Mo Newman’s vehicle shell has a lot of configurations, all truck- or van-like. Fire truck, ambulance, riot van, even tow truck. Today he’s set up as a mini-bus. The interior is supremely functional, with no affordances for appearance, but still comfortable.
Harry, Adam, and Charlotte sit in the seats, looking out the windows as Halcyon rolls by.
Despite the use of the EMP bombs, more lights are on in the city than the three of them expected. And everywhere there’s light, they find pipes and hoses and conduits, hastily erected over streets and under bridges.
“What is this?” Adam asks.
Harry gets up from his seat. Mo, guessing his intent, halts and opens the door. Harry bolts out, and Charlotte and Adam see him whizzing past, away and back.
He returns seconds later with an explanation. “Pietro Mancini. The Plasma Prince. All this stuff is his. He’s creating something called ‘plasmoids’ around the city, in big containers, and piping plasma through the pipes. It terminates at hospitals, fire stations, anywhere that can’t be without electricity. Says it’s EMP-proof.”
Harry produces a pamphlet for inspection, and Charlotte takes it and studies it. “PETER MANCINI PLASMA DYNAMICS,” the text says. There’s no picture of Pietro, no ego-expanding quotes in praise of the boy himself. Just the explanation Harry provided, and a tagline. “Integrity.”
“Isn’t that the guy you went to the dance with?” Harry asks, looking at Charlotte.
“Yes, it is. I am quite gratified to see him making good on his potential.” The girl smiles, and tucks the pamphlet away.
“I wonder how many other Gardner students are out there, taking care of business right now,” muses Harry.
“Or Halcyon High,” adds Adam, remembering his old school.
“The Ponies have been busy at the Quill compound,” Charlotte says. “They’re coordinating heroes through that new program.”
Mo resumes travel, and Harry takes a seat again, facing Adam and Charlotte, arms propped up on the back of the seat. “What about it? Would you be happier trying to take on the Emperor of Atlantis - or be here, working the streets?”
Adam doesn’t look happy to say what he says, but he says it anyway. “Honestly, it feels like it doesn’t matter. We’re the ones who can do something about the Emperor. We have all this power. We have to use it. The three of us are heavy hitters. Leo and Alycia and Jason are good at thinking, and fighting all kinds of stuff. Summer’s pretty strong, and really kind. But I feel like we’d have to be involved.”
Charlotte nods. “As much as I believe in defending home and hearth, I reluctantly agree. We’ve been blessed with great power. It’s our responsibility to use it appropriately.”
Harry’s chin slumps to his folded arms as he stares disconsolately out the window. “Yeah, I know. I just wanna be doing some good.”
He looks up and around. “Mo? How about you?”
“What?” rumbles the vehicle.
“Would you rather be tackling the Emperor, or doing street-level heroics?”
“S’all good.”
“Don’t talk much, huh?” grins Harry.
“Nope.”
“How about you, Harry?” Adam says. “Would you really rather be out on the streets, doing regular stuff?”
The speedster sighs. “My mom and dad are back in the hospital, somewhere in Australia. They won’t say where, so the Atlanteans don’t get wind of it and take a shot at them. And dad was in the hospital a year ago. I worry about them. And I honestly worry about me. How am I gonna fill in for them? Part of it is power, sure. But a lot of it is willingness. I can’t say no when people need help, even if I don’t know how. So, yes. I guess I’d be more comfortable out on the street. Doesn’t mean that’s where I’m going to be, though.”
Charlotte smiles. “‘To whom much is given, much will be required,’ the Good Book says.”
“Well I’ve been given much. I’m doing my best with it - I think. Just wish I’d kept the receipt so I could get a refund if necessary.”
Adam chips in. “The Concordance has a lot of power. But I guess stuff like this, just one invasion on one planet, is their idea of ‘street level’ heroing. They’re fighting guys with names like ‘Moon Eater’. I don’t have any idea how I’d tackle that one. But the people giving the orders up there are pretty messed up too. I don’t know if I’d want to work with them, unless it was something big and important.”
“The HHL, all over again,” Harry sighs.
“Is it possible to grow into that much power without being corrupted by it?” Charlotte asks hesitantly. “Perhaps that is the value of ‘street heroism’. It helps one stay grounded in the needs of the people we strive to serve.”
Harry straightens up. “You know what? Let’s find out.”
He bangs on the vehicle’s interior with a fist a couple times. “Hear that, Mo? Let’s go find a fire, or a street collapse, or something. Let’s go do just a little bit of good, right now.”
“Roger,” acknowledges the rescue robot, and his tires screech with a sudden burst of acceleration.