Metas #2 - A Loose End pt. 2

                Arthur was sitting in the café trying to finish up a biology paper he was working on. It was his last year at college and he intended to pass with flying colors. His GPA had suffered a little hit a year ago, and then another in the spring semester. Then again, most students’ scores had lowered given the nature of the metahuman attacks. First a walking bomb threatening the level the school, then a few months later a towering man made out of sewer waste destroys a building. Most of the student body related these attacks with the glowing young man who appeared during each one to defend the college, and they weren’t wrong. However Arthur had an advantage over the rest, and knew the details of both attacks, plus more. It helped that he was friends with Matt, aka the glowing campus defender.

                After Arthur tried and failed miserably at stopping the first attack, he and Matt became friends. Matt was a little withdrawn at that point, however with Arthur’s friendship he began opening up. Arthur had regarded Matt as a robot: fifty percent power, fifty percent knowledge, zero percent social skills. But slowly Matt’s hard exterior melted away, and Arthur began to truly know the man behind the power. Arthur likes to think it was his influence that helped Matt become this charismatic superhero he now officially was, but Arthur knows that side to Matt was always there. It was just buried under a heavy burden, and hidden away from the world.

                Still, Arthur was happy to help, and in the process gained a valuable friend out of Matt, and vice versa. That’s why Arthur found it bizarre that Matt had been relatively distant these past couple months. Joining Frontier was a big deal for Matt, yet after only a few weeks he quit, and ever since was very curt and secretive. It was only a few days ago that Arthur learned Matt had another protégé under his wing, and that Matt wanted Arthur to meet her. Arthur knew Matt’s distance was not this new trainee’s doing, since Matt has trained metahumans before and maintained good contact with Arthur. There was something else that had happened to make Matt withdraw back inside his shell and give up his friends, family, and schooling. Arthur was hoping Matt would shed some light on this mystery, but he wasn’t counting on it. Matt would tell him in due time.

                The café door opened and Matt walked in followed by a stunning young woman. She was a tad bit shorter than Matt, with dark-red hair, tight fitting clothes that showed her curves, and black tinted sunglasses which she kept on despite coming inside out of the late afternoon glare. Arthur blinked a few times to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating before standing up to greet them. Matt was never one for formalities, and after a quick introduction he left to get Laura and himself a drink.

                Arthur hated uncomfortable silences. “So, Matt tells me you’re a metahuman?” Usually that was a good way to break the ice between two powered people. Laura hesitated before answering, and since she was wearing her dark tinted shades Arthur couldn’t see her glance aside nervously.

                “Yeah, I am. It’s nothing really cool though, not like Matt’s powers. Or yours, from what he’s told me.” Laura was deflecting, and Arthur knew it. In truth, Matt had told Arthur briefly what Laura could do, and also very briefly what she had been through, so Arthur knew not to press the question. Instead he went with it.

                “Well as cool as transforming into a giant bear is, it’s not what one would call discreet. Plus it destroys my clothes every time I do it unless I get buck-ass naked beforehand.” Arthur laughed, and was glad to get a chuckle out of Laura. “And Matt is in his own league. Very few ever come close to his power.”

                “You say that,” Matt said coming back to the table with two drinks in hand, “but this year alone I had to fight two metahumans who were definitely in my league. They both pushed me to my limits.”

                “Yet you always come out on top,” Arthur replied, closing his laptop.

                “Only cuz the first time I come out losing will probably be my last time in the ring,” Matt countered, giving Laura a smile despite what was gallows humor. “The thrills of being a superhero.”

                Arthur laughed, shaking a finger at Matt. “Dude you were a superhero long before that little slip of paper said so. The Campus Defender, Frontier’s shining light; you had a more famous superhero career before you even received your license than most heroes have their whole lives.”

                “And look where it got me,” Matt joked, “A few strong allies, some damn powerful enemies, and one good friend who can turn into a bear.”

                The three laughed at that, then Matt continued. “But seriously, I’m sorry I’ve been off the grid lately. I got myself into a pretty dark place, and wouldn’t have made it out, dragging the whole world with me to boot, if it hadn’t been for Laura.”

                Laura shifted uncomfortably. She never liked when Matt brought up that night they met. Partly because she wasn’t herself when it happened, but also because the details Matt gave her of his shadow energy corruption mirrored her own experience with Snake Eyes perfectly. They were both trapped within their own bodies, succumbing to a darker side they had tried to keep locked away forever.

                “Well, I for one thank you, Laura,” Arthur said, raising his plastic cup of ice tea to her. “If there’s anything you need, let me know. Matt can’t provide everything; school smarts, for one.”

                “Ha ha, very funny,” Matt retorted, “I stopped going to college cuz the man started paying me to do what I was doing for free.”

                “They pay you to be a superhero?” Laura was staying quiet, but this came as a shock to her.

                “Well yeah, it’s not much but technically we are employees of the country we are licensed for. I tried going for an international license, but apparently you need to be in the superhero business for at least six years and they wouldn’t accept all my previous hard work.”

                “So you came out on top once again,” Arthur joked.

                “Not yet, but maybe if I become a field agent one day I will be. They make the big bucks. But anyway, there actually is a favor you can do for her, Arthur.”

                Both Arthur and Laura were confused. “Okay,” Arthur said slowly, “and what would that be?”

                “Laura needs someone to look after her for a few days while I go run an errand.”

                Laura looked offended and Arthur snorted, “Don’t you mean you need someone to do your new job for you?”

                “Tomato, apple, whatever,” Matt said shrugging his shoulders. “I really need to wrap something up.”

                “Can’t the GMA help you out?” Arthur asked. “You do work for them now, and I believe, no offense Laura, that you’re watching her on their authority. They shouldn’t be sending you off on some errand with her in your custody.”

                “Well…” Matt started, but Arthur cut in.

                “This isn’t official business, so they can’t know you’re going away.” Arthur sighed and shook his head. “Dude, you have a license. You don’t need to do these covert missions anymore.”

                “I kinda do, for this one.”

                “What is it?” Laura asked, figuring she should have some say in this because it concerned her.

                “I really shouldn’t say,” Matt began, but Arthur stopped him.

                “So you want me to break the law to help you, but you won’t tell me why?”

                Matt shrugged again. “Yeah, basically.” Both Arthur and Laura glared at Matt, neither saying a word. Matt started fidgeting uncomfortably. “Fine,” he broke down after a few minutes of very awkward silence. “I might have sent some friends to get something for me, and they might have gotten captured, so now I might need to rescue them.”

                “Oh God,” Laura said, followed by Arthur’s, “You’re ridiculous. And that’s the vaguest explanation I’ve ever heard.”

                Matt fidgeted for a bit more, then with a sigh and a low voice he explained. “A little over a month ago, I went on a mission for Frontier with Marian to the Caribbean…”