Sunny Daze (18 page)

“Sunny?” she asks.

“Yeah, um, I’m sort of falling,” I say, “from pretty high, too.”

“You idiot, why call ME?” she demands.

“Cuz if I die I figured I’d at least say goodbye,” I say, stretching out as if lying on a bed.  It’s harder than it seems, and I wind up flipping over a few times. 

“Would you just yell for help already?” she says.

“Oh, right, good idea,” I say.  “Gotta hang up, first,” I add, tapping the com.  When I’m sure it’s hung up I let out a bellow.  Two hands grab my wrist and I look up at Dad and Aubrey, who’s still in Dad’s arms.  They both have a hold of me.

“You took your time yelling,” she says.

“Actually now that I think of it--let go, he won’t die from this height,” Dad says.  “Maybe he’ll learn to fly!”

They both let go.  I’m going to fly--I’m going to fly--

The tree that shoots up underneath me is far more welcome than I’ll ever admit, I think as it catches me in its branches.  “Didn’t work!” I yell at Dad.

“Eh, we’ll try it again later,” he says.  “Da--Father!  Do you have him?”

He almost called Grandpa “Dad.”  Did you notice that?  I did.

“I’ve got him,” Grandpa says as I drop out of the tree, “but he’s struggling.  If I hold him too tightly will he explode?”

I head over to where Grandpa is holding Tank.  Tank is struggling, jerking this way and that wildly.  It’s actually a little worrisome, considering that I accidentally killed my guinea pig in a similar manner.  “Don’t hold him too tightly,” I say, “he could explode.”

Aubrey jumps out of Dad’s arms and races over, grabbing for Tank’s arm--he lashes out, slashing her dress.  She jumps back, letting out a yelp.  I can see Grandpa get angry.  His arms tighten--

“STOP!” I bellow as I see Tank’s skin start to change color.  “Just let him go!  He’s going to explode!”

Grandpa lets go.  Tank races off on all fours, with a strange, jumping sort of run that reminds me of a wild animal.  “We’re going to regret doing that,” Grandpa says to me.

“That’s how the guinea pig exploded,” I say, feeling guilty.  “I tackled it and it--it was SERIOUSLY disgusting, and he was a lot bigger than the guinea pig was.”

“Will he survive?” Dad asks Aubrey.

“I don’t know,” she admits, staring in the direction Tank ran.  “He might.  If he can live through the next few days without exploding I think, possibly, his body will adjust.”

“We should find him and keep an eye on him,” Dad says.  “I’ll call Double M and get someone on it.”

“I’m kind of worried about him,” I admit.

“I’m terrified for him,” Aubrey says simply before looking down at her dress.  “How can I go to the party like this?” she asks, letting out a heavy sigh.  “I was finally going to forgive Jack for the donut thing, too.”

“We’ll pick you up a new dress,” Dad says, patting her on the back.

I look at her, a frown escaping me.  “Aub, was there anything you could have done for him?” I ask.

She looks at me, a torn expression on her face.  “I might never know,” she admits.  “If he lasts the few days it’ll take him to stabilize, I’ll have them bring him back in.  We’ll see if we can’t figure it out.  I just don’t understand why it happened so quickly,” she says, looking at Dad and Grandpa.  “What, exactly, did Doctor Hanks use?”

“We’ll find out,” Dad says.

***

“Why did you do it?”

The question lingers in the air.  It feels like a heavy weight pressing down on her.  Ginger can’t even look up at Century, she feels so guilty.  “He said if I didn’t do it, he would kill my sons,” she whispers.  “They’re all I have.  I had to do what I was asked.”

“HOW did you do it?” Century asks, his tone not softening at all.

“I was panicking,” she says.  “They never got a super for me to use as a base.  All they had was half a vial of--of this strange glowing liquid from the nineties!  We lost what little research material he had from his last geneticist when we lost the first place, and most of that was pure speculation, as far as I could tell.  I tried to figure out what the glowing liquid did, but I couldn’t seem to break it down OR reproduce it.  All I knew was that it mutated that dog--who he sent up here because he considered it a failure.  That’s not the same as being capable of fixing the teenager.”  She falls silent, her mind jumping back.  “The boys, when we got into the underground base, they started to explore.  They came to me when they found her.”

“Her?”

“The super in the tank,” she says, finally looking up, “the shape-shifter.  She was kept in suspended animation in the deepest part of the base.  We didn’t tell the--the man.”

“Shape-shifter?  Do you know her name?”

“They had her call name in her files,” Ginger says, finally looking at him.  “They called her Jersey Devil.”

Century is silent for a long moment, staring at her before saying, “Jersey Devil was a man.  It was several hundred years ago, though.  Even he would be dead.”

“This was a woman.”

“Possibly a daughter?” Voltdrain offers from behind Century.

“Here’s the important question,” Century says, moving closer and looking her in the eye, “Was she alive?”

***

“I will NOT sit around as they paint my nails and pluck my eyes and do all those torturous actions to me!” Skye declares as she sinks through the roof of her base.  She’d fully planned on going to the party--until she found out that it was a formal affair.  Once Pan’s wife had brought out the curling iron, she had run as fast as her legs could take her.  She has a new base to explore, which is far more interesting than putting on pantyhose.  Of course, a real party would be fun--maybe she can talk Panther into having a party when she gets back!  With candy and popcorn and piñatas!  And CAKE!

She dances down the halls of her new secret base, humming a song off-key as she goes.  This place is perfect, although she’s going to need to get some smell-good stuff--it stinks down here. She pauses, waves a hand in an erratic motion, and promptly turns down a random hall.  A room at the end of the hall is closed, with a huge “DO NOT ENTER” sign hanging on it.

Of course she heads straight for it, swinging the door open wide and flipping on the lights.  The room is full of strange machines, the strangest a gigantic tube right in the middle.  Inside the tube is--she tilts her head slightly, heading over.  Inside the tube is a naked lady, whose hair is so long that it covers most of her as it floats around.

For a moment Skye just stares at the lady, her mind debating the pros and cons of having a roommate in a tube.  Well, since she obviously likes going Au-natural, Skye decides, there won’t be any arguments over borrowing clothes!  And she would make a really interesting subject for visitors, right?  “Here, check this out, I’ve got a lady in a tube!”  It sounds so SINISTER!  You can’t really be a super villain without having a lady in a tube, could you?

Well, okay, she’s never heard of super villains with ladies in tubes--but that just makes her stand out MORE!  She grins widely and walks over, knocking on the glass that holds the woman in.  “Hey in there!  You awake?”

Nothing happens.  Skye pouts a little, actually, at the lack of response, and does what’s only logical--she knocks louder.  “WAKE UP ALREADY!” she bellows.

The lady’s eyes open, staring at her blankly for a long moment before starting to change colors.  The white part washes over with black, the brown iris turns glowing blue.  “Coooooool,” Skye says, but it doesn’t stop there.  The woman starts to shift, wings shooting out of her back and shattering the glass tube she’s in.

“THIS IS AMAZING!!” Skye bellows--just in time to be tackled to the ground by the monstrous beast.  “So,” she says, completely ignoring the claws at her throat, “do you like top bunk or bottom?”

***

Days passed.  Grandpa and Grandma went home, but they both have phones, so I can call them any time I want.  Before the whole episode that started in Texas I wouldn’t have considered calling Grandpa, now he’s become my secret weapon--him and Adanna, that is.  Trent would be, too, but he’s an official hero.  You can’t use a hero in a super villain war, it’s just not right on so many levels.

“Okay, I’ve got the base dug,” I say over the com, looking at the massive hole in the middle of the field Grandpa gave me.  “Are you sure they’re not going to find it?  Jack’s got that whole elementalist thing going on, as well, you know?”

“Are you using metal?” Grandpa asks.  “I thought you were going to line the walls with tree roots.”

“Yeah, I am,” I say, looking at the trees I’ve planted.  “I figure if I can layer the root system together I’ll be able to make some decent walls.”

“Have you thought about how to break into their territories?” Adanna asks.  In my mind’s eye I picture her making cookies with her mom as she discusses war tactics with me.  It’s a great image.  “You know where Max is, right?”

“Yeah,” I say, “he claimed the old Air Force base.  Jack’s in the middle of downtown in one of the buildings the Hall owns, it’s only Ace who I’ve got no clue about.”

“Illusionists can be tricky like that,” Grandpa says.  “I wouldn’t put it past him to do some reconnaissance before even looking for a place.  Watch your back.”

“No, I heard Ace is getting ready for Emily’s debut next month,” Adanna says.  “He’ll want to build a base that can work for that, as well, right?”

“Nice hole.”

I almost don’t notice the comment, because I’m busy discussing Emily’s debut and growing massive tree roots over the top of the hole.  “Yeah, she’s completely stoked for it.  He says she’s been calling him at least four times a day to talk.”

“I thought you didn’t know where he was?”

“No, but I--wait.”  Someone’s behind me.  I turn, staring at Max just long enough for him to give me an evil grin.  He dives down, slamming me through the roof made of roots and into my hidden base. 

“You didn’t think I was going to pass up this chance, did you?” he asks.  “Play it up big, Sunny!  This might be your only chance to play hero!”

“Has anyone ever told you,” I grunt out, shoving him off of me, “that you talk too much, Max?”

He lets out a laugh.  He’s enjoying this way too much.  “I’ve always wanted to go up against a Superior,” he says as he floats overhead.  “This might be my only chance--since I can’t exactly attack your sister, right?”

“Why not?  Worried she’d beat you?” I ask, jumping out of the base and grinning up at him.

“Keep calm,” Grandpa says in my ear.  “He’s the son of Mastermental, there’s a good chance he’s got the same weakness.”

“What?  Mastermental has a weakness?” I ask, shocked.

“Sure he does--do you really think being able to see into people’s minds is always a good thing?  It does make it hard to not telegraph moves--”

“I don’t think Max read minds yet, though,” Adanna says.  They start discussing it, but I’m suddenly too busy being lifted from the ground by Max’s powers.

“I heard they tried to get you to fly by dropping you,” Max says, floating over to where he’s holding me in midair. 

“They were busy with Tank,” I say, flipping over a few times, just because I can. 

“Ah, the mutant--they caught him today,” he says.

“What?  Really?” I ask, going still and looking at him hopefully.  “So he didn’t explode?”

“Shouldn’t you worry about yourself more than him?” Max asks, only to look shocked as vines wrap around his ankles, pulling him down.  I drop from the air, crouching for just a second before launching myself at him.  I tackle him to the ground, causing a little crater.  He twists, flipping me onto my back and bringing up a fist.  I can almost see the gravity wrapping around his arm before it slams into the ground next to my face.

“Sorry Grampa,” I say, “we’re making a bit of a mess.”

“Nah, don’t worry about it,” Grandpa says.  “Feel free to tear the place up all you want.”

“Are you discussing this fight with Superior?” Max asks, looking excited.

“Yeah,” I say, “he’s helping me with my summer camp.”

“This is so AWESOME!” Max says, jumping to his feet.  “Can he see it, too?”

“No, he’s just on the phone,” I say, getting to my feet as well.  “Seriously, Max, you’re acting like a fan-boy.”

“I should have brought my mic,” he says, completely ignoring me.  He strikes a dramatic pose (even though Grandpa can’t see us) and declares, “this is going to be the end of the Superior line, Sunshine!  I’ll take you out and my name will be spread throughout the universe!”

“Dude, you’re dating my sister,” I have to point out, “and Dad is still alive and well--heck, GRANDPA is alive and well--”

“Hey, don’t kill the drama,” Max says, frowning at me.  “This is the only chance I’ll get to use lines like these!”

“Did you bring popcorn?” I hear Jack ask from above my head.  I jerk, looking blankly at the two sitting on his surfboard, watching us.  He and Ace look for all the world as if they’re at a sports match.

“Is he seriously a super villain?” Grandpa asks a bit blankly.