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Chapter 18
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The three men and one woman were taken into police custody within Talos Hospital, where their identities were uncovered. They were the group responsible, years ago, for blackmailing a number of celebrity daughters into making underage sex videos, and then threatening to release those if the celebrities didn’t send money to offshore accounts to be picked up.

It took a combined effort of heroes and numerous agencies to cut those funds and try to keep the videos from getting out.

All four of these people were believed to have been lost in another country with new identities and faces since the days of the old guard.

Witnesses had stretched as far north as Canada when it came to a single person soaring across the land. Now that all four people were in custody, that left only the question of Swan Diva, her apparent retirement, and the brutality of her actions.

A man was on the television pitching a new ranking system for heroes and villains everywhere. If it was passed into law, then Swan Diva was going to be ranked an immediate 9 out of 10, and a “fallen” hero, both making her out as a danger.

Meanwhile, Pixeletta and the rest of the Dallevan League continued to dive into acts of heroism that made the majority of heroes and police officers squirm to imagine or even attempt. They even found an elusive and dangerous villain, with thorns growing out of his body, and took him down in a humiliating fashion.

Thursday came, and Pixeletta entered the League’s base to find Mortar working on another large project. This time, his equipment was set up on the stone table that he had finally put together using his magic and the rock that War Lagoon had brought in.

Adamast Cross, too, was working on something, but it involved a laptop and a notepad at the backside of the table.

When Pixeletta opened her mouth to speak, Adamast said, “I already asked him if he has a home, or if he just lives here.”

She said, “But with what available water? I know he at least bathes, or we’d have invested in air fresheners by now.”

“Or thrown me in a lake,” said Mortar Mage.

“Or both. How are you both doing?”

“Just waiting for my list of projects around here to stop growing faster than I can deal with them.”

“And I’m just trying to finish writing the last essay I’ll have to write for college,” said Adamast.

“Last one? Aren’t you nineteen? Twenty?”

“Nineteen. I took the test to get out of high school early so I can get through college and start supporting myself. My aunt and uncle think I’m nuts, but what can you do?”

“Bow my head in respect. I did the same for my own reasons. My business partner didn’t, though, so he’s using his share of profits to help pay for studying abroad. He found a place that really likes him, which is great for a dragonborn like himself, but I've missed having anyone around I can relate to until now.”

A brief pause an exchange of glances between the men happened at first. They both turned their heads at Pixeletta with zombie-like gestures. “Join us.”

Pixeletta sidestepped away slowly.

“That was a little creepy,” she said.

“Joooiinnn uuusssss.”

“Quit it.”

The two men laughed at her. Pixeletta turned away from them enough to get a good look at one of the things on the table. It was a chemistry set with a few timers, a few round beakers with twice as many tubes, and a cylinder wrapped in headphones that connected with Mortar’s phone. It was in this cylinder where Pixeletta could see clear liquid.

The phone was playing a song on repeat — ‘The Touvlo Town Blues.’

“Mortar?” Pixeletta said.

He hummed quizzically. “Oh, that. The rhythm is perfect for it. It helps keep the mixture stable enough to react properly.”

“Headphones, though.”

“Of course. It only makes sense.”

“And playing it on a speaker does not?”

“Not when the same few songs are on repeat for a few hours. Oh, the liquid’s changing now, and Justin time for the next song, too. Yes, come on, turn the right color.”

After Pixeletta and Adamast exchanged a glance or their own, the latter closed his laptop and stood by Pixeletta with it.

Adamast asked, “Out of curiosity, what will happen if it turns the wrong color?”

Mortar said, “The usual. A subatomic explosion, Canadian popstars multiplying into the thousands, all singing about babies and their hearts going on, and the world being dominated by twenty-foot tall felines.”

That caused Pixeletta and Adamast Cross to take a few steps back away from the table.

“Kidding,” Mortar said, “only kidding. The worst that’ll happen is a stench of bad eggs that won’t go away for at least a week, and maybe some five-foot tall kittens. Ah, yes!”

The fluid turned into a florescent shade of sea green. Mortar removed the beaker from its holding place and pulled out what looked like a bulb for Christmas lights. Once the bulb was filled, Mortar took it with him into the back room where the computer system was kept.

There was one more exchanged glance, and Adamast Cross and Pixeletta walked back two more steps.

Mortar came back out to the meeting room, and said, “How’s that, computer?”

The base answered by playing a song through its speakers. It sounded like a cross between jazz and hard rock. Mortar lipped an “Oh no!” and ran back to the console room.

“Want to go patrol?” asked Adamast Cross.

Pixeletta said, “Yes, let’s.”

***

They were walking south through Steel Canyon toward Galaxy Park when Pixeletta stopped by a little corner shop where flowers were on sale, and set up around the front entrance of the shop. She smelled a pink one that appealed to her. Its soft, spicy fragrance was among her favorites. It always had been since as far back as she could remember.

“Ah, Japanese lilies,” said Pixeletta. Then she walked away from the store, empty-handed because she was too busy patrolling to even worry about her cash still being with her street clothes.

“Enjoying yourself?” Adamast Cross smirked.

“Have to enjoy the good life while we protect it, don’t we?”

“I hadn’t thought about it, but I suppose.”

“Did I ever thank you for the other night, by the way? When you escorted my father away, I mean.”

“Not really. Don’t worry about it. I was in the area and doing my job.”

“Thank you.”

“Did you say something?”

“I said thank you,” Judy said, making sure she was a little clearer or louder this time.

“Nope, sorry.”

Pixeletta slugged him on the arm.

For the most part, their patrol was quiet. With the large number of heroes flying or running around the city, and the recent efforts of the ones who actually were able to make a difference, it wasn’t hard to imagine why. The remaining villains and criminals weren’t taking any chances if they could help it.

Small talk and smelling the roses, both literally and figuratively, was probably the best way to pass the time until the next thing finally happened.

“So,” said Pixeletta, “what made you decide to become a hero?”

“It gave me something productive to do.”

“You mean graduating college when you’re not even twenty isn’t busy enough?”

“It would be, but I needed a reason to get out of the house every day. My folks and sister are always calling and pestering me when I’m trying to study, and they live all the way in Arizona.”

“Arizona?”

“It’s where I was born. I live with my aunt and uncle. Nice folks, though maybe a bit weird.”

“I was born in North Carolina. But we moved here to Paragon when I was too young to remember anything. What’s it like living away from Paragon?”

Adamast said, “Less super powers. And heroes.”

“I can hardly imagine.”

“Plenty of supervillains, though. Only they’re mechanical and like to take your money. I hear it’s worse the next state over.”

“When did you leave?” Pixeletta asked.

“Right around the time I passed the test to get out of high school early, so four years ago, give or take a couple months. My folks tried to report to the police that I went missing or was kidnapped across state lines, but I had already been emancipated legally. Imagine me explaining that to the feds moments after they busted down my aunt’s and uncle’s door. That was fun.”

“I take it you’ve never been back since.”

“Back to Arizona? No. Paragon’s home now. It would be nice if I learned to do more with my powers than simply making armor from ice, though. In the last few years my powers only grew stronger, but it’s the same trick every day.”

“You had them back when you lived with your parents?”

“Ironically. They hate superpowers for religious reasons, but I get my powers from my mom. She’ll never admit it, but it’s helped her keep the A.C. cost down.”

“How did she do that?”

“Something about only producing armor on a single body part, and separating from it. That’s what I can figure anyway.”

“Can you at least change how soft or hard your armor is?”

Adamast stopped, looking at Pixeletta with a perplexed look on his face.

***

“OK, remember, only the palms of your hands. Keep it lightweight.”

Pixeletta was trying to guide Adamast through any and all steps that made sense to her. It wasn’t like he had his laptop on him so that they could look up the answers where Pixeletta found a written guide for herself.

After a few failed attempts of doing something more than looking like an idiot in the middle of the park, Adamast’s hands finally showed a sign of frost. Not an ice block that bound his hands together, not a suit of armor enveloping the whole top half of his body, but frost.

And the frost was growing in thickness.

The man folded his hands together and made a ball from the soft layers of ice. He said, “OK, now what?”

“Umm,” Pixeletta was looking around the park, “throw it that way.”

Shrugging, Adamast Cross threw the makeshift snowball. It missed a tree and hit a man in a suit walking behind it. The suited man flinched, but then looked at the duo of mischievous heroes with a smile on his face.

It was Walter.

Walter walked over to them, lifting his hat briefly. “What are you two up to?” he asked.

“I was just helping Adamast with a trick using his powers,” said Pixeletta, trying not to bust out laughing.

“Oh, good. Your aim needs a little practice, though.”

“I’ll work on it,” Adamast Cross said.

“I do believe a chance to work on it is coming now.” Walter nodded the opposite way.

A shirtless man, whose pants and boots looked like parts of a costume, was storming across the park. He pointed their way.

“Dirty rotten heroes,” the man shouted, “stealing what’s mine.”

“What?” asked Pixeletta.

“Give it back right now.” He jumped in the air and punched at the trio.

The trio dodged. Then branches popped out of the ground, and Pixeletta had to move out of the way again.

She had to leap a third time when Pixeletta saw what looked like a tree trunk coming her way, but she threw a bolt of electricity at it as she did so. The trunk skidded and burned across the grass.

“Lightning? You dare bring lightning against me?” cried out the shirtless man.

“Who is this guy?” asked Pixeletta.

Walter said, “Oh, just a middle ranking villain I’ve been tracking. Nothing to worry about.”

The villain growled.

Then Adamast threw a snowball at his head.

“What? Who dares?” asked the villain.

“Over here,” Adamast Cross called. He was readying another ball of ice.

“I will end you!”

But, Adamast just threw another snowball at him. It struck the villain in his bare chest, and the villain growled again.

“You think to beat me with this little trick of yours?” asked the villain.

Adamast said, “No, not really. That wouldn’t exactly be efficient now, would it? I’m just getting off some aiming practice while I wait.”

“Wait? Wait for what? For me to crush you with these trees? Ack! Stop that!”

Pixeletta took this chance to use her electricity powers to shock the villain, shooting him behind one of his knees. The villain stumbled backward.

Taking this as a cue, Adamast ran forward and used one hand to slam the man down onto the ground. The hero then clasped the other hand down against the villain’s right hand and generated a heavy brace of ice that looked like it went into the ground. He repeated the same with the villain’s left hand, holding him down while Walter and Pixeletta approached.

“Walter,” said Pixeletta, “what did you steal from him?”

“I took his hairbrush. It’s still in his hideout, by the way, so I’m not exactly sure it’s really stealing. I did leave behind a note telling him where to find me,” Walter explained. “It was a stroke of luck that I ran into you two.”

“Let me go so I can tear you apart,” the villain demanded.

“No, I don’t think so. You see, you have some information we want concerning a top secret project.”

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

“The Wolfram Manifest. Try to think really hard. I’m getting really tired of everyone denying they know anything about it.”

“You’re wasting your time.”

“What is it? Let me know, and I’ll be sure that whatever cell you’re put in will have your favorite hairbrush and plenty of all natural products for that mane of yours.”

“Yeah, right! Look, it’s an idea, nothing more. The Wolfram Manifest is some sort of secret dream held by a single madman. I don’t know what it is.”

“Who is this man?”

“Some creep from the Arachne Regime. I don’t know his name, or anything else.”

“Dear, oh dear. Thank you, you’ve been most kind.” Walter got up. “I think it was time we were on our way now that the police are here.” He indicated the vehicles that had pulled up next to the nearside of the park.

Walking away from the villain, Adamast said, “I’m glad I didn’t need to use this new snowball on him.” He tossed it behind him, and it hit something.

“Argh!” the villain shouted.

“I thought we already knew the name of the patient who was taken a couple weeks ago?”

“We do,” said Walter. “Though you also know that his name is not supposed to be spoken in public if we can help it. It might make people suspicious that something is wrong, or it might draw suspicion back to this man that we're on his trail.”

“And we wouldn’t want them to react like a tree manipulating villain who’s lost his hairbrush.”

“Precisely.”

Pixeletta said, “The Arachne Regime, that man said.”

“Yes. Scared?”

“A little. They used to be the most powerful group of villains and criminals.”

“They still are. I had my suspicions that they were still in the shadows, working to regain strength after what the 'old guard' had done to them, but it would appear they’re tied to some auspicious dream. Dreams are dangerous in the hands of certain men or women, like the top psychic among them.”

“Also, quick question, what would you have done if you didn’t find us?”

Walter tapped his earpiece. “I probably would have gone looking for Psi Wizard. He should be out of the police station by now.”

“Police station?”

“Yes. There’s a new program where heroes with good standing can take part in police interrogations, as a way to provide morale for whatever good fiber suspects and other interviewees might have. It’s to make them more likely to confess. That sort of thing. And Psi Wizard was one of the first heroes to volunteer.”

“It went well, by the way,” said Psi Wizard over the earpieces. "It's good to hear your voices, but Princess Undercut and I are on the way back to the base. We can meet you there."

Adamast said, “I’m going to pick up something at a store real quick, and then meet you guys there.”

“Hopefully Mortar hasn’t done anything too crazy with it today.”

“He almost transformed some kittens into car-sized monsters. Yes, even Dr. Fluffins.” Judy shot a squinting glare at Adamast when he said that name.

“That would have been catastrophic. Ow! Worth it.”