H.E.R.O. - Horde (25 page)

Suddenly the voices leaped into the hundreds in quantity, and the volume of each sounded far closer - and louder - than normal.  My pulled-up-close mindview with Megan broke away from me and rather than view the normal three to six mindviews dozens and dozens of mindviews suddenly stacked onto my vision, along with the close ties to all those people with their hearing, smell, touch and feelings.

It somehow didn't instantly incapacitate me as I'd had in the past.  I screamed and waved my arm to push them away by reflex.  They all did something I'd never seen - the many mindviews all flew back in my visual space to be evenly spread out, with space between each.

Rather than massive overlapping large screen TVs, they now appeared shaped the same, but now were just much smaller.  The senses flowing through from each were no less strong, but everything slowed down and I could see a nearly transparent flow of senses from each to me.  I felt them, tasted and heard, but it was the first time ever that I felt in control of them.

My skin tingled constantly, as it did when my pheromones were active.  My moment of perfect control failed as I felt someone shove my notebook off to the side, grab me and kiss me.

As the mindviews rushed back toward me, I realized that someone was on me.  I couldn't say anything with them on top of me, but I thought "Away" as I pushed the person away.

A second later all of the mindviews pushed away from me and my focus shifted to my vision between them all.  A group of students fled at a full sprint away from me down the hall.

The door to Professor Zilgard's classroom opened and Megan appeared.  She opened her mouth to speak, but then her expression changed and suddenly turned and fled at full speed down the hall in a desire to move away from me.  I saw several dozen of the mindviews all turn and flee toward the far corner of the classroom.

I scrambled to my feet, pushed off my air step immediately and jabbed my leg up slightly to fly fast behind her.  I wanted to catch her before she reached the stairs.

A tingle ran down my spine, my speed shot up faster than I'd ever felt and I hit Mach 1 before moving halfway down the hall.  My reactions weren't fast enough and I crashed head first into the concrete wall at the end of the hallway.

Blackness took over my vision....

Chapter 22 - New Start

Diva's Viewpoint

After a wonderful get together with the girls I flew Chrome to the prison - I didn't understand why she wouldn't want to go back home, but she simply said that she was staying at the Jail on-site housing for some reason.  That at least explained her duffle bag.

I brought Tiriffa back to her plane.  She took my arm and motioned for me to enter with her. 
I hope that just because Psystar likes to get all close and personal with girls that Tiriffa doesn't think I roll that way....

The inside of the plane looked the same as before, with the two rows of seats along each wall, and the front group of six seats - including the pilot and co-pilot - having computer screens.  I wondered where they bought the funky screens that had the image displaying above the actual screen.  Something I could point at right on the screen would be a lot easier than using a keyboard and mouse for me.

Qarath, the blue male friend of Tiriffa, was at a computer doing what nerdie types do.  I waved to him when we walked in.  He waved back.  I could tell it wasn't something he wasn't used to doing.

Tiriffa asked, "Have you progressed?"

Qarath nodded, "Some, there is much to discern yet.  To this point, I know that their cell structure has been altered.  They do not have the Dark receptors in their cells - they are definitely not natural gifted."

"Can we construct a cure?"

"I believe so.  Genetic modification is not any of our strength, so it will take me some time to puzzle out the details."

"I shall assist you.  I wanted our friend Diva to see what you had determined."

I nodded, "Thanks.  So that means you can help those red guys in the Jail?"

Qarath said, "I believe so.  Give me time; I will continue working on it through the night and tomorrow."

"Here I thought aliens just pushed a button and your computer just figured everything out."

"I wish it were so."

"Okay, well, I guess you'll let me know?"

"We will call your communication device when we have useful results for you."

"Great, thanks guys."

I left them, flew home and got ready for bed.

In the morning, I got up late and began calling around town to find a photographer with availability that day.  One had to have an opening.

It took me about ten calls, but I finally found one with an opening.  After I discussed that I needed a sports based model shoot, he gave me a list of some clothing to bring and said to be there at 2 P.M.

I quickly dressed in some good shopping clothes and flew toward the largest sports apparel store I knew of.  On the way, I called Black Tiger.

"Black Tiger here."

"Hey Tiger.  I need help really badly."

"What's up?"

"I need to get a bunch of sports clothing, and I need someone who can help me find it and tell me what they think."

"I ... ah...."

"I'll make it worth your time."

"Oh, man."

"Please?"

"All right, I'll help you."

"Yay!  You ready now?"

"Yeah, I'm up and about - you aren't doing this in costume, are you?"

"Nope."

"Ah, I'll change then."

"Ooh, maybe I'll fly super fast and catch you halfway ... be right there!"

I sped up and shot toward his house, bouncing down onto his driveway in short order.  I rushed up to the front door and knocked.

The door opened, Black Tiger was in the midst of pulling a shirt on.  He had great abs....

I said, "Aww.  You're too fast."

He laughed, "What would you do if I caught you half dr ... wait ... never mind that."

I grinned.  "You ready?  I've got my magic card."

"Credit card, I'm guessing?"

"Hell yeah!"

"Okay, let's do this."

He stepped outside; I pulled him against me and flew us to the store.

As we walked in I said, "Hmm, I really haven't shopped much in this type of place."

"Really?  Didn't you work out or play sports?"

"No.  Do you?"

"Well, most of my free time was spent working out, taking classes or hitting the dojo.  Spartan is more of the sports guy."

"What's a dojo?"

"A place you learn martial arts.  Kung Fu, Jujitsu, that type of thing."

"Oh, I knew that...."

I gave him a quick rundown of some of the things I needed - several tight jerseys, some workout shorts and tops in different styles, a swimsuit, a soccer uniform, a volleyball suit, sports underwear tops and bottoms, biking gear and compression shorts and tops.  I actually had no idea what much of that would consist of, but it was obvious that Black Tiger knew. 
Hmm, I need to give him a pet name, Black Tiger is too long.  I guess Tiger does work....

He led me to each section.  I had to try items on to figure out my sizes, the items I'd shopped for in the last week had been other styles, nothing like this gear.  However, much of it seemed to be stretchy.

He seemed almost hesitant to give me feedback on how some things fit.

I asked, "What's on your mind?  You seem distracted, or is it that you don't like seeing me in this stuff?"

"Actually, you look awesome in it.  Wait, where did you get this list of stuff?"

I gave him a sad face, "From a photographer.  My agent tore into me about the other ones.  They looked feminine, and she doesn't think that'll sell my image any more with the muscles."

"Is she serious?  You look unbelievably hot; did she even look at them?"

"Yeah, but she knows the clients fairly well.  I think a certain image sells better than others, so if you don't fit you get passed over."

"Wow - that blows.  Well, I'm sure the workout community looks at things different.  You should have a great image there."

"Thanks, I hope so.  Anyway, that's why I'm getting all this stuff - so I have a portfolio that caters to my strengths, I guess."

"Listen, at the bridge yesterday - remember when you spoke with the news crews?"

"Yeah."

"Did you look at any of the crowd in the area?"

"Umm, not really.  I wanted to be able to answer the news people."

"Well, you had a lot of people checking you out."

"Really?"

"Yeah.  Man, I'm shocked you don't see it.  People think you're hot.  I mean, just look at that cycling outfit."

"You think it fits well?"

"Yeah, it's almost painted on."

"I don't need paint; he said he's got that."

"Paint?  He's going to paint you?"

"Well, body paint - but I think that's the last thing to shoot or it'd be hard to get off."

"Wow, I wish I'd have known you wanted this kind of photo shoot."

"There's nothing saying we couldn't do one as well...."

He grinned, "I guess I could manage that."

I picked up extras of most of the items; the last thing I wanted was the photographer to dislike what I had, or to lack clothing that made me look my best.

We stopped at a specialty sports and workout gear store Black Tiger knew of.  He'd shown me what tended to be popular with the ladies who weight lifted at his gym, as well as the stuff that those who primarily did the cardio and yoga classes.  He was doubtful about the yoga stuff and my muscled physique, but he said to try some on anyway - after the lifting stuff.  I was trying on some compression shorts and half top with white tennis shoes when my phone rang.

I glanced at the name, it was Kell.  That was odd.

I answered, "This is Diva."

"Hi Diva, this is Kell.  From the party last Friday?"

"Hi Kell.  I remember.  What's up?"

"Well, the University nurse is on the way, but I figured that since you're the only super I know other than Psystar you might be able to help...."

"Come on, spit it out."

"Something weird just happened with Steph, and she just hit the sound barrier in the hallway during class.  She went through a concrete wall - well, halfway through.  However, she's bleeding and unconscious.  I'm worried that she broke her neck, it looks like she hit the wall head first."

"What am I supposed to do?  I'm not a doctor."

Black Tiger said, "Steph's hurt?  Rayna can help - remember that eye creature from Fargene that licks people?  It heals them."

I said, "All right, um, what building is she in, Kell?"

"Biology building - the Kensler Building.  North side of the campus, the name is on the side.  We're in the hall on the second floor."

"Okay, I need to see if I can get someone that can help.  I'll be there soon."

Black Tiger said, "I'll go with you.  If Steph...."

I cut him off, "No.  She's my friend; I'll take care of her.  Stay here with my stuff."

I ran to the front of the store, showed the guy working my H.E.R.O. ID and told him I'd be back to get my bags, clothes and pay for the new stuff ASAP.  I tore off the tags on the clothes I was wearing and set them in front of him.  Then I ran outside, leaped up and flew toward the center of the city.

I looked up Rayna on the contact list of the H.E.R.O. phone and dialed her.  She picked up after a moment.

"Rayna here."

"Hey Rayna, this is Diva.  I'm sorry to call out of the blue, but I really need your help.  Psystar apparently crashed into a wall after hitting the sound barrier and is bleeding pretty bad.  Can I borrow that thingie of yours to lick her?"

"I ... well.  I don't normally bring him out for that...."

"Come on, this is another hero."

"Okay, I'm not even in my costume."

"Neither am I.  I could just pick up the thing, right?"

"Gruff would be afraid by himself with strangers.  Just come pick me up, I'm transferring my address on the east side to your phone now.  How long will it take you to get here?"

"I ... maybe two minutes."

"Crud.  Fine, I'll just run over there to meet you."

I followed the directions on the phone and came to a very hard landing that cracked the blacktop slightly and made me bounce a few times.

Rayna stood outside a garage in a big row of garages.  There wasn't an actual building there apart from the garages. 
That's a strange home.
  She wore a t-shirt, short sweat pants, socks and tennis shoes.

She didn't have the other floating eye thingies there, only the brown and white one.  It watched me with all five eyes.

She asked, "How do you do the flight thing?"

"I'll just hold you against me, can you hold the, well, that?"

In the light of day it was kind of creepy looking, what with all the eyes on top and the huge eye and mouth on the front.  I pulled her against me while she held the eye-thing like a ball at her elbow.

Once I was sure she had it secure I leaped up, shifted my flight gear to maximum and hauled backside toward the University.  I flew past the buildings until I saw the one with the right name and slowed way down to reduce the hard bump on Rayna and her beastie.

Rayna stuffed it under her shirt just before I led the way inside and leaped up the stairs, taking each half-level in a single jump.  When I opened the door it was obvious where Psystar had to be, a crowd had gathered.  I walked quickly down the crowded corridor, trying not to throw people aside, but forcibly moving them out of my way rather quickly.

A ring of people surrounded her - Kell was one of them.  A pair of professors were keeping students back away from a hole in the wall.

I shouted, "Come on, clear the hall!"

I clapped my hands for emphasis.  It caused a boom in the hall, guaranteeing anyone that didn't hear me over the chatter to stop their talking.  I repeated the line, and most of the people began moving away.  A nurse looked up from where knelt next to Psystar.

Everyone immediately surrounding Psystar had turned toward me.  I recognized the batch of four people from our party the previous Friday night - Megan, Kell, Trevin, and Odes.  They shifted to the side to make room.