Superheroing 101

Chapter 14: Investigating

"Lunch is right after 3rd."

"Yeah but I only know this girl's 3rd period. Luckily enough Alena isn't on our floor by then. "

"Won't she hear about a hero coming to the school and investigating."

"Yes but by then she can't really leave the school or the police will come to her house and catch her red handed."

"Richie...."

"Shit. He's strong. So we have to separate them."

I waited in the faculty room for third period to hit. Teachers kept staring and questioning me about Clone. "I'm a science teacher. My students want to know how did you get your powers....."

Clone scoffed in my ear and I just smiled. "Please tell us how did you get them."

"Please just leave me alone. I am on a missions don't tell anyone of me being here. Please. Unless you want to endanger the lives of your students. You can talk about me tomorrow."

They looked at each other. "What's the mission...."

"Top secret."

The bell rang and the teachers flooded out. New teachers came in. They glared at me. Here we go again. I rose up as the second bell rang and went out after the halls cleared.

I headed towards the second floor. I ended up at my calculus class and the teacher smiled. "Castello?" Mr Rutail said in shock

"Hi Mr. Rutail. I'd like to borrow a student." I smiled. I looked at my empty seat and sighed.

Jonelle looked away. "Excuse me Jonelle. Please follow us."

"I have my rights."

"You're right." I yawned. "Listen. This is about saving your sister. Now you can get the whole city involved and put her in more danger or-"

She got up and cursed her way out. We went to a nearby park and escaped into a treehouse some adults made for the elementary school kids. Venus met up with us shortly after.

"So Jonelle, how long was your sister an alien."

"I don't speak to low lives."

"Well your sister isn't going to have a life if you don't tell us where her ship is."

"If I speak..... She will kill me."

"Airias?"

"How do...."

"Jonelle. We will protect you. We swear it. We'll bring you to our safe house."

"No don't." I said.

"She needs help."

"But we aren't risking anything. She obviously knows that Alena is an alien. We can't have her at the base."

"Cast-"

"Jonelle do you want your sister back?"

Her face softened. "I- "

"Do you want to see your sister. The REAL one?"

"More than anything in the world."

"Then stop bullshitting Clone and I. Tells us what's really fucking happening.

"If I do. She will kill the both of us." She started dropping tears onto the wooden floor boards.

"We will cover the protecting."

"Who is going to protect Eneas?"

"How do you know-"

"I'm almost in as deep as Airias herself. Airias owns a mindless zombie that responds to the name Richie at the moment. I'm her trusted advisor, and her access to the human species. That's why I was sent to your friend's Zach's house. I needed to monitor but I got carried away."

"You think you can do some undercover work?"

"You mean spy on Airias?"

"Do you want to save your sister?"

"That's the third time you asked. Yes I do." She snapped.

"Then join us to help stop this."

She looked at Clone then to me. "What if she finds out?"

"Would you like a personal Body guard."

"Really?"

"Possibly. But you won't know it's there. It will protect you long enough for us to actually arrive and fight off Airias."

"Why are you two being so nice to me?" She muttered.

"Everyone needs help. Even the messed up ones." I sighed. "Now when Airias asks you deny everything."

Jonelle nodded and thanked us. We returned her back to her class and a storm of press was at the front door. "Fuck." Clone muttered trying to run away. But she was too late.

"Excuse me Venus? You have been spotted with Castello on multiple occasions.... Are you two a thing now?"

My face twisted and felt hot. "We are just partners in trying to make the world a better place."

Clone pulled off her mask and looked directly into the camera. "Do I even need this anymore. I was exposed and I keep getting called by my real name anyway...."

"I want you to wear it. Though it's useless now. You still want to have a sense of concealment." I said handing it back to her.

"What am I concealing?" She huffed.

"Your bruises on your face and body." I said poking the bruise she got from the real Richie.

She swatted my hand and frowned."Bruises aren't something you can hide. People see them anyway."

"Well what about your eyes. Your eyes are the brightest I've ever seen. You always have hope in them. But when they dull you loose hope. Your mask is the only thing hiding your true feelings. We have to give the people hope."

She held her mask. "I don't why I'm here. What the hell am I doing.... I belong in Brazil with mamãe e papai. Eu sou apenas uma pequena menina." She covered her face. Shes stressing in front of the public

I pulled her in for a tight hug. "Alena and Richie are trapped somewhere and they are suffering. I'm out here juggling with the media. I shouldn't have been allowed to make a big desicion like that."

"What superhero hasn't made a big decision. Alena will be safe soon...... But we can't save everyone at the same time. There are times we have to retreat. Times were we have to come up with an even better plan."

She looked at me with fear. "But they were right there. I can make clones...."

"Remember that trip wire? Airias would have been there in no time. We can't endanger Alena. For now she is safe inside the pod."

"I'm not a bad hero?"

"In my eyes you aren't bad at anything." I kissed her head.

"Why are so nice."

"I'm sorry- it's in my nature." I leaned in completely forgetting to the cameras behind us.

"I think you got a little carried away." She laughed. I groaned and grabbed her arm. "They aren't going to leave you alone for a while. Let's go."