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

with my ear pressed against the dura-steel.
    “I’m completely shocked that we’re even considering adding her to the team.” Rocket’s opposition to my recruitment was no surprise at all. “Are we all forgetting who she used to work for?”
    “She’s a good person inside,” Manpower responded. “She just needs to chance to show everyone.”
    “Robbie does have a point, Greg.” Omega-Girl’s voice went up in volume. “She was Doctor Maniac’s right hand girl. How do we know this isn’t some evil plan of his? Or that we can even trust her?”
    I shrugged to the empty room around me. I couldn’t argue Omega’s point. Hell, even I didn’t fully trust me.
    “She might have been associated with Doctor Maniac in the past,” Manpower continued. “But you also need to consider that she’s been in the Max for the past two years. She was paroled because she cooperated with the EAPF to give them information against Doctor Maniac’s operations. Information, might I add, that we’ve used to foil more than one of his nefarious schemes.”
    “I think we should give her a chance,” Phantasm said. “I mean, just because she used to be a bad person doesn’t mean she still is. People can change, you know, Robbie. Plus, she seems kind of cool.”
    “She’s got Class Four strength and Class Five invulnerability,” Captain Awesome added. “That’s a power set we could really stand to have on our side. Not to mention, she’s got that whole ‘smoking hot and exotic flair’ thing going on.”
    “Oh. My. God.” Omega shouted. “Seriously, Richard? You’re basing your decision on how she looks?”
    “Not entirely, Darla. Her powers would really add to our roster. However, nobody admires an ugly superhero. Being pretty helped you make the cut during your recruitment, too.”
    The heavy thud that followed had to be Omega slamming her fist on the table. Or possibly the Captain’s head. I had a feeling they’d both sound the same.
    “So, we should let her join because she’s pretty? And cool?” Rocket yelled. “Her appearance hasn’t changed since she was smashing through walls and bank vaults on Doctor Maniac’s behalf. So I can’t even see the appeal there. And she’s not cool, Alexis. She’s a convict.”
    “Ex-convict, Robert,” Manpower said. “Legally released.”
    “She never killed anyone.” Phantasm chimed in. “Never really hurt anyone badly either.”
    “Her boss killed Denise.” Rocket was practically screaming now. “And you propose replacing her with his number one girl? Un-fucking-believable!”
    “Robert, Karen was in the Max when Denise died. You can’t hold that against her. She’s reformed.”
    “Oh, yeah?” Rocket laughed sarcastically. “Is that why she beat the crap out of Mechanix less than an hour ago? In our lobby, no less. He left in an ambulance.”
    “Mechanix attacked her first. And that cannon of his would have done a lot of collateral damage if she hadn’t taken the brunt of it.” Manpower actually sounded proud of me.
    “He attacked her because she’s a villain.” Rocket protested. “What is so hard to understand about that?”
    “Correct me if I’m wrong, Greg,” Power Brain said. Until now, his voice had been curiously silent on the matter. “But Karen had an appointment, didn’t she?”
    “She did.”
    “See, Robbie?” Awesome gloated. The amusement in his voice was that of someone who’d just won an argument with a cat. “She was supposed to be here. Mechanix stepped over the line when he blasted her in our lobby. Never liked that armor-headed moron anyways.”
    Wow, there was the pot calling the kettle stupid.
    I didn’t listen to much more. The way I saw it, Mister Manpower, Captain Awesome, Phantasm, and Power Brain wanted to give me a chance, Omega-Girl was on the fence with a lean towards ‘no’, and Rocket was flat-out against it. Needless to say, the 4-1-1 score meant that I was going to get the opportunity to prove that you can