Page 73 of Breathless Recruiter

“I have nothing planned,” Orion said. “It could be fun.”

Orion agreeing to a team-up? What weird world had I stumbled into? If I slipped into an alternate reality in my sleep, it’d be less surprising than him agreeing to a superhero team-up.

“What do you say, Wy?” Drew’s body steadily grew brighter until he reached a bright fluorescent white glow. If he was this excited, how could I say no?

I caved. “I’ll brainstorm names for us.”

“Yes!” Drew’s body flashed blue and then white again. “Orion, you better have a mask.”

The signature eye roll appeared. “I’m already regretting this.”

Janet bumped Drew with her hip. “If you want me to take him out—” She glared at Orion. “—it’ll cost you.” It confirmed my suspicion. She’d definitely be a villain.

“Back to work!” Arthur yelled down the hallway. “Janet, why is there a wanted poster with my face on it?”

“Sorry, boys.” She shot us a wink. “I have a previous engagement.”

It’d be fun hanging out with Drew and Orion. I had no idea what type of heroes they were. Despite the fact we had superpowers, we never discussed our extracurricular activities in the break room. That needed to change. Tonight, I’d take notes and try to improve my heroing. Next time I patrolled with Dustin, I’d have more to teach him. One more step toward becoming the hero I dreamed of.

I checked my phone one more time. Still no reply.

“Working Boys sounds like we’re male escorts,” Orion said.

“I’m not calling us the Damnation Squad,” Drew responded.

While Drew and Orion bickered over the name of our entourage, I flew between them and a maniacal clown. I threw up my arms, blocking an overhead swing from his mallet. It knocked me back with a loud squeak. I prepared to throw him across the abandoned amusement park when he reached to his chest.

The flower squirted in my eyes, forcing me to retreat a few feet. I swatted at it. Acid? Dangerous chemicals? Would this be what— Oh, water.

“Hey, don’t do that,” Drew said. He vanished. He and his suit blended into the white of the circus tent. “Nobody touches my friend.”

The clown spun about. His head jerked to one side before he hunched over. Drew’s powers weren’t flashy, but they made him the stealthy member of our squad. “Not joking around now, are you?”

“Stop it with the clown banter.” Orion had squared off against the clown’s partner. He threw up an arm to block a balloon sword. It struck his metal gauntlet, sparks flying. “If you engage, you’re no better than the clowns.” He slammed his heel onto the clown’s foot, causing it to trip and fall.

“Are clowns always this mean?” I asked.

“Yes,” they said in unison.

Drew picked up his clown and hurled it at Orion’s opponent. The technomancer didn’t duck in time, catching the guy and falling in a heap. We weren’t doing bad, but we wouldn’t be winning ‘Team of the Year’ at the Superhero Awards.

“No more clowning around,” came a loud, gravelly voice.

Their leader had watched as his two lackeys did the dirty work. His face was painted white with tufts of blue hair poking out from his crown. The red foam nose should make him less menacing, but when he smiled, the crooked yellow teeth made him the scariest of the three. The oversized boxing gloves on each hand made me nervous. What cheap clown tricks?—

In a puff of smoke, his gloves rocketed toward Drew. With Orion climbing out from under a pile of clowns, it was up to me to save the day. I tried to hide the smile as I zipped across the tent and smashed into the gloves. Pulling at them, I turned them around and unleashed them on their owner.

“Lights out,” I bellowed as they struck him in the face.

“I said no banter!” Orion shouted. The rocket in his backpack came to life, freeing him from under the clowns. “We’re not witty bantering heroes.”

He could protest all day long, but he was going to lose. I pushed off, flying toward the ring leader. I stopped short as he pulled out a rubber chicken. The swing caught me by the jaw, and it felt like I had been hit by a truck. His other hand pulled his tie from around his neck. With a snap of the wrist, it crackedagainst my chest. Before I could respond, he let go, and the fabric wrapped around my chest, pinning my arms to my side.

“Some help,” I said.

Orion held up his fists, tiny discs launching from his gauntlet. They clung to the clown’s uniform and exploded. The blast sent me rolling to the edge of the tent. His help was going to get me killed. We would need to discuss strategy before we went out on our next patrol.

“Sorry,” Orion said. “Haven’t field tested the new toys.”

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