Heroes Wanted

That piqued Malcolm's interest significantly. Only a rare few recruits in the history of the project had developed flight abilities, and of the current class, it appeared that Sam was the first.

"Flight potential, that's good. What else? How are her psych evals?"

"All signs show that she's adjusted well," Elise replied. "Her memory of events before the project still has not returned. At this point, it's likely it never will."

"And if it does, we have measures to counteract it if needed, yes?"

"Correct. Our memory blocker formulations have proven quite reliable, as have our memory reprogramming techniques. I expect Sam will generally be quite complaint, as she has exhibited an eagerness to excel in the eyes of the leadership."

"Good. So what I'm hearing is that, aside from getting her ass kicked by Connors, Sutherland is a prime candidate to send out into the field. And we'd be sending her out with Connors anyway, so it's not like we need to worry about him taking her out."

The group nodded in assent, although Black noted that Sleet was more reluctant than the others.

"All right, then. Let's put her on the priority list for field work. Have the Quartermaster start work on something for her to wear - make sure it shows off her curves, something the press won't be able to resist putting on the front page. In the meantime, let's continue her training, and keep an eye out for suitable ops to send her on."

*****

It took about a week before Sam was approved for her first session of flight training, but she still felt her heart beat faster and her cheeks start to glow rosy red when she walked in and saw Jordan standing in there, waiting for her. Thankfully, she hadn't heard any rumors spreading about the base that indicated anyone had overheard her masturbating to fantasies of him, but she still couldn't evade the irrational fear that somehow, he knew everything. The way his gaze lingered on her body, freshly clad in a new prototype single-piece suit that had been issued to her, didn't help.

She had just received the suit that morning, with a note that while the design was close to final, the colors were not yet set. At present, the entire suit was a dark blue hue; not offensive in any way, but also not particularly prominent. The fabric, which hugged her curves like a second skin, was surprisingly flexible, though supposedly also having protective qualities. In order to squeeze into the form-fitting ensemble, she had eschewed both bra and panties, and each time Jordan looked at her, she felt as if she were standing before him stark naked.

"Good morning," Jordan greeted her with a friendly smile. "Our last meeting was a bit, um... I guess it'd be an understatement to say we got off on the wrong foot. I'm Jordan."

"Samantha," she replied. "But I go by Sam."

"Yes, I remember," Jordan said, smiling. "Before we start, I wanted to apologize for how things went down last time. I shouldn't have gone so hard on you."

A naughty voice in the back of Sam's mind teased that Jordan could "go hard" on her any time he wanted, but she suppressed the thought.

"It was a humbling experience. A good learning opportunity."

"Thank you for saying so. But still, I got a little overzealous. The leadership here can sometimes be too eager to push recruits into the field before they're ready, so I take it on myself to make sure they don't find themselves in over their heads. But in your case I overdid it. But enough about that. We're here to do a little flying."

Jordan led her to the base of a large ventilation shaft that ran vertically upward toward the surface. From the bottom looking up, Sam could see a number of handholds and protrusions that had been installed into the side walls of the shaft, and at the top, what appeared to be a gate mechanism that separated the interior from the outside world.

"Once you've mastered flight, you'll be coming and going through the main access tunnel," Jordan explained. "But for now, we'll practice on this shaft as training."

With a leap, he launched himself upward, catching hold of the lowest handhold and gesturing for Sam to follow. It took her a few attempts to get enough height in her jump, but eventually she made it up.

"I know you're just starting out, so don't worry too much about actually flying for now," Jordan said. "Just try to work your way up to the top. Use the handholds if you need to take a break or reposition."

Pushing away from the wall, he floated into the center of the shaft, and then began to ascend.

"Try to keep up!"

Surveying the interior of the airshaft, Sam spotted the next nearest hold on the opposite wall. Pulling her body up so that she could plant her feet on the wall, she took a deep breath, flexed her a legs a few time, and then leapt with a big surge from her feet. She caught her target with plenty of room to spare and hoisted herself up, looking for the next stepping stone. She continued that way, step-by-step, moving upward as the ground beneath her moved farther and farther away. As she advanced up the shaft, the handholds became fewer and farther in between, and their shapes less and less conducive to an easy hold. By the time she was three quarters of the way to the top, Sam was struggling to find stepping stones within her reach. Looking directly above her, she saw that the most viable handhold was directly above, which made it more difficult for her to get a solid boost from her legs. Holding her current handhold with one hand, she pulled her knees toward her chest and positioned both feet on her current hold as best as she could. Pressing upward with as much power as she could muster, she leapt up and reached... and fell short. The next rung seemed to hover just out of reach for a few extra moments as her body struggled to remain afloat against the pull of gravity, but she could not propel herself the additional inch or two needed to grab on.

Then gravity won, and she found herself slipping back downward - slowly, at first, and then rapidly faster.

"Shit!" she exclaimed.

As she fell, her body slipped into a tumble, making it more difficult for her to latch onto one of the lower handholds along the wall. Everything was moving too fast for her as she picked up speed; even with some enhanced speed, she couldn't slow down her perception enough to give her time to strategize. The tunnel was racing by her, her hair whipped up beside her face by the air as she fell. She wasn't sure how long she had been falling, but she was certain the floor couldn't be that far away. She flailed desperately for something to halt her descent, finding nothing.

Then she felt something grab ahold of her, gently decelerating her until she was stopped in midair, her feet dangling just beyond the lower opening of the vent.

"I've got you," Jordan's voice said warmly, as he hoisted her upward with one arm.

Instinctively she put her arms around his neck as he grabbed hold of her waist.

"I thought I was done for," she said, her voice shaky.

"I wouldn't have let you hit," he said reassuringly. "And even if I had, from what I've seen and heard, you're tough enough to take it."

"I hope I don't have to find out," she said with a nervous giggle.

She held onto him as he slowly descended both of them to the ground, and only reluctantly let go when her feet were back on solid ground. She opened her mouth to thank him, but he cut her off with a quick wave, activating a small earpiece she hadn't noticed he was wearing until that moment.

"Okay, I can be there in no time," he said, speaking to someone in operations. "Should I send Sam back for... you're sure? No, if that's the order from up top, that's fine."

"Sorry about that," he said, turning back to Sam. "It looks like someone in charge wants you out in the field with me. Bank shootout in downtown Crystal City. You feeling up for it?"

Sam's face lit up with excitement.

"Yes, absolutely!"

"Good. We don't really have time for you to suit up, though I think they're still working on your finalized gear anyway. And we're going to have to fly."

Sam's breath caught in her chest as Jordan stepped up behind her, placing his hands on her waist and pulling her into him so that her back was to his chest. She tried not to fixate on the fact that her ass was now bumping up against his groin.

"Hold on," he said softly.

She felt the air stir around their feet moments before they both surged upward, racing through the air shaft that she'd fallen through just moments before. At what seemed like the last possible moment, the doors at the top retracted, and they soared together into the blue sky beyond.

*****

The scene in downtown was a mess when Jordan and Sam arrived. Police vehicles had blocked off most of the streets, and in front the bank, officers were ducking behind a line of parked cars, exchanging gunfire with two shooters from inside. Jordan set down further behind the police line, near where a command post had been set up.

"Aw geez, am I glad to see you," the officer in charge on the scene said. "Who's the girl?"

"A friend," Jordan said. "She's with me. What's the situation?"

"We've got five guys inside the bank, armed to the teeth. Body armor, AK-47s, the works. I've got four officers down in the line of fire, my guys can't get to them. Word is they've got civilians inside the bank too."

"All right. Have your people stand by to receive the wounded officers. I'll get them first, and then..." Jordan looked to Sam, then reconsidered. "Actually, I'll handle the situation inside the bank. My colleague will rescue the wounded officers and get them back here. Have your people stand by."

Taking Sam forward toward the line, Jordan pointed her to the four wounded officers who were down between the barricade of cars and the front of the bank.

"You'll need to get the four of them clear of the line of fire and back here," he instructed. "Wait until I'm inside the bank - that should get the shooters' attention off of the police, which will make it easier for you to work. Still, you'll need to move fast. After they're clear, make sure everything stays under control out here. Can you do that?"

Sam nodded. She knew that Jordan could have easily handled the whole thing himself, and was giving her an opportunity to stretch her wings a bit. She wanted to make sure she didn't let him down.

"All right then," Jordan said with a smile. "You'll be fine. See you back here in a bit."

Then, in a blur of red and blue, he was gone. The gunfire from inside the bank suddenly increased, but none of it was directed outward anymore. That was her cue to move, so Sam pushed herself to the max, hurdling over the line of police cars toward the first wounded officer. She helped him back to where the paramedics were waiting, then did the same with the other three. Just as she had dropped off the last wounded officer, a loud commotion among the police drew her attention to a large vehicle - an armored truck, by the looks of it - plowing through the police barricade at full speed, heading toward the bank. Sam leaped into action, pulling police personnel out of the path of the speeding vehicle as it skidded to a stop directly in front of the bank, apparently positioning itself as the getaway vehicle.

Sam sped to the driver's side door and pulled it open, narrowly avoiding a bullet from the pistol the driver had pulled. She swatted the weapon away and then yanked the driver out, handing him over to the police who were waiting to cuff him. Then she heard something coming from the back of the truck, the sound of feet scuffling inside. She circled around the back of the vehicle and gave the door a solid pull. It didn't come flying off the hinges with the dramatic effect she had hoped for, but it swung open, which was good enough for her. When she looked inside, however, she found herself face to face with the largest mountain of a man she had ever encountered, holding a rifle that vaguely resembled one of the M-16s she had seen in her training back at base. When the man pulled the trigger, however, the sound was very different.

When the first bullet struck her in the chest, she felt like a locomotive had smashed her. The feeling was reminiscent of the punch Jordan had landed on her when they sparred, but focused into a much smaller impact zone. It was definitely nothing like the 5.56 rounds she'd been shot with in training. She staggered back from the force of the blow, feeling as if all of the air had been sucked right out of her lungs. The second round struck her lower in the abdomen, like a punch in the stomach. She crumpled to the ground as her stomach turned and she vomited, then gagged on her own stomach contents as she still struggled to breathe, then vomited again.

Jordan had just finished securing the gunmen inside the bank and tending to the injured civilians when he heard the report of a .50 caliber weapon being fired outside. His concern immediately went to Sam, and he kicked himself when he saw the armored vehicle that had pulled up in front of bank. In a flash, he was gone and headed back outside.

The man in the back of the armored truck was all smiles as he worked the bolt on his rifle, chambering another round. The bank heist was a bust - it was clear his buddies weren't going to come rolling out of the bank strapped with cash - but it was looking like he would get the chance to bag a superhero. He didn't know who the woman in the dark blue bodysuit was, nor did he particularly care. From the way she'd responded to the two shots he had fired at her, she was tough, but nowhere near as tough as the Sentinel. As he lined up his sights at the center of her head, he was eager to find out just how tough she was.

Sam heard the rifle fire a third time, but the bullet impact never came. As she looked up, gasping for air, she saw Jordan standing between her and the man in the back of the armored car. In a blur, he grabbed the rifle and used it to tow the man out of the truck, before grabbing him by the throat and forcefully throwing him against the back of the truck with a metallic thud. The man slumped down, unconscious, and then Jordan was kneeling at her side.

"Are you all right?" he asked, brushing her hair from her face.

Sam couldn't answer, her body still wracked by coughs and dry heaves. She felt him scoop her up into his arms. All around them, police were swarming the thwarted bank robbers, and after taking a look around to make sure that they had everything under control, Jordan floated up into the air with her in his arms and flew off.

Sam wasn't sure how long they had flown or in what direction, but eventually, she felt Jordan touch down and set her onto a rocky riverside. Just beyond the granite slab where they had landed she could see a slow-moving current, fed by a rushing waterfall that broke through from a much larger rock face nearby. She could feel a chill in the air suggesting that they were at a rather high elevation.

Jordan removed the earpiece and switched it off, setting it down on the rocks beside them. He waded a few feet into the river and cupped his hands, scooping up some of the cold water and raising it to Sam's lips.

"Here, drink slowly. It's clean, the water here is fresh runoff from melting snow. And even if it weren't, I think your immune system can handle it."

Even if the water had been swarming with microbes, Sam wouldn't have cared. The icy liquid soothed the burning of her parched throat and moistened her lips.

"I'm a mess," she said, when her body had finally settled down enough that she could speak. "I sure fucked that up."

"Hey, you did fine," Jordan said assuringly. "You just took two rounds from a .50 caliber rifle. I'd say you're in pretty good shape, all things considered."

"I'd be pretty fucked if it weren't for you," Sam said with a sigh.

"That's why we go out as a team," Jordan insisted, taking a seat beside her. "It's my fault, I shouldn't have let my guard down. I'm supposed to be looking out for you."

"You won't always be there to watch my back," she replied. "I shouldn't have let that guy get the jump on me."

"You're right, I won't always be out there. But this was your first time out, and you did exceptionally well. Those four officers are safe thanks to you. As for the guy in the truck, just take it as a learning experience. On the bright side, we know you're pretty darn bulletproof."

Sam felt her spirits lift a little.

"Do you mind if I take a dip in the river?" she asked, gesturing to her hair and clothing, which were spattered with trails of vomit. "I'd like to at least be clean when I get back to base."

He nodded his assent, and she waded into the middle of the river, where the water rose to just above her waist. Her nerves registered that the water was freezing cold, though ultimately the sensation she experienced was only that of a comforting coolness. She lowered herself until she was sitting on the bottom of the river, letting the cleansing water wash over her hair and face. She winced as she stood up, feeling the spots where the bullets had struck her still throbbing with pain.

"Are you okay?" Jordan asked.

"Mmmm, yeah," she replied, wading back over to the riverbank. "Just a little achy where I got shot. I wish they made this outfit in two pieces, so I could lift the shirt and take a look."

She watched Jordan's brow furrow slightly as he cast his eyes downward on her body, and it took her a few moments to realize he was observing her wounds. She'd completely forgotten that he had x-ray vision. The thought that he was seeing her naked body right through her suit sent a surge of warmth through her.

"I don't see any serious damage," he said. "I do see a bit of bruising here..."

He touched two fingers to her stomach where the second bullet had struck.

"... and here."

He moved his fingers upward, over her large chest, to the spot just above her left breast where the first bullet had hit. His touch lingered a bit longer this time as they stared at one another.

"We should... get back to base," he said uncertainly.

Sam nodded obediently, in spite of a growing desire deep within her to kiss him. He turned her so that her back was to him again, drawing her close with one arm around her waist. This time she crossed her arms over his. Her ass was against his groin again, and she suddenly became aware of a bulge that hadn't seemed to be there when they first left the base together. Instinctively she gyrated her hips, working her ass cheeks in small circles on his groin. She heard a small, throaty growl from him.

Facing no resistance from him, she turned in his arms so she was facing him, their chests pressed up against one another, faces mere inches apart. Her arms naturally came to rest on his shoulders, and this time she did not fight the urge to pull him to her. She let out a soft moan as their lips touched. She clasped her hands behind his head, stroking the hair at the base of his neck as she held him in their kiss. She felt him start to respond, his hands holding her waist more tightly and his lips parting, kissing her back more forcefully. His tongue probed at her mouth and she opened her lips welcomingly for him, sucking him in. They moaned into each other, lips slurping and smacking, as their desire for one another surged.

She whimpered eagerly as he laced his fingers into her long hair, then pulled her head gently to one side, bringing his lips to the soft skin of her neck. He inhaled deeply as he kissed and nibbled down her neck, taking in the scent of her hair and body. After tugging his face back up to hers for another heated kiss, she switched roles with him, hungrily attacking his jaw and neck with her mouth. His entire body radiated a distinct smell that she could only characterize as masculine, something that touched the most primal spark inside of her like nothing else she could remember. Their mouths met again in a wet kiss, and her fingers groped along the back of his suit for the hidden closure. She could feel his hands doing the same on her, and they both raced to be the first to succeed.