Not Your Villain

by C. B. Lee

  Lysander’s voice is cold, devoid of humor and playfulness. “Chameleon has gone rogue and teamed up with the Villain’s Guild. The Heroes’ League of Heroes has issued an official warning to the general public, especially in Andover, that Chameleon is on the run and dangerous after an attack on a secure NAC facility.”

  Bells clenches and unclenches his hands. He knew things were going to change; he just didn’t think they would change this fast. He thought about calling Harris, whom he always thought was tough but fair. Surely not everyone in the League was corrupt. And Genevieve and the other adults would have a plan.

  There’s a cold churning in his gut. Lysander, who treated him like a rock star and had always been in awe of him, who said, “Kiddo, you’re gonna go far,” is now glaring at him through the dashboard, as if he knows this message is reaching him.

  Lysander steeples his fingers. “Be aware. Chameleon can disguise himself as any person. Report any suspicious behavior to the local authorities and verify the identity of your companions with security questions.”

  Lysander’s image flickers, and a series of photos of Bells-as-Barry are projected onto the display in a quick montage: Barry grimacing and pummeling a punching bag; Barry sparring with Coach Barbara; Barry lifting weights; a quick demonstration of Barry shifting into each of the trainers, lightning-quick.

  “This is a public service announcement. Again, Chameleon is at large and dangerous. He is fully charged and can maintain a disguise for at least ten minutes before recharging.”

  Genevieve turns to look at Bells. “Well, looks as though they’re on to us.”

  A high-pitched laugh escapes Bells. “At least ten minutes. Well, it’s a good thing I never told them how powerful I really am.”

  Genevieve nods. “This does change our plans if they’re all looking for you. You hang on to Abby’s DED with the video we need to upload; keep it safe. Officials will be on the way to your house, so that’s out. I’d take you back to my home, but I don’t want to risk Captain Orion coming for you there. Do you have somewhere you can hide? With someone you trust?”

  “It’s okay. They’re looking for a guy who doesn’t exist. I registered as Barry Carmichael. They’re not gonna be able to pick him out of a crowd.”

  Genevieve gives him a thoughtful look. “Okay, but… you registered? With an address?”

  “Abandoned strip mall in Devonport.”

  “Your home is relatively safe, then. You want to go there?”

  Bells thinks about his empty house. His parents are at the farm, and Simon is at college. He doesn’t want to go there, not now. Bells knows exactly where he wants to go and whom he wants to be with.

  The ride to Emma’s house seems to take no time at all. Bells isn’t quite ready to tell Emma how he feels about her. But he does need to tell her the truth about the superhero thing.

  In the soft twilight of the desert, Genevieve radiated power and confidence. But as they pull into town, the brightness of the streetlights reveals the toll of months of capture: exhausted shadows under her eyes, trembling fingers on the steering wheel, eyes that dart to and fro as if she’s chasing shadows only she can see. Bells catches her eyes glazing over, as if she’s struggling to stay awake.

  “You need to rest,” he says.

  “I need to go back and find my husband,” Genevieve says.

  “Do you think he’s still at the base?”

  She sighs, rubs at her eyes, and stifles a yawn as they pull into Emma’s street. “I don’t know—I need—I need—”

  The low-battery light on the car’s dash is blinking red, and the engine stalls just as they come to a stop outside the Robledo home.

  “You’re no good to anyone right now. Just…” He sighs. “Take a break. I’ll be right back after I talk to Emma, okay? Close your eyes and rest. You can’t recharge your powers if you’re actively trying to use them.”

  Genevieve gives him a small smile and hugs him.

  Bells shakes his head, shuts the door to the red convertible, and waits until Genevieve closes her eyes. Okay, get the adult to calm down, check. Now to tell my best friend the truth about my powers.

  Bells goes round to the back, walks through the patio to Emma’s bedroom window, and knocks twice—their signal.

  Emma leaves the window screen up so they can see each other easily, just as Bells keeps a spare keychip in a flowerpot in his backyard for Emma. Every crack in the trellis, every scuff on the wall, is a reminder of secrets shared and obstacles overcome. It hurt so much, keeping everything from her.

  Bells knocks on the window. His heart rate speeds up.

  Emma’s face peers out; her brown eyes and dark skin are warm contrast to the baby blue of her bedroom. Her bed is neatly made. Every decoration is lined up according to Emma’s penchant for ninety degree angles. It’s comforting, among the current chaos, to know Emma’s perfectionism is still alive and kicking.

  “Bells?” she asks, pushing open the window. “What are you doing here? There’s a red alert—a meta-human has gone rogue! Get inside!”

  Bells is touched by her concern. He is relieved that she hasn’t given up on their friendship even though they had a fight.

  Bells crawls in. “Yeah, about that. I have something I need to tell you.”

  Emma narrows her eyes. “Are you okay? Look, I know you’ve been pushing me and Jess away lately and, if you started seeing someone, you know that it’s okay, right? I’m not gonna judge you if you’re dating someone. I’d be happy for you, actually.”

  Bells shuts the window, wishing he had a super-sense that could tell him if someone was listening in on their conversation. But the League would have no reason to bug the Robledo house, he hoped.

  “I’m not dating anyone. I’m… I have meta abilities. That’s why I kept disappearing after school. I had to go to training and sometimes I had missions for the League.”

  Emma’s eyes go wide. “You’re… you’re in the Heroes’ League of Heroes? Bells, oh, my gosh, that’s amazing!” She wraps her arms around him and squeezes him. “I was so worried!”

  “Ems, you’re squeezing me really tight.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry! I was just excited.” Emma lets him go, and Bells exhales. “So! What kind of powers do you have? What’s your codename? Oh, oh, oh, you’re trusting me with your secret identity. Oh, my gosh, this is huge!” Emma’s eyes shine.

  “I can’t show you my powers because I have to recharge, and I won’t be ready until tomorrow.” Bells steps back and holds her by the shoulders. She’s practically vibrating out of her skin, and he can see how the thoughts are turning over and over in her head. “Emma,” he says with his heart in his throat. “I’m in trouble.”

  “What can I do to help? You know I’d do anything for you.”

  “Okay, I’m going to explain everything.” Bells starts to relax for the first time since Jess and Abby showed up on his doorstep. He peers out the window and, sure enough, Genevieve is still in the car, looking very much asleep. “But first, can you help me get an unconscious Mistress Mischief into your guest room?”

  It takes some effort for Bells and Emma to help Genevieve into the house. She mumbles about needing to go, to fight, to find her husband, but she can barely walk. Once in the Robledo guest room and tucked into bed, she’s out like a light.

  Emma is bouncing up and down. “She is the coolest villain. I mean, always with the pranks and the chaos, but so much style.”

  “Let’s let her get some rest.” Bells squeezes Emma’s hand and leads her back to her own bedroom.

  Emma doesn’t let go of his hand—not the entire time he’s recounting everything: his powers, the training center, Jess and Abby and their powers, the attempt to rescue the Mischiefs, Orion, and everything about the hero-villain system being a lie.

  She listens intently, gasps and clutches her hands to her face when
Bells tells her Orion attacked Jess with lightning, asks endless questions about Bells and his powers, and, by the end, she is nodding, and her eyebrows are knitted together.

  “We’re going to need help,” she muses. “Jess’ parents—they don’t know? Or they do know?”

  “I’m not sure what Jess has told them… I’m not sure where Jess is, actually.” Bells hopes she and Abby are okay. Part of him is worried, but he remembers her confidence at the base. Jess can handle this. “I told her to meet us in town, so we should go to her house and wait for her.”

  “Hmm… that’s a good idea, but, if you haven’t noticed, you’re kinda the Collective’s most wanted right now.” Emma draws the curtains shut.

  “Well, Barry Carmichael is. I should be fine,” Bells says. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t have led the Authorities to your door.”

  “Barry…” Emma raises her eyebrows.

  “I made up an identity when I registered as a meta-human,” Bells explains. “I didn’t want the League poking their noses in my family’s businesses, you know. And since I don’t have any relatives who were registered, I’d be—”

  Emma’s eyes widen. “You’re the first…”

  “Mutant, yeah. I know.” Bells sighs. “It’s weird.”

  “No, no, no, this is the coolest! It’s a game-changer! Everything we thought about the meta-gene and how it expresses itself and gets passed on…”

  Bells can already see the ideas churning in Emma’s head. She’s zipping through a long train of thought, and he’s only hearing a fraction of it.

  “… that means the amount of people with the gene we thought X29 catalyzed isn’t finite, and maybe it was latent and can be expressed after…”

  He shakes his head fondly. “All right, all right, it’s cool.”

  He should be safe, but remembering the words of Lysander’s broadcast sends a chill through him; Chameleon is wanted now. What if they somehow know that Bells is Barry? What if Jess’ parents, superheroes who have always sought to protect their city, won’t give Bells a chance to explain and will capture him at first sight?

  Emma snorts. “Oh really? However are we going to disguise your face if we go outside; how in the world are we going to do that?”

  It takes Bells a minute, looking at Emma’s serious scowl, at how she’s just about to roll her eyes, at the way her arms are crossed. The desperation of the situation rolls away, and Bells breaks into helpless laughter. “Okay, okay. But it’s not like Jess has invited a lot of people to her house; her parents really only know you and me. Who can turn up there and not be suspicious?”

  “Ah! Denise Ho! She and Jess used to be really good friends, and Jess is always saying how her parents bug her about not talking to her Chinese school friends anymore.”

  “Right,” Bells says. “I don’t have any classes with her… don’t really remember exactly…”

  “Got you covered.” Emma grins and pulls up a yearbook holo on her DED. After a few quick searches, she’s pulled up several pictures of Denise, and the plan begins to form.

  Emma heats up leftovers, and they eat. Bells’ strength begins to return as he finishes his third plate of pasta.

  Emma twirls a long string of spaghetti on her fork. “You said you hit your time limit. That’s after what, a full day at school and then at the base?”

  Bells shakes more cheese onto his pasta. “Eh, I can do a full school day—seven hours—shifted, if I want to. The more complicated the change, the harder it is; and I always exert more energy shifting something or someone I’m touching, but…”

  “You’re stronger than A-class,” Emma says, grinning.

  “I know.” Bells tries to ignore his embarrassed pride.

  “All right, I have a lot of theories on the evolution of your abilities, but it sounds like you still are limited to the usual constraints of meta-human biology. You need to get some rest. Let’s go.”

  It seems different, though Bells has slept here many times. It was always comfortable before. The three of them are used to being in each other’s space, whether they’re huddled in sleeping bags in the Robledo family room, or sprawled out over Jess’ huge bed, or telling jokes in the bunk beds at Bell’s house.

  Bells and Emma often had sleepovers—just the two of them. They used to fall asleep inches apart and talk and laugh through the night. Now, Emma keeps blushing while asking him questions about being Chameleon, what the League is like, what he thinks about Captain Orion, and how she can’t believe Captain Orion turned out to be so cruel.

  “The whole system, too,” Bells says, shaking his head. “I had no idea. I mean, I thought strange things happened during Meta-Human Training, but I didn’t realize the NAC picked out people to be villains—and then told them what to do.”

  They talk about everything, and it feels as if a huge weight has been lifted from Bells’ shoulders. Despite the chaotic mess of today and the unknown that faces them tomorrow, Bells relaxes into a soft and easy sleep with Emma beside him.

  The next morning, Genevieve is well-rested, but still anxious. She paces as they eat a quick breakfast of protein bars. “Disguising me as your friend is a good plan,” she says, nodding at them. “But you should save your energy. I don’t know how long we have to wait.”

  Bells nods. Holding a shift for both Genevieve and himself might be a stretch. He doesn’t think he’s completely recovered from yesterday.

  “Just drop me off at my home,” Genevieve says. “I need to see what we need to do to get these videos public and if Phillip’s contacted me.”

  The nervousness is almost tangible as Emma drives them through Andover. Bells glances at the advertisements on the storefronts for Captain Orion’s EverSparkle products and wonders how much of that will change once everyone knows how evil she is.

  “Thank you for everything,” Genevieve says. “I’m sure I’ll see you soon. Abby—”

  “Is on her way back to town with Jess,” Bells says.

  Genevieve nods.

  Bells waits for the last moment to shift into the disguise when they get to Jess’ house. It’s never taken so long to recover from depleting his power; he must have really stretched his limits.

  It’s not as uncomfortable as it usually is when he must take on a female form. Being Denise is part of the plan, it’s important for their cause, and no one in the League is telling him what to do. He wants to do it. For Jess, for everyone. It’s just a brief job. It’s not him. He can be Denise for a little while.

  Victor Tran welcomes them with warm greetings for Emma and surprised recognition for Bells, in the form of Denise. “My wife will be back soon with Jess. She is picking her up from a writing conference in Crystal Springs, so you’re welcome to wait.”

  “Oh, cool,” Emma says. “She told me about that.”

  Mr. Tran tilts his head and raises his eyebrows. Bells nudges Emma with his foot. The “writing conference” is obviously something Victor just came up with to explain why Jess was gone for almost two days.

  “Yeah, I thought it was at the end of the month,” Bells says casually. “I didn’t realize it was this weekend!”

  “Oh, I didn’t realize you were interested in creative writing, Denise,” Mr. Tran says.

  Bells has no idea what Denise likes and dislikes. He smiles, hoping this will work. “I have many interests.”

  “Of course, of course.” Mr. Tran nods. “You’re still interested in robotics, right? Did you apply for that internship with Monroe Industries, the one Jess got?”

  “Yeah, I still like robotics,” he says in Denise’s light tone. “Uh, I didn’t apply. I mean, I did, but I was rejected. Not good enough.”

  Emma bites back a smile.

  When they arrive, Jess and Abby look awful. They are covered in dirt and smell as if they’ve been sleeping in a trashcan.

  Jess explains everything. Bells do
esn’t get to enjoy Victor and Li Hua’s reactions to his Chameleon reveal before Abby is running her hands through her hair, frantic. “No, no, no… She won’t be strong enough now; they’ll just capture her again!”

  They must get Genevieve before she goes back to the base. Shocker and Smashwave will fly, and Jess can take the four of them in the car.

  Four. Including Emma. Bells wasn’t counting on that, but as soon as he suggested taking her home first because it’s too dangerous, Emma looked up, her eyes aglitter with determination. “If you all are going, I’m going.” Her jaw is set. Bells is struck by the ferocity of her gaze. He loves this about her: her stubbornness, her pride, her impulsive streak, that whatever, let’s go for it attitude.

  It’ll be fine. They’ll catch Genevieve either at her house or on her way back to the base, and together they’ll figure it all out.

  It is not fine.

  Captain Orion crashes into the wall, wincing as it crumbles around her.

  Genevieve is in her full Mistress Mischief regalia: purple and chrome bodysuit and matching mask. Power radiates from her as she uses her telekinesis to fling Orion onto the floor. The battle is all lightning and confrontation; the two women match each other in strength and ability. Orion flies directly at Genevieve and throws a punch.

  Genevieve gestures again, and Orion is thrown to the floor.

  Orion grimaces and then laughs, low and predatory, as lightning gathers in her hands. It sizzles in the air, narrowly missing Genevieve. Orion grabs mementos from the shelf and breaks them—books, holos of Abby and her parents, a clumsily made statue.

  “Hey, I made that!” Abby yells, ready to jump in the fray. “Don’t touch my mother!”

  “Stay out of this!” Genevieve yells.

  It’s too late. Emma picks up pieces of shattered furniture and throws them at Orion. Orion, the most powerful meta-human in the Collective, turns and glares at Emma as if she was little more than an ant.

  “No!” Orion flicks her wrist in that gesture familiar from comics and all the broadcasts of her battles. Ozone reeks as lightning sizzles toward Emma, and Bells’ heart leaps into his throat. He throws himself at her, and they tumble to the floor, barely safe.