Chapter 10: 10 Learning Can Be Costly

I woke from being frozen and was glad that I had braced for it and made sure I wouldn't fall afterwards. I shook my head when Dennis wasn't on the floor at my feet and then noticed all of the tech devices around me and the waist high barriers to stop anyone from coming closer. I didn't try to leave and waved at the device that looked like a camera before I stood still and waited.

Five minutes later, the door to the training room opened and every Ward entered the room, as did all of the current Protectorate capes, a squad of PRT troopers, and the Director of the PRT herself, Emily Piggot.

I stared at them all and saw Vista's anxious face, which told me all I needed to know. “How much trouble is Clockblocker in?”

“He has been suspended until you unfroze and is now pending a review of his history as a Ward.” Emily Piggot said with her trademark angry voice. “How do you feel?”

I did a quick mental check and everything seemed okay. “I'm fine.”

“No disorientation? No sense of loss?” Armsmaster asked and checked several of the devices.

“Sense of loss?” I asked and sighed. “That idiot froze me for more than a week, didn't he?”

“Alex.” Vista said and tears came to her eyes. “It's March twentieth.”

I opened my mouth to say that was ridiculous and saw the tears pour down her face. “A month and a half?” I asked and she nodded. “I told him how his power worked and he put me out for a month and a half?”

“It gets worse.” Taylor said. “Almost a month ago, one of the Endbringers attacked Canberra, Australia.”

“No.” I whispered and shook my head. “No, I... there's no way that...”

“It was the Simurgh.” Emily Piggot said. “The city was partially destroyed. After she was driven off by Eidolon and Legend, the whole area had to be quarantined. The surviving population spent too much time under her psychic manipulations and they present an immediate danger to themselves and a future danger to everyone around them.”

I felt myself waver and dropped to the floor on my knees. “Out of all of them, she would have affected me the least.” I said and looked at the heroes and saw a similar realization on all of their faces. They knew I was immune to all mental effects and Clockblocker had stopped me from helping.

“Armsmaster?” Emily asked.

“There's no discernible difference from before or after.” Armsmaster said. “Dragon? Your conclusions?”

“Since this has been the longest that anyone has ever been frozen by Clockblocker from a single touch, the samples for the data target is minuscule.” Dragon's voice said over Armsmaster's external speakers. “However, there seems to be no effect past not being able to move or knowing that any actual time has passed, just like every other subject.”

“It really is suspended animation.” Armsmaster said and nodded as he turned to Director Piggot. “Our professional opinions are that he does not need to be subjected to the Master / Stranger protocols.”

Emily nodded and looked at me. “I know this is a shock for you...”

“If I didn't think you'd kick me out of the Wards for it, I'd put Clockblocker's head on your desk first thing in the morning.” I said and everyone looked surprised. “So many people have been hurt and killed because of his stupid excessive joking around!”

No one refuted my conclusion.

“Put that thinking aside for now. I'll send in another request for a professional cape psychiatrist to come here to deal with this.” Emily ordered and I nodded. “What I want to know is how you knocked out Clockblocker.”

“I didn't really realize I could until it happened.” I said and she raised her eyebrows at me. “I had done it accidentally when Shadow Stalker attacked me and I tried to repeat it with Clockblocker.”

“You weren't in a fight at the time, so how did that work?” Aegis asked.

“Oh, but I was.” I said with a smile and he looked confused. “Let me just give you a demonstration.” I turned to look at Velocity. “Hey, Speedy! I'd like to have a quick spar with you. Are you up for it?”

Velocity glanced at Director Piggot and she nodded. “Sure, kid.” He said and zoomed over to stand inside the ring of barricades and devices. “How do you want to do this?”

I held a hand out to shake his hand. “Thanks a lot for doing this. You're being a great sport about it.”

Velocity chuckled and shook the hand. “No problem. I can't wait to see what you're going to do.”

I put a hand on his shoulder. Tag. I thought as I let his hand and shoulder go and started to walk across the mat, then I stopped and turned back. “I just noticed a speck of dirt on your shoulder there.” I said and walked back over and wiped at the cloth briefly and then rested my hand in the same spot I had before. “Tag. You're it.”

Velocity's eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he dropped to the mat, unconscious.

Everyone reacted in some way at the sight. Sounds of disbelief, shock, surprise, and two squeals of delight. One was from Vista and that wasn't a surprise. The other was a shock, because it came from the Director of the PRT, Emily Piggot.

Velocity woke up only a few seconds later and stood up instantly. “What happened?”

I gave him an inquisitive look. “You sped up your time being unconscious.”

“It's one of the best applications of my power. I can get a full night's sleep and only three seconds or so passes in real time.” Velocity said.

I couldn't stop my laugh at what that meant. “How many naps have you taken in the middle of the day to stay coherent?”

“On my busiest day, six.” Velocity said with a smile.

“Awesome.” I said and let my amusement fade as I looked over at Vista. “I am very, very sorry that our Valentine's Day date was ruined. It took a lot to arrange it and Dragon was really nice to accept the offer. I'm not sure how to make it up to either of you, though.”

Vista looked over at Director Piggot and the woman nodded. A second later, I was right beside Vista and she pulled me into a hug and let the space around us return to normal. Velocity was still inside the barricade and he laughed before he zoomed back over to where he had stood before.

“I'm just glad that you're okay.” Vista said and her voice was a little husky, as if she was intentionally trying to make herself sound sexy. No one commented on it, not even me.

“I'm glad you are, too.” I said and gave her a kiss.

Vista let me go and I winked at her before I walked over to Director Piggot and saluted her.

“Madam Director! Please add me to the immediate recruitment lists for Endbringer encounters!”

The other Wards and Protectorate heroes let out shocked sounds, especially Miss Militia.

Emily Piggot gave me a very stern look and she almost growled. “Do you understand what that means?”

“Ma'am! It means I'll be one of the first people called to be sent into the fray!” I said and didn't drop the salute.

“You're still only twelve.” Emily said and we all heard how halfhearted her argument was.

“I need to make up for not being available for the last one.” I said and looked right into her eyes. “I know it's not my fault that I wasn't there and the people affected are not my responsibility. I know that.” I said and let the salute drop and put my hand over my heart. “But, I... all I can think about is the cape who saved me. She put herself and everything she was on the line for me. She gave up her life so that I could live.”

“Myriad.” Emily said and let out a sigh. “Alex.”

“I won't throw my life away recklessly, Madam Director.” I said and looked at Miss Militia. “I'll need extensive training to make up for my absence.” I changed my gaze to look at the other Protectorate heroes. “I'll be relying on all of you to help me be the best hero in the city.”

“Just the city?” Assault asked with a grin.

“I live here, so it has to be just the city.” I responded and looked at Battery. “You're used to using strength with your speed to fight, so I'd like your help first. I need to figure out the right balance for my own powers before I focus on the specialties.”

She gave me a pointed look before she nodded. “I think I can work with what you have.”

“Hey, he's just a kid!” Assault said with a laugh.

Battery rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I think I can wait a few years before replacing you.”

“Hold on! You guys really are together?” The cape named Dauntless asked, clearly surprised.

“Our powers are compatible.” Battery said and shrugged.

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“I eventually wore her down by sheer persistence! Ha ha!” Assault said and raised a fist into the air.

“That's not really something to be proud of.” Miss Militia commented.

“Speak for yourself! It took a lot of work, a lot of begging, and more than a generous dose of flowers, chocolates, and fancy dates.” Assault said, proudly. “I brought my 'A' game because she deserved nothing less.”

Battery blushed a little at those words. “You're oversharing.”

Assault looked around and saw everyone's interested faces. “Shutting up now.”

I held in my smile and turned back to look at Director Piggot. “I'll voluntarily assign myself to monitor duty on the days I'm not scheduled for patrols, that way I am always here at the base if I'm ever needed.”

“The next Endbringer attack won't be for months yet.” Emily said.

I nodded. “I'll ask Dragon to share her search programs and algorithms with me. I'm really good at finding patterns and looking through reams of data that normally don't mean much.”

Emily looked at the Protectorate heroes and saw approval on their faces. “All right. On the weekdays that you're in the building, you're on monitor duty.”

“Thank you, Director. I won't let you down.” I said and stepped forward and held a hand out for her to shake. Time seemed to slow down as I activated Velocity's powers. I looked at everyone to see if anyone was going to stop her from taking my hand and only two faces changed as they recognized what I was going to do. Armsmaster and Vista. Neither moved to stop me.

Emily Piggot took my hand and shook it. Our hands moved up and then down. On the downswing, I absorbed all of the damage she had suffered in her life. All of it. She sucked in a huge breath as all of her battle wounds, kidney and liver damage, strained and missing muscles, weak bones, and fatigue completely disappeared.

I looked down at our clasped hands and back at her face. “Um. Oops.”

A look of pure hatred appeared on Emily's face. “How DARE you use your powers to heal me!”

“I'm sorry!” I said and let her hand go before she punched me and I held my hands up in surrender. “Panacea told me that I'm a damage battery! I absorbed it automatically!”

Emily's angry face didn't change as she glared at Armsmaster. “Well?”

“Most of it was the truth.” Armsmaster said. “He's not actually sorry.”

Emily returned the glare to me.

“I'm only sorry that I never met you before now.” I said and everyone saw Armsmaster nod.

“You would have used your powers on me, despite my orders not to?” Emily asked through gritted teeth.

“No, ma'am.” I said, honestly. “If you ever issued those orders, I would have respected them.”

“Truth.” Armsmaster said.

“Then you've intentionally circumvented my wishes!” Emily spat.

“What wishes?” I asked.

That made Emily pause her rant and she looked at the Wards first and then at the Protectorate heroes. When she saw their confused faces, she looked back at the Wards. No one said anything and a few of them looked uncomfortable.

“Are you telling me that no one has informed the newest Wards about standard PRT policies?” Emily asked, her voice as cold as ice.

Aegis put up a hand. “Madam Director, most of the general policies have been shared, as have both conventional and non-standard operating procedures.”

Emily turned her head slightly and looked right at Vista.

“I thought he already knew and someone else told him.” Vista said, her face flushed red.

“Truth.” Armsmaster said. “I also admit I assumed he had already been informed to not use his powers without authorization.”

I looked at all their guilty faces and held in my laugh as I put my hand up to get their attention. When they all looked at me, probably to hear me apologize, I gave them something to really think about.

“Does that mean I should stop absorbing damage from everyone and everything I touch?”

Nearly all of their mouths dropped open.

“I mean, Armsmaster's childhood broken arm took about a microsecond to absorb. Miss Militia's scars, previously broken bones, and tissue damage took two seconds. Aegis was the longest and took about five seconds. I did it the last time we grappled and he didn't even notice.”

Everyone looked at Aegis as he pulled his costume down to reveal his chest. His fingers traced previous scars that had been across is pectorals and then on his shoulder where he'd lost an arm.

“I really didn't notice.” Aegis said and gave me a look. “I thought you hated me.”

I huffed. “I don't hate anyone. Your command decisions I'll question, just because I like pointing out flaws.” I looked over at Armsmaster. “I also stand by my arguments, even with evidence that splitting up the best pair of movers and shakers that exists benefits the entire team.”

“You know I'm trying to encourage camaraderie.” Armsmaster said.

“Yes, sir. I just think it won't be necessary to split Vista and myself if we are ever deployed in an area with a strong villain presence. The problem is that we don't get practice working together. When we are eventually paired up, it might be awkward for everyone, since we only get to spend time together during our off times.”

“That is actually a valid argument.” Armsmaster said. “With you returned to active duty, I'll need to rework the patrol schedules anyway.”

“Thank you, sir. It's probably going to take me a lot to make up both the missed time here and at school.” I said and looked at Vista. “I'm going to depend on you a lot, so I hope you can stand to have an extra shadow clinging to you.”

“You can cling as much as you want.” Vista said and I heard the hope in her voice.

“Awesome.” I said and saluted Director Piggot. “Before I'm sent to my room for being bad, I should inform you that I've absorbed the damage from thirty-three different PRT officers as they ferried myself around the Brockton Bay area.”

“That many?” Armsmaster asked. “You've only gone out on the weekends a few times.”

“I greeted them in the hallways, at the motor pool, and when I helped Hive Queen register with the PRT.” I said and dropped the salute. “I figured my power wouldn't register anything if there was nothing wrong, so when I find something, I take it into myself and let my healing factor dealt with it.”

The look on Emily's face was worth fixing her, because she now knew why I didn't lie. I really hadn't healed her. I had taken the damage into myself and then healed it. If she had issued an order to never use powers on her to heal her, I still could have done what I did and she knew it.

“Dismissed.” Emily growled.

I saluted her again, took Vista's hand, and walked out of the training room feeling happy about how things turned out. It was horrible what had happened while I was indisposed; but, Clockblocker was going to pay for that. I suspected that he would be sent somewhere else where his constant joking would be strictly forbidden, since he screwed up so much here.

Vista gave me a longing look and I couldn't stop my own look. We had missed a very important date, one that we would have had a lot of fun on. Diving in water and practising our powers in new ways? Earning treasure and helping people? Seeing each other wearing only swimwear? It was a huge personal loss for us.

“I... um... I bought... um...” Vista blushed and her hand tightened on mine as she mumbled something.

I wanted to save her the embarrassment of admitting she bought a bathing suit that she wanted me to see her wearing, so I said something to embarrass myself instead. It was only fair.

“I haven't showered in a month and a half and might need help.”

Vista sucked in a sharp breath and stared at me. “We... we can...”

“...get changed and pretend we're on a beach in Florida for a few hours? What a great idea!” I said and grinned at her.

Vista grinned back and then kissed me. “I'll meet you there!”

As soon as she used her power to shrink the hallway to an inch and disappeared around the corner before she returned the space to normal, I used the permanent copy of Velocity's speed powers to zoom out of the building.

I only had a couple of normal minutes to convert the group showers into a beach and I wasn't going to disappoint my girlfriend again. She had been worried about me for way too long and I had a lot to do to make it up to her.

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