Incandescent Guardians Page 10

  “You said you enjoyed it?”

  She smirked, “Toys, and there was this one guy at a bar I never saw again, just to see what it was like.”

  Right, time to drop the subject. I just wished Amber hadn’t been so much of an artist. Angel was a work of art.

  I said, “Well, it’s nice to meet you in the flesh so to speak. So, I make Amber happy?”

  Amber slapped my arm, “Go sit, and you behave.”

  I laughed, “Yes, maam.”

  Amber smirked and kissed me sweetly, then pushed me toward the table. She made up three coffees and set the table, as Angel finished up a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hash browns.

  Something finally occurred to me, “Thanks for folding my clothes last night.”

  The golden blonde just winked my way as she plated the food and brought it over to the table.

  “So, you have your own projects?”

  She smiled, “I do. Those health nanites Amber used yesterday, my work. Most of my projects are focused in healthcare and the human body. Life is so incredibly complicated, but I’m currently working on a way to extend it.”

  Amber said proudly, “She also found small improvements for several of my defensive systems.”

  It was obvious to me just how important Angel was to Amber. Not as the stunning achievement she was to Amber’s intelligence and ability as a mad scientist, but as her friend, roommate, assistant, and co-inventor.

  It was probably a good thing I really did see sentient A.I.s as people, or I’m almost positive Amber would’ve dropped me like a bad habit. It was also a good thing Angel was a very positive and perky person, and obviously liked and approved of me. I had the feeling if I stayed with Amber, I’d be getting a very interesting lifelong friend out of the deal.

  To back that up further, Amber was clearly pleased in the interest I was showing, not in Angel’s creation or construction, but in who she was as a person and in the golden blonde’s work.

  I also discovered a trend in Angel’s research foci rather quickly, that I was fairly sure Amber hadn’t noticed in her quirky social ineptitude. All of Angel’s projects either protected amber better when she was out fighting, or could be used to heal anyone seriously hurt, or had to do with life extension or combating deadly diseases common in the aged.

  I got the impression it was all about keeping Amber alive for as long as possible, but I could’ve been wrong. Oh, helping other people too, Angel clearly had sweet and generous perky nature, but I wondered if Angel who technically had no limitations on her lifespan feared losing her creator and best friend. Even if only in another sixty to eighty years as a best-case scenario.

  After breakfast when it was time to go to work, I asked, “So, would three date nights in a row be too needy?”

  Clingy was unattractive in a guy, but she was as lost in me as I was in her. It was like the two years we’d been friends we’d built a deep relationship. After adding the sex and the emotional intimacy, it seemed almost wrong not to see her again that night.

  It was a feeling I’d never had before, not so early in a relationship anyway. Still, it all felt right, despite the nagging thought that it was all happening too fast. It was her heart, her passion, and generosity that I’d already known so well, her willingness to put it all on the line. There was also admiration, deep trust, and affection going both ways. In short, it wasn’t the insanely wild and incredible sex or some shallow thing that was making it fast, that part was just the barometer on the true ties between us.

  Or so I believed, and I didn’t think I was wrong.

  She beamed, “No, I can’t imagine not seeing you tonight either, but it’s also a bit much going out three nights in a row. I love going out with you, but the large crowds can be overwhelming to deal with after a while. How about a night in instead? Come over for dinner.”

  I smiled, “Sold, I’ll come by after patrol?”

  She nodded, and we kissed softly before I teleported home.

  It was an interesting morning to say the least.

  Chapter Ten

  That Tuesday morning started with a quick half hour workout and a jog on the treadmill. I didn’t work out as religiously as I probably should, but I tried to do it at least four times a week. My super metabolism and the calories burned from using my telekinesis all the time kept me trim. The hot steam and water of the shower were invigorating, and it felt good on my sore muscles.

  “Anything going on today?”

  Sky replied, “There’s one contract bid application you need to review and approve before I send it.”

  I grunted, “That’s fine with me, Monday was kind of crazy. A slow day works. Umm, why do I have to approve it? You know what to do.”

  Sky said, “This job is unique, and none of your old lifts match.”

  Huh.

  “What is it, summarize?” I asked while I got dressed in business casual. Light tan shoes, khakis, and a collared pullover shirt.

  Sky said, “Do you remember signing that non-disclosure last month?”

  I grunted, “For SpaceX and Mining Consortium?”

  Sky said, “Yes. They need a small space station lifted. I believe they’ll be using it as a collection point for mining the asteroid belt, but there’s a three point two percent chance it will perform some other function given the available data.”

  “Oh, that’s pretty cool. They have ships that can make the trip in less than a few years I assume?”

  She replied, “I assume so, they haven’t shared that information. Artificial gravity systems like the one on the international space station are just one step away from having an impulse drive. With constant acceleration of one gravity without the need for fuel, they can make the trip in a day or so.”

  “Right, but at those speeds running into a tiny dust particle would rip right through the ship if they don’t have kinetic shields of some kind. Also, the plates for artificial gravity are relatively small, the power requirements go up exponentially to size and a ship would be a lot bigger than an eight by eight cube. Alright, how big is it?”

  I grabbed a coffee from the kitchen, and then teleported to the office and sat behind my desk.

  Sky brought up the specs on the screen as she said, “Four hundred tons, and about three times the volume of one of the space station modules you lifted.”

  I whistled, and then looked it over.

  “Let’s go with fifteen million, and then send it.”

  Mass and size weren’t everything, which was why I hadn’t asked for triple what I’d charged NASA. The space station wasn’t all that sensitive to vibration. In fact, from what I could see the space station would be vibrating pretty hard when it was being used to purify what was mined. There was a lot of data about shock absorption ratios and the like. In short, they didn’t need my expertise in vibration management, it looked like any super capable of flight and picking up four hundred tons could just fly it up there.

  I wondered why they bothered with a station, unless the ship they designed couldn’t enter atmosphere easily and they were going to use relatively small shuttles to deliver it to the ground?

  Damn, I was really curious to hear about their ship, but I’d have to wait until the press release like everyone else. The date to lift the station was weeks from then, so it’d be a while.

  Sky said, “Bid entered. Guess you can lock up for the day.”

  I chuckled, it was five minutes after nine. Instead of locking up I went into the storage area and opened up the cabinet that held my used oxygen bottles. Most were less than half used, but it seemed imprudent to go up into space with any less than a full bottle each time. I still had four full ones left, but I had the time then, so I gathered up the eight that were in there in a box, then teleported to the oxygen supply company I used.

  I had an account with them, so it didn’t take long for the young woman behind the counter to give me eight fresh ones, measure what was left in the old ones, and then she had me sign a purchase order. S
ky would handle all that, when we were billed.

  After putting them away in the charged oxygen bottle cabinet, I took the time to go through the cabinets to see if I was running low on anything else. I ordered some fresh supplies for the carbon dioxide scrubbers, and then locked up for the day. It was barely ten in the morning, but Sky could handle any calls and let me know if something came up.

  Even if we had an office walk-in, which had only happened twice in the last two years, with teleportation I could be there in a second if anyone knocked. Sky had her eyes on it all.

  I pulled out my phone and sent a group text to Casey and Jenna as I lounged on the couch. I hadn’t spoken to either of them since Saturday, and I knew from experience if I didn’t check in I’d regret it later on. Especially since there was a new woman in my life. I’d have called, but it was a Tuesday during work hours. That wasn’t a problem for me, but their jobs were more… normal.

  Predictably, my phone rang less than ten minutes later.

  “Hi Casey.”

  Jenna said, “And Jenna. She called me first.”

  I said with humor, “We should do dinner soon,” knowing exactly why they’d called.

  There was a long pause on the phone, and I held in a chuckle.

  Casey said, “Who are you and what have you done with our brother?”

  “Ha Ha, sis. I’m not that bad, am I?”

  Jenna replied, “No, of course not big brother,” but the no was dragged out really long to make her sarcasm crystal clear.

  I laughed.

  Casey said, “How about my place, Thursday night. Jenna and Mark are already coming over that night.”

  Casey had a nice three-bedroom ranch in Mount Prospect, which was the town right next to Schaumberg. I was the only one that lived in the city, my sisters just worked and shopped in it.

  I replied, “Sure, if she can make it. I’m pretty sure it’ll happen. I’ll text you tonight to let you know, after I talk to her.”

  Casey said, “You’d better. Six sharp.”

  Jenna sighed, “We’d love to give you the third degree, but I have a meeting in five minutes.”

  I snorted, “See you then.”

  I smiled as I hung up, I think I just shocked the hell out of them. Which… said exactly what about how I’d been acting the last two years?

  The chill weather had finally broke, but of course it brought rain with it. It was later that afternoon and I hovered over mid-town with a blue-green aura around me as I redirected the rain. It both kept me dry and made me highly visible to the people below despite the rain and dark clouds that hid the sun.

  It didn’t take much effort to keep an effect going once I started it. In fact, it was almost a Zen thing, with a part of my mind focused on my flight, water shield, and keeping track of my surroundings. I’d jump teleported to other parts of the city twice about fifteen minutes earlier, to lose the Angelic Trio. Those guys were annoying assholes, but I didn’t hold it against them.

  Sky said, “Elegant Prodigy has activated her comms.”

  Elegant Prodigy said, “I’ll be there in a minute, dinner on Thursday?”

  I nodded, even if she couldn’t see it, I’d sent her a message earlier.

  “Yup, my sisters will want to meet you, and most likely will cull you from me and my brothers-in-law to get to know you. They’re sweet, even if Casey can be a bit intense at times.”

  She replied awkwardly, “I’ll go. I’m not all that close with my siblings. My sister is still in high school, and my brothers are both in college. I think I freak them out actually, I was a lot different back then.”

  “Your personality you mean?”

  She flew up and nodded shyly, “Yes, my appearance didn’t change all that much outside of perfect skin, and I lost a couple of pounds and got a tighter ass. My face didn’t change at all.”

  I said softly, “I love that ass.”

  She giggled, “I used to be a lot more outgoing. But my mind is faster now. I overthink things, not just science stuff, and I see things about people I never had before. It kind of makes a person question everything, like I’d been walking around blind before that.”

  “What kind of things?”

  She tilted her head, “You see some of it too, in me. Like how you explained you see all of me, not just my awkward pauses and shyness? I see all that in everyone, and more, even strangers. It was kind of devastating to find out my perky best friend was nothing but a shell. People lie all the time, with masks on, and I have trouble reacting correctly to that outward persona when I can see what lies beneath it.”

  “Me?”

  She said, “You do it too, everyone does. But in your case, and in Lady Lightning’s for that matter, you hide how good you truly are. You aren’t a user, or a fake, if anything you hide deeper convictions underneath your confidence and stuff.”

  “Stuff?”

  She winked, “I like your ass too.”

  I laughed.

  “Good dodge, I guess I’ll let it go, as long as you’re happy with who I am, and I am, why analyze it to death.”

  I was never one for self-examination, but I’d been a little curious how she saw me.

  She smirked, “The truth is always a good dodge.”

  I snickered, “Sky, send out a text that I’ll be there Thursday night, with my lovely plus one.”

  Elegant Prodigy blushed.

  We started a slow patrol, but I had the feeling that supervillains were smart enough to stay out of the rain. It was going to be a slow patrol, but Amber for company would liven it up I was sure. Lady Lightning hated rain, it messed with her powers. Not in a disabling way, unless she got soaked, but it made it harder for her to control her lightning. Which wasn’t a good thing when trying not to kill people.

  “Your parents?”

  Elegant Prodigy said, “They’re wonderful people, and love me dearly. But it’s hard to be around them, because underneath they’re devastated by the cold and awkwardly distant woman I’ve become. It’s hard to deal with, so I only see them about once a month.”

  “You’re one of the warmest women I’ve ever met.”

  She grinned shyly, “Thank you, Mythic. But they can’t see past the shell. Most people can’t, even you didn’t in the beginning. It took you months to warm up to me.”

  Right. It had. Of course, we hadn’t been spending time together socially at all, just fights and temporary team ups.

  Angel said, “Lady Lightning has activated her comms.”

  The two of us had time to exchange a surprised glance, before she spoke.

  “Hey guys, we need to talk.”

  I replied, “Okay, gorgeous. Where are you?”

  I frowned, and then sent a guilty look toward Elegant Prodigy. I knew she said I could flirt, but it still felt wrong. It’d also just slipped out naturally.

  She just smirked at me, and she rolled her eyes playfully. She really didn’t mind at all, it seemed. Was she that sure of me?

  Lady Lightning said, “I’m at the loop, using it for shelter. You should see the damned steam rising.”

  I laughed, “You are pretty hot,” and the two of us flew that way. We weren’t all that far away from there, or I’d have teleported us.

  Lady Lightning snorted a laugh. She was steaming, as the electricity coruscating around her body dried her skin and suit. Not enough to see from a distance, but we easily saw her location from the bright flashes of light.

  She smirked at me, “Help a girl out?”

  I waved my hand and muttered, “Aqua scutum.”

  The same greenish blue glow started to surround her, as I used my telekinesis to do that and keep the water off of her. It also leached the rest of the water from her super suit and off of her skin.

  “So what brings you out into the rain?”

  She said, “Privacy, who knows if there’s a camera or mic pointed at us.”

  She flew out, and we followed her straight up into the storm, and above it. We must’ve been at ten thousa
nd feet or so. Of course, I kept her dry.

  She sighed, “So, a funny thing happened last night at the Jazz club.”

  I shook my head, my heart skipped at what that implied, “Really?”

  She nodded, and bit her lip, “You know I don’t just generate lightning on my own. I can feel electricity in all its forms around me. The city is very much alive to my senses. A person’s bio-electric field, it’s kind of like a fingerprint. It’s extremely complicated though, I can’t recognize someone I’ve only met once. No more than a normal person can glance at fingerprints and then recognize them for sure later. But, for supers those bio-electric field differences are even more pronounced, and of course I’ve been around you two a whole lot these last two years.

  “In hindsight, it’s a miracle we’ve never passed each other in the street before while in our true identities. So… I know who you both are?” she said that last in an apologetic whisper.

  “Wow, so your hot date…” I trailed off as I stared at her with a horrified expression. There’d only been one lesbian couple in the Jazz club last night, at least that I’d seen, and one of those women had been Lady Lightning’s size, with the same blue eyes, just white blonde hair instead of light blonde. And of course, Lady Lightning’s face was covered in her suit, I’d never seen it before.

  I accused in disbelief, “Serina Johnson.”

  Serina Johnson was Lady Lightning. Fuck me running.

  She blushed furiously, “Yup, I know. Shocking isn’t it? No pun intended.”

  “But, you hate her! She’s a total bitch!”

  She giggled, “Sorry, Amanda’s the love of my life, and a total sweetheart. We just made up that whole rivalry because we were afraid if we tried to act normal around each other people would see right through it. Of course, there’s a deeper issue.”

  Elegant Prodigy said, “If any of us are caught, she’ll go to jail now too, for harboring and conspiring with a vigilante. At the very least, her registration as a superhero would be revoked.”

  She bit her lip, “Yes, that, and more. We’ll both also lose all our fans. Most of our recognition revolves around our public war in our superheroine personas. Honestly, conspiring isn’t all that far wrong, she gives me an allowance as her human girlfriend, but in reality it’s a kick-back of sorts for making her more popular with my enmity. It sounds sordid and wrong, but most superhero stuff is that way, it’s a show, and she pays me for my part since a vigilante can’t make royalty deals.”