Lightning flashed, and thunder cracked in the distance. It felt like it was Rain Dancer’s final, parting taunt even though the demon clearly had nothing to do with the current weather. Malcolm gritted his teeth, feeling a cold anger toward the monster and desperately wanting revenge for the murder Rain Dancer had committed in his presence.
He took off, lifting into the air and flying for a good thirty seconds straight. The euphoria of power abuse tickled at his senses, and Malcolm was surprised by how it affected his other emotions. It gave him confidence, which was a dangerous thing to tie with anger, hurt, and a sense of betrayal.
Malcolm forced himself to land and took a few deep, calming breaths. He waited until his heart assumed a steady rhythm, and then continued on his way.
The Vanderbrook Champion Authority’s headquarters was nicknamed “The Dome” for its appearance. Malcolm jogged the last few feet toward the entrance, feeling a bit odd walking up to the door alone. Tapestry had always taken him inside on his previous visits. He didn’t have any credentials or secret passcode of his own.
I’m still the new guy. I haven’t even made it to that level of trust yet.
He pressed the buzzer next to the metal sliding door and waited. A speaker crackled on from overhead, barely audible over the sound of the storm.
“Wind Runner,” said Multi’s voice. “About time you report in. Come straight to the command center. We’ve been searching for you.”
Malcolm didn’t get a chance to put a word in edgewise, which wasn’t unusual, given his boss’s personality. The metal door slid open, and he walked into the base.
He couldn’t help but compare it to Underworld, after the time he’d spent enclosed in the monster’s base. The Awakened Children had turned floors and walls of cement and steel into something livable, a home with carpets, wall paintings, and creature comforts.
The dome had the general ambience of a center of military operations. Malcolm walked across the metal floor under bright fluorescent lights, listening as the main entrance door sealed behind him.
He didn’t pass by any of the other champions on his way to the command room. Multi was sitting in his chair behind the command console in the center of the room, staring at several different screens at one. He waved for Malcolm to come over.
“Not here,” he said. “In my office.”
Multi led him down a hallway and into a tiny room at the end barely larger than a closet. He slid around to the other side of the desk that took up most of the space and gestured for Malcolm to sit in the second chair.
“Your stabilizer has been deactivated for more than a day straight,” said Multi. “Explain what the fuck has been going on.”
Malcolm took a slow breath. He’d thought a lot about what he was going to say during the trip back.
I have no reason to lie, anymore. But still…
“I was… captured,” said Malcolm. “By a cult called the Awakened Children. They’re led by a demon and a spryte, Rain Dancer and Shield Maiden.”
Multi’s expression gave nothing away. He didn’t fit the typical image of a stern commanding officer. He was short, balding with only a few tufts of red hair left, and pudgy. He considered Malcolm with eyes that made up for all of his physical short comings in their intensity.
“You were captured,” said Multi. “Where? And how?”
“I was… following up on a lead,” said Malcolm. “I heard about a church that worships monsters in Halter City. I stopped by to check it out, and ended up getting ambushed.”
Multi swore under his breath. Malcolm didn’t know why he was still leaving details out. It might have been for Rose’s sake, or it might have been for his own. He’d harbored her for so long that it was hard to separate whatever he felt for her from the practical concerns over the consequences.
“I need the full details,” said Multi. “Everything that happened during the time they had you.”
Malcolm explained as much as he could. He described the bizarre teachings of the church. He gave a description of Underworld and the society of the Awakened Children. He forced himself to recount Teddy’s death and Rain Dancer’s goal of turning him over to their side.
“Dammit,” muttered Multi. “Melt and Greenthumb are here at the base. They’ll want to talk to you about that after.”
“I’ll explain what I can,” said Malcolm.
Multi nodded. He narrowed his eyes.
“And how did you escape, exactly?”
Malcolm hesitated. This was the question that he’d struggled with most.
“They trapped me in an elevator shaft and tried to poison me,” he said. “I managed to get one of the doors open and used my powers to get away before they could stop me.”
He was expecting skepticism, but Multi just nodded.
“Alright,” said Multi. “I’m going to have Morph take a look at you to make sure you’re alright physically and to replace your stabilizer. After that, get some rest.”
Malcolm blinked. Multi was not the kind of person to leave any stone unturned. It was hard for him to believe that he was being let off so easily.
Does he believe me? Or does he just not care that I’m lying?
Anna came into Multi’s small office, spotting Malcolm and immediately breaking into a smile. She was a small, mousey looking woman with thick glasses and brunette hair, tied back into a complicated braid.
“You’re dismissed, Wind Runner,” said Multi.
Malcolm nodded to him, turning and smiling at Anna. Another Multi walked into the office as they left, one who’d chosen to completely shave his head. Malcolm lifted an eyebrow, realizing that it was the first time he’d seen any of Multi’s copies differentiate much from the original.
Strange…
He was about to bring it up, but the look Anna shot him warned him away from it. She walked out into the hallway, and Malcolm followed her, pushing the thought out of his mind.
CHAPTER 26
“We’d pretty much written you off for dead, you know,” said Anna. “You gave us quite the scare.”
Malcolm was sitting on the examination table in the infirmary of HQ. Anna was taking his blood pressure, staring at the reading on the small digital screen as the sleeve compressed.
“That wasn’t really my intention,” said Malcolm. “I didn’t exactly have ‘getting kidnapped’ on my to-do list for the day.”
Anna smiled at him.
“At least your captors didn’t torture your sense of humor out of you,” she said. “Speaking of which… did they torture you? And if so, how?”
“Electricity,” said Malcolm. “And a bit of poison gas. I don’t think it was enough to do lasting damage, though.”
Anna nodded. She pulled a stethoscope out of a cupboard and proceeded to listen to his breathing and heart beat from several different spots.
“Yeah, you’re fine,” she said. “But seriously… you had people worried, Wind Runner.”
“Sorry,” he said.
“Don’t apologize to me,” said Anna. “Apologize to Tapestry. She spent most of last night out looking for you. Said that you completely stopped answering your phone and weren’t at your apartment.”
Malcolm frowned. He checked his phone, and sure enough, found a half dozen missed calls and messages from his fellow companion.
“Personally,” said Anna. “I just figured you were having a fun night. Maybe enjoying yourself with that Instagram girl from when you first got your powers.”
She grinned at him, and Malcolm rolled his eyes.
“Will people ever let that drop?” he asked.
“It’s on the internet, Wind Runner,” she said. “It will follow you to your deathbed.”
Seems like a high price to pay for a single sexy afternoon.
The door to the infirmary opened. Malcolm was expecting Tapestry, but instead, two other champions he recognized filed in.