Just Cause Universe 3: Day of the Destroyer by Ian Thomas Healy Page B

rage. “I’ll kill you!” he shrieked, and struggled to get up.
    The four boys, done with their taunting, turned to outright brutality and commenced punching and kicking him in earnest, until all he could do was huddle and whimper and wait for the end.
     
    #
     
    “Thanks so much for lunch and for talking with me,” said Miranda. “I feel a lot better.”
    “You’re not going to go find something else to jump off of once I’m gone, are you?” asked Tommy.
    Miranda laughed. “No, I promise.” They strolled up the street towards his apartment.
    “I just hope you find some peace with yourself,” said Tommy. “You’ll meet someone else. It’s a big city.”
    “Even though I don’t want to,” said Miranda. “Any more than you want to look past John Stone.”
    “Touch é ,” said Tommy with a laugh. “Listen, do you want to come inside?” Miranda raised an eyebrow. “Not for that,” said Tommy quickly. “It’s just that, well, I don’t really know anyone who’s not a superhero, and it’s nice to talk to you.”
    “It’s nice to talk to you too, Tommy, and I’d love to.”
    Tommy led her up the flight of stairs and unlocked his apartment. She looked around at the high ceilings, the tasteful wall art, the track lighting. Quiet ceiling fans circulated the hot midday air enough to make the apartment’s temperature at least tolerable. Diaphanous white curtains billowed gently in the breeze.
    “It’s lovely,” said Miranda. “You live here alone?”
    “Yes.” Tommy saw the flashing light on his radio, which meant someone had tried to reach him. He picked it up from the table and told Miranda, “I’ll be right back. Make yourself at home. Mi casa es su casa .”
    “So cultured.” Miranda laughed.
    Tommy stepped into his bedroom and pulled the door shut. He called headquarters. “Tornado, checking in.”
    “ Tommy ,” said Bobby. “ About time. Listen, I need you to go check on Javier. He’s not answering his radio and we’ve got the Feds here. Apparently there’s a rogue para loose here in town who killed a guy in Iowa .”
    “Oh shit,” said Tommy.
    “ My thoughts exactly. This could blow up bigger than the Son of Sam .”
    “Javier was having an equipment malfunction,” said Tommy through clenched teeth.
    “ His malfunction is in his goddamn head. One of these days we’re going to find him dead .”
    “Don’t even joke about that.”
    “ I wish I was .”
    “Okay, I’m on my way.”
    Tommy pulled on a spare costume, still clean and fresh from the Chinese laundry he used. He walked out of his room, clasping his cape around his neck.
    Miranda was examining the photos and news clippings in Tommy’s small Just Cause shrine. “You must lead such a fascinating life,” she said as he approached her. “All these strange and wonderful people you’ve met, and the things you’ve done.”
    He shrugged. “I’m still just a regular guy. It’s just a job, like being a cop or an actor.”
    Miranda sighed. “Still a lot more interesting than what I do for a job.”
    An idea popped into Tommy’s head. “Listen, do you like baseball?”
    Miranda wrinkled up her nose. “Baseball? What has that got to do with anything?”
    “John Stone, Sundancer, and I are all going to the Mets game later. Would you like to join us?”
    “Are you serious?” Miranda’s jaw dropped in surprise. “You guys do that?”
    Tommy smiled. “It’s that or another party at Headquarters tonight, and as fun as they are, I could use the change of pace.”
    “I’d love to go to a game with you. If you’re sure it’s okay, that is.”
    “Positive. Do you want to meet us there?”
    “Sure. I live in Queens, so I’m not far away.” They worked out details of where and when to meet at the stadium, and then Tommy offered to call her a cab. “No thank you,” she said. “It’s such a lovely day, I couldn’t stand being in the back of a stuffy cab.”
    Tommy raised an eyebrow. “It’s hot and