Hero's Call

Chapter Twenty

Captain Amazing sat in the passenger seat of this grandson's slightly used BMW watching the houses amble past slowly. The speedometer only once went over 40 mph, but Captain Amazing suspected that had only happened because a pretty young girl had pulled up next to them at a light, and Barton wanted to keep pace to get a good look at the lovely young thing. When she had taken a left and they a right, Barton had returned to his meager pace that proved to get no one anywhere with any kind of urgency. Luckily, Captain Amazing didn't want to return to his depressing room at the retirement home any sooner than he had to, so his grandson's feather foot on the gas wasn't an issue.

Brooke had made them an excellent dinner of cheeseburger pie and mashed potatoes after their long day of training Milo and Calliope. They had returned home after confirming that Cali hadn't received any kind of injuries from being shot across a field and nearly all the way through a rather thick tree trunk. Cali and Bill had stuck around for an hour or so at the Radcliff house, but both returned home to have dinner with their own families. Captain Amazing worried about Bill, of all people. He was enthusiastic enough, sure, but that would wear off eventually. Where would he be then if his Gene didn't activate? Bitter? Betrayed? Angry? Captain Amazing had seen more than a few friends turned at odds because one had gone on to protect the world while the other was left to live a normal life working a nine to five. He silently hoped that Bill would activate while he was still enthusiastic about the possibilities instead of bitter and looking for revenge. That was the last thing anyone needed.

Barton pulled the BMW into the parking lot of Buckland Retirement Home and steered the car through the entryway drive.

"Thanks, Barty," Captain Amazing said to his grandson as he put the car into park. "Tell Brooke I said thanks for dinner."

"Sure thing," replied Barton. The old Hero began getting out of the car, but Barton stopped him. "How's he doing?"

Captain Amazing stopped with the door half open and one foot on the pavement. He regarded his grandson coolly. Barton wouldn't meet his eyes for some reason. They'd talked about Milo's training at dinner. He should know quite well how his son was doing. This seemed like something else, something deeper.

"What do you mean?" he asked Barton, pulling his foot back into the car and shutting the door.

"I guess," started Barton, "I should ask how he's holding up?"

There it was. Just a father worried about his son. Barton was never particularly affectionate toward Milo for some reason, but Captain Amazing knew Barton loved his son more than anything whether he showed it or not. Some people just weren't good at showing their feelings.

"Seems to be okay," he told Barton. "He's not the most powerful Hero that's ever lived. He'll be in a little more danger than I was, but there are ways around that. He just has to train up. I wouldn't worry any more than you have to."

Barton nodded silently. Whether it was what he wanted to hear or not, Barton didn't say. He just nodded.

"Thanks, granddad," he said with a genuine tone that could have just as easily been feigned. Captain Amazing's heart went out to his grandson. His own father didn't have to worry about his son being in danger because he died long before he'd ever gotten the chance. Captain Amazing didn't have to worry about it because his own son was part of the first generation born under the regime of The Dreadnaught Virus. He didn't know what to say.

"Thanks for the ride, Barty," he said finally, opening the door again.

"No problem," his grandson replied.

Captain Amazing stepped out of the car with more effort than he would have liked, and shut the door behind him. The BMW's engine hummed to life as the car moved back down the drive, through the parking lot, and out into the street. Captain Amazing watched the car until it disappeared around a corner. There was a sullen tone to Barton's mood that had rubbed off on Captain Amazing himself. The thought of going inside the retirement home was even more unappealing after that short, but powerful conversation. They had barely spoken but there was so much conveyed between them silently that it could have filled a book.