*****
Attack: Titanic Fury
Defense: Seduction
Movement: Falcon Swoop
“See you all tomorrow,” Becky waved at her crew as they wormed past her to get to their vehicles. “Drive home safely.”
“Night, Becks,” one of the servers replied as she got into a co-worker’s car. The engine started and the car sped off through the parking lot, pausing just long enough in the driveway to be passably considered a full-stop.
Becky nodded as the other cars followed suit, despite the company policy that stated everyone should wait until she made it to her vehicle before they departed. For the most part, they were good kids and she couldn’t blame them for not wanting to wait any longer than needed to depart. They had exciting lives to lead, friends to hang out with, or any number of other activities more appealing that closing a restaurant down for the night.
She missed those carefree days. As the door clicked close behind her, Becky waddled across the parking lot to her car parked next to the dumpster corral. The steady light of a streetlamp hanging above reflected off the hood of her car the same way it had for months, ever since she took the night manager position. She tucked the locked bag with the night’s bank deposit deeper into her apron pocket as she fumbled around for her keys.
A motion inside her belly brought her to a standstill as she reached the half-way point to her vehicle. “Calm down, baby. We’ll be home soon. Then we can both put our feet up.” She placed her hand on her stomach. “Doesn’t that sound good?”
Becky unlocked her car and squeezed into her seat behind the steering wheel. Engaging the car’s engine, a light flashed on her dashboard alerting her to low pressure in her back passenger-side tire. “What now?”
She wormed her way back out, untying her apron, with the deposit bag inside, and tossing it on the passenger side floorboards. She pressed the lock button on her key fob and moved to the other side of the vehicle to see what the problem was. As soon as she saw the slit in the rubber of the tire, she knew she wasn’t going home anytime soon. “What the hell? When did that happen?”
The car engine roared to life. Becky jostled the keys in her hand and pressed the off button on her remote. She backed away as she heard gears engaging and the car pulled forward. Stunned, she watched as it appeared for an instant that the gash in the back tire was closing up on its own.
The car rolled past the corner of the restaurant building and made its way to the exit onto the street. Becky shook her head and reached to grab her phone. A look of frustration and horror crossed her face as she realized her phone was in the apron along with the nightly deposit bag.
<><><><><><><><><>
The late night was Chained Angel’s favorite time to fly. She glided on the air currents and marveled at the spectacular lights that created a tapestry entirely different that that of the daytime. The air was cooler, cleaner, and when clouds weren’t present, being aloft presented the illusion of her flying in space. Her companion inside her spoke of the times it flew as a legitimate Angel of Death beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, but her human body still needed air to breathe.
An alert came over her communicator, linked to a local police scanner app. “We have a report of a car stolen a few minutes ago. Near the N. A. Cho’s on one-hundred-and-fifty-first. The night manager reports that her vehicle drove off on its own accord in a northern direction. Be prepared for potential E.I. involvement.” The code for an enhanced individual. The rest of the report gave a description of the vehicle.
“I’m not far from there,” Angel responded on her wrist communicator. “BADGE agent 20570. I can give aerial support and reconnaissance.”
“Appreciated.” The dispatcher replied. “The victim is also requesting an emergency medical transport.”
As Chained Angel initiated a Falcon Swoop dive to gain a better vantage point over the streets, her wings shifted from white to deep black, angered by the latest request. “How badly was she injured? Should I give her assistance first?”
“EMTs aren’t far from her position. She’s reporting unexpected contractions with her pregnancy but no physical assault during the vehicle’s theft.”
“Acknowledged,” Angel said. Violence against women struck a fierce chord within her, reminding Angel of her own crucible of a late night beating and being left to die. Whoever stole this woman’s car may not have harmed her, but the act might have endangered her unborn baby. Angel might not dish out a full course of her Titanic Fury, but a heaping-helping was definitely in order.
On the road ahead, Chained Angel spotted a vehicle pulling into an alley that fit the car’s description. She silently swept down to the roof of a building where she could watch and positioned her body in a manner she could do a rapid Falcon Swoop to engage the thief.
The car began to glow with a faint emission of yellow light. It pulled away into a human-shaped blob of energy and solidified. She recognized the woman who formed. Christine Kitt, or as she called herself, Ghost in the Machine.
A man stepped out from a doorway. “Did you get it?”
“Have I ever failed you?” Christine answered. She placed a hand on the car door and the lock audibly popped. Reaching down and pulling the handle open, Christine picked up the apron and pulled out the deposit bag. “Now for phase two.”
Angel dove down and landed on the roof of the car. “I don’t think so. Let’s call this phase one-and-a-half.”
“Damn it!” the man stepped further out from the shadows, revealing his identity. Leading Man, a long-standing criminal in the New Amsterdam area. “You led a god-damned cape here after you.”
“Please, don’t take his name in vain right in front of me,” Chained Angel jumped behind the trunk of the car, predicting Christine’s next move. “Don’t make me madder than I already am at you two.”
Christine touched the car and melded into it once again. As Angel expected, the engine roared to life again and began to back up.
Doubling in size multiple times, Chained Angel grew to match her Titanic Fury while grabbing the underside of the car. She picked it up and placed it roof down on the top of a two-story building. “You’re not going anywhere. Play turtle for a bit while I get your partner.”
“Darling, you don’t want to do that, do you? Not a ravishing creature like yourself.” Leading Man held his wrists out, feigning a desire to be handcuffed. “I’ll be your prisoner if you ask me to be, as you already own my heart. Do with my body what you will.”
Angel batted her eyes and smiled. A swelling attraction to Leading Man encroached into her chest. His perfectly styled soft brown hair. His shiny white teeth. Golden eyes that sparkled with warmth. A voice with a slight accent, dripping with honeyed words. His charm was irresistible. Even his worn leather jacket and subtly tight jeans that invited her eyes to explore topographically gave her pause.
She shrank down to normal size and moved up to him, clutching her hands together as she pressed them together close to her chest. She stopped inches away from him. “I…I…I’ve never met someone like you before.”
“Nor I, you darling.” He reached out to her with one hand. The golden twinkle in his eyes intensified. “Together we can be so happy. All you need to do is wait for me here for a few minutes. Then we can be together forever.”
“Forever?” Chained Angel asked. She laid her hand in his open palm. “Is that all?”
Her interior companion shouted inside her head. “Angelica. Pull yourself together. Don’t fall for his manipulations.”
“I wouldn’t do that.” Angel tilted her head and leaned in for a kiss.
Leading Man did the same. “Do what?”
“Fall in love with me.” Chained Angel smashed her forehead into the bridge of his nose. He dropped to the ground, sprinkling blood on the concrete from between hands clutching his face. “Do you really think your talent at Seduction is better than mine? You might be good, but I’m Divine.”
<><><><><><><><><>
Becky sat in a wheelchair outside the reception room of the hospital emergency room. Her head hung low as she hugged herself with her arms.
“Are you Becky Donovan?”
Becky shook for an instant as she woke up. She brought her head up and found Chained Angel kneeling before her. “Yes. I’m sorry. I’m Becky Donovan. Am I dead?”
Angel lightly giggled as she smiled. “No. Trust me, that’s not why I’m here. I wanted to check up on you. Are you and your baby alright?”
“Yes. They say it was only Braxton Hicks again.” Becky blinked a couple of times, clearing her eyes until she fully focused on Angel. “Why are you checking up on me? Don’t get me wrong, thank you, but I’m nobody special. Why would you care about me?”
“I used to think that about myself, too,” Angel said. “But I was wrong, just like you. Everyone is special. You’re very special to that little one inside of you.” Angel lifted up her hand and waved at Becky’s belly. “Hello.”
Becky covered her stomach with both arms. “What I mean is I don’t know you. Why are you here?”
“The police and I caught the people who stole your car.” Angel said. “They took it into evidence for now, but you should have it in a day or two.” Angel placed the deposit bag on Becky’s lap. “I did slip this away for you though. I know how upset bosses get when their money doesn’t make it to the bank on time.”
“Thank g...,” Becky started. She inspected the undamaged bag. “Thank you so much. I haven’t been able to call the home office yet. My phone was in the car too.”
Angel picked up Becky’s phone from the ground and placed it on her lap next. “I got that for you too. Do you have a ride home?”
“I called a taxi, but it hasn’t gotten here yet. My husband's at work out of town, so I didn’t have anyone else to come and get me.”
Angel stood up. “I can take you. Angel Express, at your service.”
Becky’s face lit up but then she settled back in her wheelchair. “I think I’ve had enough excitement for today. I think I’d feel better if I stuck closer to the ground, if you don’t mind.”
“I understand that.” Angel moved to a nearby empty seat. “How about I wait with you until the taxi arrives then?”
“That would be nice.” Becky nodded. She smiled at Angel through clenched teeth. “If you don’t mind my asking, how is my car?”
“Don’t worry. I set it down delicately on the roof of the downtown theater.”
Becky’s eyes went wide.
Angel patted her gently on the knee. “Let me tell you what happened.”
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