The Spectrum Force Volume Four by Heather Ray (read the beginning after the end novel TXT) 📖

powerful than they were on Edenia, due to the great distance between the staffs and the Diadem, the source of their power. However, if you can wield them properly, these weapons may save your lives."

She lowered to the ground, and folded her arms. "Let's see what you've come up with."

The Force arranged themselves in line for inspection, each one taking their Dia-staff and willing it to mold into the shape that most suited them.

Spectra began with Rachel, who stood with a solid staff about four feet in length. "Why have you chosen this weapon?"

"It's solid and heavy, and it's long enough to strike an approaching or fleeing opponent."

Spectra nodded, and then continued to Tamara, whose spear reached over the top of her head. "And you, Tamara?"

Tammy grinned beneath her mask. "I was going for something that I could use both in close quarters and at a distance. And I saw this ninja movie the other day, with a weapon kinda like this... what's it called?"

"Naginata," Keith supplied.

"Right, that's the one. Anyway, it looked good."

With an answering smile, Spectra continued to Craig, who held a broad ax between both hands. "Craig?"

"I wanted a weapon that I could really put by back into," he related. "Something that could focus my strength, and give me an edge one-on-one."

"Very well," the Denebian commented, turning to the next member of the Force. "Matt?"

The Green Enforcer brandished two short, three-pronged blades. "I'm going with the sai. They're lightweight and razor sharp, perfect for throwing or deflecting a sharp weapon."

Spectra was about to comment, only Jocelyn's groan interrupted her. "You and your Ninja Turtles!"

"Hey, sometimes your first instinct is the best option," he countered.

Spectra cocked her eyebrow as she noted Orange's crossbow. "Jocelyn?"

Jocelyn straightened her back as she presented her weapon. "Long-range weapon that can harness and amplify the energy the orange stone produces, creating a big blast."

Spectra nodded her approval before turning to the last hero. "Keith?"

"Definitely the sword." The Red Enforcer took a step back, swinging the energy blade in an intricate performance that impressed most of his audience. "I've been practicing with the katana for years. I'm really in tune with it."

A grin slowly spread on Spectra's lips. "That will be determined tomorrow."

Keith froze in mid-swing, letting the crimson blade sink back into the granite staff. "How do you mean?"

Spectra stepped back, addressing the entire team. "Tomorrow we will focus our training on the weapons of your choice. You will confront each other, and then myself. Then we can see how well you handle your ideal weapon."

Craig stared at the Denebian in open surprise. "You're going to practice with us?"

Spectra clasped her hands behind her back. "I think it's time I stopped observing. If Phaedra ever sends true Denebian warriors to face us, you must be ready to combat them."

She then stared into the sky, watching the early evening sun continue to slide toward the barren sands and rocks of the arid desert. "This session is over. You may go home."

Before the Denebian could leave, Keith hurried forward. "Spectra, can I ask you something?"

She nodded.

For once, Keith seemed uncomfortable. "We've... been training every morning since this whole mess started, and I think we've made a lot of progress."

"Yes, you have," Spectra conceded, "though there is still very much you need to learn."

"True, but maybe we've earned a day off? Specifically this Tuesday?"

Keith felt the surprised stares of his teammates, but he chose to focus his attention on Spectra, whose frown sunk his hopes.

"See, this Monday is Valentine's Day, and... well... it'd be great if we had some flexibility with our Tuesday morning schedule. You know, in case anyone is... uh... up late."

Keith's halting explanation won a giggle from Jocelyn, snickers from Craig and Matt, pity from Rachel, and a flush of embarrassment from Tamara. Yet Spectra still frowned.

"What is Valentine's Day?"

Rachel then stepped forward, taking some of the pressure off the Red Enforcer. "February 14th is a holiday celebrating love. Everyone's always so busy with their own lives, sometimes they take their loved ones for granted."

"An interesting concept," Spectra acknowledged, "Though one would think such a holiday would be burdensome to those who were not romantically involved."

"Sometimes it is," Matt contributed, "but it really shouldn't be. Valentine's Day is usually associated with romance, but who says it has to be? When my parents split up, I was my mom's Valentine."

"Aw," Jocelyn cooed, "that's so sweet."

Matt grimaced, silently thankful his mask hid his embarrassment. "Yeah, well... the point is, you just have to make time for the people that matter to you."

Spectra nodded slowly, her eyes lifting to the sky again. Her voice was soft when she made her decision. "It... sounds like a worthwhile holiday, then. Tuesday's morning practice is canceled, but always keep your rings, in case an emergency arises."

A cheer of excitement rose from the heroes.

Spectra grinned bemusedly at her students. "And, of course, I will see you tomorrow and Monday, first thing in the morning."

"We'll be there," Tamara confirmed.

"See you then," Rachel called, lifting into the air.

As the team began to disperse, Keith lingered back. He approached Spectra, a sheepish grin on his masked face. "There's... something else I'd like to ask you."
Chapter Nine

Rachel didn't have enough time to wait for her teammates. Instead, she launched herself westward, letting the sun serve as her guide. She rocketed high in the atmosphere, her purple aura leaving a comet's trail behind her, as she flew over expansive deserts of rock and sand, cities that formed tight clusters of metal and stone, and finally the rich blue of the Atlantic Ocean. That was always the trickiest part of a transcontinental flight, for the sheer magnitude of the mostly featureless oceans could make her lose track of which direction she flew. But eventually the cool blue was specked with the numerous small islands of the Caribbean, and from there it was easy to skirt along the southern border of the United States, right to California.

The Purple Enforcer flew to her chosen re-entry site: the secluded alley nestled between the administrative buildings. Given the day and hour, the buildings were almost empty, so there were no witnesses to her unorthodox arrival.

With a mere thought she willed the power back into the ring. Purple molded armor melted away, revealing the telltale red T-shirt of the Valentine's Giveaway Committee, a pair of jeans, and sneakers. Then, she stepped out of the alley, and jogged to the office used by the Committee.

When she pushed open the glass door, she was greeted by the first friend she'd made at Dreiser University.

"Ray, you're six minutes late!" Gwen gasped. She pulled off her wire frame glasses, fastidiously rubbing the lens with the edge of her red T-shirt. "Maybe I can't see the clock right..."

Rachel smirked at the Committee's chairperson, taking a seat among the other volunteers and patiently waiting for Gwen to get back to business.

"Okay," Gwen called, "this was the day we were all waiting for. The day in which we play Cupid!" Her bronze face was alight with infectious excitement. "We've scanned all the entries into the computer, organized the hard copies by gender and identification number, and then arranged them in numerical order in these file cabinets," she highlighted, gesturing to two shelves of hanging folders. "Each entry had a perforated tag on the top, with the number of the entry and gender of the applicant. The tags are in this basket here, and the first number picked is our winner."

She rubbed her hands, and then dove one hand deep into the strips of paper. After swimming through the pile, she extricated a single folded strip.

"And the lucky winner is... a guy!" The announcement was followed by noisy applause from the majority of the men in the group, and peevish grumbling from some of the women. Gwen set two fingers between her lips, releasing a startling whistle that quickly silenced the room.

"Anyway,"

she huffed, "the number is 2159. Ray, care to do the honors?"

Rachel was still grinning at the entire display as she pulled open the appropriate drawer of hard copies. She quickly leafed through the folders, and removed the entry form with a flourish.

"Now, we cut down the possibilities by letting the Scantron pull up the one hundred female entries that most closely match the responses in the multiple choice section," Gwen narrated, turning to the lone computer station. The student at the desk, a sophomore engineering student named Jerry, saluted the group's leader before punching the appropriate keys into the system.

After a few quiet minutes of processing, a list of numbers began to collect on screen.

Gwen cracked her knuckles. "And now, we get to work!"

The volunteers separated into five smaller groups, each getting a handful of numbers from Jerry to research. Soon, piles of applications lay strewn across a dozen tables, as volunteers read and reread the short answer section of the application, taking note of which applicants were strong matches, and which were not based on this additional criteria no computer could properly consider.

After several hours of reading and hushed dispute, each group presented the application they considered the strongest match to the winner's entry. And the debate began anew, as the entire Committee searched for consensus.

Finally, decision time came. Gwen pulled a portable chalkboard before the assembly, and wrote in the four digit codes of each of the five finalists.

"Okay, raise your hands for bachelorette number 0039!"

She counted the hands that hovered in the air, and then wrote the tally on the board.

"Raise 'em for bachelorette number 1378! Now 2001! 0782! And our final finalist... 0251!"

Gwen wrote in the final tallies, and stepped back from the board. "And now, fellow Cupids, we have determined that bachelorette number 0782 is our lucky winner's best match!"

Facetious applause broke at the announcement, as Gwen collected the winning entries. With great flourish, she pulled off the masking tape covering the names and addresses of the applicants.

"Hey Ray, care to deliver the notes to our lucky winners? They both live in your building."

With a cooperative nod, Rachel stood up and took the forms from Gwen. It took a moment before it dawned on her. Her dark gaze jumped from one sheet to the other, her eyes slowly widening.