"Much lately? I haven't seen or heard from you since I dropped you off."
"Yeah, sorry about that. I've been really ... busy," I say, trailing off as I realize it might not be the best idea to have this conversation on a phone in case the call is being tapped by any of the seemingly endless number of enemies I seem to be accruing lately.
"Don't worry. This is a secure line. It'd take all the computers in the world working together for about ten thousand years to break the encryption, and as much as I might miss having you around to bother me lately, I actually don't have that much time to talk right now anyway."
"Thanks," I say as I glance over my shoulder to check that someone isn't listening in on our call the old-fashioned way by just sneaking up behind me. The fountain sits in the middle of campus and offers sight lines for hundreds of yards in every direction. If someone tried sneaking up on me, I'd see them coming from a mile away.
"So, tell me all about your first day at school," Derrick asks in a mocking tone, like he's asking me how my first day of kindergarten was.
"Good. Well, I mean, not all good, but not bad."
"Yeah, Michelle's been keeping me updated."
"How does Michelle know what's been going on with me? She's barely even been here all week."
"You think that no one on the faculty there talks to each other? She's your recruiter. She gets confidential daily updates about your progress, and then she shares those confidential updates with me of course."
"That's adorable. I'm glad you've found such beautiful domestic bliss together. You're not at all concerned about how she lied to you about everything, even her name, for most of the time you've known her?"
"Eh, I get why she did it. She had to. Nothing is black or white nowadays. Not anymore."
"Speaking of which, how is everything going back at home?"
"How much do you know already?"
"Not much, really. They've done a pretty good job of keeping us literally underground all day. By the time I'm done with regular classes, and then metahuman training, I barely have enough energy to do my homework and eat."
"Things here are quiet."
"That's good then, right?"
"No, it's not good. The Alphas have taken up residence in the old Keane Tower. They've run almost every metahuman out of the city. The handful that have been foolish enough to try to fight them haven't done very well."
"Why is it foolish? I think it's brave to try to stand up for your city against them. I'm still ashamed of myself for not staying to fight."
"Don't say things like that, Connor. It's not that cut and dry. You can't just dive head first into conflicts without a plan and expect to make it out alive every time. Sooner or later the odds will catch up with you. Look at Midnight," Derrick says, immediately aware after the words have left his mouth that he probably shouldn't have said them.
"Midnight is alive, Derrick. I told you what Sarah told me. He saved her life. And he doesn't dive in head first without a plan. He always has a plan."
"He used his suit to save her, but that doesn't mean he was able to save himself. I'm sorry, Connor. I know he was your friend, but you're going to have to face the reality eventually. If Midnight is still alive, then where is he? No one has seen him since Silver Island. Trust me. I've got my ear to the ground, and if there were even so much as a rumor of someone seeing him recently, I would’ve heard about it."
I don't respond to Derrick since I'm not really sure what to say. It's useless to argue about this since neither of us has definitive proof that Midnight either is or isn't alive. I'd rather change the subject than think about the possible reality that Derrick is proposing.
"What about the people of the city, the non-metahumans? How are they reacting to having the entire city quarantined?" I ask.
"The city doesn't see it like that. A lot of people left, you know that, but the people that stayed are adapting. They're just regular, normal folks who want to be able to go to work without worrying about their train getting picked up and used as a weapon by a random person with God-like powers. I get it. You were too young to really understand what it was like during the first wave. People were scared. They didn't understand what was happening or why. Even before The Battle, there were lots of regular citizens that lived their lives in fear of being the random victim of a meta-related action."
"But what about all the good that metas have done? There were countless times they acted and saved people from disasters and accidents that had absolutely nothing to do with the metas that were around. Car accidents, plane crashes, natural disasters. There were always metas there willing to lend a hand and help in ways no one else could. People knew that not all metas were bad," I say.
"True, some people knew that deep down, but that wasn't what they saw on the news. Cameras didn't show up every time someone in a leotard saved a cat from a tree. It doesn't matter what the odds were or how many good metas were out there compared to bad ones. At the end of the day, people fear randomness more than anything else. You can take precautions against a natural disaster. You can't take precautions against a meta throwing another one through your office window."
Derrick is right. I know that. I understand why people are scared, and I know Derrick doesn't agree with it. He's just trying to explain it to me. Don't shoot the messenger, Connor.
"I just don't get why people would be willing to trust the Alphas. It seems insanely hypocritical."
"Better to trust the devil you know. And in this case, people would rather put their trust into four metahumans who have vowed to rid the city of all the rest. They're seeing the immediate results. The Alphas protect the city from outside metahumans. That's the only time they've used their powers."
"And what happens one day when all the other metas decide to give up on Bay View City once and for all? The Alphas will keep their place on top of that tower and everyone will just trust them to keep their word? What happens when they get bored and decide they want more than just Bay View City?"
"You're preaching to the choir, Connor. I'm not saying it's right. I'm just trying to help you understand what the atmosphere is like here. It's quiet, too quiet. Crime is almost non-existent. The skies are empty, meta-free. It's only a matter of time before the other shoe drops."
"Are you okay? I mean you, personally? Couldn't you be a target for them considering you report about metahumans?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I've been in this game for a long time, and there's no place I'd rather be than right here as far as reporting goes. The Alphas don't have a reason to do anything to me. We've been fair in our reporting of what they've done. If anything, we've brought people into the city to replace the ones who have left. People from all over the country who are tired of metas are coming here in droves. They think it's some kind of metahuman-free oasis."
"I'm glad to hear you're okay at least," I say.
There's no response for a few seconds, and I can see Derrick looking off screen at something else that has grabbed his attention.
"Sorry, I'm just- Are you seeing this?" he asks as he turns his phone's camera toward the television in our living room.
On the screen is what looks like a breaking news report. The camera is working to focus on the scene. Near the top of the screen is the word “LIVE.” At the bottom is a graphic that reads, "Metahuman Captured By Blanks Within Bay View City Limits."
There's a mob of people and confusion in what looks like somewhere near downtown. The streets are lined with nice stores and fancy restaurants. On the streets are at least two-dozen Blanks in the middle of a larger, angrier group of maybe a hundred or more.
The Blanks are struggling, almost causing a pileup of people, as they strain to hang on to another, unseen person buried somewhere in the middle of the crowd. The unmasked people along the outer edge of the crowd are all screaming and hurling garbage or whatever they can find at the middle of the huddle.
Suddenly the camera tilts up, seemingly at an empty sky, before it finds the subject it’s s
earching for. There, hanging silently in the sky, slowly descending toward the scene of chaos, is Charlie.
He looks different than when I last saw him. Behind him is a flowing black cape that hangs all the way down his body and past his feet. His identity is no longer obscured either. His face is older than I would have expected considering how quick he was even before finding his own pair of metabands. Across his cheek is a large scar, one that I would have to assume was inflicted prior to him becoming a meta. His hair is gray, as well as his eyes, both of which add intensity to his already steely glare.
Someone in the crowd yells to look up. One by one, this spreads throughout the assembled masses until they’re all looking up at Charlie and shuffling aside, clearing a space for him to land. It's only now that the camera can see what is in the center of the mass: a lone metahuman.
His uniform is yellow with purple accents running throughout his torso, culminating in an entirely purple cowl. His face is bloodied and the uniform is in tatters as he struggles to stand on his own now that the crowd has backed away from him. He's in bad shape and the faint blue pulse on his metabands indicates they're on extremely low power. By the look of the shape he's in, any reserve power is likely being used for life support systems at this point.
Charlie lands gently and takes his time surveying the crowd before turning his attention to the beaten metahuman.
"Who found this man?" Charlie asks the crowd.
A lone Blank steps forward.
"I did, sir. He was captured during a reconnaissance operation," the Blank says.
"Reconnaissance operation? You faked a mugging and waited for one of us to respond. It wasn't reconnaissance; it was entrapment," the bloodied meta yells.
"You'll have your turn to speak," Charlie says to the yellow metahuman without averting his glance from the Blank.
His tone is calm and slow. He's not afraid of this metahuman or any others. His patience sends a chill down my spine.
"His name's Utilitarian. We've been tracking him since yesterday, waiting for him to show off those shiny new metabands he's got. When he did, we pounced. I'd guess he's only a level two or three. It didn't take much to overwhelm him," the Blank says.
Charlie doesn't respond. Instead, he turns his attention to Utilitarian, sizing him up and down as though he's trying to figure out exactly what to do with him.
"Were you not aware that Bay View City is a metahuman-free district?" he finally asks.
"I knew, but I couldn't just turn my head when I saw a man being attacked. I wasn't going to use my metabands again, but I had to do something. I couldn't just walk away and do nothing," Utilitarian says.
"And if you knew metahumans were no longer permitted in this city, why, may I ask, are you still here?" Charlie says.
"Because this is my home. I was born here, and I intend to die here. Who decided you were in charge and got to choose who is allowed to have metabands and who isn't?"
"The people decided. They decided they'd had enough of false gods destroying their homes and killing their loved ones. It gives me no pleasure to use these ... instruments," Charlie says, looking down at the gleaming metabands wrapped around each of his wrists. "If it were possible to destroy them tomorrow and still keep the scourge that is metahumans out of this city, I would do so in a heartbeat. However, until that day comes, I will reluctantly use the same instrument as those who wish to harm Bay View City to keep them away."
There's a long silence among the crowd as everyone waits. No one knows what will happen next in this stalemate. One side will inevitably have to back down, and it's pretty clear who that's going to be.
Utilitarian holds his rib cage, wincing in pain, staring at Charlie through a swollen black eye. His expression changes as he seems to admit to himself that he's been defeated. Like a rubber band snapping, his uniform recedes back into his metabands. He then removes them, letting each drop to the ground. They both land with a thud you would associate with a much heavier object. Neither bounces or rolls, but stay exactly where they first hit the ground.
Utilitarian stands in front of Charlie, now as a regular man. His injuries are even more pronounced now that the metabands are off and he stumbles onto the ground. The person underneath the uniform looks like he's about Derrick's age, with dark red hair that's been shaved down into a buzz cut. Even without his powers, he's still physically intimidating.
Charlie takes a couple of steps forward toward the man who is now on his knees and places his hand on the man's shoulder.
"Thank you, I appreciate the gesture. However, the rules have been set in place. All metas were told to forfeit their abilities or leave Bay View City. You chose to do neither. To me, that implies that you think yourself above all the others, that rules are simply for other people and do not apply to you. Unfortunately, that is the type of attitude that has put this planet into the predicament it faces currently. It gives me no pleasure, but a society where individuals do not face repercussions for their actions is a society continually on the brink of anarchy."
"I understand. I'll do my time at Silver Island."
"Silver Island? No, I'm afraid that isn't an option any longer, but at least you'll get your wish about dying in Bay View City after all."
The man looks up in confusion as he puts together the meaning behind Charlie's words. Before he has time to form a response, there is a red glow from Charlie's eyes that transforms into a pair of parallel beams of light.
An instant later, it's over, and the man's lifeless body slumps onto the street.
Charlie takes a moment of silent observation directed toward the man he's just murdered. The crowd does not speak. Whether that's out of respect or fear isn't clear.
"I'm sorry you had to witness that. I'm sorry, but not regretful. If witnessing the punishment of one man who thought he was above the law means another watching tonight decides to lay down their arms, then it was worth it. This one death might mean the prevention of countless others in the future, and no price can be put on that."
Charlie turns his back on the corpse lying in the street and faces the Blank standing apart from the crowd who claimed to have brought Utilitarian here in the first place.
"Step forward," he commands the Blank.
The Blank freezes, uncertain that he should follow Charlie's wish. The Blanks rely on their anonymity. It's what gives them power in a world full of super men and women. After a reassuring nod from Charlie, the Blank slowly walks forward. Charlie reaches out toward him, offering his hand.
Part of me knew it before I even saw it, but I didn't want to give it weight by admitting to myself that it might be true. The clothes, the way he carries himself, the way he spoke. I knew who it was from the second he stepped forward and put out his hand. I knew even before I recognized the watch around his wrist—the watch his father gave him for his birthday.
How could you have done this, Jim?
18
For what seems like an eternity, Derrick and I just stare at each other through the tiny front-facing cameras on our phones, neither of us sure what to say about what we've both just seen.
"I need to come back home," I announce to Derrick, breaking the silence.
"No," he replies immediately.
"My best friend basically just brought a man to his own execution. I need to know if he knew that was what was waiting for him."
"What does it matter?"
"It matters because I need to know if my best friend is still inside that person or if he's just completely lost. This is my fault. I relied on him for everything. He wasn't just my best friend. He was my only friend from the day I met him until I found these bands. And once I found them, I abandoned him. He needed me, but I wasn't there for him. He would have never done any of these things if I'd been there for him instead of trying to help everyone else."
"That's not going to bring Utilitarian back. And Jim didn't kill him. Charlie did. Even if Jim knew that was a possibility, he's not the person who pulled the trigger."
"Does it even matter?"
"Yes, it does. Jim can still be saved, but not by you. Not right now."
"Then when? After it's already too late? Or after he gets himself killed when Charlie decides Jim's broken some rule too?"
"Connor, all I know is that if you come back to Bay View City now, it's a death sentence."
"I'm stronger than Utilitarian."
"I know you are, but that doesn't matter. All it means is you'll put up a little bit longer of a fight before they ultimately kill you."
He's right. I know he's right. I can feel it in my gut, but that doesn't change the other feelings I have. It doesn't change that I want to be there, trying to help, trying to make Jim see that what he's doing is wrong. And it won't change what's already happened.
"Look, Connor, my inbox is exploding. I'm going to have to go and deal with all of this. Are you okay for tonight, though?"
I consider giving him the silent treatment, but that would just be immature at this point. Derrick doesn't have all the answers, and neither do I. He's got enough to worry about without me needlessly worrying him about me doing something stupid tonight.
"You're not going to do anything stupid tonight, are you?" he asks, reading my mind.
"No, I'm not."
"Promise?"
"Yeah."
"Good. I know that all of this looks bad right now, but this isn't the end. You just keep your head down and do what you're there for, and I know eventually your time to make things right will come."
"Okay."
"I'll talk to you tomorrow. Try to get some rest."
The screen goes blank as Derrick disconnects before returning to the home screen. Getting some rest would be nice right about now, but even if I was able to put everything that's happening in Bay View City out of my mind, it's unlikely that I have a place to sleep tonight yet. My guess is that it'll take a while to issue tickets to everyone from Tyler's little soirée. Plus, it might not be a great idea to return to the scene of the crime since I'm sure Tyler suspects me of ratting him out.
Meta (Book 3): Rise of The Circle Page 15