by The Eurostar
Edulcore Cicciotto:
I sit at the old wooden round table that now stands in the middle of our caravan. While I wait for the others to show up for the meeting, I recall the memory of a dream I had last night. I awoke in my bed, and there was Li'l Jo, Tobias' cat, glaring at me, sitting on my chest.
He opened his mouth and spoke. It was a dream, and I wasn't shocked. "One of your enemies is no more, Eurostar," he said, "but soon one of your allies will follow the same destiny. One new friend is on your way, and your worst enemy is being born right now." I forgot about the dream until now. I wonder what those words mean.
Then Naecken enters the van and comes to sit near me. "Eurostar, I beg to listen to me. We must..."
"I know, I know. We have to fight this... this plague. But I want you to understand my motivation."
"Your son."
"Yes, and no. He is not really my son. He's my clone. I have never met him, but I have seen his picture. He is very cute, but more importantly, he is the product of the same organization that has tried to keep M'xy and Tobias caged, and that has fought us two times. The same organization that stole my life five years ago, and that is making the world fear us metahumans."
"The MCCA?"
"The U.S. government," I say.
"Freeing humankind from the evil that is plaguing it will change its mind on metahumans," insists Naecken.
"Are you joking?" I say. "They will thank us one day, and the next they'll keep hunting us. Yes, we have to find the evil and destroy it, and then we'll free my son. But then, we have to build an organization..."
"A team of metaheroes?"
"No, not just a team, a league. Something more official, something with a big image in the media. A foundation. We'll need money and support from politicians, and recognition from the U.N."
"It’s a big dream, friend," Naecken says, smiling. "Maybe I can help you."
"No!" I say. "I mean, we'll need the help of everyone. But only use your powers when we fight, and let us do everything else in the human way. Remember what happened with the headquarters under the lake? It attracted more problems than it resolved. I know you could dress and feed us, but I bet that the food you make will have us starving in no time. That's why we have to stay in this circus. We need a shelter, and money to buy food and dress. We need to travel unseen. And, most of all, we need to stay together."
"If you don't want me to make food, Eurostar, I could take it from elsewhere."
"Naecken, that would be stealing. It would be easy for any of us. But that is exactly what we must fear most. We have to hide from the law, but 'to live outside the law, you must be honest,' like Bob Dylan said."
"Bob Dylan?" questions Naecken.
"One day I will explain, Nae," I say smiling, too exhausted to continue. The door opens, and the others begins to enter and sit near us.
When all six of us are sitting around the table, I speak. "Okay, friends, we have something to fight before leaving. Any suggestions?"