Chapter 14

Cole and Titania waited in the atrium of the Project Veltio main office, sitting on a circular couch that curved around a low coffee table. Tropical plants filled the space, bordered by several stories of offices and topped with a clear geodesic dome. Among the palm trees stood bronze statues of past heroes, mostly of women.

Cole pointed at a statue. "Do you have any statues of yourself?"

Titania shook her head. "It's the Project's policy that no one receives any monuments until their passing. It can go to your head otherwise."

He put his hands behind his head and leaned back. "How do you stay humble with all the fame that comes with the job?"

"A lot of people don't stay humble," she replied. "Luckily, they're mostly in lower ranks. The S-ranks do a lot of policing and coaching of the lower ranks."

"And what about the S-ranks, how do they stay humble?"

She smiled with a twinkle in her eye. "I think that's the job of the supervillains. If you're not at your best, things can get pretty hairy. Just like Tephra almost getting Aphelia."

Cole nodded. Was Aphelia at her best? Tephra had defeated her, and when they had talked, she was either needy or angry.

With the sound of high heels hitting marble, Agent Withcote walked up to them, coming around a palm tree with her signature tablet. "Hello, kiddo. I heard all about your testing. Congratulations." Her voice was raspy and strained, and she smelled like an ashtray.

Cole stood and shook Withcote's hand. "Thanks a lot. It was fun sparring with Titania, but I'm glad she didn't kill me."

Titania blushed and shoved him. "Stop it, you were fine. Phyllis, what are the results of the report?"

Withcote sat next to Cole and brought up her tablet. "From the fight with Titania and the mission into the mountains, we determined that Cole has invulnerability, though we haven't tested energy blasts and particle cannons. Would you like to test that, babe?"

Cole put up his hands. "Maybe later, I think I've had enough for one day."

"Suit yourself," she said flatly. "The speeds you reach are comfortably in the level one range. You're no speedster, but that's still extremely fast for a man. As for raw fighting power, you're clearly S-rank."

Cole pushed his palm towards her and shook his head. "Come on, don't bullshit me."

Withcote widened her eyes and nodded at Titania. "Are you going to tell him, or do I have to?"

Titania groaned and picked at her cuticles. "Fine. In all my combat, no one has made me move. You pushed me several feet."

"Whoa," Cole said, looking at his hands.

Withcote smiled. "Whoa indeed. We think your heavy hitting and leaping so far come from you controlling your density at will. Coupled with your strength and speed, we hypothesize that your core power is changing your body's physical properties. You can't fly, shoot lasers from your eyes, create force fields, or do anything like that. You can do what normal humans can do, just a whole hell of a lot better. I also have a hunch you'll be able to improve your senses and reaction times given enough practice."

He got up and walked around the table to face Withcote and Titania. "So that sounds like I can be a normal local hero like Powell or Roberts, right? Pulling cats down from trees and punching criminals in the mouth?" Being the chief of police of some island town didn't sound so bad.

Withcote stifled a laugh. "You're not getting off that easy, pal. Besides studying for your law enforcement degree and getting combat training, we'd like you to practice your superjumps and learn to control them like a skydiver."

Titania put her hands out wide. "If Phyllis is right, you're stronger than all male superheroes, and stronger than many women too. It would be a waste to keep you with the F-rankers."

"Not to mention, he needs to start finding a partner," Withcote said.

"What, like a sidekick?" Cole asked.

Withcote began coughing and held up a finger. When she caught her breath, she said, "No, this is more along the lines of being a father. With your scores, you could ask any superheroine in America, and they'd be a fool not to accept you."

Cole took a step back. "Whoa, no one said anything about getting married. I'm only twenty-four!"

"These years are your most fertile, buddy," Withcote said. "We can't waste a single year getting your genes into the next generation. Hell, we may even ask you to donate from time to time."

"Fuck me sideways," Cole said, putting his hand to his forehead.

Withcote shrugged. "If that will get you in the mood, I'm sure it can be arranged."

"Stop it," Titania yelled, her choral voice booming, shaking the windows.

Withcote and Cole froze.

Titania continued, "Cole just got assessed today, Phyllis. Finding the right matches will take months of research. He has to get into his first job, and we need to see how he does in his new role. Don't push him too hard. It's his choice whether to enter the breeding program. So far, he's only signed on to be a hero."

Cole smiled at Titania. "Thank you."

She crossed her arms and looked away. "With that said, I think it makes sense for someone with experience to be his mentor. If Cole agrees, I'd like to take him under my wing and have him live at the Titan Complex at Battery Park. There are plenty of colleges in New York where he can take criminal law classes."

Withcote's shoulders slumped, and she smirked. "Oh, is that so? You refused to mentor anyone for years, and now you suddenly want Cole in your guest room? Or should I say bedroom?"

The hair on Cole's arms stood on end. The light-bending effect around Titania flared, and her eyes glowed. Cole pulled his mouth into a rictus and shrugged. He held up his hands. "Why don't I sleep on it and come back with an answer tomorrow?"

Titania relaxed, and the energy around her dissipated.

Withcote tilted her head and said, "Have it your way. Once you decide, we can work out a program and your next steps."

With a loud crash, the atrium's glass dome shattered. A caped figure plummeted to the ground, landing in front of Cole.

Aphelia rose from a crouch. Her fists and eyes glowed bright green, and heat radiated off her like an incinerator as shattered glass fell around her.

She spoke in an unearthly voice, "I've been looking all over for you. I thought you were dead. Now I find you here, training to be a supe."

Cole inched backward and flicked his eyes to Withcote and Titania. Their facial expressions suggested that caution was the best course of action. "Hey Aphelia, how's--"

Aphelia leaped and tackled him to the ground. Lying on him, she clasped onto his head, snaking her fingers through his hair. Her lips crashed down on his in a desperate, hungry kiss.

She pulled away to look at him with a primal stare. "Now I've got you, I'm never letting go!" A shower of kisses rained on his forehead and cheeks while she said, "I missed you so much. I couldn't get you out of my head!"

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