Dial H for Heroics

Jack dreamed that he stood in the meeting place where he talked to the Society. He

wondered about the significance of the mountain top. He decided to put that thought

away as he watched the city lights below.

He supposed he was in for another talk about his use of magic. He winced at what

they would say about what he had done for the Hangar and the Hole in the Wall. At

least Josie wasn’t there to take some kind of punishment with him.

The door opened in the night sky, and the Society filed into the dream and took their

places on the stone thrones they had set up.

“How’s it going?,” Jack asked. He grinned at them. They didn’t seem that dour to him

as a group despite individuals frowning at him.

“Quests are forming,” said Center right. “Both Oliver and Juniper are away as

discussed. It will be up to you and Josie to deal with things.”

“I’m ready,” said Jack. “I’m just taking a day to relax so I can be sharp as usual.”

“Things are stirring now that we have an agent in the world, much less four of them,”

said the man with the sword.

“And they will want to eliminate you,” said the woman with the owl. “Everything you

hold dear will be threatened.”

“It will be fine,” said Jack. “I will set Josie loose on the bad guys and see how many

heads she can pop. She’s not known for her gentle disposition, and winning charm.”

“Neither are you,” said Center Left. She knitted her fingers together in her lap. “Still,

as long as you command the Enterprise, you might have a chance. Don’t let us down,

Jack.”

“We’ll handle things,” said Jack. “King Rickard is proposing a bounty on members

of the Montrose inside his kingdom. If that works out, we might be able to cull out

most of our domestic enemies.”

“Some of the rebels will want to free Rustam from the Delve,” said the man with the

sword.

“I can ask Josie to put down some of her security to repel any attack,” said Jack.

“That will keep him locked up unless they open the prison up for everybody.”

“How do you see things going with Princess Caroline and Armand Case?,” asked the

most beautiful member of the group.

“I have no idea,” said Jack.

She raised her eyebrows at him.

“I know what you’re thinking,” said Jack. “ That I can play Cupid and make this

dating thing turn into a real romance that will lead into a stable marriage and a

potential dynasty of worldsaving royals. I’m just not that guy. I barely got a grip on

my own romantic life. I think I am letting Josie handle this, and I think she is for

letting nature take its course and waiting to see what happens.”

“No interference?,” said the beauty.

“Not from me,” said Jack. “I think it helps that Bea is trying to snag Thad Budd on

the rebound. Maybe they can compare notes.”

“You may have to take an active hand in things,” said the beauty.

“Then I will consult with Elaine, and let her make the decision,” said Jack. “She

knows more about this stuff than I do.”

“Obviously,” said the beauty. She smiled with ruby lips to diminish the sting of her

words.

“We are interested in one more thing before we release you,” said the male archer. He

glanced at his twin for a moment. “How many more powers are you going to hand

out.”

“I hadn’t really thought about it,” said Jack. “I thought I should keep them to people

I know. Should I be handing them out to the whole city?”

“No,” said Center Right. “We think you should stop while you are ahead before you

start a crisis where we will have to intercede and pull your agency.”

“I had hoped to give my kids something,” said Jack.

“Don’t be trying,” said Center Right. “Let the people you have already gifted use their

gifts while they can. If they have children, then their powers will be their legacies.

Expect someone trying to take advantage of what you have already done and trying

to force you to make more.”

“All right,” said Jack. “I guess we wouldn’t want Shemmaria to have any of this the

way they have been acting.”

“The Russ would be taken apart if they knew what she was capable of,” said the

bowman.

“Look to the sea, boy,” said one of the suits on the end. He held a trident in one hand.

“You will have new enemies to test the powers that you gave to Fox’s wards.”

“Enjoy your day,” said Center Right. He almost glared at the older man with his

trident and gray beard. “Tomorrow, you will have to work.”

“I do have one question before we break this up,” said Jack.

Center Right waved his hand for Jack to go ahead.

“Have any of your other agents stayed and lived here, or did they do like Mister

Warner and move back and forth?,” said Jack.

“Most only operated here for one quest,” said Center Left. She wore regret for a

moment. “But we have had some that have stayed, and some that moved back and

forth until they felt their job was done. A majority died while trying to save the

planet.”

“I knew we were expendable,” said Jack. He rubbed the scar over his eye.

“Not expendable,” said Center Right. “But the job we have drafted you to do is

dangerous in many ways. So keep an eye out.”

“I’ll do what I can,” said Jack. “I’ll see you around.”

The Society stood and left through their door in the air. It closed gently behind them.

“At least I know that there were others doing this other than Mister Warner,” said

Jack.

He closed his eyes in his dream, and opened them in bed. He and Elaine had snuggled

close together under the light bedspread. He kissed her cheek before sliding out of

bed. He had to get ready for the day.

Jack changed into his sweats and went upstairs. He lifted weights for thirty minutes,

then ran the track for ten laps. When he was done, he went back to his room and

cleaned up and changed into clean clothes. He went back upstairs and looked through

the icebox and cabinets for something he could turn into breakfast. He ate alone at the

table.

He thought about waking Elaine up for some cuddling, but thought she would rather

have the sleep until they could get the kids loaded up and moving out.

And he still had to make the gravity gear to jump with from the Enterprise.

He headed back to his office after placing his dirty dishes in the sink. He would get

someone else to clean them before they took off for the day.

He checked his tool chest for the raw materials he needed. He supposed this was

something the Society would not like to get out into the world. He saw their point

about the powers. Even harmless abilities could be turned into dangerous skills like

killing people with milk.

He placed two bars, some gears, and a case on his desk. He just had to build one. He

could multiply that into however many he needed to do the job.

He grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from a desk drawer. He placed that on the

desktop, and then changed into Mister Fantastic. He wrote down everything he

wanted the new machine to do in fast block letters.

He switched to Magik, and looked at the list. He grabbed the components and began

putting them together like his list demanded. He smiled at the watch-like device that

came to life in front of him. He had to make a harness for the device so it could ride

on the back of its bearers and pull them up at the designated time instead of trying to

rip off the owner’s arm.

Josie would lose her mind if one of his inventions pulled a Duckling apart, even if it

was by accident.

And he didn’t want the bother to be honest about it.

He placed a ring made of another bar of metal on his desk. He set his new gravity

slower in the ring. A hum pushed nine more into existence.

Magic parachutes would be great if soldiers could be dropped from a great height.

Jack doubted there were giant birds around to carry fighters into combat.

He needed to test the device before he could trust Elaine to it. That meant going up

to the Enterprise and jumping while wearing it.

He gathered the magic machines, letting his persona go so he could use his com band.

He triggered the button to open the channel. He hoped he wasn’t waking his beloved

with his shenanigans.

“Communication acknowledged,” said the Enterprise.

“I need to come aboard to do a test run of my gravity holders,” said Jack. “Could you

transport me up?”

“Affirmative,” said the machine.

Jack found himself on the pad in Transporter Room One. He smiled. He walked out

of the room and headed down to the cargo deck.

He paused when he reached the cargo deck. He had to make harnesses to put the

gravity runner on so they didn’t just pull away

“Enterprise?,” said Jack. “Can you make me a harness for the machine I am carrying.

I need to test drive it.”

“Affirmative,” said the machine.

“All right,” said Jack. “Replicate it down in the cargo bay. The plan is to bring my

guests up later in the morning and jump from the cargo door. Once we land, I plan to

come back up and grab the quinjet to do a little fishing, maybe some swimming. Then

when we are done for the day, we’re heading in and I am dropping off the people I

need to drop off with the quinjet.”

“Acknowledged,” said the machine.

“I’m trying to get some books for you to read so your knowledge base will be

expanded,” said Jack.

“Acknowledged,” said the machine.

Jack stepped into the cargo bay. He smiled when he saw a harness on the ground next

to the replicator in the wall. He placed his duplicates down next to the harness. He

picked up the harness, and clamped the device to it.

“Open the cargo bay door,” said Jack. “I think I like this way of leaving the ship. I

suppose it’s easier to be teleported, but I like flying on my own.”

“Affirmative,” said the machine.

Jack pulled on the harness, adjusting it to wrap around his body and not let go when

the device fired. It would be bad for the thing to rip away while he was still in the air.

He still might be able to call on Falcon or Ikaris as long as he wasn’t punched in the

head by the thing flying into orbit.

“Ready for the test run?,” Jack asked his mechanical minion.

“Affirmative,” said the machine.

Jack jumped from the cargo bay, spreading his arms out to catch the wind. He was at

the top of the oxygen deprivation layer of the atmosphere. He should have asked for

the Enterprise to drop down to a safe ceiling. He spun in the air as he dropped.

He dropped down to the firing line. The device fired, and he floated down as quietly

as possible.

He didn’t think it would work the first time. He smiled at the magic proving him

wrong again.

He landed in the clearing inside the ring around the Hangar entrance. He had

controlled the flight down with his limbs as much as possible to touch down on the

grass.

The roof door opened. Jack stood still by June’s practice dummy, watching. He

grinned as a familiar poofy set of hair emerged from the hole in the ground. The

owner quickly followed. Then his beloved appeared. They kissed.

“Bea and Thad kissing in a tree,” Jack sang out. “Kay eye ess ess eye in gee. First

comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Bea with a baby carriage.”

“Oh,” said Bea, jerking away and raising her hand. “You!”

“Far be it of me to interrupt the end of your night of debauchery,” said Jack. “It is

kind of a security violation, but I am willing to let it slide for some community

service.”

“Community service?,” said Thad.

“Community service,” said Jack. “My sister, Rose, used to like this actor, Nick

Mancuso, and his show, Stingray. Now Ray, the hero of the show, worked as a

professional adventurer like you, but he didn’t work for money. He worked for

favors.”

“Oh, I see where this blackmail is going,” said Thad.

“Don’t think of it as blackmail,” said Jack. He put his grin on full display. “Think of

it as making it to your marriage on time.”

“I’m not giving you my hand,” said Thad.

“An eye is just as good,” said Jack.

“Can we talk?,” said Beatrice. The flush of embarrassment had turned to the flush

of anger.

Jack waved his hand. This was as good as spot as any.

“Can we talk in private?,” asked Beatrice.

“Enterprise, beam me and Beatrice up,” said Jack into his com.

Thad froze in place as they vanished. He decided to wait. He didn’t want to walk to

town if he didn’t have to.

Jack stepped off the pad and took up a spot next to the control console that manually

controlled the transporter.

Beatrice took a moment to gather herself. She already knew that anger wouldn’t move

her guardian’s friend. She needed some patience.

“I would like it if you didn’t torture Thad for your amusement,” said Beatrice. “I think

we are getting along, and I think I can make things work out for us. I would

appreciate it if you didn’t ruin this for me.”

“That was very mature,” said Jack. He leaned against the console. “I expected you

to throw a tantrum.”

“I won’t do that,” said Beatrice. “Please tone down the prankishness of your nature.”

“Please?,” said Jack.

“Please, Milord,” said Beatrice.

“Enterprise, bring Budd up here,” said Jack. He gestured for Beatrice to move off the

pad.

“Affirmative,” said the machine. The pad glowed as they watched Thad be put

together by blue light.

“Beatrice has asked me to tone down my natural inclination to talk crap,” said Jack.

“I’ve decided that as long as Josie doesn’t find out you were sneaking out of the

house with her half-naked sister, I’ll keep what I know to myself. I think that is more

than reasonable.”

“You aren’t going to take my eye?,” said Budd.

“No,” said Jack. “This is the kind of behavior I expect out of Case, and you should

know better. Bea likes you, and I kind of like you so I am willing to let this slide.

Next time, don’t hang around all night, or things could go worse for you.

Comprende?”

“I understand,” said Thad. Beatrice hugged him. It was like he had passed some secret

test.

“Bea, go put some clothes on,” said Jack. He waved her on to the pad. “Thad is going

to help me get ready for our skydiving.”

Bea frowned at the nightgown and robe she wore. She glared at him for the moment

it took the Enterprise to beam her back to her quarters.

“Come on, Thad,” said Jack. “We have to get this equipment ready.”

They walked out of Transporter Room One.