by Tom Andry
I paused, thinking, "Mine, I suppose."
"Exactly. How they built their intrusion program told me a lot about their own defenses. So I've made some changes to the Multikey and sent out updates to my own monitoring program. If you could ever get close enough to a government computer, we'd be much better prepared."
I sighed. Things were just getting more and more complicated. "Well, at least we know who was following me."
"We do?"
"Yeah, the VP."
"You know the cars he arrived in weren't BMWs."
I cocked my head, thinking. I hadn't noticed the make of car. Why hadn't I noticed? "They weren't?"
"Fords."
I closed my eyes. How the hell did I miss that? Had I become too reliant on Mind? Was I slipping? "Damn. But, the BMWs that were following me earlier could have been government, right? The Vice President could have just shown up in Fords."
"Theoretically."
"But you don't think so?"
"No. Do you?"
I shook my head. Damn it. I had no answers to anything. EnviroKop caught on to me early. Swell located me without a problem. I had cars following me, which may or may not have been government issued, a cloner to track down, and an offer to get killed for my country.
Which reminded me, I had a super downstairs that was sure to be in the perfect mood to talk.
"There was a BMW parked downstairs earlier."
I turned, "Wait, what?"
"When you came home, it was parked out front."
"And you didn't mention this before now?" I demanded.
"We were a little busy. Being followed, super downstairs, a few other things if I remember correctly. And then I got shut down."
I shook my head, "Damn it. Who was in it?"
"I couldn't see. They pulled up from the far side of a delivery van and parked in one of my few blind spots. They had a window half down, but I couldn't get a look inside."
"You've got to be kidding me." I sat on the corner of my bed, looking at the bits of paper the dartboard had put up on the walls. "Swell? Was it his?"
"If it was, someone moved it during the night. Again, they pulled out with a vehicle between them and the cameras."
"It must have been his. Must have."
"I don't think so, Bob. I didn't see him get out of it at any point."
"Teleporter maybe. Who knows."
"And I've got more bad news."
"Oh, great. I was feeling a little too jolly." I stepped out of my bedroom, the door sliding open and closed with a near silent hiss. I moved quickly to the kitchen, grabbed some bacon and a few eggs, and started to throw together a quick breakfast.
"You know, if you left the yolks out of the omelet, you'd see a significant caloric reduction."
"They taste weird without yolks."
"So, leave one in. You don't need three. Plus, a few vegetables would help fill you up without adding many calories."
"Bacon isn't a vegetable?"
"Bob. I'm serious. You need to start taking care of yourself."
I looked over the kitchen counter to the disaster that was my living room. Covered with electronic components, boxes open and overflowing with electronic doodads, and more than a few dismantled off-the-shelf items like vacuum cleaners, it looked like a junkyard for old radios.
"I thought that was what 'the project' was all about?"
"No, I just want some hands. I'm not trying to build another you."
"That's good news."
"But if I did, he'd know bacon wasn't a vegetable."
"But would he be as charming?"
"He'd be mute. So, yes, quite a bit more charming, I'd imagine."
I grabbed the pan off the stove and started eating my bacon omelet directly from it. "Ha ha. You said it gets worse?"
"You got five calls last night. All from Liz."
I jumped up. "Dammit! I forgot all about the meeting."
The intercom rang.
"And she's here."
"Dammit, why didn't you give me any warning?" I cried.
"I thought you'd want to know about the car. We only have so much time, Bob."
"But we have time to talk about omelet construction?"
The intercom rang again.
"Bob, what do you want me to do?"
"Let her in, of course."
I exited my kitchen, wiping my mouth on the back of my hand, and waited for Liz in the small waiting room just outside my office. It'd been a long time since I'd seen Liz, even longer since she'd been here. The last time was before Mind had installed herself.
A baritone, computerized voice echoed through my apartment, "Liz Novac. Delineate access please."
"Friend," I responded.
"Friend access approved."
"Friend, huh?"
Liz Novac and I had been friends since primary school. She used to be an accountant until it turned out her boss was a super villain. Now she ran TOP - Tippy Outreach Program - to help tippys get compensation from the Super State for damages.
"Of course."
"And what does that get me?" Liz's hair was cropped short at the back, but hung long at the front. She pushed it over her right ear, letting the left side cover her face.
I smiled trying to soften Liz's stony glare, "Anything you want."
Mind's baritone "company" voice interrupted, "Access to all areas not designated as private or restricted. Access to grounds without owner present. Full defensive protection."
"Thank you," I muttered.
"Does 'friend' access give me a time machine?"
I put my hands up, "Listen Liz, about last night, I can explain."
"Explain? Bob, I was counting on you. I needed you and you let me down. Again."
"Come on, Liz. That's not fair. I meant to show. There was just..."
Liz's hands were in fists, "There is always an excuse with you, Bob. This issue with the supers and demiheroes...it's important. People are getting hurt out there. I needed you to be there to..."
I could feel my cheeks flush, "To what, Liz? These demiheroes, these tippys posing as supers, what did you think I'd do? Tell them to stop? They're vigilantes, sure, but the tippys are more than willing to put up with them because the supers are gone. Even when the demiheroes shake them down for protection money, when they catch them peeking in their windows, even with all the other allegations out there, they don't complain. All they want are the supers back.
"They bitch and moan about the Super City, but they don't mean it. The supers could park that thing above their kids' school on a handful of bamboo poles and they wouldn't complain. As long as the supers came back."
"Bob, you aren't being fair." Liz pulled her hair back again, "They are just afraid. That's why I wanted you there. Because you aren't."
"Afraid? I'm too mad to be afraid. But I'm just as mad at all these tippys running around complaining with their hands out. It's pathetic, is what it is! An embarrassment. We should be better than that. Tippys shouldn't be so...I don't know. Pathetic. You know what? Screw them. Screw the lot of them."
My anger spent, I dropped my head.
Liz and I stood there in silence for a few moments.
"I don't know you any more, Bob," Liz whispered.
"Liz..." I didn't know what to say.
I walked toward her, putting up my hand slowly. Liz didn't back away. With a finger, I pulled hair away from the left side of her face. Her scars from the fire weren't that bad. A few larger ones crisscrossed her left cheek, but for the most part, her skin just looked rough. But the way she was constantly hiding them behind her hair made it impossible for me to regret what I'd done to the henchmen responsible.
She stopped, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were wet, "Forget it," escaped from between barely moving lips.
"But..." I stammered.
Liz spun on her heel and stomped toward the waiting stairwell. I tried to call her back, but she ignored me.
"Fuck." I shook my head. I cou
ldn't talk to Liz without messing up.
I took a deep breath. I sat down and put my head in my hands, trying to put the conversation behind me.
"Bob. What do you want me to do with Swell?"
It'd been a while. I couldn't tell how long. But Mind had probably been monitoring my heart rate or something. Her question was perfectly timed. I exhaled the last of my tension as a slow smile warmed my cheeks. I was going to enjoy this.
My front door slid open to reveal Swell and Leon. Leon looked decidedly more human than the day before. He was studying the immobile super. Below Swell was a puddle of liquid that smelled mustier than the rest of the garage. I tried to hide my smile as Swell glared at me.
"Morning, Bob."
"Morning."
"So...who is this guy again?"
I smiled, "It, meet Swell. Swell, It. You two should get together and pick super names that don't totally suck."
"Hey!" Leon cried out.
Swell couldn't do much more than mutter angrily. Leon looked concerned at the bespiked super.
I laughed, nodding toward Leon without looking at him, "I won't be needing you today."
Leon's eyebrows went up, "But, boss, I just took the bus all the way over here."
"Sorry. I'd have called, but the phones have been out."
"Still. After yesterday, I figured you'd want me in."
"Good that you did. Shows you're taking the job seriously. Now take the day off. With pay."
Leon nodded glumly and walked toward the exit. Jerkily, but upright, I noticed. I waited until Leon had completely cleared the parking garage before I turned and squared up to the waiting super.
I couldn't hide my smile. "Well, well, Mr. Wauter. We meet again."
His eyes radiated the rage his mouth could only faintly vocalize.
"Now, now, don't stress yourself. I see you figured out who I am. That's a fairly good piece of work given how quickly you showed up here. I assume, based on your appearance, that you just wanted to hug it out?"
His eyes bulged as, I assumed, he struggled against the beam.
"You sure are a persistent fellow. You've been in there well near twenty-four hours and you've still got fight left in you? Impressive." I turned away from him, "For a super."
"Bob, I can weaken the beam enough for him to talk, but I'm not sure if he'll be able to escape or not. I should be able to keep him from shooting any of those spikes at you."
I took a short breath and exhaled sharply, "Okay, Shane, I'm going to reduce the power to the field that is holding you. If you try anything, I'll turn it up high enough to crush you."
"I can really do that, you know."
I stepped toward the stainless steel plate that doubled as a control panel for my front door. It was featureless, but most assumed that it was some sort of high tech device. The fact was, aside from a scanner, it was just a cover for the old, pre-Mind, system control. I made a show of pressing on it with various fingers.
"You son-of-a-bitch, I'll fucking kill you."
"Now, let's watch our language, Shane." I turned, staring. "I'm sorry, are the front of your briefs embroidered with your super name?"
Swell just glowered at me, mutely.
I covered my mouth with my hand, laughing, "Shane, there are two ways for this to end: either you tell me what I want to know or you can stay here until I get bored. And believe me, that could take weeks. Do you understand?"
Wauter's eyes radiated rage, "I get it."
"So, how did you find me?"
"I have friends too," he spat. "When I told them about what happened, they knew it was you. That...thing you have. Tinkerer made it for you, right?" Shane's smile was catty.
My eyes narrowed, "So, you think you know something, huh? Did a little research and now you've 'got' me?" As if on cue, Mind started reading me every fact she had on the super known as Swell. After the first five minutes, the super seemed to shrink in his own skin. By the time I started in on some of the more lurid details, he looked like he'd chew his own leg off to get away.
Nothing rattled a super like a lack of privacy. They all thought their little eyemasks and capes gave them anonymity. When that assumption was upset, it threw everything they thought they knew into question. That look. The look like at any moment the sky might turn plaid or that cows might start walking upright, carrying guns, and asking for their milk back. That look made all the danger of my job worth it.
"Would you like me to continue?"
Swell's bloodless eyes widened.
"I didn't think so. Now, I want you to remember this moment. Remember this feeling. Because if you ever come at me again, I'll start mailing off letters to all your friends and family. Not to mention the Super State. I'm sure my ex-wife would love to know what you've been doing with some of your underage fans."
He nodded, resigned.
"Tell me about EnviorKop. Did they send you?"
To my surprise, he actually laughed. "No. I even offered. But when they found out you got away, they fired me. I'd gotten half up front, so I couldn't blame them. But I didn’t understand why they didn't want me to track you down."
"But you went after me anyway."
"Well, I couldn't have you walking around, right? I needed to get the job done for my reputation."
"Hence the prickly exterior."
He shrugged as best he could.
I understood. Get the information, figure out how I got so much information on him, and kill me. It wasn't like I could blame him; he was a super, after all. But I couldn't have him coming after me again.
"Not that it matters anymore. They were packing up as soon as they found out you were gone."
"What?" I cried.
"Checking... He's right. My connection to EnviroKop has been severed. I don't know how, but I can't get in anymore."
"Screw that!" I growled, running toward my car.
* * *
When I returned, I raced up the stairs past Swell, and stormed into my office. EnviroKop was no more. Not only had the sign already been taken off the building, but the entire building, including the holding pen where I first met Swell, was deserted. Only the compressed carpet outlines surrounded by lines of dust showed that there had ever been anyone inside of that office. It even smelled like someone had wiped the place down with antiseptic. Whoever was behind the move was thorough.
Mind scolded, "You were followed, by the way. Another BMW. You'd have known that if you hadn't turned off your earpiece."
"Not now!" I half shouted, collapsing into my office chair. What was I going to do? How would I find the people behind the clones and also, most likely, behind EnivroKop? Hell, for all I knew, they were the ones following me.
"I have a suggestion."
I grunted my willingness to listen.
"The information is out there, Bob. It is. I have a target list of at least a dozen systems that may give you what you want. All are highly placed and highly guarded. It won't be easy. A bit easier now after the Vice President's visit, but no cakewalk."
The Multikey. But so much tippy information was still done manually. Collecting dust in filing cabinets. The supers had started introducing computers and more and more businesses and people were starting to use them, but there was no central connection point.
The last place she'd told me was "heavily guarded" was a military base. It'd taken three months of planning and acquiring passes, uniforms, and codewords to get in. With a dozen like that? We could be talking years.
I let my head drop. She wasn't fooling me. I knew what she really wanted, "What about the Super City?"
"Ah, the Vice President's job."
"You heard all that? I thought you were offline?"
"I'm never fully offline. But yes, that would be an excellent place to look for additional information. Especially now that EnviroKop is gone."
"You want me to go to the Super City. You've wanted that for a long time. You can't stand that they replaced you."
"They need me. They always have.
Whatever system they have up there has got to be inferior to me. I'll take control and just make sure they are safe."
I laughed, "It's killing you, isn't it? Being disconnected from the supers?"
"Ridiculous. But there is also the payment the Vice President mentioned to consider."
I bit my lip, I needed time to think. "Let me deal with the Swell thing first. I can't have him hanging out in front of my office forever. He's already starting to smell."
My front door hissed open and I stomped up to Shane Wauter. Half my brain was still thinking about EnviroKop and I was in no mood for discussion. "Okay Shane, I'm at a bit of an impasse here. On one hand, I don't want to kill you - I just don't need the headache. On the other, I can't have you jumping out from behind a dumpster every chance you get." I tapped my fingers on my chin. "What to do."
Shane growled, "Just get it over with."
"Hmmm?"
"Kill me, already."
"Nah," I smiled, "I've got a better idea. This is what I'm going to do. I'm going to call my wife. Ex-wife," I corrected. "I'm going to give her enough proof to convict you in the Super Court of an offense that will land you in Compartment."
Swell's face drained, his eyes wide.
"For...oh, I don't know. A year?"
"A year? In Compartment! I'll..." Wauter struggled against the field.
"Careful!" I chided, my finger in front of my nose. "Think of it as a growth opportunity. You'll spend that year doing...well, things I can't imagine. But I know you're going to be thinking about revenge. You'll want to come back here and 'get' me. But I promise you, you'll fail again, and the next time it won't be a year. It'll be two, or five. Or maybe I'll send you in for a couple of months and right before your parole, whoops! Look at that! A mysterious package with more evidence. It's back in Compartment for another couple of months. Every time you think you're about to get out, I send you back. Until I get bored." I took a step forward, my eyes boring into Shane's metallic ones, the field close enough that I could feel it on my nose. "Do I look like a man who is easily bored?"
Shane Wauter, Swell, gulped, his eyes red rimmed with hate. I smiled. He was thinking he'd get around my defenses. That he'd find a way to get me. But he wouldn't. I stretched my arms behind my back, yawning. I needed a shower after running out to EnviroKop. Shane could wait. I'd call Gale later.