Shimmer *The Seattle Superheroes*

Chapter Thirty Two: Using What Talents

Chapter Thirty Two: Using What Talents

Philadelphia; July 26, 2010; 10:16 a.m.

Nervousness is an unpleasant emotion. It takes a toll on one's body, often making people feel nauseous or faint. It's the mind's subconscious way of telling itself not to do something.

Shimmer didn't have a normal body, but her mind was still wreaking havoc on it. Every molecule of her system was buzzing, making her feel as if she were floating apart in sparks, though her reflection in the microwave door told her that she was still quite solid.

A hand on her arm grabbed her attention.

"You OK?" Nash asked, gently.

Shimmer nodded mutely and set her jaw. There was no getting around what they had to do that day, and Shimmer had decided that she was done fearing it. Fear never helped anyone.

"Are you ready?" she asked, her voice stern.

Nash looked her over. Her shoulders were tense, her eyes focused, and her jaw strong. It was the same way she looked before they had ambushed the gang that night in the street—prepared to do whatever she needed to do.

He slid his hand into hers. The day before had been nice: a reminder of what it was like to have a normal afternoon. But the look on her face was a reminder that, in the end, neither of them was normal. In the end, they were two of the most powerful people alive—two of the greatest heroes on the planet. Which was good, because they had a job to do.

"I'm ready," he replied, his own voice hardening.

She turned to him, not pulling her hand from his. "By this time tomorrow, we'll know where the Cult is."

"And we'll have kept them from getting their hands on the American Heroes," he added.

For a moment, they stood in silence, staring at each other, until Shimmer broke the silence.

"Then we should go suit up."

Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, Shimmer barely glanced at her reflection as she propped one boot on the bathtub to lace it. The task finished, she straightened and regarded herself. She pursed her lips, flattening the collar of the shimmering white fabric. She'd seen the exact same woman stare at her out of mirrors for as long as she could remember, and the stark whiteness of her suit was a reminder of every day she'd spent since she woke up in the desert.

Mindlessly, Shimmer reached up and pulled her hair out of the messy bun she'd had it in. With a slight whoosh the curls burst free and fell back into their usual state of disarray. It was the last piece of the puzzle; she was again the most feared and revered hero alive.

Turning her back on her reflection, Shimmer decided that maybe Nash and Carl Jameson were right. Maybe it was time for a change—in both her and her wardrobe.

Back downstairs, she found Nash and their two friends waiting. It was somewhat strange to see Jay in his super suit after spending so much time with him in civilian clothes, but somehow felt right. She wasn't going into battle with Jay Thatcher, the laid back man she's come to know as a friend, but with Android, one of the longest standing superhero names there was.

Shimmer was faintly aware that she and Jay should have spent some time training together if they wanted to fight by each other's sides, but, as she took in the multitude of devices and mechanisms now strapped to his body, controlled entirely by thought, she recognized a man that was used to working alone, just like her. Not to mention, as far as keeping an eye on things, who better for Shimmer to work with than someone covered in electricity.