The Pantheon Saga | Book 5 | Absolute Power

by Ekeke, C. C.

  “But—”

  “No.” Hugo’s answer was final. He spotted Raphael Turner trying to slink past the drama. But being a hefty six-foot-five made that impossible. “Get her outta here.” He guided Jodie to his friend, to her dismay. Raphael silently steered Jodie away.

  Hugo steeled his resolve before facing Spencer. But she was watching Jordana’s departure blandly. “Jodie’s so hot when she’s angry. I see why she’s your favorite.” Spencer tilted her head, watching Hugo coldly. “Does she know Jenny’s still your pet? Or is it Brie now?” She made a gagging face.

  Hugo drew close until they were inches part, ignoring the growing stares and murmurs around them. None of these gossip-addicted teens realized how much danger they were in if Spencer lashed out.

  So Hugo chose diplomacy. “What are you doing here?”

  Spencer placed a hand on her chest in feigned surprise. “I go to school here, just like you.”

  “You know what I mean,” Hugo growled quietly.

  “Careful, Hugo.” Spencer gave him a sidelong look, dark-blue eyes glittering. “You got so violent the last time we were alone together.”

  Hugo paused. The threat reminded him of her close ties with Principal Walker. He stepped back, barely lessening the thick, delicious tension between them. “Where’s your dad?”

  Spencer’s eyes danced with amusement. “Ezra’s getting what he deserves. Did you like my gifts?”

  “The Instagram love letter?” Hugo bit back through gritted teeth, “or attacking me in Seattle?”

  Spencer giggled softly, covering her mouth. “Fumigating your gear stash site.”

  Horror struck Hugo. “You tipped the school off,” he breathed.

  “Switch your gear stash regularly.” Spencer wagged her finger in his face, then let it graze down his chest. “Rookie move, superhero.”

  Hugo pulled back from her reach, sickened. “Why are you doing this?”

  Spencer’s sneer became obnoxious. She closed the gap between them again. “Because it’s fun.”

  Hugo glanced around nervously. Far behind him, he could hear Brie, Simon, and J-Tom’s worried chatter. “Was it fun hurting J-Tom?”

  “I’m just getting started.” Spencer’s stare was pitying. “Because I have so many plans for you and Jenny. When I said I’m gonna ruin your life, I wasn’t joke… Oooh,” She beamed at something behind Hugo, then looked to him again. “The way Brie’s glaring? She knows about us.”

  Clenching both fists, he watched Spencer with deep vitriol. “Touch any of my friends, and you'll see plenty of me,” Hugo promised menacingly. Whatever the price, he’d never let Spencer harm them.

  She slid closer, standing just above his nipples, her stare venomous. “Then what?”

  For a moment, Hugo had no comeback. Against Spencer, empty threats were unacceptable. After some fast thinking, the ammo came to mind. “I know which supers you’ve kidnapped for Paxton-Brandt.” He leaned close, his whisper slicing through the hallway chatter. “I even saw a kidnapping in progress.”

  Spencer just stared. “You’re such a bastard,” she cooed. “Then again, you’ve always been a bastard.”

  The allegation behind her taunt landed on Hugo’s chest like an anvil. “What did you say?”

  Spencer’s smugness returned. “Daddy let it slip after too much bourbon one night.” She turned to leave. “Seems we’re at a standoff. Can’t wait to see who blinks first.”

  Hugo was sick of this conflict. Sick of the games. Sick of the risk to his friends and family. “It’s not too late, Spence,” he remarked. “You don’t have to be the villain.”

  Emotion spasmed across her face. Whatever that brief lapse of humanity was, it vanished once she faced him fully. “What don’t you fucking understand?” she scolded. “This is who I’ve always been.” With that, she marched off with her entourage, which included Raphael’s girlfriend, Karlee.

  She’s a spy. Hugo processed this, ignoring nosy stares while walking back to his waiting friends.

  “Details!” Jordana pressed.

  “What happed?” Simon asked.

  Raphael looked heartbroken. “I had no clue Karlee was Spencer’s friend.”

  Hugo jabbed a thumb toward an empty classroom. Brie, Jordana, Raphael, J-Tom, and Simon followed.

  “Here’s the deal,” Hugo declared after closing the door. His friends had gathered around him. “Stay away from Spencer. Don’t ever provoke her. She’s dangerous.” The mandate drew general agreement.

  Jordana scoffed. “I can handle that sunburnt trust fund baby.”

  “No, you really can’t,” J-Tom blurted out, to Jordana’s surprise.

  “She’s right,” Hugo added. “I don’t know Spencer like you do. But you don’t know her the way I do. Not sexually,” he added when Jordana gagged. Simon coughed to hide laughter.

  Hugo went on. “Last summer, she physically attacked Jenny….and me. Not sure how bad it would’ve gotten if her dad didn’t show up.”

  That caused open shock from Raphael and Jodie.

  “Okay.” Jodie raised her hands in surrender, disturbed. “I’ll back off.”

  Hugo felt a modicum of peace and kissed her forehead. “Get to class, okay?”

  Once Raphael and Jordana left, Hugo closed the door behind them.

  J-Tom almost said more, then noticed Briseis. “Uh, what’s up, Brie?” She looked at Hugo pointedly.

  “It’s okay,” Hugo assured. “Brie knows.”

  Simon seethed in silence.

  J-Tom’s nostrils flared. “You told her about me?”

  Hugo facepalmed. “No.”

  Brie was confused. “Bogie said you knew…” Realization filled her face. “OMGeezies, you’re Arclight?”

  J-Tom turned pink.

  “Guys,” Hugo spoke over them. “With Spencer back, we can’t drop our guard until we figure out how to contain her.” And he had no clue how without mutual self-destruction.

  When his friends agreed, he nodded with a confidence he didn’t feel. “We’ll talk later today. Keep safe.”

  Chapter 49

  The dispatch call came at the end of today’s uneventful patrol. Hugo soared through the clear skies, the sinking sun the color of a peach. J-Tom was at his side in her silvery Arclight armor, with miles of greater San Miguel’s orderly suburbia spread out beneath them.

  A notification pinged on his half-mask’s eyescreen, and he tapped on the side of his hood to receive it. “Dispatch. What do ya got?”

  “Aegis,” an older male voice replied. “Brawl breaking out at Gather Natural Market in Atascadero. Two supers, both heavy hitters. They’re starting to cause some damage.”

  Hugo gave J-Tom an exasperated look. Since the Atascadero quakes, Gather Natural had been slammed with clients stockpiling like the end times were near.

  “Who’s closest?” J-Tom asked in modulated tones.

  “Loba and Ballistic are patrolling Paso Robles,” the dispatch agent replied. “Polymer and Cherry Blossom are off this evening.” Cherry and Polymer were training with Lady Liberty.

  “Arclight and I got this.” Hugo hung a sharp left. J-Tom quickly followed, a faint afterburn trailing her.

  Within three minutes, Hugo reached the front of Gather Natural.

  Throngs of customers outside the grocery clustered around the fight. One man, bald and built like a truck, had skin resembling gold. The other was short and skinny, probably shorter than Simon. But his body emitted angry red light as he lobbed energy bursts at his larger foe. The big man staggered and dropped to a knee but quickly shook it off.

  “That’s my toilet paper, asshole!” The energy thrower raised both hands for another attack.

  “You grabbed the last package yesterday, you selfish bastard!” the bigger man called back, reaching for a Dodge Ram to lift off the ground.

  J-Tom made a disgusted noise.

  Hugo was thankful to see the fight hadn’t escalated…yet. He landed on one side of the conflict like a ballplayer after
a slam-dunk. J-Tom touched down on the other side, her boots making a loud clank.

  The crowd murmured in awe, backing away.

  The big man dropped the car with a snarl. He was HUGE, easily clearing seven feet.

  The skinnier man immediately powered down. “Whoa!”

  Hugo straightened, hands on hips. “You know who I am.”

  “You’ve heard of me too,” J-Tom echoed.

  “You really wanna do this?” Hugo inquired, hoping for common sense.

  The energy thrower wisely raised his hands. “Nope.”

  The big man wasn’t so wise. “Stay outta this, capes!” He moved to charge at Hugo.

  J-Tom’s hand snapped up and blasted before he took a step.

  One brilliant flash later, the big man slid to a stop at Hugo’s feet, out cold.

  J-Tom lowered her gauntlet, the circle in her palm dimming in illumination.

  Hugo snorted and eyed the crowd. “When he wakes up, tell him if we catch him misbehaving again, he goes to jail.” General murmurs and head nods confirmed.

  Hugo turned to the energy thrower. “Take your toilet paper and go.” He pointed toward the parking lot.

  The man snatched his prize and scrambled away. The crowd was jockeying for photos and selfies.

  “Move along!” J-Tom ordered, her helmet’s eyes bathing the lot in floodlights. “Nothing to see here!”

  A little later, Hugo and J-Tom returned to the Clubhouse, switching out of their costumes.

  Hugo emerged from the shower, slipping on a t-shirt and jeans. J-Tom stood in the command center, cutting a lean figure in mustard-yellow capri pants and one of the off-the-shoulder t-shirts Hugo liked. Her ginger mane fell in lank and damp over one shoulder. She leaned forward, the wide monitors absorbing her full attention. One screen featured a grid-like map of Southern Africa.

  “An easy night, thank God,” Hugo remarked, running fingers through his still-wet hair. These past couple weeks between the Seattle quake and the Forces of Nature had been insane. “I have to get some studying in so I don’t flunk another test.”

  “Sure,” J-Tom mumbled, glued to the screen. “I’m staying a bit longer.”

  Hugo frowned. The monitor’s glow highlighted her blank expression. “Jenny,” he stated more seriously. “Everything okay?”

  J-Tom closed her eyes. “No, it’s just…” she insisted in brittle tones, “I got scolded by my volleyball coach for missing so many practices.”

  He reached his friend quickly, drawing her upright. “You should quit.”

  J-Tom stared at him, shocked and a little angry. “Why would I do that?”

  Hugo shrugged. “I was watching one of your volleyball practices two weeks ago before we went to train.” He shook his head, the memory floating in his mind. “You looked ready to stab your own eyes out.”

  J-Tom’s eyes widened. “Was it that obvious?” she asked quietly.

  Hugo gave a knowing nod. “Your poker face needs work.”

  J-Tom sighed and leaned back on a desk. “I used to enjoy stuff like volleyball and student council.” She stared down. “But after becoming a superhero, those things feel like…meaningless.”

  Hugo understood her struggle, still paying a price for his choices. “Eventually, you’ll have to choose.”

  “But should I?” She sounded so raw and sad. “You heard about the Natural Born Thrillers? They wanted to save Shenandoah. Now they’re in jail, and Shenandoah just banned all superheroes.” She lifted her hands, letting them drop limply. “What if all the good we do ends up meaning nothing?”

  Hugo saw the light fading in J-Tom’s eyes, knowing she desperately needed hope. “Let me show you something.” He leaned forward, typing into a database their systems were linked to.

  J-Tom sniffled but said nothing as he worked.

  After a quick search, Hugo’s target appeared onscreen. He still felt such pride from this save. “Darren Boggs.” The screen revealed a bald man, young and well-dressed, happy. “Four months ago, he tried to commit suicide.”

  J-Tom made a face. “That’s your lead-in?”

  “Shush.” Hugo waved off the snark. “I talked him off the ledge this past summer. I check in every so often.” Warmth swelled in Hugo’s chest. “New job. New girlfriend. Better outlook. Darren is why we do the job. So people like him can live.”

  He turned to J-Tom. “When I visited Atascadero State Hospital, you should’ve seen the young patients’ faces.” He was still confounded by his own popularity. “Because of me?”

  That coaxed some laughter out of J-Tom.

  Hugo draped an arm around her shoulders. “Part of me dreaded doing stuff like this at the start of my career. Now, I love it.” His grin made both of them giggle. “Not just because it makes me feel better. It makes them feel better.” Hugo turned J-Tom about, drawing her close. “Hope is our north star in the darkness. Hope is what we give to San Miguel.”

  He lifted J-Tom’s chin, holding her gaze. “Being a superhero has fixed me in ways I still can’t really explain,” he admitted. “This job can do that for you.”

  J-Tom blushed. “I hope so.” The pair hugged for a long and lingering while.

  Minutes passed before Hugo spoke again. “I plan to work things out with Jodie.”

  He felt J-Tom wilt. “I figured.” The bitterness in her words was sharp. “Guess we can’t be lonely together anymore.”

  Hugo pulled back, cupping her face. “You deserve someone worthy of you. Don’t forget that.”

  J-Tom shivered in appreciation. “Uh-oh. I’m about to cry, aren't I?”

  Hugo kissed her forehead, then her lips. And she wrapped her arms around him.

  A few hours afterward, he sat beside Brie in a Spyder. She was in tennis warmups, dark auburn hair falling loose and wavy. Brie had just parked in the driveway of her mother’s palatial home when Hugo had called.

  Two minutes after, he was in her car.

  “Mumu’s using a possible dog adoption to buy my affections,” Brie explained, adjusting her driving glasses. “Figure it’ll make a mother-daughter dinner semi-bearable.” She focused on Hugo. “What’s up?”

  Hugo hesitated, already knowing what to ask. But should it be asked? “I need help with Jenny.”

  Brie’s reaction was reproachful. “To break up with her?”

  “Already did,” Hugo countered tersely. It had been harder than expected, and not without one last sendoff. “She needs a Simon.”

  “Only you need a Simon, Bogie,” Brie mocked.

  “Briseis,” Hugo warned.

  “Sorry!” She gritted her teeth, instantly remorseful. “Old habit.”

  Hugo gave her a disapproving onceover before continuing. “Being a superhero will be much tougher than she realizes. J-Tom’s going to need a confidante besides me to lean on. Somebody not in our world. Who better than one of her best friends?”

  Brie seemed uncertain. “I’d be honored…but are you sure?”

  Hugo nodded. “Positive.”

  Brie’s fears fell away. “Thanks for trusting me.” Her pale-green eyes sparkled in gratitude.

  Hugo winked. “Always.” After giving Brie a parting hug, he exited the car and zoomed back home.

  Interlude: Briseis

  Moonlight spilled through the windows over two teens in bed, hands and mouths exploring each other.

  Jordana’s gonna kill me, Briseis realized, on her back and blissed out. But why did this mistake feel so good? Baz was on top, his lips roving down to her neck. Then came his soft kisses, his boyish grin when he looked at her, and that knowing touch. “Maybe we shouldn’t,” she murmured.

  “Why?” Baz grunted, nibbling on her collarbone. His hands glided along her thighs, knowing all the familiar places to make her weak.

  “My dad…” Brie panted.

  “Not who I wanna think about,” Baz interjected.

  Brie giggled and shoved Baz off to behold his face. “He might come…home soon. And another thing.” Buzzing off his hair
emphasized his hotness. “I don’t want this to be a thing again,” she stated seriously.

  In the dark, Baz smiled. “I leave for the academy tomorrow. I want to spend tonight with you.”

  That touched her in ways she wasn’t ready for. “Well…when you put it that way.” She dragged Baz down and kissed him forcefully, to bury everything that hurt, while his fingers unfastened her belt.

  “Smart choice, Breezy.”

  Brie’s eyes popped open. That’s my voice. “Huh?” She turned her head left and recoiled.

  Several feet away, she saw herself leaning back against a wall, triumph on her lips. This other Brie was a throwback from sophomore year. Custom trench coat dress, sleek auburn hair crowned by a bejeweled headband, too much makeup, and cheekbones that could cut glass. Her pale-green eyes glittered with superiority. And this Brie was worryingly thin from the binging and purging she once did.

  Am I losing it again? Baz was oblivious as usual, focused on fondling her senseless.

  Brie felt such sorrow watching this younger version of herself. The beauty and confidence were on display, with no genuine happiness. She longed to give that secretly miserable girl a hug.

  “We always looked good together, right?” Younger Brie pushed off the wall. “And Baz is so pretty.”

  Brie shook her head and combed through memories of dating Baz, finding a harsh reality. “I think I loved the idea of us together more than I loved him.”

  Younger Brie scoffed at such introspection. “So? He’s great in bed.”

  Brie measured her younger self’s advice. “Good point.” She grabbed the hem of Baz’s shirt to pull it off.

  A chuckle came from deep in his throat. “Let me handle that.” He drew back, to Brie’s brief dismay, and tugged his shirt over his head. She jerked back on her elbows.

  Instead of Baz’s upper body, Brie saw Hugo Malalou’s browned torso. He looked carved out of stone, his hair spiky and tousled. Hugo casually tossed away his shirt. “Hey, Brie.” His voice was crumpled velvet.

  Brie couldn’t move past her shock. “What happened to Baz?”

  Hugo smiled in that cheeky way of his. “Who cares?” He wasn’t pretty like Baz. But something about his roughhewn features and that body was so ruggedly beautiful it gave Brie the spins…