Seven Steps to Becoming a Superhero

After Perry left, Zack started to get ready for class. He knew he would need to come clean to Perry. There was just no getting around it. His molecular vision powers made him a walking crime lab. Sooner or later he would slip up, and he would be onto him. He had no choice. If Zack wanted the Knightbrand armor, he’d need to tell him everything. How he took it…was another matter.

Zack couldn’t think about that now. He had more pressing concerns. He took a quick shower and then changed into new clothes. He then proceeded to check and double-check the hidden door which led to the basement - he really didn’t need Icer snooping around and finding out his secret. As it stood, Icer had been a volatile asset at best. If he learned the truth about Knightbrand, all bets were off. But Zack couldn’t think about that. He had Dirk Saber’s self-defense class, and he was hoping to talk to him after class.

Zack caught himself before he carried on their line of thought. He was really hoping to talk to his father’s murderer after class. Dirk Saber had done a number on him. How effectively had Dirk Saber weaseled his way into his life, telling him he had superpowers. He even had Zack doubting if he was “the guy”.

No, Zack reminded himself, Dirk still had means and opportunity. His Omegium blades clearly pierced his father’s armor, and Dirk possessed all the skills and expertise to carry out the hit.

Motive was considerably shakier. Why would Dirk Saber even want to kill Knightbrand? By all accounts, Knightbrand was a recluse amongst the superhero community. He wasn’t on any teams, nor did he have a lot of connections to other superheroes. Maybe something had happened between them, but then again, Dirk responded to Knightbrand’s appearance on campus very casually. He even seemed pretty chummy when they were chasing down Icer.

It just wasn’t adding up.

On the other hand, Dirk’s revelation that Zack had super-powers had completely disrupted his investigation. The questions continued to plague Zack. How long had he had these powers? Had his father known? If he had, why did he keep it from him?

It had been a master ploy on Dirk’s part, getting into his head so effectively to throw him off-balance.

Assuming it was a ploy.

That was the worst part. Was Dirk Saber truly what he said he was, a college teacher trying to help Zack find his way, or was he a killer, trying desperately to cover his tracks and throw him off of his scent?

Either way, Zack needed more evidence and without the Knightbrand suit, he had no way of taking down Dirk Saber anyway. Unfortunately, he couldn’t even review the data from his fight with Saber since the Knightbrand suit had been heavily damaged. He didn’t want to risk the data being corrupted somehow. Better to have Perry repair the suit before he checked the data logs. Plus, once the suit was back up and running he’d stand a better chance in a head-on battle.

Maybe.

Hell, even with the Knighblade suit it might be tough to bring Dirk Saber down. Zack had dreamed of this moment for so long, but now that he had seen Dirk Saber fight up close and personally, he had truly grasped just how hard it would be.

After he had finished preparing, Zack headed out the door, walking down the Promenade to class. The sun lit up the sidewalk. Zack noted every trace of Icer’s supervillain rampage had vanished. Of course, the ice had melted long ago, but more to the point, every college student walked along the path as if nothing had happened.

Zack shrugged as he noticed this. Either the students of Innshadow were particularly shallow…or… maybe Innshadow was actually preparing for life in the superhero game. Either way, Zack couldn’t stop to smell the roses or question the superhero lifestyle. He had a class to get to.

Class proved to be uneventful. Dirk Saber didn’t single Zack out, and the subject was mostly more boring classroom talk on superhero legal obligations during high-stress situations. Rachel passed out several papers. She didn’t look at Zack. Things were still weird between them.

Zack waited until class had dismissed, and after a requisite amount of students engaged in polite conversation with Saber, he made his move, walking towards Saber with his hands stuffed into his pockets.

“Professor Saber, do you have a minute?” he asked. He tried to maintain his formality.

He’s not your friend.

He’s the enemy.

And if you let him, he’ll work you like he worked your dad.

“Sure, Zack,” Dirk said, leaning against the fall wall. “How are you…processing things?”

“I’m…still processing,” Zack said. It felt good to tell a small bit of truth once again.

Saber slid his hands into his pockets, mirroring Zack’s posture.

“I know none of this is ideal. Most people get their powers and then decide to become a superhero,” Saber said. “You already did all that. You built confidence as a sidekick and are taking the first steps to being a hero, only for this to completely rejigger your identity.”

Zack nodded. “It’s just…a lot to wrap my head around.”

“Well, fortunately, you’re in the best place,” Saber said as he slid some papers into a leather satchel. “College is all about self-discovery.”

Zack wasn’t sure how he could take this. On one hand, Saber could be trying to minimize the impact of his revelation in order to gain more favor with him. But Zack couldn’t see any tactical relevance to this move. What was Saber’s game here?

“And you’re sure….I have powers?” Zack said.

“Zack, you blocked me three times and then made a shot with a long dart most Olympic athletes take years perfecting,” Saber said. “But, if it helps, I double-checked the blood work when it came in.”

Zack nodded. After what had happened at Sigma Alpha, it was getting harder and harder to pass this all up as dumb luck, even if that was precisely what Zack wanted to do.

Zack scanned the room for Rachel, only to catch sight of her walking out the door. Dirk Saber seemed to notice this.

“But it’s possible…maybe I’m not the one you should be talking to,” he said.

Zack squirmed a bit. He could play cat-and-mouse with Dirk Saber all day. He had thought of nothing else after Perry left.

But having a conversation with Rachel? That was something he was truly unprepared for.

Dirk gestured with his hands. “I know it’s no business of my own but you could cut the tension between the two of you with a knife today.”

“Maybe you should get on better terms with the TA,” Dirk said. “Less of a chance she’ll accidentally feed your term paper into the shredder in my office.”

Zack raised an eyebrow. “You really think she’d do that?”

Dirk regarded him for a moment and said. “I think that entirely depends on how bad you let things get.”

“But you wouldn’t…you know…let her do that?” Zack found himself asking.

“I wouldn’t let her do anything, but I’m not sure if you haven’t noticed, but Rachel Ducane is very stubborn,” Saber said. “She’s also psychic, which means she’d probably know the best time to pull a fast one on me.”

Zack nodded. However he felt about the man, he couldn’t deny he was right.

“If you want my advice, bury whatever is between the two of you,” Saber said. “It’s hard enough lecturing with you two staring daggers at each other.”

“Thanks Professor,” Zack said.

“You know what?” Dirk said as he slung his satchel over his shoulder. “Call me Dirk. It’s what you old man would do. He’d never stand on formality. You shouldn’t either.”

Well played Saber, Zack thought. Well played.

“Thanks…Dirk,” Zack said awkwardly.

Maybe Dirk Saber didn’t know he was onto him, and was trying to ingratiate him into a false sense of security. Or maybe he was simply trying to act oblivious about his suspicions until it was too late.

Either way, Zack saw exactly what he was doing.

He nodded at his father’s probable killer before running at the doors, and facing down an even greater challenge.

Making things right with Rachel. He knew this wasn’t going to be easy. Honestly, he’d rather be locked up in a cell next to Icer. Still, as much as Zack didn’t want to admit it, Saber was right.

He needed to bury this. He couldn’t afford distractions. Not now. Not when he was this close.