Adventures in Parodyverse: The Knight’s Fall Part 2


    Lara Night woke up hearing the gentle chime of her cell phone.  She rolled from her side to her stomach, and grabbed the phone off the night stand.  It was a text from Chiaki, telling her that things went badly last night, but that she’s okay and at the Lair Mansion seeking help from Yuki.  It made her feel better to hear that Yuki was involved, but she still worried a little bit.

    It was still dark outside, and it was chilly in the room, so she curled up back under the covers and closed her eyes again.  But that too was short lived, because within a short time of dozing off, she had a brief nightmare that she thought was absolutely real.  She dreamed that Antony Vendredi burst into the bedroom, grabbed her by the throat and threw her against the wall, and while she was trying to gain the strength to get up again, he was strangling Hatman to death.  She remembered feeling helpless and crying, because she couldn’t stop it. 

    So when she woke up, she sat up suddenly, tried to pace her breathing consciously so she could get her racing heart to slow down.

    The dream was illogical, she told herself.  Hatman wasn’t actually in the room.  Vendredi can’t even get into the Lair Mansion.

    By the time she calmed herself, she noticed it was light outside.  Though the room had blinds, the faint sun streaming into the room irritated her awake.  The sun reminded her that she wanted to talk to Hatman; because she remembered that he was an early riser.

    She padded through her room, gathering clothing from her bag to shower and dress.  She didn’t have to go far, because her room had a private bathroom.  She paused on the way in and stared at the shower, and was momentarily amused by the memory of the thoughts she had last night while hearing the sound of one.

    Since it was kind of chilly in the Lair Mansion, she dressed in a white long sleeved pullover with art of a wolf’s head printed on it, jeans, and the same black suede laced boots.

    Then she had a choice; Chiaki was in the Lair Mansion, but it was still early, and by the time on the text, the Samurai definitely needed to sleep later to heal.  Or she could visit Hatman and try and resolve what she saw last night.

    She made up her mind to go back to the Foundation and see Hatman.  So she straightened herself, and with still slightly damp hair, she zapped herself back there to talk to him.

    Once she was there, however, she stood outside the door of his apartment wondering if she was making a mistake, or wasting her time, going there.  She started to imagine a scenario of knocking on the door, seeing him with someone, and apologizing and retreating back to the Lair Mansion.  Maybe she should have gone to the Lair Legion meeting with Chiaki instead, she thought.

    But then she steeled herself, deciding that she was already here, so she may as well try her luck.  She knocked on the door firmly.

    The door opened, and Hatman stood there with his mouth open for a moment, looking like he didn’t know what to say.  He then hugged her tightly, lifting her up and spinning her around twice.  Lara enjoyed it far more than she would have liked to admit - she forgot how strong he was.

    Once she was back on her feet, unconsciously smiling at him, she tried to remind herself what she came to ask him about.  But she felt it would be rude to just blurt that out, so first she followed him inside, and waited for him to shut the door.

    â€œWant anything to drink?”  he asked.

    Lara almost said no, but she was thirsty, after leaving the Lair Mansion in such a hurry that she hadn’t had anything to drink first.  

    â€œI could use some water,”  she said.  She followed him into the kitchen, and watched him go into the fridge for bottles of water.

    He fulfilled her wish quickly, taking a bottle of water out of the refrigerator and handing it to her.  She remembered seeing those last night, too, and it made her curious.  Hatman was a sort of ‘save the world’ type, she wasn’t sure if she ever saw plastic bottles of water in his apartment before.  She wondered who they were for.

    But she started to realize that she was jealous of whoever owned those clothes she saw last night.  Every hint of it made her fearful and angry, and she wasn’t sure why.

    After drinking about half of the bottle quickly, she realized that the questions in her mind had been…not so much forgotten, but blocked.  She couldn’t assemble her thoughts coherently to ask him anything.  So she just stood in front of him, looking into his eyes.

    And then she hugged him, pressed against him tightly, leaning her chin on his shoulder.  Finally, the confusing mesh of feelings; missing him for so long; feeling sad at having left abruptly last time she was there; having to run out of his apartment last night, feeling fearful and shunned; it all came rushing back in.  She squeezed her eyes shut, sniffed once, and then quite obviously started to cry.

    Hatman said nothing, he simply let her hold on; and he held her tightly too, rubbing her back gently until the sniffing began to subside.

    That finally cleared her mind enough so she asked the question burning in her mind.  But…tactfully.  “I was here last night,”  she said.  “I heard the shower running, and saw some clothes.  So I left.  I thought you had um…company.”

    He looked amused at that question.  “Lara, those were Alyssa’s.  I let her change in my apartment, and she left them behind.”

    His answer raised more questions than it answered.  She asked, “Changed…in your apartment?”

    â€œShe had a date,”  he explained.  “Brought a dress with her, and wanted somewhere private to change.”

    â€œOh!”  Lara exclaimed.  That took a huge amount of pressure off, because if Alyssa was dating someone else, she couldn’t have been with Hatman.  And she didn’t have to tell him to stay away from her.

    â€œI um…heard you were interested in her,”  Lara replied.

    He laughed at that.  “She’s 17.  Really mature looking, but still underage.”

    â€œReally?”  Lara asked.  “I saw her bra, though, she’s way bigger than I am.”

    â€œCurvier, too,”  he noted.  But then he blushed when he realized what he just said.  “Sorry, Lara.  You’re cute in your own way.”

    â€œThat’s a nice way of saying I’m not desirable,”  she protested.

    Backed into a corner, he took a deep breath and said, “I did see you naked once.  You have the most perfect body.”

    â€œOh,”  she whispered.  Now it was her turn to blush a little.  But that brought up a question, which honestly worried her a little.  Saying something like that implied he was attracted to her…but she thought he wasn’t.  She started to worry about their simple friendship becoming complicated.

    â€œI’m way too comfortable with you, though.”  he added, answering her as though he knew what she was thinking.  “I like a girl who can take my breath away, and make my heart race.”

    â€œLike Dream did with me.”  Her distant smile faded just as suddenly as it appeared, when she realized what she said, and who she was talking to.  In her excitement at not having to worry, she forgot herself.  “Sorry.”

    â€œIt’s okay,”  he said, still smiling.  “That was an honest answer.”

    Lara knew what he meant.  Every other time he tried to get an answer to that question seemed confrontational.  She never managed to really answer it without it ending up a tense exchange.  So she gave him the story she guessed he really wanted the last few times he asked.

    â€œThat’s why I did it,”  she told him, a little nervously.  “He touched me so my heart was racing, until I thought it was going to explode.  It was exciting and terrifying.  I didn’t make a sound because I felt like I couldn’t breathe.”

    Hatman nodded.  “I would love a girl who can do that to me.  Zdenka could make me that excited without even touching me.”

    Lara slowly smiled.  It was the first time she saw him mention Zdenka’s name without becoming sad.  It was a positive sign.

    â€œDo you honestly have a lot of trouble being rejected by guys who like larger chests?”  he asked, changing the subject.

    She nodded sadly.  “It’s important to way more guys than you’d think.”

    â€œIt’s too bad,”  he replied.

    That prompted a wider smile from her.  “You sure are flirty today.”

    He shrugged very slightly.  “I guess I’m in a good mood.  I haven’t seen you in a long while.  I’m happy you’re back.”

    Lara stepped toward him and hugged him tightly again, only much quicker this time.  She was interrupted by his cell phone ringing.

    It was Phantomhawk Memorial Hospital.  Mac Fleetwood had just arrived with a heart attack.


—-


    Chiaki Bushido entered the Lair Legion meeting room.  It was decorated to Sir Mumphrey Wilton’s tastes, which meant a polished wooden table that looked like it belonged in a corporate board room, velvet chairs, and wooden walls.  The carpet, however, was a modern grey color.

    She walked past the few Lair Legion members present - Yuki Shiro, Donar, Al B. Harper, Hallie, and Nena - and sat down at the end of the table, placing her sword gently in front of her.

    Her first question was directed at Yuki.  “Where is Lara?”

    â€œShe went to the hospital with Hatman.  Mac Fleetwood had a heart attack.”

    â€œOh.”  Chiaki settled back into her chair.  “I will have to visit him when he’s awake.”

    â€œWhy art not Hatman and CrazySugarFreakBoy present?”  Donar asked.

    â€œWe can’t tell Hatman about this operation…yet.”  Yuki explained.  “Vendredi is in a position to hurt Hatman’s pet project financially.”

    The Ausgardian nodded, and settled back.  Mjalcom, his baseball bat with a nail in it, sat in the table in front of him.

    Beside him, Al B. Harper was leaned forward, focused on fiddling with a tiny grey box.

    â€œI’m not sure I approve of keeping secret from Legionnaires,”  Hallie protested.  “Especially founding ones.”

    The purple-haired cyborg decided to go deeper into explaining why the meeting was necessary, for Hallie’s benefit.  “Hatman would have a choice to either give up what he loves most, or order us to stand down.  Take a guess what he’d choose?  Do you really want him to lose everything he’s built?”

    Nena chimed in, “He’s been really down lately.  The Foundation gives him something worth waking up for every morning.”

    â€œI guess you’re right.”  Hallie sighed.  “I don’t like it, but you’re right.  And I guess Dream isn’t here because he’d hop over there and tell Hatman about it immediately.”

    â€œYes,”  Nena replied.    

    â€œAnd Visionary?”  Hallie asked.

    â€œHe’s not in the Lair Mansion,”  Chiaki chimed in.

    â€œHe’s not…?“  Hallie leaned back in her chair, researching Visionary’s location while the meeting continued.

    â€œChiaki, bring us up to speed, would you?”  Yuki urged her.

    The Samurai nodded.  “I enlisted the help of Frankie and the Zoot Suit Gang.  I promised them access to Vendredi’s protection money network if they interfere with it first.  They should be able to take out many of Vendredi’s enforcers.”

    Hallie injected, “But not the assassins for hire.  And not his core people.  He keeps those close.”

    â€œEvery assassin in town knows me personally,”  Chiaki told her.  “I have explained the concept of the death mark to them.  They will not work for him now.”

    Donar laughed boisterously.  “Thou art a clever warrior!”

    â€œSo you have him cornered,”  Yuki summed up.  “Very good.  Before we worry about how to fight him, we have to know how we’ll defeat him.”

    â€œEspecially since he died two generations ago,”  Al B. Harper supplied.

    Hallie chimed in, “Vinnie De Soth said the only thing we can do is encase him in earth.”

    Yuki sighed.  “It would be handy to have Liu Xi here for that, but she’s with Vinnie, discussing recent resurrections of undead Vendredi enforcers with the Ghouls.”

    â€œI thought they weren’t getting along,”  Chiaki noted.

    â€œThey still work together sometimes,”  Yuki replied with a shrug.  “Liu Xi being really mature about it.”

    â€œAl has something that might help,”  Nena pointed out.

    â€œHmm?”  Al B. Harper looked up from the cube he was playing with.  Then he remembered why he was there.  “Oh, right.  I think Nena stands the best chance of getting this close to Vendredi.  When she does, she can toss this at him.”

    He tumbled the tiny cube across the table toward Yuki.

    â€œWhat is it?”  Yuki asked.

    â€œIt’s a concrete grenade,”  Al explained.  “When it’s triggered by motion, it blows up to a hundred times it’s size, and encases everything around it in a foam that solidifies into concrete in seconds.”

    Yuki noted that it had just been tossed in her direction, so she abandoned her chair, and backed up against the wall.  “Al, why in hell did you toss that thing at me?”

    â€œRelax, it’s not armed yet,”  he said with a laugh.

    â€œOh.”  She returned to her chair, but gently pushed the cube back toward him anyhow.  “Is it going to work?”

    â€œOf course,”  Al replied confidently.  “But if it doesn’t, I’ve been amping up the power of Nena’s lasers.  They can be wide or narrow focus now.  She should be able to effectively turn Vendredi into a pile of greasy ash.”

    â€œLovely picture, Al.”  Chiaki said, with a sigh.

    â€œThanks!”  Al replied enthusiastically.

    Yuki was staring at Nena since Al mentioned her lasers.  “How much more powerful are those lasers?  And how did you alter them?  Her whole body is sealed.”

    â€œEasy,”  Al replied calmly, “I popped out her eyeballs.  They’re socketed, just like human ones.”

    Hallie was now grateful that Visionary wasn’t at the meeting to vomit all over the table.

    â€œI couldn’t really give them more power,”  Al admitted, “That’s limited by the wiring going to them and the battery power.  I simply replaced the laser diodes with more efficient and cooler running ones.  She can now get almost double the wattage, or run them for a longer period of time without draining the battery or overheating.”

    Yuki was leaning her elbow on the table, watching Chiaki gradually doze off at Al B. Harper’s rambling.  

    â€œOkay,”  was all she said when she thought Al was done.

    â€œBut the best part—”  Al tried to continue, but he was finally interrupted.

    â€œWhen did you want to launch this plan, Chiaki?”  Yuki asked.

    Chiaki bit her lip, and leaned back in her chair.  “I was hoping to as soon as possible.  But Mac being in the hospital complicates things.  I don’t know how far Vendredi’s reach is.”

    â€œHatman and Lara are both there,”  Yuki pointed out.  “He wouldn’t dare send anyone to hurt Mac.”

    The Samurai looked at her.  “Then why do I have such a bad feeling about it?”


—-


    â€œWhat?”  Lara asked, noting that Hatman had been staring at her since they were sent to the waiting room at Phantomhawk Memorial Hospital.

    The two of them had already talked to Grace O’Mercy, and Lara of course asked if there was anything the could do.  There was nothing to do besides wait until Mac got out of emergency surgery.  So she sent them both to the waiting room.

    This was no ordinary waiting room, however.  It was reserved for the Lair Legion, to keep them from being bothered by the general public and press.  In a way, its very existence was a somber reminder of how often friends of the Lair Legion found themselves injured and hospitalized.

    It was a small but comfortable room with plush couches, carpeting, a television, and a private bathroom and small kitchen area with a water cooler, microwave, and refrigerator.  One wall had a floor to ceiling window that overlooked a courtyard two floors below.

    In that waiting room, the two of them sat in one corner, each one on the end of opposite couches, so they were nearly beside each other, if not for a table and lamp in between.  They weren’t really sure what to do while waiting, since the surgery was supposed to take several hours.

    Hatman admitted, “I’m scared he won’t make it.”

    Lara frowned, and switched couches squeezing between the arm and his right side.  She hugged him with both arms, holding his head against hers.  “He’s stubborn.  He won’t leave without saying goodbye,”  she said.

    There was another pause in the conversation, and Hatman was staring at her again.  She was starting to get the idea that he had something else to say, so she stared back until he decided to speak up.

    â€œI need to ask you something,”  he finally said.  “I hope it won’t freak you out.  It’s something I really want.”

    â€œOkay,”  she said, encouraging him to continue.

    â€œWhat if I said I’d like to have a kid?”

    â€œWow,”  she whispered, and leaned back on the couch.  “That’s a big want, Hatty.  How are you planning to get one?”

    It was a loaded question, because Lara thought she made it very clear that she didn’t plan on having any children.  Even if the plan was to give it to someone else.

    He sighed deeply and leaned back.  “I don’t know yet.  I was hoping you had an idea.”

    â€œWell—”  She inhaled deeply, and crossed her legs beneath her - a habit she had when she was thinking deeply about something.  “Umm…adoption maybe?”

    â€œI don’t know if they’ll let me.  I have a dangerous job, and I don’t have a spouse.”

      “You do work hard,”  she replied.  “A baby is a real handful.  Maybe it’s too much for you right now.”

    He smiled warmly…and a little suspiciously.  “I might have help.”

    â€œMe?”  She sighed, and carefully explained, “I’m terrified of being responsible for an innocent little life.  That’s why I don’t want to have kids of my own.”

    â€œYou really think I should give it up?”  he asked sadly.

    â€œI don’t know,”  she whispered.  Then she smiled slightly as she presented him with an idea that just came to her.  “Maybe if you adopted an older kid.  One that can take care of himself, that can help you, and that you can teach.”

    He sat back, pondering her suggestion.  Finally, he asked, “Would you help me with him?”

    Slowly, she nodded, though she wondered if she might regret it later.

    Not much that was said for quite a while after that.  Lara leaned against his shoulder, dozing off, as she hadn’t slept well the night before, and the warmth of having her leaned against him caused him to fall asleep as well.

    There was a noise behind the door, which startled Lara and Hatman awake.  They were expecting Grace O’Mercy to come in and give them an update on what was going on with Mac.

    Instead Antony Vendredi rushed in and grabbed Hatman by the throat, and lifted him off of Lara with superhuman strength, tossing him into the lamp in the corner between the couches.

    â€œYou dare to defile my great granddaughter?”  he growled at Hatman.

    â€œHEY!”  Lara screamed at him.  

    But before she could get up, Vendredi’s large enforcer grabbed her by the throat hard so she couldn’t breathe, straddled her, and held her down.  She nearly sent a ton of voltage through him, but apparently Vendredi had planned for that.  His enforcer was strapped with a vest sewn with rows of dynamite.  If she electrocuted him, the entire wing of the hospital would explode.

    â€œTeach her a lesson,”  Vendredi told his enforcer.  He then turned his attention to Hatman, punching him hard in the head, and as he fell over the arm of the couch, again in his kidney.

    This was the kind of situation Lara’s friend back home trained her for.  Her primary power was useless.  Hatman was being badly beaten, and in the rush to get to the hospital, hadn’t thought to bring his hats.  The enforcer was a complete dynamite wearing psycho who thought ‘teach her a lesson’ began with starting to take off his pants, but having difficulty doing that while holding her down.

    Things were happening too fast.  As she learned to from a friend back home, she started to concentrate, and calm her mind so that panic would not cripple her.  Her power was far from completely useless.  She quickly concentrated, and created a kind of energy field that stuck close to her own skin.  Very thin, not as protective as one that gave her more room…but like wearing an invisible exoskeleton, multiplying her strength a hundred-fold.

    Lara pushed her knees against the enforcer, and rolled him over her own head, careening him into the opposite wall and crushing the inner layer of wallboard.  She ignored him for a moment to assist Hatman by bringing her fists down hard on the back of Vendredi’s neck, knocking him to the floor.

    Back to the enforcer again, who was now unconscious.  She ripped the dynamite vest from him and stuffed it in the plastic wastepaper basket to keep it safe from electrical discharge.  And then shot bright blue lightning bolts at Vendredi as he attempted to stand, causing him to fall to the floor again.

    Chiaki Bushido burst into the room, followed by Yuki Shiro, Donar, and Nena.  They all were all completely shocked that they missed whatever happened there.

    â€œHi guys,”  Lara greeted them hoarsely, her throat still hurt.  She neglected them for a moment to pull Hatman to his feet.  She could feel pain radiating from all over him, and immediately started feeding him healing energy.

    â€œNena, handle Vendredi, in case he wakes up.  Get him cuffed,”  Yuki directed.  “Donar, take the enforcer.  I’ll deal with the explosives.”

    As Nena and Donar left with their prisoners, Yuki slung the explosives over her shoulder and patted Lara on the back.  “You did an awesome job,”  she said.  She the turned and left.

    Chiaki stared Lara in the eye for a full minute before speaking.  Finally, she softly said, “Wake up.”

    Lara awoke with a start, and took in her surroundings.  She was back on the couch, still leaning against Hatman.  She sighed at the irritating feeling that she only won in a dream, and would have to do it all over again someday.

    This time, when the waiting room door opened, Lara jumped, and tensed, but it turned out to only be Grace O’Mercy.

    â€œHe’s asleep now,”  Grace said.  “Surgery was a success, we repaired as much of the damage as we could.”

    Then the nurse looked directly at Lara, and the blonde was already on her feet, knowing what Grace would ask her for.  She didn’t even have to say a word.  The rest of Mac’s recovery depended on healing.  And Lara would have to supply as much as she could spare.

    Hatman stood too, and followed, steeling himself for whatever he was about to see.  Post-surgery was rarely pretty.

    Grace led the two of them past two doors, one labeled Authorized Personnel Only, and the other that warned anyone who was sick to stay out.  Nobody stopped Lara or Hatman, because Grace was with them; she was a senior nurse, nobody dared argue with her.

    The nurse led them into a glass walled room, with a curtain partially closed inside.  Behind that curtain was a stricken-looking Mac Fleetwood.  His eyes squeezed shut, betraying a struggle within.  A tube was down his throat, and oxygen hooked up to his nose.

    Without saying anything, Lara took Hatman’s hand, and squeezed it, hard.  She turned to look at him to see pain, fear, and sadness in his eyes.  It was a rare sight, he was usually so confident and strong.  Now she would have to be strong for him.

    She let go of his hand after a short time, though, because the skin contact would draw valuable healing energy from her, and she needed to feed all of it to Mac.  She touched Mac’s forehead gently first, then placed both of her hands onto his shoulders, to avoid touching the bandaged area on his chest.

    She was disappointed at how the slowly energy began to flow.  She hadn’t tried to help someone with so little natural healing before.  And then sadness overtook her when she realized that it meant somewhere in his mind, the one-armed damaged-hearted man had given up and prepared himself to die.

    Keeping her hands on place, she swallowed hard and twisted around to look at Hatman, hoping he wouldn’t see the fear in her eyes.  “Can you…wait outside for a minute?”  she said.

    Hatman started to shake his head, but Grace grabbed his arm and pulled him out into the hallway.  “What’s she doing?”  he asked Grace.  The nurse didn’t reply.

    Lara moved her hands, so one was on his chest, just above the bandage, and one on his forehead.  She started feeding energy into both as quickly as his body could take it.  “I’m here,”  she whispered.  “I’m fighting for you.  Don’t give up.”

    â€œPerforming a miracle,”  Grace finally told Hatman outside.

    More strained, and louder, Lara whispered to him again.  “Don’t…give…up.”

    And then she inhaled sharply when she felt the pathways of energy suddenly open up, and a burst of power rushed through her hands and fingers.  It felt like too much, and she quickly pulled her hands free.

    Lara glanced over, realizing suddenly that there was someone else in the room.  She had that happen in the waiting room before, so it made her jump.  But this was someone she recognized.  A dark-haired teenager in an oversized shirt, and jeans, named Faite.

    â€œHe has many angels looking out for him,”  Faite explained to Lara.  “Just like Sir Mumphrey does.  He may not have superpowers, or a cosmic office, but he has an important part to play.”

    â€œDid you help me?”  Lara asked.

    â€œNo,”  the cosmic being whispered.  She waved her hand over Mac’s closed eyes, and Lara watched them relax.  “Poor man, tortured by such profound worries.  It’s what made him sick in the first place.”

    Then Faite turned her attention to Lara.  “Your energy isn’t what he needs anymore.  True healing will come from reassurance.”

    â€œAnd protection,”  Lara added.  “I had a dream that Antony Vendredi came here to harm him.”

    Faite smiled.  “Our friend Chiaki has been very resourceful.  Mac is safe for now.”  

    The girl leaned briefly toward the doorway, where Hatman was right outside.  “Your friend Hatman, however…keep him close to you.  Those dreams are a warning.  Vendredi has many undead agents, so expect the unexpected.  It won’t be easy, Hatman is so stubborn and independent.”

    Lara nodded, both in confirmation and agreement.  “Can’t you just…move Vendredi into next year for me?  Or just get rid of him?”

    That earned her a sad look from Faite.  “Lara, you of all people know how it is.  That all power has balance.”

    â€œI guess,”  Lara shrugged sadly.  Then she perked up a bit when she realized why Faite came to see Mac in the first place.  It wasn’t for him.  “You’re here for me, aren’t you?”

    Faite nodded once.  “You’ve had a trying first day back, Lara.  You were losing faith in your friends, and yourself.  And yet, look what you can do.”

    Lara followed Faite’s eyes to Mac, whose eyelids had suddenly lifted.  She glanced at Faite again, but the cosmic spirit was gone.

    â€œMac?”  she asked, and she took his hand.

    His eyes squeezed shut again, but not to battle with consciousness; Tears flowed freely from them.

    She quickly grabbed a few tissues and wiped his eyes dry, just in time for Grace and Hatman to re-enter the room.

    â€œWow, normally it takes a whole day for them to wake up,”  Grace commented.  “Nice work, Lara.”

    The blonde nodded, but she was interested only in Hatman’s reaction.  

    He noticed Mac making a drawing motion, so he grabbed a paper and pencil left in the room by Grace.  Once they were in Mac’s possession, he wrote simply ‘mysterious ways’.  And then he moved his eyes in Lara’s direction.

    â€œYeah, I think she saved us both today,”  Hatman replied with a chuckle.  He turned serious again, and whispered, “I’m not ready for you to go, yet, Mac.”

    Mac scribbled something else quickly, and then showed it only to Hatman.  He chuckled again, and said, “She’s not really into that.”

    â€œWhat does it say?”  Lara asked.  She snatched the paper pad from him, and looked at it.  It said ‘get this tube out, I will marry you two’.  

    â€œYou’re definitely getting better,”  she told Mac with a slight laugh, as she gave him the pad back.  Before he got sick, he would routinely tease both herself and Hatman, separately, about finding someone to marry. 

    He scribbled some more quickly, and handed the pad to Hatman.  This time, he held the pad so Lara could see it, too.  It said, ‘I am serious, he needs an angel of mercy like you’.

    Lara read it, and then gave Mac a sad look.  “I’m sorry, I don’t really want to be married.”  Then with a slight smile, “I don’t think Hatty feels that way about me, either.”

    Mac’s reply was written as ‘lasting marriage = friends first, learn rest later’.

    She squeezed his hand again, and smiled.  “I know you feel like your time is short now, Mac, but Hatman is not my destiny.”

    Finally, Mac relented with a deep sigh, and a sad look in Lara’s direction.

    â€œI think he’ll find someone soon,”  Lara added, glancing in Hatman’s direction.  “And we’ll both be at the wedding.  Okay?”

    That finally earned a slight smile, and a nod from Mac.

    â€œOnly if you throw me a bachelor party,”  Hatman told Lara.  “I don’t think I can survive one of Dream’s.”

    Lara wasn’t paying attention to him, though, because Grace was frantically waving her into the hallway.  She left the room quickly to find out what was going on, and Hatman followed.

    When they arrived in the hallway, Chiaki Bushido was standing there, her head lowered sadly.

    â€œI knew I had a bad feeling during the meeting,”  Chiaki whispered.  “I bring bad news.  Mac must not be told.”

    â€œWhat is it?”  Lara asked.

    Chiaki glanced warily at Hatman, and then back to Lara.  The blonde nodded, encouraging the Samurai to tell her and not to worry about Hatman’s presence.

    â€œThe Zero Street Mission has been firebombed,”  Chiaki whispered.  “I think it was Vendredi’s men.”

    Hatman instinctively tried to head out, intent on going straight there, but Lara held him solidly by his arm.

    â€œNo,”  Lara said.

    â€œI have to—”  he started to protest.

    â€œNo,”  Lara asserted again, more insistently.  “Hatty, no.  It’s definitely a trap.”

    Chiaki was thinking along exactly the same lines, so she completed Lara’s thought.  “Vendredi won’t get his hands dirty.  But he will be watching, and laughing.  Hoping you rush into a trap.”

    Chiaki’s logic finally caused Hatman to stop struggling as the truth of it hit him.  “Who is going to save it?”

    Another sad look from Chiaki was his answer.  “There is no saving.  There is only rebuilding.”

    Hatman was furious.  Chiaki could see the fire rise behind his eyes even before he punched a hole straight through the wallboard into the nurse’s break room.  It was loud enough that Chiaki cringed - the Samurai didn’t really like loud noises all that much.  When he then glanced at Lara, she was giving him a frustrated and concerned look.

    â€œI have to do something,”  he said angrily, in answer to the two stares.  “Why didn’t you two tell me Vendredi was up to something, huh?”

    Chiaki didn’t reply.  She simply turned, and started walking away as quickly as possible.  Her gift told her that there was no way to explain satisfactorily, or win that argument.

    â€œChiaki!”  Hatman called after her.  He tried to follow, but found his way blocked by a blonde.

    â€œCalm down,”  she ordered him.

    â€œI want some answers!”  he protested, a little too loudly for a hospital.

    â€œYou’ll get them,”  Lara promised.  “But you’re no use at all like this.  Calm yourself first.”

    He didn’t feel much like being calmed down, but looking into Lara’s eyes, and how tranquil she always appeared to be, it was infectious.  He was still angry, but couldn’t let it boil any longer in her presence.

    â€œGood,”  Lara encouraged him, noting that he started to seem more calm now.  “We kept it quiet because Vendredi gave a lot of money to the Foundation.  If you take him on yourself, he’ll bring down everything you care about.”

    With a defeated sigh, Hatman agreed with her assessment, and nodded.

    â€œDon’t fault Chiaki, okay?  She’s been fighting this fight for you with the Lair Legion so you don’t have to.  So you can keep your hands clean.  It’s part of her plan.”

    He nodded again.  Then he cleared his throat, and asked, “What can I do, then?”

    Lara motioned toward the room they just left.  “Nurse one of your oldest friends back to health.  Then help him rebuild his life’s work.”

    Hatman nodded yet again.  He smiled slightly then, and told Lara, “I’m not used to taking orders, you know.”

    â€œYou’ll take mine, or no more sex for you, ever,”  she warned.

    He gave her a confused look.  “But we’ve never—”

    â€œI mean with anyone,”  she added.

    Once he thought about what she meant, he instinctively covered the front of his pants with both hands, and shuffled back into Mac’s hospital room.


—-


    Chiaki Bushido stuck her head into the office of Yuki Shiro in the Lair Mansion.

    Yuki’s office was very simple.  It had a simple wooden desk that had nothing at all on it, and a comfortable leather chair that she probably stole from another office.  All over the office were photos not of her, but of inspiring sights and achievements from around the world.

    When Yuki looked up, her boots on the desk and leaned back in her chair, she could see that Chiaki was not pleased.  Since the Samurai was usually so calm, she would have even called the scowl she saw ‘angry’, but she wasn’t sure.

    â€œVendredi has gone too far,”  Chiaki said.  “We move on him tonight.”

    â€œSure we don’t need more time to plan this?”  Yuki asked.

    Chiaki shook her head.  “Tonight, or I do it myself.”

    Yuki dropped her feet off of the desk, and rose from the chair.  “Now that’s the kind of plan I like!”

    The scowl Chiaki wore softened a bit.  “Thank you.”

    â€œDon’t thank me yet,”  Yuki told her.  “Save it for when we beat him.”


TO BE CONTINUED?
    


-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2016 by Jason Froikin, and may not be 
--    reprinted without permission.