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Chapter 45 – Too Bad We Don’t Have Superpowers

Liz, Five Months Before Impact Day

“This is impossible,” I moaned, staring at the mess of paper sprawled out across the table.

“I hate to admit it, but I think you’re right,” Aidan agreed.

Rachel glowered at the two of us, but there was resignation in her eyes. Her shoulders slumped.

“There’s got to be something we can do,” she said. “We can’t just give up.”

“I’m open to suggestions,” Aidan said.

“Even an army couldn’t take that place,” I muttered. “No wonder they’re the largest gang in the city.”

“What if we drop a bomb on it?” Rachel said. “Blow the whole thing to pieces.”

“Charlie would survive that?” Aidan asked.

“Almost certainly,” Rachel said.

“It’s designed to be bombed,” I pointed out. “Even a nuke wouldn’t get through.”

“I could build something bigger than a nuke,” Rachel said indignantly.

“Yeah, and you’d take half the state with it,” Aidan said. “I don’t think that’s an option.”

We all sighed, racking our brains for inspiration. None of us were willing to give up, but it seemed like an insurmountable obstacle.

“What would Charlie do?” Aidan asked.

“She’d try and punch her way through,” I said.

“She’s reckless but she’s not stupid,” Rachel snapped.

“I could try and buy her,” Aidan said. “But I don’t think there’s enough money in the world to get them to give her up.”

“It’s too bad we don’t have superpowers,” I muttered.

Rachel’s eyes lit up.

“What if we did?” she said.

“I’m not sure I like where this is going,” Aidan said.

“You don’t have some weird comic book power machine, do you?” I asked. “Because I don’t think I’m willing to take that risk.”

“Even I couldn’t build something like that,” Rachel said, sounding a little disappointed. “But I know of the next best thing.”

“Wendy,” Aidan said.

Charlie had tried to explain how Wendy was important, but neither of us had really put much stock in it. A weird video from an anonymous source did not prove that Wendy was anything other than a normal barista.

“I guess it’s worth a shot?” I said, not really feeling it.

“She already refused to help once,” Rachel said. “She might again.”

“At this point, I’ll try anything,” Aidan said. “Even if I am skeptical.”

“Do we have any proof she even can help?” I asked.

“My hunch says she can,” Rachel said. “And my hunches are never wrong.”

“We’re building a whole plan off a hunch?”

“It’s not like we have anything else,” Aidan said. “Why not try?”

I didn’t have an answer for that, so I just shrugged. Rachel gestured for us to stay put, and disappeared into the bedroom. A minute later, she emerged, holding an envelope.

“Charlie left this with me,” she explained. “Just in case.”

“A letter?” I asked.

“To Wendy. Said it might help convince Wendy to help, if something happened.”

“That’s… vaguely suspicious,” I said.

“You don’t give Charlie enough credit,” Rachel said. “She thinks things through, she’s just more willing to take risks. Especially when she has back-up plans.”

“What does it say?” Aidan asked.

“You want to read it?”

“Is there any reason why we can’t?” he asked.

“Not at all.”

She handed it to him, and he opened it. I read over his shoulder.

‘Wendy.
I know what the cracks mean.
If you’re reading this, it’s only a matter of time.
If they break me…
Well, I think you know better than I do what happens then.
Make your choice.
Live with the consequences.
After all, they don’t really matter, do they?
Help me, Wendy. You’re my only hope.
-Charlie.’

“What is she talking about?” Aidan asked. “What cracks? What consequences?”

“I knew there was more we weren’t being told,” I said.

“She didn’t want to tell anyone,” Rachel said. “She’s been seeing cracks that nobody else can see. Even I don’t know what it means.”

“And the consequences?” I asked.

“Wendy wouldn’t tell us,” Rachel insisted. “Just that she couldn’t help because there would be ‘consequences’. I think Charlie is calling her bluff.”

“So even you don’t know what this means,” Aidan said.

“Not entirely,” she said, shrugging. “But I think it’ll help.”

“So that’s it?” I asked. “This is what we have? A hunch that Wendy can help, a vague letter from Charlie, and your word?”

“A general goes to war with the army they have,” Rachel said. “This is what we have.”

“This is stupid,” I insisted.

“It’s not the strongest plan,” Aidan said. “But at least it’ll get us out. And who knows? Maybe it’ll work. Maybe it’ll lead us to something better. Maybe it’ll distract us for a few hours. But at this point, we have literally nothing to lose.”

“Fine,” I said. “Let’s go talk to a barista.”

“I could use a coffee, anyway,” Rachel said.

As we packed up and got ready to leave, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more Rachel wasn’t telling us. I made eye contact with Aidan, and he nodded.

If Rachel thinks she’s playing us, she’s got another thing coming. Once we’ve rescued Charlie, everything changes.

 

Next Week: Willing To Die For Her

Chapter 44 – We Could Make A Difference Together

Liz, Six Months Before Impact Day

“Rachel knows where Charlie is,” I said, as soon as we entered the room.

“That would have been nice to know twenty minutes ago,” Aidan complained. “How sure are you?”

“Sure enough,” she said.

“Apparently Vengeance have set up shop in some decommissioned military bunker,” I said.

“I didn’t even know we had any of those,” Aidan commented. “I’ll try to confirm.”

“Liz already figured out why it exists,” Rachel said.

“I don’t remember that,” I said.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said. “A rescue mission is gonna be next to impossible, so the three of us are going to have to work together.”

“How fun,” Aidan said.

“Aidan, we need every scrap of information you can get about that base. Also, you’re going to want to make sure your dad is safe, and we can’t be found. If they know who Charlie is, they’ll definitely go after friends and family.”

“On it,” he said, tapping away at his keyboard.

“Liz, until you’re recovered, you’ll be working on an infiltration plan. When you can, you’ll be doing intense physical therapy and training. We can’t afford to fuck this up.”

“Who put you in charge?” I demanded.

“Common sense,” she said. “Do you have any better ideas?”

“It’s easier not to fight her,” Aidan pointed out. “It’s only until we can rescue Charlie.”

“Let’s just hope that doesn’t take long,” Rachel said.

“And what are you going to be doing?” I asked.

“Building,” she said. “I’ve never had to break into a military bunker before. It should be interesting. I’m kind of looking forward to it.”

I rolled my eyes at her, and sat down beside Aidan. He smiled absently at me, and Rachel disappeared into the bedroom again, back to her old habits.

I glanced at Aidan’s screen, but couldn’t make any sense of it. Even if Rachel was right about what he was up to, I had no way of confirming it.

Did I even care? Gangs were a constant presence in this city, and at least I could trust him not to be an exploitative arsehole about it. It would be dangerous, but I could probably keep him safe, and he wasn’t exactly stupid. It might piss Rachel off, but who cared what she thought?

Why was I even suspicious of him, anyway? More likely than not, it was just some nasty mind game Rachel was playing, trying to undermine us, break us apart in one of her petty, narcissistic games. The important thing was focussing on rescuing Charlie, and that was something I had to believe we could do.

Breaking into a military bunker, though? That was so far beyond the scope of anything I knew how to do. Sure, my parents had given me all the training they could offer, but being an assassin wasn’t like being a ninja. It didn’t come with any supernatural abilities or make me capable of impossible feats of parkour.

Given the physical capabilities of Aidan and Rachel, it was likely I’d be headed in by myself. Somehow, I had to take on an entire army of well-armed thugs. Aidan might be able to fill me in on what to expect, and Rachel might be able to provide some gizmos, but at the end of the day, it was all going to come down to me.

If I could figure out a plan that let me guarantee every encounter would be one-on-one, I’d probably have a chance. Of course, the guns made it hard, but if I could maintain the element of surprise…

People are hard to knock out, especially when armed. Movies make it look easy, but a powerful concussive force to the head is likely to cause permanent damage. Cutting off blood or oxygen isn’t much better, and definitely more difficult to do.

Not that killing them would be any easier. Humans aren’t designed like video game enemies. Bodies try very hard to stay alive, and put up as much of a fight as they can. Slitting throats takes time and a lot of muscle. Breaking necks… not really feasible. Stabbing through the heart? Maybe, if they’re not wearing any armour, you have proximity and they don’t know you’re there, but it’s very risky and not guaranteed to work.

So, somehow I had to make my way through dozens of thugs, basically armed soldiers, without raising an alarm, preferably without killing anyone, break Charlie out of some locked cell, and get us both out again.

Sure. Easy. What could go wrong?

Of course, even a simple mistake would end it all. One thug getting the upper hand in a fight. One stray bullet. One miscalculation. One piece of faulty information. One random bit of bad luck. I could get caught, maybe killed or tortured, and Aidan and Rachel would be no closer to rescuing Charlie, or me.

“I don’t know if we can do this,” I said, and Aidan looked at me. He rested a hand on my shoulder.

“Me either,” he said. “But I do know that we don’t have a choice. Leaving Charlie in there isn’t something either of us could live with.”

“Do you think it’s suspicious?” I asked, glancing over at the room Rachel had disappeared into.

“How quickly she found Charlie, you mean?”

“All of it.”

“I think that’s a dangerous train of thought,” he said. “I know you don’t trust her. Honestly, I don’t really trust her either. But I trust that she cares about Charlie, and right now, that’s the only thing I care about.”

“Is she right?” I asked.

“About Vengeance’s base? I haven’t been able to confirm yet. That’s not exactly easy information to come by, but I’m working on it. It seems likely, though.”

“I meant about you,” I said quietly.

“Do you believe her?” he asked, dodging the question.

“I don’t know what to believe. That’s why I asked.”

“I don’t have any sinister plans,” he told me. “I can see an opportunity, a chance to make some positive changes, in ways that Charlie won’t ever consider. She’s not the only one who wants to make a difference, you know.”

“She’ll try and stop you,” I said.

“She can try,” Aidan said. “But that’s a bridge we can cross once we rescue her. Maybe she’ll have a change of heart.”

“That’ll be the day,” I said, and we both laughed.

“We could make a difference together,” he said softly. “If you wanted.”

I looked him in the eye, those strangely captivating grey eyes, so bright they were almost silver. I saw determination, fear and pride, and I took his hand in mine.

“Together,” I said.

 

Next Week: Too Bad We Don’t Have Superpowers

Chapter 43 – Useless

Liz, Six Months Before Impact Day

“What happened to your leg?” she asked, the moment she saw me.

“Accident,” I said.

“Right. You, uh okay?”

“Dandy.”

“Cool.”

We looked at each other, awkwardly. I’d never seen her so frazzled, and for just a moment, I felt a pang of pity.

“Charlie’s missing,” she said.

“So you were watching her tracker.”

“I set up an alert if it stopped transmitting,” she said defensively. “Ages ago.”

“Right.”

“You were checking too?”

“She’s been gone for hours,” I said. “We were worried.”

“I take it you’re looking for her?” she asked.

“Aidan is. I’m…”

“Useless?” she offered.

“Fuck off.”

“If it helps, I know where Charlie is,” she said.

“What?”

She sighed, looked around, and lowered her voice.

“I don’t want to talk about it here,” she said.

“Then why didn’t you just come up?” I asked. “Do you have some problem with Aidan?”

“He’s dangerous,” she said.

“He’s really not.”

“Fine, whatever,” she said. “I still don’t want to be around him.”

“Where, then?”

“There’s an apartment on the third floor that isn’t occupied.”

“How do you know that?”

“I’m good at figuring things out,” she said vaguely.

“And how do you expect to get in?”

“You think a locked door is gonna stop either of us?” she asked.

Without waiting for an answer, she got up and started walking to the elevator. I hobbled after her, still frustrated by my lack of mobility. She held the door for me.

“You know you need a keycard to get to—” I began, but she waved something in front of the scanner and hit the button for the third floor. The elevator started moving. “Right.”

“Basic magnetics,” she said.

“Of course.”

When we got to the third floor, she led me to apartment twelve. I watched as she effortlessly picked the lock, impressed by her brazenness if nothing else. Within seconds, we were in.

“You’re a natural born criminal,” I told her.

“Poverty will do that to you,” she said with a shrug. “Blame capitalism.”

The apartment was largely empty, so she set up a laptop on the kitchen counter. I stood, trying to ignore the pain in my leg, as she loaded up what she wanted to show me.

“As soon as she disappeared, I tried hacking into city infrastructure,” she told me. “Unfortunately, Melbourne doesn’t have the level of omnipresent traffic cameras I was hoping for, so my original plan of just following the car via video didn’t work.”

“Okay.”

“I tried writing a predictive algorithm based on the type of vehicle they’d have needed, the time of day, and possible locations to take her, but I didn’t have enough data.”

“Can you just skip to the point?” I asked.

“Charlie likes it when I explain my process,” she muttered. “Fine. Using a combination of technical genius and general investigative brilliance, I narrowed down the location, then sent out a drone to confirm it.”

“Of course you have a drone.”

“They’re not exactly hard to build,” she said. “Anyway, the good news stops there.”

“Because…”

“Because we’re never gonna get in,” she said. “Vengeance have set up their base of operations in a decommissioned military bunker. It’s underground, heavily fortified and guarded by ex-military gangsters who are armed to the teeth.”

“Charlie would love that,” I said idly.

“She’d probably love it a lot more if she weren’t a prisoner,” Rachel snapped.

“Right.”

“So here’s where I need your help,” she said. “There’s no way I can get Charlie out of there alone.”

“You think I can help?” I asked. “I mean, I’ll obviously do what I can, but even if I wasn’t injured, I’m not exactly…”

“I need you to think about this like an assignment,” she said. “A job. I can provide schematics, external footage, predictions based on likely defensive patterns. I can probably build tech to get through most major obstacles. It might take us a little time, but… Well, that’s the one thing Charlie has.”

“You know I’ve never actually assassinated anyone, right?”

“I know you’re trained and you have the desire to save Charlie. I was hoping that would be enough.”

“We should get Aidan’s help,” I said. “He can probably get us more information about what’s inside, and resources—”

“You realise he’s just as bad, don’t you?” she asked. “He’s using Charlie, using all of us.”

“He’s helping.”

“He’s building his own gang.”

“It’s an information network,” I insisted. “It’s what we need.”

“I can’t tell if you’re naïve or just have a warped perspective,” she said. “But fine. For Charlie, I will work with your boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I snapped. “I’m not even…”

“Straight? Whatever, I don’t care.”

“Do you hate me because you’re insecure?” I asked.

“I trust Charlie,” she said.

“That’s not a ‘no’,” I pointed out.

“I’m not that petty,” she insisted. “Do you really want to have this conversation?”

“I want to save Charlie,” I said. “Neither of us like each other, but we do need each other.”

“Fine.” She sighed. “You’re more attractive than me, you’ve known her longer, you have such a close friendship, she doesn’t have to lie about you. Her friends and family clearly adore you. Am I jealous? Sure. But I don’t hate you for that.”

“Why, then?”

“Seriously?”

“Just say it,” I said.

“You’re rich, spoiled, and you act like you’re better than me,” she said. “You live in a mansion and go to a fancy school because your parents are literal murderers, and you have the gall to look down on me. You act possessive of Charlie but won’t support her. You don’t even really understand her, but you think you have some right to her affection, and some entitlement to her trust. You think you can dictate her actions based on your own moral code, your own values, but most of all, when you met me you acted like a possessive girlfriend instead of welcoming me.”

“Is that it?”

“You make me uncomfortable,” she said. “I don’t feel safe around you.”

“Great. Do I get a turn now?”

“Knock yourself out,” she mumbled.

“You’re reckless, you enable Charlie’s incredibly destructive behaviour, you encourage and abet criminal activity, and yes, I know how hypocritical that sounds. You place your relationship with her above my friendship with her, and expect priority in all things. You act so smug because she confides in you, and instead of trying to help her, you act like you’re the only one on her side. You manipulate her into trusting you, and pushing us away. You hold me responsible for the crimes of my family, but won’t apply the same vindictiveness to yourself, and worst? I think you might actually be a sociopath. You’re definitely a narcissist.”

“Well,” she said.

“Feel better now?”

“Surprisingly, yes,” she said.

“Actually, me too.”

“Great. Let’s go talk to your boyfriend,” she said.

“He’s not—”

“Don’t care.”

 

Next Week: We Could Make A Difference Together

Chapter 38 – You Think I Don’t Know What You’re Up To?

Six Months Before Impact Day

“I think we’re just about ready,” I announced.

“Are you absolutely sure you want to go ahead with this?” Liz asked, a worried expression on her face.

“I’m not saying I’m looking forward to it,” I said. “But it’s the only way we’re ever gonna make any progress.”

“So long as everyone does their job, she’ll be perfectly safe,” Rachel said, with a pointed glance in Liz’s direction. Perfect timing.

“That’s easy for you to say,” Liz snapped. “Your job is already done, and you’re not exactly putting yourself on the line.”

“Oh that’s right,” Rachel said, taking the bait, “I forgot the only meaningful contributions come from an actual murderer.”

“I am not a murderer,” Liz said through gritted teeth. “I have never killed a single person in my life.”

“Right, right, sorry,” Rachel said dryly. “You haven’t actually killed anyone, you’ve only profited from murder. But I’m sure you never enjoyed the mansion your parents bought with their blood money, or the fancy clothes, or the five-star restaurants. And hey, they probably killed someone to pay for this apartment too, but I guess we can just ignore that, since they were kind enough to let us use it.”

“There’s a difference between an assassin and a murderer,” Liz said, clearly trying not to shout. “My parents don’t choose who lives and dies. They’re weapons, and if they don’t do it, someone else will.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Rachel said dismissively. “They’re still contributing to a system where those with money control the lives of those that don’t. Oh, but I’m sure they only kill bad people, right?”

“They—”

“They don’t choose, you just said so. So who does? Crime lords with more money than my family’s made in eight generations? Businessmen who profit of the labour of the working class? Politicians who represent people who make less than a tenth of what they do?”

Aidan put a hand on Liz’s arm. I could feel the tension from across the room, but didn’t say anything. Rachel was pressing all of Liz’s buttons perfectly.

Just like I’d told her to.

“Let’s not punish Liz for the actions of her parents,” Aidan said carefully. “Regardless of whether or not you agree with them, Liz is her own person, who makes her own choices, and she’s helping us.”

“Oh, she just has you wrapped around her little finger, doesn’t she?” Rachel said, a vicious glint in her eye. She might be enjoying this too much…

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Aidan demanded.

“Dude, she’s not into you,” Rachel said. “She’s leading you on, because she’s in love with Charlie, and she hates me because Charlie chose me.”

“How dare you,” Liz snapped, going very, very still.

Please don’t try to kill Rachel, I begged silently.

“Am I wrong?” Rachel goaded.

“It doesn’t matter,” Aidan insisted. “We’re here because we all want to help Charlie.”

“Right, like you don’t have anything to gain from this,” Rachel said threateningly.

“I don’t follow,” Aidan said, but there was a shift in him. He was cautious now, wary.

“You think I don’t know what you’re up to?” she asked. “You think I don’t know about your Stars?”

“It’s just an information network—”

“Sure, sure. And the half-million dollars you’ve made in the past month, that’s all to help Charlie?”

Liz looked at him, stunned. I followed suit, even though I already knew about it.

“Aidan, is that true?” I asked, hoping it didn’t sound too rehearsed.

“It’s not as bad as she makes it sound,” he said quickly. “I’ve been buying and selling information between high-profile gang members. It’s not like that’s a profit, I’m using it for you.”

“Really?”

“How do you think I’ve gotten all the names and locations I have?” he asked, with just an edge of desperation.

“So you’re not planning on just taking over with a gang of your own?” Rachel asked, and Aidan visibly flinched. It was a perfect hit, not just because of the tension, but because the guilt would delay him doing exactly that.

He’s so clever, and yet so easily to manipulate. He’ll be a lot harder to manage when I can’t keep a close eye on him.

“Why would I want that?” he asked.

“Why are you looking for a fight?” Liz demanded. Finally.

“Because unlike you, I actually care about Charlie,” Rachel said. “And I don’t trust either of you.”

“Can you stop acting like you’re better than us?” Liz snapped, inching closer and closer to her breaking point.

“Can you stop believing you’re better than me?” Rachel said. “I get it, you’re rich, you go to a private school, you could kill someone with a single touch but you’re too good to do it. Take your moral superiority and shove it up your arse, Liz.”

“You’re such a petty bitch,” Liz growled. “You wanna be jealous, fine. Be jealous. But take your issues somewhere else, because we have a job to do, and if you have a problem with me, you can just… fuck off!”

I think that was the first time I ever heard Liz swear. It was a little scary, but mostly funny, and I had to try really hard not to laugh.

I kept a straight face as Rachel slammed her fists down on the table, rising with a furious energy.

“Fine. You win.”

“Wait, what?” I asked, right on cue.

“I’m leaving,” Rachel said. “I’m sorry.”

“You can’t!” I pleaded, glancing back at Liz and Aidan.

“It’s like Liz said, my job is done,” Rachel said. “You don’t need me anymore, and I’m clearly not wanted here. So I’m gonna go.”

“Rachel, I can’t do this without you!” I cried, grabbing her arm.

“Yes, you can,” she said. “Just try not to let these idiots talk you into something stupid.”

Before I could stop her, she stormed out of the building, leaving Aidan and Liz flabbergasted. After several minutes of silence, I glared at them.

“Are you happy now?”

“That was her fault,” Liz said.

“Do you guys not get how important she is to me?” I asked. “Could you not have even made an effort?”

“Charlie, we’ve been making an effort,” Aidan said. “For months now.”

“She was the one who had a problem with us,” Liz added. “We know you love her, but surely you have to see that.”

“Fine,” I said. “It’s done now, anyway.”

“You’re not gonna go after her?” Aidan asked.

“No. She clearly doesn’t want me to, and like she said, we have work to do.”

“Let’s get to work, then,” Liz said.

 

Next Week: This Is Beyond Ridiculous

Chapter 35 – Everything’s Gonna Work Out Just Fine

Seven Months Before Impact Day

“You know, I’m happy to have some alone time with you, but this isn’t really how I imagined spending it,” I said, glancing nervously at the array of tools Rachel had assembled.

“I dunno, I’m kind of looking forward to it,” she said, grinning.

“What if something actually works?” I asked, realising I hadn’t even considered the concept of my own mortality for months. “What if you actually manage to kill me?”

“Charlie,” she said, holding my hand and staring into my eyes. “I absolutely guarantee nothing I do will kill you.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I dunno,” she said, grinning. “But I am.”

For some reason, that was enough for me. If Rachel was sure about something, that basically made it a fact.

“Alright,” I said, sighing. “Let’s find out just how much I can survive.”

For two days, Rachel set about testing the limits of my immortality. She cut me open, shot me, electrocuted me, crushed me, blew me up…

Every second of it was excruciating. No matter how many times I died, it never got any less painful. My body healed, but the pain stuck with me.

Incredibly, it seemed like not even complete obliteration kept me out. There was always something left, always enough for the rest of me to piece itself together from. Rachel noted everything down, keeping detailed logs, all while piecing together a mental picture that seemed unfathomable even to me.

“So, doc, what’s the diagnosis?” I joked, stretching out after being blown up from the inside. Rachel raised her eyebrows.

“You really wanna know?”

“Wait, you actually have an answer?”

“Kind of,” she said. “Imagine it like this. For most people, the body is like a… a container, for the soul. You break the container too much, the soul escapes, and the person is dead. After that, I have no idea what happens.”

“So we’re just like, straight-up confirming that people have souls, then?”

“Yep. Every last one of us.”

“Even me?”

“Even you,” she said. “Only with you, it’s kind of the other way around.”

“My soul contains my body?”

“No, but your body isn’t there to contain it. Your soul is like… a permanent fixture, y’know. Even without a container, it’s not going anywhere. For whatever reason, it likes where it is. But it also likes having a meatsack, because it needs that to interact with the world. Otherwise, you’d be like Sadie.”

“Okay…”

“Nothing in this world can touch your soul,” Rachel continued. “And it seems to have access to a limitless supply of energy, so it just keeps putting your body back together whenever it gets damaged. And that’s why no amount of damage will ever be able to kill you.”

“And what makes my soul so special?”

“Haven’t the foggiest,” she said cheerfully. “But there’ll be plenty of time to figure that out later. What’s important is that I have what I need. The plan’s gonna work.”

“But what if—”

“Trust me,” she said, kissing me. “Everything’s gonna work out just fine.”

“I do trust you,” I told her. “I just hate not being involved.”

We returned to the apartment Sunday evening, finding Aidan and Liz sitting at the table, playing chess, of all things.

“How was your romantic getaway?” Aidan asked, smirking. Did he suspect anything? Surely not.

“None of your business,” I said, rolling my eyes. Liz looked away. “Chess? Really?”

“It’s fun,” Aidan said defensively.

“It’s clichéd,” I retorted.

“Is everything ready?” Rachel asked, cutting through the awkwardness.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Liz asked. The tension between her and Rachel was… difficult.

“Just answer the question,” Rachel snapped.

“We’re all good,” Aidan said. “I’ve got eyes on the target as we speak, every movement planned, and every possibility covered.”

“Wait, since when do you have ‘eyes’ to put on targets?” I asked, pretending to know less than I really did.

“I hired some help,” Aidan said casually. “Anonymously, don’t worry. When you know how to play the game, people are just like chess pieces.”

“And you know how to play the game?”

“I’m a fast learner,” he said. “Your girlfriend helped, anyway.”

I raised an eyebrow at Rachel, as if she hadn’t already filled me in on all of it.

“I wrote some software,” she said, shaking her head as if it was nothing. “Just some handy tools for things like hacking, staying anonymous and keeping contacts… organised.”

“I didn’t even know you could program,” I lied.

“Neither did I,” she said. “Turns out it’s not so different to building things. You just have to know how all the pieces work.”

“What would we do without you?” I asked.

“Nothing,” she teased.

“We’d manage,” Liz said irritably.

Aidan and I exchanged uncomfortable glances. “We should probably get home,” he said. “Dad’s gonna start worrying.”

“I should get home too,” Liz said.

“Works for me,” Rachel said. “I’ll stay here and keep an eye on things. I have more ideas I wanna work on, anyway.”

We said our goodbyes, and Aidan and I once again took the bus home together. In what was starting to become tradition, he waited until we were alone to talk.

“Did something happen with you and Liz?” he asked.

“She didn’t tell you?”

“I didn’t want to pry,” he said.

“I probably shouldn’t talk about it,” I told him.

“Is it that bad?”

“No, it’s just…” I sighed. “What’s going on with you two?”

“What? What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.”

“I…” He bit his lip, and looked out the window, away from me. “I don’t know. Even after all these years, she’s impossible to read.”

“But you like her, don’t you?”

“I wouldn’t say that. Not that I don’t like her, but, like, how can you like someone when you’re not even sure if they like you?”

“Do you want her to like you?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said.

“Well, then.”

“Oh.”

“I’m not sure you’re her type,” I said carefully.

“I’m not anyone’s type,” he replied despondently.

“Since when?”

“Since always?”

“Dude, I just mean, I think she’s gay,” I said.

“Oh,” he said, before the other piece fell into place. “Oh. So that’s what—”

“You need some straight girls in your life,” I said.

“I’m beginning to doubt there are any in this damn city,” he said, and we both laughed.

 

Next Week: I’m Going To Break You

Chapter 33 – Not Broody Enough To Be A Superhero

Seven Months Before Impact Day

“We need something big,” Rachel had said, looking down at the city below. “Something public. We need to undermine the control they feel like they have. Challenge their authority.”

“I don’t like where this is going,” Sadie had objected, though nobody heard but me.

“They need a reason to want to capture me,” I’d agreed. “What did you have in mind?”

She’d only grinned. If only I’d listened to Sadie…

I took a deep breath, now ready to enact Rachel’s absurd plan. Doesn’t get much more public than this…

There were hundreds, maybe thousands of people gathered in Federation Square, including just about every media outlet in the city. Aidan had done a remarkably good job of making sure this would be as public as possible. I knew Mark would be among the journalists gathered, and silently hoped he wouldn’t recognise me.

If everything went according to plan, there was no way he could. The mask Rachel had crafted for me covered my face completely, and the armour more or less disguised my body shape. The glowing red eyes gave me a vaguely demonic look, and the black and grey colour scheme only added to that.

“This is a terrible idea,” Sadie said.

“Shut up,” I replied, my voice filtered through the mask.

The crowd was getting restless. None of them knew why they were here, only that it was important. All they could see was a large black box on a stage.

“No time like the present,” Rachel’s voice buzzed in my ear. She was far away, and safe, but I was still worried.

I stepped out onto the stage, causing a wave of murmuring and confused stares. For a few moments, I just stood there, staring back at them, trying to quieten down my thumping heart.

“This is not performance art,” I said, my voice amplified through dozens of speakers, and filtered to the point of being unrecognisable. “This is not a publicity stunt. This city is poisoned, and today, I’ve officially declared war on the source.”

Confusion, incredulity, scepticism. Nothing I hadn’t anticipated. Still, it was a little unnerving.

I nodded, and the sides of the box fell away, revealing a cage. Inside of it, a high-ranking member of Vengeance, looking thoroughly pissed off and just a little worried. Above me, a screen lit up, scrolling through incriminating photos, documents, messages, all acquired by Aidan.

“These gangs are everywhere. They touch everything, control everything, make our streets unsafe. Their masters hide in the shadows, puppet masters pulling your strings, profiting off your fear, above the law and beyond reproach.”

The bars of the cage lowered into the stage, freeing the man. He froze, unsure of what to do.

“One by one, I’ll dig them up, and air their dirty laundry. I’ll disrupt their operations, destroy their safehouses, and bring their empires to their knees.”

Movement in the audience. Several Vengeance members burst forth, revealing concealed weapons, screams erupting from the civilian masses. A gun was thrown to the captive, and within seconds, a hail of bullets tore through me.

Rachel’s armour was surprisingly effective. In less than a month, she’d constructed something even militaries would have killed to their hands on. It wasn’t enough to make me completely bulletproof, but what damage was done would heal. The illusion would be that the armour was even more effective than it was.

I ran across the stage to the captive, my left hand slamming into his face. An electric current travelled through the gauntlet I wore, delivering a shock strong enough to drop him to the ground, twitching.

The police present acted quickly, shutting down the other gang members. They’d all shot at someone, with illegal firearms, in a public place, in front of cameras. This time, the police had crimes to charge them with and evidence to arrest them. More importantly, my message had been sent. The city knew I was here. The gangs knew I was coming for them.

Of course, the police tried to come for me next. I kicked a hidden switch on the stage, causing thick black smoke to fill the air. A catapult built into the stage launched me into the air, carefully calculated by Rachel. I landed in the Yarra River, sinking fast, where Liz met me, helping me strip off the armour, stuff it into a bag, and with the help of an oxygen tank, stay underwater until we emerged in the harbour.

We pulled ourselves out of the water, and disappeared into a public restroom where changes of clothing were waiting. We dried ourselves off, got changed, and began to make our way back to the apartment where we’d made our base.

Rachel and Aidan met us when we returned, grinning. Rachel hugged me tight, whilst Aiden and Liz just nodded awkwardly at each other.

“How’d we go?” I asked, when Rachel finally let go.

“They’re pissed off,” Aidan said, scrolling through tabs on his laptop. “There’s a lot of confusion, a few heads rolling, and talk of a bounty.”

“Sounds like mission accomplished,” Rachel said smugly.

“I still say it was needlessly showy,” Aidan said. “We could do this entire thing discreetly, digging up information and passing it to the authorities.”

“They’d figure out ways around it,” I said. “And it wouldn’t teach them anything. They’re used to dodging the law. What they’re not used to is me, and besides, isn’t this more fun?”

“I didn’t realise fun was an important factor,” Liz said coldly.

“Why shouldn’t it be?” I asked. “What, am I not broody enough to be a superhero?”

“Is that how you think of yourself?” she asked, irritated.

“How would you describe me, if not that?”

“An egotistical, self-centred clown,” she said.

“Ouch.”

“You’re welcome to leave, you know,” Rachel said, right on cue.

“And leave you without a voice of reason?” Liz asked. “No, I think you need me.”

“Well, I think everything is going great,” I said. “But sure, I can take things more seriously. Aidan, let me know when they’ve set a trap for me, so I can get myself captured.”

“Shouldn’t be long,” he said.

“For now, we should get home. Mark’s probably expecting us.”

“Right, right.”

Rachel and I said our goodbyes, and I promised to call her after dinner. She was sticking around in the apartment, tinkering with whatever her latest project was. Liz, not wanting to be left alone with her, opted to return home too.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Aidan asked, as we sat on the bus together.

“About what?”

“Everything,” he said. “Rachel, how you were feeling, what you did…”

“I don’t know,” I lied. “I guess I never really found the words for any of it, and I was worried…”

“Worried? About what? Did you really think I would judge you? Don’t you trust me?”

“No,” I said. “It wasn’t about you. It wasn’t about trust. I just…” I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around me, idly playing with my hair.

“It’s complicated?” he offered.

“It’s complicated,” I agreed.

“I just don’t want to lose you,” he said. “You know I love you, right?”

“Of course,” I replied. “And I love you too. You’re family, and I promise, nothing will ever change that.”

 

Next Week: Collateral Damage

Chapter 32 – This Was Doomed From The Start

Seven Months Before Impact Day

After a month of solid training, planning and preparing, everything was finally ready. All the pieces were in place, and all that was left was to give the push that set it all off.

Things were tense with Liz for a while, but the friendship endured. I may not have wanted to date her, but she was precious to me, and I worked hard to make sure she knew that. We reconciled, and she and Aidan were entirely invested in my mission. They were so loyal; it almost broke my heart to think that wasn’t going to last much longer.

I didn’t want to use them, but there was no other way. The stakes were so much higher than anyone realised, and I couldn’t let sentiment get in the way of what needed to be done. Once it was done, they’d understand, surely. I could explain it all to them, and they’d forgive me. Together, I really believed we could save the city.

Besides, they both needed a push to become what I knew they could be. Liz might not have wanted to be a killer, but she was born to be a hero. She was the perfect sidekick, and once it was all done, I felt sure she’d embrace her destiny. She had too much potential to spend it on anything other than helping people.

And Aidan, he was incredible. I wasn’t sure if he even realised it, but his ability to manage information, contacts and plans was almost preternatural. With him helping with the planning and running of missions, it was all but guaranteed things would go smoothly. He was exactly what I needed.

Of course, Rachel continued to excel. Her brilliant mind continued to allow her to create more and more useful tools for me, and while I might not have been Batman, I sure was getting close. She was the only one who knew what I was really planning, the only reason any of it was possible. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner in crime.

Sadie eventually came to terms with my new lifestyle, often coming with me to play lookout or just keep my company. Things weren’t necessarily great, but as she put it, at least they were interesting. It was more than I’d hoped for.

Wendy, for the most part, stayed out of our way. That was just fine. Every so often, I prodded her, asking her to help, to fight with me, because that’s what I needed her to believe I wanted. Every time, she refused, much to my relief. She gave no indication she knew what I was really planning.

“Alright, here’s what I’ve got,” Aidan said, as Liz, Rachel and I took our seats around the dining table in our new ‘secret’ base, an apartment owned by Liz’s parents that they never used. Some kind of emergency safehouse they didn’t mind loaning to her without asking questions. Aidan placed a laptop on the table, swivelling it so we could see the screen.

“Did you make a slideshow?” Liz asked, smirking at him.

“As a matter of fact, I did,” he retorted.

“You’re such a nerd.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Less flirting, more working,” I interrupted, and they both blushed.

“There are four major gangs in the city,” Aidan said. “Vengeance, The Clan, The Imperials, and The Stars.”

“I’ve never heard of the Stars,” Liz said.

“They’re new, and not really worth our time right now,” Aidan said. “Their activities are all pretty low-key, they don’t hold any territory, and they haven’t caused much trouble.”

“Odd.”

“I didn’t even know they were distinct gangs,” I admitted. “I thought they were all just, kind of… Actually, I don’t know what I thought.”

“That much is obvious,” Aidan said critically. “You didn’t think, and that’s why you never made any headway. Honestly, without us, this was doomed from the start.”

“Well, that’s why you’re here,” I said sweetly. “So, what’s our next move?”

“We focus on Vengeance,” he said. “They’re the biggest, and most dangerous. Taking them down has the biggest impact, and sends the strongest message.”

“Lovely,” I said. “How do we take them down?”

“Well, like we discussed before, you need to get yourself ‘captured’ by them. Right now, they don’t know you’re not working alone. Rachel provides you with a tracking device, and Liz rescues you, taking one of their leaders at the same time, and we interrogate them.”

“I thought we were luring them out with fake military technology?” I asked.

“That’s for phase 2,” he said. “Just trust me, okay?”

“Always,” I lied.

“We’re going to convince them this is a much bigger operation than it is,” he explained. “That’s what you’ll tell them, when you get captured. And when Liz rescues you, it’ll confirm it. When I leak that we have some big-time hardware, they’ll pull out all the stops to get their hands on it.”

“Only, it’ll be a trap,” Rachel chimed in. “We let them take the device, use it to spy on them for a bit, then set it off, hopefully gassing some of their higher-up members, letting us swoop in, recover it, kidnap a bunch of them, and keep climbing that ladder.”

“Sounds solid to me,” I said. “Alright. Let’s do this thing.”

“Great. Rachel, you get Charlie ready. Liz, you and I have some last-minute planning to do.”

Aidan and Liz disappeared into the office, and Rachel and I made our way into the bedroom. She pulled out a sturdy black briefcase.

“More presents?” I asked.

“Not the fun kind,” she said, opening it. “For once, your immortality is actually working against us.”

“How so?”

“Your body rejects foreign objects too quickly,” she said. “I can’t just implant a sub-dermal tracking chip, it’d get pushed out within minutes. So I gotta plant it way deeper, and wrap it in something your body won’t reject, while somehow still be able to receive its signal.”

“Hey, if anyone can do it, I’m sure you can,” I said.

“Oh, I already figured it out,” she told me. “It just won’t be very comfortable for you.” It was only then I noticed there was a plastic sheet over the bed, and surrounding floor. “Take your top off and lie down.”

“Uh…”

“What, no flirty quip this time?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Right now I’m more concerned with that scalpel you’re holding,” I said.

“Told you it wouldn’t be comfortable.”

I sighed, pulling off my top and lying down on the bed. She climbed on top of me, wrapped in a surgical smock and wearing gloves.

“At least talk me through what you’re doing,” I grumbled.

“If you want…”

“I do.”

“Alright. I’m going to cut open your chest, and drill into your collarbone, leaving a small gap for me to insert the chip. Bone won’t reject it the way flesh will, and it’ll be close to the surface.”

“I really wish anaesthetic worked on me,” I muttered.

“Me too, love.”

“Well, fair is fair. My body is yours. Cut me open.”

 

Next Week: Not Broody Enough To Be A Superhero

Chapter 30 – Irredeemably Stupid

Eight Months Before Impact Day

“Your plan sucks,” Aidan said bluntly, and I had to resist the urge to hit him.

“It was working,” I said. “Reported crimes in the areas I’ve patrolled—”

“Look, I don’t think it’s worth explaining statistical significance to you, so I’m gonna put it this way,” he said. “Crime rates in other areas have gone up. Thugs on the streets are carrying more guns, which puts other people in more danger. You might stop a crime here and there, maybe scare them off one little area temporarily, but you’re not making a scrap of difference.”

“What? Even after I hit one of their safe houses?” I demanded, glancing at Rachel. She just shrugged. Liz rolled her eyes. Wendy was silent.

“Charlie, these gangs are funded by millions, maybe billions of dollars. You put a handful of nobodies in the hospital and trashed a cheap apartment. You really thought they would care?” Aidan asked.

My heart sank. A quick look around the table told me nobody else felt any better about my progress. I could just picture Sadie’s smug grin. I was glad I’d left her at home.

“Alright then,” I said, taking deep breaths. “That’s why you’re here. Give me a better plan.”

“Cut off their funding,” he said. “We need to find out who’s providing them with weapons, who’s organising them, and mostly, who’s benefiting.”

“That sounds like your job,” Rachel told him.

“And I’ll do my best,” he said, exasperated. “But I can’t exactly just jump on a computer and find out. You’re gonna need to do some groundwork for me.”

“Now you’re talking,” I said. “Groundwork I can do.”

“There’s a few other things we’re going to need,” he said. “A car. Nondescript. An isolated, soundproof building. A place near the centre of the city. A few, er, specific chemicals.”

A picture was already starting to form in my head. Everyone else seemed to have something of an idea of what he was suggesting.

“Leave the chemicals to me,” Rachel said. “I already have some ideas.”

“I can take care of the car, and I know of an isolated cabin that would be perfect,” Liz said reluctantly. “What’s with the place in the city, though?”

“I need somewhere to work from, and to direct you from. Also, if someone manages to track down my IP address, the denser area will make it harder to narrow down,” Aidan explained.

Liz made a disgruntled sound, and we all turned to look at her. She was grimacing.

“Problem?” I asked her.

“Charlie, this is ridiculous,” she said. “Think about what you’re trying to do here. What you’re asking everyone here to do. Is this really what you want?”

“What should I want?” I demanded. “A normal life? You want me to just forget that I’m immortal, go back to school, graduate, get a job? Am I even going to get old?”

“I’m just saying that putting yourself in harm’s way is foolish, even for someone who can’t die. What’s wrong with a normal life?”

A wave of anger rushed through me. I slammed my hands on the table, standing up so I could look down on her.

“You want me to live a normal life? Liz, a few months ago, I tried to kill myself. And everyone here has done a great job of pretending I didn’t, but it happened, and I haven’t forgotten. That is my normal life.”

Rachel reached over, and rested a hand on mine. I could feel it calming me. I didn’t want to be calm. I pulled away.

“You can all act like this is insane if you want,” I snarled. “But this is all I fucking have. This, this darkness inside of me is driving me crazy. I have no idea what I am, or why I’m like this. I’m so angry all of the time, and the only time I feel in control of it is when I’m doing this, and when I’m with Rachel.”

“Charlie,” Rachel said, this time grabbing my wrist and not letting go. She didn’t say anything else, but there was love in her eyes.

“I had no idea,” Liz said. “Charlie, if I was sceptical, it was only because—”

“It’s fine, Liz,” I told her. “I don’t want to talk about it. Just, let’s focus on doing something worthwhile, okay?”

“Why this, though?” Liz asked. “Why is fighting street gangs the battle you want to fight?”

My mouth shot open to reply, but I stopped myself. I couldn’t tell her the real reason. I couldn’t tell anybody the real reason, not yet. Even Rachel, if she knew… Well, she might not care, but I wasn’t ready to take the risk.

“Because it was the first thing that popped into my head,” I said. “I read a lot of comic books, okay? It just felt natural.”

The scary thing was, that was partially true. Not in the way that I was implying, but I had my suspicions. Everything seemed too perfectly tailored to me.

“Shit,” Rachel said, as if she understood. Maybe she did.

“Well, it doesn’t matter now,” Aidan said. “This is where we’re at, and we’ve all agreed to do what we can for Charlie.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“So, I don’t want to question your expertise, Aidan,” Rachel began, still holding my wrist. “But I think your plan is a little lacking too.”

“I haven’t even told you what my plan is,” he objected.

“It seems pretty obvious,” Liz said. “Car, cabin, drugs… we’re gonna kidnap and interrogate a gang member.”

“Not exactly,” Aidan said.

“No, street thugs wouldn’t know anything useful,” Rachel agreed. “So how are we going to nab someone higher up?”

“Well, this is where having someone like Charlie comes in handy,” he said. “We’re gonna get them to take her right to them.”

“How?” Rachel asked, sounding ready to reject the idea out of hand.

“We need to package her up in something that would get taken straight to the higher ups,” Aidan said. “Liz?”

Liz pondered the question for a few seconds. “Can’t be anything normal. Guns, drugs, money, wouldn’t rate a mention, even in large amounts.”

“Something rare, then,” Aidan said. “Like…”

“Military prototypes,” Rachel said.

“That might be a little out of our reach,” Liz said sceptically.

“Real ones, yes,” Rachel agreed. “But they only have to believe that’s what they’re looking at, right?”

“You think you can make something convincing?” Aidan asked.

“With the right supplies and enough time,” she said. “Actually… Charlie, can I talk to you after this?”

“Huh?” Of course I was going to talk to her after. What did she think I was going to do, just wander off alone? “Yeah, for sure.”

“Okay, so this is all going to take some time to organise,” Aidan said. “I’m gonna keep digging for information. Rachel, you have a lot to do. Liz, you’ve got a few things, but it seems like they won’t take long, so I think you and Charlie should spend some time training together.”

Liz and I exchanged surprised glances. She looked uncomfortable, but didn’t say anything. I just shrugged.

“Sure, we probably need to get a good feel for what to expect from one another,” I agreed. “Maybe some after school sessions?”

“Fine,” she said. She was being surprisingly short, but I decided not to comment on it.

“Right. Uh, anyone else?”

“I’m good,” Aidan said. “We all have enough to get started, anyway.”

“Let’s get to work then,” Liz said. “And Charlie, try not to do anything irredeemably stupid in the meantime.”

Not sure what to say to that, I just smiled diplomatically, and nodded. Seemingly satisfied, Liz and Aidan walked off together, talking about something in hushed voices.  I turned to Rachel.

“Hey,” she said, smiling.

“Hey, yourself,” I said back. “What’s up?”

She fidgeted uncomfortably, then met my eye. “This is going to be too much for me,” she said eventually. “On top of school, and work, I don’t think I can handle it all.”

Did she feel like I was putting too much pressure on her? A spark of panic flickered to life, but I quickly crushed it.

“I don’t want you to push yourself,” I said. “We can figure out a way to make this all work without—”

“No,” she snapped. “That’s not what I want.”

“What do you want, then?”

“You,” she said. “This. Nothing else.”

I frowned, confused. What was she actually saying?

“I don’t follow,” I told her.

“Look, you and I both know I’m not getting anything out of school,” she said. “And this job is fine, but I could make a lot more money, and hate myself a lot less, doing things I’m actually good at.”

“Your mum would kill you,” I pointed out.

“My mum has done everything she can for me,” Rachel said. “That’s not my home, and it never will be.”

I looked into her eyes. She was completely serious, and more determined than I’d seen her before. She didn’t need my approval, but she wanted it. She wanted me to tell her she was right, and it was going to be okay.

“What are you going to do?” I asked instead.

She reached into her bag, pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, and thrust it into my hands. I unfurled it and straightened it out.

It was a real estate listing. A small unit, not really close to anything familiar. A little old, and fairly cheap rent. Cheap, but still out of her price range, and even if I wanted to help, I didn’t have any money at all.

“Well?” she prompted.

“How are you going to afford it?” I asked, wishing I could just give her the enthusiasm she wanted. “Also, you’re only seventeen. Don’t you need to be eighteen-“

“I know,” she said. “Charlie, I know. Don’t look at the rent. Just the place. Tell me what you think of it.”

“It’s… cute,” I said. “But—”

She sighed loudly, and snatched the sheet of paper back from my hands, shoving it back into her bag. When she looked back up at me, she was biting her lip.

“Okay, look. The owner is one of mum’s ex-boyfriends. I already spoke to him, he’s willing to let me stay there for a few months for free, to find my feet.”

“Wow, really?” I hadn’t expected that. “That’s really cool.” I didn’t know what to say to her. I didn’t even know how to feel about it.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing,” I told her. “I don’t know. It’s just not what I was expecting,” I admitted.

“Then you’re missing the point,” she said, smirking. I frowned. Did that mean what it sounded like? Because that was not what I was in the mood for.

“Rachel, I’m not—”

She rolled her eyes, and I stopped mid-sentence. Her smirk hadn’t disappeared.

“Charlie, you do remember why we’re working with Wendy and the lovebirds, don’t you?”

Suddenly, I realised what she was getting at. My eyes grew wide, and so did her grin. I shoved her playfully.

“You’re brilliant,” I told her, then kissed her.

“I know,” she said, and kissed me back.

 

Next Week: Something Feels Off

Chapter 29 – Ignorance Is Bliss

Eight Months Before Impact Day

Rachel and I arrived at Wendy’s café just after closing time, with Sadie in tow. It was the only time I could be sure she would be there, but there wouldn’t be any customers. Just like last time, the door was unlocked. I supposed that made sense; it wasn’t like she needed to be worried about security.

She looked up at us with an expression of exaggerated surprise, but when she realised it was me, all traces of the gentle and awkward persona vanished.

“We’re closed,” she said coldly.

“You know we’re not here to order,” I said. “I do need to talk to you.”

Her eyes darted over to Rachel, and then briefly settled on Sadie. There was no way that was a coincidence. Could she actually see my sister?

Sadie obviously noticed too, but she didn’t seem surprised. That was something I needed to investigate later.

“I already told you, there’s nothing I can do for you,” Wendy said. “I’m sorry.”

“I disagree. But don’t worry, I’m not gonna ask you for answers again, and I’m not going to ask you to fight.”

“Then what do you want?”

“I told you. I want to talk,” I said. “Just talk.”

She sighed, tilting her head towards the back of the café. “Go through that door. I’ll meet you there after I lock up.”

Progress. I had to hide my smirk as I led the others out the back door. Rachel met my eye and gave her secret smile, the one where she bit her lower lip.

Wendy’s back room was not at all what I expected. Beyond the kitchen, pantry and freezer was another room, with glossy white walls, harsh lighting, and the largest assortment of weapons I think I’ve ever seen. A deep crack ran right down the centre of the room, but nobody else seemed to notice it.

A few seconds later, Wendy followed us in, shutting the door behind us. The room was small enough that all of us were standing close enough to touch, even spread out as far as we could get.

“So tell me, what is it that you think I can do for you?” she asked.

“I need a backup plan,” I told her. “In case something goes wrong. I… I hadn’t really considered the risks before. I mean, I know I’ll be fine, but if they find out who I am, my family and friends are in danger. So if something goes wrong, I just want you to pull me out of the fire. That’s in your best interest too, right?”

If she didn’t want me to know what I was, I figured it was a pretty safe bet she didn’t want anyone else knowing either. It was the only way I could think of to motivate her to get involved.

“In order to do that, I’d need to know every time you put yourself in danger,” she replied. “I can’t come after you if they take you anywhere protected.”

“Why not?” Rachel asked.

“I can’t hurt anyone,” she explained. “I definitely can’t kill anyone. That’s an agreement I can’t break, not for any reason.”

“Curious,” Rachel said. “What happens if you break it? You go back to your lab? You’re terminated?”

I knew Rachel was probing for more than just answers. Even if Wendy didn’t say anything, her body language and micro expressions might.

“It’s not about consequences,” Wendy said.

“I’m not asking you to hurt or kill anyone,” I said. “Just, you know, rescue me if I get caught. Or protect my friends and family, at the very least.”

“What exactly do you imagine me doing?” she asked.

“Why a barista?” Rachel asked.

“What?”

“There’s so much you could do,” Rachel insisted. “Even without using your superhuman abilities. You’re so intelligent, so dextrous. You’re functionally immortal, and you have supermodel good looks. So why a barista, and why here?”

“You ask a lot of questions,” Wendy said.

“And you answer painfully few.”

“It makes me happy,” Wendy said. “I like this life, and I like this city.”

“But you only bought this café ten years ago,” Rachel said. “And you made an entirely new identity to go with it.”

“You’ve done your research.”

“You’re here for Charlie,” Rachel accused her.

“I can’t help you,” she insisted.

“You’re selfish,” Rachel said.

“Yes,” Wendy agreed.

“I’m sorry I threatened you,” I told her. “Last time, I mean.”

“It wasn’t you,” Wendy replied cryptically.

“You really won’t tell us anything?” Rachel asked.

“You already know more than you’re supposed to,” Wendy said. “But then, so do I. Trust me, ignorance is bliss.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Rachel said.

“No,” Wendy replied, “it isn’t.”

We left after that, neither of us surprised with how things went. It wasn’t until we got back to Rachel’s place that we talked about it.

“Did you get anything useful?” I asked, watching out of the corner of my eye as Sadie perched on the edge of Rachel’s bed, taking in the room.

“A little,” Rachel said, trying unsuccessfully to follow my gaze. “More puzzle pieces, but not enough to see the big picture.”

“Do you think she’ll help?”

Not yet,” Rachel said. “And not us.”

“So I was right.”

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Rachel asked.

“It’s too late now, isn’t it?”

“We could find another way,” Rachel said.

“I think this is it,” I said, shaking my head.

“Well, you know I’ve got your back,” she said.

“Yeah, I know.”

 

Next Week: Irredeemably Stupid

Chapter 28 – There’s Something You Don’t Know About Me

Nine Months Before Impact Day

“I need your help,” I said, my arms locked around Rachel’s waist. She was staring right into my eyes, and before she answered, she kissed me.

“I take it Wendy was less than forthcoming?” she guessed.

“That’s putting it mildly,” I grumbled.

Rachel pulled away, sitting in her desk chair with one knee pulled up against her chest. It was her thinking pose.

“So what are we gonna do about it?” she asked, talking to herself as much as me.

“Well, I do have a plan,” I told her. “But you have to promise me you’ll say no if you don’t want to do it.”

“I trust you. Whatever you need, I’ll help.”

“I need to use Liz and Aidan,” I said. “It won’t work with just the two of us.”

“Can you trust them?” she asked. “I mean, there’s a reason you haven’t told them anything before now, right?”

“They won’t be supportive, not in the same way you are. But I know them, and I know what to say to them to convince them to help.”

“And what not to tell them, I’m assuming,” she said.

“Right. And I understand if you don’t want to be a part of that,” I said.

“Charlie, I’m on your side. No matter what.”

“I’ll try not to make you regret that,” I said.

Three Months Before Impact Day

“Her name is Wendy, then?” he asked, practically drooling over the information. Already I was glad I’d left out the other part of the story. It was crucial he didn’t know the full extent of what she could do.

He was already typing rapidly on his phone, no doubt issuing orders for people to track her down. If it had been anyone else, I’d have been worried. Even as it was, I found myself hoping I’d given the others enough time.

“That’s her,” I said. “I wouldn’t bother trying to find her. Your men wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“We’ll see,” he said. “We’re not without resources. Did you find out why she wouldn’t help you? Seems like she could have made a way bigger difference than you did.”

“If she wanted, she could march right in here and break your neck,” I told him. “And I’m sure she’d like to, but she won’t. But I don’t know why.”

His expression turned sour for just a moment, but he hid it well. The phone buzzed loudly, but he ignored it.

“Nobody is coming for you, Charlie,” he said. “They won’t find this place. And believe me, even your superhuman friend couldn’t get through the security here.”

I was a little taken aback by how confident he was about that. Not quite the reaction I was expecting. Still, I couldn’t doubt myself, or my friends, just yet.

“Guess that means more time for stories, then,” I said. “We’re still only halfway there, you know. And this is where it starts to get interesting.”

Eight Months Before Impact Day

Liz and Aidan sat on my couch, alternating between looking concerned at one another and looking patiently at me. Sadie was reclined on my bed, watching with veiled curiosity. Rachel was coming later, but I didn’t need her to be around for the first part. I took a deep breath.

“I need to tell you guys something,” I began, playing with the knife behind my back. I’d put a lot of thought into how to do this.

“You know we’re here for you,” Aidan said, though he was clearly fretting. Liz seemed fixated on my body language.

“Okay. So, there’s something about me you don’t know. There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me, actually. But let’s start with the big one. I can’t die.”

Neither of them really reacted. They just sort of sat there, staring at me. Liz was the one to break the silence.

“How do you know?” she asked.

I sighed, then pulled the knife out from behind my back. Aidan’s eyes grew wide, while Liz’s narrowed intensely.

“Towel,” Sadie reminded me. Without acknowledging her, I grabbed the towel I’d left on the back of my chair, and laid it out beneath me. Liz stood up, looking ready to pounce.

“Charlie, you’re not about to do what I think you are, right?” she asked.

“Trust me, I’ve done this before,” I said. Before she could respond, I slashed the knife across my wrist, and blood immediately began gushing out. I hissed in pain.

“Charlie!” Liz shouted, and went to grab me, but Aidan reached out and took hold of her hand. She turned back to him.

“She’s fine,” he said. “Just watch.”

“So you did know, then?” I asked. My wrist was already beginning to heal. Liz was just staring, wide-eyed.

“I had my suspicions,” he said. “I think… I think it’s why Dad adopted you. Not that he doesn’t love you, but…”

“The accident that killed your family,” Liz said. “You miraculously survived. Is this how?”

“Probably. I don’t really know much about the whole thing except that, as you can see, I can’t die. Which leads me to my next point.”

I picked up the towel and wiped the knife on it, then bundled it up and dropped it in a plastic bag. I left the bag on the floor and went over to the wardrobe, dragging out my supply bag.

“This is what I’ve been doing at night,” I told them. “I’m trying to take out the gang presence in the city.”

“What? Why on earth would you—”

“Because someone has to,” I said, cutting Liz off. “It’s not like I’m gonna get myself killed, right?”

“There are worse things than dying, Charlie,” Aidan said.

“You don’t know what they’re like!” Liz said. “If they find out what you’re doing, if they come after you…”

“Come after us, you mean,” Aidan said.

We can still die, Charlie. And I saw your face when you cut yourself. You still feel pain. If they capture you, they’ll torture you until you go mad.”

“You seem familiar with them, Liz,” I said, keeping just a hint of accusation in my tone. “Why is that?”

“What? They’re gangs! Everybody knows what they’re like. Everyone except you, apparently.”

“Trust me, I know,” I told her. “I’ve been on the receiving end of their hospitality more than once, and I don’t recommend it. That’s why I need your help.”

“You want to get us dragged into this mess with you?” she asked, looking mortified.

“I don’t want to,” I said. “But I do need you. There’s just one of me, and even with Rachel’s help—”

“You told Rachel?” Liz asked.

“Yeah. A while ago, actually. She’s been helping me, trying to keep me safe, but there’s only so much—”

“Why would you tell her and not us?” Liz demanded.

I sighed. “Because when I told her, she asked what she could do to help. Because she trusted me, and because unlike you, she’s never lied to me.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve never lied to you,” Liz said, but I saw her defiant expression waver.

“It’s okay, Liz,” Aidan said. “It doesn’t change anything. We still love you.”

Liz took a step back, trying to keep both of us in her field of vision, as if we might attack her at any second.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said.

“Liz, I know who your parents are,” I told her. “Seems like Aidan does too. I don’t care. But it’s why I need your help.”

Slowly, I saw her relax. She looked back and forth between Aidan and I, then slumped back on the couch.

“I’ve never killed anyone,” she said flatly.

“Neither have I,” I said. “I don’t want you to be a killer. Actually, I wouldn’t be asking for your help if I thought that’s what you were.”

“So what do you want me to do, then?”

“Fight with me,” I said. “We can give them the old tank’n’spank.”

“What the hell is a tank and spank?” she asked, side-eyeing me.

“It’s a game thing,” I explained. “I keep their attention focussed on me, and you pick them off safely.”

She glanced over at Aidan, who was completely expressionless. Still, it seemed to satisfy her. She nodded to me.

“It’s a bad idea. But I know you well enough to realise you’re gonna do this with or without my help. I’d rather be there to watch your back.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“Not that I don’t appreciate being included in this,” Aidan said hesitantly, “but why exactly am I a part of this? You’re not expecting me to get into a fist fight with any thugs, are you?”

Liz and I both laughed, much to his chagrin. The idea of Aidan in any sort of fight was comical.

“No, I need something else from you,” I told him. “I need information.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t have any familial ties to the criminal underworld,” he said, sounding a lot like his father. “I don’t think I’ll be much help to you.”

“It’s not about what you know. It’s about what you can do,” I said.

“I wasn’t aware I could do anything particularly unusual,” he said.

“Oh, please. Nobody’s been able to keep a secret from you since you could talk,” I told him. “Not even the two of us. I need you to find out everything you can about the gangs in this city, and how I can hurt them.”

His sharp grey eyes swept over me, and his brow furrowed contemplatively. He looked over at the bag that contained the bloody towel, and sighed.

“I don’t know why you think I can help you, but I’d be happy to try. It seems like you could use the help.”

“Trust me, she needs all the help she can get,” said Rachel, standing at the top of the stares. She grinned at me as she bounded down them excitedly.

“Guys, this is Rachel,” I said, taking a deep breath before saying the next part. “My girlfriend.”

“Knew it,” Aidan muttered. Liz glared at him, then smiled unconvincingly at Rachel.

“Nice to meet you,” she said. “Charlie’s told us a bit about you.”

“Really? She never mentioned you,” Rachel replied. I punched her in the arm, and she stuck her tongue out at me. “Kidding. You must be Liz. And Aidan, right?”

“That’s me. You were in one of Charlie’s martial arts classes, right?” he asked.

“That was like three years ago,” Rachel said. “You still remember that?”

“I have a good memory,” he said, shrugging.

“So where are we on the schedule?” Rachel asked me. “Unkillable girl? Crusade against the gangs? I know we covered the whole gay thing. That’s my favourite part, personally.”

Liz looked uncomfortable. Aidan’s expression was still unreadable.

“Charlie said you help her,” he said. “What do you do?”

“I make stuff,” Rachel replied.

“What kind of stuff?” Liz asked, narrowing her eyes accusingly.

“She customised a bulletproof vest for me,” I said quickly. “And she rigged a sleeping gas trap so I wouldn’t need to hurt or kill anyone.”

“Do you know any normal people, Charlie?” Aidan asked.

“Not that I can think of,” I answered, grinning. “So, you guys are all okay with helping me? And also keeping things a secret?”

“Every step of the way,” Rachel said immediately.

“Someone’s got to keep you out of trouble,” Aidan added.

“I still think it’s a bad idea,” Liz said. “But I’m here for you. And I promise not to tell anyone.”

“Great,” I said. “Because there’s one more person I need on board, and I need you to help me convince her.”

 

Next Week: Ignorance Is Bliss