Wednesday, July 6, 1988
Camp Tandy – The Lodge
Glassboro Township
New Jersey
Sylvia directs the last of the campers into the lodge to hear the last of Coach Booth’s speeches. She spots Steve jogging up from the Boy’s camp. As he comes closer she can’t help but to see. He is wearing a pair of loose sweat pants that she has seen him wear several times before in the past month. But this time there is something very different. He looks like an Olympic track competitor with his junk trying to escape the loose fitting material. She can feel her face warm at the sight of his manhood as it flops under the fabric. It is rather impressive, she thinks.
Sylvia averts her eyes, trying not to stare as he arrives at the Lodge in front of her. “I see you’ve got your junk all packed up,” Sylvia says laughing to herself.
“What?” Steve asks.
“Where are your bags?” she inquires. “I would assume you got out here early to get them on the bus.”
“Yeah, I wanted to beat the rush,” Steve replies, trying to sound cool, not as emotional as he feels saying goodbye to her. “Would it be okay if I gave you a call in a week or so?” He wants to kick himself. “To catch up, that’s all.”
“I would like that,” she replies. “I think we will both find being long distance friends is better than being lovers.” Why did she say lovers?
“I think we have made the right decision,” Steve agrees, but he really does wish that they could be lovers, just the same. “Should we hug?”
Sylvia stands uncomfortably silent for a moment before answering, “Yes, we should.” The couple hug, squeezing each other just a little tighter and longer than friends should. “All things considered, it has been a great summer spending time with you.” She can feel tears welling up in her eyes, that cause her to look down to the ground.
Steve uses his index finger to lift her chin to look her in the eyes, “I feel the same.” “I really want to give you a kiss goodbye.”
“That would be the perfect end to this stay at Camp Tandy,” Diana tells him leaning closer for the kiss. When their lips part she pulls away suddenly, “I need to get to my bus.” Her time as Sylvia Banks is nearly over now, as she jogs to her bus trying to hold back tears of happiness. By the time she gets to her seat she has composed herself. Looking back out the window she spots Steve talking to Avery Lewis. She feels like that teenager mooning over the boy she can never have all over again. Diana knows she has to look forward not back. This stay at Camp Tandy has done very little to bring her closer to bringing down the General. And all she thinks about is Steve Roberts loose fitting sweatpants. Did he do that on purpose, some kind of end of camp prank?
E 21st St
New York, NY
Diana stays on the bus until it reaches Susan Mathess’ stop. Susan’s mother, Joan waits to pick her daughter up at the street corner. The mother of two stands holding the hand of her small son. Diana is surprised by Joan Mathess’ appearance as she waits on the sidewalk. Diana assumed that Susan’s skin tone was just an early season tan, never did she consider that her mother was anything other than white. From the bus window it is clear to Diana that even with her bleached blonde hair Joan Mathess is middle-eastern in origin. The dossier the Colonel gave her said that Joan married Captain David Mathess soon after High School. They have two children Susan and her younger brother Scott, no mention of her ethnicity.
When the bus stops Diana gets out to help the bus driver with the luggage of the three kids getting off at the stop. “Here, I’ll carry that for you,” Diana offers, picking up Susan’s heaviest bag. Diana carries Susan’s large duffle bag over to where Joan waits with her son.
“Mom, this is Sylvia, she was my chaperon at camp,” Susan says, almost sounding embarrassed to introduce the two women.
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Mathess,” Diana says, putting the duffle bag down on the sidewalk. “And who is this little man?”
“This is Susan’s brother Scotty, he is seven,” when Joan Mathess speaks there is no question in Diana’s mind that the woman has a middle-eastern accent. “Still too young for Camp Tandy.”
“Mom, can we just go home!” Susan insists.
Joan Mathess glares at her daughter who walks away toward their car parked at the curb. “Your daughter is quite the independent young lady,” Diana comments.
“Regrettably a family trait,” Joan replies, moving to pick up the duffle back. “Thank you so much for taking care of my daughter, Miss.”
As they talk Diana looks Joan Mathess in the face seeing something familiar, but she can not think why. “It was a pleasure,” she says as the mother calls to her daughter.
“Susan!” “You must learn patience!”
Gathering up her bags from the bus, Diana spots a payphone by a bodega. She gives her friend Lincoln a call to pick her up. She lives up town so it is best not to make it too obvious that she got off the bus in the wrong part of the city.
Carter Industries
The Simpson Building
Fifth floor
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
Diana has her doorman, Rudy deliver her bags to her apartment. Her first stop will be her office at Carter Industries. She has spent the summer looking for information about Captain Mathess from his daughter, but now she feels like the mother might be the key. Having thought it over on the taxi ride home, she is drawn to the idea that Joan Mathess was somehow connected to the Iran Hostage Crisis back in the seventies.
Coming off the elevator she heads to the Computer room and Computer specialist, Andre Morales. “Oh Ms Carter you are back,” Andre says when she walks into the room behind him. “What brings you to my little piece of heaven?”
“Is it possible for you to find me any photos taken around the time of the Iran Hostage Crisis?” she asks. “Maybe some write ups about the hostages or people who went missing around that time.”
“Yes, of course,” Andre replies. “No problem, there should be a lot of that stuff on the World News History site.”
“Have it sent to my office when you are done,” Diana instructs, “Thank You.”
In her office she retrieves the case file the Colonel gave her before sending her to Camp Tandy from her document safe. Looking through all of the service records on Captain Mathess she finds that he was stationed in 1976 at the American Embassy in Iran. Something that meant very little until she met his wife.
While waiting for the research she requested, Diana decides to go to her condo for a shower and change of clothes. Arriving back at her office it has been only an hour later when Andre arrives with the research she requested. “Andre, you didn’t have to bring this yourself, you should have had a runner do it,” Diana says.
“No problem Ms. Carter, I thought I would bring it myself to make sure it was helpful,” Andre replies. “I wasn’t sure what you were looking for so I got a lot of different stuff.” “There is an article here,” he says, moving an accordion fold of continuous form printouts to the top. “I had never heard about it at the time.” “It didn’t make the headlines I guess.” “It is about one of the Shah’s granddaughters disappearing at the end of the Crisis.” “After the hostages were released.”
“Is there a photo of her?” Diana asks, flipping through the pages.
“It isn’t very good, but yeah,” Andre says, turning to the end of the printout. Dot matrix printing has come a long way in recent years, the photo is almost a perfect photographic image.
Seeing the photo of the Shah’s granddaughter, Diana instantly recognizes the dark haired Farah as Joan Mathess. “Oh my god, that is it!” “Thank you so much for your hard work, Andre!” “Leave the rest of this, it might fill in some more blanks for me.”
After the Computer tech leaves, Diana sits back in her chair to look over the write up in the Colonel’s instructions. His plan was to find out what the General was using as leverage on his men. This is obviously what the General did to bring Mathess into the fold, giving his wife a fake past. There is no telling what the price on Joan Mathess’ head must be in Iran today.
Diana wonders what horrible thing her father did to be under the general’s thumb. Or did he just do it because of the bad person he was.
Abe and Joyce Woodlawn’s Condo
174 Baxter St
New York, NY
Miracle Maiden stands on the street below the Woodlawn’s condo. She counts the windows across the side of the building. Diana has only been in the condo a few times. There are two windows with lights on next to each other. One of them is Dr. Woodlawn’s study. She is not sure about the other window. She has never teleported blind before but this is the best way to contact Dr. Woodlawn without the General finding out. Concentrating on the target she closes her eyes and disappears from the street.
Reappearing inside the condo, she is not where she thought she would be. “Shit!” she announces louder than she should as she stands in a steaming bathroom.
“Trace,” a familiar voice says from behind Miracle Maiden. She turns to see Fox Woodlawn stepping out of the shower, nude. “Miracle Maiden!” he was shocked at the sight of the costumed woman standing in his father’s bathroom. “What are you doing here?”
Miracle Maiden is shocked as well to see one of her best friends standing nude in front of her. She can’t help but to scan him from head to toe from where she stands. She blushes as she quickly turns her back to him. “I was looking to speak with your father.”
“My father?” Fox says still unaware of his nudity. “How do you know my father?”
Miracle Maiden turns back expecting that Fox has had time to cover himself. She can clearly see he has not as her eyes fall on his junk. Quickly focusing on the floor at his feet she asks, “Could you please cover yourself or I will have to leave.”
“Oh God, I’m sorry,” Fox says, grabbing for a towel. “I wasn’t, I mean I forgot for a minute.” “Seeing you here completely surprised me.” “Please don’t leave.” “I jogged here for dinner, I was all sweaty and my mother insisted I shower.” “My wife is on her way here.” “She will have a stroke if she doesn’t get to meet you again.”
“I would prefer if you told no one I was here tonight,” Miracle Maiden says. “I need to talk to your father in private.”
“Of course, I can get him for you,” Fox says hurrying out of the bathroom wearing only the towel holding it to his waist.
Miracle Maiden isn’t even sure she should wait. But after everything that just happened if she doesn’t speak with Dr. Woodlawn this has all been for nothing. The images of Fox’s nude body are burnt into her mind. What an incredible screw up! Wow, now she knows what Tracey is always going on about, that thing must be a foot long.
Before she can further contemplate her friend’s anatomy the bathroom door opens and Dr, Woodlawn steps in. “What are you doing here peeping on my son!”
“I’m sorry about that,” Miracle Maiden says, “I thought this was your study.” “I need to tell the Colonel I learned what the General is holding over Mathess to keep him in line.” “It is his family, he is just like you.” “Mathess’ wife is the granddaughter of the Shah of Iran, if anyone knew she was alive, she wouldn’t be for much longer.” “If the Colonel can offer them protection, I am sure Mathess would turn.”
Sadly the doctor sits down on the toilet to think about what Miracle Maiden just said. “I considered doing the same,” he starts. “Take my wife and son into hiding for the rest of our lives.” “But my son Francis has started his own family now.” “That is why I contacted the Colonel to escape the General once and for all.” “I don’t know why it is so hard to believe I need to help someone else do that to save myself.” “Do you think everyone that works for him is in the same spot?”
“I don’t know,” Miracle Maiden replies. In all of this time Diana never considered that the General had something on William Carter as well. It was easy to assume he was just doing bad things because he was a bad man. “It would make sense.” “If the Colonel can get me the name of another one of the General’s men I can find out.” “Again, I am sorry about surprising Fox.” “I just thought this was the only way I could contact you without anyone finding out.” “Please make sure he doesn’t say anything to Tracey.”
“Of course, you should go,” Dr. Woodlawn says, standing to walk for the door. He turns back and Miracle Maiden is gone. “Fox?” he mumbles to himself, thinking the only people to call Francis, Fox are Tracey and friends from school.
Diana Carter’s Condo
The Simpson Building
Ninth floor
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
Returning home Diana flops down on the sofa to flip on the TV. She tries to get her mind off of what has just happened at the Woodlawn’s condo. It isn’t easy. For the most part Diana has only thought about one man naked and it hasn’t been Fox Woodlawn. Now he is all she can think about. “How does Tracey even handle that thing and still walk?” Diana is sure she couldn’t handle having sex with a guy hung like Fox. “I guess that is why Tracey married him of all the guys from Ensign Academy.”
Diana lays drifting off to sleep and with sleep comes a dream. She has been here before, it is a house that she has dreamt of years ago. But now to her it is no dream, it is her life. Diana fixes breakfast as a man calls to her from the other room, “Are you still going to be late for dinner with my parents?”
“No, Dad says he can cover for me,” Diana calls out. “Breakfast is almost ready, are you dressed?”
“Not quite,” Steve says entering the kitchen wearing only a bath towel around his waist. “I was wondering if you could be late for work too?”
Diana turns off the stove to smile at the wet man in a towel. “I think that could be arranged.” With a thought Diana phases through her clothes letting them fall to the floor. Steve responds by dropping his towel to the floor. His body is perfect in every way. She walks to him, kissing him passionately on the mouth. Her hands move over his hard muscled back then down to his round bubble ass.
Diana wakes covered in sweat. That was incredible! They have finally done it in her dream and it was wonderful! Then unexpectedly, the door buzzer rings. Startled, she jumps up from the sofa as if she has been caught by her parents. Sighing when she realizes what is happening Diana trots to the door buzzer system to the lobby. “What is it?” she asks into the intercom to the doorman in the lobby.
“There is a Dr. Woodlawn here to see you,” Paul, the overnight doorman replies.
“Oh, Send him up,” Diana says at the late night visit. Running to the bathroom to freshen up she makes record time back to the door as he knocks. “Dr. Woodlawn, what a surprise to see you,” Diana says, inviting the man in.
He simply grins walking into her living room. “Even more so if I surprised you in the shower,” he comments.
Diana has thought that her friend’s father has suspected her dual identity for a while now, but has avoided confronting him about it. “Excuse me,” she responds, following him into her condo.
“We are playing a dangerous game here and my family is on the line, I can not risk any more screw ups like tonight,” he tells her. “We need to have all of our cards on the table now!” “I know you are Miracle Maiden and the energy released at your birth gave both you and me power.” “It is clear to me that this is a secret you have not shared with Francis and Tracey.” “Do you have any idea how much risk you put them in by showing up at my home tonight?”
Diana knows she can’t just outright admit that to him. There must be a way to fix this, change his mind. “I’m sorry, I really don’t know what you are talking about.” “I’ve been home most of the night.” “But if need be I can pass along a message to Miracle Maiden.”
Dr. Woodlawn does not look at all pleased with this continued deception. “If Miracle Maiden had appeared in front of my wife it would have caused even more trouble.” “We need a better way of communication.”
“I will bring that up to her the next time I see her, I assure you,” Diana insists. “As far as secrets go, I think it is time you trusted your family more.” “Their lives have been at risk for too long without their knowledge.” “I have known Fox since we were kids, he knows something isn’t right with you.” “He has been asking too many questions.” “If his curiosity gets the best of him it could be more than he or you bargained for.”
“What do you mean asking questions?” Woodlawn questions. “I’ve tried my best to shelter him from what is going on at the Clinic.” “It is Tracey who is the loose cannon.”
“She is a different story” Diana replies. “Let me handle her.” “I think the main person at risk now is Fox, Francis.” “You have to tell him at least some of your truth.” “I have known him since we were in school, he can handle it.” “He deserves that.” “Moreover, he will do whatever he must to protect Tracey.”
Dr. Woodlawn sighs sitting down in the armchair in her living room. “I’m beginning to think my family was better off without me.” “The General is a dangerous and powerful man.” “He has operatives everywhere.” His face in his hands he says, “I thought they would be safer with me than without, now I wonder.” “Was I just being selfish?”
Diana sits down on the arm of the chair to put her arm around the man. “Don’t say that,” she tells him. “Their lives have become so much better since your return.” “In school Fox was such an introvert, now he is a changed man, outgoing and eager to please you.” “Mrs. Woodlawn is alive again, when I met her years ago she was a shadow of the woman she is now, lost and alone in life.” “Did you know they never spoke of you, Mrs. Woodlawn would not allow it.”
“Joyce and I have been together as friends and lovers since we were children in first grade,” Dr. Woodlawn confessed. “The time while I was lost was the longest we were apart.” “It was like we were only half a person.” “When I came home she told me the same.” “She felt like a zombie without me, only living for our son.” “In a way I think she knew I was still alive, but she won’t admit it, not even to me for fear of sounding crazy.”
“That is why we need to put the General out of business, no matter how long it takes,” Diana tells him, squeezing his shoulders. “You have come this far and I intend on bringing this to an end.” “I don’t know how big of a role the General played in how my father treated men like you, but I know that he was the one pulling the strings.”
Dr. Woodlawn stands up, turning to face Diana. “For whatever reason we both have the power to make us immune to all of this, but my family does not.” “Their safety must be our main concern at all times.”
“Fox and Tracey are my family too,” Diana tells him as she stands up to take his hands. “Perhaps we need to bring them all into the loop of what we are doing, for their own safety.”
“Not quite yet, I have to talk Francis down somehow, give him enough information to make him understand what happened last night, without rocking the boat too much,” Dr. Woodlawn explains. “The more people that know about the General the more risk there is of us being discovered.” “Does the General know about you ‘working’ with Miracle Maiden?”
It is clear to Diana that Dr. Woodlawn no longer believes that she is not living a double life. “I am not sure, but he definitely knows Miracle Maiden is out to get him,” Diana answers. “I think he is only suspicious of my sudden return from college and taking a job at Carter Industries.” She needs to find a way to throw everyone off of the idea that she is secretly Miracle Maiden.
Dr. Woodlawn thinks for a moment before asking, “Is there a way you could throw the General off Diana’s trail like with that reporter for the Bulletin?”
Diana hates the sound of that question, but, “Yes, there is,” she replies.
“Then I suggest you make it clear that Miracle Maiden and Diana Carter are not the same person to the General’s spies,” Dr. Woodlawn tells her. “As many people as possible need to believe that fact.”
Thursday, July 7, 1988
Hudson Veterans Clinic
28 Hudson St
New York, NY
Fox arrives early to work even though his father disapproves of him going off of his assigned schedule. It is early enough that Dr. Woodlawn is still in his office before seeing any patients. “Dad, I have so many questions for you!” Fox announces entering the office.
Abe Woodlawn has prepared by writing his son a letter that he now hands to him without speaking a word. Fox is confused for the second time in two days as he reads what is written on the outside of the envelope. “Take this, go outside, walk at least ten blocks and read it.”
“Now?” he questions, not wanting to leave before he gets answers.
“Now!” his father says sternly.
Fox slips the envelope in his coat pocket and turns to leave. The other employees in the Clinic eye him as he leaves the building. This has all been very strange since Miracle Maiden showed up in his father’s bathroom last night and his father swore him to secrecy. Not even wanting him to tell his wife Tracey about the heroine’s appearance.
Washington Square Park
Washington Square
New York, NY
Ten block is almost home for Fox, but he has a feeling that is not where his father wants him to read this letter. Ten blocks is also close to Washington Square Park. It is before 8 am and there are still a lot of joggers in the park but Fox manages to find a secluded bench to sit down to read the letter in private. It begins….
Son, I have lied to you and your mother about where I have been all these years and why I have returned now. I hated to do it but I had no choice, both of your safety depended on you not knowing the truth but now we have come to a point where I must reveal some of that truth to you. How I would love nothing more than to tell you everything but it is still too dangerous.
For the past fifteen years I have been in the service of a dangerous and powerful man. One so powerful that he threatens the life of all of my loved ones if I do not follow his every order. The cameras in the Clinic both seen and unseen are his to view at all times. That is why all must appear to follow his directions. It is so important that the things you have learned by mistake or on your own remain hidden from him if I am to slip from his grasp to free both my family and yours. Trust no member of the staff, they are his pawns.
“For the past several months I have been using the help of others to bring this man’s threat to all of us to an end. You met one of them last night and it is of the utmost importance that you keep that alliance a secret from everyone, including your wife. I am sorry that I must ask this of you but all our lives hang in the balance.
Burn this letter, no one must ever see it other than you!
Diana’s Cottage
Magic Island
The Bermuda Triangle
Diana stands outside the door of the cottage she lived in for two years while training with Shanna. It was her home, but now she knows it belongs to someone else, Robin, her android training partner. Diana has not been on the best of terms with Robin since learning that they are truly sisters. Knocking on the door Diana waits silent for a moment before calling out, “Robin, I know you probably still hate me, but can I come in?”
The door is opened slowly by the young woman on the other side. Her appearance is identical to Diana with the exception of shorter straight hair. “I don’t hate you, I kinda understand how you must feel,” she tells Diana. Backing up she invites her guest inside.
“I see you cut your hair,” Diana comments. Looking around the cottage, it has changed too. “You added some personal touches I see too.”
“Just a couple of things I liked when I was in college,” Robin replies. “It wasn’t all bad.” “I know what you are thinking, no I asked Shanna to get them for me.” “I haven’t left the island since the last time you saw me in New York.” “What brings you here?”
“I’ve come to eat some crow,” Diana admits, taking a seat in a new swivel chair,” Diana replies. “I need your help.”
“That is a big ask after everything you said the last time I tried to help,” Robin confesses.
“I know I have been horrible to you, it has all just been a lot,” Diana confesses. “Going home to learn my father had died, then finding out that he knew he wasn’t my birth father.” “The new job, going to law school, becoming Miracle Maiden.” “The other stuff.”
“You mean the men,” Robin grins. Diana just glares at her twin. “It isn’t easy is it?” “Until I went off line, I was only doing what you would have done.” “That is all I could do.” “Men are more complicated than we are.”
“No, they are not,” Diana replies. “We are the complicated ones.” “Men only want to eat, sleep and screw.”
“That is what I thought, but it isn’t that simple with all men,” Robin suggests. “You are clearly wrong.” “Some of them want love that isn’t soiled by sex.”
“How did you get so wise?” Diana asks.
“I was made that way, plus I want to learn more about my sister’s new life at home,” Robin says. “I miss being out in the real world.” “I do remember how men are drawn to us and I want to know if you handle it any better than I did.” “Think of it as a teaching moment.”
“I’m thinking it is you being a little too eager to be around men again,” Diana comments.
“You can’t fool me, Diana,” Robin says, sitting down on the edge of the bed to cause it to squeak. “You may like to believe that you are some kind of frigid virgin, but I know full well that if that were true you would not have gone so far with Eric Altman.” Diana swivels away from Robin to look out the window. “You want to have sex.” “It is only fear that prevents you from doing it.”
“Okay, okay, I have had some men in my life since Eric Altman, but none of them have turned out any better,” Diana confesses, turning back to face Robin. “Aside from your friend John Porter, I did meet a man.” “Wes Berkley, he was a great guy and we hit it off.” “He was a military man, and did a lot of traveling.” “He called me a couple of times when he was in town, we went on a few dates.”
“So how did you scare him off?” Robin asks.
“He got shot, actually,” Diana says to her sister’s surprise. “I was Miracle Maiden at the time and when I tried to heal him, my powers didn’t work.” “He was bleeding out as he told me he had an immunity to all Zeni-human powers, they didn’t work on him.” “I managed to get him to the hospital, but then he was kidnapped.”
“He reminded you of Gina, didn’t he?” Robin says standing up to walk over to her sister. “Wait a minute,” “He was the naked guy at that Financial building when I pretended to be you.”
“Yes to all of it,” Diana answers. “Afterward, I just felt like I failed him.” “How could I put him at risk like that if I couldn’t heal him.”
“Do you really think that is what it takes to have a relationship with a man?” Robin asks. “Protecting him, shielding him from danger, the world?” “I want to believe love is more than that.” “Not that I have ever known love, but I have spent plenty of time thinking about it.” “So you just gave up again I guess.”
“I wanted to but you know Tracey, she threw me a Birthday party and invited both Eric and Wes,” Diana grins with a tear in her eye. “That is where they met each other.”
“Wow, that must have been fun for you,” Robin chuckles.
“That is weird, I don’t think I have ever heard you laugh,” Diana comments.
“Side effect of having my android programming wiped, now my body is fully controlled by my soul,” Robin explains. “I feel a whole range of emotions now.” “It was hard to handle at first, good thing I have been alone here.” “Unlike you having a double date with two guys.”
“Believe me it was nothing like that,” Diana says. “It turned out Wes had settled in the city recently.” “Eric and Wes hit it off at that party.” “After that night they started going to games and hanging out together.”
“Talking behind your back I would guess,” Robin teases.
“If only, it turned out they were building something more than a friendship,” Diana suggests. “Wes being immune to Zeni-human powers caused an unexpected connection between the two of them.”
“Holy shit, you mean, they…” Robin bangs her fist together. “Are you sure?”
“I saw what they were doing together, on my living room floor,” Diana says sadly. “It was a whole thing.”
“Gross,” Robin says. “Guess that made it easier to be turned off by men.”
Diana standing up. “This is not why I am here.” “I need you to cover for me for a while,” she finally just blurts out.
“I seem to remember you saying you never wanted me to pretend to be you again,” Robin reminds.
“Not as me, as Miracle Maiden,” Diana explains. “I need to throw the General off the trail of connecting the two.”
“So the dual identity isn’t as easy as you thought it would be?” Robin questions.
“First of all, it was not my idea to begin with, it was Shanna’s idea,” Diana argues. “But now the safety of everyone I know depends on keeping that secret.”
“I have to admit, I didn’t see that coming,” Robin replies. “But if I am going to pull it off you are going to have to fill me in on the people Miracle Maiden is associating with of late.”
Diana Carter’s Condo
The Simpson Building
Ninth floor
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
Diana is getting ready for work when the lobby buzzer rings. She hurries to the door, who could it be this early in the morning? Holding down the buzzer button, “Yes, what is it?”
“Ms. Carter, there is a man here insisting to see you,” the door man says in an angry tone. “Would you like for me to call the police to have him removed.”
From the doorman’s tone Diana can only assume it is Eric. “No, send him up,” Diana says, pulling her hair into a ponytail in front of the mirror. It feels strange not wearing the necklace for the first time in nearly a year. Even invisible it was a weight around her neck. She only hopes that the bracelet Shana gave her to contact Robin works. Diana waits for the knock at the door. “Good Morning,” she greets Eric Altman at the door. “What brings you here so early?” She returns to the mirror to style her hair some more, trying to not look at her friend.
“You rushed out of the city so soon after what happened….here,” Eric says embarrassed looking to the living room. “I wanted to apologize.” “We should not have been doing that in your home.”
Still not looking at him Diana asks, “How did that even come to happen?”
“After Wes and I met at your party we became friends,” Eric says. “You know how unexpected that was for me.” “Most men hate me.” “Wes didn’t, he is immune to my curse like you are.”
“I’m not so sure that is true,” Diana says walking to the kitchen as Eric follows. “Looking back on what happened between us, it was all out of character for me.” “Although slowed, I think your power was affecting me.” Diana fixes herself something to eat, her back still to Eric. Diana is fully aware of how immune Wesley is to Zeni-human power, but that still doesn’t explain what she saw in her living room. Diana turns to face Eric for the first time. “So, his being immune does not explain what I saw!” she shouts.
Before Eric can respond a third person arrives in the kitchen. “Is there something wrong here?” Miracle Maiden asks.
Eric turns to the new arrival in shock. “How can you be here?” he stammers looking from Miracle Maiden back to Diana. Pointing at Miracle Maiden while looking at Diana, Eric says, “She is you?”
“Clearly not,” Diana says. “Everything is fine, he is not a threat to me,” she tells Miracle Maiden. The emotional trigger of the bracelet clearly works. Robin arrived right on cue when her blood pressure spiked. “Eric was just about to explain why he disrespected my home.”
Eric helps himself to a seat at the kitchen table. “My life has been crazy since I got this curse,” he confessed. “I tried so long to just be alone.” “Avoid human contact as much as possible.” “Something that is not easy with a cousin like Tracey.” “I never imagined the things that have happened with Wes.” “I can’t even remember the last time I had a man for a friend without him wanting to kill me.” “It had been since High School since I had allowed myself to even be touched intimately.” “It would have been so much easier if he had been a woman.” “To be honest the whole thing still has me so confused.” “I know what we did here was wrong, I was just so eager.” Eric looks to Miracle Maiden. “And I was sure you were not even home.” “When Miracle Maiden showed up in the city after you came home, knowing your powers, I thought she was you.”
“Perhaps I should go,” Miracle Maiden says, touching a gold bracelet on her wrist to vanish in a shimmer of rainbow light.
Diana keeps her distance as she explains, “I can understand why you thought I was Miracle Maiden, but I am not.” “While I was at college there was an accident and my powers were transferred to the woman known as Miracle Maiden.” “Can you imagine me running around the city dressed like that?”
“Actually, yes,” Eric replies. “So how is it that Miracle Maiden just showed up in your kitchen?”
“We have a connection because of what happened,” Diana explains, “When my blood pressure increases suddenly she comes to my aid.”
“That is why she always shows up while you are around?” Eric suggests.
“Yes,” Diana answers. “So are you and Wes…a couple now?”
“I don’t know what we are,” Eric sighs. “He is the best friend I have ever had.” “But I can’t stop feeling like what we have been doing is wrong.” “I want to push him away, put an end to whatever this is.” “But when we are together I feel so alive.” “It started so normal and sane, then it became this insane sexual pleasure thing.” “But that is such a small part of our friendship.” “I really don’t know what to do.”
“Can’t help you there, my love life is a complete mess too,” Diana replies.
Detective Sgt. Prussia and Special Agent Lei’s office
Third floor
New York City Hall
City Hall Park
New York, NY
Diana rides up in the elevator thinking over the plan, hoping they can pull this off. The plan appears to have worked with Eric, but he is no police detective. Prussia might be the hardest person to convince of her not being Miracle Maiden. Arriving at the Special Joint Unit’s office Diana knocks on the door frame. Detective Sgt. Prussia looks up from his desk with his usual stern expression.
“What do we owe the pleasure of this visit, Ms. Carter?” Prussia says trying to be polite.
“Pay no attention to him, Miss, come right in,” Agent Lei says, pulling up a chair to the side of their desks. “How can we help you?”
Diana closes the office door and takes a seat to tell them, “I’m meeting a friend here and we have some confidential things to discuss with the two of you.” “She should be here any moment.”
“Then why did you close the door Ms. Carter?” Detective Sgt. Prussia questions, suspecting that no one else is coming to this meeting. “This is not your usual diner meeting place.” He is in for a big shock at what happens next.
Then in a swirl of rainbow light Miracle Maiden appears behind Diana. “I thought it might be best if Diana arrived first,” Miracle Maiden explains. Both men in the office are in shock at the appearance of the second woman.
Agent Lei is the first to react with laughter as he points at his partner, “You thought they were the same woman!”
“Just wait one minute,” Detective Sgt. Prussia exclaims. “How are both of you here?”
“I would like to apologize to you Detective, I allowed you to believe what you wanted to believe because I thought it would be easier for you,” Miracle Maiden tells the confused man. “But we no longer have that luxury.” “It has become too dangerous for Diana to allow people to believe she is me.”
Prussia and Lei sit inspecting the two women in the room. Clearly the resemblance between the two of them is undeniable.
“Perhaps I can explain a few things,” Diana begins. “When my father passed away, Miracle Maiden approached me to reveal to me that he had been in the employ of a man known only as the General.” “She explained to me that she needed my help to uncover what my father’s part was in the General’s organization.”
Miracle Maiden steps around from behind Diana to explain her goal. “The General is an unrestrained government operative who runs an off the books agency known as Unit-55.” “For the past two decades the General has reshaped Unit-55 to focus on the identification and induction of Zeni-humans into his service.” “When he took over Unit-55 Zeni-human activity was unknown to the public.” “On some level The General was responsible for keeping Zeni-humans under wraps.” “Now that has changed, the General has upped his game to violate the civil rights of American citizens.”
“My father, William Carter was involved in those crimes,” Diana explains. “He was the General’s man in New York.” “When Miracle Maiden approached me she wanted me to find any records of the General’s operation that might have been left behind with my father’s sudden death.” “I found those papers in my father’s hidden safe.”
“I took that information and I began to hunt down the people and places in those files,” Miracle Maiden reveals. “Unfortunately, the General quickly began to cover his trail.” “We had to change our M.O. to force the General to go on the defensive.” “That is when I went public.” “It worked too, with the arrival of Ophelia Dunigan-Louden, who we nicknamed the OWL.”
“I went undercover at Open World Logistics to learn everything I could for Miracle Maiden,” Diana tells them. “Although Master Warrior was not in our plans.” “He ended up giving the OWL time to get away.”
“Now we have another lead to bring the General down, but we recently learned one of his men has been watching Diana,” Miracle Maiden explains. “I can’t risk Diana’s safety this way anymore, so we need to remove that man from play.”
“How do you intend on doing that, pray tell,” Agent Lei questioned.
“For the most part the General uses leverage on his Assets,” Diana explains. “I’ve learned what that leverage is on Captain Mathess, who has been watching me.” “The General appears to be providing him with protection to hide his wife in a new identity.” “I was hoping that you and Agent Lei might be able to provide the family with protection from the General,” she asks Detective Prussia.
“Let me get this straight, the two of you come in here to tell us that you have been lying for the past year and want us to put an entire family in witness protection that have not witnessed any crime?” Detective Prussia inquires. “How exactly do you think that is going to work?”
Diana grins, “The thing is, Mrs. Mathess is actually the grand-daughter of the former Shah of Iran.” “I do believe she has a large price on her head in the middle-east.” “Anyone protecting her might get some perks.”
Agent Lei leans back in his chair thinking over the ramifications of this information. “There is something else too,” Lei says. “Since the creation of this task-force the FBI has given me access to the Z-files, shall I say.” “For all the lies I was told and the way the both of us were treated when we spoke out about Zeni-human, the FBI has been tracking unexplained cases since World War two.” “I read most of those files.” “There was a rumor that one of the Shah’s grand-daughters had, shall we say, talents.” “If that is this girl, I could imagine that is the interest this General has in keeping her hidden.” “Did you say she has children too?”
Diana doesn’t like the sound of this, she could be putting Joan in the cross-hairs of another agency. Before she can reply, Miracle Maiden takes the lead. “Perhaps this was a mistake,” she says “It was not our intention to turn an innocent woman over to another government agency to be used for who knows what!”
Detective Prussia remained silent as Agent Lei made his statement. “I would not let that happen,” the NYPD detective says. “She is a citizen of my city and I have no knowledge of her doing anything on a Zeni-human level.” “If we are to find a way to help this family there will be no further mention of such a rumor!” “Is that clear, Lei?”
The FBI agent nods his head, not making anyone in the room feel confident.
Hudson Veterans Clinic
28 Hudson St
New York, NY
Diana walks down the sidewalk toward the clinic. Her stomach is full of butterflies. Her first visit went easier than she anticipated. Not completely sure Prussia buys the story that she and Robin put to him. He is a smart man, he figured out she had powers before she did.
But now she has to face Fox. He has been her friend since High School, but after what happened at his parents house she needs to pretend it didn’t. Diana has not seen him since that night and has spent too much time replaying it in her head. Looking him face to face without thinking about seeing him naked is going to be hard. Oh, thank god it wasn’t hard. Shit, thoughts like that aren’t helping!
“Diana, what are you doing here?” Fox Woodlawn says walking up behind her. She turns to reluctantly give him a hug.
She needs to focus, “Fox, just the man I want to talk to,” she says.
“That is great, I can take a longer lunch,” Fox replies, thumbing over his shoulder. “There is a great little coffee shop just down the street.”
“No, let’s just use your office,” Diana says, knowing the plan depends on them being inside in front of the cameras. “This needs to be done somewhere private.”
“Then why not stop by my place after work?” Fox suggests.
No, we need to do this now,” Diana insists. “Here, will be fine.” “I’d rather Tracey not be around, if that is okay.” Fox doesn’t look convinced to her. Could his father have told him about the cameras? “Don’t worry it is nothing too weird, just important enough to make this the best place to discuss it.” Diana gave him a wink with her left eye.
“Okay, I guess so,” Fox finally agrees, opening the door to hold it for her to enter the clinic. “You know the way to my office right?”
“Yep,” Diana replies, walking across the full waiting room. She gives the receptionist a look, knowing how important it is that she is seen going into Fox’s office. Aside from the number of clients waiting, it is mostly calm at the clinic as it is on most days. Walking down the hall Diana spots a nurse leading a man into an exam room. Then entering Fox’s office it is just as she remembered it, neatly organized and officiant for his bookkeeping needs.
After reading his father’s letter Fox has spent most of his morning trying to inconspicuously identify hidden cameras in the room. He remembers the first day he started working here and the installation of smoke/CO2 detectors at the top corner of the room. At the time he didn’t give it a second thought. Now he looks at the blinking light on the face of the detector wondering if it is a lens.
Diana takes a seat in front of Fox’s desk that is neatly stacked with invoices. She sits with her back to the smoke/CO2 detector that Fox suspects of being a camera. “What is on your mind?” Fox asks, trying to feel comfortable in his office.
Diana is also concentrating on acting normally but for a much different reason than Fox. “I came here today to talk to you about something that is of great importance,” Diana begins. “When I came home from college for my father’s funeral, I was angry.” “Angry that he died and I never got to settle things with him.” “When I went through his private safe I discovered that he was up to some very bad things.” “It was around then that someone approached me.” “I believe you have met her.” “Miracle Maiden,” with the mention of the name of the woman, appears in the small office.
Fox Woodlawn is again startled by the arrival of the super heroine. “NO!” he shouts. “You can not be here!”
Diana stands up to take Fox by the arm. “Calm down, it is alright, I asked her to come.” “You see, Miracle Maiden has been helping me right some of the wrongs my father committed.” “Recently, I found your father’s name in some of the papers from my father’s safe.” “When I told Miracle Maiden, she wanted to confront your father.” “I asked her to not do that, to let me handle it.”
As Fox uncomfortably sits back down in his chair Miracle Maiden says “But I felt it was too important to wait, that is why I came to his home.” “I must tell you again that I am sorry for the intrusion.” “When I talked to your father he made it clear to me that he had nothing to do with William Carter’s activities.”
“When I learned of what she did, I wanted to come here today to make sure she did this properly and make sure you knew I did not send her there,” Diana says.
“You didn’t tell Diana what happened did you?” Fox asks softly.
“There is no need to speak about that,” Miracle Maiden replies.
Fox’s posture visibly relaxes as he leans back in his chair letting out a huge sigh. “So I can expect no more surprise visits,” he asks. “I wondered what you were doing there.”
“It was all a misunderstanding, I assure you, it will not happen again,” Miracle Maiden tells Fox.
Not far down the hall. Max Franco sits on a paper covered exam table waiting for Dr. Woodlawn to enter the room. He takes inventory of everything in the room. There are many drawers in the cabinetry along the wall. Each drawer is labeled with its contents. The one that draws his attention the most reads Medical instruments. It has been several months since Franco has been to the clinic and not much has changed. Even the staff has remained the same, that is except for a new orderly, Tony Barber.
Barber doesn’t look like he belongs in this place. But Franco is not here for the sights. The last time he came to this Clinic it was for help. This time it is for something much different. A former Marine who lost his left leg and arm overseas, Max has had a hard time adjusting to returning home. He trusted Dr. Woodlawn to help him in his struggle to return to a normal life. A mistake he regrets making.
It is then that the door to the exam room opens and Dr. Woodlawn steps inside. “Well Lt. Franco, how are you doing today?” the doctor asks. “I see it has been several months since your last visit.” “What have you been up to in that time?”
“I would like to tell you, singing, dancing and partying,” Franco replies. “But we both know that is a lie.” “One legged, one armed men don’t do much of those things.”
“Have you been attending the Vet support group meetings I suggested?” Dr. Woodlawn asks. Looking over his notes in the man’s file he is reminded that Franko was one of the first patients to test positive for the Zeni-markers.
“Went to a few, hooked up members of another group after the last meeting,” Franko says in a strange tone. “But after that I didn’t get out much.” “They jammed me up for a while.”
“What do you mean by that?” Dr. Woodlawn questions. “Why don’t you remove your clothing to give me a look at your stumps to check for infection.” The doctor looks over his paperwork as Max undresses, checking the dates to see the man’s Zeni-marker positive result was before he began cheating the General. Woodlawn looks back after Franco has removed his pants to reveal he has a much different prosthetic leg than the last time he was in. “Where did you get that?” the doctor questions. “That does not look like V.A. issue.”
“Oh it isn’t,” Franco grins, stepping around the small room to show off his new leg. It moves incredibly smooth and lifelike. Dr. Woodlawn has never seen anything like it. “Those guys that jammed me up after the support meeting, showed me how to make it myself.” The artificial leg is constructed of multiple types of metal parts. From where Dr. Woodlawn sits on his stool; none of the objects that form the leg should work together to create a prosthetic like this one. “I’ve created an arm too,” the patient explains. “But I thought it might be too obvious to come in here wearing it.” “So I left it behind. Max Franco sits back down on the exam table eyeing the instrument tray the nurse has prepared for the doctor.
Dr. Woodlawn does not like the tone of Max Franco’s voice. Clearly the Zeni-marker results were correct and this man has somehow triggered his Zeni-human powers. Standing up trying to appear undisturbed by the man’s statements Dr. Woodlawn asks, “Might you remove the prosthetic so I could inspect your leg?”
“Is that what you would like?” Max asks innocently. “To see me crippled and defenseless again?”
“No not at all,” Woodlawn says now feeling slightly threatened by this man. “I am just looking to examine your body.” Doctor Woodlawn turns his back to the patient to face the cabinetry along the one wall. He checks his lab coat pocket for the syringe he keeps with a powerful sedative, just in case of a problem like this one.
Behind the doctor, Franco goes silent as he reaches over to touch the stainless steel instrument table sitting not far from the exam table with his right hand. “Perhaps you would like to see my newest arm?” Holding the metal tray tightly it begins to dissolve in his grasp. The shining liquefied metal oozes up his arm and across his shoulders to the end of the stump on his left arm. There it forms a new differently shaped prosthetic. At first it appears as a completely articulated forearm and hand. But by the time Dr. Woodlawn turns around, the hand is gone, replaced with a long sword appendage.
Caught by surprise, not even having enough time to react, Dr. Woodlawn is impaled on the sword blade arm. He gasps as blood gushes and sprays from his punctured heart. The sword arm slices through his body severing his spine, death is instant as he crumbles to the floor in a pool of blood.
Max Franco pulls back his arm blade that drips with the doctor’s blood that pools on the floor around his dead body. The task is done. “You gave me to them, allowed them to experiment on me!” Max shouts at the corpse at his feet. He looks to his prosthetic arm covered in blood, its form now sealed. He could discard it but it can still serve him. Using his good hand he pulls on his pants. Then turning to the door he swings his sword arm down to hack it open.
A few rooms away Diana Carter, Miracle Maiden and Fox Woodlawn talk over recent events. The crashing sounds are quickly followed by screams. “You stay here, I will find out what is happening,” Miracle Maiden says, vanishing in a swirl of prismatic light. Diana instinctively stands up to follow after the other woman.
“What are you doing, didn’t you hear what she said?” Fox shouts, grabbing Diana’s arm. “How can you work with her if you don’t listen to her?”
This is going to be harder than she thought, Diana thinks to herself. Taking the back seat after driving for so long is not easy. “I just thought we should find another way out of the office,” Diana replies creatively.
In the reception area a shirtless Max Franco rants swinging around his bloody sword arm over his head. “Do you see what this deviant clinic has done to me!” he shouts, splattering blood on the patient seated in chairs. The large orderly called Tony Barber emerges into the waiting room to witness the commotion.
Barber has a glint in his eye at the sight of the blood being spread around the room. At first he moves to help the frightened patients in the waiting room to escape. Then he turns his attention to the crazed man. “Aren’t you an interesting specimen?” he asks. “Not a full skin unfortunately.” Barber lunges at Franco’s back trying to restrain him from behind. The two men struggle as Franco reaches for the metal arm of a waiting room chair.
It takes only two minutes for the metal parts of the chair to dissolve allowing the wooden seat and back to tumble to the floor. The metal slides up Franco’s arm to his back where it takes the form of spikes that pierce Barber’s chest causing him to release the invader.
Miracle Maiden arrives as the blooded orderly falls to the waiting room floor. She shows no emotion to the sights in the room as she says, “That will be enough sir!”
Franco turns to the woman showing the anger on his brow. “Call me the Mechanic!” he sneers. Lunging forward at Miracle Maiden he swings his sworded left arm at her neck. The blade never touches her as it is repelled back by an invisible force that surrounds her body.
Miracle Maiden steps forward as the Mechanic continues to strike at her over and over again. She begins to back him down the hallway out of the waiting room. She can see the frustration on his face. “Not as easy as you thought, is it?” she laughs.
Inside Fox’s office Diana can hear Robin’s voice as she passes the door. She moves to peek out the door. “What are you doing?” Fox questions as he hurries over behind his friend at the door.
“Just relax,” Diana whispers, “I just want to see what is happening.” Diana spies Miracle Maiden and the man wielding a sword arm that is having no luck at touching her. Robin’s power is not the same as Diana’s but to the untrained eye it mimics it just fine.
The Mechanic sees the futility of his attack as his eye catches a new tool. Casting off the sword arm that he created from an instrument tray he reaches for a battery operated defibrillator cart that sits in the hallway. Within minutes his back and left arm are covered with the defibrillator equipment creating a new appendage. The Mechanic fires a high voltage electrical charge down the hallway at Miracle Maiden.
The Miracle Maiden stands with confidence, unmoving as the electrical bolt comes within inches of her body to be turned back on its source. Caught off guard the Mechanic is struck by the bolt to be sent sailing back through the emergency exit to the alley. Smiling Miracle Maiden follows after the man.
“Come on, we need to check on your father,” Diana tells Fox as she opens the door to step into the hall. She leads him to the exam room where she saw a patient taken by the nurse moments early. Opening the door Diana sees Dr. Woodlawn laying on the floor in a pool of blood. Her sharp eyes clearly perceive the movement of the blood back into his body. Before she can hold Fox back from entering the exam room he pushes past her.
“Holy Shit, Dad!” he shouts, rushing forward falling to his knees next to his father on the floor. Lost in shock and panic he turns back to Diana shouting, “Get the nurse!” When Diana doesn’t make an attempt to move he shouts again, “Get the nurse, NOW!”
“It is too late, Fox, I am sorry,” Diana says, causing her friend to jump up from the floor to push past her again into the hall.
“Nurse Tyler!” he shouts storming down the hall with no care for the events that transpire around him.
Diana quickly closes the door to lock it. “Come on, Dr. Woodlawn, you need to pull it together faster!” she grumbles. “No one else can see you this way!”
In the hallway Fox returns to bang on the door, “Diana let me in!” “I have nurse Tyler with me.” “She can help my Dad!”
Diana looks back to Dr. Woodlawn who now struggles to pull himself up from the floor on the edge of the cabinetry. He is still struggling to breath as he gasps, “He can absorb non-organic matter to reconfigure it into his body, through touch.”
At first Diana doesn’t understand the warning, then it strikes her. The Mechanic is fighting a living android. Diana turns yanking open the door, breaking the lock. Fox stands blocking her path. “I need to get by you!” she shouts.
Diana pushes Fox aside as he enters the exam room to see his father leaning on the edge of the exam table. “Holy shit!” Fox gasps, charging forward toward his father. “What happened?” “I was sure you were dead!” Fox helps his father to sit on the exam table. Looking back to the floor the pool of blood is gone. Then looking at his shirt sleeve he spies the blood stain. There was blood his father was bleeding but there is no sign of any blood in the room now. “Dad, what happened here? Fox asks in confusion.
Diana charges down the hallway and out into the alley behind the clinic through the broken door frame. The Mechanic has transfigured a dumpster into a huge mechanical suit of armor that now covers his whole body, exposing only his face. Using his sheer mass and superior weight the former soldier has pinned Miracle Maiden to the wall of the brick building. Diana can see that the man holds her sister by the inch thick repulsive shield around her body. She can also see that the shield is weakening. Diana has no choice but to act. Without the Miracle Maiden necklace that Robin wears, Diana’s Bio-energy blast is invisible. Grabbing a board from a broken pallet, Diana throws the board at the man striking him in the head.
“What the hell?” The Mechanic shouts, turning to look at Diana standing by the door. That is all she needs, a clear view of his face. Diana fires a Bio-energy eye blast to strike him in the face. It takes more energy than she expects but she brings him down. Miracle Maiden’s feet drop to the ground, no worse for wear.
Just as orderly Barber arrives behind Diana out the door. His shirt is torn open and soaked in blood as he charges past Diana. Beyond the blooded and shredded shirt she can see no visible wounds on his skin or body. “What is happening here?” he shouts.
“Looks to me like Miracle Maiden took down this monster,” Diana answers. “What happened to you?” she asks expecting a lie and getting one.
“Just a scratch,” Barber replies, turning to go back into the Clinic.
Miracle Maiden walks over to Diana to whisper, “That is a lot of blood for a scratch.”
“I know,” Diana replies. “The Colonel suggested that guy might be more than just hired muscle.” “It would appear he is right.”
Diana Carter’s Condo
The Simpson Building
Ninth floor
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
Diana and Miracle Maiden sit in her living room sipping glasses of wine. “So do you think they all believe what we told them?” Robin asks.
“I hope so for their own safety,” Diana replies. “We made it impossible for any of them to question that Diana Carter and Miracle Maiden are two separate people.”
“I don’t know if Dr. Woodlawn believed your story about giving me your powers,” Robin says. “He is too smart for that, he knows how Zeni-human powers work.” “He has to know you don’t just give powers away.”
“But he gained his ‘immortality’ at our birth,” Diana reasons. “He is one of the few people alive that were at our birth, or even knew you were born.” “He told me he doesn’t completely understand what happened that day.”
“You better hope he didn’t see what you did to that door of catch that it was actually you who took down the Mechanic with your bio-energy,” Robin reminds. “Me being Miracle Maiden isn’t going to be as easy as we thought, I don’t have all of your powers.” “And I do have some you don’t.”
“That is why we need to be clever about this,” Diana comments.
Suddenly the front door flings open. “Di, you won’t believe what happened at the clinic today!” Tracey Woodlawn shouts charging into the room. She stops cold in her tracks at the sight of Miracle Maiden on Diana’s sofa. “Holy Crap!”
Diana jumps up from the chair she sits in with her back to the door to see her friend standing motionless. “Tracey!” she exclaims. “How many times have I told you to knock?” “How do you always get past the doorman anyway?”
“I can’t believe Miracle Maiden is sitting on your sofa!” Tracey gushes. She grabs Diana by her arms saying, “I can’t believe you know Miracle Maiden!”
“Just calm down, before you pee on my carpet,” Diana tells her friend. “Yes, this is Miracle Maiden.”
Still in her disguise as Miracle Maiden, Robin stands to walk over to shake Tracey’s hand. “It is nice to see you again, Tracey.” “Diana has told me so much about you.”
Tracey’s hand trembles as she shakes the heroine’s hand. “Thank you again for saying before, when I was kidnapped.”
“Yes, I remember,” Miracle Maiden says, getting her hand away from the mega fan. “You’re welcome, again.” “I understand you’ve become something of a fan of mine since then.”
“Yes, yes I have,” Tracey stammers. “My husband says I’m being foolish, after all meeting you was a once in a lifetime thing.” “I guess it is twice now,” she gushes. “My husband told me you were at the Clinic today, fighting some crazy patient.”
“Yes, that is true,” Miracle Maiden replies. “Diana and I have been working on something together and I was meeting her there, just by chance.”
“Like when that stuff happened with Eric and Wes?” Tracey suggests. “Is that when you guys first met?” “Diana really hasn’t told me much about it and my cousin Eric is so secretive, always has been.”
“Look, why don’t you sit down and have a glass of wine with us,” Diana says. “Maybe we can clear some things up.”
“Really?” Tracey exclaims. “Are you going to let me in on all your secrets?” Tracey gives Diana a look that says, “It’s about time.”
“The case Diana and I have been following of late has put more people at risk,” Miracle Maiden explains. “Which was made clear by the Mechanic’s appearance at the Clinic.” “We felt it was time that I made my involvement clear and told everyone who may be in danger to be more cautious about that danger.” “Like I did with you after Mr. Zipp kidnapped you.” “But I am still just one woman, you all need to look out for yourselves because I can not be everywhere at once.”
Finishing her glass of wine Tracey eagerly says, “I know, I even had a state of the art security system installed at my studio.”
“It is more than that,” Diana says. “We all need to look out for each other and make sure to be vigilant.”
“I understand completely,” Tracey says, “But why didn’t you come to me about this like you did with my husband and father-in-law?”
“Because as usual, you didn’t give us a chance,” Diana scolds. “We had to begin with the high risk targets.”
“So now you guys are just hanging out and having a girls night?” Tracey asks shyly.
“No, just a rehash,” Miracle Maiden explains.
“Well in that case I have a question for you Miracle Maiden,” Tracey says without holding back. “What is the deal with you and Master Warrior?”
“Master Warrior?” Miracle Maiden repeats, giving a raised eyebrow to Diana that only she can see through the necklace disguise.
“Yes, ” Tracey begins. “It is a little embarrassing but since we met I have become something of a fan of yours.” “I have been collecting articles and photos of you and making a scrapbook.” “My husband thinks I’m being childish, but as a photographer I am fascinated by this distortion you use on your face.” “How is it that it appears in every photo?” “I theorized that you must have your own personal photographer.”
“Oh wait a minute,” Diana interrupts. “I see where this is going.” “You want to be Miracle Maiden’s personal photographer.”
Tracey giggles, “Don’t be ridiculous Di, I could never keep up with the travel.” “I am more than happy with my career.” “It is just that I was explaining this to my husband and he brought up that Master Warrior has the same thing going on with his face in photos.” “He suggested there must be a connection between the two of you and I said, maybe they are brother and sister.” “Then he said, no he disagreed.” “He dug out this photo of the two of you taken on a dock in New England somewhere.” “You were both standing on the end, looking out over the water and Fox commented that it looked like he wanted to hold your hand.”
Diana is shocked by this suggestion, forcing her to speak up. “Tracey, what are you talking about?” “That is ridiculous!”
“That is what I told Fox,” Tracey says. “Then he brought up how long he loved me in secret and I had no idea until you fixed us up.” “He even said, Master Warrior clearly had the hots for her because of his body language.”
Diana is speechless at the accusation as she glares at Robin who grins at her reaction. “There is no connection between us other than we worked together a few times,” Miracle Maiden finally says after letting Diana stew for a few minutes. “But I should be going.” The heroine in disguise stands up and vanishes in a swirl of rainbow light.
“That was strange,” Tracey comments. “Last time I met Miracle Maiden she disappeared after her eyes glowed, no rainbow.”
Diana can’t believe how Tracey’s attention to detail might just bite this plan in the ass. “You are ridiculous sometimes,” Diana replies. “Can’t a girl use a little variety?” “I’ve been thinking we should have some girl time.” “I booked a spa day for the two of us tomorrow afternoon at that place down the street from your Studio.” “Can you make the time?”
“Great, then you can fill me in on all the things you have been up to with Miracle Maiden,” Tracey grins.
“I think not, talking about that in public is never going to happen,” Diana replies. “If we are going to talk about that, it is going to happen here now.” The women begin talking and Diana tells her stories as Miracle Maiden in third person. Soon Diana has told Tracey everything she has done since returning to home to clean up William Carter’s mess. It is like a huge weight is lifted off Diana’s mind and conscience to finally talk about these things with her friend. Revealing that Miracle Maiden is a separate person has more benefits than she would have imagined only days ago.
It is late when Tracey and Diana finally finish talking over the exploits of Diana and Miracle Maiden and to Diana’s surprise her friend isn’t cross with her keeping these secrets. After their second bottle of wine Tracey finally says, “I should head home, Fox is probably waiting for me.”
“Don’t be silly, call Fox, tell him you are sleeping over,” Diana tells her friend.
Friday, July 8, 1988
Carter Industries
The Simpson Building
Fifth floor
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
Diana is more than a little nervous this morning as she sits on the sofa in her office waiting for her Uncle Zac. She has never lied to him, never had a reason to be anything but honest with him. She has never told him she was Miracle Maiden, in fact she has danced around it quite a bit. What she and Robin are doing is for the best, she has to believe that to make it through this conversation.
Zac Carter enters Diana’s office, his usual pleasant morning person self, the complete opposite of his late brother William. “Good Morning, Princess,” he announces walking toward the coffee machine on the ledge at the side of the room.
“I wish you wouldn’t call me that,” Diana says. “You have a daughter now, she should be your Princess.”
“She is my Little Buttercup,” Zac smiles, bringing Diana a cup of coffee. “What is on your mind this morning that is so important?” Zac takes a seat in the chair across from his niece.
“I’m not sure how to start, so let me start at the beginning,” Diana says. “When I first came home to learn of my father’s death and his other activities I said I would protect our family.” “I’ve spent the past year trying to clean up his mess, but I have not been doing it alone.”
“Of course, I figured you weren’t doing it alone,” Zac replies. “I know Andre has been helping you for one.”
“No, there is someone more public,” Diana explains. “She was already aware of my father’s activities and thought it was something we could work on together.”
As if on cue, Miracle Maiden appears in a swirl of rainbow light to stand next to the couch where Diana is seated.
Zac Carter is silent for a moment before saying calmly, “I am not at all surprised that Miracle Maiden, you have been helping Diana,” “Not after that scene you caused here the last time.”
Diana and Miracle Maiden look at each other in confusion. “What are you talking about?” Diana asks. “When did Miracle Maiden cause a scene in this office?”
“It was a few days before William passed away to tell the truth,” Zac realizes. “I heard the shouting while walking down the corridor.” “Ms. Nelson told me you just barged in unannounced.” “She also called the police.” “I couldn’t really understand what you were saying to William but you were clearly angry.” “When the police arrived I got a look at your face and there is no mistaking it.” “I guess the police arriving was more than you wanted to handle.”
Diana and Miracle Maiden glare at each other in confusion over this news. Miracle Maiden tries to cover up to agree with Mr. Carter, “William was a stubborn man.”
“Yes, that he was,” Zac agrees. “If not for the way died, I would have suspected you of killing him.” “That is always why I always figured you were the one helping Diana.”
“How did my father die?” Diana asks. “I never really stopped to ask.”
“He had cancer, never said a word to anyone, not even Ms. Nelson,” Zac says. “A few days after you were here, Miracle Maiden, he didn’t come to work.” “No call, not a word to anyone.” “I sent Ms. Nelson to his condo to check on him.” “I had suspected her child was his, but wasn’t sure until the reading of the will.” “He had died in his sleep.” “His body was riddled with cancer, it just blocked his airway while he slept.” “Enough of this talk, I have an appointment at 10 with a new investor.” Zac Carter stands up returning his coffee cup to the sideboard. “It was wonderful to finally meet you properly, Miracle Maiden.” Zac shakes the woman’s hand, “You take good care of my Princess.”
“Of course sir,” Miracle Maiden replies.
Once Uncle Zac leaves the office closing the door behind himself. Diana turns to her twin, “Do you have any idea what he is talking about?”
“Not an inclination,” Robin answers. “I haven’t even considered dressing as Miracle Maiden until you offered me the necklace to wear.”
“That makes sense because Miracle Maiden didn’t even exist then,” Diana adds. “It was before Shanna rigged the necklace to the costume.” “Makes me wonder if Shanna planned this all more than I realized.”
“Do you think it was Shanna disguised as Miracle Maiden who argued with your father?” Robin asks.
“It sounds like too big of a stretch even for Shanna,” Diana surmises. “I already have issues with her, if that is what happened those issues just doubled.”
Venus Day Spy
510 Myrtle Avenue,
New York, NY
Several hours later, Diana and Tracey have taken off the afternoon to spend it together catching up after Diana’s stay at Camp Tandy. They begin with a couples massage. As they lay on the tables being rubbed by masseurs Tracey says, “So we talked about a lot last night, so what say you tell me about the men at camp.”
“That didn’t take long,” Diana chuckles. “If not for all that other stuff you would have started in with me the minute I got home.” “Believe it or not, most of the coaches and teachers are the same ones from when we were there, just older.” “It was kind of weird at first being their equal.”
“Grumpy old Coach Booth was still there then?” Tracey questions.
“As grumpy as ever,” Diana replies. “Do you remember Denise Harmon?”
“You mean that twelve year old that used to wear a padded bra and too much make-up?” Tracey snickers.
“That’s the one, she is working as a counselor now, she was my tent mate,” Diana explains. “Turns out she was Mr. Tennyson’s granddaughter.”
“Was?” Tracey quizzes.
“Oh, you don’t know,” Diana says, forgetting the media blackout. “Mr. Tennyson committed suicide, that is why the camp closed early.”
“Oh my god no,” Tracey exclaims, sitting up to push the masseuse back. “He was such a sweet man, do you know why he did it?”
“Yes, there was a dark side of Camp Tandy that none of us were aware of,” Diana explains. “That darkness had come to the surface and Mr. Tennyson was about to be revealed to be part of it.” “He left a full confession, he could not face the consequences.”
Tracey lays back down on the table becoming quiet for a few minutes thinking over what Diana has said. “It had something to do with the boys, didn’t it?” she asks.
Diana is surprised by Tracey’s question, “Why do you ask that?”
“Of all of the weird things about Gary Rogers, one of the weirdest was the way he would disappear with Coach Denmark.” “Then there were times when I saw him with older boys, that he would deny knowing.”
“Yes, it was about boys being groomed for molestation,” Diana confesses.
“As eager as Gary appeared on the surface, when we were alone it was me who took charge,” Tracey confesses. “I always felt like he was all talk and no action.” “If I didn’t follow through he would have resisted.”
After a massage the young women move to the sauna for a steam. “I am so glad we decided to do this today, isn’t this place great?” Tracey asks as they sit on the bamboo benches wrapped in white towels.
“I must admit its vicinity to your Photography Studio is convenient,” Diana says, turning on the bench to lay down.
Tracey looks over at her friend catching a glimpse of something. “You really should get that thing waxed while we are here,” she jokes.
“Gross!” Diana exclaims readjusting her towel. “Who’s going to see it?”
“You are just sad sometimes,” Tracey replies. “Why are you so stubborn?” “It is not like you are religious or anything.” “What are you saving your virginity for anyway?” “Sometimes I really wonder if you are a lesbian.”
“Oh my God, Tracey!” Diana exclaims sitting up. “Shut up!” “I am not a lesbian!” “I have fantasies about men all the time!” “I just have the ability to control myself!”
“So I guess I shouldn’t bother asking if you met any hot guys on your return to camp?” Tracey asks.
“As a matter of fact, there was the hottest 12 year old I ever met,” Diana jokes. “But my cootch scared him off.”
“Please, there must have been some new counselors by now!” Tracey suggests.
“Sadly it was mostly the same old faces,” Diana says. That is not a lie she smiles at herself. Steve was there the last time they were at Camp Tandy too. Telling Tracey that would have her jumping right out of her towel.
Tracey is quiet for a moment until she realizes, “Mostly?” “You said ‘mostly’, that means there were some hot guys.” “I know damned well that those Counselors were screwing around when we were there!”
“Oh, believe me there was plenty of sex and drama, but I was not part of it,” Diana confesses.
“You are not telling me something,” Tracey insists. “We have three more things planned, ice bath, facial, and nails, I’m going to get the whole story out of you before we are done!”
The thought of an ice bath scares Diana a little. But this sauna is her jam. She can feel her Bio-energy loving the heat. “There is nothing to tell, hymen intact.”
“Then at least make something up,” Tracey pleads. “It just makes me so sad sometimes to think you are always going to be alone.”
Diana is so glad the sweat hides her tears as she wipes her face with a hand towel. The fact that her best friend is so upset by something she has been struggling with for years melts her heart more than the heat of the sauna. Then softly Diana says, “He was there.” “The man of my dreams.” “I fell in love with him all over again.” “This time I think he fell for me too.” “We laughed, we played, we held hands, and we kissed.” “We kissed a lot.” “We wanted to do it all but it was all moving too fast for the both of us.”
Tracey gets up shaking her head, “You are so bad at lying.” “Are you ever going to be honest with me about this virginity thing?”
Diana laughs silently to herself at the reality of Tracey not believing the truth and still wanting more. Maybe she can put this constant questioning to an end with the right answer. “I fear trusting a man completely,” Diana says softly. “I know I shouldn’t let the way my father treated me rule the rest of my life, but it still makes it so hard to fully trust a man to not hurt me in that way again.” “I struggle every time I feel myself getting close to a man, but in the end I push him away.” “Don’t you think I want to change, I do but at every turn I fall back into my old ways.”
“Oh sweety, I never realized you were still hurting this much,” Tracey says, moving closer to her friend to give her a hug. “Is that why you feel so obligated to clean up his mess?”
“No, that is more like I want to protect my Uncle Zac and his family,” Diana says, breaking the hug. “They were the only ones I could depend on through it all.” “I know it all sounds silly, but when I learn who my father really was it made me feel like I had to fix it all to finally have him out of all of our lives.”
“None of that is silly,” Tracey tells her friend. “I am just glad you have our new friend helping you.”
“I really don’t think she is our friend,” Diana replies, referring to Miracle Maiden. “More like a work associate.” “Once all of this is over she’s not going to be coming to dinner at your house or mine.”
“If you say so,” Tracey replies sarcastically.