“Is he going to be at the ball tonight?” Taia asked worriedly, now sharing Eli’s concern.
Blake shook his head. “This is a Senatorial ball,” he said. “Mostly for Regional Transcendeds of power. The elites of Carthage will come. The Senators and some other elites of other cities in Region O too. I’ve been to a thousand of these and I’ve never seen the Prime Minister. He only goes to the National balls.”
The Senator came back to the table from the bathroom. All talk of the Prime Minister stopped immediately.
The waiter came over to the table. “What can I get you all?” he asked, setting plates and glasses down in front of everyone.
“To eat or drink?” Taia asked.
“Both,” the waiter replied smiling.
But after the entire ordeal involving the Prime Minister, Taia wasn’t feeling very hungry.
“But I don’t have a menu,” She said.
“Oh don’t worry about the price girl,” Isla said dismissively. “Order whatever you want, I will cover the bill. I’ll have an ice water and a Caesar Salad, hold the dressing.”
But that’s not what Taia meant. After all, she didn’t even know what kind of food this particular restaurant served.
The waiter snapped his fingers and suddenly a Caesar Salad was on the Senator’s plate accompanied by ice water in her glass. Taia leapt back in surprise.
This guy was a Supe. He either had the power to either teleport food to a person’s plate or simply make the items out of nothingness. Taia was amazed.
It was Blake who ordered next. “I’ll take the chicken fingers and fries please. With an apple juice,” Taia noted that this order seemed pretty childish but Blake still didn’t have his boyish trademarked smile. Like Taia, he was still affected by the events that had just transpired.
Even with this said, he did seem to perk up quite a bit after his food arrived immediately in front of him.
“What will you be having Taia?” Eli asked her.
Taia was reluctant to eat the food here considering that a Supe seemed to make it come out of nowhere. But she understood that she had drawn enough attention to herself where the Senator was concerned. Drawing anymore by refusing to eat could potentially be very bad for her well-being.
“I’ll take a cheeseburger and fries,” she answered.
“With what to drink love?” The waiter asked kindly.
“Do you have Cream Soda?” Taia asked hopefully.
The waiter chuckled. “I have whatever you want,” He then snapped his fingers and a Cheese burger and fries appeared in front of Taia. A fizzy, clear liquid also appeared in her glass.
Hesitantly, Taia reached for her glass and drank the drink. Her eyes widened in surprise as she removed the glass from her lips. This was the best Cream Soda she had ever had. It was simply incredible. It was as if this drink was made specifically for her.
“I’ll take a Cheeseburger and fries too,” Eli said. “With a water please.”
After a snap of the waiter’s fingers, Eli’s food appeared in front of him also. Everyone began eating their food as if this was something that was normal.
Is this what was normal in Supe restaurants? Did people’s foods really appear on their plate with a snap of their fingers? Taia did not dare ask for confirmation on her theory as Isla was at the table. Taia refused to let her asking an ignorant question around the Senator be the reason that she did not make it home alive. She was better than that.
Taia picked up her burger and bit into it. It had the same effect on her as the Cream Soda. It was as if the burger was made specifically for her. It was cooked just the way she liked it, it was seasoned to perfection, it even didn’t have onions nor tomatoes on it, just the way she liked it.
As much as Taia feared the Supes and wanted out of Carthage by any means necessary, she had to admit that Supes were pretty incredible.
Though she did not initially feel very hungry, because of the unbelievable taste of her food, Taia ate every bite. The group finished their food in relative silence before the waiter came over with their bill. Isla paid for it and they all made their way back to the car.
The group drove around for a few hours making random stops that only Isla was allowed to go into. She probably felt that they had heard enough of her business during the conversation with the Prime Minister and didn’t want them to hear anything else
Of course, none of them minded very much. Taia was not in any hurry to meet any more overpowered Supes that could destroy them all at any moment and Blake was not in any hurry to almost die at the hands of one.
Eventually it was time to go see the tailor so that they all could get dressed for the Senatorial ball.
The limo pulled up to the tailor’s store. The floating sign above it read “LANA’S BOUTIQUE”. And what Taia expected from the best tailor in Carthage was not what she received.
Lana’s Boutique was a beautiful store, this was undeniable. All types of dresses and skirts, suits and shirts, lined the walls of the store. And all of them were beautiful. Taia felt that she could have worn any of the dresses in the store and fit in perfectly at the ball.
But it was Lana herself that was not what Taia expected. When the group walked in the door they were greeted by an elderly woman. She was quite short and plump and had snow white hair. Taia assumed that this woman was someone that worked for the owner of the store. That was until the Senator spoke.
“Lana,” Isla said walking up to the elderly woman and kissing her on each cheek.
“Senator,” Lana said, kissing the Senator’s hand. “Are you here for you and young Master Gates’s clothing for the ball?”
“I am,” Isla said smiling.
Lana began walking through her store all the way to the back and to a far wall. She grabbed two bags and handed one to the Senator and one to Blake
“Thank you Lana,” Isla said. “Now, can you do a quick job for my two guests here? I will pay you for rush obviously. They are going to the ball as dates.”
“Of course dear,” Lana said. “What color would you all like to don tonight?”
Eli and Taia looked at each other. “Well I really don’t know,” Eli said.
“Oh he’s a Captain in the Core,” Isla said. “Just make him one of those in his size,” she pointed to a suit on the wall.
The suit looked very similar to the formal wear of Taia’s home soldiers in Sector 6. The only difference was the color. The formal wear that Isla was pointing at was a light purple blazer with black trim and black pants. It was the same shade of purple as the shirt that Carter had been wearing in his Core Officer Uniform and the color of the purple ‘C’ of the other Core officers. This must have been the formal uniform of the Core.
“I’m not a Captain in the Core anymore,” Eli said. “I would prefer not to wear purple at all.”
“I would,” Blake said looking disgustedly at his tuxedo. It was a black tux with green trim and a green dress shirt. “Green is not at all my color. I would love a purple tux.”
“No,” Isla said sharply. “Your tuxedo matches my dress. Plus, the color purple is reserved for the Core. You are not a Core officer.”
“Maybe the boy will grow up to be one.” Lana said meekly.
“Doubt it.” Isla said. “His father was already in the Core at his age. As a teleporter, he’ll more than likely end up working at the Tele-Port sending people from city to city all day.”
“First of all mother,” Blake said smiling devilishly. “I am not your date, therefore I do not have to match you. Nor will I. Second, the entire color purple does not belong to the Core, you sound ridiculous. Third, I would never work for the Core. Because I’d have to wear that hideous costume,” Blake finished pointing at the Core formal wear. “Now Lana,” he continued. “If you could just make me a tuxedo that was more my style. You know dark purple, a little black in there. I’d love it.”
Lana smiled. “That will be no problem Mr. Gates.”
All of a sudden the tuxedo in Blake�
�s hand began changing. It was a dark purple blazer with a black dress shirt and black pants. “Now this is more like it” Blake said smiling. He then went into one of Lana’s dressing rooms to change.
Irritated at the entire situation, from Eli refusing to dress like a Core officer to Blake changing the color of his tux, Isla went into a different dressing room without a word.
“Okay beauties,” Lana said turning toward Eli and Taia. “What color will you all be wearing?”
“I don’t like drawing as much attention as Blake,” Eli said in a hurry. “So anything more subtle than that.”
Taia laughed at Eli. It was clear that he was much more laid back than Blake. He didn’t need to voice that to anyone.
“I know just the thing for you two.” Lana said smiling. A dress bag then began appearing in one of her hands while a suit bag began appearing in another. She handed them to Taia and Eli. “Go try these on.”
The two looked at each other before going into different dressing rooms. Taia put on the dress. She couldn’t believe it but it was a perfect fit. And it was beautiful.
The dress was an off white gown that had a gold trim going down the slit of its leg. It was the most gorgeous thing she had ever worn and she couldn’t help but think that she looked like a princess in it. And she couldn’t believe that Lana had just created for her such a beautiful dress right in her size. Taia grabbed something out of her pants and strapped it to her leg with her holster, where it was hidden underneath her dress. Now all she needed help with was zipping the gown up.
Taia walked out of the dressing room. Both of the Gates’ were already dressed. Isla’s dress was a dark green gown that was a shade very similar to that of her home.
A hand touched Taia’s bare shoulder and she felt a shock go through her entire body.
“You help me, I help you?” Eli asked from behind Taia as he zipped up her dress. Taia turned around and saw what he meant by that question.
He looked stunning. Eli was wearing a white tuxedo with black pants and a gold trim on the lapels. It was very simple but elegant. And it matched Taia’s dress to perfection. The two now looked as if they were made for each other. But a black bow tie hung untied around Eli’s neck.
“I only know how to tie a regular tie,” Eli said smiling sheepishly. “But Lana gave me a bow tie. You want to help me out?”
Taia smiled back at Eli’s handsome face. “I’m sorry Eli,” she said. “But I don’t know how to tie them either.”
“Oh come here dear.” Lana said, slowly walking over to Eli. She tied the bowtie effortlessly around Eli’s neck.
“Thank you as always Lana.” Isla said. She pulled a black card from her green clutch and handed it over to Lana. Lana swiped the card over a metal device in her hand and handed it back to the Senator.
“It is my pleasure as always Senator.” Lana responded.
After thanking Lana for her services, the rest of the group followed Isla out of the boutique and into their vehicle.
Isla repeated the action of putting their destination into the panel in the back of the limo and the car took off.
Chapter 9
The limo rode out of the metropolis part of Carthage into an area that looked similar to the Senator’s neighborhood. The vehicle stopped at a large, iron gate. The gate opened and the hover limo went down a long road, pulling up to the Mayoral Hall.
The Mayoral Hall was literally a palace. It was the size of 3 of the Senator’s homes put together.
“You work here?” Taia asked the Senator disbelievingly.
Isla laughed. “Yes girl,” she said. “And you never will.”
She then began walking toward the hall’s front doors.
Taia looked around the campus of the hall and was astonished by everything she saw. There were all different kinds of trees and plants. Some that looked like they were foreign to Carthage’s climate.
“They must have somebody like Fielding here,” Blake said to Eli, motioning at the plants.
Eli laughed “Nobody is like Fielding.”
The trio walked behind the Senator up to the doors of the hall. The doors were opened for them by a pair of humans as they walked into the building. Taia looked into their empty, sad eyes sympathetically before walking into the building without a word to them.
“Ahh!” Taia let out a small yelp and fell into Eli’s arms as a large lion came up to her and sniffed her.
Everyone looked at her confusedly. “That’s a lion!” she exclaimed disbelievingly.
“Well obviously it’s not a wild one, village girl.” Isla said smartly. She then pointed at a young man sitting in a chair looking bored on one of the walls.
All around the large room there were other wild animals roaming around harmlessly. Taia saw an elephant, horses, a giraffe, wolves, cheetahs, and even gorillas. There were not many people in the room for the animals not to bother but there were a few.
“The guy is controlling the animals,” Eli said quietly to Taia who was still in his arms. “It’s his gift. He’s probably telling them not to attack any of us.”
“Or each other,” Blake said smiling.
The group continued walking through the entrance hall of the palace. “This is just an attraction of the ball,” Eli continued. “They always have different little sideshows at the entrances.”
They soon arrived at the elevators. Blake pushed the button and one of the elevator doors slid open. The group went into the elevators. Isla pushed ‘3’ which indicated that they were going up to the third floor.
When the elevator opened, the group was greeted to two beautiful glass doors. A slim man with a purple pony tail was standing in front of the doors in a black tuxedo. “Senator Gates!” he said smiling and bowing, his nose nearly touching the ground. “It is an honor!”
He then snapped his fingers and the glass doors were opened by two humans and Taia saw what a Senatorial Ball looked like.
The walls and floor were composed of beautiful marble. The room was decorated with several tables in white and purple table cloths. In the center of the room surrounded by the tables was a stage with a varying degree of musical instruments on it. The room was filled with people with some of them already sitting down at their tables while some people were standing and conversing.
There were humans walking around with trays of different appetizers and finger foods but everyone else in the ball was clearly a Supe.
They were wearing gowns and tuxedos and had eccentric hairstyles. Some of the Supes were different colors or had skin that was made of something other than flesh that made it obvious they were not human. Some of them were exhibiting their powers by floating or stretching their limbs beyond the length of a normal human. Taia was sure she saw the same Supe child from the day before moving water with her mind.
Taia herself thought all of this was rather impressive, but the soldier in her was searching for exit points.
And what scared Taia the most about this entire situation was the number of people in the Core Officer formal wear that Senator Gates had tried to get Eli to wear. It was clear that a decent number of Core officers were invited to this event.
Senator Gates began walking towards the tables and Taia followed her. Above each table were different floating name plates. Each read different names that each had different titles. They all stopped at the one that said “SENATOR GATES”. Taia could not help but notice it was right near the stage and was right next to a table that had the sign “MAYOR” floating above it, but no name.
“You all sit here,” senator Gates said sternly. “I will be right back,” she then walked away.
“Yea that’s happening,” Blake said sarcastically before walking away.
Eli and Taia however sat down right next to each other. “The mayor is here?” Taia asked Eli.
Eli nodded, clearly nervous. “Him and the other Senators. So it’s basically 5 Senators here.”
“You’re saying he’s as strong as the other Senators?” Taia asked.
<
br /> “I’m saying he used to be one.”
But that didn’t make sense. “But you said the Senators fight to the death,” Taia said.
Eli nodded “They do. But only if you choose to participate. The old man gave it up 2 cycles ago and fought for mayor instead. No one is usually as smart as him and they usually die in combat when they’re too old. But no one quite knows how to survive like the old man. And he was still strong enough to win the mayoral tournament,” Eli motioned toward a figure.
In a black tux with a permanent scowl etched into his face was a dark complexioned elderly man. Taia didn’t like the way Eli talked about this man, almost like he admired him.
“You know him?” Taia asked.
“Not personally,” Eli said. “But he used to be a Core officer. He was a legend to the Core.”
“Yes, well so are you Captain Proof.”
Taia and Eli turned around in their seats.
Standing behind them was Senator Gates with two men. One of them looked to be the Senator’s age while the other looked to be not much older than Eli and Taia. What frightened Taia was that they were both wearing Core formal wear.
The older man was smiling brightly while the younger man had a snarl on his face. It was the older man that had spoken and it was him that spoke again.
“I don’t know if you remember me Captain but I’m—“
“Henry Clements,” Eli said standing up and shaking the man’s hand. “I remember you.”
“That’s Commander Clements boy,” The younger man said snarling.
Eli narrowed his eyes and looked the young boy up and down.
“Scott,” he said.
“Proof,” The young man responded.
Henry Clements interrupted them. “The Senator tells me you’re interested in rejoining active duty in the Core!” he said excitedly to Eli.
Eli glared at the Senator and shook his head. “With all due respect Commander, I believe the Senator was mistaken.”
Isla opened up her mouth to speak but Eli continued. “I am no longer a Core officer.”
“Damn right you’re not,” scott snarled. “Never should’ve been one in the first place. Let alone a Captain”
Becoming Super Page 12
