“Can’t imagine what it was like,” James said, picking up the paper and staring at the two Supers. It showed them helping people out of a collapsed building. Lychnus was lifting a massive wooden beam over his head while Calico carried two unconscious bodies over his shoulders. “I mean, your whole life you’ve known the Supers as larger-than-life figures, then one day you discover you might be one.”
“Yeah.” Something in Derek’s voice made James glance up from the paper. His brother’s face was oddly strained, like he was holding back tears. He cleared his throat. “Part of me didn’t want the responsibility. I wanted to hide down here forever. I mean, I was supposed to be out there saving people, be some moral authority? One day, all I was thinking about was hanging out with my friends and hitting on girls. Now everything I did would send shock waves around the world.”
He stared blankly at the table, his lips a thin line, his hands gripping the edge so tight his knuckles turned white.
“Are... you good?” James said, feeling slightly awkward.
Derek looked up at him, his face still blank. After a second, he seemed to come back to the present, shaking his head slightly. “Wha... Oh, yeah. Just reminiscing. Anyways, that’s not why I brought you here. I wanted to show you this place, just... well, just in case you ever need to use it.”
“Use it?” James glanced around the bunker, wondering why he would ever come down into this tiny, dingy place.
“Yeah, I don’t know, in case you need a place to hide or somewhere private to go. It’d be a pretty cool date spot.”
“Derek,” James said seriously. “If I ever tried to bring a date into a secret bunker, I think the police would have a chat with me.”
Derek smiled at that, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Whatever, I just wanted to tell you about it, since I never use it anymore. And there’s one more thing I wanted to show you.”
Derek opened a small filing cabinet and rummaged through it. He pulled out a manila envelope and opened it to reveal a large photograph printed on glossy paper. Four people stood side by side, smiling for the camera. James’s eyes widened as he realized who they were. He took the photo from Derek with shaking hands.
The picture showed his father and Derek standing next to Lychnus and Calico. Their father had his arm around Derek’s shoulder. Derek, for his part, looked no older than sixteen, wearing a nervous smile. Lychnus and Calico were both beaming.
“Pretty cool, huh?” Derek said.
“Yeah,” James said, his voice raspy. This must have been taken right after Derek revealed himself to the world, when the Supers inducted him into their ranks. That meant it was mere months before the accident. James stared at his father. He resembled Derek more than James, his face slightly pointed, laugh lines crinkling around his eyes as he beamed. The pride he felt for his son was clear on his face. He had no idea that in just a few months, his life would be cut short.
“I want you to keep it,” Derek said softly.
“What?” James tore his eyes from the picture. “No, I couldn’t...”
“Keep it, James,” Derek said with a tone of finality.
James nodded and placed it carefully in the manila envelope, which he tucked under his arm.
“Great,” Derek said, clapping his hands together. “Now, I’ve got to get to work, and you’ve got to get home and study. Katie...”
Katie, who had busied herself in the corner, not wanting to intrude on the intimate moment, stepped forward.
“Please be kind and drive James home. Then you’re dismissed for the day.”
“Oh,” Katie said, her face falling slightly, as if getting off work early was a terrible punishment. “Are you sure, sir?”
“I’m sure. Relax and enjoy your afternoon off.”
Derek followed James and Katie out of the bunker, closing the floor behind him with a simple push of a button. They left the warehouse. The sun had fallen in the sky, and the afternoon had given way to evening, bringing with it the orange and red hues that always made James feel nostalgic—for what, he didn’t know. Perhaps a simpler time.
As James followed Katie to her car, Derek put a hand on his shoulder. That strange look had returned to his face, as if he were deeply troubled. James couldn’t blame him. The whole visit had been a return to the past, bringing a resurgence of memories and emotions he had worked hard to repress.
“You’re a good kid, James,” he said.
James met his brother’s eyes, wondering what trouble was going on behind them. Then he smiled. “Yeah. I know.”
Derek turned on the gravel and tilted his head to the sky. He gave one last glance back at James, smiled, and launched himself into the air. The ground shook as he streaked up like a rocket. James followed his trajectory as he leveled out and flew horizontally to the ground. Within a few moments, he was a mere speck in the sky.
Then he was gone.
Chapter 4
Six Years Ago
The sun reflected off a small lake in the middle of the forest. Frogs croaked in the reeds and bees floated lazily around the shrubs. A light breeze helped stifle the heat of the mid-summer day. Suddenly, two boys emerged from the woods.
“Here it is,” Derek said, leading the way. He strode forward with the confidence of someone much older than thirteen. “I told you
