“It seems to be working well. The drone’s mimicking her comm traffic as planned, and it doesn’t seem like Crimson Bull suspects anything yet,” the other villain replied, pausing as he tapped a few wrist controls. “We’re lucky it’s the brick who’s on their comms instead of Hyper. He’d probably realize something was up a lot faster. Still, you know we won’t get another chance to do this, right? They’re going to start changing encryption daily instead of weekly, and there’s no way I can break that quickly enough.”
“I totally understand. There’s no way we could’ve done this without you, Mega. With any luck, we won’t need another try, anyway,” Blue Impulse told the man, smiling, then looking at the older villain. Ebon Dragon was running his fingers over the suit thoughtfully, and Impulse waited before asking impatiently, “So, can you do it, Dragon?”
Glancing up, the older villain scowled at Impulse, obviously unhappy about something, probably the way his name had been shortened. He nodded, his voice icy. “It will take a minute to weaken the spells on her suit, but I can manage such easily. Once the curse is embedded, she should be disabled for at least a month, possibly much longer.”
“Great! Sure, this isn’t the easiest cash ever, but it isn’t too hard in the end.” Blue Impulse chuckled, grinning broadly once more.
“You’re right. Now, I must get to work. Do not interrupt,” Ebon Dragon told him bluntly. Turning to the heroine, he began an incantation in what Impulse thought was Chinese. Black energy formed around his hands as he made a series of gestures, the energy growing denser as he continued his spell. Finally, he made a last gesture and the energy flowed across Warden’s body. Where the spell passed the glitter of the heroine’s suit faded, and after a minute he nodded in satisfaction, the dark energy dissipating. “There. She’s vulnerable now. Again, do not interrupt. This is delicate work.”
Turning the heroine onto her stomach, the villain pulled out a small cloth bundle. Opening it revealed over a hundred thin jade needles, each with a colored pinhead at the top. Ebon Dragon took a needle with a purple head and carefully, calmly thrust it upward into the base of Warden’s skull. The heroine briefly tensed, gasping, then went limp again.
Ebon Dragon never paused, instead picking up needle after needle and pushing them into the helpless woman in an obviously planned fashion. He placed dozens of them into her torso, legs, and arms, while some went into far more sensitive locations. If he hadn’t trusted the man to know what he was doing, Blue Impulse would have been worried. Turning her over halfway through, it took several minutes for the villain to finish, but finally he stepped back and smiled in satisfaction.
“Done. If someone who can identify what’s happening arrives within the next quarter-hour, they could keep the curse from fully embedding itself, but the magic is already deep enough to fulfill the job. I sincerely doubt that anyone will dare interfere before it’s too late,” Ebon Dragon explained, looking at Blue Impulse. “The tools have been prepared for you as well, and await your payment. Unless the sorcerers know far more about my rituals than I believe possible, they will not be able to undo this. I believe it’s time to go.”
Nodding, Blue Impulse still found himself taken aback by the casual, apathetic attitude of his fellow villain. He had to admit that most of the things Ebon Dragon was doing had been his own ideas, and he was being charged heavily for them, but the older man was just so damned cold, except when he muttered about women being where they didn’t belong. But the important thing was that Warden had been dealt with. Looking at her for a moment, Impulse leaned forward and whispered into her ear. “This isn’t over yet. I’m looking forward to seeing you again.”
“Impulse, I’m not sure how much longer it’ll be before they catch on about my drone,” Megawatt interrupted, glancing around. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
“Fine, don’t flip out. I was pretty much done,” Impulse replied, grabbing each of their arms and concentrating. A moment later they vanished in a flash of azure light, leaving their victim behind.
The brief battle between Warden and the villains had been both surprising and disappointing to Lilith. With how easily they’d taken the heroine down, they’d had to have planned everything out ahead of time, and the thought was troubling. The heroine’s face had lit up brightly before she began falling, so Lilith suspected that they’d blinded the woman. Shaking her head, she murmured, “You probably need to get flash protection for your eyes in the future, Warden. Assuming you live.”
What surprised her more, though, was that the villains had taken Warden to the top of her own building. It made Lilith wonder what they had in mind, and the temptation to try to find out was almost overpowering in its intensity. Struggling with herself, Lilith glanced down at her phone as it buzzed, and scowled at the automated response from the police, speaking more loudly this time. “‘Thank you for the tip’ indeed! Well, that settles it, I suppose.”
With the police not seeming to have noticed and the building still intact, she didn’t see any reason not to indulge her curiosity. While it would be very unpleasant, possibly lethal if she was wrong, there wasn’t much Lilith could do if the villains decided to drop the entire apartment building. She silenced her phone and stepped out the door, ignoring the elevator and taking the stairwell instead. No one blocked her path, so at the top of the stairs she approached the door, hearing three male voices through the thick barrier.
It was hard to hear, but Lilith got the gist of what was going on, murmuring softly, “A curse? That doesn’t sound good for her.”
Several minutes passed, then the men talked more, the sound of wind drowning out most of their words. It would have been nice to hear more, but there was nothing she could do about it. When the sound of imploding air came, Lilith waited for a minute before daring to open the door, not wanting to confront a trio of villains on her own.
At this altitude, the only sounds were that of wind, and of the traffic so far below them. The odd quiet felt almost appropriate to Lilith, considering what had happened here. Only she and a handful of others had access to the roof, and it was a perk that she honestly didn’t know what to do with. It took no time for her to spot Warden on the table, unconscious, and Lilith couldn’t help but sigh, confusion breaking through her former indifference. As she approached, Lilith saw the numerous needles thrust into the heroine’s body, a sight which worried her. She wanted to remove them, but who knew what that would do? Shaking her head, Lilith sat at the table and reached out to stroke the smooth surface of the heroine’s suit.
“I’m trying to decide whether or not to go out of my way to help you, Warden. I’m already here, which should make that an easy choice, and if I don’t, the police could likely charge me with some crime or another. It wouldn’t be good for me… but why should I help you?” Lilith asked, pausing as if waiting for an answer before continuing. “You stole the one bit of human company I would’ve had when I woke. Oh, I know, calling Amber human is a bit of a stretch, but it still left me almost completely alone. I was ‘raised’, if you can call it that, by a sub-sentient AI, and that wasn’t the best of experiences. Circe did her best, but she’s limited by her hardware. Even so, she might have been better company than Amber, though I’ll never know for certain. So, why should I help you?”
Looking at the sky for a long minute, Lilith debated internally while the heroine lay there. A thought suddenly occurred to Lilith, and she glanced at Warden. “I dearly hope you didn’t have a recorder on. That would make this bad. So, Amber. She did horrible things, but what was done to her is terrifying to me. You stole her mind, trapping her in a prison that’ll only drive her further into madness if she escapes. What you did was horrible. But if I don’t help you, then what? I think it makes me into exactly what I said I dislike. So, since I find you interesting, and I’ve been horribly bored of late… I’ll help more directly. As much as I can, despite the risks.”
Standing again, Lilith let out a soft sigh as she looked the woman over, trying to f
ind the safest way to pick her up without disturbing the needles. “Alright, this should be interesting. Let’s get you downstairs. It looks like it’s going to rain, and I don’t want you sitting out here while we inevitably wait.”
Lilith carefully slipped her arms beneath Warden’s legs and behind her back, picking the heroine up with some difficulty despite her strength. Warden was limp, and not wanting to disturb the needles made it even harder than it should have been. As she stood, Lilith felt something wash through her. Almost like a cool breeze, or a faint voice. In some ways it reminded her of the sensations she’d had when she first began remembering what Amber had given her… but it was also different. Frowning thoughtfully, Lilith adjusted her position. “I wonder what that was? Perhaps it’s your magic, trying to defend you? If so, it isn’t doing a good job. You’re awkward, so let’s get you downstairs.”
Getting Warden down to her condo was somewhat difficult, though at least she could use the elevator; navigating the stairs safely would have been nearly impossible. When she got there, Lilith took the time to set Warden down safely in her spare bedroom, then pulled out her phone. Predictably, she noted that there’d been no responses from the police.
Finding the number for Ocean Shield’s hotline wasn’t hard, but the IVR system slowed her down. It took three selections before she could get ahold of a human, and considering that this was something of an emergency, she thought it was hardly ideal.
“Ocean Shield answering service, my name is Ashley. How may I help you?” a young woman answered, her voice a happy chirp. The sheer dichotomy between her voice and Warden’s current situation made Lilith shake her head, suppressing a giggle.
“I sent a message to the police, but after not getting an answer, I chose to contact you. Warden was just ambushed and knocked unconscious by a pair of villains outside my condo. They left her on the rooftop, and I brought her into my condo when I was sure it was safe. I think that her team would like someone to pick her up,” Lilith explained calmly, and her response was dead silence.
“Ma’am, is this a prank call?” Ashley asked, the sound of typing rapid in the background. The question made Lilith smile again, and she shook her head involuntarily.
“No, it’s not,” Lilith told the woman. “Based on what I saw, I think it was Blue Impulse and Megawatt, but I’m not certain. They were a good distance away, and I’m at the top of an apartment building.”
“In that case, I’ll inform the team immediately. May I please get a name and address?” Ashley asked, her voice brisk and surprisingly calm despite the situation. Lilith realized that she probably was being unfair to the young woman. No hero team would have someone incompetent answering their emergency hotline, after all.
“My name is Lilith Carpenter, and I live at Garvin Tower Heights,” Lilith replied, giving the address and room number before adding, “My condo is the only one on the floor, I’ll notify the front desk that someone is coming.”
“Thank you, Ms. Carpenter, I’ll pass along your information immediately. Be aware that law enforcement may be contacted,” Ashley replied, then the line went dead.
Looking at the phone, Lilith raised an eyebrow sardonically, glancing at Warden. “Hurry up and wait, as expected? Well, I suppose I have some reading material available. I even have a couple of books about heroines.”
Chapter 7
Tuesday, November 12th, 2030
Lilith’s Condo, San Francisco
As the elevator doors slid open, Morgan frowned, on edge. It wasn’t just worry about Warden that had her tense, it was also the odd nature of how they’d learned about what had supposedly happened. At first no one had believed the news that Warden had been defeated, but Crimson Bull’s incredulity had turned to horror as he realized that the transmissions he was receiving were coming from a drone.
With Black Comet in Sacramento, the team had decided that Morgan would retrieve Warden since she had some ability to heal, while the others tried to hunt down the ambushers. Only Hypergizmo was present for support, flying over watch in the Seajet and able to provide covering fire if this was an ambush.
The condo where Warden was supposedly waiting was setting off an enormous number of Morgan’s internal alarm bells as well. While she’d been ushered through security with alacrity, there was something odd about the building, and the uppermost floor being only a single condo worried her. The ‘condo’ had to be obscenely expensive, and this could easily be a trap. Knocking on the door, Morgan had defensive spells at the ready, glad that she did have support just in case.
The woman who opened the door was unlike anything Morgan had expected, though, and the sight of her almost left the heroine drop-jawed. The captivating emerald eyes had a depth that startled her, and the crimson-streaked black curls that framed the woman’s face were perfect in their own way. Morgan’s poise almost shattered at the sight of the woman, causing a hint of confusion to flood through her.
“Ah, I believe you’re Morgan Le Fay, yes? Please, come in, I moved Warden to the guest room while waiting,” Lilith told her, smiling and sending a shock of attraction through the heroine. While she wore simple jeans and a white blouse that showed only a hint of cleavage, as well as minimal jewelry, Morgan could barely keep her eyes off the woman.
That realization caused Morgan to shake herself. Gathering her thoughts, she frowned internally. She’d only rarely been attracted to women before, and the sudden strength of what she felt put her on guard. It took a few moments for her to sense the subtle field of psychic energy around Lilith, but once she did she felt safer. If she knew it was there, it was hardly a threat.
“Please deactivate your ability first. I find it hard to trust you when you’re attempting to influence my mind,” Morgan replied, unable to keep a harsh note out of her voice.
“What do you mean, deactivate…? Oh! You must mean my captivation field.” Lilith paused in the middle of turning away, then smiled helplessly as she shrugged. “I’m sorry to say that I’m unable to do as you ask. I’ve been trying to figure out a way around it since I learned of my power, but the ability is stubborn. It’s a good part of why I have the entire floor to myself, in fact.”
“Captivation field?” Morgan asked, blinking. The phrase seemed faintly familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it for some reason. Moderating her tone, she told her heart to stop racing as she continued. “I believe I’ve heard the term before, but I can’t say I remember what it is.”
“I got the description from a number of research journals when I was trying to determine what it might be, and it’s the closest to what I experience. I’m not certain that I’m right, but I think it’s close enough. My ‘ability’ is that no matter where I go, no matter how I try to hide or dress down, I draw attention. It’s really rather annoying,” Lilith explained, sighing as she gave another shrug. “In any case, I can’t do anything about it, so… well, if you’d prefer, I could just give you directions to the room Warden’s resting in.”
“I just did a search, Morgan, and it’s a real term,” Hypergizmo interjected, his voice soft through the earbud and helping Morgan to focus on something else. “Like she said, it’s commonly used in science journals and not much else.”
“I think I understand. Is it merely uncontrolled, or is it a power that’s constantly active?” Morgan asked, stepping inside at last and looking around as she continued. “If you would lead the way, I’d be grateful.”
The section of the condo she could see was impressive on its own, but disconcerting in some ways. The room in front of her was almost large enough to host dance classes, with polished wood paneling and several rugs, but what startled her was how bare the room was. There were two chairs, a sofa, and an intimate dining table for perhaps four people, all of it looking expensive but comfortable. The windows allowed a good view of the surrounding buildings most days, though with the rain coming down outside she couldn’t see much. Through a door to her right she saw a gleaming modern kitchen and a hallway that looked to circle
the floor, while Lilith nodded and led her toward a matching hallway to the left.
As the woman led the way, Morgan subvocalized a request to Hypergizmo, keeping a wary eye on her host, exercising iron control as she did so. “Alright. If you have time, could you investigate this lady? I think you said her name was Lilith, right? While I appreciate that she seems to have helped Warden, something about her powers and this apartment is setting off alarm bells. It’s always possible that she’s a villain.”
“I don’t have access from the jet, but once we’re back at the base I’ll see what I can find,” Hyper assured her, his voice confident. “Just to be safe, I’ll deploy a drone to keep an eye on her after we’ve left. But you’re right, her name is Lilith Carpenter, and she’s only had the condo for about a month from what I can tell.”
“Unfortunately for me, it’s constantly active. I haven’t bothered getting tested, but the results are fairly clear, in my opinion. I was largely raised alone, so I wasn’t even aware I had a power until I came to the city,” Lilith explained with another smile, seemingly unaware of Morgan’s worries.
“That’s a bit ominous, in my opinion… but alright. Keep an eye out, Hyper. I think that if this was a trap, it’d already have sprung,” Morgan replied, finishing her conversation to focus on the building, though she was slowly growing more certain that this wasn’t a trap.
Turning the corner of the hallway, where a door was shut, Morgan saw that the hall ran most of the length of the building before turning again, with a half-dozen doors along its length. Lilith stopped at the second door on her right and opened it, revealing a room that was almost as simple as the front room. It had a plain dresser, nightstand, lamp, and a twin bed, on which Warden lay. The heroine was surrounded by dozens of colorful pinheads scattered across the bed, prompting a frown from Morgan.
“Here she is, just as I said. I… wait, that’s a bit ominous. When I was listening, I heard the villains say something about a curse, and when I saw her there were what looked like pins thrust into her body,” Lilith explained, gesturing at Warden. “Those were the heads of the pins. I’m not sure what happened, but they weren’t like that when I got the door for you.”
Born a Queen (Lilith's Shadow Book 1) Page 7