Machine Man (serial)

I rocketed up the side of the Better Future building. Smoked glass offices flashed past my face. At the top of my arc through the air, I cleared a railing with about two inches to spare, and landed on the balcony as gently as if I was stepping out of my house. This would have been by far the coolest thing I’d ever done, if I hadn’t just kicked a Hummer into a building. But I barely even felt surprise. I had realized something, down there on the lawn: I could trust my legs.

“Charlie!” It was Lola, coming out of the suite. I had picked the right balcony. Spatial skills: I had them. Lola threw herself into my arms. “Did you feel that, a second ago? Was that an earthquake?”

“No. That was me.”

She looked at me, then leaned over the balcony. “Did you jump up here? Did you jump?”

“There have been developments. We need to get out of here.”

“What’s that smoke? Is that a car?”

“Lola.” I took hold of her shoulders. Her eyes expanded until they covered the world. “It’s important we get out of here as fast as possible.”

She sucked in breath. “Okay.”

That was when I realized I couldn’t jump out of here. Or rather, I couldn’t do it with Lola. The moment my legs touched the ground and began to decelerate my body, Lola would weigh the equivalent of two thousand pounds. She would be torn out of my grasp.

She took my hand, the biological one. “I’m ready.”

Outside, I heard the ding of the elevator. That would be security.

“I knew you’d come back.” She was shining again: looking at me like I was the greatest thing in the world. “I knew.”

97.