Chapter 5
Mike had music playing, keeping him revved up while he did a short evening cardio workout. His living room space wasn’t that big, but as long as he pushed the coffee table out of the way he had room to move. Tonight’s workout alternated between repetitions of speed jump rope, push-ups, and squat thrusts. He was nearing the end of his final set of reps when his phone rang. Mike stopped jumping, switching the rope to one hand so he could grab his phone and answer the call coming in. The cell screen showed a mix of symbols and numbers but no name, a sign that the call was from an encrypted line.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Mike. It’s Caleb. Your new tech is here.”
“Already?” Mike was impressed. A short two days had passed since he’d discussed the limitations of his powers with Caleb. “That was fast.”
“I was excited to see how they would turn out so I bumped the project to the top of my to do list. If you don’t have anything scheduled for this evening, Strong wants you to come by for your trial run. You can pick them up and then go try them out.”
Mike snorted under his breath. His schedule was embarrassingly open every night this week. “Nothing on tap for tonight,” he answered Caleb. “I’ll be there.”
“Great. See you soon.”
Mike tossed his phone on the couch then completed the rest of his reps. When he finished, he took a few minutes to catch his breath, then stretched to cool down. He made his way to the kitchen to grab a protein shake from the fridge. Leaning against the counter, he drank the shake while he considered what he was about to get into.
Superheroes were common throughout the world and major cities like St. Louis often had several. Many worked on their own while others had corporate sponsorship. Some were connected to the military as super soldiers. Lieutenant Strong was an example. Born with super strength and rapid healing, he’d entered the A-Wing initiative and been fitted with retractable wings that allowed him to fly as naturally as an eagle.
As part of the Arch City Guardians, Mike wouldn’t have the military structure and training that he was used to. But he’d be joining a group of heroes with various levels of experience, led by a director who’d served both in the military and as a superhero. The operation should be a perfect fit for him. He knew nothing about being a superhero, had only become an enhanced human a few months ago. He could learn to be one with the Guardians. And he couldn’t discount the fact that he was looking to find his spot in St. Louis—the place where he belonged. There was no guarantee he would bond with the members of the ACG but he hoped that he would be able to form some positive connections on the team.
The shake finished, Mike went to take a shower to wash away the sweat from his workout before dressing in fresh clothes and tactical gear. As he sat on the bed to lace up his combat boots, excitement bloomed in his chest. He’d missed the thrill of being in the field. His time in the Arctic had mostly involved standing guard. The position had allowed him to return to active duty soon after recovering from the attack that had resulted in his reassignment from his unit. But the work was boring and uneventful, since there weren’t too many villains or evil regimes who wanted to freeze their asses off in the Arctic while carrying out their schemes. And although he was grateful he now had a civilian job after his discharge, he couldn’t deny that he was—for lack of a better word—restlessworking at Marin’s. Now, he was filled with anticipation, ready to do something more than stand in front of a lab door to keep watch over scientists or sitting behind a desk reviewing social media accounts.
Eager to hit the road and get started, Mike grabbed his keys and left the apartment, locking the door behind him.
After making the drive from his apartment complex to the neighborhood that housed the ACG headquarters, he approached the now familiar brick wall hologram. The top of his spine itched, as if a dog-sized mosquito buzzed behind the back of his neck. Even though he expected it, he still recoiled from the unpleasant sensation, rolling his shoulders in a futile attempt to shake it off. The corners of his mouth turned down in distaste as he drew abreast of the brick wall mirage, instinct urging him to turn around and drive away to escape the unsettling feeling. Once he passed through the barrier, the buzzing sensation began to fade. It was gone completely by the time he parked in the small lot next to the firehouse. Mike sighed with relief as he turned off the engine and stepped out onto the pavement.
Surrounded by darkness, the brick firehouse was a welcoming beacon with warm light shining from its windows. Inside, Caleb sat at his command center. He had what looked like a Sugar Daddy candy stick dangling from his mouth, while he stared at the computer in front of him with his eyebrows drawn together in concentration. Ignite was up in the loft, relaxed back in a chair with his feet up on the table. Mike gave him a quick wave, then looked again at Caleb, who’d jumped up from his seat.
“Good, you’re here.”
He went over to the locked cabinet against the wall, typed in a code on the electronic key pad, then pressed his thumb to a small glowing screen. There was a beep and a click before the cabinet slid open. Caleb grabbed two boxes, relocked the cabinet, and brought them back to where Mike waited in front of his work station. A grin on his handsome brown face, Caleb slowly lifted the hinged lid of the bigger box, as if he were presenting Mike with a piece of fine jewelry.
“Ta-da!”
Inside the box lay a pair of mirrored aviator sunglasses with sturdy gray metal frames and emerald green lenses. They didn’t look like anything special, but Mike knew they had to be if they were going to help him with his blasts.
“Go ahead and put them on,” Caleb said eagerly.
Mike took the sunglasses from the box and settled them on his nose. Looking through the lenses, his vision became tinted with a green hue. He faced one of the offices to get a look at his reflection in the window. “I look like I’m auditioning for a background role in Top Gun.”
Caleb gasped with mock offense. “A classic film filled with the finest male specimens.”
Mike grinned at that assessment of one of his favorite old movies. “They look good. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. As we discussed, the glasses will focus your beams, giving you the accuracy you need in the field. If they aren’t as accurate as you’d like, let me know and I’ll make adjustments.”
Mike removed the glasses in order to study them. Looking closer, he could see the lenses weren’t one smooth surface as they appeared from the front. There were minute cuts in the glass, creating prisms that directed the focus to the center of each lens. And although they were easy to see through, the lenses had an odd sheen to them that hinted they were made from something more than average eyewear glass.
“And next, your ACG field tech.”
This time Caleb gave him the box to open himself. Mike removed the lid to find an ear piece and a watch. The earpiece was small, clear, and fit snugly over the shell of his ear. The watch was black with a big face, several buttons, and a thick strap. Once Mike had it fastened around his wrist, Caleb sat down and spun around to his main computer. After he tapped a few keys, the earpiece clicked once, and lights on the watch rapidly blinked before going dark again.
“Okay, both are activated. You are ready to go.”
Ignite slid down the fireman’s pole and came over. “Check you out. Very tactical-chic.”
Since the other man was geared up in a red hero suit and black mask, Mike assumed they’d be partnered up. “I’m looking forward to working with you. What’s our mission?”
