by R. J. Ross
“He’s burying her,” I say. “NO!” I yell. “Don’t--”
But it’s over. He’s already closed the hole he buried her in. “There!” he says. “Tatiana is dead and buried, just like you asked for. I won’t allow you to take her apart--if you do, I’ll go to the Hall myself.”
There’s an impasse, I think, slinking back to try and avoid being noticed. One of the soldiers notices us and rushes forward, pulling us behind the tanks. It’s a bit too late for that, I think, but I ignore it. He just buried my great grandma, and is now picking up a piece of concrete from the exploded building and writing on it with a finger.
“There, she even has a tombstone,” Mimic says, shoving the concrete into the ground where he buried her. “We’re done here. Tell Kunnins that his ‘Russian spy’ is taken care of.”
Then he flies off, leaving us and the military staring at the tombstone. “Tatiana, Heroine of Nations” is written on it with a date underneath.
“Someone call Kunnins,” the man with the bullhorn calls over his shoulder.
“I would rather you didn’t,” Mastermental says. Everyone looks up to see Grandpa Mastermental floating above their heads. “This is the Hall’s business,” he says as he lands in front of the gravestone. He kneels in front of it, bowing his head. “We’ll deal with her death.”
“But the USSR--” the military man starts out.
Mastermental turns and looks at him. “We’ll deal with that, as well,” he says in a tone that tells me he’s using his ability. “I suggest you leave now. Let us mourn our fallen friend in peace.”
Abruptly everyone gets back in their cars and drives away, following the command to a T. He stands as they leave, turning to us. “Get a hold of your grandfather,” he says to me as I tug off my wig. It’s annoying. “Tell him I’ll take care of all the details, he can have Tatia.”
“Thank you,” I say. “Um, Jason, do you have Grandpa’s number?” I ask Jason.
“Yeah, and hopefully the satellites will still work for it in this time,” he says, pulling out his phone. “Start digging her up,” he orders me as he calls. “You’re messing up my phone again.”
“Oh, right.”
***
The ground all around them is completely ripped up. Technico grunts, holding off the massive minotaur. His phone rings. There’s no way it can be anyone other than Jason--especially since Noelle’s phone blew up. He twists, throwing Taurus Sr. as far as he can, and pulls out his phone. “Is it done?” he asks.
Taurus Sr. stops mid-charge as he hears the question.
“It’s done,” Jason says. “Mimic took her powers and buried her--then Mastermental convinced the military guys she was dead and that the Hall would take care of things. Now he and Noelle are digging up her body. He says we can take her now.”
“Good. I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Technico says, hanging up and looking at Taurus Sr. “I’m sorry,” he says. “It isn’t that I don’t have faith in your abilities, it’s just I don’t want to change history more than I already have. Your son will thank me in some forty years or so.”
“I don’t agree with this foul play,” Taurus Sr. says coldly.
“That’s what makes you a hero and not me,” Technico tells him, taking to the air and flying away.
***
Grandpa Mastermental pulls the last rock off of Tatia and I lean down, ignoring that I’m literally covered in dirt, and touch her throat. Her pulse is strong, I think, letting out a sigh of relief. “She’s alive,” I tell him, feeling a tear trickle down my cheek. Of course I knew she would be in theory--Mimic had done the same thing to me--but I wasn’t sure she would survive being buried alive, without oxygen. It seems she can. Thank God.
“He buried her rather deep,” Mastermental says, glancing up. “I’m impressed. Noelle, if you would move I’ll take her up, then come and get you.”
I nod, moving to the side of the hole and watching closely as he picks up Tatiana. She makes him look tiny, I think as he flies upward. She’s probably twice as broad through the shoulders as he is. I don’t care right now, though, all that matters is that we’ve gotten her back.
I sink down in the dirt, sitting down and waiting for him to come back and get me. It shouldn’t take too long, I know, but I’m feeling a bit shaky from all the stuff that just happened. We need to get her to Aubrey, then we’ll... what? Leave her in that time? That means she’ll be in our time, too, right?
I want to have my great grandma. I want to know that I can see her and talk to her at any moment, whenever I want. It’s just a matter of moments from now. Everything we’ve done, even if it seems bad, it’ll all be worth it. I know it will be.
“Noelle?” I look up as Grandpa Nico drops down in front of me. “You did good, kiddo,” he says, holding out his arms. I jump into them, hugging him tightly and burying my face in his chest.
“I--I did it,” I say.
“You did it,” he agrees. “Now it’s time to take Mom into the future.”
“Won’t that mess things up, though?” I ask.
“Either she stays unconscious until I’m almost forty or we skip that part and she wakes up in that time, anyway,” he says, taking to the air and flying me out of the hole. He lands at the edge of the hole and looks at Grandpa Mastermental. “Thank you, Double M,” he says, putting me down and holding a hand out to shake.
“Double M?” Mastermental repeats.
“You don’t go by that yet?” Grandpa asks.
“Not yet, I don’t.” The two shake hands and Grandpa walks over to where Jason and Tatia are.
“One last stop before we go home,” Grandpa says, crouching down and touching Tatia. “Grab on, kids.”
I grab his arm, glancing over at Jason as he does the same.
We leave 1978 behind.
***
*Present*
“What information do we have on the failed super creations from the last few years,” Double M demands as he and the Superior storm into the Hall’s science lab. The scientists practically jump out of their skins at the intrusion. One of them even drops a test tube, jumping away from the liquid that splashes all over the floor. Double M ignores it completely, looking at the only scientist that appears calm. “Gerald?”
“I’ll bring up the files,” Gerald says, turning to the computer and tapping on his mouse a few times. He stops, though, turning and looking at the two males that look so much alike. “If you wouldn’t mind letting me do it,” he says to Nico.
“Wasn’t me,” Nico says blandly. “Father, let the man do his work.”
Superior scowls but the scientist looks satisfied as he goes back to work. “I thought you fixed the computers in the building,” he says to Nico.
“I haven’t messed with these,” Nico admits. “I’ll remember to upgrade them later, this is downright pathetic.”
“Do you make a habit of upgrading things without telling me?” Double M asks in a mild tone.
“Do I?” Nico replies in an equally mild tone.
“We’ll discuss this later,” Double M says as paper starts printing out on the printer. There’s a lot of it. He walks over, picking up the pile when the machine finally stops.
“Do it now. Fix the printers, as well,” Superior says to Nico.
“I’m not getting paid to be the tech guy, you know,” Nico says as he looks over the room. All of a sudden even the computers that were off are on. Binary flashes over the screens, running far faster than the norms can read. Abruptly one of the computers stops flashing and Nico crosses the room, standing in front of one of the younger scientists.
“Wh--what--” the scientist asks, jerking back and almost falling off of his chair.
“They might not be paying me for this, but they’re paying you,” Nico says bluntly, tapping his computer, “play Halo on your own time.” Then, almost casually, he looks at the woman sitting at the next desk, his expression unreadable.
“Shall we go?” Double M asks as he tucks the paper
under his arm and heads out. Nico and Superior follow him. Nico stops in the hall, though, pulling out his phone. “What is it, Sunny?” he answers.
“Dad, you and Noelle just brought this massive lady with white hair to school--then you told me to call you,” Sunny says a bit blankly. “We think the lady is a super.” A rush of wind tells Nico that Superior has already left him behind.
“Bring Aubrey to her, but don’t let her wake her until I get there,” Nico tells his son. “I’ll be there in a minute.” He looks at Double M.
“I’ll look this over,” Double M says. “I’ll see if we have any traces of where they come from.” Nico nods and takes off, leaving it all behind to get to the campus. He doesn’t want Tatiana losing it because she has no idea where she is or what happened. The chances of that happening are slim, of course, but he’s not going to risk it. His kids are there.
***
I refuse to leave her side. I can pick up Grandpa’s irritation, not to mention Jason’s little problem--Jack went straight to him, and is now walking around him with a curious expression on his face.
“Could you stop?” Jason asks, blushing at the examination. It doesn’t help that half of the school comes over as well to look at him.
“NOELLE!” I hear Morgan bellow as she comes out of the dorm. She rushes over, wrapping her arms around me tightly and picking me up for a moment. “Are you okay? What happened? You look like you’ve been rolling in the dirt!” I wrap my arms around her, hugging her tightly in return.
“I’m going back to my own time,” I tell her. “I can see my dad and my mom and--I’ll miss you, though,” I admit, pulling away. “You’ve got to remember to come and visit me once I start going to Cape High, got it?” I demand.
She gives me a smile, reaching up and touching the mess of hair that had once been curls. “I won’t forget,” she promises. “The moment I hear you’ve started, I’ll come running.”
“Good, because I’m going to start when I get back home.” I turn, looking at Mom--who’s still clueless about me. Except, I think, she’s looking at Jason and Jack with a strange expression on her face. She looks straight at me abruptly, her green eyes widening. Crap, I think she just figured it out. She looks over at Max, grabbing his wrist and tugging him closer to whisper in his ear. He jerks, looking at me just like she did.
Well, then, that’s the cat out of the bag. I look back to Morgan, and then look for Aubrey. “She can save her, right?” I ask, trying to ignore the stares.
“What happened to her?” Morgan asks.
“Mimic.”
“Then she can save her,” she says confidently. Aubrey has already slipped through the crowd and is crouching down next to Tatiana. “Who is she?”
“Tatiana,” I say. “She’s amazing,” I add, absently leaning into Morgan since she’s letting me. I feel like a little sister, which is so strange, because when I first met her I was positive she didn’t like me. I blink as Jason comes over, Jack following him.
“Can we go yet?” he asks, shoving Jack’s hand away when the other male tries to touch his hair. “Stop that already!” he says.
“You’ve got steel strands,” Jack says. “Where’d you come from? The future?”
“I can’t tell you,” Jason says.
“You my kid? I’ve seen DBZ--you’ve come back to defeat someone that killed me--”
Jason turns and looks at him with a dry expression, then I see something click in his head. He places both hands on Jack’s shoulders, looking up at him seriously. “You can’t tell anyone, okay?” he says, even though everyone’s listening. “There’s a super villain that’s going to show up and threaten to destroy all of humanity unless you do a giant fighting tournament.”
“Seriously?” Jack asks eagerly.
“Nope, not at all,” Jason says, letting go of his hold. “Don’t get your man panties in a twist.”
“IT’S TRUE!” Vinny yells from the side. “We have to start now and save the boxers!” I would laugh, but I’m starting to worry because Aubrey still hasn’t touched Tatiana. I walk over to her, crouching down next to her and reach up to push Tatiana’s hair out of her face.
“She’s beautiful,” Aubrey says, looking at me.
“She’s amazing. Can you save her?” I ask her, looking her in the eyes. “Mimic took her.”
“I can,” she says. “I promise.” I hug her, much to her surprise.
“Thank you,” I say, feeling a tear trickle down my cheek. I look up as someone lands on the other side of Tatiana. Great Grandpa Superior is staring down at Tatiana in wonder. He gets down on one knee next to her, and then looks at us.
“Bring her back,” he says to Aubrey. “Please.”
Aubrey hesitates. “Please,” I add. “She’s his wife.”
She looks up as the Nico from this time enters campus. “Nico?” she asks, looking from my Grandpa to the younger version.
“Do it, Aubrey,” the younger version says.
Aubrey reaches out, grabbing Tatiana’s hand. Her eyes turn white and her hair starts floating around her. I forget to breathe, my hands clenching so tightly that I’m sure I’m going to leave little moon shape imprints on my palm. It seems forever before Tatiana’s eyes open.
She looks at Aubrey blankly, only to be dragged into a hug by Superior. Her eyes widen and she jerks away--then hits him in the jaw so hard that Great Grandpa goes flying across the campus. “I have told you already, I DO NOT LIKE CLONES!” Tatia bellows, getting to her feet.
“TATIA!” I bellow, jumping her and wrapping my arms around her waist before she can go after him. “That’s not a clone! That’s Superior!”
“What?” she asks, looking down at me. “Kitten? But you were going to your own time--”
“We’re not in my time, but we’re not in your time, either,” I tell her. Grandpa walks over and places a hand on my shoulder--that’s probably a sign we need to go to our own time. “Now I need to go back to my own time,” I admit. “I love you,” I tell her, tugging her down so I can kiss her cheek. “Be happy, okay?”
“You, as well, kitten,” she says, although she still looks confused.
“Jason! Time to go,” I call over to the teen trying to fight off his teenage dad from the past.
“It won’t take long to shave it off, I swear--” Jack says.
“Gotta go,” Jason says, racing over to me as I head for Grandpa. We both grab his arms as he presses the button on his watch.
“Bye,” I add before we disappear.
***
Tatia looks around the strange place where she woke up at, feeling confused. The last thing she remembers is a man robbing a bank. She’d grabbed his hand and squeezed it until the gun fell from his hand, and then--
“The one that knocked you out was Mimic,” a man with her Nicolas’s eyes says, stepping in front of her. “He stole your powers, your memories, and your consciousness. You would have stayed unconscious until this time, regardless, so when Noelle wound up in that time, I figure the other me decided that we could skip the thirty six years of unconsciousness and get straight to the healer that could wake you up. Hello, Mom,” he says, smiling slightly. “I’m Nico.”
“You are--you have grown so large and handsome,” she says. “But I--I am not used to seeing you eye to eye.”
“I grew up,” Nico says, glancing behind him. “And that was a great punch,” he adds as he watches Superior get up.
“Is he truly my Clifford?” Tatia asks, turning to watch Superior as well. “He looks so very different.”
“He’s had a rough thirty six years, too,” Nico admits as Superior crosses over to them, rubbing his jaw.
“Tatia,” Superior says, just staring at her for a long moment before reaching up and touching her cheek. “I almost lost you,” he whispers, dragging her into a hug. “I did lose you. I’m not going to let you go again--except,” he says, looking at Nico, “I’m going to kill Kunnins when I find him, regardless of whether he’s dead or not.”
/> “I am still confused,” Tatia says, pulling out of his hold. “Are we in the future? Is the cold war over?”
“It’s over,” Superior says.
“Oh thank God,” she says, starting to cry as she falls into his arms. “I was on edge--all the years we were together. I feared that at any moment--”
Nico goes still. “At any moment WHAT, Mom?” he asks.
“At any moment they would... the USSR would... call. To test my loyalty,” she says, sniffling. “But the Cold War is over. I can live freely--”
“You were a SPY?” Nico demands, earning a nasty look from Superior. “Don’t give me that look, how could you not know that your own wife was a spy for the soviets?” he demands.
“We all did what we had to do at that time,” Superior says.
“So you DID know!” Nico says. He jerks slightly as two of the children race over, grabbing him around the waist.
“Dad! Cool off!” the girl says. “You just made the school lights flicker! It was thirty six years ago--and she’s obviously Russian! Can you really expect anything else?” she demands.
“I--” Tatia says, a bit stunned by that reaction. “Nicolas,”she starts out, “you must understand, I had to volunteer, to save you.”
Nico goes still, his hands landing on his children. “What?”
“The USSR, they took the children with abilities away from their families, raising them to be super soldiers,” Tatia says, her shoulders squaring. “I was born before they came about, but I was nonetheless a part because it was still my mother land, regardless of who was in control. The people, they were mine. The land, it was mine. I could not leave it--not until I met your father,” she says, looking at Superior. “I fell in love our very first fight.”
“We married in secret,” Superior says, lacing his fingers through hers. “Tatia got pregnant, with you.”
“I did not like leaving my land,” Tatia says quietly. “I wished to protect them. But in order to keep you from being taken, I had to do something. Because I have--had shown no disloyalty, my superiors found the idea of me coming here as a detente offering amusing. They believed your president a fool, allowing their greatest weapon into the country. The cold war continued. I prayed for it to be over before I had to prove my loyalty again.”