bad idea--BUT," she goes on before he can reply, "America's Son is a preacher. That means he's got some training for this sort of thing, I think."
The group goes silent, looking at each other. I have to speak up, I think. I'm the leader--
"I... I'd talk to America's Son," Carla says quietly. "He's my favorite super hero."
"We don't need to talk to anyone," Lance says. "He won't understand."
"Lance, no one will until you tell them," Banshee says. "But I won't expect you to trust him straight off--I know most of you don't trust me yet, either. I just thought you'd like to meet one of the most famous capes in the area--you do want to meet him, don't you?"
That has the group nodding and starting to get excited. I glance over at Ward, taking in his dark expression, then over at Vinny, who's been surprisingly quiet through this--oh, he's still watching TV. Yeah, that explains it. He probably doesn't even care. Of the entire group, Vinny seems the least traumatized by what happened to us.
Thing is, though, I'm not sure I want to talk to America's Son, myself. America's Son's been around for a while, right? He's been an acting cape since before I was born. That means there's a chance that if I talk with him for too long he might figure some things out. Like where, exactly, I got my abilities from. I've been avoiding Mastermental for that exact same reason.
The last thing I need is for them to find out who I really am.
CHAPTER TWO
"You don't seem very happy." It's lights out time, which is usually a pretty peaceful time for me since I've finished up making sure everyone else has turned their lights out and all that, but now I'm stuck sharing a room. Joy.
"It's lights out," I say as I pull my sheets up and close my eyes. "That means no talking."
"You surprised me," she says. "You know, growing huge like that. I didn't realize you had that sort of power."
"I don't," I say, staring at the ceiling. "Ward does."
"What?"
"I steal peoples' powers," I tell her with a sigh. "Whoever's in touching distance I can steal their main power for fifteen minutes. By myself I've just got the basics of the basics. I'm practically a norm."
"You... wow," she says. "How is it that I've never heard of you?" she demands.
"I don't know," I say. "Maybe I do grow up to do what Banshee was planning for me." Or maybe I wind up like--No, I'm not even going to think that. I'm going to wind up doing what Banshee came up with, finding more poor kids with abilities and nowhere to go.
"What's that?" she asks.
"I'm going to go out into the norm world and find kids with new abilities," I say. "Probably be a substitute teacher or something , so I can go from school to school. That way when I find a new cape I can talk with their parents and get them sent here."
"Oh... so you're an undercover cape," she says. "That makes a lot of sense, actually. Is it because you're a first gen, yourself?" she asks.
"I--"
"I mean, it was probably a real shock, you know, the first time it happened, right? You didn't expect it--"
"I did expect it," I hear myself mutter. "I just didn't like it. Now go to sleep, Noelle." I roll over, turning my back to her as I silently curse myself for admitting what I just did.
"Wait--what? How did you expect it?" she demands. I say nothing. "Morgan? How did you expect it? Are you a second gen or something?"
I just lay there, staring blindly at the wall and waiting for her to give up. I should have kept my mouth shut.
***
It's Sunday, which means Ken spent the morning preaching at his church, but as soon as the family gets out he looks at his sons. "We're going to your school today," he says as they pile into the car.
"Oh?" Jeanie asks as she snaps her seatbelt into place. "What's going on?"
"Banshee asked me for a favor last night. I thought it'd be a good day to start," Ken says. "I need to talk with the zoo kids. It seems
Rebecca Godfrey, Ellen R. Sasahara, Felicity Don