One hour later....
"I can't talk about any of that, Gran," Travis says into his H-Chip. "We don't have anywhere near the money to pay for that breach-of-contract lawsuit. But you better believe I'll do my best to stay—Speedy's capture has apparently led to some very good intel on Phobus, so I don't want to miss our next Mission. Actually, I have a couple hours to get some strategizing in, so I should probably—"
"Then get on with it!" Grandma says, already reaching to end the Call. "Though do tell Jenny I said hello? And I don't have to say it, I'm sure, but you two had better stick together. And watch out for that Jury—you know you never can trust a Victon!"
Travis nod at Grandma, because any other answer would be unacceptable.
"Is that my favorite granny gardener?" Jenny says, stepping out of the bathroom in a towel, steam billowing out behind her.
"Indeed it is. And she happens to be leaving," Grandma says, waving towards Jenny. "Now you two be careful. I couldn't be more proud! Hugs and kisses."
They both wave goodbye at Grandma's holographic image as all of the plants behind her shake and shimmy. Once Grandma drops from sight, Travis turns to find Jenny already wriggling into her costume. And he has to blink a few times to remind himself this is all really happening.
This time last year, he was just a normal civilian and Jenny was his PFPP agent—if someone had told him this is where they both were sitting today, he's not sure if he'd believe it.
"We don't have another second to waste," Jenny says, pulling up her Null undertights. "So listen up."
"I've been dying to talk to you, but that bloody sequester…" Jenny says, checking to make sure her anti-surveillance tech is working properly.
After making the Final 14, all the Finalists were sequestered for the week with their respective handlers—Travis and GG were holed up in some fancy hotel room while he prepped Travis for all things Hero Project. Travis thought it might be relaxing, but GG isn't exactly low-key, especially since his role on the show as a handler hinges on his success, too.
Anyway, he's been dying to talk to Jenny, but now is the very first moment alone he had in a week.
"Have you received any more wicked Messages?" Jenny asks.
"No. Sh*t only knows what those were about," Travis says. "Now will you please tell me what dirt you found from our little hacking during the Final Selection?"
"I did find out who approved The Crush's release from The Devoid," Jenny says, looking severe. "Mayor Victon, with an additional recommendation from Rebellion and Rexford."
Of course, Mayor Victon had something to do with this awfulness surrounding The Crush. Why wouldn't he?
Still, several questions begin to form….
"What does Mayor Victon have to gain by helping The Crush join The Hero Project?" Travis ask first.
"I believe it's a purely political move, to reinforce Victon's Powered Regulation platform with a public success story from his very favorite place, The Devoid. He's probably just waiting to make sure The Crush actually succeeds before linking himself to the placement."
"So does that mean there's no terrorist mole?" Travis follow up.
"I still think there's enough intel to support the theory that there's something else going on with The Crush, even if Mayor Victon, Rebellion, and The Hero Project don't know about it."
Jenny is probably right—something isn't quite adding up. Between the intel on a terrorist plot, the connection to an Unique Powered, The Crush's alarming presence, and Phobus's national-level attacks, Travis feels there's some connection he's still missing.
But is Mayor Victon in on this plot, or is he just an unknowing pawn? After what he allowed to happen with Veta, Travis doesn't think there are limits to what Victon do for his political aspirations…and if the Victons are involved, Jury must be too.
These are all things he'll have to keep in mind as the competition continues—especially if he can find some way to use this to take Victon and Jury both down.
"So what do we do next?" Travis ask.
"We get close to The Crush to stop or expose him," Jenny answers. "I tried on my Mission with Team One, but he wasn't biting. Maybe he'll talk to you, though—you're both Unique. And maybe…" Jenny stops herself, her fingers twisting at the skin on her elbow.
"Maybe I can use the potential connection to my parents in The Devoid?" Travis say.
Jenny nods, looking guilty.
"I can certainly try," Travis say, forcing a smile.
"So, hey," Jenny starts, obviously wanting to move on. "How is everything going with your new Unique Powers?"
"I'm being careful, don't worry," Travis say, trying to sound as unconcerned as possible. And it's true—so far, his Powers have been working perfectly. Maybe the Herologist was just being dramatic with her overblown diagnosis….
"Besides, shouldn't we talk about the vote?" Travis say, wanting to change the subject. He got enough to worry about today without adding his Unique Powers to the mix—that particular headache can wait for another day.
"I'm voting with the Underdogs and obviously you are too," Jenny says, walking back into the bathroom. "So what's there to discuss?"
Instead of answering that "question," he let out a yawn. Ever since making the Final 14, he has been moving a breakneck pace. After last night's Mission, he didn't get to bed until three in the morning, having to fly all the way back from NYC to HC. Then he had to be up a few hours later for a press junket.
This is the first second he had to catch his breath and think about tonight's vote. And despite Jenny's mandate, he hasn't fully decided what he's doing yet—so he need to take the time to figure that out. Now.
"Knock a doodle do!"
As Jenny throws on her faceless Null mask, Travis open the door to find GG sitting there, the usual grin stretched across his face.
"I was just on my way back to my room, I simply must get a bubble bath before tonight's live show! But I wanted to remind you two raspberries that now might be a perfect time to mingle for a smidge."
After hitting Travis with a knowing wink, GG rolls off down the hallway, giggling as he goes.
"Uh, is your handler this involved?" Travis asks, turning to Jenny.
"No," she says, sliding on her rocket launcher headgear. "And thank heavens for that."
Ten minutes later....
Now in full costume, he walks down the second floor hallway, his boots thudding against the hardwood floors as he head towards the other Finalists' bedrooms. Null was on her way to have coffee with her new bestie, Bearcat—they're obviously not terribly worried about the vote, since neither of them are eligible and they already know how they're voting.
But Travis thought he owed it to his Teammates this week to chat with them before the vote. So, knowing he'll only have time for one conversation, he chose to talk with Shula.
Travis knocks on the door to Shula's room, but Sky opens the door with a warm smile.
"Gravitate!" Sky says, a little too loudly. "I'm sorry, I'm still not used to famous heroes showing up at my door. Please, come in."
Sky ushers him into the room and he can't help but smile—being thought of as a famous hero will never get old.
"Oh, were you here to see Shula?" she says, folding her hands together. "She'll be right back, she's just grabbing some food. Oh, can I get you anything? We don't have much in the room, I miss my kitchen so much…."
Before Travis can even answer, Sky is opening a mini-fridge in the corner, pulling out a plate of cheeses and a vine of grapes. That's when he notice the rest of the room—it's perfectly neat and covered with holiday decorations. Wreaths and pine cones line the wall, accented with red and gold ribbon.
He's immediately filled with a happy feeling being in this room. It's like an actual family lives here—though one that is filmed twenty-four hours a day with five wall-mounted, motion sensitive cameras, he also note.
"Oh, I know the decorations are a bit much," Sky says, handing Travis the tray of cheeses. "But I just love the holidays. I guess it's a bit literal, given my Powers, but we are who we are, right?"
Travis smiles and pops a grape in his mouth, failing to suppress an involuntary shiver that runs through his body. It can't be much more than forty degrees in here.
"Another side-effect, I'm afraid. Poor Shula has to sleep with three blankets when I'm in the room," Sky says, pulling a stray thread from her parka costume. "Anyway, how can I help you?"
"We haven't really gotten to talk much, even during the Mission. So I figured I'd stop by."
"Oh!" Sky says. "Oh my, I just thought…well, that sounds rather nice, doesn't it?"
Sky begins to fan herself with her palm, little wisps of icy wind blowing from her fingertips.
"Is that your family?" Travis asks, looking at a photo on the nightstand and hoping it will put Sky more at ease.
"Oh, yes. Yes it is. That's my Richard and Kendall and Morgan. Kendall is so excited, we used to play super hero dress up when she was a little girl, she used to call herself Princess Loom because her special Power was making bracelets. But now… they're…,"
Next thing he knows, tears are sliding down Sky's porcelain-white cheeks. She's the blondest, fairest woman he has ever seen, rail-thin but somehow still sturdy. As the tears slide out of her ice-blue eyes, they freeze into tiny icicles that dribble down her face.
"I'm so sorry, this is absurd," she says, wiping the icicles so they crack on the floor in tiny chimes. "I just miss them, is all."
"Of course you do," Travis say, thinking of Grandma. He reaches out to place a hand on her shoulder, but as he does it goes immediately numb. Sky recoils at his touch, jumping backwards.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"
"Hey! You two having a party without me?" Shula says amidst a rush of wind as she zooms into the room. In her hand she holds five protein bars, in addition to the one she's chowing down on. Travis stare at the stack, not sure what to say.
"Oh, these? My metabolism is as fast as the rest of me," Shula says, munching away. "I have to eat whenever I can. Thankfully Sky here likes to keep a full fridge."
Shula smiles from ear to ear and Travis can practically feel her energy from across the room. She's quite the sight—a six-foot-tall sixteen year old with coffee-colored skin, almond eyes and cascading, jet black hair. Her lean, long body is covered from head-to-toe in a pink flight suit, which is decorated liberally with white Confederate stars.
"My poor mom, she usually has to cook all day Sunday to keep me properly fed during the week," Shula says, flopping down onto her bed and talking a mile a minute. "But I've been losing a ton of weight since getting here. What I wouldn't give to have some of my mother's lamb stew, right about now. She was raised in Turkey, you know, so she has all of the best—"
"Why don't we let Gravitate tell us why he has decided to pay us a visit?" Sky interjects, pulling up a chair for Travis.
"Oh, duh. I'm such a mess, I'm sorry," Shula says. "I always talk too much, so just interrupt whenever I need to shut up. I try to remind myself to slow down, you know, take time to smell the roses, but—"
Travis and Sky exchange a look and Shula nods. "Right. Got it. My lips are sealed."
Shula shoves the rest of the protein bar in her mouth.
"Well, I'm here to talk about the vote." As Travis say this, Sky's smile instantly fades. She studies her thumbs, which stay steadfastly clasped in her lap.
"We actually were talking about this earlier," Shula says, oblivious to Sky's sudden gasp. "We were kind of afraid that you'd side with the Popular heroes. I mean, you being more in their league and all. We're just a bunch of nobodies."
"Well, I wouldn't exactly say that," Travis say. "After all, you've made it to the Final 13 of The Hero Project."
"Trust me, this is way more than I ever could have dreamed of," Shula says, sitting up and tapping her leg superfast against her comforter. "I've only ever wanted to be a Powered hero. I mean, when I was a little girl, all my barbies were superbarbies. My parents still think I'm too young, but I always tell them all the best heroes get their starts as teenagers. Oh, but not you, Sky. You're doing just fine."
Sky offers a tight nod, but she makes the effort to contribute: "I thought I might be a hero when I was your age, Shula. But then I met Richard and having a family just had to come first. Now that my children are in college, I just thought…well, I'm here, aren't I?"
"Yes, we both are, and it's amazing," Shula says. "But Sky was really afraid about tonight's vote. Still, I told her it was going to work out just fine."
"Did you really?" Travis asked, wishing he had the same confidence.
"Well, do you think you'll vote with us for Frey and Asrid? I mean, we have our two votes, and Lucky's. And then Bearcat and that scary Null lady said they'd vote with us too. That's five of us—six, if we count you. And didn't they say we'd have six winners?"
"Shula, are you proposing a Final 6 alliance of Underdogs?" you ask.
"Well, I think that's the best, don't you? I mean, I used to love Frey and Asrid's 3V show back in the day, but they aren't really heroes. They're just in it for fame."
At that, Sky glances up at the camera orb that's been hovering in the corner ever since you arrived. "I think they're a lovely couple. It's really a shame that any of us have to go home at all."
Ignoring Sky, Travis decides it's time to say what he really came here to say.
"I don't think you two have anything to worry about." Travis says. "I'll vote with the underdogs."
"Well, we'll take that," Sky says, making eyes for a disappointed Shula to buck up.
Just then, an announcement rings through the house: "All Finalists, your call time for the live episode is in five minutes."
Travis takes a deep breath, trying to center himself.