by R. J. Ross
"Why were you trying to call your brother first, in the first place?" the tech guy asks, flushing slightly as she leans closer to look at the monitor.
"Because the kid would fit in perfectly at Cape High," she says.
"But... didn't he break into Fort Knox?" the tech asks hesitantly.
"Exactly!"
***
"I think I feel sick," I say, vying for time. "No, seriously, I always feel like puking whenever I wear things around my neck," I tell her, giving her the most pathetic look I've got. "Is there any way you can loosen my collar?"
"Really," she says, giving me a dry look. "Do you really think the head of a Hall branch would fall for a line like that?"
I stare at her for a moment longer, and then shrug. "It was worth a try," I admit, reaching up and touching the collar. It shocks me. "Ow! When did they add that?" I demand.
"Central always gets the newest toys," she mutters. The light over our heads flickers. I look at her, but she doesn't even seem to notice until the hallway we're going down goes pitch black. I reach up, touching the collar around my neck. No shock.
Awwww yeah! Goodbye, Marigold! I take a step back, sliding into the shadows--except she's still got my arm. "Leggo!" I snap, jerking at my arm. My powers are back, but she's a tank. I'm not nearly as strong as she is!
"I'm not letting you get away this time!" she says, even as we step through the Shadowlands and into--I have no idea where we are right now. I look around, since my night vision is excellent, and then stare, my mouth dropping open.
"Seriously, Mega? Tighty-whities?" I ask of the man changing in the middle of the room. He's got his mask on, and his underwear, and is in the middle of stepping into his uniform. It looks like he froze the moment the lights turned off, which makes it even funnier. "Hey, Marigold, you really shouldn't use me for your peeping habits," I add evilly.
"I'm not--I never--" she says, letting go of me quickly. "I have no idea what he's talking about!" I take a step back, leaving her there. Time to blow this joint! I stop into the Shadowlands, glancing around hesitantly. This place I travel through, it's creepy. I swear that there are unidentified living objects running around, but I need to get this stupid collar off. I jerk at it, finally pinching the right place, and drop it. Good luck tracking that one, suckers.
I feel something brush against my leg. Time to get out, I think as I step forward. Hopefully it'll be a shadow that's not inside--I stop, staring blankly at the white haired woman who caught me in the first place. She's got a phone in her hand and is staring blankly right back at me.
"Wrong shadow," I say and take a step back, leaving her behind again.
***
"You just took out the entire Central Hall's electricity?" Jamal asks the man standing next to him.
"I left the ER up and running," Technico says, with a shrug. "But the generators are going to come up at any moment. Not much more I can do unofficially to save the kid, sorry," he says, reaching up slightly to pat Jamal on the head. "If he's as good as you seem to think he is, he should be able to escape sooner or later, now." He reaches into his jeans pocket and pulls out a phone, checking it.
"But--what if he can't?" Jamal asks.
"He's a shadow walker, right? He'll be fine," Technico says, shoving the phone back into his pocket without calling anyone. "You up for a milkshake? I could seriously go for a milkshake about now," he adds, walking away.
Jamal looks at the Hall, and then looks at the crazy super that just chose what part of their electricity to kill.
"Hey, wait up," he calls, chasing after the crazy man. His class would never believe he had a milkshake with Technico. Maybe he should get an autograph, too!
***
It's a maze. I have no idea where the shadows in this place are going to wind up. I've popped out in two different rooms with heroes already, not to mention a room with a million and one guns that look like they're from outer space. Did I steal one? Hell no! Who knows what they really do? And frankly, supers that use guns just seem like cheating to me.
What? The baseball bat? That's different, I'd just been using it as an intimidation factor, okay?
Either way, I think I've got it this time. This definitely feels like... a... good...
I look around the obvious cafeteria, staring at half of the Central Hall blankly, but not as blankly as they're staring at me. "Um... how's the meatloaf?" I ask, climbing out from under the table just long enough to wave at everyone and get a good look (What? When else will I get the chance to see some of the biggest names around?)--man, Falconess is FINE in real life! Er, right--"Enjoy your meals," I say before diving back into the table's shadow.
Or trying to. I grunt as I feel someone grab my ankle. I'm dragged straight up, until I'm staring at a pair of seriously nice legs. I look up, blinking at the sight of... are those sequins? You know, I always wondered when I saw Star Spangled on television! Remember how I said I never thought of an S class wearing fingernail polish? Well, Star Spangled would be the exception. I could absolutely see this blonde beauty wearing nail polish, probably in red, white, and blue.
"Can I ask," she says in a surprisingly sweet voice. "Why you're in this part of the building? I'm afraid it's for Hall members only."
"Star Spangled, don't drop him!" I hear Firefly shout from across the room. "He's a slippery little brat," she complains as she crosses the room. I look over at her, still hanging upside down. (Star Spangled? She's a tank, too. I've heard she's a higher class than Marigold, but I'd rather see that fight on television than in person, thank you.)
Just as Star Spangled is about to hand me over to Firefly a giant hole is knocked through the cafeteria wall. Star Spangled automatically drops me and turns with raised fists to the intruder. I dare to glance back for a second just to see.
Marigold. "He's MINE!" she bellows. "Don't let him run! He's going straight to the Cape Cells!"
I would laugh, but I don't have time. I dive through the shadow under the table and race through the Shadowlands at top speed. I don't care what's in here with me at the moment, nothing is as dangerous as that old lady right now! I am leaving Central behind--and never going back, ever.
I pull to a stop and step through the nearest portal, leaning against the closest wall so I can get my breath back. It isn't from the running, it's from being plain old fashioned terrified--
This wall feels funny, cold and with ridges...
I slowly turn, almost scared to look.
That looks an awful lot like a stack of gold bricks, doesn't it? The sound of an alarm going off is quickly followed by the sound of several guns being cocked.
"I should have turned left at Albuquerque," I mutter, lifting my hands in the air.
***
So here I am--no, not in a jail, norms will never be able to catch me--I'm sitting on the top of Lady Liberty's tablet, enjoying the breeze and wondering, just for a moment, if I'll ever be a hero. I mean, all I really want to do is help kids like I was--kids that talked to the wrong guys and wound up in situations that they shouldn't be in. If I was a hero, I'd be able to do that. As it is, every time I try to do that now I wind up in more trouble than I started in.
Now both the East Branch and Central Branch are out for my head--I'm never going to be able to join. Maybe if it had only been East Branch I could have gotten away with it. I've seen them on TV, when all the Heads have to meet for something. Mastermental from Central and Marigold don't like each other very much at all. In fact, I'm almost positive that none of them like each other--they're just faking it for the camera really poorly. But now that Firefly, the golden child of the Central Hall, has it out for me, well, I'm screwed.
I jerk as I hear the sound of a straw rattling in a cup. You know, that annoying sound that comes when the cup's pretty much empty? Well, it's coming from above me. I turn, twisting to see the person sitting on top of the statue's shoulder. It's obviously a super, probably one from one of the branches out for my head. I am SO busted. And I'm too exhausted to
run away right now, even though I know I'll try.
"Nice night, don't you think?" the man asks. He's just lounging there, trying to get that last drip out of a paper cup, wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. The only concession to his super status is a simple black face mask.
"How did you find me?" I ask, moving an inch closer to the largest shadow nearby.
"Tracking device," he says. "It's on your shoe," he adds helpfully. "Beautiful view from up here. I can see why you like it so much." You can see the city from here, lit up for the night. It really is pretty, at least I've always thought it was. And just being able to sit here, watching it? It's like being a real super hero. But I've got bigger issues to deal with, according to him. I bring my foot up, running my fingers over my shoe in search of the tracker.
"I didn't do anything that deserves you hunting me down," I mutter. "Marigold's just got it out for me."
"For robbing Fort Knox," he says.
"I didn't rob it! I just... got in," I say. "But I shouldn't even bother, you capes are all the same--"
He ignores me completely, digging into his pocket and pulling out a piece of paper that's been folded into a square. He flicks it at me, hitting me square in the face with it. I grab it before it drops into my lap and unfold it, forgetting about the tracker for a moment.
There's a shield with wings at the top of the page. Underneath the shield are the words, "Cape High." I read the page twice as I try to wrap my head around it.
"Where we teach the capes of tomorrow, both hero and villain. Now accepting any bearer of this page as a student with full scholarship, food, and boarding. Just present this page to the Central Hall," the man above me says in a bland tone, as if he's memorized the sheet. "Signed by Technico, Principal of Cape High, and Mastermental, Central Hall Leader," he adds.
"But I can't go into Central--" I start out, only to stop as he flies away. "Hall," I finish a bit lamely, still staring at the paper. I wonder how long he's been carrying this, I think as I look at the worn creases in the paper. It looks like it's been through the wash a few times, and folded more times than I can count...
But...
I'm almost surprised when the first laugh escapes me. I give in, though, laughing my head off over the entire thing. That had to have been Technico--who's from Central Hall--and I must have passed my entrance exam with flying colors, even if I'd had no clue it was one in the first place.
Supers are weird, you know?
And me?
I'm just super.
CHAPTER ONE
*The Present (After a lot of other stuff happened)*
My name is Rocco Stiltz, age seventeen, son of Gwenda Stiltz and… reluctant as I am to admit it, Shadowman. I don’t know his real name, don’t care. I’m a student at Cape High—which is why I’m in the middle of trying to hold an entire sports team hostage.
No, seriously, that DOES explain it. Why does it explain it? Because I’ve been assigned to Maximum’s team and Max has a thing for sports. It started out almost two years ago, when he held the entire Super Bowl hostage during their halftime show. So now we have a professional football team in a bus, some twenty feet off the ground at the moment. It’s a bit late in the season to get the baseball team, according to Max, even though he REALLY wants to get them, too. Me? I’m in the bus, carrying a football and a bunch of sharpies from one member to the next as Max does his speech to the people below.
“So sorry about this,” I say, holding out the ball to the next guy. They all make me look like a string bean, I note idly. None of them are capes, though—there’s a testing process before they’re even allowed to play college football, much less the pros. That means skinny little me is probably a good deal stronger than any of them. Doesn’t matter, though, I have a huge amount of respect for sports players. In a way, they’re a lot tougher than capes—they don’t have the whole ‘speed healing’ thing going for them.
“So you’re all super villains?” one of the players asks, motioning to cute little Piper as she hands out gifts from the school. Max insisted that we give them something in exchange for their time—they have a game to get to in a few hours, after all.
“No, sir,” I say, “we’re acting as lackeys. We’re undeclared.”
“What do you mean?” he asks.
“We’re high school students,” I say.
“Oh! Hey, they’re from Cape High!” the guy behind him says as Piper hands him a special pin with the school’s new logo on it. “Awesome—I knew they were from around here!”
“So why kidnap a football team?” another asks.
“Maximum’s a huge sports fan,” I admit, rolling my eyes. “We’re doing all of this to get an autographed football. You guys WERE told we were coming, right?”
“I was,” the coach says. “This is just a publicity stunt, boys, so relax and enjoy the ride. We should be ‘rescued’ soon, right?”
“Yes, sir,” I say, shooting him a grin. “Kid Liberty should be showing up at any moment—but actually, if you would all line up and grab hands, we should be leaving… now,” I say as Lance calls me over the com. He’s our eyes on the ground today.
“What?” the coach asks. “We’re not going to jump out of a flying bus, no matter what you tell us—”
“No, sir,” I say respectfully, heading for one of the walls. “We’re going to walk out of a flying bus.” My hand sinks into the shadow there, disappearing from view. “I’m a shadow walker.” The bus jerks, shaking wildly as Max and Trent start fighting. I hold out my hand and Piper grabs it first, holding out her hand to the nearest player and giving him a shy little smile. The player stands and takes her hand.
“This is crazy,” he says, “but hey, why not?” I give them a few moments to grab hands and I step into the shadows, dragging an entire football team with me. I think Max is having WAY too much fun with my freakin’ abilities, I decide darkly as I lead them through the Shadowlands. He definitely owes me for this one.
***
“And then he goes off on an entire RANT about how he could have kept the bus as a memento,” Trent says as we lounge around the pool that night. It’s too cold to swim—unless you’re Malina and Carla, apparently. The rest of us are just hanging out drinking soda as the major players talk about the little football escapade this morning. The poolside is lit up with bright, colorful lights that change color randomly, and I find myself glancing over at the pool once in a while—especially as they let out squeals of laughter.
“You already blew it,” Max says as he sees me looking.
“Blew what?” Trent asks, distracted from describing the way they delivered the new bus to the players.
“Carla had a thing for him,” Max says cheerfully. “He blew it.”
“I didn’t realize she had a thing until—” I protest, only to get blown off by a wave of Max’s hand.
“You blew it. I caught sight of her chatting up that Cisco kid the other day when he was moving in—”
“Cisco’s only twelve!” I say, feeling irritated all around. I refuse to be replaced by a twelve year old. That’s just sad.
“You broke Carla’s heart?” Trent asks. The entire group goes quiet and I see all of the zoo kids, especially, staring at me. It’s only the girls in the pool that don’t seem to realize what’s going on. I can’t help but feel relieved over that—Carla would be really embarrassed, I bet, and Malina would probably get reve—
A shot of water comes from the pool, hitting me right in the face. “Okay, now his pants!” Carla says as I wipe the water out of my eyes. A freezing stream of water lands in my lap and I yelp, jumping to my feet. It looks like I wet myself, I think as I look at the two girls. They’re both grinning evilly.
Have I mentioned that it’s winter right now? I stare at Carla, who waves—and just to put the cherry on top, blows a kiss.
“Oh, that’s it,” I say, kicking off my boots and jumping fully clothed into the pool. It’s a bit of a shock, even though I’m a super, but I ignore it as I c
hase after Carla. She swims almost as fast as she runs, but she’s too busy shrieking and laughing to get far enough. I grab her around the waist, hauling her up so her feet are out of the water, and fall backwards, taking us both under. Maybe she’s forgiven me? I hope so, I think as she swims out of my hold. I surface. Before I can blink, though, I’m staring into gleaming ice blue eyes as Malina grabs my shirt.
Malina is a little person—she’s barely three foot five—but if she’s surrounded by water, she’s probably one of the most dangerous kids in the school outside of the major names. “I’m going to write it off as stupidity,” she whispers silently in my ear, “do you care for Carla?” she asks.
“Of course I do!” I say, so shocked that I speak a little too loudly. “I just—I’m—” I sigh, shrugging. I don’t know what to say other than that, honestly. I feel hands on my shoulders before I have to come up with something, so I willingly let Carla dunk me under. I go deeper, hanging out at the bottom of the pool and looking up at the world. The two girls in their swimsuits, the bright colorful lights lighting up the huge pool, the chill of the water that I’ve gotten used to…
And I remember the meeting with Shadowman. His statement about turning out just like him, it’s stuck in my head. The two girls above me, as well as a good portion of the ones hanging out poolside—they were all kidnapped by Shadowman. The sins of the father, and all that stuff, my mind whispers.
She’s so freaking strong, I think as Carla glances down at me curiously. She’s strong enough to befriend strangers after all she’s gone through. She’s strong enough to like a guy with the same powers as her kidnapper. And she’s strong enough to act like nothing happened after he screwed up and broke her heart. My heart jerks slightly as I think about it. I reach up, rubbing my hand against my chest, wondering if I’ve held my breath too long. Instead of going up, though, I go down, heading for the biggest shadow in the pool and slipping through it. I can’t go off campus—Nico’s special force field keeps me from leaving, but I can go to my room. I head for it, coming through the wall and calling out for the lights to come on. They do, and I strip down, heading for my shower to wash off the chlorine.
