Support Team, page 12
part #6 of Damsel Series
“We need a track or something like that, for us to meet at. I haven’t asked Kate, so something public? Can you find us one of those? I don’t know if that even exists. We also need everyone on the team, not just you four. Could you pass a message to everyone for that? I mean, if you’re suggesting we bump the work schedule up like that. I was planning to start next week, but I need to do it anyway, so why not? I’ll start picking people up at six-fifty, our time here.” Which would make her popular, she knew.
Half of the kids lived in the mid-west or even further toward the far coast. Then, she wasn’t going for a crown and a sash, she was trying to get people ready for a war. One that, she knew for a fact, was right on top of them.
Holding up his pad, to get her to stop talking, Alistair did something. A thing she wasn’t tied into, for some reason, then nodded.
“Got it. Everyone is ready. Not everyone is happy about it. Liam thinks we can use the track at the local high school near him for that? It will be around dawn there still, and they pretty much don’t have a police force left, so no one will hassle us. Plus, school isn’t in session.”
She nodded, then, her eyelids growing slightly heavy.
“Thanks, Al. I’ll be up. I should call out to you when I get up? So you can let everyone know I’m coming?”
The boy smiled, then, slowly, shook his head.
“Nope. Do it the hard way, and use telepathy for it. For all of us. You can do that. Just find everyone first, and hold them in mind while you send the message. You know how to do that. A bunch of people is the same as doing one or two. You could even do it for a large area, though, that will annoy a lot of innocent people, so, I can’t recommend it. Um, I added all of The Trainees, David Jimenez, Terry Lamond and Tyler Yuan? I didn’t do Kate, Luther or Diaspora.”
The boy waited, as if he were going to need to fix that part of things.
Hannah tilted her head.
“I... Don’t know if I can do that, but I’ll try. In the morning. At six. We should get Nate in as well, if possible. That way we can have some martial arts practice as part of the early morning work.” She hadn’t made any plans for that, but had a phone, so pulled that out, ready to beg a bit, if it was needed.
The blond kid rolled his eyes.
“That’s monitored. Use telepathy for important things.” He sounded bossy and annoying, she decided.
Also correct, which was even more bothersome.
“Fine. Let me sit down?”
He nodded.
“This time. You need to be able to do it while standing, running or even fighting, eventually. The same with the other things you can do.” He looked... Normal and not even like he was being smug or a pain in the ass on purpose.
Feeling pushed, if not exactly beaten down by it, Hannah stood there, put her phone away and closed her eyes, half expecting him to order her to do it with them open, which she wasn’t really up for yet. It took a minute at least, still, for her to find the right psychic feeling, and to connect with her brother’s mind. Hoping that he wasn’t getting busy at the moment, or in the middle of a superpower battle.
~Nate?~
~Hello? This is Nate...~
He sounded uncertain, and Hannah understood, felt that way. Because he didn't recognize her mental voice. Which was a good sign, probably. She’d never spoken to him that way before.
~This is Hannah. Al is making me contact you this way. I was going to call. Anyway, we have a six o’clock wake up tomorrow. Five days a week for now, for a workout and unarmed combat practice. Then we circle everyone back into place and do weapons in VR. I’m contacting everyone at six to get them going, but the pickup will be at just before seven. Teleportation. Can you do that?~
She meant to ask if he would be available, without giving him a real chance to say no, if he wasn’t busy. It was a bit pushy of her, but Nate just chuckled a little.
~I’m in. That’s early. I have a patrol right now. I should get Jaime out for that as well. You already have Chameleon?~
She didn't know, so opened her eyes, to find Al nodding. She grinned, then.
~We do! Okay, I... Should try to contact Jaime? Is he all right with that, do you think?~
~He says yes. Hurry, I think I see something starting down the street.~
She got the idea, so flipped over to Linear, who was already running toward where the problem was. That, she understood, was about to become a gun fight. Between two groups of people. All men. She focused on them, trying to work out what was taking place. Then, switched back to Luminous and Linear.
Holding them both in her mind as she spoke, just like Alistair had told her to. It was weird, but not hard do to, really.
~There are ten people in all. Gang members. I can’t get the colors. All of them are armed. Let me... This is going to suck.~
It did, too, since she moved the weapons, from the hands of the various men, to a pile about a block away, behind Luminous and Linear. They were still padding forward, Nate not even flying, though Linear did bring out his glowing energy shield, on hearing that guns were involved. She could feel that, more than see it. A lightly glowing see through red projection of energy.
Hannah tried to take the guns as many at a time as she could. That, it turned out, was three of them at once. Thankfully the handguns and even rifles she was stripping away, were small, compared to people. It was doing it point to point, away from her and the multiple points that she didn't love. Pain rippled through her head, every time she did it.
Still, she was fast enough that the men were all unarmed when the boys got into place.
Which meant that the tough gang members, to a man, turned and ran away, scattering in too many directions to follow. Nate called something out, but she couldn’t understand it.
It took her a half minute to get back in touch with them telepathically, too. That was slow, compared to what Al would have done. She tried to hurry, instead of let that thought get her to not try.
~Sorry, all the guns are back behind you, on the corner. I probably shouldn’t have interfered, but you know how it is, they had guns. I hate when people who aren’t on my side have things like that.~
She didn't sound glib, at all. Mainly because it really was what she was thinking.
She went on.
~Anyway, Jaime... We have a workout planned for seven tomorrow morning? I’ll pick you up? You and Nate are up to help with the fighting portions of that. Also, you and Liam are up for healing, in case that becomes needed.~
There was a pause. Then Linear answered her, his mental voice calm. Almost hard.
~Understood. I’ll be ready. Who is this?~
She smiled, since it was kind of cool that he was in, even not knowing who she was.
~Hannah. I’ll try to send a wake-up message to everyone at six. Talk later!~
There was a pause then.
~Later, Hannah. We need to do cleanup on this. Melt the weapons down. The police can’t do pick ups on things like that right now. Good work on that. I hate being shot.~
~Don’t we all? Later!~
She opened her eyes then. Alistair clapped, smiling.
“Not that bad. We need to go over the whole list of everyone coming. Let me write that down. We can’t forget anyone. That would be... Bad. Hurt feelings and all that?”
That was just going to be true, so she nodded.
“I got that one. I’d be crying and upset if I was left out of something like that, myself. Let’s... I have a pad around here.” It took a while, but not that long. Alistair knew who was coming, thankfully.
She did the actual writing, and then settled the yellow legal pad and pen on the coffee table, so she could head off to bed. It was nearing mid-night, which was going to mean not getting enough sleep, really.
Still, she took the time to make sure she was armed, even while she slept, in case something happened in the night. Which, thankfully, nothing did. Not until her alarm went off, at six. She didn’t even get up, first thing, or nearly didn’t. After a moment, she realized that she was going to drift back off, if she didn’t stand up. So, groaning as she climbed out from under the light, but comfortable sheets and blanket, she adjusted the large folding knife in the inside pocket of her PJ’s. Then had to walk to the living room.
It would be too tempting to sit, then lie, on her bed, otherwise.
Which worked out, since that was where the list had been left. There weren’t a million names on it or anything. It was enough that she had to look at it, in order to get all of the names at once.
It took her a few tried to get it right.
~Good morning, everyone! This is Hannah, with your wake-up call. Stand up now. Come on... Time to get up. Everyone. All of you need to do it... Get up now...~
Grumbling, several of them did it. A few, three of them, were still sleeping. Lazily, like she would have expected from some of her more entitled socialite friends. Several of them came to mind. She thought of times that she’d been needed to push, pull, yell and even douse certain people with water to get them up on time. It was mainly about considering what had worked for her that way, in the past.
Which, of course, meant that she connected to them, too, as she kept speaking.
~Get up! We have a work out at seven. I’m picking you up just before then. Exercise clothing, running shoes and bring water to drink. Be ready! Hannah is coming for you! Mwa-ha!~
She was fine with leaving it at that, figuring people would get up or they wouldn’t. Most of them were trying, it felt like to her. She dropped the whole thing, and managed to brush her teeth and get dressed herself, before her phone started to ring, even.
Chapter eight
The running went well enough, as did the stretching portions of things. Really, they had three groups that day on the dark track, and more bodies than she would have figured on having the night before.
That part was odd, of course.
Her fault, certainly, but strange, even given that.
Part of it was that, after messing up and adding some of her more entitled old friends, a few who she hadn’t even thought of since high school, at least in a serious way, they’d called her. Not all of them, but anyone who did was told to stand by to work out. Reese had told her to increase the work for everyone, after all. That probably didn’t mean these particular girls, but just in case, she ran with it. After all, she might have contacted them because they were needed, even if she didn't know how that could ever work. She was sort of psychic after all.
Meaning that there were six women in high end track suits, and Spandex, following Kevin around the track, for the hour that everyone else was exercising. Not that they weren’t doing the work. A few of them were actually in some kind of shape, she thought. She was leading the funny walking section, which was faster than the joggers they had that day. Jaime was the one heading up the fast group for them.
Except Gregory, who was running on his own, lapping everyone every ten seconds or so.
The fighting section was different, though Kara had stepped up first thing, since she was learning to fight, in order to teach others. That meant Cynthia was trying hard as well as Tyler and Terry.
Lara looked tired, but was, strangely, trying enough that it showed form the outside. A thing that had Reese complimenting her. Just after the woman had cranked on his wrist enough to actually make him kneel on the strange substance the track was made out of.
“Good work! That would have taken me down, even if I was really trying to fight. Which is what we need here. Should we...”
Nate, looking tight in a t-shirt and sweat pants, with muscles showing through them, grinned. That got the attention of most of the girls there. Including Kara and Molly. All of her old friends, as well.
Verthala did notice that, but she kept angling to look at Alistair. It was enough the Cynthia raised her eyebrows a few times.
Hannah’s brother shook his head.
“This is good for today. We need everyone to get back for the VR portion of things? Tyler, you’re getting with the people who don’t have systems, yet?” There was a wave, vaguely, toward the women who had come.
Ty just nodded, as Candice, looking sweaty and a bit hung over, sneered.
At Hannah.
“This is all your fault, isn’t it? You or that bitch, Kate. She didn’t even show up.” Arms were crossed, and a foot was, she thought, about to be stomped.
Oddly, Kevin, looking leaner than he had been by almost twenty pounds, in only a few months, shook his head.
“She’s in the advanced class. This is the remedial one for the wimps, the young and the fat.” He slapped his middle then. There wasn’t that much there, really. “Guess which one I am?”
Rebekah Torrance, who had lovely rust colored, rather lengthy hair, a few freckles on her well sculpted and expensive nose, looked at him and then... Didn’t go all monster brat at all.
“Young?”
“Eighteen, today, so totally legal, everywhere. No, clearly, I’m the chubby squad. Founding member. Still, this is the remedial training, to get us all up to speed. We’re meeting five days a week, so, you know, hi, I’m Kevin, your new pal? Nice to meet you?” He actually moved forward, his hand held out, to shake. Rebekah did it back, after wiping her hand off.
“Rebekah. This is Lara, Verthala, Candice and Doty?”
She glanced at each of them, clearly knowing who they were, but the feeling was one of claiming that she didn’t really hang out with them. Which made sense, given that Hannah hadn’t seen her for eight years or so, herself.
Still, people nodded at the names.
Reese grinned, but stood back, not moving in for some reason.
“That’s right. We’re working out of The Society, in New York. The Trainees. Like Kevin mentioned, this is a daily thing, but the first day. We also have practice in VR for shooting and knife work, can we get a show of hands, how many of you have systems for that?” He was speaking fast, to not give anyone time to think.
Hannah used that same trick herself, occasionally, so got it. So did everyone else, it seemed, Even Diggy had to fight a smile. He didn’t raise his hand though, meaning he needed to get that kind of rig going.
Which had her thinking, and nodding.
“Tyler, we want to expedite that. Diggy first.” She waved at David, who looked interested. “That means you need to actually assemble it yourself. Tyler... Or, Terry? Will help you with that. They have an actual business to get to, so I’ll do that as soon as we get all the information needed for that. Lara, Rebekah after that.”
She wasn’t trying to be a bitch, but Verthala was probably going to beg off after that, and it had been a shock that she’d come at all. Candice seemed ready to throw down, lacking only the weapons she normally used for that kind of thing, which she would, it seemed, want before starting in on the violence that day. After all, everyone there, except for the other high society gals could kick her behind. Really, even with the size difference, Hannah would have bet money on Terry and Tara being able to take her, unarmed. It would be close, but from what she’d seen in the practice, it would probably go that way.
Rebekah had actually done well enough that it probably meant she’d had a lot of training in that sort of thing, and Doty actually had a VR set up already. For some reason. That needed to be checked, to make sure it was up to specs, and that she hadn’t just raised her hand not getting what VR was or something like that, from what she’d said.
Doty had been a friend of hers from Camford, which was essentially a private, all girl’s middle school. She wasn’t stupid or anything, but had been a bit spoiled, back then. They all had been, really. Some of them still were. Only, even with Candice acting like she was about to throw a fit, the rest of them weren’t, really. Then, these were the ones that, when a strange voice had spoken in their heads, requesting they come to exercise, did it. After making a safety call, first, to check on the situation.
It was, in a way, kind of a good sign.
Doty, cutely enough, stuck her hand up in the air. Reese waved to her, smiling.
“Yes?”
“Um, we’re learning to shoot and use a knife?”
He clapped once, loudly.
“Right! Good point, we sort of stalled out there for a minute. We need to get to work. To answer the real question, yep. In VR first, but there will be real practice, too. With the police down like they are...”
Hannah doubted that any of the women there were hurting for private security, if they wanted it. Still, each of them nodded. Even Candice did.
Kevin grinned.
“I can help get numbers for things?” The words were totally innocent sounding, and he glanced at Tyler, who actually had an electric device on him, which he was wearing on his wrist. It was about the size of a cell phone, but wasn’t one, from the look of it. Probably something that he’d built himself. Still, it let him take notes, and only one person could operate it at a time.
Verthala looked at Kevin then, and seemed haughty.
“You want to help so you can get all of our numbers? That’s pretty bold. Do you think any of us will go out with you?”
Hannah grit her teeth, then. After all, the real answer was no. He was too young, even if it was his birthday, and while a bit better looking than he had been, he was going to need a few more months to tone up into a seven or so. Which, for the women there would still be considered below them.
The problem was, the answer that was needed was going to be very different than he was going to give, being a humble and self-depreciating kind of guy, most days. Women hated that. Especially narcissistic ones.
Focusing, trying to slap her mind into place, only connecting with him, she spoke. Hoping it would work.
~Say that the only problem is that all the women want you. It won’t get you a date, but do it anyway.~
Kevin grinned suddenly.
“Ah... Well you know, yes? Probably all of you, of course. So you and me, tonight, for dinner? You were the one asking first, so that only seems fair. Sorry, the rest of you.” It wasn’t what she’d said, but honestly, Hannah had to like it better.
