[OLD] The Supers Experiment (#1)

Thirty-Two

"Claudia!"

Claudia turned to see Rosa Rivera storming toward her. "What is it, Rivera?" Claudia asked, alarmed. The last thing she needed was more bad news.

"Where is he?" Rivera asked, coming to a stop a few feet away from Claudia.

"Who?" Claudia asked.

"My son. His nanny called and said he's missing. He disappeared right around the time your soldiers were attacking the White House."

Claudia frowned. "If you're suggesting that I had something to do with his disappearance, I'm afraid you're wrong."

"Then where is he?"

"How should I know? You're his mother. Maybe if you'd bother to visit him..."

Rivera opened her mouth in shock. "You know I can't do that. Andrew wants me here. If I'm away too long—"

"Well, that's not my problem," Claudia cut her off. "You'll have to take it up with Andrew."

Rivera's expression changed from anger to fear. "There must be something you can do," she said. "What if Ash went missing?"

"My nephew?" Claudia laughed. "Rivera, I didn't mourn when his sister died. If he disappeared, the only thing I'd be upset about would be our loss of a good fighter."

"So he's nothing more than another kid in your army?"

"Exactly."

Rivera stared at Claudia. "There must be something you can do. I... my son..."

"I'm sorry," Claudia said. "But I can't help you." Before Rivera could say another word, Claudia turned and walked away.

When she entered her office, she had an email from Andrew.

Claudia,

Do not worry about Black Knight's failure. It is not the end of our story, merely the end of another chapter.

Claudia rolled her eyes. Andrew was brilliant, but he had an annoying tendency to be dramatic.

The government will fall, and we will rise from the ashes. I will provide you with my ideas for our next course of action soon.

It may be a few weeks before you hear from me again. I fear someone is following me, and they're getting close. It may be the Nightmare Kid.

Ah, the supposed Nightmare Kid. Andrew's explanation for his wife's... illness. Claudia still didn't understand what the Kid was. Some sort of experiment gone wrong? Andrew had never fully explained it.

I know you don't believe he is real, but I assure you he is. He may look innocent, but he isn't. He isn't human. My sources say some sort of alien experiment, but I do not know.

You will hear from me and the Pyramid Fragment soon.

-Andrew

The last sentence unnerved Claudia. She didn't like the way Andrew talked about the Pyramid Fragment. He spoke as if it had a mind of its own.

She reminded herself she was being ridiculous. John was right. The Fragment was nothing more than the hunk of rock Claudia had taken from the Director's office when she left Tyche Laboratories. Strange? Yes. Alien? Possibly. Capable of sentient thought? Absolutely not.

It was unlike anything else Claudia had ever seen. Triangular. A dark bronze, almost black, with flecks of gold. And a small notch on the bottom.

The jagged side was strange, though. It was like it was broken. Incomplete.