The Indestructibles (Book 4): Like A Comet by Matthew Phillion Page B

surprise
actually reaches your brain.
          "I hate you sometimes,"
Billy said.
          "I love when you talk out
loud to Dude and you think nobody's listening," Emily said, emerging from
the interior of the Tower. Frustrated by the progress of her replacement Fourth
Doctor scarf, she'd begun testing out different signature items, and tonight
she wore one of her hand-made Jayne Cobb wool hats over her neon-blue hair.
          "Hey, Em," Billy said.
          "You're leaving right now,
aren't you?" Emily. "You sneaky git."
          "Well, I was going to, but
clearly you're going to rat me out," Billy said.
          Emily walked up to the edge of the
platform as well, dangling one foot over, fearless.
          "I want to come with you,"
she said.
          "You can't," Billy said.
          "One: we don't know that for
sure, and Two: yeah, I know. I'm kind of jealous, y'know," Emily said.
          "Of scouting out an invading
army of aliens."
          "No, man, you get to do what
I've wanted to do since I was three years old," Emily said. "I want
to just…"
          She waved her hand vaguely at the
empty sky above them.
          "Go where no man has gone
before. Up, up and away. Into a galaxy far, far away. Take me out to the black,
tell 'em I ain't coming back," Emily said, the last part sing-songy.
          "Now you're singing theme
songs," Billy said.
          "I'm serious, though,"
Emily said. "This world is such a drag, man. Why do you think I do the
things I do? I'm bored. I want to be out there."
          "Maybe you'll get your
chance."
          "Y'think?" Emily said. "Maybe
someday, right? We save this stupid, mean, boring world, we make sure it's
okay, and then you and me and Dude and Watson, we can find ourselves a
Corellian stock light freighter and go travel the star lanes?"
          Billy stared at Em for a moment,
watching as she playfully stepped off the platform and floated herself back
onto it repeatedly.
          "I can't tell if you're being
serious or not," Billy said.
          Emily looked up at him, a huge,
almost feral grin on her face.
          "C'mon, Billy Case, you know
you want to go explore the universe. Meet yourself an alien princess from a far
away world. I'll learn how to duel with a laser sword. It'll be awesome."
          "You're a space cadet,
Entropy Emily."  
          "I prefer the term 'starship
captain,'" she said. "Look, just come home safe, okay?"
          "I will."
          "Tell Dude I told him he
needs to take care of you."
          I heard her, Dude said.
          "He heard you," Billy
said.
          "Good." Emily took her
hat off and stuffed it on Billy's head instead. "It's dangerous to go
alone. Take this."
          "You said the same thing to
Annie when she left," Billy said.
          "Well, the same logic
applies," Emily said. "Now you're a meme."
          "How do I look?" Billy
said. "I know the answer to this ques—"
          "Man walks down the street in
that hat, people understand he's afraid of nothing."
          "I knew you were going to say
that," Billy said.
          "It's a cunning hat."
          "Be safe when I'm gone, Em."
          "Don't die, Billy Case."
          "I won't," Billy said.
          "Watson will be so mad at you
if you don't come home."
          "I'll keep that in mind."
          Billy looked once more into the
sky, held his hands loosely at his sides.
          "Up, up, and away, huh, Dude?"
          'To infinity, and beyond,' the
alien said.
          "Did you just make a Toy
Story joke, Dude?"
          I did. Why are you so
surprised?
          Billy laughed, his first real
laughter in as long as he could remember.
          "No reason," He said. "Okay.
Here we go. 'To infinity, and beyond.'"
          Billy Case rose into the air, fast
as a rocket, swifter than a shooting star, a streak of white and blue