by Strand, Kai
Oceanus gasped. Jeff expected to find a disgusted look on her face, but instead she looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
Her eyes sparkled as she captured the frost Jeff had just laid out and made it dance and sparkle over the table. “It’s real!”
“Uh, yeah, of course.”
“But it’s coming from you and it’s real. How does that not…I don’t know…sap you of energy? Or dehydrate you?” She built a small frost snowman in the middle of the table.
“I don’t know,” Jeff said. “My fire is from inside me too.”
“Oh I guess it is, huh? Oh…but water! I never thought to look within for a source of water.”
Source pursed his lips. “Hmmm. I guess there is a possibility that you could. But I don’t know for sure.”
“We could try it,” Jeff suggested. The idea of working with Oceanus made his pulse beat double time.
“Would you, guys?” Glints of turquoise sparked from Oceanus’ eyes. Her straight black hair swayed hypnotically as she bounced with excitement. Jeff only nodded. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Source shrug and nod. “That would be fabulous.”
“What would be fabulous?” drawled a lazy, baritone voice.
A stormy looking Set stood over them.
Oceanus stared at the table. Jeff saw her eyes darken to a deep gray blue. Her explanation was delivered through clenched teeth. “I’m gonna experiment with water, a little.”
Seeing Oceanus’ mood change so dramatically made anger buzz in Jeff’s head. He glared at Set who loomed over Oceanus like a prison guard.
“What kind of experiment?” Set asked, looking first at Source and then at Jeff. When Set’s eyes met Jeff’s the atmosphere around the table changed. Set’s muscles tensed, and his jaw seemed carved from granite. The air around them crackled with unseen electricity. Jeff’s napkin rolled and bounced across the table as if a wind had gusted through.
“Set,” Oceanus whispered.
Set cocked his head toward her, but his eyes didn’t leave Jeff’s. “What is it, waterspout?”
“There’s no reason for you to be upset,” she told him.
Jeff held Set’s gaze though the distress in Oceanus’ voice cried out to him. He desperately wanted to comfort her. It infuriated him that her own boyfriend didn’t feel the same way. Jeff wanted to blow Set’s storm right back in his face. Two things kept him from trying. He didn’t want to upset Oceanus further and he remembered Source’s warning the day before that Set was bad even for an S.V. If he expected to best Set, he’d need training.
“Set,” Jeff asked, “how long have you been at the academy?”
Confusion skittered across Set’s expression and the static in the air disappeared. “Since I was twelve, why?”
“You seem formidable. I just wanted to know when I could aspire to be like you.”
Set puffed up like a rooster, all animosity forgotten.
Jeff almost chuckled out loud. Pretty boys, they’re all the same.
Oceanus stood and grabbed her tray, ready to follow Set back to their table. As she walked away she threw one last appraising look back at Jeff. Then she winked.
Chapter 13
The abilities classes were the core set of classes everyone needed to pass to earn their degree in villainy. It only took about eight weeks to work through a level, and then you’d move to the next level. This meant that the members in Jeff’s abilities classes were always cycling in and out. Within a few weeks of his joining the academy, he’d already lost half his original class members and had them replaced by newer academy members. When it was his turn to move to the next level class, he was back in with all the initial kids again. Fortunately, Shake and Bake were among the first students to transfer up each cycle. Unfortunately, so was Source.
When Jeff and Source were in class together they always partnered up; Source helped Jeff figure out how to employ new abilities and identify the opposing ones. Jeff felt insecure whenever Source moved up to the next class.
Before he knew it, Jeff had been at the academy for eight months. Having just completed the fourth cycle of abilities classes, his control had improved to the point that he could arc a burst of flame and hit a target 30 feet away. He had shot up another six inches in height, putting him at 6 foot, 2 inches, making his S&S classes all the more challenging trying not to trip over his ever lengthening feet. The classes were as physically demanding as any army boot camp and helped Jeff to develop into an intimidating physical presence. Luckily, the academy fed the kids as much food as they needed or wanted because Jeff stopped by the cafeteria five or six times a day.
Once a year, the students “received” their families for a school visit. This meant that groups of kids flew to the bogus school on the east coast and pretended to be completely at home there while they entertained their families and showed them around town.
It was Jeff’s and Source’s turn. They’d flown east with a dozen other academy members and gotten settled into dorm rooms. They had two days to get to know the layout of the school and the surrounding town and to learn their bogus class schedule and where the classrooms were. On the third day, the families arrived.
Jeff bent over in front of the mirror in their dorm room, straightened the tie of the unfamiliar uniform and arranged his hair into the perfect windswept look. His hair was shorter than when he’d lived at home, but the style hadn’t changed. That was the only thing that hadn’t changed about him. He wondered if his family would even recognize him.
“You look great already!” Source dropped a couple of flakes into Pucker’s bowl. “What is it with you and your hair?”
“What do you mean?” Jeff glared at Source.
“You’re always flipping it, fixing it, shaking it. You’re worse than a girl!”
“I am not. I could care less what my hair looks like.”
Source snorted. “Sure, dude.”
They argued over Jeff’s vanity all the way down to the commons area. When they walked into the room, Jeff nodded at a couple other boys from the academy and high-fived a third as they passed by. He saw Tubs standing like a prison guard in the corner of the room.
“Jeff?”
Having gotten used to everyone calling him Polar, Jeff almost didn’t respond. Just in time, he realized that was meant for him and he swung around and smiled down at his family.
His dad was as gregarious as ever. “Jeff, ole boy! Look at you. What on earth are they feeding you around here?”
He clapped Jeff on the back a couple times and pumped his arm in an enthusiastic handshake. Then he yanked Jeff into a hug and clapped him on the back again. “I’d say, the place agrees with you, huh, son?”
Jeff nodded and smiled. He scanned over to Mother and froze. Tears welled in her eyes and her hand was clamped over her mouth. His smile crooked naturally and heat rushed to his cheeks. Feeling an uncharacteristic appreciation for her, he stepped forward and hugged her. “Hi, Mother.” Jeff didn’t stress the M for the first time since he’d turned eleven.
She patted his shoulders awkwardly during their brief hug. When he pulled away she blinked the tears away. “My, my, Jeff.” Her voice caught. “You’ve really grown up.”
“I think he’s my brother.” Sandra socked Jeff in the arm.
Jeff rolled his eyes. “Still annoyingly touchy-feely, aren’t you?”
“It hasn’t been that long, bro.”
“Can you believe this, Sandy-girl?” Dad waved his hand indicating all of Jeff.
“I must admit, it’s very creepy realizing your own brother is good looking.” Sandra grimaced.
Jeff chuckled. He saw Source standing off to the side.
“Oh, hey everybody, this is my roommate.” Jeff’s eyes grew wide when he realized he had no idea what Source’s real name was.
Source stepped forward and shoved his hand out to Jeff’s dad. “Henry Lippy, sir. Pleased to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Jeff smiled, knowing he’d never said a word a
bout his family to Source. He introduced Mother and then Sandra.
Source turned to Sandra and hesitated in mid bow. It was subtle, but Jeff picked up on it. He shot Source a warning look, but Source just arched an eyebrow in reply and greeted Sandra. “Ah, there is beauty among the siblings, Jeff. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Source kissed the back of Sandra’s hand. “A pleasure.”
Sandra giggled.
Jeff gawked. His sister never giggled.
“Henry,” Jeff emphasized the newly learned name, “isn’t your family here yet?”
Source barely glanced around the room before hooking his arm in Sandra’s and saying, “How about we enjoy the gardens while I wait for my family to arrive?”
They walked out together, Sandra dazed and Source debonair, leaving Jeff disgusted.
“Is he safe?” Mother asked, craning her head to see out into the gardens.
Jeff opened his mouth to answer yes, but then remembered that technically Source was a super villain. He shrugged.
After Source’s family arrived it was evident that the two families got along well. They toured the campus together, did the local sightseeing together and ate dinner together that evening. At the end of the day when they dropped the boys off at the dorm, they made arrangements to have breakfast together the next morning.
Jeff and Source stood on the steps of the dorm, waving at their departing families. As soon as the red taillights disappeared, Jeff rounded on Source. “Lay off my sister! What are you thinking? You may be good enough for me, dude, but you’ll never be good enough for her.”
Source pressed his glasses up his nose and said calmly, “I suspect I’m better than anyone she’s been interested in, in the past.”
Jeff whispered, “You’re a super villain.”
“Not a very good one, Polar, and you know it.”
“That’s not the point. What are you gonna do when you grow up? Huh? You’re gonna help bad guys be bad. She doesn’t need that, man.”
“I don’t want to marry her.”
Jeff huffed and stepped forward. “Wrong thing to say.”
Source was practically bent over backward looking up at Jeff. Yet he remained annoyingly calm. “Your sister’s hot, dude, deal.”
“Aaahhhh!” Jeff spun around and stormed into the building, wisps of smoke trailing behind from his throbbing fingers.
* * * *
Jeff didn’t speak to Source that evening or the next morning. He went down to the commons alone to wait for his family, but was surprised to find them there already. When Jeff walked into the room, a loud Hawaiian shirt called to him from the corner where his dad was talking to Tubs. Neither man seemed to be enjoying the conversation. Tubs scowled as he scanned the room and Jeff’s dad made wide, emphatic hand gestures.
“Everything okay here?” Jeff asked.
Tub’s shifty eyes lighted on Jeff for an instant. The scowl never left his face. Then he returned to scanning the occupants of the room.
Jeff’s dad swung around with a huge smile on his face. “Of course it is, son. We were just talking football. I think the Fighting Game Cocks will go all the way this year, but Tubs here disagrees.”
Jeff nodded. Something didn’t ring true, but he couldn’t put a finger on it. “Well then, I’ll just go say hi to Mother and Sandra.”
“I’ll join you, son.” Dad shoved his hands into his pockets and sauntered across the room behind Jeff.
Not long afterward, Source and his family arrived. Source made a beeline for Sandra. She lit up when she saw him approaching. Jeff huffed and shook his head. She doesn’t even like nerds.
Breakfast was loud and fun. Jeff and Source sat at opposite ends of the long table and held animated conversations with those around them. Jeff was disappointed when Sandra sat next to Source. He would have liked to catch up on things with her. When most people were done eating and the adults leaned back in their chairs, cradling their coffee cups and one-upping each other on “when I was young” stories, Jeff got up and moved down to sit across from Sandra.
“So how’s school?” he asked.
She shrugged.
Jeff looked around to make sure his parents weren’t listening. “Are you going?”
“Mostly.”
“You need to go, Sandra. You have less than three years left. Just buckle down and do it.”
Sandra leaned forward and reached across the table to lay her palm on his forehead.
Jeff jerked away.
“Are you feeling okay, bro?”
“I’m serious, Sandra. It isn’t that long in the grand scheme of things, but you’ll be set up better to be a total flake the rest of your life if you are an educated flake.”
Sandra rolled her eyes. “You’ll excuse me if I don’t take advice from the king of bad.”
Jeff nodded. “So, how are Jim and Bob? Do you see them around?”
“Bob’s in juvey; got busted stealing. Lighter fluid or something.”
Jeff flushed. He’d turned Bob on to setting fires.
“I never see Jim. I have no idea what he’s up to.” Sandra leered at her brother. “I see Jasmine all the time, though. She used to always ask if you were coming home to visit. She stopped though. They all stopped.”
Source sat forward and stuck his head into the conversation. “What do you mean they?”
“Jeff’s harem. Girls love a bad boy. I wonder what they’d think of Mr. Ivy League now?” Sandra snorted. Then her expression softened. “As long as you don’t try to recruit me, I like the change in you. You seem…well, I don’t know. Self-assured, but it’s more than that. You seem powerful. Like Clark Kent about to bust out of the phone booth.”
Jeff saw Mother look up at them. She studied Jeff thoughtfully. He blushed under her intense gaze and she smiled coolly at him and turned back to the conversation going on around her.
“Thanks, sis. I guess.”
Later on the plane ride home, with Pucker floating in a Ziploc bag in his lap, Jeff remained aloof toward Source. He’d seen Sandra and Source kiss goodbye and he’d nearly lost his breakfast. He was glad they only had the family visits once a year.
Chapter 14
They knew something wasn’t right as soon as the van pulled behind the building. Too many outside lights were on for the late hour.
“Stay in the van, gentlemen,” Tubs said. He mumbled something to Blink, the driver, before he got out of the van.
Blink turned the van around and drove back around the building to the street.
“Hey, what’re you doing?”
“Where are we going?”
“Why can’t we hang out?”
“What if there’s fighting?”
The objections from the boys meshed into one big incoherent complaint.
“They’ll call when it’s safe,” Blink said, unaffected by the nasty names being flung at him.
Source slid into an empty seat next to a boy Jeff knew had psychic abilities. The two whispered together with the boy frequently shrugging. Jeff got the impression he didn’t know what was going on, but Source kept talking to him. Finally Source slipped out of the seat and scooted in next to Jeff.
“Bender doesn’t know who’s in the building, but he said he can feel three new presences. He said they don’t feel like enemies, but they do feel different.”
“What does he mean by different?” Jeff asked.
“He couldn’t explain beyond that their energies feel equal, but different.”
Jeff shook his head. “I’m not following you.”
“Let’s say there are two people standing in front of Bender; a human and an S.V. Bender could pick the S.V. from their elevated energies. So he’s saying that whoever the strangers in the building are, they have energies equal to ours, but feel different somehow.”
“But not bad,” Jeff confirmed. “Wait. Does that mean they are bad and not a threat to us or that they are good and not bad like us and that is bad?”
Source nodded, and then grimac
ed. “Huh?”
Suddenly Blink whipped a U-turn and headed back toward the building. “Seems like everything’s fine. New student came unexpectedly, put everyone on alert. We’re going home, boys.”
The mood in the van relaxed immediately. Jeff grumbled, “How do you come to this place unexpectedly?”
At the academy, the boys grabbed their duffels and streamed into the building. The halls were deserted and the smell of pine cleaner hung in the air above the gleaming floors. As they passed an intersecting hallway, Jeff saw Pyro. He stopped to call out hello, but clamped his mouth shut. Pyro appeared to be planted in front of Tubs with her feet shoulder width apart and her hands on her hips. Her head bobbed and nodded as she spoke. Tubs glowered down at her. Jeff stopped to listen.
“I’m telling you something isn’t right. I can feel it.”
“Pyro, you’ve never tested positive for any psychic ability like that. You know I can’t refuse to admit an S.V. based on an unproven intuition,” Tubs said.
“Maybe you can’t refuse to admit her, but keep a close eye on her. Something’s not right.” Rubbing her stomach, Pyro stormed up the hall toward Jeff.
He flushed, feeling like he’d been caught peeping in a girl’s bedroom window. But when Pyro saw him she brightened.
“Hey there, kid. How the heck are you?” She stopped in front of him, arched her back and shielded her eyes with a hand. “Whoa! Is that really you way up there?”
Jeff snorted. “Yes, it’s me.”
“What do people call you, Arctic?” She raised an eyebrow at the plastic bag Jeff clutched with Pucker contentedly floating inside.
Jeff snorted again. “No, Polar.”
Pyro frowned. “I don’t get it.”
After Jeff explained how the name came about, she asked about his training. They laughed about the training sessions that had gone poorly and discussed various teachers and their philosophies.
“What’s with the fish?” Pyro asked.
“Pucker? She’s my sidekick.” Jeff lifted the bag and smiled at Pucker who lazily flapped her fins to stay afloat as Jeff caused the water to slosh around inside the baggie. “So you got another bad feeling, huh?”