Super Girls (Cape High Book 13) (7 page)

"My parents are the dorm parents of the building I'm putting her in," Nico says a bit dryly. "With Tatiana as her dorm mother, do you really think anyone will touch your daughter?"

"Oh. Well," Prisma says, blushing slightly, "when you put it that way."

"Who IS Tatiana?" I ask. "She can't be an unknown—not when she looks like a tank!"

"Oh, she's not just a tank," Nico says, "she's the only person that's gone toe to toe with Superior and won on a regular basis. But she died in the seventies, as far as the world is concerned. It's no wonder you don't know who she is."

"She's a Russian hero, honey," Aunt Barbara says, "she was in America as a détente offering during the Cold War. At the time we sent Superior over there."

"And they were in love?" I ask. "Oh my gosh, that's so romantic!"

"Ask her about it sometime," Nico says. "But now I need you both to be packed and ready to move—the sooner we get this done, the better."

I pull away from Aunt Barbara and head for my room, digging out the same huge suitcase I brought with me when I moved here and start packing. It takes a lot longer this time, I notice. When I first moved here, I barely filled it. This time, I think with a little smile, it's not nearly large enough. Aunt Barbara tends to spoil me. But then again, I know for a fact that her closet is three to four times fuller than mine is—she's a bit of a fashionista, really. Well, she would have to be with her job.

For a second I mourn the fact that I'll never be able to say the same about myself, and then I shove the last of the clothes I'm bringing into the bag and zip it up. It's time to get my toiletries and go. If I don't do this quickly I'm going to start bawling like a baby, and at seventeen, that's ridiculous. I need to act like an adult.

I finish packing and head to the front room. I'm not that surprised to see Elidee with several bags beside her, as well. She looks terrified. She keeps glancing up at her mom, as if Prisma will stop this from happening. "Does Adanna have to move into the dorms, too?" she asks Nico with a hint of hope.

"Adanna's house has the same security system as the school," Nico says. "She's in a place where we can get away with it. Unfortunately you two live in town—that's too close to civilization to put up lasers."

"What about her commute to school?" I ask. "Isn't she vulnerable then?"

"With Panther as her driver and them in a car I made? No, she'll be fine," Nico says. "You two have special circumstances."

"Olivia is in the same building, right?" Elidee asks a bit shyly. "And Carla?" She didn't mention boys? I look at her in surprise.

"No, they're both in the main dorms," Nico says, "but they're close enough it's not a big deal. You'll have plenty of friends."

"Okay… but you'll be in the same dorm, right, Jen?" Elidee asks me.

"I'll be in the same dorm," I promise her.

"Then I'll do it," she says. "Let's go." We head outside, where I stop and stare blankly at a Firebird sitting in the driveway.

"If you were going to make us pack, why did you bring a two door car?" I ask finally, turning to look at Nico.

"The trunk is bigger than it looks?" he offers, shrugging. He reaches down and grabs our bags, heading for the trunk in question.

"I'm surprised you didn't use one of the Hall vehicles," Aunt Barbara says, staring at it.

"Summer insists on me driving something Eco-friendly. I haven't gotten around to converting the Hall cars yet," Nico says, stuffing the bags into the trunk. It doesn't want to close, I notice a bit dryly. But that's not the important thing.

"Shotgun!" I say quickly, before Elidee can. I am NOT crawling into the tiny back seat unless I have no choice.

"Shot—" Elidee repeats, only to glare at me when she realizes what I just did. "That's not fair!" she complains.

"I called it, you didn't, it's fair," I say shamelessly as Nico straps the trunk shut with a cord. Seriously, how can he be a school principal? It sort of baffles the mind. "Here, I'll help you get in," I say helpfully as I head to the passenger door. I start searching for the lever to lower the chair, only to blink as the chair folds into the baseboard of the car all on its own.

"Do those usually do that?" Elidee asks from behind me.

"This one does," Nico says. "My daughter did it a few weeks back, since she keeps getting stuck in the back."

"Oh. Can she fix the trunk next time?" Elidee asks, climbing in.

"She could, but we never stick her in the trunk," Nico says blandly.

I have no reply to that, so I climb into the car.

***

"Can I ask you a question?" I say to Nico as Elidee heads into the school. He's grabbing all of our bags from the trunk. She could have at least PRETENDED to offer to help, I think with a mental shake of my head.

"Shoot," he says, closing the trunk.

"How is he so silent?" I demand. I can't help myself, it's at the forefront of my mind. Sure there are bigger issues, like how are they going to deal with Mother, and all that stuff, but this one is important!

"The zoo kids, especially, have started to go to Kim for their clothing," Nico says, handing me my computer bag. I sling it over my shoulder, still waiting for the full explanation. "Kim makes their clothing out of the same material as she makes our uniforms. One of the requirements I have for Freddy is stealth level material. She complains because the colors he picks aren't stealthy at all, but she still makes them."

"So they're running around in super grade clothing?" I ask blankly.

"You want some?"

"Of course I do!" I say. "But that doesn't change the fact it's freaky," I say, giving him a dark look. "Does he even notice what it is?"

"Nope," he says, heading for the yellow tape. I follow along behind him, intent on getting more information. This school is so strange! "He moves silently by his very nature—he's a wall climber. So adding silencing clothing to an already silent kid, well, it's enough to throw off the capes that have a natural advantage over him—and you," he adds, looking at me pointedly. "Actually, it's more likely to throw you off than them, at least it is until I put him in the field."

"So… um, what was her name—Carla! Those skinny jeans—"

"Frictionless," Nico finishes.

"Huh," I say. "Isn't it expensive?" I ask abruptly. "You know, clothing them?"

"Sure it is," Nico says, motioning me to go first through the force field. I do all the steps, touching the panel and dancing on the glowing footprints, and then I wait inside for him to come. "These aren't normal teenagers. We don't just provide a once-or-twice-daily meal, we provide everything they need. For the most part they're sponsored by their parents, a Hall, or me."

I look at him in surprise. I wonder just how many of these kids are living off of him without even realizing it. "Is Aunt Barbara my sponsor?" I ask, suddenly worried. How expensive IS this school? If it's too much, I need to go back to my norm school—

"Andre Harrison is your sponsor," he says. "Yours, Elidee's, and Alyssa's."

"Wait, what?" I ask.

"You and Elidee are for obvious reasons, he just chose to sponsor Alyssa because he wanted to," Nico says with a shrug. "Most of the kids don't know this—not many even think to ask."

"Who sponsors Carla?" I ask.

"At the moment, Central, but South is in negotiations," Nico says. "She's lined up to be part of Vinny's team, and Century wants them all. That includes Jimmi, who's already his, and Lance, who promises to be quite the show stopper for kids, especially. If the other Halls got wind of it, there'd be a flat-out war. Malina's already the center of one," he says, heading down the steps as if the huge bags weigh nothing.

"I see," I say. No I don't. Why would Mr. Harrison say to go ahead and be a super villain, only to turn around and pay for my schooling? "Why did Mr. Harrison tell Aunt Barbara to let me go ahead and become a super villain?" I ask, unable to stop myself.

"That is something I'm not at liberty to answer," Nico says. "Just trust me on this—once we get you set up for a few long-distance weapons and a stealth suit, you'll make a perfect super villain."

"Long distance?" I repeat, thrown off by the idea.

"You control the wind, you've got superior eyesight and hearing. Do you really think I'd toss you into a fist fight when you're the perfect sniper type?" He shakes his head, as if amused I would think that way. "Banshee will tutor you and Keliah in archery on Mondays, and then you'll spend your first hour doing target practice for the rest of the week. Your last hour will be spent doing the healers' obstacle courses. Physically they're about the same level as you."

I feel a bit dizzy with hope. It's astonishing how he makes it all sound so simple. "If I'm such a great spy, I bet my sister would be a million times better," I mutter, forcing myself back down to reality.

"Not a chance," Nico says. "Your sister's too much of a glory hound to even contemplate this style of work. Tell me now, though, do you think you're too good for it?" he asks, turning to look me in the eye. "If you think you want to be on the big screen someday—"

"I don't," I say quickly. "I'm not even sure I can pull off what you've got planned," I admit, looking down. "But I'm going to try," I say, clenching my hands for a second before looking him in the eyes. It's not enough, being a cheerleader, or being a little bit better than normal people in simple things. What matters, I think, is being better than who I used to be. Or, well, since I'm going villain, would it be 'worse than who I used to be'? I frown, trying to figure that out. "Even if I AM a D-class," I say boldly.

"You're a D-class?"

I let out a little yelp, jumping and turning to glare at Freddy. "DON'T DO THAT!" I yell, waving a finger at him. "Stop sneaking up on me! I swear I'm going to put a bell on your neck, you freaking cat!"

He blinks, staring at me in complete shock. After a second his expression turns into a frown. "So that's why you don't like me?" he asks.

I feel guilty. "I don't even know you," I say with a sigh. "But it is really disturbing for me, okay?"

"Huh."

"I need to move in," I say, heading for my bag and picking it up. "Where's my room?" I ask Nico.

"That building, room 204," he says, motioning to the newest looking building.

I walk off, not caring whether Elidee realizes she needs to move in or not. Now Freddy knows both of the things I was trying to keep to myself. Great. It's only the SECOND day at this stupid school and I'm already outed. I'll probably never make friends here, and be alone for the rest of school. Also, does a degree from Cape High even count for college? I mean, are they even certified? These are REALLY important questions if you're not going into the 'family business.'

I should write or call Mr. Harrison and thank him, I realize abruptly.

Yes, I AM avoiding thinking about how my reputation, which I have yet to build, is already shot. Can you blame me?

I step into the dorm building, looking around curiously. The smell of something cooking catches my attention and I head in, looking around curiously. "We are in the kitchen," Tatiana calls in her beautiful Russian accent. I head for it, following the sounds she makes. Inside I'm greeted by the sight of the group from yesterday gathered around a huge, wooden table that looks hand carved. "Hi!" Skye says, waving at me from her seat on the other side of the table. "Did you lose your little smelly friend?" she asks.

"Smelly?" I repeat.

"She means the pheromone user," Superior says, reading the newspaper as if this was a "Father Knows Best" episode or something.

"I'm not sure where Elidee went," I admit, my stomach rumbling at the smell. I should go find her. I should eat. I—I don't know what I should do, really, I think as I let go of my luggage and take a deep breath.

"Is there a problem, kitten?" Tatiana asks me, turning with a compassionate gaze.

"I—I just—" I say, taking a deep breath, "Everyone—everyone is going to know," I say, the full impact of what just happened hitting me like a bomb. "Everyone will know."

"Know what?" Skye asks.

"That—that I'm a loser," I say.

"Why would that be?" Tatiana asks, walking over and pulling me into a hug. I'm feeling pretty smothered by her chest, but I ignore that fact.

"Freddy knows I'm—I'm a D-class," I whisper.

The room is supposed to go silent now, right? It doesn't. The sound of Superior turning the newspaper page seems to echo. He didn't even stop READING for crying out loud! To add insult to injury, he asks, "So?"

"Everyone will find out!" I say. "It's bad enough I was a freak at my last school, now I'm one here, too."

"Oh, kitten," Tatiana says with a sigh.

"Does it bother my son?" Superior asks.

"N—no?"

"Then it shouldn't bother anyone else. If it does, tell an adult. If it's an adult it bothers, tell one of us."

"I shouldn't have to tell anyone," I complain. "I should have just kept my mouth shut—I'm so stupid!"

"It's okay to be normal," Skye says, hopping over the desk and walking on air to the stove. "I used to dream I was normal. Then I'd wake up—usually somewhere really strange," she admits as she takes over the cooking. "Like one time I was halfway through the floor of my apartment—head down, right? That's about the time everyone else moved out of the building," she adds thoughtfully.