Gruefield 18 (Tarnished Sterling Omnibus)

by Robert McCarroll

  "They don't want to risk giving more prisoners to the Ygnaza."

  "Who holds the portal device?"

  "Right now, we do, but we wouldn't be able to stop them from seizing it."

  "Not without ruining the community in the process."

  "Right," Omegaburn said. "On a different topic, you should have heard Agent Six cussing when he heard his boy joined your team."

  "What?"

  "Hadn't you heard? Agent Six is Icerazor's pa. You guys are the legacy team."

  "He didn't share that tidbit."

  "Sorry. It's not exactly a secret in the corner of the nation I'm from."

  "Well, I'm not sure there's going to be a team for very long."

  "Your pitch went that bad?" I nodded. Omegaburn frowned. "Maybe they'll let you try again." I laughed an empty hollow laugh reflecting the void in my stock of optimism. "I don't even know why I'm waiting." Ben's car was parked in the garage, and he was probably wandering around the lower floors. I'd have to have Nora fetch him, so we could all drive back in defeat. I just wasn't ready to accept it yet. As long as the board deliberated, there was a sliver of a possibility that I hadn't screwed up my first task as team leader.

  "My business isn't with the board, so I have to go," Omegaburn said, standing up. "Thanks for returning my pictures."

  "No problem." A twinge of guilt ran through the back of my mind. I didn't mention the copy I'd made. It was a stupid thing to do, but the temptation had been too great. As I watched her walk away, I knew the right thing to do would be to quietly erase the files when I got back to the hideout. An argument broke out between my moral compass and my primal urges. That obnoxious analytical voice asked, who would know either way? Simple, I would know.

  I almost didn't notice Torquespiral come out of the board room. I looked up at him and his unconvincing toupee. "They didn't sound convinced," I said.

  "The truth is, the board already had a certain amount of capital outlay earmarked for the team," he said. "They were interested in seeing what sort of proposal you would put forward without any guidance or budgetary information."

  "A test?"

  "Of sorts. We also get more interesting answers when people have to work in isolation."

  "So what does all that mean?"

  "We found your solution creative, and hadn't expected you to come in so far under budget. So we're going forward with it."

  Under budget? Of course, we weren't the first team they'd sponsored, and they probably knew almost exactly what it would cost to meet the regulatory requirements. When committing to the team, they'd have budgeted for a new build. The Fund wasn't made up of idiots, but I felt like one. My numbers couldn't have been a shock to them.

  "Is it too late to add some perks to the design?" I asked. Torquespiral laughed. My phone rang. I gave an embarrassed glance towards it.

  "You left your phone on at the meeting?" Torquespiral asked.

  "Sorry," I muttered. I answered the call. "Hello."

  "Whoah," Donny said. "I caught you at a grumpy time."

  "You almost caught me talking to the board."

  "About to or just finished?" Donny asked.

  "Just finished."

  "Oh good. So you have time to talk?"

  "About what?"

  "Annoying teammates. Annoying locals." I tried not to sigh.

  "You called to vent?" Torquespiral visibly suppressed a chuckle, clasping a hand over the lower half of his face. "Okay, what is it?"

  "It's the little things."

  "Like what?"

  "Like how Stoneclad acts like he owns the TV in the base. I was in the middle of watching a news bit on the threats the alien leader Zsh-ya made. He just plopped down and switched the station over to Power Brawl. I mean, not only is that crap more scripted than pro wrestling, but it was a re-run."

  "That can't be everything."

  "The other day, one of the local schools called and went into lockdown because a kid had a pocket knife. A. Pocket. Knife. These people have no sense of proportionality or reason."

  "It wasn't you, was it?"

  Donny paused. "... Maybe."

  "Don't tell me you got expelled."

  "Just suspended." Donny sighed. "That school is like some politically-correct dystopia run by the Thought Police."

  "Wait... the school year hasn't started yet."

  "The attitude here... Lets just say after they saw my record they insisted I take remedial courses or get bounced down a grade."

  "That makes no sense. You had great grades."

  "Yeah, but they saw six years of homeschooling and four at New Port Arthur public schools, they disregarded the record. And now they think I'm a delinquent."

  "Well, you did violate weapons policy."

  "A pocket knife is not a weapon!"

  "You know that, I know that, but the policy says different."

  "Oh come on, you're supposed to be on my side."

  "Terrible assumption. I'm still going to call you an idiot when you act like it," I said. "It's what family does."

  "No, that's what Nora does. You're less of an ass." I sighed, audibly so Donny could hear.

  "What is it you want to hear?"

  "Nothing in particular. Well, crap, my phone just beeped, I think my battery's low."

  "All right, I'll--" My phone beeped the pattern for a dropped call. The message on the screen backed it up. I put the phone away. For some reason, Torquespiral was still sitting nearby. "Sorry about that." Torquespiral waved it off.

  "It only interrupted banter."

  "So what now?"

  "There's other business to discuss."

  "Like?

  "I heard that the dragon boy got his identity and permit."

  "What? Xiv, yeah. It's not really a secret identity since he can't exactly blend into the crowd."

  "I suppose that means you have your second trainee."

  "Well, we hadn't really thought about it."

  "Being thrown out in favor of someone else would be just about the worst thing you could do to him at the moment. So he has the Fund's endorsement for the second slot."

  "I don't think I'll get much argument from the team," I said. "He s sort of a fixture now."

  "We have a suggestion for the last trainee."

  "Oh? Who?"

  "Let's go meet her. She should be in this building getting fitted for a suit."

  "If you're talking about this kind," I said, tugging the alien fabric covering most of my body, "I wasn't aware there was much fitting to be done."

  "Only when powers dictate it," Torquespiral said. "Come." He headed to the elevator lobby and pressed the down button. "While we wait, might I suggest that you plan to train some of your team members in vehicle handling? You have no pilots, only three of your number can drive, and your base will be on the outskirts of the city."

  "I know this is a bit crass, but since a lot of the legal justification for the facilities regulations stem from the status of the team as an employer, does that mean we get paid?"

  "Yes and no. Your team service counts as your community service, and there is a team expense account, use of which is subject to approvals. But you do not get a salary, stipend, or wage. From a compensation perspective, covering your insurance already puts you well above minimum wage."

  "I had to ask."

  "I'm not offended." The elevator arrived and we descended to the nineteenth floor. "I'd think it odd if the subject didn't come up. We are human and subject to the same foibles as everyone else." The door opened onto a large numeral nineteen on the otherwise white wall. "This way." Torquespiral led me through a maze of corridors, marked with cryptic location codes. We passed through a handful of security checkpoints, but none of them held u
s up for long. We stopped at a door labeled "Lab 19-046." Torquespiral motioned for me to go first.

  As I pushed through the door, Pam glared over her shoulder at me.

  Part 20

  The first thing through my mind was the mistaken impression that Pam was topless. Her outfit was merely backless, my mind just didn't notice right away that there was a collar and sleeves. The bright blue outfit had thin white trim around the edges. This bright line ran from either side of her collar down her sides and to a white belt. The second thing that went through my mind was the realization that she looked perfectly normal. Her hair had been dyed a slightly brighter shade of blue to match the attire, but other than that, she looked no different from when I'd last seen her.

  "I wondered when you'd show up, Baldy," Pam said.

  "Nice to see you again too, miss," Torquespiral said, nonplussed.

  "I'd heard you were in horrible shape after the mutagen," I said, "What happened?"

  "The best medical care money can't buy," Torquespiral said. "While we were not able to remove the mutagen and its effects from her system, we were able to give her control over it."

  "And then you started blackmailing me," Pam said.

  "I merely pointed out that if we billed you directly for the time and services of the personnel called in to treat you, the debt would be too crushing to ever be paid off. I offered an equitable compromise. Your services to the Community Fund for forgiveness of the debt and the opportunity to help bring Doctor Omicron to justice."

  "Never forget that's the only reason I agreed to work with you. He isn't going to get away with what he did to my crew."

  "That sounds like a vow of revenge to me," I said.

  "What's it matter to you?" Pam asked.

  "Shadowdemon is the leader of the team you will be on," Torquespiral said.

  "Your chance to to help take down Omicron depends on three things," I said, "Following the rules, following the Code, and following instructions. I know you're used to being in charge, but you're going to be part of a team, and we already have some... abrasive personalities on board."

  "I promise to not punch them through a wall," Pam said.

  "That's an oddly specific promise," I said. "Are you able to break it?"

  "I may look like my old self, but I can partially or fully transform into a dragon," Pam said, "And I've got the strength and toughness all the time. Flying's still a bitch, though." To demonstrate, she tensed up, focusing with an expression usually associated with constipation. Instead of an excremental mess, a pair of leathery, bat-like wings erupted from her back, spanning nearly four times her height as they brushed opposing walls of the room. The membrane was translucent flesh the same shade as her skin. The leading edge was dotted with keratinous scales of a light brown hue, matching her undyed eyebrows.

  "Impressive wingspan," I said.

  "I can go full dragon, but I'm going to save that for emergencies."

  "Why?" I asked.

  "Um," Torquespiral said, "From what I gather, it leads to, what is an appropriate euphemism, a severe wardrobe malfunction. Which makes changing back a revealing process."

  "Well put, Baldy," Pam said.

  "I guess that explains the lack of a back on your costume."

  Pam drew the wings back into herself. "Yeah. Let me get my mask on before we head on out. I don't see how you guys can get used to them." She donned a blue-and-white domino mask. "How do I look?" she asked. I preferred the denim jacket and leather pants she used to wear, but I knew better than to blurt that out.

  "You could pass for a sidekick," I said. "Do you have a codename yet?"

  "Stamp."

  "Uhh..." I didn't like it, but I wouldn't sound like an idiot calling instructions to her. It was an actual surname, and seemed... off. "Anything we need to pick up?" I asked.

  "Naw, my shit got wrecked when the bots captured me, and they didn't find my machete."

  "Minor issue," I said. "I know it's how you're used to speaking, but there is a rather young trainee on the team. Would you mind censoring yourself when working with us?"

  "It's warped letting little kids be sidekicks," Pam said. It was traditional, and I think the BHA authorization act carved out an exception to child endangerment and labor laws for sidekicks. At least, I hope it did.

  "I started young," I said.

  "So?" Pam asked.

  "Lets get going."

  We hadn't expected to pick up another member, so Nora and Ben weren't in costume. I sent them ahead in Ben's car and talked Torquespiral into having his driver drop off Pam and me. My mind kept going over the layout of the hideout, trying to figure out where we were going to put her. It was never designed to hold so many people. The only thing Pam mentioned as we pulled into the garage was the proximity to her old neighborhood and Technomation. We climbed out of the limo and let the driver back out before bringing the garage door down. Xiv scrambled over and sniffed at Pam.

  "What are you?" Xiv asked.

  Pam raised an eyebrow. "Look who's asking," she said.

  "You look like a normal girl, but you smell like a dragon girl. What are you?" Xiv asked again.

  "I'm both," Pam said. "I'm a normal girl who can turn into a dragon girl."

  "Marry me!" Xiv said. The childish enthusiasm with which he said it brought a smirk to Pam's lips. His oversized eyes continued to stare expectantly at her.

  "You're too young for that sort of thing," Pam said, pushing Xiv back by the forehead. His expression of unbridled optimism remained unchanged.

  "You taking in more strays?" Jennifer asked from the bottom of the ramp.

  "Stamp is our third trainee," I said.

  "Who's the cheerleader?" Pam asked.

  "I am not--" Jennifer started.

  "Ignore Miss Pain," Nora said.

  "Cool code name," Pam said, walking past a suddenly speechless Jennifer. Ben was doing his best to hide his mirth, but was failing badly. Pam hopped up to sit on the desk. "I'm here, now what?"

  "We were going to get you settled in and schedule some training sessions while the BHA processes our charter application."

  "You never said how your pitch to the board went," Ben said.

  "They are moving forward with the proposal as presented."

  "They accepted your silo plan?" Jennifer said. "That thing is a villain lair, not a team hideout."

  "And it doesn't have a swimming pool, I know. You wanted me to try to sell them a resort, not a base of operations."

  "Just because we're heroes doesn't mean we can't do things in style."

  "Hey," Pam said, "Spoiled little rich girl. My last place was a condemned squat on Fifth Street. Any place with working plumbing and central air is paradise."

  "How did you know she was rich?" Ben asked.

  "The attitude gives it away." A battering ram of golden energy crashed into Pam and started driving the desk back. With her arms crossed in front of her face, Pam hopped off and anchored her feet to the concrete. A crystalline blade slashed through the psychic construct, shattering it into static.

  "I think that's a little much," Icerazor said, sheathing the blade.

  "I am sick and tired of being the butt of the jokes and insulted by my supposed teammates," Jennifer said. "The first thing this sidekick does when she gets here is talk down to me!"

  "Actually--" Ben said, but was cut off by a glare. I groaned inwardly. It was my job to defuse this, but I wasn't sure how.

  "Apexa," I said, "I will speak with everyone about laying off. In the meantime, just don't hit--" I was struck by a golden construct of some sort, a fist I think. It slammed me into the wall and made stars dance before my eyes. Jennifer stormed out, hopping onto a disc-shaped construct and taking flight. Xiv peered out the open door at the departing girl. "Well, tha
t could have gone better," I said.

  "It's her fault," Nora said.

  "Is it?" I asked. "You know full well 'Miss Pain' isn't her name. You call her that just to piss her off. I know she's inconsiderate, but we've been fairly rude in return. It was bound to escalate at some point."