Hero

Chapter Twenty-Three

A few days later, the entire POWER group was called in for a meeting that Randi had deemed as ‘TOP SECRET’.  “Alright, can you stop it with all the secrecy and just tell us what this meeting is about, Randi?” asked SnowSword, while Energia kicked her feet up on the large wooden conference table we were all gathered around.  Psychico frowned and flicked his wrist at her, causing her to begrudgingly put her boots back down on the floor.   “I mean, I have to use my off-day at work to once again fill out boring paperwork, and I’d prefer it if this batch were actually done before the next EVILS attack.”  One thing I was quickly learning about the POWER group was that they liked to keep their busy work out of the public eye, like all of the paperwork they had to fill out every time they destroyed something from the city.  In order for Everground to write it off as a national defense issue, they had to have the heroes confirm that they did, in fact, make all the destruction.  But they still had to pay for all their own private property destruction, which apparently ate up most of their paychecks.

“Well, if what my sources and Proph say are true—and both usually are—then there isn’t going to be much time for you to finish that mountain of paperwork before they strike again.”  She slammed a thick binder down on the table and indicated for one of her assistants to hand us each an identical binder.  “The EVILS decided something the other day.  There’s going to be a Fellowship within the EVILS structure.”

Everyone around the table gasped, except for the Prophet.  It seemed as though this was particularly terrifying news…and considering we fought in deadly battles, that was saying something.  After a second, I gasped as well and said loudly, “So would someone mind telling me what a Fellowship is?”

Energia rolled her eyes and groaned.  “Oh my fuck, you can be so dumb sometimes, Stryke.”

“Oh, don’t act so ‘holier than though’, Gia,” said Tempus Manum, raising an eyebrow as he draped an arm across the back of his chair.  “It wasn’t that long ago that you didn’t know what a Fellowship was, either.”

“It was six years ago,” she said defensively.  “That’s a long as fuck time, especially considering the average employment period of a POWER group member.”  She angrily flipped a strand of brown hair out of her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Stop it now, Gia,” said Psychico, glaring at her.  “Stryker is not incompetent.  Tempus Manum is correct, you didn’t know what it was that long ago either.  It’s a group term.  Don’t act like it’s common knowledge.”

“Okay, this is all well and good, and I thank you both for defending me, but…I still don’t know what a Fellowship is.”  Energia threw her hands up in the air.

“You’re useless.  What do we even keep you around for?”

“It’s a legitimate question, Gia,” said Tempus Manum, frowning at her.

“Oh, whoop-de-fucking-do, the new girl doesn’t know a fucking term,” she complained.  SnowSword patted her arm comfortingly after a slight hesitation.

“I know, Gia.  Life is hard when a family member is sick.”  Luca was still out from her reception job and it had been a little over a week that Energia had been covering for her.  The POWER group’s scheduling was slowly slipping to hell, as was evident by the crowds of people downstairs demanding appointments.  Meanwhile, between caring for Luca, covering as the receptionist, her personal life, and struggling to keep up her image up to date, Energia was one dirty look from a meltdown and it was starting to show.

“She’s just so…much,” Energia said, covering her face with her hands and groaning again.  “It’s exhausting.  And speaking of exhausting…”  She laid her head down on the table and buried her face in her arms without finishing her sentence.