by R. J. Ross
Herricane: Oh, please, North, you know Shadowman. He probably sniffed her hair and ran.
Lurker: Ladies, ladies, I find that offensive. I prefer my women a bit more normal.
IceBringer: Shut up, South, this is for the grownups to discuss.
DeathZootSuit: I don’t know if I like the idea of Shadowman sneaking around teenage girls.
IceBringer: Oh, listen to the over-protective poppy figure. Ignore him, Shadowman, tell us about this glow stick. How does it override their new little power stripper?
Lurker: It seems that their power stripper serum has a fatal flaw, ladies and gentlemen. And I will be happy to explain it to you, face to face, over a wad of unmarked bills, one at a time, of course. Now, as fun as this little conversation has been, tell me, where is our third precious triplet? We’re also missing a few other familiar faces. Lurking is impolite, people.
DeathZootSuit: Hah, that was the worst joke I’ve heard all day.
Lurker: Ah, right, Reaper, you aren’t where your overlord could pick up on this little chat, are you?
DeathZootSuit: Overlord? You mean landlord.
Lurker: Same difference, in your case.
DeathZootSuit: No, at the moment I’m in a quaint little tea shop in Japan. You don’t get tea like this over in the states.
Herricane: Next time you go, bring me along, would you? The farther I am away from my sisters, the better.
DeathZootSuit: It’s a date, South.
Herricane: I like you, Reaper, but I’m not that suicidal.
DeathZootSuit: A man can dream, can’t he?
IceBringer: Get a private chat room, people!
Herricane: What’s wrong, North? Did Mega dump you?
IceBringer: I NEVER DATED MEGA!
DeathZootSuit: North dated Mega? That prat? I know it’s hard to find a date, but really, that’s… that’s sad.
IceBringer: I hate you all.
Lurker: East? Are you here, East?
Earthquaker: Really, Shadowman, I’m a bit busy right now, doing REAL work. Call me when you actually have something to show.
Herricane: Oh, my, looks like little sister woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I thought the bad attitude was my thing.
DeathZootSuit: Didn’t you three have a brother?
IceBringer: SHUT UP REAPER.
Herricane: SHUT UP REAPER.
Earthquaker: I’m going to his show next week!
***
Shadowman scowls at his phone, realizing that the villain group isn’t getting him anywhere. It’s all Technico’s fault, of course. He’s gotten them paranoid about crossing the line, after he hunted down the Cape Cell convicts. Of course, Shadowman doesn’t plan on hurting the girl, or anything, just tapping into her power for a bit of back-up security. He’d even be willing to share the profit with her! He sighs, scanning the Villainy Forum for a while, seeking old handles. Some of these people were supposed to have died years ago. They’ve all been kicking back on some island, just like he’d dreamed of doing, himself. The Hall isn’t interested in them, and they know it. That completely ruins the need for the booster. The newer villains, on the other hand, are secretly working with the Hall, just like his own kid is.
He sighs, looking around the small park he’s sitting in. There are people walking past that don’t even seem to notice he’s there. Maybe this isn’t the moneymaker he’d thought it would be. Of course, considering how he’d almost been killed by Herold, he still wants one of those tubes. He brings up his off-shore bank accounts, checking to see how much he can offer the girl. It isn’t that he’s afraid of Technico, (well, he IS, he just doesn’t want to admit it,) it’s that kidnapping is just so last year.
A notice appears on his screen, and he taps on it, bringing up the forum again. This time it’s a private message from a name he’s only seen on the bottom of the page. The_Professor was rumored to be the man that started the forum, back before the internet was in its infancy. No one knew who he was, not even Shadowman, and he specialized in finding things out. For a long time he’d suspected that Mastermental was the one, but he’d never found proof, and the Hall had never come down on them, so it didn’t seem likely.
The_Professor: How much are you asking?
Lurker: How much are you offering?
A little smile pulls on Shadowman’s lips as he hits the send button and leans back, idly picking up one of the empty tubes and looking at it curiously.
***
“He completely ruined your date,” I mutter as Papa and I drive to the school campus that evening with bags full of my things. “You barely had any time to talk! I was really hoping things would go better than they did…”
He doesn’t reply, and I glance over at him. He has a slight smile on his face, though. “Papa?” I ask.
“Hmm?”
“Papa, did you and Cheval have a good date? I know it was short, but…”
“She is…” he says, “a very impressive woman, mija. It was wonderful to meet her, face to face, I am quite the fan. But that does not mean it is ‘love at first sight.’”
“I think you made her blush once or twice,” I say, teasingly. He looks startled.
“No, no, I do not remember that happening.”
“It’s hard to tell unless you know her,” I say. “You’re old world romantic. Ahhh, if only I could find a guy like that.” I sigh, leaning back and looking out the window.
“Vinny can learn with time,” he says. “He will have plenty of time to become ‘old world.’”
“Oh, I gave up on Vinny,” I say absentmindedly. “He’s never going to be interested, and I don’t have time to chase him around. They’re letting Phoebe return to the movie set in the morning, and I need to make sure she’s going to behave herself. After that I need to go check on the Nemeses, and…” He pulls to a stop in front of the campus and turns, looking at me a bit incredulously. “What?”
“You are too impatient, mija,” he says after a moment. He reaches out, pushing my hair behind my ear. “Vinny is growing up to be a very good man. You should not give up on him so quickly. And I do not believe he is foolish enough to let a beautiful, competent woman go.”
“I’m trying to be one,” I say, looking down. “You know, competent, that is. I don’t know about beautiful.”
“You are the very image of tu mamá at that age,” he says. I fight the urge to cry, giving him a shaky smile, instead, and throwing my arms around him.
“I would rather be sleeping at home,” I say against his chest. It’s completely ruined when he starts laughing. “What?” I demand, pulling away to glare at him.
“You have grown up while I was not looking,” he says, looking amused. “Mija, we both know that you are very close to being an adult. As you have said, you will begin living on your own, or with your partners. That will not change the fact that you are still mi princesa, and I will always be tu papá. I will be here for you, whenever you need me. I have a few years left, a hundred, maybe a hundred and fifty.” His tone is modest, but his amusement is still obvious.
I give him a disgruntled look. “I’m trying to be a good daughter, you know,” I point out, only to blush as he starts laughing again.
“You are the best daughter,” he says. “You do not have to pretend to be a child to make up for past mistakes. I do not need you with me at all times to know that you love me, Jimena. You have been very clear about that since you have come home. You wear my colors, and boldly tell the world that you are mi niña. You are no longer ashamed of me?”
“I was so stupid,” I say, groaning. “But you could be a LITTLE bit more aggressive when finding a parking spot, Papa,” I have to point out. “It won’t kill them to walk a bit further. Walking is healthy for norms!”
He cups my face in both hands and kisses my forehead even as I’m giving him a mock glare. “Be good and do not play the game all night, you have a busy day tomorrow,” he says as he gets out of the car and grabs my bags out of the back. “I expect a call in
the morning, but I have a job at ten, so do it earlier than that.”
“Yes, Papa,” I say, grabbing one of the bags from him. I stop, though, seeing Nico floating overhead. His hands are held out to the force field, and the lasers that make it are snapping angrily.
“Technico!” Papa says, jumping into the air. “I did not know you were staying here.”
“If I’m going to oversee this, I might as well see how the school down here is going while I’m at it,” Nico says. I’m staring at the laser wall, fascinated. “I thought I’d add a few extras to the security, since I’m here, and we don’t know who else might be interested.”
“But we already know that it’s good enough to keep specialized travelers out,” I hear Vinny say from behind me. I turn just in time to see him land and the fire go out. “We can’t go in until you’re done, right?”
“It should only take me a few more minutes,” Nico says.
Vinny walks over to me. “Can we talk?” he asks. I look at Papa, who seems enthralled in whatever Nico is doing. I get the feeling that it’s only a partial thing. He’s probably hoping I talk with Vinny. Unlike my last boyfriend, he likes Vinny, and Vinny likes him. I’m pretty sure Vinny likes him better than he’ll ever like me.
“Fine, but stay away from the shadows,” Nico calls down, answering for me. I glare up at him for all of a second before realizing it’s a waste of time. I stalk off to the car, not bothering to tell Vinny to follow me. I sort of hope he doesn’t.
“What?” I ask, leaning against the hood.
“I just… you know, when I mentioned getting over the rebound thing, I wasn’t trying to make it sound like…” he frowns, looking a bit frustrated. “I think… look,” he says after a long awkward moment, “I’m sorry. I don’t, exactly, know what I’m sorry about, because you didn’t explain it, and I didn’t bring Max down here to read your mind, but I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?”
“You don’t even know what you’re apologizing for,” I say.
“Yeah, that sounds about right,” he agrees, “but I figure I need to so you stop glaring at me every time I breathe the same air.”
“Like that would bother you,” I scoff. “You never care what other people think. Your big goal in life is to have cable TV, right?”
“I want to have the cooking channel,” he says, “but I don’t need cable when Nico streams TV from all around the world.”
I stare at him. “I’m so happy for you, seventeen and your bucket list is already scratched off,” I say flatly.
“It’s not the only thing I want,” he says, leaning against our car next to me and looking up at the sky. “It took a while to figure that out… actually, I’m still figuring it out, but I know that I want my friends happy, too.” He looks at me. “I also want a pressure cooker. I’ve got Zoe drawing up the designs right now. I’m thinking something that can fit a thirty pound turkey in it, but can slide out of the way when I’m not using it.”
I choke, bursting out laughing. “A pressure cooker?” I repeat.
“Hey, don’t knock the beauty of pressure cooking,” he says. “It keeps the meat juicy and delicious!”
“I think we should KEEP you from having cable,” I tell him, “you watch too many info-mercials.”
“Yeah, yeah, say that after you try the food,” he says. “But… I also want…” I feel my heart jump into my throat as he looks at me, his hand reaching out for mine. We’re standing side by side, the moon is on the horizon, and sure, there’s a laser wall snapping dangerously in the background, but it doesn’t detract from the romantic moment nearly as much as it could.
“You want?” I repeat, hoarsely, not daring to take the hand being offered. I need to hear what he has to say, first.
“I want—”
I feel a hand wrap around my ankle and I’m jerked down through the ground before I even realize I need to scream.
“Hello, little Voltdrain,” a man says. “We need to talk.”
I punch him in the face, breaking his nose.
***
“JIMMI!” Vinny shouts as his fingers stab into the ground, mere seconds too late to grab her. “NICO!” he yells over to the technopath. “Shadowman just grabbed her! Can you track them?”
“I’ve got someone on standby,” Nico says, only to grab Voltdrain’s shoulder. “Inside the Shadowlands he has nowhere to hide, and your daughter has excellent night vision,” he tells the other man. “This was actually something I saw coming, sooner or later. Besides, Carla almost killed the guy down there, once, and your daughter is more dangerous than she is.”
“I realize this,” Voltdrain says, his jaw gritting. “It does not mean that I approve.”
“If we’re going to fish properly, we need to make sure the bait is firmly on the hook,” Nico says. “Reaper already called me saying that Shadowman’s talking up the old school villains on the forum. The plan is moving, regardless of whether we keep an eye on it or not.”
“And what does Isotonic say for himself?” Voltdrain demands, his eyes glued to the ground. “They could be across the world by now.”
“We have his son. His son can find him, no matter where he goes,” Nico says, “and Isotonic knows, but Shadowman is under the entire council. If we want to use him this way, he can’t stop us.”
“Who is it that you are aiming for, Technico?” Voltdrain demands. “Who is so dangerous that you will use my only daughter as bait?”
“Anyone that thinks they need a surefire way of beating the Hall,” Nico says. “That could be every villain on the planet.” He glances at Vinny, who’s staring at the shadow with his hands clenched. The ground under the teen’s feet is starting to smolder.
***
*The Shadowlands*
“What was that for?!” Shadowman yelps, grabbing his nose even as it heals and the bleeding stops.
“I was having a romantic moment!” I yell at him, not regretting punching him at all. “And then you kidnapped me! I should hit you again, you creeper! And if you even THINK that you will sell me to some fat man with a little coat, you had best think again!” I see the place clearly. “This place smells terrible! It’s one thing to smell Rocco, but this is a whole ‘nother level of stench. Are those the shadow dinos they talk about?” I ask, distracted. It’s actually a relief to be here, strangely enough. Having him lurking in the shadows is creepy, but knowing I can break his nose so easily helps.
“I’m not going to sell you,” Shadowman says, wiping at the blood left behind with a handkerchief. “I’m here to offer you a deal. And you making me bleed is making the dinos hungry, so we need to make this quick. Fill these tubes,” he says, grabbing a box from the ground and holding it out to me. “I’ll transfer a hundred thousand to your bank account when you’re through.”
“A hundred thousand,” I repeat, glaring at him.
“Fine, two hundred thousand,” he says.
“Just why do you think I would go along with this?” I demand. “I will not aid and abet super villains that are trying to escape the Hall!”
“Because we both know that even without this, there’s a good chance that they’ll break free of the power stripper serum, eventually. This is the perfect time to rip them off, little Voltdrain! While they think that your power is the panacea!” The dinos are creeping closer, and we both know it. Shadowman glances over at them with a hint of worry. “At any moment my son is going to show up, acting like an annoying do-gooder, and I would rather not deal with it, so what do you say, little Voltdrain? Three hundred thousand and that’s my final offer.”
“How many tubes are there?” I ask, looking at the box. “Two dozen? I can’t fill all of those, here, not even if I wanted to.”
“Then just fill one, and I’ll use it to prove that I can get more,” he says, pulling one of the tubes out. “I need this proof, girl, I’ve got a very nice buyer on the line.”
“Who?” I ask.
“Sorry, kid, that’s business confidentiality. But if I can prove I
have the goods, I can make both of us a LOT of money.” The dinos are mere feet away from us, by now, and he shoves the tube into my hand, looking me in the eye. “Just think of all the romantic moments you could have with that much cash,” he says, temptingly.
I want to know who his buyer is, right? If I turn him down, now, I’ll not get the chance to find out. I chew on my bottom lip for a second before I fill the tube.
“YES!” he says, holding it up and admiring it. “Now, let’s get you back to your romantic moment.” He pockets the tube and places his hand on my back, pushing me through a darker spot in the shadows. I pull myself out of the very same shadow I was dragged into, and find myself lifted into my papa’s arms.
“¿Te lastimó?” he demands.
“No, he didn’t hurt me. We have a buyer,” I whisper into his ear. “I think I could grow to enjoy fishing.”
“Why do I smell blood?” Nico asks.
“Oh, I broke his nose,” I say. “I think the shadow dinos are going to follow him for the rest of the night, thanks to that.”
“Good girl,” he says with a laugh. I look around, seeing Vinny just standing there with a stark expression on his face. He looks away when he sees me looking at him, but I can practically feel the tension rolling off of him.
“Vinny?” I say.
“I… I didn’t stop him,” he says quietly. “I could have stopped him. I could have saved you…”
“But I didn’t need to be saved,” I say, taking his hands. “I broke his nose.”
“He… I hate this,” he says quietly. “It’s just like…”
“This isn’t like the past, Vinny. You were the one that said we know him, and we can use him, remember?” I whisper.
“Well, sure, but it’s one thing to think that. It’s a completely different thing to see you grabbed,” he says darkly.
“I broke his nose,” I repeat, trying to appease him.
A little snort of laughter escapes him. “Did he cry like a baby?” he asks.
“He whined like one,” I say, smugly.
“Good,” he says. “I need to cook something. Nico, can we go in, yet?”
