Cape High Christmas: A Side Story (Cape High Series) (20 page)

"I need to get something," she lies, heading for the exit.

"Sure," he says, casually. When she gets back, he's gone, leaving a wall of flickering HTV channels and a keyboard, a mouse, and a channel changer sitting to the side.

***

"You look exhausted," Summer says as she walks into the apartment. "When was the last time you got some sleep?"

"Tonight," he says, rather than argue over sleep. "I'm going to get some sleep tonight. I just..."

"Have a lot to do, I know," she says, walking over and looking up at him. "Even a Superior needs to take care of himself, though."

"Why should I," he asks, giving her a little smile, "when you do such a good job of doing it for me? Did you find a building yet?"

"No," she says, sighing. "I'm still looking. I want it to be perfect, but I can't afford to build it from the ground up."

"You just have to ask, you know--"

"I want it to be under my real name, Nico, to do it the norm way. Can you blame me for wanting to do it on my own?"

He looks at her. "I have a lot to make up for, Summer," he says quietly. "At least let me try."

"Get to school," she says, poking him. "You've got work and I've got a building to find. And don't forget your promise to go--" she hesitates, reaching up and picking a piece of crystal out of his hair. "What's this?" she asks.

"Debris," he says. "I've been doing some digging, remember? But you're right, I can't leave Rocco waiting."

She nods, but her eyes are glued to the crystal and he wonders if he's not going to be cursing himself for a while over that one.

***

There's something about the crystal that bothers her, Summer thinks as she pulls into a parking lot of a small mall. She looks at the crystal piece sitting on the seat next to her, wondering why she brought it with her, and then at the tiny set of stores, mostly empty. This is the same strip mall that Ken and Jeanie have their church in. It would be nice to work close to friends--in fact, she thinks abruptly, she still has some thirty minutes, right? She can just see if Jeanie's at the church getting ready for the big Christmas day. Her hand shoots out, grabbing the crystal piece before she heads for the church.

"Hello?" she calls, peeking her head into the building. "Is anyone here? The door's unlocked, so I just assumed that you might be--"

"Summer!" Jeanie says, stepping into sight. "I wasn't expecting you! I was just cleaning and restocking the food pantry. What brings you by?"

"I'm trying to get the little store and lot at the end of the mall," Summer explains. "I thought it'd make for a good nursery--for plants, of course. But I--" she hesitates, wondering why she feels so awkward. "I need to talk to someone," she says, her hand tightening slightly on the crystal, "about Nico. He's acting oddly, even more oddly than usual."

"How do you mean?" Summer asks. "I know the kids are taking up a lot of his time with the Advent Calendar--"

"No, it's not that," she says, holding out a hand. "Have you ever seen a crystal like this? He had it in his hair--there was more than just this, too," she explains as Jeanie takes it from her. "There's something... strange about it."

"Well, you're the plant and earth--"

"No, I'm merely plants," Summer admits. "Sunny is the one that has both elements. I should ask him, but I'd rather not--I keep thinking that it's not exactly natural."

"Well... there's one other way to find out," Jeanie says. "Have you heard about Century's newest cape? He's a psychometric. We can find out all about what Nico's been up to if we take this to him."

Summer hesitates, only to shake her head. "No. I know I'm paranoid, but I owe him at least a shadow of a doubt, right? If he comes home covered in crystals again, well, then I'll ask him flat out what he's doing," she decides. "The last time he came home covered in dirt and rocks, though..." She frowns, remembering the weeks before he'd been tossed into the Cape Cells.

"I'm sure it's nothing that'll get him thrown into the Cape Cells, again," Jeanie says, as if reading her mind. "He wouldn't do that, not with you and the kids."

"He had better not," Summer says. "I should get going, I've got a meeting with my realtor in fifteen minutes. I want to look the lot over before she gets there."

"If you need any help building a greenhouse, don't hesitate to ask! I've always wanted to make one," Jeanie says, casually pocketing the tiny piece of crystal instead of handing it back.

"I've already turned down Nico," Summer says. "I want to do this the norm way. I'm sure I can pull it off."

"Good luck!" Jeanie says, waving as she leaves.

***

"I told you that I don't appreciate you hacking our files," Marigold says from behind him. It's been a few nights since he came last, since Advent Calendar issues had come up--decorating the dorm for Sandra's day, and all, as well as getting some actual sleep, like he'd promised Summer. But now he's sitting on the roof of the East Branch Hall and searching records.

"They're not your files," he says, his hands still out to the world. "I'm looking for anything that might support a theory of mine."

"What theory is that?"

"The theory that Sandra is too powerful to be an aberration," he says, finally looking at her. "I want to know if Diamond Dust is her mother. Sure, I could scan her, but I think she'd notice it. If she notices, she'll get mad."

"And you don't want her mad at you?" Marigold asks, her tone questioning.

"I need her to finish what she's working on," Nico says. "It's important."

"What is she working on?" she asks. "Since you've made it obvious that you're still breaking into highly secure files from MY building."

"What else?" he says. "A diamond ring."

She blinks, and then, to his surprise, gives him a hardy slap on the back. "Congratulations!" she says with a broad grin. "Am I right in assuming it's for Lady Rose?"

"Of course it is," he says. "But keep it to yourself, please. I'm trying to keep it a--found it," he says, clapping his gloved hands and pulling them apart. "One Jane Doe left on the steps of a local firehouse--just a few miles from Diamond Dust's place, fifteen years ago. Named Sandra by the nuns that ran the orphanage she grew up in. According to the records she disappeared about the same time Sandra was caught by the Collector, stolen out of the system without any trace. It doesn't prove that she's her daughter, but it does seem a bit too convenient. According to the reports, leading up to that time Dust didn't work for over a year--no television, no news reports, nothing."

"And what if she is the girl's mother?" Marigold asks. "It's not easy raising a child when you're in that position. Those of us that can pass as normal have enough problems--just imagine how hard it would be for Diamond Dust." Her tone is both defensive and sad. "How could she take her to the doctors? Or put her in school? She doesn't even have a proper address."

"So what are you suggesting?" Nico asks her.

"Let it die," Marigold says. "She isn't a bad woman, Technico. She might be a super villain, but she plays by the rules just like anyone else. Don't... don't rub salt on the wounds."

"Do you have children?" he asks her.

"No," she says. "Now go on. I don't want norms hunting around for you. I try to keep a good relationship with the government types."

"They'll never know," he says. "Not unless there's another hidden technopath somewhere."

"I sincerely hope not."

***

"Nico's making Summer worry," Jeanie says that night. The boys are already in bed, leaving her and Ken to take a few minutes together. She's got patrol duty in an hour, he just finished his, so this isn't the time to dance around the subject.

"How so?" Ken asks.

"He's been going out all night and he came home with crystal in his hair this morning," she sums up, pulling out a napkin that holds the piece of crystal and showing it to him. "She's wondering what he's up to, and honestly, well..."

"Nico's not the most forward guy around, and with his speed he could go anywhere in the world," Ken sums up, taking the napkin and looking at it curiously. "I'm going to ask him," he decides, getting to his feet.

"Thank you," Jeanie says. "I need to get to work, but if you find out anything, tell me, okay?" she says. "You know, with how things have been going this month I bet," she goes on, her eyes starting to gleam excitedly, "that it's something amazing!"

***

Nico's already gone when Ken gets to his apartment, so Ken pulls out his phone, leaving the building before calling. "Hey," he says. "I've got to ask you a question," he says as Nico answers. "What have you been up to, lately? The girls are starting to get really curious."

"I just bet they are," Nico says. It's obvious that he's flying, because his hair is flying and the scenery around the edges is a blur. "I can't tell you over the phone, someone might hear. Meet me at the coordinates I'm sending and you'll find out for yourself. You've got more experience with this sort of thing than I do, anyway."

***

"How's it coming?" Nico calls down the hole of Diamond Dust's secret base a few moments later. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Peace and quiet might be nice," she says dryly. "I've got the engagement ring finished," she tells him, stepping out of the hole and holding out a crystal box. "You told me to do what I wanted," she adds defensively as he opens the box.

The design makes him stare in wonder. It's a rose made of a single diamond surrounded by ruby petals, and the shank (the part that wraps around her finger) is gold with tiny little emerald leaves decorating it. "If it needs to be sized, you can bring it to me," she says, when he doesn't say anything. "I haven't done the wedding ring yet--but it should connect to this one--"

"I still owe you," he says, handing the box back. "This is worth more than what I did. Especially since you added more gems."

"I'm here," Ken says from above. Nico looks up, seeing him floating in the air. He lands, heading to them.

"America's Son," Diamond Dust says, crystals rising out of the ground as she takes a defensive pose. "Was this all a ruse to--"

"It's not a ruse. It's just really hard to keep a secret where we live. Ken here was going to find out sooner or later, so I invited him along. If she says yes, Ken's going to be the one that does the ceremony. Check it out, Ken, I think she'll love it, but I'm feeling... a bit nervous," he says, obviously not used to using that word. Ken blinks as Diamond Dust reluctantly hands over the ring box.

"You mean--" Ken looks at the box, flipping it open. "Oh... wow, this is gorgeous," Ken says, still looking at the ring. "You sure did this in a unique way, too, didn't you?" he says. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Diamond Dust," he adds before looking at Nico. "But I still have to ask, why a super villain?"

"Why not?" Nico asks. "If I'm going to ask Summer to marry me, I want to have a good story as backup to keep her from turning me down. So I dug up the diamond, myself, and then brought it to Dust to turn it into a ring. She's a specialist with expensive gems. Sure I could have asked Sunny, but the kid has no artistic ability whatsoever."

"Now that the whole thing is settled, you both can leave," Diamond Dust says, grabbing the box out of Ken's hands and heading for her entrance. "I've still got another ring to make."

"When can I pick them both up?" Nico asks.

"Give me three days," she says.

"Cutting it a little close, aren't you?"

"Do you want a custom ring set or not?" she demands.

"Here," Nico says, instead of replying. "Something for your new computer." He waves his hand at the ground. "I can get you cash, too, if you want it--"

"Get me a few more gemstones and we'll be even," she says. "I used up some of my personal collection for this."

"I'll do that. I can also make it so you can live like a norm," Nico says. She goes still, a look of shock crossing her face. "I've got the technology. It's called an illusion watch. You could live in society and nobody would even notice. You could look like a norm."

"I'll... I'll think about it," she says, not looking at him before heading back into her den.

"Wow, this is definitely a story to share with your grandkids, man!" Ken says, grinning from ear to ear. "Just wait until I tell Jeanie--"

"No telling Jeanie," Nico says. "You might be able to keep it a secret for that long, but your wife is all too happy to 'share the good news,' and we both know it."

"It's almost impossible for me to keep things from her! YOU have trouble keeping things from Summer, how can you expect me to do any better?"

"Pray hard, I'm sure it'll help. There's another reason I asked you to come. Are you really interested in adopting Sandra?" Nico says, changing the subject.

"Wha--of course we are," Ken says, looking confused. "If this is about Century, we already know. I will admit that he might be a good father for her, but what she really needs is an entire family--"

"No, it's not that," Nico says, frowning slightly. "Have you ever wondered what line she comes from?" he asks.

Ken turns and looks at him, a stunned expression on his face. "No--it couldn't--do you really think so?"

"How many capes do you know have rock mimicry?" Nico says. "I might be wrong, but the moment I mentioned it to Marigold, she jumped down my throat."

"How so?"

"She mentioned just how difficult it is to raise a kid with powers, even when you look like a norm," Nico says. "I guess living in a hole WOULD make teacher-parent visits a bit awkward."

"Do you even do teacher-parent visits?"

"No, but it sounds awkward and embarrassing," Nico says. "Well, actually, I
did
go meet Carla's mom, once. I think that should count, except I went to meet her siblings, not the mom."

"That doesn't count, then," Ken says. "So are they?"

"Are they what? Mom and daughter?"

"I was actually wondering if Carla's siblings were capes."