Read So Not a Hero for Free Online

to the left and grabbed the top of a three-inch steel drainpipe rising out of the concrete floor. Without even a grunt, I crushed the metal cylinder and bent it at a ninety-degree angle.
    The collective group looked at the mangled pipe, to me, then to Derek. The old man laughed and shook his head. “Well, that changes things, doesn’t it?” He pointed at one of the cleaner sections of the warehouse. “You can bunk over there, little missy. There’s a crate to hold your stuff and part of a wall you can use for privacy. The toilet’s over on the other side of the building and there’s a shower. It’ll be cold and you have to bring your own water, but it’s better than trucking a mile to the Y.”
    “Thanks.” I returned their smiles and slipped the satchel off my shoulder as I headed over to my new, and hopefully temporary, home. After I unpacked my ripped blanket and added a quilt to create a bed, I gathered up three buckets of water from the hydrant down the street and washed the grime of the battle—and the remains of my parole officer’s pleasure—from my body. Once I was cleaner than I was, I dried off as best as I could and put on some undamaged clothing.
    I asked Derek for directions and left the warehouse to walk five blocks to the nearest convenience store. Inside, the pathetic remnants of my last paycheck bought a dozen cans of ravioli, four jars of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, and a case of orange juice in little plastic bottles.
    While the cashier, safe behind dura-steel bars surrounding an omni-plex booth, was ringing up my purchases, two punks burst through the door wearing sunglasses and bandanas, waving pistols. Before either could announce that a robbery was about to take place, I’d punched out both of them and bent their guns into useless scraps of metal. The guy working the register looked over the counter at the unconscious robbers and gave me a fifty percent discount. I tossed him a hurried nod of appreciation and left before the police could arrive.
    Back at the warehouse, I dumped the purchases on a table made out of a slab of plywood and an empty oil drum. “Dinner is served.”
    The rest of the group approached cautiously and Derek looked at the haul and then to me. “You didn’t need to do this, Karen. We didn’t expect you to pay for a place to sleep.”
    I waved my hand dismissively and put on a little scowl. I knew from experience that it was one thing for people like this to ask for charity. It was completely different to have it forced upon them. “I was hungry. I just bought more than I had planned and the guy behind the register wouldn’t give me a refund.” I shrugged and grabbed one of the raviolis and a juice. “So I figured it made more sense to share it with you people than throw it out.”
    The others looked from the food to Derek. He was staring at me with an expression that was part amusement and part suspicion. It was the same stare he’d given me earlier before deciding to let me in. After a second or two, he turned to them and nodded. They dove in, everyone eager to get something but no one pushing or taking from another. I watched them for a few moments and then noticed Derek giving me a little smirk.  I turned around quickly, stalking back to my own private corner.
    When I’d finished eating and was lying on my makeshift bed looking up at the ceiling, Derek came over and sat down on the ground. I ignored him for a few minutes until I realized he wasn’t going anywhere. I turned on my side to face him. “Need something?” I tried to put some anger in the question, but I think I was too relaxed.
    “Thank you,” he said softly. “That was probably the most nutritious meal most of them have had in a while. The juice was a nice touch. I guess you can imagine that when we don’t get a lot in the way of fruits and vegetables.”
    I still couldn’t put my finger on how I knew him, and it was bugging the crap out of me. I shrugged one shoulder and then