Chapter Thirty-Two - Next Steps

“And then what?” Emily’s mom asked.

Emily swirled her cup around. It was her second. And to think that it wasn’t college that had set her on the path of becoming a caffeine addict. Villainy and babysitting had done that instead. “And then we left,” she said. “I’ve been keeping in contact with Lucky, he found a spot in the train where he gets some signal, so we’ve been texting back and forth.”

They were in a coffee shop, because that was where Emily spent her free time now, she supposed. Emily and her mom had found seats in the corner across from each other while the girls crowded around a nearby table and watched videos on Emily’s phone. The little device was a blessing. Anything that could distract the kids was.

“I see, I see. And what does Lucky think of all of this?” she asked. The emphasis on Alea Iacta’s newest alias (they didn’t want to be caught saying his name aloud, just in case) was probably unnecessary.

Emily suspected that her mom was enjoying all of the secretive and clandestine parts of Emily’s life. More than Emily did, certainly. “I don’t know what he thinks,” Emily said.

“You know, a mother worries when her daughter spends the day texting boys.”

“I text Sam a lot too,” Emily said.

“Well, this mother doesn’t care whether her daughter likes texting boys or girls.”

Emily rolled her eyes. “It’s all business, trust me.”

There was a snort as her mom sat back. “I know, sweetie. I suppose I can stop teasing you for a little bit. Besides, most mothers just want grandbabies and you’ve provided more than anyone could hope for.”

“Mom,” Emily said with the barest hint of warning in her tone.

Her mom grinned back at her and took a long sip from her coffee. “So, what’s your next step?”

“I don’t know. Sam has ideas about Eauclaire. I think she wants me to take... to go into, uh, politics. Maybe business. Really, I just need to make enough to take care of my sisters.”

“Your father and I will help, at least where we can.” A warm hand touched Emily’s and she smiled. “I don’t know if we can support everyone, at least not long-term, but we’ll do what we can.”

“Thanks, mom,” Emily said. “I’m trying too. I don’t like the... business model that I’m taking over, but it’s the only reliable source of income I have. Even that’s not too much. We only have, uh, contacts in a couple of little businesses. I don’t know if I have the reputation I’d need to contact the rest.”

“Honestly, as long as you’re giving back more to the community than you’re taking, I don’t really mind it that much, from a moral point of view, I mean. It’s like taxes.”

“Doesn’t dad say that taxation is theft?” Emily asked.

Her mom smiled. “Never mind that. What about that handsome boy, the one who stole your attention?”

Emily glared through her blush. “He didn’t steal my attention.”

“Just a bank, then,” her mom said before giggling at her own joke.

Emily crossed her arms. “I think he’s healing up well enough. I don’t know what he’ll do about our hospitality. Sam wants him to become another... business partner, but I don’t know him well enough. Being handsome isn’t enough to make me trust him.”

“How very wise.”

Emily was about to chastise her mom for poking fun at her again when her purse buzzed. She reached in, took out her phone, then frowned at the screen. “It’s Alea--” she cleared her throat. “Our lucky friend.”

Just another text in a long list of them. She might have been worried that any communications were dangerous, but so far they’d very carefully been replying back and forth as though talking about school.

Lucky: Hey!

Lucky: Found something cool

Lucky: At the back of a geology classroom. There’s another geology classroom. Maybe. Haven’t explored it.

Emily frowned.

“Bad news?” her mom asked.

“No, not bad, just strange,” she replied absently. Geology class was the metro lines. It was underground, and the term seemed to fit. She wasn’t sure if the school even had geology, but that was a minor concern. Another geology room... did he find another set of tunnels?

That seemed unlikely. One metroline built and abandoned was one thing, but for a city to build two? She didn’t think that Eauclair had anywhere near that kind of budget. “I think I might need to go and investigate this one.”

“Always so busy,” her mom said.

“I’m sorry. I wish I wasn’t. There’s just so much to do.”

She stood, they hugged. Her mom left soon after saying goodbye to all of Emily’s sisters. There were a few hugs traded, and headpats, of course. The sisters were sad to see the Step-Boss go, but she wasn’t sure if it was genuine affection, or if they just liked the candy her mom snuck over to them.

Her mom left to a chorus of “Bye Claire’s,” then her sisters turned to her, five sets of inquisitive, curious eyes demanding to know what she wanted from them.

Emily tried on a smile and found that it fit. “We might need to do a bit of exploring,” she said.

“Awesome,” Teddy said. “What kind?”

“I don’t know quite yet. But the sooner we go, the sooner we’ll find out.”

They had to call Sam, of course. The minion (Emily had to catch herself, it wasn’t kind to call people a minion, no matter how much they claimed to like the title) was always willing to head out and help, at least as long as it involved something hero or villain related.

“What’s the sitch?” Sam asked over the phone.

“I got a text, it looks like someone found an abandoned classroom, next to geology class?” Emily said. She was a bit more awkward over the phone than over text. “I was thinking we could explore that?”

“Oh, heck yeah,” Sam said. “I’ll be at the dorm in like, twenty?”

“Sure,” Emily said. The coffee shop was just across campus, so the walk wouldn’t be too long. And it would give her sisters some time to work off their excess energy. Going to school with Miss Headerson (who was a saint as far as Emily was concerned) left them full of energy.

As they took off, the girls regaled her with stories about their day and the stuff they’d learned.

A brisk walk later, and the group was standing before the dorms where Sam stood, arms crossed and back leaning against the building’s front. She had shades on, and they made her look far cooler than Emily could ever hope to achieve. “Hey Boss,” she said.

“Hello, Sam,” Emily replied.

“What’s up, comrade minion?” Teddy asked.

Sam ruffled the bear girl’s hair while ignoring her vocal complaints.

“Alea texted me,” Emily started. “Said he might have found a base hidden next to the base? I’m not entirely sure I understood. He did send me a meeting spot. I thought we could check it out. Maybe look first, to make sure it’s not a trap, then check it out for real.”

“Wow, you’re a bit paranoid, you know?” Sam asked.

“It’s not paranoia,” Emily defended herself. “Not when you know that some of the conspiracies are entirely too real for comfort.”

“Fair enough. So, where’s the meeting spot?”

Emily checked her phone. “It’s not an address. He mentioned an overpass between the fire station and... this soccer field?”

“Oh,” Sam said. “I know the one. That’s like, right off the edge of campus. It’s probably faster to walk over than to drive, really. By the time we get to the car we’d be halfway there on foot.”

Emily shrugged. “Okay, then let’s check it out on foot. I don’t really mind either way.” And on foot she could send Trinity out ahead, to see if there was anything suspicious going on.

Her gaggle of sisters roamed around herself and Sam as they started to skirt the edge of campus. A few students jogged by, and others were profiting from the unusually warm weather by sitting together in little groups at benches and park tables. A few glanced at her sisters, but other than a few ‘awws’ there wasn’t much attention shot their way. Probably for the best.

Once they were nearer to the overpass (which allowed a four-lane highway to pass overhead) Emily sent Trinity to scout, with repeated and clear instructions not to try and cross the road.

Trinity’s report was a bit meandering and not terribly precise, commenting on the quality of trash found under the roadway, but she didn’t see anyone weird except for Alea Iacta, who was sitting on a bench in civilian clothes.

“Hey Boss,” the boy said as they approached as a group. “I just found the weirdest thing, you’re going to love this.”

“Let’s see about that.”

***