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Humble, Cute And Full Of Surprises

Sarah’s little blue coupe was comfortable enough for two, less so for four. Carol squeezed in the back seat with Paul. Ryan rode shotgun. Intending to be considerate, he moved his chair up to give Paul some leg room.

“So Jeb didn’t pick you up at the airport?” Carol asked.

“Actually, I was supposed to meet him there.” Paul held the box of cookies. “We had a thing this morning, so I had to cancel my flight. Meirhe opened a door for me instead.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what that means.” Carol eyed Ryan nervously.

“My fault entirely.” Paul said. “Most of the people I meet are fans. Mary Christmas can teleport herself and others. There’s a thing she does where she opens a door in one place and uses her teleportation powers to connect it to a door somewhere else.”

“Oh, so that’s why Phyl could see a lobby instead of the Zavijava.”

“Sure, that was the foyer in Sentinels Station. I opened the door to the elevator landing, but it opened at Aundrea’s bakery. Amazes me every single time.”

Ryan tensed up at the mention of Sentinels Station. He looked out the passenger window for a safe place to jump out. “We almost there?”

“Couple more blocks. Almost there. Have you done streets work before?” Sarah asked.

“Not as such. I’m pretty handy, though. I should pick it up pretty quick.”

“Great, we’ve got a couple slots left. If you’ve got any friends—”

“No friends.” He snapped as he stared out the passenger window.

Sarah glanced at Carol in her rearview mirror. Carol shrugged.

“Okay, here we are, everybody.” Sarah announced with a feigned cheer as she pulled into a parking spot. She helped her boss out of the car, and Ryan offered a hand to Paul.

“Thanks, buddy. I appreciate it.”

“Sure.” Ryan pulled the flaps of his hat down over his ears as he studied the facade of City Hall.

“This way, everybody.” Carol cheered them on. The wind was getting worse by the minute. “Gee, I hope there will still be a town here to decorate.”

They hurried into the municipal building. The receptionist looked up and nodded toward the bench where Sarah had been sitting earlier.

A well-appointed gentleman stood and smoothed his suit jacket. “Carol, darling.”

“Nathan.” she said, casting a nervous glance at Ryan. “What a pleasant surprise.”

He took her hands and kissed her cheek. “Anything to see that winning smile. I ran into Phil D. He asked me to bring this in for you.” He produced an envelope.

“Marvelous.” She smiled as she examined the paperwork from the envelope. “Wouldn’t be an event without Dumbrauskas’ blinis out there. Nathan, allow me to introduce this year’s MC, Paul Ziegler, of the Sentinels.”

Paul extended a hand. “My superhero name is Megaman.”

“Oh, you’re the giant guy.” The upward curve of the tips of his mustache in the immaculately groomed Van Dyke accentuated his smile. “Nice work this morning. Very impressive. I hate to be the one to say it, but I thought you’d be taller.”

Paul grinned. “Somebody always does. At least it’s out there now. I use my normal height when I’m operating incognito.”

Ryan looked ashen as he slowly stepped backwards.

“Sarah, can you help Mr. Doyle with his paperwork and get him an interview with Earl?”

Her hazel-green eyes widened at the suggestion. She gulped and said, “This way, Mr. Doyle. Let’s see about getting you some seasonal work.”

Nathan stroked his pointed goatee. “Doyle. Hmm, Doyle. He seems familiar.”

“You remember Ryan Doyle from high school, don’t you?”

He snapped his fingers. “Ruffian. Loud motorcycle. Attitude the size of Jupiter. Well, he’s mellowed a bit. Hasn’t he?”

“Happens to the best of us, Nathan. Won’t you join us?”

“I can pop in for a quick hello, but I have errands yet to run. So tell me, Paul was it?”

“Yes.” Paul followed them through the double doors to the hallway where Carol’s workspace was. “That’s right.”

“Paul, how does that work? If you don’t mind my asking.”

“Phillipe has some theories, but it’s really hard to pin down. I’m not much of a scientist. I’m more of a lab rat.”

“You’re a card. I saw what you did this morning. You’re no lab rat, my friend. Spectacular stuff.”

“Thanks.” Paul smiled. “All in a day’s work, as they say.”

Mayor Mercer stormed around the corner at the end of the hall. “I hear voices and there had better be cookies attached to them.”

Nathan leaned in to Paul. “I would have thought that Fee Fi Fo Fum was more your line, but it seems like Maggie is getting hangry.”

Paul looked down at the box he was carrying. “Oh, Mayor. I believe these are for you.”

“Thanks.” She spanned the hall in record time. “Who are you?”

“I’m Paul Ziegler, better known as Megaman.” He shook her hand with his right and passed off the cookies with his left.

“And I suppose you’re here to schmooze.” She winced at Nathan as she wrestled with the tape that held the box shut.

“Alas, I have errands to return to, Your Honor. I just wanted a brief moment to bask in the radiance of your—”

“Oh, gag me.” She ripped the lid open and grabbed a chocolate chip cookie. “At least she has the decency to bring chocolate.”

“Thus rebuked, I withdraw.” Nathan bowed with a flourish. He kissed Carol on the cheek and strolled back to the double doors.

“He’s a character. I bet he and MA would get along great.” Paul chuckled.

Carol led them into the meeting room. “Who’s MA?”

“My best friend on the team, Mister Awesomeness.”

“That’s a rather ostentatious title.” Maggie said.

“Maybe so, but if the shoe fits…” Paul looked around at the posters pinned to the cork-board. “Ooh, this is neat.”

“Sorry, I’m not up to speed on superheroes. Can you nutshell it for me?” Mayor Mercer snagged another chocolate chip cookie.

“Sure, sorry. Most of the people I meet are either cops or fans in Empire City. I can grow up to one hundred feet tall. The bigger I get, the harder it is to keep it going.”

“My husband had that problem, but our doctor put him on the blue pills. What was Nathan on about? What did you do this morning?”

“There was a stolen armored car on the run. We were trying to stop it, but it clipped the corner of a building. I held the building up until the fire company got folks evacuated and some engineers got in with temporary support posts.”

“Humble, cute and full of surprises. I like this guy, Carol. Good call.” She dusted the cookie crumbs from her hands. “Nice to meet you, Paul. Things to do.”

“My pleasure, Madam Mayor.” He waved.

“Manners.” She snagged another cookie on her way out. “Yes, I definitely like this guy.”