The Prospects (14 page)

But he needed the suit to do those things. Without it, he was just another MAB agent. He proved himself the best of a hundred once, but he couldn’t brave the cold vacuum of space or the crushing depths of the ocean or air contaminated by thousands of microbes. He was vulnerable to things he could once shrug off.

Maybe another MAB could be Agent Exo. Anyone could wear a suit, after all.

Alex was lost in thought when he returned to his room. He put his phone next to the divorce papers on his desk and took off his wet shirt before Candilyn said, “Hi.”

Alex turned. Candilyn sat on his bed. She wore a short silk bathrobe. A thin layer of makeup covered the scabs on her face and mascara blended with her black eyes. “The door was unlocked.” She got up and locked it.

“Do you need something?”

“Yes, and so do you.”

“Look, about today …”

Candilyn stepped closer to him.

“ … thanks for being there for me in a rough time, but I’d like to be alone.”

Candilyn took his left hand and rubbed it. “You’re cold. And wet.”

“I was on the roof. Let me get a new shirt.”

“Don’t get dressed-up for me.” She sat on the bed and patted the spot next to her.

“I need to get some sleep.”

Candilyn held up a ring.

Alex looked at his left hand. His wedding ring was gone.

“What are you doing?” asked Alex.

She patted the bed again.

Alex reluctantly sat next to her.

“I held you together today.” She put her arm around him. “I liked being held too.”

“Look, it’s not that …”

She put her body against his. “I won’t sleep unless I know my favorite guy is also sleeping.”

“Then you should check on Deon.”

Candilyn chuckled. “Please. He did everything too fast. He even got boring too fast. I didn’t even mind when Sarge locked our doors from the outside.”

“What about Vijay?”

Candilyn scoffed. “You don’t know about the shower incident?”

“No. What was that?”

“That little creep hid a camera in the women’s shower.”

“Really?”

“Lady Amazing found it. She chewed him out so bad I thought the skyscraper would come down.”

“I’ve seen her mad. Shouting people out is her real superpower.”

“The worst part is I showered right before she did, and I didn’t see the camera. So Vijay will never see this again.”

Candilyn’s robe rolled down her shoulders. She wore nothing underneath.

Alex started to stand. “Wait, what are you doing?”

Candilyn held his arms. “We need each other.” She pulled herself closer to him.

“No, I don’t …”

“Yes, you do.”

“M-my wife …”

She pressed herself against his chest. “Your ex-wife thinks we already got it on. She won’t believe we didn’t. We may as well.”

“But …”

“She’s making herself happy.” She planted a light kiss on his chin. “You deserve to be happy. So do I.”

“It’s too soon for a new relationship.”

Candilyn’s nose touched Alex’s nose. “Who said anything about a relationship?”

“I really don’t think …”

Candilyn planted a firm kiss on his cheek. “Stop thinking so much.”

Alex didn’t resist when Candilyn planted a firm kiss on his lips. They embraced and rolled onto the bed. After more kissing, Alex undid his belt.

“Wait.” Candilyn grabbed her bathrobe, reached into the pocket, pulled a condom out, and jumped on Alex again.

The break only lasted in instant, but it was enough to make Alex think twice about what he was doing.

It did not feel right.

Candilyn, however, did not want to give him much of a chance to think any further.

Alex’s smartphone lit up and rang. In the darkness Alex clearly saw the default picture of him and Emily in an embrace against a background of autumn foliage.

“I have to get that,” said Alex.

“No you don’t.” Candilyn tried to pin him, but Alex slipped out and grabbed the phone.

“Charlene? No, it’s not too late. Oh, I was, you know, just doing some pushups.”

Candilyn pouted.

“Yeah, keeping in peak condition,” said Alex. “She might be asleep, but she really wants to talk to you.”

Alex made it to the door. It was only because the door was locked that he time to realize he wasn’t wearing a shirt, so he put the wet one back on.

“Seriously?” said Candilyn.

Alex opened the door and knocked on the door to the room she was shared with Jenny. “Lady Amazing called back.”

The door opened a crack. Trista’s hand shot out, grabbed the phone, and closed the door.

“Bring it back when you’re done,” said Alex. “And bring your rosary to training tomorrow.”

Candilyn glared at Alex when he returned to his room.

“What can I say?” said Alex.

“That you’re a dick who needs some balls?”

“This wasn’t the right time.”

“You picked her over me?”

“I didn’t …”

“I’m in your bed, she’s behind a door, and you picked her?”

“There was no picking.”

“No, this is bullshit. First I lose Jenny to that short bitch villainess in a helmet, and now you?”

“It’s for the best. I’ve done a lot of stupid things lately …”

“What does that make me? A stupid thing you didn’t do?”

Alex tossed Candilyn her robe. “Leave.”

Candilyn threw the wedding ring against the wall and stormed past him. On the way out she spat on Trista’s and Jenny’s door.

Candilyn slammed her door. Vijay’s door opened. “What was that?”

Alex picked up his wedding ring. He thought about not putting it back on, but his hand looked wrong without it. He slipped it back on and said, “I just made my life harder. Again.”

“Hey, thanks for letting me roam free in the lab. I had the best day. I mean, I’ve dreamed about being able to make my own weapon for years. I came up with a dozen possible configurations for those scrap parts, and I barely sifted through the pile. My idea is a harness with two arms, one that amplify light through simulated radiation and another that will … you don’t know what I’m talking about, do you?”

“Actually, Vijay, I would like nothing more than to hear your ideas and the science behind them.”

Vijay tilted his head. “Are you making fun of me?”

“Of course not. I’m up for learning something new. Start talking.”

Alex pulled Billy Two by the horn. “Goldstreak, are you ready?”

Goldstreak shook his medic kit. “Let’s do this.”

Zany glared at Alex. Asura chewed his nails. Gale Force wrung her hands. Trista bit her lip.

Alex shot Billy Two twice in the flank.

Billy Two collapsed and bleated loudly.

“What the? Twice?” said Goldstreak.

“Get started.”

In a metallic flash Goldstreak was across the gym and crouched over Billy Two. “Okay, airways, breathing, circulation, lots of blood, disability, goat down, exposure,” He lifted Billy Two. “One exit wound, no suction.” A second later his kit was unrolled and a bandage was on each wound. “This one’s moving, I think it’s suction.” A few gold flashes later he had a bandage over the wound and QuikClot fizzling on the other side.

“Come on Goldstreak!” Asura shouted.

“He’s getting cold,” said Goldstreak. Two seconds later Billy Two was wrapped in an emergency blanket. “Checking the pulse.”

“What kind of asshole shoots goats?” said Zany.

After applying pressure to each wound, Goldstreak checked Billy Two’s pulse again. “I think he’s stabilizing.”

Billy Two bleated weakly.

Alex examined Billy Two. “Perfect bandages. No bleeding. One bullet is still in there, but it doesn’t seem to be bothering him. Good job.”

“Now what?”

“There’s a bioscience lab on the fortieth floor with a pen prepared. Let’s see if you and Asura can carry Billy Two up there.”

“No stretcher?”

“Improvise one or practice your carries. Spend the rest of the day reading about gashes and deep cuts. You’ll have another test tonight. Asura, when you’re done go to the research lab.”

Alex’s smartphone beeped. He put it to his ear. “Yeah, he’s my guest. Send him down.” He put the phone back in his pocket. “Zany, today you’re working with Hiro.”

“Who?” Zany said.

“A Shotokan champion. He trains MAB and FBI agents.”

Zany scowled. “You’re not going to train me anymore?”

“If you only spar with me, you’re only going to learn how to fight me. Hiro will show you some new tricks.”

“Whatever. I was sick of you anyway.”

Alex, Gale Force, and Trista went to the elevator. On the way to the roof Gale Force said, “I’m sorry about your wife.”

“What do you mean?”

“I heard you were getting divorced.”

Alex glared at Trista.

“I didn’t tell,” Trista said.

“Candilyn told me over breakfast,” said Gale Force. “Wait, Trista knew too?”

“I asked Trista to keep it a secret.”

“Trista did, but Candilyn hates you now. She wouldn’t say why.”

“At least she left something secret.”

“It’s hard. I’ve been on her bad side before.”

“How did that happen?”

“When we first moved in, Deon and I … kind of hit it off.”

“You don’t seem close now.”

“Vijay insulted Candilyn pretty early on, you know, making a crack about her intelligence, so she went after Deon, which means she went after me. To keep the peace, I kind of, sort of, dumped Deon. She rubbed my face in it until she got bored with him, which was when Sarge took over. A month later, she and I dye each other’s hair and Deon laughs along with Vijay’s fat jokes.”

“Girls will be girls and boys will be boys,” said Alex.

The elevator door opened to reveal a cloudy New York sky.

“Still, try to get back on Candilyn’s good side. You saw her mad at Sarge, and Lady Amazing laughed off lots of crude jokes to avoid confrontations.”

“Thanks for the advice. Stormhead starts guard duty at noon, so practice your wind techniques until then. No flying or hovering.”

“Not even over the roof?”

“Not even. I don’t want you to break a leg.”

On the way back down Trista asked, “Why is Candilyn mad at you?”

“Can we make that one more thing we don’t talk about?”

“At this point, we need a list.”

“Enough of that. You can keep a secret. Candilyn tried to seduce me.”

“Oh?”

“I turned her down. Emily is divorcing me, but I, I guess I still love her. I’m starting to realize how I’m the one who screwed up. I mean, all she wanted was someone who …”

Alex remembered he was talking to the woman who almost made him kill himself.

Trista looked at him awkwardly. “I was in your mind. I know how you feel.”

And then Alex remembered Trista was the only person he could talk to at this moment.

“It’s just … she tolerated years of neglect while I took her for granted. I should let her go, but I can’t make myself sign those papers or take off the wedding ring.”

“You’re not ready to accept it.”

“And Candilyn forcing herself into my … I mean, what is wrong with that girl?”

“Candilyn is too selfish to think beyond being spurned. She’s been rejected her whole life and uses sex to get a little acceptance.”

“That’s her problem.”

“Actually, it’s yours. She likes to fight. You won’t win unless you do too. Sergeant Hammer couldn’t beat her.”

“I don’t like fighting girls. If I win I feel like a bully, and if I lose I feel like more like a wimp than I would if I lost to a guy.”

“Then don’t fight her. Give her a way to end this with dignity for both of you.”

“Good idea. How?”

“I try to ignore her, but I don’t think that’s an option for you.”

“Did she do anything to you this morning?”

Trista bit her lip.

“If she did something mean, would you tell me?”

“I don’t want to make things more complicated.”

Before the elevator doors opened she said,

They didn’t say another word until they reached Doctor Von Dyme’s lab, when Alex asked. “Did you bring your rosary?”

Trista took the black glass rosary from around her neck.

Alex held out his hand. “May I?”

She handed it over. “Be careful with it.”

“I didn’t properly introduce you to Doctor Harry Von Dyme, AKA The Mite, Insta-Giant, Professor Photon, and whatever else he changed his name to.” Alex opened the door. A thin pale man with a white coat over a Hawaiian shirt sat at the computer.

“Alex,” he said in a raspy voice. “I’m sorry to hear about your wife.”

“Harry,” Alex said. “I’m still sorry about what happened to yours. Mindy was terrific.”

Harry looked past him. “Is that my test subject? The girl from the lab?”

“Her name is Trista.”

“I wrote a research paper on nanobots and how they can atomic density to change an object's size for science class,” said Trista. “Got an A-plus.”

“How cute. Alex, strap her into the chair.”

The chair in front of Mecha-Menta looked more suitable for electrocutions than research. “Do I have to?”

“We wouldn’t want her to fall if I induce a seizure.”

Alex strapped Trista into the chair. “If you want to get out, say so.”

She nodded.

“Please remove her nullifier and come behind the screen.”

Alex complied.

“First, I must calibrate Mecha-Menta.” Harry tapped some keys. “Trista, what is the temperature like?”

“It’s hot in here.”

“I’m cold,” said Alex. “The air conditioning is on full blast.”

“Hypothalamus under control.” Harry clicked his mouse. Mecha-Menta’s tank bubbled. “Please count to ten.”

“One, two, three, flu, flih, s… liu, qi, ba …”

“Speech centers under control.”

“She looks scared,” said Alex.

“I’m releasing her speech centers.” Harry handed Alex a deck of playing cards. “Pick one. Don’t show Trista.”

Alex picked the four of clubs.

Harry entered a line of code. “Trista, guess what card Agent O’Farrell picked.”

“I don’t know. The four of clubs?”

“Thought input achieved. Time for the neurovascular test.” Harry clicked his mouse.

“Ow!” said Trista. “That felt like an ice cream headache.”

“Don’t hurt her,” said Alex.

“What kind of scientist do you think I am?” asked Harry.

“The kind that built a swarm of tiny insane robots.”

“I only built one Micro-Sapien based on my knowledge of hyper-miniaturized mechanics. I had no idea it would build an army of companions.”

“Well, it did, and now there’s an army of tiny robots that destroys everything in its path somewhere out there.”

“I gave the Micro-Sapien artificial intelligence. I didn’t count on it developing artificial insanity.”

“Does that mean Mecha-Menta will go insane too?”

“It doesn’t have sentience. It’s no more self-aware than a car engine.”

“So you say.”

“He’s not good at forgiving,” said Trista.

“I know,” muttered Harry. “Trista, what do you know about psychic self-defense?”

“I know breathing and visualization are parts of it,” said Trista.

For the next two hours Harry attempted psychic attack after attack on Trista. She endured headaches, shivers, fevers, and a nosebleed as she slowly learned to maintain her mental state against attacks.

“This is taking too long,” said Alex. “You’re still on the lowest levels.”

“And it’s all we can do if you don’t want to hurt her.”

“Let me try something.” Alex strapped the psychic nullifier on himself and walked to Trista. “Promise me you won’t get mad and will listen to everything I say.”

“I promise,” said Trista.

Alex put the rosary on a metal stool. “Tell me about this.”

“It’s a rosary.”

“What’s it for?”

“I use it for prayers.”

“Is that all?”

“It belonged to my grandmother.”

“It means a lot to you?”

“It’s the only personal item I had in prison.”

“A few days ago I called it a string of bead. A scientist could talk about the combinations of glass and silver. An antiques dealer could tell you how much it’s worth, and by the tarnish in the silver I’d say it’s pretty old. A priest could tell you about its history as a symbol.”

Alex turned his back to Trista, drew his pistol, and held it by the barrel. “But is any of that close to a full description of it?” Alex pounded the stool with the butt of his pistol. Shards of black glass and bent metal flew everywhere.

Trista screamed, “No!”

“You promised you wouldn’t get mad.” Alex stepped away from the pile of broken glass. “Before this was glass and silver, it was sand and ore. Where is it now? Here? In your memory? You can’t fully describe a rosary, but you try to describe people.

“Last night, in the elevator, I defined you by where you came from, your intelligence, and your past. Is that all you are? Are you what you do or what happened to you? We say ‘I am’ and ‘you are’ as if you can define people, but there is no ‘I’ or ‘you.’ Nothing is. Try to describe all that you are and think about the logical flaw in what I just said. It will feel like a white light. Let it overcome you.”

Trista stared blankly.

“Harry, try inserting a thought at the next level.”

Harry tapped some keys. “Trista, what color are you think of?”

Trista shrugged.

“I said try it.”

“I did. I couldn’t penetrate her mind.”

“Vascular attack.”

Trista had no reaction.

“Again, I can’t get through.”

“Keep moving up the levels.” Alex’s phone beeped. “Yeah? I’ll be right down.” He put the phone away. “Be right back, I have to sign for a delivery. Remember, Trista, white light.”

On his way across the ground floor to the front desk Alex heard a familiar nasal lisp. “Good morning, Agent O’Farrell.”

“Hello, Pinwheel. I didn’t expect to see the Young Sentinels are here.”

Knockout Rose had her back to Alex. She turned, waved a boxing glove, and smiled. He couldn’t help noticing her suit showed every curve on her body without a wrinkle.

“Mr. Griffin requested the pleasure of our company,” said Pinwheel. “Apparently we’re needed for a mission. Sergeant Hammer is going to lead us.”

“Hey, Pinny,” shouted Rock Jock in a gravelly voice. “Is that your new boyfriend?”

“You’re right,” said Alex. “He does say stupid things.”

“Alex.” He recognized Lady Amazing’s voice and took that opportunity to walk away from the now-angry Rock Jock.

Lady Amazing thrust a pharmacy shopping bag into Alex’s hands. “Give this to Trista. Don’t look inside. She has … female trouble.”

“So? There’s a whole cabinet full of things I’d rather not think about in the common area.”