“Okay mom. Well, I’ll see you later.”
Clark didn’t give a second thought to the missing thing that his mother spoke of. He made his exit from the house, and when he found the right spot, flew off to the fitness center run by Sarah’s mother. It was a fairly large workout center located just shy of the downtown area. The center was filled with exercise equipment of every variety placed against mirrored walls.
Dressed in workout clothing, Sarah’s mother waved and greeted him.
“Hi Clark!” said Mrs. Ryan. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Nice to see you too, Mrs. Ryan.”
“You’re probably looking for Sarah.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“She was just helping me teach aerobics. I’ve got to get back to the class so I’ll send her out.”
Mrs. Ryan strutted back into a room down the hall and seconds later Sarah emerged.
“Hey Clark,” Sarah said. She too was wearing a fitness outfit in addition to a towel around her neck.
“Sarah,” he waved. “I brought some workout clothes to change into.”
“Great. Go change and we’ll have a little fun.”
When Clark returned in a different outfit.
“You look great,” Sarah said.
“I don’t know about great,” Clark said. “But better than some of these other people.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Hope these good looks aren’t too much of a distraction,” he joked.
Clark was more lanky than muscular but that didn’t stop him from flexing his arms in the mirror.
Sarah took him into a small dimly lit room with a large oriental mat in the middle. There were candles lit all throughout the room.
“I saved this room just for us,” Sarah said. “Now, how much of this do you think you can do?”
Sarah hopped on the mat, did a handstand, and split her legs in the air.
“I can’t do any of that,” Clark said. “Guess you can count me out right now.”
“I’m just showing off,” Sarah said as she returned to a standing position. “You start out with something a little easier. First legs go down for downward dog. Do as I do.”
Sarah stood straight before bending over with her hands touching the floor. She was making an “A” shape with her body and Clark did the same.
“I guess this is easier,” he said.
Sarah took him through the steps of various poses, ranging from easy to more difficult. Clark decided to show off so he got into a push-up position and lifted his legs high into the air. It was as if his hands were lifting his entire body off the ground.
“That doesn’t impress me,” Sarah laughed. “That’s just a handstand and I know you’re using powers to do that!”
“It’s still impressive,” Clark smiled as he stood to his feet. “And I can do this too.”
Clark sat down with his legs crossed. He placed his hands on his knees and slowly began to float above the rug.
“Show off!” Sarah laughed. “I told you, it’s not impressive when I know how you’re doing it.”
“Then what’s going to impress you?” Clark smirked.
“Good ol’ hard work. Try doing a split.”
“That’s not gonna happen.”
As Sarah stood she raised one of her legs in the air. She slowly lifted her leg up as high as it would go.
“Help me out,” Sarah said.
Clark pressed his body against hers as her leg rested on him.
“This is more like it,” Clark said.
“Alright, you can let go now.”
“Actually, I’m really liking this position,” Clark smiled. “A few more seconds─ I guess you really did earn that head cheerleader spot.”
“I’m really flexible.”
“Alright, Clark,” Sarah said as he let her go. “I’m going to put you to the test. Come on.”
They left the small yoga room and entered the main area. Sarah instructed Clark to step onto a treadmill and he did so. Sarah turned it on and placed it on top speed. Clark’s feet began to race at an incredible speed.
“Turn it off!” Clark said. “No more!”
“No!” Sarah laughed, “You can handle it, mister football star!” The treadmill went faster and faster.
Clark gripped the handles of the treadmill and continued running at a breakneck speed.
“I think I got the hang of this,” he said. “But I promise I won’t show off anymore.”
“Good,” Sarah said as she turned the treadmill off and handed Clark a towel. He wiped his face when they heard a cracking sound.
An average sized man was standing over in the weightlifting section when the weights planted against the wall fell over. Clark thought quickly and extended an arm. As the weights fell, they flew to the side and narrowly avoided the man who looked around as if he had been saved by a miracle.
“Don’t worry, we’ll clean ‘em up,” Sarah said as she and Clark approached the weight lifting area. The man dashed out of their way.
“Why do I have to clean this up? It wasn’t my fault.”
“That was fast thinking,” Sarah said as she ignored his question. “We’ve got to pick these up. And I mean one by one. I don’t want anyone watching us as we make five hundred pound weights levitate.”
“No problem,” Clark said arrogantly. He grabbed a thousand pound set of weights with one hand and lifted it up.
“That’s not what I mean!” Sarah groaned. “And I can tell you’re barely even touching it!”
“Alright, alright,” Clark said as he placed both hands on the weight set and placed it against the wall. They placed each of the weights back into their original position until they were done.
“Thanks,” Sarah said.
“That was easy,” Clark said. “My mind alone can lift a few thousand pounds. Incredible.”
“Come on, let’s get out of here,” Sarah suggested.
Clark grabbed his backpack and they told Sarah’s mother they were leaving. They took off from the fitness center and headed back to Sarah’s apartment with the intentions of showering there.
“Want to find a good spot for takeoff?” Clark asked.
“No,” Sarah said. “Flying is nice and all but let’s be normal for once. “My place isn’t far from here. We’ll walk.”
“Okay,” Clark agreed. “That’s doable.”
So instead of flying they continued walking. Just as they neared the end of the downtown region, Clark looked behind them and noticed two suspicious men. Both were tall. One wore a baseball cap. The other wore a hoodie. Sarah turned her head around and took a glimpse at the men. Suddenly the two men rushed up to Clark and Sarah and forced them in a tight alley between two buildings.
“Gimme your backpacks,” the man with the cap demanded.
The other man wearing the hoodie pulled out a revolver.
“There’s nothing in our bookbags,” Clark said.
“Then maybe I’ll just take your little girlfriend. Now put your hands up,” the man with the gun demanded of Clark. He did as instructed.
“I said gimme your backpacks,” the shady man with the cap said.
“Once again, fate has been good to us, Sarah,” Clark said as he looked to her.
Sarah removed her backpack from across her shoulder.
“No need to do that, Sarah,” Clark told her.
“Then what are we waiting for, Clark?” she asked.
“Alright gentlemen,” Clark said, his hands still in the air. “Last chance. Surrender your weapon and leave us.”
“You not in much of a position to be giving orders, kid,” said the man in the hoodie.
He lifted the gun to Clark’s head. Clark looked at the gun and it swept out of the man’s hand and floated into the air. Clark punched the man and he flew back against the building. The man wearing the cap went after Sarah. She grabbed him by the collar and threw him on the ground. The man quickly pulled himself up and ran away from them as fast as he could
.
“And don’t ever try it again!” Sarah yelled.
The man wearing the hoodie who Clark had thrown against the wall was lying on the ground, groaning in pain. Clark extended his arm and walked up to the man. He made the man levitate and flip over before he dropped him. The man’s back was pinned against the ground as Clark placed his foot on the hooded man’s chest.
“Your back has been fractured in five places,” Clark told him. “If you ever try something like that again, I’ll make it ten.”
The gun was still suspended high in the air when Clark made it lower. Then it dropped into Clark’s hand.
“Is this the weapon you planned to use when you were going to take my girlfriend?” Clark demanded as he pressed his foot harder onto the man’s chest.
“Clark, don’t kill him!” Sarah said.
“And what kind of unspeakable things do you think he would have done to you?” Clark asked her. “Why do hardened criminals deserve mercy?”
The man on the ground was grunting in pain as he looked up at Clark and pleaded. “Please! Don’t kill me.”
“I’m not going to kill you,” Clark said. “But if I ever see you down this street again, I promise I’ll make you wish you were never born.
Clark lifted his foot off the man who continued groaning. He and Sarah left the alley and continued walking to her apartment as if nothing happened.
“I’ve… I’ve never had anything like that happen to me before in my life,” Sarah said, slightly shocked.
“Fate sent them to us, Sarah. They could have mugged some poor couple who couldn’t fight back but they went after us.”
“I guess that’s the bright side,” Sarah shrugged.
“It only affirms what I’ve been thinking for the past twenty-four hours, Sarah! It’s our destiny to fight crime.”
***
Monday morning arrived and Charles had just awoken in his California king bed. It was a brand new bed made entirely of Egyptian cotton. He rubbed his silk sheets and thanked God that it was a holiday.
“Almost three weeks now and I’m already tired as hell of school,” he said to himself.
Charles grabbed a comb and did his hair as he got out of bed. Still in his pajamas, he left his room and entered the bedroom right next to his. John was sleeping in the other room when Charles woke him up.
“Rise and shine, Goldilocks!” Charles laughed as he slapped John awake with a pillow.
“I thought it was a holiday,” John yawned, his eyes still closed.
“It is. But today is a very special day.”
“Why?” John asked as he opened his eyes and sat up in his bed. “Did our outfits arrive?”
“No,” Charles answered. “Not yet. They should be here later today. But even more important─ we’re going to be spending the morning at Bio-Tech Industries.”
“Oh, I forgot.”
“Of course you did. That’s why I woke you up,” Charles said. “We’re leaving in twenty minutes. Get ready!”
When John asked if they should dress up, Charles told him it wasn’t necessary. So the two of them got dressed in their usual style. They then headed to the first floor kitchen for a quick breakfast. While John was eating, Charles pulled out his comb and went after John’s hair.
“Leave me alone!” John laughed.
“No, not until you look presentable!” Charles joked as he playfully shoved the comb at John. John grabbed his hands and tried to push him away. “Come on, Blondie. We’ve gotta get that hair neat!”
They were jokingly shoving one another when Charles’s father entered the kitchen. He was wearing a sleek three piece suit along with a matching tie and handkerchief.
“Enough horsing around, boys,” he said sternly. “You two ready?”
They stopped and straightened up. “You know it, dad.” John nodded in agreement.
“Good,” Mr. Walsh said. “We’ll be taking the limo today.”
“The white one?” Charles asked.
“Yes,” his father answered. “Your mother’s favorite.”
John scrambled to finish the rest of his breakfast sandwich before they exited the house. A butler held the door open for them as they exited the mansion. Another butler opened the car door when the three of them entered the limo. Inside the limo was a tall blonde young woman in a dress suit.
“Charles, John,” Mr. Walsh addressed them. “This is my assistant, Casey. If I don’t have any tasks for her when we get to Bio-Tech, I’ll allow her to give you two a guided tour.”
“Sounds good,” Charles said.
The butler closed the door of the white limousine and it pulled off.
“So what are you two interested in?” Mr. Walsh asked his son and John.
“Genetic, I think,” John said as he thought up something.
“Terrific,” Mr. Walsh said. “Bio-Tech leads the research field in genetic engineering.”
“Is that how your coffers got so fat, dad?” Charles laughed.
“Of course, son,” Mr. Walsh smiled. “Supply a demand that the world needs and you become a hero and a benefactor. You become both the savior of men and the richest of men.”
“Sounds good to me,” Charles said.
“But you can’t get there without a lot of hard work and sacrifice,” his father told him.
Twenty minutes later they arrived downtown. The chauffeur parked the limousine and a security personal opened the car door for them. The four of them got out of the car and John noticed Charles checking out his dad’s assistant.
“Casey’s too old for you,” John whispered to him.
“No way,” Charles whispered back. “I think she’s about twenty-eight. You know I’m into women, John. Not girls.”
They all followed the security officer into the single tallest skyscraper in the downtown region. On the upper half of the side of the building, in fancy lit-up words, read “Bio-Tech.”
They entered the building and John was amazed by the sheer size of it. There were clear glass elevators and massive escalators all about the bottom floor. The interior of Bio-Tech looked futuristic with pristine marble floors and hologram signs lining the walls. They were greeted by a handful of security guards who spread a metal detector across everyone but Mr. Walsh.
“All clear,” one of the guards said. “Have a good day, Mr. Walsh.”
“Thank you, Norm.”
“Wow,” John said. “This place is huge.”
“Yeah, it’s decent,” Charles said. “Kinda boring to me though. You know, Clark’s dad works here.”
“Yeah,” John answered him. “I think he’s a machine operator or something.”
They walked to the large reception area which was manned by three young women. They handed Charles and John guest passes which they were to hang around their necks.
“Alright boys,” Mr. Walsh said. “I have a board meeting in fifteen minutes. Casey will show you around while I’m gone.”
They took a large glass elevator up to the twentieth floor of the building.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been this high up before,” John said.
“Actually,” Charles winked. “I’m pretty sure you have. It’s almost like being in the clouds.”
“It certainly is,” his father smiled.
They got off the elevator and walked down a hallway.
“Good morning, Mr. Walsh,” said a secretary at a clear desk.
“Good morning, Miss Kale,” he nodded. “This is my son, Charles, and his friend, John. They’re going to be joining me at work today for─ what is it now?”
“Science report,” Charles said.
“That’s right,” his father said. “A school science report.”
“Well enjoy your stay,” said the secretary.
Mr. Walsh and his assistant, Casey, along with Charles and John entered his massive office. The office featured two leather sofas, a large polished mahogany desk, a sleek computer monitor, and a bookcase stacked with scientific models of various molecu
les.
“Nice place,” John said. “I’m surprised you don’t live here.”
“Sometimes I practically do,” Mr. Walsh said. He removed the jacket of his three piece suit and Casey grabbed it. She hung it on the coatrack in the corner of the room. “Okay, I’ve got to go. I’ll catch up with you boys later.” His dad made his exit and left them in the office.
“So, should I show you around?” Casey asked them.
“Sure,” John said.
They exited the office and headed down a long corridor.
“This is the area where computer and literary research is conducted,” Casey told them. “And further ahead is where the actual testing occurs.”
“Hey Casey,” John said. “Would you like to get a bite to eat with mw sometime?”
“No, Charles,” she laughed. “I don’t date teenage boys.”
“Oh come on,” Charles said arrogantly. “You don’t know what you’re missing.”
“I’m going to have to give you a raincheck, Charles.”
“Okay,” Charles said. “Your loss, sweetheart.”
“Casey,” John addressed her to change the topic. “What kind of testing is done here?”
“On this floor, tests include genetic research. We seek cures to biological diseases. Scientists are currently seeking to expel certain pathogens within the body. Eliminating malaria has been a priority as of lately.”
“I was wondering if you─ I guess, synthesize compounds?” John asked.
“That don’t exist in nature? Yes,” Casey answered.
“What about synthesizing other things?” John asked. “Like, I don’t know─ oxygen, barium, or crystals?”
“Not that I know of,” Casey admitted. “Why?”
“Just wondering,” John said. “I just imagine it would be helpful if you could create a man-made form of oxygen─ or something like that.”
“One small step,” Casey smiled.
“Enough of this small talk,” Charles said as they entered the computer lab labeled Center for Computer Research. “How about me and you try and work things out?”
“I told you, Charles,” Casey said. “Nothing is going to happen between us. I have a boyfriend. He’s a decade older than you.”
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