Heat Wave, page 36
Jazz nodded. “It’s temporary. They only took one each, just to be safe. The ride over here was … interesting. Daddy accidentally ripped up one of Matilda’s seats. Bob almost lit my eyebrows on fire.”
“Sorry about that!” Bob called over, molding his fire into a ball, tossing it from one hand to the other. “Thought it’d be more like a lighter than a flamethrower. Boy, was I wrong.” He almost dropped the fireball, looking sheepish as he caught it before it fell. “Still takes some getting used to.”
“Stay here,” Miss Conduct said. “We’ll handle the rest.” She bowed dramatically, face only a foot above the ground, without bending her knees. Nick still wanted to be her when he grew up. “Miss Conduct will deal with the evil twink, with assistance from the DILF Squad.”
“Dad Squad,” Nick corrected automatically.
Miss Conduct stared at him. “I said what I said.”
“Wait,” Pyro Storm said, and they all looked at him. “Let me get this right. Four adult men and a drag queen are going to take on the teenager who’s trying to kill us?”
“Yes,” the Dad Squad and Miss Conduct said at the same time.
He shrugged. “Okay. Just wanted to make sure we’re all on the same page.” He sagged back against the tow truck.
Trey looked at the others around him and nodded. “Ready? Let’s do this thang.”
“Ooh, hold on,” Miles said, gripping the bumper lying on his shoulder. “Before we go. I’ve been working on a little something called a catchphrase.”
“How do you do, fellow kids?” Jazz muttered fondly, rolling her eyes.
“Oh my god, yes,” Nick whispered. “I’m here for all of this.”
Miles puffed out his chest. “What superpower do you get when you become a dad?”
Nick frowned. “Uh, that’s not a catchphrase. It sounds like the setup for a terrible—”
“Supervision,” Miles said. “Get it? Because we supervise our—”
“Dads, no,” Nick and Gibby and Seth and Jazz said.
“Dads, yes!” the dads shouted, and they turned toward where Owen had landed …
… only to find him gone.
“Where’d he go?” Miss Conduct asked, joining the Dad Squad as Jazz fussed over a cut on Nick’s head, Gibby’s arm wrapped around Pyro Storm’s waist. Cap watched over all of them, mustache twitching.
“Did he run?” Trey asked, his waterspouts swirling on either side of the bridge, misting over them, like a thin fog.
“I don’t run,” Shadow Star snarled, stepping out from behind a minivan farther down the bridge. His hands were curled into fists, shadows growing around him once more. “It’s better you’re here. Now I can wipe you all out and—”
“One chance,” Cap said, glaring at Shadow Star. “I’m telling you now, Owen, we’re giving you one chance to stand down.”
Shadow Star shrieked as he charged them, his shadows slamming into the ground, propelling him forward. He only made it two steps before Trey clapped his hands together. The waterspouts spun furiously, hitting either side of the bridge and climbing on top of it, picking up glass and metal, a chaotic storm that Shadow Star couldn’t get through. He made a strangled noise as the strong winds lifted him up, body twisting, shadows floundering.
Miles stepped forward, lowering the bumper and tapping it against the ground. “Aaron, on my word, hit me with that thing. You hear me?”
Dad nodded, moving off to the side, the glass ball glittering above his head. Shadow Star spun upside down in the waterspout, and Miles said, “Wait for it. Wait for it. Now.”
Dad thrust his hands forward, and the glass ball shot toward Miles, who swung the bumper like a baseball bat. He grunted when glass met metal, and the ball hurtled toward Shadow Star. It struck him in the chest, glass exploding around him, surrounding him in little shards.
“Miss Conduct!” Trey shouted. “You’re up!”
Electricity snarled as Miss Conduct stepped forward. White-hot lightning flew from her fingertips, striking the shattered glass and water. The electricity snapped across the water with a burning sizzle, fusing the glass around Shadow Star, trapping him inside. For a moment, Nick thought that was it, that it was over, finally, at last. But then Shadow Star screamed, and the glass ball detonated into powder, the waterspout swaying, starting to diminish.
“Huh,” Miles said. “Didn’t expect that.”
“Amateurs,” Bob muttered, taking a step forward, belly jiggling slightly. “Let me show you how it’s done.” The fireball began to grow in his hands, flames licking his fingers. “Seth, are you watching? Look at this! Pretty cool, right?”
“Very cool,” Pyro Storm agreed.
“Yeah,” Bob said. “I thought so, too. Now I just have to figure out how to throw the darn thing.”
“Bob!” Dad yelled. “Duck!”
Bob immediately dropped to the ground, twisting over onto his back as Shadow Star flew toward him, and right when he was above the fireball, Bob pushed it up. The fire hit Shadow Star in the stomach, flipping him over. He hit the pavement, skidding toward the tow truck. He was up before he stopped sliding, rushing back toward them, hands outstretched, mouth hanging open.
“Our turn,” Gibby said, stepping away from Nick and Seth. “Jazz?”
“Oh, I’ve been waiting for this,” Jazz said. Raising her voice, she cried, “Cap!”
Cap stuck out his foot right when Shadow Star passed him by, causing him to trip. He stumbled forward, momentum carrying him. Before he could recover, Gibby crouched low in front of him, then threw herself up. Her shoulder hit Shadow Star in the stomach, his breath exploding from his mouth in a wheezing grunt. Not to be outdone, Jazz stepped forward as Gibby moved out of the way. She cocked her fist back and let it fly. Her knuckles collided with Shadow Star’s bared teeth, knocking him back against the guardrail. For a moment, Nick thought he’d go up and over the railing, but he managed to keep from falling.
“Punching doesn’t hurt as much as I thought it would,” Jazz said as Gibby snorted. “I hope I get to do it again soon. Maybe even in the next few seconds, because Owen doesn’t seem to get it yet.”
Shadow Star rose unsteadily to his feet and stalked toward them, but Miss Conduct moved in front of him. “I don’t like hurting other queer people,” she told him. “But for you, I’ll make an exception.” She clapped her hands together, and electricity arced around her. When Shadow Star threw a clumsy punch, she sidestepped it easily, slamming her glowing hand into his back, causing him to seize, teeth grinding together. Electricity coursed through him, shredding his costume, revealing lines of tan skin. The costume struggled to re-form as he took another hard step forward. Miss Conduct crouched low as she spun, leg kicking out, hitting the back of his knees. Shadow Star fell forward, landing facedown on the ground.
Miss Conduct rose above him, glaring. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay down.”
He did not, apparently, know what was good for him, because he started to push himself up. He laughed harshly, head bowed. “You think … this is enough … to stop me?” He raised his head, looking directly at Nick. “You were wrong.”
“Heard you liked to play catch,” Dad called, and the sound Nick made when he saw his father standing on the bridge was something he wasn’t proud of. It came out in a high-pitched wheeze, similar to a tire deflating, but he thought he could be forgiven for this, seeing as how Dad had a red Mini Cooper floating above his head. “Catch this.”
The Mini Cooper flew toward Shadow Star, who screeched as he dove to the ground. The car bounced off the bridge only a few feet from Shadow Star’s head, flipping over him and into the water below.
“Oops,” Dad said. “Hope that was insured.” He looked at Nick. “Whenever you damage someone else’s property, you need to own up to it. Did anyone get the license plate?”
“Maybe now’s not the best time,” Nick said. “Seeing as how Owen won’t stay down.”
“You’re damn right I won’t,” Shadow Star snapped as he pushed himself up once more. He looked a little unsteady, hands shaking, panting heavily. “You think you’re all enough to stop me? You’re not. I could do this forever. I will…” He groaned, wrapping his arms around his stomach as his eyes squeezed shut.
Nick took a step toward him, only stopping when Pyro Storm grabbed his wrist. “Don’t,” he whispered harshly. “It’s a trap. He’s trying to catch us off guard.”
“Something’s wrong,” Nick said, never looking away from Owen. “He’s…”
Shadow Star collapsed to his knees, head bowed in front of him.
Pyro Storm—Seth—tried to hold Nick back, but he pulled free. Dad called his name as he rushed toward Shadow Star. Falling to his knees, Nick hesitated before putting his hands on either side of Shadow Star’s helmet. Lifting it off, he tossed it aside.
Owen Burke blinked slowly, dazed, eyes unfocused. Nick gasped when he saw Owen’s skin was almost translucent, black shadows swirling underneath. “The pills,” Owen whispered. “It hurts, Nicky.”
“I know,” Nick said, touching the side of Owen’s face. He recoiled when Owen’s cheek bulged, a shadow trying to force its way through. Owen had done so much to hurt them, to hurt others. He’d taken lives, stolen people away from their families. He had to be stopped. But no one deserved this. “We can help you. You don’t have to do this anymore. You’re not your father. You’re not Patricia.”
Owen smiled weakly. “You think?”
Nick nodded.
Owen stared at him for a long moment. He turned his face into Nick’s hand. “We had something once, didn’t we?”
“We did,” Nick agreed quietly. “For once in your life, do the right thing.”
“If I say no?” Owen asked, eyes narrowed.
A chill ran down Nick’s spine as he sat upright. “Then I’d say there’s ten of us. One of you. You can’t win against those odds.”
And Owen said, “Maybe not. But I can sure as hell try.”
He did. He tried. Shadows burst from his back, but they flickered angrily as they whipped around. One hurtled toward Nick’s face but stopped inches from the tip of his nose. Nick didn’t move, didn’t blink, and when Seth’s arms wrapped around his chest, pulling him away, he didn’t try to fight it. Instead, he felt a strange sense of grief wash over him, knowing no matter what any of them did or said, it was already too late for Owen.
The shadows trembled as Owen clutched himself, face contorted. He brought his hands up to his head, gripping his hair, and the scream he let out would haunt Nick for years to come. It echoed across the ruins of the bridge. Seth breathed heavily in Nick’s ear, his grip around his chest tight. But Nick barely felt it. He barely felt it because of Owen’s legs. They were dim, translucent. Same with his hips. His chest. His arms. His face. Owen held out his hands in front of him, and his fingers began to fade, little wisps of shadows rising like smoke from the tips.
“What is this?” Owen whispered.
“The pills,” Dad said, appearing next to Nick and Seth. He looked exhausted, horrified. The lines on his face were deeper than Nick had ever seen them. “You took too many, Owen. There’s always a price to pay.”
Owen shook his head. “No. No.” He took a step toward them. And then another. And then another, but then he could walk no more because his lower legs turned to shadows, unable to support his weight. He fell to his knees, settling back on his haunches. Owen smiled at the night sky and spoke his last words.
He said, “I … am … Extraordinary.”
His face, his teeth and tongue, dissolved into shadows. The rest of him followed, and his body burst silently in a puff of black that swirled away, caught in a warm breeze that spread all that remained of Owen Burke, like ash over an ocean.
He was gone.
Seth let Nick go as he turned toward his father, grabbing him as tightly as he could. Nick felt something in him break, and he clutched at his father as tears fell.
Hands on his back. His hair. Words whispered from his friends, his family, familiar, sweet and soft. Dad whispered in his ear, “We’ve got you, kid. We’ve got you.”
Nick didn’t raise his head when the sounds of sirens filled the air, people approaching from either side of the bridge, calling out. He closed his eyes and held on for dear life.
19
Fic: The Truth
Author: Guardian
Chapter 1 of?
4,782 Words
Pairing: Guardian/Pyro Storm, Nicholas Bell/Seth Gray, Lola Gibson/Jasmine Kensington, Minor Nicholas Bell/Owen Burke, Owen Burke/Himself
Rated: PG-13 (and I better not get any shit for this, you weirdos!)
Tags: Idiot Boys in Love, Super Queer Girls, Pining, Dad Squad, Lighthouse, A Guy Called Burrito Jerry, Real Person Nonfiction, Autobiography, Happiness, Sadness, Somewhat Anti-Rebecca Firestone, Violence, All the Catchphrases, ADHD Is a Superpower, Neurodiverse Unite!
Chapter 1: We Are Done Hiding
I have a story I want to tell you. Most of it is pretty unbelievable, but stick with me, okay? It’s probably going to go on for far too long, and you might even think that I’m full of shit, but I promise every word that follows is the truth. Right now, I’m sure there are journalists all over the world cursing my name as they read this, especially since I refused to be interviewed after all that happened. I was even contacted by publishers wanting me to write a book about the last few years. Ridiculous, right?
I refused because I wanted to tell my story my way. And what could be better than writing it down and releasing it for free on our beloved fic site? Take that, capitalism!
A few things about me before we start: I am seventeen years old. I’m a student at Centennial High in Nova City (home of the Fighting Wombats!). I’m queer. I have ADHD and it’s not the death sentence I once thought it was. Some of the smartest people I know (hi, Jazz and Gibby!) have told me time and time again it’s my superpower and that no one thinks like I do. I believe them because they’re smarter than the rest of us combined. My brain is my superpower, but it’s not the only one I’ve got.
My name is Nicholas Bell. You might know me as ShadowStar744 or PyroStormIsBae, both monikers I used to write fics on this site (and the first person who gives me crap over my ShadowStar744 fics will be yeeted into the sun). But I have another name, one you’ve undoubtedly seen spread across every news channel, every newspaper across the world, given there’s apparently nothing else going on. Someone I love with all my heart (hey, Seth! you’re the best!) once did the bravest thing I’ve ever seen. He removed the mask and revealed the Extraordinary underneath, knowing there would be people who hated him simply for existing.
I was scared for him. I’ve seen what people are capable of. And honestly, I was scared for me, knowing what I could do. I felt like a coward letting him go through it alone. I didn’t have the immense courage he did, and though I wanted nothing more than to join him, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
But I’m done hiding.
My name is Nicholas Bell. I’m the Extraordinary known as Guardian. And this is my manifesto.
* * *
My mother, Jennifer Marie Bell, once held the same moniker. It’s mine now, and I hold it with pride, honoring her memory. She’s gone. That hurts to write, after everything we’ve been through.
Here are a few other things you should know about her.
She was kind.
She was honest, even if the truth was hard to hear.
She loved my father, her husband. They met when they were in college. It’s the only hetero meet-cute I’ll tolerate (straights, you’ve had enough of those): she was on a ladder in the NCU library, trying to reach a book from a top shelf. She slipped, and who just happened to be walking by when she did? Yep. My dad. He didn’t so much catch her as break her fall, and he said that the first time he saw her face, he knew she was it for him.
And like me, she was telekinetic. But that’s not all she was. She was so much more than her ability to move things with her mind. If I can impress upon you one thing, it would be this: she was an Extraordinary, but she was also my mother. I miss her every day, and everything I am, everything I do, is because of her.
* * *
Now, let me tell you about my dad, Aaron Bell.
If you live in Nova City, you probably know that name. Shortly after my mother died, my father—an NCPD detective—struck a witness who was being cruel and saying things about Mom. Instead of being fired, he was demoted. But that only lasted for a few years. After the Battle at McManus Bridge Part I (yes, this is probably a thing some underpaid intern thought up; if it’d been up to me, the title would have been much longer and with many more exclamation points), he was assigned to lead the newly formed Extraordinaries Division. It was his job to keep track of the Extraordinaries in Nova City.
But he should have been fired. Or he should’ve quit. No matter what was being said to him, putting his hands on someone was the wrong thing to do. Dad knows I’m writing this. He knows I’m leaving nothing out because it’s important for you to hear the truth, as ugly as it can be.
He’s not a cop anymore. He quit when Rodney Caplan did. Too little, too late? I don’t know. You won’t hear me arguing one way over the other, but I know my father. I know the type of man he is. He’s trying every day to become a better person. And I’m going to be there to make sure he continues to do that, while also making sure I do the same. We owe it to each other, ourselves, and our friends and family to do the best we can.
* * *
I have friends. (Yes, yes, I’m bragging.) Gibby and Jazz. Two women who have helped to shape who I am today. Both of them are rad. Protective. Badass. They are two of the best people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing, and I’m so lucky to have them in my corner. The love they have for each other is inspiring, and we should all try to be like them.
I could say that if you mess with either of them, you’ll face the rest of us. That’s true. But if you mess with Gibby, then god have mercy on your soul because Jazz is coming for you.
