Wind Runner (Vanderbrook Champions Book 1)
Page 3
“Oh, I’m sorry, Malcolm,” she said. “It’s just Anna. Fear test.”
“Right…” His face was hot with embarrassment. “I should have guessed that would be how you’d do it.”
“Anna?” said Tapestry. “Can you come back to human form so you can give the… other, emotional test?”
Malcolm couldn’t see behind him, but he heard a small rush of air, along with a tiny popping noise, and then heard Anna’s voice.
“Tapestry, come on,” she said, with a sigh. “You would be better at this one than me.”
“I’m flattered that you would say so, Anna,” said Tapestry. “But really. I couldn’t.”
“Tapestry…” said Anna. “How about this? We both do it.”
“Anna, please.”
“It’ll be quicker,” said Anna. “And it’s only fair.”
Malcolm frowned, unsure of whether he liked the sound of the conversation or not.
“Alright, fine.” Tapestry walked around to the front of Malcolm’s chair and smiled at him reassuringly. “Malcolm, the other common emotion that oftentimes can be a weakness for the gifted is…”
She bit her lip, hesitating. Her face turned beat red, and it was one of the cutest things Malcolm had ever seen.
I think I know what it is. But this is just too funny.
“What?” asked Malcolm, trying to sound oblivious, “What is it? Is it happiness? Confusion?”
“Malcolm…” Tapestry hesitated again, fidgeting a little in front of him. “You know how when a man and woman are… attracted to each other, sometimes-”
“Jesus Christ, Tapestry,” said Anna. “I can see why you wanted me to do it so badly.”
Anna walked around to the front of his chair, and instead of explaining or saying anything, she crouched down next to Malcolm, moving in close. She was relatively average looking, without the pretty face or petite curves that Tapestry had to work with, but there was something intense about her.
“Hey,” she said to Malcolm, flashing a small smile. She stretched her hand out and slid it across his chest, and then his stomach.
“Hey,” said Malcolm. He grinned back at her, pleased to have finally reached a test that was fun for him, too.
“It’s still part of the test, Malcolm,” said Tapestry, in a matter of fact voice. “She’s testing for a weakness related to arousal, or lust.”
“Oh, really?” said Malcolm, with a tinge of sarcasm. Anna’s hand had settled on his thigh, and she was slowly running it back and forth, within an inch of his manhood.
“So, whenever you’re ready…” said Tapestry, sounding a little uncomfortable. “Malcolm?”
Tapestry frowned and leaned forward in front of him, inadvertently pushing her chest into his face.
“It would go faster if you helped,” said Anna. “Just saying…”
Tapestry made an annoyed noise and scowled at both of them. She placed a hand on Malcolm’s shoulder, patting it a couple of times in the shyest attempt at being sexy that he’d ever seen.
“Does this help?” asked Tapestry. She made eye contact with Malcolm, and blushed. He felt himself getting hard, and suddenly unable to look away from the small blonde woman. There was something even sexier about the nature of that cute, embarrassed look that than anything else she could have done.
Well, almost anything else.
“Okay,” said Malcolm, clearing his throat. “I’m… good.”
Anna moved away from him immediately. Tapestry lingered for a moment, blushing and looking as though she felt like she had something more to say. She finally rubbed Malcolm’s shoulder and disengaged, stepping back so he could get a clear view of the ball.
Malcolm clenched his hand, and manipulated the wind from above, bouncing the ball in place. He shrugged.
“I’m actually kind of glad that’s not it,” said Malcolm. “That would be so inconvenient.”
“Did you ever hear the story of Stealthskin?” asked Anna. “Basic invisibility champion with that weakness, though he never made the connection about it.”
“What happened?” asked Malcolm.
“He’d try to hide in the women’s locker room,” said Anna. “He got arrested for indecent exposure seven times, escaping police custody after each. He’s a pencil pusher in the USCA now.”
“No morals whatsoever,” said Tapestry. “Filthy pervert.”
“I mean, as a guy, I can kind of…” Malcolm trailed off, feeling as though he was veering dangerously close to “filthy pervert” territory. He tried to look over his shoulder at the women, but before he could, something cold and metallic pressed against the back of his neck.
“Alright, Malcolm,” said Anna. “Try to use your power.”
“Okay,” he said. He focused, and was about to hit the ball with another blast of wind when a very mild electric current came from whatever Anna had against him. The tingling sensation wasn’t painful, but it was distinct, and more importantly, it was as though it instantly severed Malcolm’s link to his ability.
“I… can’t,” he said, after a couple of frustrating seconds.
“Shock,” said Anna. “That’s not unusual for a champion with wind manipulation.”
“It’s a minor weakness, though,” said Tapestry. “Just keeps him from using it.”
The current stopped, and Malcolm breathed a sigh of relief. He took a slow breath, making a mental note be very careful around anything electrical in the future. He thought about what Tapestry had just said.
“Minor weakness?” he asked. “Are there major weaknesses, too?”
“Minor, major, and fundamental,” said Tapestry, as she started to undo his wrist bonds. “Minor is what you just experienced. It keeps you from using your abilities. Major would be a weakness that renders you unconscious or dead from exposure. And fundamental…”
“Fundamental is water if you have fire conjuration,” said Anna. “A weakness that has to do with the nature of your abilities, rather than your connection to your power.”
“Gotcha.” Malcolm rubbed his wrists, furrowing his brow as both women come back into view. “What comes next?”
“Now,” said Tapestry. “You can relax. At least for the moment.”
CHAPTER 6
Anna stayed in the testing room, while Tapestry led Malcolm outside and down another hallway. He still had a countless number of questions about what was going on and what he needed to know, but held back instead of asking them.
They’ve been straight with me, so far. I just need to be patient.
“Here,” said Tapestry. “You’re going to want to change out of your clothes and take shower.”
“Uh, okay.” Malcolm raised an eyebrow at her. “Any particular reason why?”
“Standard procedure,” said Tapestry. “We know your weakness, so you aren’t as much of a threat now, but we still need to ensure that you don’t have anything hidden before bringing you into HQ.”
Malcolm shrugged.
“I guess I can’t blame you for being suspicious,” he said.
Tapestry gestured to the door they were standing next to, and he headed through it. It led to a large locker room, with shower stalls lining one side. It was clean, and smelled far better than any locker room Malcolm could ever remember being in.
Tapestry had followed him in. He frowned a little as he reached for the hem of his t-shirt.
“Are you going to watch me?” he asked.
She scowled at him, blushing a little.
“Its standard procedure,” said Tapestry. “Just act like I’m not here.”
Act like a hot twenty-year-old blonde isn’t watching me strip and shower. Sure, no problem.
Malcolm took his clothes off, hesitating for a moment before pulling down his boxers. He didn’t glance over to see if she reacted at all to getting a full frontal, and she didn’t break the silence to offer any opinion. He was still a little aroused from the unique weakness test they’d done, and wasn’t sure whether to be happy or ashamed.
“So…” said Malcolm, feeling suddenly awkward. “You had to go through this too, when you first joined?”
“I did,” she said. “It was… embarrassing for me too.”
Malcolm was suddenly picturing her naked, in the shower. He bit his lip, trying to push the image away before it got him too worked up.
“Was Multi the one who stood and watched?” he asked. “I can’t imagine that was much fun.”
“No,” said Tapestry. “Anna was. She’s been a champion since Day One of the Phenomenon, though I’m technically her superior here, now.”
“How did that happen?” asked Malcolm.
“It’s a long story,” said Tapestry. “Focus on getting washed up.”
Malcolm shrugged, and ran his hands through his wet hair. It felt oddly thrilling to have her watching him, now that the situation was underway. He glanced back at her as he ran his hands across his stomach and crotch. She was still blushing, and it was hard to tell if her interest in watching was purely limited to “standard procedure”, as she’d put it before.
“Finished,” he said, after a couple more minutes.
Tapestry blinked, and then cleared her throat.
“Right.” She walked over to one of the lockers and pulled out a folded set of clothing. “You can have these to wear, for now. Your other clothes will be returned to you when you leave.”
“Fine by me,” said Malcolm.
He pulled the clothes on, a white t-shirt, white sweat pants, and white socks. He felt a little like he was joining some kind of cult, and had just been through the initiation process. Tapestry seemed more relaxed, now that the showering was done, though a bit of weird tension still lingered between them.
They walked further down the metal hallway, and it exited out into what Malcolm assumed was the dome’s main room. It took up a full half of the spherical space, the roof curving several dozen feet overhead.
The center of the room held what looked like a command station, with several computer terminals, currently manned by copies of Multi. The one in the center looked up as Malcolm and Tapestry approached, nodding to them.
“Is he ready for orientation?” asked Multi.
“Yeah,” said Tapestry. “Can I bring him in?”
“Go ahead,” he said. “I’ll activate the projector once you’re inside.”
Orientation? Maybe this is going to be a bit like a cult, after all…
She led him around the edge of the room. There were stairs leading up to a second level, and Tapestry gestured for him to follow her up. They passed of dormitories on the way, with the walls inside each room lined with more bunkbeds than they could ever need, from the headcount Malcolm had taken up to that point.
“Do you guys get a lot of visitors, or something?” he asked.
Tapestry glanced over at him, and smiled and nodded.
“All of the Champion Authority HQs are designed to be able to accommodate a small army,” she said. “That’s what it sometimes takes to handle a spryte or a demon that’s running amuck.”
Malcolm wanted to ask her more about that, but she stopped in front of a new doorway and waved him inside. He walked into a small movie theater, complete with massive speakers, a projector and screen, and the requisite darkness. He took a seat in the middle row. Tapestry remained standing behind him, shutting the door and cutting off the last bit of light.
He didn’t have to wait long for the movie to start. The speakers crackled to life, and the projector turned on. Music played, sounding like something out of the 1950s, and a simple caption appeared across the screen.
“So you’ve discovered that you have a super gift?” muttered Malcolm, reading it out loud. Tapestry hushed him.
The scene cut to an open, grass field, and a handsome older man with a nice haircut and an expensive suit walked into frame, smiling cordially.
“Hi there,” said the man. “I’m Savior, Head Director of the Champion Authority and United States Senator. You may remember me from such historical events as the signing the Champion Peace Accord in Brussels, or the Battle of Port Adelaide.”
The scene shifted again, now to a basketball court. Savior walked back into frame, this time wearing a sleeveless shirt and shorts. He smiled to someone off screen and caught a pass.
“You may be confused and a little scared of what’s happening to you. I’m sure you have many questions. The most important thing to keep in mind can be described by a simple acronym – SUPER.”
The acronym appeared for a moment as a caption in front of Savior’s grinning face, and then the scene shifted again. He was in the back of a pizza place, wearing an apron and sliding a massive wooden spatula into an oven to pull out a pizza.
“S stands for scientists,” said Savior. “Unfortunately, scientists are still working to explain what’s happened to you. The energy that allows you and I to use our ‘superpowers’ is not currently understood. However, in each case where scientists have looked closer, the powers have never been shown to technically violate the laws of physics.”
Savior was riding a bicycle into frame, pulling to a stop in front of the camera and wiping sweat from his brow. Malcolm watched, totally bewildered by the video’s overall choice of direction.
“U for using them responsibly,” said Savior. “The Champion Authority’s goal, above all else, is to teach you to use your powers responsibly. It takes time, practice, and resolve, but with a little bit of moxie and an open mind, you can be a force of good for the world.”
Another scene change, this time to the beach.
“P for, uh…” Savior frowned and looked like he was reading a cue card off screen. “Please! P for please. Please keep in mind that while you can affect the world with your powers, your powers will also affect you. All side effects of body load and mental euphoria are to be reported directly to your local branch of the Champion Authority.”
The scene switched. Savior was back in his suit, filling out a form at the bank.
“E, which stands for enhance,” he said, in a half-whispered voice. “You will be issued a special wrist-worn champion stabilizer, which will enhance your powers and allow you to control them more effectively. Take good care of it. These things aren’t cheap to replace!”
A laugh track played in the background. Malcolm almost couldn’t believe it.
“And finally,” said Savior, standing on top of a tall building overlooking a city. “R, for remember. We must always remember that we have a duty, as champions, to fight against the sprytes and the demons. It’s part of the deal we’ve been given in receiving our gifts. The world is counting on both me and you!”
Savior grinned at the camera, setting his hands on his hips and puffing his chest out. The 50s music played again, and a short list of credits rolled by. Malcolm scratched his head as the lights in the theater turned on. He stood up and walked toward Tapestry, who was waiting by the door.
“That was… interesting,” he said.
Tapestry gave him an odd look.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked.
“It was like was like something out of the Golden Age,” said Malcolm.
“And?” she said, sounding a little annoyed. “It was filmed in a classic style.”
“Right…” Malcolm shook his head. He couldn’t tell if she was being serious with him or not.
“Anyway,” she said. “Multi is going to want to speak with you some more, and you’ll have to get your stabilizer equipped. But that’s probably just about it for today.”
Malcolm furrowed his brow.
“Am I going to be living here now, or…?”
“No, no, don’t be silly,” said Tapestry. “Multi and Anna live here, but only because they aren’t from Vanderbrook originally. I’l
l drop you off back at your apartment once we’re finished.
Malcolm nodded. Tapestry led him down the stairs and back into the main, open room.
CHAPTER 7
Multi, with several of his copies on either side of him, sat in the command center and watched them walk over. Malcolm got a vaguely managerial vibe from the man, as though he was an overstressed bureaucrat, flanked by his aides and looking forward to retirement.
All three of the Multis were smoking cigarettes, and Tapestry didn’t seem to find it unusual. Malcolm took the seat the lead Multi pointed to as he walked up the steps and onto the command center. Multi cleared his throat, snuffed out his cigarette in an ash tray, and steepled his fingers.
“Well, Malcolm,” he said. “Now that you’ve gotten a sense of what’s going on… How do you feel?”
That’s a pretty open ended question.
“Good,” he said. “Good, and a little confused. I’m here. I’ve gone through this orientation… so what now? Am I on your payroll? Do I have a choice in whether to join up here, or not?”
Multi smiled a little. He had dark bags under his eyes, his skin looked terribly aged for someone with the ability to make perfect copies of himself.
“You have a choice about how involved you want to be,” said Multi. “If you want to continue living your normal life, we would allow it. But even someone with powers like yours could be a massive help to our operation.”
“Powers… like mine?” asked Malcolm. “Dude, come on.”
Multi chuckled. He pulled out another cigarette and patted his pockets until he found his lighter.
“We rate abilities on a scale of one to ten,” he said. “From what we’ve seen of you, the videos the news channel played on TV… Well, you’re about a three.”
Malcolm felt righteously offended by the assessment, and had to resist the urge to defend himself. He’d only had his powers for a single day. Yesterday, by their scale, he’d been a zero.
“Of course, the stabilizer would probably bring you up to a five,” said Multi. “And with serious training, you might peak at about a six, possibly a seven, if you’re lucky. Speaking of which.”