Ch 3 Sem 2 Wk 5

It took the whole weekend for the swelling to go down in Lola’s face, but even by the following Tuesday the bruises still remained, dulling to a sickly green-yellow that made her look like some sort of rotting zombie. She tried her best to cover it up with makeup, but even that only went so far. “What happened to your face?” Lawrence asked immediately when he sat down next to her in English Comp.

“Shut up,” she snapped back. She was so sick of people asking what had happened--people who had never spoken to her before. She’d told the stupid story about falling down the stairs so many times that she didn’t think anyone could possibly believe it was true.

“I looks like someone hit you.”

“Actually it was a cement floor, but thanks for bringing it up.”

“Who hit you in the face with a cement floor?”

“No one. I fell.”

“Doesn’t sound like you fell,” he said quietly, but didn’t say anything more when Professor Murphy started talking. Lola quickly gave up paying attention to him, instead dwelling on the fact that Glory had a League class that day, and if everything went according to plan Spider would be in custody by nightfall.

I should have killed him, she thought, staring at her notebook on the tabletop. It was an idea that had haunted her for several nights up to that point. She’d never wanted to kill anyone before, and the idea that she was pretty sure that she was angry enough to do it both thrilled and frightened her. Maybe that was all she needed to do to make Dark Lothario take her seriously. No more Mr. Nice Mistress.

Lawrence slid a note across the table to her and her first instinct was to ignore it, but curiosity won out. If you need to talk about anything, it read, I’m here.

Even more fury burned inside of her. What right did he have to be concerned about her welfare when he didn’t want anything to do with her? “I fell down the stairs,” she whispered to him. “That’s all. You’re going to get us kicked out of class again.”

He didn’t say anything more.

*****

As soon as Professor Murphy released the class Lola bolted from the room, but Lawrence followed closely after. He couldn’t help staring at the bruise across her cheek and the more he looked at it, the worse he felt about it. The bruises might have been evidence, but the real truth was in her tone of voice when she denied being hit. No one got that agitated over falling down the stairs.

He followed her down the hall and out of the building, where there was more space in the open air. “Lola, if you’re seeing someone else, if he’s hitting you--”

She stopped and turned to face him. “What? Are you going to be a hero and save me?” He winced at her word usage. He hadn’t been feeling like much of a hero lately. “I can take care of myself. I don’t need your help.”

“Okay,” he said, knowing better than to push the issue. “But if you need help, just call me.” He didn’t know if he could do anything, but if she wanted his help, he would be there. He owed that much to her.

“I’m fine,” she said, and tried to smile. “Really.”

*****

Glory was feeling just fine as she left Memorial Hall later that evening. Her coat hung open over her costume, blowing in the breeze like a wool cape, and she strutted with confidence. She was getting better and better with every combat class she took, even as KP seemed to be falling further and further behind. KP was trailing behind her, less than content with that night’s class. Romeo Avenger had decided that as a sparring partner, KP was slowing down Torch, who was improving almost as fast as Glory. He was working with Blue now, and Torch was working with Cloud.

“Are you coming or what?” she called, turning back to face him. “I cant get into your dorm without you--you have the key.” Torch had hinted that he wanted to stay late and watch TV with Cloud in the common room. Glory certainly wasn’t complaining.

“I dunno America,” he said, trudging down the marble steps in front of the building. “Maybe we should just call it a night. I’m tired.”

“I’m not--c’mon. We don’t have your room alone very often.” She gave him her best smile. “You know, wearing underwear ruins the lines of this outfit.” KP managed to muster up a smile, and she felt better. “C’mon--it’s freezing out here.”

KP caught up to her and she turned back towards the dorms. A scream of surprise caught in her throat--there was a man in black standing in front of them, and he hadn’t been there a second before. “Who are you?” she demanded.

“I’m Trapdoor Spider,” the man said in a doleful voice. “I’m here to turn myself in.”

“Yeah, right,” KP said, coming up beside Glory. “Get out of here you freak. You don’t know who you’re messing with.”

“Wait,” Glory said. “It is Trapdoor Spider. I’ve seen him before, and he looks just like his picture on Acropolis Crime Watch. You really need to spend more time studying.”

Spider had not moved an inch during this exchange. “Please,” he said. “Arrest me already.” He held out his wrists for handcuffs, which Glory of course did not have.

“KP, go find Valkyrie or Romeo.”

“I’m not leaving you alone with this freak,” KP insisted.

Glory rolled her eyes. “Yeah? And what would you do? Float a book at him?”

“That’s harsh,” he said, and turned away. Glory felt a little guilty, but Trapdoor Spider was sufficiently distracting.

“Why are you turning yourself in?” She asked as soon as KP was gone.

“I’ve been trying not to,” Spider said, and Glory was certain she saw tears in his eyes. “I keep trying to leave town, but every time I get past the city limits this nagging, overwhelming urge to see you comes back until it fills my brain and I can’t think of anything else. It’s maddening.”

“Why me?” Glory demanded.

“I don’t know--I just do as I’m told. Will you please cuff me and take me to the police already. I can’t take it anymore and I just want it over with!”

Glory caught a flash of silver metal in the streetlights fly through the air and something landed at her feet with a heavy clinking sound. A pair of handcuffs. The Mistress of Minds stepped out of the shadows created by Memorial Hall’s recessed doorways. “Go on. Cuff him,” she said, her voice sultry and low as ever. She was wearing a new mask--this one covered more of her face, covering from the bridge of her nose over her cheekbones. She was also wearing Spider’s leather jacket with the red painting on the back over her costume.

“What’s going on?” Glory demanded, now wishing she hadn’t sent KP away. She wasn’t sure if she could handle two against one.

“Spider is retiring. He wants to pay off his debt to society.”

Glory glanced at Spider. He had dropped to his knees and was scrambling on the ground, snapping one cuff on his wrist himself. He was crying openly now. “You’re making him do this,” she exclaimed, stepping away from both of them with growing revulsion.

“He deserves to be brought to justice,” the Mistress said.

Spider was crawling on his knees towards Glory now, and she felt like he really was some sort of creeping arachnid. “Not like this,” Glory said, wanting to cry herself but knowing she couldn’t show that weakness in front of the enemy.

“You have no idea, the things that he’s done,” the Mistress said. “He’s the lowest scum on the planet. Worse that Dark Lothario.”

“I doubt that,” Glory couldn’t help but say.

“Do you want him to list his crimes? I can make him--”

“I believe you!” Glory said quickly. “Why me?” she asked again, this time questioning the Mistress of Minds. “Why are you giving him to me?”

“You were the only one who managed to do anything on New Year’s Eve,” she told her. “You’re worthy, and I know you care. Here’s your chance to make a difference. You can take him off the streets, prevent him from hurting anyone else.”

“I thought he was your friend.”

“He’s not my friend,” she said. “None of them are my friends--remember that. I don’t place nice with thugs and people who exploit women for profit. We have that in common, you and I.”

“We don’t have anything in common,” she told her. “You and Dark Lothario--I hate what you do.”

“Just take him down to the police station. Do the right thing. Be Glorious.” The doors to Memorial Hall slammed open, and the Mistress of Minds turned and ran. Glory could have caught her in seconds, but she stood rooted to the spot, Spider clinging to her ankle. Be Glorious. The most dangerous criminal in Acropolis--a super villain--knew who she was.

Romeo Avenger was pulling Spider off of her, and KP had his armed wrapped around her shoulders asking her if she was okay, but all Glory could do was stare at the empty space where the Mistress of Minds had been standing.

*****

The rest of the night was a blur. KP held her while Romeo called the police, and she went down to the station and gave them her statement. No one else had seen the Mistress of Minds, and she didn’t want them to know what had happened. She didn’t want them to know someone so powerful, so evil, knew her name. She was sure to get kicked out of the league, and she needed to stay in training more than ever--she needed to take down the Mistress of Minds, before she changed her mind and went after her.

When Glory finally got home Lola was sitting on the couch in her pajamas eating popcorn and studying one of her psychology books. She looked up as soon as Glory opened the door. “Hey--are you okay?”

The tears she had somehow managed to hold in burst out like a flood, and Lola immediately jumped to her feet and put her arms around Glory. “What happened? Did your boyfriend dump you?”

“Of c-course not,” Glory managed to say through her sobs. “We’re having sex all the time--I’m c-crying because I’m in big trouble!”

Lola steered her to the couch and handed her a tissue. “Go ahead and cry,” she instructed. “Do you want some hot chocolate?” Glory managed a nod, and Lola scrambled to the kitchen, getting out mugs and heating water. She was so lucky to have a best friend like her--they shouldn’t fight anymore. The thought sent a fresh wave of tears, and it wasn’t until Lola had handed her a mug of cocoa and set a plate of cookies in front of her that she was able to speak, her story accentuated by fresh sobs.

Lola sat quietly until Glory was finished. “So you’re not hurt?”

“We just talked, Lola, it was so creepy!”

“I’m sorry. But she doesn’t seem to want to hurt you--”

“She’s using me for her nefarious plans, whatever they are--that’s ten times worse. And she knows who I am! She could come in here any minute--how did she know?”

“You did rescue that woman out of costume,” Lola said.

“The league stopped it from hitting the news,” Glory protested, a nervous lump forming in the pit of her stomach.

“There were people taking pictures all over the place. One or two of them must have reached Dark Lothario somehow.”

“I should move out. It’s not safe for you to stay with me--”

“Glory, it’ll be okay. You’re not going anywhere. I want you to stay.”

“Really?”

“Don’t get too stressed out. From what you just told me, Dark Lothario doesn’t seem to be her friend, and she gift-wrapped that thug for you. Maybe she’s on your side.”

“We’re not on the same side,” Glory insisted. “We can’t be.” She settled into the couch cushions and drank her cocoa, trying to calm down. Lola was probably right at least in the idea that the Mistress of Minds didn’t seem to want to hurt Glory. But what if she wanted to brainwash her into becoming her secret minion? What if she had done it already and Glory just didn’t remember? No matter what her motives were, whether she was good or bad, the Mistress of Minds had to be taken down, just the same as Dark Lothario.

*****

Lola found Dark Lothario at the Red Door Club the next night. She walked up to his table with Hannah, Kioshi, and Ratface in tow, all three of them armed with small, easily concealed arms, just in case things got messy. She was considering ordering them Kevlar body armor. She wore Spider’s jacket again. It felt like a trophy, and as soon as Dark Lothario saw it he stood up and ordered the women longing around him to disperse. He had two large body guards still standing behind him.

“Would you like a seat?” he asked her. She nodded and they sat down at a small table. He snapped his fingers and one of the men stepped forward. “Get me a scotch,” he said. “And for you?” he asked Lola.

“Nothing, thanks,” she said to the bodyguard. He disappeared into the crowd, which, oddly, had grown quiet and was staring at them. Music still blasted from the speakers, but there was no hum of human speech in the room.

“What did you do to Spider?” he asked her.

“I took care of the creepy crawly. I don’t think he will be bothering anyone ever again.”

Dark Lothario stared at her for a moment, his chin resting on his folded hands in contemplation. “What do you want?”

Butterflies fluttered in Lola’s stomach. “His job.”

Dark Lothario laughed. “That is not going to happen.”

“I think that’s exactly what’s going to happen. Or you’ll find more and more of your men starting to disappear, and they might not be as tight-lipped as Spider when they get dropped off at the police station. He’s not going to tell anyone about what he did for you--but the others just might.”

“I should kill you right now and get you out of my way.”

“I don’t know about that. I think I’ve already proved how useful I am. Besides, you won’t kill me. I bet I remind you of someone you used to know. That’s why you like me so much.”

“I don’t like you at all, you little brat.”

Lola got up. “Almost twenty years ago you knew a bank robber named Mesmera. She’s my mother, but I never knew my father.” She turned away before he could react. “Come,” she ordered her minions, and they followed like obedient dogs.

Outside all three of them stared at her. “Dark Lothario is your father?” Hannah asked finally.

Lola shrugged. “We’ll have to wait and see what he does.”

*****

A/N: Sorry again everyone. This has been finished for a few days, but I've been busy. I moved into my grandmothers basement and I took 10 cats to a shelter (a really nice no-kill, foster run program) last week, so I'm a little shell-shocked. I'm hoping to get back on a regular update schedule again now that the worst of losing my house is over with.