Another day, another villain killed. Another day, another ally. It was strange for me. The whole 'team' thing. Sure, I'd had partners. Dozens of 'em. But I just used them. They were there, they had what I wanted needed, and I would use them. To get what I wanted. Then, I'd leave them. In front of the police cars with sirens wailing and red-handed or double-cross them and take everything. Or both. Both was more common.
But a team. My team. They were different. We were together most of the time and they acted in lieu of the family I hadn't had in almost ten years. I didn't always need them or want them around, but something always stopped me from leaving. With no strings attached. Just up and leave for the next group, and repeat the cycle over and over again, all the way never looking back at those I had left. But something always stopped me, held me back. I refused to think of it as real bonds, but the more I tried to deny it the more I was hit with the reality of it all. The fact that…
"Kevin." A voice called me from a distance. The call was repeated, this time closer. I ignored it, turning over in my small bed. I desperately wanted to sleep. I hadn't gotten a lot in the last week. I heard beeping and caught a flash of light in my peripheral vision. I felt a large tongue lick the side of my face and my bare skin covered in hot sticky saliva. I looked over at the culprit, Ben as Wildmutt.
"Come on. Was that even necessary?" I asked grabbing a towel and wiped my face off. Even though I had wiped off most of the drool, my hair was still pressed flat against my head from Vulpimancer slobber. Ben changed back to his human form and grinned. I looked over at the clock by my bed. "Tennyson, it's three in the morning and I'm tired. Give me one good reason I shouldn't beat you to a bloody pulp." I picked him up by his collar and shook him.
"Gwen told me to." A good enough reason not to kill him. I put him down. "She said she found something, but she won't tell me what it is until you're there." He bolted out the door and down the stairs. I dragged myself out of bed and pulled on a shirt. I crept down the stairs, careful not to wake Ben's parents. I had been staying at his house and his parents were a bit reluctant to let me stay, so I tried my best to get on their good side and stay out of (visible) trouble. I wondered what was so important that she had to wake me up. I also wondered why she was up so late.
I followed after him, following a trail through a thick forest behind Ben's house. I tried my best to keep up with Ben. He had way too much energy for three in the morning. The trail continued for about a half a mile, until it stopped abruptly with a large boulder in the middle of it. Ben was leaned against the face of the stone. "This is what she wanted to show us?" I asked irritated beyond belief. She wakes me up at three in the morning to show me a stupid rock?
"No I have it with me." Gwen's voice came from atop the rock and sure enough, there she was. I walked over to the other side and waited for her to come down. "Here you two watch it. I've already seen it." She tossed me a holo-disk.
"This message is for Kelrath, or Kevin in the human tongue. A girl dressed in white was speaking. Her dress was long and flowing and she had jet black hair that was tied back. "I am Tarthena, or Taylor. I am the chief advisor to the emperor of the planet Zarron. Your presence is requested by the emperor himself. He wishes to have council with you to discuss many important matters regarding both Earth and Zarron. There is no need to reply, for we will be waiting for you. Please hurry because we fear for the emperor's safety. You may bring your companions along with you. Tarthena out." The disk went blank.
"Why did she call you Kelrath?" Ben asked. I didn't answer. I was thinking about that too.
"That's not as important as how we're getting to Zarron." Gwen said. "You heard her. Kevin's wanted on another planet and we're going with you. I'll research about the planet later."
"I'll call Tetrax. He could probably take us to Zarron." Ben Turned it to XLR8 and sped off down the path.
"Hey wait." I yelled. "I don't get any say in whether or not we're going." I would have asked them to do everything they had volunteered to do anyway, but still.
"No." Gwen replied flatly. She descended from the top of the rock using her magic. "You would have asked us to help anyway." Damn she's scary psychic. "So what are you wanted for? Weapons dealing? Arson? Murder?"
"All three." I replied sarcastically. "Honestly, I don't know. I've never even heard of Zarron and haven't done anything to them. At least not that I can remember."
"I haven't heard of them either." Gwen followed the path back to Ben's house, leaving me alone with time to think.
Who was the girl? She said her name was Tarthena and it translated into Taylor. She looked human to me, but it could have been a cloaking device. Maybe she was a slave. The idea rolled around my head for a bit until I figured she wouldn't be in such a high position. Zarron. It sounded so familiar even though I had just heard of it today. Why would the emperor of a planet want to meet with a (partially) reformed criminal from Earth? And important issues? What could I do? I had powers, but no power. I yawned. I need more sleep. I followed the path, back to the house, back to Ben and Gwen, back to my team, back to my home and back to my family.