The examination room was neat and clean. No instruments were visible and the metal counters gleamed in the overhead lights. The floor was tile, hard and easy to clean, while the walls were painted in quiet, soothing beige. The table looked like an exam table from any doctor's room in the country, most of the special modifications weren't visible. Jonathon moved around making sure all was ready. He had already done a number of these mandatory exams and found them to be less of a waste of time than he expected. The utter imbecility of using someone of his talents to do routine physicals was offset by the amount of valuable data he was able to gather on metahumans. Hopefully his next patient, Heatwave according to his schedule, would prove as enlightening.

Once he was sure everything was in place, he looked over at the clock. Right on time, as expected, he was ready. Now he just needed a patient. He heard the door open and turned with a practiced smile on his face.

Heatwave was nervous as she entered the sterile looking room. The last time she had seen a doctor was while she was recovering from her injuries in the incident that had taken her family. She had since avoided doctors, along with the police, as they reminded her too much of what she had lost. Why DiSantiago Pharmaceuticals insisted every candidate have a thorough physical was beyond her but she needed the team if she were to live long enough to get the information she needed. If that meant putting up with a few inconveniences, so be it.

On seeing the doctor waiting for her, Heatwave did her best to hide her dislike of being there and tried to smile. "Dr. Jace? Hi, I'm Heatwave. I have an appointment."

"Of course," Jonathon hesitated a moment, then realized he didn't have any other name to call her. "Heatwave. I assume that is what you would prefer I call you?" Even as he asked, he motioned her into the room.

"I'm sure you have had physicals before." He opened a drawer and began carefully removing recognizable medical instruments. A stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, otoscope and opthalmascope were quickly placed neatly in a row even as he continued to speak. "I will need you to undress down to your underwear. If you are more comfortable, there is a small lavoratory available with gowns in it. I will, of course, require you to open the gown to allow a full examination." Throughout the talk, his voice and mannerisms were totally matter of fact and professional. Even as he spoke, he mentally signaled the sensors in the room. They began silently and invisibly gathering information. A small screen on the table displayed her heart rate, temperature, respiratory rate, blood pressure and other information. Most of what he needed he already had. The actual exam was mostly for show.

"Yes, I would be more comfortable with a gown." Heatwave said modestly.

Inside the small room the doctor had indicated she quickly removed her costume and donned one of the flimsy gowns. She had always hated having to undress for her physicals and it was no easier now. If anything after her ordeal she hated it even more. The only thing she did not remove was her mask. Ophilia DiSantiago had told her she would not have to reveal her identity to anyone and if the good doctor had a problem with it he could take it up with her.

When she was ready she stepped back out into the exam room and waited patiently for Jace to tell her he was ready.

Jonathon nodded at her as she came out and indicated the table. He wasn't surprised to see her still wearing her mask. For incomprehensible reasons many heroes seemed to want to hide their identity. It was idiotic, but so were most people. Assuming he ever wanted to discover her real identity, the full body scan he had already taken would make it easy. Now he had to put her at ease and get the annoying monotony of the exam over with. "Please sit down, Heatwave. I'll be taking a brief history. The questions are designed not to reveal your identity in any way. I merely need to know if there is any relevant medical history that might alter your treatment." This was the worst part of the whole procedure. None of the information he received would be important, except possibly for Heatwave's health, and any high school drop-out could have done it. The absolute waste of genius was appalling. Still, he hid his disdain behind a polite and professional demeanor.

As Jonathon proceeded with the exam, he mentally worked on schematics for a new armor modification. "Any family history of disease? Any abnormal episodes or behavioral changes?" The early questions were familiar for anyone who had been to the doctor. As he asked, he carefully took her blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate the slow and inefficient way. He wasn't surprised when the data was exactly what his sensors had given him. As he listened to her heart and lungs and tested her reflexes, his questions became less common.

Heatwave gave him the standard information. How she had been hospitalized after a car accident six months earlier. About her father's illness.

"Have you been tested for the meta-human gene? Have any members of your family?"

"There's a meta-human gene?" Heatwave asked in surprise. "I never knew that. I guess the answer would have to be no." She gave a nervous laugh.

Jonathon smiled at her faintly, then made some notes on his pad. Idiocy was as common as ever. Still, it was easy enough to check. One more test he would want to run just to confirm things.

"Has anyone else in your family exhibited any sort of meta-human ability?"

Heatwave shook her head. "Not that I know of."

Jonathon wondered if the woman was merely cautious or just very unobservant. Either way he didn't have a better answer, yet.

"Is there any evidence your powers have affected or changed your health in any way?"

"Nope. I mean I haven't noticed anything different."

"Have you been sick since you got your powers?"

"No again, but I've never gotten sick very often and it's only been six months." Heatwave answered.

Jonathon added her to the test list for exposure to a few common pathogens. It would be easy enough to check her immune levels with a blood test, but an actual exposure was more certain.

"Is there anything the emergence of your powers have made you more resistant to or more vulnerable to?"

Nodding, Heatwave answered, "I don't notice the heat anymore. I would have never realized how bad this past summer had been if people hadn't been complaining. On the other hand, I seem to get cold easier. Like right now, this room feels too cold."

Another mental note was added. 'Create a cold based attack, just in case.'

"Would you be willing to participate in laboratory studies to further understand the extent and nature of your powers?"

Heatwave just stared at him in shock. This guy was nuts if he thought she was going to be some kind of guinea pig. She was silent for a few minutes as if thinking it over. "I don't think so, I've been poked and prodded enough since my accident."

"Of course." Jonathon attempted to hide his disappointment, but wasn't completely successful. "You understand, of course, that the purpose of the testing would be to give you a more extensive knowledge of your abilities. To increase your control and power levels. In addition, they will help me treat you should you be seriously injured."

He smiled at her. "I understand your reluctance to be poked and prodded, but the tests would be more in the nature of having you use your abilities while being monitored closely. No needles should be necessary. Are you sure you won't reconsider?"

Heatwave frowned, this doctor seemed much too eager to perform tests on her and she wondered what his motives could be. One thing she was sure of, she was not going to let him, or anyone else, waste her time so they could satisfy their own curiosity.

"I'm sorry Doctor, I have a good idea of what I'm capable of now." Heatwave answered remembering the two gunmen she had killed. "And I'm not sure I want my power levels increased."

"As you wish," Jonathon replied with a smile.