We stood in silence, staring at the note. This time, it was more out of annoyance than disbelief.
"Oh wow, another one. What a surprise." Carmen retorted, rolling her eyes.
"I'm just tired of them, honestly." Lilith commented. "There's already enough. One villain, sure. Two, okay, we can work with that. But three? Even if Victoria doesn't become a villain, we've had our hands full with just setting our team up. We really don't need more problems."
"And with school starting back up in two or so months, we're really gonna be stressed." I added. "Assuming the conflict isn't resolved by then."
No one spoke for a few seconds as we thought about what this meant for our team. Chris broke the silence, speaking as he began to pace.
"Maybe that's who mentioned the hero situation to the reporter. They seem to know about all of you, but you don't know much about them. All we know is that their name, whether their actual name or the one they go by, starts with an 'X.' So we have that going for us. We just need to remain positive." he said.
"But there were two callers." I commented. "Do you think he has a partner? I'm sure we're not the only team of superhumans. I guess that would be the term. What exactly do we consider ourselves? I mean, we're human. But we're not human. If that makes sense."
"Superhumans should be fine. We don't need a name for ourselves, just the team." Morgan replied. "It's kind of cliche, but what are you gonna do?"
"We're just superhumans. It's not like we're a new species or anything. We don't need another brand for someone else to put on us." Carmen said, clenching and unclenching her fists. She noticed me seeing her do so, and her voice flooded my mind. Only this time, her thoughts were slightly more cluttered. I'm fine. Don't worry about me.
Unconvinced, I just gave her a nearly imperceptible nod. I didn't dare think anything, as she would've known what I was thinking. Morgan continued, noticing the tone in Carmen's voice.
"Yea, superhumans should be good. That's probably what we'll be known as anyways. I doubt that anyone will come up with a name for us." she said with a quick glance to Carmen. "Aside from our team name, of course."
Carmen continued to tap her foot rapidly, unwilling to listen to what we were saying. She heard us, but didn't say anything, nor did she react. After a few seconds of silence, Lilith, Morgan, and I continued our conversation. Chris didn't say much; he simply stared at us, waiting for us to do something, but we weren't sure what. Nearly a minute passed before we realized that he needed to open the store, but couldn't do so until we left.
"Sorry, Uncle Chris. I forgot that we can't talk about that in the open. Wait, won't the cameras hear us in here?" Morgan asked, nervously glancing at each camera.
"Actually, I'll just replace the tape from today anyways, just as a precaution. I didn't think about that until now, though. I can replace it with a filler tape. That's what I had to do with the tape the day Junior came here. I've recorded a few on slow days, so it didn't seem like I shorted the store money. Speaking of which, I do have to start work soon."
"Okay, well, we'll leave you to it, then. Thank you for the earpieces. And tell Alex I said hey next time you see each other."
"I will. Now go on, before your mother starts hounding me about keeping you here so long."
"Wait." I said, realizing what I had done. Well, what I hadn't done, rather. "I didn't tell my family where I was going. I am so, so dead."
"How could you forget to tell them?" Lilith asked.
"They were all in their rooms, and the doors were closed. I didn't think that we'd be gone for that long."
"Okay, well we'd better go." Morgan replied. "Thanks again, Uncle Chris. I'll let you know what happens when I get home."
We rushed out the door, talking the entire way. Reaching the driveway, we stopped, noticing that the cars were still there.
"So that either means that they haven't realized that I left, or that they already came back from looking for me." I said.
"Why didn't you just text them?" Lilith asked.
"My phone died a minute or two after the phone call with Morgan this morning. I forgot to plug it in after my phone call with Carmen. Hopefully I won't have to worry about that, though. Maybe my parents didn't even notice that I was gone." I responded. "I guess I'll let you know how it goes. Wish me luck."
I turned and began to walk to the door, listening for anyone calling my name from the backyard, but heard nothing. I slowly closed the door, trying to make as little noise as possible. Placing my shoes on the rack next to the door, I accidentally caught one of the legs and knocked it over, the entire thing collapsing to the ground. Wincing, I slowly picked up the rack as I waited to hear someone's voice calling me, or see a shadow looming threateningly towards me. After what felt like an eternity, all of the shoes had been put back, and I had started to stand up, but couldn't quite turn around.
"Jacob Owen Graves!" Where have you been? We have been looking for you for the past twenty minutes!" my mother yelled, making her way down the hall towards me.
"Sorry, I was with Morgan, Carmen, and Lilith. I meant to text you, but my phone died right after I left, and they didn't have theirs." I explained. "We didn't expect to be gone that long. We just had to get something from her uncle."
My mother glowered at me, her expression firm, yet unreadable. I looked down, praying that I wouldn't start laughing. Just as I looked up, I saw my father exit his room. Seeing her expression, he quickly turned and walked back in. Upon seeing this, I couldn't help but laugh, even though I knew the consequences would be far worse if I did.
"Grounded. One month." she said. Without another word, she turned and walked off. Stopping halfway down the hall, she turned around to see me holding my phone out, as I knew she would take it. "Two weeks. Just because you didn't try to hide your phone from me."
I went back to my room and quickly tried to contact Carmen. I explained to her that I was grounded, and that I couldn't hang out with any of them for two weeks. That's when the realization dawned on me. Any villains that they had to deal with would have to be dealt with without me. Not that I carried the team, but losing a teammate is never an easy thing to compensate for. Especially when dealing with someone who can deal a lot of damage.
After Carmen and I finished our conversation, I began trying to control my ability. Two hours and three hand cramps later, I looked around at the mess I had made, mostly from tossing aside objects when I got frustrated. I had made no visible progress, but I hadn't given up. Twelve days later, I had made a little progress, but not enough to control my ability on the first try. Carmen checked on me a few times a day, keeping me informed on what was happening, and how each of them were doing. It wasn't until nearly midnight the twelfth night when she contacted me with a worrying message.
"Jacob, have you seen Morgan? I can't hear her thoughts. I think she's blocking me out again." she said.
"I haven't. Maybe she's just thinking about something she doesn't want anyone to know about? Visiting you, and she wants it to be a surprise, maybe? I'm sure it's nothing…" I trailed off as I heard something rapping on the window, and saw Morgan standing outside. "One moment, please. I just found her…"
"So she's with you? Good. At least we know where she is now. Even though she didn't tell any of us. She probably knew that I'd stop here if I knew about it."
I opened the window as Carmen's voice left my mind, making sure I didn't make too much noise when doing so. Morgan leaned against the windowsill, a worried expression on her face. "We need your advice on something. Junior's back, and we don't quite know how to handle him." she said.
"Okay, where is he?" I asked.
"At the high school football field. We have no idea why, but it seems like he's looking for something… or someone."
"What's the football field like? Grass or turf?"
"Grass, why?"
"Okay, so that helps you out. Do you know what the stands are like? What's in them, behind them or even just around them?"
"Lots of lights behind them. And trash cans at nearly every exit. People don't really use them, though. There's always trash everywhere. Why did you ask about the stands?"
"Well that's good for Lilith. She can shift and hide as a trash can or something else she can find there. How about the concession stand? What does the inside of it look like?"
"I'm not sure. They keep it locked unless we have a game. There's a press box though. Carmen could hide out in there and try to get a reading off of Junior, if that's what you were thinking. Plus, it's closer to the field than the concessions are, so she can get a better reading."
"Well you picked that up quickly."
"It helps to strategize. I learned it from my mother."
"I can see that." I said with a laugh. "Good luck, you three. I know they can't hear me, but let them know that you've got this."
"I will. I'll have Carmen contact you and let you know how everything goes. Oh, and here." she said, handing me my mask. "I figured you might want this, so you can keep up with us. I can come back here after we get back and get the mask too, if you don't want your parents to see it. That way, you don't risk getting caught."
"Thank you. Now hurry, before Junior does any real damage. That's the last thing we need, especially right now. We're already at a disadvantage."
Morgan quickly took off towards the base, just as Carmen's voice flooded my mind. I'll let you know what's going on as it happens. I'll make sure Morgan texts… Oh. Right. No phone. Well, I'll let you know when we make it back.
Shutting the window, I looked out at the street at the three of them running towards the high school. I switched on my earpiece, putting it against my pillow to muffle the sound, so my parents didn't hear it. Minutes went by, and they finally reached the high school. When they got there, they explained that he was still standing there. He didn't seem to realize that they had gotten there, but when they all made it to where they were supposed to be, he turned towards Morgan with a laugh. I could hear what was being said, but I couldn't see what was going on.
"So, where's the rest of your so-called team?" Junior asked.
"They're not here. It's just me. What, upset you don't get to see your girlfriend?" Morgan responded with a sarcastic laugh.
"I doubt that. But it doesn't matter anyways. You're not the only one that knows what they're doing."
"Morgan, watch his footwork. If he shifts, get ready to act. Counter him. Just watch his feet. Not his eyes." Carmen told her. "He always looks one way and goes the other. That's one of his flaws, and he still hasn't been able to correct himself. But be careful. He's still faster than you, so that may get you into more trouble than him."
"So, are you gonna make a move, or do you just plan on standing here all night?" Morgan asked.
"Oh, sorry." Junior responded. "I was just appreciating how calm it is. Quiet stadium, dark field, empty stands… Well, almost empty. And an almost empty press box too. What, you didn't really think I believed you, did you? I know Carmen's in the press box."
"Carmen, get out of there!" Lilith tried to warn Carmen, but there was no response. There was a deafening boom, and then silence on Carmen's end.
"What did you do with her?" Morgan asked. "Why isn't she saying anything?"
"Oh, don't worry about her. You'll see her soon enough." Junior responded with a laugh. "You all will."
Again, there was a sudden boom, and Morgan's voice cut out. For a few seconds, there was complete silence, before Lilith spoke. Her voice came in a whisper, barely audible through the earpiece.
"Jacob? They… they're gone. Morgan and Carmen are gone. Carmen's not responding, and Morgan's not on the field anymore. I don't see either of them."
"Just stay there, and don't make any sounds. If Junior can't hear or see you, he won't be able to hurt you. I'll be there as soon as I can." I responded.
"Absolutely not! I don't want you getting in trouble. You only have a few more days left until you're finally not grounded. I'll be fine. They'll be fine, I mean. We. We'll be fine."
"Lilith, I'm not going to just stay here and wait while the three of you are in danger. I may not be able to control my ability, but I can still help. Please."
There was silence for a few seconds before I heard a sigh. "Fine, but the second everyone's safe, you're getting back home before anyone notices you left. No excuses. I will drag you back home myself if I have to."
"Okay, then I'll make sure to come right back. But I doubt you'd literally drag me back."
"Are you willing to bet on that? I'll gladly prove you wrong. But now's not the time for bickering. Just hurry up and get over here before I change my mind."
Slowly opening my window, I looked back at the pillows I had left under my blanket to resemble a body, a trick that all teenagers knew would never actually work. It wasn't the best I could do, but it was the best I could do given the limited time I had. Making my way across the road to the base, I quickly grabbed my suit and put it on. I tried to remember where the school was, as I had only been there twice, easily a week or so before. Turn after turn, street after street, I went through a map in my mind, the image flitting in and out of focus. When I made it to the front gates of the school, I stopped, slowly inching my way towards the football field.
As I came around the corner of the bleachers, I saw Junior pacing the sidelines. He seemed to be looking for Lilith, but couldn't find her. When he looked towards the part of the bleachers I was hiding behind, my breath caught, but he couldn't see me. If he did, he didn't show it. Making sure to stay hidden, I steadied my breath and closed my eyes, trying to feel the ground around me. Almost instantly, a thin green strand appeared, drowning in the vast darkness. Just as quickly as the green strand, a dark brown strand followed. Following that was a silver one, then a blue one, then an orange.
One by one, different colored strands of light came into view. They were like strings, thin and flowing loosely, waiting to be pulled. Each one emitted a glow, but the glow was swallowed by the darkness surrounding it. Being drawn to the brown one, I focused on it. When I did, the glow from it became more intense, while the others faded until they could no longer be seen. I reached out towards it and began to pull and twist, my actions feeling as though they were not my own. It was as if what I was doing was second nature.
As soon as I pulled on the string, I felt something open, almost like I was unlocking a chest in the vast darkness and storing the strand inside. Although I hadn't tried to use the other strands, I could sense the brown one in a sort of core, which I assumed to be tied to my ability. So far, only the brown strand was there, but I figured that the rest would appear after I used them for the first time. Once again reaching for the brown strand, I continued to mold it into what felt natural. It was almost instantaneous, but I sensed nothing else, other than what I was controlling.
After I was satisfied, a voice filtered into my mind, and I realized that it was Lilith's. I opened my eyes and, even though it was barely above a whisper, I could tell that Junior had heard her. Slowly, a smile spread across his face as he locked onto her position. He shifted, as if to take off, but before he could get anywhere, he was lying on the ground, mask buried in the dirt. He got up, fuming, and looked down. Trying to stifle a laugh, Lilith began to speak.
"Jacob, do you see that? Down by his feet." she asked.
"No, what am I…" I trailed off as I saw a casing of dirt surrounding his feet. "Wait, does that mean Morgan's back?"
"I don't think so. I wish she was, but she hasn't said anything. Besides, that's dirt, not grass. Morgan deals with nature. Living things. She can't move dirt around. The only person that can is…"
"Me… Wait, so that's what those strings were. I guess I chose the nonliving one." I mumbled to myself.
"What strings? Actually, tell me later. Can you do that again?"
"I'm not sure. I would assume so. Either way, I can try."
"Good. Then beat his—"
"Lilith!"
"What? I was gonna say beat his head into the dirt again."
"Oh, that… That actually makes sense. My bad."
"It's whatever. Now stop talking and start fighting!"
Reaching for the green strand, I felt the blades of grass twist and bend, intertwining themselves across his legs, trapping them. Junior began to fall, then broke free, stumbling forward. He whipped around, trying to figure out where I was.
"So, you and Carmen escaped? Or was it just you? She's been awfully quiet, hasn't she?" he asked, still looking around. "Well? Why don't you show yourself? I know you're here, Morgan. It's just one on one. Not that you did too good the last time."
Realizing that he hadn't noticed me and thought that Morgan was the one stopping him, I stayed hidden behind the bleachers. I continued to reach out towards the strands, trying to figure out what each one was tied to. Shortly after I reached for the silver one, I heard Lilith's voice through the earpiece.
"Jacob? You may want to dial it down on your ability. It's great that you can control it, but you don't have to show off. Over half of the bleachers are gone." she said.
"So silver is metal, then? That's helpful, at least." I said, making a mental note of it. I stopped using the other strings, trying to only use the ones I had already used, as I could reach them easily and knew what each one did.
"Okay, where are you?" Junior's voice rang out. "I'm getting tired, and you're really not helping. I haven't sensed Carmen, so maybe I should go get her. You know, show you what'll happen if you keep this up."
As his words made their way through my mind, I realized I had limited time to act. Junior was faster than any of us, and he was the only one who knew where Morgan and Carmen were. I frantically reached out, trying to find something, anything, to stop him. In my panic, I pulled the blue one instead of the green. Instantly, I felt a rush of wind around me, and a sense of weightlessness. Opening my eyes, I saw Junior standing a few feet away from where he had just been, and I had moved as well.
"Jacob, what did I just say? I was in the middle of the bleachers, and now I'm in the middle of the road. I was an empty bag of chips, so it's not that hard to move me, but now I can't see what's going on." Lilith said through the earpiece.
"Sorry! I panicked and did the wrong thing. My ability is still really confusing." I replied in a whisper, hoping Junior couldn't hear me.
Seeking the blue strand, I tried to move the air around Junior in an attempt to knock him over, but ended up launching myself in the air instead. Soaring higher, directly towards Junior, I lowered myself directly in front of him. Realizing that I was coming down too quickly, I made a pad of grass below me to land in. My legs bent slightly when I landed, so I had to look up so I could see him.
"So, bending the knee already? I'm honored. Really. But if you're here to stop me, don't bother. You won't win." he said. Even though his mask covered his mouth, I could tell he was smirking behind it.
"Are you sure about that? I'm stronger than I look. You may have speed, but that means nothing if you can't put it into practice. I at least know what I'm doing." I replied.
"Look, you're new. I've never seen you before, so you must be a new hero. Either that or you're just not a good one. I know every so-called hero in this town. I've beat them all too. So I'll make it easy on you and let you walk away."
"No thank you."
"What?"
"No thank you. I'd quite like to stay. I've never seen the football field at night. It's quite peaceful, honestly."
"Look, kid. If you don't leave now, then I'll drag you out myself."
"That's great! I'm glad you're confident in your abilities. But like you said, you've beat every hero. At least, every hero so far. You've never faced me. And I'm confident in my abilities too. So good luck."
"That's it. Leave now or you're getting thrown in the gas station just like the other two."
"Did you get that, Silhouette?" I asked, staring directly into Junior's mask. Even though I could barely see his eyes, I could tell they had gone wide as he realized his mistake. "Oh, I forgot to mention. I may be new, but you're not the only one that knows the heroes in this city."
"Got it. There's only one gas station now, because Chris ran the other one out of business, but there was another one years ago." Lilith explained. "I'll head over there now. Junior wouldn't risk leaving you just to stop me. He always feels like he has to prove himself to everyone. I'll go get Morgan and Carmen. Just focus on him. Don't worry about us. But you may want to turn your earpiece off."
Almost instantly, a car engine revved, amplified by the earpiece. When the sound continued, I realized that the car was Lilith. Turning off my earpiece, I turned to face Junior. He took a step back, as if he was about to charge, and stepped directly into a dip in the ground I created. He righted himself almost immediately, but not before I saw him stumble backwards.
"Like I was saying… You haven't fought me before. So you have no idea what I'm capable of. You didn't really think Fauna was the one stopping you, did you?" I asked, glaring at him.
"Silhouette? Fauna? Did you come up with those names yourselves?" he responded."
"Yes, actually. Our suits too. But hey, at least we're not named after an animal that can't even do what it was meant to. Is that why you chose the name? Because you're meant to stop us, but can't even do that? Seems fitting, you know?"
"You're real funny, you know that? Too bad you're new. You're going to have your name ruined before anyone even knows what it is."
"Gray Matter."
"What did you say?"
"Gray Matter. That's my name. Now someone knows it, so you kind of just made yourself look stupid."
Junior shifted, looking to the right, but his feet faced the left. I raised the dirt in front of him, forming a wall that he immediately ran into. It was a small one—a curb, really. He tripped over it, sprawling across the ground to my right. He was up in an instant, fists clenching. Turning towards me, he raised a hand as if to strike me, and my mind flashed back to what Morgan had said about her father.
Just as Junior sped towards me, I caught his hand in a wall of grass, tightening it around his wrist so he couldn't pull it out. We couldn't see each other, but I knew he was getting more and more aggravated. Walking around the wall, I began to form a metal cage from the fences, hoping I didn't mess them up beyond repair. Just as I was about to create the last bar, an engine revved in the distance, causing me to look away from Junior. He must've escaped through the gap, because when I turned back around, I faced an empty cage. As I turned away, I thought I saw a pair of eyes staring back at me. But these weren't human eyes. Suddenly, the cat—who seemed far too large to be a cat—disappeared.
Knowing I had no chance of catching Junior, I turned on my earpiece, hoping Lilith would have found Morgan and Carmen. It dawned on me that the car was probably Lilith, so I waited, hoping to hear Morgan or Carmen's voice. There was complete silence, so I figured Lilith had turned her earpiece off as well. Kneeling down, I began to fix my disruptions on the field. Just as I finished smoothing the field out, filling the dips and flattening the mounds, I heard the screeching of the metal gate opening and turned to see Morgan and Lilith supporting Carmen, who was limping. Just as they got her through the gate, she collapsed, dragging Morgan and Lilith down with her.