Page 50 of No Capes
“Gross.”
When we’re back on the first floor, Damian leads me to the register, still going about Supers.
“Who’s your favorite Super?” I ask.
“That’s like asking me to pick my favorite child. I can’t give you a top three.”
I knew Damian was a nerd, given his grades and high-achieving personality, but I never could have predicted him to be this into comics. Then, I remember what Golden Ace was like when I discovered my powers: very different from what I had expected.
“Do Supers ever have secret powers—that might not be in the comics?” I ask.
“I’m not sure,” he says, frowning. “I suppose it’s possible. What do you mean?”
That Golden Ace can read minds,but I can’t tell Damian that. “Suppose you have a fire Super, like Flare. Can she do anything else with fire? Like, more than she might in the comics, or what she’s shown us in her battles? Or what about Materio? He can transfigure almost anything, but does he have other powers?
“Gotcha. It’s possible. Only Supers know the full extent of their powers, or if they warp over time. I’m sure you’ve heard some theories about how Supers get powers.” He laughs again. “Some of them are pretty crazy.”
“Seriously,” I say. “Like Kristen thinks Supers are the descendants of a frog-eating princess.”
“Not the hoppiest of theories,” he cracks. While I stand motionless, stunned at his pun, Damian points to the cash register. “That’ll be $215.89. Do you want to use my discount?”
“Really? That would be great, thanks.” I hadn’t realized you could put a price on learning about Superpowers, but apparently this was it. I doubt they even consider this expensive in the comic-book world.
“No probs.” The keyboard clacks as he types into his computer. “$107.95. And, if you wantmytheory, I think powers can warp over time, especially as Supers get stronger. Take Golden Ace. He has strength-based powers like fighting, speed, and flying… but only in the last few years he’s also been able to sense danger. I think that suggests some degree of telepathic power, but we can’t know if he has the full gamut of telepathic powers or only extra sensory perception—”
“What’s the full gamut of telepathic powers?” I interrupt. I knowa lotabout Golden Ace, but this is the first I’m hearing of his telepathic powers, from a fellow Goldie. “Like moving things with your mind?”
“That’s telekinesis,”says Damian.
“Oh. Right.”
“Telepathy, or telepathic perception, is the ability to receive information mentally, like having super heightened senses, empathy, possibly thought detection, or predicting the actions of others. Memory reading could be possible, for a powerful telepath. I’m not convinced Golden Ace came to Capital City with any of those, and it seems like he’s onlynowable to sense where the bad guys are. That’s my far-fetched conjecture. I hope your dad has a happy birthday,” he adds.
If my theory is correct that Golden Ace is about twenty, he might seem like an older brother to someone as Super-obsessed as Damian has turned out to be. The amount Damian and I would have in common if that were true… but before I can ask,the latest customer in the store approaches the counter and Damian straightens.
“Have a glorious night,” he says more boldly, like he’s building himself up to appear more threatening.
I turn to leave and find none other than Zane Milligan blocking my path. Zane is pretty tall, with broad shoulders and a clean shave. I look back at Damian. Why does he seem scared? Zane is big, but he isn’t dangerous.
“Roberts.” Zane nods to me as I pass.
I shoulder my bag and head for the door.Zane knows who I am?I’ve never had a conversation with him, and definitely hadn’t expected him to know my name. I’m even more shocked when, as I step onto the empty sidewalk, Damian’s bold voice sounds a warning. “The answer’s no. Not when you’re caught up in that stuff. It’s way too dangerous.”
I glance behind me. Damian stands his ground, arms crossed. Zane has his hands on his hips, and I almost gasp. It’s a normal posture, but the crook of his elbow and tilt of his feet look exactly like one of the figurines on my dresser… at that height and build… Zane looks just like Golden Ace.
No way.Could Zane be Golden Ace? No. Probably not. But…Maybe. He’s the right age and has the right connections.
If ZaneisGolden Ace, then the obvious candidate for Dark Static wouldagainbe Aaron, given what Fox had told me about Aaron’s meeting with Zane the night of the fire. It fits for Zane to have helped Dark Static set fire to Dr. Milligan’s house. Zane could have acquired a fire insurance policy beforehand, and made sure his mom wouldn’t get hurt. If ZaneisGolden Ace… he just heard us discussing him.
Footsteps thud on the floor behind me. Damian has gotten Zane to leave, after they reached some sort of agreement. Damian calls after Zane, “It’s my pleasure to do that specialness for you,” a phrase I’ve only ever heard one person say.
Dark Static.
Nineteen
The next morning at practice, Friday, the day of Hallowfest, Kristen runs up to me so fast, she almost slips into the water. “I have news. Damian and Molly broke up.”
“Wait,” I say, because I have news too. I quickly explain why I think he might be D.S., and if not him, then why D.S. is possibly Aaron. If not Aaron, thenmaybeFox, but Damian Scott’s initials are literally D.S. If Damian is Dark Static, could Zane be Golden Ace?But then why had they been fighting?And why would he tell me about telepathic powers? It seems like Golden Ace would want to keep that secret.
