Keegan nodded. “I’d love to.”
❖
Quinn finished toweling off and pulled on a pair of boxers and a T-shirt. He rinsed off his super suit in the tub and then hung it to dry so it didn’t stink up his hamper with the smell of brackish water and dirt. He tried to focus on his excitement to see Keegan again, but his mind was distracted with the loss of Blake.
When he walked into his room, Keegan was laying on his bed, playing on his phone.
“Hey,” Quinn said, noticing Keegan still wore—or had put back on—his matching boyfriends ring. Quinn still hadn’t removed his because he hoped Keegan would change his mind.
Keegan clicked off his phone and sat up. “Hey, yourself, handsome.”
“So um…are we…” Quinn paused as tears ran down his face.
“I’m so sorry about before. I’m here now, though.”
“You said some pretty mean things,” Quinn said, blinking through more tears.
Keegan’s face became remorseful. “I know, and I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I was…”
“You pushed me away and called me a super-powered freak, just like Darien does.”
Keegan nervously grunted. “Yeah. I remember.”
More tears streamed down Quinn’s face and his shoulders shook, but they weren’t because of the hurt Keegan had caused him; they were for Blake.
“Do you want me to go?”
Quinn shook his head, sniffled, and wiped his face with his hands. He sat down on the edge of the bed and said, “No. Would you just…hold me tonight?”
“Like, all night?”
Quinn nodded and struggled to hold back another bout of sobbing, but he couldn’t. Instead, he leaned into Keegan and let his emotions out.
Keegan wrapped his arms around him. “I can stay. I’ll never hurt you like that again, I promise.” He took a deep, sorrowful breath and exhaled, gently squeezing his crying boyfriend. “I love you, Quinn.”
Quinn felt grateful and smiled as he cried. All the angst he felt about losing his longtime crush melted away in his boyfriend’s arms. Keegan’s embrace is one of the special places I feel safe and the problems I have to deal with just…melt away.
❖
Victor
Alone and defeated, Victor flew back to the Androscoggin facility in the cloud cover of the cold winter night. The red streak trailing behind him illuminated the clouds with a red hue that would raise the curiosity of anyone who noticed it. Moments later, he landed next to the front door of the facility and powered down his glowing eyes and body. The mercenary guards regarded him with awe and nodded.
“Welcome back,” one of them said.
Flustered and fuming inside, Victor ignored the man and entered the facility, peeling back the black cowl from his head and pulling off the cold, wet shirt from his body.
With determination and focus, he marched into the workroom where Dr. Madison and her team were tending to a secret group of superhumans who were showing promise and adapting to their newfound powers well beyond his expectations.
“Where are Buck and Roger?” Dr. Madison asked.
“They didn’t make it,” Victor snapped.
Dr. Madison’s shoulders slumped. “ I don’t understand, what do you mean, ‘they didn’t make it?’ Their vitals and skills were more than sufficient for the field. What did you do?”
Don’t tell her what really happened, she’ll only get pissed off if she realizes I tried to recover the Seavey Island facility and I don’t need to deal with her I-told-you-so crap right now.
“Roger was struck with some kind of affliction I don’t understand. He was playing with his heat and flame powers and then spontaneously combusted. I think he tried to transmute, but it went horribly wrong.”
“I see. And Buck?”
“He flew too high and escaped earth’s gravity. Unfortunately, he had not mastered the ability to fly in the vacuum of space where I presume he is now frozen in orbit or traveling away from the planet.
Okay, so that one’s not exactly a lie, but he did have Quinn’s help…
“And you just let him go?” Dr. Madison asked incredulously.
He rounded on her in anger. “Do you really think I would risk my life after I saw his inability to return to an altitude he could fly at? There is no guarantee I can fly back from space at this point in the development of my powers.”
“The money we’ve spent…”
“Is not your concern,” Victor snapped. “I consider the valuable lessons we learned tonight more important than several million dollars of lost investment money.”
“The Archimandrion Council will disagree.”
Victor glared at her. “All but two members of the Council are dead, Doctor, all thanks to Blake.”
“By your command, of course. I highly doubt Blake chose to eliminate the council on his own, am I right?”
Victor smirked and ignored her question. “Only Absalom Miller and Reginald Barkley remain alive, but they won’t be a problem. They’re too old, incompetent, and afraid to retake the reins. I intend to seize power before anyone else thinks of ascending to leadership and I will set a new direction for The Order, one that will see the end of Quinn McAlester and secure our dominance in the history of mankind on this planet.”
She sighed. “What do you need me to do?”
“Prepare another group for orgone infusion. I have some other matters to attend to.”
“Consider it done.” She left his presence and returned to her workstation.
Victor wandered over to Arik and Miguel and spoke softly to them. “Come to my office in thirty minutes. I have a special project for you. Keep your mouths shut.”
The technicians nodded and Victor made his way to the locker room to shower.
❖
Ana Maria
“Are you sure about this?” Agent Hartman asked.
Ana Maria shook her head as two marines pushed the gurney holding Blake into place. “No, I’m not, but the secrets of orgone energy have yet to be unlocked. Perhaps placing Blake in the idle reactor core with his heart will trigger the healing factor and bring him back; perhaps he is truly dead and our efforts will yield nothing.”
“But is this wise? Agent Potter and our superiors will not appreciate…”
“Agent Hartman, now that orgone is in the hands of the government, it’s only a matter of time before your superiors become the threat.”
Hartman chuckled. “And the general public? They will not understand why we’re bringing him back, given his murderous and destructive history.”
“A criminal history he had no free will to walk away from.”
“I see you’ve quickly taken to defending him. I expected Quinn to stand up for his friend, but…”
Ana Maria crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him. “As did you, Agent Hartman. Enough posturing, or are you second guessing yourself?”
“I stand by my original beliefs, but you need to tell me something. If you were here, why didn’t you help Quinn tonight?”
Ana Maria pursed her lips for a moment as medics placed Blake’s cleaned heart into his body cavity where it belonged. “I was ready to help, but we needed Blue Spekter to rise to the occasion. Tonight, he discovered he could do it on his own because he was strong enough—and he needed to prove that to himself.”
“But his best friend died in the process, and you’re okay with that?”
She cleared her throat. “Blake paid the ultimate sacrifice with his life tonight. That is a reality Quinn must be ready to face in war.”
“Ana Maria, he’s a sixteen-year-old kid. Are you really that cruel?” Hartman asked, regarding her with surprise.
Ana Maria met his gaze. “A sixteen-year-old with more power and responsibility than his peers or most adults and he handles it all with tremendous courage.”
Agent Hartman sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Well, we stand ready to continue helping Blue Spekter from here on out, especially sinc
e the threat has now multiplied.”
“Good. Victor holds the upper hand and the technology to create and train more evil superhumans. We need you on our side to fight that red devil and win.”
“Red Devil, huh? So, am I to understand you’re going to fight now?” Agent Hartman asked with a smile.
“Quinn was right. I have no choice but to fight.”
“I’m glad to hear that. For all the wisdom you preach, it’s about time you put your money where your mouth is.”
❖
The End of this Book
Book 5 – Balance of Power
5-1 | A Morbid Christmas
Quinn
CHRISTMAS HAD COME AND GONE, but the holidays were anything but joyful. Quinn feigned happiness around his extended family, but everyone sensed something was wrong. Since his extended family didn’t know about Quinn and Blake’s alter egos, they poured salt on his emotional wounds when they openly discussed the super-powered spectacle Portsmouth had been experiencing over the past few months. They unabashedly shared their opinions, both for and against Blue Spekter. Even though Keegan joined the family for Christmas Dinner, his family noticed Blake’s absence and peppered Quinn with questions about his missing best friend. Blake had become an honorary family member since seventh grade because his parents usually drank themselves into merry oblivion by noon.
When he spent time with his closest friends—Ravone, Loren, and his boyfriend Keegan—during their vacation, each day felt like a depressing, unending wake leading to a funeral that would never happen because the government still had Blake’s body.
“You guys seriously need to go outside and do something,” Daddio said, marching into the kitchen seconds before the oven-timer beeped. The four teens sat around the kitchen table, half-interested in a game of Scrabble that seemed destined to remain unfinished.
“It’s just not fair,” Ravone said.
“Why’s that?” Daddio asked, pulling another batch of chocolate chip cookies from the oven.
“Because it’s like we have unfinished business looming over our heads,” she replied.
“I’m not sure I understand,” Daddio said, placing the cookie tray on the granite counter.
“When people die, we get to visit their families and say goodbye. We don’t get that with Blake because he’s…”
“Government property,” Quinn interjected.
“Exactly. What gives them the right to do that?”
Daddio nodded. “I wish I had an answer for you, Ravone. I’m proud of you for wanting to do something for Blake despite what he did to you.”
She shrugged. “Just because he pissed me off doesn’t mean I want him dead. I want closure.”
“If closure is what you need, you should plan your own goodbye or funeral service for Blake.”
“We can do that?” Ravone asked.
Daddio look at the four teenagers and shrugged. “Why not? You can’t tell anyone else about it, of course. It should be a private event for you guys to say goodbye. Tim and I would be happy to attend if you would like us to.”
“Where would we do it?” Loren asked. “It’s not like we can go to a cemetery or the museum and fake-bury someone.”
“Mausoleum,” Daddio said.
Loren looked at him with a confused expression.
Daddio smiled. “The place where remains are kept when they’re not buried is called a mausoleum, not a museum.”
“Oh, right. Unless you’re a dinosaur,” Loren fired back, winking.
Daddio chuckled and brought a plate of cookies to the table. “Touché. The cookies are hot, so be careful.”
“I’m gonna be so fat when I leave here,” Ravone chimed in, reaching for the plate. “But, that’s a snackrifice I’m willing to make.”
Quinn smirked and winked at Keegan, who smiled back at him.
“Quinn, what do you think about doing a funeral for Blake?” Keegan asked. The girls and Daddio looked at him.
“I just wish I knew for sure if he was dead.”
“What does that even mean?” Ravone asked, her voice filling with emotion. “You said that Victor crazy-guy ripped his heart out of his chest. How is he not dead?”
“Yeah, but…super powers. We heal from most everything. I mean, Blake impaled me with rebar and I healed once the rebar was pulled out.”
“That’s insane,” Keegan said, shaking his head incredulously.
“Why don’t you go check him out then?” Ravone asked.
Quinn shook his head. “I know the military and the DHS took over the prison buildings, but I haven’t been able to go back yet. It’s too soon since Blake’s…it’s too raw.” He choked down emotions and cleared his throat.
“It snowed. That means the grounds are covered up. You wouldn’t see the battle scars right now,” Daddio offered.
“So, is that like your new superhero headquarters now?” Loren asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you said your team was meeting in a hotel conference room. It would be so much cooler to have your BatCave in the naval prison.”
Quinn chuckled. “Yeah, with all my new government friends to watch over my back.”
“Is that such a bad thing? You’re not even seventeen yet,” Daddio said.
“I will be in a month!” Quinn replied.
“True, but I know Dad and I would feel safer knowing someone was with you. Working with the DHS on the island or wherever you guys meet is a good thing.”
“I have my team,” Quinn protested. “They’re all I need.”
“But, half your team is military, or have you forgotten that Captain Prett and his computer nerds work for the government?”
“You need a team name,” Ravone said. “One that applies specifically to the people you trust and one the public can trust.”
“I have an idea about that.”
“Ooh, what is it?” Keegan asked.
“You guys are gonna think it’s lame,” Quinn replied, blushing.
“No, we won’t, we promise,” Keegan replied, smiling.
“T.P.P.,” Quinn said.
His friends stared at him quietly and Daddio’s eyes shifted to Quinn’s Scrabble tray.
“Did you just pick random letters off your game tray?” Daddio asked.
“Daddio!” Quinn exclaimed, covering his tray with his arms.
“What? It’s not like this game is going anywhere fast.”
Keegan cleared his throat. “Um, what does T.P.P. mean?”
Quinn shrugged. “The Portsmouth Protectors.”
Loren rolled her eyes and Ravone shook her head. “You’re right, that’s lame no matter how you slice it.”
“It’s um…cute,” Keegan said, half-smiling in support.
“I know it’s a terrible name,” Quinn said. “Nothing seems as exciting as it was without Blake.”
Keegan smiled, reached across the table, and took Quinn’s hand in his. “I know it sucks, babe, but we’re right here. Don’t forget about the people who have surrounded you with love.”
“Yeah,” Loren said.
“Ditto that,” Ravone added.
“Okay,” Daddio said, clapping his hands. “Enough is enough. You’ve been sulking in my kitchen all afternoon…all week for that matter. Either go outside and build a snow fort or go watch a movie.”
“We’re too old to build snow forts, Mr. McAlester,” Ravone said.
Daddio smirked. “You are never too old for snow forts,” he said, a whimsical smile dancing on his face. “You are, however, too young to realize that.”
Ravone smiled. “Touché.”
“Come on, let’s go into the living room and plan a fitting farewell for Blake,” Loren said.
“Good idea,” Ravone said. They picked up their snacks and made their way to the living room.
❖
Later that evening, after his friends and boyfriend had gone home, Quinn meandered into the kitchen looking for something to snack on. The Scrabble board was still
on the table, and Quinn realized his dads hadn’t picked it up—probably as a reminder for him to pick up his own things.
He walked over to the board and reached for the corner, ready to flip the letters into the center so he could stuff them into the bag. He paused, noticing the game had been reset with new words on the board.
Maybe my dads are playing a game?
He studied the words for a moment, then rotated the board and smiled. One of his dads had spelled out we love you Blue Spekter in scrabble letters and set them near the star in the center of the board. Then, two rows down, two words caught his eyes: The Guardians. It was the name his fathers had discussed with him before, but he hadn’t given it a second thought.
That’s it, then.
He smiled, accepting the name fate had bestowed upon his team.
❖
The next morning, Quinn found the courage to put on his Blue Spekter suit and return to the naval prison. While he was there, he met up with Captain David Prett and his team—Trinity, Goodbutt, and Tara—and learned what they had accomplished since taking over the facility.
“We were able to download a ton of data from a private network before Dark Flame cut the hard lines. Unfortunately, most of the data is an obfuscated mess and uses some unique fractal encryption sequences we haven’t cracked yet,” David said, gesturing toward his technology trio as they studied and discussed virtual piles of digital data at their workstations. Like the Department of Homeland Security groups, they had moved into the operations room of the naval prison after Blue Spekter and the marines successfully commandeered the buildings from The Order. So, most of the data is unreadable, but not all of it.”
“Were you able to find other reactor cores?” Quinn asked, looking at a wall map of New England with colored pushpins in it.
David nodded. “Sort of. We found a list of facilities and marked their locations on the wall map, as you can see. However, we haven’t been able to figure out how they identify which facilities are which.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, look here.” David pointed at the map, specifically at two blue thumbtacks inserted at Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Rangeley, Maine. “These two blue markers indicate where we know there is a reactor core. But, there’s nothing in the data we can read that indicates those locations host reactor cores. A few reconnaissance teams physically checked out a few other nearby sites, but we couldn’t find any hints or signs of a reactor core. I’m waiting for a report from Berlin, New Hampshire which should be coming in any moment. The location is designated simply as Androscoggin.”
The Guardians Omnibus Page 94
