Free The Prospects by Daniel Halayko Page B

electricity?”
    “Yeah, he’s the hottest New York Guardian.”
    “Well, maybe, if you like mutants.”
    The doors opened.
    Red and blue flashing lights reflected off of the flat granite floor of Griffin Tower’s front lobby. Men in light-blue security uniforms opened the door for paramedics.
    The door next to the elevator opened. Professor Photon came out, panting. He puffed an inhaler and waved to the paramedics. “Upstairs, thirty-eighth floor. Agent O’Farrell will meet you there.”
    A paramedic asked, “What’s the situation?”
    “I don’t know. Agent O’Farrell only said we need medics.”
    Jenny gasped. “Is Trista okay?”
    Professor Photon ignored her. “There’s also a dead cyborg up there. Don’t touch his remains. Our agent will call for a special MAB to handle that mess. And don’t touch any of the weapons.”
    The paramedic pointed to Candilyn, whose lower face was covered in blood. “What about her?”
    “Take them to the hospital too.”
    “If I’m good, do I get a lollypop?” said Candilyn.
    “I think I’m okay,” said Jenny.
    “Let the doctors decide that,” said Professor Photon
    “What happened to Trista?”
    Professor Photon covered his visor. “Just go.”
     

Chapter Seven
     
    Alex sat in the hospital’s hallway.
    He read the chart again, but got to the same point he couldn’t get past before.
    The words were too painful. They were his own quoted words, he gave the report. He described what he saw without thinking about it.
    If he read the description again, he’d have to relive what he saw.
    He closed his eyes for so long he didn’t see a woman with short blond hair sit beside him.
    “Nice scarf,” she said.
    Alex blinked a few times before he recognized the woman. He rarely saw not wearing a white-and-gold bodysuit and calling herself Lady Amazing. “Charlene. Good to see you.”
    “I’d give you a hug if I wasn’t afraid that your head would fall off.”
    Alex tapped the bandages around his neck. “Only bruises and abrasions. No veins hurt.”
    “How are my old students?”
    “Candilyn got discharged this morning with a broken and lots of scabs in the shape of a footprint on her face.”
    “How did that happen?”
    “She tackled an Iron Pirate.”
    “I told her a hundred times not to get in close, but she never listens. And I don’t think she’s going to learn, either. What about the rest?”
    “Vijay didn’t come to the hospital. He got smacked. That’s it.”
    “Good for him.”
    “Good he got smacked or good he didn’t have to come in?”
    “Both. That’s all I have to say.”
    “Jenny got motor oil sprayed in her eyes. No permanent damage. She went back to Griffin Tower on her own. She seemed sad, but I don’t know what to do about that.”
    “She works hard, but I can’t imagine her actually making a team. Not any image-conscious one, anyway.”
    “We can’t all be models. I wouldn’t have gotten on a team without a full-face mask.”
    “It’s not just her looks. She has no confidence. She doesn’t project the strength and poise a hero needs.”
    “Well, she followed orders and got Candilyn out. Even asked about Trista. She seems like a real team player.”
    “Maybe, but she’s a ranged attacker. They’re already common, and most shoot something more useful than wind. What about Deon?”
    “He hid in a closet and peed himself.”
    “I had my doubts about him.”
    “Really? You don’t think Deon’s the best of the group?”
    “Please. When we started he talked about how he wanted to run around the country helping people. But, after weeks of running, he showed no improvement. I mean, that happens sometimes. Speedsters violate the laws of physics, but they still have their limits. His are much lower than most.”
    “He’s also a jerk.”
    “We tried every proven technique, nothing made him run faster or for longer. I swear I saw his spirit leave his body when he saw the baseline results on his chart. He quit trying