"George Bond, age 45 is inside his apartment with a gun and his ex-wife, Susan Grove. He is preparing his list of demands."
"How long have they been apart?" Diz queried.
"A few years," Officer Jones answered looking over his notes on his notepad.
"Which room is the apartment?" Diz continued.
"1213"
"OK," Diz announced, "you officers stay here, and I'll be back in a moment."
* * *
George Bond held his ex-wife in his arm with his gun pointed at her head, just like he had seen it on his television so many times. It didn't seem to be that difficult. It was an excessive move, but he was desperate. He had lost everything when all of his investments in the stock market had gone under. He didn't have any money to fall back on and the phone calls from all of the creditors were getting oppressive. He had decided it would work to kidnap Susan for the ransom money which he could then use to pay off all of his debts, including all of the back alimony to his ex-wife. It would all work out in the end, and she might even forgive him.
He still wasn't sure how to work the ransom. It seemed like the guys in the movies and on the television had a better idea about these kinds of things, but he wasn't interested in those ideas. He didn't need a helicopter or a car. He just needed $75,223 to pay his bills.
George moved Susan to the window and checked to see where the police were and what they were doing. He saw a strange figure talking to the officer with the bull horn. The stranger was dressed in black and wearing a helmet. The man disappeared. He didn't leave. One moment he was there, and the next moment he was gone. George felt a breeze and looked around the room and didn't see anything different. He felt a tap on his shoulder, and as he turned to see who it was, there was no one there, but he had relaxed his hold on Susan and she disappeared from his grip.
George turned slowly around the room holding his gun in front of him with both hands and looking for whoever had taken his wife, but the room was empty.
"Are you looking for me?" Diz asked from behind George.
"Where are you?" George bellowed as he swung the gun into empty air. "Stop toying with me!"
George felt a pair of hands grab him and he dropped his gun. The world blurred by and he found himself standing in front of the officer with the bull horn a moment later.
"Here's a little something for you Officer," Diz said with a bow and some flourish.
“Thanks,” the officer muttered and signaled for someone to take Mr. Bond away.
"Hate to snag and run," Diz shouted, "but I have a date."
He ran off and a moment later, Karis floated to the ground.
"Sorry," Officer Jones informed her, "but he just left."
"Figures he would be a jerk about it," Karis laughed as she lifted off again.
Chapter 16
No one knows where this mysterious man has come from or what he intends to do with the twenty hostages he has taken to the roof of a building on 9th street. He has only identified himself as Hypnose. He has demanded to see Karis without Diz present. This is a harrowing situation for everyone involved. You can see the roof top behind me. From our sky cam, you can see that the hostages are standing still in a line. There isn't a discernable pattern to the choices. They just seem to be a random group of people. Police are still investigating this theory though.
We can only hope that Karis sees this broadcast and will arrive soon. The city and those twenty people need her.
"You can't just go in there," Diz demanded standing in front of her.
"You had your hostage situation last week," Karis reminded him as she lifted out of his reach, "and now I have mine."
"I can just rush in there and stop him like I did with George."
"We don't know anything about this Hypnose guy, except that he likes perfume," Karis asserted.
"It is a strange name to choose," Diz agreed. "That doesn't change anything, though. You shouldn't go in there."
"I'm invulnerable and I can fly," Karis listed. "I think I can handle whatever he has planned. If he has the building wired to explode, I'll survive."
"I still think I should go with you," Diz insisted.
"The first rule of hostage negotiation," Karis replied as she flew off towards the building.
"I have to figure out if he's always this annoying or only when he's a woman," Diz muttered to himself.
* * *
Karis moved close enough to the building to get a look at the situation. The twenty hostages were lined up on the roof near the edge. They did not seem afraid or anxious. They simply stood at attention looking out at the city.
"You might as well come down," Hypnose suggested. "We have much to discuss."
"I don't even know who you are," she answered as she floated down to the roof.
"That is where you are wrong."
Karis considered Hypnose carefully. He was dressed in purple tights and a purple cape. He wore a purple helmet on his head with large eyes on the front. At first, she thought they were painted on, but upon closer inspection, she realized it was something else.
"What do you want with me?" Karis asked as she pointed at the hostages. "What do these people have to do with us?"
"They have all been customers that have treated me poorly over the years," Hypnose chuckled, "but now things are different."
"Customers?" she wondered aloud.
"Yes, just like you were my customer once. I loved you and would have given you anything your heart desired, but you rejected me."
"I don't know what you are talking about," Karis insisted. "Am I supposed to recognize you with that bug-eyed helmet?"
"This helmet?" Hypnose inquired as he pointed at the eyes. "Do you like it? It was a gift from a special customer. He didn't tip very well, but he made up for that with this little gift. It will help me get what I truly want."
"What is it that you want?" Karis demanded.
"I just want to talk with you for a little while," Hypnose chuckled. "That isn't too much to ask, is it?"
"I guess not," Karis stammered.
"In fact, you like talking to me, don't you?" Hypnose asked in a soothing voice as he walked closer to her.
"Yes," Karis hissed.
"In fact, you really like me, don't you?" Hypnose continued taking a step closer so he was standing beside her.
"Yes."
"You don't need Diz," Hypnose whispered in her ear.
"Don't need Diz."
"We would make a better team."
"A better team."
"You should just get rid of Diz," Hypnose ordered, "just kill him."
"Kill Diz?" Karis wondered.
"Yes," Hypnose laughed, "he might as well be dead. Now go!"
Karis launched from the building seeking her partner. She found him on the street talking to one of the police officers. When she saw him, she felt the desire to see him dead rise within her. She knew what she would have to do.
* * *
Diz looked up at the building and pointed Karis out to Officer Jones. It was strange that she was alone. Shouldn't she have something or someone with her? His confusion grew when he realized that she was flying directly towards him. It didn’t seem like she was planning to land near him; it looked like she was aiming to hit him. Diz moved to the left and noted that Karis had adjusted her trajectory as well. Something was wasn’t right.
"Hate to run," Diz announced to Officer Jones, "but there's something wrong with my partner, and I don't think that we should talk about it here."
He didn't wait for a response. Diz couldn't think of a safe place in the city for a conversation, so he raced out of the city. He often looked over his shoulder to make sure that Karis was still following him. Once he had found a remote patch of property, he slowed down. That turned out to be a huge mistake. Karis increased her speed and rammed into the speedster. Diz was thankful for his costume that absorbed most of the impact. He broke free from Karis' grip and moved to a safe location.
"What are you doing
?" he demanded.
"Can't you tell?" Karis growled. "I'm trying to kill you."
"Why?"
"Hypnose convinced me that he would be a better partner for me," Karis responded with a sly smile.
"Hypnose?" Diz repeated. "You don't even know the guy. Besides, if you kill me, you'll never get back to your body."
"My body?" Karis mused as she fought through the confusion. "I don't care about that."
"This guy really messed you up, didn't he?"
"Hypnose has shown me all that I need to know," Karis declared. "He showed me that I don't need you."
"What don't you need me for?" Diz asked as he shifted his position behind her.
"I don't need you for anything," Karis screamed as she lifted slightly off the ground and spun around to face Diz.
"That's a broad statement," Diz commented. "Are you sure this guy knows what he's talking about?"
"I, I," Karis stammered, "that doesn't matter. Hypnose says that you have to die, and that's just what I intend to make happen."
Karis flew at Diz at high speed and almost caught him. He was able to step out of the way leaving Karis to crash into a tree. He took a moment to make sure that she was going to be alright, and she shot back at him. He managed to move again, this time with more leeway.
"This fight isn't going to get us anywhere," Diz yelled. "I can dodge you all day, and I'll never get you in the air."
"That is true," Karis muttered. "Perhaps I will have to be more creative."
With those words, she flew high into the air. Diz watched her to see what she was planning, but a moment later, she was heading back towards the ground. She was going to bomb him.
Diz took off and headed away from the area. He wasn't sure how much of an impact Karis would have when she hit the ground this time, but he didn't want to be around when it happened. There was only one idea that he could imagine that might work, and he needed the right location to sell it.
He ran to a place where he knew he would find a cliff, in fact it was the place of their first battle against the ant. He placed himself on the same ledge and waited. Shortly after he arrived, Karis floated to the ground in front of him.
"Are you ready to die?" she asked.
"Are you ready to kill?" Diz asked in return.
"I do what I have to do," Karis declared.
"For a man you don't even know," Diz stated as he reached out his hand. "Just take my hand. Maybe that will make all the difference."
"I don't plan to do any such thing," she announced.
"Just remember that you promised to always catch me," Diz replied as he put his hands behind his back and lowered his head. "Don't forget that."
Karis looked confused, but she shook off the words that Diz had just spoken. She lifted off the ground a few inches and surveyed her former partner. Karis launched at him at full speed and sent him flying from the cliff. A moment after the blow, she looked into the sky and saw Diz flying away. After an instant of uncertainty, she saw him again and flew after him. Four miles away, she snagged him from the air and they slowly lowered to the ground.
"It's about time you snapped out of it," Diz grunted.
"What happened?" Karis sighed.
"Hypnose did something to you," Diz related as he took off his helmet and rubbed his head.
"Wait," Karis uttered, "did I try to kill you?"
"Tried and almost succeeded," Diz reported. "You've got a mean punch when you want to hit something."
"I'm so sorry," Karis pleaded. "Hypnose started talking and even though I knew he was wrong, the words made sense."
"He tried to get us to kill each other," Diz summarized.
"I might have killed you if you hadn't snapped me out of it," Karis wondered. "We need to get back there right away.
"We need a plan," Diz insisted. "He has to think that I'm dead, and that you are still following his suggestions."
"What if he gets to me again?" Karis asked.
"I'll be there if anything goes wrong," Diz replied with a smile and a hug. "Just remember that he can't be trusted. I'll get the people off the roof, and then you can deal with Hypnose."
"Are you sure you can get the people away?" Karis asked.
"He'll never see me," Diz gloated.
* * *
Hypnose stood on the roof enjoying the fact that he was still holding his hostages in thrall. This helmet was truly a gift to be cherished. With it he could convince an unsuspecting person of pretty much anything. Each of the people here on the roof had either disrespected his profession or not given him any tips. They deserved whatever they got.
Karis was just the icing on the cake. Mornigan had promised that the helmet could make Karis fall in love with him. If that were true, it would be the gift of a lifetime. Karis was already under his control and dealing with her former partner, and she would certainly return to this building once that job was done.
Hypnose scanned the skies and found his angel approaching. She looked so beautiful that Hypnose couldn't resist imagining their future together. He'd always had a thing for red heads and she had a body just like any other super heroine he had seen in the comic books and movies. Her green and purple outfit was a little too modest for his tastes, but that could be adjusted as well.
"So, my sweet," Hypnose addressed his woman, "have you accomplished our goal?"
"The Diz is dead," Karis announced. “I left his body at the bottom of a reservoir. We don't need to worry about him anymore."
"I think that deserves a reward," Hypnose replied. "I'm sure that you would like to kiss me."
"I would like to kiss you," Karis replied with a flat tone.
Hypnose removed his helmet and stepped closer to Karis.
"Wait," Karis shouted, "you're that annoying waiter from the other night."
"Excuse me?" Dave queried.
"You're that jerk that insulted me and then wouldn't leave us alone!"
"I knew it was you the whole time," Dave insisted.
Karis didn't let him continue and she simply marched up to him and slugged him in the face. Diz suddenly appeared beside her.
"You could have waited until I gave the signal," he chided.
"After all the trouble this guy has caused I just couldn't hold it in any longer."
Chapter 17
After the events with Hypnose, life settled back into its standard pattern. Cacy and Gavin had found jobs at a restaurant. Gavin busted tables after Cacy had waited on them. For Cacy, it was just stepping back in time since being a waitress had helped her get through undergrad, but for Gavin it was quite a blow since he was on track for a Ph. D in Astronomy. He suffered through the situation since working these jobs allowed them to have some anonymity as well as keeping Cacy close in case something happened.
"Can you believe that Karis?" one of the other bus boys, Charlie, asked Gavin as they were clearing a table.
"What about her?" Gavin asked trying to focus on the table.
"She's so hot," he replied. "I bet part of her powers is making men fall in love with her."
"I doubt it," Gavin muttered.
"Not into red heads?" Charlie chuckleds he rubbed Gavin’s head. "A little ironic, ain't it?"
"I guess so," Gavin admitted as he fixed his hair. "Karis is very beautiful, but not really what I'm looking for."
"I gotcha," Charlie continued. "You should spend time with my sister. She's OK in the looks department, and a real good cook."
"I don't know, Charlie," Gavin hemmed.
"Look, we'll make it a double date," Charlie insisted slapping Gavin’s back. "I've been wanting to ask Cacy out for a while anyway. It will do us both some good."
"Are you sure that Cacy would go out with you?"
"A fine lookin bloke like me?" Charlie decreed as he stood up taller and puffed out his chest. "She don't got a chance."
* * *
On the other side of the restaurant, Cacy was talking with Charlie's sister.
"I wonder what's under that helm
et," she muttered.
"What?" Cacy asked.
"Sorry, I was thinking about the Diz and wondered what he looks like." Andi giggled. "He must have some kind of secret."
"Why do you think that?" Cacy wondered.
"Why else would he wear a helmet?" Andi whispered as she made a mask with her fingers. "Maybe he used to be a serial killer who went good when he got his powers."
"Maybe he just doesn't want people bothering him," Cacy insisted.
"Then why does Karis show her face?" Andi argued.
"How do I know?" Cacy mumbled trying to avoid the question. "It's not like I'm Karis. I just run around and wait tables."
"Don't we all," Andi grumbled. "Hey, what's the story with you and Gavin?"
"The story?" Cacy returned.
"I know you two are roommates," Andi explained as she twirled a lock of her long black hair, "but is there anything more?"
"I'm not really sure," Cacy admitted.
"So here's a crazy question," Andi said as she leaned in closer, "would you want to go on a double date sometime?"
"You're great; Andi," Cacy joked as she pushed Andi away, "but you're not really my type."
"Not with me," Andi laughed. "I was thinking maybe you and Gavin would go out with me and my brother this weekend."
"I don't know," Cacy hesitated, "I'll run it by Gavin and see what he thinks."
Chapter 18
"I need some information," Diz told Karl Jones who was relaxing outside of a coffee shop with a large cup of coffee.
"I need to figure out a way to keep you from sneaking up on me," Karl muttered as he picked up his cup from the table. "What is it that you need anyway?"
"I need Dave," Diz whispered trying to avoid anyone hearing his comment.
"You mean that Hypnose nut job?" Karl pressed. “What do you want with him?”
"We think he might be able to help us find Mornigan," Diz suggested.
“Last I heard, Hypnose was under special detention," Karl replied after a sip of his coffee. "He won't be easy to contact. He isn't even allowed any visitors."
"Is there someone we could talk to about this?" Diz questioned leaning over the table.
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