by Bryan Cohen
"Get down on the ground!" The officer's voice continued to rise. "That means all of you!"
Sheriff Norris got up to his knees and flashed his badge. "Sherriff Norris, Treasure Sheriff's Department. Senator Kable was holding this girl hosta–"
One of the two silent officers kicked the sheriff back to the ground. Jennifer screamed and dove on top of her father to protect him from further assault.
"Don't make me repeat myself! Get down on the ground!" He clicked a bullet into the chamber. "Unless you need a little more convincing?"
45
Natalie wrapped her arms tighter around Ted's waist as they zipped through the evening air. She remembered the last time he'd flown with her. They'd busted through the roof of a cave as she bled out from Nigel's stab wound. If it weren't for him, she would've been a goner for sure. The wind around them was so loud, she had to talk directly into his ear to be heard.
"How much longer?"
She could feel his muscles tensing against her body. Ted's training with Erica and his summer job had given him a lot more bulk. Gone were the pudgy love handles Natalie used to squeeze. They were replaced by the makings of a six-pack. She appreciated abs on a man.
"A few more minutes. Can't go full speed."
Natalie understood why. He was paler than normal, and some visible bruising on his neck and arms made him look like he'd been smacked around a bit. She also couldn't help but notice his visible limp before they took off as well. The no-nonsense glance he shot her at the time told her not to ask too many questions.
She nodded. "Okay."
Natalie felt them begin to dip lower. It was half-exhilarating and half-terrifying to descend without a several-ton airplane surrounding them. As they approached the ground, several massive properties came into view – large, impressive houses with manicured lawns and iron gates at the end of the driveway.
They both stayed silent as Ted guided them to the ground on a patch of grass just outside Senator Kable's house. As much as the feeling of solid ground beneath her feet settled her, she felt her chest tighten when she took in the police cars surrounding them. They shared a glance and jogged to the front door.
The cops by the entrance recognized Ted and let him through. Natalie could hardly believe it, but the place looked bigger on the inside than it did from the outside. She wondered if they could fit two or three courts inside when she heard the commotion from downstairs.
"You're making a mistake! Ow, they're too tight!"
Ted and Natalie looked at each other and spoke in unison. "Dhiraj."
They hustled down the stairs and reached the busted down door. There the gang was, all in handcuffs. The only one who seemed to be resisting things was Dhiraj. An officer was trying to adjust his restraints.
"That's even tighter! Come on."
Ted walked to the center of the room as Natalie looked around the space. Her jaw dropped when she realized that Mr. Redican was sitting beside Erica on the bed. She thought back to the prom catwalk and her inability to control her actions. Part of her wanted to find the nearest weapon and jam it through his skull.
Ted puts his hands on his hips. "Officers, what's going on here?"
The gang all began to pipe up at once, with Dhiraj and Jennifer leading the chatterfest. Natalie saw Erica smile silently.
The three policemen looked up. The strongest-looking of the three put a smile on his face. "Ted Finley. It's an honor."
When he extended his hand, Ted hesitated. "I'd be happy to shake your hand, but you need to tell me why you're taking my friends into custody."
The officer's look changed back to one of duty. "Sorry, Ted. These guys were trespassing on private property. We're gonna have to bring ‘em in."
Ted raised his eyebrows playfully. "Oh, Erica?"
Erica's smile grew wider. "Yes, Ted?"
"Can I break one of our long-standing rules?"
"You may."
Ted put up his hands. The officers reached for their ears, as if they'd just heard some kind of piercing radio feedback. Two of them groaned.
"What're you doing to them?" Natalie watched as the men struggled.
"Reprogramming."
The officers took their hands away from their heads and looked around as if they'd been teleported there for the first time.
Ted cleared his throat. "Gentlemen. If you please?"
Within the next two hours, the gang had been set free and rendezvoused around the kitchen table in Ted's house. Even though the whole Redican-being-free situation didn't sit well with Natalie, she didn't mind being in the same room with him. As long as they could stay as far apart as possible.
"Nat, you're up." Ted gestured to the head of the table and Natalie moved into place.
"I've figured out what Kable's up to. All of the attacks have been in states he needs to win for the election. He's trying to turn everyone against Blake."
Dhiraj scratched his head. "But didn't we determine that Blake sucks?"
Erica nodded. "We did, but Kable's got the gatekeeper and the dark souls on his side. Blake's the lesser of two evils."
"Barely." Ted grumbled. "Anyway, Nat?"
"I overheard the gatekeeper talking about the rally. That's happening in downtown Philly in less than 12 hours."
Sheriff Norris flared his nostrils. "There'll be thousands of people there. Roads closed down. If they attack then, it'll be a madhouse."
Natalie pictured dozens of beasts trampling Kable's onlookers as they tried to escape. It'd be like shooting fish in a barrel. Everyone in the room started voicing their opinion about the situation. Even Redican seemed to be piping in.
Dhiraj knocked his fist on the table and the gang quieted down. "Ladies and gentlemen." He placed an expensive-looking piece of equipment down on the table. "Welcome to the next generation of tactical software."
He touched a button and a holographic display filled the space between the tablecloth and the decorative ceiling lights. "While everyone was catching up, I brought up the satellite view and the building plans of the rally street. I plugged in our number of team members and assets. Unless you object, I think this could be our plan."
Natalie leaned into the display. There were little red dots sprinkled throughout the map of the block. She saw her name beside a dot on one side of the street. Underneath her dot was the word "evacuation."
Ted's face was incredulous. "How... how much did this cost, Dhiraj?"
Dhiraj waved away Ted's question. "Don't you worry your heroic little head, my friend. We paid it down by selling your movie rights. Which reminds me, you all need to sign these forms before you leave."
Later that night, Sheriff Norris had taken Jennifer and Dhiraj home. He also agreed to keep a close watch on Mr. Redican, whose role in the plan was apparently too important to send him back to the asylum.
Natalie sat on the couch with Ted and Erica. They were eating the last of the cookies Mrs. Finley had made for their "little meeting."
Ted recounted his battle on the bridge and his one-on-one with Yoshi.
"Before I knew it, the portal was gone, and so was Yoshi."
Erica shook her head. "Usually, the portal training comes last. It's amazing you were able to tap into that. Do you think you could do it again?"
He sighed. "I've tried. I can't figure out what I did to open it. Only how I closed it."
Natalie sat up straight. "That could come in handy if the gatekeeper goes portal-crazy at the rally."
Erica nodded. "Good point, Nat."
"Thanks. You two sure we shouldn't tell the police?"
Ted reached for the last cookie. "Kable obviously has some sway with them. Got them to come to the house to arrest everyone. I think it's better to do this on our own."
Natalie understood, but she'd certainly appreciate having a few dozen people with guns behind her. It’d helped in Ohio, that's for sure.
Natalie tried and failed to suppress a yawn. "Better rest up. Another long day tomorrow."
Erica got
to her feet. "I'll see you out."
Ted waved as Erica followed Natalie outside. A fall breeze crept past them, bringing the smell of burning leaves along with it.
Erica put her hands on Natalie's shoulders. "You don't have to do this, you know. It's gonna be dangerous. You have a future to think of."
Even though Ted was the one with the mind powers, she wondered if Erica had taken a peek when Natalie wasn't looking.
"I know. All of this is part of my future, though. Hoops. The war. I have a responsibility to both."
Erica's smile was like a teacher who was proud of her student. "Good. We need you. I just wanted to make sure."
Natalie wasn't sure why, but she felt and followed the urge to pull Erica in close for a hug. It felt warm and mostly comfortable.
"Glad to be part of the team."
"Glad to have you."
When Natalie reached the final step, she turned back. She could Erica through the window, as the protector sat beside Ted and took his hand. Natalie smiled as her friends looked deep into each other's eyes. She ignored the temptation to call Travis and started walking home.
46
Erica's body had almost completely fought off the rest of the drugs – Mrs. Finley's cookies seemed to help with that. She felt the enhanced strength return to her arms and legs. The warrior within her was primed for battle. And yet, sitting beside Ted took her mind far away from anything resembling conflict. She took his hand. It gave her much more than warmth.
"The last time we were alone feels like it was ages ago."
Ted's fingers interlocked with hers. "Right? I feel like Vott and Harding are going to bust through that door any second."
They both looked over at the entryway. Everything remained silent until Ted sighed. "I'm really sorry about the DHS. I shouldn't have trusted them and I should've fought harder for you to be there with me."
Some of the weight lifted from Erica's chest. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I trusted Yoshi. He got me captured and he almost got you killed."
He shook his head. "We're even. We both trusted untrustworthy people. That's over now."
"Now we just get to fight the evil people."
Ted appeared to have trouble smiling at that. He looked away and Erica brought her hand to his face.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"I don't know how you do it. I killed that giant Lychos on the bridge, and I was inside its head. I died."
Erica squeezed his hand. "Dying is basically the worst. I'm sorry you had to go through that."
He pulled away from Erica and brought his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around himself. "It was so much pain. And darkness. How do you get over something like that?"
Erica drew herself close to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I start over. If I thought of myself as a several-hundred-year-old person who'd dealt with all those deaths, I'd go insane." She turned her eyes up toward Ted. "I'm here. I'm 17." The nervousness spread through her stomach. "And I'm in love with you."
The next few moments lasted an eternity for Erica. First, Ted said and did nothing. She cursed herself for sharing her feelings. The panic dissipated when he tucked her hair behind her ear.
"I love you, too."
She stretched upward until her lips met his. After days of numbness, the kiss was almost overstimulating. To tell him that she loved him and mean it seemed to take everything to another level. For all the pain she'd felt in dozens of lifetimes, this one moment seemed to make everything worth it.
The next morning, Erica awoke with her face pressed to Ted's chest. She shifted her weight and realized they'd fallen asleep on the downstairs couch. The light from the sunrise streamed in between the blinds and into her line of sight. She let her fingertips glide down his t-shirt as she watched his eyes come to life.
He smiled. "Hey."
She returned the grin. "Hey, sorry I fell asleep."
"You have nothing to apologize for."
Erica let out a deep breath. "Okay."
A few beats went by without words as they shared a long look. Erica's heart felt fluttery.
Ted sighed. "Do we really have to go fight bad guys today?"
"I'm afraid so." Erica pulled him closer.
He kissed her on the temple. "We can't postpone?"
She laughed. "Sorry. Evil politicians like to stay on schedule."
A couple of hours later, the gang was stationed outside of a van that was made to look like an air conditioning repair vehicle. Sheriff Norris and Mr. Redican were the only ones absent, but they were in direct contact from one of the rooftops overlooking the rally. As part of the plan, Jennifer and Dhiraj would run surveillance from the van, using a network of tapped video cameras from stores on the street. Ted would take the air, while Natalie was prepared to shelter the rally attendees in a nearby building. Meanwhile, Erica would be the one-woman cleanup crew.
There were still two speakers until Senator Kable took the stage, so they figured they had at least a few minutes until the real show would begin.
Natalie checked her phone and tucked it back away with a sigh.
"Waiting for lover boy to text?" Dhiraj asked.
Natalie and Jennifer whapped him on either shoulder and then nodded with a smile in unison.
"No prying." Natalie patted her hip, where one of Cal Fortbright's daggers lay in its holster. "Today's all business."
Dhiraj whined. "Aw, come on. Ted? Can't you just look through Natalie's brain for a second?"
Ted smirked. "Dhiraj, if you don't focus, I'm gonna tell everyone your darkest secret."
"I'm an open book."
Ted raised his eyebrows. "Pink. Unicorn."
Erica watched Dhiraj's face turn to one of terror. His voice grew meek. "Alright. I'll focus."
As the second-to-last speaker got on the microphone, the five of them huddled up.
Erica let out a deep breath. "We don't know what we're gonna be up against, but I know that with all of us working together, we can stop it."
The other four in the circle nodded.
"Everyone, take your positions."
Dhiraj put his hand in the center. "Can we get a Team Ted on three?"
The other four slyly disbanded the circle and walked away.
"Aw, come on. You guys are no fun."
Erica stood next to Ted toward the back of the crowd. There were balloons, costumes and signs throughout the mass of attendees. Above them was a giant hanging banner that said "Kable for President" in garish letters. Erica might've been swept up in the fervor if she wasn't so concerned with figuring out how Kable planned to kill people. The others were in position and the senator was about to receive his introduction.
Ted put his hand on Erica's back. "Here goes nothing, huh?"
The anticipation coursed through her veins. "Yup." She caught his eye. "You know, I'm proud of you, Ted."
He grinned. "Thanks. I'm proud of you, too."
Erica took in everything that Ted was. A hero. A good friend. A man who loved her for who she was. It made her feel light to think like that. She hoped the sensation would last a lifetime.
"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for, your next President of the United States, Senator Kit Kable!"
Thunderous applause filled the street. Erica wondered how long she'd have to wait before reaching for the concealed sword in her backpack.
After the applause died down, the politician straightened his tie and began his speech.
"There's been a lot of talk about heroes lately. From the men and women fighting wars overseas, to the firefighters and police officers making sure our streets are safe. From the doctors and nurses who are willing to battle a hurricane to keep our family members alive, to teachers fighting to pass on strong education to the next generation. We even have a real-life superhero with powers from another world who's helping us to fight the forces of evil."
Natalie grumbled over the comm. "Don't get cocky, Super Ted."
Ted touched his earpiece.
"Yes, ma'am."
Kable continued. "But I'm not here to talk about heroes. I want to talk about the American people. We can't rely on heroes to fight our battle the way that President Blake has. If I become your next President of the United States–" Kable paused for another round of whooping, hollering and applause. "I will help you to fight your own battles. You won't be dependent on Ted Finley to protect you, because the White House will make sure you and your family are safe and sound."
As the next round of applause began, a small blue speck appeared high above the stage.
"You guys seeing this?" Sheriff Norris was sharp and prepared.
Ted nodded. "Looks like a portal's about to open."
When the gateway reached the size of a car, people from the ground began to spot it. Erica hoped it would stop growing, to no avail. It continued to get bigger and bigger and the crowd began to scream and run.
Erica spoke as loudly as she could without damaging eardrums. "Hold your positions."
Senator Kable played the part of scared presidential candidate on stage. As two aids ushered him off, the enormous portal halted its growth.
Great. A whole army could get through that.
"Redican, Sheriff, do you two see anything coming out of there?"
"That's a negative," Sheriff Norris replied.
In the distance, Erica heard a roar through the portal.
"Guys, something's coming."
Ted flew closer to the edge of the gateway to see if he could get a better look. Static increased on the channel as he approached it.
"Oh, man."
Ted zipped back down to Erica's side.
"Did you see it?" Erica felt her pulse start to race. "Ted?"
"I did."
"And?" Dhiraj asked.
The sun shined against green scales as the beast poked its head out of the portal. Despite the size of the opening, the massive creature still had trouble squeezing all the way out. As it did, it snapped one side of the rope holding the "Kable for President" banner, which sent some of the crowd scattering to avoid it. Erica stared at the teeth and the wings, which were followed by a long, spiked tail. It let out a much louder roar, after crossing all the way over to Earth. The crowd beneath them picked up its pace and volume of screaming.
