“Bumps and bruises, but otherwise fine,” Mark said.
Her gaze lingered on the woman she didn’t recognize in bright florals. Aura? “Hi, I’m Sadie,” she said.
“Aura. Or Sherrelle, I guess. I heard you already know everyone.”
“Your secret’s safe with me.”
Aura/Sherrelle studied her, then nodded. “You’ve got good energy.”
Gus lightly stirred. Perry jumped to his feet and brushed the hair off her forehead. “We’re here,” he said. “We’re all here, waiting for you to wake up and boss us around.”
A smile tugged at Sadie’s lips from his sweet concern. Then she got a good look at Gus’s face. There were more wrinkles, or maybe deeper existing wrinkles? Her cheeks had sunken in a bit, too. And actually, her hands and arms were more gnarled, more aged. Even her hair appeared to be dulling.
Footsteps from a little desk nook startled Sadie. A brown-skinned man with short-cropped hair, maybe thirty-ish, in sky-blue scrubs. He gave Sadie a brief smile. “Hi, I’m Dr. Justin Devers. You can call me Justin.”
“Hi.” Sadie started to say more, then realized there were no masks, no…
Justin chuckled. “It’s okay. It’s in the oath I took not to divulge personal information. Plus, I have a vested interest. My aunt was a Superhero.” He held up a smooth hand. “Can’t tell you who or when or where. She’s retired.”
“He specializes in treating the superpowered,” Joan said.
“Really?” Sadie leaned close and murmured, “You can ask him stuff.”
Joan nodded. “Like about wonky menstruation.”
“Superpowered people typically don’t have a normal menstrual cycle or menses flow,” Justin said.
Joan’s face tightened in embarrassment. Guess it was too quiet in there.
“You didn’t know that?” Darlene said.
“How would I know that?” Joan countered.
“Are you seeing new clients, Doc?” Mark said. “My sister needs to learn more about her menses.”
Sadie smacked his arm and shifted the focus to the medical emergency. “Is something going on with Gus? She looks different.”
Justin studied his patient. “Treating her has been a bit of a mystery. She doesn’t get injured, but her body does experience wear and tear. My best guess is it’s repairing itself after taking so many hits today. That could be drawing away from bone density, skin elasticity and the like.”
“It’s aging her,” Otis said.
That’s what it was. She was aging right before their eyes.
Joan laced her fingers through Sadie’s. “We can’t put an IV in her. Or do a blood draw.”
“Yeah.” Justin chuckled again. “Her skin bends needles.”
“We took x-rays, though.”
“So she’ll be okay?” Sadie asked.
“Her vitals are strong. I’m optimistic for her recovery.” Justin gestured back at the desk, which sported a small Trans Pride flag. “I’ll be over here if you need anything.”
The room quieted again other than occasional beeps and clicks. Joan had told her bits and pieces of what went on during the fight. Sadie would get the whole story later, but she had to know, “What were those things the Villains were using? Their powers came right back.”
“Something that deflected the frequency,” Zee said.
“Quake had one that boosted his,” Otis added. “We have them in our possession. We’re going to study them and then destroy them.”
