Page 19 of Breathless Recruiter

“Then you go home and take off your clothes and get dirty.” Before I could open my mouth, she answered. “Have sex.”

Earth Mom had explained sex using stuffed animals. She had done her best, but it wasn’t until I moved to Vanguard I figured out that it was more than lengthy hugs. Drew explained most humans didn’t discuss their favorite porn in the break room. I didn’t understand why that was wrong, but discussing television shows was okay.

“I’m not sure I want to have drinks with him.”

The doors to the elevator shut, and we descended. I swayed in time to the soft music playing. Other than my chocolate bar, this was my favorite part of the day. An entire room filled with music? Our old elevator never worked. Tomorrow, I might have my lunch here just to hear the violins.

“Have you gone on any dates since coming to Vanguard?”

I shook my head.

“What’s the worst that could happen?”

Zaster made me uncomfortable. I couldn’t tell if the uneasy feeling came from him being a scientist or because he stole my Fudgy bar. Kiki’s homework required me to interact with humans outside the office. I should have taken a zero and avoided him. He wasn’t the man I wanted to spend time with. I couldn’t hide my smile as I thought of Dustin. If I was going to touch somebody, I wanted it to be him.

“You’re an invulnerable heap of muscle.” If she only knew. “I say go out, get some practice. Who knows, maybe you’ll have a good time?”

“What if I don’t?”

“Then you act like it never happened.”

Humans were an odd bunch. Did they really socialize with people they didn’t like? For fun? Kiki wanted me to make friends outside of the office. Maybe those uneasy feelings would go away after we talked?

The door of the elevator opened to the sounds of screams. People in lab coats panicked with their arms in the air as they ran from the entrance. Stepping from the elevator, we waited for the people to vanish.

“This is unexpected,” Janet said. “Want to clobber a bad guy?”

“Not really.” A quick scan of the room revealed three exits other than the front door. It’d only take a few seconds to run to,less if I grabbed Janet by the waist and flew. While I planned our escape, she rolled up her sleeves, determined to enter the fray.

“Let’s open a can of whoop-ass.”

Gosh darn it, today refused to end.

6

“Today we die,”Janet bellowed.

She broke the head off a mop, twirling the wood shaft about her. I turned to the HeroApp™. Scientists fled the lobby, bolting for the nearest fire escape. Other than the information desk, nothing separated us from the bad guy. I snapped a photo of the man in head-to-toe red and black spandex. A second later, it brought up his profile along with his origin story and powers.

“Prowler’s a pyrokinetic.” Fire? That wasn’t so bad. I had been in a burning building before, and it hadn’t hurt me. It tingled as my costume caught fire, but it didn’t leave a lasting mark. What if Prowler’s fire had special abilities? I could withstandnormalfire, but his could be different. I didn’t want to rush in and find out this knucklehead could burn me alive.

Janet let out a war cry. I tried snagging her by the collar but missed. Arthur would be angry if I didn’t stop his twin from being incinerated. Biting my lip, I had to decide between her demise or mine. I wish it was bravery that started me running, but that, too, was driven by fear. If I didn’t save Janet, I wouldn’t have a job.

My feet hardly touched the floor as I sped forward. Prowler raised his hands, and blue fire coated his arms. I picked up my pace as he hurled a fistful of blue flame. Janet had the staff to her side, ready to strike. She only needed to dodge the barrage of liquid fire.

Feet off the ground, I barreled into Janet, knocking us to the floor. The fireball passed overhead.

“Big guy to the rescue?” Prowler’s high-pitched voice didn’t match his muscular body. “Things are about to get hot in here.”

Prowler needed to work on his banter. I sniffed the air as I pushed off Janet. I scanned her body to see she had been unscathed. Something burned, and my nose scrunched up, ready to sneeze.

“You’re on fire.”

My shirt would end up in the trash. She helped pat the tiny flames until they vanished. A moment later, the world vanished in a cloud of white dust. I inhaled and coughed. It tasted horrible. My lungs struggled to breathe. Could this be it? Poison? This is what did me in? Oh, my goodness, it was the beginning of the end.

I hyperventilated until Janet slapped me. “It’s from a fire extinguisher.”

That didn’t mean it couldn’t kill me. Something meant to save humans could be my downfall. I tried to recall a time when I had?—

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