Heroes: Sentinel (Chapter 2/16)

Chapter 2: Exposition

Location: Sentinel Station. High Orbit Over New City USA.

“You made breakfast for us, Sentinel?”

“Check the time. It’s more like lunch, but I’ve read that difficult talks are easier over food.”

Intrepid is in his black spandex shirt and tights. “Good call. And thanks for the clean clothes. I didn’t even hear you bring them to the room.”

“Thank Nelly, the station’s AI. If dirty clothes are left on the floor, they’ll get picked up, properly cleaned, and returned to you.”

“I was wondering how my shirt magically disappeared on the way to medbay. I assumed I didn’t hear you return the clothes because you fly everywhere.”

“Ah, that. Yes, it’s habit. I seldom walk. Just fly, float, and hover. If it’s awkward, because of the height or if it feels like a power play, I can adjust and stand on the floor.”

“Don’t worry. I don’t mind at all. You’d still be almost a foot taller than me, anyway.” The young hero marvels, “This really is a mind-blowing place. I’m in space. It’s unreal. Thank you for letting me stay.”

I smile, “Thank you for saving - or helping - my son. I’m glad to know he’s made a hero friend his own age. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I checked you out last night. You’re very good. Very experienced. Very disciplined and responsible. Just the kind of influence he needs. Maybe you can talk him out of this Samson nonsense, if I can’t.”

“We’re on the same side, Sentinel.” I smile, grateful to have Intrepid as an ally in this.

A few minutes later, Adrian walks in, looking nervous. He’s shirtless in hot pink short shorts with black piping and coordinating sneakers. It’s a look. Not that I’m one to talk. Pretty much everything I have is tight and some combination of gold and dark red. Like now, I’m in gold compression tights with a dark red string tank top on top and gold sneakers on my feet.

To break the ice, I explain, “This is an energizing recipe I learned from Mach 10.”

I hover at the counter, finishing up the prep as they take their seats. No talking. The weight of last night is heavy. I float over and serve them. They each take a bite and love it, thanking me. I move back from the table to the island. I breathe in deeply, which catches Intrepid’s attention. He knows something is up, putting his fork down and turning to look back at me.

I say, “Before we talk about the Samson thing, I owe you boys a huge apology and I hope you can understand and forgive me.”

Intrepid raises his eyebrow, “What for?”

As they wait, I explain, “I have super-hearing. Until Adrian moved in, I never had to suppress it up here. I know how, but with everything going on, I couldn’t quite manage to do it last night.” They look at me harder now. “Hold on. I did suppress it, just not at first. I overheard the first few minutes of you two in your room. I apologize. It was unintentional and will not happen again.”

Intrepid seems nonplussed as he asks, “What exactly did you hear?”

I say, “Small talk.”

“Is that all? Really? I feel like there’s more given how you’re acting.”

“You are a good detective. I overheard you call my son ‘boy’ and him call you ‘sir’.”

“I see. And what do you think of that?”

I’m confused. “What do you mean? I don’t think anything of it, other than I assume it’s a private matter, because you didn’t use those terms in front of me. That’s why I feel bad. It’s something I clearly wasn’t meant to hear but I let my emotions overrule my senses and I did.”

“It’s not an issue at all. We’re not embarrassed by it. Would you be okay with us calling each other that in front of you?” He smirks, “You gave me a pretty clear warning last night.”

“You caught that, did you? Good, because I meant it but I don’t think this falls under that. Unless he tells me differently, I don’t think you’re hurting my son, if that’s the concern.” I look at Adrian, “Son, this is your home. I want you to be comfortable here. I want you to be yourself here. Whoever that is. I hope you know that.”

Adrian comes over and hugs me, “Thanks, dad.”

Yes, I could’ve told them that I also heard the blowjob but this was the important thing for them to know and they’re really happy now.

I say, “That doesn’t mean I’m not upset about Samson.”

“Oh.”

As we break out hug, I quickly say, “Adrian, you’re a very special young man. You are very strong. You’ve never had access to the right tools to grow your strength like I have up here. My alien technology is highly adaptive. It’ll enable anyone - from me to you to a normal human - to work to our vastly different strength levels. I’m sure we can build you up even more. You’re remarkably durable, too.”

Intrepid swats Adrian’s behind, “Don’t get too cocky, boy. There’s a ‘but’ coming.”

“There is.” I breathe in. Is breathing becoming a habit? Adrian takes his seat. “I’ve been young and powerful. Most of my powers manifested at age 12. The lab in which I was raised exploded, killing my parents, their assistants, and destroying everything I ever knew. I'd never been outside of the lab. I didn't even have a name.

"When the government showed up, they held me captive. I passively resisted, enabled by my powers. I stopped eating, drinking, and breathing. I couldn’t be moved. I stood up to bullets. My senses exploded. I could hear them. The working theories were that I was either a murderer or a weapon. Either way, they were actively discussing how to eliminate me. That's when I unleashed an EMP that knocked out power for a full city block. I was 12 and I was an angry, confused, and unbelievably powered child-god.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Frankly, when we met, you were 14 and I thought my life story might traumatize you. But you’re 18 now. Anyway, in desperation, they called in Captain Astro. Leader of The Assembly and a psychiatrist. He was the first person to ever treat me like a human. Through intensive therapy, the Captain brought out my humanity. My point is, I was very young and very dangerous. I've made mistakes. A few big ones and lots of little ones. They’ve mostly turned out okay, just like last night did for you, but they just as easily could’ve gone very wrong. I don’t want that for you.” 

Adrian asks, “Can you share a story?”

“Okay, but then you tell me what happened last night.”

“Oh.” My son looks at Intrepid, gets a nod, then says, “Deal.”

“Well, here’s one … I was 14. Living in Captain Astro’s lab. I’d been there a couple of years and was overly attached to him. I was working in the garden, my favorite pastime. He came out in his full suit. I called out to him, but he didn’t hear me. He took off into the air, so I followed. That’s how I learned I could fly. I was zooming along before I realized it. I followed him, right to a drug kingpin’s hideout. He used his cloaking tech to sneak down and meet up with the stealth team from The Assembly.

“I had no stealth tech. I flew down and was immediately seen. Their cover was blown. Alarms went off and a firefight started. Bullets were pelting my body while they all tried to find shelter. Captain Astro used his shield to protect them but I was too far away. He screamed at me to come to him, but I just stood there, taking every round. I asked why they were shooting at me. He said ‘they’re bad guys’. I knew what that meant.”

“Uh oh. Time for Sentinel to kick ass?”

“Yeah. I turned and extended my hands. I was already pretty good with various types of energy. I blinded the shooters with light bubbles in front of their eyes then chose microwaves to heat up their guns. They had to drop them and I melted them into scrap. The heroes from The Assembly were shocked. They didn’t know I even existed.”

“You saved the day.”

“Well, I wrecked the day, but I was making up for it. I charged forward. I’m not Mach 10 or Sprint fast, but I was still inhumanly fast. Here I am, charging in, a big muscular 14-year old who looks 20, barefoot in bullet-riddled t-shirt and shorts. I knocked a bunch of them out. A new guy threw a grenade at me. I caught it and it went off in my hand. I was fine. A guy stood on the roof with a bazooka. He fired and I took the hit. No damage, except now, my clothes were nothing but shreds. I was angry. I flew up and took him out then another dozen guys amid gunfire and explosions.”

Intrepid says, “This is insane.”

“Yeah, I guess it was. So, while I was taking all the heavy fire, the other heroes were getting into the compound, back on their stealth plan. Only Captain Astro stood by me - no longer telling me to go home. Of course, he was a tech powerhouse with his forcefield and blasters. Between us, we defeated like 100 guys with heavy artillery. I flipped two tanks and four SUVs over.

“When it was quiet, the Captain patted me on the back then wrapped his cape around my waist. He told me to stay while he checked on his allies. When he returned, he asked me to fly him back to the Astroplex, because his battery was almost gone. The whole way, he gave me a lecture on why I shouldn’t follow him to work. The Assembly caught the kingpin, by the way, despite me turning the whole thing into a disaster.”

My son frowns, “It sounds like you were the hero.”

I shake my head, “Except they actually had a plan, which I screwed up because I wasn’t ready. I could’ve been killed, I could’ve gotten them killed. What if I'd unleashed an EMP? All the tech-based heroes, including the Captain would've been helpless. I definitely put him in unnecessary danger trying to help me handle tanks and bazookas. A few more minutes and he would’ve had a dead battery and been totally vulnerable.”

“Okay, I can see all that.”

“Good. Because a good outcome doesn’t necessarily mean it was a good decision. I wasn’t trained. I wasn’t ready. I don’t want recklessness or overconfidence to cause yourself or someone else to suffer.”  

“Was that your biggest mistake?”

I sigh, “Oh, definitely not. My biggest mistakes when I was 17, almost 18, I was hurt and enraged over a deep betrayal. I took off into space.”

“Why was that a mistake?”

“I flew faster than I’d ever gone. My power sung within me. If you ever feel that way, it's overwhelming. My mind was wild and I gave into it. My senses in space are different. I saw things I’d never seen. Energy in a new way. Time in a new way. I saw Jupiter in the distance. Instinctively, I opened a path and suddenly, I was there. I kept going. I’d see something then a rift in space would just open for me. The paths I opened took me to amazing places. Beyond our solar system. Across the Milky Way. Then even further.”

“By the time I was calm, I didn’t know where I was. I was lost. Everything looked the same. Hopelessly so. I searched for Earth. I found similar planets. I found alien life. Alien civilizations. Many so alien, I couldn't engage with them at all. Emerging ones like us were typically hostile. But the most advanced ones, the ones who could really help me, were beyond such things. They were … difficult for me to comprehend or communicate with."

"Did aliens ever attack you?"

"Some did. Luckily, I never ran into anything that could hurt me. With dumb luck, I finally found the Lacutions who were similar enough to us, scientifically-minded, and communicated in a language I could hope to learn. And they were friendly and willing to help me.” 

Intrepid comments, "I didn't realize you were so powerful."

"Well, that's intentional. I have complete control over my powers, so I can operate from human level on up to ..."

"God level?"

"Well, not quite. Let's say, at physical levels that might scare people. Captain Astro thought it would be best if everyone just thought I was a flying brick."

Adrian asks, “Were you scared you’d never get home?”

“I was. I spent a year with them. The Lacutions. I helped them move beyond their solar system. They helped me find my way back to ours with their most advanced satellites and telescopes. They mapped and I flew. Three years had past. I had a new appreciation for Earth. For humanity. For myself. This planet is beautiful and I need to protect it.”

Intrepid comments, “Sounds a little like the Overview Effect.”

“That’s what Captain Astro told me, although unlike others, I was still separate from humanity by my very nature. Anyway, I had honed my abilities so much and I was desperate to help people. He helped me become Sentinel. Join the Assembly. And while I still view Earth from on high every day, the station is practical. My only real focus in life has been saving people.”

They both sit, taking it all in.

I add, “Until the day I was told about you, of course. The best day of my entire life.” I shake my head and look away, tears welling up.

“What?”

“It’s funny, I was scared in space. But when they told me about you, I was infinitely more terrified. The most terrified I’ve ever been.”

“Why?”

“I was terrified that I had hurt you or would hurt you. That you’d hate me. That I’d given you the burden of my powers. Terrified because my powers were meaningless for fatherhood. Not only didn’t I know how to be a father, I’d never really had one. I am the least qualified man in the universe to guide you. I didn’t want to screw up your life, but I had to meet you.”

My son says, “I’m glad you did, dad. I was scared, too. I still am.”

“I’m sorry for that.”

Adrian shakes his head, “No, no, dad. I’m not scared of you or because of you. You’re great. I’m scared about living up to your legacy. I’m scared about being a disappointment to you because I’m so much less than you. That's why I tried to be Samson. To prove myself. To me. And to you.”

This shocks me. I look him in the eyes. “Less? You’re so much MORE than me. You inspire me every day. To love. To take risks. To discover and embrace my humanity. Just look how much better you’ve made me. Made my life. In just a few years and especially the past few weeks.”

“Really?”

“Son, I am so proud of you. You don’t need to do anything to earn my love and respect. You have it unconditionally. You're a genuinely good person. Since we met, my only goal has been to try to live up to your standards. To be worthy of being your father.”

We hug tightly.

I whisper, “Son, despite everything and against all odds, we’ve made it to a good place. And that’s why I was so worried last night.” I break the hug, “So, you’ve heard my stories. I need to hear yours. I promise I won’t be mad. I just want to know what happened.”

To be continued … Chapter 3: Humiliation - The rise and fall of Samson (1/5/2023)