Wind Runner: The Complete Collection Read online

  The scene cut to an open, grass field, and a handsome older man with a nice haircut and an expensive suit walked into frame, smiling cordially.

  “Hi there,” said the man. “I’m Savior, Head Director of the Champion Authority and United States Senator. You may remember me from such historical events as the signing the Champion Peace Accord in Brussels, or the Battle of Port Adelaide.”

  The scene shifted again, now to a basketball court. Savior walked back into frame, this time wearing a sleeveless shirt and shorts. He smiled to someone off screen and caught a pass.

  “You may be confused and a little scared of what’s happening to you. I’m sure you have many questions. The most important thing to keep in mind can be described by a simple acronym – SUPER.”

  The acronym appeared for a moment as a caption in front of Savior’s grinning face, and then the scene shifted again. He was in the back of a pizza place, wearing an apron and sliding a massive wooden spatula into an oven to pull out a pizza.

  “S stands for scientists,” said Savior. “Unfortunately, scientists are still working to explain what’s happened to you. The energy that allows you and I to use our ‘superpowers’ is not currently understood. However, in each case where scientists have looked closer, the powers have never been shown to technically violate the laws of physics.”

  Savior was riding a bicycle into frame, pulling to a stop in front of the camera and wiping sweat from his brow. Malcolm watched, totally bewildered by the video’s overall choice of direction.

  “U for using them responsibly,” said Savior. “The Champion Authority’s goal, above all else, is to teach you to use your powers responsibly. It takes time, practice, and resolve, but with a little bit of moxie and an open mind, you can be a force of good for the world.”

  Another scene change, this time to the beach.

  “P for, uh…” Savior frowned and looked like he was reading a cue card off screen. “Please! P for please. Please keep in mind that while you can affect the world with your powers, your powers will also affect you. All side effects of body load and mental euphoria are to be reported directly to your local branch of the Champion Authority.”

  The scene switched. Savior was back in his suit, filling out a form at the bank.

  “E, which stands for enhance,” he said, in a half-whispered voice. “You will be issued a special wrist-worn champion stabilizer, which will enhance your powers and allow you to control them more effectively. Take good care of it. These things aren’t cheap to replace!”

  A laugh track played in the background. Malcolm almost couldn’t believe it.

  “And finally,” said Savior, standing on top of a tall building overlooking a city. “R, for remember. We must always remember that we have a duty, as champions, to fight against the sprytes and the demons. It’s part of the deal we’ve been given in receiving our gifts. The world is counting on both me and you!”

  Savior grinned at the camera, setting his hands on his hips and puffing his chest out. The 50s music played again, and a short list of credits rolled by. Malcolm scratched his head as the lights in the theater turned on. He stood up and walked toward Tapestry, who was waiting by the door.

  “That was… interesting,” he said.

  Tapestry gave him an odd look.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked.

  “It was like was like something out of the Golden Age,” said Malcolm.

  “And?” she said, sounding a little annoyed. “It was filmed in a classic style.”

  “Right…” Malcolm shook his head. He couldn’t tell if she was being serious with him or not.

  “Anyway,” she said. “Multi is going to want to speak with you some more, and you’ll have to get your stabilizer equipped. But that’s probably just about it for today.”

  Malcolm furrowed his brow.

  “Am I going to be living here now, or…?”

  “No, no, don’t be silly,” said Tapestry. “Multi and Anna live here, but only because they aren’t from Vanderbrook originally. I’ll drop you off back at your apartment once we’re finished.

  Malcolm nodded. Tapestry led him down the stairs and back into the main, open room.

  CHAPTER 7

  Multi, with several of his copies on either side of him, sat in the command center and watched them walk over. Malcolm got a vaguely managerial vibe from the man, as though he was an overstressed bureaucrat, flanked by his aides and looking forward to retirement.

  All three of the Multis were smoking cigarettes, and Tapestry didn’t seem to find it unusual. Malcolm took the seat the lead Multi pointed to as he walked up the steps and onto the command center. Multi cleared his throat, snuffed out his cigarette in an ash tray, and steepled his fingers.

  “Well, Malcolm,” he said. “Now that you’ve gotten a sense of what’s going on… How do you feel?”

  That’s a pretty open ended question.

  “Good,” he said. “Good, and a little confused. I’m here. I’ve gone through this orientation… so what now? Am I on your payroll? Do I have a choice in whether to join up here, or not?”

  Multi smiled a little. He had dark bags under his eyes, his skin looked terribly aged for someone with the ability to make perfect copies of himself.

  “You have a choice about how involved you want to be,” said Multi. “If you want to continue living your normal life, we would allow it. But even someone with powers like yours could be a massive help to our operation.”

  “Powers… like mine?” asked Malcolm. “Dude, come on.”

  Multi chuckled. He pulled out another cigarette and patted his pockets until he found his lighter.

  “We rate abilities on a scale of one to ten,” he said. “From what we’ve seen of you, the videos the news channel played on TV… Well, you’re about a three.”

  Malcolm felt righteously offended by the assessment, and had to resist the urge to defend himself. He’d only had his powers for a single day. Yesterday, by their scale, he’d been a zero.

  “Of course, the stabilizer would probably bring you up to a five,” said Multi. “And with serious training, you might peak at about a six, possibly a seven, if you’re lucky. Speaking of which.”

  The Multi to his left nodded, and walked over to a small metal box. He opened it and pulled something out that Malcolm recognized. Both Anna and Tapestry wore one, a small metal arm bracelet with a thick, high tech clasp. None of the Multis wore them, however.

  Of course not. He’d have to put a new one on each time he made a new copy.

  The thought made him consider Multi’s abilities more carefully. He wondered if all of them were seeing out of the same perspective, and sharing memories. It didn’t seem like they were. They weren’t smoking their cigarettes in sync with each other, at least.

  “Let me see your wrist,” said the main Multi.

  Malcolm held his arm out, and another question came to mind.

  “Savior mentioned sprytes and demons in the video,” he said. “The Champion Authority hunts them down, right?”

  Multi nodded. He pulled the stabilizer around Malcolm’s wrist and secured the clasp.

  “It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it,” said the balding man. “The same unknown force that gives us our powers causes some people to turn into, well, for lack of a better term, monsters. Sprytes and demons still look a bit like people, but they lack the empathy and mental capacity required to live without destroying and killing.”

  “Right,” said Malcolm. “I know. My family… was killed by one.”

  “I’m sorry,” said Multi.

  “It was on the first day, at the very start of the Phenomenon,” he said. “Do you have lists of active sprytes and demons? Anything that I could look at to get a sense of which one might have done it?”

  Multi frowned and looked away from him.

  “Trust me son, that’s not a good path for you to go down. Getting revenge won’t bring them back, and it will only lead you down a dark road. Bu
t I appreciate your enthusiasm.”

  I’d appreciate him being more helpful.

  “Anyway,” continued Multi. “Can I assume that you’d be willing to work with us? You might not ever reach the point where your wind manipulation is strong enough for you to fly, or make tornados, or anything like that, but you could still be quite useful.”

  Again, Multi’s words scraped at him a little bit. Malcolm had been dreaming of flying since the very first jump he’d done from rooftop to rooftop that morning. He wasn’t ready to rule it out for himself, just yet.

  “Sure,” he said. “I want to help. At the very least, I’ll be doing what I can to prevent anyone else’s family from being murdered by those monsters.”

  “Great,” said Multi. He coughed into the crook of his arm and quickly shook Malcolm’s hand in goodbye. “Tapestry will serve as your mentor for the next few weeks. She’ll walk you through the basics, and help you make smart decisions. Speaking of which, the media is in a frenzy over all the shit you pulled this morning.”

  “Uh…”

  “No more frolicking around on roof tops,” said Multi. “And certainly, no more frolicking around with naked women whose windows you fall through.”

  Malcolm shrugged.

  “It takes two to frolic,” he said.

  Multi didn’t look amused.

  “You might have to do an interview to get the local news to calm down about that,” said Multi. “Again, Tapestry will be the one helping you with that. For now, just don’t do anything stupid.”

  Malcolm nodded.

  Simple enough.

  Tapestry spoke with Multi briefly, both of them keeping their voices too low for him to hear. Then, she walked him out of the dome. It was late afternoon, and it took Malcolm’s eyes a second to adjust to the brightness of the setting sun.

  “I know, it’s a lot to take in,” said Tapestry, as they climbed into the BMW. “I’m glad you decided to hear Multi out. We really do need more champions on our side in the area.”

  Malcolm nodded.

  “It feels almost like a dream,” he said. “Like I’m just waiting to wake up. It doesn’t feel real, you know?”

  Tapestry nodded. The sun was in her face, and it made her blonde hair look infused with fire as she pulled the car out of the parking area. She glanced over as soon as they were on the road, flashing a smile at him. Her face was beautiful, and there was understanding in her eyes. It made Malcolm feel a little better, to know that she’d been through it, too.

  “You’ll get used to it,” she said. “There’s still plenty for you to learn about being a champion. The orientation can be a little overwhelming, and we’ll take it slow for the next few days.”

  The two of them headed back down the rough dirt road, and onto the main road. Malcolm watched the trees pass by them as they headed back into Vanderbrook. Rush hour traffic usually wasn’t too bad, given how small the town was, but it did take them a little longer than the trip out.

  “What was your life like before you became a champion?” he asked. “How did it change things for you?”

  Tapestry chuckled at the question. She smiled at him again, and seemed to consider her answer.

  “My life… was different,” she said. “Getting my powers changed everything.”

  “That’s a pretty vague answer,” said Malcolm. “I’m being serious. I want to know more about you.”

  “I like being vague,” said Tapestry. “And I’m aware that you want to know about me.”

  She gave him a look that managed to seem chastising and flirtatious simultaneously. They took the last corner onto his street, and she slowed to a stop in front of his apartment. Malcolm hadn’t given her his address.

  They’re already collecting info on me. What else do they know?

  “And here we are,” said Tapestry. “Get lots of sleep tonight.”

  “Alright.” He nodded to Tapestry, and then smiled. “Do you want to come up and hang out for a bit?”

  Tapestry just smiled.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, Malcolm,” she said. “Wind Runner.”

  “Wind Runner,” he repeated. “That’s going to take some getting used to.”

  He waited, wondering if he could change her mind by phrasing the invitation a little differently. Tapestry’s reaction made him feel like he’d just given a love note to a teacher in grade school. Her expression was a mixture of amusement, understanding, and a gentle assertion of boundaries.

  “Uh… Have a safe drive back,” he said.

  “Have a nice night, Malcolm,” said Tapestry.

  He got out of the car and headed into his apartment.

  CHAPTER 8

  Malcolm’s one bedroom apartment was cozy and simple, which had always suited him just fine. The kitchen area was small and crammed into the corner, and he didn’t have a proper dining table. He had a couch, a flat screen TV, and a PlayStation in the main room, and that was about it. There were no rugs, paintings, posters, or further decorations of any kind.

  It was all paid for by the settlement he’d gotten from the insurance company after the explosion, and those funds had been running low for the past few months. Malcolm had previously been considering picking up a part time job to make ends meet, but discovering his powers and joining the Champion Authority had, as Tapestry had phrased it, changed everything.

  Are they going to pay me for helping them? Or at least supply room and board, so I don’t have to keep renting?

  He considered both questions along with a half dozen others as he walked around his apartment aimlessly. He was hungry, and took a slice of leftover pizza out of the fridge to eat as he made his way into his bedroom.

  Like the rest of the apartment, the décor was rather Spartan. Malcolm had a bed, a desk, a dresser, and a couple of photos of his brother and mother. He’d never been a materialistic person, and never really felt as though he needed much more.

  His life was, or at least had been, very simple. He took classes at the community college, came home, did his homework, played video games, and found time to eat during the time in between.

  The boring and repetitive nature of his life had never bothered him, but it felt like an egregious thing to return to, now that his life had changed so drastically. Malcolm finished the pizza, knowing that he couldn’t just hang around his apartment and wait for Tapestry to show up the next day to start playing with his powers.

  “If I’m going to be a champion,” he said, speaking out loud. “Does that mean… I need a costume?”

  Most of the champions he’d seen on TV didn’t bother trying to conceal their identities. Malcolm knew that after the attention the media had given him earlier in the day, it was pointless for him to hope for any real anonymity. Even so, there was something appealing to him about having a costume, in the same way a soldier might take pride in a uniform, or a surgeon in their hospital scrubs.

  He settled on a pair of black Adidas track pants and a grey Nike windbreaker, wondering if it would help him live up to his name. It was starting to get dark outside, and Malcolm cautiously left through his apartment’s front door, heading down the stairway he shared with his neighbors and back outside.

  The neighborhood he lived in had seen better days. It wasn’t a bad neighborhood, exactly, just a little rough in spots. The house next to his apartment was abandoned, and the lawn was overgrown and speckled with beer bottles.

  The park across the street was a common hangout spot for junkies and thieves. Malcolm briefly considered hanging around at the edge of it for a while and waiting for a crime to happen before tossing the idea out.

  I might have superpowers, but I am far from a superhero. Probably best if I play it safe for tonight.

  He considered what he could do that would be a good use of his time, and then remembered the girl from that morning. He hadn’t even gotten her name until Tapestry had shown him the Instagram post. Would it be creepy for him to head back to her house and pay her a surprise visit?

  Yes.
It would be.

  Lacking any better options, Malcolm walked down the street as a pedestrian, headed nowhere in particular. There were a couple of old, abandoned warehouses not far from his neighborhood, on the outskirts of town, and he figured that they’d be as good of a place for him to play around with his wind manipulation as any.

  The last vestiges of sunlight were disappearing over the horizon as he approached the empty concrete lot of the disused industrial park. Malcolm looked back toward the populated section of town, scanning the sidewalk to make sure that nobody was around, and then reached out for the wind.

  It felt so natural, even more so than it had earlier that morning. It didn’t feel as though he was using a superpower, or really, doing anything more difficult than moving a part of his body. The wind was just an extra muscle, one that he could shift and flex as he wished.

  He pulled up a powerful gust and pushed it against his chest and face, leaning into it. His hair flew back behind him, and the pressure was enough for him to trust some of his weight to, supporting enough of his body to let him shift his center of balance dangerously far forward.

  It reminded him of when he’d been a kid, and had to walk into the wind on particularly windy days. Malcolm held his position where he was for a moment, and then pulled the wind behind him, instead.

  With the wind at his back, he practiced the skill he’d discovered by accident that morning, the one which he’d apparently taken his name from. Wind running let him move faster than any human could, and turn on a dime, if he wanted to, the wind providing both acceleration and brake.

  There were a couple of old trash cans behind one of the warehouses. Malcolm pulled them into the air and swirled them around him, wondering how much damage they’d do to someone with a direct hit.

  He played with them for a few minutes, feeling a bit like a child with a new toy. He turned his attention to the wall of the warehouse, next, wondering if there was a way he could get up to the roof in lieu of using a fire escape.

  Malcolm pulled at the wind with all the strength he had, testing to see if he could summon enough air power to go fully airborne and fly. It wasn’t enough, and it was a little exhausting to attempt. The sensation was a mixture of a strong head rush along with something slightly euphoric.