Atomic Rebooted

56. Broadcast

CLAIRE

By some miracle, I actually managed to get the suits washed and the carpet scrubbed clean of blood before anyone noticed what exactly I was washing. I guess Holly had bigger things to worry about than whatever the hell I was doing— and I don't exactly blame her.

I also grabbed some of Mom's sewing supplies and got Henry on fixing up everyone's costumes except for mine.

I'd have to think about how I would approach that.

It was dark outside when I decided to finally venture downstairs and try to find food of some kind. I was immediately spotted when trying to cross the living room— by Dad, who kept turning away from his computer to watch the news.

"There you are." He smiled, the crinkle lines around his eyes forming behind his thick tortishell glasses. "I was worried about you."

"I didn't mean to worry you."

His smile took on a sadness. "I can't help it—I'm your dad. We're heating up leftovers, by the way— every man for themselves, you know. I don't think any of us can really bear to cook right now—"

"I don't think I can eat," Holly declared. Indeed, she sat on the end of the couch, leaned forward and playing with a stress ball I'd given her last Christmas.

"Neither can I," Julien admitted, sitting also on the edge of the couch, but with his arms crossed over his chest.

I was about to cross the television screen when a news story came across— LOST HERO RETURNS.

I frowned and sank into the couch, an unexpected anchor as I watched grainy cellphone footage of a superhero in a black and white futuristic costume fighting Dark Phoenix outside of Kingsbury College.

"Wait a minute. . ." I recognized the costume, but I wasn't sure where.

"Shh." Julien leaned in— and I saw fear in his eyes.

The resident blonde anchorwoman that seems to be on every news station, an Althea Arnolds, appeared with a glean in her eye and a dissonant smile.

"Reports are in about two disappeared heroes who have returned to fight the villain attacks around the city," Arnolds said. "Tech Wizard, a former ally to the Sentinels, was seen for the first time in four years at Kingsbury College, fighting Black Phoenix."

Grainy footage of the futuristic hero, Tech Wizard, kicking Black Phoenix played out.

Never had I seen Julien look so pale.

"The hero was thought to have disappeared shortly after a public battle with Dr. Electra," Arnolds continued. "He isn't the only hero allied with Atomic Energy who appeared to fight today after a mysterious disappearance, coincidentally enough."

There was school security footage of Mira fighting Glitch, one of Dr. Electra's minions.

Panic coursed through my veins, and my stomach lurched.

There were security cameras at the school.

Could anyone have possibly recorded me running into the bathroom, and Psyche back out?

I watched on in horror.

"Tonight, on North Kingsbury High's campus, a hero that was speculated to have gone missing in action was spotted fighting supervillain Tenebrous," Arnolds said. "Jenny Jones is speaking with Atomic Energy Sentinel Class Act— one of the former teammates of this lost hero."

Jenny Jones was the latest addition to the local news crew, fresh out of a journalism major from Kingsbury College. She stood in the snow next to a young man in a red and gold costume that was simplistic, pure superhero— it reminded you of Superman, for sure. With a dazzling smile and lean, strong frame, many girls had a thing for Class Act, if they admired superheroes at all.