Additional Excerpt from Smoked

I'm on the verge of wrapping up Smoked, but I've felt it necessary to tweak more passages than I normally do (which has taken additional time). Still, I thought it might be fun to share another excerpt from the book (and, of course, the usual caveats apply):

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“Should I interpret that as meaning your offer to help is still open?” Atalanta asked.

“Depends,” I stated indifferently. “What do you need me to do?”

She frowned. “I can’t tell you that. Not until I know you’re in.”

“So wait,” I remarked in confusion. “You want me to agree to help you with something, without telling me what it is you need help with?”

“In essence, yes. I’ll also need your word that you’ll keep anything I tell you confidential.”

I went a little bug-eyed at that last part. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Unfortunately not.”

“So what’s to keep me from agreeing to your terms, then changing my mind when I hear the details?”

“You’re not the kind of person who would do that,” she declared.

“You don’t know that,” I shot back, “because you don’t know me.”

She merely stared at me for a moment, then spoke. “Cyrus Ebon Anselmo Ware. High school student and member of the Alpha League Teen Affiliate. Generally known as Smokescreen…‘Smokey’ to your friends. Powers include the capacity to create smoke, and – more recently – the ability to take on vaporous form. Known associates include the superhero Feral, as well as teen supers Kid Sensation and Electra, among others. Currently in a romantic relationship with Sarah–”

“Okay, okay,” I interjected. “That’s enough.”

“Are you certain? I can go on.”

“No, you made your point,” I assured her. “So I take it you guys have a file on me?”

She didn’t respond to that, but she didn’t have to. Her recital had made the answer obvious.

“Admittedly, I don’t know you in a personal sense,” she finally stated, “but I know enough about you to believe that if you give your word you’ll keep it.”

“And I’ve got to commit before you’ll tell me anything.”

“Correct.”

I frowned in concentration for a moment. The Argonauts were generally a respected team of supers, despite – like the nation of Argo as a whole – having a reputation for being somewhat secretive. In short, I could probably trust that Atalanta wasn’t recruiting me for something untoward. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to be sure.

“Okay, I’m in,” I told her, “provided that you’re not asking me to do anything illegal.”

She appeared to ponder that for a moment, then stuck out her hand, saying, “Deal.”

Hoping I wasn’t making a mistake, I took her hand and we shook on it.