Free So Not a Hero by S.J. Delos

circles spaced every few inches. I glanced back over my shoulder at him. “Feebs?” I asked, using the nickname for Force Field Beam Emitters
    He stepped out and stood next to me. “Fifth Generation. Even Colonel Tank couldn’t get through them.”
    I wasn’t really all that impressed. Feebs had been standard issue all over the Max. With a flip of a switch, guards could block off a section as big or as small as they wanted. The beam generators were immune to magnetic and technopathic manipulation and their solid photon emissions were stronger by far than anything that could be cast from metal. The perfect method for containing Enhanced individuals.
    “Intruders that come up the elevator can be detained here until dealt with,” he continued. “Every Good Guy has his or her biometrics scanned into the mainframe and anyone trying to get in unaccompanied by one of us will set off the security.”
    I laughed and shook my head. “You forgot the walls. If I was trying to get in, I’d just go through the walls.” I reached out and rapped my knuckles on the nearest one. A semi-hollow sound came back to me. “Those wouldn’t even slow me down.”
    Manpower returned my smirk. “We’re not idiots, Karen.” He paused for a second and then added, “at least, not all of us.” He looked up at a scanner on the far wall. “Mister Manpower. 1-6-5-4-4. Initiate confinement.”
    The beams jumped into life, forming glowing yellow bars that crisscrossed the openings of both the doorway and the elevator. No advance, no retreat. I turned my attention to the wall on which I’d tapped and could see the tell-tale glow behind the panels. Apparently the confinement energy completely surrounded the small room.
    “Interesting,” I looked back at Manpower.
    “We made the walls semi-translucent so anyone trapped in here would know that the beams were all around. Cuts down on having to constantly repair them.”
    “Get lots of unwelcome guests, do you?” I asked.
    “It happens on occasion. Mister Manpower. 1-6-5-4-4. Deactivate confinement.” The beams vanished and the hero smiled. “Sorry for showing off. I just want you to get an idea of what you’ll be dealing with here.”
    I held up a finger and gave him a sideway look. “I haven’t agreed to join anything.”
    “Not yet. But you will. Otherwise, why would you bother coming all the way down here and subjecting yourself to a potential fight?” He turned and headed through the doorway. “Come on, let’s go meet the team.”
    After a short walk down a wide hallway, we came to a large living area with a vaulted ceiling. The center of the room was recessed about two feet lower than the rest of the floor and three large sofas were arranged in U-shape along the perimeter. In the center was a stone coffee table surrounded by plush floor cushions, two of which were currently in use.
    “Come on, Lexi. That’s cheating,” said the twenty-something man holding a game controller. The gigantic screen in front of him showed a crashed go-cart that smoldered and burned.
    “Not my fault you changed lanes when I was trying to pass.” The teenaged girl sitting next to him giggled. The brown ponytail swaying at the back of her head only increased her youthful appearance.
    Robbie Rocket and Phantasm.
    “Guys, can you pause for a second?” Manpower said, interrupting their game. “I want you to meet my selection to fill Denise’s spot. This is Karen Hashimoto.”
    Phantasm put the controller down and stood up, reaching out a hand towards me. “Hi. I’m Alexis, but most people call me Lexi.” Her smile was wide and genuine, full of the boundless energy that comes with innocent youth. She glanced down at the ball of charred cloth in my hand and her eyes widened. “What happened to your shirt?”
    “Little misunderstanding downstairs.” I answered as I remembered hearing about the teen’s Activation on the TV in the Max’s common room.
    About a year earlier, she’d been home