by Drew Hayes
There were other people in regular clothes dotted amongst the Heroes. Some were liaisons for the Hero community, some served purposes best left unspoken, some were lawyers kept on retainer in case they were needed, and others were people who had walked away from the spandex and action some years earlier. Among them were Mr. Transport and Mr. Numbers, talking to a petite woman and a large man, both wearing suits that matched their own. Another un-costumed individual, Dean Blaine, walked through the room and sat in an uncomfortable folding chair next to Sean. Both of them were now facing the stage, a moderately sized, elevated platform with a white screen hung behind the podium.
“Feeling awkward?” Blaine asked.
“How could you tell?”
“Let’s call it Hero’s intuition.”
The others were filtering into their seats as well, an unstated yet understood signal telling them the presentation was about to start. Sean noticed a few of his fellow Lander professors among them, though he was less familiar with the clusters of Heroes they were speaking to. That was understandable; one always had a deep connection with the fellow graduates of their class. It was impossible not to, they’d scrapped and battled and trained alongside one another until only they were left standing. That sort of experience bonded people in a way that was nearly unbreakable.
Even when one might fervently wish to break it.
“Thank you all for coming,” the keynote speaker said, stepping onto the stage and taking his place at the podium. Charles Adair had also come out of costume, choosing a fine gray suit instead of The Alchemist’s attire. Blake Hill was a few steps away, adorned in the deep black shades of his Black Hole costume. Though they were not the ones who had called and organized this gathering—at least, not officially—they had been recognized as the people most suitable to lead it, given their relationship to the subject matter. Sean might have been able to think of people who knew the subject better than Blake Hill, but Charles’s expertise was beyond reproach. Not that many people here knew why.
There was a gentle electronic hum and an audible clicking sound before the screen behind Charles filled with a familiar image. It had been all over the news in the past weeks, the subject of many round table discussions and piles of speculations. It was of a man perched atop a floating hunk of rock, a woman at his side, and a recently freed prisoner at his feet. He was the reason they were all here. He was the problem that warranted the collective attention of as many Heroes as possible.
“As you all know, my former teammate, Globe, revealed himself to be alive some weeks ago with the very public jailbreak of Relentless Steel. Since he was kind enough to make his identity public before his retirement, I can tell you this prisoner’s real name is George Russell, and he was an educator in the Hero Certification Program for many years.”
The room murmured. One Hero going rogue was bad, but a teacher was far more dangerous. A single Hero would only have in-depth knowledge about the identities and weaknesses of his graduating class, and possibly a few Supers who’d been in class years close to him. A professor would have that same data on every Hero he’d ever taught.
“Yes, the implications here are very serious. Yet, bad as they are, the reemergence of Globe is still a higher priority,” Charles continued. “Most of you know that he turned on us, his teammates, after murdering Intra, and that we were only barely able to defeat him, thanks largely to Black Hole. We thought we had triumphed; however, it now seems we were wrong. For any of you wondering how we could have made a blunder of that scale, let me say this: that thought alone tells me you’ve never had any dealing with the man called Globe. And that is largely why we have called this conclave. If you go up against him, it is imperative you know what you are dealing with.”
The clicking sound came again, and now they were staring at the same man, but decades younger. His face was lean, his mask crisp, and his eyes shining with pride. Sean recognized the photograph; it had been cropped from their graduation picture. He knew that Intra was next to Globe on one side, and Shimmerpath was on the other. Three people down, one could find Zero and Raze, then one more over and Wisp’s smiling face would beam back at them. It had been an unspeakably happy day.
“Globe was the top-ranked graduate in his class. No small feat any year, his was especially impressive, given the quality of Heroes that came out along with him. It has been referred to by some as The Class of Legends, and while the name is hokey, I urge you to take it seriously. The graduates of that year’s class were of exceptional power and skill, and Globe handily trumped them all.”
Sean wondered how Blaine felt about that. It had been closer than some people thought. Most believed Intra to be Globe’s main contender, but Zero hadn’t been too far behind either.
“As to how Globe managed to come out on top, that’s part of what we’ll be going over. His ingenuity, his resourcefulness, his determination, and the largest factor in his, or any Hero’s, success: his power. I know there has been much speculation on what, exactly, Globe can do, given the variety of abilities he demonstrated during his tenure as a Hero.”
There were rapid clicks as a series of images flashed before them: Globe, holding up a hand to stop a giant robot’s impending fist. Globe, walking unscathed through a river of lava that parted before him. Globe, holding a bus overhead with a single finger as he calmly knocked back a bolt of destructive energy.
“Many have theorized that Globe was a telekinetic the likes of which had never been seen. Others believed he had an ability that randomized, giving him different gifts on different days. As is policy, his true talents were kept secret, just as his identity was. Since he was believed dead so soon after becoming a criminal, this data was never declassified. However, given the extenuating circumstances, we have received permission to educate you all on the actual nature of Globe’s ability. I wish I could say this was meant to be helpful, but in truth, I’m just hoping it helps you stay alive.”
The slide clicked again, this time, showing what appeared to be a bastardization of DaVinci’s “Vitruvian Man”. A human silhouette was in the center, with a carefully measured radius encircling him.
“Globe’s ability was area manipulation. His body exuded a field that allowed him to control his surroundings. I don’t mean minor things, like moving objects or melting butter. Globe’s control was total, down to the molecules. He could sunder the very laws of physics. He negated energy, he changed chemical compositions, he could even render all other Supers in his field powerless. Or use their bodies to do what he wanted. When it was studied originally, one of the researchers dubbed Globe’s ability ‘The God Field.’ That term is more accurate than any other I’ve heard associated with his power. To all things in his sphere of influence, he was effectively God.”
If the news of George’s profession had drawn the frantic murmuring of nervousness, this revelation drew something far more terrifying: silence. Each Hero in the room was comparing their own ability to the one just described, trying to think of a way to overcome it. The lack of outburst meant all of them were coming up empty.
“The obvious limitation to Globe’s power was that it only applied within the field he emitted. At graduation, his sphere was estimated to be around sixteen feet in any direction from his body. Just before his supposed death, it was around twenty. The growth rate slowed as he aged, however, it did continue to inch forward over time. We have to assume this trend has continued in the years he has been hidden. It also bears noting that, since the field seems to emit from his skin outward, Globe’s physical body was not encompassed by it, meaning he had no more control over his body than an average human. Aside from that weakness, his power is limited only by his concentration. We believed we had bested him thanks to the pain Intra inflicted by cutting off his arm in their fight. And, on that note, there have been two recorded Supers Globe could neither control directly, nor suppress the powers of. One was Intra, whose own ability was believed to overpower Globe’s in regards to his body.”
Sean alr
eady knew who the other was, but still tried to look away from his seat neighbor anyway.
“The other was, of course, the Hero who was immune to all abilities. I’m sure everyone here is at least passingly familiar with Zero.”
* * *
The office was dark and cool, a place designed for ambiance over functionality. Ms. Pips had little need for an office, outside of the occasional private meeting. Her official job was in the casino, schmoozing high rollers and making sure everything ran the way she liked it. Her unofficial job . . . well, that was often conducted in the same casino, or far less savory places. Though, as she grew older, she found herself more inclined to let her subordinates handle the second category. If she were male, she could have delegated such errands to them entirely, but it seemed that, even in their unorthodox world, people were more willing to assume that the moment a woman stopped doing something, it was because she was no longer able. This was not that sort of meeting, though it could become one. Every meeting Ms. Pips conducted could always become one.
“Have a seat,” she said to the young man (more man and less young than she remembered) who stepped through the door.
“Of course,” Nicholas replied, walking across the plush rug and settling into a high-backed leather chair. He might be flippant when out and about, but he knew that this office was a symbol of her power. It was a place of tradition and, more importantly, respect.
Gerry shifted almost imperceptibly. He was under orders to be silent, but, as the boy’s primary caretaker, he had the right to be up to speed on his assignments. Personally, Ms. Pips felt they should have cut the cord a long time ago, but she saw too much use in their closeness to tear them apart. Nicholas had so few weaknesses; it paid to have one of the few things he cared about directly under her control. Aside from which, Gerry was her top employee, and in this business, it was inexcusable to not take care of those who showed loyalty and dedication. If all Gerry wanted was to watch over his charge, then Ms. Pips would need a good reason to refuse him.
Besides, it wouldn’t matter for much longer anyway.
“I thought you’d like to know we got your book list for the coming year in the mail today,” Ms. Pips said, after an appropriately intimidating amount of silence had passed. Nicholas wore an expression of interest without giving away any shred of what was going on in his head. That lesson, at least, he’d learned well. “Along with a letter expressing the school’s happiness that you’ve decided to continue your education with them. “
“I suppose Dean Blaine's objections were overruled then,” Nicholas assessed.
“Fearsome as Supers are, they always pale in comparison to lawsuits,” Ms. Pips replied. “So you’re back in Lander, even though you’ve remained close-mouthed on exactly why it is you are so insistent to return.”
“Be fair, the entire reason I had my memory fogged over was to hide valuable information. It stands to reason that Nick wouldn’t have included it in his end of semester reports,” Nicholas countered. Decoding the massive files he’d written during his breaks was relatively easy; it had been his mind that created the code in the first place, after all. Sorting out the context though, that had been more difficult. He still hadn’t pieced together what it was he’d thought he was on to, though he suspected Nick had purposely excluded key clues from the final report, as well as having bits of the previous reports destroyed. Nicholas trusted it was for good reason. After all, his own brain and its scheming were the only things in this world he really could trust.
“Yes, Nick certainly did seem to feel he had a lot to hide. But, as is clear to all of us, Nick isn’t here anymore. Your cover character was effectively wiped out by your mental alteration. So why bother trying to solve his mystery? Why should I let you return to your little game with yourself, when there’s real work to be done here?”
Nicholas leaned forward and allowed himself a light smile. They were to the heart of the matter now.
“I can give you three reasons. Firstly, we both know I need a degree for our long-term plans, and Lander is a perfectly respectable institution to have on a diploma. Secondly, Nick made connections and built rapport with some very strong people, people who have an excellent chance of becoming influential and powerful in the future. Having friends in high places, especially ones who owe us favors, is the backbone of our enterprise. By going back, I can expand and deepen those relationships.”
“I doubt the dean is planning to let you pal around with your old friends,” Ms. Pips pointed out.
“Don’t worry, if the files are even close to accurate, they’ll come to me. These people are stupidly loyal, though I suppose that term was a bit redundant, wasn’t it?”
Gerry didn’t twitch, didn’t shuffle in place, didn’t let his expression change. He did nothing to show the splinter of heartbreak that stabbed at him upon hearing Nicholas’s words. It wasn’t just the collection of sound from the young man’s mouth, it was the ruthlessness in his eyes. Gerry had seen those eyes soften over the past two years, but no sign of such sentimentality remained in the boy seated before him.
“I think you said you had three reasons,” Ms. Pips reminded him.
“Globe,” Nicholas said, spreading his hands. “The man is quite an enigma. So little is known about him, or what caused him to kill his team member. The one fact that is concretely agreed upon is that he is powerful. Tremendously so. He’s a man who can bend other Heroes to his will, and we know one thing he cares very deeply for. Add in the fact that Nick’s records indicate he thought he was on the trail to unraveling the mystery of Globe’s fall, and it all sums up the potential of gaining sway over one of the strongest Supers in generations.”
“Quite a longshot,” Ms. Pips chided him.
“Extraordinarily so. But, as I said, there are also good reasons to go. If one can throw a few chips on a longshot while also working a safe bet, and there is little extra cost, then doesn’t it make sense to give it a whirl?”
Ms. Pips drummed her fingers against the wooden top of her desk. For over ten minutes, the rhythmic motion of her digits was the only sound that filled the room. She stared at the boy across the table, gauging him carefully. When she finally spoke, it was with confidence that she’d seen every angle he was working and could twist each to her own designs.
“I’ll give you another year. We’ll see what you can do with it.”
“Thank you,” Nicholas said.
“However, I’m not certain that you aren’t doing all this just to satisfy your own curiosity, so I’m sending along some extra insurance.”
Had Nicholas been Nick, he would have been wearing his sunglasses, and Ms. Pips wouldn’t have noticed the subtle tic of his eyes as he avoided looking at Gerry. Yeah, right. He wished. She pulled a pair of pages from a folder on her desk and slid them across the well-waxed wooden surface. Nicholas intercepted them before they careened off the edge. A small frown formed at the corner of his mouth.
“Those two have been enrolled in Lander as well. They’ll be keeping tabs on you and making sure I stay in the loop. Memorize everything on that sheet. You’ll be expected to help sell their covers.”
“Eliza, I don’t mind, but did you need to send her guard dog too?”
“Yes, I did.” Ms. Pips pulled another sheet from her folder and sent it over. She didn’t wait for Nicholas to catch it before continuing. “We got a heads up on this last week. I decided to wait until we knew if you were allowed to go before telling you about it.”
If the frown at the first two sheets had been noticeable, this one may as well have had giant neon signs pointing to it.
“Nathaniel Evers has registered at Lander,” Nicholas said slowly.
“Indeed. I’m sure your location was protected while you were in the HCP, but now that you are a regular student, they were able to track you down. That’s the other reason you’re going to have company.”
Nicholas snorted. “I think I can handle Nathaniel.”
“Maybe so, but I doubt he’
s gone to all the trouble of going to California just to admire you from afar. Our Family has big plans for you, that much is common knowledge. Out there, away from our seat of power, you’re far more vulnerable.”
“Careful, you’re starting to sound worried.”
“I am very worried. The Evers have been growing bolder as of late, the McCrackens are sniffing around the edge of our territory, and my supposed greatest asset wants to go dick around in California on some wild goose chase left to him by a wiped cover identity. So yes, I worry for our Family, as is my duty.”
“Then let me do my duty as an employee and take some of that worry off your shoulders. I assure you, Nathaniel will not be a problem. Not for me, not for us.”
“You sound confident.”
“Of course I’m confident. Nathaniel has never successfully bested me, not even when I was a Powered, and he was a Super. Anything he brings at me, I’m sure I can handle. Not to mention, even if he does manage to put together some surprise I’m not prepared for, I can always show him one of my trump cards.” Nicholas allowed a genuine smile to take the place of the frown that had previously soured his expression. “And I can promise you, no matter how far-fetched Nathaniel may believe my resources, the last thing he’ll be anticipating me to have is friends.”
On that account, both Gerry and Ms. Pips could certainly agree, though doing so filled them with quite contrasting emotions.