The radio crackles. “Hello, this is Mastermind for the Sidekick Squad, over.” Emma says. “Do you hear me, Squad Base?”
There’s nothing but static. She’s been trying to catch someone at base the past few days, but so far hasn’t had any luck. Emma sighs. Maybe no one at base has turned on the radio. She should have left better instructions. She wonders if the new members of the Resistance have been spreading the word in their own way, if they’ve made progress. She wonders if Ricky has managed to stay invisible for longer than ten minutes. She wonders if Sasha and Tanya ever were able to succeed in their teleportation experiments; the last she’d heard, they were still working up in size and quantity.
“I thought you wanted the other members to concentrate on your original plan of spreading stories by word of mouth?” Bells asks.
“Yes, I want that to keep going, but we don’t need everyone to be on that,” Emma says. She takes a deep breath. “My plan— we can do it. But we need more of the Sidekick Squad and a few of our new members.”
“Okay,” Bells says, twirling the microphone cord around with his fingers. “I think we’ve been doing pretty well.”
Emma scowls. They’ve tried again to get on the air, but it was too dangerous, trying to interrupt another battle; either the Authorities would show up immediately or Starscream and the staged villain would get away after their quick battle. It’s as if the League caught on and now each staged battle is done under the full watch of the Authorities. Since the plan requires Bells to play the part of Lysander, Emma can’t figure out a good plan for in which the rest of them fight Starscream and another meta-human without getting caught by the Authorities. Even with special earplugs, Starscream’s soundblasts are too powerful, and none of them can stand up to them.
At least Farha Rao is on board.
The meeting did go well. She was suspicious at first, but she remembered seeing Emma and Christine at the park.
“I saw you. You used your powers to help me escape,” Farha said.
“Well, my idea, Christine’s powers,” Emma said. “But you understand, right? Why people like Christine aren’t allowed in the League and why the League tells other people to be villains?”
Farha steepled her fingers; her eyes glittered. “Oh, yeah, I’m going to try my best to help you kids blow the lid off this conspiracy.” She narrowed her eyes. “But you’ll need more than just Crinoline shouting at the camera. It’s old news, the public’s already tired of you. Look, if you all come up with different outfits and actually pose a threat, that’s when everyone’s going to pay attention.”
Right. They need to actually stop the battle, not just interrupt it.
Emma sighs, listening to the static, thinking about the plan. Maybe they should just go back to training and working out and call it for today—
“Squad Base, I hear you!”
“Sasha!” Emma shrieks, relieved. “Is Tanya there with you?”
“Yeah, I’m gonna get her—”
“Hi!”
“We’re so excited to hear from you!” the twins chorus. “How are things going? Is the Resistance totally massive now? Is the League about to learn what’s coming to them?”
“Uh, it’s a work in progress,” Emma says, stumbling over the words. She feels guilty about not having more done at this point. She thought by now everything would be over; they’d reveal the League as corrupt and everything would be perfect again, and she and her friends could go back to their lives. Go back to school. Go pursue their dreams.
Bells speaks into the microphone, snapping Emma out of her reverie. “How are things back at base?”
“Good. The new recruits have been really excited about spreading the word. Michelle is in Middleton and Bobby’s in Port Clarion now. I think just from word of mouth we’ve got a lot of people in town aware and convinced of the truth.”
“That’s good,” Emma says, relieved. It seems like a drop in the bucket, a single drop in the tide that they need to turn, but any news is good news. “Sasha, Tanya, have you ever been to New Bright City?”
“Yeah, went there on a school trip once. Why?”
“That’s where we are now. Can you get to the city, and we’ll pick you up and get you to our new headquarters?”
There’s silence across the line, and muddled voices that Emma can’t quite hear, but it sounds like Sasha and Tanya conferring in hushed, interested whispers.
“I think so, but we’ll have to do several jumps. Doing a few hundred miles will knock Sasha out for a day, so we’ll need to stop to rest,” Tanya says. “We did figure out how to bring bulky items with us. That’ll slow us down a bit more, but if that will help, we can do it.”
“How long do you think it’ll take?”
“Not sure… two weeks, maybe?”
Emma looks at Bells, who nods back. She wants to start right away, but she can wait two weeks, especially if it means safe travel for the rest of the Sidekick Squad. Using Sasha and Tanya’s powers, they won’t need to worry about finding a safe route or staying hidden from the Authorities.
Bells leans forward. “Okay, question. If you teleport the car, will it teleport everything inside it?”
“Yes,” Tanya says. “I mean, as long as it’s touching the car; the ground doesn’t count. You know, the same way I can teleport a person and, you know, all their inside organs and whatever they’re wearing.”
Bells laughs. “Ha, ha! Remember Chrono? The meta-human that could time travel, but only for five seconds, and clothes didn’t count. Christine couldn’t figure out any fabric that they could take with them.”
Emma blinks. She’s never heard of any such meta-human. They’ve never been introduced to the public.
Tanya and Sasha laugh over the line. “Oh, man, that summer. They never wanted to use their powers because it meant showing up in their birthday suit whenever they did.”
Emma snaps her fingers. “Focus, come on.”
“Right, right. Okay. Could you get a van?” Bells asks.
“Hm, I think so. Ricky’s dad has one for his shop. We can get it here from Vegas. Why? Do you want us to fill it with supplies and stuff?”
“Can you bring my motorcycle?”
Bells is beyond excited about his bike, humming to himself and smiling as he does chores about the house.
“You don’t need to do that,” Christine says dryly, watching him do the dishes.
“It’s relaxing; I like it,” Bells says. “It reminds me of my routine at the restaurant.”
“I thought you had MonRobots for that. I saw a KR-D2 yesterday,” Emma says, not looking up from her tablet.
“Oh, we had two, but not the K series, the old versions. They’d only have so much battery life before they needed to charge, so we would need to wash ’em manually every now and then,” Christine says.
“It’s cool, I like keeping busy,” Bells says.
Emma agrees; keeping to a routine while they’re here has helped ease the anxiety of waiting.
“You don’t have any MR-D4Rs, right?” Emma asks, looking around. Christine has the highest tech of everything, so if she has the latest MonRobot for chores…
“Oh, absolutely not,” Christine says. “I mean, after those models chased you out of Andover? And you had them attack you up in Aerial City, right?”
Emma shudders; the memory is fresh in her mind.
“Yeah, not having those murder bots in my house,” Christine says. “Isn’t Phillip Monroe, like, totally working for the League? He made those things!”
“He’s being forced to,” Bells says. “Orion mentioned it too. He thinks that the League has his wife and Abby and that they’ll be hurt if he doesn’t comply.”
Emma nods. “I think that’s what Kingston wanted to do with me, why he wanted to kidnap me.”
“But Abby’s here,” Christine says, confused. She jerks her head toward the loud music echoing down the hallway from the room Abby’s claimed for her workspace. “And Genevieve is on the run.”
“Yeah, but Phillip doesn’t know that. Plus, with holotech I’m sure they’ve convinced him what he sees is real. And there’s torture.” Emma grimaces. She’s read about the inhumane things people used to do to manipulate others, to draw information from them.
Bells shakes his head, frowning. “I mean, he seemed healthy, but I don’t know. We’ve only seen him a few times when they’ve trotted him out for press for Monroe Industries, which is run by Stone now, who’s in Kingston’s pocket.”
“And he was wearing tantalum cuffs,” Emma remembers.
“So whatever Phillip is designing now, it’s tech for the League, right?”
“Or Kingston,” Bells says. “Emma wasn’t an enemy of the League, but Kingston definitely logged her as a threat.”
“Do you think Abby’s dad is designing more…”
“I think he’s stalling,” Emma says. “If they’re keeping him alive to design more things… I mean, they could have experimented on him, the way they did on Abby’s mom and all the other meta-humans, but they kept him.”
Jess nods. “Like there’s only one version of the MR-D4Rs.”
“That we’ve seen,” Emma mutters.
She vividly remembers the electric crackle of the arms of the one that pursued her, the one that had been living in her house, just waiting to be activated. And then there are the ones with guns. Bells protected them then, but they haven’t figured a way to be safe. Guns have been gone for so long that there’s not a lot of information on how to protect themselves from them. Emma knows from some of the old pre-Collective movies that there are special vests, but they haven’t figured out how to make them. Christine says she could replicate them, if they could get their hands on one.
They try several reconnaissance missions under heavy disguises, but asking at the malls and department stores draws only confused looks. No one has ever heard of such a fabric or such a vest. It makes sense, Emma thinks, since no one has any firearms, either.
But the MR-D4Rs do.
“I don’t know about this,” Christine says, looking around them in the dark.
“You said it yourself, the Underbright is filled with criminals,” Emma says, brandishing the flashlight.
Bells holds his hand up at the light, squinting. “I mean, if Jess says we’ll find one here…”
“Well, it’s not an exact science but I did lead us down here so…” Jess shrugs, leading the way.
“I’m great at haggling! I got this. Whoever we’re dealing with is going to deal with me!” Abby says, walking behind Jess.
Christine’s loaded several datachips with credits; they weren’t sure how much they would need, so there’s a different amount on each card. Bells also has a backpack filled with fresh vegetables, courtesy of a Hopestar Grassroots contact.
Emma can hear other people in the abandoned tunnels and a few times she can see people disappearing into the shadows from the lit platforms. Before they were trying to avoid others; now Jess is leading them directly toward one of the bustling platforms where people have set up shops in a riot of color and chaos. They weave around the crowds and the stalls and tents filled with wares, trying to blend in. Despite carefully choosing their and disguises, Emma still feels as if they’re drawing suspicious looks from everyone.
“Stick together,” Christine says.
Abby zooms off toward a stall at the end.
“That’s not it. Abby!” Jess calls after her, and then sighs. She turns around, her shoulders slumped, and gestures to the rest of them to follow her. “I think we’re here.” Jess jerks her head at a tent. “I’m going after Abby. I’ll meet you back here.”
Emma steps inside the shop warily; the walls are made from pieces of once-colorful fabric, stitched together in a motley way. Piles of clothes, mannequins, and fabrics clutter the store. Everything looks well-made. Emma drags her hand down the sleeve of a coat.
“Hello,” says a soft voice. “Can I help you?”
A reedy-looking man looks at them and taps his fingers together.
“Hi,” Brendan says. “We are in need of a vest.”
“What kind of vest? Something bespoke, perhaps?”
There’s a commotion outside; voices scream and yell.
Emma pops out of the tent and looks around. People scurry down a ladder into the Underbright from an open grate, as if they’re running away from something.
“That’s all right; you’re safe down here,” an old man in the stall next to her mutters.
“Safe from what?” Emma asks.
“Superheroes,” the man says, going back to his book without looking up.
The light from the grate disappears as the last person closes it, but Emma can still hear the terrified people on the street.
Bells, Brendan, and Christine exit the clothes tent. Brendan wears a puffy vest and looks very proud of himself.
“What is it?” Bells asks.
“There’s a battle going on right above us,” Emma says.
“What?” Jess says, holding hands with a sheepish-looking Abby.
“Let’s go!” Emma’s already striding toward the wall and the ladder.
“Emma, we’re not prepared,” Christine says.
Bells tilts his head. “I thought you wanted to wait to do a confrontation once the supersuits are done and the others get here?”
“We can’t pass up this opportunity!” Emma says, already pulling herself up. It’s time for action! She’s been itching for this. And even if they can’t take on Starscream, they can at least do some reconnaissance and see what’s going on. Besides, Farha promised she would give them interview time.
That’s if you got your act together, a small voice says inside her head.
Too late. Emma’s already pushing the grate open.
From her hiding place under the street, Emma can see people run off in every direction and hear people screaming.
“Someone get the Authorities!”
“Where did Starscream go? He’s the hero! He’s supposed to protect us!”
Emma wedges herself forward, pushes the heavy sewer cover aside, grips the edge of the opening, and pulls herself up through up onto the street.
Emma dusts herself off, standing up tall, trying to see through the chaos. People are screaming and running away, running past her, shrieking in terror, but from what?
Emma pushes forward, and she can hear her friends right behind her as they press through the street. No one is paying the fugitives any attention, they’re all trying to get away from—
Captain Orion stands before them, a grin spreading on her face. Her eyes gleam as she steps forward, her ragged cape fluttering in the wind. Her hair, once featured in many shampoo and styling commercials as thick and luscious and flowing, is now tangled and matted. She’s not doing anything other than standing ominously on the street and gleefully watching people scatter.
Bells is frozen. He’s still shifted, wearing another boy’s face, and Emma can see that he’s thinking: if he shifts now, he’ll reveal his identity as Bells and make himself a target. They don’t know what Orion wants.
“That’s right, run, you fools,” Orion declares. “I’ll show you. I’ll show everyone!” She raises her hands, throwing lightning into the air, and then turns around and blasts at the people on the street.
“Should we go back into the Underbright?” Christine asks.
“No, Orion would see us,” Emma says. “And then all those other people would be in danger.”
“This way!” Jess says, turning left and running down a side street. “This way to safety!”
“It’s a dead end, Jess!” Emma can barely see the end of the street. Maybe there’s something she doesn’t know, something Jess’ power is telling her, maybe they can just hide there. Christine is right behind her, and Emma takes Bells’ hand, pulling him forward into the alley right behind Jess.
“Orion is as good as a meta-human as any to take on.” Abby stops where she stands. She opens her backpack. “My new mecha-suit isn’t complete, but I know it’s got enough power to give her a good fight.”
“Do you see cameradrones? No one is watching. No one is going to know what happened here. What we have to do is get out alive!” Jess reaches for the backpack, but Abby shakes her head.
Abby presses a button, and a chest plate and gauntlets clank and unfold. She puts them on and runs away, shouting loudly. “Hey! Orion! You fake excuse of a hero. Come at me!”
“What the—”
“Abby, no—”
Orion turns around from observing the chaos. She grins, slow and wide. “Abby Jones. I thought you were dead.”
Orion cracks her knuckles, walking forward. “Well. A good thing you’re not, because I could use another one to power me up. Claudia told me your powers were nullified, but you would still be of much use to me.” Orion turns her head and raises her eyebrows.
“Tran,” Orion says suddenly, her eyes taking on a wicked gleam. “I know you.” She stalks forward, advancing on all of them, who are now trapped at the end of the alleyway with nowhere to go.
Jess’ eyes go wide and she reaches for her scar where she was shot with Orion’s lightning.
Orion raises her hands, fingers sparkling with electricity. “You ruined my plans back in Nevada. You too, baby Tran.” Orion raises her eyebrows at Christine. “You’re the most pathetic attempt at being a villain I’ve ever seen. I’m going to enjoy putting you out of your misery.” She looks at Bells. “You. I don’t know who you are.”
Orion turns to Emma and squints. “And you threw a table at me, if I recall.”
“I’d throw it again!” Emma snaps.
Orion laughs now. “Oh honey, look around. You’ve got nowhere to go.”
Emma’s throat goes dry. There’s nowhere to run, nowhere to go. There’s just this corridor and her and her friends with their backs to the wall.
Abby’s eyes are wide with fear. “You, you…” she raises her hands and the gauntlets, closes her eyes.
Nothing happens.
Orion laughs. “Built yourself another suit, huh? Oh, please. Give up. You’re nothing without your powers.”
She punches Abby right in the chest. There’s a sickening crunch as the metal is crushed, and Abby lets out a cry of pain as she flies backward.
“Abby!” Jess cradles her head and looks up at Orion. “Stop, please!”
Christine is shaking. “Look, why are you doing this? You clearly just need some food and a good rest,” she pleads.
Orion laughs, high and shrill. She’s a shadow of her former self, or maybe, Emma thinks, this is who she’s always been: power-hungry and desperate and willing to hurt to get what she wants. For the first time Emma thinks about Michael’s offer. If she had powers, if she was strong like her friends, they could get out of this situation. Abby’s twitching, and Emma wonders if she’s thinking the same thing about her own powers.
Orion raises her hands, and lightning crackles between her fingers. “I’m going to enjoy this,” she says. “It’s your fault. I was the most respected hero of the Collective,” she sniffs. “I had a fan club and people screaming my name and worshipping me, and now I’m nothing. Reduced to a laughingstock. I’m not even a villain anymore, no one ever talks about me on the news. I didn’t even make a complete round on the news cycle as Orion the villain. They couldn’t even afford me that?” She shakes her head. “I’m going to get it all back, and you’re all going to pay.” She glances at Jess, at the scar on her neck. “I should have killed you when I had the chance. And now I’m going to kill all of you right here.”
Orion cocks her head. The lightning crackles and bursts, and she watches them quiver, as though she’s enjoying teasing them.
There’s a rush of wind and a flash of color from above and a loud crack as Orion is punched in the face.
“Claudia?” Jess’ voice quavers.