by R. J. Ross
“Don’t blame me for the fact that you couldn’t control your sister!” Michael snarls.
“A super hero caught you red handed,” Rylon snaps back. “I’m surprised you’re even alive, now.”
“We saw it,” one of the other boys agrees. “You were stupid. And there’s no chance she’s coming back after that stupid interview. Not that there was a chance in the first place--she’s going to the same school Kid Liberty and Cold Steel go to.”
“Wouldn’t that be awesome?”
“Doesn’t Fire Hazard go there, too?”
“SHUT UP!” Michael bellows. “We need her back,” he snaps, pointing at Rylon. “Convince your parents that they need to bring her back--where is she now?”
“The Arctic Circle,” Rylon says, leaning back and scowling. “They came and asked for permission. There’s no way we’re going to get her back.”
“Then what about the other ones? You know, those glowy eyed YouTube guys?” one of the guys ask. His name is Tom. “What if that’s why Alyssa was kidnapped by Dragon?”
“What do you mean?” Michael asks him.
“Let’s say that light--the freaky one that hit everyone--really DID do what Dragon said it was supposed to. Maybe the reason their eyes glowed was because they’re supers, like he was looking for. I mean, Alyssa is a super, or something, but she looks normal, right? I bet all those people that were recorded are, too.”
“And your point?”
“There’s one in a school over in Raymore-Peculiar,” Tom says. “It was in the gym--I know that gym, I’ve got a friend that goes there, sometimes I go to his basketball games.”
“Do you know the kid?”
“No, but I bet we can find him,” Tom says, digging out his phone. “We know what he looks like, after all.” He brings up the YouTube video, showing it to them.
“Let’s get him,” Michael says.
“Now?” Rylon asks.
“Now.”
***
“This is REALLY boring,” Carla says. Trent’s group, consisting of him, Carla, and Keliah, is sitting on the roof of the building closest to the small private high school in Raymore-Peculiar. He can’t exactly argue with her.
“We can’t just barge into the school demanding that they release one of their students, Carla,” he says patiently. “We’re not even certain he’s come to school today.” He looks over at Keliah, his curiosity showing. That she willingly came with them says a lot, since he’s only seen her in classes. Sure, he knows she has a crush on Jack, but she’s gotten quieter and quieter about it. Most likely because Jack still looks irritated whenever he sees her, poor girl.
“How are you doing, Keliah?” he asks softly.
“I’m fine,” she says, still staring at the school.
“We can take a break, if you want--”
“I don’t need coddled,” she says, finally looking at him.
“Sorry,” he says. “I didn’t mean to offend. It’s just this is pretty new to you, right?”
She’s silent, her eyes going back to the school. “Hey, hey,” Carla says, dropping down next to Keliah, “he’s not being rude--he’s actually worried, you know? The first time is really scary!”
Keliah looks up at her and snorts derisively.
“No, seriously! This is America’s Son’s son, you know? Which means he’s alllll about making sure everyone is safe and happy and all that sort of stuff--I know, I went across the country with him once! He’s not going to make fun of you, or anything.”
“I bet America’s Son is acting,” Keliah says. “There’s no way someone can be that good of a guy.”
“He’s not acting,” Trent says, grinning slightly.
“Then it must make for some really boring comic books.”
Trent starts to laugh. “With as big a goofball as Dad is?” he says, looking at her. At one time he might have agreed, before that he would have been offended, but now--now he sees the humor in it. “Dad has some of the funniest comic books out there. You might not have noticed, but he doesn’t take himself very seriously at all.”
“He doesn’t seem to take ANYTHING seriously,” Keliah says. “Even my mom says he doesn’t seem to take his job seriously--sure he gets things done, but that’s only because he’s an S-class tank.”
“He takes me seriously!” Carla protests. “He really helped--you know, right after the zoo."
“Just because he goofs around a lot doesn’t mean he’s playing around when saving lives,” Trent says. “Besides, that’s not his real career, anyway.”
“How is being a super hero NOT a real career?” Keliah asks. “They get paid, they have regular patrol schedules. They have to go across the world at the drop of a hat! Even now, Mom just got home from Egypt. She was gone for over a week.” The loneliness seems to echo in her voice. "And now she's with Emily's team, right? So she'll be gone for who knows how long, again."
“Dad and Mom both do that,” Trent says, looking at her with sympathy. It’s starting to become obvious to him what the real problem is. She’s lonely. He wonders if his girlfriend even has a clue--she’s still intent on blocking Jack from Keliah’s view whenever they’re in the same area. “But Dad says his real career--his real calling--is to be a preacher. If he lost his super powers and was turned into a norm all of a sudden, I don't think he would mind,” he says. “It would give him more time to focus on what matters most.”
“And saving lives doesn’t matter?” she demands.
“Saving souls matters more,” he says, quoting his father. “Dad says that saving them from death is temporary--sooner or later something is going to kill them--maybe age, maybe health, maybe a freak accident where there ISN'T a super to save them nearby. It’s what happens to them after they’re dead that lasts forever.”
“Nothing happens after death--you die, it’s game over,” Keliah says. “That’s why you have to live as much, and as long, as you can while you’re alive.”
“Sure, you need to live as much as you can--but just assuming that nothing happens afterwards... Isn’t that a little reckless?” Trent says. “Think of it like this--stand on this ledge with your back to it. Would you take a step backwards, if you didn’t know what was behind you?”
“That would be stupid.”
“What if you knew I would catch you?” Trent asks.
“I’ll do it!” Carla says, jumping to her feet and turning around.
That analogy is stupid! That’s nothing at all like death!”
“Sure it’s not--in death you don’t often get the choice to take that step back,” Trent says. “As a Christian, I absolutely believe that the moment I step off that ledge--the moment I die, God’s going to catch me. But just for a moment let’s go along with your theory--what happens if you’re right, and it’s game over?” he asks her. “If that’s true, what does it matter what I believe—what ANYONE believes while they're alive, as long as it doesn’t get anyone other than me hurt or killed?”
“Because you’re trying to force others into thinking the same thing you do!”
“Everyone tries to force people, or persuade people, into thinking the same they do--it’s human nature. But if you knew with all of your heart that what you believed was true and vital--don’t you think you’d want others to believe it, too? Especially if you believe there’s life after death,” he says. “Also, Carla, don’t do it here, we’ll draw too much attention to ourselves,” he adds, pulling the black girl off of the ledge.
“Because you’re believing in--in a daydream! It’s like still believing in the Easter Bunny! Or Santa! It’s stupid!”
“So believing in nothing--that there is no God, that there’s nothing at all after life, is more intelligent? I’d rather be considered stupid. It’s better than having nothing to look forward to except a handful of years and death.” He gives her a little grin. “There’s also the fact that I know for certain God’s helped me deal with several problems in my life.”
“Yeah? So says the tank cla
ss super hero that’s already got movies being planned about him--what sort of problems could Mr. Perfect have?”
Trent opens his mouth, about to reply when he sees a car pull to a stop in front of the school. The sight of four teenage boys climbing out has him touching his com link. “Nico? We have a problem.”
“What’s that?” Aubrey asks. “Nico put us on phones while he works on taking down that video--oh, sorry, hi, Trent.”
“Yeah, okay, well get him, would you? I need permission to interfere.”
“With what?”
“Alyssa’s brother and a couple of his pals just showed up at my target’s school.”
***
I see the blood leave Alyssa’s face. For a moment it looks like she’s going to faint, but she recovers quickly--by getting extremely angry. “They couldn’t just leave it,” she says, her hands clenching. “Nooo, it wasn’t enough to make my life hell, now they have to go after another one of us.” She shoves out of her chair and runs over to the pile of mechanical toys that Nico has already stockpiled. “Where is it?”
“Where’s what?” I ask, getting up and following her. She picks up the watch Nico used to bring us here. “No--you don’t want to do that, Alyssa--” I say as she straps it on and pokes at it. I barely manage to grab her before we teleport away.
The last known coordinates on the watch were for her mother’s workplace--in Raymore Peculiar.
She staggers slightly before straightening and looking around. “It’s just down this way,” she says as she starts out. I have no choice but to follow along, worried that someone saw us just appear. It’s one thing when Nico is with us--he’s obviously a super hero, even when he’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Two teenage girls wearing snow suits, on the other hand, is another story entirely. Especially when it’s barely fall.
My phone rings. I dig it out, answering. “What are you doing here?” Trent asks. “I thought you were with Superior and Tatiana.”
“I was! But Nico left his stupid teleporting watch just lying around, and Alyssa got so mad over her brother and his friends that we came here--I’m not sure what she plans on doing, but she’s definitely going to do it.”
“Did you at least tell Nico what was happening?” Trent asks as we stop next to a car. Alyssa scowls at it for a long moment before kicking the tire.
“Stupid jerks--if I was a different type of super I would destroy this car, too,” she says. “Hey, are you talking to Kid Liberty? Can you talk him into crushing this stupid thing?”
A flash of gold light comes from a nearby rooftop and the tire on the other side is hit. It pops and the car falls down in that corner. I groan, knowing this is going to cause far more trouble than we want right now.
“Keliah!” I hear Trent scold. “We can’t destroy property unless there’s a legitimate reason.”
“There IS a legitimate reason,” I hear Keliah say. “They’ve come to abduct a super! Haven't they?”
“MY CAR!” I hear someone bellow from the school. Four teenage boys come running out of the building, their attention on the car. “What did you DO?” the tallest boy roars, turning on Alyssa and I.
“What do you think you’re doing here?” Alyssa demands, her hands on her hips as she glowers at them. “Are you here for the kid that was on YouTube? Because I WON’T LET YOU!”
“Big words from a punching bag,” the boy snarls, grabbing her by the arm. “You slashed my tire, didn’t you?” he demands, jerking her towards him. I see the look of fear cross her face and I don’t even think--I rush forward, grabbing the hand holding her.
My eyes start to glow, my hair starts floating, and I see every single problem he has. Cracked ribs, bruises, the typical damage that comes with football--and I realize--
“I’m a healer,” I say to him, looking him straight in the eye. The guys behind him are freaking out, “I can fix you--but here’s a big surprise--I can also really, really mess you up.” I pull his hand off of Alyssa and push him away. I'm not aiming to send him flying, but it sort of works that way. Have I mentioned I'm almost Specialized-S class? He slams into his car, sliding down the side and shaking his head a bit woozily. Whoops.
“Oh crap,” I hear Trent say over the com link. Before I realize it, Carla is standing between me and the other three norms, her hands up in fists. Trent is floating above us, in full uniform. Keliah appears on the roof of the car, a bow and arrow made out of gold energy in her hands. She's got the arrow aimed down at the guy I just pushed. “If we could have some peace, please,” Trent says in his “Super Hero” voice. “I’m sure we can work this out without--”
We all look up as a police car comes down the street, sirens roaring. “Without that happening,” Trent mutters with a sigh. “Carla, stand down. Keliah, put away the weapon.”
“They ASSAULTED us!” I hear one of the other teenagers yell. “We were just going to school--”
“Is this your school?” Trent asks, already knowing the answer. There are people glued to all the windows inside--including one of the boys that had been outed, I realize, the one that was in my dream--he’s right there, second window on the left. I’m positive that our eyes meet, because he stares at me for a long moment before slipping out of sight. We can’t save him because we jumped the gun. I feel sick to my stomach over that fact.
The police get out of the car, two large men in blue uniforms, and head straight for us. “Stand down,” the first cop says. He’s got his gun in his hands. “We don’t want any trouble, but there was no super activity planned for this area.”
“We apologize for that,” Trent says as he lands in front of me. He puts his hands up, “We’ll willingly come in and explain, Officers.”
The teenage boys look at each other--and make a run for it. Carla takes off in a flash and suddenly all four are falling on their faces. Before I can blink, Carla’s right back where she was, looking as innocent as can be.
“What did you just do?” I hear Alyssa whisper.
“Tied their shoelaces together,” Carla whispers back
“Awesome.”
“What--” the second cop asks. He’d been about to chase after them, you can tell by his pose. He looks at us and sighs. “I would appreciate if you stayed put.” He heads over, hauling the boys to their feet and pulling them back to the group.
“Sir, we apologize for that, as well,” Trent says, his hands still in the air. “We didn’t want them to cause more problems.”
“I didn’t see them move,” I hear the first cop whisper when the second gets back.
“Keep it to yourself,” the second whispers back.
“Officers, we can explain everything--but I would appreciate it if you brought in my boss, while we’re at it,” Trent says. “Mastermental will be willing to vouch for us.”
“Are you the reason this car is down a wheel?” the first cop asks.
“We didn’t want them to escape, sir, so we took out one of their tires. The Hall will be willing to compensate for it, of course.”
“They’d better,” one of the teenagers mutters.
“I would keep your mouth shut, if I were you,” Alyssa growls.
“If you hadn’t run off we wouldn’t be in this situation!” the teen snaps at her.
“I ran off because you were ABUSING me!”
The sound of more sirens come from the street and we all turn to watch two white police vans pull into the parking lot. “We aren’t arresting you,” the cop says, “we’re just going to take you in for questioning--as you suggested. So would you please get in the vans?” I’m pretty sure that’s not what they’re trained to say in this situation, but if I were a cop, I would take that tone when dealing with Kid Liberty, as well, so I can’t argue.
We get in the first van, Alyssa’s brother and his friends get in the second. For a long moment there’s silence before Carla whispers, “Are you sure they aren’t arresting us?”
“We won’t be arrested,” he assures us all. “We might wind up in detention for t
he tire, though.”
“You mean I might wind up in detention,” Keliah says.
“No, we’re a team. If one of us messes up, we all do.” He reaches up, patting her on the shoulder. “I won’t let you take the fall.” I can't help but look at the girl, taking in just how depressed she looks.
From this close she looks so young.
***
“They disappeared!” Skye says, standing in the middle of Nico’s room. She starts looking around, even sinking through the bed to make sure they’re not hiding underneath. “Aubrey? Alyssa! Where’d you go? We were going to make cookies!”
“They didn’t just disappear,” Liz says from the doorway. “They must have stolen one of Nico’s toys--Nico, what did you make THIS time?” she bellows upwards.
“A teleportation watch!” they hear him say from outside.
“See? Perfectly understandable expla--WHAT?” she yells. “Why would you be that STUPID?”
“It will come in handy--” Nico says, coming to the room's large window and stepping inside. For a second he looks around, “for teenage girls that want to run away, apparently,” he finishes before they get the chance.
“This is why you should never leave your toys out where anyone walking by can get them!” Liz scolds him. “Don’t even get me started on the time travel debacle.”
“Time travel? I want to go!” Skye says excitedly. “Can I have a dinosaur? I don’t know if I can fit a T-Rex into my base, but I’m sure one of the smaller ones would be just fine!”
“No, you can’t go time traveling, and no, you can’t have a dinosaur,” Nico says in an absent tone. He starts out the window again, only to stop as he sees a light flashing on the computer monitor. A window opens up and a recording of Trent and Aubrey’s conversation plays. He listens silently, his expression growing darker as it finishes.
“Not even a little one?” Skye asks as he steps on the windowsill.