The Wanderer (Book 1): The Wanderer

by Giancioppo, Danny

  I closed my eyes, and put my other hand on top of the chestplate. I tried to just concentrate on the essence of the Wanderer, as well as the suit and all it’s pieces. Ox, the others– all of them. Everything locked up inside it, and every way it connected back to me.

  And then, like that, the chestplate lit up, lifted out of my hands, and slammed back onto my torso, tearing through the hoodie. It hurt like a bitch, and I slammed my hand down on the couch, totally tearing the arm off of it, while I tried to muffle my screams.

  “Gah… sorry, Alex,” I said. He just sighed.

  “I… it’s fine, whatever. Things weren’t broken enough around here as it was…” he muttered.

  “Jason, can you uh… you know?” Will asked, pointing at the chestplate. “Do the thing?”

  “Alright, alright, don’t everyone crowd me at once,” I said, stepping back.

  I pressed the center of the chestplate, and had the suit roll out around me. I mentally had it go nice and slowly, too, so it looked extra badass to my lovely little audience. They all oohed and aahed, and I’ll be honest, it felt pretty awesome.

  I retracted the headpiece, and looked over at Alannah, who quickly kissed me once more on the lips.

  And, somehow, despite wearing the ancient alien armor of generations of superbeings, the kiss is what really set everyone off.

  “Oh!” Will shouted. “What is this!?”

  “Oh Christ, is that what took you two so long!?” Alex whined. “In my bed!? Come on, man!”

  “Well,” Sam said. “It’s about damn time.”

  “No kidding,” I said. “Alright, look guys, this has really been awesome– and I mean that– but I should probably go. I gotta see the U.S.B. about some stuff, I’d imagine.”

  “Already?” Julia asked. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

  “Oh yeah, I’m good,” I assured her. “Ana?” She nodded.

  “Yeah, he’s good,” she agreed.

  “Gross,” Will said.

  “Okay, this is weird; you should go,” Alex said. “Get out.”

  I smiled, gave my girlfriend one last kiss goodbye– which, oh my GOD did that feel good to say– and stepped outside. The front lawn was still kind of a gigantic mess, but whatever, I’m sure Bell would cover it; just take it out of Bentley’s paycheck.

  I knelt down on the ground, and pressed my first against it. No, I did not have to, but the five pairs of eyes staring out the window made me want to be a little showy. I burst off into the skies, and took off back to the U.S.B.

  And on my way over, I couldn’t help but feel so oddly complete. I hadn’t felt like this in a long time, maybe ever, but in the moment I just felt so… whole. Like I’d finally started down the path to becoming the kind of person I’d always wanted to be.

  Anyway, I made it over, and landed in front of the entrance, stepping inside to Jocelyn, hardworking as ever, sitting at the front desk.

  “Jocelyn,” I said, waving.

  “Wanderer,” she greeted, not looking up. “You took longer than expected.”

  “Sorry, I tend to sleep in,” I said, grinning. She did not; alright, tough nut to crack, that one. “Uh… are Bell and Bentley down there?”

  Jocelyn didn’t even say anything, she just brought us down. What an… interesting woman.

  “So, you get used to sleeping on the job, or what?” Bentley asked, leant up against the wall in Bell’s office. Some things never change, I guess.

  “Thought I’d try the half-assed method of life, like you,” I said. “Not really for me; I’m more of a full-effort kind of a guy.”

  Bentley scowled, and Bell just smiled, standing from his desk.

  “So, would you rather explain everything to us, or…” he held out his hand.

  “Yeah, let’s just do that,” I said.

  I put my hand out, and Bell and Bentley put their in mine. I closed them up with my other hand, and shared the experience of the night with them. The whole party, and the fight as best I could recollect– things did get a little fuzzy when I went fully cosmic on him, but they still got the gist.

  “So…” Bell said, wiping a single tear from his eye; it happened, sharing my emotions and thoughts and whatnot. “Malek is gone?”

  “He is,” I said. “He’s only one of five weavers, but I mean… it doesn’t sound like they got along much, so hopefully that’s a good thing.”

  “I suppose we will see,” Ox said, appearing next to me. Bell and Bentley jumped, and Bentley pulled out his pistol.

  “Woah, woah, woah!” I shouted. “Guys, he’s a friendly– he’s friendly! This is Ox!”

  “Ox?” Bentley said, calming down. The pistol was still trained on him, though. “Like the animal.”

  “I don’t make up the names, I don’t know,” I said. “Put the gun down, B, he’s not even really here; he’s a hologram– an amalgamation of all the previous 1,641 Wanderers. Ox was the first.”

  “Nice to meet you… sirs,” Bell greeted. Ox nodded at him.

  “You as well, Director Bell,” Ox said. He turned to me. “You did very well, Jason, especially without the suit’s aid. We are, all of us, very proud of you.” Damn Ox, don’t do a boy like that! I’m fragile enough as it is.

  “Oh…” I said, trying to play it cool. “That’s… thank you, I guess.”

  “You seem to have surpassed even Malek, if only temporarily,” he continued. “Something none of us could ever seem to do. You were able to take in his essence, as we had only theorized.”

  “So, are you saying Jason has two Wanderer titles in him, now?” Bell asked.

  “In a sense,” Ox replied. “Malek was a weaver, not a Wanderer, but he did create the title, based off his own makings. It is difficult to comprehend, but… essentially.”

  “I guess that makes me number one Wanderer then, huh?” I asked.

  “Temporarily,” Ox cautioned. “There is still much you have to learn. Much for us to teach you.”

  “Wouldn’t have it any other way, buddy,” I said. Ox nodded, and then disappeared. I guess he just wanted to give me a little confidence boost, but I’ll take it.

  “Well, this is getting far too strange and sappy for me,” Bentley said. “I’m out. Don’t get cocky, kid; you’re still a little shit.”

  “Love you too, Bentley,” I said as he walked out the door. He shut it behind him, and then it was just me and Bell.

  “I am proud of you too, Jason,” he said. “You stuck to your guns the other night, and even though it was awfully sloppy, and close at times… you never gave in. In both action and character, you really were a hero that night, son.”

  Nope. Nuh-uh. NOOOOOOPE. That one really tore me apart. I don’t know, maybe it was the whole “son” thing, but… that really just meant the entire world to me, right there.

  “T-Thanks… Thank you, Bell…” I stuttered, trying to still my wobbling chin. Bell just smiled, and put a hand on my shoulder.

  “This is what being a hero is, Jason. Sticking to your guns, never relenting, and protecting those you love. I know you can be hard on yourself, but… I hope you realize just how good a man you’re on your way to becoming.”

  And then, to tarnish this incredibly sweet and wholesome moment, Bentley swung the door back open, and I saw some lights start flashing.

  “Kid, we’ve got a live one out there; big, ugly bastard, too. It’s already in the city, you gotta go!” he shouted.

  I turned to Bell, and he just nodded.

  “Get to it, Wanderer,” he said.

  “Right,” I said. I took off, and shot up out of the room, and soared up to the door.

  “Jason, wait for the door–!” Bell tried to warn. He sighed. “Jocelyn, please get the door for Mr. Rhodes.”

  “Already on it, sir,” she said from her desk.

  Not that it mattered to me, after all I was just excited to get back to work. I mean now that all my friends knew, I couldn’t wait to get this over with and brag to the others about it. Alannah would be a
ll impressed, the guys would be all jealous, and Julia would probably litter me with praise. It’d be great.

  I got outside, flew up into the sky, and stared down my challenger, just a ways in the city, and turning around to face me. A jolt of excitement ran through my body, and I couldn’t help but smile as I clicked the suit back on, and the visor fell over my face.

  “Alright, time to be a superhero,” I said to myself.

  And you know what? I did exactly that.