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Chapter 17
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Judy’s mom had picked up her car and two changes of clothing in the morning before Judy awoke. They were treated by their friends to a breakfast at the local Unlimited House of Waffles. Judy was able to pick up on her father having been taken into overnight custody, but she heard nothing else on the subject.

Nor did she pry.

Later that morning, while at home, she put her costume in a bag and had her mom drive her to one of the blue pillars. She entered the League’s base and found something curious in the entry corridor.

War Lagoon was there already, and he was pushing a cart with some granite stones in it. He saw Judy before entering the pillar’s system, and they entered together.

“What’s with the rocks?” she asked.

“They’re supposed to be for our new table,” War Lagoon said. “What’s with the street clothes?”

“I’m not exactly sure. I mean, I figure everyone in the League and our mothers all know who I am by now, so I figured I might as well change in here. Or was that a bad idea?”

“Not everyone knows. And I see no problem with it as long as you use one of the side rooms with a door.”

They had reached Mortar Mage, who was tinkering with several piles of equipment around the main chamber of the lair.

Mortar said, “Most of the rooms have something going on in them right this moment, and the break room is presently occupied by Princess Undercut and Psi Wizard. They’re testing the new soundproofing system I installed in half of the doors and walls around here.”

“How long have they been going at it?” asked War Lagoon.

“Since approximately ten minutes after you left to pick up this load. Ah, yes, you can set the rocks down on that open space over there.”

“I’ve been gone over half an hour. How long does it take to shout a few times at a wall?”

“There’re more sounds to be tested than mere shouting, War Lagoon. I’m sure there are even some sounds I haven’t even thought to have tested, and they’re being inventive with them already, I’m sure.”

War Lagoon dumped the rocks into the spot that Mortar had pointed out, which had masking tape marking the area on the floor, and then he extracted the cart.

“There are at least two more carts worth of granite in the delivery truck outside. I’ll be right back with the next one.”

Judy was letting her eyes follow War Lagoon as he left, considering whether or not to offer helping him even though those rocks looked bigger than she could lift. Then she turned her head back to Mortar, who hurried over to her with something in his hand.

“Here,” he said, “I’m finally done making these. It’ll help you get into the base without having to deal with the password entry. Since you’re considered a founding member of the supergroup, you also have some control over the facilities.”

“What kind of facilities?” she asked. The item Judy received was a band that looked like it could be worn on her arm or leg.

“Right now, not much. I’m still working on a list of stuff. Lots of stuff. So many things I had to record it all. Computer, how many projects do I have listed again?”

There was an odd clicking noise from the ceiling at a number of points. Rather than deter his spirits, Mortar Mage stuck an index finger up briefly and fidgeted while standing in a moment of contemplative silence.

“So adding a voice to the computer is still one of them,” he said. “It’s hard to keep track, sometimes. But I know the lights are working as intended now. You can change their settings with only a word. Go ahead, try it.”

She thought for a moment, and said, “Computer, turn off the hallway lights.”

The hallway went dark, and the meeting room remained lit.

“Turn on the lights.”

Now the hallway was lit, and so was another room opposite to it.

“Lights go off.”

The base was black, save for dots of red and blue from a few devices.

“Lights go on. Lights go off. Lights go on. Lights go off.”

“I think that’s enough,” said Mortar, “you get the idea.”

“Agreed,” said a deep voice from the direction of the hallway. It was War Lagoon, most likely. “Computer, turn on the lights. What am I ever going to do with you two?”

A dark line of shadow persisted from War Lagoon that led back toward the exit. The cart’s movement sounded through the hallway until Judy could see it next to War, and he grabbed the cart with his hands.

Judy said, “This is nice, Mortar, but I’m not sure I can hold this level of power over anything right now. Not when everyone knows my name.”

“Only your friends and family,” Mortar Mage said.

“And you guys.”

“Did I not say friends and family? Besides, it’s only a matter of time before we all know one another’s real name.”

“Like Warren Jefferson, for instance? Or is that someone else?” She was sitting at the table where a laptop had been left open and running.

“Huh? Oh, crap.” Mortar ran to the computer and pressed a couple of keys. It was in sleep mode the next moment. “I thought I took care of that earlier.”

“’The Application of the Benediction Principle in Modern Medicine?’ Mortar, what was that?”

“It’s an article I’m working on.”

“What kind of article?”

“It’s for a magazine. Science and Mysticism Monthly, have you heard of it? No, I don’t suppose so, since it’s quite new. A friend of mine from childhood is the brain behind it, ironically. He used to try to bully me until I helped him control his powers, and his IQ is just above average. Anyways, not the point. SAM is pretty much what it says on the cover. It tries to balance and reconcile the best of magic and the most advanced of science in a way that they might work in harmony. Some areas are always going to be stronger in one thing than the other, and the same with people, but it’s always good when people are able to comprehend and respect both fields enough to let them coincide.”

Judy just nodded at him, deciding to take his word for it.

“Probably a bit much to take in all at once, I imagine. Don’t worry about it.”

“No,” she said, “I think I got the gist of it. I’m just having trouble thinking of any examples. The best I have, I think, is one of my recent experiences swimming, but superpowers aren’t really magic. Are they?”

“Not exactly, no. You went swimming with your powers? That sounds dangerous.”

“I was only starting to learn how to control them at the time, too. I feared that I might shock everyone in the pool if I lost control of them at any time, nor did I know if pool water was affected the same way.”

“The chlorine, yes. I take it everything turned out OK? Very good. Ah, here comes the cart again. Is that the last of the rocks, War?”

“Yep,” he replied, entering the room.

“Let me see. Yes, this looks like enough stone for the new table, or at least its stand and half of the top.”

“More rocks?”

“Yes, but Walter said he would take care of the rest either tomorrow or on Monday. Thank you, War.”

“Glad to help. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go change and meet an old friend. Judy, since you’re already in your street clothes, would you care to come with me?”

“I’m not sure,” she said.

“Think on it. I’ll return in twenty minutes or less.”

Judy sat silently for a moment while Mortar worked. Sparks flew from the contraption he was working on, but the man didn’t seem worried.

“Brave face,” Mortar said.

“Excuse me?” Judy asked.

“You have a brave face on, unless I’m mistaken. I take it your father’s appearance shook you last night.”

“A little. When I woke up this morning, he was gone. I assume he either left angry, or the police showed up and took him away.”

“The police showed, but only after Adamast escorted him away from the house. You owe him one, I think.”

“Adamast did?”

“He’s one of the snarkiest people I’ve met, but he cares. He even told us he was watching from across the street, ready to act if needed.”

“And none of you care about . . . you know?” Judy point down at her private area.

“We all discussed it. But, in the end, all six of us agreed that the only thing we care about, besides your safety, is that you were able to make a big decision in your life, at a young age even, that many people have trouble facing when in their forties or beyond. I assume that your ability to enter computers had something to do with the transformation?”

“Yeah, it did.”

Mortar fell silent, though content with the answer judging by the side of his face.

***

Judy was strolling along a sidewalk in the Kingston district with the now-unmasked War Lagoon. His street clothes did nothing to reduce his natural stature or presence.

“We’re almost there,” Jeff said. “It’s that pub up ahead. They’re not open yet for the day, but it’s less than an hour before they open. Someone should be there setting up.”

“It’s after 2, though,” said Judy.

“Yes?”

“Don’t most places open earlier?”

“Some open at dawn, some in the middle of the morning, and some open in the afternoon. This pub has opened at 3 every day since it opened, with few exceptions, serving the families around here ever since.”

“Neat.”

“Yeah, neat. When half of those families come from a neighborhood renowned for its anti-hero attitude, and the owners have had to stop a number of brawls, it’s really neat.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Jeff. I really am interested. I’m just not sure why you asked me to tag along. I don’t even know why we’re coming here.”

Jeff grabbed a key from his pocket, and used it on the front door of the pub.

“Do you always do things without thinking about them first?” he asked.

Judy said, “Not really. I usually hope things make sense along the way.”

“Neat.” He opened the door. “After you.”

As she entered the pub, the wooden seats and dim lighting came into focus. One man stood, wiping the plates with a cloth as he put them down on the placemats. He was looking at Judy quizzically until Jeff entered as well.

“No way,” said the man. “Charleston, my man. Hey! Take a look who’s back!”

“Hey, Jeff,” called one of the cooks from the kitchen.

“Who’s this? Another star for hire?”

Jeff replied, “Not exactly.”

“Oh, so she’s just trouble then.”

“No more than the rest of us.”

“So a whole damn lot. I gotcha.” He grinned, and moved to the next table. “What brings you around to this side of town? I thought you decided to join the military for life or something like that.”

“I came back and saw the city in shit. I just haven’t been this way yet because I was busy.”

The other man looked at Judy. “That’s Jeff for you. All business or get out. Sorry, the name’s Marten, Marten Griswold.”

“Judy.”

Marten and Judy shook hands. Marten had leaned over, and a plate fell from the table he was working on. However, something caught it. It looked like a shadow, which set the plate down and pulled back toward Jeff.

“Someone’s got himself a new power,” said Marten.

Jeff said, “Something like that. Judging by witnesses last night, someone else got stronger.” His eyes were frank and fixed on Marten’s.

“People say a lot of things.”

“That was you,” concluded Judy. “You were at the festival.”

“Hey, keep it down. Not everyone around here likes superpowers. Beats me why they don’t, but I’m not about to push it. Now, Jeff here, he came from such a family. Look at us now.”

“Have you ever thought about joining a supergroup?”

“Supergroup? People still get together for those things? Now that sounds like a whole lot of trouble.”

“More than you know,” Jeff said. “They’re good people, and you’d like every one of them.”

“Gotta be if you like them. You know, that reminds me of a story. You see the far wall over there? Jeff built it to spite some customers he didn’t like. You see, there was a young man who used to work here, and a group of regulars who harassed the waitresses. Instead of kicking them out, the owner gave the task of dealing with them to the young man I mentioned. It was around this time that things were crazy around the city and a villain crashed into the side of the building. The damage wasn’t great, but it was right next to the table those regulars sat at every time they came.

“No one dared sit there save for them after they scared away a few people who tried at first. This young man decided to close off a third of the restaurant and renovate the whole wall. Turns out that the wall had other issues in it that could have turned nasty over the course of a solid ten years. When those regulars complained, he told them they could find their table on top of one of those skyscrapers in Talos, but they’d have to go looking for it. Really, it was out back covered in tarp.”

“What then?” asked Judy. “Obviously they had to go somewhere, or come back once the wall was finished.”

“They foolishly tried to start a mob in the wrong neighborhood and found the young man’s mother. Her rolling pin and fists found their skulls. They never came back since.”

Jeff said, “I had to replace her rolling pin that year. It was as expensive as that whole wall.”

“Mama’s boy.”

“Troublemaker.”

“See, I don’t actually make trouble. I just spot it and join it sometimes.”

“Yeah, right.” Jeff reached into his pocket and handed Marten a card. “In case our bit of trouble interests you . . . sometime.”

“Tempting, but the holidays are coming, and we’re short-staffed a server for a few hours. You know how that is. Do you need a job, Jeff?”

“No, I got one in addition to my hero gig. It’s screwing with my sleep, though.”

“What about you, Judy?”

Judy laughed. “I’m fourteen, soon to be fifteen in January.”

“Well, if you’re interested, you should swing by. The bosses don’t mind paying under the table, and no offense, but Asians aren’t exactly known for aging, so no one’s going to ask any questions.”

“I’ll think about it. Are we done here, Jeffers?”

Her new nickname for the big guy made Marten fall forward with laughter.

“I will be in a moment,” said Jeff. “Marten, I know you mean well, but be careful out there. Our group is supposed to be finding someone possibly dangerous who was broken out of captivity, and it stinks of something big.”

***

School, heroics, home life, sleep, everything in between, and now the thought of having a job. As if Judy didn’t have enough to content with.

She had written about as much in her diary that night before going to bed. The next morning, it looked like it was going to be another Sunday, whatever that meant anymore, until she turned on the news on the television.

“. . . here in Talos where a few witnesses swore they saw someone last night who bore the resemblance of Swan Diva. It was an evening of doubt until the sun came, and what we saw was a shock.”

The reporter continued to explain while the screen panned through shots of police and ambulance working to remove four individuals from a few floors up on the side of a skyscraper.

“Four bodies, all beaten and bloodied more than we can show here on television—“

Never mind the fact that one of the men was seen clearly.

“—unconscious, and bearing a written note, allegedly, from the fallen heroine herself. It reads simply: ‘My last gift to you. Signed, Swan Diva.’”