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
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
“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
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
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
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
I looked between Daniel and Tara and then said, “I guess I have to go then. I was thinking I’d want to reload.”
Daniel shook his head, “I don’t think it will matter.”
Tara looked up from her chair at me, “I know I missed half of that conversation, but you know Daniel’s guesses are good.” Continue reading Friends & Family: Part 2
I found myself remembering back to when we’d faced Ray and the Cabal and Ray’s method of terrorizing his targets—killing their families first, getting closer and closer, and then killing the target. From the way Haley’s face tightened, I guessed that she was remembering the same. Back then, we’d been able to rely on the FBI to guard our families. Knowing that the Nine likely had an ear there, we’d have to do it ourselves.
I said, “Can you move more bots out? We need to cast a wider surveillance net around our families, but I think we might want to do the same around close friends.” Continue reading Friends & Family: Part 1
“If Urin can tell us where Magnus is, that would solve a lot of problems,” I said, unsure of how we’d handle him, but knowing where would be a good first step.
Ruthie smiled, but it didn’t strike me as a happy smile, “I’ll try. I can’t make any promises, but at this point I’ll try anything to get that man off my back.”
“If you do find him,” Amy said, “ask him if he’s got any of Magnus’ possessions. I can do a lot with the right connection.” Continue reading Fonts of Magic: Part 10
Ruthie looked down for a moment and then said, “That’s when something changed in him. Urin found him. Back in those days, we took joy in finding new ones—new immortals. They were always so surprised to find out that there were more of us. We’d bring them in slowly, showing them what we’d done.”
Haley crossed her arms over her chest, “And what was that?” Continue reading Fonts of Magic: Part 9