H.E.R.O. - Metamorphosis

by Kevin Rau

The elevator doors slid open, and a woman began to enter, then halted when she looked up to see us about to walk out. “Oh, excuse me,” she mumbled. She stepped off to the side, head still down. She looked deep in thought.

  I said, “Officer Coyle, Anne!” I mimicked the way she'd said her name the last time we'd met. She looked more relaxed than at the accident scene. A form fitting green t-shirt and jeans showed off her form, she was extremely fit. Her dark brown hair was still in the long braid in back. She had to work out; her biceps were much more developed than most women.

  She looked up in surprise at my deep voice. “Spartan, was it?”

  “Right, we met last night at the bar disaster.”

  “Yeah, one of many last night. What are you doing here? Are these your partners?”

  “This is Psystar, and this is Black Tiger, indeed they are my partners and friends.” We had to step out of the elevator, as it kept trying to close on us.

  Rael held out his clawed hand, she shook it, staring at the claws. Stephanie hugged her, longer than I'd have expected. She stepped back, and Officer Coyle stared at her for a moment with her mouth open. Anne stepped forward toward Stephanie, and Stephanie grinned and hugged her again. Anne's eyes closed, and she fiercely hugged Stephanie back. Stephanie rubbed her back, as though she were consoling Anne. Am I missing something here?

  When Stephanie finally stepped back, Anne cleared her throat. “Wow! What are you wearing?”

  Stephanie grinned again, “Um, nothing, it's just me.”

  “Thanks for that.”

  “I could tell you needed it.”

  Rael and I looked at each other and shrugged. It must be a girl thing. I continued, “Psystar wanted to see a girl she brought here from an accident scene earlier today.”

  “You did?” Anne looked shocked at that.

  Stephanie narrowed her eyes for a moment. “Damn, don't any heroes in town do anything nice for people?”

  Anne said, “I'm sorry. I just, well, haven't heard of any heroes doing that. I've only heard of them treating it like a job. They answer the pages, stop villains, save people, damage some property, and leave. Granted, I'm working mostly off hearsay, I just joined the force a few months ago. Most heroes are a mixed blessing to the force. Although … Silverlash does charity work, I suppose. That’s nice.”

  I looked at Stephanie for a moment and tried to think bluntly. Do you mind if we invite her for a bite to eat?

  Stephanie said, “Sure, Spartan.” Rael looked at her for a moment and raised an eyebrow. I grinned. Nice, talking to you in my head works as well as out loud. Stephanie glanced at me, grinned and nodded.

  I asked, “I see you aren't in uniform. We were just about to find a nearby diner and get a bite to eat, would you care to join us?”

  She looked at each of us, then back up at me. “Are you serious?”

  “Yeah, of course I am. Unless you think we look too goofy looking or something....” I'd let my voice trail off so it was obvious that denial would indeed back up that statement.

  “I ... I'd … that'd be great.”

  We walked to the exit. I asked, “So, does anyone know of a good diner near here?”

  Stephanie said, “Lemme check.” She separated from us and walked by the front counter. The hospital employees stared at her. She waved to them and sped up to catch up with us.

  Rael said, “What the hell? She just said have a good night, I'm off to find a good nearby restaurant to eat, and leaves?”

  When she caught up to us, Stephanie said, “The Ballisoo is a casual place two blocks over.” She hooked Rael's arm and said, “Poor baby, so confused, “ then chuckled.

  I said, “Umm, I'm with Rael, you didn't ask them anything.”

  “Sure I did, I mentioned I was looking for a nearby restaurant, then sure enough some of them thought of nearby places.”

  “St ... Psystar, people are going to think you're weird if you don't give them time to answer.”

  Anne said, “I'm so confused.”

  I shook my head and waved toward the street, “Lead on, ‘star. She did ask them, Anne, just in her own strange way.”

  We walked to Ballisoo. There were some odd stares from people, but no one accosted us. The place wasn't busy at 7:30 P.M. on a Sunday night, and the host was kind enough to put us in an out of the way table so as to not attract too much attention.

  I said, “We’ve got about an hour to eat, then a half hour to get to the county jail. Agent Carson is meeting us there so we can interrogate some of the mutants.”

  I pulled out a chair for Anne, and she lightly held my forearm as she sat down.

  Anne looked at my arm, up into my eyes and said, “Spartan, your arm is like skin over rock muscle. I've never felt muscles so hard before.” Rael coughed and laughed.

  “I was in great shape before I turned. My muscles all grew and solidified. I'm pretty happy with the change.”

  Stephanie wet her napkin and looked into my eyes. I smiled at her, her eyes were a pretty amethyst color now, very exotic looking. She started wiping off her cheeks where I’d held them. I laughed, “Nice.”

  Stephanie snickered. She held up her menu so we couldn't see her face.

  I held up my fist to Rael, “Delayed payback?” He bumped my fist with his and nodded, glancing at Stephanie.

  Stephanie said, “Oooh, like that threat scares me.” Poor Anne looked back and forth at us, missing some of our hidden humor with Steph’s telepathy.

  Rael said, “Sooo, anyone else find it a little odd walking around in costume and going into a restaurant?”

  Stephanie said, “A little. I'm noticing that as many people notice my hair as my costume until they see the gloves and boots. Well, and mask.”

  I said, “Yeah, it's ... different. I feel like I'm being watched.”

  Anne said, “You are." Her eyes flicked over behind me to my left. "All of the wait staff is cleaning tables where they can see us now, and the few customers that can see us are pretty much staring.”

  Rael said, “You've got a good eye.”

  “Two of them, I hope. I take it you guys have known each other for longer than you've been supers?”

  I said, “Yeah, how did you know?”

  “The joking that friends do. I kind of miss some of my old friends out in Cali.”

  I said, “You mentioned you'd only been on the force a few months?”

  “Yeah. I was in the marines for four years; then moved here because the police force is fairly large. There's a lot of advancement opportunity. How in the world did three people all knowing each other just happen to become supers? You could have won a lottery with those odds.”

  Stephanie said, “Probably our parents. We're all second generation, so there was probably something in our genetics that made us likely to turn when a meteor shower hit near us.”

  Stephanie suddenly ran her hand through her hair, like a model might do. The rest of us stared at her for a moment, it was even more vain than we were used to her being. She looked at us all. “What? A couple of the guys were hoping I'd do it.”

  Anne's eyes shifted from Stephanie, to Rael, to the wait staff. “You mean the waiters and bussers?”

  Stephanie nodded.

  Rael said, “I thought you were trying to keep that quiet?”

  Stephanie said, “It's pretty obvious from the hospital thing, and the accident scene anyone observant will realize what I did. Give me another week or two and the gig's up anyway. So I figure I'll have fun with it.”

  Anne said, “You knew what the wait staff wanted?”

  Stephanie's amethyst eyes stared into Anne's. She glanced down at the table and bit her lip, then looked back up. “Yeah. I kind of know what everyone wants.”

  Her eyes were wide open. “You ... can read minds?”

  “More like listen and watch. I don't do anything to 'read' them.” She quoted with her fingers. “I don't intrude so much as
just hear, well, and see.”

  “You ... see what people are thinking?”

  “If they visualize something, yes.”

  “You laughed ... oh my.” Anne turned a dark shade of red.

  Stephanie had the biggest shit-eating grin on her face; she was blushing a little at this point as well.

  Rael said, “Come on, guys, no fair, no fun.”

  Stephanie said, “Private thoughts, Black Tiger. She'd have to tell you herself.”

  Anne had the same look on her face that Stephanie had when she looked ready to flee the house before her big confession. Obviously she's thinking something embarrassing, and now that Steph knows she wants to run.

  Stephanie's hand shot across the table to grab Anne's. “Please don't go. I promise I won't share anything you don't actually say or do.”

  I said, “Come on, you need friends here, stay.”

  Anne put her hands up in the air. “I'll stay, I'll stay. Damn, you've got a strong grip, amazon woman.”

  Rael looked back and forth at the women. "Are you talking about Psystar?"

  Anne replied, "Yes. Talk about a strong grip, I didn't expect that."

  Stephanie grinned, "Sorry, I didn't mean to grab you too hard. I have no idea how strong I am yet."

  Anne said, "Stronger than a very strong man, I'd wager. Non super, of course. None of the body building officers I work with have a grip even remotely that strong."

  A waitress came to the table, along with a waiter trailing just behind her. She said, “Hello, I’m Jane, I'll be serving you tonight. This is Daniel; he's a trainee and will be assisting me.” Daniel had a big grin on his face as he stared at Stephanie.

  We all ordered, I noticed that Anne selected a healthy choice. I felt starved, and ordered a large appetizer as well as the meal. The mega-strength kicking in definitely burned more energy, I’m famished. I asked her to put it all on my bill.

  Rael said, “You don't have to do that.”

  I said, “Dude, I've been involved in, what, four super incidents? If they are right and you get paid more for saving people, then the hospital scene and bar scene ought to pay well. Steph's not working, just let me handle it.”

  Darn it. Anne glanced at Stephanie when I mentioned her real name. Ah well, let's hope she wants to be friends.

  Anne looked at me and said, “Thank you, you don't have to pay, you know.”

  “It's my pleasure to.”

  “So, can you guys say what you all do, or is that boring stuff to talk about now? Or is it secret?”

  I said, “I'm pretty obvious. Really strong, armored, jump really far. Pretty much a brick.”

  Rael said, “I'm a mutant, not like the eyes didn't give it away. Claw hands, faster, heal fast, somewhat strong.”

  Stephanie said, “I fly and read minds.”

  Rael said, “And smell good.”

  Anne said, “You do. I mean, I've seen commercials of that shampoo that people get all excited about, but wow. Your hair really does smell like that stuff ought to.”

  Stephanie smiled, “Thank you. That's actually why I started hugging you that second time in the hospital, you know.”

  “Because your hair smells good?”

  “No, silly. Because you liked the smell so much the first time, then started coming at me wanting to keep at it. It's why I like hugging other people too. I get the enjoyment from them when they smell me, well, and when they hug me too. Hmm, that sounds strange when I say it out loud.”

  We all laughed at Stephanie, or perhaps with her.

  Stephanie glanced at the wait staff attempting to be stealthy, “Wow, I'm glad I'm not in their group right now.”

  Rael smirked, “Heh heh. What do they want you to do? I only hear a few snippets.”

  “Umm, let's just say clean a table with my shirt front, and keep it at that.”

  Rael replied, “Hmm, wonder if I should go compare notes with them.”

  “Don't you dare.”

  “I'm adding that to my debt tin you owe me then. It just keeps piling up, you know.” He wiggled his eyebrows at Stephanie.

  Anne raised an eyebrow, “Are you blackmailing her?”

  Rael said, “No no no no ... yes! But not for money.” He looked very happy with himself.

  Anne said, “Ahh. I'll just forget I heard it then.”

  I shook my head. I wish he’d tone that stuff down. Steph’s going to get tired of it sooner or later.

  Stephanie glanced at me, and said, "I don't mind it at all. So long as he remembers that I'm the smart one." She winked at me. "Life's too short to get bent out of shape about that type of thing. Plus, I hear it from soo many people now. Every time I catch a mindview of a waiter they are pretty much staring at one part of me or another. Though at least the girls are paying more attention to you guys."

  Our food arrived, and we began eating. During the meal, I bent the fork twice and had to straighten it out. The others mocked me for my 'oafishness.'

  I said, “Hey, if you could lift what, 300,000 pounds you'd bend forks too!”

  Anne almost choked on her food, “How much?”

  “The locomotive weighed about 750,000 pounds. I picked up the back end and moved it. Figure less than half the weight due to the half resting on the ground.”

  Stephanie coughed and spit up her water. She didn't look up from her plate. That made me look at Rael and Anne. Anne was turning red. Darn you for not sharing, Steph! Mental fist shake!

  The trainee instantly appeared with extra napkins for her. She thanked him.

  I wonder if Anne was thinking something about me. Hmm, I could ask her out, but then I'd have to give out my personal cell number. Gah, superheroes can’t date, can they? What if I put someone in danger?

  I said, “I'm kind of bummed that we're almost done. If we didn't need to hunt down this mutant pack that kidnapped those people I'd want to get a movie or something.”

  Anne looked at me, “So you guys, do, umm, normal things?”

  Rael laughed. “Of course we do. We've got normal jobs and college. We work out, wait, perhaps not any more. I plan to continue at the dojo. This will just add in some more activities that we get involved in. I'm hoping to replace my carpenter job with just the heroing soon though. That'd be nice.”

  Yeah, we could like, go on dates or to the amusement park. Or you could jump around with me to see if you like flying through the air. Or maybe mountain climb. Ooh, that would be fun now.

  Stephanie said, “Oh, jeez, you guys are dopes. Anne, would you like to join us for dinner and a movie Tuesday night, wait, make that Wednesday night?” Stephanie knew I worked on Tuesday, thanks Steph!

  Stephanie nodded at me, smiling.

  Anne said, “You guys are going to hang around in the house in costumes?”

  Rael said, “Bah, we'll wear our normal stuff. I'm pretty sure Ste ... damn it to hell! Psystar would know if someone planned on ratting our identities out.” His fingers elongated into claws when he swore.

  Anne stared at Stephanie, who smiled and nodded back at her. She nodded again, then again, slowly.

  Rael looked back and forth at them. “Oh, this so sucks. Okay, we're making a new rule. If mind to mind communication is used, it adds to Steph's debt tin, and will be paid in full.”

  Stephanie ignored him and said, “I'll pick you up at your place, say at 6 P.M., Anne? If you aren't afraid of heights, I'll give you a flight over the city. Assuming you don't mind hugging me some more.”

  Anne smiled, “You actually fly other people too?”

  Stephanie grinned, “Uh huh. Seems to be pretty safe.”

  Rael said, “Yeah, this has been an unreal day. I have a feeling we might be in for a long night though, depending on what you can pull out of some of the mutant minds.”

  After I paid the bill, a group of wait staff walked over to the table. One of the guys asked, “Can we get your autographs?” He held his order
pad and a pen in hope.

  I said, “Why do you believe we’re superheroes and not just going to a costume party?”

  He pointed at my arm. “No one normal gets that big.” One of the others said, “Or has cat eyes. Or gold hair.”

  I chuckled, “Okay, okay, I’ll sign.” I motioned them forward. Rael and Stephanie were good enough to sign them as well. We passed around the pads so each of them received all three of our signatures. Anne waved them off. She said, “Unless you want something like ‘Semper Fi’ on there, I’m not a hero.”

  I said, “That remains to be seen. You were a hero to the people at the bar scene, I’d think. Plus, every military vet is a hero to me.”

  She replied, “I doubt it, about the bar scene, that is. They all had eyes for you, and for good reason.”

  I shook my head, “We were all there to help. We just had different ways to do it. So where are you off to now?”

  Anne replied, “Back to the hospital. Ray was injured last night at a scene where someone turned into a mutant.”

  "Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. Wish him well for us, and we'll see you Wednesday night!"

  We left the restaurant. Anne bid us good night and walked back toward the hospital.

  Chapter 33 - Interrogation

  Stephanie’s Viewpoint