So Not a Hero Read Online Free PDF Page B

hoped I looked as desperate as I felt and as harmless as I knew I wasn’t. “Just for a day or two. Please?”
    “I see,” he said, keeping his eyes locked on me. I felt my underarms and neck starting to sweat under his judging gaze. I felt like I was back in high school and Mr. Danvers was giving me The Eye for misbehaving. Another couple of tense seconds passed and I right when I was about to just say ‘never mind’. He smiled. “I think we can find a dry spot for you to lay your head. Come on in.”
    My mouth dropped open in surprise at the sudden turn-around in demeanor. One second he’s reminding me of the worst teacher I ever had the misfortune of encountering, the next he’s acting like my long-lost grandfather. Dude was either crazy or sly as shit. Not that I gave a damn so long as I had crash space.
    I followed him into the building and down a short, narrow corridor to the center of the warehouse. Sunlight drifted in through the broken skylights and there were still several large wooden crates, busted open in multiple places, adorning the concrete floor. I counted seven cots and bedrolls spread out across the room. Close enough to each other for safety, but far enough away to provide some privacy.
    I made a show of turning around to look at everything without focusing on any one thing. I didn’t want it to seem as if I were canvassing the place. When I faced Derek again, I nodded. “Dry and safe. That’s all I need.”
    “It’s dry.  Safe is open for interpretation.” When I gave him look, he shrugged. “Sometimes we get visitors in the middle of the night. Hoodlums just looking to mess with the homeless. Nothing too serious.” He looked me up and down again. “Of course, that might change if they know there’s a pretty young girl like yourself in here.”
    I glanced from Derek to Natalie and then to the eight other people standing around her. All of them appeared to be almost twice my age and showed signs of having been down on their luck for quite some time. There was a large splotch of graffiti on the far wall, faded from being soaked repeatedly by the downpours coming in from the broken windows above. I nodded at the symbols. “You having problems with some Twelve-Tenners?” I asked, referencing the group associated with that particular sign.
    He grinned a smile that had more teeth missing than present. “No. Twelve-Tens vanished a couple of years ago. Apparently one of them tried to jack Comrade Cosmos and the whole gang caught the backlash. Last I heard, the State was still trying to re-teach them how to eat solid food and walk again.” He shook his head. “No, that group wouldn’t bother us. At least they had enough respect to not kick someone when they’re down. Our issue is with the frat boys.”
    I blinked, not sure I’d heard correctly. “Frat boys? Is that some new gang? Or are you talking about actual college guys?”
    “College boys,” Derek said and a couple of the folks standing behind him nodded. “They like come down here a few nights a week and harass us. Sometimes they can get a little rough.” He gestured at a smaller man in a dirty fatigue jacket with a cast on one wrist. “Broke Jerry’s arm when he tried to get them to leave last time.”
    “Laughed when they did it, too.” Natalie added.
    Derek shrugged. “I guess it makes them feel like big men.” He frowned, looking at me again. “They’re usually drunk or high when they roll up on us. I’m a little afraid that they might do more than just harass you. If you stay, we might not be able to protect you from them.”
    “You mean they might try to have other kinds of fun with me?” I asked. Derek responded with a single nod. “Are they Enhanced?”
    Derek shook his head. “I don’t think so. The only special ability they’ve shown is being gigantic assholes.” He winked and that uneasy familiarity crept back into my mind again.
    “In that case,” I said, “too bad for them.” I took a few steps