Frat boys and Fridges

The first thing Calvin saw every morning were the words ‘Start up initiated’, before the world itself would come into sharp focus. His room was, of course, a mess, but that was how he knew where everything was. Sure, he could memorize it, but the very idea had a mental stink to it Calvin found repulsive. He swung his legs out of bed, giving an electronic grunt in his efforts, imagining his joints to be stiff and needing a stretch. The now customary clang of his feet hitting the ground didn’t even register in his sleepy brain. Was it sleepy? Was it just that he wanted to feel sleepy, so he felt sleepy? He had never thought about emotions and touch so delicately before, it also left a bad taste in his brain. 

Mind over matter was the name of the game these days. Mechs and he had been developing this method for a while, and this morning it felt real enough. Calvin roominated in the feeling, the sense of being sleepy and lazy, the rumination becoming more of a sort of happy wallow. He could hear the conversation he’d had with his mom so many mornings, as she tried to rouse him into greeting the day; Calvin’s sluggish response came with the reply “my systems are still coming online”. The memory rings in his mind, as Calvin finally finds his feet and makes his way out of his bedroom. 

Stalking his way towards the kitchen, Calvin happily let himself float along in his fantasy. In the back of his mind, he knew how this always ended, but maybe today’s illusory draw would bridge the gap he’d been trapped behind. It needed to be something mild, but enticing. Poking into the fridge, Calvin retrieved a sealed bagel bag, extracting a squishy bagel covered in everything, he could practically see sent trails wafting off it cartoonishly. A short span of metal shot out of his wrist, alighting a bright blue. waves of heat began to billow from its tip. He slowly pressed it through the bagel, steam escaping into the air as he slid it through the doughy delight. Sliding the heat blade out the other side, Calvin retracts it and opens his bagel, the inside nicely toasted just from the knife. The temptation from the memory of butter was too great, and soon Calvin had slathered a thin layer over his breakfast of hope. 

Hank ‘Mechs” Douglas wheeled his way into the kitchen, only to be greeted by the sight of a CADET battle android sitting at the table in baggy pajama pants covered in laser pistols and cartoon characters. Hank studied the scene carefully, taking in every detail. Judging from the slump in Calvin’s posture, his morning has turned to dejection. It wasn’t the first time Hank had come in on this sight, and his curiosity quickly began brewing, as did his coffee. He’d begin lightly, Cal’s bound to be frustrated, “Morning Calvin, you tried breakfast again?”

Calvin’s digital eyes scanned the room, trying not to look at Hank. Maybe he could do some scanning, he hated scanning but right now, he didn’t really feel like going over the blow by blow of the worlds most disappointing bagel. “Yea, it was fine, going to be paying heavily in crumbs the rest of the day though. Probably not worth all the trouble if I’m honest.” Calvin unconsciously scratched at his chrome skin, not thinking about the action until he did, and suddenly wanting to experience the innocuous with such unmerited desire. 

“Don’t worry about crumbs bud, that’s easy enough to sort out.” Hank wheeled his chair to the fridge, trying to casually grab some fruit, at least he knew Calvin wouldn’t be jealous of that…. hopefully. “Besides, we did a pretty good job on the coating last time, I think we’re just a few iterations away from a real working mouth. How was the mouth feel, was it enough or…”

“No,” the frustration finally taking its chance to bubble over some in his voice. Even as the electronic buzz of it came through, so too did the disappointment at this turn in his otherwise inspired morning. “I couldn’t really feel it, there was some resistance, but it didn’t feel any different than last week when you had me try ‘chewing’ some rebar.” 

“So definitely no taste eh, I’m sorry Cal.” Hank positioned himself at the table, putting down his mug and plate of grapes and melon. Cal couldn't help but steal a look, even the melon looked good; how desperate had Calvin become to long for melon? “I do think we’re getting closer though; every piece of data after all. We’ll have you eating like your glory days soon. Just be patient, you’re doing great man.” Hank put a warm hand on Calvin’s shoulder, reassuring the teen. 

Calvin had been known for his eating prowess before the incident last year. Like any teenage boy, Calvin would raid the pantry for every treat whenever he came to visit his mother and her team. They had been designing the CADET units for two and a half years, and were finally beginning the testing phase, and things looked great so far. The team had been prepping for a party, something which only lead to more snack food being available than ever. Calvin couldn’t help but picture himself as a snack food dragon, wanting to pile his hoard high and roll in its glory. It was one of the last things he remembers from that night, that and seeing his mom, so happy as they all celebrated. 

The next thing Cal remembered was coming to, and suddenly being inundated by muteness and totally alone. The world had gone out, he could see, could hear, but nothing else. The CADET units weren’t designed to feel anything, so now he couldn’t either.Hank would find him a day later, shocked by the disappearance of this esteemed group, and wondering where to even begin with Calvin. How and why was his mind now trapped in a CADET unit was just the tipping point, where had his mother and her team gone, were they alive, and what had happened that night?

The two sat for a while, going over different ways to increase Calvin’s ‘enjoyment’ of ‘eating’, before being interrupted by Captain Truffaut. Felicity was a friendly woman by nature, but stern in command. This morning she walked purposefully towards the teenage android and the Mechanical-Man. She did manage a smile, but it looked like the muscles that bore it strained to do so. If Felicity was being honest with herself, she could really use a break. 

She had been in command of this new Pacifica Watch unit for a little over two months now. She had always known the job would be taxing, especially since it was more akin to three jobs: APF regional officer, the leader of a new team, and by necessity, emissary between the APF high command and her team. Lately she’d found herself advocating for her team, while almost simultaneously trying to convince herself with her own arguments. She believed in the team, though the youth of it did concern her, but moreover, she wondered if they had been too ambitious with their team, or if she had been too easily plied to the ideas of others. 

She pulled up a seat next to Hank, who greeted her warmly. “How’s the morning treating you Captain?”

Felicity sighed in response, “At this point I’m a little annoyed with the morning for just being. Nothing personal, just I’ve had to spend all eight hours with it, it’s been a long eight hours.”

“No. Sleep. For. Cappy!” chants Calvin rhythmically. Before Felicity can so much as groan though, he was standing behind her, scanning her shoulders and working out the knots, much to the Captain’s relief. 

“You’re lucky Cal, I wouldn’t put up with this kind of behavior normally.” Felicity replied, leaning back into the massage. 

“Aww, I love you too Cappy.” Calvin switched to working Felicity’s back muscles. He’d done this so many times for his mom, back in the before times. Admittedly being able to scan for muscle tension and pressure made it much easier, more dummy proof. 

“We got a new project. Early this morning, waaaay too early this morning, the APF got confirmation that the Menace Anarchy had set up a secret lab somewhere near the docks” Felicity continued, intermittently groaning as Calvin hit tender spots. “The keyboard jockeys have been running the numbers and scanning the sidewalks, they think they’ve found him. Trouble is, the higher ups want to know what he’s up to.” 

“They want us to go and scout him?” Hank said, confused by the mere prospect. 

“Oh there’s a brilliant plan,” Calvin cut in, “who better to scout the techno-path than the living computer. Maybe Mechs should take this one alone.” the temptation of bed played at the back of Cal’s mind; that most sacred, the lazy day.

“The big brains want to get a good scan, one they can look at and analyse, IE they need you to go be their camera guy.” Felicity replied. “Nice try though.” 

“What about Misha and Demas?” Hank interjected. “If Anachy  is in San Pedro, they’ll want to know.”

“I agree… but unfortunately we’re being overruled at the moment.” Felicity replies with a definite tone of objection. 

“Misha will be pissed,” Hank resigned, “maybe it’ll be a nice change of pace to worry about her more than Demas for once…” 

An hour later, the teenage android found himself scanning what had to be the ugliest group of warehouses ever, they were begging to be torn down. Hank walked up next to him, wearing a complex exo suit. Long black bars crisscross the structure, with two powerful if small winches on his back, one on each shoulder. Running from the winches down his arms were two cables, ending in some very high tech gauntlets, each sporting a serious grappling hook/harpoon. Hank had great admiration for the skelo-suit he’d designed and redesigned for years, but he wore it much more these days than he ever thought he would. 

When Hank had joined Felicity’s Pacifica Watch, he believed he would be more of a homebody, someone to help with keeping an eye on things, and solving puzzles while others did the field work. It didn’t take long for him to find himself out in the field though, and since then he’d begun wondering what new discoveries or limitations he’d meet each day he put it on. 

At least there was a nice breeze coming in off the ocean. Hank tried not to be too blatant in his enjoyment of the smell as he took deep breaths, or the sun on his skin as he wiped sweat from his brow. 

For his part Calvin probably wouldn’t have noticed. His computer brain was busy scanning the area for any sign of their quarry, but the human in him couldn’t help but wonder… Calvin had looked up Anarchy before, he knew all about his history as Misha and Demas’ brother, how he left home while they were both kids, all the usual hallmarks of a dejected loner’s backstory. But what currently weighed most heavily on in the teenage corner of the CADET’s brain was what would happen if he got closer to Anarchy. 

Unlike Misha and Demas, who’s traits required movement and momentum to charge, Anarchy’s traits were all in his brain. As a techno-path, Anarchy could control technology with his mind, able to just think his way into a server or through a firewall. His ties to mechanical prowess also meant Anarchy was inventing new tech all the time. Last he’d been seen, he was sporting a very formidable power suit, that also served to increase his connection to the tech around him. 

What gave Calvin pause most were the rumors. If stories were to be believed, Anarchy unconsciously carries a field of energy around him at all times, which, supposedly, could grant low level sentience to any inanimate objects nearby, even influencing them to move and fight for his goals. It was something most commonly seen when the APF had sent actual CADET units after him,only to have them become his own personal guard. So far, the good money was on Calvin’s human consciousness being enough to resist Anarchy’s thrawl…  but that still means it was a bet, not a definite. 

A massive spike on his scans roused Calvin’s attention back to the surface. It’s such that he unconsciously held up a hand like he was trying to block the sun from his eyes “There, third one on the right.” He pointed out to Hank, who stood and pulled on a pair of tech laden goggles. Their white lenses gleam in the sunlight as he turns a dial on their side, adjusting his focus. Calvin continues as Hank takes his own look. “It was quiet until a second ago, then it lit up like a supernova. Bet he’s glad his T-Waves don’t appear on the human spectrum, otherwise i think Australia would know where he was hiding.”

Hank too groans some at the brightness, fiddling with several more dials on his goggles to try and compensate. The T-Waves really were exploding like a sun, but Hank knew that just meant at their center was what they were looking for. T-Waves, short for Trait Waves, was a generic term for the energy given off from an individual as a result of their traits. They could be on any of number of spectrum, but they were a sure sign you could trace back to the alt-human generating them. Anarchy’s T-Wave rippled and shown blindingly, completely whiting out entire portions of the horizon and city skyline surrounding it. Several filters later, Hank could finally see a figure at the center of this massive wave output. All of this troubled Hank on many levels, “Somethings wrong here Cal.” He paced down the building’s edge, continuing to adjust his view. “We got here in the middle of an experiment, that’s my guess. From the looks of it, our quarry here is trying to increase the range of his control… wait a second.” 

Hank pulled up his goggles, rubbing his eyes as they adjusted to the actual light around him. Even as he did, he pointed one of his gauntlets at a building some distance away, pulling a trigger nonchalantly. With a sudden pop, followed by the echoing of cables running and snapping to attention, Hank had shot a line over to a building lower down, but with a better view. The winch on his back squealed some as he lept from the building, swinging elegantly over almost a block and a half, before using a second cable to adjust and land on the lower rooftop. 

From here, he could confirm what he’d seen. A group of overly muscular men prowling around the warehouse Anarchy’s T-Waves were coming from. Most of them had made the dubious choice to enter the compound without shirts. Even those who were more dressed still looked like they’d gotten lost on the way to a beach party. Hank looked up at the sound of Calvin’s jets lowering the kid next to him. The thought was inescapable, but Hank tried to push past it; if Anarchy was able to increase the range of his control thru his T-Waves, what would happen to Cal?

If the thought had occurred to Calvin, he wasn’t thinking about it either. He quickly saw the group of hoodlums, and couldn’t help but laugh, “Beach Bums? They are way out classed.”

“Local gang?” Hank asked, catching onto what was unfolding. 

“Ehhhhh…: Calvin hedged, wobbling a hand in the air. “They jam down to the idea, but I’d say they’re more like meatbrains who’re angry they aren’t taken seriously.” Hank looks at Cal, trying to parse what he’s just said. Calvin pauses, rephrasing, “They’re a bunch of beach bums who work out, roid up, and resent people for any number of reasons. Some say daddy issues, but I think it’s probably more like super daddy issues, if you catch my ‘phor” 

Hank blinks, his brain almost visibly processing Calvin’s ‘clarification’. “So… frustrated young men, using steroids, and you think it has to do with alt-humans?” 

“S’plain it to me baby!” Calvin woops, high fiving Hank. 

Hank laughs, though is still clearly trying to sort something out. “So… what is ‘phor’? 

Calvin laughs electronically, a hand independently rising to his chest as he chuckles deeply. “Sorry, metaphor” he sighs, miming wiping tears from his eyes. 

“Wonder what brings them to this wolf’s door.” Hank ponders, going back to scanning the compound. Several of the Beach Bums have made their way along the wall of the warehouse, ducking under windows, trying to catch glimpses in every few chances they got. “They look like a scouting group, clearly they don’t want to be seen. Too bad these poor fools have been thinking only of being seen, and not how they’d be seen.” 

Calvin’s digital eyes blink animatedly, as he now tries to figure out what his partner has said. “If they are as low tech as you make them sound, being seen physically by Anarchy on a camera or in person, would come much later after he’d already have sensed their presence.” Hank explains. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he could sense the phones in their pockets.” He finishes, tisking loudly. 

“So if Anarchy will already know they’re here…” Calvin replies, his hand holding his robotic chin tightly. “Do you think that T-Wave flash was something other than an experiment? Maybe a signal or something, maybe he already has whatever is generating that for him up and running?”

“Not sure… something tells me those kids will need to be pulled out of the fire though.” Hank’s concerns are suddenly interrupted as a blast goes off several blocks behind the two Capes. Each turn quickly to face the sound of alarms and gunshots, as a huge plume of smoke rises into the sky. “You go and take a look at that, I’m going to get what we need on Anarchy.” Hank orders, aiming his grappling gear towards the warehouse. 

“Big brains wanted me to scan everything, probably have me play captain camera too.” Calvin retorts. 

“They can want a lot of things, but they sent a scientist and humanist in; I don’t have the greed to get their wants done.” Hank fires each of his grapples, securing a line to two parallel buildings near the warehouse. “I’m pulling rank and saying as field officer that you need to go back and make sure no one is hurt, that takes precedent right now.” 

Calvin chuckles as he gives a faux solute, “I just wanted to hear someone say it.” he laughs as his jet pack fires, and he soars towards the cloud. Hank himself leaps in the opposite direction, his winches quickly pulling him to the neighboring roof. His momentum carried him past the grapples, the blades of which withdrew as Hank flew by, detaching from the roof and following him over the building. He looks down over the street as he soars, before again firing and grappling to the side of the warehouse nearest Anarchy’s. 

Hank fiddles with his goggles again, seeing an infrared view of the warehouse. Inside, the Bums had made their move, and were subsequently getting their muscles waxed. A figure in what looked like just a chest piece and power gloves, tossed the Beach Bums around like ragdolls. They would get up, petulantly trying again, just to be cast aside just as easily. Hank carefully made his move, heading into the warehouse’s compound. 

The blue fire of Calvin’s jets glowed off the grey smoke in the air. Calvin looked down at the street, seeing people running pelmel through the smoke, while more overly muscled men fought… what looked like large boxes and massive, stiff worms. Calvin quickly dove, just as much for his own curiosity as to make sure the scene was managed. 

He did not expect to see a full size fridge, toaster ovens merged forcibly into its sides,trying to ‘chew’ another of the Beach Bums. They had similar gang brands as the ones by the warehouse, they must be the same crew thought Calvin. Knowing full well that he would watch this fridge gum away at this Beach Bum for hours, Calvin instead interceded, flying by and grabbing the Bum by his board shorts, and tossing him into a shrub sitting in front of what had been a nice little shop. It looked like it had been an appliance shop, which kind of made sense, given the refrigerator/toaster monster. 

A metallic creaking from behind Calvin grabbed his attention. He turned, his hand withdrawing into his arm, which itself became a formidable canon overflowing with electric blue light. Even as he raised his weapon though, Cal was struck dumb; you would be too if you turned to see a group of street lamps that twist and turned like hydra monsters. They had coiled around more Beach Bums, many more. It dawned on Cal, this must have been a base of operations for the Bums. Whether Anarchy had been planning this, or if it was in response to the intruders at his own base, Calvin couldn’t say… or care if he was being brutally honest. 

One of the lights struck, so to speak, snapping forward with it’s bulb end to grab at Calvin. He quickly took off, avoiding the tendril like grab, and drawing his heat knife once again; this time more for combat than snacking. Too bad he didn’t notice the cable wrapping it’s way around his leg, until it snapped taught and sent him crashing back to the ground. Cal rolled through the landing, and got up ready to go… only to find himself now the one trapped in the jaws of the refrigerator’s door. It slammed shut on him repeatedly as he tried to get his bearings. “Come on! I was so close with one of your siblings, or cousins,” Calvin shouted from within the fridge, “I loved my fridge! We must be able to work this out! I don’t want to hurt you buddy!”

Back at the warehouse, Hank was making his way inside cautiously. The warehouse was a mess, unsurprisingly. Not wanting to risk hitting a rotted board, Hank opted to walk through the warehouse, rather than swing through. He could still hear the scuffling from the Beach Bums, but it was becoming slower, they were getting tired. Hank drew himself close to a large stack of crates, watching his feet carefully as he crept closer. He could see the work space ahead, papers everywhere, and a large spherical chamber. Hank quickly scanned it with his goggles, trying to capture as much data as he could. 

He tried to creep closer, but even as he was sure he’d seen a thermo drive, the entire stack of crates trembled as Anarchy threw the last of the standing Bums into it, hard. The shift was enough to dislodge two of the crates from the top, they fell straight for Hank. He quickly gave up his hiding place, diving out of the way and pulling himself clear of the falling debris. He knew he’d been made before he even heard Anarchy’s voice, “Dr. Douglas, how good to see you again, it’s been so long.”

Hank turned, seeing Anarchy standing there. He looked thinner than the last time Hank had seen him, maybe that was just the baggy shirt he wore though. The sparse elements of armor covering his chest, arms and legs, were purple; classic Fedir. Hank hadn’t seen him since he was a teen on the edge of adulthood. Now the sandy haired boy he’d known looked more like a beleaguered but devoted man. “Dr. Dabrowski, Fedir, it’s been longer than I thought.” 

Anarchy chuckles dryly, “So, they finally decided they couldn’t keep looking the other way huh?” He questions wiping sweat from his brow. 

“They wanted me to have a look, just see what you’re working on.” Hank replied, keeping his eyes locked on Anarchy even as they circled each other.
“I wish I could show you Dr. Douglas,” Anarchy puts himself between Hank and the lab he’d been eyeing, “I think you’d be so impressed by what I’m working on. Sadly, I’d rather those of loftier seats didn’t have access to the full work before I present it.”

“I saw the T-Wave explosion, between that and so called ‘presenting’, it sounds like you might be up to more trouble than good.” Hank was cautious in his word choice, still trying to grab peeks at what Anarchy was now hiding. 

“I can appreciate that Doctor.” Anarchy begins taking off one of his armored gloves. “That admittedly wasn’t as planned as I would have liked.” 

“Doesn’t sound like you Fedir,” Hank replied, watching Anarchy’s face carefully as he continued to use his given name. 

Anarchy seemed only mildly phased though, seeing through Hank’s attempts. “It’s been a long time since the world called me Fedir. I wonder how Misha will feel about this little chat, or are you not planning on telling her?” 

“I think you two should have a nice long chat actually.” Hank reapproaches “I’m sure she misses you.”

“Misha misses people she’s never met, bless her.” There is longing in Anarchy’s voice, but his resolution doesn’t waver. “That day will be coming, but not yet, not for a while still.”

“Then just answer me this Fedir, and be honest, if you respect me.” Hank knew it was time to begin the regroup, “Is this presentation you’re planning, would those it effects see it more as an attack, than simply a peaceful promotion of ideas?”

Anarchy’s response is swift, “The public would never see it as an attack, they would weep joyfully at this prospect. But, the same cannot be said of your bosses’ fries and benefactors.”

“If people get hurt, I’ll be on the side that sees it as an attack, Fedir; remember that. The moment anyone is put in danger, that’s the moment Felicity will strike hardest and fastest.”  Hank warned, beginning to circle around again, heading toward the still unconscious Beach Bums.. 

“Tell her I hope she’s well, my heart cries for her, trapped where she is now.” Anarchy states candidly. “But, alas my friend Doctor Douglas, the time has come for you to go, lest this become a much different encounter than currently.”

“I’ll get out of your hair, and I’ll only report any of this to Felicity, but you turn these ones back over to the APF, however you want.” Hank states, pointing at the group. Anarchy gives a rueful sigh, his nose wrinkling at the idea of letting the Bums go. 

“Fine,” he spits suddenly, “These sand fleas are such a bother, believing they can hit it big if they just get the jump on me. I hope today has been a strong lesson in judging one’s weight class.” 

“If they’re smart, it will be… but that’s quite the if, isn’t it Fedir.” Hank says, firing his grapple out an open window. He watches Anarchy carefully, cautiously sneaking glances at the lab and space one last time. 

“OK! YOU KNOW WHAT!” Calvin’s voice buzzed from under a pile of appliances, largely ovens and fridges. Suddenly the bright blue light of his heat knife stabs through the pile, and slices quickly down it. With a great shove, Calvin reappears from the middle of the pile, staring out through the layers of machinery that’d been holding him. As he extracts himself, one of the street lamps makes another grab at him, Calvin dismissively fires his laser arm cannon, blasting the lamp in hand with a flash and a boom. His eyes narrow as he looks at the lamp, giving it several more shots just to be sure, before turning to look at the street reproachfully, “Anyone else have any smart ideas!?!?” He says to no one in particular. The remaining appliances and lamps shiver for a moment, but then become still, or fall forward as the life is taken out of them again. 

Some of the Beach Bums take this as their chance to high tail it, but they’re quickly rounded up by Calvin. “Come on boys, that’s no way to leave! We have bets to settle, I’m pretty sure several of you owe me money, though I’ll also take life debts if that’s better!” 

Hank returns as Calvin finishes tying up the last of the Bums, impressed at all of the teen’s work. “So, you had a workout, it looks like. Anything big happen?”

“No, just the heartbreak of the century…” Calvin says, playing up the emotion in his buzzing voice. “I thought we’d be friends for life, but look what they’ve made me do!” Calvin drops to his knees, chewing the scenery some as he reaches for one of the fridges that had been sliced and blasted moments earlier. “You were the chosen one! You weren’t supposed to eat me, you were supposed to help me eat!” 

Hank smiles, approaching Calvin and patting him on the shoulder. “I know, it’s devastating to have friends turn on you. It might cheer you up to hear I had an idea while checking out Anarchy’s base, regarding getting your robotic brain to understand taste…”

The play sadness Calvin was enjoying turns quickly at this prospect…. “Reallllllly….” He says tapping the tips of his fingers together, playing up a devious tone in his voice. “Maybe i should go have a look at the warehouse, I could be Captain Camera, it wouldn’t kill me. Besides, with these eyes, it’d be a shame to waste this opportunity to learn more!” 

Hank laughs, waving down APF cars as they rolled up to the scene. “Good thing for you I have a photographic memory, don’t even need to burn hard drive space.