Super Powereds: Year 3 (96 page)

                She slipped the trench coat off and stuffed it into the small bag that Hershel had insisted everyone bring. At the time, she’d thought he was being ridiculous, but now, having portable chairs, along with water and snacks, didn’t seem like such a bad plan. Yanking out the small seat, she set it up on the sidewalk as her group settled into their spot in line.

                “You did a great job on these costumes,” Sasha told Alex. “The others don’t seem half as authentic.”

                “It was a team effort,” Alex replied. “And I saw a few near the front that looked pretty damn good. We definitely didn’t embarrass ourselves, though, and that’s what matters.”

                “You’re wearing a vest and wings, and you don’t feel embarrassed? I’m impressed,” Angela said.

                “Should I even point out that you’re in a metal corset and short shorts?” Alex shot back.

                “You can if you want, but why would I be embarrassed about that? Shit, I’ve worn less than this to go to the grocery store.” It was hard to tell when Angela was joking; the woman seemed to be so without shame or limits that anything was possible for her. Deep down, Alice sort of admired that. While she didn’t ever want to be quite as free as Angela, it was impressive to see the way she handled every situation with confidence and surety.

                Behind them, more people were getting in line. It appeared Hershel was right; this thing was far from being done growing. Alice noted that these new people were also in costume, though theirs didn’t seem as well-crafted as what the boys had been able to churn out. Alex, Hershel, Chad, and even the novice Vince had done a shockingly good job in creating outfits for everyone who wanted to come. Some had been a bit more enthusiastic about attending than others, though; Alice was fairly certain that Mary had negotiated no less than three date nights in exchange for her participation that evening.

                Alice glanced over at her friends, noticing that Mary was holding Hershel’s hand and smiling as he talked about what he hoped to see in the upcoming film. The small girl couldn’t have possibly cared less about the movie, but she was making sure he enjoyed himself fully, just as Hershel had done for her countless times. Since freshman year, those two had been united. They had the kind of love that was quiet, and easy to mistake for familiarity, yet it seemed unshakable. Much as she adored them both, it was hard not to feel jealous of them, at least occasionally.

                “Coffee?” Nick had plopped down next to her and produced a cold bottle with a premade mocha drink from his own bag. “Figured you might need the caffeine to stay awake, since you passed out during the originals.”

                “Shhh.” Alice elbowed him in the ribs, but then accepted the drink. “I don’t want Hershel or Alex to know I couldn’t stay awake through the last movie.”

                “Dear girl, your snores told the room more efficiently than any words I could ever hope to conjure,” he replied.

                Alice stared at Nick for a long few seconds. “I do 
not
 snore.”

                “My mistake. In that case, I have the number for a good doctor whom you should let check you out, because no one should be making those sorts of noises from just breathing.”

                Nick’s smart mouth earned him another shot to the ribs, which he managed to partially avoid. True, it wasn’t holding her hand or taking her out to dinner, but Nick was showing his affection in the way he always had, and she was returning it in her own way. It was, unquestionably, an unhealthy way to deal with the feelings between them, and it wouldn’t be able to suffice for much longer.

                But, for the moment, it was enough.

178.

               As the horde of costumed movie-goers streamed out of the theater, the street became thick with excited chatter. Countless conversations dissecting and celebrating the same cinematic moments floated through the air as the joy of what they’d watched burst forth from their lips, unwilling to be contained. The group composed primarily of those from Lander’s HCP junior year was no exception, as Hershel, Alex, and Sasha went back and forth over the choices that had been made, as well as the nods to the previous series. Mary walked ahead with Alice, determined not to be drawn into the conversation against her will, while the others walked behind, trying to make sense of the discussion.

                “So, what did you think of your first costumed movie premiere?” Hershel asked at last, his eyes darting between Chad and Vince.

                “The movie was good,” Vince said. “I mean, bad, but good bad, right? Anyway, I had fun with you all, and that’s what matters.”

                “My assessment concurs,” Chad agreed. “I feel that, in truth, the act of actually seeing the movie was ancillary to the experience. It simply served as an impetus for us to do something unusual, and spend time together creating the outfits. The camaraderie seems to be the core of the enjoyment, more so than the film.”

                “Most people just refer to that as hanging out,” Angela told him, patting her boyfriend on the shoulder. “And they don’t have to talk like a physics professor to say that it’s fun.”

                “And what concern is it of mine how most people act?” Chad gave her an exaggerated wink, and Angela nearly lost a step. If Chad was trying to be sassy, he must really have been having a grand ole time.

                They continued walking down the street to the cars, happy and relaxed, but still staying aware of their surroundings. Years of training—for some, a lifetime of it—had conditioned them to always be ready for a situation to turn dangerous. It was a shame, in a way, that even on a night as innocent as this one, each was prepared to go to battle in a heartbeat. Fortunately, both for them and for any ambitious muggers that might be prowling the night, no such trouble occurred before they reached the parking lot.

                As the group reached their cars and began to pile in, Chad spoke up once more. “May I have a moment? There is something I would like to say.”

                The others nodded; some even put their keys away before turning to their blond friend currently dressed like a space cyborg.

                “I must confess that I came to this event viewing it as more of a trial run than anything else. I generally do not engage in frivolity when such time could be spent training, and this event has demanded many hours from me. From the outside, it seemed silly, but I pressed on because I wanted to understand what makes people do these things. Since I was a child, I’ve kept a distance from those unlike me, people I thought would slow me down. The only two friends I’ve had are Shane and Angela, both of whom I didn’t meet until college. Now, having actually gone through such an experience, I can say that, while joyful, there was no significant net gain from doing so.”

                His friends—for that is who they were, whether Chad realized it or not—remained silent, allowing him to continue. The young man wore an open expression as he struggled to find the words he was searching for. Chad might have been one of the strongest Supers in the HCP, but when it came to basic socialization, he was the weakest of the lot. That said, he was trying to improve, and anyone who had fought Chad Taylor knew what he was like when he decided to train.

                “There was no net gain . . . yet I find myself compelled by the idea of doing it again. Even though it represents a less efficient way of managing my time, I still find the idea preferable to going back to my old system. It seems, as such, that perhaps I am not quite as suited to solitary living as I suspected. I say all this for two reasons; the first of which is to thank you for opening your doors and letting me in. You were under no obligation to treat me like one of your own just because I moved in, yet you did so without hesitation, and I am exceptionally thankful for it. The second reason I say all this is because I have decided how I would like to use the ‘king for a day’ ability I won in our wager.”

                “Hang on, you guys made a bet with Chad?” Nick interrupted.

                “At the semester finals,” Vince told him. “Whoever came out on top got to plan activities for a whole day, and the others have to go along with it.”

                “Yeah, I figured that out from the context,” Nick said. “What I meant is that you all made a bet 
against
 Chad?”

                “And they nearly won it, too,” Chad told him. “But in the end, I pulled out slightly ahead, and as such, I have decided what to do with our day. I’m thinking of using it during spring break, assuming we can all get off work.”

                “Brenda told us that we’re free to take the whole week, since business drops off significantly,” Mary said.

                “And there’s no way in hell you’re getting hours,” Angela said. “Half the reason for the Cowgirl Rodeo is that no one comes out around here during break, too much other cool shit, so they’ve got to make the money while they can.”

                “What about you?” Chad asked.

                “I wasn’t a part of your little bet, so I get to wait and hear what the plan is before I sign on board. You’re a doll, but if you think I’m spending my last spring break doing some sort of ultra-training, then you severely underestimate my love of sunbathing and margaritas.” Angela waggled her eyebrows and stuck a hand on her hip. “But, if it’s fun, then I can get off as much time as I need.”

                “I’m not sure how much fun it will be, though I hope a lot,” Chad said. “I actually want to spend a day doing normal activities. Perhaps going to a beach, or an amusement park, or on a hike . . . forgive me, the idea just struck, so I don’t have much of an itinerary yet. The point is, I think I’d like to see more of what I’ve been missing. What normal people have grown up with.”

                “We can deliver on most of that,” Shane said. “Though, with this group, I think true normality has been off the table since we stepped on campus.”

                “Perhaps so,” Chad agreed, turning to look at his costumed friends, who could just as easily be his adversaries the next time he stepped into class. “But perhaps our ‘normal’ is not so bad either.”

               They filed into their respective cars and began heading back toward campus. For most, this would mark the end of a night they would look back on as a rare glimpse of what normal life could be. For one of them, however, there was still work to be done before the night was through.

179.

                While everyone else went to their dorms or apartments after parting ways in the parking lot, Nick Campbell drove his car to a different destination. He pulled up in front of a large, gated brick building, one among dozens of identical others, and killed the engine. Emerging from the car, he took a moment to check his reflection and frowned. It would have been nice if there had at least been time to change after the movie. Such was the price of efficiency, however, and Nick sauntered through the front door without an ounce of compunction over the fact that he was technically trespassing. These buildings were undergoing renovations that had stalled due to a drop in the company’s revenue; there was nothing to steal, and no reason anyone would care to do more than offer up a perfunctory effort at guarding them.

                Inside, Nick found the vast area largely empty, save for a few lamps, a duffel bag, a portable generator, and several people. Two of them he knew instantly; they were the ones who had texted him with the need to meet up, after all. The other three were strangers, so far as he was concerned, though Nick had a feeling that, before the night was out, he would know intimate details about each one.

                “I see you weren’t gentle with them,” Nick said, noting the blood, bruises, and occasional missing tooth decorating each of the three men’s faces.

                “You wanted the problem handled fast and quietly. That sort of ruled out delicacy as an option,” Eliza said. “Did any of the others notice?”

                “I don’t think so,” Nick told her. “You two intercepted these hooligans before even our resident telepaths could pick up on their thoughts. Good work, by the way. I appreciate you helping me give them a night of normalcy.”

                “Might be their last,” Jerome grunted. “These three were definitely hired by Nathaniel.”

                Nick leaned in close to one of them, noting the twinkle of fear in the large man’s blackened eye. Poor fools, they’d had no idea what Nathaniel was sending them into. If Jerome and Eliza hadn’t intercepted them, they would have been walking up to a group of impossibly powerful beings and trying to harm them. While there might have been repercussions for the HCP students after the fact, it wouldn’t have changed the fact that the criminals were essentially being thrown into a meat grinder.

                “So, you started the fun without me.” Nick pulled himself back from the man he’d been eyeing and turned to Eliza. “Did they say anything else?”

                “Just that he reached out to their gang through some connections and offered a lot of money to beat down a group of kids outside the theater,” Eliza replied. Her tone was even, more so than it had been when she and Jerome first pounced on these three. Much of her anger had already been vented by battering their bodies; now, she was content to leave them in the horrifying hands of Nicholas Campbell.