Tekgrrl Read online

  “The band’s pretty good,” Luke remarked, filling the gap in conversation since we weren’t one of those couples who could practically glue themselves together to the beat of the music.

  “For this kind of thing, sure,” I said.

  “Not much on acoustic versions of classic rock songs?”

  “I prefer the originals.”

  “And here I thought you’d say you prefer death metal.”

  “It’s a common misconception,” I said. “The hair throws everyone. I look like I write angsty Goth poetry in my spare time, not recalibrate my perpetual motion machine.”

  Luke laughed. “A reporter asked me the other day for a comment about this rapper, and acted mad that I didn’t know who it was. I don’t know if I was expected to know because I’m half-black, or because we’re celebrities too.”

  “Please, I’m the one who listens to rap, not you!” I grinned. “The only thing I’ve heard you listen to is instrumental stuff and jazz. You like music you can meditate to, not that makes you want to fight the power.”

  “That’s your department,” he agreed, laugh lines crinkling his mouth in the way that always made my insides melt.

  “I think that’s the kind of thing that makes people not take me seriously,” I said, sobering. “Lainey’s my friend and I love her, but it’s, like, since she showed up, all she’s done is served as a reminder of how immature I am.”

  Luke frowned. “Not everyone has to get married and have kids, Mindy. I don’t know if I’m the settling-down type, either.”

  That was like a red-hot poker in my stomach, because I was the settling-down type; but I went on. “It’s not the married-with-kids thing. It’s just…how she is. And how Wesley is. They’re both so much more than us. A lot of us,” I amended, not wanting to insult Luke. “They’re like how I was when I was a kid and my parents started bringing me around the EHJ, wide-eyed and wanting to save the world. I wanted to be someone important. Not like a celebrity, but someone that mattered. Who did good. And then I joined and there were publicists and action figures, and saving the world starting taking a backseat to name recognition and patent agreements. It was all so juvenile. And then she and Wesley stood up to the Dragon and stopped the apocalypse, and what did I do?”

  Luke’s face was grim. “You almost died, Mindy! I was there. You were fading fast. If it hadn’t been for your technology and Wesley’s magic, you wouldn’t still be here. And we all helped in that fight. Lainey and Wesley had a bigger part to play, but we all shed blood. Rath died, for God’s sake!”

  The mention of our former team leader, who had been killed in the fight against the Dragon, made things worse. I whispered, “They’re the heroes. I’m just playing at being one. I’m a poser.”

  Luke shook his head. I realized we had stopped dancing at some point in the conversation and were standing still, his hand on my waist. It sent tingles through me. “Yes, Mindy, we lost our way somewhere. That’s why I was glad to get the Reincarnist back. I really think he can help us regain our focus. The EHJ can be everything it was always supposed to be.”

  “I hope so.”

  Sighing, I turned and walked off the dance floor, heading for the nearby doors to the outside balcony. From that vista atop the Elite Hands of Justice headquarters, we could see Megolopolis in all its breathtaking glory. I hardly saw any of it as I walked outside, lost as I was in my thoughts. The sounds of the city filtered up to me.

  “I know we will,” Luke said, following me to lean against the rail. I felt his perusal. “And it’s always good to want personal growth in your life, not just money or fame or the other misguided goals society puts in front of us.”

  I smiled. “That sounds like very good advice. Thank you, Sensei.” That was the name by which the public knew Lucas Harmon.

  He put his hand on my shoulder. “I fall just as short as you do, Mindy. I’ve been just as distracted by the glitter, not focusing enough on helping people,” he admitted. “We could all stand to be more honest with ourselves—and with each other.” He cleared his throat and looked away. “We should all make every day count.”

  “Now that is very good advice,” I agreed, and felt my hands shaking against the cool balcony railing. I had to say more. He was right, I had to be honest with him if I wanted any chance of finally being a grown-up about the way I felt about him.

  “Mindy—”

  “Luke, I need to tell you something,” I interrupted, turning to face him and not the skyline. “You know I had a crush on you when I was younger, right?”

  His smile of embarrassment and the way he ran his hand through his close-cropped black hair told me all I needed to know. He cleared his throat. “Well…”

  Fear of humiliation burned through me, and I wanted this over as quickly as possible. “Okay, so I made it obvious. We both know that. But…I just need to tell you that’s all in the past. I feel like it’s kind of kept us apart, you know?” I didn’t want him to be uncomfortable around me anymore.

  “It doesn’t have to keep us apart.” He moved closer, looking down at me with half-hooded dark brown eyes.

  My soul wanted him to be staring at me with love, but my brain told me that was impossible. This was only pity I saw; kindness. I was always going to be a surrogate kid sister to him. I had to stop living in the past, in my dream world. I had to move on.

  I steeled myself and said, “You’re right, it doesn’t. And I don’t want it to any longer.”

  He smiled, and my heart almost hurt from how gorgeous he was. He said, “Neither do I. I just didn’t know how to approach you about it.”

  I shook my head, embarrassed despite my resolution of honesty. “Yeah, I made it pretty awkward between us, didn’t I? I’m sorry for not saying something sooner.” I touched his arm, careful to keep it sisterly. “Thank you for being so understanding about this, Luke. I’m glad we can move on now and just be friends.”

  He straightened, back to business as usual. How sweet of him to try to make this less awkward for me. He had probably been waiting ages for me to put this silly tension between us to rest. So many uncomfortable years, and they were all my fault. “Yeah, no problem.”

  “Maybe we can actually work patrols together now,” I suggested. “Maybe we can schedule that, now that we’ve handled this. I think there’s a lot I could learn from you, since we’re the only two on the team who don’t have any specific powers.”

  “Sure, that can probably be arranged,” he replied. “I’d like that. Now that we’re actually doing patrols again instead of publicity shots at the latest celebrity hot spots.”

  “I hear that.” Thinking of the others, I looked inside and noticed how a lot of the guests were starting to leave. “Looks like they’re packing it in. We’d better get back in there.” Plus, that would end this somewhat humbling episode.

  He followed my gaze, looking inscrutable. “We should. Thanks for getting me out on the dance floor.”

  “My pleasure.”

  I took the arm he held out, and we headed in to say our good-byes.

  Just inside the doors, Lainey was in conversation with a glamorous woman whose flawless cocoa brown skin and dress made her look like she’d just walked off a fashion shoot. Her artfully arranged hair and simple but elegant makeup were perfection, and she had the air of someone who didn’t have to work hard to pull it all off. I fought a wave of jealousy.

  “Guys, this is my friend, Selena Curtis,” Lainey said, motioning Luke and I over. “We went to The School together. Selena, these are my teammates and friends, Mindy Clark and Lucas Harmon.”

  “Hi,” I told the Glamazon, friendly enough to be polite.

  “Hello,” she replied. “Tekgrrl, I presume.”

  “Yeah, that’s me.” I shrugged. “I’m afraid I don’t know your alias.”

  “Granite,” she supplied with a smile. “Any friend of Lainey’s and all that.”

  “Uh-huh.” I noticed her eyes on Luke, and my blood pressure spiked.

  S
he held out a French-manicured hand with one tasteful ring and bracelet. “Sensei, correct?”

  “That’s right,” Luke said, taking her hand and kissing it like a courtly gentleman from a period film. I gaped, and I know Lainey did as well. “Pleasure to meet you.”

  “It’s all mine,” she replied, giving him a dazzling smile. Even her teeth were perfect—and probably not from braces, either. How could Lainey be friends with someone like this?

  She spoke up, interrupting whatever was going on between her pal and Lucas. “Selena was just telling me Paul offered to bring her in for an interview about the new position. They’re going to talk tomorrow morning.”

  “Are you going to take it? If it’s offered, I mean?” I blurted this, praying the answer was no. I couldn’t imagine this woman as part of our team.

  Luck was not with me. “I don’t know yet,” the beauty queen answered. “Lainey knows I’ve turned down working with the EHJ before, but with the Reincarnist back, you guys are likely to go in a new direction that I have to admit is exciting. And tempting.” She gave Luke another dazzling smile. “Plus, work with the Fives has gotten a bit monotonous, so I’m looking for a change.”

  “We still haven’t talked about who our team leader’s going to be,” Lainey said, throwing a cautious glance in Paul’s direction. “Just because Wes has been directing the team since Rath died doesn’t mean he’s going to stay in control. There’s some question…”

  Ms. Perfect rolled her eyes. “Lainey, your man should be acting in that role and you know it.”

  “Maybe so, but it’s not like he and I don’t have other things to worry about.” Lainey shifted her weight so that her baby could drool on her other shoulder. I could tell the poor kid was tuckered out from a long night of partying with her parents. “Raising Emily with the possibility of her apocalyptic destiny is going keep us both busy.” According to an ancient book, Emily was someday either going to save the world from the ultimate forces of evil or help them destroy it. The Dragon and his cronies wanted to make sure it was the latter and we wanted to make sure it was the former.

  “Which is why you need the extra help,” Selena spoke up. “And the more I think about it, the more I’m hoping whomever you all decide is team leader will think I’m the woman for the job.”

  Luke smiled. “I’ve heard about you. We could always use someone with your talent. A real powerhouse.”

  I shot him a look. Was he flirting with her? She did remind me of the women he had dated in the past: stylish and beautiful beyond the scope of the rest of us plain Janes.

  Granite smiled at him. “I don’t know if I’m a powerhouse, but thank you for the encouragement. I always get nervous before interviews, you know?” She raised an empty champagne glass. “I’ve probably drunk more of these than was a good idea. It’s a good thing you offered to let me use one of the spare rooms here, Lainey.”

  “It seemed silly for you to come all this way tonight for the party, then turn around and have to come back in the morning,” my friend replied.

  “Well, I appreciate it,” Selena said. “If you don’t mind, I think I should probably turn in now for some much-needed beauty sleep.”

  “I don’t know if it’s much needed, but I’ll be glad to show you to your room,” Luke put in. “Any particular one, Lainey?”

  My friend and I stared at him, openmouthed.

  “Whatever’s open,” Lainey said, still clearly in shock.

  “That’d be great, thanks,” Selena enthused, as if Luke had offered to take her to Paris instead of down the hall. “I’ll see you in the morning, Lainey. Lattes are on me!” She took Luke’s arm. “Shall we?”

  “I think I’ll turn in after this, so I’ll say good night, too,” Luke remarked. “Mindy, Lainey, I’ll see you two in the morning.”

  “Good night, Luke,” Lainey said.

  “Good night,” I echoed, watching the two saunter off together.

  Turning to Lainey, I muttered, “Good thing we’re just friends now or I would be incredibly jealous.”

  “I’m so sorry! I never would have invited her if I had known she’d go for Luke like that,” Lainey said. “So, what happened with you two?”

  “Obviously nothing good,” I grumbled, nodding to where he had walked off. “We danced, we talked, I got my stupid crush out of the way and we’re going to try to be better friends. He’s going to let me do patrols with him and train with him a bit. I think I can learn a lot.”

  “That’s all?” Lainey looked more disappointed than I felt. “I thought for sure after the way he acted when you were injured in that fight with the Dragon—”

  “Well, obviously you misinterpreted,” I snapped. “Because as far as Luke and I go, we’re friends. Friends with absolutely no benefits.”

  Lainey made a sympathetic wince. “I’m sorry, Mindy.”

  I sighed. “Don’t be, it’s not your fault. This is what I need to help me move on. And truthfully, I’m glad we had it out.” I looked over her shoulder. “Here comes your husband.”

  Lainey grinned. “Husband. I’ll never get tired of hearing someone say that.”

  Wesley put his arms around her waist in that sweet and comfortable way some couples practically ooze. “Can you tell everyone to go home now?”

  Lainey bumped against him. “Could you be more antisocial if you tried?”

  “Yes, I probably could. I think I’ve been congratulated on our wedding and for turning twenty-one again by every person in this room multiple times, and I drank enough champagne to qualify as overdoing it.”

  “Good thing you’re legal,” Lainey quipped. “Wouldn’t want to arrest you for underage drinking.”

  Her husband laughed. “If I drink any more, you’re going to have to learn how to cast hangover cure spells. But I have better things in mind.” He dropped a kiss on her neck. “Since we’re still in our honeymoon phase.”

  “Careful, you two, that’s how things like that happen,” I warned, nodding to the sleeping Emily. “But why don’t you guys go ahead and take off. Paul, Kate, Toby and I can take care of shooing people out and paying the caterers.”

  “You don’t mind?” Lainey asked. She didn’t look away from her husband, and I couldn’t mistake her hopeful tone of voice.

  “Of course not. Just don’t be late for the staff meeting in the morning or Paul’s head might explode.”

  “As long as I don’t have to get the coffee,” Lainey remarked. “I should get one day off.”

  As the newest hire, one of her jobs since she’d arrived was to get coffee orders in the morning. Yes, we were in the business of saving people; yes, we were big-time celebrities with our pictures in the newspapers all the time; and yes, we might all be über-geniuses; but the way the EHJ was set up, one of us heroes still had to do the grunt work, and that task had fallen on Lainey. No wonder she was trying to get her old friend to come on board: She didn’t want to be the gofer anymore.

  “Toby or I will take care of it,” I promised.

  “Thanks,” Lainey said, giving me a hug. “We’ll be at the meeting bright and early.”

  “Not too bright or early.” Wesley winked at me as the two of them walked off, his arm around her waist and their sleeping child drooling on Lainey’s shoulder. I couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous.

  “So how did it go?” Toby asked, coming up behind me.

  “It ended with Luke escorting another woman to her bedroom, so don’t ask.” I turned to look at him. “How’d it go with the waiter?”

  “He talked about boy bands the whole time.”

  I burst out laughing, both at Toby’s information and the expression on his face.

  “I don’t need to date a walking stereotype, thanks,” Toby continued. He slung an arm around my shoulder. “So, we continue to be the dateless wonders of the team.”

  “Looks like,” I agreed.

  I smiled at him. I might not have a romantic relationship, but I had a kick-ass job and great friends. What more coul
d a girl want?

  CHAPTER THREE

  Where was that strange hum coming from?

  I blinked against the blinding light. How had I even fallen asleep with it right over my eyes, and what was that obnoxious noise? I tried to move my head so I could pinpoint from which direction it emitted, but found that I couldn’t; I was held still by something cold. Metal, perhaps. I tried to reach a hand to brush away whatever it was, but discovered my arms felt heavy, weighed down by something, almost as though they had been numbed through anesthesia: I was aware they existed, but they were unresponsive. A quick test determined my legs suffered a similar fate.

  Panic rose up in me, made all the worse by the blinding light and the fact that I couldn’t escape. I concentrated despite the unnerving hum, and tried to move something; anything. A soft groan burned deep in my throat, and I felt pain. The more aware I became, the more my body registered that something wasn’t right, and the pain soon rocketed through me like lightning. I moaned and tried to writhe, to get away from whatever tormented me, but I couldn’t get far.

  A hydraulic hiss filled the air and I heard footsteps, followed by heavy male voices speaking a harsh, guttural language I didn’t recognize. They were arguing about something, judging from the tone of their voices. Or maybe they always sounded this pissed off?

  Casting my eyes toward my feet, away from the light above, I could see large shapes moving in the darkness surrounding my bed. They inched closer, stepping near enough to become no longer sinister shadows but sinister-looking humanoids. One had skin too dark to be human, almost obsidian, and what looked like scales. Another was pale, almost bright white, and had a vaguely feline look to his eyes and nose, like those people who have gotten too much plastic surgery. A third was green, and actually had claws on the hand he used to tighten whatever was holding my head still.

  As they leaned over me, my eyes widened, taking in their large, bulky bodies clad in strange attire: almost tribal-looking leathers and torn one-piece flight suits covered with grime and who knew what else, all sewn together coarsely to fit much larger forms. Their dirty and matted hair resembled dreadlocks, with bits of bone and metal twisted in. What skin showed on their bodies was pierced with hooks and bits of metal, only slightly less terrifying than the wicked-looking blades hanging from their belts. I tried to scream, but my throat caught.