First Chapters

Hidden Heroes (2nd attempt)

Time That Keep Repeating

I feel like I've been here before. I just finished reading through the papers on my desk when I got the news that some mercenaries had come back with news about the cylinder again, though treasure hunters could be a more appropriate name for them right now.

At least twelve of them had been informed about the cylinder two months ago. Five had come back in less than a week and now five people will never hunt for treasure again for bringing back fake information.

I sighed as I stood up trying to suppress the hope that this might be the one. I had been here before, many times, with and without other members of the family. There'd be some big idea, fool proof from every angle and then. Nothing. There'd be some bits that worked, some bits that didn't, and when added up the ones that didn't came up on top. Foiled again.

But there was one time that when we had an idea and it worked. It's why we have a gleaming mansion, why we live on the edge of town in the shade of a broken hill, its why we cant do anything bigger than twiddle our fingers in the sunlight or else everyone will have a reason to scream and throw us in jail. Thats the magic I've been trying to find again.

The next big idea that'll knock the socks of every. One that ends with me on top, not in some far away glorified prison pen, but on top of a skyscraper drinking in the spotlight and shaking hands with everyone else.

But no, I can't make myself believe that this time will be different, I already have a lot of real things to deal with and I didnt want to add something imaginary to the list. Of the idea I have going now it seems that the bits that dont work are only piling up. I would have had other people deal with visitors but this matter was one I considered private.

Picking some of the papers that I had put on the important pile on my desk, I reread one of them. It was about how my sister's career as an actress was just blooming. Why wasn't she here to help with the mansion? So much more capable, so much more decisive, so much more liked. I closed my eyes, counted to three, and then went to the to meet the visitors.

To my father the gigantic hallways were decorated like short trips to the past, for me they look haphazard and dusty. In a glass case a mask of fading brown and blue was sitting next to a cape like a display in a museum.

Above this the newspaper clippings of the villain Midas, framed with a deep yellow and hung on the wall, was now starting to fade to the point it made it hard to read the article describing how an entire mountain, forest, rocks and all, had been transmuted into gold and how he had gotten away with it.

And the six tapestries gifted to our family. Each embroided with painful detail the likeness of an Alterare family member. High on the wall they stared down as I passed. There was my mother, black hair with devilish eyes. My father, smiling wide and sticking out a tongue of gold.

My younger, brother with a controlled expression, unsmiling and with emeralds for eyes. My sister, with rosy cheeks and a smile to die for. The youngest, brother with the same blood red eyes as my mother except with hair that stood up like sharp needles on his head. And finally it was me, the oldest of the children. Toad like with my small beady eyes, large nose and huge frame giving a small smile. They were all people who weren't here.

As I passed unused doors that led into unused rooms filled with mementos and nick-nacks or into guest rooms for a family that never had guest's, one door wasnt unused. It was different from the other ones with a silver hue instead of yellow. From the little window I could see Mad the resident scientist and steward of the house working on a chemistry set with her assistants.

This door then swung open and out stepped my father wearing pajamas and a sleepy expression. Once upon a time he might have strode out of the door with his head held high and with the air of the man who thought he could do anything. Now he was a diluted version of his old self.

"Good morning Fret! Up a bit early I see? You know I've heard that sleeping in helps with a persons complexion." He said with the same smile the tapestry had. Maybe some part of him was still here.

"Can't talk for long, we've got guests." I replied seriously.

"Hah! Nice one, I could still remember the time when I had the stuff to entertain 'guests'." He said with a wink that suddenly transformed into a yawn, "My my I should get back to bed. I only got up for something hot, the stuff they make in there!"

Yet as he stepped forward he started to wobble and his gloved hands gripped tighter to his gold walking stick.
"Mad? Come here for a moment," He said through clenched teeth.

A moment later a yelp was heard from the group near the chemistry set and Mad came bustling away from her assistant and stood beside my father. Her shoulder length spiky red hair, white lab coat, and kaki pants seemed to be stained with something.

"Anything sir?" She said with eyes darting around.

"Something to lean on would be nice," My father said.

"Sir," she affirmed. "Wallace! Get over her!"

The group of lab assistants perked up and after a short cascade of whispers a rather bulky guy in a lab coat came over and took the outstretched hand of my father. After looking for a short time and confirming to myself that they wouldn't fall over I started to head to the double doors that led into the living room when Mad said,
"You know, if the thing your going to is about the thing I'm thinking about I could come along."

I shook my head but she continued by saying,
"I am the expert here of what we're finding. I'd know if what they have is real or not and know how to the handle the thing, I have told you it was... reactive. Yes?"

I suppressed another sigh, in another time I might have turned her away, but right now it would be easier to agree than to disagree.
"Fine. Get cleaned up first then meet me, your smoking."

"Darling I'm always smoking." She said with a giggle, "Lets go."

When I pushed open the double doors that led into the main hall I saw them. They were in civilian clothes inspecting the bookshelves and statues of gold. I sat at the the tip of the long table with Mad standing behind me and gestured for them to come and sit.

When they reached the table they were silent and here I watched them more closely. The bigger one was in sensible clothes while the shorter one was wearing a very loud and colorful outfit that looked like shit.

"Well?" I demanded drumming my fingers.

"We have it," one said confidently.

"We have what?" I asked sternly, my hand on the edge of the table ready to press the button that silently alerted the guards and that was cleverly disguised as an ornate carving.

"The cylinder." He continued, his confidence not wavering.

"Show me."

With a smile he flourished a bag onto the table, when he opened the bag its insides seemed to be coated with something shiny and he slowly but carefully took out some plastic pads.

As he did this the other said in a gruff voice,
"A smooth white cylinder made up of a material that remains unmarred and form unchanged when forced with any blade or blunt object, six inches long, two inches wide, with no extra features."

He had repeated the instructions given out. They probably practiced this.

"Get on with it."

The first, with a slightly less confidence, carefully took out The Cylinder and carefully placed it in front of me.

"Sir," he said, and I'm sure he was thinking the same thing I was thinking. It didnt look much. But it was everything, Mad squealed grabbing the cylinder and hugging it to herself in delight and slowly a smile crept onto my face. Some good was finally on the pile.

I've been here before. I wasn't complicated.