ch 4: Week 2

Lola surveyed her secret lair. Technically it was an efficiency apartment on the bad side of town, but the landlord didn't need brainwashing to be discreet and took cash. She had given the room a makeover, painting the dingy walls a dark red and adding a heavy desk and a few chairs. There was a velvet couch against one wall and an antique folding screen to hide the kitchenette from view.

She felt elegant and evil sitting behind the desk in a large leather chair, and she wondered if she should get a white Persian cat to complete the look. (Then again, white cat hair on black clothing….) She looked out the window over the mess of old factory buildings and run down apartments. This was the worst of the worst neighborhoods—a nearly dead industrial area. Now it was overrun with the city’s crime lords and super-villains (driving over that day she swore she saw The Black Dahlia walking her dog). It was just the place for her.
Her minions were punctual, letting themselves in with the keys she had given them. “Welcome,” she said, spinning away from the window in her chair to face them. She had abandoned the black cat suit for the time being—she wanted to look intimidating, not idiotic. She wore a plain black mask with a tailored black suit and tie.

Hannah was a tall, bulky brunette with a penchant for wearing black muscle shirts. She was a junior and Biology major. She was also the only woman in the weightlifter’s club. (Lola knew the importance of brains and muscle. She picked Hannah out at the campus fitness center.)

Lola found Kioshi in Acropolis’s only dojo. He was twenty-eight and split his time between teaching martial arts and repairing computers, though his degree was in engineering. Besides being talented and smart, he was also pretty. He wore his straight black hair long and pulled back into a biker’s pony-tail and had the most wonderful almond-shaped eyes. She could get lost in those eyes forever…but it was bad form to sleep with your minions.

“Hello Boss,” Hannah said, plopping down in the chair Lola gestured to. Kioshi was all grace as he took his seat. “Nice digs.”

“I try,” Lola said. She had decided that mindless robots were fine for some things, but useless for others. Hannah and Kioshi were their own people—but Lola had put into their consciousness a deep loyalty to her. They loved her and would die to protect her, would withstand any torture before betraying her. Other than that, they were normal. At least, as normal as they usually were. Both were loners without close friends or significant others. Hannah’s parents were dead—Kioshi’s were in Japan. Lola didn't want emotional attachments getting in the way of their duties. Moral ambiguity did not bother them in the slightest, and both were willing (without mind control) to break the law. They were perfect.

“I don’t like coming to the other side of the tracks,” Kioshi said. Acropolis had an ancient monorail system that cut the city more or less in half. Oddly enough, the good neighborhoods fell to the east side, the bad to the west.

“You’ll get used to it,” Lola assured. “This is the place to be if you’re a super-villain you know. I just wanted to invite you both here today so you could meet each other, and I have an assignment for you both. I want to find out who the most corrupt businessman is in this city. Who’s making the most money, who treats their employees badly, that kind of thing.”

“No problem,” Kioshi told her.

“Oh,” Lola added. “And find out what they drive.”

“Why?” Hannah asked.

Lola smiled. “Because I want a new car.”

*****

Glory quickly learned that Memorial Hall was their playground. On the upper level they used the classrooms and the gymnasium, but the lower level held a work-out room and weight room, locker rooms, and a fully functional (and fully stocked) kitchen and lounge. After hand-to-hand everyone showered and changed, only to gather in the lounge to eat sandwiches and hang out.

Glory had a plate in her lap sitting in a love seat, her feet up on the coffee table. The TV was playing Acropolis News at Five and they watched as a reporter interviewed Valkyrie in front of a smoldering building. She was cradling an infant in her arms and had soot smudged across her forehead. “It’s what I do,” Valkyrie was saying, cuddling the baby close to her chest. “Saving a child’s life is always rewarding.” She turned and handed the baby off to its tearful and grateful mother.

“She’s amazing, isn’t she?” Captain Righteous said, sitting down next to Glory. They were now at the end of the second week and he had finally conceded to relax his dress code, wearing khakis and a polo shirt with a metallic gold mask, but he was still a pompous ass.

“Yeah,” Glory said, feeling his hip pressed against hers and wondering how rude it would be to get up and move to the couch with KP and Torch. Across the room Cloud grinned at her and raised her eyebrows, and Glory couldn’t resist sticking her tongue out at her new friend. All of the girls were wonderful (though Blue was a little shy) but the boys were a mixed lot, which depressed Glory. The Kinetic Professor was the best one out of the lot—nice and down to earth. Torch was too unstable (fires occurred regularly now in Memorial Hall) and Black was creepy and silent, looming around and watching everything. And then there was Righteous.

“So what are you doing tomorrow night?” Righteous asked Glory. “I was thinking maybe you and I could cruise the other side of the Tracks and see if anyone needs rescuing. And if not, I’m sure we can find other things to do to amuse ourselves.”

“Gee, Righteous, I wish I could…but I don't have a costume yet and it’s against the rules to display our powers without one….”

“So it’s back to the other things. That’s fine with me.” He had an unnervingly perfect white smile.

Glory’s eyes darted around the room looking for any excuse at all. They fell on the Kinetic Professor, who happened to look up from his sandwich at that moment and meet her gaze. “I can’t,” she said. “Sorry—I didn't want to hurt your feelings—but I’m going out with KP tomorrow.”

“Him?” Righteous said, loud enough for the whole room to hear. “He’s a shrimp!”

“I have a thing for shrimps,” Glory said haughtily, and stood up, crossing to take a seat next to KP.

“What’s going on, America?” he asked her, his voice soft like he didn't want anyone to pay attention to him. Unfortunately after Righteous’ outburst, half the room was watching them.

“Don't you remember? You wanted to take me to the movies.”

“Right, I’d forgotten,” he said, and Glory breathed a sigh of relief. “I thought that was Sunday.”

“No, it’s tomorrow. There’s that double feature at the Omniplex.”

“What time?”

“Um, eight.”

“Okay. I guess I’ll meet you there.”

“Thank you,” she whispered under her breath, and tried to pretend Captain Righteous wasn’t scowling at them.

*****

Lawrence was still wondering over America’s frantic invite when he left for his dorm a short time later. Half-way down campus he was about to take off his mask and be himself again with America caught up with him. It was getting dark but somehow she still seemed to glow. “Hey,” she said, “you don’t have to go out with me you know. I shouldn’t have put you in a spot like that. It was wrong of me.”

“You just needed to get Righteous off your back, I understand,” he said, feeling a little disappointed.

“But I do like you,” America said quickly. “You’re the nicest guy in the class.”

“Because everyone wants to be known as a ‘nice guy.’ It’s okay America. You don’t have to let me down easy.” He started to walk faster—pointless when the person you’re running from had a talent for speed.

“Wait a minute! I’m trying to say, do you wanna go out with me sometime? On a real date, not a fake one.”

She looked at him through her pink mask and he saw nothing but glorious blond hair and glitter. But something dark caught out of the corner of his eye and even though it was probably just a stray cat or a bit or rubbish he saw dark hair and dark eyes, the beautiful sexy goddess that stole his mind for the length of a cup of coffee. Her image was gone as fast as it came, like a ghost, and there was only America standing in front of him, her smile wavering because he was taking so long to answer. She is just a ghost, he told himself. You can’t fall in love with a ghost.

“Tomorrow?” he asked America. “The Omniplex at eight?” Her smile lit up the entire quad.

“Great! Here—let me give you my number.” They traded contact information and Lawrence made a note to take his name out of his voicemail message. America surprised him by kissing him on the cheek (well, on the mask) before sprinting off. She was out of view in seconds.

“I guess I have a date,” he said. He glanced around to see if anyone was watching and when the coast was clear, he ducked into a bush to take off his mask. Himself again, he finished his walk to the dorm.

“The Kinetic Professor has a date,” he said, tossing the mask on the extra bed in his dorm room. Somehow there were an uneven number of freshmen and he ended up without a roommate. He didn't think this was a coincidence. Lawrence fell onto the other bed. “I don’t have a date. She doesn’t know me.” He sighed. “She probably never will.” They had been warned against sharing too much personal information even with their classmates. The Kinetic Professor was a blank slate. And so was America the Beautiful. How could two non-people have a relationship?

****

Glory’s guilt over using KP had faded by the time she got home. Actually going out with him was the least she could do, and she had a feeling she would even enjoy it. She didn’t have much in the way of a social life outside of her fellow heroes in training. She didn't have the time.

Lola was curled up on the couch with her psychology book, the eight o’ clock news playing on the TV. With the amount of crime in Acropolis, local news was a big pastime. “Valkyrie saved a baby today,” Glory said, sitting down next to her friend.

“I heard,” Lola said, shutting her book. “The news said the fire was arson. They‘re blaming Inferno. According to his profile on Acropolis Crime Watch he was responsible for
sixty percent of all of the fires in the city last year.”

Glory made a face. “Is there even a reason for that? What is wrong with the criminals in this town?”

“They’re a little crazy I guess. If I were a criminal I wouldn’t waste time setting fire to old houses.”

Glory smiled. “Yeah? What would you do?”

“Target the big boys. That’s where the money is.” She didn’t smile. “The other crooks—the ones making their money off the suffering of others. I would go after them.”

“Sounds like a fast way to get yourself killed.”

Lola shrugged. “Have fun at your training?”

“Always,” Glory said, eager to talk about herself. “Guess what—I have a date for tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“With the Kinetic Professor.”

Lola laughed. “So you don't know your date’s real name.”

“Of course not,” Glory said, though this was a sore point with her as well. “But I bet he’d tell me if I asked him.”

“I bet he wouldn’t.”

“Well, what does that matter? Names are superficial. It’s what’s on the inside that counts.”

“What’s under the mask?”

“Exactly.”

“But you’re not allowed to take off the masks.”

“Metaphorically, you idiot,” Glory said throwing a couch pillow at Lola.

“Metaphor, huh? College must be making you smarter.”

“Shut up. I’m not stupid.”

“Sorry, sorry,” something caught Lola’s eye on the television screen. “I know you’re not…who’s that?”

Glory was about to call Lola fat in retaliation, but she looked at the screen and momentarily forgot about what they were arguing over. The image was just a photograph on the screen, but for a moment she was completely mesmerized. “Who’s that?” she echoed her friend’s words. The picture was of a middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed goatee. He was going grey at the temples and was slightly portly, but he still fit the stereotype of tall, dark, and handsome.

The television answered their question. “Three months after his release from the Gorram Asylum for the Criminally Insane,” the news anchor said, “police have confirmed that the Dark Lothario has struck again. The identity of the victim is being held at this time out of respect for the family. The police caution that all married women be on alert and should not go out after dark alone.”

The segment blinked away to more shots of Valkyrie’s fire and Lola was on her feet getting her laptop. “What do they mean by married women?” Glory asked, twisting around on the couch to face Lola, sitting down at the table.

“Just a sec—oh.” She raised her eyebrows at her screen. “He kidnaps women and seduces them if their husbands don’t pay the ransom.”

“You mean he rapes them?” Glory asked, horrified.

“No, no. He seduces them. That’s his thing.” She looked up at Glory. “Apparently women can’t resist him.”

“This is a joke.” She knew there were some out-there criminals--not everyone with super powers became a hero. Some powers were so evil the League wouldn’t even consider taking them. No doubt Dark Lothario had some sort of brain-washing ability to make the women want him.

“No joke,” Lola said. “He has a profile on Acropolis Crime Watch. One-hundred and fifty kidnappings in the last two years. And ninety-seven of them didn’t pay the ransom. The wives aren’t too upset about it, but the husbands are pissed.”

“I bet.”

Glory could hear Lola’s fingers clicking on the keyboard. “Uh-oh,” she continued. “Apparently there’s video.”

“What!”

“For twenty-nine ninety-five you can order a copy of “Dark Lothario Presents: Hot Wives.” There’s ten volumes.”

“You are such a liar.” Lola had to be making it up to get a rise out of her--no one would do anything so wrong. Glory got up to look over Lola’s shoulder. Sure enough, Lola was looking at a garish porn site. “This is awful.”

“It’s completely legal,” Lola said, reading the fine print at the bottom of the page. “They sign consent forms.”

“But—but it’s like he’s using mind control on them!” Glory said. “That’s evil and horrible.”

“Yes it is,” Lola said, her voice bland.

“Why aren’t you outraged at this?” Glory asked, staring at her best friend.

“I’m not sure it is mind-control,” Lola said. “If it is, yes, I agree. But if he just has some sort of super-charisma…well, they look pretty content, don’t they?” Glory didn't want to watch the short clips playing on the screen.

“Turn it off. It’s disgusting.”

Lola turned off the browser and turned to Glory. “I’m sorry. It’s a nasty thing to do, regardless of how he’s doing it.”

“It’s horrific.”

` “I hope you have a good time on your date tomorrow night,” Lola said. “I’m going to turn in early.” She snapped the computer shut and carried it with her into her bedroom, and Glory couldn’t help but feel like she was being the offensive one, instead of the other way around.

“It’s creepy, Lola,” Glory called after her friend, and sat back down on the couch, changing the channel to some sitcom, but Dark Lothario’s image hung in her mind.

*****

Lola had her computer open, looking first at the picture of Dark Lothario and then at her own reflection in the mirror over the dresser. Her skin tone was a few shades lighter than his bronzed complexion, but she was positive they had the same nose, and his body-type was the masculine version of her curves. It’s not your fault you take after your father… He was the right age—he was a super-villain. Maybe…

Of all the super-villains out there, she thought to herself, and grimaced.

*****

“You don’t side with them, do you?” Glory asked Lola the next day while she was getting ready for her date. She was wearing shorts and a pink t-shirt and was trying to arrange her hair so that her mask’s elastic band wasn’t making a mess of it.

Lola looked up from the shoebox of nail polish she was sifting through. “Them?”

“The super-villains. I know you like to be a little dark and cynical, but you don’t
think that they’re….funny or something, do you?”

“Of course not.”

“You seemed to think Dark Lothario’s scheme was pretty amusing.”

“You have to admit it’s creative. But no, Glory. I think that what you’re doing is a great thing, wanting to help protect people. One day you’re gonna go out there and kick Dark Lothario’s ass, and I’m gonna be cheering you on. I promise.”

Glory turned to her friend and smiled. “Thanks Lola.”

“No problem. Here.” She held up a bottle of shimmering pink polish. “I think this is the right color for you.”

*****

KP was waiting for her outside of the theater when she showed up at eight wearing jeans and a t-shirt with his mask and she remembered the conversation she and Lola were having before Dark Lothario ruined everything. “Hi,” she said, feeling a little shy, which was not normal for her.

“Hey,” he said.

“I don’t really want to see a movie,” she said. “Do you want to get something to eat, maybe just talk?”

“Whatever you want,” he said, so instead of going into the theater they walked down the street towards Fare-Thee-Well Park. It wasn’t large, just a few acres of grass and trees near downtown. There was a fountain and a carousel, though it was closed after dark. They stopped for ice cream along the way and settled down on the edge of the fountain. “If we weren’t super heroes I wouldn’t come here after dark,” KP said.

“I know,” she said, shivering with the thought of Dark Lothario. “Do you ever want to tell anyone who you really are?”

“No way!” he said immediately. “Who I really am in real life, he’s a nobody. He doesn’t know what to do with his life. He doesn’t have friends—girls don’t notice him.” He
looked at her and smiled. “I get all the chicks as the Kinetic Professor. And I have direction.”

“I love being a super-hero and can’t wait to join the League. But I liked being me too—I feel like I don't have the time anymore.”

“America, you’re still you.”

“Am I?”

He smiled. “You’re favorite color is pink, you’re a good athlete—better than me—

“Romeo says I have a natural talent,” she agreed.

“—And you think Captain Righteous is a pompous ass.”

“Everyone thinks that,” she said with a grin. “My favorite movie is Pretty in Pink.”

“The Indiana Jones series,” he replied.

“And I like dogs. Golden Retrievers.”

“I had a turtle when I was a kid.” Glory nodded. “Feel better now?”

“Yes. Thank you.” He took her free hand and squeezed it.

*****

A/N: I’ve been wracking my brain trying to figure out why I haven’t gotten any comments in three weeks when Secret Identities is obviously amazing. Well, it kind of helps if you turn off the ‘registered user only’ settings on the comments. So now anyone can post anything and please do--I want to know how things are going.

This chapter introduces Dark Lothario and mentions a few more villains. Coming up with names for these characters is the most fun. Obviously Dark Lothario and Captain Righteous are the best so far, but I like Valkyrie’s name too.