by Nathan Howe
Once they extracted James from the car, they strapped him on the stretcher and rushed inside. Petrice trailed behind them, allowing them space. But she didn't want to let him out of her sight.
Once they made it to the elevator, they spun to Petrice, “I'm sorry. But you can't follow.”
“But he's family.”
“It doesn't matter. This is a secure site, and you are not cleared.”
Petrice huffed and folded her arms. “Fine,” she sneered.
The doors closed in her face. She noticed it wasn't one of the regular elevators, she read on the front Cynosure Dynamics. They dealt with both bioengineering, along with many other things. They were part of the Hero Coalition yet separate, many of the people who worked in the department were Ardents, but many weren't. The smartest people in the world applied to work for them and were rejected.
Petrice retreated to the front lobby of the building. Outside David's car sat, and it required relocation since it was in a no parking zone. She waved at the guard at the desk, another Ardent, Kraftig she thought his name was, and pointed to the car, indicating she was moving it. He nodded. She quickly checked in on James, no changes. She walked past the giant statue in front of the building. Most times she barely gave it a second thought, the statue of Titus loomed over her. They said that he came here and formed the city after the great event and battle that altered Earth and gave rise to the Ardents. Some thought he was still alive today and he with the others from then were immortal. It would be nice if he could pass that over to James.
At the car, the rear was completely trashed, covered in James' blood. Seeing the mess reminded her of David. The scene of his abduction had blood too. Part of her believed James was right and David was gone, she couldn't find him with her connection. She hoped that something else was causing the silence.
Petrice drove the car to the rear of the building and used coalition cleaning supplies to wash it. The blood was soaked into the seats. Nothing she could do. At least trying to clean it kept her mind from wandering. By the time she finished the Sun had risen.
She dropped the car off where she got it. She periodically checked on James, he was doing better. The treatment was doing something.
Petrice wanted to fly back to the Hero Coalition headquarters in downtown. She wanted to be there when James woke up. She was aware of his parent's arrival, and her mother coming to HQ.
But she had to check in back in midtown, with her boss, Valiant Rush, and Invincible. Invincible took over the whole of the Hero Coalition less than a year ago. He reported only to the board that funds the Hero Coalition.
Petrice landed on top of the building, on the sanctioned spot for flyers, next to a helicopter pad. The building was the tallest one in this part of the city. It made for an unpleasant experience, being up so high, but Petrice had gotten used to it over the last year of her training. The first few years she refused to use it while she learned to control her flying. Her trainer insisted she practice with it.
Petrice was about to progress to her next stage of training at the main headquarters where James was at. She had to learn how to command her mental powers with support first and then by herself. Soon she would learn to utilize them in combat. David and Scott basically went right into combat as do many others who don't have to worry about supporting others with their powers.
Petrice descended into the building. Now it was late enough in the morning that many of the other heroes were here.
The top floor housed Invincible, his office. Plus a large meeting room, that most used to talk to the other members here. Invincible spent his time split between here and the main headquarters. A busy role, taking up his time.
Petrice walked the large main hallway. When she arrived in the waiting room for Invincible's office, she went to his secretary, Janice, and asked to tell Invincible she was here. Then Petrice walked over to one of the couches. Gravitation Woman sat in her hero uniform, mostly pink and with hints of black, it offset her shoulder-length blond hair and her stern, angular face, “Morning Petrice,” she said. She glanced down, with a frown. Bags were under her eyes, with an unkempt appearance, not her normal look.
“Heidi,” Petrice said using her real name. Many of the heroes preferred not to say code names with each other. Invincible insisted on it. Petrice worked briefly with an Ardent who went to the extreme of hiding his real name from the Hero Coalition completely, Burning. He, however, was a rarity.
Heidi shifted to face Petrice who had sat on the right side of the couch. “Petrice, I wanted to say I'm sorry.” She tilted her head.
“It's not your fault,” Petrice said, and it wasn't. They couldn't be everywhere.
“It's just I was in the area right before. I just didn't. . .”
Petrice patted her on the shoulder. “Don't worry. I'm sure Invincible will figure out who took him and we'll expose him.”
Heidi nodded as she smiled shyly.
The large oak doors from Invincible's office burst open, Heidi stood to enter. Invincible stood there, his towering figure, close to seven feet tall and muscular. His hair shaggy hung to his chin, out of place in the suit that he wore. A drastic shift from his barely-there hero uniform of combat boots and a kilt. “You too Mortal,” he said with a deep husky voice.
Petrice stood and followed Heidi into the large office. An impressive desk with a view of the Midtown sat in the center. As Petrice passed her boss, he asked, “How is your cousin?”
“Well, from what I can tell, but I'm not sure what is going on with him.”
“So sad,” he said. “I hope he makes it out. Cynosure Dynamics took him right?”
“Yes, sir.”
Invincible nodded. “If anyone can bring someone back it's Cynosure Dynamics.” He then gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk. “I have several heroes out scanning the city for Stone Rush.”
“I haven't been able to contact my brother. No hint of him.”
Invincible leaned back in his chair. “That isn't a good sign. None of the other psychics in Cynosure haven't either. It troubles me. But we won't rest until we locate him. Dead or alive.”
Petrice didn't want to think about it, so she reached out again for David. No sign of him.
Invincible eyed at Heidi, “You didn't notice anything on your patrol last night?”
Heidi paused. Her face sunk. “I'm sorry. Nothing stands out. A few thugs that I held on the other side of campus otherwise an eerily quiet night for me.”
“Hmm,” Invincible said. “That might be something. The hooligans are usually out on Friday's. And I'm receiving reports of rotting flesh.” He moved to Heidi. “You didn't smell that or see Zombies? I've heard random reports of that as well.”
A buzz sounded from Invincible's phone, he answered, “Send him in.”
The doors creaked open, and Rhett walked in. Yet another large man, but not nearly the size of Invincible, he dwarfed most people. He kept his blond hair short and had his sunglass on top of the head. He never went anywhere without them, at least not that Petrice saw.
“Valiant Rush, thanks for coming. I'm putting you in charge of this investigation of Stone Rush.” Invincible informed him.
“You sure? What about Violet?” Valiant Rush asked. “I did train him. I might be too close.”
“No, you're perfect because of that. Petrice?”
She glanced at Rhett, the right person for the job. He was a tough worker and never gave up. “If anyone can solve this it's you,” she said. Knowing he was on the case gave her hope.
“I'll do it. How big a team do I get?”
“As many as you demand without messing up the regular patrols? I'll inform Violet. I'm sure part of her will be pissed, but she has several ongoing cases as it is.”
“Can I be a part of it?” Heidi asked standing up.
Rhett looked to Invincible who nodded. “Be my guest,” Rhett said. He was eager and willing to do what it took. Petrice was thankful for that. She feared it wouldn’t matter, but sti
ll, it was refreshing. “I'll talk to a few others who are here and make some calls.”
Invincible handed him a large folder. “This is what we have. I talked to the local police. Went over it with them. If you want my thoughts don't hesitate.”
“Roger that.” Rhett left the office. Petrice and Heidi followed him out.
Spector
Across town in a rundown warehouse that rested beside the Superior River not far from Djinn Park, Spector sat in his throne. Or the chair he thought of as his throne, a chesterfield chair. In this worn down warehouse, it might as well be a throne.
In the worst part of town, one that many heroes avoided, it made it perfect for Spector and the other villains of Cynosure. The villains and the heroes had an unwritten agreement, don't cause too much trouble here and we'll leave you alone.
The wait was killing Spector, he wanted his prize. He had planned this out for months. This was just one of the many steps, and it was a large one. David Harden would be the one to take down his own family, to wreak havoc on them while Spector achieved his ultimate goal.
“Where the hell are they?” Spector asked no one in particular.
Several of his low-level minions scattered about. One gawked at him and shrugged. “They uh haven't been gone that long uh, sir.”
Spector sprung from his throne stopping the minion in his tracks. “Did anyone ask you? Grant you permission to speak?”
The short fat man shook in fear. He tried to be as small as possible. “Uh, sorry, boss. I uh didn't mean any offense.” Shrinking more, soon he'd be crawling away in fear.
Spector closed the gap between them. Even though Spector wasn't physically the most intimidating person, most feared him. “You didn't mean any offense. That makes everything fine and dandy.”
“Okay boss.” The man slowly backed away not taking his eyes off the floor in front of Spector's feet.
It wasn't enough. Spector ran a tight ship here. Everything had to be a certain way. Otherwise, he'd never earn his due, the respect of other Ardents. This imbecile demanded a lesson, they all did.
The Netherworld called to Spector begged him to be used, so he did. He released the darkness, pulling part of it to this realm, the glorious Netherworld and all the evil it held. Spector was a bridge between the realms. He soaked it up, feeling it through his whole body, then concentrating in his hands. A dark cloudy substance formed around his fist. He fired at the idiot. Quickly the body was wrapped in darkness, in death. The Netherworld that fed Spector fed on those around him, killing them when he wanted.
The rest of the workers did their best to ignore what happened. Pretending that Spector didn't kill a fellow worker with a flick of his finger. But they couldn't. “Let this be a lesson. Do not disappoint me.”
They nodded. A few of Spector’s minions came over to remove the body. Spector went back to his throne.
And he wasn't. His zombie minions from the Netherworld that never disappointed him pulled the unconscious David Harden into the warehouse.
James
Slowly James eye's unzipped. They shouldn't be opening. The last thing he remembered was that he jumped. Tried to kill himself. Maybe this is Heaven or Hell.
The world came into focus around him, definitely not Heaven, a hospital. White walls with several monitors set around him. Not his idea of a magical afterlife. James hoped he would have gone to that most beautiful place. One was magical, but this place was lonely and depressing.
He shouldn't be here, not alive. Petrice saved him. Just close enough to slow his dive. His body ached from head to toe. James tried to sit up, but halfway up he was jerked back to the bed. They had him restrained.
A woman in scrubs ran into the room. She looked different to James. He saw the world differently than before. She stepped up to the side of the bed. “Nice to see you finally awake, James,” she said. She had long auburn hair and a pleasant smile. “I'm Doctor Watson.”
“Why am I restrained?” James asked. It didn't make sense to him. Why would they do that? Was that normal at hospitals? Panic rose in him, fearful they would be doing something to him. This went from waking up in heaven to a hell. No, he was alive, a prison. One they did unspeakable things to him, and he was petrified now.
“This is the Hero Coalition Hospital,” She said. It made sense now, they were capable of more than any other place on earth. She peered at him with a gentle smile. “Do you remember what got you here?”
Vividly. “I tried to kill myself after my cousin was kidnapped and probably killed.”
“Okay, good, James. That is an excellent sign.” Not good, whenever someone says that. “Part of the restraints is because of that. We don't want you to try again is all.”
“Part?” Again something bad.
Doctor Watson smiled. “It's best left for Doctor Ramstein to tell you. He should be here any minute. He'll explain everything.”
A minute later a scruffy man walked into the room, with horned rim glasses, he carried a tablet in front of him. Doctor Ramstein walked to the other side of the bed, James followed him with his eyes. For the first time, he noticed his arm. Or what should be his arm, a completely metal appendage had attached itself to James' body?
“What have you done?” James asked. It felt like his arm. This must be crazy advanced technology. What hospital was he in?
Doctor Ramstein grunted. “I saved your life.” James peeked at Doctor Watson. “Or, rather, my team here at Cynosure Dynamics did.”
James wasn't sure he agreed. “I wanted to die.”
“I understand. But now I've given you a reason to live. Without us, you'd have no right eye, no arm. You'd have been lucky to even remember your own name. With us you're special.”
That was a lot to take in; James realized his body had gone through a lot of damage. And the latter part. What did he mean by that? Would he be an Ardent? James eyed the doctor quizzically.
“When you leaped, Mortal did her best to save you. But it took a toll on your body inside and out. You lost your arm, it was severed at the shoulder, and your eye. It was more than any normal hospital could handle, along with the blood loss. Just putting on the arm and eye wouldn't have been enough. We also had to inject you with nanobots.”
“Nanobots?”
“Microscopic robots that are repairing you as we speak. They also connect your body, and brain waves to the arm and eye. Allowing you to sense them, manipulate them as your own.”
James shook his head. He wasn't sure he understood the doctor. “Let me make sure I hear you right. You said tiny robots are inside of me. And they are keeping me alive and giving me mental control over what you attached to me.”
Doctor Ramstein nodded. “That about sums it up,” Doctor Watson said.
“Anything else?” James asked.
“We aren't usually allowed to do this. Most of the knowledge we have on this type technology is from people outside the coalition. We examined the Mechajunks and modified their process. Many tests are required. But for now, rest. Soon your family will be able to visit,” Doctor Ramstein said. “We'll loosen your restraints shortly. But don't exit the room. We are still monitoring you for any side effects, a few have shown up already, but don't be too worried.”
Don't be worried. Any side effects aren't good. At least they aren't usually. James hoped he wasn't going to turn green or something.
An orderly walked into the room to remove the restraints from James. The doctors stood off to the side, watching him and their tablets. With the restraints off, James shot up. Faster than normal. One second he was lying down, the next standing. “I thought that might be one of the side effects,” Doctor Ramstein said. “You have super reflexes like your cousin Super, uh Scott.”
“Super Strength?”
“Unlikely. You might be stronger than before, but to the level that you'd be able to destroy a building isn't probable.”
James shrugged. “Okay.”
“Please be careful James,” Doctor Watson said. “This is an un
tested procedure. Each person responds differently to body modifications. It will be awhile before we understand completely how you will respond.”
The doctors walked to the door in the room, they walked slower, everything around him did. He was watching the world in slow motion. Freaky. It went back to normal.
Doctor Ramstein paused at the door when he saw James' face. “Everything all right?”
“For a second there everything was moving slower around me,” James said.
“That's another side effect, related to your super reflexes. You are moving faster than us so you will see us moving slower when in reality, you are processing it and moving faster.”
“Wicked,” James said with a large smile.
“Wicked, indeed, Mr. Harden,” Doctor Ramstein replied.
Later that day after visits from most of his family, the doctors came back to check in on him. They had him hooked up to so many machines, recording his every move. Nothing would slip past them. At least James was certain it wouldn't. Once satisfied they told him they would want to test him more the next day.
Being holed up in this room with only his thoughts wasn't good. At least Petrice was leaving him alone this time. She apologized over and over again for violating his head. But also said she'd do it again. Anything to keep him alive she said.
Part of James was happy she cared and saved his life. He was an Ardent now, at least kind of. The nanobots and the new eye and arm made him special. He might join the Hero Coalition and be a hero with the Midtown team. That had always been a dream of his. But it wasn't a reality, being normal as he was. Now Cynosure Dynamics made him special. Tomorrow he just might learn how much. James smiled at the thought of that and drifted into nothingness for the night, his body fatigued from the day.
