Body Armor Blues

By Paul Wartenberg

There are superheroes in the world, people with Talents, and the ones who choose can get to train and suit up to work the streets fighting crime and saving lives.
Sometimes, though, there's a problem suiting up. Even with powers, those would-be heroes need to protect themselves with the best armor they can get. But one young woman training up in 1993 is finding out that some armors can't fit her needs, and she might not even get the chance to save the day.
Good thing she's bumped into another Talent able to help her out.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paul Wartenberg
• Release date: Dec 12, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310645099

Paul Wartenberg

Paul Wartenberg developed an interest in writing as far back as the first grade, and pursued an interest in creative writing alongside studying for a career in journalism. He graduated from the University of Florida in 1992 with a bachelors in Journalism, but during his studies he worked as a part-time student at the campus library, which redirected his professional interests. He quickly went to the University of South Florida to study librarianship, earning a Masters in Library and Information Sciences in 1993.Paul has worked as a Reference and Instructional Librarian at various county and city libraries across the Sunshine State. He has been an active member of the American Library Association and Florida Library Association, is also a member of the Florida Writers' Association, and has published various articles and reviews for American Libraries and Reference & User Services Quarterly.Paul writes short stories covering many genres, and has been published in anthologies such as the Strangely Funny series, Mardi Gras Murder, and History and Mystery Oh My! His online stories include Hero Cleanup Protocol, Body Armor Blues, and A Serious Tank on a Clockwork World. He published a collection of shorts in his own anthology Last of the Grapefruit Wars.Paul is owned by two cats: Ocean the Wiggle Cat and Mal the Crazy Cat. He's been a resident of Florida since childhood, which means that yes he has seen a lot of crazy stuff. He's used to it by now.

Book preview

Body Armor Blues

by Paul Wartenberg

cover art by. Istebrak

Published December 12, 2015

Copyright 2015 by Paul Wartenberg

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Table of Contents

Dedications

Body Armor Blues

Appendix – Some Background to the Talents Universe

About The Author

About the Artist

Dedications

With many thanks to my family, for all their love and support.

I want to thank the people who read this story and provided input and edits. To Rosiland Jordan and Stephen Matlock, I owe you both Mac and Cheese dinners.

Body Armor Blues

I'm surprised you haven't drawn up your own outfit by now. This was Gary's opening defense after his classmate Jenny caught him doodling the nineteenth variation on a superhero costume during the trainer's lecture on how psychokinetic lifting of heavy objects still had stress points that needed protecting.

Jenny walked with purpose down the pathway between training facilities at Quantico. She wasn't in a rush but she wanted to get to the forensics lecture to ask the trainer about something from last week's session. I never give it much thought. I mean, the point of armor is practicality. Avoiding the knife cuts, bullets, rabid guard rabbits, stuff like that.

Jenny actually had given it thought: she just did it months ago and hadn't changed her mind since. She knew before she enrolled with the Talents certification program what her outfit was going to be. Simple, she said to herself then and now, and practical, and nothing like the flimsy barely-there outfits most of the female superheroes wore.

Gary grinned. "I'm not talking armor, I'm talking the super-suit. We're talking about appearances too. The whole point of being a free-roaming vigilante superhuman, prowling through the dark alleys of a major city, is to look good doing it."

Jenny shook her head, glaring at him. All the hints that he's from Southern Cal are adding up. He's thinking pure Hollywood. I thought it was protecting the innocent and catching the bad guys, Gary.

Well, kinda, but the cops kinda do all of that and take care of the paperwork on it too. We're the ones who pose for the magazines and newspapers. And trading cards.

We're supposed to be superheroes, not supermodels.

He sighed at her. Have you seen most of the lady Capes?

Jenny had: After all, every Talent was a celebrity of sorts with pictures and media coverage galore. It bothered her how so many did dress that way. I'd sworn I wouldn't go that route. Her own brief foray into the field of action just last year – showing her just how good she could be doing all this – taught her the value of full-body protection.

Gary followed up his question with a statement. I mean, look at yourself in the mirror next time. Not to be flirting with you or anything...

Actually you seem to be, poorly I might note.

Oh ha ha. I'm serious, all the guys have been scoping you out.

She rolled her eyes. That worries me a little more than what my outfit's going to be.

Don't be shocked, Jenny. You're a beautiful girl and you ought to know it.

Jenny did know. Ever since the sixth grade and everyone's hormones – hers as well as the boys in her school – kicked into overdrive. I'm not concerned about my looks, just passing the program here. We're supposed to be getting ready to go out there and fight guys with guns and Talents of their own. I need body armor for that, we both do, Gary. She tapped the notebook under his arm containing all his concept art. And I worry about you wanting capes, you've read the stories right?

They got neck guards for those things now. Gotta plan ahead, Jen.

I'm planning on passing the class on locking down a crime scene.

Yawn. Save it for our study group.

Jenny scowled in his direction again. This is coming from a guy who admitted during the first week of classes he'd flunked out of this superhero school a year ago. Why are you obsessing over this?

Some power sets do require different types of armor. You ought to be thinking about that, Jen.

I'm not one of the bullet-proof Talents, if that's... hey! Are you trying to figure out what my Talents are? We're supposed to keep that to ourselves so we don't guess who's who when we go public. We're making it hard on each other just knowing our real first names.

Not what I was trying to do, Jen...

You don't see me asking you if you're a Pyrokinetic or Scryer, do you? I sure as hell don't want you asking me. Jenny knew the rules. Outside of the common, across-the-board power every Talent had for flight, all other training on their skill sets were done individually and in closed practice rooms.

All I know is process of elimination. You're talking armor, so you're definitely not a Hard Skin. Look, I'm not going to ask, okay? Besides, whatever Talent you've got as an up-and-coming hero, we've all got incredible metabolism translating into perfect physique, right?

Almost. Spending eight weeks here undergoing training camp has kept the weight off.

You were in shape before you even got here. Remember the first day, the introductions? That one guy flat out asked you for a phone number. You showed up with a body that looks good in spandex.

To hell with spandex. I don't think any Talent's ever worn that during a career. What little Jenny remembered from the history lessons didn't say one way or another. "We're in the Nineties now. They stopped filming Miami Vice and all that Eighties fashion is in cold storage for another twenty years waiting for the nostalgia movies."

Okay, no spandex. But you've got a body worth showing off.

Is that why you're in with our study group? Flirting with me? Something he does do a lot of, she considered, but then again he flirts with Libby and Paige. He's going to be one of those flirterer heroes...

Gary shook his head, which surprised her. I want to pass this program sometime this decade. If I'm gonna copy notes off people, I'm going with you and Kelsey.

Nice to know I'm good for something, Jenny half-laughed at him. She stopped walking and pushed a finger to his chest. "That's not the point of why we're here. We're here to