by R. J. Ross
“To get--“ Max scowls. “How would a norm get super powers?” he asks.
“Dad said there’s a theory--something about recessive genes or something,” I say. “How do we know he doesn’t have one? What if some mad scientist is experimenting on him right now? America’s Son said he’s run into a few of them before!”
"You saw America's Son? More importantly, you're asking me--a super villain--to save a guy that no one, not even Trent, who's obviously going to be hero material--in our group, even likes?" he demands. "What are you smoking, Zoe? Let him do whatever he wants, it's no skin off my back--"
"He'll come after you," I say. "He'll come straight for you and maybe me!"
"Why?"
"Because he thinks he's in love with me," I say angrily. "And he's mad at me because he thinks I'm dating you because you've got powers!" The blank look on his face makes me want to hit him.
"Well... yeah," he says finally.
"What?"
"Not many supers date norms," he explains with a shrug. "I mean, sure there's a random news reporter lady, or a cop, or a scientist, but for the most part... I mean, it doesn't work out. My mom was a norm and she ran off the first time I had my cradle floating around the room. I think I was seven months or something. It just doesn't work out," he repeats.
"It doesn't matter!" I say, although I can see where he's coming from. It's difficult enough being the one with the powers--but now isn't the time. "Will you do it? Or should I ask Trent?" I ask him.
He hesitates. I can see it in his eyes that he really doesn't want to do this. "It might be too late--go get Sunny and Trent, we'll all head out," he decides, not sounding very enthusiastic at all. “I doubt we’ll find him.”
"Thank you, Max," I say quietly before rushing for the school. I hear him mutter a curse and kick a tree behind me. I owe him one, and I know it. It's a bit worrying, really.
***
"I've got nothing." I look over at Trent, feeling my headache grow worse. We're sitting on a street corner in town. The moon is overhead, looming down on us. We've been searching for hours. No one seems to know anything about Jack, which doesn't really surprise me, although it does depress me. A teenager can disappear way too easily around here.
I lean my head against Sunny's shoulder, letting out a sigh. "I give up," I say. "Either he's blowing hot air or he's dead or something by now. I want to go home."
Max drops down next to me, handing over a paper wrapped burger, then another to Sunny and a third to Trent. "Only got you one, so don't start complaining about starving to death," he adds for Trent's sake. "You can go buy another one yourself," he adds around a mouthful of burger.
We're all too tired and hungry to complain, even Trent, so we dig into the food and toss the wrappers when we're done. "Let's go home," Max says. "This is pointless."
"I don't know if Dad is home yet, though," I say abruptly, remembering what had happened.
"Huh? Why?"
"Because he was looking for the freaky guy," I say. They all turn and stare at me.
"Zoe... have you noticed how you tend to forget to mention important facts?" Max asks me in a surprisingly patient tone.
"Um... no?" I say, flushing and licking ketchup off my fingers.
"Tell us who the freaky guy is," Trent says in a drawling tone.
"You noticed it too, right?" Max says to the others.
"She's always been like that," Sunny tells them. "She gets distracted or something."
"Yeah, but she's still cute," Max decides. "Maybe she can be trained."
"I am not a puppy!" I complain. "Look, Jack was more important because Dad was taking care of the freaky guy for me. So we went to look for Jack... and failed," I say. "But the freaky guy was all the way across the country and he didn't actually do anything except give me directions... and make the world warp. It made me sick to my stomach, practically. And... well... he looked like Dad. But his hair was backwards."
"Backwards?" Trent asks.
"Like the black was white and the white was black," I explain. "Then everything else was the wrong color, too. Like the sky and the sand and the sun. It was... freaky." It was the only word I could come up with that satisfied me.
"Another Superior kid?" Max asks, looking a bit pale in the street light. "That... probably isn't good. Either way, if he isn't there you can sleep over at my place--"
"No they can't," Trent says.
"What?" Max asks. "Who gave you a say in this?"
"They can stay over at my place," Trent declares. "I've got both parents, one of them will definitely be home. I heard Mastermental was overseas again. We all agreed that they weren't safe at school, right? So how would they be safe with just you as a guard?"
"Yeah? Well then I'm staying at your place, too," Max says. "I don't even know who your dad is, I can't say for sure he's a better guard than I would be."
"We don't even know Dad's not back," Sunny says, hesitating over the word "Dad." "Maybe we should go to the apartment first before getting into some huge sleepover thing. Honestly, I like having my own room."
"Sure, I want to see where you two live now, anyway," Max says, hopping to his feet and turning to grin at me and offer his hand. I hesitate, thinking of all the things we've talked about, but before I even get the chance, Sunny's standing up and hauling me along with him.
"See what I mean?" Max mutters as I'm dragged right past him. "Brother bodyguard."
"She wouldn't need one if you weren't chasing her because of who her dad is," Sunny says.
"I'm not chasing her because of that!" Max protests. "She is seriously cute!"
"Naaaah, she's not cute," Trent says lazily following along, "she's... awesome looking. That hair, the green eyes--"
"Dude, stop hitting on my future girlfriend," Max mutters, punching him lightly in the shoulder.
Not just my face is red right now. My ears are burning and so is my neck. "Both of you quit teasing me," I mutter.
"But can't you see her in a super outfit?" Trent asks.
"Ohhhh yeah," Max says.
Sunny tugs me in front of him, then turns and glares at both boys. "Seriously, guys, lay off. She's already been through enough today, you know?"
"Sunny's going to look pretty awesome as a super, too," Max says. "But we already knew that--look at his dad."
I glance back and realize that Sunny's blushing now, too. "I don't look that much like him!" he protests.
"You do," I say, grabbing his arm. "And they're right, you'll make an awesome looking super hero," I tell him as I tug him back towards the highway. "But enough of all that--we've got a while before we even have to think about it."
"We're twins," Sunny says. "Even if we aren't identical we look a lot alike."
"Well, yeah..."
"So if you're in a super outfit wouldn't you look like Dad, too?" he asks.
The groans that came from behind us make me turn and look at the two guys who are suddenly gagging. "That's so sick, man," Max says.
"I think I threw up a little," Trent agrees.
"She'd look more like Firefly, right?" Max offers.
“Maybe a little?” Trent offers. “I dunno, Firefly’s got all white hair--and she keeps it short. So I’m not really seeing it.”
I roll my eyes, glancing around as I suddenly feel like we’re being watched. It’s not the best part of town to be in this late at night--but I’ve got a professional super villain right behind me, right? Sure, he’s only seventeen, but he can lift greyhound buses with his mind, that’s got to count for something, right? And who knows what Trent can do?
“Can we change the conversation now?” Sunny complains, jerking me back to the conversation. “What girls around our age have powers and aren’t related to me?”
“Why do they need to have powers?” I demand. “You can date a norm!”
“And what, try and explain why the rosebush is trying to get up my pants?” he drawls.
“That sounds painful,” Trent says after a second
of thought.
“It is.”
“I don’t know any,” Max says almost cheerfully. “I know there’s at least two, possibly three more super brats in the area--which covers all the states that border us, but I don’t know their names, their ages, or even what gender they are. Until they come into their powers there’s no telling, and even after that, there’s a good chance the parents will keep them a secret until they’re old enough to come out.”
"Man I hope they're girls," Sunny says.
"This isn't some super power dating circle, you know!" I protest. "Sheesh, there's more to life than getting a girlfriend!"
"She can only say that because Max is practically leashed already," Trent comments. I thought I was red before, but now I swear I'm bright enough to be seen in the dark.
"Max and I aren't dating!" I protest. I stop, looking around again. "I feel like we're being watched," I say quietly.
"We probably are," Sunny says. "Come on, guys, I'll race you home." He slips out of my hold and starts running without even giving us a "go." The jerk. I start after him, not offering the other guys a "go" either. What? I want out of there, plus I doubt I can outrace the others without cheating a bit.
Sorry Mom, but this time you can understand, right?
***
"So did you find anything?" Ken asks. He's sitting on Nico's couch, drinking a pop as if he's his best friend, Nico thinks with a mix of amusement and irritation. It had never occurred to the super villain before that he'd wind up with the most upright hero in the Hall hanging around.
"No. The guy was long gone," Nico says, drinking a beer. There are several reasons to drink a beer--the most important being the urge to get on Ken's nerves. A good preacher boy doesn't approve of drinking, right? "I'm still not sure if he was there or not, honestly."
"You don't trust your daughter?" Ken asks, glancing at the door. "Wonder what's taking them so long, anyway. I want to meet Lady Rose's boy, too."
"He's my kid, too, you know."
"So you're claiming them already?" Ken asks. "I didn't know that they'd already done the tests."
"You'll see," Nico says. "Can't really deny it, actually." Silence stretches for a moment before Nico points at the television and it flips on. "I wonder if they found the kid..."
"The kid? You mean the one that went to try and get powers?" Ken asks, watching as the channels flip without even needing a channel changer. "They won't find him."
"Yeah, I know," Nico says, kicking his feet up on the coffee table. "But she's not going to let it go. She takes after me," he admits, scowling. "How can you take after a guy you never met until you were fifteen, anyway?" he asks the other man.
"Don't know, but I figure a mix of hardheadedness and the desire to help people isn't a bad thing to have," Ken says. "Trent likes your kids," he goes on, finishing off his coke, smashing the can and throwing the aluminum into the trash across the room. "It's the first time he's come home and actually talked to his mom and me. For years he's gone straight to his room, usually breaking something along the way."
"So even preachers have trouble with their kids?"
Ken scowls, looking forward for a moment. "Being alone when you're a cape and a teen... I couldn't let him join sports, not when he's still getting control of his abilities. He would have been a great football player," he says quietly. "He doesn't connect with norms. None of us really do, no matter what side we're on."
"So who's his mom?" Nico asks.
"Star Spangled," Ken says.
"You're joking."
"Honest to God," Ken says.
"Star Spangled--she's a preacher's wife?" Nico says, trying to picture the skimpily dressed blonde in her Sunday best. "Seriously? She wore that miniskirt that flew up--"
"I loved that outfit," Ken says a bit mournfully. "Why do you think I asked her to marry me? She switched to pants about ten years ago."
Nico stares at him then promptly throws a couch pillow at him. "Quit bragging," he mutters as Ken starts to laugh.
"Hey, Lady Rose was gorgeous," Ken says with a grin as the laughter faded. "I'm... really sorry about that."
"We were just a fling," Nico mutters, not looking at the other man. Something tells him that he's not fooling anyone.
"Really," Ken says.
"Yeah."
"Why don't I believe that? You're not the type to cross boundaries for just a fling, are you?"
"What do you want me to say? It's all some sixteen years ago and she's... probably dead now, right? So it's not like it even matters."
"It will to your kids," Ken says. "Don't you think they'd want to know if you loved their mom?"
Nico falls silent. Every time he looks into Zoe or Sunny's eyes he sees their mother. It's both painful and amazing, looking into those brilliant green eyes. He can picture her face now, picture that expression of amused frustration that she constantly wore around him.
"That's up to them to ask," he says finally. Before he has to go on, the door swings open.
"Look, he is here," he hears Sunny say as he turns to look up. There's his kids, followed by Max, who looks faintly like Double M, and a kid that looks almost exactly like Ken.
"Hey," the kid says. "We're uh--Dad? What are you doing here?" he asks.
"Bothering Nico," Ken says cheerfully, raising a hand in greeting. "He's not nearly as hard to get along with as Mega is!"
"But you're still wearing the Mega shirt," Nico points out.
"It's still a shirt I got for a buck," Ken says shamelessly. "When I find your shirt for a buck, I'll wear that one instead."
"They don't make super villain shirts, do they?" Nico asks.
"Wait--you mean you're America's Son's son?" Max interrupts. "So that's why you never told me! We've been hanging out with America's Grandson!"
"Shut it," Trent growls. "Mini M."
"Oooh, that was low," Max mutters.
"Dad, did you find him?" Zoe asks, heading for the couch and sitting down on his armrest.
"No."
"We didn't find Jack, either," she admits. "Did you eat? Max got us burgers."
"Not yet," he says.
"I'll make you something," she says, much to his shock, hopping off the couch and heading for the kitchen. He turns, watching her curiously then watching the boys who are watching her curiously instead.
"It's fine," he says a bit belatedly. She's already tossing a burger into a frying pan.
"It's my fault you were running around after working construction, right?" she says. "You need to eat."
What can he say to that? He closes his mouth and faces forward, letting her do what she wants.
CHAPTER EIGHT
I've got an audience. It's really awkward being stared at by everyone other than my twin brother like I'm a foreign object. I shoot them all a dirty look. "What? We just went downtown--he went halfway across the country. So shut it."
Is it really that shocking to do something nice for someone? Sheesh. I flip the burger before going to dig through the fridge for what to put on it. "Lettuce, ketchup, mustard--Dad, what do you like on your burger?" I call over my shoulder.
"Anything's fine."
I grab a tomato and an onion, wondering who stocked the fridge for us for a moment before taking all my things back to the counter.
"Does she do this often?" Max asks Sunny.
"She used to," he says. "Before Mom... disappeared, she didn't get home in time to cook dinner more often than not, so Zoe and I took turns cooking. She's better at it than I am."
"Not on a grill," I say. "Sunny's great at grilling chicken and stuff."
"I changed my mind," Trent says. "Zoe, will you go out with me?" He goes flying backwards a few feet and I turn to glare at an innocent looking Max.
"Don't break anything!" Dad yells.
"Hey, you try and find a girl that's got powers and can cook!" Trent complains, getting to his feet.
"Would you two stop it?" I demand. "I don't like all this harping on having to have powers!
Supers should be able to date norms if they want!"
"So you want to date Jack?" Max asks.
"Ewww, no! I just--it's stereotyping on both sides!" It's starting to frustrate me--and all of a sudden Dad is coming to the kitchen to tear up the lettuce and barge in on the conversation.
"You can date norms, sure," he says. "I've dated one or two in the past. It just doesn't work out that well."
"Like it worked out well dating our Mom," Sunny mutters in a surly tone.
"It..." Dad frowns slightly. "It was better than the norms, that's for sure. But her being a hero--although one that specialized, and me being a villain, well, it wasn't like we could walk down the street holding hands or anything," he admits. "Which is why Trent would be a better choice than Max!"
"Even you're out to get me?" Max says.
"Heroes and heroes dating is socially acceptable," Dad says.
"He's right," Ken says, heading over to drop on one of the barstools next to the kitchen bar. "Except if you break up. Then you're stuck working with each other... man, the first time me and Jeanie had a fight, work was terrible," he says, shaking his head. "I found myself knocked out at least three times that week."
"Mom did it?" Trent asked, looking surprised.
"Well, she's fast enough not to get caught," Ken admits.
"Seriously," Dad says, staring at the blonde man blankly. "She knocked you out in the middle of work?"
"Well she was convinced I'd been flirting with Falconess," Ken says.
"Were you?" Trent asks.
"Ah... well..." Ken says.
"You were!" Dad says, bursting into laughter.
"We'd not made it official or anything! We'd only gone on a couple of dates at the time!" Ken protests. "So I had every right to flirt!"
"If I were Mom I would have knocked you out, too," Trent mutters.
"But!" Ken says, clearly wanting to change the subject. "It's not unheard of for a hero and a villain to get together. Once you take the mask off you're both alike in a lot of ways, you know? Just one of them has taken the wrong path in life."