Breathing was painful, I saw that they had peeled up the top of my costume. My chest had a long swipe across it that looked malformed and blackened.
Hellshock asked, "Can you talk?"
I tried to take a breath to, but with the pain I shook my head slightly from side to side.
"No biggie, not sure if I want to hear what kind of dumb story you'll come up with for not calling me to go help you."
I tried to spread my hands open as though to say, "What could I do," but the movement seemed to light my right arm on fire. I grimaced.
"Okay, let's see if I can get some info before you either die, or I die of old age waiting for your sorry butt to heal up. I take it you found the kidnappers you mentioned?"
I nodded slightly.
"Did you take them on alone?"
I shook my head, "no."
"Hmm, you said Spartan's out, were you with your other partner, the chick in white?"
I smiled a bit and nodded.
"Any idea where she's at? We know the general area the fight was at, but the rain's washed away any signs, and apart from a few damaged vehicles we aren't even sure we've found the scene of the fight."
My eyes opened wide.
Oh shit, where's Stephanie at? Damnit, she didn't stop them either then.
Kim said, "Hellshock, perhaps we shouldn't get him overly excited while he's healing?"
Hellshock looked at her, "Yeah, I suppose." He sighed, then looked back at me. "Buddy, you really need to learn when to call in some support."
I nodded.
What the hell's up with the chrome chick? Why did she attack me?
I slowly felt around on my utility belt for the phone pouch and pulled out the H.E.R.O. phone.
Kim slipped it out of my hand. "Did you want to look something up?"
I whispered, "Call Psystar."
Hellshock said, "Here, I know the phone." He grabbed it and quickly looked at the contacts, and then dialed Psystar. He sat there for a while staring off into space before he said, "Hey, Psystar, this is Hellshock. I'm here with Black Tiger, call us if you get this ASAP."
Kim said, "You know there's not much I can do here."
Hellshock said, "I know. I just knew you'd be near the end of your shift, and that he liked you from Saturday night. I figured he could use a friendly face what with that." He pointed at my arm and chest.
She nodded and held my good hand while we waited, and hoped that I'd heal.
I'm not sure how much time passed. I spent most of it simply trying to blank out my mind and not think about the pain. I really didn't mind being in pain during a fight, or even after a fight. However, I disliked having to lay there unable to do anything for even an hour.
Finally I realized that my breathing was coming easy to me, and cautious movements of my right hand and left leg weren't causing me great pain any more. I shook myself out of my zoned-out state and looked at the others.
Kim shifted uncomfortably on the rough ground. I noticed that she still held my hand. I was glad I didn't have a habit of reflexively squeezing it, since my new strength was substantial even if not in Spartan's league.
She noticed me looking at her and asked, "How are you feeling now? It looks like most of the damage is healed already."
I took a cautious deep breath and smiled. It still hurt, but it was livable. "I think I'll live."
"Hmph, you're a mutant. Kind of like a roach, you just can't hardly be killed. You'll be fine, I think."
"Great, thanks for thinking of me as a roach."
Hellshock chimed in, "She's kind of right, though. Those of you mutants who have really good healing just seem to heal everything."
"Cool. I'll live forever."
"Hmph. Didn't say that."
"Okay, I'm feeling well enough to get back to things. We need to find Psystar. Did she answer the call?"
"No, and she hasn't called back."
"Shit. Lemme try my other phone." I pulled out my personal cell and tried her personal cell phone. No answer.
"You're sure she has her H.E.R.O. phone on her?"
I nodded. "Pretty sure. She's in costume."
"Easy enough then." He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Hey, Goldie, this is Hellshock. Patch me through to tech, please."
He spoke to someone apparently at H.E.R.O. headquarters, asking them to do a trace on Psystar's phone. A minute later he was asking if the guy was absolutely sure, and then hung up.
"Well, her phone is way up in the air, about four miles north of our current position."
"Like how far up?"
"Five to eight miles, he thought. Hard to triangulate when not close to any towers like that."
"And she's not moving?"
"He did several tests, all came back at the same rough area."
"I still hear the rain, we won't be able to see that far up."
"No, we won't. There are others who could get up there. She doesn't have a way just to make her phone fly, does she?"
"Not that I know of. If it's up there, she probably is flying as well."
"Would be nice to verify before we call in someone."
"Firebane."
"Firebane?"
"Yeah, she can detect supers. If we can get her out here she can detect Steph."
"You mean Psystar. Gotta get used to using the right names, Black Tiger."
I nodded. Then I looked up Firebane in the H.E.R.O. list on my phone. I called her.
She answered, "Hello?"
"Firebane, this is Black Tiger. Where are you at?"
"Did you get them? Psystar isn't answering her phone."
"No, it didn't go well. That's why I'm calling. We're, uhh, where are we?" I looked at Hellshock.
"Dorstrom Office Building, corner of 75th and Hills street."
I passed that on to her.
She said, "Hold on, I'm putting it in my GPS. Okay, I'll be there in about ten minutes, you're pretty close to where I left you guys."
"Awesome, and thanks."
I looked at Hellshock, “I wish I had binoculars or a telescope on me.”
He glanced off to the side. I followed the direction of his eyes as I realized he was looking at the path of destruction through a wall, part of an office building, and out through the hole in the outer wall. I heard the rain pelting the windows now that I listened for it.
He looked back at me, “You wouldn’t be able to see through the clouds. I’d say to call Psycom, since he can fly, but he’s a prick.”
“I take it not many H.E.R.O.s can fly?”
“No, it’s a pretty rare power. He doesn’t do it naturally, though. He uses his telekinesis to stay in the air.”
“Still pretty cool.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind it myself.”
Kim said, “I agree, I’d like to be able to fly, although being able to heal wounds would be nicer, I think.”
Hellshock looked at her. “Perhaps for some. There would be all kinds of issues brought up about it. Everything from religious groups, to some only wanting the wealthy to be healed, to those who would demand that you heal everyone for free. On and on from there. Nah, that’s one I’d pass on.”
She replied, “Perhaps, but better to have it and use it than not.”
“Oh, certainly. If someone had the power I’d be shocked if it weren’t being used. I just tend to think that such a person could heal a person for millions of dollars per time, and the normal person would never hear about it.”
“Yuck. That’s disconcerting.”
He shrugged, “It’s reality.”
I carefully took a deep breath, it felt like my chest was nearly healed.
I asked, “How long have you guys been here?”
Hellshock glanced at his H.E.R.O. phone and said, “I got the call about you being thrown into the building at 4:52 P.M. It’s now 7:05 P.M. So you’ve been lying here a few hours.”
“Wow, so much for my super healing.”
Kim said, “I don’t think you realize the severity of the injury. If I hadn’t seen how fast you healed at the hospital when the mu … well, that guy broke loose from the bed and attacked you and the guards, then I would have demanded that we bring you to the hospital. Hellshock argued to just give you time.”
Hellshock chimed in, “I’ve seen more than a few mutants heal, and you’re pretty fast even for one. I knew you’d heal.”
Kim said, “How did you know the bones would reset back into the proper positions?”
He shrugged, “They just do. I have no idea how we heal, but our bodies can recover from a hell of a lot.”
I nodded, “I’ve taken some pretty big gun shots today alone.” My stomach rumbled and a hunger pang struck.
Hellshock said, “Heh, you probably need food soon. Don’t forget, I saw you heal after the fight with all those untrained mutants. A lot of them missed you, but the hits you did take were downright nasty. Big tears and gashes on your side, back and legs. A bear’s got nothing on a mutant.”
Kim said, “Hellshock, you’re making me not want to use the word ‘mutant’ any more. You make them sound bad.”
“No, not bad. Most of them that I’ve encountered
are
villains, that’s true, but I don’t believe they are evil as a group. I’ve just seen a variety of supers, and what type of damage they deal. Mutants have more, well, physical attacks. Claws, swords, tentacles, barbs and such. So the wounds tend to look more like a nasty animals.”
I nodded, “You’re right. The damage a brick does is more like what I got here, crushing and being thrown through things.”
Hellshock nodded, “I hate fighting bricks. They are resistant to a lot of energy types, so I suck versus many of them.”
I half chuckled, half coughed. “Well, I guess I’m glad I have claws then. I tear into Spartan easily. If he’s standard for a brick at least I can affect them.”
Kim said, “So long as they don’t do this to you. What happened?”
“Ah … yeah. I took down some guards, got into the back of the semi trailer, and found the chrome colored chick I helped you with on Saturday night. When I got up to her she grabbed my wrist, crushed it, punched me a few times, and then I think she grabbed my leg and kicked me here.”
“That chest injury was from her kicking you?”
“I think so, although she did punch me a few times in the gut.”
Hellshock shook his head, “Don’t let a brick get a hold of you. They’ll beat the snot out of you.”
I said, “If it were a normal enemy brick I’d have slashed him with my claws. I didn’t expect her to attack me, I mean, she’s a new super, not a villain.”
“She is now.”
“Yeah, that sucks.”
My phone rang, I glanced at the caller – it was Firebane. I answered, “Hello?”