Jack dropped Alice off at school.
There were two more police officers at the school gates than usual. One watched the intersection. The other watched the sky. New York's approach to public safety was very advanced now.
There were robbers on the ground and laser cannons in the sky. Every backpack made the police nervous. So did every cloud.
Before going through the gates, Alice turned back and hugged him.
"Dad, will you find a job today?"
"I'll try."
"You used to be really good."
"I'm still really good."
"Uh-huh! You fixed the microwave yesterday!"
"See? A top-notch engineer. Still as good as ever."
Alice nodded solemnly. "Then you definitely can."
Jack smiled.
"Of course. Dad will find a new job very soon."
Alice ran into school.
Jack stood at the gates, watching her join the line, watching the teachers take all the children inside, watching the school gates close, and let out a breath of relief.
Alice could apply for a lunch loan. She would get a hot meal today. At this point in Jack's life, that counted as a victory.
Very ordinary. Very pathetic. Very important.
Jack turned to catch the bus.
The bad news was, his car was gone.
Strictly speaking, the car was still there. The body was there. The tires were there. So was the loan.
But the onboard system, the battery, the wiring, and that last pitiful scrap of dignity had all been wiped out by another electricity-wielding hero who had lost control.
The hero had been chasing a purse snatcher at the time. The purse snatcher ran fast.
The hero's electricity was faster. The streetlights, ATMs, and traffic lights along the entire street, along with Jack's used car with eighteen months of payments left, had all enjoyed a free round of electrotherapy.
The