James Knight: Teenage Superhuman - Book Two

Two

"What's wrong, Dad?" I asked quietly, noticing the sweat glistening on his forehead. We had stopped a few meters from our house in the otherwise quiet and deserted neighborhood. I did not know how he had made it this far, but all became clear when secrets unraveled.

"Nothing," He said, although I could tell it wasn't true. He pulled off his headphones before continuing.

"Uncle Matt, have you and Derek put in a transfer request to join the police force?" Noah asked with wide eyes.

My father's eyes darkened as he answered, "No, Derek won't do anything until he can safely control his powers. I'm not even sure if I want to join now."

There was a heavy silence before Noah spoke again. "Well...it would be nice for James, my dad, and I to apply for the academy." He sighed heavily and made himself comfortable on the pavement next to us.

"You're not even sixteen, Noah. And James is barely going to be seventeen." My dad frowned. "I'm not sure I will return if I—either of you can't control your powers."

"Dad, we're cops sworn into duty no matter our circumstances," Derek contended, but my father nearly cracked.

"Don't argue with me, Derek. I'm not letting you endanger people with your new abilities. Besides, Uncle Henry and your cousins don't need to know about your superpowers. He's still the police chief, and it will happen if you return to work without learning restraint. We need no more trouble, and neither does your uncle."

Derek was afraid to push him any further. All four of us walked along with each other. My father was right. Derek needed to learn self-control before he could do anything. Having superpowers came with a great deal of responsibility. I remember the struggle I had when I got my abilities. It got tiring most times, trying to figure out how to control myself, incredibly when things got complicated. We didn't know what Derek could do, but I knew he learned much from my experience.

∆∆∆

DEREK

Samual stood by the fridge, looking as though he had been through hell and back.

Grace's eyes rounded, and her mouth opened. "Hey, boys?" Her voice trailed into a question as if she were asking for permission to continue.

Grace was thin and curvy, with a medium bust and short brown hair. Her eyes were brown, and her skin was a creamy white. Her jeans were torn, her shirt knotted into a crop top. Her hair was in a ponytail, and her face was free of makeup. She looked more relaxed than the last time I saw her.

James took Grace to the floor quickly, saying nothing in response. Noah and I helped tackle her, pinning her to the kitchen floor with our combined weight.

"Get off of me!" Grace twisted beneath us, but we kept her tight between our chests. "You're hurting me," she wailed, putting up a good fight but losing control as tears filled her eyes.

I tightened my grip on her slender arms, locking them into place and peering deeply into her almond-shaped eyes. After a few moments of struggling, she stopped fighting, her gaze never leaving mine. James and I exchanged glances before agreeing to let Grace go.

"I see you gave lover boy superpowers," she grumbled, pushing an errant strand of hair away from her face with a trembling hand.

"How did you find us, Grace?" James asked, his voice taking on a wary tone. His question mirrored the one in my head.

"I came to help you guys. And see my Daddy." Grace looked at Samual, who had a faraway look in his eyes and his forehead sweaty and furrowed. "Then I'll be off to a hotel, I guess. I stole cash from Alex before I left, so I have plenty to survive on my own." Her answer was quick and blunt as she dusted herself off.

Grace pointed to her stuffed backpack off to the side. Noah raised his eyebrows, impressed. "You robbed Alexander without me? You sly bitch."

Grace laughed. "You can have some cash if you want it. There's plenty to go around."

"Wait!" my father interjected. "How did you get into the house?" Sam stood in the room's corner with a soda can in one hand. Grace's gaze shifted to him, and he froze mid-sip, the cold drink still pressed against his lips. Silence descended over the otherwise animated conversation.

"My father let me in."

"How do we know this isn't some trap to get us to trust you and then lead Maximus and Alexander right to us?" Noah asked eagerly.

Grace snorted. "They trusted you, didn't they?" She said.

Noah huffed. "Touché." Then he backed off, knowing she won. Grace grinned, walking off and grabbing her bag off the floor.

"There's no reason I should be here. You guys don't trust me, and I don't want to interfere with anything."

Sam frowned, his face creasing in concentration. "Grace, wait. You can stay in my room," he said finally. "I'll take the living room with Derek. Just don't touch anything, especially my comics." His voice was solemn, but his eyes betrayed a naivete that I couldn't help but find endearing. Grace grinned as she listened to Noah, James, and I express our disapproval while my father remained stoic.

"I love you, Daddy." Grace dropped her bag to the ground again and flashed him a hopeful smile.

"Don't make the mistake of letting us trust you and you end up verifying our opinions," my dad grumbled. Her expression softened as she nodded her head in understanding. "I'm sure I will fit right in, mate," she said, giving my back a hard pat before spinning on her heel and heading for Sam's bedroom.

∆∆∆

JAMES

Sam led Grace into his room. His prized comic books sat in a neat pile atop an old bookshelf, and he stacked the desk in the corner with heaps of research papers and textbooks. His laptop sat in the middle of it all, like an island in a sea of paper.

Grace dropped her bag with a thud and launched herself onto Sam's bed. She grabbed three pillows from behind her head and threw them at him one by one, watching as an icy breeze stirred up clouds of dust that coated the air and settled on Sam's shoulders.

"Don't touch anything, okay?" Sam warned. Noah, Derek, and I nodded, giving a warning, too.

"I won't." Grace briefly smiled. "Good night, Dad." She snuggled into the bed, smelling Sam's sweet scent on the pillowcase. Sam froze and suddenly smiled softly.

"Good night, Grace." He answered. Sam turned out the light and closed the door. The four of us walked down the hallway with Sam, who stepped down the staircase.

Noah and I shared a knowing chuckle and stepped into my old bedroom. My gaze swept over the room, taking in the memories—the two twin beds on opposite sides, each covered with a worn bedspread, the bookcases filled with stuffed toys and action figures from our childhood, Derek's laptop still sitting on the desk. We had spent late nights here testing my powers while we thought Dad wasn't paying attention. I could almost feel the excitement of those past years when we talked about being crime-fighting partners and dared to hack the police database. Derek smiled nostalgically at us before he turned away, heading downstairs in pursuit of Sam.

"She's going to touch everything," Noah whispered.

"I bet she would," I smiled, floating across the room and landing softly on my old bedsheets in the corner while Noah let himself fall flat against his bed, blowing dust into the thick air.

Noah waved his hands, and the lights flickered out with one thought. Then he rolled back, staring at the plastic starlit ceiling.

"You didn't have to wave your hand like that," I addressed Noah in the darkness. The only light came from my deep, glowing purple eyes and the dreary moon from the window.

Noah snickered. "I know. I was using the force."

I fell to my bed above the mattress and flattened against the sheets. "I feel like it's going to be a long night."

"Yeah, " he agreed, extending his grin and exaggerated breath. "Indeed it is, mate."