The Pontain Chronicles: Heroes' Struggle

The Pontain Chronicles: Heroes' Struggle Preview Part 1

The Pontain Chronicles:





Heroes' Struggle











Written by





Douglas A. Davison








































































































Prologue











         A swirl of red glowed from the light hitting the reflective surface that could have possibly been pure crystal. The liquid inside was rare and priceless, dancing in the reflective material in which it was held. Despite the rarity of both the liquid and its container, the new owner didn’t really care. It could have been a stone cup full of water and he still would have been happy. Of course, the expense products made the owner’s situation all the more delicious.


         Galgor Melzu was a tall, muscular entity, seeming to tower over every other human he came in contact with. His red skin showed his quickness to temper and the lack of sanity to his mind. His new twisted form was a small price to pay for his reward, of which he was told was only a nibble of the much bigger reward to come.


         He sat on his newly acquired throne - in a room that had once glistened like gold - and laughed as he watched his brother and wife, the old rulers of Honu.


         Their six-year-old daughter, Magmia, now stood with them before the throne, in shackles. She was not spared from her uncle’s cruelty as the bruises on her face testified that very fact. The color of her blue eyes was a perfect match to the terror and sadness she displayed. Her hair, which had been a silky golden orange not too long ago, was now choppy and matted with blood in a fair number of places.


         Her whole body hurt, just like her parents, not only from the abuse of Galgor, but also from blows inflicted upon her by her own people.


         “Comfortable, brother?” Galgor asked, sarcastically.


         The once proud emperor of the solar system stayed quiet. Despite his big-built body frame and former reputation, he now looked like the weakest being in the cosmos, looking ready to weep at the sound of a mouse.


         He was a broken man now and his only concern was for his family. He looked at his wife, who was holding Magmia close to her. His concerned eyes then traveled next to the throne where a highly decorated crib held his son. He wanted desperately to save his family, but he had no strength left. He was nothing more than a tired old man.


         Galgor followed his brother's gaze to the crib and gave a wicked smile. “You know, I could raise Zalgo as a son. But my family has no need for weaklings.” He stood up and walked over the crib, picking Zalgo up, none to gently. The infant began to cry from the rough handling.


         “Do you see what I mean, brother?” Galgor said with a laugh.


         A male servant appeared to materialize from the shadows of the darkly light throne room and approached Galgor on the throne. “Pardon me, Emperor Galgor. I have received news that the representative for the Honuan people is waiting outside. I also regret reminding his highness that you’ll have to explain this to the Imperial Congress.”


         “We’ll worry about one thing at a time. Send the representative in.” Galgor instructed.


         The servant nodded and went to fetch the individual requested. A moment later, the servant returned to the throne room with the woman chosen by the people to represent them. Her look was that of neutrality as she approached the new Honuan Emperor, ignoring the battered, former rulers, and bowed.


         “Good to see you, Janis.” Galgor greeted with a smile. He laid Zalgo back in the crib, doing so gently with Janis there. “How do the Honuan people feel about my decisions, thus far?”


         Janis nodded. “The people agree with most of them, Emperor Galgor.”


         Galgor gave Janis a curious look. “What are the ones they don’t agree with?”


         “Many Honuans feel that the former emperor and his family should be punished. However, the people are all in agreement that Prince Zalgo should be spared, as he could have played no part in the family’s treachery.”


         Galgor had a hard time controlling the anger inside him. “What do the people wish to happen to him?” He asked calmly.


         “People would like to see him preserved as your adopted son.” Janis told him, with hope in her own eyes.


         Galgor shook his head. “Never. I want the boy to be launched into the system star, Ardoria; prepare a ship. He can do no harm from there and he will not suffer.” Galgor picked Zalgo back up from his crib and handed the baby to Janis.


         “But...” The duchess objected.


         “That is an imperial order, Janis; I will not budge on this one.”


         Janis nodded and carried the child out of the Throne Room. As soon as Janis left, Galgor turned to his brother and punched him in the face.


         Galgor smiled down at his bloody brother and sat back down on the Honuan throne. Honu was now his and it would stay that way.


         He snapped his fingers and the servant from before reappeared. “Bring my son to me.”


         “Your son will be brought immediately, Emperor Galgor.” The servant said with a bow and then left.








2





         Galgor held his toddler son, Zalmon, as he watched his people prepare the ship in the courtyard for Zalgo’s departure. His brother and his family also watched against their will.


         Galgor could hear the screaming cries of Zalgo as the child was brought out and placed in the ship. The cries only quieted slightly when the ship was closed off. Galgor smiled and looked away from the procedure to talk to his son. He did not notice a cloaked figure climb into the ship with the infant.


         “Zalmon,” Galgor said. “You will not only rule on this planet, but many others. People everywhere will listen to your every command.”


         A dark, bodiless voice suddenly filled the room and Galgor’s smile left him. “Galgor, it is time for you to come back to me.”


         “Su’kon, I am not done here.” Galgor said. “You've promised me Honu's throne.”


         “And it will be yours after we are done; not before!” Su’kon’s voice boomed. “Bring your brother and his family with you. I want their assistance taking over your universe.”


         “They are weak!” Galgor shouted. “They can serve you in no way!”


         “I’ll be the judge of that!” Su’kon said in a dangerous tone. “Now, obey me!”


         “Very well.” Galgor said, holding back his anger.


         A black portal opened behind him from out of nowhere. He shoved his brother and family through the temporary mass of gloom before he and Zalmon went through. The portal left a minute later, leaving the room empty and the world of Honu in sudden, unknown anarchy.


         In the distant sky, a small ship with a baby boy and an unknown caretaker inside left the atmosphere toward a distant blue planet instead of Ardoria.











One








         Some sixteen earth years later. Earth Year: 2048 CE





         So much water. That was all he could see beneath him, a good five hundred feet below him. It called to him, but he found the will power to ignore it for now and focus at the task at hand. ‘Later,’ he promised himself, even though his fins ached by the sheer thought of the liquid. ‘Wait until we’re done.’


         He moved his gaze up to the front of their carriage to salvation and fixed his gaze instead upon the forest of tall, metal trees where they were headed. They were going to teach these commies that they meant business. ‘Perhaps Saint Darwin will even give use his blessing for our loyalty to him.’


         Wasn’t it he who spoke of survival of the fittest? Well, whatever the case may be, they were about to teach a lesson to the unfit of this world. There are so many that are unfit, but here was a good place to start.


         He smiled, showing his sharp, predatory teeth to the rest of his group in the back. ‘They just had to choose the hard way, didn’t they? Oh well, we should have known better then to try to reason with the commies. Forgive all that doubt you, Saint Darwin, please. They do so out of ignorance. Let those faithful and true to your cause prosper as we prepare the world for the next stage.’


         “Someone’s excited about the mission.” One of his associates observed, out loud.


         “How can I not be?” He asked in an ecstatic tone. “We’re about to change the order of the Earth.”


         His associate nodded with smile baptizing his lips. “I know how you feel and I can’t blame you.”


         “Hey!” Shouted one of their commanders. “You ladies better stop 'French-kissing' and get to your posts. We've almost arrived and I want to show these inferior vermin who will soon be running the show.”


         He nodded and lifted a flipper to salute the commander. “Yes, sir. I’ll go prepare the bomb for the drop.”


         He stood from his hard metal seat and walked into the chamber behind him, wherein laid their weapon of destruction, an old nuclear bomb from the World Massacre.


         His hand stroked the bombs smooth, metal skin as you would a cherished lover. Since it was not a big or heavy object, he easily picked it up and positioned over the drop doors in the chamber and backed away to admire his work such as an artist might do for the finished painting or sculpture. Once more he gave his predatory smile in satisfaction and walked out of the chamber.


         ‘New Earth Order will prevail,’ He thought gleefully. ‘And this is only the beginning step to our ascension to power.’








2





         Drew Newton woke up and stretched before he got out of the bed, changing his pajamas to his chosen shirt and a pair of loose-fitting jeans. He looked out the window to his hotel room and smiled as the sunlight came in through the window. He was visiting Los Angeles by himself this year, and it was only two more days until he had to go back to his home in Winton, Ohio.


         Since it was such a wonderful day outside, Drew decided to take a walk before he headed to a restaurant for breakfast. Drew took in the various sights while he walked around, such as The Gallant Nobleman, one of the most famous restaurants in the world.


Not too far away was another famous attraction, the theme park, Nanite World. Before long he found the street getting very crowded in this part of town.


         Sudden shouting broke out from the crowd. People around him began to panic and push in any direction, trying in vain to run. Drew looked up to find an aircraft firing on the buildings around him!


         Many buildings exploded as lasers hit them, the debris either floating or plummeting to the streets below.


         Drew managed to get free of the now hysterical crowd and hide in a nearby alley, where he heard something falling. He looked up and at first thought of it to be a giant piece of debris falling to the street, but what he saw was much worse.  He stared in horror as what was unmistakably a nuclear bomb was falling into the ally he was in!


         As he watched the object fall he could already see the death of millions of people. The noise grew louder as it came closer to ground. To Drew it sounded like a thousand screams, his hair beginning to blow in the created gust.


         ‘Is there any way to stop this? I’ve got to do something!’ Drew thought frantically. ‘People will die if somebody or something doesn’t stop it.’ But what could he do? What could anyone do?


         Time slowed down as it got closer to the earth and Drew could see with the near-fatal clarity; probably an old one from the World Massacre that he read about in history class.


         Even though time seemed to have slowed, the bomb still dropped fast and before Drew knew it was time for the bomb and ground to rendezvous. Drew could feel the heat on the bombs surface due to the friction of gravity but paid it no mind; it didn't bother him.


         There was a deafening explosion. The force of the explosion knocked Drew back on the ground, causing him to slide for several feet on his back. He felt vast amounts of heat pour into his entire body. His clothes and everything around him vaporized as his body transformed.


         Drew slowly opened his eyes. Then he started when he remembered what happened, feeling his back scream with pain. "I’m alive!" he said in surprise. "That explosion should have killed me."


         He stood up and tried to ignore his pleading back. He to look himself over and for an instant was convinced that he was dreaming; His vision was different, seeming more focused as he beheld not his normal skin, but blue reptilian  scales covering his body. He shook his head to clear it and his vision cleared and his skin was normal and uninjured, except his back, which was raw and bleeding from when he had skidded across the pavement in the explosion.


         However, when he looked around him, he didn’t like what he saw any better. He was inside a deep crater with ice covering the ground. Strangely, he didn’t feel cold despite the nuclear winter around him or his new state of undress. He would have felt awkward in his nude state, were he not also in a dazed one.


         Drew climbed out of the deep crater with his back still protesting. He could see that most of the city was intact, even when he was still in the crater. However, there was still a small area around him that had been vaporized.


         Drew heard sirens in the distance and didn’t know what to say if people found him in this area, intact. The thought of his nudity had still not crossed his mind.


         He started walking toward the direction of his hotel in a daze. However, his back now demanded his body to stop and Drew collapsed as pain paralyzed his body. He closed his eyes and found himself sucking in breath.


         Consciousness started to leave him when he felt someone lift him up and flipped him over in their arms. He winced as his raw back encountered the arms of his receptor, but he somehow managed to keep awake. His savior was big, Drew could tell, because their arms wrapped around his medium-built, near-adult body like a baby cradled in their parents’ arms.


         Drew slowly opened his eyes to see the face of the mountain of a man that held him. The man wore a black mask like that of raccoon while the rest of his face and head was naked of covering and his long golden blond hair blew in the wind.


         “Who-?” Drew began to ask in a whispering, weak voice.


         “Shhhh.” The giant man hushed. “You rest, young man. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”


         “Thank y-.” That was Drew managed to say before he went unconscious.








3





         Drew woke up to find himself in a hospital room. He was lying in an elevated hospital bed, lying on his stomach. He almost got up when he felt the bandages on his back and decided not to risk any further damage or pain unless necessary.


         His head was to its side, his face directed toward the door entering the room from the hall. He watched as the door opened and a middle age, female nurse stepped in the room, smiling when she noticed that he was awake.


         “Well, hello young man.” The nurse politely greeted. "It’s good to see you’re awake and doing so well. Your back should be completely healed soon if those bandages are working. You have a visitor if you would like to see him. It’s really quite an honor to have Mr. Colossal visit you.”


         ‘Mr. Colossal!’ Drew thought. ‘Was that really him?’


         “Well?” The nurse inquired patiently. “Will you see him?”


         “Yes. I do owe him a thank you.”


         “Very good. I’ll go fetch him.” The nurse told him. She went back into the hall and soon returned with the mountain called Mr. Colossal. “Here he is, in the flesh.” She said. “I’ll check on you two in a minute.” She told them as she went out of the room once again.


         Drew kept his attention on Mr. Colossal and gestured, in his limited way, to a couple of chairs in the room. “Mr. Colossal, please, do sit.” He invited.


Mr. Colossal nodded with a smile on sat in the chair next to Drew’s bed. Finally, the big man’s field of vision focused completely on Drew. “How’re you doing kid?” Colossal asked in a voice which seemed impossibly soft for a man of his size.


         “I’m fine thanks to you.” Drew told the man. “Thank you.”


         Mr. Colossal waved the gratitude away. “Don’t worry about it, kid; It’s what I do. But I must say I’m impressed by you.”


         “Really? You are?” Drew asked in surprise.


         Colossal gave a hearty laugh. “How could I not be? Kid, somehow you're body absorbed the majority that blast and come away from the explosion alive. You’re a very unusual person, which is for certain. What’s your name, kid?”


         “My name is Drew Newton, sir.” Drew told him.


         “Well, Drew, This world needs people like you to rely on.”


         Drew looked puzzled. “What do you mean, Mr. colossal?”


         “As I’m sure you’re aware, Drew, I’ve been around since after the World Massacre. It will soon be time for me to retire and I want a person or people to take my place. While we no longer have mass amounts of crime anymore, heroes are still needed. However, while ninety-seven percent of humanity aren’t criminals, they aren’t precisely good role models either. I have a feeling that you are the kind of person who would have stopped that bomb completely if you'd had the chance.”


         “But I didn’t stop the bomb.” Drew pointed out. “It still exploded and killed innocent people. I don't even know how I did what I did.”


         Colossal nodded solemnly. “That, unfortunately, is true. However, the blast would have traveled much farther if you hadn’t absorbed the most of it.”


         “So, what would you like me to do, Mr. Colossal?” Drew asked. “Become your apprentice?” He joked.


         “Only if you want to be, dear boy. I would be willing to teach you, but in the end, this is your decision.”


         “I’m honored, sir.” Drew said truthfully. “But I must make my way back home. I’ll be leaving soon and I don’t think I'll be back anytime in the near future. I do thank you for the offer, though, Mr. Colossal.”


         Mr. Colossal gave Drew nodded. “At least allow me to teach one thing. It won’t take very long. I can teach you when we leave here in a few minutes.”


         After only a few seconds of consideration, Drew had decided. “I agree and I’m glad that you trust me enough to teach me, Mr. Colossal.”


The same middle-age nurse as before entered the room again. “Okay, young man, let's see if the bandages have done their work.” She said to Drew. She turned to Mr. Colossal. “If you would leave for a moment, please, Mr. Colossal.”


         Colossal nodded and stood up. “If you would be so kind as to meet me on the roof when you’re done.” He told Drew. “We will continue then.” He turned and traded the hospital room for the hall.


         The nurse closed the door and pulled the bed sheet from off Drew before she began stripping the bandages from Drew’s back. “So, did you two have a nice talk?” She asked politely, as she continued her task.








4





         Ten minutes later, Drew was on an elevator leading to the roof and examined his newly tanned skin. He had noticed only a few minutes  ago and was, needless to say, shocked. It was all still surreal for Drew to accept. He laughed softly to himself. ‘If this is all real, I’ll have quite a story to tell Julie and the other two.’ The elevator stopped and let out an electronic ding before the doors opened to its occupant’s destination.


         Mr. Colossal smiled when he saw that Drew had arrived. “It warms my heart to see your interest. Now, my temporary apprentice, I would like to tell you a legend. But, first, tell me something: Do you believe that inner strength can be used as a physical weapon?”


         Drew looked confused. “What do you mean, Mr. Colossal? It sounds like something my girlfriend's sensei would say.”


         The mountain of muscles chuckled much the way he had earlier. “Do you know what makes up most of our universe is composed of, young man?”


         Drew shrugged. “I guess it’s made up of different types of energy.”


         “That’s right!” Mr. Colossal praised.


         Drew blushed at the comment. “Thank you, sir. I must be learning from one of my friend's ramblings.”


         “Most of our universe is energy. In fact, because matter is just another form of energy, we might as well say that it is our universe. And because we ourselves are made of matter, we are also energy. Our body is not only energy but retains energy as well. Our body is composed of a matter called Life Energy, which, as you can probably guess, allows us to live and function in our everyday tasks. Are you with me so far, Drew?”


         “Yes.” Drew told the hero.


         Mr. Colossal nodded and continued. “The bodies we possess, however, also acts as a factory, producing many products for itself - energy is no exception. This kind of energy is External Energy, and can be used for many things if someone knows how to use theirs. Unfortunately, it is used mostly in battle.”


         “Are you telling me that I can take energy out of my body and put into physical form?” Drew asked.


         Mr. Colossal nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m saying, Drew. I can teach you how to use your energy. You must be at least as powerful as I am by now with all the energy you absorbed. Do you want to learn?”


         Drew looked Colossal right in the eye. “I do.”


         “Then let me proceed with my story before we begin. There was a young prince from a powerful race of beings. He was the most innocent and kind person known among his people. He knew the near-forgotten arts of something called the Gy-Lo-Mai, which is roughly translated ‘Peaceful Energy’. His mother, however, was a corrupt woman and very cruel. He ran away from her, as she was dangerous to him as well. He hid with another faction of his race and continued to live his life according to the Gy-Lo-Mai for many years. His mother continued to grow worse in her cruelty until he could no longer watch his people suffer and was forced to face her. He and his allies won the battle and he succeeded the throne.” Colossal told Drew. “However, He was soon corrupted by his own power. He became even worse than his mother, thinking of himself as a god. Another battle happened between him and his own generals, who had become corrupted as well. They had won the fight, killing the king and committing genocide to their own race. You must be careful not to become what Pontain did.”


         Drew swallowed with a dry throat. “I understand what you tell me, sir.” He said finally.


         “Good. Then let’s get started. Now, it’s not all that hard to use energy.” To illustrate, Mr. Colossal held his hand out into the sky. Light grew in his hand like a miniature, yellow star and it launched up into the atmosphere until Drew could no longer see it. “First you must be aware that the energy does exist inside you. After that, it just becomes instinct and belief. Try it, Drew. Believe you can do it and think of how to shape it, to use it."


         Drew nodded and closed his eyes to concentrate. He held out his hand and tried to clasp his fingers around a ball that was not there. In a matter of seconds, he felt a strange feeling inside his body. He could feel something similar to electricity flowing through him. It was a big presence that almost swallowed another, smaller one.


          Drew could feel the energy surface to his palm and grow to the size and shape of a baseball. In an instant, Drew opened his eyes and flung the orange energy ball straight into the air. It disappeared almost immediately.


         Mr. Colossal nodded in approval. “Good arm, Drew.”


         Drew smiled. “Thank you for everything, Mr. Colossal. I need to get back to my hotel.” The sky was beginning to darken as night began to fall. Drew turned around and headed back to the hospital.


         “Wait, Drew. I wish to teach you one last thing.” Mr. Colossal said to Drew’s back. Drew turned to face Mr. Colossal again. “Flight is also possible if you have enough energy. Try it sometime. But I also want to warn you that even if you increase your energy level, you may run out for a short while before you begin to gain it back. I hope to meet you again, sometime. Until then, farewell.” With that said, the huge man began to rise into the air and headed off into the sky of the city.


         Drew watched his mentor go and then walked back to the elevator.








5





         Drew arrived back at the hotel to see that it was still there. When he got back to his room in the hotel, he took a shower and changed out of the clothes the hospital gave him. He decided that he should watch the news to see the damage on the city. He walked over to where the HoloVision sat and turned it on, listening to the news anchor.


         “We still aren’t certain who was responsible for the attack on Los Angeles, earlier today. However, there have been rumors that a mutant extreme group is responsible. This supposed group of responsible terrorist is called NEO - the New Earth Order. Twenty thousand people were estimated dead, another ten thousand are still unaccounted for due to the explosion. It is believed that the bomb would have been an old one from the time of the World Massacre. If this was the case, the bomb would have held enough power to vaporize as far inland as the Colorado and New Mexico border and the Northwest tip of Mexico as well as a great deal of the Pacific Ocean. Strangely though, it only went one hundred yards inside Los Angeles. It is being investigated why it only got that far. There is now treatment for those who were in the radiation area. Please go to the nearest hospital in the area for treatment.”


         Drew decided that there wasn’t going to be anything else of the HV. He turned off the HV and headed out of the hotel, into the city, nowhere particular. Drew found himself finishing the walk he never completed earlier that day. ‘What a strange and confusing day it’s been.’ Drew thought.


         Suddenly, a female scream filled the air. He immediately ran in the direction of the scream, searching the street for its owner. After a minute, he caught sight of two individuals down an ally - a teenage girl with brunette hair, who was being attacked by the second individual, a well dressed middle age man with a whip.


         “This is your fault, freak!” The man shouted, bringing the narrow end of the weapon down on the girl. “You were behind this attack, weren’t you? Your kind and and those mutants.”


         “No!” The girl protested, in fear and pain. “I didn’t do anything. Please, leave me alone!”


         “Leave her alone!” Drew repeated with more force.


         The man turned around, surprised by Drew’s interference, “Mind your own business, punk.” He brought the whip back and swung it forward, at Drew.


         Drew wasn’t entirely sure what happened next. Instinct seemed to interfere as he brought his arm up and a bright orange glow appeared in his palm. Drew lashed his arm out and the orange glow jumped out of his palm. The glow met with whip, causing it to burst into flames.


         The man dropped the whip in surprise and watched it disintegrate before it hit the ground. “You’re another one of those freaks, aren’t you?” He brought his fist back and swung at Drew.


         Drew dodged the blow and thought fast. He put all his force into pushing the man and slammed him against the wall. The man coughed and gasped for breath before Drew pulled back and let him hit the ground.


Drew turned to the girl. “Are you all right?” He asked her.


         He took her hand and helped her up. He noticed that she had several deep cuts in her skin where her metal skeleton and some circuits now showed through. This girl, undoubtedly an android, briefly reminded him of his girlfriend, in both her attractive looks and slim build.


         “I’ll be fine.” The girl assured him. “I want to thank you for saving me; Not many people would have helped an android like me. My name is Andrea, by the way.”


         “I’m Drew Newton.” He introduced himself. “And I was brought up to believe that anything that acts human, is human.”


         Andrea smiled. “I was designed that way. I am a prototype for the new, more human machine. I am a human in almost all extents. The only thing that is truly different is my metal skeleton and circuits.”


         They heard a groan. Drew quickly turned around and he saw the man running toward him. Drew moved to the right, just missing the man’s impact. Drew grabbed the man’s jacket by the collar and planted his fist in the man’s gut hard and the man fell back to the ground, clutching his stomach and gaping for air.


         Drew turned back to Andrea. “I think it’s time that we both left. It was nice meeting you, Andrea. Hopefully, we’ll meet again; under better circumstances, maybe.” He gave her a warm smile and turned to leave.


         “Wait!” Andrea said.


         Drew turned back around to look at Andrea. He could clearly see that she was not used to showing gratitude to humans. Drew didn't blame her.


         “Would you join me for dinner?” She asked him. “I wish to know you just a little bit more. You truly are a kind person; I see that. Why else would you help me?”


         Drew smiled and held out his hand to her. “To the restaurant of your choice, Madame.”


         Andrea smiled and took his outstretched hand, the two of them walking off to find a place to eat. Andrea had decided that she wanted to eat at a bar, for some strange reason. Drew doubted that they would be allowed to stay in and eat, but he followed her in anyway. Soon, however, he heard what he had expected.


“Hey, you kids aren’t allowed in here.” A big, burly bartender told them angrily.


         “Come on, Charles.” A half-drunk man persuaded the bartender. “You can let them slip tonight. We all need to get drunk after earlier today.”


Charles, the bartender, looked at his customer and reluctantly nodded. “Your right.” He turned back to the two teens. “You two can go ahead and eat here tonight. I’m only allowing it, however, because of it’s been such a terrible day.”


         Drew nodded his appreciation. “Thank you, sir.”


         The bartender just continued to look at them until he saw the glint of metal coming out of the scar on Andrea’s arm. He frowned and looked away, but didn’t say anything.


         Drew looked at Andrea to see that she had noticed the bartender’s reaction, but she ignored it and sat down at a table. He sat down across from her and motioned a young waitress over to their table.


         The waitress came over to them and handed them two menus. “What will you two have?” She asked politely, with a smile.


         Drew focused on the selection of his menu. “I’ll have the standard burger and fries combo with a Pepsi.” He told her before he handed the menu back to her.


         She took the menu, placed it under her arm and wrote his order down. “How do you want your burger prepared, handsome?” She asked him, her Brooklyn accent thick.


         “Medium well.” He told her.


         The waitress turned her attention to Andrea. “And what about you, miss?”


         “I’d like the Tuna Melt with Onion Rings and an ice tea.” She explained as she gave the menu back.


         The waitress finished Andrea’s order and nodded. “Is this on one or two checks?” She asked them.


         “One.” Drew told the young women.


         The waitress nodded again. “I’ll take care of your orders now, if that’s all.”


         Drew nodded, confirming that they were finished. The women walked off to the back of the bar. “Don’t give up on humanity yet, okay.” Drew whispered to Andrea. “There are others who will treat you as kindly as I have.”


         “To tell the truth, I gave up on humans a long time ago. But maybe I can learn to like them, if there are more like you.”


         Drew smiled. “I’m glad to hear that. Perhaps all androids and humans will learn to live without malice for each other, one day. You could be the start of humans’ appreciation for androids, if you play the game carefully.”


         “Perhaps.” Andrea agreed, thoughtfully.


         There was a slight period of silence in the bar that let Drew pick up the HoloVision. “.... Has been located by Mr. Colossal and the LAPD. Mr. Colossal had went inside to apprehend the suspects an hour ago, but still has not returned....”


         “Excuse me.” Drew addressed Charles, the bartender. “Would you please turn that up?”


         Charles complied, and now the whole bar quieted down and listened to the news report.


         “The chief of police informs us that they heard some disturbing things before losing radio contact with Mr. Colossal.” The news reporter informed her unseen, gigantic audience. “We go live now to the police chief himself on audio. Hello?”


         “Hello, Ms. Summers.” The police chief greeted.


         “Chief Young, thank you for speaking with us. Now, you were telling us earlier about these noises you heard from Mr. Colossal comm unit?”


         “Yes.” Young confirmed. “We are a little concerned by what we had heard, however, it is only speculation so far.”


         Drew practically jumped out of his seat. Andrea stared at him inquisitively. “I have to go.” Drew told her as he left enough money for the whole bill and a generous tip. “It was nice meeting you, Andrea. I hope that we meet again one day.”


         “I hope so, too.” Andrea said to him, obviously disappointed by his early travel. “Good-bye, Drew, and thanks again for saving me.”


         Drew walked out of the bar and began to run to find his mentor. He might be in trouble and Drew knew he had to help.








6





         Drew soon found the location of the police and Mr. Colossal, due to the lights and crowd around the area. Mr. Colossal was, after all, a hero loved worldwide. Everyone in the city, who could be there to show his or her support, was there.


         But Drew had to get into the building without the crowd noticing him, which meant that he had to be far away from the crowd when he went to go in. He certainly didn't want to go into the sewer, either. He would have to fly up high and land on the roof.


         His thoughts returned to the latter part of his discussion with Mr. Colossal. ‘Flight is also possible if you have enough energy.’ Drew remembered Mr. Colossal explaining to him.


         Drew walked into an empty ally comfortably far away from the crowd. Closing his eyes, Drew concentrated on pushing down on the ground with his energy in invisible form, lifting him up into the air and onto the roof of the building, closer to Mr. Colossal, but also out of sight of the crowd.


         Drew plopped himself down onto roof after he had landed on it, and tried to calm his racing heart. He was not tired from using energy, because the fact was that he probably didn’t use that much. But Drew had always been afraid of heights, and the sudden vertigo of flight had done its effect on him.


         ‘I’m doing this for Mr. Colossal.’ Drew reminded himself as he tried to regain his composure. ‘This man has protected the world so many times that he deserves my aide more than anyone right now.’ Standing back up, Drew glared at the far away roof that was his destination and braced himself. He blasted off in a run and jumped when he reached the other end of the building and felt the wind immediately push against him from below.


A sudden chorus of gasps and screams signaled that he had been seen, but he was more worried about defying gravity more right now. Once again concentrating on his energy, Drew had the task of propelling himself upward and forward at the same time. Seconds after his jump, Drew traveled the amount of a city block to the building he desired to reach so badly.


         Drew immediately dropped to the surface of the roof as he had on a previous building, recovering his stamina. Off in the distance, Drew heard helicopters approaching and groaned. He’d need to move inside before they got here and tried to identify him.


         Standing up again, Drew began to move quickly and opened the roof access door quietly as he hurried inside. The hallway inside was dark, lit only by a few ancient, and miraculously working, light bulbs. Drew moved down the stairs carefully, listening for any humanoid presence. For several minutes, Drew continued throughout the building without hearing any sounds at all.


         Finally, he heard the faint sound of voices coming from another, far off room. When Drew reached the door to the suspected room, he placed his ear against the double door in order to listen.


         “.... Now, Mr. Colossal, all we’re doing is ridding the world of evil. We are all in the same business here; you just to focus on a smaller fraction of these criminals. We, however, go after the whole crime organization of mankind.” A pause occurred. “You may as well stop struggling, my good man; you will die soon anyway. When the commie people of the world see that you are dead, it will crush their spirits, making it easier for us to slaughter them.”


         Drew clenched his teeth together in anger and growled before he lost all sense and slammed into the door. His anger only increased as the door refused to give. Running back, away from the door, Drew glared at it and then shoved his body forward at full speed, jumping into the air and slamming his feet into the door with all the force and momentum his body gathered.


         Drew hit some of the mutants that must have been near when he crashed into the room. He regretted his action as soon as he touched down on the floor. His ankle twisted itself, but he was glad it didn’t break. He found himself near Mr. Colossal, who was tied in a rolling chair, which Drew realized was a mistake they had made.


         He found himself surrounded by several mutants that all glared at him with animal eyes. Drew just scoffed. “What makes you think that normal humans will be defeated so easily?” He asked mockingly. “Every time a hero of the people died, that caused them to fight that much harder to avenge the hero’s death.”


         “And they will all fail.” Exclaimed a hideous-looking mutant. He looked like an amphibious dog and shark mixture, with two eyes, one twice the size of the other. From the way the other mutants behaved, he was the leader of NEO. “It is inevitable that the weak will die while the strong live and evolve closer to perfection.”


         “We’ll see who’s weak.” Drew said. “You don’t know who your dealing with.”


         “Kill this annoying kid.” NEO’s leader ordered. “We’ll show him why humans are no match for us.”


         “Come on.” Drew antagonized them. He stood up, ignoring the pain in his injured ankle. “I’m not afraid. Show me what you’ve got." Drew was confident that even though Mr. Colossal had been through various tortures beforehand, the man would still find a way to help him.


         The kick came faster than he expected, and he was unable to stop it from hitting his face. He felt weightless for an instant as the attack launched him into the wall. Somehow, his spine remained intact, despite the force of the hit, and he remained conscious but heavily dizzy.


         Instinct told him to move away from where he standing and he complied; throwing himself to the ground before several attacks hit him. His head felt heavy and throbbed with pain as he tried to drunkenly lift it up again. He distantly heard several men and women scream and yell after blows landed.


         “Drew!” Drew heard Mr. Colossal calling him. “The restraints.” He groggily looked in the direction of the hero’s voice, only able to see blurry shapes through one eye. He caught sight of a shape that was sliding across the floor, back and forth with two appendages that frequently launched upward before the sound of a blow was heard.


         Drew focused as much as he could on the shape and lifted his right arm to aim for what he thought was were the constrictions that held his mentor. His vision cleared up for just for an instant, which allowed his to accurately locate his targets, and he shot a blade of energy.


         Drew didn't get the opportunity to see whether he hit his target. As soon as he released the energy, he felt a foot plow into his right ribs, breaking them. That was when Drew felt the last of his restraints break. In pain and anger, he felt energy shoot through him, power coursing through him like electricity.


         He felt an explosion all around, coming from him. He heard some of the mutants scream in agony, moving around frantically. He opened his good eye to see several of the mutants running around, burning from the flames on them. Drew could see many more corpses slumped against the far wall, their skin black, while small flames were still on their bodies.


         He collapsed back on the floor, exhausted, staring in horror at the unfortunate beings against the wall. “I’m sorry.” He whispered, weakly to them. He couldn’t stop his reaction no matter how hard he tried. As he regurgitated his meal from earlier, tears came to his eyes from the pain caused by his broken ribs.


         He laid in the former contents of his stomach, barely conscious, and watched, with no strength, as the NEO leader approached him with a predatory look in his eyes. He circled around Drew, showing off his many teeth in a cruel, sarcastic smile.


         The dog-shark suddenly stopped in front of Drew’s face and frowned. “I don’t know who or what you are, but it would have benefited you to be on our side; the side of righteousness. You were given a gift and you misuse it to help the unfit. You have no place in NEO, therefore, you are to be exterminated.” Drew suddenly felt calm as he watched the creature lift its giant foot, ready to crush him. He closed his eye and waited.


         Drew’s eye snapped open again when the air of the room was pierced by the determined cry of a young girl. He saw the Goliath figure of the leading mutant slam forward and fly past him. He could no longer see the giant, but watched Andrea as he heard the terrified scream fade away.


         “What...?” Drew tried to ask, but his throat was sore, his voice hoarse, causing him to cough and bringing new tears to his eyes due to the pain.


         Andrea, who was about a head shorter than he was, picked him up and set him back down on his feet. When he winced and nearly fell over, Andrea quickly grabbed hold of him again and wrapped his arm around her, helping him to walk.


         He looked around with his good eye and surveyed the room. “I did this?” He asked, looking at the massacre.


         “Not all of it.” He heard Mr. Colossal told him. “I knocked many of them out before, away from the blast. Everyone in this room is still alive, if that’s what you’re worried about.”


         “What about the leader?” Drew asked.


         “He fell out the window when I pushed him away from you.” Andrea told him.


         “I see.” Drew said, sadly.


         Mr. Colossal put his hand on Drew’s shoulder. “Come on, we need to get out of here.”


         Drew nodded.


         “Will you two being going out the front?” Andrea asked Mr. Colossal.


         “I suppose we will.” Mr. Colossal told her.


         “Then, this is where we say good-bye, I’m afraid. I don’t wish to be acknowledged for being part of this. Can you two make it out okay?”


         Drew nodded. “We’ll be fine.”


         Andrea just smiled and kissed Drew’s cheek. “Thank you for all you’ve done for me tonight, Drew. You’ve done more for me than you’d ever believe.”


         Drew endured a few seconds of pain on his ankle, while he hugged Andrea. “Take care, Andrea.”


         Andrea made sure that Drew was secure and supported by Mr. Colossal before she left, walking out of the room and their sight.


         “Let’s go, Drew.” Mr. Colossal suggested.


         “Right.” Drew agreed.


         About a minute and a half later, the two met a S.W.A.T. team who were on their way up to the room of mutants.


         “Sir!” The captain of the team addressed Mr. Colossal and saluted. “It looks as if you and this young man need some medical attention. I’ll send two of my people to help you. In the meantime, can I get the situation of the targets?"


         “Be cautious, captain. My companion and I have already taken care of most of them, but some may be active by now. I’ll tell you right now that I’m going to send one or two medical units after you when we get out. They’ll need it more than we do."


         The captain nodded. “Understood, sir. Harrison, Dequen, you’ll assist these two out.”


         Two of the masked team nodded. “Understood.” They said in unison.


         Fifteen minutes later, the traveling group of four finally reached the ground level. The two S.W.A.T. stopped close to the entrance of the building and nodded the two heroes on.


         “Just send the medical teams in and we’ll lead them in, sir.” One of them told Mr. Colossal.


         “Thank you, gentleman.” Colossal told them and then he kicked the entrance doors open, bathing both him and Drew in the artificial light of street lamps, HV news cameras, and many other devices.


         Everyone watched in awe for a second as the two limped forward, but that was soon overcome with cheering. News reporters, Cameramen, and everyday civilians almost risked getting shot, trying to cross police lines.


         Mr. Colossal signaled for a police officer to hand over his megaphone and held his right arm up to silence everyone, while making sure he kept Drew steady. The crowd took a while to go completely silent due to its large size, but Mr. Colossal spoke into the megaphone after a short time.


         “People of the world community, I have dealt with these terrorists so that they are no longer a threat. However,” He looked down at Drew. “I might not have survived if it wasn’t for this young man. It is due to his assistance that I am still here.” He looked back out into the citywide crowd. “Friends, I have been with you all since before the end of the World Massacre. Those twenty-four years, I have helped bring this world to a relative peace of sorts. And unfortunately, like all of us, I’ve grown old. That is why I’ve decided that it’s time for me to retire. But I don’t want you to worry.” He soothed the crowd. “As long as we have people like this young man, you will always be safe.”


         The crowd erupted in murmuring and shouting confusion as Mr. Colossal handed back the megaphone and ordered two medical units into the building. They watched with mixed emotions of horror, sadness, and surprise as their hero lifted both himself and Drew into the air and disappeared.














7





         Drew found himself in the same hospital room as before, with the same middle-age nurse. He sighed as the healing process began and so did the woman’s lecture. While he was healing at the fast rate, and he liked the nurse, her nagging was driving him insane!


         “I hope you're not making a habit of this.” She told him. “We have enough people to fill this hospital, without someone like you - having a hero complex. Now, I’m as grateful as the rest of the world for you assisting Mr. Colossal, but I don’t want to see you in here every day.”


         “Don’t worry,” Drew assured her. The swelling in his eye was already going down. “There won’t be frequent visits here. At least, not involving a bed.” He chuckled, aggravating his rapidly healing ribs.


         The nurse sighed. “Well, Mr. Colossal is here to see you again.” She told him, leaving the room.


         Drew felt a moment of Deja vu as Mr. Colossal entered the hospital room again, this time in patient attire. “Well, Mr. Colossal, It’s been an eventful day for both of us, hasn’t it?" He said with a humorous smile.


         The retired hero returned the smile. “Yes, it has.” He agreed. Then he put a more serious look on his face. “You know, Drew, when I announced my retirement I was hoping someone would replace me. But, then, you knew that already.”


         Drew nodded. “I know. I’m just not sure I‘m ready yet.”


         “I understand.” Mr. Colossal told him. Then, he did something that took Drew by surprise; he took off his mask. “You know, I felt the same way when I was but a boy, a soldier in the World Massacre.”


         “You were a soldier?” Drew asked, his surprise constant now.


         “Yes.” Mr. Colossal admitted. “I did choose a side back then, being involved as the rest of the world had been. But, as I watched and participated in the killing of millions worldwide, I saw that divided mankind was useless. When my troop and our allied troops were killed, I was also presumed dead. I used this time to get rid of any identity, including my uniform and starting life anew. This time I chose no one’s side, my goal now being to unite mankind. I became Mr. Colossal; friend to all. Ever since then I have been the protector and peace keeper of all Earth, and it was easy for a time. That all changed when the mutants began to appear, followed by androids in these recent years. Public hatred for these two groups appeared as soon as they had.”


         The man looked at Drew with tired eyes. “I’m too old for this Drew. This is the first time in more than twenty years since I’ve taken this mask off in public. But like I said, age has caught up to me. This world still has need for a hero, though, Drew. These threats won’t disappear by themselves. They need someone new and willing to solve them. When I saw you, I knew that you were one who could help solve them.”


         Drew sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m just not ready.” He repeated.


         Mr. Colossal nodded. “If and when you change your mind, you know the face and you’ll know how to contact me.” He handed a piece of paper to Drew, then he replaced his mask, probably for the last time, and walked to the door. He turned around and looked at Drew one last time. “It has been an honor meeting you.” He turned back around and left the room.


























Two











         Drew got on the next bus destined for Ohio, as soon as he was out of the hospital. He wanted to get back to Winton as soon as he could. As soon as he got off the bus station, Drew went over to the pay phone and entered the number for his house. Drew heard the phone ring a few times before the answering machine picked up and the recorded introduction played. Drew spoke as soon the beep sounded.


         “Hello, everyone. I called to let you know that I’m all right. I’m sure the news made you worry about me. Anyway, I left a little early and I’m waiting at the Winton bus station. I’ll wait here until you can come and get me. See you later.” He hung up the receiver and sat down on one of the benches out front.


         Fifteen minutes later, a Lightspeed van with his father behind the wheel pulled up to the buses station and stopped in front of Drew on the bench. Drew smiled, stood up and picked up his luggage, walking toward the van.


         “Hey sport, nice tan.” His father yelled out to him through the window. “How’s the new hero of the world doing?”


         “Fine, Dad.” Drew told him. He went to the opposite side of the vehicle and leaned into the passenger-side window, kissing his mother on the cheek, before opening the back door and being greeted by his two younger siblings. Sally jumped up and latched herself around his neck while Harry hugged his waist. “Hey guys, I missed you.”


         “Okay, you two,” Drew's father, Isaac, told the twins. “Let Drew put his things in the back so we can get going.”


         The twins released their hold on their older brother and climbed back into the car. Drew just continued to smile as he opened up the trunk and placed his luggage inside. He closed the trunk and climbed in between the two twins.


         “I’m probably the talk of the town, aren’t I?” Drew asked his family as they pulled out into the road.


         Isaac laughed. “You’d better believe it.” Then, he frowned. “Son, we’re proud of what you did. But, you scared all of us when we saw you on the news. Just don't go off thinking yourself invincible. Just remember that you can be killed and don’t start any fights.”


         “I know Dad,” Drew said with a roll of his eyes. “I’ll be careful.”


         After the whole carload spent a minute in a silent, serious mood, Drew’s mother, Jennifer, smiled back at Drew. “So, you got to meet the legend himself, did you?” She asked him, referring to none other than Mr. Colossal.


         “Yes, Mom. He was very nice.”


         “It’s a shame he’s retiring.” His father said. “I hope he wasn’t meaning for you to take his place.”


         Drew didn’t respond to the statement his father made. “So how have things been around here while I was gone?”


         “Same old boring town.” His father told him with a smile. “Except for last night. I don’t think anyone in the town slept at all after that news report.”


         Drew winced. “I hope everyone wasn’t too worried me. I mean, you didn’t know it was me until we both came out of the building, did you?”


         Jennifer shook her head. “No, but we were worried about the nuclear bomb, remember?”


         “Yeah, I suppose you would worry about that, wouldn’t you?” Drew observed, with an embarrassed smile.


         That’s when he noticed that all his friends and neighbors were standing in the family’s front yard. They cheered as they caught sight of him in the car.


         He climbed out of the car, dumbfounded by the crowd. The first to greet him, of course, was his fiancée, Julie Jackson. She suffocated him when she wrapped her arms tightly around him, threatening to break his ribs anew, and then kissed him fiercely.


         When she let him breathe again, breaking the kiss, she glared at him. “You scared me to death!” She yelled at him, yet somehow with affection. “Where did you get that tan?”


         Drew smiled sheepishly. “I guess I’ll have to plan my trips after terrorists season.” He joked. That caused several in the crowd to chuckle. Julie, however, was not amused. Drew sighed. “Relax, Julie. I don’t plan on dying until a long time after we’re married.” He kissed her softly before a hand placed itself on his shoulder.


         He looked over his shoulder to see his mother, with a disapproving look on her face. “Cool it, happy couple.” She warned them. “The honeymoon won’t happen for at least three more years.”


         Drew nodded his understanding. Wrapping his arm around Julie, he began walking through the crowd, saying hello to each one of them. As they got to the porch, he turned back to face the mass of people.


         “Hey Drew, are you going to take Mr. Colossal place, now that he’s retired?” Mrs. Anderson asked. There was humor in her voice, but there was also curiosity.


         Drew shook his head. “No.” He told the crowd. “I have everything I want right here in Winton. I’m not going to put myself in unnecessary danger.”


         “It’s almost sorry to hear that, Drew.” Old man Green told him. “The way Mr. Colossal talked, you were perfect for the job.”


         “Yes.” Drew said. “I felt honored that he wanted me to fill his shoes. But, I couldn’t give up life like this.” He gestured toward the crowd. They all clapped at his words.


         “You’ll always be a hero around here, Drew.” Someone yelled out.


         Drew smiled. “Thanks. Now let’s party!” He yelled out.








2





         The party lasted all night at the Newton’s house. The Newton family didn’t really care because they were happy that their son was back. Drew had begun the evening by telling the large group what happened to him on his trip (excluding his foiling the bomb, meeting Andrea, and learning how to use energy).


         By morning, the neighborhood was basically dead, due to the fact that many of the adults and younger children were in bed. Only the teenagers and young adults were up and active, messing around in the park since the stores were all closed.


         Drew was just standing around with Julie and his two other friends, Justin Bell and his girlfriend, Brittany Smith. They were talking about what the other three had been doing while Drew was gone.


         “Well, I used the past couple of days to invent a pair of relatively weightless mechanical wings.” Justin, the genius, told him. “I didn’t get to try them out yet, though. Brittany and my parents kept nagging me to do something else, so I went to my fencing classes with her.”


         Brittany slapped him lightly on the shoulder. “Is it to much to ask you to spend time with your girlfriend?” She asked him sternly.


         “Of course not, dear.” He replied before kissing her on the cheek.


         “Well, anyway,” Brittany continued. “That’s basically what I’ve been doing these past few days - getting Mega-nerd here to do something besides work. Before that, I just practiced my accuracy with the laser gun a little.”


         Drew looked questioningly at Julie, while he hugged his arms around her waist. “I just spent some time with my other boyfriend.” She said, jokingly. She giggled as Drew glared at her statement. “I kept busy cleaning around my parents house and going to my martial arts class at the dojo. I also babysat the twins for your parents.” She told him.


         “They weren’t to much trouble, were they?” Drew asked.


         “About as much trouble as you.” She told him, still in a humorous mood. She gasped and broke into laughter as Drew tickled her ribs. She managed to break free of his torturous fingers and continued. “Actually, they were perfect angels.” She said seriously.


         “Now I know you’re lying.” Drew told her as he began to advance toward her. He was stopped by Justin’s hand grabbing his shoulder. He looked back at Justin questionably. He noticed that his friend’s serious gaze was somewhere else. Drew followed his friend’s gaze to the sight of a police cruiser pulling up to the park parking lot in the now mid-afternoon.


         The two police officers got out of car and approached him. “Is there anything I can help you with, officers?” Drew asked politely.


         “Are you Drew Newton?” Asked the officer who had been driving.


         “Yes.” Drew answered, curious as to why they’d ask.


         “Could you come with us, please?” Asked the second officer. He gestured to the police car.


         “Yes, certainly.” Drew’s answer was one of worry and confusion. He looked back at his friends, walked to the police car and got in the back. The police officers got back in up front and drove off.








3





         Drew’s worry and confusion increased as the cruiser turned down his street and then stopped in front of his house. He saw all his friends and neighbors gathered outside his house, grieving in various ways. Drew went numb as he realized what had happened. The coroner being present made it no less evident.


         Drew tried to rip the door to the car open but there was no latch in the back. The officer that had sat in front of him opened his door for him. He got out of cruiser and stood still, unsure how to react.


         Julie Jackson and the other two jogged up minutes later. “Drew!” Julie ran toward him.


         Drew turned around and caught her in a hug.


         “Drew, I’m so sorry.” She said through tears.


         Drew felt a lump in his throat and swallowed. He had to know. Letting go of Julie, he ran toward the house, breaking the police tape, and ran inside.


         He collapsed to the floor immediately as he saw the horror scene. The red all around four familiar bodies in twisted positions was too much. The police and CSIs watched him struggle to stand up, and failing. Drew couldn’t hold onto himself anymore. His stomach emptied itself as his mind continued to replay the gruesome images.


         “What happened?” He asked the closest officer in a weak, sick voice. “Who was it?”


         “We have a mutant in custody who was near the scene and matched the description your neighbors gave.” The officer admitted. “He is now the prime suspect in this case.”


         Drew felt a gentle tap on his shoulder and he turned to see Winton’s police inspector.


         “I’m sorry to disturb you, young man; especially at this crucial time. However, I’ll need to ask you some questions.” He pulled a pen and his notepad.


         Drew nodded. “Go ahead.”


         “Do you know of anyone who would have any reason to hold a grudge against your family?”


         “No, sir. As far I knew, everyone generally got along with my family and me.”


         The inspector raised an eyebrow. “Generally?”


         “Well, we only had little disagreements with our neighbors, but nothing that would cause this type of motive.”


         “I see. I understand that you just got back from Los Angeles. How long ago did you leave for this trip?”


         “It was less than a week ago, sir.”


         “Did you notice any strange behavior, from anyone, before you left?”


         “No. Everything seemed normal around the neighborhood.”


         “Well, that will be it for now. Thank you for your cooperation.”


         “Of course.”


         “Talk to one of the officers about contacting family members. We’ll arrange for you to be taken care of.”


         “Thank you.” Drew said to the inspector. The inspector nodded and walked off.


         Drew finally managed to stand up again, and walked out of the house. He walked halfway out into his yard, when he caught sight of movement in the back of one of the cruisers. Drew found himself focusing in on a mutant with spikes all over their body.


         Drew felt the rest of his self-control snap. He clenched his hand into a fist until it bled. He felt himself burst into flames as he screamed in anger, causing his clothes the grass around him to vaporize. Everyone, including his friends watched in horror and astonishment as the teenager was on fire but didn’t burn. The mutant inside the police cruiser was horrified as the fire-kid glared at him with intense anger.


         Drew leaped forward and eventually ripped the back door off the car.


The police had pulled their guns out and had opened fire on Drew. Their barrage was useless; however, as the bullets melted before they could reach the intended target. Drew paid no attention to them.


         Reaching outside the flame that hugged him, Drew grabbed the medium size captive mutant with his arm and lifted him out of the car one-handed. “Why?” Drew yelled. His spit somehow made it past the flames and landed on the mutant’s face, scalding him due to the heat of the liquid. “Why did you kill them? What did they do to you?” All through the interrogation, the venom never left Drew’s voice.


         The mutant, who had been shaking violently, managed to calm down and answer him. “They didn’t do anything. I killed them to avenge what you did to those mutants in Los Angles. This is your fault.”


         Hearing the last sentence, Drew’s anger immediately left him, causing the flame to disappear as well. Fear and guilt occupied him as he stared up at the laughing mutant he was holding up. As the porcupine-man’s laugh registered to him, his anger reappeared for an instant as he threw the mutant back into the car.


         A police officer near Julie had, like the rest of his companions, had stopped firing when he realized that he wouldn’t penetrate the flame. Seeing that the boy’s shield was gone, he brought his gun up and aimed. Noticing what he was about to do, Julie acted quick and kicked the gun out of his hands just as he fired.


         Drew gasped as the bullet impacted his shoulder blade and burrowed inside his body. The pain caused Drew’s anger to resurface along with his fiery armor. He felt the bullet inside him melt and the superheated metal drip out of his wound and onto the ground. He turned around to glare at the officers behind him, watching as one pinned Julie to the ground.


         Drew let out a low, animal-like growl that caused all the officers to jump. “Back away from her.” He said in a dangerously low voice.


         The officers complied immediately, afraid of what he would do.


He then turned back to the police cruiser and picked up the door, fitting it to the frame of the car like a puzzle piece. Running his hand along the cracks that let the door open, he welded the door to the car frame and looked back at them.


         “Now, you have a job to do.” He told them in calm voice. “I’ll let you finish it.” He extinguished the flames around him, knowing they wouldn’t try to attack him again, and looked at Julie with placid, loving eyes.


         He supposed he couldn’t blame her for what he saw in her eyes - fear. He could see it on the faces of Justin and Brittany. They all feared him now, and that hurt him more than any bullet could.


         Drew went to grab a lab coat that someone had placed on the back of the police cruiser, when he stopped cold and looked at outstretched limb. He stared  in astonishment at the blue reptilian scales that covered his arm and the claws that had replaced his fingernails. His mind finally registered that his vision was different as he looked over his transformed body. 'Oh god, it wasn't my imagination.' He realized. 'No wonder they're terrified.'


         He closed his eyes for a few seconds to calm himself, but when he opened them again his vision was normal. He could see his skin shift from scales to human skin once again. 'At least the transformation seems to go away at will.' He slipped the coat over his body and looked back to his friends.


         The fear in his friends eyes didn’t disappear, but Drew was glad to see it lessen when they heard his friendly tone.“Shall we go, guys? I think I need to explain some things to you.”








4





         “So Drew,” Justin said nervously. “What do you want to talk about with us?”


         They kept their distance from him, which hurt Drew like no other wound could.


         “How did you do that, Drew?” Brittany Smith asked.


         “Guys, I’m haven’t told everyone the whole story.” He confessed. “When the nuclear bomb was dropped, I was in the ally it fell into. As the explosion occurred, I felt heat pour into me, my body absorbing as much of the explosion as it could. The force from the remaining explosion threw me back, causing me to slide for several feet, my back being ripped up due to the friction. At first, I managed to move on my own, moving away the devastation despite the raw flesh that had replaced my back. However, I soon collapsed; my energy spent. That’s when, I found myself being picked up by someone of gigantic stature before I passed out.”


         Drew paused, sighing. “When I woke up, I found myself in the hospital, my back being treated with the usual QuickHeal bandages. But who should visit me, but Mr. Colossal?” His friends, who had been paying close attention before, now had their attention focused solely on what he had to say.


         “You’re telling us that Mr. Colossal actually came to visit you in the hospital?” Julie asked, not believing what she was hearing.


         Drew nodded. “He was the one who had brought me to the hospital. He told me that he was impressed but what I had done. He wanted me to be his apprentice. I respectfully declined, but he offered to teach me a few tricks. I accepted his offer to learn and met him up on the hospital roof some minutes later. It was there that he showed me how to use my energy externally.”


         Drew brought a marble sized ball of energy into his right palm to show his friends. His friends watched with interest as he made it dance around, just above his palm.


         “Could it be possible?” Justin wondered. "I’m wondering if the explosion could have somehow activated premature DNA that would have originally only been activated in his children.”


         “No. Mr. Colossal said that anyone could use energy.” Drew said. “Anyway, I’m going to go to him now and take him up on his offer.”


         Justin looked worried. “Drew, be reasonable. You may have new, awakened powers, but you need to remember that this is the real world. You can very easily be killed or kill someone else. There is a high chance that you’ll be hated, by the criminals and innocent alike.”


         “I don’t care!” Drew yelled. “I don’t know why, but deep down, I know I have to do this; no matter what the consequences are.”


         “I’ll join you, Love, but I don’t know how this is going to work if you’re going back to Los Angeles.” Julie told him.


         “We’ll work something out.” A loud, booming voice said. The group looked in the direction it had come. They found the owner to be a man of large build and long, blond hair.


         Drew looked surprised and confused. “Mr. Colossal, what are you doing here?”


         The others kept silent in confusion, watching the stranger’s reaction. He gave them all a warm smile as he replied to Drew. “I told everyone that I was retiring. I decided that a small town in Ohio would be a good place to go. Of course, I wanted to keep an eye on you.” He frowned suddenly. “I just heard what happened, Drew; Both events. I’m sorry about what happened to your family. We shouldn’t have gone out the front.”


         Drew shook his head. “It’s not our fault. The building was surrounded by news crews and citizens. Someone would have found out who I was, anyway.”


         The man nodded, sadly. “I also got to hear about the human pyrotechnics display.” He told Drew. He sounded slightly angry.


         Drew winced. “That seems to be costing me everyone’s trust.”


         “I’m just a little disappointed.” The huge blond told him. “However, I will overlook it due to the circumstances. You’ll have to work on that temper of yours, though.” He laughed. “You shook the murderer up pretty bad. From what I’ve heard, the mutant soiled himself during your confrontation with him.”


         “Sir,” Drew addressed the man seriously. “I would like for you to train me, so that I may become a hero like you. If your offer is still open, please accept me as your student.”


         “You are doing this for revenge now, I know.” The hero told Drew accompanied with a glare. “But, I know that when the time comes, you will do the right thing for the world. Therefore, I will train you.”


         “Then I shall join you, too.” Justin said. “If Mr. Colossal will accept me.”


         “Likewise.” Brittany said.


         “Thank you, guys.” Drew said. “I appreciate your support.”


         “I shall train you all.” Mr. Colossal told them. His vision suddenly focused on Julie. “Especially you, young lady.”


         “Why me?” She asked with a mixture of fear and confusion.


         “Because you will have to fill a very important role and the time to prepare you is short. I must inform all of you that should you chose to go through with this, you will be giving up your current lives; your families, other friends, no personal lives except for sleeping, eating, facilities, and whatever recreation you can find time for. Are you still willing to go through with this?” He asked them.


         All of them except Drew looked hesitant and stayed silent. Mr. Colossal had brought out a valid point. Were they willing to leave their entire lives to fight for a cause half-heartedly?


         Even Julie was very hesitant about the choice. ‘I love Drew, but to go with him and leave behind my family, can I do it with no regrets?’ Julie then realized that without the rest of them, Drew would basically be alone. ‘I will miss Mom and Dad, but I do plan on eventually living out my life with Drew. I may even die before we marry, but at least I’ll be by his side, and he by mine.’


         “I understand.” Julie told Mr. Colossal. At that, she walked over to Drew and laid her head on his shoulder.


         “Are you sure?” Drew asked her, concerned.


         “I plan to be with you; always.” She told him.


         “I understand, as well.” Justin said. “I’m going to have to watch their back to keep them safe.”


         “Then we’ll all go.” Brittany told them. “I may be saying goodbye to my dad and siblings, but at least I’ll be with you three.”


         Mr. Colossal nodded. “Then we shall leave tomorrow, early in the morning. I shall give you all tonight to say farewell to your families and to sleep in your beds one last time.” He looked at the four, then looked harder at Justin, as if seeing him for the first time. “Well, I never expected to see you here.” He told the boy.


         Justin nodded. “So you do know who I am?” Justin asked.


         “Not until now.” Mr. Colossal admitted. “You've done well with hiding yourself these past few years.”


         “What's he talking about, Justin?” Brittany asked him.


         “I'm the one everyone has nicknamed the Underground Scientist for the past five years.” Justin confessed to his friends.


         “The Underground Scientist.” Drew repeated. “But the media always portrays him as some crackpot who occasionally designs new technology for Earth.”


         “They do that because that's how the so-called scientific community views me.” He spat bitterly. “They are the reason I became anonymous and hidden.”


         “Justin is actually the smartest human recorded,” Mr. Colossal informed them. “The IQ test had to be revised to accurately measure his intelligence.”


         Justin scoffed. “That's an understatement – by the time I was eight I had already added to theories such as Relativity and disapproved several others, especially those of my much older colleagues. That fact and also the fact that I openly acknowledged my belief in God, means that they hate me. They tried to reason that the appearance of mutants in the years since the World Massacre proved Evolution, but mutation doesn't prove anything but mankind's cruelty and ignorance. They make me look foolish so they can feel smart.”


         “I find all of this a little hard to believe.” Drew told him. “Are you joking? I mean, I know you're the smartest kid in the state but I don't know if I can see you as the smartest human alive.”


         “Think about it, Drew,” Julie reasoned. “He moved here the same time the Underground Scientist started being mentioned, his family is rich because of him  and he's always inventing things.”


         “So then that android design I help you with back then was for a patent?” Drew asked.


         Justin nodded. “It was. I had a friend in the business at the time but nothing ever became of it.”


         “I'll meet all of you in the morning if you're still interested. Now, if you would please excuse me.”


         “Thank you, Mr. Colossal.” Brittany said in appreciation.


         “Please,” He told them. “Mr. Colossal is no more. Call me Phil, Phil Serrings. It was the name I had before the war. Good night, Children.” With that, The resurrected man known as Phil Serrings walked off into the night.


         “Come on, Drew.” Justin said soberly. “You can stay with me at my house tonight.”











5





         The door to her parent’s house flew open the instant she stepped into the front yard. Her mother, a large-built,tan woman, ran out and latched her arms around her daughter. Her father, who was a bit on the chunky side and some moderate muscles, hugged them both in a firm hold. Both of them had remains of extreme fear and worry still on their faces.


         “Are you all right?” Julie’s mother asked, tears of relief already streaming down her chubby face. “We heard everything that happened at the Newton residence. Did he hurt you? Did that deceitful creature hurt you or anyone else?”


         Julie, unfortunately, knew that she meant Drew. Her parents had always liked Drew when they thought he was normal. But her parents were also prejudice against anything that was abnormal, as they put it, which they now considered Drew after hearing about the earlier events. They would never approve of her marrying Drew now, that much she knew.


         Julie shook her head, a little firmer than she meant to. “No, mother, Drew didn’t hurt anyone. He just overreacted, that’s all. Under the circumstances, I don’t completely blame him. I would have done the same.”


         “As of this moment, you are to cease all interaction with that creature.” Julie’s father demanded.


         “Mr. Colossal has made that creature his apprentice.” Julie informed them in a tone that was like a sharp sword.


         Her father’s callused hand came up fast and slammed into her cheek with such force that tears came to Julie’s eyes. She stared at him in shock as he spoke. “Don’t you dare sully that hero’s name like that!” He screamed at her.


         “I’m leaving.” She said softly; so softly that she was surprised it had been spoken at all. She felt her mother stiffen at the words while her father’s face changed from anger to concern.


         “What?” He asked, confused.


         “I’m leaving tomorrow.” she explained to them, in her normal volume. “Drew, Justin, Brittany and I; we’re all leaving to train with Mr. Colossal.”


         “Stop your lying!” Her father yelled with renewed anger.


         But Julie continued on. “I’ve given up this life to help Drew and the others. Tomorrow I cease being your daughter and start a new life. I’ve made a choice on how to live my life and I will stick to it.”


         “Even if it means death?” Julie’s father asked in a serious and slightly enraged tone.


         Julie looked her father straight in the eye and spoken the words that she never had to hesitate in saying. “Yes. If it comes down to it, I will give my life for those I hold dearest to my heart and even those that I don’t.” With that said she turned away and walked into the house.


         She went to her room and closed the door before she sat on her bed. Minutes later, a mild duo of knocks contacted her bedroom door. She glanced at it as if she was trying to see through the door. After a moment, she granted entrance to her living quarters.


         The door opened to the form of her father. He wore a face that said that he didn’t know he felt, but when he spoke she heard the concern in his voice. As he started to speak he moved out of the doorway and toward her, also letting her mother into the room. He sat on her bed next to her, putting his arm around in the warm fatherly manner that she remembered from younger years not too far behind.


         “Julie.” He spoke tenderly. “Tell us that what you said is either the truth or a joke. We don’t like the idea that your words are one or the other, but your mother and I will feel better if what you said wasn’t a lie.” He told her. “We don’t want you and Drew to run off and join a gang or have anything worse happen to you.”


         “It’s true, what I said before. And I am still going through with it, even though we have to say goodbye forever.”


         “Why?” Her mother cried. “Why must you leave? What good reason could you have for abandoning your family?” Both her mother’s face and voice displayed the savage pain and anger she had. “What? Your friends? Your boyfriend? Those are not any excuses for leaving us. Tell me why.”


         Julie was falling to pieces inside, but she somehow kept her composure as she answered her matriarch. “Drew and the others are one of the reasons, and I won’t deny or admit that they are the main reason.” Julie said. “But I feel that this is what I want to do with my life and that I must do this.”


         Julie’s mother, still hysterical, began to howl sardonic laughter. “So it’s fate, then; or do you prefer destiny. Destiny has called on you to leave your former life and your family to just die in a battle with bank robbers. How heroic!” She spat out acidly.


         Julie waited patiently until her mother was calmer to speak. “It’s not fate or destiny.” She told her parents. “It’s my nature. I don’t know why but I feel that I must help people, to make things right. I must do this.” She began to cry despite her best efforts. “Please, can’t we stop this. I don’t want our last night as a family to end like this. Let’s make this time as sweet as we can. I already guilty because saying goodbye and spending these last hours with family is a luxury that Drew does not have.”


         Mr. Jackson stood up and began to calm his wife from her irate state before responding in a sober and sad voice. “Your right, Julie. This is not how I want us to go either. Let’s salvage what we can of the rest of the day. You should pack for your departure, honey.” He told her.


         Julie shook her head. “I’ll do that tomorrow before I leave.” She told him. “Let’s do something fun together while the time remains. I don’t care what.” She looked at her mother hesitantly. “What would you suggest, Mom?”


         The woman began to laugh once again - this time a jolly and good-natured one. “We could have tea party and invite your stuffed animals and make-believe friends.” Mrs. Jackson jokingly suggested, referring to an old practice that Julie did as a little girl.


         Julie smiled at her mother, who was laughing too hard to notice. She really was going to miss them, she realized. Of course, she already knew that, long before this strange situation between her and her parents, but it still seemed to awaken in her mind, in a stronger realization.


         “Why don’t we go through the memory albums?” Mr. Jackson suggested seriously despite the small smile on his lips left by his wife's joke and present comical look.


         “Yes! That sounds great, Daddy!” Julie exclaimed.


         Julie’s father, more restrained than his wife, gave a hearty chuckle and left to get the albums.








6





         Brittany’s return home was quieter, in some respects, than Julie’s. The ambush from her family didn’t happen until she was in the house, thankfully, but that was also when the noisy part began. Her three younger and only siblings - a sister, a brother, and then another sister who was barely school age - began to inquire whether she was all right, all their questions jumbled together and themselves clamped onto her in tight embraces to where she couldn’t move.


         Fortunately for Brittany, Mr. Smith came in and persuaded the children to release their older sibling. When he got his three younger offspring to stand beside him, he smiled at his oldest. “Well, you seem like your okay.” He told her. Then, he looked at her seriously. “How do you feel?” He looked her in the eyes.


         “I’m fine, Dad.” Brittany told him, meeting his gaze directly.


         Mr. Smith nodded. “Good. Were you really there? You know what I’m talking about?”


         This time Brittany nodded, but she still spoke. “I was there. You’re referring to when Drew got angry.”


         “Yes, I was.” Mr. Smith responded. “But I want to hear directly from someone who was there instead of the rumors that probably aren’t true. As far as I’m concerned, Drew is still a dear friend to this family and until I hear FACTS that he is dangerous he will stay that way. I know you feel the same, dear. So, please tell me exactly what you saw, Brittany.” He motioned toward the living room and they headed into it.


         The two sat down and Brittany told her father what happened from her arrival to the scene and stopped when they headed back to the park. Her father listened intently, listening to her every word. When she was done, he nodded his head and sat forward in his chair.


         “Drew always did have a temper. With these powers he’s just shown that would make people nervous. Still, if Drew had wanted to hurt or kill someone, he probably could have. However, we all know that even when Drew is angry he would never hurt anyone without a just cause. This remains true; if he were to ever kill anyone, he would have done it then, to the mutant, but he didn’t.” Mr. Smith pointed out.


         “That must why Mr. Colossal still took him as his apprentice.” Brittany muttered, not even aware she was doing it. “He already knew that.”


         “I beg your pardon.” Mr. Smith said shrewdly. “Did you say something, honey?”


         Brittany finally realized what she had done. “Yes.” She admitted with a blush of embarrassment. She’d have to tell him after this anyway, but she wanted to know what her father now thought of Drew. “What did you decide, dad?”


          “More or less he’s still the same Drew and he is not a threat to this family. He will continue to be welcomed here, unhindered by doubt, and still the friend to this family as he always has been.” He said. “Now, what was it that you said?”


         Brittany sighed and picked up her story where she had left off, leaving out the details of what Drew had told them, and told her father of the group’s meeting with Mr. Colossal. Her father listened to this part too, this time with skepticism in his eyes but not complete distrust. When she was truly finished and he was sure, his lips pressed together tightly as he considered what she told him.


         “Early tomorrow?” He finally asked.


         “Yes.” She confirmed.


         He spoke in a calm voice. “It’ll break the children’s hearts when you leave, and mine. I don’t fancy the idea, that’s for sure. I’d always imagined giving you away at your wedding and as an adult at least the age of eighteen. Instead, I’ll be giving you away years before that age and to a deadly cause, no doubt. If you do decide go through with this or you don’t, just know that you're siblings and I love you.”


         “I know, Daddy. I know.” She hugged him and he hugged back, tears beginning to run down his face.


         ‘I always thought you were going to do or be something great, Brittany.’ Mr. Smith thought. ‘I just wish it wasn’t this.’











7





         Justin and Drew reached the Bell residence in a short time after they left the park. Drew didn’t speak and Justin knew he wasn’t going to be the one to try to pull him out of that state.


         Because Justin had no siblings and his parents were always rational, their arrival was quiet. Mrs. Bell stood out in the front door and watched the boys’ approach with patience. She hugged Drew when they reached her.


         “I so sorry, honey.” She told him while she still embraced him. “You can stay here as long as you like.” She told him after she let him go.


         “Thank you, Mrs. Bell.” Drew’s voice was sincere but distant. “But I’m afraid that this will be the only night.” He told the kind woman.


         She stepped aside to let them go through the doorway to the inside of the house and then closed the door when she went in last. “I hope you’ll join us for dinner.” She told Drew and gave him a sad smile. “I realize that you won’t be very hungry, but you need to eat just the same.”


         Drew slowly nodded that he understood. “I’ll join you and share in your hospitality.” Her told her in an even, emotionless voice. They followed her into the dining room where Mr. Bell was standing. He gave Drew a warm handshake. “We’re glad to see you’re well, son.” He told Drew. Then he soberly gestured toward the table. “Please sit down.”


         All of the Bells waited for Drew to take his seat before they themselves sat down and began to serve the food around. Drew was first, naturally, to be served and he either accepted or graciously declined a food.


         The table was quiet all through dinner as no one really had anything to say. The food was delicious, but Drew didn’t notice at all, even though he told Mrs. Bell later on that it was. He ate only for sustenance and not the flavor. He chewed and swallowed absently, while his mind was nowhere toward conscious or intelligent thought.


         As supper ended though, Justin cleared his throat, which caused his parent to shoot their attention at him. “We’re leaving tomorrow.” He told them, watching to see if they digested what he said. He found their eyes demanding him to explain. He continued. “Drew was offered the chance to take Mr. Colossal place and he’s accepted it. Julie, Brittany and I have offered to join him, all of us leaving behind our former lives. We leave tomorrow morning.”


         A moment of silence followed until Mr. Bell broke it. “You mean that you’ll stop being our son.” He said to Justin.


         “In a sense, yes.” Justin replied.


         Mr. Bell sighed. “We’ll miss you; all four of you. Still, you made a commitment and you’ve been given a privilege that billions would die for. I hope the best for you boys.” He told them.


         Mrs. Bell said nothing.








8





         Julie woke up in an unusual place that morning. It had been years - since she was seven, that she here. She had come here after every bad dream, every monster under the bed, and every severe storm. She was in her parents’ bed, under the sheets and covers and sleeping between her mother and father.


         It was still dark outside when she got out of bed, but she needed to sort through her things and pack what she could bring. Mr. Colossal didn’t give them a limit on what they could bring - actually the topic on whether they could bring things and how much never came up - but Julie knew she couldn’t take much or they couldn’t travel. So, she was going to pack light.


         She passed over most of keepsakes from her younger years, only choosing the few that were dearest to her heart. She picked out a couple changes of clothes and shoes, pictures of her parents and her friends. Her Hand Held Information Machine (HHIM), Portable Communication Unit (PCU), and other knick-knacks that she found important also went in her bag. She put them all in her book bag, slipped it on her back and turned to leave the room when an object was thrown at her. She caught it her hand and looked at who had thrown it.


         There, in the doorway, stood her parents staring at her with sad smiles. “We made a copy of the memory albums for you.” Her father told her, pointing to the object she now held in her hand.


         “Thank you.” She said, dazed.


         “Let’s get going.” Her mother told her. “I want to see you off to your new life.” She lied.


         Julie nodded and stepped out of her room that she would never see again.








9





         Drew, Justin, and the rest of the Bell family were the first to arrive in the park. They even seemed to have arrived before Mr. Colossal. The sun had just cleared the horizon in the morning sky when the Smith family came into view of the Bells and Drew and not too far behind were the Jackson family. When the group of parents and offspring came, no more than five feet from each other, Mr. Colossal appeared out of nowhere and flew down to meet the gathering. Drew saw that despite what he had said, Phil Serrings did put on that heroic wardrobe, at least for this.


         Those of the group who had not met Mr. Colossal yesterday stood in awe of him this morning. The masked man of tremendous mass gave everyone in the group a serious, but not unkind, look.


         “Good morning to you, good folks.” He greeted the adults. “Your children have no doubt informed you of the situation. I can assure you that your children are in good hands, and they will turn out to be people of great importance. In fact, I have no doubt that they will accomplish much more than I have done, which is little compared to what still needs to be accomplished. I apologize for the sorrow all of you no doubt feel, but let me assure you that it was their decision alone to join me as apprentices.”


         He held up a set of three data disks, which had been in his hand since the beginning of the meeting. “I have made three copies of a list which explain what happened to your children - all false, of course, and in-depth - which I would like you to go over and choose ONE to tell people. Tell NO ONE who is not here what really happened or where he or she is. You could jeopardize their safety and their very lives by doing so.” He explained solemnly.


         He handed the disk to an adult in each family and then he addressed his team of teenagers. “Are you all ready to go?” He asked them, really in no hurry to tear these families apart.


         Drew stepped forward and stood next to Mr. Colossal. Julie could see that of the four of them, he was the only one with no had no belongings with him. Justin took a step forward when she stopped him.


         “Wait.” She pleaded Mr. Colossal. He gestured her to continue on. She took off her book bag of belongings and sat it on the ground before walking over to Drew. She took one of his hand into both of hers and looked at him. “Shall we go get some of your things?” She asked him, hopefully.


         “I don’t want to go back in there.” He told her with an edge of anger and sadness in his voice.


         “I’ll go in.” She compromised. “Just stand by the window and tell me what you want to bring.” She requested. She thought he was about to say no, but he nodded after a moment of hesitation.


         Drew started walking away with Julie beside him. He looked back to the group that was behind them now. “We’ll be back soon.” He told them.


         An hour later, the couple returned to the park, Drew now having his school bag of belongings. He looked at Mr. Colossal, Justin Bell, and Brittany nodding his head. “Now I’m ready.” He said, the he looked at Julie and put his arm around her. “We’re ready.” He corrected. He had the ghost of a smile on his lips.


         He let go of Julie and she walked back to her parents. Tears began to fall as she came closer to her parents. When she reached them, the family of three was all in tears and they threw themselves into a firm hug.


         “Goodbye, Mom and Dad.” She sobbed as she pulled out of the hug. She didn’t look at them again. Instead, She knelt and picked up her bag, putting the straps against her shoulders and letting the bags weight fall on her back. Finally, She looked to the four who were her future and nodded her head, telling them that she was ready.


         “Take care of my daughter, do you hear me?” Mr. Jackson yelled to Drew.


         Drew nodded, not feeling the need to say anything.


         “Drew.” Mr. Colossal addressed him. Drew looked at the hero immediately. “You take Julie. I’ll take Justin and Brittany. Follow me."


         Drew nodded in understanding after half a minute.


         Julie looked at Drew, puzzled. “What is he talking about, Drew?” She asked.


         Drew smiled mischievously. “Put your arms around me and hold tight.” That was all he told her.


         She did as he requested and let out a gasp as she felt them leave the ground. She grasped Drew tighter, as she could and looked at him in amazement. “Drew, how can you do this?” She asked him.


         “It’s something I learned from Mr. Colossal a couple of days ago.” He explained, now following Mr. Colossal. “You’ll soon be able to this, as well.” He told her.


         On that day in 2048, four children from Winton, Ohio ceased to exist, replaced by young heroes who were still in training, but they were already changing the universe.