“What the...” I mutter as the smoke vanishes inside several square devices that lie littered around the large room.
The devices seem to be sucking the smoke from the room. The man presses another button in his hand, and the flames vanish in an instant.
The man removes his gas mask, then smiles.
“I’m glad you got my message.” The man says and salutes me casually with two fingers to his right temple.
Six
“Who the hell are you?” I say, suddenly alarmed and caught off guard. I was not expecting this.
“You can call me Bill, if you wish.” The man in the grey suit replies casually.
If I wish?
I scrutinize him more closely. Dark grey suit. Three buttoned. Very shiny black shoes. Neatly clipped black hair around the ears and side, but longer on top, and slicked back with product. Probably wax by the sheen on his hair. Mid forties by the crow’s feet around his eyes and smile lines. Strong looking jaw. Steely grey eyes that don’t blink as he regards me as well.
“I assume your name isn’t Bill, then?” I say.
“I assume your name isn’t Cosmic Girl, then?” He replies with a smirk.
Touché.
“Okay. So you got my attention. What do you want?” I ask, as Mitchell walks slowly over and stands near him.
“I’m just a messenger. My employer would very much like to meet you.” He says and reaches into his suit and pulls out a business card. “Meet him. Hear what he has to say.” He says and extends his hand to Mitchell.
“Or?” Mitchell asks.
“Or we’ll have to come up with a more creative way to get your attention.” He says with a hint of a threat in his silky voice.
I glide over and Mitchell hands me the card. It’s for a hotel.
“Be there tomorrow. 8pm, by the service entrance.” The strange man called Bill says, before getting up from the stool.
“Why?” I ask.
“Come, and you’ll find out. But just you. On your own.” Bill says and gives Mitchell a funny look.
Whatever. What can they do to me, anyway?
“Fine. I’ll be there.”
“Excellent.” He says cheerily and smiles. “See you tomorrow, then.” And with that, he walks calmly towards the stairwell.
I look at the card again. The Drake Hotel. There’s an image of the hotel on one side, and on the back is a map of its location.
“Must be serious, if they went to all of this trouble.” Mitchell says as he stands near me. “You think it’s a trap?”
“Not sure.” I reply as I look at the map on the back of the card.
It’s true that the government is after us, and this all stinks of them.
“Well, if it is a trap. I guess I’m gonna find out.” I say as I gaze out through the broken window.
I look out at the beach and Lakeshore Drive below, when I see a dark figure floating quickly towards us. I recognize the costume as he gets closer. The black cape is unmistakable.
“Hey, Warlock.” I greet Paul as he stops and hovers outside.
“Whoa, what happened here? Where’s the fire?” Paul asks as he looks over my shoulder.
“False alarm.” I say.
“That was one helluva false alarm, then. I could see that smoke from Garfield Park.”
“What she means, is that this was a setup. Not a genuine fire.” Mitchell’s deep muffled voice says from behind me.
“Who would do that?” Paul asks as he hovers just outside the broken window.
“Someone who calls himself Bill.” I say. “Make some room, I’m coming out.” I ask.
Paul floats to the left and I glide outside and move to the right of the broken window. I look down at the sidewalk, hundreds of feet below us. The fire department are here. Some fire fighters are craning their necks to look up at us.
“So, this Bill dude. What did he want?” Paul asks. His black cape with red lining flaps in the breeze behind him. I think I’m starting to like his costume now. He looks quite dashing. But kinda silly at the same time. That’s Paul.
“He just wants me to meet someone.”
“Helluva way to arrange a date.” Paul says, then looks inside at Mitchell as he stands near the opening in his Crash costume. “What do you think about this, buddy?”
“I think if whoever it is wanted to try and hurt us, he would have tried it by now.” Mitchell replies.
“Well, who’s hungry?” I ask and smile at Paul and Mitchell.
“I’m in.” Paul says.
“Make a hole.” Mitchell says and takes several steps backwards.
I hover further to the right and Paul floats over to join me. I hear the carpet inside being hammered, then a black blur shoots out of the opening like a cannonball. Mitchell’s dark form continues through the air for at least a mile before he starts to arc toward the ground.
“Show off.” Paul snorts.
I take off after him.
“Hey, wait up.” Paul calls out behind me.
I slow down and look over my shoulder as he floats after me.
“I can’t move as fast as you can.” He grumbles as he catches up with me.
“I thought you said you couldn’t fly?” I ask and flash him a toothy grin as I flip over and fly backwards, so I can look at him.
“I’m not flying. Not really. Think of it as carrying myself.” He says and points to his temple. “It gets tricky when I’m distracted.” He wobbles slightly, then straightens up again.
“Sorry, am I distracting you?” I ask and flip back on to my stomach.
“So, where should we eat?” He asks after a few seconds.
We meet up with Mitchell on top of the Four Seasons hotel. We quickly get changed back into our normal clothes, then step off the edge and drop to the street in a second. We make a loud thud as we land, then we walk casually towards Michigan Avenue. I lead them right and head up towards Water Tower Place. Once inside, they follow me as I go up to the mezzanine area and make a B-line for M Burger.
We take our burgers and shakes over to a vacant table, and get stuck in. I went for the Hurt Burger. Juicy patty, BBQ sauce and Pepper Jack cheese. Yummy. I wash it down with a chocolate malt, and sigh in contentment.
“Oh, yeah. That fire reminded me. I met a couple of Supers this morning.” Paul says after he sucks on his straw.
“Where?” I ask.
“Garfield Park. I was passing through when I saw this kid firing balls of flame from his hands at an old sign.” Paul says quietly.
“I hope you stopped him.” Mitchell says and leans forward over the table.
“Of course I did. But he wasn’t alone, was he.”
“What happened?” I ask.
“Well, I flipped him over and dangled him from the ground. You know, to try and get his attention.”
“Well, this girl that was with him, she disappears right in front of my eyes in a puff.” Paul says and opens his fingers dramatically to illustrate.
“Then she reappears up in the air, grabs the kid, then puff...gone. Both of them.” Paul adds and sits back in his chair. “It was friggin sweet.” He murmurs as he grabs his shake again.
“I think I saw someone today who may be a Super.” Mitchell says.
“What did you see?” Paul asks eagerly and grins.
“I’m still not sure. This girl vanished right in front of me. Not like in a puff, like yours. She just faded away until there was nothing there.”
“Did she have long black hair?” Paul asks.
“No. Her hair was short, and blonde.”
“Ooh, so it wasn’t her. Someone new. Ghost Girl. Cool.” Paul says and wipes his mouth on a paper napkin.
“We know we weren’t the only ones. There were twenty in our class that came out of that cage.” I say.
“Yeah. But no one’s really shown any powers yet.” Mitchell replies.
“Well, now they are.” I point out.
“Maybe they’re late developers.” Paul suggests.
/> “Like you, you mean?” Mitchell says and sniggers.
“Hey, I’m not short. I’m two inches taller than Tom Cruise, for crying out loud.”
Mitchell chuckles as he sits back in his chair. Then cries out as his chair topples over backwards with a clang.
“Oops.” Paul snorts.
Boys!
I suggest we leave before they break something.
Paul waves goodbye before launching up into the sky, freaking out everyone nearby. I hear his dark chuckling before he vanishes out of sight. Mitchell shakes his head as we walk up Michigan Avenue past the John Hancock building.
“More Supers, huh?” Mitchell says as he turns to me while we walk.
“It’s exciting.” I say and grin. “I wonder how the big cheeses are gonna take it?”
“Maybe you can ask them tomorrow.” Mitchell suggests.
“You think it will be some hotshot from on high?”
“Has to be. But who?”
“I’ll keep you posted.” I say and wink up at him.
Seven
May 20th. Monday. School again. But summer break is just around the corner, so I grin and bear it. I’m just starting to switch off in Physics as usual, when I notice something odd happening to my left. The girl sitting at the desk to my left is staring out of the window. Nothing unusual about that.
Heck, if I had the window seat, that’s what I’d be doing right now.
But her right arm is beginning to fade, right before my eyes.
Yep, it’s gone now. I can see her desk where her arm was a second ago.
Freaky!
I reach across as Mr. Stein jabbers on with his back to us, and try to tap her on her shoulder. My hand goes right through and I almost topple out of my seat. I right myself, then lean over slightly towards her as she continues to stare out of the window, oblivious.
“Psst!” I hiss, loud enough that she can hear me.
“Hmm?” She says as if coming out of a trance. She blinks and turns and looks at me.
“Your arm. Quick.” I whisper and point down at where her arm should be.
“Oh. Whoops.” She says. “Thanks.” She half-smiles at me as her arm reappears.
I’ve found Ghost Girl. In my own classroom.
She’s always been quiet. I think this is the first time we’ve spoken in at least a year.
I’m not even sure if we spoke at all when we were in the steel cage, back in San Francisco, where all these crazy powers started. I smile back as she clears her throat and gives me a furtive glance.
“Anytime.” I reply. I can’t help but notice the relief in her troubled eyes. “Hey. You wanna have lunch with me?” I offer.
“Really?” She asks hesitantly and looks at me briefly, before checking the board again and making some notes.
“Sure. I think we’ve got lots to talk about.” I say and extend my hand to her. “I’m Britney Brookes.”
She looks at me sheepishly, before extending her hand towards me. “Georgia Goodman.” She says quietly and blushes.
When she takes my hand, her eyes glaze over for a second, then she almost falls out of her chair, as she jerks back quickly, as if stung.
“Oh my gosh!” Georgia blurts out, and stares at me wide-eyed and trembling, but with a big smile on her shocked face.
“Miss......umm.....what is the matter back there?” Mr. Stein calls out, and steps from behind his desk and peers in our direction over the rim of his glasses.
I give him a blank look and shrug.
“Sorry sir.” Georgia says and tries to compose herself.
That was weird. I pretend to make notes as I look at Georgia from time to time. Her eyes flick to mine occasionally, but the smile never leaves her face. Stuart, who sits on my right, is watching us quietly with interest.
When the class is over, I wait for Georgia outside in the hall. When she emerges carrying her books and heads to the lockers, I catch up with her.
“Hi.” I say and look up at her.
She looks at me briefly and blushes, before clearing her throat and carrying on walking towards the lockers.
“Is something wrong?” I ask.
She shakes her head and smiles bashfully.
“What happened in there?” I ask.
“Sorry. I fade sometimes.” She says and stops.
“No, not that. You freaked when you touched me. What happened?” I ask.
I stop and look up at her, as she looks around. She looks like she’s waiting. I wait. When enough people are far enough away, Georgia leans down and whispers in my ear.
“You’re Cosmic Girl.”
What the hell? “No I’m not.” I reply and take a step back.
“It’s okay. I won’t tell anyone, I swear.” Georgia says quietly and clutches her books tightly to her chest.
“Why do you think I’m her?” I ask.
She giggles gently. “I don’t think it, I know it.”
“How?” I’d been so careful. Yeah, she probably saw me rip the cage door off back in San Francisco, but that’s all.
“When I touched you, I saw everything.” Her eyes turn sad, and she places a hand gently on my shoulder. “I’m very sorry about what happened to your mother.” She says, and there are tears in her eyes.
“You saw? How?” I ask as I begin to mist up at the mention of my mom.
“I don’t know. It’s something that I’ve had since I was a kid. I touch something or someone, and bang, I get a flood of memories and images. But since San Francisco, it happens more often, and faster too.” Georgia says and looks down at her plain black shoes.
Wow. Ghost Girl is a psychic too. Cool!
“You still wanna have lunch with me?” I ask.
“Really? You still want to be friends with....someone like me?”
“Trust me. You’re not as odd as you think you are.” I say and reach up and hook my arm with hers. “You should see the idiots we have to deal with.” I joke as we head to our next class.
When lunchtime comes, I wait for Georgia by the entrance to the school canteen. She enters and sees me waiting. I smile and gesture with my head to the counter.
“Hi.” I greet her as she ambles over carrying her beige clutch bag with red poppies embroidered on it.
“Hello.” She whispers. She’s at least four inches taller than I am. She smiles down at me, and I take her hand and pull her after me towards the counter. “You’re small.” She says quietly.
“You’re quiet.” I say and grin as I crane my neck to look up at her.
“I don’t mean to be.” Georgia says softly.
I shrug. “I don’t mean to be small. But what can you do?”
Georgia chuckles, like small bells being pawed by a kitten.
We get our food. Not a great choice today. Mac & Cheese, Turkey Twizzlers, Cheese Pizza, or a BLT. I choose the lesser of four evils and go with the Cheese Pizza. Georgia picks the chicken salad, which I hadn’t even noticed was there. I show her to our usual table in the corner.
The others are already eating. I notice a couple of extra heads sitting at our table.
“Hey, guys. This is Georgia Goodman.” I say as I sit down and gesture for Georgia to sit down opposite me.
“Hi.” Beth says, and looks at me quickly before returning to her meal.
“Georgia. These are my friends. Paul, Beth, Stuart, Mitchell, and.....” I say as I point to them in turn, then pause and wait for someone to introduce the new boy and girl who are sitting next to Paul.
“Ahem.” Mitchell tries to get Paul’s attention.
Beth nudges Paul with her elbow.
“Oh, right. Sorry.” Paul says and then swallows his food. “This is Pamela Rodriguez.” Paul says and points to the Hispanic looking girl with the long black hair. “And this dude, is Ryan Ford.” He says and points to the short guy with a brown mop of hair on his head. His eyes look shifty.
“Hello, everyone.” Georgia says and waves.
“Are they?” I ask Paul, leaving the
question hanging in the air, and nod my head towards the two newbies.
“Yeah, I’m the fire starter. If that’s what you mean?” The kid called Ryan says and smirks.
“So that makes you the.....vanishing act?” I ask the girl.
“It ain’t no vanishing act, girl. I jump around.” Pamela says.
“I vanish.” Georgia says softly and drinks some of her water.
“Cool. You found Ghost Girl.” Paul blurts out and grins.
“It was you I saw yesterday at Grant Park?” Mitchell asks.
Georgia nods timidly, but doesn’t look up from her tray of food.
“Why were you crying?” I ask.
“Have you ever felt like nobody sees you?” She asks quietly, while picking at her salad.
“Sometimes, I feel so invisible. Like if I vanished completely, I don’t think anyone would notice.” Georgia says as she examines a slice of cucumber. “Ever since San Francisco, I feel even more alone now than ever.”
“You’re not alone. We’ve all been put through the ringer.” Paul says, and raises his right forefinger. Georgia’s plate rises up from the table a couple of inches, rotates 180 degrees, then lowers back down on to her tray.
Cosmic Girl: Looking For Trouble: superhero series for young adults - Book Two Page 5
