To the Races

“It’s commonly questioned as to why technically oriented villains, those called Breakthroughs and Kitbashes, always seem to be stealing high tech equipment and involving it in their crimes. It seems counter intuitive, since they invent weird things all the time.”

“There’s several reasons. One, tech villains are also consumers of tech-media. They see articles about new designs and developments and if you can steal a machine, why take weeks to invent and build it for yourself? Which brings us to the second reason, laziness.”

“Now, why mystic villains seem to steal high-tech crap every other week your guess is as good as mine.”

Andrew Fitzgerald, speaking at a signing for his book “Public Service in the Heroic Age”

Erica kissed Levi as they worked on their drag car. It feels good to finally get back to the track. Not that I don’t love the garage, but there isn’t anything quite like a race.

Elenore peeked under the hood of the heavily modified Chrysler 300, shaking her head. "Do I need to worry about why you two left the back seat in your drag car?" she teased.

“Nope.” Erica purred as Levi chuckled.

“We made sure it didn’t add too much weight.” He said with a smile wrapping an arm around the shorter brunette. “You and Carl find some good seats?”

"He and Bailey already have. His leg let us claim some of the seating set aside for handicapped viewers, since he can't get up and down the bleachers." she said. "I just figured I'd come down and check on you all, since the races haven't quite started yet." The roar of an engine, and smoke from burning rubber not too far away silenced her for a few seconds. "Though it seems to be getting closer."

“Ahh the joy of handicap seating, maybe you can get enough beers in him to get the story about what happened to him.” Levi said with a smirk.

Erica nodded, “Yeah, I want to know too. But we have pretty good weather so everyone is pumped to get onto the track.”

"Then I'm heading to the seats, by way of concessions. I wouldn't ever try to force secrets from an ally, but he did express interest in a beer." She chuckled. "Good luck, have fun driving Erica." The smaller woman was already in her race suit, which was almost a looser version of her super-suit.

“I plan on it. She patted the Chrysler, looking over as some techs in another bay started shouting at each other about a misplaced tool. Have we got our card yet Levi?”

"Right here. Go ahead and get in line. This is just for bragging rights, so take it easy the first few runs, then we can really push her. I'll take a rip or two later, but you're the better driver. I'm honest enough to admit it." He also outweighed her enough to be not completely unimportant in run times.

Elenor disappeared, moving out of the pits and towards the concession stands. She'd been shocked at how many things were around, including the display of a new hypercar, something from a chinese manufacturer that was being shown off in the race series. She'd admitted, it looked sleek.

Bailey smiled at her from the concession lane. “Hey El, how are the lovebirds down in the pit? Carl is holding down the seats, I figured I’d get drinks and nachos. I can smell the delicious fake cheese from here.”

"Best kind of cheese at a sporting event." She frowned, glancing back at the pits. Several crew members seemed to be arguing with each other. "Seems like we're seeing the competitive spirit kicking in. Might be some grudge races today."

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that the Coords have been playing referee down there. I was going to ask if it was okay to hand the shop card out, but I didn’t want to bother them.”

"Let's wait till later. I think parties and stuff start later on, probably once the race start tensions die off.'

Bailey nodded. She was still getting into the flow of the griffons, but she already loved her little apartment, with the pretty fern she’d been given as a housewarming gift. “That makes sense. I was hoping to talk to people before adrenaline, and alcohol, but things are tense. She ordered a tray of nachos, hot dogs, and soda, letting El order Carl’s beer since she was still underage.”

"Yeah. I wonder if this... no, that's not normal." El frowned, "Did you just see that toolbox vanish for a moment?"

“What? No. Where? Bailey asked, her head swiveling around.”

"In that pit, where they're now arguing with the neighboring pit. Is someone playing games?" She muttered, scanning the area.

“We could ask Carl to review his footage, he’s been recording the pits getting dialed in for the races.”

"Yeah... if there's someone playing games, we can tell the race coordinator and they can calm the arguing down." She nodded. Invisibility was not a common power, but just about everyone who could do it was some sort of asshole, at least until they got their teeth kicked in a couple of times."

Carl waived at the girls as they walked back to their seats. "Hey thanks again for inviting me. This is way more fun than playing video games while Cassie sews.”

"Yeah, I can imagine." Eleanor smiled. "Could you do me a favor? Could you look through some of your pit footage? I think someone's playing pranks using invisibility down there, and people are looking ready to run each other over."

“Yeah, can do.” he began replaying his recording. "hold on... look here.” He pointed to a tool bench. “There. Look at that snap on tool set.”

"Yeah, that's not a cheap set either... just gone." She frowned. "Not pranks, theft. I'm going to go down and tell security. Hopefully this isn't someone who’s going to get really stupid." Even as she said it, she had an itch in the back of her spine. She was getting a bad feeling.

"Bailey, if something does happen, stay with Carl."

“Yes Ma'am.” Baily said knowing she wasn't a combat enhanced.

"I'll keep your assistant safe." Carl said, reaching into a cargo pocket and pulling out a small flying drone. "Man, I wish I'd packed these my last gig..."

"Speaking of, here is your beer. Damned crook is ruining my plan to get you buzzed enough to tell us." Eleanor joked, before slipping away.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

She wasn't sure what possessed her to do it, but she slipped into private and changed to her uniform, the 'cute' dress having armor to protect her, and the cat ears having hearing enhancements that might help finding an invisible crook. She did have to adjust the peak sound cut out to account for engines, though, muttering as she worked the small wrist computer, a double sized smart watch, to get that set up.

"Sir, excuse me." Mystic said, waving over a security guard. She was dressed like a cape, so he hurried over. "Sir, we have a problem. Some one seems to be stealing things using invisibility to conceal themselves."

“Fuck. That would explain a lot. I've got a half dozen teams shouting that stuff is stolen, another seven teams bullying one of the newer groups saying they stole tools, and one god damn lovers quarrel because her phone 'magicaly' unlocked to show him the texts she's been sending his brother. I've had a whole season's worth of drama in one day!”

“Yeah. Sounds like it. My worry… is there anything a powered crook might really want to steal here? I almost feel like this is a distraction. “

“I mean, a smart thief could make a good haul grabbing the right parts or tools, but the only other big ticket item is the display car.” He pointed at the violet-colored car rotating on its display base.

“Hmm. Ignoring some of the other stuff. Well. Either way I wanted to give you a heads up.” Eleanor said, before drifting towards the car, curious. Of course her cell chose then to ring. “El Groves speaking. “

“Hello Ms. Groves. This is Headmistress Jerica Smythe. I thought calling would be easier than messaging. I hope I caught you at a good time.”

“Oh I am free to talk. Let me switch to air pods.” A few moments later “There we are. Thank you for calling this, um, afternoon for you I believe?”

“Evening, but education never sleeps…. And neither do some of our students.”

“I had that roommate my freshman year.” El chuckled. “Now I sent you the sort of graduates I am looking for, skill wise. A personal secretary for Lady Elizabeth Summers and a project manager for UK projects, particularly the manor restoration and social media person wrangling. I may have other interests but those are my current priority. “

“Yes, I’ve been talking to my students, and I believe I have the perfect person for the project manager, his name is Harold Patel, he is not a Super brain in the traditional sense, he is a double mind. He can think and process two things at the same time, he is also a fine control low weight telekinetic.”

“Hmm. I take it he wasn’t great in biology. Sounds like a fantastic surgeon, potentially. “

Jerica chuckled. “Harry hated anything to do with medicine. His family runs a small eatery, but that is going to his older sister, his family felt as an enhanced he would have better opportunities. He did well in business class, and laughs about being destined for the hospitality industry with the name Patel.”

“Then I want to interview him. Any other candidates?” She asked as she looked around the area. The car was a Chinese built supercar, in the fast but civilian use sense, and was apparently pretty hot. She admitted to herself she would love to drive the sporty thing. “

“Oh, I would listen to cybersecurity candidates too. “

For the project manager job I also have a French student Charles Adore. He also is a business student, with a focus on marketing. His power isn’t the most useful, he can eat anything.

“Sounds like most of the males around me.” She joked. “I assume you mean he doesn’t suffer ill effects from toxins or indigestible materials.”

“Correct, he can also chew through almost anything. “

“I also have Margot, she is a slicer victim, enhanced and modified by Dr Grimm. She is a dragon girl, tail, vestigial wings, fire breath. She also studied marketing, and is familiar with influencer culture, she has a fairly successful tic-toc channel modeling fashion for the sliced.”

“Does she have issues on public transport? She sounds much like someone I didn’t know I needed. I deal with influencers daily, at what seems like an increasing rate… what is this?” She frowned, noticing a man slipping behind the car, an odd device in his hand.

“She does have some issues because of the tail, it gets uncomfortable in regular seating, the wings are small enough to not cause issues, she does have to duck on some doors because of the horns. But she is very understanding about her sliced issues. She does need a week off for…personal reasons about once every six months.”

“I will arrange a private flight then… wait one, I think someone is stealing a hypercar right in front of me. Always when I have a call. “ She summoned her two winged tigers, only having to jump aside as the car spun out, fishtailing and nearly hitting her. “I am sorry, could you hold just a moment?”

“Of course dear,” the teacher said amicably.

She tapped her wrist unit. “Weld, Focus, we have a stolen hypercar tearing ass out of the track and an invisible associate causing chaos. I am pursuing on a cat. “ she had jumped onto one kitty’s back, and taken off after the car. “Can either of you assist?”

"I have eyes on the invisible man, Was just getting ready to comm you.” Erica said back watching the distortions in the air, “Levi, take the dragster. I'll handle the invisible asshole, since I can track him.

“Sounds good. He is heading to the west exit. Whisp, please ask Carl to assist Focus with his drones.” Whisp was the name given to Bailey by her own school. Old habits drilled in caused her to use the code name.

"Roger." Baily said. Turning to Carl. "Mystic is assisting Weld with chasing a car thief, she would like to have you support Focus with your drones against the invisible man." she said Blushing at being the least useful team member there, but she wasn’t a combat super.

“Yeah, already on it. Note there’s a weird pile up of tools and stuff behind some pop ups near the pit.”

“I’ll go let security know.” Whisp said.

Erica twirled a wrench as she headed for the shimmering disturbance as it looted an expensive wire harness.

Invisible Mountain chuckled quietly to himself. People were arguing all over the place and now some tiny chick was swinging a wrench like she was owed money. He looked around, wondering who she was going to hit when a sudden impact into his gut knocked the air out of him.

People stopped arguing when a tall fat guy appeared out of nowhere, gasping and clutching his belly.

Why is it a person gets invisibility and then immediately becomes a dick. She stepped to the left to dodge his incoming blow.

“Fuck bitch, that hurt. “ his wild swing had missed, but he grabbed an open rolling tool box and, with a grunt, hurled it at her as he faded from view. “

She dropped down into a spin kick, dodging the box, as she tried to sweep his legs.

Her sweep impacted but his legs didn’t move. Smirking, he faded from view as he lifted his foot for a stomp. “

She rolled forward and swung her wrench again aiming for his knee.

She hit something, and he screamed in pain but the foot still came down on her thigh, pain shooting up through her hip. He reappeared, collapsed next to her, allowing her to drive two more hard punches into his head.

Of course an invisible asshole decides to crash the first drag we have in New York. She snarled, she stood to see if he was down or if she needed to stomp on him a bit. “Levi, how’s it going out there?”

A cop and several site security ran up to find him unconscious with her cursing at him. "Sorry, my teammates are chasing the car. Hopefully they can get it back in one piece."

She jogged out, instinctively looking for her friends “El what’s going on with the chase!

“I am following in the air, and Levi is keeping up on the ground but we are going to lose the guy if he gets to the highway. I blocked him from the closest exit but we are coming up on another.”

“I can grab our sleeper, but I’m not sure I can catch up.”

“No, we might lose him, but I don’t think you have time to change our odds. Not great but true. “ she sighed . “Weld. Are we going to need to break off? I don’t know what your car is doing or how it would do on the highway. “

“The dragster isn’t built for this kind of driving. If he gets on the highway, we will probably have to break off. It would be too dangerous to other drivers to maintain the chase.”

“Right. And wrecking the car seems counter to our goals too. Break off. We will give details to law enforcement.” she sighed and switched back. “I am sorry for all that. Now where were we headmaster?”

We were talking about managers, and you asked about a cybertech. I don't have one, but there is one out of the Japanese school I’m aware of, he is extremely agoraphobic, but he is an amazing technopath.

“Hmm. Agoraphobia. I mean, not insurmountable. Can you give me contact information?”

“Yes, I’ll send his resume. Principal Han sent his information over to me. His name is Ren Itsko.

“I will look at it and reach out. I might have more opening up soon, so if a good prospect appears please let me know. I will reach out with travel information soon as well.

The headmistress chuckled. “I may already have a stack, word of how well Baroness Summers set up her American ESEA students has spread about so when I posted the openings you gave me I got a bit of a response.”

“Tell you what, I will send positions I am anticipating coming up in the next six months, we “