I shook my head. “I need time alone.”
Carter directed Megan on where to go. She grumbled but complied.
When we pulled up in front of my place it felt unreal. Like once I stepped back inside my studio this weird chapter of my life would be over and I could be a normal adult. But I was in too much pain for contemplation. I refused Carter’s offer to see me up to my door. Before I could get the crate of food out, he spread his arms out for a hug.
“Careful,” I said. “I’m broken.”
It was a gentle embrace. He smelled like he needed a shower. I needed to hose myself down as well, and burn my clothes. But I kissed his cheek and looked up into his green eyes.
“I used you,” I said. “I’m sorry. But I couldn’t have done this without your help.”
“We were on the same path,” he said. “Just doing it in different ways. You were amazing and brave. I would have never gotten out from behind my computer if not for you. I just hope…”
I nodded. “We made things better. I know it.”
His sad smile told me he wanted to believe. We hugged a second time. This time it hurt.
I didn’t wait to watch them leave. Crate in hand, I mounted the steps and hoped my keys were still in my pocket. It didn’t matter. The door was still busted. So was everything else inside.
Cleaning up would have to wait. I put the crate of food down and put the folded cape on my bed. Then I got a chair and propped it under the doorknob.
Safe from the world.
The sounds of the apartment building were somehow comforting. They pressed in like a warm buzz and this time I was able to ignore it all as I lay down. Princess Pike had destroyed my one good pillow. So I used the black cape.
Good enough.
If something lay in wait for me in the land of sleep, I didn’t care.
Chapter Thirty-Six
It must have been around noon the next day when I came to. I felt a snake tightening in my gut. I got up and barely made the bathroom before a series of dry heaves racked my body. By the time I was finished I clung to the cool toilet, exhausted.
Showering and getting dressed took forever. Everything ached. I kept the locket on the whole time. For some reason I thought taking it off might strip me of my powers. That I would check the news to see Chronos had reappeared, back from the dead, and it would all start over again. I couldn’t risk losing any edge even as the logical part of my brain told me I was being irrational.
But doing any of the things I could do wasn’t rational.
My head was pounding. I took a few acetaminophen and drank as much water as I could stomach. Next, as gingerly as possible, I tested the limits of motion in my arms and legs. Nothing new was broken, but to my surprise the dark bruise on my side had actually faded somewhat.
The sounds came in through the walls as loud as ever.
I lay back down on my bed and thought about calling Carter. But instead I slept another four hours.
My phone was dead. That explained the lack of alerts. I plugged it in and hoped it was only the battery. After a couple of minutes I got it to power up and checked it while it was still plugged into the wall.
The landlord had left a voicemail. No doubt he’d heard about the apartment being trashed and my security deposit was toast. I left the message unplayed.
Carter had texted several times asking how I was doing and had called twice.
He picked up immediately.
“I was going to come by again,” he said. “I knocked but figured you were out.”
I paced to the window, stepping carefully through the mess on the floor. “I was here asleep. I didn’t hear you.”
“Are you okay?”
I had eaten an apple I had taken from Dogwood. Like with the berries and everything else Mercy had given me, the effects were almost immediate. The headache was waning and my roiling insides had settled.
“I’m managing,” I said. “How are you and Megan?”
“Physically fine. She’s all over the place and she took a sedative. I’m at her place now keeping an eye on her. For me, it’s just setting in, everything that’s happened. I thought this part would be easier, not that I ever imagined we’d make it here.”
“You mean actually taking out Chronos.”
“Killing him, yeah. We murdered someone, Jade. I know we talked about it. But deep down I never believed it would actually happen. And now…”
“If it’s any consolation, remember it was me who did it.”
“Don’t give me that. I helped you plan every step we took. I’m just as culpable. We’re both guilty.”
“Careful with that word. I don’t like it. It implies we did something wrong. We didn’t. The world was always ready to forgive Chronos for all the harm he did, as long as he did enough good to tip the scale in his direction. They would have done it again once he snapped out of his psychotic spell. I know it. His hero friends needed him back, no matter what he had done earlier in the day. The cops would have done that too. Forgiven all if he just pulled it together and went off to save the planet. I ended that cycle.”
“Whatever’s going on down south is looking pretty bad. Maid of Honor has gone missing. What if we made the wrong choice?”
“We didn’t. Now that Chronos is gone, the world is going to have to turn to someone else. And whoever it is better be more responsible with their actions.”
“You make it sound like you’re going to be the one who holds them accountable.”
“Maybe I will be.” My lame joke got no response.
“Jade, there’s a lot we need to discuss. Your powers. You being sick. A supervillain trying to kill you even before you got any powers. And what we do next.”
I let out a long sigh. I was still tired and the last thing I wanted to do was have this discussion. “Carter, let’s start with my name. It’s not Jade. It’s Lily. Jade was a made-up name on my user profile on the dating app.”
“Yeah, I know. I looked in your purse and checked your driver’s license.”
“You what?”
There was a moment of silence on Carter’s end. “I like Jade better.”
“The name’s a lie, like most things in my life.”
“Can we…” he started. He sounded uncomfortable, but pressed on. “Let’s get to what you’re planning on doing next. What if your power doesn’t fade?”
“Do we have to talk about this right now? I have a rager of a headache.”
“I’d like to know.”
“I don’t have an answer. What do you want me to say? That if I become the next Chronos that I’ll be a force for good? I can’t promise any of that. Look where I’ve been. I was robbing men for money so I could plan my revenge pipe dream. I don’t pretend to have the moral compass you’re hoping for. Maybe you’ll be tracking me in a year. All I want to do right now is stare at the wall for a week and do nothing. Except…”
I trailed off. I didn’t know where the tears came from. It was one of those beyond-tired cries and it took a minute for it to subside.
“You still there?” Carter asked.
“Yeah.” I wiped my eyes with my sleeve. “What I’m getting at is that I’m ashamed of what I’ve done. But I don’t feel guilty. It’s a hell of a contradiction. And my apartment is a wreck, I’m getting kicked out, and I know that I can go and rob a bank right now and no one will be able to stop me.”
“You better hurry. They close soon.”
I let out a laugh. “Was that a joke?”
“Jade, you can stay at my place. No pressure. Take as long as it takes until you get back on your feet. I’ll take care of you.”
“I don’t want you to take care of me. Don’t you get it? I’ve been using you ever since our first date. I’m no good for you or anyone else. So I’m asking you right now to just leave me alone. I mean it. Don’t call, don’t text, and don’t come over.”
“I—” he began.
I hit the red button and ended the call.
***
When the knock came again I forced myself to sit up.
“Hold on,” I said.
My foot struck a broken piece of chair and I almost tripped. I’ll bet this happens to all the superheroes, I thought. Pulling the chair away, I opened the door.
I was ready to either murder my landlord or yell at Carter for showing up when I expressly told him not to. But instead a somewhat portly older man stood in my doorway. Even in the dim light of the hallway I recognized Loremaster.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. “More importantly, how did you find me?”
He offered a sheepish smile. “Each mind is like a unique signal to me. It takes a little time and concentration, but it’s what I do. I apologize in advance for coming unannounced, but I have no contact information for you.”
“I didn’t give you any. And I don’t want you here.”
Before I could close the door, he said, “This is important.”
I sighed. The place was a wreck and there wasn’t exactly anyplace to entertain a visitor, but I invited him in.
He stepped carefully past the debris on the floor to the kitchen area.
“I got robbed,” I said.
“I see. Are you okay?”
Maybe he’d missed my battered appearance. I gave him an are-you-serious look, but his sincere expression told me he was.
“Look, it’s been a rough one,” I said. “I know I left you and Shieldbreaker without much of an explanation, but I don’t really have answers for you right now. I’m in a lot of pain and exhausted. If you’re wondering about Chronos, it’s finished. He’s done and he won’t ever be coming back.”
“I know. I tried to find him but can’t. Even at the end, I had hoped we could turn him back.”
“I did what I had to do.”
He put up a hand. “I’m not here to accuse you of anything. You did what you did to protect the city. I get it.”
“Does Shieldbreaker?”
“Yes, mostly. So do the cops. They all want to talk to you. But relax, no one knows who you are.”
“Except you.” I studied him carefully.
“I’m good at keeping other people’s secrets,” he said with a faint smile. “And I’ll keep yours. That’s a promise.”
“But you’re here in my apartment. Is this some sort of veiled threat for me to behave, otherwise you’ll hand me over or arrest me?”
Loremaster shook his head. “I’m not a cop. I’m just an archivist who loves his city. And that’s why I’m here. You have a lot of power but I sense you’re reluctant to use it. Why?”
“Because I haven’t had it for more than a few days and I’m just coming to grips with it. I didn’t expect to have to fight Chronos like I did. I didn’t ask for any of this. My abilities might be temporary. And they’re making me sick, and possibly killing me.”
“Most of us with gifts didn’t dream we’d ever really have them. I’m agoraphobic and don’t like to be around people, but I know I can save lives. You don’t have to go it alone. I’m here to offer you my help. You say you’re sick. I’d like to try to help you.”
“Why? Because you care for your city?”
“Yes. Plus with Chronos gone, we need you. If you haven’t kept up with the news, the situation at the impact zone in Virginia has gotten worse. The weird weather effect is spreading. It’s the same at the other two sites. Maid of Honor…I can’t seem to find her either. We have to do something.”
“And you’re getting a team together?” I asked with more sarcasm than intended.
“Something like that. I’ve contacted a number of powered individuals who will help. But you’re especially important and not only because of what you can do. You’re somehow connected to Chronos. And I sensed in him a relationship to the meteors, something I couldn’t place a finger on. I never got a chance to talk to him about it. With him gone, that leaves you. You’re the key to this, Red, so I’m asking for your help.”
I had a dozen reasons to say no. But I took a moment to study the hero standing in my kitchen.
“This is no game and I’m not doing anything with my ability to push you to make this decision,” he said.
“That was my next question.” I took out my phone. “Let me have your number.”
He texted me his contact information. It included his full name, home address, and a smiling thumbnail portrait of him in normal clothing.
“When will I hear from you?” he asked.
“Once I decide what I’m going to do, I’ll let you know. But I don’t want you to come here ever again.”
“I understand.” His fingers hovered above his phone screen as he saved my number. “So it’s Red?”
What had the mystery voice called me? “Red Wrath. Call me Red Wrath.”
I was waiting for a laugh or a raised eyebrow, but he just nodded and entered the name into his phone. With that, Paul Kovacs, aka Loremaster, left my studio apartment. I put the chair back up against the door. Even as I sat down on my bed, I knew I would call him.
But first I texted Carter. Never mind that it was three in the morning.
You up? I have some interesting news.
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Lily’s adventure continues in Blue Mercy!
Lily never wanted to be a hero.
But with the strongest man on the planet dead by her hand, the world needs a champion.
She knows she might not have much time before her powers fade. Before they do, she has business to take care of.
A mysterious assassin is on her tail.
The dead hero Chronos has a family, and they haven’t forgotten about the woman who took their favorite son.
And the situation around the meteor impact site is only getting stranger.
Lily and a group of superpowered crime-fighters have gathered to stop the growing disaster. As the heroes prepare themselves, Chronos’s sister Mercy is gathering her own soldiers…and Mercy doesn’t forgive.
Other works by Gerhard Gehrke
Nineveh’s Child
The Minder’s War series
Refuge
The Glass Heretic
The Children of Magus
The Supervillain High series
Supervillain High
The Headmaster’s Shadow
The Vault of a Thousand Worlds
The Dark Academy
A Beginner’s Guide to Invading Earth
House of the Galactic Elevator
Blood of the Masked God (Book 1): Red Wrath Page 25