"Soon, I think. I’m still figuring this out. We are waiting on the third verification of the bactimen." I suddenly realized that I had no idea how I was supposed to do this new role.
But I’d been a manager of people for a few years, so I tried to use some of that experience.
"Actually, follow me." I turned and headed back to the BSH tent and pushed into the room with the whiteboard.
If I was going to do this, I was going to do it right.
"Report on the situation at Fifth and Corway," I firmly asked the lady who had been excited earlier.
She held her hand up over her ear and around the Bluetooth device for a moment before speaking to whoever was on the other end. "Ratgirl confirmed?"
Then she turned to me. "Beatrix, analyst." She held out her hand for me to shake.
"Zayn. Kim just put me in charge of this one." I hooked a thumb over my shoulder at Stella, who waved her fingers at Beatrix.
"Ratgirl just sent some of her little guys down there and confirmed.
There’s a huge mass of bactimen just below the intersection."
I nodded, trying to figure out what that meant we should do next. "Sorry, I’m new at this.
What exactly do I do now?"
Beatrix scrambled and snagged two earpieces off a charging station before fiddling with both of them. "Here.
I put these two on their own private frequency.
Your job is to go with her and stay nearby.
You supply us with updates as she goes in and help instruct her."
I took the earpiece and put it in while handing the other to Stella.
"Hear me loud and clear, Master?"
I nearly choked at her term for me. "Do not call me that."
Grabbing Stella, I pulled her out of the tent in a hurry, even as Beatrix and several other girls were giggling to themselves.
"But I told them. I’m like a succubus bound to you, my warlock." She smiled widely.
"That’s not what happened," I grumbled.
Stella covered her earpiece and stared into my eyes. "You are hiding your power, so I made up a story that had nothing to do with it.
But I kind of liked the sound of it."
I opened my mouth, ready to argue with her, but then I clicked it closed.
She was being considerate, in her own way.
"We’ll figure something else out rather than ’Master’. I think in the context of BSH, they will find it inappropriate and maybe remove me as your manager if you keep it up." I tried a new tactic.
The horror on her face told me it worked.
She wasn’t going to be calling me ’Master’ anytime soon.
"Okay, to Fifth and Conway," I said.
Stella blinked. "I have no idea where that is, or I’d fly there."
I also needed to get there, and taxis weren’t exactly running during the shutdown.
I wanted to smack myself as I said, "This one time I’ll let you fly me somewhere."
Stella grabbed me before I knew what was happening, and she leapt six stories up into the air.
Wings materialized on her back as we moved, and she started flying.
"Which way?" she asked as we soared over the city.
---
We landed down at the intersection fifteen minutes later.
It was eerily quiet while all the citizens were in lockdown.
Military patrolled the sidewalks, enforcing the lockdown and protecting any wayward citizens that wandered out.
"Below us is the mass of bactimen for you to suck dry.
You handled them pretty well on your own last night.
You can do this, Stella. I’ll be right here, and I’ll keep you connected to the greater network.
How do you feel?"
Stella was still grinning ear to ear from being able to carry me as she flew.
Somehow, that was a big win for her.
"I’m okay, Zayn. I just need you close by." She paused and turned around, her voice low as she asked, "Actually, could I get a little... boost?"
I knew what she meant.
Giving her my hand, she wrapped it over her own before pressing my hand over her heart.
I tried to ignore that I was pressing my hand into her soft chest and the pleasant feeling of the tingles as her ability siphoned power from me.
"That feels so good. Both the help and knowing you are here.
Here to help me." She looked up at me. "Thank you, Zayn, from the bottom of my heart." Stella let out an enormous sigh as she pulled my hand away.
Dipping her head, she laid a big wet kiss on the back of my hand.
Instantly, I felt the difference.
Her lips drew an incredible amount of power in just a short touch.
The tingling was several times over what touching her chest had been.
"Did you feel that?" Stella touched her lips with two fingers. "My lips are much better at absorbing."
I nodded, still a little dumbfounded. "Yes, but I think to remain professional, my hand on your back would work in the future," I tried to once again put up boundaries.
She glowered at me, clearly picking up on my tactic. "Fine, I’m going down to deal with the mass of bactimen."
Stella grabbed the manhole cover and tossed it aside like it was a scrap piece of paper.
She made her wings disappear as she dropped into the sewer without a care for the fall.
There was a big splash before more sounds erupted from the manhole.
I heard loud gurgles, followed by rumbles from bactimen.
The ground shook slightly from the battle that had just started.
I frowned. "Stella, is everything okay?"
A loud boom sounded.
"Yeah, just taking a little frustration out on them first.
There are hundreds down here."
Another boom shook the asphalt under my feet.
"Maybe you should start draining them to thin those numbers out."
Yet another boom rippled out as she took her frustrations on the green men.
"Na, they make great punching bags.
It’s very cathartic when you are frustrated about a boy who’s blind as a bat to romantic gestures."
I tried not to worry too much as I heard more booms of the bactimen being beaten to a pulp.
I let her do her thing, beginning to wonder just how strong she was.
Going over to the manhole cover, I prodded it with my foot without using my superpower.
The thing didn’t even budge.
Putting my foot on it, I had to strain to slide the thing.
And she had just tossed it to the side like it was nothing.
One giant boom sounded.
"Alright, I think I’m good. Going to start working to eliminate them," Stella said, panting over the mic.
"Good work, hero," I encouraged her, but I also kept it distant by not using her name.
"You know, I almost didn’t realize you were talking to me.
So weird being called a hero," she replied cheerfully.
I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me.
This whole situation was messed up.
I couldn’t believe I was working for the BSH.