by Tom Andry
"That was an exception. Since then, he's been picking out the supers."
Again, an image of the club popped into my head. He'd walked around with his hand out. He'd killed randomly. Or was it? I hated to admit it, but Gale was making sense. At least about The Raven's identity.
I nodded slowly, "Okay. Let's say I believe you. Let's say he's Hero. But that doesn't change the fact that Nissa can't stop him. And you and Rod don't have much of a chance either."
She shook her head slowly, "It won't just be us. It's going to be everyone."
"Everyone?"
Gale nodded, "Everyone we can find. We're going to put the word out. It is do or die time. Literally." Her mouth hardened into an expression I'd seen too many times before to argue with, "We've already recruited a few. Burner. Waterworks. Tinkerer. A few others."
"Wait? Ted? Ted is in on this?"
"He's working on a number of gadgets as we speak."
"Oh that's reassuring," I muttered.
"And there are others. Plus, more are showing up every day."
I stood and took a step toward the bedroom. Ted was in on it. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Gale's life in his hands? I moved to the kitchen and refilled my coffee. I offered some to the two girls and we sat down around the dining table. "So tell me this plan."
The plan was remarkably simple. The Raven - I refused to think of him as Hero, and no one else used any other name but The Raven - hadn't shown any fear. He'd been showing up all over the world wherever supers gathered. He'd mostly targeted the supers, but tippys in the way had died as well. They'd run an ad looking for supers on every venue possible. Television mostly. Then they'd gather somewhere and wait. With so many supers in one location, The Raven's power should lead him right to them.
Typical super plan.
"That's so retarded it just might work," I surmised through a half smile as Gale and Nissa finished outlining the plan. Mostly Nissa. The change was jarring. Nissa took to being a super way too quickly. Her jaw was set in a way I hadn't seen before. She was more than determined. In a way, I sort of envied her. She'd be able to do something about this. I'd have to sit back and wait.
"Don't get me wrong," Gale continued, "the casualties are probably going to be high. But pooling resources is our only hope."
I shook my head. On the surface, it was a good plan but I still wasn't confident. I put on as convincing a smile as I could manage as I grabbed Gale's free hand, "You need to make it." I looked over at Nissa, "Both of you." They nodded though I was sure they knew I still didn't approve. "Don't be one of those casualties." I added to Nissa, "Can you give us a minute?"
"Natch...ah...sure. No problem."
I watched Nissa go, vinyl outfit tucked under her arm. Should I have proven to her that she hadn't stopped The Raven? All it would have taken was a walk into the bedroom and a look at Nineteen. But she would have forgotten again as soon as she left the room. There was no getting around it. I couldn't stop her, other than keeping her with me while the others ran off. And honestly, she'd done pretty well at the club. With Gale, Rod, and others supporting her? Maybe. Maybe they could pull it off.
I turned back to Gale, "Do you have something you want to share with me?"
The wind that constantly covered her body, regulating her body temperature among other things, grew cooler, more humid. Others might not have noticed, but I'd lived with her for years. I knew that her emotions often leaked into her power. So I knew she was stalling when she replied, "What do you mean?"
"Inhumanitas?"
She swallowed, "Ah. Um...I can explain."
I sat back, pulling my hand off hers, "This I'd like to hear."
"I'm sorry, Bob. You've just been so...angry. When I found out about...that place," she spat the last word, "I could see you going there. I couldn't take it. I couldn't take thinking about what you'd do there. It was just..." her voice trailed off.
I didn't say anything. Honestly, I didn't know what I'd have done. In a rush, I realized it wasn't about me; it was about her. She thought I'd get an analogue of her and beat the hell out of it. Or maybe worse, I'd get someone to play her and sleep with them.
I thought of the young girl in the other room. What would Gale think of her? And why had I taken her with me? It wasn't like me. She was a super. But I couldn't just leave her there. What if everyone had turned their backs and forgotten her? Would I have been able to live with myself?
I swallowed as a terrible realization dawned on me: these might not be my thoughts.
A sudden insight into Tay's madness hit me like a truck. He was insane, no doubt, and he seemed in control of his own actions. Surely the girl wouldn't have wanted to be treated as a weapon. Forced to do the sorts of things a demented man like Tay could invent. But did she know differently? And more importantly, could Tay have known differently? Could he know that he was in complete control? And if each of the girls lived a year or two, and he was on nineteen, he could have been around them for twenty plus years!
No, the math didn't add up.
I shook my head. Stop it, Bob. Stop avoiding the facts. The girl is dangerous. From the moment you met her, every thought, everything you've done is suspect. Is it you, or is it her?
Yeah, that could drive anyone insane.
"So, what are you saying?" I finally said to Gale.
"Nothing," she responded quickly. "Just sorry. I shouldn't have done that, I guess." She paused and sipped the last of her coffee. "You know, I'm not," she sounded belligerent, but her face didn't reflect her tone, "you had no business going to a place like that."
"Really?" I paused, "So, I'm not allowed? What am I allowed to do?"
"It isn't like that."
"Isn't it? That Tay guy said you threatened to use the whole might of the Super State if I found out about that place. It sounds exactly like I wasn't allowed."
"Fine," she hissed, "maybe I overstepped. But I had the best intentions."
That was bullshit and she knew it. She looked at me imploringly. She wanted my forgiveness and she knew she didn't deserve it. Not really. But I could see where she was coming from. In this instance, perhaps she was right. Just knowing about that club sent my mind to dark places. I was actually relieved to know it was gone. Relieved mostly because I was afraid of what I'd do if I knew it was still there. She was my wife and she knew me better than anyone. She was wrong, but not wrong enough for me not to see the rightness of it.
"Is there anything else you're keeping from me?" I asked quietly, "Anything else I should know?"
"No," she responded quickly. I believed her. She stood, "Now's not the time for this, anyhow. We've got a lot of work to do."
"We?"
She nodded to the door.
"Ah. Nothing us tippys can do but sit back and wait, huh? Wait and pray that the supers save us once again?"
She frowned at me. She knew I hated that attitude. That helplessness that the general population seemed more than content to feel. "Bob, in this case, it really is true. There isn't much you can do. You look like crap. Why don't you take a shower, get some rest. It'll be all over one way or the other soon enough."
"One way or the other?"
"Either we kill him or he kills all of us."
I shook my head, "And when he is done with you, what about us? What's to say he won't turn on the rest of us?"
She shrugged, a hopeless gesture, "Nothing, I guess." She reached forward and squeezed my shoulder, a decidedly unfamiliar act. "But it won't get to that." Without another word, she left, following Rod and Nissa out of my office.
As she left, the door to my bedroom slid open. Nineteen padded out on bare feet. Had I made the right decision? Keeping Nineteen a secret from Gale? Could she help them? Probably. But they had a plan with at least a chance of working. They knew their opponent and they wouldn't be surprised. Between the illusionist, Nissa and the metal man, they'd done a fairly good job of holding him at bay. At least for a little while. With a more coordinated attack, and
a little luck, they should be able to beat him.
At least I hoped.
"So, Nineteen, are you hungry?"
The girl plodded over to the refrigerator and opened it. She reached toward the top of the door, but she wasn't tall enough. I came over and grabbed the eggs for her. I grabbed some bacon as well and some bread for toast.
"You have a message," the mechanical voice almost made me drop the load of food in my arms.
"Message? Oh, the call earlier."
"Affirmative."
I waited. When the mechanical male voice didn't elaborate, I prompted, "Annnnd..."
"And would you like to hear the message?"
"Yes," I responded, exasperated.
The security system played a recording of itself talking with the caller. It was a nurse from the hospital. Liz was awake and had asked for me. They'd said she'd be ready for visitors around ten. I glanced at the clock - seven forty-five. Just enough time to eat, get cleaned up, and hopefully pick up some clothes and medicine for the girl. I had hoped that whatever had happened to Liz was an accident. From what I learned from Tay, that didn't seem to be the case. Regardless, in a little more than two hours, I'd know for sure.
But first, I had to make a call.
# # #
Chapter 18
"What do you mean you need to borrow my car?"
The voice on the other end of the phone sounded tired. Like he'd been awake all night. Which was probably true. Much like I suspected Gale and Rod had been.
"It's just until I find mine," I responded.
"Find?"
I sighed audibly; this wasn't a conversation I wanted to be having. But I didn't have a car and I didn't want to wait on taxis all day. Plus, with all that had been going on, I'd be lucky to find somewhere to buy Nineteen clothes, much less a new car. Regardless of price.
"Listen, Fireannach..."
"Fire Arc," he corrected. "Sorry, Bob, no one could say the other one."
"Okay, that's a good one too," better than my fairly lame name, I had to admit. Plus, I couldn't think of another super with that name offhand. "Fire Arc. Lend me your car. Just for a day or so."
I could hear him scratching his beard, "I don't know, Bob. Automageddon is pretty important to me."
I rolled my eyes, but tried to keep it out of my voice, "Come on, you're not using it."
"How do you know?"
"Oh, let me guess. The police have kept you up all night. When you haven't been breaking up fights, they've had you making public appearances. For morale or something. I bet you had your picture taken dozens of times last night."
"Oh man, Bob. You should have been there," the super practically giggled. "It was so great."
"I'm sure. And don't forget who got you there."
It was his turn to sigh, "Okay, Bob. But we're even now, right?"
He really shouldn't have phrased that as a question. If he had demanded, I might have considered giving in. I was sort of at his mercy, "No way. For a loaner car? I make your dreams come true, make you the face of supers in the city, and you think lending me your car makes us even?"
"No," he responded glumly, "I guess not."
"Damn right. Now, how do I get it?"
Turns out I had to wait on a taxi anyhow. Shawn had an extra key at the bar, which was fortunate since he really didn't have time to drop one by. The police must have been setting him on fire every once in a while in order to keep him going. I didn't know how long he could maintain that energy level, but it generally wasn't a good idea. Eventually everyone crashes from lack of sleep. If he just fell asleep and didn’t wake up, well, that'd be a best-case scenario. Worst-case? Hallucinations. While he was probably no match for a guy like Rod, I wouldn't want him thinking I was a bad guy. Or thinking a group of kindergarteners was trying to steal his car.
As if anyone would steal that thing.
Nineteen and I were fed, bathed, and in fresh clothes (at least I was) an hour and a half later. We took a taxi to Flanagan's where I promptly left Nineteen, holding the red blanket I'd grabbed before leaving the apartment, outside the bar, near a stack of empty kegs where she wouldn't be easily visible. When I entered, Jimmy was still behind the counter and Iain was still sitting in front of him looking no more or less alert than before. In his defense, he remembered me and gave me a warm, if unintelligible greeting.
Jimmy looked less enthused.
"For a guy I said I didn't want to see, I sure am seeing you a lot," he growled.
I put up my hands, "I'm just here for Shawn's car. He was supposed to call?"
Jimmy moved a hand off the counter in front of him, revealing the keys. I reached out to take them and he quickly covered them again. I froze and met his eyes.
"You know you cost me my best bouncer."
I couldn't tell how mad he really was. Was he just put out or did his other hand, which was below the counter and out of view, hold a shotgun or bat? I decided to play it upbeat. It's harder to shoot a guy with a smile on his face. At least I hoped.
"Hey," I beamed, "don't look at it that way. Think of it as I made your best bouncer famous. And when all this blows over and he gets bored, he'll come back. You make him wear the costume and you'll attract a larger, younger crowd."
This drew a concerned look from Iain.
"Maybe," Jimmy's scowl deepened, but his eyes were far away. "Not sure I want a younger crowd."
"Don't worry gents," I slapped Iain on the shoulder amicably while taking the keys out from under Jimmy's hand, "kids drink fast and hard and go home early to have sex. You'll have plenty of time after they leave to complain about them." I turned quickly and left out the back. I decided to make it a point to steer clear of Flanagan's for a few months. Jimmy didn't strike me as dangerous, but there was no point annoying him any more than I had to.
I picked up Nineteen and took surface streets to the hospital. People loved to complain about how the big box stores were running out the little neighborhood shops, but you had to give them one thing: they didn't like to stay closed. If you dropped a villain's huge, mutated starfish through the ceiling, they'd open the next day with a sale on "seafood surprise." I left Nineteen in the car while I shopped. No use getting us on camera together.
Just a few minutes before ten a.m., Nineteen - wearing a cute, white dress with embroidered flowers around the hem, sleeves and collar, black shoes, white socks, and white sunglasses with flowers at the hinge - and I entered the hospital. I'd cleaned her up before we left. I felt weird bathing a child I'd only met a few hours ago, but it was necessary. Nineteen, on the other hand, continued to show very little emotion, though she had smiled once when I'd tickled her foot inadvertently when putting on her shoes. My initial thought was to ditch the overcoat and hat and just fall back on my normal black suit, white shirt and no tie, but I decided to grab them at the last moment. In my jacket pocket was a jar of children's fever medication with a dropper built into the top. I'd given some to Nineteen, but her head didn't feel any cooler. It might be early yet. Not sure how long it took for kids' medication to kick in.
I was happy to find that the nurse from the previous day wasn't at the front desk when we arrived. I didn't really want to deal with explaining my outburst from the other day. Instead, a mousy blonde, who looked like she'd just finished her residency, sat in the seat watching the two of us enter.
Strike that, she was watching Nineteen.
As we approached, her smile got wider. "Now, aren't you just the cutest thing?" she greeted us, a slight southern drawl sneaking into her voice. She tore her eyes away from the child and caught mine, "Your daughter is so cute."
I put a hand on Nineteen's shoulder, making sure she stayed in the nurse's view. I was starting to regret bringing her. I glanced around the room. There weren't any cameras in evidence, but that didn't mean the hospital didn't have any. I'd have to keep my eyes open. It was a double-edged sword; I could leave her in the car and risk someone seeing her and figuring out her power, or I could bring her wi
th me and risk some sort of photographic evidence of us together. I wished Nissa was still working with me instead of...whatever she was doing.
"Oh, have you heard?" The nurse was looking over my shoulder.
I turned and followed her eyes to a small TV mounted in the corner near the ceiling. A news report was on. Over the left of the reporter's shoulder was a picture of The Raven with a subtitle, "The Raven Bested?"
Before I could ask, the nurse turned the volume up.
"…we have received confirmed reports that the super known as 'The Raven' has been driven away after a fight at a local club. For more, we have Dirk Dirtwater."
The Nurse whispered behind me, "Oh, I love this guy. He's so handsome. For a tippy," she added.
Dirk's gleaming white teeth and square face filled the screen. He put on the sort of smile that was somehow knowing, but reassuring. It not only said he had all the facts, but that you could trust him. I'd seen his real smile just last night. This one seemed a bit cold by comparison. The camera panned back to show Dirk sitting behind a desk, his gray suit complemented by a blue power tie.
"Dirk Dirtwater. We've received reports that there was some sort of super headquarters hidden underneath the club known as The Dragonfly. The Raven, late last night, broke into the club and attempted to kill everyone. Through the brave actions of a few supers, he was driven off. This is the first report, after dozens of sightings, of The Raven being defeated. I was fortunate enough to be near the scene and was able to interview a few people before the police took them in for questioning."
The picture cut to an older man with a large bald spot and a hint of leather peaking out from under a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, "It was horrible. He broke in through the ceiling and just started killing everyone. One super, I don't know his name, he wasn't in costume, tried to stop him. But The Raven killed him. Just..." he broke down.
The picture cut back to Dirk - Alan - who was nodding meaningfully, his eyes wet. At his temple, a bead of sweat rolled down. It could have meant anything. It could have just meant it was hot in there. But I could see that Alan was wearing the same clothes from last night. He must have returned to the club after he dropped me off. That man had a pair; I had to give him that.