School. Why is it more scary than the Darklands. Or, not scary. Not like he was going to die… more like something Jim had reconciled himself that he was never going to see again, and here he and Claire were, sitting in front of the principal.

“Because you’re an open cape,” Principal Sanger said, “We won’t have to disguise your identity. You’ll be a half-day student, but I should mention, that you need to be careful about associating with the other Wards in their civilian identities.”

Jim nodded. They’d been told their identities, with a stack of NDAs…

And Jim didn’t have the heart to tell Dennis that he knew who he was. Jim had a very good sense of smell, and Dennis’s cologne should probably get a striker rating of its own for the damage it did to his nose, but it meant that in costume or out, Jim could find Clockblocker.

Only Missy and Sophia went to another school. Missy because she was still in Jr. High and Sophia because she had friends at Winslow. Jim didn’t mind. Getting through a conversation with her with some kind of snark or passive-aggressive comment was difficult, especially when she asked why he hadn’t pulped Grue.

That came up about once a day, especially when they heard about another Undersiders robbery.

Regardless, Sophia wasn’t here, and Jim and Claire were both happy for that.

“Also, while we have a fairly lenient policy, PDAs should be kept to the level that will not disrupt the class,” Sanger said.

Jim blushed as he followed Sanger’s gaze to where he and Claire were holding hands.

“Um, yeah,” Claire said.

“Now, you have your student packets, and remember that Arcadia has a strict no-bullying policy. I do not expect you to engage in that behavior, but there have been times in the past when students took advantage of larger individuals, feeling that they could always accuse them of bullying. If that occurs, speak to me and the teacher immediately.” Finally, Sanger gestured at the schedule. “Your test results show that Ms. Nunez is capable of taking third-year classes and once the college tests are scheduled, she may be able to start some night classes at Brockton Bay College. With the exception of mathematics and penmanship, you are up to speed, Mr. Lake, so you will have a tutor assigned for your study period for mathematics and writing.”

“Thank you,” Jim said. He and Claire got up and headed out for the start of the day.

Arcadia reminded Jim of the school at home. People looked at him, but he was used to that by now and he’d been out enough that most people didn’t freak that much. He and Claire found their lockers, and Jim saw Carlos walking down the corridor, being careful to not notice him.

The biggest moment of the day was when the coach asked Jim if he wanted to try out for the team. Jim shook his head. “Sorry, sir, but I’m rated as an um, brute 6 and I’m not allowed to participate in any contact sports.”

The coach sagged. “The first chance we had to win nationals…” he said.

Jim was fairly certain the coach was joking, or had been told to say that.

On the other hand, Coach back at Arcadia was really competitive. Maybe he figures they could have Panacea in the stands for whenever I run over someone. It didn’t matter though, because the PRT would freak.

For that reason, PE was his study period with the tutor, since none of the facilities at Arcadia would be able to give him a workout.

“Too bad Glory Girl isn’t here,” one kid who had come to Jim and Claire’s table said. “But she’s got university classes today.” The short Asian brushed her hair back. “But beware.”

“What for?” Claire asked.

“When she does come back, she’s going to ask you all sorts of things, and yeah, you’ll find out why her other nickname is Hurricane Vicky. She was going off on it all last week that Case-53s don’t get to keep their memory!”

“I’m… Well, it’s unusual,” Jim said. Not that we can tell you about alternate worlds. Not yet. The PRT was going to announce that in a week or so, once people were used to them. Evidently after Earth Aleph, the PRT really wanted to manage any further news of interdimensional contacts.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She grinned. “Name’s Ann.”

“Hi,” Jim said. “I’m Jim, this is Claire.” A couple of kids walked up, saw Ann, then turned and left.

“What’s that about?” Claire muttered. “They seemed okay in math.”

“It’s me,” Ann said. “I’m…” she sighed. “I’m from part of the town where the ABB runs things and my brother…” She looked around. “He’s ABB. I mean, he doesn’t do crimes or anything, but he wears the colors. Mom didn’t want me involved, so she really pressed me to get the grades for Arcadia. But… Kenji’s activities sort of got out here and some of the kids…” She shook her head. “Well, hey, when your idiot brother links you up with the ABB, the stink sticks.”

“Oh.” Jim blinked. “So, wanna eat with us for lunch from now on?”

“Sure, if you don’t mind Vicky showing up.”

“Will she… let me eat between questions?” Jim asked.

“Depends. How fast can you eat?” Ann said.

“Oh, you did not just ask that question,” Claire said. “And you don’t want to know the answer.”

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

“I don’t eat that—”

“Refrigerator.”

“Um…”

“And remember, Blinky and I had to get you out of the tree?” Claire looked at Ann and grinned. “Freon has a strange effect on his system.”

“So, no refrigerators?”

“Nope.” Jim said. “Just this.” He held up his food, before looking over at another student, holding a platter of food. “It’s… nutritious.”

When lunch period ended, Jim and Claire had to go back to the Ward’s HQ and Ann had to head back to class. “So, see you tomorrow?” Claire asked.

“Yeah!” Ann said. “That’d be great!” Jim waved as Claire opened a portal, getting them back to the HQ, long before the rest the Wards could.

Dennis had said that was unfair. Claire had very primly noted that it was partial compensation for being an outed cape.

Once they were back at the HQ, everyone but Missy and Sophia sat down for Aegis to give their briefing.

“Where’s Vista and Shadow stalker?” Claire asked.

“Vista isn’t allowed to have half-days except once a week,” Clockblocker said. “Youth Guard, and Shadow Stalker… maybe she found someone into violence like she is.”

“Fuck you, Clock,” Sophia said as she walked into the room..

“Language,” Carlos said.

Jim got the feeling he didn’t really expect it to have any impact.

“I’m late because somebody at school had a panic attack over a little joke,” Sophia said. “They actually called the police. Probably wanted someone to kiss the boo-boo and make it better.”

“That sounds serious,” Claire said.

“Nah, they’re always making fake claims. I think they’re an E88 wannabe, especially given how many times they’ve tried to get me in trouble. I bet any day now, she’ll claim she’s ABB or maybe that Lung is after her to get some attention.” Sophia sat down. “So where are we going to pretend to make a difference?”

“Mostly adjacent to the Boardwalk,” Carlos said. “The Merchants have been sending some dealers into this area, so we’re to act as a visible deterrent. We don’t expect to see their capes, but if we do, back off and wait for Protectorate intervention.” He looked at Claire and Jim. “You’ll be with Shadow Stalker and me.”

Just outside of Sophia’s view, Dennis mouthed. “Sorry” at Jim and Claire.

“So I’m with the new guys.” Sophia muttered.

“Yes, and I expect you to show them the ropes and not diverge from your patrol route, this time,” Carlos said. “Remember, ideally we show the flag, but we don’t engage, not without explicit permission.”

“What if there are people at risk?” Jim asked.

“Normally the Merchants don’t get that violent, not out here,” Carlos replied.

“I could always portal anyone away,” Claire said. “That way, we could protect them and stay out of the fight.”

Sophia snorted, but said nothing else.

“Right!” Carlos said, after the awkward pause. “Let me show you our patrol route…”

----------------------------------------

The patrol was well…

Okay, it’s boring, Claire thought. They’d walked the boardwalk and now were walking the streets behind it, and most people who might be doing drugs just faded away. They could arrest if they saw something, but mostly were just there to show the flag.

It didn’t help that Shadow Stalker was saying what Claire was thinking out loud.

“This is useless,” she muttered.

“We’ve relayed four drug deals to the police for arrest,” Carlos said. He was flying over them.

“And they’ll be out before tonight,” Sophia growled. “I did a better job getting them off the streets.”

“And remember how that turned out,” Carlos said. “We’ll do a turn at fifth and start sweeping back. I—”

“And I have Merchant graffiti,” Sophia paused. “Looks new.”

“Fuck,” Carlos muttered.

“What’s the issue?” Jim asked.

“The Merchants do this all the fucking time,” Sophia said. “Run in, slap up their symbol, maybe do a couple of drive-bys… and then the other gangs come in and slap them down and that makes things worse.”

“There’s probably a storehouse here,” Carlos said. “Where they can keep their drugs safely.”

“It’s new, so we can find it,” Sophia replied.

“No, we call it in.” Carlos paused. “School’s out, and the last thing we need is a fight three blocks from the boardwalk.” Everyone fell silent while he relayed it to the PRT and the BBPD.

“We could try to find them and then tell the police,” Claire said. “We wouldn’t have to fight.”

“No, if this is a storage house, one of their capes may be there,” Carlos said. “I’d like to but…”

“Oh yes, you sure would, you just never want to get Piggy pissed.”

“Stalker!” Aegis said. “Show respect and this line is recorded.”

“As if I care.”

“Look,” Jim said. “Aegis is right. But if there’s one in the area, we can have Armsmaster use a drone to find it.”

Sophia didn’t say anything, and Jim sighed. He looked up and down the road. There were cars, a few pedestrians, but nothing that looked like a bunch of Merchants. To be fair, from what Carlos and Dennis had told him, taking a shower would ensure that you didn’t look like a Merchant, so for all he knew they were just going incognito.

He and Claire walked along on the ground, with Sophia taking overwatch on the buildings and Aegis in the sky, orbiting around them.

“Okay, we’re on Seventh, so we turn down here. Sophia remember to watch out for people on the roof, especially roofs with a lot of stuff on them that could give cover from me. Sophia?” Carlos paused. “Shadow Stalker, report!”

Silence.

“Trollhunter, Shadowdancer, do you see Shadow Stalker? I can’t see her from here.”

Claire paused as they looked around the street, then portaled to a roof. “No.”

There was silence, then… Claire’s phone rang.

“Hello?”

Carlos was on the other end. “Sophia has done this before. She goes off on little patrols and ‘gets lost’ so she can try and find things on her own. Piggot’s about out of patience. Sophia’s probably looking for the stash, but we might be able to find her before I have to send up a missing Ward alert.”

“I… Okay,” Claire said, and moments later, she had portaled back to Jim.

“We last saw her about three blocks back,” Jim said. “I’ll take the roofs, Claire, you portal around, see if you can get a look at her. Aegis, you stick to the sky.”

“She’s probably keeping to the interiors of the buildings so she can claim she didn’t see us.” Carlos said.

“Maybe, but we can’t be certain.” Jim nodded at Claire. “Can you try to portal to her?”

Claire shook her head. “No emotional connection or link. I’m just place to place here.”

“Okay,” Jim said. “Dammit, Sophia,” he said in a lower voice. With that, Claire portaled away.

She went directly to the Merchant sign that Sophia had seen. Claire walked up to it and and looked around. Then she saw a smaller symbol by the alley. Nose wrinkling at the scent, she walked to the alley and then almost stumbled over a body.

She bit off her cry of shock and knelt down. He was breathing and one of the tinkertech bolts Sophia liked to use was lying next to him.

“Guys,” Claire said on her phone. “She shot someone, and I think we’re at the stash.”

“Portal me,” Jim said.

Claire had no trouble with that emotional connection. Jim came through and moments later, Carlos was on the ground beside them.

“Shit, fuck!” Carlos said. “We’re going to have to report this, the bolts are tracked. When Piggot gets her hands on Shadow Stalker…”

“So we get her out first,” Jim said. “She saw something and went in.”

“Not the first time,” Carlos said. “I’d figured she’d be on better behavior, but…”

“Yeah, we know the type,” Claire replied. “Let’s…”

And then Sophia’s intangible form came flying out of the wall, turning solid just in time to hit the far wall and land on the ground.”

“The Merchants are here,” Sophia said. “They’ve got a cape!”

“What? Fall—” Carlos didn’t get to finish his words as the wall just came apart and what looked like a giant made of garbage came through.

“You fuckers think you can mess with the Merchants?” it rumbled.

Okay. Not boring anymore, Claire thought as she desperately tried to breathe through her mouth.

Then things got very busy.