by R. J. Ross
The lake is full of teenagers--and one little kid. But these aren’t just ANY teenagers, the twins realize. That one closest to them is obviously Cold Steel. He’s standing next to the water, washing off soap with a bucket. Behind him, floating in the air above the lake is a guy that looks a lot like Maximum. On the opposite shore is a massive waterslide.
The twins look at each other, obviously thinking the same thing. Tiny lakes in the middle of an empty forest don’t come with waterslides straight out of a giant water park. They look at the guys sliding down, seeing an extremely pale one come down. It has to be Dragon. The little kid and the tan boy they have no clue about, but it’s obvious this is some sort of super villain convention.
They have to get out of here. If an old normal guy is bad, a handful of super villains are WAY worse, right? As a pair they turn and grab Hal, racing away as fast as they can drag the large man.
They stop about a mile away, panting heavily. “What’s going on?” Hal demands angrily.
“There--”
“Were--”
“Super villains,” the twins finish together, still breathing hard, “an entire group of them! That HAD to be Dragon, right?” Michael asks his brother.
“Definitely Dragon--and Cold Steel--he’s got metal on his BUTT, man,” Lee tells his brother. “So it really isn’t makeup!”
“Who were the other two?” Michael asks.
“They got that school, right? They’re probably not out in the public yet,” Lee says with a shrug. “Either way, we can’t get caught by them!”
Hal is just staring at them incredulously. “So… there’s a super villain convention?” he asks finally, looking a bit stupid.
“They were swimming,” Michael says, “and Cold Steel was naked!”
“Yeah, what if there are snakes in that water?” Lee says. “Or fish?”
“I’d feel sorry for the snake,” Michael says thoughtfully. “I mean, it’d probably break its fangs on him.”
“Did any of them notice you?” Hal asks, as what’s happening finally sneaks in. “Anyone look in your direction at all?”
The twins look at each other and then back to him, shaking their heads. “No, don’t think so,” Lee says. “They would have caught up to us by now--Maximum especially. He’s the fastest flyer, right?”
“Yeah, Cold Steel’s not known for speed, and I don’t think Dragon’s all that good at flying yet, right?” Michael says. They were constantly checking the stats on their favorite supers. “So they’d be here by now.”
“Cold Steel doesn’t HAVE to be fast,” Lee says, starting to walk now, the threat completely forgotten. “Hey, aren’t we supposed to be doing something?” he asks abruptly.
“Yeah, we’re trapping animals--”
“We’re heading back for the base,” Hal mutters. “But not straight there…” he looks around, searching the trees cautiously. Somehow the word of two twelve-year-olds isn’t quite good enough for his tastes. They could be watched even as they spoke. “We’ll have to tell Kunnins--”
“And get moved again?” Lee asks, making a face. “We finally got everything set up yesterday, right? Everyone’s been complaining about all the moves!”
“Shut up,” Hal says, his hand going to his gun. The boys shut up. What good would a gun be against a super, anyway, though? He hopes he doesn’t have to find out.
***
“You noticed them, too, didn’t you?” Max asks. I stop dunking Ace and glance up at the floating teenager. “Jack?” he says.
“Yeah, I noticed,” he says.
“The three people that were over there?” I ask, nodding slightly in that direction. “Those were the people Pan mentioned, right? Should we go find them?”
“No, not yet,” Max says. “Panther said to ignore them, right?”
“He didn’t look like their dad,” Jack says. “Then again, I’m the last guy that should mention something like that.” Yeah, because he’s adopted--even before he was changed he looked nothing like the Liberty family. “Still, why’d they just hide there?”
“If you were a norm and came face to face with a lake full of super villains, what would you do?” Ace asks dryly.
“Ask for signatures?” I offer.
“Yeah, I probably would, too,” Jack says. Ace and Max look at us like we’re morons for a second before continuing the conversation.
“So we don’t follow them,” Max says. “Is everyone clean?”
“Yeah, we have been for a while now,” I say, picking Cubby up out of the water. He’d taken to it far faster than I could have imagined. Then again, he might have known how to swim already, I hadn’t asked. “So?”
“I want my hundred points,” Max says. “In fact, I want ALL the points. There’s no way I’m going hero.”
“I’m NEVER going hero,” Jack says emphatically. “This gig is a blast.”
“I think it would be interesting to go hero for all of a few weeks and then stab everyone in the back,” Ace says, holding a blow dryer in his hand. There’s no electric cord, but really, I guess he doesn’t need one.
“I could see doing that,” Jack says, looking thoughtful.
“You’ve got the perfect set up for it, with your family,” Max says. “It’s part of the super villain gig, that fake ‘going straight’ routine.”
“I’m not a villain,” I have to point out. “So if I don’t have any points what’s he going to do to me?”
“I dunno, but Adanna would never let you live it down, right?” Max says. “Come on, Sunny, play the game properly. This promises to be a blast.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” I say, grinning. “But I want fifteen minutes to get Cubby a snack and change, okay? Then we’ll call the truce over--at least for us, right, Cub?” I ask Cubby. He nods, looking serious. I think he knows exactly how this game goes--I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t play it with his family.
“Fifteen minutes,” Max agrees. “Anything longer than that and we’re coming whether you’re finished or not, got it?”
“Got it,” I say, picking Cubby off and racing away. I need to see if Pan’s in the RV, I think as I reach it. I dare to peek through the windows, but there’s no one there. I head inside, rummaging through the fridge for a snack for the two of us, and we eat quickly. When that’s done we race for our tree.
There’s no one there. In fact it’s so silent that I get a slight chill running down my spine. Well of course they would go for each other first--I’m not even a real threat, right?
“On three,” I hear in a teeny, tiny whisper. I turn, shocked as all three of the biggest teen super villains around come racing forward from three different directions. Max comes from above, Ace comes from the left, and Jack comes from the right. They seem intent, I think, automatically lifting both hands. Vines shoot out of the earth, grabbing both Jack and Ace for a moment. They slice through them, but I’m too busy with Max to notice.
He grabs me, dragging me into the air, and we wrestle all the way up to past the top of the gigantic tree. For a moment I go still, looking over the world. Yes, I just got distracted. Bad move, I realize as he drops me, I should have at least gotten one more hit in.
I land on a tree branch that shoots out, catching my balance quickly and looking around. Poor Ace is being attacked from all directions by Cubby. I can tell that Ace doesn’t know what to do, because every time he blocks an attack he looks slightly panicked, as if worried he hurt the boy. No, it’s Jack I need to worry about, I realize as I see him heading straight for my tree. Jack is out to get my points.
I lift a hand, aiming at the ground in front of his surfboard and bringing up a tree. It slams into the nose of his board, sending him flying off of it and landing on the ground with a grunt. He shoves himself to his feet, but before I can do anything more, Max rushes straight for me and slams his fist into my gut.
We go flying backwards and I manage to grab him, twisting him off course. We hit the ground, skidding and sending dirt and grass fly
ing before we manage to stop. I twist, sitting on top of Max and grinning at him before I punch him. Soon we’re flat out brawling. I’d send him flying one moment; Max would send me flying the next. I’m pretty sure Jack’s already gotten into my tree house already. Oh well, I think as I get an extremely heavy hit to the jaw. He can only steal one token, right?
I bring my legs up, kicking Max in the gut and sending him flying off of me. My arms come up as I hop to my feet and the earth rises up, wrapping around him. “This is foul play, man! I don’t think a full fifteen minutes passed!” I complain as a wave of gravity slams me. It’s pretty heavy, I think as I’m forced to one knee. Heavier than anything I’ve picked up before, that’s for sure.
The dirt goes flying as Max breaks free of my little trick. “Yeah, well getting me dirty right after a bath is foul play, as well, so we’re even. Now come on, Sunny, you can do better than this! I’m not impressed.”
I shouldn’t. I don’t know exactly what will happen. I look at his smug face, watch him floating in the air without a problem, and do it anyway. My arms go out and the trees start swaying as far as the eye can see. But it’s not the trees that shock me out of concentrating. It’s the rumble of the ground below me, starting to shake.
I hear Jack yelp as he falls out of my tree house, landing on his butt. There are cracks in the ground under my feet, and I step to the right as they start to grow wider. I ah, think I just started an earthquake. Whoops.
“SUNNY!” everyone bellows. I’m starting to panic, honestly, especially when I feel some of the trees start to fall because the ground is shaking so hard. I have to do something, right? How do you STOP an earthquake? Is there some secret word? I should have asked my mom before leaving! Has mom ever caused an earth--
I feel a heavy blow to the back of my head. I stumble forward a few steps. It makes me turn, staring blankly at Max. “What was that for?” I ask in an injured tone.
“It was SUPPOSED to knock you out,” he says. “Looks like I’ll have to hit harder.”
“The earthquake’s stopped already, Max,” Ace points out.
“Well, yeah… guess it has,” Max admits, looking around. “Can I hit him, anyways, because that was just plain STUPID,” he yells in my face. “Are you a moron? Of all of us, you should be the LAST one to do something that could mess up the forest that badly!”
Guilt. Oh the guilt. I look down, not able to keep eye contact.
“Hey now, you’re the one that challenged him,” Jack says, much to my shock. “You can’t expect a guy to back down--and everyone knows it’s hard to get used to being an elementalist. I still have problems, and I only got one element!”
“He’s a Superior! He should do perfectly fine using his fists!” Max says.
“He’s an elementalist,” Ace says. “You use what you’re best at--and Sunny’s never been in a super fight before, has he?” He looks at me as I glance at him. “You haven’t, have you?”
I feel like such an idiot right now. Like a little kid trying to fit in--and failing. “No,” I admit, looking down again, “I’m still on basic training. Dad says that I should be ready soon, though.”
Max makes a scoffing sound, running a hand over his face. I don’t get why HE’S the one that’s so mad--he’s the guy that told me to do better! How can I do better unless I actually use my abilities? I look around, only to stop as I see Cubby hiding in a bush. He looks terrified, and the guilt that’s been plaguing me goes sour, turning into self-hatred. I caused that. I caused that look of fear in his eyes, the tears threatening to fall, the trembling bottom lip.
In an entire group of super villains, I’m the bad guy. “I--I need some time alone,” I mutter, turning on my heel and racing away at top speed.
“SUNNY!” I hear Max shout after me. I ignore him. I need to be alone for a bit.
***
“So…” Nico says, staring at his father for a long moment, “Pan’s got nothing. Voltdrain had something earlier, but with Shadowman working with them it’s too easy for them to move. This is a LOT like the Star Born situation, except this time our target has found a way to effectively go to ground without spiking the local electricity. I’m open to suggestions, but if we’re going south, we’re going to have to deal with Century.”
Superior lets out a small snort and slams his fist on the long science table in front of him, crushing it. “That’s school property, you know,” Taurus says in a mild tone. He’s leaning back in one of the science chairs, sitting next to a rather silent Liz. The very idea of Liz being silent catches Nico off guard.
“Liz? What are you thinking?” he asks.
“How do we know they’re still in America?” Liz asks. “If we go by that Rocco kid’s range of travel and add in the fact that Shadowman’s probably as old as Dad is, how do we know he hasn’t taken them across the world and is hiding in another country?”
“Then we get in touch with the Halls across the world,” Superior says, “put out a warning that there’s an insane old man trying to turn norms into supers. I’ll--”
“You can’t,” Nico says. “You’re dead, remember?”
Superior lets out a curse, giving his son a dirty look. “That’s never stopped half of the capes I know--”
“We aren’t resurrecting you, Father, get used to the idea now. You’d cause more trouble than you’re worth. But--” Nico says, looking at Taurus and Liz, “Mastermental can do it. He’s got the connections, right?”
“Huh? Oh, um, yeah,” Liz says, glancing over at Taurus as if checking to see she said the right thing.
“Liz, is there something on your mind?” Nico demands.
“Didn’t you pick up on the radio waves?” she asks. “There was just an earthquake down in Texas--one right near where you sent Sunny.”
“What?” the question echoes from all around. “I didn’t realize you could hear radio waves, Liz--that must be handy,” Superior says in a somewhat impressed tone.
“That isn’t the important part, Father--and by the way, Liz can do a lot of things you don’t know about,” Nico says, turning to the wall and bringing up the television. The channels speed past until he comes upon one reporting the damage to the nearest town.
“It’s nothing to worry about, so far no deaths have been reported,” Superior says. “Really, I’m surprised this hasn’t happened before.”
“It hasn’t happened because my son is notoriously laid back,” Nico says, looking irritated as he grabs his phone. “Pan--what--”
The rest of the room can hear Panther from where they sit, so the same surprised looks cross their face as he says, “Can’t talk right now, Nico.”
“Why’s that?”
“I’m dealing with a lunatic. It’s a bit touch and go at the moment, can I get back to you?” And the phone was hung up, leaving them all staring at each other blankly.
“Well, then… I should probably warn his wife, huh?” Nico finally says.
***
It had been going so well, Pan thinks a bit irritably as he watches the insane villain pace in front of him. He’d just come in to check if Skystep had noticed anything off--as a super villain, he had assumed she would know such things--and then there’d been the earthquake. Now, though, she’s freaking out as if the world is going to end, and he can’t make heads or tails of what she’s trying to do.
“You just stroll right into my territory and go shaking up the world--what if someone was HURT?” she demands, turning on him, her hair swinging out dramatically behind her. “It’s bad enough that the heroes are coming every day with their ‘you need a better house!’ bull! I know what they’re out to do! They’re out to toss me into the Cape Cells, but I’m not stupid enough to fall for that! I’m staying RIGHT HERE! Do you hear me, RIGHT HERE!”
Pan has given up on arguing with her for the moment. He just simply nods in agreement, although he can actually see why they’d want to move her. Especially now that half of the building fell with the earthquake, he thinks a bit dryly, looki
ng at the gigantic hole that used to be a wall.
“What?” she demands, getting right in his face. To be honest, he’d heard all about her attack on Central Hall, and he’d been a bit offended by the territory thing, himself.
“I just came--” he starts out in as mild a tone as he can manage.
“You don’t tell me why you came, I tell you why you came!” she bellows in his face. Insane, he thinks for the fourth time in the past minute, especially when she stares at him blankly. “Why did you come?” she asks finally, in a startling cognizant tone.
“I was hoping for your assistance,” Pan says, not making a move from the chair she shoved him into.
“You--wait, what? Seriously?” she asks in a shocked tone. “Mine?”
“Yes.”
“But you’re PANTHER,” she says, waving a hand wildly at the uniform he had dawned just to meet her in, “a big shot--one of the biggest names in the industry! What do you need me for?”
“I’m looking for information,” he says. “Although I can see why you wouldn’t trust me, I’d like to mention that I’m not on the books in this part of the country--it’s strictly your territory, as well as a few others.”
“It’s good that you recognize that,” she says, arrogantly.
“I have brought down some students, but I can assure you that they won’t be intruding in your territory, either.” Well, other than Sunny causing massive havoc with that earthquake, that is. Really, he hadn’t thought it was strong enough to cause this much damage, he thinks as he glances at the hole in the wall.
She’s in his face again, he realizes, pulling back ever so slightly. She seems to have a habit of getting far too close. There’s no doubt in his mind that Skystep has never even heard the term “personal space bubble” before. If she has, no doubt she never asked what it meant. “Did THEY have something to do with the earthquake?” she demands.
