“Why me?” Michael asked, backing away from Asante and the group.
“Because if it somehow breaks, you’ll complain the least.”
“Well, that’s…comforting.”
Asante smirked as he held up a tape measure in one hand and his tablet in another. Michael thought he looked like an evil scientist ready to test his contraption, and he was about to be the guinea pig. Asante’s eyes glimmered with excitement. He wasn’t just eager. He, he was practically radiating energy. Michael tried his best not to letto not let his nerves show, but one look at the rest of the group was enough to know his secret was out.
“Wipe that smile off your face,” he hissed at Zuriya.
She was trying, but failing, to cover her mouth.
“What are you so giggly about?”
“Oh, nothing. You look nervous, that’s all.”
“I’m…cautious. There’s a huge difference.”
He puffed his chest and stood as confident as he could, but Zuriya’s face still mocked him. Off to the side, he heard LaNiya snickering and managed to catch David quickly, covering the smile spreading across his face.
“Alright, let’s do this,” Asante said, tossing the tape measure to David.”You’re on measurement duty. We’ll start with his height.”
David nodded and approached Michael, pulling most of the measuring tape out.
“So which units do we use?”
“Centimeters,” Asante and LaNiya answered in tandem.
“That’s dumb. Don’t we use inches?” Michael asked.
“Sure, but real math is measured in centimeters,” LaNIya said.
“Besides, the system asks for them,” Asante added.
“Fine by me,” David shrugged, “Stand up straight, dude. Got to get a near-perfectnear perfect measurement.”
He stretched the measuring tape to check Michael’s height. Michael groaned but complied. He tried to remain still.
“What are you, like three feet tall?” David joked.
“What?” Michael asked, glaring back. “I’m at least four feet.”
“What does it say?” Asante asked.
David took his time giving a response.
“Uh, four feet. Rounded up.”
“Centimeters.”
“122. Also rounded.”
“Great. Next, we’ll need his arm span, waist, legs, neck, chest, and spine.”
After gathering all the measurements, Asante began tapping away on his tablet again. His face showed intense focus but also excitement. When everything had been inputted, he looked up towards the group.
“Finally. Now let’s see what this thing does,” he said, activating the suit.
The skeleton immediately reacted with soft whirs and clicks as it shifted. ItsIt;s metallic joints compressed, the spine shortened, and the arm and leg appendages adjusted to accommodate the new data. In less than a minute, it had gone from the size of an adult to that of a child. Michael could only stare, mesmerized.
“Okay, even I’ve got to admit that was pretty cool to watch,” Zuriya said, leaning closer.
“It was pretty amazing, wasn’t it?” David askedsaid.
“I thought it looked kinda creepy as it moved though. Like it was alive,” LaNiya said.
‘Alright, Michael, here you go,” Asante declaredsaid.
He lifted the skeleton and extended it to Michael, who accepted it wearily. While watching the thing compartmentalize itself to fit his stature was interesting to witness, Michael felt nervous.
“Are you sure this thing isn’t going to suddenly resize back up, and stretch my spine out?”
“Nope. But I’m pretty confident that I perfectly followed the blueprints and notes. Now, get in.”
“Yeah, how about no?” Michael said, taking a few steps back.
“What’s wrong? Is big, brave Mike afraid of a few wires?” Zuriya mocked.
“Not afraid…cautious. Someone has to be the responsible one here.”
“Yeah, right,” David grinned, “Like when you decided to push Lance?”
“Or insult the superintendent?” LaNiya added.
“Or tried to climb out the classroom window?” Zuria joined in.
“Okay, okay, I get it. Give me the suit.”
Michael took the skeleton from Asante. The cold metal sent chills throughout his body as he slowly and deliberately fastened himself in.
“Faster, please. It’s not going to eat you,” Asante said.
“Worst case scenario, you break something, and we get to see Asante blow a fuse,” LaNiya teased, earning a warning look from Asante.
Michael fastened the straps around his waist, ankles, arms, and neck. The suit began making more clicking sounds as it continued to adjust.
“Asante?” Michael called out.
“It’s just recalibrating.”
“Meaning?”
“Syncing with your body’s natural stance, movements, posture, etc. Don’t stand so stiff.”
Michael did his best to relax his limbs. But the skeleton remained rigid.
“It’s not working.”
Asante began swiping through something on the tablet, narrowing his eyes at the various files and data on the screen.
“Here it is. The suit can sense your heart rate. It must think you’re stressed.”
“I am stressed! Tell it to stop.”
“Try moving around. Get comfortable in it.”
Michael took off speed-walking around the desk. His initial movements were jerky and unnatural. He thought maybe he just needed to get used to the feel of a second spine. But he suddenly heard the leg parts click, shifting.
“Try moving your arms in circles. Loosen up,” David offered.
Michael immediately started swinging his arms in huge circles. The frame hummed softly.
“What about jumping jacks? That’d loosen him up,” Zuriya chimed in.
“Seriously? What is this? Gym class?” Michael asked.
“Just do it,” Zuriya grinned.
He switched to jumping jacks, but. But instead of easing his concern, the suit continued calibrating, even though. Though he noticed the stiffness begin to fade.
“It’s still changing,” he complained.
“Okay. It should be done now,” Asante stated.
Michael stopped his exercising and noticed that the skeleton frame felt much lighter and less constrictive. Each part seemed to now fit perfectly with his body and limbs. It felt nearly invisible.
“How do you feel?” LaNiya asked.
“I feel ridiculous,” Michael complained.
“You look ridiculous, by the way,” Zuriya laughed.
“How about the frame??” Asante asked.
“Like a part of me,” Michael answered, “ But also not.”
“Well, it appears fully calibrated. It should be synched to you.”
“Congrats. You survived,” Zuriya joked.
“Now the real test can begin,” Asante said.
“That wasn’t the test?!” Michael questioned, his nerves flaring back up at the thought of what could possibly come next.
“Let’s see you really move in it. Try jogging around.”
Michael took off jogging around the room, noticing the frame had loosened up and stretched and bent with his arms and legs seamlessly. Feeling more confident, he sped up a little. He looped through the tables and chairs, weaving around them with ease, and the frame amplifying his speed. He came to a stop right next to Asante.
“Maybe not so fast next time,” Asante said, pointing behind him.
Turning his head, Michael noticed that the course he had taken around the room was nowt littered with papers and discarded pens that had been swept off the desks to the floors.
“Oh…my bad. It didn’t feel like I was moving that fast.”
“No problem. Speed seems to be alright. What to test next?.”
David pointed to a stack of boxes in the corner filled with metal beams, sheets, and bolts. Likely pieces left over from the frame’s construction.
“Think you can try lifting those?” David asked.
“The pile? No way,” Michael said.
“Actually, your suits should boost your strength. Give it a shot,” Asante said.
Walking past David, Michael approached the pile of boxes. There was no way he was going to be able to lift the entire stack. But he could try to lift just one. That alone should be a decent enough test.
He crouched down, grabbing on to the box, and lifted it with ease. His face became skeptical as he twirled around to show off the strength of the suit.
“Whoa. Now that’s freaky,” he chuckled.
“Cool,” LaNiya said.
“What even was in it anyway,” Zuriya quipped, “It probably wasn’t even that heavy to begin with.”
“Are you kidding,” Michael snapped.
“Let David try to lift it, then. He’s the strongest one here.”
David shrugged and reached for the box from Michael. The moment Michael released his grip, the box crashed to the floor. The sound echoed throughout the room, and as everyone flinched, hoping no one upstairs could hear them.
“Yeah, no way,” David said, the rest of the group smiling and giggling.
“Bet you can’t lift two at the same time,” LaNiya teased.
A cocky smile spread across Michael’s face as he accepted the challenge. He slid the fallen box over to the pile, crouched down again, and lifted one box in each hand. They felt more like tissue boxes. He paraded around, showing off the ease.
“Alright, alright. We get it. You’re strong,” Zuriya said.
“Strength is functioning well,” Asante said, “Let’s try agility.”
Thinking quickly, Michael jumped onto the desk without any trouble. He then began hopping across the carious desk, like a frog hopping across lily pads.
“Agility seems okay,” Asante continued.
“Having fun, are you?” LaNiya asked.
She pointed to another stack of boxes across the room. These were stacked much higher than the first pile. They towered over the kids, and likely an adult.
“Think you can make it up there?” she asked.
“Are you crazy? How am I supposed to clear that?” Michael asked.
“What’s the point in testing if we aren’t going to push it? Right, Asante?”
“I’m onboard,” Asante smiled.
Still standing on the desk, Michael stared up at the high stack. Not only would he need to make it to the top, but if he missed his landing spot, then he could fall and tumble down to the ground if he missed his landing spot. The suit seemed to be good at enhancing his abilities, but it didn’t have any protection from the possible injuries. Still, he couldn’t fight the urge to see if he could make it up that high.
He crouched down again, gathering as much strength as he could, and pounced with all his might. He soared much higher than he anticipated, with the frame propelling him. He could easily clear the stack, but now he was so high in the air that he wasn’t sure if his aim would going to land him safely on top of the stack.
“Woooaaahh!” he shouted, as he landed on the top box’s edge, trying to stabilize himself. He turned back to the group, taking a dramatic bow. The group clapped for him.
“Think you can get down?” Asante asked.
“It’s got to be easier than coming up.”
As he jumped down, and touched the ground, he felt the frame click as though trying to correct something. The sudden shift caused him to stumble.
“Okay, not perfect.”
“Looks like the balance assist didn’t fully calibrate yet. Good to know,” Asante said, jotting it down.
“What’s next?” David asked.
“Umm…communication.”
“It can communicate? Can it alter the sound of my voice?” Michael asked excitedly.
“No. It should be able to communicate with the lab…and the others,” Asante corrected.
“Others?” Zuriya repeated.
Asante reproached the center table with the red cloth. He opened a drawer in the lower compartment to reveal four identical metallic skeletal frames.
“You set them all up already?” Zuriya asked.
“Now, to check to see if all six recognize the signal,” Asante said, pressing a button on the tablet.
Michael immediately heard a soft, pinging sound coming from behind him. He looked down at the four frames in the drawer. They also emitted a soft pinging sound and, accompanied by a tiny blue, blinking light on the spine.
“They work,” LaNiya said.
But when Michael looked back at Asante, expecting to find him overly ecstatic, he saw frustration on his face. Asante looked deeply focused, as though he was waiting for something. The screen behind him showed five blue dots blinking on a map of the town. But wait, didn’t Asante say there were six frames?
He turned back to the drawer and counted. One, two, three, four…and the one I’m wearing makes five. Did he miscount? He turned back to the screen and noticed another blue dot had appeared, pinging far from the others. A smile spread across Asante’s face.
“Gotcha.”