"Beneath this mask there is an idea. And ideas are bulletproof."
~ V for Vendetta
I entered the school with an invisible mask on my face. My expressions betrayed no emotions, just a stone cold stare looking forward. Everyone knew who Captain Impossible really had been, and by now the rumors that I worked for him must've spread.
"Mr. Storm," Mrs. Solace sneered, "what's your excuse for being late today?"
I sighed and hiked my backpack higher on my back. "Look, I'm sure even you watch the news, Mrs. Solace. In case you haven't noticed, I haven't had the best couple of days. My boss turned out to be a world class super hero and now he's dead. Not to mention that I've been contacted by so many people for interviews on who the 'real' Captain Impossible was. So, if you don't mind, I would like to get to class and get some normality back into my life."
Mrs. Solace stood in shock, so I shouldered past her to pre-calculus, which I was already a couple of minutes late to thanks to the early morning press conference. Of course, my presence did not go unnoticed.
"Mr. Storm, so glad you could join us today." The teacher drawled.
The entire class looked my way at once. I sighed and took my seat next to Ian, who thankfully didn't turn to me with questions until the majority of the class turned back to the lesson.
"Your boss was Captain Impossible!" Ian whispered in excitement, loud enough to cause a few more students to turn their heads.
"No! Really? I haven't noticed with all the news coverage and stuff lately." I replied sarcastically.
"So, did you know it was him?" he asked conspiratorially.
"What?"
"Like, did you ever expect it? I mean – come on. Your boss for how many years disappears at odd times, right as a super hero is saving the city? You had to have noticed at one point."
I gave him a droll stare. "Dude, if I had known, don't you think I would've told you? You're my best friend, why would I keep that from you?"
It was a harsh card to play considering that I had known and I didn't tell him. In fact, I was keeping the very secret that I was White Lightning from him at this very moment. It was another reason why I didn't want my identity to go public. I was afraid that I would become a social pariah in life. No one wanted to approach the big bad super, and my friends would feel betrayed that I never told them. Not to mention how my mother would react.
He nodded, "You're right, dude. But, still. How cool is it that you knew Captain Impossible when he wasn't, you know, Captain Impossible?"
I shrugged and tried to focus on the notes. The card I'd played earlier was supposed to end the conversation, not intrigue Ian even more. I already felt bad enough as it was lying to everyone I knew and trying to keep the grief from Daniel's death show too much.
"You know, if you knew Captain Impossible, maybe you knew White Lightning too. Wouldn't that be so cool?"
"Yeah, dude, totally."
Ian was getting excited now. "What if he was a student, like those supers in Empire City were? You know Marvel was in High School when he first became a sidekick and a superhero. He could be in this very school, this very room."
I coughed nervously. "Mhmm."
"Wow," Ian sat back in his seat to take it all in, "I'm going to have to think about that now. Who is the real White Lightning?" He looked to me with a knowing smirk on his face, "I'll have the first suspect by morning tomorrow."
It was then that I finally realized something. With Captain Impossible gone, I was now Washington DC's prominent super. I was now the nation's superhero. People would never glance over me just because I was a sidekick, because now I was the hero. Conspiracy theorists would be trying to find out my identity, not his. I would be entrusted to save this city. Me and my lonely self alone.
I now had to deal with the crazy fangirls and villains. They were all mine now.
It pinched at my heart and I had to clench my eyes shut to stop the tears again. He was gone and now I had all this responsibility piled up on my shoulders.
I didn't think I could take it much longer.
"You don't have to do that, you know." I chided Ian.
He scoffed. "Of course I do. Wouldn't it be cool to know who he is? Imagine having a superhero at your fingertips."
I now knew why Daniel and every other super was so insistent on keeping their identity safe. If someone knew, they could use it against you. They could blackmail you into doing anything for them.
So, as sad as I might be to do it, I had to shut Ian down.
"You know, maybe this White Lightning guy would rather have his identity be kept a secret. I mean – how would you feel if all your bad guys knew who you really were and who your weaknesses were?"
Ian nodded. "Yeah, but still."
I sighed, Ian was impossible to get to.
At lunch the story was no different. Countless faces would stare at me and whisper behind my back. Even the lunch ladies gave me weird looks in the line. When I got to our normal table, I thought I would finally be around people who treated me normal, but I stood corrected.
"So, when's the funeral?" Elise asked.
"I'm sorry?" I was confused. "What funeral?"
"You know, your boss's funeral. You are going, aren't you?"
Ahh, well, I was going, but not as my normal self. It would be weird if White Lightning didn't make an appearance at the event, which meant that Oliver Storm wouldn't be able to make it as a result.
"They scheduled it for Saturday morning, which means that I'll be working."
Mary gave me a confused look. "But how can you be working if your boss is dead."
I flinched at that statement. I still hadn't gotten used to people saying that. "His replacement who bought the whole building is officially moving in Saturday. I'll need to be there to see what he wants and to make sure he doesn't fire me."
Mary nodded, "So, have you met the guy?"
"Not yet."
Ian bumped into my shoulder playfully. "Dude, what if he's a super villain?"
"What?"
"Yeah, what a cool coincidence would it be if your first boss was a hero and your second one a villain?"
I laughed nervously, "So cool," but in all reality it was not cool. If he was a super villain and he found the Man Cave, Eric and I would be done for. Even if he wasn't a villain, it would still be detrimental if he found it.
But even with the worry of a new boss that might discover my secret and who might even fire me, or kick us out of our apartment, I still had a duty to do.
*
*
*
I handed the criminal off to the police officer with an exhausted yawn. It had been a full afternoon and almost a full night of capturing villains and criminals and I was just about sleep walking.
The police officer pushed the criminal in the backseat and shook my hand, grateful for my help with the petty thief who stole someone's purse on the subway.
I was about to turn and head back home where I could finally catch some shut eye when I heard the officer's radio, "Hey, Lawson, one of the newbies says they spotted someone in dark clothing roaming around City Hall with a suspicious bag, do you think you can take a look?"
The officer sighed and looked in my direction, but I was already on my way. Looks like I've got one more save before the night is over.
When I got close to City Hall, I could smell the smoke. I immediately picked up the pace. By the time I got there, the first firetruck had already arrived. There was a small fire raging through a couple second floor windows, and it seemed to be located only in that one room. While the firefighters put the fire out, I ran around the building, hoping to catch the person responsible.
It had only taken me minutes to show up at City Hall, so hopefully the perpetrator was still around.
(It was times like these that I wished I had a faster mode of transportation)
I ran around to the back when I felt a sharp piece of metal against my back. I was tired and done with playing games, so I immediately sent a shock through the metal, causing the person to drop it in a curse of pain. "Shit!"
I knew that cloaked voice anywhere.
"Delinquent?" I accused, now facing the dark haired girl.
She shook her hand in pain, "Ow. What was that for, Lightbulb?"
"Why did you have a knife on me?" I asked incredulously.
"I thought you were someone else."
I looked back at City Hall and then to her. "Wait a second, did you set that fire?"
"Maybe."
My eyes widened. "Why in the world would you do that? I thought you were trying to be a good guy? Heroes don't set City Hall on fire, villains do."
She gave me a cold hard stare. "I was trying to smoke someone out. Let's just say that there's someone in that office who has some deeds to repay."
"Setting their office on fire is not the answer!" I yelled.
"It is if you're giving them a warning. Trust me, I won't be the last person to threaten them. Richard Head needs to be taught a lesson about what we supers can really do."
I shook my head at her. "Are you joking? Attacking the leader of the Remedist Party is going to do nothing to improve our reputation. In fact, it'll probably make more people hate us even more! What were you thinking?"
She stepped forward defiantly. "I was thinking that someone needs to step forward and actually do something about those Remedists."
"Well, you were thinking wrong." I was fuming by now. "What do you think the headlines will say tomorrow, huh?"
She crossed her arms. "With Captain Impossible gone, someone needed to step forward, and all you've been doing is holding press conferences and stopping petty crime. This city needs a vigilante who can take affirmative action against the crime that is rotting our city."
It was then that I realized something. "You haven't been saving anyone, Delinquent. All you've done is been in the way. If you hadn't shown up at the bank and gotten yourself injured . . ."
"What are you implying?"
I looked down and then back up at her, rage filling my voice. "If you hadn't distracted me, then that Clown Guy wouldn't have been able to put that syringe in Daniel's mouth. He would still be alive and it's your fault that he isn't."
"You're really blaming this on me?!" She exclaimed. "You've got to be joking!"
My voice was now level, the anger inside me causing a surreal calm. "Get out. Get out of here before I call the police over. I'm sure they would love to catch the super villain that got their favorite super killed."
Her eyes fell in shock. "You can't be serious, White Lightning."
I looked down. "Go before I'm forced to make you." My hands were shaking and I was barely holding myself together. It was Delinquent's fault that Daniel was dead and I was itching to punish her.
She shook her head and backed away a couple steps. "Have fun trying to save this putrid city on your own. I really thought you were different."
When I looked up, she had disappeared in that cloud of purple smoke that I used to find to intriguing. Now it just reminded me of the kind of person she was.
I turned away and closed my eyes. I knew I shouldn't have trusted a villain.