My father is in the kitchen when I get back to the apartment that evening. It smells like food and I can hear something sizzling from the stove.
"You're coming in late," he says to me.
"So?" I say back. I didn't used to be this sassy... well at least not towards my father. But after the Genesis Labs ordeal a rift was created between us. I can't look at my dad without being reminded that he lied to me my entire life about secretly running a biotech weapons laboratory. That he was the one who sent all those monsters after the Hero. That he thought of the Supers, my friends, as disposable and nothing more then weapons. That he is the reason all those people died.
I miss the days when our biggest disagreement was what time to set my curfew.
My father ignores my comment. "Did you have a good day?"
"Yah." Monosyllabic answers seem to be my norm lately.
"I made dinner tonight. Mexican food. Your favorite."
Ever since Genesis Labs went up in flames my dad has been home a lot more than usual trying to get back his health. He still has his cover company Reyes Inc. that he owns but someone else is in charge of running it.
"Okay."
I watch my father move to set the table, carefully maneuvering his wheel chair around the kitchen. I feel a twinge in my heart and my face softens.
"Dad, I can do that," I offer. It kills me to see him like this. It may sound cheesy but I used to think of my dad like a superhero growing up. Sure every kid thinks that at some point but my dad could actually live up to it. He was always composed, always in charge, always knew what he was doing. I wanted to be just like him.
"I'm not completely useless you know," he says with a smirk.
I glance at the wheelchair and blush. "Yah I know. But I want to help." I grab the plates and tableware and beginning laying out the two place settings.
A couple of tacos aren't going to fix things but he is trying. I guess I could try too.
We begin eating and my dad asks how my day went and how my friends are doing and all that typical parental smalltalk. I mention how I saw the Olympian Squad this afternoon at lunch.
"I don't like them. They shouldn't exist," my father says, "All our work was destroyed in the fire and only a few employees besides myself and Mr. Flowers knew the process. The rest were killed."
There's a heavy silence. Piper was one of the scientists in charge of making supers who died in the fire. My father hasn't been taking her death well.
As if reading my thoughts my dad adds, "I was going to propose you know."
I stop mid-taco to gape at my father. He really loved her that much? I have conflicting feelings. As much as I disliked Piper I'd never want her dead. But I wouldn't want her as a step mom either.
"Oh." I say, back to the one word answers.
My father shakes his head. "Sorry, I shouldn't be talking about Genesis Labs so much. I know that's what caused you to hate me."
Or maybe he should.
"Avoiding the conversation isn't going to make anything better," I say with a soft smile, "And I don't hate you dad. I hate that you lied to me."
He nods. "I know and if I could take it back I would."
But you can't.
"I have something else for you, besides the food," my father says.
Something else?
And then he drops the keys on the table.
"It's already parked in the garage," he says, "Got it in red."
"You got me a car?" I gasp. A car. My car. No more borrowing his or taking the bus.
My father grins for what seems like the first time in forever. "Thought after everything I've put you through you deserve it.
Some part in the back of my brain feels like my father is trying to buy my forgiveness. The other part doesn't care enough to refuse the gift.
I thank him profusely and offer to help wash the dishes but my dad knows I'm anxious and tells me to go take it for a spin. I don't think twice. I rush to pull on my boots and hurry downstairs to where it's waiting in our assigned spots.
It's a sporty, little red car that's probably way too expensive. I get in and it smells like new car and leather seats. I practically squeal like a little kid as I put in the keys and head out onto the streets.
I switch to my favorite radio station and roll the windows down as I drive through downtown Vertigo. It's late enough that the streets are mostly empty.
I'm enjoying my new ride when all of a sudden a figure rushes out into the street right in front of my car. It all happens so fast that I try to stomp on the brakes and the car comes lurching to a stop.
Oomph! My head jerks foreword, almost slamming against the steering wheel. Wait, did I just hit someone?!
I frantically unbuckle my seatbelt to get out and look when I hear a voice.
"Sweet ride."
I look up and when I recognize the person I frown. "Seriously Levi!?"
Levi is standing outside my car wearing jeans and black t-shirt. His dark hair is all rustled up. He must have been flying earlier.
He laughs. "You should have seen your face."
"It's not funny! I could have hit you."
"That'd probably do more damage to your car than to me," he says with a cocky smirk as he crouches down next to my window so that we're on eye level, "And we wouldn't want that for your brand new car."
He places his palm on the door and jokingly acts like he's going to push. I know enough about Supers to know he could turn my ride into scrap metal without breaking a sweat if he really wanted to.
I'm not amused. "I swear Levi, dent my car and I will run you over enough times that it will hurt."
"Always with the death threats Ms. Reyes. You know I'm just playing," he grins.
"Well I was going for a drive so either get in or get out of the way," I say. In the blink of an eye Levi is sitting in the passenger seat and immediately goes to change the radio station. I slap his hand away.
We start driving around with no real destination in mind.
"Not bad," he comments, "But flying is way better. You should try it sometime."
"Been there, done that. Not my thing," I say, "So where were you this time?"
Levi comes in and out of Vertigo City. He says the place holds too many bad memories to stay for good. I guess I'm the only reason he comes to visit. For the past two months since the Genesis Labs explosion he's flown all over the world.
"You're not going to like my answer."
I raise an eyebrow. "And why's that?"
"I tried to find Finn."
My body stiffens a bit. "And you did that because...?"
Finn's been M.I.A. since the Genesis Labs inc. Part of me wants to hunt him down so I can get revenge on him for betraying me. The other part never wants to see him again.
"So I could kick his ass," Levi says as if its obvious, "You're not the only one who's pissed about the back stabbing."
I nod, "Do you even think you could take him? He won the last time you fought."
"That's only because he had you on his side."
"Is that an invite to be your sidekick?" I joke, getting a mental picture of myself wearing a cape and spouting cheesy catch phrases.
"Maybe," he says cooly, "It's a pretty sought after position. Might have to hold tryouts. We'll see if you make the cut."
I once Levi over, remembering how he looked in Finn's Hero costume.
"Are you seriously thinking about donning the ol' mask and spandex?"
Levi snorts, "Not a chance. I'll leave the hero work to those Olympian idiots."
"Well that's good because I'm totally over sidekicking it and I'm totally over Finn. I don't care about Supers or the Olympians or Genesis Labs or any of that."
Levi is quiet for a moment before he shakes his head. "Nope. Not buying it."
"What do you mean?"
He cocks his head at me so his ever blue eyes meet mine, "You're a total control freak Mack. No way you just sit back on the sidelines."
I frown at him. "You don't know me as well as you think."
"I know you enough," he smirks, "You do remember I was once mind controlled to stalk you, right?"
"It's almost as if you like pointing out how much a total creep you are," I tease.
Levi shrugs. "I wasn't exactly in control of my actions. Ugh, I hated that. If anyone ever tries to control me again I'll snap their neck."
"Not helping the creepy factor."
We pull back into my apartment building as I end our little cruise around town. I get out of the car and push down my skirt and when I look up Levi is right in front of me.
I feel a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach as I look at Levi. Is he just going to fly off again?
"You should stay in town a little longer this time," I tell him and then immediately feel self conscious the second the words leave my lips. People like Levi and I don't just spill our feelings. It's a sign of weakness.
True to form, Levi gets that signature cocky smile.
"Don't be a jerk," I tell him before he can make some sassy one liner about how much I love him, "It'd just be nice to have someone around who know's about the hero stuff, that's all."
"Sure, sure Mack. Whatever you have to tell yourself to keep from dreaming about me all night," he says with wicked grin. Fine, I let him have that one. "But I'll stay around for a few nights, just because you asked so nicely."
"Cool," I say, regaining my composure. I'm not sure why I want him to stay exactly. So I can have another friend with the super know how around? Maybe. Because I actually cherish his friendship? Nah. Because I miss Finn?
No. Not that last one. It's not fair to Levi at all that just because he looks like Finn and shares Finn's DNA and acts like him sometimes and has the same mannerisms that I treat him like a clone. Levi is his own person. There are parts of him that are night and day from Finn. And why should I miss the backstabber anyways?
I'm interrupted from my thoughts when Levi starts hovering in the air. "Up, up and away?"
"Dork."
"I'll see you around then Mack," he says before flying off.
I watch him fly and think about Levi and my dad and my new ride.
Maybe things are finally starting to look up.