by Drew Hayes
Sasha hesitated as her mind tumbled the offer around. Will was right; she’d have a lot more trouble taking out the flying duo on her own. Logically, it was the right move to make, but something still felt off about it to her. Unlike Alice, Sasha had not yet learned the power of trusting her intuition, so she gave a hesitant, but definite, nod of acceptance.
“Get ready to take care of Alice; this won’t stun her for long.” Will whipped his staff to the ready, took careful aim, and fired another beam of light. No sooner had it made contact with Alice than she began to drop like a stone—as did Selena. The siren’s song turned to a panicked scream as the concrete came rushing up at her. She hadn’t been that high, though from the snapping sounds her legs made on impact, Will estimated that she’d broken a leg or two.
Sasha zoomed across the cell, prepared to deliver the knockout blow as soon as Alice hit the ground. She was struggling with all her might, twitching and flopping and trying to hold on to her height even as she kept steadily falling. Alice was only a hair’s breadth away when Sasha reached out for her. To her shock, Sasha felt the ground slip under her feet as she was tugged upward. At the same time, Alice drifted away, spinning around to reveal a Cheshire grin on her face.
“I was worried about catching you most of all. You’re so fast, I’d have needed to cut off gravity to the entire room, and Professor Pendleton would have probably docked me points for not finding a more class-appropriate way to catch you. Like this one, for example.”
“Will!” Sasha yelled, trying to twist in the air and finding it fruitless. “Little help! Your gizmo wore off.”
“Oh, no, Will only had one real shot loaded,” Alice replied. “He zapped me with the laser equivalent of a blank. Done with Selena yet?”
“I put a sonic taser on her; hopefully, it will knock her out quickly. She seemed to be in a fair bit of pain.” Will walked calmly over from the now incapacitated songstress.
“But, you grabbed Selena and tried to help . . . aw dicks.” Sasha shook her head and grunted. “First fucking rule of this class is not to trust what you think you see. Guess I shouldn’t be that shocked that you two outfoxed me, though I am a little pissed.”
“It was a gamble. Sometimes, they work; sometimes, they don’t.” Alice pulled one of Will’s small Tasers from her pocket and released it from her hand, watching it float through the air for a peaceful moment. “This one did.” The Taser zipped through the air like a dart, slamming into Sasha’s shoulder. A moment later, the girl with pink-streaked hair was set gently on the ground as Alice landed next to her. She turned to face Will, who looked right back at her.
“So,” Alice said.
“So,” Will echoed.
* * *
“I think we should form a team. You know, for the final.” Alice didn’t seem particularly nervous as she talked to Will outside the gym, though she was being careful to make sure no other students came within range to overhear them.
“Why? You’re certainly a skilled combatant, but my own capabilities in that realm are a bit lacking. Wouldn’t it make more sense for you to pair with someone who also a considerable physical force?” Will didn’t actually see this as a better strategy; he was more curious as to why Alice hadn’t gone that route.
“That would be silly. I’m already a powerhouse. I don’t need another me. I need someone slippery and smart, who can be precise while I’m being blunt,” Alice replied. “Besides, you’re the only one in there I could actually trust enough to make plans with.”
“I suppose we have been through a lot,” Will agreed.
“No, that goes out the window in a fight,” Alice said. “It’s because you understand numbers. If a team of two wins, then we each get about a hundred points, more than enough to pass us, since we did well on the mid-term. Yes, you could screw me over and get double that, but there’s no need for it. Half, even a third, will get you over the next hurdle. The others might get greedy, or really need the extra boost. You’re cold and calculating, in a good way. You understand that the best path forward is making a deal that gets you into the winner’s circle.”
“I’ll admit that your math adds up,” Will said.
“Thanks. And even if you do betray me, you’ll at least wait until all the others are taken out. No sense in making it harder on ourselves. If it’s down to just us two, and you turn coat, I can still work with that.”
“Alice Adair, you make a compelling case,” Will admitted. “I think that you and I can be partners. Until we’re the last ones standing, if nothing else.”
* * *
An uneasy tension hung in the air as they watched each other, waiting for the slightest sign of aggression. One twitch, one quick move, and violence would dominate the cell once more. At last, their standoff was broken by the electric crackle of the speaker.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, you both put each other down as teammates,” Professor Pendleton said. “The match is officially over. You could have at least put on a little bit of an after-show, though.”
“Maybe next time,” Alice said, slowly relaxing.
“Next time, for sure,” Will agreed.
233.
“When this week is over, we’re going to have to do a night of celebration,” Vince said. “We know Alice has a good reason for one, and hopefully, after the other finals, so will everyone else.” He stooped down to pick up a box of balloons, which Hershel was stuffing with slips of paper that would represent points. It was a tedious task, though oddly, neither young man felt burdened by it. In fact, after weeks of craziness, it was actually nice to deal with something so simple.
“Roy can barely contain his excitement over the Weapons test,” Hershel said. “He’s hoping for another shot at Professor Cole.”
“Personally, I’ll be glad if we never have to fight another professor again. Once was enough,” Alice said. She was hunched over, painting the front of one of the many booths that had become decrepit over the years.
Around them, the entire junior class buzzed about. They’d been brought to the underground section where the carnival equipment was stored to begin work on their various tasks. Some of the more astute noticed that this work seemed to have been purposely scheduled for finals week, and the smartest of them even figured out that it was meant to keep their minds busy. None of them suspected the deepest hidden truth though: that all of the professors enjoyed the carnival, but loathed doing any of the work.
“At least Alice is going to have options,” Alex added. “I’m hoping to do well enough in Focus to make it through, otherwise, I’m in deep crap. There’s no chance I’ll be able to cut it in Control.”
“You’re going to do fine,” Mary told him. “I think you may even have more telekinetic finesse than Professor Stone. That alone will carry you through.”
“Finesse is good, but I’d prefer if it came bundled with at least a little more power,” Alex replied.
“Control always beats out strength,” Vince said, setting down a new box of unstuffed balloons. “Chad’s a walking testament to that.”
“Though, Chad is also pretty strong,” Hershel pointed out.
“Of course he’s strong, but my point is that—”
Alex’s scream halted Vince, as well as all other conversation in the room. It was a sound that tore its way from his throat unbidden, screeching out in an inhumanly sustained note before tapering off to a sickly sustained pitch. He grabbed his head, fingers pushing against his skull, and began to rock back and forth. Sasha appeared at his side, zipping over from across the room and grabbing him in her arms.
“Alex? Alex, what’s wrong?”
“Oh . . . oh God, no.” Mary’s face turned pale, and her eyes began to water. “Someone
. . . someone just set off a bomb in one of the aboveground buildings. People are running around. They’re so terrified; no one knows what’s happening.” Mary tried to calm herself down, tried to focus on what was needed instead of drowning in the sea of sudden terror that had risen up abo
ve her. It was all she could do to move from thought to thought. She couldn’t even imagine what Alex was going through; his power was so much more empathically tuned than hers.
Then, just like that, the thoughts were gone. She whipped her head up, nearly smacking Hershel, whom she hadn’t realized was holding her. Sure enough, there he was, the only man who could have possibly stopped the flood of thoughts so easily.
Dean Blaine strode into the room with an expression none of the students had ever seen on his face. Before he spoke a single word, they knew something was up. The man that stood in front of them was scarcely recognizable as their kind, patient dean. Instead, he looked like the incarnation of Wrath, scarcely being constrained by a human form. In an instant, it was clear that something bad had happened, and it was just as apparent that someone would pay for it.
“Everyone, drop what you’re doing and come with me this instant. If any of your friends are having trouble moving, help them, but don’t fall behind. This is an emergency situation, and moving you all is a top priority.”
As freshmen, they might have blundered about, uncertain about what was happening. Three years in the HCP had trained them on more than how to throw punches, though. Before Dean Blaine was entirely done speaking, his students were lining up in front of him.
Mary staggered to her feet slowly, leaning on Hershel for support. Alex seemed to be slowly coming back around, as well, thanks to Dean Blaine cutting off their powers. Vince and Sasha picked him up between them, carrying him more than helping him walk. Mary felt another hand slide around her, and smiled up at Alice, who was looking at her with a face full of pinched concern.
“What do you think is going on?”
“I honestly can’t imagine,” Mary said. “Who has the sort of death wish that would make them attack an HCP school?”
“I’ve got a guess,” Alice replied. She didn’t say it out loud, though, because, even without her powers, there was no way Mary wasn’t thinking the same thing. Nathaniel had already blown up a club, and that was just to try and knock Nick off his game. Deep down, Alice truly hoped that it wasn’t that crazy orange-eyed bastard.
Because if it was, then there was no way he was going to stop at one building.
* * *
As soon as Nick heard the explosion, he knew what had happened. There was no need for deduction, or guesswork, or even contacting resources. He’d been waiting on this for months. True, he might not have known the exact form it would take, but he’d known it was coming. He grabbed the small briefcase he kept behind his couch before his windows had even stopped rattling and tore out the door.
He could see an orange glow in the night sky, the tips of the flames visible over the other buildings obscuring his view. By his calculation, it was probably the Business and Mathematics building that had gone up. The good news was that they had precious few late classes there, so it would have been largely empty. The bad news was that it was between two dorms and in the center of campus, so there had to be ample collateral damage.
The worst news, however, was that it was where Nick took most of his classes. No question about it, Nathaniel was piloting this shitshow, and he wanted Nick to know it. This wasn’t a warning shot or a cheap trick. Nathaniel was gunning for him, and he was using Nick’s friends as bait.
Sprinting down the stairs, Nick slapped an earpiece on just in time to realize his phone was ringing. He accepted the call but didn’t slow down, metal case still firmly in his grip.
“Did you see that?” Eliza’s voice rang out, genuine shock and panic audible for the first time since Nick had known her. That had been Nathaniel’s intention, of course. Shock and awe; come out so strong that no one knows what to do.
“I see it, and there’s sure to be more to follow. Take Jerome and get the hell out of here. Grab one of our stashed cars in case the usuals are being watched.”
“Are you out of your fucking mind? I can see you running across the parking lot toward campus. You really think we’re going to let you go alone?”
“This has nothing to do with you,” Nick snapped. He vaulted the border between Lander and the surrounding areas, coming down on the soft grass of a well-tended college campus. “The moment Nathaniel brought this fight here, it was no longer a Vegas battle. As of right now, this is an HCP issue.”
“Even if I bought that, you aren’t even in the HCP.”
“Maybe not, but I . . .” Nick trailed off as he watched the yellow dome slam down behind him. It was translucent enough to see through, but from the way it was burning the grass where it settled, Nick had a feeling he should avoid touching it. Just to be sure, he threw a coin from his pocket and watched as it hopped and sizzled against the yellow barrier. Lifting his head, he traced the massive concave enclosure as far as he could see. By his estimate, the entire campus had been surrounded by this yellow force.
“Eliza, I think this debate has become pointless. Lander just got cut off from the rest of the world.”
234.
They were scared, and with good reason. The Hero world was supposed to be terrifying; it was a fact their teachers went out of their way to drill into their heads. But that was out there. At Lander, in the HCP, they were supposed to be safe. There was still a line between the villains and them. Now, as Dean Blaine looked through the gym and saw all the uncertain faces of his students, the stalwart expressions of the professors, and even the fear in the DVA employees he’d been meeting with, Dean Blaine knew that the line had been forever blurred. No matter how this night ended, they would never feel quite as safe in their home again. Sad as it was, if it was the worst outcome of this evening, then he would count it as a success.
“There is no pretty way to say this, no nicety I can use to make it better. Our campus has been attacked. A bomb was detonated inside the Business and Mathematics building, and it is currently on fire.” Dean Blaine kept his voice steady by sheer force of will alone. He wanted to rant and rave and have his suit on, kicking the living hell out of the sons of bitches who had dared to do this to his home. But that was the job of the Heroes who would be responding. His duty was to keep his students safe and calm. The odds of someone managing to actually get below ground were ludicrously low, but if some poor bastard did manage it, they would find professors and a dean ready to show them the error of their ways.
“Additionally, there are unconfirmed reports of people in combat gear and armed with assault weapons. As such, we are forced to assume this attack is targeting all of you, as future Heroes, and thus, we have gone into lockdown.”
Throughout the gym, he could see the sentiment that announcement stirred. Most of those already down here were the juniors and sophomores who had been working on their carnival, though there were a fair amount of freshmen and seniors that had come down for training as well. None of them were comfortable with the idea of staying penned up below ground while chaos ran rampant over their heads.
“I’m keenly aware that you all hate what I’m telling you, but it is imperative that you listen to me. What’s happening right now is a job for Heroes, and right now, none of you have the training or skill to wear that title, to say nothing of being officially sanctioned. The situation is being handled, and I assure you that those responsible will deeply regret the day they set foot on our campus.”
Dean Blaine was going to say more, but the ringing of his phone caused him to stop. It was Mr. Transport’s ringtone. By this point, Professor Fletcher should have reached the suited duo and gotten them to commence bringing the other HCP students underground. There was no need to call him . . . unless something had gone wrong.
“Just one moment, perhaps this is the call letting me know things have been handled.” He grabbed his phone from his pocket and turned away from the students, hoping against hope that his lie would magically be turned true.
* * *
Alice’s own phone vibrated a few moments after they watched Dean Blaine begin talking, and then harshly whispering, into his. She pulled it out wit
hout hesitation, relief spreading through her as she saw the number that was calling.
“Thank goodness you’re all right. After Mary told us a building got bombed, I wasn’t sure if you’d been targeted too.”
“Oh, I think it’s safe to say there’s no doubt that Nathaniel is targeting me,” Nick replied, his voice hushed in a way that made Alice’s fears rise right back up again. “But from what I’m seeing, I think he had to piggy-back with someone else to get his revenge. These guys are well-trained, have great equipment, and at least some of them are Supers.”
“How do you know that?”
“Well, one of them lowered some sort of energy barrier over the campus to keep us from getting out, or maybe to keep the Heroes from getting in. Also seems to be fucking up phone signals, keeping them from going out. I had to crack mine open and route it through Lander’s internal system to call you directly.”
“Glossing over why the hell you would know how to do that, have the other Heroes shown up yet? It’s been at least ten minutes; there should be capes and cowls tearing these dicks apart,” Alice said.
There was a pause, and suddenly, Alice knew. She’d been too well trained not to recognize the tell. Nick didn’t pause; he always had words at the ready. The only exception was when he had something truly terrible to say.
“Alice, right now, I don’t see a single Hero around. They might be working in the areas I haven’t been to yet, but it’s seems that something is definitely holding them up. Like I said before, I think Nathaniel piggy-backed onto someone else’s plans. Whoever these people are, they’ve clearly put a lot of thought into how to raid an HCP school.”
She started to ask more, but the sound of gunshots and scuffling came from the other side. Just as her heart started to pound, Nick’s voice came back on. “Sorry about that. I think it’s time for me to get on the move. I’ll keep you in the loop when I find places to hole up. Stay safe down there, Princess. I’m sure the cavalry is right around the corner.”