text: Charlie sat on the annoyingly uncomfortable fancy sofa, failing to loosen his tie. “Carter, do you know why my mother drags me around to all of these gatherings?” He leaned his head back onto the couch and turned to look at Carter, his hired bodyguard, who was standing against the wall of the right side of the couch, keeping Charlie and the nearest door in his line of view the way he always did. “Still following the rules, huh? Y’know, I’m sure you’re a lovely, hilarious, person underneath all that brooding.” He paused, but Carter just blinked at him. “Why is that a rule, anyway? I mean, my mother is paying you to keep us safe, in my opinion she just needed someone else to babysit her untrustable son, but anyway, I basically just annoy you all day, so why don’t you get to annoy me? You should at least be allowed to tell me to shut up sometimes.” Carter did start to laugh at that, and Charlie got excited because he looked like he was finally going to break that rule and say something to him. “My goodness that took forever. So sorry to keep you waiting, boys.” His mother, the Lacy Charis, announced as she burst into the room. The tall woman paused in front of a mirror behind the couch to straighten her hair, and as Charlie stood up he muttered one more thing to his friendly body guard, “I am going to get you to talk one of these days. When do you think it’ll happen?” Carter just smiled back at him, “Shall we?” his mother called. Charlie hid his disappointment well, but not before letting out another defeated sigh. He stood up and walked around the couch to his mother’s side, failing to swat her hands away as she tried to fix his tie. Then, finally, she took his arm and they glided out the door together. Lacy never seemed to walk, she simply glided across the floor, letting her dress or skirt flit around her ankles like leaves in a gentle summer breeze. Carter walked behind them with his boss, Mr. Hartmann, silently watching the pair complain about the obligatory fancy luncheon they were hosting. Mr. Hartmann jabbed at him with an elbow. Focus! His eyes seemed to scream. The event wasn’t meant to be a big spectacle, simply a meeting of friends and investors, but there were too many significant people present for it to not be a public spectacle. There were cameras and reporters clogging the driveways, attempting to force their way through the crowds and police keeping them at bay. Carter kept his distance as he followed Charlie around the room, but as soon as he noticed the silhouette in the window he was sprinting to his side. Carter got to Charlie not a second too soon, as the boy began to turn to see what the problem was, the window where the silhouette was moments before was shattered, and debris flew inside like it had been shot from a gun. Carter pulled Charlie out of immediate danger, dragging him away from the fray before the initial screams had stopped. It didn’t take long for Charlie to follow without question, he knew it would be better for everyone if he did. As they rushed down the hallway, another explosion rang out, knocking them both to the ground. Carter recovered first, being used to similar situations, and carefully pulled Charlie with him in a swift change of direction. Instead of heading towards the “panic room,” or as Charlie liked to refer to it, the “oh shit room,” they darted for the garage. They avoided another explosion father down the hallway in a section they would have run through, and once they got to the garage Carter flung open the door to the least flashy and conspicuous vehicle in sight. He didn’t check for keys, and instead hot wired the car then and there. Charlie silently watched from the passenger seat, processing each of the events from moments ago, and the one currently happening. It wasn’t until Carter started driving that either one of them spoke. “What... the... FUCK!” Charlie exclaimed, turning his head on Carter, who drove away from the mansion like it was his job, “Where the hell did you learn to do that?” The car is what he’s freaking out about? Dammit Charlie, someone just tried to blow you up! Repeatedly! Carter thought, “I can hot wire more than a car.” Was all he replied with for the time being. Charlie blinked in shock again, Carter’s voice was definitely not what he was expecting. He wasn’t what Charlie was expecting. It’s... kinda hot. He thought, looking straight out the windshield. “Not gonna ask about what just happened?” Carter cautiously asked, glancing at his passenger a few times. Charlie shook his head, “If you knew you would have let me get blown up.” Carter’s brow furrowed, “Well... not necessarily...” Charlie stared at him with a deadpan expression and Carter turned back to the road, pursing his lips. If I do tell him... Once they were a few miles away from the mansion and it was confirmed that they weren’t being followed, Carter let himself not drive like a crackhead. Charlie had leaned his seat back slightly and appeared to be trying to get some sleep. Smart. Carter thought. He drove them into the next town over, parking in the driveway of a small diner. “In the mood for lunch?” He asked. Charlie shrugged, “I could use some food.” He was getting his usual playful air back, but there was definitely more intensity his reactions to everything, as if he were analyzing everything that everyone did. Before they got out of the car looking too disheveled and recognizable as out-of-place, they took of their ties and sport coats, leaving them in the backseat and unbuttoning the top few buttons of their shirts at an attempt to look more natural. With an exchanged nod they got out of the car and walked inside, seating themselves in a small, two-person, booth. “So. What’s the plan?” Charlie asked calmly, picking up his menu a few inches off the table. Carter watched him for a second before responding, “Well we don’t really know what that whole ordeal was about, so I figured we could head to my buddy Nick's house. It’ll be safer to try and contact your mother from there, and no one will know where we’re going, so we can lay low for a little while if we have to.” Charlie nodded, “Sounds good.” “Hello, what can I get for you today?” the waitress politely asked when she walked up. “Small stack of pancakes and a glass of water, please.” Charlie smiled, handing her his menu. Carter did the same, and when the waitress walked away he began speaking again, “Charlie, there is something else you should know if you’re going to blindly trust me again.” “I’m not blindly trusting you,” Charlie replied, “but go on.” He swallowed, “I can manipulate certain forms of natural matter.” A moment of awkward silence passed, “There are others who can, too, and I’m pretty sure one or more of them just tried to kill one or both of us.” Charlie rubbed the back of his neck, “Okay... why do you say that? And can you give an example, or something?” Carter wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or not, “Uh, yeah sure.” He focused on his water glass, forcing warmth into the liquid it and causing it to steam. Then he drew the heat back out and let the glass condense. “Oh,” Charlie sat back, any and all of his doubts diminished, replaced with a large variety of other questions. Carter offered a weak smile, “I think it might be part of the reason you - we - were attacked. It’s kind of like an underground society that’s at war with itself. Those of us that know each other either get along or don’t, and sometimes conflicts arise.” “But?” “But I’ve never heard of anything quite like this before. It’s too risky, if someone discovers one of us then we’re all damned, and attacking with that many cameras around, on top of all the people who were there? I don’t know, something just seems off.” Carter responded. It made sense. There was no fire or gas or anything like that during the explosions, it was more like the debris was being expelled from its initial place by sheer force, which, Charlie realized, it was. “How long has this been a secret?” He asked. Carter looked nervous to respond to the question, “I don’t really know. I’m 26, and the oldest person I know with the ability is 40-something I think, so I guess at least 40 years.” “Uh-huh, and, um, what exactly is it that you and these other people can do?” “Oh, it’s actually pretty simple. We can control different natural elements on a molecular level. The most useful and therefore dangerous is earth, plants and shit, because you can use basic iron ore molecules to pick just about any important lock.” he explained, “The fire element is a little more complicated. Rather than being able to manipulate molecules, we can alter the heat levels, temperatures, of most things, excluding most inanimate solids. It’s what I can do.” Charlie nodded, then the waitress came back with their food and asked if they needed anything else with a very polite smile. Carter declined, watching Charlie’s body language as he thought about everything he had just been told. After all, it’s not every day your body guard comes out as a superhuman and reveals that you’re a potential target for other superhumans. Why did I tell him all of that? WHY DID I TELL HIM ALL OF THAT?! Carter thought, What happens if he decides I’m insane? How can I keep him safe then? Then it hit him, Oh no. I told him just about everything... they’ll want me to kill him! “Well, now that that’s been cleared up. Tell me something about you.” Charlie said, trying to change the subject. Carter narrowed his eyes suspiciously, “...Why?” “Well, you already know just about everything about me from following me around for two years. And you’re allowed to talk to me now.” Charlie replied. Carter blinked, “Maybe start with your first name, Mr. Logan .” Charlie tried, leaning forward playfully. He smiled, “Carter.” Charlie smiled back, God I love his smile. “Carter Logan? Huh, well Carter, tell me about yourself. Likes, dislikes, family. Anything.” His smile fell, “Ah, well, I was stuck in the system until I was 15, so there’s not much to say for family.” Charlie cringed, “Um... what else do you want to know?” “High school?” “_ public school for almost two years.” “Almost?” “Yeah, when I was almost 16 I may or may not have gone to juvy.” Charlie nodded once, raising both of his eyebrows, “ Oh. ” “I didn’t do anything bad, just pissed someone off enough to throw a punch, then pleaded guilty in court so I wouldn’t have to go back to another foster home.” Charlie nodded again, “That’s justified.” The next few minutes passed in intense awkward silence, until the bell at the door dinged as someone walked in. It was a relatively tall man wearing jeans and a flannel t-shirt. He had a small symbolic tattoo on the side his neck, just under the jaw line. “Shit.” Carter mumbled, “Keep your head down and don’t say anything.” He instructed. Charlie did as he was told, listening to the TV that the waitress turned up as the man walked by. “And now we will hear from Mr. Hartmann, the head of security at the Charis Luncheon.” The news reporter said, looking to the side while the cameras switched. “Thank you. Unfortunately, we were not able to defend against this attack because it was caused by several large external explosives. The only currently disclosable information we can offer is a casualty count. There has been 2 deaths and several injuries. The deaths include one of my employees, Carter Logan,” a photo of Carter was then displayed on screen next to Mr. Hartmann. “Welp, time to go.” Carter said, leaving a twenty on the table and beginning to stand up. Charlie followed suit, still carefully listening to the TV. “-died on duty and for that we are ever in his debt. Despite this loss Charles has disappeared from the scene, and our best assumption is that he was kidnapped by the unidentified attackers. The second death-” The door bell chimed as they rushed out. “So you’re dead now and I’m-” “Shit, shit, shit! Get in the car!” Carter interrupted him. Charlie jogged to the driver side with a mischievous smirk, yelling back when Carter paused, stunned. “Well get in the car!” There was barely time for Carter to close the door as they drove out of the parking lot. “Holy shit!” A black sedan followed them onto the street, picking up speed in an attempt to catch up with Charlie’s driving. “I know I’ve been trying to get you to talk to me, but I thought you’d have a bigger vocabulary.”He smiled, breaking just about every rule about driving as he sped down the road. He drifted onto a sudden side street and vanished on another turn, “Did I lose him?” “Uh,” Carter clutched the door handle as he looked over his shoulder and out the back window. “Yea, I don’t see anyone. You can slow down now.” He said anxiously, “I said you can slOW DOWN NOW THERE’S AN INTERSECTION RIGHT THERE!” Charlie smiled wider, dodging a turning car in an intersection and laughing at the chorus of horns that followed. “I said you can slow down! We lost him!” “What are you talking about? She’s right there!” Charlie took a hand off the steering wheel to gesture at a woman with long black hair pulling into a pony tail in the front of an SUV that had just drifted out of a side street and stopped facing them. “SHIT!” Time seemed to slow so that Carter could watch Charlie’s hands move, shifting gears repeatedly to cause a controlled spin-off that he used to drive backwards down the other lane. Still driving backwards, Charlie turned them onto a different side street and into a bank parking lot, turning of the SUV right next to an identical vehicle. “Holy Shit!” Carter yelled again, still clutching the door with one hand and the center console with the other. “You’ve said that already.” “Y-you just... we’re like a mile away from the diner already!” “Mhm.” Charlie nodded once, wondering if he should apologize for all the spinning. Carter swallowed, prying his fingers off the center console. “Now I know why you’re not allowed to drive.” He let go of the door and looked back at Charlie, “Where did you learn to do that?” His smile fell, “Had to get creative to get away from my dad when I was still in high school. Before he went to prison.” Carter winced, he hadn’t meant to bring that up. “Anyway, I’m sure that changes the plan, so where to now?” “You’re right about having to change the plan, after that, especially, Nick won’t be home. We’ll have to go directly to the Nova.” He replied. “What’s the Nova?”Charlie questioned. “Oh, it’s like a base, the location changes randomly every few days. Nick and I are a part of a coalition of sorts, the ‘leader’ is Lita Rogue. It’s a little sketchy, but the current location is the old middle school at the edge of the town.” “Oh, okay. So my old school is now a secret base for illegal superhuman affairs.” Charlie chuckled. “You’re freaking out less than I expected.” Carter commented, dragging out the ‘ou’ in ‘you.’ Charlie shrugged,“Meh, not exactly time to panic about it. Might as well just go with it.” About half an hour later they pulled into the middle school back lot, parking next to a cherry red mustang. “Just saying, I could’ve gotten us here in less than 15 minutes.” Charlie teased, closing the car door. Carter laughed a little as they walked to the door, “I was speeding the whole way here, and it terrifies me to imagine you driving all the way here.” Charlie smiled at him again, holding the door open. The pair made their way to the old conference room, where a table and spinny office chairs were still set up. There was a thin boy with messy black hair sitting in one of the chairs facing away from the door. He was talking to a tall, thin woman with long silver hair in a braided bun on. She was standing on the other side of the room looking out the window. When she turned around she did a double take, “Carter!” The boy spun around, “Dude, I thought you were dead!” “Sure you did, and I thought you were the mayor.” Carter walked over to another chair and made himself comfortable. Charlie followed, unsure of whether or not to introduce himself. “Charlie, this is Lita Rogue and my friend Nick.” “Yo,” Nick waved across the table with one hand. “Hi.” Charlie smiled, “Wait, you call me Charlie?” Carter shrugged, “In my head sometimes.” Lita was amused, “You know, when you were stationed at the _ house I didn’t expect you to actually follow the ‘no talking to the client’ rule.” “HAH!” Charlie pointed excessively at Carter who spun around in his chair. Lita chuckled and Nick laughed, “All joking aside, we need to think. When and where do they think we’ll be?” “Dunno, hard to get in their heads, but it won’t be easy for them to get into ours, either, especially after Charlie’s driving.” Carter answered his real boss. Nick was about to add something before the door flew open, as if being pulled by the copper door knob. “They’re here.” He whispered dramatically, spinning a little and looking out the door. Lita straightened up, walking over to the door with deadly silence. “Nick, go kill the power. Carter, Charlie is your responsibility. Keep him safe, try to see what their infantry looks like.” “Got it.” Nick replied, standing up and darting out the door, relatively quiet for someone wearing denim jeans. Carter stood up, nodding once as Lita walked out the door. Charlie got up too, following Carter out the door as quietly as he could. “Carter, wait.” He put a hand on the other’s arm. “What is it Charlie? This isn’t exactly the best time.” “Where are you planning to go?” Carter’s eyes darted down the hallway once before looking back to Charlie, “I don’t know, main office?” Charlie cringed, “Follow me, library.” He urged his new friend in the opposite direction. It was just down the hallway and to the left, and was one of the largest rooms in the building. Since the schools closing, it had been full of towering empty bookcases and had 2 common exits, not including the shortcut to the gymnasium. Carter carefully closed the door behind them, but a perfectly timed bang sounded with it. Then the PA system pinged on with it, and a resounding voice came through the intercom. “Oh boys~” A woman’s voice said, tauntingly. “I know you’re here, I saw the car. Meet me in the auditorium in 5 minutes or I’ll come find you. And darlings, you do not want me to find you.” Carter gulped, “Shit, alright, what’s the layout? What are out best routes out?” “This way.” Charlie said confidently, walking down two aisles of bookcases before picking the right one. “Hold the bookcase up.” Carter did as he was told, confused the whole time. Charlie scrambled up the 10 foot bookcase and moved one of the ceiling tiles. Both of the doors to the library flung open, and they could hear the woman in the halls. “Come out, come out, wherever you are~ time’s up!” Her voice was increasingly menacing, and got louder as she got closer. “I got it!” Charlie whisper yelled, pushing open an awkward hatch and climbing through it. He poked his head back out through the opening and held the bookcase up for Carter. Once he was through, the woman stepped under the hatch. She held out a hand, and Charlie couldn’t close the trapdoor. Carter flashed a hand and her hand darted to her head. Charlie slammed the door closed and latched it, “What did you do?” He said, standing up and rushing across the roof. “Relax, it was just a hot flash. She’ll be fine.” Carter followed, “Where’s the parking lot, we have to get out of here.” “Why, so they can follow us across town again?” “No, out of the state. The country. Your mother has a house in London, right? We’ll get a message to her and she’ll take a holiday.” Carter proposed. Charlie offered a weak smile from the edge of the roof. “If you think it’s the best plan.” He accepted, jumping. Carter shrugged, jumping with him. “In all honesty, it could be worse there. Probably is, but all that’s left of the Nova Coalition in the US is me, Lita, Nick and Lita’s husband. I’m not the one with something to lose.” Charlie picked a car, “Y’know, when I said I’d get you to talk one of these days I didn’t expect it to be today. Or because someone tried to kill you - us - or because you’re a superhuman.” Carter rubbed at the back of his neck, trying to ignore the guilt tearing apart his subconscious. “I, uh, I’m sorry. You were never meant to get pulled into this mess.” He chose the passenger seat. Charlie sat down in the driver seat of the bright red mustang, “Shit happens.” “The End.” I love you.