The Prospects (24 page)

Before he could aim Sergeant Hammer ripped the pistol out of his hand. “I saved your life a hundred times, and you pull a gun on me?”

Alex stepped back. “I can’t forgive what you’ve done.”

“She’s a villainess. She deserved it.”

“How many others did you rape?”

“Hundreds!”

The admission shocked Alex enough that he didn’t block Sergeant’s Hammer roundhouse kick to his chest. His super-strength shattered Alex’s ribs. Before Alex could recover Sergeant Hammer followed up with an overhand punch that sent Alex to the ground.

Sergeant Hammer crouched and grabbed Alex’s throat. Alex grabbed Sergeant Hammer’s pinky finger and twisted but even his weakest joints were as hard as steel.

“Too bad it has to end like this.” He raised his fist. “You really were one of the finest men I’ve ever met.”

Time slowed to a crawl. Alex saw every wrinkle in Sergeant Hammer’s glove, every wrinkle on his ageless face, every glint of malice in his raging eyes. The man who inspired him and trained him to become a superhero was going to kill him. And there was nothing he could do about it.

The clang of a hammer hitting steel seemed far away.

Sergeant Hammer slumped forward and released his grip as his helmet flew across the room.

Alex gasped and blinked furiously. Trista stood behind Sergeant Hammer with his hammer in her hands.

“Get off of him,” she said.

Sergeant Hammer spun around and shook his head.

Trista swung the hammer again. Sergeant Hammer grabbed Trista’s wrist, pulled her down, and wrapped his hands around her head.

Alex kicked Sergeant Hammer’s elbow. The shock slackened Sergeant Hammer’s grip just enough for Trista to face him and make eye contact with him.

Sergeant Hammer raised his fist but didn’t bring it down. His eyes became wide. His cheeks sunk. His body trembled.

“No … no!” His voice quavered with fear.

Trista’s lips tightened as she stared into his eyes.

Sergeant Hammer tried to turn his head but couldn’t. He breathed in short painful bursts. His eyes watered.

“Don’t do this to me!” he screamed in terror.

Trista’s lips got tighter as she leaned in closer.

Sergeant Hammer bawled. “Stop it!”

Alex coughed. Blood rolled down his chin.

Sergeant Hammer’s words became terrified gibberish. Tears streamed down his face. He grabbed the pistol and put it under his chin.

“No,” Trista said calmly. “I won’t let you do that.”

Sergeant Hammer’s finger twitched but wouldn’t tighten on the trigger.

In a blink Sergeant Hammer flicked his wrist and pointed the gun at Trista.

Alex grabbed Trista’s lab coat collar and yanked her down as Sergeant Hammer opened fire.

A burst of white fabric flew out of Trista’s left shoulder. Sergeant Hammer dropped the gun and ran down the hallway. His cries echoed through the building.

Tristas put her hand on the wound and screamed as blood poured out.

Alex shook her. Every breath hurt. “Get … first aid … kit … thigh.”

Alex lifted his leg so Trista could grab the kit. He coughed up more blood.

“Take … off … coat.”

Trista took off the coat. Alex pressed gauze into the wound.

Trista winced. “It hurts so much.”

“Clavicle … not broken. Subclavian artery … not much blood … it’s a graze. You’ll live.”

She pressed the gauze into her wound. “How are you?”

Alex coughed up more blood. “Broken ribs. Punctured lung. Need … hospital.”

“Can you walk?”

Alex shook his head. “Call medics. Phone … in …” he coughed more blood, “belt.”

Trista bunched the lab coat under Alex’s head and took the smartphone from his belt. Alex entered the code to turn it on between coughs.

The drone of thousands of tiny swirling robots went from barely noticeable to deafening within seconds. Tiny silver specks poured through the ventilation ducts and formed a rough swirling humanoid shape.

Trista grabbed Alex’s hand as the Micro-Sapiens glided towards them.

“Trista,” said Alex, “run.”

She put her good arm around him and said, “I’m not leaving you.”

“Those things … indes …” he coughed up more blood, “can’t be killed … wants to kill everything.”

The Micro-Sapiens slowly flowed towards them.

Trista tried to drag him back. Her wounded shoulder kept her from putting strain on her left arm. “Kick the ground. Roll. Help me!”

“Can’t. Go. Tell Emily I love her.” He managed to get the words out before coughing more blood. “Tell Calvin … sorry … missed his birthday.”

Alex’s vision darkened. It became too hard for him to breathe. He slipped from consciousness.

The last thing he heard was Trista praying beneath the drone of the Micro-Sapiens’ tiny engines.

Waking up in a hospital bed under the haze of painkillers was not a new experience for Alex. He ended up this way after so many battles where his Agent Exo exoskeleton got mostly destroyed that the scent of antiseptics, bleached, linen, and hospital food were pleasant reminders that, somehow, he still lived.

Other than the IV in his hand and the coarse plastic vest around his chest, there wasn’t much medical equipment on him. His mouth and throat hurt as if he had been intubated, but he could breathe freely now.

A thick Norwegian accent said, “Good afternoon, Alexander.”

Alex looked at the figure in a form-fitting dark gray suit. It hurt his chest and throat to say, “Stormhead?”

When Alex’s eyes adjusted to the light he saw Stormhead’s left eye was black and swollen.

“I’m sure you have many questions. Allow me to say that you are here because of the Micro-Sapien. You see, on the roof Doctor Von Dyme personally made himself small enough to sneak into that mass of drones undetected. From there, he reprogrammed one drone, and used what he learned building Mecha-Menta to make it take control of the others. He led it back to his lab to destroy his mistake once and for all. On the way, he saw you and Trista and called the medics himself.”

“Where’s … Trista?”

“In police custody. She psychically attacking a superhero.”

Alex raised his hand. “But …”

“But she is not under arrest. She was when the medics found Sarge crying in a corner. He could not say what happened. Trista was brought here with a psychic nullifier under full police protection. Do you know what she did do Sarge?”

Alex shook his head.

“We brought in Judge Mental from the Baltimore Lords to find out. His told us Sarge experienced everything Trista felt when he raped her, from the initial shock to the hate and guilt and depression that followed. It was too much for the proud warrior to bear.”

“Good,” Alex said.

“But Judge Mental found other memories connected to the incident. He followed each of them … Alexander, Sarge had done that hundreds of villainesses and even a few villains. He would never menace someone like Lady Amazing, a respectable heroine, but in his mind there was nothing wrong with victimizing those he saw as evil.”

Stormhead pointed to his black eye. “When you called the other night, Sarge insisted on going in after you. Jim had already swallowed a bottle of pills with a bottle of scotch, so I alone tried to stop him. The only way I could have was by hitting with enough electricity to kill him. I didn’t do it. I let him leave after he beat me. But if I had known what he had done to Trista or any of the others, I would have fried him to death.”

“Trista?”

“She is in this hospital. There will be no charges against her. She acted in self-defense for herself and you, and no jury will say her punitive actions went too far. And Sergeant Hammer lacks the presence of mine to testify against anyone.”

Alex sighed with relief.

“Jim is in this hospital too,” said Stormhead. “He’s still sleeping off an overdose of pain pills. When he recovers, I will ask him to step down as leader of the New York Guardians. Harry and I have no more confidence in his ability to lead. I assumed you don't either.”

“The … others?”

“Lady Amazing is still a contagious mutated mess. She is in a medically induced coma. Harry says he has some ideas about how to transfer her consciousness to a new body he would like to explore. Bart’s arm was reattached successfully and, after some rehabilitation, he should be able to shoot again. Until then, Harry and I are the last of the New York Guardians, and he had no objection to me assuming the role of team leader.

“This brings me to the other matter we must discuss. The other agents, the one that went after Le Parrain, were mostly successful. There was only one death.”

“Who?”

“Le Parrain.”

Alex raised his eyebrows.

“His body was riddled with cancer. His final wish was to destroy the New York Guardians. To this end, he recruited our worst enemies and sat in Jim’s chair with the knowledge that he would never leave it. He didn’t care about the Idea Man’s attempt to enslave the world or the Skreaks’ plans to eradicate humanity, he knew he wouldn’t live long enough to see any of that. Our destruction was his dying wish. The sight of the Micro-Sapiens gave him a severe heart attack. His men surrendered immediately afterwards.”

Stormhead walked to the window. “Alexander, Griffin Tower is in ruin, our team is a fraction of what it was, and when the rest of the world learns about Sergeant Hammer our reputation will be destroyed. If our team can't rebuild itself, Le Parrain will have won.”

Alex said nothing.

“I want you to stay with us. I know we lied to you. All I can say is that, despite that, together we saved the world many times, and we will need to save it many more times. I will keep no more secrets from you. I promise you full access to every one of our facilities and every bit of data. We will tell the bureau that Jim stifled your oversight with distraction and lies. That is the truth, after all.”

Alex shook his head. “Get … a new … agent.”

“I’m not sure who else we can trust at the MAB. It was not Jim or I who kept the complaints against Sarge from reaching you. Someone there was quite sympathetic to him. Other superhero teams have also told me their agents have acted dishonorably in their roles. You, however, have proven ethical to a fault.”

”You … wanted me … dead.”

“Jim did. The rest of us each saved your life quite a few times. Remember, it was me who saved you from Mind Dame. Jim always made it clear he wasn’t happy when we superheroes actually acted like heroes.”

“Lost … too much for you. I’m done.”

“I will not argue any further when you are in this state. Think about it while you heal. Regardless of whether you stay or not, I intend to continue the Prospects. It will give Trista a place to stay until the end of her probation.”

“That's your decision.”

“And this morning two others asked to become Prospects. I believe you know them as Pinwheel and Knockout Rose, and they specifically requested you as their trainer. Apparently they aren’t happy with their manager.”

Alex said nothing.

“Deon will not remain with the Prospects,” said Stormhead. “He asked to become a reserve member of the New York Guardians so he the time to study at medical school. I’m sure Griffin Industries can find the money to pay his tuition in exchange for help when a fast lifesaver is needed.

“I would also like to ask Jenny to join New York Guardians, not as a reserve but as a full member. The MAB agents spoke highly of her ability to control herself in combat situations. If you second my nomination, I will be sure she receives the invitation before her twenty-first birthday.”

“Why should I … second it?”

“Because as long as I am leader of the New York Guardians and until you officially leave, I want you to take part in team decisions. Should you choose to stay, you will not go on any more dangerous missions. I called Emily last night and told her everything. I think she was angrier with us than you were.”

“Last night? What … day?”

“It’s Wednesday. Your son’s birthday. You won’t be able to attend the party, but Emily will bring him here later.

“The other details scarcely matter. The MAB agents you quarantined show no signs of infection. Le Parrain’s men and the Iron Pirates are in prison, the Skreaks are gone until another of their spaceships invades our solar system, the Shade Blades will never recover from their losses, Big Bad Roy and Asura are incarcerated at North Brother Island, and the Bone Terror sleeps once more in a containment vault.”

“All’s that’s left … Candilyn’s funeral.”

“That will not happen. Candilyn is alive.”

“What?”

“Her healing factor kept her alive at a level below what the tests measured. She’s still quite weak, for she took three bullets through the heart, but the doctors expect her to make a full recovery.”

Someone knocked. From the hallway Chaplain Monaghan said, “May we come in?”

“Certainly,” said Stormhead. “Alexander, please consider my offer. If you would like to make any conditions, I will do what I can to accommodate you.”

“I’ll talk it over … with Emily,” Alex said.

After Stormhead left, Chaplain Monaghan pushed Trista’s wheelchair into the room. She wore her psychic nullifier and had her arm in a sling. Her black rosary stuck out against her white hospital gown.

“I wanted to see you,” Trista said, “but you look horrible.”

“Most of my … adventures … end like this.” Alex smiled. “Nice chair.”

Trista raised her hand to show she was handcuffed to the wheelchair’s arm. “It’s a police precaution. Technically I’m a criminal until the probation ends. If you can’t talk well, I can come back later.”

Alex shook his head. “Chaplain, take off … her nullifier.”

“Are you sure, agent?” said Chaplain Monaghan.

Alex nodded. “I trust her.”

Chaplain Monaghan unlocked Trista’s nullifier and pushed her closer to the bed.

Trista made eye contact with Alex. He didn’t mind cool tingling sensation under his skull.

Alex blinked. When he opened his eyes, he saw Zero Level’s gymnasium. He wore the same t-shirt and jeans he had on the day he and Trista sat together.

Trista was next to him in the same hospital-donated blue sweatshirt she wore that day.

“This is a better setting than were we are now,” she said.

“Of all the places in the world, here?”

“It’s somewhere we’ve both been in a moment we shared together. I thought this would make you more comfortable than a church or my home.”

“It’s fine.”

“You’re not going to believe this, but the day we talked here was when I began to believe my life could get better.”

“That was the day we stopped the riot and went out for pizza, right?”

“It was also when I began to feel safe. After what Sergeant Hammer did to me, I couldn’t trust anyone. I was terrified of you.”

“I was scared of you too. That’s why I was so mean when I went into your room.”

“But on this day, when you said you’d protect me … I didn’t believe you. I thought you were up to something. Then, later that night, you risked your life to save someone you thought was me. I realized you really wanted to help me.

“Do you remember what else I said that night? About wanting you to forgive me for what I did two years ago?”

“I do.”

“Can you forgive me now?”

Alex looked at Trista. “No.”

“Oh, but …”

“I can’t forgive you because there’s nothing to forgive. It wasn’t you who did those things. The Idea Man had you under his control. I have no grudge against you at all, and as far as I’m concerned I got my revenge against the Idea Man. The real question is, can you forgive me?”

“For what?”

“Because I couldn’t let go of my hate. I thought it made me stronger, but it only made me stupider. I couldn’t bring myself to accept that you weren’t evil. I mean, while you were depowering the psychic transmitter, I loaded the shotgun. I was ready to shoot you in the back at the first sign of treachery. I feel bad about that.”

Trista was quiet for a moment. “So, counting the night we met, that makes two times you almost shot me in the back?”

“I didn’t think of it that way, but yeah.”

“Yet you trust me enough to let me enter your mind. And when I told you what Sergeant Hammer did, you believed me. You were willing to give up everything to bring him to justice.”

“Yeah, well, I never could leave someone in a bad situation. I had to do something.”

“And when you thought I was a threat to the world, you were ready to do something to stop it. I can’t fault you for that. There’s nothing to forgive.”

“I guess we can put the past behind us then.”

Trista took Alex’s hand. “Can I tell you something that scares me?”

“Sure.”

“I saw you shoot the Idea Man’s head off, I’m glad you did, but I just can’t believe he’s entirely dead. I don’t know how, but I think I may see him again.”

“I’d like to say something reassuring, but you’re right. Villains have a way of coming back.”

Trista shivered. “What he did, the way he made me act, I’m not sure that was all him. He drew that person out from inside me. Maybe that’s what I am deep down.”

“We all have a devil inside.”

“I don’t think I’m the person I was when we first talked here either. The Idea Man changed my personality so I’d be less without him. He wanted me to want him. That’s all gone. I know less about who I am now than I did before.”

“Whoever you are, I’m here for you. You and I have way too much in common to part ways now.”

“What do you mean?”

“We both hated each other at first, we served teams that tried to get us killed, we had cruel mentors, we rescued each other from them, we’re more separated from our families than we want to be, and we’ve been through so many changes we don’t know who we are anymore.”