Heroes & Roses (X-ray and Vav)

Chapter 11: Suit Up

It had been over a month since I had my first practice using my powers. Since then I had learned I had X-Ray vision, Heat vision, and Night vision. Anything to do with eyes, I was your guy. Right now I was working on Freeze vision, next would be Telescopic vision (the ability to magnify/extend one's vision to various levels).

I was sitting on a computer doing research when Geoff approached me.

"What are you doing?" He asked curiously. I sigh and shake my head, closing the browser.

"I was looking up information on the Mad King, seeing what there is to know," I turn to face Geoff. Upon seeing him it was apparent he wanted to ask me something, considering he looked worried but trying poorly to restrain it.

"What's up?" Geoff leaned against a nearby wall, so I stood up to be eye level with him. He chuckled a bit.

"It's not like I'm worried, Jack and Michael thinks I'm worried, but I'm not worried, I swear," I raise an eyebrow.

"Geoff, what are you 'not' worried about?" I ask. He smiled.

"It's time to suit up, X-Ray. The King is sending some Knights to pick up a package from a nearby warehouse. We need to get it and bring it back here, and your coming to help," He concluded tastefully. I let out a huff of air. This is going to be my first mission, my very first mission!

"Holy shit, really?!" I ask excitedly. Geoff nodded with a small smile. I didn't know why he was so nervous, he had no reason to be, I've been practicing. I was fairly comfortable with my powers by this point, even though they were still developing as I discovered them. I could see through solid objects, I could see in pitch darkness, hell I could melt metal by looking at it. I give him a small smile and pat his shoulder before bolting out of the room to go to my own.

I wanted to prepare, to get ready somehow, but I had no idea what to do! practice? get dressed? In what? Jeans? I pace my room, walking back and forth in front of the dresser. I gave a small jump whenever my door opened, only to reveal the happy-hearted Gavin Free behind it. My chest gave a small leap that didn't reflect in my emotions.

"Jesus, Gavin! it's been over two months and you still don't know how to knock!" He walked back out of the room and closed the door behind him. At first I thought I had upset him, but then I hear a loud knock on the door followed by Gavin re-entering the room. I gave a small chuckle and sat on the edge of the bed.

"That's better. What's up?" I ask, now noticing he was holding something in his hands. He had proud expression on his face as he handed me the green bundle he had been holding.

"Your uniform!" He said, watching my reaction carefully. I open it up to observe it. It was lime green and made out a light material that appeared flimsy, but was actually fairly strong. It also had a long black cape with silver lining and black boots and gloves to go with it. The emblem was on the chest, it was a dark green, lightning shaped "X" in a white circle. I guess it corresponded with my new hero name; X-Ray. I laughed whenever I saw it was a unitard with the black underwear on the outside.

"Your really going with the whole comic-book, superhero-type costumes, aren't you?" Gavin smiled and nodded.

"Mines similar, but more colorful," I chuckled at the though of Gavin in a skin-tight, rainbow colored unitard.

"Well, it's better then nothing!" I say brightly. I was in an unusually happy mood considering the night that was to come. Gavin nodded and was about to head out before turning around again on his heels.

"I almost forgot!" He searched around in his jacket pockets before pulling out a pair of black rimmed glasses with red and orange swirled lenses.

"Heat seeking glasses, kinda like infrared vision. They're your prescription. It's the only eye-related power you don't have! So far at least," He threw me the glasses and I caught them carefully. That's fucking cool as shit! I look them over before smiling at Gavin.

"Thanks, Vav!" He smiled brightly. "X-Ray and Vav, superheroes together 5ever!" He retorted. After how drunk he was that night I couldn't believe he remembered everything he had said. He still called me, him, and Michael 'Team Lads', and he's also grown to calling Jack and Geoff 'Team Gents'.

"Team Lads' leaving at 1AM sharp, the Gents are staying behind. Make sure to be ready! First mission, must be exciting!" With that, Gavin left and closed the door behind him.

It was 12:30AM when Gavin came to my room again, still failing to knock as he did. I was dressed in my new uniform, and surprisingly it was quite comfortable and enjoyable to wear. It made me feel like a real superhero. Gavin walked in smiling, he must be excited too. Since I've been here he hasn't gone out on any trips or missions, so I this must be his first in months. It was a moment before I noticed that we were both laughing hysterically. He was laughing at my costume and I was laughing at his. Gavin was wearing a red, white, and blue outfit. His boots were red with white lining as were his gloves, his outside-underwear were plain red, his unitard was blue. The emblem he wore was on his chest. It had what looked like the outline of a man with a hat, but the British flag was the design.

"You look like a Superman wannabe!"

"You look like a lime! I s'pose it matches since your such a fruit!" It took a few minutes to regain our composure, but we got it eventually. "Come on, let's find Micoo."

I follow Gavin out of the room and to the Gaming room (commonly referred to as the X-Box room) to find Michael. Whenever we found him he also laughed at our costumes.

"You guys are so gay!" Gavin turns a light shade of pink and takes a small step away from me, which makes my stomach sink a bit. Michael was wearing his banjo kazooi hoodie along with the bright blue backpack and brown pants. Backpack for weapons? I wonder

"Alright bitches, here's what's going to happen. Last time we made the mistake of bringing whatever the knights were delivering here without checking what was in the box," Geoff told us, "and that didn't turn out well. So once you get it, examine it before bringing it here. Got it? Good, now look, Ray, I trust you completely, but still be careful, okay?" I nod at Geoff lightly. I had been excited up to this point, and I still was, but now I could feel the familiar feeling of nervousness crawling up my spine. Geoff gave an encouraging smile before 'shoo'ing us away.

We all made our way to the elevator. all that was ever in the elevator was a down button, but now looking as Michael hit the back wall panel with a sequence of random knocks, a hidden silver button popped up above the 'down' button. Gavin pushed the button and I could feel us getting pushed upwards instead of down. Huh, never knew it did that. I also thought about how it was the first time I'd been out of the labs since my assault. The sun was gonna hurt. I enjoy the short ride up before the elevator doors open. Michael fearlessly walks out first, followed by Gavin, then me.

I expected to walk out of elevator doors, but once out I look behind me to see a large, brown box sitting in an alleyway. They disguised the elevator as a box, those idiots. It was actually pretty clever if you thought about it. Just by looking around you could tell we weren't in the best neighborhood, and an empty box didn't mean anything to anyone. If anything people would probably think a homeless man lived in it.

"Come on, X-Ray! Car's this way!" Michael called, or Mogar would be a more appropriate name for him at the moment. Jack had warned me about using our real names whilst out and about, It could cause harm. I followed him over to a empty, nearby street.

"There's nothing there genius, someone jacked it," I say as we reach the street edge. Gavin smirked slightly as Michael pulled keys out of his pocket and clicked them into the air on the street. What the hell is he doing? However I didn't have to wonder for long, soon Michael put the keys back in his pocket and opened a car door.

"The car is invisible?" I ask with obvious surprise. Team Nice Dynamite (Michael and Gavin's team name) got in the car before I followed after. Michael hopped in front to drive while Gavin and I sat in the back.

"Here we go," we all say in luckily-timed unison.

Michael put the keys in the ignition and began to drive.

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Thank you all for reading! As of this moment this story has over 200 views, and I want to thank you all so much for taking the time to even look at my story! I know it's slow now, but it'll speed up soon!

**Chapter 12: First Mission, coming soon!!**