Erin moved away from the desk and went back to the kitchen. “Forget about Thai. Don’t think I have much of an appetite any more.”
Victoria placed her face in the palm of her open hand. Trying to relate to your teenage daughter was a near-impossible task in and of itself. How does one relate to a teenage daughter who also happens to be a superhero?
***
Erin gnawed on her straw, staring down at the pepperoni pizza resting in the middle of the table. The three teenage girls she shared the booth with chattered almost non-stop, while Erin felt the conversation fading into the background, becoming white noise.
Everything seemed so surreal to her now. After spending months with Vanguard, living at the Atlas, her life back in Madison felt completely mundane. Julie, the redhead who sat next to her, kept prattling on about her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Ted. Across from her, two other girls—Maria, who had straight, long dark hair and Patty whose short blond hair reached down to her chin—hung onto Julie’s every word.
But Erin just smiled and nodded, putting up the facade of listening. She took a fresh slice of pizza and bit into it, chewing slowly. What she wouldn’t give for some kind of a crisis right now. A rogue special attack seemed pretty unlikely, but maybe a robbery or even a fight between some of the guys who sat at the bar.
“Hey!” Julie snapped her fingers in front of Erin’s face.
She blinked her blue eyes and looked at her friend. “Sorry, did you say something?”
“I asked you what’s going on with you and Chris,” said Julie. “Didn’t you have a thing?”
Erin shook her head. “Not really.”
“Oh come on,” said Julie. “You were so into him. Now he and Kelly broke up and it’s like you couldn’t care less.”
Last year, Erin would’ve given anything to go out with Chris Powell. But now she had trouble even picturing his face. She gave Julie a shrug. “He’s not really my type.”
“Not your type?” asked Maria. “What about him isn’t your type? He’s cute, he’s funny, he’s got a nice car.”
“And from I’ve heard, he’s got some other attributes,” said Patty with a knowing smile.
The three girls let out a genuine laugh, but Erin faked hers to fit in with them. “I just don’t think I’m really into him any more. I mean, knowing he dated Kelly Grayson of all people.”
Her friends laughed. “You’re such a bitch!” said Julie, playfully smacking Erin’s arm. In reality, Erin didn’t have any opinion about Kelly Grayson. But it felt like the right thing to say in order to shut Julie up.
“So tell us his name,” said Julie.
So much for that.
“What do you mean?” asked Erin.
“You met someone when you were away, didn’t you? Some sexy French guy?”
“Oh…” To account for the time she was with Vanguard, Erin had been provided with a cover story, saying she had been studying abroad in Europe. “No, it was nothing like that.”
“Bull!” said Patty, pointing at Erin’s face. “Look at her, she’s blushing!”
“I am not!” said Erin. “There wasn’t anyone, okay? I spent pretty much the whole time studying.”
“Whatever,” said Julie. “Y’know Hastings, you’re really disappointing. Only you could go to Europe and come back with the lamest stories ever.”
***
“Sounds like a nightmare,” said Koji Asano after Erin finished relating the story about her night out with her friends.
Erin leaned against her bed’s headboard, the tablet that she spoke to Koji through resting on her thighs and a pair of earphones plugged into the side.
“Just feels so weird being back here. Nothing seems right,” said Erin.
“It takes some getting used to, that’s all. You keep in touch with the others?”
“I hear from Anita every now and then, but she’s pretty busy with her new job. I used to get a postcard from Dom whenever he wound up somewhere new, but nothing in a few weeks. And since Jim went to work for Cerberus, no word from him. Which I guess is understandable.”
“What about Lee or Zen?”
Erin frowned and shook her head. “Not since the funeral.”
Koji sighed. The funeral she referred to was for Colonel Leonard Thorne, the man who had been put in charge of Vanguard by the late President Hayworth. But after the incoming President Lawson had made the decision to cease the government’s sponsorship of the team, Thorne was offered the opportunity to head up Cerberus, an international organization designed to police specials. When he went to Washington to accept the position, he was killed in an explosion.
Atlas was officially closed to them from that point. Zenith, the team’s artificial intelligence, had been left trapped in the body of one of Vanguard’s enemies. And Lee Parker, a new addition to the team, had promised to help restore Zenith to his own body. But they both vanished after the funeral and hadn’t been seen since.
Erin made the decision to change the subject. “How are things out there in paradise?”
Koji smirked. “Pretty nice. The job pays decently enough, plus I get to be in the water almost all day. Sometimes after work, I’ll dive underwater and transform into my Sharkskin form and just swim for hours.”
Erin’s smile was half-hearted. Koji had found a way to embrace his abilities. But her mother didn’t like seeing her use her shapeshifting powers and she certainly couldn’t do it anywhere else. That meant her room was the one place she could show her true face.
“Sounds great.”
Koji’s smirk faded into a grown. “Doesn’t seem like you really feel that way.”
Erin sighed. “I’m sorry, Koj. I’m just feeling a little sorry for myself.”
“Don’t sweat it. Hey listen, maybe you could come out here for a visit some time. I could show you around the island.”
“Yeah, that sounds fun,” said Erin.
She could hear the sound of a ringtone on Koji’s end. He looked down from the screen and she saw a cell phone in his hand. Koji turned back to the camera. “Sorry Erin, I gotta go. That’s my parents calling.”
“Sure thing, I’ll talk to you later.” Erin ended the call and Koji’s face vanished from her screen. She sighed and opened up the tablet’s web browser.
She first started going to the special-related forums about a week or two ago, when she was feeling really separated from who she was. Hundreds of online communities had sprung up in regards to the specials, especially since the United Nations introduced the world to Cerberus.
There were even extreme conspiracy theories regarding the specials. On one side, you had those who believed specials were some kind of demons here to bring about the new world order. On the other, there were those who felt that Cerberus was actually murdering specials in secret, trying to contain their population and that Vanguard had been their first targets.
Obviously Erin knew that wasn’t true, but she never participated in the discussions. She didn’t want to risk accidentally revealing something about Vanguard that could compromise her identity. In these days, Internet anonymity wasn’t quite as anonymous as many people thought. She had learned that from Zenith.
As she scrolled through the posts, one of the topic threads caught her attention—labeled, “FREAK ISLAND?!”
Erin clicked the link. As she read the post, she started to doubt the veracity, like most things she’d read on these forums. But then another thought entered her mind—what if it were true? A place where specials could be themselves, free from persecution?
CHAPTER 2
Koji swam beneath the waves of the Pacific Ocean, his body shifting and gaining bulk as he moved through the water. His skin turned to a shade of gray and his hair retreated into his head. His eyes transformed into pitch-black orbs and the teeth lining his jaw elongated and sharpened.
One of the perks to his Sharkskin form was his ability to breathe underwater without any difficulty. His speed and strength increased and his senses heightened to a su
perhuman level. Koji enjoyed this part of the day most of all, the time when he could just relish in his special abilities.
As he swam through the water, Koji blinked twice, catching sight of something off in the distance. He kicked his legs fiercely, realizing it looked like a person floating there above the sandy floor. But once he got within range, he saw the person change form, becoming a green-skinned woman with no hair and bright, yellow eyes, smiling at him. Koji shook his head and grabbed her arm, pulling her up to the surface.
He changed back into his human form just an instant before his head broke through the water. When he pulled the girl up, she had changed as well, now sporting long, blond hair and fair skin.
“The hell were you thinking, Erin?” he asked.
Erin splashed water in his face. “Nice to see you, too. Dick.”
Koji wiped the water from his face, a frown still present on his face. He then smiled and splashed her back. Erin squealed and retaliated, the two quickly escalating into a war of water, laughter coming from both of them.
Erin, at a loss of breath from laughter and the exertion, held up her arms. “Okay, okay! Truce?”
Koji gave a nod. “All right. So you gonna tell me what you’re doing out here?”
“Should we head in first?”
Koji nodded. The two swam back to shore, walking out onto the dry sand. Koji had a beach towel spread out on the sand next to a backpack. He picked up the towel and started drying himself off. When he finished, he held the towel out to Erin, but found that she already appeared dry.
“Huh?”
“Shapeshifting, remember?”
Koji frowned and tossed the towel onto his bag. “How come I can’t do that?”
“Because I’m better than you?”
Koji made a face at her before sitting on the sand. “Okay, so what’s going on? Why are you in Hawaii?”
“Taking you up on your offer,” said Erin, sitting beside him. “Remember you said I could come out here and visit you?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t think you’d come down a few days later without notice.”
Erin smirked. “I stole my mom’s credit card.”
Koji’s eyes bulged. “You what?”
Erin put a hand on his. “Relax, I had a good reason.”
Koji was dumbfounded, looking away from her. “This isn’t like you.”
“It’s fine, my mom’s out of town on business any way,” said Erin. “I’ve got my phone so I can easily make up some story if she calls.”
“Not the point. You shouldn’t just run off like that.”
“I said I had a good reason.”
Koji sighed, running a hand through his quickly-drying short hair. “Okay, let’s hear this ‘good’ reason.”
“I’ve been keeping up with a bunch of communities and blogs about specials online over the past few months. And I’ve discovered some pretty weird stuff.”
“Like what?”
“Usual conspiracy theory stuff. Some people say Cerberus is killing specials who get out of line.”
Koji waved her off with his hand. “Oh come on. We both know Jim wouldn’t involve himself with anything like that.”
Erin rolled her eyes. “I know it’s not like Jim. Maybe there’s more to Cerberus than he knows.”
“Or maybe it’s a bunch of nutbags with tinfoil hats.”
“Okay, maybe. But I also found out something new. Have you ever heard of Arcadia?”
Koji cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t think so.”
“I’ve seen a lot of stuff about it lately on the web. A hidden island for specials. A place we can go where we can be ourselves, away from the rest of the world.”
Koji scoffed. “Oh come on.”
Erin gently bit her lower lip. “What? It’s worth looking into, isn’t it?”
“For what? You gonna go live there or something?”
Erin shrugged, looking away. She brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. “Maybe.”
Koji studied her face. “You okay?”
Erin shut her eyes and shook her head. “Things…they’ve been better.”
Koji put a gentle hand on her back.
“Y’know, when I first got to Atlas, all I wanted was to go back to Madison. Go back to being a normal girl. And now, I can’t stand being back in that world.” Erin opened her eyes and snickered. “God, talk about first-world problems, right? Poor white girl, she can’t be a superhero any more.”
Koji rubbed her back. “It’s okay, no one said coming back would be easy. After everything we’ve been through, kinda hard to just leave it all behind.”
“My friends just annoy the crap out of me now,” said Erin. “All they talk about is who’s wearing what or who’s dating who and I just want to scream at them, ‘Do you know how stupid this is?’ And then my mom…Jesus, she can’t even stand to look at me.”
“Sure it’s not like that.”
“Oh?” Erin turned to Koji. “Every time I change into my real form, she freaks!”
Koji sighed. “Wish I could say I know more about what you’re going through. But me…I was kind of a loner before Vanguard, so being on my own isn’t so bad.”
“I know, but you’re also the only one I can talk to about this stuff,” said Erin. “Listen, just come with me to Arcadia, okay? Just to check it out.”
Koji sighed. “I don’t know…”
“Please, Koj? I just need to be around people like us, if only for a little bit.” She reached for his hand, clutching it tightly in both of hers. “You’re not gonna make me turn into a puppy and beg, are you?”
Koji chuckled. “As funny as that would be, no.” He took a breath. “Okay. But just to watch your back, got it? And we’re only visiting.”
A wide grin spread on Erin’s face and she threw her arms around Koji, knocking them both onto the sand. “You’re the best!”
Koji laughed, hugging her back. “Yeah, I know. So how do we get to this place?”
“There’s an island near here, word has it they’re picking up a group of specials tomorrow.”
CHAPTER 3
Koji was surprised at the number of people who were waiting on the island when he and Erin climbed off the small boat. The small island had at least two dozen people waiting. Most looked fairly normal, but there were a few who wore hoods or wide-brimmed hats to keep their faces hidden. He caught only the smallest glimpse of some of them, noticing the deformities caused by their abilities.
It never occurred to Koji that not all specials who undergo physical transformations would be able to change back into a human form like him and Erin. At first he wasn’t so sure about a place like Arcadia, but now he began to wonder at what sort of persecution these people must have faced.
He felt Erin’s fingers wrap around his hand and he looked to his side. She was in her Shift form and from the look in her yellow eyes, Koji could tell she was nervous. No one gathered spoke to anyone else. They all stood in silence, watching out over the water.
And then it happened. A distortion in the air. Koji blinked a few times, not sure of what he actually saw. It came again, with a crackle of energy. The water bubbled up around a certain spot and a yellow tear appeared in the middle of the space above the water. It opened wider, forming into a large arch.
A long boat came through the arch and a man stood at the rear of it, rowing with a large oar. He wore a cloak that covered every inch of his body and long, straggly hair emerged from the sides of the hood. His eyes were a piercing yellow that matched the color of the arch and his face long and thin.
The boat ran ashore and he moved from the rear to the front, stepping out onto the sand-covered beach. He held up his hands in a gesture for all to come closer.
“You’ve all come here because you wish for an escape for the world of man, a world that has shown you only persecution and hatred. However you may of heard of us, you are welcome on my boat.” He made a sweeping gesture towards the vessel. “If you’re prepared to le
ave this world behind, then allow the Ferryman to escort you to a new and better one.”
The people on the shore one by one piled into the Ferryman’s boat. Erin and Koji looked at each other. He gave her a questioning raise of his brow and Erin replied with a smile and a nod. She was ready to do this, wherever it led.
The pair approached the boat and the Ferryman smiled at them as they came close. Koji pulled himself into the boat first and then offered a hand to Erin to help her up. They sat down on one of the benches, squeezing in amongst the other passengers.
The Ferryman was the last to board and he used his oar to push away from the shore. He paddled, turning the boat and directing it into the portal he’d come out from. As they passed through the yellow arch, they saw the sky was slightly darker here, a different time of day. The water was also far more clear, almost completely translucent.
Once the boat was through the portal, it closed completely. Koji, Erin, and the other passengers all cast their eyes around, taking in the scenery. The Ferryman kept his eyes straight, paddling closer to land. A long pier jutted out from the shore and a gathering of people stood on land, watching their approach.
The Ferryman brought the boat closer and a young man stepped out onto the dock. He closed his eyes and held out his hands. His outstretched fingers vibrated slightly, an invisible force taking hold of the boat and pulling it closer to the dock. Ropes snaked out seemingly under their own power and tied themselves to the boat’s cleats.
The man lowered his arms and opened his eyes, smiling at the newcomers. He made a motion for them to disembark and one by one, they climbed onto the pier. Erin and Koji followed the others. The gathering on the beach cheered as the new arrivals set foot on the island for the first time.
While most of the people greeted the new arrivals, Koji noticed one man, tall with short dark hair and a thin beard, eyeing Erin carefully. When in his Sharkskin form, Koji’s senses were superhuman, but even in his human form, they were sharper than most. And something about this bearded man made him protective of his friend.
Vanguard: The Complete Second Season: A Superhero Serial (Vanguard: The Collected Seasons Book 2) Page 5