by Bryan Cohen
"It's her only chance." Ted wrapped his arm around her and lifted her off the ground.
She screamed in agony as the blood seeped into Ted’s clothes.
He looked back at Erica. "Find us at the hospital."
Ted put his free hand up to the ceiling of the cave. With a deafening blast, a hole big enough for the two of them opened up. Bits of rock rained down upon them. He put both arms around Natalie and took off. His mind went completely blank as he willed his powers to speed up their flight.
Natalie met his eyes as they flew. "Ted. You're alive. They didn't end the world."
The wind made their clothes flap wildly.
"And you helped to fight them off." Ted tried to focus on the air ahead, but he couldn’t tear himself away from her eyes. "I need to celebrate with you, OK? You need to hang on."
Natalie coughed loudly. The two of them were only a few blocks away from the hospital. Ted could barely hear Natalie over the sound of their flight.
Natalie's voice grew weaker with each word. "I was jealous. I wanted Erica to suffer. Now I know – she's the one who's going to keep you alive."
Ted’s tightened his grip around her. "I need both of you. I need both of you!"
Natalie’s eyes shut.
"Nat? Stay awake, Nat!" He spied the lot below as his heart rate doubled. "Almost there!"
Ted landed the two of them on the ground right in front of the sliding doors of the emergency room. This time he had no trouble maintaining his balance.
"I have a stab wound here! I need help right now!"
Ted couldn’t hear what the doctors said as they pried her away from his grasp. He watched them place her on a gurney and wheel her in. All he could hear was his own heart beating and his weak, desperate prayer.
"Please."
41
Natalie's eyes fluttered open. She felt slow and tired, but the pain had left her back. It took her a second to realize where she was. The beeping machine to her left and the blue paper gown gave it away. She looked down at her hand and saw that someone was holding it. She squeezed and Ted Finley woke up.
His eyes brightened when he saw her. "You're up."
Natalie remembered flying through the air, as if it were a dream. She knew it wasn't. She knew that Ted possessed great powers now. Rapid healing wasn't one of them, unfortunately, and he had several bandages covering the wounds he'd endured that day.
Natalie’s voice was scratchy but functional. "Who looks worse, you or me?"
"You mean generally?"
She smiled. Natalie didn't have the energy for much else. It was tough enough trying to string two thoughts together under the heavy medication.
"Everybody make it?"
Ted nodded. He looked different than he had just a few days earlier. He seemed more solid than before. It was like he'd finally found the backbone Natalie had wished for.
"Everybody made it. Except for the bad guys. Though Deputy Daly skipped town before Erica could report – the assault."
"I shouldn't have–"
Ted squeezed her hand. "If it wasn't for you, we never would have found out who... killed Erica. He would still be in town and anyone could be in danger. No matter what your intentions were, it all worked out in the end."
Natalie sighed. "I guess so."
She could still picture Daly with his gun pointed at Erica’s head.
"I was trying to hurt her, but I guess Erica isn't Erica and you aren't the same boring Ted."
Even Ted's laugh was a little different. "I don't think I'll have much time for boring. There are a dozen news shows that want to do interviews with me next week. I'm supposed to guest judge on a cooking show, and I've had three reality TV pitches."
Natalie spied Dhiraj poking his head into the room. He didn't seem altered one bit by the events of the day.
"Did I hear something about money?" His brilliant grin matched the porcelain walls. "Natalie!"
Ted released his grasp of Natalie’s hand and Dhiraj came in for an awkward hug.
She smiled up at him. "I saw you stab a guy."
"He had it coming. I knew you wouldn't die. You're so damn tough, you can handle all the backstabbing of high school."
Natalie laughed and a small trickle of pain shot through her. She ignored it. The laugh was worth it.
"What'd Jennifer think?"
Dhiraj was already happy to see Natalie; he lit up like fireworks at the mention of Jennifer's name.
"She's been all over me since we came here. She was hugging me and she fell asleep on my shoulder. It was amazing."
Ted patted him on the back. Natalie liked having the three of them together again.
Ted smiled. "Now, don't take advantage of her."
Dhiraj feigned surprise. "Ted Finley, I would never. I'm going to take her home, wait the requisite three days, and then I'm going to ask her out."
Natalie pictured her friend creating a spreadsheet of the best times of the day to ask Jennifer out. He'd probably get someone to write a very complex algorithm to determine the better of two particular hours. It was nerdy and ridiculous, but it was Dhiraj.
"Hey, come here."
As Dhiraj bent down next to Natalie's head, she kissed him on the cheek. "No reality shows."
Dhiraj laughed. The sound of his chuckle was exactly what she needed to feel better.
"I'm going to visit you tomorrow. For now, I'm going to ask the sheriff if I can ask out his daughter. Wish me luck!"
Ted and Natalie did, as he left the room.
"Does he know you only have to ask a father’s permission when you want to marry someone?"
Ted shrugged. "It's possible that he's going to do that first, just to get it out of the way. You know Dhiraj. He's a planner."
Natalie looked up into Ted's eyes. There was so much kindness behind them. It was no wonder he was picked to protect the world.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you and that it went viral," she said.
Even through the medication, she could still smell the laundry detergent Ted's parents used on his clothes.
"And I'm sorry I tried to kiss Erica less than a day after we broke up."
A question came to mind that burned at her. She figured she could use the drugs as an excuse if it was too forward.
"Are you going to date her?"
Ted looked pained to answer. "I don't know. She's like 300 years old or something."
"And she's totally out of your league."
The two of them laughed together. Ted took her hand again. Butterflies formed in her stomach.
"I don't know what's going to happen with all of this." Ted pursed his lips. "One thing I do know is that you and I are going to protect each other. I've got your back."
Natalie didn't want him to leave, but she didn't want to sound needy, either. She held Ted's hand tighter. "And I've got yours."
Ted let go and came in for a hug. Natalie considered trying to kiss him. She accepted the hug instead and let him walk toward the door. He lingered there for a moment before waving one more time. He disappeared into the hallway.
When the room was empty, Natalie sighed to herself. "I love you, Ted Finley." She stared up at the ceiling. "I hope you don't get yourself killed."
42
The gum Dhiraj had offered Erica was a major help as she spoke with the two Homeland Security agents. There was something about blowing bubbles and chewing that really sold the dumb teenager act. Agent Harding was wiry and seemed to write down everything Erica said on a notepad. Agent Vott asked most of the questions. He had a deep voice and he filled out his extra large suit with muscles to spare.
"Do you know where Ted got his powers from, Ms. LaPlante?"
She looked off to the side as if she lacked the brainpower to answer a simple question. "Um, I don't know for sure. It didn't seem like one of those comic book ways. Like radiation or a radioactive spider or a radio."
Harding scribbled on his pad. "What kind of company does Ted keep?"
"Ted runs a c
ompany?"
Vott and Harding exchanged a look.
"Let me rephrase, what kind of affiliations does he have? Is he a part of any strange clubs or does he have any family friends that come into town from overseas?"
Erica chewed the gum with her mouth open for a few beats. With this line of questioning, she could tell the government was scared of Ted. They didn't understand what he was, and that made him a threat.
"I think he tried out for volleyball once, but he got cut."
"Would you say that Ted Finley is dangerous to the people around him?"
After all she'd seen in her multiple lifetimes, Erica knew the real answer to the question. The people around Ted would always be in danger. It was part of the job description.
"Ted is a hero." She twirled the gum around her finger. "They should, like, make a movie about him. Who do you think would play him?"
Harding didn’t hesitate. "Channing Tatum."
Vott shot him a wide-eyed glance. "What my partner means, Ms. LaPlante, is that we're all out of questions. Thank you for your time."
The two of them stood up. She did the same and shook their hands.
"So, do you guys have summer internships or anything? I want to work from home, too."
As Vott explained what Homeland Security really meant, Erica spied Ted walking back down the hallway. She tried to read his look. Natalie had saved her life and she could be a strong ally going forward, but she had also tried to ruin Erica's reputation. Above all of that, Ted still had feelings for his ex-girlfriend, and in the teenage parts of her mind, that made Natalie a threat.
Agents Vott and Harding thanked Erica and walked off before Ted arrived. She watched them as they went, wondering how much the lack of secrecy would hurt their mission. Would she one day have to reveal all the secrets of her world and the many other worlds connected to this one? She didn't know if mankind was ready for that.
Erica tossed the gum in the trash. "How is she?"
"Great. Aside from the stab wound. How about the sheriff?"
At Jennifer's request, Erica had removed the bond between her and the sheriff. Sheriff Norris had taken quite a beating in the caves, and he'd need several weeks to fully recover. Jennifer didn't blame Erica, per se, but she asked that her father be able to act under his own impulses. Erica immediately began considering two new candidates for brainwashing.
"He's better. He had good things to say about Dhiraj. Maybe this him-and-Jennifer thing'll happen after all."
Ted's smile made Erica think about kissing him. She shook off the idea and ignored the ever-present thought.
"I think it'd be good for Dhiraj to take a break from trying to run a business."
Despite running around in a cave, Erica could smell the familiar scent of Ted's clothing.
"He told me you guys might build a lair from all those fan donations."
Ted nodded. "A lair might be in the cards. But we'll have to run things by our new partner. Why didn't you tell me who you were?"
Ted sat down in the waiting area and Erica did the same.
She sighed. "Two reasons. Number one, these powers aren’t exactly typical. I had to make sure you weren’t going to use them for evil."
Ted nodded. "I heard you had a knife in the band room."
Erica blushed. "Don’t take it personally."
"All of this is too weird to take personal." He rubbed the sole of his shoe into the linoleum. "What’s the second reason?"
"It’s embarrassing."
Ted put her hand on Erica's back. "What's embarrassing?"
"I have a crush on you, Ted Finley. I'm supposed to help you save the world and learn how to control your powers, but part of me is just a teenage girl with a crush on you."
Erica knew it was more complicated than that. There were feelings for William mixed up with her old inhabitant's regret at giving up her friendship with Ted. But she could explain all of that later.
Ted scratched his head. "I look at you and I see Erica, but that's not who you are."
Erica ran both of her hands through her hair.
"I still have all of her memories and all of her emotions. She'll never be completely gone as long as I'm here."
Ted lifted his chin. "You lied to me, once. How do I know you're telling me the truth?"
"Close your eyes."
Ted's forehead wrinkled before he followed her instructions.
"I want you to remember a little girl with a unicorn shirt trying to open your window in the middle of the night. A girl who would beat you in cartoon racing video games and dare you to climb up trees. This girl wanted to spend every waking moment with you and you wanted to do the same with her."
Erica positioned herself right in front of Ted. "Now open your eyes."
Ted did and pressed his lips together as he looked at Erica's face.
"What do you see?"
He let out a shallow sigh. "I see Erica. Part of her is really in there. And I'm in – I’m very happy to see her."
Erica put her hands on both sides of Ted's face. "I'm here to keep you safe, but I think I’m also here to give us a second chance."
Erica felt her lips part as she waited for Ted to say something.
His eyes stared straight into hers without blinking. "Oh, what the hell."
Erica’s lips tingled as Ted put his arm around her neck and pulled her toward him. A burst of euphoria shot through her body as their lips met. Erica didn't care that Ted didn't truly understand who she was. All she wanted was to be near him. Erica breathed him in and let the time pass by with his lips on hers.
Erica wasn't sure how many minutes had gone by when she heard the click of a digital camera. When she pulled away from Ted, she saw half a dozen people snapping photos of them. She considered presenting them with one of her fingers, as that was the old Erica's gesture of choice, but she held herself back. Ted opened his eyes and noticed the photographers as well.
Now he blushed. "This is awkward."
Erica took his hand. "Come with me."
Ted complied and the two of them dashed toward the parking garage. They giggled the whole way, not speaking another word until Erica’s car was on the road.
Erica felt Ted’s eyes on her and she glanced to the side. "What?"
"You know, one thing's been bugging me. Nigel told me that the living soul could end the war in an instant. Can I?"
Erica's eyes blinked several times. She wasn't sure if Ted was ready for the honest answer to that question.
"I think that’ll become more clear once we've started training. There's a lot you can do when you fully tap into your powers."
Ted put his hand on Erica’s. "And when do we start this so-called training?"
Erica smirked. "I didn't tell you? Five a.m."
Ted's posture stiffened. "Five a.m.? As in 5 a.m. tomorrow?"
"Wear comfortable clothes." Erica pulled into Ted’s driveway and put the car in park.
Ted raised his eyebrows. "You know, if I have to get up at five in the morning to save the world, it might not be worth it."
Erica reached across his body and opened the car door. "Make sure to get some rest." She kissed him on the cheek. "I’ll see you soon, Super Ted."
He took a long look into Erica’s eyes. "Am I really ready for all of this?"
Erica had seen a lot during this war. Heroes, villains, pain, death, and torture. But she’d never seen anything quite like Ted Finley.
"No." She let the smile spread across her face. "But you will be."
EPILOGUE
Stucky felt safe in the police van. When he was cuffed at the school, he felt like a major weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The dark soul mission didn’t exactly jibe with him, and he had strength and power that would keep him safe no matter what happened. On the other side of the van, he saw Faraday half-asleep and several other passengers about to nod off. Like him, they were handcuffed and had shackles around their legs. Stucky and Faraday were told they'd be given the maximum possible sente
nce for attempted murder and that the judge would lock them up and throw away the key. Stucky didn't mind.
He could see the next 20 to 30 years unfolding in prison. With their powers, he and Faraday would be top dogs in jail. If anybody tried to mess with him, he'd easily be able to turn the other cheek. After all, what were they going to do to a guy who could punch them clean across the room? Stucky relished the idea of being in charge of something. With his brother and Nigel gone, he could finally come into his own. That's the exact thought he had in mind when one of the drivers in the front screamed.
"Look out!"
A small explosion in the road caused the van to flip several times. Stucky's head smashed against the side of the vehicle and his ears filled with the terrified voices of his fellow passengers. His stomach felt like it’d been turned inside out when the van skidded to a stop.
Stucky was alive, but the van was completely upside down. Two of the prisoners who had undone their seat belts to get more comfortable weren’t so lucky. Stucky ripped his handcuffs apart with ease and undid his belt. He landed on one of the dead prisoners and kicked out the backdoor of the van. Faraday followed close behind him.
The former drama teacher looked left and right. "What happened?"
"I have no idea. Deer in the road?"
"Deer don't explode."
Stucky shrugged. He walked around to the front of the van. Neither of the drivers had survived the crash, either.
"What do you think we should do?"
It was cold and dark out. They'd survive in the nearby woods, but they wouldn't be comfortable. Not like the prison bed Stucky had been dreaming about. He couldn't even tell where they were.
"Hey." Faraday smiled. "At least we don't have to go to pris–"
A projectile flew through the air, interrupting Faraday and landing at his feet. The teacher-turned-killer looked down curiously at the grenade. Stucky pulled off the van’s passenger door to act as a shield. The explosion nearly blew out Stucky's eardrums. The door had only provided minor protection, sending him flying in the opposite direction. He landed back-first on the pavement with the charred door resting on top of him. He knew right away that Faraday and the other passengers were long gone. A piece of glass from the van's window had lodged itself in his leg. When he tried to put weight on it, the immense pain sent him back to the ground.
