Frontier #31 - New Day pt. 1

                The sound of heels clicking along the hospital floor was heard before the door swung open into Tony’s room. As Cure walked around the corner, Tony’s eyes lit up seeing the attractive healer. “Hello nurse,” he said with a smile, sitting up in bed but wincing at the pain that shot down his left arm.

                “Hello to you too, Tony. I’m sure Steve told you I was coming.” Cure walked over to Tony’s left side and examined the wound. The bullet pierced through Tony’s left shoulder, blowing out the joint and rendering that arm useless, although unfortunately not numb.

                “He did, but he didn’t tell me enough, obviously.” Cure smiled at Tony, but kept an air of professionalism about her.

                “Relax, I’m here to heal you, not for a date.” Cure stood up straight and took his hand in hers. “Besides, talking about how you killed another man isn’t exactly dinner conversation.”

                Tony's smile died instantly. He tried pulling his hand away, but his arm was limp from the damage. He looked away instead without saying a word.

Cure sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’m not just here to heal your arm, Tony. I’m here to heal your mind as well. Nobody can kill another human without it affecting them in some way. Steve asked me to help you come to terms with what you did, and ease your conscious.”

                “What are you, psychic too?” Tony mocked without looking at her.

                Cure smiled gently, gripping Tony’s hand tighter. “In a way, yes. It is within my power to make you forget the emotions you are feeling, but that is never the best way. Instead I’d like to work through it with you. I’m willing to take as long as you need, Tony. You have too much potential to waste, and there are too many watching eyes who are counting on your full recovery.”

                Tony turned towards her with a questioning eye. “What do you mean by that?”

                “Don’t worry about it right now,” Cure said touching his shoulder gently, sending numbing sensations down his arm, “let’s just focus on how you are feeling.” As she worked her healing fingers on his wound, Cure looked into Tony’s eyes, telepathically causing his brain to releasing calming chemicals. “Now tell me Tony, what went through your head the moment before you killed Tommy Goodman?”

                The rebuilding of Hopling’s center square became a national event. Right in the center were the members of Frontier, working as much as they could and doing whatever was necessary to help. Before the attack, the citizens of Hopling were blaming the heroes for the increased villainous activity and damage. But now they were thanking Frontier and praising them for the heroics. In a surprise twist, Natalie took it upon herself personally to make sure this new positive public opinion stayed, and she was in the limelight more than any other team member. As she became the go to spokesperson for Frontier, Steve gladly took a step back from the interviews, as he was needed elsewhere.

                The sun was shining in West City, as it usually did. The city of Hopling had pleasant weather, but Steve was going to have to try very hard these next few weeks to not get used to this beautiful west coast atmosphere. He sighed, staring out of his hotel window at the busy city below him, and wished Natalie and Marian could be here with him. But even after two weeks of rebuilding, there was still plenty to do in Hopling.

                Steve’s musings were interrupted by a knock at the door. “Come on in,” he said as he took a seat by the wooden table in the corner of his suite. The room was comfortably sized, for a man of his statue, and he knew the GMA spared no money in keeping him in this five star hotel.

                Into his room walked Lin and Dylan, both GMA agents and liaisons to the newly formed Western Frontier. They had been overseeing the team’s formation and the paperwork, but the head of the GMA, Kenneth Bridge, called in a favor of Steve. Ken wanted Steve to come smooth the team’s first few weeks together, seeing as how Steve is the founder of Frontier and did a damn good job of putting and keeping a team together for over twenty years now.

                “Well well, no money skimped here, huh?” Lin leaned against the dresser as she looked around the room. “This is as nice as my apartment.”

                “Perhaps you should find a better apartment then,” Dylan joked as he sat down across from Steve. “Now, we have everything set up for you logistically, Steve. The team members are prepped on each other’s abilities and they have a headquarters to reside in. All they need now, and trust me on this, is a guiding hand they all respect.”

                “Then why aren’t I there with them?” Steve asked, folding his hands together and getting right down to business.

                “Mr. Bridge thought it would be better if they,” Dylan paused, thinking of a good phrase. “Oh how should I put this, became comfortable amongst themselves without a babysitter watching over them. At least for the first few weeks.”

                Steve chuckled, thinking back to his own team. “Yes, that’s probably best. I would hate to cause more anxiety then needed. So am I going to just pop on over whenever I feel like it?”

                “Basically,” Dylan replied. “You’re here to oversee their next few outings as a team and help guide, and in some cases train, them to be better heroes. The first time they all went out was less than acceptable. Lin and I take full responsibility of course…”

                “Bull shit,” Lin cut in, “They screwed up on their own. We’re liaisons, not team leaders.”

                “I read from the report that the superhero named Brick was put in charge.” Steve spoke before Dylan could respond to Lin. “Things will go south very quickly if a pecking order is not established concretely. It sounded as if Clawman and Nightcat were the two biggest issues.”

                “I could have told you Clawman was an issue months ago,” Lin said rolling her eyes and taking a seat on the bed.

                “They failed as a team,” Dylan retorted. “Either way, we were lucky to even subdue the two criminals. That is why you are here, Steve, to smooth things over for them and set an example of leadership for Brick to follow. However Mr. Bridge doesn’t want you to get involved in the situations themselves. Just sit back, let them handle it, and afterwards give advice on how it could have gone better.”

                “Hmm, not sure if I’m one for sitting back and watching if things get out of hand, Dylan.”

                Lin snorted, “Right there with ya, Steve. But I’m sure you won’t get your hand slapped by Daddy if you help out every once in a while.”

                “Plus we’ll always be on hand if needed,” Dylan added. “Once you leave they’re our problem again.”

                They laughed at that, and then Lin gave Steve a serious look. “Speaking of leaving, aren’t you guys spread a little thin back east? With Bullet being in the hospital and the Eagle flying back to his coop?”

                “I wouldn’t worry about them too much,” Steve grinned in confidence. “We have a new team member who is quite capable of handling anything thrown his way.”