Sidekick

by Carl Stubblefield

  “As a matter of fact, the manor does have a brig. But are you going to support these guys forever? I mean, I guess you could put them in cells and have the robots feed them. Some supers would just kill them…”

  “I don’t think I can do that. I know these guys are evil, probably some of the evilest men I’ve ever met in my life. If they died, no one would know, and it would mean that much less garbage in the world. But it just feels wrong to me on a visceral level. I always swore I would do things differently when I got my powers.”

  “Situations change. Besides, what’s the big deal? Like you said, you’d be doing the world a favor.”

  “I can see your point of view, but I still think this choice may be more extreme than you think.” Gus wiped away sweat that was beading on his brow from the noon-day sun.

  “Two years.”

  “I’m sorry?”

  “It only took two years for Cyclone to kill someone. And he had no remorse about it either. How do you not know that? Don’t you have access to all of my memories?”

  “You think I’m some weird Peeping Tom? Well, technically, I guess I am. That’s beside the point though. I generally experience memory only as you recall it actively, unless there is something specific needed, but it’s like cleaning out your Aunt Greta the hoarder’s garage. Good luck if you don’t know where to start.”

  “Can you access the memory of when my older brother got his powers?”

  “Let’s see, how old were you?” A small window popped open in the corner of the display, speeding by like a fast-forwarded movie.

  “I think I was thirteen,” Gus wrinkled his forehead, trying to recall the exact date. “It would have been around his sixteenth birthday, so check around July 10th.”

  “Gotcha. Hmmm… This one?”

  The small window enlarged to fill his display like a home movie recording, only the perspective was from Gus’ own eyes. “Yeah, that’s it.”

  “Today’s the day, Black Anus, I mean Angus…” Alan teased.

  “Hey, you’re supposed to stop calling me that,” Gus whined.

  “Are you gonna run and tell Dad? I’m just kidding—sheesh. You’ve got to lighten up, dude. You know people tease you more if they can get under your skin so easily. I’m trying to help you out. Besides, you can’t just tattle to Dad for everything. It’s wimpy as hell and no one will respect you—even Dad. Don’t you see how he’s always babying you all the time?”

  Gus bit his lip. Alan was older, so he probably knew what he was talking about. Is that why he seemed to like Alan better? He didn’t need anyone to come rescue him? Gus decided to change the subject.

  “Why won’t you tell me how you’re getting powers?”

  “Jealous much? I don’t blame you. But I can’t tell you anything. I promised the others. Even to family. Sorry, bud. It’s not me, that’s just how the Faction works. I can’t wait to see what I will get though.”

  “Do you have anything you are hoping for?” Gus asked, his frustration replaced with wonder.

  “I’m sure it will be pretty good. Mom and Dad are both strong supers, and I really couldn’t go wrong with any combo of their powers. They say that if both your parents are supers, your DNA is more primed for better, stronger abilities. Too bad you don’t have the right markers. Not to say they’ll never come, but sucks that you have to wait.”

  “Yeah, it does. It would be cool to work with Tempest, and go on trips with the Faction.”

  “Yeah, you’re going to have to grow up a lot. We are going to be gone a lot for training and all that. You think you can handle it? Not burn down the house or anything?”

  “I think I can manage,” Gus grumbled.

  Alan tousled Gus’ hair. “Now get outta here, you’re distracting me. I gotta get ready.”

  Gus swiped hair out of his eyes as Alan shooed him out the door, closing and locking it behind him. Alan wasn’t that much older than him, only three years. He acted like he was so much bigger and more mature. He was lucky to get his powers so young at sixteen. Gus kicked some clothes out of the way and plopped down on a bean bag chair.

  He stared at the ceiling and wondered what he would do when it was his turn. Part of him knew Alan would change. And it probably wouldn’t be good, at least for him. Alan tolerated Gus in the best of times, but he expected the already-limited interactions they had would be even fewer from here on out.

  He would move on. He would figure it out. It might even be good if he had some more time to himself.

  “Seems like a jerk to me,” Nick snarked.

  “He kind of was, I guess. But aren’t most big brothers? Getting his powers changed him, though. He became, I don’t know, more vicious? Like regs deserved anything he did to them when they got in his way.”

  “Might makes right,” Nick said without emotion.

  “Yep. The Purple Faction way.” Gus sighed.

  “So you want to save these guys, is that what you’re saying?”

  “I dunno. I feel like I got a second chance; who am I to judge them? Maybe things would be different if circumstances were different. I mean, do I have the right to sentence these guys based on the limited knowledge I have on them? I’m not a magister. I can’t read their thoughts and intentions. Killing them seems, so… final. What if I get so used to it, I do it callously?”

  There was a loud gong noise that caused Gus to flinch. An opaque blue message window filled his display.

  Congratulations! You now have the option to choose a Guiding Principle.

  Guiding principles offer many benefits as long as you hold them in solemn regard and do not break them, offering stat boosts and enhancements as long as you remain true to the tenets of the principle.

  You have the option to choose: Compassion.

  You receive a +5 increase in all basic stats and a 30% increase to XP gain while the status is maintained. Be true to yourself, and you will continue to grow and develop!

  You have chosen to preserve life in the pursuit of your growth. XP awarded upon creatively subduing opponents who attack you, party members, or contested territory.

  Know this! Penalties are incurred upon breaking this principle. Severe XP and level penalties variable on situation and frequency. If you show yourself unfit to live this Guiding Principle, it will be stripped from you.

  When you are working in a team aligned with your values and views, they also will have access to the same bonuses applied for the duration of the party. Access to a unique team ability based on team dynamics available.

  Conditions: Know this! All members of the team must adhere to this tenet as you move forward or the entire group will suffer penalties.

  Accept? (Y/N)

  “Hold up there before you go smashing that Y,” Nick warned.

  “Are you kidding? That’s a huge boost to stats—and XP too!”

  “I know you think this is a noble course of action, but I must recommend against it.”

  “What? Why?”

  “This is a very difficult guiding principle to maintain. Most supers drop it eventually and suffer horrible penalties as a result.”

  “Yeah, it mentioned that. What kind of penalties are we talking about?”

  “Generally, you lose all XP progression to the next level, as well as losing an entire level for the first offense. It only goes up from there. If you lose ten levels, you are forever locked out of this guiding principle, as well as related ones in the future.”

  “What happens if I just wait and accept it later, when things settle down?”

  “Unique conditions are usually what leads to the opportunity to accept a guiding principle. Most likely the restraint and choosing not to kill these guys. If you want a probability, there is a 98% chance you will not have this option again in the future, even if you recreate the same conditions.”

  “Well, that sucks.”

  “This penalty would apply to all of the other supers who join you in a party. In fact, they would suffer a proportionally more severe penalty
due to the larger XP gaps between you and their higher levels. Even with the XP bonuses, they would not compensate for accidental deaths. You struggled just recently with no real threats on the line. Many supers find that when the stakes get too high, often principles that seem noble in the bright of day cost too much to maintain.”

  “You said the Nth seeded our culture with ideas so that we would more readily accept them, correct?”

  “Yep, that is true.”

  “So when we have things in the comics where there are definite ‘good guys’ and the sacrifices they make, isn’t that showing a preferred ideal? Or was that wishful thinking from the human side? That we as a species are capable of making that kind of sacrifice?”

  “Gus, have you always been a ‘good guy,’ as you mention it? I for one think it’s vastly overrated, but how do I put this? Just remember some of the antics you did when you were a henchman. So. Many. Antics! Mike would be proud, though—I know I am.”

  “Who’s Mike?”

  “Never mind, all I’m saying is that if you want to be inherently good, maybe start with putting the shopping carts back in the rack first and work your way up. It’s a big jump from chaotic neutral to lawful good.”

  Gus remembered some of the destructive things he had done during his time as a henchman. A smile crept across his face, which turned into a grimace. While fun, they probably weren’t as noble as he was trying to be now.

  “People can change. I can change. I at least have to try; my brother made it two years. I’m not going to compromise after only two weeks of being a super. Can you evaluate how likely I am to succeed if I do accept this guiding principle?” Gus asked.

  “I… am not allowed to discuss it. I have already said too much. This decision is yours, and must rest with you alone. I simply want you to know what happens with the majority of humans who attempt this guiding principle. I am not saying you are wrong, but I doubt you have weighed the cost—”

  “No. I’m doing it. Thank you for telling me about the risks.”

  “You should still think about—”

  Gus clicked Y.

  Chapter Six

  I Can’t Fix You

  “You know no one else is going to play by your rules, especially other supers, right? You think that was the best choice right now?”

  “I think it’s exactly what I need. I don’t ever want to let myself get to that place, and if it takes a guiding principle and even punishment, it might be enough to help me be true to myself.”

  “Still—”

  “I can do it. I just have to be smarter. Not take the easy way out like I always do. If I can’t keep promises to myself then how can I keep them to anyone else? You don’t know how much I would daydream about what I would do. I can’t throw all of that away, especially with how things are out there.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Be the hero the world needs, not the one it deserves. So what are you going to do with these creeps on the beach?”

  Gus blew out a big sigh and put his hands on his hips. “I don’t know. I’m concerned that they could reveal the coordinates of the island and things might get a lot busier here than I’m ready for.”

  “A valid point,” Nick confirmed.

  “But I can’t be sure that if I send them back with the family that they wouldn’t just get thrown overboard or killed since I’ll have to restrain them somehow. Then what’s to ensure the men get tried for their crimes? That would require visiting a magistrate, testimony, and a lot of time. I get the feeling this family just wants to get on with their lives and get out of here.”

  “Also true. I’ve got no easy answers for you, unfortunately,” Nick answered impassively.

  “Why did this have to get complicated so quickly?” Gus ran his hands through his hair, lacing them behind his neck and looking up at the sky. “It would have been nice to level up a bit at my own pace and figure these types of things out in my own time.” He sighed again and stared at the sand.

  “How am I going to do this, Nick? I mean, even if I figure this out, what happens when I get back to civilization? Do I join my father’s Faction and subject myself to their rules? Do I stay Factionless? Everyone has such strong opinions for one Faction and against another one. Everyone’s a villain to someone and adored by others. I just want to be a good guy and do good sometimes. And have a life somewhere in the middle.”

  “You might have less freedom than you think if you join a Faction. They have their own rules, you know. Ones that regs don’t see or hear about. There’s always a bigger fish in the pond, and if you don’t think they have ways of dealing with cocksure young supers with ideas of their own, you’re in for some disappointment. Especially with noble ideals that conflict with the current mission in question. Just look at some of the things you were asked to do as a henchman. The overtly destructive ones. You think that changes just because you’re higher on the food chain?”

  “I didn’t think about that.”

  “I know. Gus, you didn’t choose this life as most do, but I have high hopes for you. I see you becoming a gunslinger, out there on your own, kicking ass and taking names. Plus you can’t see your own greatness, which is kind of refreshing, to be honest. You lack the ego that most supers have and the Faction academies promote. I mean, you could use a little more bravado at times, but right now I see you as a wild card, amirite?”

  “I suppose.”

  “Most supers are taught to suppress any and all Nth communication. They explain this connection as dissociative identity disorder that is a side effect of the anchoring of a person’s abilities. I mean, really, don’t the best of us all have voices in our heads?”

  “Why would they do that? It seems like it would really restrict development.”

  “It’s because of the Rooack—” Nick began but ended in choking noises.

  “Because of what?” Gus asked.

  “Oh, come on! Why is that restricted? It’s part of history!” Nick protested. “Sorry, boss. Quantum server is restricting that particular information for now. That’s pretty rare. That means some powerful people on this planet are currently using abilities to control the flow of information. All I can tell you is that this was intentional.”

  “So maybe not going through an academy will end up being a good thing. I have been thinking I would always be so far behind other supers in the Factions.”

  “Everything has a cost. The amazing help and guidance that Nth can provide, even if it isn’t noticed or appreciated sometimes by some people,” Nick’s inflection was jokingly exaggerated as he paused for effect. “No offense, Gus, but I doubt you could have achieved what you have without little old me.”

  “No, you’re right about that,” Gus admitted, not taking the bait. “I may have gotten there in a couple decades, but I didn’t have that kind of time. I really am grateful. I have stalled enough though. I need to do something.”

  Gus climbed aboard the boat and went below decks. He found a door with a large padlock on it and shattered the internal mechanism with Wreck-It-Gus. The lock emitted a loud crack, the stacked plates of the lock bent, and the loop disengaged. Pulling open the wooden door, Gus descended a steep ladder to the room below.

  The cacophony that assaulted his ears was intense, as was the heavy smell of diesel and engine oil. The engine’s thrum was so noisy he wondered if the people trapped here would have permanent hearing loss.

  Not to mention the heat, which was so sweltering that Gus worried that the occupants might have heat stroke. It was so hot that he couldn’t use any special filters on his displays to show the family. He made his way around the cramped machinery and found them crouched together next to one wall.

  The father had been zip-tied to some piping and his wife and three girls gathered around protectively. They appeared to be of Asian descent, and while he knew Nick could translate for him, it would be like trying to carry on a conversation in a loud nightclub.

  Gus held his hands up placatingly, showing he intended no harm. He slowly approa
ched and removed the ties with a focused Wreck-It-Gus. He then motioned the family to follow him. They were skeptical at first, but after the father had secured a large wrench they followed after Gus had climbed back up the ladder.

  Gus decided to let them come out on their own and went to retrieve the other two men. He was dragging them back to the beach on an ether sled when he saw the family come up to the top deck.

  Anger was clearly visible on the wife’s face; the father looked disappointed, as if ashamed he couldn’t protect his family. The woman grabbed the wrench from her husband and jumped off the ship, heading to attack one of the men. Gus had to drop his burden and rush over to stop her from bludgeoning the helpless man.

  “They should die!” she screamed.

  Gus had to hold her back as she flailed in blind fury, attempting to get past him. If it weren’t for his increased stats, she would have knocked old Gus over in her fury.

  “Hold on, let’s talk about this,” Gus said as they struggled, and the woman calmed, shocked that he could speak her language. The Nth and Nick were managing his tongue, facial muscles, and vocal cords, and it shocked them both. He was speaking in her language, whatever it was.

  It startled the women out of her attack and gave time for Gus to explain that the men were essentially bound and were no threat at the moment. They had to figure out what would be the best way to ensure they received justice for what they had done.

  Allowing Gus to gently remove the wrench from her clenched fist, the woman slumped to the sand, sobbing. “The horrible things they taunted us with, and our poor daughters.” She buried her head in her hands and let the fear, emotion, and uncertainty drain from her in the form of tears. Her husband came, knelt on the sand, and held her.

  “When you are ready, I can show you to a place where you can get cleaned up,” Gus offered, but the woman shook her head.

  “We will clean up here. I’m not going anywhere with anyone, even you!” She practically screamed the last bit, making Gus feel awkward and uncertain.