I like that. Made me chuckle. "I'm hiding...and you can't see me. At all."
(Yay, always yay, for Heroid stories.)
There are no words for what this community, and the friends I have made here mean to me. Please know that I care for all of you, yes, even you. If you Twitter, I'm MrThan. If you're Unleashed, I'm dumps. I'll try and get registered on the Titan Forums as well. Peace, and thanks for the best nine years anyone could ever ask for.
Nice story Heroid. Thanks for sharing...although a strange note in my pocket from amysterious benefactors would make me nervous.
Just statin' 
Let us stifle under mud at the pond's edge
and affirm that it is fitting
and delicious to lose everything. ~ Donald Hall
[ QUOTE ]
(Yay, always yay, for Heroid stories.)
[/ QUOTE ]
Agreed.
Good read there I laughed.
So will alias, Smith get a partner named alias, Jones? 
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is a natural manure. -Thomas Jefferson
Read the Patriot newsletter. It's right, it's free.
The Rock is not a huge school, attendance-wise. I wouldnt call it elite either. As far as I know, Ms. Love and her staff have never turned away a student in need, either of a home or of an education.
It offers a diverse course of study, with the normal subjects that one would find in any public school, but with special classes for students with special needs, which is wordiness for were mainly a school for kids with super powers. Inasmuch as I can tell, Mr. Kinsolving, the headmaster tries to integrate the student body as best as he can, mixing classes to suit individual abilities and learning levels, going so far as to allow the normal kids to take the special classes so long as the class poses no threat to the student or vice versa.
My name is Anita Jones Nita, they call me and Im a normal.
I wound up at the Rock after my parents were killed in some place called Firebase Zulu. I dont know what that is, exactly. My parents were U.S. Marines, not superheroes. They werent supposed to both be in a combat zone at the same time. Then again, its like my mom used to say, What part of Paragon City is not a combat zone? According to witnesses, they were zapped into nonexistence by a giant floating eyeball.
Whats that? Why didnt I leave Paragon City and go live with my moms aunt in West Virginia? Duh. West Virginia. Hellooo.
So Ms. Love made a place for me here.
Im not one of the Popular kids. Oh no. For that you really have to be not normal. What Im saying is, you have to have powers. Thats not an official policy, and Im pretty sure Mr. Kinsolving and Ms. Love take a dim view of that kind of classifying people, but lets face it in this town, having powers is like being a football star at a high school in any other city in the U.S.A.
So, like I said, Im not one of the Popular kids.
Now, dont get me wrong. I didnt say I wasnt popular -- just that Im not one of the Populars. Theres a difference. Everybody knows that.
I take Advanced Pys Ed, one of the special subjects. Ms. Collette Valliant used to teach it. Shes on a leave of absence and now they have guest (as in, superhero) teachers come in, which is cool. Its not what youd call an accredited class, anyway. And sometimes they dont let me participate, due to the fact that theyre afraid I might get injured during something like a rooftop jumping class (which looks really fun).
Theres this boy in that class named Smith. I know youre expecting me to finish that sentence with,
and I have a crush on him. Well, I dont. Not at all. For one thing, hes got a girlfriend, Jessie Eagle, one of the most popular of the Populars. Heck, he doesnt know it, but hes probably got two girlfriends, if you ever notice how that Cassi Nova looks at him.
So, no, I dont have a crush on him. Never entertained the thought. Hes too skinny for me anyway. (Now that Jericho Stone
meow! Oh, wait hes married. Can you believe that!?)
The thing with Smith is the name.
Get it? Smith? And my name is Jones? See? Its perfect.
Smith & Jones.
You dont get it? Well, Im not going to spell it out.
So here am I, taking Advanced Phys Ed. Im learning fencing, Tai Kwon Do, archery all sorts of stuff like that. And Im getting pretty darned good at it.
And when Im ready, Smith is going to have a new partner for his extracurricular adventures. Criminals everywhere will learn to fear the team of Smith and Jones!
And Ill become a Popular.
Gyah! Somebody shoot me!
Whoa put away the gun there, it was just a figure of speech.
You know, Im still new at all this hero stuff. Its not like I have a reputation or anything. Say, Here comes Smith, to Frostfire and I guarantee he will not start shaking in his boots.
As Im making my way back home to the Rock, Im trying to sort this out. Im not Statesman. Im not Ascendant. Heck, Im not even Encharger. Why in the world would someone
?
Whats that? To what am I referring? Let me tell you about my night.
It was a rare homeworkless evening. I probably should have used the free time to bone up on my Trig (Im making a C in that class), but Jessie (my girlfriend) was busy with her dad (Commander Smersh) and I hate studying by myself (bo-ring). So I decided to go out and adventure a bit. (By adventure I mean heroing.)
Talos Island is my current project. The Tsoo and the Warrior situation is always on the verge of erupting into a full-scale gang war. The Warriors are an interesting bunch, well-trained and somewhat idealistic in a twisted sort of way. Too bad they use their lofty aspirations to rationalize some of he most brutal malfeasance in the city. And besides that, you have the Freakshow, a bizarre gang, whose members wield incredible power and are all pretty much insane.
About twenty minutes into my patrol, I happened upon a few Freakshow vandalizing cars in the hospital parking lot; two doing the actual vandalizing, and one standing at lookout. I never question the motivations of Freaks -- as I said, theyre insane I just try to stop them from doing whatever it is theyre doing. I know better than to engage them physically, and so I dashed down a nearby alley where some dumpsters afforded me a cover from which to stage my attack.
Utilizing my amazing mind snipe, I took down the lookout. The other two didnt notice him drop, so I decided to try it again. These two were just a bit further away than the lookout had been, and that short bit of extra distance robbed my mind snipe of some of its effectiveness. Instead of rendering my target unconscious, it just gave him a mild headache and pissed him off.
So now I had two angry Freaks charging toward me. To make matters worse, the lookout Freak was getting back up!
(I hate when I miss a shot.)
I turned to race away but somehow, for some reason, a group of Tsoo was performing a summoning at the far end of the alley.
My backup plan? Hold my breath until I fainted so that my mediport patch would take me to the hospital.
Just kidding. Im a swimmer and somewhat of an athlete, so it would take longer to pass out from holding my breath than it took for the Freakshow to close the distance between us.
I did figure on my mediport patch getting activated pretty soon though.
Suddenly
(Now I know when something unexpected happens rather quickly people use the word suddenly, and its used so often that, in my opinion, anytime it turns up in a retelling of any kind, its almost a cliché. But what else can you use? After all, abruptly and unexpectedly do not communicate quite the same idea.)
Suddenly, out of nowhere (yes, another cliché, I know) an arrow came flying toward the closest of the Freaks. It deflected off of the large metal pincer that served for his arm and ricocheted my way, drawing blood as it nicked my right ear.
The three Freaks and I all turned toward the source of the arrow. Standing on the top of a delivery van parked not far away was a girl dressed in black tights and a ninja mask. She held in her hand a common hunting bow such as you would find at any sporting goods store, and on her side she wore a sheathed katana sword.
You could have put my eye out! Yes, she had interrupted the for certain kicking of my behind, and all I did was shout at her.
I think she said, Sorry, and then drew her sword and leapt into charge on the alley.
The Freakshow left me and gave their attention to her. The sword was out of her hand before she had a chance to use it. Clearly she was a rookie (even more so than I) and I couldnt let them kill her. There was no time for a prolonged fight. I had to do something desperate. I chose the lightest of the Freaks and telekinetically shoved him down the alley and into the middle of the Tsoo summoning ceremony.
Now the alley was full of both Freaks and ninjas and ninja sorcerers. The result was complete confusion. I grabbed the rookie and pulled her out of the alley. I clasped her hand tightly as we ran across the parking lot and up the hospital steps. Once we were safely inside, I said:
What the heck do you think youre doing?
With the ninja mask, all I could see was her eyes.
I was backing you up, she said.
If I need backup, Ill call for real backup. (Usually, Im much nicer than that when dealing with people.)
I am real backup. I saved you didnt I?
Saved me? I came out of that scrap with only one injury and you caused it! I touched the wound on my ear and showed her the blood on my fingers to drive my point home.
That was an accident, (and at least in my imagination, I thought she looked a bit repentant under the mask), And I still got you out of that situation.
I looked her over. She was skinny. Im surprised she had the strength to draw her bowstring.
Are you hurt? I asked.
No.
I looked her over again.
Do you even have a mediport patch?
No.
Gosh! Are you crazy?
No, she said, and at this point I could swear she was smiling under there. Im your partner.
But I dont need a sidekick.
I didnt say sidekick. I said partner.
But before I could finish my question, she gave me a punch to the solar plexus, and while I was incapacitated, she ran out the door, and I havent seen her since.
But
a sidekick!
Somebody shoot me.
*Sighs contentedly*
You gotta love teen superhero romance.
That was awesome! I totally saved him!
Of course, hes a boy and would never admit it, let alone thank me for it. But I did. I saved him.
Okay, maybe my approach was a tad off (and maybe my aim was too, a little), but if I put an extra hour a day into training, I should get even better than I already am!
I suppose I really should go to city hall and register and get my medi-port patch and all that, but then I couldnt be mysterious. And I want to be mysterious. I want build up the suspense and have the newsboys shout my name oh, wait
they cant shout my name if Im incognito. Ah well, then I want them to shout out, Who IS this Mystery Girl!?!
And then after everyone is wondering who she is, Ill go some place very public (and make sure the media is present) then Ill whip off the mask, and say, Its just little ol me Nita Jones! One half of the totally terrific duo, Smith and Jones!"
You still dont get the name thing?
Whatever.
But hes going to have to get over this ego thing. I mean
sidekick? Sidekick? If it was anybody else, Id be really miffed.
But hell learn. I just have to be patient. And train. Lots of training.
By next week, I should be ready for anything.
Anything.
Ive been avoiding these guys, at least when Im by myself. Jessie seems to think Im plenty good enough now to take them on, but Im not so sure. Maybe its just their reputation and their commitment to their cause. Or maybe its the fact that they employ the use of monsters in their assaults on Paragon City.
Either way, the Council is nothing to take lightly.
My friend Ben assures me that their vampires at least arent really supernatural creatures, but Im not taking any chances. Ive got cloves of garlic in my utility belt. For the werewolves, Im carrying with me a silver dagger. Foolish, maybe, but I believe in being responsibly prepared.
The guards at the base entrance were neither sub- nor super-human. They were just Nebula soldiers. I considered activating the stealth functions of my uniform, but I figured Id have to come out through the same entry point, and even if I did stealth my way in, then Id still have this Dr. Verkovian to get out past them. My amazing mind snipe takes care of them both.
Labyrinthine its a good word for Council bases. Not that Ive been in that many. Ive just heard about them. Several of my classmates and teachers have had adventures that took them to places such as this. But the twisting and turning makes it easy to sneak about, and if the doctor has any talent at all for being quiet, we should be able to get escape with minimal confrontations.
I probably should have brought the Alpha Teen Mega Meta Force with me (actually, the name changes every time we get together we being Cassi, Skye, Metamite, and me its just fun to think of us as some sort of super group), but a quick locate and grab is more easily accomplished solo (at least, I think so). The first few hundred feet of tunnels and rooms go smoothly, and so my decision to come alone is vindicated. Ive seen only twelve Council troops in here not an overwhelming number, not so many that I couldnt fight my way out if I have to. But Im hoping I dont have to.
I turn a corner, and find myself in some sort of laboratory. There he is, two guards with only side-arms standing over him. I double-check the photo I was given to be sure, and then its time for my amazing mi
That sound I hear is an alarm. They know Im here, but
how? No time to ponder that now! No time for stealth either!
I go ahead and charge right in, taking a handful of sand out of a pouch on my belt and tossing it into the eyes of the first guard. I position myself so that both he and the doctor are between me and the second guard and throw several quick blows to his solar plexus. (And believe me, I havent forgotten how that feels.) Hes down on one knee trying not to retch, so I move on to the second guard. I hate fighting in close quarters. It involves using my powers not so much to addle or render my foe unconscious I have to use them in a way that could possibly cause serious physical injuries.
Its not so much that I think these fellows dont deserve such abuse Im quite sure they do its just that Im afraid that some day I might really seriously injure someone. Disable someone permanently. Kill someone.
I use my TK to slam the second guard into the wall hard! That doesnt make him drop his gun so I do it again, except harder. When he starts to get up, I do it a third time. This time he stays put.
I grab the doctor by the sleeve of his jacket and say, Cmon, Im here to rescue you.
Normally, when you rescue someone from a criminal organization they do their best to keep up (some succeed more so than others), but Dr. Verkovian jerked loose and said, Did Vahzilok send you!? No matter! I serve the Center!
Yeah, like that, like hes some sort of madman.
Then he disappeared through a hidden door.
Aaaand now it occurs to me that maybe those guards werent guards after all, but rather assistants.
Forget him. The alarms are still sounding. I activate my stealth and rush toward the exit. The soldiers in the base are scurrying about like ants when their nest is disturbed. Theyre looking for me, but hopefully, Ill be out of the base before it occurs to them to use something besides their eyes to look.
And there it is the exit. The two guards I took out are being assisted up by two more soldiers. I think I can get to the door and out before they realize whats happening
Thats when I hear a girl scream.
((Haven't had time to update. This is a bump. ))
Maybe this wasnt such a good idea.
I mean, I came prepared flare arrows, net arrows, napalm arrows, C-4 arrows, two rapiers but how does all that help you when like ten bad guys sneak up on you from behind. (And come to think of it, how did ten of them sneak up on me? Its like they just
appeared.)
I really, really regret that I screamed. Not only because I embarrassed myself, but also because, well, its just not intimidating, yknow?
Also, Im reeeeaaally having second thoughts about having Smith for a partner. When he came running down the corridor toward where all these big guys had pinned me down while they stripped me (weapon-wise, not my clothes perv!) I figured we would team up and kick some bad guy butt!
But you know, Im starting to think maybe Smiths just not that good.
He came charging in and those guys dropped me and were on him like a pack of wild dogs. And then more came from behind him and I knew he was in over his head. His psi powers took a few of them down, and he was able to cloud the minds of a couple so that they wound up hitting each other, but there were so many
I focused my chi and joined the fight with only my fists.
Now were hanging on chains from the ceiling. Smiths half-unconscious because they have to keep his mighty brain-blasts disabled. Ive been awake the whole time of course because without my weapons and with my hands and feet bound, Im not that much of a threat.
Weve both been jabbed with needles and scanned with scanners and looked over by these weirdo Council scientists like were lab mice. This really skinny, gaunt one with grey hair and a Hitler mustache seems to be in charge. His name is Verkovian.
One of the under-scientists says, He is more than baseline meta-human, but what else he may be we cannot ascertain.
To which Verkovian replies, What about the girl?
All right. Go ahead and say it. Go ahead and say, Shes nothing special. Just a girl. Just a normal girl.
Shes definitely baseline meta.
What?
Verkovian comes over and looks at me like Im an Aldomicci handbag and hes got no credit limit.
Meta
Im what?
What kind of powers do you have, child?
How am I supposed to answer that? I didnt even know I had powers until now! What am I supposed to say? I dont know? That would sound stupid. So I make something up. Something that sounds awesome and intimidating.
I
um
have a healing factor.
Verkovian points to the puncture marks on my arms where they had taken blood samples.
What about those, he asks, why arent they healed?
Think. Think.
Because
um
its like there has to be like
a certain percentage of
um
damage.
That sounded unconvincing, and now that I think of it, maybe a little stupid
Oh?
Verkovian smiles and says, You may be exactly what I am looking for. A self-healer. Unkillable. Someone with a talent for dying.
Then he turns to this Council soldier and holds his hand out. When the soldier hands his sidearm over to Verkovian, I start to really worry.
Then he puts the gun against my chest and squeezes the trigger
People dont know a lot about me other than shes the healer, and I tend to try to keep it that way. Its frustrating sometimes, because I want to scream at them that I dont need to be guarded as close as everyone thinks I do. But its my own fault for keeping it all set up that way, right? If I get TOO frustrated, I can get CaytnCaytlin, Jer and Ames, or Clint to come out with me and get it all out of my system.
Thing most people dont know about me number one: Im a precog. Not constantly like Jer, but enough. Im trying to learn to use it right, but its hard. Its hard to come up with reasons to ask people to go to the right place when I know something bad is going to happen. Sometimes I just dont have enough warning and I have to go do it myself. Thats half the reason Im in a Council base right now. Of course, the other half is that its my boyfriend and his sidekick thats in trouble.
The fact that Im here alone would be enough to make a lot of people I know freak out, but you know, thats number two: Im fully capable of taking care of myself. Mike got me enrolled in Aikido classes a couple years ago, so basic self-defense is covered. And if I get in over my head, I just run away a little bit, then duck somewhere where theres no cameras and start thinking Im not here and people run right past me. It lets me catch my breath and regen a bit. Hope taught me how to fight with my electricity, too. Im not strong with it, but all Im trying to do is stun people. Electricity is really good for that.
Fact number three? I can read Russian. Why does that have anything to do with anything? Mostly because the KGB has all kinds of old USSR training manuals lying around in the library. Theres lots of really interesting and useful info in there if youre willing to learn. Like
oh
how to mix explosive pastes to blow apart doors. And which ones should be used if youre in a hurry, which ones shouldnt be used around people or fragile objects, and which ones can. This one Im using is really fun because you can use an electric current to start it. The manual recommends a 9-volt or stronger battery, but I think I have that covered on my own.
Fact number four? We Eagles looooooove dramatic entrances. Eyes and ears!
((Special thanks to LadyA for allowing Smith's girlfriend, Jessie Eagle, to come to the rescue. Thanks for your post, LadyA! ))
I was awake, aware, but there was a disconnect between my brain and my body, I guess even between my brain and my brain. My psi powers, my motor functions all were shut down. I wanted to rescue Jones and escape, but I was helpless to do so. Sure she was a pest, a meddler, a muddler, but she hardly deserved to die for it.
Why, oh why, of all the lies she could have come up with did she tell him she was unkillable?
When he put that gun to her chest, I felt my mouth go dry. I couldnt shout. My voice was as incapacitated as the rest of me. I was useless worse, I was responsible for her being there, at least I felt so at that moment.
I tried to close my eyes as he pulled the trigger, but I could not so much as blink. Jones eyes went wide, and if she screamed I didnt hear it. I didnt hear anything except the explosion.
The room shook and I swung violently in my chains, which snapped, and sent me crashing into Jones and Verkovian. At the same time the labs heavy steel door went flying across the room, taking out most of the Council soldiers and scientists. A cloud of dust and smoke roiled up and I was now not only deafened, but I couldnt see as well. However, I was surprised to find that I could move now, my mind suddenly clear.
I floundered about trying to find Jones. I had to get her out of there. I couldnt hear for the loud ringing in my ears.
Then a voice said:
Come on, Clint! Ive already got her!
Now I understood my mind cleared, my hearing healed. Only Jessie calls me Clint.
With my hearing restored the sounds of chaos flooded my senses. Kit, Jessies voltaic pet was wreaking havoc among those Council still standing. And Verkovian was shouting in desperation, Where is the girl? Did you see if she healed?! Where is she!?!
I followed Jessie out of the lab and into the corridor. Jones was with her, the flimsy tights she wore for a costume ripped to embarrassing shreds. Despite the impropriety, I found myself checking her nearly naked chest for a gaping bullet wound. There was not one, no doubt thanks to Jessies amazing healing powers.
The sharp tak tak tak of boots on concrete told us that reinforcements were on the way. I looked at Jones with the obvious question on my face.
Im good. Im all right, Jones said.
We ran opposite the direction of the approaching bad guys and headed for the exit. Fortunately most of the Council troops seemed to be deeper into the base; no doubt they headed for the lab before coming after us which bought us more time. The few soldiers we met on the way out were no match for Jessie and me together.
Moments later, were here, catching our breath on a beach two hundred yards away from the base entrance. Jones is sitting, shuddering and sobbing. Jessie is squatted next to her and looking up at me worriedly. I kneel next to them.
Its all right, Jones, I say. I just hope youve learned your lesson. Playing superhero is dangerous. If not for the fact that Jessie healed your gunshot wound
But I didnt heal her.
Im sure Jessies pulling my leg.
Sure you did I saw Dr. Verkovian pull the trigger, point blank
I cant heal people of death you know.
Jones stops shaking and looks up at me. You mean
I knew where she is heading, but I really dont want to hear it. More, I dont want to admit that its the only explanation.
You mean
I really do have a healing factor?
I really want to tell her shes mistaken, but all I do is stammer.
Wow! she says, all traces of fear now gone and forgotten, I really am a superhero! Awesome!
Im feeling so awesome. Im going to be like a female Statesman! I just have to learn what triggers my powers and learn to control that trigger and then Ill be invincible! But right now Im ready to give up. My friends have already given up. Seems like Im the only one who believes in me.
Try it again, I say. I try not to sound too demanding.
They all look at me. Nobody moves. The golf club and the aluminum baseball bat are leaned against the wall and theyre all just looking at them like theyre afraid to pick them up.
Were done, Jessie Eagle announces like shes in charge or something.
My anger rises and I say Aw, come on!
Done, she says again.
You can be done! The rest of us can keep trying! I dont need you here anyway! Youre only here to heal me if I get hurt bad and I can do that myself!
Then why havent you done that yet?
Maybe its because none of you are really getting into it!
They all just look at me. I am kinda battered, but nothing serious. I really think it needs to be serious.
I look to CryoJen the only one who actually took a solid swing at me (and left a huge bruise on my upper arm) and say, You can swing at my ribs this time! My head even!
Jen looks like shes thinking about it, but a look from her boyfriend, Ben, and she shakes her head, no.
Jessies right, Smith says, Its over.
What am I supposed to do then? How am I supposed to learn to use my powers? Gosh, I sound so whiny.
Do what we should have done to begin with tell Mr. Kinsolving.
Smith is so gosh-darned straight-arrow, its infuriating.
Ben, the only one of the bunch with any sense about him at all says, But well be in trouble if we do.
I hold up my arms to show off the bruises to drive his point home. Jessie, being the smart alec that she is, heals them. I give her a look and she gives me a look, and I swear if I ever get the chance Im gonna
But then Smith sighs and I know hes beginning to weaken, so I decide to not go upside his girlfriends head.
Look, he says, this isnt working. None of us are going to hit you hard enough to cause serious injury.
I sooo like where I think hes going with this.
And Ive seen you shot, point-blank, only to show no visible signs of a wound just minutes later. I know you have powers
Say it! Say were a team and were going to develop my abilities in real-life combat situations!
and I think that only if the threat is real, will they manifest
Smithy, you are the most awesome partner ever.
But youre on your own. I will not be responsible for you. I will not watch you throw yourself in the line of fire just to prove your powers. Sorry.
Then he and his friends walk away.
Smith, you #@#$$@%^&&@#!
Of course I didnt really mean it. I believe that no one should ever really be on your own. The world is a big, scary place and we all need someone to watch our backs. Which is exactly what Im doing, anonymously, from a distance.
Shes not really bad, you know. Shes better at the hand-to-hand stuff than I am. And with her weapons -- sword, bow, shuriken shes very proficient. But shes not quite up to the skill level she needs to be at to survive as a costumed adventurer.
I had worried that she would immediately return to that Council base to prove herself. If she had, I was entirely prepared to go to the adults and explain the situation. Perhaps get Mr. Jake involved. But Nita seems to have enough sense to start slowly, with common muggers.
Take the three shes facing down now. She began with a hail of arrows (shes using those barbed, venomous arrows like Mrs. Kinsolving uses, which makes me wonder if she hasnt been raiding other peoples equipment), and now, with two criminals incapacitated, shes beating the third into submission with her sheathed katana. None of the three had a firearm, only knives.
The mugging victim (a middle-aged lady in a business suit) is doing what she should, staying put on the sidewalk and letting the hero do her work.
Ive been following Nita all week (today I had to skip Trig to do so! Gyah! My grade! My grade!) and I must say shes been doing rather well. Every time she has faced ranged weapons of any kind, shes led off with an explosive arrow or a flare, then moved in quickly before the gunmen could recover. It makes me wonder if she has as much faith in her powers as she claims. Probably just as well. Even if she heals herself, I still wouldnt want to see her take two barrels to the chest.
At this rate she will make a name for herself long before I do. Perhaps she should change her hero name to something besides
and Jones. Perhaps I should be her sideki
Wait
theres something odd about the mugging victim. I didnt notice before because the muggers had the woman surrounded, but her shoulders are rather wide, and her jaw very square for a female. And
shes got an adams apple!
Im not the only one whos been keeping tabs on Jones!
Nita!
She doesnt hear me!
Nita!
The woman has a weapon in her hand! I fire off a psi-snipe, but either I miss or it doesnt have an effect!
NITA!
She hears me this time and turns in the direction of my voice. Stupid me! The real threat is to her back now!
The person on the sidewalk raises the weapon and fires! No! The quiver! The explosives! NO!
I see Nitas Are-you-following-me? scowl. I see the flash. I see the fire.
Then shes gone.
How--?
Oooof!
Gosh! I was fighting muggers one minute when I hear Smith call my name, and then the next second, Im flying across a hospital mediport ward like Ive been shot from a cannon!
It only takes me a second to realize Im in Chiron Med Center. Id heard about the place, but this is the first time Ive been here. Of course, Ive only had my mediport patch for about a week and so far, Ive avoided having to use it. I think thats pretty good for a rookie. Not that I really need it.
Hey! You! Dont move!
I find my feet and stand up as the guys in white come running up with fire-extinguishers. Seems my back is on fire. I stand still and let them shoot me with their foam (teehee that sounds dirty!), and when theyre done, I let them check me out (all right, mind out of the gutter).
Of course I know they wont find anything wrong with me. When one of them says, Incredible theres not a mark on her, to which another replies, What are the odds of that? it only confirms the amazingness of my powers.
One of them tells me, Youll have to re-register your abilities, ms.
Ive already thought about that. So far, Ive only registered my martial arts skills, and my archery skills. Self-healing power puts me in a different category altogether. I wonder if I Im a mutant? Or maybe I stumbled onto some sort of magical thingamajig? Ive picked up so many odd items over the past few weeks Tsoo shuriken, Hellion medallions, Circle of Thorns crystals all sorts of stuff. Who knows what might have triggered my powers?
The doctors and nurses finish buzzing around me and Im left alone in the mediport ward. Well, almost alone. Theres one male nurse left. (Or maybe hes an intern. Is there a way to tell?) Tall, blond-haired, with a long, narrow nose and a squarish jaw and cheekbones like a god. Hes cute! And young enough not to be too too old for me. Oh gosh! Hes smiling at me. Wow, hes got nice teeth. If I werent a paragon of virtue, I might hang around and play doctor with him.
Well
Yeesh! I sound more like a teenage girl than a superhero. (Note to self: work on the superhero voice.) I guess I should be going.
His eyes are perfect blue. Dark, like the ocean, not light like the sky. When he talks, its like Bate Williams, the singer from Jommy Cross and the Slans, is singing just to me.
You dont have to leave, he says, then looks at his watch. My shift is over. Give me a minute to change and we can maybe head over to the Hungry Dragon? Have a steak and maybe a drink or two?
A drink or two?
But Im too y
Think about it girl
But Im not dressed
I mean my costume
I point to the scorched fabric on my back.
He nods, understanding, then walks over and opens a panel in the wall. Behind the panel is a huge wardrobe full of clothes.
Its pretty common for you guys to come in here with your costumes half-destroyed. We keep a variety of outfits nice outfits for our citys heroes. Cant have someone like Cobalt Claymore or Soaring Valor walking out of the hospital in rags, you know.
He pulls out a little black Tomi Dior number and a pair of simple but elegant black pumps. He hands them to me, then points to the ladies room door.
You can shower in there. Take your time. Ill wait.
Wow. Just
wow.
((I haven't forgotten this. Just, with the holidays and all, and the Winter Lord thing, I haven't had the time to sit down and write anything else.
So to those of you who are following this, thanks for your patience. ))
By the time I figured out Nitas mediport patch might have activated, it was too late. I waited inside the hospital entrance in case she hadnt come out yet, but after twenty minutes, I knew she was already gone. I tried to hail her comm, but received no reply. The staff at Chiron didnt take kindly to having some teenager quizzing them about a hero passing through. Do you have any idea how many mediport events they process on any given day? Ask them about a specific one, and they will be glad to tell you.
So Ive lost her.
Bloody hell.
The hospital lobby isnt the best place to try to collect your thoughts. People heroes and civilians are constantly going back and forth. Sometimes one of the more well-known of the citys champions passes through and causes a small commotion of whispers, shouts, and autograph hounds.
I could really use some help here. Someone the staff might take seriously. Someone who might be able to get access to todays mediport history. It seems that today only rookie heroes are passing through.
Im on my own.
Excuse me?
Ive got to be careful; the floor receptionist is already losing her patience with me.
What is it this time?
Do you have a computer I could use?
She looks over her glasses at me.
Down that hallway she points, second room on the left.
I find the small office. Its nearly empty, no file cabinets. No huge desk. Just a rolling, armless office chair and a small table with an almost-but-not-quite-out-of-date PC tower and a square LCD monitor. I plug my micro-cam into the USB port on the back.
Ive been recording Nita, hoping to catch her powers on camera, to find out if shes really indestructible. I have a theory, and if I managed to capture todays incident on video, it might provide the proof I need.
There. I see it. The fake mugging victims shot hit directly into the quiver full of explosive arrows. The odds were very small that Nita Jones could survive the explosion, but she did. She beat the odds.
I play it back slower and freeze it. The weapon wasnt a firearm at all it was a teleport ray. Half of Nitas quiver vanished before the ray accidentally detonated the remaining arrows. Even so, the blast should have been enough to kill her before her mediport activated. But as the teleporter dematerialized her quiver, its contents spilled away from her, opening bare inches of space in which to create a concussion wave which pushed her ahead of the fireball. It gave her the fraction of a second she needed for the mediport to take her away before being blown to pieces.
Her power is not that she is indestructible. Its not that she heals instantly. Its not that she cannot die. Nitas power is that she is superhumanly lucky. I bet that time in the Council base, that Dr. Verkovians gun misfired. Thats why she walked away from that without a mark.
The Council is efficient. If they had this trap set, they probably had the possibility of mediporting covered just in case. That means they had an agent waiting in this hospital.
If Im guessing right, she is somewhere in a Council base under the care of Dr. Verkovian. He thinks she can instantly heal or instantly resurrect. Hes going to test her for that.
I hope her luck holds out.
Idiots!
Thats the umpteenth time Dr. Verkovian has yelled that. His men are trying to kill me, and they keep botching the job.
Ive been strapped into this electric chair for two freakin hours while his crew is trying to figure out why no juice is getting to this cap on my head. Before that they had me in a gas chamber, but there was a leak in the seals, and some sort of weird temperature inversion caused a pressure drop in the room outside it and all the cyanide went outside. Three of them dropped before they realized what happened.
These Council guys, theyre known for being pretty up on their game. Dunno why theyre screwing things up so bad. Its pretty funny though.
I wish they would unstrap my hands while they work. My nose itches. I also wish I had on something more than this stupid dress because its cold in here.
Out! Out!
Uh-oh. Wonder what hes up to now? Hes sending all his men out of the room. Now hes coming this way. Gyah. This guy is so creepy. He looks like he hasnt seen sunlight in like, years. And hes got these big bony hands.
My sweet, and yeah his voice is creepy too, I hope this debacle has not diminished your opinion of the competency of the Council. I can assure you, we are quite efficient normally.
Im not disappointed at all. But if youre done with me, Id like to go. I have a report to write before tomorrow.
He gets right in my face and I can tell that he had General Tsos Chicken for lunch. Wow. Mad scientists go to Chinese buffets. You learn all sorts of things when youre a superhero.
Im afraid you will not be going anywhere. Though my tests have failed to function, I think our previous encounter proved your abilities adequately enough.
I roll my eyes.
I have plans for you, you see. So young
so vital.
All right now hes really getting creepy.
I have a machine designed just for a young lady such as yourself. I call it the Exciter!
Okay. Thats it. I have got to pull my hands out of these straps
Ow!
You see, your youth, your vigor
My machine would burn an older person to a charred husk in a matter of hours. But you shall last days perhaps weeks!
Ow! Owowowow!
The Exciter shall bombard you with pain, driving you to your physical limits, thusly activating your healing powers! And then that healing shall be broadcast to specially equipped troops, thereby creating an invincible, unkillable army!
And, yes, he does go, Bwahahahahahaaa!
My first thought was to get in touch with the civilian contacts that heroes throughout the city use to gain info on criminal activity. But it would take too long to get that network going. I really probably should have told an adult at the Rock, but that might just open a can or worms Id rather keep closed.
So, I broke into Nitas room and borrowed some personal items.
My friend Ben is an apprentice sorcerer. Im betting that he can divine Nita Jones location. Unfortunately, Im betting with Nitas life.
Bens room is one of the strangest places Ive ever been. In one corner of the room there is a shrine to Star Trek, which he exclaims to be the greatest science fiction epic ever made. (And not the Star Trek with the bald captain. He idolizes the Priceline Negotiator captain.) His shrine has models of the starship Enterprise and action figures of the crew, some of them are well played with.
His bed occupies another corner, and a set of bookshelves filled with old sci-fi and fantasy books and probably a couple hundred dvds of classic movies occupies another.
The remaining corner looks like something out of one of his fantasy novels. There is a table, the top of which is covered with various bottles and flasks, a crystal ball, and what looks like a small distillery setup. Underneath the table is an oaken chest and a stack of leather-bound books. Oh and theres a skull on the table top also. He wont tell me if its real or not.
A brush? I asked you to bring me one of Nitas personal items. Ben holds it up and looks at it with some disappointment.
I figured it would be personal enough.
Underwear would have been better.
You have a girlfriend.
I know. But it still would have been better.
For you.
For the spell.
I dont see the difference.
Youre not an up and coming major mage, either.
Just do the spell-casting, you perv.
Ben shuts up and does this odd transformation from my smart-allec friend to erudite young wizard. Ive seen him do it before. Its almost like hes really two different people.
He takes a clean beaker and drops the brush in it. Then he takes one of the bottles and pours some dry, reddish powder in with it. He takes the beaker and places it over a Bunsen burner and the reddish powder quickly liquefies so that it looks like the brush is sitting in a small pool of blood.
After a moment, Ben takes the beaker from over the flame and offers it to me.
Drink this, he says.
What?
Drink it.
How can I refuse? I feel responsible for Nitas current plight. I take the container and raise it to my lips.
Stop! Ben shouts and grabs my hand. Hes grinning.
What? Im confused.
I just wanted to see if you would do it.
Hes back to being my smart-allec friend.
What you have to do, he explains, is just use it like a dowsing rod.
A dowsing rod?
Look, he says and takes the brush out of the beaker, dripping red liquid on the stone floor or his room. You just hold it in your hand and you can feel it pull
He hands me the brush, staining my hand red. I grasp its handle firmly, and indeed, I can feel it pull gently toward what? the north? northeast?
Want me to come with you? Ben offers.
I dont even have to think.
Please do. And put out a call for Jessie and Jen see if they can come too!
Yes, I think were going to need the backup.
((Bump and explanation. I hurt my knee at work last week and was unable to sit at a desk for a couple days. Then, this weekend my computer died and what I had written on this story is on the hard drive. Until I get a new pc and get things transfered, I'm sorta out of commission. Thanks for your patience.))
((Bummer. And this story is great! Here's to a new computer, soon.))
"It's hard for you to be yourself, if you don't know who you really are."
Its been five months since I woke up in that Creycare clinic in Independence Port with nothing but the clothes on my back, a note, white hair, and a case of amnesia. Wild when I think about it. Five months, and I still dont have any memories of my past, just vague impressions of living by the sea, probably on an island.
But why should I worry about my past? My present is great! Im going to a great school (I mean, for an orphanage cant let Ms. Love hear me call it that! the Rock is pretty darned awesome!). Im becoming semi-popular. Im dating the prettiest girl in school. Ive joined the Liberty Soccer Club in Atlas Park.
Oh, and Ive got superpowers. That means I get to hang out with the Superheroes.
In Paragon City, if youre not a superhero, youre a victim. Simple as that. The only thing there are more of in this town than superheroes are Bad Guys, and the bad guys are always out to get you. Dont get me wrong the bad guys go after the superheroes too, but the superheroes can do something about it. If youre just a regular run-of-the-mill human being, then youre pretty much out of luck. Unless a superhero comes along to save you.
Thats what I do.
Im not much for capes and masks mind you. Dont see much point in hiding your identity when a decent private eye could probably figure it out anyway. Capes and masks are a vanity thing, I think. They make for a dashing figure and look good on CNN. I wear body armor made of some sort of synthetic material that refracts light and makes me hard to see. Its got some bullet-proofing also. (Though probably the proper term would be bullet-resistance since those things still sting like H-E-double hockey sticks.) For the record, my body armor is somewhat form-fitting and stylish, and would also look good on CNN, but its functional and thats the main thing.
Back to what I do. Im a superhero. Yes, me, the Boy with No Name, alias, Smith.
I chose the name Smith because, at the time, I was a bit irritated with the superhero registrar. The note in my pocket told me that I had been given powers, that I would know instinctively how to use them (which had proven true) and that I should immediately look into registering as a superhero that if I did that, it would open doors for me, which, in fact, it did. The registrar seemed to think my name should be something like Psi-gun or Mento-blast or something silly like that which would lend itself well to licensing.
So, what is your name going to be, then? the registrar said, obviously frustrated at my refusal of a colorful name.
Smith, I said.
Smith?
Its an alias.