by C. B. Lee
“Those went out of style when I was a kid,” he mutters, rummaging around under the counter. “Everyone had a cell phone, but companies didn’t do the upkeep for them. This newfangled technology, all them pictures flying around in the air, everything is connected, but you lose one thing and it’s a terrible inconvenience, a hazard—”
Finally he pulls out a DED. The model is at least a decade old; the screen is big and clunky. “You’re welcome to try and get it to work.”
“Thank you,” Jess says, giving him a relieved smile.
“Can I borrow pliers?” Abby asks.
The man turns around and takes a dusty old toolkit off the shelf. “Don’t really know what’s in here,” he admits. “Possible it hasn’t been opened since this was the United States of America.”
Abby grits her teeth. “All right, let’s go see this thing.”
They head out back, and Jess follows her, nervous. Didn’t Abby just say her powers weren’t working?
“I can fix it, powers or no powers,” Abby says. “I still have my brain; I can still make this happen.”
She wrenches open the back and stares at the inside of the DED, then starts pulling at wires. Jess watches as she uses a bit of duct tape to tease out a bit of circuitry and a chip, and then walks them over to the way station’s small solar generator. She fiddles with the wires there, too, until the DED is attached. The screen lights up. “Got a network,” she says. “Weak, but it’s there.”
Abby holds the DED out to Jess. “Try it.”
Jess presses on the power button and it flickers to life with a few weak projections in the air. When she presses VOICE COMMUNICATION LINK: ENTER CITIZEN IDENTIFICATION #: there’s a dial tone.
Jess whoops and jumps for joy. She wraps Abby close and kisses her ardently on the mouth.
Abby laughs. “It wasn’t anything.”
“We got this,” Jess says. “We made it here and we’re gonna get home. It’ll be fine.”
She calls her parent’s emergency line, the one that goes to both their office and their personal DED’s.
“Hello? Smasher here,” her mom’s voice says calmly over the line.
“Mom? It’s me,” Jess says.
“Jess! Where have you been?” her mom asks in a whisper. “Things are really terrible. I heard from the League that they’re looking for a whole bunch of villains on the loose; they’re out and about causing chaos, they already blew up this facility where… Oh gosh, where you’ve gone hiking before? Where are you now? Your friends are here; they’re looking for you!”
“Can you come pick me up?” Jess says. “I’m at the alien way station. I’ll explain everything later. I just need you and dad to come get me right now.”
“Of course, Mei Mei,” her mom says softly. “Your dad is all charged up. He’ll fly your way and bring you right back home.”
“I’ve got Abby with me. We both need to get back; I don’t think dad can fly us both.”
“I see. Well, you’re only about forty minutes from the city. I’ll take the Smashmobile. Be there soon.”
And then there’s nothing to do but wait. The attendant takes pity on them and gives them bottles of water and a slice of hot pizza. She and Abby eat it quickly. It tastes heavenly after two days of nothing but water and protein bars, and they scarf it down, enjoying the cheese.
They sit so Abby can take a few moments to concentrate. “Anything?”
“Nothing,” Abby says. “It’s like my power’s completely gone.”
“This is horrible. If they have the power to turn off the gene and turn it on in anyone they want, they can do all sorts of ridiculous things.”
“De-power people who threaten them, create more meta-humans whenever they want.”
Jess spots the sleek black car pull up. Abby lets out a low whistle. “Wow. So you drive the minivan and your mom drives this, huh?”
Jess laughs. “Yeah, it’s my mom’s baby. I have a license, in case of emergencies, though.”
“Was that a be impressed with my driver’s license line?” Abby asks.
“Uh. Depends. Did it work?”
Abby shakes with laughter. “I’ll tell you later.”
Li Hua rushes out of the vehicle, in full Smasher attire, bright red body suit and the huge boxing gloves. “Here to rescue you,” she says. “Hello, Abby. Jess.”
They’re in the car before Jess starts with the story; the beginning, all of it. Her mother listens quietly as she drives; her face betrays no emotion when Jess explains she’s been working for her parents’ archrival.
“I’ve been thinking something was fishy,” she says. “I never liked the League much; it was always a huge name for your father, he was obsessed with getting to be a real hero. They kept promising all sorts of things, like upping our powers to A-level, and filling his head with dreams and promises that our powers and our contributions were useful and could help people.”
“But we never were really helping people, I saw that. But it was easy; I spent so much time in Meta-Human Training that I didn’t have a degree and couldn’t go into another career if I wanted to. I had to rely completely on the government, and then I was pregnant with Claudia and we needed to make the right choices. Being a hero meant guaranteed housing and a salary, and that was important.”
Abby is silent, and Jess nods. She knows how hard her parents have worked.
“Not everyone got that choice, though,” Abby says quietly. “My parents were told to be villains from the very start. You guys got comic books and merchandise and people who look up to you, and my parents get booed whenever they go out in costume.”
“It’s not a fair system,” Li Hua says. “I know it isn’t. I’m just saying it was easy to stay rather than change. But I guess it’s too late for that now. Whatever you did sparked a huge change. Nothing is going to be the same now.”
“That much is true,” Jess says. “Mom, have you heard from Bells?”
“Not since your birthday party, why?”
“Yeah, he has the footage of Orion—the real Orion, telling everyone about the terrible experiments. We’re planning to just put it online for people to see.”
The radio’s pop station suddenly switches to news. “This just in. Chameleon has gone rogue and teamed up with the Villain’s Guild. The general public especially in Andover must be immediately aware of Chameleon, who can disguise themselves as any person. Make sure who you’re with is really who they should be, ask security questions only they would know. This is a public service announcement. Chameleon is at large and dangerous, and as far as the Heroes’ League knows, he is fully charged and can maintain a disguise for at least ten minutes before recharging. This is a public service announcement.”
Jess and Abby look at each other in horror.
“So that means Bells did escape with the information,” Abby says.
“But we don’t know where he and your mom are,” Jess repeats. “Mom, you said my friends were at the house. Was it Emma and Bells?”
“Bells, Bells, no, just your friend Emma and one of your other friends, Denise. I haven’t seen her at our house in a few years. It’s so nice that all of you are getting along again.”
Jess raises her eyebrows. As far as she knows, Emma still hasn’t forgiven Denise for that incident in the seventh grade.
“Could that be Bells?” Abby asks.
“Probably. Step on it, Mom!”
They get back to the Tran house, and Emma is indeed sitting in the living room with Jess’ dad and also… Denise Ho.
“Bells?” Jess asks.
“How’d you know?” Bells asks with a grin.
“You always sit like this with Emma, with your hips tilted just so. Also, you left a tuft of pink in your hair, right here,” Jess says, tugging the small lock.
“Ah, I couldn’t resist. Your dad totally didn’t
notice, though!” Bells says, standing up. He drops the disguise, and then it’s his usual face, dark brown skin and bright amber eyes looking curiously at them.
Victor and Li Hua look at Bells and then at each other in surprise. “Chameleon,” Victor says, as if he’s torn between asking Bells for his autograph and still wanting to treat him like Jess’ best friend.
Bells beams. “So I’ve got the datachip. How do we blow this joint apart?”
“We were counting on Abby to use her powers to connect it to the Net and make sure it plays in every home,” Jess says. “But Abby’s powers aren’t working.”
“That serum really worked?” Bells asks in horror. “That means they can de-power anyone they want to!”
“What serum?” the parents both ask.
Jess explains about Orion’s plan to control all the meta-humans.
“We have to stop them,” Li Hua says.
Everyone starts talking at once. There are too many ideas to sort through, and no, Jess doesn’t think “storm the castle” would work. Emma thinks it could be resolved by sitting Orion down to a nice dinner, while Victor and Li Hua don’t seem very keen on the idea of facing down the superhero. Jess clears her throat.
“First, in order to get this video public, we need to find Abby’s dad.”
“Bells, where did my mom go?” Abby asks.
“Back to your house. Emma and I dropped her off. I think she wanted to get some stuff before she went back to look for your dad.”
“No, no, no,” Abby says. “She needs more time to recover; she can’t be thinking about going to find him already! She won’t be strong enough right now, they’ll just capture her again, and it’ll be awful.”
Jess blinks. “We have to go!”
Her mom tosses her the keycard to the Smashmobile, and Jess looks up in surprise. “Really?”
“Yes, go ahead. Your father and I will fly. You four can go in the car.”
The keycard is hot in Jess’ hand, and she grips it, so ready. Jess starts the engine, and it purrs to life; the electronics whizz and crackle with energy. “Welcome, Smasher,” the computer says smoothly, and the stylized fist logo lights up on the display.
“Very cool,” Abby says, sliding into the passenger seat. Emma and Bells are still in the driveway. Bells has already shifted into his Chameleon outfit, his mask twitching as he scowls.
“We should take you home, it’s too dangerous,” Bells says.
Emma puts her hands on her hips, drawing herself up to her full height, which barely reaches Bells’ shoulders. “Excuse me, what’s dangerous is you gallivanting all over Andover and Devonport playing hero and not telling me! If you all are going, I’m going,” she says.
Bells looks helplessly at the car.
“Just get in the car, we’re wasting time,” Jess says. “You guys can argue over who can protect who later.”
They get back on the road, and head right for Abby’s house.
“This is great,” Emma says from the backseat. “I mean, the situation’s not great, but this is pretty awesome, right? All of us going to save the day? We should have a team name.”
Jess smiles to herself; next to her, she can see Abby’s anxious face relax a little as Emma rattles off potential names and Bells shoots them down.
When they get to Abby’s home, it’s clear that they’re too late.
The door is hanging open, and there’s a distinct scent of ozone and burnt hair.
“Mom? Mom!” Abby yells and rushes inside.
The three of them rush in after her, picking their way around the destroyed living room.
“This is the last time you’ve been noncompliant with the League rules,” Captain Orion yells from the hallway, tossing a statuette down the stairs. It shatters.
“Hey, I made that!” Abby says. “Don’t touch my mother!”
Mistress Mischief rises triumphant from the basement, costume glittering and eyes hard as steel. Captain Orion is flung into the wall.
“Stay out of this, everyone!” Mischief yells.
Emma picks up a broken piece of the coffee table and hurls the chunk at Orion. “You’re a fake and a liar and a kidnapper and—your dumb hair products never work!”
Orion snarls, her fingers crackling with energy, and she blasts a bolt of lightning at Emma.
“No!” Bells pushes Emma out of the way to safety, barely making it himself. The lightning grazes him, and Jess can smell singed hair.
“Stop, Mom!” Abby yells. “Just restrain her with the tantalum. We have some in storage!”
Jess runs downstairs, searching for the precious metal. There are boxes and boxes everywhere, but months at work has made her an expert in filing and she’s got a knack for finding things.
Jess yanks open a lead safe, grabs the tantalum cuffs, and runs upstairs. “I got it, I got it!” Jess yells, shaking the cuffs.
Mistress Mischief levitates them and they float into the air, and for the first time Jess sees the amazing power of telekinesis used in a fight.
Mischief is brutal. She fights ruthlessly with Orion, whose superstrength damages the walls, and the entire house shakes with their battle.
Emma and Bells watch from the floor, curled around each other, as debris whirls. Jess holds onto the doorframe as Mistress Mischief uses her incredible strength to freeze Orion in the air.
“Come on, Mom,” Abby mutters, and raises her hands too, concentrating as if she’s trying to use her own telekinesis.
The cuffs snap on Orion’s wrists, and she falls to the ground, shaking with anger.
“Where is my husband?” Mischief demands.
“You’ll never find him,” Orion says. “He’s already given us the codes for all the MonRobots. This time tomorrow, we’ll have eliminated all the targets we deem fit. And the rest of the League is coming. It doesn’t matter if you have me. If you kill me, I’ll be a martyr. You’ll be known for killing the greatest superhero who ever lived.”
Jess laughs. “You are not the greatest superhero who ever lived. You are a joke. You experimented on innocent people and caused countless suffering for your own power boost, and this whole system is a facade. The Collective is distracting the public from the little wars it’s waging around the world. People have the right to know what’s really going on, and the media needs to report what’s actually happening. We aren’t obsessed with these fake battles that you stage. And the people you force to be villains, that’s not right either. What happens to those kids whose parents you promise so much? You promised Abby could be a hero and shackled her parents, and they willingly sacrificed themselves for her. No one should have to make that choice.”
“No one wants to hear about those sad things,” Orion says. “People have the right to focus on the amusement, the lighter side, and people should be able to hope and feel good that there are heroes protecting them.”
“Yes, but we should have the choice,” Jess says. “It’s not right that the only thing on the news is what’s happening with you and your flirtation with Starscream, and soap operas and what’s going on with your hair.”
“My hair is pretty awesome,” Orion says.
“That’s not the point,” Jess says.
“You weren’t here for the Disasters,” Orion says. She clenches and unclenches her fists; the tantalum cuffs shake but hold fast. “Look, people don’t want to watch the news if it’s filled with awful things. Awful things happened all the time. The X29 solar flare could have ruined our planet, and it almost did. Even without the nuclear meltdowns, the ensuing battle for resources and food would have destroyed us. We needed something positive to focus on.”
Jess realizes Orion wholeheartedly believes in her cause, in the Collective’s cause. “It’s not the time of the Disasters anymore. We’ve gotten past that; we’ve rebuilt as a society, moved forward. We need to be better.”
>
“She isn’t going to listen,” Mistress Mischief says. She settles on the floor. “Come on, Cindy. It’s time.”
“No one’s called me Cindy in years,” Captain Orion—Cindy—says. “Even my dad calls me Captain.”
“You don’t remember me, but we were in Meta-Human Training together,” Mistress Mischief says. “I’m Genevieve. You used to make fun of my teeth.”
“I do remember,” Captain Orion says. “Look, no hard feelings, okay? You were chosen for the Villain’s Guild because you started to date Phillip. It could have been me, but I wanted to be a superhero. I chose that instead of the guy.”
Abby narrows her eyes. “Wait a minute, you dated my dad?”
“Very briefly,” Orion says. She tosses her head back, regarding Abby with a discerning look. “Philip was very interesting. I dumped him as soon as I knew he was on the villain track, though. The Collective likes to pair people up and make sure that spouses are on the same track; too many complications otherwise.”
Bells pulls Emma to her feet, and they walk toward Orion. Bells stares at her, his lip curling in revulsion.
“And you, Chameleon,” Orion says with a disdainful sniff. “I had such high hopes for you in the League. You have no idea what’s in store for you now; things have already been set in motion.”
“Oh, yeah?” Bells says, scowling. He pulls a chip out of his pocket. “This holovid of you admitting to experimenting on meta-humans, kidnapping all the missing villains, attacking and kidnapping my friends—I’ve got so many copies of this. Even without a technopath we can still be heard.”
Orion shakes and laughs. It’s a shrill, desperate sound, and her entire body shakes on the floor. “You think a holovid like that is enough proof for the people of the Collective? People love me.”
Genevieve takes the chip from Bells, gently laying a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t goad her, she’ll start monologuing, and, even though she’s the one restrained, we’ll all be stuck here.”
“Good point,” Jess says, remembering the long rant she and Abby got back at Orion’s home. “Can we do anything about the video right now?”