Secret Double Life

Chapter 5

  "Just call me Nancy Drew," Gemma joked to herself as she rummaged around in the desk drawer.

She wanted to be sure she searched everywhere for information on Sportacus if Magnús had any. But so far she found nothing.

"Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places. I wonder if he has a secret room he keeps locked up," she tapped her chin with her index finger and put things back where she got them.

Stepped out of the study she closed the door and looked around curiously at the doors lining the long hallway. Most were open and some weren't.

"Maybe his bedroom has something I might find."

His room was bright as she walked in. The curtains were drawn back allowing the natural light from the sun to seep in and bounce off the white walls. His bed was made neatly and not a piece of clothing was visible anywhere.

"Neat freak much?" she said to herself, making her way to the closet.

Rummaging through the closet, she found nothing once again.

"Maybe he just isn't the right one," she shrugged and let out a deep sigh making her way to the living room. "How much do you want to bet Kim just sent me on a wild goose chase?"

Gemma sat down and rested her chin in her hands and pouted. This trip was pointless wasn't it? Magnús wouldn't be this Sportacus guy and he probably didn't even exist. With another deep sigh Gemma stood up and put on a thick coat Magnús let her borrow along with warm boots and a comfy hat.

"Guess I'll look around outside. Maybe I'll find something out there... or maybe not," she said grabbing the keys he gave her if she decided to stay and walked out the front door.

It was indeed freezing outside although the sun felt warm on her cold cheeks. A brisk wind blew right through her causing her to shiver and hug herself. Flashbacks of last night crossed her mind but she shook it off and started walking to a lake not too far from the house.

"At least the snow is beautiful. The lake is frozen over... wish I knew how to ice skate," she said to herself.

Gemma bent over and brushed some of the snow off the ice and tried to see her reflection. She giggled and gently stepped on the edge to see if it was safe.

"From what I've read up on when a lake is frozen over, never go out to the middle and always stay close to shore. I need to stop talking to myself."

A noise from above grabbed her attention nearly causing her to lose her footing. She glanced up, putting a hand in front of her face to block out the sun. Something was floating above her. Something big but she couldn't make it out.

"Is that an airship..." she asked herself.

Her question was interrupted by a loud cracking noise from under her feet. A rush of fear and regret filled her heart as the ice broke underneath her.

"This is it, I'm going to die..." she said loudly. "Help! Help! I can't swim!"

Gemma clawed at the ice tried to catch hold of something, anything, that would help pull her out. But she could already feel her body freezing up and becoming heavy.

Just when she was about to give up, a hand grabbed her wrists and effortlessly pulled her out.

"Don't worry, I got you," a man said. "Let's get you warmed up quickly!"

Shivering and wet, she was led to the house by her savior. His voice didn't sound family and neither did his features.

"W-who are you?" she asked, teeth clattering.

"I'm Sportacus. Are you alright?" he asked her, grabbing a thick blanket from the back of the sofa. "You need to take your wet clothes off before you catch pneumonia. I'll wait in another room."

Without another word he was out of sight leaving her standing there confused and in shock. she managed to remove her clothes and wrap herself in the warm blanket.

"You can come in," she called to him and he appeared.

"I'll get a fire for you," he said quickly. "Don't worry."

Gemma watched him closely as he set up the fireplace and got a warm fire going. He was Sportacus? She wasn't believing this at all. He looked like an ordinary man with a mustache and blue jumpsuit.

Turning to face her, he noticed she was staring at him. "Are you okay?"

"I think so," she said realizing she had been staring. "You're Sportacus? I've heard stories about you but I never believed them. Do you live in an airship? Do you have a crystal that lights up when someone is in danger? Is that how you found me? How do you know where someone is when they need help?"

He chuckled and held up his hands as if to surrender and waved them. "Slow down. One question at a time."

She sighed and held a stern look. "I don't believe in superheroes. So I must be dreaming."

Sportacus laughed and sat in front of her, his face almost close enough to hers for her to feel his warm breath.

"I can understand if you don't believe in superheroes. But yes I live in an airship, I do have a crystal that lights up when someone is in trouble, sometimes I look in my telescope above the town to see who's in danger and other times I just know. I didn't know I was flying above you at the lake. My crystal lit up and I saw you through the window that you were in danger," he answered her questions at once and with a handsome smile on his face.

She squinted her eyes and arched an eyebrow at him trying to study his face. A shiver ran through her body causing her to visibly shake.

"You need another blanket," Sportacus said and quickly disappeared into the next room.

"This is weird. Maybe I hit my head or something," Gemma said to herself rubbing her temple. "Superheroes don't exist. Maybe this guy is delusional or something. But he is handsome..."