Shimmer *The Seattle Superheroes*

Chapter Thirty One: The Calm Before the Storm

Chapter Thirty One: The Calm Before the Storm

District of Columbia; July 24, 2010; 8:46 p.m.

In real life, things are never black or white. People aren't good or bad. The weather is rarely absolutely perfect or miserable. Real choices are never easy. The world is grey. It's made up of mixed feelings.

Shimmer and the rest were having mixed feelings, themselves, about the success of their mission. Yes, they had found out quite a bit about SEEL, Theodore's program had dozens of new names being filed in, and they had done it all without being caught, but they couldn't bring themselves to feel like it had been a victory.

After Nash had finished combing the woman's mind and Jay had mapped out her digital contacts, Jess had driven back to the parking lot and they had staged it to look like the woman had tripped on a sewer grate and hit her head. Shimmer made a quick trip to be sighted bringing in a car-jacker in Utah while the rest set up the scene. There was nothing to raise any suspicions.

And yet, they were left with more problems than they started with.

The ride back to Philadelphia was silent. Nash didn't even nag anyone for a food break.

They pulled up to the empty house just after dark, as the street lights were flickering on.

One by one, all four car doors slammed shut and the makeshift team made its way to the door.

At the exact moment that their group triggered the motion sensor on the porch light, two figures appeared out of nowhere on the porch.

Jess screamed. Nash choked back a swear word as Shimmer pushed in front of him defensively, her fists coming up. Jay took up a fighting stance next to her.

"Who are you?" Jay demanded, pulling Jess back.

"I think the better question," an annoyingly familiar voice said, "Is who the hell are you?"

As her eyes adjusted to the light, the face of one Cane Branson came into focus.

"Cane?" Nash asked, his telepathy sensing the other long before he could make out his shadowed face.

"You never called me back."

After Nash and Shimmer assured Jay that Cane was not actually a threat—just a bit inconsiderate—the lot of them went inside and Jess went to make coffee.

In the small living room, the six of them (Cane had made Patrick teleport him there) stared at each other. Nash sat in the arm chair he had claimed on the first day with Shimmer perched on the arm. Cane and Patrick crowded together next to the fireplace on chairs from the kitchen, and Jay and Jess sat together on the love seat.

"So," Jay spoke, breaking the silence. "Which ones are you?"

Cane raised his eyebrows.

Jess sighed. "Shimmer, Psych," she pointed to each of them. "They've been working with a team. Which ones are you?"

"You look like a bit of an ass," Jay mused, looking at Cane. "I'm guessing Megaman."

Shimmer snorted.

Cane narrowed his eyes. "What are you laughing at, Red?" he snarled. "And what the hell are you wearing?"

Rolling her eyes, Shimmer shrugged. "Why are you here, Branson?"

"Back to that in a second. Who are these people, and why do they know who we are?"

"They're old friends of mine," Nash explained.