The Enhancer series Box Set

by Wyatt Kane

  “These discs,” Ty gestured, “are the same as those woven into my suit. My onesie, as you called it. But they’re different as well. When I fabricate them, they will be about as large as a dinner plate, and square rather than round. If you look closely, you can see they’re slightly different shapes and sizes. That’s because I needed to control the energy field they project.”

  As he spoke, Ty arranged six of the discs so there was one on each side of an invisible box, including the top and the bottom. He figured he probably didn’t have the relative positions exactly right but knew he could correct it later.

  “The moment of truth,” he said to Dinah. Then, “Activate model, and display,” he said.

  All at once, the holographic image lit up like a neon sign. A plane of blue energy extended out from each disc, making the invisible box look much like Ty when his shield was activated.

  “Cool,” Ty said. He hadn’t been entirely sure that the holographic imager would be able to represent the energy field he was looking to create.

  At the same time, Dinah gave a small squeal of delight and clapped her hands, startling Gremlin. “That’s amazing!” the deerkin said.

  Ty grinned at her and stared at what he’d done for a moment. He had created the type of force field that science fiction films were fond of. As far as he knew, there wasn’t anything else like it in the entire world.

  At the thought, he wondered about what Martin had said back at the Club. “Maybe you could invent something and license it. Sell it to thousands.” Could this be the type of thing that would work for that?

  Yet even as he thought about it, he dismissed the idea. As soon as shielding like this became popular, someone would come up with a way to breach it. And then where would he be?

  Best to keep ideas like this to himself for a while.

  “It’s like your shield, but for the whole building, right?” Dinah said.

  “Exactly.” Ty said. As expected, he hadn’t got the proportions quite right. As displayed, the sides of the shield projected above the top by some distance, and the front didn’t quite connect to the sides. Ty reached in and adjusted it until it was perfect.

  “Will it work?” Dinah asked.

  “It should. I’ll put the projector discs on the walls, ceiling, and floor of the building. It should stop pretty much anything getting in.” He gave Dinah another grin. “It’s a good thing the building is empty. If it wasn’t, I could still do a shield around the penthouse, but this way is much more secure.”

  Dinah returned his grin. “What about Lilith? Will it stop her as well?” she asked.

  That was the critical question. “I don’t know,” Ty said. “My shield seemed to interfere with her power, and she had trouble with Tempest as well. This shield should be stronger. Maybe it will prevent her from entering. Maybe it won’t. But I’ve got something else in mind in case we need it.”

  As he spoke, his disappointment reasserted itself. Lilith had been so convincing, and he still couldn’t figure out what she had to gain by warning him of the attack.

  Dinah nodded. “How will we get through it?” she asked.

  “I’ve designed a remote we can use to turn the shield on and off. At some point, I’ll make it automatic, so we don’t have to think about it. But for now, it’s more important to get it to work.”

  Ty decided that he was satisfied with what he’d done. There was nothing stopping him from finishing it.

  “Fabricate,” he said, and the fabricator woke up and started to work.

  16: Food and Flirtation

  Dinah and Ty had seated themselves on the stools next to the workbench and ate as the fabricator whirred and buzzed down the other end.

  The food Dinah had brought was fantastic. Ty had eaten Thai green curry a couple of times before, but this was at another level entirely. It was rich and spicy, and every mouthful was a symphony of flavor. Even the rice, once soaked in the curry itself, was more flavorsome than any meal he’d had until then.

  Nor was he the only one to enjoy it. Dinah obviously appreciated her own efforts as well.

  “This is even better than I’d hoped,” she said, and it was all Ty could do to make inarticulate grunts of pleasure as he split his focus between the food and the company.

  To Ty, Dinah was the visual equivalent of the meal she had produced. Exotic, exquisitely put together, and full of interesting characteristics. Somehow, she made even the process of eating seem graceful, and she studied him with the same interest as he did her.

  They were simply sharing a meal, and yet the atmosphere between them was somehow electric. Ty couldn’t help but compare Dinah to Tempest and knew that while the blonde superhero was direct in her desires, the deerkin was more subtle.

  She seemed to smolder as she cast sly glances his way. Ty started to feel unexpectedly warm from the inside and wasn’t sure that it had anything to do with the spice Dinah had added to the food.

  Yet when the first of their hunger was sated, their primary topic of conversation was all business.

  “So, this Master, whoever he might be, is still after our devices,” Dinah said. “What I can’t figure out is why? Why didn’t he just create more? Why does he need ours?” she asked.

  It was an innocuous question, yet the deerkin packed it with secret smiles and quirked eyebrows that oozed sensuality. It was as if Dinah was deliberately sending provocative signals just to see what Ty would do.

  Ty had known the two superpowered women for such a short time. And, if he was honest, his experience of women in general wasn’t exactly extensive. He didn’t know how to react.

  “Uh, I can think of two reasons,” he said, responding just to her words. “The first is that he doesn’t want anyone else around who has superpowers. He wants our devices at least in part because of what we can do. Whatever his plans might be, he doesn’t want us standing in his way.”

  “That makes sense,” Dinah said, almost purring. “What else?”

  Ty forgot what he was saying for a moment. He stared at her until she flashed him a knowing grin, then pulled his thoughts together. “I, um, it also isn’t that easy to make them. That was my first thought when you were captured. But the technology includes the use of manufactured crystals that the fabricator can’t replicate. That’s why I had to use the Architect’s prototype–the one Tempest is still wearing now. If it hadn’t been for that, I’m not sure what we would have done.”

  As Ty spoke, Dinah put down her cutlery and looked at him with an expression quite different from her normal one. It was an open expression of desire, and it came with a quiet smile. “Yes,” she said. “That makes sense. And it reminds me. I haven’t yet thanked you properly for your part in my rescue.”

  The way she said it left no doubt in Ty’s mind what she meant by “thanking him.” Ty no longer just felt warm. He felt immediately aroused and slightly confused, because in his memory, all three of them had taken to Tempest’s bed not long after they had brought Dinah home.

  Once again, Ty found that he was unable to think. It was as if a thousand tiny explosions had gone off in his brain, destroying all the neurons he was currently using.

  “Ty?” Dinah said.

  “Uh, what about Tempest?” Ty blurted.

  Dinah just grinned and tilted her head to one side.

  Ty tried again. “I mean, do you think she would mind, given she isn’t here?”

  Dinah’s grin grew broader. “You haven’t figured all this out yet, have you?” she asked.

  Ruefully, Ty shook his head.

  For a moment, Dinah said nothing, and Ty understood why. She was enjoying his discomfort, teasing him subtly. Yet he was a match for it. He smiled and waited, and eventually she started to speak.

  “Think of it this way. Tempest and I have been lovers for years. Ever since we both gained a device. But with Zach being gay, there being a lack of other men in our circle of heroes, and all the others being so far away, there has always been something lacking. And now you’re her
e. I don’t know if you’ve figured it out, but both Tempest and I have become very fond of you very quickly. She would no sooner deny you and me the chance to explore one another more fully than I would deny her the same.”

  As she finished, she looked him up and down and delicately licked her lips. It was as if she was wondering how he might taste.

  Ty didn’t know quite what to say. His life had become filled with danger to the point where even now, his body ached as a result of Lilith’s attack. Yet it was exciting as well, in so many different ways. The possibilities were incredible, and he didn’t want to miss a minute of it.

  Especially this. It was as if all his secret desires from when he was a teenager were coming true. He wouldn’t trade it for anything.

  “But if you really want to make sure, we could give her a call,” Dinah said, raising an eyebrow.

  Ty blinked in surprise. He hadn’t even thought of that. “Yeah. Maybe that would be good.”

  Dinah took him at his word. Without any hesitation, she brought up her device and dialed for Tempest. But the blonde superhero didn’t answer. Instead of talking to her directly, Dinah left a message.

  “Hey, we were just wondering how long you’re likely to be. And our lovely Ty wanted to make sure you were okay with the idea of me taking him to bed without you. Let us know when you can.” With that, the deerkin dismissed the screen.

  “Satisfied?” she asked Ty, her tone still teasing.

  Ty nodded, although in truth, “satisfied” wasn’t the right word. “Excited” was perhaps more accurate. Or, “aroused.” It felt as if there was a promise between him and Dinah that he couldn’t help but look forward to.

  Satisfaction, he thought, would come later.

  17: Installation

  After that, Ty had a hard time focusing on his food despite the rich flavors. All he could think about was Dinah’s message to Tempest, and the promise contained within.

  It wouldn’t be the first time he and Dinah had slept together, but always before, Tempest had been with them. Ty couldn’t help but imagine what they might get up to without her.

  As for Dinah, she seemed to understand where Ty’s mind had gone perfectly. She took great delight in finishing her meal in a way that could only be described as teasing and sensual. The deerkin didn’t say much, expressed herself instead with quiet moans and gasps of pleasure at each succulent mouthful.

  She could have been responding to the delight she found in her food, but Ty knew better. Her sly smiles and knowing looks were driving him wild, and she knew it.

  Ty would have liked to pick her up and have his way with her on the Architect’s workbench but couldn’t. Not yet, at least. Though he expected Dinah to be right in her assessment of Tempest’s response, they had yet to receive her reply. To him, it wouldn’t be right to go ahead without it.

  But more than that, there was work to be done! The fabricator was busily putting together not just the projector discs, but also the associated energy converters and the remote controls Ty had designed. The machine had been programmed to stack them all neatly to the side of the bench. When they were done, he needed to install them.

  If he did not, the mansion would stay vulnerable. Only when it was secure could Ty think about relaxing.

  So, he did his best to keep his breath steady and tried not to think of the way every nerve he possessed seemed to be alive with interest.

  ◆◆◆

  The fabricator completed its work as Ty and Tempest put their cutlery down. Dinah looked at Ty with a mischievous expectation as if he was dessert. Every fiber in Ty’s being wanted to bring her close and kiss her perfect lips, but he knew that if he did that, he wouldn’t stop.

  Instead, he cleared his throat. “Um, I need to install the discs.” It was all he could manage. His eloquence had deserted him part way through the meal.

  Dinah grinned at him. “Of course. Would you like some help?” she asked.

  Ty wasn’t entirely certain that Dinah’s help would speed up the process. Yet he nodded.

  “Absolutely,” he said. “The sooner we get this done…” He wanted to say that the sooner they got this done, the sooner they could move on to more interesting occupations. But he didn’t finish putting his thought into words.

  Dinah understood anyway. “Yes,” she said, grinning broadly. Then, to Ty’s combined relief and disappointment, the deerkin shifted gears a little. “What’s the plan?” she asked.

  It was enough to free Ty’s tangled tongue. “Each projector disc is associated with an energy converter. The energy converters will keep the shield running for as long as we wish. All we do is fix the discs to the appropriate walls, floor, and ceiling, hook them up to the energy converters, and turn them on. The shield will be inside the building and won’t be visible from outside at all.”

  Dinah nodded. “Sounds good. Let’s get to it.”

  They got to it. The only tools they needed were a measuring tape and a screwdriver, both of which Ty found in one of the workbench drawers, and a coil of electrical wire that he knew would come in handy. He packed these, together with the largest of the discs and two of the energy converters into his backpack.

  He would have packed in more, but the energy converters were heavy. If he had Tempest’s strength, he would have been able to manage it, but as it was, two was more than enough.

  Then Ty turned to Dinah. “Lead the way,” he said. “We need to get to the ground floor of the building.”

  The deerkin nodded, but before they left, she turned to Gremlin. “Take care of the place, will you?” she said to the cat. At Dinah’s words, the cat shifted her shoulders, but didn’t look up.

  Installation proved simple enough. The main building was empty, but the lights were still on, if a little dim. Everywhere Ty looked, there were signs of neglect. The carpets were faded and worn to the point where the wooden floors were visible beneath. The paint on the walls was cracked and chipped, and countless spiders had made the place their home.

  To Ty, it could have been the setting for a ghost story. It was spooky, made all the worse by the emptiness of the place, and the all-pervasive silence.

  New Lincoln was a crowded city with too many people jammed into too small a space. The apartment Ty shared with Brad was no different from thousands of others spread throughout many suburbs. Even in the darkest parts of the night, in the small hours, there was always something going on. Somebody running through the hallway or stomping about on the floor above. Maybe an argument from somewhere nearby.

  But this was different.

  The only sounds Ty could hear were those he and Dinah made. Their breathing. The movements of their clothing. The tread of their feet on the threadbare carpet.

  It was enough to put Ty on edge. His breathing became shallow, and he started to sweat even in the cool air. He kept looking about as if expecting some monster to creep up on him, maybe a mummy or some sort of zombie. He even forgot about Dinah’s promise as they made their way down to the ground floor.

  Nor did his discomfort go unnoticed. Dinah didn’t say anything. She just watched and dropped back a little. Then, deliberately and with a certain amount of mischievous glee, she pinched his left butt cheek

  Ty let out an involuntary squeal and jumped a foot in the air, and Dinah burst out laughing.

  “What’s the matter, Ty?” she said, grinning impishly. “You’re not afraid of ghosts, are you? Don’t worry, we haven’t seen any for weeks, now.”

  Ty understood she was laughing at him and forced himself to relax.

  After that, it was easier. Dinah kept the mood light with teasing and jokes, and soon enough, they made it to the ground floor.

  Ty used the floor plans Dinah had sent through as well as the measuring tape to position the first projector disc. Fortunately, the building was symmetrical. The center of the floor was in the middle of a hall, which meant they didn’t need to break into any of the rooms. It took Ty only a few minutes to fix the projector disc in place and hook it
up to the first of the energy converters. When he was done, he looked at Dinah. “The moment of truth,” he said, and she gave him an encouraging look.

  “Activate,” Ty said.

  Almost at once, the energy converter started to hum. Moments later, a soft, blue nimbus appeared all over the floor.

  “It’s working!” Dinah said. The deerkin couldn’t hide her excitement. She clapped her hands and danced about, then drew Ty into a quick embrace and kissed him on his cheek. “This is amazing!” she said.

  Ty beamed at her, enormously pleased that she was enjoying the process.

  “One down,” he said. “That should stop anyone trying to dig in from underneath. Let’s get on and do the rest.”

  The rest went smoothly. They had to return to the Architect’s workshop to pick up more energy converters several times, but only ran into difficulties once, with the disc that needed to be fixed to the ceiling. But even that wasn’t insurmountable. They just grabbed one of the stools from the workshop, and Ty stood on that.

  “Perfect,” Ty said when he was done.

  They had started working on the discs for the mansion itself when Dinah received a message from Tempest. The deerkin called it up and Tempest’s movie-star face appeared above her device.

  “Sorry, they aren’t leaving me alone much, so this has to be quick,” she began. “I’d hoped to be home before now, but for some reason the officer in charge is being overly officious. It’s like he wants to make it more difficult than it needs to be. It’s irritating, but it looks like I’m going to be here for a while yet. Might be an all-nighter.” The blonde superhero’s beautiful face twisted into an expression of annoyance, but then she brightened. “As for that other thing, have at it, with my blessings,” she finished.

  As Dinah listened to the message, she looked concerned at first, but broke out into a broad grin toward the end. She raised a single eyebrow at Ty.

  “Told you,” she said.