Super Reporter System - Rainy Day

Chapter Type: Character Development

It wasn't a surprise to Brian that people got into accidents during spring rains; it amazed him there weren't more of them. Light rains, people were careful about. But once they lost visibility of the road, it was like they pretended it gave them license to drive crazy.

[System warning: You ought not to mention that where your wife Samantha can overhear.]

'Yeah, EXACTLY like Samantha. And do you know how often she gets into accidents?'

[Once every 4.67 years.]

'That's right, once every two years. Do you wonder why our insurance rates are so high?'

[System theorizes it is your continual receipt of speeding tickets.]

'That's right, it's because they KNOW that once every two years, she's gonna bend her car around someone else's. You tell me, System, does that sound like responsible driving to you?'

[Correct, neither of you are safe drivers. It is only a matter of time before one or the other of you dies, possibly through an automotive accident of your own making.]

'Wait, what? System, did you just say NEITHER of us is a safe driver?'

[True. You both have bad habits that result…]

'I have NEVER been in an accident since college. I am the safest driver IN THIS TOWN.'

[System submits evidence, the policeman following you seems to have other ideas.]

"Shit!"

Brian turns on his signal, and moves over to the slow lane. He takes his foot off the accelerator, letting the car slow to five miles under the speed limit.

The police car flashes its headlights, and shoots past him down the road.

"Damn, that was close. Why didn't you warn me sooner?"

His own thoughts come back to him.

'Shut UP, System!'

'If I need advice on driving, I'll ask Google maps.'

'System, do you have a silent mode?'

"Why haven't you ever shut up?" Brian asks.

[False, System has complied with requests on several occasions.]

'Why not just every time I ask you to?'

He remembers his second year at college. His father has just asked for money; implied that it is his duty as a son to pay for money he has lost at gambling. "You aren't the boss of me!" he screams.

'That was different. He was trying to take away my college education, and he knew it.'

[System query: If it has that level of emotional response, why have you never repaired that rift?]

'Not worth it. He'd just want more money … or other things. Besides, I'm happy with him only seeing the kids on holidays.'

[System recommends that you then do whatever is needed to stop remembering the incident. As you near that incident's anniversary, it is repeating with exponential frequency.]

'Yeah, that happens every year.'

[System…]

'NO! System, that memory is mine, and I will do whatever the F*CK I want with it.'

[That light will be red by the time you reach it. System recommends…]

'There. That's my foot lightly on the brake as the light turns yellow, are you happy?'

[System lacks emotions as you understand them. System is attempting to help you.]

'Well, do me a favor and STOP. At least long enough for me to calm down.'

[By your command.]

And Brian needs to be calm. Claire will need him to be calm, will need his reassuring smile.

Just because the nation's super-prison is in Detroit, just because Detroit is the only city other than Beijing, China to experience more than one Flower of Fate, just because Detroit is the only city on Earth to have more than three clashes between meta-powered humans, none of these mean Taeson is more danger than on that date with… what was her name again?

[Brittany.]

Yeah, Brittany. That bitch WAS rotten to the core, such as things like that existed in the real world. Greedy, materialistic, domineering… like…

[Like a male?]

'System…' he tried to form his thoughts. 'Okay, like a BOY. Men behave better than that.'

[False. Not all men behave better.]

'No, all men don't. But if we're lucky, enough of them are behaving themselves that there's nothing for me today.'

[A quick check of your email reveals there is a story about a drunk and disorderly, Darius Cochrane, who claims he was running from space aliens. Your boss, Luther Stern, has assigned it to you.]

"Well, shit. System, send a reply that I'm heading to the pokey to talk to Tom Sawyer."

[Reply sent.]

#

"Now I want texts from you every hour on the hour, boy." Claire is saying.

"Once in the morning, one at lunch, and one at dinner." Taeson replies.

"Oh! Boy, why do waste time like this, every time?" Claire asks. "We both know we're gonna end up saying once on wake-up, once at night before bed, and once every four hours between."

"I thought you wanted to do this, Auntie Claire."

"Not if neither of us is making any new arguments."

"Okay, you know I love you, you get what you want."

"I'd believe it more if you hugged me."

He stops, parks his tote-bag, and hugs her. "I love you, Aunt Claire. You've been there for me in ways my mother hasn't had time for."

"Is that what she tells you?"

"That's what a look at her hospital's schedule tells me."

She tries to slap him, aghast that he backs off.

"What was that for?" he asks.

"For lying."

"I'm not lying. I found a way to get into the hospital break room. It's where they post that schedule."

"I should slap you for breaking and entering."

They resume walking. "There's no breaking. They keep the doors open with those plastic wedge things."

"Doorstops, Tae. They're called doorstops. How do you keep your job, when you don't know such simple words?"

He shrugs. "Google is my friend, Auntie Claire."

"Not if Google's encouraging such bad literacy."

"You'd rather I was getting my bad habits from George?"

She sniffs. "I'd let you stay in my guest room if it kept you away from George Jenkins Harris."

"I don't need a room. But it's good to know I've got the support of family."

They reach the line for baggage checks. "Well, this is where I have to leave you."

He tries to hug her again, and she leans into it. "I do love you."

"I know. Do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Call your momma, let her know where you're going."

"What? Nah, she's probably to busy to talk to me."

"Look at that line, boy. You got time to wait for her to have time to talk."

"Well… I…"

"You said anything, and this is what I want."

His shoulders slump in defeat. "Okay, I'll try."

"Boy, you WILL do more than just TRY. My phone may not play games or surf the web, but I WILL call your momma tonight and see if she's talked to you. You will NOT. Disappoint. Me."

"Yes'm. I got her number. I'm calling her now."

"You'd better be."

"I am."

And he was. It took him two minutes of wait time, and was a very pleasant conversation.

#

Muscleborn had pre-registered his luggage for the flight. He had to turn sideways to go through the metal detector, and of course the security had to scan every bit of him twice.

This. This was the respect he had craved. Born of fear, born of caution… not contempt, not of trying to compensate for his rightful privilege. Not them taking idle shots in some caste warfare that they were never going to win.

No, this was because he had the power. He had enough raw strength to tear their x-ray machine out of the floor and club them to death with it. He knew he had the power. They knew he had the power.

And then they were wishing him a good flight.

"It should be. Thank you." It had BETTER be a good flight. Because of the width of his shoulders, he's had to purchase adjacent first-class seats. Just thinking about having to ASK for the seatbelt extender makes him want to grind his teeth.

No. No, he's not going to let the little things get him down. He is headed to Detroit, the Mecca for the meta-human. And maybe, just maybe, he'll be able to fight against another meta-human.

Probably not, but he can keep his hopes up.

At the very least, he'll be able to have his superhuman potential measured. He doesn't know what his rating is, but for two powers, as strong as they are? Eighteen is the highest number reported in the free world, with China claiming Red Dragon is a twenty-two (but those tests aren't verified).

What is he? A twenty? Anything over a ten puts him in the top two hundred powers on the planet. So far as he is concerned, his place in the rankings is already a fact. This isn't even a test. It's just a measurement.

Just one small step that will help see him to his rightful place in the hierarchy of meta-people.