Chapter Three
February 18th, 1:00 AM
Sunny looked around the conference room, at the strange people sitting beside her at the table, at her teammates, the group of villains who had recently given themselves the name "The Fearsome Five," and sighed.
There was that old woman in rags, Lora, as quiet and mysterious as ever. Next to her sat that hulking ninja, Steve, even more quiet and mysterious-- Sunny hadn't heard him say a word this evening. Stupid Dr. Todorov sat across from Sunny, fiddling with himself, pointlessly. And there was her. Four of them, altogether. Because that kid-- Jeremy or whatever-- had fucked up so bad. So much for the Fearsome "Five."
"The alliteration still works," Sunny thought to herself. "Fearsome Four. That's good."
What wasn't good was their first mission. Their attempt to kidnap the mayor's daughter, Erin Steele, and force the Blue Lynx to surrender had ended with the girl escaping, that Jeremy kid in jail, and the rest of the group forced into hiding for the last month.
"Do not even go outside," the boss had said. "Tell them all. It's Netflix for the next month. We'll meet to discuss this mess later. For now, please just fucking keep out of sight, for the love of God."
She had followed his instructions, and imagined her partners would, too: none of them seemed to have much of a social life, anyway. It had been hard. Sunny did not like to be hemmed in. And going almost two months without seeing the Blue Lynx was almost more than she could bear. So when Hammerson had finally called her yesterday with a simple, terse message-- "Tomorrow night. One in the morning."-- she practically leaped out of the couch.
Looking at the "Fearsome Four," though, dampened her expectations. Was this really the best they could do? Against the Blue Lynx?
Her train of thought was interrupted by Hammerson bursting through the door of the conference room, his fingers running through his hair, his shoes clopping all over the floor.
"Good evening, everyone," he said, positioning himself in front of the whiteboard that took up nearly a whole wall of the small room. "So glad everyone could make it."
"Except for Jeremiah," Todorov giggled.
Hammerson shot him a disapproving look, and Todorov stopped laughing.
"I suppose we should talk about that first," Hammerson said. "What happened that night? I need details, people."
Sunny cleared her throat. "Well, we fucked up," she said. "We trusted that kid with watching the Steele girl. And she probably got in his head and convinced him to set her free."
Hammerson nodded. "Okay."
"We left the shack, as you commanded. Steve stayed behind in case they came back, or the Blue Lynx showed up."
Hammerson looked at Steve. "And? What happened then, Steve?"
Steve returned Hammerson's look. He didn't make a sound as he stuffed his hand in his pocket, pulled it back out, and dropped a small piece of blue fabric onto the table.
Sunny gasped. It was the Blue Lynx's mask!
"Whoa!" Hammerson cried. "Is that what I think it is?"
Todorov laughed. "It seems the ninja has done it."
Steve brought his hands back under the table. He nodded, but did not say a word.
"You unmasked her? Really?" Hammerson said. "You?"
Steve nodded once again.
"So who is she, then?" Hammerson said, stepping toward the ninja and licking his lips. "Tell us!"
But Steve did not. He just shook his head.
Sunny blinked at him. "You didn't know, Steve? Is that what you're trying to say?"
Steve shook his head.
"You're just not going to tell us, then?"
Steve nodded.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Hammerson growled. "You know who the Blue Lynx is, but you're not going to tell us?"
Steve nodded.
Hammerson stomped over to the ninja and reached for his arm. In a flash, Steve's hand closed around Hammerson's wrist. He squeezed, and Hammerson cried out.
"Fuck! Ah! Let me go! You bastard!"
Steve released him, and Hammerson stepped back, shaking his wrist, glaring at the ninja.
The old woman, Lora, had picked up the mask. She examined it with sleepy eyes. "This looks like the genuine article," she announced. "Well done, Steve."
"No," Hammerson said, pointing at her. "Not well done, Steve. I'm ready to give him two hundred thousand dollars if he tells me who the Blue Lynx is. And he's just going to give us all the silent treatment?"
"Mr. Hammerson," Lora said. "You must understand that for people like Steve, there are more important things than money."
Hammerson was turning red.
"Steve has a code," Lora continued. "What Steve wants is the thrill of battle. He will help us capture the Blue Lynx, but ending her career like this, in a conference room, while we have done nothing? That is not honorable."
"You're so wise in the way of Steve," Hammerson barked. "Maybe you could get inside that head of his and..."
"I will not," Lora said. "I will trust Steve as a member of this team. But I, too, have a sense of honor, Mr. Hammerson."
Hammerson sighed. He beckoned at Lora for the blue mask, and she handed it over. Hammerson took a long sniff of the fabric, set it back on the table, and slowly trudged back to the front of the room.
"Well, okay," Hammerson said. "Honor, and all that."
He lowered his head, stamping his foot.
"We'll come up with another plan," Sunny said. "That's what this meeting is about, right?"
"Yes," Hammerson said, quietly. "That is what this is about, Sunny. So who has some ideas?"
He looked up. Lora raised her hand in the air.
"What can you teach us now?" Hammerson said sarcastically.
"Well, I've been reading the paper," Lora said. "And I've been intrigued by the articles of this one reporter, Julia Wright. Have you read her?"
"Yes," Hammerson nodded. "I know Julia. She does the Blue Lynx stories."
Lora smiled. "I think she's a natural ally. I think I can talk to her, maybe get her on our team, and get us back up to five people."
Sunny looked at her. It was an interesting idea, for sure.
"Have you thought of anything beyond that?" Sunny asked.
Lora nodded. "Oh yes, I have. Let me tell you..."
On to Chapter Four
No comments:
Post a Comment