Alia finally figured out what the weird phrase stood for Vivek United Electronics.

The store itself was quaint. There were a lot of windows so it was well lighted. The crammed merchandise for the most part was kept in an OCD sense of alignment with every box facing east to west and the labels exact. The signs above had so many words they were squeezed in a white marker on the side.

The guy taking a look at her laptop was using a cybernetic arm and leg with a huge set of magnifying lens draped over one eye. Initially when she’d met him, Alia was saddened. Cybernetics even with all this recent advancement were lacking. But once she saw how well he’d programmed his parts, Alia gained some respect.

Vivek was not someone to pity. He smiled quickly before grabbing the object out of her hands. “Call me Vik, Alia. By gods, this is horrible.”

Alia was offended. “I’m horrible?”

“You’re funny. No this old laptop.” He smiled at her, giving her a playful once over and wiggling his eyebrows. Then he motioned to Stu, “Did you make her sign an NDA?”

Stu shrugged. “No.”

Vik rolled his eyes. “You’re so stupid. Sometimes I wonder why you even got powers to begin with. Alia, did he ever tell you how he got his powers?”

Alia was wandering around as Vik tinkered with her PC. She was wearing a bathrobe that she’d put on atop of her flannel pajamas. “No, I’d assumed it’s a laboratory in Sky City that chugs out supers one by one. It’s a government conspiracy that they moved Area 51 to Sky City. I mean in the origins of the Main Supers they’re all experiments gone wrong.”

Stu chortled. “Bitch please, I am very real.”

Vik sobered. “I was in the team that found him, back in the days of arms and legs. When the military wasn’t overrun with supers. He was hailed as the son of Poseidon. But, the sea-god spat him back out. He was twelve. He’s a demigod. Not your average super. Which also means the others his age don’t consider him a super. He’ll never make the big leagues”

“That’s really sad.”

“Vik, I don’t need a wingman. Alia it wasn’t that sad. I had people to help me.”

Vik raised an eyebrow. “Alia’s a doctor.”

“Woah I’m by no means able to offer anything but basic life support. I just know how to keep your heart beating.”

Stu floated over to where Vik was running a program. He seemed to permanently levitate himself a couple inches off the ground to keep his boots clean. “Are you done?”

“I’ve been done for a bit. It’s Dreamer.”

Alia butt in. “Who’s the Dreamer?”

Vik cleared his throat. He googled the name and an image popped up. It was a girl in a violet witch’s costume throwing a dreamcatcher in the air. The girl’s face was unnaturally pale and her hair and eyes were the same violet as her robes. Even her makeup was the same shade. The lipstick as well. Alia was sure she’d seen it somewhere. “She’s a psychotic villain who likes artifacts or jewels of nocturnal origin. She’s into magic as well. Even though she can’t practice. She’s also known to horde mattresses and pillows.”

Then Alia realized where she’d seen the lipstick. “She’s my neighbor.”

Both Vivek and Stupendous Wave burst out laughing.

Then the same feminine scream burst through the say.

“Boy you really need to getting around to changing that ringtone.”

“Shut up Vik.” Stu checked the id before groaning and answering. “Hey baby.”

Elina’s voice was loud as usual. Alia couldn’t believe she’s forgotten how much it had annoyed her. “Hey did you get the laptop to Vik’s dump?”

“Alia, the girl who has a name, isn’t safe at her own house.”

“I don’t care about non-supers Stu. They’re annoying little ants I have to deal with.”

“Babe, the Dreamer is her neighbor and the Dreamer took a picture of her and me together.”

“Shut up for a minute. What the--Stu you’re on the news. You and that stupid whatever blogger girl.”

Alia piped up. “I have a name.”

Vik put his robotic arm on her shoulder and tried to soothe her. “Superiority complex. Common in most supers. This is why we live separately. They’re over-ruled in Sky City by a system that can repair itself so they have little understanding of basic human interaction. But the main thing is all we have to do is report her and this should close cleanly.”

Just as he was saying this a spotlight lit up the store,

Stu froze. He landed. He looked terrified at Vik. “Vik, this is the reformatory squad from Sky City. Did you--” his eyes flashed in Alia’s direction.

Vik took the hint. “Don’t worry about us, I’ll make sure she doesn’t get tangled up in this at all.”

Alia was shoved into a giant sarcophagus that was leaning against the wall. She was encased inside a box of darkness as she heard the roar of machines. Stu and Vik hurriedly gave statements and were hassled by robots. She could hear the automated voices grow closer. Them scanning the premises.

A single thought bothered her, Why am I hiding?

When her knees started to hurt from standing stiffly for so long, Vik opened the door. Outside the sky was changing day into night. “Breathe.”

Alia couldn’t see over Vik’s massive shoulders. “Why? What happened to Stu--Stupendous Wave?” The name sounded silly now. To her he would now be Stu

“Well, there is a legal system. He’ll have a hearing to say he’s not in a relationship with you. We wanted to avoid the media frenzy that would come with that. They’re going to make an example of you guys now. But once he’s done being that. He’ll be free. Sky City has a much stricter disciplinary system than we do?” Vik gave Alia some room to stretch as he recalibrated his own circuits.

“What about my laptop?”

“It’s no big. I’ll just upgrade you. I’ll give you a better model. Don’t worry about paying me.”

“Vik--you couldn’t. Why don’t you let me cook you dinner? It’s the least I could do.”

Alia was apprehensive when she walked up the stairs to her apartment. It had started raining outside and somewhere in her mind it unsettled her that she’d lived so close to a Super and not really noticed it. The vacant sign on the door next to hers did little to alleviate her tension.

She unlocked the door and went in. The apartment was eerily chill. Her coffee from this morning was cold. Her phone on the kitchen countertop vibrated with a text message. Alia unlocked the phone.

It was from Vik. Hey it’s V. Stu asked if you’re ok. I’ll be over by 9.

After eating, Vik & Alia decided to tune into the deposition that Stu would be giving about well everything that happened today. Vik sat in the armchair while Alia curled up with a blanket and her cats. Both had steaming cups of hot chocolate in their hands. The tv’s glare reflected on the balcony’s glass doors. Vik complained loudly about how outdated the little thing was, but shut up as the deposition started.

Stu was in the frame, still in his suit and mask. He was seated in a wooden chair and table in front of a camera crew. His arms were crossed and he looked tired. His ginger hair was matted with sweat. The same sweatiness was visible on his face.

Off screen the lawyer’s voice was irate. “Remember today when I asked you.”

“I don’t have to listen to anything that you have to say. I don’t have to do any of this”

The lawyer cleared his throat. “Stupendous Wave, we ask that you please comply with regulation. You have a lot of young people looking up to you. You’re a role model in both Sky City and beyond. I will ask you again. Did you . . . or did you not enter the home of a non-super with the intent of having relations with her.”

“No. Your honor, I did not. “

“Do you have any questions about my question?”

“My only question is why I’ve been grilled for six hours about an incident that I have given my proof for. The main culprit, the super who called herself Dreamer, has been arrested, apprehended, and charged. I have a girlfriend who testified. I don’t understand why this is such a big deal. I don’t agree with the system that states supers and non-supers can’t coexist peacefully.”

The footage cut to a newsflash and Vik turned off the tv. “Stupid, stupid, stupid. Just take it and you can leave Stewart.”

Alia didn’t know what to think. She was both impressed and disturbed at what had happened/ “He kind of reminds me of MLK. That kid really could be something if he wanted to be. But more importantly, why isn’t the press contacting me?”

“Elina Electric said we were just thrown in by mistake. Her words carry more weight because her dad and mom are from the old generation. Remember: a super’s world is worth a lot more than ours Alia.”

“Then why did you guys protect me?”

“This is a media maelstrom. You said earlier you wanted out of all of this so Stu took the blame for everything instead of you.”

“I don’t like that.”

“If you were smart, you’d shut down the blog.”

“No, that’s my income. I’m paying for college with that and I don’t want to take money from anyone I want to do it on my own. I wish there was something I could do. I feel really bad.”

“Stu’s a public figure he was bound to deal with this eventually. It’s life for him. You shouldn’t take it personally.”