by Drew Hayes
The two met eyes in a shared moment of uncertainty. Despite spending a week together, they were on rough terms; no one outside of Cyber Geek and Agent Quantum had really connected on either team. Tachyonic ultimately made the move, as he was the one still walking. He strode confidently over and took a seat near Donald, without being directly next to him.
“So... that sucked.” It was a surprise; those were not the words he’d expected to come out of Tachyonic’s mouth, especially not accompanied by a touch of smirk. “You’ve fought those two before?”
“Sort of. I chased the dragon, Bahamut, while Medley squared off with Hephaestus. They got away that time, too.”
“Don’t sweat it too much. You’re not the one who’ll be blamed for this one.” Tachyonic’s left hand absentmindedly rubbed the empty right spot on his forearm, where a silver bracer would normally be attached. “Between losing the targets and getting exposed, I’m taking the heat for this, which I deserve.”
Donald was unexpectedly torn. He wanted to ask what Tachyonic meant by “getting exposed,” but wasn’t quite sure it had been intended as a conversation option, or if he and Tachyonic were close enough to pose such a question. In the end, his eyes did the asking for him, as Tachyonic realized he was rubbing his arm and caught Donald’s stare.
“I’m fast on my own. Could make a go at it as a cape and probably do okay. But to be on the New Science Sentries, okay isn’t enough.” Tachyonic tapped the empty space on his arm. “Setlium is stored in devices all along the suit, flooding my cells with extra energy. I’m able to absorb it, thus augmenting my speed. But the bracer is necessary for control, which Hephaestus figured out and broke, resulting in my suit and energy dispersal going haywire.”
“Hope you’ve got spares,” Donald replied. It was a tad flippant, but apparently struck the right cord as Tachyonic chuckled.
He nodded, though the look in his eyes didn’t seem so optimistic. “Professor Quantum builds for contingencies, so I’ve got plenty stowed in various places. The bigger issue is that my secret is exposed. A criminal just figured out my biggest weakness, which means, in no time, everyone will know. Won’t matter in every fight, but for the right enemy, that’s a big opportunity.”
Given the general malaise that had settled on Tachyonic after the brief chuckle, Donald decided it was time to steer the conversation elsewhere. “Sorry if this is rude, Tachyonic, just have to wonder, given our circumstances, is that why you’re here for treatment? I thought super-speed caused fast healing.”
“Fast, sure; good, no,” Tachyonic explained. “The bones already set wrong, so I need to go have it aligned properly. What really smarts is getting whacked there a week after Lodestar did it and told me to keep my guard up.”
“I get it. Kind of surprised Professor Quantum hasn’t made you some sort of shielding or healing devices, though.”
Tachyonic shook his head. “Are you kidding me? No way he’d do something like that.” Pulling himself up straight, Tachyonic affected an annoyed, weary expression paired with a stiff voice. “Pain is a teacher. Cut his lessons short at your own peril.”
It took a moment, but Donald realized he’d been doing a Professor Quantum impression, and not a bad one, at that. “I take it life’s not all that easy being on a legacy team.”
“Being Tachyonic is something I spent my whole life working toward, and there are still days I’ve nearly quit.” He paused, looking over the semi-costume he was still wearing, a more casual version that hung loose at the collar and sleeves. “Also, call me Kyle. We’re on the same side, and as of tonight, we’ve now fought together. Feels like we’re probably to the point of first names, don’t you think?”
“I appreciate that, Kyle. I’m Donald when out of costume, not that it’s a secret.”
“That seems like the life—not having to hide anything. We’re taking a run at the secret identities and barely getting by. Makes you wonder how so many of the crooks pull it off.”
Even if Kyle didn’t say it, Donald knew where both of their minds were turning. “Wondering who’s under that black armored helmet, huh?”
Tenderly, Kyle ran a finger along the bridge of his nose, wincing as he did. “Let’s just say that next time, I’ll be highly motivated to take Hephaestus down and rip off that mask.”
Raising a fist, Donald offered a bump, which Kyle accepted. “When that day comes, give me a call, and we’ll be there to help. My team is now down by two against that pair. I’d love a chance to even the score.”
“Sounds like Hephaestus better watch his ass,” Kyle said. “He’s got some serious superheroes hunting for him as of now.”
Chapter 63
“Absolutely inexcusable. Not only did you fail to arrive on the scene of a large-scale meta-battle, the very sort of incident where you could have turned your reputation around, you missed that opportunity because you were losing to a pair of villains. Rookie villains. That is despite having superior numbers and power, mind you. On top of all that, Tachyonic allowed his setlium dispersal control to be broken, compromising him both tonight and for the rest of his career. Do you have any sort of defense to offer up?”
Agent Quantum stood resolute as the tirade washed over him. There were objections he could offer, pointing out that at worst, the night had been a draw. He already knew the reply: if the crooks escaped, then it was a loss by Science Sentry standards. Had he drawn attention to the fact that his team was being careful with escalation, he’d only have to explain why they’d chosen such a tactic in the first place, and there were no happy endings to be found down that path. Instead, he waited until the silence finally loomed, then spoke with his head held low.
“I do not. We made tactical mistakes that led to the escape of our targets. Had we realized they were guild-affiliated in the moment, we’d have taken them more seriously, but we didn’t, and that was our error. My error, as team lead, and I’ll accept the consequences.”
The stare from Professor Quantum was harsh, but short. He didn’t have the energy to spare on lingering emotions. With Agent Quantum showing proper remorse and respect, the best option was to move forward.
“I’m glad to hear you at least understand your failings. After getting the full report, I’m starting to see where the team’s issues lie. Come Monday, Tachyonic will be sent back to Vomisa for additional training. Some of our backups have been progressing nicely. I’ll make a new selection that properly compliments the dynamic. Go inform Tachyonic to prepare his things.”
Professor Quantum took a seat at his desk, expecting Agent Quantum to simply leave the office now that the discussion was over. Instead, he looked up to find the team leader still standing there. Unlike before, there was something resolute in his eyes.
“I refuse.”
“Excuse me?”
The young man was nervous, yet did a respectable job of keeping it tamped down, just as he’d been taught. “Tachyonic is my closest friend. He shoulders a sizable amount of responsibility on the team. Removing him over one mistake would only leave us more vulnerable than we already are. It’s not a decision I can support.”
“Agent Quantum, perhaps you’ve become addled by the accolades, but you don’t actually control your team’s makeup. That is my prerogative, and I say Tachyonic is done.”
“Then you can send me back, too.” No give, not even a flicker. Had he come in prepared for this?
Rising slowly, Professor Quantum gave the boy a few iotas of actual attention. Unbending, loyal, determined, Agent Quantum had all the traits Professor Quantum had seen the crowds flock to over the years. Yet instead of loving him, they merely accepted him—and worse, those same qualities were now causing complications. Had this rebellion come a year prior, the entire team may have been tossed out, but things were different now. The team was public, working with Professor Quantum’s seal of approval. Taking one member out due to “injury” was manageable. Losing a team lead was another matter.
“Explain yourself.”
A quick nod, then Agent Quantum replied. “Figurehead or not behind the scenes, I’m the leader of this team in the field. I’m not going to cover for someone if they go on a killing spree; however, I won’t leave my people hung out to dry for doing their best. If Tachyonic’s failure represents anything, it’s a lack of planning and leadership. Whatever his penalty, I’ll pay it as well. I’m not going to live up to the Science Sentries’ legend without my team’s support, and they have to know I’ve got their backs, no matter what.”
There had been stronger options for Agent Quantum. Not many, this one was well among the best; however, he wasn’t the absolute most powerful in combat. Nor was he the most tactically sound. Some of the weaker candidates had developed mentally to compensate for their failings. It was that attitude that had won him the role, ultimately. Raising the name of the Science Sentries wasn’t purely about being the most efficient superhero—hell, they’d actually had to stop Lodestar from doing that when humanity started to grow dependent. No, this was about PR as much as it was the actual saving, and on that front, Agent Quantum had something none of the other candidates could match.
Sincerity. Genuine concern for the people he was helping and love for the job, the sorts of things the public seemed to sniff out. Bad openings or not, with enough time in front of a camera, Agent Quantum was going to win hearts just by being himself. Tachyonic’s presence wasn’t likely to substantially impede the team, whereas losing Agent Quantum might leave the whole project dead in the water.
Perhaps Tachyonic would make a better collar than sacrifice.
“You want to take responsibility for him, that means whatever comes next is on you. Show me that the team does still work in its current composition. Win the people, stop the crimes, and do not permit another criminal to escape. I don’t care if you want to play tiddlywinks with muggers and vandals: when you face real opponents, do what you were trained for. Take them down.”
Not quite so sure this time, there was worry on his face, even as Agent Quantum agreed. “Yes, sir. We’ll work hard to show you this wasn’t a mistake.”
“Let’s hope so. Because I do not make the same error twice.” Professor Quantum settled down to his desk once more. “You’re dismissed, Version Nineteen. I don’t care if you tell the others about this conversation or not, just make sure they understand you’re out of slack. From this point on, failure will not be tolerated.”
“Understood.” Agent Quantum turned and left the room, shutting the door softly behind him. All that, and not even a slam. For as much distance as lay between Professor and Agent Quantum, they also had more similarities than the latter realized. That was for the best, though. Such notions only led to attachment, and this was not the right career for that kind of sentiment.
The graves for most of the original Science Sentries, and the multitude of capes who’d fallen since, were all the supporting evidence that hypothesis demanded.
Ivan lowered the phone from his ear, innocuous code phrase already fading. The words had been some fake solicitor offering him a hell of a bargain on used copy machines, whereas the message was quite concise: the traitor was dead. Endless Blitz, once a member of their guild, had been slain tonight.
It wasn’t easy, hunting and killing their own, yet it was infinitely easier than managing the guild’s defectors if they thought rebellion came without punishment. Another night, it might have been Pseudonym out there, carving carnage out of the betrayer’s flesh. Having the kids this weekend had spared him from even the request, though in truth, Ivan would have preferred a hundred bloody battles to the thick tension choking the air in his townhome.
Ever since that morning with Rick, things had been awkward. Better, but still awkward. Whether this was a prelude of things to come or a bump in the road, Ivan had no idea. That would be Rick’s call to make, in the end. The most Ivan could offer was the truth when asked, and reassurance that no amount of the past changed where things stood in the present.
He was tempted to touch base with Tori, but that could wait until Monday. Since he’d gotten updates about her team by request, he already knew they were back at the guild safely. That one required a lot less confirmation than making sure they’d killed the right Endless Blitz; the message of Tori’s return had come quite a while ago. No need for her to know he was keeping tabs, even if she probably suspected it.
“Dad?” He turned to find Beth standing in the doorway of the stairs, looking confused. Ivan truly had been lost in thought to not even notice her footsteps, soft as they were. “Why are you still up?”
“It is Saturday, isn’t it? This is when all the dads stay up for our secret meetings, planning outfits for the coming week to maximize embarrassment, swapping jokes, comparing notes… general dad stuff.”
Wiping the sleep from her eyes, Beth barely stifled a yawn as she went to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water. Originally, she’d had cups by the bed, but once they realized what an active sleeper she was, Ivan and Janet had switched her to bottles. It minimized the amount of electrical shorts her alarm clocks would have to endure.
“Is it because you and Rick are fighting?” She walked up to him, smashing roughly against his legs with a hug in half-slumbering state. No fear, no hesitation, just embrace. Ivan savored it, more aware tonight than ever of just how limited these exchanges might be.
“We’re not fighting,” Ivan corrected. “Rick is just coming to terms with new things, sorting out how he feels about them.”
Guiding Beth with him, Ivan walked over to the couch, where she quickly snuggled up against his side, pausing only long enough to take a mighty sip from her water. “You’re up this late because you and Rick aren’t fighting?”
Overall, Ivan was deeply grateful that the children took more after Janet than him. That said, there were days when he could have done with them having a tad less of her intelligence and keen observation skills.
“Part of growing up is learning new information about things you thought you already understood,” Ivan explained. “It isn’t always pleasant, and I wish Rick wasn’t having to go through that right now.” Absentmindedly, he stroked the top of Beth’s skull, just like when she was smaller. A few more years, and this too would be a memory. Time truly was a relentless bastard.
“He’ll be okay. Rick’s grumpy, but also smart and fearless.”
“Fearless?” Ivan loved his son dearly, but that was not the first word that jumped to mind when he thought of him.
Another yawn, this one stretching on for several seconds. “When the school came down, and that metal-person showed up, Rick tried to protect me, throwing books and stuff. He stood between us, even though I was covered in blades.”
It was strange to consider Hephaestus from an outsider’s perspective. While Ivan knew she’d been there to help, to strangers, it must have seemed like she was mounting an attack on the school. The dark armor, the burning jets, and yet Rick had still refused to yield his ground.
While he’d never admit it, for a moment, Ivan wondered if perhaps these fascinating children took more after him than he realized. The important part was that Beth was right. Rick was a good man. Whether that meant Ivan would be forgiven, or even have a relationship going forward with his son, he truly had no idea. But as a father, Ivan had helped to raise the kind of person who stood between someone they loved and a potential killer.
If they never spoke again, Ivan would continue being proud of who his son had become. He’d helped Rick grow into a good, dependable, loyal person. What father had the right to ask, or hope, for more than that?
Soft snores from Beth betrayed that she’d lost the inevitable battle. Gently, like he was holding the most precious gem in the world, Ivan lifted her from the couch, bottle still clutched tightly in her hand. Nearly a teenager, and still small for her age. It wouldn’t be long before she was having the same revelations as Rick. How would it feel, to see that same fear reflected in his daughter’s eyes?
Ivan put the thought from his head. N
o need to delve into theoretical tortures when he was already living through a real version. Depositing a brief kiss on her forehead, Ivan walked Beth back upstairs to tuck her into bed. Once she was down, he paused outside of Rick’s room, pushing the door carefully open.
Asleep, as he well should be this late at night, Rick looked downright peaceful, an expression Ivan felt he hadn’t seen on his son’s face in years. Such was the curse of teenagers. In that serene face, Ivan could trace sixteen years’ worth of experiences and memories. He could still remember when it was pinched and squealing, being handed off to him by a nervous Janet under the watchful eyes of the Rookstone guards.
That had been right before they went to face Orion, a special visit arranged by Lodestar. The cynic in him said it was because she’d wanted him motivated, fighting with everything on the line. That was why he and most if his ilk would have done it, though. To Lodestar, it was a chance to let him meet his son for the first and likely last time. A picture had gotten him to join. Holding Rick that day... Ivan had learned just what he was truly capable of.
Shutting the door softly, he slipped down the hall. Too many memories were stirred up, flashes of his childhood showing up as well. It was time to call it a night, now that he knew everyone was back safely. There would be fallout from this; the big scenes always drummed up concern, and he’d need to be on game for the week ahead.
Especially considering next weekend he’d be out in the woods, camping with Lodestar.
Chapter 64
“So, the purpose of the nozzle’s extension—”
“It doesn’t matter what the purpose is. I’m telling you, that thing is way too bulky to be any kind of compact mirror.” Beverly held the aerosolization prototype in her hands, gesturing wilding, making Tori wince slightly whenever it neared the edge of the table. She hadn’t exactly worked on durability just yet. “You either have to shrink it, or find a different product to serve as camouflage.”