Free Metawars: The Complete Series: Trance, Changeling, Tempest, Chimera by Kelly Meding

creating psyonic shields. They prevented external telepathic interference, but only to a certain radius and only when she was consciously creating them.”
    “Did Static die in New York?”
    “No.” A shadow of grief stole across Seward’s face. “She had a massive stroke three days before the end.”
    Fabulous. “So what if Specter takes one of us? God, what if he manages to take over me? I could kill everyone.” Fear sent shivers down my spine.
    “You’re very strong, Trance. Specter always had some degree of difficulty taking over powerful Metas. Their minds are stronger, less likely to give in to a foreign invader, which is why he generally stuck to willing Banes and innocent bystanders. I can’t guarantee that Specter won’t try to possess you. I am, however, confident that he’ll fail.”
    I didn’t know if I wanted to bank on Seward’s confidence, despite his sincerity. Especially if I fried myself again and ended up susceptible to takeover. “You said Specter is still in prison. Have the island guards brought him in for questioning?”
    “They sent a squad onto the island to collect him, yes. We should have something from them within the hour.”
    “Good.” I pushed my lunch tray to the end of the bed and tossed the blanket aside. “Call me when you know something.”
    Gage walked to the other side of the bed to offer his hand. I looped my arm through his and stood up. My knees buckled as a wave of dizziness smacked me around the head. His strong arm slid around my waist and held me upright.
    “Take it easy, Trance,” Dr. Seward said. “You’re relearning your body just like we are.”
    “Yeah, then make a note,” I said. “I’m an impatient patient and a very grumpy sick person. And curious. Is this cafeteria open all the time?”
    “Once we’re at full staff again, the cafeteria will be open twenty-four hours. Before things began to deteriorate, we had more than one hundred eighty full-time Rangers living here. Until then, though, we’ll arrange what we can.”
    Deteriorate was an interesting word choice for what happened to our mentors and families. I would have chosen massacred, or even serial-killed. Deteriorate made it sound like they all aged and went feeble-minded.
    “All of your things are in your room,” Gage said. “I’ll take you up, if that’s okay with Dr. Seward.”
    Dr. Seward nodded and stepped to the side. Gage led me out, and I leaned against him, the dizziness finally starting to go away.

Six
Flex and Onyx
    R anger Corps Headquarters was larger than I remembered. Built on several acres of land that had once belonged to a movie studio, the HQ was actually three enormous buildings. We passed through the Medical Center, which housed dozens of labs, emergency medical services, hospital facilities that once rivaled the most advanced in the country, and a basement that stored two hundred years of Ranger history.
    Between the Medical Center and the Housing Unit stood the Base. Partially enclosed, the Base was both a dream and a nightmare. The world’s strangest gymnasium—designed to accommodate Rangers with powers that spanned from simple telepathy to shapeshifting to elemental transmutation—came complete with a pool, a track, exercise equipment, a firing range, and an open court for practice of just about any kind. It once bustled with activity, full of eager faces and toned muscles. Now everything seemed empty, displaced. On hold.
    And why not? The entire facility had been shut down after the War. No Rangers meant no need for an active HQ.
    I leaned on Gage the entire walk to the Housing Unit, enjoying the novelty of his protectiveness, and of being physically close to someone who wasn’t trying to cop a feel. He’d saved my life by getting me here, earning my trust in a big way. He was also the best friend I had at the moment.
    The main lobby looked like a shabby hotel with a bank of windows in need of washing, lush red carpet in need of vacuuming, and dark