Judas and Luke sat at the table in Judas’ one room apartment, eating Raman noodles. “So how did this happen?” Judas asked Luke, referring to his new-found ability to have ghostly powers.
“Dude, I don’t know.” Luke said, still sounding a little excited about things as of late. He couldn’t help but show off earlier, as Judas was working on some Steampunk inventions of his. Judas had just finished making a cyborg arm before Luke came to him.
“Hmm.” Judas said, staring intently into his steaming bowl. He always expected that if something like this happened, he’d be amazed by it. But here, besides occasionally being startled when Luke appeared right in front of him, Judas wasn’t too blown over.
“So, what are you working on there?” Luke asked, nodding over to Judas’ desk.
“That? Oh.” Judas said, turning. “That’s just a robot arm I made.”
“Show me.” Luke requested.
Judas rose, slipped the arm over his, then held his hand, which he opened, out to Luke. “Shake.” He said with a smirk.
Luke looked curiously at the device and clasped it in his hands, Judas tightening his grip.
“Wow,” Luke said, looking at the two hands, then started to look a little uncomfortable. “Ooh, firm grip.”
“Hmm?” Judas asked.
Luke looked visibly uncomfortable. “Ah, dude, that’s getting tight. Could you lighten up a tad?”
“Whut?” Judas asked, releasing his grip immediately. With a clicking sound, the two hands parted, Luke holding his hand. “Dude, did I hurt you?”
“Oh no,” Luke said, shaking his head, “that was just a firm grip you had.”
“Really?” Judas asked, looking at his creation. “Must have been the co2 PSI inserted into it. I wasn’t even using half my grip.”
“No way.” Luke said, looking enthralled. “Could, could you, like, break something with that?”
“Um, haven’t tried that yet…” Judas turned and, finding an elongated piece of pipe he knew he probably wouldn’t use ever, he took it up in his hand. Squeezing, without showing any facial discomfort, he bent, and broke the pipe.
Luke’s mouth dropped open. Judas looked at his hand. “That felt like nothing…”
“Wow.” Was all Luke could say.
Judas turned to his stripy friend with a grin. “You’re the one who can disappear, man.”
Luke grinned. “Touché. Ok then, you’re not so special.” Judas laughed, as did Luke.
The two paused, both thinking about all that had transpired. Then the two looked at each other, and got the same idea.
“There’s a lot of problems out there, man.” Judas said, referring to the city they were in.
Luke nodded. “Yeah. You think we…?”
Judas looked serious, and nodded. “Definitely. I mean, I’d still have to modify this some, and probably complete it first, but definitely.” Judas turned and looked out at the city, dimly lit and growing darker. There were lots of criminals out there. And they had the tools divinely placed in their hands.
Judas nodded. “Let’s do it.”

TO BE CONTINUED…