Chapter 23

I stumbled to the corner of the building, around it, and down the next length to another parking lot. I made it across the parking lot and spotted a cafe directly across the street, and a Walgreens across the next street. Someone had to have a phone I could use.

I crossed to the cafe and went inside. I was glad I had my clothes on, rather than the hospital gown, because walking with my telekinetic crutch, I was getting a lot of stares.

I stumbled up to the counter and climbed up onto a stool. The server came over, looking like she was all business. “Yeah?” she asked. She was wearing a name tag that read, “Alice.”

“Do you have a public phone?” I asked and offered, “I recently lost mine.”

She frowned and studied my appearance. I was sure I looked quite disheveled. Then she glanced around the room. Most of the patrons went back to their meals or conversations. She pulled a phone out of her apron and held it up. “Who’re you callin’?”

“A friend for a ride,” I said as gently as I could.

“You couldn’t do that from the hospital?” she asked.

“They were trying to keep me there longer than I wanted to stay.”

“Figures,” she said with a tick, and then set the phone in front of me.

“Thank you,” I said and pulled Mr. Foster’s card out of my pocket. I dialed and the phone rang, but then it went to voicemail. I sighed and left a message, giving him my current location. When I finished, I set the phone down and slid it across the counter for Alice.

Before I took my fingers off the phone, it rang.

Alice appeared and picked it up. She looked at the number and then at me. “Are you waiting for a call back?”

I shrugged and shook my head, not sure what to say. “I called a man I know, Richard Foster.”

She glanced at the phone again and held it out to me.

I gently took it. Mr. Foster’s name was on the screen. I answered it. “Hello?”

“Who is this?” he asked.

“It’s Ral Sutton,” I said.

“Ral?” he asked. “What phone are you calling from?”

“That of a very generous server,” I said, giving her a nod of thanks.

“Why are you at a diner?” he asked. “I thought you were in the hospital.”

“Garret Hendrickson,” I said, feeling nothing more needed to be said.

“Understood,” he said. “I’m sending a car to pick you up. It’ll be there in ten minutes.”

I sighed with relief. “Thank you.”

“Where is Drugan?” he asked.

Dammit. I knew this would probably bite me on the butt. “I don’t know. Last I saw, he was trying to tie me down to my bed in the hospital.”

There was silence for a moment. “We will have to discuss that when you arrive. I’ll talk to you soon.” And then he hung up.

I blinked at the phone and then held it out to Alice. “Thank you,” I said.

She took it and put it back in her apron pocket. “Sounds like you’ve got some explaining to do.”

I sighed again. “That is the least of my concerns.”

She gave me a strange look, shook her head, and then moved back down the counter.

I turned to watch for my ride out the windows, not even sure what kind of car Mr. Foster would send. I hoped it was something like what he drove. At least then I would know, but that was a fleeting wish.

Alice set a cup of coffee in front of me with a spoon. “Do you need sugar or creamer?”

I looked at the coffee. “I didn’t order this,” I breathed.

She glanced to the side with just her eyes. “On the house. I saw the news reports about what you did last summer. And you look like you could use it.”

I held my hands around the hot cup, feeling the warmth. “Black is fantastic. Thank you.”

She nodded and moved off again.

I sipped the coffee. The heat was fantastic. I felt better just having that much. I kept drinking and watching for the car. Traffic moved along, and a black SUV pulled into the parking lot. Two men in suits climbed out and came inside. At first, I didn’t recognize either of them. One was bald with glasses. His suit was light gray. The other one was tall and stout. He had dark blond hair and looked like he could model for GQ. The suit looked tailored to each of them. Probably business men stopping for lunch, but then didn’t stop at a booth or table. They walked around and came right up to me.

The man in gray sat on the stool next to me, and the big guy sat on the other side of him. The man in gray looked me square in the eyes and said, “Hello, Ral. It’s good to see you again.”

From across the room, I hadn’t recognized him, but from this close, I recognized Colonel Polanco. If my leg and arm weren’t throbbing with pain, I would have jumped off my stool to get away from him. Instead, I sat there and looked around the room. I checked the auras on everyone there. No one else seemed out of place. It was just people eating food and going about their days. If I wanted to run, I had my choice of exits. I was sure I could jump the counter and head through the kitchens, too. Alice seemed the type to let me.

“Relax, Mr. Sutton. We’re not here to take you into custody. I simply wanted to discuss an opportunity with you.”

I studied his aura. He seemed perfectly content. Then I glanced past him at his companion. I expected some kind of agent or something, but surprise caught me again when I realized a Powerborne was tagging along. I turned to face the counter again, took a sip of my coffee, and asked, “So, instead of fake agents, you brought along a real Powerborne?”

The two of them shared a quick glance. “Major Powers is...”

He stopped because I almost spewed my coffee out laughing. I looked at him. “Major Powers?”

The Colonel stared at me and then said, “He is a Major in the Marines, a highly decorated officer, and someone not to poke fun at.”

The amusement left me when he mentioned the Marines. I had nothing but the highest respect for the men and women who serve our country, no matter which branch of the military they join. I would have joined up too, if it wasn’t for my chronic headaches. As such, meeting an officer of the Major’s rank made me feel honored. I gave the Colonel the same level of straight-forward sobriety as he offered me. Then I faced the Major and held out my hand to shake. “Thank you for your service.”

For a second, I was sure he didn’t know what to think of this kid switching emotions so fast, but then he shook my hand. He had a firm grip, and I got more than a good handshake.

Various impressions and understandings about the Major filled me. Foremost, his name really was Powers. James Powers. He was a dedicated Marine officer. He had never married nor had any children, but he had a nephew he adored, which was the closest thing he felt he would get. Just as importantly, his powers had manifested when he was in high school. They allowed him to excel in sports, which earned him several scholarships. Even during combat, he was nigh unstoppable. Then Colonel Polanco approached him, offering him an opportunity to use his abilities to their fullest extent. Now, they were here, looking to recruit me.

I pulled back and simply stared at the Major for a second. Not only was I impressed with his history but also the fact that I learned all of that about him in a simple handshake. I had either stumbled into a new power or used one I already understood. It was something else I would have to talk to Mr. Shepherd about.

I looked at the Colonel. “The Major is impressive, but having him with you will not convince me of what you want.”

“You don’t know what I want,” he said.

I turned back to my coffee. “You’re here to recruit me, aren’t you?”

“Why would you say that?” he asked in return.

“Because of the impressions I just got from the Major,” I said and took a sip. “You want to put together some kind of team. I just don’t know the purpose.”

“The purpose is the same as what you do already,” he said. “Help others who need help.”

I looked at him with a small smile. “Really?” I asked with a level of glee that seemed to set him back some. “Because I need help. I have a psycho stalker chasing me. He wants to tear apart my body and steal my powers. Not to mention another group who just recently attacked me out in the open, attempting to kill me for something I don’t understand in the least. Do I qualify as one of those people you would help?”