The Four Year Old Super Chapter 2

“You look like ahstronauts”, murmured Billy as the ambulance doors swung shut behind the team of EMT's clad head to toe in dull blue hazmat suits. “You like astronauts Billy?”, asked one of the EMT's as she leaned in with a stethoscope. “They're awesome! Hey that tickles!”, giggled Billy, squirming away from the cold touch of the stethoscope against his chest. Metal groaned as the restraints struggled to keep Billy contained to the ambulance stretcher. Boris, indistinguishable from the EMT's in a hazmat suit of his own, shuffled forward when he saw the EMT jump noticeably in surprise. “Hey, its okay if I sit with Billy, right? He fidgets sometimes.”, he said as he moved from the chair closest to the door to a seat by Billy's head. The EMT, who Boris guessed was a woman in her late twenties, nodded curtly, waiting for him to calm Billy down so she could resume.

“Hey Plumber”, he said as he ran a gloved hand through Billy's hair. “Hi Dad! Where's Mom and Gloria?”, Billy asked, beaming up at his father, his face still streaked with gristle and viscous gunk. The EMT had now recorded his heart rate and was moving in with a thermometer. “Say 'ahhhh' Bill”, Boris said, gesturing to the thermometer in the EMT's hand. Billy complied immediately, staying absolutely still as the EMT placed the thermometer carefully on his tongue. “They're in the car, right behind us.”, Boris said, hoping Billy wouldn’t snap the temperature sensitive end of the thermometer in his mouth in half. Fortunately Billy was content to simply nod and let the EMT's carry on around him. Boris leaned back, his hand still hovering protectively over Billy's headrest, and sighed. Today had been...another very long day. What had started out as a family outing to the zoo had turned into a scene from a dungeon crawler, complete with mysterious gas and monsters. He still couldn't believe how careless they'd been, handing over the responsibility of watching Billy to Gloria, their seven year old daughter. What would they have done if Billy had gotten Gloria hurt? Or any of the parents and children, out for a day of sunshine and fun? Guilt and panic flared up at this thought, reddening his ears. Now the involvement of the Agency was all but an inevitability.

“Sir?” Another blue astronaut, this time with a syringe and a voice a few octaves lower. “We're going to be taking a blood sample, to check for any viruses he may have picked up in the anaconda exhibit. Can you…?”

“Yeah, yeah of course”, Boris said. “Hey Plumber...they're going to need to get some blood from you. You're gonna be tough right?”

The boy nodded resolutely, his brow furrowed in his best tough-guy frown. Boris smiled, though he doubted Billy could see it. The needle closed in on Billys arm, alighting on the soft skin inbetween his upper bicep and lower forearm. Billy winced, ever so slightly, as it slipped in… and stopped, less than millimeter into his arm. The EMT paused, glancing first at Boris and then at another EMT. “You need the K62 nullifying syringes, Dan!”, barked another EMT, crossly. The syringe-wielding EMT promptly swapped the syringe in his hand for another near identical syringe taken from an overhead compartment. “Hey, what just happened?”, Boris asked, peering suspiciously at this new syringe. “His body hardened in response to the needle.”, the EMT replied, dabbing at the punctured region with a cotton swab. “It seems your sons skin and muscle tissue become denser in response to physical trauma, or at least the threat of it.”, he said as he pressed the new needle into Billy's skin. “Probably a secondary manifestation of his abilities….so we're going to need this needle”, he continued, sliding it effortlessly into Billy's skin, “to momentarily nullify the actions of the K62 cells in that region. There we go...”. Billy's eyes widened as he watched the syringe fill up with his blood, but he didn't move a muscle. “Thank you, Billy!”, the EMT said cheerily, before hustling off to store the blood sample away. “You okay plumber?”, Boris asked, squeezing his sons arm reassuringly. “I'm okay Dad”, said Billy, a bit faintly. “There's nothing to worry about, sir”, an EMT chimed in. “Experiencing some degree of mild nausea shortly after a patients first K62 suppression shot is pretty common. It's like a muscle relaxer, but for extradimensional abilities. How d'you feel Billy?”

“Tired...”, the boy said, his eyelids drooping

“Okay. Go ahead and get some rest Billy.”, the EMT replied, and then turned to his father, peering anxiously over the rails of Billy's stretcher. “We'll be at the hospital soon, Mr. Blake. Now, there'll be some forms you'll need to sign off on, just for some tests we'd like to run at the hospital to check for any signs of internal bleeding or infection.” The ambulance slowed and turned right, gliding up what felt like a winding driveway leading up to an entrance. The EMT's on either side of the stretcher prepared to hustle Billy out of the ambulance and into the hospital. “I am also required by both the State of Illinois' laws and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital's policies to inform you that the Federal Agency of Metahuman Activities has been notified.” Boris' mouth went dry at these words, and his thoughts went dark. The EMT noted his discomfort and continued in a more soothing voice. “An agent will come by for a completely routine visit, purely in the interest of keeping your family safe. Its whats best for everyone involved.”


“Good afternoon, Mrs. Blake”. Boris' jumped, startled by the officious voice addressing his wife from the doorway of Billy's hospital room.. The man shaking his wifes hand was large, the kind of man whose tailored suit was a necessity and not a simple luxury. His hair was buzzed short, and his brow was heavy and badger-like. He flashed Boris a tight smile as he stepped forward to introduce himself, his eyes fixed unflinchingly on his. “My name is Dai Sarutahiko, of the Federal Agency of Metahuman Activities.”, he said, holding his badge up at eye level for the benefit of both parents. Gloria murmured from her place in the small concave chair the hospital had provided for the family to relax in, a small figure asleep under Janice's coat.

“Hi Mum!”, exclaimed Billy, his voice trailing off into a yawn as he leaned over to have a look at the stranger in the doorway. He stared at Mr. Sarutahiko with a drowsy curiosity, thoroughly untroubled by his presence. “Hey sweetie...” Janice said, flashing the large agent an apologetic half-smile as she slipped over to Billy's side and planted a gentle kiss on his brow. Mr. Sarutahiko offered Billy a cursory nod as the boy sat up. “Perhaps we should discuss this in another room...”, Boris offered, gesturing towards the hallway outside.

“Hm.”, was all Mr. Sarutahiko had to say on the matter before he led the way outside. Janice gave Boris a gentle nod, mouthing, “Be right there” as he left with the agent. They walked for down the corridor and turned into a small lobby area where two chairs stood in between a potted plant. A soda machine hummed nearby. Boris sat, watching with uneasy amusement as Mr. Sarutahiko paused to gauge the width of the chair before squeezing his bulk in the space between the armrests. “My wife'll be with us shortly.” Boris said as Mr. Sarutahiko turned to him to speak. The agent rumbled, clearly irritated by the delay. Boris was almost tempted into small talk whilst they waited, but he didn't quite trust his twisting guts enough. He felt nauseous just sitting by the man.

“I left Billy with a nurse, he should be fine.”, Janice said breathlessly as she rounded the corner. Mr. Sarutahiko simply exhaled, his lips pursed grimly under the jet black whiskers of his mustache.

“So...”, Boris asked, turning to the taciturn Agent

“I have come, as a representative of the Agency, to discuss the unusual circumstance of your son's exceedingly early Activation.”, Mr. Sarutahiko said, glancing first at Janice and then Boris, as if to make sure he had their attention. What he saw on their faces must have satisfied him, for he gave another of his peculiar half nods and continued. “As you well know, Activations below the age of 13 are exceedingly rare. Since the Encounter in 1967 there have only been 16 cases of prepubescent Activations, worldwide, that we know of. And of those 16,” he said, turning his gaze upon Boris, “only 5 were listed as potential dangers to the individual and society. Your sons is the 6th.”

The words settled on both parents like a fine frost as visions of Agents leading Billy away to a shadowy government facility darkened their thoughts. The Agent continued, his voice even and measured, “In order to minimize the risk of future incidents, we need to start his Instruction now. He is very young, but we are confident...”

“No.”, said Janice, “Absolutely not.”

“You need to understand...”, Mr. Sarutahiko began, but was promptly cut off

“What you need to understand is that I will not hand over my four year old son to a government Agency that has anything to do with those….those human weapons!”, Janice barked, her voice echoing in the hallway and turning a few passing heads. Boris rose and took to his wife's side, taking her fist in his palm. She shot him a sharp birdlike glance before turning back to Mr. Sarutahiko, her upper lip quivering with anger. Through her strength flowed, calming the churning in his stomach. He found his voice again.

“We have no intention of forcing your child into the Metahuman Defense Corps, or of teaching him to use his abilities to hurt others.”, Mr. Sarutahiko replied, as cool as she was flushed. “On the contrary, the vast majority of Activated individuals seek our Instruction to learn how to control their abilities, so they don't hurt anyone. Our main concern is to ensure Billy enjoys a normal childhood free of any accidents that might lead to psychological trauma and further damage to public property down the line.” He paused, exhaled noisily and continued, “To this end the both of you play a vital role in Billy's instruction. We need to teach him how to use his abilities responsibly, but we also want to ensure he has you two for support. Seeing the both of you being as invested in his Instruction as we are will go a long way towards giving him the confidence and peace of mind he needs to learn how to deal with his powers.”

“That's very well said and all, but my wife is right; How do we know you won't try to recruit him later? You said it yourself...his ability, this gift that he has, it's powerful. Don't try and tell me your bosses didn't sit up and take notice.”, Boris said, relieved to feel his wife's fist relax into a firm supportive grip that wrapped itself around his fingers.

“Mr. Blake...Mrs. Blake”, Mr. Sarutahiko said, his voice low and sincere, “you have my word, as the father of three beautiful children of my own, and as an Agent of the State of Illinois' Agency of Metahuman Activities; we have only your family's very best interests in mind.”