Free H.E.R.O. - Rise and Fall by Kevin Rau Page B

dear."
    "Bye, mom."  I hung up and smiled at Daphne.  "She ought to be sending me the contact info in a moment, then we can call her and get in."
    She answered, "Awesome."  She looked past me at a pair of guys walking past the building and winked.
    Wow, you actually want to be looked at like that.  I mean, I don't mind it, but dang.
    I looked her up and down a moment.  It wasn't like she didn't have quite a package to show off.
    A few moments later my phone beeped and a text with an attachment arrived.  Clicking on it allowed me to add the contact and we were set.
    I replied to the text with a 'thanks mom!'
    Then I called Dr. Turnquist.  A woman answered, "Turnquist's office."
    "Hi, this is Psystar - I met with Dr. Turnquist early this week and she made me, Spartan and Black Tiger's costumes.  I'm outside her office building with another new hero who, err, desperately needs a costume.  Is she available, by chance?"
    "Let me find out, please hold."  On hold music came on and I looked up in the air and tapped my foot.
    Diva said, "On hold?"
    "Yup."
    She waved at some more guys walking by and smiled at them.  They gawked at her the entire time, going so far as to turn around and walk backward once past us.  I rolled my eyes at it - and at her thoughts.
    A bit later the woman's voice came back on and she said, "I'll buzz you in now."
    "Thanks."
    The door buzzed and I opened it.  I motioned for Diva to go in.  She entered ahead of me and walked up to the receptionist desk.  The woman's eyebrow went up as she looked at Diva.
    I said, "Hi, nice to see you again.  This is Diva."
    She said, "Head on up, third floor, office 302."  She pointed to the elevator.
    "Thanks."  We followed her directions and the office door for 302 buzzed just before we reached for the handle.  We walked in.
    Dr. Turnquist - a tall, slim woman with gray eyes and curly blonde hair looked at us.  She smiled and said, "Welcome back, Psystar."  Looking at Diva she continued, "I'm Dr. Turnquist."
    Diva waved and said, "Hi."
    "You appear to need a costume?"
    "I need something...."
    "Has Psystar filled you in on my price?  I charge five thousand dollars for a basic costume.  If it has armor or special gear it runs more."
    Diva said, "Oh ... no, she didn't."
    I said, "She just helped with a major accident on the highway, and today's her first day as a H.E.R.O. agent.  You plan on doing this regularly, right Diva?"
    "Right."
    "She'll have money coming in then."
    Diva looked at me and said, "I will?"
    "Yeah, you get paid a commission for every crime, accident or other scene you help with.  Didn't they mention that?"
    "Hmm, he might have.  My mind was on getting that stuff over with and getting some news time."
    Interesting - she doesn't even realize the heroing is a way to make money, she just wants to use it as a publicity stunt to get modeling gigs.
    Dr. Turnquist said, "Well, H.E.R.O. pays quite well for saving people, buildings, and so on.  I can put you on a payment plan so it doesn't hit you fully up front if you'd like, Diva."
    "Sure, that would work!"
    "Psystar, how is the costume working for you?  Are your pheromones working with it on?"
    "All too well, although it didn't work Wednesday during the rain."
    "It's possible rain dilutes it.  Have you ever noticed that the smell of the air changes during a rain?"
    "Yep."
    "That would be my thought - but under normal circumstances the costume doesn't appear to be blocking anything?  Not that we have much further we can go - we'd practically have to bring you down to a bikini to really do a lot more."
    "No thanks, I already get stared at a lot by people."
    Diva said, "You should get rid of the shorts and either have a leotard, or change the bottom to be a mini-skirt.  That would open it up some more."
    I said, "No, but thanks."
    "Excellent then - and thanks for bringing Diva here, I appreciate the reference.  Diva, do you have something in mind for your costume already?"
    Diva replied,