Chapter Three

Ruby The Detective

 

 

"A week has passed since their murder, it has been quiet since their deaths. I can't help but think Z hates me for not protecting them."

Ruby laid on her bed, on a Saturday morning, alone, only her thoughts to keep her company. Anxiety seeped through, scaring her with thoughts of hate.

"Z hates me because I couldn't protect them with all these powers I have. He must think I am a failure, that is probably why he's acting like that at school."

Ruby sits up: "That's it, no more sitting around, I need to clear my head."

Slapping her cheeks and gaining newfound energy. Dressing in a nice sweater to combat the cold winter and heading outside. The lawn was covered in snow and the trees' leaves all withered away leaving branches with no protection from the snow. Everyone's lawn was nice and cleared from the snow, a boy walks out the front door across the street. He hops into the snow pile, burning it away with the fire emitting from his hands. Walking around the neighborhood and seeing all the happy faces of the families. 

Ruby: "I need to think, what would prompt anyone to kill my parents. Was it a vendetta, or a loan that hasn't been paid?"

Finding herself walking down the streets of the big city, everyone was in a rush to get somewhere, either to get out of the cold or on a business trip. Skyscrapers covered the city head to toe, two of the biggest skyscrapers belong to two separate hero associations, Fight the good fight and The hero society. Both are completely different in how they handle things. One is pure corporate professionalism, the other is more of a super team that helps little-time heroes in tasks. Only if they were better at their job they would know who killed her parents.

"I have no leads to start on."

A newspaper flows by getting her attention, using her enhanced eyes, she reads the paper as it flows into the cold winter wind. 

"A deranged super dies at the hands of a norm."

She got the street info as it said where the crime took place.

Ruby: "Maybe it is because Z killed someone."

"Screw it."

Ruby lifts into the air, out of the crowded sidewalk, and into the open air with little traffic. Looking up the location on her phone designated for heroes who can fly, she makes it faster than any car could. Landing gently, police tape closed off the alley. dunking under the tape to get a look at the crime scene. Old blood stained the cold floor, Z's awakening.

Ruby feels the ground: "It feels warm, someone has been here recently. With all these powers I still can't figure it out."

Ruby leaves the crime scene: "I wonder what Z is doing."

She tries to connect with him: "Come on Z pick up. Nothing. The only other place I know he goes to the gym, it's worth a shot."

Slowly descending downwards, she enters the gym just to be greeted by the receptionist.

Receptionist: "Hello may I help you."

Ruby: "Yeah I am looking for a guy named Z."

Receptionist: "He is not talking to anyone right now, maybe come later."

Ruby: "I am his sister." 

Receptionist: "I will go on the intercom right now, *holding down the mic button* Z, your sister is here."

Receptionist: "He will be right over."

Ruby: "Thank you."

Receptionist: "Have a nice day."

Ruby: "You too."

Z can be seen walking from the bench press area only with shorts and a towel around his neck. 

Z: "Hey sis why are you here."

Ruby was stunned: "What in the, you really changed Z, did you grow taller too!"

Z bluntly: "Ruby I am busy, what do you need."

Ruby a little hurt: "Oh well I just wanted to see what you were doing."

Z: "I am working out as you can see, it is the only thing I can do to better myself. It is the only way to survive that school."

Ruby: "How long do you work out."

Z: "Nine hours a day every day."

Z turns around: "You can join me if you want, *turn his head to the Receptionist*, is that alright."

Receptionist giving him flirty eyes: "She can work out as much as she wants."

Z: "Thanks Cass, *turns back to Ruby*, so yes or no."

Ruby trying to turn him down: "Well I didn't bring extra clothes."

Z walks away: "Why don't you fly to the house and get clothes then, I will be here till midnight."

"Still feel like he is mad at me, I guess I will do what he said if I want to do anything with him."

Taking off once again, she comes back with a duffle bag and towel, entering the gym she spots Z jogging on a treadmill. Ruby slowly makes her way over, Z still hasn't noticed her as he starts to up the speed until he is sprinting. Zooming in on the speed, he was going twenty miles per hour, after a minute of straight running he stops to a slow walk.

Ruby makes her entrance known: "There you are Z, ready for the treadmill."

Z looks from the corner of his eye: "You sure, from what I know you don't have super speed."

Ruby: "I don't need super speed to beat you."

Z: "Alright then."

"Does he have that much energy after running for that long?"

The treadmills startup, a light jog so far but quickly ramping up the speed until they are dashing at eight miles per hour. 

"He doesn't seem to be slowing down, maybe a little faster."

The speed goes to ten, Ruby starts breaking a sweat, and Z on the other hand looks like he is walking on a beautiful day. She is the one to stop, huffing all hard as Z stops just to check on her.

Z: "Are you good?"

Ruby holds up a finger: "Give, me- a minute."

Z: "I'm going to take a shower."

Ruby: "Wait! How about round two."

"Dang, he has been hiding this from me for how long now. It is like he is a totally different person, I'm a stranger to him. I need to leave."

She took her leave, blasting off into the sky holding tears in her eyes and thoughts in her mind. Landing on the lawn of her home, she was a broken mess. Shoving the front door open almost sending the door off its hinges. Rushing up the stairs up to her bedroom, shoving her head into the pillow and crying her head off. Something feels different as she cries her anger out, the pillow glows red as she is crying. Until two lasers burst through the pillow through her bed. Ruby jumped up rubbing her eyes, a fiery sensation coursed through her eyes, she see why as she stares at the holes she created.

Ruby starstruck: "I have another power, how many do I have hidden from me."

Z shouts from downstairs: "Ruby, are you okay, you left suddenly!"

Ruby rushes to shove the pillow away and hide the hole in her bed with a blanket.

Ruby: "Yeah I am okay, just didn't feel good today! Thanks for checking on me!"

Z: "No problem, I am going to go for a light jog then come back!"

Ruby: "Okay have a good Jog!"

Z closes the front door, only a black hoodie and a duffle bag to accompany him.