by Wyatt Kane
For the first time during the conversation, Rubio’s expression became uncertain. But he quickly smothered it with another broad smile. “Is that so?”
“Yes,” Tempest said, lending her certainty to Dinah’s words.
“Well, maybe you can give this Master a message from me,” Rubio said.
“What message?”
“Bring it on.”
With that, the crime lord was gone.
Ty looked at Dinah, Tempest, and Lilith. “We have to let the Master know about Rubio,” he said. “Tell him somehow that it wasn’t us who stole the devices.”
Dinah and Tempest both grinned, and Lilith looked both shocked and intrigued by the idea.
“That’s what I was thinking,” the deerkin said. “And I think I know just how to do it.”
27: Visitor
Ty was downstairs in the Architect’s workshop. Once Rubio’s call ended and Tempest pronounced it unlikely the crime lord was in a position to threaten them immediately, Dinah swiftly took charge. She commanded Tempest to take it easy for at least the afternoon. A head knock like the one she had sustained could be serious, and the deerkin didn’t want the blonde superhero going anywhere unaccompanied for at least a day.
Tempest hadn’t liked the idea, but accepted the deerkin’s authority with reasonable grace.
As for Ty, Dinah slathered a dose of soothing, antiseptic cream on his exposed skin and told him he was good to go. He’d left Lilith and Dinah together while he accompanied Tempest back to her room, and then headed downstairs to the workshop.
Ty was determined to find a solution to his problems.
With Tempest injured, the nanite idea had become a priority. Additionally, he needed to find something that would give him an advantage over Steam and Massive. But what that something might be, Ty didn’t know.
All in all, the nanite healing project seemed the easiest, because at least he had a starting point.
Unfortunately, that proved to be an illusion. The more he looked at it, the more complex the problem turned out to be. Sure, he could get easily program the nanites to do whatever he wished. His skill was strong enough to give him that sort of control.
But he didn’t understand what he needed them to do.
The human body was his problem. Ty didn’t truly understand how it worked. He quickly realized that he would need the full knowledge of several specialist medical practices to even begin. And even then, it would likely be a painstaking process of defining each minute action that his nanites could take.
It was not going to be a quick fix.
As he came to that realization, Ty slammed the palms of his hands down flat on the top of the workbench in frustration. If he had all the time in the world and access to all the information he needed, he could do this. But with Steam and Massive out there, not to mention Rubio, Bain, and the Master as well, he just didn’t have the time.
He needed a solution that would help them now!
Ty uttered an angry noise and hit the workbench again, this time with the side of his fist. It made a satisfying noise, but without his shield activated, it also hurt his hand. And that made everything worse. He cursed under his breath in irritation and only belatedly realized he was working himself into an unnecessary rage.
Deliberately, he stepped back from the workbench. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath to calm himself. He understood that perhaps it wasn’t his failure to come up with something brilliant on the spot that was the true source of his frustration.
Instead, it might have been a delayed reaction to seeing Tempest lying prone on the bunker floor.
In the short time since he had joined Tempest’s and Dinah’s superhero team, Ty had seen his power improve in leaps and bounds. He had gone from a nobody with half a knack for electronics to a powerful force with a significant skill. And the perks, if he could risk Dinah and Tempest’s wrath for even thinking of them like that, were astonishing. Even if he didn’t include the house that they shared.
But the game was changing. Tempest was no longer the most overpowered player in the game. Even if Ty succeeded in replicating her strengths, they still wouldn’t be enough.
New Lincoln was changing. The world was changing. And the future Ty and the others could see seemed disconcertingly bleak.
Tempest could only be as strong as her skill allowed. Dinah had an invaluable skill, but would never be a fighter. The jury was still out on Lilith, although Ty suspected she would indeed lend her aid.
That meant it was up to him. With his skill, his strength wasn’t limited in any meaningful way. He ought to be able to replicate anything, including Steam’s power, and that of Massive. If only he could work out how to do it.
More than that, he knew he could create a countermeasure that would give the advantage back to him and Tempest. The only thing stopping him was a lack of imagination.
Ty realized his fists were clenched again. He understood he was going around in circles, and he couldn’t do anything about it. He seemed he had found an unsolvable problem.
Except, maybe there was a solution.
Unbidden, Brad’s drug trial possibility came to his mind. What would Ty be able to do, he wondered, if his skill level increased to 5? Or even higher?
Maybe he should give Brad a call and follow up, he thought.
Before he could truly make up his mind either way, his line of thought was interrupted.
“Um, hi,” came a voice from behind him.
It was Lilith.
Almost at once, Ty felt his frustration fade. There was something about Lilith’s presence that soothed him on a spiritual level. More than her beauty, he sensed a purity about her, and innocence that had somehow survived despite her history. He knew that she’d been a stripper and had a conviction for fraud in her past. And she had worked for the Master, albeit against her will. Yet despite all that, she still shone with an essential goodness.
He offered her a smile. “Hey.” He wondered why she had come to find him, but didn’t ask. He figured she would tell him in her own time.
The demon woman stared at him for a long moment, then looked away, her cheeks slightly flushed. “Um, sorry to disturb you,” she said. “It’s just, Dinah has gone up to talk with Tempest, and I didn’t want to intrude.”
Ty understood. Even though Lilith had rescued Tempest from Rubio’s trap, it might take a while before things stopped being awkward between them.
“I just thought I’d come down and see what you were doing,” the demon woman finished.
Ty had to laugh at himself. He gestured at the clean, empty workbench. “Well, as you can see, I’m not doing much. I still have to figure out what I can do, before I actually do it.
Despite the empty workbench, the workshop itself wasn’t empty, and he thought Lilith might be interested. “This used to be the Architect’s workshop,” he said, gesturing around. “You can see some of the things he used to do in the display cabinets. Prosthetics, mostly. Maybe even the ones Rubio’s men will end up wearing. But he—the Architect—also created the devices we wear.”
Ty sighed. “It seems he was full of ideas. He wrote them all down and stored them in that filing cabinet. Maybe one day I’ll get the chance to go through them and see how many I can turn into reality.”
Lilith listened with polite interest rather than wonder. “That’s what you do, isn’t it?” the demon woman asked. “You work with technology, right?”
At this, Ty understood that while Lilith had witnessed each of them use their skills, nobody had yet explained what they were.
“That’s right. Technological Enhancement. I can take things that already exist and improve them. I don’t know if there’s anything I couldn’t pull apart, fix, or improve.” He shrugged. “You already know Dinah’s skills. Food and information, effectively. And Tempest—the thing that makes her so super is an unconscious ability to manipulate energy fields around her. Her power is what I’ve based my shield on. I haven’t yet managed to duplicate everyth
ing she’s able to do, but I’m getting there.”
Ty hesitated. He knew that Lilith wasn’t completely certain about the whole superhero gig. She wasn’t a fighter, and all she really cared about was making sure her father was safe. An easy option to ensure that was to make Lilith herself less of a target.
“I can also remove the device from you, if you want,” Ty suggested. He didn’t want her to do so. He wanted her to be part of the team. But he wouldn’t deny her that choice if she so wished it.
But the demon woman shook her head. “No,” she said. “This device—it gives me possibilities I wouldn’t otherwise have. I want to see where things go, at least for a while.” Then she offered Ty a quiet grin. “And besides,” she said, “I think I could teleport myself away from it if I wanted to.”
Ty looked at her, surprised. He hadn’t even considered that possibility, but knew she was right. While the device gave them their powers, it was the nanites in their bloodstream that helped to maintain them. It would take some time before Lilith lost her teleportation ability even if she lost her device.
Ty looked at her thoughtfully. “Lilith, why are you here?” he asked.
The demon woman looked at him in confusion.
“You want to help us fight the Master,” he said. “I get that. That’s why you turned up here today. But you also have your father to look after. And, as much as it was a good idea, the plan you and Dinah came up with kinda backfired. Rubio used it to lure me and Tempest into a trap. So, and I don’t mean anything negative by this, I’m just wondering why you’re still here?”
Ty knew his words were clumsy, but Lilith accepted them the way they were meant. She took no offense.
“Dinah,” she said. “She asked me to stay. I think—I think she was more worried about Tempest and you than she wanted to admit. When I sensed the second device wearer nearby, she understood something was wrong. She tried to contact you, but when that didn’t work, she became desperate.” Lilith looked away. “That’s why I came to rescue you. Because of Dinah.”
Ty hesitated. That part made sense, but it was only part of the answer he sought. There was something she hadn’t yet said.
“I get that,” he said. “But why are you here? Why did you come looking for me, now?”
Lilith’s cheeks turned pink. She turned away. But she answered him nonetheless.
“Because I’m not usually attracted to women,” she blurted. “I don’t know. I thought you might be able to help.
Finally, Ty understood. Tempest and Dinah had explained everything to him when he’d first put on his device. But Lilith had been kept in a box, and the only other device wearer she knew had been Bain.
Ty couldn’t help it. He let out a laugh even though he knew it was the wrong thing to do. Lilith had opened up to him, or at least started to, and now he was laughing at her. Her expression hardened into a frown and he was afraid she would blink out of existence. But before she did, Ty raised his hands up in surrender.
“No, look, I’m not laughing at you. It’s more that—I don’t know, I guess I just hadn’t thought about what it would be like for you. Listen, why don’t you sit down, and I’ll try to explain.”
28: Skill Check
As Lilith sat on one of the stools at the workbench, Ty took a moment to study the perfection of her features. In his mind, she was a match for both Tempest and Dinah.
Then he started to speak. “Dinah is something special, isn’t she?” he said.
It was like she didn’t want to admit it, but Lilith nodded. “And Tempest, too,” she began, then blushed deeply again and looked away.
“Yeah, her too,” Ty agreed. He thought about saying that Lilith herself was equally beautiful, but thought it might scare her off. Instead, he just told her what he knew.
“These devices we wear have a number of peculiar effects. They bring out our hidden potential. Strengths and skills, but more than that as well. Before I put mine on, I was maybe five, six inches shorter, and had the physique of a bean pole.” He shrugged. “Combine that with dead-end job, a lack of confidence, and acne, and I wasn’t exactly anyone’s idea of a catch.”
“But you—" Lilith started again, but once more she stopped speaking and said nothing.
Ty agreed anyway. “Yes. I’m much better now. And the same has happened to Dinah, and Tempest. And maybe you as well. I don’t know.”
Lilith nodded, but seemed unwilling to trust her speech. She said nothing.
“But that’s just the physical things that have changed. When these devices are on, they also seem to awaken a certain attraction among us. Not for anyone, but between those who share an alignment. Like, I’ve never been more attracted to anyone than I am to Dinah and Tempest. And they have said much the same back to me.”
“So it’s the device that’s causing all this?” Lilith asked.
Again, her cheeks were tinged slightly pink, and Ty couldn’t help but think she might have more than just Dinah and Tempest on her mind.
“Yes and no,” Ty said. “The device just brings out what’s already there. You might think you’ve never been attracted to women before, but what if you just hadn’t met the right one?”
The demon woman nodded, looking thoughtful. “Alignment?” she asked.
“Yeah.” Ty said. “Think of it as the source of all your actions. Like, I’m neutral good. It means I’ll typically try to do the right thing, and I’ll obey the law, but I won’t get hung up on it if the law doesn’t make any sense. Like if Dinah or Tempest was in trouble and I needed to get to them fast, I don’t think I bother stopping for traffic lights. You know? Dinah and Tempest are the same as me. Bain—he would be evil of some sort. Probably neutral or lawful, because he’s too controlled to be chaotic.”
Lilith’s brow was furrowed in puzzlement. “So, what would I be?”
“Well,” Ty said with a grin. “You’re attracted to Dinah. And she’s attracted to you.” Again, Ty could have said more, but he didn’t want to push Lilith away. “I’d guess that means you’re on our side of the alignment table. Because none of us has any attraction to Bain whatsoever.”
Lilith made a face. “Yeah, me neither,” she said.
“But you can see, if you like. It’s written on your character page. You can bring it up on your display.
Ty didn’t need to show her how. The demon woman had obviously found it before. In no time at all, her character sheet displayed in holographic form above her device.
Just as she said, she had a single skill, and the strength was listed as ‘2’. Ty couldn’t imagine what she would be like if she were to level up.
Additionally, he could see that her strength, durability, and healing were all a match for his own and then some, not including the buff from her skill.
It made her seriously formidable. With the buff, she was on a par with Tempest itself.
But none of that was what Ty was looking for.
“There,” he said. “Lawful good.”
Lilith nodded. “Sounds right,” she said. “I’ve always tried to do the right thing. Not that it helped much in the past,” she finished.
With a flash of insight, Ty felt he understood her much better than before. The tone of sadness in her voice spoke volumes. Not only had Lilith perennially struggled to do the right thing without seeing any benefit from it, but she had been forced to act against her essential nature just to survive.
No wonder she was hesitant about joining their team.
But it was interesting on another level as well. Ty’s alignment matched that of both Dinah and Tempest, and likely all the original device wearers as well. He thought the Architect might have used alignment as part of his selection criteria.
Ty had thought the attraction between him and the girls was a side effect of their shared alignment. But Lilith was different. Still good, still on the right side of the ledger, but at a fundamental level, she was in a different category from them. Yet the attraction remained.
Perhaps the relatio
nship between attraction and alignment wasn’t that simple.
“So, that’s why,” Lilith said. But again, she didn’t finish her thought out loud. She bit her lip instead, as if thinking things through.
“So that’s why you are attracted to Dinah,” Ty finished the demon woman’s thought for her. Lilith nodded. “And Tempest,” Ty said. Lilith hesitated, but nodded again.
“Not that it matters,” she said. “I don’t think she likes me that much. Although, I can’t really blame her for that, can I?”
Ty smiled. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Give her some time. You might be surprised.”
Lilith didn’t say anything. This time, Ty decided he would push it. “And me,” he said, finishing the thought completely.
At first, Lilith just blushed and wouldn’t meet his eye. Then, slowly, she did look at him. Openly, without artifice. Once more, Ty was struck by her beauty. The perfection of her modifications was one thing, but her face was another. If Dinah had an elfin look and Tempest that of a movie star, then Lilith, with her large, green eyes, could have been an angel, despite the horns and cloven hooves of exactly the opposite. She was immaculate. Beyond compare, and in that moment, Ty felt the same undeniable attraction he felt for Tempest and Dinah.
It was magnetic, compelling, and Ty didn’t stop to think. He leaned forward and kissed her, reveling in the yielding softness of her lips.
Then he shook himself and sat back.
He saw that Lilith’s eyes were closed and she’d leaned forward on her stool. Her eyes flicked open, and she sat back with an expression that mixed confusion with surprise. “I didn’t mean for that to happen,” she confessed, blushing again.
Ty just grinned.
The demon woman seemed flustered. “What about Dinah? And Tempest?” She frowned, apparently uncertain. “Wait, you were in bed with Dinah. Are you with Tempest as well?” she asked.
Ty nodded. “I told you, the attraction works in every direction. And I don’t think either of them would mind that we kissed.” Then he reconsidered. “Well, Tempest might. It’s hard to say really. But Dinah wouldn’t mind at all.” He grinned again. “Except that she would want to be invited as well.”
