Beginner's Guide to Being a Superhero

21-How Do We Stop It?

Chapter Twenty-One
How Do We Stop It?

Graeme held up the chip so we could all see. "When turned on, these are supposed to take total control over whoever this has been inserted into."

"So it's meant for manipulation?" Sam asked. Graeme nodded.

"So basically, on command, Slick could make every student that's been injected jump off a building?" I asked.

He nodded grimly. "Pretty much."

"So... How do we stop it?" Sam questioned.

"I see the only way possible would be to remove Slick's. Once his is deactivated, so will all the others."

"Wait," Static said, "Do we have to, like, scrape it out of his skin?" I could see Sam flinch at the thought.

Static rejoined a few minutes after I had returned to Graeme and Sam, although he refused to look at me. No matter how much I watched him, he seemed to be looking everywhere but me.

Graeme gave him a look. "Well, I mean, I hope not. I would assume he wouldn't inject himself with anything, so it might just be a little ear piece or something."

Graeme moved to the other end of the room where an old box TV sat. He plugged it into the outlet and adjusted the small screen to be facing us, seeming unbothered by the dust collecting on top.

He pressed the power switch and black screen flickered on to show a static screen. He switched from channel to channel, until he found the one that presented King's Town's daily news.

One of the reporters popped up, and the subject 'Safety Protocol' seemed to be what they were in the midst of talking about.

"Supers claim it will help prevent future accidents and tragedies." The female reporter claimed. "Trackers are meant to keep everyone out of harm's way, and so we ask that everyone has one injected."

"What?" Sam asked. "How is this spreading so fast? Too many people are being injected."

The screen switched to clips of other students from other schools receiving injections from other Supers. The sight was slightly concerning, to see so many people under the potential power of Slick.

"It's alright," Graeme tried to reassure everyone. "As long as whatever control device Slick is using doesn't pick up his brain activity."

The show was abruptly cut off by the static screen once more. Graeme got up to quickly fix the channel when it was quickly replaced with black.

Graeme paused, waiting to see what would happen. Soon, bold white letters appeared on the screen.

MEET ME AT CITY HALL

We all stared at the words in confusion. A few seconds later, it was replaced again by;

YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE

The words quickly disappeared and the news resumed, as the continued to speak about the new 'trackers.'

"Uh," Sam muttered, "was that adresses to us?"

"I don't see why it wouldn't be," i answered for him.

We all sat quietly for a moment, with the news playing in the background.