Read Online Other People's Heroes (The Heroes of Siegel City) by Blake M. Petit - Free Book Online
Authors: Blake M. Petit
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connections between you and any Cape or Mask in the city. Not unless you give ‘em reason to, that is. That’s why nobody’s ever figured out that Spectrum is really your buddy Elliott, even though his only disguise is that nappy beard.”
I sputtered. “ Scott Elliott? After all these years... Sheila was right?”
Morrie had a good belly-laugh at that one. “All this time an’ it still cracks me up. Think about it, kid. Spectrum has hologram powers. He just whips up a fake beard to turn into Elliott. His secret identity could be a friggin’ armadillo if that’s what he wanted. Sheesh.”
“You paint quite a picture.”
“I’m gonna get your paperwork together, kid -- contracts, insurance forms, I’m sure you know the drill. You go take a load off in the lounge.”
I managed to suppress a chuckle at the thought of an organization like this requiring paperwork. “Sure thing, Morrie,” was all I said.
And as I left the office, I felt Mental Maid’s cold eyes following me.
WHERE THEY LET THEIR CAPES DOWN
At first I’d expected “Lounge” to be a euphemism, thinking I’d find some reinforced rumble area, or maybe a seedy bar. Nope. The Lounge had couches, snack tables, vending machines, video games, pool and ping-pong tables and a television area where several Capes and Masks were deeply engrossed in a repeat of some basketball game on late-night ESPN. Flux, apparently a big Georgetown fan, was using his gravity power to squeeze the Marauder against the ceiling.
“Say it...” Flux hissed.
“No!”
“Say it was a foul!”
“ Never!”
If nothing else could have convinced me that gaining super-powers didn’t change a person’s fundamental guyness, this did the trick.
“Hey, ‘Pretender’! Over here!”
I glanced in the direction of the voice to see the Conductor waving me over with a pool cue. Sindy was there too, along with the ugly growth she called a boyfriend.
“So did you do it, man? You in?”
“Yeah, bro. I’m in.”
“Whooptie-freakin’-doo,” Noble said, chalking up a pool cue. “Break out the goats.”
“C’mon,” the Conductor said. “You know we don’t use goats until after his first rumble.” He took another cue from a rack on the wall and held it out to me. “You play?”
“A little.”
“You any good?”
“Nope.”
“Good, I suck too. You can be on my team.”
Noble got to break. As he hunched over, cape woefully inadequate at disguising his beer belly, he piped up with, “So what pissant Mask ID is Morrie giving you for the big debut?” I could almost see the venom dripping from his voice.
“I haven’t been assigned yet,” I said.
“Small wonder, with such a wealth of powers to choose from.” The cue ball rocketed forward and broke up the cluster, sending two solids straight into the pockets.
“Nice break,” I said.
“I know.”
“Why are you so congenial, anyway?”
Sindy frowned. “He’s like this to anyone who doesn’t have a solo character.” She turned to Noble. “Not everybody gets one right off the bat, you know.”
“I’m still surprised you did,” he snapped.
She sort of buried her face and half-whispered, “so am I.”
I found myself first glaring at him, then smiling at her. I grasped her shoulder in a friendly gesture and said, “Well, I’m not.”
“What?” she said. At the table, Noble finally missed and the Conductor stepped up to take his turn.
“I’m not at all surprised you’re not mucking around in a bunch of different costumes. You’re powerful, beautiful, talented...”
“Talent? What talent do I have?” She began chalking her cue as the Conductor missed.
“Well, you’re obviously quite an actress. Hey, you had me believing you were a cast-iron bitch.” She smiled and took her cue to the table.
“That’s not acting,” Noble grumbled. I ignored him.
“I don’t remember the last time I met someone so genuine,” I offered. It was my shot now, her boyfriend’s supportive
I sputtered. “ Scott Elliott? After all these years... Sheila was right?”
Morrie had a good belly-laugh at that one. “All this time an’ it still cracks me up. Think about it, kid. Spectrum has hologram powers. He just whips up a fake beard to turn into Elliott. His secret identity could be a friggin’ armadillo if that’s what he wanted. Sheesh.”
“You paint quite a picture.”
“I’m gonna get your paperwork together, kid -- contracts, insurance forms, I’m sure you know the drill. You go take a load off in the lounge.”
I managed to suppress a chuckle at the thought of an organization like this requiring paperwork. “Sure thing, Morrie,” was all I said.
And as I left the office, I felt Mental Maid’s cold eyes following me.
WHERE THEY LET THEIR CAPES DOWN
At first I’d expected “Lounge” to be a euphemism, thinking I’d find some reinforced rumble area, or maybe a seedy bar. Nope. The Lounge had couches, snack tables, vending machines, video games, pool and ping-pong tables and a television area where several Capes and Masks were deeply engrossed in a repeat of some basketball game on late-night ESPN. Flux, apparently a big Georgetown fan, was using his gravity power to squeeze the Marauder against the ceiling.
“Say it...” Flux hissed.
“No!”
“Say it was a foul!”
“ Never!”
If nothing else could have convinced me that gaining super-powers didn’t change a person’s fundamental guyness, this did the trick.
“Hey, ‘Pretender’! Over here!”
I glanced in the direction of the voice to see the Conductor waving me over with a pool cue. Sindy was there too, along with the ugly growth she called a boyfriend.
“So did you do it, man? You in?”
“Yeah, bro. I’m in.”
“Whooptie-freakin’-doo,” Noble said, chalking up a pool cue. “Break out the goats.”
“C’mon,” the Conductor said. “You know we don’t use goats until after his first rumble.” He took another cue from a rack on the wall and held it out to me. “You play?”
“A little.”
“You any good?”
“Nope.”
“Good, I suck too. You can be on my team.”
Noble got to break. As he hunched over, cape woefully inadequate at disguising his beer belly, he piped up with, “So what pissant Mask ID is Morrie giving you for the big debut?” I could almost see the venom dripping from his voice.
“I haven’t been assigned yet,” I said.
“Small wonder, with such a wealth of powers to choose from.” The cue ball rocketed forward and broke up the cluster, sending two solids straight into the pockets.
“Nice break,” I said.
“I know.”
“Why are you so congenial, anyway?”
Sindy frowned. “He’s like this to anyone who doesn’t have a solo character.” She turned to Noble. “Not everybody gets one right off the bat, you know.”
“I’m still surprised you did,” he snapped.
She sort of buried her face and half-whispered, “so am I.”
I found myself first glaring at him, then smiling at her. I grasped her shoulder in a friendly gesture and said, “Well, I’m not.”
“What?” she said. At the table, Noble finally missed and the Conductor stepped up to take his turn.
“I’m not at all surprised you’re not mucking around in a bunch of different costumes. You’re powerful, beautiful, talented...”
“Talent? What talent do I have?” She began chalking her cue as the Conductor missed.
“Well, you’re obviously quite an actress. Hey, you had me believing you were a cast-iron bitch.” She smiled and took her cue to the table.
“That’s not acting,” Noble grumbled. I ignored him.
“I don’t remember the last time I met someone so genuine,” I offered. It was my shot now, her boyfriend’s supportive
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