We started with simple, but proper, introductions. Lori reintroduced herself to me before reluctantly doing the same with my sister. Mrs. Carmichael then shook hands with my sister just like she did with me. Shelly looked a lot less intimidated by Mrs. Carmichael than Lori and I did. Looking at their relaxed shoulders and looks, it seemed that both women had at least some surface-level respect for each other. At the least, it didn’t look like they were trying to butt heads.
“Ms. Harper, I would like to begin by informing you that you will be welcome to stay at our main Luna base should Ethan decide to join us,” Mrs. Carmichael said, pulling some items out of a bag slung over her shoulder. “I’ve brought with me some pictures and videos of what life there is like.”
She laid out what appeared to be paper-thin screens in front of my sister and I. She tapped each one of them and the screens came to life, each with a different title on the top and a bunch of thumbnails displayed. As an example, she tapped the one titled “Food Court” and it started to play a silent video of people eating and interacting in a brightly lit room.
“I apologize, these videos have yet to have any voiceover work added to them, but I believe that they will still convey what life is like at Luna,” Mrs. Carmichael said, her gaze wandering to the menu that now occupied her hands. “I understand this is an impossibly stressful time. If any of my actions or mannerisms might make you uncomfortable here, please don’t hesitate to speak up.”
Lori looked up from her own menu, her mouth hanging slightly open. “What? You never do that for us back home, Mrs. Carmichael.”
“You’ve lived with us for many years, Ms. Davis,” Mrs. Carmichael retorted, eyes still not leaving her menu. “This can be a difficult period for someone in Mr. Harper’s position. Being forced to embrace the unknown can be exceptionally challenging.”
Even though I was still feeling anxious about everything, I felt strange being addressed so formally. I was just a regular guy. “Um, I’d appreciate it if you just called me by my first name. I’m not used to being called anything but Ethan. Is that okay?”
“Of course, Ethan,” Mrs. Carmichael said. “How about you, Ms. Harper? Is there anything I can do for you that might help?”
“Yeah, but I’ll save those questions for after this video,” Shelly replied, keeping her focus on the screen in front of her, which brought my attention back to it.
Honestly, for two people claiming to be a part of a hidden community for people with superpowers, it wasn’t the most impressive display. Maybe it was the silence in the video that made the whole thing feel underwhelming. Lots of kids and young adults are eating food together, like something you’d find in nearly every school, but with a wider age gap. The people serving the food looked happier than your normal school cafeteria workers, though. If they really had superpowers, they probably should have been happier than people who had to serve ungrateful, loud high school students all day.
It wasn’t until a girl cupped some tater tots in her hands and her palms started to glow red that things got interesting. With a smirk on her face, she let the food drop to her plate and the steam rose off them. I guessed that she had waited too long to eat them and wanted to heat them up again, only instead of an oven or microwave, her hands could just do the job for her. She looked so triumphant about her lunchtime victory that I almost questioned if it was faked, but then I saw Lori in the background. Alone at her own table, she was shaking her head at the group with a big smile stretched across her face.
The girl held up her still-red hands and everyone watched as they cooled, and the skin went back to normal. She placed both hands on the arm of the boy sitting next to her, something that barely registered with him. It was probably a way to show how quickly she could stop her Anomaly, though I wasn’t entirely sure without the benefit of sound.
“Everyone there has an Anomaly?” I asked once the video ended, trying to remember how many people I saw in the video. “Who was that girl?”
“That was…” Mrs. Carmichael tailed off with a pause before letting out a sigh. “That was Oven Mitts, as she insists on being called now. I’m sure you can piece it together, but her Anomaly allows her to heat things with the surfaces of her hands. Her control over that ability is very impressive, to the surprise of most. She can get nearly the exact temperature she wants every time she uses her powers, and she can rapidly increase or decrease the temperature without consequences to her body.
“To answer your other question: no, they don’t all have Anomalies. Most do, but we do not exclude people from our group if their family members have an Anomaly. In the same way that your sister would be welcomed with open arms if you joined, theirs are too. A more relevant example would be Ms. Davis’s parents. They agreed to live with us after Luna learned that she had an Anomaly, and the rest is history.”
“That takes care of one thing I wanted to talk about, actually,” Shelly said. “More importantly, what connections does your group have with today’s attack in Vancouver?”
“It was a tragedy, but Luna had nothing to do with it if that’s what you’re asking,” Mrs. Carmichael replied calmly. If she found an accusation in Shelly’s words or tone, she didn’t let it get her riled up. “We…are looking to combat them in some way. We aren’t a group that’s been built around violence and combat, so it’ll be limited to volunteers. As the years of gone on, I’ll admit we’ve grown complacent hiding away in our little corner of the world.
“We don’t have a formal way of training people with Anomalies, so we would never make anyone go into combat without their consent. We’ve wanted to stay hidden away from the world to hide the fear and prejudice that this McLeod character seems intent on instilling in the general population. That said, there are some who have already agreed to stop the evil that attacked Vancouver.”
That got my heart and mind racing. There were others who planned on fighting back? Just how many were there? Thinking about it, I still didn’t even know how many people were part of the group that did the attack. There were five of them on TV, and only two of them did anything that I could see. Something in my gut told me that there were more than just five in that group. I hoped not, but I trusted my gut a lot, maybe more than I should have.
Before the next rounds of questions and answers could get started, Andrea came back and took everyone’s order. She seemed slightly tense at the atmosphere we had at the booth. I tried to give a reassuring smile, which I was never good at. I probably looked like some random weirdo being held against his will, grimacing in discomfort. Instead of risking my depressing social status even more, I just confirmed to Andrea that I wanted a BLT and hoped she’d forget who I was.
“What’d you order, Mrs. Carmichael?” I asked, trying my best to make some sort of casual conversation. “I didn’t hear your order.”
“Their bacon double cheeseburger,” she said to my surprise. She seemed mildly annoyed at that reaction. “What? I haven’t had one in a while, and I haven’t had the chance to leave the base to eat in ages. I understand my appearance and behavior can cause people to have certain perceptions of me. Please don’t let that take away the fact that I am still a person with food cravings, and sometimes a greasy burger hits the spot.”
“I’m surprised you were able to leave, Mrs. Carmichael,” I said. I was starting to feel a little more comfortable in the booth with everyone. “Lori made it seem like you were really busy. How’d you get here so quickly, by the way?”
“I am very busy, but I made this a special case. Given Ms. Davis’s inexperience in dealing with this, along with your possible confusion, I decided to help personally.” Mrs. Carmichael carefully placed a thick napkin on her lap to prepare for a burger disaster. “We have a young man whose Anomaly allows for teleportation. With his aid, I was able to make it here when Ms. Davis gave me the address.”
My sister seemed frustrated by the small talk and other details she didn’t care about. “What can you do, Mrs. Carmichael? Lori blurted out to us that she had her superpower and hyped you up as her boss. She was able to prove herself, but you’ll have to forgive me if I seem skeptical and more than a little annoyed in dealing with this entire scenario. In a few short hours, the entire world has changed, and now people are wanting to take my brother away with them.”
“That’s a fair question, Ms. Harper. If you’ll allow me a moment to prepare, I’ll show you. In the meantime, I’ll try to settle your fears about this situation to the best of my ability.” Mrs. Carmichael’s reply was gentle. She began pulling out some more objects before continuing. “As unfortunate and unforeseen as this attack was, the world has only been awoken to what dwells on it. People like Ms. Davis, your brother, and myself have existed for at least hundreds of years, likely thousands. We’ve grown very adept at making our existence remain secret by cover ups, bribes, memory wipes, and discrediting those who wish to spread our secret.”
“Wait, bribes, cover-ups, and discrediting? You do those things?” Maybe stupidly, I felt stunned being presented with the knowledge that they would do things like that.
“We have, yes,” she replied, growing serious again. “I want both of you to understand that we are not perfect people, least of all me. As far as I am aware, under my watch, no one has harmed another person for threatening to expose us. However, we have children and families whose lives would be worse if their abilities were used by the wrong people, or they grew out of control because of a lack of knowledge and control. The people who revealed their Anomalies in the past were not welcomed by the public, a fear that remains to this day, and it’s a fear that will likely be amplified. We decided that our primary interest at Luna was self-preservation and avoiding confrontation, but Jarrett McLeod’s declaration of war was exactly that, and he will likely get the war he desires. I imagine that war will come from both his fellow superhumans and the normal humans he seems to despise.”
Hearing Mrs. Carmichael say it like that did put it into perspective. If everyone in that food court had a family, trying to get by in life without knowing why you have superhuman abilities would be a nightmare. I thought about how that girl called Oven Mitts would survive if she didn’t have Luna and couldn’t control her power. People could get severely injured, or worse, from simple things like handshakes and hugs. If she was a good person, she’d be afraid to leave the house. If she was a bad person...well, it was easier to avoid thinking about what she might have done.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“I’m sorry. Given your position, that makes a lot of sense. I bet it kept a lot of people safe.” I started to feel ashamed. I didn’t want to assume everything tied to Mrs. Carmichael had to be shady or evil.
“Not at all, Ethan. Skepticism and questioning are important traits to develop.” She nodded, putting the last object on the table. In front of me were a small red container, a few sanitary wipes, and what looked to be a retractable knife. “Now, allow me to show you what I can do.”
Mrs. Carmichael looked around the diner and, when she was certain no one was watching, picked up the retractable knife and pushed the blade out. Quickly, she ran the blade across the back of her hand, creating a wicked gash that immediately started to bleed. My instinct was to yell out, demand to know what the hell she was doing, and ask if she was okay. Something in my head told me to keep quiet and just watch. That one was probably the right call.
Without any sign of pain on her face, she calmly grabbed a sanitary wipe and ran it across the wound, drawing a significant amount of blood in it. Now that my sister and I had a clear view of the wound, we saw it completely seal in about two seconds. Not even a hint of a scar remained. The skin looked as good as new, with no scarring or deformities. The only proof that she had cut herself was the faint color of red that remained on her hand from her blood.
“Healing?” I asked. I felt like I should have been more surprised, but it seemed like these Anomalies were part of the world, for better and worse.
“Not quite, Ethan. If it was a faster version of natural healing, I’d have scar tissue left behind, which is inferior to normal skin.” Mrs. Carmichael pulled her sleeve up to show an old scar on her forearm. “My Anomaly is complete regeneration. Anything that isn’t my brain can be regenerated, provided I’m alive and conscious to activate my ability.”
I began to think about how useful and powerful that Anomaly would be, but I saw my sister put her head in her hands and groan. I placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to offer some form of comfort. She wasn’t that much older than me, and despite how in control she always appeared, I knew that this whole thing was confusing and frustrating Shelly. Even though I was technically an adult now, she was still very protective of everything involving me. She wasn’t taking the whole idea of people with superpowers trying to recruit me very well.
“There really is no putting this genie back in the bottle is there?” Shelly asked, head still in her hands. “And you’re positive Ethan has one of these Anomalies? There’s no way it could have been a mistake?’
To my surprise, Mrs. Carmichael looked extremely sympathetic toward my sister. “We can never discount the possibility, but our Reader, or tracker as he’s often called, is very good. He’s yet to be wrong on any person he’s scouted so far. I’d bet my spot as head of the Catskills Luna facility that he’s right about Ethan too.”
“If he were to make a mistake, what would turn up a false positive?” I asked.
Mrs. Carmichael’s eyes narrowed while her mouth turned down in a frown. “I couldn’t say for certain without any proof, so don’t take my words as read. If there was a remnant trace of someone else’s Anomaly, that could do it. Of course, that wouldn’t mean Ethan couldn’t have an Anomaly of his own still. Those kinds of powers are rare. Most powers require someone to actively keep them going, like my healing.”
“How would I know if I was affected by a power?”
Mrs. Carmichael put her chin between her thumb and curled index finger. “Have you noticed anything weird in your life? Weird beyond what a high schooler already deals with, I mean. Something that sticks out as exceedingly abnormal?”
I felt my face get hot. “I, um, see shadows a lot. Only for a few seconds. They’re always running or shifting around. Doctors always said it was a form of PTSD.”
Her eyes narrowed again. “While the human body does a lot of things when that kind of trauma is involved, I’ve only heard of auditory hallucinations being linked to posttraumatic stress disorder. This isn’t a subject I’m familiar with, though I wouldn’t rule out your hallucinations being from someone’s power.”
I turned to Shelly. “What if it was from then? What if he had some kind of power that could mess with my brain?”
“He is still alive,” she added. When I frowned and furrowed my brows, she shrugged. “I sometimes check to see if that guy’s kicked the bucket.”
I shifted uncomfortably in the seat, suddenly feeling a little crowded by the three women. I’d never bothered to ask any of the doctors if visual hallucinations were normal after a traumatic event. At the very least, I should have tried to dig deeper into the shadow ones. The look Shelly was giving me was saying she felt guilty about not digging further herself.
“I understand that today has been fast and difficult for both of you,” Mrs. Carmichael said, bringing us both back to reality. “It has been for us as well, but we want to help your family, and I have a good feeling about you two. Is it possible for me to speak to your parents as well?”
An awkward silence fell upon the table as my sister sighed and shook her head. She gave me a sideways glance and I could only respond with a shrug. Mrs. Carmichael didn’t seem like the kind of person to joke around, especially about a topic like that, but neither of us understood why she would ask something like that.
“Our parents, uh, passed away, Mrs. Carmichael,” I said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, but also trying to not get worked up about it. The guilt I felt over it might have gotten easier to handle over time, but it still wasn’t a subject I enjoyed talking about. “Shelly was referencing the gunman in prison.
“I sincerely apologize, I was not aware of their passing,” she replied, her face slightly red from embarrassment. That was another thing I hadn’t expected to see on her. “We try to let recruits keep as much privacy as possible, so this was information Luna was not privy to. I don’t go hunting for information unless I feel like I must.”
It felt hard to believe that she didn’t know, but maybe I had been watching too many conspiracy videos on the internet, and now I thought that every secret organization knew everything about the world. Ultimately, I didn’t see enough reason to doubt Mrs. Carmichael.
“Yeah, they were killed in a home invasion six years back,” Shelly told them, making the painful memories come back. “Ethan was only twelve at the time and I had just set off for college. So, when they passed, I made damn sure nothing was happening to my brother. Something I still plan on seeing through, even though it might still be haunting him in more ways than one.”
After that, Andrea brought our food over and we mostly ate in silence, processing everything we had seen and just gone over. Everyone was pretty hungry, so there wasn’t much time for words, only the delicious food on our plates. And let me tell you, Mary & Larry’s earned all those great reviews they got. If there was any place that could make you forget life’s troubles, it was this one. Seriously, their BLT was absolutely stacked with bacon and was held together with a buttery garlic bun. I might have been wrong, but this was always the sort of thing that envisioned as “comfort food”. If a sandwich could feel like a greasy, unhealthy hug, this bad boy had taken the cake.
Everyone else seemed to be enjoying their meals too. Mrs. Carmichael seemed especially glad to temporarily forget about her stress and just enjoy some good food. I got a feeling that not many people got to see her relax and cut loose a bit. Then again, just eating at a diner wasn’t really cutting loose for most people. Most people also couldn’t regenerate everything that wasn’t their brain, either. Regenerating limbs and organs was not the best thing to start thinking about when trying to eat food.
“Ethan, you were right, this place is pretty kickass,” Lori said between mouthfuls of hot chicken bites. She really was set on getting some chicken no matter where we went. “Nice atmosphere and even better food. These kinds of places make me sad that I don’t live in a normal area.”
“I must agree, Ethan,” Mrs. Carmichael agreed, somehow looking dignified eating a massive burger. “It’s been a while since I’ve had something this delicious. Well done.”
My sister nodded in agreement, making me feel a small amount of pride mixed with embarrassment. I was glad that I was able to choose a place where everyone could eat comfortably and relax. Even if it was a momentary escape, it made me feel nice to have brought some happiness to others. I found myself grinning, despite the messed-up reasons we were all here in the first place.
We continued eating in silence until we all finished our meals, the mood much better and lighter with filled and heavy bellies. Many immediate problems can be alleviated with a good meal, I’d learned. Lori started to say something before being cut off by an unexpected burp, making her face go scarlet. Shelly and I couldn’t help ourselves and we ended up laughing while Mrs. Carmichael shook her head, the world’s faintest smile tugging at her lips. Poor Lori just covered her face and mumbled a bunch of things I couldn’t hear.
“Well, I believe that is a good cue to wrap things up for today,” Mrs. Carmichael said. She clapped her hands together which made me flinch. Luckily, no one paid me any attention. Claps and high-fives made me do that sometimes, which typically weirded out other people around me. Better to not bring down the mood with something like that.
Andrea came by and placed a single check holder which Mrs. Carmichael immediately took, placed a credit card in, and handed back to our waitress before anyone could say anything. I knew my sister wasn’t huge on the idea of other people paying for her meals, so I was a little bit worried that she might get offended. Her pride and stubbornness were generally good things for both of us, but sometimes they could be a real pain in the butt.
“Ms. Harper, judging by the look on your face, I’d wager that you’re upset I paid the bill,” Mrs. Carmichael correctly deduced. “I ask that you allow me to pay for today. It was an enjoyable experience that I hope I can do again soon.”
“Can I at least reimburse you for it later?” Shelly asked.
“I must insist that you do not reimburse me, or attempt to reimburse me, for the bill,” Mrs. Carmichael said as we all walked out of the diner, stretching our legs. “This situation has been difficult for everyone, and it’s not like I can’t pay for someone’s meal. Today, it is my job and pleasure to treat both of you.”
My sister sighed and shook her head but didn’t put up a fight about it. “Well, you already paid, and I don’t have any cash on me anyway, so there’s not much I can do about it, I guess. Thank you, it’s appreciated.”
“Of course. Before I go, allow me to give both of you my personal cellphone number.” Mrs. Carmichael pulled out a little notepad and took a pen out of her shirt pocket, scribbling her number on the top page. “Normally, I’d have required an immediate decision, but since secrecy isn’t really the top priority anymore, I’d like you both to think about Luna and direct any questions you may have to either myself or Loriana. We’d both be happy to answer them. Even if Ethan here doesn’t have any powers, you’re both still welcome at Luna. An invitation isn’t rescinded over something like that.”
My sister and I nodded as we watched her tap her phone a few times. Within a few seconds, a man suddenly appeared. He had shaggy black hair and bright green eyes. He was a little shorter than I was. The man gave us a brief wave and smile, then vanished with Mrs. Carmichael. I blinked and rubbed my eyes, making sure I hadn’t just seen something again. The faint smell of her perfume still hung in the air, so I was positive that I wasn’t seeing things.
Lori giggled and walked to the spot where Mrs. Carmichael had just stood. “That gets nearly everyone on the first time. That was Fink, our best Teleporter. He’s only a little older than us, but he’s damn good at what he does. Very precise and quick teleportation.”
“That might take a couple of times before I’m really used to it,” I said with my sister nodding in agreement. “Oh, Lori, do you have a way home? Actually, where are you staying?”
Now instead of giggling, she blushed and shuffled her feet awkwardly. “Kind of a funny story about that. Remember that apartment that was up for rent next door to your own? Would you mind giving your new neighbor a ride home today?”