by R. J. Ross
“You’re lying,” he says, glaring at me. “You hate me.”
“I might want to smack you, a little,” I admit, “but I don’t hate you. I really am sorry I broke your arm. I’m glad it wasn’t a worse accident than that, and I thank GOD that we have healers, because I would have hated to have to visit you at the hospital. I would have done it, sure, but your words are poisonous, and I don’t like it. I’m sensitive like that,” I tell him, joking.
“You’re an idiot,” he says, after a long, baffled look. “How are you sensitive when you can do stuff like this?” he demands, looking at the vine holding him, pointedly.
“I’m extremely sensitive!” I claim. “I have to have a nap every couple of hours, or so, or I get cranky. And it has to have the right amount of sunlight, and people keep sticking PLANTS by my bed to make them grow faster. Do you know how it feels to be used as a super plant lamp? And then! And then! My own DAD films me fighting a monster, instead of beating it up for me! I’m still just a kid, you know? That’s like, child abuse, isn’t it?”
“I would have stepped in if he hadn’t had it all under control,” Dad calls out.
“I should have been the one watching from the side!” I protest. “I needed a nap!”
“You were too mad to nap,” Dad says.
“Well, yeah, ‘cause it was eating my plants! AND sterilizing the ground. It deserved to be tossed out into freezing cold space. Just because it was big doesn’t mean it deserved to act like a jerk.”
“You took it down, though, didn’t you?” Jeff accuses me.
“Well, yeah, but he’s the super hero,” I say. “I’m just a high school student.”
“That can fly.”
“Yeah, but I just NOW learned how. You know, you might be right. Supers are jerks. They go and make kids like me save the world, just because I happen to be an elementalist, and then they expect me to be the guard of a planet! Even if I wanted to take over the world, when would I have time? I gotta get my naps in somehow!”
“Yeah? Well… that’s because supers suck!” he says, although I can tell from his tone that he’s just looking for a reason to say that.
“Yeah!” I agree. “I mean, just because I can fly, and fight plant monsters, do I really have to?” He stares at me, and I think my point might be sinking in. I lean back, just lounging in the air. “I don’t want the government. I don’t even want to be a Hall leader. They have to clean up all SORTS of messes, and deal with stuff like people trying to sue us. I honestly don’t even want to be on television. I just want to take naps in the sun and grow flowers. But I’m the kid of Technico and Lady Rose, so I can’t. I guess what it really comes down to is pretty simple, really. When I first met my dad, he asked us a question, one that’s stuck with me for a long time. If I saw a kid about to get run over by a truck, what would I do?”
He’s just watching me, so I go on without a reply. “I couldn’t let the kid get run over, just because I’d rather keep taking naps in the sun without cameras on me. And I couldn’t let a plant monster kill the planet, just because I want to be a normal teenager and hang out with my girlfriend.”
He’s frowning, now, and he glances over at the audience. “Shouldn’t you be saving me?” he demands. “He’s holding me hostage right now.”
“We don’t feel like it,” Aunt Liz says. “We’re not heroes right now, we’re just the audience.”
He looks to Prisma, who smiles at him. “I’m sure that he would let you go if you accepted his apology, wouldn’t you, Sunshine?”
“No,” I say as I wave my hand. The vine pulls away, freeing him, “I just needed to say that. You can go back to hating us because of whatever reason. I’m not really sure what the Anti-Super-Society says, actually. Why DO you hate us?”
“Because… because Dad says you’re out to turn us all into slaves someday, and we’re all stupid for treating you like entertainment,” he says, looking surly.
“I can’t even babysit that well, man,” I say, stunned. “My girlfriend’s five-year-old brothers run roughshod over me, all the time. How would I keep a bunch of adults in line? All they’d have to do is wait for me to take a nap. Or worse, distract me with a flower!”
“But you’re not one of the big names,” he says. “You’re just a kid.”
“I’m the grandson of Superior,” I say, without thinking. The room goes still. “Whoops, shouldn’t have mentioned that, huh?”
“This is live, Sunshine, and on the norms’ television,” Prisma says quietly. “The supers might have already known it, but the entire world just heard you confess to that.”
“Seriously?” Jeff asks, stunned. “You’re seriously the grandson of Superior? Does that mean Technico is Superior’s kid?!”
“Can we go to a commercial?” I ask a bit desperately.
We go to a commercial.
***
*The Apartments*
“They could have taken me back to the Cape Cells,” Marie complains as she comes down the steps, followed by the extremely tall man called Reaper. “I would prefer spending more time with my son. Not that this isn’t a lovely place, of course,” she corrects herself. “It’s just that since I’m in the area, I should really spend my time with him, right?” She looks around, a hint of a smile starting to grow. It fades slightly as soon as she sees the ugly beast lying on his couch.
“Chooperic, did your ladies leave you behind?” Reaper asks as he sees it. The chupacabra’s tail wags, which is awkward, since he’s lying on his back with his legs in the air. He hops to his feet, running over and pouncing on Marie.
“Well,” she says, “aren’t you a popular babysitter?” she says, stepping back so the chupacabra falls down.
“You don’t like dogs?” he asks, lighting up a cigar.
“Of course I like dogs,” she says, patting the chupacabra on the head once before heading for the wall of pin-up girls. “I think I remember this one,” she says, a bit surprised. “I disapproved of it, then, as well.”
“Don’t like art, then?”
“These aren’t art. Art is emotive, and beautiful, and provokes various—“ she stops as she sees his little smirk. She had walked right into that one, and she knows it. “I thought you had a teenage daughter,” she accuses him.
“I do,” he says. “That’s why I stick with pin-up girls. She likes to smack my shoulder when I get a new one.”
“And you’re happy about that?” she asks.
“It means she’s looking out for me,” he says. “Plus, she’s one of a very small handful of people that can touch me without dying.”
She goes still, and then turns, looking pointedly at the small distance between him and her. “Darling, you might not have noticed, but at the moment I’m barely a D-class. Perhaps without the collar I could deal with an ‘accident,’ but not now.”
“Shame,” he says.
She heads to the couch, sitting down and not even blinking as Chooperic jumps onto the seat next to hers, looking at her hopefully. “Well… aren’t you a smart one,” she says, reaching up and scratching his neck.
“How about some music?” Reaper asks, sitting down on the chair to her side. Before she can reply, slow jazz fills the air.
“Reaper,” she says, crossing one leg over the other.
“Mmm?”
“Are you hitting on me?” she asks.
“Without your collar, you wouldn’t die, right?” he says, simply.
“I do believe I need to make a quick call,” she says, getting up and heading for his bathroom.
“Perfectly comfortable throwing, not so much on catching, is that it?” he says, sounding far too amused.
“Go back to your baby’s mother, darling, you’re not my type,” she calls back.
“I would,” he says, with a scowl, “but her head’s as hard as a rock.”
***
“It is okay, my solnyshko!” Grandma says as I step into the spaceship. Grandpa is sitting against the wall, watching me with amusem
ent. “You have not told them that we are alive! All is fine!”
“I’m perfectly happy with the world knowing you’re my grandson,” Grandpa says. “It’s about time, if you ask me.”
“Yeah, but it just drew MORE attention to me,” I complain. “And some of Jeff’s lawyers were trying to use the whole vine wrap thing as a new reason to sue me.”
“And will they?” Grandma asks.
“No, because Jeff said to give it up, himself,” I admit. I stop, feeling that same change I felt before. I find myself looking around, trying to find the source. There’s a bubble, right in the wall. I walk over to it, touching the wall curiously.
“Well, that’s good,” Grandpa says. “We’ve come to help you deliver the rest of Clay and the Petleaves to the new planet before we head back home. Marie is waiting at the apartments.”
“What’s she been doing while you were running around?” I ask.
“She was spending time with Zoe, but this time we have left her with Reaper! He was very happy to help,” Grandma says. “They will be watching the ancient movies and eating the popcorn.”
“Oh, well… I guess he can handle it,” I say.
“Not sure what the ladies will do now that the wedding is over, though,” Grandpa says.
“Well, there’s always the next wedding,” I say, thoughtlessly, my mind going right back to the bubble as I feel something move inside of it. “It shouldn’t be too long from now, right?”
“What wedding?” Grandma asks me.
I go still, realizing what I said. “Grandpa, is there a way I can, I don’t know, stop myself from speaking? Like, forever?” I ask him.
“Well, yes, but I wouldn’t do that. You’re far too amusing the way you are,” he says. I groan, hitting my head against the bump in the wall, only to go still with shock. I reach up, running my finger along the edge of the bump and watching as the wall splits easily. Liquid pours onto my hands, but I ignore it as something solid falls a second later.
“What in the—” I start out as the bundle starts to squirm. “The ship just… it just gave birth?”
The wall lights up. Marie waves at us from the screen, “Hello, Tatiana, I am ready to leave—oh! Oh, how wonderful! The ship has matured enough to create the scoutling! I thought for certain it would take much longer. It must be your influence, Sunny.”
“Scoutling?” I repeat, staring blankly at the plant creature in my arms. It looks sort of like a cat, but made out of flowers and vines.
“It’s… somewhat like an… ambassador, I suppose you could say. For the larger ships, in order to observe their surroundings, they create smaller, more mobile versions of themselves to go places where the larger body can’t. The body type depends on what the job is that they want it to do. That is a stealth version,” she explains. “It’s an attempt at fitting in with the creatures on this planet.”
“So… it had a baby,” I say, since that’s about as much as I can understand.
“Another body, same conscience,” she says, “much like that little duplicator girl, Emily, except this doppelganger does not disappear unless destroyed.”
“So… this is Flora, too?” I ask.
“If Flora is the ship’s name, then yes, that is Flora.”
“Cool! I CAN take her on a leash!” I say, excited. The cat creature makes the same happy little chiming sound that the ship had when I first entered. I don’t have the heart to tell the ship how much this doesn’t look like an earth creature. I don’t want to disappoint her.
“Now, let’s get this stuff up into space,” Grandpa says after looking the “scoutling” over for a few seconds.
“It is very adorable, Solnyshko,” Grandma says. “We are happy for your pet!”
“Thanks, Grandma! Me, too!” I say, only to get dragged into a seatbelt by the ship. “Flora, take us to the Petleaf planet.”
We shoot up into space, the little cat creature curled up on my lap and not even blinking at the speed. In fact, its flower tipped tail flicks with happiness.
***
*The Cape Cells*
Herold leans back in his chair, throwing yet another paper ball at the little clay doll on his coffee table. “Teaming up,” he mocks, as the ball of paper bounces off and hits the ground. “You got out of this place so easily.” He wads up another piece as Micro happily starts batting the first paper ball around the floor.
“I’m not that far away, Herold,” Clay says from the little doll. “Just consider it as… an upgrade in jail cells.”
Herold goes still, the crumpled paper falling from his fingertips. “I see…”
“Now, shall we get to work?” Clay asks. “Richard has a device that I think you would be very, very interested in. Would you like to help me?”
“I’m listening,” Herold says, a little smile playing on his lips.
***
*Somewhere over the Mexican Border*
Cage checks his watch, wondering if the Hall has finished searching and shutting down SITEC. His father isn’t going to be happy about what he’s doing, but he doesn’t care. Being under the Hall jurisdiction and breaking the law is different from being under the law. He would wind up in the Cape Cells, regardless of whether he has powers or not, and while there might be terrible things that can happen to you in a normal prison, what do you think SUPER VILLAINS will do?
He’s not planning to find out. In fact, right after the boy fought the Petleaf outside the SITEC building, he’d liquidated his assets and arranged for one of the private transports to take him here. He has a false identity and everything. The Hall will never—
The people all around him suddenly look up, starting to cheer in earnest. He feels a chill run down his spine as he hears a tiny thump behind him. People that had been ignoring him earlier, all turn, looking excitedly in his direction. Little children pull on their parent’s arms, women put on their most flirtatious smiles. Those aren’t aimed at him, he thinks as he turns, slowly.
“Hola,” Voltdrain says.
Antony Cage doesn’t even get two steps before he’s pulled into the air and hauled away.
***
*SITEC Enterprises*
The scientists have no choice but to watch as the black suits spread out, going through all of their work with ruthlessness. “I do apologize for this,” Century says as he approaches them. “I would be happy to give you all a referral once we conclude that you weren’t involved in certain activities.”
“So we’re fired?” one asks. “What happened to Mr. Cage?”
“Well, he liquidated everything in the business account and ran to the border,” Century says. “I take it he didn’t warn you what would happen?”
“Of course he didn’t,” another scientist says, sighing. “I’m going to go clean out my office,” he tells the other, heading for his office. All of their computers, work phones, and research have already been taken, so the black suits don’t stop them. The others look at each other before reluctantly following suit. They half expect the black suits to shove them out the door, but instead, they’re escorted to the meeting hall an hour later.
“Hello, everyone,” Century says, standing in front of them, “Since we’ve found no evidence of any of you being involved, I would like to offer you a month’s pay to get everything in order and put out your resume. You will also have the rest of the business day to collect your things. I really would like to apologize for all of this. Ah, except for Vance Bing. Vance, I’m afraid your little… plant growing venture will make me officially fire you, instead of letting you go, since I have no proof that you’re growing it for medicinal purposes. But I’m also positive that you’ll find many prospective jobs in other states. Don’t worry, I won’t be alerting the norm authorities. This is under Hall jurisdiction. But on the other hand, you won’t be taking any of it with you. It will be disposed of, properly.”
Several people try to smother their laughter, both from relief and what Century just said. “Now, don’t mind my boys, they’re here
for your protection. Since you haven’t been doing anything illegal, we want to help you as much as we can. Also, can someone tell me if they know where Ms. Mace is?”
“No one knows, sir,” one of the secretaries says. “Ms. Mace left around the same time that Cage did.”
“I see,” he says. “Well, I do apologize for all the trouble this has caused you. I truly wish that things had gone differently.”
He leaves a little while later, and the scientists go back to cleaning out their offices. They feel a bit paranoid as they see the black suits standing in the hallways, watching them emotionlessly. It’s like their private space has suddenly turned into a prison. By the time the business day is over, they’re actually glad to get out of there.
As six o’clock rolls around they head out the door, even those that usually sleep in their offices. One by one, though, they stop as their personal phones ding, digging it out and tapping on the screen. Slowly they look around, seeing everyone else holding their phones.
“Did you get that, too?” one asks.
“Yeah,” the other says.
“Why would someone named Walter Colleck want to hire…”
“All of us?” another finishes. “He even tracked down our personal phone numbers.” They all realize just how unnerving that fact is.
“Yeah.”
“But would you look at that offer…”
Bonus Chapters:
Congratulations
*The Honeymoon*
“Ah, right, I forgot,” Nico says as he helps Summer cook dinner. The large condo is comfortable, beautiful, and decorated with things from all around the world.
“Forgot what?” Summer asks.
“To take Mom’s teleportation watch away, apparently,” he says dryly as he sees a picture of his parents posing in front of a pyramid hanging on the wall. Well, Tatiana is posing, at least. “No, that wasn’t it. Jennifer emailed me a video from the kids before the wedding. I was going to show it at the reception, but I forgot about it.”
“A video?” she asks. “I want to see it!”
“After dinner,” he promises. They finish cooking and sit down at the table with their plates. “I’m surprised that she hasn’t tried to interview you,” he says as they eat. “She’s been running around interviewing everyone she can think of. I’m pretty sure she has an entire drive of Max, Jack, and Ace.”
