I. Brother Lee
Lee was the most extraordinarily average boy you'd ever meet, at least that’s what he thought. In reality, Johnny Lee Belamo was a very different story. He was good looking, smart and athletic but he didn't stand out in a crowd. He stood at 5'7, 140 lbs with caramel skin and curly brown hair with an auburn patch above his eye that he kept styled in a low Caesar. The one thing people would notice about him was his eyes, twin pools of quicksilver, and incidentally that is the thing he hated about himself. He wore brown contacts to try to hide them. It didn’t help that his mother said that he had his father’s eyes.
Lee's mom, Erica, was a cop. Despite her small size, 5'2 and 110lbs , she
was hardly the person you wanted to cross. She kept her brown hair about shoulder length. It matched almost perfectly with her chestnut colored eyes. Even though she was in her late 30's, none of her friends could believe that she was old enough to have a teenaged son. Erica never kept information about Lee's father a secret but she never went out of her way to explain things to him either. "It's complicated and child support is a beautiful thing." was her typical response.
Lee was a pretty friendly kid, he could talk to anyone, if he wanted to. At school he was well liked, far from popular but made few enemies. Erica would always ask him why he never invited people over or why he never visited anyone. He would simply say, 'I don't want to clean up after they leave,' or, 'I don't feel like leaving home.' She tried her hardest to get him to go out and have fun.
On her way home from work one day she saw two boys robbing a grocery store. One boy was tall and slim and was wearing a black hoodie and a black cap that covered up his mess of blonde hair. The other boy was shorter, probably about 5'6” wearing jeans and a black tee shirt. He had raven hair pulled back into a ponytail that hung to his shoulders. Since she was off duty she called in the crime. About five minutes into the robbery the store owner started shooting. She leapt in to break it up and was able to subdue the shorter boy without a problem. The taller boy began to run and the store owner chased him. The kid was fast and the chubby store owner could barely keep up. His 43 years of bad eating and in activity had definitely taken its toll.
The cops came just in time to catch the boy. The store owner however wanted to punish the boy himself. The two had robbed him several times. The owner
pulled out his gun and began trying to shoot the boy while he was still in the cop’s grasp. The cop threw the kid onto the floor out of the way and then got cover for himself. The officer called for back up and began to return fire. As this was happening Erica was coming out of the store with the other boy. She saw the gunfire and decided to head back in when the store owner noticed her and the boy. He turned his fire on them. Erica tried to pull the boy out back but he ran the wrong way. She ran after him. The cop shot and killed the store owner, only to find that Erica had been hit by a bullet meant for the boy. She laid there groaning in a pool of blood. The officer's back up got there just in time to see her go down. The ambulance came and carted her to the nearest hospital.
Lee was called from school to the hospital. Steve, Erica's live in boyfriend, picked Lee up from school and drove him to the hospital. Lee arrived just in time for the doctors to tell him his mom would be paralyzed from the waist down. Lee was openly devastated but even more grateful his mom was still alive. He went in to see her but she was barely awake.
"I told you, you weren't Wonder Woman," Lee joked trying to hold back the tears.
"I was so, you didn't know Wonder Woman was in a wheelchair." she responded groggily.
"So, what are we gonna do?" he asked
"I don't know yet, I'm still working out all the details. As soon as I do know I will tell you," she answered
That was the last they spoke that night. Lee sat by his mother's side until the next morning when she made him go home and go to sleep. She came home from the hospital nearly a month after that. They got along pretty well under the circumstances. Erica hired a home attendant to stay with her while Lee was at school or Steve was away doing research, which he did quite often. Lee, Erica and Stacy, the home attendant, got along pretty well for the next year. Stacy was young, about 24, she was slender but toned. She was 5'6 with long dark hair that was contrasted by her sparkling blue eyes. Lee later found out she was half Japanese, half Irish. Lee tried pretty hard to hide the fact that
he had a crush on her.
Lee's grades improved, simply because his mom was able to watch him all the
time. He still hadn't made many friends but he had more than before the incident.
Lee's 15th birthday was on Saturday and his mother really wanted to do something nice for him. He had taken care of her for so long and so well that she thought he deserved a break. So she sent him to her friend's boarding school for the weekend, hoping he would like it and want to attend.
It was located in a small town called Hingham outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Anything you could ask for you could get in that place. It was a resort with classrooms. Lee got there at 5pm on Friday night and immediately felt out of place. He was greeted by one of the students on campus.
He was 17 or 18, about 6 '2“, 195 pounds, black hair, chocolate skin and naturally
gray eyes. Lee thought he might have been a football player by his size. The kid was all muscle and knew it. He was wearing a white button up shirt, blue tie and blue slacks. Everything was very neatly put together and overall added to his massive appearance. They walked around campus for awhile in silence, until they saw a dark haired girl named Janet.
“Hey, how's it going?" Janet asked. "Oh, who's this? Are you two related?"
It hadn't occurred to them that they looked similar to each other before this. The only
differences between them were eye color, which without contacts was identical as well, and size.
"No this is that kid from New York that Dr. B told us about." he responded.
"What is his name?" Janet asked as of the boy as if Lee wasn't there. Then the boy realized he had not bothered to find out anything about Lee.
"Uhh "
"It's Lee. What's yours?" Lee asked facing them both.
"Well my name is Janet and this is Brian. It is nice to meet you. Are you going to school here?" Janet responded.
"I don't think so. I could never afford this place." Lee answered.
"No one sees this place unless they can afford it" Janet replied.
"No I think he is right, he is just here for the weekend." Brian replied with a hint a jealousy.
"Whatever. Nice meeting you." Janet said as she walked away.
"So where are we going?" Lee asked his guide.
"To Dr .B's office. He wants to see you."
It was a long walk back and they walked it in silence. When they arrived Dr. B had them sit in two plush leather chairs in front of him. Dr. Barter was a tall man probably 6'3 or 4. He was close to 200 lbs. He looked like he had worked out every day of his life. Lee would have thought he was in his late 30's if he hadn't started going gray. Even his beard was flecked with gray strands. His gray eyes were hidden behind a pair of Gucci frames that made him seem like he was an actor playing a high school principal rather than being one in real life. He was about to begin speaking when he received a phone call. As he listened his face grew solemn and he focused in on Lee. As he was about to hang up, he fanned Brian away. Lee turned to leave also.
"No not you, just him. Sit." the doctor said in a very commanding voice. Lee obeyed him as if he were the man's wayward son about to get it.
"I've got very bad news," he began. "Your mother was killed in fire today shortly after you got onto the plane."
"What?!?! What the fuck?! Why would you say that? You're a
fucking liar. You're lying!" Lee screamed.
"First off, why would I lie about that? Second, don’t curse at me again." Dr. Barter answered calmly.
"Your lying, the hospital would have called my cell phone." he retorted. Through that movie magic kind of irony at that exact moment his phone rang. He checked the caller ID and refused to answer.
"No. Please be lying!" he whispered knowing where the call was coming from. He began to cry.
Dr. Barter never lost his composure but was able to calm Lee with the warmest hug. It was almost as if Lee couldn't feel anything. Then his brain started to kick in. He shoved away from Dr. Barter.
"Why did they call you first? How did they know I was here? And how did you know my mom? And why am I here?" Lee asked in a storm of questions he knew the doctor could answer.
"Not now. I will explain soon but you need your rest now." Dr. Barter responded almost lifting the anxiety from Lee.
He personally escorted him to a room where he would stay the night before he went home the next morning. He couldn't think of his mother as being dead it just didn't click in his head. All he could think of was the paternal voice playing in his memory saying the answers would come soon.
II. Happy Birthday
The next morning Dr. Barter took Lee to the airport himself. They drove the short distance to Logan airport in Boston and prepared for their flight. Lee wasn't ready to go back. It couldn't be true. His mother was strong and tough and she would never die on him like that. She wouldn't leave him.
As Lee sat more questions entered his mind. Where am I gonna live? Where am I gonna get money? Who's gonna cook? Who’s gonna plan the funeral? How am I supposed to do this?
His heart raced and he looked around the airport as if trying to find answers. There were none in sight. The only things he could find were more questions. How did the fire start? Where was Stacy? Why didn't she try to get out? Why wasn't I home? Why did she leave me like this? His brain was on overload. His heart was ready to burst. He could no longer process what was going on. He was about to pass out when Dr. Barter placed his hand on Lee's shoulder.
"Calm down. Everything will be fine. Just sit down. I'm gonna go get you some water and a sandwich. Turkey is ok right?" Dr. Barter said in that voice that stripped Lee of all fear and worry. He felt like a little kid who was lost in a mall, not a boy who had just lost his mother. When he heard that voice he knew everything was really ok.
"Now first things first, we have to call and notify the rest of your family.“ Dr. Barter said handing him the sandwich and bottle of water.
"I don't have any family. She never talked about any family. I don't even know who my dad is." Lee responded sadly.
"What did I say? Calm down and eat. I will handle everything. She did have family, they just didn't speak very often." Dr. Barter said.
"How did you know her?" was the only response that Lee could think of.
"Your mother and I were old friends. We kept in contact all these years because of…" He answered. "As for those other questions you must have..." Lee was very confused now. How could Dr. Barter always know what he was thinking?
"I have been an educator for nearly 20 years. I know how kids think. We also have some things in common. Half the questions you have, I had when my mom died. I was about your age, maybe a little older. But as I grew older I learned there is always a reason for things. Don't worry about anything, your mother wouldn't want you to have all that stress," Dr. Barter answered.
There was a long silence while they waited for their plane. They began to board and they still remained in silence. Lee was glad. He didn't want to talk. He didn't know what to say, and every time he thought of something to say it turned out to be more questions. He wanted to ask them but he didn't want to disobey Dr. Barter. He felt comfort in everything Dr. Barter said. It was strange. He'd never felt so at ease with anyone before.
As they settled into their seats on the plane Lee began to daydream about fun times he had with his mother. He was beginning to tear up but stopped himself because he didn't want Dr. Barter to see him cry again. He felt like he had to be strong around him. He was drifting off to sleep when another question popped in his head. This one he could not ignore no matter how much he wanted to.
"Where are we going?" He blurted out. Before Dr. Barter could answer Lee started asking a barrage of question. "Wasn't there a fire? I have no house. Where am I going to live?" The flood gates opened and he couldn't stop. "Who will support me? Will I have to get a job? You said you're gonna do the funeral stuff, right? Do you know where Steve he isn’t answering his phone? Will I have to live with one of those relatives you told me about? What if they don't like me? What-"
"- Just calm down. We are going to New York and I will explain everything else once we get there. So just try and get some sleep. We will be there in a little while so I will tell you then. If you are sleeping the time will pass more quickly." Dr. Barter said with a hint of frustration.
That was the last thing spoken for the rest of the ride. Lee still kept coming up with questions but didn't dare ask them, at least not yet. They touched down at Newark Airport at about one that afternoon. Dr. Barter rented a car for them and they drove to a hotel in the city where they would be staying. He got a suite that had a bedroom and a lounge area that contained a pull out couch. He figured since it had a door they would feel like they were in two different rooms but he would still be able to check on Lee if he felt he needed to. Dr. Barter made a few calls while they were at the hotel. Lee didn't know who he was talking to or what they were talking about. He wanted to take a shower so he went to his bag and realized those were the only clothes he had. It was once again time for questions.
"Hey Dr. B. I don't have any clothes besides these. When are we going home? Wait, is there anything left? When am I going to see my mother? When are you gonna answer my questions from the plane?" Lee started his torrent of questions again.
"Ok. I did tell you I would answer your questions. First, your mom didn't get burned in the fire, she died of smoke inhalation. The firefighters got her out but it was already too late. Your room was the worse burnt. So I don't think you have any clothes left. I will buy you more, don't worry about that. Ok what else was there? You will not have to get a job; your father will support you. You will live at my school as a student until college. I have set up most of the funeral arrangements. The cops are still looking for Stacy. And as for seeing your mother, we are going there as soon as you get ready to leave." He responded. Dr. Barter thought this would be the end of the questions but it only inspired more.
"Where's my father? Who is he? Why hasn't he ever come to see me? What about Steve?" Lee asked
"It didn't start in the kitchen. It started in her bedroom. The police think Stacy was responsible for the fire. Your mom got trapped in her room when it started." He responded. Lee took a moment to think. He knew Dr. Barter had ignored his question but the answers he was willing to provide were pretty good too. Finally he made up his mind.
"Why would Stacy try to kill us? This doesn't make sense." he questioned back.
"I have a question for you, what do you really know about Stacy, or your mother for that matter?" Dr. B questioned.
"What? What the fff...hell are you talking about? What does me knowing anything about Stacy have t-"
"-Just answer me one question and I will explain what it has to do with anything. Do you have any special abilities?"
"I can read fast."
"I'm very serious Jonathan. Answer my question. DO YOU have any special gifts?" he said but much more demanding this time. Lee stopped and looked him in the eyes before answering.
"Yes. I can control fire but what the hell does that have to do with anything? I
didn't start the fire. I was with you, and no one knows I can do it. Well except mom,
Dr. Steve and Stacy."
"Your mom, that man and who?" Dr. Barter said trying to convey his point.
"Stacy," Lee said finally seeing the point. "But why would she want to kill mom
because of my powers?" Lee said still a very lost.
"Your mom didn't tell you much at all did she?" He sighed and looked away for a moment before he began again. "Well, there are groups of humans that don't like people with special abilities. They try to kill them off. Especially if their research deems them as a potential threat."
"What the hell does that have to do with me? I can barely use my powers. They always shoot out of control and cause things to catch on fire. And why did she kill mom?"
"Your mother was also a special person. Most people call themselves mutants. I don't really like the way that sounds though. But your mother was a mutant, a very powerful mutant at that. She was a target since before you were born. Her sister was one of these mutant hunters. I think for Stacy you would have just been a bonus kill. However, your mother began to suspect that Stacy was up to something, so she sent you to me for protection."
"Ok, so all of this is getting really complicated and I'm still very, very lost. Why did she send me to you? What the hell is her sister a mutant hunter for? And what the fuck is going on?"
"Watch your damn mouth."
"NO, you guys have been fucking lying to me my entire fucking life. My mother who I thought told me everything didn't tell me shit, her nurse whom I trusted with my life is trying to kill me and I am stranded here with you Random man number 1 who gives all these bullshit, cryptic answers that only cause me to have more questions!" Lee screamed nearly crying.
"I think you need to calm down and just take a breath. Your mother was simply trying to protect you. And as for Stacy it is no one’s fault but hers that she turned out the way she did. And you being with me was your mother's choice and I think that you should respect her wishes." Dr. Barter replied in a surprisingly soothing voice.
"You're hiding something, aren't you? I can feel it. You are lying and trying to keep something from me."
"I am trying to get you to calm the hell down. Everything I have told you has been the truth."
There was a long pause. Lee looked around still confused, sad and angry.
"Your right, I'm sorry. You have been really helpful and really honest with me." There was a short pause in his speech. "But you have continued to avoid the question of why you? Why your school? Why, if you and my mother were so close did she never mention you, ever?"
"I have told you several times how your mother and I knew each other. I have also told you how and why she sent you to me. So why do you keep insisting I am hiding something?"
Lee stopped asking for a moment and just began to stare almost blankly into the face of Dr. Barter. Dr .B stared him directly back into the eyes as if he could see right through Lee. This connection lasted only a few seconds but it gave Lee his final and probably the most important question he could think of.
"Who's my father?"
Dr. Barter was shocked by the directness of this question. He wasn't at all prepared for it and had to take a moment to evaluate the question again.
"It's a simple question. I think you should be able to answer since you and my mother were so close. Since you know everything else about her and about me. Since she felt safe enough to send her only son off to be with a stranger instead of Steve. Since she obviously told you things about me that she didn't tell most people. You seem to know a lot to be Random man number 1.” There was another short pause before Lee continued. "You know what you don't have to answer that question. I don't need to know right now. Let's just go see mom. You can tell me all about it later." Lee stared into Dr. Barter's eyes for a moment. "I didn't notice before but you have gray eyes. I bet people notice that all the time. Did you know I wear brown contacts. My mom used to tell me that I had my dad's eyes. But whatever I wanna go see her."
Lee began to walk out of the door. He stopped and looked back at Dr. Barter who seemed a bit rattled.
"Hey Dad" he said. Dr. Barter raised his head to acknowledge him and then realized what he had just done.
"Wow. You looked me in the face and lied. Are you proud of yourself? You not only ignored my questions but you lied to me. You fucking asshole. You've known all this time about everything and you just let me feel stupid. You told her not to tell me didn't you?"
Dr. Barter just lowered his head in shame. He just stood there and allowed Lee to rant.
"Nooo, don't get all quiet now. Answer my damn question. DID YOU TELL HER NOT TO TELL ME?" Dr. B continued to stand there in silence.
"Answer me. ANSWER ME, ANSWER ME!" Lee screamed with tears streaming down his face.
"It's complicated, but its not…"
"Excuse me? It's comp... So what, I'm just the good Doctor's little fucking secret. His extramarital consequence. What a great man. Everyone must love you. So, how 's the wife? Any kids? Anymore people being lied to?"
"She died. "
"That doesn't explain why you're still lying to me. And you never seem to want to answer all of my questions. How many other kids do you have?" This assault seemed to give Dr. B back some of his old control of the situation.
"First off, if you believe you are my son then you need to know then next time you curse at me I will slap the shit out of you. Second, we are done questioning me. If you
want to see your mother, get your shit on and let's go or else go to your room and shut the
fuck up. Those are your options. Chose carefully because you only get one chance to
choose."
"I hate you. Take me to see my mother." Lee couldn't feel anything but anger at this point. He felt the anger rising and had to struggle hard to keep his power in check.
"You can hate me all you want. Just remember what I said. And I put some work in your bag for when you get back. Have it done by Monday. And learn to control your powers before I control them for you."
When Dr. Barter looked up again, Lee was firing sparks from everywhere. It was all pouring out of him. The carpet at his feet began to burn and melt. Carpet fibers flew, like animals running from a forest fire. The flames started to grow behind him, but only behind him. They were echoing his fury, a fury his body had never felt in all of his 15 years. They danced and leaped like the cape of the devil. His other powers were also starting to surge. He had even less control over these since he never used them. He could barely look at anything without lightning striking it. Lightning leaped from his eyelashes with every blink and swarmed around and through his hair. His fingertips were an inversion of the New York skyline on the fourth of July. Gray sparks that matched his eyes snaked down his legs. Chairs, a desk, the mattress, and the TV levitated around him. He was using powers he didn't know he had and quickly losing the battle for control.
"Get them under control now! You've got 'til the count of three. 1. 2 thr-"
This sent Lee beyond the edge and he just lost all control. He felt his mind reach out and attempt to attack Dr. B, he saw all the chairs head at him and he felt the flames spreading around the room. He felt energy coursing through his body. And then
He felt nothing.
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