Power Play (Book 2)

Chapter 28: Spinning In Place

"I know you're upset, and that you're planning-"

"So you've got legit super powers? Can you read our minds?" a young woman interrupts.

"Okay, I have a lot of powers but I can't read minds," I tell her. "I know about your plan-"

"Wait, wait, can you give other people powers? Like pass it on to us?" asks the jean jacket guy.

"No, I can't pass it on. The government was experimenting on-"

"Are you going to overthrow the government?" chimes in someone else.

"What? NO! I'm not trying to overthrow anybody. I'm just trying to make sure those-"

"You've got other super powered friends, right? Are you making a super team?"

"We're not-"

"And can I join?"

"Okay, STOP!" I slap my hand down on the table a little harder than I intend, and one of the legs cracks. Everyone cringes.

I take a deep breath. "Look, in a nutshell I was experimented on by a secret group that was backed by our government. They rewrote my DNA and shoved me full of tiny nanobots. Yeah, I've got super powers, but does that make me a hero? I don't even know if that makes me human anymore."

Their faces are intent as they listen, and swim with a mix of curiosity, excitement, and fear. And here and there, to my horror, I see flickers of hope.

"I don't entirely know what I'm doing out there," I tell them. "I've been over my head since this started, and made as many bad mistakes as good ones. What I'm holding onto is a belief that power should be used to protect people, not enslave them. And that includes protecting their freedom, not locking them up for their own good."

They nod, but I'm not sure whether they understand or that they just want me to keep talking.

"There's a lot going on," I say, gesturing towards the window. "Bad stuff, crazy stuff, and I'm barely keeping ahead of it, but I'm working on it. If you start rioting in the streets it's going to make it worse and make everything I'm doing even harder."

They shuffle a bit at that, the determination they had before I showed up wavering. I press on.

"I get how mad and upset everyone is right now, believe me, but if you go through with your protests today you're going to make things a whole lot worse."

"Worse how?" asks a pale guy with some crazy black hair. He looks like he just staggered out of bed, or maybe hadn't slept in a while. "The cops and the military are already harassing people all over the city. Locking up people for anything. We're just supposed to roll over?"

"That's exactly what they want us to do," blurts out a blonde woman in a knit cap, waving her hands around and nearly knocking over someone's coffee on the now-leaning table.

"Yes, but sometimes doing what they want isn't the worst idea," I tell them, and they all lean in expectantly. "We're looking for someone, and if you riot it will be almost impossible to find them."

"Wait, you're looking for someone?" the crazy-haired guy asks. "Who?"

"That's a question with a strangely complicated answer, but I can tell you that if you get caught up in it you'll just get hurt. The task force that has been hunting me, the ones that were in the park last night, they're totally on edge and right now I don't think they care about casualties. This isn't a battle you can win."

"But these government psychos... you're trying to stop them?" asks the chubby banker.

"Eventually, yes, but right now I'm trying to keep Chicago from being destroyed."