Chapter Text
It’s fucking 7 a.m. Can’t the quiet last a little longer? I groaned as I neared the kitchen. It seems like someone finished the milk and put the empty container back in the fridge. I suspect the twins, but now my other two brothers are arguing about it, and if I don’t intervene soon, it will become a full on screaming match. It’s too early in the morning for this shit, I thought as I entered the kitchen, silently grabbed the empty carton, threw it out, and handed the new one from the back of the fridge to Henry.
“Oh. I didn’t see that” said Henry, giving me a sheepish grin as he poured way more than he needed on his cereal.
“I TOLD you I didn’t finish the milk you big dolt!” shouted Melvin, still looking peeved. It didn’t matter that the problem was solved, the only thing he cared about was who got the blame.
Still not saying a word and barely holding back an eye roll, I poured a cup of stale coffee and padded out to the patio, jamming my earbuds in as I did so. I don’t care who I have to beg, I’d do just about anything for a quiet morning with a fresh cup of coffee and no bickering.
Working with my brothers is fine, but living with them? That was where I should’ve drawn the line. We thought it was such a great idea, moving to the center of Middletown City after William and Westley graduated high school three years ago so we could be in the middle of all the hero action. I will admit, it was a vast improvement over working out of our parents garage (when they didn’t need the space for their cars that is), but I should have insisted on getting my own place. Henry wanted us all to be together so we could suit up and be ready for action in no time, which I get, that’s a good idea. What’s not so great is how we’re all adults and yet I’m the only one who seems to take care of the practical aspects of living on our own. I do the finances, the grocery shopping, and manage training exercises on top of doing most of the cleaning and at least half the cooking. We all try to take turns, but after Henry set off the fire alarm for the third time, we all agreed we’d be better off without him making anything more complicated than toast. At least they all do their own laundry. There was no way in hell I was going near their dirty clothes. But it was like I had turned into our mother, rather than an equal partner on a team. Lately it’s more infuriating than not. Especially when someone is stealing my shampoo.
I love my brothers, but there’s only so much time I can spend with them before wanting to set something on fire. But no. I can’t ever let my anger get the better of me, the team needs someone to hold everything together, and somehow that’s my job. Henry is the oldest, so he’s in charge of the missions, setting things up and coming up with the plans to save the day. Melvin is our tech support, the one everyone goes to with new gadget ideas or complaints about slow internet. It’s his job to make sure we stay safe and in contact at all times. The twins, William and Westley, are great for keeping the mood light, most of the time anyway. Not so fun when they put a fake rat in the cereal and I end up blasting the thing with enough power to set off the fire alarm.
As far as fighting goes, my brothers and I all have powers, but some of us are better at wielding them than others. Henry has super strength, obviously useful, but only when he trains. Which he almost never does. He was always so naturally talented at every sport he tried growing up, he figured he wouldn’t really need to train like the rest of us. Every time I pester him about putting in more hours or following the schedule I made, he says, “I don’t need your fancy ninja shit. I punch, target goes down, BOOM!” If only it worked that way in practice.
Melvin’s power didn’t seem great at first. Shrinking? I mean, okkkkkkkkk. But him being able to squeeze into small spaces has saved a ton of lives. He can find people when they’re stuck somewhere, and he’s diffused more than his share of bombs by shrinking down to see the inner workings to dismantle them. His power would also be really great for spying, if he was the least bit quiet or subtle. Let’s just say, there’s a reason his room is on the lowest floor of the tower and mine is at the top.
As for the twins, William and Westley, spawning ten or twelve of them is fantastic for confusing or surrounding an enemy, but it isn’t so great when the rest of us can’t tell who the real ones are or get any of them to focus when we’re trying to do a tricky maneuver. And I hate when a dozen of them gang up and eat everything in the fridge.
And me? I train the most. My background in gymnastics obviously helps, but so do the martial arts classes I took during college, the hours I put in at the gym to stay in shape, and the hours I spend working on accuracy with my plasma blasts. I’m the best fighter out of us, but that’s because I train. Constantly. And even I still screw up a lot. I’ve accidentally lit more than one building on fire, but at least when we’re together, Wego can multiply and grab some hoses while Hego, Mego, and I get everyone to safety. We rely on each other. None of us can do this alone.
“Sheila!” Henry screamed as my earbuds were ripped away from me. I stood and whirled around, coffee cup clattering to the ground as my fists rose, encased in plasma, ready to fight. But it was just Henry, no hidden threat.
“I called your name like five times, the mayor just called, we have a briefing in ten. Suit up and don’t be late.” Henry walked away, shaking his head and muttering under his breath, probably something about me damaging my ears.
I sighed and picked up the mug, which was miraculously unbroken. Taking that as a good omen for what lay ahead, I rushed in to prep for our meeting.
Exactly ten minutes later my brothers and I were suited up and crowded around the monitor where the mayor was waiting to brief us.
“I won’t mince words, Team Go. Aviarius has escaped prison…again.” At our exchanged glances and raised eyebrows, the mayor sighed, “I know, I know, but no matter what security measures we put in place he seems to blast right through them. We’ll have to see what federal resources we can scrounge up to keep him in place after you catch him this time. But, that’s a later problem. Based on papers we found in his cell, there are two possible targets he could be after. One is the Queen Anne’s Diamond, which the Museum of Ancient Artifacts and Antiquities has just put on display. It’s estimated worth is 300 million dollars” At Wego’s low whistle, the mayor continued, “but, there is also a new machine at the mint, it is designed to print tens of thousands of dollars a minute, and it’s portable, so in case thieves try to take over the mint, again, security can move it safely and quickly to another location. I’m not sure they really thought that one through before putting it to use, but I was outvoted. In any case, security is fairly tight at both locations, but we would feel a lot better if Team Go was on the job too. We aren’t sure when, or even if he will strike, but we will leave it to your discretion to ensure both locations are secure. I’m hoping your team can cover both locations and either secure whatever he intends to steal or outright recapture him”
If I were Aviarius, I wouldn’t even bother with the jewel or mint machine, I’d lie low in another city until everyone’s guard went down, then make my move. Fortunately for Team Go, Aviarius isn’t quite that smart. And if I were the museum curator, I’d probably stop putting expensive shit in the museum, it got broken into at least every few months.
“Of course we will do everything in our power to assist you Mr. Mayor. Mego and I will go to the museum, and Shego and Wego will head to the mint. When he shows up at one location or the other, the rest of us will head in that direction. We’ll get him. Then maybe Mego can help update the defenses at the prison if that’s alright with you. We don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but there might be something he can do.” Hego spoke with confidence, it was a fairly solid plan, but that didn’t change the fact that we’re best when we all work together. When we’re all together, Hego and I can make sure everyone follows the plan, or at least work together to improvise. When we’re separated, there’s no way for me to protect them all. But I don’t have a better plan. I wish I did. I hate not being able to keep an eye on everyone, especially where Aviarius is concerned. I just have to hope he’ll come to the mint instead of the museum.
Several hours later, Wego and I munched on some granola bars I had stashed in my bike while we waited for news. To my surprise, they were only slightly stale. Mental note: stock up on more stakeout snacks.
“Do you really think he’ll come to either of these places? If I were him, I’d probably be on my way to the Bahamas or something right now.” Wego asked in unison, something they did more often when they were nervous.
“I’m not sure Wego, if I were him, I’d be out of here too, but we can’t count on that. I guarantee he wants revenge from last time, and he probably isn’t smart enough to wait for a better opportunity. He’ll turn up somewhere around here,” I said as I scanned the perimeter with my binoculars for what was probably the hundredth time that hour. Although Aviarius is fairly predictable, he’s still a dangerous threat, especially with his pet condor whose razor sharp talons could shred through almost anything.
“Shego, Wego, he’s here. He’s at the museum, get here NOW and help me,” Mego’s panicked voice came through the comms and within seconds I was on my bike, the twins in the side car ready to go. I raced through the streets, ignoring red lights and stop signs, my breathing shallow. My brothers were in trouble. I found myself wishing for the thousandth time that we had stuck together, splitting up was never a good idea.