a ceiling fan clipping erraticly greeted jeane as his eyes slowly opened. The boy felt his head pound in pain.
I feel like I was hit by a truck. He thought rubbing is head.
Jeane could smell the bitter scent of coffee… burnt coffee. The sound of a man singing on the next room came to the boys attention.
Where am I? The boy looked around the room. The wall paper was covered in holes and stain marks. Empty wrappers and side turned cups decorated the night stand and floor.
Whoever lives here doesn’t care about cleanileness. The boy tried to leave the bed but as he feet hit the floor he felt his head spin. Jerking his head over the waste bin beside him as he puked inside.
The boy barked out a cry, coughing like a chain smoker.
A knock on the threshold of the room caught the boys attention. He looked up to see a portly man with shades on looking at him with a half smirk. He dressed in camo green bowler shirt, black pants, black running shoes, and had a gray vest over his shirt with a pair of fingerless gloves.
“Your awake huh, you heal fast.” the man praised in a jovial tone of voice.
“where am I? Jeane asked rubbing his head.
The man leaned against the threshold. “your in casa de dunbar or as I like to call the roach motel or as you call it EconoRich lodge. I know it aint much but it works for a man on the move.”
“What happened?” an image flashed of the bull headed man using a shock wave to destroy the bridge and for it to topple on top of him crushing the boy. “How did I survive that?”
The man whistled. “Wish I could tell ya. Ive been researching conduits for over a year now and I barely know a thing about what they are capable of.”
conduit? The term resonates in jeane filling him with a sense of familiarity even though he has never heard of any group referred as that.
“Hey, you okay kid. Any broken bones, internal bleeding… morning wood?” Zeke said the last part teasingly.
“Im fine just confused. Who are you?”
“Ezekial dunbar but most folk call me Zeke. What do they call you rich boy?” Zeke reached into his pocket and pulled out a swiss army knife, clipping his nails.
“Jeane, Jeane Mallio? How’d you know I was rich?”
Zeke smirked. “I’ve been watching you for a couple weeks now.”
“Why?”
“had to see If after that explosion whether or not you would become a conduit.”
“Whats a conduit?”
“Your a conduit!” He exclaimed happily.
Jeane raised an eyebrow.
“Sorry, just got excited is all.” he apologized returning his knife to his pocket. “Have to say though I really respect you taking iniative in training your abilities but if I were you id try not to use my powers in public In Case the Dups catch wind of it.”
“Dups?”
“The feds for conduits… but I don’t need to worry you about that.” zeke then heard a ding. “Oop coffees done. Want some?”
Jeane shook his head.
“Suit yourself, im getting me a cup. You stay put while I get you something for the headache.”
Jeane watched the out of shape man leave the room. Humming all the way. Jeane didn’t know what to think of this Ezekial Dunbar. He knew about jeanes powers but didn’t seem shocked or surprised by them. The boy didn’t know how to feel about that.
Zeke returned with a smoking paper cup in his hand and a glazed donut in his hand. “So Jeane, how long have you been a conduit?”
“I don’t know what a conduit is really?”
“Ah, my mistake. Well let me break it down for you.” Zeke set his coffee and snack on the dirty table and grabbed a folding chair leaning on the wall then set it in front of jeane.
Jeane could smell tobacco and booze on his breath making the boy feel even worse.
“Now jeane. A conduit is someone who channels either a force of nature or sources of matter. You are a conduit and so is that bullheaded prick who knocked you around… regreatably. Now conduits are created when a ray sphere explosion kills a sizable amount of people and puts their life energy into the surivivors of the blast.”
“What is a ray sphere?”
“Big government project. Was supposed to make super soldiers and government police. It was supposed to be a top secret project but apparently this one was stolen from under uncle sams nose. Officially It was decommissioned a year ago but you know how the government is.”
He talked so jovially about a grand conspiracy invovling the government and super powered beings.The boy couldn’t believe a man like him could exist.
“How do you know all this… mr. dunbar.”
“Its zeke kid. Mr. dunbar was my father… I mean he might have been, I never met him… forget I said anything.”
Jeane chuckled, surprised that he could laugh right now. The man was obviously of good humor even if he lacked In common sense.
“I like you kid. Anyone who laughs at my jokes is a okay in my book.”
“Mr. Zeke. How many other conduits are there?”
Zeke shook his head. “Hard to say but id guess at least a dozen. Over 2000 people died in that blast and all that energy would make anyone who survived the blast a conduit. I hope they arent all maniacs though that would draw too much attention and the Dups would be all over this place… if they arent on their way already.”
“Zeke, why did you save me?”
Zeke rubbed the back of his neck and turned his gaze from jeane. “Short answer you look like you needed a hand. Long answer I really need conduit help andyour the only one ive met who would listen to my plea.”
Jeane moved sat up taking the cover off his body and sat near the edge of his bed. The boy turns met zekes eyes and found him to be desperate.
“I know I cant force you and I wouldnt even if I could but a lot of people are gonna suffer unless we do something about it.” Zeke pleaded, if he had a hat he would probably place it to his chest in hand.
“What can I do to help?” No fear was behind jeanes voice which was strange as the normally timid boy thought he would run far away upon hearing of this mans plea. But all he felt was pity for the man. He knew that he could play victim or abuse his powers. He could tell the man where he can take his plea or admit that he is just a kid and cant do anything. But something deep inside of jeane pushed all those thoughts aside.
A hero is someone who saves anyone even if it means that the hero’s life will end. The boy thought of the speech from the mare do well comic and it gave him strength.
Zeke rubbed a tear from his eye. “thanks kid.” Zeke clapped his hands together and sat up with a vigorous jump. He let out a victorious yell.
“Alright we are back in business kid. You just made an old yet virile mans day.” Zeke wrapped himself around jeane.
“So where do we start?”
Zeke smiled. “Met me at rich’s bar and grill on firday and we will begin your real training.”