For two weeks, 8th Wonder and I went out every other night. She said we have to be careful until my body is used to the energy I expend when I'm with her. We're building up to an optimal level.
I'm in superhero training. That's something I wouldn't have guessed a few months ago.
But it's been going well. Transitioning (that's what I'm calling it when I go from normal to burning/glowing to normal) has been faster and smoother. My mind is so close with 8th Wonder's now that when we're communicating, it feels more like a single stream of thoughts than two sides of a conversation. It's scary, but it's also exciting. We synchronize, harmonize with each other.
Last night I asked 8th Wonder what she did before she found me. I know there were sightings of her before I had blackouts. I guessed that she had another host body, and she said I was correct.
"So what happened to them?" I asked. I couldn't help thinking about burnt bodies, with no explanation of what happened, but 8th Wonder reassured me that wasn't the case.
"I did go to other people before you," she said. "But when I realized we were not compatible, I simply searched for someone else. I did no harm to the ones before you."
"Did they have blackouts like I did at the beginning?"
"Yes. I suppose they have a night or two that they can't explain. But they are perfectly well, I promise."
That was a relief. One of the things about telepathy is that you cannot lie without a lot of effort. 8th Wonder and I were too close to lie to each other, so I knew she was telling the truth. "What makes me compatible with you?"
Something like a shrug flitted through my mind. "I cannot explain it, I'm sorry. But when I am with a person, I can tell. You have qualities that the others lacked."
That was pretty much the end of our conversation. Last night was a patrol with no activity. I went back to my apartment, slept, and went to work today. When I came home, there was a note under the door. It said:
"I know you've been out a lot but wanna go together tonight? - R"
Ryan wanted to go on patrol with me. I wondered why.
I closed my eyes and sent a message to 8th Wonder. "Can we go on patrol tonight? Streak wants to fly together."
Her reply came immediately. "Are you rested?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Call me when you're ready."
I opened my eyes and took out my cell phone. I texted "Yes. When?" to Ryan.
He wrote back. "Ten on the roof."
My first patrol with a superhero. Look at that.