Tag Archives: Shannon

A Day in The Life: Part 13

Shadow and Voice led me over to the locker rooms to change. If you’re imagining a futuristic locker room, stop.

It looked like the locker room of every high school sports team in the United States—rows of toilet stalls with metal dividers for privacy. A roomful of metal lockers for each person on the team and wooden benches for people to sit. The far end of the room opened into a tiled room with showers.

I read the names on the lockers—Accelerando, Captain Commando, The Mystic, The Rocket, Storm King and the others—realizing, “There’s only one locker room?”

Voice, a thin, blonde woman, shucked her grey Stapledon uniform, laughed and grunted, “You got it.” Continue reading A Day in The Life: Part 13

Revelations: Part 7

Travis’ voice came over the comm. “Don’t get too close. I’ve got a plan.”

I didn’t have time to ask him about the plan. The Thing disappeared through the wide hangar door. We could have closed it. It would have bought Travis time, but on the other hand, he didn’t seem to need it and The Thing would have trashed our door.

It was a big metal door that ran from the ceiling to the floor—not exactly the kind of thing you can pick up at Lowe’s.

The Thing flew through the doorway, past the concrete wall on one side and the door on the other. Continue reading Revelations: Part 7

Being Watched: Part 1

On Monday night, Vaughn, Cassie, and I sat together in “Criminology 101.” We weren’t alone. Julie and Shannon were with us.

We sat in a darkened room, looked up at the screen, and watched the professor talk. This would have been normal for a distance learning class except for a few details. First, we were sitting in League HQ. We could have been sitting in a room at the University, but then we’d have been sitting together with Sean, Dayton, and Jody.

It would have been a little awkward for all of us in a variety of different ways. Awkward for me, because Sean and I didn’t get along especially well. Awkward for Cassie and Vaughn, because they were friends of mine and knew Sean. Awkward for Julie and Shannon, because they had been on a team with Sean. Continue reading Being Watched: Part 1

TBD: Part 1

We’d said our goodbyes earlier, so when my sister Rachel and I got out of Dad’s SUV at the airport, we didn’t have much to say to our parents.

I popped the hatch, grabbed my suitcase and backpack and put them next to me in the drop-off area. I handed Rachel her suitcase (her backpack hung on her back), and shut the hatch.

We moved to the side of the vehicle. Mom had her window open.

Rachel said, “I’ve got everything. Nick?”

“Me too.”

Dad smiled at us. “Enjoy your conference, and congratulations to both of you again. Full ride scholarships. That doesn’t happen to everyone.”

“Thanks, Dad. Now hurry and get out of here before airport security decides you’re terrorists.” Continue reading TBD: Part 1

Graduation: Part 23

I didn’t stop trying to fix the arm, but it would be hard to imagine a worse week to try to fix it than my last week of high school ever.

I didn’t get back to working on things on Monday night because the whole family got talking. With Grandpa and Grandma Klein visiting from Minnesota, that happened easily. Grandpa had taught cultural anthropology at the University of Minnesota, worked for the U.N. in the 1960’s, and had friends all over the world. Continue reading Graduation: Part 23

Counterattack: Part 9

“Accelerando,” I said, “They’ve got people on top of the Meijers.”

“Go,” Jaclyn said. “Night Wolf, Ghost, let’s head over there.”

I didn’t wait to see what happened. I shot across the road, weaving to make myself a less of a target, and keeping low.

The parking lot passed in blur of dark cars.
Continue reading Counterattack: Part 9

Legio: Part 8

By the time the guy and his severed leg hit the ground, I’d already rolled away. Given what I’d seen in his fight with Jaclyn, I couldn’t rule out the possibility that he might be able to grab me, and crush the life out me.

I stood up, keeping myself out of arm’s reach.
Continue reading Legio: Part 8

Legio: Part 7

Vaughn started coughing as I landed next to him on the roof.

“Got a big breath of hot air and smoke,” he said.

“You think you’ll be okay?”

“Yeah. It’s my own fault, anyway.”

It wasn’t really his fault, but when you depend on wind to fly, it’s not much of a surprise if the wind carries smoke along too.
Continue reading Legio: Part 7

Legio: Part 6

The house sat just off Lake Street. It was big — not Hardwick House big, but eighteenth century “big enough for a family of eight, plus servants” big.

I’d heard somewhere that back then, people built the larger houses on main roads, and at the ends of side streets just off the main roads. It was easier to catch the trolley that way, making the houses more desirable, and thus they were built for people who were better off.
Continue reading Legio: Part 6

Legio: Part 5

Daniel arrived before the police, checked out the unconscious men’s minds, and then concentrated on the van.

“They were all blocked,” Daniel said. “I wasn’t awed by the work. Whoever did it, didn’t have as much power or fine control as I do, but given those limitations, it was sophisticated. It would take me hours of work to get anywhere, and I couldn’t be sure I got everything.

“Fortunately for us,” he continued, “they didn’t do any thing to block impressions from building up in the van. So I’ve got the address.”

“Great,” Cassie said. “Let’s go.”
Continue reading Legio: Part 5