Tekgrrl by A. J. Menden

quality, like a monster: The buzz of traffic and people below were almost like its snores, the lights of cars and buildings like its many half-lidded eyes, the smells of exhaust, smoke and cooking food like its breath.
    Or maybe it was dream residue giving me a healthy dose of creep factor.
    I shivered, some from the cold and some from the memory of a drill bit in the temple, and rearranged the small weapons and random technology I kept attached to my belt. Lainey had made a joke earlier about how many female superheroes dressed like they were wearing lingerie, and my uniform was hardly an exception—though I knew I didn’t pull it off as well as some. Created by a noted fashion designer right when I joined the team, my suit seemed to serve hardly any function except showing off as much of my body as possible. Made of a midnight blue fabric that was supposed to keep you warm or cold depending on environment, the one-piece outfit clung like a second skin on my slim frame and almost nonexistent curves. The suit rose out from my waist in a literal X , crossing my breasts and finally turning into long sleeves. A large portion of my midriff was exposed, and my neckline too. I always had the vague feeling that, whenever I bent over, people looking got a show.
    Luke got one just then if that was the case, as he glanced over and said, “Maybe you should see a doctor.”
    “Excuse me?” I was lost in thought about why I hated my uniform, especially in comparison to his fully concealing, samurai-looking black shirt and pants.
    “You said you were having migraines again. Maybe you should go see a neurologist, make sure it isn’t anything serious.”
    I frowned. “I’ve had enough doctors in one lifetime, thanks.”
    “At least talk to Paul about it.”
    “No more doctors!” I snapped. “I’ve had practically every MD and PhD in this country ready to slice and dice me—and that was after I came back from having the exact same thing done to me off-planet. My parents let them run test after test to make sure I was safe for other people to be around. But no more. Just. No. More.” I turned away, feeling again how real the experimentations had been. The further I got away from those times, the less I’d thought about it.
    Until today.
    Luke was studying me, looking strained. “I’m sorry, Mindy. I didn’t mean to bring all of that up.”
    “It’s not you, it’s these dreams I’ve been having,” I said. “Of Kalybri.”
    “Is that what language you spoke tonight?”
    I nodded. “I thought I’d forgot all about it. Now it seems I remember. More than I want.” I gave a halfhearted and inappropriate laugh. “Forget about it. I know I want to. Let’s concentrate on patrol.”
    Luke looked like he wanted to say more but instead changed his mind. “We’re supposed to cover Sector Nine.”
    We’d lucked out. Instead of getting the drug alleys and the crack houses, we had pulled the cushy straw: the theater and nightclub district, where the posh went to party, to see and be seen.
    I held up my left wrist, which contained a small teleportation device that I had designed for each of our team members. Dialing coordinates, I motioned for Luke to do the same. “Let’s try to keep our teleportations at a minimum. The area isn’t that big, and it’s taxing to both the machines and us.” Having my atoms scattered and put back together after I already felt like hell did not sound like fun.
    Luke nodded. “I prefer the on-foot approach myself.”
    A cool, tingly feeling washed over me as the teleport took effect, with only the mildest uncomfortable sensation, almost like a rug burn, and then we were standing atop the roof of a building clear across town. I flexed my hands to make sure everything was still in its proper place, as I’d seen the results of a faulty teleport once. That’s why the government still doesn’t use them.
    Luke motioned to a ladder. “We can get down here and then follow the backstreets and the