Glasses
If you're familiar with my writing style, you probably know I don't have much of a funny bone. Sarcasm, sure, and maybe some wit, but classic comedy and laugh-out-loud? Not so much. But my friend Pretty Kitty had challenged me to try, and I started working on this little thing. Again, I went with a focus on Eduardo Jr., because I really wanted to put some spotlight on the fact we saw him in a S.T.A.R. Lab photograph wearing glasses:
Too cute! ♡ I wanted to explore them being reading glasses, since he obviously never wore them regularly to see throughout the series; I hinted at this in my previous fanfic Bring Him Home, but I thought I'd tease the poor guy a bit, since I love the brotherly dynamic between the Runaway boys. XD
Again I ran outta steam working on it, although I got some good feedback at deviantART and would like to conquer this challenge. I just... got intimidated by the moment where all hell should break loose and be funny. (My self-esteem this past year has dropped way low, and most of the time I second-guess everything I do, or get flat-out too scared to post it anymore.) I wanted it to be a wild ride in the same vein as Noises Off!, just a crazy clusterfuck of teens messing up and trying not to get caught. XD
Glasses
a Young Justice: Invasion fan fiction
Eduardo pinched the bridge of his nose and held his breath. It was all he could do to keep from snapping at Virgil as he waved yet another menu in his face.
"So what do you want?"
Without bothering to even check which take-out restaurant he was offering up for their evening meal, Ed replied, "I don't care."
"Aw, c'mon, man, don't pull that again. You obviously do care."
"What do you mean, obviously again? I'm not picky."
On the couch, Tye chortled to himself. "Yeah right." The impact of Ed's glare was so challengingly strong it broke his focus from his work on the laptop. He relented with a half-hearted, apologetic shrug, adding, "Sorry, man, but you did kinda throw a hissy last night."
"That was not a hissy. I just didn't wanna eat it."
"Hey, I just thought it would be nice of you, that's all. Do you know how hard it was to find that Asian grocer in the first place? And Sam's been a good enough sport to try all our crap cuisines, without complaining like some of us."
"You did nearly kill her with whatever hot pepper you added in the chimichurri," Virgil reminded with dramatic elaboration.
"Okay, first, I apologized for that. Second, I just... those dessert things she bought were weird."
"Mochi," Tye clarified. He always tried his hardest learning whatever Sam wanted to share with them.
"It felt like a boob."
"Like you know what a boob feels like."
Ed blanched, and then turned beet red when Virgil choked on a bark of laughter. "Oops, was that out loud?"
"Che, tomátela, boludos," Ed mumbled heatedly under his breath. Then he raised his voice in defense, trying to regain his composure and end the dialogue. "Whatever, it wasn't a hissy fit. But I wasn't gonna put that in my mou—"
Both Virgil and Tye's faces lit up, their ear-to-ear grins threatening to break into uncontrollable laughter; Tye thrust a finger at him as if daring Ed to finish that sentence.
Instead, he translated his Argentine bad-mouthing. "Hey, fuck you guys." Folding his arms across his chest, he leaned back into the armchair and turned his face away; the signal to end the teasing was clear in his mind.
Yet Tye had to throw in, "That's still not gonna help you there." He cupped his hands in front of his chest to emphasize the obvious missing fact, and Virgil dropped onto the sofa next to him in roaring stitches.
Just as Ed opened his mouth, ready to fire back with even worse slang they wouldn't understand, a feminine voice interjected: "Dōshita ka? Nani ga itta, anta-tachi no?"
All three boys fell into a quick hush when Asami walked into the living room, her eyes wide and questioning. "What going on, please?"
Tye and Ed locked gazes, the schoolyard-like stare down as if testing each other into who would take the blame for the ruckus. Meanwhile Virgil wiped his eyes and stood, a good-natured smile still plastered on his face, once more handing the menu to Eduardo.
"Hoo gosh..." Then he explained, "Nothin'. I'm just gettin' ready to head out and rustle up some grub. Once you guys tell me what to order."
Ed took the menu from him, not wanting to continue the fight in front of Sam, but he said again, "I really don't care."
It was evident Ed was the one upset, so Sam sat on the arm of the chair next to him. She looked down at the folded paper, shrugging herself at the menu. But they all knew Eduardo didn't have the same luxury.
"Well, there's other places—"
"Other menus," Ed cut him off with a dead-pan snark.
"Ed, give it up," Tye finally said. "What's wrong?"
Suddenly, the internal dam holding back his frustrations broke and Ed resentfully waved the menu back at them. "This, doesn't help."
"Dude, you're fluent."
"But I can't see—" Ed looked sheepish and wilted under the pressure. "I can't read the small print, okay? And it's not as easy for me, I can't just guess at these local mamá y papá dives with their silly names and food choices. I... forgot my glasses when we ran away."
"Oh, that's right," Virgil breathed, remembering Ed in his glasses when they were given paperwork at S.T.A.R. Labs. Trying to be nonchalant yet helpful, he waved a dismissive hand, saying, "Yeah, I forgot some stuff, too. But it's no big deal. I can read you the items."
"Please," Ed muttered, not interested in being treated like the ailing grandmother of the lot. It was bad enough being teased like the younger brother.
Tye grinned at the notion which came to him. "How about we ask Daddy Luthor to simply buy you a new pair?"
It was Virgil who shook his head. "He'd need the prescription."
Pulling from the words she understood, Sam offered quietly, "Ed-kun's Dad? No Luthor."
"My Dad?" There was a touchy quality to Eduardo Jr.'s voice, always awkward whenever his father was mentioned.
"Yeah!" Virgil chimed. "He'd take your things home, right? He is your relation, and he lives right here in Taos."
Ed looked from Sam to Virgil, then finally he shook his head. "You cannot be real? I thought we were running, laying low? You want me to go to my Dad and ask for my glasses back? He'd just call the League and ship me back to S.T.A.R.!"
"Not if he doesn't find out." Tye's voice was full of sneaky suggestion. "We don't have to knock on the front door, you know? I mean, we have super-powers, after all..."
"This is breaking and entering. You do realize that, right? That's still a crime in America, right?"
"Bro, chill."
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure we've already broken several laws since we've been on the lam. Probably even before that."
"Watashitachi ga datsugoku-shūda nante ne." Sam giggled softly to herself, sounding excited with being an "escaped prisoner".
Hiding beneath the shadows of the towering row homes, keeping well within the dark confides of the alleyway, the four Runaways stared across the street at the apartment complex. It was a large block of aged stucco and withered Tex-Mex designs, and by the looks of the neighborhood it wasn't for the wealthy, nor the projects. A modest, working-class area, everyone was at their jobs or out and about in the early noon hours. Still, they had to be certain before they moseyed out into the open and tried picking locks.
"You sure this is the right place, Ed?"
Eduardo arched a sarcastic brow. "No. I just figured I'd run away with no real direction, only hope that I'd end up on his doorstep. I didn't even bother looking at the letters my Dad mailed me all these years. Planning and addresses are overrated."
"A simple yes would suffice, dude."
"O-KAY," said Virgil, a hand sharply raised to cut off their back-and-forth. "Which apartment?"
"Five-Oh-Five."
"Fifth floor." Virgil leaned his face into one hand as he thought, a finger tapping against his lips. "I was hopin' for a garden style place, but there's no decks. There's the fire escape, and then you can teleport inside."
"If I can see through any of the windows."
"Cross your fingers. I'm goin' to go into the lobby, and if there's no security doors and I ain't gotta be buzzed in, I'll head up and keep watch outside the front door."
"Do that first," said Tye. "We gotta be sure he's not home."
"His car's not here," said Ed surely.
"Then Sam and I will wait here and make sure the coast stays clear. Sound like a plan?" They all nodded, if somewhat hesitantly. Tye said with much mockery, "Good. Mission: Glasses Recovery, go."
Sam gave them a double thumbs up, as if to wish them luck.
Ed shook his head, having a bad feeling about the whole thing, then looked at the fire escape platform at the fifth level and teleported, just as Virgil casually stuffed his hands into his pockets and headed across the way. When Ed reemerged from the Zeta field of his power, his weight dropped heavily onto the rusted metal of the grated platform, causing it to heave a sudden groan. He scanned the sidewalks beyond, catching Sam tenting her arms over her head, bowing them to form an "O". He assumed that meant the coast was clear.
Leaning over the rail, he checked through each window along the wall, but as far as he could see all had blinds and curtains. The one which led outside onto the escape, however, was actually clear; the room inside black. Cupping his hands over the glass to get a view, he saw it was a small space his father appeared to use for storage. But he could see it.
So he teleported inside.
It wasn't a closet, it was big enough to be used as a bedroom. And it was precisely kept, clean and showing no signs of dust. There were shelves of plastic bins, a filing cabinet, and extra office supplies. But as he moved to the door, Ed saw a stack of boxes, one of which was labeled with a hand-written notation: Eduardito's Things.
His first thought was, Well, that was easy. But it was quickly over-shadowed by a feeling close to surprise, almost heart-warming. He swallowed down past a lump in his throat, a sense of appreciation. It felt... good to see his father thought about him in some way.
With no sense of urgency, Ed lifted the lid off the top box, finding photographs, some framed and some in albums, and his old school files and reports. As he riffled through them, he found a clear folder containing crayon drawings he must have done for his Dad when he was little. There was a vague embarrassment about seeing those awkward, horrendously playful and lovingly bright creations, but a tiny smile started to make its way to his face. Dr. Dorado was always so severe, almost callously professional, Ed never really believed his father would keep such "trivial" mementos.
As if carefully strolling through his own childhood memories, cautious as to what he might find, Ed sat that carton aside and hefted off the next box. It was full of random gift items—a lot of tech goodies, video games, comics, some articles of clothing—all still retail packaged behind cellophane. It only took him a moment to realize his father must stockpile purchases for his birthday and Christmas gifts. He remembers me... Even while shopping year-round, his father had his son in the back of his mind.
The box on the bottom drew his attention, and disregarding what he was there to search for, Ed pulled all the boxes off to reach that larger one. It was taped up, but he fingered the masking tape up enough to rip it back. Inside, he found... household stuff. Curtains, bed sheets, pillows, even a shag rug crisply folded. This was the package labeled with his name. He knew it wasn't about to be shipped to Argentina. Feeling overwhelmed, Ed knew...
This would be his room, and the items were to make it cozy and livable when he moved in.
"What the heck is taking him so long?" Tye mumbled. It felt like an eternity since they watched Ed disappear in a golden glow. "Super-powers! This was s'pose to be an in-out job."
Sam shrugged. "No idea. Luthor things motte iru hitsuyō ga arimasu ne?"
"Yeah, some communication devices would've been nice, but he didn't give us anything like walkie talkies. Damn, we need someone with telepathy in our gang, eh?"
"Virgil-kun?"
"Mmm, he should be fine. He's just a teen loitering 'round, there's no real worry there." Inwardly, Tye hoped his confidence in their abilities did not lead to a dumb plan. God, I hope this doesn't turn into a cluster-fuck.
Well, that was easy, Virgil thought as he came out of the stairwell and onto the fifth floor landing. There was nothing to block his easy entrance into the apartments, not even a maintenance man or complex supervisor to ask what he was doing or who he was looking for. Indeed, even Dr. Dorado's neighbors weren't about. A nice, quiet building.
At 505, Virgil rapped gently on the door, hoping the noise was muffled enough as not to alert anyone occupying the other flats. "Ed?" he whispered against the wood. He waited a moment, but didn't even hear footsteps within.
Virgil grasped the doorknob, and with his other hand he traced the round outline of the security lock above the handle. "Hmm," he pondered to himself. Should he try it? It wouldn't be too big a deal...
Then he pumped a tiny charge of voltage into the keyhole and lock. A sharp hissing sound crackled from the metal, and he swore he could hear the sounds of the latches and gears moving. As he let his meta-powers attack the security features, he kept twisting the doorknob—until it finally gave all the way, the door opening. And thankfully, as he figured with the nice, quiet building, Dr. Dorado's place did not have a security alarm.
He started over the threshold—
"Hermano, what are you doing?"
Virgil gasped, "Dammit, Ed!" Lowering his voice back to a whisper, he demanded, "Don't jump out at me like that, man." He closed the door behind him, just in case. "Did you find them?"
"Not yet. I'm still going through my stuff."
"Your stuff?"
"Yeah, there's... Never mind. I thought you were keeping watch?"
"I am, but I still got powers."
"Will my Dad be able to tell you busted his door?"
"It ain't busted; just lock it behind me. Unless you want me to help you look?"
"No," Eduardo said a little too quickly. He seemed a tad guarded, almost possessive about the place.
"Okay, well, hurry up. Don't wanna give the neighbors somethin' to feel suspicious about."
Sam suddenly grabbed Tye's arm, pointing towards a nearby side street. He saw a car parallel parking, and his jaw dropped when he caught sight of the driver.
"Oh no..."
They watched in growing dread as Dr. Dorado locked his car door, and then retrieved grocery bags from the trunk.
"No work?" Sam said.
"Day off?" Tye wondered. "We didn't think of that." But then why should they? Ed was always telling them how his father lived for nothing but his job. "Shit!" He pulled Sam back, giving them more shadowy coverage as Dr. Dorado made his way to the lobby doors.
"Now what, please?"
"Your powers are less, uh, distracting than mine," he said. What he was really thinking was how he didn't feel relaxed enough to raise his astral projection. "Can you get up to that window—" He pointed it out to help simplify his words— "where Ed went in? Warn him?"
Sam stared at him, not seeing him completely as her brain struggled to keep up with his fast English. Finally, she looked up to the fifth floor and her eyes lit with understanding. She nodded, and as soon as Dr. Dorado was inside she ran towards the alley beneath the fire escape.
Tye kept watch, knowing Virgil would need to withdraw, or hide, and thinking, Yep. Cluster-fuck.
Virgil closed the door and waited. He heard Eduardo turn the lock on the inner knob and then gave the outside handle a turn. It was once more secured. Hopefully now Ed would pick up the pace in his search, and all Virgil had to do was dilly-dally in the hallway a bit.
But then he suddenly heard footsteps echoing in the stairwell.
There was a swift moment of panic, a kid realizing he was doing something wrong. Then Virgil scolded himself with, Just be cool. No biggie. Yet a little alarm clanged an alert, his nerves prickling on edge, and he decided to take heed.
As the footsteps grew louder, and slowing towards the fifth floor, Virgil darted down the hall in the opposite direction. He reached a secondary flight, smaller and behind a door with a sign that glowed EXIT. He ducked inside just as he saw Dr. Dorado.
When Virgil was gone, Ed looked timidly around the rest of his Dad's apartment. It was white and barren and... sad. The place had neither the clutter of a well-lived in space, nor the unorganized mess of a brainiac bachelor. But it was still quaint and warm, diligently cared for.
To be continued...
Too cute! ♡ I wanted to explore them being reading glasses, since he obviously never wore them regularly to see throughout the series; I hinted at this in my previous fanfic Bring Him Home, but I thought I'd tease the poor guy a bit, since I love the brotherly dynamic between the Runaway boys. XD
Again I ran outta steam working on it, although I got some good feedback at deviantART and would like to conquer this challenge. I just... got intimidated by the moment where all hell should break loose and be funny. (My self-esteem this past year has dropped way low, and most of the time I second-guess everything I do, or get flat-out too scared to post it anymore.) I wanted it to be a wild ride in the same vein as Noises Off!, just a crazy clusterfuck of teens messing up and trying not to get caught. XD
Glasses
a Young Justice: Invasion fan fiction
Eduardo pinched the bridge of his nose and held his breath. It was all he could do to keep from snapping at Virgil as he waved yet another menu in his face.
"So what do you want?"
Without bothering to even check which take-out restaurant he was offering up for their evening meal, Ed replied, "I don't care."
"Aw, c'mon, man, don't pull that again. You obviously do care."
"What do you mean, obviously again? I'm not picky."
On the couch, Tye chortled to himself. "Yeah right." The impact of Ed's glare was so challengingly strong it broke his focus from his work on the laptop. He relented with a half-hearted, apologetic shrug, adding, "Sorry, man, but you did kinda throw a hissy last night."
"That was not a hissy. I just didn't wanna eat it."
"Hey, I just thought it would be nice of you, that's all. Do you know how hard it was to find that Asian grocer in the first place? And Sam's been a good enough sport to try all our crap cuisines, without complaining like some of us."
"You did nearly kill her with whatever hot pepper you added in the chimichurri," Virgil reminded with dramatic elaboration.
"Okay, first, I apologized for that. Second, I just... those dessert things she bought were weird."
"Mochi," Tye clarified. He always tried his hardest learning whatever Sam wanted to share with them.
"It felt like a boob."
"Like you know what a boob feels like."
Ed blanched, and then turned beet red when Virgil choked on a bark of laughter. "Oops, was that out loud?"
"Che, tomátela, boludos," Ed mumbled heatedly under his breath. Then he raised his voice in defense, trying to regain his composure and end the dialogue. "Whatever, it wasn't a hissy fit. But I wasn't gonna put that in my mou—"
Both Virgil and Tye's faces lit up, their ear-to-ear grins threatening to break into uncontrollable laughter; Tye thrust a finger at him as if daring Ed to finish that sentence.
Instead, he translated his Argentine bad-mouthing. "Hey, fuck you guys." Folding his arms across his chest, he leaned back into the armchair and turned his face away; the signal to end the teasing was clear in his mind.
Yet Tye had to throw in, "That's still not gonna help you there." He cupped his hands in front of his chest to emphasize the obvious missing fact, and Virgil dropped onto the sofa next to him in roaring stitches.
Just as Ed opened his mouth, ready to fire back with even worse slang they wouldn't understand, a feminine voice interjected: "Dōshita ka? Nani ga itta, anta-tachi no?"
All three boys fell into a quick hush when Asami walked into the living room, her eyes wide and questioning. "What going on, please?"
Tye and Ed locked gazes, the schoolyard-like stare down as if testing each other into who would take the blame for the ruckus. Meanwhile Virgil wiped his eyes and stood, a good-natured smile still plastered on his face, once more handing the menu to Eduardo.
"Hoo gosh..." Then he explained, "Nothin'. I'm just gettin' ready to head out and rustle up some grub. Once you guys tell me what to order."
Ed took the menu from him, not wanting to continue the fight in front of Sam, but he said again, "I really don't care."
It was evident Ed was the one upset, so Sam sat on the arm of the chair next to him. She looked down at the folded paper, shrugging herself at the menu. But they all knew Eduardo didn't have the same luxury.
"Well, there's other places—"
"Other menus," Ed cut him off with a dead-pan snark.
"Ed, give it up," Tye finally said. "What's wrong?"
Suddenly, the internal dam holding back his frustrations broke and Ed resentfully waved the menu back at them. "This, doesn't help."
"Dude, you're fluent."
"But I can't see—" Ed looked sheepish and wilted under the pressure. "I can't read the small print, okay? And it's not as easy for me, I can't just guess at these local mamá y papá dives with their silly names and food choices. I... forgot my glasses when we ran away."
"Oh, that's right," Virgil breathed, remembering Ed in his glasses when they were given paperwork at S.T.A.R. Labs. Trying to be nonchalant yet helpful, he waved a dismissive hand, saying, "Yeah, I forgot some stuff, too. But it's no big deal. I can read you the items."
"Please," Ed muttered, not interested in being treated like the ailing grandmother of the lot. It was bad enough being teased like the younger brother.
Tye grinned at the notion which came to him. "How about we ask Daddy Luthor to simply buy you a new pair?"
It was Virgil who shook his head. "He'd need the prescription."
Pulling from the words she understood, Sam offered quietly, "Ed-kun's Dad? No Luthor."
"My Dad?" There was a touchy quality to Eduardo Jr.'s voice, always awkward whenever his father was mentioned.
"Yeah!" Virgil chimed. "He'd take your things home, right? He is your relation, and he lives right here in Taos."
Ed looked from Sam to Virgil, then finally he shook his head. "You cannot be real? I thought we were running, laying low? You want me to go to my Dad and ask for my glasses back? He'd just call the League and ship me back to S.T.A.R.!"
"Not if he doesn't find out." Tye's voice was full of sneaky suggestion. "We don't have to knock on the front door, you know? I mean, we have super-powers, after all..."
"This is breaking and entering. You do realize that, right? That's still a crime in America, right?"
"Bro, chill."
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure we've already broken several laws since we've been on the lam. Probably even before that."
"Watashitachi ga datsugoku-shūda nante ne." Sam giggled softly to herself, sounding excited with being an "escaped prisoner".
Hiding beneath the shadows of the towering row homes, keeping well within the dark confides of the alleyway, the four Runaways stared across the street at the apartment complex. It was a large block of aged stucco and withered Tex-Mex designs, and by the looks of the neighborhood it wasn't for the wealthy, nor the projects. A modest, working-class area, everyone was at their jobs or out and about in the early noon hours. Still, they had to be certain before they moseyed out into the open and tried picking locks.
"You sure this is the right place, Ed?"
Eduardo arched a sarcastic brow. "No. I just figured I'd run away with no real direction, only hope that I'd end up on his doorstep. I didn't even bother looking at the letters my Dad mailed me all these years. Planning and addresses are overrated."
"A simple yes would suffice, dude."
"O-KAY," said Virgil, a hand sharply raised to cut off their back-and-forth. "Which apartment?"
"Five-Oh-Five."
"Fifth floor." Virgil leaned his face into one hand as he thought, a finger tapping against his lips. "I was hopin' for a garden style place, but there's no decks. There's the fire escape, and then you can teleport inside."
"If I can see through any of the windows."
"Cross your fingers. I'm goin' to go into the lobby, and if there's no security doors and I ain't gotta be buzzed in, I'll head up and keep watch outside the front door."
"Do that first," said Tye. "We gotta be sure he's not home."
"His car's not here," said Ed surely.
"Then Sam and I will wait here and make sure the coast stays clear. Sound like a plan?" They all nodded, if somewhat hesitantly. Tye said with much mockery, "Good. Mission: Glasses Recovery, go."
Sam gave them a double thumbs up, as if to wish them luck.
Ed shook his head, having a bad feeling about the whole thing, then looked at the fire escape platform at the fifth level and teleported, just as Virgil casually stuffed his hands into his pockets and headed across the way. When Ed reemerged from the Zeta field of his power, his weight dropped heavily onto the rusted metal of the grated platform, causing it to heave a sudden groan. He scanned the sidewalks beyond, catching Sam tenting her arms over her head, bowing them to form an "O". He assumed that meant the coast was clear.
Leaning over the rail, he checked through each window along the wall, but as far as he could see all had blinds and curtains. The one which led outside onto the escape, however, was actually clear; the room inside black. Cupping his hands over the glass to get a view, he saw it was a small space his father appeared to use for storage. But he could see it.
So he teleported inside.
It wasn't a closet, it was big enough to be used as a bedroom. And it was precisely kept, clean and showing no signs of dust. There were shelves of plastic bins, a filing cabinet, and extra office supplies. But as he moved to the door, Ed saw a stack of boxes, one of which was labeled with a hand-written notation: Eduardito's Things.
His first thought was, Well, that was easy. But it was quickly over-shadowed by a feeling close to surprise, almost heart-warming. He swallowed down past a lump in his throat, a sense of appreciation. It felt... good to see his father thought about him in some way.
With no sense of urgency, Ed lifted the lid off the top box, finding photographs, some framed and some in albums, and his old school files and reports. As he riffled through them, he found a clear folder containing crayon drawings he must have done for his Dad when he was little. There was a vague embarrassment about seeing those awkward, horrendously playful and lovingly bright creations, but a tiny smile started to make its way to his face. Dr. Dorado was always so severe, almost callously professional, Ed never really believed his father would keep such "trivial" mementos.
As if carefully strolling through his own childhood memories, cautious as to what he might find, Ed sat that carton aside and hefted off the next box. It was full of random gift items—a lot of tech goodies, video games, comics, some articles of clothing—all still retail packaged behind cellophane. It only took him a moment to realize his father must stockpile purchases for his birthday and Christmas gifts. He remembers me... Even while shopping year-round, his father had his son in the back of his mind.
The box on the bottom drew his attention, and disregarding what he was there to search for, Ed pulled all the boxes off to reach that larger one. It was taped up, but he fingered the masking tape up enough to rip it back. Inside, he found... household stuff. Curtains, bed sheets, pillows, even a shag rug crisply folded. This was the package labeled with his name. He knew it wasn't about to be shipped to Argentina. Feeling overwhelmed, Ed knew...
This would be his room, and the items were to make it cozy and livable when he moved in.
"What the heck is taking him so long?" Tye mumbled. It felt like an eternity since they watched Ed disappear in a golden glow. "Super-powers! This was s'pose to be an in-out job."
Sam shrugged. "No idea. Luthor things motte iru hitsuyō ga arimasu ne?"
"Yeah, some communication devices would've been nice, but he didn't give us anything like walkie talkies. Damn, we need someone with telepathy in our gang, eh?"
"Virgil-kun?"
"Mmm, he should be fine. He's just a teen loitering 'round, there's no real worry there." Inwardly, Tye hoped his confidence in their abilities did not lead to a dumb plan. God, I hope this doesn't turn into a cluster-fuck.
Well, that was easy, Virgil thought as he came out of the stairwell and onto the fifth floor landing. There was nothing to block his easy entrance into the apartments, not even a maintenance man or complex supervisor to ask what he was doing or who he was looking for. Indeed, even Dr. Dorado's neighbors weren't about. A nice, quiet building.
At 505, Virgil rapped gently on the door, hoping the noise was muffled enough as not to alert anyone occupying the other flats. "Ed?" he whispered against the wood. He waited a moment, but didn't even hear footsteps within.
Virgil grasped the doorknob, and with his other hand he traced the round outline of the security lock above the handle. "Hmm," he pondered to himself. Should he try it? It wouldn't be too big a deal...
Then he pumped a tiny charge of voltage into the keyhole and lock. A sharp hissing sound crackled from the metal, and he swore he could hear the sounds of the latches and gears moving. As he let his meta-powers attack the security features, he kept twisting the doorknob—until it finally gave all the way, the door opening. And thankfully, as he figured with the nice, quiet building, Dr. Dorado's place did not have a security alarm.
He started over the threshold—
"Hermano, what are you doing?"
Virgil gasped, "Dammit, Ed!" Lowering his voice back to a whisper, he demanded, "Don't jump out at me like that, man." He closed the door behind him, just in case. "Did you find them?"
"Not yet. I'm still going through my stuff."
"Your stuff?"
"Yeah, there's... Never mind. I thought you were keeping watch?"
"I am, but I still got powers."
"Will my Dad be able to tell you busted his door?"
"It ain't busted; just lock it behind me. Unless you want me to help you look?"
"No," Eduardo said a little too quickly. He seemed a tad guarded, almost possessive about the place.
"Okay, well, hurry up. Don't wanna give the neighbors somethin' to feel suspicious about."
Sam suddenly grabbed Tye's arm, pointing towards a nearby side street. He saw a car parallel parking, and his jaw dropped when he caught sight of the driver.
"Oh no..."
They watched in growing dread as Dr. Dorado locked his car door, and then retrieved grocery bags from the trunk.
"No work?" Sam said.
"Day off?" Tye wondered. "We didn't think of that." But then why should they? Ed was always telling them how his father lived for nothing but his job. "Shit!" He pulled Sam back, giving them more shadowy coverage as Dr. Dorado made his way to the lobby doors.
"Now what, please?"
"Your powers are less, uh, distracting than mine," he said. What he was really thinking was how he didn't feel relaxed enough to raise his astral projection. "Can you get up to that window—" He pointed it out to help simplify his words— "where Ed went in? Warn him?"
Sam stared at him, not seeing him completely as her brain struggled to keep up with his fast English. Finally, she looked up to the fifth floor and her eyes lit with understanding. She nodded, and as soon as Dr. Dorado was inside she ran towards the alley beneath the fire escape.
Tye kept watch, knowing Virgil would need to withdraw, or hide, and thinking, Yep. Cluster-fuck.
Virgil closed the door and waited. He heard Eduardo turn the lock on the inner knob and then gave the outside handle a turn. It was once more secured. Hopefully now Ed would pick up the pace in his search, and all Virgil had to do was dilly-dally in the hallway a bit.
But then he suddenly heard footsteps echoing in the stairwell.
There was a swift moment of panic, a kid realizing he was doing something wrong. Then Virgil scolded himself with, Just be cool. No biggie. Yet a little alarm clanged an alert, his nerves prickling on edge, and he decided to take heed.
As the footsteps grew louder, and slowing towards the fifth floor, Virgil darted down the hall in the opposite direction. He reached a secondary flight, smaller and behind a door with a sign that glowed EXIT. He ducked inside just as he saw Dr. Dorado.
When Virgil was gone, Ed looked timidly around the rest of his Dad's apartment. It was white and barren and... sad. The place had neither the clutter of a well-lived in space, nor the unorganized mess of a brainiac bachelor. But it was still quaint and warm, diligently cared for.
To be continued...