"I think so," I reply, not hiding the concern in my voice.
Chapter 53
Spencer and Imelda both make it clear that this isn't a telepath problem, and refuse to provide any help. Spencer makes it sound like telepaths wouldn't get involved unless we could prove conclusively they were being led by a telepath. And, he tells us, they would have to take over at least a mid-sized city before they would even consider getting involved. Imelda is a little better. She says they might get involved if we can't defeat them, and considers that a generous offer as she normally would require a known super team to fail to defeat them before anyone she knows would even consider getting involved.
We're up in my dorm room where I'm pissed off and trying to pace it off, "That's pretty messed up," I tell Carly.
Carlos is in the room, being quiet for once. Since I usually kick him out when Carly is here, I think he's curious to know what we're up to and doesn't want to draw attention to himself.
"Yes, it is. But, I told you they don't get involved." Carly replies, looking at me and pointing with her eyes at Carlos, "Show some discretion if you don't want his mind wiped,” she tells me, without bothering to keep Carlos from hearing.
My mouth drops open, she said it right in front of him like he's not even in the room! Carlos looks at her, alarm starting to show on his face as he realizes she's talking about him. He stays like that a few seconds while Carly looks at him, then his shock fades and he goes back to listening like he was before.
"Really?" I tell her.
"Well…sorry. It was easier just to say it."
I now have being incredulous added to my anger. Giving a grunt of a laugh, I say, "Okay, whatever. So, if they're out, what are we going to do? We need help."
"I don't know. No one believes us, and I don't think any super group will throw in unless we have someone in authority vouching for us."
"What are you guys doing?" Carlos finally chips in.
Looking at him, I decide we may as well have another brain working on the problem, "We need to put together a super team strong enough to take down a super villain crime ring." That's the best explanation I can give him, without going into details he doesn't need.
"Oh." Carlos has always been helpful like that.
Carly and I go back to not coming up with a solution until Carlos chimes in again, "Why don't you put it up on the Bulletin Board?"
Blink. Blink. The idea is completely…what? "Can we do that?" I'm looking at Carly now and the blinking has stopped. I rub my eyes for a moment wondering where the hell the blink-pause came from.
Blink. Blink. Carly is still working on her own blinking problem. "Umm, why not?"
I continue to stare at Carly as you can almost see the gears churning in her brain. "There are a lot of people on this campus with ambitions to be supers. You wouldn't believe how many I can hear thinking about it every day." Carly stops and looks at Carlos, shrugs, and continues. "Most of them won't be powerful enough. Or, they don't have any combat training. Or, they are some out-of-control egomaniac. We'd have to interview and do some kind of tryouts so we don't bring someone who will just get themselves, or us, killed."
Looking at Carlos, I wonder, briefly, if he's going to remember any of this an hour from now. "Okay, let's think about it, and if we don't have a better idea by tomorrow, we'll put it up on the Board."
Well, no one has a better idea, and it's now tomorrow. Well actually, now it's today, but we really don't need to go there. Carly stops in to my dorm on the way to class, and asks the obvious question, "So what should we say?"
I say, "How about this," and spin my laptop around for Carly to see. On it is my idea for an ad to be placed on the Bulletin Board, an online posting site for jobs offered and for students to exchange information, seek each other out, or post anything else they want other students to know.
___________________________________________
SUPERHERO TEAM FORMING FOR SINGLE MISSION!
STUDENT SUPERHEROES NEEDED!
Two member, student led, superhero team has an immediate need to form a multi-member, superhero rescue team. Mission is the rescue of over 200 students under mind control from a super villain gang. Villains are suspected to be CLASS 3 or higher and extremely dangerous! At least one member of the gang is known to be a powerful telepath! (Protection from mind control will be provided to all members of the team.) Chance of deadly combat is HIGH, and possibly unavoidable.
If you are a Nova Academy Student, with the drive, experience, and training to become a full-fledged superhero - AND you are ready to take on a REAL mission - You MUST take advantage of this incredible opportunity to make a difference!
Recruitment Meeting: March 28th at 6:00 PM at the Oppenheimer Quad Open Field Area
ALL APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO DISPLAY THEIR POWERS AND SKILLS - COME PREPARED!
(Supers with Class 3 or better primary power preferred)
(APPLICANTS ACCEPTED ONTO THE TEAM ARE REQUIRED TO COMMIT TO A MINIMUM OF TWO WEEKS TO PREPARE FOR THE MISSION)
MISSION WILL TAKE UP TO THREE DAYS AND REQUIRE TRAVEL!
(mission to be conducted on a weekend within the next four weeks -- transportation will be provided)
PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY! WEAR YOUR SUPERHERO MASK TO THE MEETING!
________________________________________
"I like that you're stressing it's a dangerous mission and that we want people with experience and training. But, we should hold back the details and only brief the chosen team with them later."
"Why is that?" I ask, without thinking about it.
"If I were to kidnap a couple hundred people from a campus and wipe everyone's mind to cover up the crime, I'd still want to have someone keeping an eye out make sure no one figures out what I've done. Anyone who knows what happened will see that ad," Carly points at the laptop's screen, "and immediately know it's the missing students that are the target of the rescue."
"Well, damn. Okay, I got this. We'll just drop it is to be a rescue and drop that there's a telepath, then just say it's a mission to take down a criminal gang." Typing on my laptop as I say this, I'm already making the edits.
"That should work. Once we have the team put together, we can fully brief them on the mission. Now, what about us? We can't go into a recruitment meeting saying we're a superhero team and not have names. We'll be in our suits, so our identities are safe."
I'm not liking where this is going as my plan is to not pick a super name until I graduate from Nova Academy. "Do you have a name?"
Carly gives me a big smile, "Yes, I do. 'Dreamweaver.' "
Okay, that's a cool name for a telepath, especially a totally hot one anyone would like to have dreams about. "Nice. I like it. On multiple levels."
"I thought you would. What about you?"
I frown, "I've avoided even thinking about a super name for the last nine years. You know why."
"Yeah, well, it's time to think about one. Even if it's temporary."
"No way, I'm only going to pick a name one time."
Giving me an amused expression, Carly says, "And…."
"And, give me a minute." Aw, man. Do I name myself after my suit, after my skills as a mad scientist, or after…what? My speed? "What about 'Anvil?' It kind of relates to my armor and anvils are used in crafting."
"Mmm, It's not working for me. A speed guy named 'Anvil' doesn't really make sense. Just do something temporary and don't worry about getting the perfect name right now."
I look at Carly with skepticism, "What, so I have to cover everything? Just make up some crap name?" I'm not liking this naming party one bit.
"No, but what you use shouldn't clash with another part of who you are. You could call yourself 'The Brain' and it would be perfectly fine, because it doesn't clash with the suit or your speed."
"That name's taken. Besides, that's a name for a lab rat scientist. I'm more the inventor, slash engineering genius, slash mad scientist, slash armored warrior, slash, slash, slash."
&
nbsp; "Why don't you call yourself the 'Engineer?' " She offers.
"Will I have to wear a railroad conductor hat? No. Not feeling that one."
Carly bails from this naming train, "Okay, you can figure it out and let me know."
Frowning, I know I'm going to have to waste way too much time figuring out what to call myself, "Yeah."
We get the ad posted on the Bulletin Board and, over the next several days before the meeting, Carly tells me she's felt several people thinking about applying, and even more who want to show up to see the "spectacle." Great.
Chapter 54
"How many do you think?" Carly asks.
"One hundred and two are wearing costumes, and there are another two hundred forty behind them in civvies. None of them brought popcorn." My HUD is providing the head count through its targeting and tracking system; it’s showing how much potential my upgrade has. Even now it is processing threat assessments and tagging perceived non-combatants.
Excited, Carly says, "A hundred and two is incredible. That's a lot. Do we have enough applications?
I pull out a large stack of 5"x8" cards that are printed with a short "application" list of boxes to fill out: Super Name; Power(s); Experience; Combat Skills; Support Skills, and a few other things I could think of. "Barely,” I answer, “Hopefully no one screws up their app and asks for another."
We're standing next to each other, in full costume, on a portable platform I borrowed from the student labs. Gathered all around us are our "applicants," with the looki-loos behind them. Carly's wearing the suit I made for her, with the new blasters installed, and a new half-mask with upgraded HUD I made for her. She doesn't want to go with the full helmet and face shield because she says it's too closed in and distracts her when using her telepathic powers.
I'm in my full armor, with all my recent upgrades, and have my war hammer strapped to my back with the head over my right shoulder. My large round shield is affixed to my back as well, covering the handle of the war hammer. Both of us are wearing solid black, without a single spot of color on our costumes, which has garnered a few whispers in the crowd that we look more like super villains. They're going to have to deal with it, though, because the red, white, and blue shield has been done and I refuse to follow in anyone else's footsteps.
Stepping to the front of the platform, I shout, "Listen up! I want to thank all of you for coming today. My name is Nova,” then turning and raising my hand to indicate Carly, who is laughing through my earpiece at hearing my super name for the first time. She knows how long I’ve been pulling my hair out trying to think of a decent name that isn’t already being used by another super. Nova is a good name for a super and no one is currently using the name other than the Academy, so I ignore her and continue, "and this is my partner, Dreamweaver. We placed the ad on the Bulletin Board because of a serious threat to our common good. A super villain gang, who has avoided the attention of the authorities, and other super teams, needs to be stopped and we are the only people who can do it. All the details of the gang and the mission will be briefed to the people here who we select for the team." I turn and walk to the other side of the platform to give some face time to them, not that they can see my face, or have a hard time hearing my amplified voice coming from my helmet, but to use decent public speaking skills I learned in high school. These are all college kids and the smart ones I want to attract will notice. "Anyone interested in applying to join the team and learning more about who we are, please approach the platform and take an application." I split the stack of applications I'm holding and hand half to Carly as two people out of the more than three hundred here start to make their way to the platform. None of the others move.
"What are your qualifications to lead a super team!" is shouted from the crowd.
I stop looking for people in the crowd to hand applications to and answer the obvious question I knew was coming, "We're a new team, less than a year old," I feel like it's time to brag a little, without looking like I'm bragging, "The two of us have had two engagements together, along with solo work and work with other supers over the past five years as junior superheroes. The two engagements were both close combats. One engagement included a Class 4 - which we won decisively; and the other versus eight super villains, in which we took down seven of the eight, and ended in a draw. Neither of us was severely injured during the engagements, and both of the engagements were against the same super villain gang we will be facing on the coming mission." I switch to my suit comm channel and whisper, "How was that?"
"Good, I think we have a few more coming over now." Optimist. Five out of three hundred isn't what I would call, "good."
From the audience a deep rumbling shout comes, "You're going to have to do better than talk if you want me to join your team!"
I knew this might happen, and I switch back to external speakers, "Feel free to leave if you don't want to be here. Nobody's stopping you."
The speaker starts clearing his path of anyone too slow to get out of his way as he approaches the platform and shouts, "How about I feel free to come up there and kick your ass!"
I recognize my new adversary as he's not wearing a costume. He lives in Atlas Quad in Dorm 4, which should mean he's at least a Class 4 strong man. Once again I switch to my suit comm channel, "What can you tell me about this guy?"
Carly breaks into his head as easily as breaking open an egg, "His name's Derek Strong, he thinks he's a Class 4, actually, he is a Class 4. And, he doesn't think he can be hurt. I'm not seeing much else, oh, he's a Class 2 speed."
"So, a classic strong man. You have anything on combat skills, experience? Does he think he's a hero or villain?"
"He’s been in a number of brawls, but none with someone his own strength, and I don't see any memories of fighting against exotic powers. I'm not getting anything on any particular loyalty to heroes, but don't see any villainy, either."
"You see any reason I should hold back on him?"
"Are you going to fight him?"
"I'm seriously considering it."
"You didn't kill that other Class 4 when you hit him in the head with your hammer. Besides, I don't think you can afford to hold back with a Class 4."
Correcting her, I say, "War hammer. It's a war hammer. And, I won't be using it." I hop off the platform and put my arm out, palm up, and switch back to external speakers, "Hold on a second, let these people move back. What name do you go by?"
He stops and looks around at the same people he has just been shoving out of his way as if it was the first time he's seeing them, and crosses his arms as he turns back to give me the fighter's stare, "Call me 'Anvil.'” If this guy wasn't already beginning to annoy me, and I wasn't concerned he might kill me with one punch, I'd be rolling on the grass laughing. But, if he's a Class 4, we might be able to use him. I flip on my field generator and start my force blasters charging. I need to put this guy down, fast and hard, so I set up an alpha strike by setting my force blasters at sixty percent discharge. I'm a little afraid of going a hundred percent as I haven't tested the full powers of the force blasters yet. They might kill him. Or, they might blow up.
People have backed up as far as they seem to care to and Anvil unfolds his arms and starts his approach again, "You ready, tin can?"
Real original, "tin can" has been a nickname strong men have used as an insult to supers in armor for fifty years and has been used on just about every supers T.V. show ever made. "I'm ready. First fall?"
"Sure, but you may not be getting up again."
"Any reason I should hold back on you?" I ask, ignoring his jibe.
"No, any reason I should hold back on YOU?"
"I'll let you be the judge of that." It's a tactical response to add a little doubt in his mind to whether or not he can totally unload on me without killing me, which could affect how much he puts into his first couple of punches.
He picks up his pace as he closes within twenty feet of where I'm casually standing. I'm squared up to him with nothing in my
body language to show I'm about to be in combat with someone in the top one percent of the top one percent of the top one percent of the population of the earth.
As Anvil gets within ten feet of me, I crouch down, and then launch into a full sprint to rush him. As I close on him, he tries to side step me and begins drawing back his fist for a full swing punch, but it's like he's moving in slow motion to me and I make my adjustment to bring me directly in front of him. I punch both fists up into his chest and trigger them to discharge the sixty percent charge built up in my force blasters. I’m using my fists to discharge so the blast will be spread across his entire torso, rather than the tight beam they would deliver by pointing my hand. The impact and discharge of power is incredible.
Anvil's flying forty feet up, and a good two hundred feet away, where he digs a huge gash in the ground to the sounds oohs, ahhs, and gasps from the onlookers. Several people begin to applaud from behind me while those within my view look back and forth between me and Anvil to make sure they won't miss anything.
He's not moving for a second, so I ask Carly, "Is he alive?"
She sounds amused, "Oh, yeah. Shocked, and in some pain, but he's alive."
"Good," is all I get out before I see Anvil start to pick himself up and out of the gash he dug, mostly with his head and shoulders. The green light on my HUD is indicating my shields, and through it, my force blasters have completed recharging. "What's he thinking?"
Carly takes a second and replies, "Not sure yet. He's still working out whether he's going to kill you or…not kill you. Want me to help him make the right decision?"
"No. That's a line we can't cross with people we want to be our teammates. Because, if anyone gets killed on this mission, I don't want us to be the ones responsible for them being there. I don't need that kind of guilt."
Nova Academy: A Superhero & Supervillain Novel Page 23