Override (Glitch)

them. You glitchers are barely human either.” She brushed hard past Adrien and ran from the room.
    Jilia started after her, but then paused at the door and looked back at us. “I would appreciate if you would all try to be patient with her.” Her words were clipped and almost angry. “She’s a bit rough around the edges, but you would be, too, if you’d been through what she has.”
    “She’s the one who pulled a weapon,” a girl with long blond hair objected, putting her hands on her hips. “What were we supposed to do?”
    “She protects herself the only way she knows how,” Jilia said, then hurried out the door.
    “And we all know you can more than protect yourself, Filicity,” Adrien said to the blonde.
    The girl balled up her fists and stared back. “How many times do I have to tell you, the name’s City .”
    “I didn’t mean to burn her hands,” said Rand.
    City scoffed. “You aren’t the bad guy here, Rand. She pulled a laser weapon. She could have sliced someone’s arm off by accident.”
    “What exactly just happened?” I asked.
    “Rand melted her weapons.” A short girl with long frizzy brown hair got to her feet from where she’d been crouching on the ground with her arms covering her head. She beamed at Rand. “He can turn metal molten.”
    He winked and waved at me, his palms turning a glowing orange. City smacked him hard in the shoulder. “Now if he just could learn to tone it down sometimes.”
    He rolled his eyes. “Because you are always so controlled with your lightning.”
    “It’s electricity, not lightning. And it’s not supposed to be subtle.”
    “Why don’t I introduce you all officially,” Adrien said. He gestured to the blonde. “Zoe, this is City. She can produce spirals of electricity from her bare hands. Then there’s Eli, Wytt, Tavid, and Cole.” He nodded at the ex-Regs. Three of them didn’t move at all. They just stood looking at the far wall like they were on guard. The fourth looked my way and nodded.
    “Where are the other ex-Regs?” I asked. Ten had come with us after I freed them from their V-chips, if I remembered correctly.
    “The rest are on active duty with other Rez squadrons.” Adrien turned to the stocky boy who’d burned Xona. “This is Rand. You saw his power in action.”
    Rand grinned.
    “And I’m Ginni,” said the frizzy-haired girl. “We’re all so excited to meet you and welcome you to the team!” She came forward and gave me a huge hug. I patted her back awkwardly. I’d never really been in such close proximity to anyone except Adrien.
    “Uh, hi.”
    City snorted in the background, and Ginni pulled back.
    “Ginni can locate people anywhere on earth,” Adrien said, smiling. “Down to a few feet.”
    “Oh,” I smiled. “Adrien told me about you.”
    “He did?” A grin split her face.
    “Now that you’re actually here maybe we can finally see some action,” Rand said, rubbing his hands together.
    Ginni leaned in. “Can you really do everything they say you can? Juan told us you ripped metal-reinforced doors out of the wall. Is that true?”
    “Um, yeah.”
    “Telekinesis is such an awesome power. And one day you’re gonna be the leader of the Rez,” Ginni shook her head slightly, looking awestruck. “To think, I get to be on the same task force as you.”
    “She’s not a leader yet,” City said. “Everyone on the task force is of equal rank.” She looked at me sourly. “Except some of us have actually trained for years and been on missions.”
    “Aw, don’t get your tunic in a twist, City,” Rand said.
    City’s hands balled into fists. “I’m not getting anything in a twist. I’m just telling it like it is.”
    “Okay, guys,” Adrien intervened. “Everybody out. Let’s let Zoe get some rest now.”
    He ran a hand through his hair after they all left. “I’m sorry about how they acted. They can be a lot to handle all at once.”
    My skin prickled up at the thought of so many people with such intense expectations of me. I ran my hands over my arms rapidly. “Everyone here knows what I’m expected to do. How can I possibly live up to that? It’s too much pressure.”
    “I know, I’m sorry. But news travels quickly around here. And it’s been so long since we’ve had good news,” Adrien added. “People latch on to hope wherever they can find it.”
    I suddenly felt bad for my outburst. They needed me, not just because I was supposed to help them win, but also because