So Not a Hero by S.J. Delos Page B

knows. And they know we all know.” She sighed and tugged at her ponytail. “It’s very awkward, too. Because he leers at anything female.”
    I tossed the pack on the bed and flipped open the top. “Nice to know that heroes can be as dysfunctional as villains.” When I’d emptied the bag of my meager belongings, I shoved it under the bed and sat down on the edge of the mattress. “Well, I guess it’s real now. All settled in.”
    Alexis blinked and looked at the small stack of clothes resting on top of the dresser. “Wait. That’s it? That’s all your stuff?”
    “Afraid so, kiddo.”
    “You can’t start off your new career like that.” She shook her head and grabbed my arm, pulling me off the bed. Actually, she pulled and I stood up, since there was no way her tiny frame was about to move my dense ass. “Nope. Nada. No way.”
    “Where are we going?”
    “Shopping. The Galleria is open until ten.”
    “Alexis, I’m broke. I mean really broke.”
    The teen laughed. “So? We’ll just use my card until you get one.” When I ceased my forward momentum (and it caused her to be yanked to a stop), she glanced at me. “What?”
    “I can’t let you spend your money on buying me stuff, Alexis.”
    “It’s not my money, Karen. Not exactly. Richard got us all team credit cards in our names. But the bill is paid by his company and the funding from the EAPF. Since none of us can have a normal job and be superheroes.” She tugged on my arm again. “I’m sure Greg would agree that you should get whatever you need to feel comfortable.”
    “Fine, fine.” I let her resume leading me out of my new quarters and towards the elevator. Maybe she was right and Manpower wouldn’t mind me using a bit of the group funding to get some supplies. God knows, I needed some personal hygiene items and a new wardrobe.
    When we got to the entertainment room, Rocket was gone and Omega had ditched the television in favor of a gossip magazine. “Where’re you off to, Alexis?” she asked, not bothering to look at us.
    "We're going down to the Galleria to get Karen some new clothes and stuff. You wanna come with?" The bouncy teen sounded damned near ready to break into song.
    Omega lowered the magazine and peered at me for a second and then cut her eyes over at Alexis. "Are you joking? Her being on the team is one thing. But I’m not going to be seen hanging casual with an ex-con. And I sure as shit am not going shopping with one."
    Alexis frowned. "You know that Greg said we had to try to all get along with Karen and work together as a team. Stop being such a … bitch."
    "It's okay, Alexis. I don’t want to get a fashion advice from a bleach-blonde bimbo who wears the equivalent of butt-floss into battle."
    The teen snickered and the next thing I knew I was lying on my back on top of the remnants of the coffee table, staring up at the ceiling. The front of the borrowed t-shirt sported a smoldering hole in the belly from the heat of the plasma burst. I rolled over and climbed back to my feet, looking at Omega-Girl.
    She floated a few inches off the ground with crackling halos of pale yellow energy radiating around her hands. The smell of ozone hung heavy in the air. "Anything else cute to say, Red?"
    I curled my hands into fists and nodded at her. "I'll try to leave you most of your teeth."
    I surged forward, rushing the blonde as she let loose with a blast from each hand. I twisted in mid-stride and one of the energy beams shot past me. Something on the other side of the room took the brunt of the attack and shattered. The second one caught me in the shoulder, vaporizing more of Alexis’ shirt, and shoving me sideways into the sofa. The dura-steel frame bent from the impact.
    “Are we done yet, Crushette?” Darla called from her hovering spot. “Not that it matters. I could do this all day.”
    “Stop it!” Alexis screamed and her plea was apparently enough to take Omega-Girl’s mind off the fight for two seconds.