Monday, May 23, 1988
Carter Industries
The Simpson Building
Fifth floor
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
“Good Morning Diana,” Zac Carter announced at the arrival of his niece in his office. “You’re in early for a Monday morning.”
“Uncle Zac, I only live a few floors up, I’m never late,” Diana retorts.
“I didn’t mean it that way, I meant that I usually don’t see you in my office until after lunch time.” the CEO corrects. “I know how busy you have been keeping the wolves at bay around here.” “I can’t imagine what would have happened to our family if you hadn’t come home when you did.”
Diana takes a seat in the chair at the front of her Uncle’s desk, she is noticeably uncomfortable. “That aside, there is something I need to talk to you about,” she says looking at the fresh vacuum marks on the carpet. “With all the work I have been doing here and my…shall we say extracurricular, I’ve decided to drop out of Law school.” “I really don’t have the time for it anymore.”
“Oh, sweetheart, are you sure,” Uncle Zac says, getting up from his chair to walk around his desk beside her. “You only have another six months until you can take the Bar exam.” “Surely if you cut back your hours here at the office it will give you more time.” “It would be a big help around here if you were a lawyer too.”
“That is not the problem,” she says, still not looking at him. “I know, it is just that I don’t know if being a lawyer is really my calling anymore,” Diana replies as he puts his arm around her shoulders. “I’ve spent so much time in the past year seeing how my father worked around the law, I feel like trying to uphold the law is a lost cause.” She lays her head on his side.
“Don’t say that,” Zac tells his niece. “I know how much being a lawyer always meant to you even if you don’t remember.” “All the time you spent watching Perry Mason and Matlock reruns couldn’t have been out of boredom.” “You always loved the way they would take a case to find the real criminal.”
“That is just it, I’ve been doing that already,” Diana insists. “I don’t think I could be doing it if I was stuck in an office filing paperwork all day.” “I never envisioned myself as the investigator or the hunter, but now I feel I might be better suited for that role than a courtroom fighter.”
Zac Carter walks back around his desk. “Is that all it is?” he asks compassionately. “I read in your report about your friend Tommi Bradshaw.” “Did what happened to her have anything to do with this decision?” “Or was it the man you went to see in Philadelphia.”
Diana is caught off guard by her Uncle’s statement. “What are you talking about?” she says trying not to appear guilty. “I only wrote that report to let you know what happened, to make it clear it had nothing to do with William’s activities.”
“I know you feel you need to keep me up to date with what I am paying you to do here, but like you said that had nothing to do with William.” Uncle Zac smiles. “I know that up until now we have never spoken much about your extracurricular activities, but it wasn’t hard for me to figure out after reading your reports.” “What happened to Tommi was not your fault either.” “And you did mention a lunch date, I assumed it was with a man.” “I know you have always kept your romantic life personal.” “Who could blame you with the way your Aunt Jean is about it.” “We don’t have to discuss that either, I just want to make sure you are making this choice for the right reason.”
Diana is relieved by his words, with everything going on right now Diana is in no state of mind to go there with her Uncle. “I promise you I am of sound mind on this choice.” “There is not one else influencing me on this decision.” “If at some time in the future I decide I want to be a lawyer again, I can always go back to school to complete my credits.”
“Then come here and give me a hug,” Zac says standing with his arms outstretched. Diana does as he asks, Uncle Zac’s hugs have always been a comfort to her when she was a child. Now he has given her a lot more to think about than just quitting Law School. Like the fact that she still hasn’t found a way to help Tommi.
There is a knock on the door and Zac’s secretary Natalie peeks her head inside the office. “Excuse me, Diana, there is a Detective Sgt. Prussia waiting in your office.” “He appears agitated,”
Diana and Zac break their hug as her Uncle shows more concern for her. “Is everything alright?” “Do you need me to come with you?”
“No, it’s fine, I know how to handle Prussia,” Diana grimaces. She turns to follow Natalie from her Uncle’s office. “Got to love Mondays,” she comments to the secretary as she heads down the hall to her own office.
“Detective Prussia, to what do I owe this surprise visit,” Diana says to find the large black man sitting on the leather sofa in her office. “I hope I am not a suspect in something you are investigating again.”
“Not at all Ms Carter,” he replies as he stands to follow her to her desk where she takes a seat at it. “I thought you might like to know that I followed up on the accusation that my partner Agent Lei was corrupt.” “All of the guns taken from the Hoffman warehouse raid a while back were logged in with the ATF.” “Just on the off chance there was something else not trustworthy about Agent Lei I did some research into his final case with the FBI in California.” “I was around Christmas 1986.” “He and his partner had been assigned surveillance on a suspected cult called The Thelema Lodge.” “What should have been a simple surveillance only assignment led to Lei and his partner Agent Derrick Dylan being involved in a satanic ritual of some sort that Agent Dylan did not survive.”
It is clear to Diana that all of the things that he is telling her are because of something Miracle Maiden said to him, not her as Diana Carter. There is no mistaking what he is trying to do. He is trying to trick her into tipping her hand that she is in fact Miracle Maiden. “This is all interesting information, but why are you telling it to me?” she replies. “Have I ever even met this Agent Lei you speak of?”
Detective Prussia smiles at the young woman for a minute. “Agent Lei became my partner on this task force because he returned to his people with a fantastic story of magic and demonic possession.” “Just as my story of being knocked unconscious by the touch of a teenage girl in a bar years ago made me a crackpot in the NYPD.” “Just like me he had no one to back him up.” “There was no trace of his partner Agent Dylan after the events with the Themela Cult, he mysteriously disappeared afterward.” “There were two San Diego police officers on the scene as well; neither of them were willing to support him in his claims.” “When I tried to contact those two Officers; McCoy would not discuss it at all and Officer Byrnes was dead, killed in a shooting some months later.” “So that is why I have no interest in playing your game any longer.”
“Believe me Detective Prussia I have not been playing any game with you,” Diana replies. “Whatever it is you think I have done I assure you it has all been for the safety of others.” “When I returned home from college and learned what my father was truly doing to make his money, I only wanted to help the people he had hurt.”
“So you are finally admitting to me that you have all of the missing files,” Prussia asks.
“Those files I have all been made worthless now, The Owl has made sure of that!” Diana tells him. “Cleaning up my father’s mess is far beyond my means now.” “I’ve been forced to trust someone else to take care of that business.”
Detective Prussia can see what she is still trying to do. Although it irritates him he sees no other option than to take what she will give him. “Miracle Maiden?” He says pointblank. “This is why she is now involved in your vendetta?” “Or has she always been involved?”
“My father and the Owl were not at the top of the ladder,” Diana explains. “There are others above them.” “People that you and I can not get to unseen.” “At the moment the people coming after my family have stopped, I have no desire to wake them up.”
Then suddenly something changes in the room. Diana gets a strange chill up her spine and Detective Prussia stands completely motionless at her desk. “Detective?” she says. The large man does not react to her voice at all. “Prussia are you alright?” she asks.
“He will be fine Diana,” Shana says magically appearing in the room. “I simply have an urgent need to speak with you.”
“I can’t believe you have done this!” Diana complains. “He is already suspicious of me and now you’ve frozen him!” “What could be so important?”
“It is about your friend Tommi,” Shana explains. “Upon further study I have discovered that she has an alien infection.”
“Alien?” Diana questions, afraid to move from her seat in fear that Prussia will detect any changes in the room once he is revived. “What do you mean by alien infection?”
“I believe that the infection is what created her Zeni-human powers,” Shana reveals. “When you knew Tommi in High School he was completely human.” “I believe the infection of something called a Bernr parasite happened after that, while you were on Magic Island.”
“So are you telling me that if you can cure her of this infection that she will return to normal?” Diana says finally feeling some hope at her friend’s situation.
“I can not be sure, but the only way to perhaps cure Tommi is through the use of alien technology that I do not possess,” Shana reveals.
“But does that technology exist?” Diana asks. “Can you find it?”
“The only possible place such technology could exist on Earth is in a secret government base in New Mexico,” Shana tells Diana. “The base has been abandoned for some time now.” “If you willingly come to Magic Island I can send you there to find it.”
“I have no idea how to even get to Magic Island!” Diana argues.
“You have always had the power to return, you need only hold the ruby in your necklace tightly, concentrate on coming to Magic Island and be willing to return.” Shana explains for the first time. “Up until now you have never been willing, not even when your friend was in trouble.” “I have exhausted my magic for a time now with this spell.” “By the time it returns it will be too late for Tommi.” “You must choose to come to Magic Island willingly if you want to help her.
Diana is still not happy with how things ended before she returned home from Magic Island over a year ago. But she sees no other option to help her friend. “Okay, but first I must deal with Detective Prussia, get him off my case,” Diana tells her former therapist.
“Consider it already done,” Shana says with a wave of her hand. Then she vanishes as quickly as she appeared. At that moment Detective Prussia returns to mobility.
“If there is nothing else, Ms Carter, I’ll be going,” Detective Prussia says to her as if she called him to her office.
“No, I think that will be all, unless there is something you would like to add,” she tells him. Detective Prussia shakes his head as though he is aggravated to be here. Without another word he leaves. She watches him walk out of her office without not looking back. The moment the door closes behind him she is gone.
Detective Prussia walks through the outer office where a man sits holding a bouquet of flowers. He has been waiting to speak to Diana Carter for only a few minutes. Diana’s secretary, Jan, is rather surprised at the busy morning her boss is having. Two visitors in one day. She sits at her desk mesmerized by the handsome man who is older than he looks. She knows she has seen him before somewhere she just can’t put her finger on it. At any rate as an older guy he is the most attractive man she has ever seen in person.
“Excuse me, miss, can I see Ms Carter now?” the man asks in his smooth voice.
Jan is snapped back to her senses to see Detective Prussia leave the office. “Oh, oh yes of course she says getting up from her desk to go into Diana’s office. You’ve brought her favorite flowers, tulips.” “She buys a fresh bouquet every week.”
The man follows after her to the door replying, “I know.”
“Oh,” Jan whispers as she opens the door. “She was just in here.”
“Are you sure?” the man asks, stepping past Jan into the office. “It would appear that your Ms Carter is more than meets the eye.”
“That is where I know you from!” Jan exclaims. “The cover of the Novel, ‘He was more than met the eye.'”
“Yes, that was a long time ago, I did pose for that cover,” the man replies. “When Ms Carter returns could you tell her that Cameron Pike would like to engage her services. The cover model hands the secretary a business card.
Southeastern Police Division Headquarters
San Diego, Ca
Without the threat of her grandfather lurking for the past few months Eileen McCoy has settled into her life and career. Captain Marston has since taken over Lt. Redmayne’s position permanently, something with which Officer McCoy is happy. Even dealing with her new partner, Officer Leo Spencer has been rather uneventful.
On her way to drop off her paperwork from the previous day Officer McCoy walks by the desk of Sgt. Randell Hopkins. “McCoy, a moment please,” he calls to her as she passes.
“Yes Sgt, what is it?” She responds by turning back to him at his desk. Sgt. Hopkins picks up a file from the stack of many on his desk. Among his many duties he proofreads all the reports submitted by his squad. “What is this?” she asks seeing that it is not a report she has filed.
“Take a look at the photos,” the Sgt. instructs. “Redmayne seemed to think you were something of an authority on strange things like that.” “Does it look like a weapon to you?” he asks.
Officer McCoy finds the photo to which the Sgt. refers. It does look like a weapon to her, but not your run of the mill forearm. It looks like something she saw as Sentry at Area 51. But she can not tell Hopkins that information. “Doesn’t look like any weapon I’ve seen in a photo anywhere,” she replies. “Who made this report?” “Where was this found?”
“For never having seen anything like it you appear very interested,” Sgt. Hopkins comments. “McCabe found it at an attempted burglary downtown.” “No one can figure out what it is, but it doesn’t look safe to let it lie around.”
“Then where is it now?” Officer McCoy asks, trying to stay low key.
Sgt. Hopkins glared at her suspiciously, “After ballistics had a look at it, it went to evidence lock-up for safe keeping.”
The Simpson Building
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
Cameron Pike departs the offices of Carter Industries, contemplating the events of the morning. His first attempt at making contact with Diana Carter has failed. He can’t help but to wonder if she is aware of him and if she is not actively avoiding him. There have been several times in the past months as he secretly observed her that he considered approaching her but she always seemed to elude him. Now going to her office to confront her on her own turf, he believed he had her cornered in a place she could not avoid him. But again he has misjudged Diana Carter.
As he walks down the building corridor toward the elevator he smells the flowers he carries. He tries to sense the unmistakable aura she emits. It is gone! Somehow she is no longer even in this city. There have been many times over the past year that he has felt Diana Carter mysteriously leave the city. But none of them has ever been this sudden. Again Cameron wonders what he has found in this young woman. In his sixty years of life he has never experienced anything that compares to her.
Only in times long past has he felt the presence of someone destined for a bond of love so great. He must learn what it means and if his suspicions are correct! If Diana Carter is destined to be part of an eternal love like that of Tristan and Isolde there must be another to complete that destiny. He has felt the moment when that man entered Diana’s life, but there is something that prevents both of them from embracing their destiny. It has been only a few months since he caught a glimpse of the man in a place called Powerhouse Tavern. Pike had been following Diana for some time by then. He could feel their connection from across the room but for some mysterious reason both resisted the natural bond as it began to form between them.
In all his years of life he has never experienced such resistance to love, the most natural of instincts. There have been so many women who eagerly fell in love with him, no matter how poorly he treated them. But these two are clearly perfect together but yet they resist. It has become his mission to learn the secret of this phenomenon. Perhaps the man will be easier to track down.
Entering the elevator he presses the button for the ninth floor, rather than the lobby. With Diana Carter gone from not only the building but the entire city he will be free to learn much more about the young woman.
Tuesday, May 24, 1988
Area 51
Roswell, New Mexico
It is not long after 1 am when Miracle Maiden arrives in the desert outside the ten foot high fence of the military base. She surveys the desert around the base with only the light of the moon. She has heard all of the stories and legends of Area 51, but never imagined it truly existed. The lack of lighting and camouflage tenting makes it clear to her this place is supposed to stay hidden from the air. The thing that still puzzles her is why Shana could not make this raid on her own or even get her inside the fence.
The fence, Miracle Maiden, considers turning back to face it. Its construction is clearly that of a standard electrified one. But there is something different here; she can feel it when she steps closer. Concentrating, she tunes her vision to see the fence on a different level. A powerful electric fence will vibrate slightly, unseen by the naked eye, but there is something else happening here. There is another kind of energy surging through this fence, one that is not Earth born. If that is possible. She has learned in the past few years that there are many hidden secrets in the world. This being yet another of them. It isn’t too surprising that security here is more than meets the eye.
Normally phasing through an electric fence would be tricky, but cause her no lasting problems. This strange energy on the other hand is a different story. There is no telling what it might do to her in a phased state. Something she has recently learned after her run-in with Mr. Zipp. Going over it would be an option if not for the fact that she can see the energy barrier extends high above the ten foot fence. Teleportation it is!
Concentrating again on the other side of the fence. Miracle Maiden vanishes to reappear on the other side of the fence. Where she instantly falls to the sand. “What the hell is that?” she whispers to herself looking back at the fence. Pain surges through her body caused from moving past the strange energy barrier. Focusing to heal herself and bypass the pain she barely has time to move before she hears the words, “Stay where you are, you are trespassing on a government military base!” She looks up to see three soldiers pointing guns at her.
Another of the soldiers uses his radio, “Captain Mathess, we have an intruder at the east side of the fence.” “She appears injured.”
“Stand up slowly and show us your hands.” the first solder instructs.
Miracle Maiden was not sure what to expect here, but she did not expect to be taken into custody this quickly. Nor did she expect to feel this weak. Her instincts tell her to teleport away but after her last jump she is afraid to do that again. “It’s fine boys, I don’t mean you any harm,” Miracle Maiden says slowly getting to her feet, holding up her hands. “Take me to your leader.”
One of the soldiers takes her by the arm, he grips her a bit too tightly but she is in no condition to retaliate at the moment. “Come with us,” he instructed, pulling her forward away from the fence.
As they walk Miracle Maiden soon realizes that the farther she gets from the energy barrier the better she feels. Looking up to the night sky with her spectral vision she can see that the barrier forms a dome over the base, invisible to the naked eye. She wonders if these soldiers even know it is there. “Sorry boys, this is for your own good,” Miracle Maiden says, sending a jolt of bio-energy through her arm to the soldier holding it. Then another blast to take down one of the other two men. For the third man she has a different plan. Moving to full density faster than the shocked man expects she is on him, pushing him to the ground. Gripping his throat she lets enough bio-energy flow into him to confuse him.
“What is happening?” the soldier mumbles. “I can’t move!”
“You’ll be fine, if you tell me what I want to know!” Miracle Maiden tells him. “Who is your commanding officer?” The confused look on the soldier’s face changes, becoming more of a frightened one. “Perhaps you didn’t hear me.” She has never done this before but she thinks by adjusting the flow of bio-energy she might be able to cause him pain.
“Arrrrh!” the soldier cries out as she adjust the bio-energy back to the flow she had been using. The confusion on his face returns. “The General will have me killed if I tell you that,” he says.
“Just as I thought!” Miracle Maiden smiles giving the man a final zap to render the man unconscious. Turning her spectral vision back to the dome she spots a whole that must have been caused by the Helicopter that brought these men here. Then she spots something to the west. A glowing form finds its way to the hole in the dome. It is coming in hot toward the base. At first it she thinks it might be a meteorite or falling star. When its coarse adjusts to where they are walking she knows it is something different. Whatever it is, it is heading right for her! Pulling herself together she prepares for a fight.
As the falling star comes into view Miracle Maiden can see that it has human form, a female one. Sentry lands several yards from the other heroine dressed in red. “I don’t know why you are here but it is not safe,” Sentry warns. “I believed this base was abandoned by the government, apparently not,” Sentry says, looking at the men on the ground. “What did you do to them?”
Miracle Maiden doesn’t hesitate this time as her eyes begin to glow. “If you are here to stop me, you have made a mistake!” She announces letting out a full force bio-blast at the new arrival.
Sentry raises her hand to create a shield between them that deflects the blast. All Sentry can make out in the dim moonlight is the silhouette of the woman firing on her. “Look I can help you, if you are some experiment trying to escape,” Sentry says. “I am not your enemy.”
“Experiment?” Miracle Maiden repeats. “I am no one’s experiment.” Then suddenly the grounds are flooded with light as a siren sounds from all around them. In the bright light Miracle Maiden recognizes the blue and red suit of the woman. She is called Sentry and for a while the Newspapers thought they were one in the same. “Thanks,” Miracle Maiden exclaims. “You’ve got everyone coming down on my head now I suppose!” “I just wanted to sneak in and out unnoticed!”
In the view of the flood lights Sentry recognizes her opponent too but not as Miracle Maiden. “Diana?” Sentry says to Miracle Maiden’s shock. “Diana Carter is that you?” The sound of military jeeps echoes toward them. “Shit there are more of them!” “We have to get inside, it will be harder for them to find us there!” Sentry leaps past Miracle Maiden to a hidden door in the side of the wall behind her. She does not hesitate to use brute strength to tear the door open. “Come on, move!” Sentry shouts. “I can tap into the base systems on the inside to hide us from the cameras!”
Having little other choice, Miracle Maiden sprints to follow the woman that somehow knows her real name. She continues to follow the red and blue costumed Sentry through the cinder block bunker. After several turns that make it clear to Miracle Maiden that woman knows her way around this place. Another thought crosses her mind, this could be a trap. Miracle Maiden stops dead in her tracks to call out, “That is far enough for me!”
Sentry stops several yards ahead of Miracle Maiden at a cross-way in the corridor. She reaches out to rip open a metal panel in the wall. Sticking her hand inside there are sparks that shoot out as she takes hold of several communication cables. “I just wanted to make sure we were seen on several cameras before I did this,” Sentry explains. “It’s a little trick I learned recently to jumble electronic images.” “Whoever is in the command center will be flooded with images of us all over this place.” “It should give us time to figure out what is going on.” “Like what are you doing here dressed like that, Diana?”
“For starters my name is Miracle Maiden, lady,” she replies, trying to deflect the truth.
“Oh sorry, this happened before with Master Warrior,” Sentry says, lowering her mask. “Whatever it is he did to hide his face must be similar to your method of hiding your face.” “It doesn’t work when I have the suit on.” “We met a while back at the Airport, But then I introduced myself as Officer McCoy.” “Remember I gave you the money for a plane ticket and you repaid the Police Children’s Fund more generously than I expected.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Miracle Maiden says in surprise. “How the hell did you end up doing this?”
“It’s a long story,” Sentry says, raising her mask again. “Though the way you disappeared when we first met, I figured there was something special about you,” “I’m pretty sure you saved my life that night too, thanks by the way.”
“What are the odds?” Miracle Maiden replies. “Everything that happened that night was not something I planned.”
“I saw a story about you and Master Warrior in the newspaper,” Sentry says. “I guess he inspired you to use your powers too.” “He has a very inspirational personality.”
“I don’t think I would call him my inspiration,” Miracle Maiden replies. “I never intended to be wearing this costume.” “It literally just happened.” “I’ve had my powers since I was a kid, I never intended to use them this way.” “I only wanted to keep them hidden.” “To be normal.” “But when I saw what was happening to you that night.” “It inspired me somehow, I just couldn’t stand by and do nothing.” “I hadn’t thought about it before, but in a way Miracle Maiden was conceived that night.” “It is almost like our lives are intertwined for a reason.”
“Sounds like a lot in both our lives has changed since that night,” Sentry smiles. “That was before I even suspected that super-human existed.” Sentry begins to walk down the corridor and Miracle Maiden follows along. “Funny how once you are exposed to such things they just start coming out of the woodwork.” “Not long after we met I inherited this alien powersuit,” Sentry explains. “My life since than has been one crisis after another.” “I finally had to admit to myself there was no way to avoid wearing this suit.” “So what is this energy power you have?”
“It is a control of Bio-energy,” Miracle Maiden explains. “I can heal myself and others, knock them unconscious and apparently scare the shit out of them.”
Then Miracle Maiden curiously asks, “The suit, how does it work?” “Can anyone wear it?”
“No, just me,” Sentry assures. “More important right now, you should know I’ve been here before.” “Beyond the rumors this was a top secret facility.” “You live in New York, don’t you?” “What are you doing all the way out here?” “This place isn’t in any tourist guide!”
“I have a friend who was infected by something called a Bernr parasite and I was told that there was a device here that could cure her,” Miracle Maiden explains. “Does this place really house a crashed spacecraft?”
“It was the last time I was here, but since then things have changed,” Sentry reveals. “I got the guy in charge of this place fired.” “But I’ve heard of Bernr parasites before, from Master Warrior.” “I really don’t know if there is a cure.” “Usual if someone survives the infestation that is the cure.” “A cures that comes with Zeni-human powers.” Sentry stops to look at Miracle Maiden for a minute. “I’m really surprised that you found this place.” “Who was it that sent you here?”
“Her name is Shana, she calls herself a Guardian,” Miracle Maiden explains. “I hate that I have to trust her on this but I really want to help my friend get back to normal.” “The powers she developed are very dangerous and have made her more than a little insane.”
“Unfortunately that is another side effect of the Bernr parasite.” “Rarely is the person as sane after as they were before the parasite.” They stop at the end of the corridor as Sentry looks both ways down the long cinder block pathways. “We should get moving, find what you are looking for here.” “That trick I did only works if we don’t stay in one place too long, this way,” Sentry says as she begins to turn to the right to walk. “The last time I was here this place was run by a crazy scientist who systematically murdered all of the alien survivors of the crashed ship.” “I took him down thinking that the government would leave this place abandon.” “Apparently that was wishful thinking on my part.” “Some alien weapons showed up in San Diego and this is the first place I thought they might have come from.”
“If there are alien weapons here I know of one Army General that would be very interested in them,” Miracle Maiden says as they walk. “So what happened that made you choose to use this suit?” she asks. “You were already a cop.”
“The death of my husband,” Sentry says sadly. “After I found out it was my late grandfather who had him killed I thought about taking off the suit for good.” “If there is one thing I’ve learned over the past year it is I didn’t choose the suit, it chose me,” Sentry replies as she reaches out her arm to push Miracle Maiden back against the wall. Sentry looks to be staring off into space. “There are three soldiers coming this way.” “They are dressed in standard fatigues, not the uniforms that Bybo used with his men.”
“How can you see them?” Miracle Maiden questions. “Do you have X-ray vision?”
“Better, I’ve got Remote Sensing, I can see things at a distance without using my eyes,” Sentry tells Miracle Maiden. “What you are looking for should be in the Medical Research Lab six levels down, not far from the armory.” “There are only about ten men patrolling this place.” “If we can get to an elevator quickly, we should be good.”
“I don’t need an elevator,” Miracle Maiden says. “I can pass through solid matter.”
“Like you did with that truck!” Sentry surmises. “At the time I thought I was just losing it, but after I got this suit and learned all I could do with it, the idea of you being a Zeni-human didn’t seem so crazy.” “If you give me your hand I can mimic your power to pass through the floor with you.”
Sentry reaches out her gloved hand to Miracle Maiden who takes hold of it. “I’ve never tried to phase anyone else with me so I’ll go slow,” Miracle Maiden tells Sentry as they begin to descend through the floor.
“There is something else I should have mentioned,” Sentry says, looking around them as they reach the next level lower of the base. “When the suit mimics a power it sometimes triggers another.” “I’m seeing thermal images as we descend.”
“Are you seeing something of concern?” Miracle Maiden asks.
“There is a Cryo-lab on this level and it looks like there is a group of men in the lab,” Sentry explains. “They appear to be shutting down one of the Cryo-containment canisters.” “I am fairly sure that will not end well, you have to let me here on this level to stop them.” “You go find what you came for.”
“Are you sure?” Miracle Maiden asks. “I can come with you.” “After all, I did save your life the first time we met.”
“I can handle these guys but if that container holds what I think it does; you will know almost as soon as I do if I need help,” Sentry says as she lets go of Miracle Maiden’s hand. Then Miracle Maiden continues her descent into the lower levels of the base alone.
Diana Carter’s Condo
The Simpson Building
Ninth floor
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
Cameron Pike has spent most of the day and evening meticulously going through everything in Diana Carter’s condo. He has treated every inch of the place with care to make sure he leaves no trace that he was ever here. Even entering the Condo was flawless, much easier than he expected. Arriving at the door hours ago he found that the entire area was awash with residual extra-dimensional energy. Something he could easily adapt for his own use. Phasing through the entry door was child’s play with the invisible energy left behind by someone who has done the same thing, several times. It was that first contact with extra-dimensional energy that helped Cameron better understand who Diana Carter truly is.
Aside from the abundance of that residual energy in the condo he has found nothing else is at all unusual. He had been searching for a clue to who Ms Carter’s mystery man might be. As he sits back on her overstuffed couch he eyes an old photo that he found tucked away in a dresser drawer. It might just be his first clue to that man’s identity. The photo is clearly of a young Diana Carter and a boy the same age. The boy could easily have grown into the man Cameron spotted Diana with at that bar. Even in this old photo made of chemically treated paper he can see the love in their young eyes. Problem is he still has no clue to the young man’s identity. Flipping the photo over there is a printed label on the back. Altman Photography Studio, with a local address, 517 Myrtle Avenue. Cameron has seen Diana visit this Photography Studio in the time he has been watching her movements. Perhaps the proprietor knows who Diana’s true love is and where he can find him.
Cameron Pike stands up in the stylishly decorated living room to place the photo in the pocket of his jacket. He takes a look around, one final time before leaving. He has left the flowers he carried in a vase that held week old ones when he arrived. Perhaps it will be his calling card or perhaps with her busy life she will not even notice that he has changed them.
Area 51
Roswell, New Mexico
On sub-level 4 Sentry has lost the power of thermal vision the moment she parted ways with Miracle Maiden. She hadn’t been on this level on her last visit to Area 51. She hopes finding her way to the lab she saw on her unexpected thermal vision scan should not be too hard. The corridors on each level seem to be the same giving her a basic idea of which way to go. She hopes splitting up was a good idea. Sentry has read some things about Miracle Maiden in the Newspapers but really doesn’t know that much about her. But if Steve trusts her there is no reason for her not to do the same. Sentry still can’t believe that Miracle Maiden is the same girl she thought was homeless only a year ago.
It is rather odd that she met both Master Warrior and Miracle Maiden before they became heroes. As well as the fact that they use similar means to hide their identities. But as a cop she knows the importance of trust and she has no intention of revealing their secrets to the other. Both Miracle Maiden and Master Warrior live on the east coast and Sentry has read reports of them working together, most likely they are already close friends.
“Hold it right there!” a soldier commands at Sentry as he aims a rifle at her. “You are not authorized to be here!”
Clearly letting her guard down for even a minute here is a mistake. Sentry looks past them to see the door labeled “Cryo-lab 4, that they guard. “Okay soldiers, I don’t want any trouble,” she says with her hands raised. “It is just that whatever you guys are doing in that lab is a very big mistake.
“Captain Mathess, we have the intruder,” one of the soldiers says into the radio he has retrieved from his belt.
“Bring her to the command center,” the voice on the other end of the radio signal orders. “Tell her the General is eager to meet her when he arrives.”
Before the men can follow their commands something else happens. An explosion of massive destruction inside Cryo-lab 4 erupts. The two men standing in front of Sentry are killed instantly before she can react to save them. Even she is thrown helplessly back as the blast devastates three levels of the derelict military base.
Sub-Level 6 Miracle Maiden feels the quake of the explosion that has just occurred two levels above her as she arrives at the Medical Lab Sentry described. She has little time to concern herself with what is going on when she is so close to finding a cure for Tommi. Phasing through the door into the Lab, Miracle Maiden has no idea where to even begin to look for the device that Shana described in such detail to her on Magic Island. The lab is huge with many different stations for who knows what kind of research. By the look of some of the mechanical equipment over some of the exam table that research doesn’t look too pleasant for the subject.
Shana told her that the device was a kind of genetic realignment tool. It could reset someone’s DNA using their stem cells that were not affected by the Bernr parasite. Miracle Maiden begins to walk around the lab to each table station one at a time. All of this equipment looks like it is used for dissection not repair. She can only imagine what kind of horrific experiments went on in this room. She also wonders how badly the General would like to have her strapped to one of these table if he could.
Sentry said there were alien weapons in this base. Perhaps she should have gone with her, the thought of the General getting his hands on some unknown alien weapon after what she saw at the warehouse isn’t a good one. Not to mention the appearance of this weird Mr. Zipp character. The effect his weapon had on her was as unexpected as the dome over this base.
It is then that Miracle Maiden spots a vault at the back of the room. As she approaches it she can feel a strange vibration coming from it. Tuning her vision again she can see that it is protected by the same energy that was around the outside of the base. Phasing through the door is not an option. Leaving going to full density to increase her strength, Miracle Maiden takes hold of the handle on the vault door. She can feel the alien energy vibrate stronger now but at this density it can’t harm her. She pulls on the handle and the vault door shifts only a few inches, far from enough to open it.
Then she feels something else resonating from the door, heat. In fact the whole room is getting warmer. Cold has always been a weakness to her powers but she never considered that heat might be a strengthener. She doesn’t get the chance to prove her theory as sprinklers in the room begin to spray and the smell of smoke seeps down from above. Miracle Maiden steps back from the vault as a drop of molten metal falls onto her shoulder. She brushes the lump of cooling metal to the floor. Looking up to the ceiling the spray of water from the prinklers begins to slow, replaced by steam as water turns to vapor.
The metal girders in the ceiling begin to melt and drip down. The drips of molten metal cause her no harm at this density. Clearly that tremor she felt moments ago was more than just a natural occurrence. Something is happening above her, most likely the danger Sentry mentioned. If the device she is looking for to help Tommi is in that vault it must wait. Who knows what other dangerous weapons could have been hidden here. Backing away from the melting hole in the ceiling as it begins to release flames into the room.
As the fire spreads quickly through to the Medical Lab causing glass jars and vials to explode. Then Miracle Maiden witnessed something even more unexpected. A hulking four armed creature falls from the hole in the ceiling. It stands nearly seven feet tall and is clearly not human. Its lumpy bald head glistens for a moment with the quickly evaporating sprinkler water. The creature seems to have not noticed her as it swings its four massive fists to crush everything in its path. Its glowing red eyes clearly hunt for something in the lab other than Miracle Maiden. Perhaps she can subdue it while it is still unaware of her presence.
A full force optic bio-blast hits the behemoth in the back of its lumpy head. The blast does not cause the reaction Miracle Maiden was hoping it would as the creature shrugs it off. Its four armed torso pivots nearly a whole 180 degrees to stare her down. “GRRROOOOWWWLLL!” it roars at her but in anger not pain. Its legs then move to align with its upper body as it trudges toward Miracle Maiden.
As it moves closer Miracle Maiden can feel that same strange energy that was at the gate being shed off of it. “What are you?” she questions out loud to the creature that shows no sign of any kind of intelligence. She begins to back away from it when it stops in its tracks. “Look, I’m just here to help a friend,” Miracle Maiden says. “We have no problem here, do we?”
“Burn!” it mutters in some strange language that she does not understand. Then it opens its mouth to belch a column of fire at Miracle Maiden. The behemoth’s exhale seems endless as the flames wash over Miracle Maiden’s body. Papers and plastics in the room begin to burn at the deluge of flame that spreads quickly to ignite everything flammable in its path. Flasks of liquid quickly boil and explode on the shelves behind where Miracle Maiden stood. The smell of smoke and burning organic material fills the room by the time the fire breathing alien ends his attack.
Weakened by the exertion of his power the alien is caught off guard when a figure charges at him through the smoke. The alien is struck in the gut and then grabbed around its thick neck. He can smell the odor of her burnt hair as she flings him head over heels toward the massive vault door. The collision of the alien’s body into the reinforced door makes a huge boom as he breaks it down. The entire room tremors as the vault door and alien monster hit the floor.
“That was amazing!” Sentry says flying into the lab behind a bald Miracle Maiden. “Too bad about your hair though.”
“Not a problem,” Miracle Maiden replies as she wills her hair to regrow at an accelerated rate to the length it was previously. “I’ve had something similar happen before.”
“I wish I could do that trick,” Sentry replies. “One of the things I fear is my hair being exposed outside the suit the way it is.”
They turn their attention back to the vault, there is no movement from inside. “I just hope that my guess of bringing those two sources of that weird energy together was enough to take down both.”
Stepping forward to the vault, Sentry recognizes the creature instantly. “It is called a Xanian,” she explains. “I guess that is what they freed from the Cryo-chamber before I could stop them.” “Stand back for a minute.”
Miracle Maiden does as Sentry instructs. She watches as the other woman raises her hands to take aim at the unconscious creature. Waves of icy cold power flow from Sentry’s fingertips to freeze the moisture in the air, encasing the alien in a thick coat of ice. “Will that hold it?” Miracle Maiden asks.
“Until the ice melts,” Sentry says when the Xanian is completely obscured by the ice. “It is their only known weakness, or so Benue tells me.”
“Benue?” Miracle Maiden repeats at the sound of the familiar name.
“He is an alien Prince I met a while back, who helped me imprison another one of these in the polar icecap.”
“Muscular blonde guy who likes to run around naked in the sun?” Miracle Maiden questions.
“Muscular blonde guy, yes, can’t say I saw him running naked in the sun,” Sentry replies with a grin. “But then again he wasn’t in the best health when I met him.” “Guess you got to know him better than I did.” “Now, let’s see if we can find your gizmo.” Sentry walks toward the broken door and iceberg.
“No, it wasn’t like that at all,” Miracle Maiden defends, blushing as she follows after the woman. “We were just kids when we met.” “I think it was just when he arrived on Earth.” Inside the vault there is an array of weird looking devices. “I wish I had a better idea of what it looked like.”
“Well on a good note, I’m sure these are all medical devices,” Sentry explains. If there is one thing Bybo did well it was knowing what were weapons and what weren’t.” “But unlike Bybo I have an alien suit that can translate the words on the devices.”
“So what is up with the military here?” Miracle Maiden asks, trying to sound naive as she looks over some of the strange equipment on the shelves.
“The soldiers here were under the command of a Captain Mathess, who was not on site,” Sentry explains as she moves to look from shelf to shelf. “Lucky for him, because that Xanian they freed got the best of them.” “I’m not sure if the army will be able to even identify the bodies.” Sentry moves to the next aisle as Miracle Maiden follows along behind her. “Here I think this is it.” “You said a DNA realignment device, right?”
“Yes, that sounds right,” Miracle Maiden agrees as Sentry takes a strange salad bowl-looking device from a high shelf. “I guess I’m going to have to send another donation to the Police Children’s Fund.”
Sentry hands Miracle Maiden the device with a smile. “Don’t be silly,” she says. “I’m just glad all of us have gotten to meet now.”
“All of us?” Miracle Maiden questions.
“Yes, you, me, Master Warrior, and Olympian,” Sentry explains. “You see, of late I have been in contact with the aliens that made this suit.” “Actually it has been since the first time I was here.” “They have told me that the four of us will each play a role in helping them end the war they have been fighting for decades.”
“Sounds a little sketchy to me,” Miracle Maiden replies, looking over the strange alien device. “I’m not much of a soldier.”
“I thought so too at first, but this suit has allowed me to do a lot of good things, if I can help them I will,” Sentry confesses. “Which is something I believe the four of us can do as a team.” “Does it sound so crazy that we could end a war?”
“A little,” Miracle Maiden confesses. “But as far as team work goes, what can you tell me about FBI Special Agent Michael Lei and the Themela Lodge?” she asks, bringing a surprised look to Sentry’s masked face.
Altman Photography Studio
517 Myrtle Avenue,
New York, NY
Cameron Pike arrives at the studio as Tracey Woodlawn opens for the day. “Excuse me, Miss,” he says, drawing her attention to him. “Are you the Photographer?”
The instant Tracey looks at his face and into his deep hazel eyes she recognizes the romance icon. “Oh my God!” she exclaims. “You’re Cameron Pike!” Tracey almost drops her keys, purse, and camera bag in the shock of seeing this famous model standing on the street outside her studio.
“Yes, I am, let me help you with your bags,” Cameron says, moving to take hold of the straps slipping from her shoulder. “I was wondering if I could speak to you about some photos?”
Tracey is shaken to the core at the thought of photographing this beautiful man. “Yes! yes! please come into my studio!” Tracey opens the door all but dragging the man inside. “I don’t usually do professional portfolio shoots but I’m sure I can handle whatever you need!”
“I’m sure you can, Miss,” Cameron says with a charming smile that always melts the ladies.
“Altman, Tracey Altman,” she replies, the thought of her husband nowhere in her mind. “Oh this is such an honor to have you here,” Tracey gushes. “Come into my office and we can discuss what I can do for you more.” Cameron follows Tracey through the studio that is set up to take baby photos at the moment as he carries her camera bags. “Oh, please let me take those from you.” “I am so sorry,” she apologizes. In her office she moves aside several stacks of proofs that she has been working on and then fumbles to find a notebook and a pencil.
“Please, Mis Altman just relax for a moment and we can talk,” Cameron suggests, seeing just how flustered the young woman is at his celebrity. “I’m just looking to have a few simple Promo shots taken.”
Tracey is lost in the gaze of his handsome face as she asks, “Will there be any nudity, I have no problem with shooting nudity!”
“That isn’t really what I was thinking, but if you would like, I wouldn’t object,” Cameron replies, sending a shiver through Tracey’s body. “I’ve seen some of your work already.” Cameron takes the photo he stole from Diana Carter’s condo from his pocket. “This couple looks very at ease.” Tracey looks at the old photo of her friends from camp. “Was it some kind of ad campaign?”
“No, nothing like that,” Tracey says in confusion. “Where did you get that photo?” She asks, knowing that the only one she has made that print for was Diana.
“I found it on the floor of a taxi,” Cameron replies. “Your studio and address is on the back. He flips it over to hand it to Tracey.
“That is odd, I can’t imagine how it got there,” she mumbles. “Unless she was carrying it around with her for some reason.”
“The couple in the photo look so in love,” Cameron comments.
“I think they were but she will never admit it,” Tracey replies. “I’ll make sure it gets back to the owner. Tracey tucks the old photo into her purse out of sight.
“Who were they, professional models?” he asks.
“No nothing like that, they were just friends from summer camp,” Tracey says, feeling uncomfortable with his questioning. “My friend Diana and the guy was Steve.”
“Steve?” Cameron repeats, giving her a persuasive smile that calms her nervousness.
“Steve Roberts, he lived in Pennsylvania somewhere near Philadelphia,” Tracey smiles, lost in his eyes again. “Now about your photo shoot, I have an open morning, we can get started right now if you like.”
“That would be fine, it would appear I have a trip to take soon,” Cameron’s reply going right over the love struck Photographer’s head.
“Just give me a few minutes to set up the Studio and lock the door,” Tracey says getting up from her desk.
“Don’t you want to discuss your fee?” Cameron asks politely.
“We can do that later, right now I can hardly wait to get started!”
Mist’s Palace
Magic Island
The Bermuda Triangle
Miracle Maiden arrives back at Magic Island with the alien salad bowl. She really has no time to even think about what Sentry said about forming a team to end a space war. The only thing on her mind is ending her friend’s insanity. She meets Shana in a place that is called the Hall of Science even though most of what happens on Magic Island appears to be far from science based. “I have it!” she announces entering the room where Tommi lays on a table at the center.
“Perfect,” Shana replies as she makes a few adjustments to the equipment that monitors Tommi Bradshaw. “Yes this is the device.” Shana takes the piece of alien equipment from Miracle Maiden to add it to the machinery to which she already has Tommi hooked up. Miracle Maiden steps forward to the side of the table where Tommi lays in a deep sleep covered by a sheet up to her shoulders. Surprisingly the new piece does not fit over Tommi’s sleeping head. “By adding this I should be able to reboot, shall we say Tommi’s genetic make up.” Shana tells her as she fits the alien salad bowl into the side of the other equipment. “It is going to take some time, there is no need for you to wait here.” Shana moves to remove the sheet to reveal that Tommi is in fact nude under it.
For the first time Miracle Maiden can see the scars of the surgery that Tommi has endured to be transformed from a man to a woman. She had guessed that Tommi had some facial surgery to feminize her jaw and cheekbones, but now she can clearly see that Tommi’s transition was nearly complete with having breast implants. Diana had wondered if Tommi still required the final bottom surgery, but never had the nerve to ask. “No, I want to stay with her,” Miracle Maiden says looking down at her friend that now glows with a golden aura of light.
“Very well then, but you must not disturb the process,” Shana tells her as she waves her hand to create an overstuffed chair next to the medical bed that Tommi lays on. Shana then proceeds to leave the room. Alone with an unconscious Tommi, Miracle Maiden takes a seat in the nearby chair. As she watches the golden light dance over the young woman on the table it begins to change. The light grows more opaque to obscure Tommi’s body. Then the glow begins to dim revealing that a hardened cocoon has formed around Miracle Maiden’s friend.
The cocoon remains intact for several hours in which time Miracle Maiden paces the floor with worry over what is happening to her childhood friend. It is nearly dawn when the cocoon finally cracks open as it begins to dissolve. The results of the processor are revealed to Miracle Maiden before Shana returns a few minutes later. Everything Tommi had done in the past four years to transition from male to female has been reversed! “Oh my god, what have we done?” Miracle Maiden whispers under her breath. “I never even considered that this could happen.” “I thought it was only her mind that we were repairing.”
“No, it was a complete genetic reset, I thought I made that clear,” Shana replies, moving to check the monitoring equipment. “It was the only way to reverse what the Bernr parasite had done to him!”
“The problem is he is a she on the inside,” Miracle Maiden sighs. “How am I ever going to tell her that all of the hard work and money she had spent was for nothing?”
“You might not have to do that,” Shana suggests. “I could easily assume the role of her doctor to explain how he has been in a coma for the last two years after an accident.” “It would take very little magical alterations to make that story real.”
“So you are proposing to tell her that the best two years of her life were nothing more than a dream!” Miracle Maiden exclaims.
“Or there is the other option of telling him the truth about Androgyny,” Shana says, turning off some of the equipment. “Even revealing that he had powers might reverse everything we have done.” “It would be best if he just started over.”
Miracle Maiden stands silent for a moment weighing both options. If Tommi had to start over her transition, it would give people time to forget about Androgyny and all of the horrible things she did. Moreover, how could Tommi ever live with herself if she knew the truth. “I hate to admit it but you are right, the coma story is the best course to fix this situation.” “What can I do to help?”
“Leave, because now you will have never reunited with Tommi at NYC,” Shana clarifies. “Moreover you should avoid all intentional contact with him.” “If you are to reconnect again it must come naturally as it did before.”
Wednesday, May 24, 1988
Diana Carter’s Condo
The Simpson Building
Ninth floor
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
Tracey arrives just as Diana is leaving for work. In her hand she carries a small photo portfolio. “You’re going to be late for work today, you won’t believe what I did!” she announced pushing her friend back into her living room.
“Trace, really?” Diana grumbles, still feeling upset over the outcome with Tommi. She watches her best friend open the portfolio on her coffee table and spread out several photos.
“Get over here!” Tracey insists. “Have a look at these!” Diana walks over to the table. The photos are of a nude man posing in all kinds of positions. The backdrop is one that Diana clearly recognizes as one from Tracey’s studio.
“Oh my God Tracey!” Diana exclaims in shock. “Did you have an affair?”
“Don’t be an idiot!” Tracey scolds. “Don’t you know who that is?” “He’s Cameron Pike, the romance novel model!”
“You mean from those trashy novels you used to always read when we were in High School?” Diana giggles. “How did you manage to naked pictures of him?”
“Get?” Tracey smiles. “Girl, I took them!” “He came to the Studio to do a photo shoot!” Tracey returns to the portfolio for another small photo. “By the way he said he found this in a taxi.”
Diana takes one look at the photo to recognize it. “That is impossible. It has never left this condo since you gave it to me!” Diana drops her purse on the couch to run to her bedroom. Tracey follows after her friend to watch her fumble through her underwear drawer. “It’s, it’s gone.” Diana stares at the empty spot in the bottom of the drawer.
“You don’t think he broke in here or something do you?” Tracey asks. “That’s ridiculous, why would a man like him steal an old photo from you?”
“I will tell you one thing, the only taxi I ride in is Lincoln’s and I’ve never had that photo in that car!” Diana insists. “Did he ask anything about me?”
Tracey is quiet for a moment, “He was just so charming.” “We just made small talk.”
“What did he ask?” Diana repeats.
“He just wanted to know who the couple was in the photo,” Tracey confesses. “I told him it was you and Steve.” “I mean I don’t even know where Steve lives now, there wasn’t anything I could really say about him.”
Diana’s mind races with the thoughts of how glad she is that she didn’t share how she and Steve have been dating to Tracey. Then it strikes her. She pushes the draw closed to walk back past Tracey to the living room. She stops cold in her tracks when she truly sees them for the first time.
“What is it?” Tracey questions.
“The flowers,” Diana whispers. She turns to look at her friend. “I’ve been so busy the past few days I haven’t had time to buy fresh flowers.”
“Oh my god, Diana, do you think he left them?” Tracey gasps. “You should call the police!”
Diana thinks over her friend’s suggestion. The last thing she needs to do is call attention to herself with Detective Prussia after what Shana has done to help with that problem. “What would I say?” she asks rhetorically. “A romance cover model broke into my condo to leave flowers and steal an old photo?” “And then he gave it back to you?” “It sounds ridiculous!” “Look, I need to get to work.” “Call me if he comes back for more photos!” “Promise!”
“Of course,” Tracey says, gathering up the portfolio to follow her friend out of the condo.
Suburban Station
16th St. & JFK Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA
Cameron Pike arrives in Philadelphia on the late afternoon train from New York. It has been years since he has been in the city. It is as much as he remembers it. He has only one goal in this trip into his past and that is to solve the mystery of these eternal lovers who refuse to accept their destiny. Like most cities around the country in which he has lived Cameron has a connection here to his past.
He phoned her before leaving New York asking her to meet him here. He has no idea if she will show up or not. Many of his past lesions, although it was they who left him, do not care to see him again. He hopes this one will oblige his request. The moment he spots her across the station he is pleased to see her even though he fears she doesn’t feel the same.
Cameron can see that the past twenty years have been kind to her even though she has many more gray hairs than he. Those hairs and the remaining dark ones are pulled back tight into a bun on the back of her head. She is dressed conservatively in a dark coat and pants. It is still strange not to see her in the Police Uniform she wore when last they parted. Cameron knows it has been over a decade since she wore that uniform but he will always remember her in it. “Thank you for coming,” he says to Commander Olpere as she approaches him in the center of the terminal.
“I wasn’t sure what to do when I got your call,” the Elite Squad Commander tells him without looking him in the eyes. “I really didn’t know if I could handle seeing you again.”
“I know it broke your heart to leave me, but it looks like you made the right choice Commander.” Cameron replies.
“What broke my heart the most was that you didn’t even seem to care when I chose my career over our marriage,” Commander Olpere replies, looking up to his nearly wrinkle free face for the first time. “Still as handsome as ever I see.” “What is it you want from me?”
“I’m looking for a young man in his twenties who could possibly live in Philadelphia,” Cameron states vaguely.
“There are thousands of men in their twenties living in this city, what makes you think I could be of any help to you?” Commander Olpere replies sternly.
“Because I believe he has secrets that he keeps hidden,” Cameron explains. “And if anyone can find a man with secrets it is you.” Cameron takes a photo from the inside pocket of his shoulder bag. “He could quite possibly be a criminal.”
Cameron hands Commander Olpere the photo, it is of a young couple standing on a street corner outside of a nightclub. She recognizes Steve Roberts instantly, but keeps her reaction hidden. “What is it you want with this man?” she asks.
“I’ve opened my own modeling agency and I believe he has the right look for an ad campaign I am trying to cast,” Cameron tells his ex-wife.
She smirks at him. “I could always tell when you were lying, I just didn’t care.” “I was stupid in love with you back then.” “I don’t know if it is menopause or that I have just outgrown you but I want the truth if I am going to tell you anything about Steve Roberts.”
“So you do know him!” Cameron exclaims. “You are right, I don’t have the attention span to run any business of my own.” “All that matters is I find him before it is too late.”
“Too late for what?” Olpere quizzes, looking at him with more suspicion than she has ever before.
“For him to find his true destiny,” Pike says simply. “He is running out of time, if he misses this chance it could cost him terribly.”
“I will give you one thing, Steve Roberts is a man with secrets, but he is no criminal,” the Police Commander tells Pike. “He was a cop, he could have been a good cop if he had applied himself to the rules better.” “He worked on my Elite Task Force for a year.” “Left because he said it wasn’t the right fit for him.” “I don’t know what you really want him for but he is no model!” “He prefers to remain in the background, not the spotlight.” “But I really don’t think I have to worry about Steve, he won’t fall for any of your bullshit lines.” She crumpled the photo and pushed it into her ex-husband’s chest. “If I cared, it would be you who I would be worried about.” “He is not a man to be toyed with!”
Carter Industries
The Simpson Building
Fifth floor
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
After sending Tracey down in the elevator Diana arrives at her office to immediately be greeted by Jan. “Oh my God, Diana!” she exclaims. “Where have you been, I left you a hundred messages on your machine!”
“Sorry I was busy, haven’t got a chance to check my machine,” Diana says heading into her office. “What were they about?”
Jan follows after Diana, still excited. “You will not believe who was here on Monday looking for you!”
“Detective Prussia,” Diana responds as she sits down at her desk to go through a few files she left out before leaving for Magic Island on Monday.
“No, no after that!” Jan says gushing with excitement.
Diana looks at her assistant’s face and the thought comes to her head about how excited Tracey was only a few minutes ago. “Cameron Pike,” she says nonchalantly.
“Oh my God, Diana, how do you know him?” Jan questions. “He even brought you your favorite flowers!”
“What did he want?” Diana asks, not at all excited and completely kills Jan’s mood. Clearly Pike came here first if he still had the flowers.
“Not much,” Jan says, holding out a business card. “He said he wanted to engage your services, whatever that means.” “He didn’t even leave the flowers.”
“Oh he left the flowers, just not here,” Diana explains. “I need you to put your research skills to work and find out everything you can about him.”
“With pleasure,” Jan replies. “Are you going to call him?”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do about him,” Diana says looking at the local phone number on the card. Could he be another ploy of the Generals? She wonders to herself. “First I need you to make a call to Officer Eileen McCoy at the San Diego police department.” “I don’t know the number or the precinct.”
“Yes, ma’am, I’m on it!” Jan says leaving the office some of her happiness returning.
Once Diana is alone she goes to the hidden wall safe where she keeps all of the papers not for prying eyes. Dr. Woodlawn gave her a list of military officers that are assigned to Unit-55. Something about the name that Sentry used at Area-51 is suddenly familiar to her. She shuffles through the papers to find the list of officers.
“Diana, I think I found the officer you wanted to speak with,” Jan says, peeking in the door. “We got lucky she was just doing paperwork before leaving for patrol.”
“January Bennet, you never cease to amaze me,” Diana smiles as she reaches for the phone on her desk. “Hello Officer McCoy, this is Diana Carter, we met some time ago at the Airport.”
“Yes Diana I remember you, seems like only yesterday we spoke,” Eileen replies over the phone.
“Sorry to call you at work, but I wasn’t sure how else to make contact with you,” Diana apologizes.
“That is fine but let me give you my home number for next time,” Eileen says. “What is on your mind?”
“When we last spoke you mentioned the name of a Captain,” Diana says. “What was it again, I just need to check it with the information I have here.”
“Captain Mathess,” Eileen recalls as Diana finds the name on the list in front of her on the desk. “Is that the one you mean?”
“That is the one,” Diana confirms. “Thank you so much Officer McCoy.”
“Please, call me Eileen,” Officer McCoy tells Diana. “Here let me give you my number for the next time we need to get in touch.”