Chereads / The Supers (2011) / Chapter 8 - 7

Chapter 8 - 7

In the S room, The Owl is on the computer while in the Grid, Trisha is dressed in a training suit.

Trisha: This thing is very tight, but...at least it's breathable.

The Owl: (through the intercom) Okay, Trisha. Today, we're going to test out your stealth, starting with level 1.

Trisha: How many levels are there?

The Owl: Seven: The first one; stealth. The second one; physical combat. The third one; senses and strategy. The fourth; levitation, which everyone has passed on the first try. The fifth; negotiation. The sixth; combat with holographic purifiers and the final level....well, I'll leave that a surprise for you.

Trisha: Hey, how come you didn't go with the other Supers on their mission?

The Owl: John asked me to stay behind and help you train, before joining them, giving my ability to fly, I'll join them quickly. Trust me; you're in safe hands.

The Owl presses a button that sets the stage up for Trisha, the New York bank, with thugs members with guns and hostages.

The Owl: I'm giving you a simple task. Human robber with guns and hostages.

Trisha: They're not Enhuman?

The Owl: Level 7 is when you will face Enhuman holographs. Remember, Trisha. Nothing in there is real, but the bullets can hit you. Not fatally, more like pellets. The hostage could be killed if you're spotted. Also, use the room to your advantage, the statues on the ceiling.

The simulation begins as Trisha sneaks around the five criminals.

Trisha: Okay. Let's see. Eight criminals, four armed, two hostage....well, I'm a artist with super powers....this probably could be easy....like that Batman game my cousin, Jerry played....huh....I never understood video games, but it was always fun watching him rage.

Trisha uses her light speed to transport herself to the gargoyle, before trapping a henchmen to the wall with her neon powers. One of the henchmen notices that one of their men is missing.

Thug # 1: Where the hell is Hooper?

Thug # 2: I don't know....maybe; he went to go take a leak.

Another Thug is knocked to the floor by Trisha's neon beam as Thug # 1 and 2 aim their guns around.

Thug # 1: What was that?

Thug # 2: I'm not sure.....somethin got Willie!

Trisha jumps to a gargoyle, before she hand powers up with neon energy and she shoots a neon out of her energy down in front of Thug # 2, who shoots at the neon spark.

Thug # 2: Hey, Mack, I think I got him!

Thug # 1 arrives.

Thug # 1: You got what?! Sparks!

Suddenly, Trisha uses his light speed, before jumping at Thug # 2. Thug # 1 shoots at the neon streaks following Trisha. A moment later, Thug # 2 is unconscious. Thug # 1 panics and jumps down to the hostage, before grabbing the hostage and aiming the gun at his head.

Thug # 1: Hero! You hear me?! You touch me and I'll put a bullet in this humans head.

Trisha: Damn it! Doc, one of them has a hostage. What do I do?

The Owl: You must not endanger the hostage. Use your stealth to maneuver around the criminal and take him down. Patience and persistence is the key.

Trisha: Okay

Trisha takes a deep breath and gathers up all her neon powers and shoots herself in the air, before letting herself drop right onto the Thug # 1. The hostage stands back and Trisha knocks out the Thug # 1 with one punch, before she walks toward the hostage only to notice he is very still.

Trisha: Are you all right? Uh...sir? Are you okay? Trisha waves her hand and snapping her fingers.

Trisha: Sir.....Sir? Oh, man....what the hell? Did I break him?

The entire stage suddenly shatters, turning into the original room for the S room.

Trisha: Uh...what just happened?

The Owl: Congratulations, Trisha. You've gotten through Level 1.

Trisha: well, it has seemed pretty easy.

The Owl: Don't get too cocky, my child. Your training is only starting.

In the base of the Purifiers, Scarlett returns as Axel meditating while harnessing the power of the red dragon.

Axel: I thought I told you not to wonder off by yourself....

Scarlett: I appreciate your concern, Axel, but you know I don't always need a bodyguard.

Axel: (scoffs) I know you don't...Where were you?

Scarlett: Taking care of matters....

Axel: Or assaulting another W.R.E.X checkpoint.....you were....shouldn't we focus on creating an army of followers?

Scarlett: Axel, I can't just sit here and pretend we are at peace with the Enhumans.....you yourself said we should take action against the poverty of Enhumanity and if it means we kill a few, so be it.

Axel: You know what we have to do before we make any certain moves against the humans....we have to release him first....our Enhuman Messiah.

In New York, at Parker Industries Tower, John is addressing an announcement on what has happened to a crowd of reporters.

News Reporter # 1: Mr. Parker, what can you say about yesterday's events?

New Reporter # 2: Is it true that an Enhuman attacked the tower yesterday?

New Reporter # 3: Were there more than one Enhumans involved?

John: People. People, please....I can't fully tell you about what exactly happened, but we are looking into the matter. Whether or not Enhumans were involved, we have no idea.

News Reporter # 4: What about the W.R.E.X Military Corporation?

John: They were interrupting a peaceful school trip.....

Suddenly, Maria and Shane drive up to the Tower and step out of their truck, before making their way through the crowd of reporters.

Maria: Uh....Dad, are you sure about this?

Shane: This guy knows about what happened to your sister.

Maria: It's just that he's a very rich man. He wouldn't know anything. He's a total hothead. Rich types always are.

Shane: He's not like your exes.

Maria and Shane finally approach John.

Shane: John Parker. Shane Campbell, Owego Police Commissioner. My youngest daughter, Trisha, was among the students that were here yesterday and they all say that the soldiers that were here tried to arrest her. Why?

John: I-I don't know anything about that...I did have the privilege to meet your daughter, sir and she is.....a very extraordinary girl.....

Maria: Mr. Parker, we need access to your security footage. Maybe, it will show about what happened.

John: Unfortunately, right now's not a good time.

Shane: Hey, this is my daughter and she's missing, goddamn it! When's it not a good time?!

John: Another time. I'm sorry. You have a good day, officers. (to reporters) no further questions.

James walks into Parker Tower, before Maria and Shane enter their truck.

Shane: Asshole.

Maria: Dad....hey....we're going to find her.....she's tough....tougher than me....she's going to be okay.

At the top Parker Tower, Trisha is writing in her journal, lying on a bench next to the pool, before she spots Josh, who are swimming in the pool. Arianna walks up to Trisha.

Arianna: Hey, Trisha.

Trisha: Hey, Arianna....

Arianna: Mind if I join you, love?

Trisha: Uh, no...go right ahead.

Arianna sits down on the bench next to Trisha.

Adrianna: What's that you got there, Trisha?

Trisha: It's a journal. I'm writing in it to talk about what it's like being an Enhuman.....and life here at the tower.....Arianna, how was it when you figured out about your powers?

Arianna: I was your age, darling. My powers came suddenly, I was sad, it rained and when I was happy, the sun shined....

Trisha: Oh, really?

Arianna: No, not really, but my powers do work like that....I discovered my powers when I was exploring in a dying burnt forest in the amazon....when I touched a dying plant from it's roots...the forest suddenly became green again...

Trisha: Wow...you really do have a cool power. Yours is easy to hide and control.

Arianna: Oh, love, it's not easy to hide....I was married once...I married a human...I still have a son...He's about the same age as you.

Trisha: Is he an Enhuman, too?

Arianna: Not that I know off. My now ex-husband cut off all contact when he discovered I was an Enhuman.

Trisha: Jeez that must've been tough. I'm sorry....Can you tell me more about theories in Enhumanity?

Arianna: Sure....some people are scared of us.....what we can do with these powers.....what we are....who we are....thing is humanity has always been thinking of other beings besides themselves....and how they'll react to that is fear, anger.....rage....sometimes violence....that's why I'm here....that's why you're here....that's why we're all here....because we believe John Parker is a man who believes in uniting us as one....he wants to unite humanity and Enhumanity though peace and conversation....some Enhumans....want to approach that with violence.....violence is never the answer....we only use it if necessary....

Trisha: So, if humans were not studying us, what were they doing?

Arianna: John thinks the government might be using as a high-tech headquarters to store highly sensitive equipment and information-stuff they don't want humans to know about. You know things like Area 51, the Enhumans war...old music from the 60's and the 70's.

Trisha: There was an Enhuman war?

Arianna: Not yet, but if we don't learn to work with humans, it will come soon...we've got humans like Gerald Tarmac putting humans against us.

Trisha: Tarmac?

Arianna: yeah.....you heard of him?

Trisha: uh....after the woman who gave me my powers died, a man named Tarmac came to my town.....I think he knew I was Enhuman.....I think his men knew I had powers....

Arianna: they were probably using some kind of scanning device.

Trisha: uh-huh...hey, so what can you say about humans?

Arianna: Yeah.....stay away from humans.

Trisha gives Arianna a look.

Arianna: (laughs) I'm just screwing with you....kind of. Humans have kind of been uneasy to get along with, but now that General Tarmac is speaking against us, things are really heating up. Humans are starting to be scared of us and it's only a matter of time, before things get out of hand.

Trisha: so what's the deal with Tarmac?

Josh, who has stepped out of the pool, approaches Trisha and Arianna.

Josh: I've been studying him. He was a brilliant military leader until his wife was killed by an Enhuman that lost control of his powers. After that, Tarmac suffered a nervous breakdown and was hospitalized for five years. He was just released seven months ago and now it seems that his main goal is to protect the world from Enhumans by developing weaponry to combat all Enhumans.

Trisha: So which Enhumans does he think are dangerous?

Josh: All of us.....Good or Bad.

Trisha: Okay....I think I'm going to go walk around anyway.

Josh: I'll go with you.

Josh and Trisha leave before Arianna stands up as well.

Arianna: May as well dip into the pool while they're walking about.

Arianna jumps into the pool and swims around. Josh and Trisha walk through a garden.

Trisha: It's amazing how big this building is enough to fit a garden on the roof.

Josh: So I never asked; where are you from?

Trisha: Owego. It's a little small town a few miles west from New York. About a fifty or forty-minute trip to the city.

Josh: Hmm....

Trisha: and you're from New Jersey?

Josh: Yep.....

Trisha: So how'd you get your powers?

Josh: (sighs) Very funny story. I was working in Texas in an electrical power plant when one day, this one colleague of mine slipped on an unstable rail....hanging ten feet from an electric power grid. I saved him, but I fell along with the railing. I didn't die....but I did get one hell of a shock.....When I was home with my baby sister and mother, I-I discovered my powers when I accidently pulled electricity right of out of my 12 Inch Plasma Screen TV.....Sooner or later, I knew that the damn W.R.E.X Cooperation would be coming...and I couldn't risks my families safety....so I left...but was captured for some time....I escaped and then I was homeless for two years....living on the street....laying on any bed I could find.....eating any scraps of food I can....sleeping with any girl I came across....uh...sorry...getting off topic....then Mr. Parker found me....I was one of the first few students here....then Dominic.

Trisha: But you and Dominic are the only students, right?

Josh: and we have you....and soon, if you're willing to stay, all thee of us can become teachers to young Enhumans who don't understand their powers....what good they can do for both humanity and Enhumanity.

Trisha: Mr. Parker...does he really believe Enhumans and humans can live together?

Josh: I believe in him.....hell, we're all here because we believe in something....unity....not conflict.

Suddenly, Dominic walks up.

Dominic: Is that what you're telling new kids now a days, Josh? Peace and love stories between humanity and Enhumans? You can straight call that bullshit.

Josh: (clears throat) Morning, Dominic. When'd you get up?

Dominic: Just a couple minutes ago. Was visiting dear old Dad.....I see you're showing our new guest around.

Josh: Just being a good host.

Trisha: So...uh...Dominic, I heard you have the power to harness and control smoke.

Dominic: Right...yep....example.

Dominic sucks the smoke out of a nearby candle and shoots a smoke ball into the sky.

Trisha: Uh....Wow....now, that is awesome.

Dominic: I can also use smoke dash.....to be honest; I wanted to be called "Power Surge", but that was taken, wasn't it, Josh?

Josh: (sarcastically) Ha-ha-ha.

Trisha: Really?

Dominic: No, not really.

Trisha: Where are you from?

Dominic: The sweet home of Beverly Hills, California. Yeah, the big houses. The big cars. The beautiful ladies.....but then my parents died, so I spent some time in juvie hall. Had some run-ins with the big cheese, so I jetted out! Lived in the basement of a Hollywood mall....the famous one where Kim Kardashian shops at.

Trisha: That must've been hard.

Dominic: For some time....but hey, the mall was really awesome. I just slept in one of those expensive, but very comfortable JC Penny or Macy Mattresses....I took whatever I needed....or wanted....the guards couldn't even tell who was stealing their stuff....then when shit got real, those assholes hired a bunch of Enhuman soldiers to track me down....luckily, Eva and Arianna were there that they...and that's when I was brought to this fine place.

Trisha: So, you're an Enhuman too?

Dominic: Nah, I'm the local massager. Backs. Feet. Knots. All that.

Trisha: Oh, well....you look like a student.

Josh and Dominic laugh.

Dominic: (laughs) Jesus, Trisha! You'll believe anything, won't you?

Trisha: Hey, I'm new. I don't know anybody cept for Josh here and you.

Dominic: Okay, okay, cool yourself. Yes, I'm an Enhuman, but there will be a time where the humans will accept that. Nice talking to you, Trisha.

Dominic walks off as Trisha and Josh stand. In Owego, Shane is watching a video of his late wife, Carrie, along with a child Maria and infant Trisha. Carrie is singing a lullaby as Shane smiles, before he sheds a tear. Shane then begins to cry to himself, before Maria arrives in the room. Shane turns, before he turns the video off with the remote.

Shane: Anything?

Maria: No....still nothing....

Maria walks over and kneels in front of her father.

Maria: Dad....Mom's still with us...okay...

Shane: You have her strength....your mother always said you were the strongest.....and now, I need your strength...and so does your sister...

Maria: Dad....she's going to be okay.

Shane: It's-it's just-your mother....I've already lost her....and I don't want to lose my girls...I have nothing left to lose....only you and your sister.