Power: Arca Book 3
Page 37
“By the way, Zita, I finished reviewing your resumé and the job application letter you wanted to send to your district head,” Wyn said. “I emailed them back to you. You’ll find I added a short paragraph to the letter noting that the sudden decrease in need for your services coincided with you having the coma illness. You’ll want to leave that in. Andy, I’m starting yours next.” She gave a little smile.
“You’re the expert. Thanks, Wyn.” Zita said, dodging an elbow strike and kicking Andy’s knee. “So, you’re applying for some jobs? Two points.” She fell into her ginga, orbiting around him.
He exhaled as he stepped backward and turned to face her. “Yeah. Things still suck, but it’s getting better.”
“Since it’s stopped raining over your house every day, I was hoping so. Awesome. Órale, mano. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” She grinned and feinted back.
Wyn’s answer was dry. “I really doubt it.”
“I think so, Brain, but where would we find rocket ships that have already been stocked with enough Cheetos to satisfy you?” Andy said, ignoring her distraction. “Sorry, that just slipped out. Of course, you don’t get the reference, or you would have used ‘pondering’ instead of ‘thinking.’”
Despite her pleasure that he was again making jokes, even if they were incomprehensible, Zita rolled her eyes. “No, weirdo, I’ve been considering the whole wasting our powers thing.”
Andy fell back, slipping into a more defensive stance. His face grew tight and pinched, and his shoulders hunched.
She continued to circle in a steady ginga. “I’ve been reacting to stuff, but not seeking trouble. It’s hard to break the habits of a lifetime. But, you’re right, that’s a waste and not my style. I don’t sit around and wait for things to come to me.”
The beginning of a smile peeked out on his face. “You’re going to be more active?”
“Is that possible?” Wyn said, glancing up from her screen.
Andy explained, keeping his attention on Zita. “As a superhero, instead of a private citizen only stepping in when the stakes are personal or directly in her path.”
Zita grumbled. “I still think patrolling is stupid, especially since we can only cover so much on our own, but I came up with a compromise. Computers aren’t my thing, but you two are good at them. If we let Jerome in on it, he’d be even better. Anyway, you guys keep your ears to the Internet—do whatever it is you’ve been doing to cull news on supers and stuff that needs doing—and if you find something we can fix, call me. If I hear anything any other way, I’ll call you, even if it doesn’t impact us directly.”
A full smile burst out on her friend’s face, and he crowed, lowering his hands. “You’re offering to be my sidekick!”
Wyn sniffed. “No, she wanted to be my minion,” she said, eyes twinkling. “Isn’t that right?”
Zita snorted, but a grin escaped. “As if. I was offering to be a team, but if you insist, you can be my sidekicks. We won’t replace the cops, but if they’re outclassed, or if DMS or someone else abuses metahumans, we step in. Keep the power balance even. And if there’s anything else we can help with, like a jackknifed semi blocking the Beltway or a natural disaster, we do it.” She kept moving.
Amusement danced on Wyn’s face. “I’m not the best suited for field work, so increasing our investigations prior to such misadventures suits me. I’m in.”
Andy nodded. “That works for me… all of me.”
“Great. Unless something else bigger comes up before then, our first task will be to find Sobek. He can’t keep running around torturing people and stalking my family. The cops believe he’s dead somewhere based on the blood loss, but I don’t.” Zita danced closer to Andy.
He spoke before a frowning Wyn could. “Agreed. That can be a longer-term project since most of it will be research.”
Wyn nibbled on her lower lip, but his words seemed to mollify her. “Very well. Speaking of family, how is Quentin?”
Zita made a face. “He’s talking to me, but just barely. We’re driving to Mamá’s for a week around Thanksgiving, and we’ll patch it up on the way there. If I can’t get through to him, I’ll call in the big guns.”
“What guns are those?” Wyn said. “Wasn’t one of Miguel’s complaints that you lacked firearms?”
Andy caught on faster. “She’ll set her mother on him.”
Zita grinned. “Absolutely. By the way, do you want to rethink the whole name thing, mano? You turn into a giant glowy bird, and it rains when you’re cranky and not controlling your powers. If anyone should use the name Thunderbird, it’s you.”
He straightened and rubbed the back of his neck. “No, I’m Wingspan. I can handle all of him.” Somehow, he seemed as if he meant more than just the name.
Zita beamed. Her eyes moistened. Stupid desert dust. “No hay bronca. Just asking. One more thing…”
“What?” He turned toward her, his body relaxed.
“Think fast!” She laughed, hopping into a rapid martelo de negativa kick that connected with his chin and bounced off without damaging him. She snuck in a lower kick as she catapulted away, resuming her ginga. “Three points! The soda will be mine,” she called out.
He flinched and slipped back into his judo mode. “Cheater,” he accused.
“We do this thing for real with the bad guys, mano, so you need to handle a little distraction,” Zita said. “You want to try again? I wouldn’t mind upsizing that drink.”
He grinned.
“Guess the sparring’s back on,” Wyn said, settling down and tapping her screen.
***
Later that night, Zita shook out wings warm from the long flight and shifted to a monkey. She peered down at the lonely cairn and scanned the area.
Assured she was alone other than the wildlife, she scampered down the massive tree and stopped at the edge of the rock. It hadn’t been the custom of her friend’s people to indicate a gravesite with rocks, but she had refused to leave it unmarked.
Shapeshifting to her natural form, she verified again that she was alone before addressing the grave in Portuguese. “Hey. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. I still wish I could’ve. Now… I’ve got more options than before. I’ve got friends, too… So maybe nobody else will have to sacrifice themselves like you did. I’ll do better next time. Thanks for everything.”
The voices of the animals stilled.
She looked up and around. “Someone’s coming, so I’m done.” Zita teleported.
The only thing she left behind was a delicate orchid in the vibrant hues her long-dead friend had loved.
Spanish and Portuguese Glossary
These are definitions of the words as Zita uses them in the book and may not include all possible variations. The Spanish is primarily Mexican in usage and slang, while the Portuguese is Brazilian. Needless to say, anything marked with “Vulgar” should not be used in polite company.
ahorita: Spanish. While this can mean now, or a little later, it’s often used to mean something that will be done much later or not at all.
amigos: Spanish. Friends.
arca: Spanish. A chest or ark. Zita originally used it referring to Noah’s ark in Super.
ay: Spanish. An interjection, similar to “Oh.”
bauru: Portuguese. A roast beef sandwich with cheese, pickled cucumber, and tomato on a French bun.
brigadeiro(s): Portuguese. Truffle-like Brazilian chocolates or a high-ranking officer in the Brazilian Air Force, equivalent to a rear admiral or a one or two-star general.
cállate: Spanish. Shut up.
cálmate: Spanish. Calm down.
capoeira: Portuguese. A fast, fluid Brazilian martial art known for its acrobatic and dance-like kicks, spins and other techniques.
carajo: Spanish. Shit. Vulgar.
caramba: Spanish. A mild interjection of surprise or dismay.
chingado(a): Spanish. Fucked or fucking. This has other meanings as well, but this is how Zita generally uses it. Vulgar.
cupuaçu: Portuguese. A type of tree. Its fruit is popular in juice, ice cream, and other confections. Related to cacao.
Dios: Spanish. God.
El Rey: Spanish. The King. Short for El Rey de la Música Ranchera (Literally, the King of Ranchera Music). This is the nickname of Vicente Fernández, a Mexican musical icon.
enfrijoladas: Spanish. A meal of tortillas dipped in bean sauce, sometimes filled with meat or cheese.
esquiva: Portuguese. A dodge in capoeira, typically followed by an attack.
esta de la chingada: Spanish. This is fucked up. Vulgar.
gavião-real: Portuguese. A royal-hawk, also known as an American harpy eagle.
ginga: Portuguese. The most basic capoeira footwork, a moving fight stance.
gracias a Dios: Spanish. Thank God or Thanks be to God.
gringo: Spanish. Foreigner. Can be derogatory.
hermano: Spanish. Brother.
hoatzin: Portuguese. A tropical herbivorous bird, also known as a stinkbird.
hombre: Spanish. Man.
loco/loca: Spanish. Crazy man or woman.
luchador: Spanish. A Mexican professional wrestler, usually masked. Plural is luchadores.
mano: Spanish. Bro. Abbreviated form of “hermano” as Zita uses it.
martelo de negativa. Portuguese. A capoeira move that begins with a hop that flows into one leg kicking high while supported by the other leg and an arm.
meia lua de compasso dupla: Portuguese. A capoeira kick where a front handspring and a spinning reverse roundhouse kick combine to hit someone with both feet.
momentito: Spanish. Just a moment.
muévete: Spanish. (Command) Move.
negativa: Portuguese. Capoeira defensive move where the practitioner drops low to dodge an incoming attack.
neta: Spanish. Really, for real, you know.
ni madre: Spanish. No fucking way. Vulgar.
niño: Spanish. Child.
no hay bronca: Spanish. No problem.
no mames: Spanish. No way or you’re kidding me. Vulgar.
órale: Spanish. An interjection. Can be used like heck yeah, right on, listen, or hurry up.
oye: Spanish. An interjection that can be used as hey, listen, or yo.
pan comido: Spanish. Piece of cake, literally “eaten cake.”
pão de queijo: Portuguese. Small, baked cheese rolls made with tapioca flour.
papi: Spanish. Hot guy.
pará: Portuguese. Rubber tree.
pendejo: Spanish. A jerk, dumb-ass, or asshole. Vulgar.
perra: Spanish. Female dog, bitch. Vulgar.
pinche: Spanish. Sucky or fucking. Vulgar.
pirarucu à casaca: Portuguese. A main course dish of salted piraruco fish with fried bananas and potatoes. The fish is also known as paiche or arapaima.
por favor: Spanish. Please.
por supuesto: Spanish. Of course.
pues: Spanish. An interjection, equivalent to well, then, or since.
qué lástima: Spanish. What a shame.
qué pedo: Spanish. What’s up? (Literally, what the fart?)
queixada: Portuguese. A white-lipped peccary.
quizás: Spanish. Maybe or perhaps.
ranchera: Spanish. A genre of traditional Mexican music that includes both instrumental and vocal. Frequently associated with mariachi bands.
rasteira de costa: Portuguese. A spinning back kick performed close to the ground as a low sweeping move. The goal is to hit an attacker’s ankle and cause them to fall.
sí: Spanish. Yes.
telenovelas: Spanish. Spanish-language soap operas.
tía: Spanish. Aunt.
vámonos: Spanish. Let’s go.
verdad: Spanish. Truth.
From the Author
Thank you for reading!
For those interested in cool geographical locations, while Paremiyan is imaginary, the Brazil/Venezuela/Guyana border does have a number of tepuis that can be toured. None have been found to contain living dinosaurs or Pleistocene megafauna, though I’m not the first to have imagined one might exist.
For those interested in mad scientists, Farnswaggle is an imaginary physicist, not an obscure one.
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Arca Chronology
Super
Washout (Short Story)
Octopus (Short Story)
Human
Tourists (Short Story)
Power
Pie (Short Story)
Monster (Upcoming)
Table of Contents
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Epilogue
Spanish and Portuguese Glossary
From the Author
Arca Chronology
Table of Contents
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Epilogue
Spanish and Portuguese Glossary
From the Author
Arca Chronology