Chapter 159

  Alexander’s mind churned through the implications. Children with powers. He and the others, perhaps even most of the world, had let down their guard. They’d assumed the System meant people, humans at least, had to be at least eighteen to awaken powers when it made the announcement.

  What it had actually said was it wouldn’t permit awakening in any Dreamers that had not reached their species’ recognized threshold for maturity.

  Humanity had a long history. Nothing compared to some of the alien species out there, but it was long enough that even today there were a lot of differing ideas on what that maturity meant.

  As far as Alexander was concerned, people weren’t mentally ‘all there’ until they were in their mid-twenties. And even then, it was debatable for many people he’d met. But the System had added its own addendum, its own interpretation of maturity to the announcement about awakening.

  That a Dream required understanding of choice and consequence.

  With the gift of hindsight, he understood. The System was referring to experience. There wasn’t a specific age at which one learned about the weight of choice. Of consequences. That could occur at any point in a person’s life.

  Even then, most people who understood it often acted as if they didn’t. Lived life as though immune to it.

  Alexander oriented himself, rotating until he floated upright in the middle of the street.

  There was no way he had been the first to discover this. To realize the scope of the problem.

  Which meant it was yet another secret their governments and AEGIS were keeping out of the public eye. Another domino in the ‘everything is fine’ lie waiting to topple over.

  He sighed. At least life was consistent.

  Consistently causing him stress, that was.

  He drifted back toward the coffee shop, moving slowly. The ceiling remained stable under his control, concrete still crumbling from the edges where the support structure had failed.

  Inside, a voice broke through his thoughts.

  “Come on, Zara, wake up! Please wake up!”

  Alexander approached the counter again.

  The girl was on her back now, eyes half-open but unfocused, rolling as if she couldn’t quite track anything. Her body had gone completely limp.

  The boy knelt beside her, one hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently. Lean and wiry, with dirty dark hair sticking up at odd angles. His skin was olive-brown beneath the sweat, dirt, and dust. His jacket had been patched in multiple places, his jeans reinforced at the knees. Both were a little short, but given how worn-in they were, it was obvious the kid was still growing.

  Then he froze. His head turned with agonizing slowness until he looked up at Alexander hovering over them.

  Terror flooded his face.

  Alexander tried to figure out what the hell he was supposed to do in this situation. The appropriate response probably wasn’t just to float there staring menacingly at them.

  Should he say something reassuring? Would that make it worse? The boy looked ready to bolt, except his sister was unconscious on the floor.

  Did this even crack the top ten weirdest situations he’d found himself in since waking up in this reality? Probably not.

  He raised one hand in what he hoped was a friendly gesture. “Hey. Uh. I’m Alexander.”

  The boy’s eyes went wide. He shook his head rapidly, words spilling out in a rush. “Please don’t hurt her! She didn’t mean it. I... she... we didn’t even know she could do anything, I swear!”

  “I’m really not going to hurt either of you.” Alexander kept his voice level, trying for calm. “I was just annoyed that you weren’t leaving.”

  The kid blinked at him.

  Alexander pointed up at the ceiling. “Because I’m holding up the roof.”

  The boy’s gaze followed the gesture, tracking across the growing cracks in the concrete, the way debris continued to filter down in small streams of dust and fragments.

  Droney zipped through the ruined storefront with a soft beep.

  Alexander glanced at it. “Good. That means they won’t be heading back this way.”

  When he turned back, he found the boy staring at the drone with his mouth hanging open. The kid’s gaze shifted between Alexander and the machine. His expression transformed from raw fear into something else entirely.

  “Oh man. Oh shit.” The words came out as a whisper. “You’re the Machine God!”

  Alexander stared at him. Then at the drone. Then back at the boy. “Wait, you only recognized me because of Droney?”

  “Well yeah, because he died to save you!” The kid’s voice picked up speed and volume, excitement bleeding through the fear. “And then you were all like ‘not while I’m still standing’ and were totally hmph about it, and then you made him come back except he was way cooler, and then you shot that guy with a lightning bolt and murdered him off the tower.”

  Alexander pinched the bridge of his nose as the rambling continued.

  “Anyway, so like, you and Grimnir are mad supe.” He finally paused for breath. “Annie’s my sister’s favorite though.”

  Alexander muttered under his breath. “Of course she is.”

  The kid’s excitement faded as his gaze dropped back to his sister. He looked up at Alexander again, worry replacing the awe. “She won’t wake up. You have to help, please.”

  Alexander studied the girl for a moment. Her dark hair lay fanned across the dusty floor. The family resemblance was even more obvious now that he had a moment to compare. They shared the same sharp features and angular cheekbones. Her eyes, half-open and unfocused, were similarly almond-shaped and framed by dark, heavy lashes.

  He examined her bioelectrical signals more closely. They were strong. Steady. Just dormant, like a battery that had discharged too quickly. He’d seen something similar when Annie pushed herself too far sparring with Talia in their early days. She hadn’t passed out, but it had been close.

  “She’s fine,” Alexander said. “Just pushed herself too far. Once she’s had some rest, she’ll wake up.”

  He turned his attention back to the boy. “What’s your name?”

  “Zane. My sister is Zara.” He hesitated, then added, “Are you sure?”

  Alexander gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “Yep. Annie nearly knocked herself out doing the same thing once.”

  Zane’s eyes went wide. He whispered, “Suuuupe. Zara’s gonna flip when she hears.”

  Alexander frowned. That was the second time the boy had said that word, and he wasn’t sure what it really meant. Obviously he wasn’t saying ‘soup.’ Which meant he was probably saying ‘cool.’

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  He wasn’t about to ask, though. That would be lame.

  Instead, he glanced up at the ceiling again, at the concrete continuing to crack and crumble. “You need to get your sister out of here.”

  Zane followed his gaze and seemed to remember the situation they were in. “Right. Yeah.”

  The boy turned and grabbed his sister under the arms, trying to hoist her up. Her limbs flopped everywhere as he struggled to get her positioned properly. He managed to get her partway up before her head cracked against the edge of the counter with a dull thunk.

  Alexander winced.

  Zane froze for half a second, eyes wide with horror, but Zara didn’t react. Still out cold. He adjusted his grip and finally managed to flop her over his shoulder in an awkward fireman’s carry.

  Alexander almost offered to help, but the determination on Zane’s face stopped him. The kid had this handled, even if it wasn’t graceful.

  Zane started shuffling toward the hole in the back wall, moving slowly under his sister’s weight. He passed through the gap where the car had torn through the structure, disappearing into what looked like an old rear parking area.

  Alexander followed, releasing his hold on the ceiling as he stepped through the gap. Behind him, concrete groaned, support beams twisted, and then the entire structure gave way with a thunderous crash.

  Zane’s head snapped around, eyes wide as dust billowed out through the ruined storefront.

  Alexander didn’t look back. Droney quietly floated over his shoulder, coordinating the others.

  The parking lot was exactly what he’d expected. Cracked asphalt, weeds pushing through the gaps. Abandoned vehicles scattered across the space in various states of decay. Some had been stripped for parts. Others just left to rust.

  Zane stood a few meters ahead, still carrying his sister. He shifted her weight on his shoulder, uncertain.

  Alexander studied him for a moment. “Do you have somewhere to take her?”

  Zane hesitated. “Yeah. I mean, yeah, we got a place.”

  He clearly didn’t want to say more than that.

  Alexander let the silence stretch for a beat. “I assume you’re living in the Scar.”

  Zane’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “Yeah. Our gang has a hideout not far from here.”

  Alexander raised an eyebrow. “Gang?”

  Zane looked embarrassed. He gestured vaguely at the destruction around them. “We’re survivors of... that day.”

  Alexander didn’t say anything immediately. Reading between the lines, that meant these kids had survived for years in one of the most dangerous areas of the city. In the aftermath of losing families and friends. That took resourcefulness. Intelligence.

  Perhaps even the kind of hard-won experience the System apparently counted as maturity.

  He scanned the parking lot, searching for the least damaged vehicle. An old SUV near the back caught his attention. Windows blown out, but the frame appeared solid enough despite the rust. The tires were flat, but that wouldn’t matter.

  With a thought, he reached out with Metallokinesis and popped the doors open.

  He gestured toward it. “Lay your sister in the back and get in. I’ll fly you both there, though you’ll have to direct me.”

  Zane hesitated.

  Alexander gave him what he hoped was an easy smile. “Zane, I can sense everyone in the Scar. Nothing is really hidden from me.”

  The boy considered that for a moment. “Supe.”

  He lugged his sister over to the SUV and maneuvered her into the back seat with all the grace of someone who’d never had to carry an unconscious person before. Her arm flopped against the doorframe. Her head lolled to the side. Zane winced but got her settled, then climbed in after her, pulling the door shut.

  Alexander lifted off the ground and drifted over to the vehicle. He landed on the hood and sat down, crossing his legs. Metallokinesis surged, targeting the SUV’s frame and lifting it smoothly into the air. Months of flying practice made the process second nature now, even when targeting something other than himself.

  The vehicle rose twenty meters off the ground and hung there, steady.

  Alexander glanced over his shoulder. Zane had his head out the window, watching the parking lot drop away beneath them.

  “Where to?”

  The kid shook himself and pointed northwest. “That way. We’re hidden in one of the big towers. I’ll tell you when we get closer.”

  Alexander nodded and turned his attention forward. The SUV began moving through the air, slowly at first but picking up speed, heading deeper into the Scar.

  Zane peppered Alexander with questions during the flight. About Grimnir. About being a supervillain. About powers and how they worked. Whether Zara would get stronger. When he might awaken. Alexander answered what he could, deflected what he couldn’t, and found himself almost enjoying the conversation despite the circumstances.

  “There!” Zane pointed ahead. “That’s our tower.”

  Alexander followed his gesture. Tower was generous. The building was only four stories tall, an old apartment complex that remained mostly intact. The windows were dark. Some boarded up. Others just empty holes.

  “Can we land on the roof?” Zane asked, excitement breaking through.

  Alexander chuckled. “Sure.”

  He angled the SUV toward the building and began their descent. His senses swept through the structure as they approached, finding seven bioelectrical signals. Most of them clustered on the third floor.

  One on the roof, but facing the wrong direction to spot their silent approach.

  The SUV touched down on the rooftop with barely a sound, but the groan of metal still echoed in the quiet.

  The lookout standing by the edge of the roof let out a startled squeal and bolted for the stairwell access.

  “It’s me, Allie!” Zane yelled, his head still hanging out the window. “It’s Zane and Zara!”

  The girl stumbled to a stop and spun around, staring into the darkness. She took a few hesitant steps forward but clearly couldn’t make out much in the dark.

  Alexander pressed his hand against the hood of the SUV and sent a trickle of current through the metal frame. The cabin lights flickered on, illuminating Zane hanging halfway out the window.

  Allie hesitated a moment longer, then stepped closer into the light. She had an athletic build, and moved with a kind of wound-up tension, like she was ready to bolt. Older than Zane, maybe eighteen or nineteen. Blonde hair pulled back in a tight, functional ponytail. She wore layered clothes, practical rather than stylish. A tactical vest over a hoodie, both worn but maintained.

  “Fuck you, Zane,” she called out. “You nearly made me piss myself.”

  Alexander remained seated on the hood, saying nothing.

  She turned to squint at Alexander, now partially backlit by the interior lights. “Who’s the old man? And how’d you get a hovercar?”

  Alexander frowned. He glanced down at himself in the suit, then reached up to scratch his cheek, feeling the facial hair he’d been letting grow out. He wasn’t old, though he had missed a birthday with everything that had been going on. That made him twenty-three now. Twenty-eight in original reality years.

  His musings were interrupted by the groan of rusted metal as Zane kicked the door open from inside and climbed out.

  “Allie, don’t be rude.” He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “This is the Machine God.”

  She scanned Alexander, clearly unimpressed. “Doesn’t look like much of a god to me.”

  “Whatever. Help me get Zara out.”

  Allie’s expression shifted to alarm. She rushed over, reaching into the back seat. “What happened? Is she okay?”

  “Alexander said she’s fine.” Zane grabbed his sister by the ankles and started pulling her toward the door. “Dude, she has powers.”

  Allie’s eyes went wide. “Yes! It works! We’re all going to be supers!”

  Together, they hauled the unconscious girl out of the SUV and started dragging her across the roof. Alexander remained seated on the hood, watching with faint amusement.

  “So we were hiding near where the Triumph Street gang set up their escape route, right?” Zane continued, slightly out of breath. “And the guys chasing them smashed the building we were in, and the roof started to collapse.”

  “Supe,” Allie whispered.

  “But then the Machine God flew in and held it all up with his powers.” Zane’s voice picked up enthusiasm as the story progressed. “And then he comes over and tells us to get to safety, but Zara freaks out and blasts him in the face with plants or something.”

  “Whoa.”

  “Made him fly all the way out of the building too!”

  Allie glanced back at Alexander, then at Zane. “Everyone’s going to be so freaked. Zara’s as strong as the Machine God.”

  Alexander didn’t bother correcting them.

  Zane looked back over his shoulder at Alexander. “Come on, you gotta meet everyone.”

  Allie stepped in front of him, holding Zara between them. “Hang on.”

  Zane blinked. “What?”

  “We don’t just bring strangers inside.” Allie nodded at Alexander, still seated on the hood. “Maybe-famous supervillains or not. He waits here while we talk to Jason.”

  “But he saved—”

  “I know.” Allie’s tone softened slightly. “But that’s the rule. You know that’s the rule.”

  Zane glanced between her and Alexander, deflating. “Yeah. Okay.”

  Allie turned to Alexander. “Nothing personal. Just wait here… we’ll be quick.”

  Alexander raised a hand. “Take your time.”

  They disappeared through the stairwell access, Zane throwing an apologetic look over his shoulder.

  Alexander lay back on the hood, crossing his arms behind his head. Above him, stars scattered across the sky, dimmed by the city’s light pollution but still visible.

  He didn’t know what his goal was just yet. There was a vague idea that he could help them. That he should, even if it was just one small group in a vast reality of many misplaced and destroyed lives. Even if it was impossible to fix every problem. Impossible to stop the waves of devastation that were surely coming.

  Even though he could sense the thousands of people dotting the Scar. Maybe it was enough to change just a few lives where he could.

  The truth cut sharp though. It was easy to ignore problems he couldn’t see, even if he knew they existed.

  “Hypocrisy, thy name is Alexander,” he muttered to himself.

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