Professor Photon asked, “You created an army of hideous living things with sentience but unnaturally short lives. Why?”
Knapp said, “We knew superhero teams like yours publicly supported the measure while privately building bunkers and stockpiling weapons. Your team, in particular, has quite a few hidden caches and rooms throughout the city.”
“Now how did you find out about that?” asked Arbalest. “We kept everything super-secret.”
“The only ones who knew were the New York Guardians,” said Stormhead. “The construction was done by Professor Photon's Micro-Sapiens before they turned on us.”
Stormhead and Arbalest looked at Professor Photon.
“Don't be ridiculous,” said Professor Photon. “I don't trust the military-industrial complex. I would never share anything with the government.”
“Well, everything was built under the old Arbalest, so don't blame me,” said Arbalest.
“And you know I am against government intervention in our affairs,” said Stormhead. “I don't want this nation to become as restrictive to mutants as the European countries are. So it must have been James Griffin, Sergeant Hammer, the former Arbalest, or …”
“That's not important right now,” said Knapp. “Even if you figured it out, I wouldn't be able to confirm it. Besides, we both know you weren’t the only team preparing to revolt.”
Alex asked, “Why didn’t you tell the MAB about these stockpiles and hideouts? We had no information about that.”
“For the same reason September Eleventh happened. Government agencies don’t share intelligence. We thought the heroes would be more likely to go to war if they knew we knew they were preparing for it. All it would've taken is one repeated secret to set it off.”
“Sadly, that's true,” said Stormhead. “Some superhero teams were eager for a revolution.”
“On our orders, the Handler revived the project under a network of shell businesses. They had real offices and looked legitimate. Most even turned a profit through making spyware and counterfeit medical supplies. But all they really did was house the work of a rogue scientist.”
“You must mean Doctor Hellgrun,” said Professor Photon. “The squid-men that attacked Griffin Island were his creations.”
“Why are you making these things so monstrous?” asked Gale Force.
“The goal was to create creatures customized to fight superheroes. We wanted specialized assassins. Our goal was to minimize civilian casualties while eliminating rogue superheroes. Someone like Lou, for instance, has superior smelling abilities to detect invisible or camouflaged opponents. We made some with lizard-like legs for short burst of speed in zigzag patterns so they can get in close against anyone with range-based powers. There are at least a few with a skin that’s chemically akin to rubber to fight people like Stormhead. The Handler also had full access to the prison system and funds from the profits from his shell businesses. He enlisted several villains as consultants for how to kill superheroes, including a number of mercenaries. I'm sure he also used his cloning facility to develop new bodies for his helpers as payment.”
“Cloning creates a brand new body with no memories,” said Professor Photon. “How did they get old minds in new bodies?”
Alex said, “I can answer this one. Trista found a trace of Swapper, an Ultragenius who could transfer minds into new bodies, when she searched Pig-Girl’s mind. Officially Swiper died last year in prison. A couple of other powerful psychics have disappeared in the last six years.”
Stormhead asked, “To come back to our involvement, why did the Handler attack Noah’s farm?”
“My guess is to kill the live ones before we found out about them,” said Knapp. “When it became clear the metahuman legal recognition act wasn’t going to lead to a civil war, we told the Handler to shut the project down. He was to send his clones to Nevada for termination. The villains, including Doctor Hellgrun, were sent to prison.”
“And you let him disobey the order?” said Alex.
“His shell companies’ spyware programs turned out to be surprisingly good at gathering information. He knew the order was coming. The clones he sent were useless rejects, and the prisoners he returned were clones with blank minds. He kept his army of villains, many of them in new bodies, and got the money to keep them on retainer through his network of profitable shell companies.”
Magna said, “The lack of oversight demonstrated in this matter is appalling. Are we to assume he continued cloning more assassins?”
“Yes, and that’s why he wanted to kill the live ones. The clones may not have memories, but they still have human intelligence and emotions, and many figure out they are captives. Despite being trapped in secure facilities, about a dozen managed to escape.”
Professor Photon said, “If I were running that program, I’d implant tracking microchips into each one to catch escapees quickly.”
Knapp said, “And if we had to fight a genius like you with that army, you’d use the tracking microchips to find out where each opponent was. That would neutralize our advantage.”
Professor Photon thought for a second. “You’re right, I would do that.”
“The Handler made a study of all types of superheroes, including super-geniuses. He devised ways to defeat every type.”
Stormhead asked, “How large is the Handler’s army?”
“We don’t know. He aggressively recruited new criminals. Most of them are small-time losers. For example, last night a prison van loaded with low-level supervillainesses was hijacked. The only one recovered was already murdered.”
“Where is the Handler?” asked Gale Force.
“That’s another thing we don’t know. As I said, he has a dozen shell companies. We don’t know where his main cloning facility is. He knows how the CIA’s data collection works, so he also knows how to thwart our efforts to gather intelligence on him.”
“I’m sure you have information about where the shell companies are located,” said Stormhead. “If we requested assistance from other superhero teams to forcefully investigate these facilities, I'm sure you would not stand in our way.”
“Yee-haw,” said Arbalest. “He’s finally acting like a leader.”
“The CIA will assist you to the fullest extent of our capabilities as long as you don’t tell anyone about our involvement in this matter,” said Knapp.
“In other words,” said Professor Photon, “You don’t want anyone to know how badly you screwed up.”
“Give us what you can,” said Stormhead. “We’ll put out a call for all available reserves to join us. Arbalest, call the Philly Freedom Fighters and the Lords of Baltimore. They will strike any facilities in their regions. Professor Photon, be sure Magna is in top fighting shape. Alexander, you and the Prospects will protect Griffin Tower.”
“What about me?” asked Gale Force.
Stormhead said, “You will stay here with Alexander.”
“I’d like to help with the investigations. I can still fly.”
“But you cannot land with your broken leg.”
Magna said, “And even if you could, your contributions would be minimal at best.”
Alex felt sympathy when he saw Gale Force flinch. He said, “What the hell, Magna? There’s no need to add insult to injury.”
“The point of the Prospects is to train the next generation of heroes,” said Magna. “If she is the best your program has produced, it is a failure.”
Alex flinched. “Professor Photon, are you sure this thing has Mindy’s personality? Because Mindy wouldn’t trash-talk her teammates.”
“She has Mindy’s brainwave patterns,” said Professor Photon, “but …”
“As I said before, Mindy is dead,” said Magna. “Her recorded patterns give me a foundation for behavior, but I am quite capable of independent action, especially if I feel I am making a point for the greater good. My ethical algorithms will keep me from putting my teammates in danger. Hurting her feelings is a small price to pay for savin
g her life.”
“Nice job, Professor,” said Alex. “Your little psychotic robots built a big psychotic robot. All you did was slap boobs on it. I don’t know why you call yourself a genius.”
“At least Magna doesn’t cheat on me,” said Professor Photon, “which is more than I can say for your wife.”
The room was silent except for Arbalest muttering, “Harry, you idiot.”
Knapp tugged his collar. “Perhaps I should go.”
Alex glared at Professor Photon. “What did you say about Emily?”
Chapter Fifteen: Forget the “Should’s”
Not long after Knockout Rose led Gary to the elevator, Pinwheel’s cellphone rang. He flipped it open. “Hello?”
“How’s my old sidekick?”
“Jackie?”
“Yes, the one and only Stardancer of the Young Sentinels, and I’m jealous as hell. You and Kayleigh are all over the news. Well, mainly Kayleigh. She’s put on weight.”
The lingering bad memories of how Jackie constantly berated and humiliated him came back. He remembered how he swallowed his anger to put on a show as her sassy gay companion to deliver each clunky line on the script. But he always did it as if he believed it. That's what actors had to do.
“What do you want?”
“You got to get me on that Prosperers or Prospectives or whatever-it’s-called team. The new members of the Young Sentinels aren’t winning over new fans. You put on a hell of a show at North Brother Island.”
“That wasn’t a show. We fought real villains, not stuntmen.”
“If Kayleigh can do it, I can do it better. I actually have a superpower.”
“Your power is hypnotic dancing. Not real useful.”
“It always saved the day in our shows.”
“You don’t realize how dangerous this is. Pete died yesterday.”
“Really? Pete’s dead? I didn’t know.”
The softness in Jackie’s voice made Pinwheel forget his harsh feelings. He looked at the bandages that covered the scratches on his hands. “I tried to save him. If he wasn’t so heavy …”
“That means there’s an opening, right? Oh my god, Steve, you’ve got to get me in there. We work well together.”
Pinwheel’s harsh feelings returned. “All you did was put me down.”
“It’s not my fault your delivery needs work. I was the star, you were the sidekick, and sometimes I had to remind you …”
Pinwheel’s phone beeped. He took the new call, glad to have an excuse to hang up on Jackie until he heard his old manager’s voice.
“Steve, you’re all over the news. Why couldn’t you get that kind of publicity while working for me?”
“What do you want, Mort?”
“What, I can’t call an old friend?”
“We’re not friends. You said that when I asked for a raise.”
“Fine. Straight to business. I created the character Pinwheel. I maintain all proprietary rights to the character, which means you’re in breach of contract by making public appearances in costume.”
Steve tugged at the rainbow stripes. “And an ugly costume it is.”
“I already hired your far-superior replacement. He’s got LED bulbs in gloves to imitate your powers, but he’s genuinely gayer than a box of feather boas so at least he’s the real deal there. We can’t have two Pinwheels, can we?”
“Is that seriously what you’re bugging me about? Pete died yesterday and …”
“Wait, Pete died?” The manager sounded shocked.
“We were attacked. He fell into the ocean.”
The manager sounded excited. “Quick, fax me his death certificate. The policy I took out on him expires at the end of the month. We’ll do a farewell comic showing how he went evil and the team made the hard decision to kill him. Then I'll hire a new guy, some beefcake who will be a helluva lot better looking.”
“That’s all you have to say? He died, and all you care about is how you’re going to make money off of it?”
“What do you want? You and Pete abandoned me. I actually needed you two. Kayleigh, cheesecakes like her are a dime a dozen. I replaced her with a less whiny broad and came up with the name Marigold, but real mutants who act are rarer than …”
Trista snatched the phone from his hand and flipped it shut. “A flip phone? What are you, poor or a time traveler?”
“I can’t afford time travel with what my old manager paid. Did you have to hang up on him?”
“You’re not in the rural south anymore. Be as rude as you want in New York. Come with me.”
“Where are we going?”
Trista pushed the elevator’s down button. “To see if Vijay’s computer still works. I may be able to figure out what he was doing based on the lingering memories in my head. He was on the brink of finding out where all the spyware data went.”
“Why do you need me?”
They got into the elevator. “I almost got kidnapped twice in under twenty-four hours. I’m not going anywhere alone.”
“I’m honored to be your bodyguard. With everyone else at the meeting, I guess I’m the only one left.”
“You wouldn’t be my last choice if you weren’t. I’d take you over any New York Guardian. Except Agent O’Farrell and Gale Force. Sorry. I’ve known them longer.”
Pinwheel shrugged. “At least I place higher than that jerk Arbalest.”
After a moment of silence Trista said, “I’m really sorry about Pete. He seemed like a great guy.”
“He was. You would have liked him if you got to know him better.”
Trista tugged her rosary. “I’ll pray for him. How are the other Young Sentinels taking it?”
“Kayleigh is either coping well or putting up a strong façade. Our old manager and Stardancer want to use his death to make more money.”
“That’s horrible.”
“I wish I could say it’s out of character for them.”
“If you need to talk …”
The elevator doors opened before the ground level. Alex entered. He quivered with agitation and didn’t say a word.
“Agent O’Farrell, what’s wrong?” asked Trista.
Alex pressed the button for the basement. He held down the door close button to override Trista’s button for the ground level.
Trista and Pinwheel shared confused glances until the door opened. Alex stormed towards the basement's living quarters.
Instead of going back to the ground floor, where Vijay’s computer was, Trista and Pinwheel waited at the end of the hallway.
Alex threw the door to Emily’s room open. His voice echoed when he shouted, “Who is he?”
Trista heard Emily say, “What are you talking about?”
“Stormhead told me he found you in bed with another man. Who is he?”
“You don’t know him. He’s a co-worker.”
Alex yelled, “How long?”
Trista couldn’t hear the answer because Calvin started to cry.
Alex yelled, “You lied to me for that long?”
Calvin cried so loudly Trista couldn’t hear Emily’s voice.
Alex slammed the door. Trista grabbed Pinwheel and snuck into the recreation room.
Alex didn’t look when he passed on his way back to the elevator. Trista heard the doors open, metal jingle and crash, Alex swear, more jingling, and the doors close.
Trista said, “Go to the interrogation room on the ground floor and get the computer. I’ll go after him.”
“What about not being alone?”
“Damn it, Steve, go!”
Trista went back to the elevator and pressed the up button. When it came back down, she saw Alex’s keys dangling from the control panel.
The roof. He needed the key to get to the roof. He forgot it in there. Trista twisted the key and pressed the top button. When the elevator doors opened, she saw Alex standing against the New York skyline. She held out his keys. “You forgot these.”
Alex snatched them from her hand without
a word.
Trista said, “You're not going to jump, are you?”
“I want to be alone.”
Billy Two bleated from his pen near the door.
“Listen, I ...”
“Not a word. Not a goddamn word.”
“If there's anything I can do ...”
“There isn't.”
Trista stroked Billy Two’s head. “Do you mind if I talk to you about something else?”
Alex didn’t move.
“This morning, while you were on the plane, I stole your phone and made an appointment for an abortion. It wasn’t easy. You know the church is clearly against it. I convinced myself that killing an unwanted child would be kinder than making it live a loveless life. It’s like, I knew I only had two wrong choices to make, and that seemed like the less wrong one.
“But when Candilyn kicked my stomach, the thought that she could’ve killed it scared me. I realized that I do care for this baby. Even if it only lives because Sergeant Hammer did something horrible to me, it’s like there could be some good that comes of it. If I terminate the pregnancy that won’t happen. So I’m going to cancel the appointment. Or maybe go and get prenatal advice. I don’t know.
“Agent O’Farrell, I’m scared. I don’t know what to expect or how this is going to go or if I’ll even be in a position to raise a child or how to start the adoption paperwork or any of that stuff. I’m not ready for this.”
“No one’s ready for what life does to us.”
“Remember how you said you wanted to get to the point where I didn't need your help anymore? That won’t happen. I’ll always need you. You got me through my darkest moments.” Trista stopped petting Billy Two. “I want to do the same for you.”
“Go away.”
“I’m not going to abandon you when you’re hurt.”
“You’re already too far in my head. I say your name in my sleep.”
“Please believe me when I say I didn’t do anything to make you have dreams about me or say my name in your sleep. I don’t know why that’s happening. It’s probably some lingering psychic residue. If you think it’ll help, I’ll tell Emily that.”
“Three months.”
“What?”
The Prospects (Book 2): Nothing Poorer Than Gods Page 16
