Super Powereds: Year 1 (17 page)

“Well,” Coach George said once they had all fallen into line. “It seems you survived another day. I’m a touch surprised; I was sure we’d be kicking another couple of you out today.”

Panicked looks fleetingly leapt across the faces of some of the slower students. Personally, Roy felt it was warranted. Even Fatty had kept up with his group for one day. If he could do it then the only excuse for failing was laziness.

“I was wrong,” Coach George continued. “If I were you, I’d savor those words, because you won’t be hearing them very often. I’m a man, though, and I’ll own up to my mistakes. I was wrong, and today every one of you managed to keep up and stay in the program. So the question I find myself asking is this: are you all just much that better than I thought, or are you all so weak and worthless that it’s impossible to tell which piece of shit has sunk to the bottom of the toilet?”

No one said anything, the weaker students struck dumb with fear and the stronger ones arrogantly self-assured that this conversation wasn’t for them.

“I think it might be the latter,” Coach George said. “So I want you all to think about something. There are only so many spots for advancement out of this year into the next. Just passing isn’t enough; we’re only taking the best. Next time you’re slowing down to stay with your group instead of driving harder to leave them behind and knock some slow shit out of the running, I want you to think about that. Think real hard about whether you want to be a nice guy who helps everyone squeak by with mediocrity or if you want to be a Hero. Because I promise you, a mediocre Hero is just a corpse that’s a week behind schedule. Get out of my sight.”

The line broke and students began moving quickly toward the showers. Roy began swaggering but felt a firm hand grip him on the shoulder.

“Daniels,” Coach George said. “I think you and I need to talk for a minute.”

“Sure, Coach,” Roy said with his patented smile flashing. “Want me to run faster and drive a few more people out of the running?”

“Actually, Daniels, I’d like you to take note of something,” Coach George said.

“What’s that?” Roy asked.

“In this class there are several students with physical gifts well-suited to endurance or running. Yet you lap the other groups more times than anyone else,” Coach George explained. “Why do you think that is?”

“I guess I just want it more,” Roy replied, chuckling at his own wit.

“Try again, jackass. It’s because everyone else is taking this time and training seriously. Ms. Foster alone could have passed everyone several thousand times during that run. But she didn’t because she was running without using her abilities as much as possible,” Coach George said.

“Sounds pretty dumb to me,” Roy replied. “I mean, if she’s that good at running, then why practice it so much?”

“Because she wants to get stronger. As does Mr. Taylor, who shares your limitless endurance yet maintained a constant pace during today’s run,” Coach George said without an inkling of a smile in his eyes.

“You just told everyone to work harder in order to knock each other out, now you’re getting on my ass for doing well and applauding others for sandbagging it,” Roy said, shaking Coach George’s hand loose. The gym had emptied entirely by this point, only the two of them left in its large interior.

“I’m ‘getting on your ass’ because you accomplished nothing today, or yesterday, or really any day except the one you came in human form. This is training, Daniels, it’s designed to make you stronger, better, and more able to endure the toll that being a Hero will put on you. This is the foundation of being a Hero, and you’re pissing it away,” Coach George said.

“Thanks for the lecture,” Roy shot back. “But in case you forgot, I’m in the top five of this ‘hard-working class’ and I would have been number one if I hadn’t fought that stupid psychic guy.”

“No, you wouldn’t have,” Coach George said simply. “You’re the weakest of the strong, Daniels, and if you don’t start putting in the effort, you won’t even hold onto that title for more than a year.”

“Okay, how am I supposed to, then? I don’t get tired, I don’t get sore, I don’t even get short of breath,” Roy countered. “I’m super strong, super durable, and have super endurance. Now please tell me how to get any benefit out of lifting a few weights and jogging around a track.”

“Sorry, Daniels,” Coach George said with a shake of his head. “That’s not my job. Heroes are supposed to be creative and show ingenuity. If I were you, I’d get cracking on that, before the rest of the class leaves you behind.”

Roy scoffed. “It hasn’t even been a week yet.”

“Time flies, Daniels,” Coach George said as he turned and headed toward the exit. “And at this level, so will the progress of your competition.”

28.

As the days turned into weeks, Vince noticed a funny thing. He was getting used to his new life at Lander. He was slowly growing accustomed to sleeping in the same bed under the same roof every night. He was growing tolerant of Nick’s flapping gums and Roy’s douchebag demeanor. His body was even beginning to get used to the five-times-a-week workouts from hell. It was strange, but each day that passed found him more comfortable with his life here. He was beginning to feel like he might finally have a shred of normalcy in life, with his powers under control and his wandering suspended. On the day he truly he became certain of this, he reached an important decision.

“Sasha, would you like to go out with me tonight?” Vince asked stiffly. It wasn’t that he wasn’t comfortable around his speedy friend, but the life he’d had before Lander had hardly equipped him with much experience in the realm of a social life. This deficiency was one of the reasons he was determined to stop dallying and make up for lost time.

“Sure,” Sasha replied offhandedly. The two were eating breakfast on this Friday morning as was their routine, so she sipped her orange juice before continuing. “I think Julia is going out tonight and the other two never stay in on a Friday, so we can hang out and watch a movie.”

“Yes... well, that does sound fun,” Vince fumbled. “But... you see, I meant would you join me tonight... in a romantic capacity. As in a date.”

“Yeah, I know,” Sasha said. “Took you long enough. Why do you think I invited you to come watch a movie in my empty dorm?”

“Oh,” Vince said. Then realization dawned. “Oooh. I was thinking something a bit more traditional for our first date.”

“You got a car?” Sasha interrupted.

“Um... no,” Vince admitted.

“Me neither, and while I can get anywhere in town in under ten seconds, it sort of takes the fun out if you can’t join me,” Sasha pointed out. “So our options are a romantic candlelit dinner in the dining hall or watching a movie.”

“How’s seven work for you?” Vince asked.

“Better make it seven thirty. We do still have to grab a shitty dinner here after all,” Sasha said.

“Point well made,” Vince agreed.

* * *

“I still can’t believe you finally grew a pair,” Nick commented as he reclined on the boys’ lounge couch and flipped through the television stations.

“I always had a pair,” Vince said defensively. “I was just getting settled in to my new surroundings. What do you think?”

“You look dumb,” Nick replied, barely glancing at Vince’s outfit.

“How is a button-down shirt and slacks considered dumb?” Vince asked.

“It’s not, if you’re going on a job interview. For going to a dorm to watch a movie, though... little dumb,” Nick replied.

“I think it looks nice,” Hershel chimed in softly.

Vince stood in the lounge area with his open door to his back. Nick and Hershel were sitting on the couch, killing time and offering him advice on what outfit to wear. In Vince’s room loomed an ever-rising stack of rejected combinations. In all the years Vince was a wanderer he had never needed to worry about fashion. After thirty minutes of trying on clothes, he was beginning to suspect that he should have relished that time a touch more than he had.

“No, Nick’s right,” Vince said. “This is too formal. I’ll try again.” Vince turned around and went back into his room, shutting the door while he changed.

“Nick,” Hershel said shyly. “Not that I don’t appreciate him wanting our input, but why isn’t he asking the girls what he should wear on a date? You know, since it’s a girl he’s trying to impress after all.”

“Because, my dear boy, he’s an idiot. Plus I may have convinced him I’m something of a fashion expert,” Nick said, not quite hiding the chuckle in his voice.

“That’s mean! You shouldn’t trick him like that; he seems to really be into this girl,” Hershel said.

Nick cocked an eyebrow and stared at Hershel. Of course, as far as Hershel could tell, Nick had simply put his eyebrow up and pointed his sunglasses right at him, but the general effect was still the same. Sort of. “I don’t remember saying I tricked him at any point in that statement.”

“So... wait... you really are a fashion expert?” Hershel asked, confused.

“I feel like my wardrobe answers that question all on its own,” Nick replied. At that moment Nick was wearing carpenter’s pants and a green tank top. Not knowing what to say, Hershel did the next best thing. He changed the subject.

“If you have time tonight, do me a favor,” Hershel said. “When you see Roy, please tell him he has to stop skipping gym. He’s missed three classes already in the past few weeks and we only get four per semester. I don’t want to get drummed out just because my alter ego is throwing a hissy fit.”

“He has seemed a bit more on edge,” Nick agreed. “I mean, even when he comes to class he always looks a bit pissed. That first week he was pretty cheerful when he was lapping us in typical asshole form. What happened?”

Hershel let out a sigh. “Coach George called him out on not trying and told him if he doesn’t work harder the other Supers will leave him behind.”

“And he felt the appropriate response was to change nothing except his consistent attendance?” Nick asked.

“He doesn’t like it when people imply there might be others stronger than he is, and he handles it like a child,” Hershel said. “I think he wants George to admit he was wrong and that Roy could skip the whole semester and still come out on top.”

“Could he?” Nick asked, a slight twinge of true curiosity creeping into his voice.

“Maybe,” Hershel said. “The only person who’s ever been able to beat him was our dad, so I know it can be done, but other than that no one has ever really gotten the better of him in a fight.”

“What about during the opening combat trials? I mean, if he came in fifth he must have lost to someone,” Nick pointed out.

“He lost to rank number four, Rich Weaver. Rich has the ability to trap your mind in a fantasy, leaving you utterly unable to move or even perceive what’s happening around you. He locked Roy down in the first five seconds, then just walked out of the room. Twenty minutes later they declared him the winner and he let Roy free,” Hershel explained.

Nick let out a whistle. “Hard to believe someone that powerful only made it to rank four.”

“Apparently he fought Chad after that,” Hershel noted.

“That does explain a bit of it,” Nick agreed. “I have got to find out what that guy’s ability is.” Nick’s speculations were interrupted by the sound of Vince’s door opening again.

“Okay, this had better be good because if I don’t leave soon I’m going to be late!” Vince declared as he stepped out of his room.

Nick looked him carefully up and down this time. Vince was wearing black jeans and a pair of flip flops, along with a blue collared shirt. The dark tones worked well with his hair, yet didn’t clash noticeably with the striking blue of his eyes. Vince had accidently assembled a truly well-planned outfit that highlighted the best parts of himself.

“Adequate,” Nick said simply.

“I’ll take it,” Vince said with a smile, shutting his room door and dashing out the exit.

“Ahh, young love,” Nick said to no one in particular.

“I should probably go change, too,” Hershel said, pulling himself up from the chair.

“Big plans tonight?” Nick asked.

“Not that I know of,” Hershel replied. “But I can feel Roy stirring around in my head and he’s pretty anxious to get going. I guess he’s got something planned.”

“Cool,” Nick said. “You two have fun.”

“Will do,” Hershel assured.

Roy did indeed have something big planned, and at that moment it was unfortunate that Hershel only had access to Roy’s thoughts from when he was out. Hershel couldn’t see any of the things going on in Roy’s consciousness when Roy was nothing more than a presence in the brain. If Hershel had been able to, though, he undoubtedly would have refused to change and thwarted Roy’s scheme before it even began.

That, however, was not the case.

29.

Vince arrived at Sasha’s dorm and paused before knocking. He checked his breath, made sure his clothes were fitting well, and ran his fingers through his silver hair. Vince was nervous, almost pathetically so. It wasn’t that he had never had any romantic interaction with a lady; but a real date, possibly the beginning of a real relationship? That was something he’d always considered impossible until the procedure. Vince took a deep breath to steady himself. Sasha liked him, obviously, and they’d been getting to know each other for weeks since the semester began. It was never going to be any easier than this.

Vince finally pulled back his hand and knocked on Sasha’s door.

“Took you long enough,” Sasha said as she pulled the door open. “Come on in, I’ve popcorn in the microwave.”

“You look nice,” Vince said sheepishly and he stepped into her room.

“You, too,” Sasha said with a smile. “So who helped dress you?”

* * *

“Yeah, baby, I’ll meet you by the Science building and then we can head on back to your place,” Roy said into his phone as he stepped in the Melbrook common room. He snapped his cell shut and surveyed the area. No one was around; it seemed even the losers he was bunking with had things to do on a Friday night. Roy had half expected to run into Nick when he left his room, but the sunglass-wearing fashion boy had left the area while Roy was busy changing. Alice was a pretty little dish; not surprising she would have places to be. As for Mary... well, who knew what telepaths did for fun? The only other member of Melbrook missing was Vince, and Roy knew very well where that dick was.