Super Sales On Super Heroes 5 -ch18- (Patreon)

Chapter 18 - Slowly Quickly -

Getting back into the SUV now that the meeting was over, Felix felt drained. Drained, depressed, and over-worked.

The Andrea’s all piled into the vehicles as well. Doors slamming shut as they all got into position.

“All done! Hooray!” cheered an Andrea.

“Felix, Felix, we bought a helicopter! We loaded the prisoners in it already!” reported another Andrea.

“Nnn! We already have plans on how to paint it up in Legion colors!” said yet another.

“Oh my, that does sound fun. I enjoy helicopter rides quite a bit,” Gaia added, turning to look at Felix. She’d remained in the car while he’d gone to his meeting.

While she was rapidly adapting to being a physical being, she still seemed to be getting used to many “human” things. The tablet he’d offered hadn’t left her hand since she’d picked it up.

“Yeah,” Felix returned and leaned back in his seat.

“Did it go good? Good good? Bad good? Bad bad? Good bad?” asked an Andrea

“Err… we’re going to be busy. Really busy. So busy that I think… for the next six months or so it’s just going to be a long slog of work,” answered Felix, staring up at the interior of the vehicle. “They gave me a list of all the buildings they’d like us to build, sites they want cleaned, infrastructure they’d like repaired, and a large number of other requests.

“I agreed to a number of things providing that they can never order us to investigate anything ever again. What little over-sight they had just got removed from us. All in exchange for things we wanted to do anyways.”

“Well done, Felix,” Gaia said and then gently clapped her armored hands together. “Should I assume you did it all for me and my benefit?”

Wincing, he didn’t want to admit that she was correct. There was a strangeness to Gaia that he very much wanted to avoid.

She was like a volcano waiting to go off. A mountain-slide that was waiting for the right moment to let rip. An earthquake just waiting beneath the surface.

“I made the deals that were best for Legion and for me,” Felix stated instead.

“What were the deals then?” asked Gaia, her helmeted head tilting to one side as the SUVs started to move.

“I… err… we have to clean out all the wastes that are negatively impacting the environment,” muttered Felix. “LikeThree Mile island and Hanford. As well as a few undocumented areas that are as bad or worse.”

“Awww, it really was all for me,” gushed Gaia, putting her hands together, placing them beside her tilted head, and then twisting toward him. “Thank you Felix. I really appreciate you going so far for me. You’re my truest champion.”

“Isn’t he?” asked an Andrea.

“He really is! Nn nn!” a second shouted.

“Too loud! Mic break. Though, yes, he really is. Is Gaia gonna be a wife to us? Can we kiss Gaia!?” asked an excited Andrea.

“No, Gaia is just Gaia,” Felix stated and meant it. “The points we’ll earn for it, as well as the cash they’re offering, is more than enough to justify it.

“We’re just… going to be really busy. Busier than we ever have been before. On top of that I realized it earlier. We need to refocus. I need to get all of our departments up and running.

“We can’t keep running around like this and not expect things to start breaking. We’re going to curtail some of our expansion plans and go back to our core. Get that up and running and smoothly.

“That’ll take time. I figure… six months is about right for all of that to happen at the same time.”

“Does that mean I get to run a department?” asked Gaia. She’d turned completely in her seat and was facing him now. To the point she’d clearly disengaged her seat-belt to do it. “I’m not sure I could handle that if I’m being honest, my champion. I’m happy to help however you see fit, but I don’t think that’d be a good fit for me.

“You just tell me where you think you can use me and however you want to. We’ll go from there. It’ll be much easier!”

All the Andrea’s laughed at that. Clearly they’d taken her words and put them into a sexual context.

“What’s so funny, dears?” asked Gaia.

“Nothing. And you’re right, Gaia,” Felix interjected. “You’re right. I wouldn’t want you to run a department. I think you’d be a great help if you could help me with the cleanup.

“I’d like to use you as a conduit. To utilize you to activate my powers without me being wherever the issue is. Where you could request an activation of my powers on my behalf.”

“Hmmm? Mmmm. Oh! So you’d turn me into a washout. Instead of water, you’d run your power through me to reach the destination,” clarified Gaia.

“Oh he’ll run it through you,” Andrea giggled insanely.

“More like a basin though, fill you up, not wash you out,” another joked, causing them all to laugh again.

“I… oh! Sex jokes! Yes, I understand now. How enjoyable,” Gaia said with a deep chuckle. “I’m sure he’d do his best to really stimulate growth in me, right?”

The Andrea’s laughed lightly at that, clearly appreciating her attempt.

“Yes, I of course accept that, champion,” continued Gaia with a wave of a hand at him. “I’m sure Faith, Alma, or Carlotta can assist me in that. We can move from location to location to clean them up.”

“That’d be fine. They tend to divide up whatever work they’re doing anyways. The rest is going to be on me and… my mom, I guess,” Felix said, looking to the back of the seat in front of him. “Finding the right people for the right positions.

“Still need to get around to bringing that Void Dragon back from the dead, too.”

Six months feels like forever.

“I’m sorry, my champion, I forgot about that. She unfortunately doesn’t want to be brought back anymore,” apologized Gaia. “She feels like the world is far too soft and weak to handle someone like her. She’s not willing to come back to it.

“To be fair, this planet has gone and forgotten just how ruthless nature really is. I think they’ll all be in for a very rude awakening in the future.

“Best they do as Legion wills or I’ll be forced to step in at some point. I… wonder if I’ll feel the same way if I manage to start dating someone.

“Would sex take this edge off? It does for other animals, it’d probably do it for me. I’m sure it would! I’ll have to think about that more in depth.”

I… yes… don’t… anger Gaia.

Just… head down, boring paper-work, nothing interesting, six months. Don’t anger Gaia.

In fact, let’s just… add her to the ‘don’t tease the crazy people’ rule.

***

Reaching up, Felix rubbed his palms into his eyes.

“Sir, you need to approval payroll for this month,” Tribune reminded him. Her voice was coming from the overhead PA system. She was now integrated into the building’s systems directly and had access to all of it.

“Right… uh…” Felix muttered and then let his hands fall to his desk. Staring at the table-top that had a half-eaten donut, an empty coffee cup, and the remains of three different written reports, eh felt somewhat lost.

I miss Felicity. I miss her… so damn much.

Not just for the fact that she kept me on task but… I just miss her.

I miss everyone.

I wonder how Eva’s doing.

“Is there any change month over month?” Felix asked, still staring at the half-eaten donut.

“No, Legate,” Tribune answered.

“Is there a projected change for next month?” he asked.

“Yes, Legate. The six month hiring protocol ended this month. The effects will shift expected earnings next month,” Tribune answered.

Shit… six months felt like it went by in a flash. Like jumping from one line of text to another.

I’ve done nothing but hiring, building departments, and finishing plans I started.

“Approve it then,” Felix requested.

“Sir, you have an emergency meeting request to go to the prison. The Heroe’s are bringing a class one prisoner and need a new cell,” warned Tribune. “The train is in operation today and there is no expected interruptions to service.”

Grunting, Felix got up and went to his armor storage. He’d need to get into it quickly and then get down to the basement.

“You in the prison, Tribune?” Felix asked as he got into his armor. He wasn’t sure what the timeline was on her getting into both facilities but he knew it’d just happened, or was about to.

“The possibility is now there, though the implementation hasn’t been initiated,” Tribune answered.

“Why not?” asked Felix. “Any reason to not implement it now?”

“Timing, Sir. There is no reason to not move ahead,” answered Tribune.

“Would you recommend going live?”

“No, Legate,” Tribune said quickly. “The timing is what was laid out and should be followed.”

“Go live. Let Miu and Andrea know that I’m heading out,” Felix ordered.

Pulling his helmet down over his head he left his office quickly.

By the time he’d made it to the train station at the bottom of the Association, Miu and his two squads of Andrea body-guards had joined him.

“Exciting,” Andrea Prime said, leaning over to smash her helmet into Felix’s neck. She tended to act like she wasn’t wearing the armor.

“Yes. Yes… it is,” Miu replied, her hand coming up to grab at Felix’s elbow as Andrea pulled away.

“This is? Why?” Felix asked, feeling like he’d missed something. “Isn’t it just a prisoner addition?”

“Goldie comes back tonight,” Andrea answered. “On top of that, there’s the meet-and-greet that Juno set up is today. I’m really looking forward to meeting so many people who want to know more.”

Wincing, Felix had forgotten about that event. It was going to be happening so that they could keep pushing their agenda.

Juno, the Rising Star Super he’d found, had become just that. A popular and quickly trending personality on the internet. She’d been quick to label herself as Juno and rebrand accordingly.

Felix knew that the money they invested in her was paying off, he just hated having to play a part for her. He’d hoped that that part of his life had ended with Jessica and Erica.

“New helmets today for everyone else,” added Miu. “My centurion helmet will be ready.”

That makes sense.

They’re both excited for their own things, and they’re both tired. The helmets will be ready because of the meet-and-greet.

“I’m sad that all my Others won’t get one, but it’s nice that I will? So they can all share it with me as we go along,” Andrea said as the elevator doors opened.

Moving out the two squads of armed Andrea’s fanned out quickly. The security check-point in front of them came to life as multiple Andrea’s on the defense spotted them coming.

As quickly as the two groups interacted with each other, the tension instantly vanished.

Felix still wasn’t sure about using Andrea’s to take designated important security posts, but he couldn’t argue the logic either. The more of Andrea there was, the less he’d have to rely on others.

He just felt bad utilizing such an important resource on something like this.

Beyond the security point was the Legion train station. There were a few Legionnaire’s sitting about who would likely be part of the monitoring and response team at the prison.

Others were working on an electrical box.

The train had only recently gotten up and running and the kinks were still being worked out. There were multiple tunnels exiting in every possible direction as well. There was a dedicated terminal that was to the north-west in Colorado that was being built up in advance.

For the moment there was only one destination from here.

Boarding the train Felix wasn’t really sure when it was scheduled to depart. Taking one of the many seats on board he looked to his wrist.

Unlocking the forearm plate he pulled it open. Inside was a small interface that allowed him to directly connect with Tribune and the Legion systems now.

As they got closer and closer to the day of awakening, technology that was more common on his old world was becoming cheaper by the day. To the point that things like this were much more reasonable to develop.

“The train will be departing in five minutes, Legate,” Tribune pointed out as he started to cycle through the Legion information system. “Everyone who was scheduled to leave was given the notification. There’s only a few who were set to be on the train.”

“Attention!” called an Andrea over the PA system in the station. “The train to the prison will be leaving thirty minutes early! If you need to be on board, please be here within the next five minutes, or call ahead to state you’re on your way, with your estimated time of arrival! Thank you!”

Felix closed the wrist panel and then put his hands in his lap instead.

“Sir, you asked me to remind you as to the progress of Goddess Gaia and the Dryads,” Tribune mentioned. “Given the coordinates of their Legionnaire transponders, they will be at the next designated site in two hours. You can expect to receive the request at that point.”

Oh.

Right.

Felix called up his point sheet as the Andrea’s and Miu got settled all around him.

Mm, cells don’t cost that much. Can’t remember what the next point plan is but we likely have enough for it.

Staring into the point screen, and Miu’s knees beyond it, Felix lost himself in his thoughts. To the point that he only realized it when the train started to stop.

He hadn’t even noticed when they’d started moving.

“Damn,” he muttered and got to his feet.

“You were having good thoughts!” Andrea said and patted him on the chest plate. “We thought you could use some time to your own head. We do that a lot.

“Especially in the shower. We stare into the corner and just think. Miu was worried about us the other day. It was nice to just stare into the corner of your shower cause it looks different than ours.

“Miu was all nervous cause our fingers stopped washing the shampoo out of her hair.”

“Andie,” hissed Miu.

“Psh psh psh, no one can hear us but us, Miu. It’s not like Felix isn’t involved,” Andrea said dismissively as they exited the train. At the same time, two Andreas ended up bracketing Miu. One stuck an arm around her hips, the other around her shoulders.

Moving up into the Legion only part of the prison, everyone who’d come with them left. Felix and the others took the exit tunnel that’d put them in the Legion only gate-house that was along the road that led in.

They’d be able to exit there without being noticed or having overs thinking it strange.

Exiting as soon as they reached the door they stepped out into the bright mid-morning sun. Felix turned his head and looked around.

His updated HUD picked out the Legionnaire’s that were within range and provided him with a name for each. It was taking him a little time to get used to the fact that instead of looking out through the eyeholes, which were now encased in the same material as the helmet, he was now looking at a screen that was in front of his face.

Along with all the tech that went with that.

“Kit and Lily are coming,” Miu grumbled as she stood next to Felix. “Mikki will be there, too. You owe her some time. Do not try to push her away.”

“I won’t, I won’t,” promised Felix. “Any idea what they need, Tribune?”

“Class one magic cell,” reported the VI. “The super in question was caught during a brawl. The Heroes could only capture the one.

“They’re outnumbered by Villains three to one at this time. The government hasn’t seen fit to make it more lucrative to be a hero.”

“In other words they’re not paying right,” Felix murmured.

He’d made sure that any offer they made to hire someone into Legion was the last they’d hear. If he was making the offer, he wanted them, and that was it.

Standing there, Felix waited.

A large military truck came into view. In front of it and behind it were several armored SUVs with actual gunners manning turrets.

“How bad is the public backlash getting?” Felix asked. He wasn’t keeping abreast of current politics given how hard he’d been digging into Legion.

“They blew up a convention!” Andrea exclaimed. “Like… blew it up! Kaboom and crash with fire!”

Huh… public approval doesn’t seem great.

I wonder which way we’ve slanted it for the Heroes guild since… well… we own all the backbone for it. Our website still operates as their face.

The company we put in place still hosts all the information they want publicly known.

Controlling everything, pitting one side against the other, and never stepping out into the forefront.

A squat SUV pulled off the road in front of Felix. Inside it was this universes Kit and Lily. They were both in themed costumes that sported the blue and gold colors of the Heroes guild.

Felix thought they looked ridiculous.

Opening the door, Miu got in, followed by Felix. The Andrea’s would follow on foot at a run. They would be more than capable of doing so and without becoming winded.

“Thanks for coming… Legate,” Lily said, watching him from her side of the vehicle. Kit was currently in the front passenger seat.

“Of course. It’s my duty,” Felix responded, feeling slightly weirded out by the pause in her words. As if she knew something she shouldn’t.

Did she remember something somehow? Need to have Goldie around her in the future to see.

“We have a magical Super today we need to have put away,” Kit announced from the front seat. “They’ve been accused of fourteen murders. Most of them were recorded as they happened so it’s very likely it’ll be a slam dunk case.

“I’d like you to make their cell with some permanence in mind. It’s unlikely that they’ll ever be let out of it. For almost any reason.”

“Understood. Solitary confinement cell, add extra space, facets for them to get some exercise in. Make sure to put it on a movement module so they can be taken outside on occasion,” Felix elaborated with a nod of his head.

While Legion didn’t run the prison, the third party company that did was indirectly owned by Legion. Whatever Felix wanted done in the prison for a prisoner, was done.

From their cell, to their access to special privileges, and even what mental services they’d receive.

While he wouldn’t be quick to write someone off to a life in complete solitary confinement, Felix wasn’t going to provide undeserving individuals with privlidges they hadn’t earned.

“Beyond that, we’d like to invite you to a Guild of Heroes meeting tomorrow,” Kit continued. “We’d appreciate your presence as you’re a founding member of it, even if you’re not a member.”

“I’d like to ask for your support to push for our bid to remain the leaders,” Lily asked, leaning forward and watching him curiously. “Kit and I that is as leaders, with you pushing for that.”

His lips became pursed as he considered that. His plans did involve Kit and Lily remaining in their positions.

“I’ll see what I can do,” he allowed, realizing things were going to speed up again. Suddenly he felt like he was about to miss doing all the paperwork and spreadsheets he’d been working on.