Super Powereds: Year 1 (39 page)

"I'm glad it was you and not Roy. Heaven knows how he would have reacted if he actually liked a girl," Hershel laughed.

"What about Julia? I though those two hooked up fairly consistently?" Vince asked.

"They do, but that's only because of how... unique her power makes her," Hershel said, opting to skip over the more lurid details.

"Very diplomatic way of saying she's her own gang bang," Nick said.

"Right... anyway, Selena, the girl who can sing, told me she snared a bunch of others before and after me. I wouldn't be surprised if she's toward the top in knocking out other players," Vince said.

"So nice of them to tell us we're all coming back but then hide our scores and which training we'll be going into," Nick said.

"Oh, come on, it's not as if anyone would stay for the results anyway," Hershel pointed out. "Alex, Will, and Jill already left town yesterday."

"Sasha, too," Vince pointed out. "Though she does that with more ease than most, so I'm not sure if that counts."

"I don't blame them," Hershel said with a sigh. "I miss my mom and my town. I can't wait to get home and sleep in my own bed."

"It will be nice to get some real food," Nick agreed. "Hey Vince, where are you going for the holidays anyway?"

Vince was spared from having to answer by the door to the boys’ lounge opening to reveal Mr. Numbers.

"Before anyone leaves, Mr. Transport and I would like to see you all in the common room," Mr. Numbers said briskly, turning around and walking right back out.

"That wasn't creepy at all," Nick said once Mr. Numbers was out of earshot.

"I'm sure they just want to wish us safe travels over the holidays," Hershel said optimistically.

"Sure. That or the order came down to terminate their little project and bury us in shallow graves," Nick replied.

"Let's be realistic. It'd be much easier for Mr. Transport to just ditch us in a volcano or something," Vince said.

"Point conceded," Nick said as they walked out into the lounge. Alice and Mary were already there, and of course the two men wearing suits were standing in the center, just like they had that first day they'd popped in and scared the crap out of everyone.

"So, what's this about?" Hershel whispered to Mary as the boys ambled over and stood near the girls.

"Let's call it a surprise," Mary whispered back, her tone saying quite clearly that was the end of the subject.

"Thank you all for coming," Mr. Transport announced with a big smile. "Mr. Numbers and I wanted to take a moment to congratulate you on making it an entire semester. As you know all too well by now, this program is grueling physically as well as mentally, so we are very proud that one hundred percent of Melbrook students have lasted into the second semester."

"And surprised," Mr. Numbers tossed in.

"Well, yes, statistically this does count as an unexpected outcome," Mr. Transport tried to recover. "We know, though, that you've all made it this far through determination and hard work. You five are doing an excellent job in showing that years of practice with one's abilities don't matter nearly as much as heart."

"We are very happy to have done so," Alice said, all but beaming. The girl devoured praise and accolades.

"That's good," Mr. Transport said. "Because there is one more small task we need to take care of before you're released for Winter Break."

It wasn't the change in scenery that registered first with the five young students: it was the sudden slice of freezing wind ripping across their bodies. The shivers started immediately, as well as a reflexive search for shelter from the scouring wind and the white snow that was dumping down upon them. Everywhere they looked there was only more snow. Everywhere except up, where a huge peak loomed overhead, lost at the top amidst the clouds.

"I hope you've all still got a little bit of gusto left," Mr. Transport yelled over the wind's howl. "I brought you here for what you can think of a final exam for Mr. Numbers and me."

He really didn't have to elaborate. Given the surroundings, there was only one logical conclusion. Giving words to it only served the purpose of hammering that unavoidable truth fiercely into their minds, which would be almost cruel given the circumstances. Mr. Transport didn't have any need to elaborate... but he did anyway.

"You five are going to climb a mountain."

67.

"Bullshit," Nick replied, only pure willpower keeping his teeth from chattering.

"Not all, I assure you," Mr. Numbers confirmed. "Your parents have all been made aware that you'll be detained for a few more days. No one is expecting you."

"But... why?" Alice asked, perplexity and cold slowing her words.

"Because you were all admitted as part of a very special program, one that is being measured in different ways than just your grades. Think of this as an extracurricular activity mandated by your scholarship," Mr. Numbers explained.

"This is crazy; we'll freeze to death," Vince pointed out. While Vince was admittedly cold, being trapped in a one-man tundra a few months back made it seem more bearable by comparison.

"Now, don't be silly," Mr. Transport said. "We've left you packs filled with supplies and winter wear. You'll find everything you need to reach the top safely."

"So, that's it? We just climb up?" Nick asked, probing for potential pitfalls.

"Well, there are two caveats. You have to reach the summit together, and you need to do it in six days," Mr. Transport admitted.

"Why six days?" Hershel asked.

"Because that's how much food we gave you," Mr. Numbers said. "There's a phone at the top with a pre-programed number. Call us once you make it and we'll come pick you up."

"Wait, you're leaving us?" Alice all but squawked with incredulity.

"Yes," Mr. Numbers said.

"You're Supers now. Supers find a way," Mr. Transport said, and then both men were gone.

"Motherfuckers." Everyone turned in surprise, because that vulgarity was spat out from the mouth of Mary.

* * *

Ten miserable minutes of trudging forward had revealed a set of five oversized backpacks waiting in the snow. Each was a different color and labeled with a name. Nick's was golden, Alice's pink, Hershel's a dark green, Mary's red, and Vince's blue. It should be noted that none of them gave a shit about that, though; instead they tore into the bags savagely and began piling on clothing. Only after everyone was coated, booted, and gloved did they begin to contemplate a strategy.

"Figures the one time I'd have an advantage they'd screw me over," Alice complained. "I mean, come on, it's a damn climbing challenge! It was basically made for people with flight. But no, we all have to make it up there together or it doesn't count."

"Forgive my impudence here, but how the hell will they know? They left, remember?" Nick reminded her.

"They'll know," Mary assured them. "They went to all the trouble of setting this up, they'll make sure we follow the rules."

"Speaking of, how did you not see this coming, telepathic girl?" Nick asked.

"I did. I just hoped they would change their minds," Mary explained.

"Nice strategy, that one," Nick scoffed.

"It could be worse," Hershel said optimistically. "At least I have my emergency flask on me. This way Roy can help if we need him."

"Why do you keep an emergency flask of whiskey?" Vince asked him.

"Pretty much for situations exactly like this one," Hershel replied.

Vince placed his fingers on the bridge of his nose and sighed. "It saddens me how much sense that makes in this context. Okay: we know what we have to do, so how are we going to do it?"

"They gave us climbing gear, food, Sterno, flashlights, and water," Alice said as she rifled through her bag to take inventory.

"Aside from which we have a flier who isn't allowed to fly, an energy absorber in an environment with nothing he can absorb, enough whiskey for a few appearances of the one person who could do this easily, me, and Mary the marvelous brain girl," Nick said. "If we're going to build a strategy around someone's powers it looks like Mary is our number one candidate."

"He has a point," Vince agreed. "Could you just lift all of us up to the peak?"

"No," Mary said sadly. "Grabbing hold of a person is a delicate procedure; it isn't like throwing objects. I have to worry about pressure and rupturing organs, that sort of thing. I can do it if I have to with one person, maybe two for short bursts, but I'm not confident I could get us far at all. Certainly not safely. Not to mention that I can't really lift myself."

"Why not?" Hershel asked.

"It's a jarring experience, being dangled in mid-air. It makes my stomach queasy and messes up my concentration, which just makes things less stable in a terrible cycle," Mary said.

"So then, what's our strategy?" Vince asked.

In response Nick rose to his feet, dusted off the snow, and produced a pick along with a section of rope from his bag. "I'd say our strategy is climb like motherfuckers in hopes of making it home before Christmas."

After a moment of staring at each other the rest of the group pulled out their instruments and followed suit.

* * *

To say the act of climbing a mountain was grueling would be like saying Genghis Khan had a mild penchant for empire expansion. It was cold, hellish, and hard, but as the five struggled up the mountain, they found it was doable. For the first time they were thankful for the months they had spent in gym. Without Coach George's constant conditioning they would have never had a chance at making viable progress. Proof of this was Hershel, who was forced to use some of his whiskey in the first half hour for fear his muscles would give out and he would go tumbling down. Each of them held this fear, but luckily it wasn't too steep at the mountain's base, and there were plateaus where rest could be acquired. On one such plateau they stopped midway through the day for a lunch of water, jerky, and despair. There was nowhere to go but up, though, so they bucked up and began climbing once more.

Even Alice found herself hugging the side of the mountain as they climbed higher. With each bit of escalation the wind grew stronger and colder. Gliding next to the rocks at least gave her some refuge from the wind's chilling bit. Admittedly she could have flown up to their next logical break stop and waited, but she wasn't confident they would find her once she departed. Besides, even if it wasn't steep, accidents could happen, and she wanted to be close by just in case.

The day wore on and progress grew slower. The mountain was getting steeper and their muscles were growing colder. There was a brief huddle during which they agreed to camp on the next viable rest stop they reached since it would be madness to try and keep going in the dark. Unfortunately, that spot was farther up than they'd expected, and by the time Roy hauled himself over an icy cliff, nearly everyone else was ready to collapse. Mary followed after him, then Vince. Alice floated over to stand with them, trying not to shiver despite herself. Nick was the last man to scale the side, rolling over and resting for a moment before pulling himself to his feet.

"Well," Vince said. "That sure suc-" A loud cracking sound interrupted Vince, coming from the edge they had just scaled. There was a moment of realization as Nick looked down to the source of the noise and saw it was coming from directly under his feet.

"Shit!" Nick managed to say as the ice they had mistaken for rock gave way and he went tumbling back into the open air.

68.

There are certain things a person is programmed to expect when falling to their death. Fear, of course. Also a bit of nausea as your stomach rises up. Some of the more metaphysically-inclined believers tell us to expect our lives to flash before our lives. The one thing no one is ever really expecting, though, is what happened Nick. To be more precise, a pink-clad missile dropped from the heavens and sacked him in the gut.

"Ooof," Nick grunted as he was swung upward onto the same thin shoulder that had just lodged itself in his intestines.

"Not exactly a picnic for me either," Alice replied, slowing her decent gently.

"Good hit," Nick cracked out, trying to right his perceptions in the blitz of snow and wind assaulting his senses.

"Not going to lie, I enjoyed the hell out of it," Alice chuckled. "Now give me your sunglasses."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I can't see shit and I'm the one driving. Oh, and you aren't getting any lighter, if you were wondering." Their progress downward had come to a stop and Alice was now pushing them upward with increasing momentum.

"Excellent point," Nick agreed, whipping off his shades and placing them in her hand. He would have been more contrary in different circumstances, but being fireman-carried in mid-air was enough to make even him agreeable.

"You might want to hold on," Alice cautioned him. "I've never tried to fly with two people before."

"What's wrong with slow, safe rise?"

"I can't hold you that long. My grip is already slipping," Alice admitted.

Nick reached down and grabbed her belt firmly without another word.

"Watch the hands," Alice snapped and then they were off. Nick might have described the feeling as exhilarating had his life not been in jeopardy. Instead the only words that came to mind were "hellish," "wild," and "horrifying." It turned out Alice didn't just float like an abandoned balloon; she cut through the air with shocking speed and hurtled toward her objective. An objective that was difficult to see even with eye protection, primarily due to her cargo severely compromising her maneuverability. Her grip was steadily deteriorating, but she didn't even dream of readjusting. This was all she had; if she couldn't find a place to land then Nick was going to fall.

Then, mercifully, something pierced the white world surrounding them. A bright burst of flame from thirty feet up and to their left. Alice never hesitated, adjusting her course and barreling toward it. She had no hope of sticking a safe landing with both herself and Nick, so she slowed down as much as she could before arriving, then yelled at the top of her lungs.