The Invasion

by Katrina Kahler

  “That’s okay,” Tanya told her. “That class was pretty boring, all basic stuff like ABCs and 1 2 3s.”

  “Carmen can talk to flying insects!” I told Tanya.

  Tanya grinned. “Then I’ll let these butterflies move a bit so we can find out what they can tell you!”

  “Sounds like a great plan!” Carmen said.

  The giant butterflies started flapping their wings, springing back into motion. “Okay, do your thing C-girl!” Tanya said.

  Carmen flapped her wings to fly closer to the giant butterflies. “Talk to me!” she said out loud so we could hear what was going down.

  Carmen smiled. “Yes, yes. I get that. Life is confusing sometimes. I know your kind aren’t used to being confused. But trust me and have faith. My friends and I will figure this out.”

  With Carmen’s words, the butterflies landed softly on the ground.

  Carmen looked at Jason. “They say they won’t fly away and they will help if they can. But they have no idea why they are like they are. To quote one of them… ‘we were just born this way’…”

  “Do you believe them?” Tanya asked.

  “They have no reason to lie,” Carmen answered. “Plus, I can tell when insects lie, and these are confused insects, not lying ones…”

  “Well, good enough then,” Tanya said.

  Hana, who was now back to normal size, moved closer to us. “Do you trust these butterflies?” she asked Carmen.

  “I’ve talked to a LOT of butterflies. They are honest insects. Not quite as honest as bees and wasps. Wasps for some reason are the most honest insects around. No idea why…”

  “What about bumble bees?” Jason asked.

  “They tend to mumble,” Carmen said.

  “The bottom line is these butterflies have no idea where they came from or how they became different. Right?” I asked her.

  “Correct!” Carmen told me. “To them, they are normal butterflies doing normal butterfly things.”

  “Then we need to dig deeper!” Jason said.

  “Actually,” Hana said. “I’m not sure we do. I’ve just looked up Wanda Perez’s records at both BMS labs and Future Now Labs.” She smiled and paused.

  “Just tell us or I’ll turn you into a wind-up toy again!” Tanya ordered.

  “You have issues!” Hana said.

  Tanya took a step forward. I stopped her. “We need Hana for now,” I warned.

  “Right!” Tanya said. “Deep breaths… Deep breaths…”

  I turned to Hana. “Please tell us what you know.”

  Hana smirked, clearly enjoying our frustration. Finally, she spoke. “Wanda worked under Doctor Eddie and studied insects, flying insects.”

  “But she told me she worked on communication technology…” Carmen insisted.

  “In a way she did, insect communication was one of her fields of interest,” Hana explained.

  “That can’t be a coincidence,” Jason commented.

  “Well it could be, but I highly doubt it is!” Hana replied.

  “Where’s your mom now?” I asked Carmen.

  “She’s taking a class…at the community college…” Carmen answered with a frown.

  “Why would a world-class scientist take a class at a two-year school?” Hana asked. “Not that there's anything wrong with two-year schools, it’s just your mom has a PhD and two masters’ degrees…”

  “She says it’s a dance class. She needs the break,” Carmen said.

  “Does she go every day?” I asked.

  “Yes,” Carmen said.

  Mac spoke up. “I’ve scanned all community college courses within 100 miles. None of them has a five day per week dance class.”

  “Yeah, I didn’t think they would.” I shook my head.

  “Maybe she goes to practice,” Carmen said in defense of her mother. “The woman needs a break.”

  Hana reached into her pocket. She pulled out a little computer chip. She handed it to Carmen. “Tomorrow, when your mom goes to her dance class, I want you to put this tracking device on her…”

  Carmen looked at the chip. “You want me to spy on my mother?”

  Hana didn’t blink when she said, “Spy is such a nasty word, but yes, I want you to spy on your mother and track her.”

  Carmen continued to stare at the chip.

  “If she’s innocent, then you have nothing to worry about. If she’s playing with the laws of nature, then we all have something to worry about,” Jason remarked in a serious tone.

  Carmen shook her head. “But she’s my mom…”

  “So far, the giant butterflies haven’t done any serious damage or hurt anybody. If we stop them now, all will be well and I’m sure the authorities will take it easy on your mother,” I assured Carmen.

  “But she’s my mom…” Carmen argued.

  “All the more reason for you to keep her out of trouble,” I replied. “It’s best for everybody.”

  Hana moved the chip even closer to Carmen. “Take it!” she coaxed.

  “Trust us,” I said in an encouraging voice.

  “You can trust us,” Jason prompted.

  “We’re the good guys!” Tanya added. “Well, the better guys and girls,” she smiled.

  “Trust us,” I repeated.

  Hana gave her a toothy smile. Well, at least Hana was trying.

  Carmen took the chip. “I’m going to do this only to prove my mom has nothing to do with these giant butterflies. She just needs a break,” Carmen insisted.

  “I hope you’re right!” I said. Even though on some level I hoped she was wrong because that would mean we’d solved this case. Looking at Jason, I said. “Will you give Carmen a tour of the lab?”

  “Sure,” he said.

  “Good! I’ve got something I need to get done at home.”

  Dear Diary: I don’t really have anything pressing at home, I just want to give my mom a hug for being such a good mother. I don’t tell her that enough. Sometimes we take our moms for granted. I don’t want to take my mom for granted, not any longer. She’s a great mom and I need to make sure she knows I know that. I think she might already but I don’t want to leave anything to chance. I love my mom. I want to tell her that. I know showing is just as important, if not more important than telling. But still…it’s good to do both!

  On the other hand, Hana really fried my cheese. That may sound like a good thing, a tasty thing. But it’s not. I find her annoying with her know it all attitude and the fact that she thinks she’s smarter, prettier, and better than anybody else. She’s like a mean girl, only she was built by my dad. Now that really does fry my cheese. I need to work on that.

  Trying to be Nice

  As I approached my house, I scanned the area to see if there was anybody around. I didn’t see anybody. Then MAC chimed in.

  “You may want to change your costume outside and walk into your house like a normal person…” MAC said slowly.

  “Don’t tell me, let me guess…” I said.

  “You know I’m a computer right? I hate letting people guess,” MAC said.

  “Please…” I pleaded.

  “I can’t resist a please,” MAC told me.

  “Oscar is there eating dinner with Mom?” I asked, desperately hoping I was wrong.

  “You’re not that lucky!” MAC said.

  “Oh my, there is a killer robot in the house, ready to fight if Super Teen shows up? I guessed.

  “Nope…” MAC said. “You’d prefer that.”

  “Aliens?” I asked.

  “Nope, once again, not so lucky….” MAC said.

  “Visitors from under the sea?”

  “Nope!”

  “Mole men?” I usually don’t deal with mole men but you can never rule anything out when you are me.

  “Nope!” MAC said. “You’re bad at this.”

  I frowned. “Blobs from another dimension?”

  “Nope,” MAC replied. “It’s Wendi and Patti!” he blurted out.

  “Oh yuck, I’d pre
fer mole men or blobs or slime or aliens or even Oscar…” I sighed. “Why are those girls here?”

  “I guess they wish to talk to you!” MAC said.

  “Why?” I asked.

  “They either like you or dislike you. Truthfully, I can’t tell…” MAC admitted.

  I landed outside my house and asked MAC to switch my outfit. It all happened at super duper speed. Walking into the house, I saw Mom at the dining room table eating cucumbers with Wendi and Patti. That was just great. Now they might never go home! Oh heck, with those two, maybe feeding them was the answer, it might actually drive them away.

  Mom smiled at me. “Lia, darling, these two nice girls want to talk to you.”

  “Wendi, Patti,” I said. “What’s up? Why are you here? Again…”

  “We felt bad about you running away like that, all scared!” Wendi said.

  “Yeah, we just wanted to get you some new shoes. Not scare you into wetting yourself!” Patti said.

  Wendi gave Patti a look.

  Patti looked back at Wendi. “What? It can happen. I’ve done it!” She hesitated. “I’ve done it. Thereby, a wimp like Lia would surely do it…” Patti said. She looked at me. “Nothing personal.”

  “I’ve never wet myself…” I told her.

  “Me neither,” Wendi said, glaring at Patti. She looked at me. “While WE did not think you had wet yourself, we still wanted to check in on you to make sure you’re okay…” Wendi said slowly.

  “Ah, why?” I asked.

  “We like you,” Wendi said.

  “No, really…” I prompted. “Come on, you girls have never liked like me. We’ve always tolerated each other at best.”

  Wendi sighed. “I want to change that. I really do…”

  I listened to her tone and tenor. She seemed sincere. Still, I had to ask, “Ah why?”

  “Well, being the good leader that I already am, I want to be a great leader. So, Coach told me to take a course in positive psychology. It seems people do better when they feel good about themselves. People like to have control of their outcomes…”

  “That makes sense,” Mom said.

  “So, why shoe shopping?” I asked.

  “It’s bonding. I mean…come on, what girl doesn't love shoes? Plus, if you look better, you’ll feel better about yourself,” Wendi added.

  “I don’t think you’ve got this entire positive psychology thing down,” Mom said.

  “I’m positive she does!” Patti said. I thought she was making a joke.

  “I know I’m not great at it,” Wendi said, looking at me. “But I am trying the best way I know how. I know shopping. I know it makes me happy. So I thought if I were happy, some of me would rub off on you. A happy Lia means you’ll play LAX better and you’ll lead the student council better.”

  I thought about her words. I looked into her eyes. I turned to Mom. Mom smiled. I heard Mom say in my head, I think she means it. I think she’s sincere.

  “Wendi, are you serious about this?” I asked in my command voice.

  “Very serious!” Wendi said. “I do want to be a better leader. I figure if I can help you, I can help anybody!”

  Yep, I guess I kind of asked for that one by making her tell the truth.

  “She really helped me!” Patti said. Patti stood up and showed us her new shoes. “Wendi told me to wear these shoes and man, the color makes my eyes sparkle!”

  “But your eyes are brown…” I noted.

  “Exactly!” Patti said. “The contrast is just amazing. I look even better than normal. Plus, the shoes are reflective so I can see my own image in these high heels. Big, big plus!” Patti gushed.

  “Okay, Patti has this down less than I do,” Wendi said. “But we are trying. I want to lead the team better.”

  “So, we’ll all play better and that reflects well on you,” I said.

  “Yep,” Wendi said. “It’s a win-win…”

  I sighed. My breath actually knocked the girls back a bit.

  “Man, your house is gusty!” Patti said, turning to Mom. “You’re a doctor, I would have thought you could afford some better institution.”

  “I think you mean insulation,” Mom corrected. Then added a, “dear.”

  “Right, those words are so close! And my grandad is a plumber, I should know that!” Patti said.

  Wendi rolled her eyes at Patti. She looked at me. “Getting back to why we came here…we just wanted to make sure you were okay. We had no idea those creepy giant butterflies would appear and then Super Teen would show up. We know how she bothers you.”

  “Wait, why do you think Super Teen bothers me?” I asked.

  “You’re never around when she’s around,” Patti said.

  “Yeah, she either bothers you or you are Super Teen and that makes no sense,” Wendi said. “I’ve seen you play LAX. You’re okay but definitely not super.”

  So much for positive psychology, I thought.

  “Thanks, girls, I’m fine. Patti was right though. I had to use the bathroom and I didn’t want to use it at such a fancy place. So I ran to the library to use theirs…”

  “Now that makes total sense,” Patti said. “I knew the library had to have some function!”

  “I guess it does,” Wendi said.

  The two girls stood up. “Thanks for the cucumbers and water Ms. Strong, we’ll be leaving now. See you in school and on the field, Lia.”

  “You bet!” I said, waving goodbye and good riddance.

  Mom looked at me. “Walk your friends out!” she ordered.

  I got up and walked the two girls to the front door. “See you guys in school!” I told them.

  “Make sure you wear your new shoes!” Wendi said.

  “Yes, they are pretty!” Patti said. “They look good even on you. I mean, they look good on you!” she said.

  I waited until they walked down the driveway then closed the door with just enough of a slam.

  “Man, I never thought they’d leave!” MAC said.

  “Agreed,” I said.

  “I don’t like those new shoes!” MAC said. “The heels are way too high, they’re not practical and I have no control over them!”

  “They are pretty though!” I admitted.

  “Quiet, I don’t want to hear it!” MAC said.

  “Okay, they’re not suitable for school or superhero work!” I added with a sigh.

  Mom walked up to me. She put her arm around me. “It’s not easy being a teen. Is it?”

  “Nope,” I said.

  “You know…this might sound weird but I believe those girls were trying to be friendly.”

  I nodded. “Yep, I think so too…”

  Dear Diary: Mom is right. Patti and Wendi were trying to be nice, or at least…better, or at least…not so mean. I guess it’s not their fault that they really have no experience at being nice. It will probably take them a while to get the hang of it. I’d rather have them at least try to be nice than have them be mean and nasty.

  A New Power

  The next morning, I was sleeping soundly. I wanted to sleep late because I knew with school starting soon, I wouldn’t have many more chances to sleep in. Of course, I heard MAC say, “Ah, Lia, I hate to bother you. But a new batch of giant butterflies has appeared. They are flying towards town again.”

  I got up. I stretched. I sniffed myself. I didn’t barf. I figured I was good to go. I spun and activated my uniform. I flew through my open window and headed in the direction MAC told me to go. “Tell Jason and ask him to get Carmen here!” I ordered MAC.

  “Already done!” MAC told me. “But you fly faster so you will be there sooner.”

  My goal was to cut the butterflies off in the country before they reached the town. That would mean way less potential damage.

  I didn’t need super-vision to see the swarm or bunch or horde of giant butterflies flapping their wings and coming closer and closer to town.

  My job was to slow them down enough for Jason to arrive with Carmen. Of course, I didn’
t want to hurt the butterflies as they were just acting naturally. In fact, they were only flying…

  Though I needed to stop them without harming them. I thought of using super breath but that might hurt them. Actually, since I probably had morning breath, that might even be lethal to them. I thought of spinning really fast and creating a giant whirlwind to blow them back. But that also could hurt them. Freeze breath? Nah, that would certainly be dangerous to the butterflies. I didn’t have much time though as they would soon reach the outskirts of town.

  “Think, Lia! Think!” I ordered myself.

  It was hard to believe, but I needed more powers. What I wouldn’t give for Tanya’s time control powers right now. It occurred to me that back a few months ago when I met my future self (yes I have a strange life), that older me had even more powers than I have now. She was way powerful, scary powerful, in fact. I didn’t think teenage me could handle that kind of power. But teenage me needed some of that power right now. That version of me could move and hold things with her mind. I figured trying to do that would be safer than trying to stop or control time. That would be super dangerous. I could see myself messing up a time stop and keeping the entire world frozen. That would not be fun.

  Okay, time to be optimistic. Time to concentrate on the positive. I could do this. I could send my mind out there, grab the butterflies with my mind and hold them until Carmen arrived and could talk them back. Yes, I knew I could.

  I took a deep breath, I took another and then another. I concentrated and thought about reaching out with my thoughts and grabbing each and every giant butterfly and just holding them right where they were. Nice and softly but firmly. These butterflies would be going no farther on my watch.

  Forcing my eyes open wide, I locked my gaze and my thought pattern on the swarm of giant butterflies. “I’m holding you guys back!” I said, hovering in front of them.

  The butterflies kept teeming towards me.

  My first instinct was to shout, ‘No, stop!’ But this wasn’t a time for panic. This was a time for calm confidence. I straightened my back. Holding out both my arms, I ordered, “You will not pass me!” I thought hard. I wanted to grab these guys with my mind and just keep them right where they were. I could do this! I must do this! I had to do this for my town and for the butterflies themselves!