Monday, February 8, 1988
The Pentagon
Unit-55
Washington, DC
The General sits at his desk going over the recent reports from New York. He is not pleased. He reaches for the phone to dial a number that only he knows. The phone is answered on one ring.
“Yes General,” the Owl answers.
“She still lives.” the General says coldy. “You have failed at every attempt, she is closing in on you.”
“I have one final card up my sleeve,” the Owl tells the General. “If she wants to play hero, why not let her play hero.” “There is more crime in this city than she could ever imagine.” “I think it is time she handles that rather than us.”
“Just be aware that if you fail again you will be terminated, all of your business dealings will be taken over by another,” the General warns before abruptly hanging up the phone. The call was brief but direct. The General has made his intentions known and the Owl has received that message loud and clear.
Dee Moore’s Apartment
315 E 57th street
New York City, NY
Dee Moore wakes up to stare at the ceiling over her bed. She feels exhilarated as if she has been asleep for weeks. There is an eagerness in her heart that she hasn’t felt in years as she hops out of bed to head for the bathroom. Dee feels as if everything is perfect for the first time in her life. Getting into the shower she washes his smooth skin with moisturizing lotion soap enjoying every minute. Stepping out of the shower she drys her shapely figure before putting on her make-up while standing nude in front of the medicine cabinet mirror. She spies the platinum ring on her left middle finger that Dr. Chaffee gave her to wear. She doesn’t know how it works but it is meant to inform her on whatever she needs to know about the past three weeks she has been gone. It sounds weird but she dare not question the woman who has done so much to make her life perfect at long last.
Returning to her bedroom she dresses in a brand new outfit that she has never worn. She bought for when she reached her goal and today is that day. Checking her reflection in the mirror from every angle she is more than pleased with what she sees. Fixing her shoulder length brown hair she catches sight of the ring again. Its dull surface is less than attractive with her new look. But Dr. Chaffee insisted she wear it for the first few days. If only she could polish it up or something. The thought crosses her mind, toothpaste! Heading back to the bathroom she takes some toothpaste on a brush and scrubs over the ring on her finger without removing it. It still doesn’t look like gold but some of the dullness is gone.
Breakfast is next, a whole bran muffin and glass of grapefruit juice as she flips on the TV. Not even the News of the murders in the city overnight can bring Dee down today as she hums along with the music in her head.
Then she is off to work with an eagerness to be seen for perhaps the first time. She has always loved her job, her interaction with people, but this morning is going to be very different. One last look in the mirror on the wall by the door as Dee checks her hair, again. Perfect!
Open World Logistics
163 Randolph St
Brooklyn, NY
Sue and Mary are already in the lunch room making coffee when Dee Moore arrives. The smile on her face betrays her fantastic mood to bring Mary in for interrogation. “Looks like someone got laid if she wants to admit it or not,” Mary comments.
“You mean that big sexy guy she left with on Friday night?” Sue inquires eagerly.
“Don’t be ridiculous, I got something a hundred times better!” Dee asserts.
“Better than getting laid on a Friday night?” Sue exclaims. “There is no such thing!” “Hey, wait a minute, did you get a boob job?”
“They do look perkier than usual,” Mary comments sipping her coffee.
“Girls, girls if you even knew, it would blow your mind!” Dee says floating on air out of the lunch room to her desk. Nothing can bring her down today! She knows she can never tell them the truth of what happened to her or it might all come to an end. She watches as the guard unlocks the front door for the morning. Dee’s happiness is abruptly interrupted by the shock of the first person through the front door. It is Miracle Maiden dressed in her bright red and yellow costume in the flesh! The ring on her middle finger seems to glisten just a little brighter and somehow Dee knows things are about to go very wrong!
Miracle Maiden ignores the guard as she heads for the elevator. “Miss, Miss,” Dee calls out running from behind the reception desk. The guard gets up from his post to intervene. “It is okay Howard, I’ve got this,” Dee calls to him as she steps in front of Miracle Maiden at the elevator. “You can’t be here right now.”
“Our deal is complete now, Dee,” Miracle Maiden tells the receptionist. “You got what you wanted and now I must do what I must.”
“It is only my first day back, I thought I would have more time,” Dee says to the intent invader. “I need this job!”
“I’m sorry but I have learned everything I needed and now I must act,” Miracle Maiden replies. “The authorities will be arriving soon and I have to make sure they can take Antonia Simpatico into custody.” “I promised I would do whatever I could for your help and that holds true beyond this day.” Miracle Maiden then becomes slightly transparent as she steps through Dee into the elevator. “You will have a job when this is all over.”
The elevator ride is not a long one as she arrives on the floor where Antonia Simpatico’s office is located. Miracle Maiden suspects that Simpatico has some sort of Zeni-human power but she is not sure what it is. She must be prepared for anything. The most important thing is that she subdues the woman so that when the police arrive they will be able to take her into custody.
At Antonia Simpatico office Miracle Maiden takes a deep breath before phasing through the solid door. The woman she has come to know as the Owl sits behind her large brass and glass desk as if she is waiting for Miracle Maiden to arrive for an arranged appointment. Simpatico is dressed in a neatly pressed green business suit with a knee length skirt. Her silver-grey hair is flawlessly styled above her shoulders. Miracle Maiden is surprised by the woman’s advanced age. After all that has happened this is the first time she has met Antonia Simpatico in person. She has only seen photos of the CEO that are apparently rather old. In the photos Antonia Simpatico appeared as a middle-aged woman but now it is clear that she is much older, maybe closer to seventy than forty. “Your time is up!” Miracle Maiden announces.
The Owl simply smiles at the woman dressed in red and yellow. Antonia Simpatico stands up holding out a gun at arm’s length as she replies, “So at last me meet face to face, well face to illusionary disguise.” “You have caused a lot of trouble in the past year.” “You’ve made some important people very unhappy.” “I suppose it is in your genes.” Simpatico looks very pleased with herself as Miracle Maiden steps closer to the desk.
“Do you really think you can harm me with that gun?” Miracle Maiden asks, staring the older woman down.
“Not really but I’ve always wanted to fire one,” Simpatico says as she begins to shoot at the intruder. The bullets pass harmlessly through Miracle Maiden and to lodge in an antique wooden bookcase on the wall behind her.
“The police have everything they need to arrest you now,” Miracle Maiden says sternly. “But firing a gun in your office will be icing on the cake.” “What I want to know who is really behind all of this!” “Who are you working for really?” “Who is the real brain behind all of this?”
The Owl returns to her seat behind her desk, not the least bit disturbed by Miracle Maiden’s demand as she lays the gun down on the desk. “You are a clever one,” the Owl smiles. “I’ll give you that.” “Trying to make me believe that my attempt to kill Diana Carter was successful.” “But I really had no idea how powerful you were then.” “Infultaring my business was quite remarkable.” “But you tipped your hand by escaping my attempt on Dee Moore’s life.” “I see she is back today in her proper place.” “You really must tell me someday how you pulled that off.”
“Do you really want to see how powerful I am?” Miracle Maiden shouts in anger at the woman’s arrogance. Stepping up in front of the brass and glass desk she brings her rock hard fist down, shattering the thick plate glass and bending the metal frame in half to the floor.
Pushing back from the wreckage of her desk Simpatico does not appear very impressed by Miracle Maiden’s show of strength. Instead the Owl reaches out to grab the heroine’s forearm to pull her closer. Looking Miracle Maiden deeply in the eyes the Owl says in a low breathy voice, “Have you enjoyed letting the world believe Diana Carter is dead, because she is now dead to you.” “You will remember nothing of ever being Diana Carter or that she ever existed!”
Miracle Maiden pulls away from the Owl looking down at the broken pieces of glass on the floor. She is confused, not sure what has just happened or where she is. It is almost like she has been drugged as she steps back to look at the smiling old woman sitting back down in her desk chair.
“Now Miracle Maiden, I will thank you to get out of my office and go about your heroics elsewhere!” The Owl demands firmly pointing to the large glass plate glass window behind her chair. Still not sure what is happening as her memories realign in her brain, Miracle Maiden leaps forward to harmlessly pass through the window glass.
The fall to the street below is quickly ended as Miracle Maiden instinctively teleports to the ground. Still in a daze she walks along with the other pedestrians that eye her strangely. She has walked several blocks before she hears someone shout, “Look it’s Miracle Maiden!” From then on the attention to her grows as the flash of cameras soon begin. Even in her confused state she knows this is all new to her as she pushes past the people who stop in her path. She continues to walk all the while trying to clear her head and make sense of this new life she has been dealt.
Blocks turn into miles as by noon she finds herself in a not too desirable part of Queens. A scream catches Miracle Maiden’s attention as she is drawn to a scuffle in a nearby alley. Three men hold down a fourth as they beat on him. She approaches them with no concern for herself, her only concern is for the man bleeding on the pavement. “What are you doing?” she asks almost innocently.
“Move along bitch this is none of your business!” one of the men shouts at her.
“Someone out numbered and being beaten in an alley should be everyone’s business,” she replies as she walks closer. “What has this man done?”
“The man said, Fuck off Bitch!” another man holding an iron pipe says as he swings it at her. Miracle Maiden grabs the pipe to crush it in her grip as she pulls it from the man’s hand.
“You are not very nice men at all,” Miracle Maiden says. “I get the feeling this man doesn’t deserve this beating at all. She drops the pipe to the ground to then shove the man in front of her back against the wall of the building behind him. He hits the wall hard knocking the wind out of him causing him to slide to the ground.
“Please, please help me,” the barely conscious bleeding man on the ground begs.
“Gladly,” Miracle Maiden says as one of the men pulls a gun to fire it at her. “Foolish,” she says as the bullets pass right through her to hit the bricks behind her. “All you’ve done is drawn more attention!” Moving quickly she grabs the gun by the barrel with her right hand, twisting it out of the man’s hand to crush the barrel. She backhands the marksman with her left hand sending him into the other man who watches in confusion. Both men are on the ground in a heap as the man behind Miracle Maiden is back to his feet to run from the alley. Grabbing a discarded length of cable wire she uses it to tie up the two remaining men before attending the injured man.
The man on the ground is unconscious and badly beaten. His face is bloody and swollen, Miracle Maiden can identify a few broken ribs and a fractured right forearm where he most likely tries to defend against the iron pipe. She begins with his arm, straightening it to speed the healing of the bones. It takes only a few minutes for the bones in the man’s arm to knit back together. Then she moves to his ribs by slipping her hands inside his shirt to find the broken bones that poke through his skin. Pushing them back in place she again speeds the healing. Lastly she moves to the large gashes on his face and head. It takes a total of five minutes for the swelling of his face to subside and his features to become clear again.
“What is going on here?” one of the two officers entering the alley asks as he draws his nightstick.
“Hello, Officers,” Miracle Maiden says standing up over the men on the ground. “These men and a third one who ran off were beating this man.”
“He doesn’t look beaten,” the older of the cops says, looking at the man she has just been healed.
“Oh I guess you are right about that, sorry,” Miracle Maiden apologises. “I healed him.” “But I am sure he would still like to press charges.”
“You did this all yourself, miss?” the younger cop asks, looking at the unconscious men tied with cable.
“Like I said they were hurting this man,” she answers.
“Sir are you alright?” the older cop asks the man Miracle Maiden rescued.
The man looks around him in confusion. He clearly recognizes the tied up men from the fear in his eyes. “I don’t know what happened,” he replies. “I was walking to work.”
“This woman says these men attacked you,” the older cop explains. “Your suit is torn and you have blood on your shirt.”
The victim looks to Miracle Maiden standing proudly over him then back to the tied up men who are coming around. “No, no that is not what happened, I cut myself shaving is all.”
“Sir this is a lot of blood for a shaving cut,” the older cop tells him. “Are you sure you don’t want to press charges.”
“No, no I need to get to work,” the man says getting up from the alley to hurry away from the scene.
“I’m sorry miss, but it looks like you are the only one to have beaten anyone here, held them against their will,” the younger of the two cops says. “We are going to have to change you if that is what these men want.”
“No, kid we aren’t,” the older cop tells his rookie. He turns to Miracle Maiden to say, “I know these guys they work for a loan shark.” “They were probably trying to collect a debt off of that guy.” Then he turns to the men tied up on the ground. “I guess you haven’t heard that we have one of these super-types in New York now, Benny.”
“I’m confused, you are letting them go?” Miracle Maiden says as the younger cop moves to untie the men.
The older cop explains to Miracle Maiden, “We are letting everyone go this time, but next time try to leave more evidence.” “With no one injured to press charges we have nothing.”
“What about us?” one of the thugs asks as he stands up.
“Tell your boss to be more careful with his collections or next time he will be down three men.” the older cop says. He looks at the woman dressed in red and yellow, “I didn’t catch your name.”
“Miracle Maiden,” she replies.
“I guess that is as good as any,” the older cop says handing her a business card. “Officer Joe Mantello, give me a call if you screw up like this again.” “Now run along.”
Miracle Maiden begins to walk away from the scene back to the street. “Was that wise?” the younger cop asks Officer Mantello.
“Best to keep those types on our side,” Mantello explains to the rookie.
Meanwhile at the main entrance to Open World Logistics, Detective Prussia and Agent Lei arrive with a team of NYPD Officers and FBI agents. Agent Lei is intent on making this raid his big break to get back into the favor of the FBI. Detective Prussia has the feeling that Diana Carter’s involvement in all of this is about to backfire in Lei’s face. He can’t help but to feel a bit of satisfaction that she is doing it to someone else this time.
Agents and Officers alike spread out over the building securing every floor of the office building. Every other business and office is put on lockdown as the teams make their way to the twelfth floor offices of Open World Logistics. As Prussia and Lei enter the offices behind the incursion squad, Detective Prussia is surprised to see Dee Moore who looks very different from Diana Carter who he believed to be impersonating her to find the O.W.L.
Over the next two hours every person in the Open World Logistics office is taken into custody and accounted for, except Antonia Simpatico. Her assistant Thomas Billard, insists that she was in her office the last time he saw her. He has no idea where she could have gone without him seeing her leave. Agent Lei is not pleased with any of the interviews he does with the staff. It would seem that Simopatic has completely covered her tracks, with the exception of Thomas Billard no one can even remember ever even meeting the woman CEO.
Detective Prussia has taken a different angle on the raid. His focus is on the receptionist, Dee Moore. He knows that Diana Carter was using her identity, but what he does not understand is how no one recognized the switch. Taking Moore into a private office he begins his interview with her. Taking the woman’s wallet from her purse to find her Driver’s license in it. Prussia places the I.D. card in front of the young woman on the table. “This says you are Dee Moore of 315 E 57th street, Apt. 34g, New York City, NY,” the detective asserts to the rather nervous woman seated at the table. “You are not the woman I interviewed after a mugging last week.” “How is that possible?”
“Mistaken identity, I guess,” Dee replies.
“There was no mistake of identity, I completely recognized her and she looked nothing like you!” Detective Prussia informs the uncomfortable young woman who squirms in her seat. “I don’t need to know why she did it, I only want to know how!” Dee Moore remains tight lipped knowing that if she wants to stay safe and keep up her end of the deal she made with Miracle Maiden she can not reveal anything to this detective. “I know there is something you aren’t telling me.” “Somehow you seem to be immune to whatever is going on with your co-workers.” “If you tell me what you know, I will make sure you will not be arrested with the rest of them.”
“Detective, I swear I am just the receptionist here,” Dee pleads nervously. “I don’t even know anything about what this company does or Miracle Maiden.”
“Miracle Maiden?” Detective Prussia repeats. “Who said anything about Miracle Maiden?” Dee knows she has screwed up now as she bursts into tears. The thought of losing the gift she has been given for her cooperation in this mess breaks her heart. Detective Prussia reaches out to touch the young woman’s shoulder handing her a box of tissues. “It is going to be alright, you’ve told me more than enough.” Prussia tells her. “Let me walk you out, we will not be needing anything elses from you today.
After Dee has pulled herself together Detective Prussia walks her to the elevator. They don’t speak again until they reach the front door away from all of the armed policemen standing guard. “The next time you see her, tell her that it is time to stop playing these games!” he tells her before sending her out the door. “Make sure you go straight home now, Miss Moore.” The mention of Miracle Maiden is the final piece in the puzzle that convinces Prussia that Diana and she are the same person.
Cena’s Pizza
127 Main St
Flushing, NY
Miracle Maiden has continued her walk through Queens coming upon a small Mom and Pop Pizza shop. It is mid-afternoon and the lunch rush has ended. The thought of a late lunch sounds good to her as she enters the shop. She pushes on the door to find it locked. Inside the Pizza place she can see three men standing in ski masks each of them holding a gun while one shouts at the woman behind the counter. “Move it lady, I want all of your lunch rush take!” The older woman fumbles with the cash from the register drawer as she stuffs it in a bag.
One of the men turns to see Miracle Maiden as she phases through the locked door. “Hold it right there Bitch!” he shouts aiming his gun at her.
“I am really beginning to think my name should be Bitch Maiden,” she says with a smile blasting the loudmouth with her eye beams. He tumbles to the floor as she turns to the second man who trembles in fear as he drops his gun. Before she can apprehend the man collecting the money he is running out the back door of the Pizza place. “Sorry pal but I can’t let you leave,” she says blasting the frightened man unconscious with his friend. “Call 911!” she shouts at the woman behind the counter.
Miracle Maiden chases the third man out the back door around down an alley back to the street. He has all ready yanked open the door to a car sitting along the curb to throw its drive to the street. Miracle Maiden runs to the woman’s aid as her car speeds away from the curb into traffic nearly hitting several other cars. “My baby, my baby!” the woman cries. “She is in the back seat of the car!”
“It’s going to be alright, I’ll get your car and baby back safely,” Miracle Maiden tells the woman as she vanishes.
Several blocks down the street Miracle Maiden reappears. She steps out into traffic in front of the speeding car. This is going to be tricky but she is sure she can do it as she turns her back to the car. The thief hits the gas at the sight of the woman wearing red in the street ahead. He strikes her down but to his shock she passes through the front of the car coming to rest in the passenger seat next to him.
“I think you have had enough fun for one day,” Miracle Maiden tells him. His reply is to pull the gun from his pocket and point it at her. “Have you even looked in the back seat?” she asks, gesturing back over the seat. An infant sits strapped into a car carrier. “You’ve added kidnapping to armed robbery, are you looking to go for a home run with attempted murder?”
Panicked the man shouts, shaking the gun at Miracle Maiden, “Just get out of the car and take the baby!”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that but we can do this the hard way if you would like,” she replies. Miracle Maiden can tell that the thief is a kid, most likely younger than her and frightened. Her best bet to keep her promise is talk him down. “I’m sure you think you have a good reason for doing what you have done so far, but is it good enough to steal a child from its mother?” She can see a change in his eyes as she jerks the wheel swerving to the curb. Grabbing the bag of money on the seat between them he throws open the door to make a run for it.
The baby safe, Miracle Maiden turns off the key then moves to give pursuit. But even before she has phased all the way through the car door she hears the squeal of tires and a thump. Running into the street she can see that the thief has been hit by an oncoming car. The driver is jumping from his car as the traffic at the intersection grinds to a halt. Sprinting across the street Miracle Maiden kneels on the pavement to inspect the man bleeding there.
He has a dislocated shoulder and broken arm, Blood pours from a cut on his head that she quickly moves to heal. Miracle Maiden remembers what Officer Mantello told her early, leave some evidence. Once she stops the bleeding she removes her hands from the man. He will live and be able to face his punishment.
Police and Ambulance arrive on the scene as Miracle Maiden retrieves the baby from the car to walk it back down the street to a crying mother. “Oh thank you, thank you,” the woman sobs as she takes her baby from Miracle Maiden.
“Your car is down the street, I’m sure the police there will take your statement,” Miracle Maiden tells the relieved woman.
Dunkin Donuts
79-27 Main St
Flushing, NY
Isiah Kroner sits at a table watching the events that take place in the street outside. He watches Miracle Maiden on the street as she performs incredible feats. He can feel a familiar energy witnessing the events as the police arrive. He knows this woman, he is sure she is the one who stole his power. Who else could she be? Diana Carter has grown into a woman still with a do-gooder attitude.
The job as a coach at a private school school was meant to be the starting point for his career. He planned to become an Olympic coach and win fame and riches. Diana Carter spoiled all of that by stealing his power. He had spent years in Africa going through the rituals to gain each one of the brands he wore on his flesh. He learned to use each of the hard won markings on his body. They were the key to his success but that little witch stole it all from him by healing the scarification he had worked so hard to earn.
In the years since Kroner traveled back to Africa to learn that the loss of his scars was periminate. Something about what the girl had done to him made it impossible for him to regain his scarification and power. So he continued his studies elsewhere gaining power that was but a shadow of what he once had. He returned to New York only a month ago and now he sits in a coffee shop confronted with the woman who ruined all of his dreams. It is time she paid for what she did to him, he thinks. If he can not regain the power she stole from him he will at least have his revenge!
Kroner is surprised as he exits the coffee shop to watch Miracle Maiden simply walk away from the scene down the street. He begins to follow Miracle Maiden, it isn’t long before he realizes that she has no apparent destination. The woman appears to not have a care in the world. For a moment Kroner questions if his assumption about this woman is wrong. His desire for revenge will not allow him to doubt himself for too long as he goes completely unnoticed by Miracle Maiden as she walks the city street.
Detective Sgt. Prussia and Special Agent Lei’s office
New York City Hall
City Hall Park
New York, NY
Returning to their office after a disappointing raid at Open World Logistics, Prussia and Lei sit down to watch the news while they eat lunch. “Looks like your girl is on patrol today,” Agent Lei comments pointing to the TV mounted on the wall.
Detective Prussia drops his sandwich back to the box it came in. “Something is very wrong, she should be in hiding,” he announces in shock.
“What are you talking about,” Lei replies. “It is a good thing that she has come out of hiding, gives us proof that she exists.” “Plus it makes it easier for us to keep track of her movements.”
“That is not my point,” Prussia says going back to his sandwich while still eyeing the TV. He was sure that Miracle Maiden’s recent absence from public was because Diana Carter was faking her own death, taking her alter-ego with her. Now to watch her in the news report acting more like that guy Master Warrior over in Philly than the secretive woman she has been. He can’t help but to wonder if she confronted the Owl before she vanished. “The point is why the sudden change of M.O.?” “Why go full on public now?” “I hadn’t mentioned it before to you but I believe Miracle Maiden was working behind the scenes on this O.W.L. case.” “I believe Simpatico may have been one of her targets.” Detective Prussia is still playing his cards close to his chest, not sure how completely he can trust his new FBI partner.
“Do you think she got to the O.W.L. before we did?” Agent Lei quizzes. “Like the Minerva case?”
“I can’t be sure, it is possible,” Prussia admits. “We need to know what the team found out from all of the stuff we confiscated at O.W.L. as quickly as possible.”
Parsons Megawash Laundromat
7909 Parsons Blvd
Fresh Meadows, NY
Miracle Maiden hears shouting from inside the Laundromat and goes to investigate. Inside Miracle Maiden makes her way to the dry cleaning counter where the clerk, an elderly Chinese woman, argues with a customer over a missing button on a rather expensive looking coat. Miracle Maiden’s entry into the cleaners draws the elderly clerk’s attention away from the irate customer fueling his anger more.
“What the hell is so interesting behind me!” the man shouts turning to see the red and yellow dressed woman. “Who the hell are you supposed to be?” he shouts.
Kroner follows close behind Miracle Maiden, hoping that this is his chance to corner his foe. Isaih Kroner’s presence in the laundromat is enough for him to cause everyone in the place to feel a sudden rush of fear. Fear of everything and nothing at all, a feeling of uncertainty washes over the establishment. Children begin to cry as if on cue as Kroner walks by them through the rows of washers. Mothers feel a tinge of anger at the children who are causing them embarrassment at their unexplainable out bursts.
As Kroner approaches the entranceway into the Dry Cleaning part of the business he makes eye contact with the clerk from fifteen feet away. The clerk is suddenly overcome with a surge of fear that leads her to reach for the handgun under the counter. The elderly Chinese woman is much swifter than anyone could guess as she points the gun at the back of the customer’s head as he looks at Miracle Maiden.
Miracle Maiden reacts even swifter, pushing the customer aside to put herself between him and the bullet fired by the frightened old woman. There is a silence in the Laundromat for a moment after the gun is fired, that is followed by panic. Miracle Maiden grabs the gun crushing the as she pulls it from the Chinese clerk’s hand.
“What the hell!” the man shouts as he leans against the wall. “All I wanted was for you to do is replace a lost button!” The fear then consumes the previously angry man as he flees the store.
Turning back to the old woman Miracle Maiden asks, “Why would you do that?” The old woman behind the counter burst into tears as she began to rant in Chinese. Her attention on calming the clerk Miracle Maiden doesn’t even notice as Kroner steps into the room to steal a strand of hair from her sleeve. Not wanting to risk being recognized he quickly leaves the scene, taking with him all of the fear he brought into the laundromat.
The New York Bulletin
4501 Rockefeller Center
New York City, NY
Martin Harper arrives at his desk just as the phone rings. He answers the phone to the voice of a rather excited woman. “My son, he is back!” The woman shouts frantically into the phone.
“Excuse me, who is this?” Harper asks.
“Doris, Doris Archer,” the woman pants. “There was a falling star last night.” “Afterward Scott just came walking across the backyard toward me.” “He was acting strange, confused.” “I brought him inside, put him in his old room for the night.” “He acted as if he had never seen it before then as if he thought he would never see it again.” “Then this morning he was gone before I got up.”
“I know you really miss him Mrs. Archer, but are you sure it wasn’t a dream?”
“No!” the woman shouted angrily over the phone. “It was not a dream and I have proof!”
“What would that proof be?” Harper says in a condescending tone.
“His room is turned inside out!” Doris Archer shouts into the receiver. “I need for you to come see…..” the phone goes dead.
“Mrs. Archer,” Martin calls into the phone as the dial tone returns. “Mrs. Archer!” he shouts again, listening for a few minutes before hanging up the phone. Something is wrong, he just can’t be sure what. Another trip up state to Doris Archer’s home will take the rest of the day, he thinks. Sitting back down in his chair he stares at his desk for a minute. It has been a week since he had a decent story for publication. Is this really worth while?
Isiah Kroner’s room
Boarding House Boro Park
1654 58th St
Brooklyn, NY
Having acquired a strand of Miracle Maiden’s hair Kroner prepares the ritual. Sealing the windows of his small room to prevent any light from coming into it. On a small table covered with a dark linen cloth against the wall he places a hand-hammered copper bowl. He lights several candles on the table in a pentagram design formed with bone bust around the bowl before switching off the light. Beginning to chant Kroner takes a vial from a cedar box on the floor next to him pouring goat fat oil into the bowl. Then adding several other herbal ingredients he begins to chant faster swaying over the table. As he adds the strand of hair to the mixture he knows he has only one chance at casting this spell.
Raising his arm over the bowl he takes a knife to slice his palm open to drip his blood into the mixture. Chanting louder now he lifts the candle at the bottom point with his bloody hand tossing it into the bowl igniting the potion with flames. The oil burns as the flames consume the contents of the bowl. When the fire burns out the spell is done, he need only wait for his revenge to come to pass.
New York City Rescue Mission
90 Lafayette St
New York, NY
After spending the day walking the streets of New York Miracle Maiden arrives at a food kitchen of the New York City Rescue Mission. She takes some time meeting the people working at the kitchen and offering to help feed the homeless who have come in for a meal. After several hours serving the staff of the shelter offer Miracle Maiden to stay for a meal which she does gladly.
“So, helping out at a Rescue Mission isn’t really what I would think someone like you would be doing,” the manager Greg suggests to Miracle Maiden as she sits eating with the rest of the staff.
“What should I be doing then?” Miracle Maiden asks naively. “If my goal is to help people in need, isn’t this doing that?”
“What Greg means is, if you have superpowers,” Tammy one of the other volunteers says scepetively. “Shouldn’t you be out saving the world?”
“There is more than one way to save the world,” Miracle Maiden suggests. “I feel that every little bit helps.” “There is no harm in doing the small things to help others in need.”
“So tell me Miracle Maiden is this your first time seeing this side of life in the city?” Tammy asks, sounding even more judgemental than before.
“I don’t really know,” Miracle Maiden replies. “I don’t really have that many memories from before today.” “A few bits and pieces, that is all.”
Greg, the manager of the Rescue Mission shows real concern at Miracle Maiden’s statement. “What do you mean you have know memories?” “Have you been injured somehow?”
“I don’t believe I have, I feel fine, I just assumed there really wasn’t that much for me to remember,” Miracle Maiden replies, not sounding at all concerned about her situation.
“Do you remember where you live?” Greg asks sincerely to the grimace from his associate Tammy.
“I live in New York City,” Miracle Maiden says, completely unconcerned by her predicament.
Tammy is still not impressed by this woman’s story as she responds, “No, he means an address in the city.” “Where do you sleep?”
“Oh,” Miracle Maiden says. “I don’t think I have one of those.” “I don’t remember it anyway if I do.”
“Then perhaps you should stay here for the night,” Greg suggests. “I can have a doctor come by to look at you tomorrow.”
“No, no I don’t want to put you to any trouble,” the heroine says with a smile. “I’ll be just fine, the city is my home.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, that is what the Mission is here for,” Greg tells Miracle Maiden. “I will go prepare a place for you to stay.”
As Greg gets up from the table Tammy glares at Miracle Maiden with disdain. Finally she speaks unrestrained once Greg and the others have left the room, “You are no better than anyone else here at this Mission.” “Just another crazy homeless person.” “Perhaps you are even less than them, with all your power you still have nothing!” Tammy stands up appearing to be taller than the five feet, four inches she was while serving dinner. “You don’t even have a real name, only something some reporter at the Bulletin made up for you!” “Are you even human?” “How can you be human and have no past?” “No parents, no home, no friends!”
“No! No! that isn’t true!” Miracle Maiden shouts at the irate woman. “I have friends, I have a past!” She begins to sob slightly feeling regret as if what she has just said is a complete lie. She must have friends, a family, but she can’t remember any of it. Miracle Maiden is overcome by anxiety and fear as the angry Mission volunteer walks away from the table toward the kitchen. “How is any of this possible?” Suddenly alone in the room, she feels as though she needs to leave, she can’t stay here any longer!
Getting up from the table nearly knocking it over Miracle Maiden runs for the door sobbing. Why can’t she remember who she is? The question keeps running through her mind. Is she human? Is she some kind of science experiment gone wrong? Made in a lab somewhere in secret?
Fleeing back out into the streets of New York City, Miracle Maiden is confused and very frightened. She begins to walk pushing people aside. People on the street look at her with disgust as she pushes by them. Soon she is running down the sidewalk, her mind racing perhaps even faster than her feet. The cold February night seems to vanish as the friction of the air on her skin warms her body. The cars and people on the street seem to disappear as her speed increases. It is not long before she is crossing a bridge out of the city.
When Miracle Maiden finally comes to a stop she is outside an old gothic manor house. It is rather run down, but somehow familiar to her. She has been here before, this is Minerva Alpine’s house. Miracle Maiden walks around the unkept lawn outside as the cold of February returns. The last time she was here the back of the house was damaged by fire because of an explosion that had happened on her first visit. Now there is no sign of any fire damage at all. The back porch is far from new or even repaired, it looks as it did before the explosion. Miracle Maiden begins to fear that even the memories she has are not real.
Nevertheless it is cold as Miracle Maiden steps up onto the old wooden porch to approach the back door of the manor house. Knocking on the cracked paint of the old wooden screen door she calls out, “Hello, is anyone home?” At first there is no response from inside the house but she can see a light on in the kitchen. “Hello?” she calls out again. Then she hears footsteps coming toward the door. When the inside door opens the light almost blinds her as the smell of fresh Apple pie washes over her standing on the porch.
“Oh Miracle Maiden, how wonderful to see you again,” Minerva Alpine says as she comes into sight. “Please, please come in, I was just about to take my pie out of the oven.”
This woman knows her, Miracle Maiden thinks as she steps into the manor house. She remembers Minerva Alpine as well but has no idea how. It is like she remembers the woman from someone else’s life. Miracle Maiden watches as the older woman dressed in a very dated house dress and apron reaches into the oven to retrieve her apple pie. If there is one thing she somehow remembers it is that Minerva Alpine was no Martha Stewart. The woman probably hadn’t used a kitchen a day in her life!
“How is it that you know me?” Miracle Maiden asks as the woman lifts her pie to the cooling rack on the counter.
“We met at the laboratory where we were born, of course,” Minerva replies very nonchalantly. “Surely you remember the laboratory, after all it has only been a few years since you were created there.” “Now sit down at the table and I will bring you a piece of this hot Apple pie.”
“No that isn’t right!” Miracle Maiden exclaims. “I wasn’t created in some kind of laboratory!” As Minerva approaches, carrying a plate with a slice of pie Miracle Maiden slaps it from her hand. “I was born, I have a family!”
“And I had a full set of China,” Minerva replies clearly upset by the broken plate on the floor. “If you have a family, then what are their names?” “Where do they live?”
“I…I….I don’t know,” Miracle Maiden stammers.
“Because they don’t exist!” Minerva shouts in Miracle Maiden’s face. “Don’t you dare come in here all high and mighty trying to say you are better than me!” “We are the same, nothings, created in a laboratory to be toys of our master!”
“No, that isn’t true!” Miracle Maiden shouts turning away from Minerva. At the doorway into the dinning room another familiar person stands. She knows this large black man as well. His name is Detective Nathan Prussia. “What are you doing here?” she asks, somehow feeling calmed by his presence.
“I am here to put you out of your misery,” Detective Prussia says, drawing his gun from its holster to point it at Miracle Maiden.
“You’re a policeman, you can’t just shoot someone and get away with it!” Miracle Maiden exclaims.
Detective Prussia smiles, “That is the thing, you are nobody, you always were.” “No one will even know you existed after I get rid of you!”
“NO!” Miracle Maiden shouts, firing a full intensity Bio-blast at the detective. Her eyes burn as she unleashes her power like never before. When she can see clearly again all that remains of the man is his gun that falls to the floor with a clunk.
“Well you are someone now, a murderer,” Minerva comments as she eats her apple pie directly from the pan. “They will cut you into little pieces for that no doubt.”
“No, no this isn’t possible that isn’t how my power works,” Miracle Maiden mumbles in shock at the sight of the pile of ashes on the floor where Detective Prussia stood. “It affects Bio-energy, it can’t disinagate someone!”
“Apparently it can,” another voice says from the hallway door. “It will take some time and some study but I will learn how this happened.”
Miracle Maiden turns to see a man who she knows only as Dr. Woodlawn. She knows nothing else about him and isn’t sure she can even trust him after what happened with Prussia. “Stay back,” Miracle Maiden warns. “I don’t want to hurt anyone else!”
“Not to worry, you can’t hurt me,” Dr. Woodlawn tells her with a grin. “Now it is time you came back to the laboratory with me.”
Miracle Maiden stands confused and frightened as she looks to the two people eyeing her maliciously. Then to the dust on the floor by the dinning room door. Perhaps they are right she does need to be put down. She has killed a man in self-defense but it makes no difference to the fact that she killed him. She needs to atone for that murder.
The home of Doris Archer
113 Pleasant St
Norwich, NY
Martin Harper has driven for most of the afternoon in a company car. By the end of the drive his clothing stinks of the smoke from the cigarettes of the last person to use the car. He arrives at the home of Doris Archer around sunset. The last time Harper was here it took him some time to find the house because the deed is in the name of Doris Archer’s second husband Raymond Hartman. When he met Doris she explained to him that she never took the name Hartman because it would be a disrespect to her son Scott’s father. It made little sense to the reporter but neither did anything else the distraught mother told him about her son. Doris lived alone after her son’s disappearance because her husband could no longer deal with the loss of her son.
The house is dark and quiet when he rings the doorbell. There is no response so he knocks on the door before trying the locked knob. Still nothing, leading the reporter to investigate around to the back of the house. The house’s property is backed up to a small wooded area. He finds several odd things in the backyard. For one thing a smell of ozone hangs in the still evening air. Taking a small flashlight from his pocket the reporter walks to the edge of the property near where the tree line begins. There in the grass he finds a burn mark identical to the one found on the football field at the college where Scott disappeared.
Pulling his jacket collar up, Harper looks up into the sky as the star begins to become visible after the sun has set. It is a clear night and he can’t help but to think of the theory put forth by the ground’s keeper at the college, alien abduction. As ridiculous as it sounded at the time, Harper can’t help but to think if something took Scott leaving that burnt mark in the grass, it would undoubtedly return him the same way. Again Martin Harper shines the flashlight down on the burnt spot in the grass. It appears fresher than the one at the college, could that crazy old ground’s keeper be right?” He has seen some fantastic things in the past few years.
Turning to head back to the house he sees a light on in the window over the kitchen sink. It is a cold evening and he would much rather be at home right now. This story turned out to be a dead end the last time he investigated it. The back door to the house is unlocked allowing him to enter the kitchen. The phone receiver on the wall hangs at the end of its cord, still buzzing the disconnection tone. Harper walks over to use his gloved hand to hang it up before calling out, “Hello, Mrs. Archer?” “Are you home?” Clearly she is not, must have left suddenly, apparently while talking to him on the phone.
“Hello,” he calls out again walking into the living room. Again he smells the Ozone in the room. The odor becomes stronger as he walks toward the room that he was told Ray Hartman used as a home office. “Hello?” he calls again, opening the door to the office. The moment he opens the door his nose is struck by a much worse smell. It has a smell of burnt flesh and something much more horrible. There is more than that, all of the walls have exposed studs. Looking closer at the walls Martin notices nail tips poking through the sheet rock. It is like someone turned the walls around to put the sheet rock on the back of the studs. The best way to describe the furniture is that it has been turned inside-out. That is what Mrs. Archer said on the phone that Scott’s room had ben turned inside-out.
Walking around the disfigured desk, what Harper finds on the floor is beyond description. He can only assume that it is a man whose flesh has been turned inside-out like the interior of the room. Backing away from the body he exits the room to close the door tightly. The smell lingering in his nose and the image of the body in his mind, Martin has the urge to vomit, but he holds it back. From the size of the body there is no way it is Doris Archer, he can only guess that it is Raymond Hartman dead on his office room floor.
Before looking any further in the house Martin returns to the kitchen where he calls 911. “I have found a dead body,” Martin tells the 911 operator. “The address is 113 Pleasant St, Norwich, NY, I will wait outside for someone to arrive.” A good reporter would search the rest of the house before the authorities arrive, Martin thinks. But if whoever did that to the man in the office is still here, Martin Harper has no desire to meet them in person. Heading back out the kitchen door the reporter returns to his car to wait for the police. He runs several different scenarios through his head, all of them come back to Scott Archer returning for revenge. Clearly this is only the beginning if that is true, it puts Diana Carter next on list most likely.
Tuesday, February 9, 1988
New York City Rescue Mission
90 Lafayette St
New York, NY
Miracle Maiden wakes in a strange room, she is laying under a coarse blanket on a folding cot. Sitting up she realizes that she is soaked with sweat. From the sunlight peeking through the window she can tell that it is early morning. A man enters the room and she recognizes him as Greg from the Rescue Mission. “I was beginning to wonder if you were going to wake up today?” he says smiling.
Confused Miracle Maiden stares at the man blankly. What is she doing back here? Wait there are other faces flashing through her mind, but she can not put names to those faces. Was it all a dream? “What happened?” she asks. “How did I get here?”
Greg smiles at her pleasantly, “After you help serve dinner to the walk-ins I asked you to stay to have something to eat yourself.” “Before you could answer you had some kind of seizure.” “Some of the other guys and I carried you back here to my office.” “You had a raging fever.”
“A fever?” Miracle Maiden repeats confused. “That doesn’t seem possible.”
“I stayed with you all night and you were talking up a storm,” Greg tells her. “Calling out to people, Minerva, Prussia, and Woodlawn.” “Do you remember anything from your dream?”
“No, it is all a jumble,” Miracle Maiden tells the friendly man.
“Oddly enough Woodlawn is the doctor who volunteers his time here at the mission,” Greg explains. “I’m just coming back from calling him to come by and have a look at you.”
“No, that won’t be necessary, I’m fine,” Miracle Maiden insists standing up unsteady from the cot.
“Well it is too late, he is already on his way,” Greg says, sitting her back down on the cot. “He was very eager to see you when I told him who you were.” “You still seem weak, were you attacked by someone?” “I know people like you make enemies quickly.”
Miracle Maiden leans forward to put her face in her hands to think. Clearly he is right. There is something wrong with her. She tries to piece her dream back together but it scares her to think about it. The whole thing feels like it was her greatest fears rolled into one and she still feels that overpowering fear. “I can’t remember much,” Miracle Maiden finally admits. “It is like I am only a few months old.”
“Maybe I can help,” Greg says, pulling up his chair in front of her next to the cot. “What is the first thing you remember yesterday morning?”
“I remember going to an office building, I think I worked there,” Miracle Maiden confesses. “Is that possible?” “Do I have a normal job?”
“It is possible,” Greg suggests. “What was the name of the place?”
She struggles to concentrate to remember. “I don’t know.” “The next thing I remember was people calling my name in the street, taking pictures.”
“What about before yesterday?” Greg asks.
“I can remember being trained to use my powers, but I can’t remember where or by whom,” Miracle Maiden tells Greg. “My first clear memory is in an office filled with cubicles being attacked by gunmen and protecting a cab driver.” It is then that there is a knock on the office door. The door creaks open and Dr. Woodlawn steps into the room. “You, I remember you,” Miracle Maiden says at the sight of the man. “You were at the clinic when Overmind attacked.” “You were hurt and then…”
Dr. Woodlawn stops Miracle Maiden from finishing her sentence. “Yes that is right,” he interrupts. “I understand you have been ill.”
“She seems fine now, it is just her memory that appears to be the problem,” Greg explains.
“Greg, why don’t you get to work?” “Give us some privacy while I examine our mutual friend,” Dr. Woodlawn suggests. Greg nods his head and leaves the room. “Being sick doesn’t sound like you at all,” Dr. Woodlawn says, opening his bag. Taking a penlight from his bag he uses it to look into Miracle Maiden’s eyes. Then he stands back and looks at her body language. “You seem different, more innocent than the last time we met.”
“What do you mean?” Miracle Maiden asks.
“Why don’t you tell me what is the last thing you did yesterday,” Woodlawn suggests. Miracle Maiden tells the doctor the same thing she told Greg and he has a much different reaction.
“You confronted the OWL, I should have warned you how dangerous she is,” Woodlawn says out of the blue. “I thought you could handle her.” Miracle Maiden doesn’t have any idea what he is talking about, but his worry shows on his face. “Her power is a virus that invades your body, gives her control of your mind.” “I have to admit I’m surprised it even worked on you at all.” “Your body fighting that virus would explain the fever, but not why you couldn’t heal yourself.”
“Do you know who I really am?” Miracle Maiden pleads.
“I could tell you everything you need to know, but that would not undo what the OWL did to you,” Dr. Woodlawn explains. “You need to heal yourself.” “There must be something else, something blocking you from healing yourself.”
“Perhaps if I just concentrate on healing it will do what you suggest,” Miracle Maiden offers. Miracle Maiden closes her eyes turning her focus inward. She concentrates on her breathing first and then moves to the rythem of her heart beat as she dives in deeper than she ever has before to examine every molecule in her body. It is a thorough journey that takes only a few minutes. Suddenly the images of her dream rush back to her all at once. As does the fear that caused the dream to be blocked from her conscious mind. Miracle Maiden screams out at the top of her lungs as she opens her eyes. Panicked and frightened she pulls away from Dr. Woodlawn. Scrambling back on the small cot against the wall her eyes glow with a pink light as she is ready to fire a blast at him.
“What is going on here?” the Mission manager Greg asks as he rushes back into his office. “Holy shit, Doc what did you do?”
“It is not what I did, it is what did she see?” Dr. Woodlawn replies.
“I saw you,” Miracle Maiden shouts, pointing at Dr. Woodlawn. “I saw you doing horrible things to me in a laboratory!” “Cutting me, peeling off my flesh to watch it grow back!”
“Miracle Maiden that must have been in your dream,” Greg tells her, trying to calm her down. “I promise you Dr. Woodlawn would never do anything like that!” Greg takes a leap of faith to take a hold of her hand and lower it. “You must have just remembered your dream from last night.” “You said it yourself, that you had met Dr. Woodlawn before.” “It is common for the subconscious to inject real people into dreams.”
“It is fear that stops her from healling herself,” Dr. Woodlawn says frozen in place, not wanting to be the target of one of her bio-blasts. “Someone is forcing her to experience her greatest fear and that is what is preventing her from healling what the OWL did to her mind.” “If you are to heal yourself you must first overcome that fear.”
“How would I do that?” Miracle Maiden asks as her eyes calm back to normal.
“I don’t know,” Dr Woodlawn says.
“I must admit I don’t completely understand what the two of you are talking about,” Greg says, “but as a Psychologist I would suggest focus on another emotion to overcome your fear.” “Can you remember feeling any strong emotions about anything else, love perhaps?”
Miracle Maiden is quiet for a moment, she can’t remember feeling love for anything or anyone. Thinking back through her few memories, Master Warrior comes to mind, but it is frustration that she feels for him not love. “There is a person that comes to mind but it is not love I feel for him.” “It is frustration.”
“Would you say, a sexual frustration,” Greg inquires. “I don’t mean to get too personal, but some time we are frustrated by the things we want and can not have.”
Miracle Maiden blushes at the thought of Greg’s suggestion. “I guess he is attractive, in a brutish, mocho, arrevating sort of way.” “But I can’t get past his Showboating attitude.”
“One of the first things we are taught about emotions is that hate is not the opposite of love, apathy is,” Greg adds to the discussion.
“Somehow I think curing her has more to do with what was in her dream than what is in her limited memories,” Dr. Woodlawn suggests. “Was Master Warrior in your dream?”
“No,” Miracle Maiden answers.
“Was there anyone else in the dream who attacked you?” the doctor asks, stepping closer.
Miracle Maiden still feels threatened by him as she gets up from the cot to move away. “You were there, a woman named Minerva, and a Detective Prussia.”
“Then it is Detective Prussia and I who you must focus on,” Dr. Woodlawn explains. “Maybe if you saw that it was all only a dream.”
“What about the woman she mentioned, Minerva?” Greg interjects.
“That will not be possible, let me just say Minerva is out of reach,” Dr. Woodlawn explains. “But I know how to find Detective Prussia.”
McDonald’s
2549 Broadway
New York, NY
Dr. Woodlawn and Miracle Maiden seek out Detective Prussia at the place he had met secretly with the detective previously. Dr. Woodlawn called from Greg’s phone to leave a message on Prussia’s voice mail, he can only hope that the detective gets it in time. Woodlawn had suggested that Miracle Maiden put on something to cover her attention attracting outfit, but she refused. She insisted that this is the only thing she has ever worn and that she can not change her clothing ever! Although he does manage to get her to put on a dark coat over her red costume.
They sit at a table eating not really talking at all. Miracle Maiden still draws attention from the other patraints even with her costume partially hidden. The moment Detective Prussia walks into the fast food place it is clear that he is not happy with what he sees sitting in his booth. The detective makes eye contact with the doctor tilting his head to the side before walking back out of the McDonald’s.
“Come on, we are going,” Dr. Woodlawn tells Miracle Maiden as he gets up. Miracle Maiden drops her French Fries to follow after the doctor. She still isn’t sure if she should trust this man but at this point she only wants answers.
Outside Prussia waits at the corner bus stop watching for them to come out of the restaurant. He makes sure they see him get on the bus. Woodlawn grabs Miracle Maiden’s arm to drag her down the street and onto the bus. Woodlawn spots Prussia at the back of the bus. The doctor takes Miracle Maiden back to sit next to him. Miracle Maiden is clearly disturbed at the sight of the detective. She can feel her eyes warm and she closes them to hide the glow.
“Are you kidding me, bringing her in there?” Prussia whispers as they sit down.
“She needs help and I think you are the key,” Dr. Woodlawn tells the detective. “You can help her in ways I can’t.”
“What are you talking about?” Prussia asks. “Suddenly you are willing to work with me?”
“This has nothing to do with me,” Woodlawn tells the detective. “She confronted the OWL.” “The Owl has the power to manipulate people’s minds.” “She can make you believe anything she wants and she has convinced Miracle Maiden that she has no life beyond the name.”
“You are talking about Antonia Simpatico?” Detective Prussia suggests. “What do you know about her?” “Where has she gone?”
“That doesn’t matter now,” Woodlawn insists. “In this condition, Miracle Maiden could be a danger to herself and others.” “I believe someone else has done something to prevent her from healing herself from what the OWL did to her.”
“How is it a V.A. doctor knows so much about a Zeni-human that just showed up recently?” Detective Prussian asks.
Dr Woodlawn’s frustration shows on his face, if he hadn’t recently decided that Miracle Maiden was key to his plans he would not even bother with this Detective but it is clear to him he is going to need to give, to get. “I worked in Military Intelligence and we were studying Zeni-humans before anyone in law enforcement had even heard of them.” “Now she needs your help to conquer her phobia.”
Detective Prussia really looks at Miracle Maiden for the first time and her body language is completely different from what he has known of her in the past. She is clearly afraid of something and from the glow in her eyes he can’t help but to believe it is him. “You’re the doctor here, what can I do for her?” Prussia asks.
“She believes that she is alone in the world and that the people who can most help her are a threat to her life.” Woodlawn explains. “That fear is what is holding her back from healing herself.” “We have to convince her otherwise.”
“How do you propose we do that?” Prussia asks as the bus comes to a stop at Central Park. “I’m going to guess that this bus is not the right place to do this.” The three get off the bus and walk into the park looking for a less crowded spot to continue this attempt to free Miracle Maiden.
Suddenly Dr. Woodlawn coughs and blood runs from his lips. The others turn to watch in horror as a large machete blade protrudes from his chest. The man tumbles forward to the ground off the hunting knife to reveal the man behind holding it.
Instinctively Prussia reaches for his gun when he sees the well-built black man with a shaved head welding the knife. “You were supposed to be dead!” Kroner shouts at Miracle Maiden.
“Let’s just calm down brother, no one else needs to get hurt today,” Detective Prussia says holding his gun on the clearly frantic man. “Put down the knife and we can talk this over.”
“I’m not your brother!” Kroner shouts. “I used the most power spell I know to instill a fear in her that should have killed her!” “Yet she still lives, to walk the streets.”
“If it is me you want, why kill Dr. Woodlawn like this?” Miracle Maiden asks only wanting to try to save the bleeding man on the ground. But she knows it might put Detective Prussia at risk, even if she still does not trust him. She can see the anger in the attackers eyes which she knows leaves her only one option. But after what happened in her dream when she used her power of Detective Prussia it has left her with overcoming her fear.
Miracle Maiden’s hesitation gives Kroner an opening as he charges forward to swing his blade down on Detective Prussia’s forearm. Instantly the man’s hand holding his gun is lopped off dropping to the ground. The horror of seeing Prussia’s severed arm gushing blood as he staggers back ignites something deep inside Miracle Maiden. There is no more time for fear or hesitation. For the first time she recognizes the man as Coach Kroner from high school. “You bastard!” she shouts releasing an eye blast so intense Kroner is sent into the air and back down to the ground several feet away. She has no idea if she has killed him or not, she doesn’t care!
Rushing to Detective Prussia who has fallen to the ground in shock, she scoops up his severed gun hand. “Try to breathe,” she tells him, pulling the gun from his detached hand. “I’ve never tried this before I hope it works,” she says holding his severed hand to his bleeding stump. Prussia can not speak, he can only watch as he feels a warming in his arm where Miracle Maiden holds the two pieces of his limb together. She grimaces as she fights to increase the flow of her power into his arm to heal the two pieces back into one. Miracle Maiden’s hands covered in the man’s blood she begins to feel dizzy as she falls back away from Detective Prussia.
His heart still racing Detective Prussia can’t believe what she just did. He lifts his arm to look at his hand now fully attached. He wiggles his fingers and then squeezes them into a fist. “You fucking reattatched my hand!” he exclaims.
Her hands still covered in his blood Miracle Maiden straightens up to look at the new scar that encircles the cop’s wrist. “It worked!” she announces more than a little surprised herself. Speeding the healing between the two parts this quickly before there was cell decay was only a theory that Shanna had put forth in her training. “It really worked,” She smiles, taking his hand. “I would go easy on it for a while though.” she suggests examining it closer. “Maybe get it x-rayed.”
“But what about Woodlawn?” Prussia asks looking to where the doctor fell on the path. To his surprise there isn’t even a trace of the man or his blood on the ground.
“I’m fine,” Dr. Woodlawns calls from where he checks on the unconscious Kroner. Woodlawn’s shirt still bears the cut of the knife on his back and front, but there is not a drop of blood on it. Nor is there any sign of a wound on his chest or back.
Miracle Maiden stands up to face her consequences. “Is he dead?” she asks timidly.
Dr. Woodlawn smiles, “No but I don’t think he will be waking up for a few days.” “I think it is time you accept that your power can not kill people, young lady.” “Who is this guy anyway?”
Miracle Maiden walks over to the man on the ground, bending over she lifts his shirt to look underneath. “I knew him as Coach Kroner.” “He was a High School track coach.” “He was what you might call a VooDoo priest,” she explains. “That was until I healed the tribal marking that were carved into his body.” “It took away his powers, but it would appear he has found some new ones.”
“Clearly he is the one who has interfered with your healing,” Dr. Woodlawn says.
“Her healing, man!” Detective Prussia shouts coming to his senses. “I saw that machete come through your chest!” The shouting begins to draw the attention of other people in the park. Prussia takes out his badge to show the passers-by. “NYPD, nothing to see here!” He then moves to handcuff the man on the ground. “We need to go somewhere and talk about this!” Prussia says as two patrolmen run to the scene.
Hudson Veterans Clinic
28 Hudson St
New York, NY
After a trip up state to visit Doris Archer’s home yesterday, Martin Harper sits in the Clinic waiting room. He has no appointment and the doctor has refused to speak with him again but he knows there is a story here somewhere.
A few weeks back there was an attack on this Clinic by a Zeni-human and it was covered up. He wants to know by who and if it was anything like what happened to Doris Archer two nights ago. An undercover Diana Carter sent Harper here to ask about something called Prometheus-55 that drew his attention to Dr. Woodlawn. The good doctor refused to give him any information and demanded to make the delivery himself.
Recent events have also drawn someone else to this Clinic for reasons other than medical treatment. Special Agent Lei, like Martin Harper has become involved with a Zeni-human case that has led back to Dr. Woodlawn. It would appear that Open World Logistics was involved with the security of one house on Park Place in New Rochelle, NY as well as one in Mt. Vernon, NY. Facts that the FBI uncovered when they seized documents from the international conglomerate. Also under the protection of Open World Logistics is this Clinic. As far as Agent Lei is concerned it is high time that Dr. Woodlawn came clean, even if it means arresting him. “FBI Special Agent Lei to see Dr. Woodlawn!” he says to the receptionist, drawing the attention of Martin Harper. “I need to talk to him on urgent business!”
“I am afraid the doctor is with a patient, you will have to wait,” the stern receptionist responds.
“What part of FBI Special Agent did you not understand?” Agent Lei asks. “I do not wait, I have a warrant right here.” Agent Lei slaps the paperwork down on the woman’s desk. “Now let me in to see the doctor!” The receptionist picks up the paperwork looking it over as if she has seen such things many times before.
Finally something of interest, Martin Harper thinks sitting in the uncomfortable chair scribbling FBI Special Agent Lei on his notepad. A full blown FBI raid is just what he needs to get his story on the front page.
“This is not the story you are meant to be chasing,” a familiar voice says from behind Martin Harper.
The reporter turns to see the face that speaks to him. “Mr. Alameda what are you doing here?” Harper asks, surprised to see the Media Mogul.
“I am here because you are off track again,” Howard Alameda tells the man reaching out to touch his shoulder. He pulls the man around to look directly into his eyes, his voice taking a melodic tone, “The story you need to chase is the platinum ring that the receptionist Dee Moore from Open World Logistics is wearing.”
Martin Harper gets up from the chair in which he has sat for the last hour without another word. Slipping his pencil and pad into his pocket he walks for the Clinic door in a daze. Alameda’s words echo and then fade in his head as he walks outside toward the bus stop.
Detective Sgt. Prussia and Special Agent Lei’s office
New York City Hall
City Hall Park
New York, NY
Detective Prussia sits behind his desk staring at his newly acquired scar that circles his wrist like a bracelet. “So let’s go over this again,” he says looking at Miracle Maiden and Dr. Woodlawn sitting in his office. “This Coach Kroner was a former High School track coach.” “Nearly five years ago he used magic to make sure his team won.” “Miracle Maiden took him down by stealing his power.” “By my math that would mean you were on that track team.” “Care to elaborate?”
“You know as well as I do whatever I say you will still do the research,” Miracle Maiden replies. “What we all saw today proves he is dangerous.”
“How do you propose we prove that in a court of law?” Detective Prussia asks. “What appears to be a years old scar on my wrist or a man who was stabbed through the chest with no wound or scar?”
“I suggest witnesses from the park,” Miracle Maiden replies. “There were plenty of people there that saw what happened.”
“What do you think of that idea, Dr. Woodlawn?” the detective asks the man who has been silent since they arrived at the office. “How would you like it if witnesses told what they saw happen to you on the stand?”
“That will not be necessary,” Dr. Woodlawn says. “I have a feeling that Mr. Kroner will confess everything he has done.”
Both the detective and the heroine look at the doctor in confusion.
Dee Moore’s Apartment
315 E 57th street
New York City, NY
Martin Harper arrives at Dee Moore’s apartment expecting Diana Carter to answer the door. He rings the bell and waits listening to the movement on the other side of the door. When the door opens it is answered by a pretty young woman who is definitely not Diana Carter. “Oh excuse me, I was looking for Dee Moore,” he says.
“I’m Dee Moore,” the woman replied with a slight look of fear on her face. “Who are you?”
“My name is Martin Harper, I work for the New York Bulletin,” he says. “I was hoping to talk to you about a platinum ring.”
Dee moves her left hand from the edge of the door to behind it. “What about the ring?”
“So you know about it?” Martin asks. “Could I come in and we can talk about it.”
“I don’t think so,” Dee replies, moving to quickly close the door.
“Who gave you the ring, was it Diana Carter?” Martin exclaims just as the door closes. Martin Harper is not a reporter to give up so easily. Inside she slumps down on the floor inside the door to stare at the ring on her left middle finger. The reporter knocks on the door again calling out, “I just want to know who gave you the ring that is all?” “I don’t even have to use your name in the paper.” Martin can hear the young woman sobbing on the other side of the door. He knows he is getting to her now. “Can’t you tell me anything about the ring?” “Was it Miracle Maiden that gave you the ring?” “What is the connection between you and these two women?”
Suddenly the door is yanked open and Dee throws the platinum ring at him shouting, “Just take it and go away!” “I don’t need it anymore!” She slams the door as the ring bounces off Harper’s chest and back against the closed door to the floor.
Martin bends down to retrieve the old piece of metal. It doesn’t look that special to him. The ring looks very old and most likely handmade. Why is there so much fuss being made over some old trinket? The reporter slips the platinum band on his right ring finger and suddenly he feels a surge of adrenaline. His mind is flooded with images, sounds and voices that tell the tail of the story he has been tracking. He is staggered for a minute as he falls back against the wall as his mind is nearly on overload with the knowledge the ring forces into his brain.
Detective Sgt. Prussia and Special Agent Lei’s office
New York City Hall
City Hall Park
New York, NY
“Where have you been all day?” Prussia asks as an exhausted Mike Lei enters the office to flop down in his desk chair.
“I’ve been trying to track down the elusive Dr. Woodlawn all day,” Agent Lei replies.
“He was with me most of the afternoon,” Prussia replies to Lei’s shock just as his phone rings.
Picking up the phone the voice addresses him, “Detective Sgt. Prussia?”
“Yes, speaking,” Prussia replies.
“This is the desk Sgt. Kopfinger at the Central Park Police Precinct,” the man on the phone explains. “I’ve checked everywhere and no patrolmen brought in any Isiah Kroner from the park today.”
“That isn’t possible, I was there,” Prussia insists. “Badge numbers 3298 and 3948!”
“Those badge numbers are not currently in use, both of those patrolmen died in the line of duty a few years back,” the man on the phone tells Prussia.
Dee Moore’s Apartment
315 E 57th street
New York City, NY
Diana Carter climbs the stairs that have become a second home to her for almost a month to check up on Dee Moore. It feels so good to have her memories back, her life back. Something about seeing Detective Prussia’s hand cut from his wrist by Coach Kroner triggered something deep inside her body. It began with a flash back to that night at the Midnight Bar when she first crossed paths with the young Patrolman Prussia. Perhaps it was the guilt she has always felt about that night or the fact that she could never admit the truth to him. Either way it was enough to trigger her healing power to break Kroner’s spell and wipe away what the OWL did to her mind.
Diana reaches the door to Dee Moore’s apartment to take a deep breath. With all that has happened the least she can do is make sure she has not completely ruined the woman’s life. She can only hope that Shanna held up her end of the bargain with Dee. Diana knocks on the door.
“Go away, I don’t want to talk to you!” Dee shouts through the closed door.
“Dee, it’s me, Diana,” she calls back. “I just came to see how you are doing.”
Dee jerks open the door to grab Diana by the arm and yank her inside the apartment. Diana looks around the apartment, it is just as she left it. With the exception of the phone laying in the middle of the living room floor. “I thought you were that reporter,” Dee says, scanning the hallway before closing the door. “My phone has been ringing off the hook since I got home after what happened at Open World this morning.”
“That is why I am here,” Diana says, taking a business card from her purse. “This is the personnel director at Carter Industries, she’ll be waiting for your call about a job on Monday.” “It is the least I can do after the chaos we brought into your life.”
“Chaos?” Dee announces standing in the center of the room. “Look at me I’m a woman!” “And not just in appearance!” “Dr. Chaffee did just what she promised I don’t have any boy parts anymore.” “Now my boobs are real too!” “Not a cutrate Mexican boob job!”
“I’m so happy for you,” Diana says, making herself at home sitting down on the couch. “You mentioned a reporter, you haven’t told anyone about this arrangement have you?”
“Of course not, I will take this to my grave if I get to keep my new body,” Dee replies twirling around. “I don’t even care how she did it, all that matters is that Darin Moore is gone forever!”
The Condo of Zacary and Jean Carter
1292 Third Avenue
New York City, NY
Zac and Jean sit in their living room with their two children, Jessica and James. It has only been a few minutes since Tracey and Fox Woodlawn arrived. None of them are sure why they are all here, only that they all received messages to be here by 6 pm. Jessica plays on the floor while Tracey holds her infant brother.
“I can’t wait to have a baby,” Tracey says, rocking the baby in her arms. The Carters look to Fox with surprise.
“We’ve been discussing it,” Fox says, trying to calm their stares. “With all that has happened of late, we want to wait another year or so.”
“We agreed, it is just too soon after Diana,” Tracey says, trying not to cry.
Just then the doorbell rings. “Shouldn’t there have been a buzz from the lobby?” Jean Carter is concerned about the usefulness of the new security precautions.
“I have a feeling that isn’t a problem,” Zac Carter says as he gets up to walk to the door. “Tracey you might want to put the baby back in his bassinet.” Tracey does as she is told it is clear that Mr. Carter has prepared some kind of surprise for them. Zac opens the door and a delivery woman stands there holding four pizza boxes up to hide her face from view. “Well this is rather creative,” Zac comments inviting the delivery woman into the condo.
She stands at the door as little Jessica runs over to her. “Pizza!” the three year old exclaims. She stops next to the woman looking up behind the boxes to the woman’s face. “Diana bobanna!” she smiles.
“What did you say sweetie?” her mother asks, getting up from her seat in the living room.
“Alright so the kid blew the surprise, I had to pick a part time job,” the delivery woman says, lowering the boxes to reveal herself. “Being dead wasn’t as cheap as I thought it would be.”
“Oh my god!” Tracey stands up shouting. “You bitch!” Diana hands the pizzas to her Uncle as Tracey runs across the room to hug her.
“What is this all about, I don’t understand,” Diana’s aunt says in confusion. “Did someone really try to kill Diana?”
“Yes,” Zac tells his wife. “We felt it was best that they believed they had succeeded until she could find out who was behind it.”
“Zacary, you knew all along?” Jean scolds.
“I’m so sorry to have to put you all through this but it seemed like the best way,” Diana explains.
“I thought it was strange that the police were holding the body for so long,” Fox adds trying to free Diana from his wife.
Long tears run down Tracey’s face when she is pulled away from her friend. “Don’t you ever do this again or it will be me killing you!” Tracey grumbles.
“Why don’t we get this hungry girl some pizza and I will explain everything,” Diana says touching the head of her little cousin who hangs on her leg.