I smile to myself, looking into the eyes of the soldier. His eyes are the perfect picture of fear and truth, if he was lying before he wasn’t now, not as far as my sensors can read. The soldier had refused to co-operate when I caught him on the high street, so I knocked him unconscious. I only meant to knock him around a little... but what’re you gonna do? The girl had needed me. She was new to her powers, or at least new to using them on such a large scale and her life signs were diminishing, I didn’t have time to be gentle.
I brought them both back to my apartment, tied him to a chair and let her rest on my bed... she’s still asleep so I don’t have any new info on her. The soldier, however... I’ve been having fun with him. Showing him some of my creations... I started off with my automatic potato peeler. he thought I was going to carve his head open with it... I must admit it does look a lot more threatening than it should. but it wasn’t until I showed him my salad spinner that he started talking. He was a henchman for a drugs kingpin known as Senior Psychopath... someone was watching Aladdin when they thought up their super villain name. I press him for a location, at first all I get is a new mess to clean up as he urinates across my hardwood floor, seriously, technopathy is great if you can get a company to sell your intentions to.
After cleaning up the mess I continue with the rest of the interrogation. “Look... I can protect you.” I say, pacing back and forth in front of the man.
“No you can’t!” the soldier said, leaning forward, “You’re what? a D-List super hero?”
“C-list, thank you very much, but I’ve tangled with my fair share of B-List villains.” I reply indignantly.
“You can’t stand up to him... he’s just... he has...” the man wet himself again.
“Oh My God!” I screamed. “Do that again and I’m hanging you out a window while I interrogate you.”
“Why don’t you just build a urine cleaning machine?” I hear the voice behind me and turn to see the young hero standing in the bedroom doorway, leaning against the door. “I assume from all the gadgets I’ve seen around here that you’re a technopath?”
I smiled and nodded. it took me a second the realise my helmet was still on and she couldn’t see my smile. “Yes.” I replied. “And you?”
“I’m a Pulsite.” the girl replied, tucking hair behind her ear.
“A what?” I ask, raising my eyebrows in great surprise as my HUD fails to come up with the answer.
“My name is Adria... I am a genetically created soldier built using the energy teachings of Tanner five’s Pulsar worshippers.” the name tanner five brought up information on a system named Tanner and then showed the fifth planet for a second before I flicked my eye sideways and the HUD pocketed the information for later. “I thank you for bringing me here and as a curtsey I will answer your questions and keep the location of your home safe, and I will not tell my master.”
My eyes widened and I frowned. Her master? “Your master?” I asked.
“Yes. A man named Dex. He is one of the king pins who deal crime in the east district.” Adria replied. I’d not heard of Dex before, or that there were multiple King Pins in the district. Man I’m behind on the research.
“And you just follow him... willingly?” I ask, sitting back on my sofa.
“It’s not like I have a choice...” Adria said, looking down at her feet guiltily. “I was sold to him, he is my master.”