I stayed looking at the form for several seconds as if the letters were going to move by themselves to explain if I was signing a golden opportunity or my work sentence with superpowers.
Provisional Evaluation Request for Unregistered Superhumans.
That sounded much more serious than “accepted to be a hero and make money.”
Detective Evelyn Cross remained on the other side of the table with that sad gaze that seemed to apologize even when she was not doing anything wrong.
She had the pen in her hand and had left it near me, but the problem was that my wrists were still handcuffed.
I tried to move my hands forward.
CLACK.
The handcuffs hit the table. I tried again.
CLACK.
“This is a bit difficult with my hands tied” I said looking at the form.
Evelyn lowered her gaze to my wrists and for a moment she seemed embarrassed.
“Right.”
“I am glad you noticed.”
She touched something on a small screen on the table and the blue lights on the handcuffs changed color but did not open.
“You can move your hands a little more but I still cannot remove them until you sign.”
“I appreciate the gesture.”
I leaned over the table trying to grab the pen with my fingers squeezed by the handcuffs.
It was uncomfortable and humiliating and for a moment I felt like I was signing like a five year old learning to write.
The pen slipped twice. Evelyn did not laugh but her lips moved a little.
I had noticed. “You can laugh” I said.
Evelyn lowered her gaze to the form and this time she did smile a little more although she immediately returned to her calm expression.
Finally I managed to write my name.
Oliver Clarke.
When I finished signing I felt something strange in my stomach. It was not hunger this time although I was also hungry because lately my body seemed like an oven demanding fuel. It was something else.
I had signed.
I was no longer just a guy who awakened fire powers in a bubble tub and went out to do stupid things against a crow villainess.
Now I was officially involved with an agency or at least at the entrance door of one.
Evelyn took the form checked the signature and then touched the screen again. The handcuffs emitted a soft sound.
PIP.
The lights turned off and they finally opened.
I rubbed my wrists as if I had been trapped for three days even though it had only been a few minutes.
“Welcome to the New Kroy Superhero Agency” Evelyn said standing up from the chair.
She extended her hand toward me. I stood up too and accepted the handshake.
Her hand was soft and a little cold. She looked at me with that shy expression that did not match the elegant way she moved.
The gray trench coat settled a little as she stood up and for the last time I could not avoid noticing her large breasts under the white shirt something that was probably a danger to the concentration of any weak minded interrogated person.
“Thanks I guess” I said.
“You do not sound very excited.”
“I still do not know if this will make me rich or take me to prison.”
“Let us hope for the first one.”
“I like that answer.”
Evelyn released my hand and pointed to the door.
“Vanessa is waiting for you outside. She will take you to the fourth floor to start the process.”
“Will Vanessa be my babysitter?”
“Temporary supervisor.”
“That sounds worse.”
“For her too.”
I did not know if that was a joke but I decided to take it as one.
I left the interrogation room feeling my wrists free and discomfort throughout my body. Outside Vanessa was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed looking to the side as if she did not care about anything at all.
But she did care.
I had known her for a short time but I could already notice when she was pretending.
Her gray eyes moved quickly toward me and then to my wrists without handcuffs.
Then she looked forward again with a badly acted angry face.
“So you signed” she said.
“It seems so.”
“Good.”
“Was that a congratulations?”
“No.”
“It sounded like a hidden congratulations.”
“Do not get excited.”
She started walking down the hallway without waiting for me. I walked behind her trying not to smile.
Vanessa was happy.
Not much not like someone who won the lottery but she did have that small different energy in her shoulders and steps.
As if a part of her was relieved that they had not locked me up or sent me back to my apartment with an impossible fine to pay.
But of course she had to hide it with anger.
“Do not stay behind” she said without turning.
“I am walking normal.”
“You walk like someone who does not know where he is going.”
“Because I do not know where I am going.”
“Fourth floor.”
“What is on the fourth floor?”
“Support superheroes.”
We reached the elevator. It was huge made of dark metal with buttons that had more floors than I expected. Vanessa pressed the number four and we both entered.
Before the doors closed a huge hand stopped them.
A hand of stone.
The man who entered was the same one I had seen earlier in the lobby talking on the phone.
He had gray and rough skin as if his entire body was made of solid rock.
He was tall wide and had an agency jacket that seemed to be struggling not to break over his shoulders.
He looked at Vanessa and smiled.
“Vanessa.”
“Marcus” she replied calmly.
Then the stone man looked at me and his smile grew a little more.
“Welcome rookie.”
I did not know if I should thank him or ask him not to crush my hand in a handshake.
“Thanks” I said. “I will try not to die in my first week.”
Marcus let out a deep laugh that made the elevator vibrate a little. “That is the spirit.”
Vanessa sighed. “Do not give him ideas.”
“The ideas already come with him” Marcus said.
That seemed unfair because he barely knew me but at the same time it was true.
The elevator went up in silence for a few seconds.
I looked at the metallic reflection of the walls and realized that I still looked like a very ordinary civilian to be next to an invisible agent and a stone man.
Maybe I needed a uniform.
Or maybe first I needed to not burn something while trying to use my powers.
PIP.
Fourth floor.
The doors opened and Marcus exited first. “See you rookie” he said raising his hand.
“See you.”
Vanessa walked forward and I followed her.
The fourth floor was much less impressive than the main lobby. There were not so many heroes nor giant screens nor people running with urgency.
There was a wide area with desks maps a wall with classified missions and barely five people working.
Five.
I do not know why I expected more but it surprised me.
Maybe because New Kroy was the least known agency it did not have so many superheroes. Or maybe the support ones were all out doing small missions while the more flashy heroes stayed with the cameras and interviews.
Before I could ask anything a blonde girl appeared out of nowhere.
Literally I do not know where she came from.
I only saw a shadow move and suddenly I had a girl hugging me with all the confidence in the world.
“So you are Oliver!”
The hug was strong warm and too unexpected.
It did not bother me but the problem was that her breasts were pressed against my body in a very direct way.
They were soft quite friendly and were rubbing against me because of the girl’s enthusiasm.
My brain shut off for a second.
Just one.
Maybe two.
The girl had blonde hair green eyes and a huge smile. She seemed like the kind of person who fed on energy drinks and a lot of sugar.
Before I could ask who she was Vanessa rolled her eyes to the side.
“She is the one who assigns missions to all the support superheroes” she said with a sigh. “She is also the one who sent me the notification to bring you.”
“Exactly!” the blonde said without letting me go.
“Could you let him breathe?” Vanessa asked.
“Ah right.”
The girl separated from me and I took a small step back not because I wanted to escape but because I saw that Vanessa was a little annoyed.
The blonde looked me up and down with a smile.
“Are you part of another agency?”
“No” I replied looking directly at her green eyes. “Since a few minutes ago I am part of this one.”
The girl opened her eyes and started jumping in place.
“That is incredible! We have new talent! A fire talent! Do you know how difficult it is to get someone with an offensive power in support? This can improve many rescue distraction containment evacuation coverage missions and maybe even crowd control if you learn not to set anything important on fire.”
“That last part is still in testing” I said.
Vanessa had an angry face but a small mischievous smile appeared on her lips.
I saw it.
She noticed that I saw it and erased the smile immediately.
“And now what do I have to do?” I asked.
The blonde brought both hands to her mouth.
“Oh no! I did not introduce myself” she said with a dramatic expression. “I am Sarah Murphy mission coordinator for support assignment logistics and basically the person who prevents everyone from dying by accepting tasks without reading the details.”
“That sounds important.”
“It is very important and no one thanks me enough.”
Vanessa crossed her arms. “Sarah.”
“Yes yes.” Sarah looked at me again. “On the second floor you can sign to start the physical and power handling tests. With that they classify you within the agency. According to your results you can end up in basic training field support active support or special supervision” Sarah said at a speed worthy of a person who has had five energy drinks.
“Does special supervision sound bad?”
“It depends on whether you are dangerous or interesting.”
“And which one am I?”
Sarah smiled and shrugged. “I do not know yet.”
Vanessa put a hand on my back and pushed me slightly toward the elevator.
“I will accompany you.”
“Should not someone from human resources go?”
“I will accompany you” Vanessa repeated.
“Fine I am not going to argue with the invisible girl.”
“Good decision.”
Sarah waved goodbye to us with too much energy.
“Good luck Oliver! Do not explode anything before signing!”
“I will try not to.”
We returned to the elevator. Vanessa entered with me and the doors closed. We were alone again.
The silence appeared immediately a different silence. Vanessa pressed the button but not the one for the second floor.
She pressed the third floor. I looked at her.
“I think Sarah said second floor.”
“I know.”
“Then why are we going to the third?”
Vanessa did not answer immediately. She got a little closer enough for my back to be almost against the elevator wall. Then she stood on her tiptoes and brought her lips close to my ear.
Her voice came out lower softer and too sensual to be a simple question.
“Do you want to go to the bathroom before the tests Oliver?”
I felt my brain shutting off again.
PIP.
We had arrived at the third floor.