went, with an ethereal air about her. She moved like a dancer, which made sense since she’d been one of Nova City’s premier ballerinas in her younger years before retiring when pregnant with Jazz. She wore a suit of her own, tailored to her curves, expertly navigating the slick sidewalks in her heels. Her coat matched her husband’s and was cinched at the waist.
They were followed closely by Terrence and Aysha Gibson, Gibby’s parents, who’d earned the distinction of being the only accountants Nick knew who were also hippies. They weren’t as formally dressed as Jazz’s parents, but Nick had to admit they still looked amazing. Aysha’s hair sat like a billowy crown upon her head, her Afro flecked with bits of snow. Her earrings dangled almost to her shoulders. The collar of her coat was popped up around her neck, and her jeans were bootcut and tight against her legs.
Terrence—or Trey, as he was called—had a shaved head, something he’d done when Gibby had shaved her own head, telling her he was so impressed by her that he had to emulate her style. He grinned widely, as he almost always seemed to do, a serene vibe emanating from him. Terrence was the most chill dude Nick had ever met. Most things didn’t seem to ruffle him. In fact, the only time Nick had ever seen him angry was after some idiot douchebro at school had given Gibby shit for owning her butch identity, and the school had responded with, “Kids will be kids.” Once Trey found out about it, he’d descended upon the school like a gathering storm. Fifteen minutes after walking into the main office alone, he’d emerged, followed by the principal, one of the guidance counselors, and the lead school resource officer. All three apologized profusely to Gibby while Trey watched, followed by Gibby receiving a letter from the douchebro the next day, a hasty yet thoroughly written apology saying that he would never again make fun of the hair decisions made by a person of color—or anyone, for that matter. No one messed with Trey’s daughter.
Nick liked them all, simply because they had brought Jazz and Gibby into the world. And if that wasn’t enough, the two sets of parents had become friends themselves after Jazz and Gibby started dating.
And here they were. Coming to the Gray house. To an unplanned meeting, all about Team Pyro Storm and upgrading the secret lair of an Extraordinary that they knew nothing of.
“Oh my god,” Nick said fervently, feeling the blood drain from his face.
“Yeah,” Jazz said. “Ha ha, funny, right? We have about fifteen seconds to come up with something that will explain why I spent thousands of dollars on electronics without making it look like we’re doing something illegal. Nick, you have ADHD, which I’ve always said was a superpower. It’s time to use that awesome brain for good instead of evil. And … go!”
Jazz was right. He might not be an Extraordinary, but he still had a brain that was different than most. On the cusp of panic, he said, “Team Pyro Storm, assemble! In Seth’s room so we can come up with a plan that explains everything and doesn’t look like we’re drug kingpins laundering money or hackers planning on taking down the CIA!”
* * *
They never made it upstairs.
As soon as they got back inside, they were blocked by Nick’s dad standing with his arms folded. “Are we good?”
No, no they weren’t. “Dad! Just the man I was hoping to see. Funny thing happened outside. I need you to be my savior because help.” Nick was not proud of the way the last word squeaked annoyingly.
Dad softened. “Hey, kid. We’ll be all right. I’ve got your back.”
Relieved, Nick didn’t protest too much when Dad pushed by the four of them huddled in
the entryway. Dad was here. It would all be okay.
Until Dad saw who was coming up the walkway to the Gray house.
The noise he made was one Nick had never heard him make before. It was the whine of a wounded animal. He froze in the doorway, hand squeezing the doorknob so tightly, Nick thought it’d break off in his hand.
“Trey!” Dad said, voice high-pitched and shocked. “Aysha.” He swallowed thickly. “And Miles and Jo. And some random man I’ve never seen before.”
“Hello!” Random Man said cheerfully, just out of sight. “I’m Geoffrey with Geoffrey’s Wide World of Electronics, though the Geoffrey in Geoffrey’s Wide World of Electronics is my father, not me. I’m only a delivery driver. But no worries, friend. I’m working my way up from the bottom, and one day, Geoffrey’s Wide World of Electronics will be mine!”
“Great,” Dad said weakly, frantically waving his hand behind him, as if he thought Nick and the others should get as far away as they could. “That’s great. A delivery, you say? I don’t know if anyone here was expecting a delivery.”
“Uh, yes we were,” Jazz said. “Surprise! Don’t worry. I’ve got this.” And then she underwent a transformation Nick had only seen a few times before. Her eyes widened to obscene Disney-princess levels, sparkling and wet. Her cheeks flushed as if she could control the blood in her body. She shook out her shoulders, her bottom lip trembling as she stepped next to Nick’s father at the door. “Daddy,” she said, her voice an odd coo. “You didn’t have to come all this way. I told you I would handle it. I don’t know what this is about, but I promise I can fix it.”
“I know you can, sweetheart,” Miles said jovially, climbing the porch stairs, his wife stepping forward and hugging Dad. “But I want to make sure that everything is all right. I didn’t expect to receive a call today about a delivery of almost ten thousand dollars’ worth of electronics to an address that wasn’t our own. I’m sure it’s just a mistake.”
Nick turned slowly to look at Jazz. “Ten thousand what now?”
Jazz shrugged. “Blame Gibby. She’s the one who picked everything out.”
“Thanks,” Gibby said wryly. “I appreciate that.”
Seth was trying to make himself as small as possible, but since he was a beefy sex god, it wasn’t going too well. It took a turn for the worse when Martha and Bob appeared behind him, Bob’s thumbs hooked through the straps of his overalls, Martha holding a plate piled high with cookies. Seth bumped into them and whirled around. With a welcoming smile firmly fixed on her face, Martha muttered, “We’ll get through this together. No one say a word about anything. We’ll figure it—hello! Welcome, welcome! It’s so lovely to see you all again. Please, come in. Have a cookie. Have several cookies. I’ve often found that when your mouth is full, you’re unable to ask questions.”
The new arrivals laughed as they came into the house. Miles kissed his daughter on the forehead before turning and shaking Gibby’s hand furiously. “Gibby,” he said as Joanna touched her cheek. “You’re looking extremely queer. I approve. Gay rights!”
“Thank … you?” Gibby said, pulling her hand away before he could tear her arm from its socket, something Nick absolutely did not recommend. “Gay rights.”
Miles beamed at her. “Exactly.” He glanced at Seth and Nick before turning to Dad. “Aaron! I see you’ve joined the ranks of having your teenager in a queer relationship. If you have any questions, please give me a call. I’ve done extensive research on the matter.”
Dad shook his head. “I’ve already made dental dams out of plastic baggies, so I think we’re—”
“Mr. and Mrs. Gibson!” Nick bellowed. “I haven’t seen you all since … I have no idea. I’m just talking to keep my dad from saying anything he’d regret.” Nick would be damned if he’d let his father’s evil infect the other parental units.
Dad snapped his mouth closed. Good man.
Trey grinned as he helped his wife out of her coat. Aysha stepped forward, her earrings bouncing as she hugged Dad tightly. “Aaron,” she said, “it’s been too long. I brought presents. You’d look good with the hemp choker I made. I opened my own Etsy shop. They’re selling like you wouldn’t believe. Mother Gaia gives only what we give her in return.”
“Mother who?” Dad asked as Aysha let him go, whirling around and marching up to Nick and Seth.
She smiled warmly at them both. “I hear congratulations are in order. It’s about time the two of you figured things out.”
Nick gaped at her. “Did everyone know?”
“Only people with eyes,” Aysha reassured him.
“Hello, folks!” Geoffrey said, appearing in the doorway. He was a slender man with spiky black hair and was rocking pink glasses. “Sorry to interrupt the reunion, but I’ve got a schedule to keep. Geoffrey Senior doesn’t like it when I’m behind. I tried to tell him that something as ridiculous as a schedule shouldn’t matter when dealing with our customers, especially those who spend so much on our products, but what do I know? Nothing, according to him. I have…” He looked down at the invoice in his hand. “Ten boxes for delivery. I see no setup was requested. Is that right?”
“Ten boxes?” Seth asked weakly.
“Setup,” Miles said. “What is it you’re supposed to be setting up?”
“Daddy,” Jazz said, sticking out her bottom lip even further. “I told you I need it for school. You said it was all right, and that I should spare no expense when it came to my education.”
“Right,” Miles said. “Your education is the most important thing. But why isn’t it being sent to our house? Martha! Bob! Look at the pair of you. Picture-perfect. Ooh, cookies.”
Martha thrust the plate toward him as Jo twirled a strand of her daughter’s hair. “Jasmine,” she said, her voice smoky and sweet, “is there anything you’re not telling us?”
Impossibly, Jazz’s eyes grew wider. “Of course not. I tell you guys everything.”
“Mm,” Jo said. “Then why all the secrecy?”
“It’s my fault,” Nick said hastily. “I’m sorry. I thought it’d be best if it could all be sent here, since Seth’s house is central for all of us. Makes it easier to get to. For … school … things.”
Miles nodded, munching on an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. “Makes sense. If it helps all of you, then we’re all the better for it.” He nodded at Geoffrey. “My good man, please bring in the boxes. I’ll make sure you’re adequately tipped after giving you a hand while also regaling you with the story about how I was once in your position, working my way up the corporate ladder until I owned my own company.”
“Far out,” Geoffrey said, suitably impressed. “Help is always appreciated.”
Aysha, Jo, and Trey all followed Martha into the living room. Bob stayed in the entryway, whispering furiously with Dad, both glancing at the teenagers staring at them with wide eyes. They came to some sort of agreement, then turned and walked out of the house to help with the boxes.
“Ten thousand dollars?” Nick hissed at Jazz. “Are you out of your mind? How the hell did you think your dad wouldn’t notice?”
Jazz’s lips thinned to a bloodless line. “It’s only money. If he hadn’t been called, he wouldn’t have even noticed. I’d appreciate a little more gratitude.”
“Thank you for spending a ridiculous amount,” Nick said quickly, not wanting to face her wrath. “And let’s circle back to the whole ‘it’s only money’ thing at a later date, because man, do I have thoughts on that. But what are we gonna do? We can’t tell them what it’s for.”
“It’ll be fine,” Gibby said. “We gotta make them believe it’s for school, like Jazz said.”
“Exactly,” Jazz said. “And if they ask about the night vision goggles, we’ll say they’re for science class.”
They all stared at her.
“What?” she asked. “I had a coupon.”
Nick shook his head. His brain was his superpower. Think. Think. “Okay,” he said, pulling at one of his thoughts until it tugge
d loose. “Here’s what we’re going to do. We’ll tell them we’re thinking of our education, and that it’s as your dad said: an investment in our future. We’re planning not only for this year or next, but for college too. And beyond. We have an idea for … a project. Yeah, a project.” He began to get excited. “Dad’s the head of the Extraordinaries Division, right? We could say this project is about tracking Extraordinary activity in Nova City for the NCPD. That way, it’s not exactly a lie, more just not … being truthful? I’m still working out the particulars, but I think it could work.”
“Why would we help the police?” Gibby asked. “They already have more money than Jazz’s parents. Didn’t they give your dad a new SUV for no reason aside from his promotion?”
“Oof,” Nick said. “That is absolutely correct. Shit.” He glanced at the others. Jazz snapped her gum before blowing a pink bubble. Seth looked spooked, face pale, hands shaking. Nick went to him and grabbed him by the shoulders. “I know you’re scared, but I’ll protect you, okay? We’ve got this. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Seth shook his head. “Nicky, I’m the one who’s supposed to be protecting all of you.”
Gibby snorted. “That’s crap and you know it. Sure, you can do things that we can’t, but we’re a team, remember?”
“Team Pyro Storm,” Jazz agreed. “The best team that’s ever existed.”
“We stand together,” Nick reminded him, “so we don’t have to struggle apart. You’re not alone in this, okay?”
Seth gave him a shaky smile. “Really?”
Jazz nodded. “It’s going to be fine.”