by R. J. Ross
CHAPTER SIX
"She's supposed to win this, right?" I can't help but ask, my hands gripping the armrests of my chair, barely staying in my seat. I REALLY want to go in there and help, which is ridiculous. Emily's far more capable of dealing with this than I am—but she's my LITTLE sister! My adorable Emily and Ditto and even Repeat—
"Oh, she's just playing this up," Duplicitous says, looking quite proud. "She's good. She's actually making the audience worried."
"I'm going to have to give Ace some more debuts," Nico says, grinning as he leans back in his chair. "I haven't had to give him ideas once."
"That's because Emily spent almost a month telling me things that she'd like to do," I hear Ace say over the speakers. "This is just a combination of some of her ideas—done in my personal style."
"You should bring Alyssa in soon, or at least have her easy to find," Nico says. "Like we said earlier, we don't want to drag this out too long."
"On it," Ace says.
"So Grandma and Grandpa Superior are watching, right?" I ask Duplicitous, only just daring to glance over at her.
"Of course. We're having a huge party back home—your grandparents, Cosmic, the original me, Isotonic, and that little phaser girl that Tatia just brought home," Duplicitous says, a bowl of popcorn appearing on her lap. "I think she plans on keeping her," she adds with a sly glance over at Nico.
Nico chokes.
***
"How are you enjoying the show?" the casual question isn't blasted over the speakers, but Emily hears it, regardless. She dares to glance up to the balconies, where she sees Ace standing next to a black girl in a bright neon outfit. If her eyes weren't so good, she would have just assumed it was another of his fake "crowd." Instead, she picks up on the rolling eyes and the way the girl reaches down and messes with the neon skirt she's wearing.
"Found her," she says with a little grin. "Girls, time to wrap up the show," she calls over to her doppelgangers.
"Awww, but I like the kitties!" Repeat says, kicking one of the lions in the jaw. Even as she says that, the carousel bear tackles Emily to the ground, roaring in her face. Emily brings her knees up to her chest and shoves him off of her, sending him flying.
"Is that not enough, little girl?" the clown asks. Two more just like him appear, surrounding her with their hats in their hands. They each reach into the hats and pull out another of the carousel creatures, including the horse. Emily takes a moment to look around with faked terror—and then teleports away,
"I'm sort of stuck over here!" Ditto yells, jerking dramatically at the ropes that tie her to the spinning wheel. She lets out a yelp as a sword barely misses her face. "Can somebody PLEASE get me out?"
Emily races for her, since Repeat seems to be enjoying herself. Before she can reach the sword thrower, though, the carousel horse hits her with its side. She doesn't hesitate, she grabs the pommel and swings into the saddle, grabbing the reins and pulling on them hard. The carousel horse rears, pawing at the air.
She jerks, sending the horse plowing straight into the sword thrower. "I don't know how to make it stop, so brace yourself!" she yells at Ditto as the horse keeps careening forward and slams into the wheel that Ditto's attached to. It comes off its holder and rolls for a while before falling like a quarter—heads down.
"Ow," Ditto complains from under the wheel. "I think I'm going to throw up."
"Throw up later, go get Repeat now!" Emily yells as the carousel horse starts bucking like a bronco.
"Just… need… to—got it!" Ditto says, falling off of the wheel. "All those sharp objects came in handy," she says as she shoves the wheel off of her, tugging the ropes off of her wrists and ankles. She looks at Emily, who's still holding on tight to the carousel horse, and races off to the lion cage.
"Do you know how to pick locks?" Repeat asks as she struggles to keep a lion from biting her head off.
"Not a clue!" Ditto replies cheerfully. "Think he left a key under a rock somewhere?"
"Can I get a different super hero over here?" Repeat shouts over to Emily. "This one's defective!"
"But I do have an ax," Ditto says innocently, holding up the ax in question. "Does that work for you, miss complainer?" she demands as she starts hacking at the lock on the cage door.
"Hey! Here, boys, here!" Emily shouts at the other carousel creatures, still sticking stubbornly on the back of the horse. "Come and get me!" The bear and the other two react, slamming into the carousel horse she's riding from all directions. Emily teleports right before they hit, leaving them in a broken pile of wooden pieces.
Ace almost chokes on his popcorn as she appears perched on the railing of his balcony. "Enjoying the show?" she asks with a grin before tackling him.
He disappears in a dramatic poof of smoke, revealing he was an illusion all along. "Darn it—this isn't the end of it, Dragon!" Emily yells, waving her fist at the air. "Are you an illusion, too?" she asks Alyssa.
"No, trust me, all real," Alyssa says, holding up her hands. "He probably figured I wasn't worth fighting over."
The world seems to turn sepia in color before fading away, leaving Ditto and Repeat in ridiculous poses. The warehouse is just that, now—a warehouse. "We should leave," Emily declares. "You need to be checked out."
"You saved me," Alyssa says. "Thank you, Divine Justice."
"No need for thanks," Emily says proudly, striking a pose, "I'm only doing my duty."
The feed cuts off with a close up on her masked face.
***
“And that’s a wrap,” I hear Andre say. “Good job, everyone, hopefully that will buy us some time to find the hidden capes.”
“Thank you for your assistance, Andre,” Nico says. Duplicitous hugs me goodbye and teleports, leaving us alone. “Everyone head to the school, we need to pack before we head out.”
“Are you sure I can’t go with one of the teams?” I ask. “I think it’s only right that I be in the field for this--it’s my fault.”
“We need you somewhere all the teams can get to,” Nico says.
“You’re a technopath--can’t you hook up a mobile system?” I ask. “I need to help as much as I can, Nico. I feel so guilty.”
“Hey, Nico? Can you hijack the system for me? This is too good an opening to let go,” I hear Ace say.
“Sure,” Nico says. The screen in front of us goes static for a second before Ace’s Dragon appears on the screen. “This is a message for Double Jeopardy,” he says. A toothy grin crosses his face. “First off, if there are three of you, your name doesn't work—it should be triple jeopardy! You really need to get that fixed. And secondly, one lucky fight doesn’t equal winning the war!”
I can hear Alyssa yelling from outside, "HER NAME IS DIVINE JUSTICE, YOU IDIOT!" but thankfully the camera doesn't pick it up, or someone blocks it out.
The screen went static again before turning back into norm television. “Wait--you hijacked NORM TV with that?” I demand.
“The entire thing was on Hero TV and norm television,” Nico says. “The entire reason we did it was to make norms think Ace caused the outing. So, yes, I hijacked it for that, and for everything else.”
“That CAN’T be legal,” I have to point out.
“It’s not, but so far we haven’t had any complaints--other than Double M has to warn them ahead of time.” He stands. “Now, let’s go meet Alyssa and we’ll discuss your fieldwork there.”
“So you’ll let me go?” I ask eagerly.
“I didn’t say that.”
“But you called it my ‘fieldwork,’” I say as I follow him out of the room. “That implies I’m working out in the field--I really want to help with this, Nico, I need to take responsibility--”
“Aubrey,” he says, turning to look at me, “you take responsibility for way more than you’ll ever need to already. This was an accident--one that’s easily covered up by the fact that we’re supers. We do stupid stuff like this on a daily basis--on purpose. What we have now is just another dramati
c plot to keep the norms entertained. They won’t take it seriously, which is exactly what we need to happen.”
“That doesn’t tell me why I can’t be in the field!” I protest.
“Great job, Em,” Nico says instead, heading for the two girls standing in the front part of the building we “borrowed” for our work. “Everyone’s going to be talking about you for months.”
“That was so fun! Duplicitous was with you, right? She just stopped by and said I did an AWESOME job!” Em says, practically bouncing. “We can do it again, right? Ace and me? Because I think I’ve got some new ideas on how to make it even more dramatic--”
“I’m planning on it. Alyssa, I don’t think I’ve introduced myself properly,” he goes on to the girl next to her. “Nico Masters, AKA Technico,” he says, holding out his hand. “Welcome to Cape High, I’ll be your principal for the foreseeable future.”
“Hi,” Alyssa says, looking at his hand for a long, long moment before taking it. I see her grit her teeth, as if expecting something to happen. Her eyes widen slightly, though, when nothing does.
“Your healing is different from Aubrey’s,” Nico tells her. “From what I've heard, though, you're having a bit of difficulty with it, right?"
“Aubrey--” she says, looking at me.
I haul her into a hug, wrapping my arms around her tightly. “I’ve always wanted to meet another,” I tell her. She’s stiff as a board, and I know she’s trying to keep her cheek from touching mine. Deliberately I lean closer, touching cheeks in the hug.
I feel my power kick in.
“What--wait--stop--” she tries to pull away, but I keep her held tightly in my arms, my powers scanning her thoroughly.
“There,” I say, seeing the problem. I can actually see the block on her self-healing ability lifting, and her self-healing start to work properly.
“What are you doing to me?” she demands.
I pull away, reaching down and taking her hands in mine. “It’s going to be easier, now,” I tell her, my heart breaking as I realize what I just fixed. “Not perfect, you’ll still feel an instance of pain, but you’ll heal it, now,” I tell her. “There’s a chance the problem would have sorted itself out in a few years, but there’s no reason to wait that long. Now! Whose team will I be on?”
“Still mine,” Nico says.
“So you’re going out--”
“Nope, I’m working from home,” he tells me. “Emily, go change--make sure you put a hat on, we’re heading back to school to assign the teams.”
“Okay!” she says, heading for an empty room.
I glare at Nico. “You don’t understand--” I start out.
“No, Aubrey, you’re the one that doesn’t understand,” Nico tells me. “They’re ALL going to want to talk to you. In order for me to make that possible, you need to stay right here and keep track of everything going on. I know Liz named you off the top of her head, but she wasn’t that far off--you’re a life light, kiddo. You give everyone hope.”
“What should I do?” Alyssa asks.
“You’re going to start training--” Nico starts out. He stops as the door opens and a rather plain looking teenage boy walks in with his hands in his pockets. For a moment I just stare at the newcomer, wondering what on Earth is happening, and then Nico goes, “Nice disguise.”
The illusion drops. “I think we should keep using her,” Ace says. “She’ll be the perfect running gag for this set-up--like I’ll kidnap her back from Em, and she’ll get her back again.”
“No, I don’t think so,” Nico says. “You’ve got more important work to do than goof off with cute girls. I’m assigning you a group and sending you north. You’re the headliner of this gig and that’s where most of the healers were outed.”
“What group?” Ace asks.
“You’ll find out when we get to school,” Nico says as Emily steps out of the other room, dressed in norm clothes. Reluctantly I follow him out, getting into the van he borrowed from the Hall. We pull to a stop in front of the canyon and head in, where the rest of the school is waiting.
“Because Sunny and Adanna are still down south, helping with clean-up duty, they won’t be joining us,” Nico says as we join the others. “Some of the teams will have less people than others--if anyone has a problem with this, speak now.”
Nobody says a word.
“Since Emily’s debuted, we now have three hero teams and three villain teams. Trent, Emily, and Vinny, stand to my right. Jack, Max, and Ace, you’re on my left,” he tells them. “When I call out your name, move to the leader I’ve assigned you.” He rattles off all the names in the group, putting them with their new leader. My name doesn’t get called until last. “Aubrey, Alyssa, you’re with me.”
“I get to work with Trent again!” Carla says, bouncing up and down. “Wait--does that mean Brandon and Ward are going to be bad guys? They’re working for Jack, right?”
“It’s okay,” I hear Brandon say. His voice is soft and slightly amused. He doesn’t sound nearly as nervous as he used to. “I don’t mind being a bad guy.”
“You’re gonna haveta show yourself, man, otherwise I might run you over,” Jack says a bit too bluntly. I let out a sigh, knowing that lecturing him on treating the zoo kids nicely is a waste of time, really. To my surprise, though, Brandon appears. He’s a thin black teenager--he’s grown since I last saw him, I noticed, and his hair has turned into an afro. I wonder if he’ll let me cut it before he leaves.
“Sorry,” Brandon says, taking the hand Jack offers him. “I’ll try my best to be a good minion,” he tells Jack, looking him in the eye.
I see it click in Jack’s mind--and I’m probably one of the few not shocked when he swings an arm over Brandon's shoulders and looks at me. “Hey, Aubrey, can I keep him?” he calls over. “Invisible minion--how awesome is that? He can be my right hand man!”
The look of embarrassment on Brandon’s face has me inwardly groaning. “Brandon is NOT a puppy,” I tell Jack. “If he WANTS to do a stint as your assistant you had better pay him extremely well. And the moment he wants to go full cape, you had better let him!” Personally I think Brandon would make an amazing hero or villain, but working as a right hand man wouldn’t be too bad, right? Maybe he’ll spend less time hiding.
“Actual minion contracts won’t be available until after graduation,” Nico says, handing each of the group leaders a folder. “For those of you that need transportation, it will be provided by the Hall. As for adult supervisors, Flame will be going with Vinny’s group, Falconess will go with Emily’s, Mega is going with you, Trent. As for our super villains, we’re putting Summer, Blackjack, and Jeanie in plain clothes. Jack, you get your mom, Ace, you're stuck with your dad."
Jack frowns. “Why do I get Mom? I really can’t see her looking super villain enough, she’s just so... perky, or bubbly, or, you know--something that ends with Y.”
“I’m telling Mom you called her perky,” Trent says evilly.
“It ain’t a bad thing! It’s just not very super villain,” Jack says. I see a bit of red on what little flesh-tone skin he has on his face. “She’s a bubbly blond that spends her free time working at a church, man. She’s as opposite of Star Born as you can get.”
“Star Born’s your vision of a super villain female?” Trent asks.
“Well it’s either her or Skystep, and Mom’s... Okay, she’s a TINY bit more like Skye,” Jack says thoughtfully. “But she’s way more sane.”
“Potatoes are more sane than Skystep,” Ace drawls. “ROCKS are more sane than Skystep--”
“That’s my aunt you’re talking about,” Emily calls over to him.
“And you think she’s sane?”
“She’s nuttier than a candybar,” Emily says cheerfully, “but she’s still my aunt.”
“Oh!” I say, remembering what happened. “Duplicitous said that Skye made it up to Grandma's.”
“What?” Emily asks.
“They were having a party,” I say. “Dupl
icitous said Grandma planned on keeping her. Oh, and that Isotonic was there,” I add, frowning. “What would the North Branch Leader be doing up there?”
Zoe walks over from where she was standing next to Vinny--she was assigned to his team. “What happened with Grandma and Grandpa?” she asks.
“Skye’s decided I'm her niece,” Emily says, “which makes Liz her sister and Grandma and Grandpa her parents, right?”
“No,” Zoe says, “it doesn’t--by that line of thought she’s your aunt on your MOM--” then she stops, groaning loudly. “Is she seriously as crazy as everyone says she is?” she demands of the group.
“YES!” everyone that’s met Skystep yells, including me. Emily shoots me a look and I shrug. “It’s true,” I tell her. “Just ask the boys--they spent a good bit of summer camp with her.”
“She’s not bad, just crazy,” Ace says with a hint of loyalty in his voice. “Pan says that as some of the more sane villains we should try and keep an eye on the ones like her.”
“Yeah, she’s like that crazy big sister that people never really talk about in public,” Jack agrees.
Zoe lets out a heavy sigh before turning and pointing at her dad. “What was Isotonic doing at Grandma’s place?” she demands.
“Watching Emily’s debut,” he says.
“I really doubt he went to all that trouble just to watch a Central Hall debut,” Zoe says. “Don’t you dare let my new aunt get thrown into the Cape Cells.”
“Why are you suddenly accepting it?” he asks. “Fine. In fact, why don’t I just take my team up there--it’s the safest place for two healers right now, as much as I hate to admit it. We’re going to need one of those snow suits for Alyssa, Aubrey, do you know where Liz got it from?”
