Wednesday, March 18, 1987
The Pentagon
Unit-55
Washington, DC
It is 6 am and the General arrives on time at his office as he does every morning. Captain Barber and Mathess are on monitor duty. “Sir,” Capt. Barber says as the General enters the office.
“Report Captain Barber, what is the latest on the Carter situation?” The General demands.
“Sir, the Carter girl has taken down the fourth pawn in three months without revealing any special abilities,” Captain Barber replies. “Is it possible she got help from someone else that first time?” “Should we be expanding our search?”
“No,” the General asserts. “We need to take a more active role is all.” “We need to force her hand.”
“Force her hand how?” Captain Mathess questions not liking the sound of the General’s order.
“Operation Minerva,” the General says simply, causing a dramatic reaction on the men’s faces.
“Sir, I do not know if she is ready to be sent out yet,” Captain Barber replies. “The last time we were barely able to bring her back in.” “Her reprogramming might not be complete.”
“That is not my concern, You have your orders now complete them!” The General says as he continues into his personal office to close and lock the door.
Once alone in the outer office Captain Mathess says to Barber, “That Crazy bitch thinks she is the reincarnation of the Roman Goddess Minerva, that doesn’t wash out in two months time.”
“You heard the General, if she gets loose again it is on him, not us,” Captain Barber tells his co-worker as he brings up the files on Minerva Alpine.
Friday, March 20, 1987
The Simpson Building
303 7th Avenue
New York, NY
Diana thinks over the past few months of going through her father’s files as she gets dressed for her birthday dinner. She has taken down several minor operatives without even using her powers. It feels good to not be dependent on the extra things she can do all the time. It is a good thing too because she is beginning to feel like every time she turns around Detective Prussia is there. He has been keeping a close eye on her since that talk outside the Midnight Bar.
Diana has spent most of the time since her return home working with no time for a social life. It has been fine for her but her Aunt Jean has made it all too clear that she feels all work and not play…. That is why Diana agreed to let her throw this birthday dinner for her.
So many of the outfits Aunt Jean picked out for her last week are very sexy. Low cut fronts with her boobs hanging out is definitely not her style. Looking in the mirror all Diana can think is, Oh God, I hope this isn’t going to be some kind of fix up. The last thing she needs is a blind date with some dope Aunt Jean met at the juice bar. Changing again Diana settles on a lightweight sweater and skirt.
The Condo of Zacary and Jean Carter
1292 Third Avenue
New York City, NY
Diana’s 21st birthday dinner at Zac and Jean’s condo begins with the strangeness that has filled the week so far. Aunt Jean answers the door with a big smile that is not out of character for her but it still scares Diana. “Oh Diana you look beautiful, that is just the outfit I hoped you’d wear.” Diana is sure that is reverse psychology. “Now, wait right here,” Aunt Jean says the moment she entered the door. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Where is Jessica?” Diana ask eager to see her little cousin.
“She is spending the night with Deb, this is an adult dinner,” Aunt Jean explains. “Is everyone ready?” Jean calls out to the dining room. There is no reply so she takes that as a yes. Two people step from the dining room into the living room and Jean yells, “Surprise!”
It almost brings tears to Diana’s eyes as she sees her old friend Tracey Altman. Diana rushes across the room to hug the the friend she hadn’t seen in almost three years. When she opens her eyes she sees that Fox Woodland, with his hair still cut short, is the man following behind Tracey. “Oh my God, Fox!” Diana sobs reaching out to pull Fox into the hug.
Now Diana is crying as she pulls away to ask, “What are you guys doing here?”
“Did you really think I would miss the twenty-first birthday of the only virgin I know,” Tracey grins.
Diana hugs Tracey again, “You still love playing that card!”
“Yes I do,” Tracey says holding out her hand to show her wedding band. Tracey grabs Fox’s left hand to show a matching gold band.
“Oh my God!” Diana exclaims. “Did you guys…”
“We tried everything to find you,” Tracey tells her. “I so wanted you to be my maid of honor.”
“I guess I was a little more out of touch than I should have been,” Diana says sadly taking Tracey’s hand. “I’m so sorry I missed your special day.”
“The night was special too, you wouldn’t believe how great the honeymoon was,” Tracey whispers leaning into Diana’s ear.
“Tracey you will never change!” Diana says.
“Come on people dinner is ready,” Uncle Zac calls from the dining room. Diana and Tracey walk arm and arm to the dining room. At the table the girlfriends sit next to each other as Fox sits across from them.
“What have you two been up to?” Diana asks. “Other than getting married.”
“Well, I’ve started my own photography studio,” Tracey explains. “Fox has been working with his Dad,”
“Dad?” Diana exclaims. “I thought your Dad was dead?”
“So did my Mom and I,” Fox speaks up as he serves himself some mashed potatoes. “Back in in ’81 he was reported Missing In Action.” “Mom didn’t like to talk about it, but I always thought he was dead.” “Then about a year and a half ago he shows up out of nowhere.” “Turns out he was a captive in Iran all that time.”
“That’s great Fox, so what are you guys doing together?” Diana asks.
“I went for two years of accounting and my father’s a doctor so he brought me on to work at a clinic for Vets that are struggling to fit back into society,” Fox explains. “I hear you’re working at your family business too.”
“And she is doing a great job!” Uncle Zac chimes.
“Ohhhh,” Aunt Jean sighs. “But Tracey I keep telling her she can’t be all work and no play.” “Now that you are twenty-one, maybe the three of us could have a girls night out?” Jean suggests.
“Jean you aren’t in any shape for a girls’ night out,” Zac tells his pregnant wife.
“But, I’m not going to be pregnant forever, only three more months,” Jean argues. “I used to love a good girls night out!”
“I agree Di does need to have some fun, I’ve always told her that,” Tracey speaks up. “She needs to let me do for her what she did for me!” Tracey grins across the table at her husband.
“Romance isn’t something I’m interesting right now,” Diana says. “I just really want to concentrate on work for now.” “A man in my life would complicate things.”
“What things?” Tracey asks. “You’ll never change, will you?” “But with my help you can do both,” Tracey suggests.
“Like you’re some great matchmaker,” Diana chuckles. “Calling your cousin Eric doesn’t count!”
“Eric?” Jean repeats. “What is this about Eric?”
“Senior week down the shore, he and Diana had a fling,” Tracey smiles.
“Oh my then Tracey you should definitely call Eric!” Jean insists.
“No, that was years ago and it just wasn’t meant to be,” Diana says filling her wine glass.
“The boy did come by the condo looking for you a couple of months after you left,” Uncle Zac reveals.
“He did?” Tracey says in surprise. “I didn’t know that!”
“I might have encouraged him to do it,” Fox says. “He was really down, I thought maybe a guy chasing after Di for once would be good for her.”
“What do you mean for once?” Diana quizzes.
“I guess you do have more than one big thing sweetheart,” Tracey says under her breathe. “I kind of told him about Steve.”
“Steve, who is Steve?” Jean pipes up again in excitement.
“It wasn’t like I did it on purpose,” Tracey confesses. “That day we went to the Philadelphia Zoo I thought I saw him there.” Diana is silent for a moment as she sips her wine. She can’t really be mad at Tracey it is all water under the bridge now. Both of those guys from her past are old news now.
“Eric, Steve, all this time I thought Ben was the only boy you dated,” Aunt Jean says breaking the silence.
“Ben?” Tracey says. “You little minx, who was Ben?” “You never told me about Ben.”
“Wow, I wonder why?” Diana giggles. “It wasn’t like Aunt Jean makes it sound, I met Ben that summer we went to South America.”
“You told me nothing special happened on that trip,” Tracey comments.
“I thought he was special, very handsome, blonde and tan,” Aunt Jean comments.
“A surfer boy?” Fox chuckles. “Sounds like Eric.”
“When did this birthday dinner become the Many Loves of Diana Carter?” Diana asks trying to change the subject. It isn’t like she can tell them what really happened with Benue. Oh, he was an alien prince who needed my super powers to save the Earth from an invasion. She smiles to herself as she finishes her wine. Diana remembered the kiss they shared on that beach. How could she ever forget it?
“I know that smile,” Tracey says looking at her friend. “There is something you aren’t telling!”
After dinner the old friends move to the living room while Zac and Jean clean up the dishes. “Fox spends so much time at the clinic, we should have a night out,” Tracey suggests again.
Diana looks to the quiet young man to asks, “Does that sound like a good idea to you, Fox?”
He smiles that same boyish smile Diana remembers from high school, “Most days when I get home I don’t have much energy to do anything.” “On that note, when Tracey is drunk she gets,” Fox pauses to think of the right words, “Eager and does all the work.” “I find her eagerness very sexy.”
“Your Newlywedness is really showing,” Diana comments a little jealous of their passion as Tracey leans over to kiss her husband. “So you want me to take your wife out and get her drunk so you can get lucky?”
“Not so much lucky as, worked over completely,” Fox says to Diana’s chagrined. Wow, he really has lost some of his shyness.
“Okay girl, we can go out for dinner one night, but no fix ups,” Diana insists.
“Cross my heart,” Tracey replies.
“Let me see both of your hands!” Diana insists.
Monday, March 23, 1987
The Simpson Building
303 7th Avenue
New York, NY
Steps from the elevator Diana arrives at Carter Industries bright an early as usual. In the lobby of the office suite she can’t help but notice a middle-aged woman dressed to the nines wearing a hat with large ostrich feathers. The woman talks with the receptionist as she glances over at Diana. The woman smiles and Diana smiles back as their eyes met for an instant.
As Diana continues down the hallway to her office she experiences a strange feeling of foreboding. As she walked to her office she is still getting used to wearing high-heels she loved so much at the store with Aunt Jean. She takes another step and she twists her ankle, snapping the left heel off her shoe. “Great!” she mutters as she slips off her shoes to carry them.
Even without her shoes every step she takes the feeling of foreboding gets stronger. Entering her office she asks her assistant Jan, “Could you run up to my place and find me a pair of sneakers?” Diana requests dropping her broken shoes in the trash can. One of the many benefits to getting a condo in the same building as Carter Industries. Another being the zero commute and most of all the fact that if there is another break-in for her father’s papers she is right on site to stop it!
Jan reaches out her hand with a cup of fresh coffee. “I know a guy who could fix them for you,” Jan says getting up to look at the expensive shoes in the trash can.
“They are all yours then, I think I am done with heels,” Diana says taking the cup of coffee from her assistant.
Taking the doorknob to her office Diana suddenly recognizes the feeling. It is a feeling that she felt from the first day she arrived on Magic Island. Opening the door she sees the cause of the sensation she feels, Shana sits behind her desk.
She closes the door before Jan can get a look into the office. “What are you doing here?” Diana demands. “Didn’t I make it clear that I am done with you!”
“You have made that abundantly clear, but no relationship is one sided,” Shana replies coolly. “My father has made an investment in you that you now risk.”
“An investment?” Diana shouts. “I am an investment to you?” Diana stands staring at the woman in her chair for a moment, not sure what to say. Then it is her anger that takes over, “Get out!” “Get out of my office and my life!”
“I will do as you ask for now,” Shana tells Diana, “But first you must know that you are not as hidden as you believe.” “William Carter did not go only on the words of your mother’s diary.” “Test were performed and those who did the test know your secret.” Then Shana simply fades away.
Diana storms around the desk to jerk out her chair. It is empty, not a sign of the woman who sat in it. For a moment Diana thinks about what Shanna said. Diana knew about the DNA testing her “father ” had done but she never considered who did the testing. Those men that broke in, they knew more than they should have. What if all of this is bigger than just William Carter’s anger at her mother?
Diana reaches her arm out to sit the cup of coffee on the desk. Suddenly it is as if the bottom of the cup just melts and the hot coffee pours out all over the desk and chair. “Jan!” Diana shouts pulling the chair away from her desk, trying to stop the coffee from running onto the carpet.
Her assistant hurries into the office. “What is it Diana?” she announces.
“I need a new chair this one is soiled and a mop!” Diana tells her assistant as she shoves the wheeled chair across the room.
“Soiled?” Jan says in confusion, until she sees the mess on Diana’s desk. “I’m so sorry that cup looked fine to me.”
“Just get me something to clean this up with!” Diana insists grabbing paper from the trash can to sop up the liquid.
“I’ll call to maintenance before I go for your shoes,” Jan says as she hurries to leave the office.
Diana looks over the papers on her desk making sure that nothing important has been damaged. Then there is a knock at the door and the woman with the ostrich feather hat opens the door to stand in the frame.
“Excuse me, but are you Diana Carter?” the woman asks. “There is no one out here.”
“Yes, I am,” Diana replies walking around her desk to greet the impressively dressed woman. “How can I help you?”
The Middle-aged woman steps into the office with a smile as she closes the door behind her. She reaches out her white gloved hand from under her mink stole, “I am Minerva Alpine, I did some business with your father.”
“Let me just wash my hands, I’ve had something of a coffee disaster.” As Diana goes to the small powder room adjacent to her office she thinks, Business with her father, that doesn’t sound good. Diana immediately assumes this woman is not looking for any legal help, before she quickly returns to the office. “Please Ms. Alpine come have a seat, what can I do for you,” Diana greets her properly with a hand shake. “Excuse me, my chair has taken the worst of the spill,” Diana says pulling one of the chairs from the front of her desk to the back.
“Of course, I understand, accidents happen,” Minerva Alpine says sitting down in the other chair. “Your father was so kind as to help me with, shall we say touchy business.” Diana looks to the woman and can’t help but be impressed by her grace and class as she meticulously adjusts her garments coming to rest in the leather chair. “I am sorry to hear of his death, I’ve been out of the country.”
“Thank You, Ms. Alpine for your words,” Diana replies. “What was it you were coming to see him about?”
“I’d rather not discuss that here, but I was hoping you could do the same,” the regal woman tells Diana. Now Diana is sure this woman must be in her father’s files, she just can’t place the name. “Perhaps you could come by my home for dinner tonight.” “We could discuss things there.”
“Thank you for the invitation, but I really do have a full schedule,” Diana says testing the waters.
“Well that is a shame,” Ms. Alpine replies moving to get up from the chair. “I will be leaving the country again is a few days.” “I will have to look elsewhere.”
“No, no, my father would never forgive me if I didn’t take care of you,” Diana retorts standing up as well. “Why don’t you give me phone number and address, I will see what I can do about rescheduling.” The regal woman opens her Gucci purse to hand Diana a business card. “I will give you a call at one sharp, will that be alright?”
“Yes, that would be quite welcome,” Minerva Alpine says as she turns to leave. “I hope the rest of your morning goes better for you.” The eccentric woman struts from Diana’s office to the elevator. Minerva waves to Diana as the elevator doors closes and Diana waves back.
Then Diana picks up the phone to call the security desk in the main lobby. “Hey Gregory, it’s Diana Carter for the fifth floor, the woman with the plume feather hat on, that you left up earlier.” “Yes, that is the one.” “Could you get me a hard copy photo of her from the video recording.” “Thanks, I’ll send Jan down for it later.”
It is then that Jan returns with Diana’s sneakers and the custodian. “Morning, there Diana,” he says wheeling in his cart. “Hear you had a spill.”
Oh no, of all the custodians for Jan to bring, Mike White. The guy has been flirting with her
for weeks now. She has no interest in him but can’t bring herself to shoot him down. “How are you this morning Mike?”
Great, just great!” Mike says smiling at her. “I’ll have this cleaned up in a jiffy for you.”
“Thank you, Mike,” Diana says trying not to smile too much at him as she sits down to put her sneakers on. “Jan a little later could you run down to the main lobby and get some photos from Gregory.” She can’t help but notice Mike is watching her put on her sneakers.
“Sure,” Jan replies as they step into the outer office. “I’m so sorry he was the only one in maintenance today.”
“That’s fine,” Diana tells her assistant who knows the problem Diana has been having with Mike. “I just have to find a way to let him down gently.” “I’m heading to my Uncle’s office for a couple of minutes, I’ll see you when I get back.”
Arriving at her Uncle’s office down the hall Diana is surprised by an unwanted visitor. “Detective Prussia are you asking for my hand?” Diana says sarcastically.
“Not at all Ms. Carter,” Detective Prussia says walking toward her. “Have a nice day, Ms. Carter.” Prussia leaving the office without another word.
“Do I have to ask what he was doing here?” Diana asks her Uncle.
“He seems to think I can rayne you in,” Uncle Zac answers with a grin. “Would you mind telling me what is going on with him?”
Diana exhales deeply as she sits down on the sofa in her Uncle’s office. “It started years ago, when Dad and I were at odds and I started sneaking out,” Diana explains. “I was going places I shouldn’t.” “I don’t remember him but he was there the first time I used my powers.” “He was also there the night Gina died.” “He thinks I am dangerous.”
“Are you?” Uncle Zac asks bluntly to her surprise.
“Maybe back then, not now,” Diana replies. “I am in full control now, but I can’t tell him that.”
“Why not, you told me,” Uncle Zac questions.
“That was different, you’re family, I trust you,” Diana confesses.
“So, you’re never going to tell anyone else about yourself?” Uncle Zac asks.
“Not a cop that wants to arrest me anyway,” Diana replies. “But that is not while I’m here.” “I had a visit from a woman claiming to be one of Dad’s old clients.” “She said they had a special arrangement.” “Minerva Alpine, ever heard of her?”
“Can’t say I have, is she from the files,” Zac asks.
“I haven’t checked yet but it isn’t familiar,” Diana says. “I’ve got Gregory getting me a photo from the security footage.” “Next stop computer research lab.” “She wants me to come by her home for dinner tonight.”
“Is that wise?” Zac questions with a look of concern. “You know how dangerous the people in those files can be.”
“That is why I need to know everything I can about Minerva Alpine before I go,” Diana replies as she gets up from the sofa. “I’ll let you know what I’m doing.”
19th Police Precinct
153 E 67th St
New York City, NY
Detective Prussia returns to his desk, his partner sitting across from him. “Still chasing ghosts?” Detective Black says with a grin.
“Shut up,” Detective Prussia replies. “I’m going to prove that girl is up to something if it is the last thing to do.” “Look at what is going on in Philly,” he shouts at his partners. “Look at this morning’s paper, there is another one in San Diego!” Detective Prussia tosses the New York Daily News across the desk at Black. The cover headline reads, “Two of a kind!” The spliced together photo is of Master Warrior and a new mystery woman in red and blue.
“So you think she is a Superhero in hiding?” Detective Black grins.
“No, something else,” Detective Prussia says, “And don’t call them that!”
“So are you ready to get to work or what?” Detective White asks. “We got a case.”
Detective Prussia ignores his partner for a few minutes jotting down a few notes on his private notebook. “Okay what have we got?” Prussia says putting away his notebook.
“We have a string of gas station robberies that have been officially declared ritual killings,” Detective White says handing his partner the file.
Detective Prussia flips through the file. “Ritual killings?” he says, “How so?”
“On the surface all of these killing appeared to be simple robberies, but autopsies of the dead clerks revealed the use of a polymer that petrified their bodies like mummies,” Black explains.
“How is that possible, none of these clerks were dead for more than an hour before they were found.” Detective Prussia exclaims. “This is a bull-shit case!”
“It is your bull-shit case!” Detective Black tells his partner. “Your side investigation has gotten around the precinct, so this is the case we get!” Black says with more than a little anger in his voice.
“This is my fault?” Prussia says standing up pointing at the papers in his partner’s desk.
“I have known you since the academy, even I doubt you, but I stand by you,” Black answers. “Sink or swim together I say!” Detective Prussia does not respond he is going to take what he can get from his partner. But his suspicious about Diana Carter are not that easily wiped clean.
The Simpson Building
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
Diana has found very little on Minerva Alpine, it would seem that she has kept herself very hidden from the world. Her money comes from family and husbands, four husbands to be exact. Problem is financial records show that Minerva has spent far more than she has ever had to spend. That fact screams that whatever business she had with her father was very profitable for Minerva. She has only one way to find out the truth and that is to attend the dinner at her home.
What she wears to the dinner makes little difference to Diana. The only thing she is sure to wear is the Mistix necklace. It is the first time she has put it on in weeks. Diana hates that she even considers that the necklace will be of use tonight.
In the elevator she heads down to the lobby. Suddenly the elevator drops from under her feet. It is falling at an accelerated speed slamming her to the ceiling. Something is not right here, even if the cable had broken and the emergency brakes failed it would not be falling this fast. Diana reduces her density to pass through the elevator ceiling into the shaft. Grabbing the cable, she sees that it in fact is not broken. She jumps to the ladder on the side of the shaft to climb to the door of the nearest floor. As she climbs Diana looks back to the elevator that suddenly slows and return to normal. Trying not to think too self centered, it does somehow appear that this near elevator accident was aimed at her directly. Passing through the door onto the third floor lobby. Diana takes the stairs to the ground floor to reports the elevator to Gregory at the security desk. Outside Archie Lincoln’s taxi waits.
A few hours later, Diana and Archie Lincoln are on way to Minerva Alpine’s home, when at the edge of the city they stop for gas. Diana goes in to pick up a few things while her Archie pumps the gas. Once inside Diana tries to think through a plan for the evening. This is the first time she has ever had to face one of her father’s associates in person. She has learned so much about William Carter in the past few months she hates to think what she will learn from this woman. Standing in the junk food aisle after getting herself a cup of coffee, she discovers that the man at the counter is not the attendant at all. His smock doesn’t fit and there is cash hanging out of the pocket.
“Shouldn’t that cash be in the drawer?” Diana asks as she approaches the counter to pay. It is then that she sees the real clerk on the floor. He is bleeding but she has no way of knowing if he is alive or not. “You don’t need to hurt anyone else,” Diana says glancing out the window to see Archie still pumping gas.
“Who is this bitch?” a second man shouts walking out from the back store. Diana turns to see the gun toting man.
“Just some bitch that wandered in,” the man behind the counter replies holding up another gun.
“I told you to lock the door you moron!” the second man shouts.
“Gentlemen, there is no more need for any violence if you just stop what you are doing now,” Diana tells them.
“Fuck you!” the shouting man says firing his gun. The bullets pass harmlessly through Diana striking the man’s accomplice behind her.
“That wasn’t very smart,” Diana says stepping forward to grab the gun toting man’s hand. A charge of Bio-energy jolts the gun from his grip and he collapses to the floor.
“What’s going on?” Archie exclaims entering the convenience store.
“They were trying to rob the place call 911!” Diana tell her driver as she moves around the counter to check the real clerk. There isn’t much blood so Diana is hopeful that he isn’t too badly injured. Touching him she can feel that he is unusually cold. His body is very stiff as well. Rolling the man over his eyes are wide. But he is dead. She looks to the other man lying on the floor behind the counter. He trembles convulsing in pain.
“I called 911,” Archie says coming around the counter. “What is happening to him?”
“I don’t know,” Diana replies. “Those were no ordinary bullets.” “Help me hold him so I can find the wounds.” Archie takes hold of the man on the floor as Diana opens the smock and then his hoodie. He has two bullet wounds on his stomach that have hardly bleed. “Grab me that towel,” she says to Archie reaching toward the counter. Archie passes her the towel as the man stops shaking. “Go see if the ambulance is here yet.”
Archie gets up to walk around the counter looking at other man unconscious on the floor. “What happened to this guy?” he asks.
“Hit his head,” Diana replies from behind the counter where she works to clean the blood from the man’s wound. Whatever these bullets are made from it is expanded out of the wound. Digging her fingers into the wound she tries to takes hold of the mass. She pulls on it between her thumb index finger. The mass seems to be anchored. The man’s breathing is shallow and his heartbeat weak. Diana looks back at the dead clerk, she can only guess that this man will end up the same way. He may be a crook but he ended up this way because of her actions.
Diana has no other choice, taking hold of the mass she pulls hard on it causing the man to convulse again. The polymer comes out in a long stringy mass. It is clearly spreading through the man’s vascular system. Diana has to move quickly as the blood flows out the now open wound. She pulls on the other mass, the second is longer and harder to remove. The robber is bleeding more as his heart pumps faster now.
“What’s happening back there?” Archie asks looking over the counter as Diana’s hand glowing to heal the open wounds closed. He says nothing as he turns away. “The ambulance is here.” Diana decides not to fully heal the man, leaving something for the paramedics to do.
Diana gets up from the floor wiping her hands on the towel just as Detectives Prussia and Black walk in. “Oh Ms. Carter why am I not surprised!” Detective Prussia says.
Detective Black interviews Diana as Prussia talks with Archie all the while watching Diana. The men injured men are loaded into ambulances as the coroner arrives for the dead clerk. Detective Prussia pieces together the events told to them leaving him with questions for Diana because the Archie says he heard two shots but there was only one bullet wound in the robber.
“One more question Ms. Carter,” Detective Prussia asks. “How do you explain that your driver heard two shots but there is only one bullet wound.”
Prussia glares at Diana as she answers him. Diana insults him by saying, “I can’t explain what Archie heard from outside I was in here and that is what happened Colombo.” Prussia is not at all happy with Diana’s attitude. Detective Black also begins to wonder if his partner isn’t right about Diana Carter as he picks up the two strange polymar masses from the floor behind the counter to place them in evidence bags.
The Pentagon
Unit-55
Washington, DC
The General steps out of his office preparing to leave for the day. “Captain report!” he demands of his subordinate. “Are all of the cameras in place?”
“Yes sir,” Captain Mathess replies. “We will be recording direct to hard drive and watching live feed from every inch of the house.” “If she so much as sneezes we will have it.”
“And Minerva?” the General questions.
Captain Barber turns in his chair, “She is following instruction well, no problems.” “Her performance at Carter Industries was flawless.”
“Good, have a full video report on desk in the morning,” the General instruction before leaving.
Captain Mathess works at his station unconcerned by but the General’s direction. “I’ve stationed a retrieval team on the property out of sight,” Captain Mathess tells Barber.
“You know the General will have your hide if he finds out,” Captain Barber tells him.
“Better I go to the hole than that bitch has a full scale meltdown.” Captain Mathess assures Barber.
The home of Minerva Alpine
396 Park Place
New Rochelle, NY
The house is large and rundown as they come up the driveway to it. “Are you sure this is the address?” Archie asks as they come to a stop.
“396 Park Place, New Rochelle, NY was the address on the card she gave me,” Diana says checking the card again. “Ever since this woman showed up this morning things just keep getting weirder.”
“Do you want me to come in with you?” Archie asks hoping she says no. Archie Lincoln wants to question his allinance to this young woman after what he witnessed at the gas station. But somehow he continues to be drawn to her like some follower of the ancient African god Wu.
“No, there is something definitely up with this woman,” Diana tells her friend. “It would be best if you waited out here and be ready to go in a hurry.” Diana get out of the taxi to start up the steps into house. Standing at the front door Diana has the same feeling of foreboding that she had this morning after walking by Minerva Alpine in the lobby. After that she broke her heel and then her coffee cup, not to mention the elevator incident. She believed that the feeling was because of Shana’s appearance, now she has to question that assumption. Diana pushes her density to the max before ringing the bell.
Diana’s research also turned up that this twenty acre Estate is owned by a Minerva LLC. She has no stateside bank accounts or birth records. Like all of the activities in William Carter’s secret files there is no trail of any money paid to him or anyone else. Minerva Alpine is a near ghost in every way.
There is no answer to the doorbell so Diana knocks. The strike of her knuckles jars the old door open. “Hello,” she calls out. Stepping inside Diana is surprised to see the inside of the house is in much better condition than the outside. The decor is simple but not inexpensive by any means. “Hello, Miss Alpine,” she calls out again. There is still no response. The front hall is well lit, but there is a chill in the air, even with her coat still on. Off of the entry hall there is a staircase and three closed doors.
Diana starts with the double doors to her right. The doors open into a grand parlor, Diana steps inside. “Hello?” “Miss Alpine?” This is beginning to feel like a Vincent Price movie she thinks as she calls out again. There is a fire burning in the large hearth making clear to her that someone had been here recently. She steps up to the fire to warm her hands, taking away some of the chill she felt in the front hall.
Suddenly, the fire is leaping out at her as if it has come to life. Diana stumbles back her coat on fire. Moving fast she pulls off her quickly burning coat and throws it back into the fireplace. Standing back from the fire she watches her new coat burn to ash. Diana is relieved she increased her density because if she hadn’t she would be burnt now. Something is definitely not right here, fire doesn’t do that! Everything that has happened to her since she first laid eyes on Minerva Alpine has been the worst luck she has ever had in her life.
Standing in the center of the parlor Diana decides its time to go, no one is here. Taking one step forward onto a loose floorboard it triggers a chain reaction. The board springs up overturning an end table that sends a lamp against the wall. The lamp in turn strikes a wall mounted sword that is sent in Diana’s direction. Thinking fast Diana reacts by changing her density again. The effect is not as she expected as she falls through the floor to the basement.
In mid-fall she returns to normal before hitting the dirt floor of the old house’s basement. Flipping to land standing in the dark for a moment, Diana thinks, Is it possible for one person to give another bad luck? Could Minerva Alpine be some kind of jinx? The thought of it is ridiculous. Looking around the basement Diana realizes that this room is also filled with many possible accidents waiting to happen. She knows that her increased density makes her slightly heavier but not enough to loosen a floor board. Nor does she have such a lack of control that she would fall through the floor. Something else is definitely at work here.
Question is does she still try to leave or continue on? Trying to leave is what got her to the basement so staying would appear to be the answer. Diana digs in her purse for a flashlight, thinking this really is a Vincent Price movie. Shining the light around the room she analyzes everything trying to find the safest path with the one least resistant to accident.
The path to the exterior exit is the one most lined with possible danger. Boxes, tools and old yard equipment line the path. Not far to her left are stairs leading back up to the main floor. That also seems to be a mistake in her mind. Behind her is a door with not apparent obstacles. Path of least resistance she thinks. Walking over to the door she finds that it is locked. Breaking it or kicking it in might cause another domino effects. So she takes the risk of stepping through it, she is already on a dirt floor she can’t fall any further.
On the other side of the door Diana finds it is a root cellar that has not been tended in decades. The smell of rotten vegetables is so thick that the methane quickly overcomes her. Diana stumbles as she falls to the floor. Her last and only option is to teleport up. Diana can feel her consciousness fade as she concentrates to move through the dimensional fabric to the floor above.
The Pentagon
Unit-55
Washington, DC
At the offices of Unit-55 there has been a shift change, Captain Xian has taken over for Captain Barber. “The General is going to be very pleased, the girl has shown many incredible abilities,” Xian says to Mathess.
The shift change has not changed Mathess’ priorities. “My only concern is that Minerva does not go off the rails again.” Captain Mathess replies. “I’ve had the strike team move in closer but still out of sight of the taxi driver.”
“That last trick she pulled seems to make it clear we have also found a weakness,” Xian chimes. “Though she appears to be immune to physical harm, she still needs to breathe.”
“Something that both she and Minerva have in common,” Mathess stresses. “These things these people do are not tricks, they are a threat to the security of this country!” “If we need to we can bring them both down with the same action.”
“The General does not want the Carter girl taken out of play just yet,” Xian insists. “With what happened at Area 51 there is not agency equipped to handle such as her.”
“If Minerva and this girl are taken down permanently there is not need for a facility such as Area 51,” Mathess says coldly. “The General is out of his element with freaks like these!”
“The Carter girl has done nothing to threaten this country, only this project,” Xian replies. “Most of the pawns she has taken down all she knew about them was that they were criminals, there was nothing to link them back to the government.” Xian has always known Captain Mathess to be strong in his beliefs but he never thought he would hear the Captain speak of defying a direct order from the General in such a manner. There are still five hours left in Mathess’ shift and Xian can only hope nothing too extreme transpires in that time.
The home of Minerva Alpine
396 Park Place
New Rochelle, NY
“Miss Carter are you alright?” Diana hears Minerva Alpine asks as she is lifted up from the marble floor. “I came down to prepare for your arrival and found you here on the kitchen floor.”
Diana still a little groggy but she clearly remembers everything that has happened since she arrived at this house. “I arrive and no one answered the door when I rang the bell so I knocked and the door drifted open,” she explains.
“It must have been that blasted cleaning crew I hired at the last minute,” Minerva replies helping Diana to her feet. “You can’t trust anyone these days.” “I didn’t bring on my regular staff because I am not staying for an extended period.” “When you arrived, I was still upstairs getting ready.” “You are very early.”
“You told me six O’clock,” Diana replies the fog completely gone from her head.
“No dear, I said eight O’clock,” Minerva corrects.
Diana looks around the kitchen, there is no sign of any dinner being prepared. “I thought you said we were having dinner?” she questions.
“The caterers have not arrived yet,” Minerva explains. “It is barely a quarter of seven.” “Come dear why don’t we sit down in the dining room?” Diana is relieved she didn’t suggest the front parlor, she has no intention of going back in there tonight.
Minerva Alpine leads Diana to a grand dining room with large scenic portraits on the walls over a large table. She seats Diana at the end of the table and then proceeds to the opposite end of the nearly fifteen foot table. “Ms. Alpine, this is not the proper situation to discuss business,” Diana suggests her voice raises to travel the long distance.
“No dear, we will discuss business after dinner,” Minerva replies as she gets up from the table to admire the artwork on the wall. Diana watches as the woman looks over the paintings as if it is the first time she has seen them. There truly is something strange about this house and this woman. “Do you believe in destiny, Miss Carter?” she asks not turning to look at Diana.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” Diana replies. Her hostess appears to have taken an even stranger turn as she looks at the paintings.
“I’m simply asking do you believe that we are on a set course in life, an unchangeable destiny?” Minerva Alpine explains. “Like this painting of a forest, so beautiful and serine to gaze upon.” “Yet like all things of beauty it is destined to end, to burn.”
Diana sits looking at the painting as she listens to the dark words of her hostess. “I suppose I do,” Diana says playing along.
“My mother died giving birth to me and for years I believe that was my destiny,” Minerva reveals. “I believed I would always be the girl who came into this world by killing her mother.” Minerva looks to Diana still sitting at the table not sure where this woman is going with her monologue. The hostess steps down the wall closer to Diana to examine the next painting of a pond in a meadow enclosed by trees. “Then when I was ten my father died in a horrible car accident, I was in the car and walked away undamaged.” “That became my destiny, orphan and parent killer.”
“Surely you can’t truly believe that you are responsible for your parents’ deaths,” Diana interjects to calm the woman. “If that was the way life worked than I too am guilty.” Minerva turns to smile at Diana as she moves to the next painting on the wall, it is a farmyard scene with a pasture of cows. The choice of artwork in this room is the most confusing thing in this house yet, Diana thinks.
“After my first husband died in an industrial accident I came to believe that destiny is what you make of it,” Minerva says. “Between the money I inherited from my father and my first husband I became a very wealthy young woman.” “My destiny was clearly for wealth.” “But like my name sake Minerva the Roman goddess of wisdom I was willing to fight to keep what I had.” The hostess turns to Diana a curious look in her eyes. “You were named for a Roman goddess too?” “Diana goddess of the hunt, tell me are you a hunter?”
Diana thinks for a moment, it is something she never considered. Her mother always said she was named after a great-aunt, but now that she considers this suggestion she answers. “Yes, I am.” “I’ve been hunting for answers for most of my life.” “Answers that were hard won.”
“You see we two are goddesses better than those around us,” Minerva announces. “Destiny is in our grasp to be shaped to our will.” Diana gets the feeling that she may have misspoke. Minerva Alpine seems to have gone around the bend on this whole Roman goddess thing. “Together we can take down those who stand in our path and be the free and powerful goddess that we were born to be!”
Diana moves to get up from her chair to try and calm her hostess when a smartly dressed man enters the room. “Ms. Alpine are you ready for dinner to be served?” he asks ignoring the flamboyance of his employer. Suddenly Minerva Alpine returns to her calm and reserved state as well as her seat at the opposite end of the table.
“Yes, my good man you may serve us now!” Minerva says but Diana can still hear a condescending tone in her voice.
Diana watches the caterer as he exits the room, something is off about him. When he returns to place a bowl of soup in front of her, Diana takes notice of his hands. They are rough and calloused, not like someone who works in a kitchen at all. She takes special notice that his calluses are like those of someone who frequently fires a weapon. Something is definitely not right here tonight.
The Pentagon
Unit-55
Washington, DC
“That was close if our man had not come in when he did, Minerva would surely have gone off,” Captain Mathess insists. “She is on edge now anything could set her off.” “Tell the ‘caterers’ to tread lightly, make sure they keep control of the conversation.”
“You must be the most paranoid man in the agency!” Captain Xian replies. “The reprogramming the CIA gave this woman is beyond any person’s ability to resist.”
“Minerva Alpine is no normal woman, how many times must I say it?” Captain Mathess insists.
“Next you are going to tell me that you believe her tales of being a goddess,” Xian grins.
“It doesn’t matter what I believe, what matters is she believes it and someone with an ego that big is not easily brainwashed,” Mathess replies. “Strike team one be on alert, ready to go on my signal,” Mathess instructs into the radio system.
Unknown to Mathess, Xian has been recording all of this exchange to make it clear to the General that the strike team was all Mathess’ doing when this operation goes south.
The home of Minerva Alpine
396 Park Place
New Rochelle, NY
Through the rest of the meal Minerva is quiet not saying anything to raise any suspicions in Diana. When the Caterer brings the dessert, a large chunk of apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, he finally leaves the room. Alone again Minerva jumps up from her seat to hurry to the end of the table where Diana sits. She pushes the desert plate aside whispering, “Don’t eat that, they always drug the ice cream.”
“What, what are you talking about, they?” Diana asks.
“I like you, Diana, that is why I have held it in all through dinner, but I am to the brink of overload,” Minerva tells Diana. “I need to know if you are truly a goddess or just a pretender?”
“I am sure I don’t know what you are talking about Ms. Alpine,” Diana replies. “I am just a normal woman.”
“That can’t be true, or you would be dead by now,” Minerva insists. “I need to know if you are with me or against me before he returns.” Minerva has no idea that the house is covered with cameras and already Captain Mathess has ordered the strike team to attack.
“Ms. Alpine, I’m not sure I know what you mean?” Diana replies playing it cool.
Suddenly, Archie Lincoln bursts into the room. “Diana we have to go there are armed guys moving in on the house from the woods!”
“Archie what are you talking about?” Diana asks.
“I thought I might make sure you were alright, so I came up to the porch to peek in the window.” Archie explains. “Then about five minutes later there was a battalion of soldiers with automatic weapons closing in on the house.”
“Then it is already too late!” Minerva shouts as the Caterer comes back into the dining room carrying a rifle. Diana jumps up from the table to face the armed man but before she can say a word the man fires the gun. Minerva acts and Diana can feel something like a strong wind blow off of the woman toward the man. Incredible the rifle backfires sending the man against the walk, then to the floor.
As Diana rushes to the man on the floor she feels as if she has stepped into a cloud that returns that feeling of foreboding she has been having all day. His shoulder is badly injured and half is face is blown away as Diana tries to find his pulse. “He’s dead,” Diana turns to say. “Minerva what did you do?”
“I did what a goddess does I punished a human for attacking his better,” Minerva replies.
“Diana we must go!” Archie insists.
“If that guy was covering the back, than that is our way out!” Diana shouts as the sound of men coming in through the front can be heard. “Minerva come on!”
“No it is too late, I have lost control of it now,” Minerva Alpine replies. “I will only hinder your escape Goddess of the Hunt.” “The men in the lab tried to control me but all they did was change me, loosen my control of my power.” “I will make them pay!”
“Come on Archie, let’s go,” Diana calls to her driver. Diana and Archie rush out of the room toward the kitchen. Archie grabs for a meat clever. “Didn’t you say these men had automatic weapons?” “Besides we have no idea what is going on here, they could be the good guys.” Archie tosses the cleaver back onto the counter. They head out the door into a pantry that leads to a mudroom at the back of the house.
“Diana what is going on here?” Archie asks as she fumbles with the doorknob to break it off.
“I’m not sure but it isn’t good!” she replies as they run from the house, the sound of the men closing in on them from behind.
“I parked around the side,” Archie calls to her as there is a rumbling from the house.
Diana turns back to the house to see it a split-second before it happens. Going full density she lunges at her cab driver pushing him to the ground and covering him. The house explodes with the force of fifty hand grenades detonated at once. Pieces of the house debris landing hitting Diana’s back as she shields the man she has come to call friend. When the smoke clears she rolls over off of Archie who has luckily been knocked unconscious.
Diana quickly checks over his body for any sign of injury but finds none, just a small bump on his head. “Archie, Archie can you hear me?” she asks trying to revive him with the smallest jolt of Bio-energy.
“What happened?” he asks still groggy. They sit on the grass watching the house being consumed in fire.
“Bad things tend to happen to the people around Minerva Alpine and I guess bringing grenades into her house is not a good idea,” Diana says.
“What is she some kind of Jinx or something?” Archie asks rubbing his head.
“I don’t know, but I don’t think we want to be here when the fireman come,” Diana asserts. As they run to the cab she can’t help but wonder who Minerva really was and what she was talking about when she said, “THEY always drug the ice cream.”