34 cape high fire spin, p.1
34 Cape High Fire Spin, page 1
part #1 of Cape High Series
FIRE SPIN
BY
R.J. ROSS
Fire Spin
Amazon Edition
Published by Book Candy Publishing
Copyright © 2022 by R. J. Ross
All Rights Reserved
Cover art and design by Leslie Zielinski
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
~Other works by R.J. Ross~
The Winstead Files Series
Courting the Beast * Snow White, Snow White
Seasons of the Fae Series
Raven's Return * Death of a Dryad * Water Wielder
Cape High Series
Super Villain Dad * America's Grandson * Hello Kitty * Don't Know Jack * Daddy's Girl * Aces Wild * Steampunk Time * Fire Hazard * Ditto Ditto * Sunny Daze * Life Light * Guitar Hero * Super Girls * Shadow Boy * Super Villain Grandpa * Mic Drop * Coyote’s Howl * Rocky Road * Rainbow Rush * Rise and Shine * Burn Out * Stringless Puppeteer *America’s Firewall * Mimic You * Steel Life * Aloha Boy * Boogey Blitz * Deadly Road Trip * Kitty’s Pride * Sons of Lerrestia * Healing Touch * Beach Bunny * Mega Me * Fire Spin
Cape High Side Stories
Cape High Christmas: A Side Story
Cape High Villainy: A Side Story
Reaper’s Darlin’: A Cape High Side Story
Cape High Kindergarten: A Side Story
Cape of Cheer: Cape High Christmas II
Cape High: Days Past
Ringmaster (Toodles)
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER ONE
“It’s time, kid,” Nico says from the door of the kitchen. “You’ve got a bigger job to do, so you’re graduating now.”
I look up from the food magazine I’ve been flipping through, fighting the urge to groan. “Did Century call?” I ask.
“Nope, this is all me,” he says. “Come on, we need to arrange for something quick and dramatic, and once we’ve gotten that over, you’re going to train in the West Branch for a while.”
I go still, a bit stunned by that. “Nico… you DO realize that I’m lined up to be second-in-command of South, right? Why are you sending me West?”
He looks back at me, still heading through the dorm building and out the door. “Because I need someone keeping an eye on Negatia right now, and you’re my quickest and most logical choice, Vinny,” he says. “She did something out in space that could make trouble, but since I’m only a school principal, sometimes I have to… work around the red tape.”
“Yeah, but—“ I start out, only to sigh. Okay, yeah, I’ve got plenty of credits to graduate, a job lined up, and even people commenting on my age. I get it, but I still don’t like being kicked out. I like cooking for my zoo siblings, and my kitchen is AMAZING. I’ve got toys that even professional TV chefs couldn’t imagine!
“We’ll tech out your temporary kitchen while you’re working there,” Nico says.
“Including that fabber thing you picked up in space?” I ask.
“I’ll have to toss in a security system for that one, but sure,” he says.
“What am I going to do, then?” I ask. This actually isn’t terrible. If he just tells me what I need to do to graduate it’s less work for me, right? “Couldn’t I just say that going to work for Negatia is my graduation gig?”
“Do you really think a Hall would accept a random kid with nothing to show as their second-in-command?” Nico asks, looking at me with a hint of amusement. “The group in the West Hall aren’t like Central. Sure, they aren’t S-class tanks, or anything…”
“Yeah, so—“
“They’re worse,” he says.
I go still, my mind going blank as I try to figure that statement out. “What… sort of ‘worse’?” I ask. I can practically hear the rest of the school listening in.
“They’re specialized,” he says. “Reaper says he’s got a lot of ‘old friends’ over in that branch. It’s actually where Kim Nao’s old man calls home. You don’t hear a lot about the old ones, which is why they’re not noticed by regular fans. They also have a ton of decent A and B-class capes that do the majority of the work. Almost all of those are specialized, by the way. Negatia’s definitely got a favorite type.” We’re out of the building and heading for the science building, now. “That’s one thing you’ve got going for you, though. You’re specialized, as well. But don’t worry, I don’t plan on you being the endgame for the job. This is just training, and we’ll make sure everyone realizes that. It’ll prepare them to train their next second-in-command in the same way.”
“You were thinking Ward, right?” I say as we head up to the second floor and step into his “office.” It’s also our science classroom. “Is he going to be able to deal with a group like that?”
“Good question,” Nico admits as he waves a hand, sending mechanical parts flying. “He’ll have a better chance of it if you make a good impression. They’ll find out that you’re zoo siblings quickly enough. They might already know, honestly.” He steps back, looking at what he’s just made thoughtfully for a moment.
I look, finally, and stare blankly at the foot tall golem-looking robot. “Seriously?” I ask.
“I’m calling Jack,” he says, waving a hand at the wall. An image of Jack appears on the wall. He’s stuffing food into his mouth. When Nico starts talking, he lifts a finger, stopping him. “Seriously?” Nico says dryly.
Jack finishes off the massive sandwich, licking his fingers before speaking. “Whassup?” he says.
“I thought you were finishing up your house today,” Nico says.
“It’s second lunch,” Jack says.
“Can you make these?” Nico asks, waving at the tiny metal golem. “We’re going to set up Vinny’s graduation gig.”
Jack looks at the golem, his eyes lighting up. “Yeah, I can make those, but I might have to steal a few of the tech parts.”
“Consider them left unguarded,” Nico says. “We’ll need a hundred of them by tomorrow.”
“Wait, a hundred?” I repeat, only to hear an echo.
“I ain’t sure I can do a hundred overnight,” Jack says. “And if he’s just going to torch them, will I still be able to use them afterwards? Those look like a lot of fun.”
“The entire point of quelling a mecha invasion is so they don’t come back,” I point out, easily following this conversation. I’m a long-time student at a school for superheroes. “Where would they be invading, anyway? For a hundred of them, it’s got to be a decent sized area—wait, are we going to the Hall’s amusement park?”
“Nice idea!” Jack says, looking happy again. “I could totally take apart a few of the rides for metal!”
“Not a bad choice at all,” Nico says. “You’re already thinking like a super. I’ll make the calls.”
“Can I have one of the old rides if I put in a new one later?” Jack asks. “There are some that have been there since before I was born.”
“We’ll negotiate with Mastermental,” Nico says. “But we’ll have to make sure you either save all of the riders or we have—“
“I WANT TO GO!” the entire school body shouts, several of them practically falling through the door. “We volunteer to be victims!” Carla says with a brilliant smile. She lets out a yelp as someone picks her up and moves her out of the way.
“Is this about that thing that happened with the power hunter?” Ward asks as he walks into the room.
“Something happened and she hasn’t told the other Hall leaders about it,” Nico says. “I need to get over there to scan her again, but there was definitely something wrong with her power levels.”
“But… she’s a Hall leader,” he says. “Don’t you think that means she can handle it?”
“She might be able to,” Nico says, “and if she can, it’s all good. Vinny will go in, get some training on how a Hall operates—not South, sure, but there are similarities, and we’ll go from there. I’ll probably put you on Max’s routine and send Max out to learn how best to deal with the overseas supers, and then, eventually, the Cosmics.”
“Wait, so you’re going to send me from Hall to Hall—“ I start out.
“And then to outer space, eventually, yeah, even if that fact irritates me. I get the feeling we’re going to have to deal with them regularly,” Nico finishes for me. “Trent will be going through the same training once he’s a little older.”
I groan, wondering how I can back out of the whole second-in-command thing entirely. I can’t, I realize a second
“Ward,” Nico says, and we both look over to him. “Do you really think I’m going to let this cause problems?”
“I’m not worried about it,” he lies. “She’s perfectly fine. All she did was use her powers, like she’s been doing for decades. It’s not like she’s going to go through a sudden crisis just because of that. She’s not a kid.”
“That’s true,” Nico agrees, “but it’s practically in my job description to be overly-cautious.” Ward nods, and I see a hint of relief in his eyes. He really grew attached to her while he was out there, didn’t he? That was pretty fast. I guess it’s a good thing, considering what Nico’s planning for him. “So we’re agreed? Everyone get your norm getups on—except for Carla and… let’s see, who else should be playing backup?”
Several hands go up, and he looks them over before looking at Ward. “Ward,” he says. “You’re backup for the infestation. Jack, get to work, I want the vast majority of them made out of your trash metal. If they’re too uniform, people will ask questions.”
“Got it,” Jack says before hanging up.
“And what do I do?” I ask.
“You’re going to convince Century that working for Negatia for a bit is good for all of you,” he says. “And while you’re at it, tell Jimmi, as well.”
I nod, letting out a sigh. “Yeah, I got it,” I say, heading for the door. I’m not looking forward to this conversation. Oh, it isn’t because I’m avoiding my girlfriend—it’s because I’m pretty sure she’ll THINK I am. I pause, looking back. “Can’t you just tell Century what’s wrong?” I ask.
“If I wanted Negatia to be after my head on a platter, that’s the first thing I’d do,” he says almost cheerfully. “Don’t say a WORD to Century, not without her permission.”
“Got it,” I say.
***
“Nico,” Ward says, turning to his principal. “You saw what happened, she took the power hunter out in seconds. She had her flipped and laid out on the ground and then—“
“That’s the problem,” Nico says. “We’ve got it recorded. Negatia used her ability on the power hunter, and then—“ he waves at the wall, showing the scene. The Hall leader holds down the alien female and several different clouds of power rush up her arm. “I figure it’s recoil,” he says. The kids in the room look at each other before nodding. “What else would happen if a reflector super hits a power snatcher?” he says, far too simply.
“Wait, so Negatia isn’t a negator?” Freddy says, hopping onto one of the tables.
“Of course she can negate things,” Nico says. “She’s a walking, talking power blocker. She’s what actually inspired me to make the power blocking collars in the first place.”
“Didn’t you think of those thanks to Superior?” Freddy asks. “I mean, we all know you figured out the external power blocker—“
“Two different things,” Nico says. “I came up with the collars back when I was first stuck in the cape cells. I got tired of carrying all that weight all the time. It was a pain in the neck when I wanted to scratch my nose.” They blink, but he’s got a wry smile on his face. “So I hacked their systems and looked at all the information on supers that they had. Negatia was listed as a negator—but the files they had on her didn’t seem right, so I spent a few weeks playing out tests in my head before I realized what was going on. The fact is, Negatia is probably one of the most influential supers on my life, and I didn’t even meet her until after I got out of the cells. So if something she did to save one of my students backfired on her, I’m going to make sure it doesn’t blow up in her face.”
“Then… shouldn’t you go in?” Carla asks. “You can go in and fix things before they even get the chance to go bad, right?”
“What if it just helps her out?” he asks. “I picked up an extra skill out in space and it hasn’t caused any problems at all.”
“Other than Doris getting mad,” Zoe points out. “We’ve got her revenge pictures on the wall, you know.”
“My little sisters taking stupid pictures of me isn’t that big of a deal,” he says with a shrug. “They’ve got a ton of them, already.”
“That’s true,” Zoe agrees. “Of course we have full videos of them being ridiculous—“
“Only the ones they insist on us keeping so they can rewatch,” Nico points out.
“Also true,” she agrees. “But if you and mom choose to have more kids, will the shape-shifting thing get passed down?” she asks, distracted.
“That’s actually a fascinating question,” he says, just as quickly distracted.
“So…” Ward says, “why don’t you just send ME in? She’s already said she’s waiting for a reply, right? She wouldn’t be that shocked if I did, like, an internship, or something.”
“But Vinny needs to graduate and get to the job,” Nico says. “He’s been goofing off for almost a year, practically. He’s avoiding it.”
Not a single one of the class argues that fact. “Does that mean we’ll get black suits cooking for us again?” Carla asks.
“That means we’ll get some black suits in to do the cooking, yeah,” Nico says. “Which might honestly be why I let him stay so long. He makes good coffee.”
***
“Sooo,” Jimmi says over the video chat, “Nico’s worried about Negatia, but he won’t let you tell CENTURY or any other Hall leader, and instead, he’s making you graduate and go to work for her so you can spy on her.”
“Yeah, that’s pretty much it,” I say, waiting for her accent to start showing. You can always tell when she’s mad by the accent—it’s actually pretty helpful, honestly, because it gives me a heads up.
“Yeah, okay,” she says. “Do you want me to come with you? I was thinking of putting in for graduation soon, as well.”
I blink. “You’re not mad?”
“Why would I be mad? I mean, sooner or later I’m going to be in her position, right? I figure I’d rather have Nico nosing around inconspicuously rather than having all of the Hall leaders jumping my back. It’s not like he’s going to out her to the entire world, and he picked the right guy to do it. Besides, you should have graduated MONTHS ago.” She waves a hand. “You just need to do what’s needed and learn how the West Hall works—which is probably a good idea, since we share a border. Hey, tell me when your days off are and I can meet you for a show! Oh, I bet Papa would want to come, too!”
I feel my shoulders loosen, wondering how long they’ve been tense. See, I always figured she’d want me to come down straight off and learn from her dad—which I wouldn’t have minded, actually, but… okay, let me be blunt here—I have NO idea how to do a relationship. I mean, I haven’t gotten dumped yet, which is good, but I can see it happening far too easily, and I always wonder if I’m going to screw up without realizing it. I mean, I seem to be really good at doing that.
“Ward is worried,” I admit, keeping my voice low even though I’m in the little hut where I live with my uncle. “He’s probably going West, he went out into space with her and seemed really impressed, you know? I think he’s attached.”
“He does get attached pretty easily, yeah,” she says. I give her a look. “I’m just saying! Ward acts like a jerk half of the time, but he’s not a bad guy. And it’s a good thing if he likes his future Hall leader—but, you know, did SHE like him? He’s got no filter, so he can be a pain in the neck, especially if you don’t know him well.”
“Yeah, he can,” I agree, making her laugh.
“You would have gotten mad at me had I said that back then,” she says.
“Sure I would have,” I say. “He’s a pain in the neck, but he’s family. But you know him well enough to get away with it, now. Besides, I don’t hate him being the way he is.”
“Me neither,” she says, grinning. “Also, this means that Uncle Flint has to come back to South, right? Uncle Century is going to be happy. I mean, Skye’s pretty much given up on fighting him anymore, but it’s good to have all of the family together. Um…” she hesitates, and bites her bottom lip. “Is that… um… him and Falconess… is it still going well?”
“Yeah, pretty sure it is,” I say. “They went out to dinner over Christmas, and he didn’t get back until—“ A familiar hand covers my mouth and I light up my own hand, smacking it. It doesn’t DO anything, since Flint’s a fire mimic, as well, but he deserves it!
