Officer Murphy nods. “I wasn’t myself. It was as if I was a puppet - all those people were puppets. I never want to see that happen again.”
“You won’t,” I reply. “The Cloak has been neutralized on the rooftop. He’s ready to be locked away. Can’t happen soon enough.”
“How are his powers eliminated?” asks Officer Murphy.
I have a few ideas, but now is really not the time to discuss them, especially with a relative stranger. Even with the apology for being against us I can’t elaborate.
I settle for, “I really don't know.”
The man smiles genuinely now.
“I guess there are a lot of things you don’t know, the same as the rest of us. But, you still used your abilities to fight evil…corruption, instead of taking advantage of us. For that you should be named heroes. I have a suspicion that I met you before,” he looks down self-consciously, “but I don’t know who you are. None of us do.”
The tension in the room subsides and Mae’a stance relaxes a bit.
“I’m Mecha,” she says. “Behind me is Fallout.”
A look of dawning appears on the officer’s face.
“So, you’re really superheroes?”
I let out a chuckle. It’s actually the first time someone besides us or my grandparents have referred to us as superheroes. It sounds a little funny, but it’s the truth.
“You can call us that,” I say. “You could also say we’re Aberrants.”
Officer Murphy’s eyes glance at the ground to my left and suddenly steps forward. He takes my visor from the ground and holds it out to me. I know it’s broken, but I take it anyway.
“You’re going to need this if you’re going outside,” the officer says.
I blink.
“You’re letting us go?” I say, giving Mae a surprised look after I secure the visor on my face.
Officer Murphy nods.
“Well, you can’t go out there without your identities hidden. People would never leave you alone.”
I feel a sudden sense of acceptance. The warmth fills my chest and all the fear and anxiety of the battle against The Drone and The Cloak feels like a distant memory.
We are being let go - allowed to return to our private lives. I never expected this.
Suddenly I’m anxious to leave.
“Thank-you for the support, sir,” I say.
Officer Murphy lowers his head in acknowledgment.
“I hope this isn’t the last we see of you two. If there are going to be any more super villains running around, it will be good to have Aberrants on our side.”
“We will always be on the side of justice,” I say, and Mae agrees.
“But, I hope there aren't any other super villains for a long time,” she says, and we all have to share a laugh.
Then it’s time to go.
I move to the edge of the smashed window and prepare to launch into the air. However, then I see Bill Flagrant’s body lying in the cement below and turn to Mae.
“There’s something I need to check before we jet out of here.”
36
The Retrieval
The ground is crawling with chaos as we land on the sidewalk. A yellow barricade is all that separates Mae and I from the dozens of people scrambling to get a glimpse of the destruction both in and outside the publishing building. A car pulls up behind a group of photographers and out steps Mr. Crichton. He looks baffled as reporters shove microphones in his face.
“This way,” I mutter to Mae. We need to act fast while the majority of the reporters are distracted. I have no desire to do an interview.
“What are you taking me to see?” Mae asks, and as we round the corner of the building the answer becomes obvious.
The Drone lies face-down in a pool of cement. It’s a grisly sight and a tragic end for any person.
If ever I wanted confirmation that The Drone was gone for good, this would be it. I almost feel sorry for the man. This is not the kind of death that I would wish upon anyone.
And yet, here is the man who tried to kill my friends and family on multiple occasions. If Dad were still alive, Bill would have gone after him, too.
I glance around to make sure I’m not being watched. With Mae between me and the photographers I crouch down and get a closer look at one of Bill’s hands which is clenched around something.
When I reach out and lift the hand from its depressed bed of concrete mix, my suspicions are verified. He was still holding onto the strange piece of black material that was ripped from The Cloak’s arm.
Such a bizarre thing, I think as I wipe bits of gray compound from its surface. There are protrusions on one side of the square. These are lined in neat rows. Something tells me that this object wasn’t made in nature.
If I didn’t know any better I would say that it was the source of Austin Spencer’s mind control abilities.
“What’s that?” asks Mae.
I shake my head and tuck the square into my pocket as a group of EMTs hurries towards Bill’s broken body.
“Not here,” I say, hovering in the air now. “I’ll tell you once we’re out of here. Come on.”
We are suddenly in the spotlight as the photographers shift their cameras from the emergency personnel to us. Reporters cry out, trying to get our attention.
“Hey - you kids! Over here!”
“How are you doing that?!”
“Who are you?”
We don’t answer. It’s better that way.
I give The Drone’s body one last sympathetic look, and then Mae and I are gone, flying into the night sky as the storm clouds blow out to sea.
37
The New Norm
“You’re telling me that you have new powers?”
I lean against one of the posts of a jungle gym in a distant part of the city. There are no children here at this late hour and Mae doesn’t even lower her voice as she questions me.
“I have new powers,” I reply. “Ever since Bill tumbled over the edge of that building, I have had new abilities.”
Mae crosses her arms.
“What are they?”
I swing my visor around like a toy airplane. These talks always make me feel like I’m a child being scolded for running too fast or some other nonsense.
“Well, I have super speed for one,” I say. “I found out about it by accident. I don’t even think I can control it yet.”
“And? The second one?”
I lower the visor in my hand, looking Mae in the eye.
“I think I have some kind of healing ability,” I explain. “When I was fighting The Drone on the roof, I was hurt pretty badly. I couldn’t even walk or fly. After blasting The Drone with lightning I was miraculously healed. That can’t be a coincidence. Somehow I think The Drone’s powers were transferred to me.”
Mae raises an eyebrow.
“Maybe his powers weren’t the only ones to be transferred,” she suggests. “He was also holding that black square that he took from Austin. You said yourself that it must be the source of his powers. Could the lightning have infused their powers inside you?”
I hold out both the obsidian square and my half of the Vestige to her.
“There’s only one way to find out.”
Mae takes the relics from me cautiously and stands a few steps away from me.
I feel like I did when I first tried to use my powers in Grandpa’s back yard. There is a circle of grass around me and I hold out my arms.
“Here goes nothing…” I mutter.
With my focus entirely on my new powers as well as my old ones, I envision energy flowing from my center and collecting in my feet and hands. The energy grows stronger and stronger with every passing moment until suddenly a blast of air emerges from the soles of my shoes and I lift up into the air.
Mae claps her hands to her mouth as I fly ten feet into the air and take off horizontally. The scenery blurs around me as my speed increases exponentially. My ears pop painfully and I do a U-turn, r
eturning to where Mae stands.
“So, it’s true!” she says with a breathless voice.
“I already told you,” I reply.
“Still! You can use your powers without holding the Vestige!” She lowers her hands. “What about the healing?”
I put my hands on my hips.
“If you think I’m going to cut off my toe and see if it grows back, you are mistaken!”
This gets a chuckle out of Mae and I land, walking over to her.
“You finally completed what your father started,” she says. “Can you imagine if he had been granted powers without using the Vestige?”
“I can,” I answer. “I can also imagine what it would be like if someone like The Drone had been granted those powers.”
Mae reaches out and takes my hand.
“He didn't. So don't think like that. It's over now. That’s a reason to celebrate.”
I bring a hand to my back where an ache rips through my muscles.
“To be honest, the only thing I want to do is go home and sleep for a week,” I say.
Mae nods. “Sleep sounds good. We should head home.” There’s a pause, then, “What do we do now?”
I shrug.
“Lay low until things die down.”
“I doubt they will die down,” she says with a knowing look. “The world knows for sure that Aberrants exist now. We’ve got jobs now, whether we like it or not.”
“We’re no strangers to expectation,” I mutter with a slight smile.
Mae catches that smile and tightens her fingers around mine.
“What are you insinuating?” she asks. “That we live normal lives now?”
“Maybe. For a little while, at least. I think we’ve earned that much. Besides, there’s still school to finish up before vacation.”
Mae steps closer to me, and I feel a hint of electricity coursing through my veins.
“There’s still a dance you promised to take me to, as well.”
A grin breaks out on my face and I look away.
“You remembered that? After all of this?”
She reaches up and brushes her hand through my messy hair.
“I could never forget that.”
38
Three Weeks Later
“It’s snowing out!”
Mom calls to me from the front windows. There’s no hiding the excitement in her voice, even through the walls of our bathroom. I’m trying to finish getting ready for the Winter Ball, but the tie is really throwing me off.
After three tries, I let out a frustrated sigh and take out my phone. Looking at a video tutorial sounds like it will be a whole lot easier than me fiddling around in the dark. As it is, my poor tie is going to be so wrinkled I will look like an amateur!
This makes me chuckle as I follow the instructions.
“Finally something I’m not super at…” I mutter with a grin.
At last the tie is wrapped around itself correctly and I tighten the knot in front of the mirror. I hardly recognize myself. Where my eyes were sunken and tired before, they are now well rested and bright - maybe even optimistic. I’ve gotten a haircut, which is a luxury I would never have considered in the midst of all the battles Mae and I fought.
For the first time in a long time I feel at ease.
“You’re looking more and more like your father every day,” says Mom, and I turn to see her in the doorway. She smiles at me and I can see that look in her eye as if she’s reliving some past memory with my father.
I straighten up.
“You think so?”
She walks forward.
“I do,” she replies. Then she takes the tie in her hands and straightens it out, expertly smoothing the silk so that it is pristine. “Even your father had a hard time tying his ties.”
“Well, it’s nice to know that I’m in good company.”
Mom reaches up to ruffle my hair.
“Your father would be so proud to see what you’ve made of yourself.”
“Hey!” I duck away, trying desperately to evade her motherly hand. “I just fixed my hair!”
Mom laughs and pulls her hand away.
“Sorry,” she says, stepping back a bit. “Force of habit. You just look so handsome. I’m sure Mae will be pleased.”
“I hope so,” I say, taking one last look in the mirror to be sure that everything is in place. I’ve got my best dress pants on, a crisp shirt, the icy blue tie, and a navy blazer to bring it all together. Even my shoes are shined. “This is the first time I’ve ever had to shine shoes!” I sigh and brush a few wrinkles out of my blazer. “Alright. I’ve got to get going. Any more time messing around here and I’m going to be late.”
“That’s a good idea,” Mom says as she follows me out of the room and out into the entryway. “It’s never wise to keep a lady waiting.”
“Mom, it’s just Mae,” I say, trying to keep the grin off my face. “You don’t have to make it into a big deal or anything.”
“Still.” Mom gives me that look of approval that only a mother can give, and I start to see tears brimming in her eyes. “As much as I try to ignore it, you’re growing up.”
I shrug. “It never stops.”
She blinks the tears away. “Don’t I know it. Pretty soon you’ll be running your own empire and getting married.”
“Hey! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here!” I defend myself, grabbing a dark gray wool coat off the row of hangers and slip it over my outfit. “Speaking of getting married…” I tease. “What about your boyfriend?”
“Boyfriend?” Mom replies, her cheeks suddenly going pink. “We’ve only been dating for a few weeks. I’d hardly call him my boyfriend yet.”
I narrow my eyes playfully at her.
“Am I ever going to meet this guy? You know he needs my stamp of approval.”
“Oh, you’ll meet him pretty soon I think,” she assures me. “He’s actually pretty anxious to meet you. Something tells me that the two of you will get along just fine.”
“Are you at least going to tell me his name?” I ask. “I know that speaking it out loud will make it real, but come on!”
Mom hesitates, debating on whether she should take the bait or not. Then she raises her eyebrows for a second and answers.
“His name is Neil. He’s a game designer.”
It’s my turn to give her an impressed look.
“Oh yeah? A game designer?”
She nods. “Not exactly my area of expertise, but let’s just say that we don’t run out of things to talk about. I feel like I’m being thrown into a new world with its own language.”
I straighten up and hold out my arms.
“Do I look alright?” I ask.
Mom brings her hands together.
“Perfect. Mae will be impressed to see you all dressed up.”
She’s seen me in a more elaborate suit than this one, I think with a smirk.
“Okay, I’m off,” I say.
Mom steps forward and wraps her arms around me. It feels like I’m truly at home. Then she kisses me on the cheek as we part.
“Go have a great time. Drive safe, and take a few pictures for me!”
___
Little does Mom know that I’m not exactly driving, per ce.
My feet carry me at a ridiculous speed down the winding streets of our neighborhood. Buildings stretch into horizontal blurs on either side of me, and I have to pay close attention to not hitting any oncoming cars that go from being the size of Matchbox toys to full-sized death within fractions of a second.
This is hardly the first time I’ve used my new super speed, however, so I manage to avoid collisions - though my feet do slip a bit on the freshly fallen snow as I come to a shaky stop on Mae’s doorstep.
To my surprise, Mae answers the door after the first ring. I’m expecting one of her parents to do the honors, but she’s beat them to it.
“Just in time,” she says.
My eyes widen and my jaw practically drops to the porch
.
I can honestly say that I always knew that Mae was pretty, but as she steps back into the entryway, my eyes are glued to her figure. Her dress is a deep purple that goes all the way to the floor, completely covering her feet. From her waist the bodice cinches her midsection into an hourglass frame, leaving her shoulders bare and her neck appearing delicate. Her normally flyaway hair is tamed and styled into a pixie arrangement, complete with her signature slash of pink.
She practically appears to be gliding across a frictionless floor with every movement.
“What do you think?” she asks, turning around slowly to show me the low cut of her back.
I have to swallow before I can reply, and I’m sure that my face has suddenly gone as red as a tomato.
“Uh...you look gorgeous,” I manage.
She chuckles.
“Thank-you. I tried.”
“Well, it’s a success.”
Mae takes her coat from the rack and slides her arms into the sleeves.
“You’re looking pretty handsome yourself,” she says as she zips up the front. Then she reaches out and takes my arm. “We’d better get going or we’ll really be late.”
The two of us step out onto the porch and close the door behind us. There’s a pause before I turn to Mae, a mischievous smile on my face.
“Don’t worry about speed,” I say, glancing down at my feet. “I think I’ve got us covered.”
___
We arrive at the dance unannounced and unnoticed. With no vehicle I am able to run us to the edge of the block and have us walk normally the rest of the way. Mae held onto my shoulders as I carried her, being sure to keep her dress from getting caught on anything. Thankfully things go according to plan and there are no wipeouts, no injuries, and no torn clothing.
As we approach the front steps of the school I hear someone call out to me.
“Shaun! Hey!”
“Tucker!” I reply as the red-headed guy hurries over to us, dressed in a white tux that somehow seems to fit his personality. “I didn’t expect to see anyone I knew here.”
The Aberrant Series (Book 3): Super Villain Page 16