Part 15: Massacre at an office park

I stood over her bleeding body. I always worry about her; she is young and frail to begin with. She was unconscious but still breathing. Poison darts peppered her torso like a sick porcupine. I felt the fear well up in me. I had to control it.

"Someone get her to the hospital!" I yelled.

This wasn't good. Not at all. It was supposed to be a simple "slip in and find the information and take anyone who gives us trouble into custody". The office was supposed to be empty, Frank checked it out. We were ambushed. Vahzilok came from everywhere and we were overwhelmed. Molten Quarrel held them off with walls of fire and trick arrows. Linceti May and I did our best to protect the others but two were down and it didn't look good. I was holding Boomgirl in my arms praying the poison darts wouldn't take her. Vahz darts usually just weaken their targets but are known to kill if the target is small enough and the amount of venom is large enough. And Boomgirl is small enough and I'd never seen this many in one person. She began to convulse.

"Somebody, NOW!!!" With that Molten picked her up and began running to the Steel Canyon Hospital. A piece of paper fell from her hand as they left the room. She had been going through a file cabinet when the ambush hit. Coffee stains smeared and hid most of the content but my eyes quickly saw a few words that caught my attention. .................armored car...............hero samples.............discretion is of the utmost importance, the financier will pay well.......................no more further communicate.............................Archon Bishop. The Council were somehow involved in this and I had a name. I began to put things together in my head. How were the council and the vahz involved in this? They have no known alliance. Who is the Archon Bishop?

"Miss Mental.....Miss Mental," it was Linceti May. I didn't mean to ignore her but I was lost in my head. "Miss Mental, she's dead." POW my attention snapped back.

"Boomy? Oh god....."

"No the other one, what was her name?" she asked about another member of our party, one we'd only met recently. We had fought some street hoodlums a few weeks prior and were helped by a woman who could turn herself and other objects to stone. She was a fierce fighter, very strong.

I walked into the office where Linceti stood over the body. It was obvious. A broken neck. No doubt her stone armor went down and she was killed. I didn't even really know her and she had died looking into something about me. Guilt washed over me and tears began to freely flow down my face. Her name was Lady Smash. My head began to pound from the vibrating tumor inside. The fear came up and this time it stayed in my head; I couldn't release it. I fell to the ground exhausted and passed out. I woke a few minutes later on a couch in the reception area of the office building with Frank watching over me, Linceti at his side.

"Are you ok, hun?" he asked his soft eyes looking on me with concern.

"Yeah I'm fine just exhausted, how is Boomgirl?"

"She's gonna be fine, the doctors are working on her now" I gave him a look "She's gonna be fine Amanda, I promise." He then gave me a look.

"What did your doctor say the other day? Something is wrong and you haven't told me anything. What the hell is going on with you?"

"He said he didn't know." I began to cry again. I didn't say much after my appointment with Dr. Francisco because I was frustrated and I knew what he'd say.

"You have to stop doing this now and find out what happened to you. Forget this investigation, Mandy. We need to know what's happening to you. Now."

"I'm to meet with him and another doctor one that he says may have some answers. A hero. A hero that's also a doctor, Mistress Noire.

"When?"

"Actually I was supposed to meet with them today......" another look "I know, I know, but we had to move on this today.......Look I called and rescheduled for next week and he totally understood...Frank....Frank."

He was pacing with his cellphone apparently on hold. "Dr. Francisco, this if Detective Frank Donnelly of the PPD......Yes sir, that's me. Yes, sir. Its Amanda she's collapsed.....yes sir.......oh she can? Great we'll be there first thing in the morning........Thank you doctor."

"You are going to meet with him and this Noire person tomorrow morning."