Average Joe (2018)

40

I watched the sun glitter on the glass of buildings as Darwin and I drove through midtown. I couldn't stop thinking about last night. About what Cora said, about what I said, and how Tori reacted to it all. But I told Tori about my parents, I told her how I feel about her, and while I'm hurting now, I don't regret it.

"Pull in here," I told Darwin. Darwin nodded and pulled into an empty parking lot. Darwin put the car in park and I turned to him. "I've been a crappy friend," I admitted. "Not just recently, but for a while now. To you and Tori, and I think it's time you knew why." Darwin watched me closely. His eyes were dark, his expression hard. "My parents are Red Flame and Cold Front." Darwin cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh... okay?" I waited for him to say something else, but no other words came.

"I'm... I'm being serious, man." Darwin nodded.

"I know. I've also known about your parents for a while now." My heart dropped.

"What? How?"

"Oh, come on, Norm, it was obvious. First off, Red Flame and Cold Front only wear those eye masks, beyond that, they look exactly like your parents. Then there's the fact they keep vanishing at random moments, just to come back with bruises, looking tired, like at your birthday, when Red Flame and Cold Front were fighting in the park."

Wow. I never expected him to have pieced it together. He had never said a word to me about it.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I asked. Darwin shrugged.

"I figured if I was right, you'd tell me yourself eventually, and if I was wrong I didn't want to accuse your mom of being a criminal and your dad of being a vigilante." I frowned.

"Then wait, why all those comments about how hot Cold Front is...?" Darwin grinned.

"Oh, that was just to get under your skin."

"Well, there's something else too." I breathed in deeply and told him about my powers. I told him about Cora and Bryan and about what our book club really was. I told him about the Chronicle too. When I was finished, he had a dark expression on his face. He asked me a few questions, which I answered. He asked me to show him my powers and I did.

"Wow... I mean I just can't believe this. You're the Guardian!" I winced at the name. I hated it but after the incident with my Mom and the hard drive people confused me for a separate hero that died a decade ago. Darwin seemed excited at the prospect for a moment, then frowned. "This Chronicle guy, he's dangerous, isn't he?"

"Yes. He almost killed my Dad." Darwin looked out the window, his eyes dark.

"And... I guess I can't talk you out of going after him? Can I?"

"No. You can't." Darwin gave a vague nod and smiled.

"Alright. Well, I guess I support that choice, even if I don't agree with it." I smiled.

"Thanks, man." Just then, Bryan's Camaro sped into the parking lot and screeched to a halt. Darwin frowned.

"Is that Bryan? What is he doing here?" My chest tightened. There was only one reason Bryan would track me down in the middle of the day. I opened the door and Darwin put his arm on my shoulder. His eyes were wide with fear. He seemed to understand now why Bryan was here. "Be careful, okay?" I nodded and stepped out of the car, jogging to meet Bryan, who just opened the passenger seat.

Sliding in, I ask him, "What's going on?" I shut the door and Bryan immediately sped down the road, heading north.

"Cora found the next target," Bryan explained. "We don't have a lot of time. Cora is meeting us there."