Unidentified Phenomenon

by Damien Benoit-Ledoux

  “Sounds good,” Blake answered.

  After Blake put his running sneakers on, Nadia talked through the various sensors and monitors she attached to Blake’s chest, back, arms, abs, legs, and head over the course of twenty minutes. When she finished, Nadia attached a metal box to a black band she set in place around Blake’s waist, securing it in place with Velcro. All the electrodes and wires, neatly taped at different points along his torso, ran to the box that now sat on his right hip.

  Nadia admired her handiwork and then pointed at the box. “This will be cumbersome while you run, but it will help us collect valuable data.”

  “Okay, I think we’re ready now.” Dr. Madison said, turning from the computer workstation she had been typing at. “Let’s make our way to the treadmill, shall we?”

  14 | A Night of Firsts

  Quinn

  QUINN FINISHED TOWELING OFF AFTER showering and wrapped the towel around his waist. After styling his hair, spraying and walking through the mist of his favorite cologne, and applying lotion to his face, he darted across the hall to his bedroom.

  “You decent?” Dad called out, his footsteps approaching Quinn’s room. He had already hung up his navy-blue suit and had been ironing his white dress shirt in the other room.

  “Sort of,” Quinn said, holding his towel in place, glancing at his open door.

  “Uh, okay…I’ll just hang your shirt here.”

  Quinn watched his dress shirt hover across his doorway, along with his dad’s hand and arm, until the arm hung the dress shirt on the door knob and then withdrew, respecting his privacy.

  Then, Dad spoke to him from the other side of the wall. “I’m really excited for you, Quinn. Daddio and I never got the chance to go to our high school dances with a guy. That would have been horrible back then. You’re really lucky, you know.”

  “I know,” Quinn answered, not fully understanding the struggle his dads went through in the eighties and nineties. Even though kids like Darien and his cronies picked on him at school, they were a handful of kids. He had no idea what it was like for the entire school—and society—to reject him because he was gay, despite his fear of rejection at coming out to his own family and schoolmates.

  “Do you guys have boutonnieres?” Dad asked from the hallway as Quinn slipped on his boxer shorts.

  “I don’t even know what that is. I’m decent now.”

  His dad took his time stepping into the doorway. “It’s the flower that goes on the left lapel of a man’s suit jacket at a formal occasion such as a dance or a wedding.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Quinn said, pulling on his pants. “I didn’t even think of that.”

  “Technically, since he asked you to the dance, he should bring them, if you’re doing that of course. No worries, though. I’ll be downstairs with Daddio.”

  “All right. I’ll need your help tying my bow tie.” He had rummaged through his fathers’ tie collection and found one that matched the pink tie in the picture Keegan had sent over earlier in the week.

  “Okay,” Dad answered, the sound of his footsteps taking him downstairs.

  Quinn’s phone buzzed; Keegan texted he was almost there. Quinn tucked in his shirt, slipped on his shiny black dress shoes, and draped his bow tie around his neck. He grabbed his jacket and went downstairs to the living room where his dads were standing around chatting, excitedly waiting for him. They beamed with pride when they saw him.

  “You look great, Quinn,” Daddio said.

  Dad reached out with his hand and Quinn walked over to him, turning to face mirror that hung on the wall near the doorway. His father stood behind him and tied his bow tie. “You’re sure you don’t want a clip on?”

  “No, Keegan is wearing a pink tie. We need to match, and this is the same color.”

  “Okay.” Dad verbally walked him through the process as he tied the bow tie, but Quinn, half-listening, was distracted by the two cars pulling up outside.

  “I think your date is here,” Dad said, also noticing the car.

  Quinn smiled when Keegan step out of the first car with his dad. Quinn’s palms sweat with nervous excitement; Keegan had a fresh haircut and looked exceptionally dashing in his black suit and pink tie. One of the lights in the living room flickered. Oops, keep it down, Quinn…

  Behind him, his mother stepped out of the second car and they made their way to the front door of the house.

  “Just in time,” Dad said, finishing the bow tie. “Quick, put your jacket on. Oh, look!” His dad pointed to a clear plastic box in Keegan’s hand. “Your boy did do boutonnieres! Turn around.”

  His dad spun him around by the shoulders and double checked the tie, making a slight adjustment. “He seems to be the romantic type. You’re lucky.”

  Quinn blushed, and his father winked at him, then gave him a quick hug.

  Daddio made his way to the front door and greeted Keegan and his parents. Several moments later, after introductions were made, Keegan attempted to pin on Quinn’s boutonniere, but his mother stepped forward to help when it became clear he couldn’t do it. After some pleasant conversation, the boys took pictures in front of the fireplace and several more outside next to some birch trees.

  Five minutes later, with Keegan at the wheel, the boys drove to the Homecoming Dance.

  ❖

  Oh. My. Gosh.

  “Are you excited or nervous?” Keegan asked, glancing over at Quinn. Then, he reached over and took Quinn’s hand in his.

  “What?” Quinn responded, the question pulling him out of a distracting thought.

  “You got really quiet. Everything okay?”

  Quinn chuckled. “I’m sorry, it’s just that…well, I just realized this is my Home-Coming-Out Dance.”

  Keegan burst into riotous laughter. “That’s funny. Are you scared? It’s okay if you are, I get it.”

  “Yeah, I’m a little scared, but there’s no going back now, right?” Quinn asked, squeezing Keegan’s hand.

  His date grinned. “I hope not, I want to have a really fun night with you. Um, just so we’re on the same page, but not to add any pressure…will you be okay walking into the dance hand-in-hand?”

  Quinn felt happy-woozy and blushed. “Yeah, I was hoping we would.”

  “And you’ll be okay slow dancing with me?”

  “Oh!” Quinn said, the words escaping before he could stop them.

  “Maybe not?” Keegan asked, sounding disappointed.

  “That’s not what I mean,” Quinn recovered. “I…completely spaced that happens at the dance.”

  “Haven’t you been to a school dance before?”

  “Yeah, but like…Blake and I never went with dates. Well, that’s not true, he did, I didn’t.”

  “Ah.”

  “So, technically, your first real dance and your first gay date?”

  “Not counting the park, it’s my first date, period.”

  “Then I’m a lucky guy,” Keegan said, pulling into the school parking lot. Around them, their classmates smiled, pointed, and waved when they saw Keegan and Quinn arrive at the dance together. As promised, Keegan walked around the car and took Quinn’s hand in his own. They proudly walked to the school entrance together.

  Nearby, Quinn spotted Darien, Kyle, and Tony with their dates, but they only scowled at Quinn, choosing to remain on their best behavior in front of their dates and so many teachers and parents.

  A moment later, Ravone and Loren walked over to them with the grace of European princesses. Both single, they decided to attend the dance together and confuse everyone else—though Quinn knew this was a passive-aggressive way for Ravone to strike back at Blake, who had turned down her invitation to attend the dance several weeks back. Still, she seemed determined to win him over, despite Loren’s advice to move on.

  “You guys look great!” Quinn said, smiling at his friends.”

  “Whoever did your hair did an awesome job,” Keegan said.

  “Why thank you! You boys look very dapper and
handsome; we’re so proud of you, Quinn, for officially coming out at school today!” Ravone said. “Here, I got us these to celebrate…I’m wearing mine in support of my fabulous friends.” She reached into her purse and pulled out four rainbow-colored silicone wrist bands.

  “Aw, thanks,” Keegan said, stretching his band over his left hand.

  “Thanks, Ravone,” Quinn added, smiling as he pulled his band over his left hand as well. I’ve never worn any kind of pride-wear before; this is so cool.

  “All right, let’s go inside,” Loren added, settling her band on her right wrist. “I’m starving.”

  Keegan took Quinn’s hand and they made their way to the decorated entryway. Near the main doors, Mr. St. Germain, playing the role of teacher-chaperone, nodded and winked at him. Quinn waved back as he and his date made their way into the school.

  The entrance to the gym had been redecorated to resemble a suspension bridge, complete with aluminum trusses for the towers, suspended lighting for the cables, and blue and purple uplighting. The gymnasium had been converted into a banquet hall and dance floor, adorned with lavish purple and black decorations set to the theme “City Lights.”

  In the middle of the bridge, a photography station had been set up and student couples were having their picture taken together as they entered the gym.

  “I hope you're ready to immortalize this night in pictures,” Keegan said, pointing at the photographer.

  “I am,” Quinn answered, squeezing his hand.

  Several moments later, they stepped on the two T-shaped marks on the floor and posed for their photo.

  “Are you guys together?” the photographer asked.

  “Uh…” Quinn started to answer, noting the photographer was also gay.

  “Yes, we are,” Keegan responded, answering for him off.

  The photographer smiled at them. “And what a handsome couple you are! Okay, so I’m going to have you two stand closer, then. Why don’t you”—the man pointed at Keegan—“stand here, like this, and you”—to Quinn—“put your arms here and here.” The photographer was not shy when he posed them exactly how he wanted.

  “Okay, we’ll do a few nice, traditional photos, to make your parents happy, then we’ll take some fierce and fabulous photos to make you happy.” The man snapped his fingers on the word fabulous.

  After the traditional photos were completed, the photographer called out moments like, back-to-back serious-businessman faces, just bit-a-lemon faces, and other silly things that they posed for. When they had finished, they waited for Loren and Ravone, whom the photographer also treated as a couple. Quinn and Keegan laughed the entire time Ravone and Loren were being photographed, relishing in the moment of being together as a couple for the first time at school. Quinn couldn’t help noticing how Keegan’s adorable dimples appeared whenever he smiled and laughed. Then, the four of them made their way to their table.

  Inside the gym, the entire back wall had been decorated with a city skyline at night and backlit with the same purple and blue lighting, complete with blinking star lights and a bright moon. Quinn’s eyes focused on a small, hardly noticeable silhouette of a flying superhero glued to a comet-shaped piece of blue construction paper. That’s supposed to be Blue Spekter…unbelievable!

  He looked up. Strung across the gym about twenty feet high, suspended icicle Christmas lights that normally hung from roofs in winter completed the ambiance as silver and white table wear finished the look for the evening. Around them, classmates gawked and gossiped while others smiled with approval when they saw Quinn and Keegan hand-in-hand, but Quinn didn’t care. Several of them approached and congratulated them, also wondering if they were an official couple yet. Basking in the attention, Quinn hoped there would not be an accidental discovery of a new power connected with newfound confidence and pride in who he was.

  “Isn’t this amazing?” Ravone asked, looking around.

  “Yeah, they went all out this year,” Quinn said, marveling at the lavish decorations.

  “I told them you were coming out, so they put a little extra effort into the decorations,” Keegan responded with a wink and a smile.

  “Thank you,” Quinn said, laughing. Could you say anything sweeter?

  The four teens found their table and then looked around for Keegan’s friends, the other four students currently absent from their table.

  ❖

  After dinner, the DJ picked up the beat and the purple and blue uplighting began changing colors as other colored lights and strobe effects pulsed and flashed to the music. Leaving their jackets at the table, the boys made their way to the dance floor with Ravone, Loren, and Keegan’s friends. They laughed and shouted at each other over the music, their arms swinging over their heads as they invented fun and crazy dance moves.

  Quinn struggled to keep his eyes off of Keegan because the boy had rhythm and could dance. Eventually, he realized it was okay to look at Keegan as much as he wanted.

  For an hour, Quinn forgot about his struggles; his fight with Blake, Victor, and The Order, how his life had changed, and although the general public supported him, that the government wanted him, or how Darien glared at him from across the dance floor over the shoulder of his less-than-thrilled date. To Quinn, all felt right and good, even when the music slowed, and Keegan pulled him in to slow dance.

  Since Keegan was a few inches taller than Quinn, he put his hands on Quinn’s shoulders and Quinn put his hands on Keegan’s waist. It was his first slow dance with a guy, and though he welcomed the moment, he wasn’t exactly sure how it was done. He had seen his dads slow dance before, but, they were married…was it the same for him? Keegan seemed to sense Quinn’s lack of sureness and didn’t push—something Quinn absolutely adored about him. Keegan never pushed him to do anything he wasn’t comfortable with and always asked if he was okay, like he did in the car ride over.

  Quinn looked left and met Ravone’s eyes. She winked at him and beamed with pride. When the song ended, they all made their way to a water station before jumping back into the throng of dancing students, now screaming and shouting the words to a popular song as they jumped in unison on the gym floor, the lights flashing with the powerful beat.

  “This DJ is on point,” Loren shouted over the music. They all nodded. Quinn agreed; all the songs he played were his favorite and seemed to keep everyone going on the dance floor, even the kids who didn’t usually partake in dancing.

  About an hour later, the DJ switched it up with another popular slow song written by a gay youth artist, one of Quinn’s favorites. Smiling with a renewed sense of pride at hearing this artist’s song at his Homecoming dance, Quinn took Keegan’s hand in his and the two pulled in close to slow dance.

  Keegan held him closer than before, and Quinn rested his head on Keegan’s right shoulder. He inhaled deeply, captivated by the sweat-mixed cologne scent on Keegan’s neck. Several moments later, he lifted his head and looked into Keegan’s eyes.

  His date returned the gaze with a look that struck Quinn to the core and left him speechless. Then, Keegan smiled. “Your blue eyes…”

  Quinn panicked. Oh crap. Wait, I don’t feel them glowing…

  “…really sparkle in this light. I’ve never noticed that before.”

  Quinn grinned and swallowed the last of his nerves, feeling incredible warmth and happiness in his heart, which pounded in his chest. Then, his neck and face felt hot as he blushed. “Thanks,” he croaked, his eyes locked with Keegan’s.

  Quinn felt his date take a deep breath in his arms. Then, Keegan licked his lips and smiled again.

  Is his face getting closer to mine?

  Wait, is he gonna…oh my gosh…he is…we are…

  Keegan tilted his head down. Without thinking, Quinn instinctively responded and tilted his face upward. Their eyes closed together and when their lips met, Quinn’s body surged with new, amazing, wonderful feelings he couldn’t yet name—but he knew he liked them.

  Above them, the myriad of suspended ic
icle lights flickered wildly, but Quinn didn’t notice or care.

  15 | Betrayal

  Quinn

  EXHAUSTED FROM THE HOMECOMING DANCE and his evening with Keegan, Quinn struggled through the last hour of his shift at Breaking New Grounds. The demand for caffeinated goodness was high that day as locals and fall tourists of all walks of life and temperament placed orders for teas, lattes, coffees, and other baked goods the shop had to offer.

  As customers passed through the line and checked out, Quinn overheard numerous people talking about some at-the-moment crisis happening in Portsmouth. Curious, he asked someone what was going on.

  “It’s terrible, there’s a hostage situation at the Sheraton. Someone has locked themselves in one of the banquet rooms with hotel staff and a few guests. Can you believe it?”

  As the conversation spread down the line of customers, some of whom filled in the gaps with mostly speculation, Quinn thought about whether or not he should try to rescue the hostages.

  “It’s that damn Blue Spekter,” someone said, catching Blake’s super hearing and interest. “He’s got to make a stand or people will keep challenging him.”

  “What do you mean?” Quinn blurted out without thinking.

  The customer looked at him with surprise and smiled. “The guy who took hostages is demanding to speak with the Blue Spekter or he’ll start shooting.”

  “What?” Quinn asked. “That makes no sense. He doesn’t want money or something?” Is he related to the suicide bomber guy?

  The man shrugged. “Apparently not. He just wants the vigilante. You can be sure the police aren’t thrilled at the moment.”

  Quinn nodded, feigning understanding. Then my mind is made up…I have to make an appearance…I just have to finish my shift. Matt will kill me if I disappear right now.

  The last forty-five minutes of his shift couldn’t pass fast enough. Finally, Quinn clocked out and grabbed his gym bag from the back room and rummaged through it, pulling out dark gray sweatpants and a white hoodie.