A/N: I know I've been away for a long time and won't even attempt to explain what's all been going on. Crazy stuff. Anyways, spring break is coming up really soon, which will give me more than enough time to finally finish my Dramoine story, so don't kill me HP fans! The Incredibles story is really writing itself since I've found a way out of the corner I had written myself into last chapter. I still don't know how popular this one is, but I enjoy writing it. Hope you all like it, too!

Chapter 4: School?

Jack forced himself to keep calm as his mind went from blank to a galloping race of continual thoughts.

"I-I couldn't concentrate while in school, Mom" Jack said, quickly deciding that telling as much of the truth as possible would be the best answer in the already mounting half-truths swirling around. "Not knowing whether you all were okay or in serious danger wouldn't let me concentrate, which would've led me to getting in trouble. I decided to leave. Would you have been able to concentrate at work if I were captured?"

"You're lucky you're a good kid, otherwise I'd ground you," his mother responded, losing some of the stern mom look to a more understanding one. Jack thanked the stars he got away with ditching school.

"How come I always got punished when breaking the rules?" Dash asked, a somewhat childish sulk on his face.

"You got away with putting a tack on the teacher's chair!" Violet exclaimed, clearly still thinking about the time when he never truly got in trouble for that. "During class!"

"Old news," Dash said, waving the issue away. "In the past."

"Your brother never gives us half the trouble you did when you were his age," Mrs. Parr said sternly, "and there's more news, which is the main reason why he's not getting in trouble. Jack has been asked to go to a neighboring town to attend a two-year private school that offers college courses."

Jack could feel the shock on his face as he looked at the happy and impressed faces watching him. College course credit while still a sophomore in high school? He knew he was a bit smart, but he was positive it was nothing to really brag about.

"This is news to me," he said.

"Oh, it's a great opportunity, honey!" Mrs. Parr said excitedly. Really good jobs required at least some college, she knew, which made her happy about the offer, even if that meant he'd be away for a bit.

"But isn't it a bit early?" his father asked. Jack smiled at the reaction. He may have been very young when his father started doing Super work again, but he definitely remembered how much more attentive his dad was towards the family after he had begun. He did remember a lot of things he knew he shouldn't be able to, but did. Maybe that was why he was smart?

"It is for two years," Mrs. Parr said, making a face that showed she had conflicting emotions about the situation.

"Our brother's a genius," Vi said, giving Jack a wide smile. "Always knew you were smart."

"A great way to stay outta trouble, which you'll get into sooner or later, I know," Dash said conspiratorially, making Jack laugh.

There came a knock at the door.

"Dicker, welcome!" Bob said as he opened the door of the house.

Dicker definitely looked a lot older since the last couple of months most of the Incredibles had seen him. He was already a bit old having worked with the Supers since the very beginning, but he looked especially worn out now that Jack was calm enough to notice.

"Another job well done," Dicker said to the room.

"Who was the new Super who helped us?" Mr. Incredible asked, clearly eager to find out who the mystery person was.

"Yeah, why hasn't he been introduced to us in person yet?" Dash asked, just as excited as his father.

"It would be nice to invite him over," Mrs. Incredible added.

"He really saved our butts," Vi included.

"Would you like something to drink, Dicker?" Jack asked, providing courtesy, and a possible silent message to Dicker to change the subject that centered on him.

"Yes, thank you, Jack," Dicker said, coming over and sitting in the seat Jack offered near the coffee table in the living room.

"The new Super is of a special breed," Dicker began. Jack was immensely grateful that he was in the kitchen so his family wouldn't see his embarrassed reaction.

If Dicker thought he really was that gifted, especially compared to the number of Supers he had worked with over the years, then Jack knew that he at least had some potential. Not one usually flattered, he felt himself turn red as he heard Dicker describe him to his family.

"I haven't seen much of what he can do myself, but from what I've heard, he's pretty good," Dicker began.

"I'll say!" his father exclaimed. "He said he was a new Super, but his powers are amazing. Natural ability plus skill is gonna take him far."

"He's definitely having a match against me," Dash announced loudly, making sure Dicker would have to rely the information.

"He definitely has a lot of talent not yet discovered," Dicker went on, pleased with the way the family was reacting. Maybe Jack would agree to be a Super, then. He was someone they needed now.

"He'll do immensely well fighting. He's been chosen to fight a specific type of villain that poses a new and dangerous threat to the public," Dicker informed, a serious note in his voice, "It isn't well known, of course, for the public's own good."

Jack slowed the pour of the drink in a cup from where he stood in the kitchen as he processed the new news. Dicker hadn't said anything about a new threat when he was waiting for him earlier. Why did he choose to reveal the information now?

Did he want the whole family to hear it together, or did he not tell earlier because he thought it would've distracted Jack who needed to concentrate on saving his family? Either way, he knew his life was just beginning to change since he took the mask from Dicker's hand and chose to go Super.

"How are we going to help?" Mr. Incredible asked immediately. A new and dangerous threat had to be dealt with as swiftly as possible.

"All of you are going to fight as you usually do. Being veterans gives you all an advantage. Training will come eventually, but crime is always afoot. Thank you, Jack."

"You're welcome," Jack responded, now back from the kitchen, giving Dicker his drink. He took a seat on the couch opposite to where Dicker sat.

"What does this new enemy do," he asked with a curious voice, but with a solemn look in his eyes.

"Before that, I heard you ran out of school in the middle of the day?" Jack was caught by surprise for a second before gathering his wits again.

"Yeah," he responded, "I couldn't sit and wait in school without knowing my family was safe," he answered, wondering where Dicker was going with this.

"Not very good, Jack, I'm afraid. There are always enemies around that could be on the lookout to take advantage of a situation that involves suspected Super's residence."

"Indeed," Jack responded, trying to look ashamed in front of his family, but clearly getting the hidden message from Dicker. There was someone after his family, and they were all in danger. His family would only take this as a mild chiding to their relative while Dicker was actually having a private conversation with Jack in full, yet hidden, view.

"He was invited to a school just before you walked in!" Helen said, excited again for the opportunity her son was presented with.

"What kind of school?" Dicker asked, "Perhaps it will offer some kind of Judo or Karate class for self-defense."

Jack narrowed his eyes in suspicion of Dicker's innocent statement.

"He doesn't need to use muscles when he's got a good head on his shoulders," Dash declared, proudly squeezing Jack's arm.

A wave of slight annoyance went through Jack that surprised him. He didn't think being underestimated by his family in abilities would make him upset. It seemed silly to even think it.

It was his own fault for not letting them know he had powers in the beginning. He took a calm breath and got back on track. There was a threat to his family, and they were his main priority. Petty vain-ness had no place where the good of his family was concerned.

"I'm not sure if going is the best thing," Jack said, knowing he had to go in the end. He had to get away from his family if he was going to fight. Otherwise, he'd run the risk of his identity being found out by the people Dicker was worried about. Plus, they would find out he was Guardian; something he wasn't sure he was ready for at the moment.

"A little change in scenery isn't always a bad thing," Dicker said, being nonchalant.

"It would be a way to get ahead in the competition," Dash pointed out, ever the competitive spirit in his eyes. "Find out what you're made of compared to other people around."

"Perhaps you'll find the courses more challenging than they are now. Maybe some students will be as gifted as you are," Dicker said, clearly telling Jack the school was owned by the government, despite the "private" title, and most likely for Supers just like him.

Jack wasn't too sure about the meeting other Supers deal. Most likely those Supers were the children of other Supers that knew his parents. Word would get 'round that he was related to them. If that was the case, what was the point of moving away for the sake of keeping his family safe?

"I'm not sure," Jack said, knowing Dicker would pick up on what he meant between the lines. "New people, knowing nothing about anyone, or they about you, and it being a ways away," he added, not really that concerned with distance. If his being far away in order to avoid detection of his actual living residence in the town he was currently in and if it meant his family was safer for it, he'd do it. Sneaking away from the house looked suspicious towards almost anyone doing it. And perhaps this school let the students out of school during the day to fight crime or train in minor cases.

"I'm positive you'll have nothing to worry about there," Dicker said confidently.

"I'll think about it," Jack answered. He knew he would go in the end, of course, but questioning the choice would give Dicker an opening to persuading his parents that letting him go would be the best option. His father, surprisingly, was the only person in the room with more objection to the plan than anything.

"I do think we should talk it over," Bob said, still wanting to find a way around the situation where Jack had to leave the house. If a threat was out there, would he be any safer away from the house?

"But honey," Helen spoke up, "this is an opportunity for Jack when he actually goes to college. He'll spend less time there, and have a better chance of having the education to do anything he wants."

Jack had a bittersweet reaction to his mother's view. To her, he was an ordinary human that needed to go to school in order to make it in life. Not an untrue statement from what she knew, but also one that put limits on him that the rest did not have. Being a Super paid well, and they all loved their jobs. His mother just wanted him to have the best chance at doing what he loved since she thought he did not have powers. He loved her for her concern, but also felt a bit lesser than what he was capable of.

He hardly knew where this was coming from within him. He was content with everything until recently. He still wasn't one-hundred percent sure he wanted to be a Super. But he was surer than anything in his life that he would do what it took to protect his family. Becoming a Super would be no problem for him where their safety was concerned.

2 Weeks Later

"You're going to go through an obstacle course," said a very young lady that Jack just met not fifteen minutes earlier. "Don't think too much about what to do, just act. We need to know what you're capable of in order to train you to your full potential."

She led him through the room to the other side where a door was closed, her red hair up in a neat bun, and her silver glasses perched on top of her nose, which she pushed up from time to time. He was definitely taller than her, but her stature gave her frame a look of some quiet authority which tallness did not affect.

Jack could only blink at the precise way Angela gave her orders. She really couldn't be that much older than him. What sort of school was this?

"Is there a time limit?" he asked, not really knowing what else to comment on. He had only just been directed to the room and it took five minutes to walk there. He had his Super suit on and it had drew the attention of other students who were Supers as well. He supposed none of them had a suit yet, which made him feel a bit self-conscious. But Dicker was the one who said he had to wear it to training.

"No time limit, but you will be driven to move by threats posed in the course," Angela said, her dark blue eyes finally meeting his. The clipboard in her hand had occupied all her her attention since he had walked in. It carried a number of charts and plans which she continually flipped through. "Scars and broken bones aren't unheard of during training. It's in your best interest to act on instinct."

"Thanks," Jack responded, getting ready at the front of the closed door. He wondered if it were really two weeks ago that he would've been at the breakfast table with his parents instead of starting the training course at the Super school.

His parents had thought really long about the decision, but ultimately it was really Dicker's input that finally made them comfortable enough to let him go. Dicker had said it was not only Jack that he was worried about when Bob brought up the view that Jack would be safer at home when there was a threat. He said that Jack being home would be the most dangerous thing that could happen since the enemy would know he did not possess any kind of powers and use him as leverage. The Incredibles had to see the logic behind this.

And then Dicker had informed Jack, when they met briefly while Jack was moving in, that his powers were needed especially because the group was very dangerous and, although overseas at moment, would soon come to the States and target any potential threat when they got here, which included the Incredibles. He said he had never seen a group as powerful as they were, and that Jack was needed now more than he could express. Several Supers from other countries had already been killed, and Dicker had kept the news from his parents knowing they would want to help.

"I don't think they could make it out alive, to be perfectly honest with you," Dicker had said. "You're Incredibly special, Jack. I know we have a good fighting chance with you on the team."

"Ready!" Angela's voice came out of the speakers on the ceiling. She had moved to a different room that Jack could tell was for observation since it had a clear glass. He could tell the glass went on, indicating she would be able to follow his progress, since he could see that the inside of the room extended past where the wall with the door he stood in front of stopped.

"Go!"

A door opened and Jack ran through only to feel himself fall as the small piece of ground, which was only about three feet long now that he realized it was deliberately set up that way to test him, gave way to nothing but air.