Perfect Storm

Chapter 6

           We got a police escort to the Baxter building, and I rode with Ben in the big police armored car, since there wasn’t enough room in the police car, and I didn’t want Ben to feel like he was alone.

            We stopped, and I smiled at him.

            “Home sweet home,” I said, and He opened the door so I could get out, and got out behind me.

            Reporters lined the walk way to the Baxter building, and were yelling, begging for a line or whatever. I walked ahead, just trying to get by them. Johnny was soaking it up.

            “Oh, come on, Maggie,” Johnny said. “Enjoy it.”

            “I am not a piece of meat for the media to chew on,” I growled under my breath, and kept walking. When I got in, I saw Jimmy, and smiled.

            “Hey,” I said, smiling sadly.

            “Not enjoying the spotlight, Ms. Maggie?” he asked.

            “Not a bit,” I said, and walked to the elevator with Reed and Sue. Willy, the mail man, gave Reed the mail.

            They were stamped with final notice and past due stamps.

            “It’s been a rough year,” Reed told Sue.

            “More like a rough few years,” I muttered, and got into the elevator as it opened.

            Everyone else got on after, and I leaned against the sidewall, and bowed my head, keeping my head on straight.

            The elevator groaned, stopped moving, and buzzed.

“Either we’re going really fast or not moving at all,” Johnny said.

We looked up at the little floor counter, and it was flashing EXCEED MAXIMUM WEIGHT. We looked at Ben. “I’ll take the stairs,” he said, sadly, and left.

“How come Ben can’t turn it on and off like we can?” Johnny asked.

“That’s what we’re here to find out,” Reed said.

“Actually, I have a theory about that,” I said. “Ben, he had his space suit, and that’s it. He was out in open space, and got slammed with the whole dose twice. I think we got reduced dose due to the fact that we were at least shielded by the station. So, Ben can’t turn it on and off, but we can.”

“That’s actually not bad,” Reed said. “Maybe if we can find away to draw out some of the radiation, he’d be able to turn it on and off.”

“That’s interesting,” I said. “It would depend on how ingrained it’s in his DNA now though. If we try that, it could kill him.”

“That’ll be our first job, getting DNA,” Reed said, nodding.

“But if it happened to him? Could it...” Sue asked.

“Could it happen to us?” Johnny asked. Reed and I both nodded to him.

“That would save time,” he said, and chuckled.

“Do you really want to walk around on fire for the rest of your life, which would probably become considerably shorter?” I asked.

“Is that a trick question?” he asked me.

“Grow up,” Sue said, and Johnny scoffed.

“Come on, am I the only guy who thinks this is cool?” he asked.