“Right,” James said, absently picking at his sandwich.
“I wish I could see the look on Roche’s face when they tell him we escaped,” Rocky said. “Wipe that smug smile right off.”
“Yeah.”
“So do you think the Supers found it? The stone, I mean.”
“I don’t know.” James drummed his fingers on the table. “Part of me still doesn’t believe it exists. And I can’t piece together why they’d want it.”
Rocky shrugged. “Maybe they’re hoping it’ll help them figure out why they’re Supers.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, nobody knows what gave them powers, right? Like your brother, he had a normal childhood and everything. Then one day”—Rocky snapped his fingers—“he developed powers, just like that. But you... you’ve got nothing.”
“Thanks.”
“Then there’s Calico and Lychnus. They’re brothers, too, but they both have powers. So what’s the difference? And supposedly they were the first people to ever have powers. Why now and not hundreds of years ago? Why weren’t there, like... ancient Greek Supers?”
“Isn’t that what Zeus and Hades basically were?” James said.
“Woah.”
“I’m joking.”
“No, man, you might be onto something.”
“The Supers are people, not gods. But obviously I’ve thought about that. What makes Derek different? And... why not me?” James said, feeling foolish for voicing the insecurity that always lurked in the back of his mind.
Rocky didn’t seem to notice. “So would you use it?”
“Use what?”
“The stone, man,” Rocky said, leaning forward. “If the Supers really have it, and it really grants powers, would you use it?”
“Would you?”
“I don’t know.” Rocky looked up and rubbed his chin. “If I had powers, they probably wouldn’t let me play ball.”
“Would you rather play football or fly?” James said, shocked it was even a question.
“I fly on the field, my man.”
“I hate you.”
“What about you?” Rocky said and sipped from his glass of water. “Imagine joining Derek, flying around with him, fighting crime, doing Super stuff.”
James did think about it, and excitement bubbled in his stomach. He imagined racing through the air next to his brother, masters of the sky. He imagined his family and friends gathering around him, badgering him like they so often did Derek, demanding to hear his stories. James wouldn’t live in Derek’s shadow anymore. They’d be equals. They’d have the admiration of the world—together.
He shook the thoughts away. “Either way, we have to find them first. Do you think they’ll still be in this Jalung Phodrang place? Maybe still searching for the stone... Rocky?”
But Rocky wasn’t listening. He raised his cup to his mouth but didn’t drink, his eyes focused over James’s shoulder.
“What is it?” James said, turning his head.
“Don’t look,” Rocky snapped. “It’s one of them. SIA. He’s in the shop across the street, watching us.”
“What’s he look like?” James muttered, pretending to examine his cup.
“Like the rest of them. White dude, black suit, sunglasses. Like an Agent 47 cosplayer.”
“How the hell did they follow us?” James said. “Are there any more of them?”
Rocky shook his head. “Just the one. We should go before more get here.”
James nodded. “Okay. Act natural.”
They both got up, and James tossed some money onto the table. As they were leaving, he stepped back to let a young couple pass on the sidewalk, using it as an excuse to glance across the street. The SIA agent had gotten up as well, and he was moving casually toward them.
“We’ve gotta go,” James whispered, his heart pounding.
They pushed into the crowded sidewalk. Street vendors yelled out and people ducked around them. Motorcycles and cars crowded the street to their right, weaving around each other wildly. They neared an intersection.
“To the left,” Rocky muttered as they approached the turn. “One... two... three!”
As soon as they turned the corner, they burst into a sprint, pushing through several pedestrians who yelled out in anger. James would’ve felt bad if adrenaline wasn’t drowning out every thought except run!
They raced through the streets, wildly turning at every corner, with no destination in mind. They just had to lose the agent. Right, left, right again. They ducked into an alley and came out on the other side in some sort of marketplace. It was more crowded here, hopefully enough that they could get lost. Only once they were surrounded by people did they slow to a walk.
“Check if he followed us,” James said. He grabbed a necklace from a cart and pretended to examine it.
Rocky peered into the throng of people. “I think we’re good.”
“You buy?” the old woman behind the cart said.
“Oh, no, sorry. Just looking.” James smiled and put the necklace back down.
“No, no,” the woman said, pointing at the necklace. “You buy.”
“No thank you, ma’am,” James said.
“Let’s go,” Rocky said quietly, and James nodded.
The woman stared fiercely at James as if she could intimidate him into buying the necklace. He narrowed his eyes at her and turned away.
“What was that?” James muttered as he stepped away from the cart.
Rocky didn’t answer.
“Rocky?” James turned in a quick circle. People pushed through the market, buffeting James. Hundreds of faces surrounded him, but Rocky was nowhere to be seen.
The crowd parted for a moment. Fifteen feet away, the SIA agent stood, his black suit contrasting with the colorful clothes of the crowd. Their eyes met.
James turned away, pushing into the crowd. He walked as fast as he could, but the throng of people was so thick he could barely move, a swimmer fighting the current. His chest tightened. He felt like he was drowning, the warm bodies pressing against him, suffocating him. Every time someone bumped into him, he winced, expecting to see the SIA agent.
A hand grabbed his arm and he shouted with surprise. He pushed against it in panic and tried to get away but tripped over someone’s foot and fell, scraping his knee on the ground. All he saw were legs as the crowd stepped around him, as undeterred as a river flowing around a rock.
Rocky stood above him. He bent down
