by R. J. Ross
“Searching dance?” Shadowman asks as he joins us. “What searching dance?”
“The traditional dance of searching!” Skye says, starting on the same—no, the dance she’s doing is COMPLETELY different from the one she taught me. I look at Shadowman, who’s just staring at her blankly.
“It seems to change each time,” I offer, jumping in on the dance just because it’ll make Skye happy. Since it’s so different, I toss in some of my favorite moves. It’s a short dance, because we only have so much time (none, that is) and I jump to my feet, pointing to the biggest power I sensed that felt somewhat like Aubrey’s. “I’ll take that one!” I say.
“Okay, I’ll take that one,” Skye says, pointing while still standing on one hand.
“And I’ll get that one,” Shadowman says, pointing north.
“You didn’t do the dance!” Skye says her hands on her hips.
“I’ve never done the dance in my life, nor will I,” Shadowman says before sauntering away through a shadow.
“The dance is great, Aunt Skye,” I tell her, patting her on the arm. “It really helps—well, sort of. It’s fun, anyway!” I say before heading through a shadow, myself.
***
A hand touches Carla’s shoulder and time snaps back into place. She looks at Century, confused. “Sugar, I want you to do a favor for me,” he says. “I want you to head out and find every wreck that you can. When you find them, if you need help, call in. Nico should have the com-links up by then,” She nods, looking around for an entire second before racing off on her mission.
Ten minutes later she pulls to a stop at the next wreck, searching through the mess for a second before slowing down enough to ask if everyone is okay. The people look stunned to see her, but quickly catch on that she’s a super—even though she’s wearing a shirt with a brightly colored tiger on the front. She’s got a mask on, at least! And all of her clothes are super-grade, so she hadn’t bothered to change into her lackey uniform.
“Does anyone need to be taken to the hospital?” she asks.
“No, we should be okay,” a man says, looking a bit shaken up but unhurt. “What happened? Do you know who did this?” he demands.
“We’re still finding out, sir, but don’t worry, we’re fixing it!” she says quickly—almost too quickly, she realizes belatedly. “Our principal is on the case!” she adds.
“Your principal?” he asks.
“Technico,” she says. “He’s fixing things.”
“Wasn’t he a villain at one time?” the man’s wife asks curiously.
“Well, sure, but he’s changed a lot!” Carla says before rushing off to check the next wreck. They’re everywhere. Thankfully she’s only had to call in help twice so far, and it went smoothly. Even as she’s thinking that, she comes upon a burning mass of cars. Her heart drops to her stomach as she goes in. She pulls everyone out of the fire, feeling the urge to cry at how beat up they all look. She touches her com. “I’m going to need you, Ace,” she says. “We’ve got four people here that are unconscious and badly hurt. I think they’ll need stretchers.”
“Coming,” Ace says without hesitation.
She taps on her com, making sure he has her coordinates. The little girl is in the worst shape, so Carla moves to her, gently pushing her hair out of her face. The girl looks four or five at most, with soft blonde hair and a delicate face. She reminds her so strongly of her sisters that tears escape. “It’s okay, sweetie, it’s okay,” she whispers. “Dragon’s coming. He’s going to get you somewhere—”
She jerks as she sees someone climb out of the shadows of the street wall. Automatically she strikes a protective pose, moving between the newcomer and the girl. The tension leaves her as Rocco comes into view.
“Hi, Carla,” he says. “I picked up on your message and brought you some help,” he says, tugging a woman forward.
“I don’t—I don’t know if I can—” the woman says, looking at the four unconscious civilians with a hint of terror.
“You’re the strongest healer I picked up on, outside of Aubrey,” Rocco says. “You can do this. You just need to trust yourself.”
“Who’s Aubrey?” the woman asks, only to head for the little girl that Carla’s still standing in front of. She goes down on her knees, touching the little one’s chest and closing her eyes. “Please work, please,” she whispers under her breath. The little girl’s face gains color and soon her eyes are open, the wounds healing before their very eyes. The woman lets out a sigh of relief and moves to the next victim.
The street light over their heads flickers back on and Carla looks up before calling Ace and canceling the call for help. “Rocco’s got a healer,” she explains.
“I’m taking her to the hospital after this, and then I’ll be going after another,” Rocco says. “Also, if anyone sees Shadowman, do NOT arrest him—he’s on healer duty, as well. We can capture him after it’s finished.”
“Noted,” Mastermental replies, much to their surprise. “You’re patched into the Main Hall’s communications, kids. We can all hear you, regardless of what branch we’re from. Also be aware that the military, police, and other authorities are moving out rapidly, now. You can alert them to any problems you might run into—we’ve patched their call centers into line B.”
“Thank God,” Carla says, starting to smile slightly as she wipes away her tears. “I’ll be going ahead, then,” she tells everyone. “I’ll alert you to any problems I run into.”
“Carla,” Century says, making her jerk. “I’m proud of you, sweetheart. You’re doing good.”
“Thank you,” she says. “I’m trying my best!”
“Once this is all cleared up, we’ll discuss your debut,” he adds.
“Okay!” she says, rushing off to the next wreck.
***
I drop the first healer off at a children’s hospital and move on to the next. It’s a short trip through the Shadowlands, but I know for a fact I’m in the middle of the East Branch as I step out into the light. A hint of familiar dread goes down my spine, but I ignore it, looking around the neighborhood. It’s quiet, which is a change from all the wreckage I just came from. I turn, heading for one of the houses, knocking on the door. “Hello?”
No one answers, but I can feel them inside, just on the other side of the door. “Look, I know you’re in there,” I call through the door. “We need your help—the world needs your help. Open the door, please.”
Sure I could have come out inside the house, but that’s too much like kidnapping for my tastes. I honestly believe that they’ll help if we offer them an explanation.
“Go away!” a male calls from inside. “Just go away!” He doesn’t sound very old, but you can never tell with supers. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The world is falling apart out here,” I say, pressing a hand to the door. “The streetlights have all stopped working, the hospitals are going to backup generators, but there were still problems in that short amount of time—and a lot of their machines aren’t operating correctly. People are dying, mister, and you’re one of the people that can help. Please, help,” I beg, leaning against the door. “They need you.”
“They hate me,” he says from the other side of the door. “They called me creepy. I—I can’t help them.”
I sigh and step through the nearest shadow, walking out behind him. He’s just a kid, I realize in shock. He looks younger than I am. His skin is white, his hair is white, and when he turns in shock I see that his eyes are blood red. “Yo,” I say, holding up a hand.
“Wha—who—how did you get in here?” he demands, trembling.
“I’m a shadow walker,” I say. “And whoever called you creepy because you’re an albino needs to be beat up,” I add darkly.
“That’s—that’s not why,” he says, still staring at me.
“Then why?”
“Because—because—I can tell when there shouldn’t be something,” he whispers.
“
Uh… huh?” I say blankly.
“If there’s a disease, or a drug, or even if someone’s smoking and it’s in their lungs, I can sense it and—and I reach in—” he says, moving his hand forward as if mimicking his healing technique. “And I pulled it out and they screamed and I was tossed out of school—”
I stare at him for a long second before letting out a laugh. “Dude, you sound like you’re a family member!” I tell him cheerfully. “Aunt Skye is going to LOVE you! But forget them,” I say. “You can be a hero right now, and shove it in all of their faces. You just need to come with me.” I hold out a hand and he looks at it, only to stare at my chest for a long, long moment.
“You don’t have anything,” he says, a bit stunned.
“Yeah, I know,” I say. “Capes tend to be super healthy.”
“My parents are afraid of me,” he says.
I grab his hand, tugging him to the shadow. “I’m pretty sure mine is, too,” I say simply, pulling him into the Shadowlands.
His hand tightens as he looks around, and I can practically feel his fear. “I can understand why,” he says as a shadow dino runs past. “I’m a bit scared of you now, too.”
***
*Somewhere High Above Central*
Nico glances over as Zoe flies closer, looking a bit wobbly at this height. He doesn’t say anything, but he holds out an arm, which she grabs onto, moving into his side before they go back to work. “It’s harder to breathe up here, Dad,” she says, as another system is rebooted.
“I know, kiddo,” he says. “This is too much for you at your age.”
“I can do it,” she says stubbornly, holding out her hands and concentrating harder. System after system, they methodically go through and clean up as much as possible. “The financial system is completely messed up, Dad,” she says after a second.
“I know,” he says.
“What do we do about it?”
“Try and fix it as well as you can, but don’t expect any miracles,” he admits. “What we need to focus on right now is electricity and any life support systems, private or public. Life comes first.”
“Why did he do this?” she asks after a long stretch of silent work. “I’m not asking HOW, I know how he did it, but WHY?” she asks, her confusion and heartbreak showing. “He’s the one that talks about how norms aren’t safe from supers—and he was the super that was most dangerous to them!”
“No,” Nico says. “We are.”
“Wh—what?” she asks, looking at him.
“There are two of us, and we know how to work together,” he says. “Do you know the biggest thing that will save the day?”
“God?” she asks.
“Well, partially,” Nico says after a second, “since that’s a big part of your moral compass.”
“Then what’s the other part?” she asks.
“You, Zoe,” he says, looking at her. “At sixteen you understand something Herold hasn’t figured out in some eighty years. Don’t ever forget what you’re thinking now—and if I do, make sure you remind me,” he adds with a slight smile. “There’s nothing worse than a technopath throwing a hissy fit.”
“Is that what this is?” Zoe asks. “He sure spent a long time setting it up.”
“More likely he planned on doing this AFTER he became president,” Nico says. “Once all of the banks went down and the electricity went out the norms would start rioting, opening it up for him to declare a state of emergency. With the state of emergency he could become more of a tyrant than a president. Once we caught and exposed him too early, he went ahead with the plan out of spite, I guess.”
“What a jerk,” Zoe says after a long second of stunned silence.
“He named his group the Anti-Super Society. I’m pretty sure he surpassed that title long ago.”
***
“Shadowman, how’s it going?” I ask over the phone. I’m on my third healer, a large twenty-something man that seems almost resigned to being dragged along behind me. “I’ve just met a ‘friend’ of yours,” I add dryly.
“I will NEVER be that guy’s friend,” the guy says darkly. “And here you are, kidnapping me RIGHT after I got free—”
“You picked up lardo, huh?” Shadowman asks. “Good luck making him do anything.”
“Unlike you, I ASKED him to help,” I say. “You’d better be doing the same.”
“Ask, tell, either way I’m just the taxi,” Shadowman says. “I’ve delivered four to their local hospitals. Who knows what Skye’s done,” he drawls.
I glare at the phone for a moment before hanging up on him and calling Skye on the com-link. “Skye, how’s it going?”
“I’ve made a new friend!” she says happily. “Mister Dispatcher, meet my nephew, Rocco! Rocco, meet Mister Dispatcher!”
“Ms. Skystep—”
“It’s just Skystep, silly!” Skye says.
“Skystep, I’m still not sure how you got access to this line—” the dispatcher says.
“We’ve all got access,” I hear Zoe say. I step through the shadows of a busy hospital, dragging the healer out with me. “Da—I mean Technico set this up for you and many other dispatchers across the country—you’re the one from your station that’s been assigned, you’ll be hearing from those nearest your area—it won’t hang up, in case you’re curious. We need your help to deal with the problems we come across. We can get there faster, but you’re the ones that are trained. We’ll do what we can, and what we’ve been trained for, but we hope that your side will take over as soon as you get there. That way we can cover more ground.”
“I see,” the dispatcher says. “I’ll do my best.”
“Here we go,” I say to the healer. “Thank you for this,” I add as he looks around hesitantly.
“You there!” a nurse says. The healer jerks, looking cornered. “You’re going to need to mask that beard—come with me, we’ll get you suited up,” she says, grabbing his arm and tugging him along.
“That’s three delivered,” I say. “And yes, Mr. Dispatcher, you are talking to supers. We’re from Cape High. I’m on my way to find another healer, is there anyone that needs one on site?” I ask, looking around and feeling for the next healer.
“Bring one here,” Max says. “We’ve got a wreck on the highway.”
“Can you tell us your location?” the dispatcher asks. “And who is this?”
“Maximum,” Max says. “I’m in south KC at the moment, we’ve got a little pile-up, but I’m taking it apart,” he adds, rattling off directions.
“Maximum?” the call center asks.
“Worst part is I’m being filmed,” Max complains as I head out to get him a healer.
I head through the shadows, stepping out a few moments later. There’s a young woman that’s hiding in her house. I don’t have time to knock on the door, so reluctantly I head through the shadows, stepping into her pretty little front room. She’s got her back to me, and is peering through the spy hole in the door.
“Hi,” I say. She jumps and screams, grabbing a baseball bat from beside her door.
“Rocco? You okay?” Jack asks over the com.
“I’m fine, just surprised my new friend,” I say, holding up my hands. “Look, we both know what you are,” I say, muting the com-link as I stay right where I am. “I’m asking healers to help out right now—you can choose to stay here and hide, and I’ll go find another one, or you can help all of the people that really need it right now.”
“You’re a ghost—” she starts out.
“No, I’m a cape,” I say, “and so are you. We need you right now more than ever.”
“To do what? What can I do?” she demands. “Every time I touch someone they faint. I’m the last one you need out there right now.”
“Everyone?” I ask.
“As far as I can tell,” she says.
I hesitate before turning the com-link back on.
“Running out of time, here,” Max says. “We’ve got some ambulances on the way, at le
ast—but the cars are backed up pretty far—I’m going to have to lift them,” he says. “Dispatcher, tell the ambulances heading for me that I’m going to make a clear path, would you?”
“I’m going to have to find another healer, Max, this one won’t work,” I say, feeling stressed out.
“I’ve got a five year old that’s bleeding pretty heavily, Rocco. The norms are trying their best to stop the bleeding, but it’s not looking good. Make it as fast as you can. His heartbeat--” he stops, his tone grim.
“Maximum, can you put pressure on the wound?” the dispatcher asks. “Not too much, just enough to try and stop the bleeding.”
“I can try, but I’ve sort of got my hands full,” Max says.
I turn away from the healer and focus, searching for the next healer. The one in front of me grabs my hand. The touch sends a strange rush of calm through me, but nothing that makes me faint. “Take me with you,” she says. “If he’s—if he’s dying, I can at least make it peaceful.”
I nod, wondering if I’m doing the right thing, and head through the shadows. I step out of a pile of empty cars, pulling her along with me. “You didn’t faint,” she says, looking stunned. “I touched you, but you didn’t faint.”
“I don’t know what your abilities are,” I tell her honestly. “So you’d better hope and pray they’re more than just knocking people out—this is Maximum’s first hero gig, after all.”
“Over here!” a norm calls from the center of the car piles. It looks like Max just piled them one on top of each other to the side after getting people out. They norms are all crowded in the center of the car piles. I head for them and the healer lets go, rushing to the boy on the ground. I watch as she crouches down, hesitating for a moment before touching the boy.
All of a sudden the boy starts levitating, his body glowing faintly as the healer continues to touch him. I’m not sure what’s happening, but it seems to be a good thing. I turn my attention to the floating line of cars to the right, leaving a path into the circle. An ambulance is driving beneath them. I look at Max, who has his arms out to the cars, and his game-face on. There are helicopters hovering all around. He’s being filmed by at least four norm news stations and HTV drones right now.