by Wyatt Kane
The video ended and Ty and Brad looked at Ty again.
“Holy fuck,” he said.
Ty nodded. “Yes.”
“Were you there as well?” Brad asked.
Ty nodded. “I was on the ground, fighting Bain and a small army of the Master’s men.”
“Wow,” Brad said. Then he shook himself. “But that’s not when you were injured?”
“No, that was yesterday,” Try said. He flexed his shoulder and grimaced at the pain. “If I had Tempest’s healing ability, it would be mostly gone by now. I’m trying to work out how to duplicate it, but I’m drawing a blank on it right now.”
“Her healing ability?” Brad asked.
“Yeah. I thought I could just replicate it, but because it isn’t the same as a skill, it’s not easy.”
Brad studied him for a moment. “You said the device adds nanites into your bloodstream, right?” he said.
“Yeah?” Ty replied, vaguely puzzled.
“Well, that makes it easy, doesn’t it?”
Ty didn’t follow. He just gave Brad a puzzled expression.
“You don’t need to figure out what how Tempest’s healing ability works. You just need to program some nanites to act like your own system. Use them to repair any damage that happens. If you can do that, you’re all done. Instant immortality, or as near to it as you can get.”
Ty stared at his friend. Once again, the gamer had managed to cut through to the heart of the problem. Ty had been looking at it all wrong. He almost laughed at the simple elegance of what Brad had suggested.
“Brilliant,” he said. “That might actually work.” He made a mental promise to talk with his friend more often, especially when he had a problem that he couldn’t solve by himself. Then he drew a deep breath.
“Now, how about you tell me your other brilliant idea. Why am I here? What are we going to do about the wall?”
19: What Could Go Wrong?
Brad opened his mouth to start talking, but the oven timer chose just that moment to bing. Brad shut his mouth again, and to Ty’s growing frustration, the gamer leapt out of his seat and headed to the kitchen.
“I don’t want these to burn,” he said.
Ty drew a deep breath and waited.
Fortunately, Brad was efficient. He returned with two plates stacked with bagel halves smeared with garlic-butter, and handed one of the plates over.
Ty accepted it gratefully and inhaled the warm, delicious aroma of hot bread. As Brad settled himself back down, Ty bit into a bagel with relish. It wasn’t up to Dinah’s standards of baking, but for Brad, who had barely touched an oven before, it was better than he would have expected.
It was delicious and satisfying, and both of them wolfed down their first bagel half without pausing to breathe.
But as he picked up his second, Ty repeated his question. “What is your grand plan?” he demanded.
Brad sucked molten garlic-butter from his fingertips. He grinned. “Yeah. It’s Sarah’s idea, really.”
Ty just waited.
“She works for one of the pharmacological megas. In a testing division. There’s this new drug they’re working on that sounds really interesting. I’ve got a pamphlet around somewhere, but essentially, it’s designed to tap into hidden potential locked away in our DNA. Sound familiar?”
Ty had been about to take another bite from a bagel. Instead, he stared at his friend. It did indeed sound familiar. The device on his wrist did exactly the same.
Brad grinned. “They don’t know what they might be able to bring out, but the way Sarah was talking, she’s thinking superpowers. Telepathy. Telekinesis. The ability to shoot flames out of your ass. I don’t really need to tell you what she’s talking about, right?”
Ty could scarcely believe what he was hearing. “No,” he said.
“But it’s more than that as well. Sarah says they might be able to induce abilities in people even if their genetics don’t originally support it. Like, someday in the future.” Brad grinned. “Can you imagine it? It’d be like a performance enhancement booster, a permanent buff for your health and general well-being. With the chance of a bonus skill on top.”
Ty didn’t know quite what to think. His first thought was that somehow, the world was on the verge of a superhero explosion. Just a few few days earlier, Ty had been skeptical that superheroes existed at all. Now, he was one, and the number of superpowered people had effectively doubled.
With an unknown number of devices in the Master’s and Rubio’s control, he had expected there to be even more, eventually. But with what Brad was saying, the world – or New Lincoln at least – could be on the cusp of a major change.
It could be evolutionary in nature.
Ty was still struggling to grasp the implications when Brad continued.
“Sarah says that they expect the changes to be minor. You know, like the body modifications that are all the rage at the moment. She thinks that mostly, people will grow scales, or become taller. Maybe grow claws instead of fingernails. She expects it to become the next big thing in the body mod industry. But there will be a continuum. And those on the far end, maybe they’ll be like your friend Tempest.”
Brad was probably right, Ty thought, but he was thinking about something else he’d said. What would happen when the pharmaceutical company could create powers to order?
Would a random person be able to order up Bain’s strength, Tempest’s ability to fly, and Lilith’s strange ability all at once?
Ty wasn’t entirely sure that was a good idea.
“Um, how does all this relate to fixing the hole in the wall?” Ty asked.
“That’s the best part!” Brad exclaimed. “You know I said Sarah was part of the research team? Well, they’re in the testing phase. They need guinea pigs. Human guinea pigs. And they’re willing to pay.”
An image of Angie the Hutt sneering at him, telling him he would have to sell blood to survive, appeared in Ty’s mind. He grimaced, thinking that maybe the awful woman had been right after all. Wasn’t being a drug tester much the same thing?
Yet he had to ask. “How much?”
“More than enough,” Brad replied. “But we’ll have to be quick. They only want a few candidates right now. And I don’t know what their criteria for acceptance might be. But imagine it. You’ve already got that thing on your wrist. What if we do this and I end up turning invisible? Or, you know, gain the ability grow to 100 feet tall? Wouldn’t that be awesome!”
“Yeah,” Ty agreed weakly. “Awesome.”
At the same time, he was tempted to give it a try. His misgivings about whether the megacorporation should be doing this research or not aside, he really did need the money. What would the drug do to his system, which had already been enhanced by the device on his wrist? Would it simply act as a buff?
Or would it somehow offer him something new?
And just how much was, “more than enough?”
“Are you going to do?” Ty asked.
“I don’t see why not. What could go wrong?”
“That’s the problem,” Ty said. “Why would they be willing to pay so well if there weren’t any risks?”
Brad hesitated, but only briefly. Then he shrugged and gestured around the apartment. “Dude, look at my life. I’m never going to reach the top level as a gamer. I’ll always be struggling. Sure, life’s pretty good right now, but if this is all there is, even if something goes wrong, it’s not like I’ve lost very much.”
Ty didn’t know what to say. He’d always thought of Brad as someone who could live his life on his own terms. But he was just like everyone else, struggling in a world arranged to benefit those at the top, without much hope of a better future.
Ty nodded soberly. But before he could say anything either to comfort his friend or commiserate, his device pinged an alert.
20: Speedy Exit
It was Dinah. Ty hit the button to acknowledge her call, and the deerkin’s beautiful, exotic face floated above Ty’s d
evice.
“Hi,” she said. Ty was aware of Brad beside him on the sofa, a half-eaten bagel still in his hands. Without looking directly at his friend, Ty could sense his immediate interest in Dinah. The two of them had never met, but Ty had spoken of the deerkin before.
“Hi yourself,” he said. “What’s up?”
“There’s been a development,” Dinah said, deliberately ambiguous. “Can you come back to the mansion?”
Ty considered. He no longer had any work to go to, and he wasn’t exactly needed at the apartment. But there was a question of logistics to deal with. “Sure,” he said. “But I haven’t yet got back to your bike. It’ll take me a little while –”
But Dinah was shaking her head. “Don’t worry about that,” she said. “Tempest is already on her way to collect you. You’re at your old apartment, right?”
Ty couldn’t help but notice the way Dinah referred to his apartment as history, as if he was officially living in the mansion with her and Tempest. He didn’t know quite what to think about that. Sure, he hadn’t slept at his apartment for a number of days by then, and was more and more comfortable in the mansion. But in his mind, he was still just a guest, and it would be presuming too much to think otherwise.
Yet, with Tempest on her way, this wasn’t the time to discuss it.
“Okay. I’ll see you soon,” he said. Then, with half an eye on Brad’s expression, he added, “Get her to come around to the hole in the wall, could you?”
“Sure,” Dinah said before ringing off.
The look on Brad’s face was nearly enough to make Ty laugh out loud. “That’s Dinah?” he said, his voice hoarse with desire.
Ty just grinned.
“I thought you were kidding when you said she was just as amazing as Tempest. I didn’t think it was possible. But … wow,” Brad said.
“Yeah,” Ty agreed. Then he grinned. “You know Lilith is just as spectacular, right? In a different way.”
“You have got to be shitting me,” Brad said.
Ty shook his head. “Seriously. It’s like they were made to put everyone else to shame.”
“What I wouldn’t give …” Brad began.
“Bradley Fletcher,” Ty said.
“What?”
“Have you forgotten Sarah already?” Ty asked.
Surprisingly, Ty’s friend blushed a deep red. It seemed that he had indeed forgotten about Sarah.
Ty laughed out loud. “If it makes you feel any better, Lilith is no more than a friend. For now.”
“Yeah,” Brad said. “That doesn’t really help much.”
Ty knew Tempest would be there in a very short time, depending on how fast she was flying. He took another bite of a bagel half, then put the plate to one side and stood up.
“Help me with this?” he said, gesturing at the poster hiding the hole in the wall.
Brad understood, and between the two of them, they took the poster down.
“Tempest is coming in again, right?” Brad asked.
“Are you worried she’ll make another hole?” Ty asked. “Bain isn’t here this time –” he began.
But Brad shook his head. He was grinning like a schoolboy. “No. I was just hoping to see her again?” He said.
Ty raised an eyebrow. “Sarah, remember?” he said.
“Yeah, yeah, I haven’t forgotten,” Brad said. Then, in a moment of honesty, he admitted, “It’s just that Tempest is better.”
Ty didn’t know Sarah beyond what he’d learned from Brad. Nevertheless, he had t0 agree. In his mind, it wasn’t possible to improve on perfection.
But he wasn’t going to indulge his friend’s lust, either, if he could help it. Still grinning, Ty used his device to call the blonde superhero.
She answered immediately, the wind in her holographic hair. “How far away are you?” Ty asked.
“If you look outside, you should just about be able to see me.”
“Okay, good. Slight change of plan. Catch me.” With that, Ty hung up.
Brad was staring at him in confusion. With the same massive grin that he’d used when showing off for Badger outside the Concubine Club, Ty turned from his friend and looked out into the sky. He saw the fast-moving blonde against the dreary grey of the sky and decided there wasn’t any reason not to do what he had in mind.
He took two steps toward the hole in the wall, and with an exuberant, wordless shout of his own and Brad’s exclamation of astonishment behind him, he threw himself out of the building.
◆◆◆
Ty knew without a whisper of doubt that Tempest would catch him. With one caveat. If he’d mistimed his jump leap, or if Tempest didn’t spot him, or if she was simply too far away to reach him in time, then he would tumble end over end until he hit the ground below.
As he laughed at his last glimpse of Brad’s astonished face, he knew Tempest would catch him.
As he started to tumble, the wind catching his clothes and making them flap around his body, he was mostly sure she would catch him.
As he fell past more floors of his building than he initially expected, he started to wonder. Tumbling down in an uncontrolled fashion, he glimpsed the ground rushing toward him, and only then did he think about activating his shield.
It would take but a moment, and it would keep him from becoming a red, sticky mess on the pavement. The only reason he hadn’t turned it on already was that it made him a little bit harder for Tempest to grip. But if she wasn’t going to reach him in time, maybe he should….
At the last possible instant before he made up his mind, Tempest collided with him in full flight. The impact was sudden and jarring, like being hit by a truck. Ty felt his head rattle back and forth, and all of the air exploded from his lungs. Yet the collision came with a sense of relief, and in moments the two of them were soaring into the sky.
Tempest was already scolding him as he did his best to regain his breath. “What do you think you were doing?” the blonde superhero demanded. “What would you have done if I hadn’t caught you? Why would you put yourself in danger like that?”
Finally, Ty was able to draw in a great gulp of air. He heard the disbelief and incredulity in Tempest’s voice, but his first instinct, when he could breathe again, was to let out a whoop! of sheer joy mixed with laughter.
Tempest was silent for a moment. When she spoke again, it was in a tone of greater understanding. “I get it,” she said. “When I first got my powers, I took a few crazy risks that maybe I shouldn’t have just because it was fun. I keep forgetting, you’re still new at this. And your shield – you were perfectly safe, weren’t you?”
Ty was still on a high from his efforts. “Yeah. Exactly,” he said. He didn’t mention that he had almost waited too long to activate it.
Surprisingly, Tempest also let out a laugh. “What am I going to do with you?” she said.
“Anything you want,” Ty replied.
With that, they headed back to the mansion.
21: Lilith’s Skill
Ty didn’t ask Tempest anything about the “development” Dinah had mentioned. He figured he would learn all about it soon enough. Instead, he just enjoyed the all-too-brief flight with Tempest, and quietly wished it would lead to fun rather than danger.
Perhaps one day Tempest would take him away from New Lincoln completely. To an island somewhere in the ocean, away from the Master, away from Rubio and his men, away from Bain and all the cruel, loathsome parts of the city.
Maybe he would suggest that to her at some point. They could take Dinah with them, and perhaps Lilith if things happened to work out there, and they could forget about everything for a while.
But he didn’t voice those thoughts out loud. He knew that right then, both Dinah and Tempest were too focused on their antagonists to even think of taking a break. Maybe one day, but there would be no pleasant interlude at that moment.
By the time they landed on the bridge over the koi pond, Tempest’s good cheer had faded enough that Ty assumed things were n
ot yet back to normal between her and Dinah.
Ever considerate, the blonde superhero held onto Ty for a moment to ensure he had his balance. Ty would have liked to spend a few minutes just watching the brightly colored fish in the pond, but Dinah had already appeared at the mansion entrance to greet them.
She wore her usual smile and carried Gremlin in her arms. She began with an apology. “Sorry,” she said. “It seems I’m making a habit of calling you back from work or your apartment at a moment’s notice.”
Ty shrugged. “This is important,” he said. And besides, he thought privately, it wasn’t as if he had any work to go to any more. “So, what is this development you mentioned?” he asked.
“It’ll be better if I show you,” Dinah said. She turned and led them both through to one of Ty’s favorite rooms in the mansion, the cozy den with the comfortable chairs and the fireplace.
The den wasn’t empty. Instead, Lilith occupied one of the chairs. Beside her, on a low table, were the remains of more of Dinah’s cupcakes and a half empty cup of coffee.
Ty had never been much of a coffee drinker, but just at that moment, he found the rich aroma enticing. Or perhaps that had something to do with Lilith, who looked up at his and Tempest’s entrance.
Dinah was beaming with pride. “Lilith has agreed to help us,” she said. At the same time, she struggled to hold onto Gremlin. The cat squirmed out of the deerkin’s arms and scampered away into the mansion.
Tempest’s expression was one of limited acceptance. Not whole-hearted enjoyment that Lilith was there, but at least she had moved away from disappointment.
“Has she?” Ty asked, wondering what Dinah’s words actually meant. Then he turned to Lilith. “Have you?”
The beautiful demon woman nodded. “For a while, at least,” she said. “Until we can do something about Bain and the Master. I don’t know about anything beyond that.”