Chapter Five #2
Shawn swallowed and eased the door shut behind him. “I’m sorry. I swear, I didn’t mean to get involved last night.”
“So you what? Sleep-walked into an in-progress robbery? Tripped and fell into your uniform? Or wait!” His father held up his hand, and his voice dropped to conspiratorial level. “Was it the irresistible call of the Surge Signal?”
Shawn’s face heated. “First off, I told the mayor I didn’t want anything to do with that thing—”
“Oh, believe me, the first thing I did on arriving in town was drive to that idiot’s house and give him an earful.
” Dave rolled his eyes before sitting down on the futon.
He glanced down and arched an eyebrow. Following his gaze, Shawn found Ears tearing into the bag of chicken wings.
He snatched it up and popped it into the trash can under the sink.
The two men stood awkwardly, the only sound that of Ears licking his jowls.
Shawn rubbed the back of his neck. He’d screwed up.
He knew he’d screwed up, but at the time it hadn’t felt like he’d had a choice.
People could’ve gotten hurt if he hadn’t intervened.
Even so, he knew what he’d done was a terrible violation of DOSA protocol and the second strike against him before he even officially joined the department.
“What’s DOSA going to do about ... me?” he murmured.
“I’m not sure. Maybe nothing. The fact that the committee agreed to allow me to come talk to you father to son rather than sending some random DOSA fixer is a good sign, but Shawn, you can’t keep doing this.
” Dave’s lips pursed. “It’s not just that it’s a breach of protocol.
It’s dangerous. You were outnumbered two to one and these weren’t amateurs.
Apparition and Mythcreant are responsible for multiple high profile robberies throughout the US, and Mythcreant has been known to use violence when it furthers his goals. ”
Shawn stiffened. “You know who they are?”
“DOSA has an open file on them.” Dave nodded.
“They’re both new on the scene. About two years ago they started by hitting a bank in Cincinnati, then a little over six months later an art museum in Pittsburgh.
Their MO seems to be to make a high profit score then lie low for a time, probably until they run out of funds. ”
Shawn’s brow furrowed. “Then what are they doing holding up convenience stores in a nowhere town like College City?”
“No idea. It’s a step down for a duo that has always been extremely professional and good about eluding DOSA pursuit teams.” Dave rubbed at his chin. “I’m hoping I can get some other sables sent to the area now that we know there’s a real threat.”
Ears nudged at Shawn’s leg, so the young man sat cross legged in the middle of the floor and scratched the dog’s head.
This whole thing doesn’t make sense.
“Can you tell me more about them?”
“You’re not thinking about going after them, are you?” Dave’s eyes narrowed.
“No, but I have a bad feeling they’re going after me.” Shawn’s chest tightened. “Apparition knows about Nikki.”
“Who is Nikki again?” His dad frowned.
“She’s the barista at the coffee shop. I mean, we only see each other in the context of me putting in orders, but I’ve been thinking about asking her out.
If Apparition knows that Nikki is someone of importance to me, then she has to have been following or watching me.
” A chill ran down Shawn’s spine. “What if I’ve put Nikki in danger? ”
Dave rubbed his chin. “It’s very rare, almost to the point of being unheard of, for a supervillain to go after a DOSA sable’s loved ones.
I won’t lie. I had nightmares where my work put your mother or you and your sisters in danger, but it’s not something that happens.
There’s kind of an unspoken understanding in the business that any villain who stoops to that level is fair game for all sables, so that sort of attack is a death wish for the villain.
It’s one reason why I’ve never bothered with a secret identity. ”
Shawn frowned. “Then why were you so insistent that I have one?”
“Because I want you to have a little longer as a normal young man before you get into ... well, this.” Dave motioned towards his son’s uniform.
“I guess maybe that was a lost cause. You’ve been tugging at the reins since your powers manifested.
It’s a miracle I kept you out of it this long.
” He rested his head in his hands. “This worries me. I’ll get you a file on their previous activities and what little we know about them.
Not because I want you to go after them, because I absolutely forbid that, but because if they are targeting you, you need to be prepared. ”
Shawn recoiled. “Targeting me? Why?”
“I hope I’m wrong, but Shawn, you’ve put yourself in an especially dangerous position.
You’re acting as a superhero but without the natural protections provided to you by a full DOSA team.
You’re uniquely vulnerable because of that, and .
.. I mentioned that supervillains don’t usually target the families of superheroes because there would be repercussions?
Well, those repercussions don’t kick in, so to speak, if the superhero’s family member is a sable killed in the line of duty. ”
Shawn’s blood ran cold. “You think they’re going after me to get at you?
But why?” His brain struggled to make sense of it.
Yes, his father was a superhero, and that meant he had taken down his share of supervillains, but always with a team under the umbrella of larger DOSA operations.
That sort of thing didn’t cause personal grudges. It was just how things were.
“I’m not sure, but I have a suspicion.” Dave stood and grasped his son’s shoulder. “Promise me you’ll be careful, all right?”
“I will.” Shawn got to his feet to exchange a quick hug with his father.
Shawn sighed as his dad departed.
Okay, time to get it together and stop screwing up. I have a good thing going: a family that loves me, a girl I’m interested in who seems to like me back, and a waiting career as a DOSA hero. I need to focus on that and stop making stupid impulse decisions.
Shawn walked into the bathroom and considered himself.
Even overlooking the circle of purple turning to green around his eye, he was still a mess.
He ran his fingers through his hair a few times, causing it to stick up.
He needed a shower. Did he have time for one?
He hadn’t set an alarm last night. Where had he left his phone?
He thought he’d put it on the charger when he’d gotten in the night before.
He hurried to find it. Sure enough, it was plugged in and waiting for him. At least he’d done that right.
However, when he picked it up and the time displayed, his relief over that small victory faded. Only a half hour until his first class. He’d really wanted to see Nikki this morning, but if he didn’t leave now he wouldn’t have time.
With one last longing glance in the direction of the shower, he pulled a hoodie and a pair of jogging pants on over his uniform, grabbed his laptop bag, and headed out the door.