Mod Superhero

Chapter 4.17 - Rooftop Hangout

Max had laid down and sprawled out with an arm behind his head. "Probably oiling her joints." The girls gave him a cross look. "What? She would've thought that was funny."

Emmett glanced at the gravel between them. "Training. Resting, maybe. I'm, uh, not sure."

Krystal tossed a rock in his direction. "So, call her."

Cherry added, "She's part of the group too."

Emmett smirked. "Fine. TINA, can you—"

Krystal tossed another rock at him. "No. You call her."

Emmett rolled his eyes. "What's the—"

"Patching you through."

Emmett fished his phone out of his pocket, managing to get it out just as Clara's voice came through on speakerphone.

"Hey, you."

Before Emmett could respond, cackles and snorts erupted from the group.

"Am I on speakerphone?"

"Yep," Emmett replied.

"Is that McGuire, Cherry, Krystal, and Larian?"

"Yep."

"Sounds like you guys are having fun."

Krystal tossed another rock at Emmett and mouthed, "Go on."

"We were wondering if you wanted to come hang out with us on the—"

"I'll be there in ten."

Emmett wasn't even sure the line went dead before his friends started giggling like children.

~

It was a long time before the laughter died down.

Emmett just shook his head. "I still don't get what's so funny."

Max replied, "Absolutely nothing, Romeo."

Cherry asked, "TINA, what do you want to talk about tonight?

"The increasing prevalence of rogue and malevolent AI's in film and other media."

"Oh boy..." Max said.

Cherry said, "No, no. That's a good one. It doesn't sit well with me either. I mean, it's downright speciesist."

Everybody turned toward Cherry with a mix of eye rolls and raised eyebrows.

"Hear me out—it's like saying all aliens are bad, right? Imagine an intelligent species coming all the way to Earth, and then wanting to exterminate or invade us for resources... Why? There's plenty of stuff out there. It never made any sense to me."

Max replied, "Maybe they're conquerors. Look at us—humanity, in general."

Cherry wagged a finger. "You're assuming they'll be like humans."

Larian spoke up. "But so are you. It's the same mistake people make with animals. Eye contact is a good example. Eye contact between humans is a sign of respect and intimacy. But for most animals, eye contact is a threat. This is true even for dogs and cats—supposedly domesticated. An animal does not think like us."

Krystal nudged Larian's arm. "Be honest. Which one told you that?"

"Ha, ha, ha... They don't speak. And even if they did, they don't need to tell me they don't like eye contact. I can see it."

"In their eyes," Max added.

The group shared a laugh. Even Larian partook. When it finally died down, Emmett's curiosity got the better of him.

"How do your powers work?"

Larian smiled meekly. "They're not my powers. They're not my animals..." His voice trailed off and his smile faded. For a moment, it almost looked like he was listening for something.

Or to something.

"Maybe one day they'll confide in you, just like they've confided in me."

Emmett glanced toward Eastside, searching the sky for Arsenal. He could just make out the sheen of her cloaking in the distance.

Krystal asked coyly, "What are you smiling at?"

Max groaned. "Probably his girlfriend."

"Nuh uh!" Krystal's eyes went wide and she looked toward Eastside. "...I don't see anything."

"He's got special eyes," Max sniggered.

A moment later, Arsenal set down on the rooftop. The cloaking of her exosuit shimmered as she climbed out and then reengaged to hide it from view. She wore her bodysuit, but wasn't wearing her mask.

Before Emmett could ask why, Krystal and Cherry jumped up to greet her with a hug.

Clara hugged them back, chuckling. "It's nice to see you guys too."

Cherry said, "I love your hair."

Then the girls sat back down in the circle, but Clara walked over and sat in front of Emmett. Clara greeted Max and Larian, then she leaned against Emmett's chest.

Krystal and Cherry were all smiles.

"So," Krystal said, "when did it happen?"

Max nodded to Larian. "This is good."

The girls giggled and Clara proceeded to tell the story about going to Java Haven together. Emmett wrapped his arms around her and tried not to cringe when his infamous line came.

"...Then he said, without you, it's just coffee."

The line elicited a mixture of aws and a groan from Max.

Larian asked, "Did TINA give you that line?"

"Mod came up with it all on his own."

Emmett winced. "I'm never going to live that down, am I?"

"It's not a bad line," Clara replied, trying to reassure him.

Krystal said, "It's a good line."

Max rolled his eyes. "I'll die on this hill."

Krystal ignored him and eyed Emmett. "Look. It worked, right? If it worked, then it was a good line."

Clara squeezed Emmett's hand in agreement.

Finally, Emmett smiled. It had worked, hadn't it? That was all that mattered.

Thankfully, the group's conversation moved on after that.

~ ~ ~