Chapter Three:

Greeting

Cole and I climbed up the building he'd led me to while Lucy simply flew up. I didn't want to take any chances with my powers, so I decided to be careful and not over-use 'em too much. Probably the best idea I've had since… Well, it's the best idea I've ever had.

"Hey, Zeke!" Cole called.

There wasn't an answer.

"He must be out…" I said.

"I don't know why, though. He should be hanging around here…" Cole looked at the couch, which had been facing away from us. "Oh, here he is. Another hangover from another party."

"Hey, people are happy to be alive! I'd join in, but I'm kinda under-aged…" Cole glared at me. "I'm just joking!"

"Hey… can you guys be quiet?" Zeke asked groggily. "My head feels like its gonna split a thousand ways at once."

"You know, that was kinda what it was like when I exploded myself, only it may have been my entire body. I dunno, I was either dead or unconscious when that DARPA facility went kaput!"

Zeke peeked over the couch. His eyebrows shot up in surprise (seeing as I couldn't see his eyes from under his sunglasses). "Joan? You're alive, girl!"

"And kickin' uncle Zeke!"

Zeke tackled me in a bear hug. No, he wasn't as strong as Cole, but the stench of his clothes and the alcohol on his breath was enough to make me gag.

"Three words buddy!" I choked out. "Get new clothes!"

Zeke finally released me, grinning wildly. "Man, Alec woulda been ecstatic!"

"Speaking of which, where is invisaboy?" I asked, dusting off my clothes.

"He headed outta Empire City as soon as the quarantine was down," Zeke explained. "Said he was gonna head to Italy or somethin'."

"That bastard! Italy?" I exploded. "What could he possibly want in Italy?"

"He was gonna see if anyone needed his skills there," Cole said, squeezing my shoulder. "He moved to the other side of the world so he could protect people."

"Hope the guy's okay," Zeke said. "Usin' the RFI killed a few Conduits around the world."

"Who's Alec?" Lucy asked.

I just realized she was there. I'd totally forgotten. Me and my attention span, eh?

"Alec's a friend from Empire City," I told her. "He helped Cole and I beat up Sasha and Alden, and then helped us get Cole outta that DARPA facility I blew up." I rubbed the back of my head. "He was the one who mainly helped me to further my powers, and he told me that if I covered myself in fire I'd most likely die."

"Wait, you knew that you'd die?" Cole exclaimed. "We all could've gotten away!"

I shook my head. "I got shot three times in the gut with quicksilver bullets, and unless someone distracted the DARPA agents, everyone'd get shot in the head. I did what was necessary, and it was my choice." I grinned. "So, you can't kick my ass because I came back!"

"Yeah, but you have me a friggin' heart attack!"

I stuck my tongue out. "Well, you seem fine, for a light bulb!"

I heard Lucy chuckle behind me. "You're still gonna call me that?" Cole asked, almost annoyed.

"Of course! I'm gonna put it on every poster around this town! Cole MacGrath; light bulb man!"

Cole whipped some lightning at my head, but I ducked. He shot another bolt at my legs, and I automatically back-flipped. When I steadied myself, I grinned.

"Woah! That was cool!" I said excitedly.

"I never knew you were so flexible," Zeke said, grinning along with me.

"I didn't know either!" I laughed. "Then again, I didn't bother to find out! I mean, I was invulnerable to bullets, remember? Except the quicksilver ones. Those were just plain evil."

Cole nodded. "Yeah, I can imagine."

I stayed with Cole, Lucy and Zeke for a few hours, just catching up with them. Cole and Zeke couldn't believe that I'd gotten a job, but Lucy was happy for me. We took turns glaring at the guys, and it was fun. I also found out that Cole and Lucy were dating!

I'm happy for him, I thought. He's finally moved on. It's nice to see him happy, for once.

Eventually, I stood up. "Well, I gotta get to work. If I don't, I'll be late!"

"Already?" Cole checked his watch. "Wow. I'd better get to patrolling!"

I hugged Zeke, Cole and Lucy. "It was nice to talk. I missed it."

Cole put a hand on my shoulder. "Come by any time, Jo. Have fun at work!"

I nodded and leaped off of the roof, activating my fire. Without my wanting it to, it spread all over my body. I half-expected myself to blow up again, but I didn't. I was flying much faster with it covering my body, instead of when it was just in my palms and feet back in Empire City.

I dropped onto the roof of the garage I was working at. It was called "Gary's Garage", but everyone just called it "Gary's". The guy who owned it was Gary's son, and was the one who hired me.

I climbed down from the roof and entered the garage, but bumped into someone. Well, someone's chest, to be more precise. I was staring at a guy's chest. I had to tilt my neck back to look at his face.

The guy I bumped into had these really dark blue eyes that looked at me questioningly. He had the usual guy hairstyle these days; his roots were black, which showed that he had natural black hair, but as his hair extended it turned blonde, somewhere in-between dull and bright.

I stepped to my right to let him by at the same time he stepped to his left. I frowned, and stepped right again so I wouldn't be in the way of the door, but he had stepped to his left at the same time again. I gritted my teeth and grabbed the sides of his arms, then switched us places.

"Sorry for bumping into you," I said, and hurried to get to my job.