The Library of Powers

Chapter 12 - part 2

The bus pulled into a small stop off the road, barely more than a sign saying "transit". The doors creaked open only because someone asked to be left here, the driver would have happily sped by otherwise. And jumping out the door to the beat of his music was Jackson. Onto the cracked sidewalk and down the block, he still had a ways to tread. The mainland parts of Vera City, off the peninsula, were much less dense. And there were especially few bus stops in Old Vera.

Jackson had been in the area once or twice with his parents before they were sent on the Florida job. It must have been years ago. He took a left, towards the coastline, where across the Southern Vera Bay he could see his own neighborhood of Seacrest. He hugged the shore for a while, following the map on his phone. Things were quiet. He didn't see a single superhero soaring through the sky, or even just patrolling the area. He hoped it was because it was an uneventful day and not that they were pulled into a larger conflict.

Crossing the street, Jackson was in front of a large building with an even larger parking lot, indicative of a past life as a grocery store. There were just as many cars as you'd expect, but they looked much too weather-worn to be in use. The tan structure had two words in glowing neon red. "Marc's Mart". Jackson studied the nondescript sign. It wasn't like people didn't know what Marc's Mart was. Not that it was much of a tourist destination, it was just a known quantity. Enough so that they sold not only superhero equipment, but memorabilia as well. That way no one could tell if someone walking in was a superhero in need of a new suit, or someone just looking for a Halloween costume. It was simple yet effective.

He passed through the automatic doors and grabbed a cart. Pushing it down the first aisle, Jackson was confronted with a hodgepodge of hundreds of objects, none of which he could put a name to. Was that a small grenade, or an underwater respirator? Jackson just pushed through, looking for wherever the superhero suits were.

The store was arranged just like a normal supermarket, so the suits ended up being in aisle eight. Jackson felt the various capes and cowls, cheap polyester slipping through his fingers. It was effectively useless for anyone who didn't have super-durability, and even then it would be in tatters at the end of a real fight. Not that Jackson intended on getting in fights. He just needed to be able to survive the first blow of a sneak attack. Where was the Kevlar? The metal plating? Hell, he'd even take thick burlap at this point, anything that could stop a knife. Did this place have something for real superheroes?

At the end of the aisle, he saw it. A large metal door, with a "do not enter" sign above. With a slit for eyes to look through. It was almost comically placed next to the linoleum floors and eggshell walls. Nevertheless, Jackson knew there was something secret behind it. He remembered that Ivory sold things from Dino & Sons to Marc. Where was the stuff she sold being kept? It certainly wasn't with this nonsense.

Jackson strode up to the door and knocked on it three times. He hoped to god there wasn't a secret knock. And with a stroke of luck, the eyeslot on the door slid open. An old man on the other side crooned "Password?". Jackson, of course, didn't know the password. But he did have an in. "I'm working with Ivory Coldstone."

The old man squinted at him, expressive grey brows covering most of Jackson's view. "Sure you are. If that's the case, what's her superhero name?"

Did she ever tell him? Jackson thought back and came to the conclusion that if she had, he didn't remember. "I don't know," he admitted, "We start working together this week. Which is why I need some real equipment."

"Rude!" the old man scoffed, "But fair. I'll be honest, I don't know what her name is either. Was trying to see if you'd tell me."

The eyehole closed, and after a few seconds Jackson could hear a bolt moving. He sighed internally. This was a store, not a speakeasy. The door then opened, and the old man ushered Jackson in quickly, closing the door behind him.