Director Susan got a rundown of my powers or at least how Doctor Jorgenson theorized they worked. I didnt understand most of his mumbo jumbo. But I did catch that essentially for the moment I'm just a normal fourteen year old boy. Thankfully because of this it saved me from being muzzled.
During the whole explanation process my wound began to heal and scab. I left it alone as I was directed to be escorted back to my cell, in cuffs by the two mask guards.
“I want my phone call.” I asked the two BEI officers escorting me as they led me from behind.
“The phone is in the same cell block you are being escorted to,” One of the two escorts promptly replied. “Aaand we’re here.”
“Why do you do that everytime we escort someone Jason?” The other escort asked his partner.
They shrugged. “Eh makes the job more fun. Anyways there's the phone. You get two calls. Use them both now or save one for later. Either way make them count."
"Thank you."
I grabbed the phone off the receiver or whatever it's called and dialed dad. Hopefully he wasn’t out on his route or getting his sleep in.
After a couple seconds of ringing and increasing worry he wouldn’t answer. Pops cheery voice came through. “Hello, this is Meja Tal speaking.”
“Dad!” I said louder than I intended to.
“Misha? Where are you? Where are you calling from?” He worriedly said.
“Listen. Listen. I got powers. I was helping this old man from these muggers. I awakened my powers and went a bit overboard apparently. They died from me breaking their legs,” At this my father took a hissing breath in. “I didn’t mean to do that! Anyways so I got charged with manslaughter. And that-”
“Son, I gotchu,” My dad cut me off. “Just wait for back up. Don’t say anything to no one. Until I get you your lawyer.”
You can’t afford a lawyer pops. I wanted to say but I knew my old man wouldn’t have none of that.
“Ok. Pops. I’ll wait for reinforcements.” I replied.
“Good. Over and out.” He said before he hung up. I smiled at his usage of radio transmission lingo.
After I hung up the guards immediately hurried me along back to my cell. I asked for a book to pass the time but was promptly denied.
An hour or more passed before I had company in the form of two suits. One man and one woman who introduced themselves as Officer Guillero and Officer Harn respectively.
They looked exhausted and worn despite their what I assumed to be young age. Mid thirties early forties at best.
Officer Gullero handed me a folder with a bunch of paper work in it.
"That's the best deal you're going to get. And the only reason you're getting it is because you got powers. Otherwise it would've been straight to court then Juvie hall. I suggest you take it right here and now. To save everyone the time." He said in a rather high pitched voice that didn't suit him. His partner had a pen ready for me.
I opened the folder and the first page read 'Junior Hero Rehabilitation Program'. Reading through it I gathered they wanted me to work as a super for the city. Eight years, minimum wage, health benefits, something about copyrights and right to likeness.
"Can you explain the copyrights and likeness?" I looked up and asked.
Officer Harn leaned forward and placed the pen on the folder. "Essentially the city of Brighttown will will copyright any type or action figures that may develop and be sold if you become popular. This includes your appearance. Obviously you will get some of the profit if any. It's a great deal Mikhail, you know Kid Atom?" She asked.
Who didn't? I thought.
"Yea captain of Team Nul. Why?" I responded.
"He's got the same deal as you." She replied with a smile.
My eyes widened.
"Kid Atom was arrested? That was huge news.
She frowned. "No, what my partner meant to convey is that. When Kid Atom offered his services to the BEI we gave him the same deal. Copyrights and everything. The only difference is that your service is mandatory, like community service, a few other stipulations like mandatory training, and your wage being minimum but everything else is more or less the same." Officer Guillero answered.
"It's the best deal you're going to get hun." Officer Harn reminded me once more.
I sat there quietly. I knew if I took the deal I could save pops money from hiring a lawyer. With that in mind.
"Can I use my second phone call?" I asked.
"Decide right now stop wasting our time." Officer Guiller curtly replied.
"I just want to call my pops to tell him not to hire a lawyer." Annoyance tinged my voice.
Officer Harns held up her hand before her partner could reply.
"You're saying you'll take the deal right after you call your father?". Her eyebrows raised.
"Yes, so can I go?" I asked as I eyed the officers glanced at the officers back and forth.
"We can make time for that can't we Keith?" She asked her partner who promptly smiled and nodded his head up and down.
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"Why are you in such a hurry?" It bugged me that they treated me like an annoyance or a chore.
"Well I don't know if you've been following the news but super collateral damage has been getting on people's nerves. You know building being destroyed, casualties from confrontations or even deaths from supes not fully being in control of powers." At the last part Officer Harn gave me a pointed look.
"Oh." Is all I could muster.
"Yea. Unfortunately for you the higher ups want to make an example out of you. And this is why this deal is a take it or leave it. It's politics, kid. You don't take it you're going to go through the ringer. We're trying to do you a favor here all right? So let's go call your dad and let's sign this deal ok?" She said as she stood up, opened my cell door and gestured for me to exit.
I stood up, looked up at the officers who gave me reassuring smiles and made my way to the phone. They followed right behind me.
I picked up the phone and as I began dialing I get a hand on my shoulder. I turned to look and saw a young tall black haired tanned woman in a grey suit carrying a case. She was smiling at me. I didn't recognize her. I didn't know her name.
"Umm. Do I know you?" I asked with the phone still against my head.
"Not yet, you are Mikhail Tal, yes?" She replied while staring down the two officers. Who for some reason look frustrated.
"I am." Still not putting the phone back.
"I am Olivia Platt, your counsel or lawyer." She extended her hand and i took it.
"Hi! And I was just about to call my dad not to hire you. They offered me a good deal. The one Kid Atom got!" I excitedly explained, phone still in my hand.
Her eyes squinted and she turned to the officers. "Is that so?" She grabbed the folder carried by Officer Harn . "May I?," At first Officer Harn didn't let go but after a few tugs Ms. Platt got ahold of it. "Thank you, now escort us to a consultation room please and thank you." She said.
Officer Guillero sighed. "This way Ms. Platt. I'll see you back at the office, Harns." Officer Harns nodded and left as my lawyer and I followed him.
"So how much do you cost per hour?" I needed to know. I was going to repay pops.
Officer Guillero snorted. "An arm and a leg. You got one of the best supes lawyers in the city."
I paled and gratitude slammed into me.
"I appreciate the flattery Officer Guillero. Now please leave us so I can speak to my client privately. Also remove his cuffs and bring me his BEI files." She promptly replied while giving me a pat on my shoulder.
Our room was like those police interrogation rooms but without the two way mirror. She sat down and began reading through the deal they gave me.
"Did you say anything to them?" She asked as she read.
I sat down across from her. "No, not really."
She paused and looked at me. "Not really?"
"I asked them about copyrights, likeness, and told them I was going to accept the deal. After I call my pops to tell him not to hire you." I nervously explained. Seeing her frown I quickly added, "Lawyers are expensive we don't have the money. Or rather pops doesn't have the money."
She smiled and my heart skipped a beat. I don't know why. "Well it's a good thing I got here in time. The deal they're offering you is horrible Mikhail."
My face fell and I stammered out what I was told. "B-b-but it's the same as Kid Atoms deal?"
She shook her head. "Yes and by yes I mean very tiny yes. But the majority of it is nothing like his contract. For starters if you became a popular super then you would see little of the profits from any merchandise sales off of your action figures. You were also about to sign away your likeness which means they can make movies about you non stop. They also wanted to keep you on a minimum wage salary for eight years with no chance of increase. No matter your performance. But let's forget about all that for a moment Mikhail." She closed the folder before she continued. "They offered you a eight year deal with all these stipulations. Usually villains or indies who get arrested are offered pretty cut and dry one to three year community service deals. No copyright or merchandising rights are even discussed. But with you they wanted their grubby little paws wrapped tight around you. In other words Mikhail, they think you can become a legend."
My heart skipped a beat once more. This time due to her words. Me a legend? To be a legend meant to be one of the goat supers. Everyone loved you. The world knew about you.
My excitement quickly soured as I processed the rest of what she said. The BEI were going to screw me over.
I swallowed to alleviate my dry throat. "So what now Ms. Platt?"
She opened her mouth to speak but before she could a knock sounded from the door. "Come in." She said.
Officer Guillero walked in with another folder and handed it to her. "Thank you," She said as she snatched it out of his hands and began reading. "You may go now. Please close the door on your way out." Officer Guillero frowned, eyed her then me then left doing as he was told.
I sat quietly as she read but not for long as my impatience got the better of me this time. "So what now?"
"What now?," She said as she continued to read. "What now is that we take their desire for you and use it against them! But before that Mikhail explain to me how you think your powers work." She slowly said as she kept reading.
I recalled the test and gave it some thought before answering. "I think my powers are defensive? Like if I get hurt then my super strength and voice gets activated!"
"Mhm," She nodded her head then put down the folder to look at me with a strange look in her eyes. Sadness? Excitement? Glee? I couldn't tell. "You're on the right path. Dr. Jorgenson theorizes or believes you're a kinetic energy rebounder."
She chuckled at the face of complete confusion I was making. "In other words Mikhail you return power that was inflicted upon you." Seeing that I was still confused she held up her left hand. "This is you." Then she held up her right hand. "This is any kinetic energy, a punch from a villain. A bullet, a car anything that hits you." She then slammed clapped her hands together.
"Doctor Jorgenson believes if you can survive the initial impact or whatever hurts you. Then your power takes that energy," Her she raised her left hand again and held it high in the air. "Amplifies it or makes it stronger and you can unleash it!" She slammed her hand onto the table.
"You give as much as you can take and then some Mikhail. Do you understand?" She quietly said.
I scratched my chin. "So if Big Mom gives me her strongest punch like the Tuesday Dinner special. And I tank it. I can make a stronger punch?"
"Yes you got it." She placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin on the back of her hands. "Now Mikhail, what do you want to do with your powers?" She asked.
"I want to help people. Be a hero." I immediately answered.
She beamed. "That's good to hear. Now I can tackle this two ways. One I can get them to give you a standard community service contract for one year. You will be paid minimum wage. However you can be an independent super after one year. Two I can flip this contract to favor you. You will start off at minimum wage for the first year. However following that there will be a bi yearly performance review for potential salary increase or more money. Along with the merchandising, copyrights and likeness and retaining under your control and favor. Just know that you will be expected to perform and thrust in the spotlight. In the former case know that I will be giving your father a discount for my services. In the latter I will be doing this for free but I will be rewarded with some of your profit margins. If you make it big I will make money off of you. If you don't well you don't and you got a good deal anyways for free basically." She finished with a wink.
I smiled, took a breath and began to speak. "Go for it," After all the answer was apparent for me and I didn't need to think about it. Fastest way I can help people is working with the BEI even though they're first contract was a bit suspicious. And I can save pops some cash. "The second option Ms. Platt."
She gave a terrifying smile but softened after she noticed my frightened reaction. "Apologies Mikhail this is my game face. I'm going to give the BEI hell. When they get here you let me do all the talking ok?" I nodded. "Pleasure entering business with you Mikhail," She walked to the door and opened it. "Please get Director Susan and Doctor Jorgenson in here. We are ready to discuss our terms."