Aces Wild: Cape High Book Six (17 page)

"You put another sign on my back, didn't you?" I say, barely moving my lips.

"This one says, 'Dragon for rent, ten bucks an hour,'" Justin reads.  I look at Jack, only to blink as half the group pulls out a ten dollar bill.

"I want to ride a dragon!" Carla says.  "Somebody give me a ten!"

Max pulls out his wallet and hands her a ten.  I stare at him.  "What?" he asks.  "I believe in helping girls achieve their dreams.  I'm extremely generous, you know."

I give him the dirtiest look I can manage--until Taurus speaks up.  "Sounds like fun," he says.  "Alright, guys, everyone back to the rooftop!"

I... am really wondering if I should have fought harder not to transfer.

***

The kid doesn't weigh anything to him, but at the same time it feels like the weight of the world is on his back, Blackjack thinks as he slows down, pulling to a stop in front of the house he had once shared with his family.  He changes his hold on the teenager he's carrying piggyback, freeing up a hand to knock on the front door.  Knocking on the door of his own house.  It doesn't feel right.

"Coming!" he hears Vivi shout from inside.  For a moment he worries that Ace is going to wake, but the boy just moves slightly before letting out a sigh.  He's exhausted.  Of course he would be, Blackjack thinks with amusement.  He gave half the school a ride.

The door opens and Vivi looks at him, a hesitant expression on her face until she notices Ace.  "Rough day?" she asks.

"You could say that," Blackjack says quietly.  "Taurus decided to go along with one of Jack's jokes."

"He didn't!"

"Nothing bad," Blackjack assures her.  "They changed it to a buck a minute.  After half an hour the kid collapsed.  He's not used to his dragon form yet."

"Dragon form?" she repeats.  "Like on the television?  Blackjack, you're making my son turn into that monster?  For fun?"

"It's an illusion," Blackjack says.  He feels awkward just standing there in the entryway, he realizes.  "Can I come in?  Maybe... have a coffee?" he asks, hesitantly.  "I can tell you all about it after I put him to bed."

She hesitates, looking at Ace for a moment, then sighs. "Just one cup," she says.

He grins, feeling his heart pounding hard against his chest.  "One cup's fine," he says.  "One cup's plenty."

***

"I want to go, too," Liz says as she watches her brother and father step into the middle of the room.  "I want to help find my great-niece."

"We need you here with the blueprints," Superior says before Nico can reply.
  "In case our watch breaks and we don't come back."

"You would be better with the blueprints than she would," Nico points out.

"This involves a time when she wasn't even alive and you weren't old enough to remember.  I need to go," Superior says stubbornly, looking down at his polyester pants and dress shirt.  He looks over at Nico, who's wearing a pair of bellbottoms.  "Which is obvious by the clothing."

"What?  They wear them in
that show about the seventies," Nico mutters, looking down at his pants as well.  "It doesn't matter--we go in, we get Noelle, we leave.  Nobody will see us so we won't have to try and fit in.  Because I really would rather not be seen in these pants."

"Says the man who chose them," Superior says dryly.  "Liz, you're the Superior in charge.  Don't disappoint me."

"Love you, little sister," Nico says more softly.  Then he glances at Summer, who's been standing to the side watching them silently.  "Love you, too, Summer.  Take care of our kids," he says.  "I'll be back in no time."

Superior places a hand on his shoulder and Nico taps on the watch he's wearing.

Then they're gone with a tiny poof of sparks.

***

Bonus Section:

Ace's Community Service

"Okay, man, I get wanting to get out of school early," Jack says as he trudges along beside me, a scowl on his face.  "I get wanting to do something cool for other people, even--well, sort of.  But seriously, HOW did you talk the entire school staff into letting us do this?"

"They sent a cameraman," I drawl, jabbing a thumb at my dad, who's disguised as a norm brandishing a television camera.  "They're going to post this entire thing on Hero TV.  And you're coming because bringing Justin would bring too many of the norms running," I add.  "I shoulda brought Max, he'd complain less."

"Nah, I wanna do it.  I think," Jack says as we pull to a stop in front of the hospital.  We're both wearing hoodies, jeans and tennis shoes, dressed like norm teenagers, but we can't go in with the hoods up.  I look back at Dad.

"They aren't going to try and shoot us, are they?" I ask.  "Last thing we want is bullets ricocheting off of the tinman, here," I add.

"If I'm the tinman, you're Oz," Jack says.  "And Nico says he already called ahead and explained everything," he adds, tapping his ear before pulling his hood down before walking through the carousel door.  "Yo," he says in a cheerful tone as the nurses and the security start to panic.  "We're here for Cape High Community Service."

I race past him, holding up both hands.  "Wait--wait, he's serious!" I say, watching as guns are aimed at us.  "We called ahead?  Our principal is Technico.  I'm here to do a show for the children's ward?"

The nurses react first, calming and making a few calls.  We wait, patiently.  "So who's Max?" I ask Jack curiously, since there's nothing better to do than just stand there being stared at by guards.

"I'd say he's Toto," Jack declares.

"The dog?" I ask.

"Yeah, short and barky."

"He's going to kill you as soon as he sees this, you know."

"Um, well... it's... unprecedented, but it seems we've been waiting for you," the lady at the desk says as she hangs up and stands.  "We've set up a room where those children that can leave their rooms can go, so if you'd follow me, please?"

I look at Jack, who suddenly looks serious.  I wonder what he's thinking as we follow the lady down the hall and into an elevator.  She looks all business as she pushes the button before turning to us.  "Now why are two super villains doing community service at a hospital?" she asks bluntly as we start to go up.

"Well I wanted to come as a norm," I admit, "but I've already gotten my picture pasted on all of the newspapers in town.  Sure I could have disguised myself, but this way I can drag Jack in on it."

"Thanks for that," Jack drawls.  I twitch my fingers and a single rose appears in my hand, which I offer to the nurse.  She stares at it like it's going to bite her.

"No thorns, I promise," I say, holding it out again.  She takes the rose, her eyes widening as she realizes it's solid.  She sniffs it, looking stunned.

"Why are you a super villain?" she asks me.  "Your father's my favorite hero!"

"We're hoping he'll outgrow it," Dad says, still looking like a cameraman.

"Nope," Jack and I say in almost the exact same tone as the door slides open.  So far I've enjoyed being a super villain, oddly enough.  It's all cheese acting and running when the time calls for it, but it's fun!  We step into a large ceiling room that's got a large group of kids sitting in a circle, half of them in wheelchairs, the other half on the ground.  They look so tiny, I think, feeling a bit stunned.

"This was your idea, Dragon boy," Jack says, shoving me forward.  I take a deep breath and start forward.

"He's Dragon," I hear a little boy whisper too loudly.  "He's a bad guy!"

"I am," I say, stepping into the center of the circle.  "For those of you that don't know me, my name is Dragon.  I'm here to take you all captive!" I say, laughing my most evil laugh.  They squeal and grab onto one another.  The more active of them get to their feet and run to hide behind the wheelchairs, peeking around the kids sitting there.  "You think you can run?" I ask, taking a step forward.

I wave a hand to the right, then the other to the left.  Those little card guards from that Alice cartoon appear around the kids, looking about as intimidating as a toy.  The kids stop squealing, their eyes going wide as the cards surround them.  One brave little girl even pokes one of them with her finger, only to get poked lightly by a spear.  She looks like Christmas has come early.

"It poked me!" she tells the others in wonder.  "And I FELT it!"  All of a sudden the kids have forgotten I'm a bad guy and are busy trying to touch the cards.  At least they are until Jack lets out a sharp, piercing whistle.  They turn and stare at us again.

"We're holding you captive," he tells them.  "Remember?"  They nod with serious expressions.  "Now siddown," he orders.

The kids return to their places, watching us eagerly.  "Now my princes and princesses," I say, starting to pace in front of them, bringing up an illusion of a dragon head covering my face for a moment.  They squeal in wonder even after I let it drop.  "I'm a dragon," I tell them, leaning forward with an evil grin.  "So I need to do something with you... how about a tower?"

I wave a hand, knowing I'm going to be exhausted after this, but not caring.  The room changes, looking like a gigantic tower room, complete with a massive bed with white curtains around it--and they're all right on top of it.  "Now!  That's more like it, don't you think?"

"We need a hero," a little girl says, bouncing on the bed happily.  "To come and save us!"

"We didn't bring a hero--" Jack starts out, only to blink as a sword appears in his hand.  He gives me a dirty look.

"You're perfect knight material--your armor comes built in!" I tell him shamelessly.  "Now everyone be good little captives and cheer on your knight as I beat him to the ground!" I tell them cheerfully.

"Isn't he a bad guy, too?" I hear a girl whisper.

"He is, but I'm not going to complain, he looks tough!" the boy sitting next to her whispers back.  I see a look of shock on Jack's face and I grin.

"Come on, tinman, save the kids!" I taunt him, bringing back the dragon head illusion and tossing in claws over my hands.  Soon we're fake battling as the kids watch on in glee, for a moment forgetting the tests and the needles that are part of their daily lives.  Even the nurses that are standing around are getting into it, cheering when Jack gets a hit in, booing when I do.  It's hysterical, but I'm getting tired, I think as Jack pins me to the ground, his sword raised above his head.

"No!!" I hear one of the boys cry, much to my shock.  I blink as half of the group jump off the bed and race over, throwing themselves on top of me.  "Don't kill the dragon!" a bossy girl says, grabbing Jack by the waist.  It startles a laugh out of me, and Jack puts the sword down, patting the girl on the head.

"Alright," he says simply.

"Okay, guys," I say, letting the illusions drop and sitting up.  "You need to make a serious promise before we let you go, okay?"  They look at me expectantly, nodding.  "You can't tell anyone other than your mommies and daddies about this, got it?  And they can't tell anyone like the news or anything, understand?  We're bad guys, we can't be known as good guys!"

"But we can tell Mommy and Daddy, right?" a little one asks.

"You can," I say, because it'd be cruel to not let them.  "But nobody else."

"How about my little sister?"

"Okay, siblings, too--but nobody else," I say, giving in way too easily.  There's no way this isn't going to get out to the public.

"And we'll come back with more of our friends, got it?" Jack adds.  "But only if it's a secret."

"YEAH!" they cheer as I get to my feet.  We manage to get free of them after several hugs and a few signatures, and head down the hall with the nurse leading the way.

"You did an amazing thing, there," she tells us as we get in the elevator.  "Thank you."

"Next time I'm bringing Aubrey," Jack says flatly.  I look at him, a little grin pulling at my lips.  Maybe he's secretly a hero, after all.

Coming Soon:

Cape High

Book
7: Steampunk Time

The year is 1978.  Yeah, I'm a bit stunned by that one, too, okay?  I mean, I have no clue what's going on in this time, I think there's supposed to be this cold war between Russia--or whatever it is they call themselves right now, and America, right?  But I'm sitting here with what's obviously a Russian superhero, with my two year old grandfather playing on the floor in front of us.

My name is Noelle Masters.  I'm from the future.  FAR in the future right now.  "So," Tatiana--she's the Russian hero--er, heroine, I guess, that I told you about--says.  "Your name is Noelle?"

"Yeah," I say, sipping my hot chocolate.  "Um... I..."  Can't really ask Grandpa Nico to build me a watch when he's still having trouble with legos, can I?  There's only one option.  I need to talk to Superior.  I shudder at the thought, trying not to make a face.  I don't understand Great Grandpa Superior.  He's the kind of guy that looks at you and sees every single flaw you've ever had.  Like the fact that I'm thirteen--almost fourteen--and still not showing any powers whatsoever.  I hate that more than he does, I swear, but he's the one that gives off the silent "I'm judging you" feel.

I couldn't wait until I got to school, couldn't wait until Grandpa hooked me up to the testing machine and told the world that I have powers.  That I have potential.  So... um... well, I snuck into his lab one day and started searching through all his old devices.  I found the time machine watch, but he caught me.  I had to talk him into letting me use it as a prop--to play with.  I went shopping with my mom, got a dozen adorable steampunk outfits that matched the bulky leather watch, ran around in leather high heeled wedges, did my black hair in curls.  It was fun, for a month or so. 

There I was, wearing a time travel watch, the perfect outfit, the curls just right--I'd gotten the most awesome brass goggles--they don't DO anything, yet, but I swore that as soon as my technopath skills kicked in they would--and still had no powers.  I couldn't go to Cape High with no powers!  But at the same time I didn't fit in at norm school at all.  I mean, people avoided me, or talked about me behind my back, or made fun of my new fashion.  I hated it.  I tried changing back to norm clothes for a day, then people made even more fun of me.  I just couldn't get a break!  I needed to know that someday I would have powers.

So... I messed with the watch until it came on.  I set it to a year in the future--I thought.  I would just peek in on the school and see how awesome I was when my powers came in!  Except all of a sudden I was standing in front of a tattered looking yellow police tape, not the massively ornate entrance I expected to see--and two kids were staring at me from through a filmy wall.  I'd gone into the past, not the future.  The past where my mother was still fifteen years old and my father was really short.  And then--yes, it gets worse--my watch broke when I tried and go back to my own time.  I get stuck in the past, rooming with a girl I'd never heard about in my own time, and feeling even more lost than I had been in my own time.  But I liked the girl--her name is Morgan--she was kind to me even when I was being a snot, so I tried to help her with her father problem.  I... shouldn't have suggested using the watch, I know this now.  But...

Well, her father turned out to be a really bad guy.  He was so happy when Morgan and Justin got sent to the future, then he kidnapped me after fighting Grandpa Nico, and eventually knocked me out, then he sent me back to 1978.  Now.  Where I woke up somehow, to find myself with Tatiana, who I think might be my Great Grandma.

All caught up?  I think I am.  And now Tatiana is looking at me with a worried expression on her face.  "Kitten?" she asks.

"I'm sorry," I say, putting the cup of hot chocolate down.  "I've had a bit of... trouble lately, I didn't mean to drag you into this," I tell her.  "I should leave--"

"Nonsense," she says sharply.  "You are a mere child, I am a super hero--ah, I should not have admitted that," she says sheepishly.  I feel my lips twitching, much to my surprise.  That was funny, okay?  "But I am!  I am here to save the precious children of the world!"

I smile.  I'm not sure why, but that statement strikes a chord in my heart.  "Thank you," I say, looking down at my cup and squirming slightly.

"Of course, you are a super, too, aren't you?" she asks in a knowing tone.  "The way you woke up--your eyes glowed, my little kitten," she says with a slight smile.  "Oh, Nico, do not--" she starts out as Nico grabs my skirt and pulls himself into my lap.  "He is strong for his age, and determined," she apologizes.

"It's fine," I say as he sits on my lap, staring up at me with familiar steel gray eyes.  He says something I can't understand and grins at me, showing tiny pearly teeth and dimples.  It's a bit disturbing knowing that this adorable little guy is the same guy that caused all of Central Hall to work together to catch him at twenty-three.  The same guy that created a massive canyon with a single weapon of destruction--just so he could expand his work area.  He looks so innocent right now!  Especially when he reaches up and touches my hair with a tiny hand.

"He seems to like your hair," she says as he touches the curls with a fascinated expression.

"Um... where's his dad?" I ask, hoping he doesn't pull my hair.

She hesitates, a slight frown on her face.  "You... might have noticed my accent," she says slowly.  "I am from the Soviet Union--I am an exchange super.  In exchange, my husband, Superior, has been sent to my old home.  Through this exchange we hope to encourage peace among our people, for the sake of our child," she says, looking at Nico with a little smile.  "It means we do not get to see each other as much as we would like, though.  I have hopes that it will be over, soon."

"Do they know?" I ask.  "You know, that you and Superior are married?"

"No, of course not!" she says with a laugh.  "This is a secret among us supers.  You will keep it, yes?"

"Of course," I say.  "He would be in danger if the norms knew, wouldn't he?" I ask, feeling extremely protective of the little boy.  If he gets killed, I'll never exist, right?  Oh, and he's cute.  I mean--I probably should have switched those two.  Oh well, at least I didn't say it aloud.

"He would," she says, looking me in the eye.  "Not only as our child, but as the child of supers in general.  In this age there are threats to our kind--threats that would attack our young at the drop of a hat, so to say."

I look down, not able to meet those ice blue eyes.  I've never felt threatened in my time--even if I am the child of a super family.  But things seem to be a lot less casual here and now.  "Ms. Tatiana--" I start out.

"Please, call me Tati," she interrupts.

"Tati... um... I have a confession to make," I say slowly.  "I'm not... from this time."

"Oh, yes, I figured," she says, waving it off.  "That outfit, it does not come from this time.  It was either you were an alien or from a different time.  But we will get you back to your own time soon enough, I am sure.  Now we must go to the Hall, I am due to do my job," she declares, getting to her feet and taking my cup from me to take into the kitchen.  "If you could grab the bag by the door, kitten, we will get Nico ready, as well," she calls to me.

She's planning on taking me and Nico on her rounds?  That would be AMAZING!  But how?  I put Nico down and head for the bag next to the door, grunting with the weight.  How much baby stuff do you need?  This thing weighs a ton!  I have to lean to carry the bag, and grunt as I drop it to the ground.  Nico gets to his feet and walks over, looking at the bag for a moment before picking it up.  It's bigger than he is, and weighs three times as much, but he doesn't seem to notice.  I didn't realize Grandpa was born with his powers!

"Oh, Nico, you silly boy," Tati says as she comes out of the kitchen.  "Do not fall over this time."

"No," he says seriously.

"Good boy," she says, patting him on the head.  "Now! Out to the ridiculous automobile that my Clifford calls a family car."

Clifford?  Superior's name is CLIFFORD?  Like the big red dog?  I look away, my shoulders shaking against my will.  No, seriously, no wonder he goes by Superior even in his own family!  I watch as she picks up Nico, who's still holding the bag, and heads for the door.  When she glances at me I follow quickly, darting past her out the door so she can fight with the locks.  There's this strange looking car with a weird behind--I mean back end sitting in the driveway.  "What IS that thing?" I ask.

"It is Called a Gremlin," Tati says as she walks over.  "It is so ugly."

"It's terrible," I say.

"Do not tell Clifford.  He is so very fond of it," she says, laughing as she shakes her head and puts Nico into the back seat.  "I tell him, the seat in back is too small for when Nico is older, but he says we will worry about that when Nico is older," she says as I fight with the door to slide in.  It's a really heavy door and almost closes on my leg before I manage to get in.  She gets in the driver side and checks the mirrors.  This car seems really small with her in it--I can't imagine how crowded it feels with both her and Superior.

"So... um, if your husband is in your country--when do you see each other?" I ask as we start down the road for the Hall.

"Oh, we can both fly," she says.  "It is not too difficult of a matter to meet on neutral ground.  It is the problem of finding the time to do so."  She goes silent and I glance over at her, chewing on my bottom lip.

"You being here... is... um... are the two countries happy with this exchange?" I ask quietly.

"Hah!" she says, almost making me jump.  "No, kitten.  Neither my country or this one is happy with the exchange.  They do not trust what is not theirs.  The people believe that we are being used as weapons just as the weapons aimed at one another are.  The Americans, they boo when they see me fly overhead, my people, they curse when they see Superior fly overhead.  But from that vantage, they look very much the same to us in the air."  She gives me a beautiful smile.  "They do not see how very much alike they are, kitten.  People are people, regardless of what language they are speaking, or what clothing styles they wear."

I can't help the frown pulling at my lips--no, not because of her statement about people being people, but because of people not happy to have her here.  "Does everyone in America hate having you here?" I ask.

"The adults, they know what is happening between our countries," she says.  "The children, though!  They do not.  I am not hated by the little ones.  It is... refreshing."

"Does Superior know you're having so much trouble?" I ask.

"He has the same," she says.  "But I am no weakling that I must run to my man when faced with adversity.  I am Tatiana, an S Class super heroine in my own right.  There is no reason for me to falter in the face of a little disapproval.  You will learn that as well, I am certain," she says, reaching out and gently patting my head.

"Wh--what?" I ask, feeling stunned.  How--why would she--

"I saw you wake up, kitten," she says.  "You promise to be very powerful if that is an indicator."

"Oh," I say, looking down.

"Your parents, are they supers?"

I think about them, feeling so lonely that I'm tempted to cry.  Mom... Dad... it's been so long since I've seen them--well, them when they aren't teenagers that barely notice I'm alive.  "Yes," I say.  "They are."

"Are they strong?"

I hesitate, worried I might let something slip.  "Very," I say finally.  "They're very strong."