Super Powereds: Year 3 Read Free Page B

silhouette was in the center, with a carefully measured radius encircling him.
    “Globe’s ability was area manipulation. His body exuded a field that allowed him to control his surroundings. I don’t mean minor things, like moving objects or melting butter. Globe’s control was total, down to the molecules. He could sunder the very laws of physics. He negated energy, he changed chemical compositions, he could even render all other Supers in his field powerless. Or use their bodies to do what he wanted. When it was studied originally, one of the researchers dubbed Globe’s ability ‘The God Field.’ That term is more accurate than any other I’ve heard associated with his power. To all things in his sphere of influence, he was effectively God.”
    If the news of George’s profession had drawn the frantic murmuring of nervousness, this revelation drew something far more terrifying: silence. Each Hero in the room was comparing their own ability to the one just described, trying to think of a way to overcome it. The lack of outburst meant all of them were coming up empty.
    “The obvious limitation to Globe’s power was that it only applied within the field he emitted. At graduation, his sphere was estimated to be around sixteen feet in any direction from his body. Just before his supposed death, it was around twenty. The growth rate slowed as he aged, however, it did continue to inch forward over time. We have to assume this trend has continued in the years he has been hidden. It also bears noting that, since the field seems to emit from his skin outward, Globe’s physical body was not encompassed by it, meaning he had no more control over his body than an average human. Aside from that weakness, his power is limited only by his concentration. We believed we had bested him thanks to the pain Intra inflicted by cutting off his arm in their fight. And, on that note, there have been two recorded Supers Globe could neither control directly, nor suppress the powers of. One was Intra, whose own ability was believed to overpower Globe’s in regards to his body.”
    Sean already knew who the other was, but still tried to look away from his seat neighbor anyway.
    “The other was, of course, the Hero who was immune to all abilities. I’m sure everyone here is at least passingly familiar with Zero.”
    *              *              *
    The office was dark and cool, a place designed for ambiance over functionality. Ms. Pips had little need for an office, outside of the occasional private meeting. Her official job was in the casino, schmoozing high rollers and making sure everything ran the way she liked it. Her unofficial job . . . well, that was often conducted in the same casino, or far less savory places. Though, as she grew older, she found herself more inclined to let her subordinates handle the second category. If she were male, she could have delegated such errands to them entirely, but it seemed that, even in their unorthodox world, people were more willing to assume that the moment a woman stopped doing something, it was because she was no longer able. This was not that sort of meeting, though it could become one. Every meeting Ms. Pips conducted could always become one.
    “Have a seat,” she said to the young man (more man and less young than she remembered) who stepped through the door.
    “Of course,” Nicholas replied, walking across the plush rug and settling into a high-backed leather chair. He might be flippant when out and about, but he knew that this office was a symbol of her power. It was a place of tradition and, more importantly, respect.
    Gerry shifted almost imperceptibly. He was under orders to be silent, but, as the boy’s primary caretaker, he had the right to be up to speed on his assignments. Personally, Ms. Pips felt they should have cut the cord a long time ago, but she saw too much use in their closeness to tear them apart. Nicholas had so few weaknesses; it paid to