B.E.C.K.Y.: Am I A Superhero?

Now it is Our Time to Plan

And now, here I stood; a man given powers and abilities to actually impact events, to stop those who would harm others, and to do the right thing on a scale that was more than I ever even conceived of before. I had the chance to do what I had always told my students to do.

Did I really want to step away from that?

No.

I couldn't.

I wouldn't.

As stressful as my life was right now, as crazy as it was, as daunting as the task in front of me seemed, I was not going to step away from it. Becky came into my life for a reason, I believed that fully, and I had to act on that reason.

Was I meant to be a superhero?

I did not know.

But I knew what the right thing to do was.

*Again, you prove to me that I made the correct choice in hosts*

Becky sounded proud, of who I was not sure, but proud nonetheless.

Okay, time to pull on my big boy pants and get things done.

Lew had been watching me, likely seeing what was going on and, as I stood up straight, my jaw set, eyes steady, he smiled slightly and nodded knowingly.

"You just faced one of the toughest opponents of your life, John; yourself. You'll face him again, and again, and again, but, for now, you've faced him and come out on top. Good job."

Why did him saying that make me feel like I did when I was praised by a teacher for doing something well in their class?

I gave him a nod, then gestured to the screen.

"Bombs on the bases."

Lew nodded, eyes moving back to the screens before us. One one screen was Mayport Naval Station near Jacksonville, Florida. On the other, Elgin Air Force Base, near Fort Walton Beach, in Florida. Both were well known bases, Mayport being the largest military base in America, and Elgin being the major development and test site for most of the weapons used by American forces. \

They were both prime targets.

"If I wanted to cause death, chaos and pain, as well as really hit the base on an emotional level, I would hit the dorms, commisary and rec center; places where people are supposed to be able to rest, relax, and feel safe."

"Not high profile areas, or top-security points?"

He shook his head.

"They don't want to strike at those areas; those are the spots many would expect to be hit. They don't want to do the expected. Remember 9-11? The terrorists hit a target that was civilian, non-military, yet represented security and safety for millions. Manson's Children want to do the same thing; hit people where they feel safest."

I nodded, seeing the logic in what Lew was saying. Hit a man in his own home, the place where he should feel he is at his most safe and secure, and you throw him off, unsettle him, and make him rage for revenge on the one who made him feel unsafe and insecure.

Exactly what Manson's Children wanted.

"Okay, but that leaves us with another problem; multiple targets on a military base, combined with multiple civilian targets in the city." I gestured to myself as i continued, "I can do a lot of things, but I can't be in multiple places at one time."

"Omnipresence really is a God-thing," Lew smirked as he nodded his head. Then, growing more serious, he looked over the bases carefully, his voice musing as he spoke softly to himself.

"No point in calling in....they would not believe us anyway...FBI could be compromised, so they are out for calling....no calls to NSA or CIA...."

He paused in his musing, looking at my closely.

"Just how fast can you run?"

"Not Flash top speed fast, but I can match the speed of almost any race car out there."

"How long would it take you to scour Elgin? It covers 464,000 acres, 725 square miles and three counties."

*Two hours and 18 minutes, at our max speed of 350 Miles Per Hour.*

Thanks, Becky.

*Of course.*

"Two hours and 18 minutes, going full speed, and, at that speed, I could run right past the bombs and not even realize I had done so."

*Untrue. Your heightened senses, combined with my ability to see through your eyes would allow us to see the bombs, or the individuals without fail. At least, I would see them, and I could alert you to their presence.*

"OKay, Becky says we would not miss the bombs, so I could cover the area in that time.*

Lew nodded, "And that means Mayport is likely at least that amount of time or more. So you blitzing in and out is not really an option."

"As much as I would love to do that, there are limits to what I can do."

"Though what you can do is impressive, to say the least."

*I like him; he recognizes what I have done with you.*

Oh, great, another ego stroke for Becky; just what he needed!

*I am simply stating a fact.*

Of course you are, Becky.

Yeah, a miffed tone sounds weird inside your head!

Unaware of my internal conversation with Becky, Lew was still contemplating the maps of the two bases and trying to deduce the best means to get in and stop the Manson's Children's plan.

"Wait! I am so stupid!"

Lew moved to the screen, pointing toward the commissary at Mayport.

"We don't need to worry about the whole base! We know where they are most likely to hit, so we just have to get you there in time to defuse the bombs!"

Yeah, I know, you probably figured that out already. I never said we were the smartest guys on the planet.