Encrypted

by Weaver, Nicole

  "Delusions?" Samantha let out an uneven breath and pulled the covers tighter around her face. "You used to have my back, Mildred. You are the reason Jon didn't take my meds away. What happened to you?"

  "I am tired of your games, and I won't have you adding to Jon's stress anymore." Mildred stood up from the bed. "If you push him this time, I won't be there to save you."

  She flounced out in a huff, shutting the door with a small thud.

  Damn, I think that's the hardest I've ever heard her shut a door. The woman is a poster child for meek these days. I don't care anymore, and not even the cops can make me live here for much longer.

  The clock read 7am. Jon is already gone, and she leaves by 8. Looks like 9am is adventure time.

  ****

  Samantha spent most of the morning on the house computer, hunting for information on powers and carefully clearing her browser history between searches. She'd cracked the web nanny password late last year, so it was easy enough to hide her tracks, but better safe than sorry if one of the foster monsters came home early.

  The desk chair creaked and rattled as she leaned back, massaging her wrists. I guess a few hundred National Emergencies later, some exploding Primes, and ‘free speech’ isn't really a thing anymore. Still, how am I supposed to keep from killing myself and everyone around me if most of the information is restricted? She had still managed to discover that her power fell under the broad category of Biokinetics. It included the different Manifestations of healers, shapeshifters, hyper intelligent inventors, and any other power that manipulates themselves or other living things.

  People with the power to change their shape were called Metamorphs. There was a long list of many different kinds, including some who can only change colors, and others who can only take on one specific extra shape. The last entry had the least amount of information on it and a big red warning above it.

  DANGEROUS MANIFESTATION

  NOTIFY THE PCA IMMEDIATELY

  Probably a security thing to make sure no one is pretending to be someone else.

  There were no messages from Susan on her pink phone, and she pointedly deleted a voicemail from Trevor. There was nothing from Jon or Mildred on the battered flip phone. It would be kinda nice if Jon had a run in with the front bumper of a bus; then I wouldn't have to go to Dr. Darkle until after he regrew his spleen, or liver, or whatever.

  She slid both phones into her knapsack, next to the granola bars, fruit juice, spare shorts and a green shirt. She wadded up a brown baseball cap to top off her disguise options. Come on Susan, can't you find any reception up there at all? You were right, I should have kept our lunch date.

  Knapsack slung, she stepped out into the sweltering heat.

  The horizontal boards on the inside of the fence made a convenient ladder up into the neighbor's tree, although Samantha hesitated to glance around before reaching for it. She breathed out a sigh of relief when there was no sign of Christy Brown at the other fence. She's going to come up with something nasty, she always does.

  She ran the whole way to the bus stop. Few pedestrians were moving around in the oppressive heat and she kept her eyes peeled for the creepy van. Two birds with one stone. Jon and Mildred never drive this way, and whoever is following me is staking out the front door.

  She kept her nerves in check as she waited for the bus, which was easier without loud noises or strange people running around. Even the regular stray cats were absent, though they usually congregated in the area hoping for handouts. I wish I knew Miss Zoo or had her powers. It would be fun to know what the cats in town are up to. Maybe it's a kitty convention.

  The bus slid to a halt outside the small shelter and her skin began to crawl. I hope it's a different driver this time. That, and no Prime fights until after my stop.

  The driver, an older woman with pure white hair, accepted her money with a kindly smile.

  Samantha was the only passenger. She picked a seat near the center of the bus next to the middle exit. One hand against the soothing glass of the window, she used the other to dig through her wad of printed notes. She found the one she wanted at the bottom of the stack. A map to The Pit.

  Most kids in town would claim to know where it was, if only to horrify their parents and sound cool to their friends. Every generation makes up their own theories of its location, and most of Arbor City's ghost stories and wild urban legends took place at The Pit.

  She'd started hunting for its secret location right after Jon and Mildred had taken her from the orphanage, mostly as a way to feel closer to Eddie, after he'd spent their last summer as a family telling her wild stories about his adventures there.

  She'd spent many fruitless lunch periods searching for it in the Wellbore School Library. It had mostly been discouraging, until a cute librarian had told her The Pit was just the old rock quarry, overgrown and abandoned.

  It turned out the boy wasn't a librarian at all. Trevor was on detention for super-gluing quarters to the hallway floor, which made a bunch of kids late to class trying to pry them off. A whirlwind romance ensued, and she'd completely forgotten her quest, until now.

  I lost Trevor as soon as Jon figured out I had a boyfriend. Go directly to Dr. Darkle, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. It didn't matter anyway, since he sold out to the authorities to try out for the team right afterwards.

  People had stopped visiting the place long ago. It was far enough out of the way, and boring enough once you arrived, that the adults didn't care. Especially since, over the years, the kids had slowly forgotten how to get there. There was a rumor about a pack of wolves too, but she hadn't been able to find anyone who had actually seen them.

  A pair of teenaged boys slouching their way onto the bus snapped her out of her reverie. One tall, dark, and muscular, the other pale and seedy. Both eyed Samantha like she was a side of beef as they loudly flopped into the seat directly behind her and immediately launched into meant-to-be-overheard boasting.

  Guys always think discussing their favorite kind of sex will make them more interesting. I bet they don't know what half of those positions even look like. She went back to her map, covering it so they couldn't look over her shoulder.

  Samantha's leading theory on why no one could find The Pit was because it wasn't marked on any map and was invisible from the road. The quarry was surrounded by excavated dirt, piled high enough to form small hills, now covered in trees and scrub brush. On the map, it was a single empty hill near a couple of strip malls. According to Trevor, it wasn't until after a hike that you could see the center was ripped out.

  The other reason was that it wasn't outside town like the stories claimed. A decade ago, it had belonged to an old mining company at the edge of town, but they had gone bankrupt before Arbor City was fully developed. Nearly overnight it went from a well-respected employer to an eyesore that no one wanted to clean up. After years of calculated neglect, the site had finished growing over and become truly abandoned. Add in a dash of urban sprawl, and suddenly The Pit, now appearing as an overgrown hill, was within walking distance of a small shopping center.

  Samantha rode silently, still pressed against the window, listening to the teenagers increasingly improbable boasts. They disembarked within a few stops and, surprisingly, left her alone as they left. Even the bus driver didn't take a special interest in her remaining passenger.

  Shaking with suppressed excitement, Samantha eyed the hill as it came into view not long afterwards. She pulled out her favorite picture of her and Eddie, then tucked it safely back into her belt pouch and hopped off the bus as soon as the door opened. Eddie always loved to carve his initials into things, I wonder if he did that here?

  The tall hill was alive with chirps and chitters as small animals chased each other from tree to tree, though they quieted down as she approached. Samantha followed the broken sidewalk around to a thin break in the forest where water runoff had made a hole in the lush greenery. It was lined with old stumps and freshly broken branches. I guess not everyone h
as forgotten what's here.

  The smell of mildew and rotting vegetation burned her nose out with every small gust of wind, but she got used to it quickly. Vehicles hummed past as she stared into the wet darkness. Not sure how great an idea this is, but the mighty Villain Phoenix Star will not be deterred by a secluded mountain trail.

  The thin trail went mostly up, steep and covered in washed-out tree roots. It was more of a place where water had eroded a gutter than a real path. Thick vines and branches hung low, leaving sticky droplets of sap on her hands where she pushed past. Grateful for her ponytail, she was careful to keep the sap away from her hair.

  I should think about my code name more. Phoenix Star sounds Heroic...and no way am I going to get on my knees and beg the PCA for orders. Those guys can eat a bag of dicks, whatever Susan says. Still, if I want to find out what happened to Eddie, it's either faking heroics to get into their databases, or trying to hack in somehow. Urgh, maybe I could join them after all and then retire from saving cats in trees as soon as I find him. Nah.

  At the top of the muddy trail, Samantha crouched next to a small pile of wood to peel the worst of the sap and debris from her clothes and hair.

  The top of the hill formed a circle around a deep bowl, sloping sides mostly covered in brush and a few trees. The area below Samantha was more mud and bits of rock than anything else until the bottom where the forgotten remains of the quarry waited. The decaying buildings and rusting equipment was scattered among the weeds and bits of scrub brush. Shattered concrete slabs, and mounds of sand dotted the open areas between the buildings. Their sagging roofs, and gaping holes in the walls boded well for it being deserted.

  The buildings were more intact a little further away where one of them stood two stories tall and seemed surprisingly whole. Even further away, two more single story buildings were connected and leaning against each other like a pair of drunks waiting for a cab.

  Trails crisscrossed the grass below, worn down to bare dirt. Maybe there are some bigger animals around here after all.

  Samantha kicked at some wood piled next to her at the top of the hill, eyeing the muddy slope below. Sketchy. No trees for Eddie to carve down there. She sighed. Back to code names. Phoenix Star isn't the worst, but it doesn't fit my powers at all. Eagle Strike? Nah, no wings. Maybe I can grow tentacles and call myself The Squidlette. Ewww, not that.

  Digging around in the pile, she found a useful piece almost four feet long and wide enough for her feet. Perfect. Now it's time for some Parkour. Biokinetics are supposed to be great at that.

  Balanced precariously with one foot against the makeshift surfboard, she kicked backwards and bent her knees as she went over the edge. Let’s not surf down this thing on my face.

  A fierce grin forced its way onto her face as she shot down the hillside, arms tucked, shoulders back, red hair streaming in the wind. I knew it! My powers give me enhanced speed and reflexes. I will be fast, powerful, and call myself Star—"

  Hidden by the gentle slope of the muddy earth, a large gray rock appeared directly in front of her. The board stopped. Samantha didn't.

  She flew away from the hill and out into the air, waving her arms for some kind of balance as she fell. Flying and lasers would have been better.

  A startled robin dove out of the way as she dropped past it, then the world rushed up to meet her. Soft dirt and mud cushioned her landing as she bounced to the bottom and rolled to a stop, face-down.

  How about Muddy Mess? I could go by MM for short.

  Each ragged breath stabbed through her chest as she lay there. Sitting up and investigating with her hands, a rock fell out of her sports bra where it had been pressing tightly against one of her ribs. So, no flying, and my parkour is more like par-can't. Hey, bonus no one was here to see. I knew this was a great spot.

  Wood cracked, echoing through the area. Something large, grey, and vaguely humanoid moved in the ground floor window of the two-story building. The one that looked intact. Never mind. Someone saw my disaster.

  She leapt to her feet and rushed to the porch in front of the big door, surprising herself by not even breathing hard after the sprint. Cracks covered the weathered building, some wide enough to stick a hand through. The whole structure swayed in the wind and the porch appeared ready to collapse at the slightest excuse.

  Pushing spikes of her cold power into her ears, she listened while placing one foot gingerly on the first step. The ancient wood immediately cracked like a gunshot and splintered the length of the step. Ouch my ears.

  She decided not to test the other steps. This thing is going to come down on someone's head, mine probably, but still.

  Something in the building moved again, causing barely perceptible sounds of strain from the wood above her. I don't know how, but someone is up there. Let’s try the side door.

  The other side of the house stood open. Wide open.

  At some point in its history, something had demolished the rear and side, leaving its innards open to the elements. The intact side of the building was just a facade and the ground floor was mostly missing. The top floor was in slightly better shape, clinging to the remaining outer walls.

  Wind blew lightly across the shredded floorboards and into the hole below—an exposed and deep rocky basement. The floor at the bottom was covered in blocks of stone, crushed gravel, and shattered rebar. Puddles dotted the wreckage, brackish and still, making the whole thing smell like an old horse trough.

  Someone could hide a lot of stuff down there and no one would ever know. This would make a great place for a Lair.

  She carefully examined the basement for signs of life. Nothing moved.

  I've been here five minutes and I'm already seeing ghosts. I could go by Ghost Strike, though my sneaking skills would need some serious work. I might be able to do the camo-skin thing, but I would have to be naked for that...assuming I can figure out how to do it fast enough to matter.

  Another loud crack echoed across the tiny valley, this time from the top floor. "Hello? I know someone's up there. You're making more noise than I am, which is kind of impressive," Samantha shouted.

  After a moment, a dulcet voice called out, "Ha, ha, fine, you caught me. You might want to step back; I think the floor is about to give out."

  A woman stepped into view above her on the second floor. Her padded bodysuit and featureless mask, both the same light grey, made it impossible to identify her, though an impressively long blonde ponytail trailed out behind her.

  The underside of the floorboards was covered in a thin fungus that cracked and fell with every step from above. More boards split, then snapped under the woman’s feet, falling into the basement.

  The woman dove into the air before the first board finished breaking.

  Now that is parkour.

  The strange Prime floated away from the building, dropping like a rock before hovering for half a second a few feet above the ground. She landed in the dirt on one bent knee, punching her fist down in an iconic Hero pose. She held it for a minute, head down and swaying slightly.

  Now that she was closer, Samantha could see the form-fitting mask traced sweeping black lines between her eyes and mouth, with a star pattern running from around her nose to above her eyes. Her athletic body and limbs were crisscrossed with belts and pouches, some large enough to hide guns or knives.

  Could be anything in there without knowing her power.

  The woman finally dropped her pose and stood up, saluted, then burst into laughter. "Kidding, I'm totally not the Hero type." A few inches shorter than Samantha, she held out her hand. "Hi. I go by Lucky Strike to most, but you can call me Lucky."

  Samantha backed away from the offered hand. "You aren't with those guys in the green van are you? The ones following me?" She seems really fast and her power is probably more than falling with style. I'm kinda screwed if she's after me. Maybe I can push her into the foundation and run, if I can catch her off guard.

  "Green? No, I think we are using black right now
—maybe brown next week. I hadn't planned to say hello yet, but you surprised me with your slide down the hill." She eyed Samantha up and down. "You got up without a limp after a pretty lusty fall. You even tracked me in the building without any tech…are you a Prime?"

  Lucky's green-eyed stare bored into her, daring her to lie.

  Chapter 14

  Friday May 21st, 2010

  "I'm not a…you know what? Fuck it. Yes, I am a Prime, and apparently I suck at the secret identity part." Samantha sighed. "I was hoping to find a quiet spot without cameras, or people, to practice my p—" She stopped at the huge grin spreading across the other woman's face.

  "You didn't blow your cover until just now." Her sharp smile fell a hair short of friendly. "I tell everyone they blew their cover and ask if they are Primes."

  "That doesn't make me feel better." Let’s see, torn pants, ripped shirt, and mud everywhere. Sure, I brought spare clothes for a disguise, but the foster monsters are going to notice missing stuff the next time they inventory my dresser. Maybe I should take up knitting, because I'm really blowing this first day with powers thing.

  "Don't take it too hard. I've pulled that on seasoned Heroes and had them fall for it. You'd be surprised how many react the same way you did. Sometimes I can even get them to tell me what their power is by guessing wrong. It's hilarious." Lucky chuckled.

  "Easy for you to say, flying out of buildings like a bad ass. I'm over here about as useful as a pillow to Alfonse." Samantha scooped up a handful of gravel and took aim at the nearest wall. Most of it went through the already broken window, missing the building entirely.

  "Alfonse? The metal kid from Full Metal Alchemist? Awesome." Lucky winked and gestured for Samantha to follow her around the open foundation. "It's not that bad. You messed up, but you met your Edward on the same day. I'm going to solve all your problems, babe."