Perfect Storm

Chapter 8

            Reed and I debated and bantered for hours the possible options for keeping our individual powers at bay with clothing, when Sue walked in with our synthetic suits that we had worn to space.

            Reed and I glared at each other, berating the other for their stupidity.

            “That’s what you two have a third scientist for,” Sue said, and set the suits down for us to start running tests on.

            We examined the suits under a microscope that was hooked to the computer to analyze for unstable molecules, and we found that the suits were full of them, and, depending on who’s suit it was, they moved like our separate molecules. We examined Sue’s and the strands, and they seemed to become invisible on their own, and then reappear in a similar way she did.

            Reed and I set up 3 boards, and I begrudgingly gave him the formula so far for Jenny, and working it through, he didn’t have to move to reach his arm across the board. He put the suit on, and did the same with the second line. The suit moved with his arm, clinging to him, and stretching with him.

            I stepped back into my machine, which I hadn’t destroyed completely like Johnny had, and the suit seemed to adapt as my body adapted to the cold, not shattering when turned it off.

            Reed and I high fived when I got out.

            “We’ve found a solution,” I said, grinning.

            “In testing, you and Johnny don’t have to ruin anymore clothing, and hopefully if you wear that under your clothing-” he started, and I finished.

            “Any minor accidents won’t affect our clothing,” I said, grinning.

            “Yes,” he said. “Sue will be happy she won’t have to strip naked every time she need to use her invisibility.

            “You won’t have to stretch out of your clothing,” I said.

            “I bet we can alter it or stretch it to even fit Ben,” he said, and we hugged.

            “You grab Sue, I’ll grab Johnny and Ben,” I said, and ran off to find them.

            We all congregated in the living room, except for Ben, who was in the bathroom when I found him. We handed Johnny and Sue their suits, and waited for Ben before explaining. Johnny and Sue came in from their respective rooms after changing, and Reed and I started to explain.

            “The uniforms were exposed to the storm like us, so they can transform like us. Becoming invisible, changing size on demand, remaining impervious to flame or cold,” Reed said. I looked behind me and saw Johnny practically strutting in his.

            “You guys look like an 80’s rock band,” Ben said, chuckling.

            “You know Ben, this material stretches, I’m sure we can figure out a way to make it fit,” Sue said.

            “Nah, I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing that,” he said, shaking his head.

            “I love these costumes,” Johnny said, grinning. “They need something though, like some spice.”

            “They aren’t costumes,” I said, narrowing my eyes.

            “You can’t use your powers in public, Johnny,” Sue said.