Electric Boogaloo:
Hey Guys I'm sort of Back. Don't expect much this chapter but you already know the next one will be much more interesting.
"No Cole, we aren't keeping this girl with us. She'll be a liability". Zeke spoke the moment I got back with someone else holding my hand. "Besides, as it is, I doubt our food supply is enough to feed all three of us".
"Come on Zeke, its just one person. It's not like I brought an entire mob with me".
"I promise I won't eat too much." added Rachel who pleaded with me.
Zeke and I stared hard into each other's eyes that I swore I could almost have zapped his eyes with a lightning bolt from my own eyes. Actually, that would be kind of cool power: Firing electricity out of your eyeballs...I wonder if I could develop that. Anyway back to the topic.
After a few minutes of hard stares, Zeke eventually relented and said, "Alright fine, we'll let her stay with us but on my conditions: First off, from this point on Cole you won't bring anyone else back with you. We aren't some kind of charity service you know. Secondly, our new acquaintance here has to help out at the shop. You got that kid?"
"Alright." we both said in unison.
"Very well," Zeke yawned, "Now how about we get some sleep? Cole, your friend will share a room with you. There's a mattress under your bed that she can use".
"Hey, I have a name you know".
"Rachel," I said grabbing her shoulder shoving her into my room, "Let's call it a day. Goodnight Zeke".
"Don't 'Goodnight' me yet Cole, there's something I want to talk about with you in the kitchen".
"I'll be out here for a while," I informed Rachel, "Settle in and get some well-deserved rest".
Rachel nods and closes the door. I follow Zeke to the kitchen area where the cupboards were crammed with our food supplies of mostly rice, bread and some ham.
'"So, what's up man?" I shrugged.
"I've been thinking about what you told me Cole and I think that you shouldn't turn that Ray Sphere over to the feds."
"Do I look as I have a choice?"
"Man alive, you know what they'll do with something like that? Especially if the Pentagon is wrapped up in all this. It sounds like the ultimate weapon".
"And what's your suggestion Jedediah? We hide it under your couch?" I argue sarcastically.
"Only my mum can call me that Cole," he huffed, "but that's not important right now. Listen, I say we crack that baby open and give everyone powers. It's the only way to make sure we don't get screwed.
"Yeah, I think we're already screwed Zeke. Giving the people in Empire City powers would just make everything worse. Who knows what they would do with them?"
I walk past my best friend back to my room, "This discussion is over. Goodnight Zeke".
The next day, I wake up at 9am to find Zeke and Rachel eating toast together in silence.
"Morning you guys." I greet them grabbing a piece of bread myself. "How was sleep?"
"Fine." replied Zeke.
"Alright." replied Rachel.
Suddenly, my phone begins to vibrate at my side pocket. It's another call from, who else?, Mory.
"Morning Mory".
Zeke stares at me and gives a displeased frown. Rachel looks at me curiously.
"I've flagged the position of the next substation on your GPS Coleen." Mory informed me. "You think you can get there now?"
"Um, shouldn't I be hunting for Joan and the Ray Sphere?".
"All in good time Coleen. You need to look at the big picture: Every time you restore electricity to each part of the city, your powers escalate. I'd say that's a valuable use of your time".
"Have you been watching me?" I asked alarmed.
"Not in person. I've got agents looking out for you and your friend. I'm sure he's seen at least one or two around your area. Anyway, I'll be in touch once you get the substation back online".
"Hey-!"
The call cuts off before I can protest or ask anything else.
"Who was that?" questioned Rachel.
"Nothing", I reply, "I'm going out for a walk. I'll join you guys at the shop later."
With the toast still in my mouth, I mutter a bye as I rush out the door.
From the roof, I finish my toast so that I don't look like some kind of anime school girl and afterwards, I take a leap of faith, landing on the train tracks that rose metres above the street. Ever since the explosion, the trains rarely worked anymore and thus it was perfectly safe for me to sprint along the path without getting electrocuted or run down by a moving train. But it wasn't like I could die from either of those thing anymore anyhow.
If the location was correct, all I had to do was run forward and I'd be at the location in fifteen minutes. Easier said than done.
I climbed into the putrid sewer and navigated around using the light from my electric palms. I could already see it ahead of me, the generator pulsating blue energy in the distance. i jump over some platforms to reach my destination and hook myself up to it. The electricity runs through my veins like a wildfire and I start feeling high, receiving another vision:
I see a blue figure jumping from a platform, it falls but its feet touch a descending metal wire and the two attract each other like a magnet. Its feet slide on the rails as gravity and static pull the figure forward and the figure rides the path like a graceful tightrope walker wearing the grind boots from Ratchet and Clank. The vision ends and I find myself lying on the steel floor.
Did I just forsee a new Sonic video game or a new ability? Ah well, might as well test it out. I can sense the second generator father in the distance and ahead of me is, what luck, a metal wire going downwards.
I let my feet touch it hesitantly, sharp crackles of static are produced. I jump on and imagine I'm a video game character as my feet hook onto the wire and I'm dragged forward, trying to keep my balance while flailing my arms like a mad woman. I end up at a short, semi-circular tunnel and run into a gang of Reapers who shoot me on sight. Frantically, I fire an electric bomb and they get out of my way. Most end up electrocuted. I go forward but am ambushed by a surviving asshole hiding in a corner with a shotgun who shoots me right in the chest, fracturing some ribs and possibly, a lung.
"Argh!" I shout as I fire back at him. He stumbles backwards as blood spurts out from my chest. The world goes black and white, I need power. I grab on to the surviving Reaper and drain the life out of him, trying not to look into his fearful eyes as I do so. His eyes roll into whiteness as he falls out of my grasp. I feel a little guilty for doing that but, I tell myself that the Reapers are horrible people who need to get what's coming to them sooner or later and I would be the first to execute them for their actions. Inside, my ribs and injuries stitch themselves back together as I rush onwards until I reach the generator at the end. I get it starting again and emerge from the sewer. I get a call from Zeke.
"Yo!"
'Hey, man, sup?" I answer.
"The TV Jacker came on just minutes ago. I used to think he was pretty righteous but now he spends half his time bad-mouthing and spreading lies about you. Makes me think it would be about high time you paid him a visit".
"Oh believe me, "I grumbled, "I'd love to give him a piece of my mind but unfortunately, like most celebrities, I don't know where he lives".
"Probably holed up in that old TV station over in the Historic District. You find him, you give him a taste of good stuff and prove the rumours of you being an enemy of the state are false. He's gotta learn not to run his mouth all the time".
"Great man, I'll do it right now." I click off the line and walk at a casual pace across the street.
Next time on infamous-
Several Hostages are trapped in a train by the Reapers. Who can save them but Coleen?
Will she truly prove her heroic nature to Empire City at last? Find out in the Next Chapter: All aboard the Cole Train.