Curtain Fall - Chapter 07

The captain and soldiery made no attempt to detain Jill as she walked away, although the captain did initiate a report to headquarters. They needed to know of the woman’s existence.

As Jill walked to her car she watched all those around her backing away. While there were some who were obviously frightened of her, the majority were simply too in awe of what she’d done to want to interfere with her. She also noticed several who were using phones to photograph her. With a sinking stomach she realized how she’d just outed herself; and how some of these photos would likely find their way to the press.

She stopped and turned to look at the crowd. Still with tears in her eyes she spoke to them, “I’m glad most of you are safe. Please, go and offer what help you can to those who might be injured.” Some looked to the injured but most continued to stare at her. Then a small voice.

“Arw you a fairy Queen?”, a small girl still clutching her mother’s leg asked.

Jill smiled weakly and stepped forward to kneel by the child. “I just couldn’t let you all be hurt by the bad creature.” She started to reach forward to brush some of the locks out of the child’s face but froze as she felt a spike of fear come from the mother. She looked up with a plea in her eyes and a second later the mother gave a tight nod. Jill bit her lower lip and completed the gesture and cleared the child’s eyes of hair. “You and your Mommy are all safe now...”

The little girl let go of her mother and then leapt to hug Jill. Squeezing as hard as she could the tiny girl squealed, “Thank you your highness!”

Jill felt a flood of warmth coming from the child and she barked out a surprised, soggy laugh and gently returned the embrace for a moment. Jill then slowly extracted herself and holding the little one at arm’s length replied, “You’re welcome sweetheart! What’s your name?” Beaming, the little girl replied that her name was ‘Gwen’. “What a lovely name, Gwen!”

Turning Gwen back to her mother she continued, “Now why don’t you go back to your Mommy. I need you to help me and protect her too; OK?”

“OK!”, Gwen chirped as she ran back into her mother’s arms. “Mommy, Mommy! The Fairy Queen wants me to ‘potec’ you!” A general glow of warmth formed around Jill that was accompanied by soft laughter.

The wary awe softened into warmth and gratitude as Jill stood and turned back towards her car. Now those around her didn’t shy away but instead many reached to touch her with murmurs of thanks.

By the time she was in her car, the the pain of having to kill the creature had been greatly reduced and she was able to focus on the fact that she’d saved the lives of dozens. With a soft smile she drove out of the lot.

————————————

For the next hour or so Jill drove randomly around town. She did this for two reasons: first to get her own emotions under control and second, she felt a need to think about the likely consequences of revealing that she had real power.

She’d been right in her speculations weeks ago that there was a movement to register ‘powered’ individuals by the government. A bill had been introduced in the House to require testing and registration; and it had gained some support since a majority of the news about the Fallen revolved around sensational coverage of ‘powered’ engaged in violence and crime. The local bank robbing “brick” dubbed ‘The Ripper’ by the local press being a prime example. There were even rumors of restrictions on the liberty of powered Fallen by some. Thankfully, those rumblings hadn’t gained much support as yet due to cries of ‘Nazism’ by those opposing.

Jill worried about how her life was going to change if her face was fully linked to the events and became widely publicized. Would she loose her job? Carol?!? Jill’s stress began ramping up again when she thought about Carol. If she couldn’t handle becoming known (Jill knew that if she was identified then Carol would be dragged in as well) their relationship would not survive.

At first Jill felt a sense of panic at that possibility, but eventually came to the conclusion that she had no right to cling to Carol if it would hurt her. She couldn’t bare the idea that she’d purposefully be the cause of Carol’s pain. If she tried to force Carol to stay with her, it would ultimately only result in resentment or even her hatred. Jill would never survive that. No. She had to prepare herself to be willing and ready to leave. And with that mindset she arrived at the apartment at 6:15.

Jill parked and with a heavy heart, walked in the doors. Through the empty lobby and to the elevators. As she, trembling, rode up to her and Carol’s floor she began to feel strong emotions. Waves of amazement, excitement and fear; all washing over her. She even felt pride! ‘Is there an important sports event I didn’t know about? Did the government just make a new announcement?’, Jill wondered.

The elevator ‘pinged’ and opened and Jill went to the apartment door. Behind it Jill could feel wild amazement as well as horror. Cringing, Jill stiffened her back and unlocked and opened the door.

Quietly as she moved into the apartment she suddenly realized that Carol wasn’t alone. In fact, there were at least a dozen people in the living room! She moved into the archway of the room to see Carol and many of her neighbors standing and watching the TV. On it was what was obviously a phone video of Jill floating into the air before the rock creature. Seeing that what she feared was already on a news broadcast, Jill gasped in dismay.

This attracted the attention of the crowd and they, almost as one, turned towards her. In guilty fear Jill staggered back and looked at the mob; ready to bolt.

“YOU’RE A GOD DAMNED SUPERHERO?!?!?!?”, one of her particularly loud and obnoxious neighbors named Samantha shrieked, “OH M-”

The accusatory tone was too much for Jill’s emotional state and she suddenly felt a her recent meal at the restaurant try to make a reappearance. She whirled and dashed to the nearest sink (in the kitchen). She just made it there before emptying her pizza from dinner into the basin.

Carol and the crowd watched her turn pasty white and dash into the kitchen. Hearing Jill heaving they all looked at each other. Carol then realized that Jill must be reeling still from what she’d gone through and understood that she must have misinterpreted Samantha’s exclamation. With an evil chuckle she muttered, “Some superhero!”, and then moved to quickly follow her lover.

The rest of the crowd then looked with accusations in their eyes at Samantha. She looked back and asked, “WHAT?”

In the kitchen Carol moved to a weakly still retching Jill and gently stroked her back. She began making soft nurturing sounds, and she slowly pulled Jill into her arms. Jill for her part could feel only caring and support from Carol and she collapsed into her arms. Choking and whimpering, Jill sobbed about how she was afraid Carol was going to kick her out. “Now that I’m going to be famous, I’ll have no privacy and you won’t want to be sucked into that, you won’t want me anymore and I’ll be alone again, and...”

Carol crushed Jill to her breast, muffling her pained babbling and began to rock back and forth while continuing soothing noises. Eventually Jill ran down and she gathered herself together enough to look into Carol’s eyes and asked with childlike amazement, “You - You’re not going to kick me out?!?”

Carol chuckled softly and shook her head. “I’ve told you before hon, you’re all mine. You. Are. Stuck. With me!”

Jill’s eyes lit up with radiant relief and with a cry of “I love you!!”, she pulled Carol into a fierce kiss. Jonah, another neighbor who had crept to the kitchen to see what was going on, smiled and retreated to the living room to offer updates to the others.

Several minutes later a much calmer couple rejoined the others in the living room, where upon Jill was more gently approached than originally expected but quickly surrounded and roundly hugged. She was rendered almost dizzy by the welcoming and pride filled emotions radiating all around her. This was completely unlike what she’d expected the news would cause.

“I thought you’d all be afraid of me!”,she said. “What are the news saying about what happened and me?”

“Are you kidding?!?”, Carol responded incredulous, “The news is saying you are an incredible bad ass with the heart of an angel!”

“What...?”, Jill asked in utter bewilderment.

“Look.. They are playing it over and over. Listen!” With that Carol turned up the volume so Jill could see and hear.

The station they were watching showed what was obviously several different video recordings. Each showing a different view. The narrator was explaining that late this afternoon the Connor street Acme had been attacked by the rampaging rock monster. The bulk of those inside had quickly escaped and settled to watch the scene at what they thought would be a safe distance. Here the video, taken by one of the first to flee, shows a number of customers fleeing the wreckage of the front of the store.

The announcer then went on to show snippets of the military arriving and then the creature emerging from the store. At one point the edge of the screen Jill showed the man she’d saved flopping to the ground as if shot, but then sliding out of view.

The next video clip showed the creature apparently unharmed by the military’s fire. It showed the creature effortlessly sweeping soldiers aside and severely injuring a handful of troops. Then it showed it beginning to advance on the crowds in the parking lot.

“It was at this point that a mystery figure, ignoring any potential danger, came on the scene. Clear audio isn’t available at this time, but it seems that the woman pled for the soldiers to stop firing so as not to cause friendly fire.”

Here the video showed a not terribly well focused shot of the Jill move towards the monster. Jill could see a number of soldiers beginning to move to intercept her. They stopped when she reached out as if to grab the beast (and the car it held) lifting it into the air.

“With the creature lifted into the air so that it could reach no additional victims, one can see the military officer in charge of the squad, a Captain Tenner, approach and speak with the powered heroine.” A short conversation concluded, the video showed her nodding; after which she herself floated in front of the beast. Without ever touching it, the video then showed her doing something with her hand and you could hear on the recording the terrible snapping of the the creature’s stone neck.

“Once dead the creature and woman lowered back to the ground and the woman, clearly affected by the death of even such a savage beast began to walk away.” The announcer paused and then continued, “It is here then we get an additional insight into the nature of this remarkable woman!”

A new video then came to the TV replaying Jill’s interactions with young Gwen. When over, the screen returned to the announcer continued, “We do not have enough words to express proper gratitude to this mystery woman for her bravery and her need to protect those in danger.

We will return in a moment...” He paused a bit and the station then broke to commercials.

At that, Carol turned the volume back down and everyone once again stared at Jill. The short but pregnant silence was once again broken by Samantha, “Dang woman! You’re a superhero! What were you thinking?!?”

Stunned by watching what she’d actually done away from the chaos of the actual event, Jill sheepishly looked at her audience and in small voice said, “It kind of seemed like a good idea at the time?” Amazement and humor rolled over her in a tidal wave...

——————————————-

9 am. the next morning -

David Feber, deputy director from the recently established F-branch of the NSA walked into the White House briefing room. In front of him sat 5 of the 8 most powerful men in the cabinet along with the White House Chief of Staff, Oscar Tindle. The Chief of Staff turned to him with a controlled face and said, “Morning Dave. You asked to be in on this morning’s briefing. I’m certain we are all,” he gestured at the others attending, “ interested in what you have to tell us! Is this an update on Brazil?”

David looked a little uncomfortable and produced a thumb drive, “We’re not sure sir. Our monitoring of local news media throughout the nation gave us ‘this’ out of Albuquerque.” He plugged the drive into the presentation laptop and called up a video. The video was a recording of a news broadcast from the previous night showing Jill confronting and killing the monster. As the video progressed he watched the faces around him blanch and heard muttered exclamations. The female they watched looked like the ones behind the barrier.

“As you can see, this female demonstrated truly extraordinary powers. She is apparently a wildly powerful telekinetic who with wave of her hand can casually lift and manipulate over a ton.” He paused and opened a folder of papers and continued, “Based on examinations of the body of the creature, she applied enough force to physically shear basalt. The amount of energy required to compromise it was in excess of 14 M/Pa.”.

“What does that mean in English?”, one of the members asked shortly.

David looked at them and responded gravely, “Enough force to crush boulders, or easily rip a tank apart.”

The SecDef barked, “So what are we going to do with her? How are we going to contain or kill her?”

At hearing that David coughed and replied, “A couple of issues. First, we haven’t found her yet. The troops at site wisely chose not try to take her into custody. We did get the plates of her vehicle and found it registered to a Gilbert Vehaen. He’s probably a love interest. We’ll be visiting him today.”

David called up another video. “This shows a bit of the end of the encounter.” The vid was of Jill’s engagement of the little girl and the seeming adulation she subsequently received. “As you can see, the woman is well on her way to becoming a local hero to her community. As it gets publicized more widely I suspect that will become a national perception as well! I know for a fact that several of the main networks will be running videos like this tonight, and the local papers are going crazy for what she did.”

Dave focused on the council member who might have been advocating capturing her. “I strongly feel that it would be very unwise for us to take precipitous permanent action here for a number of reasons. One: it would result in politically unacceptable fallout if we were seen to attack one of the first heroes we’ve seen.

Two: Reports from witnesses reveal that this woman was reluctant to engage in violence, but when forced she didn’t hesitate in killing the creature. I suspect she might not react well to extreme pressure.

Three: We don’t know her relationship with those in Brazil. We’ve been continuing our attempts at long range observation and are tentatively concluding it is a matriarchal society with a strong martial element. If this woman is linked with them and they learn of her being attacked they might respond militarily. While we haven’t tried to use force to penetrate it, the barrier is likely impervious to most of what we can field. If they have the ability to generate it in a mobile form it would place us at a decided disadvantage in combat. Think invulnerable tanks...

Four: I don’t believe we’ve even seen the limits of her power. Do we really want to make an enemy of this woman?”

This analysis provoked serious discussion within the cabinet. After a period, consensus was achieved. They would send representatives from the NSA to make contact after they’d gained more information about her. David also wanted to be able to have a profiler assess her prior to any firm action.

————————————————

Due to the nerves Jill evinced Carol took charge in the morning and drove them both to work. She spent the drive joking and distracting Jill in an effort to lighten her mood with only limited success. After they parked in the lot and entered the facility those in the lobby all stopped talking and stared at Jill. Jill froze as she felt the wave of emotions from the handful in the lobby. With relief she realized she felt no hostility; rather the emotions were more complex and muddy but on the whole positive.

Carol gently tugged on Jill’s arm and they began moving further in. ‘Well I guess everyone knows already..’, Jill concluded. There was nothing to do but try to get to work.

Shortly, Carol gave her a kiss and whispered before turning to her office, “Stay strong sweetie! Call if you need me.”

“Love you too!”, Jill responded as she walked on. The walk seemed almost to turn into a bit of a gauntlet as word travelled faster than she did, and many people watched her pass through open doors. Even though she wasn’t dealing with hostility the she was considering turning around and hiding; the exposure was almost unbearable. She was saved from that however when one of the researchers, Maggie, stepped out of her lab to stand in front of Jill.

Maggie looked at her with uncertainty , as if she were seeing Jill for the first time. Jill stood transfixed as her co-worker seemed to evaluate her and then come to a conclusion. With that and a sense of conviction Maggie reached out and gathered Jill into her arms saying, “Thank you for saving those people Jill, not many would be brave enough.”

She then stepped back, “Lunch today?” Once she saw Jill nod dazedly she smiled and returned to her office.

Jill watched her go then turned and walked into the lab that she, Gary and several others used, surrounded by the applause of Gary and the others. “Dang Dudette, You just don’t stop with the surprises!”, Gary laughed. With the laughter, the mood broke around her and she with limited success in the morning, was able to begin to work.

Lunch arrived and it seemed that the collective had decided she still put her shoes on one at a time like they did so she was able to get lunch and sit with Maggie and Carol and Gary in a very crowded lunchroom. Once seated Gary and Maggie both let loose with all sorts of questions about yesterday.

Yes, she assured them she’d been terrified. How could anyone look at the creature and not be afraid? Why did she stop it? She just couldn’t let all the people be torn up by the creature and if the army had tried to stop it too many others would have been hurt or killed.

Jill broke up giggling at another question. “No! I’m not working here as some sort of ‘Clare Kent’! I just want to earn a paycheck like everyone else!”

No she didn’t have a comic book hero suit handy! Yes she’d sign a couple of autographs, but she’d have to come up with a comic book superhero name first!

“No!! I won’t go by ‘The Fairy Queen!’”, she laughed.

“How about Lady Adrasteia?”, asked one from the large group clustered around her.

“Lady Who?”

“Adrasteia.” answered the man. “I was fascinated by Comparative Religions in college and learned about a number of lesser known deities. She was an early Greek goddess who in addition to being a nursemaid for Zeus, appropriate considering how you handled the little girl, was also a goddess who defends the righteous!”

Jill heard the exclamations and felt the wave of approval from those around her and laughingly bowed to the suggestion. She spent a couple minutes signing autographs for the “Children” of several co-workers and as she finished quipped to Carol, “Next step: Paparazzi!”

The rest of the day passed in much the same fashion save for a short visit to the CIO’s office where upon answering the summons was told by him that he was proud of what she’d done. Her position was safe and after being alerted to Jill’s concerns about being known assured her he’d ask all to not noise her ‘secret identity’ about very much!

Once the day was over, Jill and Carol returned home to dinner, TV (with more coverage of the appearance of the new superhero, this time on National News) and finally gentle lovemaking and sleep.

—————————————

Over the next several days Jill began to adopt the habit of wearing large dark sunglasses and a hijab in public in an effort to reduce the ease by which she might be recognized. While not always successful, she did regain a limited measure of anonymity. Jill suspected that the glasses were more responsible than anything as they obscured her remarkable eyes, but the hijab also served as psychological misdirection.

It was attired thusly, that Jill finally arranged to collect and move the personal items she wanted to keep of her previous life. With the assistance of a small Mom and Pop moving company (she liked to help local businesses) she returned to her old apartment. She let them in and, explaining she was dealing with property owned by a brother who moved to follow a new job, proceeded to move her old belongings into the truck where they would be transported to a storage property. In this way she’d not have to renew the old lease and she’d be able to go through things at a leisurely pace.

As she was instructing the movers she became aware of several individuals who were aggressively focused on the movers and her. She ‘listened’ and realized that this attention was not coming from neighboring apartments. Instead it was coming from several hundred feet away in a truck with a “Nationwide Construction” label on the side. She looked at the truck and, even though she could see no one, felt a spike in tension; as if those inside feared discovery.

Remembering the night where the waiter had trailed and attacked she and her friends, Jill decided to try to determine if this were a similar situation. But how? She made her way back into the apartment to get out of immediate sight and as she stood pondering another two sources of excited and intense but wary focus came to her attention. This set came from a sedan she saw approaching and pulling to a stop on the street not far away. The driver and passenger, having stopped, didn’t get out of the vehicle. Now there were five watching her old apartment! This wasn’t likely police or news as they would have approached. She decided to stir the pot a bit.

As the movers finished transferring things to the truck Jill borrowed one of the mover’s phones and with it called 911.

“Hello police? My name is Mary Tyler and I live in the Golden Oak Apartment complex..”. Jill proceeded to describe the construction truck and said she thought she saw them selling drugs. She mentioned they also had guns. They assured her they would look into it right away.

Jill hung up and returned the phone. She delayed the movers until she saw three police cars approaching rapidly and as they moved to box the truck in, she had the movers start out. As they pulled away she watched the truck and sedan. The sedan, whose interest had peaked upon seeing her, started following them.

Shortly Jill requested that they stop at a burger joint so that she might treat them in thanks for their good efforts. They pulled into drive-in and she gave them 2 twenties to place the order as she hit the restroom. They happily agreed and she made as if to head to the restroom. Before reaching it, however, she changed direction so that she might leave the place out of sight of the sedan.

Once outside she made her way carefully around moved quietly to the trailing car from behind. Once within sprinting distance, Jill dashed forward, wrenched a back door open with her mind and plopped herself down in a back seat. “Hi guys!”, she chirped brightly.

The two alarmed men jerked and began to grab holstered pistols as they tried to turn to face her. “Oh no... No, no no.. We can’t have you getting frisky now can we?”, she chided sarcastic cheer. With her mind she pulled the seatbelts painfully tight in an effort to distract and restrain them. The men both involuntarily grunted in pain as the belts dug in and made it difficult to breath.

“Now place the palms of your hands on the ceiling please and we’ll have a nice talk.”

Not understanding just how she had jammed the belts much less opened a supposedly locked rear door they nervously did as she said.

“OK, now who are you and those in the construction truck?” Jill waited as she felt the alarm radiating from the two grow as they realized she’d been aware of the initial group as well.

The driver, stuttered and began, “Wha- what are you talking abo-“, but more was cut off as Jill jerked the belt even tighter while preventing the men from lowering their hands.

Jill made a loud sound reminiscent of a game show buzzer and followed up in a voice edged with anger, “Oh, wrong answer Monty, no prize for you! Maybe you ‘d like to go for a lovely consolation gift?” With that, she reached into the front and relieved the men of their guns. She also proceeded to root for an ID wallet in the coat pockets. While she did this the men began to panic as they realized they couldn’t wrench their hands away from the roof. They were completely immobilized and helpless!

Jill proved lucky as the passenger actually did have a photo ID in his coat pocket and she discovered his name was Steve Sandburg, an agent of the NSA. Jill realized these were internal spooks. “Wow! I guess the government moves fast!” Assuming from spy novels that these two wouldn’t know the reasons but at least would have their particular orders she proceeded, “OK now, Steve. I’m going to ask you some questions, and you will please not waist our time and answer honestly. Now I assume you weren’t told why you were to stake the apartment out exactly, but what were you looking for? Please understand I will know if you are lying..”

Steve and his partner sat there and in spite of her admonishment she could feel him gearing up to lie. He began to open his mouth and Jill reached over and put her finger over his parted lips. “Shh, shhhhhh! Bad boy. You were going to lie to me weren’t you?” She turned to the driver, “Since the young buck is still to full of testosterone to cooperate, perhaps the older and wiser agent might be more forthcoming?”

The un-named agent looked over to his partner and swallowed before he responded, “Uh.. we were told to find Mr. Vehaen and through him I expect you. We were explicitly given orders not to approach you; I don’t know why.” His eyes narrowed as he considered his predicament, “I suspect now it is because you are a Fallen who has powers.” His eyes suddenly widened as he remembered recent events, his emotions transforming to fearful awe, “Oh shit! You are her aren’t you, the Fairy Queen!?!? The Fallen at the Acme?”

Jill felt Steve spike with renewed panic as well and she gave a deep sigh, “Crap. I hope that isn’t going to stick! Call me ‘Lady Adrasteia’. Will that work?” She leaned back and proceeded in emptying the guns and made a point to bend the triggers so that even reloaded the gun would be unlikely to work. Then she leaned forward in between the two agents as she mentally put the guns on the dashboard.

“YES! Absolutely! Lady Adrasteia!”

With a voice that gradually became harsher as she continued, “Thank you. Now I’m afraid I feel all this cloak and dagger stuff is a bit too ugly for my tastes so I’d appreciate it if you’d tell your superiors I’ll start getting upset if you keep it up. All I did was protect people from a dangerous unreasoning creature. If you want to meet and talk with me I’m willing to do so. Be straight and upfront with me and we’ll get along.”

She took a moment to calm down when she felt the agents panicking even more as they heard her anger, and finally continued quietly, “Now I assume you’ll want to contact me... How about this. When you’re ready to meet rationally, post a personal ad to Adrasteia in the ‘Albuquerque Village’. I will respond with a date and location. You be there in a group no larger than 5. They will be unarmed. Any more and I’ll know. If they’re armed I’ll know. If you send snipers I’ll know. I will interpret such an action as your decision to not deal and I’ll consider it a declaration of hostilities. If you continue to hunt and find me and then bring threats to those important to me in an effort to pressure me I will consider it a declaration of war! I will not give second chances. Tell your superiors as exactly as you can what I’ve told you. You got that?”

Seeing them both nodding vigorously, Jill leaned over and gave them each a quick kiss on the cheek. She smiled brightly at them both and then slid out of the car.

Once out she walked in front of the car and stared at the wheel closest to her. The men then heard the strained squeal of metal; after which she turned and walked briskly back to the burger joint. Soon after, she and the movers returned to the truck drove away.

As they turned the corner the belts loosened and the men found their hands free of the car roof. Fred, the agent who’s name had not been discovered, jumped out of the car to see what the noise was and discovered that the front axel had been bent 90 degrees so that the sidewall of the front left tire lay flat on the ground.

Jill, for her part, sat with her head resting back and her eyes closed as the front she had put up in front of the agents crumbled. Her heart was beating madly and she fought to keep from hyperventilating.

“Oh crap!! Spooks on my ass already! What am I going to do?”, she thought shakily. She was a nerd! Not Jason Bourne. She might have to start planning like one, however...