Little Girl Lost

[Greywind]

This runs concurrent with the events of the story following Business Unfinished. With so much of that story focusing on Jason I want to break from that. That was one of the main reasons he left in the first chapter. Unfortunately Jason didn't listen to me.

 

Comments and questions are more than welcome.

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

Little Girl Lost

Marlene reclined on the couch in Jason's loft. She was wearing lingerie in an emerald green color, cut high enough to ensure Jason noticed the tops of her dark stockings. As if he could ignore her penchant for wearing lingerie when they were alone.

Her work-related papers, set aside for now, had supplanted the video games, controllers, drawing pads and pencils that he usually had scattered across the coffee table. In her hands was an antique book, from which she had been reading.

“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
" 'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door;
Only this, and nothing more."

The sound of someone hammering on the steel door resounded through the loft.

“You do realize that reading 'The Raven' out loud like that is the same as inviting interruptions, don't you?” he asked her. She stuck out her tongue in response. He set a coffee mug within easy reach of her and bent down for a kiss. “I love you.”

“I waited a long time for you to realize that, Mr. Scott.”

“I know. I'm sorry.” He was interrupted by further banging from the door. “Are you going to cover up? I'm coming!” he yelled at the door.

“Why? All my naughty bits are covered,” she said playfully.

Jason, having become used to having the assistance of a cane, missed the concerned look Marlene gave as he hobbled to the door. He pulled the release on the door and slid it open. He gave the person about to hammer the door again an annoyed look.

“To what do I owe the dubious honor of your presence, Michaels?”

Brad Michaels, looking like John Cena or Brock Lesnar, stood with his closed fist about to knock on the door one more time. “Uh, can I come in?”

“If it'll leave my door attached, I suppose,” Jason answered. He stepped aside for the other man to enter.

Brad looked around the loft, his gaze swept across Marlene and her state of dress long enough to cause him to blush. “I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything.”

“At the moment all you're really interrupting is my calm. Why are you here?”

With an intake of breath, Brad looked Jason in the eye. “I need your help.”

Caught by the sincerity behind the statement, Jason didn't know whether to accept it at face value or to bait him out of habit. He sat heavily on the coffee table. Marlene gave him an annoyed look when she realized where he had sat.

“Help with what?” he finally managed to ask.

“There's this girl,” he said, taking a photo from a jacket pocket. He passed it to Jason. “She's gone missing.”

She was a pretty girl with longish hair and glasses that gave her a “cute but nerdy” look. The photo looked to be a high school picture or a photo from one of those booths found in malls or arcades.

“What? Your date didn't show up?”

“Dammit, Scott! She's my baby sister!” Brad sat heavily on the couch, barely missing Marlene's legs as she moved out of the way.

“Settle down. Tell me what you know,” Jason said calmly.

He let out a heavy sigh. “Her name is Jennifer. She was flying in for a visit. I went to the airport to pick her up. She never showed up. I waited and I waited, until I was the only one there with her bag going around on the carousel. Then they changed it over to a different flight. I grabbed her bag, and I kept waiting.” He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. “I just don't know what to do.”

“Why come to me with this? Huntress would be a better choice.” Jason watched his associate for clues as to his mental state.

Brad sat back and looked out the skylight. “I tried. Dan said she's busy and made it clear that he wasn't going to contact her.” Jason took a quick mental inventory. Huntress was somewhere to the west. "With everyone out, there's Warstar, you and me. I wasn't really sure you would help me."

“How long has it been?”

“About five hours. I just keep thinking...”

“Brad, stop. Don't think about it. All right? We'll find her." Jason took another look at the picture. "Have you contacted the senator?" Brad's father was a senator from Washington.

Marlene got up and slipped on a robe that wasn't much longer than the outfit she was wearing.

"Yeah. That's pretty standard. Something happens to family, cover the political base first."

"Any possibility that her disappearance was political? Does he have any major votes coming up that he could influence?"

“Look! All I want...”

“Brad, stop! I don't want you to think right now outside the questions I'm asking. If you want my help, then let me help." Jason locked eyes with Brad. "Set it aside. All of it. For your sister.”

“Yeah. Okay. For Jenny.”

Jason levered himself off the coffee table with some effort and hopped over to his desk. Strangely, except for a single desk lamp, the desk was the only flat surface in the loft that didn't seem to be covered with something.

“War room.”

The desk top lit up, along with a large computer monitor hanging on the wall behind it. Jason laid the photo on the desk. "Mentor, scan image." A light flashed across the photo. "Brad, I need her flight information.”

“LuxAir flight 1032. SeaTac to LaGuardia. Nonstop.”

Data started scrolling down the monitor. Jason watched it. "Was she traveling alone?”

“Yes. At least as far as I know." The data stopped scrolling with the name “Jennifer Michaels” highlighted. Her boarding pass had been used. "Is this legal?"

“Not entirely. Her boarding pass was used. Someone got on that flight. Photo ID is necessary to get past the TSA checkpoint. She, or someone made to look like her, was at the airport. Mentor; scan SeaTac's security footage of the checkpoint and the boarding area. Also scan the debarkation point at LaGuardia. See if she got on and see if she got off.”

“Yes, sir," the AI responded.

Marlene handed Brad and Jason cups full of black coffee. She slipped around the desk and into Jason's chair.

"Operatives. Options." Photos of associates, several with masks and several without, flashed up on the monitor. "Remove unavailable." Photos of Ash, Dove, Hellfire, Lightning, Psistorm, and Sparx fell off the display. "Query remaining." The image of Huntress went dark, followed by Solitaire.

"You're running out of options, Jase," Marlene said.

"Security scan complete," Mentor stated.

Jason rubbed his chin. "Show me."

"LuxAir 1032 is a Boeing 747-400. It is a three-class configuration." Mentor brought up a floor plan. "Jennifer Michaels was to be seated in the upper first-class seating area." Security footage from the boarding point showed. "This I believe to be her." A figure showing her boarding pass was circled. She then passed beyond view of the camera. "The flight was nonstop from Seattle-Tacoma to New York LaGuardia. It would then go on to Heathrow. Three hundred and fifty-two passengers boarded. Three hundred and forty-nine disembarked. The crew is fully accounted for. The plane was certified empty before being serviced for its next journey."

"Best guess on the other two passengers that disappeared."

"That inquiry will take longer to comply."

Jason's fingers rubbed the stubble down on his upper lip. "Do it." He double-tapped the image of a dark haired woman, he flicked another picture aside. Brad saw the name “Warhawk” and “Chicago” as a location as it went past him. Jason sent one with “Quasar” on it after it.

"All members Aegis and Enforcers 'unavailable', Mentor." The selected groups went dark and fell way. Almost immediately the armored helm of Paladin came back up. The phone connected through the computer.

"Pulsar, what's the situation? I'm in New York for a meeting."

"Paladin, we've got a girl gone missing. I'm just checking for availables for possible assistance in finding her," Jason explained. "It's family."

There was a moment's pause. "I understand. My meeting is in two. Once it's complete, I'm available."

"I appreciate it, Paladin. I'm listing you on stand-by. Mentor will give you access to everything from the tower."

"Understood, Pulsar. Paladin out." The line went dead.

Jason tapped the image of Paladin once and then flicked it to the opposite side of the monitor. "Mentor, arrange for a car. Hey, Beautiful," he smiled at Marlene, "I'm going to have to miss that meeting with Kendall. Think you can cover it?"

She got up and walked around the desk in an enticing manner. She sidled up to Jason and ran a finger down the side of his face. "That is why I get paid the big bucks." She stretched up to kiss him. "I'll be in the shower. Let me know when the car is here." She headed off through the kitchen.

His attention returned to the desk. Brad turned his head to watch Marlene walk away. Jason double-tapped two more images and frowned when the image of Longbow went dark.

"How do you get her to dress like that for you?" Brad asked.

Jason continued to work his list. He looked annoyed, but whether it was at the options he had available to him or Brad's question, he never looked up. "You ever stop to think that maybe she was dressed like that because that's how she wanted me to see her?" Another option went flying past Brad. "How did you get here? Drive or fly?"

"Sorry. No, I didn't think of that. I flew."

Jason tapped the gray masked and hooded image of the Ghost once followed by a “send” icon. He did the same with Red Star, and again with White Tiger. "You'll be leaving with me and Marlene. Mentor, spit me out a data chip." The data port in the top of the desk popped open, presenting a thumb drive. Jason pulled it free and the data port closed. He pressed a finger against the image of the dark haired woman.

"Hello?" the voice was very feminine.

"Hello, Morgan. Jason Scott."

"Ah, Mr. Scott. I'm in a meeting. Can I call you back?"

"Brass diamond," Jason said.

"I understand. Ninety minutes. My office?" she asked.

Brad thought Jason seemed relieved. "I'll be there. Morgan, thank you."

"See you then." There was a click when the call was disconnected.

Leaning forward, Brad put his hands on the desktop. "How can you do this?"

"Which part?"

"Just call these people," he waved his hand over the images on the desktop, "and have them fall in line?"

Jason winced when he stood erect. His breathing came a bit heavier. "They aren't 'falling in line', Michaels. They're friends and associates. You know, those people that you keep blowing off because getting to know them might inconvenience your bar time?"

Brad looked a bit sheepish. "I'll owe you big time after this."

"Yes, you will. I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for Jenny. Call the senator. See if anyone has made contact with him over this." His finger stabbed down to one more contact. "Mentor, print copies of that photo. Same size. Use your discretion on number."

"Yes, sir," the AI responded once again.

"Jason,” a woman's voice came from the speakers. “What can I help you with?"

"Afternoon, Adalene. I was hoping you could help with a small problem. Can I swing by later? Say in about two hours or so?"

"I'll clear my schedule for you," she said.

"Thank you. I'll see you then."

"So," Brad asked, "what do we do now?"

"Now, I'm going to shower, shave and get dressed. You're going to collect the pictures that Mentor prints out." He headed into the kitchen. "After that, we'll be taking Marlene in for that meeting I'll be missing and heading over to Morgan's place."

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

Morgan

The Hunter of Shadows

 

“What was with the hooker?” Brad asked. “And why are we here?”

 

Jason sighed. It was becoming a common response to Brad's incessant questions. “The woman's name is Maria Alvarez. The girls on the streets are uniquely placed to gain information.”

 

Brad studied the painting in the waiting area of Shaw Security. “That was a lot of money you slipped her. You think that pimp is going to want his gun back?”

 

Quirking a smile at his companion, Jason said, “He's lucky I didn't take his hand off. Idiot sticks his whole hand in the car? What was he thinking? The gun will be taken care of later.” He leaned forward and stretched his wounded side. Breathing became difficult for him. “The money I gave her, along with one of the photos, she'll see what she can find on the streets. And as for why we are here, we've got an appointment with Morgan. At some inconvenience to her, I might add.”

 

“Still, that was a lot of money.”

 

Another sigh. “Brad, Maria has two children to raise. Where I gift money isn't any of your concern.”

 

“I just, look, I'm sorry. I'm worried about Jenny and we're sitting here doing nothing!” Brad exclaimed.

 

“What would you rather we do?”

 

“Go back to the airport! Look around there and see what we can find.” His voice was heavy with worry.

 

Using the cane for leverage, Jason forced himself to his feet. “Why? So that you can feel that we're actually doing something? Like Tom Petty sang 'The waiting is the hardest part'. Better people than us are at the airport looking around. What we need right now is information.”

 

A professional looking young woman came through the outer door and passed the receptionist. “Mr. Scott? Ms. Shaw will see you now. Follow me, please.”

 

As they stepped into line, Brad whispered, “She's cute,” in Jason's ear. Jason shook his head in a hopeless gesture.

 

When Morgan's aide opened the office door and allowed them to enter, the first thing Brad noticed was the space. The second thing was the antique mahogany shelves filled with books. The third thing was the large antique desk that matched the shelves.

 

If Brad thought that Morgan's aide was cute, he actually missed a step when he laid eyes on Morgan. Her ebony hair was pulled up on one side and pinned back. Her make up was subdued, enhancing her beauty instead of distracting from it. Her ice blue eyes were shadowed and Brad could tell she had blushed her cheeks. Her lips were rouged.

 

Her short-sleeved dress was of red silk, in a Chinese fashion with a Mandarin collar. Embroidered up the front of the dress were cherry blossoms. Dangling from her visible ear was a single earring, fashioned as a scale with each pan carved of ruby. The metal was platinum.

 

Brad found himself blushing for no apparent reason.

 

“Morgan, you are looking positively radiant,” Jason said as he worked his way across her office. “You haven't changed a bit.” Jason caught her hand and kissed her knuckle.

 

“You, Mr. Scott, are a terrible liar,” she replied in jest, “but the compliment is appreciated.”

 

He turned back to Brad. “May I introduce you to...”

 

“Bradley Michaels. Youngest son of Senator James Michaels. One older brother, William, and two younger sisters, Stephanie and Jennifer.” Brad felt himself blushing more.

 

“I see you keep yourself informed,” Jason commented.

 

“Part of the job. Can I offer either of you refreshment?” When they both declined she addressed her aide, “That will be all, Sandra. Thank you.” She laid her hands on the desk, one over the other. “Have a seat, gentlemen.” Jason managed awkwardly, using the dragon-headed walking stick. Brad was hesitant before sitting.

 

“I was sorry to hear about Carson. He was a good man,” Jason said to her.

 

Brad noticed a shadow cross Morgan's face before she spoke. “Yes, he was. We received the flowers. Thank you.” With some effort on her part, her face brightened. “So what can I do for you?”

 

Jason pulled out a photo and slid it across her desk. “Girl has gone missing. Circumstances being what they are, we decided that we would get ahead of the game since the police require time before a missing persons report can be filed.” He looked at Brad, “And I'm pretty sure that Senator Michaels would prefer something of discretion in the matter.”

 

“You aren't exactly one of my father's proponents, Jason.”

 

He waved the comment aside. “Since you deal with different, ah, 'information sources' shall we say? I was hoping that you could make some inquiries on the girl's behalf.”

 

Morgan looked down on the photo before her. She nodded once. “I'll see what I can do.” She slid open a drawer and took out a folded piece of paper. “While you're here there is a small matter I was wondering if you could help me with.” She held the paper across to Jason.

 

Jason unfolded it and, whether it was intentional or not, held it in such a way as Brad's enhanced vision couldn't read it. Once Jason's eyes glanced over the top of it, Morgan gave a small shrug in response. The paper was refolded and Jason placed it inside his jacket. Brad noticed a small crimson flash. Brad caught the scent before Jason pulled out a single red rose bloom. With a slight bow of his head, he passed it to Morgan. Brad got the impression that he was missing something in this exchange.

 

“You remembered!” she smiled and laughed.

 

“Why wouldn't I?” Jason asked quietly.

 

Morgan blushed at some memory. “Well, it was a long time ago.”

 

“Yes. Yes, it was.” Jason checked the time on his wrist watch. “I hate to run off like this, Morgan, but we've other stops to make.” He looked at the younger man. “Brad?” he inquired as he forced himself to his feet.

 

“Uh, I have a question. What's a 'brass diamond'?

 

She turned a smile to Brad. “It's a not a 'what'. It's a 'where'. The Brass Diamond was where Jason and I first met. He helped me out with some trouble there. Now, when one of us has sufficient need we use that as a private message.”

 

“Oh,” was all he said.

 

Morgan held her hand out for Jason to shake. Instead, he turned her hand and once again placed his lips upon it.

 

Turning towards the door Brad noticed a silver helm and mask in a glass display case. The eyes were covered with some type of red sensors. “Is this...?” he pointed at it while turning back to ask.

 

“Shadow Hunter's. It was one of his early one's. He regularly did work for the company,” Morgan explained. “When he upgraded he gave me that one.”

 

Brad saw sadness in Morgan's eyes.

 

“Brad? We've another appointment,” Jason reminded him. “Thanks again, Morgan.”

 

After the two men had left, Morgan rose from her chair. She crossed to the display case holding the mask and ran a finger along the edge of it, lost in thought. She turned towards the window waiting for nightfall.

[Greywind]

“You two dated?”

 

Jason's head was turned towards the window. A look of annoyance crossed his face. “What's with the interest in my personal life, Michaels?”

 

“Is she one of us?” Brad asked.

 

Jason sighed. Obviously he was going to have to deal with another barrage of questions. “She's a lawyer, Brad. Yes, we dated. A lifetime ago.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“Life happened, Brad. We spent a summer together. She went on to law school. I went on to the Guardians.”

 

Brad pulled a can out of the limo's refrigerator. “Why do you do this? It seems your heart isn't in it. You've got a business empire you could be running.”

 

Jason answered quietly, “I'm an artist, Brad. I draw. I paint. I have little interest in running the business.

 

“As to 'why', I learned responsibility from the cradle.”

 

“Not guilt?” Brad asked.

 

Jason rested his head on the backs of his hands, braced by the cane. “I learned the lessons of guilt along the way.” Sitting back up, he took a heavy breath.

 

“You aren't getting better. Are you?” Brad noted with some concern.

 

“Your care for my well-being is touching,” he replied sarcastically. “No. It's getting worse.”

 

“Does Marlene know?”

 

“Someday, Brad, I hope you find yourself in an actual relationship. Yes. Marlene knows. Yes. Kris knows.” Jason changed the subject. “So why do you do this?”

 

“The competition mostly. Couldn't compete anymore after I realized. At least not fairly. Even in high school I was capable of pressing about a thousand pounds. So, I decided early on what I was going to do. Be a hero and the idol of millions.”

 

“How's that working out for you?” Jason asked him. “You end up knocked out more than anyone I know. The bad guys think you're a joke.”

 

“That's hardly fair,” Brad said in his defense.

 

“Is it? Did you talk to Charley at all? Get her take on you and how the Blood Guard think of you?” Jason asked.

 

“No. I don't understand why she's still at the tower.”

 

“Your monotone vision will be the death of you. Charley is at the tower because Kris is assisting in her training.” He laid his head back on the seat. “Why the fixation on me when you were invited?” Brad had the good sense to be embarrassed. He mumbled something that Jason couldn't hear. “Try that again. Maybe a little louder.”

 

“You're Jenny's favorite.”

 

“You've acted like a dick towards me from the beginning because I was your sister's favorite? That's,” Jason shook his head, “that's really messed up.”

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

Morgan unfastened her cheongsam dress and let it fall. She stepped out of it and kicked off her shoes as she did so. Reaching behind herself she unsnapped her bra. She let that fall a few steps away from the dress. She stopped long enough to shuck off her pantyhose, unbunch them and toss them across an armchair.

 

Morgan caught her own reflection in her vanity mirror. She reached up and slipped her earring free, studying it for a moment before placing it in a waiting box, then she removed its mate from her other ear. The worn card inside the box read: With you, Justice will no longer be blind. With Love, Jason. She snapped the lid closed. The pins holding her hair back were removed. She ran a brush through it a few times and began the process of braiding it.

 

When the braiding was done, she pulled open the doors to a walk-in closet. From a drawer, biking shorts were pulled and stepped into. A sports bra followed and was pulled on. She took out a pair of heavy socks and closed the drawer. She pulled the socks on.

 

Stepping to the end of the closet, she fingered a hidden release, causing the back of the closet to slide to one side. From within the space she pulled down plated thigh guards. She put those on, pulling the straps tight.

 

Next she took out body armor, slid into it and tightened it down. Black leather pants went on over the armor on her legs. Boots that had a built-in knee guards went on next.

 

She ran her fingers down a back sheath. She took it down and snapped the sheath clips into place on her armor. She took down a black leather jacket and shrugged it on. Gloves were slid on and tightened down.

 

She lifted up a silver helm. She put that on, adjusting her braid as she did.

 

Lastly, a silver mask was taken up and locked into place. She pulled up a hood to cover the gleaming metal.

 

She flipped a switch and part of the ceiling opened. A pole ladder descended from the opening. She began to climb. As she went up she depressed a button in the shaft. The door to the hidden space in the closet closed. The ladder retracted into the ceiling, and the opening below her was closed.

 

The shaft terminated at the roof. Shadow Hunter opened a hidden aperture and exited. The sensors in the mask overlaid the cityscape with a wire frame diagram. The sonic sensors fluctuated, adjusting to the evening sounds of the city.

 

A short run took her to edge of the roof. A flip took her over it. The Hunter fell ten stories to grab a flag pole jutting from the building. Using it to change direction, she used her momentum to fling herself at the next building's fire escape. Shadow Hunter clambered down and rode the released ladder to the ground, blending with the shadows of the alley.

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

Adalene Masters

The Binder of Spells

 

It was early evening by the time the limousine pulled up in front of a brownstone mansion in Greenwich Village. Al, the driver, opened the rear door to allow the two men egress. Once they exited he was prepared to stand guard over his charge.

 

“You might want to sit, Al. This could take a while,” Jason said, stuffing the paper Morgan had given him back into his inner jacket pocket.

 

“Yes, sir, Mr. Scott.”

 

Jason and Brad turned towards the nondescript building. Between his cane and a hand railing, Jason forced himself up the stairs. Brad hefted Jenny's suitcase, at Jason's insistence, easily enough.

 

Brad watched the paper disappear with some interest. “What is that anyways?” he finally asked.

 

“She's a lawyer, Brad. She's one of many that I and SE do business with here in New York.”

 

“Why'd you scan it then?”

 

Jason sighed before Brad even finished with the question. He used the lion-headed knocker on the door twice, before letting it fall. “So that I could send it to other parties that need to know.” In this instance, the only other party that “needed to know” was Mentor.

 

The door opened noiselessly. Standing in the doorway was a young woman with curly hair that almost fell to her shoulders. She was wearing a light trench coat against threatening rain. There was a package under one arm and she was tugging a beret on over her curls. She yelled over her shoulder, “Hey, Addie, you got company.” She turned back to the two men. “Won't you please come in, gentlemen?” she asked with a small curtsy. Recognition dawned on her. “Well, if it isn't Mr. Jason Scott!”

 

“Do I know you?” Jason asked. Hard on the question's heels he remembered a rainy night beside a police barricade. “Val? Valora Langford. Have any better luck with police interviews?”

 

“Not so much. Captain Stone can be a real hard-ass when it comes to giving them. Mostly I just get a memo with very little actual information.” Her eyes brightened. “Maybe I could interview you some time.”

 

Jason, having little love for interviews, tried to keep amusement out of his face when he responded to her. “Anything is possible,” he said noncommittally. “So what brings you to Adalene's?”

 

Val gripped the package under her arm with her free hand. “Just picking up a book for my brother. On certain subject matters the public library is extremely lacking.”

 

“Val, are you harassing my guests?” Adalene, dressed in medium blue tights and a short royal blue silk robe, passed through a door and into the foyer. “Hello, Jason,” she said in greeting. “Brad,” she acknowledged with a nod of her head.

 

“Tell Stephen that if he needs to, to go ahead and make a copy of the book, Val,” Adalene said. “I don't expect to need it any time soon. And, no, that doesn't mean that he can keep it.” She leaned on the open door, holding it for the young woman. “And I expect it back without coffee rings on the cover or on any of the pages.”

 

Val smiled. “I will, Addie.” She gave the other woman a quick peck on the cheek. “You're a dear.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. You better get going, Val. It'll start raining soon and I'd prefer it not get water damaged either.” She pressed the door closed after watching the other woman bounce down the steps.

 

“So what can I do for you gentlemen?” she asked. Jason handed her a photo.

 

“That's my little sister, Jenny,” Brad explained. “She's gone missing.”

 

“I see,” she said thoughtfully. She pushed herself off the door and walked down the hall. “Follow me, please.”

 

Brad hefted the suitcase and fell into line, leaving Jason to follow. His eyes were caught by the movement of Adalene's long blonde hair, bound in a loose ponytail, and her rear.

 

“Brad,” she admonished, “if you don't stop staring at my ass I'm going to turn you into a woman for a year.”

 

“Would that be as punishment,” Jason joked, “or so he could see what a 'good time' is like from the other side?”

 

Brad looked over his shoulder and growled.

 

After they had all seated themselves in a sitting room, Brad explained once again his experience at the airport. Adalene listened attentively until he was finished. When he was done, she asked, “What would you like me to do?”

 

“Honestly,” Jason answered, “I was hoping you could do a locator spell. Let us know exactly where she is and we'll go collect her and put the fear of us into whoever absconded with her.”

 

She glanced at Brad, who was making a concerted effort to look anywhere other than where she was sitting. “All right. What have you got that I can use?”

 

Brad set the suitcase up on a sofa and flipped the top open after snapping the TSA approved padlock off the zipper. He began pulling articles of his sister's clothing out. Adalene watched him for a few moments before getting up. “Brad, let me. I've got a better idea of what I need.” She took a sweater out of his hands and refolded it before setting it aside. She ran her hand over the clothes without actually touching them.

 

Finally, she pulled out a hairbrush. “This is all that's there that I can use.” She turned around to see Jason working with his phone. When he was finished, he slipped it back into a pocket in his jacket. “This is all,” she said again, waving the brush.

 

Jason nodded his head. “So, what's next?”

 

“Well,” she said, “if we're going to do this, then we go into my workshop.”

 

Adalene's workshop turned out to be a stone chamber in her basement. The narrow hallway leading to it was made narrower by shelves lined with jars, boxes, bottles, books and other oddments. Brad looked closer at one of the jars. His stomach churned when he realized what was in it and he promptly avoided looking at any of the others.

 

In comparison, the workshop itself was remarkably bare. The floor was clean, the flagstones fairly gleaming. There was only one workbench, rough with use. There were scorch marks on the surface of it. Tapered candles stood by in pewter sticks, waiting to be lit.

 

From a drawer in the workbench, Adalene pulled out a stick of chalk. With practiced ease, she began laying down a circle and lines on the bench top. “Brad, there's a New York gazetteer on the bottom left-hand shelf as you go out the door. It's at the far end. Can you bring that to me?”

 

“Sure,” he said. He went out the door. The others heard him rustling through the stack of papers. When he returned with the book Adalene wanted, he saw that she had drawn what looked like a compass rose on the surface of the bench with rune markings on each point.

 

Adalene took the gazetteer from Brad and flipped through the pages. Finding a map that seemed to suit her needs, she ripped it from the book and handed the book itself back to Brad. “Thanks. You can put that back. On the right-hand side, second shelf down, you'll find four standing crystal points. Bring those to me.”

 

Having replaced the book and returning with the crystals she had asked for, Brad noted that Jenny's hairbrush lay in the middle of Adalene's circle. She took each crystal in turn from him and placed them at each point of the rose.

 

Brad watched her with interest when she stepped to the door. She shrugged off her robe, revealing a midnight blue leotard, and hung the robe on a peg in the hall before closing the door. Adalene said something that Brad couldn't comprehend. Sigils appeared, glowing on each of the four walls.

 

“What's that?” Brad asked.

 

At the table she balanced the page she had torn from the book on the points of the crystals. “The room is sealed from any outside interference. Think of it as insulation.” Adalene struck a match and lit each taper. These were placed outside the circle, but between each crystal. She blew out the match. “I guess we're ready to begin.”

 

The incantation she used sounded like gibberish to Brad. Pressure seemed to build in the closed room. The only sensation Brad could compare it to would be flying on a plane. Adalene stood with her legs spread and one hand, palm open and fingers splayed, hovering over the map. A blue light, the color struck Brad oddly as it reminded him of Adalene's eyes, appeared like the dot of a laser pointer, where LaGuardia Airport was on the map. It started moving northward across the map.

 

Smoke began billowing from the tapers while the incantation continued. Purple lightning arced from crystal to crystal, until all four glowed like black lights. The candles fell inward as one, igniting the map. Adalene grabbed for the brush. All she pulled out was the melted handle. “Oh crap,” she said deadpan.

 

“What's that mean?” Brad asked worriedly.

 

Adalene watched as one point of a once-pristine crystal fell, broken along a blackened line. “It means, Brad, that I don't have anything left of your sister's that I can use to find her.” Her face turned darker and darker. She moved each of the crystal points. All four had been damaged beyond use. “It means that I don't have the necessary equipment any longer to do this, even if I did have something of Jenny's.”

 

“Is there anything we can do to help?” Jason asked of her.

 

“A moment.” She spoke another incantation and her eyes glowed in response.

 

“That's weird,” Brad said, looking at her.

 

She gave Brad an annoyed look. “It's just Witch Sight.”

 

“It's still weird.” Brad was discomfited under her stare. As it went on, he felt like he was standing naked and not measuring up. He was relieved when she turned her gaze to Jason.

 

“Oh crap,” she deadpanned again.

 

“What's wrong?” Jason asked her.

 

“Brad, be a dear. There's a trash bin at the top of the stairs. Could you bring it here, please?” She pulled out a wet wipe and cleaned the chalk off the workbench.

 

“Is this something for me to do while the grown-ups talk?” he asked sarcastically.

 

Adalene turned her still glowing gaze back on Brad. “If you want to look at it that way.”

 

“Uh, yeah. Sure. No problem.” He turned away from her gaze, more than to do as she had asked of him.

 

When Brad had passed through the doorway, Adalene pointed at the door and it closed. “All right, Jason. Let's hear it.”

 

“Hear what?” he asked, confused.

 

“Jason,” her tone sounded much like Kris when she went into “doctor mode”. “You've got black and a real ugly yellowish-green color streaking through your aura. That isn't normal for you, and on a guess I'm going to say it's not natural, either. Who have you pissed off?”

 

“You want the short list?”

 

Adalene rubbed her brow between her eyes. “Jason, you've been cursed. Who have you been around lately?”

 

Jason sorted through his memories. “You, Val, Morgan Shaw, Al Porter, Marlene, Brad, the board of directors. How far back would you like me to go?”

 

“Can you go back to when you woke up? If I had reason to be concerned, I would have checked on you when you were laid up.”

 

“Okay,” he said. “Other than those, there's the team, Warren's family. Warren was pissed at me, by the way, the last time I saw him. There was Emily and Stacy Deveraux.” He scratched the top of his head. “Charley and Angelique. That's pretty much everyone I can think of.”

 

Adalene had one arm crossed under her breasts. With the other hand she was rubbing the back of her neck. “It wasn't the Witch, even though I'm sure Brad would be all over that. We can count her out of this. As many times as I've had to deal with her, I know the taste of her magic.

 

“Who have you linked to?”

 

“She said her father 'blocked' her, anyways. Just the usual suspects. The team, sans Brad and Warstar. The link with Leah is active again.”

 

She smiled at him. “I could have told you that would happen.”

 

“Yeah, well. Dani's mom and Kate. Since the last time you asked I forged links with Emily, Stacy and Angelique.”

 

“You didn't! Jason, what were you thinking?” Adalene seemed genuinely shocked.

 

Jason looked annoyed. “I was thinking she's a friend and someone that I honestly care about.”

 

“I understand that, Jason. Really, I do.” She picked up the broken crystal point and was wringing that in her hand. “Do you remember when you offered to do it with me?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I said 'no'. It wasn't that you didn't care, or that I didn't appreciate the gesture. What you create with each person is a blood-bond. Stephen has done it a couple of times for very special people. Val is one. I prefer to avoid blood magic, if at all possible. How you do it isn't magic per se, but from the other side of things it leaves you open.

 

“In this case you created a link with Angelique. Through that link you've created a bridge, if you will, or a tunnel would be a better analogy, whereby her father can directly affect you.”

 

“So,” he sighed, “I've got a bad case of Anton up my ass.”

 

She gave a short laugh. “That's certainly one way to look at it.”

 

Jason gave it a moment's though before he asked, “Is there anything we can do about this?”

 

“Well,” Adalene began, “there's a couple of different options. Option one requires the presence of the Witch. Do you know where she is?”

 

Reaching out through his connection to Angelique, he found nothing. “That's weird,” he said quietly. He closed his eyes in concentration. He tested every link. Sensations flooded through him. Enjoyment and warmth from Kris, the pleasure she took in flying. An undercurrent of concern from Warren. Physical discomfort from Kate. Ashleigh, Dani, and Trese enjoying a stress-free time. Focus and concentration from Sharon. There was a sense of boredom from Emily. Chaos and cacophony surrounded Stacy. There was a sharp flash of anger from Marlene. Jason poured his feelings for her into the link. I love you.

 

But from Angelique nothing. Normally Jason could tell which direction each person he is linked with is, along with a general impression of the distance between them and himself. The connection with Angelique was intact, but Jason had the feeling that the link was stretched thin.

 

“Something wrong?”

 

Jason opened his eyes. “I don't know,” he answered, confused. “I can feel her. The link is intact, but I can't get a feel of her, if you know what I'm saying. She's there and she isn't. I can't point in which direction she is.”

 

“All right,” she said quietly. “That's the first – the best option, off the table. The next option up is that I sever the bond between the two of you.”

 

“Adalene,” Jason locked eyes with her, “that isn't an option. When I forged the link with her and gave her her stone, it was a turning point for her. Knowing that I trusted her enough to do it. I won't break faith with her unless there is no other option or she backslides into what she used to be.”

 

“I understand.” She blew out a sigh. Her hand swung out and the door opened. “Sorry, Brad. Just toss the stuff off the work table in the bin, please. Jason, I'll have to look through my library. It may take a little time. I would prefer you to stay here until I find what I'm looking for.” Adalene walked down the hall.

 

Dropping bits of crystal into the bin, Brad turned. “What about Jenny?”

 

“We'll find her, Brad. This is just a minor setback. Do me a favor when you get done. Have Al bring in the computer out of the trunk for me, please.”

 

“Dammit, Scott!”

 

Jason's eyes flashed red. “Michaels, stop! We don't know enough to go haring off in all directions. You have to be patient.”

 

“Jenny could be in danger!” Brad cried.

 

“Brad,” Jason's voice was calmer, “Jenny could already be dead. The point is, is that we have no way of knowing. You have to remain calm and focus on finding her. This is a puzzle. It will take time and patience to solve it. Now, if Adalene can help me, I can do more.”

 

“What?”

 

“If you hadn't noticed, the only thing I can do right now is heal. I can't fly. I can't fling bolts of energy. All I've got is my healing factor. My access to all my powers has been severely limited. So, please, right now just do as I ask.” He made his way out the door, leaning even heavier on his cane.

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

“What's on your mind, Brad?” Adalene asked as she flipped through the pages of a large tome.

 

“Just feeling kind of useless and was wondering if there's anything I can do to help,” he said dejectedly. “Jason has Ghost and Red Star out to the airport. White Tiger is checking with his contacts in Chinatown.”

 

“And you're feeling like you're stuck here doing nothing.” She smiled at him. “It isn't easy. I don't think Jason planned on staying here this long. I'm pretty sure he only stayed because I asked him to.

 

“Brad, if what I think is what is wrong with Jason, is what is actually wrong, Anton Darque may end up killing him. I would like to prevent that. Can you hand me that book on the fourth shelf there? The one with the red leather binding.” He pulled the book down and handed it to her. “Thank you.

 

“Now, as I was saying, Darque has a pretty deep hook into him. I want to find out what kind of hook, how deep it's in, and what will have to be done to get it out. The easiest option Jason has already turned down.”

 

Brad looked at her with curiosity. “What option was that?”

 

“To break his link with the Witch.”

 

“He's putting her above my sister?” Brad yelled.

 

“No, Brad. He's doing a juggling act, knowing whichever plate he drops will shatter. He's willing to sacrifice what little he's built in the last year or so,” she explained, “if he has to. I can see a little bit of what he's protecting, but I can't see the end of it. I'm not a seer.

 

“If he was putting anything above your sister, he could have just told you 'no'. It isn't like you and Jason are on the best of terms as it is.”

 

“I'm sorry. I'm not good at the figuring stuff out. I'm good at hitting things.” He let out a crestfallen sigh. “We've talked a bit. More than we had in a long time. I've been something of an ass towards him since I joined the team.”

 

“I don't think 'ass' is the term Jason would use,” she said with a grin. She saw Brad give her something of a smile in return. Her finger ran down the page of one book while she studied a page in the book Brad had handed her. “Oh crap,” she said quietly. “Brad, how long has it been since the island?”

 

“Six, maybe seven weeks. Right around two months. Why?” He leaned over the table, trying to see what she was looking at. The letters and words were in a language that he couldn't understand right-side up, much less upside down.

 

“Time, Brad. How much time is the question.” She slipped a marker in each book and closed them. “Take these down to my workshop, please. Get Jason down there. I need to collect a few things first, and then I'll be down.”

 

By the time Adalene made it down to her workshop Brad had set one of the books up on a podium, opened to the bookmark. The other was laid on the workbench where Brad was idly flipping through the pages. None if it made any sense to him. Jason was leaning up against the wall just inside of the door.

 

Adalene replaced the candles with new ones. She set about drawing a circle on the floor in chalk. Rune and sigils were added to the circle, inside and out, in different colors. When she looked up, Jason was reading something on his phone. “If you're ready.”

 

He shrugged and said, “Just waiting on you.”

 

“Stand in the circle, then.” She moved the candles outside the circle. “All right. What I am going to do is a divination. I want to see exactly what has been done.”

 

“How long is this going to take?” Jason asked.

 

She shrugged. “This part of it shouldn't take more than ten minutes. Once I know what I'm dealing with, I'll know how long it'll take me to reverse it. If I can.”

 

“And if you can't?” Brad asked.

 

“I'd rather not think on that right now,” Adalene answered.

 

Jason sighed. “I hate dealing with the supernatural.” Jason slipped his jacket off and tossed it to Brad. “Hold that for a bit would you?”

 

Once again Adalene closed the door and sealed the room, bringing the sigils to glowing life. She waved her hand and the four candles flared. “This first bit should be painless, Jason.” He just nodded in response.

 

She took a place behind the podium and began reciting the spell. The room darkened. They were barely visible to one another. Even Brad's enhanced sight couldn't see through the magically created gloom. The chanting continued and one by one a candle would gutter, only to flare back to life, only to burn black. Three times this happened, until only one was burning with a pure flame.

 

“Oh crap.”

 

“Adalene,” Jason said, “I'm really getting tired of hearing that in that tone. Bad?”

 

She pursed her lips and nodded. “Although it could be worse. You haven't fallen down dead yet. Give me a moment.” She spent several flipping and scanning pages in the tome on the podium. She held a point on a page with a finger and consulted the other book. She glanced at the candles and then back to the book. “Alright. According to this, you should have died weeks ago.”

 

“You aren't making me feel any better about this,” he said.

 

“This isn't funny, Jason.”

 

“I don't think I'm laughing, Binder. What do the books say?” he asked.

 

“Seriously? 'Count the candles burning black. 'Ere now take measure the weeks by the count.' I can only assume by the inference that it is a Death Curse intended to kill within a moon,” she told him. “Normally that's a standard lunar cycle. One month. I can also only offer the supposition that it is your inherent altered physiology that you're still alive or that Darque is dragging it out to torment you.”

 

“Great. Wonderful. Can you do anything about it?”

 

Adalene dropped her head and closed her eyes. Brad watched her. Her body seemed to relax in a moment before she looked back up at Jason. “I can. It will take me about eight hours by myself to cast the counter to it.”

 

Jason nodded his head. “Thanks, Addie. I'll be back when we're done finding Jenny. Brad, jacket.”

 

Brad tossed the jacket back at Jason, only to have Adalene snag it out of the air. “You aren't leaving, Jason. This can kill you.”

 

“I'm aware of that. Thank you. Are you familiar with Frost's Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening?” he asked her.

 

“Yes,” she answered frostily.

 

“Then you know my answer. We're coming up on ten hours since Jenny went missing. You were our fastest, best hope for finding her. The Guardians took an oath. It's past time I started living up to it again.” Jason took a step only to find himself locked inside the circle. “Adalene?”

 

“What if I can find a way to shorten the amount of time necessary?” she asked him. Her concern was evident in the tone she used.

 

“I'd have to ask by how much. Time matters, Binder. Right now, I don't.”

 

"What would Marlene say if she heard that?” She turned her attention to the book on the podium.

 

Jason held himself up a little taller against the pain in his side. “I'd like to think that she would understand my reasons.”

 

“All right. I do understand your reasons. Understand mine. The ritual needed has four separate parts. Normally what would be done is that an adept would each take a part of the ritual. For me to do all of it properly, it would take around eight hours.” She paused for a moment. “If I could get three more adepts then, once everything was ready, it would only be two hours.”

 

“But there's only you, Addie, so let me out and Brad and I will be on our way,” he said.

 

She responded with exasperation. “I'm not finished yet. Looking at this in a certain light, parts of this ritual are for controlling pain in the ritual's subject. If I remove those parts it should cut down on the amount of time necessary a very great deal.”

 

Jason thought for a moment before asking, “How much time?”

 

“'Any' right now seems like too much,” Brad said.

 

"Time,” Jason said thoughtfully. “Angelique cast a spell a while back. She said it expanded time within the confines of the area that she had set up. Could you do something like that?”

 

Adalene shook her head. “Jason, you have to understand. First and foremost Angelique is... was, rather, more powerful than I. Second, what was Angelique doing once that spell was powered up?”

 

“Sitting on the chest at the foot of my bed keeping it running,” he answered somewhat depressed.

 

“So, while I might be able to do what she did, that would be all I would be doing, which helps neither Jenny nor you. You don't seem too concerned about the pain of it.”

 

“Pain I can deal with,” he said to her. “I can't deal with not being able to fly. Brad, your thought on this?”

 

Brad answered slowly. “I don't like waiting. I don't like sitting here doing nothing, but if Spellbinder is right, then you're already on borrowed time. We can make up lost time.”

 

Jason nodded his head. “Alright. Here's what I want you to do. Talk to the senator. Check in. Run the usual questions. See if any contact has been made about Jenny, but also see if he has anything of hers. Then do the same with your mother. I presume that she's in D.C. with the senator?”

 

“Yes, she is,” Brad answered.

 

A thought came to Jason. “Brad, scratch that. I have a different idea. Call them. Then I want you to pick something up for me. Addie, you're figuring what? Two to three hours on this?”

 

“Yes, if I can make the necessary adjustments,” Adalene answered. “What's your idea?”

 

“Blood.”

 

“Huh?” Brad said.

 

Adalene looked at him with a question in her eyes. “What do you have in mind, Jason?”

 

“You said that what I do is create a blood-bond. The same blood that runs through Brad's parents runs through Jenny. Maybe I can use that without forging a link. If I can't, maybe you can use it to find her.

 

“Brad, call them. Ask for a donation from each,” Jason said.

 

“Uh, Jase, my parents don't know what I do. How do I go about it?”

 

“I don't know, Brad. Think of something.”

 

Brad looked annoyed. “Well, I could try... Wait a minute! Mom has a locket. There's a picture of Stef on one side of it and a picture of Jenny on the other.”

 

“Brad,” Adalene said, “pictures won't work.”

 

“No. I got that part. Mom has a lock of hair from each behind the picture. That would work. Wouldn't it? It's the same as using the hair from Jenny's brush.”

 

“That should work just fine, Brad,” Adalene told him. “How long would it take to get it here?”

 

“D. C. is about forty minutes away for you, Brad. Assuming you don't lose your way, a short amount of time to explain to your mother why you need Jenny's hair, and the return trip, you're looking anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours,” Jason said. “That should be a lot easier to explain than why you want both your parents to give blood.”

 

“You're talking flying right about my top speed,” Brad said.

 

“Yes, I am.”

 

Brad nodded. “What are you going to do?”

 

“Make some phone calls. Let Adalene do her thing.”

 

“We'll find her?” he asked.

 

“We'll find her, Brad,” Jason said quietly. “She'll be perfectly fine and safe. Suit up. There's a small bag in the trunk. It'll have a black turtleneck sweater and dress casuals. Take those for a change or swing by the tower and pick up something of yours.”

 

After Brad had left Adalene asked Jason, “Is that a fool's errand you've sent him on?”

 

“No. My reasons were valid. I'm just not sure that I could do what I suggested. Will you be able to do the locator when he gets back?” Jason rubbed his side.

 

“I'm short crystal points, which you owe me for, by the way. I can give a call to a couple of my connections and see what's available. I can beg, borrow or steal. Enough people owe me favors as it is. And speaking of 'favors',” she had an amused look on her face, saying that.

 

“All right, Addie. Spit it out. What do I owe you for this?”

 

She smiled like the cat that ate the canary. “For the first, failed locator, you'll replace the crystal points.”

 

“Agreed.” he said with a sigh.

 

“For the second locator, let's say something simple. Dinner?” she asked playfully.

 

“All right. Dinner, but I choose 'what', 'when' and 'where',” Jason said.

 

She stuck her tongue out to wet her lips. “I suppose I can agree to those terms as long as you don't try to feed me on the cheap. I gave up fast food after Uni.”

 

“Adalene Masters, I do not feed friends on the cheap. Except maybe Warren. He's good for 'all you can eat' buffets. Much to the detriment of the buffet.”

 

Adalene laughed. “I'm surprised Kate can keep him fed.”

 

“Right now,” Jason said, “he feeds her. Her pregnancy has been a little difficult. She's stuck on bed rest.

 

“So, third thing?” he asked.

 

She stared hard at Jason for a moment, looking to gauge possible responses he may give. “I want access to your mother's library.”

 

“Her library?” he inquired. “Now would that be 'library' as in 'room where books are kept' or are you speaking in the broader sense of her entire collection?”

 

“It can't be that big, can it?”

 

Jason chuckled. “Binder, my mother started collecting books when she was a young girl. She had a great fondness for them. It didn't matter what it was, and she rarely balked at prices. If it was something that she knew she didn't have, or the possibility existed that she didn't have it, she bought it. My father didn't care about the money she spent on the books. It made her happy.

 

“There are two 'libraries', if you want to call them that, at the mansion. There's the upstairs one and there's one in basement. My dad had part of the wine cellar renovated when mom started running out of room upstairs. As far as I know most of the books haven't been cataloged.”

 

Adalene's eyes glazed over at the thought of the sheer number of volumes stored in the rarely visited Scott estate. “Jason, if you weren't involved I would explain in great detail the effect the thought of all those books is having on me.” She grinned.

 

“Then there's the library in the California mansion,” he gave her a smirk.

 

“Mr. Scott, you are such a tease,” she said playfully. She fanned herself. “Now, before I get overheated, we have work to do.” Adalene began chanting softly. Her finger left a glowing trail in the air as she worked.

 

Adalene was aware of Jason's actions, although she wasn't focused on them. He pulled out his phone, ran through the list of numbers and pressed the “call” button. He slipped a small headset out of a pocket, jacked it into the phone and slid that over his ear. Jason spoke quietly, but Adalene was still aware of what he was saying.

 

“Hey, Kris. What's going on? Bonfire? Sounds like fun. Listen... No. No, I didn't hear. Between business meetings and spending time with Marlene, I haven't really had time to watch the news. She's good. Thanks for asking. Kris, listen, this isn't a social call. I might have an answer to that problem I've been having. Yes, there's a 'but'. Adalene has found the source of the problem. Darque. No, her father. The reason I'm calling is that the answer that Adalene has for the problem looks like it will involve some small amount of pain. I'm not sure. I wanted to let you know, since you're there. Keep an eye on Kate. I'd like to avoid causing any more problems for her. I'm going to try blocking the links. Yes, like I did with Leah. I'm just hoping there's no feedback. Keep an eye out. Thanks, Kris. I'll send you a message when Addie is ready to start. I will. Thanks again.”

 

Jason disconnected and almost immediately his phone beeped. “What? Show me.” He held his phone up and it projected an image against the wall. Adalene couldn't see what it was. “That looks fine, Mentor. Run the innards by Paladin when he stops in. Any word on the housing? Alright. No, I'll talk to Marlene about it. Thank you, Mentor. One more thing. Monitor my phone and when Adalene starts the spell send a message to Kris that it has started.”

 

With that, Jason pulled the ear piece out and laid that and his phone with his jacket. He hobbled back to the circle Adalene had drawn and knelt down in the center of it. The impression it gave Adalene was of a knight kneeling in prayer, hands resting on the hilts of a sword, or in Jason's case the head of his cane.

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

Jason's breathing slowed as he descended into a meditative trance-state. A part of his mind was fully aware of Adalene and her chanting. He found himself inside a circular room, the walls of which were open doors. The room was tinted by a sickly yellowish-green mist. Jason was unsure whether it was “true” or if it was just his imagination tainting things.

 

He stepped forward to the door directly ahead of him and felt through the link it represented. Stacy. Whatever it was she was doing, she was enjoying herself. Jason smiled and closed the door.

 

A step to the right and he faced the next door. There was no rhyme or reason to the order of the doors. He knew which door belonged to whom, but every time he came to this place in his mind the order of the doors changed. Trese. Happiness and a sense of belonging. Jason shut the door.

 

Another step to the right. One look was all it took for Jason to realize that through this door was Leah. It had been blasted open weeks ago and was warped and damaged, a reflection of Leah. My mind, my rules. He willed the door straight and the frame solid. From beyond the portal, Leah felt comfortable. He closed the door gently and stood for a moment, palm flat against it. Had it been an actual door he was standing outside of, Jason probably would have sighed.

 

The next door, Warren. Jason closed it, and the next, and the one after it, until only three remained. Fate, chance, or maybe just the way his mind was working at that moment. He was hesitant. Marlene. She was agitated. He would have to ask her about it later, when he had a chance. Jason stepped forward when he closed that door and rested his forehead against it.

 

Two doors left. The next was his primary concern and main reason for doing what he was doing. Kate. Sensations of discomfort associated with being pregnant flooded him. He closed the door. A bar appeared in his hand and supports projected from either side of the door. Jason slid the bar into place.

 

With one final step to the right, Jason faced the final doorway. Angelique, wherever you are. He smiled to himself and left the thought unfinished. The door swung easily under his hand. The door refused to close. The wrongness held the door open. The murk appeared as two giant hands. One held fast against the frame, and the other pushed against the door, forcing it to remain open.

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

Jenny

Strange Surroundings

 

Jenny awoke, lethargic from whatever had been used on her to knock her out. Adrenalin forced her awareness when panic set in. She leapt from the canopied bed and dashed for the door. She grabbed for the knob and pulled. Her hands, slick with perspiration, slipped when she tried to turn the knob. No matter what she tried, the door remained closed.

 

She dashed for the window, upsetting a round table and sending a vase with pink carnations crashing to the floor. The vase shattered, scattering the flowers amid glass and water. Yanking the curtain aside, tearing it partially from the hooks, Jenny found bars covering the window.

 

One last door remained. She threw herself at it, jerking it open, only to discover dresses, shirts, blouses and slacks hanging within. She shoved clothes aside finding only the back of the closet. Falling to her knees, Jenny let out the first despairing sob.

 

After a few moments, she got to her feet and stumbled to the door. Jenny tried the knob again before she started beating on and kicking at the door, screaming “Let me out!”

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

Brad

 

Forty minutes after leaving Adalene's, Brad was pulling on casual slacks and a light, black turtleneck sweater over the charcoal gray of his combat suit. His cowl and gloves he stashed into the small duffel that he had taken the clothes from. The waistband of the slacks was a little tight. The sweater delineated his musculature. For the similarities between Brad and Jason's physical capabilities, Brad was still bigger.

 

He set the duffel on a wrought iron and wooden bench. Brad slipped a key into the lock and turned it. He stepped into the kitchen and called out, “Mom! I'm here!”

 

“Oh! Sake's alive, Master Bradley! You near scared me out of ten years!” The speaker was a short, rotund black woman with graying hair dressed in the light gray uniform of a paid housekeeper.

 

“Hello, Netty.” He gave her a warm hug.

 

“I heard about Jenny. Have they found her yet?” she asked.

 

“Not yet. Where's my mom?”

 

“I just took her tea in her sitting room. Are you hungry? Can I get you anything?” she asked Brad.

 

Brad gave her a warm smile. “I don't plan on being here long, Netty, but if you wouldn't mind making me a sandwich, I'll pick it up on my way back out.”

 

“I have just the thing. Cooked your mother up a nice, juicy ham for dinner. The senator is at his office tonight.”

 

“That sounds good. Thanks, Netty.” He left the kitchen heading towards his mother's sitting room. “Mom?”

 

Brad found his mother sitting in a wingback chair in front of the fireplace. Mrs. Michaels was in her mid-forties with gray streaks in her styled brown hair that she steadfastly refused to color. She was dressed smartly as if she were ready to give an interview at a moment's notice; one of the habits of a political wife.

 

“Brad! Is there any word on Jenny? Have your friends found her?” she asked worriedly.

 

He gave his mother a questioning sidelong glance. “No. I've got some good people looking for her.”

 

“Oh,” she sighed dejectedly.

 

He knelt beside his mother's chair and took her hand. “If we had found her, I would have called, or she would be here with me. But I do need something.”

 

“What is it? Money?”

 

Brad smiled. “No, mom. If there was a ransom demand that came to me, I've got access to more than enough money. Besides, the authorities always say that you shouldn't pay. No. I've got a...a friend that's helping me and he got some other friends to help. What I need is Jenny's hair from your locket.”

 

“Jenny's hair? What do you need that for?” she asked.

 

“One of the people helping is a woman that, well, this is going to sound strange, but she's a, well, mom, she's a wizardess. A sorceress, I guess. I don't think she'd like being a witch. She's called 'Spellbinder'.”

 

Mrs. Michaels fumbled for the latch on her locket. “Do you know why Jenny was coming to visit?”

 

“I figured she just wanted a break before college starts in the fall,” he said.

 

She smiled at him. The locket fell open and she lifted the picture of Jenny out. A small lock of hair fell into her palm. “Your sister is like you, Bradley.”

 

“Wha...what do you mean?”

 

“I mean that she inherited from your grandfather, too. I don't know what her thing is. I don't know if she flies, or if she can lift mountains, but she's like you.”

 

Brad was stunned. “You know?”

 

“My father didn't keep his secret very well, Brad. Honestly, you didn't do much better.”

 

“Great. One more piece of information that may have some bearing,” he said quietly, more to himself than to his mother. He smiled at his mother. “I can't lift a mountain, mom. A car, yeah, but not a mountain.”

 

She handed the lock of hair to Brad. “Don't lose it. I want it back.”

 

“I won't,” he replied. He stood up and headed for the door. “I have to go. I need to get back.”

 

“Do you have your costume?” she asked.

 

Brad turned back. “I'm wearing part of it. The rest of it is out by the fountain.”

 

“Well,” she stood up, “let's go see what my son has made of himself.”

 

In the garden, under his mother's watchful eyes, Brad slipped the small packet of Jenny's hair into a pocket of his belt. He pulled Jason's sweater over his head and stuffed it into the duffel.

 

“That's a little small for you, isn't it?”

 

“The bag and clothes belong to the friend that's helping me.”

 

His mother stepped close and ran her hands over the material of his costume. “I always figured it was some kind of spandex.”

 

Brad laughed. “Only in the comic books, mom. My first outfit was, kinda, but the Guardians have resources that allow us better materials to work with. This is actually light-weight armor. Kinda like Kevlar.”

 

“Oh.”

 

He unfastened the pants and tore them taking them down to his knees. “Oh, well. One more thing he can be annoyed at me about.” Brad ripped the remains of the slacks from his legs. He fished the key out of a pocket, slipping that into another pouch on his belt. From the duffel he pulled out his gloves and slipped those on. Lastly, out came his cowl. He pulled that over his head and fitted it in place. “What do you think?”

 

She walked slowly around him once. “It is rather dark. Between the color and that... symbol on your chest, and the fins on your head, you remind me of Batman.”

 

Brad chuckled. “Yeah, between the look and the name, the Guardians had to deal with some lawyers. Looked too much like Batman and calling myself Nightwing didn't help.”

 

“What's it like, Brad? To fly?”

 

“Tell you what, once Jenny is safe I'll take you up with me.”

 

“Okay.” She reached up and gave him a kiss on his cheek. “Bring my baby home safe.”

 

“I will.” He slung the duffel over his shoulder, tossing in the remains of the slacks before closing it up. Lenses clicked into place over his eyes and he launched himself into the sky.

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

Adalene

 

Spellbinder watched the magics spilling from her fingers, finally satisfied with the result. She smiled to herself. She walked around her podium towards the magic circle and Jason. She looked at him curiously. The workroom was a little chilly. Adalene felt the coolness through her leotard and tights.

 

Sweat beaded on Jason's forehead, running in small rivulets down his face. His knuckles were white on the head of the cane.

 

She laid her hand gently on his shoulder. His head jerked towards that shoulder before snapping back into the same position it had been in. Jason's eyes never opened. “Jason,” she said quietly, “can you hear me?” He gave a slow nod, almost imperceptible if she hadn't been watching him. “I found what I needed. I'm ready to start.” His phone chirruped once.

 

Adalene made adjustments to the runes marking the circle Jason knelt in. Candles were changed and lit while she chanted quietly, almost sing-song, to herself. Magic flowed, a pale blue from Spellbinder. The circle glowed in response. Her chant built in power, the circle glowed brighter.

 

Violet light flowed up a third of the way around the circle from where Adalene stood. She stumbled in the chant, like she had lost her place. The violet light of the circle caught up the chant, continuing it, until Adalene resumed.

 

Blue light flowed, like the blue of the ocean on a clear summer's day, closing the circle from a third point. Light blue, darker blue and violet merged around the circle, each reinforcing and balancing each other.

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

Jason

 

Battle raged through Jason's mind. That which held open the link to Angelique refused to give way. Jason refused to give up. His entire being was in high gear for combat. A light touch on his shoulder sent part of his mind to do threat assessment before he registered Adalene's voice. A nod given in answer and his full attention returned to blocking the link, or at the very least not allowing that thing back into the chamber where it could access the other links.

 

As if from a great distance he heard Spellbinder begin the chant. How long has it been? His time sense was skewed. In a trance-state he could normally keep count of the beats of his heart as a way of keeping track of time. Focusing on closing the link, he had been unable to keep that count.

 

The doors and walls dissolved into the floor. Flagstones, Jason noted. The circle he knelt in, in Spellbinder's workshop was here, wherever here was. Only it floated above the flags of the floor. The pressure from Angelique's link had lessened.

 

Spellbinder stood before him on a small dais or a stone outcropping. Her dark blue leotard with the blue tights had given way to a white loin cloth skirt that fell to her ankles, held at the hips by two gold rings. Her chest was covered by a white cloth, crossing in an X fashion over her breasts. Her hair fell loose. For a moment, when he thought of them, her clothing changed to the blue outfit she had been wearing most of the evening. Adalene gave him a small, amused smile before the white outfit returned.

 

Jason noted that another voice had joined in the chant. He thought to turn to face the new voice. In that moment “reality” turned, blurring past, until he faced Angelique. Angel? She was dressed similar to Spellbinder. For a moment Jason remembered her the last time they had been together. Pale blue stockings covered her legs. An expensive blue silk cocktail dress covered her for that moment. Angelique gave a small shake of her head. The dress faded away.

 

A crimson cord joined Jason to Angelique, anchored from belly to belly. Jason recalled the teachings of the hara, the center of being. He was aware of Angelique through their connection. She seemed so close, and yet through the link she still felt as if she were at some great distance.

 

A third voice, masculine, joined in the chant. Reality shifted quickly once again, giving Jason a touch of vertigo. On a third dais stood a figure. He, Jason got a strong sense of male from the figure, wore a white toga and a Greek theatrical God mask. The hair and beard were golden. Behind him a clear crystal chess king spun slowly. Images flashed as the facets turned. Sandy - Death. Leah - Lost. Marlene - Flames. Around and around it turned.

 

The chanting grew louder, more powerful. The cord between Jason and Angelique grew in size. The crimson paled, losing nothing in color, but becoming translucent. Passing through it, like a serpent or a worm, was something. The color flowed, even through the crimson, a sickly yellowish-green underneath.

 

Pain slammed into Jason, like someone reached in and was pulling his guts out slowly through his skin. Jason's vision blurred. He felt something snap in his hands before pitching forward.

 

Agony rippled through him. He felt the link between himself and Angelique quiver, grow taut and snap wavelike from her and into him. It was like a child playing “crack the whip” with it. Another surge of pain hit him.

 

Jason found himself lying in a gutter. Napalm exited a building, taking slow strides between them, crossing the distance faster than his paces would allow. With each step Napalm took, No! Artie! Jason pushed, forcing himself back to his knees. By the time he had resumed his kneeling position Napalm was standing over him. Flames erupted from Napalm's eyes and mouth. His skin was blackened and cracked. Through the cracks it looked like lava flowed.

 

Another wave of pain hit, rocking Jason back on his heels. “You aren't here!” he gasped, teeth gritted against the pain. Reality shifted for him once again. He was kneeling facing Angelique. In her eyes was something Jason had never seen in her before, something that most of his friends would believe beyond her: Empathy.

 

Jason bowed his head, placing his hands on thighs, fingers inward. Slowly he calmed his breathing. I am a rock. Another wave of pain hit him, washed over him, and rolled off. I am a rock. The waves of pain were constant, regular. I am a rock. They couldn't get any worse.

 

He opened his eyes and looked up at Angelique. Behind her, close, was a shadow, dark with eyes glowing red, threatening her. Jason realized the shadow was connected to Angelique as he was. Anton. With that thought the shadow shrank in on itself, leaving Anton Darque standing in a dark robe.

 

An obsidian king, spinning in place, formed behind Anton. Behind Angelique a ghostly obsidian queen appeared, fading in and out. Anton drove his hand through Angelique. Jason could feel it through the link.

 

She turned away from the ritual, Spellbinder and the mage picking up her part and continuing. A knife flashed in her hands. Pain echoed through the link, too much for Jason to handle. He collapsed face-down.

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

Consciousness returned slowly to Jason. His eyes refused to open. He smelled a faint aroma of lilacs and strawberries and something else. He could tell his head was resting in a lap. He moved his hand to find something soft and yielding beneath it. His fingers moved slowly down. Ankle. His fingers slipped lower, feeling the curve of the calf. He heard Marlene giggle as his light touch tickled behind her knee. He kissed lightly the inside of her thigh. Jason said her name, “Marlene.”

 

“Well that's damned awkward,” he heard someone say, a deeper voice, not Marlene.

 

“Shush, Brad,” a woman also not Marlene. “Jason,” she called quietly. Her fingers ran through the hair above his ear. “Jason, time to come back.”

 

Jason forced one eye open. A leg clad in blue nylon presented itself to his vision. Light stabbed through his open eye, jarring his awareness. “Binder?”

 

“Easy, Jason. You're hurt.” Jason was leaning against Adalene's leg. She was bracing him so that he lay on his uninjured side. The smell of spilled blood smothered her scent of flowers and berries.

 

He moved his hand down his own side, finding his shirt sticky with blood. Probing fingers found no open wound. Jason slowly forced himself to sit. Blood smeared his hand and he noticed bloody trails on Adalene's leg where his fingers had traveled.

 

“What happened?”

 

Brad helped Adalene to her feet. “What do you remember?” she asked.

 

Jason felt like he was going to vomit everything he had eaten in the last year. He hung his head between his knees. “I was here,” his fingers rubbed his temples, “in... here, where I keep the doors to the links. Something kept me from closing the link with Angelique. You touched my shoulder. I remember you saying that you were ready.” He slowly got to his feet, lost his balance and caught himself on Adalene's workbench.

 

He forced himself up on his feet and cast a glance around. The dragon head of his walking stick winked at him from across the floor. “The room faded. The link with Angelique, the pressure from it, that thing that kept it from closing faded.” Adalene caught his eyes with hers. “You were there. Everything spun and Angel was there with you.” Jason shook his head. “And someone else was there. I don't know who.”

 

“What else?” Adalene pressed him.

 

He held up a hand to her. “Give me a second.” Jason ripped his shirt rather than pull the bloody mess over his head.

 

“Jason,” she nodded her head at his side, “there's nothing there.”

 

“Explains why I'm so damned hungry, then.” He looked for a spot on the shirt that wasn't bloody. Between bleeding from one side and laying on the other, most of the rag was covered. “I saw Artie as he was the last time we fought. I remember seeing Sandy, but she wasn't there.”

 

“Don't push, Jason. Let it come on its own or let it fade if it will,” Adalene said.

 

Jason sighed. “Artie was standing over me, like he did when I was hurt. Instead of standing, I was only able to force myself to my knees. I said... something, and he vanished. I was facing Angel. The link between us was being abused.

 

“Anton. Anton was there. Behind her. He did something to her. I felt it. She turned away and I saw her pull out her dagger. That's all I remember before...” he pointed at the floor.

 

Adalene picked up the pieces of Jason's walking stick and brought them to him. “I didn't think that would be an option. I considered severing the link between the two of you when things got hairy.”

 

“I told you...” Adalene held up her hand to cut Jason off.

 

“You told me it wasn't an option. I remember. I respect that decision. I just never thought the Witch,” she glanced nervously at Jason. “I never thought that Angelique would have the strength to do what she did.”

 

Jason fiddled with the walking stick, placing the cracked ends together. “What did she do, Binder?” Crimson surrounded Jason's hand where it wrapped around the cane. When he stopped, the cane was whole, barring where some splinters of wood were gone. Adalene gasped when she saw it.

 

“Neat trick,” Brad said.

 

“Addie, what did Angel do?”

 

“She severed the link between herself and Anton. The last bit that rendered you unconscious was the rebound from that. I doubt that she's in much better shape than you are right now.”

 

Jason felt through the link. He cocked his head to one side and then the other, as if listening for some hard-to-hear sound. “She's tired. Drained.” He lifted his phone from where it lay, held it against his chest with his forearm, and pulled a tab free that trailed a band. The band went around his arm to lock into the other side of the phone. A second followed suit. “Mentor, message Kris. 'Done'. Transmit readings to her.”

 

“Jason?” Adalene was concerned. “Are you all right?”

 

Jason closed his eyes. A crimson nimbus covered him. When it faded his bloody slacks and shoes were gone, replaced by clean ones. A black sweater covered his torso. “I am, or will be, Addie.” Jason caught her arm. This time she was surrounded by the glowing nimbus. For a moment she felt as if she were naked. Then the glow faded and Jason's blood was gone from her clothing.

 

“That'll save on cleaning, I guess.” Adalene laughed. “Can you help with the floor?”

 

Frowning, Jason said, “Sorry, Addie. The floor is a bit much to take up and put back right.”

 

“Why all the blood?” Brad asked him.

 

“I told you, Brad. My powers have been suppressed, ever since the island. The only thing I can assume is that once Anton's influence was removed, my body corrected what was wrong. Violently.”

 

“May I?” Adalene held her hand out for the cane. Jason handed it to her. She began chanting. Light blue flashes twinkled about the floor like stars. Around the base of the dragon head other flashes twinkled. When Spellbinder was done, the cane was whole. She handed it back with a smile.

 

“Yeah, but I don't get that,” Brad said, confused.

 

“Brad, you ever break a bone as a kid?” Jason asked.

 

“Broke my leg playing football before I realized. Why?”

 

“Had a nice cast? Lots of people signing it? When your leg healed, where your leg healed, rather, there's a build up of calcium. A doctor can take a look at you now and say 'right there is where the break happened.' Follow me?” Jason pushed himself away from the workbench, testing his balance.

 

Brad scratched the side of his face in thought. “Yeah. I get that part.”

 

“My body knows how it is supposed to be. If I happen to break something, when it heals, there isn't a build up of anything. It repairs itself to exactly what it was. Why do you think Kris was so concerned over a simple scar?” A cautious step held his weight.

 

“I didn't think about that,” Brad said introspectively.

 

“You're not a 'thinker', Brad. You're a 'doer',” Jason told him. “Addie, is there anything else to do? Can we help clean up?”

 

Shaking her head, Adalene answered him, “No, Jason. I'm going to have to clean this up. There are some spells that I'll have to cast to remove all traces of the blood so it won't affect anything in the future. That's another reason I don't like blood magics.”

 

“Sorry to have bled everywhere,” Jason said sincerely. “I guess we need to go continue our search then, Brad.”

 

Adalene escorted them to the door. Brad started to descend the steps when Adalene called out, “Brad!” He turned to see what she called him for. She was standing with her hand outstretched to him. “Aren't you forgetting something?”

 

Brad blushed, fumbling in a pocket for the lock of his sister's hair. “Sorry,” he mumbled, handing it to her.

 

She smiled. “That's all right, Brad. You've got a lot on your mind.” Brad turned and walked down the steps toting Jenny's suitcase.

 

Jason hefted the large computer case and hung it off his shoulder. He caught Addie by the hand. “Thanks. For fixing this, if nothing else.” Jason blushed. “And I'm sorry about...”

 

She favored him with a smile. “If it was just you and me, I'd say 'don't worry about it,' but with Brad having witnessed it, you might have to explain it to Marlene. Sometimes it's nice being reminded that I'm a woman. Even if I wasn't the woman you were thinking of. You better get going.”

 

Bending over, he gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. “Thanks, again.” He joined Brad at the bottom of the steps.

 

“And don't forget what you promised me!” she called after them.

 

Jason laughed. “I won't!” he called back.

 

The trunk of the limousine popped open and Al the Driver stepped to the curb. He took the computer case from Jason and slipped into its space in the trunk. Brad handed him Jenny's suitcase. All three turned when the single spinning red light atop a car started, along with the “whoop-whoop” of a police siren.

 

“What now?” Brad asked, his annoyance evident.

 

Two police officers in street clothes approached the trio. One had his badge and ID strung on a lanyard hanging around his neck. The other, a woman, had her badge hanging from the breast pocket of her suit coat. Something about the woman tickled Jason's memory.

 

“Lieutenant... Bressler?”

 

“Bress, you know him?” the male cop asked.

 

“I'm surprised you don't, Chavez,” she said to him. “It's 'captain' now, Mr. Scott. I received promotion last year.”

 

“Congratulations, Captain. Is there something I can do to help you?” he asked her.

 

“I've got patrols being informed that someone in a stretch was passing out big bills to pros. You wouldn't be soliciting for girls, Mr. Scott. Would you?”

 

Jason's eyes narrowed. “Off the record, Captain. Just between us?” Captain Bressler met his gaze for a long moment before nodding. “Then step into my, ah, mobile office.” Al stepped around and opened the door. Jason jerked his head around to stare at an upper window of Adalene's house.

 

“Something wrong?” Bressler asked him.

 

“No. Just thought I heard something. Shall we?” he asked holding his hand towards the open door. They settled into the back of the limo. Al stopped Brad from joining them before he closed the door.

 

“So let's hear it, Mr. Scott.”

 

“First off, 'Mr. Scott' was my father. Call me 'Jason'.”

 

“All right, Jason. You can call me 'Captain Bressler'. What's going on?”

 

“Touché,” Jason said. “Would you like something to drink?”

 

“I'm on duty.”

 

“I was thinking a soda, actually.”

 

“If you'd like I can arrest you, take you down to the station and we can have this conversation on the record.”

 

“Captain, if you did that, you know full well that my lawyers would beat us back to the station and I'd be released before the ink was dry on the paperwork. Yes, I've been soliciting street girls, which is technically a misnomer, since some of them were men. And what I've been doing isn't much different than what the police do when they let their informants slip free from a roundup.

 

“I paid some of them, looking for information.” He slipped her a photo of Jenny. “This girl has gone missing. We're looking for her.”

 

“We have procedures for this,” she said.

 

“I'm aware of that. Your procedures don't kick in for,” he pulled the sleeve of his sweater up over his watch, “about another thirty-four hours. Unless there is evidence of wrong-doing the police have a forty-eight hour heel-cooling period where just about anything can happen. All I am is a concerned party helping that guy out there find his little sister.”

 

She gave Jason a hard glare. “Suppose I accept that explanation. Would you care to explain the assault of one of the city's upstanding citizens that allegedly occurred in the back of this car?”

 

Jason gave her a look of annoyance. The back window of the limo lit up like a TV screen showing a black man sticking a gun into the open window of the limo. One image showed the view from the back of the car. Another image showed the man's face. What was being said was muted. The video played, showing Jason disarm the man.

 

“Where's the gun?” she asked. Jason slid open a drawer under the seat he was sitting on. From it he pulled out a zip-lock bag holding an automatic pistol. He handed that over to Bressler. “Beretta ninety-two. Nine mil.” She looked at him with one eyebrow raised. “Can I get a copy of that video?” A port opened in the armrest beside her, showing a thumb drive. Bressler pulled it free.

 

“Anything else I can do for you, Captain?” he asked. His tone wasn't cold, but it wasn't far removed from it.

 

“One more thing,” she said, “Captain Stone told me you were back in town. Are you planning on staying long?”

 

“I'm not in any hurry to go back to California right now, if that is what you are asking.”

 

She bent forward a bit, leaning against her knees. In her hand she held up a business card between her thumb and forefinger, with her fist closed around the drive. “If you're planning on starting up your poker games again, I'd like a seat.”

 

Jason chuckled. “I'll see what I can do.” He plucked the card from her fingers and read it. “Lauren.” She gave him something of a smile. He rapped twice on the window and Al opened the door. “Have a good night, Captain.” She exited the car and Brad slid in the vacated seat.

 

“What was that all about?”

 

“Community relations,” Jason answered him. “Mentor.”

 

“Sir?” the AI responded.

 

“Next time wait until I do something before you start showing off the hardware.”

 

“Yes, sir. Marlene and Paladin are here waiting for you.”

 

Jason pushed a button for the intercom. “Guardians Tower, Al.”

[Greywind]

Adalene closed the door to her home and set the locks. She went into her study and poured herself a small glass of brandy. She gulped that down and left the glass sitting next to the bottle.

 

“Arkayne!” she yelled.

 

Blue light flashed through the study. When it faded a short man with white hair and beard appeared holding Angelique to his chest.

 

“My, this girl is heavier than she looks.”

“Lay her on the sofa, old man, and then let me tend her. What the hell was all that? Jason saw!” anger was apparent in Adalene's voice.

 

The old man “harrumphed” as he laid Angelique where his hostess indicated. “Jason Scott has always been good at seeing patterns. Even if he isn't aware of what he's seeing. That is what makes him such a useful piece.”

 

“Jason is liable to kill you, you old fool, if he finds out how much and how deep you've meddled in his life.” Adalene closed her eyes and ran her hand flat down Angelique's body from head to belly. “She's drained. Almost empty. Why did she do that?”

 

“Because she is learning that there is more to her than just being Anton's daughter,” Arkayne told her. “Why do you think I placed her and Scott's orbits so close together?”

 

Adalene closed her eyes and quietly muttered a spell. Her hand glowed pale blue and the light suffused Angelique's still form. After a few moments the glow faded and Spellbinder opened her eyes. She let out a tired sigh. “I've given her what I could for now. It's been a long night.” She went and poured another glass and drank it down.

 

“I always thought you would make a good master of our order, girl,” Arkayne praised her.

 

She slammed the glass to the shelf and rounded on Arkayne, her eyes alight with power. “Damn your 'order', old man. Too much order is just as dangerous as too much chaos. I work for the greater good!”

 

“Mind your promise, girl,” the old man growled.

 

“I will honor my promise, Arkayne. No one will ever know what I know about you and your games, but Jason knows enough that he saw Sandy reflected behind you. You know how that place works.”

 

“Scott knows nothing. It was a childhood love. Nothing more.”

 

“Then you don't know your pieces as well as you think you do. If Jason found out what part you played in either Sandy or Leah, he will kill you.”

 

Arkayne looked down on Angelique. “It was necessary,” he said quietly.

 

“I don't think any of the involved parties would agree with that sentiment, old man.” She turned back and poured a third, larger glass of brandy. “I'm tired. I will take care of Angelique. Get out of my house before I violate guest right.”

 

When she turned back to the room, the old man was gone. She clamped her eyes shut tight and shook her head, spilling tears for her friend.

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

Paladin

Knight in Shining Armor

 

“It's just something I can do, Brad. First time I did it, it totally freaked my mother out. I had broken one of my favorite toys. I was old enough to realize how it was supposed to go. I put one part against the other and the next thing mom knew, it was fixed like it had never been cracked,” Marlene heard Jason say.

 

She was sitting with Paladin in the common area. She had her legs drawn up under her, her shoes lying at odds on the floor under her. In her hand was a rock glass half filled with an amber liquid. On the table in front of her were the canister for and a bottle of Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Single Malt Whisky. Judging from how much was missing from the bottle; Marlene was on her second drink. Her eyes were locked on the ripples caused by her shaking. The ice clinked against the glass.

 

“Hey! That's...” Brad was brought up short when Jason dug his fingers into the nerve cluster of Brad's upper arm. “Mine,” he said in a whisper.

 

“Why don't you take Jenny's bag to your room or one of the guest rooms? Might want to change while you're about it,” Jason told him.

 

Marlene watched Brad nod in agreement, and turn and go. Once Brad was gone, she set her glass down, sloshing contents over the side, and rushed across the room to Jason. She buried her face in his chest and squeezed hard. She let him go with, “I'm sorry, Jason. I didn't think.”

 

Jason held her close. “It's okay. Honest,” he told her warmly. “In fact I hardly felt it.” Jason could feel her quivering. “I take it something didn't go well?” Marlene just shook her head. They walked slowly towards the couch where Marlene had been sitting, one arm around the other.

 

“Hey, Jordan.” Still holding Marlene, Jason stretched his hand out to the armored man. “How's Irish?”

 

Paladin looked up from the tablet he had been working on to shake Jason's hand. “She's good. Very good, actually. Thanks for asking about her. She has inquired about the two of you. I can tell her that I saw with my own eyes that things are good if the way you're holding Marlene is any indication.”

 

Jason sat in the space that Marlene had left when she got up. She snuggled in closer to Jason. She couldn't stop herself from shaking. “Brad's kind of upset that you raided his bottle,” he told her with a chuckle.

 

“...k him,” Marlene said into Jason's chest. Both men knew what she had said, even without hearing all of it.

 

Metal-clad finger tapped on the tablet. “You've got a problem.”

 

Jason looked at what was on the tablet. “With that?”

 

“No. This is good. With the batteries that your company had Brightstar develop as a power source, I had the emitter re-tuned. That will up the output a few notches. I've got a charger that will work with those batteries. I'll donate that to the cause. What are you planning on using for the housing?” Paladin asked.

 

"Omnium.”

 

Paladin nodded his head. “That will help stabilize it.”

 

Marlene pulled herself up to look Jason in the eye. Having something to focus on aside from what was bothering her helped. She gave him a steely glare with one eyebrow raised. “Omnium? And exactly just when were you planning on filling me in on this?”

 

Jason gave her a kiss which she in no way returned. “Marlene, I had a length of omnium bar stock sent to the fabricators, oh, about six hours ago.”

 

“Uh huh.”

 

He gave her a toothy smile. “And I had it deducted from the 'personal use' account.”

 

“Uh huh. You know how expensive that is metal is. What are you using it for?” She stretched her hand out to Paladin. “Let me see that.” He handed her the tablet. Marlene flipped through electronic pages on the tablet. Some pages took more of her attention than others as she perused them. Jason caressed Marlene's leg where it wasn't covered by her skirt. “Stop that,” she said, although she made no effort to move her leg.

 

“So if it isn't this, then what is the problem?” Jason asked both of them.

 

“Nova's emissary to the meeting,” Paladin said.

 

Jason's eyes turned cold. “Oh, you have just got to be joking!”

 

At the same time, Paladin said, “Bauer” Marlene said, “Art Rocco.”

 

“Just because neither of us directly does business with Madacar or Nova doesn't mean they can't come to the summit meetings,” Paladin reminded Jason.

 

Marlene handed the tablet back to Paladin and leaned back against Jason. “He made...”

 

“He threatened you?” Jason's anger was rising.

 

Marlene pressed her fingers against his lips. “Just wait. He said they weren't threats. They were promises, the things that are going to happen. He only said them to me, when no one else was around to hear him. It wasn't what he was saying. It was how he was saying it. Like it was just an everyday thing to him.”

 

“He's rapidly moving to the top of my list of priorities to deal with,” Jason told her.

 

Paladin stood up. “When I saw who he had corralled, I made sure I was nearby her for the rest of the evening.”

 

“Thanks, Jordan. I really appreciate that.”

 

Cocking his head, giving the impression that he might be smiling beneath his helm, he said, “You'd do the same if it had been Irish.”

 

Jason pulled Marlene closer in his arms. “Yeah. I would. So as soon as you got here you grabbed a bottle?” he asked lightly, not wanting any of the anger he felt inside to spill over to the woman in his arms.

 

“Go lightly on that, son. She didn't drink at all at the summit. I think she's entitled,” Paladin told Jason.

 

“Jason,” Mentor spoke up, “Red Star is checking in. Perhaps you would prefer to change and get updated on the situation. Perhaps in the meeting room.”

 

“Work, work, work,” Marlene grumbled.

 

“Sorry,” he said to her. Marlene kicked her shoes under the table before standing up. She straightened her skirt before stepping away. Jason caught her hand before she escaped his reach. She wasn't shaking any longer. “Favor?” he asked.

 

Marlene turned back to him. “What?”

 

“I haven't had a chance to eat since lunch. Would you mind making me a sandwich or something?” he asked nicely.

 

“I suppose,” she said. Marlene turned back, looking around Jason and then around the room. “Jason, where's your cane?”

 

Slipping his arms around her from behind, Jason kissed her lightly behind the ear. “I don't need it,” he whispered to her.

 

“I didn't notice earlier.” She pulled away from him and turned around. “What happened?” Her hands pulled at his sweater. “The scar is gone!” She ran her hand over his side feeling smooth skin.

 

“Spellbinder found out what the problem was. It took her a little while, but she was able to correct it. There is one small thing, though, that you should know about before a certain loudmouth tells you something out of context.” Marlene crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow at him again. “During the fixing problem I kinda got knocked out,” he said sheepishly.

 

“And?”

 

Jason continued, “And when Binder was trying to wake me up, I kind of thought she was you.”

 

“And?” Marlene's expression never wavered.

 

“I kissed her.”

 

Marlene had a looked between perturbation and relief. “Is that all?” she asked with a laugh.

 

Jason blushed and added quietly, “On the inside of her thigh.”

 

She gave him a quick look of annoyance before she started laughing again. She jumped up on him, catching him about the hips with her thighs. From her elevated position she told him, “She fixed you. If all she got out of it was a kiss on the thigh when you thought you were kissing me, she got the short end of the deal.” She leaned down and kissed him passionately.

 

When the kiss was finished he set her gently to her feet. “About that 'short end of the deal' bit, she's getting a bit more for her efforts.”

 

Marlene pursed her lips in thought. “Like what?”

 

Jason rubbed the back of his neck and changed, his mask hanging loosely in his hand. “Some of her equipment got damaged. I agreed to replacements. She also wants to have dinner with us. Only other thing is she'd like a chance to go through my mother's book collection.”

 

She smiled warmly. “Then nothing to worry me about. I'll see what there is to make you. Would you like something, Paladin?”

 

“I'm good, Marlene. Thanks,” he replied. Jason and Paladin watched Marlene walk out the door of the common room. “You planning on marrying that girl?”

 

His head cocked to one side. “I just might,” he said wistfully.

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

“What have you got, Red?”

 

Red Star's white mask covered his head, leaving only his eyes and lower face uncovered, the image on the monitor obviously coming from a hand held camera. “Pulsar, what we've got is two girls were escorted off that plane. They were taken off to the tarmac. Not to the gangway. The girls and their carry-ons were loaded into a shuttle, driven to the other side of the airport and loaded into a 'copter.”

 

“Any ID on the chopper?” Pulsar asked.

 

“Ghost was looking into that. He hasn't checked back yet.”

 

Pulsar rubbed his chin in thought. “That doesn't make a lot of sense. How were they taken to the tarmac? Aren't there rules about passengers disembarking to the gangway?”

 

Red Star nodded. “Normally, yes. Only this time our friend had the help of Franklin and Grant. Once we came in and looked around, we found that a couple of cargo handlers were paid off to help. Apparently on the plane, one of the flight attendants was paid to assist. What was reported was that the two girls weren't feeling well; flight attendant offered to help and took them and their carry-on bags down to the galley. That was the last anyone saw of them on the plane.

 

“The flight attendant was picked up off her last flight in Miami. She was scheduled for a vacation and had a ticket to Rio. The cargo handlers have already been turned over to the authorities here with charges pending.

 

“The only thing is, Pulsar, neither of the cargo handlers can describe the guy. The girls, yes. Both of them described the girls identically.”

 

“What was the shuttle?”

 

“Limo for hire. Driver was paid a hundred for a ten minute cruise,” Red Star told him. “I questioned the driver. He got a call from his dispatch and met the plane. His papers for the run check out, but security says that they never authorized them. The driver said that the girls were traveling under their own power, but it was like they were drunk. They were giggling and stumbling.”

 

Pulsar leaned down over the monitor panel, resting his weight on his closed fists. “Did we ever manage an ID on the second girl, Red?”

 

A note pad was flipped up and blocked the camera momentarily. “Lisa Anne Sheffield. Blonde. Hazel eyes. Eighteen years old.”

 

“Lisa?” Nightwing asked. “That's Jenny's best friend.”

 

Lost in thought, Pulsar nodded his head. “Nightwing, how well do you know the family?”

 

“The Sheffields are old family friends.”

 

“Make contact. See if they've been called.” Pulsar thought for a moment longer. “Something doesn't feel right. Red, what did the cargo handlers do?”

 

“Need names?”

 

“No. Just their actions,” he answered.

 

Red Star scanned through his notes. “They went through the luggage, SOP. They loaded the baggage cart. They pulled out three bags. Two belonging to the Sheffield girl and one belonging to our target.”

 

“They missed a bag. The girl's brother picked it up.” He stretched his neck. “What's your next move?'

 

“Reconnect with Ghost. See what he's managed to find on that chopper. I'll call back in after that,” Red Star said.

 

“Much appreciated, Red. Out.” The monitor went dark.

 

Marlene came in with a plate stacked with three thick sandwiches and a glass of iced tea. She set those close to hand for Pulsar.

 

“Something I can do for you, Nightwing?” Paladin asked the gray and black clad figure. “You keep staring.”

 

“Sorry. I was just wondering if Robert Downey Junior was a good choice to portray you,” Nightwing said.

 

Paladin shuddered like he was suppressing a laugh. “No. I'm prettier. And I'm not Iron Man. He's been around a lot longer than I have.”

 

Jason disappeared his mask and lifted up one of the sandwiches. “That's true,” he said. “How did that story go again? You and dad found an old box of comics and after a weekend of drinking, you decided to see if it was actually possible?” Marlene started rubbing his shoulders.

 

Sitting back in the chair he was in, Paladin said, “It was your dad's idea, Jason.”

 

“Yeah, maybe,” Jason said around a mouthful of roast beef sandwich, “but I don't recall dad being the one that climbed in the suit.”

 

Marlene laughed. “Your father would have needed a suit a little rounder in form.”

 

“Jason,” Nightwing said, “I meant to say something earlier. When I talked to my mom earlier, she said that Jennifer is realizing.”

 

He scratched above one eyebrow using his thumb. “Another piece of the puzzle?” Jason asked himself quietly. “Or is it something that is secondary to the disappearance?”

 

“Jennifer is realizing what?” Marlene asked. “I don't get it.”

 

“Nightwing, go call the Sheffield house and talk to someone.” Nightwing nodded his head and grabbed a sandwich off the plate when he walked by.

 

Marlene glared at him. When Jason felt her fingers tense up, he placed one hand over one of hers. “Realization is when a mutant starts changing. Either there are physical alterations or they start manifesting power in other ways. Hellfire burned down her grandfather's barn the first time she was kissed by someone.”

 

Marlene ran her fingers gently through Jason's hair. “Did you go through that?”

 

“I was born realized, Marlene. Everything I can do now, I could do as an infant. I just needed to learn how,” he told her.

 

“So,” Paladin said, “I take it you two are still in the 'honeymoon' phase of the relationship?”

 

Marlene blushed when she answered, “Is it obvious?”

 

“Only a little,” the armored man answered.

 

“Did I embarrass you?” she batted her eyelashes trying for a “cute but innocent” look.

 

Paladin laughed. “Only a little. Irish scandalized my mother when we were dating. I'll give you fair warning, though, Marlene. You do anything like that in front of the Board, they will see it as a weakness and they will eat you for lunch.

 

“What are you going to do about Bauer?” he asked Jason.

 

“Artie will be dealt with.”

 

“That sounds kind of final.”

 

“Yes,” Jason said flatly.

 

“I trained you better than that, boy! We don't kill except as a last resort,” Paladin said hotly.

 

Jason hung his head for a moment. Then he looked up, locking his gaze with Paladin's visual sensors. “That is what the official Union handbook says. That is one thing that was drummed into me, I'll grant, but I would also point out to you, Paladin, that another aspect of my training was carried out by someone whose only daughter is named after the director of an organization both our teams are affiliated with and your wife. The lessons Huntress taught are just as deeply ingrained as what you taught me.

 

“If the only way that I can keep Marlene safe is to kill Rocco, then I'm sorry, but he's a dead man walking.”

 

“Huntress gave that up a long time ago. A lot of what she did was to find a balance in herself for the harm she did before. And part of that was training you. If you murder Bauer, then I will be forced to take a hand in bringing you in.”

 

“Well, that'll be an interesting day.”

 

Jason took the last bite of his last sandwich when an alarm went off. The monitor showed a news report that seemed to be coming from a battle zone. One car was shown to be lying on the passenger side. From the way lights were flashing it looked like it was a police car. “This night is just never going to end,” Jason said.

 

Paladin was reading the data that appeared on a secondary monitor. “'Thumper'? 'Thumper'?” he rubbed the back of his head with a gauntleted hand. “He doesn't happen to have a partner somewhere named 'Bambi', does he?”

 

“Charles Turner. Low-life turned super. Story goes he was a 'forced volunteer' for the Avatar process. Whether it was Viper, Madacar or some other group, only Turner knows for sure. No partner. He's solo. Either work-for-hire or self-employed depending on options at the time,” Pulsar told him. “As for his codename, he fell victim to the first rule of supers.”

 

Marlene was confused. “'First rule' what?”

 

“Never let the media choose your codename,” Nightwing told her as he flew into the room. He was carrying a long narrow brown box. “This came for you.” He handed the package to Pulsar.

 

“Turner is strong. Stronger than at least Nightwing and I. He's classed as 'mid-grade'. He isn't in Ash's or Titania's class when it comes to brute strength, but he is capable of keeping up with Lightning at a sprint. Downside is he can punch just as fast.” Pulsar opened up the box and took from it a gleaming silver staff.

 

“Cool!” Nightwing made a grab for the staff, sending a blast into the ceiling. He looked up at the hole and dangling wiring. One light flashed on and off before finally going dark. “I'm going to pay for that, aren't I?”

 

“Good guess.” With a crimson flash, Jason vanished the staff. He opened a small panel and lifted out an earpiece and fitted it in place. “Hook me in, Mentor.”

 

“Connection established.”

 

“Thank you. NYPD dispatch, this is Pulsar. What's the status of the situation with Thumper?”

 

A female voice came through the system. “Guardians, dispatch. Officer down. Civilians have been injured. Ambulances have been dispatched. FDNY is on scene. Containment truck has been dispatched.”

 

“Understood. Who's in charge?” he asked.

 

“Captain Bressler is brass on scene. Captain Stone is scrambling,” dispatch answered him.

 

He watched as a news station showed a uniformed officer taking shots at Thumper. “Dispatch, remind officers on the scene that Thumper is bullet-proof and they are endangering civilians. Guardians en-route.” Jason turned away from the monitors.

 

“Confirmed, Pulsar. Good luck.”

 

Paladin continued to watch the newscast. “So, what's our plan?”

 

“I'm thinking one person goes in and tries to talk him down,” he explained. “The other two hang back until it's apparent that he's only going the hard way.”

 

“Who's on point?” Nightwing asked.

 

Jason shrugged. “How are your diplomacy skills?”

 

Nightwing showed a toothy smile. “Still leading with my right.”

 

“That eliminates you. Paladin, I want you to hold back as well. You've never fought Turner. That unfamiliarity might weigh in our favor,” Jason said.

 

Marlene's mouth tightened. “Putting yourself in front again, Jason?”

 

“'It's what I do, darlin'. It's what I do.'”

 

Anger flashed in Marlene's blue eyes. “I don't like it! And stop using movie lines. I'm not Warren.”

 

Jason locked eyes with Marlene. “You guys head to the roof. I'll catch up in a few minutes.” He took in a heavy breath.

 

“Was that thing what you used the omnium on?”

 

“Yes. I'm giving it to a friend. What's on your mind, Marlene?”

 

“I don't like it. I don't like the idea of you throwing yourself in the way. You just got over the last time, and you needed help for that.” Marlene crossed her arms. Anger was apparent in the way she held herself.

 

Jason laid his hand over Marlene's. “I am what I am, Beautiful. I do what I can. It's how I honor Sandy's memory. And I have to go or more people are going to be hurt.” He slipped his arms around her.

 

Marlene kept her arms crossed, but she still pressed into him. Jason lifted her easily and gave her a gentle kiss. Her hands moved to slide behind him. She broke the kiss and leaned her head against him. “I don't like it. The whole idea scares me more now than it ever did before,” she said quietly.

 

“That's because you have more invested now, Miss Palmer,” he told her just as quietly. “Stay in the tower tonight. Don't go back to the loft.”

 

She nodded her head against his chest. “Okay.” Marlene lifted her head to smile at him. “I love you.”

 

“Love you, too.”

[psyber624]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

excellent as usual Really enjoying these. You should consider putting this into a novella and trying to self publish it. It is of WAY better quality than most of the $1 dreck I have been reading lately on my kindle.

[Greywind]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

I know someone that does that. Might talk with her about it.

[psyber624]

Re: Little Girl Lost

 

Make sure you let us know if you do, ill be happy to post a review for ya