Category Archives: Book 08: Infection

A Day in The Life: Part 12

“I hope my personnel files made entertaining reading,” I told him.

“Listening,” he said. “And I didn’t do it simply to invade your privacy. I needed to know how you’d handle it if the unexpected came up. It happens frequently around here. Now though, I need your answer. We’ll need more people in the next fight and I have an idea about how your specific power can help us.”

Ideally, a journalist reports the truth and nothing more. Everyone knows that perfect objectivity is impossible, but you try your best because the alternative is worse. I knew that, and I also knew that I could never be truly objective about people I’d fought beside.

These are people you have to trust with your life. Continue reading A Day in The Life: Part 12

A Day in The Life: Part 11

“As if we’d surrender,” Storm King said, “we can take these guys.”

Next to him, Gravity Star stared at the screen. “But who’s the man next to him?”

“Soon,” the dinosaur said, looking deeply into the camera, “we will give you an example of the price of refusal.”

The feed cut off, going back to CNN. Continue reading A Day in The Life: Part 11

A Day in The Life: Part 10

Railgun turned away from the screen to look at me. “I don’t know if should say this, but all of Justice Fist was descended from Red Lightning’s followers. We’re not them and we don’t have to make their choices.”

“Um-hmm,” I said. “I’m impressed that the Heroes’ League knew that and took you in. Not every team would have done that, and especially not teenagers. Do you know why?”

She frowned, thinking. “Some of us knew each other and liked each other before we knew we had powers, but I think it must have been fighting the Cabal. They joined up with Syndicate L and the Executioners to attack all of us. We worked together with the League to fight them. After that they invited us over when they’d get together to watch a movie or play video games, so we all got to know each other. That was it.” Continue reading A Day in The Life: Part 10

A Day in The Life: Part 9

C looked at me. “And you’re the reporter?”

I managed to get a few words out.“I’m Nadia Stone with ‘Superhumans Today’. I’m pleased to meet you, sir.”

C smiled. “I get a lot more sirs now that I’m old. Thank you for being here, Ms. Stone. I look forward to seeing your article. We never expected that you’d have such exciting material.”

“I can’t say I did either, but after a few years on this beat, I’ve learned to adapt.” Continue reading A Day in The Life: Part 9

A Day in The Life: Part 8

The Rocket clicked away from the spybot’s view of downtown to a map “We’re not near any of those bases. Our National Guard base and training grounds don’t rate an attack. Uh… Wait. Selfridge Air National Guard base is being attacked.”

Everyone turned as he zoomed in on the base. From above, it wasn’t much more than green grass, buildings and several long runways.

The Rocket peered up at the wall screen. “I don’t think they expect us to help. We’re on the other side of the state and it’s looking like Detroit’s Unity team is working with the Canadian team in Windsor to defend the base.” Continue reading A Day in The Life: Part 8

A Day in The Life: Part 7

The Rocket turned around at the sound of her voice. “I’m pretty sure it’s got something to do with the original League defeating them the last two times. They did such a good job that the invaders feel like they have to crush us first.”

He cocked his head to the side. “It’s kind of cool in a way. For some value of cool that might include bombings.”

Night Cat raised an eyebrow, making it barely visible above the top of her mask. Then she said, “Bombings?” Continue reading A Day in The Life: Part 7

A Day in The Life: Part 6

He typed on his keyboard, moved more text over from what must have been logs into another window. “Okay, I’m sending what I’ve got to the Feds, but we’ve got to find the League’s records on these guys. If they’re who I think they are, search under ‘dinosaurs,’ ‘evolution,’ or ‘gorillas.’”

Control stopped typing to face him, saying, “Gorillas?” Continue reading A Day in The Life: Part 6

A Day in The Life: Part 5

He tapped on his palms again. “Here’s GPS coordinates for the Chicago gateway. And now I’m flying it back through. I’m going to fly it past each starplate on the way out. If it registers with each cellphone service, they might be able triangulate its position.”

The spybot whirled around and dove back into the gateway as he talked except this time one of the soldiers looked up, feathers moving in the wind. In the bottom corner of the screen, it pulled a walkie talkie from its belt as the bot passed through the gate. Continue reading A Day in The Life: Part 5

A Day in The Life: Part 4

The Rocket’s helmet pointed at the screen. “Those seem familiar somehow. Mystic, did Mindstryke or the Mentalist ever mention anything? C… Uh… Control? You’ve been reading the stuff you scanned. Anything ring a bell?”

Control and the Mystic watched as the creatures spread out, rifles pointed down the alley. The gateway behind them stayed open as they stepped away from it, revealing a silver and black platform similar to the one I’d seen in the League’s headquarters except that it was at least ten times the size. Past the edge of the platform stood more of the feathered soldiers.

All of them stared at the screen, but the Rocket spoke first. “I think we’re going to have to bring a lot more people in on this—the Defenders for sure.” Continue reading A Day in The Life: Part 4

A Day in The Life: Part 3

Control stopped at the table in the center and directly in front of the giant screen. She grabbed a mouse and started tapping, starting by clicking on a button under the word “Status,” changing it from green to red.

Immediately a text message started appearing on another part of her monitor.

It said, “Accelerando: How bad is the red?”

Control shook her head. “I wish she’d give me a second…” Continue reading A Day in The Life: Part 3