Smith turned his gaze to St. George. “I wish you were coming with us.”
“We’ve got a run scheduled for this afternoon,” said the hero. “We’re going down into Larchmont to clean out a bunch of the fruit trees people had in their yards. I’ll go with them and catch up with you later tonight.”
Freedom glanced over at the scavengers loading a truck on the far side of the garden. “You’re making the civilians search for supplies, sir?”
“We are not making them do anything,” said Stealth.
“You’re at no risk,” the officer said to St. George. “Wouldn’t it make more sense for you to go alone?”
He looked up at Freedom and gave a faint smile. “It would if there was some way for me to bring four or five hundred pounds of fruit back on my own,” he said. “It’s not like I can throw it all in a few grocery bags and carry two in each arm.”
“I was led to believe you could carry at least three in each arm, sir.” Freedom’s expression didn’t change, but there was a faint glimmer in his eye as he said it.
“Believe me,” said St. George, “no one goes out who doesn’t want to and we minimize risks wherever we can.”
“So they’d like you to believe.”
Christian stood a few feet away with her fists on her hips. Danielle recognized it as Gorgon’s sheriff pose. The councilwoman ignored the heroes and spoke directly to Smith. “These people have endangered our lives again and again and refused to give us any voice in how we govern our lives here. It’s been a fascist dictatorship, and I wanted to make sure the proper authorities knew about it.”
St. George caught most of the sigh before it slipped out, but a wisp of smoke spiraled up from his nostrils. Danielle’s hands clenched into fists. Stealth grew very still, which he knew was a bad sign.
Smith stepped forward and pulled Christian’s hand into his. “Agent Smith, Department of Homeland Security,” he said. “I’m helping the Army out as a government liaison. You must be one of the local community leaders. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
She returned the handshake after a moment of awkwardness and straightened up even more as she processed the torrent of words. “Christian Nguyen. I’ve been elected by a majority here to speak for the people of the Mount.”
“A majority of the people in your districts doesn’t mean the majority of the people here,” scoffed Danielle.
“Since your overlords refuse to hold democratic elections, we all have to make do,” said the older woman.
“I’m very sorry to hear you’ve been having problems,” said Smith. He led her a few steps away from the heroes. “We expected to hear about some problems when we encountered survivors, but we’ll be wanting a full account of everything that’s been going on for the past few years.”
“I’ll be glad to give one,” she said. “Under oath, even.”
“I’m sure that won’t be necessary.”
She shot a suspicious glance back at the heroes. “I just want to make sure it’s clear who’s been doing what.”
He nodded. “I’m glad to know there are people like you here in the Mount. People we’ll be able to depend on even when things are tough.” He paused. “I can depend on you when things get tough, can’t I, Christian?”
She smiled. It crossed St. George’s mind it was the first honest, happy smile he’d ever seen on the woman’s face. “Of course you can,” she said. “I’m always honored to serve the people.”
“Excellent,” he said. He had his practiced smile up again. “I’ll be in touch on my next trip out here. Do you mind if we finish making our arrangements for this trip? There are a few things we still need to iron out.”
“Of course, Agent Smith.”
He took her hand again and gave it a single shake. “Please, just call me John.”
Christian beamed, and her eyes flashed with triumph. “Of course, John.” She squeezed his hand back and walked away.
“I take it back,” St. George murmured to Danielle. “Maybe he’s not bad to have around after all.”
A soldier stepped forward and gave Freedom a salute. “Ready to move out, sir.”
“Excellent.” He gestured them all towards the helicopter.
“Time for us to get strapped in,” said Smith.
Danielle pulled St. George aside. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? All of us heading off and leaving the Mount like this?”
“It’s not all of us,” he said. “You guys are going now. I’ll be here for another few hours, and Barry’ll probably be back before I leave. If all goes as planned, even if you decide to stay, Stealth and I will be back tomorrow night.”
“And she’s okay with this?”
“Yeah. Kind of weird, I know, but…” He shrugged.
“Just feels weird,” she said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had to say any goodbyes.”
He smiled and pushed her towards the Black Hawk. “Unless you guys run into Zzzap on the way,” he said, “or I see him here before I head out, I’ll see all of you out there later tonight.”
Smith strapped himself in with some help from one of the soldiers. He twisted his head over to look out the cabin door and up at the sky. “I wonder if he’s made it out to Krypton yet?”
“He left about half an hour ago,” said St. George, “so, yeah, everyone there’s probably sick of him by now.”
* * *
People of Krypton , shouted Zzzap in a deep, buzzing voice, I tell you our world is doomed. We must take refuge in the Phantom Zone!
“Hard as it may be to believe, sir,” said the colonel, “we’ve heard all the Superman jokes you can think of.” Shelly was in his mid-to-late forties, and in great shape whatever age he was.
Dammit, said the glowing figure. He hung in the air a good thirty feet above the helipad. Close to a dozen soldiers stood around the slab of concrete. What about the classics? Mysterious figure arrives at the Army base in the desert? The hum of his voice dropped an octave again. I come in peace. Take me to your leader.
“Are you done, sir?”
Tough crowd, he sighed. Yeah, I’m done. Thanks for humoring me.
“Of course. On behalf of the United States Army and Project Krypton, I’d like to welcome you to the Yuma Proving Ground, sir. I’m Colonel Russell Shelly.”
I’m Zzzap, but you probably knew that already. How do you want to do this?
“We can do a tour around the base,” said Shelly. “Show you the perimeter, our supplies, anything you’d like to see, sir, that’s not classified or restricted for safety reasons. I thought you might like a late breakfast first. Nothing special, I’m afraid. I think we’ve got scrambled eggs and bacon, maybe some french toast. The coffee’s not too bad, though.”
Did you say you have bacon and coffee? Colonel, you may have just become my favorite person on Earth.
Shelly gave a polite smile. “Right this way, then, sir. I’ve got clothes and your other equipment waiting by my office.”
It’s okay to say ‘wheelchair.’ It won’t come as a big surprise to me, really.
“Sorry. I have to be honest, it caught me off guard when Smith told me.”
Oh, believe me, the irony’s not lost on this end, either.
A pair of soldiers waited for them by the building. Their eyes went wide at the sight of the gleaming wraith. They had a basic wheelchair with a seat made of faded leather. One held a pair of boots in his hand and a set of camos draped over his arm.
Zzzap flitted down and tilted his head to the ground. I don’t suppose you have a blanket or something?
The colonel glanced at the wide-eyed men. “We could get one. Is it important?”
He sighed. Not really. I just hate crawling naked on hot pavement.
“If we swing around to the other side of the building, sir, there’s a small lawn. It’s not much, but it’s—”