Part 12
“She’s
coming around.” A voice spoke over Chase.
Forcing
her eyes open, she looked up at the three-eyed face of Strange Quark
and an incredibly handsome man. “What...where am I?”
Nova
pushed Quark aside and answered, “You’re at BADGE HQ, been here a
week.”
“What?
I...IT’S CUPID!” She realized who was looking down at her and she
nearly fell off the bed. Nova had to restrain her from leaping.
“It’s
okay! It’s okay. He’s fine.”
Cupid
smiled at her, “My apologies.”
She
sat up with the help of Nova. “What’s going on?”
Quark
said, “You saved the world.”
“I
did?”
Cupid
answered, “Yes. You got my bow back in my hand. I woke from that
awful place and realized what I had done.”
“What
about everyone else?” She asked.
Cupid
said, “I’ve been able to undo most of the damage I caused. I
cannot return life once it is spent, but I can remove the curse I
laid on so many souls.”
Chase
was about to ask another question when she remembered her hero, “What
about Gar?”
Cupid
softly shook his head, “I...I tried.”
“He
can’t be dead.” She got up, staggering a bit, and walked over to
Gar’s bed. “This isn’t fair.” she put a hand on his cold
stone body.
Cupid
came up, “Did you love him?”
“I
don’t know. I didn’t know the man. I just...I...he saved my
life.” She put her head on him and cried. “Why did he do this for
me?” Nova held her shoulders.
Strange
Quark came over to the other side of the bed, “He was a strange
one, and coming from me that’s saying something. I always could
make him laugh, I never got to tell him one of my favorites.”
“Not,
now,” Nova said.
“No,
now is the perfect time. This hired killer killed a rice farmer right
in the middle of his work. The killer used small decorative objects.
When the police arrived they filled out the report of another knick
knack paddy wack.”
Nova
groaned, Cupid frowned, and Chase felt Gar’s body moving.
Gar chuckled, “Good one, Quark.”
“GAR!”
Chase jumped up.
Nova
gasped, “What the...”
Quark
smiled brightly, “Gar, you’re alive!”
“I
am?” Gar felt his body.
Chase
asked anyone, “How is this possible?”
“I
have no idea,” Nova answered.
Gar
sat up, “Last I remember, we fight bad man with the bow. He
left and we came to tell director. Then...THERE’S CUPID!”
Gar jumped from the bed and tackled Cupid to the ground, holding him
in place. “I have him!”
“Get
off me!”
“Gar!”
Nova and Quark were pulling him off.
“But,
he is...oh, there’s his bow.” Gar stood up and then yanked Cupid
to his feet, “Sorry.”
Cupid
brushed himself off, “Don’t worry, I’ve been tackled before.”
“Are
you okay?” Nova asked.
“Sure.
Though, I could use something to eat.” Cupid said.
“Me
too.” Chase agreed.
“Come
on. We can grab a bite in the mess.”
Nova
watched the gathered monitors for a moment and then looked over at
Gar and Cupid, both feeling each other’s wings.
Nova
approached, “And, how long are you staying with us, Cupid?”
“I’ll
be going soon. Now that the situation is settling down, I should be
okay. The media has been kind to me.”
“I
made certain it would be. You were used against your will. I have no
doubt the real enemy knew what you would do and used you as a
weapon.”
Gar
asked, “To what end?”
“We
don’t know. My best guess would be a distraction.”
“Distraction?”
Cupid asked.
“Yes.
When we battled him for the bow, he said something about having what
he wanted just before he left. It was obviously not the bow itself.”
“What
could he have wanted?” Gar asked.
Cupid
held his bow, “This is my bow. However, I’ve noticed something is
different, in such a way I cannot explain.”
Nova
said, “We can help you with that. Take it back to our labs...”
“No.
What this is made from is beyond your technology. I’ll confer with
others of my kind.”
“I
suggest you get to work right away. Gar, show you to the exit.”
“Yes,
director.” Gar guided Cupid out of the room and toward the lifts.
Nova
waited, pondering what all this meant. He watched the interior
monitors and saw someone.
A
short walk through the HQ, Nova found himself in the main storage
room for artifacts.
In
the back, near a protected case of jewels, stood Chase. She merely
gazed at the precious, powerful gems.
“Thinking
of stealing something?” Nova asked.
She
didn’t turn around, “Yes.”
“What’s
stopping you?” He asked.
She
put a hand on the glass, “I don’t know. These past few days have
changed me.”
“That’s
a good thing.”
“It’s
scaring me to my core. Who am I? Two weeks ago I was the most wanted
thief in the world, now I am the most celebrated hero. I cared so
much for that stone man that I cried over him. I’ve never cried
over anyone. What’s wrong with me?”
Nova
stepped over, opened the case, and pulled out a large emerald. He
held it out to her, “Here.”
“The Kesper Emerald. This is worth...”
“An
absolute fortune.” Nova put it in her hand.
“Why?”
“If
you want to go back to your life, I want you to start out strong.
And, since I’m giving this to you, you can go without being
hunted.”
She
looked at the stone, enamored by its beauty and the profound value.
“However...”
Nova said, “I have another option.”
“What?”
He
came closer, “Stay here. Work for BADGE.”
“You
can’t be serious?”
“I
am. You’re good. You’re clever, a good leader, quick, and
stronger than you admit to yourself. I need a person here, someone
who has the gumption to stand up to the ego of heroes.”
“What
about Gar?”
He
laughed, “Gar’s a good helper and hero. I’m his mentor and
he’ll still be my second hand for a lot of things. But, he’s
naïve, silly, and learning. I need someone who doesn’t need
hand-holding and teaching.”
A
little smile played on her lips, “Does it pay well?”
“Yes.
It pays fine. Perhaps not as well as selling stolen artifacts to
billionaires.”
She
handed him the Emerald. “I’ll give it a try.”
“That’s
all I ask.” He put the gem back and reactivated the security
controls.
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