Power Shift (Book 1)

Chapter 16: Casual Crimes

Winning Choice: “If it helps us find Nicole and even the odds, I’m in. Let’s do it.”

Recap: Brandon has enlisted the help of a team of computer hackers, Ryan, Tyler, and Susan. After running into a dead end trying to find his wife, Susan proposes that Brandon steal some powerful equipment to help them in their search. Brandon agrees.

I look like a drunk ninja.

My jacket is a deep black, but my jeans are a deep shade of blue. My dirtbike helmet and facemask are a mottled gray, and my gloves are brown. My boots are black, though a different shade than my jacket. Wouldn't want any two pieces to match, as that would be too easy. 

So maybe not exactly a drunk ninja, but one who missed school with a hangover the day they covered the dress code. It’s what I could get my hands on, and fashion wasn’t the top priority.

Most importantly, head to toe, no skin is exposed. Not for any fear of getting hurt, but for not wanting to be photographed, leave fingerprints, or anything else identifying. Though if anyone is already aware of a super powered guy running around, it would be the guys I’m about to hit.

It’s so uncomfortably close to being in a superhero costume, Ryan’s friend, Tyler, wanted to give me a "code name". A Withering Stare might be one of my new powers because he dropped the idea after seeing my reaction. I have a sinking feeling he's going to bring it up again.

Peeking around the corner, I check out my target a few streets away. It's a three story office building that takes up a full city block downtown. It's boring and bland, and people walk by on the sidewalk almost completely ignoring it. None of them have any business in that building so it's all but invisible to them. I doubt they ever even wonder what's inside. Unfortunately, I know.

It's an NSA office. The National Security Agency.

When Ryan said it was as illegal as it gets, he wasn't joking. Who do you get in trouble with if you steal from the NSA? 

I lean against the alley wall and take a deep breath. Ever since I agreed to this heist we've been over the plan a hundred times. They have no idea what the inside of the building looks like exactly, so I’m going to have to do some improvising. Possibly a lot of it. I’ve got fifteen minutes to get the gear and get out, which allows for them spotting me the second I get in the door and calling for help. This is an office and monitoring facility, and not a military one. It’ll be pretty secure, and there will be some seriously armed individuals in there, but it’s not like breaking into an army base. But Susan is pretty sure that they can call in some high-powered reinforcements in a hurry if needed. If that happens I don’t plan to stick around.

This would be easier if I’d developed invisibility as one of my powers, but then I’d have to go in naked, so I’m not sure that would be an improvement. I’ll be doing this at super speed, which has really gotten fast. To put it mildly.

Tyler The Wonder Geek has a theory that once each of my powers emerge it grows stronger for a while until it’s fully developed. They don’t just appear all at once. That’s why I struggle each time a new one shows up. Speed was the first thing I discovered at the warehouse when I woke up, and now it’s a whole different thing.

When I move at super speed, it doesn’t seem to me like I’m moving fast, it’s like the whole rest of the world slows down. Objects hang in the air and people look like they’re wax figures, but it’s really just my perception. I move so fast that I’m just a blur to anyone I pass, assuming they notice me at all. And if I touch something while at that speed it almost explodes from the momentum. Everything becomes incredibly fragile.