“The kind that two juniors in high school can handle without endangering themselves or their loved ones, like Mr. St. Germain said.”
“When did he say that, exactly?” Blake asked, not remembering those words. “I thought he encouraged us not to play superhero.”
“Well, that’s what he would say if we told him we were going to do it anyway,” Quinn answered, smiling shyly.
“It’s a completely different world for us now, Quinn. The police will only get in our way and they’ve made it clear they think we’ll get in their way. It’ll be the biggest shit-show since…well, I dunno. It won’t be good.”
Victor loosened his tie and smiled. “He’s right, Quinn. The next time one of you uses your powers in public, the police may not be forgiving.”
Quinn looked at Blake. “One of us? Have you done something in public?”
Victor looked between the two boys with a raised eyebrow. “I’m sorry, Blake I thought you had told him.”
“Told me what?” Quinn asked.
Blake sighed and looked at the floor but didn’t respond.
Victor filled in the gaps. “Blake saved two of your classmates from a potential assault situation and rescued a woman from a violent mugging, or worse, in his neighborhood.”
“Oh,” Quinn said, staring at Blake with angry eyes.
Shit, he’s pissed. That’s why it’s getting hot in here; he just doesn’t have the power developed like I do. I’d better not tell him about the two guys I tossed into the river…hopefully that hasn’t got back to Victor…however he learns about these things.
“I’m sorry. I just didn’t think it was important,” Blake answered. “You were having so much fun getting your first date set up with Keegan, coming out to your dads, and then being the hero, that I just…I didn’t get around to telling you yet.”
“Congrats on coming out,” Victor said, smiling sweetly.
“Thanks,” Quinn answered. Then, he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Victor. I can’t join whatever it is you do without more information. Asking me to become part of some clandestine organization focused on delivering justice to hard-to-reach criminals isn’t what superheroes do, Blue Spekter or no Blue Spekter.”
Victor nodded. “I understand, Quinn. Perhaps we could meet every so often, if you don’t mind? You’re still a scientific wonder and I’d love to continue monitoring your progress. I’d rather hear it from you than learn about it from the news.”
Quinn nodded. “Maybe, we’ll see.”
Victor winked at Blake. “All right then. Boys, when I can share more information with you, I will. Quinn, if you refuse to work with us, please understand that Blake may be required to keep certain information from you if he’s accepted into the organization. I certainly don’t want to come between your close friendship, but…rules are rules.”
Quinn stood and shook his head. He glanced at Blake, then back to Victor. “Don’t worry, Victor, you already have. I’ll be in the car, Blake. I’m leaving in ten minutes, so if you want a ride home…”
Blake nodded and watched Quinn leave the studio, closing the door behind him. The warmth in the room left with him.
“Well, that went as expected,” Victor said, further loosening his tie. “Were you generating that heat, or was he?”
Blake brought his index finger to his lips, encouraging Victor not to speak. Then, he tapped his ear, hoping the man in the black suit would pick up on the warning about Quinn’s super hearing. Victor nodded and sat back, adopting a relaxed posture.
Blake put his head in his hands, rubbed his temples, and took a deep breath. He exhaled slowly. I’m where I want to be, but Quinn still has to figure out what he stands for. Everything has changed, just like Victor said. I’m just glad I have someone to help guide me along…but I wish I could do this with Quinn.
2-8 | Sometimes, Things Work Out
Quinn
“QUINN, COME DOWNSTAIRS QUICK, YOU have to see this!” Daddio called out from the foot of the stairs.
“Be right there,” Quinn answered, toweling off from his morning shower. When his body was dry enough, he put on a pair of boxer shorts and went downstairs to join his dads in the kitchen, toweling his wet hair as he walked. He paused when he heard the morning show hosts on the television talk about the flying blue man—unofficially dubbed Blue Spekter—who flew to catch a falling workman and save his life.
As the hosts speculated and theorized, the camera cut to a YouTube clip Quinn had already seen of him in action. A moment later, it cut to a photo of the graffiti art on the side of the building near the Memorial Bridge.
“Can you believe it?” Daddio asked, setting toast and eggs down at Quinn’s place on the kitchen island. “There’s a man in our city who can fly!”
“It might have been a suit,” Dad said, applying practicality to the wildly unknown situation. “That would account for the blue glow—some kind of engine or repulsor technology like Iron Man has.”
Quinn chuckled and shoved a piece of toast into his mouth. “Uh-huh.”
“Don’t you think it’s cool?” Daddio asked. “I thought you of all people would be excited over the person they’re calling the world’s first superhero.”
“Oh, I’m excited,” Quinn mumbled through a mouthful of toast. “It’s all we’re talking about at school, so you know, you’re a little behind the times.”
Daddio rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Thanks for making us feel slow and old. We’re just finding out about this so, cut us some slack, speedy!”
A smirk appeared on Quinn’s face. If you only knew...
“Let’s just hope there are no super villains out there. It’s great this guy or gal seems to want to do the right thing, but someone with that kind of power could be equally dangerous,” Dad commented.
“Way to ruin the moment, hun,” Daddio retorted.
Quinn laughed. “Be right back, gonna get dressed.”
I need to talk with Blake at school. This thing is blowing up way more than I thought it would.
❖
“So, you’re not mad at me?” Blake asked softly, dropping his book bag on a chair. He pulled another chair out and sat down across from Quinn at his usual table in the library.
Quinn looked up from his social studies book and smiled at his best friend. “I’m disappointed, but no, I’m not mad at you.”
Blake took a deep breath and smiled. “Okay, cool.”
“I don’t trust him, Blake, not one minute. I feel like I’m caught up in this insane new world that’s starting to pull me under. I also feel like I’m losing my best friend to this complete stranger who keeps popping up in our lives way more than I realized.”
“So, you are mad at me.” Blake said softly.
“No, Blake, I’m concerned. None of this is normal and neither one of us fully understands what’s going to happen in the near future—whether this is going to explode in our faces or simmer down and go away.”
“Which do you want?” Blake asked.
“I think I want it to go away. I don’t want anyone else to know about our powers. Promise me you won’t tell anyone else without speaking with me first.”
His best friend nodded. “Okay, I promise, but why are you so scared of things going bad?”
“Blake, I’m already on YouTube. I’m a local news story. This morning, I made the national morning shows, which means the YouTube clips have probably gone global now. I don’t know how to deal with this. And you…you need to be careful…the news hasn’t caught on to you yet, but it doesn’t mean the police haven’t. If they think there’s more than one super-powered person running around, then their general rejection of Blue Spekter makes a whole lot more sense.”
“You think I can’t be a hero?” Blake asked, frowning.
“That’s not what I said!” Quinn exclaimed, louder than he intended. He lowered his voice and shook his head. “We need to be careful, that’s all. You know how this goes…in the comics, there’s always someone wanting to slice a
nd dice the super freaks…if Victor and his people won’t do it, then the government or some other organization will be more than happy to see what makes us tick. You know they’ll claim it’s for science, but they’ll only want to weaponize and control it. Jason Bourne, case-in-point.”
Blake nodded. “Fine. I’ll be more careful, but I won’t promise not to do what I want, and I will be working with Victor. I wish you’d reconsider.”
“I’ll think about it,” Quinn said. Then, he turned his attention back to his social studies homework. Something tells me this is far from over…
❖
Quinn smiled when he saw Keegan sitting on a bench near the sperm whale statue in Prescott Park, his longboard leaned against the bench he sat on. Like Quinn, Keegan also wore his maroon Clippers sweatshirt.
A moment later, Keegan looked up and met his gaze. Quinn felt woozy and excited at the same time and the world’s biggest grin danced on his face.
“Hey, Quinn,” Keegan called out.
“Hi,” he answered. He approached and stopped, their mutual gaze silly and fun. “Um, here, I got us hot chocolates again.” He extended his left hand toward Keegan, who took the beverage from him.
Do we hug? Shake hands? Kiss?
“Have a seat, handsome,” Keegan said, tapping the empty bench next to him. “Unless you’d rather walk around?”
Quinn felt anxious energy coursing through his body. “I’d love to walk around. It’s nice out today, maybe there’s something pretty over in the flower gardens.” And maybe that will distract me from accidentally blowing something up while I’m totally enamored by your presence.
“Sure thing,” Keegan answered, his eyes sparkling. He set his hot chocolate down, stood, pulled his back pack on, and expertly placed his longboard between his back and the backpack so the front wheels hung from the top of his backpack. Then, he picked up his hot chocolate and smiled again at Quinn. “Shall we?”
“Wow, you’ve got that trick down solid.”
“Yeah, you can’t always ride around and sometimes I need my hands free, like right now.” Keegan reached over with his free hand and grabbed Quinn’s empty hand, sending a spark up Quinn’s arm. Quinn’s eyes popped open at the surprise gesture and the warmth of Keegan’s fingers around his own. He swallowed, unable to speak. Instead, he smiled and looked ahead, his other hand trembling with excitement as they ambled to the other side of the park.
“I’m glad this finally worked out,” Keegan said.
“Me too,” Quinn answered.
“By the way, I had a good talk with the mother unit about teenage independence, but mainly my independence.”
“Oh?” Quinn said, intrigued.
“Yeah, she felt horrible when I told her I screwed up a first date and we’ve agreed on some new freedoms and a renewed zeal to keep the family refrigerator calendar updated so we’re all on the same page.”
“Cool. I’m glad that worked out,” Quinn answered. A moment later, his head buzzed with the familiar sensation of Blake’s proximity to his right. He looked over and spotted him instantly. His friend gave him a thumb’s up and then snapped a few pictures with his phone.
Quinn turned back to Keegan. “So, um, I came out to my dads this week.”
Keegan smiled and briefly squeezed his hand. “Is that why you didn’t flinch when I grabbed your hand?”
“Possibly.”
“What about school? What if Darien or someone from school is in the park right now and sees us?”
Quinn smiled and looked into Keegan’s blue eyes again. Squeezing Keegan’s hand for a moment, he responded. “I don’t care what they think about me anymore. Today, I decided it’s much better to live my truth.”
❖
Blake
Blake sauntered toward the Player’s Ring building, happy to have photographed his best friend’s first date for him. He had hoped to keep it a secret to surprise Quinn, but the damn proximity power they had between them seemed to have increased its range. After sending the best photos to Quinn’s phone, he pocketed his cell phone and headed back to his bike.
When he walked around the building, Darien, Kyle, and Tony jumped him. The latter two grabbed him and pushed him against the side of the building.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t sad and pathetic Blakey-poo pining away after his faggoty boyfriend.” Darien sneered at him, his arms folded across his chest as Kyle and Tony jeered and held Blake against the building. “Bet you wish he was holding your hand right now, don’t you, faggot?”
Shit, I don’t need him to ruin Quinn’s first date with Keegan…but I can’t do anything in broad daylight, or can I?
The sound of police sirens chirping caught their attention. “Hey!” an officer shouted from the passenger seat of a cruiser that rolled to a stop on Marcy Street next to them. “Let him go!”
The two guys holding Blake quickly let go and backed off, looking ashamed and surprised they had been so foolishly caught.
“Walk away, boys.”
Darien, head down, did as the officer instructed, shoving his hands into his pockets. Kyle and Tony followed him, avoiding eye contact with Blake or the police.
“You all right, son?” the officer asked Blake.
He nodded. “Yup. They only surprised me this time. They’re just the school bullies.”
“Yeah, we’re familiar with who they are.” Then, the officer motioned for Blake to approach the car, which he did. “I saw them jump you. What are you doing in the park today?”
Blake grinned. “Honestly? I just took pictures of my best friend. He’s on a first date in the park and I thought I’d surprise him with a couple pictures.”
The officer looked around. “Where is he?”
Blake turned and pointed to the water’s edge. “The two guys over there wearing Clippers sweatshirts.”
“Okay, fair enough. If Darien and his little punks harass or bother you again, call it in. What those guys did to you is called assault; it’s when someone acts in a threatening manner that makes you think they’ll hurt you. That’s unacceptable and illegal. Besides, three-on-one isn’t a fair fight for anybody.”
“Ok, I will.” He waved as the officers rolled away, slowly trailing Darien, Kyle, and Tony to make sure they didn’t backtrack.
I won’t need your help next time. I’ll be ready for those jerks and I’ll make them suffer.
❖
“Blake!” Ralph yelled from the bottom of the stairs. Blake sighed and tossed the Avengers comic he was reading onto his bed. He pushed himself up, walked to his bedroom door, and opened it enough to stick his head through the opening.
“Yeah, dad?”
“Could you come down here, please?”
Blake’s eyes popped open with surprise. Did my dad just politely ask me to do something? He must be sober. “Yeah, sure thing, dad.”
He pulled the door open and made his way downstairs to the living room, where his father had just sat down in his recliner. Blake swallowed his excitement away when he saw four empty beer cans on the floor next to his dad.
“Grab a beer, son, tonight we celebrate!”
“Ralph!” Stella said with amusement in her voice, “He’s only sixteen, he can’t have a beer yet.”
“Can’t say I didn’t try, boy!” Ralph exclaimed, shrugging and winking at Blake like they were best buds. He belched and then pointed to a letter on the coffee table. “Read that.”
Blake rolled his eyes and focused on the letter on the coffee table. It rested next to a trio of lit vanilla-scented candles his mother had set on a stone trivet. He walked to the coffee table, picked up the letter, and started reading it.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Ralph blurted out, taking another swig of beer.
A smile appeared on Blake’s face when he read the debt forgiveness letter from Rangeley Medical. Per Victor’s announcement a few days ago, an anonymous benefactor selected his case and generously paid the bill in full.
“That’s awes
ome,” Blake said, smiling.
“It’s about time something good happened to this family,” Ralph said, smiling from ear to ear.
Blake studied his father’s drunken face. His eyes drooped and appeared slightly glassed over. “That’s great, Dad, I’m so relieved.”
“I bet you are. Now you can go back to being lazy and playing games with your little friends. You don’t need to earn your keep thanks to Mister Anonymous Moneypockets.”
Blake pushed down his rising anger. “I still have to work, dad. I have to buy everything for myself.” But it will give me more time to learn from Victor…
“Don’t ruin the evening, Blake, it’s a good night for once. We’re celebrating.” Ralph glared at Blake and then took another swig of beer and rested his hand behind his head, focusing on the television program he and Stella were watching.
Inside, Blake fumed. You’re such a jerk!
The candles flamed up nearly two feet for a brief moment, startling his mother, who shrieked. Ralph looked over and grunted.
“I need to go finish my homework.” Blake said, hoping the excuse would allow him to leave without further insult.
“Yeah okay, whatever,” Ralph said absentmindedly.
“Study hard, Blakey,” his mother said. Then, in a softer voice, she added, “Or you’ll never get out of here, know what I mean?” She jerked her thumb toward her husband. “Go make something of yourself.”
Blake winked at her and nodded. If you only knew…
He ran upstairs and grabbed a candle from the bathroom. Back in his room, he shut the door and rummaged through the junk drawer of his desk. A moment later, he found a lighter. He lit the candle and set it on the desk in front of him. Then, he backed up and sat on his bed, directly across from the candle.
Okay, think about what you felt. Dad was being a jerk and he pissed you off.
For a split second, the flame flickered and popped.
Feel the flame, feel the fire in your veins…
He reached out with his hand and the flame bent away, burning perpendicular to the wick. He pulled his hand back and the flame resumed an upright burn.
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