At the end of the day on Friday, Chris still
hadn’t seen or heard from Frank. Chris typed in their first
correspondence since Monday, “How was your week? Kick any super
villains’ asses?”
Frank’s reply came in after Chris made it
home for the weekend. Chris looked down past his phone to the new
tiles adorning the steps up to his house. A part of him wanted to
avoid reading the text but he missed the blunt ginger.
“Week was fine. No super villains.” That was
it thought Chris. What the hell? Chris’s eyes moved back again to
the tile. The flooring guy Sadie hired knew what he was doing.
There were no cracks in the grout or chips on the porcelain. Chris
wondered if he could have made it in the tiling industry. His mind
continued down this new career until the front door popped
open.
“What are you doing?” asked Sadie. Her face
was concerned. She glanced to his hand still holding the phone. Her
eyes expressed her concern even more. “Did something happen?”
Chris smiled and felt his shoulders relax at
his wife’s brow as it moved from concern to confusion. “Nothing
happened. But it’s Friday! We can do anything. Let’s go out.” He
picked Sadie up in his arms as she squealed in surprise.
The next week went the same. Chris attempted
another text message to Frank and was given the same dull response.
He thought about calling, but couldn’t think of a good enough
reason and didn’t want the conversation filled with the silence
already pervading their messaging.
Besides a lack of Frank and Klaus, the team
of scientists showed up only when they needed Johnykin for a test
or two. Carla and Art would indulge Chris in a bit of small talk
when they came around, but Carmen just smiled and Alex avoided eye
contact all together. Neal hadn't set up a meeting since Chris
returned from his leave. Chris guessed there weren't any lingering
worries about the mall crisis's effect on him or Neal would have
set up another counseling session. There was too much time to
think, which created the same problems for Chris as his old job; a
sense of lost time. Time that could’ve been spent with his family
or an elusive friend.
He didn't see Frank every day when they
worked at X-Tech, but the split nagged at the back of his head.
What were Frank and Klaus up to? He and Johnykin hadn't been sent
out of the labs since the mall. Chris asked Erik directly where
Frank and Klaus were and why he and Johnykin weren’t sent anywhere
yet. Erik quickly mentioned a possible ride along with a willing
police squad. But it was just a line that turned into nothing. All
they did was train and wait. Chris enjoyed the shape of his
physique from the consistency, which might also be why his brain
was more active. There was energy to spare, but no place to put it.
Johnykin didn’t share the same concern as Chris. In his eyes she
seemed to revel in there languid setting or at least put up a good
show of it.
She still flirted with Chris, something he
still hadn't told Sadie, but in much smaller doses. It became
routine like a coach's encouragement to hear ‘sexy biceps,’
‘lookin' good,’ or ‘rowr.’ He thought about returning a phrase back
to her. Nothing ever came to his mind quick enough, so he usually
just smiled with eyes cast downward. When they did talk in any
extended way, Chris would get dragged into relaying stories about
his family. Johnykin asked endless questions about Gerry and
Louise; a couple about Sadie.
Chris realized the one sided nature and
attempted to put Johnykin on the spot. She would answer
respectfully devoid of any true details and then redirect back to
him. The best he got was that she only lived in California for two
years, she didn't have any immediate family, and had no real plans
before her super powers manifested (an event filled with mainly
breaking dishes and a couple pieces of furniture). One of their
more serious conversations about the future drew a glimmer of
excitement from Johnykin until she was called away for another
test. This break from character excited Chris. Although their
partnership looked more like a friendship every day to Chris, he
felt he didn’t see her for who she really was yet.
That would be later. Right now he was busy
scouring the internet for something appealing to read and wondering
if Johnykin would be back in time for them to have lunch together.
He glanced at the computer's clock. His stomach rumbled and made
the decision for him. Nobody was around to tell he was taking his
lunch break and it was doubtful anyone cared. Besides, by the
mostly empty desks he passed in the main hallway, it appeared
others were doing the same.
Once outside, Chris pulled his sunglasses
down and reached for his keys. He took a step off the sidewalk to
get to his car, but in a flash the black SUV screeched to a halt in
front of him. Frank jumped out the passenger door and ran around to
the other side. He opened the door and pulled Klaus's arm around
his shoulders. The driver hopped out and did the same for Klaus's
other arm. With their support they carried Klaus towards the
entrance past Chris. Frank saw Chris but didn't stop. Klaus held
his eyes shut in pain. The why wasn’t instantly apparent until
Chris saw Klaus’s back. A hole was scorched through his uniform,
leaving red and black blisters across his skin.
Chris peeled off his sunglasses just in case
he was seeing it all wrong. The wound was still there and now so
was Erik holding the doors open for the three men. Erik looked over
them and back at Chris. Then, more clearly than he wished, Erik
muttered “Shit,” and stepped inside. A moment or two passed. Chris
stood under the afternoon sun sweating lightly and thinking.
Weren't they indestructible; the suits and the Supers? What could
have done that? Chris's feet began to move on their own back to the
entrance. His hand reached out for the door handle just as
independently as his legs, but recoiled when the handle and door
jumped at him.
Erik came back out. “Chris!”
“Erik, do you need any help?” Chris tried to
push through the entrance. Erik put his hand on his chest
sharply.
“It's alright. We have staff to take care of
this thing.”
“This thing? It looked bad. What
happened?”
“I don't really know yet. Just as surprised
by this as you are, but you know we’ll take care of this. Klaus
will be fine.”
“Holy shit. I mean, I thought they couldn't
get hurt or anything.”
“Well that's why we're still testing.
Everything has limits, right? I don't want you to worry. It's going
to be fine. How’s the backyard remodel going?” Erik’s eyes blinked
in quick succession before he curled the corners of his mouth up in
a camouflaging smile.
The question threw Chris off. “What?”
“That bonus money can sure change things for
a man’s life. It’s not always easy to build up a little slice of
heaven from nothing, but money definitely makes it easier. Replace
a grill, something like that.”
“How the hell – “
“We have the money to take care of Klaus or
anybody that gets hurt under our watch. Were you headed out to
lunch? Where's Johnykin? Is she going with you?”
“No. Carmen took her for some tests and she
wasn't back yet. I was just – are you sure I can't help? Where were
they? Were they on patrol or something?”
“Umm, yeah. We were going to send you and
Johnykin out too, but with this we might have to make some changes.
Chris, I appreciate you wanting to help. It's just we have doctors.
We have people that are ready to help Klaus. It'll be fine. I don't
want you to worry. In fact I'm going to go get Johnykin and have
her meet you out here. You two can go to lunch. You can help her
out. Tell her Klaus will be fine. That's it. Help me by talking to
Johnykin. She'll want to know he's going to be okay. Breaking our
word is just a necessity of the present.” Erik patted Chris on the
shoulders and rushed back inside while holding up a hand to tell
him to stay.
Johnykin skipped out the front door to meet
up with Chris almost as soon as Erik had left him. She was smiling
unaware of the parking lot events.
“I'm glad you waited. I ran into Erik and he
told me you were out here. I hope you weren't waiting long. Is it
hot? You're sweating. Or is it just me getting you hot under the
collar?” She twirled him away from the front of the building and
they headed to Chris’s car.
Chris thought about Erik's words. If he told
Johnykin now, she would run straight back in and be in the way much
like he would have been. “It's a little warm out here. What do you
feel like today?” asked Chris.
“Well, I know this is going to sound strange
but I feel trapped right now. Let's go into San Fran. Erik won't
care if we take a two hour or three hour lunch. I want to go to the
pier and get some fresh clam chowder. You okay with that?”
“Yeah. I'll just blame you if we get in
trouble.”
Johnykin explained Carmen's latest test as
best she could on the drive over. None of the tests ever seemed
simple enough to re-explain but gave them fodder until reaching
Pier 39. Even though it was a tourist trap and not the greatest
example of the bay's best clam chowder, they stopped at Fog Harbor
Fish House. It was busy and wrestling a table for two was more
difficult than it should have been, but it all kept Chris somewhat
normal while holding in the news about Klaus.
Sitting down, Johnykin was still clattering
with joy. “Oh, it smells wonderful. Fishy but not that old fish
smell. We have to do this again soon.”
Chris looked for a moment to begin. “Maybe.
I know we’re like partners, but I kind of felt we were becoming
friends too.”
“Duh, Chris.”
“So, I was wondering if you knew where Klaus
and Frank went today?”
“They went somewhere? News to me.” Their
number was called and Johnykin jumped up to get it.
The soup smoked and Chris nibbled on the
sourdough bread bowl while waiting for the chowder to cool enough
to be edible. Johnykin did the same. Wouldn't the heat not bother
her, he thought. Or was that the only thing that could hurt
them?
“It's hot,” said Chris.
Johnykin raised her eyebrows in agreement
with the obvious statement. “Do you know where they went?”
“No, but I saw them get back and Erik wanted
me to tell you...” Chris thought it best to pause, but then thought
again that he would only add to the anxiety and quickly spat it
out. “Klaus was hurt. Frank and the driver carried him in the labs
and I saw a huge burn mark on his back. Erik said he would be okay.
They have doctors and stuff for that.”
Johnykin's eyebrows raised again, but her
eyes fixed on Chris's as if she had to decipher if he were lying or
not. “What?”
She was loud and Chris lowered his voice in
hopes she would copy him. “He was hurt. Erik told me he’d be
okay.”
She didn't lower her voice. “Are you fucking
with me? We're down here eating while he's up there dying?”
“He's not dying. I don't think. He's not. It
was just a bad burn. That's all I know. Erik said I should take you
out and tell you. They have doctors. They’ll take care of him. We’d
only get in the way.”
“That little bastard. I'm gonna kill Erik.”
Johnykin looked up at the ceiling as if imagining herself really
committing murder. She then looked down and finally back to Chris,
somewhat relieved. “You're right. He'll be fine and we would just
get in the way.”
“I'm sorry,” said Chris. He reached out to
hold her hand. It felt awkward at first and cliché. She accepted it
and wiped away a tear with the other hand.
“Don’t be sorry. This is so stupid. It'll be
fine after I kick Erik through a wall.”
Chris wasn't ready for such an eye-opening
change and laughed at the image of his boss crashing through
several walls. Snot shot out of his nose and he ran for more
napkins. Johnykin watched and snickered as he came back trying to
look presentable.
“Sexy, I know,” said Chris.
“Very,” said Johnykin and began to eat her
soup. Chris watched in surprise. He thought she would have forced
him to drive her back. Johnykin read his expression. “I'm not
wasting my lunch. Klaus is probably fine and he’ll turn it into
some great heroic sacrifice on his part.”
Chris ate up too. As soon as they were done,
Johnykin did rush them back to the car. At the lab, Erik fended off
Johnykin's rage by bringing her to see Klaus as quickly as
possible. Klaus was fine. At least he acted fine as he lay on his
stomach with bandages covering most of his back. Different monitors
beeped steadily as they recorded his condition.
Frank was in the room with Klaus too. After
a couple of jokes and reassuring comments to Johnykin, Frank nodded
his head to Chris to follow him outside.
“Hey man. Pretty crazy shit,” said
Frank.
“Where the hell were you guys?” said
Chris.
“I can't say.”
“The fuck? You can't say?” As soon as the
words came out, Chris realized how angry he was from not seeing or
hearing from Frank.
“Calm down, man. We were on patrol and Klaus
got hurt.”
“That's it? You can tell me you were on
patrol now. And because I saw Klaus get carried in, you can tell me
he got hurt.”
Frank didn't speak.
“What is this bullshit? I don't see you for
weeks and now you’re going on secret missions. And what happened? I
thought they couldn't get hurt?” said Chris.
“They're still running tests. There's a
limit.”
“You sound just like Erik.”
“Relax,” said Frank. He grabbed Chris's
shoulders to push their conversation down a hall and into a more
remote area. “We're not partners anymore so I can't tell you what's
happening.”
“So we're not friends anymore either? You
can't talk to me as a friend?”
“Don't bring up your prissy little guilt
trips. We are friends, but this is work. Just because you've been
fucking around with Johnykin doesn't mean the rest of us aren't
doing something.”