Shade: Unbound

“You’ve already decided you’re not signing, so what’s the matter?” Jack said through a mouthful of carrots and peas. He pointed his plastic fork at Finn. “We both know they’re going to keep pressing you either way. And the more fame you gain, the more they’ll have to offer to get you on their adolescent program.”

Finn absently prodded the patty on his plate. “It’s definitely sooner than expected, but some of the officers yesterday seemed really glad I helped them out. I thought it was going to be worse. And it’s not like I can tell them my reason for not joining, meaning I have to lie or give them the silent treatment.”

“I know, but you can’t let that be the only reason. You have to think about what you want, Finn,” Jack said, leaning in closer. “You have the power to make a difference. The DHD can give you the resources and support to do even more good.”

Finn sighed. “I know, Jack. But you also know why I can’t join. I can’t risk my mother finding out about what I’m doing. It’s not worth it.” He had another reason why he couldn’t join, but Jack didn’t need to know that.

Jack nodded. “I understand, Finn. But you have to consider the potential benefits as well. The DHD has a lot of power and influence, and they can offer you protection and guidance. Plus, think about all the good you could do with their resources.”

“I get what you’re saying, but I’ve made my decision. I can’t join the DHD.”

Jack regarded him for a moment, then grinned. “Thank God. I wasn’t trying to coerce you, but I am glad you’re staying independent. It means I get to keep playing support.”

Finn smirked back. “We need a name for you. I can’t keep calling you Jack while I’m out there.”

Jack clapped his hands together. “Does this mean I get to display my immaculate naming talents?”

Finn stared at him, deadpan. “Blow me away.”

Jack scratched his head. “Hmm, let me think. How about… Visionary?”

Finn raised an eyebrow. “Visionary? But you don’t have any powers related to sight. Or any powers period. And that name is too grandiose.”

Jack shrugged. “I know, but I’m always helping you keep an eye out for trouble, right? Plus, I’m good at spotting things that others might miss.”

“I see what you’re going for. But wouldn’t it be better if you had a name highlighting your position instead?”

“What about Consoleman?”

“No.”

“Controlmeister?”

Finn shook his head.

The other boy snapped his fingers. “I’ve got it! Gridlock.”

Finn considered it briefly, then nodded.

Jack pumped his fist in the air. “Yes! I knew my naming skills were on point.”

“Don’t get too excited, Gridlock. We have work to do.”

As they finished their meal, Finn couldn't help but feel grateful to have a friend like Jack by his side. Even without superpowers, Jack was an integral part of his operations, and Finn knew he could always count on him.

They got back to class after that, and Finn was surprised at just how much more productive he was at school now. For starters, he finished all his homework during school hours so he would have more time for training and missions with Jack. To top that off, Jack had made him research optics and reflectivity in his spare time so he could utilize his powers better. Finn’s understanding was still far from complete, but he was getting there.

During Finn’s last period, which was math, he wasn’t with Jack. His friend had already gone home since he didn’t have sixth period today. And it just happened to be the class where something unexpected happened.

“Heeeey Allister, was it?” a high voice sounded behind him.

The moment he turned and saw who it was, he was suspicious. “What do you want, Casey?”

“Chill out,” the girl waved him off. “I was just gonna invite you to my birthday party. Y’know, since I’m turning sixteen in two weeks.”

With narrowed eyes, Finn looked around the classroom. And indeed, a group of girls near the back was observing their interaction with varying degrees of mirth.

“Why me?” Finn asked when he looked back at Casey.

She swished her blonde hair. “Not just you, obviously. Everyone in this class is invited.” And with that, she walked off to the next person, not even waiting for his response. Finn found it interesting that she had invited him without telling him where she was holding the party.

The rest of the day passed like any other. There were no coincidental interruptions when he went to complete today’s missions, but he did notice that he was starting to run out of easy objectives. In a few days he would have to wait for more missions to pop up, or go for more dangerous missions.

This upgrade in threat level had pros and cons. The downside was that he would be much more likely to encounter armed thugs and potentially even villains with powers, but it would get him credits much more quickly.

The next day, Finn arrived at school feeling more on-edge than usual. He knew he had to be more careful with his missions, especially now that the difficulty level had increased. He could take another break to train with Jack, but his practice could only get him so far. If he wanted real power, he would need credits.

That didn’t mean he had no solutions, he just wasn’t sure if he liked them.

The first was to just blow his accumulated credits on worse equipment to give him slightly more protection against the threats he would be facing, which was less than ideal.

His second solution was simple: team up. Aegis offered more than single person missions. In fact, some of the missions Finn had completed didn’t even specifically require him to do them alone, though the rewards usually didn’t increase even if more people signed up for one. And that was if they didn’t instantly get locked when one person took the mission.

Finn was wary of getting lured into a trap, and the list of heroes willing to waste their time working together with him probably wasn’t very long. But then, he was good at disappearing, and he didn’t need top-of-the-line independents helping him to gather some credits. He just needed some people better suited for direct combat.

Jack was in favor of the second option, and Finn ultimately decided they could research the candidates before committing to anything.

The next few days went by in a blur of midterms, missions, and research. Finn and Jack spent most of their free time poring over Aegis’s database, looking for heroes whose skills and abilities complemented their own. Finn had always seen himself as a lone wolf, but he was beginning to see the value of having allies.

Eventually, they narrowed down their list to a handful of heroes who seemed like good candidates. There was Maelstrom, a water manipulator with impressive offensive capabilities; Moonflower, a stealth expert like Finn; and Sphinx, a shifter who could provide cover during missions.

Finn and Jack reached out to each of them separately, laying out their plan and explaining the benefits of working together. To their relief, all three heroes were receptive to the idea. They agreed to meet up and discuss the details of their partnership.

His temporary new partners all had their own reasons for wanting to work together. Maelstrom was interested in the potential for bigger payouts on missions, while Moonflower was eager to learn from Finn’s expertise in stealth (that part of his pitch had been Jack’s idea, but Finn felt that calling his meager experience “expertise" was an overstatement). Sphinx was simply looking for a change of pace from her usual solo missions.

On the night they agreed to meet, Finn traveled through the shadows while conversing with Jack. He noticed that his stamina had improved significantly, and his mom was already making worried comments about his sudden weight loss. To play it off, he’d told her he started exercising, which wasn’t even a lie. Every day, he would go through a few calisthenics exercises before and after school, to help with his ability to traverse different kinds of terrain.

Though in the front windows of one of the buildings he walked past, he noticed his own reflection. The hooded figure looking back at him had a more defined frame, but it wasn’t super noticeable.

Finn was the first to arrive at this corner of the park, so he channeled his camouflage and waited, his back against a tree. After a few minutes, he noticed a man in blue kevlar armor and a tactical helmet with a bandana over the lower half of his face. Then, a girl dressed in black with a white flower print on her spandex bodysuit with a motorcycle helmet. A little later, a woman in featureless cloth with a mask of the same material. It simply had two eye holes cut into it.

Finn watched them exchange words for a minute before the man in military gear grew agitated and said, “So where’s that Shade kid?”

“It hasn’t been that long, Maelstrom. You have to remember some of us have actual lives. Give him some time,” Sphinx quipped, her eyes half-closed behind the cloth mask.

Maelstrom wanted to retort, but Finn chose that moment to reveal himself. “I was the first to get here, but I generally wait to see which way the cat jumps first. At least when I can afford to,” he interjected. They all seemed surprised, though Sphinx was the only one who didn’t take a step back.

“You have invis?” Moonflower perked up after he released his power. “Why did you only say you had camo?”

Finn suppressed the urge to shrug and said, “It only works this well when I’m standing still.”

The group looked at Finn with interest, and Maelstrom spoke up. “So, we have got stealth covered. What about firepower?”

“I can storm in through the front and create a distraction for these two,” Sphinx replied, pointing at Finn and Moonflower.

“If you let me get in a good position, I can hypno some of ‘em,” Moonflower said.

“I will be your vanguard then,” Maelstrom said to Sphinx. They discussed their plan some more before making their way out of the park.

Their target was a small-time gang called the “Beastlords.” It had recently established itself near this part of the district after the DHD had driven away one of Venin’s lieutenants. The exact mechanics of their powers were unknown, since they were fairly new, but Finn and the others had a general idea of what each of these guys could do.

Finn felt out of his depth when he saw the ease with which Maelstrom and Sphinx traveled from building to building. Sphinx, true to her name, took the form of an oversized lion with a human face—this also ended up being the first time Finn saw a shifter transform up close; instead of slowly morphing her own body, an ethereal outline shaped itself in the air before her human body disappeared in a blink and her new form had taken its place. It offered her great strength and durability, but she also had some telekinetic abilities, such as now when she used it to keep her landings quiet every time she leaped into the air.

Maelstrom made a dozen tiny water jets under his boots to control the trajectory of his jumps. He had a limited volume of water he could control, but close to his body, he could make it an extremely potent weapon.

Momentarily, Finn had been worried that he would have to make a pitiful run on their tail. Moonflower had him covered with her motorcycle though, offering to give him a ride. It barely made any noise as it ran on electricity.

She stopped some distance from the building the Beastlords were using as a base and began their approach. Finn and Moonflower cautiously crept towards the enemy's lair. With each step, a sense of unease settled upon him, as if the weight of the situation was finally sinking in. This was the moment he had been preparing for, but doubts began to creep into his mind. Nevertheless, he steeled himself, determined to face whatever awaited them.