H.E.R.O. - Metamorphosis

by Kevin Rau

I awoke to a splitting headache. Something constantly zapped my forehead, causing me a lot of pain, and made clear thought difficult. I attempted to move my hands to my head, but they were strapped down. I thrashed in place for a minute in an attempt to stop the pain, but it didn't stop.

  I saw through two mindviews, even with my eyes closed. One obviously stood in a hospital corridor. He simply stood there. The other sat in the room with me and watched me thrash on the bed. I wore a hospital gown, my hands were shackled with heavy bands to a metal bed frame, and there was a band around my head. It had wires attached to it.

  He stood up and walked over to me, looking down at me. From his mindview I pulled his name, it was Agent Harrison Dimmer from the F.B.I. He enjoyed watching me squirm and twist in pain. The shocking pain grew for a moment, and then receded to the previous irritating and painful level.

  I gasped a few times from the increased pain, then opened my eyes and looked at him. "Uh, why am I here, and locked up?"

  He replied, "You attacked a group of police officers and F.B.I. Agents. Obviously you're a rogue super."

  "What? The last thing that occurred was me interrogating the kidnapper, and then something happened."

  "Yes, that's when you attacked everyone. You did some kind of telepathic scream attack that gave everyone in the area a headache, and gave a bunch of us bloody noses. Officers were fleeing the area to get away from you."

  I was about to say I didn't do that, but he was there, and his memory showed it to be true. Then he replayed the part he hadn't mentioned, Agent Dimmer had yanked me off the kidnapper while I was in his mind. The kidnapper had been screaming in terror while my eyes had this backlit golden glow as I leaned over him. My mental scream occurred when he pulled me out of mindview range.

  "Ow. Why is this thing shocking me?" My face contorted from the pain.

  "It will only activate when you are using your telepathy. What are you attempting to do to me now?"

  "I'm not doing anything to you. I'm not even using my telepathy."

  His voice rose with his anger. "Well, lady, that's a lie or you wouldn't be getting shocked." He stabbed his finger in the air at me as he spoke.

  "I'm telling you, I'm not using my telepathy."

  "I don't believe you. You supers think you're so special. You think you can break laws, torture people, and turn on legitimate members of law enforcement. I don't think so. We've got you on a rap now for attacking a good number of law enforcement. It should be enough to bring you down. Well, you've delayed our case enough, and put lives in danger. I'm needed back on the kidnapping case. I'm sure I'll see you again soon for the official arrest. Enjoy your headache, bitch."

  He left the room, and the pain diminished. I looked, and it appeared that there were a series of wires running up above my head to a machine. The pain was tolerable at this level, though annoying. It felt much like a headache that wouldn't go away. I didn't understand why the machine would be shocking me if it were only supposed to while I used my telepathy.

  A nurse came in after an hour or so. Her mindview showed that she was there to check on all the welt wounds from the bullets. The shocking pain increased back to the levels of when Agent Dimmer was in the room. It was rather embarrassing, having her pull the hospital gown down, then up to examine me. Her mindview showed no wounds left on my body, the skin was smooth and unbroken everywhere.

  She watched the display on the shock machine for a few seconds and said, "The F.B.I. said that you will only get shocked when you attempt to use your powers on someone. What are you trying to do?"

  In between grimacing and twisting on the bed I replied, "I'm not using any powers; it just got worse when you came in here. I'm not injured anymore; I don't need your help, apart from letting me go."

  "Yes, obviously you are using your powers." She stomped out of the room in a huff. The pain lessened once she left the room.

  Another hour filled with pain passed slowly. I heard the mental voices of people nearby, but out of mindview range. Finally, the door opened and Agent Willman from the kidnapped child's house walked in. I couldn't help but squirm as he walked in and the pain increased again.

  He walked over to the bed and said, "Hello again, Psystar. I'm Agent Willman, if you recall."

  "I, uhh, would chat, but getting constantly shocked for hours on end isn't making me overly chatty, Agent Willman."

  "You shouldn't be getting shocked. This only works when a telepath uses their powers."

  "Duh. It's shocking me now. I'm not using any powers."

  He looked at the machine behind me; it showed activity in various readouts. He stepped back, took out his cell phone and made a call. "Agent Willman here. I'm in the telepath's room in the hospital. She says she's being shocked constantly, and the machine is showing activity. Is that normal?"

  His mindview allowed me to hear the other side of the conversation. "No, there's a specific brainwave activity that happens when a telepath uses their power. It won't shock if it's not being used."

  "Well, she's squirming around in quite a bit of pain, and claims it has been shocking her for hours. Is there something that will show me how long it's been shocking her?"

  Another agent entered the room to join Agent Willman. The shocking at my temples leaped up in intensity, and I cried out in pain. I thrashed and yanked at the bonds holding my wrists to the bars on the bed. A nurse heard my cry and came in to check on us. Upon reaching us the pain leapt to new heights and I screamed in pain.

  It felt like holes were being bored into my skull. I saw the four mindviews in my vision, but couldn’t focus on any of them due to the shockwaves entering my head. I barely heard the nurse call for a doctor.

  Another nurse and a doctor came running into the room. The pain hit an unbelievable level and my back arched with the pain. I let out a piercing scream, even louder and longer this time. I dimly heard the mental voices of those within perhaps forty feet of me react to the scream. Nurses began running everywhere. Many of the mindviews felt a piercing headache and reacted to wiping blood from their noses.

  My back bowed from the massive pain entering my head. I barely breathed apart from sucking in enough air to scream again. Passing out again was a blessing.

  I awoke yet again, still bound in the hospital bed. Thankfully no shocks struck. Three mindviews appeared. I recognized Agent Willman and the F.B.I. security that had been standing at the door. The other I didn’t, although her thoughts sounded like a nurse’s.

  I cautiously opened my eyes and looked around, then sighed out of relief as no pain struck. I unclenched my hands; I hadn’t even noticed that I’d tightened them into fists in anticipation of new pain.

  Nurse Katie asked, “How do you feel, honey?”

  I licked my lips and looked around. Still no new pain. I said, “Better, the shocking is gone.”

  Agent Willman thought to test me, and flicked the switch on a piece of equipment. Immediately shocks jarred into my head, and I cried out and thrashed on the bed. He flicked the switch back off.

  He said, “Sorry about that.”

  My face contorted with pain, hands gripped tightly into fists. I asked through clenched teeth, “Why are you torturing me?”

  “We aren’t, this machine only activates when you are trying to use your telepathy on us. What were you just trying to do?”

  “I wasn’t doing anything.”

  Agent Willman put his hand on my cheek and said, "Hey, if I keep this off, do I have your word that you won't do something to us?"

  I replied, "I don't know what you think I did, or plan to do, but I didn't attack those other agents, and no, I'm not going to attack you. Honest." I really wanted him to believe me. It was the truth, and that shocking was painful.

  He nodded. I slumped back onto the bed and closed my eyes. He took a deep breath and smiled.

  I said, "Oh, thank you. Damn, that hurt."

  “That machine
is set to only shock if you are trying something. Since your brain only activates in a certain spot when your telepathy is active, you’re trying something. Come on now, don’t lie to me.”

  “I haven’t used my telepathy since I’ve been at the scene with the kidnapper. Your machine isn’t working right.”

  “Come on, we’ve tested it on several telepaths, and the results are very consistent, per the techs.”

  Nurse Katie said, “Psystar, we can see the brainwave activity on the monitor right now. You’re doing something.”

  I caught Agent Dimmer’s thoughts as he approached from out in the hall. I mumbled, “Oh, great, Dimmer’s coming in. He’s an a-hole.” Just then the door opened and he walked in.

  Nurse Katie said, “How did you know he was coming in?”

  “I saw his thoughts as he approached in the hall.”

  “Wait a moment, is that automatic?”

  “Yeah.”

  Agent Willman said, “Hold on, you hear our thoughts now without trying to read our minds?”

  “Duh ... yeah. I hear everyone’s thoughts when they get close enough. Just like you hear noise that is close enough.”

  Agent Dimmer frowned, “Why isn’t the machine on, she’s using telepathy on us?” He walked over toward it to turn it on.

  A look of horror crossed my face. Nothing like seeing your own fearful face from other people’s eyes at the same time.

  Agent Willman grabbed his arm. “Hold on, I turned it off, and it is staying off for now.”

  Agent Dimmer angrily said, “What? Why? You’ll be lucky if she doesn’t screw with you like she did that poor guy, or scream in all our heads and give us bloody noses and ears again. She knocked one guy out.”

  Nurse Katie said, “Actually, having the machine on caused her to scream and make a fair number of people bleed just a little while ago. Obviously it doesn’t stop her from using her power.”

  Agent Willman held up his hand, palm out at her, “I’m the agent in charge here. Dimmer - out of the room if you aren’t going to be helpful.”

  “Whatever. This is bullshit.” He stormed out of the room. He wanted to turn the machine back on, even if the only effect was to hurt me.

  I blew out my breath. I must have been holding it in anticipation of being shocked.

  Agent Willman said, “Where was I? Ah, you were saying that you just hear people thinking when they get close to you?”

  “Yeah. Don’t all telepaths?”

  “No. Those tested all, um, turn it on. Something like pulling a trigger on a gun to read someone’s thoughts.”

  “Not for me. Being around too many people is a real pain in the ass for me. I get a ton of mindviews all blocking my vision, and can’t hear because so many people are talking in their head.”

  “Then you were using your telepathy?”

  “Huh?”

  Nurse Katie jumped in, “That makes sense, actually. She just has an always-on type of telepathy. Almost an extra ear for her.”

  I nodded. “I haven’t spoken with any other telepaths, Psycom was supposed to call me, but I haven’t heard from him yet.”

  Agent Willman said, “He was a test subject for us. His works on the on/off type usage.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Great, I’m a freak among freaks.”

  “You mentioned a ‘mindview,’ I’ve never heard of that, what is it?”

  “It’s a visual of what you guys are seeing or thinking. It reminds me of a T.V. in my visual field.”

  “You said ‘a ton of mindviews.’ You see many of these?”

  “One for every person close to me. Wait, your machine hurt more every time more people came in the room. I wonder if my mindview link registered as more telepathic activity?”

  “Beats me, I’m not a scientist. Sounds reasonable, I suppose. Jesus, you actually see what both of us are thinking right now?”

  “You two and Mr. Firre out in the hall. Oh, and someone cleaning the room above or below us as well. Sometimes someone else’s appears when they walk by in the hallway or enter the room above or below this one.”

  “So, ah, T.V. screens keep appearing and disappearing in your head?”

  “Right. Although ‘in my head’ isn’t very accurate. They appear out where I’m looking. As in, they get in the way of my eyesight if my eyes are open.”

  “Huh. That’s, ah, interesting.” He actually thought it was disturbing, peering into every person’s thoughts.

  “I also hear what you think, Agent Willman. I’m sorry it’s disturbing to you. I’m hoping to get used to it enough that I can not react to what other people think.”

  He nodded. "Now that that is cleared up, I'd like to hear in your words what occurred at the scene with the kidnapper."

  "Do you mean my capturing of the kidnapper, or my mind reading of him, or when I was so rudely interrupted and apparently screamed at everyone and hurt them all?"

  "Give me a rough overview until the interruption."

  "I was already grumpy, I think you knew that. When I showed up at the scene they still hadn't caught the guy. I located him, flew through a window and tried to capture him. He shot me about ten times while I tried to subdue him, and he knocked me out. The police tactical squad came in right at that point and must have subdued him. One of them later said the guy had run out of bullets shooting at me. When I woke up, I went downstairs, made nice with Agent Danst, and then proceeded to enter the kidnapper's mind to dig out where they held the girl."

  I continued, "I almost had it, I was reviewing his memory of their capture of the girl and driving to their hideout when I somehow got jerked out of his mind. I've never had that happen before. All I know at that point is that I blacked out."

  He asked, "Why was the man screaming in terror?"

  I bit my lip. "I was causing him to be afraid. He'd already shot me ten times, I wanted him to learn to be afraid so he'd give up the information easier.... Oh."

  "Oh?"

  "Yeah. Doh. I did throw his mental self into what I call his 'fear pool.' There's a place in everyone's mind that has their various emotions. I tossed him into the place where he feels fear. It, ah, kind of gives the person a massive dose of fear. That might be why Agent Dimmer saw the guy scream as bad as he did."

  Nurse Katie asked, “Why would you do that to a person? That’s a horrible thing to do.”

  I sheepishly answered, “He already kidnapped a young girl today, and then when I went to capture him he shot me about ten times. Have you ever been shot ten times? It hurt like hell.”

  Agent Willman said, "So why did you attack everyone again?"

  "I didn't attack anyone, except maybe the kidnapper in his mind."

  "But everyone said they heard a mental scream, in their words. You actually caused bloody noses and ears in some people, like Agent Dimmer mentioned."

  Nurse Katie said, “Actually, she did that here as well, when you had that machine on.”

  "I did?"

  "Yes, you did."

  "I wonder if I did that before passing out. It was quite a shock having my mental link to the kidnapper broken. Perhaps it occurred when he dragged me far enough away from the guy. Call Baracco, the paramedic. He should have been watching. I bet he could tell you if I screamed when I was right by the guy, or when I was dragged something like fifteen feet away from him."

  "I'll do that." He walked out of the room, opening his cell phone as he left. His mindview showed he planned on making the call now.

  Nurse Katie patted my arm and said, “Even if they are the bad guys, I would think you shouldn’t do that to them. It’s cruel.”

  I sighed and looked away from her, “I suppose you’re right. I was just so mad about the F.B.I. failing to follow a simple protocol before calling me in, and then finding out that someone’s daughter was kidnapped, then being shot until I passed out. You’re probably right though.”

  Agent Willman left mindview range
, but I still heard his mental voice as he made a call, obtained the cell number for Baracco, then called him up and discovered that my theory was correct. He next called up the regional H.E.R.O. headquarters in Metrocity and asked what the general policy was when a hero reacts to what might be an attack on them, and accidentally harms officers and other law enforcement personnel.

  While we waited the nurse helped me drink some water and get more comfortable in the bed. I thanked her.

  She asked, “Where did you get your hair dyed a metallic gold?” She ran her fingers through my soft hair.

  “I didn’t. My hair all fell out when I changed, and immediately this grew out.”

  “Hmm, a natural gold. Well, I’ve got other patients to check on, honey.” She patted my shoulder and left the room. I was left alone with my thoughts … and the mindview of Mr. Firre, and the mental voices of about a dozen people within thirty or forty feet.

  Agent Willman walked back in about thirty minutes later and unlocked my hands, and then pulled off the head apparatus.

  He said, "I'm releasing you and won’t have any charges pressed. No one mentioned that you lashed out after being dragged away from the guy. Personally, I could give a rat's ass if he was screaming in terror if you were getting the information to save the girl."

  "Thank you. Is my costume here?"

  "I saw it somewhere … ah, yeah, over here." He picked it up off a side table and brought it to me.

  I rubbed my wrists, although they almost instantly healed the chafing caused by the heavy restraints. Then I sat up and stretched. I slid on the bottoms while I still wore the hospital gown, and pulled off the top to slide on my own. He watched me until I started pulling on the top, and then looked away. I grinned at his discomfort, for some reason being flirty put me back in my comfort zone.

  I tapped his arm to get him to look at me again, and ran my hand through my hair while staring at him. Like most people, he was distracted by the motion I made, which worked wonderfully as a mirror. My hair had been washed.

  I said, "Thanks for that."

  "For what?"

  "Acting as my mirror. I see what you see. I'm a telepath, remember?"

  "I wonder if all the telepaths can see through the eyes of others. For that matter, I wonder how many other telepaths are out there with always-on telepathy. You were using your power constantly."

  "No, I don't do anything to activate that."

  "Yes, but your power is still active. That must register on the machine as activity. Maybe if you’d come in for testing they could calibrate the machine so it only shocks when you actively use your power."

  "Yeah, that’s a great sales pitch. Come on in so we can learn how and when to shock you better, Psystar. Not." I slid on my boots as I spoke. The headache had mostly faded by this point. It was pleasant not to be in constant pain.

  I continued, "Onto another topic, did you get any further on the kidnapping case?"

  "No. The prisoner fell unconscious after screaming for five minutes, and you've been out of it, so we didn't know if you had gotten anything useful. Then Dimmer mentioned that you tried attacking him here. I decided I had to find out for myself, which is why I came in. We've lost valuable time."

  "I agree. You know, I'm pretty sure I have federal official status. Dimmer pulling me off the guy might constitute an attack on me, not the other way around." I put on my belt and gloves as we spoke.

  "You might be right, though to be honest we really don't need any inter-agency squabbling right now. Dimmer doesn't like supers. As a group you tend to be hot headed, and are glory hounds in it for the bonus money. You, Miss Psystar, definitely fit into the hot headed case earlier."

  "I'm sorry about that. Really, I am. I did give clear instructions to only have me called after a kidnapper had been apprehended though. You guys kind of blew that one." I held up my hands. "I'm not finger pointing though, I just want you to understand one of several reasons I was grumpy. The rest I'm not sure you'd understand unless you were a telepath like I am."

  "Fine. Fair enough. The man is still unconscious, can you mind read him while he's out? If so, can you do it without causing him such terror?"

  "I can try."

  "Great. We’ll check you out, and then let's go give that a try. Find out if we can get any closer to saving the Lieberman's daughter without hamstringing each other."

  I stuck the mask onto my face, and we left the room.

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