Free New Markets - 02 by Kevin Rau Page A

the Metrocity S.W.A.T. team probably has all but the rocket launcher, they might be willing to try it.”
    “Good idea.  You going to be out on the range with me?”
    I laughed, “Yeah, right.  Hell no.”
    “Hmm, the more I think about it, the more I like the idea.  The S.W.A.T. team goes into a lot of dangerous situations.  I could see us getting involved with them many times in the future.  I’d like to be on good terms with them.”
    Agent Dunsworth said, “You guys always jump into other agencies busts for an extra payday?”
    Spartan cocked his head to the side as he said, “Do you honestly believe that’s why I do this?”  His expression was harder than normal to read without being able to clearly see the eyes and eyebrows.
    “You get a commission for each bust, right?  Plus an awful lot of news time.”
    “True, we do get a commission, but I’d help with the kidnapping thing without getting one.  My motivation is to save people, and prevent others from getting injured.”
    “I have difficulty believing that.  I’ve seen enough heroes to see how they act.”
    “It might be how they were brought up.  Most supers seem to be randomly selected for being ‘activated’ with powers.  Take any random Joe on the street, and check out his personality profile.  I was raised with the idea of being a hero.”
    “How could you be raised in the hopes of something extremely rare happening to you?  That sounds suspicious.”
    I said, “Our parents were supers.  I’m pretty sure one of them knew a long time ago it would happen, got us together as children, and put us under the care of the two parents that had a hero mindset the most.  Psystar’s father made sure we were at the right place to be transformed.”
    Spartan looked at me.  “You think he’s a psychic too?”
    “I’m positive.  In fact, now that I think about it, you notice how he always sent Ste … Psystar over to your mom’s with extra things that she just happened to need later on?  I mean, there were times I didn’t have stuff with me when I hung out at your place, but Psystar never had that happen.”
    Spartan looked thoughtful; he scratched his chin as he seemed to go through memories.  “Dang.  You’re right.  I can’t think of a single time he hadn’t sent her over with everything that she needed.”
    Agent Dunsworth said, “So … you guys both have parents that are supers too?”
    I said, “Right.”
    “Wow.  What was that like?  Were they H.E.R.O. agents too?”
    “My father was.  I have no idea what Psystar’s father was, but he was gone a lot.  I mean, almost weekly he’d be gone for days.  My father was gone a lot too, but mostly in the evening or at night, not for days.  Needless to say, I found I couldn’t pull much over on the old man.  Now I know that he had enhanced vision, hearing, possibly smell, taste and touch as well, like I do.”
    Spartan said, “My mom’s great, she’s a brick as well, but not a hero.  Well, not an agent at least.  I know she’s saved a few construction workers before that got into situations on the site.”
    Agent Dunsworth asked, “She ever spank you?’
    Spartan laughed, “Heck no.  She’d probably have broken my bones if she did.  She’s one of the calmest people I know.”
    I said, “My dad didn’t need to hit me.  He had this … aura about him.  When he got mad, I knew he was mad.  Just seeing him look at me while angry was enough to put fear into me.”
    Agent Dunsworth said, “I can’t imagine having you as a father.  I mean, who needs a monster under the bed?  You look pretty intimidating all on your own.”
    “Actually, since a kid would grow up seeing me this way, they ought to be used to it.  It’d be the norm for them.  If anything, what would any child of mine have to fear from a monster under the bed?  Dad could whoop it up on the monster.”
    Dunsworth laughed.  “You’re right, I guess.”
     
    My phone rang.  I answered,