Captain Stellar

by R J Sorrento

  “Your aim is improving already, Vinnie,” Rita said with a grin after the athletic girl reappeared, trapped in vines. “It’s pretty impressive that you caught Ainsley.”

  “Thank you, Princess.” Vinnie smiled before releasing the muscled girl, who gave him her best scowl.

  “And Kendra, the fireballs are getting stronger, but try to make them bigger next time,” Rita added.

  Fernando paid close attention to the small dark haired teen. He used his abilities defensively, reluctant to attack. Even when Rita egged him on, he held back during combat training.

  “Princess Freeze, if I may?” Fernando took a few steps toward the group. They turned to him, eyes wide.

  “Sure. We’re just about finished.” Rita wiped sweat from her forehead.

  “You.” Fernando pointed to the teen of steel. “What’s your name?”

  “Rob, sir.” His voice shook as he stepped forward.

  “You suck.”

  “What?” Rob’s eyes widened. The other recruits giggled behind him.

  “You heard me, little guy.” Fernando glared. “You shouldn’t even be here.”

  Rob’s eyes watered. “I’m trying my best-”

  “Are you crying? Ridiculous.”

  “Funesto, qué te pasa?” Margo hit him on the shoulder. “Stop being such a bully.”

  “I’m only trying to motivate the boy, Magenta.” Fernando stepped back from her. “Dr. Almighty chose Rob because he showed potential. So he needs to stop crying and show us what he can do.”

  “You don’t have to be so mean-”

  “Funesto has a point,” Rita interrupted Margo. “Dr. Almighty makes no mistakes when he chooses recruits. If you’re not cut out for this, then you can leave.”

  It surprised Fernando that Rita sided with him. He thought she had a soft spot for this group since they were her first trainees but he had underestimated her. She proved him wrong with her cold objectivity.

  Rob wiped the tears from his eyes. “I can do better!”

  “Don’t tell me,” Fernando growled. “Show me.”

  Rob inhaled sharply. He hardened his body, looking almost silver in complexion, and smashed his fist into the wall beside him. The boom of the impact shook the studio and echoed against the walls. Fernando smirked when he saw Rita’s jaw drop. He knew she resented his tough love approach to teaching, but it had always earned him good results. She hadn’t motivated Rob after a week, getting nowhere with the teen, but Fernando had pushed him to greatness in one session. All it took was a few well-intended insults and Rob was smashing up the studio.

  Fernando turned to see Ted enter the training studio, clapping slowly and glancing at the hole in the wall. Nothing that his money could not repair. Fernando knew that Ted considered Rob a priceless asset.

  “I see that training is going well.” He beamed at Fernando and Margo.

  Rob softened and stepped back. The group had gone silent with Dr. Almighty’s appearance.

  “Yes, we were about to start round two,” Fernando explained. He studied Dr. Almighty, trying to gauge his mood. He was smiling at least, but that wasn’t always a true indicator of his emotions. Ted’s mind was always a few steps ahead of the present moment. As if life was one long game of chess.

  “Rita can carry on for now. I’d like to see you and Magenta in my office.”

  “I’m more than happy to continue the training,” Rita squeaked.

  “Very good. I’m quite impressed with this new group. Especially you, young Rob.” Dr. Almighty stepped forward.

  Rob’s face lit up. “Oh, thank you, sir.”

  “That’s quite a punch you’ve got there.” Dr. Almighty pointed to the hole.

  “Well, it’s all thanks to Funesto. He really motivated me.” Rob avoided eye contact with his new mentor.

  Rita rolled her eyes and Fernando stifled a laugh. He knew Rita thought of him as a bully, but even the recruits preferred him over her.

  “I always knew you were a natural teacher, Funesto.” Dr. Almighty turned to face him. “I’m happy to hear you’re so inspiring.”

  Fernando shrugged his shoulders as he exhaled, unwilling to let Ted’s words of praise touch his heart. When he had felt lost and afraid, Fernando had consumed Ted’s adulation. He had grown up feeling unworthy in his father’s eyes, and it had been a welcome change to be admired. But once Fernando realized that the praise, like the money, the apartment, the car, was a form of control, Fernando had sealed off his bruised heart.

  “We’ll leave you to it, Rita.” Dr. Almighty reached out to Margo as he opened the door for her.

  She looked over at her brother for any sign of concern on his face, but his expression had gone from annoyed to neutral. He could hide his emotions well when he was around Ted. Margo hoped she could do the same, and not let her worries betray her during the meeting. She walked beside him as they made their way to Dr. Almighty’s office.

  * * *

  “Close the door, Magenta.” Dr. Almighty took a seat behind his desk. He pointed to plush office chairs on the other side of the desk. “Have a seat, you two.”

  “What can we do for you?” Fernando asked.

  The grin on Dr. Almighty’s face melted into a frown. “Let’s cut to the chase.”

  Margo glanced at her brother. Fernando remained stoic and firm as he returned Dr. Almighty’s steady gaze. It took much more than a frown of disapproval to intimidate her brother. Margo wished she knew how to look as unafraid.

  “You’ve been hiding Cal Bolden. My Holy Trinity. The two people I love more than any-”

  “Please, Dr. Almighty-” Margo began.

  “You’ve been lying,” Dr. Almighty snapped.

  Fernando remained silent as he watched Ted’s agreeable facade chip away little by little with every word he spoke.

  “Before you try to deny it, I searched your apartment. You know, the beautiful apartment I had designed and built for you?” Fernando and Margo saw his anger boil in the stew of his words. “Damning evidence.”

  Dr. Almighty pulled out a few shirts and a pair of black trousers. He threw the sky blue shirt at Fernando.

  “Now, you could tell me these are your clothes, Funesto, but why would they be in the guest room? And although you’re tall, my son, these clothes fit a bigger man with a broader frame. A man like Cal Bolden!” Dr. Almighty pounded his fist into the desk.

  “That’s our apartment. You promised us when you had it built,” Fernando kept his cool, “that we had earned our privacy.”

  Dr. Almighty sighed. “So you don’t deny that these clothes belong to Cal? And you don’t deny that Cal has been staying with you?”

  “He was afraid of you, so we hid him.” Fernando stared at Ted.

  “Afraid of me?” Dr. Almighty chuckled. “I’m not the one with destructive hands. You’ve poisoned him against me, his own creator.”

  “I may have destructive hands, but I didn’t knock him out with a tranquilizer while stalking him late at night. I didn’t drag him into a laboratory to experiment on him against his will,” Fernando hissed. He imagined Ted strapping an unconscious Cal to the metal table to puncture his perfect, chiseled body with needles to alter his DNA. He had always looked the other way, even when witnessing Ted’s genetic modification experiments. He had let none of it bother him. Until he met Cal.

  Fernando was horrified by Ted’s actions but he was hit with a wave of shame. Would he have stopped Ted if Fernando had been in the lab the night he worked on Cal? He wanted to believe that he would have helped Cal, but he also felt selfish knowing he would want Cal to join them once he laid eyes on him.

  “We trained him as you would have wanted.” Margo’s voice was gentle.

  “Yes, and I appreciate that. But why the secrets?” Ted’s gaze bounced from Margo to Fernando. “You know I don’t like secrets. I’ve always been open with you, and I expected the same. You lied to my face.”

  “Let us make it up to you,” Fernando offered.

 
“How?”

  “If we bring Captain Stellar-”

  “Don’t you mean Holy Trinity?” Dr. Almighty frowned.

  “No, he goes by Captain Stellar,” Fernando corrected. “If you’ll allow me to finish?”

  Dr. Almighty nodded and removed his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose.

  “If we bring Cal to you, will you consider forgiveness?”

  Ted replaced his glasses and his eyes crinkled as he grinned. “I’ll more than consider it. But it must be done upon my instruction.”

  “Claro que sí,” Fernando huffed.

  “Tomorrow evening, retrieve him for me. I’ll send Rita with you.”

  Fernando rolled his eyes.

  “Try not to look so excited,” Ted chuckled. “Strength in numbers. And she’ll be eager to help out on a mission, the poor woman. She’s been begging me to give her something important to do. It’ll help boost her self-esteem. And you owe me, so be nice to her.”

  “Anything else?” Fernando stood.

  Dr. Almighty walked around his desk to stand next to Margo and Fernando.

  “I didn’t mean to upset you, Magenta.” He hugged her. “But you hurt me.”

  “I’m sorry.” Margo hugged him back, comforted even while she was frightened by the calm tone of his voice.

  Fernando made a face at his sister, disappointed in her obedience, as she rested her head on Dr. Almighty during the embrace.

  “Funesto, my son.” Ted placed a hand on his shoulder. “I know you don’t hug, and I’ll respect your boundaries. Just know that I always love you, even when you stab me in the back.”

  “I’d like to return Cal’s clothes to the guest room.” Fernando ignored Ted’s declaration. Maybe Ted did love him in his own twisted way, but Fernando was learning that love did not have to accompany control. That sometimes love meant to let someone go.

  “Yes, go on.” He turned, handing over the shirts and trousers. “Finish helping Rita in the studio if she’s still there with the new group. Impressive, aren’t they?”

  Fernando raised his eyebrows and decided against saying another word while anger pulsed through his veins. He tucked Cal’s clothing under his arm, catching a hint of his cologne. The simple thought of Cal soothed the fire in his heart.

  * * *

  Dr. Almighty watched them leave and put his head in his hands after the door had shut. He thought back to one of his fondest memories of his dear children, wondering how he had gone wrong.

  “Margo, can you stand up for me?” Ted took her by the hand as he released her from the chamber in the lab. She had been the first of the two to gain consciousness after completing the final stages of the genetic modification procedure.

  “I think so.” Margo’s eyes were teary.

  Fernando moaned as he woke.

  “How about you, Fernando?” Ted turned to him and smiled. “Can you stand?”

  Fernando coughed into his arm, drops of crimson splattering onto ivory skin. “Yes, I can stand.”

  “Good. I know it’s been a very rigorous few weeks, but you’ll find that it was all worth it, my dears.”

  Ted watched Fernando study him as he struggled to step out of the chamber.

  “You’ve been in and out of consciousness, I know, but you’re safe here. I’ve rescued you from your boring and ordinary lives.”

  Margo looked at her brother, still alive, although he appeared ill and weak.

  “Now, Margo, I want you to imagine that you are floating up to the ceiling.”

  Margo nodded although he could tell she was puzzled by the older man’s request. Within seconds she was flying up to the ceiling. Startled by the great height, she began to fall and Fernando reached to catch her.

  “No, my boy, I’ve got her!” Ted called out and caught Margo before she hit the tiled floor in the lab.

  “She’s my sister. I can help her,” Fernando murmured.

  “Yes, but you can’t touch her,” Ted explained. “Take these.” He handed Fernando a fresh bouquet of roses.

  Fernando held onto them, avoiding the thorns. Within seconds, the flowers turned to ash in his hands.

  “What have you done?” Fernando shouted. “What have you done… to us?” He stared at his hands and then at his sister. Hot tears filled his eyes. “Who are you?” Fernando balled his hands into fists, allowing the tears to fall.

  Ted had always struggled with God as he grew up and continued his scientific studies. The Biblical stories he learned at Mass went against evolution and other scientific concepts he had learned in school. But now, it all became clear to Ted, that God was real and He had chosen Ted for greatness.

  “I’m Dr. Almighty. I’ll be taking care of you from now on.” Ted wiped a tear from Fernando’s cold face. “Don’t worry. Everything will be all right, my son.”

  A knock at the door interrupted his happy memories.

  Ted had always been so proud of his adopted children, especially Fernando. He had designed him to be the perfect villain, his sister a superhero. The first two of many to come. Yet Fernando had surprised him with his insistence on being a good young man. He was always willing to train others and was never without his protective gloves.

  “Dr. Almighty?”

  “Yes, Rita. Come in.”

  “Funesto mentioned you have a mission for us?”

  “I need you to keep an eye on Funesto and Magenta for me. Keep them honest. Tomorrow evening, I want you to find Cal Bolden.” He glanced up to check her reaction.

  “You do?” Her face brightened.

  “Yes. He goes by the code name Captain Stellar now. I’ll give you a head start so you can find him before they do.”

  “I’ll bring him to you. Thank you for this honor.” She bowed her head.

  “You’re welcome.”

  “I can’t believe he isn’t here with us already. If I had his powers, I’d be so eager to train and perfect them.”

  “But you appreciate your gift, Rita. Not everyone is like that.” Dr. Almighty frowned. He resented that he had to hunt down his ultimate superhero, so unwilling to return on his own accord. “Do everything in your power to get him here. Whatever it takes, just bring him back where he belongs. Here with us.”

  * * *

  Rita glowed, knowing that Dr. Almighty had entrusted her with such a critical mission. She left the office with a smile spread across her face. It was her chance to prove herself. She would show Dr. Almighty her worth and her loyalty no matter what the cost.

  Chapter 20

  Cal searched through his closet at home, a towel wrapped around his waist. He needed something better than a t-shirt and a tattered pair of jeans for dinner at Jin’s apartment. His only nice shirt had been torn by the muggers. He wanted to be angry about it, but a torn button-down was the least of his worries.

  With a glance at his watch, he saw he was late as usual. It shouldn’t be this hard to choose a shirt.

  He squeezed his eyes shut, frustrated with himself, only to be assaulted by memories. Hoodies, red hair, menacing eyes. He broke out in a sweat and had to picture something that would calm him down.

  Fernando’s smile came to mind.

  Cal opened his eyes. He wiped the sweat from his neck with the damp towel before throwing on a black t-shirt and his best pair of jeans.

  * * *

  At Almighty Labs, Fernando and Margo waited for Ted in the training studio. Margo paced the floors, her footsteps echoing on the smooth hard floor. She looked over at her brother, sitting still with his eyes half open.

  “Why did you tell Dr. Almighty we’d return Cal to him?” Margo paused as she studied his face.

  “I had to think of something. I don’t want Ted to think we’re against him. Not yet, at least.”

  “Cal won’t come back without a fight.”

  “I know.” Fernando rubbed his jaw. He opened his phone to look at the drunken selfie he had taken with Cal after a night of too many cold pitchers of sangria and delectable bacon wrapped dates. Cal’s br
eath, warm on Fernando’s neck as he leaned in, smelled of oranges and red wine. It had been foolish to keep the photo, proof they had been hiding Ted’s prize. But it was the only one he had of Cal.

  Thinking of that night warmed him, but he felt a twinge of regret, knowing it could be their only photo together.

  “Ready to begin?” Dr. Almighty called as he entered the studio.

  Fernando closed the photo app and stood. “Yes.”

  “Good.” He smiled at Fernando, studying him.

  “Where’s Princess Freeze?” Margo looked behind Ted for the blonde.

  “She’s running late.”

  Fernando rolled his eyes. “Her first big mission and she’s late.”

  “That’s why I depend on you two so much.” Dr. Almighty stood between them. “How will you target his location?”

  “I have his phone number. I’ll call. Assuming you have a way to trace it.”

  Dr. Almighty nodded with a restrained smile. “We’ll need to use my tech room. Follow me.”

  Fernando and Margo exchanged glances as Dr. Almighty opened a door they were unfamiliar with, using facial recognition. At least twenty television screens were set in a wide grid on one of the back walls of the spacious room. There were tablets on desks in rows in the middle of the room.

  Margo shivered a little in the large, chilly space. “Is this new?”

  “I’ve been trying to keep up with the times. But technology is advancing exponentially. This is my best attempt. Now, let’s give Captain Stellar a call.” Dr. Almighty tapped Fernando’s shoulder. “Try not to act strangely. Have a normal conversation.”

  Fernando gulped. The last time they had spoken was after a kiss that had seared itself onto Fernando’s heart. He had spoken in anger when Cal decided to leave. Looking back, he wished he would have been more understanding of Cal’s fears, more patient. Perhaps then, Cal would have stayed. Instead, Fernando had pushed him out the door.

  “Funesto.” Dr. Almighty cleared his throat. “Call him now.”