Chapter 49

            “Yeah, I’ll be at church,” Simon tells his mom on the phone. “Yeah, I was hanging out with Zoey and her cousins again, and they invited me to be at the youth group… stuff… tonight. Don’t worry about me, we’re getting food on the way. Alright, see you later, bye.”

            “What do you usually get from here?” Seth asks Simon.

            “Oh, uh,” he says as he sees the golden arches. “Quarter pounder, no cheese.”

            “Same as me!” Zoey says.

            They move up in line at the drive thru, and are next at the speaker.

            “Yes, I’d like two large Number Threes, both with no cheese, and two large Number Ones,” Seth says. “All Cokes.”

            “That’ll be *krrkkhh* at the first window,” the employee on the other end says.

            “I’m sorry, what was that?” Seth asks.

            The speaker just has more static.

            “Guess we’ll find out at the pay window,” Seth says as he pulls forward. “How much you guys got on you?”

            “Here’s a five,” Jeff says.

            “Same,” Zoey says.

            “I… didn’t bring any money because I didn’t think I’d be going to a drive thru,” Simon says.

            “That’s alright, you can pay me back tomorrow,” Seth says.

            Seth gathers the money together and hands over $25 in all. The cashier takes that and gives him back change.

            “Yeah, just get me a five to pay your part,” Seth says.

            “Right,” Simon says.

            After getting the orders, Jeff holds onto the drinks while Zoey checks the bags.

            “Good,” she says. “No cheese on any of them.”

            They arrive at the church with plenty of time before the youth group night starts, but the church’s gymnasium-auditorium is already open. They peek inside and see the youth pastor setting up tables.

            “Wow, you’re here this early?” he says. “I’m glad, but I barely have anything ready.”

            “That’s alright, Mr. Rivera, we’re just having dinner,” Zoey says.

            “Well, alright,” he says. “Go ahead and sit at one of the tables. I’ll put the sound system together.”

            The four sit while Mr. Rivera goes to the stage to bring out speakers and a media player.

            “Is the reason you haven’t been part of the youth group Wednesdays because you live in San Leandro?” Zoey asks Simon as they take the food out of the bags.

            “Well, mostly, yeah,” he says a little nervously. “The half hour drive eats up a lot of the night. There wouldn’t be a lot of time for homework before or after.”

            “I am starting to feel that,” Zoey says, thinking to the last few weeks. “But you should still try to make time. It’s always a good time.”

            “Well, I might be able to show up more often,” he says, “now that I quit band. I don’t have to go to bed as early since I don’t have to get up as early, so I’ll have more time to do homework at night.”

            “Yeah, exactly!” Zoey says. “You’ll see, it’ll be worth it.”

            As the four eat their fast food dinner, they talk about the training.

            “You guys sure got a routine going with your no-tag tagging,” Simon says.

            “We had a little talk about it last night,” Jeff says. “We figured there’s also a lot of things Siro would do since he’s got a pro-wrestling style like yours, so we came up with a few ideas. Didn’t think it’d work, though.”

            “Yeah, that moonsault was a surprise,” Simon chuckles. “It’s a good thing I was Silver or I wouldn’t be able to have stayed up after catching you.”

            “Are you insinuating something?” Zoey says, feeling a little insulted.

            “I’m not saying it’s about your weight,” he says. “It was your momentum! Seth gave you a real good boost.”

            “Well, yes, he did,” Zoey says, calming down. “But I’m pretty sure I could easily be carried by one of your other Color Codes, even if it’s not super strong Silver.”

            “Right, of course,” he says, feeling like he avoided disaster.

            Zoey takes a moment to check her phone, and sees a picture Karina posted of her, Chloe and Marina goofing around in History class. Zoey gasps and laughs.

            “How did you not get in trouble?” Zoey says as she types it in the comments.

            “What?” Jeff asks.

            Zoey shows the boys the picture, and they all share in the laugh.

            “Oh, we should be Facebook friends!” Zoey says to Simon.

            “I don’t have a smartphone, though,” he says. “Or a Facebook.”

            “Well you should,” she says. “It’s way better than MySpace.”

            “I dunno about that,” Jeff says. “For all we know, Facebook will be replaced by something else in a couple years.”

            “Maybe, but he might as well be part of it while it’s around,” Zoey says.

            “I’ll think about it,” Simon says.

            “Okay,” Zoey says. “Until then, how about phone numbers?”

            “Oh, yeah, sure,” he says.

            He brings out his phone and Zoey takes it to put her number into it. Then she has his phone call and she adds his number to her contacts.

            “That was a lot like how Cyndi gave me her number,” Simon says.

            “Well, great minds think alike,” Zoey says.

            “But you’re still not talking to her?” Jeff asks Simon.

            “It’s more she doesn’t want to talk to me,” Simon says.

            “But,” Zoey says, “it’s up to her how to deal with this. It’s a very deep, emotional issue, we can’t just expect her to get over it in a week.”

            “I’m just hoping she gets over it at all,” Simon sighs.

            Simon keeps from feeling down by focusing on the food.

 

            By the time the four finished eating their dinner, the rest of the church’s youth congregation arrive.

            “Simon’s here?” his cousin, Danielle, says. “Where are James and Josh?”

            “Oh, uh,” Simon says as he sees her and Matt. “Um, I was hanging out with Zoey and her cousins, so I’m just here by myself. Well, with them, while James and Josh are at home.”

            “You guys have been hanging out?” Matt asks.

            “Well, he’s been helping me get used to San Leandro,” Zoey says, thinking quickly. “But when my cousins came to pick me up for tonight, we just invited him along.”

            “Cyndi wasn’t with you?” Danielle asks.

            “She’s been busy,” Zoey says. “Family stuff.”

            “And she’s not really the church type,” Simon says.

            “That’s too bad,” Danielle says.

            “You guys got burgers?” Matt says as he notices the bags and wrappers.

            Danielle looks at her brother with a look that says, “Really?”

            “Oh, you’re already here?” Karina says as she and Alicia walk in from the other door. “You should’ve said, we would’ve hurried up to hang out with you.”

            “Like you’d be able to rush your routine,” Zoey teases.

            “True,” Karina shrugs. “Oh, you already ate, too?”

            Karina looks at the large soda and box for fries.

            “You still have such a big appetite,” Karina says.

            “Only compared to you eating like a bird,” Zoey says.

            “No, I think you have a pretty good appetite,” Alicia says.

            Simon remembers back to Vegas, and how Zoey ate quite a lot of the seafood buffet set out by Tiger. He’s inclined to agree with Zoey’s friends about her appetite.

            Mr. Rivera finishes up with the sound system just in time for the rest of the youth to show up.

            “Whoa, Tobey Maguire’s here?” Marina says as she walks in with Chloe.

            Others don’t get Marina’s weird inside joke, and certainly not Simon.

            “It’s because of your hair,” Zoey explains. “You kinda have that Peter Parker look.”

            “Right,” Simon nods, understanding.

            “Alright, good to see so many of you back tonight,” he says as they all gather around at the tables. “That’s great, because I have a big announcement that I’m sure you’ll all love to hear. The church committee has taken into account the rising number of young people like you all attending, and we want to make sure we’re not leaving you all out in the cold when it comes to understanding God’s word and how it applies to your life. So starting this Sunday, when the little kids are excused for their Sunday school class, there will also be a youth Sunday school class at the same time!”

            The teens and young adults are all buzzing with excitement, hearing that their church is willing to do this for them.

            “We will be upstairs,” Mr. Rivera continues, “in the room right next door to the kids’ class. Obviously, a lot of you will remember which room I’m talking about, so it won’t be hard to find your way up there, and I’m confident we can all fit in there comfortably. As for tonight, let’s celebrate with… some karaoke!”

            Some of the young people are a bit unsure about that, but Zoey and her friends are so excited, it really surprises Simon and his cousins.

            “C’mon, c’mon,” Karina says as she pulls Alicia to the stage.

            “Okay, hold on,” Alicia says as she does her best to keep up.

            “Mari, c’mon,” Karina calls to Marina. “TLC!”

            “Oh heee…” Marina trails off, remembering Mr. Rivera is watching, “…eck yes!”

            Marina joins the Osou sisters as they walk on stage. Karina uses her mp3 player to bring up a song.

            “Which TLC song are you doing?” Mr. Rivera asks.

            “I guess we can’t do No Scrubs at church, huh?” Marina whispers to Karina.

            “Let’s do Waterfalls, that’s appropriate,” Karina says.

            “We’ll be doing Waterfalls, Mr. Rivera,” Alicia says.

            Karina presses play and the beat begins, along with the groovy guitar and trumpets. As the music gets going, Alicia, Karina and Marina, giving each other plenty of space on stage, dance with the same shoulder roll and head bob from the music video. Alicia being in the center, she’s the lead and brings the mic up as the intro gives way to the song.

            “A lonely mother gazing out of her window, staring at a son that she just can't touch~. If at any time he's in a jam, she'll be by his side~, but he doesn't realize he hurts her so much~!

            “But all the praying just ain't helping at all, 'cause he can't seem to keep his self out of trouble~. So, he goes out and he makes his money the best way he knows how, another body laying cold in the gutter. Listen to me~!”

            There’s a guitar segment, and that’s enough time for Karina and Marina to bring up their own mics.

            “Don't~ go~ chaaasing~ waterfalls~!” all three sing. “Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used~ to~. I know that you're gonna have it your way~ or nothing at all, but I think you're moving too fast~.”

            “Little precious has a natural obsession~ for temptation but he just can't see~,” Alicia continues solo. “She gives him loving that his body can't handle~, but all he can say is, ‘Baby, it's good to me.’

            “One day he goes and takes a glimpse in the mirror, but he doesn't recognize his own face~. His health is fading and he doesn't know why~, three letters took him to his fiiinal~ resting place. Y'all don't hear me~!”

            “Don't~ go~ chaaasing~ waterfalls~!” all three sing again. “Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used~ to~. I know that you're gonna have it your way~ or nothing at all, but I think you're moving too fast~.”

            “I seen rainbow yesterday,” Marina raps for Left Eye’s part, “but too many storms have come and gone, leavin' a trace of not one God-given ray. Is it because my life is ten shades of gray? I pray all ten fade away, seldom praise Him for the sunny days. And like his promise is true, only my faith can undo, the many chances I blew to bring my life to anew. Clear, blue and unconditional skies, have dried the tears from my eyes, no more lonely cries.

            “My only bleedin' hope, is for the folk who can't cope, wit’ such an endurin' pain that it keeps 'em in the pourin' rain. Who's to blame for tootin' ‘caine in your own vein? What a shame, ya shoot and aim for someone else's brain. You claim the insane, and name this day in time, for fallin prey to crime. I say the system got ya victim to your own mind. Dreams are hopeless aspirations in hopes of comin' true. Believe in yourself, the rest is up to me and you!”

            “Don't~ go~ chaaasing~ waterfalls~!” all three sing one more time. “Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used~ to~. I know that you're gonna have it your way~ or nothing at all, but I think you're moving too fast~.”

            “Oooh, movin’ too fast~!” Alicia adds before the chorus repeats again.

            Everyone applauds as the music fades out and the three take a quick bow.

            “I don’t know if it was appropriate to bring the mood down,” Jeff teases.

            “Then you sing something,” Karina says.

            “Alright, alright,” Jeff says as he gets up.

            He and Karina do playful clawing at each other.

            “Hey now, no purple,” Mr. Rivera says.

            “That wasn’t purple,” Karina says. “That was more… blue-pink tie-dye.”

            “What?” Simon asks, confused.

            “Mr. Rivera makes sure no one gets a little too… playful, I guess,” Zoey says. “It’s called the ‘No Purple’ Policy, because boys are blue, girls are pink, and mixing them makes… Well not exactly purple-purple, but a shade of purple.”

            “I see…”

            Jeff gets up, uses his mp3 player, and selects a song. A guitar plays, and someone claps along.

            “Oh, c’mon, that’s not a karaoke song,” Seth says, almost laughing.

            Simon isn’t sure what the song is, until he hears the saxophone come in. He also starts to laugh, because Jeff even does the dance from Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, two pumps of his hands in front of him then two behind his back, and repeat. Jeff has everyone cracking up as he does all sorts of flailing with the sax’s long trills. And finally, the big moment…

            Dada dada da da da!

            “Tequila!” Jeff says in a bassy voice.

            Everyone laughs and applauds, even though the song isn’t done. Jeff smiles, waves, then takes a bow.

            “Anyone else want to actually sing something?” Mr. Rivera asks as Jeff returns to his seat.

            Zoey looks at Simon.

            “Oh, no, I’m not a singer,” Simon says.

            “But what about Jump Jump?” Zoey says.

            “No, no, that was a totally different situation,” he says with nervous laughter.

            “Zoey, let’s do that song by No Doubt,” Marina says.

            “Wait, ‘Underneath It All’?” Zoey asks. “Mari, that has…”

            She leans in to whisper, “That has innuendo in it! That’s not church appropriate.”

            “Oh, that’s true,” Marina says, remembering the lines Zoey means. “Okay, but you gotta do one of those. You’re good at Gwen Stefani.”

            “Yeah, c’mon!” Chloe encourages. “Um, let’s see, appropriate Gwen Stefani songs… Oh, try that uh, Harajuku Girls, that one.”

            “Yeah, okay,” Zoey says, excited now. “Kari-chan.”

            Zoey and Karina go up on stage, as it seems Zoey needs a back-up singer. Zoey plugs in her mp3, and selects the song from her 2004 folder.

            The shamisen starts, followed by flute, and then some orchestral pop.

            “Wa-mono,” Zoey says in more a spoken than sung tone. “There’s me. There’s you.”

            “Hoko-ten,” Karina adds.

            “In a pedestrian paradise,” Zoey continues, “where the catwalk got its claws.”             “Meeeow~!” they both say, making cat claw gestures with their free hands.

            “A subculture, in a kaleidoscope of fashion,” Zoey continues. “Prowl~ the streets of Harajuku.”

            “Harajuku,” Karina says. “Irasshaimasen~! Hahaha!”

            “Su-per, lo-veeeers~!” as she and Karina lean towards each other, lightly touching index fingers. “Tell me where you got yoooours~!”

            “Uu, at za Supa Lova store,” Karina replies in Engrish.

            “Yoji Yama-motooooo~!” they sing together, “I'm hanging with the locaaaals~!”

            “Where the catwalk got its claws~!” Zoey sings as she pops her hips one way.

            “All you fashion know-it-alls~!” as she pops the other way. “With your underground malls~, in the world of Haraju~ku!

            “Putting on a show~! When you dress up in your clothes~! Wild hair color and cell phones~, your accessories are dead~ on!”

            “Harajuku Girls, you got, the wick-ed style!” she sings with shoulder shimmies now. “I like the way that you are~, I am your biggest fan~! Harajuku Girls, you got, the wick-ed style! I like the way that you are~, I am your biggest fan~!

            “Haraju~ku gi~rls,” Zoey sings as she and Karina take admittedly slinky steps sidways, “I'm loo~king at you, gi~rls. You're so original, gi~rls, you got the look that makes you staand~ oout~.”

            “Haraju~ku gi~rls, I'm loo~king at you, gi~rls. You mix and match it, gi~rls, you dress so fly and just paraade~ aroound~!”

            “Arigato!” Karina adds.

            “I'm fas-ci-nated by the Japanese~ fashion scene~,” as Zoey and Karina return to the middle. “Just an American giiirl~, in the Tokyo streets!”

            Karina echoes, “Tokyo!” a few times.

            “My boyfriend bought me a Hysteric Glamour shirt~!” Zoey says, followed by Karina echoing, “Hysteric Glamour!”

            “They're hard to find in the Staaates~, got me feeling couture!” Zoey says as she smooths a hand down from hip to knee while bending at the knee.

            “It's really cool,” Karina says in her own smooth Stefani voice.

            “What's that, you got on~? Is it, Comme des Garcons~?

            “Comme des Garcon,” Karina echoes.

            “Vivienne, Westwood can't go wrong~! Mixed up with second hand clothes~.”

            “Let's not forget about John Galliano, no,” Karina adds.

            “Flipped the landscape~, when Nigo made A Bathing Ape~. I got expensive taste~.”

            “Oh, well!” Karina shrugs.

            “Guess I better save~ up~!”

            “Cho takai!” Karina pouts.

            “Harajuku Girls, you got, the wick-ed style! I like the way that you are~, I am your biggest fan~! Harajuku Girls, you got, the wick-ed style! I like the way that you are~, I am your biggest fan~!”

            “Cuckoo~!” Karina adds.

            “Harajuku Girls, you got, the wick-ed style! I like the way that you are~, I am your biggest fan~! Harajuku Girls, you got, the wick-ed style! I like the way that you are~, I am your biggest fan~!”

            This time, Karina adds “Ha-ra-ju-ku giiiirls~” in the background.

            “Work it,” Zoey says as she and Karina strike mirrored poses, one arm up and one leg out forward.

            “Express it,” as they step forward and point the raised arm down.

            “Live it,” as they take a half step back and put their hands on their hearts.

            “Command your style…!” as they bring that hand up, turn it palm outward, and have thumb, index and pinkie out.

            “Create it, design it,” as their hands spin inward to all five fingers out then into a fist. “Now let me see you work it.”

            “Create it,” as they reach those hands forward, reaching for something.

            “Design it,” as they spin their hands again as if they’ve grabbed that something.

            “Now let me see you work it,” as they bring it in to them.

            “You bring style, and color, all arooound the wooorld~!” Zoey sings.

            “You Harajuku Giiirls~!” Karina sings.

            “You bring style, and color, all arooound the wooorld~!” Zoey sings.

            “You Harajuku Giiirls~!” Karina sings.

            “You're look-ing, so distinct-ive, like D-N, A…! Like nothing I've ever seeeen in the U-S, A…!

            “Your under-groound~ cul-tuure~! Visual grammaaar~! The language of your clothing is, something to encoun-teeer~! A Ping-Pong, match between eastern and western. Did you see your inspiration in my latest collec-tion? Just wait 'til you get your little hands on L-A-M-B, 'cuz it's!”

            “Super kawaii~!” Karina says.

            “That means.”

            “Supa kyute in Japanese!”

            “The streets, of Hara-juku are your, cat-walk!”

            “Bishoujo~, you're so vogue~!”

            “That's what you drop.”

            “Cho~o~!” they sing with small bouncing and circular fist pumping. “Sai~kou~! Harajuku Girls!”

            “And that's what you drop, that's what you drop.”

            “Cho~o~!” Zoey’s other friends join in singing. “Sai~kou~! Harajuku Girls!”

            “I don't think you understand. I'm your biggest fan.

            “Zoey Mizaki, you like me?” Karina says, changing up the name lyric.

            “Harajuku Girls, you got, the wick-ed style!” Zoey manages without lauging out of surprise, “I like the way that you are~, I am your biggest fan~!”

            Karina again sings “Ha-ra-ju-ku giiiirls~” in the background.

            “Harajuku Girls, you got, the wick-ed style! I like the way that you are~, I am your biggest fan~!”

            “Cho kawaii~!” Karina adds before another round of the chorus, and then she adds, “Zoey Mizaki, aishiteru~!”

            “Style detached from content,” Zoey says, returning to spoken tone. “A fatal attraction to cuteness. Style is style. Fashion is fashion. Girl. You got style.”

            Zoey and Karina giggle and bow while everyone else applauds.

            “I don’t think I ever heard that one from Gwen Stefani,” Simon says as Zoey sits back down.

            “Yeah, it was on the same album as Hollaback Girl, but I’m not sure how much radio play it got,” Zoey says. “I like it though. Makes me want to try Harajuku myself one of these days.”

            “That’s like the really, really colorful fashion style, right? Like really wild stuff?”

            “Yeah it can get pretty wild,” Zoey says with a chuckle. “I’d probably do a tamer level.”

            “Yeah, I bet you’d look cute,” he says.

            “R-Really?” she says, a blush starting to appear.

            “W-Well, yeah, o-obviously,” Simon says, blushing as he realizes what slipped out of his mouth. “I mean…”

            He wishes he’d left something of his fries to eat so he could shut himself up. But Zoey smiles, though she also shyly shrinks into her shoulders a little.

 

            While it’s only a quarter to 6 in Alameda, it’s almost 9 PM in Brooklyn. A group of young men wearing their Sons of Brooklyn colors and jackets walk up the street. They stop at one of the brownstones and go up the steps of the stoop.

            One spots something odd, and nudges one of the others. They both look over, and then slowly the entire group pays attention to the young man in bright yellow hoodie, pants, gloves and shoes walk over. The pants have a thick black stripe down the side of each leg, and the shoes themselves have black highlights and laces. The young man watches the ground as he walks, so the hood hangs a little low. Between that and the shadows cast by the street lights, it’s hard to see the young man’s face.

            “Pffft, look at this fool,” one of them says. “Walking out here looking like a banana or somethin’.”

            “Nah, man, he’s got black on him,” another says. “He’s a bumblebee! Bzz bzz~!”

            The group laughs and the young man in yellow slows to a stop, since the crosswalks aren’t showing “Walk.”

            “Actually,” a third says, looking closer at the pants. “He lookin’ more like, uh… Bruce Lee! Yeah, in that one movie. Or, Uma Thurman in Kill Bill for that scene with all them Japanese fools.”

            Everyone laughs, but even the man in yellow nods and chuckles.

            “Finally,” the young man says as he looks up at the Sons of Brooklyn. “Someone gets it.”

            “Aw c’mon, man,” the SOB who got it right says. “Everyone knows Kill Bill’s the shizz! And Bruce Lee was the man, man!”

            “True and true,” the young man in yellow says, pulling something out of the big pocket on his jacket. “But it’s good that you mentioned Kill Bill. You see…”

            The item from the pocket is also yellow, and it is also cloth. It unfurls into a mask, which only has holes for the eyes. The young man pulls off his hood to reveal blonde hair, but he quickly puts the mask on so that only his hazel eyes shine through.

            “I’m going to be Thurman,” he says, “and you’re the Crazy 88.”

            The hoodie suddenly has a black slashed-circle appear on the chest!

            “OH F-”

            The Flash Kick shuts the SOB up before he can finish his shocked cussing!

            The Sons of Brooklyn spring into action, pulling out knives. Siro grabs a garbage can lid to shield himself as they stab and thrust and slash, but he never backs up too far. He still sees some of the gangsters hopping stoop to stoop. He deflects another knife thrust then uses the lid like a discus to *DONK* smack one in the bridge of his nose! That SOB falls and the other trips over him to fall face first onto the concrete steps!

            Siro still has the Sons on the sidewalk, but Analysis helps him see it all coming. He weaves through their attempts, then grabs one gangster’s arm and puts pressure against the elbow. He steers the gangster by that arm into his comrade, shoulder into stomach. Siro SLAPS the front-facing SOB and then takes his knife away, throwing it into the leg of the SOB creeping up behind him.

            As that one falls, Siro jumps onto the bridged SOBs to collapse them into the sidewalk! With another SOB running up, Siro picks up the top SOB and throws him backwards, bowling the new attacker over.

            “Enough of this shit!” one SOB shouts as he gets up behind Siro, a gun pointed at his head. “I’m about to-”

            Siro turns Red, spins around, takes the gun right out of the gangster’s hand, and aims it at the gangster. Sweat pours out of the scared expression on the SOB’s face, which makes Siro chuckle. Siro then aims between the gangster’s feet and *POP POP POP POP* empties the clip into concrete.

            “You see how easy that was?” Siro says. “I could’ve ended you, or at the very least, badly wounded you, without even touching you. That’s the power of this weapon.”

            Siro looks at the gun as he brings it up to his own face.

            “Now, I have nothing against guns,” he says, “but they really shouldn’t be anywhere near immoral idiots like you. They’re like cheat codes, making you as strong as those with real power.”

            Siro tosses the gun at the trash can. He then spins and clotheslines the gangster down, all before the gun lands inside the can with a *CLANG*.

            “Gangs have no power,” Siro says as he looks at all the beat down SOBs around him. “They’re just cowards in a group so they can fake having courage.”

            “Yeah, I feel the same way,” a voice says from behind him.

            Siro looks over his shoulder to see an orange letter H.

            “Homeboy,” Siro says. “Seems you got a new look, too.”

            “It’s thanks to Reciprocity Inc,” Homeboy says.

            “Of course it is,” Siro sighs. “I’m done here, by the way.”

            “You know,” Homeboy says as Siro goes to leave. “I didn’t want to believe the news. I didn’t want to believe it today, earlier this week, or last week. But seeing you here now, I guess I have to accept it.”

            “Accept what?” Siro says, turning around to face Homeboy. “That I’m getting the job done? That I’m doing this the way it has to be done?”

            “By wrecking some dude so bad he’s in a coma?!” Homeboy shouts back. “By running wild in my city? By… By trying to kill someone?”

            “Oddly, I wasn’t actually trying with Tiger, it just happened,” Siro shrugs. “Gravity, a solid oak table, and a neck. Not a good combination.”

            “Don’t make jokes!” Homeboy says, getting angry now. “We may get our powers from games, but this ain’t no game. You didn’t know he’d come back to life.”

            “Yeah, I know, that’s the point,” Siro says. “Is it not getting through to you? You want to spare wretched worms who do nothing but ruin other people’s lives?! Anong mali sayo!? <What is wrong with you!?> I went easy on these Sons of Brooklyn, because I’m just here to warm up for the real fight.”

            “Warm up? You actually think the Spektrum, the real Spektrum, is alive?”

            “I know he is,” Siro says. “But the world will know Friday. For now, watch for my next upload. A lot of great content from today.”

            Siro goes to touch his teleporter button, but Homeboy runs and jumps the 10 yards between them in seconds! Siro blocks the Superman punch and one-two combo to a kick thanks to Red’s speed.

            “Forgot you were this quick,” Siro says, actually amused. “Though we really only did have that one mission together. Fine, let’s fight.”

            Siro goes back to Yellow before throwing a one-two combo. Homeboy bobs ‘n’ weaves to avoid the hits, then comes back with a right cross. Siro ducks it and kicks low. He wrenches Homeboy’s arm and uses that to roll him on the ground. Homeboy gets up and copies that, to Siro’s surprise. Siro kip-ups and forearms Homeboy in the side of the head. Homeboy staggers away but holds onto Siro’s wrist. Siro simply rolls his hand around to reverse the wristlock into his control, and then reels Homeboy in.

            Homeboy leans back to dodge the clothesline, and uses Siro’s own grip against him, yanking Siro along to swing into a light post. Siro lets go, but he drops down to avoid Homeboy’s boot.

            Siro rolls to get around Homeboy. He stands up and as Homeboy turns around, Siro back hand chops Homeboy in the chest! Homeboy doesn’t flinch, and Siro can feel the light body armor from the impact.

            “Well that’s not fair,” Siro says.

            Homeboy swings a big right, but Siro turns Blue and doesn’t even block, he just tanks the hit by standing still.

            “That’s better,” Siro says.

            He then slaps Homeboy’s hand down and leans in to ram heads. Homeboy reels back, clutching his nose. He isn’t bleeding but his vision is still blurred as Siro jumps and pumps his legs like pedaling a bicycle to then BOOT Homeboy in the face! Homeboy drops and hits the concrete as Siro simply walks on.

            “I don’t think we ever talked about your game,” Siro says. “What were you playing on Surge Day?”

            Homeboy grunts and groans as he sits up.

            “This might be cliché to you,” he says, “but it’s that hip-hop fighting game, where the musical artists are the characters.”

            “Right, right, I remember that one,” Siro says. “I never played it myself, but I think there was a demo disc with it on there.”

            “Well, then I guess you don’t know how it works,” Homeboy says. “It’s not a 2D fighter or a side-scroll beat ‘em up. You’re allowed to roam around the level as you fight. The characters have five stats crucial to the fighting: Strength; Speed; Endurance; Technique; and Submission.”

            Siro scowls as he sees the obvious similarities.

            “Did you figure it out already?” Homeboy asks with a grin. “My game was a hip-hop themed wrestling game!”

            Homeboy then handsprings forward, jumps up and catches Siro in a Complete Shot! Siro hits the ground face first! Homeboy then turns Siro over to his back for a cover! Siro kicks out immediately, and Homeboy backs off as Siro goes Red to kip-up.

            “What’s the matter?” Homeboy asks with another grin. “Don’t like competition?”

            Siro swings punches but Homeboy bobs ‘n’ weaves to dodge. Homeboy swings a big kick but Siro ducks, only for Homeboy to follow through with an enziguri! Siro staggers, but turns Blue in time for Homebody to bumrush him! Homeboy’s tackle hits solid with Siro, and Siro changes to Yellow to grab Homeboy in a reverse headlock. Siro cranks on Homeboy’s neck and throws a knee into Homeboy’s ribs. While Homeboy is out of breath, Siro spins him around for a dragon sleeper. Siro cranks back harder, but Homeboy kicks and gets him in the head.

            Siro staggers but he drops Homeboy on the ground. Homeboy does his own kip-up and then handsprings back to grab Siro with his calves. Homeboy uses momentum to swing and throw Siro forward, into the side of a car!

            Siro smacks the driver side passenger door while upside-down! He slumps down onto his head, but he gets up in a frustrated huff. Homeboy rolls back to his feet, then runs back at Siro to “shotgun” dropkick him back into the car! Siro gets angrier as his head bounces off the window. Homeboy kip-ups again, Siro Blue bicycle boots, but Homeboy falls back to avoid it!

            “What?!” Siro lets out as Homeboy kip-ups again.

            Homeboy mule kicks Siro’s left leg out and Siro falls to that knee. Homeboy leaps up to drop an elbow on the back of Siro’s head! Siro’s head hits the concrete again, but being Blue helps reduce the damage. Homeboy doesn’t let up, he grabs Siro’s left arm and traps it with his legs while grabbing Siro under the chin! He pulls back on his complete “Crossface” hold!

            Siro lets out pained grunts as he feels the burning stretch in his neck and shoulder. Siro goes Black as he pushes up with his free arm. The light ropes appear and he drags himself and Homeboy over to them. Homeboy isn’t sure what the point of that is, but he works to pull back harder on the crossface.

            Siro gets himself close enough to get his hand around the bottom rope. Then he uses that to drag himself closer. Siro drags himself between the ropes, and the middle rope presses against Homeboy’s face. Siro keeps clawing and crawling, and the rope only presses against Homeboy harder. Homeboy’s face can take it, but not his grip. His fingers weaken and he loses hold of Siro! The rope more or less flings Homeboy off, and Siro hurries to his feet.

            The ropes are between the two of them, and there’s a stand-off. Siro turns Red and Homeboy starts to move back as Siro goes for the ropes. But as Siro pushes up on the top rope and starts to bring his legs up, Siro spots something flying in at him! He uses Overdrive to keep up with it, and catch it. He lands on his feet, the light ropes having disappeared. What he caught is the end of whip!

            The whip wielder is a blonde woman in white. Beside her is a black woman, aiming a gun.

            “Whoa, when did you get here?!” Homeboy asks them.

            “You probably would’ve noticed if you weren’t down on the ground trying to rip his head off,” White Walls says to him.

            Whip Cream pulls on the whip but Siro goes Silver to stand his ground. White Walls shoots twice, but Siro goes Blue to block the bullets with his force field panel. Homeboy comes around the side of the panel and mule kicks Siro’s leg. Siro’s leg bends but he stays standing. Siro lets go of the whip and Whip Cream staggers back. White Walls moves over as Whip Cream falls on her butt. White Walls takes more shots but the panels expand to keep Siro safe.

            Homeboy kicks the bending leg from the side and Siro starts to kneel again. Siro grumbles as he stands up straight again. Homeboy uses Siro’s own panels to wall jump off! Homeboy grabs Siro around the head, and as he falls, he brings Siro with him for a “blockbuster” neckbreaker! Siro writhes from the pain in his neck, but Homeboy still comes away with pain in his tailbone.

            The panels go down and White Walls hurries over. But Siro growls as he again sumons the light ropes, and she bumps into them.

            “What the…?” she says, confused by what she sees in front of her.

            The ropes go from blue to red, because Siro does, too. Siro gets up and uses Overdrive to get distance between them.

            “Running away, huh?!” White Walls shouts after him.

            But then the ropes in front of her disappear, because they reappear by Siro! Siro rebounds, and as Homeboy gets up, Siro heads at him as a red blur! Homeboy only sees him moments before impact, as Siro goes from Red to Silver to CLOBBER him with a clothesline!

            “Howie?!” she blurts out.

            Siro gets up, but before White Walls can take aim, he goes Red again and now runs off at super speed.

            White Wall goes to Homeboy as he gasps and coughs for air after nearly having his head taken off.

            “I’m so sorry,” White Walls says in a panic. “I’m so sorry.”

            “Why?” he asks between coughs.

            “It’s… It’s a long story. Let’s just get you out of here.”

            White Walls and Whip Cream get Homeboy to his feet and to the car. They drive away while the Sons of Brooklyn finally regroup.

            “Call your homebase… or your people… or whatever you do,” Homeboy groans as he sits up in the back seat. “We need… to make a call.”

            “To who?” Whip Cream says.

            “California,” Homeboy says.

 

            Back in California, the youth group applauds as Simon’s cousin, Danielle, finishes a karaoke performance of her own. Danielle’s friends high five her as she returns to her seat.

            A few different ringtones go off, and it’s Zoey and her cousins all getting calls. They look at their phones, and see “Unknown Caller” for the ID. They all look at each other and understand this isn’t coincidence.

            “Who is it?” Simon asks.

            “Uh, it’s probably all of our parents,” Zoey says. “We’ll be right back.”

            “All of them at once?” Mr. Rivera says. “Hopefully it’s not something serious.”

            The three hurry off to the lobby between gymnasium and sanctuary to answer the calls.

            “Hello?” they all say.

            “Zoey Mizaki, Seth and Jeff Takagaki,” a familiar female voice says in all three phones at once.

            “Yes,” they all say together.

            “You three have a call from Agent Homeboy,” Phonebook says.

            “Agent?” Jeff whispers while Phonebook transfers the call.

            “Hope I’m not interrupting dinner or anything,” Homeboy says.

            The three can clearly hear the physical pain in his voice.

            “What happened?” Seth asks.

            “The Spektrum happened,” Homeboy says with another groan. “Or, sorry, he’s Siro now, isn’t he?”

            “No,” Zoey says adamantly. “Siro is Siro and The Spektrum is The Spektrum.”

            “Right, sorry,” Homeboy says. “Siro spent all day tearing up my town, and then he practically tore me up. He called it his ‘warm-up.’ He thinks The Spektrum’s alive. That’s why he wants that fight on Friday, right?”

            The three are quiet, and Homeboy knows it isn’t because the call dropped.

            “Is he right?” Homeboy asks. “Is The Spektrum still alive?”

            “Yes,” Zoey says. “And he’ll be ready for Friday. Just wait and see.”

            She gives a determined look to her cousins, and they nod.

            “Well damn,” Homeboy says. “I didn’t think it was true. Let The Spektrum know from me, Siro hits hard. And, that Siro said to watch for a new video.”

            “Oh God…” Zoey groans, her free hand coming up to her face.

            Her cousins look at her with surprise.

            “I’m not blaspheming, I’m genuinely praying!” she tells them. “Did he give any clues as to what it’ll be?”

            “He mentioned something about having ‘good content from today.’ So I’m thinking it has to do with what he was doing in Brooklyn.”

            Back in the gymnasium, Simon notices phones going off as others get text messages. As the others check their phones, they start talking in worried murmurs, which worries him.

            “What’s going on?” he asks his cousins.

            “Siro’s newest video just showed up,” Matt says as he double checks his text.

            Simon feels a pain in the pit of his stomach. He looks to where Zoey and her cousins went, and they’re walking back in, looking rather grim themselves.

            “Bad news?” he asks.

            “Sorta,” Zoey says. “What’s going on here?”

            “Siro’s video just showed up,” Simon grumbles.

            “Already?” she asks.

            “What do you mean ‘already’?” he asks her.

            Zoey looks around before moving in closer to whisper, “Homeboy just fought him.”

            Simon has to contain his reaction as he responds with, “What?!”

            “Siro’s been in Brooklyn all day and that might be what the video is about,” Zoey explains while she gets her phone to go to the browser.

            Along with Zoey, Karina, Alicia, and both of Zoey’s cousins have their smartphones on the web browsers and go to YouTube. Simon watches from Zoey’s screen again as they spot the same thumbnail from before. And the title confirms a bit of what Siro told Homeboy that he then told Zoey and her cousins.

GØØD WØRKØUT TØDAY

            The five smartphone owners crank their phone volumes up to the max, and synchronize their taps on the screens. The video plays on all five phones at once.

            Siro walks down an alley. Somehow, the camera moves back incredibly smoothly as he walks towards it. He wears a black hoodie, but even with the hood up, that red eye is brightly shining. Judging from the lighting, it was still early in the day when he recorded this.

            “Hello again,” he says with a smirk. “It’s Wednesday, but you don’t need me telling you that. Our fight is coming, so I hope you’re getting ready. I know I am. I’m still a bit sore from my fight with Tiger, but I’ll be ready for Friday. That’s one of the reasons I’m here in New York right now. I’m here to make sure I’m not taking it too easy. I’m here to keep my edge sharp. And I’m here to show I’m not just settling personal grudges.

            “I meant what I said about making examples out of the wretched and worthless, the petty and pathetic. Hardwire was just the one with the biggest mouth, who waved his sins like a banner. I’m in Brooklyn to show that there’s no hiding from this.”

            The camera pans out as Siro turns towards a door to the back of a building. Siro grabs the door handle. The door is locked, but that doesn’t matter to his super strength as Silver! Siro slips inside, and the camera follows him in. The camera rises slightly to watch Siro from an angle above, but also have what’s down the hallway in the shot.

            “Who is his cameraman to do all this?” Simon mumbles.

            But not only is the camera work sophisticated, the editing shows Siro entering three other buildings from some back or side door. The four Siros each walk to the end of the halls, with the video having them in quadruple split-screen. The video focuses on Yellow Siro as he enters a kitchen.

            “Nǐ shì shéi?” one of the cooks shouts in Chinese. “Nǐ zài zhè zuò shénme?!”

            “He’s asking who he is and why he’s there,” Alicia quickly translates.

            The cooks back away from Siro, and no translation is needed to understand they’re shouting for someone else. Three men in black suits rush in and see him. Siro grabs kitchen utensils as the three run over, armed with various weapons.

            The camera moves to the side to watch Siro deflect a knife thrust with a tenderizing hammer, then comes back to backhand the man with that hammer. The second fighter comes around behind Siro but he throws the tenderizing hammer into the man’s crotch! Then Siro brings him forward to ram the first fighter head-to-head. Those two fall over, but the third fighter climbs over the kitchen island! He has brass knuckles and starts swinging fists but Siro stays just out of reach.

            The other two fighters get up and shake themselves off. The knife man comes up first, but Siro leans out of the way of the blade. But knife man holds him against the kitchen island for knuckle man to take a swing! Siro leans back and knuckle man whiffs, stumbling over knife man. The second man swings his billy club, but Siro yanks knuckle man into the path, and club man SMACKS knuckle man right in the ear!

            As knuckle man falls against club man, Siro grabs a whisk from the kitchen island. He hammers the handle into the back and shoulders of knife man! Knife man holds on, so Siro keeps hammering again and again and again, until knife man finally lets him go. Siro then hammers the handle on knife man’s head, and knife man staggers back while clutching his head in pain.

            Siro uses the kitchen island for support as he BOOTS knife man onto the lit stove! Knife man panics and flails as his suit catches on fire!

            Club man has gotten knuckle man out of the way by now, but Siro throws the whisk into his face! The whisk’s wiring gets club man in the eye, and club man blindly swings while wobbling. Siro uses one of those wild swings to grab club man and judo throw him onto the kitchen island with a WHAM!

            Siro spots knuckle man getting up, so Siro grabs a pot on the stove. He throws the boiling contents at knuckle man, and knuckle man screams out in pain as it all makes contact with his body. Siro then uses the empty pot to BONK club man so hard he falls off the kitchen island. Siro leaves them behind and walks past the frightened cooks to enter the main restaurant, which is indeed a Chinese restaurant. An older Chinese man stands up in anger, and Siro walks towards him.

            This footage pauses, and the video zooms out to show the split-screen then zooms in on Blue Siro. Blue Siro went into some kind of apartment complex and is heading up stairs. He goes up several flights to then go down a new hall. He stops at a room and kicks the door down!

            Several men inside shout in a panic, and in Russian. Siro walks in but puts up a force field panel as the Russians open fire! The bullets bounce off the panel until the clips run out. Then the panel drops down and Siro BOOTS one Russian into the television! Man and TV fall against the wall while Siro spins and rams his knee into the stomach of another.

            A third Russian runs up but Siro gets up under him so he can body slam him through the coffee table! Siro returns to the second Russian, grabbing and lifting him powerbomb style to then, of course, powerbomb him, onto the third Russian!

            Siro storms down a hallway within the apartment, and finds another room with a closed door. He kicks this door in so hard it collides with the man behind it! Man and door fall down, and the only people left in this room are a chunky man with a beard and a slightly less chunky woman, both wearing robes.

            Again, the footage pauses to zoom out, then zoom in, moving on to Red Siro. Red Siro walks down an exceptionally dark hallway, and out into a large open room. Judging from the stage and big speakers, this is a night club, which is obviously closed since it’s the day. The janitor notices Siro first and jumps in surprise, which gets the attention of three men at a table.

            “’Ey, whatchu doing in her, mang?!” one of the three men shouts. “Who let you in?”

            Siro runs over at super speed to knock the guy out of his chair! Siro then tosses the chair aside while the camera goes to the left.

            “Bring out your boss,” Siro shouts at the two still sitting up. “Get El Jefe out here to talk, or I’ll just rip through here to find him.”

            The man on the ground gets up, ready with a switchblade knife. But Siro easily moves out of the way and even trips the man so that he falls on his face.

            The other two stand up, but Siro only needs a couple of steps to then use the table as a support to swing and grab the skinnier thug with legs and “huricanrana” him head first into the ground! Siro rolls around the chunkier thug and sweeps the legs! Chunky falls over with a hard thump, and he slowly sits up clutching the back of his head.

            “El Jefeee~!” Siro says loudly. “Come out and play-aaay~!”

            The camera turns to look and see quite a few people come out from a back room. An older man with thick mustache and leathery face scowls as the younger and long-haired man beside him arms his pistol. The younger man takes aim, but Siro is already a foot in front of him.

            *BANG* *BLAM* *WHAM* In just three seconds, Siro redirects the gun so that the long-haired shooter shoots ceiling, then Siro punches him in the stomach before throwing him into a wall.

            “Ernesto!” El Jefe shouts as the long-haired man slumps to the floor.

            The rest of El Jefe’s back-up hesitate to make a move, but Siro uses Overdrive to body check them into other walls. El Jefe spins around to see his men are down, and then stops when Siro is face to face with him. The camera moves in a little closer to see the mix of anger and fear on El Jefe’s face.

            Another pause, another zoom out and another zoom in brings the video back to Silver Siro. Siro’s hallway is much better lit, and all around looks nicer than the other three locations. There are similar noises to the Chinese restaurant, so perhaps this is another restaurant. That turns out to be the case, but not because Siro walks into another kitchen, but because he’s immediately in another dining hall.

            “Ciao, Signore Perascorso,” Siro says as he walks up to a man sitting with a clearly Botox’d up woman.

            “Ciao, whoever the hell you are,” Perascorso says as he continues to cut into his frittata. “And what brings a Mighty Morphing Power Ranger like yourself here this fine morning?”

            Perascorso’s bodyguards stand at the ready, despite Perascorso himself not being worried.

            “Oh y’know,” Siro says as he steps closer. “Seeing the sights, raising some hell. Hey, could I try something?”

            The camera moves up and behind Signora Botox to get Perascorso’s face more in the shot. Siro grabs the table cloth, and prepares to pull, but then suddenly just up ends the table and sends it crashing into the empty table next to it. The other patrons stand up in a panic, and Signora Botox gets up and runs away as fast as she can in her heels. Perascorso is simply left sitting in his chair, just holding a knife and fork.

            “Sorry, were you not done eating?” Siro says.

            The bodyguards move in closer but Perascorso holds up a hand to have them stop there.

            “Smart, not letting your guys get their asses handed to them,” Siro says.

            “I pay attention to the news,” Perascorso says. “I know who you are, and who you were. But I can’t say I believe all of it yet.”

            “Then feel free to ask around,” Siro says.

            The screen now plays all four Siros at once.

            “Mr. Shǒuxiān,” the audio syncs to have Silver and Yellow say it together.

            “Mr. Vtoroy,” Silver and Blue say together.

            “Senor Tercero,” Silver and Red say together.

            “I paid them all a visit,” Silver Siro continues as the screen goes back to just him. “So if you won’t believe the news or the internet, believe degenerate scum and crime lords like yourself.”

            “Degenerate? What a big word for a boy your age. You were rumored to have been a high school student, weren’t you?”

            “Well I’ve always had high reading comprehension,” Siro says. “But let’s be serious. This is checkmate, so stop acting like you’ve got something you can pull out of nowhere.”

            “And what makes you think this is checkmate?” Perascorso asks with a chuckle.

            Siro stomps Perascorso’s foot, and the crunching of bones is audible.

            Perascorso screams out in pain as he drops his silverware and bends over. He tries to push Siro off his broken foot but he cannot. Siro steps off the foot and Perascorso falls over as he clutches it in pain.

            “You stay right where you are,” Siro says to the guards. “We’re through here.”

            Siro walks away from Perascorso, and the guards go to his aid instead of following Siro out. The camera follows Siro back out the way he came in, and fades to black as he walks back outside, ending the video.

 

            While everyone else is stunned after watching this, Simon is biting the inside of his mouth. He isn’t sure why he’s so angry, but he definitely is angry. He does his best to keep his cool, but it’s not like everyone else can stop talking about what they just witnessed.

            “Wow, those guys got hurt!”

            “Those were all, like, mafia mob type people though, right? Should we feel bad for them or not?”

            “I don’t know.”

            “They’re bad people, what should it matter that they got beat up by someone?”

            “They’re criminals, they should be arrested, not beat up.”

            “Mr. Rivera, what do you think?”

            “Well,” Mr. Rivera says. “They’re supposedly criminals, and therefore bad people. But while they may have broken the law, it isn’t up to Siro to punish them. It is up to both the law, such as the police, as well as the Lord, to bring about judgment.”

            “But this is superhero stuff,” one of the other boys says. “Like, if Batman were real, the police would actually be thankful he’s stopping the bad guys.”

            “I don’t think Siro is like Batman,” another boy says. “And the cops aren’t all thankful in Batman, because he’s a vigilante and that’s not legal.”

            “I think we should get going,” Seth says. “We gotta drop you two off back in San Leandro.”

            Zoey nods, and gets up with Simon and her cousins. Zoey says good night to her friends with quick hugs before she and the three go back to the car.