by Drew Hayes
“Why is that?”
“Let us simply say that things have gotten very unboring on the Lander campus these days,” Mr. Numbers replied.
“That a fact? All right then, boys; for you I’ll come spend a year.” Carl stood from his sand-coated chair and dusted himself off lightly. “That said, since school likely doesn’t start for a few weeks, how about you two come inside? We can have a couple of drinks, and you can tell me just what is so interesting out in California.”
“I’m not sure we’re permitted time to relax and drink,” Mr. Numbers said.
“Nonsense. I haven’t signed any paperwork yet, and I refuse to do a favor for mere co-workers. I will only do one for friends. So, if anyone asks, you can honestly tell them this was a necessary step in my recruitment,” Carl said.
“Touché,” Mr. Numbers said.
“Now then, Transport, let us get you behind the bar. I’ve never had a Mai Tai that can compare with yours.”
“It would be my pleasure, sir,” Mr. Transport replied.
1.
Vince’s back popped as he stretched after the car ride. It wasn’t a terribly long trip, but it was long enough to make the former nomad feel cooped up and trapped. Thankfully, he’d held it together and now he gazed at his reward: Lander campus, lush in the late summer as students scurried about its grounds. He didn’t recognize any of them, which was to be expected given Lander’s size, but he did recognize the looks in some of their eyes. Confused, excited, filled with wonder, and trying to piece together where the building they needed was, these were clearly freshmen. Vince would have offered them some assistance; however, he had other duties to first attend to.
Vince pulled his own backpack from the trunk of Ms. Daniels’ station wagon, then helped Hershel with his luggage. Hershel paused their unloading process when his mother approached.
“Be sure to take care of yourself,” Ms. Daniels said as she held her boy tight and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Don’t worry, Mom, I’ll be careful,” Hershel assured her. Vince was next to receive one of Ms. Daniels’ powerful embraces, though mercifully he was spared the cheek kiss that accompanied Hershel’s.
“Thank you for everything, ma’am,” Vince said politely. “I really appreciate you letting me stay in your home this summer.”
“Such a proper young man. You watch out for yourself, too. I expect you both back safe and sound when the year ends.”
“I’ll do my best,” Vince said. Ms. Daniels accepted this for the honesty it was and stepped back into her car. With a quick crunch of tires and small cloud of dust, Vince and Hershel found themselves once more alone in the world of Lander.
Vince tossed his backpack on his shoulders and scooped up a few of Hershel’s bags. “It’s good to be back,” he commented as they began the brief walk to Melbrook.
“No joke," Hershel agreed. “You think we’re the first ones?”
“Since Alice actually lives in California and Mary was staying with her, I’m sure they beat us back,” Vince said, answering the question Hershel had clearly wanted to ask. Hershel turned a bit red in the ears with embarrassment, though why he felt the need he wasn’t sure. He and Mary were boyfriend and girlfriend. She’d even visited twice over the summer’s span. So while there was no rational reason for him to turn red at the accusation of missing her, the tips of his ears burned all the same.
They came upon Melbrook shortly, its familiar brick facade a strangely comforting sight. It had been freshly pressure-washed and all but shone in the afternoon sun, welcoming back those who called it home with warmth and comfort. The boys buzzed in through the front door, then walked through the hallway door and entered the common room to find they were the last arrivals.
Alice hopped off the couch and dashed over, giving Vince then Hershel powerful hugs that only a girl with her height and arm span could manage. Mary was subtler, giving Vince a quick half hug, then sidling up to Hershel and taking his hand in hers as she stood close. Mary was never one for gratuitous affection, but the understated action spoke volumes of how she’d missed her man.
The final body to shamble up from its sprawled position on the couch was a sandy-haired youth with a new pair of sunglasses, somewhat more fashionable than last year’s, seated on the bridge of his nose.
“I knew you’d come back,” Vince said, shaking his friend’s hand.
“Believe it or not, after living with you nut jobs, Vegas felt... boring.” Nick spat out that last word, wiping his tongue across his teeth to scrape away the bad taste that accompanied it.
“Whatever you say,” Vince agreed. Nick moved on to give a quick shake of the palms to Hershel as well, and just like that, all five of the Melbrook students were reassembled.
“So when did you guys get in?” Vince asked.
“Mary and I made it this morning, Nick only beat you two by about an hour,” Alice informed him.
“Cool, so have you gotten to talk to anyone?” Vince asked. “I spoke to Will and Thomas briefly over the summer. They weren’t exactly happy with us, but I think we’re okay with them.”
“Alex harbored no ill will at all,” Hershel added.
Alice shook her golden locks to the negative. “We weren’t as close with the others as you guys were, and we haven’t really been able to run them down and talk things out today.”
“Why not?” Hershel asked.
A well-built man in spectacles stepped into view from their kitchen.
“I’m afraid I’m to blame for that,” Dean Blaine said, striding across the room and taking a seat in one of the area’s many chairs.
“You didn’t let them leave?” Hershel asked.
“I prefer to say I strongly advised against it until the rest of you had arrived. You see, we have much to talk about, and I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t give you a comprehensive idea of what to expect in this new school year,” Dean Blaine explained.
“So what should we be expecting?” Vince asked.
“To put it bluntly: adversity,” Dean Blaine replied.
2.
“Things have calmed down a bit since your departure,” Dean Blaine elaborated. “Unfortunately, that has also given people time to truly grasp the implications of your existence. To say I received some complaints regarding your enrollment would be a significant understatement.”
“They don’t want us here?” Of them all, only Vince could be genuinely surprised by such a statement.
“At the very least, a vocal minority of them do not,” Dean Blaine said. “I, however, do. Regardless of what you started life as, you are currently Supers. You have also shown the kind of determination and talent needed to enroll in the sophomore year of the HCP. Any information beyond that is extraneous and irrelevant so far as your admittance goes. With that said, I feel you should all be braced for a far less welcoming atmosphere than you found last year at Lander.”
“We know some of our friends are sticking by us,” Hershel said.
Dean Blaine nodded. “And I’m sure more will in time. Right now you aren’t the people they knew, but rather a representation of one of the greatest unspoken fears in Super society. Eventually, some of them will begin seeing you for the individuals you are once more.”
“But not everyone,” Alice said somberly.
“No, Ms. Adair. Not everyone. In the meantime, I suggest you stay close, work together, and trust in the allies you still have. That mindset will be very important this year, but you’ll get the details on that tomorrow. Now, on to logistics. I’m sure you’re all wondering about Mr. Numbers and Mr. Transport. I’m... well, not pleased, but not angered, to report that they will be returning to Melbrook as your guardians.”
There was a general expression of pleasure and relief for the five to learn that not only had the duo survived, they were also being reinstated in their post.
“The other professors and I will be keeping an eye on you as well, for extra security. I’m afraid I have to report that despite seve
ral interrogation sessions, George has yet to divulge any information about who he was delivering Mary to, or why. That means for the moment we have no idea if you all are still in danger, so we’ve chosen to assume you are,” Dean Blaine continued.
Nick raised an eyebrow. “So you’re going to be spying on us? Creepy.”
“Now, now, Mr. Campbell. There’s no such thing as privacy in the HCP facility anyway. We’ll just be more actively watching over you five.”
“We appreciate it,” Mary said politely.
“No trouble at all. I think that outlines most of what you needed to know immediately. People are angry, you’re still assumed to be in danger, same people living here as last year. Yes, I’d say that covers the high notes.” Dean Blaine rose from the chair and adjusted his glasses. “Oh yes, one more thing. Last year you were not able to use the lifts to enter the HCP facility and instead had to rely on Mr. Transport. I’m not sure what reason he gave you for this, but the truth is that it was because I wasn’t sure any of you should have that access. I didn’t quite know what to expect of you and I certainly didn’t trust you.”
“Yeesh, thanks, jerk,” Nick quipped.
“The point I was driving at was that this year you will find them quite functional for all of you. You are free to come and go at your own leisure. Welcome to the Hero Certification Program,” Dean Blaine concluded. He exited through the front door, letting the cold steel lock shut with an audible thud behind him.
“Well, that was a real upper,” Nick said in the ensuing silence.
“Forewarned is forearmed,” Vince replied, picking up his own bag once more and heading toward the boys’ side. “I need to unpack then maybe we can all grab dinner.”
“Oh yeah, me, too,” Hershel said, hurriedly gathering his own parcels. “Where should we go? I bet the dining halls are open.”
“Of course they’re open, tomorrow is the first day of class,” Nick pointed out. “We got here a day earlier last year for freshman orientation and they were already serving up what we’ll choose to refer to as food.”
“Then let’s do that,” Hershel said as the door sealed behind him.
Nick turned to the girls. “Should I point out to him that we’re currently pariahs to a small but very powerful portion of the population, and we have to keep our abilities here, along with our HCP enrollment, a secret? You know, the sort of situation that warrants avoiding densely-packed areas of students where we’re likely to encounter an antagonizing entity that could blow our cover to purposely get us booted?”
“They’d get themselves thrown out too,” Alice pointed out.
“Not if they were smart about it. Besides, even if they did, I’ll bet you money one of the other colleges would take them in. They’d be hailed as legends for keeping the name of Hero pure by knocking out people like us,” Nick said.
“Maybe so,” Mary agreed. “But I for one refuse to spend the rest of my time here shaking in fear of what some jerk may or may not do. I’m going to live my life, and if anyone decides to interfere with that... well, I suppose at the very least we can make them work for it.”
“Easy for you to say,” Alice noted. “You can actually follow through on that threat. Nick and I are somewhat less able to take a toll on any would-be attackers.”
“Speak for yourself. I plan to curse anyone who tries to drum me out with terrible luck at sex for the rest of their lives,” Nick said.
Both girls turned to look at their sandy-haired companion.
“Can you actually do that?” Alice asked.
Nick shrugged. “Sex comes from confidence, and if someone thinks they’re cursed, they’ll sabotage themselves. So sort of, I guess.”
“Seems a bit roundabout for you,” Mary said.
“I’ll think of something. I guess I’d better since it seems you folks are set on going about business as usual,” Nick said.
“That we are,” Mary agreed. “So let’s go help the boys and then get ourselves some sloppy joes.”
Alice groaned audibly as they headed out of the common room, her stomach already protesting its impending culinary assault.
3.
“Feels strange to be wearing grey,” Nick commented as the Melbrook students filtered into the large lecture hall alongside the rest of the non-freshman HCP students. The black-uniformed newbies had gone through their meeting the day before; this morning had consisted of their battles for initial ranking. Evidently watching those fights was quite the spectator sport for the sophomore and older students, but the quintet had decided that it was best to avoid such condensed crowds until they had a better grasp of where public opinion was leaning.
It hadn’t taken long to answer that question. Just in their journey from the surface to the locker rooms for changing into uniforms and now into the hall, they’d lost track of the number of dirty looks and furtive whispers buzzing about. There had been the occasional outright glare, as well as the all-too-rare supportive smile. It seemed the overall consensus was that no one knew quite what to make of them. For the moment they were being regarded with the same apprehension one showed the bearded woman at a carnival: curiosity, disgust, and superiority, but not outright malice. It was actually much better than it could have been.
All five sat near the top of the stadium-style seating arrangement, unsurprised to find the once occupied spots around them quickly emptying. They were near the end of the procession, so the abandoners had only moments to relocate before Dean Blaine stepped to the podium positioned in the center area and addressed his audience.
“I’ll keep this brief,” Dean Blaine began, adjusting his glasses without noticing. This was not a speech he looked forward to giving, but it had to be done. “Normally you are all only called together like this for emergency announcements. I want to put your mind at ease and assure you we are not under any imminent threats. This meeting is to discuss the replacement of two of our staff.”
A quick buzz whipped through the crowd; the majority of them had only heard garbled rumors about George and Persephone, even if most claimed that they were privy to knowing the “real deal.”
“I’m certain that all of you are at least partially aware of the situation, and I want to apologize that it is only now I can tell you something concrete. Due to the delicate nature of this scenario, a full investigation was warranted before any statements of certainty were issued. That investigation has been concluded, and it is now my duty to inform you that both George and Persephone attempted to kidnap one of the freshman female students last year.”
The buzz spiked in both tempo and volume. Many glances were tossed around, though it was only the sophomores who threw most of them at the five students sitting near the top.
“I won’t be going into the details, predominantly because so many of them are still yet to be fully verified, but you all deserve to know that piece of truth. They committed a crime, betrayed the trust placed in them as educators, and have been replaced. You will meet your new teachers in their respective classes; they’ve requested I allow them to make their own introductions rather than trot them out in front of you all. I realize that this is difficult news, as many of you have grown to trust and respect your teachers over the years. To that regard we are offering counselors on site for the next few months. Should any of you feel the need to talk, their services will be freely available upon request.”
The buzz had dulled to a simmer, the initial shock of finding out such outlandish rumors were true giving way to the reality of what was being said. Two of their coaches had gone rogue and had tried to steal a student away in the night. After the first wave of disbelief passed through them, many of the students were hit with the terror deep in the pits of their stomachs as a uniform thought echoed across the landscape of their minds: “It could have been me.”
“I want to assure you that we’ll share more information about this incident with you as we obtain it. For right now, that is all. The sophomores need to report to the gym for this year’s orientati
on. Juniors will have theirs in three hours, and of course seniors already know what to do with their day. If you have any questions about this, please take note of my office hours and know that my door is always open to each of you,” Dean Blaine concluded. “You are now dismissed.”
“That wasn’t so bad,” Vince said. “I wonder why they didn’t have the freshmen in here too.”
“Kind of a ‘duh’ on that one. The dean just had to admit two of his own staff went off the reservation big time. The last thing the new kids need to hear at their welcoming is that the staff they’re supposed to be trusting with their lives have a recent history of kidnapping and treachery,” Nick told him.
“They don’t, not the ones that are left. The only two who were guilty are gone,” Alice said.
“You’ll forgive me, but until I know for sure what the motivation behind that fiasco was, I’m going to just go ahead and assume everyone here has a motive for wanting us kidnapped or dead,” Nick replied.
“That seems like a cynical overreaction,” Hershel said.
“Not really,” Nick shrugged. “I pretty much assume that about everyone anyway.”
“Well, Nick’s advocacy of paranoia aside, he has a point,” Mary said. “First year is already scary, the last thing they need is someone tossing on yet another thing to be afraid of.”
“Yeah, between the masses of people being drummed out, the mystery of what the classes are like, and the challenges for rank, there is already plenty to keep a freshman on their toes,” Vince agreed.
Nick snickered. “You don’t see the humor here, do you? We’re in the exact same boat. We don’t have any idea of what this year’s syllabus of examinations will be like. We’re no better off than the freshmen.”
“No, there is one big difference,” Hershel corrected. “We know we can make it through a year. We know we’ve got what it takes to survive the cuts.”
“Pretty trivial difference,” Nick said.