by Josh Kilen
Billy sat and thought. Away from all his new friends, from Grandpa, from Grace? And his Mom and Dad didn’t know that Grandma needed help, her feelings and mood were not always the best. Billy could help with that.
Something else was nagging him, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. If he was alone in a village in the middle of nowhere, how could he help people? Would that really be where he was mean to be? Then, Billy had an idea...
Billy asked softly, "Could I stay here with Grandpa and Grandma? I could help them out."
His Dad looked uncertain. He obviously hadn’t considered that possibility, but Billy detected a feeling of relief and he tried to enhance that. "I think that would make it easier for you two as well."
His Mom reverted to her changed self, "Bill, I’m sure our Billy will be just fine. There’s nothing to worry about." Billy’s Dad gave her a look that said he wasn’t so sure about that.
Just then, Billy decided what he must do. With a tear in his eye, he got up and looked at both parents.
Using his powers he said, "Don’t either of you worry about me, I will be fine. You can leave me here with Grandma and Grandpa and everything will work out. You can be certain of that."
Billy could feel his Dad becoming sure, and his Mom was even less worried. He told himself that it was for the best, Billy now had a plan.
After a week of packing and helping his Grandparents find room for him, Billy’s parents were ready to leave. They each gave him a hug and a kiss on the top of the head, but that was it. Then they were gone.
Billy started to cry and ran up to his room. He had done a very good job of adjusting his parents, too good, now only if he could adjust himself.
Chapter 8
When Billy woke up the next Monday morning, he saw his Grandpa standing over him smiling. As the weeks went by and Billy learned more about his powers, he had been able to help his Grandpa feel less pain. It was the least he could do.
"Up and at 'em champ," his Grandpa said, "I know you miss your folks, but you still have to go to school."
Billy glanced up from his covers, "Grandad, can I stay home today, I'm not feeling too well." Billy tried his hardest not to adjust his Grandpa to get his way.
His Grandpa looked down with sympathy, "I know you've had it tough the past few days, but... well. . . okay, just this once. I'll call the school, tell 'em you don't feel too well, which is true enough." He reached down and put his hand on Billy head, "It will get easier, even though it doesn't feel like it now."
When his Grandpa left, Billy laid in bed thinking about his next steps. He sent his parents away was to protect them, and so he could stay to protect his Grandparents. Billy realized that he needed to do more with this gift, he wanted to help more than just making his teachers nicer. What if he could make an even bigger difference?
Billy wanted to fight crime.
Grace came over after school to give him his homework and see how he was doing. Before she even came to the door, Billy felt her concern, but also that bubbly enthusiasm that seemed to be part of Grace's personality.
She burst through the door, "Hey there sleepyhead, wake up you sicky," she said with a smile and a song in her voice. Billy couldn't help but smile. Grace filled him in on the days activities. Apparently Jasper was becoming popular now that he wasn't being picked on. Billy was glad to hear that, but he wanted more, and decided to let Grace in on his plan.
When he told her, she looked him like he was nuts. "Wait, so your plan is to walk around at night, look for people committing crimes, and then try to change their minds?" Billy shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head.
Grace couldn’t believe him, "That's stupid, dangerous, and reckless." Billy could feel her anger growing.
"It'll be all right, you feel better," he said trying to make her calmer. Grace began to relax, then all of the sudden her emotions snapped back in the other direction. Her eyes got very narrow, "Don't you DARE try to adjust me Billy. Never, you got it?" Billy nodded his understanding and watched as Grace stormed off.
“Sheesh, I was just trying to help," he thought.
Later that night, Billy felt the concern and bubbliness come back to his door and she knocked softly. He told Grace to come in and she silently entered the room with her backpack. She set it on his bed and started pulling things out of it. "My Dad was a cop until he got hurt on the job, so he has a bunch of old stuff in the basement. I figured you could use some of it." She pulled out an old police scanner, a bullet proof vest, a taser, an extendable baton, and some mace. Billy couldn't believe his eyes.
"Wow Grace, I don't know what to say. Thank you, this is awesome."
She gave him a cold look but Billy felt very deep concern, "It's not awesome, but I figured you were going to do this anyway so I want you to be as safe as possible." She put the pack away and showed him how to use the equipment.
The next night, Billy snuck out of the house to find some evil-doers. Dressed all in black, he tried to stay in the shadows, but he kept his eyes out for any suspicious activity. For the last hour he’d been on his bed, listening to the police scanner for criminal activity but hadn't heard anything close to his house, so he decided to patrol the neighborhood.
Just down the street, Billy saw some movement around a house. From across the street he could see three men, also dressed in black, trying to break in. Billy remembered that the couple who owned that house was on vacation, so these definitely weren’t the owners.
At that moment, it occurred to Billy that he never thought about how he would stop criminals, just that he would make them feel different somehow. But in order to change them they had to look at him and hear his voice. That meant getting closer than was safe.
Grace was right, this was pretty dangerous. But he couldn't just sit back and let some crooks steal these people's stuff.
Billy carefully crossed the street, relieved that the street lights seemed to be out. The crunch of broken glass under his feet made him think the robbers had something to do with that. The crunching sound also made them stop and listen. Billy hid behind a fence and kept very still.
"You hear something," once voice whispered.
A more commanding voice snapped at him, "Naw, you’re just being jumpy. Get back to work."
Billy moved quietly across the lawn, inching closer to the robbers. He could tell that they were almost inside and it might be too late by then. Still in the shadows, but looking right at them, Billy said, "Psssst."
"Now I know I heard something over there," and the robber pointed and looked over at Billy. This was his chance. In his best deep Batman voice he said, "You are scared right now, very afraid of being caught. So afraid..."
The robber screamed like a little girl. He ran down the street as fast as his legs could carry him.
The other two burglars looked in Billy's direction, "Who's out there...?" they asked but Billy was already talking, "You are afraid of being caught, the fear is too much, so scared of the night, of this house, of the police."
More little girl screaming, more running, the other two robbers took off down the street.
Billy couldn't have been happier. He found that it wasn't easy but at least he knew he could do it.
For the next few weeks Billy patrolled the neighborhood and used the police scanner to find any crimes in progress around his Grandparents house. Mostly he patrolled the streets, looking and feeling for anyone trying to hurt others. He stopped everything from house robbery to muggings and he even made some drug dealers stop dealing.
One night Billy was stalking behind a bank when he stopped abruptly. Moving in the shadows around the bank, four dark figures were trying to break in. Billy walked behind them and while still in the shadows he whispered, "Psssst." There was no reaction from any of the robbers. He tried it again to no avail.
Then one of the robbers heads turned right toward him. He had night vision goggles on, and from the look of it, their ears were covered. Billy got up to run but the robber
was too fast and caught him.
Holding his hands behind his back, there was no way Billy could get to his weapons. He was stuck. When the other robbers noticed the commotion, the lead robber pulled out a gun and pointed it right at Billy’s head.
Chapter 9
One bank robber had Billy's arms pinned and another was coming at him with a gun. Billy had gotten in over his head.
From out of the shadows, a rope wrapped around the robber with the gun and pulled him into the darkness. Billy heard a soft thud and then nothing.
The other two robbers stopped and looked around in a semi-panic. "What was that?!?" one asked. Billy heard a 'zip' sound off to his right and the robber holding him was no longer holding him. Billy turned around and peered into the shadows, but couldn't see a thing. He felt someone's emotions though. It was a cold determination and hatred like he had never experienced before.
The last two robbers pulled off their masks and took out their ear plugs, but quickly pulled out their guns as well.
They called out for their friends, "Jim, Larry, you guys there." They walked toward Billy, pointing their guns in his face, "Okay, Kid, tell us what you did with our friends!” But this time he had eye contact and they could hear him.
"Nothing is wrong, everything is okay," he told them, "You feel happy, content, you feel like everything is right with the world. Don't worry about your friends." The robbers stopped, lowered their guns and looked at each other.
"You want to go grab a burger?" One said to the other.
"Ya, sounds good. I think the McDonald's on Pearl Street is open all night." The second robber said.
"Sweet, Big Mac here we come." the first said as they walked away.
Billy watched them leave but was startled by a voice behind him, gruff and old, "That's a neat trick."
Billy backed up as a figure stepped out of the shadows. He was tall and looked to be dressed in black leather from head to toe, a mask covering his face.
The stranger in black held up his hands, "Whatever you did to those guys, there's no need to do that to me. I think we're on the same team."
"Who are you?" Billy asked.
The masked figure chuckled to himself, "I don't have a name out here. Just tryin' to stop the punks and thugs in this town from causin' anyone more trouble. The real question is who are you, and how did you make those guys walk away like that?"
Billy eyed the tall man carefully, "You expect me to tell some guy in a mask. What's your name?"
The masked figure cocked his head to the side, like he was sizing Billy up, "The name's Walter," he said as he took off his mask. He held out his hand for Billy to shake. Walter had a firm handshake, and his piercing blue eyes never left Billy.
"Nice to meet you Walter, I'm Billy. Are you a crime fighter or something?"
"Something like that. I ain't no fancy superhero or anything, I just come out here and try to make a difference. How old are you anyway?"
Billy got defensive, "Old enough to be out here."
Walter asked, "So, you going to tell me what did you do to those guys? Cause I know they weren't thinking about McDonald's or burgers, then you said something to 'em and off they go, happy as anything."
Billy took a deep breathe and explained the accident, the hospital, and his powers to Walter. Something in his gut said that Walter was trustworthy, that he wanted to help Billy. Plus he didn't detect any feelings of deceit. After he was through, Walter let out a deep breath. "Well, I never thought this kind of thing could happen but I just seen it for myself. It must be true. Kinda got yourself into a pickle though, sometimes your powers don't work?"
"I have to be able to see their eyes and they have to be able hear my voice in order to adjust people. Those guys were all suited up and I didn't realize it till it was too late. I'll definitely have to be more careful next time."
Walter laughed, "Next time! Ha, you got some grit in you son, that's for sure. How about next time you have someone watching your back?"
Billy opened his senses fully so he could be sure to detect any trace of a lie or deceit. Nothing, only admiration and a desire to help. Walter was a good man, but there was a pain and deep sadness as well.
Billy asked, "You mean like fighting together?"
Walter rolled his eyes, "O'course that's what I mean, geez kid. Little thick ain't ya. One of these days you're gonna jam yourself pretty bad and I'll have to hear about it. Don't want that on my conscience. So I'll tell you what; you let me train you in combat and superhero stuff, and in return you don't go wandering out at night without me. Deal?"
Chapter 10
Billy thought about what Walter said. He didn't detect anything wrong with Walter, in fact he seemed very honest. Billy decided that some training and backup would be a good idea.
"We can work together, but I want to know why you're fighting crime like this."
A surge of sadness and anger filled Walter's mind, "Honestly Billy, that's none of your business. I'll watch your back, but no questions, okay?"
Billy shook his head, "No dice. Look, I can feel your pain and hurt, I can help. I trusted you, now it's time for you to trust me."
Walter stared down at his shoes, "Guess you're right," he looked up, "You know, you remind me of my son. Long time ago, the gangs round here killed him, just shot him in the street like he was nothin'. Police couldn't do a thing, too scared or whatever. So it was up to me, I decided to stop 'em myself. Been doing it a long time, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen a person with super powers, much less a kid. Derek would have liked you."
Billy looked at Walter, "I’m real sorry about your son. I promise, I won’t go out at night anymore without you, at least not until you say I’m ready."
Walter smiled, "Good, glad to hear you have some sense in that head of yours," he began writing something down on a piece of paper, "Here’s my address, meet me there tomorrow after school and we’ll get started."
Billy took the paper and put it away in his pocket, "Okay, deal. What’re you going to teach me anyway?"
Walter laughed out loud, "Well, you’ll just have to see. But I promise, after we’re done, no petty criminal is going to take you down. See ya tomorrow kid." And just like that Walter was gone, into the shadows. Billy could still feel Walter’s emotions, but disappearing like that was still a cool trick.
The next day went by very slowly as Billy waited for his training. Classes seemed to take forever, but when the last bell rang Billy was first out the door.
He rushed over to Walter's address, and stopped to sense out the place. Walter seemed like a good guy but a kid can't be too careful. He sensed Walter inside, feeling kind of excited, but Billy didn't sense any trouble. Walter was a good guy.
Billy went up to the door and knocked twice, no answer. He knocked again and nothing. Just then he felt a twinge of emotion, heightened excitement, somewhere behind him. Billy spun and there was Walter about 5 steps behind him.
Walter smiled, "Pretty good, did you sense me?"
"Ya, but almost too late," Billy said.
"Well, I was tryin' real hard to keep my emotions in check but don't worry, no criminals know about your powers so you probably don't have to worry about them sneakin' up on you. I just wanted to see if you were ready for anything. Okay, time to get started." Billy followed Walter into the house.
Billy didn't know what to expect from Walter's training, but he certainly didn’t expect a full obstacle course in his backyard. Walter’s backyard was huge, but it was all taken up by tubes to crawl through, nets to climb, ropes to swing on, walls to scale over, and moats to cross. It looked pretty intense.
Walter pointed to the course, "This is the first part of your training. You need to be swift and agile, able to dodge attacks. If you can make it through this course in under 10 minutes I'll be impressed. Start there," he pointed over to a blue tube, "You'll figure out the rest as you go."
Billy stared at him wide eyed, "Are you serious?"
Walter became v
ery stern, "Ya, I'm serious. You want my help or not?"
Billy ran over to the blue tube and Walter started his stopwatch. As he went through the course, Billy realized that this was one of the hardest things that he'd ever done. Only halfway through, his muscles were burning and he just wanted to give up. Then he heard Walter shouting, "Come on! Keep it up! Don't give up now."
Billy kept going. As he crossed the finish line and looked hopefully at Walter.
Walter was shaking his head, "Took you 17 minutes to run the course, that's not good enough."
Billy was taken aback, "Are you serious? How do you…I mean. . . That's nuts!"
Walter smiled, "Maybe, but it can be done and you're gonna do it. Don't worry, we'll make a ninja out of you yet."
Billy stopped, "Did you say ninja?"
Walter kept talking like he didn't hear Billy, "But first you need some martial arts trainin', come over here and get ready."
For the next hour, Billy went through martial arts training that made the obstacle course look like a piece of cake. Walter said it was a new style of martial arts, kind of a blend of everything, and only a few people knew it.
"The best part," he said, "is that you can learn to do it real fast. But you have to keep practicing, that's the only way to become a master."
And Billy practiced. After school, on the weekends, even in his sleep. More than once he would wake up to find his alarm clock on the floor because he was fighting it in his dreams.
Even Grace came over once in a while to watch. Although she disapproved of him going out at night, she was happy that he was getting the training to make it more safe. She helped him train is mental powers in addition to Walter's physical training.
After weeks and weeks of training, Walter told Billy he was ready to go out.
That night they went out and found a lone burglar trying to get into a house. He was tearing off the screen to a window when out of nowhere a rope whipped around his middle and pulled him backwards onto the lawn. Billy quickly stood over him and changed his emotions to feel content with his life, eliminating the need to steal. The would-be criminal walked away whistling.
