“Zack! You’ll be late for school!”

 

Zack’s body moved on instinct, half-instinct as he rolled out of bed and thudded flat to the floor.

 

“…Ouch.” He cranked himself up and was shocked to find the floorboards loose and cracked. He was going to have to tell his Mam he needed new floorboards.

 

Getting up, he gasped when he saw one of his trophies on the floor. “Dang it!” He snatched it back up and looked for cracks; making sure the soccer figure ornament was intact. Sighing relief, he rested the trophy back up.

 

“Zack!”

 

“Yeah I’m coming Mom!” Zack got on his trousers, shirt, socks, shoes and sports jacket as quick as that.

 

“What was that Zack?”

 

“Uh?” Zack was wondering how he got his clothes on that fast; he had a hard time getting his stuff on when he was late for the big game. “Said I was coming!” He rushed down and was already in the sitter room.

 

“I can’t here you all the way upstairs!” His mom was lying on the couch.

 

“Wh-what I’m here.”

 

Yelp his mom went. She sprang up. “Holy moly that must be a record.”

 

“Y-yeah, I just woke up five seconds ago and I’m already up.”

 

“Really?”

 

“I-I think?”

 

Her mother was confused, but then looked at the T.V. “Oh wait.” She put up the volume.

 

Zack walked up and saw on the screen, a picture of man wearing a cheerful white opera mask and some kind of Shakespeare opera mask.

 

“The attack happened in Los Angelos at twelve-hundred when the ominous terrorist Playwright held forty civilians hostage.” They showed the picture of Playwright in his renaissance outfit and several other masked thugs pointing guns at people down on their knees. “He proceeded to make the demand that this video was played across world-wide.” It was now Playwright speaking. “Greetings audience, I hope you’ve enjoyed the opening acts of my play. Disabling the CIA’s firewall, killing the Senator of California and destroying several bank branches was only so you were introduced to what I have followed in time to come…”

 

“I don’t get this guy. He’s just someone in a poncy outfit and goes around sticking in America’s face.”

 

“Well, that’s the thing. He’s able to go around in that outfit showing it to the government’s face.”

 

Zack hated it when his mother tried to be an expert on stuff shown on the news. Why did people think they got smarter by keeping up with the news? “I’ll just be going to the school.”

 

“Don’t you want breakfast?”

“I’ll just buy some from the canteen.”

 

“And remember audience!” snapped Playwright. “By the end of this play, the world will change.”

 

The way Playwright told Zack that made him feel the guy was being honest.

 

*

 

“Hey Zacky!” yelled an oversized high school kid stretching out his fist.

 

Zack punched it. “Buzz! What’s buzzing?”

 

“Yo man, you know how I don’t like being called that.”

 

“I would man, but you’re always buzzing.” And Roy always was. He always had something to tell just about anyone, he was the rumour guy of their group.

 

“Zack, Buzz, what’s going on!” Two other kids met up besides the lockers, one with an afro hairdo and another that was squat.

 

“Backwards and Farsight!”

 

“Oh come on! Afros have always been way in!”

 

“Yeah, way in the seventies, you need to go forward man,” responded Farsight.

 

“Farsight foresaw that one again,” laughed Zack.

 

Bret reminded people of the seventies and Raymond was good at reading minds and predicting stuff, not in a psychic way, more of like a smart person, even though he had one of the lowest grades amongst them.

 

“We really need to come up with a nickname for you.”

 

“There ain’t no need man when you’re name’s Zack.”

 

“How about the ego master?” suggested Farsight.

 

“Hey man, not funny. I just pretend to have a big ego.”

 

“Yeah, like all the time.”

 

“Hi guys.” Two similar looking girls flanked Zack and cuddled against him.

 

“The other cheerleaders were getting tired of the twin thing we do,” said one.

 

“You know the one where we finish off each other’s sentences.”

 

“Always siding with each other.”

 

“And have this twin body language.”

“So we’re hoping we could hang with you guys today.”

 

“Sure,” said Zack putting his arms around them. “Always room for the master’s girlfriends.”

 

The girls pushed off him. “Forget it, the master.”

 

“Neither of us are going out with you.”

 

“Until you’ve picked which one you’re going out with.”

 

“But you’re both so equally hot!”

 

“You saying we’re both the same?”

 

“Wait no!”

 

The gang chuckled. “Tell me Zack, which one’s Lexi and Lucy which again?”

 

Farsight you jackass!

 

“What do you mean which ones Lexi and Lucy?” The twins shadowed over Farsight and the gang was snickering at him now.

 

Ha! Didn’t predict that one, did you Farsight!

 

“Hey guys?” Zack wouldn’t have heard the voices if it hadn’t been for the small kid being right behind him.

 

“Oh, hey Ninja.” Joe wanted a nickname. So because he could easily be forgotten in the background, making him spoke them just by saying hi. He had his school bag tight on and his jacket. Zack sucked it in and welcomed Joe in.

 

“Hey cousin!” Buzz got him into a bearhug.

 

Buzz was the whole reason Joe was in the group. Apparently he didn’t know how to make friends, so Buzz’s ma got him to try and help Joe make friends. His way of helping was have the guy apart of the group or more stalk them.

 

“Oh you’re just so cute Ninja,” teased a twin.

 

“You’d probably know how’d to treat a girl.”

 

“Look out Zack, Ninja’s sneaking off with your girlfriends,” laughed Backwards.

He frowned. He couldn’t help but think he really was taking his girlfriends with the amount of time he stole them.

 

The bell rung.

 

*

 

“Again class, what is the answer, come on, you know what y is and we’ve gone over what this letter is.”

 

Zack was already able to piece it together; it was so obvious, right there on the board. So why was no one else answering the teacher’s question. Did they all just not figure it was a challenge, that was stupid, because people like Backwards loved giving answers so he couldn’t be picked again.

 

“Come on people, these numbers are in brackets, it should be an easy answer for someone like you Jillian.”

 

The class remained silent.

 

Zack kicked back his chair. “Come on people the answers three… Did I just shout that out loud?” He saw everyone gawk at him. “I did, didn’t I?”

 

“Zack Bernus, did you just give the answer.”

 

“Yea uh, easy wasn’t it?”

 

“It was meant to be for some of the higher pupils. I was beginning to think I was mistaken but you answered it just like that. Explain to the class anyways how you were able to figure out that sum.”

 

Zack wasn’t sure if he could. Now that he thought of it, the sum up on the board wasn’t always something he could answer. “Um you know, it was just a guess, you know I just guessed.”

 

“But you jumped off your seat saying come on.”

 

“Yeah as in come up, we might as well try and give an answer.”

 

“Well if you say so, okay you may sit down.”

 

Zack slumped back down, he clenched his head. It was hurting. “What the feck is going on with me?”

 

*

 

“Just what was that?” asked Buzz kicking the ball.

 

Zack caught it and ran. “What do you mean what was that?”

 

“You answered an answer in maths class,” said Backwards trying to catch him. “You never answer questions in maths.”

 

“Like I said, I just wanted someone to answer. Couldn’t stand the teacher badgering us.”

 

“But you got the answer…”

 

Zack kicked the ball at the goal. Farsight jumped in the way and the ball propelled him into the net. The group gazed at the ball flying into orbit.

 

“What… the feck,” said Backwards.

 

“Farsight!” yelled Buzz rushing to him. “You alright man.”

 

“Dude, I think I ruptured something,” coughed Farsight. “Need to see a nurse.”

 

“Just how on earth did you do that?” asked another classmate.

 

“No… No idea. I-I just kicked it. Honestly I just kicked it.”

 

*

 

“They say the worst Farsight suffered was a bruised kidney,” explained Zack.

“A bruised kidney?” asked Backwards. “You can actually get those?”

 

“How did a football to the stomach cause that?” asked one of the twins.

 

“It does sound impossible?” added Joe.

 

“If you saw how hard Zack kicked that thing, you wouldn’t be saying that,” insisted Buzz. “They don’t believe what happened to the ball hitting pass the clouds. They think one of us kicked Farsight instead.”

 

“Wait, you guys, you think if I did a kick like that again, it could get me into the world records or something?”

 

“Yeah that would defiantly!” shouted Backwards. “I’ve never seen a soccer player kick that hard before.”

“Do you guys honestly want to build on something that sent Farsight to the hospital?” asked Buzz.

 

“Hey, it would clear my name. The teacher accused me being the one that kicked him in the gut.”

 

“You did kick him with a football.”

“Yeah, but not like how they’re saying it.”

 

“Oh wait you guys,” snapped Backwards. “Look up ahead.”

 

There were a group of older teens hanging along the pathway.

 

“Crud it’s your sister’s gang Zack.”

 

“Would you not call her sister and just called her Mariam,” he hissed.

 

“Well she is your sister.”

 

“Whatever she is, best go the other way again,” said one of the twins.

 

“Yeah, ain’t worth crossing paths with her.”

 

“No,” snapped Zack. “I’m tired of going the other way to avoid Mariam and her friends.”

 

“It’s not like it’s a big deal,” said Buzz. “Just takes us two extra minutes to get home.”

 

“I shouldn’t be having to hand up any time over to her. Come on we’re going through her.”

 

“Dude Zack, calm down.”

“I am calm and I am rational about this. There isn’t anything stop me or us.”

 

“Wow, Zack if you’re going in there and saying that to your sister, that’s fine,” said a twin.

 

“But we’re out.”

 

“See you tomorrow.”
 

“Fine, any of you other wieners want to wien out as I pass Mariam and her friends.”

 

“Sorry Zack, but we don’t stand like that,” apologised Backwards going back.

 

“You can still come with us though,” said Buzz.

 

“Just feck you guys, I’ll handle this myself.”

 

Zack marched on them. He thought of what to say to his so-called friends when he settled this.

 

“Woot-woot, look who’s in a hurry,” laughed Mariam stepping out from the group.

 

“Feck off Mariam.”

 

A large man got in his way, arms folded and chin up, tough guy. Other guys crowded around him, no doubt trying to please Mariam.

 

“Is that anyway to speak.”

 

Mariam playfully slouched against him. “Easy Matt, just my adorable little brother.”

 

“Get out of the way and get lost.”

 

“Oh you’re not in a hurry to get home to mommy, she is a total cow.”

 

“A Dad’s a total git and you’re no doubt waiting like a dog for him to get home.”

That got her and it was worth it.

 

“Alright guys now you can get him.”

 

*

Zack scrambled to get out of the garbage tin.

“Y-you doing alright Zack.”

 

“Ninja?”

 

The boy shuffled out of the shadows.

 

“Hey.”

“Wh-what are you doing here?”

 

“I watched.”

 

“You watched me get beat up?”

 

“Kind of, I didn’t know what to do, I just froze.”

“Take it the other guys just sat there and watched.”

“No they left before it all happened.”

 

“Sigh figures. How about helping me out of this thing anyways?”

 

“Okay.”

 

Joe helped, it took a while, but Zack got out.

 

“How hurt are you?”

Good point, those gits were making a game of who could make him scream the most let alone embarrass him the most for his sister. But he couldn’t feel any pain. Thinking about it, it didn’t hurt much when they were kicking him in. Wonder what would’ve happened if he did fight back?

 

“Um, Zack, I was just asking if you were hurt.”

 

 “I-it doesn’t matter, just go home Ninja.” Didn’t need help from someone like Joe.

 

“Y-you’re not mad at me?”

“Don’t be such a pansy Ninja and just get going.”

 

“Alright, but I do wish I could’ve done something.”

 

Yeah right. Everyone’s cowards. Unless you were eight foot tall with bulging muscles then someone might’ve been willing to help out Zack. But otherwise they’d cringe as much as Ninja in some alley. Just how this world was.

 

*

 

Zack slammed the door behind him.

 

“Zack!” screeched his mom.

 

He wasn’t sure whether to answer, but he sucked his chest in and replied. “Yea mom!”

 

“Upstairs now!”

 

Was she in his room? He hurried up there and found his mother kneeling over the cracks.

 

“Why on earth is your body print of the floor?”

 

“Well I fell off my bed and it cracked.”

 

“What are you an elephant?”

 

“No! What! Wait mom, the floorboards were just that weak.”

“The floorboards were that weak? Well I don’t know what else to believe, but do realise this is going to require replacing and that’s going to be a fortune.”

“Just leave it then Ma, I can live with the broken floorboards.”

“I’m not living in a house with the floors like these.”

 

“Do we have the money Ma?”

 

She sighed. “No.”

 

“Then just leave it. I’ll figure something out myself on how we could replace them.”

 

“Just never mind.” She stormed out of the room.

That’s how things always were, just never mind. Couldn’t get much money with your Ma being a receptionist and with his father down their throats, wanting something to do about the divorce and so many other problems, all you could do was just never mind.

2: I have superpowers

“Thanks again for backing me up last night,” grouched Zack as he sorted out his locker.

 

“What did you expect us to do?” asked Buzz. “Get my ass kicked by your side.”

 

“No, but you could’ve done what Ninja did and watched so that you could help me up afterwards.”

 

“Hey, we’re not Ninja. We can’t hide in the shadows all silently otherwise Mariam’s gang would spot us and we’d be next. Plus watching you getting beaten up is painful enough.”

 

Zack slammed his locker and saw Nicky strolling by with her sports bag. He was swelled up. “Uh! It’s Nicky!”

“Yeah,” replied Buzz leaning over his locker door. “Such a hotty that one.”

 

“Why do you think she never wants to hang out with us?”

 

“Because she doesn’t like us.”

 

“Oh yeah.” Something to do with them being jerks. “But I bet if she got to know us better, she probably wouldn’t think that.”

 

“Dude, why do you care? You decided to go after the twins over her.”

 

“I did, but that was until I found out they would only let me date one of them. What’s the point of going out with a twin, when you can date both of them?”

 

“Guess they don’t like sharing.”

 

“Dude! They’re twins, they should be used to sharing lots of stuff.”

 

“Well, try explaining that to him then.”

 

“Oh! Just found a way you could help make up for not being there for me last night.”

 

“I’ll bite, what?”

 

“It’s that stupid kid going around with his schoolbag again. Let’s get him.”

 

“Sure, no problem.”

 

Zack closed off the guy. “Hi, school glued to your back again?”

 

The kid cringed. “Z-Zack, please I like keeping a hold of my schoolbag.”

 

“Zack please I like my school back,” mimicked Buzz. “Why don’t you marry it then?”

 

“Yeah and get a room if you’re going to hold it like that, it’s embarrassing.”

 

“Please leave me alone.”

 

The two laughed. “You hear that Buzz, said leave me alone how cute.”

 

“Hey!” A girl marched on them. “Leave him alone you jerks!”

“Oh great, it’s Katelyn, here to ruin our fun again.”

 

Katelyn faced off against Zack. “This your idea of fun, picking on Roger?”

 

“More of a duty really. I’m trying to push Roger to take off his schoolbag like everyone else.”

 

“It’s form of expressing himself Zack, how about you respect that?”

“Hey I’m expressing myself to, expressing how lame it is Roger’s cling to that thing.”

 

“Why? Is he hurting you in some way?”

“Yeah, it’s hurting my eyes seeing something so lame.”

 

“Look Zack, you and your pack are nothing but lame.”

 

“Hey you can’t talk to me like-.”

 

“And if you won’t cease bullying Roger or any other students I will report you to the teacher!” Katelyn grabbed Roger and took off.

 

Zack growled. “You know, you two make a fine couple you know that!”

“Chill Zack let go. We’ll get Roger when his mommy’s not around.”

 

“Yeah, but the whiney loser will just rat to her and she’ll rat to the teachers.”

 

“Hey gang.” Farsight was being helped by Backwards.

“Farsight, you doing alright?” shouted Zack.

 

“Yeah, but don’t let me be goalie again while your kicking. I was actually puking all day yesterday because of that kick.”

 

“Sorry, I really don’t know where that kick came from. I just kicked the ball like I normally do.”

 

“And yet I doubt that ball’s come back down from orbit yet.”

 

“Dude, the ball’s probably lost in space,” laughed Backwards.

 

“Telling you guys, it was super freaky. Just everything yesterday really. I fell off my bed and hit the floor and left a really big print on it as in the boards were cracked. Then I answered that question in class and that was really freaky. But the thing with kicking that ball was the freakiest.”

 

“Maybe you’ve got superpowers.”

“Wah! Ninja!”

 

“Sorry.”

“Honestly cousin, you are one freaky ninja,” chuckled Buzz punching his shoulder.

 

“Seriously though, maybe you have superpowers.”

 

Zack led the burst of laughter. “Sorry Ninja, but superpowers! Either you’ve gotten really bad a kidding around or you’re just really dumb.”

 

“Or you’ve just read too many comic books cousin.”

 

Ninja pouted, felt good. “Then how else can you explain the stuff Zack’s been doing?”

 

“Bad luck I guess,” replied Zack. “Look Ninja trying to stick in with reality like the rest of us. Crams our style.”

 

“Could we I don’t know, maybe look into it?”

 

“Like how?”

“Um like lift a train?”

 

The group burst laughing again.

 

“Well how about you outrun it! Or maybe try to fly, yeah fly!”

 

The bell rung.

 

“Well see you Ninja got to go to class.”

 

*

 

“Pesh, still can’t get over the superpowered thing,” laughed Zack walking home from school.

 

“I know,” replied Backwards. “It’s like he’s eight or something. Guy really needs to get a life. Though I have to admit it’d be cool if you had superpowers.”

 

“What!”

 

“W-well think about it?”

 

“Think about what? Flying around in spandexes fighting off lame monsters.”

 

“No like think besides that. What could you do with flying and super strength and super thinking powers?”

 

Zack held his chin. He thought about how school could be a piece of cake, he could fly to where he wanted and beat up his sister and her friends. “Dude I like where you’re going with this.”

 

“Glad your with me on it. But be seeing ya.”

“Huh?”

 

“Your house’s behind you isn’t it?”

 

“Oh yeah, so it is. Being seeing ya then Backwards.”

 

“See ya.”

 

Zack went around back however. The idea of having superpowers was all too tempting. The stuff he could do like any of those heroes in the movies would mean he could do a lot of stuff.

 

In the backyard, Zack thought of how to confirm it. He looked at the garbage and thought how trivial it would be. Pacing up to it, he placed his hands on it and then lifted. It was above his head and it felt empty. Pulling it down, it was full, but that wasn’t good enough.

 

He recalled running down the corridor, so he perhaps had super speed as well. He ran to one of the fences, bounced off it and ran to the next. That felt fast, but it wasn’t good enough.

 

Concentrating, Zack remembered Joe mentioning flight. If he had flight he would defiantly have all those other super powers. Focusing hard, Zack thought how silly he looked.

“Okay, can’t believe I got roped into this.” He hit flat onto the ground. “Okay what?” He felt as if he had been dropped, but how. Looking around, he left a body print, Mom wasn’t going to be happy. Pointing up though, had he done it? He closed his eyes again and focused. When he looked down, pass his feet, they were above the air. “I have flight! I have superflight!” He raised his arms, “Oh my feckin’ son of a gun, I have superpowers!”

 

*

 

The gang had been gathered, including Joe and the twins in Zack’s living room.

 

“So what’s the emergency?” questioned Buzz taking another soda can from the tea desk.

 

Zack was spinning around, holding his head, grinning.

 

“What did your sister die or something?” asked a twin.

 

“I don’t hope she’s dead, but I hope she’s been badly hurt,” said the other.

 

Zack threw out his hands to them.  “Alright um well here’s the thing, you know when Ninja said I might have super powers.”

 

The gang gave him an uncomfortable look. “Go on,” said Backwards uncomfortably.

 

This was great, Zack clapped his hands. “So behold yourselves for Super awesome!” Like that he levitated and everyone was shuffling against their chairs.

 

“Oh feckin’ Hodini!” shouted Backwards.

“This ain’t no Hodini stuff my friend. What you’re seeing here is a guy with super powers.” He floated to the girls and lifted the couch they were on. “I have super strength.” He dropped the chair back down, fled outside the room and came back in. “Super speed, super flight and someone ask me question I wouldn’t normally be able to answer.”

 

“Alright,” stuttered Farsight. “What’s thirty-eight times seven-two divided by twelve.”

 

It took Zack a moment, but he felt the pieces get put together. He smirked. “Two-hundred and twenty-eight.”

 

Joe pulled out his phone and dialled the numbers. ”H-he’s right.”

 

“That’s right, got super smart powers as well.”

 

“Alright, this is feckin’ creepy stuff man!” shouted Backwards. “Just how were you able to get super powers?”

 

“Don’t know, just woke up with them one morning and bam had them just like that,” said Joe. He placed his finger on his lips. “Or maybe I’ve always had them, but just never noticed.”

 

Buzz took a deep breath. “Okay, my best friend is a guy with freaky stuff on them and we don’t know why. Just what the feck.”

“You’re not an alien are you?” asked a twin.

 

This so wasn’t what Zack had in mind. “Um guys, super powers here. I thought you’d be a little bit more optimistic here.”

 

“We sort of are,” replied Farsight. “But we’re just making sure these freaky stuff isn’t dangerous and potentially dangerous. Could really do with an explanation to how you have these freaky powers.”

 

“Hey I’m not exactly dying and none of you are getting super powers, so chill alright and let’s move onto what we can do with them.”

 

“Alright, so what do you have planned for them?”

“I was thinking of going over and showing them off to my sis and rubbing it into her face! Haha! Just think how jealous she’ll be when she finds out her little brother has super powers!”

 

“Or maybe she has superpowers as well.”

“Farsight, I thought we were all being optimistic?”

“Sorry.”

 

“You can’t go and show off your powers anyways,” spoke Joe. “In the comic books, the super hero always gets chased by guys like super villains and the FBI trying to find out his secret identity so that they can capture him.”

 

“Ninja, this isn’t one of your lame comic books okay, this is the real deal, your basking in the greatness of a guy with actual superpowers.” But then he thought for a moment. “But you got a point, the government would come after me if they knew I had super freaky stuff and I don’t want to know what they’d do with me, so I guess I’ll go with that.”

“Great! You just need to come up with a hero identity.”

 

“More of a disguise Ninja. I’m not going around being a lame superhero or whatever.”

“Wait? So are you just going to use them for your own personal gain?”

 

“And what’s wrong with that?”

 

“I-It’s wrong. You should be using them to help others. You know get people out of fires and fighting off bank robbers.”

 

“You mean stuff we’ve got firemen and police guys for?”

“They don’t have superpowers though.”

 

“Yeah, but far as I know I don’t have any super protection powers. I checked.” Zack held up his hand relieving a scar. “I cut myself and far as I know, I don’t have any healing powers or super strong skin. So it wouldn’t be hard for some like a robber to shot me dead and I’d probably get caught on fire carrying children out of a building.”

 

“But-.”

 

“He’s right cous,” said Buzz, finally. The guy walked over and rested his hand on Joe.

 

“Yeah, it’s too much to ask Zack to risk his life for guys he doesn’t even know,” said Farsight. “Doesn’t even know the first thing about trying to act like a superhero let alone be like one.”

 

“But in the comic book, the guy always gets superpowers because the world needs him,” bubbled Joe.

 

“Oh,” squealed the twins wrapping over Joe. “We’re sorry hon, but this isn’t a comic book.”

 

“It’s somehow really real life,” noted the other twin.

 

“Yeah, so enough with this, deal is that I have superpowers and I’m not going to go for that superhero stuff.”

 

“So what are you going to do with them?” asked Backwards.

 

“Um I don’t know now. How can I use them without any knowing?”

 

“I think that’s why most superheroes have secret identities,” hinted Farsight.

 

 “You’re not expecting me to wear tights and running around with a cape looking like some a moron and have some stupid name?”

 

“Dude, I’m just suggesting you wear a disguise.”

 

“Oh! Good point, how come I didn’t think of that?” asked Zack. “Like when I have super-thinking powers.”

 

“I guess you have to be actually thinking,” snickered Backwards.

 

“Oh!” One of the twins waved her hand. “Could we make your secret identity?”

 

“Um sure. But uh, don’t call it a secret identity. It’s more of a, you know, a secret disguise.”

 

“We’ll come up with it tomorrow.”

 

“Awesome.”

 

“And what then?” asked Farsight.

 

Zack grinned. “Then, I say hallo to my sister.”

 

*

 

Walking back to his house, Zack spotted his mother’s car. It was wrecked!

 

“Mom!” He hurried to the door and kicked his way inside.

 

“Zack!” screamed his mother. “Why did you just kick the door down?”

 

He only just realised he was standing on it. “Oops, sorry. But Mom, what’s with the car.”

 

His mother brimmed with rage. “That conniving sister of yours and your friends no doubt thrashed it.”

 

“How do you know?”

 

“I saw them carrying pipes and baseball bats on the streets and other such weapons.”

 

“Heh, so Mariam’s  in trouble right.”

 

“No.”

 

“No!”

 

“I have no evidence and your Father refuses to believe me.”

 

Zack snarled. “Would you stop calling them my Father and my Sister? Far as I care, there just gits to me.”

 

His mother sighed. “Let’s just focus in getting all this damage fixed.” She pointed the phone at the door he stood on and then walked away.

 

Stamping away, Zack dialled up his mobile phone. “Yo, Lexi!”

 

“Ha! He called me first!” yelled Lexi, probably at Lucy.

 

“He might have scrolled and found your number first on the list!” yelled Lucy.

 

“He has super thinking powers now. I’m sure he used them to remember.”

 

“Girls! Not now! Could you please tell me if you can get that costume finished tonight?”

 

“Why?”

 

“I’ve got business to take care of.”

 

*

 

The gang met up in the alleyway, with Buzz and Farsight carrying a bag full of stuff.

 

“Just why are meeting up in here?” asked one of the twins.

 

“It’s so no sees Zack walking outside in his costume,” explained Farsight.

 

“What do you got for me anyways?”

 

“Well, Farsight and Buzz insisted on helping,” moaned the twins.

“Just with two important elements to the costume,” said Farsight.

 

They pulled out a black helmet. “Ah cool!” yelled Zack snatching it enthusiastically. “A dirt bike helmet.”

 

“Actually it’s one of those helmets police helmet, officers use to train for stuff,” corrected Buzz. “My brother decided to steal it when he realised he couldn’t join the force. He then added paintball mask to it, making it perfect to conceal your identity.”
 

“It is awesome! How did you get it off him?”

“I stole it.”

“Totally cool.”

 

“We then got this thick padded leather jacket bikers wearing,” said Farsight pulling it out.

 

“Double totally cool.”

 

“Not only should it add protection. But due to how thick it is, it should hide your body size. People can figure out just who you are just by looking at your body weight.”

“That’s weird.”

 

“It’s today’s forensic technology.”

 

“Alright, let me just get this on then.” Zack snatched the bag.

“Girls might want to turn around,” hinted Backwards.

 

“No they can watch. They have seen me my trunks before.”

 

“No offense Zack, I think we will turn around. We want to see the grand unveiling.”

 

“Suit yourselves.”

 

Zack had gotten his suit on. It consisted of the padded jacket, unzipped and the helmet, as well as a black shirt, blue jeans and combat boots.

 

“Way awesome Zack,” said Buzz.

 

“I know, I even feel awesome. Though we should probably make these woolly gloves fingerless.”

 

“We can’t,” snapped Farsight. “Your whole body’s concealed so you don’t leave finger prints and no one can tell what skin colour you are.”

 

“Not really being loose about this are you Farsight?”

 

“Do you want to be caught by the government?”

 

“Grr, fine.” Zack then walked. “Now let’s go and find my sister, she should be two streets across.” The gang followed.

 

“So just what are you planning to do?” asked Backwards.

 

“Do what I’ve always wanted to do.” Zack punched his palm. “Put Mariam in her place.”

 

“Okay, but while you are putting her in her place, don’t talk at all,” warned Farsight.

“What! But I want to give her verbal thrash while I’m punching her?”

“Do that and she’ll be able to pick up that it’s you. You two don’t talk much, but she’s still your sister.”

 

“Gragh! Fine! But don’t remind me she’s my sister again.”

 

“Okay hush,” hissed Farsight, getting everyone behind a garden wall. “There she is, over there.”

 

So she was, giving that smug face to her friends as they swung the tools they used to smash Zack’s mother’s car.

 

“Right you guys stay here.” Zack marched out.

 

“Go and get him Zack,” whispered one of the twins.

 

Mariam’s gang eventually took notice of him.

 

“What the heck,” laughed one of the hooligans.

 

“What does this little dweeb want?” asked one of them.

 

Zack struck one, sending him over the fence wall.

 

“What the!” cried one at his speed.

 

Zack kicked the thug off his feet, then struck another kick that spent him back.

 

“Little punk!” yelled another one.

 

Zack ducked under the swing of his lead pipe and elbowed him back. He turned around and headbutted. When he staggered back, Zack booted him down.

 

“Just what?” asked Mariam.

 

Turning to her, Zack could taste her fear, he wanted more. Speeding over and snatching her by the shirt, Zack hefted her off her feet. It felt good, better than anything he had felt in a while. He had control. Then bang. One of the gits got me in the leg.

 

I dropped to my knees and suffered another blow to the back.

 

“Got him,” stuttered one of the gang members. “I-I got him.”

 

“Get him!” screamed Mariam.

 

The gang swarmed on him, but with one scream, a burst of energy struck them back.

 

Wow, I have super blow up powers or something, thought Zack. He jumped back onto his feet and saw the retreating gang, it was good to see them that way.

 

There was the sound of a siren. A police car rolled up and the officers jumped out.

 

“Turn around and hands up kid.”

 

Zack preceded to do so. As the officers got close, he spanked himself. At least they wouldn’t able to recognise his face.

“See ya, pigs!” He burst off into the sky, laughing. Super powers were awesome.