Starheart

Return

I waited a full 48 hours, searched every centimeter of the house, wall and garden, took a walk around to make sure no one was spying on me, changed all my passwords twice, checked the wifi and even climbed the tree outside the house while my parents were at work checking the branches for any cameras or listening devices. (The email saga hadn't caused any suspicion as both jobs always screwed up changing the hours.) After all that I finally returned to the Nebula server. 

And there was nothing. The entire Nebula chat had been cleared. My first thought was with whatever organization this was taking a look at things it would be sensible to try and stop them from finding traces of the rest of us but if that was the case why did no one say anything before? I checked my friend list which included everyone from the Nebula. There was a message from all 6 members which either said "Are you safe?" or "They're on to me please help!" which it said I had replied "No they found out I need help!" and "I'll be there as soon as I can." I shut down the computer and opened the letter. 

"You're the last one left solely because you could not be secretly extracted and we were not authorized to perform any action that could tip off the general public. If you want the rest of your gang to remain in one piece you will give yourself up on the required day and location. If you refuse we will return in force breaking the secrecy which will require us to purge any trace of the supernatural along with your associates." 

The letter burst into blue flames. I looked inside the envelope and there was the address, date and a train ticket to London. Clearly they didn't want anything to get in the way. Another evil perhaps a more subtle one than the monster thinking it could get away with this. I would go to the address but it certainly wouldn't be to give myself up but to confront whoever was behind this and to hell with secrecy if it came to that. 

The train journey was simple enough. I had packed a backpack with my jacket, mask, a white wig, some items from my witch box, a water bottle and some extra money just in case. The address directed me to the back entrance of a huge block of offices and I slipped into an alleyway to put on my outfit and headed in. I was expecting to find the place full of security and perhaps the mysterious leader watching a Big Brother style camera system of the city. Instead I found a corridor leading to a room full of rows of filing cabinets and a set of double doors at the end. A folder came shooting out of nowhere towards my head. I ducked and created a shield construct in case some more dangerous projectiles followed. Wait...

"Alya?" "Juniper?" We looked at each other in surprise. "Wait what?" A third voice asked. The filing room came alive as the Nebula members left their hiding places. "They said I was the last one no caught!" Neptune said. "We got hacked and got those letters." Jasper added and the rest of us nodded in confirmation. "Well we don't need the server now we're here in person." Adam considered. I narrowed my eyes "So they told all of us we were the only one left knowing we'd try and save each other?" Helena's palms glowed "Well we're all superheroes now!" She announced to the group. I was about to say that reality was probably going to come down hard on that idea when the lights went out and there was the sound of doors locking.

Jasper put his hand on the double doors and to everyone's surprise they swung open. "So they locked the way behind us but they want us to know what's through here. Everyone ready?" We walked through the door. 

"Welcome! So this must be the Nebula I've heard so much about!" I couldn't have been more surprised seeing the man behind all of this: Eric Lucan one of the richest people in the world who had a habit of predicting which businesses were going to make it big and buy them out at this point owning about 15% of global production. The newspapers all said he was the only person who's power could compare to an entire government and honestly? Until this moment I'd actually believed he was one of the good ones working to save the world. My high school had made us do projects on all the good he'd done in the world for crying out loud! "I'm very much hoping we can all come to an agreement here." 

I had about a hundred questions and insults bubbling away. I tried keeping my temper under control "What was with that whole fake interview thing and why did you kidnap us all?" I asked. He actually smiled "You all came willingly there was no kidnapping and honestly I needed to see how you'd react to an encounter with investigators. It would have been a very different situation if anyone felt the need to react rashly." 

"Don't anyone do anything. He had some kind of body armor woven through the suit which is probably why he's here personally." Juniper murmured to us. "I read the Nebula history and it was pretty fascinating. You were children at the time but you had all these plans to save the world." He grinned again "Real superheroes. It wasn't just the powers either you with your green history and ideas to unite the world against climate change." In a different lifetime when I believed the world to be a kinder place than it actually is this had happened. "That was a long time ago." I said looking down at my shoes. I wondered if he made a habit of complimenting former activists. 

Lucan didn't seem particularly bothered by my interruption "I can give you the chance to change the world." "Why would you do that?" Neptune asked and for the first time Lucan looked annoyed. "Weapons, resources, information and even people can be bought if you raise the price enough or offer a certain thing but magic itself seems to be evasive. A form of power that can bring thoughts to life and only exists in a rare few." So that was his line: He wanted magical operatives that he could buy out like another business venture. Right, he was acting fair enough but I still hadn't forgotten the threatening letters.

"So let's say we agree then what?" Juniper asked and I was glad someone had just gone ahead and asked "Then your powers will be put to use to make the world a better place. To decide elections, win wars and remake the world." So the mask was finally off. It was about time. I took a step forward "A minute ago it was be superheroes and change the world. Now you're talking about world domination!" I accused him. "Now they are the same thing! There is too many variables and opinions that slow down what needs to be done!" He was almost shouting now. I shook my head and rejoined the Nebula. No one stepped forward to take his offer.

The pause dragged on for a while as the tension grew "I see... So we revert to the original plan after all." He said in a measured voice. The section of floor Eric Lucan was standing on lifted up transporting him to a viewing area. Doors swung open and forms staggered in in a zombie like fashion before it clicked that they probably were.