Part 23: A conversation in a library

"Your journey was comfortable? I hope." said the mysterious dark stranger "I am Corrupt Echo, welcome to our home."

I didn't know whether I should thank him; I just nodded. It wasn't really a kidnapping but I also wasn't really sure why I was brought here. The base seemed to be a converted warehouse or industrial building. The walls were simple brick with large pipes (for steam or sewage? I couldn't tell) skirting along the walls. The floors though were a beautiful hardwood very new and very well maintained. The hallways were large allowing you to see into other areas all of which seemed to have television monitors, computer equipment and laboratory wares. There also was what seemed to be heavy traffic for a base. The ones I've always visited or raided never seemed this busy. (They must be up to something. Am I safe?) On a couch watching a large monitor were two women of vastly different proportions. One was buxom and Amazonian in stature adorned with chains on her arms and boots. Next to her was the reed thin kidnapper, Yellow, I had seen previously. They seemed interested in a local news cast. Local authorities do not know who stole this magical tome from the gallery but the Rogue Island Police say they have leads. This made them laugh out loud. I didn't want to know. A short cloud of darkness passed in front of me and I could see under the negative shroud the outline of what looked like a teenage girl. A pink blur flew past at blazing speed, silver tendrils seemed to drain from the dark body and go into the pink body that now stopped as it changed directions. The dark one (wearing a similar outfit to my teleporter....must be a group uniform) looked like a slow motion replay during a sports event. The pink blur shot off in the new direction even faster and I heard what sounded like cartoon laughter.

"Damn you demented little pixie! Blight, can you stop her?" she said still trying to run but going only inches per minute. Then, Yellow I guess Blight, simply pointed a finger (still relaxing on the couch) at the blur. What looked like the root of a tree just barely peaked out of the ground just enough to send the pink ball of energy toppling into the wall just missing a bank of computer equipment. Coming to rest, upsidedown, was a tiny pointed eared creature. Fey in nature I assumed. It stood up and brushed itself off as the booming voice came from somewhere in the next room.

"What is going on in here? The pixie again?" Red appeared from the other room, something that looked like an infirmary. "Innocence Shattered, stop siphoning peoples speed! How many times have I told you?" the little pixie laughed and ran off into another section of the base, her cartoon laughter echoing through the halls. "And Blight, clean that mess up now before it keeps growing." Yellow (Blight) pointed the same finger at the plant and it withered immediately. A fireball from the other hand vaporized it into a puff of smoke.

"Sorry, Sis." she said and laughed.

"Ok, just be more careful..."

"But Gashes asked me to stop her and I......"

"Enough Blight." then her attention came to us "Is this her guest?" The dark man shook his head. "I'll take her to Pox.....Come with me, miss."
The dark stranger looked at me, "I will leave you with Codename-Singe now, thank you for your cooperation and very nice meeting you." Again I nodded.

We walked forward down a short hallway decorated with trophies from their obvious exploits/thefts/adventures/misadventures (to be honest I wasn't sure who or what I was dealing with). I did recognize that they had items from groups I myself had fought in Paragon City. A rifle from a Nemesis soldier and I believe I saw a Rikti gun just as Red pointed me toward a sunken room to our right. It was a nicely appointed library filled with books and lit by Japanese inspired lamps. Leather sofas with a coffee table and magazines centered the room. When she saw I'd arrived Green stood and smiled.

"Welcome, welcome to our home, I am Codename-Pox." she walked toward me and held out a hand to shake. I just looked at it. "I assure you of your safety; you are my guest."

"Thank you nice to meet you." I said as I tentatively shook back. Her grip was tight and her eyes intense and she smiled at me. She was sizing me up. I had not noticed but a hulking man stood behind her in a corner, hood pulled over his face with arms crossed. As I became aware and looked at him, I felt a little tickle in my brain. A knock on the mind's door. (Thank you, Mother Mental) Door locked. He whispered into her ear.

"Thank you , Lord Malevolence, thank you. You may leave us now. Singe you too." her eyes remained on me.

"But...."

"We will be fine." she said in her smooth, calm voice as she looked at me. "Won't we?"

(What could she mean by that?) "Uh, sure, yeah of course." I said nervously. (Damnit don't look weak now. Its what she's looking for.)
"Please sit." she said pointing to a couch still looking me coldly in the eyes.

"Why am I here?" I asked.

"Maybe that is a question I should be asking you? Dont' you think?" she smiled.

"I'm here on business......construction. I'm here on behalf of my company to look into the possible acquisition of....."

"I find it very hard to believe that your concerns involved Dr. dier Schepper. Last I heard he didn't have very much expertise in construction or steel." eyes laser pointed at mine. Tension.

"Last I heard you called him father. That is just as queer. Wouldn't you think?"

She smiled and shook her head slightly in agreement and slightly in laughter. "Fair enough. Fair enough. Maybe you can tell me the real reason you are here, Mental Maden. Or is that Mental Maden2 ?" The left side of her face rose in a smirk of pure satisfaction. Our eyes unlocked as I looked down in confusion. She stood and turned away looking among the books on a shelf. "Surprised?"

"A little....." (What had given me away? )

"Don't worry, my associate couldn't get anything from you." she tapped a finger to the side of her head still facing away from me. "He told me you were here on business and your name was Stephanie Pembroke. I must say, your mental blocks are powerful, Lord Malevolence is quite a powerful mind controller." She turned toward me again grinning and held her hand out to reveal her information. "The professor was holding this when we took him." My file! The scientist picked it up just as they broke into the lab. I was relieved, I hadn't given anything away, not my mind at least.

"So you understand why I'm here, then?" I asked as she handed me the file. I inspected it. Good, all accounted for.

"Oh, I understand your motives but I don't know why you came here. Dier Schepper is an expert in metas but I fail to see what you could possibly think he has to do with your condition."

"Where is he? What did you do to him?" I said frantically.

She kept her cool demeanor as I became agitated. "Patience, Mental Maden. I like you. I do. Do you realize how dumb it was .....no I'm sorry..... how dangerous it was to come here. You aren't back to your previous security level; your powers are weakened. Hell there are some of our weaker members here that could take you easily. Anyway you have guts and guts are good enough. Yeah, I think I like you."

I clutched the file to my chest and stood. "I don't think there is anything you can do for me unless you can take me to the doctor....."

"I can't do that."

"And why is that?" she looked in my eye this time I could feel the cold heart that beat in her chest. Chilling.....frightening. She laughed.

"Sit please. Just indulge me for a few more minutes. I may be able to answer a few questions for you."

"About what?"

"Your situation. I can help you. But first I want to tell you about my father. And my sisters. And what he did to us." Her voice was velvety smooth. She had a seductive quality while talking that some speakers have. Not sexual but persuasive.....confident, powerful. A natural leader. I sat back down and listened..............

Part 22: The warden

I was floating in the darkness and for the first time in a while I felt at peace. It was a beautiful dream like sensation until I tried to open my eyes to the harsh sting of the sunlight. It seemed I wasn't floating but being carried, but who was carrying me? I panicked at first as I regained consciousness. (I was being kidnapped! Oh no!) I squirmed under the tight grasp of my captor but could not budge their iron grip.

"Careful ma'am, careful it's just me." It was Mr. Wolfe. My mind was more clear now and my eyes focused on the behemoth carrying me. Where had he been? It was obvious: his suit was charred in places and a large cut was closing over his left eye which by now was the size of a golf ball and a color that I had never seen and never hope to again. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop them. I tried. I did. I put up one heck of a fight. Think I hurt the big one but they out numbered me."

"It's ok, Mr. Wolfe, are you alright?" I tried to free myself from his grasp, he had to be tired. "Maybe you shouldn't....."

"Don't try to get up I'll carry you. We need to get out of here before more Longbow show up. It may be hard to..... Oh Christ....." he said as the sound of a dozen rifles being cocked and readied interrupted his words.

"Halt!"

I heard a familiar electrical zap and I felt my transport and myself slowly fall to the ground as I lost consciousness yet again. I would be out for quite some time.

I awoke quickly as if I were spring loaded. My mind wasn't completely with me because I had one word on my mind. Chemistry. Yes chemistry. Why chemistry I thought to myself. Why is that word.....Oh of course! Ammonium carbonate, (NH3)2CO3·H2O. I began thinking of the way the molecule looked and how it reacted with water to form aromatic spirits of ammonia. Then my nose exploded and my mind completely awoke as the vapors tore through my nasal passages so strongly I almost vomited.

"Enough! She's coming to." the voice behind the blinding light said to me. I saw to figures slink away from me. My arms were pinned behind me cuffed to the legs of the office chair I was in. I heard rumbling and clutter muffled in the room next to me. I think my security guard just came to as well. I feel sorry for them when he is fully back. "State you name, please."

My head was getting clearer but not 100 percent. "Aman......aman....no Stephanie......Stephanie Pem......broke."

"Your name is Stephanie Pembroke. Is that correct?" I nodded; it was easier than speaking.

"Ms. Pembroke, why were you in a private facility of the Longbow organization during the kidnapping of one of our employees. You weren't on the registry of guests for the facility and it seems someone broke into the emergency exit nearest the laboratory."

"I...uh...I."

"Answer me Ms. Pembroke. You wouldn't like my methods. They are a little different than those used in the states."

"I'm sorry. What? Who are you might I ask?" I said in a moment of clarity, my head now coming back after the threat.

"I am Warden Nelson, head of this facility. I oversee security for all the science operations at the Rogue Island base and it seems you breached that security and I'm not too pleased right now. You see, I take my job rather seriouslyl: I come to work, do my job well (I think), say my prayers everynight. And do you know why? I care. Yes, I do, I really care. And you know what else? I have ambitions of being promoted to Ballista someday, hopefully soon. If your little break in does anything to my chances, I may just have to take things into my own hands."

"Aren't you supposed to be one of the good guys?"

"Well I didn't break into a secure, private facility like somebody in this room so I wouldn't go tossing around words like 'good guy', because I kind of wonder myself about you."

"Sir, I don't think you understand who you are dealing with." I said in a very unusually threatening tone. One of privelege, one I don't often or like using.

"Nor I you, Ms. Pembroke."

"You do know Dr. St. John-Smythe then, no?"

"The name does sound familiar, yes."

"He's in Paragon City Hall. Tell him you've found me and I'm ok." I said as he looked over my right shoulder to the person behind me. He nodded to them and they left the holding cell we were in, obviously to make a call. After a few minutes Nelson was called to speak with someone. The waiting was terrible. What was my next move. (Don't use your powers, Amanda.)

He came back in what appeared to be a mixture of annoyed, angry and slightly embarrassed. He looked at me then to the ceiling, his motions were hyperkinetic.....nervous. He had something to prove. "Well, it does seem that you know some fairly connected people. Dr. Smythe does have connections to Longbow, mostly Freedom Corps but I'll give you that he wasn't too pleased to know I had you in my custody. But he has no jurisdiction here anyway and ma'am I have to be honest with you." he paused for what I would assume was some kind of affect. "I don't trust you. Something is wrong here and I plan on getting to the heart of it. Oh, your little friend put up an argument but I hung up on him. This is my base and you are my prisoner and he can make all the phone calls to all the science geeks he wants but unless I get word from someone a little farther up the food chain than a pencil pusher in Atlas Park, I think I'll keep you around a while and see if we can't shake some information out of you."

"Well you better shake pretty hard if you plan on getting anything out of her." said a voice just outside the door. A familiar voice, one I'd heard many times before. Around the corner stepped Ms. Liberty with a handful of Longbow Officers in tow. She didn't look too pleased with the Warden, but it sure put a smile on my face when I saw her. The Warden and his men all came to attention. "I hope you find me high enough on the food chain Warden Nelson."

"Yes, Ms. Liberty."

"Can you tell me Warden why a hero from Paragon City is sitting handcuffed in my facility?"

He quickly motioned and one of his men quickly unshackled me. "Hero? Her? She didn't identify herself as a hero....And...And if I may ma'am add that it is proper protocol for any meta visiting the Rogue Islands to register with Longbow for their own safetly. It is very clear in the statutes....."

"I'm very aware of the rules ,Nelson, after all I wrote most of them. This gentlemen is Mental Maden, a personal friend and ally of mine for quite some time." she stared at me confused "I will assume these bruises on her face are from her altercation with the kidnappers and not my men. Am I correct?"

The soldiers stared at each other a bit confused. As my head was clearing I realized that I had been here longer than I had thought and began to piece together Warden Nelson and some of his interrogation techniques. I interrupted and lied "Yes, Ms. Liberty it was from the scuffle" Why prolong the process I just wanted to leave.

"Good, good, besides you won't crack that egg" she said motioning toward me "That brain is like a steel trap. Gentlemen how many times have I told you never to try and interrogate a psi based hero. It never works." I noticed Nelson finally realizing why he couldn't get any information from me. (Thank you Mother Mental)

"Now get out all of you. Leave us alone."

They quickly left like "good" little soldiers. As the door shut we began to talk. Luckily she had known much of the story; since she was the first friendly face I saw after I found myself in that bunker. I filled in the gaps and what lead me to the Rogue Islands in the first place. How I figured Dr. dier Schepper was involved or knew something and how we were ambushed just as he was about to tell me something. She listened patiently as she always does and thought for a few moments.

"I really don't think the doctor had anything to do with this Mental. He is a good source for information but I think it was a case of an old man with a failing memory thinking he saw someone he knew. I have worked with him for a long time and he's an honorable man....Misunderstood...but a good man. Let me get some of our best men to take you and your driver to your car and see that you get back home. Johnathan is worried sick about you and wondered where you'd been for the last few days." (Last few days? They had really tried working me over)

Her men eventually came and released Mr. Wolfe (who didn't look all too happy) and dropped us off at the parking lot where we had left the limosine . His boat would be brought back and safely docked at my request. I was told the pilot was called and the jet was waiting on me. I'd be home soon enough. Mr. Wolfe opened my door and I looked up at his beaten, tired face. "I'm sorry you have been through all this."

He laughed, "It was nothing Ms. Pembroke. Those Longbow's are like little lap dogs. All bark, no bite." He shut the door behind me and left me in unexpected darkness. When he made his way around the car to the driver's seat I informed him that apparently the dome light was out in the back and he said he'd fix it after he dropped me off. "I'll give you a little privacy let you shut your eyes a bit" as he raised the partition to the back. It was amazing how dark the back of a limo could be. I closed my eyes hoping to get a little rest before I hopped on the jet. I was exhausted yet I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. After a few moments of unsuccessful napping I opened my eyes and saw the darkness fade away like a mist. The dome light was fine after all.

Sitting across from me was a dark stranger in a duster hat, black leather jacket and pants with a mask covering his mouth. Metallic skulls adorned his shoulders and belt. His gaze was penetrating as he held a finger to his masked lips. I heard a dull thud.

"I have been sent by my associate, Codename-Pox. She wishes to have a word with you regarding the scientist. You have my word of honor that you are completely safe." I stared toward the compartment behind him. "Your driver will be safe as well. Unfortunately we had to drug him but he will recover in no time. He seems like the break bones ask questions later type and we really do not wish there to be anymore violence in this matter. Am I correct?"

I nodded but I'm not sure if he was referring to Mr. Wolfe breaking bones or not wanting violence. It didn't really matter because they were both the same answer. I thought maybe it was time to use my powers but I didn't know how many more could be out there. No, better I stay safe, it could be another ambush.

"Will you go with me then, miss?" he paused awaiting my answer. "I assure you your safety."

"Sure."

"Close your eyes. Look not upon the forces that deliver us from here. For if you do it will surely scar your soul."

And with that incantation everything went black and we both disappeared.