Mic Drop (Cape High Series Book 16) Read online

  "Wait, what?" I say blankly.

  "You have to earn the right to be called a Cape High Graduate," Nico says. "We've got a reputation to maintain."

  "But you just let Skye and Doris--" I start out.

  "That's different," he says, blowing it off. "Skye made a name before she was your age--she's one of the most famous capes in the South Branch, AND she's my little sister. Anyone that can waltz in and adopt herself into the Superior family like she did can do whatever she wants--within reason, and she wanted Doris as her partner. I heard you planned on taking the Masters name, right?"

  "In the future--"

  "Then you're going to show the world you're worthy of being a Superior, too," Nico says. "I still don't like the guy, honestly, but you can't say he's a second-rate cape. Besides, it's MY name, too."

  "I'm feeling extremely ganged up on right now," I have to admit. "So Dad forces me to graduate, you say I have enough qualifications to graduate, but then you say I can't graduate without doing something else?"

  "That IS your graduation," Nico says. "I'll do it to the rest of the kids going into the photo-op game, as well, if it makes you feel better."

  "Yes, yes it absolutely does," I say.

  "Then I'll give you and Zoe ten minutes to talk before you come in for graduation counseling."

  "Will you be my counselor?" I ask.

  "I'll let you choose any established acting villain you know," Nico says. "I would suggest Pan, because Skye is a bit busy at the moment. But you'll have to talk him into it."

  I can't help the little rush of excitement that runs through me. "This... this is going to be awesome, isn't it?" I say.

  "Only if you make it," Nico says. "Your ten minutes starts now, so I suggest you hurry up."

  I race back to the campus, getting there just in time to see Zoe stepping out of the laser wall.

  ***

  "So what happened?" Zoe asks Max. He reaches down, taking her hand and tugging her further from the school.

  "Dad says I have to graduate," he says quietly, looking in the school's direction for a second. "If both your dad and mine are ganging up on me, it's not exactly something I can fight."

  "I... yeah, I can see how that'd be difficult," she admits. "But why?"

  "Dad wants me to take a higher position at the Hall. It's not all that bad, really, I'd be over the villains, since Dad says they ARE half of the Hall. He also--well, don't tell your dad, yet, but he said something about going to college, which might be interesting--"

  "Like an Ivy League college?" she asks, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "You could definitely get into one of those!"

  "What?"

  "If you go to a real high class school you might even stay awake through the classes!" she says. "Everyone knows you get bored at school, Max. I mean, I think our teachers are pretty good if you consider they're actually supers, but they're definitely not advanced enough for you. Not that I would EVER admit that to them--I mean, they do really good with our students. But we all realize that teaching isn't exactly their first love. Well, except Banshee. Banshee really loves teaching music--"

  "Zoe, I don't want to go to an Ivy League college," he says. "I don't have the time for it, between work and spending time with you--I mean, seriously, if I WAS going to go to a norm college, it'd be some rinky dink community one. You know, with classes built around a work schedule."

  "Spending time with me?" she repeats.

  "Well, yeah," he says. "I mean, you're definitely one of my biggest priorities. It really sucked being out on the road and never getting to see you. But now we're both in Central, so--"

  "You..." she says, looking at him for a long moment with a frown. "I don't like that."

  "What?"

  "I don't want you placing me above what's best for you, Max!" she says. "This is YOUR life, Max. You need to live it the way you want to, without worrying about a little sixteen-year-old high school student. It's not like I can follow you, I still have at least two years ahead of me, and then I'll need to get a college degree to run the school. You can't just stand around for two years waiting for me to catch up, understand?"

  "Wait, what?" he says, looking at her incredulously.

  "I love you," she says fiercely.

  "Well, yeah, which is why I'm trying to say--"

  "No," she says. "I know what you're trying to say. You need to understand what I'M trying to say. Nothing would happen if you went to a rinky dink community college somewhere. You wouldn't accomplish anything, Max! You need to be challenged," she says urgently. "You need to be forced to use that massive brain of yours. You skate by all too often, Max."

  "But I like skating by," he says a bit desperately. "As long as I've got you and my friends--"

  "I'm not going to let you use me as an excuse," she says, her green eyes shimmering with tears but her expression stubborn. "You need to live up to your potential! That's why--that's why..."

  "I don't think I like how this conversation is going," he says. "Zoe, you need to hear me out--"

  "I think we need to take a break. You're going to start thinking about what you want to do, not what I want you to do," she declares. "I'm not going to tell our future daughter that you could have been an Ivy League graduate, but I kept you here because I was too selfish to let you go."

  He groans. "This is--you're just-- Oh FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! You're not going to change your mind on this, are you?" he says finally.

  "I'm not! I will NEVER be a weak, clingy girlfriend that stands in the way of your progress."

  "And I don't ever want to stand in the way of your progress, either," he admits. "But I don't have time for an Ivy League college, Zoe--"

  "But you could go!" she says. "You're so brilliant, Max, you can do ANYTHING! And even if it isn't Ivy League, you can still get into a really good college--any college that you wanted! I'm sure they'd let you in if you took a few tests!"

  "You're intent on this," he says flatly.

  "I am. I'm not going to be an excuse to not do your best."

  "And what will you do while we're 'taking a break'?" he asks.

  "I've got two school blueprints and curriculum based on what we have here to set up for Isotonic and Negatia, and even if I haven't heard from Marigold, I wouldn't be surprised if she called," she says. "And Cape High South is progressing quickly, so I need to start programming their school desks. Dad and I came up with a lightweight desk that should adjust automatically. We're going to set up a small factory in the back of the campus--that way we can have them for wherever we need them."

  "So... you'd be working, too, huh?"

  "Of course!" she says, giving him an almost real smile. "I've got so much I need to do that I've been a bit stressed out, honestly. I know Dad will help--he'd do all of it if I asked, but... I really want to prove that I can hold my own."

  "So the break would help you focus on your work, too, huh?"

  "Yes, it will," she says.

  "Do we have some sort of deadline for when it will be over?" he asks.

  "When things have settled down, and you've decided--without thinking about how it'll affect me--what you're going to do about college, we'll talk."

  "So... we're not actually breaking up," he says. "We're just taking a break." He seems stuck on the "break" word.

  "Unless... unless you fall in love with someone else, that is," she says, sounding as if the words are wrenched out of her.

  "That would never happen," Max says. "Okay. If you're intent on it... well, we'll take a break. I don't want to get in the way of your work anymore than you want to get in the way of mine," he admits. "Just don't overwork yourself, okay?" he says, reaching up and pushing her hair over her shoulder. "I don't know if I'll be able to handle it, but I'll try," he whispers, leaning down and kissing her.

  She blushes a bit, and wraps her arms around him tightly. "It's just... just for a little bit," she says, almost to herself. "We've got really long lives, so a little break is nothing, right?"

 
"Yeah," he says. "Can you tell Nico I'll be there soon?" he asks, gently pulling away and taking to the sky. "I need to... think."

  ***

  I figure I'll give it a week or two, and then explain how I CAN'T run off across the state just to go to college, because I've got bigger things to do, here. Look, I love the girl, but when she gets an idea of "how things SHOULD be" she jumps on it, and it's best just to let her run with it for a bit. I've had very little luck changing her mind about things.

  But it's not going to stop me from having a mini pity party. Kicked out of my school, tossed aside by my girlfriend, the world positive that I'm going hero... wow, I'm getting depressed just thinking about it all. I drop down on the roof of a building a few blocks away, letting myself fall onto my back. Part of me feels like crying. The whole world has decided to dump me right now--no, I know they haven't, but it sure as hell feels like they have. What's worse is that Zoe dumped me BECAUSE she loves me--which makes no sense, but still sort of does, in a way. My head hurts just thinking about it. I run a hand over my face and stare hard at the sky, trying to clear my mind.

  "So... you've been seen with a mysterious man lately," I hear someone say from below. It sounds like a television. "But no matter how many pictures are taken, we can't seem to get a picture of his face. Care to tell us about it?"

  A vaguely familiar voice laughs before replying, "I think a girl should be allowed her secrets, don't you?"

  "Is it Maximum?" the interviewer asks.

  "If I tell you, it won't be a secret anymore," she--what was her name... Phoebe or something, says. That one chick that's so obviously "not" claiming to know me. I'd gotten bored with chasing her down earlier when I realized I would have to get permission from another Hall. "A super's secret identity is very, very important."

  "You don't even know me, lady," I grumble, getting to my feet. My ten minutes are up. I need to get back to school. I also need to get a hold of Pan and ask him for help. If I can't get Pan, well, there are a few others I guess I could ask. I just really like Pan. Working with him might make all of this crap worth it.

  What sort of job would have the entire world watching, but won't get me tossed into the Cape Cells?

  I'm thinking something with buses, lots and lots of buses.

  ***

  "So?" Phoebe asks as she walks into the dressing room. Her father is lounging on the couch. He looks up as she drops down next to him. "What do you think? Now everyone thinks that you're Maximum."

  "Good job, precious," he says, moving the laptop over to the armrest of the couch. The image of Maximum floating over the crowd at South Branch Theme Park is frozen on the screen. He's been watching it over and over--well, in between watching horror movies. He has so much promise, but at the same time...

  "Why are you so intent on going after Maximum, anyway?" she asks, grabbing a bottle of water off of the table and opening it. "I mean, I trust you, I know you've got some amazing plan, I'd just like to hear it," she corrects herself when he looks at her for a long moment. "I want to know what to anticipate."

  "When I took over the park, he's the one that calmed it down so quickly," Massteria says. "He's supposed to be a villain, yet he plays on their side. It's disgusting. He either needs to pick a side or get out of the game entirely." That and he doesn't feel up to taking on Nico. He can't exactly say that to this little hero, no, villain-worshiping princess. Right now he needs her to have absolute faith in him.

  "I'll make sure he does," she says firmly. "We'll deal with him, Daddy, you and me. And once he's out of the way, we'll go after the jerks that put you in that terrible place."

  "That's right, precious," he says, "that's exactly what we'll do." But really, he goes on, it's annoying to have some upstart kid that can ruin everything he worked for in a matter of minutes. Of course, the smartest thing to do would be to bring him over to their side. With a psychic that powerful at his side, nothing would stop him from taking down the Hall!

  And when he's taken down the Halls, he's going to get even with Deathblow and Mimic for all the crap they just pulled on him, he thinks, a creepy grin crossing his face. They're going to regret looking down on him. They're ALL going to regret it!

  ***

  "You look depressed." The words make Zoe look up blankly as she steps off the bottom step and onto campus. Jack is just standing there, as if he's been waiting for her to show up. That doesn't happen.

  "What do you want, Jack?" she demands. "If you think I'm going to tell you some sort of weakness that Max has, think again--"

  "What?" he lets out a startled laugh. "If anyone knows all of Max's weaknesses already, it's me. This has nothing to do with Max."

  "But you DO want something from me, huh?" she says. "Get over it and figure something out for yourself. I'm really not in the mood to deal with you right now." She starts to walk right past him.

  "I have a favor to ask," he says. "I know you still don't like me, I don't blame you, but we've both moved well past what happened back then. This is about family--MY family."

  "What?" she asks, coming to a stop. "What about your family? Is there a problem?" She's stunned. "I mean, I would have heard if there was a problem, you can't exactly keep secrets in the apartments. So--"

  "Dad and Mom took us out to dinner a few weeks back," he says quietly. "They told us that they're thinking of trying to adopt a new kid, and I--"

  "And what, you don't want a new sibling? Too bad, so sad, you'll just have to DEAL with it--"

  "Would you shut up and LISTEN?" he demands. "What's up with you, Zoe? You're jumping to conclusions even faster than usual. I don't mind having another sibling! I'd be perfectly happy--well, if I knew the kid. I don't. I've never seen or met her before, and I don't know anything about her, understand? I don't want them jumping off into another relationship without having a clue. I mean, sure they're the Liberty family, and if anyone can handle anything strange, or whatever, it's them, but I still--I'm the one with the most experience with screwed up kids in the family. If we can't help her, well, it'll just make things worse. I don't want my family getting hurt. I will do whatever I have to, to protect them, get it? Even if it's a little dirty."

  "What do you mean, dirty?"

  "I want to see everything you've got on Sandra," he says.

  "Sandra?" she repeats, her eyes widening with surprise. "Your family wants to adopt Sandra?"

  "That's what I said. I don't know her--I heard she came out while I was out on mission, but nobody's gone into any detail. That's why I'm coming to you. Will you let me see her? I want to know what my prospective little sister is like."

  "I... we don't have much," she admits. "Like you said, Sandra doesn't come out of her room very often. But... a Liberty," she says, a tiny smile pulling on her lips. "I... I mean I never thought of it, but she IS an extremely promising tank! She'd fit right in--and better yet, she'd probably be able to wallop you if you irritated her too much. She had me seeing stars for a second, there. Okay, fine. Come with me and I'll show you what she did when we were in lock-down. She's amazing, you know, I've seen her power levels. The biggest problem is getting her out of her stupid room. I've managed to bribe her out once, but it didn't last very long."

  "You like her?" Jack asks, startled when she grins at him.

  "Definitely," she says. "If she'd get over the chip on her shoulder, she'd be one of the biggest up-and-coming supers around, and she's just... what's the word for it... 'Sassy.' Yeah, I can definitely say 'Sassy' works. Oh, but if you DARE to make fun of how she looks, you won't like what I do to you," she adds, leading the way to the second dorm building. "We moved the kids living here over to the other dorms. It makes it easier to keep an eye on everyone, but there's no point in letting this space go to waste." She waves a hand and a wall turns dark. Soon he's watching Nico carry a gargoyle across the screen--and then the gargoyle launching herself at Zoe--

  "Holy crap, she's awesome," he says, his face lighting up with excitement. "That's a girl, right? She's a gi
rl?"

  "Yes, she's a girl," she says dryly.

  "She just totally laid you out there, didn't she?" he says.

  "I told you! Well, not totally--she just knocked me off balance for a bit," she says, blushing slightly. "Either way, this is sort of intrusive, isn't it?"

  "Shuddup," he says, looking embarrassed. "I can't exactly break down her door and haul her out just to say I want to know if she'll be a good little sister."

  "So... what do you think?"

  "She's freaking awesome looking, isn't she?" he says. "Not just that--she's tough. I want to talk to her. We just need to get her out of the room..."

  "Don't go breaking the door down," Zoe says. "She'll never forgive you unless you've got a reason, got it?"

  "Yeah... good thing this place is always in the middle of a crisis. It shouldn't be too long before I get the chance! Got any other videos of her? Oh, hey, you said you've got her scan, right? What's it like?"

  "I don't know, that might be too personal to show you," Zoe says.

  "Yeah, yeah, I can see that. So..." he says, still looking at the picture of Sandra as the video stops. "What happened when you went and talked with Max?" She goes still, her expression darkening, and then turns and walks away without answering. "Let me guess, he said something stupid?" he says, following her after taking a picture of the Sandra video with his phone. "Or better yet, maybe you did!"

  "Shut UP, Jack!" she yells.

  "I'm just asking so I can tell Aubrey!" he lies cheerfully.

  "I can tell Aubrey, myself!"

  "Then just tell both of us at the same time!"

  "I still don't like you, Jack," she says, "and it's got nothing to do with the past--you're annoying!"

  "Aw, come on, I'm adorable!" he calls loudly. The entire school starts laughing at that, including the teachers. "You're never getting rid of me, either--I'm dating your cousin! Someday we'll be considered family!"

  "I can always hope she gets a clue!" she yells.