Logan closed his eyes, listening intently. He heard the pounding of his own heart and the static of the radio behind. He heard the wind lazily sighing through the trees above, and the distant rattle of leaves kicked along the ground in its wake. He heard the steady susurrous presence of the small creek nearby, water gently flowing past over turbulent pebbles and stones. He heard the crinkle of the bag of flour in his hands as it moved gently with the rise and fall of his chest. But, then, and most critically, he heard the giveaway snap of a small branch on the ground just four feet away. Logan's eyes burst open as he chucked the bag towards the sound, where it collided with empty air and released a puff of white. That puff of airborne flour began to form the silhouette of a human—one, which, immediately thereafter, collapsed to the ground in a laughing fit.
The floury apparition rematerialized into Shaun, now covered with a thorough dusting of flour.
"Powder test 1 was an abject failure," Ronnie replied, writing something down on a clipboard he carried. "If that failed, we can scratch powder tests 2-4… they're on the same principle."
"I just wanna get to the eating one," Parker said.
Logan tossed a small chocolate through the air towards Shaun, who caught it deftly. He then toggled his device again, turning invisible, but this time the layer of flour and the chocolate piece both vanished with him.
"Wait!" Ronnie shouted, moving in close to where his friend had been. "The chocolate and flour have gone invisible with you… the device is treating them how it usually treats your clothes. Interesting. Here, throw the chocolate to me, gently."
Suddenly, a small piece of chocolate seemed to materialize out of empty air, flying towards Ronnie. His hand shot out to catch the candy effortlessly.
"Good reflexes, Tex," Wade remarked with a whistle.
Ronnie smiled at the compliment. "Now, Shaun, I'm gonna toss you the chocolate again. Try to catch it." He tossed the candy towards the empty spot on the ground, and it suddenly vanished. It then rematerialized, floating in the air.
"Curious," Ronnie trailed, watching it. "Now it's visible to us… maybe your throwing it broke its connection to you, and now it's no longer seen as a part of your person. Go ahead and eat it now."
The chocolate moved a short distance towards an invisible mouth. It then began squishing and deforming in open air, melting away into small chunks and a semi-melted slurry while toothmarks dented into its surface. Eventually it faded away out of apparent existence.
"That was… disgusting," Wade said with a sour look. "I'd never like to see that again, please."
"Well, to sum up so far," Ronnie said with a look at his clipboard, "We've got Skinny's range estimated to about 30 feet…"
"He also won 8 back-to-back games of hangman without a single wrong letter," Skinny added triumphantly.
"Yes, that he did," Ronnie confirmed. "Can identify music pieces, imagined images, and even abstract concepts… but cannot read things beyond what the subject is currently thinking about."
"Hey, hey, hey Skinny…" Wade said while pointing at his head. "Check this out." Skinny angled the device at Wade's head and immediately recoiled with a disgusted laugh.
"Aww, that's nasty!" he said.
Ronnie loudly cleared his throat. "Moving on, we've determined that Shaun's invisibility extends to objects worn or carried at the time he goes invisible, but not to objects he picks up after that moment."
"Think of the prank potential there," Logan added.
"For Parker, we've learned three things: A, that travel forwards is impossible, and B, since travel forwards is impossible, we don't want to send him back very far to test his backwards limit. The watch seems to wind backwards as far as we want it to…"
"I gotta say," Wade interjected, "it's a good thing we didn't begin with sending him back to 1800 as a test."
"The third thing we learned, C," continued Ronnie, "is that the watch brings back people with the wearer based on two factors. First, people touching him tend to go back automatically. Second, Parker seems to be able to will others to come along too, so long as they're exceptionally close."
"Like the watch can read his mind on who he wants to bring?" Shaun asked.
"Well, yeah," Ronnie said. "One of the devices literally reads minds so that's not too crazy a notion… that the watch can read intention. Logan is working on cataloging emotions and their corresponding colors for his Empathizer. And Wade refused to have his gadget burned for a heat check…"
"Hey, would you replace it if it broke?" Wade said.
Ronnie continued. "…but the BB gun pellets bounced off of him harmlessly. Furthermore, so far we've managed to break a baseball bat against his arm with no pain or injury. Knives don't seem to break the skin either."
"I want swords next!" Wade called.
"My own ring is hard to quantify, but I think I can intuit things better than I ever could before…. what's more, my memory has become near-photographic, I can read most books in less than an hour, and I'm pretty sure my reflexes have gotten faster."
Logan chucked another chocolate right for Ronnie's head, this time at high speed, but Ronnie caught it in a closed fist and popped it into his mouth in a single, smooth motion.
"Verified," Logan said with eyebrows raised, clearly impressed.
"Have you cracked world peace yet, brainiac?" Wade asked.
"Getting there," Ronnie replied, peering down at his clipboard. "Are there any more tests we think would be worthwhile out here today?"
"We gotta figure out what to call each of these," Wade said. "It's no fair only Logan's has a cool name."
Shaun nodded his head. "I agree—"
Suddenly, the radio burst to life once again. Ronnie increased the volume until a dispatcher's voice filled the small clearing.
"Attention all units, this is dispatch… there's been a reported robbery-in-progress at Johnson's General on 4th… all units in the area, please respond immediately."
"Robbery-in-progress!" Logan repeated.
"This is unit 019," a voice from the radio said. "Right now myself and several others are helping run the Founder's Day Parade, it'll be at least 15 before we can get down to 4th."
This time it was Shaun who piped up in excitement. "Fifteen minutes!" he exclaimed. The rest all shushed him, trying to hear the static-warbled exchange.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat?" dispatch asked.
"Several squad cars are boxed in by parade-watchers. We're trying to leave now, but it might take up to 015 minutes before we can arrive."
"Roger that, please make every attempt to expedite your arrival."
Skinny turned down the radio and the kids sat in an excited silence for a moment.
"We're probably not gonna get an opportunity that perfect again," Parker said.
"Johnson's is only a five minute bike ride away," added Shaun.
Skinny burst into life, getting up and packing his belongings. "All right. Let's move it, people! On your bikes, pack up your bags, let's get going! We've got us a robbery to stop!"
* * *
Six bikes careened down the streets in a tight formation. Car horns blared in protest as they raced through turns and eventually peeled off the street entirely, closing the final distance on the grass. They then hopped off their bikes and donned the ski masks each now carried, walking up to the general store from its rear.
"So do we have an actual plan?" asked Parker in a hushed whisper.
"I do," Ronnie replied. "Here's how this is going to work. What we need right now is intel."
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"I can provide intel!" Shaun said, proffering his invisibility device.
"Yes you can, but I'd rather not risk anyone's lives until we know exactly what we're up against here."
"They could be armed with flour!" Logan teased.
"That's why the only person safe to send in is Wade."
"Agreed," Skinny said. "For all we know, this guy has bombs or something."
"So, Wade," continued Ronnie, "once you enter the store and find the robber, comply with exactly what he says. Skinny will be listening in on your thoughts, so just think aloud any and every detail we might need to hear."
"With this thing in my hand, why can't I just charge the guy and take him out myself?" Wade asked. "No need for you guys to ever even enter the store."
"The only issue is that he might have hostages, or customers could be harmed in the crossfire; we don't want to make him fire, period."
"Okay, fine, no charging. I'm going in now, I guess," Wade said, looking at the door with a look that betrayed apprehension. Logan jammed the Empathizer into Wade's neck and its battery began to glow a deep, purple-pink hue.
"Thanks, I think I needed that. Here goes nothing," he said, as he started towards the front entrance. The automatic door slid open and Wade marched in without looking back. Skinny pointed his device through the door into the store and began to listen in.
"Well, what's he thinking?" Shaun asked, wringing his hands.
"Huh, right now he's just noticing some sale on Captain Crunch that they have… now he says he hears something… and…. there's only one hostile. Armed, and… attractive?"
"Pardon?" Ronnie asked, perplexed.
"There's a confrontation now," Skinny said.
* * *
Inside Johnson's General, 50's ballads played on a crackling PA system across the store. Beyond the music, the place was eerily still, tension hanging thick in the air. A large poster advertised "Captain Crunch, 30% off at Johnson's!" with a poor drawing of the Captain himself offering a proud salute. A small avalanche of soup cans upset a display near the front register, and a man lay facedown among the cans with his hands on his head. Wade looked from the cans to the man and then to the feet of the figure in front of him, tracing her hostile posture upwards until his eyes settled on the focal point of her threatening body language: the silver pistol thrust forwards in her hands, aimed levelly at Wade's chest. The woman wore a plastic mask and seemed not much older than the rest of the gang. Despite her apparent youth, the gun in her hands was held steady and unshaking: this was no amateur robber, but someone calm, collected, and likely with previous experience. Behind her, the clerk stood by the register with his hands on his head, eyes downcast demurely.
The woman looked at Wade's ski mask stretched over his head and chuckled to herself. "This store's already being robbed. Get your own," she said curtly.
Wade raised his own hands above his head, still clutching his device. "I'm only here to buy cereal," he said with his best air of feigned innocence.
"Somehow the masks gives me doubts," she said. "But, if you don't want to leave, fair enough. Wallet, keys, anything you have, give it here. Now."
"Oh, you see, I actually was just on my way—"
"Now!" she shouted, pointing her gun forwards to punctuate the demand.
* * *
"Ok we gotta get someone in there. Shaun, I guess that's your cue."
Logan offered his device to Shaun, but Shaun pushed it aside.
"I think I'll be alright without it. I'm going in," he said, stepping forwards. He toggled his device and immediately vanished from view. He was starting to get used to the funny way it distorted his vision while he was under, so-to-speak. It was like donning a pair of particularly dark sunglasses, which was fine during the day but a little problematic at night. Good thing this robber chose a sunny afternoon.
As he stepped forwards, his mind was racing with all the exciting comic books he'd read only weeks before. Fantastic heroes swooping in to save the day… who would've thought that it'd be Shaun himself triumphantly saving the day. He imagined the front cover of the comics they'd write about him. The Amazing Invisible Boy! Adventure Comics No. 19, Special Issue! He was still imagining that cover when his face contacted the glass with a 'thunk!'
The rest of the boys, standing a short distance away from the door, watched it shutter gently from an invisible collision. If they had been capable of seeing below even the infrared end of the spectrum, they would have seen Shaun waving his invisible hands about in wide, frantic circles. They could not, and so they only saw an unmoving door. They then heard a voice from nowhere in particular whisper frustratedly:
"Guys! I need help with the automatic door."
The remaining four exchanged worried glances, realizing they'd overlooked such a simple part of their hastily conceived plan.
"Uh, uh," Logan began, "quick! Someone throw something at it."
* * *
Wade rummaged through his pockets, removing his wallet and a small key ring. He then turned his emptied pockets inside-out and dropped to his knees, where he slid the objects forwards to the robber. She dropped down, keeping the gun aimed towards Wade with her right hand, and used her left to add Wade's belongings to her loot bag. She then stood and slid a step closer to Wade. "You got something in that left hand of yours… mind telling me what it is?"
"Oh, it's just a rock. Of little to no value."
"Still mine. Hand it over."
"Don't think I can," Wade said, tightening his fist around the item.
The robber's smile wiped away and again, the gun was thrust forwards towards Wade's chest.
"What kind of rock could be worth dying over?"
* * *
Outside, Parker hefted a small stone from the ground.
"What if I hit Shaun?" he asked, worry in his voice.
"Just aim high towards the motion sensor," Ronnie said.
"In fact," Skinny began before shouting towards the door, "Shaun, back away for a moment."
"Okay!" said the voice from nowhere, now sounding to be a few feet away from the door. Parker chucked it towards the door.
* * *
Inside, Wade crept forwards slowly towards the woman, his mind racing for the right move to pull. Could he reach the gun in time and disarm her? Would she even really shoot him? Just then, a sharp 'crack!' broke the tense silence as both Wade and robber turned towards the front door. A rock tumbled from the glass to the floor just outside.
"What the hell was that?" she asked, anger rising in her voice.
"Beats me," Wade said with a shrug.
Accusation rose in the robber. "You brought a goddamn accomplice, didn'tcha?"
* * *
The small stone sat on the floor just outside the general store. The great, impenetrable glass barrier that was its automatic sliding door entrance remained unmoved by the stone's feeble attempt.
"It still didn't open!" came Shaun's originless voice.
"And Wade's in trouble," Skinny added, still following along with the drama inside.
"Just wave the rock around, or something," Parker shouted to Shaun. The rock lifted from the ground by an unseen hand and began to wave about in the air frantically.
* * *
The robber momentarily let her gun drop as she squinted at the floating rock. "What the shit?" she murmured, eyes following it as it spun in circles in the air near the automatic door. The door, however, remained shut. Wade noticed her momentary distraction and began to move in even closer to the robber, angling his body sideways to narrow the shooting target if things exploded into chaos.
* * *
Outside, Skinny's frown deepened. "She noticed the rock. We gotta move in!" The remaining three moved for the door.
* * *
The robber snapped her weapon back towards Wade, holding him pressed just outside of arm's length. "I know you've got something to do with that because you have one of those goddamn rocks in your hand! Explain to me exactly what's going on, right now. Is that a weapon?"
"Come on, let's put the gun down," Wade said, testing a step forwards to enter reaching distance of the weapon.
"Stop it right now! I mean it! I will not hesitate to shoot you!" the robber said, hesitating.
"You're not gonna shoot me," he said with yet another step, lowering his hands towards the gun. "I'm just gonna take a few more steps and grab this—"
Wade was interrupted by a world-shaking bang as he was abruptly knocked backwards, stumbling and falling over flat onto his back. The automatic door opened, and the robber watched as three new masked figures poured in through the main entrance.
She pointed her gun at Skinny, who stood in the front, before alternating between aiming at the others. Her voice now cracked with near-hysteria.
"Don't any of you take another step, or I'll shoot you guys like I shot your friend here!"
Wade groaned on the floor and began to pick himself up slowly and laboriously. The robber hesitated for a moment, torn emotionally, and then she pointed the gun down at Wade again. She discharged the weapon, acrid smoke and the scent of cordite now filling the air. Wade's body jerked back to the floor with the second shot, and as his hand contacted the tile, the device he was clutching popped from his hand and skittered along the floor. The boys all noticed this, and all put their hands above their heads in surrender. Even Wade, stunned on the floor, felt his hair stand up on the back of his neck. At war within him were two voices: the first shouted holy smokes, you just survived a real gunshot! How awesome is that! The second, and, at the moment, the louder, shouted shield is gone, shield is gone, shield is GONE! He knew he couldn't reach for it without risking his life. He stayed as still as he could.
The robber returned her aim to Skinny. "You, the tall one: see that rock right there? I don't know what it was, but that guy wouldn't give it up, so it must be valuable. Walk towards it, slowly, and kick it here."
Skinny was grateful that the mask covered his face, or else the worried look he now wore would give him all away. He tried his best to mask his apprehension before he spoke up. "Why would you want a dumb rock?"
"Now." she commanded, patience clearly running thin.
Skinny began to slowly inch towards Wade while the robber tensely waited. He desperately looked for a way out, some way to safely grab the thing before she had a chance to shoot. As his mind raced for a lifeline, he watched as a wine bottle behind the robber silently lifted into the air, semmingly all on its own. It then swung in a wide, overhead arch and connected with her head, crumpling her to the floor instantly as it broke and set a wash of wine down over her and onto the floor. Her gun suddenly launched away, kicked by an unseen force.
Skinny chuckled an exasperated laugh through his mask, scratching at his head. "You son of a bitch… waited until the very last moment, huh?" he said.
Shaun uncloaked triumphantly and moved in for the high-five. Wade began dancing near the unconscious robber.
"Guys, I hate to interrupt, but bear in mind the police are probably already en route and we'd best be running off right about now, if not sooner," Ronnie reminded.
"Yeah, yeah, I guess we'll get going then," Skinny said. He then turned to the stunned cashier. "Think you can keep an eye on this one? 'Til the police get here?"
"Y-yeah… I think so," he stammered.
"In that case, we gotta fly," Skinny said, ushering the group towards the door. "Now, young sir, we may have saved your life but you owe us no debt, as we're a new group of heroes in town! Dedicated to fighting crime and combating evil, we unite in the—"
Ronnie elbows Skinny, interrupting him. "As in, like now. No time for speeches."
"Sorry, carried away," Skinny said.
The group rushed out of the store, and the automatic door slowly slid shut behind them. The stunned store clerk looked around to the unconscious robber, who had been knocked out by a levitating bottle before an invisible boy in a mask materialized. He laughed at the absurdity of it all, a good, thorough, chest-heaving laugh. Then the door slid open, a new form in a stained hoodie and a ski mask running in.
"Nobody move, this is a hold up!" the new arrival shouted.
The clerk nearly fainted.