I hate to say it, but the past two and a half hours Ray and I spent together, was the most fun I'd had in about the past month. She showed me all of the strange gadgets that she'd been working on, and I gave her more details about my power. There were moments where I just wanted to tell her everything… even the stuff about Archie. But deep down I knew that was a horrible idea. Looks like I was losing my edge.
These past 30 minutes, however, were kind of weird. Ray and I had been talking about my power and how it was like I was a real-life superhero. After we said this, it was like something licked in her head. Ray leapt to her feet and got really, really close to my face.
"Oh my gosh, that's it!" she yells into my nose.
I instinctively lean back, trying to regain my personal space. "What's it?"
Rachel jumps away from me and to an electronic board on the far wall. She pressed it with her palm, and it glows to life, writing appearing on the blue screen. Then she double-taps the screen and the writing springs off the board, now suspended in a holographic display around her.
"Whoa…" I whisper.
"Right?" Rachel yell excitedly, sliding the holographic words and symbols around, sometimes typing new ones to manipulate. "Why didn't I think of this soon?!"
"Think of what?"
"Superheroes! You literally have the power, and how cool would that be? A masked hero has arrived in Fulton City to end the drug trade and set the city on the path to a brighter tomorrow!"
Me? Save the city? That's a tall order, even if I do have this strange power. And what if I can't? What if I screw up? I could be killed! Or worse…
"I dunno, Ray," I say. "Save the city? I'm just one guy and…"
"Just one guy?" she exclaims at an inappropriate volume.
She slides her holographic display aside and rushes at me again. I don't flinch (as much) this time.
"You're not just 'one guy,' Evan Foster. You're a literal godsend. You have the power to heal this city. Even if you can't save it, you'll have to set it on the right path. And plus…" Rachel bumps her knuckles against my shoulder playfully. "You got me here, too. Your loyal sidekick."
This makes me crack a smile. "Well, I guess I shouldn't just sit on my ass with this power I've been given, huh?"
Rachel jumps up again and hops back to her holographic display. "Damn straight!"
"Now about your costume… do you have style? Cape, or no? Mask? Helmet maybe? Oooooh what's your color? Blue? Maybe that's too matchy, seeing as you glow and all. Red is cool but the contrast makes me wanna puke…"
I chuckle to myself. "You can surprise me."
Rachel squeals. "You mean it? You really mean it? Nobody has asked me to make something I want to before!" she starts spinning in circles, laughing and squealing excitedly. I roll my eyes but can't help but smile.
Suddenly one of the symbols on her display starts flashing red. Ray pauses her little display and turns to look at it.
"I'll be damned, it works," she whispers. Then she goes back yelling and hopping. "It works!!"
"What works?" I ask, walking over to her.
She stops and faces me, grinning. "Mutant tracker baby!"
She taps the red icon, and a huge holographic schematic of the city appears around us. Nothing is labeled, but I recognize some of the landmarks, like my school near the middle. Then down that road is my house.
"This is insane," I whisper. "How'd you get all this?"
Ray shrugs. "Took a scan of the whole city and coded it. Then I just hacked into the 24/7 drone footage of the city. And voila!"
I stare at the projection. "You really are smart…"
"Oh this? This is child's play." Rachel points to a red blip moving quickly down a back alley. "See that? That's our guy."
"The mutant?" I ask. Rachel nods, then double clicks the mutant marker.
The marker grows to a hologram that's roughly my height, fully showing the mutant in great detail. I gasp.
Rachel gives me a weird look. "Do you know this guy or somethin?"
I gulp. "Something like that. That's the mutant that rampaged in the hospital."
"Oh…" Rachel says. "I knew we didn't catch him but the fact that he is still out there…" Rachel grunts. "We gotta stop him."
"Right," I nod. I turn towards the door.
"Wait," Rachel says. "Surely you can't just go out like that." I was just in everyday clothes, a t-shirt and jeans.
"Yeah, well what else do we have?"
Rachel runs to a storage cabinet in the back of the room. "Your suit is gonna take me some time, but for now…" she pulls out an officer's uniform. "You can wear this!"
"A police uniform?" I ask.
Ray nods. "The helmet and visor will protect you identity. And the outfit will help me monitor your vitals while you're in the field."
She tosses me the jumpsuit and helmet and I catch them. "Whatever you say."
I unzip the jumpsuit and put it on over my clothes. The uniform is light and thin, but super sturdy. Nano-fiber tech, I think. Then Ray hands me the boots. I take off my shoes and step into the boots. I fasten them and take a few steps. They aren't too hunky or heavy. Nice.
"Well?" Rachel looks at me expectantly.
"Not half bad," I say wiggling in my suit.
"Perfect! Now, there's a mic in the helmet that'll let me guide and talk to you while you're out. So, no sweat!"
I nod and put the helmet on. The helmet visor has a holo-display, showing me vitals and scanning the area, looking for exits and other people.
"Whoooaaa…"
"Nice, right?" Rachel beams. "Now let's get you out there!"
"Yeah." I turn to the door and rev-up, getting ready to sprint.
"Good luck, hero," Rachel says. I push off my back foot and speed out of the building.
It's the middle of the night, so nobody should be watching me at this hour. I'm sprinting down the sidewalk full-speed, and I don't have to worry about colliding with anyone. It feels amazing. Suddenly a little tone plays in my right ear.
"Foster, do you read me?" It's Ray.
"Loud and clear," I reply.
"Perfect. The guy you're looking for is coming out of Progressive Street and heading onto South Bario. If you hustle you can head him off."
"Right," I say taking a hard left. No sweat. If I keep straight down this road I can reach in a matter of moments. I put more energy into my sprint, I have a target.
I make it to the corner of the two streets just in time to see the mutant halfway down. Perfect timing.
"Ray, I have eyes on the target," I say. The mutant comes to screeching halt and stares me down.
"Good," she replies. "Now you have to neutralize the target. I'll notify the division for cleanup duty. You have about 10 minutes. Don't kill the target."
"Sounds good," I say crouching down, getting ready. The mutant is locked in on me, daring me to make the first move. I exhale. Ten minutes, no sweat. Just a couple good punches should do it.
I crouch down, aiming towards the mutant, then I push off, launching myself forwards. I'm airborne rocketing towards mutant. I have a clear shot at the creature's head. I couldn't ask for a better position. I can finish this in one shot! One blow to the head. I cock my fist back, ready to bash this creature's face in! I'm within range now. I launch the punch… and miss? The mutant wove to the side, sending me flying right by him. His dodge throws me off. I couldn't recover before I hit the ground and roll and skid to a halt.
"What the hell?" I push myself up, and the mutant is charging at me.
It throws a kick which collides with my gut, sending me flying up and into the side of a nearby building. I hit the ground hard, my vision starting to blur. The uniform protected my organs from most of the damage, but that kick was serious.
"Foster. Foster, do you copy?" says Rachel through the communicator, her voice urgent.
I let out a painful cough. "I hear you."
"Do you need backup?"
"No." I wobble to my feet. "I'm just getting started."
"Be careful, those blows are dangerous. Without the suit that kick would have crushed your ribs."
I swallow. I can't mess around this time. I power up and face down the mutant once more. It seems to be waiting for me to strike first again. I'm going to need more controlled attacks. I'm not going to be able to simply drop-kick the bad-guy this time. I have to FIGHT fight him. Then an important revelation decides to dawn on me. I can't FIGHT fight. I gulp.
"Foster what's the hold up?" Ray asks in my ear. "Get in there and whoop his ass!"
"Right," I say. I probably wasted a good 4 minutes being tossed around. No more wasting time.
A dash in close, staying low. Then I notice the mutants response, it puts it's hands up in a block. What? I try to throw an uppercut at the creature's chin. It weaves around my punch and throws a hook. It collides with the left side of my helmet, and I smash into another building.
Once again, my gear has most likely saved my life, but barely. Cracks are spider-webbing across my visor.
"Evan what are doing?" Ray asks, panic obvious in her voice. "Stop messing around!"
I struggle to my feet, I'm starting to feel fatigued, my power is slowing down. I wobble from side to side.
"Evan?" Rachel asks me. "You sustained substantial head trauma from that last blow. If you take another hit like that you're boned."
I start breathing heavily, I don't know what I can do. I can't fight. I thought just because I was super-powered I could automatically fight. My vision is crossed, so I don't see the monster rushing at me. Suddenly I strong hand has me by my neck, holding me again the wall.
The mutant then cocks it's fist back and punches my face. The faceplate, protects my face, but it is cracking. I don't have long at this rate.
"Damn…" I groan, my consciousness fading.
"Evan! Evan hang in there," Rachel says. "I'll send help, hang on!"
The mutant throws another punch, and the helmet shatters.