Brave New World: Stargirl

Chapter 17

So, which way do you guys want to see Cameron go? JSA or ISA? I can think of a way for both of them, but I'm curious on which way you guys would prefer, since honestly, of all the ISA legacies, he's the one I'm most unsure of.

Barb was sitting in her office, so focused on what she was working on her computer that she didn't realize someone had entered it until she heard a man clear his throat, causing her to jump as she looked up from her computer to see a man that she quickly recognizes as her boss.

"Mr. Makhent, I'm so sorry I didn't hear you come in." Barbara said as she turned off what she was doing.

"It's no problem. I take that to mean that you're very committed to your work, though I'm guessing by the fact that you shut down what you were working on that it wasn't actually American Dream work, so what is it you were working on?" Jordan Mahkent asked her.

"It was a personal matter. I'm currently looking into lawyers." Barbara said.

"Why?" Jordan asked.

"It's a long story, but my husband and I recently took in one of daughter's friends after her parents all but kicked her out simply because she's gay." Barbara said.

"You mean Yolanda Montez." Jordan said.

"How do you know who she is?" Barbara asked.

"Oh my son Cameron goes to school with her and your daughter. Her name is Courtney right." Jordan said.

"It is. So I'm guessing you know about all the drama then." Barbara said.

"Not all of it, all Cameron told me was that one of the students there outed Ms. Montez and there was a lot of fallout, but clearly I should've gotten involved sooner, since I had no idea that her situation had gotten so tenuous." Jordan said.

"Well, I appreciate that Jordan, but right now, I trying to get the judge to approve letting my husband and I take legal custody of Yolanda, or at least get her emancipated, since she's no longer living with her parents, who have never once even reached out to see how she was doing." Barb said.

"Let me guess, a super religious family, thinks that anything that didn't happen in the bible is crap." Jordan said.

"Yeah pretty much. I mean, I know that these sorts of people exist, but I thought that Blue Valley was one of the few places where people aren't that small minded." Barb said.

"I wish that were true Barbara, but sometimes small towns have the most small minded people. But that is something that we're working on changing here at the American Dream." Jordan said.

"I hope so. But in the meantime, I'm trying to make it so that it's legal when I sign permission slips for Yolanda." Barb said.

"Hey, why don't you let me help? I have a friend on the city council, along with a judge who owes me a favor. I'm sure they'd both be more than happy to help." Jordan said.

"I didn't think you'd care about something like this." Barbara said.

"The whole reason I started the American Dream is because I wanted to help people like this Yolanda girl and honestly Barb, I admire how far you're willing to go to help her." Jordan said.

"Thank you. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. Especially since Yolanda has been so helpful to my daughter Courtney in adjusting to the move." Barbara said, deciding not to mention her daughter's emergent sexuality or attraction to Yolanda to her boss, especially since she was still in the doghouse with Courtney and honestly, she had a feeling that she wasn't getting out of it anytime soon, not that she didn't deserve it.

"It's my pleasure. I'll also talk to my son to see if maybe he could help your daughter adjust a bit more." Jordan said.

"That would be great." Barbara said.

"I'll let you know what my friends say." Jordan said and Barbara nodded.

"Are you going to be at the Blue Valley High Open House tonight?" Barbara asked.

"Of course, wouldn't miss it for the world." Jordan said, though Barbara did not see the look in his eye as an idea came to his mind.

"I guess I'll see you tonight." Barbara said and Jordan nodded as he walked out of her office and pulled out his phone.

"Henry, you are planning on attending Blue Valley High's open house, correct?" Jordan said.

"Of course, but only because it is expected of me in order to maintain my cover. Why do you ask?" Henry asked.

"Because I think it's time to check in on our experiments at the school for one thing, since with Starman's staff back in play, we can't risk whoever it is that has it accidentally reminding our subjects of who they are, which could be problematic." Jordan said.

"Understood, but I don't have to read your mind to know there's another reason. What is it?" Henry asked.

"At least half the town will be in attendance tonight. One of the perks of living in a small town. But anyways I also want you to scan the minds of everyone else in attendance of the event to see if any of them know the whereabouts of the staff, since Dr. Ito is taking too long to locate it." Jordan said.

"I understand. Would you like me to also read the Montez girl's mind as well, see if she knows anything in case this new Starman has gotten to her?" Henry asked, since Ito had informed them all of Cindy's discovery.

"Do it. And also see if you can get your son to lighten up on her. If we want any chance of her joining us, then we need her not to hate our children." Jordan said.

"I believe Ito's daughter has already made that inevitable. Are you really considering allowing her to join our ranks?" Henry asked.

"Of course not. She's an even bigger loose cannon than Sportsmaster and Tigress and that is saying something, since at least those two know when to fall in line. I don't know what Ito was thinking bringing her into this in the first place, I only allowed it because he said she could be useful and more importantly, she was aware of his true nature before I recruited him to our cause." Jordan said.

"Glad we're on the same page there. Should we tell her?" Henry asked.

"No. We let her keep doing her job, keeping an eye on your son in case he did inherit your powers. Once she's no longer useful to us, unless she proves me wrong about her, we'll dispose of her." Jordan said.

"You really think the Dragon will allow that?" Henry asked.

"You act as though he actually cares about her like we care about our kids. We both know how he feels about his daughter. She's a tool to be used until she's no longer useful to us." Jordan said.

"Just checking to make sure. I'll let you know if I find anything tonight." Henry said.

"See you then. Though one more thing. Do not tell the others. This is a delicate matter." Jordan said.

"Of course." Henry said as he hung up and Jordan sighed as he entered his own office.