Junior was in Hell. This Hell was not the sweltering caverns so often found in modern depictions, but rather, the inescapable ice vaults of Dante's poetic imaginings. He remembered an illustration in a book he had read in college, showing the fate of humanity's worst traitors: entirely encased in frigid matter, no sound, no movement, … Continue reading Interlude – Tickets Please

The first explanation that occurred to me for Matti knowing my name was that Lady Liberty had contacted her, although for what purpose I was not immediately clear. Other possibilities surfaced right after, and I realized it would be premature for me to jump to any conclusion. What I typed and sent was, "I am … Continue reading Chapter 23 – Buffer Overflow

Before calling into my office, I took a moment to View it. I didn't expect to see much, considering it was Monday when I had only hired the Gardners the previous Friday. I knew they had dipped into the company accounts they had been given access to, and so I was optimistic that the office … Continue reading Chapter 22 – Starting up

My first feeling upon hearing Whisper accuse Liberty was massive shock, but my second was great relief. It was terrific to hear that I wasn't the only person who had noted that the NYST leader's behavior often seemed more in line with pursuing personal goals than in concretely meeting the law enforcement needs of New … Continue reading Chapter 21 – Cold Calculations

Over the last twenty years, much of US law enforcement had reduced or eliminated SWAT teams as their functions were taken over by local super teams. The pseudo-military nature of SWAT operations had never sat well with a lot of civilians, so turning those missions over to the supers was popular. This move also restricted … Continue reading Chapter 20 – Special Weapons And Tactics

Despite advancements in materials technology over the past few decades, superhero costumes still ran the gamut between stylistic and functional. The line wasn't always clear; for example, most people would consider Flawless Form's gi to be a functional choice, but there were plenty of other options that would provide similar coverage and freedom of movement. … Continue reading Chapter 19 – Imminent Danger

It took very little time to locate the Kowalczyks by rewinding my View to just before they left the warehouse and riding along. Mikey was hunched over with his head between his legs the entire car ride, and Old Joe periodically rubbed his back and murmured something. Buzz and Big Joe were having a much … Continue reading Chapter 18 – Power and Responsibility

I didn't find out until later that Flawless Form's physical enhancements were limited to healing and invulnerability; his powers included no super strength or speed. That's why what happened next was surprising, because despite Big Joe's speed, he was entirely outclassed. In films, martial arts are dramatized - broad, sweeping motions into stylish poses - … Continue reading Chapter 17 – Hot Pursuit

One of my Dad's most overused sayings, which I've noticed Paris repeating since she was promoted to homicide: "It's not the crime; it's the cover-up." Watching the Kowalczyks following their encounter with Refraxx, I understood just what they meant. Big Joe hunched over the distinctive blue motorcycle as he drove it away from the warehouse. … Continue reading Chapter 16 – In Transit

I'm not a physicist; I know just enough to recognize my own ignorance on the subject. For example, I know that powers are called 'omicron aberrations' by some scientists, and that they are believed to be caused by vibrations within a 'gauge field' with 'half-integer spin' (generally thought impossible until the discovery and later exploitation … Continue reading Chapter 15 – A Battle in Newark