Bones of the Past (Villains' Code Book 2)

by Drew Hayes

  “Look, I know we were using a lot of double-talk here, but I’m kind of... spoken for, in that department.” Tori wasn’t even certain she’d heard Lodestar right, and she damned sure didn’t know how to respond to that sort of suggestion.

  “Two types of people join your current organization,” Lodestar replied, utterly unfazed. “Criminals who were caught then won their freedom, and the ones getting educated before they make any major slipups. I know you’re in the second group, and even the crimes I suspect you of are fairly minimal. People make mistakes. What matters more is their ability to grow and learn from them. You wouldn’t be the first player to change teams, especially so early on.”

  Could that be true? Sure, she’d heard of a few former crooks turning over a new leaf—just no one on the guild’s level. But a new costume and codename could easily transform plenty of metas into functionally new people. In the end, Lodestar was probably telling the truth. That seemed to be her style. This was a point to make certain she understood clearly, however.

  “I’m not even sure that would be allowed,” Tori said weakly, trying to get her bearings.

  “Oh? I’m pretty sure one of the first rules in your code is not to go around messing with superheroes. Especially ones with the AHC. Which is what you would be if you made the switch, Tori. Yes, it’s allowed by the code’s own wording. Even if that wasn’t the case, you could still come over. I’ve made my position on that policy clear to your leadership.”

  She paused, looking Tori over more closely. “I think that’s all we need to say on the matter for tonight. You’ve been through a lot, and there’s still more questions to ask, so let’s leave this question there. I don’t need or expect an answer right away; these are the sorts of choices you should fully consider.”

  A glowing hand moved toward the recorder, then stopped. “There is one more thing. Part of why I’m comfortable making this offer to you is that you haven’t crossed my major lines. There’s a reason the guild largely preys on other criminals; not even I can protect people from their own actions. Tried at one point and things went bad. Keep that in mind. Because if you bring civilians into the equation, you bring me in as well. Don’t cross that line unless you understand the consequences.”

  “I get it. Keep the fight on the playground, it’s fine. Spill into school, and the teacher becomes involved.”

  “Your school needs more involved educators,” Lodestar told her. “That is the thrust of it, though. Are you ready to get back to the debrief?”

  “Honestly, at this point, that sounds like a nice break.”

  Tori hadn’t planned to say that any more than she expected Lodestar to laugh: quick and melodic, like the sweet refrain of a lovely song.

  Chuckling to herself, Lodestar hit the record button. Time to get back to business.

  It was a shame they couldn’t take any of the physical materials from the cloaking system, but Xelas had managed to come back with quite a bit of data. She’d copied the entire software system, along with a few stored schematics, as well as scanned the actual tech itself. Some parts of the machinery had still been cloaked; however, all in all, she and Wade had managed to assemble a reasonable mock-up on the holographic display table in front of them.

  He was in his normal clothes, simple and professional, the sort one might expect a quaint local librarian to wear. Except Wade was a billionaire genius supervillain, and there was nothing placid or quiet in his expression as he looked everything over. Someone had bested him on the field of technology. Maybe only for a day, but it had still happened. While he’d accepted long ago that Professor Quantum and Tyranny were peers at or past his present level, being thwarted by some new upstart grated on his nerves. Especially since they’d taken one of his people in the process.

  As he looked over the holographic facsimile, formed of data and sculpted light, he zoomed in on a section. Some of this equipment was too homegrown to puzzle out the purpose of with just his eyes, but the power unit was using an electron looper, a standard tool for powering massive equipment off standard wall outlets. Wade had seen and made more than he could count through the years, and something about this one was off.

  “Xelas, check the southern east quadrant, the power source. Why run nineteen thelmian micro-rings for stabilization when a simple boron buffer does the job better and cheaper?”

  “Better question, where did they even find thelmian ore? Records show only a few meteors of it hit in the late fifties, and the majority of that wound up with the AHC or private collectors. Oh, guess they robbed a collector—answered my own question.” Though she was smiling, there was a focused gleam in her eyes as she followed Wade’s gaze. “Interesting. I just ran a full check through my archives, and this actually used to be the standard way to make an electron looper. Professor Quantum invented the boron buffer in the mid-sixties, and it soon became the standard, but before then, this was the design.”

  Old tech, using materials that were supposed to be scarce. Wade mentally laid out the situation once more. A gang with tech lightyears beyond their grasp kidnaps a woman off the street, one who was famously saved by the New Science Sentries. They call out that same team publicly, keeping the woman hidden to force the capes’ hand. Had the New Science Sentries complied, they’d have been walking in to a trap full of advanced weaponry. It couldn’t be a coincidence that everything centered on a new version of the world’s first superhero team, yet the tech in use was dated.

  “The good news is that I suspect Tori’s kidnapping really was a coincidence. All of this seems to be about Professor Quantum’s old team. My money says that someone he pissed off is out for payback.”

  “Good news because it isn’t our fight?” Xelas seemed confused, if not disappointed.

  The malicious gleam in Wade’s eye put any doubts she had to rest even before he spoke. “Hell no. This is absolutely our fight. We’ve needed something to focus the guild members on, a task that keeps them busy without risking too much AHC wrath. After one of our own was taken, they’re all itching to show some dominance. No, that’s good news because it means neither side will be paying us much attention. With Tori saved, they’ll expect us to go back to minding our own business.”

  The metal fingers danced along his shoulder, finding their way to the back of Wade’s neck, where they spread out and wrapped around, gripping gently. Xelas pulled him in closer, only inches separating them. “And what will we really be doing?”

  “Waiting for the right opportunity to strike.”

  “You do know how to talk to a gal. Well, this one, anyway.” She kept the kiss brief. Much as she loved Wade when he went on the warpath, they still had a lot of work to do breaking down her data. Big talk didn’t mean a damn thing if they got caught with their pants down again.

  By the time they were done talking, Lodestar having asked about every detail and tidbit she could regarding the cloaking system, Tori’s head was starting to feel fuzzy. Her brief nap in Lodestar’s arms hadn’t been a full rejuvenation by any means, and the day’s compounded stress was causing pain above her temples.

  To Lodestar’s credit, she soon noticed and wrapped things up, leaving the caveat that Tori might be called back if they thought of new questions to ask. All things considered, it had gone well. Tori managed to avoid implicating herself or the others, and she’d escaped without being seriously wounded. The best she could have hoped for, really.

  As they were about to leave the room, Tori realized that there would be others waiting to see her. Donald, certainly, and probably the New Science Sentries as well. They would be concerned, caring, and way more than she could handle at the moment.

  “Is there a private exit? I’m... I need some time before I see anyone.”

  “Of course.” Lodestar smirked, a strangely mischievous feature on her face. “Close your eyes.”

  Normally, Tori would have balked, or at least asked some clarifying questions. It was a demonstration of her exhaustion’s growing dominance that she merely di
d as instructed. A brief feeling of wind and weightlessness washed over her, and when Tori opened her eyes once more, she was at the AHC’s entrance—a massive door with various tourists and workers streaming through. The first floor was a museum dedicated to superhero exploits, so it saw quite a bit of foot traffic.

  “Moving at those speeds will make you nauseous if your eyes are open, unless you have practice,” Lodestar explained from behind her. Already, the crowd was looking over, though none of them had even a glance to spare for Tori. “Go on ahead. I’ll sign some autographs to keep everyone distracted. Your ride is waiting for you.”

  Tori looked out the sliding doors and realized there was a familiar form outside on the sidewalk. Amidst a sea of chipper families and excited kids, the stoic man standing stock-still stood out like neon. It was odd to think she could be so happy to see that dull expression, but as her eyes fell on Ivan, Tori felt something inside her relax, something she hadn’t even realized was tense.

  Much as she wanted to rush out, Tori took her time. Almost against her better judgment, she looked back to Lodestar. It could have been Tori’s imagination, but she was almost sure she caught Lodestar sneaking a few looks out the door as well. Since meeting Ivan, she’d assumed his odd reverence of Lodestar was one-sided; after today, she wasn’t quite so sure. Whatever this complicated mess was, it certainly appeared to be going in two directions.

  With the crowd occupied, Tori made her way forward, out the sliding doors and into the summer’s fading heat. She made her way down the smooth entrance lined on either side with topiaries carved into the shapes of famous capes, and walked up to the man who was a legendary villain, and one of the few people who’d proven he gave a real shit about her.

  “How do you feel?” Ivan asked.

  “Tired. Numb. Drained.”

  Scared. Guilty. Lost.

  His hand landed gently on top of Tori’s head, heavier than she remembered. “Let’s get you some rest. You’ve more than earned it.” A moment of hesitation, his hand almost pulling away. “I am very glad you’re safe, Tori. We were all worried, but we also had faith you’d pull through.”

  There was no way to say why—it wasn’t a particularly emotional thing to say—but that was Tori’s breaking point. Picturing the guild, her friends, her life, knowing how close she’d been to losing everything. All the fear she hadn’t let herself feel, the horror of what she’d done to Deacon, the helplessness of being taken against her will, it all came crashing down at once.

  Tori buried her face against Ivan’s chest as she wound her arms around him, hugging him with all the strength her body could still manage. She wanted to weep, to let everything out, but Tori wasn’t practiced at letting her guard down to that extent. Instead, she just held on, her whole body shaking. Here, she finally let herself feel at ease. Nothing could get her. Nothing could hurt her. She didn’t even have to hide parts of herself like she had with Lodestar. Tori was safe.

  It took her a few minutes to realize that Ivan was gently hugging her back. A few minutes more, and Tori realized people were staring, not that she gave any semblance of a shit. But sooner or later, they’d recognize her, take some pictures, and the media cycle would begin anew. She gathered her composure, the shakes dying down as her breathing stabilized.

  “Sorry. Probably not a reaction befitting somebody like us, huh?”

  “Tori, you have nothing to apologize for.” It was an occasion where Ivan’s blunt tone worked to his benefit, making it clear he thought the very notion ridiculous. “You did well, better than anyone had the right to ask.”

  “Yeah, sure, but I gotta stick the landing, right?” Tori finally managed to pull away, releasing her grip on Ivan. “Can’t get weighed down by all of this.”

  This time, Ivan was the one who initiated the hug, though he kept his short. “I’m the one who owes you an apology if you think that. There’s something I’ve owed you for a while now, and when you’re ready, I hope it will help you get some clarity on that front. It’s something I should have told you already, something I avoided because it means dredging up the past.”

  Together, they walked away from the AHC’s headquarters, Ivan taking her to a spot where Tunnel Vision was already waiting with a portal. It was hard to beat the guild in terms of treatment options and general safety, both of which were very relevant for Tori. The plan was to get her some food and rest, letting her return to the world at large when she was ready. Ivan hadn’t expected to add a story in there, but holding Tori as she shook was too familiar for him not to see the need. It was time to pay what he owed her for reaching graduation.

  It was time to tell her about the origin of Fornax.

  Chapter 35

  No aides or other members of the AHC would be walking in on Professor Quantum in this room. He’d established a private laboratory at the inception of the entire organization, a place where he could perform delicate experiments without worrying about interruption. Security had been upgraded—by him—regularly until he’d moved the bulk of his work to the island of Vomisa. Even with years of lapses, it was fortified enough for the moment’s task.

  Laid out before him was a simple cube. That’s how it appeared, at least. According to the recovery reports, this had been one of the things found in a pile of pink goo, surrounded by melted parts, yet it showed not so much as a scratch. The tech who recovered it had been puzzled, but Professor Quantum understood as soon as his fingers touched the smooth metallic surface.

  Keltrine was a synthetic metal he’d once thought to have world-changing properties. Inventing it was one of Professor Quantum’s earlier projects; exposing various natural materials to different meta-elements had resulted in many strange new compounds, and Keltrine was the most promising. Many of the early Science Sentry gear had made use of the seemingly indestructible metal, until they discovered its weakness.

  From his pocket, Professor Quantum produced several packets of sugar taken from the breakroom. He sat down across from the cube, helping himself to a bottled water from the small refrigerator built into the desk. As a man who often got lost in his work, nutritional elements had to be kept on hand. He’d tried to get other labs on board with bathroom buckets as well; however, that suggestion had so far failed to take hold.

  Taking no care or measurements, Professor Quantum tore into the first sugar packet, dumping it into the water bottle. He did this six more times, until the water had turned milky. Finally satisfied, Professor Quantum emptied the entire container onto the cube, slowing pouring it out to cover every section. As soon as the liquid hit, the cube hissed and bubbled, turning to a crumbly, sand-like substance. For as durable as Keltrine was, they’d learned fighting Wrathy-Taffy that sugar created an immediate, destructive chain reaction. It was Professor Quantum’s introduction into the unstable world of working with these strange new elements and the unusual side effects they produced.

  The larger issue at hand was that anyone was able to create this particular bit of Keltrine in the first place. Only a few had figured it out when it was in use, one industrious tinker making an entire tiny army before the flaw was discovered. Most who knew the creation method were dead, and even the Mini-Murder Marquis was long retired. There was only one way to interpret this cube’s existence: it was a message for him. Hidden in something they couldn’t miss, and made durable enough that it would be near impossible to destroy.

  As the water bottle reached its end, the last of the cube crumbling, a shiny new surface came into view. This one was metal, as well, though it merely shone in the sugar-water rather than melting. Unconcerned about mundane worries such as poison, Professor Quantum picked up the item, rubbing it clean and examining it carefully.

  A commemorative pin. 1955 Original Edition, one of the first superhero souvenirs to ever be sold. Of course, that was largely because meta-humans had only been around for a few years. This was a big moment, for the world and Professor Quantum. These marked the launch of the Science Sentries, the world’s first superhero
team, precursor to the League of Metas. All five members stood there, staring at the camera, their likeness captured in the metal circle.

  Last Professor Quantum had noticed, these sorts of items retailed for hundreds of thousands of dollars among collectors, which made it all the stranger that this one had been defaced, quite literally. Of the five, only Professor Quantum and Rex Reverb were still recognizable. The rest of the team’s faces were scratched off. No coincidence that he and Rex were the only ones still presumed alive—that was obvious. But if the implication was that the sender had been responsible for the deaths, then that was ludicrous. They’d fallen years apart and to very different threats.

  The message was clear, at least. Someone was targeting him, someone with a shocking knowledge of his prior work. The cube and button were clear hallmarks of the past.

  For a moment, a single horrible moment, he thought of the mad-grinning skull, then put it out of his head. As a man of science, he knew better than to spend his time chasing ghosts. Focus on the current threats rather than ones already beaten.

  To that effect, he wondered if he should give Rex a warning. He was on the button, too, and would make a compelling target to someone sending a message. After a moment of contemplation, Professor Quantum decided that perhaps Rex would be more useful in the dark. If they put a protective detail on him, he’d be the perfect bait—acting completely natural, drawing out potential attackers. It was risky, true, but that was the life of a superhero. He was sure Rex would understand, or, barring that, was sure he wouldn’t care if an old teammate was mad.

  Professor Quantum was a man who concerned himself with results. It wasn’t as if they had the option to sit back and wait, anyway. This was an opening move. He’d seen far too many not to recognize one on sight. Whoever had made this cube wasn’t remotely done. But their next move wouldn’t come quite so easily.