“She was gone for half an hour!” snapped Lisa, “You know what? You can figure out the rest!”
Lisa stormed away toward her house. Betty grimaced as she walked inside.
“Alright Bonnie,” said Betty she entered the living room, “Sit down!”
“What?” said Bonnie, “What’s the…?”
“Just sit down!”
“Okay,” said Bonnie nervously as she sat on the couch, “But I’m not liking being treated like a teenager.”
“Alright. You’re a superhero. But you still have a job that you’re being paid for. You can’t be leaving every time you hear there’s a crime somewhere.”
“So wait. Have you developed a power of omniscience now? Will I get that some day? I hope not. That sounds exhausting.”
“Once again, Bonnie, I have my ways. Listen, if there a real emergency, sure. But a bank robbery? Your job was counting on you!”
“Alright Mom,” said Bonnie, “I see your point.”
“By the way,” said Betty, “what is with those glasses? They’re not necessary for your vision, or for a disguise. What’s the point?”
“Like I said. They look cool.”
“It’s part of that secret identity thing, isn’t it?”
“Well forgive me if I want to live the life! I mean, why do ninety percent of this if I can do all of it?”
“You know what?” said Betty, rolling her eyes in disbelief, “Never mind. You did notice how angry Lisa was, right?”
“Well,” said Bonnie, “now that you mention it…”
“Do you understand why?”
“Okay, Mom,” said Bonnie nervously, “I think you have made your point…”
“No Bonnie!” interrupted Betty, failing to notice the tension in her daughter’s tone, “This is not about that. I don’t know how you’re missing this.”
“Mom?”
“I understand why you’re keeping a secret, but Lisa is your best friend. And refusing to acknowledge something doesn’t mean she doesn’t see it.”
Bonnie was growing increasingly anxious; the suggestion her mother was now making was bringing her terrifying thoughts that she could not control. All she could now say in reaction was “Mom?”
For the moment, Betty was too angry to notice. “If you can’t show respect for her, then I don’t know what to say! She isn’t exactly blind to what’s happening here…”
Suddenly, Bonnie let out a shriek. All at once, she leapt up from her position on the couch and fell hard on the floor, just missing the coffee table.
“Bonnie!” cried Betty, “Are you alright?”
Bonnie was shivering on the floor in a fetal position, looking up at her mother with a pleading eye. She didn’t speak, but suddenly Betty perceived a communication of a different sort, imperceptible to human senses, but perfectly clear to her.
Help me, Mother! I am in great danger!
“What?” said Betty, now very alarmed, “Bonnie, you’re home. Everything’s okay…”
Please Mother! He is cruel to me! Please keep me away from him! Take me far away!
Bonnie was clearly having a breakdown, and was in a dream state. She was now reverting to the communication of their native world, which existed along dimensional planes that humans could not perceive. What she was afraid of was no mystery; there was only one person she could be referring to. Betty could only respond in kind. You are safe. Mother is here, Bland Beauty.
Mother, please save me! He hates me because I am a freak! He will punish me! I believe he will kill me!
My dear Bland Beauty, you are in a dream. What you fear has passed long ago. You are safe now.
Bonnie seemed unconvinced. He will get me! Please save me!
Betty took her daughter’s hand. My dear child, we have left him far behind. We departed from Center many years ago. We are now safe in a distant world. Please. Return to me!
Bonnie looked at her mother in doubt. Betty finally resorted to the universal language of touch. She gently stroked Bonnie’s head, then her shoulder, and kissed her on the forehead. Bonnie began to cry, and Betty embraced her warmly. “It’s alright dear,” said Betty, “you’re home with Mom.”
Bonnie finally sat up. “Sorry, Mom,” she said, pale and shocked, but now lucid.
“Honey,” said Betty, “I’m beginning to think this whole thing is too much for you.”
“No. It’s fine. I could use a rest though. Call me for dinner, though. Could you?”
Bonnie went upstairs to her room. Betty sat down on the couch, utterly shocked.
“Never mind her,” she said to herself, “I’m not sure I can handle this!”
10. Space and the Single Girl
As a new morning dawned in Woodside, Betty Boring tiptoed through Bonnie’s sloppy room to wake her. Bonnie rose drowsily, promising to come down soon. After Betty made a few return visits, Bonnie finally rubbed her eyes, then floated down the stairs, and joined her mother for breakfast.
Betty was relieved to see her daughter looking fully recovered, indeed seeming very much as if nothing had happened. Still, she had to discuss the matters before them.
“My dear Bonnie,” said Betty warmly, “yesterday was a scare like I haven’t had in a great while. Honey, I’m very worried for you.”
Based on Bonnie’s expression as she sat down—rather like a teenager who was just caught with a bad grade—Betty half expected her to snap at her. However, she answered respectfully, and quite honestly.
“I love you, Mom. It was scary for me too. I have to admit that all this is unsettling. Getting bullied like this by Gunn, getting weird, obsessive treatment from the media, it’s all like a bad dream happening all over again.”
“Bonnie, it’s not like a bad dream. You quite literally had that bad dream all over again. You thought you were back on Center.”
“Stupid name for a planet, but yeah, about that,” said Bonnie, “I do have to attend to my mental health, don’t I? But who exactly do I talk to here? Do any therapists specialize in women like me who are secretly alien superheroes?”
“I find ways of saying things to mine without revealing such secrets. But my question is not about that. I’ll get you that help, but please consider whether you can really keep going on with this.”
“Mom, that’s the thing. There really is no question in my mind. This is exactly why I have to go on. I don’t want to run away anymore. It’s scary, but I have to stand and face it.”
Sitting back with her coffee, Betty grimaced at her daughter’s answer. She could not really argue; if anything, her resolve was admirable. But to think of the new surprises that awaited them filled her with dread. Could Bonnie possibly understand what it was like for her? Seeing her child throw herself into that situation, knowing that she alone could protect her, was wearing on her more every day.
Still, Betty had a pretty good idea of how she might go forward, and she need not concern Bonnie with that. But she had another role that she could not abandon, that of Ms. Infinity’s moral compass.
“Bonnie dear, there is something we should address, since you are now beginning to fight crime.”
“Well I’m frustrated,” said Bonnie, “You know I never meant to be so reactive. With Gunn, there is a serious threat to address, but I’ve gotten nowhere. All I’ve done is react to three separate incidents. I’m not exactly sure where to go from there. Visiting him certainly was a waste of time.”
“But Bonnie, right now I’m more concerned about your crime fighting practices. There are serious issues you really have to consider.”
Bonnie looked at her mother with a mixture of amusement and dread. “I sure hope I haven’t messed up something else, have I?”
“Well honey, when it came to the actual execution of your task yesterday, I can’t really complain. You caught the criminals and freed the hostages. There was no undue cruelty or otherwise poor management. I’d have to say you did that much very well. But I want you to consider how you think about your adversarie
s. Look honey, for many criminals, there are very tragic circumstances that you may not know of. I don’t mean that you should excuse a law-breaker. The law is important, and breaking it brings consequences. But please don’t allow yourself to hate.”
“No, I suppose not,” said Bonnie, but a moment later, she sat up and said, “Wow!”
“It’s not as easy as it sounds,” agreed Betty.
“Okay,” said Bonnie, “Now I’m feeling overwhelmed. What have I taken on?”
“A great deal, honey. I wonder if you are beginning to understand.”
“Honestly, yeah. For one thing, Gunn, I mean, Gunn!”
“I’m not going to berate you for being angry. He infuriates me too. But even when you are enraged, and certainly you will be, in the end, it is very important for you to forgive.”
“Even the worst? I mean, the very worst? How about mass murderers, extreme dictators…?”
“Well dear, I would never tell you to excuse a crime, and I certainly would not excuse someone who commits crimes against humanity. If someone is a danger to others, they must be dealt with. But in a way, the worst people, the cruelest, the most dangerous, are also the most tragic. I don’t know if you can see that.”
“You mean anyone, now?” said Bonnie dubiously.
“Well Bonnie…” said Betty, but she could not finish. Bonnie’s expression conveyed something uneasy. Betty reacted with a look of deep concern; she knew what her daughter was thinking. She looked away; it was all she could do to keep from crying. Both women were thinking of the same person, though neither would ever speak of him.
As with every morning, Johnny Gunn was the first one in the office, or so he assumed. He was quite surprised to see Pam waiting when he arrived at the “Crystal Palace.”
“Pam!” said Johnny, “Great to see you and all, just please don’t disturb me. I do my best work between six and seven in the morning.”
Pam smiled back at him. “That’s my go-getter! But before you go and get, could we please talk about something? I want to help you more with Ms. Infinity.”
“Ugh! Don’t remind me! Talk about a lousy way to start the day. Alright. Shoot. What did you want to say?”
“Listen honey. You’re trying to attack her physically. But you have to realize, she has the advantage there…”
“Don’t tell me that! No girl can beat me up!”
“It’s okay, Johnny. You’re the biggest man around, and you always will be. But this is a special case. This is a superhuman target. Look, she can’t be beat with any human attacks, at least not conventional attacks. But you need to use your brilliant tactical mind. Think about how to move the battle to where it’s to your advantage. You need to win the propaganda war.”
“Right! I gotta get back on telling the truth about her, and get everyone hating her. Yeah. Of course. That’s all.”
“It’s a stage of the game,” said Pam, now speaking quietly to herself, “It’s not enough by itself. I mean she survived worse persecution than you could ever…”
“Okay! Let’s call another press conference. I know better than anybody what’s good for America. I just need to remind the country of that.”
Pam paused, then spoke slowly and purposely. “Sure. That’s part of it. It certainly would not hurt though if you thought first about the direction you want to take before you speak. You know, just try it this time. I actually have something I wanted to say about that.”
“What now? What did you…?”
“The op-eds have been accusing you lately. Some are beginning to link you to the explosions around town…”
“Oh, they are, are they? I’ll show them!”
“Please, Johnny,” said Pam, holding his wrist calmly, “Think with me. We might just be able to kill two birds with one stone. Think. Ms. Infinity was around for at least two of them, wasn’t she?”
That day, Bonnie found herself mostly working solo, as Lisa’s earlier shift only overlapped briefly with hers. She seemed curiously aloof for the brief time they were together. Bonnie tried to be friendly, but Lisa just gave only the most minimal of pleasantries. When she left, she did little but motion a goodbye wave. Bonnie wondered what could have caused Lisa to behave so coldly toward her.
That evening, Hal passed through Bonnie’s register once again. As Bonnie scanned Hal’s items, Hal smiled at Bonnie.
“So Bonnie, what are you up to?”
“I had kind of a long day yesterday. Kind of recouping.”
“Really?” said Hal as he finished loading his order, “Dare I ask?”
“Oh!” said Bonnie, “Personal stuff. Have you been busy?”
Hal looked at Bonnie curiously, perhaps wondering what might be behind her reticence. Nonetheless, he answered with his own small talk. “My family. Not much else. Well, I’m also looking for…”
“I sure get enough with my mother, so I know what you mean. It gets exhausting listening to criticism, you know.”
“Oh! Does she criticize you a lot?”
“Yeah. It’s not just that. It’s like…well I can’t get into it. I guess I’m not always making the best decisions.”
“How so?”
“Oh, uh…you know, not much. It’s just, you know…I can’t say.”
“Well, I guess I understand that. I’m trying to figure out the best decisions myself. You see, I’m trying to get a…”
“You know what? I also just have a lot of responsibility. I just never realized how much I’ve taken on. I’m having to look at the world differently.”
“That’s interesting,” said Hal, looking at Bonnie more curiously than ever, “So, how is that exactly?”
“Well, it’s…kind of hard, right?” said Bonnie tentatively.
“Yes, but if you don’t mind my asking, and please don’t let me pry, I’m just wondering what sort of responsibilities you’re thinking of.”
“Oh. I can’t…It’s…yeah…It’s a long story.”
“Well…okay then. Yeah. I mean, I have my family stuff, but it wouldn’t be bad right now if I had some other kinds. I mean, I’ve been looking for…”
“…I also have to be more considerate. My mom hit me with that yesterday. I guess that much is true.”
Hal looked at Bonnie and smiled. “Well, you certainly do know yourself. That is admirable.”
“Well, thank you,” said Bonnie, then looking at his order, asked, “So Hal, why so many kid clothes?”
“I have to buy clothes for my little sister,” said Hal, “My parents haven’t been…well, it’s a long story.”
Bonnie looked at Hal warmly. “You are a good brother.”
Hal looked like he was about to say something. But after a moment, he stopped and said sadly, “Thanks Bonnie. See you soon.”
Bonnie’s shift ended just minutes later, and she walked home alone in the summer dark. With few other pedestrians around, the lonely sidewalk was overwhelmed by Northern Boulevard’s waves of speeding traffic, cars and trucks spewing cascades of light and sound as they passed. As Bonnie approached a wide intersection, she saw Hal on the near corner. She thought she would catch up to say hi, but she was suddenly knocked into alertness when she noticed an oncoming truck was careening out of control. It was skidding through the intersection, headed straight for Hal.
Unseen in the darkness, Bonnie instantly changed into Ms. Infinity. She scooped Hal up in her arms and flew straight up into the air. The truck blew over the sidewalk, finally stopping with a crunch as it collided into the metal awning of the nearest storefront. She scanned quickly with her super senses, confirming that the driver was not hurt. Hal did not speak; he was probably too surprised, or confused. But if his expression was any guide, he had to have been pleased with the sudden development.
She could have descended, but she was caught up in the energy of the moment. In a swift motion, she swept Hal upwards, over the streets and the nearby train tracks, well above the tallest buildings in the area, where only a lone owl flew, unseen, watching quietly f
rom a distance.
“Ms…Infinity?” Hal finally said barely over a whisper, his eyes open wide with surprise.
“Yes,” she answered warmly and quietly, “I am.”
Breathlessly she surveyed the scene. Far below them was Queens in the quiet of a summer evening, the buildings reduced to geometric patterns, the vehicles faint slow-moving spots of light. Above them was the night sky, a half moon and twinkling hints of great, distant stars, the vastness of space from their eyes all the way to the end of the universe. Were the Earth facing the right way, they might well have had a view of the distant past of the galaxy she had come from, billions of light years away.
Ms. Infinity looked at Hal, getting a fix of his beautiful face in the moonlight. He stared back looking spellbound; from his eyes he might have been in a trance. If he only knew it, her own heart was racing, her shoulders tingling as she held his body close to hers. She could scarcely collect her own thoughts, let alone express them. She dearly wished she could tell him who she really was; she could almost spill her secrets if she let herself. But somehow, when she was in this guise, her emotions were veiled as surely as her physical form was transmuted; her expression conveyed little more than polite affection. She briefly savored the moment, then slowly descended with him, gently landing on the sidewalk, not far from where she had picked him up.
“Wow!” said Hal breathlessly, “Its…It’s…I mean….How…You…Thank you so much, Ms. Infinity!”
“You’re very welcome sir,” said Ms. Infinity, “It’s the least I could do.”
She looked him in the eye for a few seconds. In the moment, she wanted to kiss him, but she found herself demurring. The opportunity before her was thrilling, but it gave her a nervous feeling somewhere in the pit of her stomach. “Bless you, good man,” she said, with a greater warmth and sincerity than ever before, “Never forget the power you have inside you!” She then flew away, seeming to vanish into thin air. Hal stood shocked and confused, and completely captivated.
11. Impressions of a Hero
Feeling skittish and dizzy, Ms. Infinity descended into her closet and became Bonnie Boring. “Did I really just do that?” she said to herself as plopped down on her bed, “I just nearly came on to Handsome Hal, as Ms. Infinity.”
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