A week later…
“Good evening, this is Johnathan Roberts, reporting live from the banks of the Mississippi River, where an unprecedented crisis is unfolding. A sea monster of unknown origin has made its way from the Great Lakes into the mighty Mississippi, causing widespread flooding and disruption to the region's waterways and farmlands.
“The Sea Snake, a creature previously thought to be confined to the depths of the Great Lakes, has managed to navigate its way into the Mississippi River. Experts believe that the monster may have been drawn to the river due to changes in water temperature or food availability. The exact reasons for its migration remain unclear, but one thing is certain: the Sea Snake's presence in the Mississippi is causing chaos.
“As the Sea Snake and its offspring have entered the Mississippi River, they have caused significant flooding along the river's surroundings. The monster's massive size and powerful movements have displaced vast amounts of water, inundating nearby farmlands and communities. The flooding has forced many residents to evacuate their homes and has caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and levees.
“The disruption extends beyond the immediate flood zones. The Sea Snake's presence has made navigation on the Mississippi River extremely hazardous. Boats and barges have reported close encounters with the creature, with some vessels sustaining damage from collisions or being capsized by the monster's wake. The U.S. Coast Guard has warned all river traffic, urged extreme caution and advising non-essential vessels to avoid the affected areas. Heroes are also moving into place to kill or capture the creatures.
“In addition to the physical destruction caused by the Sea Snake, the creature's presence is also having a severe impact on the region's water quality and agricultural output. The water in the Mississippi River has become toxic to human consumption, likely due to the Sea Snake's secretions or the disturbance of pollutants from the riverbed. Local authorities have issued warnings to residents, urging them not to drink, swim, or fish in the contaminated water.
“The toxic water is also affecting the region's crops. Farmers who rely on the Mississippi River for irrigation have reported widespread damage to their fields. The contaminated water has caused crops to wither and die, leading to significant losses for the agricultural community. The long-term effects on the region's food supply and economy are yet to be determined, but experts warn that the damage could be substantial.
“As the situation in the Mississippi River continues to escalate, the U.S. Navy has been called in to prevent the Sea Snake from exiting the river and entering the Gulf of Mexico. Naval vessels and personnel are being deployed to strategic locations along the river to monitor the creature's movements and develop a plan to contain it.
“The Navy's primary objective is to prevent the Sea Snake from reaching the open ocean, where it could potentially cause even greater damage and spread to other regions. However, the task is not without its challenges. The Sea Snake's size and strength make it a formidable opponent, and the Navy must exercise extreme caution to avoid endangering its own personnel or causing further harm to the environment.
“Any aquatic-focused superhumans are encouraged to help in the efforts to stop the creatures. Additionally, any superhumans who could help restore damages to the land are needed. Some are already on the scene, but we have no other updates on that front. With their help in connection with the navy we can hope that the situation will resolve itself quickly without casualties. For now, stay safe and out of the water.
“We will bring you more information on the developments of the situation as it continues. This is Johnathan Roberts, reporting from the Mississippi River. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.”
0-0-0-0-0
“Come on inside,” said the Agent. He sat at his desk and was putting away some folders. He looked over me with concern. “We have much to talk about. First was your performance at the crater. You did quite well. With your powers know that at least a hundred of the critical patients were able to get care right away and their lives were saved as a result. Though you probably knew that already.
“Though it went well the Great Lakes mission was,” he paused, “abysmal to say the least. We don’t want any superhuman disasters and we certainly don’t want them arriving at our doorstep back-to-back. Now I’ve had to send out more squads to track the monster down the Mississippi and find it while it continues to pollute the water.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Sir, I understand your frustration with the assignment, but we couldn’t have expected that it would be birthing children.”
“And why not? Expect the unexpected. Handle the conflicts and fight back.”
“We did not have the firepower to handle it or the manpower.”
“The reports suggest otherwise. You successfully blinded it in one eye, and it shed scales with your attacks. It is your responsibility to bring the tools you will require to complete the job. Now as I said before, you’ve done well in the past and especially recently so this incident will be marked with a warning. Take the time while off assignment to prepare more effectively. There are training rooms open to you. Whether you use them or not is up to you. We at the agency can only mandate so much personal yearly training with specialized trainers. Everything else is up to you.”
“You are obviously suggesting something so get to the point?” I asked leaning back in my seat.
“We have a few spots open for remedial and extended training. I’ll send you the schedule. Fit at least two in the next week. In the meantime, we have work for you to do as a courier. There are upcoming changes as you have surely noticed, and I don’t want you to be swept up and lost in the changes being done to the superhuman agency.” He slid a piece of paper over, and I looked at the schedule. There were several courses covering gun handling, physical fitness, and media training.
“I don’t have a choice in this. Do I?”
“As I said. Pick two or more. It is a work requirement. You need it.”
“Fine, I’ll be there. Now, what is this courier job that you need me to do?”
“It will be a set of jobs. The first one is for tonight. You’ll be in Athens.” He pressed a button, and the map location updated on my mask. “Those are the necessary details. Go in civilian uniform and you will meet your contact there. Report back to base when you are done.”
"Understood, sir," I said, standing up from my seat.
The Agent nodded, looking somewhat relieved. "Good. Remember, this is an important assignment. We're counting on you to handle it discreetly and efficiently."
I gave a quick salute and exited the office, my mind already racing with thoughts about the upcoming mission. Courier jobs were usually straightforward, but something about the Agent's demeanor suggested there was more to this one.
As I made my way to the equipment room to grab my civilian gear, I couldn't help but reflect on the Great Lakes incident. The monster's unexpected offspring had caught us all off guard. I still felt the sting of that failure, even if I had managed to injure the creature. The Agent was right - I needed to be better prepared for anything.
After gearing up I set off for Athens. It took a while to teleport to. The closest point I had saved was a discrete rooftop in Madrid. From there I had to teleport as far as I could see. All while not being noticed. Though I didn’t have my mask, a simpler version on my watch kept track of my location and of notable cameras in the area. When I had secured a location in my mind and was out of sight I teleported to the next rooftop or alleyway.
It was a bit exhausting as time went on. I had to check and then recheck that no one noticed a suddenly vanishing woman. The agency would help cover up most things relating to regular identities, but it wasn’t a complete barrier to being stupid about using one's powers. After a little more than an hour I found myself walking down the streets of Athens with the package. New York’s evening had turned into early morning in Athens. Despite that fact, I felt tired and didn’t feel like it was really the next day yet. It was one of the weird quirks of having a travel-related power.
I checked my watch for the time and the delivery time approached. The walk was peaceful in the early hours. Few people were out and if they were it was to get ready for the workday. I reached the cafe and ordered myself a snack.
After sitting down, I casually scanned the crowd and watched the people go by. It was almost time I expected the contact to arrive soon.
We noticed each other at about the same time, and he sat to join me. He stood out as a non-local like me and his accent didn’t place him as Greek either. “Hello, Miss Naomi. It is such pleasant weather out here. I wish I could stay or visit as often as you can.”
“Unfortunately, work has gotten a lot busier, and I expect that my travel for pleasure time will be limited for the foreseeable future. Though maybe my next work trip can take me somewhere as interesting as this.”
“One would hope. In a newer industry such as ours, things have changed quite a lot. I remember a time when workers were much less regulated than they are now, and the business was a bit stranger.”
“Do you have more information on that front? I’m not as high up and yet it seems more changes are being made to accommodate new business realities. As you said we are a ‘newer industry’ with many adjustments being made all the time.”
“I expect an expansion of workers to fill the night shift and international time zones. On the job accidents cannot occur in any great severity,” he paused for a moment in contemplation before continuing. “It is hard for me to say anything else with certainty right now. You will just have to wait a month and continue performing well.”
He checked his watch. “I think that is all the time I have for today. It was nice meeting you.”
I stood up and he followed. We finished our pleasantries, and he picked up the package I had brought. He started down the road and I went the other way. With a bit more time before I had to be back, I started exploring the city where I had left off.