Hero Engine Read Online Free PDF Page A

there is a formal investigation, why us?” Ann takes a look at me, sitting here in my police uniform.
    “The heroes stick together. They won’t be willing to give up much information. And the SHI is as much of a political organization as any. Therefore, they won’t like results that make the Initiative look bad. There will be a half-assed investigation done, and heroes will be on the lookout for Tess. My guess is when they find her, she will resist arrest. Safe money’s on her being killed in the ensuing struggle. Her story will die along with her and the investigation will end with everything blamed on the psycho cape going crazy.”
    Ann flinches at the word ‘cape’, a derogatory term for heroes for as long as they’ve been around. With the exception of The Patriot, a cape and spandex is a pretty big no-no among heroes.
    “So this investigation is off the books, yeah?” Ann sits perfectly still as she awaits Vince’s response.
    “Very much so. I’ve given my approval for you to have access to any Initiative tools you need at your disposal, but don’t expect a lot of outside help.”
    “Where do we start?” I click my pen faster, ready to get out of this damn office and get to work.
    “As for Tess, I want you to go talk to The Patriot, River, and Flaura. River used to be in a relationship with Tess and has been on leave for almost a week. The Patriot was holding a relationship with Tess and Flaura worked with her on occasion.”
    “Wait, wait, wait. Those are superheroes. You want me to go interrogate unwilling people with super powers who probably won’t like us or anything we have to say?” This sounds like some bullshit that’s going to get me killed.
    “Exactly, but you’re going to have Ann. She’ll serve as your protection.”
    Ann’s cheeks redden.
    “Ann’s a hero?”
    “Of sorts.” Vince smiles. “I’ll let her tell you about it on your ride out to New York City to talk to The Patriot. While you are gone, I’m going to do my best to get you a list of important AHA members to interrogate.”
    “Split my time between angry heroes and a hate group? Sounds like just another day in ATL. This will be a bla…”
    The spikey-hair guy is standing outside the office, peering in the window. I stand up from my seat. “Hey, you!”
    He takes off running down the hall. I burst out the door behind him and hobble-run after his ass. Not having a crushed hip means the guy can sprint a hell-of-a-lot faster than me. “Hey,” I yell, “somebody stop that asshole.”
    Behind me, Vince and Ann come flying out the conference room. They barrel over a lady who has stopped to watch the action and the three of them go down in a tangle of limbs and cursing. “Help him,” Vince yells from his position underneath the woman and on top of Ann.
    The guy running stops. He doesn’t just stop running, he freezes mid-stride like somebody just hit the ‘pause’ button. I catch up to the guy. He’s just hanging out there. I give him a little shove. The push doesn’t faze him.
    “Glad I could help. We don’t get much action when we’re stuck around this place.” An Asian man walks up to my side. He holds out a hand. “They call me Sus. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around here before.”
    I take his hand. “Uh, Sus?”
    “Yeah, as in, short for Suspension.” He motions to the man suspended mid-run.
    “Well, Sus, I’m Jim Quig. And this is my first visit. I’m Vince’s cousin, up from Georgia for the weekend.”
    “Uh-huh, I see,” Sus says with that kind of suspicion that says he doesn’t really see. “Well, are you ready for me to let him go?”
    Vince has gathered himself up next to me, but Ann is standing back by the conference room. “Have you got some place to hold a prisoner?”
    “Yes,” Vince says.
    “Okay, let him go,” I say to Sus. “No, wait a minute.” This fucker made me run. My hip hurts like all hell from it, too. I stand in front of the guy so we are facing each