The Prospects Read Free

beneath his skull.
    “A classic by-the-book bureau assault,” she said with an arrogant smirk. “Too bad I read that book and put little traps between the lines.”
    Alex grabbed his pistol, but his arm wouldn’t take it out of the holster no matter how much he wanted it to.
    “No, I won’t let you do that,” said Mind Dame.
    Alex inhaled through his nose. He imagined a colorful mandala made from hundreds of intricately placed grains of sand. He exhaled through his mouth and imagined his breath blowing away. The created beauty disappeared into the nothing it was before in an instant, clearing his mind of all influences.
    The tingle faded.
    He controlled his arm again.
    He drew his pistol.
    Mind Dame’s domino mask shifted in shock. “What the …”
    “Didn’t you read the book on psychic self-defense?”
    Mind Dame shrieked and ducked behind a pillar.
    Alex used his boots’ minirockets to clear the distance. Mind Dame tried to run but he caught her cape and pulled. Before she could recover her balance, he dove against the back of her legs. She fell on her stomach.
    He bent her elbow behind her, rammed his titanium kneepad into her back, and put his pistol’s barrel against the back of her head.
    “You’re under arrest.”
    Mind Dame didn’t move. Alex pulled out his handcuffs. He couldn’t help noticing how tiny she was compared to him in his exoskeleton.
    “You’re real young,” said Alex. “Don’t you have homework to do?”
    “I graduated valedictorian.”
    Alex forced her arms together behind her back. “I’m sure your parents are proud.”
    “My turn to ask a question. You ever shoot a girl in the back before?”
    Mind Dame whipped her head around.
    In all of Alex’s years as an agent, no one ever did that before. He didn’t pull the trigger.
    Once again, they made eye contact. Alex envisioned the mandala again. The colors separated themselves into distinct shapes, each made with grains of sand. The lines blurred and twisted and swirled. The shapes spread and shrank. He couldn’t control the picture.
    This time the cold tingling sensation felt like frozen icepicks digging into his brain.
    Alex sat back against his will. Mind Dame slid out from under him and stood. “Your little pictures may have slowed me down, but my mind is linked to the Idea Man’s. I can draw from his power to break you.”
    Alex slapped the handcuffs closed around his own wrists. He wanted to curse but his teeth wouldn’t unclench.
    “Kneel.”
    Alex fell to his knees. He couldn’t make himself stand.
    Mind Dame swung her hips as she stepped towards him. She turned around, lifted her cape, and thrust her fishnet-covered buttocks into his face.
    “Kiss my ass.”
    Alex fought to keep his lips from puckering and his neck from craning forward to make contact. He failed.
    “Again.”
    He failed to stop himself again. He couldn’t even close his eyes when he did it.
    Mind Dame giggled. “Oh, the things I could make you do if time wasn’t important, but it is. Heel, boy. Bring your helmet.”
    With his pistol still in a cuffed hand, Alex picked up his helmet. He followed Mind Dame as dozens of police officers and security personnel came into the room. Each carried a large brick of explosives.
    “See these hard-working innocent people? They’re going to pretend they’re unconscious with the packages underneath them.” She pointed to a detonator button taped to her wrist. “When the other MAB agents and superheroes pour in, boom. They will die because you couldn’t stop me.”
    Alex strained to force out the word, “Why?”
    “If you were brighter, you’d understand how stifling it is to be surrounded by dull people. That’s going to end tonight.” She rubbed her chin. “I have the hero at my mercy, so social convention dictates this is when I tell you the plan, right?”
    Mind Dame moved a finger back and forth, Alex nodded involuntarily in rhythm with it.
    “It’s not like you can stop me. You see, the