Masked (Superheros Undercover Book 1)

by J. D. Wright

  Maybe a couple of years at college would be good for her dating life, or lack thereof. Wasn’t that the time to experiment with one’s sexuality or some other nonsense? She could go to parties and live the normal life of a college kid while fighting crime on the side. And if she was lucky, maybe James would move nearby so she wouldn’t be all alone over there. She doubted Josh would want his little sister hanging around him all of the time.

  Speaking of James…she had to go break the news to him. When she picked up her phone to call him, she noticed that he had left her a message.

  James: Go into suit. Got a message from the team.

  Vada didn’t bother going to her room to hide in the closet. She replied to the message and told her parents that she’d be home before curfew. They didn’t argue even though she could tell that her mother wanted to encourage her to stay home. Then she left the house and slipped into the garage to use the family’s secret exit, grateful that Josh had retrieved the scooter.

  A few minutes later, Majestic drove down the street toward the high school. She pulled into the parking lot and stopped next to the football stadium where Gypsy was waiting. Vortex swooped down a moment later.

  “Let me guess,” Majestic said. “Starboy is fashionably late again.”

  “Nope.” Orion stepped out from behind the wall. “I’m here.”

  “Where’s your bike?”

  “Aww…do you miss it already? I thought you might. Don’t worry. We can go for a ride when the meeting’s over. I got you, babe,” he said with a wink.

  “Shut up.”

  “Make me.”

  “You two sound like children,” Gypsy said, laughing. “Orion’s bike is behind the wall. I thought we probably shouldn’t meet in the open with a psycho on the loose who’s trying to catch and kill supers. Dr. You-know-who needs another test subject, remember?”

  Majestic nodded and glanced at Orion, who was biting his cheek. Vortex and Gypsy still didn’t know how Orion had gotten his powers, and that he was a potential test subject. Suddenly, a feeling of intense protectiveness came over Majestic while they followed Gypsy inside the stadium. Yes, Orion was frustratingly obnoxious. Yes, she wanted to strangle him from time to time. And yes, she wished he’d go away and leave her alone. But she wouldn’t allow Dr. Chem to harm him. No one deserved that, not even Orion.

  “We should make a list of priorities,” Gypsy said, tapping on her watch to bring up her list. “Do we want to go after Dr. You-know-who first? Or is it a better idea to track down the new supers?”

  “I get the feeling that tracking down the supers might lead us to the doctor,” Vortex said. “Or we can hope.”

  “There’s a slight problem, though,” Majestic said after Whiskey chimed in to remind her about the change of plans. She’d discussed it with her agent on the ride over, but had forgotten to tell the others. “I have to go to college in my normal life. My parents said that they won’t try to stop me from working as long as I go to school. It’s part of their save-their-daughter-from-turning plan.”

  “Turning?” Orion asked, confused.

  “Turning into a super for good. If you stay in suit too long, you can forget the other side of you even exists. It happens, unfortunately.”

  Orion seemed shocked by this information but he just nodded and didn’t inquire further.

  Vortex smiled. “That’s a coincidence, because I am also starting in the fall. CCC, right? Cyper City College?”

  “Yeah,” Gypsy added. “Me too. My parents don’t know about this whole Dr. You-know-who thing, of course, but they think I don’t have what it takes to be a super because I’m small and weak.”

  The other three burst into laughter and Gypsy joined in too. She had held her own during their battles against the mutants. She might be small, but her sonic bells packed a piercing punch.

  Gypsy shook her head and sighed. “I thought it would be best to just go along with them.”

  Majestic realized what this meant. “Wait. So three of us will all be within a few minutes of each other at college? That will be really convenient if we’ll be working on this together.”

  They all turned their attention to Orion, who balked and held his arms up in defense of his freedom.

  “What? Oh, hell no. I am not going to college.” Orion adamantly shook his head, but none of the other three looked convinced. Finally, he sighed. “Fine. I’ll apply, but I can’t promise that I’ll get in. What would I even go to school for?”

  Majestic snickered, “Not to further your comedy career, that’s for sure.”

  “Hilarious, especially coming from you. You’re the one dressed up for the circus.”

  Majestic gasped. “How dare you! Take that back right now!”

  “What was it that Eden called you? Oh, right. Circus Girl!”

  Vortex tried to step between the two supers before things could escalate, but it was already too late. Majestic was throwing kicks and punches at Orion, who did a good job blocking her moves while laughing his head off.

  “Just let them work off some steam,” Gypsy said, grabbing Vortex’s hand. He flew into the air, taking Gypsy with him.

  The other two continued sparring across the football field for several minutes before either of them realized they were alone.

  “Shit.” Orion looked up at the sky. “Where’d they go?”

  “Probably left us because you couldn’t keep your terrible jokes to yourself!”

  “Maybe they couldn’t stand looking at your joke of a suit any longer.”

  “I will kill you, Starboy!”

  “Bring it on, Circ—ah!”

  Majestic tackled Orion to the ground and he could barely breathe between his laughter and her punches to his chest. He used her anger against her. She was so riled up that she wasn’t paying enough attention. He was able to wrap his legs around hers and roll the both of them over, pinning her beneath him.

  “Get off!” she barked, wiggling as she tried to free herself.

  “I just might if you don’t stop squirming,” he said with a grin.

  It took Majestic a second before she got the joke. When she did, she froze then squealed.

  “Ew! No!”

  “Ha!” Orion leaned down closer. “You give up?”

  “Never.”

  She kneed him in the thigh and finally earned her freedom.

  Orion stood with a grunt. “Nice move. Where did you learn that? Circus school?”

  “I swear if you say one more thing—”

  He chuckled. “I’m just kidding. Geez. You’re so uptight all of the time. Maybe we should spar more often. You could use some loosening up.”

  “I am not uptight. And if you suggest something sexual to release my tension, my knee will go into your nuts next time.”

  “Ouch. Easy, tiger.”

  Orion’s eyes sparkled when he laughed. Majestic felt a tug of affection, but it quickly vanished when she remembered how furious she was with him.

  “Nah, I know what will help,” he said, holding up the keys to his bike. “Let’s go for a ride.”

  Majestic eyed the keys, and couldn’t deny that she’d love to go riding. But she refused to look too interested. She wouldn’t give him the benefit of knowing how much she enjoyed it. She just shrugged and followed him.

  “Can I drive this time?” she asked, testing the waters.

  “No.”

  Damn. But at least she tried.

  Chapter

  Twenty-Five

  Vada stood next to James, both wearing their caps and gowns in the school colors of black and white. Their hands held their Guillotine High School diplomas while their parents took yet another round of photos. A few other students were pulled in for pictures with a group as large as twenty for one shot. It was then, standing on the fountain to get in the back of the picture, that Vada noticed Nick was watching her from across the parking lot. He stood with a few other seniors, but his gaze was locked on hers.

  “Okay, okay,” Bill Lawson sai
d. “If we take any more photos, these kids will start charging for them.”

  Vada laughed and let James help her down from the ledge as the group dispersed. Their parents were busy talking with other adults, probably about tomorrow’s baseball game or something else Vada didn’t care about. She had a minute alone with James, so she decided to use it to discuss their future living arrangements.

  “So you’ll be moving in at the end of June, right?” she asked. “To your apartment?”

  “Yeah, I need to be there a few weeks before my internship starts.”

  He wasn’t referring to a real internship, of course. He would be taking a few online classes, but most of his time would be spent working with Majestic. However, for appearance’s sake, he was going to move in preparation of a pretend internship with a tech company fronted by the S.U.C. Unfortunately, agents had to be available 24/7, so working an ordinary job, even in his normal identity, just wouldn’t be plausible. This was his cover and one that many agents used.

  “Okay, good. And I’m going to stay with you once you’re settled in, right? Until they open the dorms up for early check-in.”

  “Roger that,” he said, smiling.

  “We aren’t in suit,” she replied flatly. “And even when we are, that is highly annoying.”

  “I know. But you might want to turn around.”

  “Why?”

  “We’re about to have company.”

  “What?” Vada turned to see Nick walking toward them. “Oh, shit.”

  James grabbed Vada’s arm and leaned in to whisper, “Stop fidgeting.”

  “I can’t!”

  “Just…oh, never mind. Hello.”

  Nick raised his hand and gave a little wave. “Hi.”

  James gave Vada a reassuring smile, then pretended to hear someone calling his name. He wandered away, but gestured a quick thumbs-up to Vada behind Nick’s back. Vada wasn’t sure what he was encouraging, because she didn’t know what Nick was going to say. He might just be asking for directions to the bowling alley or something. What? Why would he do that? Focus, Vada.

  However, Nick singling her out wasn’t entirely a surprise. For the last month or so of school, she’d noticed him watching her every time they were in the cafeteria at the same time or if they passed in the hallway. He hadn’t approached her until now, but it was obvious that he’d wanted to. And she’d wanted him to, as well, to her own surprise.

  “Congratulations,” Nick said, nodding to her diploma.

  “You too.” Her smile was so big that she felt foolish, but she couldn’t stop it. Why she’d never noticed how adorable he was when Henley used to gush about him, she wasn’t sure. Maybe it had been Scarlet on his arm that turned his boyish good-looks to toxic fumes. But the viper was gone now. Scarlet had moved on to another, and she flaunted her new relationship every chance she got.

  “His name is James, right?” Nick asked, nodding to the boy’s back as he walked away. “I think he was study partners with my friend Mitchell last year.”

  “Yeah, that’s James. Jameson, but James for short.”

  Nick bit his lip and his stomach twisted with nerves. He’d waited this long and the question was on the tip of his tongue. Just say it! This was much easier when he’d practiced in front of the mirror this morning.

  He fumbled a bit but finally got it out. “Is he your, uh…are you two a…thing?”

  “Oh, hell no!” Vada said, then slapped her hand over her mouth. “I mean, no. We’re friends and nothing else. We’re not each other’s type. At all.”

  Nick grinned. “Really? And what’s your type?”

  “I…” Vada trailed off, then gave a nervous laugh. “I don’t really know what mine is.”

  Nick tried to think of something to say, but he was so distracted by Vada’s pinkening cheeks and the way her blonde hair shined in the sunlight. Man, he loved her hair. It was long and wavy and he could see his fingers getting tangled in the soft strands when he pulled her in for a kiss.

  Wow, he was getting ahead of himself. He hadn’t even asked her out yet, and he was already thinking about kissing her? Well, if he was being honest with himself, kissing wasn’t the only thing he’d been imagining about her lately. His body tensed when she absentmindedly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Strange though, was how much those dark blonde locks reminded him of someone else. Majestic.

  Was this why he was so attracted to Vada? Because she reminded him of the elusive super with a sassy and gorgeous mouth? The one who constantly taunted him and set his nerves on fire? No, he couldn’t think about her now. Majestic would never be interested in him. That much she had made clear. And other than the likeness of hair, the similarities between Vada and Majestic ended there. Vada was sweet and a little shy. Definitely not a smart-mouthed super who rolled her eyes more than she looked with them.

  Vada was a new start. Someone he could be relaxed with for a change. She wouldn’t know about his power and he had already made a deal with himself not to pry into her mind. She would be a slice of normal in his chaotic life. He had a good feeling about her.

  “I umm…” He shook his head to clear it. Vada was looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to ask what they both assumed he was going to ask. This would be so much easier if he was in suit. He never seemed to lack confidence when wearing his mask. But he couldn’t be that person around Vada. And the guy he was outside of the suit was still trying to find his footing.

  “Are you ready for the summer?” she asked, filling the silence.

  He was grateful that she had taken charge of the conversation. He wasn’t sure why he was stumbling so much trying to ask her out. Probably because this was the first time in over two years that he’d be doing the asking. Scarlet had been his first real girlfriend, and he hadn’t dated anyone since.

  “I’m definitely ready to sleep past seven o’clock in the morning, that’s for sure. What about you? Big plans?” Oh, no. What if she was going out of town or leaving for college?

  “I’ll just be getting ready for college, I guess.”

  “Damn,” he mumbled. “I mean, that’s great. Where are you going?”

  “Just across the city. I decided to stay close to home. And my brother goes there, so I won’t be all alone.”

  “CCC?” His heart jumped at the idea, and when she nodded, he nearly did a fist pump into the air. “I’ll be going there too.”

  “Really? I would have expected someone like you to go to an Ivy League school or something.”

  “Someone like me?”

  “I mean someone with…a father like yours. District attorney and all. You don’t plan to follow in his footsteps?”

  Nick blinked. Follow in his father’s footsteps? In some ways, he was. Fighting against crime? Check. Helping put bad people behind bars? Double check. He and his father might be as distant as the universe was wide, but at least they were on the same side of the moral fence.

  “Nah,” Nick replied, shaking his head. “The law isn’t my future. I’m more of a hands-on kind of guy.”

  Vada nodded and smiled. “I can see that. So am I.”

  “So umm…I actually wanted to ask if maybe, if you aren’t too busy packing and everything, if you might like to go out sometime? With me?”

  Nick waited on pins and needles as Vada considered his request. She didn’t need to think long, thankfully.

  She gave another quick smile and said, “I’d love to.”

  He traded numbers with her and promised to call later that day. Then he waited until he was alone in his jeep before giving in and releasing a series of fist-pumps into the air. Mitchell opened the passenger door and slid in.

  “Does that mean she said yes?”

  “Yes! I mean, yeah. I’m going to call her later, but I’m thinking about waiting a week before our first date. Give us a few days to talk before we go out.”

  “I think that’s a good idea. You’re a fumbling idiot around her right now.”

  “It wasn’t that bad
! Whose side are you on, anyway?”

  Mitchell laughed. “I’m on your side, which is how I witnessed your creepy staring at her for over a month. Seriously, I don’t know why she hasn’t taken out a restraining order on you.”

  Nick wanted to punch his friend for the taunt, but he couldn’t stop smiling. He cranked his jeep and backed out of the parking space. Things were definitely looking up for him, in both of his worlds.

  Josh picked up a magazine and tossed it into a box on Vada’s desk. “You know you still have a month before you have to pack. You graduated three days ago. You don’t have to do this yet.”

  Vada carried another box across the room to her nightstand. “It’s already almost mid-June. I have to be ready when James gets his apartment, which could be as early as next week if the other guy vacates on time. Besides, I don’t procrastinate like you do.”

  “No, you don’t. But really?” He gestured toward the posters on the wall. “Please tell me you aren’t taking these with you. Justin Bieber? The Jonas Brothers?”

  “Hey! You used to have Britney Spears all over your wall. Remember?”

  Josh smirked. “Yeah. Well, Britney was the queen of everything. And I didn’t take her with me to college.”

  “I’m not taking the posters. Or any of those magazines you’re boxing up. Those are getting donated to the recycling bin.”

  “Why am I boxing them up, then?” he asked with a frown. Then he dumped the box out and started over with books, instead. “I assume you’re taking your books. Harry Potter?”

  “Yep.”

  “Vampire Academy?”

  “Yep.”

  “Narnia?”

  “Yep.”

  “Goosebumps?”

  “Uh…leave those for Garret. I guess I can do one nice thing for the brat.”

  Josh opened the desk drawer and took out a few notebooks to add to the box. He stopped when he saw doodling on the top page. “Who’s Nick?”

  “What?” Vada screeched and lunged across the room, jerking the notebook away. “Nobody.”