Super Girls (Cape High Book 13) (35 page)

“Yea—wait, she’s got the teleportation watch, right? What’s to keep her from running?”

“Steal it,” Nico says cheerfully.

“WHAT?”

“You’re on a mountain, kid, try not to create an avalanche.”

“I can’t steal a watch off of a lady like that!” Rocco says, lowering his voice as much as possible. “I’ll definitely get caught!”

“Sorry, Rocco, got to go—I’ve got a serum to get,” Nico says, hanging up on him. Rocco stares at the phone in shock for a long moment. He lets out a groan, running a hand over his face.

“This is what I get for being a scholarship student,” he mutters, getting up and heading for the nearest shadow. “I’d better get extra credit for this—for LIFE.”

***

“You know,” Tatiana says in a pleasant tone, “I think we could have been great friends in another life. It is shame you have placed yourself in this position.” Those blue eyes that have been bright so far go cold--the same cold expression that Mother still sees in her dreams. She feels a tiny fissure of fear try to hit her, and she shoves it down quickly. She can handle this woman. She can handle anyone on this tiny, backwater planet—

The fist slams into her face before she even realizes it’s coming. It’s followed by a knee to the stomach. She goes flying back a few feet before catching herself. “Oh, this is surely not all you have!” Tatiana says. “This is pathetic, Marie. You claim to be in same league as my husband, yes?"

Marie took a deep, deep breath, her hands clenching tightly before she rushes forward, attacking the larger female with all of her strength. Punches, kicks, all the rage she’s pushed down since she got to this backwater planet, it all comes out—

And Tatiana has the utter gall to LAUGH as she blocks the hits, slapping away her heaviest punches as if they weigh nothing. “Adorable!” Tatiana says, one massive fist slamming up into Marie’s ribcage, almost breaking the bones. “Your punches are like baby fists!”

Marie lifts a hand, looking at her fist and thinking for a second since Tatiana is just watching patiently. “I see,” she says, bringing up her power. She rushes forward, striking again. This time Tatiana goes flying back, slamming against the wall of her ice mountain home. “Did you feel that one, Tatia?” Marie asks, floating overhead.

“It was like butterfly kiss,” Tatiana says, her voice rough as she groans and rubs her ribs. Her actions clearly show she’s lying, but she breaks into a blood thirsty grin from ear to ear. “You are finally getting entertaining again,” she says, taking to the air, those cold blue eyes shining with a heady, but terrifying joy. “We shall enjoy this!” Tatiana says before flashing out of sight.

Tatiana can’t teleport—Marie realizes this a second too late before a thickly muscular arm wraps around her waist and a leg clamps around her own. She knows this move, she realizes almost too late. She twists reality right as the elbow comes down, barely managing to slip out of the large woman’s grasp. Tatiana is just that fast, she thinks with a hint of wonder.

“Wait! I brainwashed you!” she says.

“Oh, that did not last,” Tatia says. “I was normal by the time we reached South Branch. I saw that coming, as well.”

“Then why did you tell me about them?” Marie demands.

“I did not want South Branch to have you,” Tatiana says, appearing right in front of her. She reaches up, patting Marie on the face. “You have very special place in my heart, you know.”

“Wh—you—you’re a MARRIED WOMAN!” Marie yelps, jerking back quickly.

Tatiana roars with laughter, leaving her wide open. Marie’s too busy staring in shock to realize it until it’s too late. “You are first real competition in very long time, Marie,” she says. “Before, was Sparky—ahh, I hated her so,” she says cheerfully. “I caught her, you know, watching my Clifford when she thought no one watched. I could not tell Clifford to fire her, she was member of team, but I wished to—I did not realize how interesting it made life.”

“You mean you WANT someone to—to want to steal your husband?” Marie asks in shock.

“I am very competitive woman, Marie,” Tatiana says, coming closer. “I know that Clifford will always be mine, just as I am always his—he has gone through time for me, decades after losing me. It is knowing he is desirable by beautiful and powerful women other than myself that proves how lucky I am. I enjoy the game, do you not?”

“NO!” Marie says, jerking away from her. “You’re crazy! Wade was—Wade was ALWAYS just mine! I was the only woman that wanted him, and he was the only one that wanted me--the only one that mattered! Even when I was still reacting to that stupid virus! When he died—when he died—” She takes a shuddering breath, feeling tears threaten to freeze her eyes shut. “When he died, I died too,” she whispers—only to go flying as Tatiana slams a fist into her face.

“Then come back to life, Marie! It is cliché in our world for reason!” she says, floating high over the woman that had gone several feet into the snow. “You are not done, yet.”

So you’re probably wondering where I’ve been during this fight, huh? I took a few moments to toss together a handful of drones and find the best vantages to the fight. Right now I’m sitting on top of the mountain, my phone in my hands as I record the fight between the two. So far they’ve either not noticed or not cared that I’ve got five little recording drones hovering all around them. I should feel guilty for treating this like a show, I know, but really—there’s nothing I can do personally in a fight between such high class capes. Besides, Grandma looks like she’s enjoying herself. To stop her fun at this point would be a crime. Thanks to the time travel episode, she was retired long before she was actually ready.

Maybe, I think a little excitedly, when I’m grown I’ll be able to come up here and go toe to toe with her! I’ll probably lose, sure, but the very idea sends a shiver of excitement down my spine. Is this how Max feels? The question shocks me slightly as I realize why he enjoys his job so much. I’ve never had the urge to test myself against anyone before. I can see how he could enjoy it so much if it feels like this!

Grandma looks at me, giving me a brilliant grin. “You are getting my good side, no, kitten?” Yep, she noticed.

“Absolutely!” I tell her, zooming in on the grin. “You’re beautiful, Grandma!” Just before she replies, Mother shoots out of the snow, slamming into Grandma and sending them both flying miles away. I adjust the cameras, sending the fastest ones to follow them, and get to my feet. I need to follow—

“Zoe?” I hear Rocco say over my earbud. “I’m going to need a bit of help.”

“Did you call Dad?” I ask him, keeping track of the fight through both the cameras and watching closely.

“He’s getting the serum, but he wants us to keep her occupied for fifteen minutes—”

“Oh, that won’t be a problem,” I say. “Grandma’s playing with her.”

“Well, he also wants me to steal the watch back.”

“Oh… um… I think I could get it—”

“I’m the one that’s supposed to do it,” he says. “I think it’s a challenge to prove my loyalty.”

“Did Dad put it that way?”

“No, but he didn’t have to,” Rocco says from behind me. I turn, watching him head for me. “I’m the son of Shadowman. There’s no way they’ll trust me blindly—it’s built into my very powers. I’m not trustworthy by nature.”

“Powers are neutral by nature,” I say, a bit worried by the grim look on his face. “They’re like anything dangerous—guns, fists, even bombs—”

“What good can a bomb do?” he asks.

“It can stop a large group of dangerous people from doing bad things, just like guns can stop a small group. It’s all a matter of how you use it. It’s never the weapon that’s good or evil, Rocco, it’s the person wielding it. It’s like… you might be able to keep a villain from getting a hold of a weapon, but if they’re intent on killing someone, they’ll grab a rock, or a knife, or do it with their fists, or build a bomb out of cleaning supplies! People killed others LONG before guns were invented, you know? I mean, even Cain killed Abel. But it works both ways. You can keep a hero from having a weapon, as well, but if they’re intent on helping someone, they’ll do it using whatever they can get their hands on. Just like the villain does.”

“Yeah, okay,” he says, turning to look at the fight. “I guess,” he adds to himself. He takes a deep breath, his hands clenching at his sides.

“Look, you don’t have to do this—” I start out, seeing worry in his eyes. “I can get the watch for you. Dad doesn’t need to know—”

“You know what I really want to be?” Rocco asks me. “I want to save those kids out there that nobody cares about. I want them to know that someone is looking out for them. If I’m too much of a chicken to do a quick job like this, how will I ever be a real hero?”

“Well, yeah, but I really doubt those kids are between two S-Class supers battling for fun—” and he’s gone, I think as he slides through the nearest shadow. I really doubt he heard that.

I jump off the mountain, flying towards the fight. There’s no way I’m going to let him do this on his own.

***

They’re both females, Rocco tells himself as he races through the Shadowlands, both—okay, that means absolutely NOTHING, he admits a second later. He’s been chased by Marigold, caught by Firefly, and even picked up like a toy by Star Spangled. If ANYTHING, super females scare him more than the males. They are WAY tougher than he is—he’s just a skinny kid from the ghetto that just happens to travel by shadows. He’s been in Cape High long enough to know that he’s not nearly as strong as most of them. Any one of the bigger named kids could wipe the floor with him in a fist fight—even Jack, and Jack’s the slowest of the lot. And Zoe? Zoe punched through rocket resistant glass! She’s like, the sixteen year old granddaughter of one of these ladies, right?
She
says to stay out of the fight!

He’s going to die. He’s going to die without even having a girlfriend, which is the pathetic part, he decides, cheering up in a morbid fashion. In a school full of cute super girls, he hasn’t done a thing to get a date! “Wow, I really AM pathetic,” he says aloud, startling one of the nearby shadow creatures. “No, okay, I got it,” he declares. “If—no WHEN I live through this, I’ll ask out the first non-attached girl I see.”

Now with a good reason to live, he steps forward, his mind focusing on the task ahead of him.

***

“You just sent the kid into a brawl between S-class capes,” Superior says as they leave Central Hall. Nico has a small box in his hand, one that has two glowing syringes inside. Both are trying not to think about them. To an older cape, it’s the same as the death sentence in a way. Their real age as normal humans—Superior shoves the thought aside. This “Mother” lady should have never messed with his kids.

“He’s a shadow walker,” Nico says. “He should have plenty of opportunities to get close—”

“We’re still in the sunny months, Nico. There’s no night.”

Nico goes silent for a long moment. “I hadn’t thought of that,” he finally admits. “Then we’ll see what he can do, and go from there,” he says. “I’d rather she not run off before we get there.”

“Do you think...” Superior says slowly, only to stop.

“Think what?”

“That it would be better to put her in the Cape Cells?”

Nico goes silent. “With her powers, I don’t think we can,” he finally admits. “She can take over the television signals—she probably has to be close to at least one of the towers, but she knows how.”

“You can do that.”

“Of course I can,” Nico says, “but she uses her powers to do subliminal messaging. She could easily provoke the norms into war—or even just flat out killing each other without sides. She’s too dangerous to have here when she doesn’t play by the rules.”

“But she has a point,” Superior says. “Our species is practically dead.”

“Good,” Nico says coldly. “The less people like you, the better off we all are.”

“You’re like me,” Superior says. “And as long as my children have children, there’s always the chance we’ll have another atomic level manipulator. Just look at Noelle. Your mother says she will have a bit of it.” He goes silent for a moment, looking a bit too thoughtful. “Why haven’t you married Summer yet? You two could have more kids. Your mother’s quite happy with all the grandchildren running around.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Nico drawls with less sarcasm than he was aiming for.

“Who knows, the third might be our atomic manipulator!”

“I can see just how much you value my relationships, Father,” Nico drawls, flying towards the Arctic Circle. “You work so hard looking out for my emotional well-being.”

“I’m not picky on gender,” Superior says. “Although I could use some more grandsons. I’m a bit full-up on granddaughters.”

“I REALLY have no say in that one, you know.”

“Sure you do—you just have to keep trying.” He looks over. “So what will you do about the son?” he asks.

The evil expression on Nico’s face almost makes him worried. Almost.

***

The fight is going strong. Tatiana hits the ground this time, crashing through the snow and ice several, several feet. She blinks as she sees a hand slip through the ice beside her, grabbing for her wrist. For a moment she just watches as the hand wraps around the wrist, goes still, and then lets go again. “Ah, sorry,” she hears a boy say silently. “I was aiming for the other one.”

“It is perfectly fine!” Tatiana says. “Can I help?”

“No, I’ve got this,” he says, his face coming out just enough to show who it is. “But if you could toss her down here or somewhere close, I’d appreciate it.”

“That will not be a problem.” She takes to the air and he dares to step out slightly, watching the fight. At first Mother had been outclassed, but now she’s holding even with Tatiana, using her powers to supplement her hits and avoid attacks. It’s like the evolution of a fighter in fast-forward. Tatiana is thrilled.

“You can always turn good, Marie!” she says, slamming her knee into the woman’s midsection. It sends Marie flying back a few feet before she catches herself. “I have never seen such fast learning! You are thing of beauty! If only you were not trying to turn the world against supers.”

“Of course I’m trying to turn them against supers!” Marie snaps. “Humans are sheep, and you of all people should understand that—”

“Says woman that was in love with one,” Tatiana says, twisting through the air and slamming one heavily muscled leg into Marie’s side. She watches as Marie hits the exact same hole she’d fallen into earlier. Now to see if the boy can pull off—she sighs as Marie comes up with the boy in her arms, a finger trailing over his cheek.

“Really, don’t you think a shadow walker would be a more useful tool at night?” Marie asks.

“It is night,” Tatiana says easily, her eyes on the boy. She expects to see the fear in his eyes, but the stubbornness is a surprise--a very good one.

“Let him go!” Zoe shouts from behind her. Tatiana turns to look at her, a bit surprised to see the ship floating right behind the girl, along with all the machines from Nico’s room. From the red dots scattered over the ground, it looks like there are several lasers in the mix. “Let him go, or
I’ll make
you.”

Marie stares at her a bit dumbfounded before letting out a laugh. “Oh, how adorable you are,” she says. “And at such a young age, too! You and all your little lasers—so cute!”

A wave of red dots appear on Marie, joining into one large dot aimed right between her eyes. “You don’t understand, lady,” Zoe says. “You’re done kidnapping my fellow students. You’re done manipulating the norms. And you are
completely
done as a super. You abuse your powers. You’re going to wind up in the Cape Cells, along with Shadowman. Maybe if you’re lucky you’ll get to see each other once in a blue moon.”

“And you think you’re going to make me?” Marie asks.

“No, I’m just keeping you distracted,” Zoe says as unyielding arms wrap around Marie from behind. She feels a needle poke the back of her neck.

“Let the boy go or Dad'll make it easy to pierce that thick hide of yours,” she hears Technico whisper against her ear. “It’ll strip your powers, leaving you the same as a norm. How old are you, Mother? I’m betting you’re well over a hundred. Do you know what happens to norms at that age?”

She lets go of the boy, who promptly grabs the watch she’s wearing before falling to the ground. “Do it,” she says. “Kill me.”

“You will not!” Tatiana says sharply, making them both look up. “Zoe, kitten, prepare collar—one with insert for glowing green liquid as added threat. Do not be letting anyone, her or any technopath, try to remove it without it stripping her powers and exploding. You can make them as your father does, yes?”

“Yes, I can do that,” Zoe says, racing away for the mountain. Superior moves forward, floating in front of Marie and Nico.

“Don’t even try getting free,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest and staring at her.

“You’re letting our species die,” Marie says. “You traitor.”

“I’m not letting it die—I’m improving on it,” he says. “Every Superior child that hasn’t gained my powers or technopathy has taken their mother’s ability and made it worthy of the name Superior. My daughter can manipulate the electric field. My grandson can create entire forests as far as his eyes can see. Do you see where I’m going?”

Her eyes widen with surprise. “I—”

“My daughter is currently dating one of the strongest shifters on the planet,” Superior goes on, looking almost smug. “Can you imagine a Superior shape-shifter? You had an interesting idea, but you aren’t creative enough. My future great-granddaughter will grow up to be a masterpiece of power. She’ll be Mastermental’s granddaughter, as well.”

“I see,” Mother says, looking stunned. “You’re creating an entire army, right here, aren’t you?”

“One that your son will never be able to take down,” Superior says. “Now can we finish her off?” he asks, glancing over at Tatiana.

“Of course not! She is thing of beauty—evil one, yes, but still thing of beauty! I am keeping her,” she declares.