The Prospects (Book 2): Nothing Poorer Than Gods (26 page)

Candilyn was genuinely speechless. It took her a minute to figure out that Portia lied to save her from prison. She had no idea Portia existed back then. She couldn’t imagine how Portia made that story make sense.

Gretchen asked, “Are you going to tell me anything at all?”

Candilyn grinned and shook her head.

“Fine. Since Portia accepted responsibility and your victim had a long criminal record, the case won’t be worth prosecuting.” Gretchen took out her smartphone. “There’s still the matter of Griffin Tower. Even if you were acting under coercion, you trespassed, assaulted two people, and acted as an accessory to attempted murder. I’ll have to talk to Agent O’Farrell about how to handle that.”

Gretchen pressed a button on her smartphone. Agent O’Farrell’s voice was a distant chirp to Candilyn. “Hello, this is Agent Sparhawk … yes, she’s here … I understand, but I’m sure you understand the CIA wants us to resolve this matter quietly … she did? That’s horrible … I don’t think anyone wants that … I’ll ask her.”

Gretchen put her hand over the smartphone. “Agent O’Farrell says he’s willing to drop the charges under the condition that you never have anything to do with him or the Prospects again.”

Candilyn pouted.

“I’d suggest you accept that deal. Even with the coercion defense, these are serious charges. He said you kicked a pregnant woman in the stomach.”

Candilyn’s expression was nonplussed. She thought of Jenny, but then remembered she hit Jenny in the stomach with her baton. No, she kicked Trista. Wait, how did Trista get pregnant? It couldn't be with Deon, he'd have clung all over her like he did with Jenny before she got jealous. And Trista was tiny, but she could probably still fight off Vijay. Maybe Agent O'Farrell? Wait, he was married. That left their former trainer, Sergeant Hammer, who became infamous for raping villainesses.

The hate Candilyn held for Trista disappeared under a cloud of guilt. No one deserved that. And, to top it off, Candilyn beat up Trista. No wonder they wanted nothing to do with Candilyn anymore. She didn’t deserve to have anyone to love her. Yet her family did. 

Gretchen asked, “Do you accept the offer?”

Candilyn slowly nodded.

Gretchen raised the phone. “We’ll take her back to Poughkeepsie.”

Portia sat in her hospital bed and watched the news. She rested her chin on clasped hands and watched the news. “Alas, poor Handler. He couldn't admit he was wrong, but that didn’t make him right.”

The MAB agents on either side of her had no expression.

“Did you enjoy my performance during the interrogation? I watched all of Natalie Portman’s movies. She cries in every movie she’s in. Ever notice that?”

The agents were as still as statues.

“Could you relay a message to Candilyn? Could you tell her she’s the real hero of this story? That she beat up the bad guy for the right reason? Knowing that may give her some sense of self-worth.”

The agents said nothing.

“Oh well. I will treasure the memory of our night together. Prison may not be Fiji, but I’ll find a way out before long.”

Days later, a helicopter descended in the ash-covered stretch of land that was a cornfield.

Several armed and armored MAB agents jump out, followed by Stormhead. Two more agents brought out Noah with his arms in shackles and a psychic nullifier on his head.

All four of Noah’s eyes scanned the landscape. “Why did you bring me back here?”

Stormhead said, “Look up the hill.”

Noah saw the scaffold of a house on the site of the blown-up farmhouse. Men in hazmat suits tore down the remnants of the barn. Trucks full of lumber and bricks filled the skinny dirt road that led up the other side.

Near the lines of tents and trailers next to the pond stood Ruby, Gary, Lou, and a few other faces Noah didn’t think he’d see again after the massacre. Joey sat in a wheelchair between them with Billy Two at his side. On the other side of the pond were many more human-animal hybrids, including the red-eyed albino hunchback, the rat-faced man, the Dino-Tribe, and other mutants

“The MAB is rebuilding your sanctuary,” said Stormhead. “The new farmhouse will be much larger than the old one. The barn will have veterinary facilities and extra living accommodations for those who cannot stay in close contact with others.”

“Why are they doing that?” asked Noah.

“In Norway, there are places like this for those who can’t live in normal society. It reduced recidivism rates, especially among metahumans who act out when they are not accepted by the general public.”

“People like me.”

“People like us. I wish this system was around when I was an angry punk with uncontrollable powers. I remember the stale white walls of the institution, the harsh discipline, the isolation. Those were the dark ages. We are ready for an age of enlightenment.”

Ruby, Gary, Lou, and Joey looked warily at Noah as he and Stormhead approached.

“These four and the other survivors will be the
de facto
leaders,” said Stormhead. “They will work with the MAB to rebuild your self-sustaining farm. Whatever can’t be grown will be given to them. The clones and mutants will also be a part of this community, but they will have to prove they are willing to work and cooperate. If they cannot adjust, the ones with criminal records will return to prison.”

“It already seems crowded,” said Noah.

“Sadly, the clones have a short lifespan. Lou has a year left, and Joey only three. As they and the others pass away, and as we separate the criminals who can be rehabilitated from those who can’t, the population will stabilize.”

“I see.” Noah stood up straight. “I’m home again. Can you take my chains off?”

Stormhead frowned. “You’re going back to prison. You have a sentence to finish.”

“So you brought me here as a final insult? To humiliate me in front of those I once led?”

“We asked to see you again,” said Gary. “We wanted to tell you, personally, that we don’t want you here.”

“You’re rejecting me after all I’ve done for you? I bought this farm. I let you into my home. I gave you food. I nurtured you.”

“We’ll always remember the good things you did for us, but we can’t forget what you did during your escape attempt,” said Ruby. “You abandoned Joey and tried to kill Gary. I stood by you through it all. You insulted me for it.”

“But it was being outside this safe place, surrounded by hate and misunderstanding, that made me that way. Here, isolated from the world, I was at peace.”

“We don’t want to be isolated anymore,” said Gary.

Noah said, “Here, we lived without anyone to call us monsters.”

“We can still do that,” said Ruby. “We’ll also have access to computers, medicine, and everything else.”

“And we can talk to our friends and family without fear of giving ourselves away,” said Gary. “You made us cut off all contact here.”

“I did it to protect you,” said Noah. “The hunters sought the live ones.”

“And the law sought you,” said Ruby. “You hid, and you made us hide too. We don’t need to hide anymore.”

“I found you begging for change. Gary, you were chased by a mob. I rescued you, and you stole my home.” He turned and walked towards the helicopter, his shackles jangling with each step.

Stormhead said to them, “I wish you the best. Should you need help or if anything goes wrong, you have Agent O’Farrell’s number.”

Gary asked, “Was Agent O’Farrell serious when he said I could become a Prospect after I turn eighteen?”

“I’m sure of it. You protected his wife and son. But until then, this place needs a guardian.”

Stormhead half-ran, half-flew after Noah and took him back to the helicopter. He said to the MAB agents, “I’m sure you can handle the rest of the trip without me.”

“You’re not going to close the door behind me and throw away the key?” asked Noah.

“Griffin Island is occupied by a monster with the mind of a mad scientist. It will take several superhero teams working together to make the ocean safe again. Please don’t escape from prison before I get back.”

“Where would I go? All the world, even the small piece I carved out for myself, rejects me.”

“And you, in your way, reject it. I hoped you would have taken that opportunity to leave your old friends with blessings. But you have none to give.”

The MAB agents helped Noah back onto the helicopter.

Stormhead said, “Noah, you must be punished for the family you killed, but this place you built will be a sanctuary for victims of our intolerant society. The people here can come to terms with themselves and allow other to do the same. You made a part of the world better, and that matters in a world where so much gets worse.”

The helicopter’s engines started. Stormhead stepped back as the helicopter rose into the sky.

Noah looked out the window. The only place where he knew acceptance grew smaller and vanished beneath the thickening white clouds.

THE END