Excerpt: Necessity and Power

Chapter 03: May 13,1998. A little knowledge and the burden it brings.

I sat in the IPR waiting room and tried to wait patiently. the room was bland, devoid of decorations or colour, just off-white pale walls, a robot receptionist and chairs in varying sizes and shapes. One was even translucent. I sat down at a normal chair and tried to keep calm. It was just their follow-up test on my powers. That was it.
It had been a strange week, learning about them: classes as normal -- though I think I'm starting to fail math now -- and going out with Linda after. Learning things from her, trying others. Teaching me things was helping her remember them and she kept promising to introduce me to some 'friends', which she said as mysteriously as possible.
They want to be superheroes, too, I imagine. But I wasn't sure I did. There's more than having powers to it, more than how strong or good you are. There was this need, this desire, this push. Whatever it was, I didn't feel it in me. It was like when dad asked me when I wanted to be when I grew up, and I never said 'advertising like you' or even a reporter like mom. But I also said nothing to police officer or fire fighter or even public works.
Whatever it is that makes people give of themselves like that, I don't have it. Most supers, heroes or villains, probably pick police and the like. I wasn't sure if this made me a bad person, or a weak one, but I didn't want to be either. So I sat, trying to figure out what I wanted while a mother comforted a boy in the seat across from me who was holding up a leash and dog frozen solid, crying icicle tears.
I could blast things apart, with my power. I couldn't do much for an accidentally frozen dog.
I guess this is what growing up is, a little. Finding out what you want out of life; what you're prepared to do to get it, if it's not handed to you. But all I could think of were things I didn't want to be, or do, or become. I know I can't define myself by being not-this, or not-that, but it didn't much help.
"Number 333?"
I looked at my card and stood. "Yeah. I mean, here."
The robot who had opened the plain plasteel door nodded, and I followed down an equally bland hallway. Doors were closed, basic retina and voice scans beside them the only sign half of the doors existed. I resisted the urge to fly after the robot and see if that would break the boredom and just walked down the halls and finally through a door.
Dr. Sevordin was on the other side, in a virtual room currently turned off. I could feel the slight hum under my feet as the room began to turn on.
"Camden, good to see you." His smile was quick, fleeting; a formality of bedside manner. I wondered if his starched white uniform was the same, or if that was why he'd let himself go bald and not bought a rejuvenation kit from Inventions Inc. He'd probably have brought out tongue depressors if I'd asked.
"Thanks," I said.
"System, open up file," Dr. Sevordin said, and an image of me appeared in the middle of the room, almost solid. "We've been analysing the data from your first use of power in the park," An image of the park six blocks from my house appeared to our left, followed by the fields I'd met the alien in. Both vanished.
"The good news is that there is no radiation resulting from your powers. We are also 90% positive that your being branded by the alien and turned into a gate into another dimension has not given you any alien sexually transmitted diseases, nor brain tumours."
I blinked a few times. "You said so, before, about the STDs?" I managed.
"We were only 80% sure. Besides, I doubted you had anyone special in your life given the psych profile I did."
I bit back a word that would have let to the doctor using more than a tongue depressor. "You could have said something!"
"You did have sex?"
"No, but --."
"Good. It proves you have some restraint. In some areas."
"Pardon?"
"You've become a gate to another dimension. You need to pay attention to your body, and how it changes you. How long you may remain human, for example."
"May?" I squeaked.
He ignored me. "At the very least you should experience some resistance against heat and cold and while the energy may help with your asthma, you really do need to watch your diet." He held up a hand for silence before I could say anything. "You must be aware that you are overweight. We have no idea how using your powers will exert your body, and any reducing chance of heart failure from shock and the like is a very good idea."
"Is this another test?" I snapped.
"I could say 'what isn't'," Dr. Sevordin said. "But that would be insulting, at best. Do you have a question?"
"You can be happy my skin didn't change colour."
"I am not certain I understand."
"I haven't tried to blast you," I said.
"Then you are not afraid of the truth. That's always wise. The secretary at the front will have a diet plan, if you choose to follow it," he added. "If you don't, you must keep track of your weight regardless: if the power burns through fat cells to supplement itself, this has to be noted."
I took a deep breath, and another. "Okay. Okay, I get it."
"Good." The image of me vanished from the centre of the room. "Same time, three days from now. Your school will be informed that you are doing a project. Please bring a lunch and assume you will be here all day. The robot will show you back to reception."