New Beginnings

Reaching the summit of the stairs, I was faced with a very narrow hallway. Even now it made me wonder: how. In the he hell did we get the furniture up here? Both my room and Kat's were the farthest down the hall, opposite each other, the bathroom and linen closet the only other doors on this floor. Slowly making y way for my room, I opened the door, carefully, as if it were fragile. Then I saw my room....my real, room. A messed up bed in. The corner, big enough for one person only. A blue blanket, wrinkled to hell and scrunched up in places, lay on top, the lone pillow on the floor right near the headboard. My closet, a very tinny thing that was barely worth the name, was set upon the wall opposite my bed, the door slightly open. A desk, littered with papers and empty soda bottles, was to the right of the room entrance. That was where I went first. There was a picture there that I valued very much; it was a picture of me, and Kat, standing together, smiling, the camera zoomed in our faces. It was during a sunny day in the park, during the fall if the orange leaves in the background were any indicator. Goodbye sis....I'll miss you.

Folding up the picture, I soon became aware of a few small tears already forming. Wiping them away, I pocketed the picture, and went on to the next order of business. Opening the closet, I found my actually suitcase, the one meant for any rare occasion where Kat and I would actually go on a vacation. It was slightly bigger than the suitcase Michael had gotten for me, but it would be enough since at least a quarter of my clothes had been snagged by him. All I had to do was pack the remainder, which wasn't that much in the first place. Once it was all packed, I turned to leave the room, only to see Chris standing in the doorway. "I remember....all the times we used to sit in here. Doing homework, playing games." She ran a hand over the desk, disturbing some of the papers on top. She looked sad, making me think that maybe I wasn't the only one saddened by the loss of my home. "Yeah," I said. "It feels like years." Nothing more to say, I squeezed past her and headed for the bathroom to grab my toothbrush.

A few minutes later, we were walking out the door and back onto the streets. Neither of us really talked, and it was starting to get uncomfortable, so I stopped, looking at Chris. "Chris....I realize how weird it is for me to ask, but is everything okay? You don't seem...okay." She shot me a look that was both apologetic, and depressed. "Sorry James. It's just, being back there...I know it's your home and everything, but it was like a second home for me. And like I said before, we had a lot of good memories there. Just...sad to walk away from it." I noticed how she neglected to mention the one, other thing that was painfully obvious to me. "You can say it Chris." She closed her eyes, face scrunched up. "And there's Kat.....she was like an older sister to me." Funny, because she was my older sister. "Chris, I know." It was all I could say. I gripped her shoulder, squeezing softly. Chris and my sister were close, with Kat treating her like one of the family. The two of them were as friendly as she and I were. "Sorry. I'm not normally this....this..." she trailed off, trying to find the right word. Good grief, she was too tough for her own good. "Emotional?" I suggested solemnly. She nodded her head.

"Look, it's fine Chris. I know how you feel. But for the love of god, I'm supposed to be the emotional one here." Just to emphasize that, I put a hand on my chest, saying "Emotional sap," then followed it by placing the same hand on her shoulder, saying "unstoppable hard-ass."

Thankfully, that made her smile, even got a chuckle out of her. Then she thumped me one on the shoulder. "Yeah, you're right. You always were the pussy." We both traded a laugh, the depressive mood from before slowly vanishing. After that it was a silent, if lighthearted, walk back home.

Later that night, I sat alone in my room, the lights off and the only source of illumination coming from the window. I was unsure about this, mostly because on a certain level, I felt like I was spitting in Michael and Chris' face, sneaking out of the house. But, if I was ever going to get a chance to actually see just what the nano-machines could do, this was it.

Okay, first thing's first: we need to disable the security system, or at least get past it without triggering it. Think you can do that from here? I was thinking of sneaking out the window.

Of course our host, however.....you may wish to remove your prosthetics. They will only impede you from here.

I won't lie, I was hesitant to actually do that. I mean, I was just getting used to them, and Gestalt wanted me to remove them. But, he had a point I guess. I was two stories up, and I doubted the new limbs were built to survive a fall from that height, at least when it came to supporting my weight. Sitting down on the bed, I took a deep breath, and started with my leg. The limb, the mechanical bit, ended just above my knee, and where it met my stump, the doctors had surgically attached a 'port.' I didn't know the details, just that it served as an interface for my nervous system and the limb itself, and the same went for my arm. Twisting, it came off with a pop, like a piece of a toy. I didn't worry, since the doctors said that while not recommended, the limbs could be removed and screwed back in with no ill effect. Once it was off, I hid it under my bed, and then did the same with my arm. That was a bit harder, doing it with one hand and all, but I managed to get it off, and hid both limbs under my bed. Okay now that....that sounded weird. Anyway, I sat on my bed, lacking of two limbs, and waited. So.....now what? No sooner did I ask, the a sudden itching occurred all over my body. At first, I thought it was nerves but then I saw, fear suddenly gripping me, that something was starting to seep out of my skin. But then Gestalt spoke again.

Have no fear our host, it is only us. You asked what we can do, and we shall show you. We are small enough that we can seep through the pores of your skin in large numbers, and soon we shall cover the surface of your body, and replace the lost limbs.

It went silent again, and the itching seemed to get better, though the silvery substa- the nanomachines, began to cover me entirely. I stared in awe, as they began to grow from the stumps of my limbs, and soon an arm, and a leg were there. But most importantly.....I could feel again. God, it felt like ages since I felt anything from there, and it made me want to cry in joy, but I restrained myself. Even though I could feel, it didn't look the same, still metallic in coloring. Then I watched as the machines crawled over my face, my eyes.....I thought I had gone blind, only to realize that I had closed my eyes on reflex. Then....I opened them, and looked at my reflection in the mirror.

My god.... I held out a hand, and like my left arm, it was also coated in the same, metallic substance. The nanomachines had formed some kind of layer, or suit around my entire body, even my clothes. After a few seconds, the smooth, featureless surface changed, and was replaced by what looked like a very good impersonation of the human muscular system, but instead of the typical red I saw in school books, this was still the same color of the machines. It seemed to change though, the color I mean, and darkened to a gun metal gray.

Construction of nano-cell epidermis complete. One moment, adjusting facial features.

Oh right. My head looked the same, more or less. My hair was gone, smoothed out and into a shell, but the features of my face were still there. Put it this way: it was basically a nano-machine reconstruction of my face. Try and smooth the features out. Maybe extend yourself over them and make it look, I don't know, like a faceplate or something.

There was the sensation of some type of gelatin on my face, and then my appearance in the mirror changed. The features of my face smoothed, but I realized it wasn't my features, it was the nanomachines. They had swarmed over my features, forming a smooth shell. Some type of V shape formed over where my eyes would be, a very wide angle V at any rate, though the angles and sides were smooth, almost organic in design. Wait, how can I see any of this? The shell looks solid, and there are no eye holes.

You see through our eyes our host. We can even grant you what you have called, "augmented vision."

Hmm...maybe adjust it a little more. I don't know, the v shape isn't doing it for me. No sooner did I think that, then the point of the v lower. The arms, if they could be called that, stayed the same though there was a heightened curve to them as the point ended right where my chin would have been. And finally, two white dots, the same size as my eyes, appeared over my eyes, and the on the arms of the v. They glowed softly, and I realized that it was exactly what I imagined, without even saying anything or directing it.

Yes. We are linked to your mind, and thus were able to form exactly what you were imagining for your face.

I raised a hand up to my face, fingers stroking the surface. It felt soft, but somehow I felt it was more like peanut butter; soft, but resistant. Okay, time to stop admiring my own reflection, lets jump out the window.

So, first thing that we needed to do, was disable the security system. And I had no idea how to do that, at least until Gestalt spoke again.

Locate the sensor by the window, that connects to the security system. We shall do the rest.

Unsure of what it meant, I did as it asked and found the security sensor by the window. The home security was wireless, though every entrance still had a sensor that went off when the windows or doors were opened. A small white box on the wall next to the window, I held out a hand to it, touching the surface. That was when several tiny tendrils extended from my fingers, and spread across the box. Suddenly, I was aware of the signal being sent between the box and the security system. Gestalt had plugged itself into the system, and disabled the signal, without tripping the alarm.

For future purposes, we have attuned ourselves to the frequency of the security system, and are now able to disable it at your leisure.

Okay, that was cool. Now I'd be free to make late night ventures whenever I wanted with no risk of waking someone. Opening the window, I squeezed out, sitting in the frame while my torso and legs hung out. It wasn't terribly high, and at this hour I had nothing to fear about someone seeing me. Still, jumping out of the window....I anticipated pain. Maybe that was just because I wasn't sure how my stump would react to the impact, but I felt Gestalt send me some reassuring thoughts. The message was clear; I'd be fine. So I jumped, and felt the all too familiar rush of adrenaline as I plummeted downward. Legs below me, they were the first thing to hit the ground, and the first thing I noted was the lack of pain. On instinct, I rolled into the fall, spreading out the impact and reducing the force to nothing. I found myself on the fromt lawn, poised in a crouch. Whoa....just like riding a bike.

Now that I was out of the house, I needed a place to test out the machines, somewhere where I wouldn't be seen and any damage caused wouldn't be to something important......warehouse district. Well, technically the docks but the area was also covered in warehouses that companies used to house cargo and such. Only downside was that it was a bit of a haven for gangs, at least at this hour. But, I was confident that my new friends and I would be up to the challenge, even if I still had no idea what they could do. All that aside, I broke into a run and that was when I noticed the first thing: I was faster. Like, way faster. Okay, how fast am I going right now?

Roughly 35 miles per hour, though the speed cannot be maintained indefinitely. Your body, even augmented by us, needs time between bursts. And each burst will be good for perhaps two minutes.

Damn. That effectively made me the fastest human alive. But that train of thought was cut short, as a car turned the corner onto the street, right into me. No time to think, I instinctively jumped.....and found myself leaping over the car. Not jumping on the hood and running over, or vaulting over the car but leaping right over the damn thing. I heard tires swerve as the driver panicked, but there was no sound of a crash, so I guessed they were okay. But that was too close, and it nearly caused an accident. I needed a route off the streets.

If we may our host; while we searched your internet, we downloaded maps of the surrounding area. We anticipated that it would be of future use. If you would allow it, we can show you a path to take, that will reduce the odds of being seen or causing unwanted accidents.

Do it. Suddenly, a semi-solid strip of light appeared in front of me, trailing upwards to the rooftop of a two story building.I realized the line was part of the augmented reality Gestalt mentioned. On reflex, I jumped and was shocked at how high I jumped. It would have shamed an Olympic pole vaulter, and this was without a pole. I only got as high as the ledge, but it was enough for to grab a hold and pull myself up. On the roof, I felt myself in very familiar territory; on the roof, an obstacle course before me, and next to zero restrictions. Running once more, I vaulted over the vents, turbines, and every obstacle on the roof. As I neared the end, overlooking the street, I jumped once more. My speed allowed me to jump farther, and I was able to get to the next roof.

It wasn't that long of a run to the docks, and soon I stood atop the last building before reaching the warehouse district. This part of town was controlled by a variety of gangs, but the most dominant of them was Legion. They didn't even count as a gang really, more like an organized mob. This was just what I had heard on the streets, and even then it was limited, but they did just about everything; drugs, fencing of stolen goods, racketerring, and a host of others. I did my best to steer clear of them, and that thought made me realize how odd it was that I was in their territory at their hour.

If you are worried about ballistic weaponry, there is nothing to fear. The nano-cell epidermis offers ample protection from all forms of physical or ballistic trauma.

Okay now that would be handy, if I encountered any trouble. Jumping down to the street, I continued to run towards the warehouse, finding some solidarity within a vacant building. The inside was scarce, not just of occupants but of any cargo. Some construction tools were around, hanging from the wall to my left, and there were several workbenches set up. Other than that and a few crates, there was nothing of value here. Perfect. Okay...so my speed is augmented. I can also jump higher, and clearly survive a two story fall. Bullet proof, self healing.....anything else?

Do you see the metal bar over there, on the bench? Pick it up.

I had a feeling I knew what was coming, but figured a demonstration was better than an idea. Walking to the workbench, I picked up the bar that was still on top; a thick bar, maybe two inches thick, and four feet long. It was light though, but something told me it was steel so even then it would be strong. However, on reflex and without waiting for Gestalt to say anything, I gripped it tightly and applied force to the bar. Almost as if it were made of putty, the damn thing was bent into a very curved 'L' shape. My god.....there was no way I would have been able to bend that before all this, and I knew no one else could have without serious assistance. Tossing the bar to the side, I decided to try something bigger, and heavier. There was a large crate, 3x4 feet in height and width/length. Getting a decent grip, I managed to pick up the box as if it weighed as much as my backpack when it was full.

The nano-cell epidermis allows for increased strength. You can now lift four times your body weight, and for larger, heavier objects the epidermis can actually increase in thickness, allowing greater strength. The drawback is a reduction in mobility, as mass is also increased.

That made sense I guess. Though maybe mobility wasn't the right word so much as dexterity, or flexibility. For example, look at body builders-- they build up all that extra muscle, but can you honestly see them doing yoga poses? Or performing parkour like me? Chances are, not really. That thought aside, I set down the box, curious to see what else the nanites (helluva lot shorter than nanomachines) could do. You mentioned augmented reality. What else, other than that guide line, can you do? Suddenly, the colors in my vision changed. Black and white became dominant, and I realized I was seeing thermal images, in real time.

Before I could say anything, the images changed. A wide range of colors flashed before my eyes, and I realized they were dozens of filters. In at least one I could see the contents of the box, x-ray most likely but more fine tuned. Others were for things I never knew about, and sure as hell had no definition for. Eventually though, I got back to normal vision, and I had to hold onto a nearby workbench to steady myself. The cycling of different filters was a little disorienting.

Apologies our host, we should have anticipated that you would not be prepared for such shifts in how you view the world.

No, no it's fine. Just need to get used to it is all. I walked off to the far side of the room, another door on the wall. As I slowly opened it, I had the sneaking suspicion I wasn't really alone out here, which made sense given the nature of this area. Chances were there were some gang members around here, and I did not want to be seen. No sooner did I think that though, then I felt a weird, rippling sensation sweep over my body, and as I looked at my arm I was shocked to see that there was nothing there.

Now, I was smart enough to figure out what had happened, but it was still stunning. I was invisible. The machines around me had somehow made me transparent. Okay, how the hell did you manage that?

Your scientists have already been experimenting with the concept. Photographing images in front of and behind you, and then displaying them on the opposite sides. We can simply do it better.

Gestalt wasn't lying. Even though I knew my arm was there, I could hardly see it, or the rest of my body. Upon closer inspection though, I found that it wasn't perfect; there was a slight distortion around where my arm was, and I realized that the machines couldn't really do anything for the curve of my arm. Still, it was as close to absolute invisibility as I would get. Feeling safe now, I walked out of the door and deeper into the warehouse district.

Okay, first off: district, was probably not the right word. Zone may have been better. Mostly because while people worked here, no one was really selling anything here. Well, legally anyway. That was the first thing I learned as, while still in stealth mode, I turned the corner and saw a deal going down. At one of the wider spaces between warehouses, where there were those big giant crane things, dozens of large cargo and shipping containers. The cars, trucks, and people weren't really part of the place though. There were maybe twenty, that I could see anyway. Possibly there were a dozen more. Some of them were packing, not even bothering to conceal the sub-machine guns they held. In front of them stood another six guys weilding the same type of weapons, standing in front of two mid-sized moving trucks, and they had their loading doors opened and small crates were inside. One of them was open though I couldn't see the contents.

If you would allow it, we can allow you to listen in on the conversation of this deal.

That was assuming I wanted to stay. I mean, what reason was there for me to stay and watch? I didn't want to be a part of this, or even a witness to it. But curiosity got the better of me, and I stood rooted to the ground. Fine....what do I need to do?

Simply hold out your hand and aim in their direction, we shall do the rest.

Feeling silly, I did it anyway and was shocked to actually hear the conversation going on maybe a hundred feet away. You remember those old surveillance devices from a few decades ago, the tiny dishes that let you listen in on sounds from great distances? The nanites had formed something very similar.

In the course of the conversation, I was able to make out who was who. There was the buyer, and the seller. I know, not the greatest way to identify them but it wasn't like I actually knew who they were. "Okay boys and girls, you asked for the best, and I bring you the best," the seller said in a voice I'd expect from a stage performer. The arms-dealer, a man in his thirties and with a dark beard trimmed close to his face, walked over to a nearby crate. He bent down and picked up a weapon, and even from here I could tell it was an assault rifle. "What we have is a brand spanking new, Nexus made N4G2. Bullpup design, fires the standard NATO round of 6.32x50mm. This gun is very accurate, and best of all very user friendly. Kickback from the gun is next to zero, and has an ammo count of forty rounds per magazine." Most of the men in front of him nodded their heads, clearly impressed. The buyer though, stayed still as a statue. Then he unfolded his arms, and stepped forward, slowly. "And for $2.5 mil?" he asked. The dealer grinned. "Four crates, each packed with six rifles and ammunition." Clearly sold, the buyer nodded, and then spoke again. "Before we complete the transaction, I think it's only fair we get a demonstration." He snapped his fingers, and two of the men behind him grabbed a man standing between them. He was clearly not expecting it, struggling and shouting. "Whoa, Tony what the hell? What the fuck is going on here?" The buyer, or rather Tony, turned around and simply stared at the struggling man. "Drop the act Mikey," Tony said, his words practically dripping with contempt. "Or should I call you Officer Marlowe?" Marlowe stopped struggling, as if he suddenly realized how pointless it all was now. "Yeah, we knew. Figured we'd keep you around just for tonight. After all...." he turned back to the dealer. "What's the point of buying a weapon, without seeing just how effective it is?"

The dealers smile simply widened, and I felt myself feeling a little bit sick. God, the guy actually seemed to enjoy the idea of watching a man get shot to death. He held out the rifle, and Tony took it with a nod. Then he aimed it at Marlowe, his men quickly letting go and clearing a space. Marlowe just stood there, either too scared to try and run or just embracing the inevitable. Except that he didn't have to die tonight. I may have been willing to watch the deal go down, but I wasn't going to stand by and watch a man get gunned down. Gestalt, if I run will that cancel the cloak?

Not right away, but prolonged running and increased speed will increase the difficulty of maintaining it.

Alright, better than nothing. With that, I ran towards the execution in progress, hoping that I was not only doing the right thing.....but that I could pull it off.

As I ran, I conversed with Gestalt, our conversation going at the speed of thought. Gestalt, I need a weapon of some kind. Can you form a.....I don't know, a gun or something?

No. We cannot form any form of firearm weaponry. However, we are fully capable of forming melee weapons. When you get to the one holding the gun, we suggest you swing your right arm in a downward arc at the weapon.

No time to really argue, I settled on doing just that. At the speed I was going at, I was on them in seconds. One of the gang members I ran past seemed to sense me, maybe he heard the sound of running footsteps of maybe he felt the rush of air as I ran by. I could tell though that he had turned his head for some reason, though it didn't matter. By the time any of them registered that I was there, I had already gotten to Tony, and swung my arm downward. Two things happened; one, the active camo had been disabled, and all eyes were on me, and those I could actually see were wide with shock, surprise, but most of all.....fear. Second, my right arm had been reshaped into an elongated blade. Ever hold your hand out, fingers held together in a pointed sort of gesture, like a blade with your hand? Think that, but now coated in the same gun-metal gray substance of the nanites, the tip gleaming and the edge of the blade wicked sharp. It had to have been, because not only was the rifle knocked from Tony's hands....it had been sliced in half. Everyone just stood there, jaws on the floor in shocked silence. Then I heard a whisper from my right-- it was Marlowe. "What are you?" I didn't look at him, my attention focused on Tony. "No time for introductions man, get down!" First of all, I was surprised at how different my voice sounded. It was almost like it had been distorted, though that wasn't that much of a bad thing. Second....someone pulled a gun on me, and before I could react, they fired. The bullet hit me square in the chest, and I expected there to be white hot pain, blood even. Instead, it felt more like someone had rapped me on the chest, like a playful punch. At the same time, there was a pinging sound, like throwing a rock on a metal plate, and the bullet deflected off my chest. Gestalt wasn't kidding when it said the epidermis could harden to deflect shots. "Sorry man, that's not going to work." And then the fighting really started.

One of the guys standing behind me charged, a knife appearing in his hand. I knew that, because while I couldn't quite explain it, I saw him as clearly as if he was standing in front of me. I did not however pull some kind of fancy dodge that you'd see in the movies. I just turned around, and as he thrusted the knife at my stomach my hand sprang up and grabbed his arm, the knife an inch away from my skin. He was strong, but I was stronger and with a twist of my hips I quite literally popped his arm out of his shoulder, dislocating it. He screamed in pain, his other hand clutching his arm as the knife dropped to the ground. Someone shouted "GET THE FREAK!" and suddenly I was getting charged from all angles. One guy came at me swinging, and I ducked under the swing and came up with an uppercut to the chin. I think I saw a tooth fly out as he went down, while another guy grabbed a gun from his jacket pocket and fired. Rounds deflected off my skin as the nanites hardened in response. I was about to attack him, when he was knocked out from behind; Marlowe had hit the guy, and grabbed his gun. He looked at me, a look of awe still in his eyes....then he nodded at me. I got the message loud and clear. I don't know who or what the hell you are....but I'm with you.

All I could do was nod back, and we both fought together. Despite my augmentations and weapons, Marlowe was clearly the better fighter, and he showed it when he took on three guys in a short lived brawl. He blocked a punch and countered with a right hook, then kicked the side of his opponents knee. There was a snapping sound, a scream of agony, and the man went down, his leg bent at an odd angle. But I couldn't worry about his fight with the other two, as I had my own, large group to deal with. I did my best to remember the lessons Chris gave me. Block, then jab. And pay attention to their footwork. Always stay light on your feet, only stand still for a powerful attack.... Not sure I was going to need the last bit though, since each punch I delivered packed the kick of a jackhammer. The attackers fell before me, and even one of them flew back after I hit them.

"Hey! Hero!" a voice shouted from behind me. I turned, and saw that Tony was standing with a new rifle, aimed right at me. The dealer was gone, probably trying to get the truck working so he could flee. But that didn't matter the moment Tony pulled the trigger, and the rifle fired. It wasn't like the handgun the last guy used, a single shot with each pull of the trigger. This was full auto, and with heavier rounds. The nanites still hardened in response, and managed to deflect some of the rounds but wow did I feel it. They couldn't negate all of the kinetic energy from the impacts, and it felt like I was being punched repeatedly in the chest, so I instinctively raised my arms in front of me, trying to block. That was when the nanites showed me another trick, as my left arm or rather the arm built entirely of nanites, grew and spread itself out. The machines were replicating, spreading out into rough diamond shape. The shield, for that's what it was, shielded me from my head to stomach.

Whoa, did I do that?

In a way. Your instinct to raise your arms in defense served as a framework for us to build around. You gave us the idea and we made it reality, and no that does not mean we can make anything you think of.

Still, this was cool. The impact of the bullets was cut down to almost nothing, and I was so invigorated by this that I charged forward. The shield was lightweight despite being strong enough to stop the bullets, and there was no problems in balance as I ran forward, charging Tony. Maybe he didn't realize how screwed he was, but the bullets never stopped coming until I rammed into him. The force of the impact was felt through the shield, and there was a loud clanging sound. As the shield dissolved, the nanites retreating back into my arm, I saw what had happened: Tony had gone flying from the impact, and landed in a daze on the ground ten feet away, his rifle between us. I let out a shout of victory.....and then the police had arrived. Like I said, it was a sting and that meant the police had to have been close by. There was the thumping sound of helicopter blades, and I looked up. Sure enough, there was one of the new police gunships hovering overhead. Well, gunship wasn't the right term; it was based off the military model, which was a gunship. This was the police variant. It had two spinning rotary blades on the side, each held up by a pair of arms that would swivel allowing it to turn. There were some engines on the rear that gave it some extra thrust when needed, but for the most part they served to aid the blades in keeping the craft airborne. Basically it was a smaller version of the old Osprey aircraft that the military used a few decades ago.

From the sides of the gunship, officers wearing tactical armor and sporting some powerful weaponry, rappelled down from the gunship. There were sirens, and I looked back down to earth to see cars coming in, lights flashing. The SWAT team landed, and they were shouting orders at the gang members who were still standing....and at me. "You, in the armor! Get down on the ground now or we will use deadly force!" one of them shouted at me. Uh oh....trouble with the law was not what I needed. So instead of saying anything, like 'I'm not the bad guy here,' I turned and ran. And then they fired.

Now, running from the cops is never a good idea. Not just because it makes you look guilty, but because now....well, I won't bore you with a history lesson, but cops were allowed to use a little bit more force when it came to catching and subduing a fleeing suspect. For example: the taser net. Picture this is you will; four three foot poles, each one serving as an anchor to a fiber net. Now lined within the fiber were metal wires, and those same wires were connected to dull, metallic nubs the size of my pinkie nail. Each pole had a battery installed and combined they carried enough electric charge to knock out a fully grown man. The net was fired from the gunship above, and I gotta tell ya, it tends to be pretty damn accurate. When the target isn't a parkour trained teen wearing naomachines that is. I was able to dodge the net, Gestalt giving me enough warning that I was able to jump and roll to my right in time to avoid the net. The poles were fired with enough force that they could dig an inch into the pavement, and I took a moment to watch as the net discharged the electricity. To be honest, there wasn't much to see, since no one was pinned under the net. As I kept running, I figured that sticking to the ground was going to be more trouble, since there were cops everywhere. So I jumped and got to the rooftop of the nearest warehouse. It didn't afford me much cover, but there was enough open space that I could pick up speed. Unfortunately, there was more than one gunship. One stayed behind to cover the weapons deal, while the other apparently was sent after me.

Our host, the gunship is transferring and receiving signals. We can attune ourselves, listen in on their orders.

Do it. Information like that would be useful. I could hear what they had planned for me, and respond accordingly.

Without actually saying anything, Gestalt plugged me into the police network. Granted, it was still short range so I could only hear the chopper and any nearby units, but it was enough. "All units, be advised. We have a new player in the area, though it doesn't look like they're a member of the Legion gang. Orders are to bring them in for questioning, as they were at the scene." And there's what I was trying to avoid. Great. I was already reaching the edge of the warehouse roof when I jumped across to the next roof. I could still hear the steady rhythm of the gunships rotary blades as it came after me, spotlight shining down on me. "Hawkeye try and restrict him to a rooftop, our units will move up from below."

An interesting tactic, but it relied on me being stuck on a rooftop, and there was just the one chopper. No way they were going to pin me down. But still, I couldn't let them follow me, not all the way back home. So I had to lose them, and fast. Jumping down to the street and out of the warehouse zone, I ran for the alley across from me. The second I entered the alley and the light from the chopper lost me, I went stealth. Then I jumped onto the nearest pipe, and climbed up to the roof. The chopper's light traced over the roof, but it never found me. Yeah, it passed over me a few times, but they never really saw me.

Okay, they lost us. Keep the cloak up for a little while longer, until we get back our neighborhood. There was only a sense of silent agreement. The chopper could still be heard, along with the sirens but none of them sounded like they were getting close. Then something came through the impromptu police scanner Gestalt made. "We lost him. Returning to the arrest zone." With that, picked up the pace and headed back home, silently mulling over what had happened. I knew that Nexus had weapons contracts and developments. Hell, everyone knew, especially that it was legal. But to find out their weapons were being sold on the black market? That was something else. It could have been the dealer was just a thief who got his hands on the weapons, but that didn't really track with what Kat had once told me about their security. As she had put it, it was like trying to steal something from the Olympian version of Fort Knox. Nexus security, even when shipping goods, was among the most cutting edge, and secure in the world.

I shook my head. This was not a mystery I needed to insert myself into. Besides, the police were handling it, they were bound to pull up something.

I managed to get back to my neighborhood with no issues, save for dodging the occasional patrol car. Other than that though, I soon got back to the same familiar street, and was now faced with a new issue: how to get back through the window, without making a sound. That was when Gestalt showed me another cool trick. He had me place a hand on the side of the house, and I realized that somehow, it was stuck there. An image from Gestalt appeared in my brain, showing me millions of tiny little hooks. Tiny enough that they could slip into microscopic holes or cracks, but strong enough to keep me secured to the wall so I could actually climb up. I felt like Spider-Man as I crawled up the side of the house, and back through the window. Thankfully, Gestalt didn't wait for permission to deactivate and then reactivate the security system, and by the time I had closed the window (quietly) I didn't even realize that the nano-machines had receded back beneath my skin. Whoa, that was awesome. Was that really all you're capable of doing?

That and more our host. We are capable of so much more, but for now, your body is exhausted and while we are capable keeping you conscious, it would not be healthy for your body.

You sound like my sister.... But still, I stifled a yawn that creeped up on me. Sad but true, I needed the sleep. And there would be time, more than enough time, to experiment with the machines. So, I crawled into bed and under the covers. I wasn't sure why, but I figured I may as well say it. Goodnight Gestalt. See you in the morning.

.....goodnight, our host. We shall see you in the morning.

The next morning, I woke up feeling.....fine. This is stranger than it sounds, confiding that normally, after my usual runs, or even taking hits like that from the bullets, I would have been sore as hell. Actually, no would have, I should have been sore as hell.

Apologies host for not informing you, but as you slept we worked out any potential stress or complications in your muscles so you would not be I overt amounts of discomfort.

Wait....are you telling me you gave me a massage while I was asleep? That was sorta creepy. Not exactly unpleasant considering I wasn't sore, but creepy. It made me think of my skin actually rippling with the machines under it, as they worked on my muscles in a rather up close way.

Shaking my head, I got out of bed and looked at myself in the mirror. I still looked the same, even had on the same night clothes. My artificial limbs were still there, but after a quick check under the bed I found out that these were in fact the nanites forming the limbs. I had to hide the originals more discreetly, just so I wouldn't cause suspicion. Standing back up, I looked out the window. Morning light, a dull orange, painted the street. I had maybe an hour and a half before school, so I got out of the room, grabbed a towel and took a quick shower. Then I realized something else: this was the first time I had ever woken up this early. Maybe it was the nanites, or maybe it was the fact I wasn't sore.

Either way, it was kinda handy. I mean, Chris and Michael were hardly going to let me sleep the day away with school going on. I needed to be awake if I wanted them off my back, and getting up early was certainly one way of achieving that. Those thoughts raced through my head as I took the shower, stepping out and drying off to finish. Hey Gestalt, quick question: how was that blade able to cut through the gun like that? I wasn't swinging it that hard.

Ah, yes we wondered when you'd ask about that. Well, the science of it is too complex to accurately explain, but the short version is that once the structure was formed and solidified, we began to vibrate at a high frequency. It was barely detectable to the naked eye, but it was there, and the blade that was formed was able to cut through the material of the gun. The frequency was high enough to weaken the molecular bonds of the gun so it would be on par with say butter.

Now that was just plain amazing. Granted, most guns weren't made of metal today in favor of lighter plastics and composite materials, but those were still just as strong. Hell, I was now able to cut through solid objects with almost no effort, this was getting better and better.

After getting dressed, I walked downstairs and wasn't surprised t see that Michael was already up and dressed for work. He seemed surprised when he saw me up ahead of is daughter, but the only real response was him passing a plate of scrambled eggs across the counter to me, still steaming. He had the TV on, and the news coming off was....well, had me a little nervous.

Authorities are still being tight lipped over the details, but during a police operation last night in the docking district, there was an unexpected development. According to one officer on the scene, what looked like a 'superhero' had arrived during the bust, and incapacitated nearly all of the gang members on site. Police gave chase to the suspect via chopper, and released an image of the suspect.

And there I was on the screen. Though no one would be able to tell it was me, since I was clad in the naomachine skin. The image was me, running across the warehouse rooftop, a spotlight illuminating the area around me.

The suspect managed to elude the police, and is still at large. Police are asking for any information the public may have on the identity or alias of this man. In a related story, Police Commissioner Ryan made an inquiry with Nexus Technologies, the global science and technology company, as to whether or not they were field testing any new weapons or technology in his jurisdiction. Nexus has responded with a denial of the inquiry.

"Well, this is isn't going to be good for me," Michael said as he turned off the tv. "A denial is just going to make it look like we really did put something out there, even though it'd be suicide if we did."

I had a feeling I knew why it would be suicide. Look, it's not like I was an expert on law, permits, stuff like that but at best I knew that Nexus and their weapons tech had to go through a large amount of paperwork to get properly tested, and that was just within the safety of their facilities. In the general public? It never would have reached a discussion, just a flat out no. "Expecting trouble at work?" Rhetorical question I know, but it was conversation at least. Michael frowned, clearly expecting it. "I think this is going to have me working on overtime, keeping everything secure. Won't be surprised if competitors try and break in to one of our facilities hoping to find whatever the hell that was."

I felt a little guilty now. Michael's job was about to become a whole lot harder, and in a way I was to blame. If I hadn't gone out and let myself be seen..... Well dwelling on it wasn't going to help anyone. And this was his job after all, I was sure he'd be prepared to handle it. Finishing my breakfast, I waited in the living room for Chris to wake up and come on down. Maybe ten minutes later, she did and when she saw me all dressed and awake downstairs, she blinked. "James?" she said, clearly surprised. "What are you doing up ahead of me?" Grinning, I simply responded "Lucky coincidence?"

She chuckled a little, walking over to the counter and eating from the other plate set up for her. "That or I'm starting to sleep late." A few minutes later, after she was done eating and we had out stuff, we headed to school. "So, you missed it," I began. "There was a news story earlier. Last night apparently, there was someone clad in armor over at a police sting by the docks. They said they had super-human powers." She traded a look with me. "Uh, I'm pretty sure I wasn't sleep walking last night." We traded a laugh. "But for real? Someone was....what, a superhero?" I shrugged. "That's not how the cops see it. Apparently, this guy is a vigilante and is wanted."

She frowned, lips pursed in thought. "We'll, from what you told me sounds like they owe him a medal. I mean, he did take down several gang members. Armed ones to boot." I'll be honest, I was sorta confiding telling her that it was me. I mean hell, she was my best friend, and who keeps a secret like this from their best friend? Someone who worries that she'll draw fire if anyone learns who I am. Or if they know she knows who I am. So I did what any smart friend would do: I kept my mouth shut.

"Yeah. Makes you wonder why they have a beef with him then." It was honestly all I could say, and we walked the rest of the way in silence to school. I will say this for my classmates: they moved on quickly. Yesterday, everyone was clamoring for a look at me and my prosthetics. Now, they were all looking at their phones, and on the screens I glimpsed I saw it was basically....me again. Or at least, my alter ego. Great, so the whole school was still ogling me, they just didn't know it. Chris and I didn't really take notice of it that much, so we were among the few that got to class on time. Class went by quickly, and later Chris and I sat at our table during lunch. We weren't the only ones though- Amanda sat with us. She was a friend of Chris, and they both knew each other for maybe half as long as Chris knew me. Blonde, she was the same age as me. And when I say she was built like a brick house, allow me to clarify: she was a strong girl, with well toned muscles, but it was all contained in a very graceful, attractive body. She and I got along well, but honestly....she and Chris were better friends. "So James, how are the legs working out for you?" she asked me, between bites of her sandwich. I smiled, though it was strained. Don't get me wrong, I didn't mind talking with her, but about the legs....well, I hated being reminded that I wasn't entirely whole. Still, rude to ignore the question. "Doing fine so far. Thank God they're waterproof, otherwise taking a shower would be difficult."

We all traded a chuckle, and Chris had the heart to change topics. "So Amanda, what did you think of that test? Pretty hard huh?" Amanda simply sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "Eh, hard for you maybe Chris, but it was easy enough for me. Didn't you study?" Chris blushed a little. "Yeah, of course I did. But getting it to stick....it ain't easy." I figured I may as well join the conversation, since I took the same test and was more or less raped by it. "Uh, just an idea but maybe we should try a study group? Just the three of us?" They both stared at me, and I was an inch away from looking down at my tray of food. Yeah, Chris was a girl and my best, oldest friend but in all honesty girls still scared the crap out of me. That Chris could beat me to a pulp had not helped that fear, at all. But she was my friend first, girl second in my eyes so that was why I was comfortable. They both grinned a little. "Yeah, that could work. Maybe I could teach you both something, plus we hardly get a chance to hang out anymore," Amanda said before drinking from her carton of milk. 2034 and milk cartons in school were still the size of a wallet......sometimes I wondered if we really did advance at all. Still, Chris nudged my shoulder, and I noticed she had this look on her face, her eyes motioning to Amanda. "Oh, oh yeah that sounds great Amanda. Maybe after school?" There was a sharp jab of an elbow from Chris in my rib cage, and I glared at her. "What the hell?" She stared at me coolly, then said "James, we were supposed to have our first sparring session today." Oh right.....the thought of getting my ass handed to me had slipped my mind. No really, it did. "Sorry Chris, kinda slipped my mind. Uh, maybe we should schedule or something?" "Chris glared at me. "Yeah. I'll beat your ass in today, and then we study with Amanda tomorrow. Sound good?" She said that all with a dead pan tone to her voice. I simply frowned at her, then turned to Amanda. "Amanda, what works best for you?"

"Well," Amanda began, "Tomorrow works fine. We can meet up in the library after school, work on whatever subjects have been troubling you guys." Chris apparently fond this agreeable, nodding her head. "Okay, tomorrow it is." Then the bell rang, and lunch was over.

Later that day, after school had ended Chris and I were in the school gym. Now, fun fact: in the years preceding this little story, schools decided to take an interesting step in combating both obesity issues, and aggression between students. They expanded on the amount of equipment in the physical education building and basically turned it into the equivalent of a real gym. Most of the stuff was second hand of course and not high quality but it got the job done with zero duct tape involved. The second, was the installation of punching bags, ranging from small little speed bags, to giant heavy bags dangling on chains and in a row. They also had a few dummies set up, the kind where it was the torso of a guy planted on the ground. It was all meant to be a way to relieve stress, and aggression within students before a fight broke out. Didn't always work, but if the numbers they kept spouting were any indicator schools fights had actually dropped since they installed the training gear.....and the sparring area. Yeah you heard me. It was a big old flat mat on the ground, where students could basically hash it out. Before you start crying foul, there was always a supervisor present, and they generally picked someone with a good amount of hand to hand experience. Like I said though, it wasn't perfect and sometimes a bloody nose was the least of the injuries sustained, but it still helped tone down aggression. But I digress, so on to the matter at hand: me being flipped over Chris and landing on my back about a foot away. See, not only did her dad train her in boxing, but also Aikido, hence the whole redirecting of my poorly done punch. I stared up at her in a daze, as the world slowly stopped spinning. She and I had changed clothes earlier, and while I was down to a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, she had on light blue tank top and a matching pair of training trunks, and also wore dark grey hand wraps. Also, she was wearing one helluva cocky grin. "Aww, come on James. Hardly breaking a sweat here." I grunted, turning myself over as I slowly stood back up. I was still getting used to having an arm and a leg that could feel again, since I never did tell Gestalt to not stop being my arm and leg. They still looked robotic though. "Maybe....instead of a straight up fight we just go with simple practice stuff," I said as I stood back up and raised my fists. She flashed me that cocky grin of hers. "Sure. Either way I can still take you down."

Our host, if you would allow it we may be able to help you here.

Oh no, none of that. You can increase my strength to beat criminals to a pulp, but not her. Never her.

Actually, your strength was not what we were suggesting. No matter how strong you are, it is clear that her method will simply redirect it, and she will flip you over. She uses your own momentum against you. No, what we suggest is to help you remember and retain the skills she is teaching you. We can also watch and predict her moves. In short, we can help you become a fighter capable of taking her on.

Now that was certainly tempting. And hell, if I was really going to go out on an evening stroll and needed to fight, I'd probably need that skill. Do it. And then I felt it. You ever try and recall a memory, or a specific word or name, but you struggle to remember it? Like reaching out for something with your eyes closed, and no matter how close you feel it is, it's always out of reach. Then you suddenly remember, then you suddenly know. That's what this felt like, except now it was the accumulated knowledge of nearly five years of training with her. Every punch, every kick that she tried to get me to learn came rushing into my head, and I felt like I knew how to fight her. "Okay....let's start from the basic's, work our way up. What do ya say?" She simply smiled at me, nodding the affirmative. We took a few steps closer, and she threw the first punch, a jab aimed for my chest. Before, I was never able to block it, or at least remember how to really counter. Now I was able to counter the jab, bobbing to the side and giving Chris a right hook that hit her in the cheek. It wasn't at full power, just barely enough to be more of a slap. But I hit her cheek by thunder!

She took a step back, shocked more than anything else as she held a hand up to her cheek. The supervisor took a step towards us but she held up a hand in their direction, that cocky grin on her face again. "Well now," she said. "Isn't this a surprise? I never thought the day would come that you'd manage to strike a blow." And then out of nowhere, she rushed forward, feinting to one side and then coming up on the other, coming at me with a right hook. But Gestalt helped me see it, and I was able to remember how she had blocked a similar attack. Twisting my hips, I took the blow to my shoulder. It hurt, since Gestalt didn't harden my skin, and I twisted my hips again so that my left hand came flying at her in a hook of my own. The arm still resembled a robotic limb, and I knew that it would also feel the same. So I pulled the punch even more so than my initial blow and this time hit her in the chest. On her boob.....

Now, I wish I could say that since she and I were just friends that it wasn't awkward in the slightest, that since neither of us ever really thought beyond just sitting together at lunch and chatting that my cheeks didn't light up. But the fact was, I was still a guy. A teenager at that, still going through puberty. And Chris, despite being my friend was, I had to admit, an attractive girl. Her outfit only enforced that, and despite our friendship, I found myself blushing as my knuckles brushed against her breast. If my life was an anime show, there would have been a geyser of blood erupting from my nostrils. As it was, my cheeks were flushed, and I was sorta stammering. "Uh....uh I didn't mean.....complete acci--" She never let me finish. I was so distracted, so embarrassed that I basically panicked, lost focus, and gave her an opening to hit me once in the gut, and then once on the jaw. I staggered backwards, and when I regained my focus I found her grinning again.

"Not bad James, looks like you're finally getting it. But honestly, don't let something like a little boob graze make you lose focus." She shifted her stance, though there was something in her eyes I never thought I would see during our sparring sessions: wariness. She was wary of me, and that gave me some new found confidence. I noticed her attention was shifting between me, and someone behind me. I wasn't stupid enough to turn my head, so I went with something better: I attacked, and forced her to switch spots with me. It let me see who was there. "Amanda, what brings you here?" Amanda, her hair held back in a pony tail and dressed in the same clothes from earlier, blushed a little. "What, a girl can't get a good show?" Before I could respond, Chris threw another punch at me, followed by a kick. I blocked the punch and dodged the kick, stepping back a bit. "I had no idea we were serving as entertainment for you."

She actually blushed a little, though she had a wary smile on her lips. "Something wrong with getting a good show?" She looked at Chris, arching a brow. "So, I thought you told me he sucked." Chris smiled broadly, clearly enjoying the moment. "Same here. Guess he got better." We both traded blows for a few more minutes, before eventually we called it quits. Each of us had a fine sheen of sweat, and we were panting quickly. Walking off the mat, I headed for my small gym bag on the ground and grabbed a small towel, wiping myself down. Thanks Gestalt. That really helped. And you're sure I'll remember all this? It was a rhetorical question, since even as I thought it I could remember all the moves I had been taught.

Yes our host, you will remember.

This was just freaking awesome. I could actually fight now, something that I hadn't been able to do for years. Don't look at me like that, it's not like I wanted to fight, but it was certainly a skill worth having, especially in this world. I was aware that Chris was walking towards me, so I wasn't surprised when she slapped me on the shoulder. "That wasn't half bad James," she said. "You been holding out on me or something?" Grinning, I turned to face her. "Never Chris. Never would I hide anything from you." Except of course, for the advanced nano-machines living in my body. Amanda walked came over, holding her backpack in one hand. "Well, that was fun to watch. Maybe next time we can start placing bets." That got a chuckle out of the three of us. My stomach grumbled, loud enough for all three of us to hear, and a knowing smile appeared on Chris' lips. "So, anyone up for some food?" she asked us, to which Amanda and I both nodded earnestly.

--20 Minutes Later--

The three of us were standing outside of a 7/11, chowing down on chips and soda. Well, I was drinking soda, Chris had a gatorade and Amanda had plain old water. It wasn't really enough to kill my hunger, but it certainly helped quiet my stomach. We watched as cars went by on the street, along with some people but all in all it was it was actually very quiet.

"So James," Chris said. "Didn't you have an English paper or something to start on?" Oh crap, yeah I did. And that thought hit me as I was taking a sip of soda, so I basically coughed in the middle of it. Well, always wanted to know what soda smelled like. Once I had wiped away the worst of the soda spill (while ignoring the laughter from Chris and Amanda) I said "Yeah, shit I do. Buckell is going to be pissed..." Amanda spoke up. "But isn't that paper due in two weeks? That should be enough time to write something up." Yeah, I guess it would be. But I still needed something to write about, and I had nothing. "All I need is a subject to write about. Heh, maybe I could wri-" Before I could finish that statement, there was the sound of sirens, followed by gunshots. And they were coming our way. "What the hell?" No sooner did I ask than I got an answer: a dull orange car came racing down the street with someone hanging out the window, aiming a gun at a pursuing police car. As they fired, the cop car took the shots in the windshield, cracking it but not before they managed to ram the front of their car into the rear. It spun, and ended up right in front of us. Oh crap. "Shit, run!" Chris screamed, moving to usher us away from the scene. But before she could run, one of the occupants of the car rushed out and grabbed her. "Not so fast girly! You're coming with us!" She yelled, and managed to kick him once before he hit her with the butt of his gun. His partner, the driver, was unloading rounds into the cop car and keeping the cops at bay. He was able to get out and follow his partner, as the one holding Chris moved to the inside of the 7/11. "Chris!" I yelled, almost running for her. But the driver brandished his gun at me and I stopped in my tracks. "Stay the fuck back kid. Or my partner will put a bullet in her head." The second he finished Amanda, hiding behind a trash bin, jumped up and swung her binder at his head. It staggered him for a second before he grabbed her and dragged her in too. "JAMES!!" she screamed, before they closed the door behind her and locked it.

Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod They took them. Chris and Amanda were taken by two thugs. I stood there, dumbstruck with my mouth hanging open even as the cop, now out of his car, grabbed me and pulled me away from the door. He pushed me back, telling me to stay clear and far away. But I was so focused on the fact that my friends were hostages that I barely understood what he was saying. It took me a full minute to come back, wake myself up. I needed to move, and fast. I knew what I had to do, what I could do; I had to save my friends. Running from the scene, I reached for my phone, as there was something that needed to be done first. I called Michael.

"Hello?" He picked up on the second ring, his voice impatient but still somehow being polite. "Mr. Martinez! It's James, there's been, oh my god there's something goin-" He cut me off, his voice stern. But I knew that he heard the panic in my voice, and he was smart enough to figure something bad was happening. "James, where's Chris? What's happening?" I did my best to steady my breathing. And I wasn't acting either; I was practically shitting a brick here. "They have Chris! We were sitting outside a 7/11 with Amanda after school, when there were these guys with guns, being chased by cops. They ran towards us and grabbed Chris and Amanda. God, they hit her!" That same voice, stern and full of authority, came rumbling through the receiver. "James, go home right now, and stay there. I'm going to head to where you are now, and see what I can do to help, but you stay home, do you hear me?" Even though he couldn't see it, I nodded. "Yes sir." He hung up on me, and I stared at the phone in quiet awe. He just heard his little girl was taken hostage, and he still sounded so damn calm. I wasn't going to head home though, no way. Not when I had the power to save Chris and Amanda. I got off the street and into a secluded alley, even as more sirens, cop cars and emergency vehicles, came rushing towards the location. Once I was sure no one could see me....Gestalt! Time to get our game face on!

Understood. Nano-shell epidermis forming now!

My skin crawled again as the tiny nanomachines oozed out of my pores and coated my skin. The prosthetics I wore turned gray as the machines assumed their normal color, and they spread over my clothes and shoes. In seconds, I was once more wearing the suit, and climbing the wall of the alley. Scaling it quickly, I ran across to the overlook the street with the 7/11. and was greeted with an interesting sight. A few minutes before, there was the one cop car. Now, there were five, with cops spread behind the cars and getting out those little road block signs. Gestalt, can you plug me in again? For an answer, I was greeted by a radio call from one of the cops, and I listened in on the conversation. "Two suspects, holed up in a 7/11 on 90th and Rook Ave. They have four hostages, and are armed. We're working on establishing a form of communication, see if we can't talk them into a surrender." I stopped listening in, and activated my cloaking with a thought. Then I moved back, and ran across the roof to jump over to the next building. The nanomachines helped provide a little extra spring, so I was able to reach it no problem. Gestalt, I need a layout of the building. If I'm going to rescue them I need to know where to position myself.

One moment, we are utilizing your phone. Through it and its connection to your internet we should be able to...done.

An image appeared in my head, crisp and clear. A 3-D blueprint for the layout of this building, and I was able to see a perfect point for me to move to. I moved for the door on the roof, and tried to open it. Locked. So....I kicked it open. Moving down the stairs, I didn't stop until I had reached the second floor, and found a spot right over where the 7/11 was. See, with buildings like this and in a neighborhood like this one, there wasn't an individual building for the 7/11 alone. First floor had the 7/11, and the other floors were a bunch of office spaces. The floor I was in, was vacant and up for lease.

Now to make a hole. A bladed arm wouldn't cut it (no pun intended) and simply punching my through would take too long. I needed something big, wide, and capable of delivering a heavy blow. I need a hammer. There was tingling sensation, followed by a feeling of immense weight in my right hand. I looked down and was stunned to see that there was large, two foot block where my hand had been. The nanites had formed a freaking hammer, and increased the density of it enough that even with my increased strength I was under strain holding it up. Oh, that will work nicely. And then I swung the hammer down at the floor, putting all my strength behind it. The effect was immediate, and the floor began to cave in. Dust and bits of floor flew up as I swung again, and again. Three times I swung my hammer, and on the third swing the floor fell out from under me. I fell through the ceiling of the first floor, and found myself standing on a pile of rubble in the small convenience store, and I was aware that both gunmen were staring at me, dumbfounded, though there guns were still raised. "Knock knock," was all I said before I jumped into action. The first gunmen, the one that hit Chris, recovered first and his gun barked as it fired. Bullets pinged off the nano-epidermis, and I closed with him, giving him a swift punch to the gut. He made a choking sound and doubled over, and I rammed my elbow into the back of his head, knocking him out. That left his buddy to continue firing at me, even though it wasn't going to work. He threw the gun at me when it was empty, and then tried to hit me. Remembering the sparring session earlier, I sidestepped, and countered with a blow to his jaw, harder than when I hit Chris. He flew backwards and into the aisle, knocking it over. When it went down, I saw the hostages huddled behind it, clearly frightened. Chris and Amanda were there, both holding each other close, but Chris was the only one that looked calm, cool even under pressure. She was Michael's daughter after all.

"It's okay," I said, my voice distorted. "You're safe now." I held my hands up, palms out in a placating gesture that seemed to get them to trust me. It was certainly enough for them to stand up. "You can get out now, go." They didn't need to be told twice, but it was Chris that hung back, looking at me. "Who are you?" she asked, awe obvious in her voice. I simply stared at her, looking from her to the entrance of the store. "My name's Shifter. Now go, your dad should be waiting outside." Oh, dammit. Shouldn't have said that. How did 'Shifter' know her dad was out there, or who her dad was. Great, that was bound to get me exposed. But it was too late now, and she was already running out the door. But not before she said, "Thanks." Then she was gone as light poured in through the windows. I would come to regret it, but I walked out behind her.

"Put your hands on your head right now!" barked a voice laden with authority. Lights were suddenly shining on me, and I was aware the there were cops aiming their guns.....at me. Oh great, this again. "Aww come on, really? I just saved the hostages, took out the bad guys, and you're treating me like the bad guy?" A cop, I wasn't sure which one, spoke loudly. "You are wanted for interfering with police business during the previous night. So place your hands on your head and Teton the ground or we will open fire." Yikes, getting into a scuffle with the cops....yeah not what I wanted to have happen. "Sorry boys, but I'm afraid I can't do that. Listen, is there anyway we can talk about this where you're no--" I made the mistake of taking a step towards them, and one of them panicked. He squeezed off a shot, and it pinged off my armor and into one of the cop cars. It set them off, and suddenly they were all firing on me. Pistol rounds, as they were, were fairly harmless to me. The armor hardened, and deflected the shots away from me or stopped them cold. But if I stayed for too long, they'd call in bigger guns. "You'll have to do better than that, but I'm not here to fight you guys." I turned around, and jumped for the wall. More shots followed, but I guess I was that hard of a target, since only a few actually hit me. I quickly scaled the wall and got to the roof, and since there was no helicopter this time, I was able to evade the cops more easily.

Great.....resisting arrest. Oh man, this is going to make me one helluva target. Still, it seemed clear that there wasnt anything they could actually do to stop me, let alone catch me. So I was able to run across the rooftops and head back to my neighborhood.