"John Varley - Anthology - Super Heroes - Various Authors" - читать интересную книгу автора (Varley John)

The patient looked down, and for the first time noticed the large M
insignia that covered most of his chest. He seemed to be wearing some sort
of garish costume made out of a span-dex-like material that hugged the
contours of his muscularly masculine physique with a sheen of gold and
silver.
His first thought was that he looked like something out of a comic book,
but then he caught himself before he said anything, realizing that this would
have been just the sort of reaction Parker and Kirschenbaum would have
wanted.
"I suppose this is my costume?" he commented.
"Known by one and all," replied Parker. "The savior of mankind, and our
only hope in our darkest and direst times of need."
"But dressing in a costume," he added, "doesn't necessarily mean I am
some sort of superhero who can fly through the air, leap tall bridges, see
through walls…"
"You can't do any of those things," Kirschenbaum interrupted. "Your
body is impervious to damage from bullets, radiation waves, laser beams…"
"But not direct hits on the forehead by bazooka shells," he added.
"Apparently," Kirschenbaum conceded, "your recuperative stamina is one
hundred times that of a mortal man. Your strength is that of a thousand,
your intellect is off the IQ chart…"
 "I don't feel like a genius."
Brian M. Thomson
"It's probably a by-product of the amnesia," offered the annoying Parker.
"I wouldn't worry about that."
"I somehow figured you wouldn't," he replied curtly.
Kirschenbaum looked at his watch and became more concerned.
"Meteor Man," he said gravely, "we are running out of time. I know you
are confused, and it all sounds far-fetched, but you are our only hope, and
time is running out. What do I have to do to convince you that you are who
we say you are?"
Meteor Man was touched by his earnestness and concern. If time was
running out, and he was their only hope, then he would have to do
something… but what if they were wrong? He didn't feel like some sort of
meteor-spawn from outer space.
"Dr. Kirschenbaum," he offered, "I really would like to help you, but it all
sounds so bizarre. No sane person would believe that he was some sort of
superhero."
"Of course not," interrupted the annoying Dr. Parker. "You're one of a
kind. That is why you are our only hope."
Both the patient and Kirschenbaum ignored Parker's latest cliche
outburst.
Kirschenbaum considered the situation for a moment, and proposed a
solution, saying, "If I can prove to you that you are indeed Meteor Man, our
invincible hero, then would you save the day?"
"Sure," said the patient, really wanting to help, and also to regain his
identity.
Kirschenbaum raised his hand to his face and lightly brushed his
moustache, seeming to be in some sort of intense thought. The glow of
inspiration illuminated his face, as if he had just arrived at a solution.