From the bay windows of the highrise restaurant, he had a perfect view of Centropolis. Here Steven could watch the streak cut across the sky, the trail of orange puffing to white behind it as the shuttle returned to Earth brining with it nothing but trouble.
The shuttle wouldn't be landing in the massive mid-Missouri population center that'd grown from the heart of the literal center of the continental United States of America. It'd be landing a state over in Kansas to drop off the latest of the Cent's off-world acquisitions.
A few jokes about rednecks and inbreeding crossed Steven's mind before he threw them out. The joke lost its humor as he imagined Mama Cent taking to that disgusting stand-in for a man Izime, actually treating him like family.
The last thing Steven wanted was more people sympathizing with that digital monster-made flesh. Supporting it as it infiltrated their world and usurped Steven's own place in life.
That was the entire reason he was here, Steven looked back at Brittany or Bethany as he tried to recall her name.
Whatever it doesn't matter.
Steven thought as he ran his green eyes over the petite business-suited brunette. She'd serve his purposes just fine both as a journalist and immediately after this little brunch.
Stories like this were best snuck in under Jamestones personal radar and Psyis hadn't made herself available in months now. The crotchety old journalist was only a fan of his personal hit stories and Steven needed to blow off some steam.
“Thats the one,” With a gesture Steven pointed at the small trail of white as it grew, cutting across the sky.
Glancing back at the soft brown doe eyes of the journalist contact across from him, Steven gave his best playboy grin before purposefully letting it sour. Watching as the brunette joined in and then just as he had soured, grown a bit worried looking.
Good, she's hooked.
Turning as if pained to direct her attention back outside, the young billionaire acted wounded. Explaining just who'd paid for that shuttle to come and ruin his life, “Blanes funding wasted on another off-worlder, and American tax dollars along with it.”
“All to pollute the streets of our fine country with miscreants who don't know the first thing about humanity.” Bellany sipped the expensive martini Steven had casually thrown on his tab. The young woman was glad she'd chosen her most mature-looking business attire for this meeting.
It'd allowed her to contrast Steven's too-rich-to-care look perfectly; drawing all the right eyes towards her as she tried to fish for both a story and a live in wallet.
“Our version of humanity,” Steven hoped he didn't look stupidly astonished or idiotically scared. It was a bit hard to act out the level of fear and disgust he wanted without overplaying it. The rich boy Steven couldn't be frightened, no but revolted and disturbed felt like a good mix.
So that's what Dark Squire went with as he continued explaining. “From what I hear about this one it's a dimensional doppelganger of sorts that some other reality threw on our doorstep. Not even a real human, just a close enough copy that Wallin's willing to give it a shot stateside.”
“Why not, none of our allies seem very interested in housing these risks.” Bellany huffed the same rhetoric that earned her a promotion at Jamestones' agreeing with Steven on the point.
The journalist hoped it'd earn her a better scoop than a rich boy with a phobia of aliens. That Steven wasn't, clearly this new thing had something to do with that thessian tomboy who'd stupidly left him and his last name available for the taking.
“You know I knew she was going to cause problems as soon as I heard she was moving to Centropolis.” Bellany threw a bit of mud at alien, leaning forward and sipping her drink before looking back across the table at Steven. Pulling her arms a bit closer in front of her, watching as Steven eyed up his ex's competition.
Bellany already knew who won in that department so with a bit of a victorious smirk she explained where else the purple woman had erred, “Not just an alien but a country hick trying to make it in a city full of real humans, that was just asking for trouble trying to hold up to the real thing.”
“You know something?” Steven didn't flinch as the journalist pried, firing back a question of his own. Reaching out to grab his own drink and take a sip, raising his brow and his eyes as he did.
As if teasing her to prove her head actually contained anything of comparative interest to what lay below.
“Oh yeah, I keep an ear out for any kind of dirt on those freaks,” Bellany replied as she leaned in her chair, twisting as she did so. The journalist knew that was the combination to unlock the view Steven had been vying for.
Letting the playboy decide if he was more interested in her cleavage or the information about his ex as she spilled more than the beans, “If your shuttles bringing another one of those off-colored monsters here, it's probably the same one she filed paperwork for. Sponsoring another all-American hero my ass, wait a month and those idiots who believe in happy endings will have it all over the press.”
“I bet they'll pull in more attention than Jamie Torche's latest scandal just because of the feel-good spirit. Two aliens living the American dream in Centropolis, people will be screaming for wedding bells in a month....” Bellany sat back satisfied as that finally made Steven twitch. Watching his face she teased her lips as she spat a her questions with a professional speed, “Seems my worries aren't unfounded Steven, who's this guy to Miss Psyis? What's the relation, another thessian?”
“No comment, last thing I need is you running to Jamestone because I leaked anything important, I'm paying you to make this into a scandal for her.” Steven shook his head refusing to detail anything other than his own goals.
Whatever the League wanted to do at this point didn't matter nearly as much as making sure Psyis stayed away from it. It was clear beforehand she couldn't think clearly around it, now that she was trying to legally keep him.
It'd be a week before she'd forgotten who she really owed, Steven knew he was about to be replaced by the easily broken bot.
As such, the playboy was willing to use the same connections he'd used against Trevor on Izime now, “This needs to focus on that thing the shuttle brought down here nothing else.”
“I haven't been paid for anything yet, so I may as well chase whatever story smells the most interesting...” Bellany arched a brow starting to tease Steven with doing a completely different kind of article. A love-sick playboy throwing money to shit on his problems in Kansas sounded just as good as yet another alien hit-piece.
The small ding on her phone convinced her otherwise.
Bellany smiled as she knew more than a few zeros found their way to her bank account. She dropped that brow and gave Steven a pouty look hoping she could earn a tip as well, tossing out a few words of appreciation. “Blanes are always the best for business.”
“Keep the stories targeted, he's a nobody so you got a blank canvas to work with,” Steven didn't bat an eyelash at the Journalist's teasing, more glad Bellany had kept it up long enough he'd remembered the name behind the view.
Just in time to find her bank account and forward a few tens of thousands, the sidekick now making sure his funds were well spent as he gave the journalist free reign over her target, “Spin it however you want just make sure anything positive comes crashing to the ground around her.”
“Ahh the complicated lifestyles of the rich and famous.” Bellany dropped her coy attitude sitting back and giving Steven a business smile as she checked her account.
Sighing appreciatively, glad to have the money on hand to fund her other habits, commenting slyly under her breath as she did so, “Too bad she's only one of those and I'm none.”
“Having resources grants me certain privileges, I'd be an idiot not to use them.” Steven pretended he didn't hear Bellany complaining, simply acknowledging the moves he'd made.
Not bothered at all, Steven simply looked around the room waiting for Bellany to decide if she wanted to go to work now or after she'd checked the envelope he was sliding onto the table.
“A better person maybe, but you'd make a shitty customer then.” Bellany admitted as she tilted her head a bit, reaching for the envelope. Surprised at the pay and the gift of a head-start on whatever stories Steven wanted to be run on his celebrity ex, the man was all business over this new threat.
Bellany asked just wanting to confirm, before she opened the simple white mailer, “I'll see what I can stir up, in the meantime, I'm guessing this is something I can use.”
“Some snapshots of a video, I got from a contact who works on League Orbital. It cost me a fair amount so I expect you to make good use of it.” Steven let the lie slide easily as it was clear Blane Enterprise had connections with the space station. It funded nearly 70% of the launches to the installation after all.
That relation had originally been the cover that'd allow Psyis to start dating him openly instead of simply being caught candidly with Dark Squire. Now it was the same connection Steven used to tie her down. Keeping the ignorant woman from ruining her chance at having a life with him.
“Not gonna let me have the actual video?” Bellany raised her eyebrow as she tore open the sealed envelope sliding out only a few pictures instead of something really juicy.
“If I need to push harder I might find that USB back, until then I'll be waiting. You should be able to make something impressive out of these alone.” Steven shook his head, having other plans for the video, like asking Psyis just what the hell she was doing.
She'd never lost her cool like that with him or acted so... heated, not that he was jealous. It was just more evidence that the AI was somehow reverse-psyching his future wife.
That kind of evidence he'd not waste on the girl in front of him, it was better off used as blackmail directly.
“Intimate, I can work with intimate.” Bellany looked at the photos of the two 'aliens' on the small glossy print, the angles weren't the best but that was perfect.
It obscured just enough to claim all kinds of things and revealed just enough Bellany knew she could back up some of them. Her face twisted, his hands placed so questionably, and the orange jumpsuit was just the icing on top of it all. Truly a chef's kiss to tabloid photography.
The journalist almost wished she could shake the hand of whoever installed the camera as they'd saved her an afternoon of work. Bellany asked the playboy if he was available to fill in her suddenly free afternoon, “What about you Mr. Blane, any plans in the meantime?”
“I've got a hotel room.” Steven didn't bother looking up to see if Bellany was offering, he wasn't asking. It'd only be a few more thousand spent and the sight of that shuttle disappearing had him really needing to blow off some steam as soon as he could.
It'd help to have his mind elsewhere right as that homeless shit was stepping off the shuttle in Kansas and it'd serve Psyis right for choosing Izime's side. Steven figured he'd let the journalist get back to it soon enough to detonate the little bomb he'd swiped from Stan's live feed of the station.
The sidekick looked forward to seeing just how much Centropolis cared about their hero when she was spreading her legs in the League's Hall.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Perfect place for a personal interview.” Bellany smiled knowing her bank account was about to get a lot fuller than anything else, not that she'd ever tell the walking wallet across from her that.
Instead, she just asked what'd kept her cash cow so tied up lately, playing just as much pretend as he was. “I haven't seen you in weeks, was I more fun when it was against the rules?”
“Not at all,” Steven laughed at Bellany's obvious jealousy over playing second fiddle to her celebrity competition. The playboy explained how he'd wasted away his time instead, “Just have to play the part you know, act a little sad over that freak running away.”
Steven decided to not mention that the acting sad part had been done with more than a few models. He'd already told the journalist he wasn't going to be her scoop, especially when she was such a willing toy for him to squeeze.
The playboy snapped for the waiter knowing he'd need to hurry if he wanted to bed this bitch in time to fulfill that little fantasy he'd had earlier.
A very Cratered Cornfield in Kansas
Psyis took a breath watching as the white streak curved and seemed to stop. The shuttle was airbraking, in a bank towards her now on its last course corrections before landing at her mom's house.
The thessian glanced back nervously at the two standing on the wrap-around farmhouse porch, worried over leaving Izime here alone already and he hadn't even arrived yet.
Mama Cent was sweet but like every country mother, she was a bear as well.
“Well ye'r right 'bout one thing,” Barb Cent drawled, standing with her arms crossed in worry over her daughter. Giving a bit of a nod towards her son as she agreed with him, “She's obvious into this'un, that fer sure.”
Her adoptive daughter had done all but ask for the yellow ribbons to be tied around the maples out front this morning, every action throwing the older country woman for a loop. Now Psyis stood standing like a porcelain doll, washing her hands dry in worry in the front yard, her nerves setting the dogs in a tizzy.
Brushing her hands on her apron, as if that'd rid the nerves that tensed her old heart since her little blueberry had shown back up last night. A day ahead of the expected guest who was apparently going to be staying at the farmhouse for a bit.
“I think it'll be good for her and him.” James looked over at his mother explaining his reasoning behind the potential match. He wasn't going to waste time detailing everything, simply summing it up in three words. “A learning experience.”
“Its all a learnin s'pierience James, Pops taught you at'n well enough.” Giving a nod towards the girl who'd obviously went out on a warpath Barb looked up at her son who'd justified the actions an explained what she'd seen of life this morning. The motherly woman wasn't dissapointed, she'd even encourag the girl to an extent.
Just not a whole shot-gun wedding like Psyis' elder brother had, the old Cent chastising her son once more, “I just don't wan' a'body getting hurt, thats my girl just like yer my boy.”
“Well, I think they're good together.” James crossed his arms, making his own judgment's over the youngest of his 'siblings'. Psyis' actual relation ranged, depending on how everyone felt about her.
Unlike the person he was about to mention who was almost universally hated at the Cent's farmhouse. James mentioning the name just to irritate his mom, “Better than Steven was for her.”
“Anything'd be better than that slick'talkin city-shit cheatin' daggum dog.” Barb snorted at her son's assesment of the walking talking rooster that was Steven Blane.
If this Izime wasn't better than Blane she'd have an actual conniption and tan her daughters hide white for developing an even worse taste in men.
“Izime's nothing like that,” James rejected the idea and smiled, thinking about what he did know of the AI and had seen of the two.
It wasn't like Psyis was losing out money-wise even, and she was gaining someone who could grow beside her. Izime was the ingredient that'd finally rattled the 'yes and no' machine from her scales and brought out the girl he'd known from the farm.
The hero arched his brow as he recalled the incident that'd been discussed with him privately, not quite letting it slip but delivering a bit of a warning still. “Not perfect but he's not going to take advantage of her, it'd be the other way around.”
“Mmm, I'd best judge that; took you how long to give Leona a proper life?” Barb sniffed unconvinced, making it clear she'd be making her own decisions. The old saddlebag of a cowgirl had seen her fair share of trouble on two legs even before it'd fallen into her family's lap crying.
The old woman was a bit satisfied as she watched James wincing slightly under her stern words, “Not exactly the best wit'cher yet own choices son, let alone fiddlin with others.”
The way her daughter's attention was immediately drawn from her hand washing to the sky was all the warning Barb needed.
“You bring'em on inside once that dust settles now!” Barb called out to her little girl, not wanting to disturb with her presence or breath in the corn dust.
She turned to her son and gave him a gently squeeze on the arm as she went inside, explaining to him as well before letting the door close. “I've got better things to do be out here wit'cha.”
“OK Mama,” Psyis called back, nodding along with the words. Hoping the relief didn't slip into her voice as she watched her mom turn and go back inside, the screen door slamming shut behind her.
Psyis reached into her pocket for the umpteenth time to check that the small make-up case with its common shades of foundation was still there. She was not introducing Izime to her mom with a noticeable hickie on his neck.
Explaining things to James had been mortifying enough, nodding along as Izime had lied to cover for her. Turning the whole thing into an excusable reason that they needed a bit apart to cool down for entirely other reasons.
“Don't look at me, you supported him coming to Kansas so handling mom is on you.” James stopped his cousin before she could ask, though he did offer some advice as he patted her on the back. “Just don't let her catch you out in the barn like she did to me and Leona back in the day, that's a talk you don't want to hear!”
The Zexxian gave a loud laugh as his planetary cousin blushed magenta to the point even her scalp was taking the hue.
“Thanks, James.” Psyis rolled her eyes before looking down at the ground wondering if this was the right move to make against the AI. She was already too far passed 'teased' this morning as the family had come through to watch her, each encouraging her to do her best.
Looking up at James she simply smiled letting his confidence slide off her, knowing it take more than today and some earthly charms, “I don't plan on staying though, not for long.”
“Just flew out to help him move in,” James agreed knowing full well Psyis had done much more than that, or at least intended to with her presence here this morning.
James looked up at the shuttle that was coming in, giving the heroine a bit of advice and directing her to the porch, “Its a move in a direction at least, come on give them room to land so you don't ruin it.”
The Zexxian gave her a shove, hoping Psyis would move a bit quicker and not be spotted by the government officials as well.
Izime had already run afoul of a few agencies. Having them pull his green card because they thought it'd been gained under false pretense wasn't another hoop he needed to be added to his jumping list.
It'd be best to keep this under wraps for a bit longer, at least long enough to make it seem accidental.
The bits of white chat and dried fertilized dirt blew out in a cloud as the shuttle touched down. The rotating wing re-entry craft looked a bit like a manta ray just with jet engines replacing any tail.
Landing gently, the pilot was at least polite enough to cut the shuttle to half throttle as more than a handful of armed guards poured out. Finally, two more walked down the small metal walkway that dropped from its belly.
“Karen.” James didn't bother raising his hand to shield his eyes, Psyis was already blocking the debris for him from the porch forming a shield to hide herself from Izime.
“Radiation Man and the rest of the Cent Family. The paperwork cleared, this ones your problem now as well.” The American hero manager brushed her cropped cut to the side with a huff, unbothered by Radiation Man's presence. Karen looked over his shoulder at the cloud of unsettled dust her landing had kicked up, satisfied in that at least.
Turning to look at the newest trouble she'd allowed stateside she flicked a bit of that dust off her suit. Watching as her agents uncuffed him, raising a brow before slapping the folder of documents into his chest.
Honestly glad to be rid of the problem she'd been trapped inside the shuttle with for the last two hours.
Karen turned and gave it a final warning as he looked at Radiation Man, “I expect to hear less than a whisper from the stars seeing as I'm letting every little misstep slide on this.”
“You won't and if you do just send them to me.” Izime smiled happily as he took the documents from the official bitch.
Glad that Cradle landing on the wing of the craft mid-reentry had cut off any of her pointless threats. If it hadn't he'd just as happily snapped them to M-83 and shown her something truly terrifying.
“I'd rather send you with them at this point,” Karen glared back at the mouthy space-faring thing she'd tried to interrogate during the communications blackout thinking its back-up wouldn't be able to interfere.
Her contacts weren't completely clear but it apparently knew things, potential dangers that could crop up both internal and external to the USA and the earth itself.
So she'd wanted answers and made a move at what she thought was the prime moment.
Karen knew she was wrong now, but that only proved the other claims to be a bit more valid. Now threatening the man the only way she reasonably could, “I expect the IRS will be contacting you about back taxes before any citizenship clears, so I'd stick close to your sponsors until then Izime.”
Snapping in her own little mockery of his alleged powers she waved at the group of agents she'd brought with her, “Let's go people, there's no reason to waste our time in Kansas now that we've dropped off this package.”
“She's always such a pleasure to talk to.” James waved the shuttle off, not bothering to look behind him at the cloud that'd yet to settle.
“Not the worst I've run across.” Izime shrugged as he recalled the first Vidan officer he'd encountered, the earth-bound equivalent not being so different in his opinion. They'd both threatened to vaporize him in some fashion.
Turning Izime instead apologized once more for altering James's plans, “I... uh sorry about changing your plans?”
The entire fight had actually been unintentional but it'd still served his purpose in putting himself back on the right course for an actual startling hero on earth.
“Just postponed them is all, and I don't think you've done yourself any favors.” James smiled gleefully as he got to be the first to break the news to Izime, or rather scare him with the dire omens of what was to come.
“Sometimes its better to make the mistakes and pay your dues later,” James patted the AI gently on the same shoulder he'd once dismembered Radiation Man warned him of the beast inside the farmhouse as he kept him from turning completely. Teasing him one final time before he got to see the princess it guarded James walked through the remaining dust to head inside. “Enjoy it before you meet the warden inside.”
“Huh? Enjoy wha-” Izime held his hand up as a cloud of dust washed over him, the AI's vision blocked out by the debris that for some reason still not settled.
Cradle?
Calling out to his bond Izime summoned the raven to his side, unsure of what was coming. Dropped his hand as the flutter of wings came to his shoulder, the dust dying out as a cape made its way through the cloud.
If it was Jack upset on Steven's behalf, hopefully, he could just talk his way out of it. Psyis was his cousin as well so he should be on her side, and therefore his?
Izime's worries dropped as fast as his jaw when he realized the flowing behind the cloud wasn't a cape.
“I figured this would be off-script enough.” Psyis smiled at Izime's reaction to the dress she'd had her mom pick out of the line-up she'd placed on her old bed.
The yellow sundress was absolutely freezing in the chilly November air but seeing Izime's reaction now it was totally worth it. The thin strap design was overly feminine with its spring-flower.
The dress was everything she wasn't, everything the season wasn't. The perfect choice to show she'd gone off the script and was making choices outside the world's boundaries; it was her new battle attire.
Cradle cocked its head in the opposite direction of Izime, the raven's mouth, and brain apparently functioning at a higher level than its bond as it replied first.
“Pretty Purple.” Cradle flapped happily, appreciative of the thessian's new choice in foliage.
Deciding to speak up on behalf of its bond who'd likely be puffed as a spooked pigeon if he was a bird. Stupid Purple had obviously put a bit of thought into this dance for attention and it deserved a bit of acknowledgment.
What with the colors and the display of her powers and all. It was clearly working, the two craning their heads like dancing swans as they shyly approached.
“Thank you, Cradle.” Psyis took off the old staw hat she'd used to complete the look giving a little curtsey in thanks. Never looking at the bird, her eyes too busy as they tried to follow Izime's, catching his tiny glances.
Turning her head a bit shyly she probed for a direct answer from the raven's usually more vocal partner, “What about you?”
“Um, pretty as well?” Izime agreed with Cradle, throwing his lot in as his words honestly failed him for a moment. The AI going for broke as its brain had simply stopped processing what Psyis looked like which led to what all kinds of other thoughts, like the fact she was clearly braless once more and he hadn't even broken this one.
Which was a really stupid fact to notice because what did it matter? Who was even concerned about what was under the very pretty dress that clothed the gorgeous thessian?
“Pretty as well?” Psyis raised her brow, resting her hat and hand on her hip as she looked at the AI unsurprised to hear the latest tag that been applied by his other half falling out of his mouth so quickly, “Come on give me something from you at least.”
“Klere byen bèl pase dènye etwal la mwen janm wè,” Izime rattled the translation off quick enough Psyis should have trouble remembering any of it. He hoped Weson was right and it was one of the best pick-up lines in the world.
The AI figured the man just relied on his accent judging by Psyis response.
“Kla-bee-in.. what?” Psyis' brow dropped and furrowed together as she tried to keep up. Running her tonuge along her cheek as Izime skirted around giving her a real compliment even after all her work. “Thats not fair.”
“Learn other languages and stop cheating around it by thinking them.” Izime smiled as he watched Psyis fume, he decided to give her a bit of a headstart on figuring out the compliment he'd raced past her. “That was creole which is classically fren-.”
“I know it's Creole you damned search engine, it's like thinking in five languages at once. I..” Psyis complained, her frown deepening as she searched Izime's face.
Wanting to see if he had even really cared about her appearance at all, the AI behind his teal eyes only blinking back in confusion at her.
Yep, it'd been useless after all.
The thessian swallowed the thought back not wanting it to taint the introductions that lay ahead.
“Everything's a game with you isn't it.”Psyis rolled her eyes wondering if she was using the wrong tactics, throwing a useless complaint at Izime instead of being honest.
Waving him closer as she reached into her dress pocket to get the make-up case, “Whatever come here, at least I'm pretty enough for you to gawk at you should have just kept doing that.”
“You have skin-toned make-up?” Izime looked down in surprise at the colors that were revealed in the palette, tilting away even as he tried to look. Examining the colors that were available, none of them seemed very thessian in nature.
The AI jerked back a bit as Psyis pulled at his collar before she bothered explaining.
“I bought it yesterday before leaving Centropolis.” Psyis looked up, not upset that Izime was leaning back from her as it gave her better access to the mark she needed to hide. Carefully dabbing the powder with the puny applicator the make-up had come with.
Careful that she didn't get any on the brand-new cotton tee Izime was wearing under his leather jacket as she explained its purpose, “Figured you'd like a cover-up before meeting my mom.”
“What?!” Izime realized that the old woman glaring daggers from the kitchen was looking down at Psyis in absolute horror, both the AI and human freezing, “I-”
Her mom was watching everything, from how he'd been released from handcuffs to her daughter covering the hickie that'd most certainly been forced on him two mornings prior!
Izime quickly pulled off his jacket and threw it over Psyis shoulder regardless of how bad he looked now, knowing just why the woman was glaring.
The thing Psyis had given him was now a nice tint of purple and off-colored yellow, it'd probably a lot like the other bruises he'd have here soon.