Hero Ad Hoc - Chapter 4

Here's your last little taste of my latest superhero adventure before Hero Ad Hoc drops on Monday!

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Aisha bobbed in the air above her new couch, which was where Tim tethered her with her bathrobe belt while he fiddled with stuff in his equipment bag. Thankfully, the rest of her furniture arrived three days before everything hit the fan. Nothing else in the loft was heavy enough to hold her down other than their mattress. After the hugging incident in the atrium this morning, she didn’t want Rey to get the wrong idea about her and Tim by being alone with him in the bedroom.

The loft door rolled open. Rey entered with a woman she presumed was the mysterious Serena.

She turned out to be a green-haired young woman with a variety of features that said mixed-race and skin a shade darker than Aisha’s. Serena’s hand covered her mouth when she spotted Aisha. From the glint in her gorgeous, and equally green, eyes, Serena was trying not to laugh.

Aisha crossed her arms and glared at the younger woman. “If you can’t help, then get out of my home.”

The younger woman immediately sobered. “I apologize, Ms. Franklin. I know the sudden appearance of powers can be frightening.”

“I’m not frightened. I’m pissed,” Aisha snapped. And it was true. Any fear from this morning had disappeared when she had to grab the freaking toilet seat and hold on for dear life in order to do her business. “It’s bad enough I’ll look like a Macy’s balloon in eight months, but I’m already floating like one!”

Serena tossed her large bag on the couch. “First, we need to figure out if it’s the baby who has the powers or if it’s you.”

Aisha threw her hands up in the air. “Why the hell would I have powers now when I’ve never had them before?”

“You might have HRSP. Pregnancy hormones can do some strange things to a woman’s body.” Serena grinned. “My mom was also non-powered when she wasn’t pregnant, but she had a different ability with me and each of my four siblings. In my case, she was constantly setting stuff on fire.”

Aisha swallowed a groan. Hormone related super powers, aka HRSP, wasn’t the worst thing that could happen in a pregnancy, but it would be damn inconvenient if she started to float in front of cameras during a press conference for one of their clients.

“I guess I should be thankful I don’t have some destructive ability,” she said.

“Yep, my aunt started developing pure calcium deposits on her skin,” Serena tugged on the terrycloth tied to Aisha’s ankle, pulling her down toward the couch. “Couldn’t take a shower without blowing up the bathroom. Can you imagine not bathing for nine months? Rey, you wanna hang on to your girlfriend and keep her within my reach?” She turned to Tim. “You got my payment?”

The inventor grinned and held out a blue plastic rectangle the size of a shoebox with a wand attached. “One portable ultrasound device, madam.”

Rey flew up a couple of feet and wrapped Aisha in his arms before settling them both on the couch. Aisha wouldn’t have minded sitting on his lap if they didn’t have company, but it was aggravating as hell that it was the only way she could stay in place.

As she untied the belt from her ankle, she eyed the green-haired woman suspiciously. “Do you have a medical degree of some kind?”

“Does school count?” Serena pulled a stethoscope out of her bag.

“Not really,” Aisha said sourly.

“I’m working on my degree to become a physician’s assistant.” Serena looked at her, all joking gone. “You can go to your regular doctor, but do you know what’s going to happen if you do?”

Aisha knew all too well. Part of the Superhero Act of 1945 allowed the federal government to “rescue” babies with powers if they could justify to a judge the parents’ inability to handle things. With the recent attacks by Corvus, the Attorney General could easily claim hers and Rey’s lifestyle put any baby in eminent danger, which was why she hadn’t called her own doctor. In theory, the reason for a government guardianship was to give the kids a safe place to learn control of their abilities, but a lot of childcare experts questioned what the government nannies did to the kids. “Obviously, Rey didn’t tell you what I do for a living.”

If possible, Serena became even more somber. “Ms. Franklin, everybody in the neighborhood knows who and what you and Ms. Winters are. Rey isn’t the only super living around here. And the only reason I’m making a house call is because Rey and Jatz’om Kuh vouched for you.”

Two realizations struck as hard as one of Sparx’s electric bolts. The first being Serena knew Tim’s secret identity. The other made her heart break. “Your parents hid you and your brothers and sisters.”

“Not on purpose at first. Actually, my dad’s gift is the ability to hide a super’s freaky EEG readings, including his own.” Serena’s smile was gentle. “Now, shush while I check your heart.”

Biting her tongue, Aisha remained silent while the younger woman checked her heartbeat, her breathing, and her blood pressure. But when Serena took Tim’s invention from him, Aisha couldn’t keep quiet any longer.

“Don’t you need gel for an ultrasound?”

Tim shook his head. “Nope. Serena wanted something a little more powerful than standard equipment so she’s not limited in what she can do with it. This can resolve internal pictures closer to the level of an MRI machine than a standard ultrasound.” He grinned. “It’s one of the patents I want you to file.”

Serena reached for the top of the blue box, and his grin disappeared. “Wait! Don’t turn it on yet!” He headed back to the island that separated the kitchen from the living area and reached into his equipment bag. He produced a set of headphones. “For Rey’s ears.”

Once Rey was wearing the noise canceling headphones, Serena lifted the lid on top of the blue box, which had a screen, and pulled out a wand connected to the box by a long cord. She flipped on the power.

A high-pitched noise pierced Aisha’s eardrums. She cried out and slapped her palms over her ears.

Serena instantly punched the power button. “What is it? What’s wrong?” Alarm showed on Tim’s face as well.

“What’s wrong, azúcar?” Rey murmured.

Aisha lowered her hands. “It was like that thing rammed an icepick through my brain.”

“You could hear the subsonics?” Tim’s expression was a cross between puzzlement and expectation.

“Yeah, I guess.” Aisha peered over her shoulder. Rey had taken off the headphones. “Does it hurt you when you don’t have protective gear on?”

Rey nodded, looking a little embarrassed. “That’s what really happened with the kitchen counter in Patty’s apartment. Tim tested the unit when Miguel and I were installing the granite.”

Aisha cupped his cheek. “Oh, honey, why didn’t you guys just say so?”

Tim laughed. “You have met Harriet Winters, haven’t you?”

Harri had gone ballistic over the crushed stone countertop. She had wanted to have Patty ensconced in the Lechuza Building before she gave birth, regardless of what her poor, pregnant assistant wanted. And Harri’s interference in Patty’s life probably had more to do with Patty and Arthur’s budding romance. Harri still didn’t trust the former supervillain, even though he hadn’t been much of a supervillain to begin with by her own admission.

Aisha rolled her eyes. “You can’t let her bulldoze you. Follow mine and Patty’s example.”

The two men exchanged glances that implied she and Patty were just as much under Harri’s thumb as they were.

Tim turned back to his bag of tricks and pulled out another set of ear protection.

Aisha eyed him suspiciously. “Do you bring spares for every contingency?”

“No, but I thought we might need them.” Tim’s face quirked in the weird way she’d come to recognize the genius was working out some theory in his big brain. He stayed by the island. “Rey let go of her.”

“But I’ll just float to the freaking ceiling,” she snapped.

“Aisha, I need you to concentrate on wanting these headphones.” Tim held up the set. “You want them as bad as you want a cigarette.”

“But I don’t want a cigarette,” she protested.

“Hey, I used to smoke, too.” He grinned at her. “Haven’t touched ’em in twenty-five years, but I still remember the desire. Focus on wanting the headphones as much as that morning cigarette.”

Rey released her waist, and she immediately started to rise into the air.

She pushed down the threatening panic. It wasn’t like he couldn’t fly up and pull her off the damn ceiling. But she sure didn’t want to feel that icepick-through-the-brain thing again either. If the headphones covered her ears—

She moved, not upwards, but across the room toward Tim. In that realization, she lost her focus and started drifting upward again.

This is no different than taking the bar. Concentrate on one thing at a time.

Aisha narrowed her eyes and stared at the headphones. She shot across the space and stopped right in front of Tim.

Now, feet on the floor.

The sudden contact of her stilettos with the floor made her stumble, but Tim saved her from falling on her face. Behind her, applause erupted.

“Good job.” Tim grinned and released her.

“How’d you know I could control this?” Suspicion ran through her.

“Because I told him how my abilities manifested.” Rey swept her into a huge hug. “I knew you could do it.” His lips claimed hers, and she fell into the emotions swirling through her.

Someone cleared their throat, and she reluctantly pulled away.

“Now you know why she’s pregnant,” Tim said dryly to Selena.

“Shut up,” Aisha muttered.

“Can I check the baby now that we know you might actually be a teachable super?” Sarcasm ran thick in Serena’s voice.

“Fine,” Aisha muttered.

Serena gestured back toward the couch.

Aisha had to concentrate fiercely in order to reach the couch on her feet. It was like gravity was no longer her default setting. She sat gingerly on the edge. Rey perched on the couch beside her. They both donned their ear protection.

Serena plopped down on Aisha’s other side. She checked them both before she flipped the power switch on Tim’s device again.

A bit of a hum penetrated the noise-cancelling headphones, but it was nothing like the brain-piercing pain of the first time. Serena slowly drew the wand across Aisha’s abdomen. A picture developed on the screen.

Aisha just stared at the little white blob about the size and shape of a peanut. Her baby. The one she’d wanted for so damn long.

Rey tapped her shoulder, and she jumped. He wasn’t wearing his earphones, and he gestured for Aisha to remove hers.

“Is it in the right place?” she asked once she could hear.

Serena raised an eyebrow. “It’s not an ectopic pregnancy if that’s what you’re worried about. He’s definitely in your uterus.”

“Oh, god!” Tears blurred Aisha’s vision. “This is really happening.”

“When was your last period?” Serena pulled out a notepad.

Aisha swallowed hard at the standard question. Too many doctors asked the same damn thing at too many appointments. “Six weeks ago, but with the loss of one of my ovaries, I’ve started perimenopause, and I’ve never been regular before that.”

The younger woman chewed her bottom lip for a few seconds before she said, “I’d like to use my powers to check both you and the baby.”

“You said your mom started fires when she was carrying you. How do I know you won’t set me on fire?”

Serena’s grin was a little rueful. “If the issue is HRSP, the mom and the baby don’t necessarily have the same abilities. Like I said, once Mom delivered me, no more powers.”

Aisha leaned away from her. “Won’t x-ray vision hurt the fetus?”

“I can sense bodily functions.” Serena hesitated for a moment before she added, “And I can affect them.”

“Affect them how?”

“She’s a healer,” Ray murmured.

“Or she can make you sicker than a dog if you try to pimp little girls on River Street.” Tim chuckled.

Well, they needed to know what was going on. Aisha sucked in a deep breath and nodded.

Serena leaned forward and rested both her hands on Aisha’s abdomen.

Nothing really seemed to happen. Aisha half-expected the girl’s hands to glow or to feel something other than the touch. Serena straightened and smiled. “You’re about four weeks along, and he’s a perfectly healthy baby.”

“He? You keep saying he?”

“Oops.” Serena winced. “Are you one of those moms who wants to be surprised?”

“No, I just, I…” Aisha’s voice faltered. This time, her waterworks weren’t from panic or pain. She swiped at the tears and cleared her throat. “I never thought I’d hear those words.”

Serena closed up the equipment Tim had given her. “My place is above Celia’s bodega. I’ll get you started on prenatal vitamins.” She hesitated. “If it’s okay, I’ll contact a friend who has a medical license. She’ll keep quiet. I swear. But we’ll want an ally just in case.”

“In case something goes wrong,” Aisha murmured.

Serena nodded, even as Rey hugged her and growled, “Nothing’s going to happen to you or the baby.”

Aisha couldn’t help rubbing her stomach. She’d wanted a baby for so long. This should have been the best thing to ever happen to her.

So why did she feel like something awful would occur in return for getting her wish?