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Author's Note: A Retroactive Continuity, or Retcon if you will, is the altering of previously known facts in order for the universe to conform to new story lines. This Retcon universe belongs to Lilith Langtree, and I thank her for allowing us to play in her sandbox. Thanks to Donjo for editing and Lisa, Bailey, Andrea Lena and Salrissa for beta reading. Thanks as always to my lovely Muse Dani. This is a retcon of Polaris in the Marvel Comics Universe. Marvel Comics owns the character and all rights associated with him/her/it. Dream of the Endless is  © DC Comics. All other characters that appear are  © their creators / re-creators and only used with permission.
Image  © by Elizabeth Avis 2011

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~o~O~o~

~o~O~o~

Lorna scroaned, a sound which combined a scream and a groan simultaneously… Mac just did his best to hide a grin playing around the edges of his mouth.

“How bad are they Mac?” she asked through gritted teeth, “American Dream or Flying Wallendas?”

“From what I can tell Lorna, not as bad as you might think,” he met her eyes, “Roger’s tech kept them from being skin tight so they will be form fitting but not obscenely so. Small comfort I’m sure, but better than nothing.” He finished sympathetically.

Mac slid a diagram across the desk; she picked it up and went over it in detail. The suit was more of a metallic looking onesie than spandex, with a Lycra Kevlar covering that was worn over it. Silvery shoulder pads, arm and leg bracers completed the ensemble.

“And once I’m locked inside this miracle of science, how do I get out for oh, I don’t know… washroom breaks?” Lorna handed the sheet back to James.

“Roger managed to get some designs that Stark Industries was developing for NASA for the female astronauts and incorporated it into your uniform. The Boy has been very careful with this design.” Mac smiled, “he’s sort of smitten with you Lorna, in his geekey way.” Lorna broke into a small grin.

“I like him too… he’s like a puppy,” she smiled, “or a kid brother, though I’m not much older than him anymore, am I?”

“Not much Lorna,” he chuckled, “now get down to the lab. Roger wants to make sure the suit works and Walter’s team wants to put you through your paces. Good Luck Kid.”

She wasn’t exactly sure how to take that.

"Roger, I freely admit that I was a bit wary of this rig,” Lorna stretched her arms over her head, “but it is surprisingly comfortable and very non restrictive, even with the Kevlar oversuit.”

Roger smiled and sighed like he had been holding his breath.

“You don’t know how relieved I am to hear you say that Lorna,” he sagged in his chair a little, “I knew how much you hated this whole uniform idea.” Roger got a puzzled look on his face.

“What’s the look for Roger?” She asked him with a mock scowl on her face. He blinked and blushed.

“I was just wondering why an obvious fan of comic books and superheroes in general would dislike the idea of a costume so much.” He frowned slightly and pulled at his lower lip.

Lorna’s quick retort died on her lips when she saw how serious Roger was. She thought carefully for a moment before replying.

“Ok Roger, let’s see if I can articulate my unease with the whole costume hero thing,” she picked up a red marker, drew a target on a piece of paper and taped it to Roger’s shirt, “ok, I have green hair which sort of marks me as unique and a target for the growing anti mutant, anti meta nut jobs out there. Now let’s pretend that paper is a uniform. Catch my drift?”

“Sort of, but it’s no different than a police officer or a soldier is it?” he furrowed his brow again, “it attracts attention to you, away from the ‘innocent bystanders’, doesn’t it?”

“I guess,” she sighed, “but I was one of those innocent bystanders not all that long ago and honestly the idea of being a ‘Super Police Officer’ still scares me silly Roger. Cops get injured all the time, but heroes? Heroes die! I’ve read the files,” she ticked on her fingers, “Johnny Canuck? Killed in action. Tom Evans, Captain Canuck 1, Killed in action. Northguard had his arm ripped off. Mr. Canoehead…”she shuddered. Roger held up his hands.

“OK, I’ve read the files too,” Roger looked sad, “but then what, do nothing? Like it or not Lorna, you are a Metahuman. You have proved you are a protector. Would you be able to stand aside and do nothing, Uniform or not? I don’t believe you could, that’s not who you are,” he paused and looked Lorna directly in the eyes, “Not with a large portion of the activated Metahumans turning to crime, to using their gifts for their own gain. That’s not Lorna Dane.” There was a noise from the other side of Roger’s lab.

“You’re right Roger,” Lucy spoke quietly from the doorway, “That’s not Lorna Dane, at least not the Lorna I’ve come to love. That may be a small piece of a former life, when Larry was safe and comfortable and wasn’t part of the world, just an observer. But it’s not Lorna.”

Lorna couldn’t look at Lucy immediately and when she did look up there were tears in her eyes. Lucy moved to her and took the taller woman into her arms as Lorna broke down.

“I… I’m so… so… sorry Love,” she sobbed, “this d…damned COSTUME! It just brought it all h…home. I cou…could go out one day and never,” Lorna gasped for a steady breath, “never see you again!” she began sobbing uncontrollably. Roger looked flummoxed.

“Let it out dearheart, I know you have been so worried,” Lucy held Lorna tightly and eased her to the floor gently, “you have been trying so hard to be brave, but you are still just a little girl and all of this is scary.”

Lorna’s sobs became an inarticulate noise as she tried to breathe, cry and talk at the same time. Lucy looked at Roger and mouthed ‘Call Mike’; he crept to his office to do so.

“You are safe love, safe with me and all your friends,” Lucy was stroking Lorna’s hair and back, trying to break the cycle of sobbing and induce a steady breathing rhythm, “Deep breath for me my brave girl, come on…”

The lab door opened and the Doctor hurried in, looked at the scene before him and prepared a mild sedative. He raised an eyebrow at Lucy and offered the hypo.

“Lorna, Listen to me now hunny,” she said as she took the medicine in hand, “I have something to calm you down, ok sweetie?” she pressed the injector against Lorna’s throat, “little sting, here goes darling.”
There was a hiss of pressurized air and Lorna’s breathing began to steady and slow. She saw Lucy as her eyelids began to droop.

“love you…” she managed before passing out.

“Roger!” Lucy yelled, “Get her out of this thing before I cut it off her! Doc? Is there a gurney?”

~o~O~o~

~o~O~o~

Lorna awakened slowly, aware of the small noises of a hospital room and aware of worried voices speaking in hushed tones nearby. Her tongue felt like sandpaper and her throat was as dry as the Sahara. She made a very small sound and was startled as the door opened almost immediately and Eugene walked in with a cup of ice chips in his hands.

“Back with us, eh Lorna?” he smiled and handed her the cup, “Guess I sorta slipped up on my job as your psychologist huh?” Lorna hastily crunched an ice chip and swallowed to moisten her throat. She tried to speak but managed nothing more than a questioning squeak.

“Yeah, I was head shrinking while we worked out,” Gene smiled sheepishly, “I figured you would be more at ease with me as your sensei than as your shrink. I wish we had talked more but H has been pushing to get you out making public appearances.”

“… not… your… fault” Lorna managed to croak out, “I should have talked to Lucy or anyone.” She coughed and melted another ice chip in her mouth.

“Not the point and you know it kid,” Gene grimaced, “that ends now. I want us to talk, talk about anything you want. None of this has been easy for you and a lot of pressure has been placed on you. As far as I’m concerned, you’re off the duty roster.”

Lorna spat out the ice she had in her mouth.

“But the government…Mac…” she stammered.

“… Both have to defer to my professional judgment,” he grinned, “a person as powerful as you cannot go out in public until I am convinced that you are not a danger to yourself or others. I can and will call in colleagues if needed. Leonard Samson would love to meet you Hun.”

“So…” she murmured, “all I have to do is kick back and talk to you? Quel Dommage!” she smirked.

“I can see you’re all broken up about this, eh?” Gene chuckled, “get some rest, we start head shrinking tomorrow.” He patted her arm and left the room.

Lorna settled down into her pillows and tried to sleep, but all she managed was a restless doze while her mind whirled. Memories from childhood that were and weren’t hers, Images of people and friends long gone. Her childhood had been normal, hadn’t it? Had something happened? Why had she withdrawn so much as a teen and an adult? Something kept nagging at the edge of memory and refused to be grasped. Something happened when she… he was young… ten?

There it was again, like grit in the mind’s eye, blurry with time and tears, a figure, large… someone he was supposed to trust. It slipped again, like it was trying to hide… darkness and restless sleep followed.

The next morning, she woke and called for Eugene immediately. She told him of her dream.

“This figure in my dream seemed to be actively trying to hide, was almost in fear of discovery. I don’t get how that could be?” she asked him between sips of strong tea.

“That would seem to be a visualization of a repressed memory Lorna, actively repressed too, if I understand your description correctly,” he pulled at his lower lip, “I’m going to need to bring in a consultant, with your permission Lorna. She’s like you, a Meta.”

“As long as she’s not like Miss Killgrave, I’m willing,” Lorna grimaced at the memory of her run in with Persuasion.

“No, but she is a telepath and may be able to help you unlock your dream state,” Eugene stated, “Her name is Arlette Truffaut.”

“Like the French film director?” She giggled.

“So she would have you believe,” he snorted, “I’ll make a few calls and get her here as soon as possible. I’ll let Lucy come visit you now and see if Mike will let you rest at home, ok?” he squeezed her fingers and left the room.

Three days later there was a buzz at the door to Lorna’s quarters. Lucy keyed it and was greeted by Gene and a petite young woman who was fussing with her ID badge.

“… ruins the entire line of my outfit. Stop snickering Monsieur Judd,” She looked up at Lucy, “Ah! Bonjour Mam’selle Caplin. I am Arlette and I hope to assist Monsieur Smarty pants ‘ere to help your Lady with her small problem.” She beamed.

“Oh thank you so much Mademoiselle Truffaut,” Lucy breathed, “I have been so worried about Lorna, her nightmares have been getting worse, please come in.” she waved them towards the couch.

“How is she Lucy?” Gene asked as he seated himself.

“Resting with a mild sedative, Michael doesn’t want her on anything too heavy, but the dreams are worst at night…”she sighed heavily, “The dark figure.”

“Dark Figure?” Arlette looked suddenly alert, “has Lorna been able to describe it at all?”

“Very pale, cloaked and dark hair shot through with blue or purple,” Lucy responded, “but it’s just a dream, isn’t it?”

“A dream,” Gene snarled, “or a Nightmare!”

Both women looked at him askance; Gene was usually such a calm person that the vehemence in his tone took them by surprise.

“I’m sorry ladies, can we sit down,” he moved towards the sofa, “I’m afraid Lorna may be under attack again.” Lucy gasped and frowned angrily,

“Attacked? By whom?” she spat out the words as she sat down.

“More of a what I’m afraid,” he nodded to Arlette, “I think you know the what I’m talking about, don’t you?”

“Oui, I believe I do ‘appen to know of the creature,” Arlette shivered a bit, “though I ‘ave never encountered ‘im myself.”

“WHO?” Lucy raised her voice, “who or what is Him?”

“Nightmare… that’s what it calls itself,” Gene sighed, “It seems to be an energy creature, years ago, it would have been called a daemon.”

“It is a psychic vampire if you will,” Arlette continued, “it seems to feed off of a victim’s fear and to do that, it enters the dream state of a person and frightens them as much as it can so it can feed.”

“This can’t be real, can it?” Lucy hugged herself tightly, “energy creatures, psychic vampires, Daemons?”

“Lucy, your girlfriend breaks the laws of physics every day,” Gene took her hand soothingly, “you have met other Meta Humans, but you balk at the thought of an energy vampire.”

“Ok, point taken Gene,” she sighed unhappily, “what can be done about it? That thing has to go!”

“Ms. Caplin… Lucy,” Arlette spoke up, “If you will trust me, we can enter Lorna’s dream and convince her that it is just a dream… one she controls. Once the illusion is proved to be just that, she will be able to fight the thing. But it won’t be easy… the creature can manipulate the dream to ‘is liking, even cloak you in an illusion so your lover won’t recognize you. The dreamscape is like nothing you have ever seen.”

“I’m going in with you?” Lucy squeaked, “I’m not a fighter like Gene or a Meta like Lorna and you, Arlette…”
“You have to come Lucy,” Gene cut her off abruptly, “you are Lorna’s rock, her anchor of reality in the weirdness that her life has become, and you will be needed even more in the unreality of the Nightmare controlled dreamscape.”

After discussing their plan with Lorna and Michael, the night found all of them gathered in the medical center to implement it. Lorna had been left in the dark, figuratively speaking, about the presumed identity of the ‘dark figure’ of her dreams so as not to possibly tip the Daemon off and to give the others a better chance to seize control if necessary.

“Don’t worry sweetheart,” Lucy reassured Lorna, “Arlette is going to enter your dream to see if she can find the cause of the nightmares, just like we discussed. All you have to do is sleep and dream.”

“I know Lucy,” she sighed heavily, “I just can’t shake the creeps… Telepathy… and so soon after what Kara put us through…”

“I understand Hun, but that was mind control, not telepathy.” Lucy said calmingly, “besides, Gene, Michael and I are here to monitor the entire procedure.” She squeezed Lorna’s hand.

“Ok Lorna, mild sedative now, just to help you doze off,” Mike stepped up with an injector and pressed it against her neck with a small hiss. Lorna’s eyes closed and she was asleep in moments.

The team quickly moved in two more gurneys and Lucy and Gene settled down onto them. Arlette moved to them and gently touched their foreheads, establishing her mental link with them both. She moved to Lorna, repeated the gentle touch and then lay down as well. Mike administered the sedative to Gene and Lucy. Arlette refused as she needed to be in a trance state to keep the link active.

Lucy woke… somewhere else. It appeared to be a modest post war bungalow furnished tastefully in a somewhat dated style; early 1970’s if she was any judge of tangerine fabric and teakwood. She looked around for the others and was alarmed to find herself alone in the living area of the house. She heard a low groan from the next room and found Gene sitting in a kitchen of avocado and purple arborite.

“Are you ok Gene?” she felt the need to whisper, “Where are we and have you seen anyone else?”

“I just woke up here, eh?” he rubbed his temples and shrugged, “so not much more info than you have, sorry Lucy.” He stood up and looked around warily, “let’s check the rooms, and keep alert, nothing is quite what it seems.”

~A master of understatement, our monsieur Judd~

Lucy heard Arlette’s voice in her head and stifled a squeak. Gene shook his head slightly.

“Where are you Murmur?” he whispered fiercely.

~With you, but hidden. Discretion is the better part of valor. The less of us ‘e is aware of, the greater advantage we possess~

“Guess I can’t argue that,” he replied, “this is far too… ordinary. Hold up, does anyone else hear whimpering?”

Lucy listened carefully and heard what sounded like a frightened child from a bedroom at the end of a hallway. She crept quietly towards the door and heard sobbing and a low masculine voice.

“Such a sweet little girl, aren’t you? In your nightdress and panties, so pure and clean,” there was a creepy giggle and renewed sobbing from a little girl, “and you’re growing up aren’t you? Are you a big girl yet?”

Lucy was aghast and was a heartbeat from kicking in the door.

“Wait, not yet,” Gene hissed in her ear, his hand on her shoulder restraining her, “we don’t have any idea of the full situation!”

~Arlette? Can you hide your presence from it long enough to reconnoiter? ~

~ Oui, but not long, a quick glimpse, no more. ~

An image formed in Lucy’s mind of a young girl’s bedroom. Unicorns and ponies with violet and rose dominant was the major theme throughout. The girl was trembling in the bed with the covers wrapped around her for protection. The bedding was green and white with gold piping.

The dark figure was moving slowly up the length of the bed, his face never the same from second to second.

“Let go of the covers dear,” the figure giggled again, “and let me see what a pretty girl you are.”

“No, I can’t!” she sobbed, “They protect me from bad stuff!”

The figure paused, its mismatched eyes shifting slightly. The image faded from Lucy’s mind.

~ I think ‘e sensed me! ~

“Ok Lucy,” Gene whispered, “I’ll go low and take his knees, and you go to the girl and protect her.”

“Protect her!” Lucy hissed, “Protect her how?!”

~ You know this is the dream state and can control it, ‘e does too but ‘e is bound by rules. The only person ‘oo doesn’t understand the unreality is Lorna. ~

Lucy looked at Gene, who held up five fingers and ticked them down one by one. She grasped the doorknob and turned it, opening the door with her shoulder. Gene crouched and sprang while Lucy ducked right and dove toward Lorna. The figure turned and roared.

“WHO DARES?! OOOooof.” It gasped as Gene struck its midriff in a solid tackle that carried both of them across the room away from the bed. Lucy reached Lorna and wrapped her in a protective embrace.

”ƒ

~o~O~o~

~o~O~o~

“MONSTERS!” Lorna screamed in utter terror.

“Monsters?” Lucy looked around, “Where?”

~ It is as I feared, ‘e is twisting ‘er perceptions. She sees you and Eugene as creatures! ~

Lorna struggled in Lucy’s arms, shrieking in utter terror.

“NO GET AWAY! HELP ME! MOMMMMMY!”

Gene flew across the room, tossed like a ragdoll by the dark figure.

“Who are you? Get away! This one is mine!” it screeched, “I rule here! I am Nightmare!”

Gene got up and produced an AE50 Desert Eagle from nowhere and fired at the pale man in green. Giant holes appeared in his body and disappeared just as quickly. The being gestured, hands grew from the wall and held Gene tightly. Gene flexed his body and the hands crumbled to dust. He bounded across the room and slugged Nightmare, knocking him ass over teakettle.

“You don’t rule me, EH?” he laughed, “I know that this is all fake bub!”

Nightmare pulled himself up, like a marionette on strings, his eyes glowing green like a traffic light.

“You might little man,” he gave another giggle, “but SHE doesn’t, she sees monsters attacking a mother figure, Me. She cannot even understand what you are saying! I control her perceptions, I control her mind!”

Lorna watched as the creature leapt at her mother again, growling and snarling while she struggled in the grip of the hag that held her tightly.

“Nooo! Leave Mommy alone!” she howled, “Let Me Go!”

Lucy thought furiously, she had to get through to Lorna somehow! Then as Gene was tossed across the room again she got an idea!

~ Arlette! Can you link me to Lorna’s mind? ~

~ Oui! But what… ~

Lucy cut her off with a sharp thought.

~ Just do it then! ~

Lucy felt the world shift and found herself in a dark room with a light in the middle. Inside the circle was Lorna, her Lorna, curled up in a fetal position sobbing. She ran to the light but bounced off… she walked to the perimeter and spoke.

“Lorna, Lorna honey,” she said calmingly, “It’s me, it’s Lucy.”

“go ‘way, you’re not real…” she panted weakly, “you’re that thing.”

“No pumpkin, It’s really me,” she soothed, “remember how you saved me? Saved us all two weeks ago?”

“Get outta my head!” Lorna groaned, “She can’t be here!”

“I am honey, and I can prove it,” Lucy said, “think back to when you were ten… were you Lorna or were you Larry?”

Lorna’s eyes snapped open and she stood up slowly. Looking at Lucy she mouthed the words thank you and vanished. Lucy was back in the bedroom where Gene was kneeling on the daemons chest and pounding him mercilessly. Lorna had stopped struggling and looked up at Lucy with a wicked grin. She stood up and her bed sheets writhed around her as she grew rapidly to her own adult size; Lorna stepped off the small bed, clad in her uniform.

“Step aside Gene,” she hissed, “the bastard is mine now!”

Gene ricocheted off of a wall and landed neatly behind Lorna. Nightmare rose to his full height again and screeched.

“Impossible, IMPOSSIBLE!” It pointed directly at Lorna, “You were trapped in my world, and you cannot have broken away!”

Slime covered tentacles raced towards Lorna but evaporated before they got anywhere near her. She blasted back at Nightmare with a plasma bolt which went through him without damaging him. She looked back at Gene and Lucy.

“Energy creature?” she asked

They nodded in unison. Lorna looked back at the glowering figure.

“Hey Emo Boy!” she shouted, “As much as I’d love to trade insults and blast your ass all over the place, I just don’t have time for a second rater like you!”

“Second Rater?!” It spluttered in its rage, “I am NIGHTMARE, Lord of the dreamscapes!”

“Really? I thought that Morpheus of the Endless was Lord of the Dreamscape.” She smiled at it.

“NO! Don’t say that name!” the thing gibbered in terror, “to say his name here…”

Another being appeared, with even whiter skin than Nightmare’s. He was tall and thin, dressed entirely in black with a large red stone hanging from his neck.

“Is to Summon him, little figment?” the voice was cold and dry, like wind through bare tree branches, “I do not recall crafting this dream or assigning you to this one.”

The dream lord looked at Lorna, who nodded respectfully. Gene’s eyes were huge as he took in the scene before him.

“Lorna! How do you know this being?” he whispered.

“Look up Neil Gaiman when we get home,” she whispered back with a smile.

Nightmare was on his knees prostrating himself before his master.

“But how…” he wailed, “How did you slip my grasp woman?!”

“You didn’t do your homework before attacking me daemon,” she replied icily, “I was never a ten year old girl. Look up Metahumans in Lucien’s library, if Lord Dream allows you to.”

She faced Morpheus and bowed her head.

“Milord Dream, will you take this daemon from here please?” she spoke softly, “and may I ask a small boon?”

The being almost smiled.

“I will and you may,” he replied, “for the torment he caused you and your companions.”

“I would ask if Nightmare acted alone,” she said quietly, “or on the instructions of another. I have been attacked twice now and am starting to become annoyed.”

Gene had to stifle a laugh. ‘Annoyed?’ he thought and heard Arlette’s giggle in his mind. Lucy just sat down hard on the bed; slack jawed at the scene playing out before her.

“Answer her, creature.” The dream lord toed the daemon cowering before him.

“I cannot!” it wailed, “The sorcerer of iron placed a geas upon me that I would be bound forever should I speak!”

“You need fear me more than a mere sorcerer!” Dream raised his voice slightly as he produced a small bottle of green glass from his cloak. In less than a millisecond, the creature was sealed within its walls.

The Lord of Dreams nodded slightly towards Lorna.

“This one will bother you no longer, Milady of the North Star’s reaches.” He nodded again and was gone.

Lorna blinked and opened her eyes to the comforting view of the Medical bay she had gone to sleep in. She raised herself up to a sitting position and rubbed her forehead.

“Ow”

“OW?! You just defeated a psychic daemon and all you can say is OW?” Gene goggled at her from the gurney he was resting on.

“Well, my head hurts from all of you guys banging around in there,” she smiled, “you call that psychology?”

She looked around and saw Arlette sleeping peacefully. Lucy snuck up behind Lorna and embraced her fiercely.

“Hi Sweetheart,” Lucy kissed the back of her neck, “that was… you were astounding!”

Lorna turned to kiss her partner.

“I couldn’t have done it without you Lucy,” tears rolled down her cheeks, “I had almost given up fighting that thing, I would have been trapped in my own mind…”

She hugged Lucy tightly and started to sob. Gene tried to get up, but Michael placed a hand on his shoulder.

“No Eugene, she needs this,” he spoke quietly; “she is healing.”

“Always the wise Shaman, eh Mike?” he nodded, “those two need a good night’s sleep in their own space though.”

Lucy watched from the observation booth in the training room as Lorna put her battlesuit through its paces, destroying targets, netting dummies and shielding herself from live ammunitions. Mac joined her, handing her a cup of coffee.

“I just finished reading the mission reports and I must admit, I didn’t fully understand half of it.” He sipped at his mug, “Psychic beings, dreamscapes, a Lord of Dreams?” he shook his head.

“I lived it and I’m not sure I understand it Mac,” she blew on her coffee, “Gene quoted Shakespeare at me ‘There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy’”

“Meaning he didn’t fully get it either.” Mac responded dryly, “and in the end, Lorna’s comic book knowledge saved you all. Quick thinking on her part, I approve. I see she’s accepted the uniform.”

“More than accepted Mac,” Lucy smiled, “in the nightmare, the bed sheets she clung to for protection were those exact colours. She sees them now as what they are, Safety, for herself and for those she defends.”

Arlette wandered into the booth and looked down with a smile of pride.

“She is formidable!” she laughed. “On any plane of existence.”

Lucy set down her coffee and turned to embrace the petite woman.

“Thank you Arlette, for saving her,” she whispered, “I could have lost her.”

“I didn’t save her Lucy,” she chuckled, “you did, I only got the assist. ‘Ang on to that one, she needs you more then you know.” She stepped back and held Lucy by the upper arms, “Now, I must fly to New York to ‘elp a Stephane Strange with something mysterious and maybe find out more about tis ‘Sorcerer of Iron’, fare well Lucy. Be well James.”

Arlette left the room and its occupants to their thoughts.

“She’s ready, isn’t she,” Lucy broke the silence.

“She’s ready,” he agreed as he watched Lorna destroy a three foot thick concrete wall, “and God help anyone who ticks her off.”

Next Time: The Great Mall Tour!