Chapter 1
-1-
Chloe floated in darkness. Stars shifted like liquid above her, forming shapes she almost recognized.
Her hands glowed faintly, pulsing with energy. She tried to lift them, and a ripple spread through the void.
A whisper brushed her mind:
You are more than thought.
More than flesh.
Learn what you can give… and what must be held back.
Then the stars blinked out.
...
" Its 6 am and your listening to WMDB 107. Heres a classic from Aerosmith...
"I'm alone, yeah, I don't know if I can face the night
I'm in tears and the cryin' that I do is for you
I want your love
Let's break the walls between us
Don't make it tough
I'll put away my pride
Enough's enough
I've suffered and I've seen the light..."
Chloe's hand fumbled around looking for the clock radios off button.
She finally found it.
She sat up slowly.
The bed was empty beside her.
She ran her hand over the sheet.
Cold.
He'd been up for awhile.
Of course he had.
She fell back onto her pillow with a groan.
Two and a half weeks now.
Two and a half weeks of bruises.
Of sore, stiff muscles.
Of trying to be a part of his world.
She wanted this.
She asked for this.
She forced herself back up and swung her legs off the bed.
A large purple bruise was visible on her right thigh.
She poked it, it turned white where she pressed for a moment.
"Ow."
She said it deadpan.
The pain had dulled.
She had dulled.
It was like he never slept.
She just wanted to keep up.
She wanted to make a difference.
Something inside her compelled her to keep going.
She stood up and grabbed a clean set of clothes before heading to the bathroom.
Steel yourself.
Don't stop.
He wouldn't.
The hot water on her sore body was a revelation.
It wasn't all bad.
Her muscles hurt less, she was noticing a bit of definition starting to form on her arms.
She smiled to herself, cheaper than a gym membership.
She spent a little longer than she needed to enjoying the hot water before getting dressed and heading downstairs.
"Morning sunshine!"
Chloe rolled her eyes at him.
"I made biscuits and gravy. Go put something in your stomach."
She smiled at him.
His attitude was infectious.
Whatever had happened to him in his mind with that Umbra bitch had changed him at home.
It was like he wasn't taking anything for granted anymore.
Suppose that happens when you almost get erased.
He wasn’t different out there.
Out there, he was still like a demon in combat. Their first few outings had scared the shit out of her. Not because of the villains, because of Carl.
He was lethally precise.
Scary even.
She was beginning to understand why he insisted on the black armor with red eyes.
It sent a message.
No way she could match that.
She sat at the little kitchen table, the suns rays through the window were warm on her skin.
She took a bite of gravy covered biscuit.
And he could cook.
What did she bring to the table out there?
If it was just getting in the way or being a distraction, what was the point?
The calling.
It was still there.
She wanted to help people.
She sighed and took another bite.
So good.
Carl called into the kitchen.
"You gonna be ready in five minutes?"
She swallowed her bite of biscuit. Looked down, and then at the pan of biscuits on the stove.
"Better make it ten!"
They stepped out of his little apartment, into the mirror dimension, into Ironhaven. He had gotten an apartment with Robbie over here, but he kept this one as a backup. Robbie was off doing his thing with his buddy Eric.
She hadn't seen him in a few days.
She worried.
What mother doesn't?
He was an adult now though, she had to trust him. He'd already shown that he has the grit to do the job.
Could she?
She clenched her jaw muscles.
Yes. Yes she could.
Her helmet snapped closed.
Her chrome armor shining brightly in the sun.
Carl shot up into the air and she followed.
Greyhawk was in front of them at the bounty office. He finished at the window and turned to leave.
"Sentinel 26! How've you been? I haven't seen you in...Oh! Hello. What's your name beautiful?"
Chloe smirked at his advances.
"Chloe."
"Are you also called Sentinel?"
"No. I go by Echo...and no, I wouldn't like to join you in your hot tub."
Greyhawks smile faltered.
"You're a telepath?"
"Yep, and thats my husband."
She nodded at 26, who was watching the exchange with a big grin.
Greyhawk looked at 26, his smile gone now.
"I'm sorry, I meant no disrespect."
26 clapped him on the back.
"All good buddy. She is pretty good lookin'."
He winked at his wife.
She chuckled.
Greyhawk nodded and left a little too quickly.
They stepped up to the bounty window.
"Hey Greta, you got anything for us?"
"Just one."
She smiled.
"You keep going the way you have been and you're gonna put me out of a job."
Carl shrugged.
"I do what I can."
"Uh-huh. We've got a bounty on Wraith. He's hitting banks again. Your buddy Maverick is posted at First National, thats what the police suspect is his next target."
Carl frowned.
"Why didn't he take the bounty?"
"He did, twice. He terminated the bounty citing "inability to capture"."
"I see. Well, assign it to me. I've got a secret weapon now."
He nodded towards Chloe.
She smiled, Greta nodded.
"Ok. The tickets yours. Good luck."
They stood outside the bounty office while Carl checked the network for any sightings.
"You know Greyhawk is scared of you right?"
Carl shrugged.
"Yeah, I figured."
"Isn't he your friend?"
"Yeah, hes a good guy."
Chloe shook her head.
"I dont understand."
"Nothing to understand, I'm here for the job. Not to worry about friendships."
"That seems kind of cold Carl."
"Yeah, maybe."
He slipped his phone into a compartment on the thigh of his armor and turned to Chloe.
"The job comes first, friends second. We are all that stands between innocent civilians, and the psychos we lock up. I'm here to save lives. Thats all thats important."
Their eyes met, he meant every word. Her heart swelled.
Thats why she loved him.
A minute ago she thought he was an asshole to his friend...with the proper perspective though, she understood.
That singular focus.
Protect the innocent.
Thats what she was trying to achieve.
She pulled him close and kissed him.
"What was that for?"
"For being you."
He gave her a devilish grin.
"I can be me all day long."
"All right, all right...lets move it along. What do you know about this guy?"
"Wraith is a guy that can basically become a ghost. Moves through solid matter, your telepathy may be the only way to stop him."
"Okay, I'll do my best."
"I know you will babe."
His helmet snapped shut, the red eyes flickering to life. He shot into the sky. She watched him for a moment before following. Her chrome armor catching the sun as she flew towards the heavens.
They landed outside the bank, Maverick was leaning against the wall near the front door.
Chloe could hear his thoughts, his wife had slipped in the shower and fractured her skull. She was going to be okay, but he was still worried.
He didnt want to be here.
"Carl?"
"Yeah?"
"Send Maverick home."
"What? Why?"
"His wife is in the hospital, let him go."
Carls face softened.
"Oh. I didn't know."
Chloe nodded.
"I'll tell him."
She walked over to Maverick. He was chewing on his thumbnail.
"Hey Kurt."
"Chloe! Hey, good to see you."
"You too. Go to her."
"What?"
"Your wife. Go, we've got this."
"How did you..."
She heard him remember she was a telepath.
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
He smiled, flew up into the sky, and was gone.
Carl was walking the perimeter.
She could hear him thinking about entry points and security weaknesses.
She took Mavericks spot next to the door.
Her armor was casting bright reflections on the concrete around her.
Too much?
Was she blinding people?
"Hey Echo?"
"Yes Chloe?"
"Can we change the color of the armor? Something that doesn't blind everybody in the sun...how about white?"
The armor shimmered and turned white.
"Thanks."
"Of course Chloe."
The afternoon dragged. No sign of Wraith, just a lot of standing around. Sometimes the job is "hurry up and wait".
Her comms crackled in her ear.
"I've got a visual on him, hes coming around the left side of the building. Its all you."
She focused.
Her mind reaching out, looking for his.
She sorted through customers, a security guard, tellers...where was he?
There.
His mind was loud.
She poked around.
His name was Conrad Nelson. Former professor of history, lots of regret, too much to sort through, black market serum was supposed to increase intelligence, didnt work, he lashed out.
She kept poking. A lot of anger in here.
There it is, the nugget she was looking for.
Hes solid when he sleeps.
He came around the corner, he wore a mask shaped like a skull, a tattered hood and cloak completed the ghostly visage.
"Hey Conrad."
His head snapped up, the skull mask with its frozen grin staring at her.
"Who are you?"
"Go to sleep."
He fell to the pavement.
"Carl?"
"Go ahead."
"He's down."
"Already?! Nice work! I'm coming around."
She walked over to Wraith and put her fingers on his head, forcing him into a deep sleep. Should hold him long enough to get him to the lockup and put a power dampening collar on him.
Carl came around the corner, his helmet back.
"What did you do?"
"I put him to sleep."
"Just like that?"
"Yep."
"Very nice."
"Well, save your praise until we get him to lockup."
He smiled.
"I like the new look."
"Thanks, I was blinding people."
He laughed, his helmet snapped shut, he carefully picked Wraith up and flew up into the sky.
Chloe followed close behind.
She monitored his mind, making sure he didnt wake up.
Chloe sat across from Carl, her eyes watching the muscles in his jaw flex as he ate his burger. They had decided to stop at an outdoor café called Fletcher's. The sun was hitting his bright blue eyes and she couldn'thelp but stare. He was so handsome, she could feel the heat rising in her chest. Carl of course was staring off into space, completely clueless that she was admiring him.
She chuckled.
He looked up.
"Whats so funny?"
Her eyes met his.
"Nothing. Just thinking."
"I like your hair pinned back like that you know, its hot."
Chloe felt some color rise in her cheeks. He is so getting some tonight.
"Thank you."
Maybe part of the reason she wanted to do this with him was to just be close to him. It had been fun...grueling, but still fun.
Gunshots in the distance made her jump. Carls head snapped up. She didnt even have time to consider what might be happening, he was already out of his chair. He set his debit card on the table.
"I got this. Take your time, finish your food. If I'm still not back by then, pay and track my suit."
She nodded.
He bent down and kissed her, the salt from his French fries still on his lips. She leaned into it and then it was over. His armor formed around him and he was rocketing through the sky towards the distant danger.
God, she loved his determination.
He said she could finish but what if he needed help?
She scoffed to herself. Right. He was a one man army, but still...
She took one last bite of burger and hurried up to the register. The cashier smiled at her as he ran the card. She scribbled a good tip on the receipt and signed and ran out, her own armor forming around her.
"Echo, track Carl please."
"Of course Chloe."
It only took a second and a blue arrow appeared on her HUD. She shot into the sky, the sun glinting off her armor. Time to go to work.
This was probably one of the best parts of the job, the flying. She flew threw the clouds, her arms outstretched as if she was a bird. She could feel the warmth of the sun on her face as she flew upside down. So few people ever get to experience this on this side. In her home universe there were no powers, no flying people...except Carl and Nano. How strange her life had become. It was already strange to begin with, being the worlds first natural born mutant. Her telepathy had made her a target in her world. In this world, it barely registered, there were dozens of telepaths. Still, even here, she was unique.
She had never taken a serum.
Never would either.
With the suit, she was powerful enough. Her dreams of becoming a superhero of sorts were coming true. She would never tell Carl, the teasing would be relentless. Growing up she used to secretly pretend to be wonder woman. Running around with a trash can lid and a stick, vanquishing foes and protecting the innocent.
Now those dreams were a reality, she just hoped she could live up to those childhood dreams.
She did one more loop-de-loop in the sky as she approached Carls signal.
She began to descend through the clouds, the gunfire getting louder.
"I'm here Carl."
