Category Archives: Book 13: Division

Misdirection: Part 2

It hadn’t changed at all from how I’d left things. Haley was still talking to her mom. The Cabal soldier was still standing on the sidewalk in front of her house. Other people from our team were standing near us—Marcus, Tara, Julie, Katuk, and Kals.

Jaclyn’s camera still showed the burning house, “Hey,” she said, “should Blue and I head over to the house? I don’t like the looks of having a Cabal soldier there just waiting.”

From above Jaclyn, Izzy said, “I don’t either.” Continue reading Misdirection: Part 2

Misdirection: Part 1

Once the Cabal soldier crossed the street, he stopped, standing on the sidewalk as if he were waiting for someone. It kind of worked. It wasn’t as if he were wearing a purple, orange, or green skintight jumpsuit, the kind of thing that screams, “I’m a supervillain!”

Bearing in mind that many of the Cabal had been Roman soldiers, he wasn’t wearing either a toga or carrying a shield. That would have been out of place in a suburban, upper-middle-class neighborhood. He wore a grey coat and blue slacks that to my eye had the heaviness of materials used for armor. I doubted that a Cabal soldier needed armor, but no one wanted to run around naked and I supposed that was less likely with tougher materials. Continue reading Misdirection: Part 1

Friends & Family: Part 10

I was about to point him out to Haley, but I didn’t need to. She and Travis had already noticed and had looked away from the screen to look at each other.

Haley’s fists clenched and I didn’t doubt that she was restraining herself from changing form, “We should go. Mom’s at home—“

Travis shook his head, “I’ll go. You’re running things here.”

Raising an eyebrow, Haley said, “No. I don’t run—“

“I’ll go,” Daniel said. “You’ve got a better chance if I do.”

“I’m coming too,” Cassie said, hand on her bluish-green gun. “Those guys go down hard.” Continue reading Friends & Family: Part 10

Friends & Family: Part 9

I didn’t like that the Cabal soldier who came to help him wasn’t with him, but I didn’t say that over the comm.

Over the comm, I said, “If there’s no one else around, you might as well. That said, The Nine have had teleporters in their bases before, so that might change.”

Jaclyn groaned, “That’s right. And even if they don’t have one here, Cabal soldiers can jump half a mile or more. Blue, keep on your guard.”

I felt as if I could hear Izzy’s frown as she replied, “I couldn’t stop listening to everything around me even if I wanted to.”

“Going in,” Jaclyn said. Continue reading Friends & Family: Part 9

Friends & Family: Part 8

Standing next to Katuk and Kals, Tara spoke in the flatter voice I associated with her using her ability to create patterns from minimal data, “Knowing that they’re working for the Nine, they might be attempting to separate us and then attack your parents or us while we’re separated.”

“Is that likely,” I asked.

Tara tilted her head, but then said, “I don’t have enough to go on.”

“Chances of something bad happening just ticked up,” Daniel said. Continue reading Friends & Family: Part 8

Friends & Family: Part 7

As if to illustrate how many people we had to work with, Cassie and Travis stepped out of one of the tunnel doors on the wall of the main room. They’d come through the forest entrance. Both of them were in civilian clothes, Travis, at least a foot taller than anyone in the room, had muscles to match. Somehow, he still managed to give the impression of an ambitious young businessman as opposed to a thug. It was probably the combination of his button-down shirt and short hair.

Cassie wore a Georgetown hoodie and jeans, her blond hair in a ponytail. I wasn’t sure what she did when she wasn’t at the League and I suspected that being a superhero was all she did. Continue reading Friends & Family: Part 7

Friends & Family: Part 6

“Knowing what happened to me today? Did something go viral?” I thought through what I’d done. Fighting Major Justice had that potential, but I hoped that was the end of it.

Stephanie laughed, “No. The Grey Giant showed up in LA today. He stole an armored truck full of money. Your tiff with Major Justice got attention, but Major Justice is B-list at best. He gets less attention from criticizing you in the press than you’d think—even if it’s more than he normally gets.”

Thinking about the Grey Giant, I shook my head. He hadn’t been dead when we left Renewal Island so it made sense that he’d be out there somewhere. At least he wasn’t here. Continue reading Friends & Family: Part 6

Friends & Family: Part 5

Kals glanced in the direction of Katuk. She’d arrived just after Tiger, and said, “I’d like to help.”

Haley looked at her, “Are you sure? You were training Julie.”

Katuk spoke before Kals could reply, his voice level, “I was instructed to warn you if you do something that put you at serious risk. I want to help Nick as well, but going with them would put you at serious and unpredictable risk. In addition, you know that you’ll have to leave shortly. You’ll need to be healthy to help with the invasion and you’ll assist Nick more if Julie is capable.” Continue reading Friends & Family: Part 5

Friends & Family: Part 4

Soon after that, we all went back to base. After asking Daniel, I stripped out of the full Rocket suit and showered. Haley had assured me that it was a necessity. I put on a real pair of jeans and a t-shirt because she’d also assured me that my nanotech-produced clothing also needed washing.

Daniel had assured me that the chance of anything happening in the next hour or two was extremely unlikely. Continue reading Friends & Family: Part 4

Friends & Family: Part 3

In my HUD, I saw the Wolfmobile’s dot superimposed over the map of this area. They were only a block or two away. I thought a text message through my implant, “Talking with Jody in costume at the park.”

Amy texted back, “We’ll change.”

Paying attention to Jody as we both stood next the park’s entrance, I said, “he’s fine. He’s probably not happy, but he’s got a healing factor—not like Captain Commando’s but he’ll be running around sooner than I’d like.” Continue reading Friends & Family: Part 3