Wednesday, June 15, 1988
Home of Robert Striker & his daughter Lori
998 Broad St
Newark, New Jersey
Lori Striker is twelve years old and this is her first trip to Camp Tandy. She has been packed for days. Lori is eager to leave home for the summer. It has just been Lori and her father since she was three. She really can’t remember her mother. All she knows is that her mother was killed in an auto accident. Sure there are old photos she has seen of her mother, but she can not remember her touch, the smell of her hair, or even the sound of her voice.
That was until her birthday in March, since that night she has had dreams of her mother. Dreams where she can touch, hug and hear her mother’s voice. She is just a baby in these dreams. Night after night she reveled in those experiences, until she started noticing other things. The things that were really happening around them. Her mother was meeting with a man, a man in secret, behind her father’s back.
It took a week for her to get a clear look at the man’s face and remember it when she woke. He was weird to her, almost frightening, but in her dream she was younger and doesn’t understand fear. He wore dark sunglasses and walked with a cane. Lori was fascinated by the large clear crystal at the top of the cane’s handle that refracts the light into a rainbow on the sidewalk. He doesn’t speak directly to her but he glares at her over the top of his glasses as he talks to her mother. There is something wrong with his eyes but she can not remember what.
Lori hopes that going to camp, being away from home will end the dreams. That somehow she will feel normal again. Camp was her father’s idea, he felt that she needed some time roughing it in nature. Lori is well aware of how much her father spoils her and it might be good to be around kids her own age that have less lavish lives. For most of her life it has just been Dad, Lori and her nanny Suki Toya.
It is Suki that she is waiting for in the lobby of her building. Now that she is twelve, Suki has been worried about her becoming a woman. Suki wants to take her shopping before she leaves for camp, just in case something happens. She waits seated in a large arm chair at the front windows of the building with the doorman. Her over protective father does not like her going out on the street alone.
While watching out through the glass Lori notices a man standing across the street at a bus stop. He is thin dressed in a long dark coat with a hat down over his face. When he lifts his head she can see he wears dark sunglasses, even on this c. There is something familiar about him so she continues to watch him to pass time. When he turns to face the street she can see that he is holding a walking stick in his hand. On the top of the walking stick is a large clear crystal. She feels a chill of her spine at the sight of the cane in his hand. When the bus arrives, Lori watches the strange dark man board the bus. For a moment Lori feels as if he looks straight at her through his dark glasses.
“Lori, are you ready to go shopping?” Suki asks as she walks from the door crossing into her line of view of the bus stop.
“Yes, yes let’s go!” Lori says as she stands up from the chair to take Suki’s hand.
Steve Roberts & Patrick Berger’s apartment
1701 Tulip St
The Fishtown section
Philadelphia, Pa
Paddy comes home after nearly 24 hrs at the precinct. As usual Steve is not home, probably out saving the world or something. He wouldn’t be surprised after all the reports of Master Warrior showing up all over the city. Steve has been trying so hard of late to help the people of this city, more than ever. Paddy can’t help but to think that Steve is avoiding something. Paddy remembers how after his wife, Michelle died he did everything he could to take his mind off of her, but none of it helped until Steve came along. Steve brought him back to life. The life he had before Steve was filled with loss and pain. Now he has hope and incredibly the love of a good woman again. He never thought he would find love again until he met Paula and that was because of Steve too.
He grabs a beer from the frig to flop down in his recliner. It may be 10 am but to him it is 10 pm. Clicking on the TV he knows he shouldn’t feel guilty about what he is going to ask his roommate. He knows he shouldn’t, Steve is the kind of guy who would do anything to help others. That doesn’t make this any easier. A second and a third beer as he watches Wheel of Fortune on the TV. It is Paddy’s day off and Steve not being home is just fine. By his fourth beer Paddy is feeling good. Figures it is time he hit the sack.
Master Warrior lands on the roof of the apartment building. It is a place he has come many times. So far he hasn’t been caught but sooner or later he is going to have to find a better way to sneak home. Stepping inside the unlocked roof access door he touches his earlobe to transform back into Steve Roberts’ clothing. He just finished helping to clean up a pile up on the Schuylkill Expressway. It was hard work but he would rather be saving normal people from crashed cars than battle a super-villain any day. “It makes him feel like what he does as Master Warrior is worthwhile.
The thought of super-villains brings him back to Gary again. How could things have ever gotten this bad? He has had Paddy check up on Gary several times since he was taken into custody. There seems to be very little anyone can do for him. Without the energy that was powering him as Supreme Warrior, he is in a kind of vegetative state. Even Zeni-human specialist Dr. Michaelson doesn’t know what to make of it.
Exiting the stairs on his floor Steve tries to put Gary’s situation out of his mind again. He is sure his impending trip to Camp Tandy will bring back plenty of old memories. Getting to his door he fumbles for his keys, Steve is glad to be home. A hot shower and an early night is what he needs. Then he hears the door of his neighbor’s apartment open. “So big boy I hear you have a new girlfriend,” his neighbor Julie Snyder teases.
“Oh hi, Julie,” Steve says, turning to face the young woman with her shoulder length brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. She is dressed in sweatpants and a tank top. Clearly headed out for a run. “What are you talking about?”
“David mentioned you’ve got a girl in New York,” Julie answers. “It is like amour is in the air around here.” David and me, Paddy and Mom, and now you.”
“I don’t think my long distance phone relationship is in the same league as the four of you,” Steve grins. “Especially since David has me picking up extra work so you two can go on weekend excursions.”
“Once, that was once!” Julie argues. “Even though we told Mom about our relationship it is still hard to get alone time around here, if you know what I mean.” “And after catching Paddy in my Mom’s bathroom I wanted to get some private time for David and I.”
“So things are going good with you two?” Steve questions innocently. He knows full well how things are going with them. David can’t stop talking about her most days now that the cat is out of the bag. He has even mentioned buying jewelry for Julie.
“Why, what has he said?” Julie asks eagerly.
Steve isn’t sure how to answer the question. He doesn’t want to be the man in the middle. “Not much, you know he keeps his feeling pretty tight to the chest.”
“Don’t I know it,” Julie replies, letting Steve relax. “I’ve been dropping hints about us moving in together, but I don’t think he is catching on.”
“Have you seen his place above the Agency?” Steve queries.
“Oh I am not moving in there,” Julie makes it clear. “We would get a nice place close to both our jobs.”
“Well good luck with that,” Steve says finally getting his door open. “I’ll see you around.” “Have a good run.” Something he thought he would never say to his neighbor. Inside his apartment Steve finds Paddy passed out his chair in front of the TV.
Steve arrives home and takes Paddy by surprise as he turns off the TV. “Yo,” Paddy says as Steve flops down in his recliner next to his roomie. Paddy’s eyes are glassy as he looks over at Steve. “What are you doing at home?” Paddy asks, trying to wake up. “I was just heading to bed, I must have dozed off,” Paddy says sitting up in his chair.
“You look like shit!” Steve comments. “How many hours have you been on the clock?”
“22,” Paddy tells his roommate. “How many hours has Master Warrior been on the clock?”
“Not as long as you,” Steve chuckles.
“I was going to wait until later to ask you a question,” Paddy says, clearing his throat. “But since you are here now.”
“It must have been important if you made it past six beers,” Steve comments, looking at the empties on the floor.
“How was your meeting with Commissioner Aspen, what did he want to meet with you about?” Paddy asks Steve. “He was vague on what he wanted from you.”
“He wants me to spy on his son,” Steve replies. “Find out if he is being bullied at summer camp?”
“What is that all about?” Paddy asks his roomie. “What did you tell him?”
“I said I would do it,” Steve explains. “I actually remember his kid from Camp Tandy, he was only nine when I was last at camp.” “He was a good kid so I couldn’t say no.”
“So you are going back to Summer Camp at your age?” Paddy chuckles. “How long are you going to be gone?”
“Three weeks or so,” Steve reveals. “It is going to be strange, like going back in time.” “I guess I should get cleaned up, its been a long day already,” Steve said, getting up from his chair.
“I saw on the news how busy Master Warrior has been,” Paddy comments as Steve starts for his room. “Do you have anything on your mind you want to talk about?”
“What do you mean?” Steve questions turning to stop behind his chair.
“You are throwing yourself into Master Warrior of late,” Paddy says. “After Michelle died I threw myself into work.” “If not for you I would still be doing that.”
“You consider 22 hours straight not overworking?” Steve cracks.
“If Master Warrior wasn’t doing so much paperwork for me, I might have a shorter day,” Paddy retorts. “I just want to help you find a better way to deal with your issues, maybe return the favor if I can.” “Is there something on your mind that you are trying to avoid?”
Steve leans over his chair to put his face in his hands for a moment. Running his hands back through his hair, he whispers under his breath, “It’s her.” Paddy sits quietly to wait for Steve to elaborate. “I can’t get her out of my mind.” “The only time I don’t think about her is when I’m Master Warrior.” “I think I’m falling for her.” “It sounds ridiculous, I know.”
“Who?” Paddy questions.
“Diana,” Steve replies. “She is not like everyone else I’ve ever known.” “I don’t know what to do.” “I don’t want to lead her on, but I want to keep seeing her.”
“Let me get this straight, you are falling in love and it scares you?” Paddy grins. “Welcome to humanity!” “I’ve seen you use your powers and I’ve seen you carry a baby out of a burning house.” “You have the control that you feel you will lose in an intimate situation.” “I think you have nothing to worry about.”
“That being said, I’ve taken enough risks with you and David knowing my secret,” Steve confesses. “Now with what has happened to Gary it would be too big of a risk to be dating someone.”
“On that note, the doctors think he is not going to wake up in a hurry,” Paddy reveals. His brain waves are out of sync in a way medical science can’t explain.”
“Does that mean he is going to make it or not?” Steve sadly asks.
“They don’t know,” Paddy tells him. “Dr Michaelson thinks if they could find a way to shock his brainwave back in line like a defibrillator does with a heart it would cure him.” “But there currently is no such device.”
Dollar General
131 Market St
Newark, NJ
Lori and Suki arrive at the convenience store a few blocks from where she lives. Suki has a few other things to pick up, so she tells Lori to meet her in the feminine hygiene aisle. Lori wanders around the small store to the toy aisle for which she finds she is too old. Then she goes to the magazine rack to maybe find something to read on the bus. As she looks over the latest issues of People Magazine and Hollywood Gossip she hears a strange clicking sound. Turning to her right she spots the strange man dressed in a dark coat and hat walking towards her down the aisle. Each touch of his cane on the floor makes the clicking sound that she heard. Lori’s first instinct is to run. Then she thinks that would be childish.
“Hello young lady,” the dark man says to her as reaches for a magazine in a plastic wrapper on the top shelf.
“Hello,” Lori replies knowing she is not allowed to talk to strangers. “What is your name?”
The dark man looks at the brave girl, “You can call me Dr. Crow,” he tells her.
“Did you know my mother?” she asks curiously.
“I believe I did,” Dr. Crow replies, putting the magazine back on the rack. “She was a brave girl just like you.”
“Lori, what are you doing?” Suki shouts from the end of the aisle. “The isle we want is over here!”
“Oh, I was just…,” she turns back to Dr. Crow and he is gone.
“Just what?” Suki asks. “Are you getting a magazine for your trip?”
“Yes, that is what I was doing,” Lori tells her nanny as she hands Suki the People magazine.
Steve Roberts & Patrick Berger’s apartment
1701 Tulip St
The Fishtown section
Philadelphia, Pa
Steve watches the Eleven O’clock News for a little while after Paddy goes back to bed. He has to be at work early in the morning and there is no telling how many hours he will be working as long as they are short handed. The Media just can’t get enough of Master Warrior. They keep on replaying the footage of the car pile up. Maybe Miracle Maiden is right, he is a Showboat. A little time away from the city will be good. LEss time for Master Warrior to be on the News. Then he wonders if it is going to be harder than he thinks it will be to go back to Camp Tandy. He does have a lot of good memories there with Gary. But there are also other memories with Diana. Switching off the TV and going to his bedroom Steve strips down to head for the shower. The hot water feels good on his body. He hopes Paddy doesn’t wake up wanting to do the same because he intends on using up all the hot water. Not using any cold water in a hot shower would probably give a normal person second degree burns. Steve on the other hand is immune to such an injury even on his most sensitive areas.
By the time the hot water runs out the bathroom is filled by a cloud of steam. Drying off is almost not necessary as the hot water on his body quickly evaporates. Wrapping a blue towel around his waist he heads into the bedroom.
Running a comb through his hair in the mirror over his dresser the phone on his nightstand rings. Lunging across the bed he reaches to answer it. “Hello?” he says as he glances at the call I.D. to see the New York area code.
“Hi, I hope I didn’t wake you,” Diana replies cautiously. “Sorry to call so late.”
Steve chuckles, running his free left hand through his damp chest hair, “Don’t be silly, hearing from you makes my day no matter the time.” “I was just getting out of the shower.” He can’t believe she is calling him, he was just talking about her to Julie.
“I guess asking what you are wearing would sound like an obscene phone call,” Diana jokes.
“A blue towel,” Steve says slyly. “Some water drops.” He can’t help but to imagine her in the shower with him.
“I think this is turning into an obscene phone call,” Diana says softly.
Steve so wishes she was here not a hundred miles away. “You started it,” Steve accuses. “At any rate it is good that you called, I’m kinda going away, so I won’t be home for a few weeks.” “It’s kind of a favor for a friend\undercover work.” With his luck of late she is probably calling to meet up for a date this week. Just the sound of her voice on the phone seems to be a turn on.
“What a coincidence, I’m taking on an undercover case, I was wondering if you had any advice?” Diana says her voice sounds sexier than before. “I hate the whole pretending to not be myself.” “The whole watching everything I say not to give myself away.”
“You sure did a good job when we met up before Wayne’s wedding,” Steve replies, taking off his towel in the cool air of the room. Switching the phone to his left hand to free up his dominant hand. Climbing between the sheets of his bed.
“What are you doing now?” Diana asks.
“Getting into bed.” Steve tells her, slipping under the sheet. “I think you will do great.” “Just stay focused and don’t pick up on any other guy from your past.” The idea of Diana being in his bed with him makes him comes to mind. He is suddenly worried she can hear what he is doing.
“Believe me, after the events of the past few days, I am done with guys from my past!” Diana says, letting out a sigh.
“Well then I guess I will just say good night,” Steve says wanting to keep her voice is still fresh in his mind.
“Not you!” she exclaims. “I feel like we are just getting started again,”
“Imagine how different our lives would have been if I wasn’t such a jerk,” Steve says. “If I had only just gotten your phone number, we could have been talking all this time.” He thinks of all the years he spent thinking about Diana. “There were times in High School I would have loved to just call you.”
Diana goes silent for a moment before saying, “Are you trying to make me cry?” “As much as it hurt thinking about you I still did think about you.” “A lot happened during those years, I fear that the reality of that would be nothing like the fantasies we have about it.”
If she only knew how many fantasies he had about her. “You are probably right,” Steve moans softly. “Maybe after we both get home we can get together,” Steve suggests. “How does a weekend in NYC sound?”
“That sounds great!” Diana replies, sounding excited. “But why don’t we make it Atlantic City, somewhere neither of us has spent their whole life.”
“Sounds good to me,” Steve agrees eagerly. “Until then?”
“Until then!” Diana repeats hangs up the phone.
Thursday, June 16, 1988
Dee Moore’s Apartment
Apt. 34g
315 E 57th street
New York City, NY
Diana Carter stands outside the door of Dee Moore’s apartment anticipating what she is going to say. Checking to make sure no one is around she transforms into Miracle Maiden then knows on the door. Even though she has used her powers to get this far she didn’t want to risk anyone spotting her dressed like Miracle Maiden until she got to the door.
Dee Moore opens the door to instantly pull the woman in the hall inside. “Miracle Maiden, what are you doing here?” she says in a panic. “Has the Owl found out it was me who betrayed her?”
“Dee, calm down it is nothing like that,” Miracle Maiden says trying to calm the woman. “I am here on a personal matter.”
“Personal?” Dee Moore repeats.
“I wanted to check up on you to see how you were doing?” Miracle Maiden inquires. “I didn’t want you to think I had forgotten about you.” “What you did to help me still means a lot to me.”
“It was nothing, the real thank you is to you for getting me out of that horrible work environment,” Dee says, giving the woman an impromptu hug. “Please come in, sit down, do you want something to drink?”
“A Coke would be fine,” Miracle Maiden says, looking around the apartment. It is the same as she remembered it, except for the addition of a few new plants to replace the ones she probably killed while she was staying here. The sofa is the same one Steve fell asleep on that first night after reconnecting with him. She never brought him back here because she couldn’t risk him meeting Dee and discovering her disguise was something more than him just not recognizing her at first. If he met Dee he would realize that she looks nothing like her and that it was magic that deceived him until she revealed the truth. Questions she doesn’t want to answer.
Dee returns with the drinks. “My new job that you found for me at Carter Industries is so much better than at Open World!” Dee gushes. “I feel like I need to thank you for that too.”
“Well there is something I would like to ask of you, if it is not a problem?” Miracle Maiden says taking a second drink from the glass of Coke. “I need to go undercover and I was hoping I could use your face again.”
“Not at Carter Industries is it?” Dee asks, concerned that she is about to lose the best job she has ever had.
“No, not at Carter Industries, it is just asking this favor is easier with someone who already understands how it works,” Miracle Maiden explains. “So if someone I meet while impersonating you should cross your path you will know to play along.” “In this case it is very unlikely.” “But if you do not want to do this I will understand.”
“Of course I’ll help you,” Dee smiles. “I feel that I still own you so much.”
“Do you remember how it is done,” Miracle Maiden asks, standing up in front of Dee.
“I think so,” Dee responds by stepping closer to the statuesque heroine. She reaches out to touch the ruby on the necklace around Miracle Maiden’s neck. “Let my reflection be cast on you.” For a split second Dee sees her own face through the distortion of Miracle Maiden’s disguise. “I think it worked.”
“I’m sure it did,” MIracle Maiden replies. “Thank you so much for helping me again.”
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
V.I.P. Ward
Rm. 543
111 S 11th St
Philadelphia, Pa
Two highly trained armed Policemen stand guard outside of room 543. It is the most highly secured room in the hospital, perhaps the city. Inside that room Gary Rogers, the man known as Supreme Warrior lays unconscious in a coma from which the most skilled medical staff of the hospital can not wake him. No unauthorized person in this part of the hospital would dare come near this room. Some of the authorized ones even fear it.
But for one person the security in the room makes it clear it is where she wants to be. She stands at the end of the hallway dressed as a nurse. Trudy Patterson has found her lover and has no plans to let him be trapped in this Hospital. She draws energy from the very wires inside the walls to fuel her powers. A Hospital runs on electricity to save lives. There is only one life in this hospital, perhaps the world that Trudy cares about. She siphons off a small amount of energy to render herself both invisible and intangible. Walking down the hall toward room 543 she goes completely unnoticed.
All the Policemen standing guard notice a dimming of the lights in the corridor that moves continually down toward them. As each light dims the one previously returns to normal as the next dims. One of the Policemen uses his radio to contact the security office, “We are experiencing an electrical disturbance up here.”
“Just a minor flux in the power grid, we have it under control,” The response comes over the radio back to him.
Neither of the Policemen standing guard even notice as the woman dressed as a nurse invisibly passes through the door they guard. Inside the room she is straight to her lover’s bedside. She understands nothing about the machines to which he is attached. She knows only that she must bring him back to her! Solidifying while staying invisible she reaches out to pull the hose from his mouth and throat. Leaning over him she gives him an electrified kiss. The machinery and its battery backups instantly short out setting off no alarms. “I will save you my love!” she whispers in his ear.
Trudy pulls back the bedding and reaches to pull up the bottom of the hospital gown he wears. “What have they done to you my beautiful man?” she cries out at the sight of the catheter that has been inserted into him. She touches his groin with one hand to make his body immaterial then pulls the tube with the other. The catheter apparatus passes harmlessly through his body. She casts it to the floor spilling urine across the bedding. She stands back she admires her handy work as he lays still unconscious. “I know what will do the trick,” she smiles as she removes her scrub pants to climb up onto the bed.
Trudy tears open Gary’s gown as she rides atop him. The lights in the room drain as her power feeds on the electricity. Digging her fingers into his chest she tears open his flesh. The lights on the entire floor dim as she draws in his pain and injuries to her body. Blood soaks through her scrub shirt on her chest where she scratched him. Then Trudy’s power burning away his injuries that she has absorbed. He hardly makes a peep as she leans back to arch her spine screaming out in pleasure and pain as every light on the fifth floor explodes.
The Policemen from outside the door rush into the room. “Hold it right there, don’t move!” one of the men shouts at the woman glows with electricity sitting atop the patient in the bed.
Trudy spins around dismounting her man to fire lethal blasts of lightning from her hands at the Policemen. She surges with the energy she has stolen from the hospital’s power supply. “Now my love, we shall make our escape,” she hisses, taking down another guard and a nurse as they enter the room lit only by emergency lighting. The glow around Trudy dimmed and she turned back to the bed where Gary still lay unconscious. “How?” “How is this possible?” “The power should have been enough to wake you!” “It is that bitch!” “I need that bitch’s energy to bring you back to me!”
Another Policeman enters the room behind Trudy and fires a newly developed taser at her back. The spikes pierce her skin but the charge is too small to affect her as she still surges with some of the hospital’s electricity. “Fools,” she shouts as she reaches back to take hold of the cables hanging from her back. “Your malice for me is nothing compared to what I hold for the rest of the world!” Trudy sends almost all of the power she has stolen back through the cables to electrocute the Policeman until smoke comes from his ears. “Feel my hatred, feel the pain of Malice Maid!” With what remains of the stolen power she vanishes from sight to flee out the wall of the hospital to the parking lot below.
Friday, June 17, 1988
Steve Roberts & Patrick Berger’s apartment
1701 Tulip St
The Fishtown section
Philadelphia, Pa
Steve has spent most of the morning packing for his trip to Camp Tandy. It is strange packing for camp as an adult. There are so many things he considers taking that he didn’t even own when he was 15. When the doorbell rings he stops debating and zips his duffle shut. Slinging it over his shoulder he carries it into the living room dropping it on the floor as he goes to answer the door.
Opening the door he is greeted by his sister Christine, “Hey big bro, I’m here to spend the summer.” She pushes past him into the apartment carrying two large suitcases.
“Is this what you used Mom’s Travel stone for?” Steve asks.
“No, I took a plane,” Christine replies. Kicking Steve’s duffle back she asks. “What is this about?”
“I’m going to Camp tomorrow for a month,” Steve reveals. “You should have called first.”
“Why are you never home to answer the phone,” Christine retorts. “And I didn’t see you on live TV anywhere.”
“Definite no to that, I had the worst headache of my life after that,” Steve says. “You need to go home.”
“Who is this?” Paddy asks, walking into the living room as Christine flops down on the sofa.
“This is Christine, my sister,” Steve explains. “She was just headed back to the airport to get a plane home.” “She thought she could just show up here and spend the summer.” “But I’m headed to camp.”
Heading to the kitchen Paddy suggests, “She could still stay, I’ll keep an eye on her.” “She is practically an adult, she’ll be fine.”
“No, that will not work, she is my sister, that comes with complications,” Steve insists.
“You mean, half-sister,” Paddy says, starting to make his breakfast.
“No, that…..,” Steve starts to correct him.
Christine jumps up to put her hand over her brother’s mouth. She speaking to him telepathically, *Let him believe that, it is something I’ve been working on to explain Mom’s age.*
*Does she know about that?* Steve questions.
*Stop being such an old lady,* his sister tells him.
“What’s going on you two got really quiet,” Paddy says walking back into the living room drinking from a mug of coffee. “If she is going to stay, she can check in with me a couple of times a day, if it makes you feel better.”
“I’ll stay in Steve’s room and be no problem at all and home before dark,” Christine pleads her case, not wanting to go home.”
*Do you promise to stay out of trouble?* Steve thinks of her.
*Of course, I have no intention of doing anything but catching up with my friends,* Christine replies silently.
Steve grimaces at the two people in the room. “Okay but the moment I get home you tell me everything that happened and I mean everything!” he insists.
After Paddy leaves for work Steve continues to pack and move his stuff to the front door. Christine sits on the sofa watching him lug his things across the room not offering to help. When he finally comes to a stop in the living room he asks her, “So did you tell them yet?”
“I will as soon as they are both in the same room,” Christine not happily replies.
“What do you mean? Steve asks.
“Dad is on some secret mission and Mom is off searching for some cursed artifact,” Christine answers.
“I thought Dad was retired.” Steve asks.
“Have you met our father?” she replies. “If it makes you feel better you were right,” she says.
“About what?” Steve quizzes with a smile.
“About miss-using my power to wipe people’s memories,” she answers. “Recently I ran into some trouble and I wiped the minds of everyone who knew what happened and it came back to bite me in the ass.”
“Is that why you wanted Mom’s Travel Stone?” Steve asks. “Did she catch you?”
“Yes and no,” Christine replies. “I got it back before she knew it was gone.”
“So what happened?” Steve questions with a raised eyebrow.
“I underestimated my foe, so when she came back no one remembered what she had done, not even me,” Christine answered solemnly. “That is why I was hoping we could find Medea together, to make sure her plans were ended after what happened at Cassandra Manor.”
“Teen side-kick then?” Steve jokes.
“Don’t be a total blockhead, no side-kick bullshit,” Christine insists. “Fifty-fifty or you are on your own!”
Philadelphia Elite Squad office
1st precinct
Philadelphia, Pa
Detective Berger arrives at work and he can’t even put his gun in his desk drawer before Commander Olpere is calling to him, “Berger, in my office!”
Paddy quickly stows his gun in the locked drawer to answer his boss’ call. “Good Morning Maim,” he says, stepping into her office to close the door.
“I know you have a personal connection to the case, but I felt you should know,” Commander Olpere begins as she sits down behind her desk. “There was an attack on Gary Rogers at Jefferson Hospital last night.”
“What happened?” Paddy asks simply, expecting to hear that the Supreme Warrior has escaped.
“It isn’t completely clear who the intruder was, but the electrical systems on the fifth floor were completely blown out,” Commander Olpere explains. “Four Philly PD officers and two nurses lost their lives.” “The perp removed Rogers’ breathing tube and catheter.” “Rogers was sexually assaulted, but not revived.” “Preliminary forensic testing shows that it was a female who attacked him.” “Both saliva and vagina fluid was collected and is being run for DNA now to see if she was a Zeni.”
“Sexually assaulted?” Paddy questions. “Do you think it could have been some kind of sick groupie or something?”
“Hard to say, everyone who saw her is dead,” Olpere tells him. “She is invisible on CCTV and when she can be seen her back is to the camera.” “For obvious security reasons Rogers is being transferred to Fort Dix over in Jersey to be held at the Army Hospital there until it is decided what to do with him.”
“Are they going to continue to research how to wake him?” Paddy asks. “Master Warrior is still hoping to talk with him when he comes around.”
“Until the woman responsible for the assault is found, all further medical treatment has been suspended,” Olpere says. “I am sorry.” “I know he was Steve’s friend so I thought he should know.”
“Thank You, Commander,” Officer Berger says. “Would it be possible for Maguire and I to assist in the transfer?”
“I thought you might ask that so I took the liberty to get the two of you on the ride along,” Olpere explains. “The two of you need to be over to Jefferson first thing tomorrow morning at 5 am.”
Saturday, June 18, 1988
Steve Roberts & Patrick Berger’s apartment
1701 Tulip St
The Fishtown section
Philadelphia, Pa
It is early morning when Steve leaves for Camp Tandy, he was surprised to find Paddy had already left for work. He and Christine got in late last night, not getting home until after Paddy had turned in so they didn’t get to talk at all. Steve made up the couch in his room for Christine to sleep on for the night. Something she was not at all happy about. She was just relieved he didn’t snore.
Now with Steve gone for a month Christine can take over his room. Christine’s first order of business, stripping off what she can only assume are gross sheets from the bed. Moving to the bathroom she gets started cleaning it. She cheats by using her powers so as not to touch anything too gross. It is around the time she is finishing up in the Bathroom that she hears the phone ring on Steve’s night stand. Her first thought is to let the answering machine get it, then she hears an automated operator clicking on to announce, “You are receiving an overseas call from,”Dona Roberts,” her mother’s voice interrupts the recording. “Will you accept the call?” the automated operator finishes.
Christine rushes to pick up the phone, answering it, “YES!” “Steve ‘Blockhead’ Roberts phone.”
“Christine, is that you?” Dona exclaims. “What are you doing answering your brother’s phone like that in Philadelphia?”
“Dad’s not home and you’re not home so I figured I would spend some quality time with my Big Bro,” Christine answers her mother.
“That doesn’t sound like you, what is wrong?” Dona questions.
“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Christine complains.
“Okay then, how did you pay for the plane ticket?” the suspicious mother asks.
“Emergency, credit card,” Christine whispers into the receiver.
“We will talk about that later,” Dona warns. “I’m just glad you are not sitting home with your nose buried in a book all summer.” “Let me talk to your brother.”
“He is kinda not home,” Christine whispers again. “He went to summer camp on some kind of undercover job.” Christine can feel her mother’s irritation on the other side of the ocean.
“You are telling me that you used the Emergency Credit card to fly to visit your brother and did not even call him first to see if he was going to be home?”
“Kinda,” the fifteen year old daughter replies softly.
“So what do you intend on doing now?” Dona inquires.
“I thought I might catch up with some of my old friends,” Christine tells her mother.
“Now that sounds more like my girl,” Dona says. “Did you at least leave a note for your father so he doesn’t worry?”
“Of course I did,” Christine answers. “Why are you calling Steve from overseas anyway?”
“I need to talk to him about Medea,” Dona says. “I can call back later, I’m looking up an old friend in London, so it will be a few more days before I come home.”
“What about Medea did you want to tell Steve?” Christine asks knowing full well who Medea is.
“Nothing for you to concern yourself with dear, now you be careful in the city,” Dona says. “I’ve got to get going.”
Christine hangs up the phone and sits down on the freshly made bed. She isn’t sure if she should be mad because her mother wouldn’t discuss Medea with her or not. After all, her mother has no idea what went on at Cassandra Manor with Medea. Maybe Paddy has a way of contacting Steve that she does not know about. Tell the Blockhead Mom called. Maybe she should just forget about the whole thing. If Mom is looking for Medea in Europe there is nothing Steve or she could do from here. It must not be that important anyway or Mom would be coming right home.
Camp Tandy
Glassboro Township
New Jersey
Steve Roberts arrived early at Camp Tandy just before dawn. He was assigned to help do the final setup before the campers arrived. He was surprised at the amount of repairs that had to be done. Coach Booth implied that there had been some kind of incident a while back but would not go into details. If not for Steve using his powers he wonders if everything would have gotten done in time. It has been a long morning and the workmen have gathered in the Lodge for lunch before going home. Most of them are locals that volunteer each year for summer clean up. Some of them are even guys that Steve remembers from his years at camp that like to give back to a place that gave them so many great childhood memories.
It is around 2pm when the buses full of campers begin to arrive. By the time Steve gets back to the lodge after showering and getting changed the lodge is full of children of all ages. Over by the kitchen window serving counter Steve spots the four sixteen year old boys he will be in charge of for the next month. They have been chosen to be the Counselor assistant. He remembers the summer he and Gary were counselor assistants and it was their last year at camp and they had a lot of fun. He intends to make sure these boys leave camp for the last time with good memories without getting in all the trouble he and Gary did.
Steve makes his way over to the young men to introduce himself. He catches the eye of one of the boys, Avery Lewis Rosenthal as he walks through the crowded room. “Good Morning, gentleman,” he greets them, moving to shake each of their hands. “I am Mr. Roberts I will be the director of the Counselor assistants this year.” “You can all just call me Steve.”
“Sir, that seems too casual for the authority you have,” one of the boys, Alexander Hubbard says as he shakes Steve’s hand.
“As long as all of you do as I say and keep in line, there will be no need for any formality,” Steve replies. The boy who watched Steve cross the room steps forward next. “I spent several years here when I was your age.” “I was even a Counselor’s assistant.” “I know all the tricks, the cons, and places to seek off to at this camp.”
“There is something different about you, Steve,” Avery Rosenthal says, shaking his hand.
“I assure you there is nothing different about me,” Steve replies, not sure what the kid is getting at. “But I hope we can all be friends and my position does not have to be an issue.”
“Shut up, Nuttsack, don’t start with your weird shit,” the next boy Barry Ramirez says, taking Steve’s hand. “I’m Barry, I think we will all get along just fine.” Barry also gives Steve a strange look before letting go of his hand.
“I hope so, but that language is going to have to stop around the younger campers,” Steve instructs, shaking the boy’s hand. “Barry Ramirez, right, Coach Booth warned me about your mouth, so I’ll be keeping an ear on you.” This boy reminds him of Gary to a T. “Coach Booth suggested I keep a watchful eye on you at all times.”
The last young man to shake Steve’s hand is James Reilly. “This is my last summer so I hope to make it the best one,” James says, taking Steve’s hand. “What are your instructions for today?”
“I’ve got to get together with Coach Denmark to draw up your daily assignments for the next few days to see what each of you are best suited for,” Steve begins. “We will meet after dinner and go over your assignments for tomorrow.” “Until then I want you to get settled in and help any of the younger campers who need help.” “Especially the new ones who are having a hard time adjusting.” “All of you went through that so talk to them, share your experience.” “Help them to relax and feel at home here.” “Now get to it and meet back here after dinner.”
Diana arrives at Camp Tandy the same way she did seven years ago, on a bus full of noisy kids. This time she sits at the front of the bus as a chaperon. The kids on the bus bring back some good memories that soften her anxiety over returning to Camp Tandy. It was on the bus she first met Tracey Altman. Diana didn’t learn Tracey’s name until they got to the Lodge, but after that their friendship took root.
As they get off the bus each of the kids is photographed for a badge and their file. Diana is curious to see if her photo will be of her, Dee Moore or Miracle Maiden’s blurred face. She is a little surprised to see that the photo is of her face. When the girl assembling the tags doesn’t question it Diana assumes the magic is still working even if she can not see it.
Scanning the Camp from the parking lot she thinks about her last visit to Camp Tandy. It was not a good one. Saving Tracey after she was kidnapped by Mr. Zipp and brought here is a memory she wanted to put a little farther behind her before coming back here again. But maybe it is a good thing. Finding some trace of Mr. Zipp here as well as learning more about the General could kill two birds with one stone.
The bus pulls into the parking lot that is fuller than it was on her last visit. Diana sees that there is no sign of the remains of Coach Booth’s burnt out car. She has to wonder if he will even be here after the trauma she and Mr. Zipp inflicted on him.
When the bus comes to a stop Diana makes sure all of the kids from New York find their way to the lodge. It hasn’t changed a bit since she first saw it seven years ago. Diana will be in charge of a group of younger campers ranging in age from twelve to thirteen. Her only hope is she can find out the information she needs in the four weeks. Standing along the wall with the rest of the women chaperons Diana tries to help settle her charges as the Camp Leader Mr. Tennyson calls the room in order to begin tent assignments.
Mr. Tennyson begins to speak and Diana thinks back to the last time she heard this speech and how her eyes wandered the room to find something interesting and she found him. Looking across the Lodge to the opposite wall where the men chaperons stand, she can’t believe her eyes at first. It is Steve Roberts standing there with the biggest toothy smile of a grin on his face she has ever seen. Holy Shit! She thinks what is he doing here? He’s going to blow my cover! Of all people to be here! Because she disguised herself as Dee Moore before and revealed her true identity to him he will be able to see through it again. She has to give him some kind of a signal to tell him to cool it, she is undercover. Diana widens her eyes and turns her lips down, trying to tell him, yes it is me, now knock it off! She is relieved when he loses his smile and looks away from her as if to say, I get it.
Fort Dix
Burlington County
New Jersey
It has been a standard prisoner transfer as Detective Berger and Officer Maguire follow in one of three cars in the convoy. “Have you done this before?” Officer Maguire asks his senior Detective.
“A few, usually more involved than this when I was in uniform,” Paddy replies as he drives the car. “It was back when I was your age, new to it all.” “Not this high stakes either.” “We are probably not even following the right van.” “This one could be a decoy.”
“No, this is the one he is in,” Maguire says. “I can feel him, feel his hate like at the pier.”
“You can feel him from this distance?” Paddy questions.
“Anyone with emotions that strong I can feel from a half a mile away,” Maguire answers. “Once I know who they are, that is.”
“Is he conscious?” Paddy asks. “Can you tell?”
“He is unconscious, kind of,” Maguire says tentatively.
“What do you mean, kind of?” Paddy asks.
Maguire turns to Paddy with a confused look on his face, “Something is going on in the back of that van.” “The other men, they are upset, scared.”
“We need to get in there,” Paddy says, hitting the syringe and lights. He pulls up next to the van shouting, “There’s something wrong in the back!” “Pull over!” The driver of the van swerves to the side of the road. Paddy follows after them to come to a stop. Detective Berger and Officer Maguire spring from their car drawing their guns. The driver and other uniformed policeman get out of the van. “When I say go, open the doors,” Paddy instructs as he and Maguire aim their guns at the back of the van. “Go!”
Before the two uniformed officers can move to pull open the doors the side of the van bursts open. The man dressed in a hospital gown stands confused in the street for a moment. He takes hold of the tubes hanging from his arm to pull the IV. needle out. Tossing the needle to the ground he then reaches under his gown to grab the urine bag that hangs between his legs. letting out a primal scream he pulls the catheter and balloon from inside his body. He stands shaken for a moment as drops of blood drip from the apparatus to the pavement.
“Hold it right there!” Paddy shouts pointing his gun at Supreme Warrior’s chest. Supreme Warrior shakes off his confusion dropping the catheter and bag of urine to the ground. He looks to the sidewalk behind the policemen, where a man dressed in a dark overcoat and sunglasses stands. Dr. Crow raises his walking stick to salute Supreme Warrior.
“He’s scared, confused,” Officer Maguire shouts. “He’s going to run!” The moment Maguire says it Supreme Warrior leaps into the air taking flight giving all of the cops a clear view of his undercarriage.
“SHIT!” Paddy shouts, not able to get a clear shot. “That is not running!”
“I forgot he could fly,” Maguire mumbles, lowering his gun.
Camp Tandy – the Girl’s Camp 2
Glassboro Township
New Jersey
Camp Tandy has ten campsites, five for Girls and five for Boys. Each campsite has five tents, four have a capacity of four campers and one tent for two adult chaperons. The fifth campsite in both of the Boys and Girls areas is for the Counselor assistants. In each of four tents are two of the camper assistants and in the fifth are to Assistant Directors. The Campsites are separated by age, Campsites 1 are for 10-11 year olds; Campsites 2 are for 12-13 year olds; Campsites 3 are 14-15 year olds; Campsites 4 are 16-17 year olds. All of the tents are on top of deck platforms that stand two steps up off the ground.
After lunch Sylvia is assigned a tent with another chaperon, Denise Harmon. Denise has bleached blonde hair and what can only be described as a stripper boob job. From Denise’s visible tan lines it looks like she usually dresses like a stripper. Sylvia can only guess that someone told her that she needed to dress more conservatively for camp.
The two women are in charge of four tents with four girls in each. Denise is something of a talker as they unpack. “Do you think we could split tent assignments?” Denise asks bluntly.
“What do you mean?” Sylvia questions.
“Well, it is easier on us and the girls if we each just take two tents and not the both of us try to wrangle 16 girls in four tents.”
“I’ll take the twelve year olds then,” Sylvia chimes in.
“Great, the thirteen year olds take less involvement,” Denise agrees. “That gives me time to do something else I want to do this summer that I have been wanting to do for years.”
“What is that?” the brunette asks the bottle blonde.
“Did you see that super-hot Chippendale’s guy at the lodge?” she begins. “His name is Steve ‘stud’ Roberts.”
“Oh, how do you know that?” Sylvia asks.
“I’ve been coming here since I was a kid, I’ve known him for years,” Denise reveals. “Talk about a Pauper to Prince story.” “That guy was a scrawny kid one year and the next he was a Hot and sexy Prince Charming.” “And every year he just kept getting hotter.” “I didn’t think I would ever see his hot bod again.” “There was this one time when he got his white shorts wet and I got a good look at that snake in his pants.” “Now that is one snake I would like to charm!” “I’ll bet it is even bigger now!” “I can hardly wait to find out.”
Diana remembers that day too and she has finally pinpointed who Denise was back then. She was a girl with mousy brown hair and glasses always seemed to be around. Diana can only hope Steve gets as big a kick out of this as she does. “So I guess you went after him then, after he became a Hot Prince Charming,” Sylvia questions.
“Gave it a try, but he was never really into girls,” Denise reveals. “Some of us used to joke that he and his friend Gary were gay.” “That was until SHE showed up.”
“SHE?” Sylvia repeats thinking the story is about to get good.
“SHE was a girl that showed up one year, Dawn, Diane, something like that,” Denise grumbles. “The two of them were joined at the hip all summer.” “That dopey redheaded friend of hers even hooked up with Gary.”
“So did you ever say anything to those girls?” Sylvia asks knowing the answer.
“Please they were not worth my time,” Denise scoffed. “That little skank ended up breaking Steve’s heart, he just wasn’t the same the next summer after that.” “He kept to himself, and was always disappearing on his own.” “Even his friend Gary got fed up with him.” “That’s part of the reason I thought I’d never see him again.”
“So what now?” Sylvia wonders.
“I’ve got three weeks to charm the pants off of him,” Denise asserts.
“Good luck with that,” Sylvia grins.
“If I don’t come back to the tent some nights, don’t worry about me, I’ll be riding the wild pony,” Denise jokes, smacking her own ass.
Having had enough of Denise’s big talk Sylvia makes the rounds of the two girl’s tents she is in charge of for the next three weeks. The one tent she is mainly focused on is the with four twelve year old girls; Lori Striker, Brittany McHugh, Lindsey Thomas, and Susan Mathess. Particularly Susan, she has no idea how she is going to get information out of a twelve year old about her father’s secret job. The kid probably doesn’t even know what her father does for a living.
Camp Tandy – the Boy’s Camp 5
Glassboro Township
New Jersey
Steve’s job as an Assistant Director is different from Sylvia’s but he still shares a tent with the other Camp counselor who is in charge of the other four Boy assistants. Together they have to draw up a schedule that will rotate the eight boys through the eight student classes for the first week to find which one is suited to the subject. This first day is spent getting to know their charges. Steve’s tent mate is Paul Denmark. Paul is in his mid-forties and Steve remembers him for the summers he spent here as a kid. He was the Coach of the Field Hockey class back then. “So Paul if I may,” Steve begins as he unpacks his sweaty wet clothes from his duffle bag. “Why aren’t you coaching the Field Hockey team any more?”
“I had a bad fall a few years back, screwed up my hip,” Paul answers. “Decided that if I was going to keep spending my summers here I would have to do something less physical than coaching.”
“Oh, too bad, I remembered you were a good coach,” Steve replies, hanging up his clothes to dry along his bed rail. “I hope this is alright, I just don’t want to put them away wet.” “I heard a call for rain this afternoon.”
“That is fine I’m used to the locker room smell,” Paul jokes. He is cooler than Steve remembered. “I’m sorry I don’t really remember you, I had a lot of kids over a lot of years you know.” “Did you ever play Field Hockey with me?”
“Just my first year, but I was much smaller then,” Steve smiles. “I steered away from physical sports after that.”
“Wait, were you that kid that doubled in size over the winter back in ’80?” Paul exclaims.
“Yeah, that was me, ” Steve says reluctantly. “I had a real growth spurt that winter. “I’m going to head out to talk to my boys, see if they have any preferences on the scheduling, if there is anything they are more comfortable with doing.”
“Keep in mind it can be a growth experience to give them tasks that they might not like,” Paul says as Steve exits the flap of the tent.
Sylvia saves the tent with Lori, Brittany, Lindsey, and Susan for last, knowing that she will have to take more time with these girls if she is to earn Susan’s trust. The younger girls don’t pick classes like the older campers. They have assigned classes and activities until they’re thirteen. Each camper in this age group primarily cycles through all eight classes having a group four each day. Starting tomorrow this tent groups will have Hiking, Nature Studies, Archery, Field Hockey. The other tent group will have Swim Safety, Boat Safety, Gymnastics, Soccer, and then they will switch on the next day. Sylvia’s job will be to be on hand if any of the campers struggle with the programs. So getting to know the girls’ personalities is important. It is a relief to only have eight girls to wrangle and not sixteen.
“Girls, it is Sylvia your counselor, may I come in?” she says from outside the tent. She can hear some scrambling around inside the tent so she enters anyway. “Hello everyone,” Sylvia announces entering the tent. “I was hoping we could all get to know each other a little better.” “My name is Sylvia Banks, I live in New York City and my regular job is Middle School teacher.” She tells them the cover story written for her by the Colonel. “I thought it would be nice to spend my vacation with some young ladies that don’t have as much drama as the ones I am used to.” “But looking at the four of you I see I have made a mistake.” Then girls all get fearful looks on their faces. “Kidding, I was just kidding.” “If we are going to have any fun this summer the four of you have to lighten up.”
“I thought it was funny,” Brittany says. “My name is Brittany and I live in Long Branch, New Jersey.” “I like skiing, sledding and ice skating.”
“Wow, are you in the wrong place!” Lindsey comments. “My name is Lindsey Thomas, I live in Trenton, New Jersey.” “My Mom and Dad won a lottery for me to come to this Camp.” “I feel strange being the only black girl here.”
“You are not the only black girl here,” Sylvia assured the girl. “You are just the only one in this tent.” “There are several other black kids here at camp, Asian and Hispanic too.” “There are no rules about who you can socialize with as long as you participate in classes.” “I’m sure you will fit in here just fine.”
“Susan, I’m from New York City too,” the next girl announces. “My Mom and Dad sent me here because they could.” “I was glad to get away from Mom, my Dad works a lot and my Mom is always with me.” “This is my vacation from her.”
“My Dad worked a lot too, when I was your age,” Sylvia says, trying to relate to the girl with something from her own life experience. “I can understand how you must feel.”
“I feel fine about it, I know what an important job my Father has!” the snotty little girl replies.
Well that backfired, Sylvia thinks. Then she turns to the last girl that has remained quiet through these introductions. “You must be Lori then, let’s hear about you.”
“Yes, my name is Lori and I am from Newark, New Jersey.” “My Dad is a businessman, but he spends all the time he can with me since my mother died.” “I was only three so I don’t have much memory of her. What are the odds that Diana has two girls in this camp that she can relate to personally. But she will not comment this time just to be safe.
“Well, now that we all know a little about each other, let’s talk about camp,” Sylvia tells the girls. “Tomorrow morning bright and early you’ll be starting with Hiking.” “Mr. Hansen is a fun guy who will teach you a lot about safety in the outdoors.” “There are six marked trails on the campground.” “Mrs. Hansen is the Nature Studies teacher who will further expand on what you saw on the hike.” After lunch there is Archery with Coach Booth.” “I’m not sure who the Field Hockey Coach is before dinner.”
Steve meets with the boys outside the tents. “It is my understanding that only Barry has done this job in previous summers.” “So, I hope that I can count on you to help out picking up the slack if there is any.”
“Sure boss, you can count on me to keep these jerks in line,” Barry eagerly responds.
“I like your enthusiasm but I am not giving you authority over them, only making aware that I’m going to depend on you,” Steve explains. Steve looks over at Avery to see that he is giving him a strange look still. “Avery, are you feeling alright?” “Is something wrong?”
“No sir,” Avery replies. “Just trying to figure something out.” “Is that diamond real?” he asks, referring to Steve’s ear stud. “It seems odd.”
Steve ignores the young man’s question to finish explaining what he expects of them. “At any rate I expect all of you to be where you are assigned.” “Breaks are only between activity classes and at approved areas.” Steve can tell that Avery is visibly annoyed. Then he feels a tinge at the base of his skull. It is almost like he knows exactly what to do. He takes two steps to his left as a soccer ball comes sailing over the treetops to hit the ground right where he was standing. Steve stands grinning uncomfortably at how this must look. Perhaps he should have let it hit him.
“Wow, Mr. R!” James shouts. “That ball nearly took you down!”
Alex chases after the ball as Barry comments, “Weird shit like that always happens when Nut sack is around.”
“I hope I will not have to warn you about the language again,” Steve tells Barry. “Now don’t be late for dinner, I expect all of you to help with serving and cleaning up.” “After cleaning up we will be going over assignments for tomorrow.”
Steve heads back to his tent to overhear Alex say to Avery, “It must be a mile back to the Soccer field.”
“More like 100 feet,” Avery replies as if he is trying to make an excuse for what has just happened.
At dinner Steve introduces himself to the other adults that sit at the table. Hi, Steve Roberts, I’m a new Counselor Assistant Director.” “I remember some of you from the summers I spent here as a kid.”
“I remember you like it was yesterday,” Denise says, sitting down next to Steve to put her arm around his shoulders to give him a squeeze. “We had some great summers here didn’t we?”
“Oh yes, of course, memories I will have for all my life,” Steve says looking at Diana across the table not sure who this Denise is. At first he thought she was just being friendly but when she pulls her hand across his back he gets the impression that she is feeling him up. That was one of the problems he had with Carol when she felt the density of his muscle structure she commented on it. As long as this woman doesn’t mention it he can relax. “I see another new face,” Steve says, trying to make the best of what could be a bad situation.
“Sylvia Banks,” Diana introduces herself smiling at Steve as if to wink, picking up on the confusion in his face. “Denise has had nothing but nice things to say about you and the time you both spent as kids here.”
As they begin to eat dinner Steve can feel Denise rubbing her leg against his thigh under the table. He tries to ignore it as he makes conversation with Sylvia. “I hope you are up for a tiresome summer.” “Wrangling teens can be pretty stressful, they get into all kinds of things if left on their own.”
“I think I am up for the challenge,” Sylvia replies firmly. “I’ve already spotted a few places they could sneak off to be alone, by the lake.”
Steve knows exactly what she is talking about. They used to meet at the canoe shed after dinner to talk. It is then that Steve feels Denise’s hand on his bare thigh. This is clearly an attempt at seduction now.
“I’ve been doing this councilor thing for a couple years now,” Denise interjects, moving her hand up Steve’s leg to the hem of his shorts. “I know a few places Adults can be alone too.” She then slips her hand under Steve’s shorts almost up to his underwear, making him flinch slightly.
“That will be enough of that talk Ms. Harmon,” Mr. Tennyson tells the young woman firmly. “There will be none of that this summer!” Denise immediately pulls her hand from under Steve’s shorts to get up and leave the table. “You will have to forgive Ms. Harmon, she has a problem with impulse control.”
After dinner Steve is still feeling strange about what happened earlier with Denise. He hopes this woman is not going to be a problem for the next few weeks. He meets with Alex, Avery, Barry & James outside the lodge to assign classes, as does Paul with his four charges.
Steve assigns each of the boys to their first two days in the rotation with an instructor. There will also be a girl Counselor Assistant program assigned to each class as well. Alex will be assisting with Hiking with Mr. Hansen. Avery is assigned to the Archery instructor, Coach Booth. Barry will be doing Swim Safety with Coach Cecil. James gets a stint with Boat Safety and Mr. Philips. It will be an early night with no bond fire. The older boys in Camp Four and Five have a card game for a few hours before bed. Paul agrees to chaperon, while Steve goes for his secret meeting with Sylvia.
Diana slips away after she gets the younger girls she is chaperoning to bed. On the walk down to the lake Steve tries to sneak up on her to scare her but she ends up flipping him over her head onto his back on the ground.
“I really want to know where you learned to do that!” Steve says laying on the ground looking up at her smiling face in the dark. “I’ve been meaning to ask you where you learned to fight since that night in the alley.”
Diana reaches out her hand to help him up. “Some girls took ballet and dance in college, I took self-defense,” she replies as he stands up over her. The couple look into each other’s eyes for a moment in silence before beginning to walk along the path again toward the water.
“So you are undercover,” Steve suggests. “What’s your case, maybe I can help.”
“You can help by not blowing my cover hot shot,” Diana giggles like a schoolgirl. “Luckily it looks like you won’t have much time for me with Denise around.”
“Oh my god, I thought she was going to give me a hand job right at the table,” Steve exclaims. “Thank god, I had underwear on or she would have started before Mr. Tennyson could have said anything.”
“How often do you not wear underwear?” Diana asks giggling.
“When I have on swim trunks is all,” Steve replies without thinking about to whom he is talking.
“Oh that is right, Denise had mentioned how much she wanted to get her hands on that snake in your white shorts,” Diana giggles again.
“Oh my god, I don’t even remember her,” Steve says, stopping on the path. “Do you?”
“It took a minute, but yes,” Sylvia tells him. “Come on,” she says, pulling him by the arm. They start walking again. “Remember that chubby girl with the short dark hair, glasses?” “She was sitting on the sand right in front of you when you were arguing with Gary.” “I remember seeing her lurking around a lot.”
“Dumpy D?” Steve mutters. Sylvia glares at him. “Sorry, it was just a mean kid thing.”
“I know, Tracey called her that too,” Sylvia says, taking his hand as they walk. “She remembers every detail about you.” “Even your white shorts.”
“Is there anyone who didn’t see me that day?” Steve asks, blushing in the dark.
“Just us girls that wanted to be snake charmers I guess,” Sylvia giggles.
“So you want to charm my snake too?” Steve jokes.
“She just wants to make some new Camp Tandy memories with you,” she replies. “Not slutty ones like Denise.”
“Why are you talking like this to me?” Steve asks. “Aren’t you breaking some kind of girl code?”
“There is no girl code between Denise and I,” Sylvia replies. “She doesn’t even know my real name.” “She’s all about herself anyway.”
“Are you looking to make some good Camp memories this time around?” Steve quires.
“I’d like to but I don’t think it will include giving you a handi,” she replies, arriving at the canoe shed, she turns to him, pulling his head down to kiss him. “I’d like it to include some of this though.” “Believe it or not Coach Booth wanted me to be the Soccer Coach.”
“Do you still have all of those moves you used on me?” Steve smirks as they stand close together at the side of the canoe shed. “He doesn’t know who you really are does he?”
“No, he thinks I am Sylvia Banks from Brooklyn.” “I’ve still got my moves and a few new ones too,” she says, kissing him again. Then there is a strange buzz and she feels something vibrating against her hip. “What is that?”
Steve breaks the embrace to back away from Sylvia. He reaches in his pocket to pull out a small electronic device. He pushes a button on the side and it lights up. On a small screen it reads, “911 Gary.” “It’s a beeper, a message from Paddy,” Steve answers after reading the words. “Are you okay finding your way back, I need to call Paddy.”
“Sure, I’ll be fine, there used to be a payphone at the lodge, is it still there,” Sylvia replies.
“Just be careful okay,” Steve says before turning to run back up the path toward the lodge. “I am so sorry!” he shouts. He is gone from sight quicker than she would have expected.
Out of sight on the path Steve touches his earlobe to switch to Master Warrior. He takes to the air. Master Warrior flies low over the trees until he clears the camp then he heads toward Camden. He knows that if he is to call the Elite Squad HQ the best place to do that is the PI office. He would prefer to talk to Paddy in person but it is too long of a trip to make tonight.
Diana heads back to the lodge to make sure everything is okay with Steve. When she reaches the payphone to find the receiver cord is cut. Looking around the parking lot and soccer field she sees no sign of Steve. Peeking in the windows of the lodge she sees no lights or signs of anyone in there either. Everyone appears to have turned in for the night. This might be the perfect time to sneak into Mr. Tennison’s office to have a look at his files.
A simple phase through the wall into the gathering room that is lit only by a few beams of light from the moon through the skylights. Mr. Tennison’s office is in the back of the lodge. She walks across the large room wondering what happened to Steve, where did he go?” The office is locked, it does not stop the woman as she walks right through it.
Surprisingly the two file cabinets are not locked. Sylvia begins to go through the drawers one at a time. She is surprised to find records going back decades to the first year the camp opened. She can’t help but to look for her own file to see if it was her father’s connections that got her into Camp Tandy. The file labeled Diana Carter is not hard to find because it is smaller than the rest. Inside is a photo of her with the worst haircut in the world from back then. Under recommendations the man General Samuel Van Darner is listed. Van Darner? That is her Aunt Jean’s father. Diana didn’t even think they spoke to each other.
Moving on through the drawer she finds a much thicker file that reads Denise Harmon. No harm in knowing your competition, she thinks. In Denise’s file there are several photos of her from each year she spent at Camp Tandy. Even the ones from when they called her Dumpy D. It would seem that she is younger than either Steve or she knew, Denise is only 19 years old. But the most surprising thing in the file is that she is Mr. Tennison’s granddaughter.
Enough wasting time she moves to find Susan Mathess’ file. The file reveals that her father is a private contractor. She believed that the General’s men were all enlisted. If this is true it changes everything. If the men working for the General are not being paid by the government, then who is paying them? This can not be what the Colonel sent Miracle Maiden here to find. There must be something else more incriminating. Wait a minute, she thinks, this says David Mathess, Jr. Isn’t there a Congressman named David Mathess, Sr. from New York? That would explain the origin of the money used to support Unit-55.
Sylvia hears some scuffling from outside as she quickly puts the files away. While sliding her own file back into place she spots on label, Steven Roberts, Jr. Her curiosity gets the best of her as she takes the file from the drawer. Fearing she has limited time she goes straight for the photos, not bothering with the paperwork. At age twelve Steve sure was a cute kid, not dorky except for the smile. The next one is thirteen, no real change in appearance, but he has no smile. His hair is a little longer too. Surprisingly, Steve doesn’t even appear to be in that gawky stage. Then the photo of Steve at fourteen is amazing! He doesn’t even look like the same kid! The big smile is back. It looks like the little shit doesn’t even have a shirt on getting off the bus. I guess Denise wasn’t exaggerating. He really did have a growth spurt overnight. Then there is the one she remembers of him at fifteen with that great big smile that turned her to jelly. From the top of his chest and shoulders he had become much more muscular in a year. The super hot kid she remembers. There is only one photo left of the last year Steve came to Camp Tandy. His hair is much strangler, like he hasn’t combed it in a month, got some five o’clock shadow and his smile is gone. She can’t help but to think she did that to him.
Then she hears some more noise that triggers her to put the file away to make a run for it. She runs in a straight line phasing through wall after wall until she is outside. Coming to a stop on the Soccer field she spots two young men over by the storage shed. It is too dark to make out who they are or what they are doing. She calls out just the same, “You boys better get back to your tents, it is after curfew!” The two boys take off running back the trail towards the boy’s campsites.
Diana starts to walk back to girl’s camp 2 in the moonlight. Suddenly she is grabbed from behind. Instantly she begins to feel sick as a woman’s voice whispers in her ear, “Hello Pretty, pretty.” “I found you.” “Imagine my disappointment when I went to that apartment on 57th street.”
Dee? Sylvia thinks to herself as she realizes she can not free herself from this woman who holds her around her neck. She can’t even speak as she feels the unknown woman’s hand move up under her shirt to her belly.
“Good thing you left a trail of that sweet aura of yours all the way here,” the woman says. “You can call me Malice Maid if you like, if you remember?” “I just need some more of your sweet power to get my boyfriend back.” Sylvia can feel the woman’s hand grow warmer on her stomach. Through clenched teeth Malice Maid growls, “Your power caused me pain before but I will do anything to get my lover back!” “I need all of it I can contain.”
Several minutes later Sylvia Banks stumbles a few steps forward in the grass. She shakes off the feeling of confusion. Looking around behind herself to the lodge, she is all alone. She remembers nothing of what has just happened. Looking back to the trails to the campsites she begins to walk again.
Museum Of American History
138 Andaloro Way
Deptford, NJ
Flying back to Camden Master Warrior speeds through the night sky over Route 55. It is a cool, calm night as he scans the landscape below. Until he feels a strange tinge at the base of his skull. It is not like his normal danger sense warning. It feels different, that is why he circles back over the Deptford area. He spots the small Museum Of American History that is in an old farmhouse. He feels drawn to it like something is wrong there.
Landing on the lawn he looks up to the front porch. He recognizes the feeling now. It is what he felt when he was with Hellion a few months ago. They had called a truss to work together against a mutual danger, Badger. But the whole time they sat in that diner Steve had this feeling of disconcert. He was sure it was because of Hellion’s bad luck powers interacting with his danger sense. Now it was coming from the Museum. He walks around the eighteenth century farm house that is the museum. He looks to see if there is anything out of place. Then he spots a basement window with a disturbed bar grate.
Stepping down into the window well Master Warrior lifts the grate to find the open basement window. He stands to look down at himself. If this burglar is who he thinks it is, going in as Master Warrior is not a good idea. Changing back to his clothes from camp Steve climbs down through the basement window. Standing in the dark utility space that is lit by emergency lights on the top of the walls Steve can feel the strange sensation stronger. It is above him in the museum.
There is no question in Steve’s mind now that it is Hellion that has drawn him here. Finding his way to the stairs he climbs to the first floor of the old house. The lock on the door is of course already broken as Steve nugs it open. The room where the door opens was at one time a kitchen he would suspect but it is now an office. He walks out into the one of the museum display rooms that he believes to be what he was standing under minutes ago. He can still feel disturbance.
proofed
“Ted, I know you are here,” Steve calls out. “The last time we met, we had a truss I would hope we still do.” “I always said that I believed you could be more than you were letting yourself be.” “I would guess that you are still hiding from DeScalo and you thought this place would fly under his radar.” Steve looks around the room to spot what he needs. But there is no sign of Hellion, clearly he is still using the suit.
“Why should I trust you, Officer Roberts?” a disembodied voice asks in the dim museum room.
“Because I trust you,” Steve replies to the empty room. “I am sure by now you have figured out a few things about me.” “But I believe you have kept my secrets to yourself.” “Am I right?”
“I still just want out,” Hellion says, still camouflaged into the background of the room. “I have to get out of the country, it is the only way to get away from DeScalo.”
“I can understand that,” Steve says, walking to stand next to a fire extinguisher on the wall. “I would prefer if we could do this talking face to face.”
Hellion steps from the shadows wearing the black cat-eared suit he stole from Steve over a year ago. “What can you do for me, Master Warrior?” he asks. “The Badger is not the only freak that DeScalo sent after me.” “I need money and weapons to defend myself.”
“I understand that, I can get you the money you need to leave the country, but there is something I need from you first,” Steve explains. “I want you to promise me you will give up your life of crime, and build a real life for yourself.” “No more stealing, find a job, use your talents to give back to the world.”
Hellion steps closer to Steve Roberts who does not waver. “I can not do what you do,” Hellion replies. “I do not want to be a hero.”
“That is not what I am saying,” Steve tells him. “Your destiny is different than mine but no less important.” Hellion now stands within feet of Steve and he knows that he could use his jinx power on him at any time.
“So what do you want from me, other than to keep my mouth shut about your secret?” Hellion asks.
“Not much, just this,” Steve says, grabbing the fire extinguisher from the wall. He sprays it at Hellion quickly coating the man from head to toe with the foam.
“What the fuck!” Hellion shouts as his anger triggers the extinguisher in Steve’s hands to explode. Steve is thrown back against the wall knocking several paintings to the floor. Hellion stands trying to wipe off the foam that quickly dries to a powder. In doing so he realizes that the fabric of the suit has turned to dust as well.
Steve stands up from the floor. “I was in contact with the guy who made that suit not long ago.” “He came to me in a dream of all things.” “He told me how the suit was fully organic, the Aluminum sulfate in the extinguisher kills and dissolves it.” “You stole that suit from me, it was not meant to be used by you as you did.”
“What the fuck man!” Hellion now stripped down to a nude Ted Mathews shouts. “Do you expect me to get on a plane nude?”
Steve begins to unbutton his foam stained shirt. “Sorry it would be cleaner if you hadn’t over reacted,” he says, tossing it at the naked man. Steve continues to strip down kicking off his shoes over to Ted then his shorts until he is down to his underwear.
Steve slides his fingers into the waistband of his underwear when Ted exclaims, “Whow, hold it right there commando, I am not wearing those!” “That is where I draw the line!”
“Okay,” Steve says, reaching to touch his earlobe to transform into Master Warrior. “Go to Newark Airport.” “Find locker 546 at the north concourse, there will be enough money in it to get you out of the country.”
After putting on Steve’s shorts, Ted says, “So you’re just going to do that right in front of me now?”
“Like I said I trust you,” Master Warrior answers the question.
Ted squats down to run his finger through the gray dust on the floor. “Then why not let me keep the suit?”
“Because this world is not ready for the technology that made it,” the hero answers. “I was trusted with it and you stole it.” “Who is to say it wouldn’t get stolen from you?” “It had to go.”
“Was it alive, did you kill it?” Ted asks, still looking at the dust.
Master Warrior responds, “No, it was grown in a lab, it had no consciousness, only organic components.”
“What about this place?” Ted asks moving to sift through the dust some more. Master Warrior looks away around the room, giving Ted time to slip what he has found from the suit into the pocket of Steve’s shorts that he wears. He will need this little gem more than ever now.
“None of the exhibits has been damaged so insurance should cover it,” Master Warrior answers. “It will just be reported as vandalism, if you didn’t take anything.”
“Stand up Ted asks, “So this locker is full of cash, whose money is it?”
“Let’s just call it rainy day money,” Master Warrior replies. Which isn’t a lie. His mother has spent decades stashing money and valuables all over the world in case of an emergency. Steve does not look forward to telling her what he has done with this one. It seems like every time she tells him where one is it falls into someone else’s hands.
“Do you have a key or something?” Ted asks.
“A talented thief like you is asking me for a key to an airport locker full of money?” Master Warrior smiles behind his disguise.
“You’ve got a point.” Ted agrees. “I still don’t understand why you’re helping me.” “You used to be a cop and now you are… whatever you are.” “You should be trying to lock me up again.”
“That is the reason I am not a cop anymore, why I am this,” Master Warrior explains. “I want to help people who need help, not just lock up criminals.” “I know in my heart you have a bigger destiny ahead of you than being a thief.”
“From the first time you arrested me you were talking about my destiny,” Ted comments. “It makes me think you aren’t playing with a full deck.” “Well that and that outfit.”
“Before I put this outfit on I knew the world was a much bigger place than I could see,” Master Warrior tells him. “Then I met people who called themselves Mistixs, each of them claiming to be a god in ancient times.” “At first it sounded crazy to me too, but when I saw what they could do, all that changed.” “We are both young men who have big decisions to make in their lives.” “I have made some of mine and one of them is to help you make yours.”
“I think I was right the first time, you are short a few cards,” Ted says as he walks back toward the basement door. “Don’t follow me big man.”
“I have no need to but I am sure we will meet again, please do not make me regret helping you.” Master Warrior says as Ted Mathews leaves the museum display room. “This is your third chance and final chance in my book.” Master Warrior stands in the quiet room, he contemplates if he has made the right decision about Ted Mathews a.k.a. Hellion.
What he didn’t tell Ted about his meeting with the Mistix is the conversation he had with his mother about them afterward. One of the benefits to having a 3000 year old mother is her wealth of knowledge. She told him how the Mistix have an Avatar of their own creation here on Earth. There have been many over the millennia. She met one once, he was a troubled young man who made her danger sense go wonky. She helped him find his way and in the end he gained incredible powers gifted to him by the Mistix. From the moment he met Ted Mathews he felt that there was something different about him. His mother’s story about the Mistix Avatar made him suspect that was who Ted is and he doesn’t know it yet.
Trademark Investigations
1267 Pimlico Avenue
Camden, NJ
It is near midnight when Master Warrior lands in the alley behind the Private Investigation office. He considers changing but he decides if it would be better for someone to spot Master Warrior rather than Steve Roberts in his underwear. Jumping up to the second story window to retrieve the hidden spare key over the ledge. Its placement is hard to reach unless you can jump 15 feet straight up. He knows the office should be empty this time of night so he hurries inside not to be spotted by anyone. Going through the kitchenette to the office he finds he was wrong. David and Julie are nude on the sofa making love on the sofa. Master Warrior tries to back quietly out of the room.
Lost in their passion Julie opens her eyes to look over her lover’s shoulder to say, “Oh my god Master Warrior!”
“Yeah baby, I’ll be your Master Warrior all night long!” David moans.
“NO! NO!” Julie shouts slapping David’s back, “It’s Master Warrior, he is here in this room!”
“What?” David says as he stops what he is doing to turn around.