The Distort Arc: Cape High Books 1-4 (Cape High Series Omnibus) (27 page)

"Maybe, give me a bit of time to unscramble it," he says.  He stops, though, as the laptop beeps.  "Huh, Frank and Max are coming," he tells us.  "You might make some extra pancakes, kiddo."

"Yeah," Zoe says, going back to cooking.  The door opens a few minutes later and Max steps in, stepping out of the way for Frank.

"We've got a bit of a problem," Frank says.

"What's that?" Nico asks, still tapping on his laptop.

"We escorted the two girls home last night, but their parents say they never came home," Frank says.  "I've sent out a search party--"  He stops as his phone rings, pulling it out of his pocket and answering.  "Yes?  Yes... so you did find them... I'll come now," he says.  "We've found them."

"Where were they?" Emily asks.

"Two blocks from here," Frank says. 

"Take me with you," Emily says, taking her apron off and putting it over the nearest chair.  Frank looks at her, then looks at me.

"Trent, you come too," he says, heading out.  Emily chases after him and I follow behind, not too surprised when the rest of the group follows me.  Even Sunny's woken up enough to come with us--much to my shock.

"I'm not sure I like letting you all out in public right now," Nico says darkly as we head out of the apartment one by one, each stepping on the lighted footprints.  We follow Frank as he heads two blocks away to a large circle of black hummers, making his way to the center of the circle.

The two sisters lay piled up on the street corner, unmoving.  I have to move closer to hear their heartbeats.  The heartbeats are off slightly, and I grab Emily before she says anything.  Frank crouches down next to them, touching one forehead.  "I see," he says a second later.  "Take them to the Hall, have them checked over," he says to one of the black suits that are waiting for their orders.

"What happened to them?" Emily asks.

"Something like what happened to the principal, I'm afraid," Frank says quietly.  "Now, back to the apartment building.  We have a fight to get ready for."

"Dad, are you certain we should do this now?" Max asks.

"We are opening the school tomorrow, Max.  Regardless of these two idiots running back here without my permission, the school will still start.  I was informed, with several witnesses, that they were delivered safely and promptly home.  That they are here now means that they came by their own choice.  And I, personally, told them that it wasn't safe to be here on their own."

"But--" Emily starts out.  "What about their parents?"

"They will be informed," Frank says.  "Emily, what--or should I say who do you think they came back for?" he asks her.

Emily looks at the girls.  "Yeah, I know," she says.  "But their parents never did anything bad to me--"

"They let it happen," Frank says coldly.  "Something like that isn't something supers won't notice."  And I suddenly realize just how high up on Frank's "Do not approve" list the family is.  Emily might have wanted revenge, but Frank doing
nothing
is far worse a revenge than Emily would ever think of.  I know this for a fact.

We watch silently as the sisters are taken away and I pull Emily into a hug.  "I didn't do this," she says abruptly.  "Everyone knows that, right?  I'm the one that cut their skirts, but I didn't do this."

"We know that," Frank says.  "I read their mind, remember?"

"Okay," she says, looking back as the black ambulance drives off with the sisters inside.  "They wouldn't have gotten anywhere," she says abruptly.  "They would have been stopped at the security system, right?"

"Yes.  But they know about the school," Frank says.  "Whoever did this, we should assume they know now, too."

"It should be interesting," Nico says.

Emily moves a little closer, not saying anything or even looking at me, but I can feel a fine tremor running through her.  "I know," I say quietly.  "This is more than you wanted."

She nods, then shakes her head, a tear escaping.  "I did want this sometimes, I wanted them beat up, or something.  That's why I feel so guilty, I think."

The suit that the tailor came up with is more like an army uniform than the traditional tights.  I've got a pair of clunky work boots that are surprisingly light, and pants in the same dark blue as the sleeveless top, although they have a red and white stripe pattern down one leg that looks like a flag flapping.  The traditional spot on the chest is covered with a highly stylized image that resembles an eagle in white and red.  A clunky belt goes around my waist and although I'm not wearing sleeves, I have tough worker type dark blue gloves.

Emily is staring at me as I tug the gloves on.  "What?" I ask, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"I was expecting a cape," she says.

"No capes," I say.  "Never saw the point of a cape."

"Because you're a super?" she offers, picking up the dark blue fitted mask and handing it to me.  I slip it on, making sure it attaches with the makeup glue, then stand, blinking as she pulls out what looks to be my mother's cell phone and takes several pictures.  "Jeanie said I had to take them," she says. 

"She's going to be watching, though," I say.

"Well, yeah, but she's already at the fight sight eating McDonalds," Emily explains.  "Since that's the easiest way to be there without getting noticed."

"Yeah, yeah," I say.

"You're supposed to pose," she prompts.

"I'm not going to pose!" I say, trying not to laugh.

"You've got to pose!  Do some heroic pose like sticking one hand up in the air or something," she says.

"How is sticking one arm up in the air heroic?" I ask, giving in to the laughter.  She snaps another picture and grins at me.  "If you go along with the training as a team, you'll be in a uniform that goes along with this one," I tell her.  "Be grateful we don't get stuck with capes."

"I want stars on mine," she decides.

"You wanna be a mini-Mom, or something?" I tease.

"No, but I like stars!  Or maybe stripes," she says thoughtfully.

"We'll figure it out when you're actually going to start," I say, heading out of the apartment with her behind me.  "We'll have to get your stripes fixed."

"I like my stripes!" she protests.

"I mean darker, maybe add some white, too," I say.  "I like the stripes too."  She flushes and I can't help but grin as we head down the stairs.  Nico's waiting at the front door, where he hands me a new transmitter.

"Emily, you can run, right?"

"Yeah?" she says.

"Then here," he says, dropping a hand on her head.  "Keep your head low and keep up.  I hear you'll be training as Trent's sidekick," he adds as we start out through the security system.

"Partner," she says.  "I'm going to be his partner."

"Ahhh, that serious, huh?" Nico teases me as I step off of the last glowing footstep.

"Shuddup," I mutter, knowing I look even redder in all this blue.  "Don't we have work to do?"

"Yep."  We take off, but I can't help but glance back at Emily every few minutes to make sure she's doing okay.  She's only fourteen, after all.  She looks a bit tired as we reach the fight sight and I motion for her to go over to the McDonalds where Mom and Dad are sitting at one of the outdoor tables.  Max is already there.  He's got a mic.  God help us all, Max with a mic.

"You people are the privileged few that will see my new headquarters being built!" he says over the mic.  "Of course that means I'm going to have to kill you all afterwards--it's nothing personal, of course, but I can't have any witnesses."

I'm not going to laugh.  I'm
not
going to laugh.  He likes his job WAY too much.

"Hey!" I bellow.

"Oh?  What's this?  Hey, did you come to help with the building?" Max asks over the mic.  "Because you look like a construction worker.  Mind you, I don't pay more than minimum wage--"

I grab a large slat of concrete from the pile, then spin, throwing it like a discus straight at him.  Max yelps and drops the mic, dodging at the last second.  I can't help it--I grab the fallen mic.  What?  It's too good an opportunity to pass up! 

"You're done, Maximum," I say over the mic.  "You keep saying you're the new face of supers, but you know what?  I don't like your face enough to let it represent us."

"Wait--hey, you stole my mic!" Max says.  "Gimme back my mic!"

"No way, I like the mic," I say.  "I'm here to stop you, Maximum, whether you like it or--"  I see his hand move and I'm almost expecting the bus to hit me from behind--almost.  Thankfully Nico warns me with a quick "behind you."  I grunt, losing my hold on the mic as the bus sends me a few steps forward.  I can hear the metal screeching when I dig my feet into the ground.  When my body stops giving the metal has to start.

Max's got the mic again.  "Geez, man, you wrecked my bus!" he says over the mic.  Just for that I turn, punching the bus and sending it flying several feet before it falls.  "I was fond of that bus!" he protests.  So I have to run over, pick the bus up and toss it straight at him.  This time it hits him full on and I race forward, grabbing the mic as it falls to the ground again.

Nico's laughing.  I can't help but grin as I bring the mic up.  "If you like it so much I'm happy I can give it back," I say.  The cops have shown up by now and are surrounding the area, keeping the norms from getting too close.  "Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of all supers, especially the next generation, I'd like to apologize for Maximum--"

The bus is shoved up and Max climbs out from under it, dusting himself off.  Then, a bit to my surprise, he launches himself straight at me, slamming into me with the weight of a meteor.  Him and his gravity powers, I think as the breath is knocked out of me.  The mic goes flying and we launch into a flat out, knock down, brawl.  He's cheating, of course, he's using his gravity powers to make his hits heavier and mine lighter, but it looks good--that's what matters.

We've got choppers flying overhead, and news stations recording us, and I can't help but think that if they wanted a posterboy matchup, they got one.  By the time this video gets out on Hero TV we'll be having would-be supers of both sides asking their parents if they can come--

Max goes flying backwards with my next hit, an uppercut to the jaw, and I'm hearing Nico over the transmitter.  "Nice fall.  Make sure you land properly--good.  Now grab the mic, and make your final threats before flying off."

The mic goes flying into Max's hand as he staggers dramatically to his feet.  "You might have won this one, kid," he says--oh crap, I forgot to introduce myself.  "But this isn't over.  I'm going to get even, got it?  This isn't over!"  Then he flies off so fast that the wind messes up my hair.

"He took the mic," I mutter.

"What do you expect from Max?  He's a ham," Nico drawls.  "Now go check on the norms, be sure to pat little kids on the head while you're at it."

"I forgot to give my name, though."

"It'll be fine," he says as I head for the crowd pressing against the cops.

"Is everyone okay?" I ask.

"They're fine.  You did good, kid," the cop nearest me says.  "What's your name?"

"Liberty," I say with a grin.  "Kid Liberty."  I crouch down as I see a little boy reaching an arm past the cop's leg.  "Hey," I say, taking the tiny hand.  The little black boy looks up at me with huge eyes, then grins at me, showing he's missing a tooth.  I hear photos being snapped.  "You didn't get scared, did you?" I ask him.

"No," he whispers.

"Good.  You're going to be a good boy, right?" I ask.

"Yes," he says.

"Good."  I stand, salute the cops, and race away.

"That was AWESOME!" Max says over the transmitter.  "Definitely a good introduction."

"You're both hams," Nico says with amusement.  "But not bad.  You definitely made an impact.  Now make sure you don't get followed--Max, hop a state or two before coming back, Trent, do a few rounds and change before going back to the apartments.  We'll be keeping an eye on you both."

"Where's Emily?" I ask.

"With your parents."

"Where's Zoe?" Max asks.

"With me.  She says you did good."

"Good," Max says.  “Think my fall was dramatic enough?”

“I think you just didn’t want hit in the face again,” I drawl.

“How do you think I keep my extremely cute girlfriend, man?  I’m attached to this face!”  I’m heading south, passing a few small towns absently, planning on turning around soon, but something catches my eye.  I slow, then stop, watching as a pair of capes fly overhead.  “Hey, Max?  Did your dad say anything about visiting capes?”

“Today?  No, not that I know of.”

“We’ve got two headed straight for Kansas City right now.  One male, one female--both in traditional good guy garb,” I say, watching them for a moment.  “I think...”

“It must be the parents,” Nico says.  “Come back, boys, meet at the Hall--Max you might want to change clothes first.”

“Yes sir,” I say, starting back for Kansas City.

***

The Hall is a place I visited a few times as I was little--well, more than a few times.  I’ve been babysat by more than half of the major players in the Central Hall, Falconess still gives me a hard time about changing my diapers whenever she comes over for a barbecue, and Mega has played catch with me a million times over.  Honestly, I’m surprised I'd never met Max before he transferred into my school for a day or two.  Then again, Max’s entire existence was a bit of a mystery to the Hall until he decided to make his debut as a super villain.

I head through the underground entrance, nodding to the guard and checking in as usual--face scan, fingerprint scan, all the stuff you have to do to get into the not-for-public part of the building, and step into the main room, where the two capes from earlier are screaming at Frank.

“What have you done to our daughters?” the father bellows.  He’s taller than Frank, broader than Frank, and usually a situation like this would be one sided, but Frank’s just standing there, waiting for them to finish.  I see Nico sitting at the large C shaped table that surrounds the floor they’re standing on.  He’s got his feet propped up on the table, which is probably outraging every assistant in the area, and is typing away on his laptop.

He stops and I hear noise coming from the speakers, too quiet for the screaming parents to hear.  It’s the sisters talking, I realize.  He’s unscrambled the feed from the apartment’s security camera.  “Frank,” he says.

“Excuse me for a moment,” Frank says.  The father grabs the front of his uniform, hauling him off his feet.

“I think not,” the man says.  “Do you know who we are?”

“You are Allie and Kelly’s parents, Geoff and Marlina Behts, AKA Crank and Juxta, B class supers from the South Branch,” Frank says.  “Do you know who I am?”

I can see sweat appear on Crank’s face and how he has to force his fingers to let go of the uniform, which Frank straightens quickly before heading to Nico.  “Found him,” Nico says.

“I see,” Frank says.  “I’m afraid there’s no doubt now, is there?”

“Look like it,” Nico says.  “I can’t say that I’ve ever wanted a brother,” he adds darkly.

“And the distortion?” Frank asks, ignoring how the mother is trying to see what they’re doing.

“Have you found out what happened to my girls?” she demands.  “It has something to do with Emily, doesn’t it?  She’s so small but she’s vicious--“

“You will refrain from speaking this instant,” Frank says in a tone that I’m sure is a mental command as well.  Her mouth snaps shut, but her eyes look shocked.  “Trent,” he says.  “Max.”

I glance behind me, seeing Max head for us in civvies.  “Nico’s unscrambled the feed,” I tell him.

“Who did it?” Max asks.

“It looks like the same man Zoe described from earlier... and a woman.  Trent, can you come here?” Nico asks.  I head over, looking over his shoulder at the woman on the screen.  “Is this the woman from your old school?”

The glowing eyes, the perfect hair, the pencil thin skirt.  “Yes,” I say.  “That’s her.”

“Frank, do you recognize her?” Nico asks.

“No, but I’ll have my people look into it,” Frank says.  “We’ve finally got a lead.  Now, to deal with you two,” he goes on, turning to the two parents.  “Your children are in the healing ward.  They’re recovering well, and as far as we can tell have only suffered concussions and shock from their experiences.”

“Oh thank God,” the father breathes out.

“Except,” Frank interrupts.  “Somehow they no longer have their abilities.  We’re trying to find out what’s happened to them, but for the moment your daughters are norms.”

“Wh--what?”

“It could be any number of things, and honestly they’re cluttering up my healing ward, so I suggest you take them home to your own Hall and deal with it there,” Frank says, totally unsympathetically.  “If our tests come up with any results we will pass it on to your Hall.  If not, well I suggest they think a lot harder before they gang up on a young cape, regardless of how developed her powers are at the time.”

“Our daughters were only defending themselves!” the father snarls.